The Scheme (complete Version)[1]

The Scheme By James Ellison

PO Box 1523 Tupelo, MS 38802 (662) 844-4915 [email protected]

Chapters

1.

The Scheme is Hatched

2.

Robbery

3.

Drive-by

4.

The Interview

5.

The Snatch

6.

The Trap

7.

Busted

8.

On The Road Again

1

1.

The Scheme is Hatched

It was a hot and muggy night in early July as Jimmy Sinclair drove out of town. with two people he loved.

He had a weekly dinner date Jimmy entered his parents’ rural

ranch house on fifty acres, about eight miles east of Tupelo, Mississippi. Pat and Earl Sinclair were both 74 and in excellent health.

They retired two years ago and gave full ownership

of their grocery store named Buffalo Bill’s to their only son, age forty-five. Jimmy carried assorted flowers into his mother’s kitchen.

Pat was used to her son’s routine and already had

an empty glass vase sitting on the breakfast table.

Jimmy

spoke as he placed the flowers in the vase and added tap water from the kitchen sink, “Mom, Kathy and I are getting a divorce.” Pat was hard of hearing.

Her current hearing aide was

on the blink and the new one had not yet arrived by express mail.

She kept peeling the potatoes.

Jimmy stepped closer

and spoke louder, “Mom, Kathy and I are getting a divorce!” Pat stopped her peeling and looked at her son, “Now that’s good news, because I never did like her and I told you she was only after your money!” Earl walked in, carrying the television remote.

“It

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needs batteries.” Pat turned to her husband of fifty years. in the top left drawer.

“They are

Jimmy’s getting a divorce.”

Pat

returned to peeling the three potatoes while Earl searched for the batteries. “I found them.

I hope they’re not dead.

You know

son, your mother and I never did like that woman. strongly suspected that she was a gold digger.”

We Earl

continued to talk as he switched out the batteries. and Kathy got hitched mighty quick. months? time?

“You

What was it – two

How can you know someone in such a short period of I warned you to date longer.”

“I wish I had listened to you dad.

Now it’s going to

cost me some of my hard earned money to get out of it.”

After dinner the three retired to the front porch and sat around looking at the large fish pond that sat below the four thousand square foot house on the hill. loved coming to his parents’ house.

Jimmy

He knew he had their

support no matter what. “I guess we can’t count on grandkids anytime soon,” lamented Pat, sipping on a tall glass of iced tea.

Jimmy

looked at his mother and father and asked himself, Why couldn’t I have found a love as great as theirs? “More tea son?” asked his father, holding the pitcher

3

in his hand.

Jimmy held out his empty glass and watched

half of the contents hit the deck as his father shakily filled the glass. “I’m meeting with Kathy and her lawyer tomorrow morning and will try to work out a settlement.” her hand to her ear.

Pat cupped

Jimmy spoke again, much louder, “I am

meeting with Kathy and her lawyer tomorrow and will try to work out a settlement.”

Jimmy slowly drank his iced tea

and thought of the man he just hired to kill his gold digging wife.

After departing, Jimmy drove home to his own large colonial mansion on Rutland Road.

He parked his old white

Honda in the circular driveway next to his greedy wife’s new green BMW convertible. master bedroom. hall.

Jimmy climbed the stairs to the

Kathy now slept in the guest room down the

Jimmy saw light coming from beneath his wife’s

bedroom door.

“Good night gold digger,” Jimmy whispered

under his breath.

Jimmy left the house at six forty five the next morning. seven.

He had to be at the grocery store to open at When he pulled into the parking lot he spotted

Billy Sutton, age 20, exiting his mother’s red Chrysler Caravan.

Jimmy liked his hard working clerk of six months.

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He heard from others that Billy was well liked at college. He was a good looking young man, tall and lean with close cropped blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a personality to match. “Morning boss.” “Morning Billy.

While it’s on my mind, when do you

start college again?” “No time soon. could heal.

I took a year off so my pitching arm

I start back in January.”

“Any luck in finding that dream car yet?” “No sir, it’s hard to save money with dating and all.” Jimmy chuckled, “Well Billy, you could save more if you dated only one girl at a time.” Billy grinned as he picked up some trash in front of the store.

“True sir, but how do you know which is the

right one for you?” “Well, you’ve got me there.

I sure am no expert,”

said Jimmy ruefully as he unlocked the front door, turned off the alarm, and turned on all the interior lights. Billy grabbed a white apron and headed in the direction of the storage room. “Billy, I have to leave at eight thirty.

I have an

important meeting with Kathy and her lawyer at ten am. “Yes sir, I know. left for work.”

Mrs. Sinclair called me before I

5

“What did she say to you?” “Sir, I like you both and I don’t want to come between you, so I’d rather not tell each of you what the other tells me.” “Okay Billy, that’s understandable, but it’s my store and I hired you, remember?” “I know sir, but I want to be loyal to both of you.” “Billy, your loyalty is one of your best qualities.

I

won’t put you on the spot.” “Thank you sir,” said a relieved Billy.

“What do you

want me to do first?”

Kathy was undecided what to wear. suit, a dress, or a blouse and skirt?

Should she wear a She called her

mother for advice. “Wear the dress,” Carol Cummings, age 56, advised her only child.

“Now remember, fight for what is legally

yours.” “I will mom.

I hired a bulldog of an attorney.”

Kathy checked her appearance in the full-length mirror located by the entryway.

The floral print dress was

definitely the right choice.

Kathy brushed her long dark

hair, put on red lipstick, grabbed her purse, and headed out the front door.

She drove slowly away in her new car,

listening to country music.

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John Farran, age 35, with short dark hair and a mustache, comfortable in a striped shirt and blue jeans, checked his Wheel of Fortune watch again. late.

His partner was

John sat in a corner booth in the dark, away from

the other customers in the Hideaway Bar.

His watch read

nine twenty five am.

Jimmy sat in his car in front of the dimly lit and smoky bar, knowing he was keeping his partner in crime waiting.

He was having mixed feelings.

kill his wife, but then again he didn’t.

Jimmy wanted to He just didn’t

want to give his money grubbing wife a huge sum of money for only eleven months of marriage. for setting him up.

He really hated her

He wanted the same long lasting and

loving relationship that his parents had.

He stepped into the relatively empty bar and walked over to John, who was sipping on a Coors Light at nine thirty in the morning.

“Sorry I’m late.

I had another

argument with the missus,” Jimmy lied as the waitress approached.

Jimmy ordered the same as John and once they

were alone, Jimmy spoke. “I know the police will check my bank account for any transactions once she is killed, so I can’t have any out of the ordinary withdrawals.

I thought of a good way to give

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you your down payment.”

After the waitress delivered the

beer Jimmy continued, “After I visit with Kathy’s divorce lawyer, meet me at Summit Bank, on the East side of Main Street.

I’ll give you half of the thirty thousand we

agreed on and the other half once she is dead.” Sitting across from the unhappily married man was John Farran, a professional truck driver posing as a hit man. “Now did you visit my store and check my wife out?” “Yep, a very attractive woman, maybe 15 years younger than you?” “She’s 26 and I’m 45.

Can you make it look like a

store robbery?” Jimmy asked, showing his hit man the headlines of the Tupelo Business Journal: “Rash of Store Robberies – One Owner Shot.” “That’s my work,” John lied, acting serious as he tried to look convincing as a professional killer.

“You

want it in the head or torso?” Jimmy looked at his watch, gulped down the last of his beer and said, “The torso will do. meeting is at ten am.

I have to leave; our

I have to pretend I want to settle.”

Jimmy and Kathy Sinclair, married almost a year, and the owners of Buffalo Bill’s grocery store, sat at opposite ends of Attorney Paul Salman’s conference table. Jimmy read

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the newspaper about the robberies while Kathy looked out the window at all the kids playing in the fountain on this beautiful Friday morning.

The city’s number one divorce

attorney entered, placed a small file folder on the conference table and sat next to Kathy, his new client. “Morning Jim.

I know you want to get this over with,

so here are our demands.” The meeting lasted only ten minutes, and shouting from both parties could be heard from down the hall before Jimmy walked out to the elevator, caught one before the doors closed, and was gone.

Kathy stayed behind, talking with

her very expensive attorney. “Paul, I don’t think we ever will come to an agreement on who gets what.

I guess you’d better prepare the papers.”

“Your husband, soon to be ex-husband I might say, has no legal grounds to deny you what is legally yours.

In

Mississippi, it’s a 50-50 split.”

“Where’s Kathy?

Where’s Jimmy?”

That’s all Billy

heard from customers as he did his best to provide the best customer service possible. “They will be back in a few hours,” Billy would respond while bagging groceries or ringing their purchases. Billy knew the Sinclair’s had loyal and dedicated customers who really cared what was going on in their lives.

He

9

ignored the twinge in his arm as he repeatedly performed his duties. Billy had injured his pitching arm while at a friend’s birthday party several months ago.

In a strange twist of

fate, a drunken adult male fell off a trampoline onto Billy, breaking Billy’s right elbow.

It resulted in a

surgery with three large pins inserted to hold things in place.

Following the orthopedic doctor’s instructions to

give it time to heal, Billy was throwing lightly every day to his younger brother, Ray.

The loyal Sinclair customers

would also inquire about the elbow, which Billy explained, was getting stronger every day. The young man had some money put away in the bank destined for a used car, but Billy’s ultimate dream car was a Chevy Camaro with the sport package and the top of the line stereo system.

He would gently refuse his mother’s

offers to pick him up in front of his place of employment each day.

Instead he would walk the twenty or so blocks to

Tupelo Chevrolet and walk the lot.

If Billy arrived during

business hours, the salesmen would not approach.

They knew

well that the star pitcher of the University of Mississippi baseball team was broke.

Someday, Billy would say to

himself, someday I’ll drive out of here instead of walking.

Billy’s brother, Ray, age fourteen, walked into

10

Buffalo Bills with their mother. his family.

Billy was happy to see

For some reason, this day was extra busy and

Billy needed help.

“Thanks for coming brother.

Can you

bag the groceries and help carry them out to the cars?” “Okay,” smiled the younger boy, excited at the chance to work with his older brother.

“Plastic or paper?” he

asked the elderly woman standing at the counter. “Ray, you know we only have plastic at this store,” reminded Billy. “I know brother, but I always just wanted to say those words!” “Are you staying too mom?” asked Billy. “No honey, your father wants me to help him lay new sod in our back yard.

Call me when you need a ride.”

Both

boys gave their mom a big smile and went back to work. “Billy, you didn’t say how much I’m gonna get paid.” “I’ll talk to Mrs. Sinclair when she gets back from her settlement meeting, but I think seven an hour.” Wow, seven an hour.

I can buy something really good

with that, thought Ray as he started to sweep the aisles.

Kathy rode the elevator to the lobby, saying hello to the young couple that got on at the fourth floor.

Near her

car, Kathy called Buffalo Bill’s grocery store, and Billy

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Sutton, her trusted clerk of six months, answered. “Billy, I’ll be there in about twenty minutes to take the deposit to the bank.” “Ma’am, Mr. Sinclair just left carrying the week’s proceeds.” How odd, thought Kathy, waiting at the traffic light in her newly purchased green BMW convertible.

That’s my

Friday chore. Jimmy pulled into the parking lot of Summit Bank, located on the corner of Main and First.

Suddenly, a white

Cadillac pulled up alongside and a gun was thrust into Jimmy’s face. The hooded man smiled, “Give me my money please!” Jimmy did as instructed, and just like that John Farran had his fifteen thousand.

An elderly woman ran over

after the Cadillac departed the parking lot. “I saw what happened.

I got the license plate number.”

John placed his fifteen thousand dollars under his dresser.

He looked at his Wheel of Fortune watch and

walked over to the television set in the corner of his one bedroom apartment and turned it on.

He went over to the

microwave oven and made himself some popcorn. “Show time,” John said to no one as he sat down to watch his favorite game show, Wheel of Fortune.

This was a

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game John was good at.

He was quick to solve the puzzle on

the display board before most of the show contestants could do so.

He had found his unique watch among many others at

a novelty store for only twenty dollars while on one of his truck runs, before he got hurt on the job.

At the first commercial John went out to check his mail.

Unfortunately, there was no mail waiting for him.

He was expecting his monthly worker’s compensation check as he had been running low on funds – that is until he met his sugar daddy, Jimmy Sinclair. John went back inside his residence, failing to notice a young man with a video camera recording his every move.

The activity caught the eye of the nosey landlord however, who spotted the stranger and approached him in the parking lot.

“I own this property.

Can I help you?”

quizzed Mr. Martin. The young man put down his video camera and flashed a gold badge with photo identification. “I’m a private investigator hired by an insurance company to document the activities and alleged injuries of your tenant in unit thirty-three.

I’m telling you this

sir, because this claimant might set you up as well with a fake slip and fall or something like that.

13

“How long do you plan to be out here?” asked the suspicious landlord. “The insurance company only hired me for today, so I’ll be gone in a few hours.” The private investigator named Roderick Naughton handed the landlord his agency card.

“In case you ever

need a PI.” Mr. Martin took the card and went back inside his office.

John’s telephone rang. other end of the line.

It was the landlord on the

“John, I like you and I want to

thank you again for helping around the complex with the painting and repairs.

At my age I couldn’t have done it

all myself.” “I was glad to do it Mr. Martin.

We are friends and I

appreciate the fact that you give me free rent in exchange.” “Well another reason I called was to warn you about a man sitting in a gray Volvo who was filming you when you checked your mail.” “What?” asked John, totally caught off guard. “Yes, I have his business card.

He is from ‘I See You

Investigations,’ his name is Roderick Naughton and he said he would be here just for today. accident.”

Something about an

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“Yes, I am out on worker’s compensation from a heavy box that fell on me a few months ago. pay him a visit.”

I’ll hang up now and

John thanked the landlord, placed some

newspapers in a trash bag, and went outside to the dumpster that was located at the rear of the parking lot. On his return, John approached the young man sitting behind tinted windows.

John knocked on the window.

“Roderick, I know you are in there.

Roll down your

window!” The private investigator, realizing his cover had been blown, rolled the window down about two inches. “Hand me the video tape before I break this window and yank you out!” demanded John. The nervous PI did as instructed. “How long have you been on me?” “I started a few hours ago.” “What’s on the tape?” “Just you riding back home on your bicycle, checking your mail and just now dumping your trash.” “If you know what’s good for you, write in your report that I was home all day and according to the landlord, I complain of a lot of back pain.” “Sir, this is my first case. enough money to move to Hollywood.

I’m just trying to earn I want to be an actor.”

“If I were you, I would quit now before the next

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claimant beats up your pretty face.

Now get out of here!”

The private investigator rolled up his window, backed out and departed the area. John knocked on his landlord’s door.

“Thanks for

warning me about him.” “Just glad I spotted him when I did.” John walked back to his own unit, threw the tape in the trash and returned to watching reruns of Wheel of Fortune.

The police interviewed Jimmy in the bank lobby. Detective Mike Anderson of the Robbery Division walked in, wearing a beige suit, and was directed to Jimmy by a uniformed officer guarding the door. “Are you Jimmy Sinclair?” “Yes.” “I’m Detective Mike Anderson, Robbery Division.

Let’s

sit down in the manager’s office.” The detective wrote everything down on a yellow notepad.

“Can you describe what the person looked like?”

“All I saw was a gun in my face.” “What type of gun?” “A big gun. Man I was scared!” “How much money did you have in the bags?” “Fifteen thousand three hundred in cash and another

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four thousand in checks.” “Is that a normal deposit for your grocery store?" “We make the deposit every Friday morning, and I’ve seen it as low as six thousand and as high as twenty three thousand.

We have some long time loyal customers who like

to pay in cash instead of check or credit card.

My

grandparents opened the store in 1951 and I took over from my parents just about two years ago.” A police officer walked over and handed the detective a slip of paper.

The detective read the note and then said

to Jimmy, “Jimmy, we ran the license plate on the Cadillac. It was stolen a few days ago from the airport parking lot.” The bank manager knocked on the door.

“May I have my

office back please?” “Oh, sure” Detective Anderson replied. He turned back to Jimmy Sinclair and asked, “You provided the officers with all of your information?” “Yes sir, I did.” “Then you’re free to go.”

Detective Mike Anderson watched the robbery victim enter his old white Honda and depart the area. detective turned to the branch manager.

The

“I need a copy of

your exterior video surveillance tapes as soon as possible.” The manager took the lawman’s business card.

“This is

17

our first robbery since we opened eight years ago.

I’ll

work on getting the tapes to you within twenty four hours.” Mike gave his thanks and walked out to his unmarked police cruiser.

“Dispatch to Unit Three One.”

Mike picked up the

microphone. “Unit Three One, come in.” “Pick up your partner at the Seven-Eleven store on Fifth and Main.” “Unit Three One, copy.

ETA about ten minutes.”

Mike watched a young couple pull up in a faded green station wagon and enter Summit Bank.

They left their

German Shepard waiting with the windows halfway down.

Mike

thought of his own dog, Dillinger, as he backed out of his parking space and headed south to the Seven Eleven store. Dillinger was a mutt he had picked up at the pound about a year ago.

His real name was Lucky, but Mike liked

the name the gangster made famous in the thirties.

The

likeable animal was always quick to greet Mike when he arrived at his apartment located above a barn on a farmer’s ranch on the outskirts of Tupelo.

It was a great situation

– free rent just because the old farmer liked cops.

Not a

bad life, thought Mike as he pulled up to a traffic light.

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Impatience replaced his relaxed demeanor when he realized the young couple in the car in front of him was too busy kissing to notice the light had changed to green. He blew his horn.

They looked back and waved, hurrying to

switch lanes to let the officer go by. As Mike passed the lovebirds he thought of Amber, his ex-fiancé, living somewhere in New Mexico.

They met while

he was finished his two-year degree in Police Science.

She

broke it off because she didn’t want to be married to a gun and a badge.

She tried desperately to talk Mike out of a

career in law enforcement but no dice.

Mike ate and slept

this stuff twenty four/seven.

Mike was half of a team dubbed Laurel and Hardy by his Captain eight months ago, when the new partner assignments were made.

Mike, at 32, had short dark hair, blue eyes,

stood six foot three and weighed in at a physically fit two hundred and thirty pounds. As he pulled into the parking lot of Seven Eleven, out walked his partner, Hardy, otherwise known as Detective Harry Fusco.

The moniker Hardy was well-placed on this 53

year old who, stood five foot eight and weighed two hundred and sixty pounds.

Not surprisingly, Fusco held a large bag

of pretzels in front of his huge pot belly, as his physically fit partner pulled up.

19

“Hi Stan,” joked Harry as he climbed in. “Well Oliver, you disappeared on me again. rename you Houdini!”

We should

The two detectives departed the area

and headed toward the witness’s house.

Jimmy walked out, entered his old Honda and drove straight to the Hideaway Bar, about a mile south of his store.

Jimmy slid into a booth already occupied by John

Farran. “That was a clever way to give me my down payment just fake a robbery.

I don’t want any paper trail at the

bank,” said Jimmy, looking around the bar. “How do you plan to come up with the balance once your wife is dead?” “I’ll worry about that when it’s time.

What did you

do with that stolen car you took from the airport?” “I parked it back at the airport, one floor below where I took it.

How did you know I stole it from the

airport?” “A witness gave the police the license plate number. Now that you have your down payment, where and when will you do it?” The waitress walked up and took Jimmy’s drink order. When she left, John answered, “It’s best you don’t know.”

Jimmy walked into his crowded store and was greeted by

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Billy the clerk, Billy’s younger brother Ray, customers, and his angry wife. “Why did you take the deposit to the bank? do that myself.

You know I

I’ve been taking the deposit for over

fifty weeks without a problem, and you take it just once and we get robbed!” “I could have been killed.” “Yes, and if you were, I wouldn’t have to spend any more of my money on lawyers.” “You mean my money!” “Billy, don’t you have shelves to stack?” barked Jimmy as he and his wife continued to argue.

Detective Anderson, and his partner, Detective Harry Fusco, arrived at the witness’s house and rang the doorbell.

A sign reading “The Friedman’s” hung above the

door. Over a cup of coffee and homemade apple pie, the three discussed the events that occurred earlier in the day. Mrs. Friedman put her coffee cup down and said, “I was trying to dial a phone number when that white Cadillac zoomed by me and screeched to a halt.

I saw the gun being

pointed out the window so I wrote the license plate number on my arm.

The next thing I saw were two hands reaching

out of the Cadillac’s window and grabbing the two moneybags

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from the victim, who was handing them out his driver’s window.

Then the Cadillac drove off and I ran over to

help.” “How did the victim act?” quizzed Detective Fusco, writing everything down on a small, white spiral note pad. “Very, very calm.

I was the excited one.

More pie

gentlemen?” “No thanks.

It was very good,” said Detective

Anderson as his partner finished off both his and his own plates.

“Could you recognize the type of orange hooded

windbreaker you mentioned earlier?” asked the detective as he put his suit jacket on. “I think so,” said Sally Friedman, age 80, getting up from her rocking chair and walking the lawmen to the door.

Once in the unmarked, beige Pontiac police car, Detective Anderson asked, “Did she say the robber reached out with two hands?” Detective Fusco checked his notes.

“Yep.”

“Then this robbery may have been staged,” replied Detective Anderson.

“The robber put his gun away and

reached out with two hands for the moneybags, and our socalled victim just handed them over.

Mr. Sinclair also

told me he was scared, yet the witness told us Sinclair was very, very calm.”

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Kathy pulled her new BMW into the visitor-designated stall.

She walked toward the police station in a tight

pink top and even tighter blue jeans that nicely fit her five foot five frame.

Kathy kept her weight at one hundred

and twenty five by working out each morning to instructional videos.

Male cops exiting and entering the

station just stopped and stared at the natural born beauty. Kathy walked up to the desk officer on duty.

“I have an

appointment with Detective Mike Anderson.” A burly man in plain clothes stepped forward.

“I’ll

take the lady to Robbery Division.” “Okay sir,” said the desk officer, who directed his attention to the next citizen who walked up.

“I’m his boss, Captain Dean Masters,” announced the lawman as he pushed the button for the elevator. “Hi, I’m Kathy Sinclair. store.

I own Buffalo Bill’s grocery

I’m here to meet with a Detective Anderson.”

They entered the elevator and the Captain pushed the button for the fifth floor.

As they rode up, Kathy could

feel his eyes raking her body from head to toe.

The Robbery Division went quiet as their boss and the very attractive guest entered their section.

“Get back to

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work, haven’t you seen a lady before?” barked the Captain, motioning for Kathy to enter interview room number two. “I’ll track him down for you.” “Thank you Captain.”

Kathy was attracted to Mike as soon as he entered the room with his yellow note pad. Sinclair.

“Thanks for coming in Mrs.

I am Robbery Detective Mike Anderson.”

They shook hands and smiled at each other. “I have a partner named Harry Fusco who at the moment I can’t find, so we’ll start without him.” “May I have a glass of water please?” “Oh sure, I’ll be right back.” Kathy wasn’t thirsty at all.

She just wanted to check

the ass on this hunk of a man handling her husband’s case. The detective returned with a small paper cup. “Thank you so much,” Kathy smiled and drank the cool contents.

The detective sat back down.

been thirstier than I thought.

“Oh I must have

May I have another cup

please?” she asked, holding the empty cup in her hand. “Yes ma’am.

Sorry we only have these small cups on

hand.” “It’s fine with me if you really don’t mind making the trips.” “No, anything to help.”

Mike left the room again and

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Kathy watched him walk out of view.

He returned and this

time waited to see if the lady needed more. “Please sit,” said Kathy, satisfied for the time being.

“I’m not thirsty anymore!”

Mike sat down and began his interview. “Mrs. Sinclair, I interviewed your husband yesterday about his alleged robbery.” “Alleged – you mean it didn’t happen?” “No, he was removed of his money, but I think he gave it up voluntarily.

The witness said the robber had no gun

in his hand when your husband handed over the moneybags. Mr. Sinclair told me he was scared, yet the witness made a point of how calm he acted.” Anderson shifted gears, “How long have you two been married?" “A year next month.

The day we got robbed was our

eleventh month anniversary.

I make those deposits every

week for fifty weeks and nothing happens.

He does it just

once and gets robbed.” “How is your marriage?” “We are getting a divorce. thousand today to settle.

He offered me one hundred

My lawyer says it should be four

million.” “During the time you two have been together has there been any violence?”

25

“Recently he said he would be better off if I was gone, and he has been leaving the store for long periods of time instead of us closing the store together.

A few

months ago a customer said they saw him in a restaurant kissing a girl.

I confronted him and he didn’t deny it.

