Chapter 1: Detective Marlowe

Bull---I had just arrived at my office and was about to sit down when my detective, Phil Marlowe, walked in.

“Bull you have had an interesting two weeks!”

“Phil I am so glad you are back. This case has me stumped. But first, how was the vacation?”

“Great! I think we have found a place to retire and start my own Private Detective Agency. Linda loved Los Angeles so I think that’s where we are going.

“Great! But before you decide to pack it in here I need some help on this case.”

“I have the file and your notes here. Just give me a few minutes to review everything and then we’ll talk.”

He left my office and was back as I was finishing my second cup coffee.

“I’ve read the file and your notes. Interesting life-style! Who would have thought?”

“Yeah, of course that has not been made public. I told Billy I would keep that on the Q.T. if possible.” Billy is Billy Stern, the husband of the late Carmen Stern.

“I understand. Now tell me what you know, from the beginning.”

“It happened on the Thursday after you left. Billy’s son, Carmen’s step son, came home from school at the normal time, right at 4pm. He entered the house using his key and called for Carmen. She did not answer and he went into her office. He found her sitting at her computer shot thru the back of the head. He called 911 and I rushed to the scene with four deputies and an ambulance. It was just as the boy had described to the 911 operator. Carmen was sitting slumped forward onto her keyboard with a hole in the back of her head. There were no signs of forced entry into the home.”

“It says here that she worked from home?”

“Yes she was an editor/proof reader for some publishing company in New York. Everything was done over the internet. They sent her books and she did the editing. I contacted the publishing company and they said there were no problems with her or her work. Everybody loved her and she was good at what she did.”

“You found the murder weapon?”

“Yes outside the front door, behind some bushes.”

“It is registered to a Dion Jones. You know him?”

“Sure. Good kid. Played some football in high school. He works for Stern at the Co-op. He has a fiancé who goes to school down at State. Of course he would like to keep this quiet also. I have not revealed that we found the pistol or that it is registered to him.”

“I understand.”

“He reported that pistol stolen a week ago.”

“I’m going to call Stern, his kid and this Dion. I want to re-interview them. They may remember something new now that a week has passed or maybe one of them will tell a different story.”

He picked up the file and walked back to his office.