The Advocate's Homicides

by Teresa Burrell

  "Who's Jolly?"

  "He keeps his girls high on crack. Makes 'em work for the fix."

  "Do you know where I can find Jolly?"

  "I ain't never been there, but I heard it's just off Chase somewhere."

  "Here in El Cajon?"

  "Uh huh."

  "What does Jolly look like?"

  "He's real big, over 300 pounds, not quite as tall as you. And not nearly as good-looking."

  "Thanks for your help."

  Cat woman slinked up closer to JP and rubbed her body against his, making a purring sound. JP pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of his pocket, handed it to her, and stepped away.

  "Sure you don't want your money's worth?" she asked.

  "You told me what I needed to know. We're good. Thanks."

  "Meow," she said in a long purring tone.

  JP tipped his hat and walked away. He checked his phone and saw he had a message from Sabre, so he called her back.

  Sabre gave him the information she had obtained from Tray about the crack house.

  "He didn't happen to mention a guy named Jolly, did he?" JP asked.

  "No. He didn't seem to know anyone's name. Who’s Jolly?"

  "He's a pimp who seems to have a hold on Jeannine. Did he tell you what any of the guys look like?"

  "He said two are real skinny and one is a 'big, fat, ugly guy with a bald head.'"

  "That sounds like Jolly. I'll call Ernie and see what he knows about him, and then I'll go check out the house."

  "Are you any closer to finding Tray's father?" Sabre asked.

  "To tell you the truth, I've spent so much time looking for his mother that I haven't had a chance to do much else, but I did run a background check on him and Ernie got some inside information for me. Horatio Whisenant served five years in Centinela State Prison for armed robbery. And get this, he would've been out sooner, but he beat up a goof a few months before his release."

  "He beat up a pedophile?"

  "Yup. Can you imagine what he would do to someone who molested his own kid?"

  "He just rose up the suspect list," Sabre said.

  "Do you have a current address for him?"

  "No, but Ernie's checking for me. I'll get right on it after I check out the info you just gave me."

  "JP, please be careful."

  "Always."

  Chapter 14

  As soon as JP got in his car, he called Ernie, his friend at the sheriff's department, and asked him about Jolly.

  "I know Jolly. He's been busted a few times and served a few years, but we haven't been able to get him lately. He's a small fish who brags a lot and acts real tough. He usually rolls over on someone bigger when he's caught and walks away with a slap on the wrist. I'd like to see him off the streets before he blows up a meth lab and innocent people get killed. What's Jolly to you?"

  "He appears to be the pimp for the mother of our juvenile client, Tray Copley."

  "The teen charged with killing the pedophile?"

  "Yup. I'm trying to find the mother because she may be his alibi if they ever establish a time of death. Or she may even be the killer."

  "That's right. You asked me to see what else I could find on Tray's father, Horatio Whisenant. I didn't come up with much. The last address I have for him is the house he lived in with Jeannine and Tray three years ago. He was there for approximately five years with Tray. Prior to that, as you know, he was at Centinela State Prison. I haven't found anything new on him."

  "Apparently he hasn't been in any trouble since his prison bout."

  "Or he hasn't been caught. Where are you headed now?"

  "I'm going to the crack house. Want to come along?"

  "Can you get a beer afterwards?"

  "Sure, if it doesn't take too long. I thought I would stake the house out for a while."

  "What the heck. I'm just getting off duty. Who knows, maybe we'll find Jolly."

  "I don't have an address, but I'll meet you at Tray's house. I have directions from there, but no street names. We can go together from Tray’s." JP gave him the address to the house where Tray normally lived with his mother and sister.

  ***

  Ernie was waiting for JP when he pulled up in front of Tray's house. Ernie got out of his car and slid into JP's. They followed Tray's directions and pulled up in front of a house in need of serious repair. The front yard needed mowing, and trash had built up on the side of the house.

