The following day was jam-packed with following up on leads. The Chief had set up a hotline for people to call with any information regarding the two murders. They often received valuable and useful information from a hotline, but the downside was that every crackpot in the city could also call in with misleading and erroneous tips. Each bit of information had to be analyzed to make sure they weren’t ignoring pertinent information.
Gwen was pleased with Chief Ziegler’s decision to allow Tony Maglia to assist the task force. She also was given three more uniformed officers to follow up on the numerous calls coming in. Gwen felt they had an outstanding team with these new additions, along with Jaxon Thomas following up on anything that Vice or its informants came up with. On the downside, they were losing Jenny to one of the other teams, which was short on personnel.
Gwen picked up a stack of messages when she came into the precinct, and after making several calls, she found three that she wanted to follow up on. On her way out, she stopped at the lab and found CC deep in conversation with the chemist, Charlie Iwo, talking over something they were examining under the microscope. She pointed to her phone and CC nodded, understanding Gwen’s request to call her later. They could meet up when CC was finished in the lab. Gwen waved and left the building.
Her first stop was the small pharmacy two blocks from Kathy’s apartment. It appeared that Kathy had charged most of her purchases. She learned from the pharmacy records that Kathy had bought three pregnancy tests within a three-day period, about a month prior to her death. It was here also that she had filled a prescription for methadone, one of the medications prescribed for the treatment of substance abuse. This was further evidence that Kathy was taking her treatment to curb her addiction seriously. The pharmacist remembered having a lengthy conversation about the use of the drug and her pregnancy, and had advised her about other vitamins she would need to start taking regularly if she were indeed pregnant. The druggist, a robust man in his late fifties, remembered Kathy being a pleasant person, but one who seemed deeply worried about her future, especially after she had confided in him about the pregnancy.
Gwen’s next stop was a good friend of Cyndi Jeffries. The woman, a tiny Asian, had a nervous habit of biting her cuticles and did so constantly as she reluctantly told Gwen that Cyndi had been happy-go-lucky until she had become friends with Kathy.
“Sure,” Mindy Lei admitted, “Cyndi did hooking to earn her living, but she was generous and loving to her friends and family. She didn’t take any shit from her customers, and wouldn’t have anything to do with the local pimps. She was her own person. She didn’t do drugs much, unless Kathy wanted to party and wanted someone to go with her to the local bars. They got free drinks and drugs from guys looking for a good time. Cyndi was quite a looker, and attracted lots of men. I went along a couple times. That Kathy was real trouble. She’d party hearty and not care who or what she did when she was high.”
“Any man in particular Cyndi or Kathy spent a lot of time with?” Gwen asked.
“Lordy, yes.” Mindy smiled. “Cyndi was good at what she did, and had many a repeat customer. I don’t think I ever saw Kathy with the same man twice though.”
“Cyndi mention anyone who got rough with her?” Gwen probed.
“Nah, she stayed away from those types. The only one I heard her complain about was that top cop man. He was related to Kathy somehow. Said he liked it rough and she’d had to put him in his place.”
“Do you remember his name?” Gwen asked in surprise.
“Lady, everyone in this neighborhood knows that guy. Wright’s what they call him.”
Gwen grimaced, but didn’t let on that she was surprised to hear the police captain was a regular customer. Gwen’s blood began to simmer as she thought about how Captain Wright was taking advantage of these people for his own pleasure.
Twenty minutes later, Gwen pounded on the door in one of the tenements down the block from Cyndi’s flophouse, the last place on her list. A tired-looking black man, perhaps in his eighties, shuffled to the door. Over a multicolored turtleneck sweater he was wearing a brown bathrobe cinched tightly around his waist, and worn tennis shoes without laces.
“I’m Detective Meyers, Scarletsville PD,” Gwen said, showing her badge.
He slowly unclasped the safety chain and moved aside so Gwen could enter the dingy apartment.
“You called our help line indicating you might have seen something related to the murder of Cyndi Jeffries?” Gwen asked.
“Yessum,” he replied.
“Can you tell me what you saw?” Gwen probed.
