Murder on the Mainline: Florence

"Yes, Daddy. He's a nice policeman." She smiles up at him then at her mother. Mike helps her untie her shoelaces and she runs back down to the entryway with her shoes in hand.

Marlene says, "What was that all about, Mike? You running stop signs or speeding, again?" She grins.

Mike looks at her solemnly and says, "A girl was murdered last night next to our yard in POCO by the tracks. He wanted to know if I saw anything suspicious when we came in off our run."

Marlene says, "And?"

Mike looks thoughtful and says, "I think I saw Ray leaving the yard when we came in but I'm not sure. I didn't tell him. I can't imagine Ray being involved in anything illegal. I wonder what really happened there? I wish I had an inside track on what was being done in the investigation."

"But you do. You worked in security all those years and have friends that work for the RCMP. Can't you find out anything through them?"

"None of the officers I knew are stationed here in the valley now. And none of them were involved directly with the POCO area or homicide investigations. I'll just have to keep my ears open, I guess."

"What about Nina. She works in the POCO detachment. I know she's only a secretary, but she knows what's going on there all the time. She won't discuss work much with me over coffee but she's a good friend and might give you some hints. Why don't we invite her and her husband over tonight for cocktails? It's Friday and she just might go for it."

Mike thinks about what she's said then says, "Might not be a bad idea. Call her when she comes in from work. She should be home around five. Or maybe I'll see Jeff this afternoon, when I'm mowing the lawn. I could hit him up with an invite then."

Mike gets around and gets dressed. He gets out the mower and starts working on their small patch of grass. He takes his time working on flowerbeds before starting on the lawn itself. He putters in most of the afternoon and greets the kids as they come in from school. Soon after he sees Jeff pull into his driveway two doors down and calls him over as he shuts down the mower. "Well, how's the world of high finance treating you, Jeff?" He laughs as they sit down at the picnic table. "Care for a coffee?" Mike sips on his.

Jeff chuckles and says, "Seen any sign of that wife of mine yet?"

"Not a sign."

"Okay. If the coffee's made, I'll grab a cup."

Mike steps to the door and calls, "Hey honey, can you bring Jeff a cup of coffee?" In a moment Shelly appears balancing a cup of coffee and puts it down on the picnic table. Mike says, "Thanks, Shelly. Is your Mom busy?"

Shelly says, "No, I don't think she heard you, but I did. Okay?"

Jeff is watching and says, "They sure grow up fast, don't they? I keep telling Nina we should start a family soon but she just wants to keep on working. Busy week for you this one? I didn't see your Mustang since Monday."

"Been on a run to Calgary then the Hat and back to Lethbridge then home via Number Three. Left Tuesday morning and got back in last night."

"That's a lot of ground to cover in three days. How do you do it?"

"Born to drive, I guess. Hey, I got an idea. It's Friday night and if you haven't got any plans, why not come over for cocktails about eight. We'll pack the kids off to bed early and we can have a few rounds of bridge. What do you say?"

"Oh, it's tempting. But I do have to go in to the office tomorrow morning for a few hours work. Oh hell, the office won't be open so I can go in anytime. Why not? Around eight, did you say?"

"Yep, I'll make sure I have fixings for martinis. I know that's Nina's favorite. Hey, could you guys use some apples. I got a crate in the Okanogan yesterday. They're Red Delicious so they should be good eating or canning. They're nice and firm. I'll have Marlene save you out some of the better ones, if you'd like."

"Probably right out of cold storage, I imagine this time of year. Good price?"

"Lot better than the local super market price."

"Maybe Nina would like you to get us a crate, too, if it's not too much trouble? I'll let you know tonight."

They chat a bit longer and soon Nina drives into the driveway two doors down and waves. She pulls on into the garage and walks over to join them.

She's a prim and proper brown haired, conservatively dressed and business suit clad twenty-five year old lady. As she approaches she takes off her glasses and pulls barrettes out of her hair. She shakes her head and smiles at the two men watching her. Now she looks younger and a lot less conservative. "So what are you guys plotting?" She plunks herself down next to her husband and plants a kiss on his waiting mouth.

Jeff winks at Mike and says, "Maybe we're going to be busy this evening." He looks at his wife and says, "Mike has asked us over for cocktails later and some cards. What do you think?"

