by C. Meyer
“I’m sure, Mr. Davidson, Let’s get back to your rejection by Margarita. Did that upset you?
“Oh, there was no rejection. I simply explained to her that a lot of women have crushes on me, and I’d given Martine no encouragement what so ever. She’s just not my type. So finally she agreed telling me she’d have to tell Martine first.
Suddenly Charlie Chang was obviously wide awake and making notes.
The rest of the interview revealed nothing of any particular relevance to the case though despite the best efforts of the three detectives, the conversation always somehow got turned back to Roger Davidson and his lone book recently accepted for publication. As it turned out by Amazon.com. Even the cops understood what that meant.
-----------
When they were alone, Chang suggested they parlay and shared what he’d learned. Doctor Lytle returned just as they began. While recounting
Dana’s role, Charlie noticed Kristian tense and mutter something likely unspeakable under his breath.
“Not to be too hard on your mother, Kristian. Think of this as happy accident. I didn’t know if there was anything to make of this when my impolite treasures first told me. Suddenly, Miss Domingo has motive to kill best friend and intense conversation between her and now deceased woman reported by Maxwell woman fits right in. My notes say Maxwell
woman saw Domingo touching her friend on shoulder after their final exchange of words.
I made a note of that too, Charlie, interjected
Kong, “and she did use the word touch not hit
or strike. She did not suggest Domingo was holding a weapon of any kind….”
“Interesting speculation, gentlemen,” interrupted Doctor Lytle, “However this bruise is as clear as newsprint. I can’t see how any touch or hit by a hand or weapon be it gentle or hard could have inflicted such a mark. And again, it’s a fresh deep bruise not a tattoo. It’s more like something inflicted by a branding iron. Close inspection did of the wound did reveal freshly seared flesh.
Lytle produced a digital camera and pulled up a photo of the wound for them.
“Could that wound have killed her?” asked Kristian.
“Not according to anything I ever learned or hear of,” replied the medical examiner. “While I said it was deep, we would classify it as superficial when talking about potentially life threatening injuries.”
“So what killed her, Doc?” pursued the Chief.
“I’ll be damned if I know. Some tests such as toxicology are still out but this woman was in excellent health. Obviously she lived a healthy life-
style and worked out. Nothing beyond that wound is wrong with her yet she is very much dead.
Our conversation with Miss Domingo should be most interesting,” offered Inspector Chang. Suggest we neglect chivalry. This woman knows something and pressure may persuade same to share.
“Ya mean make her crack?” asked Kong.
“Crudely said but most accurate, Inspector. But most gently please. Just a little sun on Miss Sunday will do. It is said man boiled in oil
will not feel the pain till it is too late if heat is turned up most slowly.”
“Confucius?”
“So sorry no - Hannibal Lecter.”
----------
As Martine took her seat, Chang could see she’d been crying but she had recovered her composure.
“I understand it has been most difficult evening for you, Martine. Are you now up to answering a few more questions? Am most sorry but they must be asked.”
“Yes, of course.” she replied barely above a whisper.
“I understand you are studying to be a Shaman and are an astrologist as well. Can you tell us a little about this?
“Yes, the two are somewhat linked. Mostly it’s applying traditional solutions passed down over the ages by wise shaman to help those with health issues. Often the stars aid me in the diagnosis of maladies and timing of treatments,” answered Martine quite readily her voice growing stronger.
“Ah so yes. In China such traditional healers are known by the Mandarin word “wu”.
“Yes, inspector they are. You are well informed.” returned Martine with a trace of an appreciative smile.
However in some - shall we say less civilized - cultures, I believe they are often called witch doctors and sometimes employ the occult. Isn’t that right?
Martine’s answer was delayed and short. “Yes, I suppose that’s true.”
Have your studies included what I believe is also called the dark science?
No, I believe that a term used for alchemy, Inspector. But yes, I’ve read a bit about the occult. Perhaps a bit more than the average person, but can hardly say I’ve studied it. However, while I am spiritual but not a particularly religious person, I still, I take the possible existence of a devil and a hell seriously and would not get involved with him or his cohorts.”
“Are you familiar with the popular interpretation of the numbers 666?”
“Yes, of course. Most people are. It’s said to be the devil’s sign,” answered Martine her voice growing a bit more confident. “It’s been a long time since I was raised as a Roman Catholic but I believe that comes from some interpretations of - or is perhaps even stated - in Revelations. I’m really not sure which, but do know that it is not just an occult thing. Or should say I don’t believe it is. Again I’m no expert on the occult.”
