The House on Timber Lane by Robert F. Clifton (classic romance novels TXT) 📕

“Anxious aren’t you?” “You’re damn right.”

“Alright then, I’ll call you at your office when I have something.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

When he got home Wallace showered then put on fresh underwear. He then walked into his living room and turned on his stereo. After placing a record of the works of Tchaikovsky he walked to his leather covered recliner, took a seat, leaned back and after lighting a cigarette closed his eyes and listened to, “Piano Concerto Number one in B flat minor.” As he relaxed he felt the built up tension leave his body. He was enjoying his music and his cigarette when his solitude was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. “Son of a bitch!”, he said aloud. Dressed only in his underwear shorts he shouted, “Be with you in a moment. I have to get dressed!.”

Quickly he grabbed a bathrobe from the bedroom closet and hurried to the door. Then opening it, he stood in complete surprise as he gazed upon Mary Higgins. “Well, I’ll be a son of a bitch”, he uttered.

“You won’t get any argument from me on that point”, she said.

Wallace stood and looked at her. He saw a young woman maybe twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. She stood maybe five feet, four inches tall and weighing about a hundred and twenty pounds. Her brunette hair was styled with a page boy cut and she was dressed in blue jeans, and a gray sweatshirt that was covered with a light blue windbreaker. She looked at him with large blue eyes. “Well, are you going to ask me in?”

“Certainly, but how in hell did you know where I lived?”, he said as he followed her into the foyer.

“Let me tell you something Captain. All a woman has to do to get a cop to tell her what she wants to know is ask, smile, bat the eyelashes, wiggle the ass and the information just pours out of them.”

“Ordinarily I’d be pissed off. Now, let’s knock off the bullshit. Why are you here?”

“I’m assuming you want information on doctor Gray.”

“What kind of information?”

“Let me tell you this. Your condo smells of stale cigarette smoke and you haven’t offered me drink. At the same time you’re standing there in a bathrobe like some exhibitionist. I expect you to flash me at any moment.”

“Wallace laughed. “Excuse me, when I say your visit here is a complete surprise I mean it. Allow me to put on some clothes and I’ll be right with you.”

“Take your time. I see the bar. If you don’t mind I’ll mix myself a drink. Can I make one for you?”

“No thanks, but if you need ice the kitchen's that way.”, he said pointing.

Wallace dressed hurriedly putting on walking shorts and a tee shirt. He slid his bare feet into a pair of brown loafers. Walking back into the living room he found Mary seated on the sofa sipping a gin and tonic. “Did you find everything O.K.?”, he asked.

“Yes. I hope you don’t mind, but I shut off that dreadful, dreary music.”

“OK, beautiful, I’m waiting for the information on Doctor Gray.”

“Impatient aren’t you?”

“Most of the time.”

“Well, the only reason I’m telling you this is because Mrs. Gray died on my ward. In fact I was assigned to her. Naturally her death under certain circumstances might reflect on me.”

“What do you mean, under certain circumstances?”, he asked.

“Come on…Everyone at the hospital knows that the autopsy being conducted is on a court order.”

“I’m still waiting for the information about Doctor Gray.” Wallace replied.

“After Grace Hodges Gray was admitted in a comatose condition and diagnosed as a sympathetic nervous system problem. Glucose intravenous therapy was prescribed and given.”

“Wait a minute, you’re losing me. What is the sympathetic nervous system?”

“In her case it was the brain”, answered Mary.

“O.K. go on.”

“Anyway when I was on duty Doctor Gray and a woman came to visit his wife. I didn’t know it at the time because I was in another room tending to a patient when he arrived. When I finished I decided to check on Mrs. Gray. When I entered her room Doctor Gray and the woman appeared to be startled. He had been sitting on her bed and when I came in he got up suddenly, mumbled something and they left as in a hurry. After they left I checked the I.V.. I found that the drip had been turned off.”

“And you think doctor Gray shut it off?”

“Who else could have done it? One of them surely did it. Mrs. Gray was in a coma so we can rule her out. I sure didn’t turn off the drip on my own patient. That leaves only one or the other person…Doctor Gray or the woman that was with him.”

“What did this woman look like?”

“Oriental, either Chinese or Japanese.”

“Interesting, would you testify in court?”

“No…I’m telling you first as a favor and second to protect my professional reputation. Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll have another vodka and tonic.”

Chapter Eleven

The morning sunlight filtering through the blinds in the bedroom caused Mary Higgins to open her eyes. Bewildered, she suddenly realized that she was in a strange bed and also that she was nude. She sat up in bed and looked around the room. As she did she saw her clothes scattered on the floor. Confused, apprehensive, worried and hesitant she called out, “Robert? Robert?.” Receiving no answer she got out of bed slowly and walked to the wall closet. There she found one of Wallace’s sweat shirts. She pulled in on, then slowly walked barefoot and bare ass Into the living room. No one was there. Next, she made her way into the kitchen. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee greeted her and as she went to the coffee maker she found a handwritten note:

“Good morning. Hope you slept well. Coffee is made, bacon, eggs, frozen waffles in the fridge or freezer. Help yourself. Sorry I’m not there had to get to work. Robert, P.S. Aspirin in bathroom medicine cabinet.”

Wallace sat typing his report in relation to the on going autopsy. He was interrupted by the ringing telephone.

“Major Crime Squad, Captain Wallace.” he said as he answered the call.

“Robert…I have a lot of questions to ask you.”

