“Can you hear me, Kosonov I am talking to you, give me the identity of the White Owl as promised or that opium pipe will be gone in sixty seconds.” Jake’s patience was wearing thin and he stepped forward to remove the pipe.
It was not that simple, it took the china man Jake hired to set up the paraphernalia to vaporize the opium cake and turn it into the smoke that Kosonov was inhaling into his lungs, more than sixty seconds. a lot more, plus the china man took a coffee break and was no where to be found.
“Alain, one name and I am out of here and you can have an unlimited supply of that stuff, one name.” Jake coaxed.
He was barely conscious and his eyes were invisible beneath the folds of loose flesh. His cheeks were wet from tears escaping from his closed lids. He was mumbling to himself. Jake bent close, desperate to hear the name of the master mind that was his nemesis. It was no use Alain was beyond cohesive thought.
The nurse shook her head sympathetically and the doctor slowly put his stethoscope away. “Sorry detective this is as good as it will get. He will go down hard from this point. I will keep the opium flowing because the pure form that he is inhaling is more powerful than heroin. It won’t be long now. Your welcome to stay.” After giving further instructions to nurse Sherrill by name, he left the room.
Jake looked down at that babbling idiot on the bed, slobbering into his hospital gown, no longer handsome, no longer even human and thought a wasted life. Wife killer, sadistic assassin and God only knows what else. Good riddance.
“Minerva, my organization is crumbling around me. First, McCane now I have it on good authority, Kosonov! What am I to do? I have no place to gather the flock and they will soon ‘fly the coop,’” the Keeper of he Keys giggled to himself.
“Stop your sniveling, all is not lost. Think man.” The man heard the bird say in his ear. “Gather the flock, call a meeting at the new location in Wayne. I will preside and we will have some lucky soul assassinate the district attorney’s wife. No witnesses will be left. Even if your identity is discovered, your hands are clean. You never killed anyone. How could you be responsible for the members taking their personal vendetta’s out on the victims. It is just as though they were influenced by radio and/or the movies. Not your fault.” The big white bird flapped her wings, just brushing close to his ear and returned to her perch,
“Nice talk, I have to get busy. Must make a big score It is all up to me now. First the ad to call the flock together, then put my house in order in case I have to disappear quickly but not before I consolidate my fortune.
Besides Priscilla, what about Crystal? She may be the next to go, hmmmm.”
CHAPTER 24
The restaurant was packed full and the smoke was winning over the air conditioner, but it did not seem to bother anyone either in the piano bar or restaurant. Stan was very bothered and he had the head man from the A/C company assessing the situation,
He was a young, well dressed, attractive man with charm to spare. A born salesman with a lot of moxy and pizzazz. He realized that none of that would help this situation. The A/C was too old to handle the mass of people that enjoyed the club night after night, Paul disclosed bluntly to Stan.
“I’m afraid it’s going to cost you big money Stan. A unit, no you will need at least two units, will be in the thousands no way around that. Plus, you have to close the PM for a couple of nights while we install the new systems and remove the old.’” Paul Stephan shook his head mournfully while looking around at the crowded club. His eyes stopped when they encountered Crystal serving drinks at the piano bar a big smile on her lovely face.
“Paul are you listening to me,” Stan who was a big man himself, had to look up at him. “I said can you lipstick and rouge the problem for the next couple of months at least so I can add the expense into my budget. Right now would be a stretch.”
“Look Stan I will be glad to work with you, anything you want. I will baby the problem as long as I can, till it literally blows up in our faces. I will have my men stop by tomorrow with coolant and that should help for awhile. Now I was thinking about a drink and a hustle at the piano bar with that vision over there.”
Stan turned to see where Paul was looking and should have known it was at Crystal. “You go for it boy and have a drink on the house, thanks for your input and I will limp as long as possible until we replace the whole setup in a couple of months.” Stan clapped him on the shoulder and then said “hi,” to a couple of people who had been trying to get his attention.
Crystal was busy serving drinks at the piano bar and she turned to smile at the newcomer who had just taken a seat. “Not bad” she thought.” I wonder what he was talking to Stan about for so long? Only one way to find out ask.”
“What can I get you big boy?” she laughed with him at her imitation of May West.
“Only if the next line is; Come up and see me some time” and they laughed harder.
“Hey this guy ain’t bad” Crystal thought to herself. She got him the drink he ordered and he told her it was on Stan and this gave her a lead to ask what was going on between them.
“Nothing much” he countered, “Just business.” He studied her over his glass. She appeared interested, too interested?
“Monkey Business?” She smiled glancing sideways at him.
“Naw, “ He decided to play it straight. “Air conditioning.”
“About time, my lungs can use a break.” She got the waving customer his drink and then turned back to Paul. “By the way what’s your name? Mine is Crystal.” She moved the tray on to her hip and held out her right hand.
Taking her hand in his he said his name was Paul and what time did she get off work?
Crystal looked at him and asked, “What do you have in mind?”
Paul knew exactly what he had in mind but he said, “A night cap at the CR club in center city and maybe a bite to eat.” He said still nursing his drink.
