Hunt for a Phantom

by Stephen L Brooks

  “We sent Detective Grayson downtown a little while ago to bring back a certain innkeeper; which by the way is an ancient and honorable profession.”

  Peggy briefed Betsy on Upton, and both grinned in anticipation.

  Taylor grinned too, as he placed a hand on each woman’s shoulder, huddled them closer, and said in a mock malevolent stage whisper, “Now here’s my plan...”

  * * *

  It was a hard job getting Mr. Upton to leave his hotel and come into Baltimore County. All during the ride he was complaining to Grayson about how far and how long it was. Grayson had taken 95, connected to 695, the Baltimore Beltway, and the ride hadn’t been more than about forty-five minutes. But Grayson figured rightly that for somebody who never left the place where he worked, any ride of more than a minute or two was a slow boat to China.

  Grayson presented Mr. Upton to Taylor and the others, glad to have completed the task.

  “Mr. Upton,” Taylor said, “do you remember me?”

  Upton peered at him for a full half minute through his glasses, and another half minute above them. “Oh yeah. You’re that detective fella.” He then saw Peggy and his wizened lips curled upward in a smile. “And I sure remember this young lady.”

  “Hi, Mr. Upton.” Peggy shook his hand. “I’m glad you recognize me.” She introduced him to Betsy, who received another toothless grin in appreciation, and Banning, who he also remembered after the glasses ritual had been repeated.

  “This fella said you need my help about that nasty business at my hotel,” Mr. Upton said, indicating Grayson.

  “That’s right,” Taylor said. “Mr. Upton, have you ever seen a police line-up? Like in the movies or on TV?”

  “Nope. Don’t believe in TV. As for movies, why I understand they can talk now; but I don’t believe that either.”

  Astonished glances darted back and forth between the other four as Mr. Upton observed the reaction through the Coke bottles. Once satisfied with his effect, a grin and a chuckle broke out from his withered apple face. “Got ya, didn’t I? Yeah, I know all about talking pictures. I’m not that old. Though just about. And I’ve seen a couple of cops and robbers flicks in my time; though none of this garbage they have now. Bogie; now that was a private eye. Young fella,” he added to Banning, “you could learn a trick or two by watchin’ him.”

  Banning smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Now then; you called me in for a line-up?” Mr. Upton asked.

  “That’s right,” Peggy said, coming to his side. “Do you know how these go?”

  “Of course. Now, this one-way glass they talk about: does that really work?”

  “I assure you it does,” Peggy said. “You’ll see them but they won’t see or hear you.”

  Mr. Upton smiled over his glasses at Betsy. “Is she right?”

  Betsy came over to his other side. “Yes, she is. You have my promise too.”

  “Well then,” Mr. Upton said, beaming like a homely teenager who suddenly has two gorgeous dates for the prom, “if you lovely ladies say it’s all right, then it’s all right.” He offered an arm to each and the women laughed as they escorted him to the viewing room.

  A uniformed officer was waiting. The room beyond the glass was dark, and the two women kept Mr. Upton back a moment. Taylor gave the signal to the officer, who relayed it to his colleagues on the other side. The lights in the other room came on and a group of five or six men were brought in, each about the same height and build. Mr. Upton was brought closer to the glass so he could see.

  Taylor, Grayson, and Banning remained behind them. Collins’ lawyer stood in a corner apart from the others. Baniing wondered if he could be found in the Yellow Pages under ATTORNEYS – SLEAZY TYPE.

  Mr. Upton looked each man over, both above his glasses and through them. He paced nervously from one end of the room to the other, stopping to look at each man directly for a moment before moving on to the next. He did this several times, as though to be sure. Banning noticed that he stood before one of the men, Number Three, more often and for longer times than the others.

  “This is a waste of time,” said Sleazy Lawyer esq. “This old man can’t see anything with or without his glasses.”

  Mr. Upton turned on him. “Oh yeah, sonny? Why, I can see better’n you can through this here mirror than you can outdoors on a sunny day!”

  “I think Mr. Upton just wants to make sure about his identification,” Taylor said to Sleaze. “You wouldn’t want him to pick out the wrong man, would you?”

  Sleaze didn’t answer, but Banning mused to Betsy that the shyster probably wouldn’t mind that at all.

