And WHAM! A hook with the right! SLAM! A jab with the left. Action felt pumped up and energised doing his morning calisthenics, which climaxed with a session on the punch bag. Heaven help the perp who would try to take him on today!
"Man, that felt good!" he said after his workout. He noticed, in the distance, Nancy Landgraab on her daily run but he decided not to confront her today: He knew she was up to something no good but she was well connected and could evade any police attention because she was so good at covering her tracks. He watched her run out of sight before heading indoors for a quick breakfast and a catch up of the news.
"...Meanwhile, the US Air Force launched its first large scale B-52 bomber raid on Hanoi..."
"Man, those things will cut up the Cong real bad" thought Action, who knew how devastating a fully laden B-52 bomber was. This was the first time they were being used to drop conventional and not nuclear weapons. Action turned the TV off after a few minutes: He really didn't want to hear any more about what was going on in Vietnam: He still had friends out there and didn't want to hear stories about casualties...especially American ones.
Action showered, got dressed and still felt pumped up about life. Only a few days earlier he'd received a commendation for his work in solving the Stargazer Lounge burglary and bringing the perpetrators to justice. Now an even more intriguing case had landed on his desk: Why was the theft of some photographs from the gossip columnist, Penny Pizzazz, so important to someone? Today, he'd make a major stride in finding out.
A major stride or a major strut? When Action arrived at 13th Precinct headquarters he was positively sauntering in. A couple of very attractive young women were standing outside of the station and Action couldn't help but swagger past and give them flirtatious looks. Both young women flirted coyly back at him.
Inside the station, Action wasted no time in contacting one of the forensics team in the lab. They'd been examining the photos and had a report for him.
"I have, Detective, here they are" said Cassidy, who was the most senior of the lab team. She held out some large black and white 8 x 10s for him to look at. The first was of a beautiful and fashionable young woman.
"She's been identified as Jenny Newsome: She's a fashion model, one of the most popular in the city...done a lot of magazine work." said Cassidy.
"I know" replied Action. "She's also Lothario magazine's Kitten of the Month, March 1966..." Cassidy looked at him with a reproachful look. "I don't just read it for the articles, Doc" Action added. "What else have you got for me?"
"The next photo, from the same session, is one of these two women talking." said Cassidy as she handed the second photo to Action.
"The woman on the right we haven't identified yet, the woman on the left has her back to the camera so we couldn't get an I.D. either" said Cassidy.
"Hmmm" thought Action. The woman with her back to the camera looked familiar. "That looks a lot like Lily Feng" he said after looking at the photo more closely.
"As in City Councillor Feng's wife?" enquired Cassidy.
"The very same" said Action. He looked at the photo closely and noticed something in the background.
"Cassidy...can you enlarge this area, around here?" he asked, pointing to a spot just to the left of the two women.
"Sure thing...let's get to the darkroom" she replied. Cassidy and Action went to the station darkroom, where she used the photograph enlarger to zoom in on the area Action had indicated.
"Any idea on who that blonde lady is?" Cassidy asked.
"No, but I'm certain the other woman is Lily Feng. Can you zoom in again on that area, near those bushes?" said Action.
"Sure thing, but the picture quality will drop"
"I don't care; just zoom in again" he said, determinedly.
"How about that?" asked Cassidy.
"Hmmm" said Action. As soon as the photo paper had dried, he took it and stepped out of the red lit darkroom and into the light of the police station. He examined this enlargement in detail, using a magnifying glass to look in the area of the bushes. Suddenly, he dropped the magnifier and ran back into the darkroom.
"Cassidy...one more enlargement: Right here!" he said, jabbing his finger right where a large bush was next to a lamp post.
Cassidy put the negative into the enlarger and adjusted the lens even more, nearly to its maximum level. She zeroed in on the area Action had indicated. Once she had the magnification as sharp as she could make it, Action yelled "Stop!". They both looked at the image and could make something sinister out.
"A gun...and it's pointing at those women" said Action. "Cassidy, I want you to check with ballistics on the type of gun there...and send a team down to the Fashion Plaza to scour for any sign of a bullet or shell casing"
"On it! What are you going to do?"
"Warn those two women!" said Action heading for the exit.
LANDGRAAB APARTMENTS, SAN MYSHUNO 12:43pm
He knocked at the apartment door and was greeted by the lady of the house, Lily Feng, herself.
"Mrs Feng...My name's John Action, I'm a detective sergeant from Sim City PD and I'd like to ask a few questions if I may"
"Come on in, Detective. Is it me you wish to see or my husband?" she said calmly.
"Primarily you, Mrs Feng, but this may involve your husband"
"This sounds intriguing, what is the matter?" said Lily, sitting down behind her work desk. Her husband, Victor, remained sitting passively in an adjoining room.
"Mrs Feng, can you confirm whether this is you in the picture?" Action said, handing her the photo of the two women. Lily Feng took the photo and looked carefully at it.
"That is me, Detective, on the left of the picture" she said, calmly.
"I see. And do you know who the other woman is?" he asked.
"Yes. Her name is Madelyn Buchanan. She's an acquaintance"
"Can you be more specific? What is her relationship to you?"
"There isn't one, really. She's the personal assistant of Alan Cuffe...the publisher."
"I know who Alan Cuffe is. So can you explain what is going on in this photo?"
"This was a photo shoot to promote a joint business venture between me and Mr Cuffe. It's nothing really; he wants to start a new exclusive club in the city and my company is helping part fund it. We had some of his models pose in front of the planned venue. Miss Buchanan was there to make sure everything went to plan."
