Regnad Kcin- Private Eye... The Case of the Erstwhile Accountant- Part VII

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Manny agreed to swing by Elnora's after he got off work... I had reluctantly consented to staying there- partly to keep Flora safe and partly to keep my eye on things. Not being a particularly trusting sort, I still wasn't ready to stake my money on the leggy blonde... I was beginning to lean that way, but I still had this nagging doubt gnawing away at my gut. She said and did all the right stuff, and maybe that's what bothered me. I poured a generous drink of Elnora's 25 year-old single malt and stepped out on the veranda for a smoke.

I found a deserted lawn-chair and made myself comfortable... Flora was in the kitchen helping Elnora with dinner- they were getting along famously, apparently Flora's earlier misgivings were giving way to a potential friendship. Flora had good instincts except when it came to men... I laughed- what an unusual pair, Elnora the product of wealth and privilege and Flora who had to scrape and claw for everything she ever got. I liked Flora, admired her too a little I guess, she was tenacious and smart- a fighter. Elnora was still an unknown quantity... but I'd find out before it was over.

Headlights pulled into the drive, Manny I supposed, but I checked my pistol just in case. I was waiting for him when he got out of his LAPD issue Crown Victoria.

"When are you going to get a new car?" He asked with a grin looking over at the ZX.

"That is a new car," I told him.

"It's over 30 fuckin years old," he laughed.

"Well, it's like new to me," I loved that car and would defend it to the death.

"You need something a little more nondescript," he said, "that's too easy to pick out of a crowd."

He had a point, but I had no intention of giving her up. "The girls are inside making dinner- c'mon, we've got time for a drink."

I led him into the living room and poured him a generous shot of Elnora's best Scotch. I had gone through the material and tried to sort it out into some semblance of order... a virtually impossible task without knowing exactly what to look for. I wasn't going to mention the key to the code until I knew for sure I could trust him.

Elnora stuck her head in to inform us that dinner was ready... "I'm glad you're both enjoying my best Scotch," she said with a smile.

The girls were really putting on the dog, they had dressed for dinner. It was cute and a little funny- Flora looked a little out of her element... Elnora was Neiman Marcus and Flora shopped at the GAP. But I could tell they were both enjoying it so I played along. The dinner was exceptional, Elnora, despite whatever shortcomings she might have, was an excellent cook.

After dinner Manny suggested we take our coffee out on the open air patio where I had waited for him. When we were all comfortable he spoke: "I've been putting two and two together and I think you're on to something... this could be good, or it could be fatal. At this point I think we have to assume that there are no "safe spaces" where we can talk unencumbered."

"What are you getting at Manny?" I asked.

"Given the quick response attack on Flora's apartment and the explosives in your car, we have to assume that they- whoever they are- are at least two steps ahead of us... and make no mistake Reg, it's us- I'm in this with you to the end, whatever that may turn out to be. I don't want any of us to wind up like Philip."

"Go on," I said. The girls looked nervous but determined.

"First, we're going to need encrypted phones, and they're expensive..."

"Don't worry about money," Elnora cut in. "I've got that end covered. Remember, we're still trying to find Harold."

"Good," Manny continued. "We'll find him too Elnora," he looked sympathetically toward her. "Next you have to have this place, Reg's office and apartment swept for bugs... at least once a week. What we're up against is big, a lot bigger than four little people. I think that stuff in the box gives us the 'what', all we need is the who, where and when. It needs to be collated in chronological order- maybe then a pattern will emerge."

I decided that this was as good a time as any to tell Manny about the code. "Manny," I began, "when I got to Philip's place he said something... I'm not sure what it meant for sure, but he mentioned a code."

"Yeah," Manny put in, "I figured as much. I've seen stuff like this before and after the going-over they gave his place I figured they were looking for something... some kind of key. That's what we need to find."

"Where does the police commissioner fit into all of this?" Elnora asked. "I know that Harold is terrified of him... if he's still alive." She looked down at her hands folded in her lap.

"If he's dead, he most likely would have showed up by now," Manny told her reassuringly. "Right Reg?"

"Yeah," I said, "they didn't make much of an effort to hide Philip. We'll find him Elnora, he's probably hiding out somewhere safe, maybe Mexico. I figure he'll be in touch before long." It was a lie, but it seemed to make Elnora feel better.

"Look," Manny said, "there's a guy I want to bring in on this. He's a researcher- one of those 'conspiracy theory' guys but he's good... brilliant in fact." Manny looked around for a reaction.

"How much should we tell him?" I asked cautiously.

"How bad do you want this solved?" Manny asked. "Look Reg, I wouldn't have suggested this if I wasn't sure about this guy. His name is Otto, he's Italian- great with computers and an incredible researcher. He can find anything... believe me, you'll like him. He'll need an encrypted phone as well."

"Ok." I was resigned to getting this thing done... whatever it takes. None of us would be safe until it was, especially if the commissioner was involved- he had the full resources of the LAPD behind him, we were four little people plus some Italian genius... things were looking pretty grim from where I was sitting.

"My phone is already encrypted," Manny informed us. "When you get the new ones just plug my number into it... and don't look so glum. Things could always be worse."

Manny said his good-nights, thanking Elnora for her delicious dinner and left leaving me to ponder how things could possibly be worse.