Love Can Kill You Baby

by Gabor Kiraly

  Joe gave it back to the lady at the counter, and asked for last year's phonebook. It was just minutes to the Post Offices closing time, when they finally found another number and this name Borsi, Hajnalka beside it Joe quickly wrote the address down, and they left the Post Office in a hurry. Another entry into the GPS, and they were on their way to Hajnalka Borsi's.

  First thing they noticed, that some of the rooms were lit. Good sign, probably someone is home. Joe tried to find a ringer button, with no success. He started knocking on the door, and a little girl came to the door, opened it just a bit, the safety chain wouldn't let any further.

  "Hi! Can I talk to your mom?" asked Joe.

  "Yes, she is coming."

  "Hello, I am very sorry to bother you but I'm looking for a young lady, by the name of Hajnalka Borsi. Is that you? I have this address from last year's phone book. My name is Joseph Bryan, here is an ID. Please have a look."

  "Hello, Mr. Bryan, I'm Janine Whiting, and I believe I can help you .I bought this house last year from Ms. Borsi, who moved up to North Bay after selling the house, and if you give me a minute, I will try and find you her new address. She left it with me in case she gets mail, or bill mistakenly sent to her old address. Just a minute."

  They stood there, side by side, facing the door when Katlin whispered:" You're good Joseph!" and suddenly pushed her elbow to Joe's arm, sanding him stumbling to the left. It was so unexpected that Joe would have lost his balance and fell, if he wouldn't start running sideways. He got back to his normal position, saying: "Pardner, you will pay for this?" "Promise?" asked Katlin holding back the almost overflowing laugh, when the door opened again. "Here it is Mr. Bryan, with her phone number too"

  "Thank you, I really appreciate it! Have a good night and thanks again!", and to Katlin:" I am seriously considering to leave you at home next time, or even better, leave you here right now, and make you walk home!"

  "You wouldn't do that to a young innocent girl, would you?"

  "Oh, I would, and could do worse!"

  "Promise?" she asked again with her wide smile.

  "Just get in the car" told her Joe with pretended anger.

  "Or else??"

  "My God, it can't be true! Why are you punishing me?" acted aloud, then just to himself with his inner voice "Just keep it up please like this! It was a long time ago, if ever, that I enjoyed somebody's company this much!"

  "Would you like to go to a Chinese all you can eat buffet for supper?" asked her

  "No?" she said," I would like to be home with a hot chocolate in my hand and have a nice conversation with you, to see what are we going to do tomorrow. But you are the boss, you decide!"

  "The hot chocolate idea is fine with me!" And with that they headed back to Parry Sound.

  Chapter 17.

  Wednesday morning they were sipping their coffee on the balcony. It was just enough for a small table, two chair patio set. The air was crisp but the sun was already shining full speed.

  "You see there? Even on a bad day you can still almost see the bay." Said Joe "I love it!"

  "How about a good day?" she asked

  "You can almost see the bay!"

  "A-ha. I should have seen it coming. Anyway, what's in your schedule for today, funny guy?"

  "We are going to be busy again?"

  "You are a slave driver, you know? But what did I expect from a guy who just sitting on his money??"

  "Yeah?and I love it!" said Joe dreamingly "however, now, that you are here, my comfy days are over? So, today we are going back to the police station, to pick up the surveillance footage, than we turn the horses towards North Bay pardner?Unless you have a better idea?"

  "No, you are the boss! Just say the word, and I will do whatever you say! ?Slave driver!"

  "Then let's go!"

  "Yes, Master!"

  "Good answer?"

  They picked up the video copies, and drove out of town thru the north end. Just about at the town limits, they passed the building of Harris' Furniture and Antiques.

  "On the way home, if you will be a god girl, we can stop here. It's a great store, you will like it! Well? I do anyways?"

  Katlin was surprisingly quiet for a while. Joe, just to make sure she was OK, asked her: "Everything is OK? You are to quiet?"

