Rip Tide - Robert F Clifton (red white and royal blue hardcover txt) 📗

looked inside at the neatly stacked frozen Stouffer Meals, selected a meat loaf dinner, read the heating instructions opened it and placed it in the microwave oven. After entering the time he pushed START, then stood back and waited the required nine and a half minutes. When it was finished he took the meal to the kitchen table and sat down to eat. Just as he was about to take his first bite the telephone on the wall began to ring. Wallace reached back, lifted the receiver placed it to his ear and said, “Hello”.

“Sorry to bother you Captain, but I got all of the belongings of the victim and was turning them over to the Property and Evidence Clerk when I heard a man ask about his missing daughter”.

“And?”

“And I went into the Detective Bureau and stood by while he attempted to make a missing persons report”.

“What do you mean, attempted?”

“When he gave a description of his daughter I realized that he was talking about his daughter”.

“And?”

“ The man is Douglas Harris. The daughter's name is Pauline. What I want to know sir is do you want me to take him to the morgue to see if he can make a positive identification?”

“Good work Carol. Yes, take him to the morgue. If he identifies the girl see if you can make arrangements later to inquire about his daughter”.

“Will do”.

“Wait a minute. Did you safeguard the girls belongings?”

“Yes sir. I even got a receipt”.

Wallace laughed as he replaced the receiver. Turning to his meal he took a fork full of mashed potatoes. “Son of a bitch! The damn things cold.

Damn air conditioner”.

Two days later members of the Major Crime Squad sat quietly waiting for Detective Carol Myers to speak. Wallace looked around the room, then said. “Looks like everyone is here Carol. You can proceed”.

“Thank you Captain. First, I want all of you to know that at this time the parents of the victim are still too distraught over the loss of their daughter and the fact that she was murdered. I was however able to talk to the younger sister and ascertained the following. The victim is known as Pauline Harris. She is a Caucasian female age eighteen. She is also the daughter of Douglas Harris a local attorney and his wife Meridith, a local socialite.

Pauline was born and raised in Nautilus Beach, attended the local schools and graduated from Nautilus Beach High School last year. She enrolled at Rutgers University where her major was Liberal Arts. She was also active in drama. She recently began modeling with the Nautilus Beach Modeling Agency owned by Erica and Derrick Butler”.

“Have you followed up on the modeling agency?”, asked Wallace.

“Not yet sir”.

“Alright proceed”

“Thank you. At the time that the body was discovered she was wearing a Kalinka, black metallic cocktail dress. I researched that particular dress and found that the retail price for that garment is one thousand, two hundred and fifty dollars”.

Myers carefully removed the black dress from a bag marked with the case number. “Here is the dress. Even in this condition once cleaned it would be worth approximately, five or six hundred dollars. And, as you can see, it contains some sand. Quite a bit it seems”.

Wallace looked at the dress being held by Detective Myers. “I wonder what else it contains. Send it to Forensics. Tell them I want a complete microscopic and chemical analysis. In short, every test possible”.

“Yes sir'.

“Anything else?”

“Yes, also found on the body was a Rolex, Rose Gold, self winding wristwatch. I found that the watch was a graduation gift from her parents. And, that's all I have to report at the moment”.

“Does anyone have any questions?”, asked Wallace.

“Yes. Can anyone explain what a metallic dress is?”, asked Tom McKenna.

Myers looked at Captain Wallace. “Go ahead Carol. Right now it looks like you're going to be the lead detective”, he said.

Myers smiled. “A metallic dress or garment is made with a very thin metal strip, such as gold or silver. The wires are then woven into the fabric. Because of the cost of gold, designers are now using copper wire or silver wire. By looking at this dress I'd say that it has mostly copper wire and just a small amount of silver”.

“Is there anything unique?”, asked Wallace.

“Not really. I do notice that the copper and silver wires were braided. Other than that, nothing”.

“Very good. Follow up on the modeling agency and as usual give me your written report”.

“Yes sir”.

After the squad left his office Wallace dialed the number for the lab. He waited patiently for someone to answer. When they did he asked for Lieutenant Campo. In a few minutes he heard her voice. “Lieutenant Campo”.

“June? Wally. Are the photos taken of the dead girl found on the beach printed?”

“Yes. You should have a set by now”.

“Maybe so, but I don't have them”.

“Shoot. I'll get a set right to you. In fact, I'm on my way”.

Ten minutes later, June Campo knocked on the open office door. “That was quick”, he said.

“Sorry about that Captain. It seems you can't get good help these days”.

Wallace smiled. “Have a seat. There are a few things I want to talk to you about”.

Lieutenant Campo sat down from across the desk.

Wallace looked at the black and white photographs, looking, studying them. “This is New Hampshire and the beach, right?”

“Yes sir”.

“And here, on the left side of the body is the rock jetty?”

“Yes it is”.

“Did anyone measure the distance from the body in relation to its position with the jetty?”

“Yes sir. It was exactly thirty seven feet nine inches”.

Wallace smiled as he wrote down the facts. “Excellent. What I want to talk to you about is the cocktail dress we're sending to you for an examination. I want you personally to do the analysis. I know that your people are good, but I also know that you're the best. I don't want to chance loosing a case as the result of a mistake either in the lab or in court. I hope you don't mind”.

