The Medusa File by Robert F. Clifton (popular books to read .TXT) 📕

“No I didn't. However, if you stayed with him why was he found dead at 1600 Albatross Lane?”

“He would often disappear on weekends. After awhile of being tired of his cheating ways I never asked him where he was going or where he had been. To tell you the truth I wasn't at all surprised when they found him there in a rented room. I can tell you this however, Harry never used drugs. If he was hooked on anything it was sex with women”.

“So, you have no knowledge of his using drugs”, said Kevin.

“This drug thing has cost me Sergeant. After his death I tried to cash in a life insurance policy I had on him. The company refused to pay because his death certificate listed the cause of death as drug related. Two thousand dollars. Two thousand dollars that I could have used to raise my children and they refuse to pay”.

“What company did you have the policy with?”, asked Kevin.

“Dexter and Morgan”, Helen Nichols answered then watched Kevin write down the information.

“That's important Mrs. Nichols. If I can solve this case and prove that you husband was not a drug user, but rather a victim of a homicide I'll try and see if you get your money”.

“Really, that would be nice”.

“Well, unless you can think of anything else I should know I have no further questions”.

“Very well. If I think of anything I'll call you”.

“Thank you for coming in to see me”

After Helen Nichols left Sergeant McKenna typed a report about there meeting and conversation. Just as he was finishing the telephone on his desk rang. He picked up the receiver and said, “Major Crime Squad, Sergeant Mckenna”.

“Kevin, this is Uncle Bob. I want you to know that I contacted Cool Loo again. Right now he should be looking for a hooker with big feet that worked back in the sixties and seventies. If I hear anything I'll be in touch”.

“Good, thank you”, Kevin replied.

“How's it going on you end?”

“Slow. I just finished interviewing Helen Nichols”.

“Anything worthwhile?”

“Other than Harry liked women and didn't use drugs, nothing”.

“Oh well, hang in there. Sooner or later something will break. Talk to you later”.

“Bye”.

Ten days passed then at eleven o'clock on a Wednesday morning Robert Wallace called again. When Mckenna answered the telephone Wallace said, “Tell Carol you want five hundred dollars. She'll raise hell about the price, and after all the bullshit she'll hand you she'll end up giving you the money. Once you have it go to Memorial Park. Take along a bag of peanuts. Place the money in the bag. When you get there you'll see Cool Loo feeding the pigeons. Had him the bag and sit down next to him. After he counts the money and is satisfied he'll give you the information”.

“This James Bond shit is getting old. Why doesn't he just give you the information so you can relay it to me. Then, if I can use it I'll pay?”

“Because he doesn't work that way. His business, his rules. You don't like the game, don't play. Now, do you want what he has or don't you?”

“Do you have any idea what he has?”

“No, but from experience if he's asking for five hundred it has to be mighty good”.

“O.K. But, asking Captain Myers for five hundred dollars and getting it is going to be one hell of a task”.

“Sweet talk her. Remind her of the great job she's doing commanding the unit and how the Chief and Commissioner will appreciate her when you close out these cases.”

*********************

As he parked the unmarked car at the curb next to Memorial Park, in the distance McKenna saw the elderly black man sitting on a park bench. Kevin got out of the vehicle, locked the door and carrying a paper bag filled with cash and peanuts made his way into the park. When he got to where the old man was sitting he sat down and handed Cool Loo Harris the bag. The man opened the bag reached inside with one hand and slowly counted the bills that he found. Satisfied he took out several peanuts, shelled a few then tossed the nuts on to the ground. Although it was a cold day with gusts of wind coming in off of the ocean soon a small flock of pigeons gathered and began feeding. As they did McKenna waited patiently for the old man to begin speaking, finally he did. “Your Uncle tell me that some time in the future you gone to be a good investigator. That right?”, asked Cool Loo”.

“I thought I was a good investigator already”.

“Yeah? What makes you think so?”

“My record”.

“Hmmmmmn. When your record be as good as Wally's, then you can say you be a good investigator. Right now, what you lookin for is a black whore that went by the name, Teeny. That be right?”

“I'm looking for any female, white or black that hung out or used 1600 Albatross Lane to either sell drugs or turned tricks”, said McKenna.

“That be Altina Woodson. She took her johns to that rooming house. Turned her tricks on the third floor. Kicked back to the house owner, Ed Dawson. They got real friendly. Even went into a kinda partnership, if you know what I mean”.

“No, spell it out for me”.

Altina learned how to use the Devil's Breath. You know what that be?”

“Scopolamine”.

“Yes indeed”.

“They say she'd sit on the john and blow that shit right into his face. No need after that to turn a trick, just fleece him of cash, American Express and Diners Club credit cards, jewelry and anything else he had. Dawson and another guy would get him out of the house and the poor dumb bastard would wake up someplace and didn't remember a thing. Naturally she'd then split the take with Dawson”.

“What about the drug traffic? We know cocain was there at least three times”.

