As the morning sun broke through the cracks in the vation blinds I woke up early. Laying in the bed staring at the ceiling I couldn’t help thinking that something was off somewhere yesterday. Who called me late yesterday, who else's knew I’d been to see Lane in the morning?
I quickly dismissed that idea that I was seen going down to the holding cells with Bob. It wasn’t something I’d done before. No one down there would recognize me. It had to be someone he talked to after I was there. He’d told them I was there. That Was the only thing that made sense. But why call me, not the police station? Because you don’t know who’ll answer the phone. And you don’t know who to talk to. Talking to the wrong person could be fatal for him and possibly even you.
After laying in bed for a while and watching Brenda sleep I finally forced myself out of the bed. Once I was up and moving it was the bathroom first . Then coffee.
In the kitchen I found the coffee and fresh filter and made a pot of coffee. I knew the smell would wake Brenda, so I made some breakfast while it did its thing.
But the time the pot was about ready, I had some eggs and toast ready. I poured myself a cup just as Brenda came from our room.
“You're up early..”
“Yeah I couldn’t sleep. This Lane thing is worrying me.” I pulled her close and we kissed.
I told her about my ideas about my phone call yesterday while we ate.
“Do you know who else he talked to yesterday?”
“No I don’t, That's My first call. I’m going to call Bob in a bit and have him check. And See what he found out about who he's with or near. And who he talked to during the day”
***
After we finished eating I called Bob.
He told me he’d gone down to check Lane late last night and had a talk with the Duty Sergeant. Lane’s lawyer had been to see him.
The Sergeant had moved him to a spot where there was no one in any cells near him on His request. Bob said that he stopped down on the way this morning and Lane was fine. Still sitting in the corner of his cell on the bed in a fetal position.
I thanked him and hung hup.
As I was heading to the bedroom to finish getting dressed There was a knock on the door.
Instinctively I reached for the revolver that lay on the bedside table. Hiding it behind the flaps of my Bathrobe, I answered the door.
Through the glass in the door I could see a tall skinny young man.
Cracking the door and carefully looking out.
“Yes, can I help you?
“Your James St.James aren’t you?”
“”Yes who wants to know?’ I still didn't open the door any further.
Eas fromClearnce, Clearance Hardy, Lanes Hardy’s brother. I was hoping I could talk to you.”
“You called me last night?”
“Yes, Sorry about that. I was worried about him. I still am.”
“You have any Id?”
“Um Yeah..”
He pulled his wallet from his back pocket. Holding it up where I could see his driver's license.
“Oh, Just a second..” I closed the door and motioned for Brenda to head for our room.
I pulled my bathrobe up tight around me and slid my revolver in my pocket and opened the door.
Stepping back I let him in.
“Coffee?”
I asked as I found my cup, and dumped the cold coffee from it and poured a new cup.
“Uh yes, Thanks.” He stood in the middle of the living Room. I motioned him into the kitchen with my cup.
“Cream? Sugar?”
“Ah black is fine, thanks”
I handed him a cup and pointed generally to a chair at the small round table.
He took the hint and sat down.
I shifted the revolver in my pocket as I sat down across from him.
I ran over the reports I’d read in my mind as I played with my cup.
“Talk to me.”
“Well, it's like this; Lane’s a genesis. At least with math, he’s forgotten more than most of ever knew about math.. “
“But.. ?”
“He’s not a people person. He doesn't do well with people he doesn't know, and frankly he's not good at dealing with people in general. He freezes up stutters and generally comes across as an idiot. Which he’s not. “ That squared with what I’d seen yesterday in the holding cell.
“Did he kill Emma?”
“NO..No he couldn't. She was the one thing he loved more than math. She’s the only one he got along with . Right about then, Brenda came in. She was completely dressed. I reached up and kissed her as she found her cup.
As she sat down in the extra chair, I introduced her to Clearance.
“As you were saying..” I prompted again.
Clearance Hardy then went on to tell us how Lane had been gifted with math skills way beyond his years. And He was now a tenured professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. He's been teaching advanced math and working with the defense department on some top secret military projects during the war.
