Mustang Sally

A day later...I stood with my wife, Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace, Lt. Sissy Van Buren, Detective James "Jimmy"Barlow ,Detective Tyriq Pile  on a side street in South Philadelphia looking at a Red 2014 Mustang....

''Oh My God...This Car is amazing..." said Carlotta...

"You like this baby?" I asked...Never figuring Carlotta for the sportscar or muscle car type...

''Yes...I've always liked the Mustang...Mickey Lolo used to have one...He taught me how to drive in a Mustang." she said.

"This car is sweet...The plates match the car seen at the Bobby Lonigan murder scene.." said Jimmy..

"It also matches the description of the car seen leaving the double murder , a night ago of William Bonnie and Gary Lockwood." said Tyriq.

"Hop said that they got a positive match on the license plate from the traffic cam and the crime stopper camera."said Sissy...

"Whoever left this car here left by foot and in a hurry."said Carlotta...

"Yeah...the keys are still in the ignition..." said Jimmy...

Tyriq rooted around in the car....

"This is Bobby Lonigan's registration....and his insurance card and there is an ipod here....."said Tyriq...

''And look...lipstick, make up and a compact....A woman was in this car..."said Sissy...

"Two people were in this car...the seat is still warm..."said Carlotta.

Hazel,Duke and Sharon drove up just then.... Hazel put on latex gloves and looked at the car...Duke and Sharon walked up to us...

"So this is the car huh?" said Duke.

"Yeah man.."said Tyriq..

"Carlotta...This Mustang reminds me of that car that Mickey Lolo taught you how to drive in."said Sharon.

"Yes....it does." said Carlotta smiling.

"We got uniforms going in every store around here...They'll be confiscating video tape and we'll be checking on traffic cams and crime stopper video." said Carlotta...

Hazel was joined by several crime scene investigators who were dusting the car for prints...

"We'll get prints and maybe we'll get a hit.." she said.

''Well,I suppose the guys are coming down to tow this car...Nothing more we can do here." I said.

II-

When we all arrived at the office...Detectives Tony Hopkins and Sirena Pile were in the video room with two uniformed officers...They signaled us in...

''We got a hit on that Mustang... we have someone getting out of the car." said Hop...

It was a woman, a very attractive Black woman, dressed like she could have been a lawyer...

''She doesn't look familiar...Did you guys run her through facial recognition?" asked Carlotta.

"Yes...She's not a criminal...She is however an Attorney who works for a multi-national company that does business with the U.S. Military in Afghanistan and The U.S. and Chinese Governments in Hong Kong." said Sirena...

''So what is someone like that doing in a muscle car that belongs to a lowly Philly drug dealer?" asked Sharon.

"That's a real good question." said Lt.Sissy Van Buren...

"Yes Lieutenant and one that I can answer " came a voice..... Jimmy and Carlotta looked at the man walking into their office...They had seen him before and so had I..

"I know you." said Jimmy...

''You're the Bartender from Busty's the other night."said Carlotta.

He smiled..

"I'm Narcotics Detective, Ray Price...Badge number 45789...You can check it out." he said.

"That guy I slammed on the table...Was he a cop too?" asked Jimmy.

The man smiled...

"No...he was one of Anthony Hill's goons...The skirt...She's a lawyer...Her name is Sally Reynolds...She came around the bar a few times...She's a go between , a pipeline between The Ant Hill Boys and somebody...We never knew who...She'd come in...Anthony Hill himself would pay for all of the drinks..and he and her would talk quietly in a corner...Then she'd leave..." he said.

"In that Mustang?" asked Carlotta.

He smiled at her...

''No...She was in a Silver BMW. One of our guys caught the license plate number.."

''With that..We might get closer to who killed Bobby Lonigan." said Sissy.

"I don't think it was her."said Detective Price...

"Oh? Why not?" I asked.

"We had guys on her all day...She was in her suite that entire morning and then went to the spa, got her nails done and then went to Victoria's Secret...we have survielience photos..." he said.

''Well we still need to know what she was doing with that car and where she got it from." said Sissy.

"Okay..Just thought I'd pass that information on...Now could you do me a favor?  Cuff me and take me back to the bar.." he asked.

''Duke and I can do that..Those Ant Hill guys know us...Your cover will be safe." said Tyriq...

''Come on partner..We need some air...We'll pick up Ms. Sally." said Sirena.

''I'm with that." she said and they left...

Eddie C. and Detective Angie Belton walked in the office at just that moment....

"Anybody got time for lunch?" said Eddie C.

''Yes...even hard working Homicide Cops need nourishment."said Angie...

Sissy and Jimmy smiled...

"Sounds like a plan." said Jimmy.

"Yes...I know a different place we can go." said Sissy, who was in incredibly good spirits..

III-

Hours Later...Attorney,Sally Reynolds sat in 'The Fishbowl" ,the interrogation room...Sissy and I stood outside..

Carlotta had a couple of files in her hand and she and Jimmy walked in together....

"Would you like a cigarette?" asked Jimmy.

''I don't smoke." she said.

"Something to drink?" he asked...

"Oh you are just little Mr.Accomodation aren't you Detective?  I'll have some Green Tea and a Bottle of cold water."she said.

A Uniformed officer brought her both...She sat and drank the styrofoam cup of Green Tea first and then drank the bottle of cold water...As cool as a cucumber..

Carlotta still hadn't said a word...Finally, she put her files down and smiled sweetly at Sally Reynolds..

"Hello Ms.Reynolds...I'm Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace...I am so glad you came down here today."she said.

"I didn't have much choice did I?" she said sarcastically.

"You ditched a brand new Mustang a few hours ago." said Carlotta.

"What? Mustang?? I drive a Silver 2014 BMW..." she said.

Carlotta pulled out glossies of Sally Reynold exiting the Mustang and entering several stores...

''That is you and that is the Mustang in question...and this is your Lipstick and make up and compact that you accidentally left behind." said Carlotta.

"You don't know that." she said.

She had thrown the bottle of water and the styrofoam cup in the trash can and Hop had retrieved it and passed it to Hazel.

"That's you and that's the car that was seen in the neighborhood of two seperate murders." said Carlotta.

"I've killed no one and you have no proof that that was me in the mustang..." she said.
Carlotta and Jimmy smiled and got up and walked away....An hour passed and They came back...

"Ms. Reynolds....We have a DNA Match and a fingerprint match for you in that car..."said Carlotta.

"How did you get?  Ohhhhhh, the bottle and the cup...sneaky bastards...So what,I was driving the car,So what?" she said.

"So, that was the car of Bobby Lonigan...My murder victim...What were you doing driving it?" she said.

''At this point I'm going to stop talking...I want a lawyer." she said.

"I hate when they lawyer up too soon." said Sissy.

"That's okay...I just thought of something....I think I know who the killer is." I said.

Carlotta and Jimmy walked into the hallway...They were both smiling..

"Lou...we think we know who the killer is." they both said.

Sissy beamed with pride..

"I love this unit and these detectives.."

(CONCLUSION NEXT)