“Messieur Jakobs, zere is someone ‘ere to speak wiz you.”
“Thanks, Fleur. Please show him in,” I replied evenly. Jeez, it’s too early Monday morning for this.
Fleur turned making the edges of her couture dress float just about her knees and called in the client. I re-adjusted my tie, preparing for my new client. A very well dressed young man came in and sat down. His skin color suggested a mix in blood, possibly Black and Asian. He wore a cool, ivory, tailored suit; his hair was short.
“Kai Jakobs—Private Eye,” I said holding out my hand.
“Toby Nalo-–Attorney,” Toby said, shaking my arm with a confident handshake. Despite his poised nature, he was troubled. There was a slightly nervous and hesitant look in his eyes. I eyed the wedding band on his hand, and another ring with a blood-red, tear-shaped ruby.
“That’s a very nice ring. Family heirloom?”
“Yes. It’s from my wife’s side of the family. She actually has the matching bracelet and necklace,” he said, a tad confused.
So much for casual conversation.
“So, what are you in for?”
“My wife. She was shot last night, on the outskirts of town. She wasn’t killed, thank god, but she’s in a coma. The police are on it, but I don’t think they are doing anything to help me find an answer. I want to know who did it.”
I nodded knowingly.
“So, your wife…okay, well, tell me about yourself...you know: background, how you met your wife, who you know, and any possible suspects in your mind,” I said, leaning back in my chair. The rain outside pattered menacingly on the office windows.
“Well, I don’t know where to start…” he said hesitantly. He was clearly uncomfortable giving names.
“Anywhere you want.”
“Okay…my wife, Julie, and I have been married for about a year now. We meet four years earlier, but I wanted to get through law school and get a stable job before tying the knot. I met her through my friend, Roxy. They were roommates at the University of Oregon in their senior year. Roxy introduced us at a holiday party about two years ago. Julie and I started as just friends, but after a few months we started dating. We liked each other a lot, but Julie was engaged to…ummm…what was him name…oh, yes, Malcolm Raye, sorta a shady guy. It had been more of a family arranged marriage of sorts. Difficult to explain…I actually don’t know all the details—“
“How did Roxy feel about all of this?” I interrupted.
“Roxy was never entirely comfortable with the whole thing, I’d been her friend since before high school. She guilt tripped me a bit for breaking up Julie’s engagement and all, but I think she came to accept it. “
“I see. Anyone else you can think of?” I interjected.
“I think that Richard Smith is behind it.”
“Who?”
“Richard Smith. Julie’s and his family had a feud over some piece of property. It was creek-front property, so it was worth something and Julie’s family won out. Julie’s parents are now dead. Since she’s the only child, the property goes to her. Richard Smith, I think, tried to kill her off and take back the land that supposedly belonged to his family.”
“Hmm, that is an interesting story there, Mr. Nalo. Though your hypothesis is logical, we have no proof yet. However, I’ll keep it mind. Anything else you want to tell me?”
“No, not that I can think of at the moment.”
“Alright then, Mr. Nalo. If you’ll be so kind as to leave your information with Fleur, I’ll get started.”
We got up, shook hands again, and Mr. Nalo headed down the hall. Once he was out of sight, I opened my desk drawer, took out a gun and put it into my holster. On the other side, I hooked on my dagger, and checked that all my other gadgets were in place. All things accounted for; I moseyed my way down the hall. Just as I was stepping out of the door, I felt Fleur’s lovely hand catch mine.
“Ma petite, if you get any closer, you’ll get stabbed by something. I’ll be out today, baby. See you tonight, though.”
“Fine, ‘av it you’rrre way zen, mon cherie,” she sulked. “But tonight, you will make up forr it?”
“Of course,” I smirked as I pulled on my fedora hat.
� � � �
After a trip to the police station for the records, I drove to Malcolm Raye’s house for an inspection. From the look of the apartment building, he seemed the typical bachelor. I knocked on his door for five minutes. No answer. I even tried calling his name a few times.
As I started considering picking the lock, I heard something say, “he’s not here.” I looked around and saw no one. I eventually looked down and found a six-year-old girl hugging a teddy bear. Little kids always have things to say. She informed me proudly that her mommy said Malcolm had not been there for at least three days, and was probably not going to be back until late that night. Slightly annoyed for having come all this way, I shook off the kid and headed back out to my car. Oh well, I at least don’t have a lack of things to do.
� � � �
The scene of the crime was on the outskirts of the town where Julie went for her weekly run. I got out of my car and traveled down the gravel paved path a bit. The air was still moist with the morning rain. It smelled soggy. A bird or two twittered. I came to the spot; it had been blocked off since the night before. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Only bloody pebbles suggested something had happened here. Rays of sun unexpectedly broke lose between the clouds. The new light caused a red glint to catch my eye. I walked over and saw a teardrop ruby. The police must have missed it in the dark. I pocketed it. Just as I turned to head back to my car, I also picked up a white handkerchief with the initials “RS” carefully stitched in blue in one corner. This seemed all too convenient; it must have been planted.
