The Drop Dead Blonde

by Bill Craig

  “Good morning, boss. Did you get the file I left for you on the girl?”

  “I did, but it didn’t help a whole lot. See if you can find out anything about her friends, her co-workers if you can find out where she worked. After you do that, I’ve got another puzzle for you to look at,” Harker replied.

  “Sure thing, boss. Oh . . . Mike Cantrell wants you to give him a call,” Tina called after him.

  Harker shut the door to his office behind him, wondering what Cantrell wanted. Mike Cantrell was an old friend and a lawyer that often threw him business. He dropped into his desk chair, dialed Mike’s number from memory on his cell phone.

  “Hey, Mikey, what can I do for you?” Harker asked, when his old friend picked up.

  “Hey, AJ, I heard about what happened, but I got some work for you,” Mikey said.

  “I’m always looking for work, Mikey. You know that,” Harker told him.

  “Yeah, I know that, AJ. You know I run a shipping company, right?”

  “I know that, Mikey, and I been losing shipments lately. Expensive ones.”

  “What kind of shipments?” AJ asked.

  “Guns, AJ. Guns and other stuff.”

  “Goddam it, Mikey. What the hell have you gotten yourself into?”

  “I fucked up, AJ. That’s all I can say,” Mikey replied.

  “Yeah you did. Who were you moving them for?” Harker asked.

  “I can’t tell you that, AJ.”

  “Then I can’t help you Mikey,” Harker told him.

  “What the fuck, AJ? You going to leave me hanging?”

  “You fucked yourself, Mikey. You won’t come clean with me, maybe you’ll come clean with the cops.”

  “You always were a fucking hard ass.”

  “Yeah, I was. You know why too.”

  “Send me the files Mikey, and I’ll see what I can do,” Harker told him.

  “I do as you say,” Mikey said, breaking the connection.

  “I’d hope so,” AJ said to the empty line. He frowned at his cell phone.

  Harker booted up his computer and typed in Emma Cain’s name. He was surprised at how quickly he got a response. She had been very active on Facebook until her death the day before. Emma had been a young woman full of life. She had a sunny personality before her murder. Harker still wanted a list of her friends to talk to. He had certain suspicions about her death. He had a feeling that she had been a targeted just as he had been.

  Harker leaned back in his chair, mentally processing everything that had gone down over the past 24 hours. He frowned as he thought about what Mike had told him. How in the hell had he gotten involved in gun running? Could the two cases be related? He stood and walked out to where Tina was working.

  “Can you get me a job history for Emma Cain? I want to know where she was working. I’m going to check her Facebook page to see if I can find some of her friends to talk.”

  “I’ve already got that list for you, boss. I figured you’d want to get right on it,” Tina smiled at him. Harker smiled back at her.

  “Tina, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “Hell, AJ, I’ve been trying to get you to do something with me for years,” Tina said, mischievously.

  “You know that will never happen, Tina. You’re my best friend’s sister and your brother carries a badge and a gun,” Harker replied, shaking his head.

  “But it’s an old gun and he’s a lousy shot.”

  “Not if he’s got it pressed against my skull,” Harker said, as he retreated to his office, shutting the door behind him. He wanted to see if he could get addresses to go with the names. It would make tracking them down easier.

  Umberto Castile leaned against the building and held up a newspaper he was pretending to read. He was watching for Harker, waiting for him to come out. His orders were to follow the private eye to see where he went. The boss had already lost two guys that went up against Harker, so he was told to be very cautious. Just watch and report back where the man went.

  It was nearly eleven in the morning and it was already a scorcher in Miami. Even in the shade where he was standing, Umberto knew that the temperature had to be well over ninety degrees. Umberto wondered what this was all about, but with the boss, it was better not to ask questions. He had a bad temper, especially when things were not going his way. Umberto looked over the top of the paper and spotted Harker walking out of his office building. He recognized him from seeing his picture in the paper sometimes. Umberto folded up the paper and started walking the same way Harker was from the other side of the street.