  Ernie pulled a photo out of a folder he had been holding. "Here's a picture of Jolly in case he comes out."

  JP took a good look at the photo and then handed it back to Ernie. "I'll be back," he said, and exited the car.

  "Where are you going?"

  "I'm going to see if I can see inside."

  “Want me to go with you?”

  “You better stay here. I have enough trouble with people thinking I’m a cop, but they’ll smell you coming.”

  JP walked up to the side of the house, accidentally kicking a beer can as he neared the wall. He stopped and stood still, even though the noise was drowned out by the rap music that bellowed from the house. He moved along the side of the house until he reached a window that was uncovered. An open window was nearby, and the smell of cat urine filled his nostrils.

  He heard a loud, booming male voice say, "Shut that off. I'm sick of that noise."

  The rap stopped and JP stood still. Just then he heard the sound of the window opening next to him. He pushed his body against the wall and remained still, except to remove his pistol from his shoulder strap. The urine smell grew stronger as the window opened.

  JP heard a sigh, and a female voice mumbled, "That's better." The voice sounded familiar. It may have been Jeannine, but he couldn't be certain.

  "What the hell are you doing, you stupid bag bride?" the loud, booming voice said.

  "I need some air. I'm getting sick."

  "Too bad. Get the hell out if you can't take the smell."

  The window slammed shut.

  JP waited and then moved slowly up to the window to see if he could see in, but just as he did, the lights went out in the room and he couldn't see anything. He moved around the house but found no other uncovered windows. When he heard the front door open, he worked his way back to the front of the house and hid behind some bushes. He watched as a thin, scruffy-looking man about five-foot-ten came out of the house. He twitched as he walked toward an older model Chevy, and then he got in and drove off.

  Shortly thereafter, a young couple in their twenties, both with backpacks, walked up to the door and knocked. This time JP saw Jolly open the door and invite them inside. They stayed in the house for about three or four minutes and then left.

  JP decided it was time for him to make his way back to the car. He reached the sidewalk just as a car drove up and parked in front of the house. JP walked in the opposite direction and past his car where Ernie was sitting and observing. He kept going until he reached the end of the block, where he turned left and kept out of sight until the car left. Then he returned to his car.

  "I thought you were leaving me," Ernie said. "Did you see anything?"

  "Not much more than you could see from the car, but I got a strong whiff of what smelled like cat urine. Either that house is full of cats, or they're brewing up some crack as we speak."

  "I know. I can smell it from here, and I'm betting they're not animal lovers. With the traffic I observed just in the short time we've been here, they seem to have a pretty good business going," Ernie said. "Did you see the kid's mom?"

  "I heard a woman in there who some guy referred to as a 'bag bride,’ which you and I both know is a crack-smoking prostitute. That fits Jeannine's description when she's off track, but I can't be sure it was her."

  "Yeah, it could be a thousand other women as well." Ernie twirled the pen he was holding between his fingers.

  "Did you get photos?" JP asked.

  "Does Grizzly Adams have a beard?" Ernie repeated a phrase he had heard JP say before.

/>   "I guess that's a ‘yes.’"

  "Sure did. I even got one of Jolly when he came to the door."

  "You want to bust them, don't you?"

  "You bet."

  "Can you get a warrant?"

  "I'm sure we've seen and smelled plenty. Besides, there's already a warrant out for Jolly for some traffic infraction, but we didn't want to use it until we had more. So, at the very least, we can nab him. But with the photos I took and your statement, the judge will sign one. It shouldn't take more than a half hour or so."

  "So, do it."

  "What about the kid's mom?"

  "If she's in there, she'll get arrested and it'll be easier to talk to her. Besides, maybe if she gets busted she'll get back in rehab."

  Ernie called Vice and explained the situation. He and JP waited and watched for the next forty-five minutes. Only one other man went to the door and left a few minutes later. Two scantily dressed women went inside and were still there when two vice detectives arrived. Ernie got out and spoke to the detectives briefly and then returned to the car.