� � � �
Outside, the evening was sinking into night. At Neldom’s Pub, I had already finished one drink, and was nursing another. Roxy Sax was definitely the type of woman who wore skin-tight red mini dresses. Her Latina features proved her quite the beauty. Sitting across the table from her, I couldn’t help but notice her tantalizing figure. A single strand of twisted hair framed her face nicely. Her elbow was on the table and her hand cradled her face. A cigarette was delicately placed between her index and middle fingers. Light tendrils of smoke lifted off the grey ashes.
“So, Mr. Jakobs, you wanted to talk to me?” she said apathetically.
“Only if you have something to tell me,” I answered, “but I’m here more to get a feel for you.”
“Like what you see, Mr. Jakobs?” she challenged.
“Sure do, but I already got myself someone. Have you talked to Toby Nalo recently?”
“No, not for about a month.”
“Oh, really? Well, Julie Nalo was attacked this weekend. Toby hired me to do some poking around. I’m looking for any information that will help me lead me to the perpetrator.”
“Oh my god! Poor Julie, she’s such a likable person, who would ever want to do that to her? If you’re trying to help Toby, then ask away.”
“Have you ever seen this before?” I asked holding out the slightly damp handkerchief.
“Yes…” she said. “That belonged to Richard Smith. It was his “security blanket,” or so we used to joke because he had it with him all the time. Richard’s mother gave it to him. She died young of cancer, so that handkerchief meant a lot to him. We were all friends at one point – Toby, Julie, Richard, and I. Richard and Julie’s friendship ended when their fathers got into a battle over property, or something like that.”
I looked at her. She gave a grimace of a smile.
“I never liked Richard much.”
I nodded and looked down at my watch.
“Oh crap, I’m late. I have to go. Thanks for your time,” I said, finishing the rest of my scotch in a single swallow and snatching up my fedora.
Roxy smiled mysteriously. I gulped, almost forgetting Fleur.
“No problem, big boy.”
� � � �
“Kai! Wake up, silly, we’rre going to be late,” Fleur playfully whispered in my ear. I could feel her smooth skin pressing against my back. Fleur giggled as I wrestled her up. We got dressed and grabbed some coffee and croissants before heading out. I dropped Fleur at the office and drove off to my next appointment.
Richard Smith’s house was enormous. I pressed the inter-com and gave my name to the electronic voice. I drove down the main road to the mansion. A Spanish style villa loomed up into sight. Whitewashed walls and vine-covered terraces reflected almost grey from the cloudy skies. I stopped and got out. A valet took my keys and drove off to park my car. Another middle-aged butler came to the door and led me in. My shoes clicked on the marble floors. We followed one of the two spiraling staircases up to the drawing room. Richard Smith stood by one of the large windows.
“Mr. Jakobs, welcome to my humble abode. I would have set up outside, but it’s too chilly. We need to be quiet though, since my wife just got our baby to go back to sleep.”
I nodded and glanced around the room, feeling a bit out of place, even in my suit and hat.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith,” I said holding out my hand.
He took it and shook it. I sat down and put my left foot over my right knee and fiddled with my tie just a little.
“Can I interest you in some brandy, Mr. Jakobs?” Richard asked.
“Yes, please,” I said, continuing to browse around the room with my eyes. Framed on the wall was a cross-stitched scene of a cat, the initials “RS” in the corner. Richard handed me a glass and sat down across the coffee table.
“Thanks,” I said.
“So, Mr. Jakobs, what can I do you for?” Richard inquired.
“Well, Mr. Smith –”
“Call me Richard.”
“Okay, Richard. You might have heard that Julie Nalo is in the hospital now in a coma, thanks to a gunshot to the chest this past weekend. The bullet shattered her rib, but she was cared for fast enough to be saved. I’m here because I understand that you have a certain relationship with Julie and her family.”
“Oh, I see,” Richard said. “Well, you probably know that our families had some issues back in the day. I would say that it has blown over. I don’t need the property. For my father, it was a matter of principle. It did cause tension between Julie and myself, but I would never want to hurt her.”
“I see,” I said nonchalantly. “That’s some lovely embroidery up on the wall back there,” I said motioning to the scene, “quite a skilled artist.”
“Thanks. My mother, Rachel, was very skilled at stitching. She was sick a lot and had to stay in bed. She filled her time with this hobby.”
“Oh, well, then, could you tell me the last time you saw this?” I said, pulling out the handkerchief.
Richard looked at the handkerchief in disbelief. He took it into his hands. Memories were wavering in his eyes.
“Yes. How did you get this? I lost this in a poker game in college. Long story, but I’ve not seen this since my junior year at the University of Oregon. I was really upset when I lost it.” Richard turned over the small square of cloth. “I was never expecting to ever see it again because the person who won it graduated.”
