Cause of Death (Det. Annie Avants Book 1) (25 page)

Monday, 3 September 2012, 1:00 AM

Jesse woke to a pounding on his front door and the insistent ringing of his doorbell.

"What the heck," he said as he headed down the hall.

When he opened the door, he was astonished to see his sister, Chianna, standing there with a wicked grin on her face.

"Did I catch you at a bad time," she said as she walked past him into the foyer of his home.  "You're not entertaining, are you?"

"What the heck are you doing here, Chianna?  Don't you have a phone?  You could have called and warned me you were coming."

He reached out and drew his sister to him and gave her a big hug and kissed both of her cheeks.

She hugged him back and pointed to the front door.

"I need to bring in my bags, bro.  You can make yourself useful, and I'll put on a pot of coffee."

After Jesse returned with her bags and put them in his guest bedroom, he went into the kitchen where Chianna was just pouring their coffee.

"So what brings you to beautiful Bakersfield at 1:00 AM in the morning, Chianna?  Not that I'm not glad to see you, because I'm very happy you're here, just surprised."

"Dion had to go out of town for a business meeting and I was bored.  He left around 6:30 yesterday evening and I brooded for a while, then decided 'what the heck' and packed my stuff, called my assistant to watch the gallery, and hit the road."

"How long can you stay?" Jesse asked.  "I have to go to work, you know.  It's Monday and we're very busy.  I have to go to an autopsy this morning for the latest victim of the serial murders here.  You've heard about them, I'm sure."

"Yes, Jesse, I have.  It's a terrible thing.  I didn't realize you were on the investigation team.

"Anyway, I'll leave Tuesday evening after dinner.  That way I'll miss a lot of the commute traffic and still be able to spend some time with you.  While you're at work, I'm just going to laze around.  Maybe we can meet for lunch, and afterwards I'll take a drive up to the high desert, then come back and cook you a nice dinner.  How does that sound?"

"I think it sounds perfect.  It's been a long time since I've come home to a home-cooked dinner," Jesse said.

"Well, brother dear, you have no one to blame for that but yourself.  I've told you to get married, but you don't listen to me."

Jesse laughed.  "I'm still working on Annie," he said.  "I don't think this is a good time for me to introduce you to her, though.  She might think I'm ganging up on her with my family."

Chianna laughed.  "OK, I won't pop into your office or tag along on your calls or investigations.  Where do you want to go for lunch?"

"There's a great Italian restaurant within walking distance of my office.  It's called Uricchio's Trattoria and you'll love it.  I'll come by and pick you up about 11:15 AM so we can get a good seat.  They're usually busy.  A lot of the legal crowd dines there."

Chianna picked up their empty coffee cups and placed them in the sink.

"OK, I'll be ready.  Now, I'm going to get some sleep.  I've been on the road for 5 hours and I'm exhausted.  I'll be ready for you when you come to pick me up, but don't wake me when you're getting ready for work," she laughed.

When Annie and Tom arrived at the morgue for the autopsy on Maria Ortiz at 9:00 AM, Jesse was already suited up and talking with Doc and Deputy Coroner Schillings.  Annie and Tom got ready and when they entered the chamber, they greeted the others.  Annie made it a point to stay as far away from Jesse as she could.

The autopsy proceeded in the same fashion as the first two.  The main difference was that this victim had been suffocated, not strangled, like Carmen Gutierrez.

When the autopsy was finished, Annie left quickly, avoiding any chance of a conversation with Jesse.

Just before Tom left, Joseph came into the room.

"Do you have a minute, Detective?  I have something I would like you to give to Detective Avants but I wasn't sure it's appropriate.  I'd feel better if you looked at it first.  Then, if you think it's OK, you can give it to her for me."

"Sure, Joseph.  What is it?"

Joseph opened up a paper sack he was carrying and removed a nicely framed photograph.  He handed it to Tom as he explained.

"I have a full darkroom in my basement.  I love working with black and white photography and processing the prints myself.  I took, developed, and framed this picture for Annie."

Tom looked at the picture and burst out laughing.

"This is great, Joseph.  It's just what Annie needs and I'm sure she'll be pleased with your gift."

