Chapter 21

Tuesday, June 29, 5:04 p.m.

Sam had given Hugh Fulcher the task of checking out service people who recently may have visited Emma Majeski's home. Using her checkbook record, Fulcher had located and interviewed three men -- a plumber, an electrician, and a chimney sweep -- each of whom acknowledged visiting Emma's home for service calls during the past four months.

"Far as I can determine," Fulcher reported, "the plumber and the electrician got nothing to tell us. They're both solid citizens, and they don't come near fitting the description of the suspect. Nothing unusual about their service calls, although the electrician did remark that he remembered Emma. Seems she was a 'dish'."

"And the chimney sweeper?"

"Well, there again, Sam, he don't fit the description. He's smallish and skinny, like our guy, and maybe roughly in the age-range, but I can't see him impressing anybody as being an educated professor-type, from up North. You got two local men who say they think our guy ain't from around here. This chimney guy, Burliss Randolph, he looks like a local to me. He's a' intelligent man, an' all, but nobody's going to mistake him for no Yankee professor. Besides, it looks like his alibi for Saturday is going to check out."

"So, what's he got that interests us?"

"Well, he's got a story, Sam. Think you ought to hear it, first-hand. He agreed to come in. Can you see him?"

"Yeah, I can see him. Until that sketch artist is on the scene, your follow-ups are the best we've got to work with. Bring him by as soon as he arrives."

Burliss Randolph was a wizened, bright-eyed little man who affected a tall black top hat as part of his chimney sweeper persona. He was well-scrubbed and his clothes were clean, perhaps reflecting the slow season for persons of his profession. The top hat, however, was decidedly dusty.

Randolph displayed no nervousness as he entered Sam's office. Hugh Fulcher had made clear to the man that he was a witness, not a suspect to any crime.

Sam greeted the man and motioned him to be seated. Fulcher stayed for the interview. "Mr. Randolph, Deputy Fulcher tells me he showed you a house, over on River Street, that you remember working on?"

"Well, yeah. I remembered the house. I told Deputy -- ahh -- Fulcher here all about it."

Hugh Fulcher spoke up. "Mr. Randolph cleaned the chimney at that house just last month."

"What's with chimney-sweeping in May?" Sam asked. "Did we have a cold wave?"

"It's my sale season," Randolph responded. "Lots of people call. Lower prices. After May, I kinda retire until October. There's still some business out there, but it's too hot for that kinda work -- and the soot turns kinda sticky-like. Hard to get out."

"Tell me what you remember about this job."

"I remember it was already too hot. In May. I was there on the call, and a woman met me at the door. She was wearin' this bikini, with a little towel-thing over her shoulders. I reckon she'd been sitting out there in the yard in that thing, before I got there. She went right back out there again, while I did the work, inside and on the roof. She was out there in the back, sunnin' herself. I told Mr. Fulcher all this."