by John Holt
Mrs. Fletcher shook her head. “I’m not entirely sure, but I think it was a dark grey suit. He tends to prefer grey.” She thought for a few more moments. “Yes it was the dark grey suit, dark red tie.” She paused once again. “White shirt, I think.”
“Did he take anything with him?” Kendall asked.
Mrs. Fletcher shook her head. “You mean other clothes?”
“That’s right,” said Kendall. “Was he carrying a suitcase, or an overnight bag?”
“No, he took nothing with him,” she replied.
“Does your husband belong to a club?” Mollie asked. “I mean somewhere that he could spend the night?”
Mrs. Fletcher nodded. “Oh yes he belongs to the Gresham, but I’ve checked with them. They haven’t seen him for a few weeks,”
“Perhaps they only said that,” suggested Kendall. “He may have told them to say nothing. You know how these things can be.”
Mrs. Fletcher shook her head. “Well I guess that’s possible, I suppose,” she agreed. “Or he may have just checked into a hotel.”
That sounded reasonable to Kendall, the only problem was which one. “Did he have one that he preferred?”
“Not that I know of I’m afraid.”
“What about his office?” Kendall asked.
She nodded. “Well he did have a small apartment there, and would often stay late, but he hasn’t been there for a month or more.”
Kendall looked at Mollie. She shook her head. Kendall sighed. “Has he done this sort of thing before?” he asked.
“What do you mean? Go off for a few days?”
Kendall nodded. “Something like that,” he replied.
“Quite often,” she replied. “Especially on business, you know that sort of thing. But he has always told me where he could be reached, and how long he expected to be away.” She paused, lightly brushing her cheek with her hand. “And he would always take a small case with him, but not this time.”
“What about his car Mrs. Fletcher?” Kendall asked. “Did he take that?”
“Yes he did,” she replied.
“What kind of car does he drive?” Kendall asked.
“It’s a Buick,” she replied. “A blue Buick.”
Very helpful, there couldn’t be that many blue Buicks driving around. “You happen to know the model?” Kendall asked.
She shook her head.
Somehow Kendall wasn’t a bit surprised. He heaved a sigh and took a deep breath.
“The year maybe,” he asked.
Once again she shook her head. “But I do know the registration number.” She wrote the number down and passed the paper to Kendall. “That’s it,” she continued. “At least I think that’s right.”
Kendall glanced at the paper, and passed it to Mollie. “Mrs. Fletcher, does your husband have any, shall we say, friends?”
“Women you mean?”
Kendall nodded. “Well it does happen, you know,” he replied looking over at Mollie and raising his eyebrows.
She shook her head, and smiled. “Yes it does happen,” she agreed. “But no, Tony doesn’t have any friends. He’s not the type. A ladies man I think is the term.”
Kendall heaved a sigh. Exactly what type did you have to be? He was a man wasn’t he? He made a note on his pad. He wondered how she was so sure, or was she simply not telling the entire truth. “I had to ask you understand.”
She looked at Kendall and tilted her head to one side, but said nothing.
“What about enemies?”
She smiled, and nodded her head. “Mr. Kendall you do not get to my husband’s position without making a few enemies along the way. My husband would never win first prize in a popularity contest. Take your pick, competitors, disgruntled employees, dissatisfied clients.” She paused for a moment. “Oh yes I think we can say in all honesty that he had enemies.”
Kendall nodded. There was no mistaking the picture she had painted. Fletcher was a high flyer, a wealthy industrialist, who enjoyed power. You didn’t get to those dizzy heights being Mr. Nice Guy. “Do you think that any of those enemies would go as far as to commit murder?” he asked.
Mrs. Fletcher looked shocked. “You don’t really think that my husband has been murdered, do you?” she asked. “Surely you can’t really believe that.”
Kendall shook his head, and placed his hand on her arm. “Right now I don’t know what to think,” he replied. “But it is a possibility I’m afraid. It has happened before, and it will almost certainly happen again.”
