Rip Tide by Robert F Clifton (small books to read .txt) 📕

“I guess so. I dropped her off in front of the door leading to the concourse she wanted. Last time I saw her she was talking to a skycap”.

“Good, now tomorrow instead of coming in I want you to go directly to the Jeffry and Keys mortuary. Attend the viewing. I want you to see if the Butlers show up. Also any of the house wives that model for them. Follow up by going to the cemetery. Be alert look for anyone out of place.

“What do you mean out of place?”, asked Mckenna.

“Some type of killers get a thrill out of watching and seeing grief on the faces of their victims friends and family. Or, they show up to see their victim for the last time and to use their appearance there as part of an alibi. Use your eyes, scan those in attendance”.

“Got it. Anything else?”

“Yeah, dress appropriately. That means coat and tie”.

“Yes sir”.

“Good, I'll make a professional out of you yet”, said Wallace with a smile.

His conversation with McKenna was interrupted by the ringing telephone on his desk. With Myers out of the office no one now was screening his calls. He picked up the receiver, “Major Crime Squad, Captain Wallace”.

“Captain, this is Erica Butler. I hope that we can get off with a cordial and amiable conversation this morning”.

“So do I. Is it Miss or Mrs. Butler?”

“It's Mrs. Butler”.

“Fine, and what can I do for you Mrs. Butler”?

“I'm calling again about the dress Pauline was wearing when she died”.

“I think that I have explained the situation to you in this matter before. The dress is evidence. How long will it take until the County Prosecutor releases it? I have no idea. It may take years”.

“I understand that Captain. You see, when we decided to place the Kalinka dress in our fashion show we automatically assume responsibility for it. Therefore, to protect ourselves we naturally insure items such as these. At this time we are considering the fact that the dress is more or less lost. As a result we wish to submit a claim to the insurance company.

It is my understanding that the insurance company wants or needs a full report from you before our claim can be settled. I'm hoping, no, make that I'm requesting that you submit the necessary reports to me and I can then send them on to the underwriter”.

“Right church, wrong pew Mrs. Butler. Once again I refer you to the County Prosecutor”.

“But, it is my understanding that you are the investigating authority”.

“True, but so is he. At any time he can send in his own investigators and at all times he can review investigations and or evidence. I can tell you this. He is aware of the dress as evidence and probably won't welcome anything hindering or tampering with it as evidence, be it rightful owners or insurance companies”.

“And that's it? I'm to be subjugated to a law suit by the designer because no one will give me a simple report”.

“Sorry. Now you're talking a bout a civil matter. That's called a tort.

Have your attorney talk to the prosecutor. Maybe something can be resolved. Nonetheless, there's nothing I can do for you”.

“CLICK!”

“Miserable bitch”, he said to himself as he replaced the receiver.

Wallace spent the rest of the working day reviewing reports on other cases. Although the Harris murder case was at the top of the list there were other criminal matters needing the attention of the Major Crime Squad. Most of them were larcenies and most of the victims were men who for one reason or another took a prostitute to their hotel room only to wake up the next morning out several thousand dollars. The hookers working Nautilus Beach were after new prey. Those wearing Rolex wrist watches. And, although there weren't a lot of cases there were three that had been transferred from the Vice Squad to Captain Wallace's unit. This because each of the stolen watches were valued at ten thousand dollars or more.

At the end of the working day Wallace drove into the parking lot of the ACME market, parked and went inside. Pushing the cart he went to the frozen food aisle and there selected seven, different, Mrs. Stouffer's meals along with three Hungry Man dinners, two turkey and one Salisbury steak. Next, he picked up a pound of coffee, a quart of milk and finished shopping by selecting a loaf of white bread. After paying his bill he waited patiently while an old man with white hair slowly, but deliberately packed his groceries in brown, paper bags.

Arriving home he walked into the kitchen set the groceries on the table and then opening the freezer door placed the ten meals inside. He stood there for a moment trying to determine which one he wanted to have for dinner that night. He decided on the Hungry Man Salisbury steak.

The telephone rang and he answered on the kitchen phone. “Hello?”

“Robert. This is Emily. I need a favor”.

“Such as?”

“The fourth of July is coming up. I'm off naturally, so I would like to go to the beach”.

“So, that's easy, go”.

“It's not so easy. The town will be packed and parking will be a problem”.

“What do you need?”

“I was wondering if I could park in the condo's garage.”

“No”.

“That's what I thought”.

“Let me explain. Parking spaces are allotted to residents. If friends and relatives begin parking in those spots then there will be problems, problems the condo association doesn't want or need”.

“I understand. Thanks anyway”.

“Wait a minute. Don't give up so easily. How about this? I pick you up at your place. Drive you here. You go to the beach, come back here, shower and dress and I'll drive you home”.

“Oh, that's too much. I can't ask you to do that”.

“You're not asking, I'm offering”.

“Well, it's a few days away. Let me think about it”.

“Suit yourself. Anything else new?”

“No not really”.

“Then what's really on your mind?”

“What do you mean?”

