Now it was making more sense. This piece, along with what Mr. Forrest Chaney had told me, was making this puzzle come together quickly. I just needed a couple more pieces.
~
L eroy’s cruiser was parked in front of the sheriff’s office. I needed to catch up on a few things and now was a good a time.
“Leroy, how did the interview go with Billy Vickers?” I asked.
“It didn’t. He’s skipped – whereabouts unknown. We’ve got the state police looking for him and his car. Hopefully they’ll round him up before he does something stupid.”
“I hope so too, I’ve got a couple of questions I like to ask him,” I said rubbing my chin.
“You’re no virgin there. I’ve got a lot of questions and the FBI probably have just as many as I do.” Leroy hated to have other agencies do his work. I know he was pissed.
“Did you guys ever get a match on the plaster tire tracks at the lake?”
Jeff answered for Leroy. “Yes sir we did. You were right, it was Charlotte’s car that drove down that dirt road and parked. There were other tracks that didn’t match anything we could find, but her car was definitely there.”
“Did you guys dust her car for prints?”
Leroy jumped back in. “Damn it Carson, you know we did. We found four sets of prints, Charlotte, Travis Luckey, Billy Vickers and another set we could not match – could be from anybody and we obviously don’t know when any of the prints were made. You got any ideas?”
“Maybe. Would it possible for me to go upstairs and ask Travis a question?” I asked Leroy directly.
“No it would not. Mickey Campbell is also up there and Brad Knuchols will be there as soon as Scotty gets him here from the hospital. And when I get my hands on Billy Vickers I intend to lock him up along with everybody else. I don’t know what charge, but I’ll think of something. However, if you have a question, I’ll bring him down later so he’s alone and ask him myself. Will that work?” Leroy was playing hard ball. The Billy Vickers thing really had him on edge.
“Yes, I guess it will have to work.”
“So – what question do you want me to ask Travis?”
“I want to know if Charlotte carried a baseball bat in her car for protection. A lot of girls do, and since you didn’t find one in her car, maybe this could turn out to be our murder weapon.”
“Well Mr. Detective, if Travis used that baseball bat to kill Charlotte, do you think he will tell us about it?”
“No, I don’t. But if his answer is yes, she did carry a bat, and he does tell you about it – what does that tell you about Travis?”
Both Leroy and Jeff looked at each other and then back at me. Leroy spoke first, “I’m not sure, but I’m going to be interested in his answer.”
“Carson, do you think I should go out to the lake and take another look? We didn’t find any bat the first time, but it wouldn’t hurt to try again,” Jeff said.
“If the bat is the murder weapon, I don’t think you’ll find it there.”
“Then where should we look?” Leroy asked.
“I don’t know yet – but I’m working on it.”
I told them both I was headed back to Chiefs and to please let me know what Travis had to say and when/if they caught up with Billy Vickers.
~
I used the payphone outside Chiefs to call Larry Parker. His update was a good one. The grand jury would convene tomorrow and both police Chief Chuck Hutchinson and Shelby County Sheriff Carlton Scruggs had been placed on administrative leave. Ex-mayor Brian Jeffers had been arrested along with his chief aide, Darlene Lassiter. They were expected to make quick bail, but were also expected to be subpoenaed by the grand jury. Current mayor Roger Thurbush had scheduled a news conference for tomorrow and announcement of his resignation was expected.
The investigation into the death of Barry ‘Butch’ Lassiter had been reopened with Bubba Knight and Bobby James named as ‘persons of interest’ in that case and also in the mysterious death of Watson and Amy Clark. Larry also told me that Bubba and Bobby had been picked up at the horse track in Hot Springs, and were currently resting comfortably in a Shelby County jail cell.
There would certainly be more carnage when the grand jury started asking questions, but for now, I had Larry’s permission to return to Memphis from my extended fishing trip. I was looking forward to doing that – I just needed to clear up this beauty queen murder first.
