The Case of the Innocent Cat Burglar

Chapter 7

1

Lieutenant Arthur Tragg was torn. He had to speak with Hamilton Burger regarding Jack Brace. Although, Perry did not say it was Brace, the lieutenant knew that was who Mason was representing. The LAPD had not been able to catch the man. He certainly was very good at what he did for a living. He never left a fingerprint anywhere, was never seen by anybody, and nobody who they had arrested ever turned against him.

If there was one thing the lieutenant hated, it was allowing criminals to get away with their crimes. Yet, he had been in the business long enough to know that the only way to get the higher-ups was to give immunity to the guys lower on the totem pole.

Jack Brace would be a big prize if they could prosecute him. The problem was Tragg knew fully well Burger was going to want to go after those who paid Brace to steal. Not only that, but the people who lost the valuable items deserve to get them back if at all possible.

Tragg suspected a lot of the paintings, jewelry, and artifacts went out of the country and probably weren't recoverable. However, there would be many things, probably of lesser value, that were still in the United States sitting in some rich man's mansion.

The lieutenant left his office. He was not looking forward to what he had to do. He headed down the hall toward Hamilton Burger's office. Tragg hadn't made an appointment, so he didn't even know if the district attorney would be available to speak to him. Still, he was rather certain when Hamilton found out what he wanted to speak to him about, he would make himself available.

Lieutenant Arthur Tragg arrived at Burger's office door. He opened it and walked in. Burger's secretary smiled when she saw him enter. "Good morning, Lieutenant. What brings you here this morning?"

"Is Mister Burger busy? I'd like to see him if possible. I know I don't have an appointment, but this is very important."

"One moment, Lieutenant, and I will check with him." Rather than use the phone, she stood up and went over to his office door. Tragg heard Burger tell her to come in. She disappeared inside and shut the door. Moments later, the door opened and Burger stepped out.

"Come in, Tragg."

The lieutenant followed him into his office. Burger shut the door behind them.

"What is this about, Arthur?" Burger asked.

"Mason came to see me."

Hamilton shook his head. "Did Perry discover another dead body?"

Tragg could not help but smile. It was a running joke about the number of dead bodies Mason and Drake found due to Perry's practice as a criminal attorney.

"No, not this time. It is on another matter altogether. Do you remember a while back how we were constantly trying to solve burglaries? Paintings, jewelry, artifacts, and things of that sort were being stolen on a regular basis."

"Yes, I remember. Didn't you suspect a man by the name of Jack Brace, but was never able to prove it?"

"That's right. Then all of a sudden, the thefts stopped. The word on the street is that Brace retired. He has a consulting business which he has hidden behind for years. Apparently, that's what he is doing full-time now."

"All right, what does this have to do with me? Did you finally get something on him that we can prosecute?" Hamilton asked.

"Not exactly. Like I said, Mason came to see me. He has a client who his stolen things over the years. He wants to atone for what he has done."

"So why didn't he just come to the police? Don't answer that, let me guess, he wants immunity in return for information." Hamilton surmised.

"That's exactly what Mason proposed."

"I can't believe he would give you Brace's name. All we have to do is drag him in here," Burger said.

"And do what? We still don't have any proof that he stole anything. Without his cooperation, we have nothing on him. With his cooperation, we have to let him get away with everything. Besides, Mason did not give up his name. You're not giving him credit. He's a damn smart lawyer. He's not about to admit that Jack Brace is his client."

"I suppose not. Perry has a tendency to do whatever he needs to in order to protect his clients," Burger observed.

"Tendency? You mean he will do everything within his power, right up to that line without crossing it."

"As far as we know," Hamilton said with a smile.

"So, what do you want to do?" Tragg asked the district attorney.

"What I'd like to do is have you arrest Brace and charge him with every item he's ever stolen in his life. I'd like to put him in a cell and throw away the key."

"Hamilton, this is not Fantasy Island," the lieutenant reminded him.

