by Gayle Tiller
"In the apartment where we lived, we had a built-in washer and dryer."
"So you and Ralph never took your laundry out?"
"Out?"
"Did you and Ralph ever go to a laundry mat?"
"Before we got married, I used to help Ralph with his laundry. Back then, Ralph lived in a duplex on the Eastside and he didn't have a washing machine. So we used to do his laundry at the Good Times Laundry Mat. But that was over three years ago. I don't know what that has to do with the case."
"I don't know either. But I am going to check it out and let you know what happens. Where is Good Times Laundry Mat?"
"At King and Story."
King and Story was San Jose's heartland of poverty, drive by shootings and drug deals. Cops hung at the street corners just waiting to bust somebody. To call the laundry mat "Good Times" in that neighborhood was like calling a murderer a saint. Like everything else in this case, it made no sense.
* * *
I brought my shit load of clothes to Good Times Laundry Mat so I wouldn't look suspicious. It was packed with mostly Mexican and Viet-namese immigrants. There were a couple of other folks who looked out of place. And to my surprise, there was a tall, anorexic looking woman who was in her late thirties. Her eyes were lifeless and her teeth were a dull yellow. I approached her and said, "Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me about the history of this place."
The woman looked at me like I had said something stupid.
She cleared her thought and said, "There ain't no history to this place."
I asked, "Do you know who the owner of this place is?"
"The owner? Girl, why are you askin' so many questions? Are you a cop?"
"No, I'm not. I was just kind of curious."
"Well, you look like a plainclothes cop."
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"I am not a cop. I'm a private investigator."
"Are you investigating the owner?"
"No, I am not. I was just told to contact her."
"Why?"
"Look, I can't reveal that. Now, if you have the information, can you tell me?"
"Girl, I'm not into helping folks for free."
"How about twenty bucks?"
"Shit, twenty bucks ain't gonna do shit for me. I got me a couple of kids to feed."
"Then, how about fifty?"
"Nah, that ain't nothin' either. You have to do a lot better than that."
A Mexican woman in her late fifties walked up to me and said, "I am the owner. Lynette, stop scamming on her."
Lynette turned to the woman and said, "Josie, I was just to score me some dead presidents."
"Yeah, then you would drink it all away. It ain't like you would be using it for your kids."
"You know that the county took 'em way. But I am working to get 'em back."
"Well, that ain't happenin' no time soon."
"Josie, I'm gonna prove you wrong." Lynette then gathered her laundry into a laundry basket and walked to a battered old Toyota. She waved good-bye and left.
I turned to Josie and said, "I was wondering if I could talk to you few minutes."
"Who are you again?"
"My name is Jasmine Myers and I am private investigator. I'm investigating the death of Ralph Woods."
"I'm Josie Santos. Ralph was a good man. I have known him since he was a student at San Jose State. It's too bad that he wound up with that woman who killed him."
"Did you know her?"
"You mean Kristal. Yeah, she used to come here sometimes with Ralph. She seemed like a nice girl, but these days you never know."
"Do you know who Bill Roberts is?"
"Bill Roberts? You mean the former Mayor of San Jose."
I said, "Yeah, that's the same one."
"Yes, I knew him. He was a good man like Ralph. They never found them."
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"What do you think happened to him?"
"He was killed by them."
"By who?"
"You know the union."
"But they were never charged."
"Yeah, that's because people got paid off."
"Like who?"
"I don't want to name people, but there is one cop who is now the Fire Chief."
"You mean Melvin Grady."
"He was crooked as they come."
"Like how?"
"He was just crooked. You know how he left the police department."
"No, I don't."
"Melvin Grady was found selling drugs and they asked him to resign."
"He was a drug dealer?"
"Yeah, you know those big drug busts, he was selling confiscated cocaine on the side."
"Why wasn't he arrested?"
"This is the San Jose Police Department. This ain't no fairyland. He threatened to expose a few other cops who were doing the same thing and they decided not to prosecute."
"Like who was he going to expose?"
"Like those with the ranks of Lieutenant and higher."
"Do you have any proof?"
"Yeah, I got proof. My son used to buy cocaine all the time from Melvin Grady and his posse."
"So where is your son now?"
"He OD a few years ago."
"Sorry to hear about that. Do you know anyone else who knew about Melvin Grady?"
"People knew about him."
"Can you name at least one person?"
"Names don't matter. My son knew and that was good enough for me."
"What about Lynette?"
"No, she ain't no drug addict. She's a drunk who don't know when to stop drinking."
"Is there anyone else who knew about Melvin Grady's drug dealing?"
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"I ain't naming no other people. My son was killed by him and that is a fact."
Great, the only witness is one dead junkie. Who knows what the truth really was. Maybe it was rumor and maybe it wasn't.
"So has Melvin Grady cleaned up his act?"
"Hell no. Once a criminal always a criminal."
"So, is he still selling?"
"Nah, nothing like that. He stopped doing that after they kicked him off the force."
