by M. Z. Kelly
“I appreciate that, but I haven’t made any plans. I’m not sure where I’ll go.”
Van Ness and Bronson looked at one another again. This time, the chief raised his brows and the captain nodded. Bronson looked back at me. “There is something in the works that might be a possibility. I know the chief of police in the City of Napa. They’ve got a manpower shortage there and are working a missing persons case that’s going nowhere and may have been a homicide. We talked about sharing resources and expertise. If you’re interested, I could talk to her about you helping out for a couple weeks.”
“It would also give you a chance to see the sights, visit the local wineries in your spare time,” Van Ness said.
I brushed my hair back, considering the offer. I’d been to Napa years ago. The area was beautiful and I’d even had a passing thought about joining the police department there.
“If it works out, I’d like to help,” I said.
Bronson nodded. “I’ll let the captain know what the chief up there has to say.”
After some more idle talk about the Napa Valley, they showed me to the door. We stopped there as Bronson said, “I understand your...your adoptive dad had a son who’s in this area.”
I hadn’t told the department about Daniel because I’d wanted to find out what happened to him on my own. It was possible that Joe Dawson had mentioned him to his boss, who, in turn, told the chief.
“Yes. His name is Daniel, but I’m not sure where he’s living.”
“Is there a chance Harlee Ryland is coming back to this area because of him?”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I suppose anything is possible.”
His dark eyes regarded me for a long moment as he nodded. “Have a good day, Detective.”
TWENTY-ONE
I got back to Hollywood Station at mid-morning and took a seat at my work station. After learning that Al had the day off because of some dental work, I told Olivia and Leo about my upcoming leave.
“It looks like I’ll be off for a couple weeks, maybe helping out some investigators with a case in the City of Napa.”
“All things considered, it sounds like there are worse duties,” Olivia said, trying to be supportive. “I’ve heard they have great restaurants there, not to mention the wine.”
“Bronson gave me forty-eight hours to finish up our case, so I hope we can find Murray.”
“Nothing new in that regard,” Leo said. “But, I had a thought. Since he apparently met our victim at City College, it might be worth going back there, maybe talk to some of the teachers in his classes and ask around about him.”
“Olivia and I can do that,” I said. “I’m assuming you’re working with Powers and Garrett today?”
“That’s the plan.” Leo looked at his phone as it chimed. After studying the message for a moment, he said, “I just got an email from our interpreter. She took a look at the text messages connected with our victim’s photos. They’re all messages that basically told Anna she was doing the right thing by cooperating. Someone named Marcus told her to wait for further instructions.”
“Marcus?”
Leo nodded. “The interpreter said there’s just one reference to the name. She’s not sure how it fits into everything.”
After Leo left to work on his new case, Olivia and I caught up on paperwork. After lunch, we drove to City College. Along the way, we went over our case, summarizing what we knew.
“Anna Levkin registers with APN, an au pair agency that specializes in placing nannies with American families,” Olivia said. “And, a few months after arriving from the Ukraine, she takes a class at City College. That’s where she meets Jason Murray.”
“And, a few weeks after meeting him,” I said, “she goes to a hotel with a man, possibly Murray, where she ends up being sodomized and strangled.”
Olivia went on. “We then find her phone in a dumpster. CCU analyzes it and finds that it had several text messages in Russian and explicit sexual photos of Anna that were deleted using special software. It’s apparent that our victim was being manipulated into having sex, with the photos used as blackmail.”
I nodded. “And when things didn’t go as planned, possibly because she refused to cooperate, Anna ends up dead with the message M-5 tattooed above her breast.”
“Probably meant as a message to other girls, that if they didn’t cooperate they would end up like Anna.”
“And, we now know that a person named Marcus was involved. The texts were in Russian, meaning that’s also an element of our crime.”
“Maybe Marcus is connected to the sex ring that’s been working in our area. Did you get anything from HTU?”
“They’ve heard of the Russian group, but it hasn’t been high on their radar. The detective I spoke to is going to ask around, make some inquiries. I’ll run the name Marcus past them and see if it means anything.”
Olivia shook her head in frustration. “All I know is this thing seems a lot bigger than Jason Murray, or maybe even this Marcus person. I think we’re going to have to find out who’s behind the sex ring if we’re ever going to get to the bottom of it.”
“I’ve got my friend Mo working her sources on the street, so maybe she’ll come up with something.”
Olivia and I spent the better part of the afternoon at the college, asking students and teachers about Jason Murray and showing them the mug shot from his DUI arrest three years earlier. A couple students and a teacher said they’d seen Murray around campus but didn’t know anything about him. Late in the day, we stopped by the student cafeteria where we got something to drink and showed his photo to a cashier.
“I remember him,” the cashier, who told us her name was Barbara, said.
I then showed her a photo of Anna. “He might have been with this girl.”
She nodded. “She was one of them.”
“Can you tell us what you mean by that?” Olivia said.
“He was always with girls, lots of girls. At first, I thought they might be girlfriends, but, he was always with different girls. He wasn’t very attractive, so I asked one of the girls who came in by herself a few days ago what she saw in him. She wouldn’t tell me, but you might want to ask her about him.”
