The Demoiselle Who Departed by Frank W. Butterfield

Author:Frank W. Butterfield [Butterfield, Frank W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay, detective, Daytona Beach, courtroom, mystery
ISBN: 9781092399548
Google: Qx7swwEACAAJ
Publisher: self-published
Published: 2019-04-02T12:46:04.067000+00:00

Claud crossed his arms and said, "I assume he's talking about Bill Saunders."

Tom nodded. "I believe so. His office is right across the street from the fire station."

He handed the telegram to Minnie as she asked, "Who is Jane Oliver?"

Tom smiled. "Jane Oliver McIntosh is the recent bride of one Delbert McIntosh, he being a mechanic who, until last night, worked at a garage in Ormond Beach at the corner of Atlantic and Granada."

"Shirley's?" asked Minnie.

Tom nodded. "Yes. I think he may now be their former mechanic because he's just found out he's a millionaire."

Minnie looked at the telegram. "Now I know where I've heard that name before."

"Oliver?"

She shook her head. "No, Lester Q. Fussell. He called yesterday just as I was closing the office and after everyone had quit. He asked to talk to Otis, but I told him the firm was closed." Otis had been L.O. Thornton's middle name. As far as Tom knew, Minnie was the only person ever allowed to use it.

"Did he ask for a referral?" asked Claud.

She shook her head. "No. He just thanked me and then hung up."

"And he called? Mr. Fussell? Not his secretary?" asked Claud.

Minnie nodded thoughtfully. "That's right."

Tom wasn't sure why the two of them thought that was significant. Then he remembered that Perry Mason, who had become a model of sorts for Tom in the absence of anyone else, never made a call when he was in his office. His trusted confidential secretary, Della Street, always did the phoning. Tom wondered what that meant.

Minnie looked at the telegram, again, and then at Tom. She asked, "Should I send a reply?"

Tom thought for a moment. "Tell them I'm in receipt of their notice and will contact local counsel." With a smile, he stood and added, "Thanks."

She smiled in reply and sighed contentedly. "This is so very nice."

"What?" asked Claud with a grin.

"I didn't have to listen to a long string of choice words about..." She looked at the telegram again. "Mr. Fussell, his mother, and his wife."

Claud and Tom laughed as Tom put on his hat.

As they headed towards the stairs, Claud said, "Miss Otey?"

"Yes, Mr. Wallace?"

He stopped at the top of the stairs. "I'll have some choice words at some point, I'm sure."

"Me too," added Tom.

"That's fine," replied Minnie. "Every once in a while can be very satisfying. But multiple times during a day can be quite trying."

"Maybe that's what killed Gene," said Claud as he started down the stairs.

"Perhaps," replied Minnie with a strange sound in her voice.

Tom wondered what that meant as he followed Claud out the front door.

. . .

The law offices of Bill Saunders were on the second floor of a medium-sized office building at 300½ South Beach. It was directly across from the fire station and, Tom thought, a noisy location. Even though it was a spot Ronnie had mentioned where they could relocate their offices once Claud came aboard, Tom didn't like the place. As he and Claud headed up to Bill Saunders's

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