  Mr. Upton dismissed Sleaze with a loud grunting “Harumph!” and turned back to the glass, taking one last panoramic survey, and stepping in front of Number Three and finally saying, “I seen him in my hotel. I know it now for sure.”

  Number Three was Collins.

  “You’re certain?” Taylor asked.

  “Sure I’m sure. I seen him with that poor girl, too, the one that was murdered.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Upton.”

  “Hey, wait a minute,” Sleaze said. “Grandpa, you’ve probably seen plenty of people in that hotel of yours. How do you know you’ve seen my client?”

  “Ye know, I’m kinda tired of you,” Mr. Upton said, frowning at the lawyer behind the thick lenses. “Ye think ‘cause I’m old I don’t know nothin’. I know what I saw.” He turned to Sleaze. “I guess you’re here for this guy, Number Three, the way you started spoutin’ about him,” he said, jerking a thumb at Collins. I don’t know which is worse: him or you. He shook his head. “Yer both a sad lot.” He turned back to Grayson and Banning. “This Number Three, he was with the girl and that other guy; I guess the one you found dead.”

  “There was another man, Mr. Upton?” Taylor asked, exchanging glances with Grayson and Banning.

  “Yeah. I seen ‘em both with the girl; and they was both there the day she was killed.”

  The lawyer protested as the various detectives conferred. Mr. Upton turned to Betsy with a grin. “You work for that Banning fella?”

  “Yes, I’m his assistant.”

  “Assistant, huh? Is that what you young folks call it these days?” He grinned and winked at her.

  Betsy chuckled. “Well, that’s what we call it when we’re working. Other times...”

  “You’re sweet on him?”

  Betsy’s freckles burned a little brighter. “Yes, you might call it that.”

  Mr. Upton glanced over at Banning and turned back to her. “He seems a good catch.”

  “I kinda think so.” Betsy was noticeably blushing now.

  “And so are you.”

  She grinned. “Why, thank you Mr. Upton.”

  “Guess there’s no chance for an old codger like me. But that’s okay; you young folk look like you belong together.”

  “Well, maybe. We don’t know yet.”

  Taylor came over with the others behind him. “Mr. Upton, we have some photos of a few more men for you to look at. We weren’t sure and we wanted to leave it up to you, but since you said there was a second man we’ll have you take a look at these other guys too.”

  “Sure; glad to oblige.”

  “Betsy, could you take Mr. Upton out into the hallway a moment?” Taylor asked.

  “My pleasure.” She offered his arm and he took it, but turned his head to Peggy.

  “Miss, my left arm’s kinda jealous of my right one. And ye know, I’m a feeble old man. I sure could use the help of a nice young thing to kinda keep my balance.”

  Peggy chuckled as she came to his side and the two ushered him out.

  “You work with that Taylor fella?” he asked Peggy.

  “Yes; he’s my partner.”

  “Partner, huh?”

  “Be careful, Peggy,” Betsy said. “He’ll charm all your secrets out of you.”

  “Ed’s my partner at work,” Peggy said.

  Even Mr. Upton could sense there was
another shoe waiting to be dropped. “And what else?”

  “That’s all. I think his wife would object to anything else.”

  “Oh, so that’s the way it goes.” Mr. Upton gave a broad, knowing nod. “Well, I’ve seen all kinds of couples, Joneses and Browns and Smiths; you name it, and I can guarantee none of ‘em are the names they were born with.”

  “Is that so?” Peggy assumed innocent interest.

  Mr. Upton wasn’t buying it. “Oh, don’t try to shine me on,” he said with a wink. “You’re a policewoman; bet you’ve seen all kinds of shenanigans.”

  “Some of the things would curl your hair,” Peggy said, immediately regretting it in seeing his bare pate.

  “It’s a little too late for that,” Mr. Upton said with a chuckle.

  Banning came into the hall. “Mr. Upton, we’re ready for you now.”

  As the detectives led the way, Mr. Upton escorted his ladies into an interview room and showed him the lodge photo on the iPad.

  “Mr. Upton, take a good look at this photo and tell me if you recognize anyone.”

  He studied it a few moments and pointed to one of the men. “That’s the other guy; the one who was killed, I guess.”

  It was Hayden.

