Bob Moats - Jim Richards 01-03- 3 for Murder Box Set (47 page)

“Well, I got some revelations to tell you, too. There may be something more to this case than we think.” I told him of my discussion with Weston and that I was going to search the office in the morning. He took in everything I said, and I could tell his wheels were turning.

“People in high places maybe murder to cover up impropriety by some official person who felt threatened that he’d be revealed as a submissive,” he said.

“You trying to take my job now?” I laughed. “I deduced that, too. Tomorrow I hope to dig up some info at her office. I’ll let you know what I find.”

He said thanks and hung up. I looked at Penny and asked if she wanted to take a ride to play detective. She said it made her all goose bumps and agreed. We went out to my car and drove over to Gratiot Avenue and down to Utica Road. I scanned the corner for the right strip mall and spotted a novelty shop, figuring that was the one. Guess that’s why I’m a detective. I parked out front, and Penny and I went into the small store. It was filled with all kinds of gags, novelties and a few magic props. I was looking over their selection of tricks when a rather smallish man came up and asked if he could help me.

“I’m looking for Willy,” I said.

He smiled and said, “You got him, what can I do for you?”

“Dave Weston said you could help me get into his wife’s office.” I showed him my I.D. and he looked closely at it.

“Wow, a real private eye. First one I’ve ever met. Sure, I can let you in. Too bad about Noreen and Dave. They were such a nice couple. I wasn’t sure what to do about the office, but Noreen paid three months in advance like clockwork, so it’s still there till I hear from Dave. Hold on while I get the key.” He skittered off and I noticed Penny was looking at some toys in the adult section. I said not to get any ideas.

She pointed to a blow up doll, and said, “I’d agree to a three-way with that.”

I laughed, remembering our adventures at the strip bar in Vegas and the hot dancer who hit on Penny. Willy came back and led us out of the building and down to the far end on the side of the building where there was a small office.

Willy got up to the door and stopped. “What the hell, the door’s been jimmied.” He pushed it open and we went in. The place was definitely ransacked. Noreen’s files and papers were all over the floor, and the desk was pulled apart. I went into the next room. It was small with chains and ropes hanging from the walls. A table with straps on the sides, I presumed used to bind someone down, was overturned. Other bondage paraphernalia, some I recognized from Penny’s show the other day, were hanging or lying on the floor.

“Looks like someone was trying to find something,” I said.

Willy just said, “Wow, I’ve never been in this room since Noreen moved in. This is very interesting.” He was picking up bondage toys and had a strange smile on his face.

I said to Penny, “This break-in has got to have something to do with the murder of Noreen. Someone knew her and her work and needed to get something out of here.”

She agreed.

I told Willy we’d be in here for a little while and I would see that the door was secured. He said he had to get back to his store and to let him know if we needed anything. He went out.

I asked Penny if she would go get my Fuji digital camera out of the car. I was just looking around, taking in the whole place, trying not to disturb anything till Penny came back. She brought me the camera, and I shot a good number of pictures of the rooms then said we needed to see if we could find anything incriminating. I didn’t think we would, the place was already hit pretty good. We dug through the few papers that were there, but found nothing special, just info on “treatments” as she called them. No names to be found, just numbers to denote her clients. I was sure she didn’t have that good of a memory, so there must be a book or file with names and numbers to go by.

I was going around knocking on the walls, hoping to find a secret panel. Nothing gave. I took a chair with straps out of the back room and stood on it to see over the tall walled box that housed the furnace. Nothing on top. I up righted the desk and stood on it, pushing a ceiling tile over and looking around above the ceiling. I couldn’t see anything up there, either. The drawers on the desk were all pulled out so I figured the person checked inside the desk. We came up with nothing after an exhaustive search, and it was starting to get late, so I said to pack it in. We went out, and I made sure the door was secure. I stopped to let Willy know we were leaving, and I told him I would check with Dave about the office. He thanked me and we left.

We got back, Penny pulled her car in the garage, and I parked on the side like I usually do. We went in, and Penny said she felt grubby from the sex shop and was going to take a nice long bath. She asked if I wanted to join her. I said I was going to make a few phone calls and we could pick up in the bedroom. She zipped off to the bathroom, and I got on my phone and called Buck. He was his usual chipper self, and I told him all that happened after he left. He said he was just going to have to move in with us so he wouldn’t miss all the fun. I told Buck I was going to call Benson, and then I would see him in the morning at the office. He agreed and hung up.

I called Benson’s cell phone number and got his voice mail. I left a message and put the phone down. I sat back organizing all my thoughts of the day. It was a busy one. Got a few things started and would nail Ralph tomorrow. I would have more info and a possible divorce lawyer for Elma. I smiled. There was not much else I could do right then, so I thought about that offer to share a bath with my favorite girl. Crime could wait one more day. I took her offer.

*

Chapter Seven

We were up early and getting ready to go to our respective jobs. Penny said she had a couple of home improvement guys on her show today. I hoped she didn’t start remodeling the house now. We kissed, and she went off. I always worried about her and that long drive to her studio on the freeways. She was a big girl, and I knew she was careful, but there are way too many idiots on the roads for me not to worry. I had to take it in stride.

