“Okay, so that’s her alibi. I’ll check that out if you can dig into Mrs. Crawford.”
“What about your brother? Does he have an alibi for the time of the murder?”
“He left at noon.”
“Sandy, give me some credit for chrissake. He could have gone back up there later that afternoon and shot Towson. Does he have an alibi for the rest of the afternoon?”
“He was driving around trying to see people. I’m investigating his alibi.”
“Okay, go ahead and bullshit me. He has no alibi or you’d be screaming it from the rooftops.” She rolled back her chair. “It’s getting late. Let me buy you a drink. I know a special bar. We can eat there too. You can even dance if you want to.”
“Thanks, Linda, but that’s not me. How about a sandwich and a cup of coffee instead? Someplace we can talk.”
“I’ll settle for that—for the time being. Let’s go, I’m dying to hear about your unnamed police source.” She held the door for Sandy. “We’d better take my pickup. Your car stands out like a Georgia peach in a bushel of Vidalia onions.”
“I’ve heard.”
Linda frowned. “In fact, I think you should hide it. My advice is for you to keep a low profile. Soon the town will take notice of the killer’s sister. They just might direct some of their anger at you.”
“Well then, we better take your pickup. My car is probably rigged for an explosion when I turn the key.”
Linda didn’t smile and that bothered Sandy, surely the town’s hostility can’t be that serious. It was fortunate this influential reporter talked like a friend and seemed to be coming to her side. One of her big worries was the investigation would just drag on and on, and Sandy didn’t have that kind of time.
Linda seemed receptive; maybe right then was the time to take a chance and get things moving. She stopped in the middle of the parking lot and faced Linda. “Look, I can tell you some other things. This is bigger than you think. People you know around town were brought into this. There’s a woman who stands to gain financially from the killing. There’s another person who has been missing since the murder. Trust me, Linda, the investigation is broadening.”
“And you’re the one who’s going to pull it all together. You think you can handle all this stuff by your cute little self?”
“You don’t think I can?”
Linda stared at her for ten seconds and then said, “Sugar, I don’t think there’s anyone who can stop you.”
Chapter 18
That evening, Sandy left Ray’s apartment and walked the three blocks to the corner convenience store for munchies. After the sandwich with Linda, she had worked straight through until after dark doing research with her laptop. Now it was too late to cook even if she had wanted to.
She was pleased with her initial meeting with Linda Call. She had accomplished a crucial part of her purpose. A sympathetic connection with the reporter now seemed possible.
As she came back out of the store, a uniformed cop was standing directly in front leaning against the hood of a red pickup. The truck was large with an oversized bulging grill, an appropriate match for the big and out of shape cop.
“Well, imagine running into you here.” His voice had the smarmy tone of self-importance. “I’m Sergeant Huress, Bobby Huress. I know who you are.”
She remembered Chip’s comment about him. “Bobby Huress, huh? Are you on the Towson case?”
“Well, not officially. I do things for Moran now and then. I want to talk to you.”
“Sure. Too late tonight, though. How about we talk tomorrow?”
“No, it’s important. We could just sit here in my truck for a minute.”
She looked at the sergeant in his uniform, then at his pickup, and then around at the brightly lit parking lot with people going in and out of the store.
“There’s something I can do to help your brother. I’ll explain. It’ll just take a minute.”
He held the truck door open for her. After some hesitation, she slid in.
“Pretty nice huh?” he said.
“What’s that?”
“My truck.” He settled in on the driver’s side. “I understand you want to help your brother, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. To do it all yourself, you'd have to know your way around. You’d have to run around to weird places you’ve never been before. And talk to important lawyers and the police. Face up to all kinds of strangers and be ready with smart answers. It could get real creepy for a young woman. A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be worrying about such stuff.” He chuckled slightly. “I bet all the boys tell you you’re pretty.”
Geez, another man who underestimates her. “Huress, talk about the case, do we have anything to discuss?” She should have trusted her instincts. This was a waste of time.
“Well, I might be able to help you. People listen to me down here. You know what I mean, a sergeant on the police force? No doubt, I could get your brother out immediately, if I wanted to bad enough. It would be up to you. Know what I’m saying? Let me take you somewhere and we can talk.”
“You mean like you could take me to dinner and explain it all.”
“Wasn’t thinking about a dinner, but I know a place.”
“We’re not moving from this spot. You have ten seconds to start talking.”
“Well, I know how to get him released, but I’d have to stick my neck out. Let me be frank with you, Sandy, I won’t do it for nothing. I need to get something from you in return.”
“I wonder what that would be.”
He gave her a crooked smile. “Hey, it would get your brother out.”
“Forget it Bobby, it ain’t gonna happen. And I don’t believe for a second you can get him released.”
“You think you’re the smart one here, but you’re dead wrong. You see, I’ve been doing little jobs for Moran for a long time. Some of them, well, let’s just say he owes me. True, I can’t get the charges dropped, but I sure as hell can get him out on bail, if I put in the word. That is, if you’re nice to me.”
“So, if I put out for you, you’ll put in for me? Stop with this brainless proposition, Huress. You’re putting your job on the line here.” She put her hand on the door handle. “I can’t believe you tried this.”
