Palm Beach Bedlam by Tom Turner

Author:Tom Turner [Turner, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tribeca Press
Published: 2019-05-15T22:00:00+00:00

It was rehash-time back at Crawford’s office.

“You know, Charlie, I always thought of you as a candidate for the Best-Dressed List. A little too preppy for my liking, but the chicks seem to dig it. That khaki and blue blazer look of yours, I’m talking about.”

Crawford shook his head. “Yeah, but ol’ Asher came down pretty hard on me. Gave me shit about my favorite rayon tie.”

“And those stylish Skechers,” Ott said. “Like he should talk. Standing there in his PJs.”

“Yeah, no kidding.”

Ott scratched the side of his head. “So, basically, we got nothin’ out of the three interviews.”

“Basically,” Crawford said. “One of the things we still need to find out is the identity of the three strippers. That barkeep should know.”

“Did you get the names, even if they were aliases? Mitchell told me two were Ronnie and Midge.”

“And Sunderland told me the other one was Betty.”

Ott cocked his head. “No shit. Betty, Midge, and Ronnie. Wonder if Ronnie is short for Veronica …”

Crawford smiled and bumped Ott’s fist. “Nice goin’, man. Betty, Veronica, and Midge. The girls in the Archie comics.”

Ott nodded. “My uncle had stacks of ’em. And who could ever forget Jughead, Reggie, Moose, and, of course, that carrot-top dweeb, Archie.”

Crawford started scrolling on his iPad. “Wasn’t there a TV show, too?”

“Millions,” Ott said. “Every couple years a new one comes out.”

Crawford first tried Craigslist, then when it came up, tried girls, then hook-ups. Nothing there.

“What are you looking for?” Ott asked.

“You gave me an idea,” Crawford said, clicking Escort Services. And, voilà, there it was, the third one down, Archie’s Girls. “Here we go. Under Escort Services. Archie’s Girls. Gotta be it.”

Ott leaned across Crawford’s desk and raised his fist. They bumped again. “Guess you don’t need Dorian the barkeep anymore.”

Crawford picked up his desk phone and dialed the phone number for Archie’s Girls.

“Archie’s Girls,” the voice said, trying hard to sound sexy, but mostly just sounding weary.

“Veronica?” Crawford asked to make sure he had the right place.

“Nope. She’s not here. Would you like to make a date with her?”

“No, thank you. Is this Betty?”

“Who’s calling, please?”

“My name is Detective Crawford, and don’t hang up or you’ll be in a world of hurt.”

Pause, but she was still on the line. Then, “What do you want?”

“A conversation with Veronica, Betty, and Midge,” Crawford said. “I have no interest in hassling you, busting your business, or anything like that. I just have a few simple questions.”

“O-kay.” Tentative.

“So, tell all three of ’em I want to see them at the Palm Beach Police Station on County Road this afternoon at two. Okay?”

“I’ll tell ’em.”

“Tell them to ask for Detective Crawford or Ott.”

“Promise you’re not lookin’ to shut us down?”

Charlie gave Ott a nod. “Scout’s honor.”

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