It was a little after 5 AM when Berry climbed the stairs again to his inner sanctum and his thoughts were focused on all the pieces he had in his head, a puzzle with pieces missing, the most difficult kind to fit together. He was also thinking that this outing brought a lot more than the usually distraction, not just a walk in the breeze this time and it seemed to him that Dave Lutz was a too present in his life these days. That made him a little uncomfortable.
As Berry sat down at the computer terminal and began to sort through the data he had placed in folders, his mind was focused on the pieces of the puzzle he already knew and his attention was on finding some connections in all the details he had already gathered. While he was concentrating on those details a small piece of data his monster computer systems had spit out unheralded a while back finally came to his attention.
The new data said that William Parks had been legal counsel eight years for Senator Jonathan Taylor and that at one time Parks had worked with Senator Taylor to introduce a bill that would limit funds given to colleges that participate in contact sports like football. The bill was later quickly withdrawn without explanation.
What Berry noted was that earlier information his computer had found indicated that Parks was the chairman of the “National Committee for the Review and Replacement of Collegiate Athletics Programs” a non-profit organization that advocates replacing what they call violent sports like football with what they believe to be non-violent sports like golf. But what caught Berry’s attention the most was that Parks was also a member of a senate subcommittee called the “State Funding Committee for Wagering Ventures” which is under the “Endeavors for State Commerce & Public Ventures” senate committee that Senator Taylor chairs.
It was another piece to the puzzle, but like all the rest, it didn’t fit anywhere with the other small pieces he already had … little blotches of colored pieces scattered all over the puzzle’s frame each separated from the other by blank space … he was thinking that it was really hard to see the full picture when there is so much area that is still open to question but even with so much missing he was beginning to get a sense of direction for the first time.
Berry’s mind began to associate the removal of college football programs with the possibility of a new national sports program that people could legally bet on since it would not be under the restrictions most colleges place on betting. Not being a betting man himself, Berry stopped his thoughts for a minute and took note of how his mental musings had stumbled on the gambling idea and decided it was money that lead him there … funny how it always seems to be tied to money …
…
I want you to know that our father would have been proud of what you have done for the family … Sophia Grendandino wore a huge smile on her face... so I am happy to help you out with your little project.
Yes I know you have a cause, but this is much bigger than your cause much bigger than anything the family has done for 40 years! This will assure our place as well as help your cause …
We must visit again face to face the next time you are in the area. I can arrange a private place where we won’t be seen together. We can tell stories about our childhood and talk of old times! … Fine, see you soon my sister. Sophia’s smile turned to a frown.
The telephone lay heavy in her hand as she slowly returned it to the cradle. She was wondering how much longer she could keep her estranged family member at bay … her sister was smart, and cunning in her own right … a lot of their father’s prowess resided in them both. She figured that if she played her cards just right, the worm would turn and everything would work out just like she had planned it to.
Getting up from her desk she walked around it making her way over to the inner office door and opening it widely she stared out intently … Hey big Jimmy, can you come in here for a minute, I need to talk with you. Jimmy got up from the stool his enormous body was perched on and ambled over to the office. Ducking to step inside, he pulled the door closed behind him.
Sit down … I need your help on a little job that needs to be done for the family. It’s a contract of sorts, only I want information on the hit rather than taking them down … I want your word that you won’t use any rough stuff unless I say so ok?
No problem Mrs. G … I gotcha … just keep an eye on em and let you know where they been goin and who they been seein right?
Yes, and don’t let them know you are watching them. The information on this is in the folder here on my desk … she held up a file folder as he walked over and took it from her hand …
I want this to be a real tight job with no slip ups. You should know that this is for the family, and could make our future … so do a good job! …
No problem Mrs. G I’m gonna be like invisible …
Make sure you are … and check in regularly to let me know what you find out.
…
The numbers on the clock were shouting out the time but Berry was immersed in thought and wasn’t paying them any attention this time on purpose … he was wondering if he should try to find William Parks and talk to him or just go directly to Senator Taylor and see if he could get in to see him. Either way, it was going to be tricky coming up with the right things to say without letting them know what he was really there for. Maybe he should say he was doing research on how to get a bill into congress and then use the funding bill they both supported as what would appear to be a random example.
Berry had pretty much decided to start with Marks and was formulating an approach when a caller disturbed his thoughts.
Sullivan Investigations, Berry Sullivan speaking … Detective Lutz, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? Dave tried to maintain his composure and spoke in a stead tone …
Well I was wondering if you have come up with anything regarding the murder at the warehouse the other night …
Dave, that is not a case I am on right now, you know that, and at this point, in all my cases, I don’t see any ties to anything I am doing … so I have not really looked into it. But Dave was unrelenting.
Ok I understand, but when we were talking the other night didn’t you say you have read some items about suicides at several colleges, and though you might look into them just for fun?
That’s a great quality for a detective … you have a real good memory for details Detective Lutz. I only mentioned that little item as a sideline note to the jobs I was working on and then just in passing as we were talking. But I still don’t see what that has to do the murder in Warehouse Row.
Well, I looked up the college suicide cases you mentioned and discovered that there have been three others that occurred under similar circumstances. According to the toxicology run for each one, at least three of the suicide victims had confirmed traces of lysergic acid diethylamide in their system. Dave went on before Berry could respond. You know, LSD! Now I realize you are probably thinking… I still don’t see how this ties to the killing at the warehouse'. Well, here’s how. One of the things that both you and I missed at the warehouse was several small stains on the victim’s pants. Forensics determined that the stains contained two chemical compounds, one called DMSO a universal solvent, and the other was LSD. The curious thing is that when DMSO comes in contact with the skin it transports any other chemical it may have come in contact with through the skin and into the person’s bloodstream.
Berry took a moment to let it all sink in … he was not only surprised at Dave’s willingness to release this much information to him, but also by the oblivious link the information pointed to.
So what you’re saying Dave is that the student suicides are somehow linked to people who you believe are manufacturing LSD and somehow getting it into their blood using this solvent?
Something like that … look, all the students jumped from tall buildings, all of them had no history of suicidal thoughts, and none of them had any obvious reasons to commit suicide. three had LSD in their system … I don’t have a toxicology report for one of them yet … one of the
students with LSD in their system was the girl who jumped from the Munson Towers a few days ago. Then a guy who turns up shot dead in a warehouse appears to have been holding something in his hand and has chemical stains on his pants that contain DMSO and LSD. It seems to connect the dots for me.
It is rather coincidental … How far have you taken this investigation Dave … are you working on any leads?
Dave kind of chuckled … It’s my “hobby” case Berry. There’s nothing official to this at all … I haven’t even mentioned it to my chief. At this point it’s just my thoughts … your mentioning a “hobby” case got me going on my own... one which I think is pretty much the same one as yours... only a little further along in the scenario.
Berry now understood why Dave had been so forth coming with the information … Dave, I would like to check some things on this from my side, can you sit on this for a little bit?
Well, I guess since it’s a “hobby” case I can hold up on blabbing to anyone about it for a few hours … actually that’s why I called … I was hoping you had something that would give it more weight. How long is it gonna take you to get back to me?
I don’t know for sure, maybe later today maybe tomorrow. I have to contact some people and make some inquiries before I can find out anything for sure. How about if something breaks today I’ll call, otherwise I’ll call you for sure in the morning and let you know what I have found out so far?
I can live with that … Dave hung up the phone a little excited to be teaming up with another detective even if it wasn’t someone from the department.