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Chapter four

Biloxi

Since Patrick’s disappearance, the remaining four partners in his law firm had had problems. They drank too much alcohol and argued a lot. They’d buried Patrick on February 11, 1992.

But six weeks later, he somehow stole their money. money they’d already spent on new homes, big boats, and vacation houses in the Caribbean. Now they were desperate to get their money back.

Bogan and Vitrano were at their desks when Agent Cutter entered their office.

“We have Patrick,” he said.

The two partners were shocked. “How’d you find him? Are you sure it’s him?” Vitrano asked.

“We’re sure. We didn’t find him. He was given to us. Do you know a man named Jack Stephano?”

They both whispered, “Yes.”

“Do you work with him?”

They both shook their heads.

“You’re lucky. Stephanos men found Patrick. tortured him, almost killed him, and then gave him to us.”

“What about the money?” Bogan asked.

“We don’t know anything about it. We’ll watch Stephano. Maybe he’ll lead us to the money.”

Vitrano and Bogan stared at the table, thinking. Patrick had stolen ninety million dollars - too much money for one person to spend. There must be millions left.

“The money will be easy to find,” Vitrano said. “Somebody was buried in Patrick’s grave. Patrick killed him. It’s clearly a death penalty case in Mississippi. Patrick will talk to avoid the death penalty.”

Cutter looked at his watch. “I have to go,” he said. “I have to give Trudy the good news.”

When Patrick was killed in a car crash with no witnesses, his wife Trudy received 2/5 million dollars from his life insurance. She immediately bought an expensive house and an expensive car. She was excited about her good fortune.

Lance, Trudy’s boyfriend, opened the door when Cutter knocked.

“Agent Cutter, FBI. I’ve come to see Trudy”

“She’s in there,” Lance said, pointing to the garage.

Cutter went to the garage, and Lance followed. “I’m Special Agent Cutter, FBI. I have some wonderful news for you,” Cutter said with a broad smile. “We’ve found your husband, Mrs. Lanigan, and he’s alive.”

“You’re lying,” Lance said.

“No, I’m not. He’s in Puerto Rico and should be back here in a week. I thought you should hear the good news before we tell the press.”

Shocked and pale, Trudy sat down. Lance went to her, and Cutter left. It was obvious that she felt no joy at the news of Patrick’s return. Only fear of losing the insurance money.

A few hours later, Trudy and Lance went to see her lawyer. “I want to file for divorce as fast as possible,” she told him.

“That’s not a problem,” Riddleton said. “I’ll do it in the morning.” He knew that the divorce wasn’t her biggest worry. “How much did you get in life insurance?” he asked.

“Why is that important?”

“Because they’re going to sue you to get it back. He isn’t dead, Trudy. If there’s no death, there’s no life insurance.”

“They can’t do that, can they?” she asked.

“Oh yes, they can, and they’ll do it quickly. They’ll take everything you’ve bought with the money as well as any money you still have.”

Trudy’s mouth fell open, and tears came to her eyes. “They just can’t,” she whispered.

Before the press conference, Cutter and Maurice Mast, the US Attorney for the district, met with Raymond Sweeney, the local Sheriff, and T. L.Parrish, the local District Attorney, to decide what to do about Patrick.

“We have two big mysteries, two questions that must be answered,” Parrish said. “The big one is money. Where is it? What did he do with it? Can we recover it and give it to its owners? The second mystery is who’s buried in Patricks grave?

Only Patrick can tell us that, and he won’t unless he’s forced to. He must be scared, Maurice. Parchman’s a frightening place. Patrick won’t want to go to Parchman.”

Everyone in the room knew about the horrors of the local prison. Patrick would realize that if he talked he might be sent to a government prison instead - one that wasn’t so terrible. Parrish and Mast made a plan to work together.

The FBI would continue its search for the money. The locals would concentrate on the murder.

Mast and Parrish went together to the press conference. Mast spoke first. “We’re pleased to announce the capture of Mr. Patrick S. Lanigan, formerly of Biloxi. He’s alive and well, and we have him in a hospital.”

He paused and then told them the details of Patrick’s capture. He didn’t mention that the FBI wasn’t responsible for finding Patrick.

Parrish promised a quick indictment for murder.

Patrick’s story was the big news that day. LANIGAN BACK FROM THE DEAD, the newspapers reported on the front page. There were stories about Patrick’s capture and Trudy’s request for a divorce.

The law firm partners were suing Patrick for the return of their thirty million dollars. Northern Case Insurance was suing Trudy for the return of their money; Benny Aricia was suing Patrick for the return of his sixty million dollars

and Monarch-Sierra Insurance wanted to recover the four million dollars they paid the law firm when Patrick stole their money.

The story was also on all the TV stations. CNN played it nationally, and then internationally. Eva saw the report in her hotel room in Zurich. She was tired and scared. she wanted to go home but knew she couldn’t.

How much had he told them? How badly was he hurt? She whispered a prayer of thanks that Patrick was still alive.

The next day Parrish, Sweeney, and Cutter met with a grand jury.* Parrish showed the members of the jury photos of the 1992 car crash. “We thought this burned body was Patrick,” he told them, “but now we know we were wrong.”

After a few questions, the jury voted to indict Patrick for capital murder - murder while committing another crime.

Trudy was anxious and was taking drugs to help her stay calm. Reporters and photographers were around her house all the time. She didn’t hate Patrick, but she didn’t want him in her life again.

And she didn’t want to lose the insurance money. Her lawyer would have to find a way for her to keep the money.