"I know. Wouldn't it be nice if it were? The first thing I would tell Ricardo Montalban would be to set up a trial where I beat Mason."

Tragg began laughing and Burger soon joined in. When they regained their composure, Tragg asked him what he wanted to do. "Are you willing to make a deal with Mason?"

"I don't see where we have a choice. If we don't make a deal, Mason is not going to give up his client. Not to mention, all those people who have lost valuable articles over the years would never get them back. The least we can do is get them back for them. In the process, we'll be able to arrest a lot of people who paid this guy to steal. We can also go after those who bought stolen property knowingly."

"That's what I thought you would say. I'll get a hold of Mason and set up a meeting."

The door opened and Sergeant Holcomb walked in. "I wouldn't be so quick to make that deal, if I were you."

Hamilton gave him a very stern look. "Listening at my door again?"

"I just approached it. I heard what you said and I thought I better give you the information that I have come across." Holcomb stood there waiting for Tragg and Burger to invite him into the conversation.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd go through my secretary, and do not enter my office without knocking," the Los Angeles district attorney scolded the police detective.

"Well okay then, since you don't want the information." Holcomb turned to leave the office.

"Just a minute, Sergeant," Lieutenant Tragg said. "What information are you talking about?"

Holcomb grinned, but wiped it from his expression before he turned back to face Burger and Tragg. He came forward and sat down in the chair in front of Hamilton Burger's desk.

Hamilton was not exactly happy with the way he made himself at home without an invitation. He wondered why he never got past sergeant, well, this was a perfect example why.

The lieutenant was becoming extremely impatient with Sergeant Holcomb. He always acted this way when he had information that he figured no one else had. "Just exactly what do you have?"

"I believe what you were about to do is make a deal with Jack Brace. It is not advisable since his son has taken up where he left off," Holcomb said with a smirk on his face.

Despite wanting to slap the smirk from the sergeant's face, Lieutenant Tragg held back his temper. It was something he had become very good at over the years. How do you know?"

"The Brace case has always been of interest to me. I have been keeping an eye on him ever since he stopped stealing. Now he is trying to live like an upstanding citizen. He's got a problem, though. His kid wants to follow in his footsteps. Of course, he has had a lot of encouragement from Jack Brace's former partner, Steve Edwards."

"Again, how do you know this?" Tragg's patience was wearing thin with Holcomb.

"Like I said, I have been watching Steve Edwards. The kid has been seen with him on several occasions now. There was a mansion that was broken into. The owners called the police and I happen to be with one of the officers that got the call at the time. When we got there, we found that some very valuable jewelry was taken from the vault."

"Just exactly how does that tie Steven Edwards and the kid to the robbery?" Hamilton Burger asked.

"It was the same MO that Jack Brace and Steve Edwards used on every job. Besides, there was a Chevrolet Corvette parked close by."

"So what?" Tragg said, raising his hands in the air.

"The kid owns a Chevrolet Corvette that his father bought for him," Holcomb explained.

That immediately caught both Burger and Tragg's attention. "Please tell me that someone got the license number off that Corvette," Burger said.

"Unfortunately no. Like all other jobs that Jack Brace did, nobody even noticed he was in the area. This was no different. Nobody saw them, nobody heard them, in other words, nobody saw anything."

"Do you mind telling us just exactly why this is supposed to be important? You can't tie the kid or Steve Edwards to that theft, now can you?" the lieutenant complained.

"No, I can't. However, what I can do is put a tail on the kid. Sooner or later, the two of them are going to do another job. When they do, we've got the kid on theft. We'll have him on a felony charge. You can tell his father that we're willing to drop the charges on the kid if he turns himself in and confesses to the crimes he's committed. That way, you don't have to offer him a thing. Burger will be able to prosecute him, and as he put it . . . throw away the key."

Lieutenant Tragg looked at his sergeant with disgust. "Just exactly, how long were you listening at the door?"

