by Richard Neer
“He’s more of a moonshine guy. I doubt he has your sophisticated taste. Let’s look around and see if there’s anything interesting here.”
Just off the main living area, Dugger’s laptop lay wide open on the desk. I jiggled the mouse and it came to life. Not password protected or if it was, he’d left it active.
I said, “We can copy some of his files. Check his emails. Get that book he was working on.”
“I got a better idea. Why don’t we just swipe that computer and be done with it. Then we can leave this stinkin’ place now.”
“That’s stealing. Come on Moses, he may be a creep but the guy was a cop.”
“You talking about taking his files. That’s stealing. What’s the difference?”
“Difference is, we can copy the files and he won’t know. If we take his computer, then what? Dump it in the swamp when we’re done with it? It’s not right, man.”
“Neither is copying his files if you wanna quibble about it. It’s like the guy in the bar who hits on a chick and says ‘would you do me for a million dollars?’ And she says ‘A million dollars. Yes, I guess I would.’ ‘How about one dollar?’ She gets all in a huff and says, ‘What do you think I am?’ He say ‘Already established that, now we just negotiating price.’ You breaking the law, King. We’re just talking degrees. Let’s purge this vile shit while we go the chance.”
“We’ll argue ethics some other time. Right now, do me a favor. Go into the glove box of the Audi. In the upper left corner, there’s an SD card slot. Take the card out and bring it to me.”
It took me very little time to find the files I was looking for. Despite his backwoods ways, everything was neatly organized. When Ginn returned with the card, I copied everything that looked interesting at first glance. I’d take the files home and inspect them thoroughly, instead of rushing through them here.
I said, “Why don’t you look in some of the other rooms, see if there’s anything interesting while I download this. Shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes. This laptop’s a pretty recent model. Fast processor.”
I copied everything I could on the card and pocketed it. While Moses rummaged through the bedrooms, I gave the main room a quick scan. We were breaking the law, but I was confident we could cover our tracks.
As I was getting ready to leave, the laptop pinged. An email. If it was anything like my account, it was likely to be a notification from some store or website, alerting me to a pre-Christmas sale that I couldn’t afford to miss. Ten per cent of the time, they were worth reading, the rest went promptly into junk.
But the email wasn’t from a merchant. It was personal. I’d already invaded the man’s privacy by stealing his files. It didn’t trouble my conscience to check this out.
The sender was JB. I opened it.
King and his goon won’t let go. We need to talk. Soon. Common interest. Respond time and place.
JB. James Bolton. It had to be. I put the card back in, copied the email, then closed the server, hoping that Dugger wouldn’t notice it had been opened.
It was time to go. I ejected the card and walked toward the rooms where Ginn was still searching.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, King?”
Dugger was standing in the doorway, a gun pointed at me.
He said, “I could shoot your right now and it’d be a clean kill. You were breaking and entering. It’s a stand your ground state, pal.”
“Hold on, Dugger. Your door was unlocked. I wanted to talk to you. The fire was on and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Bullshit. You’ve been here a while. The hood of your car was cold.”
“First class detective work. When I didn’t see you and the fire was on, I figured you couldn’t be gone long so I’d wait a bit. Put the gun down.”
“When I’m ready. I don’t abide folks going through my shit when I’m not around.”
“You should think about locking your door then. Look, I’m sorry I came in. I was about to leave a note, asking you to call me. I get why you’re pissed. I would be too.”
Where the hell was Ginn? We were talking loud enough so that he could hear there were two voices.
Dugger lowered his weapon. “You asked me the other day and I told you all I know. Now get out before I change my mind and blow you away.”
“One reason I came is to warn you. Jimmy Bolton’s throwing you under the bus. He told me he thought you did something to Townes that night and you came up with Amy Paulsen as a false alibi. You knew she’d lie to protect you. He said you were the type to rough up suspects and maybe you went too far with Townes.”
“More bullshit. He knew I was banging Amy and he made her say I was with her.”
“Why would he think you needed an alibi?”
“Because the bastard didn’t believe me when I said I didn’t see Townes that night. Look, I admit, I had a reputation. But I’m not taking the rap for anything that happened to Townes.”
“Seems like you two have a difference of opinion. Might be in your interest to help me find out what really happened, to save your own ass. Bolton strikes me as the kind who’d manufacture evidence to make you look guilty and cover his own butt. Just saying.”
Dugger laughed. “King, you ever hear the expression, ‘don’t shit the shitter’? You don’t think I done what you’re trying now a hundred times? Take a couple of guys I suspect done something bad and try to turn ‘em against each other so one of them talks? I ain’t playing that game with you. I got no love for Bolton, but it’s plain you couldn’t scare him into talking. So now you’re trying to play me.”
He might have been a dirty cop, but he was a cop. He’d figured out my tactics, not that they were anything a teenager who reads mysteries couldn’t have. I had to find Ginn and vamoose, before this dolt changed his mind about shooting me.
I said, “Believe what you will, Dugger. If Bolton screws you over, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Get out, King. Take your bullshit with you and thank your stars I didn’t do what I had a mind to. You come here uninvited again and I will shoot you. That’s my warning.”