“Recently?”
I don’t know. I haven't seen much of him. Emma also has been teaching too.”
“What's she teach?” Brenda asked.
“Science, I don’t remember, I never really understood exactly what it is . Some Kind of specialized studies..”
“I see….”
“I need you to prove Lane didn't do it.. I want to hire you to find out what really happened..”
“The police are on it..”
“Come on, you know they got his confession,, and that's it for them. They're happy they got someone for it, They don’t care if he did it or not..”
I knew that . Except for Bob, they all seemed only too happy to let Lane take the rap for it.
“Look I don’t know.. I can look into it, But if it looks like they’re right,..”
“They’re not!. I know him. He couldn’t hurt her..He didn’t..!”
“Okay, take it easy, I’ll look around.”
“Brenda, will you get an agreement written out. I wanna make this official.”
“Clearance, While she’s doing that, I need you to write down everyone you can think of that he knows at the college and anywhere elses you can think of, who they are, what they are to him, and you. And Emma too. Everything.”
I handed him a blank notebook and a pen. I headed for our room.
Once The door was closed I hurried up and got dressed. I wasn’t leaving him out there with Brenda any longer than necessary.
By The time I got back into the kitchen he was busy writing away. I took a page from my notepad and wrote a note and handed it to Brenda. She glanced at it and nodded. A minute later she made an excuse about having to run to the store or something. We kissed goodbye and she left.
I talked to Clearance for a few minutes and he handed me some money for a retainer. Which I wrote a receipt for and gave him.
Seeing Him Out the door I watched as he got into the car across the street. As he drove off I wrote down the plate number. A second later I saw Brenda go by behind him.
Once he was gone I headed for the phone. Calling Bob I told him about my visitor. And That I’d let him hire me to find out what really happened to Emma and Lane. He reminded me about staying away from the investigation. I told him I would if there was an investigation to stay away from.
In my office I found the phone books and started looking up numbers to go with the names he’d written down. There weren't a lot of them. Some professions and a few students, and a few odd names that didn't have any notations next to them. These were that interested me the most.
After I filled my notebook with names and addresses I headed out.
The first stop was the college. The campus was bigger than I imagined. It took me a while to find my way around. Eventually I found the administration building and talked to one of the deans of the math department.
He gave a glowing report of Lane and his abilities with math, and as a teacher. His students all liked him. According to him. But he didn’t see Lane that much and hadn't seen him in a while. However, he did point me towards his building and tell where his office was. As it was summer break the buildings were mostly empty and I only ran into a few faculty members and a few students doing summer classes or looking for help.
His office was on the ground floor. Near the back of the building.
***
The sound of the typewriter told me where the office was. The door to the outer office was open when I found it. She was busy typing away on some papers when I knocked on the frame. The small outer office consisted of a wooden desk and a couple of chairs and a small sofa, and an end table with some books and magazines. His secretary was young. Probably about 25 at most. She was wearing a pullover sweater and a short skirt.
At the sound of my knock she looked up. Startled.
Uh, Hi, I’m James St.James, The chancellor, Dean Warner Told me I could see Professor Hardy’s Office..”
She pushed her hair back and tried to stand up as I walked into the small room.
“Oh sure, If he says it alright, I guess It..” She was nervous.
“It's terrible what's happened to him..”
“Yeah I Know,”
“ You don’t think he killed her, do you? I don’t.. He was always so nice to me. “
She was nervous..
“ I don’t know yet, That's what I’m trying to find out, MIsss..?”
“Jennifer Lamb.. I’m his PA for this summer.”
“Nice to meet you Miss Lamb..:
“His office…”
I noticed the sign hung on the door. “Police Crime Scene Do Not Enter”.
“Yeah they were here yesterday early. I wasn’t here. So they must have had his keys.” She opened the thin center drawer on her desk and pulled out a set of keys.
I stood to the side while she unlocked it and let it swing open . The door was on the far right side of the room it led to.
“How's this? How about you disappear for a while While I look in here? That way if anyone spots me, you won’t be in trouble?”
