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

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Several weeks passed with few if any results. Otto was constantly expanding his database, but there was nothing that would stand up in court. I needed a break, something that would let me pin the names to the records. Elnora and I, with Manny in tow, had gone back to the home of Philip with one l- Manny's badge allowed us instant access. The yellow crime-scene tape had come down and remodeling was about to start... I wanted another look for that key before the place was gutted by the workers. Blackie, et.al. had given the place a thorough going over, but I wanted another look. I had a feeling that what we were looking for was likely not on paper, but rather a memory stick for a computer. After several hours we gave up, drawing another blank.

I did have a plan, however. I planned a trip to visit Licki Wimbo again... I was wondering if there was a way he could get me into one of those auctions- or if he was familiar with someone else who could. It was a longshot, Licki was at the nadir of the socio-economic ladder- he was more the snatch and run type of perv.

Something else odd had happened. It looked like we had fallen off The Weasel's radar... there were no more tails from his pitbull, Blackie, who had almost certainly recovered from his encounter with Vito by now. We may be gone, but we were unlikely forgotten. In my experience when things were the calmest was when the storms usually blew up. It was a Thursday and I was contemplating a visit to Licki when an excited Elnora raced in with an envelope in her hand.

"Look hon," she gasped, out of breath. "It's an invitation to a gala at the Getty Center... it'll give us a chance to go there and look around."

Maybe this was the break we were waiting for. At least I could scope out some of Los Angeles' high and mighty- certainly Commissioner Graves would be there among some of the Hollywood elite.

"It's black tie," she went on. "You do have a tux don't you?"

"I don't even have a tie that's black," I replied. On the very few occasions I needed one, a rental tux served my purpose just fine.

"Oh," she exclaimed, "we'll go get you fitted for one today." I could tell she was enjoying the moment immensely. "We'll get you the best, maybe Armani, or Ralph Lauren."

"Wait a minute," I said. "How much do these things run?" I had never paid more than a hundred bucks for a suit in my life.

"I don't know, "she said, "maybe $3000 or $3500."

"You can't be serious," it was my turn to do the exclaiming, "I'm not..."

"I'll buy it darling," she cut me off. "I want to."

"No way," I almost shouted. I was a firm believer in the old Mose Allison song- 'When you go up to the city, there's just two things I hope... you don't take money from a woman and don't start messin around with dope.' I still had plenty left from the $10,000 she had given me originally and I had some socked away in savings. "I'll buy my own tuxedo," I gulped at the thought of $3500.

"But I want to dear," she looked up at me disappointed. "Please?" She looked at me so plaintively I couldn't refuse her this pleasure. If she wanted to try and turn me into a gentleman, then good luck.

With a smile as big as all outdoors she told Kevin: "We're off to buy Reg a tuxedo." All of my rules seemed to be falling by the wayside because of this dame. I guess I had to admit it to myself, I was falling in love. I had tried marriage once, but it didn't take- the pressures of being a cop's wife often takes its toll. But I felt different this time... there was something about Elnora, and it wasn't the money. I respected her, her childhood had been hell, but still she came out ok. And there was the devotion of finding her brother. I had to give it to her, she was one of a kind- maybe that was it.

I gave Kevin my best 'don't even think about saying anything' look on the way out, but I could see the suppressed grin. The guy that ran the men's shop looked like he would have gotten along just fine with Philip with one l. Elnora went through racks of tuxes stopping every once in a while to ask me, "what about this one?" I had to admit they all looked the same to me. Finally I had to tell her:

"You pick one out, they all look alike to me."

We (she) finally settled on a Ralph Lauren. I liked the name, it sounded manly. I passed on the Armani because I didn't want something designed by some Italian finocchio... Elnora may be paying, but I still had my pride. After being "fitted," a process the tailor enjoyed much more than I did, we were on our way. I could pick up the tux in two days.

"You'll be the handsomest man there," Elnora said with pride, taking my arm on the way to the car. She was enjoying herself and to tell the truth so was I- although it was seeing Elnora happy that pleased me the most. On the way I scanned the vicinity for any sign of our friends from Parker Center, they might not be around, but I was sure they weren't done with us.

"Let's get some lunch," I said. I was famished. "Where do gentlefolks like us eat around here?"

She selected a deli not far away- the food wasn't bad. I was hungry but I also wanted to see if we were being tailed. Blackie McKinley had overplayed his hand and paid the price... they would be more subtle from now on.

We went back to the house where I checked in with Manny before giving Otto a call. Elnora informed me that she would need a new gown for the gala, but she didn't want to subject me to the shopping process. "Take Kevin," I told her, "he loves that sort of thing." It was still relatively early so I decided to pay a call on Licki. First at his hotel and if I didn't find him there, I'd try Hollywood Blvd where I found him before.

When I got to the rundown hovel Licki called home the guy at the desk told me he was upstairs in his room, the key was in its box. I went up and knocked, but there was no response. I knocked again, louder this time and called out his name, identifying myself. Still no answer. I went back down and told the clerk at the desk who was engrossed in some game show on the little tv on the desk.

"What do you want me to do about it?" he asked in an annoyed voice.

I took out my gold shield and flashed it at him, to which he begrudgingly gave up his beloved game show to come open the door. I guess I should have expected what I found next. There on the floor was Licki... somebody had worked him over pretty good- and his throat had been cut. On the floor next to his head was my business card. It looked like they hadn't given up on me after all... just taken another tack.