Watching The Detectives Ch. 02

--- CHAPTER TWO - MISCHIEF ---

It was another Friday with mother, lunch and a lecture, with Mom questioning her daughter's life decisions. Kat stared at Judith Price while chewing her tuna salad sandwich with the crust removed from the bread, listening to tired old comments and complaints.

'I'm looking at myself in twenty years.'

Mother had the same wavy blonde locks, aided by hair coloring, and big blue eyes as her daughter. Judith's curves had become lazy, not as dangerous as they were years ago. She adopted a few pounds here and there, but at fifty-seven, she still looked good. It didn't hurt that she gave birth to only one child, not eight, or ten, like 'good Catholics' do. Her best friend and neighbor, Mrs. Sullivan, was the same age and a worn down, rugged mess. She did however have eleven grandchildren, a fact she lorded over Judith every time the grands visited.

"If you're not going to have a baby," Mom scolded. "You may as well go back to work. You're always complaining you're bored. You had a great career until Raymond came along."

"I've been thinking about that. I quit to start a family, and if that's not going to happen, I should go back to the firm."

"I'm sure they'd take you back. You were a star, their best attorney."

"Take it easy, Mom. I was not the best attorney at Kramer & Stein. I was just the most... public."

"You had a good career. You were their spokesperson, always in the news."

"I was a spectacle, the only female attorney in town."

"And you were gorgeous, still are, and you had the press eating out of your hands. I guarantee Mr. Kramer will take you back."

"The press made my life miserable. They second-guessed everything I did." She looked her mother directly in the eyes. "They called me a bimbo, Mom."

"Only for a little while, until they realized you were a shark."

Kat smiled. "I did bite off a few pounds of flesh."

.

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--- THE FIFTIES ---

Mom was correct, Kat had a good career at Kramer & Stein before she married Raymond. She started in 1954, straight out of college with a business degree, joining the accounting department. Within months of landing her first real job, she realized accounting didn't interest her. Across the office, in the legal department, was where the action was.

Kramer & Stein was a highly respected downtown law firm, known for representing big hitters. When Piitsburgh's politicians and businessmen found themselves in need of legal representation, they often turned to K&S. The firm was all-purpose, but specialized in civil law, divorce, and criminal defense.

The office girls at Kramer & Stein gossiped about cases that interested them. Those were typically sensational stories that made headlines; the city councilman indicted for corruption, a husband facing murder charges after his wife's body was discovered in the Allegheny River, and the kidnapping case that gripped the city during the summer of 1955. The victim was the third young woman abducted in less than two years. Pittsburghers were on edge until the teenager was miraculously rescued by a rookie cop.

In the spring of 1956, Mr. Kramer coordinated the legal team defending the man charged with that crime, against impossible odds. The kidnapping trial of Victor Fonseca seized the city's attention. The office girls at K&S were fascinated by the lurid facts of the case. Mr. K was more than willing to hear their questions during lunch break. He appreciated their interest.

"I'm sorry," interrupted Kat, "but given how close those men got to her, I don't believe she'd have to see them to identify them."

"That's a fair point, Katherine," Mr. K acknowledged. "But how would you suggest we conduct the identification process?"

"I expect the girl would be able to identify the voices of her captors, or maybe their smell. I still recall how my dad smelled, like no one else, and he died long ago."

"Don't underestimate the trauma she's endured," Mr. K said. "That poor girl was physically abused, sodomized, and threatened on a daily basis. I don't believe we want to subject her to close contact with Mr. Fonseca."

Kat saw his point. "Yeah, I suppose that would be horrible, whether he's her rapist or not."

Marjorie, the office manager who'd been with K&S for two decades, chimed in. "You don't know what police and prosecutors have put in that child's head. Some of her statements seem awfully convenient, things she couldn't know being blindfolded for two weeks."

Mr. Kramer agreed. "That's true, and I hope we don't have to put her on the stand to challenge the veracity of those statements. That would not play well in the newspapers."

Not playing in the press was a common concern for attorneys on big cases. It troubled Kat that some clients represented by her employer were guilty as hell, like Victor Fonseca, the child abductor. She suspected he was guilty, as everyone in Pittsburgh did, but as Mr. K always said; every man is entitled to a fair defense in a court of law.

