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Heimlich VonVictor
Heimlich VonVictor
Vigilante

Jul-25-2009 17:35

"This book was written by Heimlich VonVictor & describes true events that occured during his time as a detective." As he finished these final words on his manuscript he dropped his pen onto the desk. He had just referred to himself as a detective in the past tense for the first time in his life.

He didn't want to believe that it was over, but when one takes pen to paper and scribes one's life story as a matter of record, there was a sense of finality to it.

He picked up the stack of papers before him, each page a piece of a life he would never get to live again. He looked up at the framed newspaper article celebrating his 100th case solved as a detective. It had already started to yellow and fade.

He walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of gin and a glass. Even if it was a bittersweet occasion, it called for a celebration, and that meant a good Tom Collins.

He looked up at the plaque on the wall that his agency presented him upon his retirement.

"Retirement! Psh! That's rich!" he grumbled out loud to no one in particular. He remembered the exact conversation.

Eric had called him into his office and said it very clearly, "Heim, you're a liability. Some of the stunts you've been pulling lately have got the other detectives mighty scared."

He had tried to brush it off, "I'm a liability!? Do you realize how much money I pull in for this agency each year? You should be down on your hands and knees thanking me for being able to make bank!"

Eric sighed at him, "Heim, I can't keep you on. The Baltimore incident was the last straw. We'll let you retire, and we'll let it look like it was your decision to do so. We'll keep it out of the papers."

What choice did he have? He had put on a grin, went to the dinner, accepted his plaque, and faded into obscurity.

He was reliving this oh so favorite of memories when the phone rang. Startled, he dropped his drink on the floor and the glass shattered.

Replies

Heimlich VonVictor
Heimlich VonVictor
Vigilante

Jul-26-2009 14:24

There was only one way to find out. She looked at him and said, "What can I do to help you?"

Heim reached into his pocket and pulled out a napkin. On the note a name was scribbled, "Sergei Kobetz". Sliding the napkin across to her he said, "I need you to pull his arrest file and find out everything you can. Specifically I need to know what he did, who arrested him, and how strong the evidence is. I turned in my P.I. license when I retired, so I don’t have access to the files, and legally I can’t even investigate this case. I don’t have any contacts at the police station anymore, but if you do, I need you to convince one of them to reinstate my license. I never gave up my bar card, so in the meantime I’m going to go meet with Mr. Kobetz and see if I can find anything about our mysterious friend. I guess he’s my client now, so they should give me immediate access to him."

They finished up their drinks and parted ways, neither truly knowing what they had gotten themselves into…

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Jul-27-2009 04:42

Zeo looked up from his stacks of files and flushed when he saw Vulkie by the door to his office. Not only did he miss her little party, he didn't even bother to call. He knew that work was not a sufficient excuse, although it was the truth.

"You look like a starved Panda!" Vulkie mused. "When the last time you eat? More importantly, when the last time you sleep?"

"Oh please, don't remind me! Seem like the whole Sleuthville PD is on summer holiday!" Zeo replied as he signed and chopped on a file to close a case. "Um, sorry about skipping your par-"

"Don't worry about it! You just got your promotion, so this is understandable." Vulkie walked to Zeo's desk and sat on it. "Hey I do need a favour from you, Mr. Lieutenant."

Zeo looked up at Vulkie and smiled. "You never like the chair, do you?" They both knew that with their friendship, Vulkie can ask Zeo to do anything as long as it was legal, sometimes even when it was not.

"An old friend of mine needs to have his license reinstated. Name's Heimlich Von Victor." Vulkie said.

"You KNOW Von Victor?" Vulkie nodded with a questioning frown. "The guy is practically a legend! He solved the Queens serial murder, retrieved the Crown Jewel of Brunei, and arrested the leader of the North Side gang!" Zeo finished in a breath.

"Okay, so you know your sleuth history…" Vulkie said, with her eyes darting around.

"Von Victor can have it easy. He just retired. Why does he wanna get his feet wet again?" Zeo asked.

"Beats me. He seemed to be hiding things from me. But you know, that's okay. I just want to have some action." Vulkie grinned.