Nina looks at Mike with a twinkle in her eye and says to Jeff, "If you'd rather, dear." She laughs at Jeff's consternation. "I think it'd be a great idea. It's Friday and no work tomorrow. We'd love to, Mike. I better get home and get supper on. See you later." She waves as she goes back across the intervening lawn.

Mike and Jeff finish their coffee and Jeff leaves while Mike starts the mower again. Mike finishes off the small patch of grass and goes into the house. He slips off his shoes at the side door and finds his wife in the kitchen at the stove.

Richard has music going at a pretty loud volume in his room so she doesn't hear him as he comes up behind her. He reaches his arms around her waist and cups her breasts as he leans over her shoulder. She just lets herself settle back against him and says in a low sultry voice, "I hope the kids aren't too close, lover man."

Mike grins and says, "How'd you know it was me? Might have been Jeff sneaking up on you or some tramp slipping in our door."

Marlene says, "Hmmm, I don't care who you are, just keep it up. It feels great!"

Mike nibbles at her ear as he kneads her breasts; then lets both his hands slide down her stomach and settle over her pelvis. He works the fingers there and she moans softly. "Mike, you're not going to get any supper tonight if you don't ease up. About another minute of that and I'll seduce you right here in the kitchen."

Mike just laughs and lets her go.

She quips, "You sure are in an amorous mood since you got home last night. What happened? Did one of your truck stop girls come down with the flu or something?" She's laughing but there's an edge of bitterness in her voice as well. She often claims he's seeing other women but has never caught him at it. Mike just says it's her overactive imagination.

"Are Jeff and Nina coming over this evening?" She asks because she has seen him and Jeff at the picnic table earlier.

Mike nods in the affirmative and proceeds towards the bathroom to wash up for supper. In a while he comes back with a sobbing Janet in his arms. "She says her teddy bear bit her. I think her and Shelly were fighting, but they both deny it. What do you say there, Mom?"

Marlene takes Janet in her arms and says, "Did Shelly bite you? She shouldn't do that, should she?"

She watches Janet's face as she pouts and says, "No, she shouldn't! I was only trying to help her color a picture of a rainbow. She had the colors all wrong!"

Marlene looks up at Mike and says, "Father, you better have a word with your daughter. We don't allow biting around here." Mike looks pained but heads for the girls' bedroom.

He enters and Shelly doesn't look up. She's busy coloring a picture. Mike clears his throat and begins, "Mom says you should be punished for biting your sister. What do you think?"

Shelly turns belligerent and stammers, "Janet's a tattle tale! She should be punished for that and for trying to ruin my picture." She holds the picture out to Mike.

Mike takes the picture and studies it. "You drew this picture?" He sees a family represented on the paper with a rainbow overhead and a dog roaming in the background. "Who are the people?"

Shelly takes the picture and points to each individual. "That's Mommy and Daddy in the middle, that's Rick behind you and that's Shelly and me behind Mommy. And that is Spot."

"Spot?"

"I guess it would be nice to have a house out in the country and a dog. That is what I would like."

"Why did you draw my nose so close to Mommy's?"

Shelly looks down at the floor and says in a low voice, "Because you're arguing."

Mike looks shocked and says, "But why would you want to draw a picture of Mommy and me arguing, honey?"

Shelly looks afraid now and says she has to color the picture. Mike sits down on the edge of the bed and watches her. "Do you think we argue a lot?"

Shelly says in a quiet voice. "Yeth." She catches her breath and Mike detects a sob in her voice. "I hears you at night, sometimes, like last night downstairs."

Mike grins and says, "We weren't arguing. We were kissing and rubbing noses. We were playing roughhouse like you and Rick sometimes do. It was our way of saying we were glad to see each other again."

He explains, "Once in a while we argue but not very often. It's like when you and Janet argue because she wants to color the picture her way and you want to color it your way. You both think you're right so you argue. Some times your mother and I have the same problem. She thinks she's right and so do I. But we usually can figure out a way to make us both happy so the argument is over. Why don't you try that? You could draw a picture for Janet to color so she could do it her way and you could color yours the way you want. Wouldn't that make you both happy?"

Shelly brightens up and says, "Yeah, that's a good idea."