She shook her head and looked over at Mollie.
Mollie smiled. “I’m sure that you husband is all right, Mrs. Fletcher,” she said, as she turned towards Kendall and glared.
“I just said that it was a possibility, that’s all,” Kendall explained. “I didn’t say it was a definite, just that it was one of many possibilities.”
“There you see you shouldn’t worry,” said Mollie.
“Even so,” Kendall continued. “Are there any?”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry Mr. Kendall, I don’t really know. Certainly some might be interested in getting their own back so to speak. Whether they would go as far as murder I really cannot say.”
Kendall nodded. “All right,” he replied. “Perhaps you could give me a list of names then, starting with the most recent.”
“Reasons would also be helpful,” suggested Mollie. “You know things like why did so and so dislike your husband?”
“That’s a good idea,” said Kendall. He paused for a moment. “Have there been any strange calls lately?”
“Strange calls, what do you mean?” asked Mrs. Fletcher.
“Any strange phone calls, people hanging up abruptly,” explained Kendall. “Or have there been any letters out of the ordinary?”
“Not that I am aware of,” she replied. “At least my husband never mentioned anything like that.”
“Have there been any unexpected callers at the house?” Kendall continued.
“Not to my knowledge.”
“What about strangers in the area?” Kendall asked. “Have you noticed anyone in particular, maybe just hanging around?”
“Well there were two people on the corner of the street the other evening, but I never gave them much attention,” she replied. “They must have been there an hour or more. Why?”
Kendall heaved a deep sigh. “One other possibility is that your husband has been kidnapped,” he explained.
Mrs. Fletcher let out a gasp. “Who would want to kidnap my husband?” she asked.
“Any number of people,” Kendall replied. “Business rivals, business associates, professional criminals, opportunists. I’m just saying.” He paused for a moment or two. “You haven’t received any ransom demands have you?”
“No nothing like that,” she replied.
It was no more than Kendall had expected. “Okay, we’ll leave that for the time being,” he said, as he looked through the pages of notes he had made. “You say he’s been missing for about two weeks.”
“That’s right,” Mrs. Fletcher replied.
“Did he take his passport with him?”
She shook her head, and reached inside her handbag. “No he didn’t. It’s right here.” She placed the passport on to the desk.
Kendall gave it a cursory glance. “Did he leave a note, I mean anything to suggest where he was going, or why.”
“No nothing like that,” she replied. “He just went out at his usual time, and that was that.”
“You didn’t have an argument, did you?” Mollie asked.
Mrs. Fletcher shook her head. “No,” she replied. She reached into her handbag once again, and took out her handkerchief. She held it up to a face and dabbed her cheeks.
Kendall shook his head. He looked at Mollie, and shrugged his shoulders. Mollie glared back.
“All right I shall need his diaries, both private and business,” said Kendall. “And a list of his associates, people he visits, people he works with. I’ll need
his bank details, credit card. Any safety deposit boxes, things like that.”
“His safety deposit box,” Mrs. Fletcher repeated. “And his bank account details, why would you want them?”
“Mrs. Fletcher, in cases like this everything might be potentially helpful,” Kendall started to explain. “The bank account for example. Any information about its use might be helpful. For example if the account has been used, you’ll know when and where. Same with the credit card, understand?”
Mrs. Fletcher said nothing, but simply nodded.
“I shall need a letter of authorization,” Kendall continued. “For the bank you understand. They won’t let me check his account without it.”
Still Mrs. Fletcher said nothing.
“Mrs. Fletcher, we’ll find him, don’t worry,” said Kendall, as he stood up and walked around to where Mrs. Fletcher was seated. “Let me have that information and we’ll get right on to it.”
“I’ll let you have it all tomorrow.”
“Fine,” said Kendall. “I think that’ll do it for now. And don’t worry we’ll find him.”
Mrs. Fletcher smiled and stood up. “Thank you Mr. Kendall, and you Miss ….”
“It’s Adams,” said Mollie, as she walked towards the door and opened it.
