Read Online Falafel Jones - Max Fried 02 - Payback's a Beach by Falafel Jones - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Falafel Jones
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“It sure is nice, but we are looking for her.”
Mariel gave me puzzled look and I said, “What if Ed’s right? What if her disappearance has something to do with Fisher’s murder? Couldn’t it be that a jealous former boyfriend with a temper killed Fisher and then abducted Brenda?”
“How would we know?”
“We can start by checking Scott Barker’s alibi.” I pulled out my phone and browsed to the cityofnsb.com website. I located the phone number for patrol and dialed it.
“New Smyrna Beach Police, Patrol Division. How may I direct your call?”
“I’d like to speak with Officer Colletti, please.”
“In reference to?”
“A case.”
“Do you have the case number?”
I thought about that a moment before answering. I decided it wasn’t my fault if she wanted to assume it was a police case and not a PI case. “No.”
I guess she was used to callers not knowing case numbers because she didn’t skip a beat when she said, “Your name, please?”
“Max Fried.”
“Phone number?”
I thought that odd since she probably had caller ID but I gave it to her anyway and then I said, “I’m in Riverfront Park, on a bench in front of the restrooms. Is it possible I could meet Officer Colletti here?”
“Just a moment.” She put me on hold a bit and then said. “He’s on patrol in that area today. Sit tight and he’ll meet you.”
I thanked her and hung up.
Mariel and I sipped our coffee and by the time I saw the bottom of my cup, a police officer approached. “Mr. Fried?”
I stood, “Yes, Officer. Thank you for coming.” I showed him my PI license and he squinted to read the fine print. Colletti returned my license and when I said, “I’m trying to verify an alibi,” his eyebrows went up.
He smiled and asked, “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”
I gave him my “What can I say?” gesture. Both palms in the air, waist high and facing up. I even raised my eyebrows for extra effect. “How ‘bout, you can ask me next time.”
Colletti looked around. “Where’s the camera?”
“Huh?”
“Isn’t this one of those hidden camera shows?”
I looked at him and tried to figure out what he was talking about. “No, no cameras. I’m a real PI and I’m trying to verify Scott Barker’s alibi.”
Colletti nodded and showed me a big grin, “Barker, guy owns the coffee shop. He sponsoring the show?”
“No, there is no show. Barker says he was at his shop all night on Friday and that you could verify his statement.”
“No show?”
“No.”
“So it’s a private prank, huh? Like for You Tube? That wise-guy Wagner in dispatch the one put you up to this?”
“No, Officer. No prank.”
“Yeah, sure. That’s OK. I can be a good sport. OK, I was in and out all night. I must have bought and… unloaded three cups of coffee that night. I saw him each time I went into the shop.”
“So, Barker’s telling the truth?”
“Yes and no.”
“Yes and no?”
“Yeah, I entered that shop maybe three, maybe four times but it was over an eight hour shift. He had a couple one-hour periods and maybe one two-hour slot to do whatever he wanted. What’d he do?”
“Nothing that I know of yet, but I needed to know if he warranted a closer look. Thanks.”
“No sweat. We done?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“No problem. Hey, can I see the tape now? See how I look?”
“I’m sorry but there is no tape. This was for real.”
“For real?”
“Yup.”
Colletti seemed embarrassed as he nodded towards the river. “Great view, huh?”
“Yes. Thank you for your help.”
Colletti pursed his lips and nodded. Then he turned and strolled back to his patrol car.
Mariel said, “Do you think Barker’s the killer?”
“He could be. I don’t see why’d he’d give us a bogus alibi unless he had something to hide.”
Mariel nodded her agreement and I said, “Let’s talk to Brenda’s BFF.”
Mariel looked surprised. “Brenda has a BFF?”
“Well, she did about a year
Mariel gave me puzzled look and I said, “What if Ed’s right? What if her disappearance has something to do with Fisher’s murder? Couldn’t it be that a jealous former boyfriend with a temper killed Fisher and then abducted Brenda?”
“How would we know?”
“We can start by checking Scott Barker’s alibi.” I pulled out my phone and browsed to the cityofnsb.com website. I located the phone number for patrol and dialed it.
“New Smyrna Beach Police, Patrol Division. How may I direct your call?”
“I’d like to speak with Officer Colletti, please.”
“In reference to?”
“A case.”
“Do you have the case number?”
I thought about that a moment before answering. I decided it wasn’t my fault if she wanted to assume it was a police case and not a PI case. “No.”
I guess she was used to callers not knowing case numbers because she didn’t skip a beat when she said, “Your name, please?”
“Max Fried.”
“Phone number?”
I thought that odd since she probably had caller ID but I gave it to her anyway and then I said, “I’m in Riverfront Park, on a bench in front of the restrooms. Is it possible I could meet Officer Colletti here?”
“Just a moment.” She put me on hold a bit and then said. “He’s on patrol in that area today. Sit tight and he’ll meet you.”
I thanked her and hung up.
Mariel and I sipped our coffee and by the time I saw the bottom of my cup, a police officer approached. “Mr. Fried?”
I stood, “Yes, Officer. Thank you for coming.” I showed him my PI license and he squinted to read the fine print. Colletti returned my license and when I said, “I’m trying to verify an alibi,” his eyebrows went up.
He smiled and asked, “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”
I gave him my “What can I say?” gesture. Both palms in the air, waist high and facing up. I even raised my eyebrows for extra effect. “How ‘bout, you can ask me next time.”
Colletti looked around. “Where’s the camera?”
“Huh?”
“Isn’t this one of those hidden camera shows?”
I looked at him and tried to figure out what he was talking about. “No, no cameras. I’m a real PI and I’m trying to verify Scott Barker’s alibi.”
Colletti nodded and showed me a big grin, “Barker, guy owns the coffee shop. He sponsoring the show?”
“No, there is no show. Barker says he was at his shop all night on Friday and that you could verify his statement.”
“No show?”
“No.”
“So it’s a private prank, huh? Like for You Tube? That wise-guy Wagner in dispatch the one put you up to this?”
“No, Officer. No prank.”
“Yeah, sure. That’s OK. I can be a good sport. OK, I was in and out all night. I must have bought and… unloaded three cups of coffee that night. I saw him each time I went into the shop.”
“So, Barker’s telling the truth?”
“Yes and no.”
“Yes and no?”
“Yeah, I entered that shop maybe three, maybe four times but it was over an eight hour shift. He had a couple one-hour periods and maybe one two-hour slot to do whatever he wanted. What’d he do?”
“Nothing that I know of yet, but I needed to know if he warranted a closer look. Thanks.”
“No sweat. We done?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“No problem. Hey, can I see the tape now? See how I look?”
“I’m sorry but there is no tape. This was for real.”
“For real?”
“Yup.”
Colletti seemed embarrassed as he nodded towards the river. “Great view, huh?”
“Yes. Thank you for your help.”
Colletti pursed his lips and nodded. Then he turned and strolled back to his patrol car.
Mariel said, “Do you think Barker’s the killer?”
“He could be. I don’t see why’d he’d give us a bogus alibi unless he had something to hide.”
Mariel nodded her agreement and I said, “Let’s talk to Brenda’s BFF.”
Mariel looked surprised. “Brenda has a BFF?”
“Well, she did about a year
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