FIRST STEP MURDER

by H. R. Whidden

  “Yea give one of them a call and explain about their oil lease investment.”

  Faxon broke six eggs into a bowl and used a fork to scramble them up. Harper dialed the first investor on the list. They had all given one million dollars to buy into the syndicate.

  “Can I speak to Mr. Ellis?”

  “This is Howard Ellis, who am I speaking to, and how did you get this number? This is a private business line.”

  “Mr. Ellis I’m calling because you invested in a syndicate to purchase oil leases with a man named Corbin Beazley, his real name is Brent Tillman and he’s a wanted fugitive. He’s been running this scam in all the large Northeast cities.”

  “Are you with the authorities? Has the man been caught? You haven’t answered my question about how you got this number.”

  “I’m an associate with Faxon Bennett Investigations, and we were hired by a group of four investors that discovered he was a con-man. Your name and contact information was recovered along with all the others that were swindled in the oil lease scam. Your funds have been electronically returned, and we’re calling to notify you Mr. Beazley is in custody.”

  He asked Harper to hold while he checked his account, then came back on the line.

  “You’re correct my investment has been returned, where is the man in custody?”

  “He’s in the custody of the New York City PD,” Harper said.

  “I don’t owe you anything for legally seeing that my money was returned, is that why you’ve called, for a reward?”

  “I find you to be quite ungrateful Mr. Ellis. I have yet to hear even a thank you for us volunteering to return your foolish investment, we could have let you find out on your own and it would have taken months for the authorities to straighten out the confusion of investors and funds. The people that hired us gladly paid us two percent to recover their foolish investments, and it’s them that you owe our help and your good fortune.”

  Mr. Ellis didn’t say a word, he just hung up.

  “Ungrateful asshole, son of a bitch, you should have just let the dumb bastards figured it out on their own.”

  Faxon set half of the omelet in front of her, and he got her a glass of milk and another cup of coffee.

  “I thought as long as we had their information we should return the funds back into the accounts it came from, it was the right thing to do Harper. Even if just one of them gives us a fee then it’ll be worth the effort.”

  Harper finished her breakfast and called more of the duped investors, the next four did say thank you, and asked for Faxon’s PO Box. Offering to send some kind of monetary reward of an undetermined amount, the last man on the list was named Alexander Wellington.

  “Good morning Mr. Wellington I represent Faxon Bennett Investigations, You recently met a man named Corbin Beazley and invested in a syndicate to buy oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico. I’m calling to inform you that Mr. Beazley’s real name is Brent Tillman, and was wanted in New York. We came across your information and have electronically returned your investment back into the account it came out of. Mr. Tillman is in New York state custody, four other investors hired us to recover their investments so your good fortune is due to their generosity.”

  “I don’t believe I got you name Ma’am?”

  “My names Harper Lewis sir, I’m Faxon Bennett’s partner.”

  “Well Mrs. Lewis I would really like to thank you and Mr. Bennett personally, I’m coming into Boston today and I’m having lunch at The Black Rose, it’s in the financial District 180 State Street. Could you and Mr. Bennett join my wife and me for lunch? Just ask anyone there they’ll know us.”

  “We’d be glad to Mr. Wellington, 1:00 pm, we’ll be there.”

  “Well we’ll at least get lunch and a thank you. He sounded like an older man very well spoken, and grateful.”

  Faxon had another cup of coffee and read the newspaper, and Harper called Sam and got a good report on their new engineer. Jason had already gotten three new contracts. Then she had Sam transfer her to the front desk.

  “Kate how are you doing,” she asked?

  “Harper it’s so good to hear from you, I got my cast off and I’ve been training a lot. I’ve got a show coming up this weekend The New England Equitation Championship in Springfield. Walter’s been working with me. He says I have a good chance of winning the Hunter class with Brave. He’s turned into such a great horse. Can you come?”

  “I’m afraid not Kate, but I know you’ll do great, tell Walter and Jose’ I miss them. I think this will all be over soon.”

  “Sam explained everything to me, he said you’ve got someone looking out for you not that you need it, but I feel better knowing you have help. Is he a good guy? Jason said he suits you, so when am I going to meet him.”

  “He’s a real good guy, but I’ll tell you about that another time. How about our new engineer? Sam said he likes you, is he being a gentleman?”

  “He comes out to New Castle and watches me ride, I hope that’s alright? He’s going to the show too. We’ve had a few dates. I had to kiss him first so I guess he’s a gentleman.”

  “Sometimes a girl has to tell a man what she wants,” Harper said, as she looked over at Faxon. He pretended to read the paper not listening to her conversation. “I’ll call you after the show to see how you did. Don’t take any shit from the, noses in the air bitches, you’ve got my reputation to keep up. And jump Jason, I think you two would be a nice couple. See you soon bye.”

  Faxon walked to the kitchen and set his cup in the sink. Harper stood and set the phone down on the table and started to go to the bathroom, he noticed she had a sad look on her face. He reached out and held her hand before she walked away. Then he pulled her against him and hugged her.

