D&C 2.15: Prostitute or Courtesan; we care

Prostitute or courtesan; we care

Prostitution is one of the branches of the sex industry, with various legal status from different countries. Depending where you solicit, it may lead to a punishable crime or a mode of income. Estimates place the annual revenue generated from the global prostitution industry to be over $100 billion. Not bad for the "the world's oldest profession". But killing outranked it in terms of death; be it legal or illegal. I got the call that a lady was murdered in a lavish expensive penthouse in downtown; the end where the rich lived with their own peers, and watched the three quarters starve or worked hard.

I once knew a classmate in my high school, he told us he was there temporary until his parents decided on his 'princely' school. He left us after one week, and bought us all fried chicken for lunch. We took it compared to our school lunch which was less appetizing. His parting words was 'see ya, scoundrels and laid back'. We threw the chicken bones at him.

"We found a name in her bag." The uniformed handed the name card. "Honey Tiffany. Call me at 3XX 2XX 3XX."

I asked for the bag and was handed an expensive reptile skin one. I bought one for Jenny, and it was a wallet that cost half my pay check. I checked the contents, and discovered the driving license.

Jennifer Lilian Tobias.

Later I ran some checks on her and found out the apartment was in her name although she used to work as administrator in the law office of Riordan and Noys. But back at the crime scene, Dan arrived and inspected the body. He stood up and told his apprentice to bagged it.

"No initial assessment on the victim?" I asked Dan.

"Looked like overdose but I can't be sure until I run the tox test." Dan walked off. He was in a foul mood. Then I recalled; he hated the filthy rich. He was from the rags to moderate background. I had the place searched for drugs and found half a dozen from amphetamine to Viagra but no hard drugs like heroin. I went down to the security office and asked them statements. Those guys there worked like the crime lords; we ain't talking until we see our lawyers. I dragged all five of them to the Precinct with the day's recording on the camera. It was cameras; the place had more cameras than my old High School bathrooms.

After a three hours of checking, I got two visitors in my section. They were with the Commissioner.

"This is Edison Thames, personal aide of Mr Jameson Munch. Thomas Mathew, Attorney at Law. Riordan and Noys" That last name ran deep into my nerves; the man own some high income buildings, including the tower which Jennifer was laid to rest. Mr Thames was a former army officer in the Rangers, and a tougher one at that. He stepped forth to state his reason to come into the section. It was not our decor; it was his boss decor.

"Mr Munch wants this case solved fast and low profile." With that the personal aide left us. I got the usual grilling from the Commissioner. He was a nicer person before he become Commissioner. I went back to my evidence contents and found like who's who had the need to have the name on the society page. At that time of Jennifer death, three person was at her level, and only one was seen going in the suite next door. And then he left.

Clarence Thames, the son of Edison Thames.

We picked him up.

"I don't know any Jennifer Tobias." I shoved the photo to him. Then the one when she died. He puked on the flooring.

"Her name Mary Anne." Clarence spoke the truth soon after. I was to asked more when the lawyer barged in. Thomas Mathew, the attorney with one thousand an hour was paid by the father's employer. They marched me out and soon the son was out on lack of reason to hold him. So I went over to see Di Angelo.

"Do you remember Archie Matheson?" Di Angelo was digging deep into his memory for that name. I fished that guy out of the bathtub when one of his mistresses dunked him there after he got number seventh for the week. Archie insisted all his ladies are called courtesans. In the words of Archie, they are paid to service only myself.

"Well, I found out that old man Munch had a mistress named Tiffany." Di Angelo was better than most Federal servers but how could I questioned a man which only the Secret Service approached. If I could not approached the victim' direct parties, I went for the dealers who supplied the drugs. I looked to the drugs seized, and found the druggist that sold the drugs.

"Mr.Marcel, I could get the warrant to check your records and probably digged up more dirt than one customer of yours." The druggist was compliant to reveal the records of Jennifer Tobias aka Tiffany. She do sometimes have some one picked it up. We got the name.

"Mr.Thames, do you also work for Jennifer Tobias or you were her client too?" I looked hard at the older Thames. He was unfazed by my glare. All he said was he would wait for his lawyer. I opened the door to tell the uniformed to hold young Thames.