The photograph was a close up of Buster with one of his front legs lifted so it looked like he was waving at the camera.  A hand-written note at the bottom of the picture said, 'Annie, I wuv U.  Will you be my friend? - Buster'.

"She'll love this Joseph, but why don't you give it to her yourself?"

"Nah, I'd rather you did.  I'd feel funny.  I just thought it would help her take a different view of spiders - at least tarantulas."

"Well, that's very thoughtful of you, Joseph.  I'll see that she gets it when I return to the office.  Thank you."

"You're welcome," Joseph said, as he turned around and went back to finish his cleaning.

Laine parked her car in the L Street Parking Garage at 19th & L Street and she and Annie walked towards Uricchio's Trattoria on 17th Street.  On the phone that morning, they decided to splurge and eat at one of their favorite Italian restaurants.  Uricchio's wasn't cheap, but the food was excellent.  Annie was especially fond of the Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp, which was so rich she had come close to dozing off at the table before she could finish her meal.

It was a beautiful end-of-summer day and the sky was clear.  The temperature had turned cooler, and it was a pleasant 81 degrees F.  The two ladies took their time walking to the restaurant as they were in no hurry, content to let the first rush of customers finish up before they arrived.

As they walked south on K Street, Annie grabbed Laine's arm and pulled her back so they were shielded by the trees and cars parked by the entrance from K Street into 17th Place.  Walking out of Uricchio's and getting into Jesse's car was Jesse and a beautiful young woman who was obviously Native American.

Annie abruptly turned around and headed back up K Street.

Laine quickly caught up with her.  "Annie, what's going on?" she asked.  "Who was that with Jesse and where are we going?"

"I think we'd better eat at the Woolworth's Diner.  I'm in the mood for a Dewar's ice cream," Annie snapped at her friend.

Laine decided to keep quiet until they were seated at the counter of Woolworth's.  She didn't mind eating there because of the unique 1950s atmosphere and all the antique clothes and other things they could shop for in the basement.

"OK," Laine said, after they placed their orders.  "Now tell me what happened between you and Jesse."

"We had an argument and I basically told him I wasn't interested in a relationship.  It was right after my mom called and brow beat me to find a husband and come back to Arkansas, not necessarily in that order.  Jesse and I went running that morning and I almost decided to give a relationship with him a try.  Then my mom called and made me realize how futile such a relationship would be.  So, I called Jesse and told him I didn't want to commit to any type of relationship.

"He shut up for a few minutes, and then told me he wouldn't bother me anymore.  He sure recovers fast," Annie said.

"Oh, Annie, I'm so sorry," Laine said.  "You and Jesse are so good together.  I wish the two of you could come to some sort of compromise so y'all would both get what you need out of your relationship."

"Well, that's not likely to happen now, is it?  He's obviously moved on, and I think it's time I did the same."

"Hey, Annie, come here," Tom called out when he heard Annie return from lunch.

The other four detectives in the office all got up and gathered around Annie's desk.  Tom had showed them the picture ahead of time and they couldn't wait to see Annie's reaction.

"What, Tom," Annie scowled.  She obviously wasn't in the best of moods.

"Joseph asked me to give you this.  It's a present from him to you."  He handed Annie the sack.

When she pulled out the picture, she almost dropped it on the floor, she was so surprised.

"Good gracious," she stammered, and then started to giggle.  "I bet this is Joseph's way to acclimate me to spiders," she gasped between laughs.  "This is great.  I'll give him a call right now and thank him.  Hmmm, I wonder where I'll hang it?  I'll have to find just the right spot so it doesn't startle me if I'm prowling around my home in the dark.  How did he get this picture?"

"He's an amateur photographer.  He has a darkroom in his basement where he develops black and white film.  He does great work.  I think I want to visit his darkroom and see how it's done," Tom said.

Annie put the photograph back in the sack and gave Joseph a call, thanking him over and over for the thoughtful gift.

