Chapter 14

Chapter XIV

Pete and Ruby took their run as soon as they got home from work.  Ruby rushed to put a good dinner out for Pete and Big Pete.  Then the work began. 

Pete and his dad had always been close, having this big project to work on strengthened the bond.  They were considerate; they handed down jobs to let Ruby feel apart of the project.  She couldn’t believe how rapidly the master bedroom was finished.

Her bedroom set was almost new when they had moved in so they made the room fit the furniture.  It was a comfortable look that had simply required paint, carpet, drapes and spreads.

Big Pete called for a conference in the living room.

“I’ve been looking at the master bathe/spa picture that lit-up Ruby’s eyes.  All the plumbing is right and the room’s big enough for it.  Beauty of that one is it fits most plumbing layouts.  Buy and install.”

“We talked about that one for a while but it cost what we set aside for the kitchen and living room over the price of tiling the bathroom,” Pete objected.

“I have a good feel for you kids making it.  I figure if Ruby wants to drop the Big Pete and call me Dad, I might give you an early wedding present.”

Pete and Ruby could just stare for a moment.

Finally Pete said, “That settles it, Rumble.  You have to marry me.  I can’t have Dad investing in an uncertain future.”

Ruby gave Big Pete a hug.  “If Dad comes with the package, how can I refuse?”

“Hey, you’re supposed to hug me,” Pete said.

Kurtis hung up the phone in his apartment, then picked it up to call Spacer.

“Hi, want to fly to Bakersfield tonight?” Kurtis asked.

“You bringing a date for me?” Spacer joked.

“Early morning, they picked up Tate on a parole violation,” Kurtis said.  “He didn’t tell anyone he was traveling to California.  They said, if we want to question him, be there.”

“Will we have time to swing by and talk to Ralph.  He might be able to fill in the blanks.”

“Good idea,” Kurtis said. “You know, he may want to come along, if he knows anything.”

“I like him and I think he’s a good detective, but, having his own business, I don’t think he’s had to use his full potential.”

“Yeah, mostly divorce cases, follow that man,” Kurtis said.

Ralph chose to meet Kurtis and Spacer in his office.  The detectives were impressed with the office.  It was small but held a nice reception area, a room for files, and three offices, one for Ralph, Porter and the deceased, Dieter.

Ralph met them at the receptionist desk, since it was late and the receptionist had left.

“Nice little office you got here,” Kurtis said, looking around.

Ralph smiled, “It’s a receptionist better than a ‘flash in the pan’.”

“At your age it’s not bad at all,” Spacer said, “but we have a plane to catch and we need to know if you can give us some insight.”

“You got something on my man’s case?” Ralph rubbed his hands together in an eager gesture.

“You know why the Kansas State Parole Board would think Dieter would be interested in the release of Warren Tate?” Spacer asked, though the board had filled him in, when he called Kansas.

“Shit, they let him out?  Why didn’t Dieter tell me?”

Spacer and Kurtis remained silent giving Ralph time to think back.

Ralph shook his head.  “That was before I knew Dieter.  He had been hired by Ms. Tate to check on her husband’s extra-curricular activities.  Cause for divorce type case.  While he was watching him, Tate shot his wife.  Dieter caught him with a smoking gun.”  Ralph took a breath, blew it out, then went on.  “You’ve been to Dieter’s, seen how meticulous he is, his testimony with receipts, copies, reports, pictures put Tate away.  Tate made the usual threats.  He continued his threat, writing letters from prison.  Dieter wasn’t scared but he felt harassed.  He complained, but the prison said, ‘not from here.’  That only said they were being smuggled out and mailed.  Dieter finally decided California looked good.  He was job hunting.  I had a case more than I could handle.  I helped Dieter get his California license.  We’ve been together seven years now – were.”  Ralph shook his head again.  “How could Tate even find him?”

“He’s a licensed detective,” Kurtis said.  “A computer’d spit him right out,” Kurtis said.

“They’re holding Tate in Bakersfield.” Spacer said. “That’s where we’re headed.  We can question him before they send him back to Kansas,”

“I’d like to go with you, but I might kill the son of a bitch.”

“We’d let you go with us, but we can’t allow a killing,” Kurtis said.

“Hey, Dieter kept some files here,” Ralph said, moving for the files. “You didn’t find one on Tate at his place?  He might have it in the dead cases.”

Barely a minute passed and Ralph was waving a file.  “Good old Dieter, right in place.  When it’s not a pain in the butt, it’s good to work with a guy like that.  Porter and I drive our receptionist bats.”  Ralph handed the file to Kurtis and fell silent.

Kurtis and Spacer let him have his moment.  They thought of how they would feel if it were one of them shot down.

“Can we take this?  Give us something to read on the plane,” Spacer said.

“More use to you than us,” Ralph replied.  He paused then said, “Think there’s room on that plane?   I’d kinda like to be there when this thing is wound up.”

“We’d like you close.  You might get a memory jog that can help us pull it out,” Spacer said.

“Think I can find a way to bill Fitness Opts for the plane fare?”

“Some might,” Kurtis said.  “Not our take on what we heard of you.”

“You have separated this investigation from the Hope Styles murder?”

“Unless Tate doesn’t pan out for Dieter.  I really wanted to talk to Rocco Penz,” Spacer said. “He’s out of town.  They gave us a number to call, but he’ll be back in a few days and Tate showed.”

“You really think Rocco did her?” Ralph asked.

“Murder doesn’t seem to be his thing, but he might know someone who would profit,” Spacer answered.

“Rocco seems to stay just inside the law, except for the girls and he doesn’t know anything about any girls.” Kurtis put in.

“Girls hang out at the gym – they pay their dues.  What can he do about it?” Spacer added.

“Guy wants a girl with lunch, he’s gonna find one,” Ralph said.

“That’s why I like homicide; we don’t have to arrest everyone,” Kurtis said.

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