* * *
Chapter Ten
Let The Investigation Begin
Kendall watched as Mrs. Fletcher walked along the corridor. As she reached the top of the stairs she turned and waved. Kendall smiled and waved back. He then slowly closed the door and returned to his desk.
“Why on earth did you agree to that?” he asked.
Mollie looked at him and smiled. “That’s what partners are for,” she replied. “I am your partner aren’t I?”
“Yes, you are my partner,” Kendall reluctantly agreed. “A sleeping partner I think we said.”
“That’s correct,” Mollie agreed. “That’s what we said.”
“Well then?”
“Well I just woke up that’s all.” She smiled mischievously. “Anyway as a partner am I not entitled to an opinion? Do I or do I not have a say in how things are run around here?”
Kendall frowned. “No, you’re not entitled to an opinion. I make the decisions.”
“Oh I see. So does that mean that you can pay me a salary after all?” Mollie replied. “If so I’ll take the money now and we’ll forget all about the partnership.”
“You know as well as I do that I can’t pay you,” said Kendall, knowing that he was beaten.
“Does that mean the partnership is back on then?”
“I suppose so,” Kendall agreed reluctantly.
“Right, that’s settled then,” Mollie replied. “I made a decision that’s all.”
Kendall shook his head. “That much is obvious,” he replied. “But we really don’t need jobs like that. Missing husband indeed, who needs it.”
“We do,” said Mollie.
“Perhaps,” Kendall replied grudgingly.
“So what do you think?” asked Mollie.
“What do I think?” repeated Kendall. “About Fletcher you mean?”
“Fletcher, no,” replied Mollie. “I’m talking about Mickey Mouse. Of course I mean Fletcher, who else?”
Kendall heaved a sigh. “Not much. I think he is just off somewhere, some hotel, with a lady friend, simple as that.”
“A lady friend?” repeated Mollie. “Are you kidding?”
“Probably his secretary,” explained Kendall.
“Show me that photograph of Fletcher,” Mollie said holding out her hand. Kendall handed her the photograph. “Well if his secretary has gone off with him then she’s not that fussy, that’s all I can say.”
“There’s no accounting for taste,” said Kendall. “Probably attracted to his money I would say.”
“But Mrs. Fletcher said he never had anyone like that, remember?” Mollie protested.
“And you believed her?” said Kendall.
“Yes I believed her. Why shouldn’t I?”
“Well that just goes to show the difference between us,” Kendall replied smugly. “Just demonstrates the value of my years of police training, the application of logic, and skilful detection. Sifting out the truth hidden within a web of lies, evaluating the evidence, and making a judgment based upon the facts.”
“What facts?” asked Mollie.
“You wouldn’t understand,” replied Kendall.
“Try me.”
“It’s all to do with perception,” Kendall explained.
“You don’t know the meaning of the word,” Mollie retorted. “Or how to spell it.”
“As I said, after considering all the relevant points, the whole thing is pretty clear to me,” said Kendall completing ignoring Mollie’s comment.
“So what is your conclusion, oh wise one?” Mollie asked.
“He’s got a blonde hidden away somewhere mark my words. All I have to do is find her, shouldn’t be too hard.”
“What makes you so sure there is a woman involved?” asked Mollie, far from convinced.
Kendall smiled. “I’m a man aren’t I?” he replied. “I know about that kind of thing.”
Now it was Mollie’s turn to smile. “So do you have a blonde stashed away somewhere?”
“Well no, not exactly,” replied Kendall. “But that’s not ….”
Mollie waved her arm dismissively. “Well perhaps there is no blonde, just like Mrs. Fletcher said.”
“Well even if there’s no blonde, I reckon he’s probably just gone off drinking somewhere for a few days.”
“How can you say that?” Mollie replied angrily.
Kendall shook his head. “I’m an expert on the subject,” he replied.
“You mean you’ve done your share of drinking,” Mollie responded with disdain.