  "Let's go," Ernie said. “We need to get out of here in case Jeannine is in there. You’ll never get the information you want if she thinks you busted her.”

  Before they drove away, two other detectives arrived in a dark sedan and both ends of the block had squad cars deterring the exit or entrance onto the street. Ernie showed an officer his badge and briefly explained the situation.

  "Want to get that beer?" Ernie asked.

  "Does a one-legged duck swim in circles?"

  "I take it that's a 'yes,' cowboy."

  Chapter 15

  The bell rang just as JP exited his car at St. Kieran Catholic School. JP walked onto the campus while school was letting out. He headed toward the office through a sea of girls in blue plaid skirts, white shirts, and navy sweaters, while the boys wore white shirts and navy blue pants. For a fleeting second, JP wondered if the uniforms added a more disciplined mindset or if dressing alike just squelched their individuality.

  JP walked into the office. Samples of children's work peppered the walls. A young woman stood at the front desk.

  "I'm here to see Sister Maria Luisa Hilasco," JP said.

  "Your name?"

  "JP Torn. We have an appointment." He looked at his watch. "It appears I'm about ten minutes early."

  "That’s okay. I'll tell her you're here." She turned away and walked out the back entrance of the office.

  JP looked around, but there was no place to sit, so he stood near the counter and waited. The young woman returned about three minutes later.

  "Please follow me." She led him out the back door and across a little square to a classroom marked 6B. The door was open and after signaling for JP to enter, she left.

  At first glance, JP didn't see the nun. Suddenly, a head in a nun’s habit popped up from behind her desk. She was an attractive woman who appeared to be in her late thirties. "Sorry, I dropped my pen." She stood up and said, "Are you JP?"

  "Yes."

  "Good. I'm Sister Maria. Please have a seat." She pointed to a student desk in front of her. When JP looked inquisitively at the desk, the sister said, "Better yet, grab one of those folding chairs over there. It'll be more comfortable."

  JP picked up a folding chair, opened it up, and sat down directly across from her.

  "What can I do for you?"

  "I'm the investigator for Attorney Sabre Brown. She represents a minor who is being charged with murder. She doesn't believe he committed this crime. You're listed as a witness." JP found himself over-explaining the situation and felt a little uncomfortable in the nun's presence. He realized he had an unusual feeling of intimidation. He thought of a time when he was about seven years old and went to catechism with his friend, Tom, with whom he was spending the night. Tom’s mother made them go to catechism after school. Tom was teasing the girl sitting in front of him, which JP found comical. The nun saw them, walked over to Tom, and smacked him on the hand with a ruler. She reached over to give JP similar discipline, but he saw the ruler coming and jumped up and ran out, knocking the chair over as he did. He never went back.

  "The body they found on Coyote Ridge?" Sister Maria asked, bringing him back to present day.

  "Yes, ma’am," JP said. He wondered how many murder investigations she was involved in, but he realized she was just making sure they were talking about the same thing. "How did the police happen to question you?"

  "I saw a photo of the dead man in the newspaper and I recognized him. I called the police and told them I had seen him with a child on Saturday at Albertsons supermarket."

  "Did they ask you to identify the child?"

  "Yes, they showed me photos of children and I picked him out."

  "How many photos?"

  "About twenty."

  "Really?"

  "Yes."

  "Can you be sure it was the same boy?" JP wanted to show her the photo of Tray for clarification, but he didn't want to implant Tray's image in her mind any more than the police had already done. Perhaps in court she wouldn't be able to identify him. "Yes, I'm positive. I was very close to him. They were standing in the checkout line right in front of me. I even spoke to the young man."

  "Why was that?" JP asked.

  Sister Maria looked down at her clasped hands and then back at JP. "The man had his hand on the boy's shoulder. The boy put the sodas, a bag of donuts, and a Hershey bar on the belt. As he did, the man kept his hand on the boy's shoulder. It made me very uncomfortable."