We don’t sleep together any more, we don’t talk - we just yell at each other.” “Your husband, is he a gambler? Take drugs?” “No, no, that grocery store is his life.

He has a few

million in his savings account.” “Then why go through all the trouble to stage a robbery?

He doesn’t need the money,” said Mike.

“I don’t know,” Kathy replied.

“Maybe he really was

robbed.”

Back in her car, Kathy called her attorney and obtained a phone number of a private investigator. Later in the day, she drove to a strip mall and sat in a small back office of Economy Travel Agency. Steve Conners, a handsome man of 45, with a ponytail and beard, asked her to sit down. “Funny place to have a PI office,” commented Kathy. “My sister owns the travel agency, and when business is slow I work out front as an agent. deals on cruises right now. . .”

Say, we have great

26

Kathy laughed.

“No, what I need to do is find out

what my husband is up to. I think you will find him seeing a woman.

I brought a photo as instructed and your retainer

of a thousand.

He closes up the store at nine tonight and

seven pm tomorrow night.” “I’ll try to go on him tonight if I can. cell phone number.”

Give me your

Steve wrote it down, took the money in

a white envelope along with the photo, and walked his attractive client to her car. “Thanks,” said Kathy as she climbed into her vehicle. Steve handed her his travel agency card.

“In case he

goes though your wallet, I don’t want him finding a PI card.”

Steve returned to his back office and called the Tupelo Rainbow Convalescent Home.

“Hello, this is Steve

Connors calling to check on my mother, Valerie Conners in room five.” “Oh hello Steve.

This is Angela Robinson.

My husband

Bob and I bought a trip to Vegas from you.” “Hi Angela. “No.

Did you win?”

We lost about a grand, but we sure did have a

fun time, and the hotel you chose was in the perfect location!” “Thanks for thinking of Economy Travel.

Now about my

27

mother. . .” “She’s doing well.

She’s playing bingo right now.”

“What time will her next meal be served?” “In about two hours.” “Thanks Angela.

I will be down to say hello to my

mother at that time.”

Steve ran a hand through his dark wavy hair.

He

called his sister, Vicki, who lived in Kansas City with an update on their mother.

“Yes sis, I will give mom a big

kiss for you when I see her in a few hours.” “By the way brother, book me a ticket out there sometime next month.

I can stay for a week.”

“Will work on that request right now.”

They made

small talk for a few more minutes before saying goodbye.

A couple of single, female travel agents walked over. “Hey Steve, want to join us for lunch?” “Not today ladies.

I brought my lunch.

Thanks for

the invite.” After the women left the agency, Steve pulled out the top drawer, which contained his favorite meal, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

On the computer he typed in

“Kansas City” and started searching for the best airfares.

28

John Farran was a long-haul truck driver by trade and would be gone weeks at a time.

He hurt his back on his

last truck run and was now out on worker’s compensation. John made less money but liked the normal life he was leading.

He didn’t miss the traffic jams, the truck stop

food, the long hours or the heavy lifting.

He did miss his

trucking friends and his CB radio. As John walked in the hot July sun he thought about how he met Jimmy Sinclair and how he joked at the bar about doing eight years as a Green Beret, being licensed to kill as a black belt in karate, being dropped behind enemy lines in the last Gulf War, and killing five of the enemy.

He

showed Jimmy his military photo in uniform, which was actually his younger brother - but who could really tell in the dark, smoky atmosphere of The Hideaway Bar? Jimmy was throwing darts when John challenged him to a game.

Over a few beers they became friends.

This was

about three weeks ago, recalled John as he entered the Radio Shack store.

John selected the top of the line CB

radio, paid cash and flagged down a taxi, since it was too hot to walk back to his apartment.

When he arrived at the apartment, John set up his radio.

Jimmy, over a beer last week had asked John if he

wanted to earn ten thousand.

He wanted his wife killed.

29

Jokingly, John said, “Sure. cash.”

I’ll do it for thirty thousand

That was how much he needed to buy his own rig and

go into business for himself as “John Farran Trucking,” whose motto would be “Get It There On Time”.

The new rigs

were closer to one hundred thousand, but he knew a friend that would sell his for sixty-six thousand - thirty thousand down and payments of a thousand a month for three years.

He had a plan.

He would get fifteen thousand from

Jimmy and the other fifteen thousand from Jimmy’s wife by going to her with her husband’s plan.

Then he could skip

town and start a new life on the road.

Buffalo Bill’s closed at nine pm.

Jimmy secured all

the doors, placed the day’s proceeds in the floor safe, went out the front, activated the alarm, and locked the door behind him.

Jimmy entered his white Honda Accord

parked in the brightly lit parking lot and departed.

Jimmy

didn’t notice a brown Mazda van following a few hundred yards back.

Donna, age 22, was the manager of the Moonlight Lingerie Shop, and was in love with Jimmy Sinclair.

She

met him last year when he first got married and bought lingerie for his wife.

As Jimmy’s marriage slowly fell

apart, Donna let it be known that she was crazy for Jimmy.

30

She did love him, but it also helped that Jimmy was wealthy. Donna grew up poor.

Her father left her mom and three

sisters when she was eight, and Donna vowed never to live in a run down trailer again.

When she turned eighteen, she

left the small town of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for Tupelo and a new life. Donna knew Jimmy was trying to leave his wife, and he did promise to marry her once his divorce was final. Jimmy told Donna a few weeks ago that Kathy never loved him and married him for his money and the large house he lived in.

Jimmy pulled up to Donna’s rental house, locked his car and rang the doorbell.

Private investigator Steve

Conners took a covert video of Jimmy kissing Donna at the door.

Steve wrote in his report, “lights out at midnight.”

Steve set his alarm clock for five am, pulled out a blanket, reclined his front seat, and fell asleep.

The alarm clock did its job and Steve noted on video and in his notebook all the details.

Jimmy exited the

house at seven am and went back to the store to open. Steve traveled back to his office and ran data on the blue Toyota Celica in the driveway. Donna Johnson, age 22.

The license plate came back to a Steve made a copy of his video for

31

his client, and planned to follow Jimmy when he closed the store at seven pm.

Donna walked into Jimmy’s store at six thirty pm and pretended to shop.

She bought a few items, gave her man

the eye, and kissed him when the only customer in the store left. Steve followed the lovebirds to a restaurant, to a movie, and back to Donna’s place.

Just like clockwork,

Jimmy left the love nest at seven am, drove to the store, opened it, and left once Steve’s client arrived to take over. Steve followed his subject to the Village Inn Restaurant on Green Street.

He observed Jimmy with a man

in his 30’s, having breakfast. The two stopped talking every time the waitress came over.

Jimmy left first, so Steve decided to follow the

mystery man to see who he was.

Steve followed the man

riding a bicycle over to his one bedroom apartment in the Fairground apartment complex and watched him enter apartment 33.

Steve checked the mailbox.

for that unit was John Farran.

The name listed

Steve checked Donna’s

house, the store and other known locations of Jimmy’s, but could not locate his car.

Steve called his client, who

agreed to come to the travel agency.

32

Detective Anderson received the background check on Jimmy Sinclair. ticket.

The target was clean - not even a speeding

He owned a mansion on Rutland Road worth one

million, a store with land worth another two million, and he also had over three million cash in the bank, so why stage a robbery? “Here Harry, read our background report.

This guy is

worth millions, so why would he stage a robbery?” Detective Fusco sat down to read the report. Lieutenant John Sparks walked in. “Hey boss.

Why fake a robbery for fifteen thousand

dollars when you are worth millions?” asked Detective Anderson. “Is he married?” questioned the Lieutenant. “Yep, but not in a happy relationship.” “My guess,” said the Lieutenant, “is that he has a girlfriend and is spending money on her and doesn’t want the wife to notice any cash withdrawal activity.”

“Harry you have a visitor,” said the officer in uniform.

Harry looked up from reading the background check

on Jimmy Sinclair to see a smiling Mrs. Sally Friedman, holding a freshly baked apple pie. “Here you go officer – just like you requested,” said

33

Sally, handing the chubby one her creation. “Thank you very, very much,” Harry replied, standing up to take his gift. “I put in extra apples and cinnamon like you asked.” Someone in the room shouted, “Get a knife, bring the plates and forks.” Harry wanted the pie all for himself.

He had told

Mrs. Friedman he would come over and pick it up. “Oh I know you told me you would stop by my place after work to pick up the pie, but I was in the area so I just thought I’d drop it off,” beamed the woman, with the telltale dustings of flour on the cuffs of her sleeves. Someone handed Harry a knife and he grudgingly had no choice but to share his dessert with the squad. Another officer approached the elderly lady.

“Can you

bake me a coconut cream pie with extra bananas on top?” Harry was not pleased that his new source of dessert was discovered so quickly.

He saved the last, and largest,

piece of pie for himself.

After everyone had finished and

gone back to work, Harry escorted the lovely lady out to the lobby. “Let me see now.

I have to bake four pies and six

cakes, and I get paid eight dollars a dessert.

That’s

eighty dollars!” exclaimed the delighted Mrs. Friedman, holding the empty pie dish in her left hand.

34

“See, Mrs. Friedman’s bakery is now open for business,” said Harry, as he gave the woman a hug and thanked her again for the apple pie. Harry wandered over to the vending machine and put in three quarters. Mars bar.

He selected a button and out dropped a

Harry then walked out to the police parking

garage and retrieved his thermos from his custom made white van.

John Farran took a cab to the Tupelo airport and went inside.

He waited a few minutes and then walked out to the

parking lot.

He waited and watched all arriving cars and

the occupants of each.

He followed one family of four into

the terminal and made small talk with them.

They were

headed to Utah for a week of rock climbing.

John walked

back out to the lot towards their Honda van, quickly unlocked the driver’s door, popped the ignition, and drove off.

Today was his lucky day.

The gas gauge was full.

John drove back to his apartment, playing the family’s CDs while in route.

Kathy watched the PI’s video of Jimmy with Donna, and of Jimmy meeting a man named John Farran.

She thought, if

my husband did stage the robbery he must be spending the stolen money on her. . .

35

Steve interrupted her thoughts with the story of how his own wife had cheated on him many years ago, and how hard it was to deal with.

Kathy finished watching the

video of Jimmy and Donna and turned to her private investigator. “I don’t really care who he sees.

I just want to know

what else he is up to.”

The Honda van pulled up to Buffalo Bill’s grocery store and John entered.

He walked up to Jimmy.

“Excuse me. . . I need bread.” Jimmy looked up from doing paperwork to see, with surprise, his hit man looking at him with a smile on his face. “What are you doing here?” quizzed Jimmy, looking around to see where his store clerk was. three most days.

Kathy leaves at

It’s six pm now.

“I came for more bread,” smiled John. “Bread and rolls are on aisle four,” pointed Jimmy. “No, more bread!” motioned John, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together. “I gave you fifteen thousand already.” “I know, but all that money is hidden.

I need money

now for gas, a meal, a movie and popcorn.” Jimmy opened the register and gave John twenty

36

dollars.

He laughed as he accepted the money.

John left the store, drove over to Jimmy’s colonial mansion and rang the bell. Kathy opened the door:

“Yes?”

“Kathy, you don’t know me, but my name is John Farran. Your husband staged a fake robbery over at Summit Bank and gave me fifteen thousand dollars as a down payment.” “A down payment for what?” “I don’t mean you any harm lady, but he hired me to kill you in your store and to make it look like a robbery.” John showed Kathy the newspaper article on the recent rash of robberies.

“Your husband gave me your shift hours too.

I’m telling you all of this to protect you. to see any harm come your way.

I don’t want

I came up with a plan where

no one gets hurt and Jimmy goes to jail.” Kathy recognized John now from the video her PI showed her. “Go on, tell me more.” “At the Hideaway Bar I asked him ‘Do you want her shot in the head or torso?’

He said ‘The torso.’”

I told him I wanted thirty thousand dollars, fifteen now and fifteen when the job was done.

I made him think I was

a professional hit man, but in reality I am just a professional truck driver who will haul anything, anywhere, for a price.”

37

“Why would you tell my husband that you’re a hit man when you’re not?” “I am trying to buy a new rig for the road.

It will

cost sixty-six thousand dollars and I’ve got only ninety cents, that’s why.

At first I thought, why not take his

fifteen thousand down and just leave town? your mansion, your store and then you.

But then I saw

I realized if I

just left town he would find someone else to do the job, or do it himself.

With my plan, no one gets hurt.”

“Okay, so what’s your plan?” Kathy asked, as she waved to a neighbor walking a small dog. “I botch attempts at killing you and leave evidence behind that leads the police to your husband.

You help by

telling the police that a man has been following you places.

You’re afraid.

If we do this right, your spouse

will be arrested and convicted of attempted murder.

You

pay me fifteen thousand dollars, I buy my rig, I’m back on the road and you, my lady, are a free and rich woman.” “Why not go to the police and tell them what’s up? You wear a wire, get him talking, he confirms what you just told me and they arrest him.” “Because I don’t get my rig, I get involved with cops who I don’t want to get involved with, and I’m tied up for months or years in court. cops.”

So no, I won’t just go to the

38

“Then I will,” Kathy said. “No you won’t, because I’ll deny the whole story, your husband will too, and then he’ll still hire someone to pump you full of lead in a botched store robbery.

The rest of

your life, every time a customer enters you will wonder if it’s really a customer or a killer.

My way is safer.”

“What do we do now?” Kathy conceded. “I’ll meet your husband soon.

He’ll give me

instructions and I’ll call you after that.

Now to make

sure you go along with my plan, you’ll need to give me fifteen thousand dollars.” “What? town?

Give you more money and then you just leave

No, I don’t think so.”

“I won’t split town.

I could be halfway to Texas

already with the fifteen thousand I already have.

I don’t

like your husband.

He’s a

jerk.

I want to see him go to jail.

No, I won’t split town until he’s arrested.

Remember, your husband wants you dead.

He told me he and

his parents have worked too hard to give you half.

The

safe thing to do is get him arrested for attempted murder.” “Okay, I like your scheme. with cash.

I’ll have my mom meet you

I’ll have her take the money out of her account

so I don’t leave a money trail like I see criminals do on the FBI Files on TV.

39

John drove back to his apartment.

Kathy picked up her

house phone and called a number. “Economy Travel Agency,” a woman answered. “May I speak to Steve please?

I’m a client.”

“I’ll take down your number and have him call you.” “Please do, and it’s urgent!”

Kathy hung up the phone

after giving the woman her house phone number.

Kathy searched her VHS tape library and popped in a video.

The FBI logo came on and a voice said “true stories

of the FBI. . .” end.

The phone rang and Steve was on the other

“What can I do for you. . . ready to take that trip?” “I need to hire you to follow my husband twenty-four

hours a day for the next week.” “No problem, but that will cost you eight thousand for one PI, or fourteen thousand for two men on him.” “No, just you, and you can’t tell anyone about this case.” “No problem.

When do you want me to start?”

“Tomorrow night.

He closes the store at nine pm.”

“Okay, no problem.

But I need a five thousand

retainer before I start.” “All right.

I’ll come by your back office tomorrow

before noon.” “No problem,” Steve said.

“I’ll be looking forward to

40

seeing you again.” “Me too.”

Good, that’s out of the way.

my mom can help me out. called her mom.

Now lets hope

After Kathy hung up from Steve she

Kathy agreed to go over for breakfast at

eight am, before going to Buffalo Bill’s at nine.

Detective Anderson reviewed the exterior videotape of the robbery outside Summit Bank.

From a distance, it

showed Jimmy’s Honda pulling up.

A few seconds later, the

white Cadillac pulled along side, but some tree branches blocked the actual exchange of the moneybag. “Our luck,” grumbled Detective Fusco, munching on some potato chips as he hit the stop button. “Of all the places to park, he stops by the trees,” groaned Detective Anderson. “Want some chips?” asked Harry.

Kathy sat at her mom’s breakfast table having coffee and toast.

“Mom, I need you to withdraw fifteen thousand

cash from your account and meet a man this morning. don’t ask any questions. everything.

Please

When it’s all over I’ll tell you

His instructions for you are to go to the

Amoco gas station on the corner of Madison and Swift, pull up to the vacuum pumps and lift your hood. there at eleven am.”

He said to be

41

“Fifteen thousand!

Are you in danger?” Carol asked,

with a very worried look on her face. “Yes mom, I am in danger.

I need for you to give this

man the money and I’ll tell you the reason later.

It’s

best you don’t know what is going on.” “Okay honey.

What does this man look like and what’s

his name?” “His name is Max,” lied Kathy.

“He’s about thirty-

five years old, with short, dark hair and a mustache. he comes over he said he would ask for a map.

Just give

him the envelope, close the hood and drive away. at the store after you get home. to go and open the store now.”

When

Call me

I love you mom. . .I have Kathy gave her mom a kiss

on the forehead, picked up her car keys and left the condo overlooking the civil war battlefield.

John started up the stolen Honda, put in a music CD and headed out toward the Amoco gas station.

He arrived

early and parked a few hundred yards away at the Wal-Mart parking lot.

He watched from a distance as Carol pulled up

in her bright yellow PT Cruiser, lifted the hood and waited.

John approached, wearing a baseball cap and dark

sunglasses. “Good morning.

Do you have a city map?” he asked as

he held out his hand.

Carol gave the stranger the large

42

white envelope and asked, “Why is my daughter giving you fifteen thousand dollars?” John looked inside the large envelope and viewed stacks of fifty and one hundred-dollar bills. questions lady.”

“No

He walked away toward the Wal-Mart

parking lot.

Kathy met Steve in front of Economy Travel.

“Here’s

your retainer,” she said as she handed the PI his money. “Good luck tonight.” “Okay, no problem, I’ll do my best.

But remember,

it’s just me out there and there’s always a chance I might lose him.

If he makes a traffic light and I don’t – that’s

all it takes to mess up a good surveillance.

Then we’ll

have to start over again.”

Detective Anderson picked up his partner at the Seven Eleven store by the police station.

Detective Fusco

entered the unmarked car with a large bag of barbecue chips.

“Where are we going?”

“To the airport.

They recovered the white Cadillac

used in the Sinclair case.

You know Harry, you’ve been my

partner for eight months and you’re always eating. your meals and half of mine sometimes. full?”

You eat

Don’t you ever get

43

Harry looked over at his muscled, physically fit partner and said, “Twenty years ago I looked like you.” “Well, Harry, in twenty years I hope I don’t look like you!”

They both laughed as their vehicle entered the

onramp to the interstate.

The stolen Cadillac was parked in the far corner of the parking lot.

The ID tech lifted no fingerprints but

found assorted papers in the car. A uniformed officer approached both detectives.

“Tow

truck will be here in twenty minutes.” “Who located the car?” asked Anderson as he watched his partner stuff more chips into his mouth. “The parking lot attendant standing over there called it in.

Her name’s. . . umm. . . Janet Lee.”

The officer

pointed at a young, attractive, Oriental female.

Detective Anderson walked over to the attendant while his partner and the officer talked golf and shared the bag of chips. “Hi, I’m Detective Mike Anderson, Robbery Division,” putting his hand out for Janet to shake. “Hello, I’m Janet Lee, Miss Janet Lee,” repeated the pretty young woman, stressing the word “Miss” when she spoke.

44

“What drew your attention to the car?” “A motorist complained that the Cadillac was parked too close to her car and she had a hard time getting out. I came over to see for myself and noticed the ignition was broken off.

The police operator told me it was stolen and

to keep an eye on it until she could get a marked unit over.” “Do you have security cameras in this area?” questioned Mike. “Only on the way out, to record the toll ticket transactions.” “When do you show the car arriving here?” “Let me see. . . oh yes, here it is . . .on Tuesday afternoon,” Janet offered, looking at papers on a clipboard in her hands. “The police department said it was reported stolen on Wednesday night when the owner returned early from a business trip to Chicago.

Can you get me the videotapes

for Tuesday and Wednesday and have them dropped off at the station?

Here is my card.”

Detective Anderson handed

Janet his card. “Sure, I can do that right away,” Janet said as she took the business card, touching his hand as she did so. “We can even watch the videos at my place Mike. alone.”

I live

45

Nothing like a subtle woman, smiled Mike to himself. He took out another card, wrote his cell phone number on the back and handed it to Janet. “It’s a date then Janet. tapes.

Call me when you have the

I’ll bring over pizza and we’ll review them.”

Janet eagerly took his card, put it in her pocket and ran back to her manager’s office. and liked what he saw.

Mike watched Janet run

He turned around and went back to

his partner, still talking sports and eating chips.

Back inside her office, Janet looked out the window and watched Detective Anderson walk over to his partner and the police officer.

One fine man. . . thought Janet as she

filled in the video tape request form. Janet was only twenty-two when she arrived in Los Angeles from Hong Kong.

Her brother Stephen invited her to

work in his Chinese Buffet restaurant, where she met Diane, who became her fast friend and roommate.

For several

months the girls had a great time browsing the beaches in search of the perfect man before Diane had the inspiration to expand their quest by traveling the United States. After driving through many states without seeing much more than endless cornfields and the occasional tractor, they made a fateful stop in Tupelo, where Diane met a ruggedly handsome carpenter and decided to change roommates.

46

Janet, somewhat disappointed by the turn of events, decided to rent a small apartment a few blocks away, in anticipation of a break-up. as much fun.

Man hunting alone just wasn’t

Running short on funds, she interviewed and

was hired to work at the Tupelo airport.

Being an

attractive gal, Janet always had a lot of men hitting on her, but they were only interested in one thing.

She was

impetuous and hopelessly romantic, but only wanted to fall in love and settle down like Diane had. Glancing up after completing the form, Janet observed Detective Anderson.

Now he’s a good candidate. . .

Janet

watched the detectives enter their police vehicle and depart the area.

At the crime lab, a few prints were found on the papers left in the stolen Cadillac.

Detective Anderson

went through the evidence and came across a Wal-Mart receipt for a windbreaker with a date and time of less than twenty four hours prior to the Sinclair robbery.

The

detective made a copy of the receipt and went searching for his partner.

When he couldn’t find him, he drove over to

Wal-Mart alone. receipt.

He met with the manager and showed him the

The manager introduced him to the two clerks who

might have sold the orange windbreaker. After a brief interview with the clerks, Detective

47

Anderson went back to the store manager, who located the VHS tapes for the date of purchase.

The detective spent

over an hour looking at the grainy tapes. a white Cadillac parked in the lot.

One tape showed

The man exiting the

vehicle appeared to be in his thirties, had a mustache, and short, dark hair.

A second video showed the same white

male in the sporting goods section of the store at about the time the orange windbreaker was purchased.

He ordered

copies of the footage and instructed the manager to drop them off at the station.

Detective Anderson made a note of

the description and also told the store manager that the two elderly clerks were of no help.

They saw too many

customers a day to remember anything of use.

Detective Anderson caught a glimpse of his partner through the front window of the Subway sandwich shop in a strip mall, about two miles from the police station. “How did you get here?” demanded Anderson. “I had a marked car drop me off.” “Who did you meet here?” “No one.

This store had a two for the price of one

special I saw in this morning’s newspaper, so I clipped the ad.

I hitched a ride and came here.” “Harry,” sighed the exasperated detective, “I couldn’t

locate you at the station so I went to the Wal-Mart by

48

myself, because a receipt for the windbreaker was found in the stolen car.

The manager identified it as an orange

windbreaker with a hood.

I looked at videotapes and found

a white male driving a Cadillac at about the time of the purchase.

I think it may be our bank robbery suspect.”

He

continued, “He’s in his mid thirties, five foot ten with short dark hair, a mustache and maybe one hundred eighty pounds.

The manager will bring the tapes over when they’re

copied for us to review again.”

Anderson pulled into

traffic as his partner started on his second ham and cheese sandwich.

Donna answered her doorbell. flowers and a big smile. and let him in.

She kissed Jimmy in the doorway

PI Steve videoed the whole thing.

had dinner ready. favorite.

There stood her man with

Donna

She knew meatloaf was her lover’s

They talked while they ate.

“So when do you file the divorce papers?” Donna asked excitedly. “I went to see Kathy’s lawyer last Friday morning. tried to work out a quick settlement, but no dice. wants fifty-fifty right down the middle.

I

She

Hell, we’ve been

married eleven months, sleeping in separate beds five of those eleven, and she wants half of my fortune. . .half of what my grandparents, parents and I have worked so very

49

hard for.

No way in hell will I end up giving her half.

Ten percent maybe, but not half,” emphasized Jimmy. “What did you see in her anyway?” Donna asked, pouring more red wine into their glasses. “I saw long legs and heard a sweet voice.

You know, I

worked day and night for months running that store, and never had a social life.