Mike then looks her in the eye and says, "Now, what about the biting. What punishment would be the best to prevent you from doing that again?"

"I'll tell Janet I'm sorry and draw a picture for her."

"I think you better promise me it won't happen again and be serious about it. Biting is not something nice little girls do. How about it?"

"I promise I won't bite her again, Daddy. Honest, I won't!"

"Okay. Now I have one more little problem. Why did you tell me you weren't fighting? That was a lie, wasn't it? I think for lying you had better go to bed right after you've had supper. Nice girls don't lie, either. No TV tonight for either of you, since you both lied to me. I hope you will learn not to lie any more. Do you understand why I'm punishing you?"

"Yeth, Daddy. It's because we lied. I promise I will always tell the truth from now on, Daddy."

Mike returns to the kitchen and finds Janet licking out a bowl in which had been icing. He watches her and Marlene says, "Well, how did your little talk go?"

Mike speaks up so both can hear him. "Shelly has promised not to bite anyone again. How's your arm, princess?" he says to Janet.

She looks up and says, "It's okay. It just hurt for a little while. All better, now." She goes back to cleaning out the bowl.

Mike goes on, "She is also being punished for lying to me. She said you two were not fighting. I think that's what you said, too. Wasn't it, Janet?" She just works steadily at the dabs of icing as if she doesn't hear him. "Her punishment is to go to bed right after supper. I think you had better do the same. That way you will learn not to lie to me, don't you think? Hmmm?"

"But I didn't want her to call me a squealer," whines Janet.

"Honey, it's always best to tell the truth when you are asked a direct question. You mustn't lie. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Alright, I think your sister has something for you to prove she's sorry for biting you. You better run along now."

After supper, baths and prayers their father tucks the two girls into bed and he makes certain each one knows why. Rick has some homework so he disappears into his room and the adults are left to their own devices. Mike helps Marlene put away the last of the dishes from the dishwasher, and gets out stemware. He places them on a tray then mixes up martinis and puts the shaker back in the freezer. They will be ice cold in an hour and just right.

Meanwhile Marlene is putting the finishing touches to a large tray of tit-bit's. There's celery hearts and cheese, sardines and crackers, smoked almonds in a center bowl, fancy cut radishes and other crackers. She is just adding a small cut crystal bowl of dip and putting crinkle cut potato chips into another bowl.

Mike says, "Do you suppose Nina has heard anything yet about the case? It may be too soon for her to know anything."

"I guess we'll know soon enough. They should be over in less than an hour. You told them eight, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Guess I'll slip on a clean shirt. No tie, though!"

"Jeff will be wearing one."

"Sure, he wears one all day at work. I don't and I don't intend to put on airs. He'll accept me as I am." He goes to change shirts.

Marlene follows him and says, "Do you think I should change? Maybe just a little fresh makeup."

At eight on the dot the other couple arrives. Mike catches Nina around the waist and swings her up off her feet. "Well, little bitty pretty one, did you come to beat me at cards or drink me under the table?" With a laugh he sets her down again and she blushes.

"Oh Mike," she cries, "you know I can drink you under the table any night of the week." She giggles and rushes to help Marlene set out the drinks.

Jeff throws an arm around Mike and says, "It's been a while since we got together for an evening's fun. Guess we've all been too busy." He throws his other arm around Marlene as she comes by with the tray of goodies and says, "You been keeping this guy too busy, Marlene?"

"When I can get him home long enough, I manage to drag him off into a corner... or onto the couch." She grins at Mike and he winks back.

"I smell a conspiracy here. The couch, is it?" says Jeff. "These guys have been playing musical chairs, I think. Doesn't it sound like it to you, dear." Nina just grins and says she thinks they may have a good idea, that maybe they should try it.

Mike snorts and says, "Not on my couch, you don't." They all laugh and Mike pours martinis. "So what's so important in a finance company as to drag you into the office on a weekend, Jeff?"

"Just some backlogged work when we were short handed. And even now with three new employees on staff who aren't really certain how things are done yet, work has piled up. We can't be too tardy or the customers will go elsewhere. And who can blame them. Problem is the new people's work has to be double checked before approvals can be granted. Used to be I just signed the approvals as they came in. It'll get that way again if we can hang on to some of these new ones. Mmmm, good martini, it's like ice!" He swizzles his olive around in the glass and sips again.