  "First, this beautiful country takes my breath away. It could be a common sight to you, but for me, who see all this for the first time, it's a humbling experience. God sure was in a good mood when created Canada? and second, you tricked me out of my morning fix of donuts, by not warning me when we passed the last place, so don't expect me to be that chit-chatty happy little girl?There"

  "Yapp! I was sure something bothered you. Though I'm sure you will forgive me?wait for it?yess! You see that house" and he pulled up to a building with a bright red door "The Red Door Bakery! This red door is the Gate of Heaven for people with sweet tooth. Like you. Go on, I will wait for you right here."

  It took fourteen minutes for Katlin to raid the place, finally she emerged with a victorious smile and chocolate smear on her face, and a large paper bag of goodies in her hands.

  "You lucky dog?Everything is forgiven! Leave before I go back! North Bay, here we come!"

  With the magic of GPS they found the Borsi-house right away. As Joe pulled up to the house, Katlin told him: "We should have been smarter, and call ahead. What if she is not home and we got to wait here for hours?"

  "I thought you have already learned, that whatever Big Bad Joe does, there is a reason to it?In this case, I decided not to call, for it's too easy over the phone, to give a negative answer to my inquiry. We would still need to talk to her, but it would be much harder to do. So I decided to risk that we have to wait some time. Now we will see if we're lucky or what? "

  They walked by a beautifully restored car from the fifties, up to the door, and rang the bell. They instantly heard some movement inside.

  "This time no monkey-business, pushing me into the muddy vegetable garden?" whispered Joe.

  "What are you talking about?" she whispered back the innocent question?

  Then the door opened, and a very attractive woman, about Katlin's age came to see them.

  "Hello! My name is Joseph Bryan, and we are looking for Hajnalka Borsi. Here is my ID if you want to ?"

  "It's not necessary Mr. Bryan, I believe I recognize this girl from a photo! Are you Katlin Mezei?" she asked.

  "Yes, I am!"

  "Please come in. I'm Hajnalka Borsi. Come on in!"

  They were lead to the living room, and seated.

  "Would you like a coffee or a tee, I'm making one for myself??"

  "Yes, please Ms. Borsi" answered Joe.

  "Please call me Hajnalka"

  "All right then, this is Kat, and I'm Joe"

  Hajnalka served the coffee and sat down.

  "Now, how can I help you guys?"

  "Well, before I start let me ask you: is that beauty yours on the driveway?"

  "Oh, no! That's my neighbor's, he parks it here a lot, for he has no room on his own driveway. No. No car, no licence."

  "I see! Anyway, I'm a private investigator, and right now working on the murder of Robert Mezei, for her daughter, Katlin. We were hoping that you can help us, by answering some questions?"

  "Sure. Anything, if it will help."

  "Thank you. First when was the last time you saw Robert?"

  "About a month before he died. It was a Monday, I remember, for Monday was their slowest day, and thus the best time to leave work, come to see me and get back home in time."

  "Let me just check here ?so that would be October 17th, Monday?" "I would say probably. I never thought that I should remember the date?"

  "Yes?I understand?"

  "Hajnalka?" asked her Katlin "May I ask when was the last time you talked to my Dad?"

  "Yes, you may!" she answered " It was ?let me see? he called me the same day from home, to tell me the date when his wife will leave for Hungary, so I can come and visit him.
I didn't feel comfortable with the idea, to sleep with their bed, but he begged me, and I finally agreed. He started to thank me, though suddenly he switched back to English, saying: Ok man I will be there? I remember for it seemed a little strange."

  "Was that the last time you spoke?" Joe made a note in his notebook.

  "No. I called him to say that I probably won't make it. It still disturbed me sleeping, and being happy in the bed he shared with his wife. I drew my red line there!"

  "Did anyone contacted you from the police?"

  "No, probably no one knew about me?Robert was good of keeping secrets?"

  "Why didn't you go to the police with your information?" asked Joe.

  "I thought of it, but didn't go. What help would I have been? I didn't do it, I didn't know no-one of Robert's friends or family, and I did not want to cause more pain to a woman who just lost her husband?"

  "Is there anything else you can tell us? Anything out of the ordinary?"

