Mysterywriter's Final Spring

"Very well, have a good evening."

Evidently they had a different phone for outgoing calls to the girls. All I ever heard were the incoming calls and the return of the calls. I never even heard the return of the phone sex calls. It was my guess that those were somehow transferred to another number. The group obviously had a sophisticated phone system, if nothing else. The phone sex would be all over hell and Georgia as my dad used to say, but the escort had to be local or did it. At seven fifty a pop, they could work large areas with their own car service.

I reviewed several tapes before I found the one, most of them were cryptic however that particular call and bits from a few others allowed me to piece it all together. I had no idea what the services were for the fees, which went anywhere from five hundred to a thousand bucks. None of them sounded like a blow job in an alley. I also began to give the girls some thought. I wondered who the hell they were to be worth that kind of money.

A first time phone sex caller asked it. "Where do you get your operators?"

The answer was, "Our girls are all housewives or office workers who just can't make ends meet. If you are looking for a hooker who got to old or too fat, then you need to go somewhere else. These girls do it for the money, they are not in it for love."

"My god you are brutally honest." the voice replied.

"Yes we are told to be. You can have a old fat hooker moan for you, or you can have a young house wife who has to do everything you tell her or lose her par time income. The choice is yours."

I heard only one guy say no thanks. He had to be an idiot, I thought. I gave some thought to how I could find that phone sex line. It should be good for a couple of laughs at least. Yes, it was the dirty old man in me. That train of thought was a short one.

I had enough information to confront June Silver, or enough to just make up a story to fit the meager facts. I sat smoking my cigar, drinking my liquor, and trying to decide which. As was always the case with that combination, I soon lost the ability to make a decision so I slipped into the van to sleep. With what had become habit, I had moved all the boxes to the top of the van when I first arrived. The rear of the van was mostly empty so I slept there. I was incapable of pitching a tent even if i wanted to do it.

I suppose they found me because I had filled out the paper work on my way into the camp space the night before. I sure as hell hoped that they didn't have the ability to triangulate a cell phone. No matter they drove up as I toasted a bagel in my electric toaster oven. I carried just a couple of electrical appliances. I had a toaster over, and an electric tea kettle. The oven was for all kinds of things but the tea kettle just boiled water to make coffee. I used it when I didn't want, have time to, or couldn't build a fire. Pouring the boiling water through a auto store funnel with a paper towel filled with ground coffee, made a damn good cup of coffee. Especially on a damp morning, which they all seemed to be in the south.

"Well if it isn't my two ace reporters?" I grinned broadly. Dee smiled but Mike had a painful look on his face. What's wrong Mike is Dee making you unhappy?"

"Not at all Old Man," he snapped.

"One thing sonny, you got away with that last time cause I came to you for help. For whatever reason you came to me this time. You call me old man again, and I am gonna kick your ass." He obviously had a thought to say something but decided against it.

"Does that go for me too?" Dee asked still smiling.

"No Slim, to you and I am an old man. It probably saves your ass for you to keep reminding me of it."

"Who said I wanted to be saved," She was grinning bigger than I had ever seen her grin.

Something had happened in the half week she had spent with Mike. Or maybe she was putting on a show for him. I didn't know or care at that point." Mike changed the subject.

"I brought her back yeah, but I also want to know if you want to trade information."

"You mean Dee doesn't know everything you do?" I asked it smiling at Dee. Dee had understood all along. She was grinning because she wanted to cut Mike out, but only if I had information to trade. Otherwise she wouldn't give up her information. Dee was a bit of a bitch it seemed. Damn, after she ran off with Mike at the first opportunity, the realization shouldn't have shocked me but it did.

"Tell me this you two, who came up with your information? I will deal with the one who secured it."

"I guess we both did," Mike admitted. Dee nodded her agreement.

"Okay look, I have no interest in this the way you two do. For me it is just a good yarn, it will be fiction when I finished anyway. In other words I have no problem helping either or both of you, but if you try to ace me out again, we are finished. Not only that I will try to screw you big time. One more thing I already have enough information to write my book, so I don't need yours. Just for the sake of giving it more color I will trade. Do we understand each other now?"