  * * *

  It was back to the interview room for Collins and his lawyer. Grayson and Samuelson handled this part not, Grayson taking a turn.

  Grayson, who had been leaning over Collins, sat down opposite him and folded his big hands on the table. “All right. I’m listening. What do you have to tell me?”

  “I didn’t kill the girl,” Collins said. “Or her father.”

  “All right; then tell me how Hayden did it.”

  “He didn’t do it either.”

  “That’s enough,” the lawyer said.

  “Shut the hell up,” Collins warned the mouthpiece. “I’m telling it; I’m telling it all. I don’t need a murder rap.”

  Grayson waited a moment or two longer before saying, “Go on.”

  “The girl and I were in the room with Nick.”

  “Hayden?”

  “Yeah. We knew each other from the lodge; you figured out that much.”

  “All right. And chose aliases from the names of other fellow members?”

  “I’m pleading the Fifth on that one.”

  Grayson repressed a chuckle; didn’t mean much, considering what else they had him for.

  “The father burst in with a gun. He called us some names, and Nick called him a few too; the girl had a couple for her old man too, for that matter. Anyway, he’d come to kill us and take his daughter back home. I got scared, and just as he was about to shoot me, the girl got in the way. Guess she was trying to stop him, I don’t know; but he shot her instead of me. He was in shock, and Nick grabbed at the gun. He kinda woke up then, and they fought over it.” He spread his hands. “It went off, and Nick must have been hit; but he kept on. Then it went off again and the father fell. Nick collapsed right beside him. I heard footsteps coming up the main stair, and I grabbed my stuff and ran out the back way. Somehow they didn’t see me, and I got away.”

  Banning and Betsy, watching on the screen, exchanged nods.

  Collins sat back, confession apparently a welcome release. “You don’t have anything on me that says otherwise.”

  Grayson considered a moment and said, “You’re right; we don’t.”

  “See?” Collins said to his lawyer. “Told you this wouldn’t be a problem.” To Grayson he said, “So let me go.”

  “Okay, we can’t get you on double homicide. But there are several counts of identity theft, credit card theft, mail fraud… oh, and we got your DNA from the girl’s vagina. So that’s kidnapping, illegal detainment of a minor for immoral purposes, and statutory rape. And since the girl and her father were killed while you were in the act of committing one or more of these crimes, that’s felony murder. That should put you away for oh, about 90 years.”

  “I didn’t kidnap her. That was Hayden.”

  “Okay, but he’s your accomplice, isn’t he?”

  Collins self-satisfaction rapidly disappeared and he shrunk, his eyes downcast as he nodded.

  “One thing I can’t figure,” Grayson said. “Did you both rape the girl, take turns with her, or what?”

  Collins chuckled. “You don’t get it, do you?”

  “You’ve said enough, Geoff,” the lawyer cautioned. Actually he’d let his client say way too much. No way he’d get a not guilty verdict.

  “I had the sex; Hayden just like to watch. Yeah. Says it gave him a thrill.”

  EPILOG

  Collins’ last revelation had already been known to Gail. Once the Flemings had been informed that the two men responsible for Grace and Al’s deaths were behind bars, Gail asked Rick to come with her for a drive. They sat on the bleachers at the high school football field with no one around to eavesdrop. Quietly, slowly, Gail told Rick the last secret she had kept from him about his sister.

  “So Grace was even more twisted than I thought.”

  “She had her problems, that’s for sure,” Gail affirmed.

  “Does Mom have to know?”

  “I have a feeling the cops are going to tell her. They’ll have to, because it’ll probably come out at trial anyway and it’s better if she knows it before.”

  Rick grinned in spite of the news. “How did you get so smart about the law?”

  Gail smiled too. “From watching too many TV lawyer shows, I guess.”

  Rick sat silently a moment. “Mr. Banning called this morning and asked to come over and talk to mom and me today. That was when he called and told us about the man they arrested.”

  “He’s probably coming to tell her what I just told you.”

  “Probably. I think it’ll be better coming from him than from the police. He’s been good in helping us get through this.”

  “When is he coming over?”

  “This afternoon; about two, I think.”

  “Would you like me to be there?”

  Rick took her hand. “I’d like that.”

  They sat a while, just looking at each other. His hand went around her waist, and he drew her closer until their lips met.