FIRST STEP MURDER

by H. R. Whidden

  “Ok, I get it,” Amanda looked at Harper. “Congratulations you got the last great guy in the city.”

  Harper never looked at her. “I’m sorry, you were right, come back upstairs. Please.”

  She turned around and went back up to the small apartment. He followed after a few minutes. When he got upstairs she had already gone to bed, the light in the kitchen was still on and Faxon got a small bowl and a spoon, then the ice cream from the freezer. He spooned out some in the bowl, and after he was done he washed out the bowl then left it in the sink. In the bedroom he slipped his clothes off, and got in bed. Harper was turned away from him as usual but he didn’t think she was asleep.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The next morning Faxon woke but didn’t smell bacon, only the aroma of coffee, and he didn’t hear anything either. Harper wasn’t in bed and obviously not in the apartment. He sat on the edge of the bed and picked up his clothes from the night before and put them on a hanger. Mentally making a note to drop them off at the cleaners, there was no telling when he’d need them again and since that was the only nice clothes he had he’d need them clean and ready.

  He walked into the kitchen and there was a new drip coffee maker on the counter, an empty cup, and a note.

  “Faxon, I went to the store down the block to pick up some things, be right back, there’s some donuts on the table unless you feel like cooking! There’s bacon and eggs in the fridge. I felt like something sweet this morning.”

  He sat at the small table after opening the window for some fresh air, there was a copy of the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe on the table. Phone numbers were written on the front of each. Harper had probably called about the half page ads for the preselling of the condos he thought. There were relators ads circled and an employment agency phone number. There was the card from the design company that Harper had called on the table too. It was obvious she was following up on the things she had set in motion yesterday.

  The note of things to do, first on the list, call Sam, Faxon knew it meant Sam Shepard her general manager they needed to hire someone to replace her husband in the Company. Next on the list was just the name, Lew. Faxon would need to explain to her that they had to wait for him to call, pushing Lew wouldn’t help. The next thing on the list was, food shopping. That was crossed off. The next thing was, buy clothes for Faxon, well that was something she was going to have to forget. Her taste in clothes were way to expensive, an Armani suit, shit if he didn’t get another job soon he’d be out of money.

  He’d had just poured his second cup of coffee when Harper came in. She had the straps of a cloth grocery bag in each hand and one over each shoulder. They were the kind of reusable eco-friendly bags people used with the store logo on the sides. A tall teenage young man came in behind her carrying four more bags.

  “You’re up. This is John he volunteered to help me carry some groceries home.”

  “It was only a couple of blocks,” he said.

  “Well that was very nice of you,” Harper pulled out some cash and handed it to the young man.

  “Ma’am, this is too much really.”

  She insisted and hurried him on his way.

  “Damn, he called me ma’am.”

  She started putting things away, starting with the cold items, twelve pack of beer first, milk, more eggs, bacon, and several other items.

  “Are we ok,” she asked looking at Faxon.

  “Yea, sure, how much did you give the kid?”

  “Fifty, is that too much? He probably only makes minimum wage.”

  “Hell I’ll carry ’em for that much next time. Speaking of money, I saw your, to do list on the table. I’ll drop off my stuff at the cleaners today I can’t afford to buy clothes right now. If I don’t get some paying work soon I’ll be eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

  “I’ve got a walk in closet full of really nice clothes and expensive suits that were Richards but they couldn’t be altered to fit, you’re too wide in the shoulders and narrow in the waist, your arms are a lot larger and you’ve got that bull neck of yours.”

  “What did you see in the guy anyway? I saw pictures, and he just didn’t look your type, not very physical, and hell he must have been ten years older than you.”

  “Eight years older, it was after mom and dad died. He was there for me. I know now he was there for the money, it’s hard to meet someone when your father has the reputation mine had. I really can’t blame that on him though, I had my own reputation. I just couldn’t find a guy that could keep up with me, but I loved Richard, we had the business in common. I thought a lot about what you said last night, and I don’t think I’ve gotten over that son of a bitch trying to kill me. How come you haven’t asked me for any money, you know, for helping me out?”

