[Critique Group 1] Marcia's September submission

Wed Sep 21 20:42:32 EDT 2022

1740 words

Chapter 18

The Investigation

Six fresh inches of snow covered the lot at Millwood when I parked my
cruiser next to Reed's Lincoln. The lost was nearly empty by the time I
arrived late Monday afternoon to begin my investigation. It was after hours
for the factory workers. Only die hards like Reed and Hamilton would be
working late. Veronica, I knew, was out of town on business. As I had
expected, Pete's idle butt was planted in a swivel chair behind the security
desk in the lobby.

"What's up, Robbie?" he looked up from a magazine and asked. "You here to
see Veronica? Too bad, she's out of town."

"Actually, Pete, I was hoping to talk to you. I know that you keep a close
eye on the goings on around here. Seems Veronica may be in some kind of
trouble at Millwood. Has she done anything lately to attract your
attention?"

"Yeah, she's got my attention, all right," Pete said. "I like watching
Ronnie strut her stuff, "but I don't know nothing about her business."

"That's funny. I thought it was your job to know what's going on at
Millwood. I heard maybe someone is unhappy about how Veronica is sharing her
benefits around here. Know what I mean?"

"Sharing her benefits? Veronica's a tight ass, strictly hands off, you know.
I heard that she's even tossed you off, Braun."

Pete had taken the bait. As I figured, he was eager to dish the dirt. If I
could convince him to join forces with me, he might reveal his suspicions
about who could be stalking Veronica.

Setting the hook, I said, "You got that right, Pete. "Has she blown you off,
too?"

"No one around here gets near the fancy bitch except Karl, and that's 'cause
he's a fag."

"Karl? The dude with the handlebar mustache who works with Hamilton?"

"Yeah, that's right. Veronica goes out to lunch with Karl now and then.
That sure sticks in Michelle's craw. You know that Veronica is going after
the promotion Hamilton wants, don't you?""

"Is Karl around today," I asked Pete. "Maybe he knows who is pestering
Veronica."

"Karl's gone for the day. Want his phone number?"

"Sure. He might have some ideas about who is hounding Barringer." Pete
scribbled Karl's phone number on a note. It would be impossible to compare
the writing sample of numbers with the messages left for Veronica written
with capital letters. 

"Hamilton watches Veronica like a hawk. Why don't you ask her?" Pete asked.

"Good idea," I said. "If it's not a local, Hamilton is sure to know if
Veronica is messing around with a city-slicker. I'd like to confront the
competition, you know?"

"Right," Pete agreed. "Veronica is more likely to go for an outsider. She
stomps on us local boys like we're little ants."

"What about the big boys around here like Reed or Roberts? They've got money
and prestige. Could one of them be under Veronica's spell? 

"Could be, said Pete. "Her good looks are hard to resist. If Veronica is in
some kind of trouble with the bosses, she's been looking for it if you ask
me."

"You got that right, Pete. The way she struts in her low-cut tops and tight
skirts, she's just looking for trouble, "I said. On the other hand, Veronica
could be lying about the threats she's getting. It would be just like her to
stir up trouble for entertainment."

At the sound of a ding, Reed and Roberts emerged from the elevator. Pete
ducked behind the security desk. I wondered if he was supposed to be on his
rounds. It seemed unlikely the wimp had enough guts to go after Veronica.

I turned my attention to Veronica's bosses. "Hey guys," I said. "Do you have
a few minutes? I'd like to ask you about one of your employees."

Roberts and Reed exchanged wary glances. "Who you asking after?" Roberts
wondered.

"Is there a private office where we could talk?" I hitched up my holster for
effect.

"Let's go back upstairs," Reed suggested. "What's this about?" he asked as
the elevator doors closed. I reserved my answer until I was comfortable in
one of the guest chairs in front of Mr. Reed's presidential desk. Roberts
took the other seat. 

"Someone at Millwood has been threatening Veronica Barringer. Any idea who
might have it out for your gal?" 

Roberts and Reed straightened their posture. "Well, Veronica has made a few
enemies around here," Roberts ventured. "With her good looks and fancy
attitude, she was bound to make someone jealous."

"Jealous enough to threaten her?" I asked.

"What kind of threats are you talking about?" Reed asked.

"The kind that might get you locked up for intimidation," I answered. I
didn't want to divulge the details.

"Slow down, Robbie." Reed stood to impose his imposing height behind the
shield of his desk. "No one at Millwood is threatening Veronica. She's a
valued employee with a bright head on her shoulders."

Although Reed was defending Veronica, he avoided looking directly into my
eyes.

"What about Hamilton? " I asked. "She's competing against Barringer for a
promotion, right?"

