The Medusa File, Robert F. Clifton [primary phonics txt] 📗

city sewer pumping station. It sits on a canal. Be there by ten o'clock in the morning. When you get there you'll see an old black man sitting on a camp stool fishing. His name is Henry “Cool Loo” Harris. Ask him what's biting. If he says winter flounders, he's not the guy. If he says “Shit hole flounders that's Cool Loo. Tell him what you need to know. He'll get back to you through me. He'll also tell me how much you owe. O.K.?”

“Yep, what do I use for bait?”

“Just toss your line in the water. You're not there to fish. Your there to set up an informant.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Three

The Devil's Breath

 

A bored Kevin McKenna sat at his desk in the Major Crime Squad Office trying to find something to do. He had arranged then rearranged the items on his desk, moving the electric pencil sharpener, stapler and box of paper clips from the left side of the desk top to the right side of the desk top. He opened and read again and again the reports in the Medusa File in an attempt to see if he had overlooked anything. As far as he knew he hadn't. He got up out of his chair and went to the water fountain, filled a cone-shaped, paper cup and took a swallow. He was about to take another drink when the department mail clerk entered the room. Seeing Kevin the clerk said, “Oh, good, Sergeant McKenna. This is for you”, as he handed the Sergeant a white envelope.

McKenna looked at the face of the envelope and saw that it was inter-office mail, this one coming from the forensic unit. He went back to his desk opened the envelope removed the document and read skipping past the scientific wording. He focused on: “It has been determined that the DNA testing results are that the donor subject was a female”. “Shit! There goes my theory on Dawson being a transvestite”,he thought to himself. He continued reading. “During examination and testing traces of scopolamine were found”.

“Scopolamine? That's some kind of medication. Why in the hell would traces of a medication be found in a shoe? Possibly it was secreted through perspiration. Who knows? Anyway, this throws something else into this case”,he thought.

Kevin got up and walked to the bookshelf. There he removed the “Physicians Desk Reference” and two books on Medications Used In Homicides. Carrying the books back to his desk he began to read. “Scopolamine has a number of uses in medicine, where it is used to treat, Postoperative Nausea, vomiting and seasickness, Motion Sickness, Gastrointestinal spasms, Renal or biliary spasms, aid in gastrointestinal radiology and endoscopy, irritable bowel syndrome, Closzapine, induced salivating(drooling) Bowel colic”.

“So far, nothing stands out”, he thought. Kevin turned his office chair allowing him access to his computer. After going on line and typing in the word, “Scopolamine” he read, “In rare cases, unusual reactions have occurred including confusion, agitation, rambling speech, hallucinations, paranoid behaviors and delusions”. “Still nothing. Who ever the female was that wore that shoe probably had a medical condition”.he thought again.

Still, the fact that the word “scopolamine” had now become ingested in the case he couldn't get the thought of it out of his mind. He opened the other book and although this volume dealt mainly with poisons he was able to find scopolamine. He read: “Scopolamine is tasteless, odorless and at times referred to as the, zombie drug, meaning that while active while the victim is on it very little is remembered of those activities the next day”.“

Kevin removed the receiver from the telephone on his desk dialed Mary Wallace's number and waited for her to answer. The telephone rang six times before she answered, “Hello?”

“Aunt Mary. This is Kevin. Is Uncle Bob available?”

“Yes Kevin. Just a minute”, she replied.

“Hello”, said Robert Wallace.

“Uncle Bob. I received the lab report on the DNA request. It shows the genetic makeup, but the report also states that traces of scopolamine were detected”.

“Wow! What do you know about scopolamine?”

“Not too much. That's why I'm calling you”.

“What the hell do they teach you people in the academy? Never mind. Scopolamine is a dangerous drug, a very dangerous drug. Criminally its used by prostitutes, pimps, bartenders or anyone that wishes to commit a crime resulting in the victim unable to remember what happened to them. Right now and recently its been used as what they call a date rape drug. When used and ingested by the victim they act at the request of the provider. Hookers use it by blowing the drug into the faces of the Johns. When he comes out of it the next day, usually in a hotel room he finds his cash, credit cards and jewelry missing, but has no memory of how it happened. On the street scopolamine is referred to as, “The Devils Breath”, probably because of one of the ways when it is administered by blowing and taken in, by inhaling”.

“Did you have any cases where it was used?”, asked Kevin.

“Once, when I commanded the vice squad, but to tell you the truth scopolamine was suspected, but never proved”.

“How about when you commanded the Major Crime Squad?”

“No, it never came up in any of our cases, until now in the Medusa File”.

“O.K. And, I assume you haven't heard from Cool Loo”.

“Not yet. When I hear something you'll know about it”.

“Thanks Uncle Bob”.

“You're welcome, good by”.

***************

Ten days went by and for those ten days Kevin McKenna paced the floor, sat uncomfortable at his desk and thought constantly about not hearing from “Cool Loo” Harris. Impatient, he resisted the urge each day to reach for the telephone and ask Robert Wallace just what was happening with the informant. On the evening of the eleventh day the telephone on the desk in the living room rang. Kevin got up out of his chair and answered it. “Hello?”

