Blue Goodness (Michael Kaplan Mysteries)

by David W. Cowles

  “Oh, nonsense. From what your wife told me, I know you need more than one woman. If it’s not me you’re screwing, it’ll be someone else—and, I’d just as soon it was me. I’m willing to take the chance. As soon as you get over your little infection, that is. Who did give you the clap, sweetheart? That brunette bimbo who got pissed when she saw me with you and your wife?”

  “It doesn’t really matter, Soozie.”

  “I suppose it doesn’t. Don’t worry about me though, sweetheart. I went to my doctor this afternoon for a shot of penicillin, just in case. It’s no big deal. I’ve had the clap before.”

  Michael desperately wanted to change the subject. “I’m making progress with my investigation. A veterinarian named Gunther Hogg may have been the man who threw the animals down the mine shaft.”

  Soozie examined her nails. The polish was smudged on two of them. She would have to go back and have them done over. Not tonight, though. She would stay with Michael. “That’s very good, sweetheart. Can you prove Hogg’s guilty yet?”

  Michael shook his head. “No, not yet. That’s why I’m meeting with Dr. Lamb. He said he might have some information that would incriminate Hogg.”

  Soozie let out a big sigh. “Well, if he can’t help you, maybe I can.”

  Michael arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that? Damn it, Soozie, if you know something, why don’t you just come out and tell me?”

  Soozie had a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Patience, lover. I told you, I’m only going to give you hints. Just like Deep Throat in Watergate. You’re going to have to find the facts for yourself. If you get off course, naturally, I’ll point you back in the right direction.”

  Michael could feel the color rushing to his face. “I’m getting sick and tired of this whole affair. It’s like a game to you. Maybe I should just drop the investigation. I have much better things to do with my time.”

  “Oh, you wouldn’t want to do that, sweetheart,” Soozie told him. “It’ll be worth all the effort. It’s going to be a big story. Trust me.”

  Michael had to get away from Soozie. Everything she said and every gesture she made agitated him. He stood and reached for the crutches, then walked to the back of the clinic. Three dogs in wire cages barked when he approached, as if they thought he was there to feed them. Soozie was right behind him.

  “I didn’t see your Mercedes in the parking lot, sweetheart. Where is it?”

  “I can’t drive because of my bad ankle,” Michael muttered. “I came here in a cab.”

  “Well, when you’re done, you won’t need to take a taxi. I’ll drive you wherever you want to go. Even if it’s home to your wife. How long are you going to wait for Dr. Lamb, sweetheart? It’s already after seven.”

  “I suppose I’ll give him another half hour. If he doesn’t show up by then, I’ll make another appointment to see him tomorrow.” Michael headed for the front of the clinic. Soozie was still at his side.

  “Hold it right there. Both of you!” The order came from the larger of two uniformed Metro officers, a burly man whose name tag identified him as H. Frey. The policemen were standing just inside the doorway to the clinic with their guns drawn. “Put your hands in the air and turn around.” Michael and Soozie did as they were told.

  “Who are you and what are you doing here?” Frey asked.

  Michael tried to turn his head around as he spoke. “My name’s Michael Kaplan, and I’m a reporter with the Las Vegas Times. My press card is in my wallet next to my driver’s license. I have an appointment with Dr. Lamb. He’s due here any minute.”

  “Yeah. How did you get in? Wasn’t the door locked?”

  “Dr. Lamb said he might be a little late, so he hid a key in the fuse box and told me to let myself in,” Michael explained.

  The man in blue addressed Soozie. “What about you, lady? Who’re you?”

  “I’m Soozie Snyder. I’m Michael’s girlfriend. We’re here together,” she told him. Michael bit his tongue to keep from blurting out that Soozie was lying.

  The second officer—a wiry man wearing aviator-type sunglasses and a name tag that identified him as M. Sanchez—frisked Michael for weapons. “Oh, oh, what’s this?” he asked, carefully pulling the Blue Goodness bottle from the pocket of Michael’s trousers.

  “Oh, that’s nothing. That’s just an empty bottle,” Michael told him.

  Sanchez read the label on the bottle. “Euthanasia solution. Isn’t this what they use to put animals to sleep?”

  “Yes, that’s right,” Michael confirmed nervously.

  Sanchez handed the bottle to the other officer, who examined it carefully, then placed it in a plastic evidence bag. “Did you steal this from Dr. Lamb?” Frey asked.

  “No. I was given the bottle by another veterinarian. Dr. Rex Royal. You can ask him. He’ll confirm that he gave it to me.”

  Sanchez had finished patting Michael down and leered expectantly toward Soozie. She had seen that expression before and thought he was planning to frisk her next.

  “Not on your life, Buster,” Soozie said adamantly. “You’re not going to get a free feel from me. I know my rights. You can look through my purse if you want—I’m not hiding anything—but, if you want to search me, you’re going to have to get a female cop to do it. No lesbians, either. I don’t want any dyke sticking her hand up my dress.”

  The officer guffawed. “Lady, your clothes are so tight I don’t need to search you. If you were trying to hide a piece of paper inside your skirt, I’d be able to read what was written on it.”