Zeo made a few phone calls and said to Vulkie, "Consider it done."

"Let's go for lunch! My treat."

"And leave all the work here unfinished?" Zeo looked at his desk.

"The case files are not going anywhere." With that, Vulkie pulled Zeo out of his seat, determined to feed her starving friend.


Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Jul-27-2009 04:45

While they went down the stairs, Vulkie asked Zeo if he knew anything about the case with Sergei Kobetz.

"Hell yeah, I put the guy behind bars. He murdered a Russian couple. The victims were both artists who escaped from the Soviet regime. Rumour has it that NKVD, the Russian secret police, was behind the murder." Zeo pulled out a cigarette as the two exited the station from the front door. "If that's really the case, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to nail this Kobetz guy so easily, right?"

"Was the evidence solid?"

"As a stone. Two eye witnesses, murder weapon found at his pad. He left some of his hair and a bloody footprint at the crime scene as well." As Zeo lit his cigarette, something caught his peripheral vision, something that was hurling towards him. He ducked away from it, shoving Vulkie down along the way.

Glass shattered.
Heavy scent of gasoline filled the air.
The spot where they just stood a moment ago was engulfed by a bright orange ball of fire.

Smoke. Zeo looked down and noticed that his summer jacket caught the flame. He took it off immediately, and tried to snuff the fire out.

"Forget the jacket! It's a lost cause. You alright? You hurt?" Vulkie asked.

The summer jacket was charcoal black. The perpetrator was of course long gone. "It's my favourite jacket." Zeo sighed.

"You're in the wrong business to own any 'favourite jacket', Joseph."

Vulkie was right. Who the hell had done this? Zeo wondered. He needed a drink. Any drink besides a Molotov cocktail.


Vulkie3
Vulkie3
Haynes

Jul-27-2009 07:16

"My dress" I screamed,while Joseph pushed me downwards on the street,right on a splash of left over rain. Lucky that I was that Joseph saw it,a heat from behind us crept towards us. We immediately ran from it. A molotov cocktail it seemed. Joseph's jacket was on fire,but he realised that the jacket could not be saved.

"Come on Joseph,let's get some dinner and a drink for you" I said. And so we went to Sami's. "Hi Maria. A big plate of gyros for me and for my friend Joseph a mixed grill and a whiskey. Yes I know,it's early,but he needs the drink. NOW!" I told Maria,who gave me an annoying look that I ordered her to get it immediately. 5 minutes later,Joseph ate his mixed grill and took some sips from his whiskey. I ate my gyros in silence.

"Joseph,this was a murder attempt on your life. A kind of reprisal,a kind of revenge. They want you dead since you put a well known Russian mobster behind bars. Has it ever occured to you that he's..." I said.

"Innocent? Nah. The evidence was clear about this. He was there,people saw him and the evidence points to him. There's no way..." Joseph replied.

"Unless..." I replied.

"What Vulkie? You come up with something?" Joseph asked curious.

"Unless there's an imposter. A person who really lookes like him,in face,but his voice isn't and he's different then the original Kobetz." I replied.

"That could be possible" Joseph replied.

"Come on,let's go to Heimlich's place and tell him of what we thought of." I replied and we almost left the restaurant,when Maria shouted : "Hey,you got to pay for that!". I blushed,left 50 dollars on the table,told her to keep the change and hauled a cab. And so we went to Heimlich VonVictor and explained my "theory" of a look-a-like Kobetz.

Vulkie3
Vulkie3
Haynes

Jul-27-2009 07:23

"Ridiculous. There's only one Kobetz and that's the one that this Zeo-person put away" Heimlich answered,in his best german-english voice. I hated that accent,but I got used to it. "It's not ridiculous. Everyone can look perfectly like another person and act like that person. Only the voice is different." I replied.

"It could be possible,but it's not usual for someone to do that. Usually,there's only one possible way to solve a case. And now,you're trying to tell me there's a kind of look-a-like on the loose,who would really be glad to get rid of that Kobetz-fellow" Heimlich replied.

