FIRST STEP MURDER

by H. R. Whidden

  “You know I think John thought we killed both those guys on purpose,” Faxon said. “I didn’t tell him why we went looking for them. Maybe we should go by his office and explain. Maybe we’ll wait for the ballistics report. Still we have to be making someone nervous, they’re losing men, that can’t make their guys happy.”

  “Did you hear what Detective Walker said to that biker? It’s not the first man I’ve killed. I know what I’ve said about avenging my parents death, but it’s not like I’m going out of my way to kill these guys. I mean it’s not like I enjoyed seeing that guy like that tonight, he struggled around before he died. You know my dad told me about killing men because he had too when he was in the service. If I have to, then I have to, but it’s not because I like it. By the way in the bar who was that girl that walked over to you, she seemed friendly?”

  “She was a hooker, and she wanted to take me outside and do things to me, for a hundred dollars.”

  “Did she touch you?”

  “She kinda rubbed up against me.”

  By the time they got to the apartment it was already late and Harper went to bed without saying anything to Faxon, he stayed up and watched the news. The next morning she was back to her usual schedule, up early and breakfast ready by the time Faxon got up. They gathered their usual stuff and went by the storefront first. Pierce Clark and Jacklyn were putting up the new pictures and posters of the Lewis towers, along with putting away the new contracts. They had gotten an early morning delivery from the production company. Their next stop was the lab.

  Faxon pulled into the parking lot, they went in and met Sam the technician, he handed them a folder and the two samples back. Faxon looked at the paperwork, the first page compared the two bullets side by side, and Sam pointed to the lands and groves that were on each sample. Then the microscope analysis, then the report of the computer analysis, and the official conclusion, it was 99% evident that both bullets were fired from the same gun.

  “Well, we have conclusive proof, Race Thorpe was the shooter,” Faxon said. “But we already knew that, and even though we have proof it’s not permissible by law.”

  “So we need to talk to Detective Walker,” Harper said.

  Faxon parked and they walked into the police station, the desk Sargent looked up and shook his head, but didn’t say anything. They assumed that meant Detective Walker was in his office.

  “Oh crap I just have a feeling you two are going to ruin my day, come on in and sit down. Miss. Lewis you should feel fortunate that there was a witness that corroborated your story last night.”

  “I don’t appreciate what you said last night Detective. I’m no murderer maybe you should have more interest in finding out who’s responsible for killing some of the cities more prominent citizens.”

  “I don’t need a vigilante avenging the death of her parents. You have a reputation and believe it or not I’m trying to help and keep you out of trouble. Anyone else and I would’ve made them come into the office last night until a complete investigation could be done,” John said.

  “Ok, let’s just calm down, we came in because we thought we owed you an explanation John,” Faxon said. “Harper leased a store front for the pre-sales of the condos for the Lewis Towers. Those two men were hired to break in and destroy the model and steal the plans and contracts, all to stop the towers construction. There was a police response to the alarm and an investigation that produced no evidence. However the owner did have a hidden camera system and we got some good images of the two men.”

  Faxon handed John a folder with different photos enlarged of the two men after breaking into the office.

  “So what made you think that you could find those guys there at that bar,” John asked, “and what the hell did you think you were going to do if you found them? Now you see why I think you’re a couple of vigilantes?”

  “We were just going to follow them to see where they were going and who they met with, Harper said. “Then we would have brought the video to you, with the information we found out.”

  “We also didn’t know that they’d recognize Harper, but as soon as they saw her they ran,” Faxon spoke up. “We went there simply because I assumed these guys were ex-military and that inner harbor area was where those other three guys were. I knew that bar was where a lot of ex-military guys hung out. The Marine Group is behind these murders and the purchasing of the properties, probably laundering terrorist funds, purchasing arms and having them shipped to the Middle East. Hiring ex-Marines to work overseas as body guards and probably training radical Islamic solders, and whoever is in charge has some way to control them. To get them to do what he wants, including killing themselves if that’s what he wants.”

  “If what you say is true then don’t you think we should take this hypothesis to the FBI, have a check done into the permits to buy firearms and ship them overseas? The ex-military training of Islamic solders and where those solders and arms are going, and what they’re doing,” John asked?

  “I do, but the murders and the person responsible are here, they’ll concentrate on the threat of terrorism.”

  “Ok I keep waiting for the next shoe to drop, you have something else. After last night you decided to bring it to me first, am I right?”

  “We didn’t just decide to bring it to you,” Harper said. “We were waiting on our own ballistic report.”

  Harper set the bullet that came from her horse on his desk, and then she set another beside it. She laid the report on his desk beside the bullets.

  “You have a bullet just like these two, the one that came from Mr. Doss.”

  John picked up the report and read it and its analyses.

  “Listen I think I know how this works,” Faxon said. “We call in an anonymous lead that we know who killed Parker Doss. You build enough suspicion that you can get a search warrant.”

  “I have to have enough to take to the State Attorney’s office, he has to take it to a judge and he has to give me a search warrant for the rifle that I assume you know the guy has that killed Parker Doss.”

