THE DETECTIVES OF THE 9^TH PRECINCT

SERIES

 “RAZOR WEST”

 

 

 

 

 

“Steve….Steve what in the holy shades of Hannah are you doing?”

 

“I’m trying to kill a fly!! This damn fly has been bugging me for days!!! It’s a flying menace!!!”

 

“Hey watch that fly swatter!!” Neal exclaims.

 

“Sorry! I hate flies!!” Steve replies as he swings the fly swatter again knocking a cup of pencils off of the desk.

 

“Hey! Do you have to do that now?” Neal asks.

 

“Yes I have to do this now! Neal this fly is huge!!! It has to be a Texas fly!!!”

 

Neal laughs. “Why do you say that?”

 

“Because it’s huge, it picked up half of my sandwich!!!” Steve exclaims as he continues to swing the fly swatter.

 

Neal laughs again. “No it didn’t stop fibbing!!”

 

“You wasn’t here so you didn’t see it….”

 

The next sound is a loud slap.

 

“Hey Steve you got it….so what’s wrong now?” Neal asks. “Oh don’t tell me that you feel bad?”

 

“Yeah I kinda do I mean I hope it didn’t suffer.”

 

“You and Ruby are the only two people I know of that feels bad when they kill a fly, what are you looking for now?”

 

“A matchbox.” Steve replies.

 

“A match….don’t tell me that you want to….”

 

“….Bury it.” They both say at the same time. 

 

“Yeah.” Steve replies as he looks over at Neal.

 

Neal shakes his head as he rummages thru his desk. “Here you go a matchbox.”

 

“Thanks.” Steve replies as he takes the box.

 

“You remind me of Joey when his goldfish died….”

 

“Hector died???!!!” Steve exclaims loudly.

 

“Oh brother….”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Steve asks.

 

“I’m sorry, Hector wanted a quiet service and a burial at sea but when its Harry’s the hamster time to go I will make sure that you are there.”

 

“How is Harry by the way?” Steve asks.

 

“Harry is….Steve!!! I’m sure that no one wants to hear about flies….”

 

“What about button flies?” Steve asks.

 

“Button flies?” Neal asks.

 

“Yeah as opposed to the zipper, you know Neal have you talked to Joey what the dangers of the zipper, if you know what I mean?”

 

“Steve how did we go from flies to zippers?”

 

“It was a natural progression besides these pants are button fly! They are just the coolest thing ever!! The only drawback is if you miss a button then you have to go back and start all over!!!”

 

“Steve nobody cares about the state of your zipper….”

 

“Button fly.” Steve correct him.

 

“Whatever! We are here to talk about the next case not whether you have a zipper or button fly….or if you wear boxers or briefs….”

 

“I don’t….” Steve replies.

 

“Don’t what?” Neal asks.

 

“Wear boxers or briefs that is why a button fly is so important!!”

 

“Jeez Louise!!!” Neal replies as he shakes his head. “Can we talk about this case please?”

 

“Sure which one did you pick?” Steve looks at the file. “Razor West? Now that is an interesting pick I like it! Let’s do it after I come back.” Steve replies.

 

“Come back? Come back from where?” Neal asks.

 

“The bathroom I just noticed I missed a button!!!” Steve yells back at him.

 

“Anyway this time we are going to talk about the case Razor West and I’m not going to wait on my button fly happy friend….it started something like this.”

 

 

 

V7V7V7V7V7V7V7V7V7V7

 

 

“Neal I’m telling you right now this better be important to bug me on a Sunday!!! I knew when you gave me this stupid whatchamacallit….”

 

“It’s a pager.” Neal replies.

 

“What?” Steve asks.

 

“I said it’s called a pager.”

 

Neal hears Steve take a deep breath on the other end. “Whatever!! Mattie and I….”

 

“Mattie, oh the stewardess?”

 

“No.” Steve replies.

 

“The waitress?”

 

“No.” Steve replies again.

 

“The dog walker?”

 

“I don’t have any girlfriends that are dog walkers!” Steve replies.

 

“Steve you have so many girlfriends I cant keep track of all of them!!”

 

“Mattie is the receptionist at my doctor’s office!” Steve replies.

 

“Oh yeah you mean when you went there for the rash?” Neal asks as he laughs.

 

“I already told you it was an allergic reaction and it wasn’t catching!! You didn’t catch it did you?”

 

“No not yet.” Neal laughs.

 

“Neal I was headed on that highway to romance and then all of a sudden I hit a big pothole and that pot hole is you, what do you want?”

 

“We have to go to work.” Neal replies as he cringes.

 

“WHAT!!!! IT’S SUNDAY!!!”

 

Neal holds the phone away from his ear. “Yes Steve I know its Sunday and Ruby and I we had plans as well but there’s been….”

 

“I bought some wine and I was going to grill some steaks and after we had a nice meal I was going to rub her feet…women love to have their feet rubbed Neal and then I was going to rub….”

 

“There’s been a report of two dead bodies!” Neal says quickly.

 

“It should be illegal….!!” Steve replies.

 

“It is illegal….”

 

“I know that you big dope! I meant it should be illegal to have dead bodies on Sunday!!!”

 

“Put the wine back in the fridge, let the steaks marinate a little longer and for god sakes put some pants on and I’ll be there soon to collect you.” Neal replies.

 

“Ah alright.”

 

“And tell Mattie to keep her shirt on….” Neal replies.

 

“She’s not wearing a shirt actually she’s not wearing….”

 

“I don’t want to know just make sure that you’re dressed.” Neal instructs.

 

“Ah alright you really know how to cramp a guy’s style Neal.” Steve says before he hangs up.

 

 

 

AN HOUR LATER:

 

 

 

“Don’t pout it gives you wrinkles.” Neal replies.

 

Steve takes the log book out of the glove box. “Where are we headed?”

 

“Oceanview Cliffs.”

 

“Fancy.” Steve replies as he writes in the log book then he puts the bubble light on the roof.

 

“She didn’t want to wait did she?” Neal asks.

 

“Nope.”

 

“Sorry about that.” Neal replies as he drives on.

 

“Not as sorry as I am I could be having sex right about now.”

 

“Steve sex isn’t everything.” Neal replies.

 

“People who have sex all the time always say that!”

 

“It’s Sunday so that means it’s time and a half!” Neal replies.

 

“Neal money isn’t everything.”

 

“People who have money all the time always say that.” Neal replies as he looks at Steve.

 

“I don’t have money all the time.” Steve points out.

 

“Yes you do….you’re so tight you squeak when you walk.”

 

“First of all I had a beautiful half-naked woman in my apartment but she got mad and she left and now you’re giving me a hard time!!!” Steve replies.

 

“My goodness you’re moody today, what gives?”

 

“Ah I don’t know I just feel….feel pookie.” Steve replies.

 

“Pookie?” Neal repeats.

 

“Yeah you know when you just don’t feel right, not like yourself.”

 

Neal thinks on this a moment. “Well then if you don’t feel like yourself then who do you feel like?”

 

“Ah shut up!” Steve replies as he puts his chin in his hand as he looks out of the window.

 

 

 

OCEANVIEW CLIFFS THE WHITEHEAD ESTATE:

 

 

 

“Yowzer Neal look at this house!!! It’s huge!!!” Steve replies as he looks up at it.

 

“Yeah man I bet both of our apartments could fit in here!! Hey Jack how’s it going?” Neal asks as he takes the clipboard that Jack hands him and he signs in.

 

“Not too bad how’s it going with you guys?” Jack asks.

 

“It’s Sunday.” Steve replies as he takes the clipboard from Neal.

 

“Don’t pay any attention to him he’s feeling pookie today.” Neal explains.

 

Jack nods his head knowingly. “Yeah you know my wife feels that way around her time of the month….”

 

Neal laughs as Steve takes the clipboard and he shoves it into Jack’s chest. “Ha-ha and ha!!! Where are they?”

 

“In the study.” Jack replies as Steve pushes passed as they go into the house.

 

Immediately Steve runs right into the back of Neal who has stopped and is looking up at the second floor and Steve bounces off of him.

 

“Hey!” Steve replies.

 

“Oh sorry I was just wondering how many bedrooms this place has….” Neal replies.

 

“Five bedrooms….” An older man replies from the staircase where he sits with a woman that he is trying to comfort. “….I’m the caretaker and this is my wife, she’s the cook and she found the bodies.”

 

Steve takes a notepad out of his pocket. “I’ll talk to them.” Steve replies.

 

“And I guess I’ll talk to Sam.” Neal replies as he goes off into the study.

 

“Hello Detective happy Sunday to you.” Sam replies.

 

“Oh don’t let Steve hear you say that.” Neal replies.

 

“Why does he have something against Sundays?”

 

“Only working on them….so what have we got here?” Neal asks.

 

“Two bodies and I am about to make your job very easy Detective.”

 

“Oh really Sam why is that?” Neal asks as he kneels down at one of the bodies.

 

“Because this is your everyday garden variety murder suicide, a textbook case actually.” Sam replies.

 

“Really? So who ah….” Neal asks.

 

“The older man shot the younger then the older man turned the gun on himself and time of death was sometime last night, they both died very quickly.” Sam explains.

 

“Well Sam actually this only makes your job easier we still have to figure out why this happened you know.” Neal explains.

 

“That is so true.” Sam replies.

 

“Any idea who they are….”

 

“Yeah the older guy is Robert J. Whitehead does that name sound familiar?” Steve asks as he comes into the room.

 

Sam and Neal both shake their heads no. “Should it?” Neal asks.

 

“Yes it should Robert J. Whitehead is or should I say was the biggest financer in this county, he owns the First Bank of Oceanview and a lot of other high dollar real estate and I think that he also made a killing, no pun intended in pork bellies.”

 

“Is that what the caretaker and his wife told you?” Neal asks.

