Garbage Gold
Clyde left or when.
The bell rang again.
She straightened her robe, went to the door, and opened it.
There were two men masked in wool outside. She forgot about the plan. She screamed and went on screaming
‘Why the hell are you screaming?’ Al asked. When she continued doing that, Al pulled out his .38 and whacked her behind the ear. She fell down unconscious.
Clyde sped into the living room from the kitchen. He saw the two men and thought ‘mob hitmen.’ His .25 was in his pants. And his pants were on the floor. He dove down and groped for his gun. He found the gun and raised it.
But Al aimed first and fired twice. Clyde managed to squeeze a shot which just went wild. Then he remained still.
The hitmen took a good look at the dead dude. He wasn’t the man Carla described as his boss.
Unknown to all, Carla’s boss was presently drunk and had forgotten about his date with Carla.
Benny checked Carla’s condition and saw that she was unconscious but not in danger. He and Al wrapped Clyde’s body into a rug.
‘Let’s loot the place. This must look like a robbery,’ said Al.
They took all the jewelries and cash. Al found Clyde’s wallet and saw the name on the driver’s license: Clyde Quintos. They took the rug-wrapped body into their pick-up. They plan to dump it at some river out of town.
Mr. Maceda came home one night to find his house trashed and searched. It looked as though a gang ramble had taken place inside. After informing the police, he suddenly remembered the piece of paper he took near the body of Sally. He’s still wondering what those names and numbers on the list meant. Maybe this list was what the intruder was looking for.
He decided to make a photocopy of the list then give the original copy to the LPPD. Maybe he might play detective and explore this clue. His life had been lacking excitement for a long time anyway.
After Lt. Picasso of the LPPD saw the ‘hit list’ clue, he decided to visit Sally Valles’ next door neighbor.
‘Do you know anyone who visits her?…relatives or friends?’ Joe P asked Mrs. Rivas.
‘My daughter is…rather was a friend of hers. Maybe she knows but she’s out yet.’
‘Would you please give me a call when she’s available?’
‘Sure I would officer.’
Thank you ma’am.’
Joe P gave her his card then said goodbye.
The next day, Mr. Maceda was found murdered.
Mrs. Rivas phoned Joe Picasso and informed him that the murdered man visited her yesterday asking about Sally. Joe P decided that he must talk to her personally as soon as possible.
This time, it was Nina the daughter of Mrs. Rivas who were talking.
‘I saw Rolly coming in with a man and a lady and they all seemed upset,’ Nina said.
‘Anything else unusual you noticed?’
‘Aah… I don’t think so. But I took down their car’s plate number just in case they’re…you know…involved.’
‘You’ve got a wise daughter here Mrs. Rivas,’ Joe turned to her. ‘And I’ve got a feeling she’d just put a nail on the coffin.’ Joe P said smiling.
The LPPD traced the plate number to a certain Carmi Laperia. Address: 5542 Ortega Avenue. After a few more hours, Joe P and his partner Bravo were there knocking on the door.
Carmi opened the door and was shown a search warrant. They were interrogating her when Mel Figuerra entered the house.
‘Excellent timing Mel! Bravo greeted with enthusiasm. He remembered the security guard from Sally’s crime scene. ‘Just in time for our interview.’
After Mel was bodily searched, they found a photocopy of the ‘hit list.’
Both Mel and Carmi ended up testifying and accusing each other as the mastermind and killer of Sally and Mr. Maceda.
When the LPPD got hold of Rolly for questioning, his statement was: ‘Mel and Carmi were forcing me to produce a list I know nothing about.’
In retrospect, Joe P thought this was the most farcical and wasteful case he ever had. Two murders for a ‘hit list’ where no one hit pay dirt (as far as the investigation went).
Garbage Gold.
Garbage indeed.
Clyde Quintos is a computer hacker who once tried ‘Identification theft’ and stole more than 5000$ from his effort. Then he heard that someone named Rolly Valero was trying to sell ‘contacts’—names of people and their credit account numbers.
Most people are careless with what they throw as trash. And most people throw mails and receipts from banks and companies in the garbage—not burn or shred them. And that’s how Rolly ‘RV’ Valero collects his ‘contacts’ or ‘hit list’—through garbage!
CQ will buy RV’s ‘hit list’ tonight.
But Rolly was having a fierce quarrel with his girl (milking cow is more precise).
‘I’m paying for all our expenses and now you’ll even put me