Holcomb smiled. "Long enough. Now, do you want Brace or not?"

Burger sat there for a moment thinking. This would be a way to get the stolen items back to their owners, yet Jack Brace could be prosecuted and put behind bars where he belonged. He liked the idea. Not to mention, he would be able to outsmart Perry Mason this one time.

"Arthur, can you put a tail on the kid as well as Edwards?" Burger asked him.

"Yeah, it can be done. Problem is, we can't do it forever."

"Well, do you want me to put a tail on him or not" Holcomb questioned, becoming impatient.

Tragg looked over at Burger who nodded his head. The lieutenant returned his attention to Holcomb. "Put a tail on them. Let me know as soon as they attempt another job."

Sergeant Holcomb stood up. He had a big wide grin on his face. He hadn't known Perry Mason was Jack Brace's attorney. This made the whole situation even better. He could screw up any attempt by Mason to allow this crook to get away with what he had done.

2

Mark Rogers left his office and headed for the agreed-upon restaurant. He was meeting Donald Fredendall and Bill Mozat. There wasn't any way either of the city council members could ignore the problem that had come about. Something had to be done about Steve Edwards. Otherwise, a lot of people would be going to jail. Mark Rogers wondered whether any of them would stay alive if this became known among the wrong people.

There were a lot of people who had much to lose if Edwards continued his exploits. There wasn't any doubt, he had to be stopped. The question was, how? Short of killing him, which Mark wasn't in favor of, he didn't know exactly what they could do. He was beginning to wish he'd never been pulled into this by the members of the city council. It had turned into a disaster.

When he arrived at the restaurant, he parked his car, got out, and headed for the door. As soon as he opened it, he spotted Don and Bill in a booth in the back. Wasting no time, he headed directly for them.

"Hello, Mark" Don Fredendall greeted him as he sat down. Bill Mosat didn't say a word to him.

"This was supposed to be a smooth operation. I want to know what you intend to do about Steve Edwards," Mark started right in on them. His voice was showing the sheer panic he'd been feeling since the visit from Steve Edwards.

"Calm down, Mark. Panicking isn't going to do us any good. We have to find a solution to this problem. That's why we're meeting here today. Tell us what Steve Edwards said," Fredendall requested.

"He told me Jack's kid is his new partner. He also said that he intends to force Jack back into the business. If he can't do that, and I don't believe he can, he expects us to continue with the same arrangement."

For the first time Bill Mosat spoke up. "Who cares what he expects? We simply tell him we won't do it. He's not going to go to the police and implicate himself in all the objects he's stolen for us. You're worrying about nothing."

"Nothing? Are you out of your mind? He has threatened to go to the police then turn over everything he has helped to steal, as well as the names of the people they went to. Do you understand what that means? There's a lot of very dangerous people out there who wouldn't stand for that. They'd blame us. Do you have any idea at all what that means?"

"Will you stop panicking? He's not going to go to the police. I promise you we'll deal with him," Fredendall told him.

Mark didn't believe for a minute that they were taking him seriously. He wasn't going down because of these people. Either they would do something about it or he would. "You damn well better deal with him. Because if you don't, we're all going down. If you think for one moment that he won't go to the police, you're delusional. He'll save his skin to take the rest of us down. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he hasn't already been contacted by the police. Think about that. He may just be setting the rest of us up." Rogers got up and stormed out of the restaurant.

Bill Mozat sat at the table is calm as could be. It wasn't his nature to panic. He didn't believe for a minute that Steve Edwards would go to the police. Nor did he believe the police would have approached him. They had nothing on Brace and Edwards. Jack was the ultimate thief. He never left a trace that he'd ever been at the scene of the crime. He simply was too talented for that. The problem was not Jack. The problem was Steve Edwards. He wouldn't go to the police, but he could attract their attention by his exploits. He didn't have the talent of a Jack Brace. Sooner or later, he'd mess up and get caught. There lied the problem. If he got caught, then all bets were off. Mark Rogers was right about one thing. He'd save his own skin and allow the others to go down. That was what couldn't be allowed to happen. Going to the police was not a problem at the present time. However, it could definitely become a problem later on. Somehow, they'd have to convince Edwards he didn't have the talent to do Jack's job.

