"Requiem For A Stripper" drabbles by Christopher
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 216
Requiem For A Stripper #216
The other door must've been an exit for Klaus Schmidt, located somewhere near his office. I checked that door and it was locked too. I didn't have a hair pin with me to pick the lock, so I went to the dressing room door to see if it was locked. And it was.
Just then the other door opened. I ducked behind a trash dumpster. The guy that came out was carrying some bags and walked right toward where I was hiding. He opened the lid to the dumpster and tossed in the bags, then headed back for the door...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 215
Requiem For A Stripper #215
I went to the door, which was locked. I could hear carousing going on inside so I knew there was a show on. It was 2:48 p.m. The door said they opened at 5, but they obviously had customers inside.
I went around the building to the right side, which had no way in, so I continued on to the back of the joint. There were two doors a good distance from each other. The one on the right must've been the one that led out from the dressing rooms, the one I saw Tabby Cat leaving through Friday night...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 214
Requiem For A Stripper #214
But careful's never been my strong suit, so I decided to jump into the pink lion's mouth and head back to the Pussycat. I figured I might get Klaus Schmidt to force Minga to help me again. But, one way or another, I was gonna get some information out of Minga, whether at the end of a fist or the end of a gun.
I drove out there and saw some cars in the parking lot. I didn't know if they would be open on a Sunday afternoon or not, but it didn't matter. I was getting in there anyway...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 213
Requiem For A Stripper #213
I'm not a man who frightens easily but that was rather unsettling. I ran it over in my mind just how she could've known who I was.
I didn't use my real name at Hoofers or The Giant Clam, other than to Jane. I did at The Pink Pussycat, though. And that's where Nicky Minga works.
That bastard was the linchpin for this whole thing. I'm quite sure Madame Helga knowing who I was came less from some supernatural hocus pocus and more from that two-bit greaseball Minga.
But now I was going to have to be extra careful...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 212
Requiem For A Stripper #212
"I'm calling on behalf of the Hoofers dance studio. If you can tell me who the sixteenth president was you'll win ten free dance lessons."
"Is that you, Mr. Randolph?"
My blood ran cold. How the hell did she know who I was? I stayed silent.
"You're playing with fire, Randolph. My advice is go back to chasing down blackmailers and looking for stolen merchandise. I'm sure you could make a comfortable living that way. Keep on the path you're traveling and you'll experience a very uncomfortable dying!"
I was dumbfounded.
"No witty retorts, Randolph?"
Then the line went dead...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 211
Requiem For A Stripper #211
I'd found a crumpled piece of paper in the trash can at Honey's apartment with the number Edgewood 6745 and Madame Helga's name on it, and I still hadn't called it yet.
I picked up the receiver and dropped in a dime, telling the operator the number.
It rang eight times. I was just about to hang up when a voice came on the other end. It was feminine but sounded old and was barely above a whisper.
"Hello?" the voice said.
"Is this Madame Helga?" I asked.
There was silence and then, "Who is this?" spoken a little louder...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 210
Requiem For A Stripper #210
"Can I use your phone, Horace?" I asked.
"I don't have one, but there's a pay phone down the hall," he said as we both stood up.
I stuck out my hand and he shook it. Actually, he squeezed it so hard I thought my shoulder was going to inflate, but I didn't let it show.
"I'll let you know something soon," I said as I left his apartment and found the pay phone.
I pulled the Hoofers business card out of my wallet that I'd found in Honey's apartment and looked at the number I'd written on the back...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 209
Requiem For A Stripper #209
Horace looked up at me with moist eyes, "You better get him fast, Jake. If you don't I will."
I nodded, "I think I'm closing in on finding out what all this is about. But if you try to take matters into your own hands you could blow it and then we might never find out what's going on. And we need to make sure we get all of the people involved so they can't do this to any other young girls. Do you understand me, Horace?"
He nodded. "Work fast, Jake. Minga's days are numbered."
I didn't doubt that...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 208
Requiem For A Stripper #208
"Horace, listen to me. We don't really know if Minga is responsible for Debra's death yet. And even if we find out he is, if you kill him you're gonna wind up in the electric chair. That what you want?"
"I don't care. I don't wanna live without my sister."
"You feel that way now, Horace. But time will change that. And do you really think Debra would want you to go and get yourself killed?"
He had his head hung down, and he shook it.
"I promise you if Nicky's responsible for this he'll get what's coming to him."
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 207
Requiem For A Stripper #207
"Well, I'll let you know if any more naked girls' bodies show up," Harrigan said.
I nodded, patted him on the shoulder and left. I headed back to Horace Busby's apartment.
I got there around 2 p.m. I knocked and he opened the door. I could tell he'd been crying.
"Come in, Mr. Randolph," he said, stepping back.
"Thanks, Horace. And call me Jake."
He nodded, "Okay, Jake."
We went back and sat in the same places we had the day before.
"Jake, I'm gonna kill that Nicky Minga."
I couldn't really blame him. I wanted to kill Minga, too...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 206
Requiem For A Stripper #206
Harrigan turned back to face me, "Jake, I want you listen to me very carefully. I don't want to hear another word about my superiors. You got that?"
