Jack Spade: Dream Detective

Chapter 5

Jack Spade is awakened by someone banging on his hotel room door. “Jack, Jack, you in there?” “Yeah keep your pants on, “He shouts through the door. “It’s Joe, who do think it is? Open up!” Joes hurries in. “So what’s so important it couldn’t wait until got in the office.

“I got bad news, Jack.” Joe lets out a big sigh. “It’s about your father.”

“Well,” says Jack, “what is it?” Joe pauses for a second then tells him he’s dead.

Jack and his father were estranged for a very long time. His mother died giving birth to him and for a long time his father blamed him.

But the last few years, they had become closer. It may have been because his father had gotten sick over the years with his heavy drinking, but whatever the reason, they were at least talking.

But now he was gone. Jack looks

Stunned for a minute then he runs his fingers though his dark, curly hair and turns around to sit at the table. He gazes at the picture of his father and mother.

“You okay, Jack?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Later he takes care of all the arrangements for the funeral.

While he and Jennifer are at his old man’s house, he sees an old picture of his dad and his mother; she was really beautiful. Then he sees a letter that is addressed to him. His father must have written it a few days before his death.

It said that he was sorry for all the harsh things he had said and done to him, all those years of blaming him for his mother’s death. It also said how proud he was of Jack’s war record.

As Jack is reading, Jennifer comes over and they embrace. “Are you all right,

Jack?” she asks, holding his hand tightly.

“I’m fine baby,” he says as he tries to hold back his tears. This was quite a revelation, his father saying he was sorry for all the hurt he had caused. Even though he did not say it when he was alive, it still felt good to Jack.

The funeral is not very big; just a few of Jack’s friends and his father’s friends, old timers from WW1.

The service is short and sweet, as they say in San Francisco. When the

Preacher asks if anyone wants to say a few words, Jack looks around for someone

To get up but no one does so he slowly stands up to speak. His words come slowly but tenderly as he speaks of the man he just met in the letter his father had left him.

After the service the coffin is slowly lifted into the hearse and they drive to the cemetery. On the way it starts to rain. Jack’s mind wanders back to when he was a kid, and his father was in one of his hitting moods; it was over something silly, he had forgotten to turn off a light. His father had hit him so hard with the buckle of his belt that it left a lasting scare on his cheek. Funny thing; when people saw it, they thought it was a birthmark. Some birthmark. He felt so bad about it, he started saying it himself, that it was a birthmark.

That was when he had run away, and went to live with his grandparents, who were in their late seventies. Those were the happiest times of his young life. They had a farm in Nebraska and they gave Jack the things that he so desperately needed, love and understanding. When they told his father that Jack was with them, he told them good riddance.

He stayed with his grandparents until he was eighteen then moved out on his own.

Over the years, Jack had attempted to reconcile with his father. They went out a couple of times before he went off to join the army. The last night they were together they got in a

big argument but no matter how bad his father treated him, Jack loved and respected him to the end.

Soon they are at the grave site. A few last words are said, and his father is laid to rest with all the proper military procedures.

A few hours after the funeral, Jack and Jennifer go back to his hotel room. When they get there, they are surprised to see that

His place has been ransacked. It is really a mess. “I wonder what they were looking for,” says Jack as he walks around the room, picking up some of the scattered papers on the floor.

Jennifer, on the other hand, looks as if she may know but Jack does not notice her expression.

“Look, baby,” says Jack as he turns to face her, “why don’t I take you back to your place?”

“You sure, Jack?” she says.

“Yeah, baby, I can clean this mess up some other time.” He has no idea what the intruder or intruders were looking for. And with all this mess, he has no idea that some of his ID cards are missing. Not the picture kind, these just had his name and profession on them… ‘Jack Spade. Private Eye.’

He uses them to drum up business. You can have them printed up at any print shop and they are good for advertising. But why did the intruder want them? What could possibly be their motive?

When they arrive at Jennifer’s hotel, they sit down on her very

Large leather couch. She runs her hands over the back of his neck. “You want something to drink, honey?”