  “I know you miss your friends, and your horses, and your house. I know this isn’t the kind of life you thought you’d be living in a small apartment taking a chance on being killed by people we don’t even know.”

  Faxon hugged her tight then put his hands on either side of her face and kissed her. She smiled then went to take a shower and dress for their lunch date with Alexander Wellington and his wife.

  Harper wore Jeans but instead of a t-shirt she wore a short sleeved button up the front collared blue shirt. Tennis shoes, her ball cap, and sun glasses, Faxon was getting better at braiding her hair, a chore he didn’t mind doing. Faxon wore his tennis shoes, jeans, a pull over dark blue polo shirt and sun glasses, then off to The Black Rose they went. It was very important for Harper to always be on time, something her Father had always insisted on. When they walked in Faxon asked the maître d’ if she knew Mr. Wellington.

  She smiled and said. “The General and his wife are right this way, their expecting you. They’re regulars here for lunch once a week. A very sweet couple everyone loves them.”

  General Alexander Wellington Retired and his wife Alexis were in their seventies. The General still wore a military haircut and both very well dressed, he stood to shake hands.

  “Please sit down,” the General said. “I checked my account and just as you said young lady my investment money had been returned. I can’t help but be embarrassed falling for such a con-man.”

  “I told Alex not to do investing on his own that’s why we have financial advisers, but you’re such nice young people to return our money.”

  “I guess most of the time a person would have to go through the authorities to get the money back,” the General said. “Well we all know how long that would take.”

  “Well we were hired by four individuals to find the man and return their funds,” Faxon said. “When we got his laptop we saw that there were six other investors so we had all the information on where the funds had come from so we just electronically returned the funds from the account he’d set up.”

  The waitress came over Faxon and Harper ordered a beer and the waitress took their orders. She already knew what the General and his wife wanted. Alexis had ordered the lettuce wedge with Cashel blue cheese. Th
e General ordered the onion soup with Irish cheddar.

  “General we’re working on a case that involves ex-military, as far as I can tell it’s just Marines,” Faxon said. “A group is hiring ex-marines and sending them to Saudi Arabia to work as body guards and to train Saudi nationals. I believe their training radical Islamic solders, and this group has been cleared by ATF and licensed to sell arms to a Saudi national that’s listed as CEO of the company. There’s been six ex-marines killed here in the Boston area that we can link to the group and at least five murders of prominent citizens that refused to do business with the same group. There is no proof but I believe the person in charge is an ex-marine commander that’s recruiting these men and is at the center of laundering terrorist money by conducting ligament business here in the Boston area. Their all from the same E-company and we have a list of suspects that were high ranking Marines but the list is so long we can’t narrow it down.”

  “Faxon you give me that list and I’ll ask around and maybe shorten it for you,” the General said. “If there’s someone dirty on it then someone that’s retired will know, I’m not without influence and resources.”

  They finished their meal, and Harper thought she had gone the whole lunch without anyone knowing who she was or mentioned her father or the company then Alexis announced she was a horse jumping enthusiast.

  “Harper I’ve missed you competing even though most of the owners don’t seem to say anything good about you, like a lot of others I found myself cheering for you just the same. You have that certain toughness about your demeanor. We were there the day your horse died, that pour girl that was ridding I so hope she wasn’t seriously injured?”

  “Kate, no she did break her arm but I talked to her today and she has the cast off and is looking forward to an event this weekend.” I’m not showing because of the very case Faxon was talking about. Lewis construction was offered a deal to sell a piece of property in the city and my father refused, and so did I. Now it seems I’m a target.”

  “Harper we’re familiar with what happened to you, your horse, and your husband,” said Mr. Wellington. “I knew your father only in the sense that we associated in the same circle of friends. He was a hard man, sometimes vulgar, and I suspect he raised his daughter just as hard, and I suspect that’s why certain people don’t like you. But if someone killed your mother and father and have tried to kill you, well I’ll do whatever I can to help you find out who those people are.”

  Before they left The Black Rose Faxon went and copied the list of all the officers that were members of E-company. The General insisted on Faxon taking a check for ten thousand dollars for returning the funds, then everyone said goodbye.

  “Well I thought we’d get through the afternoon without having to bring all that up again, but I’m glad we did,” Harper said. “Maybe we can get a good lead on who’s the possible person behind all this really is.”

  As they were driving to the bank Faxon’s cell phone rang.

  “Faxon, it’s John Walker, we got that search warrant, and we’re going to execute it today.”

  “I thought it would take longer? You didn’t even think you’d be able to convince the state’s attorney to take it to a judge. We want to go with you.”

  “Someone’s putting pressure on the DA to solve the murders. As far as you two coming along, no way, because it’s in Brookline we have to coordinate with the local police,” John said. “As soon as it’s done I’ll call.”

  They went back to the Apartment and waited.

  * * *

  Detective John Walker and a deputy from the Boston Police Department and two crime scene technicians followed in a van. They stopped at the Brookline police department and the on duty Sargent and a rooky officer followed them to Smith’s Machine Shop.