“She nodded, “Sound good to me.. I need a break . I'll Meet you in the commons room up front..” She handed me the keys and headed out the door of the outer office.
Lane Hardy's office was a large corner office.
**
With my handkerchief in my hand I stepped into the room. The small conference table was directly in front of me. It was mostly covered with files and papers. A few pens and pencils scattered all over the table indicated that work had been done there. I suspected by glancing at some of the papers that she’d been grading papers here.
The small window directly in front of me lit it somewhat making it easier to read the papers at that end of the table.
A blackboard ran along most of the side wall above the wainscotting.. It was covered in marks in various sections . Most of which made no sense to me. Numbers were intermixed with various signs and lines and letters and abbreviations.
Two other windows framed the other end of the room. One on each side of the far corner. The space between them was covered with a bookcase that ran from floor to ceiling. a small section had been converted to a bar and music center. The desk was in the middle of the corner pulled out at an angle allowing him to view the entire room from his chair. I carefully made my way behind the desk. The chair slid out easily and I sat down. Sitting in his chair I begin to get a feel for him. It was neat. Everything in its place. The phone was on the right. Along with a small notepad and a couple of pens. On The left of the leather ink blotter was an ink well. Flanking the outside of each set of objects on the desk were several pictures. One was a woman in her early 20’s and the another was him and her together. Obviously a wedding picture. Intmixed between the bigger pictures were a number of smaller prints. All were black and white. In front of the pictures was a small tray held a couple of fountain pens. His calculator was next to the phone on his right. It was a big lever action machine that had a lever you pulled down to make it do whatever function you were doing.
I carefully opened each drawer. Everything was neat and organized in each drawer. In the bottom drawers where I usually found dirty magazines or bottles of liquor I found only more files for students. These files contained letters from students asking him help with their grades or not to fail them. I made notes of the names.
Turning my attention to the bookcase behind the desk.
Off to the right was a small portable Philco record player. The Lid was down and I looked inside . On the right were the on/off and reject switches. And the left corner was another switch that said manual and automatic. On The front right was the radio. Along with three knobs. I turned it using my handkerchief and the radio came to life. Quickly turning it off again. Next to that were a stack of 78 rpm records. I leafed through them to get an idea of what he listened to. I found records by Doris Day, Frankie, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby.. South Pacific soundtrack, Glen Miller and Bing Croasby, and Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong. Bix Beiderbeck. Benny Goodman. Jimmy Dorsey. Tommy Dorsey. Along with a handful of classical records of various classical music recordings and orchestras.
Next to it on the left corner of the shelves was a whisky decanter and several cut glass glasses. I was careful to not leave any fingerprints as I looked them over. They all looked to be very good quality. In the cupboard under the decanter set were the original bottles. They were also very high end drinks.
Getting up from the desk I looked in the small bathroom. It was also neat and clean. Hanging on a hook behind the door was a suit. I looked through it. It was clearly handmade and very well done. Finding the label on the inside of the jacket I wrote down the name. This was not the guy I saw yesterday in the holding cell. He was clearly out of his element and not capable of dealing with his situation.
I took another walk around the office. The degrees showing when and where he’d graduated and gotten his degrees were impressive. Unfortunately these weren’t going to help him out of the mess he was in now.
I carefully locked the door behind me as I left. Debating whether to leave the keys in her desk or not I decided to take them with me. I’d give them to her when I saw her in a few minutes.
It took me a few minutes to find my way out of the maze of halls. But I found the commons room in the front of the building.
Jenifier Lamb was sitting by herself at a table drinking a cold drink. She looked up from her book when I appeared in front of her. Handing her the keys I sat down.
“Find what you need?”
“Sorta. At least it gave me a better idea who he is. Excuse Me.”
Spotting the soda machine not far from where we were sitting I got up and got myself one.
Sitting back down I popped the top and tossed the tab in the ashtray on the table.
“Talk to me, You knew and worked within. Tell me about him.” I leaned back and sipped my drink.
***
Jenifer played with her hair and looked thoughtful. At least I think she was trying to. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Start with how you met him,and became his PA.” I sipped on my drink. The glass bottle was pretty cold.