“No,” replies Jack as he gets into one of his ‘I want to be alone’ moods. When he acts like that, it is hard for her to read him but, being a woman, she knows what to do.

She gets up and goes to her bedroom to change her clothes. A few

Minutes later, she comes back wearing a black nightgown with a long slit

Up the sides that shows off her lovely long legs. She goes over to Jack and sits on his lap.

First she begins to kiss his right ear very slowly then his left and then his lips. Pretty soon Jack stands up with her in his arms and takes her to the bedroom. I guess he does not want to be alone anymore, and who in his right mind would with a girl like Jennifer at his side? A few hours later, Jack wakes and gets out of bed without disturbing Jennifer and Goes out to the living room to have a smoke.

Pretty soon Jennifer realizes that he is not in bed and quickly gets up to look for him. She sighs with relief when she sees him on the couch. “I thought you had run out on me again,” she says, smiling. “What’s wrong, Jack?”

“It’s nothing, baby. It’s just that sometimes I can’t sleep. Insomnia,” he says quickly.

“Are you sure, baby… that it’s not your father?”

“Yes, baby, I’m sure… it comes and goes. You go back to bed.”

“I will, baby, but first I need to ask you something.”

“Yeah, baby, what is it?”

“The other night when I phoned you and you hung up on me, you said something about asking my boss?”

“Oh that,” says Jack, “I almost forgot all about it. Moreno’s men grabbed me that night when the lights went out.”

“For what?” replies Jennifer.

“That’s what I said…he said he wanted to know all about the Lauren Jefferson case. How it was going, and have I found out anything…and he didn’t want you to know about it.”

“Oh,” says Jennifer with a queer look on her face, “I see,” then she goes back to her bedroom. Jack does not press her for answers. He just sits back and smokes his cigarette. He has always been cool and laid back. The truth is at the moment he is not that concerned about Bill Moreno. And he does not think that Jennifer has anything to hide.

A few days later, Jack is at his office when the phone rings.

“Hello, Jack.”

“Yeah, who is this?” It’s Peter Kimble.

.

“How you doing, buddy?”

“I’m fine, what’s with the big concern?”

“I just heard about your father passing. I’m sorry I didn‘t make the funeral.”

“Peter,” replies Jack, “That was a week ago…isn’t that just like the cops, always late! Is there anything else, Peter?”

“Oh, one more thing. We got a tip about Mrs. Jefferson.”

“Yeah? What?” Jack’s sarcasm quickly turns to elation since he and Joe were getting nowhere with their investigation.

“Come on in and find out,” replies Kimble.

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

Peter Kimble had always wanted to be a cop, just like his old man, who had died in the line of duty. There is a rumor going around that his father was on the take, so Lieutenant Kimble is always on the up and up. In other words, he is a hard- nosed cop who always goes by the book. That’s why he has the nick name ‘Hard-Nose Kimble.’

If Jack ever needed him for anything, he could count on Peter Kimble. Kimble looks like a cop, walks like a cop and drinks like a cop. It’s his whole life but he is still and always will be a good friend to Jack.

One time when they were kids, Jack had just gotten one of his many beatings from his father. He was in the basement of their Home crying in a corner. “What’s wrong,

Jack?” Peter asked.

“One of these days when I grow up, I’m going to kill him,” replied Jack.

“You can’t do that!” said the young Kimble as he reached down to help his friend up.

“And why not!” Because if you did, I’ll have to arrest you. ”He said smiling,

So you see Peter Kimble has always wanted to be a policeman. It has been in his blood from the beginning and will be that way until the end.

Once he is at the station, Jack asks to speak to the Lieutenant; one of the cops tells him to go on to his office. Kimble and two other men are interrogating a suspect who, the police think, may know something about the missing Lauren Jefferson.

Jerry is just a local five-and-dime pretty boy who thinks of himself as a ladies man. I guess some women might find him attractive. He has big broad shoulders and big blue eyes, and his family is loaded.