  “You can prove that all these guys were in the same Marine Company, and that they all have the same tattoos. The three men involved in the theft of the semi-trucks and trailers, the two men last night. We can prove that those two men broke into that office, and the man that has the rifle that killed Parker Doss has that tattoo and was in the same Marine Company.”

  “Ok, I’ll try to put together a case to take to the Attorney General’s office. But it takes time, I’ll need everything you have, the video of the office break in too. What’s the shooters name?”

  “Race Thorpe, he lives and works at a machine shop out in Brookline, it’s called Smith’s Machine Shop, it’s a real dump,” Faxon said.

  “So you broke in, found the rifle, and fired a round off and took the bullet?”

  “Yea, he sleeps in a small room in the back, he keeps the rifle in a case under his bed, and it’s a military Remington.”

  “You are one crazy son of a bitch, how the hell did you get him out of there and be sure he wouldn’t come in on you?”

  “I had help,” Faxon said. Harper smiled at the Detective. “There’s one more thing John, I need the images of the boots the guy wore that broke into the condo building where Martin Samuels lived. That and the prints you got off the bottom of the elevator door.”

  “So you have a lead on that guy too? Another member of the same Marine Company,” Detective Walker asked? “I’ll give it to you if you promise not to kill him,” he looked at Harper, “and come to me with what you get on the guy.”

  They agreed and left the police station after Detective Walker had made sure they were both reprimanded for their independent investigation of the deaths that were connected to the Marine Group. Faxon drove the SUV becoming comfortable with his role as driver for Harper.

  “You know I got the feeling John was getting pressure to investigate the recent deaths of Mr. Samuels, and Mr. Doss,” Harper said.

  “
Those guys had influence in Boston the families are probably pressuring local politicians for an arrest. And contractors contribute a lot of money to these guys. It may mean whoever is behind the deaths doesn’t have local influence. They may get consideration and favors from upper level military leaders but not local politicians or law enforcement. I’ll be interested in seeing how the FBI handles their investigation into ex-military training Islamic solders overseas, and if they investigate where the arms are going.”

  “Crap this shit wears me out,” Harper said. “Let’s go have lunch, somewhere near the water, nothing fancy.”

  “I know a place, over on Commercial Street, if I don’t get another paying job soon it’ll be back to eating at the apartment.”

  “You’re the most stubborn man I’ve ever known, I thought I was making some headway getting you to stop worrying about money.”

  “You have your money and I have, well nothing, but what I have is mine and I earn it, no one gave it to me.”

  Faxon pulled into the parking lot of The Waterfront Café Sports Bar and Grill. Harper had been looking at the files of information they had gotten from Lew. They went in and got a table out on the patio.

  “You don’t have anything to do right now let’s go to Tennessee,” Harper said. “We can have a little vacation. Detective Walker said he’d call before they served the warrant, if he gets one, and that’s going to take a while. Cartwright Arms is in Nashville we can go to some blues clubs, see the sights, and check out Cartwright Arms while were there.”

  “Have you forgotten I really don’t have the money for that right now?”

  “I have an idea, we’ve been telling everyone I’m your partner, let’s make it legal. I’ll get my investigators license, and buy into the business. I’ll buy 49% of Faxon Bennett Investigations. You keep total control, what’s the worst that could happen? We keep working together, or when this is done I go home and show my horses again, maybe get bored and move on to something else? I don’t see a down side for you?”

  “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

  A waitress came over and took their drink order, they both got a menu and the young girl went to get their beer.

  “Why isn’t it a good idea?”

  “You’re a control freak. You like having you own way.”

  “Shit Faxon, we’ve been living together for weeks, so nothing will change. How about five hundred thousand dollars,” Harper said.

  “I don’t know, it’s not the money, I’d be selling my freedom.”

  “Damn, are you that afraid of commitment, no wonder you’ve never been married, don’t call me a control freak. It’s 49% you keep all the control.”

  “I know you well enough to know that doesn’t mean anything to you.”

  The waitress came back over to their table.

  “I’ll have the black and blue burger, and another beer,” Faxon said.

  “I’ll have the BBQ chicken sandwich, and you can bring me another too please.”

  “Five hundred and fifty thousand,” Harper said.

  She noticed a woman come into the restaurant with another younger woman. Even though the taller older woman had on a hat and sunglasses she looked rich. Expensive clothes, she was tall, and slender, she looked foreign. The younger woman she eventually recognized, she was the one that gave them a ride home the night they had met Turin Holmes.

  “Shit, we’re about to have company.”

  Faxon and Harper both stood when Barbie and Shira Brennon walked up to the table.

  “Shira, it’s good to see you again,” Faxon said. “Barbie, I appreciated that ride you gave us, it was important that the people we were with didn’t know where we were going. Shira Brennon, you haven’t met.” That was all he got out of his mouth.

  “Harper Lewis, it’s nice to make your acquaintance dear.” Shira spoke with her thick Ukraine accent. “And you’ve met my good friend Barbie.”

  “Please sit down,” Faxon said.

  Harper gave him a disapproving look.