“Well,,, I met him last semester.”
“Spring Semester?”
“Yeah, in January when we started this spring’s classes.”
“And?”
“He put up a notice that he needed a new PA, as his one from last semester was leaving, I don’t remember, changing schools or quiting, or something, anyways he needed a new PA so I applied. I was already in one of his classes and I..I dunno. He picked me is all I know.” She took a big drink of her soda.
As his PA, what do you do?”
“Mostly help him grade papers, and catch up with missing papers, and make up papers, keep up with attendance. And sometimes help him plan lessons and tests.
Help him write papers for journals, usually going over it for spelling and grammar stuff. He’s a math genius , but he can’t spell worth a shit..” She laughed at the joke. It was not lost on me.
“How about socially? you see him outside of classwork?”
“No not really, he’s shy, actually, he doesn't deal well with people he don't know. And it takes a lot to get him comfortable with you. And he don’t like crowds, Oh he’s fine class upon the stage talking to a group of students, but put him in a party or a place he don’t know, or like and he turns into a babbling idiot. I’ve had to rescue him more than once at school functions where he had to show up. If he don’t need to be there he don’t go.”
“I see. Tell me about Emma? His wife? Have you met her?”
“Oh yeah lots of times. She’s nice, Little older than him I think. She’s a teacher too, Works in a different department. Sometimes they go to functions together.
She comes by his office all the time. They have lunch together a lot.” She emphasized a lot.
“So they got along well..”
“Hell, yes, it was embarrassing they were all the time kissing and well,, you know..”
I knew..
I finished my drink.
“Tell me about this weekend. What happened before they arrested him?”
“ I don’t know. He was at the office, You know here.. He seemed upset about something but he wouldn’t tell me.”
“When Was this?”
“I don't know. Monday, Tuesday?”
“He was arrested Wednesday evening.” I supplied.
“He had his class on tuesday afternoon.. It's not a big class with only a few students doing makeup work from last semester. . Emma met him at the office when they were done. I was here too. There wasn’t a lot to do, so I didn't stay.”
“How did he seem?”
“I don’t know. He was ok I guess. I didn't pay a lot of attention. They said something about going out that night. But I don’t remember where or what.”
“Wednesday ?”
“I didn't see him at all. I didn't have to be here for anything so I was out with friends for a while, and I worked at the drive-in restaurant in the afternoon. Car Hop. It helps pay the bills.”
“Yesterday?”
“I had his class in the afternoon. But by then it was all over the compass he'd been arrested. They had another guy fill in for him. It was SOOO Boring. And he covered the same stuff Lane did.”
“I noticed you just called him Lane?”
“Yeah well, he told all of us to call him that, at least not in class. In class it was Professor Hardy.”
“I see. You definitely saw both of them Tuesday afternoon.?”
“Yes.”She nodded and gulped the last of her drink.
“Okay, thanks for talking to me. If I have any more questions, where can I get hold of you?”
“ Here at the college, I’m here most days, but I also have a room over in the student housing. I’m friends with one of the landlords and they let me stay for the summer to help keep the place up and do odd jobs.” She found a paper in her notebook and wrote down the address and phone number.
“Here.” she handed me the paper she tore from her notebook.”
I thanked her and folded it and added it to my small notebook. She headed off into the other direction, while I checked a map on the wall and found the building Emma’s office was in.
It took me a few minutes to find her building. It was in a different department of the college.
The main doors were flanked by two uniformed cops. So I found a side door. The cop that was there wasn’t paying attention, and I managed to slip past him.
According to the information on the wall plague that listed who was where Emma Hardy’s office was on the third floor.
Avoiding the elevators I took the stairs.
Even then I had to duck a couple of cops. As I’d been officially warned off the case I didn't want any trouble with wet behind the ears uniformed cops who might take exception to my being here.
Eventually I made it without being spotted.
Her office was in the middle of the hall. It was easy to spot. Two cops stood guard by the door. I ducked back around the corner when I recognized one of them. But I didn’t know the other one. So I waited. Eventually one would have to go to the bathroom, which was down the hall from where I was. I couldn’t wait all day.