“Tried what? No proposition. You and I met and we got interested in each other, happens all the time, it’s natural. Just something between us and nobody else will ever know. In the morning, it’s like it never happened except you’ve gotten him released. You’ve the power to do that. You might even be saving his life. If you don’t, something bad might happen to him that you could have prevented, and you’re the one to blame.” He took the keys out of his pocket and put them in the ignition. “Come on, let’s go.”
“No!” She glanced around, no other customers were parked or in the store just now.
“I promise you’ll be in control. Whatever you say, that’s it. You say stop, we stop. You say take me home, I take you home. It would be the smart thing to do because you’d be getting your brother out.”
Her hand was still on the door handle. Her choice was to stay inside within his precarious reach and tell the creep off, or to get out now, run and be safe. Her fight or flight response was never in question, she couldn’t resist the fight. “You have a wife?”
“A wife?”
“Yes, that person who takes care of your house, cleans your toilets, feeds you and the dog? The one who’s home right now giving your kids baths and tucking them in bed?”
His face turned red. “Why you little smartass bitch….”
“You’ve been stalking me haven’t you? Don’t you realize what you’re doing right now? I can’t believe you’re dumb enough to try this.” She pulled the door lever. “Hey, this door is locked!”
“Well, it sticks sometimes. You see this badge?” He turned his body slightly so she could see it. The movement also exposed the gun on his hip. “I could make a lot of trouble for you and your brother. I hoped it wouldn’t come down to this but you’re
forcing me. Now I know you’re sitting there thinking you’re the one in control of this situation, and you can brush me aside, but there’s something you didn’t consider.”
“I’m saying no to you. Let me out you creep.”
“Listen. You don’t realize this but they should have transferred your brother out to county jail long ago. Moran has overlooked it but I keep on top of everything. Gangs of cretins are out there who’d love to get friendly with your brother just as fast as they can rip off his jumpsuit. After twenty-four hours at County, don’t be shocked if he pleads guilty. And he’ll never forgive you. You could have made it easy for him. Now none of that has to happen. You could be friendly with the nice sergeant here. What’s the big deal? What you’re giving me you’ll never miss anyway. Just relax and go along.”
His slimy words crawled on her skin. She gave a quick look around the cab to spot something for defense: a screwdriver, a ballpoint, anything. His revolver was holstered in plain sight but it was unlikely she could take it away from him.
He was breathing heavily now. “You see what you’ve done to me.” He started rubbing his crotch. “I’m willing to compromise. It’s dark here, just put your pretty little head down. Do it and your brother will be out walking in the sunshine tomorrow. No one will ever know.” He unzipped his pants and reached for her hand.
“Unlock this door now!”
“Or what? You a black belt or something?”
She couldn’t just sit there, he would just keep coming at her. She had to upset the situation somehow, get him off balance. “Why don’t you give up on me here? Take your fantasies somewhere else and jerk off.”
He swung fast with the back of his right hand. She barely had time to duck. He made a loud grunt as his hand smashed and cracked the rear glass. He grabbed the back of her hair fiercely. He tried to force her head down. His other hand reached into his open fly. She stretched up and held the horn down with one hand. She jerked his keys out of the ignition with the other. Her fist closed around the mass of keys with the sharp ends jutting out between her clinched knuckles like some bizarre medieval weapon. She was certain she could smash into one of his eyes. Then she would scrape across his face to the other eye. With any luck, she thought, the pain and blood would occupy him enough so she could go for his gun. She hoped it was loaded.
Just then, the truck shook with a sudden bang. They both were jolted forward against the dash.
Sandy heard a familiar voice call out, “You okay in there, Sugar?”
He yanked open his door and sprang out of the truck. His hand instinctively moved to the butt of his holstered gun. He stood facing Linda Call. She was standing there motionless with her arms folded across her chest and her feet spread wide apart. The pickups were bumper to bumper. He stared at her with wide eyes, still panting heavily.
Linda pointed to his open pants and laughed. “Go ahead, make my day.”
He shifted around awkwardly trying to close his fly but some material was caught in the zipper. He looked back at Sandy and yelled, “Does Goddard know you’re a lesbo? Get the fuck out of my truck before you stink it up!”
Sandy was over at Linda’s pickup before she realized his key ring was still tightly gripped in her hand. She heaved them as far as she could into the darkness of the adjacent vacant lot.
Chapter 19
The number one task for Sandy the next morning was at the newspaper office. The obnoxious assault by Huress had unsettled her mind. She wanted to be certain she had thanked Linda. In addition, something else about Linda bothered her.
It was Friday; the newsroom was busy and carried a high-level jumble of voices, keyboard clicks, and printer noise. Linda pulled a chair over for her. “You really were shaken last night when I dropped you off. You should have let me come in for a minute.”
“Now that I think about it, you’re right. We could have had a cup of tea, and you could have talked me down. I was so hyper I couldn’t sleep.”
“Yes, a horny two-hundred-pounder with a gun can do that.”
“Hush up or I’ll start shivering again. One of his threats was to see they transferred Raymond out to the county jail immediately. He’s probably taking care of that this morning.”
