One Murder Too Many Read online

  ‘If you enjoy the security of your own job, you better stop jerking us around!’ Hampton threatened. ‘How did Lincoln get the weapons charge dropped?’

  Ernie was in a panic. ‘Look, I don’t know all of the details!’ he cried. ‘DDA Martin asked me to let the paperwork go on Lincoln so the guy could have another chance to straighten out his life. Geez, Lincoln had only been back on the street for a few days.’

  ‘And you did this favor for Martin because he didn’t bring charges against your brother-in-law.’ Grady summed up the conspiracy.

  ‘Neither of these guys really deserved jail time,’ Ernie sniveled. ‘This was just a case of giving them one more chance to get their lives on track.’

  Hampton glared at Ernie. ‘I wouldn’t get real comfortable with your job if I were you. If we track a major crime back to Lincoln….’ He didn’t have to finish.

  Grady walked at his side as the two of them left the building. On reaching the street Hampton paused to discuss their next move.

  ‘That part checks out,’ he said. ‘Underwood’s information was on target.’

  ‘Still doesn’t tell us who the blackmailer is.’

  ‘We can go after Martin, but we need something more than a favor for Ernie and a show of compassion for a newly released parolee.’

  ‘Let’s do a little checking first, Ham. Maybe this Lincoln fellow is tied up with Dom or Juno? Maybe he knew them from before he went in the joint. It’s possible that—’

  Grady’s cell rang, cutting his thought short. He glanced at the caller ID, told Hampton, ‘The Captain,’ and answered the call.

  ‘Say what?’ He gave Hampton a worried look. ‘Yes, we’ll get right on it.’

  Soon as he finished speaking to their boss, Hampton asked, ‘What gives?’

  ‘Rick Cory’s snitch contacted him a few minutes ago. He said someone has tagged Chock Lincoln as the shooter we’re looking for.’

  ‘You mean for all three killings?’

  Grady bobbed his head. ‘That’s what the captain said.’

  ‘How would his snitch find that out?’

  ‘You remember, Cory told us about the guy everyone calls Radar. He’s supposed to have more ears than a field of corn. He contacted Cory and said the news had just hit the streets.’

  ‘You mean the gangs know too?’

  Grady replied, ‘Cory said the Hard Corps and Lobos are already searching for him. Big guy like Lincoln, covered in prison tattoos – he won’t be hard to find.’

  ‘Did you write down Lincoln’s contact information?’

  ‘Some dive over on Second West,’ Grady said. ‘But if he’s behind the shootings, he won’t have stayed in one place.’

  ‘You’re right, but we’d better check it out anyway … and I mean right now!’

  It took a few minutes of visiting before Jason asked Mrs. Lovendaul to show him around her house again. She didn’t seem to mind, happy for the company. Once they were out of the room, Kari told Rita about the blackmail scheme.

  ‘Juno and Dom weren’t involved in anything like that,’ Rita said, defending them.

  ‘The police will think so,’ Kari insisted. ‘They will label those two as extortionists and thieves.’

  ‘They weren’t breaking any laws.’

  ‘So tell me, Rita, where were they getting their extra money?’

  Rita sighed wearily. ‘All right, I’ll tell you the truth. It sounds as if it’s the only way to keep the police from laying some phony blackmail charge on my brother.’

  Kari waited for her to continue.

  The girl turned around and lowered her voice, as if fearful Mrs. Lovendaul would overhear their conversation.

  ‘It wasn’t anything illegal or nothing,’ she said firmly. ‘I mean, Ida needed some work done on the house – a new carpet, the stairs fixed, a new storage shed … things like that.’ Another pause, as if she were trying to figure the right way to word her explanation.

  ‘I talked her into letting my brother and Dom do the work for her.’ She barely took a breath and added: ‘And they did a good job too. It wasn’t real professional, but it wasn’t a scam or nothing like that.’

  ‘And you charged a little extra for the jobs?’