  Frey stepped behind the reception counter and made a telephone call. Michael tried to eavesdrop, but the policeman spoke in a low monotone and Michael was unable to catch more than a few words. When he finished the call Frey returned to where Michael, Soozie, and Sanchez were standing. “Mr. Kaplan, I’m going to have to ask you to come with us. You too, Miss Snyder.”

  “What? You’re placing us under arrest?” Soozie yelped. “What for? We haven’t done anything. I want to call my lawyer.”

  “No, you’re not under arrest. Not now, anyway,” Frey said. “But a detective downtown wants to ask both of you a few questions. Detective Mark Caruso.”

  “I know Mark. He’s a good friend of mine,” Michael informed the others. “Why would Mark want to question me? He’s in homicide. Nobody’s dead here.”

  Frey nodded his head. “Detective Caruso told me you and he are good friends. That’s why we’re not arresting you. But he does want to talk with you. Now. An attempt was made on Dr. Lamb’s life this afternoon. Lamb’s in critical condition at University Medical Center, and he may not make it.”

  Nineteen

  MICHAEL HAD BEEN to Mark Caruso’s office many times, but never flanked by two of Metro’s finest. He imagined that people in the hallways and elevator were staring at him as if he were a common criminal. The thought was discomfiting, but Mark’s cordial greeting quickly put him at ease.

  “Michael, it was so good of you to come down here this evening.” Caruso turned to Soozie and extended his hand. “Miss Snyder, I’m Detective Caruso. I understand you’re a friend of Michael’s. Would either of you care for anything? Coffee? A Coke?”

  “Coffee sounds great, Mark,” Michael responded. “Do you remember how I take it?”

  “I sure do. Two sugars and a dash of cream,” Mark recalled. “What about you, Miss Snyder? Would you care for coffee also?”

  “Could I have a cold drink instead? Anything diet. And please, call me Soozie. Unless you’re planning to arrest us.”

  Mark guffawed. “I certainly hope not. Michael’s one of my best friends. And any friend of Michael’s is a friend of mine,” Mark said warmly. “Let me escort you to our conference room—we’ll be more comfortable there—and I’ll get the drinks.”

  The conference room was bare except for a well-worn oblong Formica-topped table and an assortment of armchairs that looked like rejects from a rummage sale—some made of oak, others of painted steel with thin vinyl-c
overed pads on the backs, seats, and armrests. The room was painted light green. What appeared to be a large mirror was affixed to one wall. Michael knew the mirror was actually one-way glass. Apparently, the conference room doubled as an interrogation room.

  Caruso excused himself briefly, then returned with the coffee for Michael, a diet Coke for Soozie, a root beer for himself, and a box of donuts. “This is my dinner tonight. You’re welcome to share it with me. I can’t eat a dozen donuts all by myself,” he offered.

  Mark put a yellow legal-size note pad on the table, a ballpoint pen in one hand, and a donut in the other. “Well, I guess I’m all set,” he announced casually.

  “Let me fill you in on why I’ve asked you to come here. Dr. Stewart Lamb was the victim of a felonious assault late this afternoon. He’s at UMC now in extremely critical condition. I sent Officers Frey and Sanchez to Lamb’s clinic to search for evidence, and they found both of you wandering around inside. I’m sure you have a good explanation for being there, Michael. I need to make it part of the record.”

  Michael was impatient and anxious to leave. “If you recall, this morning I told you I found more than a hundred dead animals at the bottom of a mine shaft. In the course of my investigation into the matter, I went to see Dr. Lamb. Basically, that’s it.”

  Mark gave Michael a big smile. “C’mon, Michael, you know I need more details than that. Start at the beginning and don’t leave anything out. Please. Something that might not seem important to you might be the very clue that will help me find the person who tried to whack Lamb.”

  Michael reiterated the story about finding the animals dumped down the mine shaft, then told Mark about his visit to the pet cemetery, his suspicions about Gunther Hogg, and how Dr. Royal had suggested he talk with Dr. Lamb. While Michael was talking the detective made copious notes. “And that’s it, Mark,” he summed up. “Right up to the time your boys burst into Lamb’s clinic like storm troopers.”

  Michael stood up. “Can we go now, Mark? I have a dinner reservation for nine-thirty.”

  Caruso leaned back in his swivel chair, bit into a third donut, and tapped his pen against the desk. When he spoke his voice was firm. “Give me a couple of minutes more, Michael. Please. There are just a few questions I need to ask you. I know you’re in a hurry, so I’ll be as brief as possible.”

  Michael looked at his watch. It was a quarter to nine. “It’s okay, Mark. I understand. You need some answers. I may have them for you or I may not, but I’m willing to stay and give you all the help I can. First, though, I need to make a quick phone call. Will that be all right?”

  Mark nodded. “Sure, Michael. If you’d like, use the phone in my office. You’ll have privacy there.” He turned toward Soozie. “I really don’t have any questions for you, Soozie. You can leave any time you want to.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay with Michael,” Soozie told the detective. “As you can see, he can’t drive because he hurt his ankle. I promised I’d take him home later. Besides, I find this police work fascinating.”