“Huress might have been acting on orders from Moran.”
“Geez, does Moran play like that?”
“I‘ve never liked him, he’s a pain in the ass.” Linda stared up at the ceiling for a moment. “After I let you out last night, I sat watching you go in and was thinking. You kept thanking me, but I had the feeling you didn’t want me in your apartment because you were worried about me. You know, about me bothering you. I’m sorry, don’t answer, bad timing. I shouldn’t hit you with that right now.”
“No, it’s okay. You’re right. I felt so vulnerable, I just wanted to go hide under the covers. I was going to take out his eye if you hadn’t shown up when you did. I hate it when I get in those angry moods. You know, I wondered how you happened to show up just at the right time.”
“Just dumb luck, I guess. I was headed to the girl bar and that convenience store is on the way. There was something I wanted to get.”
Something wasn’t straight about her story. “Linda, did you follow me last night? You came to my rescue at just the perfect time. And you took me straight home after, without me telling you where I lived.” She fixed her eyes on Linda.
“Okay, I was following you. Sorry if I misjudged you. It was the reporter in me. You were just too much when you showed up yesterday, and I became suspicious. I had to find out more about you. After we had that sandwich, we came back here to pick up your car. You zipped out of the lot and I got the dumb reporter idea to follow you.”
Sandy didn’t buy it. “But I was working in the apartment for a couple of hours before I went out. You just parked out front?”
“For awhile, thinking you were just changing clothes and would head back out. I started to leave when I saw Huress pull up. Then I got interested because maybe he was on the clock, and I’d stumbled onto some investigation. You might say I staked out the cop on the stakeout. Later he followed you to the store. I followed him. He never saw me. I watched you guys from across the street.”
Sandy didn't completely believe her story and was upset with herself for trusting Linda too soon. “I suspected he was stalking me.”
“Huress has been in trouble before. He used to be Towson’s official driver when he was mayor. That’s how he met and married Tony Hackett’s sister. Tony Hackett was Towson’s right hand man even back then.”
“So, Bobby Huress’ wife is Tony Hackett’s sister. What kind of trouble did Huress get into?”
“He was caught filling up his personal vehicles using the city’s gas credit card. Tony offered to pay for the charges and it was all hushed up, but Towson tried to get Huress fired over it.”
“Meaning, Huress might have had it in for Towson?”
“Of course, Huress is not one to forget.”
“I’ve another suspicion about him. Something about the line he was handing me last night to get me to come across. At first, he was understandably nervous about me being there, but when he started in with the proposition part, he was too cool. As if he had practiced the routine and rehearsed the lines. He anticipated my objections and was ready with his response. I think he's done it all before.”
“Boys have been using those lines on girls ever since back seats were invented.”
“No, I mean he’s done it before, there in his truck.”
“I don’t get you.”
“What if that had been an immature girl sitting there shaking because Huress had just caught her boyfriend stealing a pack of cigarettes. He didn’t dream that deal up just for me. Of course, he changed it around to fit my situation. But he knew all the right words. He knew the routine because it works and he uses it. A terrified girl couldn’t stand up to his uniform, badge, and gun. It’d be way easy for him. Suppose he does cruise around looking for victims?”
“Tha
t’s a serious sex crime, but I wouldn’t put it past any male. Even if true, Sandy, you don’t need this right now. Hanging Huress for his sexual assault on you would be a full time job, and you already have your hands full.”
“Damn it! I hate to let another predatory man get away with that shit.” She took a deep breath. “I don’t know. You’re probably right. What do I do? Maybe I should ask Chip what he thinks.”
That name definitely got Linda’s attention. “Chip, Chip? Oh, my God, the girl’s uptight with Detective Chip Goddard. The unnamed police source gets named.”
“I didn’t mean to say that! Forget that! Please don’t get him in trouble, Linda, please. I’ll do whatever you want.”
“I don’t want you to do anything.” She laughed. “But I can’t go to jail for what I’m thinking.”
“You’re a sweetheart, I mean—we’re buddies?”
“Just buddies.”
“You’ve got a big hug coming. And I’m not uptight with him. Not yet anyway.”
“You do know he’s got a live-in girl friend.”
Sandy didn’t know and didn’t want to know. “Not surprising, I suppose.”
“That’s all you have to say?”
“Look, there’s nothing between us. I could care less who he’s living with.” Then she couldn’t resist. “Do you know her?”
“I’ve met her. Very nice. Sharon Abelson, a legal secretary.”
She had at least a dozen more questions about Miss Legal Secretary, but decided to shake it off, at least for the time being. Her phone buzzed. It was Chip. She turned away from Linda to take the call.
He said, “Problem here. I wanted to warn you. Huress saw us at the Coffee Spot yesterday and ran to Moran. Now Moran is in an uproar. He wants to meet with me, the chief and Huress this afternoon.”
“Wait, wait, when did he tattle on you?”
“Yesterday, I just told you.”
“What time yesterday?”
“What difference does the time make? It was yesterday, I don’t know, in the afternoon, just before quitting time.”
“So, it was long before yesterday evening. Are you in big trouble over this?”
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