The longer I stayed in the hall , the chance of getting spotted by another cop increased. I was about to give up when the cop I didn’t know told the other one He had to go take a leak.
As quickly as he disappeared in the restroom, I came out of hiding.
Approaching him.
“Paul is it?”
“Yes, James..”
“Hey Paul I thought that was you..”
“What you doing here?”
“They got me on guard duty, the old bitty that this office belongs to, got herself killed the other night, so now we’re babysitting it for the detectives..Say what you doing here?”
“I was supposed to meet her.. Emma something or another, she said she wanted to hire me.”
“Hardy, she’s a professor or something some kinda bigwig teacher of some kind.”
“Yeah that's her...”
“She aint hiring anyone anymore”.
“So I heard, You know what happened?”
“Not much, they don’t tell us anything.. Did hear her body was found in a ravine late Wednesday Night. Heard the corner say he thought she was dead longer than that.”
“You working on it?”
“I told you, I was supposed to meet her, got the message Thursday morning, But I couldn’t get here until now.”
“You didn't hear it on the news?”
“Hell no, I don’t listen to the news. Any ways, I can see what I’m missing?”
“I can’t let you in here, It's a crime scene, You know that..’
“Yeah I know, ok I’m out of here, got to chase up a client..”
I turned and headed down the hall barely getting out of sight before his friend came back.
Ducking back ouf of the building without being spotted was easier than getting in.
***
Back in the car I considered a couple of things. The picture I had of Lane Hardy was different from what I read in his confession. There was no sign of overspending. But hadn’t seen the reports. Bob would get them. They definitely seemed to be a happy couple from what I’d heard, but that was only one person. And I think she’s a little biased. Actually I suspect she has a crush on him.
That would tend to cloud her judgment a little.
But she did confirm what His Brother Clearance had told me about his not being good with people. So there was that.
Being it was summer break most of the people I’d talk to were not here. Starting the car, I weighed the few facts as I knew them against what I was beginning to think may have happened. But it still didn’t look good for Lane Hardy.
The drive back to the police station was quite.The impression I got from his office was that of a very well organized and meticulous man. Who likes to have everything in its place and The idea of the gun just laying around didn't seem right. Yeah, sure keep it handy. But not just laying on the end table or in a drawer just anywhere. That didn’t strike me as what he’d do.
By now Bob would have more reports back.
I took the back stairs up to the third floor where Bob’s office is. I don’t usually do that, But the last thing I wanted to do was get cornered by his boss or the DA and get caught poking around in a case that wasn’t supposed to be a case. Bob wasn’t in when I found his door open. So I ducked in and waited. Hiding from the door as much as I could in the small room.
I picked up a report that was laying on his desk. It had nothing to do with my case, but it looked interesting and would give me a little cover if someone glanced in the open door walking past.
I was halfway through reading the detailed autopsy report of a hooker found dead on the far side of town. It was very detailed with pictures and information only a pathologist would want to know.
“When you’d get here?” was Bob’s question at finding me in his office.
Glancing at my watch, “Oh about twenty minutes ago?”
“Just make yourself at home.. “ He sat in his chair.
“ I did, A little light reading..” As I tossed the report back on the pile I picked it from.
“Where you been all morning?”
“I’ve been to college.. Oh and I have a client..”
“Clearance Hardy..”
“Yep, came by early this morning, Hired me to prove his brother isn’t a killer..”
“You believe him?”
“Starting to..”
“Yeah, I know It stinks to high heaven.”
“DA won’t budge?”
“No he says he did it, so that's it. No matter how much it don’t add up.”
“Normally I’d agree, But He don’t ring true at least not about that.”
I told him about my visit with Clearance Hardy and his hiring me. So now I had an official client . And then my trip to the college. My impressions of Jennifer Lamb, and her thoughts on him. And then I got to my take on his office.
Bob listened and made notes.
“So what's off about his statement?”