Tuesday, 4 September 2012, 11:00 AM

After talking it over with Sgt. Collins and Tom, Annie decided to revisit the different pet shops in Bakersfield and see if anyone had any further information for them.  She wanted to start with the shop that had sent the fax with a customer list because that owner seemed to be more cooperative than any of the others.

Tom was going to visit the two Army/Navy Surplus Stores again and see if he could glean any further leads or information.  Maybe the two owners remembered some other small detail that would help in their investigation.  He called Sarah to see if Ali Samaha had made an appointment with her to do a sketch of his boot customer, but she said that she hadn't heard from him.

So far there were no reports of another missing person.  If Jesse's time frame was accurate, either the perp hadn't abducted another girl or, if he did, she wasn't reported as missing.  Annie could only hope that another innocent girl wasn't in his clutches.  She shivered when she thought of what a new victim might be going through at this very minute.

"Hi there," the man at the counter of Your Petz greeted Annie as she walked through the door.  "What will it be my pleasure to help you with today?"

Annie looked around the store.  Supplies, cages with birds and other small mammals, even some tanks with tarantulas filled the room.  She could see puppies and kittens in fenced off sections playing or sleeping.  There was no bad odor to the shop.  She could tell he took pride in his store and kept it clean.

"This is a great shop," Annie said.  "I haven't visited a pet store before.  I have a tomcat and he doesn't have many needs."

The man smiled, obviously pleased with her positive comments about his store.

"My name is Annie Avants, and I'm a detective with the Kern County Sheriff's Office, Robbery/Homicide Unit.  My partner, Tom Weston, visited here a while ago and talked with you, I believe."

"Yes, that's true, and I did fax Detective Weston some information we were able to find on some of our customers who bought spiders or spider supplies."

"Yes, thank you.  We received that information and it was very helpful.  I was hoping that you might have remembered something else in the meantime."

"I do have some thoughts about the type of people who like spiders that I can share with you.  Look, Detective Avants, I was just about to shut down for fifteen minutes and walk over to the Starbucks for a coffee.  Would you care to join me - my treat?  Then, we can talk in a more relaxed environment."

Annie thought about it for a minute. 
Why not
, she thought. 
He seems like a pleasant enough fellow and I sure could use a good cup of coffee.

"That's a good idea, thank you," Annie said.  "Coffee is one of life's great pleasures and I never turn down a chance to imbibe."

He reached over the counter and stretched out his hand.  "By the way, my name is Eddie Dobbs."

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Dobbs," Annie said as she shook his hand.

They walked over to the nearby Starbucks and placed their orders.  When they were seated, Eddie said, "Please, call me Eddie.  No one has called me Mr. Dobbs for years.  Sounds like a character in an old 1940s movie."

Annie laughed.  "OK, Eddie.  I think there was an old movie almost like that from the 1960s called 'Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation'. 

"What I wanted to ask you about is if you found out any more information about anyone who has shown an interest in spiders or spider supplies.  Also, we have a sketch of a man who we are interested in talking to."

Annie pulled the sketch of the man with the spider tattoo on his back, and the tattoo photo, out of her purse and handed them to Eddie.  She still didn't have any copies of the sketches of the perp that Sarah made.

"Have you ever see this man or a tattoo like this?"

Eddie looked closely at the photo and the drawing of the tattoo.

"Hmmm, I can't say that I have.  That is quite some tattoo.  Detective Weston had dropped it off when he came to visit.  Later, a deputy brought by the sketch of the man who has the tattoo.

"I don't think I would have missed it if someone came into my shop with that on his back."

Annie was disappointed and it showed on her face.

Eddie reached over and patted her hand, "Now, now, don't look so forlorn.  You're sure to come up with some good clues soon.  Just stay relaxed and don't stress out."

Annie graced him with a wan smile and stood up to leave.

"Thank you, Eddie.  It's been a pleasure talking with you.  I have to visit the other pet shops, so I'd better get going.  I won't find any clues if I don't keep working."

They walked back to the pet shop and stopped beside Annie's car.

"Thank you for your help and the coffee, Eddie.  Here's my card with my cell phone number on the back.  If you hear anything at all, please don't hesitate to call me, no matter what time it is."

Eddie took her card, they said their good byes, and Annie left.