Kendall gave a deep sigh. “Even now he’s probably sleeping it off somewhere.” He paused for a moment or two, and started to write on his pad. “Memo, check the bars.”
“You’re heartless, absolutely heartless,” Mollie said.
“Me? Heartless?” said Kendall. “Not in the least. I’m a realist that’s all. He probably just wanted to get away from her for a few days, and what’s wrong with that?”
“You’ve no feelings have you?” replied Mollie.
“Oh come on, he’s bound to turn up sooner or later,” said Kendall. “Besides she’s not worried about him. More worried about his money I would say.”
Mollie shook her head. “Well she seemed pretty upset to me. She was in tears at the end, you saw her. All of your talk about him being kidnapped or murdered, no wonder she was upset.”
“Upset did you say?” said Kendall. “You don’t call that little performance being upset do you? I’ve cried more tears over spilling my drink.”
“She was worried, anyone could see that,” Mollie continued. “That was obvious to me at least.”
Kendall shook his head. “She’s just wondering when she can cash in on his life insurance. In fact it’s probably her who is doing the running around. She’s probably got a younger model somewhere. Fletcher’s just lying low so he can keep an eye on her.”
“You are heartless.”
Kendall smiled. “Heartless?” He shook his head. “Not me. Are there any more of those chocolate cookies?”
Mollie glared at him. “You are heartless,” she repeated.
Kendall heaved a sigh. “Nonsense, I’m as soft as they come. Sentimental and caring are my two middle names. But I’m no pushover. I just have a feeling about this one that’s all. Remember I said no missing husbands, didn’t I. They’re more trouble than they are worth.”
“Well you’re wrong in this case,” Mollie pronounced angrily.
He shook his head. “Time will tell. I just wish you hadn’t agreed to it that’s all.” He shook his head once again. “I certainly don’t need it that’s for sure.”
Mollie shook her head. “I disagree with you,” she said. She leaned down and opened the top dr
awer of her desk. She withdrew a small bundle of papers, and held them up. “Out of idle curiosity, do you know what these are?”
Kendall looked at her, and then at the papers. “What are they?” he asked.
“Bills,” she replied. “Electricity bills, insurance, car tax, the rent. Oh and there’s also a parking ticket or three. Shall I go on?”
Kendall said nothing.
“How exactly did you intend dealing with them?”
* * *
Kendall had to admit that things hadn’t quite worked out the way that he had intended. There had been nothing of any real importance, nothing of any consequence. There had been nothing of any real interest, nothing extraordinary, and certainly there had been nothing of any substance. He was still waiting for what you might call a major case. No prestigious cases came his way. Perhaps he was aiming too high. Perhaps he shouldn’t be so choosy. Maybe Mollie was right after all. The way things were he would take anything, even a run of the mill case, like the missing husband.
* * *
“Okay so we’ve got the case, thanks to you,” said Kendall trying to sound positive. “So let’s try to get organized.”
Mollie looked at him. She was surprisingly impressed. “Go on,” she said.
“Well first I would suggest a nice cup of coffee, and some of those chocolate cookies. Then we’ll see.”
Mollie stood up and glared at him. She went to the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with the coffee. She sat down, opened the drawer to her desk, took out a folder and wrote Tony Fletcher across the top, and the day’s date underneath. She then took a sheet of notepaper. “Okay,” she said. “I’m waiting.”
Kendall looked at her. She did not look in a particularly good mood. Caution would be advisable, he reasoned. “Alright,” he replied. “Let’s see what we have.”
“So what do we have?” asked Mollie, becoming slightly impatient.
“Not a lot I’m afraid,” replied Kendall. “The first thing that strikes me is why did she come to us? I mean why not go to the police. They are usually pretty good at finding missing persons, and they don’t charge a fee.”
“Perhaps she had been to the police,” suggested Mollie.
“So why aren’t they investigating? I ask again why come to us?” Kendall asked, then without waiting continued to answer his own questions. “If she went to the police they must have turned her down. And why would they turn her down?”