FIFTY-TWO
“You saw that? The sonofabitch just bought a hot car for his fiancée. Just wait until we send her our little package,” Kowalski said looking over at his partner. “He’s gonna freak out.” Both detectives laughed as they hurried across the street to the Porsche dealership. Flashing his badge, Kowalski asked to see the manager.
“Who’s the salesman that just handled the customer that just left?” he asked when the man appeared.
“Which customer?” the manager asked.
“Eric Ascot,” Kowalski replied.
“Mr. Ascot was tended to by Ernie Fryer. What seems to be the problem, detectives? Maybe I could be of some help to you? I’m always doing what I can to help out the law.”
“The car he bought, which is it and who is it being delivered to?” Hall asked.
The manager scanned the sales log and looked at the detective. “Mr. Ascot bought a Boxter S. It is being primed to be delivered to his fiancé, a Ms. Sophia Sullivan,” the manager said. “We checked out his card and everything was cleared with his credit card company. I mean, we did everything on the level, detectives. I’m afraid...”
“Here’s what we need you to do,” interrupted Kowalski. He gave the manager a big brown envelope with detailed instructions. Before they walked away, Kowalski added, “Make sure that it is done before the car is delivered. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir, I do. A very minor thing for a citizen to do, detectives. Good day,” the manager said as they left the office.
“I’m quite sure his lawyer girlfriend is gonna want some kind of explanation to go along with that video and snapshots of her man with his two dancing girls,” laughed Kowalski once they got back outside.
“It really tickles your funny bone, huh?” Hall sarcastically asked.
“Whenever uppity black guys get too big for their britches, I just want you to know that old Kowalski here is ready to put their no good black asses back in place and if that means sending them to jail, it makes me sleep oh so much better.”
“I’m sure it does,” Hall said as he glared at his snickering partner. How did this guy get on the job? He’s such a bigot, Hall thought as they drove to the station house. “Do me a favor,” Hall said.
“Sure, anything, partner,” Kowalski answered.
“Stay the fuck off my desk. Don’t let me have to repeat myself.”
“I gotcha back, bro. I’ll stay off your desk.” Kowalski reached out to shake his hand but Hall walked past him and into the stationhouse. No sooner had he sat down when he heard the chief hollering his name.
“Hall, get in my office right now and bring that crazy partner of yours with you,” the chief said. Hall immediately detected a lot of anger in the chief’s tone. He knew he was about to be rimmed. He called for Kowalski, who was busy chatting up a secretary a few desks down.
“Kowalski, get your narrow ass over here right now. The chief wants to see us. Now, Kowalski,” Hall yelled when he saw Kowalski not budging. Finally, he walked over to where Kowalski stood and yanked him by the arm.
“I must go, hon. Until later. I’ll see ya around nine, ya hear,” Kowalski said as Hall pulled on his sleeve. “Can’t you see I’m making moves? You know, getting my groove on.”
“You need to groove into the chief’s office, lover boy. I can’t believe you’re trying to run game on a black woman,” Hall said just before they walked into the office where the chief of detectives sat looking at reports and photos.
“Baby got back,” Kowalski said as he entered the office.
“Shut the door. Shut yer yaps and siddown because I don’t wanna be saying what I’m about to say twice. This case needs to be wrapped up immediately, gentlemen. Everyone’s looking for answers. There were officers gunned down, politicians are talking, and when they talk, we better be listening. I want suspects brought in. I want to shake this thing up. Bring people in, knock on doors. I’m giving you two a couple more days to wrap up this investigation and indict someone. Geez, what else do we need? We got the smoking guns and we got positive ID’s from the boys at the lab. Do we have any corroboration? Do we have motives?”
“Chief, we’re onto something that could blow the case wide open.”
“Yeah, that’s right, chief, we’re onto a strong lead.”
“I don’t wanna hear that kind of dribble out of either of you. Feed the press all that verbiage. Bring some closure to this damn case and don’t drag it out too long. We can hardly spare the manpower around here. Now, get outta my office and go arrest someone for these murders.”
“Yes, sir,” they both replied and left the office with great haste. They had laid the bait for Eric and knew he would take it once the delivery was made along with the car. Both detectives knew that somehow they would have to get either Eric or Lil’ Long to cooperate totally. They figured it would be Eric Ascot.