Lieutenant Cotton addressed Monica, Kylie and me the next morning in the squadroom...
"You guys think you can close this case before I get married next week?" he asked.
"I certainly hope so Lieutenant..." said Monica.
"You runnin point on this Mo-Mo?" he asked.
"Yes sir..."she said.
''So what you got?" he asked.
''Here is the list of suspects we've ruled out...98 people...During the last few days, Me, Kylie and Mo-Mo have run their financials , bank account movement, credit and debit card charges and scoped out all of the places they were in the past 72 hours...We interviewed them all very discreetly and quietly and were able to rule them out...They were all uh ruh clients of our victims..."I said...
"We have traffic and street cam footage of her with this man...Courtland Conners....We know for a fact that were together at this high priced restaurant two days before she vanished and that they spent the night together at this hotel in town that same night...We have footage from the hotel of both of them signing in under assumed names and at different times, but spending the night together in the same room." said Kylie..
"Oh My God...Courtland Conners....He's a high powered Attorney and Lobbyist and he's very,very married..Go extremely easy with him....."said Lt. Cotton...
"He hasn't answered or returned any of our calls and all attempts to see him have failed...but we plan to find him and soon..." said Monica..
"Have you met with Marsha Tightbottom?" he asked.
''Yeah, we showed her our reports on all of them except one.....and she picked up the Autopsy report from Monique....we stopped by her office yesterday...She said very good, keep digging." I said.
''You didn't tell her about Myron Moore...Oh My God, Him? The President of City Council?? Recently divorced President of City Council..Why?" asked Lt. Cotton...
"Because she's sleeping with him..." said Monica..
Lt. Cotton's eyes got wide and he began to laugh....
"WHAT??? YOU KNOW THIS MO MO!!! HOW DO YOU KNOW IT?" he asked..
"I'm A Detective Lieutenant...You trained me yourself...Do I have to tell you how I find out things? My sources?" she said..
I smiled...
"Damnnnnnnn girl...you're good....This explains so much....Like how she got that cushy job with the Mayor.Moore is his boy...He can't run for another term, but he's grooming Moore to run when his term is up, This explains sooo much! But you must be keeping that under your hat for a reason...." said the Lieutenant...
"Nate and I don't have any footage of him and her from this week, but we found a credit card charge for a hotel room on the day we say she went radio silent...The day before she died there was no phone calls from her on either of her phones and no transactions on any of her cards.. She was literally not seen for 48 hours ,until we found her dead...So we need to talk to him closely..." said Monica.
"Because of his personal relationship with her...We didn't want him or her together...So we kept this from her....."I said.
"Okay...Check out that hotel room...Take some C.S.I. people with you...and find Courtland Connors. Marsha Tightbottom isn't giving you too much of a problem is she..?" he asked..
"Actually, I don't know how to say this...but she's been kind of nice...We have the reports ready when she comes by and she leaves after she reads them...I thought she'd be all up in our crime scenes, wanting to go to every interview, but she hasn't." said Kylie...
"Yeah Monique told me she's been complimentary,
even apologized for calling her your Bang Poodle.." said Monica.
"Bang Poodle?? What the hell is that?" said Lt. Cotton,laughing...
"It is funny, but don't say that around my sister...She'll go ballistic!" said Monica.
"I can't see your sister, remember? Until the wedding day!"said Lt. Cotton...
"You'll be okay boss, until next week...It's just a few days..."Said Kylie..
"Hang in there Lou...I know what you're going through..." I said, smiling...
"Crack this case for me." he said and walked away!
II-
Monica and I staked out the area around Aqua Port, we found the room that our victim had stayed in with Courtland Connors...
Monique and her C.S.I. people were already there when Monica and I got there...
"This is definitely the room and you guys are in luck...You don't usually catch a break like this.." said Monique..
''How is that?" I asked...
"There has been a shortage in the housekeeping staff this week ,so this room hasn't been cleaned since they left...We are able to get fingerprints and DNA evidence....They were definitely here...We found condoms in the trashcan, an opened container of KY Jelly....and hair and semen on the bedspreads....You get a DNA sample from him and we can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt they were in this room." said Monique..
''We know they were in this room...We have film footage..." said Monica..
"They ordered room service...Twice....Two Burgers, Fries and A shake that night.... two Omelets, Hash Browns and two tumblers of coffee the next morning...The styrofoam plates are in the trash can...We really did catch a break..."I said.
"He was the last known man to be with her....Something else I learned about him.." said Monica..
''What is that?" asked Monique..
"Nate and I did some digging...He represented a Russian businessman named Igor Stravinsky...Rumored to be Russian Mafia...He helped him get into the country, get a work visa and a place to stay...This guy was in the construction business and was trying to get a construction contract to build some Condos and Lofts in Little Norway and on the Coast of the City...It was a million dollar deal...He and City Council President, Myron Moore were in heavy negotiations and they met several times over the past year..." said Monica.
