Ms. Gail Rimley was strikingly lovely for middle age. Stacy was a bit shocked as a number of years would separate Steve from Gail. However, she welcomed the trio of detectives in with a tray of snacks on the coffee table. Rory helped himself as if the pie did nothing to ease his attraction to food.
After seeing a shock look on Gail's face hearing the news of Steve, Stacy asked, "What can you tell us about your relationship with Steve Fisher?"
"We were just friends and co workers, is all. Why, did someone say anything different?"
"Nobody likes rumors Ms. Rimley, but it was rumored you and he had a thing going on above the just friends situation," said Rory. It was evident that Gail was attracted to Rory so Stacy decided to back off.
"Well, we did have a small fling, but then I broke it off. I didn't realize how young he really was both experience and in years. After that we remained friends," she said with eyes of 'I'm available'.
"Where were you on last Friday, Saturday and Sunday Ms. Rimley," asked Rory.
"Friday I spent a half day at school and then drove up Gold Beach to spend the night with a friend. On Saturday, drove up the coast enjoying the fine summer day. I splurged and stayed one night at the Dunes in Bandon. On Sunday I went out to Sunset Beach and had a picnic with just myself. I arrived back home late Sunday night."
"Please provide us with the name and contact number of your friend in Gold Beach," said Rory.
"Am I a suspect," she asked with disbelief holding her throat as if the jailer had just arrived.
"We need to eliminate all who knew Steve Fisher. Also, Ms. Rimley, don't leave the area unless you inform us where you're going and why," said Rory handing her his card standing up.
Back at the restaurant, Stacy said, "It would seem our second grade teacher followed our five teachers to Bandon. As they say, the plot thickens. Here's what I think at the moment. Our five campers are partying at the beach when Steve Fisher is looking for a higher high. He invites his friends to watch or participate, which they refuse. Or did three refuse and one stay or did two stay or did they all stay and watch. Or maybe all four left and came back to watch, found him dead and left town in a hurry. They've had plenty of time to develop a story and stick with it.
Maybe Gail Rimley had been watching from a distance. Hiding if you will, spying on the guys. She sees four leave in the van with Steve hanging back. He goes to the lighthouse and she follows him. They talk or they fight and then he invites her to watch a real sexual high. She's to assist by pulling the cord on the potato. She pulls and off the potato comes part and not the whole. He dies and she runs to her car which is stashed somewhere."
"Or, I know you Stacy; you're thinking something else entirely. We've come to know you have another line of enquiry you are thinking about," said Rory.
She smiled and ordered a crab Louie with garlic French bread. "To tell you the truth guys, I've no idea at this point who killed the guy; if anyone did. It could be suicide unplanned. What I can't wait to see are the parents when they arrive. I really dislike lawyers a lot. Now, if you guys have some input on this case let me hear it now."
Dan said, "Tomorrow is another day and let's snoop around town to see what we can dig up for rumors about Gail and Steve; or maybe he's got more than one girlfriend he jilted."
Can of Worms
After dinner Rory and Stacy went bar hopping to see if anyone knew Steve Fisher. The first nice cocktail lounge they got a hint of Steve Fisher. The bartender knew him by sight, but said he would have two bottles of Bud and leave. He wasn't talkative, but not unfriendly either, he said.
Not so far away a tavern with pool tables is where they struck gold. The bartender, a woman, said he was a regular who loved to shoot pool and drink beer, but never to stagger out of the tavern. Stacy described Gail and the bartender said she knew her to be a teacher, but she never drank anything but diet Coke. She went on to say that other women were with him on occasion, but they too were well behaved. No she didn't know any of the other women's names.
It was time to call it a night. Rory walked Stacy back to the motel and up to her second floor room. Stacy thought it best if they weren't seen co-habiting and gave him a quick peck on his cold lips. Most always in the coast of Oregon its cold after the sun goes down.
