Dumpster girl Chapter 3 (standard:mystery, 915 words) [3/3] show all parts
Author: Christopher Connolly	Added: Apr 10 2008	Views/Reads: 2409/1831	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Leo and Stu go to Benny's house to break some bad news.

As they drove towards Beverly Hills Leo listened to Stu talking about
some baseball game. Leo interjected now and again with a “Gee” and “No 
way” but his mind was elsewhere. Breaking the news to a family that one 
of their own was dead as roadkill was tough at the best of times but 
this was one house call Leo was not looking forward to. He wished Stu 
would shut up for one minute so he could rehearse his opening lines 
properly. Telling Big Benny that his only daughter was lying in the 
county morgue was going to go down like a lead balloon. They pulled up 
to the security hut at the entrance to Benny's driveway. The guard 
swaggered out and Leo groaned inwardly. Judging by his sneer he was one 
of those security guards who hadn't been accepted into the police 
training programme. He tapped on the window with a night stick, Leo 
rolled down the window and tried to hide his grimace at the smell of 
burritos on the guard's  breath. Even his shirt was stained with some 
foul yellow sauce. 

“Hi there” said Stu, leaning over Leo and smiling innocently. Leo shut
his eyes and wished that he could deliver a sharp elbow to Stu's 
throat, incapacitating him for the duration of the visit. 

“Well hi there” drawled the guard, his fat jowls wobbling as he spoke. 

“We need to see Benny” Leo said, keeping his face as neutral as
possible. 

“Do you now?” asked the guard “And do you have an appointment?” He put
on a British accent to pronounce his last sentence, like one of those 
English butlers Leo saw on tv sometimes. 

“No we don't, we have some bad news that we need to deliver right away,
it's about Benny's daughter Jasmine.” Leo heard Stu gasp, this wasn't 
standard procedure but Leo hadn't got to rank of lieutenant by 
following procedures. 

The guard straightened up and pressed a button on a keypad which was
dangling from his long-suffering belt. “Go on up guys.” 

Leo thanked him and they headed up the tree lined drive at a sedate
pace. “Wow this is some place!” Stu exclaimed. “Look at them trees, I 
bet they cost a lot of money.” 

Leo glanced, “Those, my friend are Borifuals, native to Bora Bora if I'm
not mistaken” 

Stu stared at his colleage open-mouthed. “You sure know a hell of a lot
of stuff Leo” he said admiringly. 

Leo smiled but thought Stu must have just got off the boat, the kid was
keen but innocent as a crocodile in a shoe shop. Dammit, shoes reminded 
him of Susan, she had abnormally large feet and had to have her 
footwear made specially by a little wizened guy in Chinatown. When they 
pulled up in front of Benny's house Leo wondered if anyone was home, 
there were no signs of any cars and the curtains in the downstairs 
rooms were pulled shut. They rang the doorbell and Leo straightened his 
tie. Looking like you had respect for the dead might earn you the 
respect of the living. The door opened slightly and a kohl lined eye 
and red lips appeared “Whadda you want?” 

The smell of booze almost made Leo step back but he managed to smile
“We're looking for Benny, is he home?” 

“Ha, home? Benny doesn't know the meaning of the word home!” The door
opened fully and a woman in a silk dressing gown stood before them. She 
was in her late thirties or early forties but attractive as hell. He 
heard Stu swallow audibly beside him. 

“And you are...” Leo said. 

“I'm Eva, Benny's wife or didn't you know he was married?” came the
sarcastic reply. 

“Can we come in?” asked Leo, he was growing tired of this drunk floozy.
“Sure you can honey, you want a drink?” 

Leo and Stu followed the bare-footed woman as she staggered towards a


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