Sarah Perkins' Record Collection
--------------------------------

Deke Patterson was probably happier than most of the local merchants about the demise of the Snake Bloods. He owned the local poolhall. Patterson's Pool Parlor had long been a local gang hang out, and the Snake Bloods had delighted in terrorizing Deke because Deke was a Black doing business in a Chicano neighborhood.

Not that Deke was a model citizen. Before the Snakes had taken over the neighborhood, Deke had been the local Fagin. He was the fence for the young thieves in the area and supplied them with guns, drugs, and a place to meet. The block party celebrating the death of the Snakes was hardly over before Deke started planning to re-establish his old way of doing business.

The Monday after the block party, Deke sat his gaunt six-foot frame down onto the stool behind his cash register. He chewed on the toothpick protruding from his thick lips as he dialed his brother's phone number.

He thoughtfully scratched the bald spot that was growing on the top of his head. His Brother answered on the forth ring, "Patterson's Pawn Shop, It's yer nichol."

"Phil, it's me, Deke. How ya doin? I'm just calling to see if you'd like to take a crack at movin some more hot stuff for me?"

"What's the deal, Deke? You talking about the usual stuff?"

"Yea, them spiks all got wasted at the same time, when that bank building collapsed. So, I figure I'll build me another organization and be back in business in about a month. There's a whole lotta old folks living in these tenement buildings. I figure my kids can rip off T.V.'s, Stereos, jewelry, and maybe some cameras. Whadaya think?"

"Sound Ok to me Deke. Just play it cool and don't get our asses in a bind, okay? Keep me posted, and we'll handle the moving of stuff like we did before."

Deke agreed with his brother and hung up. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. He could hardly wait to get back into action again. He called a couple of young toughs he knew he could trust. They agreed on a meeting at the Pool Hall after he closed at Midnight.

It was close to twelve fifteen when Deke heard the light tapping on the back door. He opened the door as Steve and Jason slipped through the opening.

Steve and Jason had been around twelve when Diablo had taken over the neighborhood. They were seventeen now and almost to the end of their usefulness in violent crime. These old pro's could soon be tried as adults and receive adult sentences. Deke had promised them that they would each be district managers and have their own crews so they too were eager to get back to work.

Deke opened a couple of beers for the boys and got down to business. "Guys, as you know, the Snakes are history. Old Olaf Martin wasted the whole damn gang in one big explosion. So, the neighborhood is our's again.

"Here's what I want you to do. First recruit about ten of the meanest little bitches, you can find. Offer them membership in our new club and a share of the profits. I want them to turn on the sweetness and charm and volunteer with The `Friends of The Shut-Ins' and for the `Help for Seniors' program."

"I want detailed information on what's in every apartment in every building in this area. You know, T.V.'s, Jewelry, and even the locking system. Just anything and everything that they can find out.

"While they're doing that, I want you to recruit twenty young guys, who are tough, not over sixteen, and not afraid to pull a trigger. We're not gonna hire out to waste people like the Snakes did, but I don't want anyone who's too chicken to pull that trigger to save himself or his buddy."

Jason spoke up, "What if we can't find twenty guys that fit that description? What if we only find twelve?"

"Then only recruit twelve. We don't want anyone we can't trust or depend on in every way. Okay, from now on we'll meet in the back yard behind the building at eight o`clock in the mornings. I'm gonna tell the local fuzz that we're starting a boy's club, now that the Snakes are gone.

"We'll put up a couple of basketball hoops, clean up the area, and paint my shed out there into a clubhouse. They'll expect to see a little beer drinking, cause boys will be boys, but no dope! The first one who comes around here carrying dope, will get his balls cut off by me, personally."

They talked for the next hour about territories, shares, responsibilities, and the method for disposing of stolen merchandise. It was nearly two by the time the boys left and Deke closed up and went home.

