Flapper Dick Ch. 16

"Is Daniel in the station?" Plenty of frowns around us then one skirt goes to her desk and uses a hand bell.

A patrol comes running so she talks to him then he nods and takes off again. Little later a different fella comes in and goes to her, she directs him to me. This is Daniel so I look around then follow Brian's point and off to the interrogation rooms. Daniel helps on this, he takes over and knocks on the doors then peaks in.

We only go to the second door in the hallway which is a little odd. Then I remember it is early morning so most of the talking would happen later.

"Going to make sure, your fella was pinched for murder?" Daniel is nodding.

"Yeah, we can't declare that so I am scared he is going to get sent away." Shrug since it is possible I will find a different fella to pinch.

"I am going to talk to the prosecution witnesses next. I only have one question for you, did you go home with him and get to dinner and nookie or did he drive off after shopping?" Daniel whimpers so I got a bad feeling.

"He drove off, he forgot his briefcase at work. He was gone for an hour which is about how long it takes him to drive to his work, and come back. His office is up near the river but this side." I am nodding since there are a number up there.

"So I am going to assume he wasn't noticed?" Daniel shakes his head.

"Not that he has said, his office the cleaning crew is there in the morning. All they do is vacuum and empty the trash bins. He came back with his briefcase so I assume he actually did what he said. Suppose it is possible he was doing the victim and left his briefcase there, but I doubt it."

"Murder happened half an hour after you two shopped. No mention of how long the fella was there before the offing so I will ask about that. Chances are good you are not dating a murderer."

Daniel smiles about that, also slumps a little so I think he thought that he was. Also make my exit, after telling Brian I want this plate back. Made the skirts laugh since I had told him it better not be broken or chipped. Then back to my breezer and consulting the folder, I am unsure on where exactly this address is but do know the street.

Get going to find the address. I do even, it only took me ten minutes of driving around to find it. Park in front of the murder house to check the witness addresses and I am going across the street. Slightly odd since you would expect his neighbors on either side to have looked outside. So check the neighbor houses, the one to right of the murder house is empty I think.

Other house on the other hand is a gang house so I guess I will go talk to them first. Also take the folder along, it has a rather good picture of the pinch so I can get their opinion. Over to the stairs and stop on the steps to smile at the fella sitting there and take out my license.

"Court appointed and not here about you, I am looking into the murder of your neighbor." Fella snorts and hops up to walk closer.

"So you are wondering if it was one of us?" Shake my head since I already know that.

"No, I know you wouldn't have since he lived on the same street as your house. I don't think it is possible for a gang to be that dunce worthy." He is chuckling.

"Never can tell, some of the fellas who come to buy drugs." Snort myself, that is rather amusing.

"True, but then they are addicts, can't really expect much from them. Mostly I am wondering if there is someone here who witnessed the murder, and then if this is the fella that did it." Fella frowns and looks at the picture for a bit then shakes his head.

"I got the impression this wasn't the fella that did it. Looks like him though so it's not precisely wrong, but is all in one if you follow." I am nodding since that makes sense, it was getting dark at the time.

"Can you tell what is different?" Fella frowns for a moment then nods.

"Nose is a little wider on the right fella, and then eyes look to be closer together. I had heard the shot you understand so was looking over that way and got to see the fella coming out good. I would say he was in a gang too, but we don't know of one nearby, we have looked." I am nodding since this is great information, though there is one thing.

"Did the fella drive up or just came out of the house from nowhere?" Fella looks up for a bit then shrugs.

"I think he walked to the house on this street and then took the fellas jalopy. There was an argument first, I think perhaps the fella just barged in and the other took offense, not that I blame him." I am nodding since I would have too.

"I would have done the same, but then I usually have my pistol under my jacket." Fella snorts and shakes his head.

"More prepared than we do and we have more to fear." I am nodding and giggle a little.

"Blame it on my fella, he is also court appointed but works as a bimbo most of the time. He was a bull before the war so knows the bad things that happen. Got me the same way, and then got a little girl now."