  "Like creepy uncomfortable?"

  "I'm afraid so. He seemed way too possessive."

  "Did it occur to you that they might be father and son?"

  "It wasn't that kind of touching. Besides, the boy called him Glen."

  "Did the boy appear to be there against his will?" JP asked.

  "No, not really."

  "So, how did the young man act?"

  "Pretty normal, I guess, except when he talked."

  "What did he say?"

  "It wasn't so much what he said, but how he said it. When I commented to him on his choice of groceries, he said something about a special occasion or treat or something. But he sounded kind of robotic. Since I didn't know him, I thought perhaps it was his normal speech pattern. But maybe he was scared." She paused and fiddled with the pen she was holding.

  "What else bothered you?"

  "I had seen this man a couple of times before."

  JP looked up in surprise. "Where? And when?"

  "A couple of weeks ago, he was hanging around near the school grounds. One of the other teachers spotted him first. She thought he was there to pick up one of the kids, but no student approached him. Then he walked away."

  "But he came back?"

  "Yes, on two other occasions. The teacher on duty always stays with the children until they are all picked up, so we're certain nothing ever happened. But the third time I saw him, I called the police and they drove by for a couple of days right around dismissal time. He stopped coming after that."

  "How long ago was that?"

  "The last time he came to the school was a little over a week before I saw him with that young man at Albertsons. That was on a Saturday, so it must have been Wednesday when I last saw him at the school because the cops drove by for two days and then school was out for the weekend. The cops came by at least one day the following week, but I didn't see the man again until we were at the supermarket."

  JP started to stand and then stopped. "Do you remember the name of the clerk who checked you out?"

  "I'm sorry, I don't."

  "Was it a man or a woman?"

  "A woman."

  "Young or old?"

  She thought for a minute. "It's hard to say because she had so much makeup on. If I had to guess, I'd say she was about fifty."

  "Was there anything unusual about the makeup, or was there just a lot of it?"

  "Mostly she just had heavy face makeup and bright red lips. Oh, and her eyelashes were
n't real." She suddenly squinted her eyes and looked very pensive.

  "Was there something else?"

  "I'm not sure it will help, but there was someone else who saw them."

  "Who?"

  "There was a man standing at the end of the aisle just behind where we were checking out. He seemed to be watching the man and the kid. I thought maybe he was a store manager or something."

  "Was he wearing a badge or store uniform of any kind?"

  "Not that I saw. He was dressed in a nice dress shirt and slacks, I think. I know he wasn’t wearing jeans."

  "What did he look like?"

  "A little older, I think. That's another reason why I thought he might be a store manager."

  "Tall or short?"

  "Not too tall."

  "Was he fat or thin?"

  "He couldn't have been too fat or too thin because I think I would've remembered that. I'm just not sure since I only glanced at him for a second. I'm not certain how long he was there or if he was even looking at them. After the man and kid checked out I looked back, but he wasn't there.

  Chapter 16

  Tracking Tray's father, Horatio Whisenant, was more difficult than JP expected. It had been three years since Tray had seen him, and for all JP knew he could be in another state or even another country. He read through the family history portion of the social studies and other reports the social workers had written on Tray's dependency case. Horatio's mother lived in Alabama and his father was listed as whereabouts unknown. There was a sister named Cynthia listed, but no last name or address were provided. JP called Sabre to ask if she knew anything more about her.

  "No, and Tray has never mentioned her," Sabre said.

  "Could you ask him the next time you see him?"

  "Sure. I'll probably go by there after court today. Do you have any other leads on the father?"

  "No, but I'm going to see Jeannine in Las Colinas this morning, if she'll see me. Maybe she'll have more information."

  "Don't forget," Sabre said, "she is represented, albeit not for the criminal charges, but she'll have another attorney appointed soon."