  “I haven’t done anything.”

  “We’ll I don’t like to eat out all the time so I bought a couple steaks, some bake potatoes, pork chops, rice, and some canned goods, soup, lots of stuff.”

  Faxon’s cell phone rang. “Faxon Bennett Investigations,” he said. (Long pause) “I think I can help you, I can meet you this morning just give me the address.” He put the cell phone down.

  “Who was that,” Harper asked?

  “A man named Pierce Clark, it’s a potential divorce case, depending on what the settlements worth to him it could be five grand. Most of my cases are women, with cheating husbands, this should be interesting.”

  Later they drove the Jeep to the Singleton building, Pierce Clark was owner of a brokerage firm with an office on the sixth floor, suite six twelve.

  “What’s the guy do for a living anyway,” Harper asked?

  “He’s a broker, real estate, and office buildings, commercial. I’m not that knowledgeable about these things.”

  “Well this might save me a stop if he can help me with the pre-selling of the condo units. The thing is I’m not interested in the type of commissions a broker wants. An owner developer doesn’t need licensing so what I need is a sales person that knows real estate, someone I can pay a little less than standard commissions.”

  They rode the elevator up to the sixth floor. When the door opened Faxon checked the listing of businesses and corresponding office numbers on the directory.

  “Let me get his story and at least half the fee before you go strong arming the guy to help you.”

  “Strong arm the guy, damn Faxon is that what you think of me? In business we call it finesse, not strong arm tactics. I’m definitely going to have to teach you the difference.”

  They walked through the door and to the desk where a young pretty short haired girl sat. She smiled and stood looking at Harper. She starred, but eventually held out her hand toward her.

  “Hi, I’m Jack, it’s short for Jacklyn, what can I do for you?”

  She ignored Faxon completely, and he thought she hung on to Harper’s hand a little too long.

  “We’re here to see Mr. Clark,” Faxon said. The short haired girl finally looked at him.

  “You must be the PI. Sure follow me.”

  Jack walked down a narrow hall, Harper was in front of Faxon, and they passed two offices, both empty. Jacklyn turned as she walked.

  “I didn’t get your name?”

  “Harper, my names Harper Lewis,” she said.

  When they got to the next office the girl knocked on the open door, “Mr. Clark a Harper Lewis is here to see you.”

  “Harper Lewis, damn-it Jack don’t keep her waiting.”

  Mr. Clark said it like he was expecting her. The girl looked at Harper again and stepped out of the way. Harper walked into the small office and Pierce Clark stood smiling. He held out his hand to her and they shook, he all but ignored Faxon as he came in behind her.

  “Mrs. Lewis, it’s an honor to meet you, please sit down.”

  Faxon and Harper sat in the two chairs opposite Mr. Clark.

  “Mrs. Lewis I heard about your approval and permitting of a project on the property at Mass. Ave. and Dalton S
treet. I really hope you’ve come to me about the pre-selling of the condos?”

  “I’m a little surprised you know about that Mr. Clark?”

  “I’m in the real estate business Mrs. Lewis a project that big is hard to keep quiet. That and the permitting is public knowledge. I understand that the city council has approved the pre-selling of condo units to finance the construction, and that your company is going to build the project?”

  “Yes Mr. Clark, you’re correct.”

  “Well I hope you’ll let me help.”

  “Mr. Bennett here, is my business partner, when he said he was coming to see you about a problem you’re having I wanted to meet you. Any conversation or agreement we may or may not have concerning the Lewis project is also under Mr. Bennett’s consideration, since we’re partners.”

  “Of course, yes of course.” Mr. Clark stood and shook Faxon’s hand, and he had a completely different perspective about his importance in any agreement.