"Our little trollip was sleeping with both of them, for price..."I said.
"We think Igor may have been the one that had her on the street...If she was one of his girls..We plan to talk to him soon." said Monica.
III-
Meanwhile , in another part of the city, an entire other conversation was taking place...
Marsha Tightbottom was meeting with a certain Russian named Igor Stravinsky as we spoke..
She sat in a Tony Russian Bistro sipping some champaigne.
A giant Stretch Limosine drove up....A Short man in a black suit and horn rimmed glasses got out....The Limo left...
This was Russian Businessman, rumored to be gangster, Igor Stravinsky...
Marsha Tightbottom raised her glass....He walked over to her ,looked around and sat down...
He felt her breasts.....
"I BEG YOUR PARDON!!" she said, angrilly removing his hands...
"I was checking for a wire.." he said...
''The Hell you were...You just ask me the next time!" she said angrilly,turning beet red.
"I am sorry, but I don't give a damn about your sensitivity....I do care about spending time in a federal prison..." he said.
"Don't you ever take liberties with me like that again!!!!...I'm not your little thousand dollar a night hooker.." she said.
"No? How much would you go for Marsha?" he asked.
"Oh My word!!!...This damn interview is over.I'm Not Your Bang Poodle!" she huffed.
"Sit down Marsha....SIT DOWN!!! Don't make me get loud in here.. I own this place....If I get loud...I would hate to think what some of my employees might think...Please sit down..." he laughed..
She sat back down...Now she was a little worried..Igor was a dangerous man!
"The Police! Tell me about the investigation." he asked.
"The two detectives are very good....They have been working the case hard...They have a latent fingerprint and a lot of DNA....but it's not in the system...Something will pop soon. I'm keeping an eye on them." she said.
"Good because I don't want anything to screw up my negotiation with the mayor..If he gives me that contract to build those Lofts and Condos ...it could mean millions....Millions of straight,clean money.." he said.
"To hide your dirty money right Igor?The dirty money from your whores and your package that's on the street...right? You may fool the Mayor and Myron and even Courtland Connors, but you don't fool me..I know who you really are." she said.
"People that know too much, often meet with bad ends...Just ask Valerie Checkov." he said.
"You killed her didn't you?" asked Marsha Tightbottom...
''Actually, I didn't.. She was my best girl....She made me a lot of money and got me a lot of influential contacts...People who helped me with my business...I want her killer behind bars as bad as the cops do...That way I can continue my business with the Mayor.." he said.
"They'll get whoever is behind this...And if you are behind this Igor...I hope they nail your ass to the cross.." said Marsha..
"I get the impression you don't like me..." he laughed...
''What gave you that impression?" she laughed..
"Your boyfriend likes me.." he laughed...
"We like you too Igor!..." I said as Monica and I walked up with five uniformed policemen...
''We have some questions we'd like to ask you Igor...Downtown!" said Monica..
He looked at Marsha...
She shrugged her shoulders...
"What can I tell you...They're good." she said and smiled...
He gave us no problem...He stood up and we walked him out ....Neither Monica nor I said anything to Marsha Tightbottom...We didn't know what she was doing here talking to him and we expected to hear an ear full from her about not giving her a heads up about us grabbing him..
We didn't care, but this is why we didn't like functionaries looking over our shoulder...
IV-
Igor Stravinsky sat stoic in the Interrogation room nicknamed "The Fishbowl" by detectives...
He didn't ask us a thing...
Monica offered him a bottle of water, which he drank down and then tossed in the waste basket...
I showed him a photo of our victim, Valarie Checkov....
''Do you know her Igor ?" I asked..
He looked at the photos...
"She is a very pretty girl...I don't believe we have ever met." he said.
"That's not true Mr. Stravinsky....You know her quite well...She worked for you....In your other life...Not as a businessman....but as a pimp! Isn't that right? We know all about you, so let's cut the crap!" said Monica ,who had scanned his mind...
He smiled and looked at me...
"Your wife has a very smart mouth....There are other things that that pretty mouth of hers would be better suited for." he said.
"So you do know her! Did you kill her? Or Have her killed?" I asked.
"Do you think I would tell you ,even if I did?...but I didn't..I didn't kill her and I didn't have her killed...I had no good reason" he said..
Monica nodded to me...
He was telling the truth.....
Just then...We heard another voice..
"THIS INTERVIEW WITH MY CLIENT IS OVER!!!" came the voice of Courtland Connors, the high powered Attorney we had been looking for ,for two days and who had not returned our calls.
"Well I'll be damned Mo-Mo...Look who it is...Mr. Courtland Connors...."I said.
Monica looked at him...
"Sit down Mr. Connors.." she said.
"WHAT IS THIS?" he asked...
"SIT DOWN!! I'M NOT ASKING YOU,I'M TELLING YOU!!" said Monica loudly...