“Are you aware, Miss Domingo, that the late Margarita Lopez had a fresh bruise on her right shoulder most clearly readable as the numbers 6. 6. 6. ?”
“OH MY GOD NO” she screamed breaking into tears and sobs. “Is this true? It can’t be. Margarita was a wonderful person and a devoted Catholic. You must be mistaken.”
“I’m afraid there is no mistake, Miss Domingo. A rational explanation - if there is such a thing - is that your dear friend was rather roughly branded with a 666 shortly before her death. Doctor Lytle, the medical examiner tells us that the result was a deep contusion and significant searing of the flesh at the center of the bruise.”
“NO, NO, IT CAN’T BE,” bawled Martine losing control.
“Doctor Lytle has a rather graphic color photograph of the wound”, said Chang harshly over her cries and tears, “Care to see it?”
Martine made no reply. She was now bent over with her head in her hands bawling uncontrollably.
Still Chang continued, “You were observed shortly before her death having intense words with Margarita ending with a touch to her right shoulder. Is this true. ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE?
Martine continued to cry miserably her head in her hands but did not answer.
Chang gave her a moment to regain some measure of control then pursued his question, “I REPEAT, MISS DOMINGO, and ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE? ........... I must .have an answer. Tears will not wash away this deed.”
In a few moments, Martine gained enough control to stutter out an answer between sobs. “I, I, I might be. I just don’t know. It was an angry word. No more. I meant no harm to Margarita. She was my best friend. I loved the woman. Give me a few moments and I’ll explain what happened between us.”
After a few minutes, Martine was able to tell her story.
“As I’ve told you, Margarita and I were best friends. We told each other everything. She knew I had strong feelings for a fellow group member, Roger. We’d even joked that he was mine and she’d better keep her hands of him. Then tonight while we were supposed to be reading Roger’s submission d’jour, she pokes me and says “Marty, I’m so excited. Roger asked me out for dinner for Saturday.” I was shocked and reminded her he was supposed to be mine. We had agreed on that. She replied something about “Yes, I know that and
initially told him no because of you having a secret crush on him. He told me he knew you did and while he liked you too you just weren’t his type. I told her “no fair. An agreement between best friends should be sacred.”
She replied, “What’s the point, Martine? He said right out you are not his type and
“You’ll find someone” she says. “The anger welled up in me so hard I almost could not breathe. I muttered what was in my heart and
hit her on the shoulder with an open hand to reinforce my feelings.”
“Clarification please. What did you mutter?”
Martine barely got her answer out before tears once again overwhelmed her.
I said, “May the devil take you both.”
This time it was the detectives who were speechless. They exchanged puzzled glances before finally asking some follow up questions the answers to which only added credibility to the story Martine had told them.
----------
When Martine was gone, it was Kristian who first spoke the words that were on all their minds.
“I believe her. Was this a crime?”
Doctor Lytle agreed, “I believe her too. What she did was what anyone might do and say. Still, it can’t be the answer. You might say I am a scientist but I’m a spiritual person too. However, I don’t believe in literal devil. He is just symbolic. Anything else is religious mumbo jumbo. There has to be a real life villain we have yet to discover.
The discussion continued in this manner. In
the end, it was decided to finish interviewing
the remaining players and hold Martine as a material witness pending a likely coroner’s inquest.
Kristian insisted on driving his mother home. As Charlie watched them leave, he could already hear a noisy debate underway between them. He couldn’t make out much but did discern a familiar voice saying
“Kristian, I hate it when you’re like this.”
----------
It took a couple weeks to get back all the forensic information. In the interim, an
extensive investigation proceeded which
included getting expert input from a wide variety of disciplines. The coroner’s inquest was held shortly thereafter with all relevant testimony heard.
The coroner’s verdict came quickly:
“Homicide by person or persons unknown”
The coroner didn’t let it go at that. “However, I must add a personal, off the record, opinion often handed down in somewhat similar cases in early 19th century England. I would rather have pronounced a variation of it but it’s not part of our current law or traditions.
That 19th century verdict would have been:
“…the Crown finds that the death of Margarita Lopez was an unfortunate act of God.”
------------
EPILOGUE
Later that year, in an invitation only ceremony, Dana La Blonde was awarded the Boca Rotan Order of Merit, Second Class for
her contributions to law enforcement in solving the case by being nosy but nice. Chang and her Charlie were there. Kristian was noticeably absent.