“Several things. The gun, he says it just laying around. After seeing his office, He’s not one to just leave something lying around anywhere, least of all a gun.”
“I agree his place is as neat as a pin, Nothing out of place, it's like they don’t live there, No papers scattered all over. Magazines are plied in neat piles on the end tables, Kitchen is clean, and neat, Bedrooms are equally neat. They’re anal about putting stuff away. Even the laundry room is neat.” So it's not just him, she's a neat freak too,”
“Yeah from what I can tell.’
“No wonders they got along so well. The PA says they were all the time kissing and expect a lot more from what she says. Don't sound like a couple breaking up..”
“No it don’t .”
“Any sign of the killing at the house?”
“Nope as I said it's clean. I think it's always clean from what I can tell. Neighbors we talked to say they always felt weird coming in there, like they didn't dare sit down for fear of making a mess. They also never heard them fighting or anything. So there was no history of violence.”
“Money problems?”
“Nothing unusual there. He makes good money at college. She don’t do bad either. So they’re not hurting. As for bills the usual, mortgagee, utilities, and the like, No big bills outstanding that we can find. They got some money stashed in a bank. Not a lot, but enough to hold them for a while if they had to. From what I’m told most of the stuff in the house is good quality, no junk. So they spend it but carefully.”
“So that blows what he said about the money problems.
“Yep.” I agreed.
“On the face of it, he says he did it,but the evidence says he didn't. It's clear we’re missing something. Either he did do it, and we haven't figured out how or why yet, or he’s covering for someone, which I think he is. But who? They don’t have kids, as far as we can tell they don’t have marterial problems, from what you’ve told me, and the neighbors confirmed as much as they could, they were happy together.”
I got up stretched, That chair had a thing for me, Likes to put me to sleep in a very uncomfortable places. I poured myself a cup of coffee from the half empty pot besides him on the small ledge that ran along the side of the room. It was the only spot not covered in files. I sipped it enough to tell it was almost cold.
“Problem is the college is out right now. So anyone that knew them is gone.”
“Yeah, I know.” Bob agreed, shuffling papers.
***
“I have reports coming back on the brother, Clarence. But so far no red flags.
It appears he lives across the state somewhere. From what we can tell, Lane had his lawyer call him right after we left yesterday morning. And he flew in yesterday afternoon.” Making a neat stack on top of the other stacks. He continued.
“That would explain his calling me last night.” I dumped the cold coffee in the small sink in his bathroom.
“Yeah it probably didn't take much to find your number and address. From what I can tell, he can afford you.”
“Good. Hopefully I’ll get paid at the end of this.. Listen, What about Jenifer Lamb?”
“Nothing on her. She’s smart. Aced her entrance exams. Seems like she’s got a good solid head on her. At least from what I’ve been able to find so far.”
**
“Let's hope she was smart enough not to get involved with Lane personally.”
“Yeah, there's that too. I’ve got guys checking out the deans and the rest of the staff, particular ones that are still here. Look at it this way, at least we don't have over 200 suspects. If class was in session, we’d have all the professors,and their students.”
“I know. It's probably close to home. Who else would he lie for?”
“I don’t know ..Yet, there's no one obvious. Oh, the body? Anything yet?”
Bob found one of the files he’ just put in a stack.
Flipping through it. “Just as we thought. One single gunshot wound to the upper center of the chest. Straight through the heart and shattered on a bone. Small caliber probably a .22. . Nothing usable in the fragments they were able to recover. Other than that she was in good health. No major medical conditions” he shut the folder and tossed it back on the pile.
“Close range?”
‘“I’d say so. They didn't find gunshot residue on her clothes. But I’d say it was close though.”
“So she knew them?”
“Yes.”
***
“By The way, did you see the suit hanging in his bathroom at the office?” As I stood up getting ready to go.“Yeah, Blue . Navy blue I think.”“Yeah, that one. You didn't by any chance look to see what the label was?”“Eh No. Why?”“It's custom, a one off, Bespoke.” I found my hat.“You mean it's custom made just for him?”“Yep, I checked the label. That's how I know. It was made in Beverly Hills by a guy named Zeke Armond, apparently he’s a tailor out there. I looked him in the business directory at the library on the way over. Wouldn't hurt to talk to him”
“Your right.”