"Aw, that ain't nothing," said Roberts. "There's bound to be a cat fight
when two women go head-to-head for a high-profile job." 

"Seems unusual that two women are competing for a promotion at Millwood.
Aren't most of the good-paying jobs reserved for men like you?"

"This is the age of equal opportunity," Reed said. "That's why we recruited
Barringer. It's just unfortunate that her competition for the marketing
position is another woman." 

"It could get dirty," I suggested. "Hope no one gets hurt. I hear Hamilton
is a fierce competitor."

As if on cue, Michelle Hamilton tapped on Reed's door. She looked surprised
to see me seated at Mr. Reed's desk.

"Hey, Michelle. Working late?" I fixed my sights on Veronica's rival.
Hamilton definitely had a motive to take Veronica down. She eyed me like a
spider sizing up its prey. 

"What brings you around here, Braun?" she asked.

"I've been asked to look into some security issues at Millwood," I said. 

Pete popped into Mr. Reed's office behind Michelle to prove he was on the
job. 

"I tried to tell Officer Braun most everyone has left for the day, but he
insisted on talking to you about the trouble Veronica is in."

"Veronica creates her own trouble around here," Michelle said. "She should
go back where she came from. Although it's funny that no one knows where she
came from. Maybe she's hiding out in Doe Lake because she pissed off
everyone last place she worked."

"You could be right," I said. Maybe whoever has it out for Veronica has
tracked her to Doe Lake, but who's passing the threats to Veronica at
Millwood? You're not the one pressuring Barringer, are you, Michelle?"

"If I could run Barringer out of town, I would," Hamilton admitted. "She's
been kissing up to the management at Millwood, going after the promotion I
was promised. But, I've got nothing to hide." Hamilton continued to sneer,
"Veronica will hang herself without any help from me. She's pissed off
enough people around here."

"Who would be at the top of your list?" I asked.

"Well, there are too many possibilities to count," Michelle said, lifting
her spiny fingers one by one. "Maybe Pete here, or you Braun? Either of you
could be a suspect. When it comes to the number of men she's blown off, the
list is long. Don't overlook the married sales reps from out of town who
will pay dearly if their wives hear they've been fooling around. Should I go
on?"

"Sounds like we're in agreement that Veronica has made a few enemies at
Millwood," I said. "But that doesn't mean I can look the other way if she's
in harm's way. I took an oath to protect and defend, even the bitches from
out of town." 

Hamilton clenched an unlit cigarette between her teeth and said, "Sounds to
me like you're working up an alibi to cover your own tracks, Braun. What do
you think, Pete?"

"I gotta go on my rounds," Pete said, dodging the bullet. 

"It's most likely whoever is hassling Veronica is just trying to get a
reaction out of her," Reed said. "I'm sure the threats aren't serious." "If
your questions have been answered satisfactorily, Officer Braun, this
inquisition is over."

I stood to meet Reed's stare. "I'll be satisfied when the threats stop.
Let's see what happens after the word gets out that the police are involved.
I don't doubt Pete will fire up the rumor mill at Millwood."

"I'll ask around," Roberts offered. "We'll be sure to notify you if any
relevant information emerges."

"Thanks gentlemen, and 'gentle' woman," I added with a nod to Michelle.
"I'll see myself out."

* * *

Hamilton's glare pinned Reed and Roberts to their chairs like invisible duct
tape. "I tried to tell you that Barringer is trouble, but you wouldn't
listen," Michelle said. "You might as well be wearing blinders because you
can't take your eyes off her figure."

Reed squirmed and his potato head bobbed. Roberts pumped his leg up and down
like he wanted to run. The men knew Michelle's venomous wrath all too well. 

She continued to jab. "Don't you know better than to invite a cop to nose
around in Millwood's business? Next thing you know, Pete's loose-lips will
have everyone talking. Then The Messenger's snoopy reporter will come around
to investigate the story."

"There's nothing to investigate," Reed said. Braun will figure out that
Veronica is a drama queen. She probably made up the story to get Robbie's
attention."

Roberts sent a sideways nod to appease Hamilton. "Let me talk with Veronica
when she returns from New York. I think I can convince her to tone things
down, that no one around here is out to get her." 

"Sure, that's the answer," Hamilton shot back. "Simply assure Barringer that
she's safe and secure at Millwood, that you and Mr. Reed will watch her back
side. While you're at it, go ahead and give her the marketing department
promotion."

"Now, Michelle." Roberts attempted to placate her.

"Better yet, I'll take the matter into my own hands. I'll simply inform the
mayor about the problems we're having here at Millwood." Hamilton spun on
her heels and left Roberts and Reed to sweat in their shoes.

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