“Might be, but ain't got nothin to do with Altina. Like I say she were a hooker and roller, didn't even smoke pot, from what I been told”.

“I've been looking for a woman that wears a size ten shoe. That shoe has evidence of scopolamine. Does Altina Woodson have big feet?”, asked Kevin.

“Don't think so. Altina were a little bitty girl. Couldn't have weighed more than a hundred, a hundred and ten pounds. Gal that little ain't gone to have that big a feet”.

“If you don't mind I'd like to take a look at her myself”.

“Good luck with that. She be dead now some ten or twelve years. It be said she died from havin syphilis. Now, I'm just guessin, but that gal you be lookin for with the shoe might be Dawson's squeeze. Goes by the last name Rodriquez”.

“Damn.”

“Yep, life's a bitch, ain't it? Well thanks for the peanuts. I got to be goin”, said Cool Loo as he got up off of the park bench.

Kevin sat and watched the old man walk away.

That evening eating spaghetti and meatballs at Mary Wallace's dining room table Kevin Mckenna told his godfather what he had learned from Cool Loo Harris. “Now tell me if that's worth five hundred dollars”, said Kevin.

“Stop bitching like it's your money. At least you know that Altina wasn't the owner of the shoe, so you can eliminate her as wearing it”, Robert Wallace.

“Yeah, but I'll have a hell of a time to get any more money out of Captain Myers”.

“Do you really pay attention to what people say to you, particularly an informant?”, asked Robert.

“Certainly, why?”

“Think back to what Cool Loo told you. He said that Teeny who we now know was Altina Woodson used scopolamine to roll her customers. Right?”

“Yes sir”.

“And then he said that Dawson and another guy would take the john out of the house where when he came out of the effects of the drug, remembered nothing. Is that also right?'

“Yes.”

“Who was the other guy? And, while you think about that pass me the bread”.

Chapter Five

The Dolphin Motel

The last time he checked the temperature was at midnight. Then it was reported to have been thirty nine degrees. Now, at one thirty in the morning, the all night disc jockey on the car radio said that the outdoor temperature was thirty six degrees and falling. Occasionally, a few rain drops fell dotting the windshield of the unmarked police car making it difficult for Mckenna to see the entrance and lobby of the Dolphin Motel. When his visibility was taken away by the rain Kevin turned the key in the ignition which activated the windshield wipers. Then he could see again the flashing, red, neon sign of a jumping dolphin along with the words, “Vacancy”.

Activity in the lobby would only take place if someone entered, requesting a room. If and when that occurred Edward Dawson, or the woman thought to be his wife would come out of the room marked OFFICE and tend to business. However, this was mid December and the seaside resort in winter usually did not draw many people into the city. As a result McKenna sat night after night watching the motel and the actions of Ed Dawson and now began to think that he was wasting his time.

Kevin turned on the windshield wipers again then turned to John Collins in the passenger seat next to him. “While we're waiting for something to happen, brief me on what you have on Michael Winters”, he said.

“Well, since I'm sitting here fighting sleep let me remind you that I don't have his file with me. But, I'll give you what I can remember”, Collins replied.

“Just tell me what you have so far”.

“Let me see. Michael Winters, a Caucasian was born sometime in nineteen eleven. As you know he was fifty seven when he was killed. He was drafted during the Second World War and took basic training at Fort Dix. He was also confined to the guard house at Fort Dix and received either a Bad Conduct Discharge or a Medical Discharge”.

“What do you mean either or when it comes to his discharge?”, asked Kevin.

“It's difficult to say Sarge. Remember I'm getting the info from off of the street. I can say that the reason for either, or was due to the fact that he made homosexual advances to other recruits”.

“Then, he's a homosexual”.

“Not necessarily Sarge. The word is that's how he got himself out of the army and the war”.

“Interesting, what else?”

“It seems that posing as a homosexual had many benefits. During the war he posed as a gay man and evidently had enough good looks that he met men of all ages, but he only went with those who had money. Here, it gets a little shady. Of those I talk with, no one actually knows if he engaged in sex acts, but they do know that on a lot of occasions he blackmailed, or for a better word, extorted large sums of money from wealthy acquaintances. Seems that he would pretend to be seduced and when the seducer undressed or more important touched Winters inappropriately he threatened to go to the police or expose the man”.

“And he got away with it?”

“For awhile. It seems he met up with a young soldier who was stationed in Atlantic City. The kid was from Pittsburgh and came from money. Winters tried to extort the family, but what he didn't know was that the family approved of the kids choice of sexuality. What happened then was that the kids father contacted politicians in Atlantic City and Winters was arrested, tried, and convicted. He did three hundred and sixty four days in the county jail”.

“That it?”

“Right now, but I'm still digging”, Collins replied.

“We know that he worked at the Morton Hotel and that he was next door in Atlantic City during the war. Try and find out when he came into Nautilus Beach and why he stayed.”

“O.K., but I'm thinking the steady job at the hotel had something to do