"I don't know who is the bigger problem, Steve Edwards or Mark Rogers," Don said.

"Right now, they're both the problem. How are we going to deal with it?" Bill asked him.

"We will know in a few minutes. I asked Kirsten to join us. No one knows how to handle Edwards better than she does."

Bill wasn't in agreement that all. "You are aware the two of them have been having problems, aren't you?"

"How do you know that?" Don asked him.

"Apparently, she just found out what he's been doing for a living over the years. She's demanding her share of the money."

"That's his problem. You'll have to reveal to her where he keeps money stashed."

Bill laughed. From what I understand, he doesn't have any money. He's on the verge of losing his house."

Don didn't think that was funny. "I don't know why you are laughing, Bill. That only makes him more of a problem to us. If he needs money, we're going to have a very hard time getting him to back off."

"So what do you suggest?" Bill wondered.

"I think we need to involve our friends."

Bill certainly did not care for that option. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. You know how upset they get when things aren't going the way they're supposed to."

"Do we have a choice?" Don asked, not seeing any alternative.

Sighing, Bill replied, "I suppose not, but I don't have to like it. I don't care for dealing with them. They're dangerous. If they think we've become a liability, well, you certainly know what that means."

"Yeah, I know what it means, and I don't like it any more than you do. I just don't see how we can handle this alone."

Don's eyes lit up. "There just might be a way. If Steve Edwards wants to use Tommy Brace, then why shouldn't we?"

Don had Bill's complete attention. "Let's hear it."

3

Perry Mason pulled his Cadillac to a stop down the street from the gas station where Tommy Brace worked. He sat there for a moment and watched the young man. Tommy was filling the gas tank of a semi truck. He didn't look happy to be on the job. When he finished, he collected the money and went back into to station.

Despite the sun having set, it was still extremely warm and muggy. There wasn't even a breeze to dry the sweat from Mason's brow. With his tie removed, the buttons at the top of his shirt unbuttoned, and all the windows down on his vehicle, he sat there wondering why he hadn't changed out of his suit before he left his office.

The passenger door opened and Paul Drake got into Perry's car. "Perry, what are you doing here?"

Mason smiled at his friend of many years. He watched as the detective struggled in the front seat. Perry was a big man, but Paul was even bigger than he. The seat in the lawyer's car was pulled forward. Most of the time it was pushed back; Della liked to have her seat even with Perry. The seat was pulled forward to give Paul more room in the back seat the last time he rode with them. She had not moved the seat back. Drake, with his long legs, was struggling to get comfortable.

"Who the heck was sitting in this seat, a midget?" Drake complained. He started searching for the lever to put the seat back.

"Della rides in that seat, Paul, and she is most certainly not a midget. You won't find a lever if that is what you are looking for. There's a button in the front. Push it. It'll move the seat back."

Paul located the button, pushed it, and the seat automatically moved back. Drake grinned as he stretched out his long legs. He looked over at his friend. "You didn't happen to bring hamburgers with you, did you? I'm starving."

"You're always starving. How come you are watching Tommy yourself? Why not just put a couple men on it?" Mason asked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a package of cigarettes. He offered one to Paul, who took a cigarette out of the package. Mason then reached back into his pocket and removed a lighter. He ignited the flame and Drake lit his cigarette. Mason, in turn, lit his own.

"In answer to your question, I know you want Tommy kept out of trouble. I've got good men, Perry, but I want to make sure I don't disappoint you. I am personally making sure he doesn't get into any trouble. By the way, I thought you quit smoking."

"I did. You know Della, she always worries about my well-being."

