Chapter 8

"EJ," he said. "My daughter doesn't want to live at home and I can't blame her. She wants to live where she works. You know kind of like in Paris."

"Ed, I don't know anything about artist. I just need to rent that space downstairs. You tell me what she needs and if I can do it, I will."

"What she really needs EJ, is a place like yours. You know a shower, and kitchen area. Nothing fancy just about like you have up here."

"Ed, I can't go to that expense. I mean no offense but she might move after six months. She hasn't even seen the place empty."

"I know, but she will be moving down next month. I promised to have her a place ready. Come on EJ, can't we work out something."

"Ed, why don't you fix the place the way you think she wants. If she stays fine. If not I get to keep the repairs."

"How about this instead. I'll pay the repairs and you agree not to rasie the rent as long as she wants to stay."

"You know I can't do that, Ed. How about a five year lease. One she can break anytime but I can't."

"That sounds fair enough. I'll have a crew over here tomorrow."

It helped that Ed. built houses. Within a week the place was cleaned painted and renovated. It had a nicer shower than my place. It also sported a larger kitchen than mine. Unlike my place her appliances and fixture were more house type than recreational vehicle type.

Another week passed before Magda arrived. She arrived in a small jap car. Behind her was a moving van. I was surprised to find that it contain very little. She evidently traveled light. Almost to the point of not owning anything. Most of what the movers brought out was art equipment. She did own a small bed and a childs sized dresser. There were several boxes of what I presumed to be clothing. I waited until the movers departed before I walked down my stairs.

"Hello, you must be Magda," I said to the woman. She was barely a woman. I mean her jet black hair was cut shorter than mine. Her face was long and thin with no make up. Her body was long and thin like her face. She was dressed in jeans which hung on her. She had no shape unless you counted the shape of a sapling in winter. She also wore the thickest glasses I have ever seen.

She looked at me a long time before she answered. "You must be EJ Barnes." I nodded. "The person who owns this miserable building." she said with a smile.

"That would be me. I hope you like what you dad has done with the place."

"It's fine. I just need a place to sleep and paint. Anything would have done. I'm afraid daddy when a little overboard. Fathers seem to be like that." she said.

"He probably wanted a little more, than the hovel I had before." I said.

"I actually liked the hovel. I saw it over Christmas when I visited."

"Where you thinking of moving then?" I asked.

"Maybe a little. I actually made up my mind after New Years." she admitted.

"Well, I'll let you get back to work. If you need anything let me know." I suggested.

"Thanks, but I think I will be all right. No offense EJ, but I hope you aren't one of those drop in type people. I hate to be disturbed when I work."

"I'm not, but I'm not like that either. I love to be disturbed. If you want to come visit, just feel free to walk up and knock on the door. Otherwise I will leave you alone to paint." I said.

"That sounds like a plan to me. Well, I better start unpacking."

During the remainer of the day she came and went several times. On at least one occassion she returned with a paper bag. The bag looked like take out food from our one drive through restaurant. I pretty much kept an eye on her. I didn't want her to move out the first day.

I answered the ringing phone around seven. "So what's she like," the voice of my sister demanded.

"What's who like?" I asked knowing full well who she meant.

"Your new neighbor of course. Word around town is that she is a dike." she said. "Sissy, that is nonsense. She is simply New York sheek." I said.

"What the hell does that mean?" she asked.

"I have no idea. I just think she is a nice enough woman, who wants to be left alone to work. So don't get any ideas about a friendly visit. She has already warned me that she doesn't want visitors."

"A stuck up bitch, huh?" she asked.

"No, just a no nonsense worker. One like I should be." I said.

"Bull shit, you wouldn't know how to be a real worker."

"Anyway, I have a report to write. Why don't you just let the woman be. When she is ready she will reveal all to you." I suggested.

"Just to change the subject, what is the latest with you and Bitsy?" she asked.

"There was no earliest and there is no latest. She still hates my guts." I said.

"Why, because you saved her from that leach?" Sissy asked.

"You would be surprised how many people aren't thankful, when you save them from what they want to do. Now give me a break. I really do have a report to type." I repeated.

During the first week, I saw Magda about a dozen times. On each occassion she was either coming or going. After that week I saw very little of her. I was tempted to stop just to satisfy myself that she was indeed alive. I really couldn't have used that excuse, I heard her kicking things around too often.

