Chapter XXII

ane sat in the waiting room with Len, Melinda and Sharon.  Sharon had been to work only two partial days in the last week and a half that William had been "under."  They were discussing some details of the interview with Roger Strickland . . . or, the lack of information from same.  It seemed he was very good at hedging and changing the subject.

The next day, Jake Stamler had pulled Len into his office and inquired as to the interview, then handed him a red hot letter from Rogers attorney about the matter.  The next time he 'accosted' Roger Strickland, the fire would fly and they would be forced to press charges against Len Mathers as well as Lane Wardlow.

That was a puzzling factor because Lane had not been mentioned at all in the interview, yet he was named as one of the potential defendants arising from the questioning of Roger.  And that simple addition to the letter did only one thing: it stoked the flames.  The clincher?  The letterhead was from the office of the now City Attorney, Ryan Norkin.

"Hmmm" opined Lane to Len and Melinda.  "The plot thickens.  I wonder what personal links a shyster like Ryan Norkin has?  And it was plain to see, Ryan Norkin was using personal insult, namely the night of the 'Toilet Stool Brawl,' when he was slugged by then Officer Lieutenant Amanda Williams, now Chief of Police Amanda Williams."

Speaking of Chief Williams, she entered the room and sat down.  She had come by to ask about William, and to share a report from the Coroner in San Diego concerning the death of Nancy Wilhelm.  The gist of it was a gentleman from Texas had shown up saying he knew her and would provide burial for her.

They had released the body for a private party to deliver to the airport to be flown to Texas, however, the package, as it was now termed, had never made it.  And they didn't know where it was.  And none of the local mortuaries seemed to have any knowledge of her.

Neither Len or Lane had mentioned the interview or the letter to the Chief.  But both were certain she had been brought into the loop.  If she had, then she would mention it.  Lane figured she had, and not only that, had been warned against influence she would get from him.  Yep, Roger sure knew how to swing influence.  Problem was, how could he have that much power being merely the Chairman of the Council?

Things weren't adding up.  And even though he had a database of incidents to search and consider, he still had only speculation.  In court, speculation was nothing.

The psychological physician came out and walked up to Sharon.  Len, Lane and Melinda all gathered close for the confab.  "We have seen absolutely no improvement in William.  We have a specialist coming in tomorrow morning to look at him.  Are you sure you're telling me everything you know about his predicament?"

Sharon shook her head to the affirmative.  "By the way, he has been unrestrained for three days now, but he just lies there, eyes fixed, staring straight ahead.  The last two hours he has started mumbling though.  Something about the 'Kingpin.'  Any idea as to what that means?" he finished.

A light went off in Melindas head.  Lane and Len both saw it, and knew it was about to get exciting again.  The Dr. did not catch on to the idea that went off in Melindas head, and said "Well, perhaps we'll have something from the specialist tomorrow.  Goodnight."  He walked off down the hall toward the nurses station.

Sharon accepted the invitation to get some dinner.  She hadn't eaten all day and she was famished.  Within a half hour they were seated at a secluded little restaurant on Main St., coffee in hand, dinner on the way.  Sharon said "Melinda, did I see an idea go off in your head while the Dr. was speaking to us?"

"Yes Sharon.  There was a character on the screen of Death Vengeance up on Mason Ludlows' computer.  It was named the 'Kingpin.'  Also up there were six players.  They were listed as :"

1.   The Builder
2.   The Supplanter
3.   The Barrister
4.   The Planter
5.   The Kingpin
6.   The Reaper

"Now it's not too hard to figure out who the five were.  William was the Reaper and three were those 'reaped,' and the final person was the Kingpin.  Greg Wheaton - Contractor, Randy Gregory - financial consultant, Henry Thomas - The Barrister . . .  But WHO is the Kingpin?"

"All three of the others realized it at the same time.  That's who William was after.  And, was STILL after.  As they discussed the matter over dinner, they wondered if there was anything within Death Vengeance that could tell them.  Sharon thought it was too dangerous to try to go into it, and besides that, "how can you go into it without passwords?"

"Well, how did Mason get into it?  If he got the passwords from Russell, then where did HE get them?" Len was asking.

