An Unladylike Murder, page 17
part #1 of Jessica Sloan Mystery Series
Jessica’s phone beeped.
LOGAN: The homeless guy you want to talk to is a park dwelling homeless low life and gender-fluid freak. Calls himself, Scarlet.
Jessica showed the text to Cutter.
“Ask him where we can find Miss Scarlet?”
She barely texted him when she received a reply.
LOGAN: He sleeps in the Fuchsia Dell area in Golden Gate Park. The dell is between the Panhandle and Fulton Street.
Sloan and Cutter both glanced at each other.
“Now, that is very interesting. Perhaps that’s where the flower the Forensic team found came from.”
Sloan hoped so. “This could be the break we need.”
Cutter nodded at her. “I know exactly where the Dell is. In fact, my favorite part of San Francisco is Golden Gate Park.”
“Hold on, I’m getting another text.”
LOGAN: I was told that he’ll spend the mornings in the park near Whole Foods before heading downtown to pan handle and protest.
Sloan read the message to her partner.
“Sounds like he has a full schedule. Sloan, why don’t we go pay Miss Scarlet a visit first thing tomorrow morning before he gets a chance to move around? Meanwhile, let’s keep making calls for a few more hours.”
Chapter 44
Monday
The sun was still in bed.
Even in the 4:30 darkness, the Bay Bridge had too many early morning commuters for Jessica to enjoy the spectacular night views as she drew closer to the city.
She took the 5th Street exit, then stayed in the middle lanes to drive directly onto Harrison Street. After a left on 8th Street, she made another left onto Bryant Street.
The Hall Of Justice and her Murder Room were just ahead.
Cutter and Sloan met at 5:19 a.m. in their parking lot before they headed west.
Cutter looked at Sloan and yawned. “I hate this time of day. Nobody but mothers with newborns are up yet.”
Sloan rubbed her right eye. “I’ve worked enough graveyard shifts to know who’s still up. It’s the peeping Toms and the crooks still going about their business.”
As they passed Fulton heading towards Sutro Tower on Stanyon Street, Cutter said, “See all these old, low rise apartments that we’re passing.”
“Yes.”
“Most of the land they were built on used to be graveyards. When the city needed the land, they dug up the bodies and moved them out to Colma.”
“That I did not know.”
“Now when they tear down one of the buildings so they can build on the lot, sometimes they find bodies they missed or were too lazy to relocate.”
Jessica cocked her head at John. “If you’re always this morose in the morning, I can see why your wife left you.”
“Thanks. The only reason I’m telling ya is that some of the ghosts are known to wander in Golden Gate Park around sunrise. So, if you see one, don’t scream. It’ll attract even more of them.”
Jessica shook her head to relieve her anger. “What do you think, John, that I’m ten years old? Save your ghost stories to frighten kids on Halloween.”
Silence blanketed the car.
At Fell Street, they turned right into Golden Gate Park, then right again onto Conservatory Drive where they slowed, then parked just before the big curve.
Sloan said, “I ran the name Scarlet through the system. If it’s the same guy, he’s gender fluid, fifty-six years old and has a long history of personality and substance abuse disorders.”
“Any arrests?”
“He’s on a lunar cycle. He’s arrested, serves time, and is released again. When they’ve tried to get him help, he escapes.”
“Then this should be interesting. Let’s go.”
The black asphalt sidewalk that led into the Fuchsia Dell was only ten steps away. With the Dell’s looming old trees blocking the morning’s first breaking rays, the Dell could have passed for a garden full of gnomes and fairies.
The center opened up with a large open area of dew-laden grass with only a few large trees in the middle. The perimeter however was deep and ominously dark with huge towering trees.
They saw two empty benches, wet from the dew.
Along the main path and on the outer edges were hundreds of huge mature Fuchsias full of pinky purple blossoms.
Jessica wouldn’t have been surprised to find little munchkins or fairies running around.
Cutter used two fingers to point at his eyes, then at the bushes.
They had both brought flashlights and turned them on to see into the thick underbrush.
They walked several feet apart.
Holding their flashlights in one hand and their handguns in the other, their fingers were on the barrels.
Jessica felt the moisture from the grass seeping into her shoes.
No footprints; big or tiny.
Cutter pointed to his right, which was thick with fir and eucalyptus trees. Various shrubs filled up any voids.
This park is maintained but left as close to natural as possible.
Jessica’s nose twitched.
I must be allergic to eucalyptus trees.
Cutter thought about pretending he’d seen a ghost but stopped himself.
She might shoot me.
Jessica caught a glimpse of a blue tarp and jiggled her flashlight to catch John’s attention.
They looked down, so as not to step on any branches, but it didn’t matter.
The tarp moved and Sloan saw a face pop up.
“Who the fuck’s in my bedroom?”
The voice had a bad lisp to it.
They both shone their light directly onto the figure’s face and yelled. “Stay down. Don’t move.”