Next I phoned Monica with a summary of Larry’s update, and told her she could also return to Memphis without fear of being hassled by the press. The grand jury might also want to talk with her, but she and I would discuss that when we both got back to town.
~
N ickie had seen me arrive and already had a jack/coke waiting when I took my favorite stool at the bar.
“Ted Blaylock called for you,” she said.
“Great, let me call him back,” I started to get up.
“No, let me,” she interrupted. “He said to let him know when you showed up and he would stop by and share a drink with you.”
“That is terrific, I would be proud to buy Mr. Blaylock a drink – several if he would like.”
Nickie went to that impossible payphone over the jukebox and made a call. She returned quickly and said he was on his way.
I looked over the crowd in Chiefs – most were regulars – here every night. As I checked their faces, I wondered how many had known Charlotte Luckey? I wondered how many knew she was dead and, better yet, how many cared? I wondered if they had any different definition of beauty – one different from everyone else’s? I doubted it. I also doubted that they ever gave a thought to the price some pay for that beauty. In most cases it’s a failed marriage, a destroyed family or a ruined career. In Charlotte’s case it was the ultimate price – her life.
~
T ed entered by the rear door and took the stool next to mine.
I greeted him, “Mr. Blaylock, it is a please to see you again. I understand I will be allowed to buy you a drink – that would be both an honor and a pleasure.”
“Hell, Carson, I thought I was going to buy you a drink! Why don’t we just have one and work out the financing later? OK?”
“That’s a deal,” I said, then turned and yelled at Nickie. “You have a customer here that requires immediate attention. Please get him whatever he enjoys.”
“Carson,” she snapped back. “Ted is not a customer, he’s family – there is a difference.”
“Oh really? And what am I?” I asked.
“Stupid, you’re family too and you know it. Let me get that drink – Vodka tonic for you Ted, if I remember correctly,” Nickie said heading behind the bar.
I immediately asked Ted, “I assume Phillip Chaney flew back in today. Is that what you wanted to see me about?”
“Yep. And I’m not sure how you knew it – or if you knew it – but that airplane has been traveling some serious miles over the past few months.”
“Ted, I didn’t know it. But, I suspected there was more than what I was seeing on the surface with Phillip Chaney. People lie for a reason, and usually that reason revolves around one of two things – women and money. In his case, maybe both. Tell me what you learned from the logs?”
“In the past 6 months that plane has made numerous short trips – which we knew. But it also has made 12 very long trips – 1800 mile round trip flights – one almost every other week.”
“Could you determine the destination of these flights?” I asked.
“Not at first,” Ted said while scratching his head. “I did know they were north to south and south to north. I found a fuel receipt from Lufkin, Texas – which is about 450 air miles from Memphis – a safe fuel range for that plane. For the 900 mile leg it would require at least one stop each way.”
“Interesting,” I frowned. “You said 900 mile leg - then you did learn the destination – right?’
“Yep, on one of the flights last month the plane developed a carburetor problem, and it
required a repair – which was, of course, in the log book. Carson, this plane has been making two trips per month to an airport in Mexico – Ramiez, Mexico, to be exact. I looked at the map – it’s just south and west of Brownsville, Texas.”
“Ted, if I thought it wouldn’t embarrass me and everyone in this bar, I would give you a hug. That is the best piece of detective work I have seen in a long time. If you ever want to be a detective, I’ve got a spot for you. Excellent information!”
Nickie sensed the excitement and walked over. “Okay, fellows. Somebody want to let me in on what this is all about?”
“Nickie, Ted’s tab is on me for the rest of this year – he’s earned it,” I said patting him on the back.
“Yea? What did he do?” Now she was curious.
“Don’t worry about it – just make sure I get the bill.”
Ted and I talked for another hour about everything. He told war stories, I told detective stories, and Nickie brought drinks and just kept shaking her head.
As Ted was leaving I saw Leroy’s cruiser pull into the parking lot. I thanked Ted again and told him I would catch up with him soon. He was a very nice guy.