The plan got off to a much smoother start than Deke had anticipated. They were able to round up eight girls. All were sixteen years old in body and forty in mind. They all knew each other and had been involved in other escapades in the past. The "Friends of The Shut Ins" were short handed and more than happy to accept the volunteer services of the nice young girls.

Two undercover narcs, working out of the 77th Precinct, got wind on the street about the boys club that was starting. It was supposed to be located behind Patterson's Pool Parlor.

Chapter Fourteen
----------------

Because of Detective Paul Gillette's recent experiences with the residents of that neighborhood, they sent him to look around and quietly find out what was happening.

Paul, being the direct kind of cop that he was, walked into the Pool Parlor, grabbed Deke by the tie, and asked,

"Deke, what's happening?"

"Nothin, Mister Gillette, nothin's happening. What's with you?"

"I mean with the kids, Deke. What's this I hear, you got a lotta kids hanging around?"

"Well, with those Snake Bloods gone, I thought it would be nice if I did something for the neighborhood. I figured it was safe to start a boy's club. You know, give them some place to call their own, where they could play a little One on One and in the early mornings they could shoot some Pool."

"Deke, I remember you from before the Snake Bloods. You and some of the local kids were mixed up in some pretty shady shit. You ain't the kinda guy I'd want around my kids. Now, Gawd damn it, tell me the truth! What are you up to?"

"Swear to God, Gillette, after I saw what a life of crime did to those Snakes, I saw the error of my ways. I'm just trying to make up for some of the stuff I did before. Give me a chance, will ya?"

Gillette turned him loose and growled, "You better be telling the truth because I'll be watching you."

He turned and left the building. Deke clenched his teeth in rage and made an obscene gesture at the door after it closed. He thought, "Maybe I'll make an exception and have one of my little assassins kill that bastard if he don't stay off my ass."

The girls did their work well and soon Deke had what he wanted. He carefully mapped the neighborhood by Apartment number, who lived there, and where the valuable items were located.

The girls volunteered to help the older folks with their shopping. Especially, right after the first of the month. In that way, Deke was kept informed as to who had received their Social Security checks and how much was left in cash.

Cindy Denker was a Speed Queen. She was blonde, petite, had big innocent blue eyes, and had been hooked on amphetamines since her ninth birthday. She was the one who brought Deke his first big target. She called the Pool Parlor and when Deke answered, she reported,

"Deke Baby, it's Cindy. I got something good for you, but first I gotta have an advance on my profit sharing. I'm going nuts, and if I don't get some whites soon I'm gonna freak out."

"Hold on there Cindy. If you're gonna be jackin me up for an advance every time you get to hurtin a little, maybe we better just forget the whole deal, okay?"

"No. Wait a minute Deke! I'll get the bread another way. Here's the deal, Old Lady Perkins in Apartment (1d) at 3211 Oak Avenue has a record collection. She lives like a skid-row bum, but she says this collection is worth thousands of dollars.

"She got it from her father. She says he was a musician and he collected these first cut 78s of George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman, and Glen Miller. She won't sell them because they are family heirlooms or something like that.

"Anyway, she keeps them in individual glass fronted boxes on her bedroom closet shelf. They should be easy to get when I take her shopping on Friday. We leave the apartment about ten in the morning cause she wants to get back in time to watch her Soap at Noon."

Deke purred into the phone how much he appreciated the tip and told her to stop by the Pool Parlor, and he'd slip her ten. She promised to be right over and hung up.

She was there in less than five minutes. When Deke took her into the back room, neither of them noticed the old wino passed out in the booth. The ten he slipped her wasn't the ten she had been expecting, but she didn't complain because he handed her twenty dollars as she left. She was in such a hurry to get some whites that she took a taxi to where her connection was waiting.

Deke went to the back yard and started shooting some baskets with Jason. When they stopped for a cold beer, Deke told Jason that he had a job for him for next Friday.

Chapter Fifteen
---------------

Sarah Perkins had really taken a liking to young Cindy Denker. The girl had such a friendly disposition. She was always helping out with the housework, bringing hot meals, and taking her shopping once a week. The girl was truly a God-send.