  Chapter Four

  Lisa Castela had just finished up a story about a guy that had tried to rob a bar full of off duty cops and had barely escaped with his life. They had given her a still frame photo taken from the surveillance camera in the bar and asked her to run it with the story. Her Editor, Kevin Graves, had agreed grudgingly to run the picture with the story. Just then a messenger arrived with a bouquet of lavender colored orchids. He placed them on her desk. Lisa tipped him a couple of bucks from her pocket and then extracted the card.

  Lisa smiled as she opened it and read it. It was a thank you note from Harker for last night. She shook her head. She hadn’t done anything more than listen and comfort him after what had clearly been a very trying day. She also knew that he would give her an exclusive, once he knew what had brought the dead girl to his doorstep.

  “A secret admirer?” Audrey Clark asked. Audrey worked the city hall beat and sometimes their stories overlapped.

  “No, AJ sent them,” Lisa replied, with a smile.

  “The private eye? I don’t know what you see in him,” Audrey shook her head.

  “He’s a great guy, handsome as hell, not to mention an excellent source when the cops don’t want to talk about a particular case. He gets around and he hears things,” Lisa shrugged.

  “Not to mention that he’s dynamite in the sack,” she added.

  “Okay, that I can understand. Want to go grab some coffee?”

  “Sure, I could use a break anyway,” Lisa grabbed her purse and followed Audrey towards the elevator.

  Macy Brown lived up by Boca Raton and according to Emma Cain’s Facebook page, had been Emma Cain’s best friend. She had a nice apartment that looked out on Biscayne Bay. From her Facebook page, Harker knew that she was twenty, worked as a server at one of the Miami Beach night clubs on the late-night shift. He figured he had a better than average chance of catching her at home since it was nearly noon when he arrived.

  He parked in front of her apartment and walked up to the door. There was a bell, so he rang it. A couple of moments later the door opened a little. “What do you want?” asked a girlish voice.

  “My name is AJ Harker. I’m a private investigator and I need to talk to you about Emma Cain,” he told her.

  “Emma? What about her?” Macy asked.

  “Somebody murdered her on my sidewalk yesterday. I’m trying to find out why,” Harker explained. Macy shut the door, removed the chain, asked to see his credentials and license. Once she was satisfied that she was safe and wouldn’t be harmed, she invited him inside, although she was still on guard.

  Macy’s apartment was nice, with carpeted floors and a soft pale beige on the walls. It was furnished in pastel colors and feminine art, pretty framed mirrors, and silk florals typically seen in Florida. Macy was a pretty brunette with waist-length chestnut hair, blue eyes with a great tanned body. She was wearing knee length shorts, a cute top and had long spectacular legs. She took a seat on the couch and Harker sat down in a chair across from her. Macy shook a cigarette from a pack on the table and lit it, breathing smoke out from her nostrils in a cloud.

  “What can you tell me about Emma? She’s really dead?”

  “Sadly, yes. She looked like she had been a pretty young woman before she died.”

  “She was. She was beautiful. Emma had a good heart. She always looked for the best in people,” Macy said, exhaling more smoke.

/>   “Do you know where she was working?”

  “She had found a job through a temp agency, but I’m not sure which one,” Macy shook her head.

  “How well did you know Emma?” Harker asked.

  “We were best friends. We loved each other. We shared everything like sisters. We went to high school together. She was dating a guy named Ron Carlyle. He seemed like a pretty good guy.”

  “Do you know where he lives?” Harker asked.

  “Somewhere over in Coral Gables. I don’t know exactly where,” Macy shook her head.

  “I’ll be able to find him,” Harker promised her and continued, “tell me more about Emma.”

  An hour later, Harker was back in his Compass and heading for the popular fashionable Miami Design District. It was one of the probably the most affluent Miami neighborhoods, but it was also the home of Crystal Moreno, another of Emma’s friends. Crystal was a Cuban American. She was a paralegal for a prestigious Miami law firm located in the Miami Design District. Harker caught her at the office where she worked. She was more than willing to talk about her friend, especially after hearing why Harker was involved.