Kat secretly hoped for guilty verdicts for some K&S clients, like a mob hitman who snuffed out two rivals at the Tullamore Pub. She was privately pleased when he was sent to Rockview State Penitentiary, life without parole.

Mr. Kramer was fond of his office girls, but especially Katherine Price. Her peers noticed, some whispered, but Mr. K was beyond reproach. He was a respected and dedicated mentor to every employee at his firm. Katherine's hard work and intellect stood out. When a paralegal took maternity leave in 1956, a door opened. Mr. Kramer summoned Kat to his office.

"Katherine, with Linda taking a few months off, I wonder if you'd be interested in helping with some of her workload until she returns."

Twenty-three-year-old Kat's eyes got big. "I would be delighted, but I don't really know..."

"No worries, Janice will train you. It's mostly clerical work, dear. You're a bright young lady. I'm certain you'll manage, and Janice specifically requested you."

Six months later, when Linda decided to stay home with her child rather than resume her career, Mr. Kramer offered Kat the position full-time. She had done extremely well as a temp and was a quick study in legal research and investigation. She was happy with the permanent assignment and the pay increase that came with it.

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--- JULY 1969 ---

'How did my life come to this? It's all so ridiculous.'

Mrs. Kat Landry sat at the lunch counter at F.W. Woolworth's department store sipping a vanilla milkshake. She pushed her half-eaten, triple-decker, toasted chicken salad away. Thirty feet to her left, just outside the luncheonette, a detective lurked behind department store displays pretending to shop.

'He has to know I'm aware of him, or he's Detective Barney Fife.'

Kat left more than enough cash to cover her lunch and stood to leave. As she adjusted her hunter green form fitting pencil dress with off white buttons, her eyes met his. He abruptly turned his back, making himself more obvious.

'This is so dumb.'

Woolworths for lunch became part of her Monday routine. Kat had mapped out a weekly schedule to lull the detectives to sleep. For weeks, each day was filled with the same mundane errands and lunch stops. As she led the men through her days of tedium, it struck her just how boring her life since marriage actually was.

'God, what have I become?'

It had been nearly six weeks since Kat first noticed the men tailing her. Surely, by now, her unwanted companions had to report to her husband that there was nothing to report. His wife was the most uninteresting subject they had ever worked on.

At first, the private eyes injected a small amount of excitement into her life, but it was getting old. Some days, it was annoying. When the men got too close, Kat wanted to get in their faces and make a public scene to embarrass them. She also considered confronting Raymond, but she knew he would deny his involvement resulting in another pointless fight. No, Kat had other plans. Raymond would live to regret hiring these men, and they might regret taking the job.

Faced with a pair of hack gumshoes watching her every move, Mrs.Katherine Landry put her experience as an investigator to work. She had spent weeks leading them around town, sometimes driving to nowhere, giving them nothing to report while learning their work habits. Kat was surprised they were still on the job. It seemed a waste of time and money, her husband's money. Her money.

They reminded her of her early days in the legal department when Janice explained why insurance companies and law firms kept in-house investigators. Trustworthy private detectives were rare. Many would drag a case out to bill more days, plus expenses, because they never knew when their next client would come along. It appeared to Kat that these men were milking her husband.

On a weekday, with the younger detective parked on her street, Kat called the office of Arthur Casey, Private Investigator, pretending to be a prospective client. That's how she learned the older man was Casey, the businessman.

"How long have you been doing detective work Mr. Casey?"

"Ten years private and fifteen years as a police detective."

"How many years were you a cop?"

"Twenty-seven and a half years."

"How many detectives do you have?

"I have a younger partner, Billy Barnes, he's also an ex-cop. We have a couple of part-timers, but only use them as needed."

"Are you married? Do you have children?

"Ma'am, what does my personal life have to do with my business and your needs?"

"If I hire you, Mr. Casey, you'll learn a lot about my life. I'd like to know who I'm letting into my most personal affairs."

"Okay. That's not unreasonable. I've been married for fifteen years, my second marriage. I have two school-age daughters."

"What happened in your first marriage?"

There was a moment of silence. "My job on the force cost me my marriage. I retired and started my own business so it wouldn't cost me another."

"I'm sorry Mr. Casey. I'm just a little leary about bringing strange men into my life. Please forgive my intrusion. What about your partner, is he married?"

