Читать книгу Betrayal In Blood - Michael Benson - Страница 28

CHAPTER 21

Tabby’s Tail

Maybe it was the time Kevin visited his sons at their day-care center and one kid asked if he was the boys’ “other dad.” Whatever his inspiration of the moment, in June 2003, Kevin Bryant decided that he would be seeing his wife one day in court, and he wanted to have evidence on his side when that meeting took place. Perhaps he was already contemplating filing for divorce. He feared that she was about to leave him and he wanted to arm himself for what would be the inevitable custody battle.

In his practice, Kevin knew about private investigators. He worked with plenty of them, but he was hesitant to hire one who had been in his office. Tabby might recognize him and figure out what was up. He needed a stranger, so he called Louis Falvo, of the Falvo Agency, Statewide Investigations.

Although they had never met, Falvo’s reputation preceded him. Kevin knew that Falvo did good work. He was a member of Associated Licensed Detectives of New York State and a former regional director of Upstate New York. Falvo’s background was in military intelligence (ONI, Office of Naval Intelligence, to be exact), although he wasn’t exactly chatty about that part of his life. He had been a licensed private eye for more than twenty-five years, and was considered tops in his field.

As it says in Falvo’s online advertisement: “Our commitment to client service and the utilization of the best technology available has made us a premier investigative agency.” And Falvo lent some of that high technology to the services he provided for Kevin. Kevin said that he suspected that Tabatha was having an affair and he wanted proof. Falvo knew what to do.

Between June 13 to July 1, 2003, on seven occasions, the private investigator tailed Tabatha as she sneaked out to visit Richard Oliver. During those seven surveillances, Falvo accumulated the evidence Kevin needed.

Falvo did what he was hired to do. He had proven conclusively that Tabatha was having an affair. Clearly, Kevin thought, she was unfit to be a mother. After each day and evening of surveillance, Falvo gave Kevin a call and reported on the day’s activities.

Then, on July 2, 2003, following his final day of surveillance, Falvo gave Kevin an in-person report. Falvo could have told Kevin until he was blue in the face that Tabby was trysting regularly with a boyfriend, and it wouldn’t have had the effect of the visual aids Falvo brought with him.

Falvo’s was a multimedia presentation. First there were photos. Then out came the videotape.

“VCR?” Falvo asked.

“Sure, right in here,” Kevin replied.

Falvo played a tape for his client that showed Tabatha meeting a man in a shopping plaza, walking and holding hands, getting into her car with him, disappearing into his house, going to a party. All Tabby with Richard Oliver.

Nine days after Kevin watched the video, he filed for divorce at the Monroe County Clerk of Court’s Office. The divorce papers would never be served.