I nodded. I wasn't going to push it any further. Besides, I'd already planted the seed in Harrigan's mind. I just had to wait for it to take root and start growing.
"Debra Snow's brother Horace Busby called me earlier. I guess he'd been told about his sister's death."
"You going to see him?" Harrigan asked, clearly still miffed.
"Yeah, if there's a chance he thought of something that might be useful."
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 205
Requiem For A Stripper #205
I continued, "Didn't you find it strange at all that you were not allowed to get a search warrant for the lockers at The Pink Pussycat? It took me to find the note saying Lily Padd was supposed to meet someone at Griffith Park. Don't you think that would've been useful information to have had a week ago? Maybe you would've already found this body."
I could see in his eyes that he knew I was right, but he was still pissed. When it came to the L.A.P.D. Harrigan bled blue.
He turned to the onlookers, "Get back to work!"
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 204
Requiem For A Stripper #204
"And you're going to believe rumors about some half-assed secret club over the job the L.A.P.D. does for you and everyone else in this city on a daily basis? You can go to hell, Randolph!"
He started to walk away and I grabbed his arm.
"Wait just a damn minute, Harrigan!"
He snatched his arm away from my grip as everyone in the area turned to look at us.
"I was not criticizing the police department. But people in positions of power can sometimes be compromised. It's not limited to the L.A.P.D. but they aren't immune from it either!"
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 203
Requiem For A Stripper #203
I had to approach what I was about to say to Harrigan with the greatest of care.
"How forceful is the L.A.P.D. being in this investigation, Jim?"
He turned and looked at me, "What d'you mean?"
"Well, I mean, is every stone being unturned? Is there any stonewalling coming from the higher ups?"
"Randolph, I oughta smack you right in the mouth! You use the department every chance you get and now you're going to cast doubt on our determination to solve this crime?"
"Calm down, Harrigan! I was told there're some city officials that belong to The Immoral Society."
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 202
Requiem For A Stripper #202
I continued, "Lemme ask you something. Why didn't you get a warrant to search the lockers at The Pink Pussycat?"
Harrigan shook his head, "The chief didn't want to waste the judge's time. He thought it was a dead end anyway."
That didn't make any sense.
"Jim, have you ever heard of a secret club of Hollywood elites called The Immoral Society? They're rumored to have debauched parties involving hookers and strippers. And I've heard there may even be some highly illegal activity that goes on there as well."
"No, I haven't. But it doesn't surprise me. Hollywood's a cesspool."
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 201
Requiem For A Stripper #201
"By powers of persuasion I'm assuming you mean you threatened to beat the holy hell out of Minga?"
"That and getting in the good graces of the owner, Klaus Schmidt. He forced Minga to help me."
"Oh, I bet ol' Nicky boy was overjoyed by that!" Harrigan said, grinning.
"He didn't hide his disdain, that was for sure."
"Do you still have that note?"
"Yeah, it's at my office. I'll get it to you shortly."
"D'you think Minga's doing these killings?" Harrigan asked.
"I'm convinced he's mixed up in this somehow. Everything I've discovered has his name all over it."
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 200
Requiem For A Stripper #200
"I guess with no clothes or purse or anything you haven't been able to identify her yet."
Harrigan shook his head, "No, but we'll find out."
"I think I might know which one she is. Lily Padd from The Pink Pussycat."
"You've seen a picture of her?"
"No, but she had a note in her locker from someone anonymous saying they were crazy about her and asked if she would meet them at Griffith Park."
"How did you get into the lockers at the Pussycat? Minga wouldn't let us near 'em without a warrant."
"I have better powers of persuasion."
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 199
Requiem For A Stripper #199
She was obviously a beautiful girl at one point. Now, she lay naked and dirty under a tree. Naked, just like Debra Snow. I wondered if this was one of the girls that was already missing or one that hadn't been discovered as missing yet.
"I'll give you three guesses as to what she has in her back," Harrigan said.
"A stab wound from a very large knife?" I asked, lighting a cigarette.
Harrigan nodded, "We'll have to wait for the autopsy to see if that's what killed her, but I'm pretty sure it'll be just like the Snow girl."
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 198
Requiem For A Stripper #198
"Look, you little shit! I've known Harrigan since the war. You know, where we killed people?"
"Are you threatening an officer of the law, sir?" he asked.
By that point Harrigan was walking up behind him.
"Good job, Murphy. You need to keep riffraff like this from interfering with the good work of the L.A.P.D."
"You called me, Harrigan!" I said, getting hot under the collar.
Harrigan just grinned like a demented kewpie doll.
"Come on through, Randolph," he said as I ducked under the police tape and gave Murphy a dirty look.
Harrigan led me over to the body...
Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 197
Requiem For A Stripper #197
I called the precinct. Sgt. Donnelly told me that Harrigan was at a crime scene in Griffith Park. I thanked him and hung up the phone.
I made tracks for Griffith Park. When I got there they had the place cordoned off with police tape and there were officers and detectives everywhere. I didn't recognize the guy guarding the entrance to the crime scene and he wouldn't let me in.
"I'm sorry, sir. You'll have to find out about it in the newspaper like everyone else," the cop said.
"Jim Harrigan invited me here," I said.
"Sure he did, pal."