Rory called the Curry County District Attorney in Gold Beach. He'd been alerted to the case by Rory's captain in North Bend. Rory filed him in on the four school teachers and the girl friend of Steve Fisher who was in the area at the time. Rory said, "Sir we think we should bring the four teachers in for further questioning. From what we've told you what do you think?"
"Detective Caltex let me call you back in half an hour. I need to make a call or two," said Tom Taylor.
Ben and Rory chatted for awhile as they both watched Monday Night Baseball. Ben was a big fan of the Giants while Rory was a big fan of Stacy. The phone rang and Rory listened while Tom told him to bring the four guys in for questioning.
Rory called Stacy to inform her plan for morning. She thanked him and went to bed after calling her father to update him as she promised.
The next morning sitting in the restaurant having breakfast, Rory told Stacy the sheriff deputy would pick up the four teachers for transportation to Gold Beach. Meanwhile, Steve Fisher's parents were flying into North Bend to ID the body and for transportation back to Texas. Nobody said anything about hearing the news the father was coming. All realized he'd throw his weight around demanding this and that.
After breakfast they went back to where Steve taught seeking further information on his night life and to see if he'd made any enemies; such as a fling with a married woman with a jealous husband.
Beth greeted the three detectives with her ever present smile. For Stacy and the other two detectives, it was time to cut to the bone about who might have wanted young Steve Fisher dead.
After sitting down in her office, Stacy asked, "We have some evidence that Steve Fisher was fond of a drink or two in addition to playing pool. We also found out he was a ladies' man of sorts. It's time we cut to the chase and please tell us if there might be someone out there who wanted to harm Steve Fisher."
With a big sigh Beth said, "This is a small town and when a teacher is seen having a few drinks on school nights, that raises some eyebrows. I talked to Steve about it and he laughed saying he'd cool it. There was one instance when the Brookings police were called to a tavern where an altercation was taking place between Steve and the husband of a woman he was with. Some pushing and shoving, but fortunately nothing serious happened. Steve told me he was minding his own business and this woman was hitting on him. Then her husband shows up madder than all get out. Anyway, he promised to be a good boy. I'm sure you'll want to know the name of the irate husband. The police should be able to provide you with his name. That's really all I know detectives."
At the Brookings Police Department the detectives discovered more bits and pieces of Steve Fisher extracurricular activities. Police Chief Joe Zorn knew full well this was a murder investigation. Any and all information should be made available. Sequestered in his office he said, "I received word from my friend Chief Ray Foreham from Bandon to assist in any way I could to help solve this homicide. I'll relate the facts and substantiated rumors as I see germane to the case. We responded to an altercation at a tavern where we found Ted Bloom, his wife Alice in a shouting match with Steve Fisher in the middle of it. The husband claimed his wife was having an affair with Steve. Steve denied it. Others felt sure, but couldn't prove it, true he was having an affair with Alice Bloom. A month later they move south to Willits, California.
Next we heard other complaints of Steve Fisher involved with other women about town. None of that was ever proved as proving that is rather difficult as you well know. Its common knowledge around town Steve Fisher was a ladies' man who liked his drink. I'm a little surprised he wasn't let go as some conservative parents voiced their displeasure with his reputation. That's about it detectives. I understand the sheriff is tr
ansporting the four teachers up to Gold Beach for further questioning. This case throws a black mark on our usually peaceful town. My wife is a member of the PTA here in town. Already rumbles of concern are soon to fester into an eruption shaking up the whole school district. Put some closure on this case soonest you can, goes without saying. Good luck detectives," Zorn said standing shaking hands around.
Driving north to Gold Beach to interview the four teachers, Stacy said, "You know I didn't see anything particular good looking about Steve Fisher. Maybe it was his personality or his prowess that attracted women. I want Gail Rimley picked up for further questioning after we check on her movements around Bandon Dunes Resort. I'd say there's more here than meets the eye.
Texas Invasion
Just as Rory pulled into Gold Beach his cell demanded his attention. He saw it was his captain, so he pulled over to talk. The captain said, "Rory, I've got Mr. and Mrs. Karl Fisher from Texas here demanding someone bring him up to speed on his son's homicide search for the killer. When are you due back?"