“Do you know her name or where we can find her?”
The cashier pointed to a table at the far end of the cafeteria where a girl was sitting by herself. “Her name is Terry. She’s right over there.”
Olivia and I went over to the young woman and introduced ourselves. Terry, last name Wilson, was pretty, with long brown hair and green eyes.
“We need to ask you about a boy that attends college here,” Olivia said. “His name is Jason Murray.”
Terry took a furtive glance around the cafeteria. It was apparent that she was worried someone would see us talking to her.
“I don’t know him,” she said.
“That’s not what the cashier told us. She said you were with him a few days ago.”
She was on the verge of panic, as she kept her voice low. “I can’t talk. Not here.”
We made arrangements to meet with her off campus, at a nearby park. Even as Olivia and I met with her in a secluded area, away from a scattering of other people in the park, it was obvious Wilson was petrified that someone might see her.
“Tell us what’s going on,” Olivia said, after we took seats across from her at a picnic table.
She sniffed several times, then the damn broke, a veil of tears covering her face.
“It’s okay,” I said, reaching out and touching her hand for support. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“There are girls, lots of girls,” she finally said, finding a tissue in her purse to wipe her tears. “He uses them, giving them drugs for sex, then they disappear.”
I looked at Olivia, back at the girl. “What do you think happens to them?”
There were more tears. “I think he kills them.”
TWENTY-TWO
Olivia and I spent over an hour with T
erry Wilson listening to what she knew about Jason Murray. We learned that he had gotten several young women hooked on drugs, before taking advantage of them and possibly getting some of them involved in prostitution. Terry said that he had offered drugs to her, but she’d declined and had done did her best to stay away from him, Despite that, she said he wouldn’t leave her alone.
Terry gave us the first names Donna and Zoe as girls Murray had taken advantage of, but couldn’t give us last names or any details about their disappearance. She knew nothing about his possible connection to a Russian sex ring. While, what she said had confirmed what we’d already suspected, she didn’t give us much else that was new to go on. We asked her to immediately contact us if she saw Murray.
When I got home that night, I gave Bernie lots of attention. He was happy to see me, giving me the impression he didn’t understand why he hadn’t gone to work with me. I explained things, using doggy-speak, which I was sure he didn’t understand, but tried to make my words sound comforting.
I then saw that Otto was in the family room with my brother. I said hello, then gave them some privacy, knowing that their conversation was about our butler’s upcoming date.
I took Bernie for a stroll around our neighborhood. We were on the way back to the house when I saw Mo’s big red Cadillac coming down the road. She slowed down when she got closer and a window came down.
“Mo and me got us some big news we wanna talk to you about,” Natalie said.
I was wary, knowing that Natalie saying they had big news, usually meant big trouble.
“I’ll meet you back at the house and we can talk,” I said.
When Bernie and I got home, I saw that Robin had finished up with Otto. While my friends were anxious to talk to me, I asked them to wait while I took a couple of minutes to meet with Robin in our home office.
“How did your conversation with Otto go?” I asked, after we took seats.
Robin, who was a few years younger than me, with short brown hair and blue eyes, smiled. “Well, we had the man to man talk and men.”
I laughed. “I’m not sure what that means.”
“We discussed the ins and outs of the new dating paradigm. I think he was a little shocked about a few things.”
I wasn’t surprised. “He’s pretty old school, so I think dating’s going to be a big adjustment. Maybe you could stay in touch with him, see how things go after his date.”
“My plans, exactly.”
I saw that he had been looking at my hair. “What is it?”
“Are you still on for that date with...I think you said his name is Freddie?”
“Grant. Freddie’s his acting name. We’re going out for drinks Saturday night. What are you trying to tell me?”
“Can you come by the salon Saturday morning? I think you could use a...a tune up.”
“A tune-up. You make it sound like I’m an old car.”
He chuckled and stood. “Think of yourself as a convertible that’s had its top down all day.”
I was forever unhappy with my hair that seemed to have a mind of its own. “That bad?”
“A little conditioning and a trim couldn’t hurt.” He kissed me on the forehead. “See you Saturday.”
When I got to the sun room where my friends were gathered, I saw that Otto had already brought over a tray of drinks.
“Maximus whipped up a batch of Runt and Grunts,” Natalie said.
I took a seat. “Sounds delightful. And who is Maximus?”
“It’s Otto’s nickname,” Mo said, taking a drink from the tray. “We figure he needs a new name to go with his new lifestyle.”
“And Maximus is the best you could come up with?”
“It makes him sound like one of them Roman gladiators,” Natalie said.
“That, or a butt muscle,” Mo said, laughing after she’d downed half her Runt and Grunt. “Man, that really lights a fire in your belly.” She looked at Natalie. “Two or three of these and it might make it easier for me to deal with your auntie.”
“Me and Mo are taking me aunt to San Francisco next week,” Natalie said. “We want you to take some time off, come along with us.”
“As luck, or maybe coincidence, would have it, I’ll probably be in the City of Napa soon, thanks to my new police chief.” I told them about the possibility of working a case up there.