“ A custom made suit isn’t something either of us has ever had.”
“No but I’ve arrested a lot of men wearing them.” Bob was making notes of what I told him.
“I know. Listen I’ll go talk to him and see what he says. If he seems a little off I’ll let you know.”
“Okay let me know.”
“I’ll call you later.” I told him as I headed down the hall.
In my car. I found my notebook with the notes I’d made at the library.
Zeke Armond had a small shop in Beverly Hills.
While my suit fit me pretty well. I knew it could fit better but I’d never worried about it too much. By the time I got there, It had occurred to me that having a suit that fit me right for court appearance would make a much better impression.
Zeke Armond Tailor was a small house on a side street. The large living room window had been converted into a show window that held a couple of manaiguiams wearing suits.
A small low sign stood in the middle of the yard near the sidewalk. In neatly carved letting it read Zeke Armond; Tailor Under it its in smaller carving it read; Alterations Tailoring. Fine Gentleman's Clothes” The house appeared much like the rest of the houses on the block except for the small sign in the yard.
I stepped inside the door.
**
Light from the picture window cast shadows from the mannequins in the windows across the floor. I stood just inside the door as it shut behind me. Looking around noted the wall across from front windows had been converted to shelving and the shelves were piled with bolts of fabric. And several shelves held books. To the left was a long wooden table that had pictures of men in suits and tux and dinner jackets. As I found my Id in my jacket pocket he came out of one of the back rooms.
“Good day Sir. How can I help you?”
“Ah Yess, I’m James St.James, I’m a private Investigator. I’d like to ask you some questions about a client of yours.” As I produced my Id. He glanced at it and handed it back to me.
“Yes Sir, How can I help you?”
“You may have heard that one Lane Hardy was arrested recently?”
“Yes, I had , it was on the news. What's that got to do with me?”
“I believe that he was a client of yours. You made a suit for him?”
“ I have a lot of clients, all of whom deserve their privacy.”
“Yes, I understand. However, a suit with your label was found in his office. So I’d assume you made it for him.”
“I see.” He went behind the counter that was in the middle of the room. Pulling out a big book. “Lane Hardy?”
“Yes.”
Flipping through the pages. “Ah here we are. Lane Hardy, of Rd,, ?”
“Yes that's him. What can you tell me about him?”
“Well not a lot, I made two suits for him. One Was a navy Blue linen suit for summer and the other was a heavy tweed for winter, you know, cooler weather.”
“Yes, The Linen suit was in his office. Tell me about him. How did he act? What was his attitude? Anything that stuck you at the time?”
He leaned against the wall behind him. Playing with his cloth tape measure that hung around his neck he thought.
I waited.
Finally he spoke; “I don’t remember anything unusual about him. He was here for the initial consolation, and two fitting when I was ready. Being he was local and had a flexible schedule, he was one of the easier clients I’ve worked with. As far as his attitude, I don’t remember anything particular. He talked about his wife, Emma, I think he called her.. Apparently the blue suit was for an event they were going to later this summer. Other than that I don’t remember anything. Other than that it seemed he was deeply in love with his wife. He never stopped talking about her.”
“I see, Thank you for your help.”
“Glad I could help. “ I thanked him and headed for the door.
Just as I opened the door I turned around. Facing Him.
“Sir. I was wondering what a suit like you made for Mr.Hardy would cost?”
“With the consultation, and cost of materials, 75. To 100 dollars.”
“Oh how does this bespoke thing work?”
“It's pretty simple I measure you and then using those measurements I make a suit that fits you perfectly. Here let me show you.”
“Sure.”
He led me to one of the bedrooms. Several large full length mirrors were placed in different angles in the room, Along with a couple of small tables.
“This is our measuring and fitting room. In here we measure you and write down all the measurements and make notes about size fit and drape and other things. From here, The pattern goes to our cutting room.” He showed me another room with several large tables. On them were yards a fabric all laid out and flattened. A young man was carefully cutting out material according to a pattern and measurement.