Sarah would have probably been in a nursing home if she hadn't been so damn healthy. Her Daughter and Son-in-law didn't want her living with them and the apartment was cheaper than a nursing home. So, there Sarah sat, all alone.

Her only friend was Doctor Alan Ebstein. He lived in (1f) and was drunk most of the time. They were both seventy- two and should have had much to talk about, but Alan didn't talk much.

He had been a prominent surgeon and after twenty-five years of hospital politics, poor people dying in the waiting rooms, and wealthy people getting organ transplants, He had taken refuge in his bottle. He was soul sick over the medical profession putting profits before human life and would only come out of his bottle occasionally to see if anything had changed, then back in he'd crawl.

He probably would have died several times, but Sarah wouldn't let him go. She'd pour him full of vile-tasting, black coffee and make him walk around his room. She would scream at him that he damn well better not go off and leave her all alone.

One time, she almost drowned him with buckets of water, while trying to wake him from a drunken coma.

Alan had a very good income from investments that he had made earlier in his life, and his Social Security check was deposited regularly to his account, so he rarely thought about money or security. Whenever Sarah needed anything Alan would just hand her some money. He didn't even bother to count it. He figured if it wasn't enough, she'd probably say something, but she never did.

In the apartment directly over Sarah's, Stan Doyle, the apartment manager and David Bigalow were tearing out walls and pulling wires out of the walls and floor. Sarah was a newcomer to the building, and felt somewhat like a vulture. The news traveled fast about Mildred suffering a nervous breakdown, after Mary Ann Mathews was attacked in the apartment upstairs, and she had rushed over to rent the apartment even before Mildred Bailey's relatives came and got her furniture and household effects.

Sarah knew they were real busy remodeling, so she didn't say anything when she noticed the wires. Someone had pulled on the wrong wires, and had pulled the overhead light in her bedroom closet up through the ceiling. It had caused the light bulb and pull-chain to fall to the floor. Evidently, they had discovered their mistake because they had stuffed the wires back down through the hole in the ceiling.

Alan told her not to ever touch the wires because they could be "hot". She was going to tell Doyle, but she forgot.

Friday morning, at ten sharp, Cindy arrived to take Sarah shopping. She was all smiles and excitedly told Sarah all about he newest boyfriend. She said they had a big party planned for Saturday night, and she could hardly wait. Sarah smiled sadly and told her that it seemed like only yesterday when she, Sarah, had looked forward to Saturday night dates.

"Cindy Baby, you have fun while you can because in just a few Saturdays, you'll look like me and Saturday will be just another day."

"Did you bring your shopping list, Sarah?"

"Yes Dear, we better get to scooting, or I'll be late for Another World." Sarah grabbed her purse, and they left the apartment chatting like two schoolgirls.

When they returned from shopping, Cindy was carrying two large sacks of groceries. She sat them on Sarah's kitchen table and asked, "Do you want me to put these away for you?"

"No Dear, you just run along. You've done enough for one day. I'm perfectly capable of putting those things away. I'm not a cripple, you know. Have a fun weekend with your new young man and I'll see you Monday at the usual time."

Cindy left and Sarah busied herself putting her supplies away. She didn't want to miss Another World. Fridays were the best days because they always left you in suspense. That way you could worry all weekend. When she finished, she went into her bedroom to put her coat and purse away.

She didn't turn on the light and that's why she fell sprawling over the body. She hurt her shoulder when she landed but a rapid check revealed no serious injury. She crawled to her bedpost and used it to pull herself erect. "NO." There were no broken bones.

She turned on the lamp and looked at the body. He had been a young Black, still in his teens, and from the way his face was contorted, she knew he had found the wires in her closet.

She looked into the closet and saw her hassock from the living room. Obviously he had used it for a foot stool. He needed the additional height to reach the top shelf in her closet. She looked around her apartment. Nothing seemed to have been disturbed, so how had he known where to look?