  Rita ducked her head. ‘It’s not like Ida can’t afford to be generous,’ she said quietly. ‘She was one of those seventy’s feminists, you know, a women’s lib sort, who lived only for a career.’ Rita snorted her disgust. ‘Well, she had her career, until she was too old to work and no one wanted her around any more. There ain’t a soul alive who gives a darn if she lives or dies … except for me.’ Rita’s head came up and her voice grew cool with her own convictions. ‘A family is something you can hold on to, Miss Underwood. If you haven’t got a family, you haven’t got nothing.’

  ‘I believe in family.’ Kari agreed with her.

  ‘Well, Ida’s got only me. I care for her, I really do. She treats me like her daughter, not a caregiver.’

  ‘And you used her wealth to help Juno and Dom earn some extra money,’ Kari concluded.

  Rita’s face worked, a mixture of shame and resolve. ‘I was always up front with Ida about it,’ she assured Kari. ‘I told her what each job would cost. I even told her she might be able to get the chores done cheaper by someone else. But she said she was happy to help my brother and Juno. She offered to pay whatever I thought was fair.’

  ‘That doesn’t sound exactly ethical, but I doubt the police would consider it to be extortion.’

  ‘No!’ Rita said sharply. ‘That’s what I’m saying. Ida didn’t mind paying a little extra to help out my brother. She liked Juno and Dom both. She always called them good boys and insisted I make them lunch or take them cold drinks while they were working on a project.’

  ‘And your new car?’ Kari asked. ‘Is she helping you with that too?’

  Rita sighed. ‘I didn’t ask her to buy it for me. But I often had to take a bus to get here, because my old junker kept breaking down. She wanted me to move in with her, but I didn’t feel right about that.’ She gestured with an open hand. ‘Maybe, down the road, if something happens and Ida can’t get around good. She’s scared of not being able to tend to herself and being locked away in a nursing home.’ Rita put on a stern expression. ‘I’ve promised her I won’t let that happen.’

  Jason returned from his tour of the house and Kari told him that she was finished with the interview. They both thanked Mrs. Lovendaul and Rita, then left the house.

  ‘Well, I’ve cleared up where Dom and Juno were getting their extra money,’ Kari told Jason, as soon as they were in the car. ‘They were doing odd jobs for Mrs. Lovendaul.’

  ‘I saw their handiwork.’

  ‘Bad?’ Kari worried.

  ‘Not precisely first rate, but most of their chores were adequate. The new storage shed – which Mrs. Lovendaul didn’t appear to need – was quite well done. The carpet, stairs and new bathroom sink are not professional quality, but they are satisfactory.’

  ‘I’d hate to think Rita was taking advantage of a senior citizen, but she seems to truly care for the woman.’

  ‘I agree,’ Jason said. ‘When I suggested the work might have been available at a lesser price, Mrs. Lovendaul stated how she preferred to help out a couple of young men who were living on their own.’

  ‘We better let the detectives know where Dom and Juno got their money. It will eliminate the boys as potential blackmailers.’

  ‘I also wish to speak to them….’ at Kari’s sharp glance, he grinned and finished, ‘just to see how the case is going.’

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  TONY BURST INTO Gloria’s office, his face pale and eyes wide with trepidation. Gloria wondered if Dotty had even bothered to ask his business, but he likely claimed it was an emergency.

  ‘Close the door,’ she ordered him stiffly, stopping him before he could run over and throw himself down to grovel at her feet.

  Tony recovered his composure enough to make sure the door was secu
rely fastened. Then he hurried over to stand opposite of her at the desk.

  ‘The cops got to Ernie!’ he began, unable to control the quiver in his voice. ‘He told them about me!’

  ‘Relax, Tony,’ Gloria used a soothing voice, as if speaking to an alarmed child. ‘It’s taken care of.’ Then she enlightened him about how she had already cleared up the event with Paul Hanson. ‘I told him the DA’s office did not want to appear racist and allowing Lincoln a second chance was an act of benevolence.’

  ‘Did Hanson buy it?’ Tony wanted to know. ‘I mean, Lincoln had a list of arrests as long as your arm. He’s hardly anyone the public would want us to give another chance to.’

  ‘It was my call, so it had nothing to do with you. If the police come asking questions, you refer them to me.’

  Tony heaved a breath of relief. ‘This is all so nerve-racking. The blackmail, the murders, the inquiries … everything.’