She came in one day, said hello

and it was love at first sight for me.

She started helping

me stock shelves, sweep, and waited for me to close up so we could go out after.”

He continued, “Kathy seemed to

like me for me, and not my money.

We never went to

expensive restaurants and she wouldn’t let me buy her anything, nothing – not jewelry, clothes, nothing. married and bam!

We got

She buys expensive clothes and jewelry,

trades her old Ford Taurus in for a new, top of the line BMW convertible, and redecorates the mansion. set up.”

I feel I was

What an idiot I was. . .

“Poor baby, I would never do that to you,” sympathized Donna.

She spent the next several hours conveying to Jimmy

through her words and actions just what he could expect from her. . .

Steve called Kathy and gave his client an update on Jimmy’s movements. “Good, stay with him,” Kathy urged.

“I need to know

50

how involved he is with her.” “No problem,” Steve replied in his laid-back style.

Steve waited for the lights to finally go out, and set his alarm clock for five am.

They’ve been up half the

night. . . I don’t need to worry about getting too early of a start, surmised the confident investigator.

Reclining

his Mazda van seat all the way back, he pulled out his pillow and fell asleep.

The alarm rang loudly and Steve sat up to find Jimmy’s white Honda missing from the driveway.

Steve drove to his

client’s home, but the Honda wasn’t there.

He searched the

Buffalo Bill’s parking lot and drove around town to Jimmy’s usual hangouts, but the subject and his Honda could not be located. Steve sighed and thought I’ll pick him up later.

In

the meantime, he drove over to Wal-Mart to buy more surveillance tapes.

He exited his car and walked inside

the store to find Jimmy Sinclair and Donna Johnson at the check-out counter, who were on their way out with an unknown purchase. Steve followed them back to Donna’s home and videoed them entering the residence.

Steve crossed out his earlier

notes of the subject “not at residence at five am,” and

51

wrote instead, “subject and girlfriend depart in Honda for Wal-Mart.

They shop and return to residence at six am.”

Good, now I don’t have to explain to Kathy how I lost her husband. . .

Now relaxed, Steve opened his thermos and

poured himself some coffee.

Kathy pulled up to the restaurant alone and entered. The hostess said, “Good morning.

Welcome to IHOP.

How

many in your party?” “Two.” “Okay.

This way please.”

Kathy sat in a corner booth overlooking the parking lot.

She witnessed John Farran pull up in a beige Honda

minivan.

He slid in across from her.

“Nice day for a hit,

huh?” Kathy laughed when he said it.

“Your van – does it

ride nice?” “It’s not my van.

I stole it from the airport.

I own

a bicycle, but yeah, it rides nice.” “Driving a stolen vehicle.

Aren’t you worried about

the cops?” “Nope, I stole it from a family on a week’s vacation, so unless they come back early and report it stolen, I’ll have it back before their return.” “Why steal a car?

Why not just buy your own?”

52

“I told you, I’m saving for my own rig, and if I’m going to attempt to kill you, I don’t want any vehicle traced back to me.

This way I can steal and dump anytime I

want.” After ordering their meal, Kathy said, “This is the last time we meet.

You have your down payment, I have your

cell phone number, so I’ll call you. at the store.

Here is my schedule

You can always reach me there.

and closes the store each day now.

Jimmy opens

I am there from ten am

to three pm every day. John ate his pancakes, listening to Kathy go on about her schedule.

He nodded his head every so often.

“Do you want your pancakes?” John asked, eyeing the three buttermilk pancakes sitting on a plate. “No,” responded Kathy impatiently, eat them all if you want” as she continued talking. In between bites John explained the less she knew the better.

This way she looked convincing when interviewed by

the cops. “After your husband is arrested I expect to get paid a five thousand dollar bonus, for sticking around instead of leaving town with your money.” “It will be worth paying you the money just to see him behind bars.

I’ll put the money in a locker at the airport

and call you as to where the key will be.

This way we

53

don’t have to meet in person.

I can’t take the chance of

being seen with you anymore.”

Kathy kept her sunglasses on the entire time, but removed her red wig only after she left the pancake house parking lot in the rental car she rented that morning. Kathy loved watching police and detective shows, and always made mental notes on how criminals operated.

No way was

this scheme going to backfire in her face. For fun, John followed Kathy from a distance and watched her remove the red wig and rearrange her long, dark hair at a traffic light.

He laughed as she got back in her

own car at Rent-a-Wreck and drove off.

One cautious woman,

I like that, John thought, as he made a u-turn in the middle of the road and headed back to his apartment.

Sirens blared and multi-colored lights flashed behind John as he drove down Main Street after making the illegal turn. Damn! John thought as he pulled over.

The cop saw me

make that turn. The heavy-set, older officer exited his patrol car and walked up to the driver’s side of the Honda van. John, hiding his face, gunned the engine and took off. He watched the chubby cop dash back to his patrol car.

54

John quickly turned into a residential neighborhood, made rights and lefts on different streets, saw an open, empty garage, pulled the van inside, and closed the garage door. He waited a few seconds before slipping out the side door of the garage and calmly walking down the street. “Sir, have you seen a beige Honda van speed past here?” asked the baby face rookie officer behind the wheel, with blue lights flashing. “Yes officer, I did.

A white male turned right at the

corner just a minute ago.” “You live here?”

The officer pointed at the house

where the van was hidden. “Yes, why?” “If we don’t catch the guy, I’ll be back to take down your info for the report.” right at the corner.

The officer took off and turned

John calmly walked out of the

neighborhood and caught the city bus coming down the street.

The same young rookie officer, Danny Hanagan, was redfaced as he spoke to the homeowner, who called the police to report a strange beige van in her garage.

He stood

there in her driveway, knowing now the stranger he talked to twenty minutes earlier was his auto thief.

The van

wasn’t reported stolen, but with the ignition popped out and the thief running from the cops, there wasn’t much room

55

for doubt.

An officer knocked on the front door of Robert Wheeler’s residence at 2446 Charing Cross Drive.

A

neighbor came out of her house and told the officer the family was on vacation in Utah and would be back in a few days.

The neighbor also confirmed that they drove their

Honda van to the airport. The information was relayed to Hanagan, who was making out the recovered vehicle report in the Big Oaks neighborhood.

Detective Anderson put a call into the

airport police and inquired as to how many vehicles stolen from their airport were recovered again back at the airport.

A quick check found two vehicles in thirty days.

All had their ignitions popped out, all had Burger King, McDonalds and other drive-up food wrappers on the floorboards, and all were found in another section of the airport parking lot.

They all belonged to people taking

extended trips out of town. Detective Anderson, sitting at his desk, asked for a detailed report to be sent to him as soon as possible.

He

hung up the phone, turned to his partner and informed him of his findings.

He then put a call into Janet Lee’s

office at the airport lot.

She was out doing her rounds

and would call him back, assured the man on the other end

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of the phone line.

Anderson went down the hall to the

vending machine and brought back a Mars Bar. His phone rang as he took a bite.

It was the Auto

Theft Bureau informing him of the chase earlier in the day, when the owner’s vehicle was recovered in a stranger’s garage. “What does that have to do with Robbery Division?” asked Anderson to the detective on the other end of the line. “There may be a connection between cars missing from our airport and your bank robbery. the airport.

The owners left it at

We found the parking ticket above the visor.

We also found McDonald’s food wrappers.

Your man Hanagan

said the man on the street was about thirty-five years old with dark, short hair and a mustache.” “I’ll be right over,” said Anderson as he took the last bit of the candy bar and left the empty wrapper on his partner’s desk, who again, not surprisingly, was nowhere to be found.

Jimmy left Donna’s house and drove to his store. Kathy was assisting several customers as he walked in.

She

nodded at him as he tensely entered, but didn’t say a word. All the local customers knew of the upcoming divorce. could see it in both of their faces.

They

Ten months ago they

57

were two lovebirds and now they were like two wild dogs fighting over a bone, always barking at each other. Jimmy went right to the back office, where he found Billy on the phone. “I hired you to work Billy, not sit on your ass in my chair, in my office, using my phone and on my time,” sputtered the agitated store owner. “Sorry sir,” Billy gulped.

He said a speedy goodbye

to whomever was on the other end, picked up the broom and dustpan and made fast tracks toward the front of the store.

Steve parked across the street and waited.

He saw

Kathy’s BMW in the lot, so he knew both she and Jimmy were inside.

Steve pulled out the crossword puzzle section and

started working on it. Billy swept the front sidewalk.

Janet Lee dialed the Robbery Division and waited for Detective Anderson to pick up.

She got his voicemail.

After listening to all of the instructions she left a friendly greeting, “Hello Mike, this is Janet. message to call. now two pm. that.

My home phone is (662) 555-5555.

It’s

I get off at three and will be home after

The VHS tapes are ready.

way home.

I got your

I’ll pick them up on my

Looking forward to seeing you again.”

58

At the Auto Theft Bureau, a map of the airport was taped to the wall that showed the parking lots with assorted color tipped pins.

“The red pins are the cars

stolen over a three month period and the blue pins are the same red pins that were recovered back at the airport. Normally when a car is stolen, either we never recover it or it’s found somewhere else in the city or state.

Now

Mike, to have two pins here where the cars were brought back. . . very unusual,” mused Detective Joe Honeycutt, a middle-aged father of three. “I have someone from the airport parking lot picking up the videos that cover a period of time to see if we can put a face to the person doing this,” Mike offered, not wanting to mention Janet’s name.

“Now Joe, when the victim

of the Honda van arrives back in town, let me interview him.

I’ll send you a report for your file,” instructed

Mike. “That’s fine with me.

My desk has too many files as

it is,” pointed Joe to his desk scattered with files, papers and other items. “Why do you think he or she returned the car back to the airport?” asked Mike. “My guess is either they think they wouldn’t be found for a while, or the perp planned to steal another one right

59

after dumping the last one.” *

2.

Robbery

Kathy watched her husband leave the store without saying a word.

She immediately went to the back door of

the store and unlocked it.

Billy was busy stocking shelves

and didn’t notice Kathy go to the back room.

She went back

to the cashier’s stand location by the front door to help an old lady check out.

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Farran looked at his “Wheel of Fortune” watch and then walked a few blocks from the bus stop to the rear of Buffalo Bill’s grocery.

The door was unlocked.

He stepped

inside the storage area, full of boxes, and peeked out of the little glass pane in the swinging door that led to the interior of the store. woman, and no one else. didn’t see him around.

Farran saw Kathy and an elderly He knew there was a stock boy, but He waited a few minutes just to be

sure, slipped on his black leather gloves, put on a green baseball cap and sunglasses, and walked toward Kathy and the elderly woman. “Don’t anyone move or do anything stupid,” commanded Farran, holding a real 38 revolver, which was planted earlier by Kathy in the stockroom, along with the cap and sunglasses, from where Farran retrieved them before putting on his gloves. The old woman turned and screamed and ran out the door, still screaming.

Kathy opened the register and

started taking out money, dropping some bills to the floor to make it appear she was nervous. Billy peeked around the corner and saw Farran with the gun.

Billy, being a star pitcher on the University of

Mississippi baseball team, picked up a large can of baked beans and threw the can about twenty feet, hitting Farran

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on the left shoulder.

Farran turned in the clerk’s

direction and ducked in time to miss a second can of baked beans from finding its target.

The would-be assassin fired

a shot toward the brave but foolish young man, making sure to aim high and to the right.

The sound of the gun going

off made Farran jump, and the clerk ducked and ran out the back door. Kathy, according to plan, ran out the front door as Farran put two rounds into the wall behind the cash register, a distance of about ten feet.

He grabbed the

large bills and ran out the back door and into the alley, dropping his green ball cap.

Farran removed the paper bag

he had folded in his back pocket, and very calmly turned the corner, putting the gun and gloves inside the bag. Farran walked about a block and a half and caught the city bus toward his apartment. sirens wailing in the distance.

On the bus, he could hear Glad the transit system

sticks to the posted schedule. . . As he leaned back in his seat, the would-be hit man reviewed the day’s events.

The original plan called for

Farran to wait in the unlocked stockroom for Kathy to tell Billy to get something from the back room.

Then Farran

would tie Billy up, come to the front of the store, steal the money, and have Kathy break free as Farran led her to the back storage room. Farran would then shoot some rounds

62

off and run out the back, while Kathy would play the terrified victim when the cops arrived.

Farran liked the

plan, but got nervous holding the gun in his hand while standing in the back storage room, and out of nervousness just couldn’t wait for Billy.

Almost without a hitch, he

thought.

The cops set up a perimeter, searched the entire store, and canvassed the area, looking for any witnesses that might be hanging around.

A television crew from

Channel 6 arrived to cover the scene, and the male reporter was asking Billy questions. “So you threw two cans at the armed robber?” “Yes. . . yes sir,” stammered the nervous celebrity. “I hit him with a can of Heinz barbeque beans in the left shoulder, but I was aiming for his head.

The second can of

beans would have been in the strike zone, but he ducked. Then he fired at me and I got the hell out of there.” Someone handed Billy a can of Heinz beans and he smiled as he held the can up for the camera. Kathy stood outside her store and used the time to call people. 6.

“Mom, the store got robbed.

They’re out here covering the store.

Turn on Channel Don’t worry...I’m

all right...will call you back...go turn on the TV and record it for me.

Okay, love you mom.”

63

Kathy called Detective Anderson’s office. “Yes, Mrs. Sinclair, I’ll get him the message,” said the clerk in the Robbery Division.

Jimmy was at Donna’s store.

He heard the sirens and

saw police cars zoom past, but didn’t pay any attention to the direction, as he was too busy watching Donna try on negligees. “I like the color, but it’s not transparent enough,” Jimmy said as Donna modeled the new garments that just arrived.

Jimmy watched Donna try on more sexy numbers as

they made small talk.

“I really think Kathy’s going to

file the divorce papers on me this week.” “Why do you think that?” “Because yesterday afternoon she smiled for no reason and said ‘nice day to be single.’” “Do you want to move in with me and my two cats?” asked the ever-eager Donna, moving closer to Jimmy as he sat in a chair by the changing room mirrors. “I think it’s best I stay at my house and try to get Kathy to move out.

I know we are headed for divorce, but I

just don’t want to file first, because there has never been a divorce in the whole history of my family. better if she files.”

It will look

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Donna sat on Jimmy’s lap, ran her fingers through his hair and whispered, “I’ll never leave you honey.”

Outside, PI Steve continued to work on a crossword puzzle.

Detective Anderson arrived at and entered the grocery store.

He singled Kathy out, who was still talking on her

cell phone.

As he approached, Kathy said into her phone,

“I’ll call you back - gotta go.”

Kathy closed up the

phone, smiled her best smile and in a pleasant voice said, “Hi Detective Anderson.” “I can see from your smile that you’re okay.” “Yes.

It’s been over an hour now, giving me time to

calm down and relax more. everyone.

I just made a pot of coffee for

Would you like some?” she asked, pointing in the

direction of the coffee stand. They stood close to each other as Anderson asked questions and made notes into a small spiral notebook. “So you describe the robber as about five feet ten inches, medium build, about one hundred eighty pounds wearing a green ball cap, sunglasses, with a mustache.

Is

that correct?” “Yes,” Kathy replied, drinking from a coffee cup. “You also recall him wearing a green T-shirt with “On

65

The Road Again” written in white on the front, blue jeans and cowboy boots, and a Wheel of Fortune watch on his right arm,” Anderson confirmed. “Correct,” Kathy said.

“I did good, right detective?”

she continued, exhibiting a warm smile for the hot looking hunk of a man standing in front of her wearing a two-piece blue suit. “Well, I’m not used to this much detail to be honest. I normally get ‘all I saw was a big gun sticking in my face.’ Not too many people are as observant as you Mrs. Sinclair.” “Please call me Kathy.” “Okay Kathy.

You did very good considering you had a

gun thrust in your face.” “Well, I love cop shows. Files.

My favorite is the FBI

I tape most of them to watch again when I’m alone,

which these days is often.

Plus, working in a store you

have to be alert for shoplifters, panhandlers, salesmen, all kinds of things going on.”

Detective Anderson handed his notebook to a uniformed cop and instructed him to broadcast the description over the air and to let the TV reporter from Channel 6 release the information to the public as well, focusing on the green T-shirt with the logo written on the front and the

66

“Wheel of Fortune” watch.

These are the best leads going,

thought Anderson as he drank his coffee and listened to Kathy Sinclair talk about one of the FBI cases she recently watched. An ID technician approached Detective Anderson and showed him the green baseball cap in a plastic bag.

“This

was found in the alley.” Kathy interrupted the tech, “That looks like the cap the robber wore, and oh my God, my husband has a cap just like that!”

Jimmy Sinclair parked his Honda in the parking lot and approached a uniformed officer.

“Why all the cop cars?”

“This store was robbed a couple of hours ago.” “Robbed?

By who?

I’m the owner.”

“Then go inside and see Detective Anderson in the blue suit.” Jimmy walked in and noticed Kathy talking to Anderson by the coffee stand.

“Everything okay?” Jimmy asked Kathy

with feigned concern. “Yeah, like you really care.”

Kathy rolled her eyes

and walked away from the two men. “What happened here in my store?” questioned Jimmy. “Sir, you had an armed robbery.

The perp fired shots

at your wife and stock clerk, but no one was hurt.

He got

67

away with about four hundred dollars and ran out the back.” “This store has been in my family for many years and this is our first serious crime.

We’ve had vandalism, an

attempted break-in and shoplifters, but never any violence!” “Tell me something Mr. Sinclair. back door was unlocked.

Your wife said the

She remembered locking it earlier

in the day after dumping some boxes, and the stock clerk said he never went out back today.

Do you recall unlocking

it?” “Me?

No, why would I?”

“Your wife told me the robber had to have come from the back storage room because she was at the register by the front door all day.

How would the robber know to come

in the back door if it’s always locked?” “Beats me,” Jimmy responded. “Your wife said you never warned her about the three store robberies that made the paper that you were reading at her attorney’s office. “I thought I did.

Why not? quizzed Anderson”

Do you have a description?”

“White male, in his thirties, about one hundred eighty pounds, mustache and was wearing a green T-shirt with “On The Road Again” printed on the front, a Wheel of Fortune watch, blue jeans and cowboy boots.” “Wow, that’s a pretty detailed description,” Jimmy said.

68

“Your wife provided it.” “Kathy did?

She usually has a lousy memory.

She

can’t even remember to turn off the stove.” “Well, all I can say is that some people under duress, like you for instance, remember ‘I only saw a big gun in my face.’

One more thing, where were you when the store was

robbed two hours ago?” “I was at Wal-Mart on Fifth Street looking to buy country music CDs.” “Well, we might catch this guy quick if someone watching the news tonight remembers that green T-shirt or that watch,” said Anderson. Jimmy walked over and picked up a cold can of soda. Anderson followed.

“One more thing Mr. Sinclair.

Your

wife says you have a green baseball cap just like the one the robber dropped in the alley.”

Anderson showed Jimmy

the cap sealed in a transparent evidence bag. “Yes, I have a whole wall collection at home. “So maybe I can come over and look at it.

So?”

We might

have a label attached that we can use to trace where the cap was purchased.

This cap is missing a label.”

“Just let me know when and I’ll meet you there.” “Sometime later today would be best for me Mr. Sinclair.” “Okay, I’ll make myself available when you call.”

69

Jimmy waited for the detective to leave the store, then picked up his cell phone and called a number on a piece of paper stuffed in his wallet. John Farran was flipping channels in his apartment when the phone rang.

“Hello.”

“John?” “Who is this?” “Jimmy at the store.” “Listen Jimmy, I don’t want to talk on the phone. Let’s meet.” “You’re crazy, hell no.

The cops think I unlocked the

back door!” “I came in the front,” lied John, “and ran out the back.” “Look, get rid of that green T-shirt with “On The Road Again” and that Wheel of Fortune watch.

It’s going to be

broadcasted tonight all over the news,” warned Jimmy. “I can’t do that man.

My mom gave me the watch and

the shirt was a gift from my little brother!” “At least don’t wear them anymore.” “Let’s meet,” John said again. “No, not now, maybe late tonight. I close the store.” Kathy.

I’ll call you when

Jimmy looked around the store for

He saw her outside talking to the Channel 6

70

reporter.

John Farran hid the green T-shirt under the dresser with all his cash, but kept the Wheel of Fortune watch on his wrist.

He rode the Metro bus to the airport and walked

out to the parking lot to scan for his next victim.

Janet Lee picked up the phone on the third ring. “Hello, Janet speaking.” “Hi, this is Mike.” “Mike who?” Janet asked, not recognizing the voice. “You forgot me that quick?

It’s Detective Mike

Anderson.” “No, sorry Mike. office.

I get a lot of calls here in the

We have forty-six staff members and the phone

rings off the hook.

I just didn’t recognize the voice.”

They made plans to get together at her place.

John Farran was walking through the airport parking lot when his younger brother called. “Hey brother, it’s me.” “Hello Peter.

Sounds like you are calling long

distance.” “I am.

I’m in Germany.”

“On vacation or active duty?”

71

“I’m calling to tell you I am being sent to Iraq.

I’m

on my way to the action now.” “Wait a minute Peter.

When you called a few weeks ago

you said you were getting out and moving to Phoenix with that girlfriend of yours.” “Yeah, well Sandra ran off with an older guy and my civilian employer closed shop.

The Army offered me a great

reenlistment bonus so I took it.” “Iraq?

Now that worries me.”

“Don’t worry John.

I’ll keep my head down.”

“I’m not worried about a fire fight Peter.

I’m

worried about those roadside bombs I keep reading about in the USA Today.” “When it’s time to go, then it’s your time,” said Peter matter-of-factly as the phone connection started to go bad.

John’s cell phone went dead.

His concern for his

brother was short-lived as he spotted his next target and approached the couple. John walked over to a well-dressed elderly couple struggling to remove a large suitcase from the trunk of a new black Mercedes coupe.

“I’ll help you folks,” John said

as he lifted the heavy suitcase from the trunk and placed it by their feet.

“That suitcase is pretty heavy, I’ll

carry it for you.

I’m going in anyway to pick up my

daughter coming in from New York,” lied John, walking with

72

the couple into the terminal.

“That’s a very heavy

suitcase, must weigh over seventy pounds,” John said, trying to find out where the couple was headed, but more importantly, how long they would be gone. The woman said, “Our daughter is getting married for the third time in San Francisco.

While she’s on her two

week honeymoon in Europe, we’re going to stay at her place and babysit her two poodles.” “Wow, two weeks in Europe, must be nice,” John commented when they arrived at the Delta check-in counter. “Well folks, have a nice flight.”

And with that, John

walked away from the couple, past the Northwest Airlines ticket counter.

Around the corner and out of sight of the couple, he made his way back to the Mercedes.

Within moments he had

it unlocked and started, and headed toward the booth cashier.

John handed Janet a five-dollar bill.

“What a beautiful car.

You look good behind the

wheel!” gushed Janet, the perky attendant, handing John his change. “Thanks, I just got it,” joked John as he took the change from Janet.

“Oh, and you look good too in that

booth,” John laughed as he drove away.

73

“Honey, I forgot my heart pills in the front console of the car,” said the alarmed elderly woman to her husband. “Don’t worry dear. soothed her husband.

I’ll get them and be right back,”

The man walked out of the Delta

terminal to Row D, Spot 9, just like he wrote down on his parking ticket, only to find an empty space. Mercedes coupe.

No black

He searched all the rows with the aid of a

maintenance worker riding a golf cart, but the Mercedes was not to be found.

The airport police were quickly called and the tollbooth operators were notified.

Janet picked up the

phone, dialed Extension Sixty-three for Security, and notified them that a white male just left in a black Mercedes coupe. She also remembered his comment “I just got it.”

She told security the guy had a mustache, dark, short

hair and wore a white T-shirt.

The police reviewed the grainy video from Janet’s booth and confirmed with the elderly man that it was the same guy who helped him with his luggage.

The cops radioed

in the license plate number, and Janet helped arrange for the elderly couple to take the next flight out. “I don’t care about the car, I just want my wife’s heart medicine,” the distraught elderly man kept telling

74

everyone.

Kathy pulled into the Uptown Cafe parking lot and searched inside for Steve Conners.

She took a corner

booth, ordered an apple muffin, a coffee, and waited for her PI to arrive. Steve slid into the booth as Kathy was finishing her last bite.

“Sorry I’m late, but my normal typist is on

vacation so I had to type the report myself with this finger,” said Steve, holding up his right hand index finger.

Steve filled Kathy in on what her husband had been

up to since being watched around the clock. Kathy reviewed the color eight by ten snapshots of her husband with Donna Johnson.

