CHAPTER 3
"Houston." Matt answered his phone just as he was pulling into the parking garage of the Houston Industries Building.
"Hey, it's Yoshi. I don't have everything run just yet but I do have a couple of things for you."
"Okay, shoot."
"First – you were right. Coconut oil had been poured onto the seat that you brought in. And second there was a hit off of the fingerprints on the popcorn machine. They came back to Gregory Ashford. I sent the information to your email. Oh, and I've got someone getting the videos from the neighboring businesses for you."
"Okay, that's something. Thanks a lot." He hung up and got out of the truck. CJ was just exiting the elevator on the way to her lunch date. Matt let out a wolf whistle causing her to stop and pop a hand on her hip.
"You've got to be kidding." She shook her head.
"You look hot to me." He opened the door on the Navigator for her before pulling her in for a kiss. "So after lunch you're…?"
"I'm going home, hon."
"Just making sure." He gave her another kiss. "Be careful, okay?"
"It's just lunch – I'm not invading another country." She slid behind the wheel and put her seat belt on as Matt closed the door. "See you later, Cowboy. Love you."
"Love you." He gave her another peck on the cheek and headed for the elevator, Roy joining him. As they rode upstairs he looked at his uncle. "Who was it you were supposed to meet with this morning?"
"Marshall Renault. Ever heard of him?"
"No, should I?"
"I don't guess so – I hadn't either. He wouldn't tell me what it was about over the phone. But I did tell him we don't take divorce cases." They entered the empty office. Chris had already left for lunch with her husband Murray.
"Maybe whatever the problem was straightened itself out." They went up the steps and into the office, Matt going over the back of the couch and pulling up BABY to work on the list of employees that he had gotten from Ryan Quinn. Roy walked over with two cups of coffee and had a seat on the couch, handing a mug to his nephew. "Thanks." He pored over the information on the screen, but didn't find anything of particular interest on any of them, including Mitch Camden. "Huh…well, let's see what Yoshi sent me on Ashford." Pulling up his email, he began reading. "This guy has been in some trouble before but not for arson." Both he and Roy looked around as the elevator chimed. The familiar voice of Michael Hoyt rang out. "Anybody home?"
"Yep, we're in here." Matt turned back to the screen as his friend came into the office and sat down next to Roy. "What's up?"
"Nothing. Just passing by and thought I'd drop in and see what was going on." He looked up at the screen. "What are you working on?"
"The Thorson Theater fire."
"I heard about that. Damn shame – that's the nicest one in town. So what have you got?" He watched the screen as Matt showed him some of the footage and what he had found, then told him about the confirmation that it was indeed coconut oil on the seat and then last the fingerprint information. "This guy has had drunk and disorderly and assault charges, but nothing related to arson." Matt wrote down the address and looked it up on the computer. "159th Street in South Lawndale." He then went back and looked up information about the employee that had recently been fired from Thorson's, Mitch Camden. "Think I can borrow Sanchez for a minute?" He looked over at Michael.
"Sure." The cop watched as Matt pulled the phone out of his pocket. "Hey Luis…no, he's sitting here on the couch at the office." He chuckled. "Can I get you to look up a guy for me? Mitch Camden…lives over on Kingwell in the Los Feliz area." He waited. "Uh huh…that would be great. Thanks, bud. See ya." He hung up and pulled up his email. "And let's see…Camden had absolutely no record at all until about a year ago when…huh. He got pulled over for a broken taillight and had some wacky tobacky in the car. Kinda old for that."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Roy arched an eyebrow and looked at his nephew.
"Not…" He sighed. "He never got caught until last year when he was sixty one years old. Most folks start that kinda thing when they're younger…unless they've got a medical reason for it." He exchanged a look with Michael. "Guess I better go pay him a visit, too. But…" Writing down the address he closed up the computer and stood up, stretching. "First I'm gonna go see Gregory Ashford." He turned and started over the couch and chuckled. "Think Ashford is an arsonist?" He cut his eyes over at Roy and Hoyt who both rolled their eyes.
"Guess we should cut him some slack today. He did get some tough news this morning. There are going to be two more just like him running around." Roy looked at Michael and smiled.
"We ALL got some tough news this morning – who are you kidding?" They headed for the elevator. "Do you need any help with the Ashford guy?"
"Are you volunteering?" Houston hit the button for the parking garage.
"I'm between…" Hoyt's phone rang. "Yeah, Luis?" He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Yeah, I'm on it. Thanks." Hanging up he looked at the two PI's. "Duty calls."
"You said duty." Matt gave a goofy laugh as Roy slapped him on the back of the head.
