FIRST STEP MURDER

by H. R. Whidden

  “Who, you’ll have to talk louder. I’m in an open Jeep.”

  “Give me that, if you’re going to answer my phone you have to say, Faxon Bennett Investigations.”

  “Ya hold on here he is. It’s Amanda,” she said.

  “Faxon who was that,” she asked?

  “My business partner, her names Harper,” he said it a little loud to be heard over the sound of the Jeep.

  “I didn’t know you had a partner. You haven’t called me in a few days, I don’t normally call guys, but after the third date rule and not hearing from you, well I thought something must have happened. I have to say that if guys usually make it past the third date, well, they generally show up.”

  “It’s a case I’m working on, I can’t elaborate right now, and I’ll call you later.”

  “Well am I going to see you tonight?”

  “I can’t tonight I have a business dinner, maybe tomorrow.”

  “Ok, but after five days the three date rule goes into effect again,” she said then hung up.

  “Girlfriend,” Harper asked?

  “A girl I met, she’s nice, just not very patient. High maintenance you might say. It’s hard to meet a nice girl in this business, and then when you do and your work keeps you away they don’t understand. What’s up with a girl that has a three date rule anyway?”

  Harper laughed. “She’s young, probably too young for you, and she’s dated assholes, to many assholes, which doesn’t speak well of her. She’s looking for a husband, a nice obedient one. If you’re past the third date you’ve probably got a week to sleep with her Faxon, or she’ll make you start all over again.”

  They got to Lew’s house and both of them stood at the front steel door and Faxon rang the buzzer.

  “You have to look up there,” he said, “He won’t answer the door until he sees our face.”

  The door buzzed and Faxon pushed it open and they went in. She followed him through the house, a narrow winding path with electronics that filled the room nearly to the ceiling.

  “Fucking hoarder,” Harper whispered.

  “He uses all this stuff, Lew builds his own computers and equipment, he’s one of the top hackers in the world, so don’t say any of that shit that normally comes out of your mouth, try to be charming.”

  “Hey Lew, this is Harper, a friend of mine, we’ve got a big job for you.”

  They gave him the list of names, and she let Faxon do most of the talking and explaining what they needed.

  “I’m going to need two thousand dollars for this Faxon. I have to do some serious hacking it’s going to take some time.”

  Harper pulled a wad of bills out of her pocket and counted off two thousand dollars and threw it on the table.

  “Money’s not a problem for the information we need.”

  After they left Harper used her latest burner phone to locate a design company, she had brought the blue prints so she could have a model of the Lewis Towers made with a cut away to show the location and design of the condos. Printed pictures and three fold brochures to hand out to prospective buyers, and other material needed for the sales.

  “Here,” she showed him the information on the phone, “I need you to go by this address it’ll only take a few minutes. Do you know anyone that has a well located store front? I need to set up a place for the presales of the Lewis Towers?”

  “I do, but I have to warn you she was a client, and friend of another client. I helped a woman catch her cheating husband, her name was Shira Brennon. She referred me to a woman named Lisa Colman who owns a retail center on 9 Park near Beacon Hill. Last time I saw her she had a vacant store next to hers, it’s a great location it might be just what you’re looking for.

  Harper chose the design company to do the mockup model for the Lewis Towers and all the brochures, drawings, and color pictures for the office. Then they drove to Lisa Colman’s women’s apparel store.

  “Damn, this is a perfect store front,” Harper said.

  They walked inside. “Faxon Bennett, darling it’s so good to see you again.”

  Lisa walked across the room, and had to tiptoe to hug him and kiss his cheek. Lisa Colman was petite, early forties, attractive, and always dressed high fashion. “And who do we have here, dear you’re pretty, but I have to question your choice in fashion.”

  “I’m a business partner,” Harper said before Faxon could reply. She extended her hand out to Lisa. Lisa avoided a full hand shake.

  “Business partner, how intriguing Faxon, do you have the same rules for business partners dear?”

