Chapter 7- Solving the problem by looking at fish
As the boxes began to crash toward him Danny stood frozen in motion seemingly unable to move. Then suddenly a giant hand pulled him out of the way and the boxes smashed beside him loudly. Danny threw Kono a grateful smile before running after the fleeing guard. Maybe he'd just avoided the accident that saw him hospitalized he thought as he ran, now he could concentrate on trying to solve the problem of the bomb.
Danny heard cars toot ahead as the guard ran across the road then came a sickening noise and Danny sped up his pace having a horrible feeling what he was going to find.
Sure enough there sprawled out in the middle of the road unmoving was the guard. A panicked truck driver stood saying,' he just ran out in front of me' to anyone who'd listen. Danny bent down over the sprawled figure and stuck his fingers against the side of his neck. There were no signs of life. Danny looked up at the truck driver who'd gone rather green and sunk to the ground begging, "please don't arrest me".
"It's alright " Danny reassured him .Danny frisked down the guard, only retrieving a box of cigarettes from his pocket. Transferring them to his own pocket Danny covered the guard with his jacket. A puffing Kono finally arrived , "that our suspect", he asked nodding toward the jacket covered body. "Yes", Danny acknowledged.
Kono shook his head, "guess he won't be telling us anything', he stated sadly.
"No we'll have to search his office in the Hotel and his home to see if we can find a connection between him and the fake David", Danny reported. "I'll phone the coroner and wait with him while you organize the search", Kono offered. Danny nodded soberly, "you can search his house after the coroner arrives", Danny instructed nodding toward the dead guard. Kono nodded his understanding of the instruction but his eyes never left his colleagues face and Danny decided Kono had some question on his mind. "Danny", Kono finally said in a puzzled tone " what did you think you were doing just standing waiting for those boxes to fall on you. It was like you expected or wanted them to fall". "Oh I just guess it was one of those you know it's going to happen but can't move moments", Danny explained lamely. "Thanks for saving my hide", he threw one of his brilliant smiles Kono's way and watched his colleague relax. "I'll see you later", he told him, as he strolled back toward the Hotel.
The Hotel Manger looked very unhappy when Danny informed him about the guard, "another death detective Williams, people will start to say the Hotel is cursed or something". Danny shook his head, a staff member was dead and all the Manager was worried about was the effect on his business. "How long had Mr Jenkins worked for you", Danny enquired . Oh Over a year now", The manager replied reluctantly.
"Did he have many friends", Danny wanted to know. The manger looked thoughtful,
"No he wasn't the particularly chatty type at least not with the staff. In fact….", the manager broke of biting his lip. "In fact what", prompted Danny. "Well he didn't seem overly dedicated to this job I was actually beginning to suspect he had another job somewhere and was just after the money", the manger explained.
Danny acknowledged the managers words obtaining the key to the guards office. If he had been moonlighting then perhaps there was a clue to what his other job had been.
Did you get references", Danny asked before he departed. The manager looked offended ,"of course he had good ones too, worked at other Hotels before this one".
Danny went to the lift and up to the floor where the guards' office had been located.
After over 1 hour of fruitless searching Danny determined the guard was very careful at covering up any link to another job. In fact there was very little even of a personal nature to be found in the office. Returning to his car Danny contacted Kono who was searching the guards' home.
"This guy didn't have much in the way of personal belongings Danny', Kono reported. "His apartment has no photos or anything". "That sounds suspicious", Danny stated. "Yes", Kono acknowledged," he was definitely being careful about personal information, too careful."
"Well wind it up there Kono and take anything useful to the lab", Danny told his colleague.
Damn this was so frustrating. Feeling the need for a walk Danny set off down the sidewalk. He put his hands in his pocket and felt the cigarette packet. Even though he'd stopped smoking awhile ago Danny found himself pulling out a cigarette.
"Got a light", he asked a passing stranger. His cigarette was lit and Danny continued his walk not noticing Steve's Mercury pulling up alongside. "Danno", Steve called.
Danny jumped turning quickly. He saw Steve's eyes widen at the cigarette hanging from his mouth, coughing and spluttering an embarrassed Danny approached his boss.
"I uumm heard about the guard Danno", Steve stated not taking his eyes of the cigarette," any leads." "No, nothing, Danny grumped, "this guy is trying hard to hide something but how that related to the fake David and any threat to the Governor or any damn thing I don't know." Steve's eyebrows went up and his eyes glittered dangerously. "You'll work it out I'm sure Danno", was all he said . "Remember our little chat around 4pm. Now I'd better get back as the Governor is sending over the schedule for the visit of those officials next week", Steve remarked.
