by Ronald Craig
"We still need to open that door," he said looking into her pleading eyes, "…after we look for Rick."
"Thank you, Charlie."
They pulled up to the pumps at the Chevron Station a mile away from the Second Chances shop. Charlie got out to-fill the tank and Jenny went to the office. He watched her approach the repair shop area. When he finished filling the tank he drove over and parked beyond the open bay door. There was only one car on a lift and the other two bays were empty. Jenny was talking to two mechanics when he approached.
"Any luck?" he asked.
"Rick's family moved away in March," she told him. "But these guy's remember an incident." She turned back to them. "Will you tell my husband Charlie what you told me?"
"It was kind of my fault," the young man started. "I saw her pull up for gas and she just sat in her car for maybe five minutes. I thought she needed help or something so I walked out and asked her. Real nasty she says 'fill it up'. I tell her this is a self-serve and that she needs to run her card through the pump. She jumps out of the car and says 'Effing California, what happened to service in this state?' She pulls out twenty bucks, hands it to me and asks 'can you handle it from here?' before getting back in her car. It was a new Mercedes so I put premium in it. As its filling, what a dumb shit I am, I ask her if I should check under the hood. She looks at me and says, 'what are you 12? You think I would let you touch anything in there.'"
Charlie and Jenny exchange glances then he continued.
"So by then I'm totally pissed off, so I pull the nozzle out of her car and walked away. She drove next door to the liquor store. Rick was watching the whole thing and when I told him what she said he went nuts, grabbed a screw driver off the work bench and walks over to her car. She's inside the store and I'm watching him, worried he's going to do something really stupid. The next thing I see is him running back to the shop laughing with the camera in his hand. All he said was 'that will teach the rich bitch.'"
Charlie looked at the man's shirt, "Sam is it?"
"Yes, I'm Sam."
"This was in December, right?"
"Yeah, a few days before New Year's, in the afternoon."
"Can you tell us more about her car?" Jenny asked.
"Black 450 SL, two-seater. New, no plates yet, I remember a picture of a seal or an otter where the plate goes. I don't recall the dealership name though," he said.
"What about her?" Charlie asked.
"A little taller than me. I'm 5'6", so maybe 5'8", blond, late 20's, thin. If she hadn't pissed me off so much, I never would have remembered her."
"You never saw her after that?" Jenny asked.
"No and I was looking. What's this all about? It wasn't that great a camera."
"There was some illegal activity on the tape," Charlie said quickly. "Thank you, Sam for your help."
Charlie and Jenny walked back to their truck. He opened the door for her and she grabbed the pad and started writing. When he got in the truck he glanced at the camera. He took it over to Sam and fast forwarded it to the scene where the woman appeared on the screen.
"Is this the woman you saw?" Charlie asked.
Sam watched the video then said, "I think so. Yeah, that’s her."
"You've been a great help. And Sam, you look every bit of nineteen," Charlie said heading back to the truck.
"I wish she would have run a credit card for gas," he said as he got in.
Jenny looked up from her notes. "That would have been the miracle we need."
Charlie drove to the Marina Police Department. It was a small police station, only a few years old. The entrance was all glass with a set of glass doors that allowed the sun light to brighten the area. The walls were painted a light blue-gray and seemed to have a calming effect in an environment that could have moments of high stress. The filing cabinets were an off white and all matched lining the walls, interrupted only by a couple of windows along one wall, a few office doors on the side wall and a small kitchen counter in the back. Three of the desks in the center were occupied two by young patrolman in uniform busy with paperwork.
They walked up to the front desk and were greeted warmly by Jacque, the front desk attendant.
"Hello, you two! How've you been?" she asked. "You have just got to see what Edwards did after the trial. Follow me."
As they headed towards the back of the office, they spotted Detective Edwards, a very friendly man and a little smitten with Jenny. They had worked together five months earlier when Charlie and Jenny were pulled into the investigation of the whereabouts of a missing girl. As they approached Detective Edwards, he stood up from his desk with a broad smile.
"Hello Jenny, Charlie. Came to see your wall of fame?" he asked.
On the wall above the kitchen counter Jenny saw a sign that read "We honor Watson Investigations" and, below the sign, was a photograph of Charlie and Jenny.
"That's so … funny," she said trying to produce a smile of gratitude. "Thank you, Edwards."
Seeing her awkward smile, Charlie said, "Edwards just wanted your picture on the wall, honey."
"Jenny, I get the feeling from your expression this is not a social call," Chief Walker's voice came from behind them.
"I wish it was, Chief," she said. "I wanted to come by after the guilty verdict was announced to say thank you or spring for lunch or dinner for you all, but…"
"This is very thoughtful, Edwards, and means a lot to us," Charlie said. "Normally Jenny would be dancing with delight but we have something very depressing to show you."
Jenny gave Edwards a hug, "Yes, it is a surprise."
"Let's see what you've got," Chief Walker said, acknowledging the camera as they headed back to his office. "Edwards, bring in the AV unit."
"Right behind you, Chief."