Dee had stopped grinning and Mike was smiling. It seemed there was a little problem in paradise. One only smiled when the other looked grim. I laughed my ass off but did it inside.

"So you go first?" Mike made it a question.

"No way junior, I don't trust you a bit."

"If I can't call you old man then you can't call me Junior, Sonny or any other disparaging names." I nodded so he went on. "Okay first of all that number is so blind I couldn't get a thing on it. So we worked on the car angle. No car service in Charlotte does any pickup that far away on a regular basis. Now you?"

"That wasn't much but okay it saved me the calls. That is because they have their own car service. The get the girls from out of town because they don't want rumors spreading around Charlotte. They don't want the girls talking about what a great gig it is where the cops might hear about it. Also the car carries them to the gig, which probably is not in Charlotte."

"How the hell do you know that?"

"I can add son... Mike. Go on." I was enjoying my superior position.

"Then it is prostitution?" Dee asked.

"Yes but a little more, anyway let's have what you got."

"The Governor's step daughter had a little too much money for her office job." Dee tossed that in.

"That fits real well with her working part time in the business." They had done a lot of the leg work for me.

"I don't understand, like you said earlier there are plenty of hookers in Charlotte?" Mike made it a question.

"That was their problem, the hookers were hookers. No class and no down home charm. They needed a different type woman if they were gonna charge enough to make it all work out. What I would like to know is how they recruited her."

"What the fuck do you know."

"Mike you don't seem to understand trade. You give me a piece of the puzzle and I give you one. That is how it works and that is what I have done."

"I don't see the picture on the box old...Deacon"

I ignored him. "You got anything else?"

"She has a hell of a portfolio of stock. Everything she touches seems to go golden."

"Every company does business with the state?" I asked it as if I had known all along.

"Jesus we didn't check. It was the money we were following, you know where did she get the money to buy the stocks."

"Take a look and it is gonna be a spider web. A company that has no connection with the state is gonna be selling his product to a company that does. You are also gonna find that she bought the stock a week or so before there was an announcement of a big state contract.

"Holy shit you think so?" Dee asked it.

"I would bet your ass on it." I grinned at her and surprisingly she grinned back.

"How do you know all this?" Mike asked.

"Thirty years as an investigator of one type or another." I said it enjoying the almost admiration in his voice. "Is that it?"

"Yes, it is enough isn't it?" Dee asked.

"Enough for what? Have you taken your eye off the ball. We are supposed to be finding out about a rape. So far we know her morals are weak, but you already knew that. The money thing is gonna be hard to prove. She probably has a couple of legit stocks mixed in there to keep the 'it's a coincidence' defense possible. I would expect krispy kreme to be one of them."

"Why Krispy Kreme?" Mike asked.

"Cops like donuts," I said smiling. "You can't go wrong in donut stock."

"I understand the story is in what she does and who she does it for?" Dee framed it as a question.

"Even more who the people are she works for, how does it works, and what if anything it has to do with the rape."

"So now what?" Mike asked.

"First of all, I want to know about that rape. Not the crap the cops know, I want to know if she was more than a random victim."

"Oh how do we find out about that?"

"Follow the money Mike. You have proved you somehow have access to her bank account and stock portfolio. Take a good look at her average deposits or purchases, then go to the month before and the month after the rape. I want to know if there was a sudden larger input of cash, I am talking a significant bump in her account."

"You think the rape was phoney?" Dee asked.

"I don't know, but we have to look at every possibility. I don't expect the local cops are good enough or were motivated enough to check her out very well. She is after all the governor's step brat."

"So when do we confront her." Dee asked almost gleefully. I realized then that Dee had a more then professional interest in the investigation of June Silver.

"Don't look so happy, so far nothing is illegal. We have proved that she has loose morals, so what. There is no story there for you, there might be for me." Might be hell, I already had my story regardless of how the rest came out.

"He's right Dee, we have to pin this thing down completely or our reputation is toast. You don't have one yet, but I do. I'll check her bank records today and let you know tomorrow."

"Let me know Mike, You two can fight over the byline. I got no dog in that fight."

"You still know more don't you."

"Actually, if you think about it, you have all the pieces."