Leroy took Ted’s stool and ordered coffee. I ordered another jack/coke. Leroy said nothing.
“Leroy, when you aren’t talking it tells me you have a lot to say. So let’s hear it.”
“Travis said Charlotte always carried a baseball bat in her car. He said, in fact, he is the one who gave her the bat and suggested she keep it in the car for protection.”
“Okay, sheriff, what does that tell you?” I nodded.
“I’m not sure. It either tells me he’s innocent or the bat had nothing to do with the murder – I guess.”
“Did you ever pick up Billy Vickers?”
“Sure did – or rather the State Police did. I’m not sure where they found him, but they delivered him to my jail about a half hour ago.”
“Leroy, I want you to go get on your radio – call the office and have Jeff or Scotty ask Billy a question. Can you do that?”
“Sure, what is the question?”
“Have them tell him that they know he was in Charlotte’s car the night she disappeared. And then have them ask him if the baseball bat was in the car when he was with Charlotte. He may be surprised by the question or he may not – we need to know his reaction – but dependent upon how he answers, I think we may have this mystery solved.”
“You’re shitting me – right,” Leroy frowned.
“No. Just go make the call. We’ll discuss when you get an answer.”
Leroy made the radio call and then waited in his cruiser for the response. I had another Jack Daniel’s and coke.
He was talking when he walked back in the bar, “According to Billy Vickers, the baseball bat was in her car – just where it always was. Jeff said his reaction was passive – he didn’t seem surprised or shocked by the question. Now tell me – what the hell does that prove?”
“Leroy, I have a few pieces that are not yet in place – but I think if I can get everybody together, we can add those few missing pieces and all go home and sleep good tomorrow night. Can we do that?”
“Who is everybody?”
“You already have Mickey, Travis, Billy Vickers and Brad Knuchols in your jail – correct?”
“Correct.”
“I need Denny Smith, James Gannon, Phillip Chaney, and Ted Blaylock to join the meeting. Ted will volunteer, I’ve already briefed him. The others you will need to drag in – use your imagination and office power. Can you handle that?” I asked.
“What about the FBI? Agent Giltner?” he asked.
“Okay, bring him along too – good idea.”
“What time tomorrow do you want to have this ‘gathering’?”
“Not early – let’s do 11:00 AM, I need my beauty sleep.”
“What would you suggest I tell these people the meeting is about – Mr. Detective. I can’t just drag people in for no reason?”
“I don’t care – Mr. Sheriff. We are trying to solve a murder and these people are involved – just tell them routine questioning. They won’t know it’s a gathering until they get there – correct?”
“Guess I need to start looking for another job – I’ll never get re-elected,” Leroy was shaking his head.
“Just trust me friend. Set it up and I’ll see you at your office tomorrow at 11.”
He left still shaking his head. Leroy was my friend, I would never do anything to make him look bad – and underneath that tough shell, he knew that.
Solution
A s Leroy and I had discussed, all parties were assembled in the downstairs conference room of the Gibson County Sheriff’s office. Some wore county provided clothing and handcuffs – some did not. This was my show – I had better make it work.
Along with our cast of characters were sheriff Epsee, deputies Jeff Cole, Scotty Perry and FBI agent Giltner. The room was full.
“I’ll skip introductions and formality,” I started. “You know who I am and I know most of you. You are here because we believe each of you have some knowledge and/or involvement in the disappearance and untimely death of Charlotte Luckey. We are together going to discuss that this morning. Here are the rules - I talk and you listen. Please answer when I ask you a question.”
Immediately James Gannon stood up. “I have no knowledge or involvement in the death of Charlotte Luckey and resent being here. I’m leaving,” he said stepping toward the door.
“No, Coach Gannon you are not leaving,” I answered frankly. “These deputies will make sure you don’t. Whether you did or you didn’t have any knowledge or involvement will soon come out. But if it will make you feel any better, you can consider you’re here because you are an asshole. Now, unless you want one of those orange suits and handcuffs, please sit down and shut up. OK?”