  “We didn’t come by to talk about me Lisa we have a client that’s interested in the storefront next door.”

  “Well better yet, I need a tenant. It’s a little small however I’m not sure it would be adequate, depending on what they want it for, and of course I’d have to approve of its use. I can’t have a sex shop next door, although I don’t necessarily find them unwanted, it’s just not the right neighborhood you know.”

  “I think it would be perfect,” Harper said, “it’ll be used to presell condominiums for a yet to be constructed building downtown.”

  “We’ll I don’t see why that wouldn’t be acceptable. May I ask who the client is,” Lisa asked?

  “The Lewis Construction Company,” she said.

  “Well let me get my keys and we’ll go next door, I presume you can approve the lease for the owner?”

  “Yes I can.”

  They waited outside for Lisa to get the keys from her office. Serena winked at Faxon as they left making sure the tall blonde saw her.

  “I suspect there’s a story here I don’t know. You know that old saying about a woman scorned right?”

  Lisa came out and went to the vacant store next door, “I’ll wait out here,” Faxon said.

  “This will work out just fine, they only need two desks and there’s enough wall space for pictures and diagrams of the building and condo units.” Harper said. “A table over here where they can set the model of the building, and it’s the perfect neighborhood.”

  “You sound like you have experienced knowledge of how these things work,” Lisa said “I guess Lewis Construction has full confidence you’ll choose the right store front for the preselling of the units.”

  “I was thinking about a six month lease, and if all the units aren’t sold an option on six more months.”

  “Well, I don’t normally lease for less than a year at a time.”

  “How about if they pay you the six month lease up front,” Harper said.

  “Well I think that’ll be fine, if I could just get a signature on an agreement then I won’t commit the storefront to anyone else.”

  They walked back into the women’s appeal store, Harper picked out a pair of expensive high heels while Lisa prepared the document in her office. She pulled out a roll of bills and paid cash for the shoes, Then Lisa called her in to sign.

  “I’ll have the money transferred into your account today,” Harper said. “I want to have some things moved in as soon as possible, there’ll be a half page announcement in both papers in the next day or so.”

  Harper signed the lease agreement, thanked Lisa then showed her the shoes she’d picked out for her dinner that night. Lisa recommended a dress shop down the block, and it happened to be one that Harper frequented. Lisa went back into her office after saying goodbye.

  Serena came into the office. “Who was she? She paid cash for the shoes Lisa.”

  She looked down at the signature on the lease agreement.

  “That my dear Serena was the Harper Lewis.”

  Faxon and Harper drove the Jeep down the block to the exclusive woman’s wear store. Faxon dropped her off at the curve. She swore it would only take a moment that she was just going to pick something off the rack. Faxon drove around the block twice and the second time Harper was waiting at the curb with a long bag. He stopped at the cleaners and picked up his laundry before parking the jeep back in the garage and then they walked
back to Ned Devin’s. They went up the back stairs from the ally then up to his room without anyone seeing.

  “Well we have a couple of hours before our dinner engagement downstairs,” Faxon said.

  Harper had gone straight to the bedroom and hung up her dress on the cord. Faxon got a beer from the fridge.

  “You want a beer,” he yelled.

  “Yes, please,” she said from the bedroom.

  When he walked in to hand her the beer she was looking through his small closet.

  “Here, anything specific you’re looking for? It’s not often I have someone rummaging through my clothes.”

  “Is this the best jacket you have?” Harper held it up for him to look at, and then threw it on the bed. “I’m looking for a light blue dress shirt, ah here’s the slacks I take it you have a belt?”

  “I’m wearing it, it’s the only one I have, and I do have a blue long sleeved dress shirt it’s with the stuff I just picked up from the laundry.”

  “Don’t tell me you just threw it down on the couch with everything else.”

  She went into the front room and got his stuff and came back into the bedroom. Then hung the clean shirt up alongside the slacks and jacket then stepped back and looked at them.

