CHAPTER VIII: BUT WHAT ABOUT THE...

Guy who wants to kill me? Stay tuned. This could get interesting.

Having ruined not only OUR reputations but that of the entire police department because of our carrying on in front of God, the coppahs, and God knows who else...we flounced off to see the crime scene for ourselves...and to do some sleuthy, and on the way I kept trying to reach Donnie Martinsen's family and finally did get ahold of his twin brother Danny who also works at the restaurant. I told him we would swing by in a few and did.

Neither of us were exactly looking forward to springing the death of Donnie on his twin...and I did for a minute consider grabbing the wheel and telling Rob to head west to California, Hell Hawaii or even Tahiti, (KEEP PADDLING, DAMMIT), but...

We pulled up and the brother, Danny was waiting out front for us. He was distraught. Seems he had called over to the restaurant for his brother and someone had told him about the murder. GOD BLESS A FUCK.

We both tried to console him and it wasn't going to be easy...and soon after we got there, the mother arrived home, who hadn't as yet heard...and I thought. NOT FAIR. Major group meltdown, and there was still the grandmother to go. EEEK!!!

Mother immediately tried to help console Danny (in spite of the shock and her own grief...as mothers are wont to do) and that helped. Hearing the noise, the grandmother came out of the house and so she got the news straight away.

She evidently is the practical sort and right off the bat, set about getting the obvious things to be done initiated. GREAT GOING GRAMMA. I can understand that of course, with her being the grandmother of twins and all...after being around my own pair of looney tunes duo...Drew & Dylan. One has to be quick as a jackrabbit, or has to get to be a whole lot faster to keep up. 

After a bit, we told them we needed to get to the scene but would be letting them know when the body would be available. They thanked us and we left for the restaurant. (I can be practical too, by God). I felt so bad for Danny. He was still hysterical when we left.

Not far from them to the scene of the crime and when we got there, it was a madhouse.

Forensics, customers of the place, other employees, couple reporters from one of the local rags (newspapers), neighbors and the occasional passerby-curiousity seeker.

Everyone was doing their level best to get in the way and be obnoxious, and I told Rob that perhaps firing a few warning shots in the air might help. Have I mentioned how good he is at WITHERING LOOKS.

Omg, that one eyebrow is Oscar material.

I alas didn't get to fire off his service revolver, always a crowd pleaser, but I did get to be vocally rowdy and I am good at that. In high school, I was not only the head of the cheering section at games, I WAS the cheering section...leaving everyone else to devour beer and hotdogs and all that pedestrian pepto bismol fodder.

"OK, YOU CREEPS. LISSEN UP. SDASTFU, and if not I may have to call the police."

Speaking of adding a bit of color...

It got real quiet real quick. Maybe they didn't notice the uniformed hotties in their midst?

Nice town. Not terribly bright and definitely not observant or astute, but good people. Hahaha.

The late Mister Martinsen was in one of the coolers which I am sure will be most appreciated by the coroner and when we got back there forensics was inside it doing their thing, and some of that involved messing with the body I am sure. (They do seem abnormally close these two. Must be after years of togetherness examining bodies and stuff).

Just the epitomy of horny inducements.
YEH RIGHT.

Okay. This is number four. Including Glenn Walters and the case of Case, which we must of course. Frankie Michaelson was discovered behind his brothers nightclub, and this one Donnie Martinsen in the cooler at Robert Michaelson's restaurant about two blocks down from the Night Moves nightclub. It flashed across my brain that maybe this isn't just a homophobe run amuck but maybe a vendetta of some kind against Michaelsen. Didn't seem too likely especially considering Walters and Case who seemed to have little to do with either Michaelsen, but you gotta go where the facts take you sometimes...not to mention gut instincts. This one was not really either, but something to ponder certainly.

I shared my thought with Robbie.
"Good thought, honey. I hadn't thought of that."
"It is a thought, but upon reflection I am not so sure that it is what is going on here."
"Worth looking into though."
"Yeh, and we will too."
He nodded his assent, and we began our participation in the fun and frivolity, aka crimey scenics.