I think I’ll go buy some

lingerie from The Moonlight Shop.

I want to see the look

on her pretty face when her lover’s spouse walks in. Steve gave his client a sheet of paper showing the address of the shop, Donna’s house, and the tag number on the blue Celica that Donna owned. Kathy wrote out a check for two thousand and instructed Steve to stay on Jimmy until she said to stop, and then handed him the check.

“When this is all over,

I’ll buy a weeklong cruise from you.”

Billy was sweeping up the store aisles when Jimmy told

75

him to take over the register, and that he would be back in time to close up.

Jimmy got into the passenger side of

Donna’s car and left the store.

The PI followed, and when Donna made a left turn on Lockridge Avenue, he knew where his subject was headed. Jimmy went over to Donna’s place for dinner and a little romance. Steve videoed Jimmy entering Donna’s apartment.

Steve wished he was Jimmy right about now, as

he sipped his cold coffee and ate another brick, his own slang for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, recalling how late into the night he waited for lights out on the previous surveillance. An airliner flew overhead as Steve sat there doing his customary crossword puzzle.

He watched the lights of the

plane for a while and wondered if Veronica, his ex-wife, was still a flight attendant with Northwest.

They were

married almost fifteen years when she admitted to having a two-year fling with a co-pilot on a 757.

She moved out and

married the guy too. Steve took a bite of his brick and thought about all of the trips he and his wife made flying standby. favorite trip was to Vegas.

His

She loved to play slots and

see the shows and he liked playing three-card poker.

The

Mirage hotel on the strip always gave them fifty percent

76

off their room rack rates, which meant most times they stayed in a room overlooking the volcano for twenty-five dollars a night. After the divorce he sold the house, quit his job as a painter, and moved to Seattle for six months.

He stayed

with an old high school buddy named Devin Burden, who was a private investigator.

Devin had him ride along on cases

and taught him all he knew.

Devin liked accident

reconstruction and witness statements, but Steve liked the surveillance part of the business. challenge.

It was more of a

His obsession with crossword puzzles came from

long hours of sitting in his car, waiting for his subject to do something. Steve opened his wallet and removed Veronica’s photo that he still kept.

She was his high school sweetheart.

He was still attracted to what he called the “Veronica look,” a tall, slender woman with long dark hair who loved country music.

Steve picked up his cell phone and called his client. She answered her cell on the third ring. “Hey Kathy, your husband’s at Donna’s house again.

He

got here about ten minutes ago.” “Donna’s house. . . he’s supposed to be at the store!”

77

Kathy hung up and called Billy.

“Billy, where’s

Jimmy?” “I don’t know ma’am.

He left about twenty minutes ago

and told me to stay and wait for him and that he’d be back in time to close.” Kathy hung up and called John Farran. implement the second stage of our scheme.

“John, lets Right now Jimmy

is with his girlfriend.” *

3.

Drive-By

John left his apartment, entered the black Mercedes and headed over to Buffalo Bill’s grocery store. went outside to water her plants. there was a full moon out.

Kathy

It was eight pm and

Kathy saw her husband’s old

Honda coming down the street. Donna had loaned John her spare key to the car.

She turned her back to the street as

78

planned. John rolled down the passenger window and aimed high. He fired two shots from Jimmy’s 38 revolver, the gun Kathy had given him, and drove away slowly.

Kathy hit the dirt

when the shots were fired and rolled around to get real dirty while screaming very loudly. Several neighbors came running over to make sure Kathy was all right.

Someone called 9-1-1 and gave the

description of the old Honda. number.

No one got the license plate

John had blocked most of the tag with an “I Love

Tupelo” sticker, which he removed a few blocks away from the crime scene. The cops arrived almost instantly and marked off the crime scene with yellow tape.

Kathy gave one of the

uniformed officers Detective Anderson’s business card and asked the officer to please call.

Kathy acted very shook

up when talking to the uniformed officers walking around the crime scene, interviewing witnesses.

John drove right back to Buffalo Bill’s grocery store and switched cars.

He then drove the Mercedes back to his

own apartment and placed a green tarp over the top of it, one that he had bought earlier in the day from a military surplus store.

He put Kathy’s 38 revolver under the

dresser and turned on his CB radio.

79

Donna dropped Jimmy off in front of his store.

Billy

came running as soon as he saw his boss, “Sir, the police called, said for you to get over to your house.

Someone

just tried to kill your wife!” “Jesus!” said Jimmy.

“Tried, did they say how?”

“In a drive-by shooting.” “Okay, look, you know how to lock up and put the alarm on, right?” “Yes sir, I do.” “Good, then do it.

I’ll see you in the morning.”

Jimmy ran out to his car and drove away fast.

Once out of

eyesight of Billy, Jimmy drove very, very slowly.

While following Jimmy at a snail’s pace, Steve decided to call the store and see if he could find out what was up. The news of the drive-by shooting was easily extracted from the excited Billy.

He called his client.

Kathy answered

her cell phone. “Are you all right?

I just heard about the drive-by”

asked Steve, with concern for his attractive client. “I’m fine, a bit shook up but fine.” “Well, your husband is enroute, although driving slowly I might add.”

80

On the way to his house, Jimmy dialed John Farran’s apartment phone. “Hello,” John said, acting tired. “What happened?

What went wrong?” Jimmy questioned.

“I told you don’t be calling me on this phone.

Use

the cell phone!” Jimmy redialed and when John answered, Jimmy asked again, “What the hell happened?” “I drove up and saw her in the yard watering her plants.

I stopped, aimed and fired, but when I did, she

bent over and I missed. bends over as I fire. Vegas.

Man, can you believe it? She’s lucky.

She

She should go to

I bet she’d win the Progressive Mega Jackpot.”

“Did anyone see you?” “There were people in the street when I sped away.” “Where’s the car that you used?” “I still have it.” “What?

You still have it?

Get rid of the stupid

thing!” “Hell no.

It’s a new Mercedes coupe.

thing I ever stole.

Best riding

I have a tarp over it, don’t worry.”

Jimmy pulled to the curb and walked the one hundred yards to his house.

It was the closest he could get with

police cars all over the place.

An ID technician was in

81

the process of removing the two slugs from the wood siding as Jimmy approached Detective Anderson and another detective. “What’s going on?” asked Jimmy. “I was going to ask you the same thing,” responded Detective Anderson, introducing Detective Fusco at the same time. “Your wife says she’s scared of you,” Detective Fusco stated pointedly while looking directly at Jimmy. “Scared of me?

Why?”

“Too much has been going on since your pending divorce.

First you’re robbed at a bank lot, then someone

robs the store, there’s a drive-by shooting, and not to mention your comments about you wanting your wife gone!” “That was just a figure of speech.

I wish she was out

of my life, yes, but I wouldn’t want to see any harm come to her.” “Why not? mansion.

Then you get to keep the store and the

And weren’t you upset last week leaving her

lawyer’s office?

You wanted her to have only one hundred

thousand instead of the four million she feels she is due!” Fusco persisted. “Yes, I still think one hundred thousand is fair for being married less than a year, and yes I was upset, but I wouldn’t do anything to harm her.”

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“Do you own any firearms?” interjected Detective Anderson. “Yes, a Smith and Wesson 38 Special.” “Where do you keep it?” “Under my front seat.” “May I see it please?” “Yeah, sure.” Both Detective Anderson and Jimmy walked to the Honda, parked down the street. which wasn’t locked.

Jimmy opened his driver’s door,

Special was not there.

He reached under the seat.

The 38

Detective Anderson watched with

interest as Jimmy searched the entire car, glove box and trunk. “It’s missing!” exclaimed Jimmy, with authentic surprise.

Where the hell is my gun?

“When was the last time you saw it?” asked Detective Anderson, pulling out his notebook to record Jimmy’s response. “Let’s see.

I normally keep it at home under the

mattress, but after I was robbed in the bank lot I moved it to my car.

So last Saturday morning, I transferred it to

my car.” “Do you normally keep your car unlocked with a firearm inside?” “No, I normally lock it when I exit.

I just didn’t do

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it now when I arrived here.” “Okay, get me the serial number and lets file a stolen firearm report.

Now, your wife thinks you had something to

do with this drive-by shooting.

Where were you?”

“I left the store to just drive around.

Just felt

like getting out of the store.” “Stop anywhere?

Can anyone vouch for seeing you?”

“No, I just drove around.” “Do you do that much, just leave the store and drive around?” “No, this is my first time.” Detective Anderson wrote in big letters: “FIRST TIME/DRIVES AROUND TOWN/FIREARM MISSING.” walked up to both men.

The ID tech

“Looks like 38 slugs.

We’ll know

for sure at the lab.” Detective Anderson looked at Jimmy.

“38 slugs, your

gun is missing, you can’t account for your whereabouts.

Do

you know anyone who owns another old Honda like yours?” “No,” Jimmy said, “not off hand.” “Well, a Honda just like yours was used in the driveby shooting tonight.” “Well, it wasn’t me or my car, that’s for sure.”

Steve sat down the street, watching Jimmy being interviewed by the detectives, who wore gold shields around

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their necks. Detective Anderson then went over to Kathy, who was standing with an elderly neighbor woman named Helen Miles. Kathy introduced Helen to the detective. “Did you see anything that went on tonight Miss Miles?” asked Detective Anderson, pulling out his notebook. “Yes.

I was sitting on my front porch, which is

across the street,” she pointed as she talked.

“I saw an

old white Honda just like the one Jimmy drives slow down and stop.

Then I heard loud sounds like firecrackers.

Then I saw the Honda drive off.” Detective Anderson wrote down what she said and kept asking her questions.

“Did you get a good look at his

face?” “No, it happened too quickly.” “Very good Miss Miles,” said Detective Anderson, as he wrote the details into his notebook.

Jimmy filled in the stolen gun report, including the serial number, which he wrote on the owner’s manual that he located in a kitchen drawer filled with manuals for different appliances. The officer took the report from Jimmy and gave him a case number on a card, which Jimmy put in his wallet. officer walked over to Detective Anderson, “Here is the

The

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report and I already entered the firearm into NCIC.” Detective Anderson took the paper and explained to Kathy, who was standing there, what NCIC stood for. Kathy smiled and replied, “I know what NCIC is because I watch those FBI shows, remember?” “Oh yeah, that’s right, you do,” laughed Detective Anderson.

Jimmy stepped outside and called John Farran on his cell phone.

John answered on the second ring.

“It’s Jimmy.

I’m at my house.

You failed again to do

your job tonight!” “Hey, shit happens.” “Yeah?

Well the cops are all over me now, questioning

me on my whereabouts, about the unlocked back door, and now about my 38 Special stolen from under my seat. “I have your gun.” “You what?” “I said I have your gun.

I took it from your unlocked

car last week when you gave me the twenty dollars when I stopped by your store.” “Why exactly did you steal my gun?” “I needed one if I was going to kill your wife in a staged hold-up.” “I need it back right now, tonight!”

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“Nope.

I’m not finished using it yet,” John replied,

raising his voice a little. “Oh yes you are. big trouble.

If the cops find it then I’m in very

Those slugs that came from the store and the

wall in front of my house will be matched to my gun! are you?

Where

We need to meet.”

“We won’t meet soon, and I won’t be giving you back your gun until I finish the job.” “Then you’re fired!” Jimmy said, raising his voice enough for a few people on the street to look his way. “You can’t fire me asshole.

I’m six for six on hits

and if I quit now I won’t have a perfect record.” covered his mouth to hide his laugh.

John

He was having fun

messing with Jimmy’s head. Jimmy paced up and down the sidewalk for a moment before whispering. any more.

“Listen, I don’t want to kill my wife

Just return my gun and go away.

You can keep

the fifteen thousand.” “You give me fifteen thousand more tomorrow and I’ll give you your gun back.” “And you will leave my wife alone?” “That, I will have to think about.

I do have a

perfect record.” “I’ll get the money first thing in the morning. can we meet?”

Where

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“There’s a dump site off Highway 45, Exit 2.

Go east

two miles, a quarter mile past the all night Speedway gas station and turn left on Victory Lane. in, at say. . .

I’ll be a few yards

eleven am.”

“I’ll be there,” Jimmy said as he underlined eleven am on a piece of paper.

Jimmy had his back to the house and didn’t see Detective Fusco approaching.

“Who did you fire?” the

detective inquired. “Oh, you heard that did you?” “Yep, couldn’t help hearing you shout it.

I was in my

unmarked car just a few feet from you.” “I fired my yard guy, Tony.

I’m sick and tired of him

doing a sloppy job,” Jimmy lied, with a straight face.

Kathy sat at her kitchen table and gazed into the blue eyes of Detective Anderson.

“I just love your eyes, so

blue. You’re single, right?” “Right now I am.” “Well, soon I’ll be single too.

I file the papers

tomorrow.” “Does your spouse know it’s tomorrow?” “I didn’t even know it was going to be tomorrow until tonight when I was almost killed.

I know he’s behind this

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whole thing.

He hates me, just hates me!”

“I’ll call him in for a real long talk to see where his head is at.”

Detective Anderson tapped her hand with

his, gave her a smile and said softly, “I’ll be right back.”

Detective Anderson met his partner on the sidewalk, where they talked for a minute. to Jimmy.

Then Anderson walked over

“How ‘bout we have a talk at the station

tomorrow, say eleven am?” “Eleven am.

I have a dental appointment,” Jimmy

quickly lied, knowing he had to meet with John to get his gun back. “Okay, say three pm then.” “Three pm.

Okay, I can make that.”

“Good, see you then,” said Anderson, walking back to Kathy. “He’s coming in to see me at three pm tomorrow.

Said

he has a dentist appointment at eleven am.” “A dentist appointment?

Don’t make me laugh.

He

hates dentists, won’t go near them.” “Really?” “It’s true,” Kathy said. “Do you know why he fired his gardener named Tony?” “Gardener, what gardener?

We don’t have a gardener.

I do all the yard work myself to help me stay in shape.”

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“He told my partner he fired his gardener tonight.

My

partner heard him say to someone over his cell phone, ‘you’re fired.’” “My soon to be ex is a good liar.

He has a poker

face.”

Jimmy was walking to his car when Detective Anderson yelled for him to come to the house.

Jimmy walked back,

wondering what they wanted now. “Mr. Sinclair, can you show me that baseball cap collection of yours?” Anderson asked while Harry was outside flirting with the ID techs, offering them some of his potato chips. On one wall of the game room was a large collection of baseball caps of assorted sizes and colors.

“How long have

you been collecting these?” asked Anderson, while looking for the green baseball cap Mr. Sinclair said he owned. “I started about six months ago.

They are orphan

hats.” “Orphan hats?

What do you mean?” prodded Anderson.

“When I am driving I look for lost hats on the side of the road.

If I find one then I claim it.

I call those

type hats orphans.” “Where’s that orphan green baseball cap you said you owned?” pushed the detective.

90

Jimmy walked over to the far section of the wall to a solitary nail where a cap should have been hanging. “That’s odd, it’s missing!”

Jimmy looked quizzically as he

turned to face the detective. “Seems like a lot of things are going missing in your life Mr. Sinclair.

The gun and now a baseball cap similar

to the one left at the crime scene. . .” “Look officer, I had nothing to do with this store robbery!” “Relax Mr. Sinclair.

I didn’t say you did.”

“No, but you’re doing a good job of implying that I was involved.” “Well Mr. Sinclair, as a robbery detective I have to suspect everyone until I can rule them out.” “May I leave now?” “Of course you may leave.

Just don’t go too far Mr.

Sinclair.” Jimmy quickly left his residence, entered his car and drove away, with Steve on his tail.

Jimmy called his banker at home and arranged to meet first thing in the morning.

He was going to make his

appointment at eleven am, get his gun back, and destroy it. He drove to his store and for the first time, realized he might be under surveillance when he recognized a Mazda van

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that he had seen near his house earlier and near Donna’s place too.

He was aware of the Mazda because he’d been

thinking about trading in his old Honda for a new Mazda van.

Hell, if his wife could go around town in a new BMW,

he could upgrade as well. He pulled into the Shell gas station on Green Street and pumped a few cents worth of fuel into his already full tank.

He watched the Mazda turn into the McDonalds lot

next door.

He couldn’t tell if anyone got out or not.

After pumping his gas, Jimmy drove next door to McDonalds to use the drive-up window, but more importantly, to write down the license plate number of the van. Jimmy drove by the van as he got in line and recorded the plate “TRAVEL3.”

Jimmy hated McDonalds food but

ordered a small order of fries and drove down the street, watching his rearview mirror.

As he did so, the Mazda van

was in traffic behind him, about six cars back, in the right lane, while Jimmy drove in the middle lane.

Jimmy

drove a few more blocks and stopped at Starbucks for a coffee latte.

The van didn’t stop.

and drove over to Donna’s place. parked, was a Mazda van.

Jimmy got his coffee

Down the street, already

Jimmy knocked on Donna’s door.

“Let’s go for a walk honey,” Jimmy said, as he took a sip of his hot drink.

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Donna closed her door and locked it.

They held hands

as they walked. “I think I am being followed,” Jimmy casually remarked to Donna.

“Just act natural.

We’ll walk to the corner,

cross the street, walk down the street across from your place and walk around the block.

When we get across the

street there is a beige Mazda van parked at the curb.

Look

at the tag and see if it reads TRAVEL3.” “Who’s following you and why?” Donna asked with concern. “I don’t know,” Jimmy said nervously, as they crossed the street and headed toward their target.

Steve was already in the back seat of the van and his AM/FM radio was off.

The window tint concealed him.

He

lay low, as his subject walked by. Donna looked at the Mazda tag, illuminated by the streetlight and the full moon as they strolled down the sidewalk. “What’s the plate number?” “It’s TRAVEL3 just like you thought.

What are we

going to do now?” “We’ll act like we don’t know anything and I’ll call the police and report a suspicious car and let the cops check him out.”

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Jimmy picked up his cell phone and made the call.

The

couple casually strolled around the block and walked into Donna’s place like nothing was wrong.

Steve videoed the lovebirds enter the house. picked up his notebook and wrote some entries.

He

He then

turned on his radio and put the channel on a country station.

He was into his fourth song when two flashlights

from either side shown into the windows and a commanding voice said, “Police, step out of your vehicle slowly.” Jimmy and Donna watched from a side bathroom window in the dark, as Steve exited his van. case.

“I’m a PI working on a

Let me show you my ID.”

“Reach for it slowly,” stated one of the officers who stood a few feet back, ready for anything. Steve found his state ID card, issued by the Division of Licensing, and handed it to the young cop in front of him. “I need to see your driver’s license and registration as well.” Steve complied and listened. “We had a call of a suspicious vehicle parked out here for hours.” “I’m working on a divorce case and my subject is visiting his girlfriend.

I can’t tell you who, or provide

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you with any more information on the case, but I am a licensed private investigator and I have a right to be here.” “Just stand here while my partner verifies your information, and if all is in order, we will let you go back to work.” “Okay.

By the way officer, who called in about me?”

Steve asked, looking now and then at Donna’s house. “Don’t know.

It didn’t come in as a 911 call, it was

connected from our property room so it came up on the dispatcher screen as unfounded.” How odd, Steve thought.

To play it safe he would

borrow his sister’s gray Toyota Corolla tomorrow. “Looks like everything is in order.

Here is your

driver’s license, registration, and PI license back.

I

filled out an inquiry card on you just for the record, to show we responded.” Steve took his identification back from the older officer, thanked them both, and climbed back inside his van.

Jimmy and Donna watched the man get in the van and saw the two cops leave in their patrol car. “What do we do next?” Donna asked, holding Jimmy’s hand and leading him to the living room. “We call a cab, sneak out the back and go see a movie.

95

I’ll tell the driver to pick us up a few blocks from here.”

The cab arrived about twenty minutes later and the driver took his two passengers to the Madco Ten Megaplex near the mall.

When the show was over, they made the cab

drive down Donna’s street with his brights on.

As they

passed the Mazda van, they could see a white male with a beard behind the wheel. “He’s still there Jimmy.

Now what?” Donna clenched

Jimmy’s arm and looked close to tears. “I know Donna, I know.

Just calm down and I’ll get a

friend of mine to run the plate and see who this guy is.” The cab dropped the couple off and they walked the two blocks back to the residence and climbed Donna’s wooden fence leading to her back door as several neighborhood dogs barked. “Hey, that was fun sneaking around!”

Donna’s

disposition changed with a newfound excitement. “I’m glad for you Donna, but I am a little worried about that guy out there.

Why and how long he has been

following me?”

The next morning Jimmy left Donna’s at about seven am and drove over to his store. distance.

The van followed from a

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Kathy drove to her attorney’s office and picked up her copy of the divorce papers.

She was informed that the

process server was already in route to the store to serve Jimmy.

Kathy thanked everyone at the law firm and rode the

elevator to the lobby. The lift stopped on the third floor and Joseph Cook, a local restaurant owner of a place called Cook’s Diner, stepped in with his two young grandchildren. “Hello Kathy, these are two of my eight grandchildren. Kids, say hello to Mrs. Sinclair.” “Hello,” both girls said sullenly, looking bored. “My daughter works in the building for Barnhill Mortgage in the commercial loan department, and I thought I’d take Cindy and Stephanie here to a putt-putt golf course and for an ice cream.” “Yea!” shouted both young girls with renewed energy, jumping up and down. “I haven’t seen you or Jimmy in what, eight months?” “Well you might as well know. Jimmy and I are getting a divorce.

He gets served today.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Kathy changed the subject, “Joe, you have excellent food. week?”

Why don’t I plan a party at my house for late next

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“Great.

I could use the extra business.”

“I’ll call you early next week to arrange the details. I’ll plan maybe fifty people, maybe more.” “Wow!

Sounds great, and again, sorry to hear about

your divorce.” The elevators opened and the girls dashed out first. Kathy turned to Joe and said, “Enjoy your granddaughters. Before you know it, they’ll be walking down the aisle!”

Kathy went one way and Joe Cook and the girls went the other.

Kathy sat in her car and read the divorce filing

and wrote in her reminder book “call Joe Cook about the party.”

Kathy started to make a guest list, and at the top

she wrote, “Detective Mike Anderson.”

Jimmy was busy with customers, when a young man in slacks and a white dress shirt with an open neck, exposing gold jewelry walked up, “Are you Mr. Jimmy Sinclair?” “Yes, I’m Jimmy.” “You have been served.”

And with that, the man handed

Jimmy some papers in a white envelope, turned around and walked out the door. Jimmy put the envelope down and continued to help his customers, smiling as he did so. “You on jury duty too?” asked a nice elderly lady,

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buying milk and eggs. “No Mrs. Sparks, those are divorce papers.

My wife of

eleven months wants a divorce.” “Oh my, will you be selling the store?” “No, Mrs. Sparks, I plan to keep it in the family a long, long time, and I hope to be of service to you for a long, long time too.” “Mr. Sparks and I have been married sixty-nine years last month.” “Well Mrs. Sparks, I wish mine could have lasted a long time too, but when two people fight all the time, it’s no fun.

In the long run it’s best we go our separate ways.”

“I plan to be single until I’m at least forty,” Billy piped in as he bagged the milk and eggs for Mrs. Sparks, who stood to Billy’s right. Jimmy looked at his watch.

“Billy, take over.

an eleven am and a three pm appointment. by four.”

I have

I plan to be back

Jimmy picked up the white envelope with his name

on it and said goodbye to Mrs. Sparks on his way out.

Jimmy put on dark sunglasses and walked to his Honda in the parking lot.

He wore the glasses so he could shift

his eyes to look for that Mazda van without turning his head and making it obvious. take several side streets.

Jimmy drove normally, but did He didn’t see the van, but did

99

notice a gray Corolla at a distance. Jimmy stopped at Summit Bank and went inside.

From a

second floor window he scanned the area and spotted the gray Corolla.

He pulled out a small pair of opera-type

binoculars from his pocket and saw a white male with a beard, sitting in the lot across the street, looking at the bank. Jimmy called his friend, who answered this time. Jimmy waited on the line for his friend to tell him the vehicle belonged to a travel agency called “Economy Travel.”

Jimmy wrote down the address and then went out the back exit of the bank on foot.

He flagged down a taxicab

and rode it to Economy Travel and went inside.

It was full

of customers, so Jimmy took a seat and waited to be called. Five minutes went by and a receptionist directed him to desk four. Jimmy sat down in front of a nameplate “Sally Sig”, and a heavy-set woman with gray hair and thick glasses. “Hello, I’m Sally, welcome to Economy Travel.

How can

I help you today?” Jimmy made small talk and asked for prices and a package deal to Las Vegas.

While with Sally, Jimmy finally

asked the question he came in to ask. “I was here last week and spoke to a man with a beard.