  "Well?The fallowing week when Robert has visited me the last time, I got two phone calls, late night , like? after 11, but nobody said a word, so I hung it up. That's it. Probably doesn't mean anything."

  "Probably not, but you never know!" said Joe, while writing short notes in his little hardcover paper notebook.

  Shortly after, they said good bye to Hajnalka, and were on the road again, towards home. As Joe promised, they stopped at Harris' store, and just as Joe expected, Katlin really liked it.

  "Look at all these signs, you know who painted them?"

  "Not you?!"

  "I'm good, but not that good. Our uncle G. makes it all. Not bad at all, hm? And the furniture? You see anything familiar?"

  "Yes, I get it now! This is the place where your beautiful antique furniture is from?"

  "No, miss! These are not antique." Said Dean, the storeowner.

  "These were made by local carpenters in the historic "cottage country" style. I'm glad you like it!"

  Finally they got home, and were both happy for it.

  They freshened up, and were back in the living room having a coffee, puffing smoke.

  "Do you have any donut or something sweet left?"

  "Are you crazy? I don't by that stuff for ornaments! They were gone before we hit North Bay! Come here Sermy kitty?is Daddy crazy, hm, kitty, yes he is. Good kitty! Yes he is?"

  "Before you turn the cat totally against me, let see what's on these videos from the surveillance. Sermy! You are a traitor!"

  They watched the footage several times, but there was not a useful minute on it. Joe stopped at one ten second part, observed it then played it numerous times. Finally he had enough, and made some notes in his notebook.

  "Have you found anything?" asked Katlin

  "I don't know?I have to ask something from Frank tomorrow when we take back the footage to the police"

  "I thought these are our copies!"

  "So did I, until I opened the bag .You see here: evidence? I think he was lazy to make copies, and took the originals?"

  "Won't he get in trouble for this?"

  "Neeeh?He's the detachment commander I don't think that he is in real danger"

  "Aaaaha. You want me to cook supper? I can! I'm good!"

  "Yaaay! Let's order pizza! I know the number?What? No! Don't! Hey, stop it!"

  They had pizza, and a relaxed conversation. They were both intelligent, well read, and interested in each-other's opinion.

  To end with, they said good night to each other, and went to their bedrooms.

  "Katlin?"

  "Yes?"

  "Does it bother you that your Dad wasn't faithful to his wife? He cheated on her with a girl who literally could have been his daughter with that large age difference?"

  "Remember what I said about a roma men's freedom? Our culture allows this and nothing wrong with it. In the other hand, Marika was not roma, she would have never approved even the thought of a competition, that's why Dad had to hide and lie. The age difference? Well, you know what they say about used cars, it's not the age, but the mileage what counts. I would go even a little further: the age and mileage are only numbers. I believe the most important is the maintenance. I can get an old beaten-up car, I can fix it, and I can maintain it well, and it will run better then a new for a long time. I can, believe me."

  "I believe you, though I asked you about great relationships between man and woman, I didn't ask about used cars?"

  "Go to hell, Joe, good night!"

  "Yes, dear!"

  Chapter 18.

  Thursday morning Joe got up first. He was busy making coffee, when Katlin showed up in her pajamas, half-asleep.

  "Can I stay in bad for a little longer? I think my jet leg finally caught up with me and want me to stay in bed for now. You just go to the police and back right?"

  "Right, no problem, go back to sleep!"

  Joe walked over to the police and asked for Frank, who invited him in right away.

  "Did you find anything interesting?"

  "I don't know Frank, I would like to show you something here, on? this one." and Frank slid the disc to the player.

  "OK just watch?aaand?stop! Here! We see the suspect walking away, towards the Wellington's, then turns around, walks back to the car and leaves.'

  "Yes."

  "There is no way to tell why he walked to the Wellington's?"

  "No."

  "OK, now .You see this gray kinda' lump here in front of the suspect? Well you can only guess, that's a pile of dirt or sand, because it covers the suspect's legs."

  "Yes, I think that's correct!"

  "Do you remember if there was any reason to dig a hole there, like a water-main broke, or something on that line?"