She left her apartment locking it as she left and went to Alan's. When he didn't answer, on the forth knock, she used the key he had given her. She shook him awake,

"Alan! Alan, wake up. I've got a problem. Please, Alan, wake up. There's a young man in my room."

"Don't sound like a problem to me. Hell Sarah, now you can throw away that vibrator."

"No Alan, the problem is that he's dead, and I don't know what to do." Alan sat bolt upright in bed. He grabbed her and shook her gently;

"Did he hurt you? Was it an accident? How did he die? Tell me, Sarah, Did you kill him?"

"No! I just got home from shopping, and when I went into my bedroom I fell over his body. I think he was trying to steal my father's record collection and got electrocuted on those damn wires in my closet."

Alan thought for a moment then said, "Let's go take a look at him. I want to check on a couple of things before I tell you what I'm thinking." So, looking very guilty they slid down the hall back to Sarah's place. Alan took his medical bag with him and once inside the bedroom, he quickly examined the body.

He told Sarah, "I've seen this punk hanging around the Pool Parlor. You're lucky he was dead when you got home. If he had been alive, he might have killed you for those records. Stay here, I'll be right back."

He left and returned with Stan Doyle. After he took Doyle into the closet and showed him the wires, they returned to Sarah's living room. Doyle was obviously very shaken. Alan was saying,

"So you see Stan, your negligence could have killed Sarah. Luckily, it only killed this piece of street vermin. This animal came here to steal, but accidently committed suicide instead. I don't think you or anyone else should have to suffer any embarrassment because of it. So here's what I propose:

"This body is still in good usable shape, so why not let this poor bastard do something worthwhile? I'll sign as an anonymous donor of his body parts for charitable organ transplants. I know an outfit that will be happy to use this body as long as they get some paperwork to cover their asses.

"But we've got to move fast, and you've got to help. Sarah and I are too damn old and feeble to wrestle this body out of here and into your pick-up truck. So you see Stan, I've got to call my people and make the deal right now or call the police and report this tragedy. What'll it be Stan?"

Stan Doyle didn't hesitate long. After a moment he said,

"I'm in. I'll load up the body and you make that call. The sooner we get that body out of here the better I'll like it." Alan called his friend while Stan brought the truck around. He found an old rug and put the body and all the ice cubes out of the ice machine into the rug and rolled it up.

They left Sarah at home while they delivered the body. After they had returned, Alan and Sarah talked long into the evening. They speculated about how the thief had known exactly what to look for and where to find it.

Sarah found it difficult to suspect Cindy of being the spotter for the thief. Alan finally convinced her to at least set up a little test. If Cindy was innocent, there would be no harm done and no accusations. If she was guilty, there would be no doubt.

Chapter Sixteen
---------------

Deke was furious. The plan had been perfect, his brother Phil had found an eager buyer for the record collection, and that conniving son-of-a-bitch Jason took the collection and took a hike. He was so mad, his que-stick slipped off the Que-ball and tore a two inch gash in the green felt. Steve ducked under the table as Deke threw the que-stick against the wall.

"Steve, I want everyone out on the street. I want Jason and I want that collection. I want the collection in good shape, I don't care what shape Jason's in when you drag him in here. Get outta here and don't come back without him."

"Ok Deke, you got it man. We'll get him for you. You know he can't hide from us." They piled out of the back door of the Pool Parlor and took off in all directions. Steve headed for the pawnshops in San Pedro. He and Jason had done a lotta business down there. If he had something good to pawn that's where he'd head.

Detective Paul Gillette, from his vantage point in the apartment across the alley, watched the boys pour out of the Pool Parlor and wondered what was going on. Since the formation of the boys club, the neighborhood had been plagued with a series of minor burglaries. Mostly appliances, jewelery, petty cash, and some small quantities of silver had been taken.

