Chapter 20

Chapter XX

Spacer stopped by Ralph’s office on his way home.  Linda, Ralph’s receptionist, was gathering her things to leave.  She acknowledged Spacer with a nod.

Spacer smiled and said, “Inspector Spacer, Ralph was going to have something for me.”

“Oh, Inspector,” She said, handing him a neat copy of the Mac Pearson file.  “Ralph is in his office.  Go right in, he’s expecting you.”

He went to Ralph’s office.  He gave the door a rap before entering but did not wait for a summons.

Ralph looked up when he entered, “Ah, Spacer.  I was just deciding if I should call you, but you said you’d be by to pick up that file.”

“I brought back your file on Tate.  I copied it,” Spacer said.  He handed Ralph a file.

Ralph nodded to a chair.  Spacer sat. 

“Porter went to see Mrs. Mac Pearson, Stoker’s mom, and was met with, ‘What’s he done now?’  Seems she is not to happy with her son.”

“He did make her a widow,” Spacer reasoned.

“She and Campbell split the sheet when Stoker was four.  She left Stoker with Campbell.  Said he was out of control then.  His father was the only one who could handle him.  Said she had the bruises to prove it.”

Spacer sat back and shook his head asking, “One of those cases where the father won’t let the mother discipline his pride and joy?”

“And both of them disciplined the mother.  She did express a feeling of guilt over leaving Stoker with his father, but she really couldn’t handle him, and all abuse was directed at her.”  Ralph went on, “Stoker was getting too big and strong, and she figured the father would buy custody.  He owned the town.”

“At least in her eyes,” Spacer said.  “That type of man seems to be able to control reason.”

“Has enough money, but then Mac Pearson was wealthy too.  Mom is not hurting for money.  You saw in the file Mac Pearson came to us after loaning Stoker twenty thou to pay off gambling debts.  He wanted to know why he needed another twenty and why Daddy wasn’t asked.”

“The prosecutor says Mac Pearson threatened to go to Stoker’s father with what he had,” Spacer said.  “Stoker copped the plea to keep his father from knowing what he was up to.”

“Daddy probably would have paid for manly gambling,” Ralph said. “A sex change for your boyfriend is a bit much.”

“So Mac Pearson had to die,” Spacer said.

“And he was such a beautiful man, Mom says.”  Ralph added, “I think that means he didn’t hit her.”

“Or only when she really deserved it.”

“I think this one learned her lesson,” Ralph said. “I met Mac Pearson and he didn’t seem the volatile type.  How’s your other case going?”

“Someone finally came forth and said she had seen Hope Styles.  Gave us a name to talk too, but he’s out of town today, expected back tomorrow.  And Rocco Penz should be back tomorrow.”

“If I can help … I wish I had been watching her, might have been different.” Ralph’s sigh made Spacer feel he was sincere in his sympathy toward the victim.

Pete called to tell Ruby he was running later than he thought he would be.  He was twenty miles out of town and while he was there, Dad wanted him to stop at a potential customer’s home and make sketches for a quote.  Pete had sent the man he was riding with back with another worker and was driving the company truck home.

Ruby used the extra time to stop off at the store to shop for what she needed to conjure a fabulous stir-fry, for dinner. 

When Pete arrived, she proudly presented the result of her labors and Pete was properly impressed.

While they ate Pete said, “We’re late on the treadmill again.”

“What are we going to do about the treadmill?” Ruby asked.  Met with a questioning stare she went on, “I love that program in the treadmill.  It’s like taking a walk in the park and we don’t have to leave the house, but I’m getting to be afraid of what we’re going to run into every time we get on it.”

Pete looked away and took a deep breath, then said, “I find myself checking to see if they’re still in place.  What if someone comes in and decides to try them without instruction?”

Ruby stared nodding.  “They could get lost in there and we wouldn’t even have a treadmill to go get them.”

“We have to talk to Al.  He was going to do something about the command.”

“Let’s invite Al and Jeanne to dinner tomorrow.  We can talk to Al and let Jeanne see how great that treadmill is at the same time,” Ruby said, “Jeanne was really impressed with the man my treadmill produced for her.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Pete laughed.  “But don’t serve them anything as good as dinner tonight.  We won’t be able to get rid of them.  Especially Al – you’re such a good cook.  How do you find time?”

“Truly, you’re my guinea pig.”

Pete helped Ruby clear the table and straighten up, then they went to the treadmills for a run on a lower level. 

“Trail three has never been a problem,” Pete suggested.

Spacer and Kurtis were at Senator Jensen’s office by ten o’clock in the morning.  They made the appointment informing his secretary they were investigating a problem at the rifle range and wanted to know what he knew about it.  When Spacer reminded her he had said he was with police department, he was allowed a few moments.

Senator Jensen offered Kurtis and Spacer a seat and took his place behind his desk.

“My secretary said you were rather persistent in requesting an interview,” Jensen said, “but I’m sure I don’t know anything amiss at the rifle range.  Are they trying to close it again?”

“We used the rifle range to keep this interrogation private,” Spacer said.  “Actually we wanted to ask you about your relationship with Hope Styles.”

“Hope?  Is she in some sort of trouble?”

Spacer and Kurtis looked at each other with a surprised expression.  Kurtis answered the question, “Senator, surely you’ve heard, Ms Styles was murdered…”

The Senator’s mouth open expression stopped Kurtis.  He believed Jensen was hearing the news for the first time.

“Murdered?” was all Jensen could muster.

“We heard you walked in the park together at times.” Spacer said.

“I’ve known Hope and her family for years.  Why didn’t anyone tell me?  When did this happen?”

“We’ve been on the case for three weeks.  Your name just came up yesterday,” Spacer said.

“My wife and I have been in Washington for the last month.  To serve the state you have to leave it,” Jensen said. “You would think someone would have at least mentioned Hope’s death.  She worked with us on the election trail.  Of course, that was four years ago.  She got involve because we were neighbors and I knew her parents casually.” He paused then asked, “How did it happen?”

“We believe she was shot at Lookout Point and the body was dumped in Heg Park,” Kurtis said.

“We heard you and Ms Styles walked together several times,” Spacer said.

“We seemed to be on the same schedule for a month or so.  I’ve been gone for a month.  Seems it’s been over a month before that we stopped running into each other.”  He thought a minute then continued, “The last time I saw her she mentioned going to the gym.  The way she said it, I thought there might be someone special to her at the gym.”

“What was your relationship to Ms. Styles?” Spacer asked.

“Friendly.  You may ask my wife.  I told her every time we met and filled her in on any gossip.  I appreciate your being discreet in the office but there was nothing private about our relationship.”

“If that’s the case we may want to speak to your wife,” Kurtis said. “Women very often remember tidbits that men overlook.  We’re thinking Ms. Styles may have seen something.”

“I’m really sorry I can’t be more help.  Should I call my wife or would you rather go in cold?”

“Very astute question,” Kurtis said.  “We would rather have a fresh reaction.”

“I started in the prosecutor’s office,” Jensen said.  “If there is anything I can do, feel free to ask.  I’ll leave orders with my staff to put you through as soon as possible, should you call.”  Jensen went on, “You may question anyone on my staff.  I’ll have my manager make a list of those who worked with her.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Spacer said. “You seem to be more concerned over the loss of this poor lady than anyone else we’ve spoken too.”

“We’ve met with a lot of shrugs on this case,” Kurtis added.

“Odd.  She was a charming young lady.” 1493