I got to my office around 8:50, and Buck was there in his usual resting position in the lobby. I kicked his feet this time, and he jumped up, but I had already backed off, anticipating his automatic response.

“Good morning, Jimmy. How are you this fine morning?” He gave me his big walrus smile that always brightened my day.

“Well, I’m hoping we can do some good for the world and make it a better place to live in,” I said.

He laughed. “At least make Elma’s life better.”

“Yep, and I’m hoping I don’t have any more B&D people popping up.” I opened the door to my office, and we went in. I sat at my desk, bringing up a camera case just as my cell phone rang. It was Benson.

“Good morning,” I said. “I’ve got some more interesting details for you.” I told him about the office mess and what my feelings on the case were, and he agreed. Something more was going on. I just needed to find the mystery woman. I said I’d like to talk to the primary detective on Weston’s case. Benson said to be careful if there were cops involved. I said I’d watch my hide, and we finished.

I dialed Trapper’s number, and he came on. I asked if he had a minute to spare. He said crime had stopped for the day just for me, so he had time to talk. I spent the next twenty minutes filling him in on what we came up with on Ralph then gave him all the gory details on the Weston case. I explained about my checking with the barmaid and showing her my photo and about the police showing a different photo. He said that sounded queer to him, something was off.

“To mix up ID photos comes under three headings, carelessness, stupidity or a cover-up,” Trapper offered. “It sounds like a cover-up to me.”

I agreed.

“Do you know this Detective Lincoln on the Roseville squad?” I asked.

“I’ve heard a little about him, ambitious, arrogant, asshole, the three A’s of evil.” He laughed. “But I wouldn’t trust him from what I hear.”

“Could he have been a customer of Noreen’s and took over the case to cover himself?” I asked.

“Anything’s possible. If he was involved in the murder, it would be easy for him to bury the evidence since no one else is going to nose around in his case. Let me snoop around my precinct, see if anyone knows more about him. I’ll call you if I find anything,” he offered.

“Buck’s here with me. Want to say anything to him?” I asked.

He said he had nothing to say to Buck.

Buck yelled, “Catch any good hookers lately, Trapper?”

I heard Trapper growl and say, “You just had to tell him what Weber said, didn’t you?”

“Just trying to be fair with everyone, keeping all concerned on the same footing,” I said.

“Thanks, Richards, I love you, too.” He hung up. I was going to have to ask him about his aversion to saying good-bye.

“Buck, are you good at handling a video camera? I don’t mean for porn, either.”

Buck smiled and said he knew which end was which. I opened the camera case and handed him my Sony Handicam and showed him the functions of the buttons. I said I had a wireless microphone under my shirt and I attached a receiver to the camcorder, turned them both on and spoke into the mic. Buck was listening through the headphones from the receiver, and said it came through loud and clear. I told him to keep listening and went out the door, down the hall, still talking. I was outside the building then came back in. Buck said it never lost contact.

I packed the camcorder in the case and said, “Time to capture a pervert.” We headed out.

I parked my car in front of the pool store facing the windows. I set the thing up for Buck and told him my plan. He loved it. I went in the building and got some twerpy looking guy in a pastel green shirt. I asked for Ralph, and he said he could help me. I asked again for Ralph. He grumbled and went off to the back room. I waved at Buck in the car videotaping me and asked if he could hear me. He waved. Good, I thought, now to get Ralphy on tape.

“Hey, I remember you.” He smiled as he came from the back room. “Any word on my acceptance to your club?” I took his arm and led him to the window, looking back at the display room, saying it was more private up here. He agreed as if we had some secret talk to do.

I carefully looked out to Buck who waved again, and then back to Ralph. “OK, I have just a bit more interviewing to do with you for the review board.”

He said shoot, he had nothing to hide.

I took out a slip of paper I wrote on while I was awake in bed that morning and read, “First, are you seriously interested in joining our swingers group?”

He said yes, enthusiastically.

“OK, your wife isn’t interested in swinging?”

“My wife is a prude. We have sex a lot only because I enjoy it. I could put a bag over her head and be just as happy.” That’s it, Ralph, hang yourself.

“Explain your membership in the Dark Dungeon B&D club.”

“I met this chick in a bar one night, and we got to talking about sex. She said she was into kinky things. She told me about this club in Pontiac and said she could get me in if I was interested. We drove out there, and it was fantastic. Best sex I have had in years.” He grinned.

“I thought they weren’t into sex in bondage clubs?” I asked.

“Well, once you’re in a room, anything goes, but they check on you first, make sure you aren’t a cop.”

I thought Trapper’s friend on Pontiac PD might like to hear that.

I continued, “OK, I said there is a membership fee. You have enough money to fund your pleasures?”

“Hey, my wife is rich. I got funds coming out the ass.” He smiled.

“If your wife is rich, why are you working here?” I had to ask that question.