A Murder In Parlor Harbor

by Arno B. Zimmer

  Meacham was following Vreeland out the door and turned back, causing Rudy to feel a moment of elation. “I was noticing the cuts on your hand, Rudy. They seem to be healing okay. What happened?” Gantz was caught off guard and his mouth hung open as he looked at Meacham. “Uh, working on the old car. Always something to tinker with on a ‘46 coupe. Cut myself with a screwdriver” Rudy explained. “Wow, must have been pretty careless to cause all those cuts” Meacham said flippantly as he closed the door behind him.

  When Meacham and Vreeland left, the bolt clicked heavily and grated on Rudy’s ears more than usual. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed by a feeling of sheer terror suffusing his entire body as he stared at the blank walls. He would have considerable time to stew in his cell waiting for his next interview.

  ***

  Jerry walked into the cottage and saw Woody sitting on the davenport. He was reading Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, taking solace in the great amateur historian’s mastery of that epochal ancient period. Dr. Vreeland had just left after doing a cursory inspection of Woody’s mouth. Doc Sauer was upstairs taking a nap and would be disappointed to learn that he had missed the opportunity to engage with the dentist.

  “They’re all true, Woody, just so you know” Jerry said. Woody looked up with a perplexed expression, waiting for an explanation. “The Doc’s stories. Washington, Booth, Hitler – all of them. I’ve been over at the library doing some research. I just wanted to put your mind at ease on that score, good buddy.”

  ***

  Two days later, Meacham, Grimsley, Busbee and Dr. Vreeland sat around a polished mahogany table in the paneled chambers of Judge Rozelle. Doc Sauer had wanted to join them but his request was vetoed by Grimsley, saving Meacham the trouble of having to do so.

  “Okay, you have something to show me, Doctor?” Rozelle asked, looking at his watch. Vreeland cleared his throat and began, “If I may, I would like to demonstrate visually the analysis I completed on one Rudolph Gantz. I find that my work is more readily comprehended that way.”

  Rozelle, quickly annoyed with Vreeland’s overbearing, pedagogical manner, impatiently flicked his hand for the dentist to proceed. “Here is a blow-up of the victim’s right arm made from a crime scene photograph provided by the coroner. Here we have a transparency from the jaw impressions of Mr. Gantz made by me. Now, notice what happens when I bring them together.” Vreeland paused and everyone leaned in as he gradually slid the transparency over the crime scene photograph.

  Everyone’s eyes bulged as if they had just seen magic performed. When the transparency was placed over the marks on Ralph Birdsong’s arm, the marks disappeared, totally covered by the transparency. Vreeland looked around the room and a slight but triumphant smile creased his mouth. “That, gentlemen, is as close to a perfect match as I have ever seen. Note that the upper jaw indentations are more distinct than the lower ones. Most likely, the victim was writhing in pain due to the deep punctures. In my professional opinion, Mr. Gantz bit the deceased several times on the arm. Now, I must warn that bite marks are not as conclusive as fingerprints. What I am positing, rather, is that there is a high probability that the suspect I examined produced these bite marks. If the act hadn’t been so vicious, even feral in nature, I am not sure that my conclusion would be so compelling.

  “Studies show that repeat biting is common among those who can’t handle confrontation. They bite inanimate objects when under stress – pens, pencils, toothbrushes. Anyway, impulsive biting indicates that the individual is unable to control himself. That’s most likely what we have here, gentlemen. I can’t prove it, of course, but I would be shocked if this was the first time he bit someone.” As Meacham listened, he thought of Woody but said nothing.

  Judge Rozelle leaned back in his chair and clamped his hands behind his neck. He was impressed but determined not to show it. “Can I assume that you are prepared to repeat what you just demonstrated in a court of law?” “Absolutely, your honor” Vreeland replied, somewhat affronted. “And the other defendant scheduled to go on trial, Woody Meacham, did you examine him as well and perform the same analysis?” Rozelle asked, unconcerned about Vreeland’s feelings.

  “After studying the crime scene photograph of the arm, I did inspect the mouth of the young man in question. His teeth were near perfect, including two recently-installed caps of superb workmanship on the front teeth. There is simply no possible way that young Mr. Meacham’s teeth left those marks on the victim’s arm. And before you ask, your honor, I will testify to this conclusion in court as well.”