“Good morning Bright Eyes. How do you feel this morning?”, Wallace asked.

“Ashamed, embarrassed, bewildered and confused on top of that I have a headache.”

“You have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. As for the headache that’s from too many vodka and tonics.”

“I apologize."

“That’s not necessary.”

“Next question, who undressed me?”

“You must have. You were plastered and I wasn’t going to let you leave and attempt to drive home so I steered you into the bedroom. I left and closed the door.”

“Then, where did you sleep?”

“On the couch.”

“Then you didn’t take advantage of the situation?”

“Only a cad would do such a thing. Besides having sexual intercourse with a woman of age without her consent is and can be considered as rape.”

“Then, thank you.”

“No thanks needed. I didn’t do anything.”

“That’s why I’m thanking you. So thank you again.”

“Don’t mention it. Can you get home alright?”

“Yes, and Robert?...Call me.”

“I will. I still owe you a dinner.”

Wallace hung up the telephone and returned to his typing. He included the date and time that he discovered the needle mark on the body of Grace Hodges Gray and the fact that he alerted the Medical Examiner who confirmed that it was indeed an injection site in the Axilla. Finished with that report he pulled the papers out of the typewriter and signed the original and three copies. Next he called Bill O’Neil to come to his office. In a few minutes the lieutenant entered and took a seat and waited for Wallace to speak. “Bill we’re closing in on Doctor Gray. Here’s the affidavit for an arrest warrant. I just signed it. Hold on to it. I’m going to the morgue. When Doc Edwards tells me that I have probable cause to make an arrest I’ll call you. Date it and take it to a judge. Then, serve the warrant and arrest the good doctor. Take two men with you and a police woman. I want to talk to a Joan Applewhite so bring her in. She might be involved in this case.”

“How so?”, asked O’Neil.

“I got information last night that Gray and Miss Applewhite made a visit at the hospital.”

“And?”

“Someone tampered with Mrs. Gray’s medication.”

“Interesting, is this information reliable?”

“Yep, unfortunately I can’t use it in court.”

“Damn!”

“Yep…Looks like it’s all up to Doc Edwards.”

Wallace walked into the morgue at a little after one P.M. When he did he saw Doctor Edwards seated at his desk. Absent Was the long, black rubber apron he always wore when conducting an autopsy so Wallace assumed that Edwards was done for the moment. Edwards looked up over the rim of his glasses. “Did I call for you?”, he asked.

“You know damn well you didn’t.”

“Then what the hell are you doing here?”

“I miss your ugly face, you old bastard.”

“Bullshit!.. Well since you’re here sit down”

“I hope you got something.”

“Well Robert, I examined pieces of Mrs. Gray’s brain and I found high quantities of insulin in the tissues.”

“How much is a large quantity?”

“About eighty-four units.”

“Damn!”

“That should give you probable cause Robert.”

“Thanks Doc. Can I use your telephone?”

“Go right ahead”, Edwards answered.

Wallace dialed O’Neil’s office number. It rang three times then O’Neil came on line. “Major Crime Squad. Lieutenant O’Neil.”

“Bill?…Captain Wallace…Execute the warrant. Bring him in.”

When Wallace returned to headquarters he met Bill O’Neil outside of one the interrogation rooms. “Any problems?”, Wallace asked.

“No…He seemed surprised, demanded his rights. We gave him the Miranda warning twice, once in his office and once here. Naturally, the first thing he demanded was a lawyer. Right now Harold Ginsberg is representing him.”

“Where’s Ginsberg?”

“I do believe that he’s petitioning the court to allow bail”, O’Neil answered.

“He’ll probably get it too. Where’s the woman?”

“Couldn’t find her. Gray’s nurse said that she hasn’t seen her in a couple of days. His receptionist said the same thing.”

“Alright. We’ll pick her up later. Stay with him. He isn’t going to talk, but just in case he does we need someone here. Meanwhile let me take a look at him.”

Wallace walked into the room. As he did he observed a man approximately fifty years old, balding short, and overweight seated on a chair. He was still attired in a physician’s smock . The man appeared to be agitated, but not scared or worried. Handcuffs were around his wrists and when the Captain entered the room he looked up at him. “You must be Captain Wallace”, he said.

“That’s me. Are you being treated all right doctor?”, Wallace asked.

“If you mean being treated like a common criminal then I guess I’m all right.”

“Good…Would you like to tell us the location of Miss Applewhite? I understand that she was your wife’s social secretary.”

“My lawyer has advised me to remain silent, so no comment.”

“O.K. certainly that is your right. Bill you can remove the handcuffs from the doctor. I don’t want him treated like a common criminal. In fact, I want him to have special treatment while he’s in our custody.”

“How special?”, asked O’Neil.

“Well, the doctor has chosen to remain silent which is his right. That means there will be no questioning by us at this time…So, the rules and regulations dictate that the subject should be incarcerated until such time that he either is arraigned or post’s bail. Book him and turn him over to the turnkey.”

“Yes Sir.”

Wallace walked into his office removed the blue blazer he was wearing and hung it on the clothes tree that stood in the corner of the room. Next, he adjusted the position of the Colt Detective Special on his right hip, took a seat, lit a cigarette and reached into a desk drawer for report paper. As he did his telephone rang. He lifted the receiver placed it on his ear and spoke. “Major Crime Squad, Captain Wallace.”

“Wally? Hamilton here. How the hell are