"Ah now that makes sense, your little girl needs you to protect her."

"I never thought of that, you should finish school and go to college." He snorts and shrugs.

"If I go back to high school I am a year behind so would have to sit with kids a year younger than me, also graduate with them. Makes me older than half the students at college." Frown since that is something of a downer, then remember one thing.

"I think you can take a test to see if the college would accept you. Have to provide the dough but would mean you don't have to sit on the porch every day."

"Will check on that, though I am sure have to read up too. Still will look into it, tend to read sitting here anyway."

I snort then make my exit, need to get back to the station with this new information. Get back and park in the lot again, then check the folder. I don't think I know this detective, which is sort of good. At least it means I don't get a fella I know yelled at, though I thought it was a good case until I started looking around.

Go inside past the raid room and then get stopped there. A fella had come out and grabbed my arm. So stomp on his foot and look up at him with a glare, gets the others to chuckle.

"Gosh darn it we got a raid and wanted to have you come along." About then realize this is a detective.

"I would except I need to yell at a detective, perhaps yell is too strong a word. The case he put together looked good until I went over to the murder scene and found a gang next door, the right fella is a little different looking than the pinch." Fella frowns for a moment then wipes at his brow.

"Not my case, alright go on up and yell I guess we will manage without you and your Winchester." Snort and wink since the Winchester can still take part.

"Just collect it on your way out. It's in my back seat under the tarp. Should be a mostly full box of bullets there too." He looks unsure then one of the fellas is saying they will do that.

Wave and leave them to their raid to head on for the front. Getting there I find the cookies are still there some so grab two on my way past. Upstairs I yell out the detective assigned the case and wave a cookie. Has the few still here laughing, but the fella I want isn't here. Dad is here though so yell Daddy and run over to him.

John rolls his eyes but is chuckling when I climb in his lap. Even hand over a cookie so he is grinning a little, and eating the cookie.

"What was wrong with his case?" Shake my head since it wasn't really wrong.

"Not precisely wrong, yet is. I found a gang next door to the victim, the pinch grabbed is almost the right fella. Right fella has a little more nose and eyes are closer together. At night time at a distance it's hard to tell. The witnesses asked already live across the street." John is nodding.

"Yeah, I wouldn't expect them to tell the difference. Did your gang member tell you how the fella got there?"

"He isn't sure but thinks the murderer walked to the house on the street. I would assume plenty more walk home at the same time."

"So he walked to the house, went in and shot the fella, then took his jalopy?"

"What the fella I talked to figured on. I mean there isn't a jalopy at the house but I would expect the fella offed drove."

John frowns and takes the folder to look at, then sets me on his desk to get at the phone. He talks to I would figure on records at courthouse for a bit, with pauses so they are grabbing folders to read. He is then writing down plenty of things before hanging up and standing. I am pulled off the desk and we are walking for the doors.

I am a little lost so just look around and it is offices in here, I'm not sure all of them are in use right now. Still we go along to an office and knock then go on inside. Inside is a fella in the uniform, takes me a moment to understand this is the captain. He is older than John, but not really that much so I am grinning.

"Other Dad." John snorts, the captain rolls his eyes.

"Captain is close enough for you." I am giggling now, gets him to grin.

"Got a problem with one of our cases. According to what is in here it was handled good, but the detective never checked on the victim. He works in an office and has a jalopy, that isn't there." Captain puts his hand up and holds his hand out for the folder, then reads that for a bit.

"I agree this looks good, what did you find different?"

"Gang house next door. The fella on the porch witnessed the murderer leaving and says the fella pinched is almost right. Right fella has a slightly larger nose and closer together eyes. The witnesses found live across the street so wouldn't be able to tell the difference. He also said the fella as far as he knows walked to the house and went in to take the keys."

"So either he works with the victim or in some other way knew him. I can't accept that a fella walked up to a stranger house to go in and take the keys to a jalopy." I am nodding since that is a good assumption.