  ‘We just have to keep our heads. If things go as planned today, everything will be wrapped up in one neat package. The ordeal will be finished.’

  Tony nodded hopefully. ‘I had to sit outside Lincoln’s place for four hours, but he finally went out for something to eat.’

  ‘Did you get everything planted?’

  ‘So long as the guy doesn’t look under his bed. There’s not a lot of hiding places in that rundown motel room.’

  Gloria looked at her watch. ‘It’s quitting time. I’ve got to get home. Don is off work today and is fixing me supper.’ She groaned. ‘I think he’s actually trying to win my affections back.’

  ‘You’re not even sleeping together,’ Tony pointed out. ‘Isn’t he making the effort a little too late?’

  ‘I can’t divorce him until I win re-election. After that we’re done.’ She waved a dismissive hand. ‘If the court awards him half of my worth, that’s what I’ll surrender. I want all of this behind me.’

  ‘What about us, Glory honey?’ Tony asked. ‘I can’t leave my wife.’

  Gloria almost told him the truth: that she intended to clean house among her staff and replace him, that there would be no more us! However, she needed the simpering dog to remain loyal until her re-election was secured. With a warm smile, she said: ‘Not to worry, Tony. We’ll still have time for each other.’

  Peggy’s voice came over the air on the radio. ‘Grady? Ham? Are you in your car?’

  Hampton grabbed the receiver and pushed the transmit button. ‘We’re here, Dispatch. Go ahead.’

  ‘Captain Mercer says for you two to stop by the motel at 1350 South and Main Street. See the manager about a weapon found in one of the rooms.’

  ‘10-4, Dispatch. We’re on our way.’

  Grady was already turning that direction. ‘It’s got to be Lincoln,’ he said.

  ‘No doubt about it. With all of the media scanners, Peg knew better than to put any information over the air.’

  ‘If sector cars were dispatched it’s likely the news people will have someone there already.’

  They were two blocks away when they saw no fewer than six police cars. Two television station vans were also parked near by, along with an ambulance and several other official looking vehicles.

  ‘It didn’t do much good for your girlfriend to try and keep this quiet,’ Grady said. ‘We seem to be the only ones in the entire valley who isn’t already on the scene.’

  A uniformed policeman recognized the detectives and signaled to a place they could park. Two cops were stringing yellow caution tape to mark off about a hundred feet in three directions from one corner motel room.

  The detectives exited the car and were met by Rick Cory from the gang unit. His presence was enough to tell them they had found their prime suspect too late.

  ‘How bad?’ Hampton asked Cory.

  ‘There’s a lot of blood, but it probably all belongs to the vic, Chock Lincoln. It looks as if he was caught while in the shower. From the witness reports, everything happened very quickly. Several gang members arrived and a couple roughed up the clerk and got the room number for Lincoln. They surrounded his room, went through both of the windows and smashed in the front door, all at the same time. After the crashing of glass and the door, there was some shouting and cussing, but no shooting. One woman said she saw at least a dozen gang members running from the room, after the attack. They were all wearing hoods and gloves. She said a couple appeared to be carrying clubs.’

  ‘I imagine it goes without saying that Lincoln is dead?’ Grady spoke up.

  ‘A man falling into a hamburger grinder wouldn’t have looked worse,’ Cory told the two detectives. ‘I’ll bet every bone in his body is broke.’

  ‘Peg … um … Dispatch said something about a gun?’ Hampton probed.

  ‘The uniforms found a nine millimeter handgun and a .308 hunting rifle with a scope.’ He let the news sink in. ‘There was also a laptop computer, matching the description of the one taken from Juno and Dom’s house.’

  ‘But Lincoln didn’t have a chance to get off a shot?’ Hampton asked.

  ‘The items were still under his bed when we arrived on the scene. Lincoln never got out of the bathroom.’

  Grady and Hampton exchanged knowing looks. It was Hampton who spoke. ‘All tied up in a neat little package.’ He snorted his contempt. ‘Could this be any more obvious?’

  ‘Lincoln is a likely suspect for the shooting, Ham. He fits the profile, and if he has a ski mask …?’