He is in his early thirties, has dark blond hair and an Errol Flynn mustache. He is about 5’11” and weighs about one hundred and seventy-five pounds. Jerry doesn’t have a job. He never needed one as he got an allowance from his rich family, who got their money investing in the stock markets. But they had gotten tired of his laziness and womanizing and have stopped giving him money. Because of this he would do just about anything to make some money. Word on the streets is that he has even started running a p**********n ring. They say he is pimping white and black girls.

“Look, Jerry, we hear you were running around with Lauren Jefferson and now she is missing.”

“We went out a few times, is that a crime?”

“When did you see her last?”

“It was about a week ago, I think it was a Sunday night.”

“What did you do?”

“What did we do?” he echoes. “Do I need to draw you a picture?”

“And so she is your girlfriend?”

“No, we were just having some fun. What’s going on?”

“We told you; the lady is missing.”

“Who says so?”

“Her husband…you do know the lady is married?” “Yeah I know that. She told me she left him. She’s not missing. She will turn up when she needs some more money. Why don’t you guys check out the East End clubs!” he says, smiling from ear to ear.

“Why?” says one of the detectives.

“Everybody knows that Lauren loves to listen to that colored music. She says it gets her in the mood, if you know what I mean.” Jerry then smiles again as he crosses his legs and nervously asks one of the cops for a cigarette.

“This guy doesn’t know anything,” announces Jack. “Let him go, Lieutenant.”

“Okay, boys, get him out of here. All right, Jerry you can go. So, Jack, what is he talking about?” Kimble asks. “Did she leave her husband before?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” replies Jack. “She left and Jefferson hired me to find her.

Turns out she wasn’t missing at all, and told me so herself.”

“Nice of you to let us know about it,” replies Kimble as he loosens his tie. He turns and sits behind his desk. “Are you sure she is missing this time?” “No, I’m not,” confesses Jack, looking a little nebulous.

“Get out of my office, Spade.”

check out Jerry’s story about Lauren hanging around the colored clubs, starting with the one Jerry spoke of at the station.

It is located on the east side of town. Not too many whites visit this part of city, at least not alone, and especially at night. Now Jack is a pretty well-known guy but not at this particular club. He walks up to the front door and the doorman looks him over for a long time before he finally allows him to pass. Jack also slips him a ten dollar bill, which seems to satisfy him a little bit.

He gets a few stares from the other patrons, but not that many. Blacks are not that hung up about whites invading their night spots. They accept him as just another lover of black music. Jack gradually strolls over to the bar then shows the bartender Lauren

Jefferson’s picture. “Have you ever seen this lady?”

The bartender looks at the picture then puts his hand up to his chin. “Um,” he says, “you know, she does look a little familiar.”

As he is looking, he is holding out his hand. Jack puts a twenty dollar bill

In it. “Now I remember. Sometimes she comes in with a gentleman and sometimes by herself.”

“Does the gentleman have a name? And is it always the same gentleman?”

“I’m not sure,” he says as he holds out his hand again. Jack gives him another twenty. “His name is Willie Jones. Everybody calls him Fast Willie,” he adds. “He is colored; the other gentleman is white. I don’t know his name.”

“Do you have his address?”

He writes it down and gives it to Jack, who thanks the bartender then leaves

“The little lady’s not in any trouble, is she?”

“No, I just need to find her,” Jack Replies as he hurries out the door.

On his way to the address on the paper, he wonders why Lauren Jefferson is hanging around colored clubs. And colored men. The house he is looking for is located a little outside of the city, in an area of town called Old Chase bottoms. It’s located in a valley, hence the bottoms part of the name bottoms. It was settled in the 19th century by a former slave named Walter Chase.

The home is a small two-level house. ‘It’s really a pretty nice place,’ he thinks. Taking notice of the outhouse located around back, Jack walks around to the back door and knocks on it. No answer. He knocks again, only this time a little more forcefully.