Nina is sipping hers and glances at Mike with a smile of appreciation. She can taste the hint of maraschino juice in her mix and knows Mike has added it at the last minute. No olive for her, just a plain swizzle stick.

Marlene raises her glass and says, "To old friends and new, may we ever be true." They all clink glasses as Jeff whispers 'Amen.'

Mike gets out a fairly new deck of cards and says he thinks the guys should take on the ladies tonight. Marlene and Nina laugh and say the guys won't stand a chance. Mike lets Nina cut for deal then Jeff. The men win the cut and Jeff nods to Mike to deal. He deals out for bridge.

To his left, Nina says two hearts right off the bat. Marlene looks knowingly and chuckles. Mike says, "No hints across the table there, you witches!" and grins.

Jeff joins him by saying, "Watch them, they'll cheat, you know." Jeff passes and Marlene comes back with three of the same.

Mike just passes and comments, "Let's see you make it." They stay with three and could have made four, but they both thought the guys were holding out on them. Of course that's what the guys were hinting at.

After the girls beat them a game, Mike refills the glasses all around and asks Nina if she's been busy at work with the recent murder in POCO.

"There was a lot of activity around the office today but not much is being said yet. It's all hush hush."

"That's getting too close to home. They found the body next door to where I work, you know. And I came home last night about the time she was murdered. An officer was here this morning to question me about it. I had only just heard about it on the news."

"Did you know her?"

"Not really. I'm not even sure of her name." Mike is fishing.

"Florence Hanson. She was a waitress over at the Gardens. Very active social calendar, if you know what I mean. They're checking some of the CPX drivers. She apparently went out with a few of them. They're also checking her ex. It seems she took him for quite a bit. An even split on the divorce and she sued him for assault and battery. That almost cleaned him out."

Marlene pipes up, "Flo Hanson? She's a waitress in POCO, and you never met her, Mike? I'm surprised." A bitter edge has crept again into her voice.

Mike just laughs as he again says to Nina, "What the devil would ever make her go down into that area by the railway? That's what has me buffaloed."

"They're saying she must have known her attacker and since they had a padded blanket with them, they must have been planning on some kinky sex act or something. Maybe the attacker scared off her lover or maybe it was the lover himself who did the deed. Who knows?" She shrugs, "It's awful gruesome anyway. She was raped and strangled! What a horrible way to die!"

"Not raped if she went prepared to have sex with a lover." Mike points out.

"That's what makes them think her lover must have run off. The damage indicates she was forcibly raped in a very rough fashion. Not nice to think that the animal who did that is still around the area somewhere."

"He may not be. If it happened along the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) mainline near the rail yards he could have been a transient who stumbled on them, did what he did and jumped the next freight train out of there. He could be in Calgary by now."

Jeff shudders and says, "How can you talk about such things in such a calm professional way? I've heard enough for one night! I'll have nightmares whenever you have to work late, dear."

Marlene agrees with Jeff but Mike goes on. "I find it fascinating. I often deal with people who commit fraudulent acts, usually because the opportunity comes up and they decide to take a chance and try to beat the insurance company. But this crime was planned; or at least Nina indicates that they think some deranged individual might have planned it. Maybe that's why I prefer to think of this as a crime of opportunity, the transient, rather than a crime of passion, the lover."

Nina seizes the moment to say, "I agree. It's a fascinating scenario to try and puzzle out who and why. The act has been consummated, there's no going back. But why did they do it?"

She nods,"I understand Mike's fascination. It may simply have been two lovers seeking new thrills and he could have gotten too rough, been afraid, especially if she said she would charge him with rape for the damage he did, and choked her to try and get her to say she wouldn't charge him. He could have just gone too far and killed her, then got scared and ran away."

She purses her lips, "But I think this crime has all the markings of a deranged sexual predator." She finishes her martini and passes the glass to Mike for a refill with a conspiratory grin. He pours her third over a small amount of maraschino juice and affixes a cherry to her swizzle stick. She rolls her eyes and takes a healthy slurp.

Mike looks around and says, "Anyone else for a refill?"

Marlene asks, "How about some munchies?" She pulls the chips and dip to the center of the table and passes around the tray of nibblers.