  “Mr. Bennett I’m so sorry to ignore you, I apologize, and that was unprofessional of me. You were referred to me by Lisa Colman, and she couldn’t say enough good things about you. We met when I was questioning her about my wife’s purchases, and any knowledge of anyone that might have been with her.”

  Harper and Faxon exchanged a look about Lisa Colman. She had obviously said something about the Lewis project and the pre-selling of the condos to Mr. Clark.

  “I married a much younger woman, but was smart enough to get her to sign a marriage contract. She agreed because she’s my third wife and believed I would stray again. I’m afraid her motive was money, and of course I had my own motives. We’ve been married for three years, for the last year I’ve restricted how much money she can spend and as a result her interest in sex has all but vanished. A woman her age, well I suspect she’s having an affair, I’ve hired two private detectives and both of them have found no evidence of another man. I’m sure she’s having an affair and she’s waiting to catch me with another woman or wait until I ask for a divorce and enact the marriage agreement, get a divorce with a large payout and be done with me. I need you to bring me the proof I need.”

  “I know what you need for legal proof Mr. Clark, and because you’ve tried twice it’s going to be harder to catch her in the act. The reason people refer me is because I get the job done but it’s certainly not easy. In Lisa Colman’s retrieval of her inventory three men were killed. Now I don’t expect anyone to die in obtaining the evidence you need, but it’s going to cost you. Ten thousand dollars, that’s my fee for what you want, five thousand now and the balance when I bring you the evidence.”

  It was quiet for a moment and then Pierce Clark took out his check book. After writing it out for five thousand dollars and handing the check to Faxon, he looked at Harper as she stood.

  “Mr. Clark you’re aware that I’ve leased the storefront from Lisa Colman for the pre-selling of the Lewis Towers condos. I’ve contracted a design company for the mock-up of the buildings from the blueprints and large pictures of the buildings and condo units. As soon as they’re done I’ll need someone to set up the office with the contracts and begin the pre-selling. I’m sure we’ll talk again soon.”

  Mr. Clark stood and shook her hand. “Thank you Mrs. Lewis, thank you very much.” Then he turned to Faxon and shook his hand less vigorously. “And I’m sure you’ll succeed where the others have failed Mr. Bennett, the fee is well worth it, that little bitch spends that much in a week.”

  They walked out but not before Jacklyn stood and extended her hand again toward Harper. Faxon reached over and held her hand, their fingers immediately laced together and she squeezed his hand and stood close. Their shoulders touching it felt very natural to her, she could feel his warmth. She shook hands with Jacklyn, her smile was gone. They walked out of the office and he didn’t let go of her hand until they got to the elevator neither of them said anything about the simultaneous hand holding.

  “What the hell was that about in the office with Pierce Clark,” Faxon asked? “I thought we made an agreement about my job first.”

  “Obviously Lisa Colman told him I would need a broker, that’s why he called you in the first place. His wife’s probably not even having an affair, so you charged him five thousand dollars for a meeting and getting me into the office.”

  “Shit Harper he probably thought that was a deal if he gets the job with you, I should have asked for twenty, I don’t like being used.”

  “We’re not going to argue again are we?”

  Harper turned to Faxon and stood uncomfortably close. She kissed his cheek just as the doors opened. Two women standing waiting to get into the elevator smiled at them as they left.

  “Can we go see Lew? Don’t you think he’ll have something for us?”

  “He said he’d call, we can’t hurry him, Lew’s just this side of crazy, and he does things in his own time. What about your newspaper ads?”

  “We’ll if I make a deal with Pierce Clark I won’t need to interview anyone for that position. I still need an engineer, slash salesman for Lewis Construction. I really don’t know how to explain the position any better than that. It has to be someone that has an engineering degree and someone that can convince a prospective client to sign a contract to have Lewis Construction do their project, from sight development to building completion. Let me call Sam,” Harper said.