Wasn't long and Forensics finished up, and while awaiting the paperwork to materialize giving permission to move the body, Rob asked me if I wanted to go into the cooler and see for ourselves what had happened.

I mulled that over for a minute but not wanting to appear to be a total woosie, I said SURE.

Inside however, I was steeling for gruesome. Good thought, for indeed it was.

The sight of Donnie as he lay there on the cooler floor did give both of us some pause. I looked away for a minute...sorta taking it all in kinda, and I felt Rob lean a bit harder against me. 

"Geez, honey," I heard him mumble.
"Yeh, God what kind of ANIMAL..."
"A very sick one baby,"
and I concurred. 

"This is ONE SICK MOTHERFUCKER."

We slowly ok, maybe not slowly but we did move around the body, being careful to not touch anything and I thought NO PROBLEM THERE.

I ain't touching NUFFIN...and then Rob took my arm and steered me out of the cooler. I was queasier than I think I have ever been. Not even Roller coasters have ever left me this nauseous.

"Did you see anything that stuck out to you?"
"Robbie, EVERYTHING stuck out to me," and he laughed and agreed.

"Do we gotta stay?"
"Nope we done here,"
and I told him I had been done for awhile. He laughed again.
"Before the cooler, actually."

"On the way out, people kept trying to stop us and ask questions, but we just kept the "NO COMMENT" bus driving forward and FINALLY made it to the front doors and on out to the car. Once in it, I said to Robbie,
"Maybe whatcha think. Go see Robert Michaelsen and see what he says about our theory?"
"Yeh, sounds good. Can't hurt, right?"
I nodded and after starting the car, we headed out to his house to do just that. (We had been told at the restaurant, that he had gone back home).

Again the chimes. Hahaha. Again the vibrations.
Again the maid, and again the being seated to wait and again it wasn't long.

"Gentlemen. You need me about the murder I assume?"

"Yes and no, sir," Rob said.
"Ok, shoot."
"Mister Michaelsen, we have merely noticed that at least two of the victims were found at your properties and either related to you or an employee, and the other two were patrons. So we feel we need to pursue the possibility that this might just be a vendetta...against YOU."

"I hadn't thought of that." 
"Actually I hadn't either. My friend Dylan here did."
"Sounds like you made a good choice for a partner, officer."
I blushed.
Rob smiled.
"I think so too, sir."
I blushed more.

"Do you have any enemies, either personal or professional, that you know of?" Rob asked him.
"Not that I know of and please call me Robert. Since we are becoming fast friends, seems a bit formal to be calling me Mister." and he laughed.

"Thanks, and are you sure? About the enemies I mean."
"Yes, I think so. In my businesses, everyone seems to get on really well, with each other and with me. As far as family, no problems there that I am aware of. I only have now a sister left and she is married with two children and lives in Oregon...and my two sons, but they would never be involved with something like this. 

Friends, I don't have a lot of close personal friends, bit of a loner I guess you could say, but those I do...no we get along well. God what a shame, Donnie was really well liked and a totally sweet young man. His twin brother is too. Oh, did you know he has a twin? Works at the restaurant too."
"Yes, we just left he and his family. Danny is NOT taking this well, which is a gross understatement," I said to him
"I can only imagine. Especially close even for twin brothers," he volunteered.
"So no. Sorry but I just can't think of anyone who would want to do this to hurt ME."

"Ok...I hope you understand we have to check out every possibility, and if you do think of something please call me," and Rob handed him his business card.

"Of course I will. I want to get to the bottom of this as much or more than you do. Not exactly good for business you understand, but more than that this is affecting people I know and care deeply about."

"We said we understood, made our adieus and got back out to the car after he told us that he hoped to have the body of his brother back by next week. I kinda got the impression that he thought that maybe we could expedite that but no we can't and said so just in case."

"Whatcha think?" Rob asked.
"You paying me to THINK?"
"No."
"Ok. I think he is telling the truth. Just a feeling, instinct perhaps."
Rob nodded he agreed.

Back to square one.
WHO?

CONTINUE TO CHAPTER IX