 

“No that isn’t what the caretaker and his wife told me I read the financial section of the paper!” Steve replies as he points to himself.

 

Neal glances over at Sam. “Oh I see.” Neal replies.

 

“Those of us who have money all the time do those things you know.” Steve replies sarcastically.

 

Neal rolls his eyes. “So did they happen to tell you who the young guy is?”

 

“Nope they never saw him before. Did your guys check him for I.D.?” Steve asks Sam.

 

“I think they said that he had a wallet.” Sam replies.

 

“Well since we already know who did what to whom I guess I can check him right here.” Neal replies.

 

Since the young man was lying on his back Neal patted down his jacket pocket and finding nothing there he worked his way down to his pants and to his pants pockets.

 

“Bingo look what I found!” Neal exclaims as he holds up the wallet. “Let’s see his name is Trevor Williams and he is from Bakersfield and he is 26 years old. He has money in here, credit cards….”

 

“His clothes are good quality and he looks to be well-kempt. His fingernails are manicured.” Steve replies as he points it out to Neal. “Fashionable haircut, young and very good-looking are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Steve asks.

 

“How old do you think the late Mr. Whitehead is?” Neal asks.

 

“Fifties easily.”

 

“Did Mr. Whitehead leave a wife by chance?” Neal asks.

 

Steve nods. “That he did….”

 

“And let me guess she is young and beautiful….”

 

Steve smiles. “Neal you know when you grow up you ought to be a detective!! According to the caretaker she is young and beautiful and putting two and two together you get four….”

 

“Our young and beautiful Trevor here was having an affair with the equally young and beautiful Mrs. Whitehead and the hubby found out about it and he killed him.”

 

“That is a good theory but the caretaker said that Mrs. Whitehead is out of town and she should be back either tomorrow or the next day. And don’t you think it is odd that her lover would come here to the house when she isn’t even in town, why risk the chance of running into the husband with a loaded revolver? Na it is like day old bread man I ain’t buying it.” 

 

Neal looks down at the body. “It could have been one of those ultimatum types of things….”

 

“Na the caretaker said that they seem very happy to him.”

 

“Oh yeah everybody is always very happy until somebody becomes unhappy and someone ends up dead or in this case two people.” Neal replies.

 

“Hey Detectives we found something.” One of the Coroner’s attendants replied.

 

Neal and Steve go over to where he is standing. “After we moved the body we found that.” The attendant says as he points down to the rug. Steve and Neal both kneel down next to it.

 

“Now that is something you don’t see everyday.” Steve replies.

 

“Yeah I’ll say a razor blade on a chain.”

 

“A gold chain to be exact.” Steve points out. “Hey there’s something on there.”

 

“Hey Sam do you have a rubber glove.” Neal asks over his shoulder.

 

Sam hands Neal a glove and Neal puts it on then he picks up the chain close to the razor blade. “It’s a number, number 67. Well that is odd.”

 

“Do they number razor blades?” Steve asks.

 

“I don’t think so.”

 

“Maybe it’s some sort of drug thing or something.” Steve replies.

 

“It looks clean but we’ll let the lab have a look at it. Hey Scott put this in an envelope okay.”

 

Scott holds out an envelope and Neal slips the razor blade and necklace into it.

 

“Alright boys I will let you know if I find anything interesting after I do the autopsies.”

 

“Thanks Sam.” Neal replies.

 

“I think I found a picture of the wife.” Steve replies as he looks at a picture of her sitting on the desk.

 

Neal whistles. “Yowzer! She is a beauty alright. Look here’s their wedding picture.”

 

“Hmmm well they do look happy.” Steve replies. “The caretaker said that they were married five years.”

 

“No kids I take it?”

 

“Nope.” Steve replies.

 

“This big house for just the two of them.” Neal says as he looks around.

 

“Maybe they have a lot of visitors.”

 

“Maybe. Steve look what’s written on the desk calendar.”

 

“What?” Steve asks as he comes up beside Neal.

 

“It says that Marilyn will be back tomorrow, he’s arranged a car to pick her up. She’s arriving on Air France.”

 

“Well I suggest we pick her up and tell her what happened, it won’t be a very happy welcome home for her.” Steve replies.

 

“True. I have a feeling this will turn out to be an interesting case. Let’s leave this stuff until we talk to Mrs. Whitehead. Let’s go around with the caretaker and make sure the place is secure and then we’re have to arrange to have an officer guard it.” Neal replies as they make their way thru the room.

 

“This whole thing just strikes me as odd.” Steve replies as he looks at Neal. “Just odd.”

 

“Together we will figure it out, let’s go partner.”

 

 

 

THE 9^TH PRECINCT CONFERENCE ROOM THE NEXT MORNING:

 

 

 

“Here’s your cup of coffee Mrs. Whitehead.” Steve replies as he sets it down in front of her.

 

“Thank you Detective.” She replies as she takes a sip.

 

“We’re sorry that we had to tell you this Mrs. Whitehead after such a long flight and all.”

 

She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “To tell you the truth it hasn’t all sunk in yet. I just can’t believe that Bobby would do something like that then kill himself?”

 

“Look at the picture again of Trevor if you don’t mind you’re sure that you haven’t seen him before?” Steve asks.

 

She holds the photograph up as she nods. “Yes positive. I know all of Bobby’s business associates, we are I mean we were always having dinner parties with them and such.” Then she starts to tear up and Steve hands her a tissue.

 

“Mrs. Whitehead we can always do this later.” Steve replies.

 

“Oh no I rather do it now. Oh my goodness I have so much to do now, his lawyer, I have to contact his lawyer to tell him what has happened. How do I explain it?” She asks.

 

“Mrs. Whitehead….” Neal replies.

 

“Please call me Marilyn.”

 

Neal smiles. “Alright Marilyn we have to ask you about your trip to France.”

 

“I understand.”

 

“How long were you there?” Steve asks.

 

“I was there a week.” Marilyn replies.

 

“Did you go alone?” Neal asks.

 

“Oh no I was with my business partner Kay Price; you see we own a few clothing boutiques, very upscale little boutiques. We specialize in clothing and jewelry from all over the world; we were on a buying trip to France. We have boutiques in San Francisco, Los Angeles and we are contemplating opening one here as well.”

 

“How are they doing?” Steve asks.

 

“It took awhile for it to take off but now they are very successful, oh you don’t think my little boutiques had something to do with….” Marilyn asks concerned.

 

“Oh no no we don’t it’s just that….” Neal replies.

 

“….It’s still so early in our investigation we have to cover all the angles you see. How long have you been married?”

 

Marilyn smiles as she plays with her wedding ring. “Five years last month.”

 

“Marilyn we have to ask you about your marriage.” Neal asks slowly.

 

“I see….” Marilyn replies.

 

“Were there any….affairs?” Steve asks.

 

Marilyn sits up a little straighter in her chair. “Oh I understand now, you think this Trevor person and I was having an affair and Bobby found out and killed him?”

 

“Well it did cross our minds.” Neal replies.

 

“No Detectives I wasn’t having an affair with this Trevor person or with anyone else for that matter.”

 

“What about Mr. Whitehead?” Steve asks.

 

“My husband was a wonderful, loving man. He did a lot of wonderful things for the community and he helped a lot of people and no he wasn’t having any affairs, our marriage was very happy.”

 

“Your husband was fifty something?” Neal asks.

 

“He was fifty-two years old Detective and I am thirty-two, and yes he was much older than I but it didn’t matter.” Marilyn replies.

 

“Have you ever seen this before?” Steve asks as he tosses a clear plastic bag on the table that contained the razor blade and gold chain.

“No what is it?” Marilyn asks.

 

“We were hoping that you could tell us.” Neal replies.

 

“It was found with your husband’s body.” Steve replies.

 

“A razor blade on a chain? I have no idea why he would have that.”

 

“Marilyn we would like your permission to go thru your husband’s possessions, his desk etc.” Neal asks.

 

“Yes I think that would be alright.” Marilyn replies.

 

“We have already talked to the caretaker and his wife but we would also like to talk to the maid….” Steve replies.

 

“We don’t have a maid.”

 

Neal and Steve look at one another then Neal says, “No maid? That is an awfully big house not to have a full staff of servants.”

 

“We have a cleaning service that comes in three times a week and the cook of course, Bobby like to do things himself.”

 

“What about the landscaping?” Steve asks.

 

“They came by once a week sometimes two. Bobby like to take care of the garden himself, it relieved him of stress I suppose that you know that he was a very, busy man.”

 

“Yes we know about the Bank and his other investments and such.” Neal replies.

 

“Oh my goodness I am suddenly so tired are we almost finished?” Marilyn asks.

 

Steve looks at his notes. “I think so how about you Neal?”

 

“Yes I believe we are but if we need anything else can we talk to you again?” Neal asks.

 

“Oh yes of course.”

 

“Marilyn we’re afraid that you can’t go back home just yet.” Steve replies.

 

“Oh?” Marilyn replies.

 

“Yes you see it’s still a crime scene in an ongoing investigation.” Neal replies.

 

“Do you have anyone you can stay with?” Steve asks.

 

“We don’t think it’s a good time for you to be alone what with all the decisions that you have to make and all.” Neal replies.

 

“That is very thoughtful of you Detective; I can call Kay she won’t mind if I stay with her.”

 

“If you need to retrieve any clothing or any other belongings let us know.” Steve replies.

 

“I have suitcases full of clothes downstairs in the car but I may need some paperwork but not now. How long do you think it will be until I can get back to our….I mean….my house? You see Bobby had it specially made for us and I….”

Then Marilyn’s strong façade begin to crack and finally crumble as she broke down in tears.

 

“Marilyn why don’t you go and lie down in our Captain’s office, he has a really nice leather sofa while we call Kay for you okay?” Steve asks.