“Here the material is cut from measurements and patterns.”
In a third room, he showed me material being sewed together. The room had several sewing machines of different types. And shelves along the back wall with material and supplies.
“Here is where most of the sewing is done.. Two ladies were working on sewing machines,a third was hand stitching something. He explained about the fitting process and returning to have the garment fitted a couple of times.
“For the vast majority of our work we do hand stitching and sewing. This gives you a quality and finish you can't get with a machine alone. However, some garments are machine made with hand stitching done in the finish work, This cuts down on the cost. Follow me.”
He led me to another room. This one was lined with material on all the walls.
“Let me show you some fabrics. Please be seated.”
I sat in the club chair. It was by far the most comfortable chair I’d sat in in a long time. Over the next fifteen to twenty minutes, he showed me a wide variety of fabrics, Everything from wool, to cotten, linen, even materials I’d never heard of like seersucker, Telling me what each was good for and what time of year they were best for. He also explained that many materials came in different weights and densities, which would affect how they wore and what time of year they were best for. Telling me the Blue Linen suit he’d made for Lane Hardy was completely handmade, with no machine work at all. He showed me the same material the suit was.
I had to admit the material was beautiful and very nice to the touch.
Eventually I thanked him for his help and the tour of his shop.
It was something I’d definitely consider doing in the future.
Back in the car I thought over what he’d told me. Lane was definitely still very much in love with Emma. So the chances that he willingly killed her, were slim and none. The process of having a suit made was much more involved than I had thought.
Starting the car, I glanced at my watch. It was later then I thought it was.
I was getting hungry again so I found a restaurant.
***
While I waited for my food to be ready I used the payphones in the back by the restrooms. My first call was home.
Brenda answered by the second ring.
“Jim, I’ve been worried about you.”
“I’m fine, just getting a bite to eat. I’ve been to Bob’s, and the college. And His tailor’s”
“Tailor’s?”
“Yeah turned out Lane had a custom made suit hanging in the bathroom in his office at the college.”
“Custom made?”
“Yeah, I talked to the guy who made it. Apparently it’s a big thing, to have a suit of clothes just for you, and expensive too. Having seen the material and the work they do, It probably worth it.” I glanced back at the counter in time to see my plate being put in front of the stool I had been at.
“ Listen, Hun, Got to, go, foods ready. I’ll be home quick as I can.”
I hung up and found my place at the counter.
**As I ate I replayed my conservation with Brenda. She didn't mention where Clarence had gone. I knew she would have details when I got home. So I didn't worry about it too much, If it had been something I needed to know she would have told me on the phone. ***Paying the bill I headed home. Brenda was getting ready to head for the bar when I got there. She told me that Clearance had gone to a local hotel and when she followed him in. He went straight to his room. The address of the hotel matched what he’d put down as place of contact on the agreement he’d signed to hire me. So there was nothing unusual about this. ***
While I got ready to go with Brenda to the bar for the evening, I replayed the conservation I’d had with Clearance this morning over in my mind. Then I remembered what had slipped through the cracks this morning. That he had been working with the Defense Department during the war. That made sense. I knew that it had specialized equipment for tracking enemy planes and cracking codes, and math would be a big part of it. They would need a genius like him to help develop it and possibly even run it.
Just before we left for the bar. I called Bob again.
“Bob, listen, I’m going to the bar this evening with Brenda. But have you checked on Lane’s military connections? His brother said he’d been working with the defense department during the war. It hadn’t occurred to me it could be related to that.”
“Yeah, been trying to get a straight answer from them all day. NO one will talk.”
“”Okay, keep me posted. I’ll call in the morning.”
“Yeah bye.”
I didn't think Bob would miss that. But it didn't hurt to check. It had been awhile since we’d dealt with the army. I wasn’t looking forward to talking to them again. They don’t like me.. I wonder why..?
The evening at the bar was quiet. The usual crowd was there and it was Friday evening Brenda took extra time after we closed to start finishing the books for the week. So it was later when we got home in separate cars.