I raised my hands in surrender. He stepped aside as I passed, shooting a dirty look at me instead of bullets. I went the car, my mind racing as to how to extract Ginn. My best hope was that Dugger was confident that the danger had passed and would let his guard down. Maybe Moses could knock him out cold from behind and bolt. When he came to, Dugger would realize I hadn’t come alone but it would be too late to do anything about it.
I’d drive to the main road and wait for Ginn. If he didn’t show soon, I’d go back and try to finesse Dugger myself.
As I got into the car, I heard a familiar deep voice from the back seat.
“What took you so long? I was getting cramped up, all hunched down back here.”
25
I dropped Ginn off at the restaurant. He said he’d follow me home presently, but he wanted to pick up some tiramisu to go. Alex absolutely had to try it. The adventure at Dugger’s cabin had quickened his appetite.
I had doubts that Alex would get even a small taste of the dessert. I made it 50/50 that the tiramisu would reach its destination intact.
My ride through the Lowcountry was uneventful until the phone buzzed halfway through. It was Charlene.
Tempted as I was to hit ‘IGNORE’, I answered.
“Riley, sugar, it’s me. Charlene.”
“I know. I still have your number in my directory. What do you want?”
“Why so brusque? Jason tells me you boys are getting along famously. Even had a little road trip together.”
“All in the line of duty. What’s up?”
“Are you mad at me or something? What did I do?”
Even though being on the wrong end of a 9mm had given me a shot of adrenaline, I was tired and hungry and in no mood to spar with Ms. Jones.
“Please. I’m in the car. Just tell me what you want.”
“I’m all nekkid in a
bubble bath and thinking how nice it’d be if you were to join me, but I ain’t into having my day ruined by Mr. Grumpy. I was just calling to tell you that I thought your idea of having Jase and me put on a concert for Townes’ widow was a good ‘un, and I can make it happen real quick. Like before the holidays.”
“Good.”
“I could use a little help, though. You still talk to Ted McCarver?”
McCarver had been a sore point between Charlene and me. I helped the radio magnate prove his innocence in the murder of his fiancée, and my generous reward was the beach house I now live in. But Charlene hated the fact I was willing to work for a man she considered a rapist and left me over it. Even though McCarver opened doors that got her a recording contract and a ticket to her current stardom, she still cringed at the mention of his name.
“I don’t talk with Ted much anymore,” I said. “He’s got his hands full with that radio station he owns in Bluffton and our paths haven’t crossed very often since Stone left the station. Why?”
“We need to get the word out about the show. I remember you telling me about the Christmas concerts his station up north did for charity every year. If that WPHZ or whatever it’s called gets behind the concert, we can sell it out lickety-split without wasting money on advertising. More money going to the lady in need, less to expenses. Maybe they’d even kick in a sponsorship.”
The savvy businessperson in Charlene was surfacing. “It’s WPHX-FM, by the way. I can ask. Does this mean all is forgiven? Because he’ll want to be at the concert if it’s a station event and you won’t be able to avoid him.”
“I can hold my nose and shake his hand. He’ll always be a snake far as I’m concerned.”
I’d explained his situation many times to Charlene but her opinion of the man never changed. If paving the way to her dream of a successful singing career wasn’t enough, there was nothing anyone could do to change her mind. Despite all the good work he’d done, she dismissed it as ‘buying the stairway to heaven’.
I said, “I’ll call but I’m not going to be the middleman. I know nothing about setting up a concert. You’ll have to work out details with him yourself.”
“Not me, sugar. Jason can do that. He’s booked hisself into venues the last few years, not having a manager or agent no more. You hook him up with your predator friend and he’ll make it happen.”
“I’ll call Ted. I should be able to catch him before he leaves for the day. I’ll let Jason know if he says ‘yes’.”
“Jason, eh? What about me? Why so cold, sugar?”
“Charlene, you say you want me to trust you. Yet you keep lying to me. Jason Black said that he didn’t approach you to hook him up with me. He says it was your idea from the start. You couldn’t even be straight with me on that.”
“You believe him over me? Damn Riley, you just met him.”
“Exactly. That’s what it comes down to.”
“Be that way. Bye.” She hung up, angry.
I’ve fallen for her redemption act too many times to let myself in for another round. I called McCarver’s cell and he answered right away.
“Riley King. By thunder, my good man, it’s been a long time. How are you?”
Ted was the last Mohican. He still wore a bespoke suit to work when most wealthy owners wear jeans and tee shirts. His stilted manner of speech was overly formal with a trademark mid-Atlantic accent. He came off as an old fashioned patrician, gracious and self-effacing. At times, he wore an ascot, for God’s sake.
I told him about Townes’ disappearance and the dire straits his widow was in. “Jason Black and Charlene are planning a benefit concert for the lady and they’d like your station to sponsor it. Just like you used to do at WJOK in New Jersey every year at Christmastime.”
There was an uncharacteristic silence on the other end. I thought I’d entered a bad cell zone. I said, “Ted? You there?”