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Does he still work here?” “Man with a beard, hmm. . . let me think.

The only

man with a beard is an outside agent named Steve.

He’s the

owner’s brother.” “He told me he drove a beige Mazda van, like the one I want to buy.” “Yes, that’s Steve Conners.

He’s also a private

investigator and has an office in the back. “Is he in?” “No.

I haven’t seen him for days now.

He said he had

a case he was working on around the clock.” “Well, I really wanted to talk about his van.

He

mentioned he really likes it and before I spend over twenty thousand, I want to know if he ever had problems with it.” Sally asked Jimmy to fill out a customer card and that she would get back to him about the Vegas trip.

She would

also leave a message for Steve to call. Jimmy made up a name, Larry Carmody, put down a made up phone number as his contact, thanked Sally and left.

Jimmy climbed back into the taxi, still waiting as instructed, and rode back to the bank.

He exited in the

back parking lot, walked through the bank lobby, walked back to his own car and departed. from a distance.

The gray Toyota followed

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Jimmy’s mind was racing as he drove, OK Mr. PI, who hired you and why? and went inside.

Jimmy pulled up to the Wal-Mart store The PI did not follow.

Jimmy saw him

sitting in his car doing something, looking up now and then, but keeping an eye on Jimmy’s Honda.

Jimmy went out

the garden side exit and walked to the next plaza several hundred yards away, where Donna met him. “Am I late?” “No honey, you came quicker than I thought you would when I called.

I have a PI on my tail and I want to lose

him, so I’ll drop you back at your shop and come back in a few hours to pick you up, so you can drive me back to WalMart, okay?” “A PI?

Is that who has been following you?

What

would a PI be following you for?” “I don’t know yet, but I have an idea my wife hired him.

But then again, why would she?

She doesn’t care what

I do - she knows about you, I told her weeks ago.

Besides,

my affair doesn’t matter in Mississippi courts anyway!”

Jimmy dropped Donna off and drove to his eleven am appointment with John.

Jimmy followed the directions he

wrote and pulled up behind John and his stolen black Mercedes. “You got my money?”

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“Not yet, I haven’t had time. me around town.

I have a PI following

I had to lose him to meet you.”

“A PI’s following you - really?” “Yep.

I spotted his van yesterday, had a friend run

it, and it came back to Economy Travel.

I went there and a

very talkative travel agent told me who he is. is in the back of his sister’s store.

His office

He’s sitting at Wal-

Mart right now, watching my car.” “Whose car is this?” “Donna’s, a friend of mine.

I also got served divorce

papers this morning.” “Lucky you!

When can you get me my money?”

“I don’t know when. . . as soon as it’s safe.

Now, I

don’t want you to kill my wife, so no more action on your part - and I want my gun back too.” “You sure do have a lot of wants.

Well, I have wants

of my own. I want my fifteen thousand dollars and I want it now, PI on your ass or not.

I’m giving you until tomorrow

night.” “I’ll give you the money, but I need my gun back and your word you will leave her alone.” “You get me my money, all of it, then I’ll give you your gun back and I’ll leave her alone.

You have my word.”

John stuck his hand out and they both shook hands. got in his car and headed back to Donna’s store.

Jimmy

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John dialed Kathy on his cell phone. “You want a good laugh?

Last night your husband fired

me and just now we met and I had to give him my word to leave you alone.

We even shook hands on it like it’s a

contract or something.” “He really fired you?

Give me the details.”

“He wanted his gun back, the one you gave me but he thinks I took from his car. He told me that the cops were suspecting he had something to do with the drive-by shooting and he wanted to call the whole thing off.

I said

no, it was still on, so he got mad and fired me.” Kathy laughed, “Well, a detective heard him last night tell someone they were fired over his cell phone.

They

asked who and Jimmy lied to the detective and said Tony, his gardener, and we don’t have a gardener. work.

I do all the

I told the detective that, so they know now he’s a

liar, which helps us out a lot because when they finally bring him in for questioning he’ll lie some more.

So where

is he now?” “He said he knew a PI was following him and he borrowed a girl’s car to meet me.

He said the PI was at

Wal-Mart, watching his car.” “So he knows about Steve. . . I’ll warn him to be careful.

Oh, I served Jimmy divorce papers today.”

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“I know. ‘lucky you.’

He mentioned that to me and I said to him Now Kathy, go find a house you can rent.”

“A house to rent. . . why?” “Because I want you to go into hiding from him, to make it look like you’re afraid of him.

The cops will

really think you are scared of him.” “Great idea.

Oh, I am so scared of him!” laughed

Kathy as she flipped through the classified ads for “Houses to Rent.”

After hanging up with John, Kathy called Steve. “Jimmy knows about you.” “He does not. “No.

He’s in Wal-Mart, shopping.”

He’s got Donna’s car and is headed back to Wal-

Mart now.” “What?

How do you know he’s in Donna’s car?” asked

the puzzled investigator. “I spotted him dropping her off at her shop,” Kathy lied. “I’ll break off now.

I’ll rent a car with no window

tint and I’ll have to charge you for a second PI to make it a two-man team from now on.

I’ll be extra careful and

therefore I might lose him in traffic once in a while.” “That’s okay with me. hired you.”

I just don’t want him to know I

105

“No problem.

I’ll make it look like his Donna hired

me to see if he had any other girlfriends, so if he does confront me that’s what I’ll tell him.

Now Kathy, you

should tell him you think a PI in a Mazda van is following you.

That will really confuse him.” “Steve you are good!

this for a while.

I can tell you have been doing

You have all the answers.”

“I like being a PI. different.

It’s fun and every day is

I’ll make some vehicle switches so he doesn’t

always see the same car when he turns in traffic.

It’s

harder to do surveillance since I lost the element of surprise. day.

He may know now, but I can change cars every

That’s what rental car companies are for.” “Okay,” Kathy agreed.

now.

“I’m going to Buffalo Bills

I’ll tell him about a beige Mazda following me around

town today.

It should be fun to see his expression when I

do!”

Jimmy and Donna drove around the Wal-Mart lot, but spotted no Mazda or Toyota, or a bearded man sitting in any car.

Jimmy went into Wal-Mart via the garden center and

walked out the front doors to his car.

He drove back to

the grocery store but saw no vehicles following him.

Jimmy walked into his store and Billy approached.

106

“Mr. Sinclair, your wife is a nervous wreck.

She said

a man has been following her around in a beige Mazda van. She said he had a beard, baseball cap and sunglasses. went outside but he was gone.

I

Mr. Sinclair, your wife

thinks you hired him!”

Jimmy pulled Kathy aside and found out about the Mazda van.

Jimmy then told her he had a man following him

yesterday and today, and knew his name and where his office was. “There’s a fat lady named Sally at the travel agency who told me everything.

I’ll go see her right now.

she’ll tell me what I want to know.”

I know

Jimmy left the store

and Kathy called her PI. “There’s a fat lady that works at your sister’s agency named Sally,” Kathy relayed. “Okay thanks.

“She told Jimmy who you are.”

I’ll call her and have her mention

Donna.”

An unusually annoyed Steve hung up from Kathy and called Sally.

“Hi Sally, this is Steve.

Listen, the man

I’m following knows he’s being followed and is on his way to see you.” “To see me?

Why?”

Because you told him I was a PI, not a travel agent.

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Anyway, now you can help me and help yourself keep your job.” “How can I help Steve?” “Pretend you don’t know what’s going on and if he asks you about why I’m following him, tell him I told you about my client named Donna who suspects her boyfriend of having another girlfriend.

Can you do that?. . .Can you say that

for me?” “Steve, I like my job, I like you and I’ll do whatever to tell me to.” “Good girl.

Now he’s on his way.

When he leaves call

me back.” “Okay.” “Sally, be sure to act surprised when he comes in,” Steve instructed. “Okay.”

Jimmy walked into the travel agency and went right to Sally’s desk, which had an empty seat. “Hi Sally.

Jimmy sat down.

Remember me and my trip to Vegas?”

“Oh Hi, yes I remember you, but I have been so busy I haven’t had a chance to research your trip.” his inquiry card, “Larry Carmody, correct?” “Correct.

Is Steve in yet?”

“No, but I can call him on his cell.”

Sally found

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“No, it’s all right.

I’ll come back another time.

He

must be busy on his round-the-clock case you mentioned.” “Yeah, he’s trying to collect now from his client. Steve said she hired him to follow her boyfriend to see if he had another girlfriend.

He owns a store.”

“Really, a grocery store?” “I’m not sure.

I saw his client only once.

in and asked for Steve.

She was really pretty.

She came I asked

Steve later if that was his girlfriend and he said no, it was his new client named Donna.” Jimmy about fell out of his chair. followed!

He just couldn’t believe it.

Donna is having me Jimmy looked at

his watch, “Well, I’ll come back tomorrow.”

He said

goodbye and left.

What was going on?

Did Donna hire this guy and if so,

why would the PI follow Kathy also?

Jimmy thought about

all of this as he drove back to his store.

Sally called Steve back as instructed. “I did just like you said.

You could tell he was puzzled.”

“Thanks Sally. about me being a PI.

Now don’t say anything to anyone ever I’m a travel agent.”

“Sorry Steve, I’ll keep my mouth shut, I promise.”

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Steve hung up from Sally and called his client back. “He’s on his way and I strongly believe he feels Donna hired me to follow him.” “Good.

The more confused my soon ex-to-be is, the

better.”

Jimmy entered his store and went up to his wife who was standing in an aisle doing inventory.

“I got your

present this morning!” he said, waving the white envelope around. “Look, we don’t get along. don’t love you.

You don’t love me and I

We’ll just go our separate ways and split

everything fifty-fifty just like my lawyer said.” “Your lawyer can kiss my ass. five percent right now.

I’ll offer you twenty-

That’s about two million dollars.

You take my money, your new BMW and head out of town, and I’ll write the check today.” “Why two million, when if I play my cards right, I get four million? frustrated.

Besides, I like seeing you upset and It makes my day.”

“You greedy bitch.

I’ll tell you what – you might not

live to see a dime!” Kathy laughed and turned to Jimmy with a very cool smile on her face.

“I know you hired someone to kill me.

He drives a beige Mazda van.

I told Detective Anderson

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that your deposit robbery, the store robbery and the driveby shooting was no accident and that you were behind this. Now I am going to call him and say you just threatened me.” Kathy started to walk by Jimmy when he grabbed her left arm. “You’re hurting me,” Kathy said softly at first.

She

picked up a can of tomatoes and started hitting her own left arm as hard as she could over and over again and then shouted, “Let go of me, you’re hurting me!”

Kathy put the

can on a shelf just as Billy and a male customer turned the corner and walked down the aisle. “Boss, let go of her right now!” said an obviously upset Billy, edging closer. Kathy was crying now, her fake tears rolling down her face.

“He punched me hard many times”, pointing to her now

red and bruised left arm, thanks to the can of Heinz tomatoes. Jimmy let go of Kathy as the two men approached. raised both hands up and backed away. I didn’t touch her.”

He

“I didn’t touch her,

Jimmy left the store, entered his

Honda and departed, failing in the excitement to see a white Mercury following him from a safe distance.

Steve

had a helper named Aaron driving a cream-colored Ford pickup truck.

Kathy called the police department.

An officer took

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the assault report over the phone and promised to send a copy to Detective Anderson.

Kathy added Billy and the

customer, Howard Hines, to the report as witnesses.

Kathy

hung up the receiver and turned to both men. “Thank you for coming to my aid. hard on the arm and shoulder.

He was striking me

I need some ice.”

“I’ll get it for you,” Billy said and ran down the aisle. “How are your wife and kids Howard?” asked Kathy while she rubbed her sore arm. “We are getting a divorce. now.

I live with my parents

Imagine, me at fifty-five years old, living with my

parents.” “I’ll probably move in with my mom soon too. depends on Jimmy.

It

If I can’t get him to leave first then

I’ll be knocking on my mom’s door.” Billy returned with some ice and a towel, and handed both to his boss. “Yes Billy.

“Is my job here secure Mrs. Sinclair?” If I don’t end up with the store and

Jimmy does, he still needs reliable help.

About four

months ago when we were still getting along somewhat, Jimmy told me ‘Billy’s the best employee I ever had, never needs supervision, reliable too.’” “Thanks Mrs. Sinclair. saving up for a car.”

I really need the money; I’m

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*

4.

The Interview

Jimmy drove over to the police station for his three pm scheduled appointment.

He sat in his car to calm down

and even practiced smiling in his rearview mirror.

Jimmy

locked his car and entered the police station, where he was directed by the desk officer to go to the fifth floor.

The

elevator doors opened and there stood Anderson and Fusco. Anderson had a file in his hand and Fusco was eating a bag of chips.

Anderson motioned with his hand as he spoke,

“Afternoon Mr. Sinclair.

We’ll go into interview room two.

Care for something to drink or eat?” “How about a sprinkled donut?” asked Jimmy

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sarcastically. Fusco stopped chewing his chips and with his mouth still full looked at Jimmy and mumbled, “Not another donut joke.” They sat around the conference table and Anderson started the proceedings. “Mr. Sinclair, first of all I want to thank you for coming down to the station today, and you are free to go at any time, but I hope you will stay and assist us in solving the rash of crime incidents that have occurred in your family lately.” “Can we talk alone?

I don’t like your partner

standing there staring at me. “Sure.

It makes me uncomfortable.”

Harry, you don’t mind leaving for awhile do

you?” “No, not at all.” As Harry left the room, Anderson looked at Jimmy.

“My

partner doesn’t like you because he happens to think you are involved in all the crime incidents.

Me, I am keeping

an open mind.” Jimmy attempted to absolve himself, “I was served with divorce papers, so it’s true our relationship is over and Kathy might get a lot of money from me in the divorce, but I don’t want to see any harm come to her.” “Then Jimmy, who would want to harm her?”

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“I don’t know.

We haven’t really been a couple for

months, and I don’t know anything about her social life.” “Mrs. Sinclair says you have a mistress?” “More like a good friend.” “Are you having sexual relations with this good friend of yours?” “I don’t have to answer that.” “No you don’t.

But sex is a strong motive to have

your wife killed so you can spend more time with your friend, and not pay your wife any money in the divorce, which if my sources are right, is maybe four million.” “Today I offered Kathy twenty-five percent of my wealth.

That’s about two million.

Does that sound like I

want her harmed?” “Well, my sources obviously missed something. generous of you.”

How

Anderson continued his questioning,

“Let’s go back a week or so.

You have an argument at her

attorney’s office, you get robbed of fifteen thousand, then your store gets robbed, the back door is conveniently left unlocked, your gun is missing – coincidentally the same type caliber used in both the store robbery and then the drive-by shooting, you can’t account for your whereabouts, and earlier today in your store, you assaulted your wife. Have I left anything out?” “I didn’t assault her, I just grabbed her arm and she

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hit herself with a can of tomatoes.” “The witnesses reflect in their statements that they saw you with a tight grip on your wife’s arm. crying and her arm was red and swollen. about a can of tomatoes.

She was

They said nothing

Your wife even told me at the

drive-by shooting incident that she was afraid of you.” “Afraid of me?

She should be afraid of him!”

Jimmy

realized too late what he just said. “Who’s him?” Anderson asked, getting in Jimmy’s face. “You know, uh, whoever shot at my wife,” Jimmy quickly answered, trying to defuse what he already said. “You haven’t gone out and done something stupid, like hire a hit man to kill your wife, have you Mr. Sinclair?” “What?

That’s crazy.

I told you I offered her two

million dollars to just walk away from me, the store and the house.” “Isn’t it true you care more about the store than your wife, your money or your house?” “Yes it’s true.

The store has been in my family many,

many years and I want to keep it that way at any cost.” Again, Jimmy realized what he just said, and again too late. “At any cost Mr. Sinclair, at any cost? you are desperate.

Sounds like

You told my partner you fired your

gardener, but according to your wife you don’t have a gardener.

Did you lie to my partner?”

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“Okay, I lied about that, but I’m not lying now about wanting to harm Kathy.” “You also told me you had an eleven am dental appointment, but you don’t like dentists, so that was a lie too.” “Okay, that was a lie too, but I am telling you the truth now about not wanting to kill Kathy.” “You were not at your dentist at eleven am, so where were you?

Let me guess, Wal-Mart, buying country CD’s?”

“Let me think. section.

Yep, I was at Wal-Mart, but not the CD

I was in the garden section.”

“If I have security at the store pull the surveillance tapes, I will see you in the store?” “Yep, in the garden section.” “If I look at the earlier surveillance the day of the store robbery I’m gonna see you in Wal-Mart buying country CD’s like you told me you were?” “No, I lied.

I was really at my friend’s Moonlight

Lingerie shop.” “You lied again but you want me to believe you now about not wanting to kill your wife?” “I lied because I didn’t want to involve Donna in my personal problems.” “Like it or not, she’s involved and I’ll be seeing her shortly, so tell her to expect my visit when you call her

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to say you miss her and love her.” “I do love her and I will marry her once my divorce is final.” “That’s motive enough to have Kathy killed.

Does

Donna own an old white Honda?” “Donna drives a blue Toyota Celica and she wouldn’t harm Kathy.” “Why not?

With Mrs. Sinclair out of the way, she

marries you quicker and saves at least two million, maybe four million dollars of your money.

That’s a good motive

in my book!” Fusco opened the interview room door, handed his partner a document, looked at Jimmy with a smile and exited the room. Anderson showed Jimmy the paper from the crime lab. “The crime lab report confirms the bullets found at your store robbery and the drive-by shooting are from the same gun.

Someone wants your wife dead and originally wanted it

to look like a store robbery.” “I’m leaving now.”

Jimmy got up to leave but was

blocked by Anderson. “You’d better obtain a lawyer Mr. Sinclair.

The crime

lab results make me join my partner in thinking you are behind this crime spree.” “I know I haven’t been completely honest about

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everything, but again, this time I’m telling you the truth. I have not hired anyone to kill my wife.” Jimmy exited the interview room and left the police station, unaware that Fusco was watching from a fifth floor window.

Anderson found his partner and spoke as Jimmy

drove off in his Honda. “He’s dirty.”

Jimmy drove down Main Street, not knowing Steve and his helper were following.

Jimmy called John from his cell

phone. “Hello.” “John, this is Jimmy.

I just left the police station.

They think I had something to do with the store robbery and drive-by shooting.” “You did.

You hired me.”

“Well, it’s over – you hear me?

It’s over right now!

I’m going to the bank to get you your fifteen thousand then we’ll meet where we met last time and I’ll give you the money.

You give me my gun and you leave Kathy alone.”

“The gun will cost you fifteen thousand and leaving your wife alone and ruining my perfect six for six record will cost you an additional fifteen.” “You’re an asshole, a real asshole.” “Name calling just cost you another five thousand

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asshole!” “Man, I wish I never met you.

I’d be richer, I

wouldn’t have the police breathing down my back and...” “Look asshole, I don’t want to hear it.

Just meet me

tomorrow at two with the thirty-five thousand and we’ll go our separate ways.”

Jimmy hung up and called his banker.

He again

rescheduled to come by for his forty thousand cash withdrawal the next day at ten am.

The extra five thousand

was in case he called John more obscenities.

Janet surprised Mike at the station.

She heard lots

of whistles when she entered the detective bureau.

Mike

looked up from doing paperwork to see his new friend.

He

walked over. “Hi Janet, this is a surprise.

Let’s go into

interview room one where we can be alone.” “I have a photo of the guy who stole that black Mercedes coupe.”

She removed the eight by ten inch black

and white photograph of John Farran.

The photo was

somewhat grainy, but you could see him sitting in the Mercedes at the tollbooth. “This is a great help Janet,” Mike said with a smile on his face.

Six detectives were in the doorway.

Mike

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handed them the photograph. “One of you make copies for me and find my partner please.

Guys, this is Janet.

Can I get you something to

drink?” “Water would be great.”

All six guys dashed for the

water cooler at the end of the hall. “Now we have a face. name with it. Janet?

All we need to do now is put a

Would you like to go for a ride with me

I want to show the photograph to other witnesses.”

“Love to,” Janet said with a huge smile on her face. “If you can’t come to me, then I’ll come to you.” As they started to leave the interview room, all six detectives approached with little cups of water. “Gentlemen, I am thirsty, but not that thirsty!”

Janet rode with Mike in the front seat of his unmarked police car.

Harry was nowhere to be found again.

“I have this partner named Harry Fusco.

He’s huge,

loves to eat all the time and for eight months now, I keep telling him to let me know when he leaves the office but he always disappears on me.” “I won’t disappear on you Mike.” “Good.

I can afford to lose a partner, but not my

girlfriend.” “Am I your girlfriend, really?”

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“Are you kidding?

I wish!

You’re hot!

I look

forward to getting to know you better.” Mike pulled into Kathy’s mansion and she was notified by dispatch that the detective was coming.

Mike pulled

alongside the green BMW and exited his car. “Janet, this is the victim of the drive-by shooting that I told you about.

I’ll introduce you as a police

recruit intern, so just play along with it okay?” “Trainee Janet Lee at your service!” “Good.

Make yourself useful and ring the bell.”

Kathy came to the door in tight shorts and an even tighter t-shirt with “Support Your Local Sheriff” written across her chest. At first Kathy didn’t see Janet standing to the right of the door when she greeted the detective, “Hi Mike, come in.

Oh, hello. . .” Kathy made eye contact with Janet. “Mrs. Sinclair, this is police trainee Janet Lee on a

ride-along program, from the police academy.

Can we come

in please?” All three sat in the family room that overlooked the huge rock pool and gardens.

They all drank tall glasses of

iced tea. “Mrs. Sinclair...” Mike started to say. “Please call me Kathy.”

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“Kathy, I put six men in a photo line-up and I need you to look at each photo very carefully to see if the man that robbed your store is here.” Mike handed Kathy the six photos pasted on eight by eleven hard cardboard.

John was photograph number four and

Kathy instantly said, “I’m not sure because he wore a cap and sunglasses, but the facial features looks like number four.” Mike took the photograph and turned it over. Kathy sign the back and date it.

He had

Mike put the photo back

in place. “Good.

Now we just have to put a name to the face and

find him.” “Where did you get that photo Mike? “Sure Kathy.

Can I know?”

A tollbooth clerk at the airport

remembered a man driving a black Mercedes coupe, which he stole from the airport.

The car owner went to get his

wife’s heart medication before catching his flight and found that the car was gone.

We were notified right away

and developed this photograph when the thief paid his parking toll.” “That was a lucky break,” Kathy said. “Sure was.

And we now know from the crime lab that

your store robbery and drive-by shooting are linked to the same individual.”

Mike looked at his watch.

“Well, we

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have to be going.

I have other people to show this photo

to.” Kathy walked them to her front door.

“Nice to meet

you Janet.” “Nice to meet you Mrs. Sinclair.

I love the way your

house is decorated!” “Thank you.

I love spending my husband’s money!”

Back in the police car, Mike explained to Janet about the victim as they drove away from the mansion.

“That

woman married a store owner and now she is getting divorced.

He offered her two million to just walk out of

his life but she said no, she wants half, and her lawyer told her the judge should grant her fifty percent.

In the

last week someone tried to kill her by staging a robbery at her store where shots were fired, and then there was a drive-by shooting outside her home, so her life is in danger.” “She should go into hiding Mike, until you catch the crook.” “I agree Janet. place to rent.

She told me she was looking for a

I also told her to purchase a gun until we

catch this guy.”

Kathy called John on his cell, but there was no answer

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and she didn’t want to leave a voice message.

She then

placed a call to Jimmy at the store. “Listen Jimmy, I’m not coming to the store any more. The detective showed me a photograph and I identified a man as the one who robbed the store. vehicle from the airport.

He’s driving a stolen

I know in my heart you are

behind all this and...” “Just wait a minute.

Like I told the detective, I

don’t love you any more and you might get two or more million from me, but I have nothing to do with what’s going on.

If you recall, I was robbed too and also followed.

I’m just as much of a victim as you are!” “Cut the horse shit Jimmy.

Everything was fine until

you left my lawyer’s office, very upset after I turned down your hundred thousand dollar offer.

I think you staged

your own robbery to give the store money to your hit man as a down payment and he was supposed to kill me in a staged store robbery like the rash of robberies that have been going on around town.

When that failed you sent your hit

man to the house to kill me there.

Thank God I bent down

to pull some weeds in my rose bushes.

I told all of this

to the detectives and they agree, but need proof.”

Kathy

spoke faster now, “When they catch the hit man and he confesses then I’ll be free of you for good.

I’m buying a

gun for my protection so don’t come around the house any

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more unless you call me first and come alone. and I’ll shoot first and ask questions later.”