“Fuck you. Are you some kind of perverts or what? Shut the fucking lights off and get the hell out of my place. This area is mine.”
“We’re San Francisco Detectives and we have you surrounded. So shut up and stay down, or we’ll shoot.”
Sloan backed up Cutter. “We only want to talk to you.”
Whoever was in the tarp continued to swear. “Who’s the fucking girl?”
Cutter snarled. “It’s Detective Jessica Sloan to you. She’ll kick your sorry ass if you give her cause.”
Scarlet didn’t respond.
They moved their flashlights in a twenty-foot circle looking for any potential danger.
They spotted two bags of black nylon luggage, a grocery-shopping cart full of what could have been clothing. Near Scarlet were an almost empty bottle of vodka and several open cans of food.
“He’s alone, Cutter.”
Sloan knew it was still around forty-five degrees out. Scarlet was wearing a bright blue insulated jacket.
Jessica realized it was a woman’s.
“I’m tired. Fuck off and leave me alone.”
“Are you Miss Scarlet?”
A switch flipped. “Why, yes I am.”
Scarlet’s hand went to stroke her hair. “Are you one of my fans?”
The face broke into a smile and with it, a gaping hole was visible where an upper front tooth should have been.
“You can stand up, but if you choose to run, we’ll shoot.”
“You pricks are biased against the poor and homeless. Why are you picking on little old me?” Scarlet stood up and raised one hand to her unruly hair.
“We just need to ask you a few questions. Where were you on Monday night?”
“Fuck me. What day is it?” His voice betrayed his drug and alcohol idled mind.
“Monday.”
“Are you trying to fuck with me?”
“Where were you last Monday night?”
“I spend most nights getting my beauty sleep right here darlings. The fresh air does wonders for my complexion.”
“Can anyone vouch for you?”
Scarlet looked up into the trees. “The little green men who watch over me can.”
“Who?”
“The little green men who live up in the trees.”
Cutter and Jessica glanced at each other as Scarlet continued. “Where I come from, you would be arrested for talking to me.”
John asked, “What in hell are you talking about?”
“I’m visiting from a parallel universe.” Scarlet’s speech became slurred.
Jessica raised her flashlight and saw that Scarlet’s pupils were enlarged.
He’s still high from some kind of depressant.
“Enough of your bullshit. Put your hands behind your back. You’re coming downtown with us.”
Cutter put the handcuffs on Scarlet. “These are for your safety.”
Sloan read Scarlet his rights. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind do you wish to speak to me?”
“Scarlet knows her rights, sweety. I’m not telling you anything. I want my lawyer.”
“And who would that be?”
“Simon Ratner.”
Jessica and John exchanged glances.
John gave Scarlet a nudge. “Now get moving.”
“But all my stuff?”
“No one’s going to steal your trash.”
Scarlet started walking. “I wish I could kill all those techy shits. They’re ruining the city.”
“Are you admitting that you killed Jill Gillberry?”
Scarlet stopped and bristled. “I already told you, I want my lawyer.”
Cutter nudged him again. “Keep walking, let’s go.”
As they escorted Scarlet to their vehicle, a man walking his dog appeared. “Asshole cops. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Why are you harassing an old man for sleeping in the park? He’s not hurting anyone.”
Jessica had suffered her share of harassment by fellow officers as well as the public. She’d had otherwise, law-abiding members of the public yell and cuss at her just for giving that person a ticket.
The man continued to rant. “People without permanent shelter are human beings and deserve respect.”
She’d been trained to stand there and take it, but that didn’t make it any easier.
Jessica opened the rear door to the Taurus to let Scarlet in.
Scarlet smells like we should take her to a car wash.
When she turned back to John, she said, “I see that detectives are still just cops to the public at large.”
“Ignore Mister Citizen there. They all hate us until they need us.”
Jessica glanced into the car. “You do realize Scarlet’s high on depressants.”
“So what? He just admitted to killing Jill.”
Jessica bit her lip.
That’s not what I heard.
With the dog walker still glaring at them, they got in the Taurus.
As Jessica pulled away, John said, “I’m calling Forensics, I want all of his stuff gone over. I’ll have them look for a scarf, sunglasses, theatre tickets and dress.”
“Do you think he went to the theatre in drag and killed Jill?”
“I’m not ruling it out.”
John made the call to Forensics, then said, “You know what would really help us detectives do our job instead of iPoirot?”
“What?”
“Once we find someone we want to arrest or interview, it would be cool if one of your future self-driving cars could be called up on a phone app and take that person to the jail where they could be processed so we don’t have to spend our precious time babysitting and chauffeuring the suspects around.”
“Glad to see you’re starting to appreciate the future, John.”
As they booked him into the station, Cutter said, “Fingerprint him and take a DNA swab.”
Jessica asked, “How come you never give me a hard time for being a female?”
“I don’t care about your sex or your sexual preferences any more than I care if you are right or left handed. All I care about is your ability to solve cases and if you have my back should we ever get into a hairy situation… Once he’s been processed, bring him into an interview room.”
