Five-minute Mysteries 5. Ken Weber

11 years before that. Got married right after the war you know.

      MIRAKAWA: Yes, Mrs. Werner. Now, did you see anyone around Mr.Tondayo’s residence yesterday?

      WERNER: He never had visitors. Seemed like he was never there neither. Went out a lot at night too. Late, I mean, 2 and 3 in the morning and sometimes not come back for a couple days or more. You know that’s just awful him being killed like that.

      MIRAKAWA: But he was home yesterday, wasn’t he?

      WERNER: Well he come home in the morning from wherever he was. At 9 I heard him drive in. The Dinah Macklin Show ...

      MIRAKAWA: You heard him, you didn’t see him?

      WERNER: I saw him. That chair there by the TV? You can see right across.

      MIRAKAWA: But did you see anyone yesterday?

      WERNER: No, like I said, he never had visitors. ’Course there was that survey woman in the afternoon.

      MIRAKAWA: Survey woman?

      WERNER: You know, one of those busybodies that come around wanting to know what toothpaste you like. Had one of those boards. Clipboards, that’s it. Never came in here though. I wouldn’t have let her in anyway. Don’t like that kind of prying.

      MIRAKAWA: What time was that? Do you remember?

      WERNER: Right before Oprah so it was 4 o’clock.

      MIRAKAWA: Could you describe her?

      WERNER: Well, I never got a good look at her face. I was on the porch when she came see, and soon as she got out of her car and I figured what she was up to, I went inside. Was going to watch Oprah anyway. She was average height I guess, taller than you but then you’re pretty short aren’t you? Her hair was to the shoulder, blonde it was. She wore slacks. Came in a car, I saw that. Blue, one of those little foreign things.

      MIRAKAWA: Did she go to other houses too?

      WERNER: I don’t know that. Like I said I wasn’t going to let her in so I went to the back of the house. I got another TV there. Wanted it to look like I’d gone out.

      End of transcript.

      File #3347D Subject: Tondayo, Keith L., homicide

      Detective Inspector Mira Mirakawa

      Transcript of interview with Ms. Faith Orenda, 1 p.m., April 16, 2006

      MIRAKAWA: Detective Inspector Mira Mirakawa with Ms. Faith F-AI-

      T-H Orenda O-R-E-N-D-A, April 16, 2006, 1 p.m., at police headquarters.

      Thank you for coming in, Ms. Orenda.

      ORENDA: Do I need a lawyer?

      MIRAKAWA: So far this is just routine. You were the deceased’s partner?

      ORENDA: Business partner. And that’s former too. Our partnership

      ended three months ago. Look, I’m sure you know all this already.

      Keith and I did software development. Specialized in photo

      enhancement. He was the techie, I ran the business end. We parted

      because — you must know this — he was cheating. Running another

      service on the side. And if you’re planning to ask me about Keith

      having a finger in the drug trade, I don’t know a thing about that.

      He could have been for all I know. Wouldn’t surprise me. There’s

      cocaine all over the photo business now.

      MIRAKAWA: Who said anything about cocaine?

      ORENDA: Well, nobody I guess, but that’s what’s all over now —

      cocaine.

      MIRAKAWA: I see. Could you tell us what is your relationship with

      Martin Verdecchi?

      ORENDA: What did I say? You know everything already. Martin and

      I formed a legal business partnership six weeks ago.

      MIRAKAWA: The two of you have the same home address, 12

      Newton Road over in Dufferin.

      ORENDA: We live together. That a crime or something? And our

      studio and office are over the garage. Martin had a unit downtown

      but he had to give that up when Keith made a deal with him and

      didn’t come through. Martin lost all his hardware in the deal.

      MIRAKAWA: Do you know a Mrs. Jolene Werner?

      ORENDA: Never heard of her.

      MIRAKAWA: How often were you at Keith Tondayo’s house on

      North Bleaker Street?

      ORENDA: Not once. Not ever. Keith’s not the type you ever wanted

      to mix business and pleasure with.

      MIRAKAWA: Where were you yesterday, April 15, 2006, between the

      hours of 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.?

      ORENDA: Look, I want a lawyer. You said this was routine. Anyway,

      I was at home, with Martin.

      MIRAKAWA: Anybody else who can verify that?

      ORENDA: We were enhancing film. With our equipment, that’s done

      with doors and windows closed. Now isn’t that convenient for you?

      MIRAKAWA: Yesterday Mrs. Werner saw someone who matches your

      looks at 24 North Bleaker.

      ORENDA: Well she didn’t see me.

      MIRAKAWA: Blonde hair. About your height and weight.

      ORENDA: I’m 5'5" and 114 pounds. Have you got any idea how

      many women would fit that description? I bet a lawyer does.

      MIRAKAWA: Blonde hair is pretty hard to confuse.

      ORENDA: What does an old lady know from blonde hair? Ten percent

      of the women in the world are blonde. And what about Miss

      Clairol? You want blonde, you can have blonde. You want blonde

      hair exactly like mine, all it takes is a trip to the drug store.

      MIRAKAWA: Ms. Orenda, what kind of car do you drive?

      ORENDA: It’s a Honda Civic. And it’s Marina Blue as if you didn’t

      already know. One of the best selling cars in the world. Go into any

      parking lot in this city and you’ll see a dozen exactly like it. As a

      matter of fact why don’t you go and do that. I’m finished answering

      questions anyway.

      Subject refused to answer further questions.

      In this pair of interviews there is a clue that should convince

      Detective Inspector Mirakawa to probe deeper.

      What is that clue?

       Solution