Anyone else She hung up

her phone.

Jimmy called John on his cell. “Hello, Radio Shack, John speaking.” “What?

Radio Shack?

John, it’s Jimmy.”

“Just joking.” “John, listen. right now.

You have to get rid of that Mercedes

Kathy identified your photo in a line-up.

got your picture from a tollbooth camera.

They

They know the

car is stolen too because the owner went to get his wife’s medicine and the car was gone.

Kathy also believes I hired

you and paid you by staging the bank robbery.

What a mess

this is.” “It’s not a mess.

Just keep your cool.

car tonight and I’ll stay indoors more.

I’ll dump the

No one knows me in

this town except the landlord, and he doesn’t own a TV.

I

know, ‘cause I painted his place.”

John pulled the tarp off the Mercedes, carried it back to his own apartment, and departed in the stolen car.

He

parked the best ride he ever stole in the Hilton parking lot, and then flagged down a yellow taxi. “To the airport,” he commanded as he climbed in.

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The cab pulled into the Northwest Airlines terminal. John exited the cab and walked to the long-term parking lot.

He started looking around for his next ride.

Detective Anderson entered Janet’s small, but neat apartment. “How long have you lived here?” “I’m in my second year.

I like it because there’s

plenty of parking downstairs, it’s close to work, and everyone watches out for each other.” “That’s important today with crime so high,” Anderson said, as he sat on the couch. “Before I sit, do you want something to drink?” asked Janet. “A beer if you have one.” Janet opened her fridge and pulled out a cold Budweiser.

“Bottle or glass Mike?”

“Bottle is great.” Janet handed the cop his brew and sat down next to her crime fighter.

“Here’s to us,” she said with a smile,

holding her own bottle in the air to toast. They reviewed the videos of both tollbooths, fast forwarding most of the tapes.

They spotted John Farran

twice more, driving a Cadillac and Honda van out of the airport.

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“Can’t wait to get my hands on Mr. Hot Wheels,” Mike said, shutting off the video machine and moving closer to Janet.

Jimmy left Summit Bank with the forty thousand dollars stuffed inside his briefcase.

PI Steve Conners and his

assistant, in two rental cars, were following him.

Both

kept their distance and gave plenty of room to Jimmy when turning on side streets.

Jimmy spotted a beige Saturn

following him, and drove to the mall.

He sat in his car

and called Donna. “Donna, I need your car. again.

That PI is following me

Park you car on the west side of the mall by the

food court and call me when you get there.” Jimmy sat in his car and waited.

Donna called about

twenty minutes later. “I’m here, now what?” “Leave your car unlocked, leave the keys under your floor mat and I’ll do the same.

Come into the mall and

walk around about ten minutes or so, then take my car to work.

I’ll take your car and meet you somewhere later. . .

and thanks honey for helping.” and pretended to lock it.

Jimmy got out of his car

He quickly entered the mall and

made a dash to the west side, to Donna’s car. drove off.

He quickly

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Steve exited the mall and viewed the Toyota Corolla disappearing around the corner. “Real slick,” Steve said to his co-worker, who just arrived on foot.

Jimmy called John on his cell phone and confirmed the location and time of the meet.

Jimmy was to travel six

miles on State Road 436, then turn left on Hollow Wind Road at the black mailbox, and stop where the road forks.

On

the way, Jimmy was to also stop at the Shell gas station on State Route 436 and pick up a portable gallon of gas for John, who had run out.

Jimmy filled up Donna’s car as

instructed, and bought a gallon of gas from the female clerk who required a fifty dollar deposit on the only plastic gas container in the store. “A fifty dollar deposit for a gas can?” Jimmy asked incredulously as he paid the clerk. “Mister, I don’t set the prices.

I only work here.”

Jimmy drove up to John, who was leaning against a red Miata.

John took the gas container and the briefcase from

Jimmy’s front seat. “Thirty five thousand.

It’s all there, now hand over

my gun,” Jimmy commanded. John opened the briefcase and counted the money, then

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reached under the front seat.

He came up empty-handed.

“I forgot your gun at my place.” “Call me when you are there and I’ll come for it.” “You have your money, now no more contact with Kathy. Just walk away from it all.”

Jimmy got into his ride and departed with five thousand dollars in his pocket.

John waited for Jimmy to

drive out of view, then started up the stolen car and watched the gas gauge climb to full.

John placed the

plastic gas container, still full of petrol, into the bushes and drove off with a smile on his face.

He drove

back to his apartment and placed the tarp over his new mode of transportation.

He walked up to the landlord’s

apartment and knocked.

There was no answer.

John used a

spare key that he had copied earlier at the locksmith shop when painting apartments in lieu of rent. door to the old man’s residence.

He opened the

He went to the file

cabinet and under “Tenants” found his application and removed it.

John relocked the front door and entered his

own apartment.

Steve and his rookie investigator, Aaron, located Jimmy’s car at Donna’s shop and waited down the street in two new and different rental cars.

Jimmy drove back to

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Donna’s business and entered.

Donna was helping an elderly

woman in her eighties select a negligee.

Donna walked

over, gave her man a wet kiss and whispered in his ear, “She’s on her fifth marriage.”

Kathy and the real estate agent named Julia entered the three bedroom, two-bath home with a pool, located in a middle-income neighborhood. “This house can be rented month to month for only one thousand,” said the female agent who unlocked the front door.

Kathy walked around the clean and recently painted

residence, and pulled out her checkbook. “I’ll take it.”

She handed Julia the check for the

first’s month’s rent and security deposit, and received two keys and two remote controls for the garage. “No pets allowed,” mentioned the agent, walking out the door.

Kathy nodded in agreement, closed the front

door, and walked into the kitchen.

Kathy called John on

her cell phone. “I found my safe house, and the rental furniture will be here at one today.” “Good.

Now stay in your mansion tonight, and then

tomorrow I want you to go into hiding.” “John, the detective on the case, came to my house and showed me six photos.

I picked your photo based only on

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facial features and said you had a cap and sunglasses on.” “I’m not worried. will work out.

If we stick to our plan, things

Now tomorrow, go into hiding.”

Kathy hung up the phone and called Detective Anderson. “Mike, I rented that safe house you mentioned that I should take.

The address is 2445 Pine Lakes Boulevard, off

of Blank Road. “Who else knows of this location?” “The real estate agent and my mom.” “Good, it’s safer that way.

I’m in route to show the

photo line-up of number four to the owners of stolen cars to see if they can ID the thief.” “Let me know what they say.” “Will do.

Now lay low until we get to the bottom of

all of this.”

“Kathy, I will carry out the third step in our plan tonight.

Make sure you are home,” John said as he drove

around in his stolen red Miata, compliments of some family traveling to New York City.

Kathy hung up the phone, found Steve’s travel agency card, and left a message for her PI to call.

A few minutes

later Steve reported in that Jimmy had walked outside the

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store and was talking to a young couple pushing a baby stroller. “Steve, cancel the surveillance right now for a few days and I’ll start it up sometime next week.” “I think that’s a good idea.

Just give me a day’s

notice if you can.” “I will, and how much do I owe you?” “Let’s wait until the case is all done Mrs. Sinclair.” “Call me Kathy.” “I can wait to be paid Kathy.” “Thanks Steve, I’ll give you as much notice as I can.” Kathy stopped at a video rental store and picked up “Mississippi Burning,” with her favorite actor, Gene Hackman. *

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5.

The Snatch

It was just after closing and Jimmy was walking to his car when John surprised him. Jimmy’s ribs.

John poked the gun into

“Get in and open up the passenger door.”

Jimmy did as instructed. “Is that my gun?” “Yep, and it’s loaded, so don’t do anything stupid like attract attention.” “Where are we going?” Jimmy asked as he pulled out of the Buffalo Bill’s parking lot. “Go to our spot outside of town,” demanded John, holding a small black bag in his lap. Jimmy now noticed the bag as he drove.

“What’s in the

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bag, John?” “Liquor for our own little party.

Now shut up and

drive.” Jimmy pulled into the spot he had met John at earlier. “Cut the engine and turn out the lights.” Jimmy did as instructed.

John unzipped the bag and

pulled out a full bottle of Jim Beam whiskey.

John opened

it and handed it over to his partner in crime. “Drink it.”

Jimmy started to complain but was cut

short by a sudden thrust of his own gun into his rib cage. “I said no talking, just drink.” “Hurry it up.”

Jimmy drank slowly.

Jimmy drank faster, and after ten minutes

had about forty percent of the bottle finished. “I can’t drink any more.” Jimmy didn’t see the butt of the gun coming down on his head, but did feel the pain as the weapon made contact. Jimmy was knocked out cold.

John went into the bushes by

the side of the road and retrieved the gallon gas can Jimmy bought earlier.

John pushed Jimmy over to the passenger

side, poured the rest of the whiskey all over Jimmy’s work clothes and the interior of the Honda.

John put on gloves,

wiped down the now empty bottle, got behind the wheel, and drove away. John pulled into Kathy’s driveway about midnight, and poured the gasoline around the perimeter of the front and

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side of the house, lit a match, and quickly backed the car out of the driveway.

In his rearview mirror, he witnessed

flames coming from Kathy’s house. Kathy watched as planned, from the second floor, in her sexy black negligee. dialed 911.

She picked up her cell phone and

Kathy screamed her situation to the operator

that answered. “Come quickly to 124 Post Road.

My house is on fire.

I saw my husband’s car backing out of the driveway!”

Kathy

hung up and calmly walked out the back door. John went a few blocks, turned right, and crashed the Honda into some parked cars.

He pulled Jimmy behind the

wheel, then took off between houses and vanished into the darkness.

Detective Anderson arrived shortly after the Tupelo Fire Department put out the flames.

Anderson located Kathy

on the porch of a neighbor, wrapped in a blanket, and surrounded by police and fire personnel. “Mrs. Sinclair, are you alright?” “No I’m not.

Jimmy did this.

I saw his car backing

out of the driveway and then I saw the flames.

Thank God I

took a break from watching the movie to go to the bathroom. My bedroom is in the back and the bathroom is facing the front.”

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Detective Anderson pulled out a notepad and wrote as Kathy spoke. “Were you in the master bedroom?” “No, the guest bedroom.

Jimmy has the master.”

“You sure it was his car you saw?” “Yes, he is having exhaust and oil leak problems, and there were puffs of smoke coming from the car as it backed out of the driveway.” Anderson’s cell phone rang. spoke.

“Hold him at the scene.

He listened, and then I’ll be right over.”

Anderson hung up his phone, smiled and said, “Mrs. Sinclair, Jimmy crashed his car a few blocks away.

He

appears drunk and the officer said there’s an empty container of gas on the floorboards.” The fire marshal approached them. fire is out.

“Mike, ma’am, the

Very little damage, mostly exterior,

definitely arson.” “Thanks chief.

Get me your full report as soon as you

can.” “Will do Mike.” Anderson turned to a uniformed officer. Sinclair to wherever she wants to go.” back to Kathy and winked.

“Take Mrs.

Anderson turned

“Mrs. Sinclair, this officer

will give you a ride to another location.

Please call me

in the morning so I can take your full statement.”

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Anderson handed Kathy his business card and as she took it she spoke. “I’ll spend the night at my mother’s.” “Can I please have a phone number where I can reach you?” asked Anderson. Kathy gave him her mother’s phone number.

She watched

Anderson walk to his car and drive away.

Anderson pulled up to the crash site and observed Jimmy being attended to by the medics. smelled the strong odor of alcohol.

The detective

Anderson inspected

Jimmy’s damaged Honda and observed the empty liquor bottle and gas container on the floorboards.

He walked over to a

uniformed officer. “Make sure the crime lab is called and that they photograph the empty liquor bottle and gas container, and that the medic draws blood for DUI.” “Yes sir.” Anderson asked the medic a few questions.

“Which

hospital are you taking him to?” “County General.” “How bad is he?” “Mostly bruises, but he does have a good size bump on his head.” Anderson approached the same uniformed officer.

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“Charge him with attempted murder and arson, and keep an officer with him at the hospital.” “Yes sir, will do.” “Good, I’m going back to bed.” Anderson walked back to his unmarked detective vehicle and drove away.

John walked the few miles back to where he parked his Miata, entered, and drove by the accident scene. truck was hooking up Jimmy’s damaged car.

A tow

John laughed as

he drove away.

The police car arrived at Carol’s condo.

She was

standing out front, waiting for her daughter to arrive. “I never did like your husband.” “Don’t worry mom, Jimmy won’t be my husband for long. The detectives just charged him with attempted murder and arson.

Can you make me a hot cocoa like you always did

when I was younger?” Carol let her daughter into the lobby and then into the elevator.

She spoke as the doors closed.

“Cocoa you want, cocoa you get.”

Steve Conners received a call from Kathy. “Jimmy’s been arrested for attempted murder and arson.”

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“What?

When?”

“Just now.

He tried to burn down our home with me

inside.” “Are you okay?” “Yes, luckily I was up watching a video called ‘Mississippi Burning.’” “What a movie to see at a time like this!” “You’re right Steve. taking you off the case. and if he bonds out.

Anyway, it was bad timing in Please pick Jimmy back up when

I definitely need to know where he is

at all times.” “I’ll call the jail and have them notify me when he is about to bond out.” “Thanks Steve.” “No problem.

Call if you need anything else.

Just

rest now.” “Steve, talking of rest, call me in a few days about some upcoming cruises.

I need one now.”

“Well, I know of one right now. brochure as we speak.

I’m holding the

It’s a seven-day singles cruise from

Miami to the Virgin Islands.

It leaves next Sunday.”

“Perfect, I’ll come over in a few days and buy my ticket.” Kathy hung up the phone, sat down next to her mom, and sipped on the hot cocoa, smiling as she did so.

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Later in the day, Kathy drove to the police station. She had an afternoon appointment with the detectives regarding her side of the arson incident.

Detective

Anderson was not available, but his partner was.

They both

went into interview room four. “Where’s your partner?” inquired Kathy. “He’s teaching today out at the police academy.

Mike

said to tell you he would try his best to be here before we are finished.” “What topic is he teaching the recruits?” “Interview techniques.” Detective Fusco handed Kathy a yellow legal pad, a pen, and instructed her to write in her own words, what occurred from the time she was in her room until the fire department arrived.

“Care for anything to drink while you

write?” “A diet Coke would be good.” Fusco left the room and Kathy started to write down the events. Ten minutes later Fusco was back with the diet soda and Kathy was done with her statement. whole thing.

“Are you positive you saw Jimmy’s car backing

out of your driveway? this town.”

Fusco read the

There are many old, white Hondas in

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“I am positive.

I even underlined the word positive

in my statement.” “I can see that.” “Jimmy’s car has developed a recent exhaust problem so when you floor the gas pedal the white smokes comes out and that is what I saw under the street light,” Kathy restated emphatically. “You will make a great witness for us Mrs. Sinclair. You come across as an honest woman,” Fusco soothed.

“Off

the record, may I ask you a very personal question?” “You can ask but I might not answer,” came Kathy’s guarded response. “What went wrong in your marriage?

According to the

store customers, you two were lovebirds in the beginning.” “When we first started dating Jimmy worked an awful lot of hours.

He didn’t want to hire the right help needed

to give him a normal social life. down and spend time together. great.”

I convinced him to slow

When he listened things were

Kathy took a deep breath and continued to satisfy

Fusco’s curiosity. to his old ways.

“Then once we got married he went back I sent for my mother, bought her a small

condo, and spent my spare time with her.

After a couple of

months I was hoping Jimmy would slow down, but he never did.

When he came home at night there was not romance.

said he was too tired but I suspected another woman.

I

He

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eventually had customers tell me that they saw Jimmy with a younger woman.

When I confronted him he admitted he was

having an affair, said he didn’t love my anymore, and that he wanted a divorce.

I tried to keep the marriage

together, to give it a fighting chance. As Kathy became more agitated, Fusco began to regret he had asked the question.

She wasn’t finished yet.

“When it got to the point that we were fighting all the time, I moved to the guest room.

I decided to find the

best divorce attorney I could, because I saw no happy light at the end of the tunnel – only pain and heartbreak.

I

thought if I got an attorney Jimmy would refocus his attention towards me instead of the store.

I was wrong.

He spent even more hours either at the store or with his new girlfriend. “I’m sorry to hear that Mrs. Sinclair,” interrupted Fusco, having heard enough. Kathy rattled on, “My lawyer says I am entitled to about four million.

I would take less and move on, but

Jimmy has been treating me like dirt!

I decided to stay

and fight and take as much as I can get.

He calls me a

gold digger so I might as well not disappoint him!” “I think you are doing the right thing Mrs. Sinclair,” Harry interjected.

“I was married once too.

Abby and I

were together for nineteen years and we had two beautiful

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boys.

Believe it or not, at one time I was in tip-top

shape, but after the divorce I let myself go.”

Harry

continued to reminisce, “I drank like crazy for a few years and spent my savings on wild women and alcohol. got me back on the right path.

My sons

I live in a doublewide

trailer in town now instead of my son Joey’s house.

By the

way, I am actively seeking a female companion in case you know of any nice single women,” he ended. Kathy, who had now heard enough as well, had calmed down.

“I am happy to hear you are doing better.

keep my eyes open for you.

I will

Exactly what type of woman are

you attracted to? “Well, I’m fifty three years old and five foot eight. I weight about two hundred sixty pounds, give or take a few, so my ideal woman would be about fifty years old, five foot three, maybe one fifty to two hundred in weight. She’s got to love to cook because I love to eat!” Kathy took the last swallow of her soda as Detective Mike Anderson walked in.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Fusco handed Kathy’s statement to his partner. Anderson quickly read it.

“This will do.”

He handed the

legal pad back to Harry as he turned to Kathy.

“Would you

like another soda?” he asked as he took a seat at the long interview table. “No thanks.

I have a date with my mother.

We plan to

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take in a move, have dinner at the China Buffet and take a long walk around the loop over at Ballard Park.” Noticing Anderson’s disappointment, Fusco asked, “You want to join me at Cracker Barrel?” “Only if you’re treating.” “I’m treating then.” All three left the interview room, making small talk.

John drove out of town to Starkville, about seventy miles away, and pulled up to the Comcar truck yard.

John

approached the uniformed guard, an old man at least eighty years old. “I’m about to buy a new rig.

Can I walk the yard and

take a look?” “Be my guest.

Need a flashlight?” the friendly sentry

asked, offering him a small flashlight. “I’ll take you up on your offer, and thanks.”

With

that, John started to walk the yard like a little kid in a candy store.

Jimmy was brought into interrogation room three by a uniformed officer.

One cuff was on his left wrist, and the

other cuff was attached to a metal ring welded to the large and heavy metal desk.

Anderson walked in alone with a

notepad, tape recorder, and two hot cups of coffee.

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“I don’t want any coffee.” “I didn’t ask if you wanted any coffee. for me since we’ll be here awhile.

Both cups are

I’m going to turn the

recorder on and read you your rights.” “I know my rights.

I’m innocent of all charges.”

“Good, I’ll read them anyway.” After Mike went into his standard “You have the right to a lawyer Miranda rights,” Mike asked him why he tried to burn his own house down with his wife in it. “I didn’t try to burn my house down.” “You didn’t.

Then why are you found drunk behind the

wheel of your crashed car with an empty gas can only two blocks away?” “Coincidence.” “Don’t make me laugh.

Coincidence my ass,” Mike

replied as he took a swallow of the station house coffee. “We had a phone tip about where you bought the gas and which attendant, and she just ID’d you from that observation room right there,” pointed Mike at the mirror to his left.

“She even remembers you making a comment

about the fifty dollar deposit.

It’s her station’s gas can

too because their label is found on the bottom of each can sold.

So why would you need a can of gas unless it’s to

burn down your house with your wife in bed?” “I bought gas for a motorist who flagged me down.

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When I got back the motorist was gone.” “That story stinks because why not just go back and get a refund?” “I had to get back to the grocery store.

I thought I

would send Billy, our clerk, back for the refund.” “Why didn’t you?” “I got busy and forgot.” “There’s another man out there who we think is your hired hit man.

Did you hire anyone to do your wife harm?”

“No, no way.

I plan to just get a divorce and move

on.” “We spoke to your wife and she said she’s afraid of you.” “Afraid of me?

She should be afraid of him.”

Too

late, Jimmy knew he was in trouble as soon as “afraid of him” came out of his mouth.

He knew it for sure when the

detective’s eyes went wide as deer eyes caught in a spotlight. “Afraid of him, who’s him?” asked Mike with interest. Jimmy thought fast.

“Whoever it was who robbed the

store and shot at my wife in that drive-by shooting.” “I think him is the man you hired from that phony robbery you were involved in over at the bank parking lot.” “What phony robbery? saw a gun.”

You said you have a witness who

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“Yes, and the same witness saw you hand over two bags to the same robber who held out his two empty hands - no gun in sight.

The same witness said when she came over to

help that you were as calm as could be, yet you told me you were scared.” “She’s mistaken.

I was scared.”

“In the store robbery you knew we had a rash of them, yet you failed to inform your wife to be careful.

Plus,

the robber entered via the unlocked back door.” “There is a chance he walked in through the front door without them seeing, plus my wife can buy a paper or listen to the news like I do.” “Are you willing to take a polygraph?” “How does that machine work?” “We attach instruments that regulate heartbeat, breathing and perspiration based on your answers to questions like, ‘Did you hire anyone to do harm to you wife?’” “I think I’ll decline at this time.” “I’m going to put you back in your cell, as I have a search warrant for your residence.” “Search warrant?

There’s nothing to find!”

“Well Mr. Sinclair, the city pays me pretty good to do my job and I’m following basic routine investigative procedures.”

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“Well, you didn’t need a search warrant.

I would have

given you my okay.” Jimmy was led back to his cell and while in route made one phone call.

Donna picked up the business line and was

happy to hear her lover’s voice. “Can you come visit me?

Hours are six to nine

tonight.” “What a stupid request. ten minutes early.

Of course love, I’ll be there

Want me to bring anything?”

“Yes Donna, wear that green top with Dallas on the front.” “Anything you want.

Dallas will see you in about five

hours – love you.”

Jimmy entered his small cell occupied by a thin, black male with bad breath. “Want to play a game of checkers man?” “Nope, just want to get ready for my lady to visit me in five hours.” The guard locked the cell door.

Before leaving he

said to Jimmy, “Watch Leroy, he cheats.”

Donna sat at a visiting window, dressed to kill with her hair in a ponytail and extra perfume, which all the guards noticed.

In her hand was the latest edition of the

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USA Today, Jimmy’s favorite newspaper.

The guards said she

could show it to him through the thick glass that separated the free people from the not so free, but said they would bring it to his cell later. Jimmy walked in with a sad look on his face but smiled when he saw his future wife. “Thanks for coming Donna. “I missed you too baby.

I missed you.” I brought you your paper and

the guards will bring it to your room later.” “It’s called a cell honey, not a room.” “I know, but room sounds better to me.

What do you do

in your room to pass the time?” “I think of you and think of you some more, and I loose at checkers against a young black kid named Leroy who’s in for selling crack.” “Guess who came in and bought a black nightie today?” “I don’t know, who?” “Kathy.” “What?” “Yea, I was as shocked as you are now.” “Tell me more.” “We just made small talk. the future Mrs. Sinclair. shop.

I don’t think she knows I’m

Anyway, she tried it on in the

She has a really firm body.”

“Well, don’t worry Donna, she’s cold as ice in bed, at

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least with me.” “What’s going to happen to you tomorrow?” “I have a bond hearing which I’ll post. pick me up we go straight to breakfast. hotcakes.”

Then when you

I’m dying for some

Jimmy took a deep breath. “Donna, I need you to

be strong while I deal with my situation.

I know now I

should never have hired someone to do Kathy in.

I was just

so angry when I realized that I was a sucker to marry the ‘I want only you Jimmy’ woman, who turned out to be a real gold digger.

Every time I saw Kathy in her new BMW

convertible, wearing all that jewelry and spending my money on her mom’s condo and talking about cruises and other trips, I just got madder.”

He concluded, “Look, I work

very hard down at Buffalo Bills.

I drive an old white

Honda. . . I just felt used. . . I felt trapped.” “Jimmy I know it’s bad timing but you really make me mad – doing something so stupid like hiring a hit man!” Donna fumed.

“All you had to do was open your wallet, give

her some money and she’d be out of your life. could work real hard to earn the money back.

Together we Now you face

possible jail time, you have to hire an expensive lawyer – but most of all we are separated by metal bars, and for how long?” “Sweet pea, I know it’s a mess, but I’ll figure a way out of it and soon you will be Mrs. Jimmy Sinclair.”