"Okay, then I will. I will still let you know about the money," he said. "I am off."

"Mike, tape the interview then use this," I tossed him a floppy disc.

"Code?" he asked with even more admiration in his voice.

"No, but a very very obscure program. If anybody gets it, I expect it will make them a little crazy for a while at least." I smiled at him as he left.

Dee went to the car with him, but only to remove her bag. Seems she and Mike had already tired of each other. I figured it must have been why she kept smiling at me. Then again I knew she wasn't into men so I didn't read anything into it.

"What a prick," she said when she returned. "I don't have a reputation yet. That little shit is impossible."

"Well, I don't expect he plans to give you anything. So, if you know anyone at her local branch, I would make the call myself." I smiled just as wickedly as I could.

"Actually I do know someone. She shouldn't tell me but then I expect she will. I doubt seriously she would want her husband to know how she spends her weekends when he is off fishing."

"You know I thought you might have a friend." I said it smiling my charming smile at her.

"Okay, if I had a prick I would be a man. Does it make you happy that I realize it."

"Why would it?" I asked it seriously.

"Because you know yourself and think everyone else has to do the same."

"Not likely. I don't know what makes me tick at all. I just know that I do what I do, and don't often apologize for it."

"Same thing," she replied. "Let me go make that call."

"Before you do that let's pitch the tent. We can make you a little office in it, then while I record CDs, you can make your calls." Tent erection took only ten minutes with the two of us doing the lifting. She was installed on a folding chair with a twisted frame rather than legs. That was to keep the tent floor from ripping, the tarp and goodwill quilt under it kept the rocks from piercing it.

I set up my computer on the picnic table, then began the laborious task of copying CDs. I didn't even stop for lunch. Instead I heated a can of BeanieWienies.

"I ate enough of those in my childhood to make me want to throw up at the sight of them. I am going to go find real food while you play with that damn computer. If you let me drive the van, I will bring you something back."

"Good plan," I replied. "Ice, I always need ice."

"Right, I have my cell phone if Angela calls, I will let you know."

I smiled to myself wondering if she really would. I simply nodded since I wasn't overly concerned. I had my story so let them play their games. It would be better to know it all, since truth really is stranger than fiction.

"Okay, what does five grand above her regular purchases at the stock broker's mean?" It was Mike who had slipped up on me. I was surprised until I saw that his car was parked in the grass at the entrance to my camp spot. He hadn't pulled into the driveway since he hadn't seen the van or me until he was walking down the path beside the drive. I wondered if he had a search of the tent in mind. It hadn't been up when he left so it would be a tempting target no doubt..

"Beats me, but I get to make up something. You need to know for sure." I smiled at him with what i hoped didn't have too much smart ass in it.

"It has happened twice more since the Rape. My guess is that it was hush money. Somebody didn't want her to push the rape?" Mike made it a question with his voice.

"You could write it that way, and probably wouldn't even get sued. That is your main consideration isn't it. The truth is secondary to the litigation."

"What does that mean?"

"Mike reporters want a good story and not to get sued. If the truth gets stepped on in the process, what the hell?"

"So you don't think it was hush money?"

"It could have been, that's why you probably wont get sued. Hush money assumes there was some possibility of her telling something somebody wanted kept quiet. So to prove that you have to know who she was protecting."

"The rapist of course," he snapped.

"Then you are assuming that the rapist was known to her, either before or after she talked to the police. That becomes criminal either way. You are pretty much gonna have to know who the rapist was to pull it off. You do know that it could be coincidence. The governor might come up with one of those, 'It was a gift from her mother and I. We know how a single mother has to struggle, the money was for junior's education fund." She does seem to have put it in her stocks. If something like that happens, you are gonna get your paper sued. In which case they aren't going to run this without a lot of proof."

"How the hell do I prove the small town cops didn't try hard enough, and that June is a hooker who got raped by someone who could afford that kind of money."

"Mike you don't have any idea what is going on do you. I can give you ten scenarios where she wasn't raped by someone she knew, but was still paid to let it die a natural death."

"Like?" he asked.