“Come on in and have a seat. Getcha a cup of tea.”
“No thanks, uh, Mr. Davies.”
“Lionel,” he said, ignoring her.
He moved into the kitchen and carefully poured tea into two chipped, porcelain teacups. “Cream or sugar?”
“No, this is fine, thank you,” Gwen replied, taking the seat he indicated at the rusty card table in his kitchen.
Gwen waited patiently as he poured honey into his cup, stirred, and took small sips until he was satisfied with the brew.
“What did you see that could help us?” Gwen urged.
“You know the man they call Cap’n hangs around a lot,” he said slowly.
“Yes, I know,” Gwen answered. “His daughter lived with Cyndi for a time.”
“Always fights. Every time he come, miss. There be yelling and screaming.”
“Were you in the house, or did you hear the disturbance from outside?” Gwen asked.
“I always been on the outside. I walk my dog in dis’ alley behind those houses.” He pointed in the direction of Cyndi’s house, and then returned his attention to the living room.
Gwen noticed for the first time that a small, skinny beagle cowered under a coffee table in the next room.
“When was the last time you saw the captain at Cyndi’s?”
“Day of the murder,” Lionel said without hesitation.
“And did you hear them arguing that day?” Gwen probed.
“No, didn’t hear nothing. Only that a car like the cap’n drives was parked in dis alley and hightailed it out fast. Next thing I know police cars everywhere.”
“You’re not sure it was the captain?” Gwen asked.
“No ma’am.”
“Anything else?”
“You don’ tell Cap’n I talk to you, hear? He make a lot of trouble for everybody. I don’ need that. He destroy people, that man. He don’ like you, you no find work, you no have food. They won’t even serve you at grocery store.”
“I promise I won’t make trouble for you, Lionel. You call me if you hear anything else, okay?” she said, handing him her card.
“You nice lady. I trust. I check aroun’ the neighborhood,” he said slowly, looking intently at her card.
She guessed he couldn’t read, but perhaps someone else would help him get in touch with her. Another glance around confirmed he didn’t have a phone.
“Who called the hotline for you?” Gwen inquired.
“Hotline? What’s hotline?”
“How did you get in touch with the police?”
“Oh,” he said, nodding that he understood. “My son call. He big superintendent at building projects. First he don’ want me involved, but I insist. He’s a good boy. Has two fine sons of his own,” Lionel said proudly, getting up from the table.
Lionel walked into the living room and brought back a photograph of a handsome middle-aged man, a beautiful woman with caramel colored skin, and two teenage children.
“They look like a very fine family, Mr. Davies.”
“Lionel…call me Lionel. Yes, they want to do more for me, but I tell my son, you give to those children. They are our future. It’s too late for me.”
“Thank you for your time, Mr…uh, Lionel. I appreciate you coming forward. Please call if you have any further information,” Gwen said kindly.
It was after six p.m. when Gwen arrived at the precinct, but she was the first in the squad room. She walked slowly around the room, studying the whiteboard, the timeline Brad had written up and taped to the wall, photographs of the crime scene and the mugshots of the men they’d considered suspects. The conference table was still covered with newspapers and computer printouts. Several stained Styrofoam cups had been left with portions of this morning’s coffee.
CC came in a few minutes later followed by Scott, Brad and Tony.
Gwen quickly briefed them on her interviews. “It looks like Captain Wright’s name comes up wherever we turn in this investigation. It appears he controls much of the action in the projects.”
“Let’s face it; he’s a dirty cop,” Scott said disgustedly. “I’d be backpedaling pretty fast by now too if I were him.”
“We can’t nail him for hanging around in the same neighborhood his daughter frequented,” Brad offered.
“No, but we can get him for lying and impeding the investigation,” CC grumbled.
“Wright hasn’t done anything recently that he hasn’t been doing for years,” Tony chimed in. “He’s always been climbing up the butts of drugs users and prostitutes. He gets his rocks off doing it, demeaning those who can’t defend themselves. He backs down when anyone with muscle in the neighborhood stands up to him. The bigger the fish, the quicker Wright rabbits out of there. You should see him squirm when someone mentions the word ‘lawyer.’ I don’t think Wright’s done any harm.”