 

“Yes I think I would like to lie down.”

 

“Vivian.” Neal yells out to the squad room and immediately Vivian comes to the door.

 

“Yes Detective?” Vivian asks.

 

“Would you take Mrs. Whitehead to lie down in the Captain’s office and could you call her friend Kay for her?” Neal asks.

 

“Yes of course.” Vivian replies as she helps Marilyn to her feet then she keeps her arm around her as they leave the room then Neal shuts the door behind them.

 

“Well what do you think partner?” Steve asks.

 

Neal puts his hands on top of his head. “I think….I believe her.”

 

“About everything?”      

 

“Yeah everything. Why you don’t?” Neal asks.

 

Steve runs his hands thru his hair. “Oh shit I just have that odd feeling again.”

 

“That pookie feeling?”

 

“No, no not the pookie feeling the feeling that something is just….off!! It doesn’t make any sense.”

 

“Well come on tell me what you’re thinking.” Neal replies.

 

“First of all I do think that she had nothing to do with her husband’s death or with Trevor and furthermore I think she’s telling the truth about not knowing him at all. There was no recognition or any kind of reaction when she saw his picture but when she saw the razor blade….”

 

“Yeah now that you mention it she did look a little surprised by it.” Neal replies.

 

“Also the thing about not having a live-in maid bothers me.”

 

“Why does that bother you? She said that her husband like to do things himself, you know putter around the garden and if they aren’t home that much maybe the house didn’t need that much cleaning….why are you shaking your head no?”

 

“I don’t buy it! Anybody else with their money and a house that big would have a full staff, 24-7! The cook only comes there to make dinner and for other special occasions what do they do for food the rest of the time?” Steve asks.

 

“Maybe they order pizzas I don’t know and I don’t know what you’re trying to get at here!!! You better throw me a crumb Gretel because Hansel here is lost!!” Neal replies as he points to himself.

 

“Neal for awhile my mother was a cook for a well-to-do family….”

 

“Oh I didn’t know that.” Neal replies.

 

“The point is they also had a maid and a Nanny for little Johnny and Mary and they all like to gossip with the other maids and Nannies in the neighborhood so….”

 

“….So if you want to keep your private life private you don’t have a house full of servants!” Neal replies.

 

“Bingo!!! Anything that happen in that house the whole neighborhood knew about it because of the staff!!”

 

“So what are they hiding, a two-headed monster in the attic?” Neal asks.  

 

“I don’t know but I do know that we’re figure it out….eventually. I want to go and check on Marilyn.”

 

“Alright I’ll meet you back at the desks we have a lot of paperwork to do.” Neal replies.

 

 

 

THE 9^TH PRECINCT SQUAD ROOM TWO DAYS LATER:

 

 

 

“Hey.” Steve replies.

 

“Hey yourself. Watcha got there?”  

 

“I brought us two icy cold lemonades and some oatmeal cookies and I also got Trevor Williams effects from Sam and some paperwork from Bakersfield P.D.”

 

“Wow you’ve been busy where did you get the lemonade and cookies?” Neal asks.

 

“The Police Athletic League members are selling them down in the lobby to raise money.” Steve replies as he sits them down on the desk.

 

Neal takes a cup of lemonade and he grabs the manila envelope that contains Trevor Williams’s effects. “Let’s see what we have here, a wallet, car keys, change and a comb, that’s it. What did Bakersfield have to say?”

 

“Nothing absolutely nothing, Trevor is as pure as the day he was born. No traffic tickets. Nothing.”

 

“Anything about the next of kin?” Neal asks.

 

“Nope, something tells me that Trevor Williams maybe an alias at least we know that he has a car.”

 

“True.” Neal replies as he looks at the keys. “But the question is now where is it?”

 

“Well it’s a Mercedes and that neighborhood is ritzy so it could be parked anywhere and fit right in….”

 

“Feel like taking a drive partner?” Neal asks.

 

 

 

THE OCEANVIEW CLIFFS ENCLAVE A FEW HOURS LATER:

 

 

 

“So Steve how’s your shin where that little old lady kicked you?” Neal asks.

 

“Oh it’ll be alright.” Steve replies as he rubs his shin. “Those two uniformed cops were nice weren’t they?”

 

“Yes they were but Steve did you have to pick a little old lady’s Mercedes that she only drives to church?” Neal asks.

 

“I didn’t know it was a little old lady’s car! I mean we’re looking for a Mercedes and that was a Mercedes so I was duty bound to check it!”

 

“Didn’t you hear me yell that she had a rolling pin?” Neal asks.

 

“No I was too busy fending off her dog Chico! That was a very vicious dog Neal!”

 

“It was a Chihuahua!” Neal points out.

 

“So! Those little dogs are ankle biters and they are vicious and it’s not bad enough that she didn’t believe I was a cop she had to laugh too!!!”

 

Neal laughs. “I think calling you a twelve year school boy was a compliment. Her daughter thought you were cute!”

 

Steve takes a deep breath. “She was 55 years old!!!”

 

Neal smiles. “Well at least the uniformed guys believed you were a cop.”

 

“Hey look Neal at five o’clock!” Steve replies as he points to another Mercedes parked at the curb.

 

“Keep a lookout for little old ladies and Chihuahuas!!!”

 

“Ha-ha funny!!!” Steve replies as he gets out of the car.

 

They walk over to the Mercedes together then Neal pulls the keys out of his pocket and he puts one of them into the lock of the driver’s door and then he turns it and it opens.

 

“Success!!” Neal exclaims as he opens the driver’s door and after he gets in he opens the passenger side door for Steve.

 

“Nice car.” Steve replies.

 

“And an even nicer view, from here you can see the Whitehead’s house. He parked it and he walked over.”

 

Steve opens the glove box. “Vehicle registration, insurance and hello lookie what I found!!”

 

“What?” Neal asks.

 

Steve pulls it out of the glove box. “Look familiar?” Steve asks as he holds it up.

 

“Another razor blade on a gold chain and this one is number 57.”

 

“Well this proves that they have been to the same place wherever that might be.” Steve replies.

 

“It isn’t drug related the other one from the lab came back squeaky clean.”

 

Steve glances out of the windshield towards the house. “We have keys why don’t we go and check it out?”

 

“Good idea.” Neal replies.

 

 

 

THE WHITEHEAD ESTATE:

 

 

 

“The desk is very well-organized, everything neat and tidy, letters and forms and a ledger! Oh this one is for Marilyn’s Boutiques.” Neal whistles. “She wasn’t kidding when she said that they started out a little rough but now they seem to be doing well; here’s another ledger this one is for the house and Steve look bank statements.”

 

“Anything interesting?” Steve points at a figure on the paper. “Oh holy shit Neal is that their account balance?”

 

“Yeah….” Neal says surprised.

 

“That….that looks like a phone number!” Steve exclaims.

 

“It certainly has enough numbers to be a phone number but it is their balance.”

 

“Oh holy Mary!! Neal can you even fathom having that kind of money?”

 

“Not if I lived to be two hundred.”

 

Steve puts his hands on either side of his head. “I….I just can’t wrap my mind around it!”

 

“There’s a lot of stuff here, cancelled checks and all why don’t we find a box or something and take it back to the Precinct, this is going to take some time.”

 

“I’ll check in the kitchen hey Neal can I drive the Mercedes back to the Precinct?”

 

“I knew you would want to here you go son.” Neal replies as he tossed the keys to Steve.

 

“Cool thanks dad!”

 

 

 

THE 9^TH PRECINCT LATER THAT DAY:

 

 

 

“Thank goodness the conference room was empty.” Neal replies.

 

“Yeah no kidding I have never seen so many cancelled checks!”

 

“Yeah man and the important word there is checks, they paid for everything with checks. You know I’m surprised that they didn’t have an accountant do all of this.” Neal replies.

 

“Everything about this case is a surprise and here’s another one.” Steve replies.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Page after page and bank statement after bank statement everything is checks that is until this one, there was a big cash withdrawal for $15,000 dollars.”

 

“Really, when was that?” Neal asks.

 

“About six months ago. I wonder what that lump sum was for.”

 

“Steve I got one here too.” Neal replies.

 

“Another $15,000 dollars?”

 

“No this is $20,000 dollars.” Neal replies.

 

“Wow! That is quite a jump! Neal….”

 

“Don’t tell me….” Neal replies.

 

“$25,000.”

 

“Damn!! Okay why does a person who pays all their bills with checks suddenly make big cash withdrawals?” Neal asks.

 

“Well cash doesn’t leave a paper trial not like cancelled checks do, I mean it shows up on a bank statement but you don’t know who got it or what it was for. You take the money and run.”

 

“Good, okay so for what reasons would somebody only pay cash?” Neal asks.

 

“A bribe?”

 

Neal shakes his head. “If it was only once I would say yes.”

 

Steve scratches his head. “He was paying someone off?”

 

“Na man I’m not feeling it.” Neal replies.

 

“Then the other explanation is….”

 

Suddenly they both sit straight up and they look at one another. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Steve asks.

 

“I wonder if Sam has released the body yet.” Neal asks as he runs for the phone.

 

“Yeah man I would hate to intrude at the funeral.”

 

Neal punches in Sam’s extension then he says, “Sam its Neal. Yeah I wanted to know…what? You do? Oh okay sure. Alright bye.” Neal hangs up the phone. “He wants us to come down and see him.”

 

“Let’s go.”

 

 

 

THE CORONER’S OFFICE:

 

 

 

“Okay Neal stand here.” Sam replies as he points to a spot and Neal stands there.

 

“Steve stand right here in front of him.”  Sam says as he positions Steve just in the right spot.

 

“Sam what do you want us to do, dance?” Steve asks over his shoulder as Sam opens one of the drawers of his desk. “Hi come here often?” Steve asks Neal.