  Vreeland was standing now and getting agitated when Judge Rozelle smirked and motioned toward the door. “You have been very enlightening, doctor. Now, if you wouldn’t mind stepping outside, I have some confidential information to discuss with these gentlemen that does not involve teeth or bite marks.” Dr. Vreeland puckered his lips contemptuously and made a brief huffing sound before exiting the room.

  Turning to Grimsley, the judge had a contented look on his face and said “My understanding is that Patchett is now aboard the Queen Elizabeth in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Acting D.A. Leo Godesky is taking over the Meacham case and will be handling the Gantz one as well. Godesky’s a good man, a career guy with no political ambitions of which I am aware, thank god. I’m sure he will want your help as he prepares to file multiple charges against this miscreant, this blot on humanity.”

  “Chief Meacham” Rozelle said, smiling benignly for the first time that day. “I predict that there will be a celebration at your place tonight. We all owe you a debt of gratitude for your dogged pursuit of the truth. Of course, your reputation preceded you and now we can acknowledge that it is well-earned. Parlor Harbor really is a hospitable place, as I’m sure your family knows, despite the ordeal your son has been put through this past week or so. So, let me send you on your way with this assurance - the D.A.’s office will officially drop all charges against Woody Meacham before the end of the day. Alfred, if you have time, perhaps you can drop by the house for cocktails one evening before heading back to Parlor City?

  “And now, gentlemen, if you will excuse me. I have a trial in progress and the recess is coming to an end. It’s time for me to slip back into my black robe and dispense some justice.”

  ***

  Dr. Vreeland had to return to New York City so the trio dropped him off at the train station with the understanding that he was on-call to return to Parlor Harbor for what was now considered the inevitable murder trial of Rudy Gantz.

  As they were headed back to the sheriff’s office, a call came through from Deputy Benjamin. “Better get back here, Sheriff. Just got a call from the state crime lab. You’re not going to like it.”

  ***

  Benjamin had written down undecipherable notes and handed them to the sheriff. Grimsley frowned and gave the paper back to the deputy. “The guy was talking so fast, I couldn’t keep up. Then he started laughing but I think I got the gist of it.” Benjamin looked at the paper and then back at Grimsley and Meacham, who were staring at his impatiently.

  “Okay, first he used some scientific term which I didn’t even try to spell and then he said it’s also known as spider flower. He then said skunk cabbage and some sort of moss but I didn’t get that name either and then, he said as plain as can be, ‘fake dope’. I asked him to explain himself and he said the bags were full of common plants that look and smell like marijuana. Then, he started laughing again and said the full report was on its way.”

  Meacham and Grimsley smiled at each other at almost exactly the same moment. Billy was starting to have a grudging admiration for this Reisman guy. He might even be as shrewd as Winston Siebert III – even more astute, perhaps, because he knew when to leave town. The deputy walked out of the room trying to figure out how seemingly bad news could be so amusing.

  ***

  “I am assuming, Billy, that we were smiling for the same reason” Grimsley said. “Yes, Harold, Rudy is most likely going to be
ecstatic when he hears the news. He may try to retract everything he’s admitted so far, even say we coerced him. If he concludes that he’s in the clear on the drug charges, he might possibly let his guard down. I wonder if he’ll show any humiliation when he learns how he was duped by Reisman. Let’s have Benjamin tell him about the crime lab report and give him some time to absorb it.”

  ***

  As the Chief and the Sheriff rehashed their earlier interviews with Rudy, an outsider might have assumed that they had worked together for years. Somehow, the feelings of distrust had quickly dissipated and the interactions between the two men were no longer hesitant but, instead, spontaneous and respectful.

  Meacham suggested that it might be beneficial for Rufus Wheeler to be questioned again and Grimsley agreed, adding that a line-up might even be helpful to see if the old man recognized Rudy. “Even if he doesn’t identify Rudy, Harold, it will make the redhead nervous and more prone to blunder during the next round of questioning” said Meacham. Grimsley agreed and said “Hey, just so you know, Billy, we don’t have any large two-way glass windows here for convenient viewing. The only line-ups we see here in Parlor Harbor are on the tv.”