Paul knew it was Deke Patterson and his boys club who were responsible, but so far, even with twenty-four hour surveillance, he had seen nothing even resembling contraband going into the Pool Parlor. If he was going to catch Deke, he must figure out a better way.

He had used his telephoto lens to get good close-ups of the fourteen boys in the club. It took over a week to build up a folder and dossier on each boy. All but four boys had some semblance of a home. Some had one parent and some had two, but one and all spent more time at the Pool Parlor than they did at home. The four without homes were Jason Moses, Steve Cobb, Alex Winfielf, and Otto Krueger.

Alex and Otto lived together in the abandoned loft of a bankrupt factory, Cobb lived at the club house, and Moses lived in the attic over the bowling alley. The owner paid him to clean up after closing time.

Paul spotted a blonde, teenage girl going into the Pool Parlor, but he didn't get a picture; and when she left she just ran out and jumped into a cab and was gone before he got a chance to even photograph her behind. He didn't want to speculate on what business Deke had with a pretty blonde teenager. The very thought brought him to a slow boil.

What he did want to speculate about was the possibility of maybe scooping one of the boys up and applying some heavy pressure. If they were properly scared, maybe they'd talk.

-----------------

Monday at ten, Cindy arrived at Sarah's expecting to find the old woman heart broken because of losing her cherished record collection. Instead, she found her in high spirits and eager to start with their Monday ritual. Monday was washing the weekend dishes, dusting and vacuuming the entire apartment. They did the wash on Wednesday.

As Cindy was vacuuming the bedroom she glanced up into the closet and saw the record collection. It was undisturbed and even had last weeks dust on the glass fronts. She didn't know what to think but she was a good little actress and gave no indication of her surprise.

When they were finished, Sarah spoke,

"Cindy, I don't think you've ever met my neighbor and friend, Alan Ebstein. He's a retired Doctor and has no one to care for him. I told him about you, and he said he'd like to hire you to do for him, what you do for me. I don't have any money, but he's quite well off. So, he says he rather pay than freeload off the taxpayer. At least come and talk to him cause I promised you would."

She took Cindy's hand and led her down the hall to (1f). When Sarah knocked on the door, Alan told her to wait a minute. It was closer to three or four minutes before he opened the door. He opened it just wide enough for the two visitors to slip through then he closed and locked it quickly.

"What's the problem, Alan?" Sarah questioned. As Alan turned to face them. He shook his head,

"It's probably my imagination, but this morning when I was getting some new stamps appraised, I'm sure someone followed me home. Well, he might know what I've got, but he'll never find where they're hidden." He paused, "Is this the young lady you were bragging about?"

"Yes Alan, this is Cindy. Cindy, this is my sometimes eccentric friend Alan Ebstein." Cindy murmured a soft bashful Hello and looked back down at the floor.

"Is she always this quiet? Well, never mind. Cindy, if your schedule isn't too tight, how would you like to pick up an extra thirty dollars a week. I would expect the same service that Sarah gets; although, you could merge the shopping trips because Sarah and I dine together quite frequently. Well, What do you say?"

Cindy grinned happily and cried out, "Sure I'd love to make some extra money, and I'm sure I can work it in. Oh by the way, could I use your bathroom?"

"I'm sure you know where to find it." Alan answered, "These apartments are all laid out the same." She went to use the bathroom, leaving Alan telling Sarah all about the man who followed him home.

Once inside the bedroom, Cindy started taking mental inventory and couldn't help noticing the chair in the closet. It looked like Alan had used it to stand on and hadn't taken time to put it back where it belonged. She used the bathroom, washed her hands, and returned to join Alan and Sarah in the living room.

"Well, I guess I better get going or my next customer will be mad. When do you want me to start, Mister Ebstein?"