 

“I hate to tell you this but you aren’t my type.” Neal replies.

 

“Ah now I’m hurt….”

 

“Alright guys.” Sam says as he comes back over to them holding a hairbrush. “Steve hold this hairbrush like a gun at Neal.”

 

They both laugh.

 

“Are you serious?” Steve asks.

 

“Yes I am.”

 

“So I guess this means you aren’t ready to release Mr. Whitehead’s body?” Neal asks.

 

“This is why I’m doing this so I can explain why.” Sam says.

 

“What caliber hair brush is this Sam?” Steve asks.

 

“Ha-ha funny. Steve for this demonstration you are going to be Mr. Whitehead and Neal you will be Trevor.”

 

“Okay.” Neal replies.

 

“Now….” Sam takes Steve’s hand by the wrist that holds the hairbrush and he shoves it into Neal’s stomach. “They struggled over the gun and as they did it went off and it discharged into Trevor’s stomach….boom! Then I am sure that Mr. Whitehead would be in shock, he just shot someone, so much so that Trevor grabbed the gun and he shot Mr. Whitehead.”

 

“Wait Sam did you just say that Trevor shot Mr. Whitehead?” Neal asks.

 

Sam nods.

 

“So that means that you were….wrong? Oh my god the horror!!!” Steve replies.

 

“I am human and that is why I can’t release the body I have to rewrite the report to state that it was murder and not a murder suicide.”

 

“Well it may make Mrs. Whitehead feel better to know that at least he didn’t commit suicide.” Neal replies.

 

“I already let her know that fact, she is anxious to have him back. The funeral will be a large affair.”

 

“I’m sure, well thanks Doc we need to talk to her ourselves.” Steve replies.

 

“Thanks for coming down guys I better get back to work.”

 

“And we have to go and talk to Mrs. Whitehead.” Neal replies.

 

 

 

KAY PRICE’S RESIDENCE:

 

“We hate to bother you Marilyn but we have to ask you a few more questions.” Steve replies.

 

“Please come in.” Marilyn replies as she opens the door wider to them. “I have spent a better part of the day on the phone making arrangements and I welcome a break.”

 

“Is there a place where we can talk?” Neal asks.

 

“Yes of course we can go right here in the living room. Your coroner called me and told me that Bobby didn’t kill himself after all, I was glad to hear that. Please sit.”

 

“Marilyn we found Trevor’s car and in his car we found another razor blade on a gold chain….” Steve replies.

 

“….And also we have your bank statements and we were wondering why your husband didn’t have an accountant to take care of all the bills and household expenses?”

 

“Oh he did but about a year or so ago he decided to let him go and do it himself.” Marilyn replies.

 

“Do you have any idea why he did that?” Steve asks.

 

“No Bobby handled all the finances I just thought he wasn’t happy with him any longer.”

 

Neal and Steve look at one another as Steve takes a deep breath. “Marilyn we have some odd withdrawals from your joint back account.”

 

“Odd withdrawals, I’m not sure I know what you mean.” Marilyn replies.

 

“Marilyn page after page of your bank statement shows the household expenses paid with checks but there are at least three, large cash withdrawals.” Neal replies.

 

“One for $15,000 and then another for $20,000….” Steve replies.

 

“And still another for $25,000. Do you have any idea what that money was for?” Neal asks.

 

“Marilyn where did that money go?”

 

“I….I don’t know.” Marilyn replies.

 

“Marilyn we know that you know something about that razor blade I showed to you, I saw that look on your face.” Steve replies.

 

“Marilyn we think that your husband was being blackmailed….”

 

“Blackmailed, but I don’t understand by whom?” Marilyn asks.

 

“We think it may have been Trevor.” Steve replies.

 

“But I don’t….”

 

“Marilyn don’t lie to us.” Neal replies.

 

“How dare you I’m not lying to you!! I don’t know anything about Bobby being blackmailed by Trevor or by anybody else….”

 

“….But you do know about this don’t you?” Steve asks as he holds one of the razor blades by the chain up in front of Marilyn’s face.

 

“Don’t you?” Steve asks again only louder.

 

Marilyn covers her eyes with her one hand as she nods. “Bobby belong to a club and the members wore those.”

 

Steve and Neal look at one another. “Alright Marilyn where is this club?” Neal asks.

 

Marilyn shakes her head. “I don’t know I never went there.”

 

“Marilyn.” Neal replies frustrated.

 

“I swear to you, it’s an exclusive club! It’s by invitation only.” Marilyn replies.

 

Steve takes a deep breath. “Alright how often did he go to this club?”

 

“Once a week if he wasn’t too busy.”

 

“He never spoke about this….this club? What went on there, who was there?” Steve asks.

 

Marilyn shakes her head. “And I didn’t ask.”

 

Neal pushes himself off of the sofa and he begins to walk around the room. “Marilyn we want to find out why your husband is dead but you aren’t helping us!!”

 

“I want to, I wish I could….”

 

“You don’t want to help us you want to protect your husband.” Steve replies.

 

Marilyn also rises to her feet. “I think it’s time for you to leave now I still have so much to do. When will I be able to go back to my house Detectives?”

 

“Shortly, we’re sorry for this Marilyn but we’re just doing our jobs.” Steve replies.

 

“I understand.” Marilyn replies as she opens the front door for them.

 

“We’re be in touch about the house.” Neal replies.

 

“Among other things.” Steve says just as she slams the door in his face. “That went well.”

 

“Well Steve you were right.”

 

Steve looks quickly over at Neal with a look of surprise. “I was? What was I right about; tell me so we’re both know!!”

 

“When you said that this whole thing was odd, well you were right, it is odd! She must be the first wife in history that knows nothing about her husband’s personal life or….”

 

“….She’s lying.” They both say at the same time.

 

“This club thing maybe it’s like one of those old boy clubs or a gentlemen’s club sort of thing.” Steve replies.

 

“I’ll talk to Ruby, if anybody knows about Clubs she will….”

 

 

 

THE 9^TH PRECINCT SQUAD ROOM THE NEXT DAY:

 

“Ruby didn’t know anything.” Neal replies as he brings Steve a cup of coffee.

 

“Thanks, she didn’t?” Steve asks surprised.

 

“Nope, hey I was surprised too I mean she’s been in the business awhile but the razor blades drew a blank. She’s going to ask around for us.”

 

“I might know someone I can ask.” Steve says.

 

“Oh, who might that be?”

 

“Her name is Gwen.” Steve replies.

 

“Gwen? Who is Gwen exactly?”

 

“She owned the escort service I used to work for back in the dark ages. She runs in a lot of different circles than Ruby.” Steve replies.

 

“You still have her phone number?”

 

“Yeah somewhere and it might not even be any good anymore but it doesn’t hurt to try.” Steve replies.

 

“Any port in the storm man.”

 

“Any help is good help.” Steve replies.

 

A few minutes of silence as Steve and Neal look thru some paperwork then Neal says, “So Steve….”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“What was it like doing the escort thing?” Neal asks.

 

“Neal there is a lot of things you don’t know about my past and if you found out some of them you may not like me anymore.” Steve says seriously.

 

“No Steve that isn’t true. I mean whatever you did in your past you did to live and you know nothing you can say or nothing you can do will ever change the fact that I love you as a best friend.”

 

Steve smiles. “That’s nice to know and maybe someday I’ll tell you and who knows that someday maybe very soon. Let’s hit the streets….partner.”

 

 

 

NEAL’S APARTMENT THE NEXT DAY:

 

 

 

“Thanks for letting me borrow your cool jacket.” Steve replies.

 

“No problem, you know Gwen must be really fond of you for her to make a special trip down here.”

 

“It’s not really a special trip she was going to San Francisco anyway and when I told her how close we were to San Francisco she decided to stop by.” Steve replies.

 

“So where are you going to dinner again?”

 

“Bistro Toulouse.” Steve replies.

 

Neal whistles. “Wow that is the fanciest restaurant not to mention the most expensive in Oceanview, can you afford that?”

 

“I squeak when I walk remember?” Steve replies as he smiles.

 

“Don’t you ever forget anything?”

 

“No and when I quit working for Gwen I told her, if we ever met again, I would buy her a fancy French dinner, I like to keep my promises.”

 

“Well then she must be a special person.” Neal replies.

 

“Yeah she helped me out when I needed it….”

 

“Do you see anything else you want to borrow?” Neal asks.

 

“Na I don’t think so….Neal.”

 

“Yeah Steve?”

 

“I did do some pretty wild stuff when I was working for Gwen.”

 

“Like what?” Neal asks.

 

“Did you mean what you said about always being my best friend no matter what?”

 

“Of course.” Neal replies.

 

“I have some time before I meet Gwen for dinner, wanna hear some stories?”

 

“I’ll listen to anything you want to tell me Steve.”

 

“Let’s go in the living room.” Steve replies.

 

 

 

BISTRO TROLOUSE LATER THAT EVENING:

 

 

 

“Well I see that you haven’t forgotten your French.” Gwen replies as she smiles at Steve.

 

Steve shrugs. “In my profession you never know when it might come in handy.”

 

“I still can’t believe that you’re a police officer I mean look at you, still so sexy and handsome.” Gwen replies as she plays with his hair.

 

“Do you have any idea how much money I lost because you left me? To this day I still have clients that ask for you.”

 

“Really, who?” Steve asks surprised.

 

“Linda Spencer.”

 

“Linda Spencer, the one with the stilettos! Yeah I remember her; she was a lot of fun.” Steve replies.

 

“It was certainly a surprise to hear from you.”

 

“Well I was surprised that old phone number was still good, Gwen I need your help.” Steve replies.

 

“If I can help you I will certainly try.”

 

Steve pulls a Polaroid out of his pocket and he shows it to Gwen. “This has to do with a case I’m working on; we were told it has to do with some sort of club. Now we don’t know why kind of club it is or even what its name is but we were also told that these are used to identify the members.”

