Look for the Unknown

Chapter 1

My name is Raff T. Mantellie, the T. stands for Ted. My father is Italian, and my mother is Norwegian. My Italian Grandfather said I was born in the U.S.A. so I ought to have one good old U.S.A. name. So most everybody calls me Ted or Mantellie, but my mother calls me Raffie.

I am a police detective lieutenant in a small city of about 40,000 in the Midwest. I was just given a 2 week vacation for solving a high profile case. Four very wealthy women were burglarized, and lost expensive jewelry. They were hit about a week apart, and their Loss was estimated to be about five hundred thousand dollars. Everyone was stumped until Dody and I figured out the common tie between all four women. The one and only connection between the four, was they all worked out at the same gym three days a week.

One of the girls who worked there was hooked up with an ex con. When we found a trace of wax on one of the keys, we knew someone was making impressions of them. We decided to set a trap to find out who it was.

Dody was the logical one to bait the trap, since she was a good looking blonde with a great body. We bought her a membership, and set her up in a ritzy apartment, and phony I.D. She put a little dab of adhesive in the grooves of her key. She was looking for the tell tale specks of wax that would stick there. Just so that the one making the impressions would have to hurry she never left her purse for more than fifteen minutes at a time. That way they would not have time to look to close at the keys. When she saw the wax on the keys we set the trap.

Now I am six foot three, and weigh about two hundred and five pounds. I decided I would be the one there waiting when the jailbird and his lady came for the jewels. That night Dody took a suit case got in a taxi and left. I moved in and settled down to wait. Dody stopped the cab a few blocks down the road and climbed into a police van that was waiting for her there. She disguised herself as an old lady, came back into the building and entered the apartment across the hall.

They had been watching the place from the building across the street. They waited for about a half hour. Feeling that they were safe, they moved in. I was well hidden so I waited. Using a small flashlight they went to the bed room, searched the dresser, found the jewel box, took the jewels and headed for the door. I stepped out of hiding, and pulling out my forty five, ordered them to freeze. The gal was already in the doorway so she took off. Hand cuffing the guy, I shoved him out into the hall, and there was Dody hand cuffing the girl.

The chief was so happy to get the mayor and his well to do friends off his back, he told the captain to give Dody and I a couple of weeks off with pay.

Dody and I did not let it get around, but her and I got together now and then for a little fun and games. There was no romance involved, just two good friends who had needs, that enjoyed each other’s company. She had replaced me as sergeant when I made lieutenant.

On our first night off I went by her place to see if she wanted to go someplace for a week or two. She asks me to spend the night so I did. The next morning I said well what about it do you want to go or not? She handed me a cup of coffee, and then dropped the bomb. She had met a really nice guy and thought she was falling for him. He was someone she thought she could have a future with, and she did not think we should see each other until she found out where it was going. She also explained her reason for the night before because of our past relationship she felt that she owed me one more night.

I told her that she was a fine lady, and that I hoped that it worked out, because she deserved the best. Then I went home and sat around all day feeling sorry for myself. That night I went out to dinner, and hit a few bars, and tried to figure out what I was going to do for two weeks by myself.

I went into one bar, had a few drinks, found nothing there that interested me. Walked down the street to another place that had a bar, and restaurant. When checking out the bar proved to be a waste of time, I decided to go into the restaurant, have a cup of java and go home. My first cup of java was so good, I decided to have one more and head out. I knew of a lake resort where I could rent a cabin and a boat and do some fishing.

Chapter 2

Just as I started my second cup, a lady stumbled through the restaurant door. She stood there kind of messed up, and uncertain. Even in that condition she was beautiful. Walking over to her, I asked her if she was ok. She looked at me stammered, ah no I don’t think so, I mean I don’t know. Realizing she was in shock, I led her to a booth, and got her a cup of java. Then I picked up my cup and set down across from her.

Try to relax and tell me what happened I said. She looked as if she was going to cry, and said he’s dead. I blinked and said who is dead. When she just sat there without speaking I said look I am on vacation but I am a cop. When I said that she started to cry. I moved over to her side, put my arm around her and said look I want to help you. She spoke then and said please I need to get out of here. Getting up I told her. I just live down the street a few blocks. Let’s go to my place and you can tell me what happened. She looked up, and we looked into each other’s eyes for about a minute or so. At first I saw fear there, and then it changed to a look of hope and trust. As cop, over the years I have learned to read fear, anger, hate, love, trust, compassion, etc., in people’s eyes. She reached over put her hand on mine and said alright.