"Thanks for that, Roy." Michael stuck his tongue out at his best friend. "You two be careful out there."
After an almost thirty minute trip on the 110 down to the South Lawndale area, Matt pulled into the parking lot of a nearby park and opened up the back door on the truck, retrieving two bullet proof vests. Handing one across the cab of the truck to his uncle he pulled out another for himself and put it on along with his holster and pistol. When he got back behind the wheel he pulled down his Fire Department ID and clipped it onto the front of the vest. Roy climbed back in and looked at the vest. "Nice, but just a tad big." He cut his eyes over at his nephew.
"Remind me when we get back to the office – there's two there that you can have." Matt said nothing about the vest being bigger. He was a little touchy about the weight that he had gained since marrying CJ and Roy decided it was best to skip the opportunity to rib him about it. Although he hadn't said anything, he thought that his nephew actually looked a lot better than he had a couple of years earlier, with most of the weight gain being muscle that he had put on from working out.
"Okay here we are." Matt put the truck in park and got out, going up the sidewalk and to the front porch. Standing slightly to the side, he knocked on the door. Roy remained out on the curb watching in case Ashford came around from the back. The younger Houston knocked on the door again, this time a little louder. The door was opened by a lady in her sixties who didn't look happy about being disturbed.
"This better be good. I'm trying to watch "Passion and Pride" in here. The big wedding is about to happen and Chelsea doesn't know that…what did you want?" She popped her hands on her hips.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you. I'm looking for Gregory Ashford."
"Huh, you and me both; that no good left owing me $800 and took my Great Aunt Beulah's silverware to boot. What do you want with him?"
"We need to talk to him about a fire that happened overnight. Guess you don't have any idea where I could find him, do you?"
"No, but if you do find him let me know. I'd like to jerk a knot in his neck."
"Yes ma'am – could I get your name and number, please?" Matt pulled out his notebook and she rattled it off.
"Miss Christine Frazier – 555-5584."
"Thank you. And if you should happen to see or hear anything about where he is would you please give me a call?" He handed her one of his cards.
"I will. Oh, there's the Wedding March! I've got to go." She unceremoniously closed the door and Matt turned back to the truck shaking his head. He and Roy both removed the vests and replaced them in the back before returning to their seats. "How about some lunch?" The younger man pulled away from the curb.
As they sat out on the patio of the restaurant, Matt's phone rang. "Hey Babe."
"Just wanted to check in and let you know I made it home. How's it going?"
"Too slow to suit me. I'm hunting for a possible suspect without much luck yet. How's Catey?"
"She's down for her nap right now. Sheila and I are about to have a cup of tea out on the patio."
"Alright. I've got to interview another guy – if I can find him. Right now Uncle Roy and I are waiting on our lunch." He looked at his uncle. "By the way, we were talking earlier…" He went on to tell her what he and Roy had discussed about Mama Novelli.
"I'll see what I can do. Maybe we can talk some sense into her. You two stay out of trouble."
"Yes ma'am. Love you."
"You too, sweetie. 'Bye."
Matt put the phone back into his pocket as their lunch order was brought to the table. As he dug into the Chef's Salad, he looked over at Roy once again. "I'd say if anybody can convince her it's CJ."
"I appreciate it." The two ate in silence for a few minutes. "If she finally agrees, what would you say to being my best man?"
"I'd be honored." Matt gave him a big smile. "Relax…between your charm and CJ's smarts it'll happen."
Driving back north and east once again, Matt found the home of Mitch Camden in the Los Feliz area east of the theater. It was a small house with an immaculately groomed lawn. As soon as he pulled into the curb the PI saw the sign on the front lawn: FORECLOSURE. He and his uncle exchanged a look, the older Houston speaking up. "I've got a feeling there's more going on here than meets the eye, Mattlock – and more than Quinn told us about."
"I've got a feeling you're right." Matt debated as he got out of the truck about putting the vest and gun back on but decided against it and Roy seemed to be of a similar opinion. They went up the walk to the front steps and knocked. In a minute the door was opened by a man in his sixties.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes sir, if you're Mitch Camden."
"I am." The PI showed his Fire Department ID. "Is this about the fire last night?"
"Yes sir, it is. Have you got a minute?"
"Sure…" He looked back over his shoulder. "Do you mind if we sit on the front porch? It's kind of a mess in here right now – I've been packing and there are boxes on the couch and all."
"That's fine by me." Matt stepped back away from the door as Camden came out.
"Please, have a seat." He waved to a swing and the two PI's both sat as Camden himself sat down in a white wicker chair. "What can I do to help?"
