Death Checks In by David S. Pederson

Author:David S. Pederson [Pederson, David S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635553307
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2018-08-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

We both jumped at the knock on the door. I threw on my dress shirt, letting it hang open, and padded over to the door in my boxers as Alan fled to the bathroom again, also in his boxers. It was the bell boy with the room service cart.

“Just set it up over there by the window,” I said.

“Yes, sir. Good morning. Supposed to be a beautiful day.”

“Good morning,” I replied. “Yes, supposed to be warmer today.”

“I brought your newspaper in too, mister. I’ll set it on the desk for you. Anything else I can get ya?” he asked as he walked back to the door.

“No, thanks.” I signed for the tray and gave him a quarter.

“Thanks. Did you hear about the murder last night? Right here in the hotel.”

“Uh, yes, I did. Mr. Blount of Blount’s clothing.”

“Yes, sir. Somebody shot him, I hear, five times. Blew his head nearly clean off. There was blood everywhere, I hear.”

I shook my head. “Not quite. He was only shot once from what I could see, and it was in the chest. His head was completely intact, and there really wasn’t all that much blood.”

“You were there?” His eyes widened.

“I found the body. I’m a police detective.”

“Wow, a real live dick, just like in the movies.”

“Something like that.”

“Golly, that sure is something.”

“I’m afraid detectives in real life aren’t as exciting as in the movies,” I said.

“But still, a real live dick, wow. I’ve never seen one in person. You’re the first one I’ve met.”

“I’m honored.”

“Say, Mr. Blount was having a terrible argument with a fella in his store yesterday afternoon, you know.”

“Oh?”

“Sure, we could practically hear it in the lobby.”

I looked at the bellboy, so sharp in his dark green uniform. “So, you were in the lobby near the shop yesterday afternoon?”

“Yes, sir, that’s right. I was going to deliver a message to Mr. Blount.”

“And you heard Mr. Blount arguing with someone?”

“As soon as I got off the elevator and near the glass door to the shop. They were quite vocal.”

“What were they saying?”

The bellboy looked quite excited, and I could tell he relished telling his news to a police detective. “Well, one fella was yelling about not taking it anymore, or something like that, and the other was telling him to shut up. Not that I was listening or anything. As I said, you could hear them from the elevator, practically.”

“Interesting. About what time was that?”

“Just before two, I think.”

“Okay. So eventually you went in.”

“Oh, yes. I had a message for Mr. Blount, like I said. The minute I entered, it got real silent in there. The gentleman at the counter never turned around. Mr. Blount motioned for him to go in back, which seemed odd.”

“Do you recall what he looked like? What he was wearing? The man with his back to you, I mean.”

“I didn’t get a good look at him, it was as if he didn’t want me to see him. I supposed he was embarrassed, figuring I’d heard them arguing.

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