Book Four: Part 8 - Rhyming Evil - Chapter 18
216 Blake Way
The Roof Top – 5:11 p.m.
Walking around, he took a glimpse over the edge of the roof and spotted Michael Collins Porsche, as Michael parked it about sixty feet from the building’s entrance. He watched as Michael got out of his car, hit the remote key lock and two whoop=whoops could be heard. He watched, until Michael was out of sight and mentally took it all in.
Unlock the front door. Check mail. Sort mail as he walks to the elevator. Presses elevator door. Waits. Elevator door opens. He enters. Presses his floor. Door closes. Eight seconds later the elevator stops, door opens. Gets off and with key in hand walks to his apartment door. Unlocks it. He’s inside.
Time to pay him a visit.
Apartment 12-A – 5:14 p.m.
He pressed the buzzer and this time he heard activity and footsteps. Even though there is a spy-hole in the door, Michael never chose to use it. The door flew open.
There stood Cliff with the biggest gun Michael ever saw in his life.
“Back up, Michael. I’ll just invite myself in.”
Once inside, Cliff kicked the door closed behind him. Michael could feel a sheen of perspiration clinging to hi shirt, giving him a cold, clammy feeling.
“You can’t be serious, Cliff. If you shoot me, you are facing at least ten years in prison. You would be ruined.”
“I’m already ruined; you self-serving, egotistical cocksucker. And you weren’t too good at that come to think about it.
“What do I get for murder? Life, isn’t it?”
”Cliff, IK know you and I have had our differences, but think about what you are doing. If you pull that trigger\, you will never be a free man, and being gay, you would be used so many times in prison, it would drive you insane.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but you won’t be around to interfere in my life any longer.”
Cliff pulled the hammer back.
“Don’t! Please, don’t, Cliff! “DON’T!”
Michael had mere seconds and they dwindled fast. He had one chance to stop Cliff.
Cliff’s arm straightened, the large .357 Mag lifted and centered on Michael’s chest.
“Never again will I have to put with your interference, your slutty comments about me! Goodbye, Michael!”
Michael made his move as Cliff squeezed the trigger.
Neither man made contact.
Apartment 12-A – 6:31 p.m.
Huey Marx and his F-Team were on site with Officer’s Lucky and Jeremy Sadowski. San ambulance was called to the scene and was later replaced with the meat wagon to take both bodies to the county morgue.
“It’s the oddest thing I have seen in a long time. It appears there was a brief scuffle. Mr. Collins may have been pushed backward or tried to dodge a bullet, and when he fell, the back of his head hit the floor so hard he died as a result of either when his neck broke, or because his right hand was clenched tightly to his shirt, indicating a possible heart attack,” Huey explained to both officers.
“As to the other vic, I would say the gun might have been too much for him to handle. He fired and the recoil pushed him back. Apparently, he lost his footing and fell back against the bar railing, definitely breaking his neck.
“It’s also apparent that our first vic,” looking at his notes, then looked at Lucky and Sadowski, “Collins, had suffered an attack or fell, he would have been fatally wounded or dead if the bullet had penetrated him instead of the wall.
“The bodies are enroute to the County ME. I’ll notify them to have copies of the autopsy reports sent over to you guys as soon as we can.
“This whole thing looks like a bad idea that only got worse in my opinion.”
Baker-Manning Home
111 Homestead – 7:12 p.m.
“Damn. All right, Satchell. Thanks for the heads up.
“Yeah, I imagine the press will be all over this tonight and in the morning. I’ll brief everyone in the meeting tomorrow. Okay. Git it. See you then.”
“I can tell from your end of the conversation things are not so good. Who died?”
Baker looked at him somewhat tired, somewhat depressed.
“The good news is none of my guys. The bad news; a man named Clifford James Potter and our former ADA, Michael Jeffery Collins, were both found dead in Collins apartment less than an hour ago. I’ll have the report on my desk along with the coroner’s workup as well.”
“Collins! My God, that’s going to leave a hole in the state. Why would someone want to kill him?”
“Other than a few dozen men he’s helped put away who are still in prison? I can’t think of anyone, least of all Potter. Satchell did say Potter was recently fired for indiscriminate behavior as he put it. Officers Lucky and Sadowski have clearance to go to Potter’s apartment and look around. Huey’s at the scene and will follow them over to Potter’s for any other possible evidence they can find that might tie this thing together.”
Stevie walked inside the house.
