The Last Train From Scottsdale

Chapter Four

I awoke at seven; still in my clothes. Peeling them off, I took a shower, shaved the stubble off my face, and looked at myself in the mirror. Who was that middle aged, shop worn, man staring back? Where did those gray hairs, and wrinkles come from? Look at that wattle under  his chin. I dressed in my one and only suit and tie, and headed for the door.


  The sun felt good on my shoulders as I hailed a taxi and got out at a diner similar to Millie's back home.  Back home... Scottsdale was my home, and I was beginning to miss it, just as Millie said I would. I ate a big breakfast of hash browns, ham and eggs, and bought a paper.  I scoured the pages from front to back, looking for any item even remotely related to Frank's case and found nothing. Apparently it was under tight wraps, and limited to very few knowing about it, which was good if I was going to delve into it. I was speculating, this case was dynamite if mishandled. One wrong word and it could blow. Finishing my coffee I caught another cab to the Attorney Generals Office. I rode the elevator to the top floor ,where I found and opened the office door. There wasn't anyone at the receptionist's desk. The room was furnished government style: Old chairs lined up against the walls facing the scuffed and worn desk. I parked my fanny on a wooden chair that looked older than me. A minute later a young woman came out and was amost seated when she saw me. My silent presence startled her and she almost fell on her slim rear.





  " Oh!" She exclaimed. " I didn't hear you come in. May I have your name, please?" She said, regaining some of her composure.





  I told her, and she scurried back through the door, closing it softly. After a few minutes she returned. " Please go in , Mister Holbrook."





  The office was spacious, compared to the reception area. Though the furnishings were old, they were well kept and clean. The book cases behind the massive desk were neatly filled with law books. Two leather chairs obliquely sat in front of the huge desk, and I made my way across the room. The carpet was thick and my footfalls were silent as I approached. Ms. Black, a strikingly beautiful african-american was writing in a case folder as I neared her.





  " I see you're able to take care of yourself in tight situations." She said without looking up. Her tone was level, and unreadable, and it stopped me dead in my tracks. I wondered how she could have known so quickly about the robbery. What do you say? How do you respond?





  She closed the folder and looked up, giving me an empty stare, as if I was some trivial thought in her mind to muse, like, what she was going to have for lunch, or, what dress she was going to wear today.





" Frank said you were reliable and diligent." She shook her head." I'm wondering why you endangered yourself and the lives of those deli employees; pulling a shotgun off a 'Perp' ."  She tapped the end of her pen on the folder." That kind of thing is not what you would be doing if I decide to hire you."





  " You're right, Ma'am. " I said, swallowing to wet down my sudden dry throat. " It was a spur of the moment decision. After it was over I realized what could have happened. As Frank must have told you I recently retired."





  " Which brings me to one of many questions I have, like, was your retirement something you wanted, or, did


you have a choice of either retiring or being terminated?" Her piercing brown eyes bored into me.





  I was beginning to understand why she was considered one of the best attorneys in the state. Her no nonsense, full bore approach of getting to the meat of the subject impressed me." It was the latter." I said, returning her gaze." The new Chief and I didn't get along."   





  " By that, I would assume, you hate his guts." It wasn't a question; just an observation.





  " You could say that." I smiled.





  She pointed her pen at the leather covered chair in front of the desk." Have a seat, Mister Holbrook. We're going to cover alot of ground here about your past experiences."





  For the next hour I was grilled non-stop about my career in the Scottsdale Police Department. Marcia Black' s probing questions seemed to flow fountain-like as she asked them in rapid fire order. This wasn't an interview. It was an interrogation. I answered every one of her questions as truthfully and concisely as I could, without hemming or hawing. She didn't take notes as she asked more questions, using my answers to spring even more probing questions on me. My mind was reeling from the mental workout, and she stopped to look me over.





  " I normally don't hire someone without thinking it over more, Mister Holbrook. But, in your case, the job's yours if you want it." I sank back in my chair looking as if I'd been sucker punched by this sharp lady.





  " Thank you. I'll take it." I managed to say.





  We sat there looking at each other for a moment when she asked. " Aren't you going to ask what you'll be investigating? "





  " I figured you'd tell me when you were ready. After that interview we just had I'm still catching my breath."





  Her stone face broke into a lovely smile as her eyes danced over me. Leaning over to the intercom she pushed the button." Sally, bring in a pot of coffee and two cups."





  Seconds later, Sally, the young receptionist, brought in a tray with a thermal pitcher, two cups, and cream and sugar neatly placed on a paper doilly. We helped ourselves and I gratefully sipped it.





  " Before we get into the case you'll need to sign this non-disclosure." She said, pushing a paper in front of me.





  I looked it over and scribbled my signature at the bottom."





  She took it and slipped it into a drawer. What ever happened now I was committed. I felt vulnerable for the first time in my life. Had I bought a pig in a poke? After all, I didn't know what dangers lay ahead. All this secrecy was getting in the way of my judgement. Was I really able to handle it?





  " After you're briefed on the case you'll need to go down to the ID section and get your 'creds'. You'll be licensed to carry a firearm. Do you have one?"





  " I still have my service revolver: a .38 Special Smith and Wesson Model 10." I said.





  "That's an old weapon, Mister Holbrook. Are you sure you wouldn't like a piece with more firepower? We could issue you a Beretta Model 92, with a large capacity magazine."





  " I'm satisfied with it. I keep it loaded with Plus 'P' semi jacketed hollow points." I said. " The new automatics don't ride well on my hip, like my .38, and, I've never cottoned to the 'Spray and Pray' idea in a gunfight."





  " Spoken like a true gunslinger." She grinned." Alright, if you're okay with your artillary so am I. " She opened the file and studied it for a moment before beginning.





  " As Frank explained to you this investigation concerns a number of prominent people here in Indiana. It covers a twenty year period in which millions of dollars were siphoned out of the general fund. It's taken six months of auditing to even find the tip of the iceberg; all because it was so cleverly concealed from the public. If one of our cleks hadn't stumbled onto it during a routine audit we would never have found out."





  " Where can I find this clerk? I'd like to meet him."





  " You can't. He's dead."





  " Seem's convenient."





  " Very much so. His name was Albert Hughes. He worked for us for fifteen years, and had just completed his annual physical a week before he was found dead in his apartment . I had his body sent to Indiana University Medical for a full autopsy in their Forensics Department. Three weeks later they got the report from Toxicology. He was poisoned... Cyanide gas." Her hard stare bore into me.





  I met her gaze evenly. We both knew now what I'd be up against.





  We spent the next two hours going over the evidence. There was alot of smoke, and it was going to take alot of digging to find any fire. At the end of the briefing Ms. Black got up and walked around her massive desk to shake my hand.





  " I'm glad you're on board, Mister Holbrook. Frank knows good people when he sees them. From here on out you will report to him. Find a meeting place both of you can easily get to. I can't express how delicate this case is. If the press gets wind of it they'll tar every state department official with the same brush" She smiled as she offered her hand.





  " Thank You." I said lightly taking her lovely hand and shakng it softly." I only hope I can be of some use."





  I left her office and found my way down to the ID section, where upon telling the clerk my name he handed me some forms to fill out. After a half-hour of paperwork and posing for my picture I was handed my "creds": My picture was next to my title, with all pertinent information. I was given a shield and a wallet to carry it all in. I walked out of the building and hailed a taxi. I was starved.