"Well, if you quit, what are you doing with an entire pack of cigarettes?"

Perry grinned. "I am cheating a bit. Della will never know."

"Are you kidding? She will smell the smoke on you," Paul said.

The lawyer grinned again. "I'll tell her it was a moment of weakness."

Paul took another puff from his cigarette and blew out the smoke. "What brand is this anyway?"

Mason turned the package over to look at the brand. He had not bothered to specify what brand he wanted when he bought them, he just asked the clerk for a package of cigarettes of any brand. When he showed it to Paul, Drake took the package out of his hand. He placed them in his pocket and said, "Just keeping you honest. You can tell Della the cigarettes were mine. I'll keep them so you don't have to lie."

"I never lie to Della," Perry said. "She's been working for me too long. She can tell if someone is lying, especially me. You could at least give me a couple cigarettes from the package since I paid for them."

"You don't need a couple more. That's the only one you are going to get. Della expects me to look after you. I would rather face your wrath than Della's."

Before Perry could say anything, a car pulled into the gas station and Steve Edwards got out. "Oh, oh, take a look, Paul."

Drake turned his head and glanced over to the gas station. "Edwards. He can only be up to no good."

Tommy Brace came out of the building and walked a short distance to be sure they were out of earshot of the owner of the station. Both Perry and Paul could see they were having an argument. They were too far away to be able to hear what was being said, but the anger on both their faces was all the confirmation they needed.

"What do you supposed that is about?" Drake wondered aloud.

"Money. They probably don't agree about the split between them," Mason said.

A few minutes later, Steve Edwards turned and went back and got into his car. He squealed the wheels as he gunned the engine and drove away.

"Whatever it was about Edwards was not happy," Paul surmised.

Tommy Brace left the gas station and got into his Corvette. He pulled away from the curb. "Paul, we need to follow him," Mason said.

"You'd better let me drive, Perry. You tail too close. We don't want the boy to know we're following him. If he spots us, we'll never be able to keep up with him in that car, if he decides to give us the slip."

Mason got out of the car as Paul got out on the other side. They switched places and Paul slid behind the wheel. He started Perry's car and pulled it into the street. Keeping a safe distance behind Tommy, but still keeping him in their sights, the lawyer and private eye tailed Tommy to a very wealthy section of Los Angeles.

"Perry, why don't you roll up the windows and turn on the air," Paul asked.

"I can't hear conversations through closed windows, Paul."

"We didn't hear the conversation between Tommy and Edwards," Paul pointed out.

Perry ignored his remark. Pointing at Tommy's Corvette, he said, "He's stopping in front of the mansion at the end of the street. It's pretty isolated."

Drake pulled the Cadillac to a stop at the curb. "Looks like they're on a job."

A car passed them. They recognized Steve Edwards behind the wheel. Edwards spotted the lawyer on the other side of a man he didn't recognize. Fortunately, he had forced Tommy to do this job by himself. Since Jack had gone to Mason, he figured the lawyer would be keeping an eye on the boy. The man in the car with Mason had to be the private investigator who worked for Mason's office. Edwards went around the circular road and kept going. He couldn't be certain whether Mason and his private eye had seen him. He had come to observe Tommy and make sure he did the job.

Mason and Drake watched him drive away. "He must've spotted us, Paul. Go get Tommy before he enters that house."

Drake got out of the Cadillac and hurried toward the mansion. He looked down the street to be sure he wasn't seen. Paul went around the back of the mansion searching for Tommy. It didn't take long. He spotted Tommy, gloves on, working on the lock of the double glass doors into the home. Quietly, Drake moved toward him with the sleekness of a cat. Tommy didn't hear him approach.

"Hello, Tommy."

The young man turn quickly, startled by the private eye's appearance. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, Tommy," Drake responded.

"It's not what you think, Mister Drake," Brace said, knowing Drake didn't believe him.

