Ch. VI A Night in the Slammer: The Dragnet Tightens
The night was like most in Vegas, the chilly night air was a relief from the daytime heat. Sergeant Joe Friday and his side kick Sergeant Pete Gannon had been given the murder case of Joseph Masterson, Ph. D., they had all the juicy details and the only clue in sight was the lady in the red velvet dress that no one knew.
"How the hell does someone cut your cock cut, suck all your blood out, and not leave a mess?" Sergeant Gannon asked shaking his head.
"From what they say, that hot bitch in the red velvet dress could suck a tennis ball through a straw. According to the bandleader she was one Hot Lady with a body to die for and that poor Professor did!" Friday smirked. "What a way to go." He was shaking his head and thinking of the pain Masterson went through just before he kicked off.
They had gone over everything in room 33B and found nothing, not even a hair from the mysterious woman in red. It was going on 11pm when the radio call came in that another body wa found at the same motel. "Floor it Gannon." Friday said, hanging the microphone up.
"We better find something there or our ass is grass." Gannon said looking over at Friday as the car bolted down the neon filled main drag towards the Sands Casino.
With tires squealing they pulled into a parking space in front of the Sands. "You can't park there." yelled the doorman.
Sergeant Friday flashed his badge as they passed by him. "We can park anywhere we damn well please," he said with a grin.
When they entered the main casino they saw Frank Gabatino, the head of security, waiting for them. He was a big man with arms the size of most men's legs and he wasn't too happy with us being in his place right now.
"Frank, what..." Gannon barely got out of his mouth before they found themselves dragged down the side hall towards Frank's office.
"Shut the fuck up asshole. I'll do the talking. You just listen. Alright?" He opened the door and pushed them inside. "Look you flatfooted bastards. I got a dead guy upstairs, tied to a bed with no cock"
Friday and Gannon looked at each other in disbelief.
"What? Another one? Holy shit! What the hell is happening here Gannon?" Friday said shaking his head.
"What the fuck do you mean another one?" Frank yelled slamming his fist hard against the desk.
"Hold on now Frank. You do read the papers, don't you? It's all over Vegas how that professor got it the same way last week over at the Flamingo." Gannon was getting tired of this asshole's attitude.
"Now take us to the room right now or we will have your ass." Friday yelled back pointing to his badge.
"We'll go up the service elevator. I don't want the guest to know anything is wrong." Frank lead the way towards the elevator.
"I guess you showed him." Gannon said in a low voice hoping Frank didn't hear him.
"Yeah, right. Let's go." Friday said, pointing towards the waiting elevator.
Frank pushed the third floor's button then told them both "If this hotel is in the papers tomorrow you might not be able to read for a long time! You got that?"
"Yeah, I got it. Your threatening a cop right? Now lets get one thing straight Frank. We are the real cops, and we say what happens from here out."
Frank's face turned beat red with the veins in his neck popping out. "You just keep this quiet or else." Frank finally said before the door opened. "Follow me." Frank lead them down the hall stopping at room 33B.
The two Detectives just stood looking at one another.
"What the fuck are you waiting on? Get your asses in here before someone sees you!" Frank said between clinched teeth. Slamming the door closed Frank motioned for them to follow him into the bedroom.
"What a joint." Gannon said, as he walked into the room looking around at the luxurious surroundings.
"Bet this place will set you back a few hundred a night." Friday said admiring the fancy paintings, full wet bar and all leather furnishings. Standing in the bedroom doorway. Frank pointed to the dead man laying tied with leopard skin cuffs just like the professor.
"Oh, God! He's just like the other one. Sucked dry and all!" Friday said looking around the bed for a clue to go on. "Only a freak could do something like this." Friday said raising an eyebrow.
"Who is he?" Gannon asked pulling his pad out to take notes.
"Some big time collector that comes here all the time to gamble away his money. His name was Professor Grope." Frank said.
"Collector?" Friday asked.
"Yeah, from what I was told he collects rare tribal things from Africa. You know, like spears, trinkets, and junk like that," Frank explained.
"What's this Maltease Fuckin we heard about Frank? Do you know anything about it?" Friday asked.
"What the fuck you talking about Friday? Mother fucking what?" Frank shot back at Friday in that deep New York accent.
"Not mother fucking," Gannon explained, "it's Maltease, like the book and the movie. You know the movie Bogie made so famous?"
"I don't know no Maltease nothing," Frank said looking confused.
A sudden knock at the door startled them all, "I'll get" Frank said moving towards the door. He stuck his head out and spoke to someone for a minute before opening the door allowing one of the showgirls to enter. "This is Angel," Frank said leading her into the room. "She has some information she thinks could help you guys."
"I'm Sergeant Friday, this is Sergeant Gannon. What do you know about all this?"
"Well, that lady in red was playing Blackjack with him this evening. She was winning big time. You know what I mean."
Friday nodded his head admiring her body more than listening to what she had to say. "Damn what a doll" he said to himself.
"They were talking about something he had to sell. Maltease something or other." She explained to the two officers.
"Maltease Fuckin" Gannon said before he realized what he had said.
Angel blushed a scarlet red. Grinning, she said, "Yeah that's it. What's a Maltease Fuckin?"
"I'm not real sure yet but when I find out I'll let you know." Friday said eyeing her up and down as he spoke. "Do you know anything else? Can you identify this lady in red if you saw her again?" Friday asked.
