Read Online Lemons 03 Stroke of Genius by Grant Fieldgrove - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Grant Fieldgrove
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was diddling himself with the belt around his neck?”
“Yes, that would be him.”
“I was not involved in that case. It appeared to be an accident. In fact, I didn’t arrive at that hotel until much later that day, working on a rather nasty case.”
“That’s right,” Elise said. “I got my facts mixed up. You showed up on Tuesday afternoon after the rape victim was found in the vacant lot, yes?”
“Oh, so you know about her? Terrible thing. Terrible. That poor girl.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. But, you see, sir, we were hired by a friend of the boy who was killed. He claims the victim would never, ever do something like that. This boy had a bright future. He had a 165 IQ and was a recent Harvard Graduate. On top of that, him and his friend had just sold a movie script. They were in Las Vegas to celebrate.”
“Well, as I recall, this was never ruled a suicide. Yes?”
“Yes, that’s right, but our client still doesn’t believe the scene fits his friends, how do I say, personality.”
“I see.”
“Trust me,” I interrupted, “If there was even a chance of this being a suicide, we certainly would not be here. I have no sympathy for grown-ass men who kill themselves. Seriously, like, you want to kill yourself? Good. Fine. Don’t be such a pussy about it, though. Throw on a makeshift costume and go fight crime-be a superhero for a day. Get your ass killed that way, while doing the world some good and being a badass, not while sitting at home being selfish and lame.” Blank stares across the board. “Um, ya know, that’s just my…own…personal…” I trailed off and Elise eventually recused me, acting as if I had never spoken and picking up the conversation directly where Howard had left it.
“Yes, so we were hired to come down here and take a look. This guy over here,” pointing to me, of course, “has a pretty good eye when it comes to these kinds of things. And no disrespect to you or your department, of course, but our client just wanted someone with unlimited time to take a good hard look at the case and see if anything was, perhaps, overlooked.”
“I’ll help you all I can, but like I said, I wasn’t even there at that time.”
“I know, but maybe you can help us with something else.”
I took over, “Sir, our victim died on Tuesday morning, the same morning that the woman was taken from the hotel, beaten, raped and left for dead. We talked to the head of security, and while I didn’t get exactly which floor the woman got off on, I do know that our victim and your victim used the same elevator. The way they’re set up there is one elevator is assigned a certain number of floors, as I’m sure you’re aware. It speeds things up a bit, for which I am quite grateful. Elevators aren’t exactly my…thing. Anyway. We think it’s too big of a coincidence to ignore, that both victims used the same elevator, on the same morning, within the vague timeframe. If you would be able to help us narrow down some times, maybe we could get the ball rolling on our case, and it may help you with yours.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t share details of a pending investigation with anyone. I know you are trying to help, but it’s just something I cannot do. I am working the case, along with our sex crimes division, and we are not at liberty-‘
“I understand. What if we were hired to work the rape case?”
“I don’t understand.”
“What if we got the hotel to hire us? Me and her, to help work it. They’re in the process of being sued by the victim and they need all the help they can get. If we get hired by them, would you be willing to share information with us to help figure this whole thing out?”
Elise gave me a look. I knew exactly what she was thinking. We didn’t have time for this, and how in the hell could we solve a rape case that the entire Las Vegas PD was working on. It was a long shot, I knew it, but it was worth a try. I gave Elise a nod. We both
“Yes, that would be him.”
“I was not involved in that case. It appeared to be an accident. In fact, I didn’t arrive at that hotel until much later that day, working on a rather nasty case.”
“That’s right,” Elise said. “I got my facts mixed up. You showed up on Tuesday afternoon after the rape victim was found in the vacant lot, yes?”
“Oh, so you know about her? Terrible thing. Terrible. That poor girl.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. But, you see, sir, we were hired by a friend of the boy who was killed. He claims the victim would never, ever do something like that. This boy had a bright future. He had a 165 IQ and was a recent Harvard Graduate. On top of that, him and his friend had just sold a movie script. They were in Las Vegas to celebrate.”
“Well, as I recall, this was never ruled a suicide. Yes?”
“Yes, that’s right, but our client still doesn’t believe the scene fits his friends, how do I say, personality.”
“I see.”
“Trust me,” I interrupted, “If there was even a chance of this being a suicide, we certainly would not be here. I have no sympathy for grown-ass men who kill themselves. Seriously, like, you want to kill yourself? Good. Fine. Don’t be such a pussy about it, though. Throw on a makeshift costume and go fight crime-be a superhero for a day. Get your ass killed that way, while doing the world some good and being a badass, not while sitting at home being selfish and lame.” Blank stares across the board. “Um, ya know, that’s just my…own…personal…” I trailed off and Elise eventually recused me, acting as if I had never spoken and picking up the conversation directly where Howard had left it.
“Yes, so we were hired to come down here and take a look. This guy over here,” pointing to me, of course, “has a pretty good eye when it comes to these kinds of things. And no disrespect to you or your department, of course, but our client just wanted someone with unlimited time to take a good hard look at the case and see if anything was, perhaps, overlooked.”
“I’ll help you all I can, but like I said, I wasn’t even there at that time.”
“I know, but maybe you can help us with something else.”
I took over, “Sir, our victim died on Tuesday morning, the same morning that the woman was taken from the hotel, beaten, raped and left for dead. We talked to the head of security, and while I didn’t get exactly which floor the woman got off on, I do know that our victim and your victim used the same elevator. The way they’re set up there is one elevator is assigned a certain number of floors, as I’m sure you’re aware. It speeds things up a bit, for which I am quite grateful. Elevators aren’t exactly my…thing. Anyway. We think it’s too big of a coincidence to ignore, that both victims used the same elevator, on the same morning, within the vague timeframe. If you would be able to help us narrow down some times, maybe we could get the ball rolling on our case, and it may help you with yours.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t share details of a pending investigation with anyone. I know you are trying to help, but it’s just something I cannot do. I am working the case, along with our sex crimes division, and we are not at liberty-‘
“I understand. What if we were hired to work the rape case?”
“I don’t understand.”
“What if we got the hotel to hire us? Me and her, to help work it. They’re in the process of being sued by the victim and they need all the help they can get. If we get hired by them, would you be willing to share information with us to help figure this whole thing out?”
Elise gave me a look. I knew exactly what she was thinking. We didn’t have time for this, and how in the hell could we solve a rape case that the entire Las Vegas PD was working on. It was a long shot, I knew it, but it was worth a try. I gave Elise a nod. We both
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