The Ensigns of Detection Ch. 03

"Murder?" asked Mrs. Wilkins. "Who... who would want to murder my husband?"

"That is what we're trying to find out, ma'am." said Joanne. "Can you tell me if your husband had any arguments with anyone, especially recently?"

"No," said Mrs. Wilkins, "I don't think so. Certainly he did not have any arguments with anyone in my presence."

"Ma'am," said Joanne, "was Dr. Robin Grayson and his wife friends of you and your husband?"

"Oh, I knew them, of course." said Mrs. Wilkins. "I would not say we were friends socially, though. Mrs. Grayson did not like me, she thought I was beneath her. And my husband did not like her very much because of that."

"I'm so sorry to hear that." Joanne said soothingly. "What about your husband and Dr. Grayson? Were they friends?"

"They were, in the sense they were working together in their labs." said Mrs. Wilkins. "They worked very closely together for a long time. Laramie said that Dr. Grayson had a very brilliant mind, and was doing some very... I think he said 'cutting edge' research."

"What about your husband's boss, Dr. Cubbard?" asked Joanne. "How did you get along with them?"

"We very rarely socialized with them, even at company events." said Mrs. Wilkins. "Dr. Cubbard and his wife were cordial with us, especially me, but it was obvious they considered themselves to be at a different level than us. My husband never really aspired to be a top level executive. He once said he only took the Research Department head job so that he could help run it right rather than let others mess things up. I thought he was a bit too retiring in not applying himself to go higher, but he was doing what he wanted, what he loved to do."

"So let me ask," Joanne said, "what was your home life with Dr. Wilkins like? Did you have friends that you visited?"

"Oh, I would have some of my friends in my Sunday School class come over, or we'd go to their houses for a group lunch. We do that a little more than you young folks, do. I've noticed you and that handsome young Seth Warner at church, but you haven't joined any of the groups yet."

"No ma'am, we haven't." said Joanne. "Maybe after we get married. And my job keeps me busy sometimes."

"Ah yes, such a young girl to be a policewoman... and a very good Detective, so I'm told." said Mrs. Wilkins.

"Why, you're very kind, Mrs. Wilkins!" gushed Joanne. "Now who told you that?"

"Oh, Pastor Westboro mentioned it, and also the Widow Athena Jones at the Community Center." said Mrs. Wilkins. "One look in her eyes and you can tell she's as sharp as a tack. She said you were very smart, and learning from that Commander Crowbar... now that is a strange name, 'Crowbar'..."

"That's his nickname, ma'am." said Joanne. "So let me ask this: did your husband mention any other people that worked for him that he thought was brilliant?"

"He said the lab manager, a young man named 'Ashok', was very bright, very orderly. He didn't think much of some of the younger hires, though. A couple of them, he thought they didn't even know any chemistry. They didn't last very long."

"Did he mention their names?" Joanne asked.

"Hmmm... no, no he didn't." said Mrs. Wilkins.

"So ma'am," said Joanne, "on the night your husband died... did he get out of bed around five o'clock and go down to his study?"

"No... no." said Mrs. Wilkins. "He was up the entire night. He worked through the night on many occasions, though less frequently in the last few years than when we were younger..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Well hi, Martin!" exclaimed the heavily pregnant Lieutenant Molly Ross Evans of the Nextdoor County Police, in her office at the NCPD Headquarters. "What brings you here?"

"Hello, ma'am." said Nash. "This is Officer Goodwright, who's working with me on the case I came to see you about." Molly shook hands with Goodwright.

"So, you guys have been doing great things over there." said Molly. "The Viscottis, then the Beanstalk Gang."

"Lt. Croyle has done very well with those cases." said Nash, deadpan flat. Molly could see he wanted to get to business.

"So, what brought you here?" she asked.

"A man was found dead near BigPharmaCorp in our County." said Nash, showing Molly the picture of Fulton. "He had a past record of assaults and some rape accusations. He allegedly raped a woman in this county in front of her husband, but disappeared for nearly a decade until he was found dead. I was hoping to talk with that couple, see if there is anything they can tell me. They supposedly still live here in Hillside. Name of 'Stevens'."

"Let's go ask the Chief." said Molly. "And I'll introduce you." With that, they went to the Chief's office, where Molly introduced the old Chief to the Detectives (okay, Goodwright is a wannabee). She asked the Chief about the Stevens family.

"Oh yeah, I remember them, and that rape case." said the Chief. "Lou, the husband, operated the Hardware Store here in town, and they lived above it, on the second floor. His wife Mabel did the books for him, and for some other businesses here.

The Chief continued: "So this Fulton guy came out of the local bar, named the 'Reservoir Watering Hole', and apparently followed them into their apartment. Tied up the husband, raped the wife in front of the husband, went at her twice over a few hours, if I remember right. Their son Chad was 13 years old at the time, but said he was asleep and didn't see or hear anything. More recently, I think he just graduated from the University. Pretty skinny runt, at least he was when he was a kid living here."

"Do they still live at that address?" asked Nash. "Could we possibly talk to them?"

"Well, they moved to a house out on State Highway 142." said the Chief. "And they still live there. Why don't I go with you to see 'em. My Lieutenant here is with child, and is restricted from gallivanting across the countryside."

"Commander Troy and Captain Ross said you could go into labor at any time, Lieutenant." said Nash.

"I think I'm going to eat a lot of turkey on Thanksgiving Day, and then this little guy is going to pop out." said Molly. "I hope that's the case, anyway."

Going with the Police Chief to the Stevens home, they found no one at home. The hardware store was also closed, with a sign on it saying they'd re-open the next Monday, after Thanksgiving.

Driving back home, Nash said "I don't think we can wait. Put out an APB from the vehicle computer." Goodwright did so.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As we drove back to Headquarters, Detective Diana Torres asked me "Sir, whose picture was that you showed Mrs. Grayson."

"She is someone very well known to me." I replied. "She is an international smuggler, and a damn good one. She is a master of disguise, and she has been involved in industrial espionage for some considerable time: I strongly suspect she is tied to that sample of refined heroin we found on the James and Susan Douglas raid. She is also very good at seducing men, and getting them to do her bidding."

"But sir, why did Mrs. Grayson react so strongly when you put those reading glasses on?" Torres asked, not mollified by my answer. I smiled, and noticed Cindy barely hiding a grin, as well.

"Because, Ms. Torres," I said, "Mrs. Grayson recognized the resemblance when I put the glasses on. You see, the woman in that picture... is my sister Elizabeth...

To be continued.