  "Actually yes! The service station had a gas bar?"

  "I remember too, they got rid of it just about that time when the crime took place. Frank, where should I go to ask about the date, when they finished that project? Do you know which company did the work?"

  "You don't have to know which company. We can just ask the township office and the they will tell me in 2 minutes? they could make you wait two weeks, so just let me do it!" he said when Joe tried to say that he could do that.

  Frank was already on the phone, and came back very shortly. "You see, now that's a coincidence! They filled the hole and finished up the job the day when the neighbors found Mr. Mezei's body?"

  "Wasn't that a Saturday?" Joe asked.

  "Yes it was, but they thought it would be safer if they don't leave a gaping hole for the weekend."

  "That makes sense. Now look at the screen again, you see this dark spot above the hole? Here? yes on the opposite side to the dirt pile where the suspect walked by?"

  "Yes I see it. It's only on one frame of the footage, and look all the details on this recording. Looks like ants playing soccer in the snow. If we wouldn't know where the footage came from, we would even recognize the location?"

  "Yes, and probably you're right again. Anyway, I will let you catch bad guys, and gonna go home to make coffee for my apprentice ?"

  "Khm?hm? yes, apprentice, hey, I'm a cop and I know what I see. Apprentice, now that's a good one! "

  "Oh, boy! Is it that obvious?" he thought while he wrote a short note in his ever-ready notebook, than he went home.

  Katlin was awake and completely dressed up, ready to go.

  "Good morning, Ms. Marple, how are you today?" she asked.

  "Very well, thank you Dr. Watson! How are you?"

  "Good! Where to today, boss?"

  "I'm not sure yet. I want to go and visit Marika, your Dad's wife?"

  Kaitlin made a face.

  "That's what I thought. Here is an idea? I go and visit them, and you stay behind this time. I got a gadget, called voice recorder, I can record every second of our conversation, and later you can play it for yourself?Hm? Good idea?"

  "No, it isn't, however that's the smartest thing to do. I'm dying to see my little sister, but I don't think I'm ready to face that woman and her?h
er? that boyfriend guy. OK! Is there anything to see in this town?"

  "Yes, we have several churches, the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame, a museum?"

  "Stop! I pick the museum! You can't have more interesting or better-looking churches then there are in Europe, and I have no clue who the hell is that famous Bobby guy is? can you take me to the museum? Please?"

  "Yes, and I can even give you a set of keys, so you can come in if I'm not back yet?"

  "I see! First you seduced me with chocolates and donuts, now I got a key to an old bachelors den; I can't wait to see when you will ask for my cellphone number?"

  "Not again?"

  "Pervert!" she said, but seeing Joe's tortured face, she couldn't held back her laugh any longer.

  "Ok, Kat, see you soon" he said when he dropped her off at the museum. Slowly drove over to the house on Rosetta Street, where Katlin's father was murdered two years ago. He parked on James Street in front of The Wellington's. Slowly, trying to memorize the details of the sight walked thru the service garage's front yard, noticing the darker patch were they removed the gas-bar and re-paved it. From there he looked up to the roof of the building on the opposite side of the road. He saw the surveillance camera, and noticed that in the last two years, must nobody have maintained it, for it was hanging on its own wire, moving with the slightest breeze. What have to happen here, a mass-murder, or what to motivate people to check and maintain their security equipment, which they bought with their own money for their own protection...? "People - people something is not right in those heads?" he thought, and walked thru between the parking vehicles, to check out the site where the suspect's car parked. The sight did not tell him anything, didn't give him any idea. The only thing was left, to go into the house, and meat with Mrs. Mezei, and try to talk to her.

  He stood in front of the door, when a young girl, 5 years of age opened it: "Hi!" she said "Hi! How did you know I was coming?" asked Joe.

  "I have heard your steps, coming up the stairs, and I did not recognise who it was?I get everybody right who were here several times. These stairs singing me their names by cracking. They never singed yours yet before! Who are you?"

  I see?my name is Joe, and I'm looking for your mom! Is she home? Or is she at work? No, she's home. She doesn't work since George lives here."