  “The trousers are clean, I just had them laundered a couple months ago,” Faxon said as he sat on the bed. “Why so particular? I haven’t seen you in anything but jeans and a t-shirt since we met.”

  “Hold up your shirt, I want to see the belt. Well that looks like crap, but if it’s the only one you have it’ll have to do.”

  Harper began digging in the bottom of the closet and finally found his dress shoes under flip flops, hiking boots, and tennis shoes.

  “I don’t suppose you have any shoe polish do you?”

  “No, sorry,” Faxon said. “We really don’t have to go to this much trouble you know.”

  “Despite the way I prefer to dress I do occasionally dress up, to meet with prospective clients and insult them if need be. You might consider dressing a little nicer sometimes. It may improve the class of people you do business with.”

  “Insult prospective clients, how can insulting someone help your business,” he asked?

  “Sometimes they bait me. My father had this reputation of being a no nonsense hard ass, he once punched a member of the city council in chambers because he insulted his integrity. But people that did business with him trusted and respected him. I think they want to see if I’m the same.”

  “Well are you, the same?”

  “You didn’t see the way I handled that fat bastard in the bar last night. Let’s just say that when they bait me they’re rarely disappointed. Ok this will have to do, I guess you’ll look good enough to be with me tonight, but if we’re going to be going out I’m going to have to insist that you buy some nicer clothes. I guess I’ll have to pick those out for you too. You have terrible taste in evening wear. Now, I’m going to take a shower, and do my hair, so if you need to go, go now.”

  Harper drank the beer holding the bottle up till it was drained, then burped and walked out of the room, Faxon laughed.

  “Hey could you get me another beer,” she said as she shut the bathroom door.

  Faxon watched the news he could hear the blow drier in the bathroom. When she came out Harper had a towel wrapped around her, she walked to the bedroom gathered all his things and brought them back out to him.

  “You don’t mind dressing out here do you? Hurry up now, we don’t wanta be late.”

  Faxon dressed, dark blue slacks, light blue long sleeved shirt, blue stripped tie, and his dark blue blazer. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror and brushed his hair. Harper came out of the bedroom pulling on a shoe and balancing on one foot.

  “You look nice. An Italian suit and a better haircut and you’d almost be handsome.”

  Her long blonde hair was brushed out around her shoulders and down her back. Her dress was dark blue matching his suit. It was conservative with short sleeves and a square neckline that barely showed any cleavage, and it came down to mid-thigh.

  “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that look men get on their faces. Come on we don’t want to be late.”

  They walked out into the bar and then down the stairs to the large dining room.

  “Harper Lewis this is Ronald McFarland and his wife Sophie,” Faxon said.

  They had been waiting near the stairs after just arriving. The owner of the restaurant was treated special by everyone, and the waitresses escorted them to a table in the back. They sat down and the girls took their drink order.

  I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dressed up before Faxon.” Ron said.

  “Harper, it is such an honor to meet you,” Sophie began, “I think we’ve seen every event you’ve ridden in over the last two years. We were at the Hampton Horse Show when your horse died, God I thought it was you on the horse at first. I mean the announcer said it was you, but of course you’re much taller. That pour girl broke her arm, and my God Harper your beautiful horse.”

  “Ok Sophie, calm down. She’s so excited about meeting you Harper,” Ron commented. “We’re big fans. Faxon explained everything, and we want to help. If you’re going to stay in the city we have a top floor condo you could stay in. It’s much more to your standard of living. I mean that place of Faxon’s above the bar is no more than a large closet. Now it’s ok for a tough guy like him, but you’re use to a little more luxury.”

  “Well part of the reason I’m here is because Faxon’s going to investigate my parent’s murder. It’s very important to me.”

  “Well the condo is big enough for Faxon too,” Sophie quickly interjected.