"Well…" Matt hated to even ask. Camden didn't strike him as being a fire bug or trouble maker of any kind. "Mr. Camden, you wouldn't happen to know of anyone who would want to burn down the theater would you?"
"No, most folks like it." He looked out across the yard and then down at his feet. "I didn't have anything to do with it. I guess that's why you're here?"
"Well sir, I was told that you just got fired." Houston shrugged his shoulders. "We're trying to cover all the bases and get to the bottom of it as quick as possible. If you know of anything that could help us it would sure be appreciated."
Camden looked him straight in the eye. "I didn't do it; wouldn't do it. I loved that place."
Roy finally spoke up. "Could I ask what happened? Mr. Quinn said that you had been a top employee and then…"
"I worked there for over twenty years." Camden looked around at the flowers in the yard. "My wife got sick about a year ago…bone cancer. It was always just the two of us. We never had any children. And when she got sick there wasn't anyone else to take care of her. Right before the end…" He began to choke up. "I just couldn't leave her."
"That's why you had the marijuana…for her." Matt's voice was very quiet.
"You know about that, huh?" Camden nodded. "She was hurting and wouldn't eat, and the doctors just didn't seem to understand. We tried everything and a friend of mine suggested marijuana but the doctors wouldn't give her a prescription. That was before they passed the new law. So…" He shrugged. "I did what I had to do. It helped a little bit. She died the day after I got fired."
Matt looked around at the house. "Mr. Camden…if you don't mind my asking…how much did you owe when they foreclosed?"
"$50,000. I had taken out a second mortgage to pay for Martina's medicine." He watched as Matt pulled out his phone and called the number on the sign. After being switched to two different agents he finally got through to a supervisor and arranged to have the balance paid within twenty four hours and the title sent to Camden.
"Mr. Houston…" The widower began crying. "How…why did you do that?"
"Because I can…" Matt stood up. "And somebody sure as hell needed to do it. You don't deserve that." He held out his hand to the man who shook it and then watched as the two men went down the walk and got into the truck.
"You're a pretty nice fella, Mr. Houston." Roy patted his nephew on the shoulder.
"Thanks, Mr. Houston." He drove along for a few minutes, headed back toward the office. "Well…"
"Nowhere to go on it at the moment without finding Ashford is there?"
"Pretty much." Houston pulled out his phone and made a call to Rich and filled him in. "The only thing I know to do is put out an APB on him."
"Without the video yet, that's about all you can do." Holt leaned back in his desk chair and sipped coffee.
"Alright. I'll just talk to Michael and let him take care of that for us and then…I don't know. I'll figure something out. Talk to you later." He hung up and swung by the police station. As he and Roy exited the elevator Hoyt and Lee Jennings were moving a desk around in the squad room. "Did ya go into the moving business, pard?"
"Cute, PI. No, we're getting Oxford's old desk moved out of here and making room for another. We're getting a replacement."
"And the LT here won't tell us who it is." Carl Trenton spoke up.
"They couldn't be any worse than Oxford." Matt helped them load the desk onto the elevator before walking over to talk to Sanchez about the APB for Gregory Ashford. Once that was completed he helped Jennings and Trenton move in the new desk. Just as they got it in place, the elevator chimed and a familiar face emerged: Sergeant Gabriella Giovanni stepped onto the fourth floor carrying a box in her arms. Michael had a big smile on his face. "Alright all you bums – here's our new detective." A cheer went up around the squad room.
Matt stuck out his hand and shook with the new detective who had recently been promoted. "You have my deepest sympathies and condolences, Gabby." He immediately winced as Michael popped him on the back of the head. "Better watch it, cop. That's two."
After finishing up at the station, Matt dropped Roy back off at the parking garage and headed home. Gregory Ashford most likely was their fire bug, but the PI hadn't found any connection between him and the theater. Most arsonists were looking to make a profit but some fires were started for reasons of hate. Putting the Thorson fire at the back of his mind, Matt parked behind the house nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains and was greeted by his four ladies: CJ, Catey, Sheila, and of course Tilly. He took Catey down to the barn where they went for their nightly ride on Cricket and then back up to the house for supper, after which he went back down to the barn to work with Jasper, the buckskin stallion that he had rescued a few months earlier. The horse had overcome his fear of people and was turning out to be one of the best that Matt had ever owned. They had completed most of his training already but there were still a few things that the cowboy wanted to work on and he spent as much time as possible with the horse.
It was almost dark when he made his way back up to the house and gave Catey a bath before putting her to bed and then pulling out his Fire Chemistry books and the laptop, heading out to the patio to study for the next test.