Chapter 14
“How’s a dull looking dude like you attract way cool babes like that?” It was just after noon on Thursday, five days after the murder, and Beau Cobb, the bail bondsman, was talking to Ray through the bars. “My cop buddy told me you had two wicked girls in the visiting room at the same time. Said they weren’t total mad ten hotties, but he wouldn’t kick either one of them out of bed.”
“Kicks a lot of them out, does he? One is my sister, just so you know before you carry on with your fantasies.”
“Which, the one with the rockin’ body, or the stylin’ one? The stylin’ one came back today. Hey, guess you know they’re going to transfer you out to county jail today.”
“County jail? I thought they’d keep me here until the trial.”
“No, this city jail is like the holding tank. You got locked up last Saturday; you’re long overdue for transfer to CJ. I don’t like to go out there, that’s a serious place, you know. Bunch of stinking cave men in crowded rooms with not much supervision.”
Going from this place to some place worse had never occurred to Ray. This terrible place suddenly felt good. The liberal visiting hours here at city jail let his spirit escape. It had made all the difference. All that was ending?
“Here you’re sitting around drinking coffee and socializing with city police; out there you’re facing what they call Correctional Officers who never loosen the grip on their billy clubs.”
“Do you have attorney Jerry Kagan in your directory, Beau? Call him for me, please. I’ll pay you.”
Beau smiled, punched up the number and, after a quick look down the hall at the officer reading a newspaper, passed his phone to Ray.
Kagan got on line and explained city jail was temporary to be near the courthouse for proceedings. Transfer out to the county was routine after a couple of days. He would talk to the judge about a delay.
Beau left. A few minutes later, when the jailer appeared and snapped the cuffs on, Ray assumed that was it, the escort out to county jail. But they headed for the visiting room. This time he remembered her name.
Meg Emerson carried a small plastic bag. “I took up a little collection at the office and bought you a couple of things.” She held out a small bag for the officer to inspect, two paperback books and some chocolate covered pretzels
“How great, thanks.” Ray held up the books. “The only thing I’ve had to read in my cell is the label on this jumpsuit. Hope you didn’t bring Dostoyevsky.”
“No crimes, just Woody Allen and Dave Barry.” Meg noticed the handcuffs and involuntarily shuddered. “Had many visitors?”
“My attorney and my sister.”
“That was your sister I passed in here the other day? Pretty. You guys are from Philadelphia, huh. More family up there?”
”Not anymore, folks died in a crash on the expressway, but we were grown at the time.”
“Sorry about that. Leave anyone behind up there? How’s the single situation in Philadelphia?”
“Don’t actually know. I was married and after we settled the divorce, I just sat around feeling sorry for myself. I wanted out of there. Like many people, I always had Florida in the back of my mind. New beginnings, et cetera.”
“Perhaps you’ll meet someone down here.”
“Not likely in here,” he joked. She didn’t laugh. He pointed to the books. “Very thoughtful but admit it, there was no collection at the office was there?”
“Technically there was, but I was the only contributor.”
“I’m fired aren’t I?”
Meg grimaced. “Police came to the office. They boxed up files and everything from your desk: company files, personal, everything. The company went ballistic. There was uproar in the office for the rest of the day. You’re out.”
Ray noticed Sandy coming in. She stood at the door laughing with Sergeant Lewis about something. She came over holding up the morning paper. “Well, Raymond, you have your fifteen minutes of fame. Hi, you’re Meg Emerson.” She pronounced the name distinctly for his benefit and introduced herself.
Meg said, “Welcome to Florida, I wish the circumstances were different. I’d show you two around. Yes, the paper is doing its best to keep things stirred up, nothing else is happening in this town.”
“I’ll change that. I’m going to find a couple more suspects. Raymond, I met with your attorney, Jerry Kagan. Probably okay, he’s on the list of qualified counsel for capital crimes. An oldie but goodie. I asked him to hire me as his investigator for a dollar a day. That puts me on the defense team, which may or may not mean anything.”
“We just talked. He told me they could transfer me out to the county jail at any time. He’ll speak to the judge and see if he can get me a few more days here.”
Meg said, “I hear it’s miserable out there and dangerous. This is jail, out there is prison.”
“I didn’t realize I had it so good.”
Sandy made a sympathetic frown. “You’ll be on your own out there, Raymond. I’ll be leaving.”
Meg said, “So, Sandy, you just drove down. You’re on vacation?”
“More or less.”
“Sandy, you shouldn’t have done this,” Ray said. “What’ll happen?”
“I’m not willing to lose my job over you, Raymond. Sorry if that sounds blunt. I’ll do what I can as quickly as I can. I’m good at this and can accomplish quite a bit while I’m here. But, criminal investigations and trials can take years just to get started. You have me for a few more days and that’s it. Then I’m gone and my act goes back to Philly.”
“Whatever time you can give me I’ll appreciate.” He knew she owed him nothing, yet here she was.
“I took a lot of crap to move ahead in my job. It’s perfect for a law student. I’m not going to screw it up.”
“I did screw mine up, it was easy.”
Meg said, “No, you didn’t screw up your job. You’re good at what you do and the company liked you.”
“Sandy, I’m going to make this up to you somehow.” He thought back to her as a teenager trapped in juvenile rehab, and he hadn’t lifted a finger to rescue her.
“Yeah, right, if I ever need a kidney I know who not to call.”
She was entitled to the sarcasm. He deserved it. Meg appeared confused at the remark.
“Raymond, I do need to move into your apartment while I’m here. I can’t afford the InnTowner any longer. You have Internet?'
“Sure, and Kagan should be able get my apartment keys back from the police now. If the police left it all messed up then hire someone to clean it up. Don’t you do it.”
“Not likely, I get confused operating cleaning apparatus like brooms. Now let me tell you, I asked questions at the InnTowner. Desk clerk on duty that Saturday morning doesn’t remember Loraine checking in or out. Guests don’t need to go back to the front desk to check out so there’s no record of when she left the room. Two maids remember you being there, ‘Oh, that’s man in paper who killed that man. Was with pretty woman in bathing suit
“Did you meet Tammy?”
“Yes. Kagan gave me Tammy and Loraine’s addresses. I talked at length with Tammy in her office. She doesn’t care much for you but otherwise seems okay. If that girl is a pushover, as Loraine told you, then I’m Queen Elizabeth.”
Meg spoke up, “There are rumors of an affair with Towson, but I’ve never heard any talk about Tammy Jerold being easy. In fact on the contrary, she’s a bit reserved.”
“Loraine, on the other hand, tried to shove me off her front porch when I told her who I was,” Sandy continued. “I was lucky she didn’t eat me alive. Something’s wrong there, Raymond. I can’t believe you got cozy