  “My friend Lisa Colman told me all about you,” Shira said. “Of course I had to find out more about who was spending so much time with our attractive friend Faxon here. You have quite a reputation my dear. It’s interesting who Faxon associates with since he’s turned down so many of us.”

  “I haven’t given up on Faxon yet Shira.” Barbie reached over and put her hand on top of Faxon’s.

  “We’re business partners,” Harper said.

  “Yes of course, Lisa can’t stop talking about your associate Pierce Clark. I understand he’s soon to be divorced. I’m so glad to run into you I was thinking of purchasing one of the Lewis Towers units, do you think it would be a good investment? They seem a little pricey.”

  “Look where they are,” Faxon said. “In the downtown area, near the Boston Common, along with all the retail shops, in a year you’ll double your money.”

  “Faxon sounds like a salesman,” Harper commented. “I don’t think we’ll have to push people to purchase the condos.”

  Barbie walked away after kissing Faxon on the cheek. Shira did the same and they went to a table of their own. Harper watched the sway of her hips as she walked behind Barbie.

  “I don’t like them,” Harper said.

  “Frankly I would have been surprised if you did.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I haven’t heard you talk about one friend that was a girl.”

  “I have friends that are girls you just haven’t met them, yet. My friend Kate, which reminds me I need to call Sam and find out how Jason Walter’s doing.”

  What would make you think of Sam when you mentioned your friend Kate? I don’t see the connection.”

  “Sam told me our young Jason Walter was dating Kate. She’s a really good girl, I don’t want to see her hurt, but it would be nice if the two of them got married, its romantic is all.”

  * * *

  Barbie continued to watch Faxon and Harper. “I’m as pretty as she is, so you said you checked her out Shira, what’s her story?”

  “She’s from an old Boston family on her Mother’s side, that downtown piece of property has been in the family for generations. Her mother and father were killed in a car accident a couple years ago, now she’s the sole owner of Lewis Construction. I found out she’s also the most popular owner, and rider in the horse jumping circuit. Now here’s the real shit as you would say. She killed her husband, stabbed him to death, he intended to strangle her however. She’s also the wealthiest single woman in Boston.”

  “You think that’s why Faxon has made her his partner. Is it her money that he’s attracted to?”

  “No, I don’t think so,” Shira said. “Faxon has something a lot of men don’t have, honor, principals, that’s what confuses you about him dear. Unfortunately the men you know don’t have any. No this could be love.”

  Shira’s cell phone rang. “Hello, (pause) allo Landau, yea I remember the deal you were telling me about. (Pause) I knew it. The guy looked like a con-man dear. I could smell it, I can help. A good friend of mine is here with me. He’s the best private detective in Boston. I’ll give him your information Landau. (Pause) Yes I want to see you again too. Goodbye love.”

  After they ate and had one more beer Faxon paid the check, Harper wanted to get it but Faxon told her no. Shira and Barbie watched. On their way out Shira motioned for him to come over to her table.

  “I just got off the phone with a good friend, he was telling me about a deal he got in on, buying up oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico. He had to buy into a syndicate, and now the guy won’t return his calls. A friend in the securities business checked the deal out and it’s a scam.”

  “If it’s a con the guy could still be in Boston,” Harper said.

  “Oh, look pretty and smart, no wonder our Faxon likes you,” Shira said.

  “Give me his name, phone number, and address and I’ll go by and see him, but if it’s a con we need to find this guy fast
before he moves on. It’s likely he’s hitting all the big cities.”

  “His names, Landau Comaneci, he’s Romanian, lots of money you should do good Faxon, here’s his number and his address, he lives on a large estate outside of town.”

  “One more thing Shira if he’s a con-man then he’s probably using a fake name, if we had a picture of him we could check to see if he’s been arrested before and get his real name.”

  “I was at a party at Landau’s home, he was recruiting other investors I noticed he was avoiding taking pictures with people but I think I have one of him in the background on my phone.”

  Shira checked her cell phone and it was small but you could clearly see the man that called himself, Corbin Beazley behind and to the right of Landau in the picture. She sent it to Faxon’s phone and they left.

  “Ok we got a job,” Harper said. “So what do we do now?”

  “We call Lew first,” Faxon said as he dialed Lew’s number. “Lew, Faxon here. Listen I have something I need quickly, it’s a con job, a guy selling Gulf oil leases, but I need to catch the guy before he takes the money and runs. I think he’s still working the con here in Boston.”

  Faxon gave him the name he had and sent him the picture.

  “I’ll do an arrest record check on the face and alias name and see what I come up with, hey is Harper with you, can I speak to her,” asked Lew.

  “Hi Lew, (Pause) yes I’ll be with Faxon when he comes by to pay you. (Pause) Let me get a pen and something to write on. Go ahead, a case of beer, bread and lots of lunch meat and cheese. Some steaks, milk and cereal, Lew how about some vegetables, well I’ll get you some can goods. Yes, chips, cookies, ice cream.” When Harper was finished there was a whole page of grocery’s Lew wanted.

  “We’ll go by but not till we go see this Landau Comaneci guy,” Faxon said. He called and introduced himself over the phone and made the arrangement to come right away after he explained that time was of the essence.