-------------
A year to the day after the death of Margarita Lopez, Roger Davidson died under mysterious circumstances. An inquest later ruled his death “…a homicide by persons or persons unknown.”
THE END
The Write Stuff writing group had lived on after the unfortunate murder of Maria Gonzalez in their midst with a poisoned pen by Isabella Lopez, the group leader. However, its new leader Karen had moved the group to a Starbucks in nearby Deerfield largely because she and others felt the Coral Springs Panera had bad karma and some members still believed its manager, Karl Dulop, Isabella’s lover, had an as yet undiscovered role in the murder of poor Maria. No one wanted to be next.
However, the Deerfield Starbucks had proved noisy and its food was not nearly as good as that of Panera particularly when that of Starbucks hadn’t run out by the seven o’clock time of their meetings. Moreover, it was widely known that Karl Dulop had been forced to move to the Boca Panera’s in Palm Beach County that was out of his area of responsibility by the Broward District Manager who felt the same way.
This was a suspicion also held by famed Detective Inspector Charlie Chang who continued to seek a Dulop connection long after the jury had sent Isabella and Isabella alone to prison. Chang’s suspicion was only amplified when a mysterious death receiving little publicity at first occurred in another writing group at the very same Boca Rotan Panera’s to which Dulop had been reassigned.
Karen was not a superstitious person and had always liked the hazelnut coffee at the group’s former meeting place so shortly after the first anniversary of the Write Stuff murder there she moved the Write Stuff back to Panera Bread in Coral Springs.
--------
Much had happened to the core members of the group and some of its investigators in the time since the Write Stuff murder. By pure coincidence Charlie, a Write Stuff member and several of those investigating it (including visiting Inspector Charlie Chang) had been caught up in what at first appeared to be a copycat murder but later was ruled to be an unexplained death colorfully and rather ironically interpreted by the coroner as “a visitation by God”. This was a ruling that satisfied no one. Contrary to the literal interpretation of the coroner’s ruling in the death, the evidence had indicated to many it the work of the devil. The young female group member attending the 1500 Words writing group at the time of her death had been found to be perfect health aside from a mysterious fresh wound very clearly read as “666”. The only explanation offered was that during a minor spat over the man, a dear friend and fellow group member who was something of a shaman in training and someone very in touch with the spiritual side of life, had in anger and frustration uttered the words, “…then may the devil take you both”. Few were satisfied that this was the true and complete story. Wags suggested one better be damned careful what you say if you’re in touch with your spiritual self.
Attorney Marsha Evans who had represented Karl Dulop at the initial inquiry, had filed suit against the city of Boca Rotan for alleged abuse, intimidation, and coercion of her client at the hands of “police investigators and their agents.” Though she had sought a seven figure reparation, the suit had been settled quietly for a formal apology and some workplace accommodations for Mr. Dulop.
The case had brought favorable publicity for Simon Kong, nominally the lead detective in the case though, in fact, more a witness than a super sleuth. Nevertheless when, Chief Reardon retired from the Coral Springs PD, Inspector Reardon was passed over and Simon Kong had just been named its new police chief. Force members quickly dubbed the very fit but small man King Kong. King Kong jokes – carefully whispered – quickly became the order of the day in local police circles.
However, it was Simon Kong who was having the last laugh tonight. He’d met Inspector Chang’s number two daughter, Betty, at the 1500 Words murder scene and a relationship developed as they were often thrown together during the follow up investigation leading up Coroner’s inquest. That relationship quickly bloomed into love for the most attractive couple.
Tonight was to be a celebration of their engagement to marry. Proud Papa Chang had chosen to rent out Delice Paradise - now a popular Coral Springs eatery - and the place where my story of the Panera Bread murders began to celebrate the happy occasion.
-------
“Finally, I will get to try most fabled pastries of Mademoiselle Martine” he said as he welcomed his friends “Number Two” Charlie and Dana to the event. These words recalling the night over a year ago when his dinner with Number Two had been cut short in order to investigate the Write Stuff murder.
“Most pleased to see you again, Dana,” smiled Chang. “Am so most pleased also you were rewarded for your help in the 1500 Word case.”
“Some cash would have been nicer”, commented Dana in return. “It’s a short month and I’m still shy of my bonus goal.”
“If your Charlie would permit. I know my number one son, Tommy, needs new partner in Honolulu.”
“Thanks Charlie I’ll have think about that,” she replied with a wink while tugging on her Char
lie’s hand. But it was Betty and Tommy that deserved that award not me. I was just being curious but nice.”