“Tell Carol you want a hundred dollars. When you get it bring it to me so I can pay Cool Loo.”

“Did he find anything worthwhile?”

“Certainly. How much the information is of value to your investigation depends on how well you do your job. Cool Loo has found a relative of one of the victims in the rooming house. She's the sister of Sheldon Holmes. Her address is 1313 Madison Avenue. Talk to her. She might have something to say that you can use or maybe not. That's the chance you have to take”.

“I need a name”.

“Margaret Holmes. As far as I know she's a retired cafeteria worker from the school system”.

“How about a telephone number?”

“What hell do you want me to do, drive to her house pick her up and deliver her to you? Get off of your ass and go talk to the woman”.

At ten o'clock the next morning Sergeant McKenna parked the unmarked car in front of 1313 Madison Ave. When he got out of the vehicle he stood and looked an a red brick front two story row house. There was a small front porch with a railing which was missing a few spindles. A dried up potted plant hung from the porch ceiling and dry grass clippings and tree leaves were piled in a corner, placed there by an autumn wind. He walked up to the front door and knocked, then waited. When there was no answer he knocked again. This time he heard a woman's voice say, “Hold your horses! I'm coming”.

When the door opened Kevin gazed upon a short, pudgy woman with graying hair. She was attired in a blue and white house dress and on her feet was a pair of maroon colored bedroom slippers. “Yes? What do you want?”. She asked.

“Are you Margaret Holmes?”, asked Kevin.

“Yes, why do you want to know?”

“I'm Detective Sergeant Kevin Mckenna of the Nautilus Beach police Department. I'd like to ask you a few questions if I may, said Kevin showing his badge and I.D. card..

“About what?”

“About your brother, Sheldon”.

“Sheldon? He's been dead now about almost fifty years.

Fifty years and the police are finally getting around to asking questions about him? What should I say? It's about time? Go away”.

“Miss Holmes I'm sure that deep down you would like to know the circumstances of your brothers death. At the same time I think that you would also like to know if in fact he was murdered. Then, if he was, you would also like to have his killer arrested and justice be rendered.”

Margaret Holmes stood silently looking at Kevin, then opened the front door wider. “Come in. Have a seat on the couch and don't mind the mess. I wasn't expecting company”, she said as she turned and walked into the living room. McKenna followed her after closing the door.

After taking a seat on the sofa McKenna waited for the woman to sit and make herself comfortable in the over stuffed chair across from him. Then he said, “Miss Holmes the police department has always considered the death of your brother to have been a homicide. As such, the case has always remained open until it is solved one way or another. I'm here today to tell you that as an open case I am investigating it. What I need from you is any information you can give me that may shed some light into several questions that need answering. I hope you will co-operate and help me”.

“I'll try, but that was a long time ago”.

“Yes, it was. Let's start with what I found in the file. It was reported that you brother died as a result of using cocaine containing strychnine. What can you tell me about Sheldon's drug use or habit?”

“I can tell you that in a nut shell. Sheldon never used drugs. First of all he was a cab driver. Do you have any idea how much money a cab driver made a week back then? Peanuts. There was no way he could have survived on his salary and used cocaine. I heard that cocaine is the drug of choice for the rich. Is that true”.

“In some circles, yes”.

“Then, there you are”.

“O.K. Next, what do you know about where he lived?”

“Do you mean the rooming house on Albatross Lane?”

“Yes Mam”.

“He moved there after I threw him out”.

“Out of where?”

“Out of here”.

“I see. May I ask why?”

“He and I got into arguing how he was making money”.

“How was he making money?”

“I suspected that he was working for some guy associated with prostitutes. My telephone would ring. It seemed like it rang constantly, particularly if and when a convention was in town. I would answer the telephone and they would either ask for Sheldon or for some woman”.

“A woman? What was her name?”

“I'm sorry that was along time ago. It was the reason we argued and finally I had enough and told him to leave”.

“I see. You said that he might have also been associated with some guy. Do you happen to remember the mans name?”

“No, I'm sorry. I don't.

“Can you think of anything else about your brother that might help me in my investigation?”

“Right now? No.”

Kevin folded the small notebook he had used to write notes and placed it in the inside pocket of his sports coat. He stood and said, “Here is my card Miss Holmes. If you should remember anything that may help me please call me. I would appreciate it.

Right now, thank you for taking the time to talk with me”.

“I will Sergeant. Thank you”.

Back at his desk Kevin typed a report bringing his investigation up to date then filled out a request for one hundred dollars for “Information received from a confidential informant in reference to case # 3706 Michael Winters, victim.”

After knocking on his commanding officers door he looked at Captain Myers who was viewing photographs taken at a jewelry store breaking and entering where over ten thousand dollars worth of gems and watches was taken. Myers looked up and said, “Yes?”

“I have a typed request for one hundred dollars for an informant”, he said.

“Case number?”

“Case number 3706.'

“Really? You have an