Lane was on the phone to the Chief and inquired as to the personal computer system from the Mayors home.  She returned "Roger Strickland came in and picked it up.  Since no one else had claimed it, he thought there might have been some sensitive city business on it.  Lane, why do you ask?"

"Well Chief.  It's kind of a venture into the far-out-there region, but we have reason to believe that William was programmed to take out the Kingpin." Lane responded.

Chief Williams kind of chuckled and said "Kingpin!  Lane, you are right.  That is far out there.  I don't think one could gain access to that computer as of now.  Didn't you say there were other copies of it?  Can't you just load one of those?"

"Well, I guess that's all we have Chief.  We just have nothing to go on as far as passwords"  Lane finished.

There was a sudden and distinctive change in the Chiefs voice.  "Where are you at Lane?" she asked.  When given the name of the place, she said "sit still.  I'll be right there."

In the meantime, Sharon stated, "you know, I've just gotten a thought.  Where did the killer of Mason Ludlow go?  How did he elude the search team that was present that day?

They all looked at her.  She had not even been there, but, all at the table at that time were there.  It was a question that needed to be addressed.

In ten minutes Chief Williams walked into the restaurant, looked around, then started for their booth when she spotted them waving at her.  She pulled up a chair, placed her cover over the hook of the left stile finial of her chair and scooted in.  In her hands she held a folder which she opened and laid flat out on the table.  "Could this be what you're looking for?"

After a quick scan Lane asked "Melinda, what do you think?"

"I think that may be of some importance, but look at the number below it.  It was the combination to the briefcase owned by Walter Bension" she pointed out.  "But what are the other numbers?  Wait just a second.  Those are co-ordinates . . ."

Sharon was already on her cell phone looking them up.  There were two sets of coordinates, and they were extremely close together.  She typed in a command that yielded the addresses of the two, and they were the addresses of the Mayors mansion and the Strickland mansion."

Lane sat there while he allowed his mind to go through notes he could remember in his collection.  His mind went back to Gilroy Hastings house, which he was positive of, had either those same sets of numbers, or at least, a set similar.  He would have to check his notes, because it was in picture form and it may take some time to find it.

"Chief, while you're here, I'd like to mention something to you since you are directly related to this case.  William keeps mumbling something about a Kingpin.  Have you any ideas?" Lane ventured.

"You have got to be kidding me."  She went to another page of papers she had retained from the office of Mason Ludlow.  She scanned just a second, and said "is this what you're referring to?"

She spun the folder around to let them see what she was pointing at, and Lane said "that is some pretty hefty charges Chief.  Have you investigated at all?"

Under her finger was the writing "The Kingpin has to die.  There are twenty three dead souls that agree . . ."  It was in large letters and had been doodled all up with shadow, depth, and points, probably while the ex-Mayor was on the phone.  Perhaps he was trying to find an assassin who could eliminate the Kingpin, probably so he could step into his place.

"No, not now, with Mason being dead.  I just don't have any reason to.  But, since this is property of a deceased person, and hasn't been logged in as pertaining to anything we have, it's first come first served" she finished.

Melinda then spoke again, "here are the same coordinates, then it states 'west wall.  Latch is center stile of shelf.'  I think there is an escape tunnel.  What would they need an escape tunnel for?  Then, I wonder how Masons killer got away?"

"I don't know anything about that Melinda, but I did hear Chief Perry speaking to the Mayor once, the gist of the conversation I missed, but, I did hear him say 'The Kingpin?' and then he got up and shut the office door.  I thought it was kind of strange at the time, but, since I was a nobody, I just let it go."

"How do you know it was the Mayor? Lane asked.

"Because I was dispatching that day while Nancy was out.  I fielded that call and transferred it to the Chief.  And one more thing.  I think the Mayor was very upset, because Nancy was visiting the Kingpin at that very moment."

Sharons' phone rang and she said "excuse me."  She answered with "Yes, this is she.  Ok . . ."  She was quiet for a moment, then exclaimed suddenly and very loud "Oh No!"

By that time she had everyones' attention.  "I'll be right there" then pressed the end call button.  Everyone was looking at her and she looked up and said "William is gone."

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