“How can I say no? You out rank me and at the same time you compliment me. No problem Captain. I'll see to it”.

“Thanks June”.

“You're welcome.”

After Lieutenant Campo left his office Wallace placed official report paper in his typewriter and began to compose his account of the investigation up to and including the morning briefing. As he sat mentally recalling the events of the investigation his thoughts were interrupted by the ringing telephone on his desk. Lifting the receiver he placed it to his ear then said, “Major Crime Squad, Captain Wallace”.

“Good morning Captain. I am Erica Butler. The talk on the street is that one of our models, Pauline Harris was murdered and that you are directly responsible for the investigation into her death. Is that correct?”

“Yes it is”.

“Excellent. What I am calling about is the fact that Pauline was wearing a very expensive dress. A dress that was provided for her in keeping with her modeling assignment. I was wondering just when the dress will be returned to us”.

“That's hard to say. Right now the dress and other items in the case are now evidence. You could be looking at a year or more”.

“Really?”

“Yes, I'm afraid so”.

“What you don't know is that the dress belongs to someone who

loaned it to our agency and will want it back”.

“And what you don't seem to understand is that the wheels of justice turn very slowly”.

“Please Captain, don't be rude”.

“I didn't know that I was. If so I apologize. However, let me advise you in this matter. If you have a lawyer have him talk with the county prosecutor. Now, unless you have any further questions I'll say good by.

Incidentally, one of our officers will be arriving to ask you and your husband a few questions”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Two

The Merry Wives

 

Detective Carol Myers took a seat from across the desk of Captain Wallace. Once comfortable she opened a small, blue cover notebook and began to report. “ First, I want you to know that Erica Butler is a bitch and I'm speaking nicely”.

“I got the same opinion when I spoke with her on the telephone”, said Wallace.

“Any way, between her interrupting me about the designer dress and her threats to sue you, the police department and the City of Nautilus Beach I did manage to get her to answer a few questions. First, the Nautilus Beach Modeling Agency is owned and operated by Derrick Butler, her husband and herself. Primarily their function is to supply models along with a fashion show for the wives and daughters attending conventions here in town. The fashion show last about two hours. Each model is paid two hundred dollars an hour, or four hundred dollars per show or day. Of that four hundred dollars the agency takes twenty per cent from the model or eighty dollars. The client pays such expenses such as the room, seating, decorations and so forth. The minimum fee for a fashion show with five models is five thousand dollars”.

“Interesting”, said Wallace.

“Wait it gets even better. The five models are all local house wives.

All, financially established in their marriages. It appears that all of them work as models as a side job, or activity. For instance, Mary Ann Bell, is married to Harvey Bell, C.E.O. of the Regional Bank here in town. Charlotte Devine is Married to Doctor James Devine a dentist. Hilda Speck is married to Doctor Howard Speck, physician. Martha Hanes is married to John Hanes, stock broker and Amanda Wells is married to Harry Wells. Lawyer. At the same time all of these women are involved in local society, garden clubs, benefits and charities. In short, none of them need to work at any job or profession let alone model”.

“Are they really attractive enough to be models?”, asked Wallace.

“Oh yes. Each woman is captivating in their own way. For instance. Mary Ann Bell was second runner up in the Miss New Jersey Pageant.

She was offered a position with a top agency using photographer models.

“How old are these women?

“Between thirty two and thirty six. Interesting that you brought up their age Captain. It appears that longevity is very short in the profession. So much so, that Erica Butler did say that conventioneers are now requesting teenage models for the fashion shows because more and more of their younger daughters are attending the conventions. Actually, that is why Pauline Harris was hired”.

“Just Pauline?”

“It's my understanding that Pauline was the third young woman hired. Two others quit”.

“Do we know why?”

“Not yet”.

“Do we know who they are?”

“Again, not yet.

“O.K. what about the Butlers?”

“Both came out of Philadelphia. We're checking with the police there. Also we will be contacting N.C.I. C. ( National Crime Information Center).

“Alright stay on it. If you need anything let me know. Meanwhile Myers, good work”.

“Thanks Cap.”

After Myers left the office Wallace made written notes on the yellow blue lined paper tablet on his desk, notes that he would transcribe later in an official report. As he did the telephone rang and he answered it. “Major Crime Squad, Captain Wallace”.

“Hello Captain. This is Doctor Wescoat. I thought you would like to know the results of the autopsy so far on Pauline Harris”.

“Of course. At the moment I want to know if she drowned”.

“The answer to that is, no. I did not find any water or any signs of water in her lungs”.

 

“Then I assume the cause of death was strangulation”.

“Yes, but there's more and I do believe that what I found in addition might be beneficial to your investigation.”

Wallace hesitated before speaking, then said, “ May I suggest that we get together this evening and discuss your findings over dinner?”

“Excuse me Captain, but I'm under the opinion that you are a married man”.

“Who told you that?”

“I have my sources”.

“Then contact you sources and let them know that I'm divorced”.

“Really?”

“Tell you what, if you accept my dinner invitation I'll bring my divorce papers for you to read. Is it a date?”

Wallace listened to the laugh in