“Sounds good, a rain checks for another time perhaps, I won’t be getting out of here till very late or very early in the morning by the looks of things. Excuse me duty calls.” Crystal turned away and filled a number of drink orders, when she looked in his direction again he had gone but there was a fiver under his empty glass.
Crystal was right, her evening ran into morning and when she got to her apartment she was bone tired. Her newspaper was on the mat by the front door and she debated with herself whether or not to pick it up or wait till tomorrow. She was that tired. She saw how ridiculous she was being but tired enough to justify not picking it up, “Hell” she bent to pick it up. As she stooped down a bullet came out of nowhere and grazed the top of her head and she saw stars, “how pretty” she thought and then darkness, no light, and she plunged into it.
When Crystal tried to open her eyes she panicked, they would not open something was holding her lids closed.
She tried to raise her head off the pillows but blinding, excruciating pain shot through the back of her head and down her neck, she fell back against the pillows trying to catch her breath when a familiar voice whispered in her ear, “It’s all right Crystal, you are going to be alright.”
“Jake?”
“Yeah baby, it’s me. Thank God your neighbor got out of bed to call her cat, and saw you lying by your front door in a pool of blood. She called the ambulance and the police right away and they got in touch with me and here I am, and though you came within an inch of bleeding out, here you are.” She grimaced and whimpered, tears wetting the bandages that were keeping her eyes from opening.
“Jake someone tried to kill me,” she tried to raise herself in agitation but the pain bit into her head and neck so much that she fell back from the agony of the head wound, her face contorted.
“That will be enough of that young lady, lie quietly I have many questions to ask you and I don’t want you passing out. First are you now or ever have been a member of the White Owl Cult?
I already know the answer so don’t you lie to me.”
Blind and helpless, the only clue to Jake’s demeanor was his voice, and he was deadly serious. Still she did not answer him.
“Crystal I am holding the amulet you were wearing when they brought you in to the hospital along with your bloody clothing. It is mother of pearl in the shape of an owl. I am gathering quite a collection of pearl owls. So talk and it will go easier on you. I would speculate that they tried to kill you to shut you up. The organization is falling apart, Crystal save yourself and tell me all about the cult, or at least what you know.” Jake held her hand and spoke to her quietly trying to gain her trust and in all conscious help her if he could.
“Oh Jake I was in over my head. It started out as a camera club where guys took pictures of us girls in our underwear or even without clothes at all then this man from Russia, he was gorgeous, not my type I have to admit, started interacting with certain of the woman, not me. I sat back and watched as they plied these women with cocktails and drugs and I figured it was for money, blackmail. They had no reason to put me in a compromising situation, no one cared and no one would pay. They had other plans for me, but first they inducted me into the White Owl Cult. I thought it was a hoot. But I took their vowels and promised to obey the white owl Minerva, and they paid me well. I did everything for the money. I had to protect my future. There was no one who would. Minerva was supposedly sent down from Olympus by Athena the Goddess to guide us to money and glory.” Crystal stopped talking and Jake brought the water glass over and placed the straw to her lips. She drank gratefully.
“I know this is difficult for you Crystal but I want you to know I have a police officer writing down everything you are telling me so after you sign your testimony you will never have to repeat it. Please continue.’
“I know it sounds nuts but it worked. The owl demanded South Sea Pearls as payment and the bird knew the difference between fake and real. A member has the scars to prove it.’
Jake interrupted, “Why South Sea Pearls?”
“From what The Keeper of the Keys translated from the owl, it was because the pearls are a natural product of the ocean, untouched by human hands, created by the oyster and a grain of sand or such like, to give birth to an object of pure beauty after years of gestation. Also they are worth a fortune. The Keeper of the Keys has them sewn on a white satin blanket and sets the cage upon it. Both the blanket and the cage sits on the altar to be worshipped by the flock. That blanket is worth a king’s ransom in my opinion.”
Although Jake was anxious to get to the million dollar question he did not want to rush Crystal, she was doing a bang up job and he could see she was getting tired. He brought the water to her lips again and she drank all the water in the glass. Jake rang for a nurse and a sprightly brunette bounced in, “How are we doing today my dear,” She asked her patient patting her knee and checking her pulse.
“Fine nurse, I’m sorry I forgot your name?”
“No problem, my name is Sherrill Capi I will be your nurse until you get better. You were unconscious when they brought you in, my husband Andy is a doctor on staff and took the x rays of your head.” Sherrill nodded to Jake who had asked to learn Crystal’s status as soon as it was known.
Crystal was exhausted but excited to be finally telling her story and more than likely face the music. She was getting to the part where she would be culpable. She took a deep breath and plunged on.
Jake felt her pain and knew it would be rough for her from here on, he waited. Crystal looked at the nurse, “Sherrill do you mind excusing us, my conversation with the chief detective is confidential?”
“Not at all I will check on the chief’s other patient. The hospital is full this morning.” Sherrill smiled up at the officer holding the door open for her. ”By the way Dr. Capi, my husband,” she tittered “has given you an all clear on your head injury, a resident eye specialist will be in shortly to check on your eyes and remove the bandages.” Sherrill went out the door with a swish of her starched skirts.