 

“Interesting, I will have to make some phone calls and get back to you tomorrow or so, will that be alright?”

 

“Perfect.” Steve replies.

 

“Oh my goodness look at the time I should start back to San Francisco.”

 

“Oh no Gwen it’s too late why don’t you stay with me tonight I have an apartment with an extra room.” Steve replies.

 

Gwen smiles, “You do? Well I think I just may like that we can….reminisce.” Gwen replies as she puts her arm through Steve’s.

 

“Waiter check please.”

 

 

 

THE 9^TH PRECINCT SQUAD ROOM THE NEXT DAY:

 

 

 

“Well hey stranger.” Neal replies as Steve comes into the room.

 

“Hey yourself.”

 

“Working half-days now are we?” Neal asks.

 

“Gwen spent the night and….”

 

“Oh I see that’s why you’re late.” Neal replies.

 

“Well yes and no, you see she spent the night because it was too late to drive back to San Fran….”

 

“Uh huh….”

 

“And then we started to reminisce if you know what I mean….” Steve replies.

 

“Uh huh….”

 

“And before we knew it BAM! The night just flew by and I need my beauty sleep you know….” Steve replies.

 

“Uh huh….”

 

“Anyway she said that she would help us and this morning she was making phone calls and she got a hold of a bartender that she uses for her shindigs and he knows about the razor blades.”

 

“Oh cool! What did he say?” Neal asks.

 

“About what? Is there any coffee?”

 

“Steve about what? About the razor blades what have we been talking about here?”

 

“He wouldn’t say anything about the razor blades over the phone he wants to meet with us….” Steve replies.

 

“Uh huh….”

 

“….And he wants a little scratch….” Steve replies.

 

Neal sits down on the corner of the desk and he crosses his arms over his chest. “Okay how big of an itch are we talking about here?”

 

Steve takes a deep breath, “$150 dollars.”

 

“WHAT!!!”

 

This causes the other Detectives to stop whatever they had been doing and look in their direction.

 

“What!!!” Neal says a little softer. “A $150 dollars! You….you didn’t agree to that did you?”

 

“Well yeah….”

 

“WHAT!!!”

 

Again the other Detectives look in their direction.

 

“You agreed to pay an unknown informant $150 dollars, when we don’t even know if this guy is legit or if he is shining us on? Steve in the last year all the money I have paid out to our good and legit informants doesn’t even add up to $150 dollars!!”

 

“Gwen gave us this guy and I trust Gwen. I’ll pay half and if you’re short we can get the rest out of petty cash!”

 

“Petty cash?” Neal replies.

 

“Yeah petty cash.”

 

Neal goes over to his desk and he opens up the bottom drawer and he takes out a box and he opens up the lid then he takes out a slip of paper.

 

“I.O.U. ten dollars signed by S. Perry! I.O.U. five dollars signed by S. Perry!!! It’s all I.O.U.’S there is no money, it might as well be called Perry’s Cash!!!”

 

“I was going to replace that….” Steve replies. “Neal I had to make a decision….”

 

“A decision involving money, my money that you didn’t ask me about!!” Neal replies.

 

“You weren’t in my bedroom this morning!”

 

“If I were I would have said no!!!” Neal replies.

 

“Neal I had to act quickly on this guy he might be the only source we have to figure this thing out there wasn’t time to ask you….I’m sorry but you didn’t always tell me we have to strike when the iron is hot? Right now this iron is burning hot!!”

 

“Yes I did say that and I also said to make sure that your source is a good one….”

 

“I know.” Steve replies.

 

“But I also remember teaching you to trust your gut instinct and so far it hasn’t been wrong….when are we suppose to meet this cat?”

 

Steve smiles. “In a couple of hours at the Old Wharf Restaurant.”

 

“Alright we have to stop at the bank so I can take out $75 dollars.”

 

“Yeah!!” Steve replies as he slaps Neal on the arm.   

 

“We better leave now at this time of day the bank is usually busy.”

 

“Thanks for trusting me Neal.”

 

“All we have is each other, let’s go.”

 

 

 

THE OLD WHARF RESTAURANT:

 

 

 

“Steve don’t touch my fries with your grubby hands.” Neal replies.

 

“What do you take me for some sort of smuck? I washed my hands!”

 

“When?” Neal asks suspiciously.

 

“Back at the hamburger place when you got the food!” Steve replies.

 

Neal points a French fry at Steve. “You know I’m trying to impart into Joey the importance of good hygiene, that boy doesn’t want to wash his hands for anything.”

 

“I am not Joey and you don’t have to impart anything to me and I washed my hands so now can I please share your fries?”

 

“Why didn’t you get your own when we were at the fast food place?” Neal asks.

 

“I didn’t want any then but I do now so may I?” Steve asks.

 

“Yeah man go ahead, when is this guy supposed to be here?”

 

“Anytime now….hey don’t look now there he is.” Steve points to a guy hanging around wearing a jacket and a hat. “He told me that he would be wearing that hat, just sit tight he’ll come to us.”

 

It took him awhile but he finally made his way over to the car and when he got to the passenger side window he stopped.

 

“Steve?”

 

“Yeah man get in the backseat.” Steve instructs.

 

The guy gets in the back and almost immediately Neal starts to drive away.

 

“So man how’s its going?” Steve asks.

 

“It’s cool do you have the money?” The guy asks.

 

Neal glances up in the rear view mirror. “Hey man cool your jets we want the info first….”

 

“….Then you get the money.” Steve replies as he holds it up in the air as he looks back over his shoulder then he tosses the Polaroid into the back seat. “Tell us about that.”

 

The guy picks the Polaroid up and he looks at it. “Yeah man I’ve seen this before the club is called Razor West.”

 

Neal looks over at Steve. “Well that makes sense so man where is this club?” Neal asks.

 

The guy shrugs. “I don’t know.”

 

“You don’t know.” Steve repeats.

 

“You know the name of the club but you don’t know where it is? I thought you bartended there?” Neal asks.

 

“I do man but it’s one of these moving clubs it doesn’t stay in one place.” The guy replies.

 

“It moves?” Steve asks.

 

“Yeah man it moves.” The guy says.

 

“So this club is on wheels man is that why it moves?” Neal asks.

 

The guy looks at Steve. “Is he always such a smart-ass?”  

 

Right then and there in the middle of traffic Neal slams on the brakes which causes cars behind them to slam on theirs then a slew of car horns begin to blow then Neal turns around and he grabs the guy by the collar of his jacket and he pulls him to him.

 

“Look you little prick I didn’t want to pay you in the first place and unless you come across with some real good info I’m going to toss your ass out into traffic and those people are pissed!!” Neal replies.

 

“Steve! Help me!”

 

Steve shrugs. “It’s his car man.”

 

Neal shakes him a little harder. “Give!!”

 

“Alright man cool it! I was going to tell you that when they needed me they would call me and tell me where they were going to be and I would show up there.”

 

“Why all the big secrecy, what is the big deal?” Neal asks.

 

“I don’t know man all I know is the cats that run the joint are weird!! The people that come to the club are weird, rich but weird!!!”

 

“Why are they weird?” Neal asks loudly.

 

“Because they’re gay!!!” The guy yells.

 

By now Steve has been deflecting the traffic around them and when the guy blurted that out Neal dropped him and he finally moved the car over to the curb.

 

“That explains a lot.” Steve replies.

 

Neal turns back around. “What is your name?”

 

“Kenny.”

 

“Alright Kenny look man when are they going to call you again?” Neal asks.

 

“Soon man I mean they have their little get-togethers once a week or so.”

 

“Okay Kenny this is what you are going to do when they call you, you call me because we want Steve here to attend that shin-dig.”

 

“Oh no man it doesn’t work that way.” Kenny replies.

 

Neal and Steve look at one another. “Okay Kenny how does it work?” Steve asks.

 

“In my profession I meet a lot of rich people and when I work certain places they approach me and they want to know if I know of any….special places where they can meet….special people and when I tell them yeah they want to know how they can join those places.”

 

“Kenny!” Steve replies.

 

“You have to be invited to join Razor West you just down show up I mean they want very rich people and no offense man but you look far from rich!” Kenny points out. 

 

“Don’t worry about that man let us take care of that.” Steve replies.

 

“Continue Kenny.” Neal prompts.

 

“Well I think I have found a likely candidate I called them up and tell them and they check them out.”

 

“Alrighty then Kenny call these guys up tomorrow and tell them that you met a very rich Portuguese

that is interested in joining the club and then you call me, here’s my card and fifty bucks.”

 

“Fifty bucks man where’s the rest of it?” Kenny asks.

 

“You’re get the rest later.” Neal says.

 

“Look man I’ll got tell them something more than he’s a rich Portuguese they are going to want to know why’s he’s rich….”

 

“Okay Kenny tell them this.” Steve says as he scribbles on his notepad then he rips the page off and he hands it to him.

 

“Uranium mines?” Kenny replies.

 

“Yeah man the Azores are lousy with Uranium mines it just so happens that I own a few of them and you can tell them that my name is Stephen Perriera.”

 

Kenny looks at Steve. “Alright man I can do that.”

 

“Make it sound convincing Kenny old man.” Neal replies.

 

“And like I said we’re take care of the rest.”

 

Kenny nods.

 

“Alright Kenny stay in touch we have a lot of work to do.” Neal replies.

 

“Yeah Kenny later man.” Steve replies.

 

Kenny gets out of the back of the car and they watch him walk off.

 

“Back to the Precinct we go….”

 

“And straight to the Captain we go.” Steve replies.

 

 

 

THE REGENCY HOTEL PENTHOUSE SUITE TWO DAYS LATER:

 

 

 

“I hope these clothes are rich enough looking.” Steve replies as he looks thru his clothes.