"I would expect so, a person that far into a condition to take stranger jalopies with a pistol wouldn't have stopped at one."

"I'm going to assume there is a plan?" I frown and look at John since he brought me in here.

"I figured Betty would go to the victim's office. I brought her in here first to tell you about it so you can yell at the rest of the detectives to check out the victim before grabbing a suspect." Captain snorts and nods though I am shaking my head.

"I'd rather go with a bull, being a private detective I can't get most to talk to me." Captain snorts and eyes John who tosses his hands.

"I'm waiting on fingerprint results or a new case. If you want me to take this over."

"I don't see why not, we have other detectives waiting on a case or results too. Besides you are something of a darling of the police." John rolls his eyes while I am giggling.

"I liked how you kicked the door in last time we got together on a case." Captain is chuckling now.

"Raid crew has shared the story, they want him to teach them how to do that. I think there was mention of he should be part of the training at academy."

"Enough of that, we will go now." John says which is fine with me though there is one thing I want to know.

"Hang on, is there going to be another station?" Captain sighs and shrugs.

"I mentioned the idea, don't have the funding for it so it is being looked into, we all agree another station is needed. Just have to find a location for it and then get the funding."

I am nodding and would ask another question except John grabs my arm and pulls me out of the office. Pretty sure Captain was chuckling behind us. I kick John then keep going along with him since getting this done is a good idea. I mean Mr. Crowe is waiting on me to get back to him with my results of looking into the case.

Raid crew hasn't left yet so hand the Winchester and box of ammo to John. He has an odd look on his face but does take it in to the raid fellas. Gives me a sour look when he comes back, I am sitting in the driver side and the engine is started. I guess he wanted to drive my breezer, which is a little funny.

Also makes sense, I mean this is a darn good automobile. It is lighter than a regular jalopy so handles better. Engine isn't as good as the bull jalopy, but then being lighter I can almost keep up with little problem. Also getting directions on where to go since I didn't see the address for the victim's work, which isn't precisely good but then also didn't seem to need it.

Park us in front of a bank of all things, though that isn't where we are going. We are going to a rather nice office building next to the bank. Sort of makes being able to park at the bank sit wrong. I mean there are always people going to the bank. Constant stream of fellas going in and out the doors, some skirts even.

Fellas are probably there as part of their work in an office. Dropping checks received in the bank being the only thing I can think of. Stepping inside the office building the entrance hall here is rather grand. There are chairs and sofas set up to sit and wait at, which is rather nice, there are even plants scattered here and there to give a little privacy.

"John, I am curious, do businesses accept checks?" John snorts and is nodding.

"Most of the fellas you were seeing going in the bank were there to deposit checks. Many businesses have an account so they can accept checks and not take money from the bank cashing them."

"So the bank account is only deposited into?" John rolls his eyes.

"No, they use the account for other things. Most of the different companies accept checks, so they pay electric and water with checks out of the account." Nod since that makes sense.

"What happens if the bank fails?" John sighs and shrugs.

"If the bank fails they lose whatever money is in their account. Not that I see that happening, that bank is used by a large number of businesses. Unless all of the business accounts withdraw all of their money the bank can manage to stay afloat."

"Good to know I think, we just have a safe. I think you better lead in here, you know what you are doing."

"Honestly you don't think enough of yourself since you always ask good questions." Snort and poke John so he leads us over to the secretary sitting behind the rather large desk.

"How can I help you two?" She asks with a smile, judging by the magazine open on the desk we are the highlight of her day so far.

"Detective and a court appointed here to ask questions about..." John groans and pulls out his notebook to read that for a moment. "John Davison."

"I thought you had already arrested someone for that." John opens his mouth until I poke him so he looks at me instead.

"Who said that?" She looks at me and frowns for a moment.

"Jefferson." I am smiling now since that perhaps is our murderer for some reason.