"That's also what I'm thinking from now on" Joseph replied. I had convinced them,luckily,in my advantage.

"But how could he get the hairs then and the shoes. How could he have possibly gotten them. Kobetz hasn't reported a burglar, or anything like that" Joseph asked. "Well,it's usual for those guys to not report anything to the police. Once in the mob,always in the mob. And you don't get out of it easily. Especially not the Russian kind. Usually,they find you dead or floating somewhere, or buried in a grave deep in a deserted forest." I replied.

I once had a case,concerning the Russian mob. Seems the person I suspected was missing and I had to quit the case. Unfortunately,I found him dead,three months later. It was horrible. His teeth were pulled out,his fingers were cut off and the head was so beaten and shaved,that you couldn't identify the person,unless you knew him.

Just then,the phone rang and Heimlich picked it up...

Heimlich VonVictor
Heimlich VonVictor
Vigilante

Jul-27-2009 18:41

"Hello?" Heimlich cautiously answered the phone.

"Mr. VonVictor," the voice on the other end replied, "you did well today. I'm glad to see you understand we mean business. Remember Sergei Kobetz will walk away from this and you will catch the killer."

Before he could respond, the line went dead. He smiled to himself as he thought back to what he had done that day

***

After arguing with an officer over whether his bar card was valid, he had been allowed to meet with his client. He arrived at the cell to find a short heavyset man with piercing blue eyes and a long black beard.

"Who are you?" the man spoke with a much heavier accent than his mysterious friend.

"My name is Heimlich VonVictor. I'll be representing you in your case." he replied.

Sergei stared at him for a minute before bursting out laughing, "Heimlich VonVictor! Haha! I ask for attorney and he give me Heimlich VonVictor! Maybe I say I need to confess sins he bring me pope!"

Heim slammed his hand against the bars, "This is not a joke Sergei!" he bellowed, "What exactly are you charged with?"

Sergei shook his head, "Murder, they say I kill Russian refugees, but not guilty!" Heim felt a vein in his head begin to pulse. Murder? This was going to be an interesting case.

"Alright..." Heim stated cautiously, "Sergei, do you have an alibi for the time for the murder?"

Sergei nodded enthusiastically, "Yes! Have alibi! I was with Nikolai and Ana Romanski!"

Heimlich smiled, "Perfect!" he said happily, "How can I reach them?"

Sergei looked down at the floor, "Em... no.... they dead."

Heimlich's smile disapperared and he place his hand over his face. He was afraid to ask, but he did anyway, "They're the reason you're in here aren't they?"

Sergei smiled, "Yes you see now! But innocent! So go now?" he asked.

"No Sergei," he responded, "No go now. What happened that night?"

Sergei thought back, "Is very hazy. Was having drinks with friends. Then lights go out.

Heimlich VonVictor
Heimlich VonVictor
Vigilante

Jul-27-2009 18:42

Next thing I know wake up in my apartment with bloody knife in hand. Police kick down door and say under arrest!”

Heim rubbed his temples, “That’s quite a story,” he sighed, “but I think I’d like to search your apartment for any clues.”

Sergei nodded, “Is good!” he exclaimed, “Officer take keys when lock me up!”

Heim bid farewell to Sergei and headed down the hall to the evidence room. Suspect blacks out, wakes up with murder weapon in hand, and seconds later is arrested. The timeline wasn’t adding up and Heimlich knew it. He arrived at the desk and brought his hand down on the bell. To his surprise a familiar face stepped out of the back.

“Eric?” Heimlich gasped, “You’re a cop now!? Well in any event I need the keys to Sergei Kobetz’s apartment”

Eric sneered at Heimlich, “You? What are you doing back here? You’re not allowed to check evidence out; you’re no longer a detective.”

Heim smiled, “True, but I am an attorney, and I’ve applied for reinstatement.” He bluffed hoping that Vulkie had been able to do that favor for him.

“Reinstatement!” Eric shouted, “Ridiculous! You applied six months ago? You managed to get the signatures of five current detectives and a deputy supervisor vouching as to your skills and qualifications?”