 

“Wear those diamond cuff-links and that diamond stud in your ear and you will be good to go! That was nice of Wendy to plant that story in the paper about that rich Uranium mine owner visiting Oceanview.”

 

“That it was and it’s nice to have a reporter on our side right Neal?” Steve asks.

 

“I will admit that she did come in handy and Kenny came thru as well, he played you up so much that they couldn’t help but be interested.”

 

“I just hope that he didn’t over do it since we still don’t know what we have here.” Steve replies.

 

“Oh I don’t think that he did.”

 

“I’m just amazed how fast all of this came together.” Steve replies.

 

“Well it doesn’t hurt that the Captain knows people and that the Police Chief knows people too. Are you ready for dinner yet?”

 

“Yeah how does this look?” Steve asks.

 

“Well speaking as your chauffeur I think you look great….”

 

Just then there was a knock at the door which caused Steve and Neal to look at one another.

 

“I’ll get it.” Neal replies as he walks over to the door and he opens it and when he does he is handed an envelope by the bellboy and after Neal tips him he shuts the door.

 

“It is addressed to you.” Neal replies as he hands it to Steve.

 

Steve opens it and he pulls out a letter then he tips the envelope over his hand and a razor blade on a chain slides out.

Steve opens the letter and he reads it out loud, “Mr. Perriera we cordially invite you to an enlightening evening at Razor West tomorrow night at eight p.m. on the Yacht Golden Spear slip number 42. Please wear the razor blade necklace as your pass onto the Yacht. We look forward to seeing you there.”

 

“Well I think you just got in, why do you look worried?”

 

“I don’t like going into this thing blind I mean I don’t know whose going to be there or what’s going to happen….” Steve replies.

 

“Well we do know that Robert Whitehead and Trevor met there and whatever goes on there it was enough for Trevor to blackmail him.”

 

“Maybe Trevor caught him with another woman in a compromising position?” Steve replies.

 

“Could be….come on let’s go to dinner and talk strategy.”

 

“Good idea.” Steve replies.

 

 

 

THE GOLDEN SPEAR YACHT SLIP 42:

 

 

 

“Don’t be nervous.” Neal replies.

 

“I’m not nervous.” Steve replies.

 

“That’s a good thing because we are here. Remember your rich so don’t be surprised by anything you see.”

 

“Yes I know….Neal.”

 

“Yeah.” Neal replies as he looks back over his shoulder at him.

 

“Aren’t you going to get out and open the door for me?” Steve asks.

 

“Oh….oh yeah!!”

 

“Don’t forget your hat.” Steve replies.

 

“Oh yeah.” Neal replies as he puts his hat on before he gets out of the car then after he does he opens the rear passenger door for Steve.

 

“Good luck sir.” Neal replies as he tips his hat to him.

 

It was easy access because at the door all he had to do was show his razor blade on a chain and he was let in to the Yacht were ten other people were holding drinks and mingling and almost immediately he was approached by a older man.

 

“Hello I am number 77.” The older man says as he shakes Steve’s hand.

 

“I am number 12.” Steve replies.

 

“Do I detect a slight accent?” The older man asks as he smiles at Steve.

 

“Yes I am from the Azores.”

 

“Wonderful! May I buy you a drink?” The older man asks.

 

“Yes I think that would be alright.” Steve replies.

 

 

 

THREE HOURS LATER:

 

 

 

“Wow look at all of these business cards you got tonight.” Neal replies as he puts them in a small stack. “So this is sorta like where guys go to seal that big deal with sexy women dancing half naked on tables?”

 

“No.” Steve replies.

 

“No?”

 

“No.” Steve replies. “There are no women.”

 

“No women?” Neal replies.

 

“No women.” Steve repeats.

 

“So all the men sit around smoking cigars and drinking brandy?”

 

“You left out the part about holding hands and flirting.” Steve replies.

 

“What, holding hands and flirting?”

 

“Yes Neal it’s a private club for gay men.”

 

“WHAT!! I thought Kenny said the owners were gay?” Neal replies.

 

“I asked him about that and he said that he never said that.”

 

“But….but he did, in the back seat of my car!!!” Neal points out. 

 

“No he meant that the men that came to the club were gay.”

 

“Oh so we were….”

 

“….Wrong.” They both say at the same time as Steve nods his head.

 

“Oh so wait that means that Robert Whitehead was gay….”

 

“Exactly.” Steve replies.

 

“So that is what he was trying to hide….”

 

“Exactly.” Steve replies.

 

“And that means his marriage was just a front that is why they didn’t have any live-in servants!”

 

“Exactly.” Steve says again. “If you look at all of those guys’ business cards there are some of Oceanview’s high rollers.”

 

“Oh my god I had no idea that he was gay or him!!” Neal exclaims.

 

“That is why this club exists supposedly so the gay men can go there in secrecy and safety and mingle and you know….because if it got out and that these pillars of the community were gay they would be ruined!”

 

“So it is the perfect environment for blackmail.”

 

“Exactly and that Yacht had private rooms but I’ll be willing to bet that they aren’t that private.” Steve replies.

 

“So….did you go up into one of those private rooms?” Neal asks as he winks.

 

“Neal what do you take me for?” Steve asks.

 

“Well according to this stack of business cards these guys think you are pretty hot.”

 

“I am the exotic dark eyed beauty from the Azores remember.” Steve replies.

 

“Well somehow I doubt that Robert Whitehead just being there is what got him blackmailed he had to have done something and it was probably with Trevor….”

 

“And there are probably photos.” Steve replies.

 

“I have an idea.”

 

“Oh Neal I hate that gleam in your eye.” Steve replies.

 

 

 

THE GOLDEN SPEAR YACHT SLIP 42 A WEEK LATER:

 

 

 

“Bingo Steve makes contact!”

 

Neal replies as he watches the action on the deck of the yacht thru his binoculars as Steve approaches and talks to the guy they planted on the yacht. He also watches as Steve lights the cigarette for the other person and he continues to watch as they have an animated conversation and then the guy motions upwards to where the private rooms are located and in the next minute or so Steve nods his head and they turn away from the deck railing as they head toward the private rooms.

 

“I hope they have film in their cameras.” Neal replies.

 

 

 

 THE REGENCY HOTEL PENTHOUSE SUITE TWO WEEKS LATER:

 

 

 

“Steve you need a wife.” Neal points out.

 

“Oh well do you have anybody in mind?” Steve asks.

 

“Yeah I do actually she is well educated, cultured, very smart and very beautiful.”

 

“Ruby?!” Steve asks happily.   

 

“No not Ruby she isn’t a cop!”

 

“So I can overlook that fact!” Steve replies.

 

Neal takes a deep breath. “I was thinking of Beverly…”

 

“Beverly? Neal she is already married.” Steve replies.

 

“No, no I don’t mean married in the real world I mean married for pretend.”

 

Steve looks at Neal with a blank look then Steve replies, “What?”

 

Neal takes a deep breath. “The blackmailers, whoever they might be might really come after you hard if they find out that you have a wife!!!”

 

“Oh! Gotcha! Well I would think after all the time I have spent with Joe at the club they would have some great shots by now and speaking of the club any info yet on who owns it?”

 

“Nothing I mean these people are slick, every time I think I get close I hit another dead end.” Neal replies as he shakes his head. “Where are you going?”

 

“I have to get ready for my big night with Joe.”

 

“Joe again, I think I’m jealous.” Neal replies.

 

“Oh don’t be jealous remember Joe was your idea!” Steve points out.

 

“I know that but I didn’t know you were going to be spending all your time with Joe!!”

 

“I have to make it look good and besides I like you differently than I like Joe.” Steve replies.

 

“You do?”

 

“Of course I do!!” Steve replies. “While I’m gone you can work on getting me that wife, talk to Wendy and plant another story in the paper and then you can also find out who owns this club.”

 

“You are planning to come back to the Hotel room this time aren’t you?”

 

“I might last time we were followed so that will be even better!” Steve replies.

 

“Yeah better, that’s easy for you to say you’re out running around all over the place, having fun and I’m stuck here slaving over hot paperwork!! Making phone calls, coordinating things you’re suppose to be my partner not Joe’s!!!”

 

“Ah Neal it’s all in the name of Justice.” Steve replies as he pats Neal on the back.

 

“Ah damn I hate when you say that!!!”

 

Steve laughs. “I better get ready.”

 

 

 

THE REGENCY HOTEL PENTHOUSE SUITE ONE WEEK LATER:

 

 

 

“Neal where’s Beverly?” Steve asks.

 

“In the shower why?” Neal replies.

 

“Because I want to thank her because we finally got this from the blackmailers.” Steve replies as he holds the envelope up in the air.

 

“Oh let’s see what they have to say.” Neal replies as he takes the envelope and he opens it. Inside is a note and a photo. “Look what we have here!”

 

“Let me see! Let me see!” Steve exclaims.

 

“Now that is what I call a photo! Wow Steve that is just amazing….”

 

“Actually Neal I think the picture should be turned this way.” Steve replies as he turns the picture.

 

“Wow!!! I didn’t think that was possible.” Neal replies as he looks at the picture.

 

“You have to be very limber.”

 

“I’ll say what does the note say?” Neal asks.

 

Steve opens the note. “It says they want to have a meeting tonight at the Seacliff Restaurant and to bring the photo.”

 

“Very smart to have a blackmail meeting at a public place so the blackmailee won’t cause a scene.”

 

“Oh I just love these sort of cases where I can use my acting ability!” Steve replies.

 

“Just don’t over do it Steve.” Neal replies.

 

“Over do it? I have never over done it! I just let my natural charm come thru!”

 

Neal shakes his head. “Alright you better start now to pick out your outfit for tonight’s performance.”

 

“Good idea!”

