M. Forsythe - While Rome Was Sleeping

“What case?” Captain Martin asked.

“I don’t know.” Ed answered. “When I asked him that, he just made some excuse and said it was nothing and then he said that it was personal. Then he left to go meet somebody. I didn’t say anything but he came back awhile later and said he was going home.”

Jim thought to himself, “He didn’t go home—he went to the Center,” but he didn’t interrupt.

Ed continued, “He came in Friday morning, Captain. You saw him.”

“Yes, I know that he was here on Friday.” Captain Martin agreed. “That morning he came into my office and volunteered to investigate the fatalities at the Rainier Tower. I didn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t assign him to do it. He doesn’t volunteer often. He seemed okay to me then.”

“Not to me, he was very edgy,” Ed answered. “But he seemed glad you assigned him to be the lead investigator on the window washers’ fall.”

“How did that go?”

Ed cleared his throat. “Ah… not real well, he had words with the guy from Labor and Industries.”

Captain Martin raised his eyebrows and his glasses slid down his nose. “Oh? I told him not to get crosswise with Len Phillips. How bad is it?”

Ed squirmed, “I, I don’t know, Captain. He was here late on Friday checking out Property and writing his report. He hasn’t come in today, and his wife said he told her he was going on a stake out with me yesterday afternoon, Sunday. She doesn’t know where he is –and we don’t either.”

Jim stepped in at this point. “I really wanted to talk with him personally before this got away from us. I had hoped there could be a logical explanation for all of it and, if so, we don’t want Internal Affairs involved; but like Ed said, Monte went down to Property ostensibly in his words “to tie up loose ends” on the Rainier Tower incident.

“According to Carl Cramer, Monte asked to examine the personal effects of the two window washers’. Now there is a large sum of money missing that belonged to one or both of them. Carl is logically concerned. He doesn’t want to be left holding the bag for this.

“I was curious myself about Schultz and Tanner’s personal effects and while I was examining them I spotted a switch-blade that was among Schultz’s things; I had Carl bag it and send it up to the Lab. I have reason to believe that it was used in the murder of George Kelshaw, the guy that was stabbed outside the Seamen’s Center last Tuesday.”

Captain Martin looked at Jim in surprise. “Are you suggesting that Schultz and Tanner were involved in the Kelshaw murder?”

“Yes, I believe they were— the investigation so far indicates that Kelshaw was attacked by two men on Tuesday, and we know Schultz and Tanner broke into the Seamen’s Center on Wednesday night. I think it is more than likely it was the two of them that murdered Kelshaw. I was about to have them picked up, but someone got to them before we could.”

The Captain had turned his chair away from Ed and Jim momentarily and then turning back again he asked, “What else do you have for me?”

Jim continued, “I had a call from Len Phillips this morning. He wanted another opinion regarding the accident at the Rainier Tower. As Ed said, Monte argued with him on Friday, declaring it was an accident while Len was sure that two of the cables on the scaffolding had been cut. I looked at them this morning and I agree with Len, one of the cables clearly looks as if it has been tampered with.

L & I are having the cables x-rayed for fatigue and they will share the results with us, of course.

“Phillips is concerned that the Department doesn’t jump at the accident theory until they have evidence one way or the other. And he wants to maintain goodwill on both sides.”

The Captain weighed Jim’s words carefully. “Back to Schultz and Tanner; am I right in surmising that you think Monte was somehow involved with them?”

“Yes, I do, Captain,” Jim replied.

Captain Martin heaved a deep sigh and then sat quietly, hands clasped behind his head while he listened, presently he rose out of his chair and nodded to Ed and Jim saying, “Thanks, for the information. Let’s find Monte.”

As the two detectives rose to go, the Captain spoke “Jim, would you please wait a minute. That’s okay, Ed, I need to speak to Jim privately. I was contacted by an Evan Scott this morning who asked to meet with you and me briefly. I understand this is about the Kelshaw murder as well. Is there something else you should tell me?”

“I think we should wait and hear what Mr. Scott has to say,” Jim demurred.

“That’s fine, Jim. He said he would be here shortly so just have a seat. I gathered from what he said that this won’t take long.”

The Captain and Jim were talking casually when Evan Scott arrived. After showing his credentials, he extended his hand to Jim saying, “Good morning.”

The Captain looked surprised as he remarked, “Please sit down, Mr. Scott. We don’t often have people from the U.S. State Department drop in on us. You said this has something to do with the Kelshaw murder so I assume this is an official visit; if so perhaps you should be meeting with our Chief. What can we do for you?”

“Yes, it is somewhat official, Captain; but it’s not necessary to involve your Chief, at least not at this time,” Evan stated in a friendly manner. “There is some information I would like to give you. I’ve already met Detective Savalza during the preliminary investigation of George Kelshaw’s death,” he paused, “Nice to see you again, Detective,” he interjected.

“I’ll get right to the point, Captain Martin. George Kelshaw worked for the Central Intelligence Agency; I’m here to ask that his body be released to be sent home for burial. He was a survivor of Southeast Asia; an ex POW in Laos, he had escaped and had finally made his way home after nearly ten years, when he was murdered.

“We don’t believe that his connection to the Agency had anything to do with the unfortunate timing of his death. As a result we have allowed Detective Savalza and your Department to handle the investigation here at the local level and tried to stay out of the way.”

Captain Martin looked over his glasses at Jim, “What do you have to say about this, Savalza? Any objections to the body being let go?”

“No, Captain. As I reported to you earlier, I’m quite certain that we have found the murder weapon, and the guys that used it are dead so I don’t see any reason to hold the body. There was nothing suspicious on the victim; he had no personal items other than a wristwatch and the clothing on his back. I don’t see any reason not to release the body.”

“All right, as soon as we know about the weapon, I’ll see that the body is released, Mr. Scott. I’ll also make sure that whatever personal effects there may be, are released to you as well. I appreciate your being up front with us on this matter. But humor me by answering a question if I may ask. Why is a State Department representative collecting the body of someone who worked for the CIA?”

“George was my friend, Captain; I owe him more than I could ever repay; I’m standing in as next of kin; there is no one else available,” Evan said emphatically. “Thank you for your time,” and nodding toward Jim, “Good day, Detective.”

Andrew had determined that the only thing worse than actually facing the cleanup of the destruction in his apartment was thinking about it.

He had just started to collect items from the kitchen floor when the doorbell buzzed. “Probably Savalza” he muttered as he opened the door to a wide eyed Charlene Thayer.

“Hi, what are you doing here at this hour?” He glanced at his watch.