Spring passed into the tourist season. With the tourist season came weekday widows. I was having a hell of a good time that summer. Of course, all good things must end. In this case it wasn't the end of the tourist season that lost me my weekday fun. It was my one time friend Trudy. Not exactly her, it was the book she had written.

Somebody had read the serial version of it. That same somebody, with an IQ of less than that of a cabage, decided it would make a hell of a movie for tv. Quite a few of them are made in Wilmington, so it was being shot there. The locations were being done right in Southport of all places. The move was about to start filming when I got the call.

"Mr. Barnes, my name is Mike Desalva. I am going to be making your movie." the voice on the phone said.

"Mr. Desalva I had no idea I had a movie." I said. I knew but hoped I was mistaken.

"Not yours exactly, just your story."

"Oh that, no offense sir but that is a great deal of bull shit. I would just as soon you didn't make the film." I said.

"That's what Trudy said when I suggested you be our technical adviser."

"I suppose you are looking for a little free publicity. Don't worry it is no big deal. I just don't want any part of it." I said.

"The job pays pretty good. You could maybe point us in the right direction."

"Mr. Desalva," I began.

"Mike, call me Mike."

"Okay Mike, the right direction would be to forget the whole thing. Trudy's book is as full of crap as my twenty year old septic tank." I informed him.

"Frankly EJ, you don't mind if I call you EJ do you." He didn't wait for me to tell him that I actually did mind. "Anyway EJ, I decided to do a major rewrite on the story. I thought you might want to come down to make sure we got it right."

"Mike, to tell you the truth, I don't give a damn what you guys say about me. I have never seen a movie studio, so I will come down for a tour." I said.

"How about tomorrow, I would really like to meet you. I have to warn you. I intend to talk you into at least reading the script."

"Buy me lunch and you got a deal. Not to read the script, but to visit the studio." I conceded.

I didn't tell Sissy, she would have demanded that I take her along. I called Sam first thing that next morning. I wanted to alert him to the possibility that I might be sueing Trudy and the movie studio. With all the warnings made I left for Wilmington.

Truthfully the studio wasn't much to look at. Just a very large plain building. It was a bustling place at the time of my visit. I met Mike first, then the writers. I had a quick tour hosted by Mike then lunch with the writers and of course Mike.

"So Sam tell EJ about the differences between the book and the movie." Mike ordered.

"The big difference is that we don't even mention that your motives might have been less than pure. We are going to do it as a pure murder mystery. You know stranger comes to town to set things right. Kind of High Noon." He said.

"You look kind of young Sam to have seen High Noon," I remarked.

"Yeah well you get the idea." he said defensively.

"I don't really. The only ones who came to town in high noon were the bad guys. Am I a bad guy in your version?"

"Hell no, you are the hero. We don't have soiled heros in TV movies." he said.

So far at least Mike was wearing a smile. He seemed to be enjoying his head writers discomfort. "Actually Sam, I like your version better. I didn't much care for Trudy's to tell the truth. She made me out to be a rather cynical person."

"Oh, you are still cynical but in the end you get redeemed."

"I do hope it was by the police chief." I said.

"Is that how it happened," Mike asked.

I knew a setup when I saw one. "No, but I always hoped it would be the chief who redeemed me." I said with a smile.%%

"In our version it is the local reporter. The one who helps you run down the history on the family." Sam said.

"So the old librarian is now a young beautiful reporter?" I asked.

"That's right," Sam answered defensively again.

"When does this epic start to shoot?" I asked.

"Two weeks, how about coming down to watch." Mike asked. It was his way of trying again to get me to take the job.

"God Mike, you don't need the truth. You have Trudy's book and Sam here. With those two to make up the truth, you got it all."

"That's why it's called fiction," Sam said.

"You are absolutely right Sam. No one in his right mind would buy the truth. So what pretty boy actor is playing me?"

"Eddie Markum," Mike said.

"I don't suppose Eddie is going to let you give him a scar face and eye patch?" I asked.

"Patch yes, scar no," Mike explained.

"I didn't figure he would care to look like a serial killer. It would damn sure ruin the image you guys are working on."

"Actually, Eddie is the reason I want you to come work on the picture. He wants to study you. Kind of find the character," Mike said.

"That would take about ten boring minutes. I appreciate the offer but no thanks." I said. "I really can't spare the time."

"How about I have Eddie come follow you around for a couple of days?" Mike suggested.

"Don't think so." I said.

"How much do you charge a day?" Mike asked.