In a few minutes, a man comes to the door. “Yeah, what you want, Whitey?” “My name is Jack Spade, I’am a Private investigator. Are you Willie Jones?”

“Yeah. What do you want?” he says again.

Jack shows him the picture of Lauren. “You know this lady?”

He takes a long look at the picture then looks up at Jack. “Yeah!

I know her, what about her?”

“She’s missing.” Say’s Jack.

“Missing!” replies Willie. “Who says?” “Her husband,” replies Jack.

Willie smiles. “Well, I wouldn’t know anything about that.”

“Then you have seen her?”

“No, not lately.” They are still talking in the doorway, and Willie seems determined not to let him in. Jack tries to look inside but he can’t see much. “Is that all, mister?”

“Yeah, that’s all.” As he leaves, he gives him one of his business cards. “If you see her, give me a call.”

“Yeah, right.” He then shuts the door.

When Jack gets to his car, he does not drive off right away. He reaches into his glove department and pulls out a pair of binoculars. Soon he sees a lady come down the stairs; she looks a lot like Lauren Jefferson but he cannot be sure because it’s getting pretty dark now so he drives back to his hotel room.

The next morning Jack heads to his office and he is there most of the day. Just as he is about to leave, he gets a couple of visitors: Willie and a very large friend of his.

“Hello, Mr. Spade! We have a message from Miss Lauren. She doesn’t like you very much.”

With that said, they begin to beat on Jack. Two against one is not good odds; he puts up a good fight at first but soon they get the best of him.

As he is lying on the floor, they tell him that Lauren wants him to stop looking for her. After they are gone, Joe comes in just in time to help him up

Off the floor. “What happened to you?”

“The question is where were you?” Replies Jack.

“I’m sorry, Jack.”

“That’s okay, Joe, it wasn’t your fault. I guess I should have ducked.” Jack has a little blood dripping from his mouth; he wipes it away with the sleeve of his shirt. Joe takes a hold of his arm and

Helps him into the wash room to clean himself up. He lowers his head under the cold running water as Joe is standing in the doorway with a confused look on his face.

“So,” he says again, “you going to tell me what happened?”

“Two of Lauren Jefferson’s friends,” replies Jack as he refreshes his face with the water, “colored friends,” he adds, “want us to stop looking for her.”

“You mean you found her?” and adds, “I didn’t know she had any friends,” Joe says, smiling.

“Not really.”

“What do you mean, not really?” replies Joe, looking more confused. Jack then explains the whole situation. “Well,” says Joe, “are we going to stop?” ”No, not yet,” replies Jack.

“Then what are we going to do now?” Joe asks.

“Right now? Nothing.”

Joe then goes over, turns on the radio and flops down on the couch. Jack heads for the door. “Where you going now?” yells Joe.

“To the club to see Jennifer. I’ll see you later.” Jack has always been an idealist, that’s why not too many things ever get him down; Joe, on the other hand, is a realist and would rather give the whole case back to the birds, and Mr. Jefferson. But I guess that’s why they make a great team.

When Jack gets outside, he glances at his watch. It’s 10pm.

As he gets into his car, he spots someone across the street lurking in the shadows who seems to be watching him. Jack can see that it is not a woman, and he gets a good enough look to see that it is not Willie either. He is a pretty big man, and he is white. Jack gets into his car and the man watching him gets into his. As Jack drives, he glances in his rear view mirror, and sees that the guy is still tailing him. But why? Who is he? What does he want? Is he a disgruntled boyfriend? He smiles to himself. Is he another one of Lauren’s friends?

He then grips the steering wheel

And speeds up as he drives along the crowed San Francisco streets. The traffic is pretty thick but that does not stop him. He is determined to lose this guy. After about fifteen minutes of dodging in and out of traffic, he does manage to lose him. Who could that have been! As he was driving, he did manage to get the person’s license number. He decides to give O’Brien, one of his buddies on the police force, a call…he spots a phone booth, pulls over and makes the call. “Hello Tim, I need you to do me a favor.”