“The fourth is a week away. Either you're someone who likes to plan ahead or you're someone who needs company and wants to talk.”

“Are you the listening type?”

“Sometimes. Depends on who is doing the talking”.How about this? I jump in the shower, change into comfortable clothes instead of a suit and tie pick you up and we go some place for dinner?”

“What kind of place?”

“What are you in the mood for?”

“I mean how should I dress?”

“Casual, real casual. The place I have in mind is off the beaten path. There are candles on the table but they're stuck in old wine bottles. The waiter is eighty years old takes your order and never writes anything down. He brags about how good his memory is and if he does make a mistake you never mention it”.

Emily laughed. “Really, you know of such a place?”

“Certainly, been going there for years. It's called Chara's. She's the owner and the cook”.

“If the waiter is eighty years old how old is she?”

“I don't know, forty, forty five. She's the waiters daughter”.

“What kind of place is this?”

“A nice, little Greek restaurant. You like seafood. Tonight you can have fish like you've never had before in your life. Psari sto fourno. That's red mullet in a tomato sauce. What do you say?”

“And you say I can wear jeans?”

“Why not? That's what I'm wearing”.

“Fine, what time?”

“How about six. I'll call ahead and let Chara know that we're coming. That way she'll have the dish ready on time.”

Later, Emily and Robert sat at the table sipping strong, Greek coffee.

“If I don't stop going out to dine with you I'll put on twenty pounds”, said Emily.

“Did you enjoy the meal?”

“Oh yes. I'm not much of a coffee drinker and this cup is very strong.

“Don't drink it then”.

“Thank you. Now, is there anything new on your investigation?

“It's too soon to tell. I sent a detective to Las Vegas to chase down a possible lead. I haven't heard anything yet, but she only got there today.

The head of our lab said that she found something imbedded in the fabric of the dress the victim wore. Right now she can't identify it so she's taking it to a professor friend of hers. Hopefully the professor can tell us something. Other than that, we're just treading water”.

“I wonder what it is?”

“You wonder what is?”

“Whatever your lab person found in the dress”.

“Don't know. I do know that there was a pull in the dress fabric. A couple of threads are missing”.

“Oh well. As they say, time will tell. Meanwhile thank you for dinner, company and conversation. You're very perceptive, identifying my need for human contact”.

“Perceptive? Not really. Simply the same need. Talking with you gives me the opportunity to get away from the investigation. That way the questions I have building up in my mind are blocked for awhile and I can concentrate on other matters. A sort of an escape if you will”.

“What other matters?”

“For instance, why does a very attractive woman who is also a medical doctor wish to associate with a cop?”

“Does me associating with you create a problem?'

“No, I'm just curious”.

“The answer is simple. I'm new here in town. I have no real friends. We met in a mutual way, Pauline's murder. I like you. I find you and your work not only interesting, but fascinating. At the same time you interest me from what I have heard about you. How your reputation as a homicide investigator and an honest police officer is known all over town.

At the same time you are a gentleman. I've been with you in both professional and social environments and you've never made a pass at me or attempted to get me in bed. Right now I trust that it is because of your professionalism. If not, then maybe you don't find me attractive enough”.

“You're very attractive. Not only physical but mentally. And, don't be too trusting. I might be setting you up. Now, since we're done eating, let's be on our way”.

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

At one p.m. the next day Captain Wallace accepted a collect call from Detective Carol Myers. “Carol? How's it going?”, he asked.

“So far, not too well. Right now it's ten o'clock in the morning and the temperature outside is already near a hundred degrees”.

“You're in the desert in late June. That's to be expected. What about Patricia Baker?”

“The casino operates twenty four hours a day. I was there an hour ago. I spoke with one of the pit bosses and was told that she had quit there last month. She moved on to another casino, but the guy didn't know which one. He suggested that I talk to the manger who should know were she went. But, he doesn't come in until about five. I'll go back there and talk to him. When I have something I'll call you. Is it alright to call you at home?”

“Certainly. Other than being too hot, how do you like Vegas?”

“Fine. I won ten dollars playing the penny slots”.

“O.K. high roller talk to you later. Bye”.

Wallace hung up the telephone then looked up to see Lieutenant Campo and a distinguished older man standing in the doorway of his office. “Are you busy?”, asked Campo.

“ No, come in. come in”.

“Captain Wallace, allow me to introduce to you Doctor Harvey Anderson. Doctor Anderson is the head of the Marine Biology Studies at

Sylvester University”.

“My pleasure Doctor. Please have a seat”, said Wallace shaking the man's hand.

After the professor and lieutenant were seated June Campo said, “I took the slides I had prepared from what I found in the black dress to Doctor Anderson. He examined them under a microscope. Now, I'll let him tell you what he found”.

“Captain, what June found was bethenic algae . It is also known as Blue-Green algae. It is also called cyanobacteria, which are tiny organisms found naturally in all types of water. These so called, algae blooms appear as a thick mat or foamy scum. Very intense blooms have the ability to change the color of water to blue,