you should do Manning, check my place out for DNA related to the fingers that were mailed to those other cities. I’d haul that refrigerator of mine from my garage into your lab, see if you can find anything. Maybe c heck the post mark on th os e envelopes . Run the things for a DNA comparison with me. Something ’s bound to come together for you guys.”
“We’re already doing that,” he smiled.
“You’re catching on,” I said.
“Detective, is there any new ground you wanted to cover?” Louie asked. “ Because if there isn’t, I really think Mister Haskell has been more than cooperative, woul d n’t you agree?”
“I agree we’ve most likely covered enough ground for today, Mister Laufen.” Manning said to Louie, but he continued to stare at me.
“Then I take it you are about to charge Mister Haskell? Or are we’re free to go?” Louie asked.
Charge me? I looked at Louie, wide-eyed.
“For the time being, you are free to go, ” Manning said.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The crime scene tape was still keeping me out of my place. I didn’t think I possessed the stamina to spend a second night at Heidi’s. I was sitting in my car wondering who I could possibly call and scam an overnight from when my cell phone rang.
“Haskell Investigations.”
“Hello Dev, it’s Carol , ” she said, sound ing sultry.
Well, s urprise, surprise if it wasn’t little Miss P epe le Pew .
“Hi Carol, nice to hear from you, wow, I’ m little surprised .”
“Surprised?”
“Yeah, the last time we spoke, yesterday I think, you told me never to call you aga in. I t ’ s really nice to hear your voice. How have you been?” I figured I’d better soft peddle it since I needed a place to stay . Carol and her implanted attributes w ould be just the thing the doctor ordered.
“Dev , you’re so sweet , things have been positively wonderful. I can’t thank you enough for introducing Nicholas to me.”
“Introducing Nicholas? Carol, I didn’t introduce you two, we were out on a date, you and me. I was attempting to ply you with Cosmopolitans if you’ll recall. Th en th at Nicholas guy showed up and took my stool and the next thing I know you’re speaking French .”
“Oh, don’t be sil ly . It’ s just that he i s so different, so interesting, so, so, romantic. He’s, oh I do n’t know, so really different than you . I mean in a good way, I guess, ” she added.
That didn’t really help me.
“And, he’s been such a little gentleman.”
I didn’t want t o touch the ‘little’ line. I was hoping maybe Pepe le Pew was out of town and Carol was fishing for a little ungentlemanly behavior on my part .
“ What can I do for you? Maybe we should get to … ”
“Just a tiny favor I’d like to ask. ”
I quickly ran the list of her particular perversions through my mind.
“How can I help?” I said, then checked my face in the rear view mirror.
“I left a couple of Leonard Cohen CD’s at your place. Any chance you could run them over, tonight? Nicholas will be here sometime after …”
I decided it wouldn’t be the best idea to tell her I’d tossed them both in the trash. You’d slit your wrists before yo u finished listening to one CD from that guy, let alone both of them, totally depressing.
“… to prepare a special night . ”
“I’d love to get them to you Carol, but I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t,” sh e shot back, her charming attitude suddenly gone.
“ Look, I’d like nothing better than to help with your love life, but I can’t get them tonight.”
“Out with some bar floozy?”
“I only wish. No, I… ”
She hung up, so much for Carol and Pepe le Pew.
Against my better judgment I found myself on the front porch ringing Louie’s doorbell less than an hour later. I t was a muggy, dreadfully still evening and the two front windows at Louie’s house were open with large fans roaring and clattering. The storm door stood open in a failed attempt to collect
“We’re already doing that,” he smiled.
“You’re catching on,” I said.
“Detective, is there any new ground you wanted to cover?” Louie asked. “ Because if there isn’t, I really think Mister Haskell has been more than cooperative, woul d n’t you agree?”
“I agree we’ve most likely covered enough ground for today, Mister Laufen.” Manning said to Louie, but he continued to stare at me.
“Then I take it you are about to charge Mister Haskell? Or are we’re free to go?” Louie asked.
Charge me? I looked at Louie, wide-eyed.
“For the time being, you are free to go, ” Manning said.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The crime scene tape was still keeping me out of my place. I didn’t think I possessed the stamina to spend a second night at Heidi’s. I was sitting in my car wondering who I could possibly call and scam an overnight from when my cell phone rang.
“Haskell Investigations.”
“Hello Dev, it’s Carol , ” she said, sound ing sultry.
Well, s urprise, surprise if it wasn’t little Miss P epe le Pew .
“Hi Carol, nice to hear from you, wow, I’ m little surprised .”
“Surprised?”
“Yeah, the last time we spoke, yesterday I think, you told me never to call you aga in. I t ’ s really nice to hear your voice. How have you been?” I figured I’d better soft peddle it since I needed a place to stay . Carol and her implanted attributes w ould be just the thing the doctor ordered.
“Dev , you’re so sweet , things have been positively wonderful. I can’t thank you enough for introducing Nicholas to me.”
“Introducing Nicholas? Carol, I didn’t introduce you two, we were out on a date, you and me. I was attempting to ply you with Cosmopolitans if you’ll recall. Th en th at Nicholas guy showed up and took my stool and the next thing I know you’re speaking French .”
“Oh, don’t be sil ly . It’ s just that he i s so different, so interesting, so, so, romantic. He’s, oh I do n’t know, so really different than you . I mean in a good way, I guess, ” she added.
That didn’t really help me.
“And, he’s been such a little gentleman.”
I didn’t want t o touch the ‘little’ line. I was hoping maybe Pepe le Pew was out of town and Carol was fishing for a little ungentlemanly behavior on my part .
“ What can I do for you? Maybe we should get to … ”
“Just a tiny favor I’d like to ask. ”
I quickly ran the list of her particular perversions through my mind.
“How can I help?” I said, then checked my face in the rear view mirror.
“I left a couple of Leonard Cohen CD’s at your place. Any chance you could run them over, tonight? Nicholas will be here sometime after …”
I decided it wouldn’t be the best idea to tell her I’d tossed them both in the trash. You’d slit your wrists before yo u finished listening to one CD from that guy, let alone both of them, totally depressing.
“… to prepare a special night . ”
“I’d love to get them to you Carol, but I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t,” sh e shot back, her charming attitude suddenly gone.
“ Look, I’d like nothing better than to help with your love life, but I can’t get them tonight.”
“Out with some bar floozy?”
“I only wish. No, I… ”
She hung up, so much for Carol and Pepe le Pew.
Against my better judgment I found myself on the front porch ringing Louie’s doorbell less than an hour later. I t was a muggy, dreadfully still evening and the two front windows at Louie’s house were open with large fans roaring and clattering. The storm door stood open in a failed attempt to collect
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