He sat down.
“Okay, Travis Luckey, let’s start with you,” I began. “You were the goat in this whole scheme. You owed the mob and Mickey Campbell a lot of money – we don’t know how much. Mickey might tell us later, but I doubt it.
To repay this debt, you, Mickey and Denny come up with a plan to fake your daughter’s kidnapping and ransom $50K from Phillip Chaney. Travis, I’m not sure what low part of the earth you come from, but that is just about as low as you can get.
Anyway, with the ransom money, Mickey gets paid what he is owed and you, Travis, would get some money to continue your life – at least that is what you thought the plan was. You somehow drag Charlotte into the deal and she agrees, because she loves you – her no good father. The plan is for you and Charlotte to disappear after the Maxwell party – Mickey, or one of his thugs would collect the ransom and everybody lives happily ever after. Your meeting with Mickey at the Country Club was to confirm the arrangement and set the plan in motion. Only something goes wrong.
Your plan was to meet Charlotte at Bailey Park and then disappear. But when you get to the park, she isn’t there – just her car. You got scared and ran. The next morning you call Mickey, but he claims he doesn’t know where Charlotte is either. He offers to put you up at his warehouse in Jackson, which is where you stayed until putting the gun in my ear at the drive-in movie. We know where you were because our Mr. Gannon threw you out of his club on Saturday night and the cab driver took you to Mickey’s warehouse. We also know the ransom delivery call on Tuesday was made from a pay phone just around the corner from that warehouse. Mickey threatened you and forced you to make the ransom call – they needed that in order to complete their plan. However, Charlotte was still missing and you figured you would be next. So you stole her car, hassled me at the drive-in and ultimately ended up here in Leroy’s jail charged with your daughter’s murder. Did I miss anything?”
Travis said nothing - he just stared at the floor.
“Now to you, Phillip Chaney. You’re being blackmailed – not by just anybody, but your own half brother. Blackmailed to protect your father. Your half brother, Denny Smith,
had threatened to kill your father if you didn’t cooperate. You’re paying the blackmail in small sums – $10 thousand here, $20 thousand there – but eventually your father got suspicious and wanted to know where all the money was going. That’s when you started supplementing the blackmail by making drug runs to Mexico – bringing drugs back for your brother’s use and, most likely, his sale for additional cash.
Then one day the stakes get higher – probably because of money Denny owed to Mickey and his crowd. We don’t know that for sure, but maybe he’ll also tell us about that later. Regardless, the small sums weren’t enough and Denny wanted more – so here comes the kidnapping plot. You bought into the scheme from the beginning – maybe believing you had no choice. Then somebody has the bright idea to involve me - believing I would add some legitimacy to the madness – thinking of me as another goat, like Travis. You didn’t intend on the police getting involved, but it really wouldn’t matter. If the police were watching the drop, Mickey would just send Travis to get arrested. Either way, you eventually hand the money over to Denny. Charlotte shows up, Mickey forgives debts and everybody walks away happier and much richer – except Travis, of course.
So to complete the plot you, Phillip, type a ransom note and pretend some mysterious and unknown person delivered it. How long did it take to come up with that stupid plan?”
Phillip just stared at me, not showing any sign of emotion.
“And now it’s your turn Mickey. Your meeting at the Humboldt County Club was just to reassure Travis that everything was going as planned and that he and Charlotte should disappear after the party. You would collect the ransom for Travis, he would be off the hook, and life could move forward. Only that wasn’t the plan at all. He thought the ransom was for $50 thousand, not $200 thousand. And he certainly didn’t know that if the police got involved, he would be sacrificed by picking up the money. Either way, your plan was to keep the $200K, stiff Travis for his share and continue to keep him on your books. I’m only assuming - but you probably would have let Denny off the hook for his debts – or maybe not. I do know this whole mess started with Denny’s plan and he was involved all the way. I saw him talking to you and Brad that night at the club – so he knew exactly what was going down.”
The Price of Beauty in Strawberry Land Page 16