"Three hundred plus expenses, but I choose my clients," I admitted.

"A thousand a day for two days. Of course you pick up your own expenses." Mike said.

"You know, I hate to admit it but you found my price. That is my price for letting actors follow me around." The lunch and meeting ended. Mike and I returned to his office where he wrote me the check. I agreed that Eddie could follow me for two complete days.

I stopped by Sam's office on the way home. I explained to Sam about Eddie Markum. I saw his eyes light up. "Sam what ever you are thinking forget it."

"Me, I wasn't thinking anything. Oh. maybe I was hoping you could get me an autographed picture or something."

"Bullshit Sam, I don't want you trying to bullshit this kid."

"Well, maybe I can get Bitsy a date with him. She has been mighty low since her last boyfriend." he said.

"Sam, why don't you leave Bitsy's personal life alone. She made a simple mistake. At least she was smart enough to have him checked out."

"But not smart enough to listen to her own report." he said sadly.

"I have to go. I have to go talk to a farmer in Tomahawk," I said.

"You ain't involed in that nonsense are you?" Sam asked disgustedly.

"Great Northern had a polocy on that piece of nonsense. It seems that the aliens got a prized bull this time."

"Cattle mutilations, what a load of crap." Sam said. "You gonna find that damned bull was impotent," he laughed.

"That is what I expect. I also expect to make two hundred bucks for finding that out." I said.

"Get out of here you thief. I can tell them it is fraud for a lot less than two hundred bucks." Sam suggested.%% "Yeah, but Sam you ain't a famous private eye." I laughed as I walked out the door.

I stopped by the office/apartment to pick up my van. Tomahawk was a little farther than I liked to drive the Honda. I barely made it out of my car when Magda opened her side door.

"EJ," she said angrily. "You and me need to talk."

"Nice," I said. "The first time you speak to me in weeks and it's to raise hell. Woman you need to work on your personality." I was kidding. It took her a moment to realize it.

"Very funny, How about doing something about those damned kids. They use our parking lot to turn around. We get every fucking cruiser in the area." she said.

"I know but after all they are just kids." I said.

"They maybe kids, but they make so much noise I can't work." she argued.

"How about I shoot them for you. I could maybe use a silencer so I wouldn't disturb your work." I suggested.

She finally broke into a smile. "I actually had a chain over the entrance in mind."%%

"That would be fine for you, but I do go out once in a while."

"I mean just at night. When you and I are both in for the evening."

"Sure, why not. Have your daddy send a crew over. I can probably pay for a couple of post and a few feet of chain."

"Good, the crew will be here tomorrow," she said.

"Glad you asked me before I ran into a locked chain tonight." I said sarcastically.

"What are neighbors for?" she asked as she returned to her studio. "Prick," she said under her breath as she entered the studio.

"At least the bitch pays her rent on time," I mumbled as I climbed the stairs to my office.

The drive to Tomahawk took thirty five minutes. I arrived around three. I planed to talk to some of the bull's owner's neighbors before I headed home.

The owner of course had no idea how the bull had been killed. There was no meat missing from him. He was just cut up like a surgeon might have done. No chain saw massacre, this was a real doctor," according to the owner. He of course had a nice Death By Mischief clause in his polocy on the bull.

I got to the vet's office before it closed. The vet turned out to be a woman. She had examined and photographed the dead bull. From her I got copies of her diagnosis and pictures of the bull. It was her opinion that the bull had died from electrical shot. He was then autopsied by a professional Veterinarian. Her opinion was based on the fact that there were no mistakes in the cutting. "A people doctor wouldn't know where to look for the organs," she explained.

On a whim I asked, "Were all the pieces still there?" Now I really have no idea why I asked that since I didn't give a damn.

"Actually the testicals were missing. Along with the heart and lungs. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. Weren't you curious when you found them missing?" I asked.

"Not really, I admit I thought it strange, but when I mentioned it to the Sheriff he didn't seen interested." she said.

"He didn't, what does he think happened?" I asked.

"Actually, I don't think he cares one way or another." she said.

"So doc, what do you think happened to Toro?" I asked.

"Me, I think someone electrocuted him. I mean there was no lightning that night." she said.

"The sheriff wants to call it a lightening strike?" I guessed.

"That's what he told me." she said.

"Doc, do you store the frozen sperm for the owner?" I asked.

"Sure, it about the most profitable of the things I do."