  ***

  The mercurial Rudy Gantz was initially stunned and confused when the deputy told him that the duffel bags found in his apartment did not contain marijuana. When he asked for an explanation, the deputy just smiled and said, “don’t you get it, fake drugs.” The redhead turned angry when it finally dawned on him the full extent of Reisman’s double-cross. Then, his arrogant, querulous side surfaced and he demanded to see the sheriff, figuring that he could somehow wrangle out of his earlier self-incriminating statements now that there was no physical evidence against him. He toyed with the idea of hiring a lawyer but decided he could handle matters himself. The dental impressions made by Dr. Vreeland were already a distant memory.

  Rudy had been toughened up by his stints in the reformatory and at Strathmore but a few days locked up and alone saw his juvenile persona re-surface. The sheriff didn’t come and his mood quickly soured. He reminisced painfully about his very first incarceration twelve years earlier in the Parlor City jail after he had robbed the cigar factory as a teenager. He had broken down then and cried, repeatedly asking for his mother.

  When Grimsley’s deputy finally came to get him, Rudy was startled out of his painful reminiscing and his spirits rose as rapidly as they had fallen.

  ***

  Gnarled and withered like an old tree, dry and spotty skin hanging loose on mottled, bony hands, poor Rufus Wheeler recoiled when the call came from the sheriff’s office. He had read about the gruesome murder of Ralph Birdsong and had seen the ghastly photographs in the newspaper. Now, he was expected to relive his experience and face the murderer, or so he imagined.

  Rufus came into the sheriff’s office, wheezing and coughing, long in the tooth and on the supportive arm of his wife. He was fearful, despite repeated assurances that the individuals in the room could not see him as he viewed them through the small sliding glass panel in the middle of the door.

  The results of the line-up were a shocker. Old Rufus squinted as he raised and lowered his glasses. He mumbled something about red hair and pointed at Rudy Gantz. Yes, he had seen him before but he couldn’t remember when it was or where. He turned to his wife with a bewildered look. She scowled at Grimsley and Meacham as if her husband had just been subjected to the Chinese water torture.

  ***

  “Well, this confirms what we already suspected. Not even Patchett, if was still around, would want to put this poor old man on the witness stand” said Meacham. The Wheelers had left and he was sitting in Grimsley’s office. “Yes, Billy, and no harm was done” said Grimsley. Meacham was pacing back and forth and if Lt. Fogarty was in the room, he would have sensed that the end game was near but Grimsley just watched and wondered what had Meacham agitated. “Now we have Gantz perplexed and we know he doesn’t handle a crisis well. I think we can use today’s line-up in our next round of questioning, possibly frighten him into making a blunder. Let’s give him a little time to sit in his cell and torment himself.”

  ***

  The fifteen minutes of reprieve from his cell for the line-up provided no solace for Rudy Gantz. In fact, it had only increased his anxiety. He had never before been subjected to a line-up and didn’t like the idea of someone peering at him through a slit in a door. He wanted to confront him.

  Rudy started to wonder who might have seen him in one of his many exchanges with Reisman or in the meeting with Birdsong and Drebek. But, what did that prove? If he retracted his earlier statements, the fake drugs confiscated from his apartment meant he was off the hook, right?

  ***

  Meacham had an epiphany when he recalled that first meeting with Hap MacQuarrie when he sat on the floor of the Happy Scotsman and thought he might be grabbed by a mighty paw and hurled across the deck. Hap had mentioned that Rudy Gantz slept on board one night but Meacham never bothered to ask which day.

  To better coordinate their efforts, Meacham was now working out of a room next to the sheriff. He stood in Grimsley’s doorway stroking his chin. “Come in, Billy. What are you cooking up?” said Grimsley, glancing up.

  “I’ve got an idea about the murder weapon but would like to speak to Hap MacQuarrie first before saying anything further. Heading over to his boat now – want to join me?” said Meacham.

  “Go ahead, Billy. Leo Godesky is coming over from the D.A.’s office and I need to brief him on the latest with respect to Rufus Wheeler and go over some other routine stuff. We can get caught up later.”