“Who did you lose the handkerchief to?”
“Roxy…. Roxy Sax.”
Everything was still for a moment as the gears started to turn rapidly in my head. It all clicked together.
“Thanks, Richard. You’ve been extremely helpful. I have to go make a call, and then I’m off.”
“No problem,” he called after me.
As I was waiting for my car to get fetched, I dialed Toby’s number on my cell phone. The dial tone buzzed. I heard the click on the other end.
“Hey, Toby? I got a question for you.”
� � � �
I knocked on Roxy’s door. She answered, wearing a form-fitting dress with long sleeves and a neckline that plunged down to her navel. Brown lace networked its way across the front. Slits up her dress revealed fishnet tights. Her hair waved down her back.
“Hi.” She smiled her mysterious smile. “Come in.”
“Don’t mind if I do, but I don’t plan on staying for long,” I answered.
I walked into her apartment. It was spotless. I sat in one of the two comfy chairs that were centered around a round table. Pictures were up on the walls. A vase of flowers stood on a low wooden cabinet by the wall. She walked in behind me and sat down.
“So, what now, big boy?” she said, lighting a cigarette. A bracelet slid down her thin wrist.
“Roxy, I’m here to make sure you don’t leave until the police come.”
Roxy looked at me incredulously.
“What the hell are you talking about? It wasn’t me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Roxy. We both know you did it. You were jealous of Julie Nalo for marrying Toby. So, you tried to kill her off so you could have Toby. Unfortunately, you botched the job and ended up just putting Julie in a coma. You hardly left any traces. I found the handkerchief, as you planned. You left the handkerchief to try and pin this whole thing on Richard Smith, assuming that he wouldn’t remember that you were the one who won it off of him in college. The other night at Neldom’s, you put on a good front, but you made a small but fatal slip. You said that the handkerchief ‘belonged’ to Richard rather than ‘belongs.’ Obviously, you knew that it wasn’t his anymore. And then there’s that bracelet--” I gestured to the bracelet on her wrist.
“You sure are barking up the wrong tree, baby – this is mine,” Roxy smirked.
“Wrong again, doll.” I took out the ruby from my pocket. “This jewel is from that bracelet that you’re wearing this very moment. That is bold of you, wearing items from the victim so close to the crime. I called Toby yesterday and he said that the bracelet is missing. It wasn’t in Julie’s jewelry box and not in the mix of personal items that the hospital gave back to Toby. That’s a family heirloom, not exactly easily misplaced. I’ve also seen the matching ring and necklace and that’s the third piece of the set.”
Defeated, Roxy slumped back in her chair.
“Fine, I did it. Julie isn’t nearly as beautiful as I am. Toby was supposed to marry me. We were friends for years, and he promised me he would marry me. Toby and I decided to ‘take a break and see other people.’ Then Julie just pops up and totes him away. I didn’t expect that. She was engaged for heaven’s sake! It wasn’t fair. But, I do not plan on sitting here and letting those nasty pigs get their hands on me. And if that means getting past you, that’s what I’ll have to do.”
Roxy pulled the gun on me faster than I expected.
“Roxy, put the gun down.”
“No. Toby was mine, and that bitch didn’t die. But I figured that even though she didn’t die, he might possibly still love me. If you snoops take me away, he’ll find out, and I’m not going to let happen.”
“Roxy, be reasonable. Julie paid with blood, and now you can pay with tears in that lovely, lonely cell of yours, thinking about beautiful Toby. But before then, I’ll take that bracelet back for Julie.”
The gun went off, missing me by three feet. I jumped behind the chair and in one swipe, took out my dagger and propelled it across the room. It smashed into the gun, throwing it from her hands as I leaped on her.
“Sorry to be rough with you, doll, but I can’t let you get away,” I half snarled.
I broke the clasp on the bracelet, and hid it away. Roxy burst into tears as the police knocked on the door. I cuffed her hands and picked up the gun and dagger.
“Good evening, gents. She’s over there. Don’t be too tough on her, she’s had a night.”
They lifted her up slowly while declaring their reason for arrest and all that bureaucratic gibberish. Roxy looked up, hair falling in her forlorn face. As the police started to lead her out, she stopped for a moment and looked at me.
“Please don’t tell him. You can say I did anything but what I did,” she pleaded.
“I’m sorry, doll, that’s not what I get paid for,” I answered dryly, snapping the dagger back into its holster.
For the last time, Roxy turned to look at me pleadingly and then was led slowly out of the apartment. I sighed and followed, closing the door behind me.
� � � �
“Fleur, mon amour, never worry about killing someone to try and get me to love you,” I murmured into her ear.
“Of courrsse not silly. W‘at make you think such silly things mon cherie?”
“Oh, you’d be surprised. Bonne nuit ma belle fille,” I answered.
“Bons ręves, Kai. Sweet drreams, my love,” Fleur sighed.