La Danza Morte' by Robert F. Clifton (e reader txt) 📖

of time. We didn't get a look at his face going into the room or coming out”, said Stiles.

“I don't need to see his face. That's Lester Cummings, alias Louis Crawford.”

“Now what?”“I want you to go to the court have the judge issue an arrest warrant for Lester Cummings, charge murder. While you're doing that I'll contact the Pittsburgh P.D. after I find out what airlines we'll be on and our flight number.”

“You think this guy's in Pittsburgh?”, asked Stiles.

“Yep. Think about it. So far, he's stalked Natasha Dubcek everywhere she's been, starting in Chicago and the last time in Nautilus Beach. He's obsessed with her. Either she submits to him or I'm willing to bet he'll kill her.”

*****************

Wallace and Stiles walked together through the wide open area of Concourse D in the Pittsburgh Airport. They hadn't gone far when Robert spotted two men, both wearing dark sunglasses.

“There's our ride,” said Wallace.

When they walked up to the two men Wallace said, “Which one of you is Sergeant Harris?”

“I am. You must be Wallace, correct?”

“Yes. Let me introduce you to my partner. This is Frank Stiles.”, said Wallace.

“And, this ugly bastard is my partner, Sergeant Harry Benson,” said Harris.

After a round of handshakes the four men headed for the escalator.

When they arrived at street level Sergeant Harris led the way to the unmarked police car. Once all four men were inside Harris turned to Wallace who was sitting in the back seat. “I'm sure everything is in order, but if you don't mind I'd like to see your arrest warrant.”

“No problem”, Wallace responded as he reached into the inside packet of his blue sports coat. He removed it and handed it to Harris.

“Harris read it and gave it back. “We have Cummings in custody. We haven't charged him yet. I've got a detective accusing him of all kinds of bullshit charges which I'm sure he's denying. However, it killed time while we were picking you two up. Now, when we get there we'll turn him over to you. I hope you don't mind if we observe. You're in our jurisdiction you know.”

“How did you get him so fast?”, asked Stiles.

“From what was told to me on the telephone we took a guess and figured he would be in a location close to the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater on Liberty Avenue. Two blocks away from the theater there's a place called the Shamrock Hotel. It's what we call a flea bag. We figured your man being a stalker would hole up in a place like that. Guess what? We were right.”

When the four police officers arrived at headquarters they waited while Lester Cummings was taken to an interrogation room. Sergeant Harris took time to make sure everything was in order then he, Wallace and Stiles entered the room.

Cummings looked up. “Oh, the cop from Nautilus Beach.”

“Hello, is is Lou or Lester?” asked Wallace.

“You know damn well that right now it's Lester.

“Alright Lester, I'll start by telling you that I'm not going to bullshit you. I see that you've been read your rights, so I'll say right now that you don't have to talk to me without a lawyer. Now, are we going to talk or are you going back to the holding cell until the court grants extradition?.” asked Wallace.

“I'll talk within reason”, Cummings replied.

“Good, let's start by you telling me what you know about Natasha Dubcek.”

“Natasha my ass. Her names Helen Dubcek. I met her when we both danced in Chicago.”

“Other than a professional relationship were you two romantically involved?”

“If you call living together for a year romantically involved, then yeah.”

“I take it that at sometime you two parted ways.”

“I wanted a wife and kids. She wanted to be a ballerina.”

“So you separated, but we have on record that you assaulted her and committed battery. She even had you arrested.”

“She was just angry at the time. She loved me then just as she loves me now.”

“If you say so. Now, I'll get right to the point Lester. We have you on a recorded tape entering the dressing room of Gabriela Bunsdorff. We have the exact time and date that you went into the room and when you left the room Wallace lied. We also have your fingerprints on the pill vial that you took out of Gabriela's pocket book. You were aware of Gabriela's heart condition. It was no secret. What you didn't know or forgot was the fact the Gabriela had a phobia about germs and wiped the vial clean each time she used it. As a result your left your fingerprints just like your calling card. So, what I'm saying Lester is this, I've got you by the balls. Right now, you're under arrest for the murder of Gabriela Bunsdorff. Now that you've been charged, I'll remind you of your rights again. Do you still want to talk with me?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, what I want to know is why kill Gabriela? She was no threat to you or Natasha.”