  ***

  Hap was sitting in his office when Meacham boarded the boat. The cabinets had not yet been repaired but, once again the master of his domain, Hap was in a jaunty mood. “I need you to think back, Hap, to the night Rudy slept on the boat and you saw him getting sick over the side. It’s important to our investigation” Meacham said earnestly. He had the urge to prompt Hap by suggesting a certain date but resisted the temptation to do so.

  Hap’s brows thickened and he crossed his arms over his formidable chest as he leaned back in his swivel chair. Meacham turned his back and gazed out on the lake, not wanting to make Hap self-conscious or nervous. After a few minutes, the chair sighed and Hap sprung forward. “It was the night that the Birdsong kid was murdered. It was as black as the Earl of Hell’s Waistcoat! Of course, how could I forget? It was all anyone talked about the next morning at Ma’s Diner. When I got back to the boat after breakfast, the redhead was gone.” Hap’s face was flush and his eyes were wide.

  “Did you actually see or hear him get sick that night, Hap? Anything else stand out?” Meacham asked. “He was leaning over the side so, hell, I just assumed he got all shoogly. I do recall that he looked startled when he saw me but then he quickly walked away. Hope this helps” Hap said, his tone deflated as if he had somehow let Meacham down.

  “More than you can know, Hap. I’m just not at liberty to say anything further at this time” Meacham said, giving Hap a friendly cuff on one of his massive arms, before asking “All shoogly, you say?” Hap grinned and said, “Yeah, as unsteady as a wee bairn.”

  ***

  “Very intriguing, Billy. So, we have the certifiably unreliable Rufus Wheeler thinking he may have seen both Woody and Rudy the night of the murder and now we have Hap, much more credible, I might add, saying Rudy was on the boat that same night. Now what?” Grimsley asked, twiddling his thumbs. The Chief was pacing again and Grimsley smiled this time, in anticipation of Meacham’s response.

  “Okay, Rudy says he was in Port Ryan the night of the murder but Hap says he was on the boat, leaning over the side late at night. Maybe he wasn’t throwing up, like Hap speculated. Understandably, Hap wanted to think the worse of the guy, so he assumes he was upchucking even though Hap told me it was a calm night. As Hap remembers it now, he looked startled rather than sick. Maybe Hap walked up as he was tossing something into the water. When I questioned h
im about the multiple cuts on his hand, Rudy had a lame excuse about working on his car. More likely, they were caused when he struggled for the knife with Birdsong. We’ll never know if we don’t pressure him.” Meacham stopped to let his theory register with the sheriff.

  “We’ll never find it, Billy. How many days has it been? And the depth of this lake plus the currents. Talk about long, hell, the odds are astronomical. Plus, any blood would have been washed away by now, right?” Grimsley said, throwing his hands in the air. “You’re right, Harold, but Rudy Gantz doesn’t know it” said Meacham, grinning broadly. Grimsley folded his arms across his chest and sat back in his chair. The two of them were starting to play off each other nicely and Grimsley was enjoying himself for the first time in years. “Okay, lay it out, Chief, and I’ll take pot shots if I can” he said.

  ***

  “Of course, it could be called subterfuge, Harold, but it’s not illegal or improper in my judgment. If Gantz had asked for an attorney, he would most likely object but we don’t want to wait for a trial if we can help it, right?” Meacham was looking at Grimsley, hoping he would concur. He had just spelled out his plan for trapping Rudy Gantz and felt the timing was ideal. If they were in Parlor City, it would be a no-brainer, but he kept reminding himself that he had no authority outside his domain. If Rudy thought to object, he could have stopped Meacham in his tracks as he had no authority to interrogate him for alleged crimes committed in Parlor Harbor. Billy felt it imperative that Grimsley acquiesce on any decision made with respect to Rudy Gantz.

  “I think you might misunderstand me, Billy. I have no problem with doing it. My concern is that it backfires and Gantz sees we are desperate to get a confession and he clams up. Then, we are relying almost entirely on the testimony of Dr. Vreeland. Will a jury even comprehend what the dentist is talking about? And keep in mind, it’s never too late for him to hire a lawyer and stop talking completely if we press too hard.