“Copy that.”
Cutter said, “When I meet someone like Scarlet, I wish we still had the Ugly Law.”
“The what?”
“Back in 1867, San Francisco instituted America’s first ugly law, which prohibited unsightly people from showing their faces in public. Unfortunately, it was repealed.”
Chapter 45
It was painful.
Jessica was watching Cutter from the observation room where all interviews were recorded. The more she watched, the more she became confused.
Is Scarlet truly crazy, just high on drugs, or is this all just an act?
She had run across many types of homeless on the streets of San Francisco. She knew Scarlet was one of the chronic, long termers.
Given the current situation, the police tried to keep them away from homeowners and visitors, but it was a losing battle. Any location where visitors could be approached for a handout, you could find the homeless trying to take advantage of the lax law enforcement policy.
Some were drunks or high on drugs. Some had mental disabilities and should have been institutionalized.
This individual exhibits traits of both drug abuse as well as mental illness.
After five years of trying to deal with people like Scarlet, Sloan knew that he was most likely not currently undergoing treatment for either.
So he’s probably self-medicating to feel less anxiety, depression, or neuroses, albeit temporarily. When Scarlet’s not high, his mental health issues probably return.
John Cutter stared at Scarlet. “Back in the Fuchsia Dell, you told me that you wished you could kill all the technology CEOs. Do you remember that?”
Scarlet banged his fist on the table. “You’re a pedophile. I hope they fuck your ass off when your day comes.”
Jessica could see that John was losing patience as Scarlet was incoherent and refused to repeat his claim that he’d killed Jill.
Garcia walked into the taping room where Sloan was. “Scarlet’s lawyer is here and is demanding that his client be released.”
“Thanks. I’ll let Cutter know.”
Jessica went to the Interview Room door and knocked.
John opened the door.
Seeing it was Sloan, he stepped out, closing the door behind him. “What is it?”
“Simon Ratner is here demanding to talk to Scarlet.”
“At this point he’s welcome to her. We don’t have enough to charge her or him anyway.”
“I’ll go get him then.”
Ratner wore a smug grin as he walked into the Interview Room.
Cutter put up a brave front and tried to shake Ratner. “Your client’s a person of interest and he’s admitted to killing Jill Gillberry.”
“I’m sure he didn't say that. And if he did, he didn't mean it. And even if he did say it, you must realize that he’s a very sick individual and should be in a mental hospital.”
“Ratner, I’m beginning to think you’re more politician than a lawyer.”
“Scarlet is innocent until proven guilty. Now, are you going to charge him with anything or did you bring him in only for your entertainment?”
“We had a solid reason.”
“If you had any real evidence you’d have charged him by now, which means you only have supposition and conjecture. Now leave me alone to talk to my client.”
Five minutes later Ratner left with his hand grabbing Scarlet’s wrist. They were whispering to each other.
Ratner stopped beside Cutter. “Why were you spending so much time interviewing Scarlet, anyway?”
Cutter ignored that Scarlet was standing close beside him. “He was at your protest.”
“That’s no reason to subject him to interrogation.”
Scarlet ignored Ratner and looked at Jessica. “You’re cute, in a kinky hostile way.”
“Do you want me to arrest you for harassing a Police Officer?”
Ratner stuck his nose in the air. “Police prejudice never ends, does it?”
Sloan snapped. “Take a hike.”
“We’re leaving.” Ratner pulled Scarlet towards the elevator.
John turned to Jessica. “What do you think?”
“Scarlet’s cord doesn’t quite reach the outlet.”
“Is that a medical diagnosis?”
“No.” Jessica couldn’t help grinning.
Cutter said, “I think we need a break. Let’s go to Jill Gillberry’s funeral this afternoon. Ya never know who’ll show up and what we might learn.”
Chapter 46
Jill Gillberry would have liked her funeral.
There was no pomp and circumstance befitting a stunningly successful female Silicon Valley CEO.
It was being held one week after her death. Being held on a Monday, there were only a smattering of people attending.
Her parents, a few relatives, less than half a dozen friends and only seven people from her office including the COO and lawyer showed up to pay their respects.
David Coyne was the only investor to bother attending.
Just before the service started, the Mayor of San Francisco entered the room with an aide. He sat near the rear of the parent’s church.
Coyne sat beside him.
A hymn, a short eulogy, two prayers and the service was over.
As the mourners exited, the Mayor made a point of standing beside Jill’s parents.
Two television stations had been waiting outside.
The reporters and their camera people made their way directly towards the Mayor.
Once the cameras were rolling, the Mayor wiped the smile from his face and started talking. “It is with a heavy heart that I am here to give my personal condolences to Jill Gillberry’s parents. I have told the SFPD that finding Jill’s killer is a priority. I would also like to tell potential visitors to San Francisco that this was an isolated incidence and that San Francisco and our surrounding area is completely safe to visit.”