The Attorney sat down.....I smiled...My wife was actually quite sexy when she was in bad cop mode...
"Mr. Courtland, Do you know this girl?" I asked and showed him photos of Valarie Checkov in life and her death scene....
"What is this? No...Of course not." he said.
"Okay stop with the lying..."said Monica , who showed photos of both of them checking in to the hotel, two nights before Valarie was found dead...Photos of them walking down the hall together...and fingerprint evidence and other things taken from the room....
"This is a debit card receipt from the local drug store....You bought condoms and KY jelly.....we have your prints and your DNA as well as hers from the room you two shared...We know you were the last known person to be with her alive..."said Monica..
Igor Stravinsky busted out laughing...
Courtland Connors looked sick, like he wanted to throw up....
"Look, I'm married...I have three kids...please...please...Yes.. I was with her...My wife thinks I was away on business...We were together that night and most of the morning...We left together and when we left.. She was alive...I swear....I had no reason to kill her...It was the only time I ever did this..." he said.
"Lying again...You slept with her and two other young ladies supplied to you by Mr. Stravinsky here on several occassions...Must we pull out more photos?? More Credit card receipts...?? ...." asked Monica.
"Look, we are murder police...We don't care about that or Mr Stravinsky's
other profession...but we do want to know who plunged a knife in this
girl's side." I said.
"It wasn't me! It wasn't me.....I didn't kill her, I swear....It was the best sex I've had in a long time...I made a date to see her again...I swear....I didn't kill her!" said Courtland Connors....now in tears.....
Lt. Cotton, Detective Kylie White and Marsha Tightbottom were watching from outside the room by two way window...
Lt. Cotton laughed...
"Those two are good, they work with such rhythm....If anybody will get the truth out of them...Those two will." he laughed..
"This was a slam dunk...We had been looking for Courtland Connors for two days and he kept ducking us.. When he found out we had his client...He had to show up...Now we got em both!" said Kylie..
Marsha Tightbottom laughed..
"Lieutenant, you should be very proud of those two...They're even better than I suspected..." she said..
Both Lieutenant Cotton and Kylie were surprised at such praise...Coming from her...Back in the fishbowl
"I swear....I swear...after our night together...I left....I
went home, shaved and showered and I was with my wife and kids...We went out to dinner and we took in a play, a children's play, you can check it out..." he said.
"We already did...."said Monica.. She nodded to me...She had scanned his mind...He was telling the truth!
"You and your client can go....Don't either of you leave town anytime soon." I said..
Both men got up.....Courtland Connors was visibly un nerved....Igor Stravinsky laughed...
Monica whispered to me..
"They're both telling the truth...Neither of them killed or her or knows who killed her...Courtland's alibi checks out and Igor doesn't need one...He didn't do it either!" she said.
''So we are back to square one..."I said.
Marsha Tightbottom approached us...
"Great work detectives...You'll ruled out a number of people....Surely you must have another suspect..." she asked.
"No, but we are still hunting." said Monica..
''You sure?" said Marsha ..."No Other suspect?" she asked, looking at both of us...We both stared back at us, Poker faced!
"They were our last two...Now we've got to start all over again...Find out what this person did on the last day of her life.."I said.
"Alright! Keep me posted." she said and walked out...
Lieutenant Cotton scratched his head...
"I don't know what to make of her.."said Kylie...
"I'm starting to.." said Monica..
"Well Ms. Primary...what is our next move?" I asked..
"We talk to our only suspect left....The President of City council...Mr. Moore." said Monica..
"Get on it...and tread very lightly." said Lt. Cotton..
"That goes without saying." said Monica. She looked at me...I would ask you what you're thinking, but I already know.." she said.
"This girl. She comes here from Moscow...with her family...She wanted a future...Maybe all she had was her looks...She was living better here than she ever lived in Moscow or Leningrad where she also lived. She had a beautiful condo in town, she drove a brand new sports car....and look at her clothes...Top of the line...In a way, she was living the American dream...and look how she winds up...Stabbed to death before her thirtieth birthday...I'm thinking maybe if she had stayed in Russia, she might still be alive." I mused...
"You think so partner? You think she didn't find out she was nice looking and that men would pay money for a night with her until she got here? Think again....S he knew...Girls like her know...That's how they know to hook up with men like Igor Stravinsky....She knew him before her family came here...How do you think they got here in the first place? Look, I understand what you're saying partner and I know how you feel...I do...But the reality is...She could have died just as quick in Russia or the U.S. doing what she was doing...Either physically as she has or spiritually." said Monica.
"That's the tough cop talking isn't it?" I asked..
"No baby, this is your Mo-Mo talking to you....and being honest with you...That's just the way it is..I would never lie to you baby....I'm your wife and your partner!" she said.
1 comment:
I love these two...They d work well together!
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