“I guess you haven’t heard. It has been quite a while since we talked. Rick Stone was our common thread and since his demise, we haven’t spoken very often.”
I braced for bad news. Ted had always been a ‘hail fellow-well met’ gentleman and rarely took on a dark tone. At his age, I was hoping that health wasn’t the issue.
He said, “I’m selling the station, Riley. To a Christian network. It should close by mid-January.”
“Why?”
“You know the history. When I sold WJOK years ago, it was because I saw the death of broadcast radio lurking around the corner and wanted to extricate myself before it collapsed completely.”
“True, but then you got hold of WPHX down here and tried to make a go of it. Classic rock and local talk.”
“Yes, but remember it cost me next to nothing to own because of the situation I extricated that conglomerate from. With your help, of course. And Rick’s. I have to admit, I still miss that rogue.”
“Me, too.”
“Call it hubris on my part. I was so confident in my ability to resuscitate a dying medium that I poured substantial resources into it. Over the last year, we strayed from my original intent which wasn’t bearing fruit. We became a run of the mill conservative talk outlet. Took on some nationally syndicated shows. You know my political orientation --- I hated what we were doing. But even that didn’t turn matters around. The buyers are offering me enough to come out solvent. If I were to keep pouring capital into it, well, despite what you may think, my resources aren’t limitless.”
“God, I’m sorry to hear that. Radio’s been your whole life.”
“And I’ve been richly rewarded for it. But I’m at the end of the line. Recently, I’ve used the station’s website as a platform for some podcasts I’ve started. They basically consist of me dispensing my hard earned wisdom. Maybe I can relate some of your adventures. I’ve got sponsors. Between that and the restaurant, I’ll be more than all right.”
“I hope you don’t trash me too much in them.”
“Only kind words for you, my friend. But all of this doesn’t mean we can’t go out with a bang, and a celebratory concert with Charlene Jones just might put a nice cap on things. A farewell for the station and a reunion of sorts. Maybe I’ll invite some alums from WJOK and a few friends I’ve made in the business over the years.”
“Sounds like a plan. Can I have Jason Black call you tomorrow to work out logistics?”
“Sure. Although I was hoping the lovely Ms. Jones would attend our negotiations. Does she still bear me ill will?”
I couldn’t kick him when he was down. “I think that’s mostly water under the bridge. I hope there’s enough time before Christmas to get this together.”
“You know me. When I want something to happen, it does.”
It was sad. Ted is a radio legend. He took a small failing FM station in New Jersey and turned it into a national powerhouse. For him to hang up his spurs leaves the fading industry minus one of its major innovators and forces for good. A blue Christmas for him, indeed.
26
Ginn explained that when he ordered tiramisu to go, Katrina asked what his main course was going to be. When he replied that he’d throw something together for the three of us, she told him to wait while she checked with the kitchen. A few minutes later, she emerged with a cloth bag containing Styrofoam containers of lasagna, gnocchi, pasta primavera, shrimp carbonara and Caesar salad. She refused his attempts to pay.
Alex isn’t much on cooking --- who would be with Ginn around? But she did set a mean table. When Moses arrived with the food, the plates and utensils were laid out with cloth napkins and crystal glassware. She even lit two tall red candles, surrounded by a wreath of fresh holly. Very Christmasy.
She said, “I’m glad you called on the way home to tell me about this feast, Mo. It just wouldn’t be proper to eat a fine meal like this on paper plates.”
I said, “Very romantic setting. Should Bosco and I dine in the office and leave you two alone?”
She kicked me under the table. “You’re incorrigible. You going to t
ell me what you did today?”
“I’m afraid I pissed off two of your fellow boys in blue.” I told her about our encounter with Bolton and how Dugger had pulled a gun on me.
“Were you armed?” she asked.
“Beretta in my waistband. Just in case.”
“You know he could have shot you and it would have been a righteous kill.”
Ginn said, “Not happening. I had it covered.”
She said, “I was afraid of that. What was your role in this little melodrama?”
“I was in the master bedroom when Dugger came in. I snuck out the back window. Ran around the house and pulled a Peeping Tom from the porch. When Dugger lowered the gun and I knew my man Riles was safe, I ducked into his new ride and hid low in the back till he came out.”
“I see. My dear, you realize that if you’d shot Dugger before he gunned down King, you both’d be down for felony murder.”
Ginn said, “We didn’t break and enter. The door was unlocked. King was afraid that something bad had happened to Dugger and we wanted to help.”
I said, “That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.”
Alex shook her head. “Even if the door was unlocked, it’s still unlawful entry. And it’s burglary if you entered with the intent of stealing something. Please tell me you didn’t.”
Moses and I looked at each other, hoping the other would go first. I spared him the embarrassment.
“We didn’t remove anything that wasn’t ours. Technically.”
“And un-technically?”
“I copied some files. It was like borrowing a book from a virtual library.”
She drummed her fingers on the table. “You know Riley, when we first met, I knew you were capable of shit like this. I would have run you in, in a second. Now you tell me you burgled the house of an ex-cop and I’m pretending I didn’t hear it. Do you at least feel bad that you’re corrupting an honest cop?”