"Right. I think you better come with me. Mister Mason is waiting in the car. I think he'll want to talk to you."

Tommy looked at Drake. He had considered not going with him, but Drake was a big man, a lot bigger than Tommy. He hadn't any doubt the man was big enough to force him. Nor did he have any doubt that Drake would do it. Rather than put himself through that scene, he left the glass doors and followed Paul back to Perry's Cadillac.

As they approached the vehicle, Tommy heard Mason's voice. "Hello, Tommy, get in." Mason had moved back to the driver's seat.

Drake opened the front passenger door and Tommy did as he was told. Mason looked at him and said. "Give Mister Drake the keys to your Corvette."

"What for?" the boy demanded.

"He's going to drive your car to your home. You and I are going to have a talk."

There wasn't any sense in resisting. Tommy already figured Mason wouldn't back down. He reached in his pocket and handed the keys to his car to Paul. Drake immediately left and headed for the Corvette. He got in, started the car, and drove away. Tommy sat there looking down. He could not face Mason. The boy was embarrassed. He hadn't even spotted a tail. His father must've asked Mason to keep track of him.

Mason started the engine of his vehicle and pulled away from the curb. He didn't say anything right away. It only served to make Tommy more nervous.

Mason finally broke the silence. "Tommy, have you ever visited a prison?"

The boy rolled his eyes. He was in for another lecture and this time he didn't deserve it. At least not in the way Mason was going to deliver it. He decided to head the lawyer off. Mason was persistent. He'd give him that. He wasn't going to give up trying to convince him to stay away from his father's occupation. "No, I haven't. Is that supposed to scare me?"

"It should, that is if you've an ounce of sense. I can arrange a tour if you'd like." Mason drove in the opposite direction of the Brace home. He wanted more time than the 20 minute drive it would normally take him.

"I don't want a tour, Mason," Tommy snarled.

"That's Mister Mason," Perry said, raising his voice. "Don't you think it is time you grow up? You don't have what it takes to be a cat burglar. You park a Corvette, of all vehicles, nearby for anyone to recognize. You didn't even check out the house in advance. You had no idea if you were going to come into contact with the people who live here."

"Steve said he cased the house." Tommy immediately looked away from Mason.

"Steve Edwards is using you, Tommy. If he can get you involve in these thefts, he can blackmail your father into going back to stealing again. Why do you think he sent you out here in the first place?"

Tommy put his head back on the headrest of the car and swallowed hard. "I know that Mister Mason. He is blackmailing me."

"Blackmailing you? How? Does it have something to do with the argument you were having with him at the gas station?" Perry asked.

Tommy looked at him and shook his head. "You're having me watched, aren't you?"

"Yes, Tommy. Your father is trying to obtain immunity from the police and the district attorney. Steve Edwards knows it. He doesn't want your father to turn state's evidence. You probably have figured out he can't perform the burglaries on his own. He wants your father back. He is only using you to force him to return to working with him."

"I know that, Mister Mason. That is what the argument was about. I thought about what you said in your office. I guess I have been a real jerk to my dad. It's my mom's fault actually. She was always demanding more from him. You see, Mister Mason, my father loves us. He has never refused me or my mother anything. My mother has expensive taste."

"That doesn't excuse what your father has done, Tommy, or for that matter, what you've done," Mason said.

"I know that, but it is a reason. Mister Mason, Steve followed me into my girlfriend's house where I stole the necklace. I didn't know he was there. He shot a video with his phone. He asked me to be his partner. Steve didn't tell me at the time that he had been there. Later, he forced me to give him the necklace, and he fenced it. I got a small portion of that money. I know he kept most of it. It was a very valuable necklace. I don't know where it went."

"How is he blackmailing you?"

"He said if I didn't become his partner and go on these jobs with him, he'd go to the police, turn state's evidence, and see to it that my father went to jail for the rest of his life. I can't let that happen, Mister Mason. This is my fault. If I hadn't stolen that necklace, my father would not be in this position."