  “Hi Sam, (pause) yea I’m fine. I found a great storefront, it’s on 9 Park Street, I have a production company making the building mock-up and all the literature, and our lawyer is making the contracts, and I think I’ve found a broker to work with. I haven’t interviewed anyone for the position. (Pause) I really don’t want the job Sam. I think I’ve found something else I like, other than riding horses. (Pause) Tonight, you have to be kidding me? What’s his name? Yea I got it, 9:00pm at the Ritz Carlton, Boston Common. You could give me a little more notice than this old man. (Pause) I love you too, bye.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that,” Faxon said.

  “I have to go to a business meeting tonight, it’s a potential contract to build a production plant just outside the city for a company called Tempest Manufacturing, he’s personally asked for me. A man named Turin Holmes, I need an escort.”

  “You have got to be kidding?”

  “Oh that’s very funny, you heard me tell Sam that. What do you want me to do show up by myself? I know I could hire a male escort for the night. I’ll need a new dress. The shoes I wore last night will suffice. You’re going to need a nice suit.”

  “I don’t have the money for that.”

  “I’ll mark it off as a business expense, take me to that same dress shop they had a black Versace that looked nice, a little risqué, and there was a men’s suit tailor right next door, they had Armani.”

  Faxon got fitted for a black suit. Harper made them bring in two tailors from the back to make adjustments to suit her taste and in an hour they had made the alterations. A pair of expensive black Italian shoes and belt, with a new shirt and tie and Faxon’s was done to Harper’s satisfaction.

  He carried the new suit and extras to the dress shop and sat in the waiting room, Harper tried on a short black dress. One of the sales girls got him a cup of coffee and soon she walked out barefoot wearing the Versace design.

  Faxon stood, “you cannot be seriously thinking about wearing that?”

  “You don’t like it? It’s a Versace Faxon. It’s top of the fashion world.”

  “If you bend over in that dress your ass will show, and if you move the wrong way you’ll pop out of that top for Christ sakes.”

  “Well I won’t bend over and no jumping around either then.”

  They went back to Ned Devine’s and Harper showered first while Faxon went down to the bar to have an early beer. William was preparing for the evening, and he filled Faxon in on the workmen that had been there most of the day working in the storeroom next to his small apartment. They’d be ready to open up the adjoining wall by tom
orrow. He waited long enough for Harper to be through with her shower and dry her hair then he went back to the room.

  Harper was in the bedroom still, she heard the door open and close. “Faxon, I called and rented a limousine for tonight, we can’t go to the Ritz in the Jeep.”

  “Great, what the hell are people around here going to say about a limo pulling up out front and us coming down the stairs and getting in?”

  “We can tell them it was a client. Are you worried about that? Or are you pissed about having to dress up tonight? You know this isn’t what I wanted to do, don’t you?” She still talked to Faxon through the bedroom door. “I do have some obligations to the Company. I owe them that.”

  “Yea, I understand, I guess I didn’t know what I’d be in for when I made the decision to help you is all.”

  “Do you regret it?”

  “No, I don’t regret it. My life seems a little more complicated, but no regrets.”

  “My Aunt Rachel fly’s in tomorrow, her plane lands at 11:00 am. She stayed in Miami for a week after her cruse came in, she met some friends. I’ll need to pick her up and take her back home. I thought I’d rent a car. She doesn’t know about Richard, or anything else, I guess I have a lot to explain.”

  Harper came out of the bedroom ready to go. “You need to get ready. The car will be here soon.”

  Faxon walked by her to go put on his new Armani suit.

  “You really look beautiful you know. Like a lot of things now it’s not so bad, having to go to the Ritz I guess, as long as I get to go with you.”

  They went out the front, the car was waiting by the curb and the driver opened the back door for them to get in. A couple of the waitresses whistled at them as they went through the dining room. Harper didn’t sit right next to Faxon but she did sit about halfway across the wide back seat with Faxon by the door.