Murder On The Mainline - S01 E14

Story 4 hours ago

Murder On The Mainline - S01 E14

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 14

He puts the papers back into the brief case and calls Vancouver Transit Authority. He asks for the drivers' lounge and asks the man answering the phone if Bob Scanlon is there. After a pause the man comes back to the phone and says, "Who's calling, please?"

"Tell him its Jay. I want to know about this Saturday night."

"I'm sorry, Bob is not here at the moment. He's out on a route, but he should be in by five. He's been getting a lot of crank calls lately so you will have to excuse the caution in taking your call, Jay."

"Well, thanks a lot, anyway. I'll try him at home after six. Bye now."

He starts the Mustang and heads for Surrey. Out around the Mary Hill By-pass and over the bridge he goes, taking the exit and driving by the Guilford Mall. He drives to Robert Hanson's address and parks by the curb. He watches the house and soon detects movement in a side window. Grabbing his briefcase and crossing the street he goes up and rings the bell. He wait’s then rings the bell again. The door opens a crack and he sees a frightened teenager with a black eye peering out at him.

He speaks quickly to her, flashing his I.D. "Miss Mathers, I'm here in regards to your complaint. Can I come in?"

She opens the door and says, "Please." She closes it quickly behind him and locks it. "What do you want? I told you people that I was dropping the complaint. I can't press charges. He'll kill me!" She hastens to add, "Not really kill me but he would be real mad."

"Miss Mathers, if you had taken the time to inspect my I.D. you would realize I am not with the police department. I am a private investigator investigating the death of Robert's ex wife. I presume you have read about it?"

"She's dead? Bob said she wouldn't be bugging him any more so I guess that's what he meant. I didn't know. What happened to her?"

"Miss Mathers, may I call you Marie, do you know where Bob was a week ago last night? After midnight is when I'm interested in."

"That was Thursday. He worked until midnight and was home by about one, I guess. He usually doesn't drink when he has to work evenings so he comes right home."

"Haven't the police spoken with you yet?"

"I've been away for a few days and only got back last night. Last Sunday we had a bad day and I left. I hid out at a friend’s but he had to go to work and I couldn't stay there. He works in a logging camp and doesn't have hydro or a phone in his cabin in Squamish. When I came home Bob did this to me." She lifts her blouse and he sees deep welts across her ribs.

"And the eye?"

"Yes."

"Go to a shelter."

"He'd only find me again. I already tried that."

"Your sure he came right home a week ago Thursday, are you?"

"Yes, I remember now he was in a pretty good mood when he arrived before I expected him by about ten minutes and promised me a trip to my Mom's in Truro. Then he took me in the bed and made what he calls ‘love’. I suppose he promised me the trip so he could have his way. I remember all right."

"What time did he arrive home then?"

"About ten to one."

"And he didn't leave again that night?"

"No. He rolled over after he used me and started snoring. I lay awake for hours listening to him. I guess something terrible must have happened to his ex wife, eh? With all these questions and all."

"She was raped and murdered last Thursday night sometime after midnight, but you seem to clear Bob of the charge. I guess it wasn't him. You come from Nova Scotia, eh? I heard you were from Prince Edward Island."

"I lived in Summerside for a while when I went with an airman, but my folks are in Truro. That's where I grew up."

"You seem awfully young to have gone through the troubles you have. How old are you?"

"Nineteen. I came to B.C. when I turned eighteen and that's when I met Bob. He seemed so nice then."

"Sadly enough, people aren't always what they seem. I wish I could help you. A women's shelter is the only thing I can suggest. I'll take you to one if you want."

She shudders and says, "No, please, just don't tell anyone I talked to you. If Bob finds out he will be furious."

Reluctantly Mike prepares to leave and says, "You can expect the police to question you in the near future. Bob will need you to tell them where he was the night of the murder. Maybe you can use that to keep him in line for a while. You’re his alibi. Take care of yourself now."

He lets himself out and hears the door lock click behind him. He crosses the street and gets into the Mustang. He thinks, so much for his best suspect. He debates, could she be lying to protect Robert. Has he threatened her to make her say he was home? Maybe that's why he beat her. No. She must have been away if she hasn’t been questioned by the police. Her story seems to hang together. He looks around carefully. Bob's house must be under surveillance. He spots the van up the block and gets out of the car. He walks to it and leans against the side. Nothing happens for a few minutes but then the one rear door swings open and a guy jumps out.

"Whatcha doin leanin against my van, mistah?" He comes threateningly near.

Mike grins and says, "Nice undercover disguise, buddy. You can report that the Mrs. is home now. She's in there with the door locked." He flashes his I.D.

The other guy grins and says, "Private Dick, eh? Who's paying your time away from home?"

"You got a buddy of mine locked up for the crime. I'm out to prove you wrong. It's a freebie."

"Well, it’s your time. Just stay out of our hair. What'd she say?"