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Donna walked to her car in the parking lot as both Anderson and Fusco pulled up and rolled down their windows. Donna walked over and squatted down to be head level with the two men who arrested her man. “Hello Miss Johnson,” said Anderson with a smile that Donna thought was phony.

“Visiting anyone we know?”

“You two have the wrong man locked up.

My Jimmy

wouldn’t hurt anyone,” vowed the loyal Donna. “You may be right, but we are looking for the hit man we believed ‘my Jimmy’ hired,” said Anderson with another smile. “Jimmy isn’t the type of man who would do that.

He

would just divorce and move on.” “You sure about that?” asked Fusco, eating a small bag of pretzels.

“We know he drinks a little and we all know

what liquor can do.” “Around me Jimmy doesn’t drink, so I wouldn’t know.” “The bond hearing is at nine tomorrow.

If he bonds

out, my advice is for him to stay way away from his wife,” Anderson warned. “What do you mean if?” “Bond hearings can go either way.

The judge has to

think of the victim’s safety and the seriousness of the charges,” Anderson said as Fusco nodded his head in

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agreement. Donna said thanks and slowly walked back to her car and departed the county jail parking lot.

Anderson and Fusco arranged to see Jimmy in an interview room, and waited for him to enter. “Too bad we didn’t find anything more of value at his house or in his car,” Fusco said. Jimmy entered the room handcuffed in front.

The guard

said he would be right outside the door. “Jimmy, we saw Donna Johnson in the parking lot and we told her to tell you if you bond out tomorrow to stay as far away as you can from your wife,” Anderson warned, and again Fusco nodded in agreement. “There’s no if.

I’ll bond out and believe me, I don’t

ever want to see that woman again.” “Your car has been searched so you can now have it released from the impoundment lot and fixed if you want,” Fusco said, placing a release form in front of Jimmy to sign.

Jimmy signed the paper and looked at both detectives.

“You didn’t find anything in your search, did you?” “We’ll just see you tomorrow at the bond hearing,” Anderson said as the detectives stood up and left the room. The guard escorted Jimmy back to his cell. “Could I get a snack?” asked Jimmy nicely.

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“Sure,” laughed the guard, not stopping until Jimmy was securely locked up in his cell on the second floor of the east wing.

The next morning Jimmy was escorted by the bailiff into the courtroom, and smiled at Donna when he spotted her in the crowd.

Jimmy sat on a special bench for prisoners

and waited for his turn.

Twenty minutes went by before

Jimmy stood in front of Judge Vicky Trustmark.

The judge

listened to the state attorney’s side of the story, and then turned to Jimmy. “If you can’t afford an attorney the court can appoint one for you, free of charge.” “Thanks your honor.

I can afford an attorney, but I

wanted to stand before you and plead my case.

May I speak?”

“Yes, go ahead.” “I’ve lived in this community all my life.

I own

Buffalo Bill’s grocery store and have never been in trouble with the law - not even a speeding ticket.

I promise that

if I am let out on bail I will move out of my house and into a motel, and will avoid having any contact with my wife.” “Very well Mr. Sinclair, I’ll grant you bail, but obtain a lawyer.

These charges are serious and if

convicted, you will spend a great deal of time in the state

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penitentiary.” “Thank you your honor.

I will seek counsel once I’m

released.” The bailiff escorted Jimmy back out the same door he had entered.

Jimmy searched for Donna, but the crowd was

huge and he was moving too fast to spot her. *

6.

The Trap

Jimmy exited the front door of the jail with Donna and stopped on the sidewalk to take in his freedom. “Feels good to be free.

I plan to go over to the

store and tell Kathy the truth – that I did hire a man to kill her, that I changed my mind, paid the guy off and that I’ll give her what she wants in the divorce so I can start my new life with you, baby.” Donna and Jimmy kissed while Steve videoed the whole romantic episode.

Jimmy pulled up to Donna’s apartment,

got out and opened the passenger door. “I’ll borrow your car, meet Kathy, and come back home as quick as I can.” “Why can’t I come with you?” “It’s my problem.

I started it; I’ll finish it.

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Besides, I want her in a good mood and seeing you next to me might upset her. take the chance.

I don’t know if it will, but I can’t

My lawyer said there is a possibility

charges can be reduced, but to do so I need her cooperation. charges.

I want her so happy that she drops the

Just stay home sweetie, get two cups of tea

ready, and I’ll be back faster than Superman.” walked Donna to her door.

Jimmy

They kissed and Jimmy departed

the neighborhood, followed by Steve and his helper, in their two rental cars.

Steve called Kathy and gave her an update on what her spouse was doing. “Thanks Steve.

I’m so afraid of him.

Now I hope to

avoid him until the trial.”

The detectives pulled up to the residence of Robert Wheeler.

They knocked, showed their badges to Mrs Wheeler,

who answered to door, and were led to the master bedroom, where Mr. Wheeler was resting.

Both of his legs were in

thigh-high casts. “Hello sir.

I am Detective Mike Anderson and this is

my partner, Harry Fusco.

Like I mentioned to you on the

telephone, we have a suspect in custody who we charged with stealing your vehicle from the airport parking lot.”

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Anderson continued, “His method is to chat up a family to find out how long they will be away. their flight, he steals their car.

Once they depart on I have a set of six

photos and I need you to view each one closely and pick out the man who chatted you up before your flight.” “Mr. Wheeler surveyed the display put before him and his eyes stopped at photo number four.

“That was the man.

He seemed like a nice guy too.” Detective Anderson handed the man his ink pen.

“Can

you please sign your name below the photo and date it? That will show that number four was your choice.”

The

detective retrieved his pen and photo line-up after the man did as instructed. Harry had to ask, “What happened to you?” “I was rock climbing in Utah and fell forty feet when the rope broke.

It turns out it was defective.

sue the manufacturer.

We plan to

Both of my legs and ankles are

shattered.” “Bad luck,” mumbled Fusco.

His eyes lit up when Mrs.

Wheeler entered the room and asked “Would you two officers care for a piece of homemade pumpkin pie?” Mike indicated that he didn’t care for any, but Harry, true to form, didn’t refuse the offer. possible to take the pie to go?

“Would it be

We have many more people

we have to interview yet today,” asked Fusco, after

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receiving a cross look from his partner. Mrs. Wheeler wrapped the dessert in plastic wrap, placed two paper plates, plastic forks and napkins in a bag and said, “Here you go gentlemen.” Fusco gratefully took his next meal from the lady and he and Anderson walked back to their cruise.

Once inside,

Fusco reached for his slice. “Always eating Fusco.

You might as well have my piece

too,” sighed Anderson. “Thanks partner! said Fusco, as he took his first large bite.”

Jimmy went to his grocery store and saw Billy working the counter. “Where’s Kathy?” “She said she wasn’t coming in here any more.

She

said she’s afraid of you.” “Afraid of me? to pull?

That’s a laugh.”

What is she trying

Jimmy walked back to Donna’s car and departed.

Jimmy drove to his residence and didn’t find any cars in the driveway or in the garage.

Jimmy walked

through his five thousand square foot home, checked the game room, kitchen, pool area, and then walked into the master bedroom.

Kathy’s clothes were gone from her closet.

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Jimmy checked her dresser drawers and they were empty too. Jimmy turned to leave the bedroom when John suddenly appeared in the doorway. “She moved out.

She’s afraid of you.”

Jimmy noticed John putting black gloves on. with the gloves?

“What’s

I paid you off.”

“I know, but after awhile I got to thinking - I’d be six of seven when I could be seven for seven and keep my hit record perfect, so I’ve changed my mind.” “You’re an asshole,” Jimmy said as he followed John toward the front door. “Well this asshole knows where Kathy moved to and is going there now to be seven for seven.” John ran out the front door to his stolen car and drove off, making sure not to lose Jimmy, who was trying to catch up, followed by the two investigators.

The trap was set, and soon Kathy would be free of her husband whom she never did love.

Kathy sipped her hot cup

of tea and waited with the loaded forty-five automatic in her lap, which she borrowed from her mom’s boyfriend.

As

Kathy waited, she thought back on how she got Jimmy to marry her.

Kathy saw a photo of Jimmy and his parents in

the local paper about eighteen months ago.

The article

discussed the history of Buffalo Bill’s and showed a photo

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of Jimmy and his parents.

What an all-American family. . .

Kathy visited the store to see if Jimmy was as handsome in person as the photo depicted.

Kathy stood in

line with her orange juice and noticed no ring on his finger, seemingly a kind gentleman, speaking softly to his elderly customers.

Kathy introduced herself and inquired

about the Help Wanted sign in the window. “We need a part-time cashier from five pm to closing.” “I can start today,” Kathy said enthusiastically. “Do you have any cashier experience?” “Yes, I worked for Burger King and a clothing store off and on when I went to college.” Jimmy handed her an application from below the counter.

Kathy filled it in while she drank her purchase.

She quickly turned the form in with a big friendly smile on her face.

Jimmy looked it over and said, “I’ll have to

check your references and if all is in order you can start next Monday.” Kathy walked out, vowing to marry the man.

No way was

she going to live in a rundown efficiency all her life, or be forced to go to hot and muggy Labelle, Florida, and move back in with her mom in that small trailer she had called “home” for years.

Riding the Greyhound bus out of town a

year ago, Kathy promised she would not return until she was married to a rich and successful man.

She kept her one-way

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Greyhound ticket in her purse as a reminder.

Kathy read

somewhere how men with money always felt women wanted them only for the money, and what money can buy them including a big house, cars, clothes, and a very nice lifestyle.

Kathy

strategized by telling herself to turn everything down a rich man might offer her when dating, or later when engaged.

Once married, there would be plenty of time to

spend the money.

Kathy also checked the law in Mississippi

regarding divorce and liked what she read.

If divorced,

she was entitled to half, unless a prenuptial agreement was signed. At first Jimmy worked too hard in the store, but Kathy changed that little by little as she worked there.

She got

Jimmy to hire stock clerks and cashiers so they could go out more.

Jimmy bought her jewelry, but Kathy always made

him return it.

She would tug on his hair when she kissed

him, saying, “I don’t need jewelry honey, I need you.” Every time he tried to buy her clothes, a new BMW, or take her to expensive restaurants, she would make him take it back or refuse to go out.

It worked, because six months

later they were married in a simple wedding at the courthouse.

The first thing Kathy did was to move her mom

out of that trailer in Labelle, Florida, to a nice, one bedroom condo in Tupelo, a few miles from her mansion. Kathy next bought her mom a new car and gave her forty

161

thousand dollars to put into a savings account. her mom couldn’t believe her luck.

Kathy knew

From a trailer, no car,

and no money to a beautiful condo, a new car, clothes, and money in the bank - she thought her daughter was happy and was shocked when just the other day Kathy told her the truth. “Mom, I married Jimmy only for his money. for you and for me.

I did it

I was tired of being poor.”

She next decorated the mansion from Jimmy’s parents’ seventies look to its current, modern state.

Kathy bought

her new green BMW convertible and was looking for a way to end her marriage without a long, drawn out court battle, when John, the hit man, fatefully knocked on her door that day.

Kathy’s thoughts were interrupted when her phone rang, just as the microwave with her teacup inside, went “ding.” “I’ll be there in two minutes.

Be ready – got stupid

ass following close behind.” Kathy picked up the forty-five automatic and replied, “I’ll be in the master bedroom.” John put down the cell phone and turned left on Ridge Road, followed by Jimmy.

He pulled up quickly to the two-

story colonial, right behind Kathy’s green convertible. John opened the unlocked front door and ran up the stairs

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to the only lit room in the small home on a cul-de-sac street.

Jimmy was right behind, yelling, “Kathy, he’s got

a gun!” as he ran into the bedroom behind John.

There

stood Kathy in a pink pair of pajamas with a forty-five in her hand. “Drop the gun now,” commanded Kathy. John did as instructed.

“Both of you lay on the ground, spread your

hands and feet out. gun around.

Do it now!” shouted Kathy, waving the

Jimmy too followed the orders, wondering What

the hell is going on here? towards the far wall.

Kathy kicked Jimmy’s gun

Jimmy started to speak, “Kathy, I

tried to warn . . .” “Shut up Jimmy, just shut up.” her cell phone.

Kathy dialed 911 on

After the operator asked if this was an

emergency, Kathy replied in a very nervous voice, “I’m holding at gunpoint two armed men at 2445 Pine Lakes Boulevard, upstairs bedroom. Sinclair. Boulevard.

I can’t talk any more.

My name is Kathy It’s 2445 Pine Lakes

Please send help.”

Steve reviewed the video he quickly shot, but it only showed Jimmy running into the house.

Steve tried calling

Kathy’s phone, but he got her voice mail again. “Kathy, it’s me Steve. house.

Are you okay?

I’m out in front of your safe

Call me back.”

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Steve and his helper could both hear sirens.

They

picked up their video cameras and videoed the action as many police cars came screaming down the street with sirens and lights.

Three officers rushed to the front door with

their guns drawn. “Police – it’s the police!” one of the officers said. “I’m up here. . . I called you. . . I’m Kathy Sinclair.

I’m holding two men at gunpoint, first room on

the right at the top of the stairs,” “Okay ma’am, take it easy now.

We are slowly coming

up.” The officers cautiously walked up the stairs and one officer peeked around the corner before pointing his gun into the room. “Ma’am, place your gun slowly on the bed and keep your hands up.” Kathy did as she was told.

The officers entered the

bedroom, picked up both guns, searched John and Jimmy, and handcuffed them before taking them downstairs.

Kathy asked

the officers to get in touch with Detective Anderson, who was looking for both men.

The first officer to enter the

room asked Kathy to start from the beginning. “Detective Mike Anderson arrested my husband, soon-tobe-ex the other day, and charged him with attempted murder. He told me he suspected my husband of hiring a hit man -

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the guy in the gray shirt you just removed from my room. The detective told me for my safety I should move out of my own residence to a safe house until he caught the hit man, which is what I did, so how did they find me?” “I don’t know ma’am.

The thirty-eight on the floor –

who was carrying that?” “My husband.

I heard footsteps running up the stairs

and two men came dashing in, and I just picked up my gun and pointed it at them.” An officer entered the room and said “Detective Anderson is in route, ETA about ten minutes.

Steve got out of his van with his video camera and walked up to Jimmy and John, sitting in the back of the police car, and videoed them.

Detective Anderson arrived quickly and was directed upstairs to the crime scene.

Mike entered the room and saw

Kathy talking to a uniformed officer. “Some safe house I found,” Kathy said. “Who knew this address?” Mike asked. “My mom, the real estate agent, and you.” “When I interview them at the station I will find out how they located you.

How about tomorrow you come to the

station and I take your official statement, since right now

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you are emotionally drained and need to rest?” “Can I go back to my own home now?” “Why not?

Both men won’t be going anywhere soon.”

An officer interrupted their conversation by handing Detective Anderson a note.

Mike read it and put it into

his pocket. “Kathy, I have to go.

Call me in the morning so I can

take your statement.” “Will do Mike.”

Mike Anderson was in route to meet Janet Lee for a quick bite to eat when he received a call from the Auto Theft Bureau.

“Hey Mike, this is Detective Thomson.

You

wanted to be notified if a certain Mercedes Benz coupe was recovered.” “Ye?”

Mike waited in anticipation for some good news.

“The vehicle is registered to Jay and Julie Hopkins. We located the vehicle at the airport Hilton, by the pool. We are processing it now.

Any instructions for us?”

“Just send the heart medication in the glove box to the victims.

They seemed to really need it at the time –

and send me a copy of the report.” “Will do sir.

Have a good night.”

Normally Mike would have sped to the crime scene to

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ascertain more details, but he had cancelled on Janet before and wasn’t about to do it again to his new Oriental beauty, who would be waiting with his favorite chicken teriyaki.

A few hours later Anderson left a happy Janet

waving from the front porch.

On the front seat of his

squad car was a generous plate of leftovers for Fusco, complements of Janet. Mike entered interrogation room number one and sat down across from John Farran, who had one arm handcuffed to a wall mount.

“Let me read you your rights.”

“Detective, save your breath.

I know my rights and I

want a lawyer.”

Mike left the room and walked into interrogation room number two.

There sat Jimmy, handcuffed, and drinking a

cup of coffee from a paper cup.

“Before we get started

would you like anything else Jimmy?” “The USA Today,” Jimmy replied. “When you are back in your cell I’ll have one brought to you.

Now for the record, let me read you your rights.”

“I want a lawyer right now.

I know my rights.”

Mike left the room and walked into the observation room, where his partner was eating a bag of chips.

“Two

for two huh Mike?” grinned Fusco. “Yep, well they can have their lawyers, with Mrs.

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Sinclair as a victim, and a weapon recovered, I think we can make a strong case.”

John was escorted to a pay phone by a jail guard, and called the criminal lawyer recommended by Kathy’s lawyer. Attorney Joseph McKinsey advised John not to say a word and said he would be down shortly. John walked back to his cell, stopping briefly in front of Jimmy’s cell.

“Room service.

How do you take

your coffee?” Jimmy looked up from reading the USA Today.

“You are

one crazy asshole.”

John was escorted back to his cell.

He was trying to

take a nap when rookie police officer Hanagan stopped in front of his jail cell.

“Well, we finally met Mr. Hot

Wheels.” John lifted his head from his upper bunk.

“Who are

you?” “I am the officer who stopped you in front of the house where you hid the van in the garage,” Hanagan beamed proudly. “Well, you have to admit it did work – I got away.” “Yes you did, and because you were so clever I brought you a small gift to remember the incident by.”

The officer

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tossed Jimmy a key chain through the bars. Hot Wheels car.

Attached was a

“The boys in Robbery Division nicknamed

you Mr. Hot Wheels.” Jimmy looked at the cool little spots car and said, “Well, tell them thanks for the gift.” “I’ll do that.”

Officer Hanagan departed the cell

area while John admired his gift. Kathy entered the detective bureau and was put in interview room one. notepad.

Mike walked in with a large, yellow

“Hi Kathy.”

“Hello Mike,” “We have to do this interview by the book. you’re in this room instead of at my desk. notepad.

That’s why

Here is a

Write down all that happened from the time the

two men entered your house until the police arrived and I’ll be back.

I have to sit in on an interview with the

hit man’s lawyer.” Kathy started to write down her memories as the detective left the room.

Mike walked into interview room three, and was introduced to attorney Joseph McKinsey, sitting next to John Farran. “My client has an offer on the table.

You drop

attempted murder and grand theft auto charges for his full

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cooperation against Jimmy Sinclair.” “No way, I have a strong case,” asserted the detective. “Do you?

I don’t think so.

According to the

arresting officer’s report, the victim can’t put any weapon in my client’s hands.

My client will testify that Jimmy

Sinclair asked him to go along for a ride and didn’t know what Jimmy was going to do before he did it.” “Horseshit, what about grand theft auto?

We have

video of him at the toll booth exiting the airport, and the owner will testify that Jimmy took it.” “As you say, horseshit.

My client is on video in a

car that the owner asked him to drive to the owner’s house to pick up the heart medication his wife needed, and we’ll claim in court the old man was senile.” “We have the stolen car at the safe house.” “Now we know detective, that one bird in hand is better than two birds in a bush, so let my client walk from all charges and we’ll help you nail the husband.” “I have the victim in the next room.

Let me talk to

her.”

Mike left the room and went to see Kathy, who was finished with her statement.

Mike read it.

“You are willing to testify it was your husband holding the gun when he barged into your bedroom?”

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“Yes Mike, I am.

I need him off the street and kept

in jail, or my life will always be in danger.” “In the other room I have the attorney for John Farran, and they want to make a deal that allows us to nail your husband for attempted murder but allows his accomplice to walk free.” “Fine by me if you think it’s okay.

I need all the

help I can get, because I know Jimmy will hire the best and most expensive attorney in town.” “Kathy go home and I’ll let you know what we decide to do.”

Mike left the interview room and received a call from the lab.

The gun recovered last night belonged to Jimmy

Sinclair, and the slugs from the store and residence walls matched Jimmy’s thirty-eight.

Mike smiled as he hung up

the phone.

In the meantime, Harry Fusco used his cell phone to call the State attorney on duty, “Sir, we have two men in custody.

Both are charged with attempted murder.

One is

the husband of the victim and the other is the hit man he hired.

The lawyer for the hit man wants to make a deal.

His client will tell us everything in return for immunity.” State Attorney Dicenso asked, “How strong is your

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evidence on the hit man?” “Not too strong sir.

The spouse says her husband

entered the home with the gun and the hit man says he didn’t know the husband was going to try to kill her. said he went along for the ride.

He

To tell you the truth, I

really want to nail the husband.” “Then offer the man what he wants on the condition that what he provides you helps with the charges on the husband,” responded Dicenso. be happy.

Fusco knew Mike was going to

Now he had the okay to make the deal to nail

Jimmy Sinclair.

Attorney McKinsey stood up when Detective Mike Anderson and his partner walked in. “Attorney McKinsey, this is my partner, Detective Harry Fusco.

We’re willing, along with the state attorney,

to drop all charges as long as your client is one hundred percent honest and cooperative from this moment on.” “Fine.

Turn the recorder on and put what you just

told me on tape, and my client will cooperate fully.” Detective Fusco ate another bag of chips as his partner asked John questions. “How did Jimmy Sinclair hire you?” “We were in The Hideaway bar as customers.

We started

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talking and he mentioned he wasn’t happily married.

He

said his wife fooled him into marrying her, that she really was a gold digger and married him for his money.

He wanted

out of this sham of a relationship and was willing to pay someone to do it.” “How much did he pay you to kill his wife?” “He told me to meet him at Summit Bank and there he handed me fifteen thousand in cash and gave me his thirtyeight revolver.

I asked him if he wanted her shot in the

head or torso and he said the torso.

Jimmy also showed me

the newspaper article with the robberies of the store owners, and thought it would be a good idea to make it look like a robbery.

He also gave me his wife’s store hours,

which are in my wallet.” Mike turned to his partner, “Go to property.

Bring me

his wallet.” Detective Fusco left the room and Mike turned back to John.

“Tell me about the store robbery.”

“Jimmy called me on my cell phone and told me he left the back door unlocked, and what time that day to come by since he wouldn’t be there.

I came in the back door, but I

never had any intention of hurting anyone.

My first plan

was to take the money and run, but then I visited the store and saw how pretty his wife was, and knew if I left town he would just find someone else.

So my next plan was to

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purposely miss and make it look like I tried.” “Is that why the bullets we located in the wall were at the eleven foot mark?” “Yes.

I did the same thing at the drive-by shooting

at her house.” “How did you know his wife was outside?

Were you

watching her house?” “No.

Jimmy called me on my cell phone and said he was

leaving his house and that his wife was putting on gardening gloves.

When I got there I just aimed real high

and drove off in Jimmy’s Honda, which he loaned me.” “What was Jimmy’s reaction to your second failed attempt?” “He was mad - asked me what kind of a hit man I was, and said that his wife was lucky - so lucky she should go to Vegas.” “What happened next?” “I told Jimmy I didn’t want to go on with this killerfor-hire thing, but he met me and paid me more money to continue.” “How much more?” “Thirty-five thousand.” “Where is all this cash now?” “It’s at my apartment under my dresser.”

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Detective Fusco entered the room and gave John’s wallet to his partner.

Inside, mixed in with a few dollar

bills, was Kathy Sinclair’s work schedule, in what appeared to be Jimmy’s handwriting. “Now partner, go to this guy’s apartment with a lab tech.

Take photos and document the cash under the dresser

that Jimmy gave John to kill his wife.”

Mike wrote down

the address and gave his partner the slip of paper.

Turning back to John he said, “What did you and Jimmy do next?” “Jimmy met me at the Hideaway Bar.

I told him I was

done, that I wasn’t really a hit man but an over the road truck driver just looking to buy my own rig. didn’t care what I did.

He said he

He just wanted his wife dead.

Later we went for a ride in his car.

I thought we were

going back to the Hideaway Bar to play darts, but instead he pulled into his driveway, removed a gas can from the car and set the house on fire. running.

When I saw that I took off

I read later in the paper he crashed his car and

was arrested.” “You were there when he committed arson?” asked Fusco, who was very surprised. “Yes, he had been drinking whiskey before I got in the car.

We almost hit a couple taking a walk with their dog

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over on Fifth Street before we arrived back at his house. When he pulled out the gas can he said “I’ll show that gold digger a thing or two!’

Like I said, I got the hell out of

there at that point.” “Tell me how you hooked up with him to go to Mrs. Sinclair’s safe house?” “Jimmy called me on my cell.

He wanted his gun back

and told me to meet him at his residence.