"Okay, here's what we are going to do. You are not going on anymore jobs with or without Steve Edwards. Is that clear?" Mason told him.

"But, he will go to the police. I can't let my father go to jail. He is trying to make things right. I have to make the things that I have done right."

"You leave that to me. You just keep yourself out of further trouble," Mason said.

The lawyer pulled his car up in front of Jack Brace's home. Tommy's Corvette was parked in the driveway. Paul Drake got out of his operative's car and walked over to the passenger side of Mason's vehicle. He handed the keys to the Corvette to Tommy. The young man got out of the car, bent down, and looked at Perry Mason.

"Thank you, Mister Mason. I realize now that I do need your help. I'll do exactly as you say. You can count on it." He turned and walked up the sidewalk, opened the front door of the house, and disappeared inside.

"Did the boy actually have a change of heart," Paul asked Perry as he got into the front seat of his car.

"I believe so, Paul. Steve Edwards is working overtime."

Paul guessed, "Edwards is blackmailing the kid too."

"That's right, Paul. He is playing father and son against one another." Mason went on to relay the conversation he had with Tommy Brace.

Paul shook his head. "I would suggest you get that deal with Tragg and Burger and do it fast before Edwards gets there first."

"I don't believe that'll happen," Mason said. "Edwards is a coward. He'll never turn himself in. He's bluffing."

"Perry, I don't think you can take that chance. If he gets there first, your client goes to jail, and so does his son."

"I don't intend to take any chances. I am going to give Burger until tomorrow at noon, and then I intend to contact him. In the meantime, let's go in and talk to Jack."

"You can't. He isn't home. I already checked. I was going to drop off the keys as one of my men showed up to watch the house and follow Tommy if he leaves. Brace's wife said he was out. She didn't know where he was or how to get a hold of him.

Mason looked around. "Where's your car?"

"I sent it back with one of my boys. I figured you'd want to go out and look for Jack Brace. That is what you want to do, isn't it?"

Mason started his automobile and put it in gear. "That's exactly what I want to do. We need to find Brace before Edwards does."

"Let me give my man instructions and I'll be right back." Drake got out of the car and walked back to the operative's car. Mason watched in the rear view mirror while Paul spoke with his operative. Within a couple of minutes, he returned to Mason's car and got in. The lawyer put the car in gear and drove away.

4

Steve Edwards couldn't believe it. That damn lawyer was going to ruin everything. Well, he wasn't about to allow that to happen. Jack owed him. He was going to come back to the business whether he wanted to or not.

It didn't matter to him that Tommy did not break into the house. He already had him on video stealing that necklace at his girlfriend's home. It was time Jack Brace saw that video. If Tommy was out of the picture as a possible partner, then it made it more imperative that Jack return.

He pulled into Joe's Tavern. It was a place that Jack frequented often. He knew he wasn't at home as he had stopped by and cased his house. There was a car parked outside Jack's place. It had to be one of the Drake Detective Agency's private eyes. He didn't hang around long to ensure that he wasn't spotted.

Steve had been driving around getting madder by the moment. If he lost his house, he would lose his wife. Steve had been lying to her for some time. She honestly thought the house was nearly paid off. With the money he'd been earning when working with Jack, he was placing bets with a bookie. Steve had also been going to the racetrack and betting on the horses. He had no money left. Steve had to do something or his house was facing foreclosure. Despite the fact that he had never been faithful to his wife, he still loved her. If he lost her, Jack Brace was going to pay. He had no intention of sitting by while Jack lived high on the hog, and he was struggling to pay the bills.

He got out of his vehicle and went into the tavern. With a low ceiling, the place was extremely noisy. It took him only a couple of minutes to spot Jack. He was sitting at the end of the bar with a drink in front of him. Steve headed directly for him. Sitting down on the stool beside Jack, he said, "I think it is about time you and I had a chat. I have a video you need to see."