Read Online Vengeance is Mine - A Benjamin Tucker Mystery by Harry James Krebs - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Harry James Krebs
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tell where the hell he’s lookin’.”
“Well, that Lainie MacKenzie is certainly a sultry lookin’ babe,” I said. “A woman that beautiful and not wearing a ring has to be a lesbian.” I chuckled, but the uncomfortable look on their faces as they turned and swiftly walked away told me she was standing directly behind me. I turned around and looked into the sultry blue eyes of Lainie MacKenzie.
“You’re Benjamin Tucker, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Uh … no,” I said sheepishly. “He left earlier. I don’t think he’ll ever be back.” She didn’t smile at my ill attempt at humor.
“I read your book and was very impressed,” she said. “I hope you’ll write about this case after it’s over. Of course, it’d be nice if you left the lesbian part out.” She turned and left.
Netter and Cox, who had been watching from the front of the room, returned, snickering. “Way to go, Tucker,” Netter said. “Am I going to see a sexual harassment complaint coming my way?”
“I don’t think so … at least not yet,” I said. “I sure stuck my foot in it that time, didn’t I? Man, you should have seen the look on her face. She looked like she wanted to put my balls in a meat grinder.”
Cox put his hand on my shoulder. “Well, Ben, I hear lesbians are like that.” The two of them left the room, laughing at me.
CHAPTER 10
After a bathroom stop, I got in the Jag and split for Triangle Electronics. Twenty minutes later, I had a camcorder small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, and I plugged its charging cable into the twelve-volt power accessory outlet in the console.
After a quick stop for gas, I wolfed down a Quarter Pounder with cheese, French fries, and a Coke. I normally didn’t eat in my car, but I needed to keep the engine running to charge the camera battery.
When I arrived at the First Baptist Church a few minutes past noon, there were only four other cars in the parking lot. Once inside, I went directly into the sanctuary and walked up and down and back and forth for a few minutes, casing the joint. I found the perfect spot for the camera alongside a potted plant on a windowsill, about thirty feet from the pedestals that would support Knudsen’s casket. The camera battery was only about half charged, but it would have to do. I aimed it in the direction of the guests and turned it on.
I turned around to leave and almost ran into Agent MacKenzie, who was standing right behind me again, with a grey trench coat draped over her arm.
“Crap!” I blurted. “You scared the hell out of me.”
She looked over my shoulder. “What are you doing? Are you recording this memorial?”
“Yes. Do you think that’s morbid?”
“Of course it’s morbid! But so is murdering someone and removing their head.” She pointed to the camera. “Good idea, Tucker. I want a copy of that video.”
“Absolutely.”
She looked toward the church entry, and I looked at her fine figure. “People are starting—” She stopped and turned around. “What are you looking at?” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Were you checking me out?”
“Of course not,” I said.
“Yes, you were! You were checking me out. And in a church, no less! Don’t you have any shame?”
“I wasn’t checking you out,” I said defensively, “I was just looking to see if you were wearing a sidearm.”
She laughed. “Yeah, right, on my ass? Cause that’s where you were lookin’. Anyway, people are starting to come in.”
I walked to the back of the church and sat where I could watch each person as they entered. Surprisingly, Special Agent MacKenzie sat beside me. At ten minutes before one, Lieutenant Netter and Detective Cox entered and sat in the back on the opposite side. They looked over at Lainie and me, and I winked at them. Their faces said, “What the fuck?”
The service lasted an hour and ten minutes. During the entire time, my eyes were glued to the grieving family, especially the parents.
“Well, that Lainie MacKenzie is certainly a sultry lookin’ babe,” I said. “A woman that beautiful and not wearing a ring has to be a lesbian.” I chuckled, but the uncomfortable look on their faces as they turned and swiftly walked away told me she was standing directly behind me. I turned around and looked into the sultry blue eyes of Lainie MacKenzie.
“You’re Benjamin Tucker, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Uh … no,” I said sheepishly. “He left earlier. I don’t think he’ll ever be back.” She didn’t smile at my ill attempt at humor.
“I read your book and was very impressed,” she said. “I hope you’ll write about this case after it’s over. Of course, it’d be nice if you left the lesbian part out.” She turned and left.
Netter and Cox, who had been watching from the front of the room, returned, snickering. “Way to go, Tucker,” Netter said. “Am I going to see a sexual harassment complaint coming my way?”
“I don’t think so … at least not yet,” I said. “I sure stuck my foot in it that time, didn’t I? Man, you should have seen the look on her face. She looked like she wanted to put my balls in a meat grinder.”
Cox put his hand on my shoulder. “Well, Ben, I hear lesbians are like that.” The two of them left the room, laughing at me.
CHAPTER 10
After a bathroom stop, I got in the Jag and split for Triangle Electronics. Twenty minutes later, I had a camcorder small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, and I plugged its charging cable into the twelve-volt power accessory outlet in the console.
After a quick stop for gas, I wolfed down a Quarter Pounder with cheese, French fries, and a Coke. I normally didn’t eat in my car, but I needed to keep the engine running to charge the camera battery.
When I arrived at the First Baptist Church a few minutes past noon, there were only four other cars in the parking lot. Once inside, I went directly into the sanctuary and walked up and down and back and forth for a few minutes, casing the joint. I found the perfect spot for the camera alongside a potted plant on a windowsill, about thirty feet from the pedestals that would support Knudsen’s casket. The camera battery was only about half charged, but it would have to do. I aimed it in the direction of the guests and turned it on.
I turned around to leave and almost ran into Agent MacKenzie, who was standing right behind me again, with a grey trench coat draped over her arm.
“Crap!” I blurted. “You scared the hell out of me.”
She looked over my shoulder. “What are you doing? Are you recording this memorial?”
“Yes. Do you think that’s morbid?”
“Of course it’s morbid! But so is murdering someone and removing their head.” She pointed to the camera. “Good idea, Tucker. I want a copy of that video.”
“Absolutely.”
She looked toward the church entry, and I looked at her fine figure. “People are starting—” She stopped and turned around. “What are you looking at?” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Were you checking me out?”
“Of course not,” I said.
“Yes, you were! You were checking me out. And in a church, no less! Don’t you have any shame?”
“I wasn’t checking you out,” I said defensively, “I was just looking to see if you were wearing a sidearm.”
She laughed. “Yeah, right, on my ass? Cause that’s where you were lookin’. Anyway, people are starting to come in.”
I walked to the back of the church and sat where I could watch each person as they entered. Surprisingly, Special Agent MacKenzie sat beside me. At ten minutes before one, Lieutenant Netter and Detective Cox entered and sat in the back on the opposite side. They looked over at Lainie and me, and I winked at them. Their faces said, “What the fuck?”
The service lasted an hour and ten minutes. During the entire time, my eyes were glued to the grieving family, especially the parents.
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