Danny began to relax as Steve reached for his key. "Oh Danno", Steve stated, "I don't want to see that cigarette at our meeting understand". Danny nodded rigidly.
Returning to his walk Danny decided the only way to prevent the bombing was to be at the offices himself in the morning, early before anyone else got there.
He stubbed out the cigarette then reached into his pocket for the packet. He'd better throw it away now before he got further tempted. Almost instantly he forgot his resolve his fingers pulling out another cigarette, a piece of paper fluttered out with it.
Danny picked up the paper and opened it, reading the message within. With a puzzled frown he changed direction heading for the destination written on the paper.
Steve shook his head as he returned to his office. He should have realized by Danny grumpy behaviour of late that he'd started smoking again. Steve would have to crack down again and convince him to stop . Strolling to his office Steve didn't have to wait long before a courier arrived with papers from the Governors office. This was the promised schedule for a visit by dignitaries from China that was happening in a couple of weeks. There was a note affixed to the front. "Don't go over these now Steve, deal with the David issue first. We have a meeting scheduled next week anyway and can look over the dignitaries schedule then." The Governor had signed his name. Steve sighed and put the papers in his top desk.
Danny looked at the offices he'd arrived at with a puzzled frown. The location was an out of the way place with not a lot of people around. There was something almost familiar about the address. He casually entered the offices.
"Yes can I help you sir", an attractive secretary asked with a smile. Danny didn't flash his five –o badge. He just smiled in his most appealing way and asked, "I'd like to speak with Mr Timothy Jenkins please." The secretary smiled. "He's our security guard and is not due to be on duty for another couple of hours". Is there anything I can do to help." Danny smiled back again, "Oh no, Tim had just wanted to buy something off me and I'd thought I'd see if I could get the money now", he lied.
The secretary nodded her understanding. "Come back around 7 sweetie", she told him.
Danny nodded but didn't moved just watching the secretary. By moving a few steps back he realized he could hear what was going on in the office behind him. "Do you get a break", he asked the secretary. She smiled and fluttered her eyebrows at him.
"In a little while", she acknowledged. "I might just wait", Danny replied flirting with her. She didn't complain so Danny slipped into a chair and pretended to study a magazine while he listened to the conversation coming from the office. "Did you do it", he heard. "Yes Sir, just as you said, he won't suspect a thing". There was a chuckle. "You know this is rather a clever plan", a voice acknowledged. "Yes it is", came an agreement. Danny thought their words sounded vaguely suspicious but then again maybe they were just talking about something to do with business. He froze then as the office door opened and a man came out. Danny kept himself firmly hidden behind the magazine, he recognized this man and had no doubt that this man would also know him. Luckily he just briefly glanced at him. "Is he here on business", the man asked the secretary. She blushed, "he's waiting for me", she replied.
"Well he can wait elsewhere", the voice demanded. "Alright", the secretary agreed. Danny waited for the man to retreat back into the office before he left. He couldn't risk being seen.
Once back outside he stood trying to work out the connection between the man he seen and this case.
He decided he'd better radio this information through to Steve. Walking to his car, Danny stopped staring at the smashed windows and wrecked radio. This was not a terribly friendly neighbourhood and his car had obviously screamed cop to someone.
After a few failed attempts to start it Danny realized other things must have been done to his vehicle. He looked around, there were very few businesses open around here at this time. This neighbourhood sprung to life mainly at night. Exiting the car Danny hurried onward looking for signs of a call box . He looked out over the sea watching as a fishing boat went out to get its catch. Suddenly something clicked in his mind and he knew what this whole case had been about. Moving rapidly now he ran down the street his search for a phone now frantic. He heard the sounds of a car coming and slowed preparing to flag it down. The car though seemed to be behaving in an erratic manner and as he stood frozen it crashed into one of the nearby buildings. Danny felt himself get peppered by glass as the window broke. Falling to his knees pain became more intense and looking down Danny saw a hunk of glass sticking out of his side.
Desperation though began to take over . The accident had just happened and if he passed out he wouldn't regain consciousness until after the bomb went off.
Ignoring the pain he began to jerkily move himself forward. He could hardly even discern the laughter as the obviously drunk occupants of the car looked at their handiwork. Keep walking he told himself. Taking another step Danny felt a shooting pain and unable to stop himself fell to the ground. As his senses started to fade Danny screamed "no", loudly deciding that he failed and now all his friends were going to die.