"She gives him an alibi. I think she's telling the truth. Hard to tell with women who are brutalized like her, but I think she's on the level. By the way, he's off work at five."

"Yeah? Well, beat it Mike Claymore. And keep your nose clean." He climbs back into the van as Mike returns to his car. Mike curses under his breath as he drives away. Now they know he's working on the case and they'll be watching him as close as the suspects. He heads for home.

He arrives home to see Marlene with a silly grin on her face as she greets him. "I called Nina and she asked us to come over there. You must be psychic. They expect us at eight and she said to bring our bathing suits so we can use the hot tub later. Ain't that terrific? All I have to do now is try not to be too obvious in front of Nina. But I've been doing that for a long time and she hasn't caught on yet. It seems funny to discuss Jeff with you, that all."

He catches her in his arms and says, "Just remember I'm your number one lover man, beautiful." He kisses her and bends her back then releases her and smacks her behind with his palm. He goes to the office and puts his briefcase away under lock and key.

Around seven thirty the baby sitter arrives and they explain that they will only be two doors away, if she has any problems. They grab their bathing suit’s and walk hand in hand around the sidewalk to Jeff's.

Nina greets them at the door with a tray of martinis and a big smile. "Come in. Come on in the kitchen." She leads them through the house to the kitchen at the rear. As they go Mike notes that there is a small guest room at the front then the bathroom and a large master bedroom at the rear of the house. The guest room leads directly off the living room and the bathroom is down a short hall that opens out into the large kitchen/dining area. Off this is the master bedroom.

Between the living room and the kitchen is a laundry room that opens on the kitchen and a small office, Jeff's hide away. They greet Jeff and he comes out of his office to join them. Nina hands him a martini as well.

"Mike, Marlene, I'm so glad we could get together again so soon. For months we hardly see each other then out of the blue, we're all together again. It certainly is nice."

Nina says, "I see you brought your suits. Jeff thought it would be nice to have the hot tub working for tonight. Is it up to temperature yet, dear?"

"Yes, it is." He massages Marlene's shoulder. "That will take out those knots." He laughs and the others do also.

Marlene looks at him with a knowing look and says, "How did you know I have knots in my shoulders?"

Jeff quickly recovers and says, "Just a lucky guess, my dear." He leads the laughter again.

Nina looks at Mike and sneaks out a secret smile for him as she says, "Can you give me a hand, Mike, to bring up the card table."

Quickly Mike says, "Lead on." He follows her to the basement stairs. As they descend into darkness she takes his hand and leads him across the floor. Suddenly she's in his arms and kissing him. She breaks and turns on the light.

"The table's here. How are we going to get away from them?"

"Leave it to me. Let's go."

Mike goes ahead and Nina catches the light. Mike catches the other two in the kitchen with red faces and looking guilty. Nina leads him out to the patio by the hot tub and he sits the table down. He can't understand why Nina apparently didn't catch the tension in the air when they returned to the kitchen. Then he wonders how often he overlooked the same tell tale signs.

Jeff and Marlene join them. Jeff has the cards and Marlene the tray of drinks. They all sit down and cut for deal. Jeff pipes up with, "How about it, Marlene? You and I can take on Mike and Nina tonight. I think we'd make a great team."

Mike says to Nina, "They've probably been practicing when we're not around, eh?" The two of them laugh and Jeff gets red, while Marlene chuckles and says, "Sure we do."

"Maybe we should meet somewhere and practice too." He suggests and Nina laughs as she says, "Do you think so?"

Jeff says, "Let's play bridge. What you got, partner? It's your bid."

Marlene rubs Mike's leg and makes her bid. The first game is underway. They sip their drinks and play cards for about a half hour. Mike and Nina are walking away with the game when all of a sudden Jeff and Marlene come from behind and win.

"What a team!" exclaims Jeff and runs around the table to congratulate his partner. Nina jumps up and says, "Can you help me with the appetizers, Mike. It looks like the losers have to do all the work." They laugh and head inside. As they pass out of sight Mike grabs her and drags her to the master bedroom.

"Mike! They'll catch us! What are you doing?"

"Come on and keep quiet." He rushes to the window that looks out onto the patio and points in the gloomy bedroom at the couple on the patio in each other’s arms. As Nina looks and goes to open her mouth he says, "Shhhh, just watch." He slides his arms around her from behind and she relaxes against him as she watches Jeff and Marlene. Suddenly she tenses and whispers, "They're French kissing. What's going on, Mike?"

"Just watch," he whispers as he kneads her pelvis with his fingers in time to the rhythm she sets, moving her body against his. Suddenly she turns in his arms and says, "Oh God, I'm going to kill him. Look at them."

"Shhhh, what do you think we were doing at noon?"

"But that's my husband."

"And she's my wife. But two can play the game, right?"

"Jeff is kissing and, I think, he’s feeling up your wife. Don't you care?"

"Of course I care, but what harm are they doing. Let it be. Let's take out those snacks and make a little noise before you go barging out there."