  ‘You mean one of those expensive types, made of Neoprene?’ Cory asked. At the curious looks of the two detectives, he gave an affirmative nod. ‘It was in a dresser drawer, plus gloves and a black-hooded sweatshirt.’

  ‘He’s our man,’ Grady proclaimed. ‘Whether he was set up or got careless, he’s our shooter, our thief, and our prowler who fought with the Brit.’

  ‘Why shoot at the reporter?’ Cory asked the question.

  Hampton surmised, ‘She saw him outside of Dom and Juno’s house. He must have thought she could ID him.’

  ‘We still have the note about blackmail,’ Grady asserted. ‘Who was blackmailing whom? And about what?’

  Cory laughed. ‘Damn, you guys want answers to everything, don’t you?’ He patted Hampton on the back. ‘Did you ever hear the saying about not looking a gift horse in the mouth?’

  ‘This is one horse whose teeth I’m going to count.’ Hampton growled his reply.

  Cory said ‘see ya’ and walked away as another cop approached. This one had a notepad in his hand.

  ‘Got a little more on the attackers,’ he told them. ‘One witness, who swears he won’t testify, said the gangs were wearing two different colors. The arm- or head-bands and other gang colors match both the 39th Street Lobos and the Hard Corps.’

  ‘Well there’s something positive, Ham,’ Grady avowed with a sardonic expression. ‘It appears the truce is still in play!’

  Hampton dismissed the humor. ‘Let’s check the crime scene and pick up the weapons, computer and clothing. It’s time to put this case to bed.’

  Jason took over watching the pork chops and frying potatoes on the stove top, while Kari scribbled some notes and got information over the telephone from Detective Grady. When she finished talking to him, she returned to see how the food was coming.

  ‘It’s easy to see you’ve been living a bachelor’s life,’ she praised. ‘Nothing burned and all of it ready to put on the table.’

  ‘I don’t do a lot of cooking,’ Jason admitted. ‘It’s a lonely chore to sit down and eat by one’s self, even with the telly blaring away for company.’

  Once they were seated at the table and eating, Kari explained about the gang attack at the motel and the death of Chock Lincoln. She covered the evidence linking him to the three murders, plus the shooting at her car and him being the man Jason fought with outside her apartment.

  ‘It’s a rare event when the police are handed a case where a number of crimes are solved and the guilty party is executed all at the same time.’

 
‘The case isn’t solved,’ Kari contradicted. ‘There’s still the matter of blackmail.’

  ‘Except no one knows what the blackmail is about or who was the target.’

  ‘Details, details,’ Kari quipped.

  ‘I heard you talking to Grady. Didn’t he tell you they had looked into phone and bank records of the DDAs?’

  Kari displayed a thoughtful frown. ‘Yes. He said none of the deputy district attorneys had withdrawn any large amount of cash, and there were only a few untraceable phone calls.’ She paused to point her fork at Jason. ‘So maybe this wasn’t about money at all.’

  ‘Let’s follow the trail and see where it leads,’ Jason suggested.

  ‘This all appears to have started shortly after Chock Lincoln was picked up with a concealed weapon,’ she began. ‘He gets off because a DDA makes the charge go away.’

  ‘And no complaint from the parole officer,’ Jason reminded her.

  ‘Then Grady discovers the parole officer owed a favor to the same DDA for helping his brother-in-law avoid prosecution for a driving-under-the-influence charge.’

  ‘Yes, but why did the DDA want to help Lincoln?’

  Kari was chewing on a bite of pork and skewed her expression again. It took a concentrated effort for Jason to keep from smiling. Watching her, it appeared as if Kari’s brain was working to process the facts from every angle imaginable. When she swallowed the mouthful, she again waved the fork.

  ‘You’re absolutely right, Jason. We need to talk to DDA Martin. He’s the one who started this chain of events. Paul Hanson said Gloria didn’t want to face any racial bias over revoking Lincoln’s parole. The question is, was that her idea or was it at Martin’s suggestion?’

  ‘Because one of them might have had a reason of their own,’ Jason deduced.

  ‘We still don’t know why Lincoln went after Juno and Dom. What was he looking for?’ She took a breath, puzzled. ‘And why shoot at me and then try to break into my apartment? What am I supposed to know or have in my possession?’