"How much of old Toro's sperm to you have on hand?" I asked.

"Not a lot. Maybe a hundred doses. That isn't a lot."

"What is it worth," I asked.

"Job, the bull, was a champion. Jacobson, the owner, probably got five hundred to a thousand a shot. That is if it took." she said.

"Did it fail to take often?" I asked.

"Not really, Job was about average as bulls go." she said. "I know what you are driving at, let me tell you right now. Job was worth a lot more to Jacobson that any insurance money. Aside from the fact that he had about ten years left in him, it was a pride thing with Jacobson. He had the champion bull in this area. He would rather have had his wife cut up than that bull."

"Wouldn't we all?" I laughed.

"I'd damned sure put my husband up for getting his nuts cut off before I would my dog." she said with a laugh of her own.

I left her office wishing she were a few years older. I would have taken her to dinner husband or no husband. After all she could have been a weekday widow as far as I was concerned.

I had it figured that something had happened to the Bull to cause him to be of no more value to Jacobson. With no more sperm, coming in so to speak, the bull would be worth more dead than alive. I spoke to a couple of his neighbors and found that they all considered him a model citizen. One not capable of insurance fraud. That was about what I expected. Both because Jacobson seemed like a streight shooter and nobody blames a person for ripping off the insurance companies of this world. Everybody figured they steal enough to cover it. I'm sure they do.

I spoke to the Sheriff on the way out of town. He informed me that as far as he was concerned the case would never be solved. He wanted to call it an act of God. When asked about the mutilation he said, "Swamp bears."

Lightening and bears didn't fly in my mind. I just didn't know what else to do. I was in the sheriff's parking lot ready to leave when I remembered a bit on the TV news. Something about rhino horns. I sat behind the wheel of my van for a long time until I remembered it all. It probably had nothing to do with my bull, but who knows. You have to check everything in my business.

I went back into the station. "Sheriff?" I asked throught his door. "Are there any oriental families in the area."

"No families, but old man Williams hires some slants to work his farm. Why do you ask?"

"Why don't we take a ride out to their place. I expect we might find the missing bull parts there." It was a wild assed guess, but no wilder than lightening and bears. I had to explain about the Rhinos before he would take me seriously.

The oriental interviews were a nightmare. In the end they confessed. They had killed the bull for it's organs. They were at the moment drying in the sun. A few days later they would have been on their way to an oriental medicine man. The family would have recieved less than Jacobson did for one shot of the bull sperm. The waste bothered me all the way home. It had something to do with values.

I almost ran over the chain when I arrived home. I had forgotten how fast daddy moved when Magda snapped the whip. The chain sported a padlock for which I had no key. I parked the van on the street while I went to Magda's door. I knocked then waited for her to come.

"Yes?" she asked throught the closed door.

"It's Ej Magda, I need the key so that I can get my van into the lot," I snapped.

"Just a minute," she said.

A couple of minutes later she opened the door. She no longer wore her trademark baggy jeans and sweatshirt. She had a terrycloth robe pulled tight around her. "I didn't mean to get you out of the shower. I just need a key so that I can get my truck off the street." I said.

"Sure just a minute." she said going into her studio for the key. I noticed that her hair wasn't wet. Neither was the robe.

"Here," she said thrusting the key at me.

I took the key as she closed the door. I had a wicked thought. No, she couldn't be painting in the nude. Then again her jeans never had paint stains on them. It dawned on me that was exactly what she did. Another reason she didn't like to be disturbed. The image of the stick figured Magda's body covered in paint, surprisingly, turned me on. I almost knocked again to ask. I changed my mind. I unlocked the chain instead.

I spent a lot of the next day writing the faxing my report to the company. I also made a couple of photo's for Bitsy. As usual she called to place the order, but had Lucy collect them at the end of the day. Bitsy and I were going to have to have this out one day. I was tired of being blamed for her poor taste in men.

Eddie Markum arrived a couple of days later. He parked his porsha in my gravel lot. I had more or less been told to expect him sometime this week. I answered his knock on my door. I recognized the man who had starred in over twenty five tv movies. He hadn't made more than a couple of theater movies but he was big box office on the small screen.

"EJ Barnes, I presume," he said extending his hand.

"How many other one eyed men do you think live here?" I asked shortly.

"They told me you were a prick. Hey, don't change for me, I can use it." he said smiling.

"If you were serious we are going to have a couple of rough days together. If not then we might just get along after all." I said.