Charli

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  Charli

  By

  Jw Grodt

  Author of ALVA

  * * * *

  Charli

  Copyright © 2013 by Jw Grodt

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  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.The Sadness

  Jake Fowler is my name and real estate is my game. Veronica Lewis was my partner, however most people knew her as Charli. In our profession, her last name was not needed. In the world of real estate sales, she was as well known as Cher or Elvis. Now she was gone, forever. She had made a rookie mistake and paid the ultimate price, her life. Our town of San Monte Carlo was in mourning. The death of a loved one from old age or disease is one thing and can be more easily understood, this however left us all in shock and filled with horror and rage. Charli had decided to hold an open house for a client with an old vacant house out on the edge of town and never gave it a second thought, nor did I, frankly. But by the time it was dark and I had not heard a word from Charli, nor been able to reach her by cell phone, I became concerned. I decided to ride out to the house and see if she was still there, perhaps she was writing a contract. By the time I got there I saw her car was still in the driveway, but the house was as dark as a tomb. At first I thought perhaps she had gone off with a client or on one of her romantic escapades. The latter did not make me happy, as Charli and I also happened to be involved romantically. I think she loved me as I did her, but she had this wild streak in her. That wild streak would occasionally let her give in to her emotions and satisfy her lust with someone else. When it would happen and I would complain, she would first remind me that she was a free woman and then tell me it made things better between us. She also said that I should let myself have a slice of the fruit now and then.

  I pulled my car in next to hers and decided that since I was there, I would have a look around to be sure all was as it should be. I opened the lockbox and retrieved the front door key. I walked into the large foyer of this old Victorian style home. I flipped on the lights as I moved from room to room. When I reached the kitchen I found her red high-heeled shoes at the bottom of the Lincoln staircase. Turning on the light at the top of the stairs, I started up. I hoped I wouldn’t be walking in on one of her occasional little liaisons thus embarrassing us all. There were four bedrooms up there plus a large bath at the end of the hall. In addition, there was also a winding staircase leading to a widow’s peak. Each time I opened a bedroom door, I held my breath hoping I wouldn’t flip the switch and see her with someone. All four bedrooms looked untouched, as did the bath, I breathed a sigh of relief. One more staircase to the peak and then I would know all was well. I walked up the winding staircase and hit the light as I reached the last step. The room lite up and revealed my worst nightmare. I was filled with horror. There in the middle of this room on an old twin bed was the naked and bloody body of my Charli. I ran to her to see if she was alive. I checked for a pulse and quickly called 911. I told the operator what I had discovered, she told me to stand by and that help was on the way. I took off my sport jacket and gently covered her torso. It was disrespectful for her to lie there that way.

  I paced nervously waiting for what seemed an eternity until finally I heard the sirens and ran to open the door. There were two uniformed police officers and the EMT who was thankfully a woman. She quickly checked Charli’s vital signs and quickly put an oxygen mask over her mouth, I was so thankful she was still alive and I rode to the hospital with her in the ambulance. She became conscience with the movement of the vehicle. She pulled me close as she whispered to me what had happened and when she finished we were at the hospital. They took her straight into the operating room. I paced the waiting room and slugged down all the coffee I could consume. Minutes seemed like hours the wait was excruciating. Finally a doctor came down the hall. I could see in his face it wasn’t good. He sat me down and told me that she had been beaten so badly that the internal bleeding could not be stopped. She fought hard but finally succumbed to the massive loss of blood. The last word she spoke was “Jake”. I tried but could not keep the tears back. The doctor ordered a sedative for me and put me on a cot normally used for doctors when they have to stay overnight with a critical patient.

  The next morning I awoke and for a split second I had forgotten what had happened, until I focused on where I was. It all came flooding back to me. As I sat on the edge of the cot and drank a large coffee, my sadness turned to rage. I knew what had happened, I was the only one who knew except the perp. Hatred filled my mind, body and soul. I wanted to get to the police right away and tell them all I knew. I was a mess but didn’t care. I got a cab and went straight to the police station.

  “Yes, sir may I help you?” Asked the desk sergeant.

  “I would like to speak to a detective please.” I replied.

  “What is this in reference to, sir?”

  “I was the person who discovered the Veronica Lewis tragedy.” I responded.

  “Oh, yes sir I’ll get detective Novak for you, he is in charge of the investigation.”

  When the sergeant returned he lead me to the interrogation room.

  “Mr. Fowler, thank you for coming in, you saved me a trip. I apologize for meeting with you here, however our conference room is currently in use.”

  “That’s ok, I just wanted to know how we were doing on catching the animal that killed my Charli, Ms. Lewis, I mean?”

  “It sounds like you and Ms. Lewis were intimate?” Novak said.

  I was offended that these were the first words out of his mouth. What did that have to do with anything?

  “Detective Novak, why would you ask that at a time like this?”

  “When a question comes to mind, I ask it, that’s all, now can you answer me?”

  “Yes, we were partners in the business and we were engaged as well. Now can we get back on point?”

  “And how is your business doing?”

  “Business is fine, I am the managing partner and Charli was the production partner. She brought in about a million to a million and a half annually. Again what does this have to do with her death?” I said getting more and more annoyed with his questions and his attitude.”

  “Well, Mr. Fowler, I must first eliminate you as a suspect?”

  At that point I lost it, I reached over the table and took a swing at him, fortunately he pulled away in time and I missed. Another detective rushed in and grabbed me around the chest pinning my arms to my side.

  “Let him go, Larkin, He’s ok now, aren’t you Fowler?�
��

  I nodded and Larkin let go.

  “Sit down Fowler, lets continue our little chat. When I spoke with the EMT, she told me that Ms. Lewis talked to you a lot on the way to the hospital, but she couldn’t hear what she said, would you mind telling me?”

  “Oh she just told me she was in pain, that she loved me and would she be ok, stuff like that.” I replied, lying through my teeth.

  “Fowler, it is a felony to hamper with an ongoing police investigation or to conceal evidence pertinent to said investigation, do I make myself clear? My sense tells me that she must have told you something about the perp or what happened.” Novak said angrily.

  “I told you what she said! You can choose to believe me or not. Besides I think this conversation is over!”

  “Alright, you may go for now, but if you think of anything, here’s my card.” Novak said.

  Larkin busts in again and said,

  “Novak, you’re letting him go? He knows more that he’s telling! I believe he IS the perp.”

  “Stand down, Larkin, we have nothing on which to hold him.”

  I glared at Larkin and walked out of the station. I caught a cab to take me back to the house to retrieve my car and as I rode along, I thought of the plan to catch this perp myself. I felt Novak did in fact suspect me and as such would loose valuable time not