  “Really I appreciate the offer, my father and mother gave me anything I wanted, that’s true, but I was also taught that having everything is not all there is to life. I’ve slept on the ground camping for days on end with my father. We lived in a small cabin at hunt camp with five other men. I’ve shot, killed, and gutted deer and hogs. And I killed my husband that had planned on strangling me. So really I appreciate the offer but I’m fine where I am.”

  It was quiet, well she had warned him that at times she had to set people right, and she wasn’t one to be pushed. Behind that beautiful woman was something special, and so far Faxon felt like he was on a wild roller coaster ride hanging on for dear life.

  Faxon laughed. “Well my place looks a lot better than it did. Hell she’s had me cleaning the place up.”

  Ron and Sophie nervously laughed with him. And drinks and dinner was served. Faxon emphasized how important it was that Harpers being here remain confidential. They all laughed when one of the waitresses recounted the story of Harper bouncing the large drunk from the bar. Faxon spoke up about Harpers other interest such as the defensive arts. At the end of the evening Ron proposed one more thing.

  “Listen Faxon that room upstairs, there’s a large storage room right next door let me have everything moved out of there, I can store that stuff at the garage. And then I’ll get one of my guys to knock the wall down and it’ll give you twice as much room. Hell I’ll remodel the place it’ll be more comfortable for you, ok?”

  “Ya, that’d be real nice Ron, thank you.”

  “And drive whatever you want of the cars in the garage, there’s some more comfortable cars than the Jeep.”

  “That’s really nice of you Ron. I like the jeep.”

  They went upstairs only this time everyone knew they were having dinner with the owners and from what the waitresses had overheard they believed Harper was more than just Faxon’s business partner. The word spread fast that she was someone special, someone the owners respected. Someone with a lot of money, neither Harper nor Faxon liked the attention. She went on up to the small apartment while Faxon explained to William and the waitresses to keep it quiet about her being anyone special.

  When he came in to the apartment she stood in the kitchen holding a beer bottle looking out the window, she was barefoot he noticed her shoes
just inside the door.

  “Well that was a nice evening. I think I got the waitresses to keep their mouths shut about you being anyone special.” Faxon took off his jacket and tie. “Did you see Sophie’s face when you mentioned gutting deer? I thought she was going to puke right on the table. You know they just wanted to help you. You didn’t have to go off like that. I don’t think they were pushing you.”

  Harper turned around. “I don’t give a shit about living in a top floor condo, or here in a small apartment, or a fucking cardboard box in a fucking alley,” she yelled. “If I want a condo I can go buy a fucking condo. What I want is to find out who the son of a bitch is that was behind my parents death, and I want to kill that mother fucker.” She threw the bottle down smashing it on the floor. “So I don’t give a shit if I hurt theirs or your fragile feelings. I’m here for one reason. To find him and kill him.”

  Faxon got up and went to the door and stopped. “You don’t have to show me how tough you are. I know you’re hurting, you loved your parents and you miss them. I don’t think you’ve truly mourned their loss completely. The man you loved tried to kill you, I get all that, but one day weather we find the people responsible or not, you’re gonna have to let that go of all that hate, or you’ll never have a life of your own.”

  He walked out and shut the door behind him. Faxon went to the bar and sat on his stool, William set a beer in front of him.

  “Tough night huh,” William asked? “I heard something break upstairs.”

  “Yea, I dropped a beer, really hard.”

  Faxon was thinking about what had just happened when someone sat down beside him, and he heard a girl’s voice ask for a martini. William asked to see an ID. Faxon looked over, it was Amanda.

  “Well I decided to come see what was so important that you wouldn’t call me anymore. I thought we could’ve had something special.”

  “Yea, well I seem to have a problem with relationships Amanda, I’m probably not the right guy for you.”

  “Do you think I’m too young, or too immature?”

  “No,” Faxon said.

  Just then Harper walked up from the back. She had changed into jeans and tennis shoes and she wore a black t-shirt. Her hair was still loose around her shoulders. She stood next to him at the end of the bar. Amanda looked at Harper starring at Faxon without saying anything as if no one else existed.