“So you think it’s okay for Wright to badger these poor people?” Gwen asked angrily.
“Nope. I never said it was right. It’s just the way it is,” Tony confessed. “You know as well as I do, Vice practically lives with these people…they dress like them, eat with them, befriend them or hate them. Easy to get hardened to that element when you live and breathe it. From what I understand, the captain grew up in Vice. He knows the neighborhood and the people…and he hates it even more knowing his daughter became a part of it.”
“You’re right, Tony. Thanks for reminding us what a nice guy the captain is,” Gwen said sarcastically. Then she added, “Really, I appreciate your honesty and keeping things in perspective, but what the captain is doing down there gives me the creeps. I’m sorry for getting upset. I’ll report what I know about the captain after we’ve caught our perp. I want to put him on the back burner for now and concentrate on this investigation.”
“I’m with you,” CC and Scott said in unison.
“Now, what else have we got?”
“I tracked Kathy’s Twitter and Facebook accounts,” Brad said next. “Nothing substantial, but I’ve been able to fill in some of the blanks as far as the ‘where and who.’ The tracking of Kathy’s movements the past few weeks are nearly as complete as we’ll be able to get them.”
“I’m still pressing some of my contacts,” Tony said briefly. “Nothing yet.”
“I’ve got several leads to check up on,” Scott said wearily. “The hotline’s still ringing off the hook.”
“Give me anything you need to follow up on,” CC offered.
“So far, the cops the chief assigned have been hustling. Thanks though, I may have a few for you,” he replied.
“Okay. See you all tomorrow,” Gwen said, ending the meeting.
“Hey,” CC said, when everyone else was gone. “I owe you dinner.”
“I’d be just as happy to stop at the deli. I know you’ve put in a long day and I’m bushed too,” Gwen said, noticing the dark smudges under CC’s eyes.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll make it up to you another time,” CC said gratefully.
“I’ll take your IOU,” Gwen laughed.
“Let’s go to Richard’s Pub. I could use a beer or two.” CC smiled.
“Great!” Gwen agreed.
They had a pleasant dinner of salad, spaghetti and toasted garlic bread. They ate heartily, laughed, joked with each other. The two hours spent eating dinner and drinking two steins of beer apiece passed much too quickly. They were both exhausted when they said their goodbyes, although Gwen was still reluctant to call it a night.
Hell, Gwen thought, walking to her car, I didn’t even get a kiss for dessert to end this fabulous evening!
Though she was tired to the bone, her mind was still consumed with all that was happening with the investigation. She took the copies of Kathy’s e-mails that Brad had printed out to bed, and read until she felt able to sleep. But instead she recalled more of her time with Kathy. Just before Gwen had started packing up at the end of their weekend together, Kathy had urged her to stay another hour or two. Gwen still lay naked in the bed and Kathy had run out for doughnuts and coffee, so she was fully dressed. Kathy then did the most erotic striptease Gwen had ever seen. The porno flicks she’d seen didn’t hold a candle to the sight of Kathy slowly gyrating in front of her and taking her clothes off slowly and sensually. It took all the willpower Gwen had to keep from leaping off the bed and tearing the rest of Kathy’s clothing away from her gorgeous body. She was on fire by the time Kathy slid under the covers next to her. They’d made love passionately and furiously. Gwen’s tongue had tasted every inch of Kathy’s body and had brought Kathy to orgasm after violent orgasm before she was finally sated.
When her alarm awoke Gwen the following morning, the lights were still blazing and papers she had been reading were scattered, some on her bed and in a heap on the floor. She groaned, but yet was anxious to get on with her day and keep the progress moving on the investigation. Gwen felt somehow confident they would find their killer soon.
It was Friday, so maybe she could schedule their task force meeting for earlier in the day. That would give them a longer evening and maybe Gwen would finally have more time to spend with CC. They would be working this weekend, but certainly wouldn’t have to get up early on Saturday morning!