  Harker spent the rest of the day gathering information about the young woman that had been murdered on his sidewalk. By the time evening arrived, he had a much fuller picture of who Emma Cain was. Now, he just needed to identify which temp agency that she had signed up with. Once he had that, he could find out exactly who she worked for. Harker pulled into the overpriced coffee chain and ordered a Café con leche. He drank it as he headed off to see his next reference among Emma Cain’s friends.

  Umberto Castile dutifully wrote down the number and street address of each place that Harker had visited. One thing was for sure, Harker got around. The man was all over the place, but Umberto didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing. His job was just to follow and report. The boss would figure out what it meant.

  By late afternoon a storm had swept over from the ‘Glades’ and rain began to fall. It started as a drizzle and became a downpour as Harker was heading for Coral Gables to see the boyfriend, Ron Carlyle. He had called Tina and had her do a search to find out what she could about the guy, so he would know the best way to approach him. The windshield wipers on the Compass beat a steady rhythm as he scooted into the neighborhood.

  Ron Carlyle lived in a third-floor condo in the plush Vista al Mar located at Edgewater Drive. The rain was coming down in sheets as he pulled into the parking lot and found a space. Harker jumped out of the car and ran to the building’s main entrance using his key fob to lock the SUV while making the run. The air conditioner was chilling inside the building and Harker felt a shiver down his spine, his soaking wet clothing plastered to his body. Still, it was a discomfort that he could get used to, just as he had many times in the past. Harker approached the security desk manned by a bored looking guard in a green uniform.

  “My name’s Harker. I’m looking for a guy named Ron Carlyle. I’m told he lives here?”

  “I know Mr. Carlyle,” the guard nodded.

  “Can you call up and ask if he will see me?” Harker asked, pulling out a damp cigarette and firing it with his Zippo.

  “Sure thing, but we don’t allow smoking here in the lobby.” the guard agreed.

  Harker frowned and fiddled with his cigarette as the guard called Carlyle’s apartment. Finally, the man hung up and directed him to an elevator. AJ followed the directions, riding the elevator up to the third floor. He looked at the numbering on the apartments and figured out which direction to go. Finally, he found Carlyle’s door and knocked on it. According to the guard, the man was home. It took a few minutes, but finally Ron Carlyle answered the door.

  “Mr. Carlyle? My name is AJ Harker. I’m a private investigator. I’m here about Emma Cain,” Harker told him.

  “Emma? Is she okay?” Carlyle asked, an expression of worry washing over his face. He appeared to care about the dead girl.

  “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but Emma is dead. She was shot on my sidewalk yesterday afternoon,” Harker explained.

  “I haven’t talked to her yet today. Who are you again?” Carlyle asked, alarmed.

  “I’m a private investigator. Emma was on her way to see me when she was executed. I’m trying to find out why, so that I can bring her killer to justice.”

  “My God, you mean she really is dead?” Carlyle asked, as he staggered backwards into the apartment. Harker followed him and shut the door behind him.

  “She’s really dead,” Harker said, with an air of finality.

  Carlyle broke down, tears flooding his eyes as he dropped to his knees. Harker made his way to a chair and took a seat, waiting. It was only a matter of time before Carlyle quit crying. By keeping the scene sealed, he was preserving evidence. Something about the man in front of him was off. The tears had come just a bit too quick.

  “Do you know where she was working?” Harker asked.

  “Last I knew, she was working for Costanza Industries,” Carlyle shrugged.

  “Do you know what Temp agency she was working through?” Harker asked. The name Costanza rang a bell. He just couldn’t place why at the moment.

  “Sure, she worked through Thrivas Staffing in Ft. Lauderdale,” Ron replied, blowing his nose into a Kleenex.

  “You’re sure of that?” Harker asked.

  “Yeah, I took her over to fill out their applications.”

  “That’s very helpful, Ron.”