I came in a cab, so I drove her car. We parked in the basement garage of my apartment building. Coming around the car to help her out, I noticed a bad scrape on her knee. Getting in the elevator we went up to my second floor apartment. After feeding her some eggs and toast, I gave her a set of my pajamas, showed her the bath room so that she could clean up. When she came out of the bathroom, she looked as if she would fall asleep any minute. I took her into my bedroom, turned down the covers and told her to get some rest and we would talk in the morning. As she look up at me, I said don’t worry I will sleep on the couch. I grabbed a blanket, some pajamas, a pillow and went in and curled up on the couch. It was a restless night for me. Knowing that she had been disheveled and had blood on her sleeve, caused all kinds of thoughts to run through my mind. Did she kill or harm someone? I just could not picture her hurting anyone. Maybe she was with someone who was hurt? No she is the type who would have gotten help right away. I could not get her out of my mind, Nor could I decided what I was going to do. Finally I decided I would have to get her to tell me her story in the morning, or take her home and get on with my vacation. Then I went to sleep for about three hours.

Chapter 3

Waking up early the next morning, I got up, put on my gym shorts, and went into my small workout room. Did some treadmill time and some work with the weights. Took a shower, and came down to fix breakfast. She was just coming out of the bathroom. She asked where I had been. I told her as I prepared some toast, bacon, and eggs. You see there is a floor above the floor we were on. In the comer right above my apartment there is a laundry, and a small storage room. Since I can get to that room by a flight of stairs off my balcony, I got the super to let me use it for a weight room. As we ate she asked me about my job on the force. I told her I was the lieutenant of the detectives division. Then I poured us a cup of java, and said, ok it is time for you to tell me your story. If I am going to be ableto help you, I need to know what happened last night, and ever thing that led up to it. She again looked me straight in the eye, and again I saw that she had chosen to trust me, and she began to tell her story.

Her name was Ellen Stockman. Her father was the major stock holder and C.E.O. of a large investment company. He had set up a trust fund for her, and for her sister. When she had turned twenty one, she received ten million dollars, her sister the same with her father helping her to invest, she had doubled her money in the last five years. She had dated a few guys, but had to be careful. She wanted to be sure that it was her they wanted, and not her money. She had not found anyone that fit that category until she met Calvin Slaytter.

She had met him at a friend’s dinner party. He was tall, dark hired, tanned and very handsome. She begins dating him. He seemed really nice, and not the least bit interested in her money. When he first asked her to marry him, she refused saying it was too soon. He kept pressuring her, buying her things, taking her places, treating her like a queen. Finally after about three weeks she reluctantly said yes, but would not set a date.

But then she found out that he had a very bad temper. He never got angry with her, but became very angry at a waitress at a restaurant, and a cab driver. After each incident he would become cool toward her, and very quiet.

He would then take her home and leave without kissing her good night. That is when she first began to have doubts. When he then suggested that after they were married he wanted her to invest in a development he was promoting, she realized two things. She did not love him, and it was her money he loved not her. She then saw him for what he really was, a very self-centered, and selfish man.

She had thought about it for a few days then made up her mind to tell him it was over. So that night she went to his office to end the relationship. When she knocked on the door it swung open, it had not been closed completely. The lights were on so she called his name. He did not answer so she walked in. She saw him lying on the floor with a letter opener in his back. She screamed out his name. She said she did not know why but she knelt down to place her fingers on his neck to see if there was a pulse. That is when she felt the blood, and saw that he was stabbed in the neck also. She stood up looked at the blood on her hand, and tried to think of what to do. That was when she heard the sirens, took a tissue from her purse, wiped her hands, stuck the tissue in her purse and went out and down the elevator to the parking garage. As she drove down the street she started to shake, so she pulled over and parked. It was then she saw the restaurant and bar, so she came in to get some coffee and calm down.

After hearing her story I had a hundred questions I wanted to ask her, but first things first. I told her that we would go to her place; pack enough clothes for a few days. Then we would go to my office, tell sergeant Jacobs what she had told me. Then we would go to the little resort I was going to before I met her. She said ok I trust you, so please don’t let me down. I assured her I would take good care of her. I called Jacobs ask him to meet us at the station. Wegot in her car and went to her place.