They were all seated and Charlie handed the camera to Detective Edwards. "Jenny has been shooting video with it for the last five months," Charlie said. "We don't know if there may be prints on the camera, but we've never touched the tape inside."
"We have a lot to tell you after you see this," Jenny added.
"I don't find that to be surprising news, Jenny," Walker said. He noticed the legal pad in Jenny's hands and hit his intercom. "Jacque, will you come in here?"
A moment later she poked her head in the door, "Yes, Chief?"
"We'll need three copies of Jenny's notes."
Jenny handed her the pad with a smile then turned back to the Chief. "You don't miss much."
"Have to stay on our toes around Watson Investigations. You set there, Edwards?"
"Yes, Chief," he said and then turned to Charlie. "Start it from where it is?"
"Oh, no; rewind it to the beginning."
When the tape stopped rewinding, Edwards hit play and they all sat back and watched.
Chapter 6
The office was quiet as the video switched to the scenes showing Charlie at work. He stood up and pressed stop on the camera. "That's it. The rest is like this," Charlie said.
Walker and Edwards were looking at the copies Jacque had given them of Jenny's notes during the video.
"I'm sorry this fell into your hands," Walker said, looking at Charlie and Jenny. "Not because it doesn't need to be investigated, but because I already see your emotional attachment. We will have to keep the tape. Do you need a copy of your construction?"
"I made a copy," Charlie said.
"Edwards, we need to dust the camera and record its serial number, make and model, as well as for the tape," Walker said. Turning back to Charlie and Jenny he added, "I don't think we'll get much off the camera, but I don't want it to sit in an FBI evidence box and have Jenny miss capturing those better times."
"If you think it will help, we can replace the camera," Jenny said.
"We know where it is if we need it. Given the nature of this, it's a Federal crime and I'm required to turn it over to the FBI. That is… after Edwards and I do some follow up on the investigation you two have started."
"You'll let
us know what you find?" Jenny asked.
"Of course. I'm sure the FBI will be out to talk to you as well."
"Jenny is concerned that it'll get lost in Federal hands. Will they keep you updated?"
"Probably not unless they need something from us. I don't pull much weight with the federal boys and that's why we'll take it as far as we can before they pull it away."
"Thank you, Chief. We know you will," Jenny said.
"Edwards will bring your camera out to you when he's done with it. I'll call in a few days with whatever we find or if we have any questions on your notes."
They stood up to leave and after Charlie shook Chief Walker's hand Jenny gave him a hug. As they walked through the squad room they waved and said good bye to Detective Edwards and Jacque.
When they entered their mobile home, Charlie said, "I'm going to work. Are you going to be alright Jenny?"
"Yes. I've got plenty to do in checking the last shipment of plumbing and electrical fixtures."
"If I was talking to the architect, I'd buy that. I'm asking the gal whose compassion is like a sky rocket with a parachute, quick take off and a slow decent back to earth."
"I'm working on letting it go," she told him. "The woman was from out of state…, her complaint about no service at the station in California."
"We're back to Oregon. They don't have self-serve gas stations," Charlie walked back to the bedroom to change his clothes. Jenny went into the construction office and picked up the packing list from the delivery that had arrived that morning. She attached it to a clip board to take outside but stopped as she passed through the living room. She stared at the video tape that was sitting on top of the player, then turned and went back to the office. She laid the clip board down and picked up her notes from earlier. Charlie poked his head in the office and saw the notes in her hand. "It was a new Mercedes; I'd look for a dealer in Oregon or Northern California for that seal logo."
Jenny looked up slightly startled and grabbed the clip board with the packing list and showed it to him, "I have it right here."
"Yeah, I see that and it can wait, sweetheart. Find the dealer with a seal logo," he said smiling as he left for the construction site. He was hoping that working on Watson Manor would replace the nonstop questions consuming his thoughts on finding the monsters that were dealing children. Charlie walked into the ground floor and was greeted by Bob.
"Afternoon, Junior. What's going on?"
"Hey Pop, you've seen Jenny running around here with the video camera?"
"I was sworn to secrecy. Don't know how you never caught her in the act."
"Well she bought it used and it had an old tape in it. The beginning of the tape showed five children, four and five years old…they were selling these kids Pop!"
"My God. There was an article…about a month ago on black market kids in The Bulletin. Are you sure it was real, not kids goofing around?"
"It looked real. We took it to Chief Walker. Hopefully they'll make some progress."
"That's so depressing. I'll bet Jenny is going nuts."
"Yes, she is. We seem to get pulled into some pretty strange things. That article you read, what was it about?"
"An adoption attorney was busted for illegally placing children. The system is so screwed up, you have all these children needing loving homes and couples lined up with open arms, yet it still takes years to bring them together."
"That sounds close to home?"
"Over twenty years ago, when Charlene and I first tried to adopt, we were a little over a year into the process when I was laid off, a framer then. Construction has always been cyclic but that down time put the brakes on our adoption. Charlene couldn't have loved little Heather more, it tore her up when the adoption fell through. But she's a fighter. That's when she went and got her paralegal certificate. Five years later we went back with two incomes and finally brought the twins home."
