Disclaimer: Don't own Automan-wish I did. Please don't sue. All of the disclaimer see Chapter 1.
Ch. 5--Starting The Investigation/Finding A Clue
Walter, wearing his navy blue winter coat over top of the business suit he had on when he was at the LAPD--(He had suspected he would need it as Montana is a lot colder than California.)--and Automan--disguised in the same light blue shirt and blue three-piece suit as well as a dark gray winter coat--walked into the main lobby of a Holiday Inn in Great Falls, Montana, near the Canadian border. Wally noticed a handful of pamphlets advertising Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park--the same park John had said he worked in--on one of the end tables in the main lounge area off to the right of the main entrance. "Auto, wait here. I'll be right back."
Automan looked at Walter questioningly before noticing the park pamphlets on the end table. He nodded in understanding. He watched as Walter headed towards the lounge and waited patiently as Walter went to the end table, picked up a pamphlet, and rejoined him. They walked up to the main desk together to check in, each carrying his own luggage. A slightly balding man looked up from behind the desk as they approached.
"May I help you?" the man asked.
"Reservation for Otto Mann and Walter Nebicher," said Auto to the maitre'd.
As the man was checking his computer, Wally opened up the pamphlet and scanned the information and the map inside. "Ah, yes. Your suite is room number 406," said the maitre'd after a minute. He handed Auto the keys and rang for a bellboy to take their luggage up to their room. Auto handed over his bag. Walter handed over almost every one of his bags except one small black carry-on containing his portable computer. "I'll carry this if you don't mind," said Wally. The bellhop just shrugged and loaded the bags onto a cart.
They followed the bellboy to the elevator to their room. After the porter had dropped off their luggage, Walter gave him a tip. He and Auto entered the room.
"Nice. Very nice indeed," said Wally as he looked around the spacious suite.
"Thank you, Walter," replied Automan, smiling. "I thought you would like it."
"The first thing we need to do is figure out the patrol area that John and his partner took the day of the murders." Walter walked over to a nearby table with the pamphlet and his portable computer. He placed them on the table and proceeded to hook up the computer. Once the computer was hooked up, he dialed into the police computer of Great Falls County. He scanned the police database for the case file on the murders of his friend and his friend's partner. Once he found the file, he opened it checking for the area that was cordoned off and searched. "Here it is."
"Okay, I have it memorized." said Automan after looking over Wally's shoulder studying the screen.
"Great. Then let's get going," said Wally as he got up. They walked out of the hotel room.
Out on the street, Auto commanded, "Cursor." A ball of light appeared and started line drawing the Autocar on the street in front of Wally and Auto. With each pass Cursor made, the car gained greater detail until it was solid. Walter and Automan climbed in, and Automan drove them to the south entrance to the park.
The Autocar stopped at the park entrance, and Walter and Automan climbed out. Cursor de-rezzed the Autocar using the same line drawing technique before once again camouflaging himself as part of Auto's dark gray winter coat. They had decided they would retrace the patrol area on foot. As they drew closer to the cordoned off area, they were careful not to be seen by any of the local authorities.
"Okay," said Wally scanning the park before turning to Auto. "Which way do we go?"
"This way," replied Automan. He started walking further into the cordoned off area.
They had walked for about a mile and a half before Auto stopped and turned to Wally. "According to the police file, this is where the two rangers bodies were located." He gestured to an isolated clearing.
"Right. Let's search the area. John might have left behind a clue before he died that the others might have missed," said Wally. He stepped into the clearing quickly scanning for any superficial clues. He didn't readily see any.
Automan was also scanning the area when he stepped closer to one particular spot. "Walter, there is a small piece of metal buried here." Walter approached Auto's position as Auto bent down and started digging. Within seconds, Auto had exposed a slightly bent piece of metal. He stood up, dusted the piece off, and read the front of the pin: "'For Commendable Service'". He turned the pin over. "There are two inscriptions on the back. One inscription has been scratched over top of the other."
The pin sounded vaguely like the pin John had shown Wally. "Here. Let me take a look," said Wally. Auto deposited the pin in Wally's outstretched hand. Wally looked at the back of it. He read aloud: "'TANG. DRUGS?' What does it mean, Auto?"
"I don't know, Walter," replied Auto.
"Well, I can't make out the inscription underneath," said Wally in frustration as he scrutinized the first inscription underneath the second. "Maybe you can." He handed the pin back.
Auto studied the inscription. After several seconds, Auto was finally able to reconstruct the first inscription and read it aloud:
"'Congratulations Johnnie.
Love,
Sam and Edie'"
Wally's gaze shifted from Automan to stare at the pin in shocked recognition.
"Walter, what is it?" asked Auto unsure why his reciting the first inscription had produced such a strong reaction.
"Auto, that's John's pin!" exclaimed Wally excitedly. At Auto's look of confusion, Wally quickly explained, "That inscription was on the back of the commemorative pin John showed me at our high school reunion. He must have known I'd get involved and etched over the inscription in the hopes I would find it." His excitement was replaced by frustration. "I still don't understand what 'TANG. DRUGS?' mean, though. Let's keep looking and see what else we come up with."
After another fruitless hour of searching, they decided to head back to the hotel with the pin to try to figure out what 'TANG. DRUGS?' meant.
At the hotel, Wally and Auto were examining the pin they had recently found. As Wally sat examining the pin in his hand, his mind kept drifting back to the last conversation he had with John. He concentrated on trying to remember exactly what John had said to him...
John's voice over the phone: "I'm in some serious trouble and I need your help."
"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" replied Wally, wondering how he could possibly help.
"Life and death trouble. Look, I can't talk long. Here's the long and short of it. Seems my partner, Steve, had gotten in with some crooked local cops. I overheard them say something about a shipment coming in a couple of days--possibly drugs..."
The rest of the conversation faded in his memory. 'Local cops. Drugs. That's it!' thought Wally. He turned to Automan. "Auto, can you interface with the Great Falls County police computer?"
"Yes, we're already on friendly terms. Why?"
"I'd like to know the names of the officers involved in the investigation. I remember John telling me his partner was mixed up with some crooked local cops. Maybe 'TANG' could be the name of one of the local cops involved in the murders. They may be trying to cover up their involvement." Wally booted up his computer and dialed into the police computer. After a couple of minutes, a list of all of the officers involved in the Ridge-Daniels double homicide appeared. Wally scrolled down the list until he came upon the name "Sgt. Peter Tang". "Auto, this is it. 'Sgt. Peter Tang'. Maybe we should have a little chat with him." He got up, grabbed his navy blue winter coat, quickly put the coat on, put the pin in his coat pocket and turned to leave.
Automan turned to follow him when he stumbled and leaned on the table the computer was resting on.
Wally turned back to look at Auto with concern. "Auto, are you all right?"
"Walter, I'm very weak. All this daytime work has severely depleted my circuits. I'm going to have to be leaving you. I'm sorry. I'll meet you back here as soon as I can."
"Right. Well, see you," said Wally. He watched forlornly as Auto was forced to disappear. He turned back to the door and headed out of the suite intent on talking to the sergeant.