"So what is Grady doing now that is illegal?"
"I don't know. I just know whatever it is, it is some evil shit."
"So could he be clean?"
"Just like the devil."
* * *
Kristal smiled when she saw me. I asked, "Do you know Josie Santos?"
"Josie, yeah I know her. She owns the Good Times Laundromat."
"What do you know about her?"
"She is pissed off with the police. She feels that they killed her son."
"Did they?"
"No, he was a drug addict. He overdosed on cocaine."
"Did she ever blame a particular officer?"
"Yeah, she did. Melvin Grady, but she had no proof. She claimed he was selling drugs to her son."
"Do you think there was merit to her claim?"
"No, I think her son was just talking shit and she bought it."
"Do you think Ralph was killed, because he somehow found proof that Melvin Grady used to be a drug dealer?"
"You know that rumor has been out there for years. But I doubt Ralph found anything to back it up."
"Do you think Melvin Grady had anything to with your husband's death?"
"Do you mean do I think Melvin Grady killed my husband? No, Grady doesn't have the killer instinct, but he might have ordered someone to do it. It just depends on what my husband found."
"Maybe we should ask the police to investigate Melvin Grady to see if he is somehow connected to the killings."
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"The police hell no. No offense, but when I went to your father about my suspicions, all he did was turn it around and charge me with three murders. You should talk to Melvin Grady yourself."
* * *
I arrived promptly at Melvin Grady's office at 9:00 on Monday morning. He was not pleased to see me. He was a short, pudgy man in his late fifties with thinning gray hair and bad teeth. His li
ps were pencil thin and eyes were a light brown. To call him unattractive would be an understatement. He was far from that; he was downright homely. I noticed a wedding band on his left hand. Whoever had married him, hadn't married him for his looks. So he might have some redeeming qualities.
I said, "I am investigating the murders of Ralph Woods, Richard Carpenter and Dan Fulton."
He said, "The cops have already nabbed Kristal Woods and are looking for Chuck. It's just too bad what Chuck did."
I said, "I believe that Kristal and Chuck are both innocent and they are being framed for the murders by the real killer."
"If they didn't kill, who did?"
"I don't know, but I think it has something to do with you being promoted to Fire Chief."
"Lady, you're wasting your time. For anyone to kill over a promotion would be ridiculous."
"I don't think so."
"Yes, it is. If you had researched your facts properly, you would know that Richard Carpenter had applied for the position for Fire Chief in Oakland and when he had a choice between being the Fire Chief here or in Oakland, he chose Oakland. There was no conspiracy to get rid of him. If he would have accepted the job here, that would have been fine with me."
"I believe that Carpenter was about to expose something about your past and he was threatened that if that were exposed, his personal life would be exposed."
He stared at me hard and said, "I don't know what the hell you are talking about. I know nothing about Carpenter's personal life except he is dating that secretary of his. That's all I know. And that is not earth shattering, because everyone knows about their relationship."
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So Grady didn't know Carpenter had been gay. That was interesting.
But then again, he could be lying.
I said, "What about the fact that you used to deal drugs when you were a cop?"
He glared at me and said, "I never sold drugs as a cop or in any other capacity either. You must have been talking to Josie. She is crazy and her son was one messed up junkie. If I had been selling drugs, they would have gone after me. They have gone after bad cops before, so I suggest you get your facts straight."
"Like who?"
"Like Victor Bonillo who used to sell crank like it was going out style.
And then there was Wilber Crandell who had this arrangement with a pharmacist where he would sell prescription drugs to these socialites whose doctors refused to issue them prescriptions. Those guys were busted and they did time."
"When did this happen?"
"About seven or eight years ago for Victor and two years ago for Wilber."
"That wasn't too long ago. But I talking about twenty years ago when the San Jose Police Department used to let people get away with stuff."
"Lady, the San Jose PD doesn't let anyone get away with anything."
"Where were you on the night that Ralph died?"
"Who do you think you are, asking me these questions."
"Are you afraid to answer my question?"
"I was with my lovely wife in bed asleep." He pulled out his wife's picture from his wallet. Unless this picture was airbrushed, Grady's wife was beautiful. She was in her early thirties with long thick brown hair, green eyes and the face of a runway model.
He added, "If you don't believe me, ask her."
I wanted to ask, "How did you get her?" but I knew better than that.
Instead, I said, "Where were you when Richard Carpenter died?"
"I was at a conference in Reno."
"Where were you when Dan Fulton died?"
"You gotta to be kidding asking about Dan. Dan was a close buddy.
But for your information, I was right here when I got news that he died.
It was horrible to learn about him."
"So you and Dan were friends?"
"Didn't I just say that? Anyway, because of Kristal and Chuck, he is gone. It's a damn shame and they deserve everything including the death penalty."
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"So what is your wife's phone number?"
"I can't believe you want to talk to her."
"I need to verify your story."