"Detective, you let my son of this or I would had you flayed alive." Older Thames was in rage. He gripped the table edge hard with his strong grip. I stepped back in and smiled.

"Okay, it was not me. Sometimes Clarence picked it up. Mr Munch sent him. I never agreed but who was to argue with him. He was the Boss." Elder Thames spilled it out. "The old man could not get it up or last the pace. He needed the 'pacesetter'."

Pacesetter? I think I needed more than that. Then Dan called me up. "Jimmy, she was held down from the marks we got from the arms. We are getting prints checked."

Damned! The case was more than an overdose and now murder. The prints came when I was driving to the penthouse. I changed the direction at the corner. I hate those overcharging professionals.

"You found my print on Ms. Jennifer Tobias and blamed me for killing her. I did meet her, or more than that. I was in her bed the night before. She would take on anyone who would satisfy her." Mr.Mathew made his statement. "I work for the old man only he pays my bills. I am no charitable attorney."

I looked at the Attorney. He smiled.

"I pays I work. I don't pay to get the lady to the bed. They pay me with satisfaction for my millions." With that the Attorney walked out. 

As usual we were screwed. Or more like she was screwing.

I went back to the evidence then next day. I checked the cameras. I traced back to the three previous days. I saw the Attorney arriving. He went into the unit. There were some visitors but there was one whom I could not recognised. He went into the next unit which Clarence was in. He left after Clarence did on that day. I send them for photo recognition.

I picked up my jacket and re-visited the neighboring unit. The unit was bare of furniture but it had a two way mirror on the wall. There was a tripod mark on the flooring before the mirror. There was also a hidden door to the other unit.

I called in the Forensics.

At near supper, I had a new warrant. I knocked on the door of the Munch family. Older Thames answered the door. He tried to block us but we moved in regardless. I asked for the man himself.

"I am Jameson Munch. Say what you want and leave. I would get my lawyers to reply to you."

"Mr Jameson, we found your prints at the neighboring unit, and we have a warrant to search your house." I told the man. He went up in rage. He refused us and we had the Attorney there citing personal rights and million dollar suits. It was then I saw Clarence driving out. I shouted to the Uniformed to stop him. He did not stopped but raced out. I got the car chased by two patrol cars. They chased him over three streets before he crashed into the street lights. We found in his back seat the camera and tripod with a portable hard disk.

We ran the tests on the hard disk and found more conclusive evidence. Clarence was questioned in the morning.

"I was paid to filmed the others. It was Jameson' request." Damned the man needed more than drugs to move his fire engine.

"Who was in the unit besides you?" I asked Clarence. It was then Thomas walked in. I was actually waiting for him too as he was on one of the clips. So maybe he had a motive.

"Did you know about the recording?" I confronted the Attorney. He denied it all until I said we would had the clips released to the networks to find the participants. That was when he confessed.

"Yes, I went berserk. I confronted her but she denied it all. Then after a few hard push and reminding her of her previous attachment. She was sleeping with the clients for us until the old man discovered her unique talents. He paid for her to be his personal courtesan but she wanted more. She came back to me. We did when he was not around."

"I did not kill her. I may had hurt her but I did not kill her." Thomas declared his innocence.

So it boiled down to the unknown man who met Clarence. I called for Clarence but he had left with his old man. I set up a BOLO for him and the old man. They found the duo on the hills. I raced there with Di Angelo hot dogs. I found the old man sitting with his son at the edge of the forest. The man was armed with a gun but the uniformed officers held back. So was the SWAT team. I walked up to the father and son. I saw the gun was aimed at the son. There was more; the father had some C4 tied to his son.

"When I knew of the filming, I went to check. I went to look for Clarence. He confessed to me that he was doing it for the old man. I went in rage,and chased him out. I then saw the door and went in. She was half dazed. I grabbed her and lowered her to the bed. She was screaming me for the drugs and I fed her. I just kept on feeding her. I was in rage and did not care."

I knew that look. I told him.

"Don't..." But he was past listening. He was too proud to let it go. I turned and ran but at my age, it was easier with the downhill slope. The explosion was directed upwards, with both of them blown up.

"I represent Mr Munch. He wants the hard disk which was taken by your forensic." The one thousand dollar Attorney came in representing Mr.Munch.

"We had them returned by general mails. You know, budget cuts." I replied. He would know later when the networks run it.