Natalie was on her feet, clapping her hands. “We’ll be right across the bay for you. Maybe we can come over and spent some time with you.”
“I’ll have to see...”
I looked over as Otto, or Maximus, entered the room with an elderly woman who bore a resemblance to the Queen of England, complete with silver hair and a flower covered fascinator.
“Your aunt happened to be in the neighborhood and stopped by,” Otto said, bowing toward our visitor.
“Nonsense, my visit was thoroughly planned out,” Natalie’s aunt said in a very proper British accent. After Natalie briefly introduced her to Mo and me, she went on, telling Otto, “My driver left my suitcases on the porch. Please deliver them to my suite.” She picked up a Runt and Grunt, sniffed it, and downed the entire glass in one gulp. “A delicious tipple, if I do say so. I believe I’ll have another.”
Natalie snatched the second drink out of her hand. “You gotta watch yourself, auntie. You know you got that problem, ‘specially when you drink.”
Mattie turned up her nose at her niece. “I’ll have you know, I do not have a snoring problem. I have Gerd.”
“What the h...hell is Gerrrd?” Mo asked, slurring her words and making me wonder if she’d got an early start of happy hour. “Sounds to me like somethin’ Godzilla would have leave behind if he ate a bowling ball and went to the sh...shitter.”
Mattie’s nose went higher. “It’s a digestive disorder, a quite common condition with us royals, just like gout.”
“Royals huh.” Mo’s big eyes did a three-sixty. “If you’re royal, I’m Beyonce’s twin sister.”
Natalie’s aunt ignored Mo and grabbed the Runt and Grunt out of her niece’s hand.
“Please slow down,” Natalie said as Mattie tipped up the drink. “You don’t want to end up wankered.”
“Sure I do,” her aunt said, moving the cocktail to her lips. “It’s what I do best.” After downing the second drink, her aunt looked at me. “You must be that copper Natalie told me about. Have you killed anyone lately?”
“Not in the past week,” I said.
Mattie looked at Natalie, blinking several times and wobbling. She appeared to suddenly feel the effects of her two drinks. “Oh dear,” she said, waving a hand in front of her flushed face. “Maybe you could help me to my room. I think I’m a bit jet lagged.”
“More like, half in the bag,” Mo said as Natalie helped her aunt down the hall.
“What is Natalie’s aunt doing here? I asked. “I thought you were going on vacation next week.”
Mo shrugged. “Not sure, but I’m feeling like I need me another one of these.” She held up a drink. “Bottoms up.”
It was against my better judgement, but I also felt like I needed a drink. I sniffed it, telling Mo, “It smells like rum and...” I tasted it. “Apples?”
“Accordin’ to baby sis, the recipe came from a short guy on a fruit farm.” She made a grunting noise. “After you down a couple of ‘em, you start to make gruntin’ sounds like that.” She laughed. “Hey, maybe that’s what you do when you got Gerd.”
I set my drink down. “Thanks for the warning.”
“What’s the latest on your case?”
I filled her in on what Terry Wilson had said. “She thinks some of the girls Murray got hooked on drugs disappeared, as in permanently. She doesn’t know anything about a Russian connection. Anything new on the streets?”
“Just some rumors about the group covering their tracks and trying to lie low. They must know you’re onto them.”
I decided to work on the drink again. “Any idea who might be behind everything? A name would help u
s a lot.”
She shook her head, picked up another drink. “No, but I haven’t given up.” She downed her third cocktail as Natalie came back into the room and apologized.
“‘Fraid me auntie wanted to surprise us and caught an early flight.” She looked at Mo. “Maybe we should head up north this weekend.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” I said, feeling the effects of my drink. “I mean, I’m sure you’re all anxious to get away.”
Mo scratched the blue wig she was wearing. “Maybe we could leave Saturday.” She looked at me. “But I kinda want to wait around and hear about your date.”
“I’ll call you with all the particulars, I promise.”
She looked at Natalie. “I’m okay with leavin’ on Saturday, but how you gonna keep your aunt sober?”
“She’s taking some medication and told me she can only have two drinks, then...”
Her words were cut off by what sounded like a freight train in our guest room.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Me auntie has that problem I mentioned. She...” Her words were again cut off by the roar of the freight train again.
“What are you trying to tell us? I asked, when the noise finally stopped.
Natalie took a Runt and Grunt off the tray. “Me auntie snores like a bull being castrated.”
TWENTY-THREE
The photo on the wall in the hallway caught Zoe’s eye. She stopped there, her gaze moving over the image of her parents standing on either side of she and her brother. The photograph had been taken six years earlier when her brother had graduated high school. Zoe let her fingers brush against the images as tears ran down her cheeks, wishing she could touch her family members. They all worked nights at a nearby factory and she knew they wouldn’t be home until morning.
Her night at the hotel with the man who had knocked on her door had been traumatic and horrifying. He made her do things to him that were vile and disgusting. The session had gone on for hours, only ending when he fell asleep and she managed to slip out of the room. She had no idea what the woman who called herself Marsha had left for her in the room. She didn’t care. Just the thought of receiving another call from the woman sickened her.
