Note to Lola: keep this file open and transcribe from Tape 1

FILE 0295A

It was a dark and rainy day again; the fifth in a row, not that the days before that were much better. It’s that time of year when Mother Nature just takes a dump on your shoes and then follows it up with a slap to the face. I made it in to the office by 10, still hung over. The world had my head in its vice grip and squeezed it like a two dollar melon in the half-price bin.

Doug was already in, making calls. But he’s always been like that: prompt, ambitious, and clean-cut. A real go-getter; a family man. It would be enough to annoy a lazy bum like me if it were someone else, but somehow with Doug, you don’t mind. He’s been working as an independent salesman for Health Corp as long as I’ve been in the Private Detective game. Guess it’s been about 15 years that we’ve shared an office. You could say we’re like an old married couple, but then you could say a lot of things. And maybe you could say that you never really know somebody until after they’re gone and you see what they’ve left behind. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Looks like I’m at the end of the tape here. Lola: buy some more tapes on your way in on Monday. Thanks, Phil.

You seem to be quite the detective, Detective. Would you be interested in a case I have?

Detective Phil Marlot Posted:

What’ve you got? I have a case going, but I can always use more work. If there’s a client that’s paying.

Well Detective, what I ask of you may be slightly different from the usual cases that you have. The case in hand happens to be a murder.

In fact, it happens to be my murder.

I can bumure you that the cirgreat timesstances were grim and it may not be for the feint of heart. I would not be offended if you chose not to pursue the case.

If you do however deem it interesting enough to follow, I can provide you with all the information I can possible give. There will of course be a reward if you do happen to solve the case.

Continued from Tape 2

“I’ve got them in stock now, but I don’t know how long that will last. All right; I’ll put you down for a dozen. You won’t regret it,” Doug said, as he clicked the black handset back into its cradle. “Well, that does it. I got Mercy Medical to switch,” Doug exhaled as he stretched back in his wooden banker’s chair, the springs creaking warningly after so many years of use. Then his eyes flicked down to the small box at my feet. “I’d uh, better make that delivery before it gets too late,” Doug said, striding over to the coat rack and picking the package up off the floor. He grabbed his coat and hat and headed to the lobby. “Might not make it back this afternoon,” he called out as the door swung shut. Through the glbum window in the door, I could see him hurriedly put on his coat and hat as he walked purposefully towards the glbum double doors to the street. Stopping a brief second to tuck the box under his overcoat before opening the door, he dashed into the pouring rain and disappeared.

That was the last time I saw Doug. At least the last time I saw the poor bastard alive. But I didn’t know it was going to be like that, so when I looked down at my feet and saw the airplane ticket that had fallen out of his pocket, I picked it up and tossed it on his desk. It fell lightly, face up. Two words, in black uppercase letters, stood out so that I could read even from where I stood a foot away: ROME, ITALY.

I’d better put some more coffee on. It’s going to be a long night.

Note to Lola: We’re out of coffee filters and toilet paper makes crap out of my Indonesian blend. Take a few bucks out of the petty cash and get yourself a couple of cigars while you’re at it. You’re a real sweetheart.

Now, where was I? Oh yeah, I was about to pick up the ticket when the phone rang. Doug’s phone, not mine. I don’t know why I answered it. Maybe it was the funny ticket on the floor that sparked something in me and made me think something was wrong.

“Doug’s office” was what I started to say. I got as far as the “D..” before a voice on the other end interrupted me.

“Deec Ember,” said the guy, in a thick Italian accent. He sounded like one of the guys Antonio keeps around the back room of his grocery. The ones you don’t need to know what they’re saying to catch their meaning. “You owe me, Deec Ember. I wanna payment now or else I take a visit to that nice wife of yours. Maybe you let me spend an hour or two with her anyway. I’ll take off say, 20 percent? Thatsa real deal Deec Ember, on a bill like yours.”

“Who’s this?” I asked. “Where’s Doug and what does he owe you?” I said as I turned, looking out the back windows, as if the answer was out there.

“You stay out of this business if you know what’sa good for you,” the voice said.

“I can’t do that, pal,” is what I said. “You just threatened my friend and his wife. Now what—”

That’s when I heard the door to our office slam shut. I spun around and all I could see was a boy sprinting out into the street. He was gone in a flash. There was no use going after him. I looked down to where the airplane ticket had been sitting on the floor.

Gone. ****.

I raised the phone back up to my ear and started to say “Listen here,” but it was already dead.

go away.

Detective Phil Marlot Posted:

Log in to see images!

click click click click .........

... out the window. It’s a black sedan.

click click click

... the one who’s been tailing me. Lola, I’m going to leave this tape here. Bring the transcription by my apartment tomorrow. Be careful you’re not followed. I’m going to sneak out the back and …

click