CHAPTER 96: The Penny Drops

 

"Yo, Rookie...what do you have for me?" said Action as he entered the squad room at Precinct 13 headquarters.

"The suspect...Damian Blount...in cell one needs interrogating.  And I ain't no Rookie anymore; I served my probation time and am a grade 1 patrolman"

"Until I see you cut it on the streets when the crap hits the fan, you're a rookie to me.  Now, who's Damian Blount?"

"He's the breaking and entering specialist who has a thing for women's shoes"

"Oh him!" Action said, remembering the first time he'd encountered Damian.

"Come on, Twinkletoes, time to sing" said Action as he let Damian Blount out of his cell to be interrogated.

"You had nothing on me last time, Detective, and you've got nothing this time" replied Damian, a sound of overconfidence and disdain in his voice.

"You got off on a technicality and were lucky the judge was weak...but wait 'till you see what I've got this time"

"Ooh, don't tease me!" said Blount, in a mock flirtatious voice.

Action gave Blount a big shove in the back and marched him off to the interrogation room.

"I know it's you hitting all those expensive houses, Damian, you have a distinctive M.O." said Action, shining the desk lamp into Blount's face.

"Oh do tell, Detective" replied a defiant Blount.

"You have expensive tastes and they need paying for...not only do you break in and steal cash, jewellery and other items of value....you like to take dresses, shoes and other ladies' apparel.  That makes you a bit different"

"It's not a crime in this state to like women's clothes, Detective" 

"Hey, if you want to dress up as a woman that's your gig: I don't care one way or another.  But you can't do it in clothes you stole either" There was an awkward pause in the interrogation as Blount remained defiant.

"Prove I stole them, Detective"

Action said nothing but reached into a file and slid a document across to Blount.

"We searched your apartment, Damian" began Action "and found a gold lamé dress belonging to Nancy Landgraab and reported stolen a week ago by her in your closet"

"That dress is legitimately mine" responded Blount, still remaining calm.

"Then how come on the inside lining of the dress there's a pinned dry cleaning invoice MADE OUT TO NANCY LANDGRAAB?" Action raised his voice and jabbed his index finger down on a photocopy of the invoice in front of Blount.

"Erm....I....I" stuttered Blount; his composure collapsed.  Action had his man bang to rights....Blount ended up confessing to a series of robberies and once Action had got a signed confession from the suspect and with that job done, he put him back in the cell.

That job done and dusted, Action headed to the Chief's office to update him on the case being closed and ready for trial.

"Well done, Action my boy, well done" said the Chief, enthusiastically when told the news that they'd got a confession out of Damian Blount.  "We've been after that one for some time and you were the one that closed the case"

"It still has to go to trial but that confession will help secure the conviction" said Action.

"It'll go to the D.A.'s office and they'll sort it out...well, what are you waiting for, Action, go get out there and crack some more cases!" the Chief said, abruptly.

SAN MYSHUNO, 13:05 hrs

It didn't take long for something to happen downtown that Action needed to deal with.  As he was talking to a local by the name of Arun Bheeda a very attractive but panic stricken young woman came running up to him.  Looking at her she seemed vaguely familiar but he couldn't place where he'd seen her before.

"Officer!  Officer!  I need your help, urgently!" she said, out of breath as she came running to him.

"What's the matter, Ma'am?" Action replied.

"I had something of mine stolen, out of my hands, just around the corner from here!" she explained, pointing to a spot around the corner from where they were standing.

"What was stolen?" asked Action.

"An envelope containing some photos" she replied.

"That's all?  Your bag wasn't taken was it as well?"

"No, just the envelope" she explained.

Action took a moment to think about the significance of an bunch of photos being taken but a woman's bag, presumably containing her cash and valuables, was ignored.

"And can you describe the man who took this envelope?"

"Yes, he was a black man, in a tank top and flat cap" she said.

"Hey, I've seen that guy around here a lot!" exclaimed Arun Bheena, all of a sudden.

"Ma'am, I'm going to have a look around this area and call in some back up" said Action, instinctively checking his .38 service revolver was still in its holster.  "Here's my card; if you see the guy who robbed you, call this number"

"Can I have one of those cards as well, Detective?" asked Arun.  "If I see this guy, and I'm pretty sure he hangs out around here a lot, I want to let you know"

"Sure Mr Bheeda, here you go" he said, handing a second card to the keen and eager young man.  However, Action had another person he wanted to interrogate...someone who sees all but is hardly ever noticed.

"Howdy Cowboy" said Action as he approached the mime artist who was being a living statue for the day.

"Gnnnaaa arrraaayy" the mime replied.

"I have a few questions to ask you" Action said, flashing his warrant card.