"My partner doesn't believe in marriage. He's young and handsome. You know the type."

"A playboy?"

"Well, that might be a little harsh. He's a young man enjoying his single life."

"Okay, I'll get back to you Mr. Casey. I have to think about this."

"May I inquire about the nature of this work?"

"Not at this time. Thank you, Mr. Casey. I'll be in touch."

On weekends, with no spies on her tail, and a husband watching baseball or playing a round of golf, Kat was free to do her work, watching the detectives. Every chance she could, Kat slipped away to investigate the lives of her ex-cop followers.

She traded her flashy Toronado for Gloria's maroon '66 Chevelle for a few hours to stake out their office. Kat followed Arthur home to South Oakland, not far from Glo's apartment, and with that information, watched his house when she found time.

She watched Art's wife leave the house in the green Valiant and return with shopping bags an hour later. On another day, Arthur took his girls and the family dog to Schenley Park while his wife hung laundry on a clothesline. He spent a lot of time on his front porch, drinking beer with neighbors, while their children played in the street. Arthur lived the typical life of a family man, except he was much older than the other dads. Billy had a different lifestyle.

She staked out Billy's place, Rosewood Apartments, across the Monongahela River in the South Side Flats neighborhood. She observed him walking to a diner a block away to eat alone. Then he entered a nearby bar, The Steel Horse Saloon. Billy lived a small life, close to home, with a group of friends at a couple of nearby bars. On a Friday night, after informing Raymond at the last minute that she and Gloria were meeting friends, she sat with Glo in her Chevelle across the street from The Steel Horse. They had already observed Billy dine and walk to the bar.

"When you said we were going to a bar, this isn't what I imagined," Glo said sitting behind the wheel on her Chevelle. "This is kind of creepy."

"I used to do a lot of this for K&S. Scotty and I worked cases where we'd put in dozens of hours just observing people. It can be boring, but this one is personal, so it's not."

"So, what do you think of this guy, is he cute?" Glo looked over with a smile.

"I suppose... if you dig the scruffy hippy types. He's handsome, but he needs a shave and a haircut."

"I think he's hot. Billy has a nice butt."

"You always liked the bad boys, Glo, and where did it get you?"

"I'll tell ya where it didn't get me, spending my Friday night staking out a shitty bar in a bad neighborhood because my jealous husband is having me tailed by a couple of ex-cops."

Kat laughed. "But here you are, on the seedy side of town, slumming with me."

"Why can't we go in? I could use a drink." Glo made a pouty face.

"He's been following me for weeks, you don't think he'd recognize me?"

"Whatever. You could've worn a wig, and dressed a little trashy, like we did in our twenties, before you became a big shot."

Kat smiled, thinking, 'It might be fun dressing down and hanging out in a bad bar.'

"That would be a major operation," Kat explained. "I'd have to get away from Raymond on a weekend night, slip into character at your place, spend time at the bar and when the night was over, change back before I go home."

"The only difference between that and tonight is, we're dressed nicer, and we're thirsty."

The girls laughed. Kat was glad she brought Glo along for the ride. She made the time pass easier. Just as they were about to call it a night; Billy, another man, and three lady friends emerged from the bar and stood on the sidewalk. One of the girls was smoking. She passed it to Billy. He took a puff and handed it to the dude.

"He's an ex-cop and he smokes grass?" Glo asked.

"I guess so. It's not a big deal."

The girls observed Billy Barnes and his friends pass a joint around, drunk, talking loudly, and laughing. Then he peeled away from the group with his arm around a girl. They stumbled down the street. As they turned a corner, Kat smacked Glo's arm.

"C'mon, let's go."

"You know where he's going."

"Follow them, but keep your lights off."

"Isn't that more conspicuous?" Glo asked as he started the car and rolled slowly towards the corner with her headlights off. Around the corner, two blocks away, they watched the couple kissing and giggling as they walked into Billy's apartment building.

Kat didn't learn a great deal watching the ex-cops on weekends, but she felt better knowing they were just regular guys leading normal lives. Following her was their job, so she tried to not hold it against them. Raymond was the asshole in this dumb affair.

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--- THE ROSEWOOD CHARADE ---

All this time, while leading dumb detectives on her boring weekday errands, and turning the tables on weekends, Kat was concocting a plan to mess with their heads and to verify that they were ripping off Raymond.