  “Suit yourself,” Mark told her. “Who knows? Maybe I will think of a question or two for you, after all.”

  Michael hobbled down the hall to Caruso’s office. He sat behind the detective’s desk, picked up the phone, and dialed Kimberly’s number. Michael was relieved when Kimberly answered the phone promptly. He had worried she might have already left for the restaurant. “Hi, Kim, it’s me, Michael.”

  “I always recognize your voice, Michael. You don’t ever need to tell me who you are,” she giggled. “You caught me just in time. I was on my way out the door to meet you for dinner.”

  “I’m sorry, Kimberly, but we’ll have to have dinner at Desiderata another night. Something’s come up. Please call the maitre d’—his name’s Richard—and cancel our reservation.”

  Kimberly heard the strain in Michael’s voice. “What’s wrong, Michael? Where are you? Are you still with Dr. Lamb?”

  “No,” he replied tersely. “I didn’t get to see Lamb. Someone tried to kill him. I’m downtown at police headquarters now, talking to Mark Caruso.”

  “What!” she exclaimed. “I’ll be right down. Don’t leave—wait there for me.”

  “No, don’t come here,” Michael told her emphatically. “That would only complicate matters. Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’ll explain everything to you when I get home. I don’t want to talk about it over this phone.”

  Kimberly understood Michael’s message perfectly. He thought someone might be listening in on their phone conversation. “Whatever you say, Michael. Will you be late?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. Get yourself something to eat. Go to bed whenever you’re ready. Please don’t wait up for me.”

  “If I fall asleep, promise to wake me when you get in. Will you do that, Michael?”

  “Yes. I promise.”

  “If you need me for anything, Michael, I’ll be here.”

  “I know that, Kimberly.”

  “I love you, Michael.”

  “I know that too, Kimberly. Don’t worry. Nothing’s wrong. I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

  Michael returned to the conference room. While Michael was making the phone call, Mark had refilled his coffee cup and brought in several sandwiches from a vending machine.

  Caruso waved toward the sandwiches. “Go ahead and chow down, Michael. You too, Soozie. I’m sorry I spoiled dinner plans for you two. We cops can survive on a diet of donuts and burritos, but I know you civilians can’t.”

  As he spoke, Mark watched both Michael and Soozie for a reaction to his implication, but observed none. So, he thought. Michael was planning to take Soozie to dinner. And after I warned him she’s a hooker. I wonder what Myra knows about this. She sounded very strained when I talked with her earlier.

  Michael sat down and opened a roast beef on rye. “Thanks, Mark. The sandwiches will do nicely. I’m not very hungry now, anyway.”

  Mark referred to the notes he’d written on the yellow pad. “Let’s see, now. You were at Lamb’s clinic because he was going to tell you how to find out who dumped the animal carcasses down a mine shaft. Is that right?”

  “Yes, that’s right,” Michael answered.

  “How well did you know Dr. Lamb?”

  “Not at all. I’d never met him and talked with him on the phone only once. About four this afternoon.”

  Mark looked puzzled. “How did you get a key to his clinic?”

  “He left it for me in the fuse box at the rear of his building.”

  Mark drummed his pen against the table top again. “So, a man you never met leaves a key that gives you carte blanche to his business. Is that right?”

  Michael nodded but said nothing. Mark paused in his questioning to make a memo of Michael’s answers on the note pad.

  “What about Gunther Hogg? How well do you know him?”

  “We’ve never met, either. In fact, I never heard of Hogg until this afternoon.”

  “Did Lamb tell you about Hogg?”

  “No. Dr. Royal did. Also, Hogg’s name was on an ID tag I’d removed from one of the dead dogs in the mine.”

  “When did you remove the tag?”

  “Yesterday.”

  “I thought you said you’d never heard of Hogg until this afternoon.”

  A bite of the sandwich caught in Michael’s throat. “Well, I guess I must have seen his name on the tag, but I didn’t pay any attention to it at the time.”

  Caruso made another note. “Michael, I’m still having difficulty understanding why you were in Lamb’s clinic. Why don’t you explain it to me in your own words. Let’s forget the questions and answers for a while. This isn’t a court of law and you’re not testifying before a grand jury. We’re just two old buddies, and I need your help.”

  “That’s easy. Forrest Glade—he’s the man who runs the pet cemetery—said a dishonest veterinarian was probably perpetrating fraud on the owners of the animals that had died. I went to see Dr. Royal, and
he agreed with Glade’s theory. Hogg’s name was on one of the ID tags, so it seemed reasonable to think he might be the person responsible for dumping the animals down the mine shaft.

  “Royal told me Lamb knew quite a bit about Hogg’s business. Hogg and Lamb had apparently planned to merge their clinics, but bad blood developed between them and Lamb filed a complaint against Hogg with the Veterinary Board. Royal suggested that I set up a meeting with Lamb, which I did. Lamb said he had to go out on an emergency house call, and he left the key for me in the fuse box so I wouldn’t have to wait outside in the heat if the house call took longer than he expected. That’s all there is to it.”