I told him no,

that Mrs. Sinclair was living there, and he said no, that she moved out. his gun.

I met him at his house and gave him back

He told me her new address and said that he was

on his way to kill her himself.” “Go on,” prompted Anderson. “I ran out of the house first and the car I stole from the airport had a built-in GPS system and it led me to Mrs. Sinclair’s new location.

I ran in screaming ‘He has a gun,

he has a gun, your husband’s going to kill you!’

I ran to

the only light in the house, which was upstairs.

That’s

when Mrs. Sinclair pointed a gun at us and made us lie on the floor.

Please Detective, go ask her if I tried to warn

her.” Detective Anderson turned off the recorder and left the room with his cell phone.

“Kathy, it’s Mike.

When

those two guys barged into your house did someone yell he had a gun?”

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“Come to think of it, I did hear someone yelling real loud about something, but the TV was on so the voice was muffled.” “Thanks.

I’ll call you again soon.”

Mike put his cell phone back in his pocket, re-entered the room, and turned the recorder back on.

“How did Jimmy

Sinclair know where his wife moved to?” “I don’t know but he told me the address.” “We might need you to wear a wire and get you and Jimmy in the same room.” “I recorded our first conversation about him hiring me to kill her.

The recorder and tape are in my top dresser

drawer.” Mike about fell out of his chair. what he just heard.

“You what?

He couldn’t believe

Say that again!”

“After Jimmy gave me the fifteen thousand dollars in the bank parking lot, we agreed to meet at the Hideaway Bar.

I stopped at Radio Shack and bought a tape recorder

and put it in my shirt pocket along with several ink pens. At the bar I asked him ‘Do you want it in the head or torso?’ and he said torso.” “Why would you tape record the conversation?” “I knew I was never going to go along with killing her, and thought I would mail it to the police when I left town to protect the woman.”

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Mike called his partner and told him to also pick up the recorder and bring it to the interview room. “Have you ever been in trouble with law enforcement anywhere in the USA?” “Nope, I’m clean.” Mike turned to the lawyer. arrives.

“Wait here until that tape

If what your client just told us under oath is on

the tape, you can leave with him.”

Mike left the room.

Detective Fusco entered John’s apartment again with the ID technician and the old man landlord.

Fusco opened

the top drawer, and among the white socks and underwear, in plain view, was a small tape recorder.

The tech took a few

photos and Fusco put the recorder in a transparent bag and left, along with the stash of loot recovered from under the dresser, but not before he grabbed a bag of chocolate candy that Farran had left on the dresser.

This job’s got it’s

bonuses, chuckled the rotund officer.

Mike called Kathy from the police station hallway. “Kathy, this is Mike – good news maybe.” “What good news baby?” “I said maybe not baby.” “I know you said maybe.

I said baby.”

“Are you flirting with me?”

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“Yes officer, I am.

Soon I’ll be free and rich, but I

don’t want to be lonely.” “With that face and body you won’t have to worry about being lonely.” “What good news do you have for me?” “We cut a deal with the hit man to turn state’s evidence against Jimmy and he told us how your husband hired him.

But more importantly, he claims he tape-

recorded the first meeting.

My partner is on the way to

the station now with the recorder.

I need you to come down

here to listen to the voice to confirm it’s Jimmy’s.

I

also need you to identify his handwriting, because he gave the hit man your work hour schedule.” “I can be there in twenty minutes.” “I’ll have my partner meet you in the lobby.” “Okay baby, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

Mike laughed and walked back into the interview room. He turned the recorder back on.

“How did you steal cars

from the long-term parking lot at the airport?” “I read in the paper a while back where thieves were stealing cars from movie theater parking lots - giving them a two hour head start before they were reported missing. Then I saw a plane in the air and thought about the longterm parking lot.

I rode the bus out there and just

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started talking to people exiting their cars and found out how long they would be gone.”

Mike’s partner popped his head in and motioned for Mike to come out.

Mike turned the recorder off and left

the room. “Here’s all the cash we found, at least twenty-five thousand, plus the recorder.” Mike took the recorder out of its bag, rewound the small tape, and hit the play button.

Two voices were on it

and Mike knew right away whom both voices belonged to. Mike heard, “Can you make it look like a store robbery?” “That’s my work.”

“You want it in the head or torso?”

“The torso will do.”

Mike turned to his partner.

“Get Jimmy and his lawyer in an interview room, then call me when Kathy Sinclair arrives.” Mike returned to John’s interview room and played the tape.

When finished, he turned to attorney McKinsey.

“You can take your client with you. numbers in case we need to get in touch.” John.

Get all his Mike turned to

“This tape is what is allowing you to walk free, now

stay out of trouble.”

Mike was paged to return to the Detective Bureau. partner had a visitor.

His

Mike walked into the bureau and saw

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a large crowd of detectives standing around his desk. Sitting was Kathy, all dressed up in a low cut top and jeans.

Fusco was stationed next to her with a clipboard in

his hands, and the empty bag of chocolates now sitting on the desk next to him.

Mike tried to act all official, but

the men saw through his act. “Get back to work,” Mike glared at his men, while holding out his hand to Kathy.

His tone softened, “Thank

you Mrs. Sinclair, for coming down on such short notice.” “Anything to help, Detective,” Kathy responded with a slight smile. “Let’s go into interview room four.” Kathy stood up and all eyes were on her as she walked into room four.

Mike had her sit down and whispered to her

that the guys were maybe watching from the observation room, and the microphone was turned on. “Thanks again for coming down. found.

I have a tape we

Can you identify any of the voices?”

Mike played

the tape and right away Kathy said, “That’s Jimmy talking. Can I listen to the whole tape?” “Of course, it’s about ten minutes long, but I have to warn you that your spouse is talking about having you killed.”

Mike laid a piece of paper in front of Kathy,

showing her work hours.

“Do you recognize the handwriting?”

“Yes, that’s Jimmy’s too.

He writes worse than a

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doctor filling out a prescription.” “My partner informed me that Jimmy and his lawyer are in interview room one.

Care to watch from the observation

room?” “Wow, may I?” “I’ll be back in a few minutes to get you. here and listen to the tape.

Just stay

Don’t touch the recorder.

It’s my only copy.” “I won’t touch it.” “Good.

See you in a few minutes.”

Mike left the room and entered the observation room. It was crowded with detectives. “Get back to work you horny wolves,” Mike said, motioning with his hands. “What a fox!” one detective said.

“My last victim was

sixty-five, hunchbacked and overweight.” Another detective said, “That sounds like the Chief’s wife!” “Guess you don’t mind working overtime on this one, Mike,” said Detective Malone, leaving the room last. “Someone has to protect and serve Tony.

Might as well

be me.”

Mike brought Kathy into the observation room and had

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her sit down.

He gave her a yellow pad and pen.

“After asking him questions I’ll come in and check with you to see if you have anything to add.” *

7.

Busted

Mike took the tape recorder from Kathy and left the room.

He went into interview room one with his partner.

They introduced themselves to Attorney Ronald Lothamen, a well-known criminal defense attorney who liked being on television.

They all sat down and Ron turned to his

client, “Jimmy, don’t say a word without my okay.” Jimmy just nodded his head.

“Jimmy, I am charging you with a second count of attempted murder and one count of criminal solicitation to commit homicide.

Your hit man just gave us a full

confession, and we know the 38 you own will match the slugs recovered at your store and on the exterior wall of your home.

We recovered the cash you paid your hit man to kill

your wife, and we have a video of you running into her safe house.” Attorney Lothamen motioned with his hand for the

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detective to stop. “First of all, my client is innocent of all charges. You know he filed a stolen gun report and the money recovered was a loan, so the man could buy an eighteenwheeler.

On the first arrest for attempted murder my

client was kidnapped by this John Farran, forced to drink alcohol until he was drunk, forced into his car, driven to the scene of his own house fire, and then the so called hit man crashes the car and puts my client behind the wheel. Now here we are again - my client states he ran into the house to warn his wife of this crazy man who was trying to kill her.” “No, first of all Mr. Lothamen, under oath John Farran said he was with your client when he pulled up to his house.

He told us your client pulled out a gas can and

said ‘I’ll show that gold digger a thing or two!’” Detective Anderson pulled out the small tape recorder, then said, “Sir, you can tell all this to the jury.

We

have your client’s fingerprints on the gas can, we have the gas station attendant’s statement that your client purchased the gas and gas can, and now we have this bit of evidence.”

Detective Anderson rewound the tape to the spot

he wanted to play.

“The hit man recorded his conversation

about the hit with your client in the Hideaway Bar.” Detective Anderson pushed play and Jimmy’s voice could be

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heard. “Can you make it look like a store robbery?” my work.”

“You want it in the head or torso?”

“That’s

The torso

will do.” Detective Anderson turned the recorder off and smiled at Jimmy and his high-priced lawyer. “Can you give me a minute alone with my client please?” “You mean your innocent client?” asked Fusco, slapping a ‘Buy 6 Get 6 Free’ donut ad on the table in front of Jimmy before walking out behind his partner.

The lawyer picked up the ad and asked, “What’s this all about Jimmy?” “The donut ad is a joke. wanting donuts.

I joked about the cop

He never stops eating.”

“Sounds like the detective has a strong case with the current charges and the recording of you soliciting the man to kill your wife.

Now tell me the whole truth right now

or I walk.” “Ron, I did hire the man to kill my wife, but later after the drive-by shooting failed, I told him to stop. But he’s crazy, he wanted thirty-five thousand on top of the fifteen thousand I gave him to stop.”

Jimmy became

increasingly agitated as he continued, ”I paid him off, but like I said, he’s crazy.

He kidnapped me, got me drunk,

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and set my house on fire.

When I bailed out I went to my

house to tell my wife the truth, but she had moved out. The hit man was in the doorway and he said he was on the way to kill her.

I followed him to her new place to warn

her and she didn’t want to hear it. gunpoint.

She held us at

That’s the whole story in quick, simple terms.”

“As if anything about this story is simple.”

The

attorney was a veteran, but this was one of the most convoluted situations he had heard about in some time. “Jimmy, let me see about getting you released on bail in the morning.” “In the morning? “Sorry Jimmy.

Why not right now?”

It doesn’t work like that.

We have

procedures to follow.”

Ronald pushed a call button and both detectives entered the room, with Fusco just finishing a white powdered donut, and all the evidence remaining on his mouth and lips. “Okay gentlemen, I’ll see you at the bond hearing in the morning,” the lawyer said, closing the latches on his briefcase. “The state attorney will be asking for no bail due to the second attempt on the victim’s life,” said Fusco. The attorney turned to his client, “Jimmy, get a good

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night’s sleep.

I’ll see you at the bond hearing, and

gentlemen, I want to speak to you alone.”

Fusco opened the

interview room door and motioned for a uniformed officer. “Take this man back to his cell.”

Fusco closed the

door after Jimmy was escorted out. “Gentlemen, I will be fighting hard for my client to make bond.

He has never been in trouble with the law

before and has been an active member of the community all his life.” “That may be true, but this is the second time in a few days where he has attempted to kill his wife, and he has the financial resources to still carry it out.

Under

these circumstances we will argue that he remain behind bars,” replied Anderson. “We have even more evidence than the first arrest charges,” added Fusco as he strained over his girth to tie his shoelaces.

Jimmy made one phone call before entering his cell. Donna showed up at visiting hours and they talked over phones, separated by thick glass. “Donna, it doesn’t look good for me.

The hit man I

stupidly hired then fired, tape recorded our conversations and the police have the tape of me wanting her killed.” “Honey, you tried to stop the violence and the police

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know that.

When the judge hears the whole story they will

give you probation, I just know they will.” “I do hope so Donna, and I promise, once this is all behind me, you will be Mrs. Jimmy Sinclair.”

Kathy returned to her mansion and called John on her cell. “According to the detectives, the state attorney will argue for no bond.

Your plan John, or what I call our

scheme, is falling into place.” “Soon you will be a rich and free woman, and I’ll be in a new eighteen-wheeler and on the road again.”

Fusco and Anderson left the police station and drove the few blocks to the courthouse where they entered courtroom 23.

They got there just in time to hear the

State’s attorney playing a small portion of the tape where Jimmy vented his desire to have his wife shot “through her gold digging heart.” his ruling. smiling.

Judge Cummings listened, then made

Fusco and Anderson left the courtroom,

Anderson called Kathy.

“You can relax for awhile.

We played the judge the

recording that John Farran made, and the judge looked at Jimmy when he ordered the hit man to shoot you in the torso, pounded his gavel over and over and his decision was

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‘No bond.’” “Thank God.

What’s going to happen next?”

“The state attorney will prosecute.

Jimmy will go to

jail and we move on with our lives.” “Mike, I was thinking.

I could drop the charges if

Jimmy settled our divorce in a seventy-five, twenty-five split. . . he keeps the store, I sell the house and move, he pleads guilty, gets long term probation, and stays out of my life.” “Seventy-five percent for you of course.” “Yes Mike, he is in no position to make a deal.” “Well, you are the victim.

You could have your

divorce attorney make an offer to his criminal attorney.” “I think I’ll do that tomorrow. It doesn’t hurt to discuss all the options.” “Partner like Detective Fusco, or my girlfriend partner Janet?” “You decide, but remember I’ll soon be single and worth millions.

Your decision.”

“Heck, that’s a no-brainer.

Fusco and I will see you

at eight.” Kathy began to call a lot of people and invited them to her party. *

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8.

On The Road Again

John rode the Metro bus to Comcar Truck Sales.

He

walked the huge lot and climbed in and out of new and used eighteen-wheel rigs.

A salesman approached and stuck out

his hand, “Pete Mitchell, welcome to Comcar Truck Sales.” John shook the man’s hand as the eager salesman asked, “Can we make a sale today?” John replied, “I may come into some money soon and if I do, I’ll be back to pick something up.” “Good to hear that. you want.

Here’s my card.

Just look all

If you have any questions, any at all, just call

me.” John went back to climbing in and out of his future home.

While sitting in a brand new Volvo 380 eighteen-

wheeler with all the bells and whistles that cost over a hundred thousand dollars, John called Byron Allen, his best trucking friend. “Hey Byron, it’s John.” “Dude, where have you been?

My rig you want is

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sitting out in front of my double wide waiting on you!” “That’s why I’m calling Byron.

I came into some money

and I plan to buy a new Volvo 380 instead of your Gulfstream.” “Wow dude, a Volvo 380 – that’s over a hundred grand!” “I know, I know, but my younger brother’s wife’s mom died and left him way too much, so he said he’d help me out.” “When you get it, bring it by.

I’ll be shotgun on

your first run!” said Byron excitedly. “Shotgun – I thought partner in my own truck line called John Farran Trucking with our motto “Get It There On Time.” “Wow dude, partner. . . you mean it?” “Come on Byron, we’ve been best friends since high school, we’ve done everything together, so why not this?” “Dude, get off the phone and get your ass out to Little Rock.” “Okay partner, I’ll try to be in Little Rock in a week.”

John hung up his cell phone and took the wheel of

his new ride.

Kathy popped out the TV dinner from the microwave, and walked to the living room with meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

The six o’clock evening news was on, and the

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news reporter was interviewing Steve Conners. “Here with me in an exclusive interview is private investigator Steve Conners.

Mr. Conners shot the video you

are about to see for his client, Kathy Sinclair.

Mrs.

Sinclair hired the private investigator because she was afraid of her husband, Jimmy Sinclair, who at this moment sits in the county jail without bail, charged with attempted murder.” Kathy watched the clip of Jimmy running into the safe house and the police arriving with blue lights and sirens. The phone rang, and it was John on the other end. “Hi John.” “Hi Kathy. “Yep.

Hey, are you watching the news?”

I bet Steve gets more work as a result of this

video.” “I’d like to celebrate with you.

It’s a shame that I

can’t be seen with you, being a hit man and all.

Besides,

the deal I made with the state attorney requires me to leave the city and only come back for the trial.” “Well, I wired you some money to your sister’s bank in New Mexico.

Send me a photo once you buy your truck.”

“Will do.

Good luck with your divorce.”

“Thanks John.

I’m going to relax more now that I know

Jimmy can’t make bail.

I’m also going on a week’s cruise

to the Virgin Islands.

I leave Sunday.”

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“Being on a ship looks like fun, but me and water don’t get along.

I’d rather be in my eighteen-wheeler,

listing to country music and seeing the good old USA.” “John, I always wondered why you came to Tupelo.

You

have no family here.” “I passed through Tupelo on my weekly run from Montgomery to Memphis.

It looked so inviting and clean,

plus I love Elvis music and he was born there so I just said to myself, ‘Let’s go to Tupelo.’

Glad I did too.

I’ll be back again once this mess dies down.” “John, thanks for saving my life.

Enjoy your travels

on the road and send me that photo.” “Will do Kathy.

Enjoy the Love Boat.

Bye.”

A lot of people showed up at Kathy’s party, and the caterer’s two granddaughters Kathy met in the elevator were handing t-shirts out to all the guests.

Steve Conners

walked over to Kathy, who was standing next to Detective Anderson, and handed her a cruise ticket. “Kathy, thanks to your case, I made the news and the exposure brought me more work.” “Good! “Yes.

Do you know Detective Anderson?” Hi sir.

I dropped off all my videos and copies

of my reports to your office just prior to coming here.” “Thanks Steve.

If you have business cards with you,

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please give me some.

I know a lot of people.”

Steve handed over a stack and walked to the buffet table where Detective Fusco was piling food onto his plate. “Try the roast beef,” Fusco said.

Billy Sutton walked over to his boss, who was laughing to something Detective Anderson was saying. “Yes Billy?” “Ma’am, I need the keys to the store so I can open for you.” “Of course Billy. laundry room.

They’re hanging on a hook in the

A small bear is attached to the keys.”

As Billy walked away, Kathy turned her attention back to Anderson. “I made Billy my manager.

He’ll do a good job while

I’m on my cruise.” “When is that cruise and where is it going?” “It leaves in two days. connect there for Miami.

I fly to Atlanta, then

I have a free shuttle to the

cruise port and I sail on the Carnival ship named Sensation for a wonderful, relaxing week of sailing to the Virgin Islands.” “Wow! Sounds like a lot of fun.”

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“Why don’t you come? agent.

Steve Connors is also a travel

That’s who I bought my ticket from.”

“I can’t.

Too many crimes to solve, but with all you

have been though, it will be good for you to get out of town for awhile.”

Several customers from the grocery store approached, wearing the special shirts given to everyone who showed up. “We love the t-shirts. ladies said, laughing.

We feel it’s a souvenir,” two

Detective Anderson laughed as the

women walked away. “It is a funny t-shirt.”

Anderson held his own up and

on the front was a man behind bars.

Below the image was

the word “busted.” “I hope your partner can fit into the largest size I could order, which was a triple x,” laughed Kathy. Anderson spotted his partner holding a plate full of food, talking to several middle-aged ladies.

“I’ve been on

his case to get back in shape, but I can see he’s not listening.”

Kathy’s cell phone rang.

Steve was on the other end.

“Kathy, I almost forgot.

I’m treating you to a free

limo ride to the airport.

It picks you up at nine am.

Again, thanks for everything and have a fun time.”

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Kathy replied, “Wow!

Thanks!” and hung up.

“Who was that?” Detective Anderson asked. “It was Steve, my travel agent.

He’s treating me to

my first limo ride on Sunday.” “He’ll go far.

He knows how to service his

customers,” Anderson said, watching his partner stuff his face with more catered food.

Harry was having a hard time deciding which of the three ladies to ask out.

All he knew for sure was that he

was a detective, that this fact excited the women, and they knew he liked camping and traveling too. out some details of his own.

He had ferreted

Sandra, a petite and sweet

smiling blonde, was a waitress in a small diner in the next town, about ten miles west.

Rebecca, a tall and confident

type who had graduated from a fine east coast institution, was a bookkeeper for a local accounting firm.

Christy was

a well-endowed nurse’s aide who currently worked at Tupelo Memorial.

So many choices . . . who will be the lucky

woman to land me? Harry picked up his dessert plate with a large piece of cheesecake, just begging to be eaten.

He started to

take a bite when conscientious nurse Christy took the fork from his hand and softly said, “You don’t need that honey.” She removed the plate from the hands of a very surprised

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Harry.

She took him by the arm and escorted him away from

the dessert table, “Let’s go for a walk instead,” she laughed as she guided him out to the pool area, filling his ears with statistics from the newly revised food pyramid.

The shiny, new black Lincoln limo pulled up to Kathy’s residence right on time.

The sharply dressed driver rang

the bell and carried the two suitcases to the trunk, placing them inside.

Kathy walked out with her mom, who

gave her a hug and wished her a safe trip.

Mom walked back

into Kathy’s house as the driver opened the passenger door and Kathy climbed in. “Good morning.”

Kathy adjusted her eyes to the dark

interior, then noticed Mike sitting there, dressed in jeans and a polo shirt. “Mike, what a surprise, taking me to the airport!” “Surprise baby, I’m going on the cruise too!”

They

talked and laughed as the limo traveled through the downtown section of Tupelo.

The limo driver stopped in

front of Buffalo Bill’s grocery store as instructed. “Mike, I’ll only be a minute.” “Okay.

Bring me a pack of gum please - any brand will

do.” “Alright,” Kathy said as she closed the limo door.

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Inside, everything was in place and very clean. walked up to Billy and laughed.

Kathy

He was wearing the

“Busted” t-shirt. “Nice shirt Billy!” “Hi Mrs. Sinclair.

Say, I’ve sold more t-shirts than

food this morning.” “Great.

Now here is my cell phone.

I won’t be

needing it for awhile.” Billy took the cell phone and asked, “I may be pushing my luck, but can I also drive your new car while you’re away?” “Why not?

The key in on the same key chain.”

Kathy

picked up several packs of gum and left the store.

Billy

smiled and shouted, “Have a fun time!”

Kathy handed Mike the gum and they kissed for the first time. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” Mike said as he opened the pack of gum. Kathy laughed and replied, “Me too.” As the limo drove slowly through town towards the airport, Kathy spotted Fusco walking with a woman from the party.

The limo stopped, but Fusco had already entered a

business.

Both Kathy and Mike laughed at the same time,

when they noticed the sign above the door, “Weight

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Watchers.” “Good for him, good for him,” Mike said as he now sat closer to Kathy.

They were in the midst of enjoying the

next lingering kiss when Kathy’s cell phone rang. “Hi Kathy.

Paul Salman here.

before your ship set sail.

I wanted to catch you

I just got off the phone with

Jimmy’s defense attorney Ron Lothamer.

He was all for us

dropping the charges of attempted murder, keeping the arson charge with probation instead of jail, and giving you six million cash along with the house.

We will have to run it

by the head state attorney, but between us, he owes me a bunch of favors.

I should be able to give you the State’s

decision by the time you get back.” “Fantastic news Paul.

I knew you were the best

divorce attorney around! “It’s not a done deal yet Kathy, but just have a fun time and relax.” Kathy gave Mike an extra big kiss and told him the news. “Wow!

Six million!

Way to go girl!”

The kissing

intensified as the limo headed south.

Janet Lee was laying by her apartment complex pool, sunbathing, when she heard a man’s voice saying “Hello?” Janet raised her head and observed a very good-looking UPS

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driver holding a small box in his hands.

“Are you Janet

Lee?” “Yes, that’s me,” she gushed in her always enthusiastic manner. “I have a package for you that I’ll need you to sign for.” Janet immediately took an interest in the muscular young man, and made an effort to observe his nametag on the brown uniform he was wearing as she slowly made her way over to him. “Who is the package from Norman?” The shy employee glanced from the approaching woman to the package in his hands and responded, “from Belinda Lee in Hong Kong.” Janet took the package, signed in the designated area, and took the liberty of informing the driver, “Belinda is one of my seven sisters!”

She could tell the young man was

shy and knew she would have to be the aggressor if she was going to get anywhere.

Anderson had his chance.

doesn’t know what he’s missing!

He

Oh well, no time like the

present and nothing to lose. . . “Say Norman, are you by chance single?”

A shiny new eighteen-wheeler rig with “John Farran Trucking” painted on the side, with a “Get It There On

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Time” motto painted below the name, was headed north on Highway 78 from Tupelo to Memphis.

Behind the wheel was

John Farran, who was loving every minute of this trip.

The

county jail was on his left, with about one hundred men in the exercise yard.

John blasted his air horn three or four

times.

Jimmy, wearing a county jail uniform, looked up from playing checkers with Leroy, and saw the rig heading north. “Son of a bitch,” Jimmy said, as Leroy made multiple jumps and took half his checkers. John, laughing as he shifted gears, picked up his CB radio and announced, “This is John the hit man, come back!”

*