"I shaid....gna array. G'naim trynggghhh to rorwk here" said the mime.

"I don't care if you're trying to work just standing around hoping a pigeon will crap on you...I'm the police and you will answer my questions either here or down at the precinct house"

The mime relented and stopped standing motionless.  "Fine, what do you want?" she said.

"Snatch n' grab a little while ago.  Black guy in a tank top and wearing a cap stole a large envelope.  Did you see it happen or the guy who did it?"

"Yeah, I heard something...a scream then this guy hurtles past me at high speed carrying a big, yellow parcel or something like that.  He went that way, towards the bar that's over there"

"And have you seen this guy around here before?" Action asked.

"Oh yeah...he's catcalled me a few times and shouted my act is garbage.  I don't know his name though"

"Thanks for the help...and you say he went in that direction?" The mime nodded.

"Say, you should try being more still, Detective.  Cast off the cares of the world and let your body be still and at peace"

Action scoffed.  "I stand still for no man" he replied and he headed off to the bar where the suspect was last seen heading to.  His eyes scanned all potential lurking spots but he couldn't help shake the feeling that something about this crime was amiss:  Why steal photos unless there was something incriminating about them?  And who do they incriminate?  

Up ahead he saw Arun Bheena frantically gesturing off to his right.  Action figured he'd seen something, possibly the perp himself.  He quickly jogged over to Arun to find out what was going on.

"He's there...the guy who stole the envelope!  By that payphone!" said an excited Arun.

Without saying a word, Action crept up on the suspect.  Using his Vietnam jungle skills to move silently and undetected he was up on the perp in a flash and had his service .38 jammed into the small of the suspect's back.

"Don't move or you'll have a tunnel going all the way through your guts.  Now drop the envelope you're holding right there and down on your knees, sucker!" said Action.

Action cuffed him, read him his rights and called for a Black & White to pick him up.  Witness statements were taken from Arun, the Mime and the young woman at the centre of the theft.

"We've retrieved your photos and arrested the man who took them, Miss?" said Action, asking for the woman's name.

"Pizzazz.  Penny Pizzazz" she replied.

The "penny" dropped for Action: "Of course, you're the gossip columnist and TV personality" said Action.

"That's me" she replied.  "Can I have my photos back now?"

"They're material evidence, Miss Pizzazz.  They'll be returned to you in time but for now we need to keep hold of them."

"But they're important for my work!" she protested.

"Don't you have copies?  Can you make more from the negatives?" he said.

"Well...yes...I suppose" she said in a faltering manner.

"Good.  We'll be in touch, Miss Pizzazz" said Action.  His curiosity now piqued as he wondered what was in those photos...time would soon tell.

Back at the station, Action went to seek out the forensic unit.  "Say, can you boys in the lab check these photos and this envelope out...I'm not just looking for fingerprints, I want those photos analysed for every last detail."

"Sure, Action" said the forensic chief.  "What are we meant to be looking out for?"

"I don't know at this stage....look over them and enlarge any section that you think looks of interest or out of place".  Action had a hunch the photos were stolen for something they contained that incriminated someone...but Pizzazz wasn't a known criminal with a habit of blackmailing people...or was she?

At the end of his shift Action headed home for a rendezvous with his girlfriend, Katherine.  They were both pretty beat after their work days but perked up once they saw each other.

Action gave Katherine a massage.  "Hmmm, that feels good!" she said.  "You've got the magic touch"

"You should see all the other things I can do with them" he joked, flirtatiously. 

"You've got my attention if it's anything like this massage" she replied.  They headed to the bedroom to get more intimate.

"My day was so boring" began Katharine.  "Attending all these meetings of charity bodies, organisations and listening to one dull speech after another.  How was your day?"

"I got a confession from that thief who steals women's jewellery and clothes and arrested a street robber who mugged Penny Pizzazz, the lifestyle reporter on the news" he replied.

"Oh I know Penny" said Katherine.  "Is she alright?"

"Yeah, she didn't get hurt...it was this package of hers that got stolen.  Say, do you know her well?"

"A little" replied Katherine. "We attend some of the same events"

"Would you say she's on the level?" he asked.

"Penny?  Sure!  She's sweet, knows everyone who is everyone and is a positive kind of person.  Why do you ask?"

"It was this envelope she was holding...it contained some photos and I was wondering if, in her line of work, the photos would be embarrassing to someone?"

"Penny's not a blackmailer if that's what you mean...well, she doesn't come across like one.  I'm tired..." she said, yawning.  "Let's go to bed"

"Sure thing" said Action, smiling and undoing his shirt.  It was time to put work to one side and to enjoy some playtime.  In the morning, Action looked forward to one of the treats of his day...Katherine's scrambled eggs for breakfast!