“That's easy. With Gabriela out of the way and Helen being the understudy she would take over the part of ballerina. The way I saw it was that Helen would fail in that role, realize that she wasn't good enough and quit dancing. After doing that she'd come back to me.”

“I see. Unfortunately for you, she has talent. You were just too blind to see it.”

“O.K. Lester. The State of New Jersey will be filing papers for you extradition. That might take a day or two, unless you refuse. That's up to you,” said Wallace.

Wallace and Stiles got out of the taxi cab in front of the Pittsburgh Ballet. He showed his badge and talked his way into the theater then walked backstage, Stiles followed. The sounds of music played by the orchestra seemed loud to him, but he thought it was because of the theater's acoustics. He made his way to the dressing rooms and found the door with a star on it. He knocked gently three times. Margaret Helms opened the door just wide enough so she could see who was there. When she did she said, “Oh, Mister Wallace.”

“Robert? Is it Robert? Show him in Margaret,” said Natasha.

Wallace entered the room and when he did Natasha got up from the dressing table. “Robert, what a wonderful surprise.

When did you get here?”

“Hello Natasha or should I call you Helen?”

Natasha stood silent for a moment then said,” So, now you know. What else did you find out about me?”

“Where would you like me to start? How about I begin with you and Lester Cummings.”

“That was a long time ago Robert.”

“Him stalking you in Nautilus Beach was just recently.

You could have told me about him then.”

“It was my problem and I didn't want to involve you.”

“Well, I solved your problem. I just arrested him for killing Gabriela.”

“He killed Gabriela? Why?”

“So you would move up in the ballet. He was hoping that you would fail, quit dancing and go back to him.”

“Really, well congratulations on solving your case.”

“ No need to congratulate me. Actually, I feel sorry for the poor bastard.”

“Why?”

“Because he is so in love with you he was willing to kill in order for both of you to be together.”

“Unfortunately, I didn't love him.”

“I'm beginning to think that you don't love anyone. We made love, but now that I think about it you never said that you love me. You actually love your career.”

Wallace turned his head as the dressing room door opened and Viktor Baranovsky entered. ""Ah, Officer Wallace. Good to see you again. I believe congratulations are in order. Your detective friend outside in the hallway told me that you made an arrest in Gabriela's murder.”

“Yes, we did.”

“And I assume that since you are here in Pittsburgh you stopped in to see Natasha. How nice. Did she tell you the news?,” asked Viktor.

“News? What news?.” asked Wallace.

“Natasha has agreed to become my wife,” Viktor answered.

Wallace managed to slow his beating heart caused by the shock of the announcement. When his emotions were under control he looked at Natasha and said, “No. No she didn't. Congratulations I hope you two will be very happy.”

“Thank you. Now I'm afraid that I must get back to the rehearsal. Natasha Darling your number will be in about ten minutes, don't be late dear,” said Viktor.

When Baranovsky left the room Wallace looked at Natasha and said, “Well, well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?”

“Not really. I can see that you're upset. If you thought that there was more to our relationship then there actually was, I'm sorry. I'll admit that I needed you. I was afraid of Lester. I knew that you would protect me if he got worse. What you could offer me was life in a small town, a condominium or a house with a white picket fence. Then, maybe one or two kids. That's not what I want out of life Robert. I want to be a first class ballerina. I'm on the way to becoming that. At the same time marriage to Viktor gives me forty per cent of the Barnaovsky Ballet Company. Even you will have to admit that my career at age twenty has blossomed.”

“Yeah, you've done pretty good for yourself. It seems like just yesterday that you were just a dancer, an understudy, then Gabriela danced the death dance and the rest is history. Take care kid,” said Wallace as he turned and left the room.

*************

 

“Are you listening to me,” asked Mary Wallace.

“Huh? What? What did you say?”

“I asked you what you were thinking about. You’ve been sitting there staring at nothing in particular with your mouth open and drooling. And don't tell me that you've been thinking about an old case you worked. You had a twinkle in your eyes a couple of times. I've been watching you.”

“What would you say if I told you that I was thinking of you, how we met and just how much I love you?,” asked Robert.

“I'd say that you're full of baloney. But even if you are you gave a nice answer. Now, it's time for your blood test which finger do you want me to take the sample from, said Mary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Publication Date: 09-10-2015

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