"I'd say about six or so captain. We're doing our second round of interview with four teacher suspects in a few minutes. We're in Gold Beach now. We've nothing really to report as facts sir. The four teachers are at present, our prime suspects, but other people of interest are in the picture as well." Rory listened and then stuck his cell into his pocket.
"Our guess was right about that Texas Longhorn attorney being a larger than life dick head. Well, nevertheless, let's get on with it and face this guy later tonight."
Inside the jail the four teachers weren’t happy campers at all. Because they were suspects in a murder case, they were being held without bond for at least twenty four hours. It was decided that each suspect would be interviewed by two detectives. They began with Stewart Brown. Rory and Ben were conducting the interview while Stacy sat with Doug Hillgar just chatting about their work and living in Brookings.
In the next room Rory began the questions asking, "Stewart, tell us again why you didn't hang around to witness Steve do his erotic stunt?"
"The guy was a freak sadistic asshole, but he was usually fun to be around. He liked his brews as we all did. However, he went over the top with that get high stunt. On the way up he talked about it and mentioned having done it with a lady friend not long ago. We asked who that was, but he just laughed and told us we didn't want to know."
"In a small town like Brookings, having an affair around is not kept a secret for long. Tell us who he was doing in the time you knew him. I remind you Stewart, you're being held as our prime suspects to a murder case. Now is not the time to hold anything back no matter how small a detail you might not say," said Ben.
"We all knew he was doing Gail Rimley for one. Another was an Alice who wanted to make her husband jealous so told him where she'd be one night at a tavern. Other women he'd mention in passing, but no names. The guy was a pussy hound and a juicer. We're surprised he wasn't let go long time ago."
"Do you think Steve dumped Gail and she sought some revenge," asked Rory.
"I'd love to shove suspicion her way detectives, but none of us really know Gail as she's an elementary school teacher, but she's not hard on the eyes either. I guess I really don't know the answer to your question. What I do know is that after all those years in college to become a teacher is down the toilet. Even if we're acquitted who's going to hire a former murder suspect to teach their kids." Rory looked on seeing how pitiful the situation really was for all four of the suspects.
Rory wondered if Gail Rimley, who admitted being in Bandon on the night and time of the murder, could kill her former lover. He realized it wasn't uncommon for a scored woman to apply serious and often fatal violence upon a mate who dumped her.
In an interview room next door, Stacy sat talking to Wesly, Rick and Doug. She'd asked them about Steve's women friends and his proclivity to deviant sexual behavior. Doug said, "We can't use drugs other than alcohol detective. His high came from orgasm, I guess. It can be heightened by cutting off the oxygen to the brain bringing forth a euphoric high. He'd told us women and sex were his get high times. His mistake, probably, was working in a small town where stepping out the door tells the neighbors what they need to know about so and so."
"Who do you know that he was sleeping with," asked Stacy.
"Gail Rimley for one," said Rick. She chased him all over town looking for him on the weekends. He told me he dumped her as she was getting serious and he didn't need seriousness when it came to fornicating. Just recently, he became rather secretive, rather than out and about shooting pool. He'd disappear on the weekends and just smiled when we'd ask him how his weekend was. Maybe it was because of that incident where an irate husband found his wife with Steve in a tavern that he decided to be more discrete."
"I know you've been thinking about what time you last saw Steve and what time you broke camp. Any new thoughts guys," asked Stacy trying to play the nice cop.
"Two things prevent the memory from working: one is the alcohol and the other is the shock of Steve's behavior. I don't know what time we left, but I do know we didn't kill the guy."
It was just after three pm when they finished the interviews in Gold Beach. For the next almost two hours the SUV was mostly quiet. They'd stopped and picked up lunch at a supermarket for the ride back to Coos Bay. They'd drop Stacy off in Bandon first and then motor up to see the Texan.