"Justin and Jason are honor-roll seniors now, right? They were lucky you didn't give up, Pop. It breaks my heart to see those faces on the video. We need to find these bastards selling children."
"Let the police handle it, Junior. I'd hate to see anything happen to you and Jenny. This is big business, run by very bad people."
"I know you're right, but when I walk through a parking lot and spot a screw or nail on the ground, I pick it up to save someone a flat tire. How could I possibly walk away from this?"
"I had to say it, even knowing it would fall on stubborn ears," Bob said.
"Yeah, Pop, like you'd feel differently."
"Didn't say I did, but it's still good advice, Junior."
*****
Jenny quickly found little success in her search of Mercedes dealerships with a seal or otter logo. She started making a list of all the coastal dealerships she would place a call to. She recalled the gas station attendant commenting on the driver's displeasure with pumping her own gas in California so it seemed logical she had not been in California very long and probably from Oregon. The dealership seemed to be the best place to start but she wasn't even sure if the car belonged to her. The woman seemed to be more than hired help in the video and if the car was hers and the camera was stolen from her before the auction, then there must have been previous sales. Jenny shuddered as the thought crossed her mind. She saw flashes of frightened children being transferred from a delivery van in some remote location to the highest bidder. She felt herself being pulled into a state of overwhelming hopelessness and frustration.
"Damn you!" she yelled, turning her focus back to the dealer list. She reached for the phone, starting with the dealers that were the closest to the Marina area, working her way north. She had called 12 dealerships and felt some relief that she wasn't searching for a brand of car with more dealerships.
"Mercedes Benz of Palo Alto," she was greeted.
"Hello, does your dealership have a seal or otter logo?" Jenny asked.
"No, sorry. We don't have a logo beyond the Mercedes brand logo."
"It was an image where the license plate goes on a new Mercedes."
"I'm sure we can match the price and model you saw. Where are you located?"
"I saw the car in Marina this last December. I'm looking to find the owner. It's important and all I recall was her license plate image."
"Wait a minute, December? It’s a bad month anyway but there was a dealer…let me think…Seal and Save…no, Seal the Deal and Save. That was it, a fifty year anniversary sale they were running with the image of a seal."
"That's great! Do you recall the dealer?"
"In the area. It was a ghost town here because of it. Huge ad campaign. Hold on a minute," he said as he started digging through his desk files. "Walter Mercedes Benz in San Jose. The sale was November and December, nobody could compete with it."
"Thank you so much. You've been a great help," she told him.
"My name is Jack when you are ready to get your Mercedes."
"When that day comes, you'll be my first call, Jack," Jenny hung up the phone, and turned back to her computer, entered the dealer's name and was able to find their web-site. She opened a tab labeled "50 Years" and found the sales campaign with the promotional image of a seal. She printed the page and headed out the door to show it to Charlie when a Marina Police car pulled up in the driveway. Detective Edwards was getting out of the car as she walked over.
"Hello Jenny, I have your camera."
"Hi, Edwards. I think I found the Mercedes dealer, with the seal plate," she told him handing him the printed copy.
"That’s a big help, we can pull their sales records and start digging," he said, handing her the camera.
"Any prints on it besides mine to help?"
"No, but the tape was good."
"That's great!" she said, quickly noticing a hesitant look in his eyes. "There's something you're not telling me, Edwards. It's written all over your face."
"We got a hit on the finger prints: a Jane Doe found by Santa Cruz P.D. in December."
"
Oh my God! Did she look like the gal on the video?"
"She was the right height and weight. No facial confirmation, but the prints confirm it was her."
"No facial? Oh, we only had her profile on the video. The blond hair maybe?"
"Jenny…they didn't find her head."
Chapter 7
Charlie saw the Marina Police car pull in and left the construction site to join them. He arrived just in time to see the color drain from Jenny's face and he quickly grabbed her as Detective Edwards was attempting to give her the same support.
"Sorry, Charlie. I'm afraid I delivered some shocking news."
"Not one of the kids?" Charlie asked, pulling Jenny into an embrace.
"No. We found the woman in the video. She had been murdered in December," Edwards said.
"They cut her head off!" Jenny gasped.
"It clearly indicates you two need to let this go."
"Someone was very disappointed that she lost the camera," Charlie said.
"And wanted to keep her identity a mystery, at least from a photo or driver's license," Edwards added. "With what Jenny found on the dealership, I'm sure the Chief and I will be able to find out what her name was from their records."
"The camera man knew her profile was in the video and it could link back. Were his prints on the tape?" Jenny asked, still in Charlie's arms.
"There was another set, but no hits yet," Edwards said. "Let me get this dealership info back to the Chief and we'll be in touch."
"Thank you, Edwards," Charlie said leading Jenny into the trailer.
"When she told them the camera was stolen, they would have retraced her movements to find the camera, Charlie," Jenny said, brainstorming aloud.
"Jenny, we're done here! She was savagely murdered."
"Five months ago. I'm sure they have given up looking for the camera."
"You're sure? I'm surely not willing to bet your life on that. We have to let the police handle it."
"I'm not saying we track them down, but if I can give them help, I need to do that, Charlie."