On the way I told her about my parents. They live here in Roseville and that dad owns a plumbing shop and mom runs a small bakery that they own. She told me that her mom and dad lived about ten miles out of town. On a ranch that she owned, and that they raised horses. They loved the peace and quiet out there. But she preferred to live in town. Her parents flew by helicopter to Denver where his offices is located, and stayed there from Monday until Wednesday after noon. They stayed in a condo they have there.

She rented a condo here on the edge of town. It was in a fenced in area with six other condos, had a pool and a tennis court. On the ground floor, it had a kitchen, front room, a bathroom, and small utility room. Upstairs it had two bedrooms and a bathroom. She made me some Java, gave me a cup, and went upstairs to pack. My detective instincts kicked in, and I began to look around. Her C.D.’s told me that she preferred country music. She had a wine rack and no liquor cabinet. That told me she was not a heavy drinker. The reading material showed me she liked romance novels, and kept up with current events. Just as I was about to check on want kind of foods she liked, she called down from upstairs, and said she was ready. I went up to help her carry her luggage to the car.

On the drive to the station, she told me more about herself. She had bought the ranch because she wanted to get away from the big city life. But she soon found that the ranch was too quiet, so she moved into town. She said she guessed she was just a small city kind of girl. When I asked her what she liked to do for entertainment, she asked day or night? I said both. She said she liked to swim, go running, shopping, and sometimes lay in the sun and read. At night she liked to eat out, go to a movie, or the theater. But the thing she liked most was dancing. She and her friends did that a lot. Then she asked if I liked to dance. I said yes but I didn’t have the time to go out much. We were at the station we got out and went in. I told sergeant Jacobs why we were there, and told her to tell him exactly what she had told me. I said don’t leave anything out. I had seen the captain go up to his office, so I left to go see the captain.

I told the captain the whole story and, told him I did not think she had lied, but that I would keep an eye on her and bring her in if things proved otherwise. I also told him that even though I was still on vacation, I would like to do a little checking around. He told me to be sure and keep the guy’s informed. I said that I would. When I got back down to the sarge’s office she was ready to go. I ask her to please wait outside while I talked to the sarge for a minute. She said sure, and stepped outside. I asked the sarge what he thought and he said he did not think she was guilty either, but that the finger prints they found on the letter opener appeared to be that of a women. He asked if I could get her finger prints. I said I would bring in something with her prints on it. I then asked him to get me a copy of what they had found so for. I came back out and, we got in her car and went to my place to pack.

We drink a glass of wine, and I went in to pack. After we had loaded my stuff in the car, I told her I had to go back up and, get some bait I had forgot in the frig. I had left it there intentionally, so that I would have a reason to go back up alone. I called Dody said I did not have time to explain, but would she drop by my house nd get a glass I would leave on the table, and take it to the sarge. I told her he would explain. I then went back to the car and told Ellen that I was sorry it took so long. That nature had called.

We decided to go by my dad and mom’s place and tell them what we were doing. Dad took to Ellen right off, but it took mom a while. You see mom had decided that Dody was the one for me. I took her aside and explained that Ellen was a friend in trouble and I was trying to help her. She then became friendly with Ellen, and I could tell she liked her right away. We talked a while had dinner and then left for the lake. I had called for reservations, and their night man gave us the key to our cabin. We unloaded the car, and I made some java. The place had two bedrooms, a bath, and a small dining room, also a small kitchen. She picked the bedroom with a door into the bathroom. It was after midnight so we drank our java, and went to bed.

Chapter 4

In the morning we made breakfast together. As we ate she told me she really liked my parents. I said thanks, and asked her how she liked the place? She said she liked the cabin, but had not seen the rest of the place, and would let me know about that later. After breakfast we got our fishing gear, rented a boat, and went fishing. She caught three, and I caught two. She not only caught more than me, but caught the biggest one. She was not about to let me forget it either. It was nearly noon so she walked up to the little store to get some seasoning for the fish. While she was gone I called Dody to see what she had found out about the prints. She told me the print on the letter opener and those on the OJ glass did not match. I said oh good. She said I can tell you kind of like this girl what is her name. I said yeah I guess I do, and her name is Ellen Stockman. We talked a little more and she said that if I needed any more help to let her know.

We had couple of the fish for lunch, and saved the rest for dinner that night. We talked for a while, and I told her that things were looking good for her. The investigation so far was telling them that someone else had killed him.