After dropping off a worn out Stacy, Rory and Ben, with grim looks, agreed to meet the next morning here in Bandon. Stacy needed a hot shower in the worst way. County jails have their own unique smells and the sickly grim seems to resist any powerful scrubbing after visiting the place. Her father was out in his new wood shop and after she'd finished her shower, met him coming in from the shop in the kitchen. He said, "Sorry daughter, but the parents of the victim is demanding to see you up in North Bend at the state office. I told them you were indisposed, but it was either you go there or they come here. Apparently they heard what super homicide detective you are."
"Well, we don't want them here, that’s for sure. Okay, I'll see you when I return dad. Lord knows what time that might be," she said while punching in Rory's number.
Forty five minutes later she was standing with a stiff neck looking up at attorney Karl Fisher. He looked like he was about to blow a gasket with a red face and strawberry nose that led the way to the cocktail lounges. His diminutive wife stood beside him looking fearful that he might leave her at any moment. Rory, after intros, escorted all to the lunch room.
"I'll get right to the point," said a just seated Karl Fisher. "I read the reports and also the autopsy report. I take offense he died of asphyxiation doing some crazy sexual thing. I'm taking my son to Texas for another autopsy. Now little girl, who are your prime suspects."
Stacy, Rory could see, was boiling hot being called 'little girl'. He wondered if she would keep her cool or lay into the bastard with both feet. "Mr. Fisher, if you read the reports, and have seen the pictures, then any educated person can put two and two together for a confirmation that indeed he died of strangulation with a potato in his mouth. That potato was shown to four other friends who all state for the record, he wanted them to witness his hypoxia. The four friends, who are educators, were totally disgusted and left him to his own devices. The four friends are in county jail at the moment waiting arraignment on tomorrow.
We've also a suspect who was jilted by your son and was in the area the night in question. Now what else do you want to know," asked Stacy.
Rory saw Karl Fisher digest what he'd already heard from both Rory and Ben; now Stacy was repeating the same story. Karl changed tact saying, "I understand you're a gifted homicide detective with an impressive record. I guess at this point, my wife and I hope you can add a solve and conviction to our son's murder. I thank you for your time."
They took their leave and all breathed a sigh of relief. Rory said, "You kept your cool Super Sleuth. How about dinner?"
"I'm starving and let's go but not whe
re the Fisher's are going. I've had enough of him and his awful twang."
Four Teachers Sprung
It was decided by the DA that not enough evidence warranted continue jail time. Four happy guys sucked in the Gold Beach salt air feeling. Stewart said, "Let's find a drink shop and whet our whistles."
"Are you crazy," said Doug. Let's go see if we have a job for next year or not. Oh, by the way, how do we get home from here?
"I’m sticking my thumb out and hope for the best," said Rick.
Stacy and Rory went to the Dunes Resort to check on Gail Rimley stay over the last weekend. The desk clerk almost literally drooled over Rory's good looks. What Stacy was really looking for was to find someone who'd seen her on Saturday night. With a picture being shown around, not many even remembered her. Stacy decided to see if she could find the housekeeper who did her room for some information. Stacy asked, "Gwen, who was on the desk Saturday night midnight?
"Why I was," she said lowering her eyes being coy with Rory.
"Did you give Gail Rimley her key or card," asked Rory showing off his gleaming white teeth.
"I did detective. She looked terrible with sand all over her. Her clothes were all mussed. She must have seen the look on my face as she said she'd tripped over some driftwood on the beach. If I didn't know better, I think she was having a good time with a man on the beach."
Stacy felt with this information that it wasn't necessary to speak to the house keeper.
"Well Super, I'd say the proverbial plot thickens. It appears Gail met up with Steve after the four guys left for camp."
"I agree and all of this recent information lends itself to Gail Rimley being our prime suspect," said Stacy suddenly feeling a little hungry. Rory smiled knowing he'd be filling up his tank with some artery hardening breakfast.
While they were eating Stacy's phone went off. "Smiling Sam, how nice to hear from you." She listened and then said, "We'll be over directly.
Murder Mysteries # 2 Page 3