 

 

 

SEACLIFF RESTAURANT LATER THAT EVENING:

 

 

 

Steve was shown to a table in the back and already sitting at the table waiting patiently for him was a well dress young man and when the young man motioned for Steve to join him Steve did.

 

“Mr. Perriera I see that you received my note.”

 

“Yes I did and this picture but I don’t understand….” Steve replies.

 

“Let me explain it to you is this a picture of your wife?”

 

Steve takes it and he looks at it. “Yes, yes it is.”

 

“And how do you think she would feel if she saw this picture?” The man asks. “Does she know about your hobby? How about your family in the Azores? I bet a man in your position knows a lot of important people I doubt they know about your….personal sexual preferences, do they?”

 

Steve shakes his head. “No, no they don’t.”

 

“So I am sure that it would come as something as a shock if they would to receive this photo in the mail of you and your best new friend Joe in a rather compromising position don’t you think?”

 

“Give me that picture!!” Steve exclaims as he reaches across the table.

 

“Oh no I don’t think so my friend….”

 

“I am not your friend!!!” Steve exclaims.

 

“Ah don’t say that I was hoping that we could be friends….” The man says as he reaches out to touch Steve’s hair but Steve bats his hand away. “I mean after looking at all of the pictures of you and Joe I would love a crack at you myself.”

 

“I’m leaving!!!” Steve replies as he gets up from the table.

 

“Oh I wouldn’t because if you do I send this and a lot of others to all of your people, your business associates, wife, family but it is very easy to make this and me….go away.”

 

Steve slowly sits back down. “Why are you doing this?”

 

“Because I can.” He simply replies. 

 

“What do you want from me?” Steve asks.

 

“$15,000.”

 

“$15,000! That’s crazy!” Steve says loudly.

 

“How much is your reputation worth?” The man replies as he holds up the picture. “I know you can afford it.”

 

Steve runs his fingers thru his hair as he looks at the table. “Yes alright I will pay what you ask.”

 

“Wonderful….have it in cash by this time tomorrow.”

 

“No….”

 

The man sits up straighter. “No?”

 

“I meant that having that amount of cash by tomorrow is….is impossible. I need a few days.”

 

The man thinks about this for a minute. “Alright you have until Friday to get me the money, small bills do you understand?”

 

“Yes I do. What kind of man does this?” Steve asks.

 

“A rich kind, see you on Friday.”

 

THE SEACLIFF RESTAURANT FRIDAY:

 

 

 

Steve takes the envelope out of his jacket pocket and he slides it across the table at the man. “I do believe you are what they call a bloodsucker, there’s your money.”

 

“I will trust that it is all here?” The man asks as he takes the envelope.

 

“Of course.”

 

The man slips the envelope into his coat pocket. “Very good, well Mr. Perriera I shall be seeing you at the Club and perhaps we can have a private room of our own?” The man replies as he smiles at Steve.

 

“I doubt that.” Steve replies.

 

“Oh don’t be that way I will be seeing you.” The man replies as he gets up from the table.

 

Steve watches as he walks away from the table. “Oh yeah man I will be seeing you and a lot sooner than you think.”

 

Neal staked out in the parking lot watches and waits as the man leaves the restaurant and even before he can get to his car Neal jumps in front of him.

 

“Hey man how’s it going?” Neal asks as he adjusts his chauffeur’s hat.

 

“Get out of my way.” The man asks as he moves to the side but Neal follows him.   

 

“Oh no can do man see you and I have some serious business to discuss.” Neal replies.

 

“I don’t know you….” The replies as he again he makes a move to the other side but again Neal follows him.

 

“Well that doesn’t matter because I know you and your car is ready to go.” Neal replies as he motions to the limo parked close by.

 

The man glances over to the limo. “Fuck you man I’m not getting in that car….”

 

“Wanna bet?” Steve says from behind him as he sticks his gun in his ribs. “Come on man don’t cause a scene, get in the car.”

 

The man decides that he is outnumbered so he does as they ask and with a little help from Steve and Neal he gets in the backseat of the limo with Steve.

 

“What’s your name?” Steve asks.

 

“My number is….” The man replies.

 

Neal turns around from the driver seat. “He asked you your name not for that stupid number on the razor blade.”

 

“Yeah man we have to know your name so we can put it in our report.” Steve replies.

 

“Report what report?” The man asks.

 

“And of course for the Indictment.” Neal replies.

 

“Indictment?” The man replies loudly.

 

“Oh yeah sure extortion is a crime you know.” Steve points out.

 

“A big crime.” Neal replies. “Prison big crime.”

 

The man looks from Steve over to Neal. “You guys are….?”

 

“Oh yeah we are.” Steve replies as they show him their badges.

 

“Oh hey look guys I….I don’t want to go to Prison!! I was only doing as I was told!!”

 

“What is your name?” Steve asks again.

 

“Brad.”

 

“Well Bradley we would like to know the name of the person who gave you your orders.” Neal asks.

 

“I….”

 

“Bradley you work for us now and working for us is the only way to save your ass from the grey-bar Hotel!! So give!!!” Steve replies as he hits the back seat causing Brad to jump.

 

“Steve don’t scare the guy! Excuse my partner he is a little high-strung.” Neal replies.

 

Steve moves closer to Brad as he tries his best to become one with the backseat.

 

“I want the name of the owner of the club!!” Steve says.

 

“I don’t know the name of the owner, I’ve never met them, and I’ve never seen them!!”

 

“Can you find out Bradley?” Neal asks.

 

“I….I don’t know maybe.”

 

“We are your get out of Jail free card Bradley so you better find out!!!” Steve says loudly.

 

“Alright! Alright! I’ll do it just back off man!!” Bradley pleas.

 

“Did you just say back off? Back off? Didn’t you say to me that you wanted us to get a private room so you could have a crack at me? That you wanted to be friends?” Steve says loudly.

 

“I was wrong okay I’m sorry!!”

 

“You better not play us man!” Steve replies as he points his finger at him. “And don’t even think about blowing town!!”

 

Bradley shakes his head. “Oh no man I won’t I swear!!”

 

“Because Bradley you can run but you can’t hide!” Steve replies.

 

“He is right man the last thing you will ever want is us coming after you.” Neal replies.

 

“So do we have a deal?” Steve asks.

 

“Of course.” Bradley reaches into his pocket. “Do….do you want your money back?”

 

“Keep it, it has to look good.” Neal replies.

 

“Oh yeah sure.” Bradley says.

 

Steve reaches around and he opens the passenger side door. “Alright Bradley get out….” Steve points his finger at him. “….But keep in touch!!”

 

“How….how do I get in touch with you?” Bradley asks.

 

“I’ll be at the club or you can call the Regency Hotel and ask for the penthouse got it!?” Steve replies.

 

“Yeah man I got it!”

 

“Now get!!!!” Steve replies loudly and then a second later Bradley practically falls out of the car and as he runs away he trips and falls, he picks himself up then he takes off running again.

 

Steve laughs as he shuts the passenger door.

 

“You enjoyed that didn’t you?” Neal asks.

 

“Oh hell yeah I love being the bad cop for once!!” Steve says happily.

 

“He made a pass at you didn’t he?”

 

“How could he not he was impressed with the pictures.” Steve replies.

 

“Did you just hear yourself?”

 

“Yes I did let’s go!” Steve replies.

 

“Where?”

 

“To talk to the widow Whitehead of course.” Steve replies.

 

“You know Steve every time we have talked to her in the past she didn’t know anything.”

 

“Well maybe we can jog her memory.” Steve replies.

 

“You think that maybe she had something to do with this?”

 

“Weirder shit has happened.” Steve replies.

 

“True let’s go.”

 

 

 

 THE WHITEHEAD ESTATE:

 

 

 

“Well detectives I almost didn’t recognize you I didn’t realize that it was Halloween.” Marilyn replies when she opens the door.

 

Neal holds his chauffeur’s hat as he looks at Steve.

 

“We were working undercover.” Steve replies.

 

“As what human beings?” Marilyn asks.

 

Steve and Neal look at one another as Neal shrugs and Steve looks at the ground. “Maybe we deserve that.” Steve replies.

 

“Maybe?” Marilyn replies.

 

“Alright we do deserve it but we need to talk to you.” Neal replies.

 

“Please.” Steve replies as he looks at her with those puppy dog eyes of his.

 

Marilyn thinks about this for a minute. “Alright come in.”

 

Marilyn leads them in the living room. “Would you two like a glass of brandy?”

 

“No we’re still on duty.” Neal replies.

 

“So what do you want to know now?” Marilyn asks.

 

“Marilyn we know that your husband was gay.” Steve says.

 

Marilyn laughs before she takes a drink of her brandy. “Oh my god….”

 

“Marilyn aren’t you tired of lying and covering up for your husband?” Neal asks.

 

“We also know that the name of the club that he attended regularly is called Razor West and that Trevor attended the same club….”

 

“And that they had an affair and Trevor was blackmailing him….” Neal replies.

 

“That day Trevor came here to collect and your husband was tired of paying him and we both know how that ended.”

 

Marilyn slowly sits her glass back down then she leans heavily on the table “It has been so hard….so hard on me and in many ways detectives I am glad you found out.” Marilyn raises her head and she looks at them. “Yes it’s true that Bobby was gay and it is also true that he attended that club Razor West but Trevor was a one time thing but it didn’t matter because by then the damage was already done.”

 

“You mean the blackmail?” Neal asks.

 

“Yes.” Marilyn replies as she rubs her eyes. “I am so tired.”

 

“Here sit down.” Steve replies as he helps her to sit down then he joins her on the sofa.

 

“So that was why you didn’t have live-in servants they would have found out that your marriage was a sham….” Neal replies.