"Did you notice anything unusual about that day? Something specific to the time that photo was taken? Like an unusual noise, someone suspicious hanging around the area?"
"I didn't, Detective."
"One more thing: Have you had any threats lately? Anyone threaten violence towards you or your husband?"
Lily Feng's expression changed and she stood up. "No...but that's a serious matter. Do you know of any threat to me or my husband?"
"We suspect there may be...just a maybe at this stage." Action didn't want to reveal the photo of the gun aimed at Lily Feng to her right now.
"Are you saying my wife is at risk?" said Victor Feng, now animated and walking over to Action and Lily.
Action took a deep breath. "Someone might be making an attempt on your wife's life. Which is why I need to know if she had seen anyone or anything suspicious that day" he said.
"You will assign some police for my wife's protection, won't you?" asked a very agitated Victor Feng.
"Yes, until this matter is resolved and we get to the bottom of this there will be police assigned to you and your wife. In the meantime, if you have any information to pass on...here's my card."
PARCHED PROSPECT, OASIS SPRINGS 14:15pm
The next port of call for Action was the residence of Alan Cuffe; the notorious owner and editor of Lothario magazine and founder of the Kitten Club. The club was a bit of a mystery to outsiders but what was well known that membership was purely by invitation and that the female members were dressed in sexy cat themed outfits. Action had a subscription for Lothario; he was a red blooded single guy (albeit dating right now) who appreciated beautiful women, the finer aspects of life and aspired to enjoying some of that playboy lifestyle as well. As such he'd always wanted to meet Alan Cuffe but today his focus was on his personal assistant.
He was greeted by the person he specifically wanted to see; Madelyn Buchanan.
"Miss Buchanan?" he said, flashing his ID when she answered the door. "Detective John Action, SCPD. I want to ask you a few questions"
Madelyn, in contrast to Lily Feng, was more open with Action...flirtatious even.
"Am I wanted for something? I do hope so?" she said in a breathy voice.
"I want to ask you about a photo shoot you arranged for Lothario magazine a few days ago" he said, looking around the smart, modernist abode of Alan Cuffe.
"Oh that, why don't you sit down next to me and I'll tell you all about it" she said. Action could hardly pass up the invitation.
"You were talking a bit with Lily Feng, is that correct?" he asked.
"I was." replied Madelyn.
"Did you notice anything suspicious...like a sudden and unexpected sound or someone acting suspiciously?"
Madelyn paused to give the question some thought. "You know, now that I think about it...I did hear something strange. Well, I thought it was strange at the time but haven't thought about it since. There was a sound..."
"What like?" asked Action.
"A whizz...a high pitched whizzing sound. Or was it a whoosh? A whizz, a whoosh...something like that"
"Was that noise close to where you and Mrs Feng were standing?"
"Yeah, I'd say pretty close. I was in the middle of telling Lily...that's Mrs Feng...a story and I remember that sound interrupting my train of thought and forgetting the ending. That's why I remember it"
"And you didn't see what could have made that noise or anyone else who was there who shouldn't have been?"
"No...sorry. Maybe Alan would remember" she said and, right on cue, Alan Cuffe himself emerged from his office.
"Detective...I'm Alan Cuffe, pleased to meet you" said the notorious publisher, shaking Action's hand profusely.
"Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions" replied Action. "I don't suppose you saw or heard anything suspicious?"
"I can't say I did....but what's this about?" asked Cuffe.
"It's too early to tell but we think someone was at that photoshoot who intended harm on either Mrs Feng, Miss Buchanan or anyone else involved with the shoot. We're stepping up police protection for everyone who was present at Fashion District that day but obviously we want to know who might want to cause you...or your assistant...harm"
Cuffe let out a small laugh. "Well, maybe any of my detractors and I have many, Detective. I have a couple of whack jobs who are trying to shut my company down...I could give you their names: Edna and George Sneedley. But they don't seem like violent people, just annoying ones."
"If I could have a list of people who might want to harm you that would help greatly with my enquiry" said Action.
"Of course, come through to my study and I'll write out a list for you" said Cuffe.
"I see Miss Buchanan isn't just your personal assistant, she's a Lothario Kitten as well" said Action.
"Oh yes, it makes things easier when my employees can fulfil more than one role in my organisation." replied Cuffe, writing down some names. "Do you read my magazine, Detective?"
"I do, on occasion" said Action. "And Miss Buchanan lives with you here, in your home?"
"It makes work and life so much easier with that arrangement"
"Would you say you were close?" asked Action.
"Detective, my private life isn't a matter for the police"
"It is if there's someone out there who wants to harm you or her"
"I am intimate with Madelyn...but we're not in a formal relationship. I'm a happy bachelor and my love life comes with no strings attached. Madelyn's the same way; she's free to date whoever it's just at the moment we occasionally share the same bed."
"And the other Kittens?" ventured Action.
"The same deal" Cuffe replied. Action looked at the row of photos and then back at a smiling Cuffe. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in astonishment.
"Your list, Detective." said Cuffe, handing Action a list of names.
"Much obliged" said Action.
Action's shift had ended now. A call back at 13th Precinct revealed that no bullet had yet been found but teams were looking for it. Action weighed up all the possibilities of this case: Either someone wanted Lily Feng or Madelyn Buchanan dead. He had to do more digging around to find out a motive for either target.
He returned home, beat, but intrigued. This mystery got a whole lot more interesting.