"Does this Jefferson look like this fella?" I hold up the picture of the pinch and she looks at that for a bit then shakes her head.

"No Jefferson is softer looking. I mean he probably looked just like he does now as a baby if you follow." I am nodding since I have a baby at home.

"I have a three month old daughter at home. I know exactly what you mean." She is nodding and grins.

"I have a four year old." John sighs and looks up then clears his throat.

"Before you two start trading diaper stories or something, has John Davison gotten into an argument with anyone else working here?"

"I don't know, something like that doesn't get down to me unless it is a rolling fist fight. That wasn't with him, it was last year and on a different floor. To ask that you best go up to fourth floor and talk to Mr. Donaldson, there are signs with arrows."

We are both nodding then head for the elevators. No elevator fella here so we are doing it ourselves. Not that it is hard, pick your floor and then move the lever so the elevator moves. Get up to fourth floor eventually, it is not a fast elevator. Then we are getting off and there are signs with arrows so we find the one for Donaldson and go that way.

"Sort of wish Penney had those elevators." John snorts and chuckles along for a little ways.

"Not happening, they have people going in and out all day long. If folk are doing the elevator themselves it would never be empty due to some being stuck on since in the back." Ponder that and nod since true.

"True, with the fella you can simply yell out that you can't get out."

John snorts then we are stopping in front of a door so he knocks and we wait for the come in. Barely hear it so I get to open the door, and go in first since John is being all gentlemanly today. Inside the office is rather nice, there is the bookcase and a sofa, along with paintings on the walls. These paintings are rather good though so I want to ask where he got those.

"There seems to be a mix up, I don't sell anything." John snorts and pulls out his badge.

"Detective and court appointed." Poke John and wink at the fella.

"Flapper dick." Mr. Davidson is chuckling, then John pokes me back.

"We are here to talk to you about John Davison, namely has he gotten into fights of whatever sort with anyone else working here?"

Mr. Davidson frowns for a moment then hops up to go into a cabinet. He spends a bit going through the cabinet, pulling out folders now and then. Each one is opened and looked through briefly before he closes it and puts back to look more. Finally he cries aha and sits down again to look through the folder better, and frowns.

"There is record of one such thing, was with an employee that we have since fired." I snort since that is good information, then pull out the picture.

"Would the man fired look something like this fella?" Mr. Davidson takes the picture and frowns at it for a short time then nods.

"Yes, his nose is a little larger." John is taking notes then looks up.

"If I can see that report you have, need his name and if possible address." Mr. Davidson nods and hands over the folder so John is going through that.

"I do not know if he would still be there, we did not give him a good referral so finding more work would not be easy I am sure." John is nodding, still writing down so I will ask about that.

"What was he fired over?"

"He had a temper, and then wasn't a terribly sociable man. We had him doing telephone calls. If a potential client wishes to hear about our services they can fill out the form and send that in to be called later. Alternately just coming to the building and meet with an associate. We were unsure on the telephone being a good option but did offer it as soon as there was the service to most of the city. We have three associates only doing the telephone work and thinking of adding more." I am nodding since the telephone is a good avenue to get business.

"Business over the telephone is a good avenue, seems to be the future of business." Mr. Davidson is nodding.

"It is, but then the state to state telephoning needs to be improved, as it is now we have offices in about half of the states and working on more just because state to state is unreliable." John is nodding now.

"When it comes to alerting other police departments we are sending letters. Calls to the next state over tend to cut out at odd moments."

"Suppose it is good that postal services are so good." We are all nodding.

"Telephone companies are saying they are working on state to state calling so eventually it will improve." Mr. Davidson says to some chuckles.

"Not putting much stock in that one. Also have all we need so we will let you get back to your work."

Mr. Davidson hops up and sees us out of his office. Then we are off to the elevator and get to wait for that. When it comes we find a fella already there and going up. So wait for the next one, lucky us that there are four elevators. Get on this one alone so on down with us. Then outside where I hand over my keys getting John to chuckle.