Heim nodded, “Indeed, I found myself missing the old profession too much.”

Eric scowled, “Well we’ll just see about that!” and with that he picked up the phone and punched in some numbers. “Hello chief… yeah you’re not going to believe who I have here… Heimlich VonVictor... yeah... claims he’s being reinstated… what?... signed it ten minutes ago?... have him come over and pick it up? ARGH!” he screamed as he slammed the phone down. He tossed the keys at Heimlich and barked, “Get out! I don’t ever want to see you again. You ruined me! I want you to know that. You are a malicious and evil person!”
****

Heimlich VonVictor
Heimlich VonVictor
Vigilante

Jul-27-2009 18:42

Heim felt the keys in his pocket as he hung up the phone. He pulled out his license and looked at it almost as if it had never left him.

Then snapping back to reality he looked up to Joseph and Vulkie, “I’m about to go investigate Sergei Kobetz’s apartment. If you can come along it would be nice to have more eyes on the place. We’re looking for anything that suggests a frame-up.”


Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Jul-27-2009 21:12

"I'll have to pass that for now. A pile of cases is waiting for me back at the station, but let's keep in touch. Besides Vulkie's impostor theory, it's possible that someone may have bribed the witnesses. I'll re-examine the witness statements while I'm at it." Zeo replied.

They parted company and Zeo returned to his car. It was almost sunset, but Zeo was in the quieter part of town and avoided the heavy traffic. The drive was a treat; the cool breeze on his face really cleared his head as the heat from during the day was subsiding.

He remembered what Vulkie said about the mob, and thought that if someone wanted to do Kobetz in, they could've easily tossed his body into the ocean; why take the trouble to frame the guy? If Kobetz was innocent, then there was only one logical explanation: the real killer needed someone to take the fall for the crime he had committed, and he would be pretty pissed if someone had re-opened the case.

*Wham!*
Zeo's blue Buick spin out of control at the intersection and was tossed across to the opposite lane. An on-coming truck was speeding towards his face. Zeo stepped on the gas pedal but the car did not respond. The car door was also stuck. Blood was pumping hard through his arteries. Zeo jumped out from the window just as the truck mowed over his car.

"Are you alright?" Worried by-standers looked at Zeo, who was lying on the pavement catching his breath. He noticed that the few cars on the road had all stopped to see what had happened, all cars except the one which hit him in the first place, and the truck that crushed his car.

"I saw that Black Lincoln, it just ran a red at the intersection as if he was targeting you car." An enthusiastic chubby man said, "But I didn't catch the license plate though; hell, I don't think it even had one!"

The police and ambulance arrived quickly. Zeo refused to go to the hospital although he felt like vomiting. "Officer Chapman, take me back to the station. I've got work to do"

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Jul-27-2009 21:45

* * *
"What do you mean the witness statements had been transferred? I haven't yet release them!" Zeo bellowed. Back at the station, Zeo tried to call both Vulkie and Heimlich to warn them, but of course they were not at home. He then looked for his case files on Kobetz, only to find them to be gone.

"The prosecutor's people came in earlier today. They said it was urgent and had Captain Barnes sigh them off." the assistant replied nervously. It was no use going to Barnes. He had always hated Zeo and would do anything to get on his nerves.

Someone seemed to want to hurry the prosecution, get Kobetz convicted quickly and close the case. Zeo then noticed a box sitting on his desk. "Who put it here?" Zeo asked, the assistant only shrugged. Zeo dismissed her and opened the box carefully. A gold Rolex, and a typed note:

"Sure beats fire, car crash and a F/A. All you need to do is... nothing."

So, it all ends with this, bribery. All he needed to do was to stay out of it. Why risk his life and in the end receive a false accusation for someone he himself had put behind bars, right? Zeo felt dizzy from the crash. He then noticed a drop of fresh blood on his desk.

*Drip*
Another drop.

Gingerly Zeo touched his face. The blood came from his nose. 'Ah, it's just a nose bleed.' Zeo thought. He sat down on his chair and everything fell black.

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