  “Can you find out who killed her, Mr. Harker?”

  “I’m going to do my best, kid.”

  “If there is anything, anything at all that I can do to help, let me know,” Ron Carlyle offered.

  “I’ll do that,” Harker said, as he made his exit. The rain outside hadn’t let up and Harker turned up his coat collar before stepping out into the downpour and running to his Jeep. Once inside, he started the motor and then drove out of the parking lot into traffic. He used the vehicle’s Bluetooth system to dial Tina back at the office.

  “Harker Investigations, Tina speaking,” she answered.

  “See what you can find out about Thrivas Staffing and Temp Agency and Costanza Industries for me,” Harker ordered.

  “Okay. Give me just a couple of minutes,” Tina replied. He could hear her fingers clicking keys on her keyboard as she typed.

  “Good,” Harker told her.

  “Thrivas is a reputable staffing company with connections all over

  Miami and the Keys,” Tina reported.

  “What about Costanza Industries?”

  “They exist, but I’m having a hard time finding out much about them,” Tina admitted.

  “Do you have an address?”

  “Yes, but it comes out to a post office re-mailing service in.”

  “Well, shit,” Harker exhaled.

  “Text me the address for Thrivas Staffing. I’ll head over there and see what I can find out about Miss Cain,” Harker sighed.

  He pulled out his cigarettes and shook one free. He stuck it into the corner of his mouth and lit it with his lighter. He exhaled a cloud of smoke and dropped the Zippo into his jacket pocket. His cell phone dinged as the text with the address came in. Harker checked the address and entered it into his GPS. Harker made the drive in under ten minutes. Unfortunately, Thrivas had already closed for the night. He would have to talk to them in the morning. That was okay, he already had learned a lot more than what he had known yesterday.

  Lisa Castela filed her last story under deadline for the street edition of the news and headed home. The storm that had moved in off the Everglades earlier in the afternoon was still hanging over the city. She wondered how Harker was doing. He had not been in the best of shape the night before. Using the Bluetooth in her car, she dialed his number and waited as it rang. Then Harker came on the line.

  “Hey Lisa, what can I do for you?” he asked.

  “I can think of several things, but I can’t say them out loud on an open line,” Lisa smiled.

&n
bsp; “Okay, then limit the question to things you can say,” Harker told her, grinning to himself.

  “I just called to see how your day was going. I know yesterday was pretty rough on you,” Lisa told him.

  “It was. Did you get the flowers I sent?” Harker asked.

  “Yes, I did, AJ and I wanted to thank you for them”

  “So, what can I do for you, honey?”

  “Would it be okay if I stopped by for a bit?”

  “Actually, that sounds nice,” Harker told her.

  Chapter Five

  Harker was home by the time that Lisa Castela knocked on his door. She handed him a bottle of wine and breezed past him into the living room. Harker shut and locked the door and then carried the wine to the kitchen. Lisa followed him. He had stopped and grabbed a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken on his way home and had everything spread out on the kitchen table.

  “Wow, a gourmet meal, I’m impressed,” Lisa told him.

  “It was on the way home and I haven’t had time to get to the grocery store,” he kissed her gently before getting out two wine glasses.

  “I wonder how it will taste with Pinot Grigio?”

  “I don’t know, but I have a bottle of Jim Beam black to fall back on if needed.”

  “Like a boy scout, always prepared. I always liked that about you, AJ.”

  “Sweetie, I’ve been many things in my life, but I was never a boy scout,” Harker said, as he moved in for a deeper and more passionate kiss. When the kiss broke, they were both panting and gasping for air.

  “We need to eat, you’re going to need the energy,” Lisa smiled sheepishly.

  “I hope so,” Harker winked back at her.

  Two hours later, they lay in his bed, their bodies damp with sweat from their lovemaking. Both were smoking cigarettes.

  “Can you tell me about the case? The dead girl?” Lisa asked.

  “I’ll only speak off the record,” Harker told her, his tone suddenly serious.