“I was the only woman that was inducted into the White Owl Cult. The Keeper needed me to act as a spy and report on you Jake.” She was glad her eyes were covered so she could not see the fury that inflamed his face at that moment.
“Go on,’ He growled, “Keep talking, let’s finish this. Tell me everything. Then we will see where it leaves you”
“They needed me because I fit the script that the Keeper said Minerva needed. He said a beautiful woman with no scruples and no moral judgment, as I proved to them. I watched or learned what happened to the victims or as the Keeper called them, the examples for those who would not come up with the blackmail money. I never said a word to anyone because along with the money, that was significant, so was the threat of violence and death.”
Her hands were ice cold and Jake rubbed them trying to warn them and stop her teeth from chattering. He knew she was gripped with fear and she had a right to be but like the Keeper Jake did not care who he hurt to get at the truth.
“Who is he Crystal, who is the Keeper of the Keys?”
“You have to believe me Jake he never went unmasked. I do not know his identity. “
‘Think girl, there are things you do know. You may not have seen his face but you can describe to me what you do know; hair color, height, build, muscle mass, his attire. any identifying marks? DID YOU NOT SEE HIM NAKED?? Think.”
“Yes of course, his hair was brown with maybe a bit of sunburned blonde and his eyes were dark behind the mask. He had a good build and average muscle tone, as though he never worked out but maybe walked a lot to keep slim. I would believe his height was between 5’10” tall and maybe pushing 6’. Honestly Jake I did not see any disfiguring marks or tattoos on his body which by the way was white. Creamy. He was not circumcised.”
“Thank you Crystal, you have nothing to worry about a police officer is standing right by your bedside and there is another one in the hallway. No one is getting in to harm you.” Jake stood up to leave and let her get some rest.
“Jake please don’t leave until the doctor comes to take off my eye bandages. I will feel much safer with you here, please I know you owe me nothing but I am so afraid.” Crystal was clutching Jake’s sleeve.
“Really Crystal be a big girl no one can get to you. I trust these men and they will do a bang up job keeping you safe. Now get some rest.” Again he stood up to leave.
“Jake you don’t know everything, there are plants, spies throughout your police force, some in direct contact with you, a trusted member of your team, you don’t know everything. Please wait till the doctor comes at least.”
Jake sat back down emphatically, after that statement from Crystal wild horses would not drag him away. “What are you implying?”
“I am just saying I know things, it isn’t just about the Keeper of the Keys, he has a second in command as well.” She looked away from him and sort of scrunched down under the covers, making herself smaller and more vulnerable.
“Sit up straight. What are you saying, are you saying his second in command is one of my detectives?” Jake was incredulous.
“Think about it Jake. Why have you not heard about the camera club or the murder club before they started getting greedy and more theatrical. Isn’t it possible that any complaints or even arrests were being covered up by someone in your department someone with influence and power. Money makes strange bedfellows.”
CHAPTER 25
“Nurse Sherrill and Doctor Capi, I wonder if you could do me a big favor and have Lankenau Hospital transfer Tony McCane here to Jefferson in your care. It would be a big favor to me to have all my suspected murderers in one facility. Mind you I am not sure if Tony will ever wake up but it is necessary that he be brought here. It cuts down on police personnel and payroll if nothing else.”
“We understand that and even though it is not in my jurisdiction to take on this reques
t I will talk to administration for you as I see you are understaffed and over taxed.”
Jake watched them walk away, happy to help him in any capacity knowing that they had months of dinner conversation.
Crystal was right, and he was so side tracked never to have understood that the White Owl could not have functioned without police protection, especially in Philly with all the blue laws. He knew there were spies but cover up, missed that. Of course Crystal did not know who the second in command was had no idea never having had anything to do with him. Just observing him sitting next to the Keeper of the keys, whispering in his ear. She never heard his voice out loud. Could that be because she knew his voice? She is trying to get a lighter sentence by coming forward with what she knew and she knows plenty. She would not sign the transcript till she made a deal with Babs Babinsky, new acting district attorney.
I could get the new police academy graduates assigned to my precinct to go over the cases from, maybe five years ago to check on arresting officers and reason for case dismissals, being new they may not be corrupted as yet. Worth a try. Jake mused to himself.
Jake was trying so hard to bring his case to a close and jail or fry the criminals that he completely forgot his wife who had been home for hours without a word or a call. Now he tried dialing his home number and got no answer. He checked his watch, midnight. She must be fast asleep, not worried at all. The beauty of marrying someone that could relate.
He stepped out of the hospital into the cool spring air, with just a tiny gust of a warm breeze heralding the arrival of a hot summer and there was Murphy in the car waiting to drive him where ever.
“Hi Murphy. I thought I sent you home, you are a sight for my eyes. How about a drink or two at the CR? I hear Johnny Mathis is singing there tonight.”
“How did you hear that, you have been working all day and night?”
The Cult of the White Owl Page 22