"That shadow company in Charlotte was afraid something would lead back to them, so they paid her to just let it go. That is one possibility, or the governor didn't want the rape of his virginal step daughter to get looked at all that hard. This might not look good to some of his voters. I mean her part time gig not the rape. He can get a few sympathy votes along with a lot of mileage from a law and order plank in the platform, if it is still an open case."

"Jesus Burke, you have an evil wicked mind." He shook his head grinning.

"So how do we prove any of this?"

"What is with this we shit paleface. I can make it anything I want."

"Yes Burke, but you are one of those people to whom the truth does matter."

"It matters some Mike, but how much is still up in the air. There are only two people who know for sure," I added.

"So somebody has to talk to June Silver?" It was another one of those statements that he made questions ."You want to do it?"

"Not me Mike, like I said before I got no dog in the fight."

"Then I guess it is me,."

"Would be my guess," I replied smiling up at him. During the conversation, which took longer than it seems, I was changing CDs in the copier every ten minutes. "I have way too much work to do here."

"So where is your next show?"

"Wilkesboro or North Wilkesboro I have no idea which. It's in a mall up there."

"So where are you going to stay?. I mean, I might just want to talk to you after the show."

"After I leave here I am going to move to the Fiddlers Grove campground. You can ask anyone up there for directions. Oh, Mike see if Dee wants to go along." He nodded but none to enthusiastically.

When Dee returned, she had information about the bank accounts of our Lady. It seemed that June had hidden most of the money in stocks. There was a thousand dollar deposit in her account the same day that she purchased the stock. The exact thing happened thirty days later, and again the next month. Each time she purchased larger than usual blocks of stock.

"I think you two need to go talk to June." I suggested it while changing discs yet again.

"How about it Dee, do you want to come along or would you feel better letting me do it?"

"Why the hell would I trust you?" Dee seemed less than thrilled with Mike that day.

"Because I will be happy to share the story with you. Like Deacon says, I have no dog in the fight either."

Being quoted, even if I had stolen the line from a hundred other users didn't feel just right. "Well young lovers, whatever you decide is fine just leave me out of it." I turned my attention back to the disk making.

"Okay Dee, you are welcome to come along but I think it would have more impact if I did it alone. That is all I have to say on it, we will do whatever you want."

"How about this guys," I began just to break the stalemate. "Mike do the interview but tape it and then give the tape to Dee. She might have some good input for the next move. Mike, if you try to screw over her, I consider it the same as screwing over me. In which case don't come to me for advice."

"I don't need your advice old man," he snapped.

"Gee and I thought you were gonna turn out to be human after all. Instead you just made my arrogant prick list."

Mike left angry, while Dee went into the tent to do whatever a pissed off woman does. I continued to copy CDs on my computer. It copied super fast and I had a super fast program, but it still wasn't fast enough. I toyed with buying another outfit, just as I did every time I had to make copies late into the night. I made no decision just as I had not done either of the other times. I shut it all down after a lousy dinner of tuna salad on toast. That toaster oven was becoming my favorite appliance. Dee didn't even ask to use the van, instead she suffered with me.

After a couple of more boring days, with me making CDs and her calling everybody she ever met on the phone, we were ready to move on to the next show. The air was still cool in late May when we pulled into the Fiddler Grove campground near Wilksboro. I went to check out the mall while Dee shopped for warmer clothes. I found that the mall manager was also the show's promoter. She was the one who gave me the tour of the mall. I was set in a corner well away from the bookstore. It was probably more for the bookstore than me. I was the most upset by the no music rule. In my case it meant I couldn't play the demo to attract a crowd, not that it ever drew a crowd with it before.

Turned out I didn't need it after all. I was in the same side wing as the cookie monster. It was some kind of bakery that only made cakes and cookies. Some of which were of a size designed for walk around customers. There was a steady stream of people in and out of that wing all day. It also didn't hurt that Dee was dressed in an only slightly slutty outfit. The men stopped to look and then stopped to listen as she put the head phones on for them. Even with he almost nonexistent breasts it was somehow sexy enough to drag them into the area. I sold as many books as I had at the last two shows combined. Both of those shows had been good one for me too. It was nice to sell the CDs, but it left me having to make more before the next show.