“What is it this time, Jack?”

“Check out this license number for me.”

“Ok, what is it?”

“Bjy222.”

“I will let you know later.”

“Thanks, Tim. I’ll tell the Lieutenant to give you a raise.”

When Jack hangs up the phone, he opens the phone booth and, to his surprise,

He sees that his shadow is back. He thinks about confronting the man but

He decides not to; instead he gets into his car and goes to the club. This time he does not try to lose him.

Jennifer is happy to see him but

Pretends that she is still upset with him. “Sit down, baby,” says Jack, looking up at her.

“I’m not used to being stood up, Jack,” she says, still standing over him with her hands on her hips. She’s wearing a white sheer cotton dress, and with her back to the stage lights, you can nearly make out the color of her panties.

Still sipping a drink, Jack tells her, “Oh come on, baby, I didn’t mean anything.

You know me, I can explain everything. I’m just trying to make a living here. Sit down,” he says as he grabs her hand and forces her to sit.

“I’m a working man, baby.” They had made plans to get together to see a Clark Gable movie. Jennifer loves herself some Clark Gable, but Jack didn’t make it. “I didn’t mean to stand you up, baby. You know that.”

He then reaches for her hand, which Jennifer gives eagerly. “One of these days, Jack, you’re going to go too far,” she says as she kisses him on the cheek.

“I know, I know I’m a dirty dog.”

“That’s not what I was thinking; I was

Thinking more in the line of a dirty skunk.”

“Oh really?” says Jack, smiling. “Can a skunk do this?” He then lends over and kisses Jennifer on the lips.

Jennifer can only swoon. “Oh Jack,” she sighs.

“Go sing me a song, baby, something slow and hot.”

She then goes to the stage and starts singing the song “Put the Blame on Mame.” As Jennifer is singing, Jack looks over the club and sees something that catches his attention. The guy that was tailing him is over in a dark corner talking to Moreno. Jack pretends he didn’t see them. He turns and looks at Jennifer then he looks back again in their direction. They are both gone. As Jennifer finishes her song, Jack is wondering what their conversation was all about, and who the stranger is and why he was following him.

So many unanswered questions.

And the big question; why is he talking to Moreno?

“Jack, Jack,

You hear me?”

“Oh, baby, that was great. But I got to go-”

“What?” she shouts then looks around for something. She picks up a drink, throws it in his face and goes to her dressing room.

Jack smiles as he wipes his face, pays for the drinks, and then asks one of the waitresses where there is a phone. She points to a corner where the hat check desk is located. After about twenty minutes, Jack leaves. Just as he thought, the stranger is in the shadows, waiting for him. Jack pretends he does not see him then gets into his red ‘47’ Chevrolet. But before he left the club, he had called Joe and told him about his unwanted friend

So when the man pulled off to tail Jack, Joe was in his car tailing them both.

Jack takes the guy all over San Francisco’s back alleys then he heads out of the city until he comes to a remote cabin in the country (which happens to belong to Tom Jefferson). Jefferson keeps a spare key in a flower pot. Jack had been here before. The first time Jefferson’s wife was reported missing, Jack had come up to look for clues. Jefferson never worried about the key because no one is ever around.

He goes in and waits for about ten minutes and then there’s a knock on the door.

It’s Joe. “Well, where is he?” says Jack.

“I don’t know. He followed you here, waited outside and then left. I didn’t know what to do, Jack; follow him or come in. So, after a while, I decided that I’d better come in.”

“Joe,” says Jack, shaking his head, “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.

Come on, let’s get out of here.” They head back to their cars.

“So whose place is this?”

“It belongs to Jefferson. He uses it for vacations, and whenever he just wants to get away and do some fishing or duck hunting.” It was the first place Jack had looked for Lauren the first time she disappeared.

As he and Joe were leaving, Jack noticed something as his headlights shone in the woods. He saw what looked like the figure of a person standing behind a tree, but when he got out of the car to investigate, the person was gone. “You think that was him? Said Joe’