 

“No!” Marilyn says loudly. “No it wasn’t a sham!! Maybe at the beginning but that soon changed he came to love me and to rely on me! I loved him too and we would do anything for each other.”

 

“Marilyn tell us how you met him.” Steve replies.

 

Marilyn smiles at the memory. “I was working at a men’s clothing store and Bobby had been a regular customer and we would always talk and then one day he got up the nerve to ask me to dinner.”

 

“When did you find out that Bobby was gay?” Neal asks.

 

“After he asked me to marry him.”

 

“And you still married him?” Steve asks.

 

“Yes detective I did, you see Bobby explained everything to me. He needed a wife and he thought I would be a perfect match for him, it started out to be one way and then about a year later it changed.”

 

“Changed how?” Neal asks.

 

“We fell in love with each other, I know that sounds strange to you but it did happen and I didn’t marry him for his money.”

 

Neal scratches his head. “Let me get this straight, you two are married and Bobby is living a double life?”

 

“Yes.” Marilyn replies.

 

“Man this is confusing.” Neal replies.

 

“No not really.” Steve replies.

 

“What?” Neal exclaims.

 

“I mean at first he needed a wife to make his life look straight but in reality he wasn’t straight and what started out as a possible sham turned into a real romance and eventually he couldn’t do without Marilyn, right?” Steve says as he looks over at Marilyn.

 

“Yes exactly!!” Marilyn says happily.

 

“Oh brother.” Neal replies as he rubs his forehead.

 

“Bobby was a good man and he wasn’t born rich detectives. He worked very hard for all of this and he came back to the community that he grew up in and he did so many good things for them. Built a new school and if everyone had found out about Bobby he would have been ruined he didn’t deserve that.”

 

“Marilyn….” Steve replies as he takes her hand. “We’ll keep this to ourselves we don’t want to hurt Bobby’s legacy but we need to find the owners of this club so we can shut them down, there is no telling how many people they have blackmailed or will continue to blackmail.”

 

“I don’t know who the owners are and I was shocked when I found out that Bobby was being blackmailed.”

 

“Are there pictures?” Neal asks.

 

“Oh yes Bobby burned them but of course Trevor returned with more and each time the amount would go up.”

 

“Of course.” Steve replies as he looks at Neal.

 

“We’ll get them Marilyn you can count on that.” Neal replies.

 

Marilyn nods her head. “Bobby always said that your reputation is what you leave behind.”

 

“I think he was right, we would like to see the books for the Boutiques if that is alright with you.” Steve asks.

 

“Of course.” Marilyn says.

 

“We will have them back as soon as we can.” Neal replies.

 

“You don’t think that I had something to do with this do you?” Marilyn asks.

 

“Marilyn we are under an obligation to look at every possible angle….” Neal replies.

 

“….And this is just another angle.” Steve replies.

 

“I’ll get them for you.” Marilyn replies as she goes into the den.

 

 

 

THE 9^TH PRECINCT SQUAD ROOM TWO DAYS LATER:

 

 

 

“So the books were clean?” Steve asks.

 

“Squeaky.” Neal replies.

 

“Naturally.”

 

“Ruby has been to these Boutiques and she told me that there is an office there.” Neal replies.

 

“Well I am sure but I doubt there’s going to be anything there.”

 

“There isn’t I mean payroll is done from a third party that is what Marilyn said, the office is for the manager etc.” Neal replies.

 

The phone rings at Steve’s desk. “Detective Perry. Oh he did….” Steve replies as he scribbles something on a notepad. “Thanks a lot bye.  That was the Hotel guess who called?”

 

“Who as if I didn’t know.” Neal replies.

 

“Bradley.”

 

“Oh with good news I hope.” Neal replies.

 

“Just the best news ever….let’s go.”

 

 

 

KAY PRICE’S RESIDENCE A FEW DAYS LATER:

 

 

 

“Ms. Price?” Neal asks to the lady who opened the front door.

 

“Yes I am Ms. Price; oh you’re here to clean up after my dinner party! You’re right on time but the servant’s entrance is in the back, thank you.” She says as she tries to shut the door in their faces but Neal is quicker as he jams his foot in the path of the door.

 

“Not so fast.” Neal replies.

 

“Excuse me if you don’t remove your foot I will call the Police!”

 

“You’re little bit late lady.” Steve replies as they show her their badges.

 

“Yeah we’re already here now please open the door.”

 

She opens the door wider and Steve grabs her hand. “We’re from the 9^th Precinct….”

 

“….And your under arrest.”

 

“Under arrest for what!!! I’ll have your badges you don’t know who your dealing with!!”

 

“Oh yes we do and you’re under arrest for Extortion….” Neal replies.

 

“Extortion!!!???” She says loudly.

 

“To some people it is better known as blackmail.” Neal replies.

 

“Blackmail!!!???” She says loudly again.

 

“Sshh you don’t want your dinner guests to hear now do you?” Steve replies.

 

“You’re insane!!!” She replies.

 

“You know Detective Schon after you have heard that for about the millionth time it loses it’s sting don’t you think?”

 

“I would say so Detective Perry. Would you like to do the honors?” Neal asks.

 

“Oh no Detective Schon you may do the honors.”

 

“You have the right to remain silent….”

 

 

 

THE 9^TH PRECINCT SQUAD ROOM A DAY OR SO LATER:

 

 

 

“Well there you are finally! Where have you been?” Neal asks.

 

“I took Joe out to lunch you know to say thanks for all the hard work.”

 

“Again with Joe.” Neal replies as he shakes his head.

 

“Yes again with Joe and Monica did a great job too. I am glad that Monica is a make-up artist because she did a great job making Joe up to look like a guy! I mean it even fooled me from a distant! In a few hours Joelle became Joe!!”

 

“Well Joelle is pretty and it took a lot to make her ugly but it did work.” Neal replies.

 

“Well it made everybody in the club think that she was a guy and that was all we needed. So let’s go over our notes.”

 

“Kay Price certainly told an interesting story.” Neal replies.

 

“That she did and let that be a lesson to you Neal don’t piss a woman off.”

 

“Do tell I mean this whole thing started because her husband left her.”

 

“Neal her husband didn’t leave her for another woman he left her for another man! I mean I bet that really pissed her off good!!! I mean it is bad enough to have your husband leave you for a younger woman but when he suddenly turns gay and leaves you for a younger man!!!”

 

“Steve….”

 

“Yeah Neal?”

 

“People just don’t suddenly turn gay you are or you aren’t, it’s that simple. It’s like one of your girlfriends suddenly leaving you for another woman.”

 

Steve laughs. “That would never happen! I know how to satisfy a woman!!! So anyway Kay became upset because her husband left her for another man and she hit upon the idea of an exclusive club that caters only to gay men….”

 

“Yeah but what it doesn’t say in the small print of the membership clause is that the club is solely for blackmail purposes. Her form of revenge.”

 

“Well revenge is a good business I mean that’s how she afforded that house she used to live in, that car she used to drive and that is how the Boutiques got off the ground.” Steve replies.

 

“Yeah poor Marilyn she was shocked I mean what a double whammy.”

 

“Yeah her husband dies; her business partner was putting money back into the company that they own together from money that she had blackmailed from her husband.” Steve shakes his head. “If I hadn’t been involved in it I would never believe it.”

 

“Yeah you and me both.” Neal replies as he takes the report out of the typewriter. “Kay is going away for a long time and we have a few well deserved days off, so what are you going to do?”

 

“Oh not much just spend it with my best friend.” Steve replies as he glances over at Neal.

 

“Oh your new best friend Joe?” Neal replies sarcastically.

 

“No my old best friend Neal. They are showing old movies at the Rialto and I got us two tickets to see Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for tonight.”

 

“Really?” Neal replies as he perks up.

 

“Yeah and you can eat your popcorn and your Goobers….”

 

“And we can share a big drink?” Neal replies.

 

“Two straws!” Steve replies as he holds up two fingers.

 

“Ah Steve I’ve missed you!”

 

“Ah Neal I’ve missed you too.”

 

“Well you guys give it a break already you sound so gay!!!!” One of the other detectives yell from across the room.

 

Steve glances over at Neal then he yells back across the room. “Well it wasn’t a sudden thing let me tell you!!!” Then he looks back at Neal smiling. “How was that?”

 

“Perfect Steve just perfect. Okay sign your report and I’ll turn them into the Captain.”

 

Steve signs it with a flourish then he hands it to Neal.

 

“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid huh?” Neal replies.

 

“Oh yeah.” Steve replies as he nods his head.

 

“They remind me of you and me….”

 

“….They were crazy too!” They both say at the same time.

 

V7V7V7V7V7V7V7V7V7V7

 

“Hey Neal….watcha doing?” Steve asks as he comes into the office.

“Nothing.” Neal replies as he tries to conceal the fly swatter behind his back.

“You killed him didn’t you?”

Neal looks down at the fly. “Yeah I did but it was quick I don’t think he suffered.”

“I only thought Joey and Ruby got upset over killing a fly?” Steve replies as he puts his hand on Neal’s shoulder.

“What can I say except that I am human?” Neal replies as he shrugs.

“Let’s find a matchbox shall we and give him a proper burial.”

“Good idea partner.” Neal replies.

“And this is Victor 7 over and….”

“….Out!” Neal replies.

“You always have to have the last word don’t you?” Steve asks.

“No I don’t….”

 

-30-

©LAB and SRP & JRNY FANFICTION 2007 to 2008. All rights reserved. Steve Perry and Neal Schon’s likenesses appear only as characters. Any resemblance to any one living or dead is purely a coincidence. This fictional story is for entertainment purposes only and for the complete enjoyment of the author and the readers. I have no permission from Steve Perry or/and the members of Journey to use their likenesses or names and this story is purely fiction and written solely for the love of things and people back in the day.  No real rock stars were injured in the writing of these stories and I put them back when I am finish with them.