  Detective Walker and the local Sargent were the first ones through the large roll up door, the Rookie officer and John’s officer came in behind them, the Technicians waited outside. There was a man wielding on a car trailer with his hood down and didn’t see them coming in. The old man, Mr. Smith came out of the office he had been sitting in a chair and saw the officers through the office window.

  “What can I do for you officers,” Mr. Smith asked?

  “We have a search warrant and we’d like you and your hired man to stand outside while we execute the search,” John said.

  Mr. Smith tapped on the wielder’s shoulder and he stopped and raised the hood. He was defiantly surprised when he saw the officers and the detective. Mr. Smith stepped outside with one of the officers, the wielder put his lead down and took off the hood, he went to the wielding machine and cut it off and then the shop went silent.

  John stood close to the wielder. “Are you Race Thorpe?”

  “Yes sir,” he said.

  “Can I see some ID to confirm that?”

  Race Thorpe pulled out a wallet and showed his driver’s license. “Turn around and put your hands on the wall,” John said.

  He searched Race Thorpe and then the rookie office escorted him out of the shop while John, the Sargent and the two technicians conducted the search.

  John and the two technicians went straight to the small room in the back where the single bed was. He looked under the bed and retrieved the rifle case and set it down. One of the technicians, with gloves on, opened the case and identified the rifle, scope, and ammunition in the case then they packed everything back up, placed it in a large bag then carried it out to the van.

  John was beginning to read Race Thorpe his rights and as soon as the rookie officer reached to pull out his handcuffs Race Thorpe turned into the officer and pulled his service gun free of its holster. He put an arm around his neck and stood behind him with the gun pointed at the officer’s head and backed against the patrol car. John pulled his gun along with the other officers. The technicians retreated behind the van, and Mr. Smith went into the shop.

  “Put the gun down Thorpe, don’t make it worse, there’s nowhere for you to go, it’s over. Tell us who ordered the murder and we’ll help you out.”

  “I’ll be dead anyway he won’t let me live.”

  “Who, tell us who, and we’ll put him away.”

  “He’s too powerful, he’s connected, here and overseas, you can’t touch him, you have no idea what’s going on, terrorism pays.”

  Race Thorpe pushed the rookie officer forward and put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered the top of the patrol car before the body slid to the ground.

  “Damn-it you stupid son of a bitch,” John yelled at the rookie officer.

  The rookie turned and through up on the driveway, John continued to yell at him that they had lost a potential informant. After the reports were written and the statement that Thorpe had made recounted John reluctantly called Faxon.

  “Faxon, Walker here.” Faxon put him on speaker so Harper could hear the recount of what had happened. “We found the rifle, there’s no doubt he was our shooter, he as much as admitted it.”

  “What about who ordered him to do the shootings,” Harper asked?

  “He wouldn’t give us a name. He did say some things about the guy being connected here and overseas, I’ll make sure you get a written report on what he said.”

  “Well you can offer a deal of some kind to make him tell us. You’ve got time to work on him. I suggest you keep him in protected lockup they’ll try to keep him from talking,” Faxon said.

  “He’s dead,” John said. “Before we could get the cuffs on him he pulled a rookie officers gun and killed himself.”

  The line was quiet for a minute, and then Harper responded.

  “Damn-it Walker what kind of rookie chicken shit operation are you running, we handed you the guy that could have named the man behind six murders, and the fucking deaths of seven ex-Marines involved in murder for hire. And you had the balls to call me a vigilante, you fucking incompetent bastard.”

  “Stop it Harper,” Faxon said. “You fought with a guy that fell on a piece of re-
bar and killed himself, my guy ran in front of a taxi, shit happens we can’t control, let’s don’t beat up John, he’s done nothing but try to help us.”

  “I’m sorry John,” Harper said.

  “I thought he was about to tell me. I told him I’d protect him but he was convinced whoever this guy is he could get to him. He said the guy had influence here and overseas. Damn rookie officer here in Brookline let him grab his service gun. He had the tattoo, upper right arm. The pressure is going to increase on us to find out who’s behind this. It’s going to get hard for whoever it is to hide their evolvement, and he’s gonna be more dangerous than ever, be careful. What’s your next move?”

  “The man that killed Mr. Samuels, we believe he’s in Nashville working for Cartwright Arms. That’s the Company that has the licensing to sell arms overseas with the connection to the Marine Group. Ensign Ronald Beale, he was in Echo Company, and he’s considered an entry specialist we have the fingerprints you gave us from the bottom of the elevator and the image of the soles of his boots.”

  “It sounds like you got someone digging up information for you. If there’s anything you need let me know. Nashville is out of my jurisdiction but if you can get his finger prints and they can be matched we can get the FBI to bring him back using across state lines murder. Let me help you with that Faxon, don’t try to do this yourself.”

  After they hung up they sat quietly at the table for a while thinking about what had just happened.

  “So when do we leave for Nashville,” Harper asked, “we can fly.”

  “Fly,” Faxon said.

  “You know in a plane.” Harper used the laptop and found what she was looking for. “We can fly direct to Nashville one way, since we don’t know how long we’re going to be there. If you’re worried about the money I can take it as a business expense, it’ll save us hours of driving, and we can rent a car when we get there.”