“Hi Mom, hi Ed. You guys need to turn on the TV. Up the street from the Pit-Stop, there is a whole bunch of police cars and ambulances and that. Channel 08 is there, too.”
Ed hit the remote, then pressed 14 for Channel 08.
“As I said, we are live at what is currently being called a twin accidental death. Police aren’t releasing any names at this time, but Channel 08 has learned that the Assistant District Attorney, Michael Collins, lives in this building. We will try to get an interview with him to see what he may be able to tell us.
“As it has been reported, two males were found dead in an upstairs apartment.”
Jennifer Ralston turned her head as she pointed toward the upper floor of the building when she spotted someone she felt she could interview.
“Here comes Huey Marx from the Forensic Crime-Scene Investigation Unit.
“Mr. Marx, is there anything you can tell us, or add to these so-called accidental deaths?”
“Jennifer, from all outward appearances, that is exactly what it appears to be. My office will have more tomorrow morning once we hear from the ME.”
“Were you able to speak with any of the other tenants? Who was it who called the police to the scene?”
“No comment and no comment. We will release a statement after we look at some other information and the ME’s final report. That’s all I can tell you right now.”
“Seems like everyone is rather quiet on this one, Larry.”
As Huey walked away, Larry Miller, inside Channel 08 studios said, “Jennifer, is it true this strange turn of events happened on the second floor?”
“No Larry, it was on the third floor, and once police leave, I will try to get a few statements from the residents, and possibly Mr. Collins, to shed some light as to what happened here.
“I’ll have those interviews and much more at eleven tonight. Back to you, Larry.”
Ed clicked the TV off.
“You know she’ll never get that interview with Collins, but she’ll have it on the news tonight that he was one of the vic’s.”
“No way,” blurted Stevie. “Mr. Collins was killed today?”
“Yes, Bub, and please, don’t say anything to Ellie or your other friends until we get an official confirmation and the investigation under wraps.”
“So who is going to call Blackstone and give him the news?” asked Ed.
“Satchell called the Mayor before me and said she would handle it. I suspect by tomorrow morning we’ll have some sort of press conference and statements will be made then.”
Baker got on her cell and called Channel 08.
“Larry Miller, please. This is Lieutenant Baker calling.”
Fourteen seconds clicked by like an eternity for her.
“Yes, Lieutenant Baker, what can I do for you?”
“As quickly as you can, call Jennifer Ralston and have her back away from the crime scene and—”
“I will not!”
“Yes you will. And you will tell her if she steps one foot near that crime scene, I will consider that tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice and will have her remanded into custody. Have I made myself clear?”
“Quite, Lieutenant. I don’t understand but I will relay your message.”
“Once you have, instruct her to have her come to my office immediately.”
Closing her phone down, she slipped into a pair of loafers and said, “Hopefully, I’ll be back in an hour. I want to diffuse a situation before it happens.”
The Twenty-Second Precinct
Baker’s Office – 7:39 p.m.
“You have never ordered the press away before, Lieutenant. Why now?”
“Answer my questions first, Miss Ralston, and don’t lie to me.
“How many people inside the building did you interview before your boss called you off?”
Very few people when I got the call from the station. You do know this is harassment. You have also violated the first amendment. Our station could sue this department.”
“Just stop and listen to me. If you had stepped out of that elevator onto the third floor, if would be my right to have you arrested. The entire third floor is sealed off and is considered a crime scene. If you had moved five feet in any direction, I would have had you arrested.
“With that said, I am going to give you a piece of information I want you to sit on until the noon news tomorrow. Before then, anything else I can piece together, I will give you as well. We just don’t want certain names revealed tonight. Fair enough?”
“Well, you certainly didn’t have to threaten me or the station; you could have just asked.”
“Sure. Right. Do you want the information or not.”
Jennifer nodded, then broke out a small note pad and pen from her purse.
“The two victims are Clifford James Potter, 41, single. The other is also single, 43 and that is Michael Jeffery Collins.”
Jennifer stopped writing.
“Unreal. Damn! Okay, I get it, now. But you promise to give me all the details tomorrow for the noon news?”
“I said I would, and I will.”
Jennifer left Baker’s office and during the 11 O’clock news she reported, “At this time, there is nothing further to add to my reporting earlier of the accidental death of two males. Two residents I spoke with didn’t have any idea what occurred until after police and rescue services arrived. However, I have it on good authority from an undisclosed source, that I will have copies to all police and autopsy reports; which at that time, I will be able to give you in greater detail the events that did occur, pending notification of their nearest relatives.”