Crime Components by Rena Winters

Author:Rena Winters [Winters, Rena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Next Chapter
Published: 2021-04-25T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty

The ride across the desert is long, but I’m so filled with anticipation of solving the case that I don't mind a single mile. The turning wheels are taking me closer and closer to the conclusion of a most frustrating story, as well as the chance to bring a killer to justice.

We pull into the big bus terminal and I make my way out to sun-drenched Main Street and into the hustle and bustle of the place they call "The City Of The Angels," the melting pot of the world. You can hear any language from any location on the globe. Down to my left, I see a giant billboard for the Orpheum Theater reading: "On Stage, Hal McIntyre and his Orchestra with vocalists Al Nobel and Ruth Gaylor."

I grab up a copy of the Los Angeles Times and step into a tiny open-air cafe just off the sidewalk. I enjoy a hot cup of coffee and a sweet roll. The Times has a wide selection of crime stories both solved and unsolved.

The national news includes the announcement that Benny Goodman, "The King of Swing," and the NBC Symphony Orchestra are going to premiere "Clarinet Concerto," by Aaron Copeland.

On the international scene the population of the world is now 2.3 billion, with the US population reading 150,697,999. Illiteracy is at 3.2 percent. I gulp down my breakfast, and trash the Times along with my paper cup and plate. Up the street I can see the large sign that marks the site of the Hotel Cecil.

I’m very tempted to make a quick stop at the Main Street Gym, to see what well-known fighters are working out, but I resist the urge and make straight for the hotel. With my suitcase in hand, I push through the revolving doors and make my way across the carpeted lobby. As soon as the desk clerk is free, I get his attention.

"I'm Gene McLain from the Arizona Reporter. I have a reservation for a single room. I called and made arrangements with the management to go through your old guest registers for possible clues to a double homicide."

"I was told you would be here this morning." He pushes the guest register toward me and I sign in. He gives me my room key. "Would you like to go to your room first, or would you like to be shown where the old guest registers are stored?"

I opt for finding the location of the registers. He offers to keep my suitcase behind the desk while the security officer on duty takes me to where I will be working. The clerk dials a number.

"Norm, Mr. McLain from the Arizona Reporter has arrived. He's here at the front desk. Could you take him down to where the ledgers are stored? Very good. I'll tell him. Mr. McLain, our security chief, Norman Jackson, will be here in just a second. He will take you to the storage area."

I thank him and stand off to the side of the desk, watching the ebb and flow of people as they cross and re-cross the carpeted lobby.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.