"What you really should be doing is looking for Chuck. That sonabitch. He's the one."
"I don't need to be told what I should be doing. All I want her phone number. Or are you trying to hide something?"
Grady looked at me like he wanted to call me a bitch. Instead, he said,
"My wife is a school teacher. She works at the same high school that Kristal teaches at. It's a small world, isn't it? I just didn't want the media to find out, because she doesn't need to go through the stress of this garbage."
"I won't let them know. Thanks for the information."
* * *
I met with Rebecca Grady during the noon hour at Silver Creek High School. She was even better looking than her picture. I introduced myself and said, "Do you know Kristal Woods?"
Rebecca said, "Yes, she is a teacher here. She teaches social studies. She and I are in the same department."
"What do you know about her?"
"She was married to Ralph and she loves kids and teaching. She also is really involved with the community."
"So did you and Kristal ever socialize?"
"You mean did we hang out together?"
"Yeah. Go out for drinks, coffee or whatever."
"Yes, we went out a few times. You know she is good person."
"Did she ever discuss anything personal?"
"Nothing really. Just the usual women's stuff. Before she met Ralph, she used to talk about how she wanted to get married and have kids."
"Anything else?"
"Just that she was upset with this one guy who had hurt her before she started seeing Ralph. She would never tell me his name. He was probably married or something, because she was so secretive."
So Kristal had messed around with a married man when she was single. That was no surprise, because she had cheated on her husband.
"Did she ever talk about Chuck Roberts?"
"No. She never mentioned his name."
"How was her relationship with Ralph?"
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"As a far as I know, she was happy. She was ecstatic when she found out she was pregnant. She practically announced it on the school's intercom."
"So do you think Kristal killed her husband?"
"I don't know. I mean Kristal is not a bad person. But then again, it could be possible. Anything is possible."
"So Kristal could have killed Ralph and the others."
"No, I don't think she did it alone. Chuck was involved. So together, they could have done it."
"What do you know about Chuck Roberts?"
"I met him a couple times at different functions. But beyond that I don't know him."
"Is it possible that Chuck Roberts didn't kill anyone?"
"Look, I don't know. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But if he didn't, why hasn't he turned himself in?"
"I am going to ask you a personal question."
"Sure, go ahead."
"Where were you on the night that Ralph died?"
Rebecca's face turned ashen. She replied, "The night that Ralph died?
That was two in the morning. I was at home in bed asleep."
"Do you have any witnesses?"
"Any witnesses? Who is going to witness me sleeping?"
"How about your husband?"
She looked at me in astonishment and acted like she didn't know what to say. She paused and said, "Oh yeah, he was there."
"Why did you have to think about it before answering?"
She turned red and said, "Because I had to remember that night. Sometimes Melvin has overnight conferences and sometimes I may have a teacher conference."
"A teacher conference at two in the morning?"
"Of course not. I just forgot the date that Ralph was killed. Now, if you excuse me I have to get to my fourth period class."
She walked away.
Was she covering up f
or her husband? You would think that Grady would have called her and told her what to say. How could this woman be so transparent?
She might be the key to everything.
* * *
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Cindy Rodriguez sat me down in her office. She was the superintend-ent of the Eastside Union High School District. Cindy was not pretty, but she was a handsome woman. She was barely five feet tall. She was slightly pudgy and wore her long curly hair in a bun. I had known Cindy since high school and one of her best qualities was that she never held back. She wasn't into bullshit. Men were too afraid to mess with her, because she was a powerful woman.
I said, "What do you know about Kristal Woods?"
Cindy said, "She is a damn good teacher with her kids. But with adults, she is totally different. It's like she has a split personality. She can be a class A bitch at times and she thinks she knows everything."
"Do you think she killed Ralph and the others?"
"Hell, no. She may pretend to be fierce and shit, but that is not really her. That is all an act so people won't get close to her."
"What do you think about Rebecca Grady?"
"You mean Miss Pom-Pom Queen. I don't know how that woman became a teacher; she is so dense at times. We must have hired her when there was affirmative action for beauty queens."
"How did she wind up with Melvin Grady?"
"Shit Jazz, you don't know the story?"
"No, I never heard anything."
"Rebecca is the only child of Mark Lindsey."
"The Police Chief?"
"Yeah. Anyway, Mark Lindsey is really into power and he wanted his family to be the first family of San Jose. Well, he went ballistic when he found out that Rebecca was ready to marry a Latino cop. He went off on her and told her there was no way that she would ever marry one of those people and if she did, he would never speak to her again. Rebecca was such a weak ass bitch, she dropped her fiancé. Her father then arranged for her to go out with Melvin Grady."
"Melvin Grady must be at least twenty years older than her."
"He's twenty-six years older."
"Damn. He is way too old for her. I can't believe her father would set her up with him."
"Honey, it's all about power. Anyway, her father ordered her to marry Melvin. And she being the weak ass she is, agreed to marry him."
"That's horrible."