E. 1. 7.
"Hello, I have been told what it is you are seeking, but our employee..... do you have a warrant?" asked the man to the detectives. He was older, his skin had a few wrinkles, hair fading; a dark brown hair was now light brown with white. Jaki turned and was about to say something when Ted understood quickly and interrupted her, and said. "Hello, we are detectives Grimes and Lancaster." he pulled out his badge, and Jaki followed by pulling hers.
The manager looked at the badges, and paused a moment. "Okay detectives, do you have a warrant? The laws only allow us to give out information for emergencies, and to family members." Ted looked at the manager and with a smile said. "We have an emergency now, we are investigating a crime, we would like to talk to Bob if you do not mind." The manager came close to the counter, Jaki was looking at him with a very straight face. Ted said. "Can I ask your name sir?"
The manager looked at Jaki for a moment more, he turned his look towards Ted and said. "My name is Anthony, and why do you need to talk to Bob? Again do you have a warrant?" Ted adjusted and stood up, but made sure not to look aggressive, he smiled more and said. "I said we have an emergency, we are investigating a crime, Bob is not guilty we would just like to ask him some questions. Is he here?"
Anthony, who looked frail and possibly of Mexican, or some Asian decent responded. "I am not allowed to tell you this information, we have laws to follow. State your business, or leave please." Jaki heard this and turned away from the counter, she was getting frustrated, she grabbed her phone out of her jacket and started to open the phone up. Ted said. "Look, I cannot give you the details, but we are investigating a crime. We have shown you our badges, if you like here is the name and number of our supervisor." Ted went for his wallet to pull out a card.
"Look detective?" said Anthony with a question. Ted answered "I am detective Lancaster, this is detective Grimes, our supervisor is Theodore." Anthony responded. "Detective Lancaster, you can give me the name and number of your supervisor, but without a warrant, there is nothing I can do for you." Jaki heard this and turned back, she had the phone to her ear, and said. "We can have that warrant for you in about an hour, I am going to make sure of it."
The manager looked at her, and Jaki looked back stern, her face said believe it. Ted could feel the tension and spoke up, raising his right hand to his chest he said. "Look, when a crime is committed time is of the essence. The person in question, and we are not saying it is Bob, we have questioned others. What we are saying is, that time is not on our side. We have around twenty four hours to find the suspect, and the longer we are delayed, the better chance they have to get away. I cannot give you the details, but we are just asking those who know the..... uhm victim, some questions. We can get the warrant if that is what you want, but that will take more than an hour. We are running out of time, and that hour is not something we can just give away. Are you really going to make us wait for that?"
Ted turned from the counter, Jaki looked at the manager, her phone cut out. She took the phone down and hit redial, she put it back up to her ear and looked at the manager again. Her eyes and demeanor said she was not happy. Ted waived his arms around the room while speaking. "You know, as I look around, I see some.... problems. I think the labor board may need to be contacted, perhaps OSHA, the IRS."
The manager stood up tall and said with confidence. "Are you trying to coerce me? Threaten me, or this business? We have many lawyers, and will not be threatened." Ted turned back and said to him with less pleasantry. "Oh no sir. I am just saying that I seem to think there may be some trouble here." The manager watched as Ted pulled out his phone and started to swipe through it.
"Hold on..... so you are detectives of this area?" asked the manger. "Yes, we are." said Jaki as she held her phone to her ear, her look was becoming less friendly. The manager watched Jaki and started to become uncomfortable. Ted said. "Look, you are right, we need a warrant. But if asking Bob some questions helped us to find a criminal, and you and your business held us back, what would the public think? What would the owners, and stock market holders think?"
The manager was starting to twitch a little, he was feeling the pressure. "Look, we do not need any trouble, we have laws to follow. If I give you this, I and we get in trouble another way." he said this while pointing at himself the secretary, and around to others in the building. Ted said back. "I assure you, if you cooperate, there will be no trouble. Time is of the essence, we need to talk to Bob."
The manager watched as Jaki paced the room. "Hello? Oh good, listen closely." Jaki said as she walked away from the manager and her voice could no longer be heard. The manager said. "Please, if you are detective, investigating, we can assist you." Ted smiled and said out loud. "Jaki, come on, we are going to talk to Bob." Jaki turned and looked at Ted and then the manager, she took the phone down and walked quickly towards Ted.
Classical music played as the black gloved hands moved the steering wheel. There were many cars in the street, the night was coming, and the left hand turned the lights on, well before needed. The left hand went back towards the wheel of the car, and the car moved left into a faster lane. The engine purred a little faster, and gained on the 2016 white Cadillac Escalade.
The Escalade moved safely through the traffic, it came to a light changing from yellow to red, the black gloved hands moved the wheel, and the vehicle came to a slow stop just to the left and rear. The red stayed red, and the other traffic moved, the right hand moved over to the radio, another classical station Mozart's Organ Sonata No. 4. played. The light turned green, and vehicles started to move forward. The car behind the Escalade turned right, and the black gloved hands, moved the steering wheel to the right, and came behind the vehicle.
Suzy was listening to the radio, and pulling the leaves out of her hair and clothes. "Mom, I am hungry, what are we going to eat?" Her mother answered. "We are going to have something to eat, we can do chicken fried rice, or order pizza. Or?" she paused and continued. "Do you want to get your dad something?" Suzy listened and answered. "Ooh chicken rice sounds good." she said as she grabbed her doll. "Sounds good, let's go home and wait for daddy." Her mother looked in the rear view mirror at her daughter and smiled.
The Escalade moved through the town to 163 Granite road. It pulled up and came to a stop, a car passed and another. The mother got out of the car, she turned off the vehicle, and went back to get her child. She opened up the door, and started to undo her. The child waited for her mother, and she was not fast enough. Once the belts were loose, Suzy bounced down to the floor of the car, and waited for her mother to grab her under the arms.
"Here you go, let's go in and make some food, does that sound good?" Suzy bounced away from the car, and said while going to the houses side door. "Yes mom, that sounds good." Her mom smiled and shut the door, the air crisp but she knew inside it was warm. "Oh my gosh it is cold mom!" said Suzy. "Watch your mouth." replied her mother, and continued. "Swear words are not allowed." Suzy responded. "Yes mother." and waited at the door. She was dancing, either cold, or needing to go to the restroom or both. Her mother came close and took the keys and entered one into the door, she twisted and the door unlocked.
"Thank you mom, I have to go....." Suzy ran inside, she dropped everything. Her mom sighed and grabbed her daughters stuff and picked it up. She went to the kitchen, and placed them on the counter and set the oven to 375 degrees, to start cooking. One car stopped outside, it pulled up to the neighbors house, the engine turned off.
"Mom, when are we going to eat?" Suzy asked after she was done. "It will be soon. Did you wash your hands?" asked her mother. "Yes." Suzy went forward and grabbed one of the chairs, she was so small to it, and pulled hard, she was able to get it back and climbed up.
The manager had Ted and Jaki with him, they were in another smaller room. "Bob, is not here he called in sick for the last two days, let me get you his address." Jaki came closer and said. "Two days? The manager felt uncomfortable, he said to the secretary and to them. "We can get that information for you, it will just take a moment." The secretary went to a file cabinet, and sorted through, she found the folder and read it. She went to the computer and started to enter information. "Here, 831 North Bambrey Steet." she turned the computer for the detectives to read.
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