On a workday, when Raymond had a business dinner that would keep him late into the evening, Kat put her plan in motion. Just before dusk, she left the house knowing Art would follow. He'd been parked in his blue Impala since noon, bored to death, because she chose to stay home all day. She drove southwest, through Art's community, and across the river on the Hot Metal Bridge. She sped the whole way, making Art chase her as if she were in a hurry. She parked her Toronado conspicuously in front of Billy's apartment. Kat gave Art a little extra wiggle as she walked in the front door of the Rosewood Apartments.

Art watched from three buildings away wondering, 'What the hell is she doing here?'

Kat had previously cased the building and found a rear exit she could slip out of. She walked through a back alley to The Shamrock Diner, a greasy spoon Billy sometimes patronized. After a pot roast dinner with pie and coffee, she lingered for an hour in her booth reading a trashy crime novel. There was some risk she might run into the young detective, but her previous observations placed him at the bar, three blocks away, this time of night.

Expecting that Raymond would be home by 9:30, she slipped back through the apartment building the opposite way, and strutted out the front door, with a bounce in her step. Art was dutifully waiting. Driving away, imagining what was going through the senior detective's mind, Kat flashed a mischievous smile in her rearview mirror. She arrived home fifteen minutes before her husband... perfect.

*****

Three days had passed since the Rosewood charade, and as suspected, Art Casey did not report her visit to Billy's apartment to Raymond. If he had, she'd know by now. Kat was prepared for the fallout. She saved her receipt from the Shamrock Dinner and was conspicuous during her visit, chatting at length with the waitress and cook to provide an alibi.

"Let's do it again. Maybe the detective needs more evidence of hanky-panky.'

Early in the morning, before Art appeared for duty, Kat was dressed for her day. She told Raymond she had volunteer work at the Catholic Home and was out the door before her tail arrived. She drove straight to Billy's apartment building, parked on the street a few doors down hoping the younger man would not see her car, and walked directly to the diner for a long breakfast date with her novel. When she returned two hours later, she strutted through the Rosewood building back to her car, making a display of adjusting her bra and dress. Art was parked down the street.

After her second visit to Rosewood, Kat felt certain the seeds of adultery and betrayal were planted. Driving home, she imagined what was going through Art Casey's mind.

Two days later, with Billy on duty, Art's blue Chevy was parked further down the street. The old detective was watching the young detective. Kat had considered this possibility. She had another charade planned for the perfidious private dicks. While clothes shopping with Gloria, she let Glo in on the prank.

"You did what?" Glo's eyes bugged out. "Why?"

"I made the old man suspect the young guy was banging me."

"What for?"

"Imagine what Casey must be thinking. He has to be furious that Billy would be so careless. If he reports me to Raymond, his gig is up. I'll show my receipts and explain that I've been on to them since June. Raymond will be angry and embarrassed. If Casey doesn't report my activity, I'll have to up the ante."

"For what purpose, Kat? Just tell Raymond to back the fuck off and be done with these men."

"First of all, to hell with those guys. I'm getting tired of Raymond's bullshit paranoia. If he wants to spy on me, fine, I'll give him something to see." Kat removed a silky off-white blouse from a rack. "I need to prove he's getting ripped off." She held the top against her chest, looking in the mirror. "If these assholes don't report my act to Ray, I'll expose them."

"I love that blouse," Glo said, "but I don't like your plan. You know how he'll react if he thinks you're cheating. He'll go crazy."

Kat looked at the price tag and showed it to Glo.

Glo's mouth fell open, "Is it made of unicorn hair? I want it, but not that much."

"Don't worry," Kat said. "I've got the angles covered. I can handle Raymond."

"And if you humiliate Jelly for being made a fool, who knows how he'll handle you?"

"That'll be Art and Billy's problem," Kat smiled. "They're the crooks, not me. He would surely terminate their contract after I prove my case."

"Hon, you could get hurt messing with these men. You don't know them. Who are these guys? If Raymond blows up on them, God only knows what he might do. And who knows what they could do?

Gloria knew the extent of Raymond's insecurity and control. She had witnessed his volatile temper firsthand, long before these detectives entered the picture. She was worried for Kat, expecting that someday Ray could hurt her. Kat laughed off her concerns.