"Wednesday will be fine. Do Sarah's first then she and I can have breakfast in her apartment, while you stir up all my dust and put it in a bag. Sarah laughed, "He means vacuum, Cindy. See I told you he was sorta strange." Cindy joined in the laughter and took her leave. Alan looked at Sarah and sadly shook his head,

"Such a sweet young girl. Did you notice, Sarah? She's so cranked up on speed that she is constantly grinding her teeth, and she can't sit still. Well, We've baited the hook. The next step is to set up the opportunity and then wait for the fish to bite."

As he talked the bait was starting to attract the fish. Cindy had Deke on the phone and was talking excitedly,

"Deke, it's Cindy. What the Hell's going on? I just left Old Lady Perkins place and that record collection is still on the shelf in her closet. Still got dust all over it. I almost blew my act. I went in there all prepared to be sympathetic and surprised, and she opens the door happy as a clam and ready to start housework. What happened?"

"I don't know. I sent Jason and haven't seen him since. We kinda thought he took the stuff and split, but this changes everything. I'll have to get back with you, Cindy. Let me know when the old lady is gonna be outta her apartment again and I'll send someone else. Ok?"

"Ok Deke, but I got another hot one for you. A retired doctor lives in apartment (1f). He's just down the hall from Perkins. I start work for him Wednesday, and he's got a real valuable stamp collection. I think he keeps it up on a shelf in his bedroom closet. Probably inside some books. I saw some big books up there.

"He and Perkins are friends and maybe they'll go out together and you can do them both, huh?"

"Sure Baby, just let me know when and I'll take care of it." Deke hung up and sent for Steve Cobb.

When Steve showed up, he told Deke he had checked every place that Jason could possibly be and no one had seen Jason and he was sure the record collection hadn't hit the open market. Deke told him the collection was still collecting dust in Sarah Perkin's closet. Steve's eyes went wide and he asked, "Then.. where the Hell is Jason?"

"I don't know," answered Deke, "but I'm sure as Hell gonna find out! Someone's messing with our heads, man, and someone's messing with my people. Have the guys and girls keep looking for Jason, but tell them that he's been snatched. And make sure you tell them he didn't rip us off, okay?"

Steve told Deke he'd get right on it and left.

On Wednesday, Alan told Cindy that she wouldn't have to do the shopping on Friday because he was going to take Sarah to the Griffith Park Zoo. She was seventy-two and had never been to a Zoo. He said that what little shopping that they had, could wait until the following Friday. He reassured her that he paid by the week not by the visit, so she wouldn't lose any money.

Cindy couldn't wait to tell Deke, so instead of phoning she went directly to the Pool Parlor. When he saw her, he took her into the back room and angrily asked her her why she hadn't just called.

She looked at him coyly and purred, "Deke Baby, I had such a ball the last time I was here, I thought I'd come back for seconds. Besides I had such good news, I had to tell you in person." She told him about Alan and Sarah going to the Zoo for the day. She finished with, "I was sorta hoping you could spare another twenty if you liked the news."

Deke took a long look at that sweet little sixteen year old body and thought, "OH Well, what the Hell." He locked the door, unzipped his pants and said, "Baby, start earning it."

Cindy left in less than ten minutes with a crisp twenty dollar bill clutched in her hand and a determination never to come back again. That Deke was a real creep.

Paul Gillette was ready this time. He had his camera ready and got several good close up shots of Cindy as she left. He called Ernie Stanton on the radio and had Ernie follow her as she ran down the street.

Her first stop was to make a buy from her connection. Ernie watched as she bought a baggie of whites from Julio Mendez. He gave her ten dollars in change and grinned as she gulped down several without benefit of water. She stuffed the baggie and her change in her purse and walked to the office of The Friends of The Shut-Ins for her next assignment.

Ernie followed her to an old, cinder-block apartment building on Pine street and waited outside until he saw her leaving pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair. When they entered the county clinic offices, two blocks down the street, Ernie returned to report his findings to Gillette.

Chapter seventeen
-----------------

Paul left Ernie watching the pool hall and drove over to Oak Avenue. If anyone knew what was going on at the pool parlor, it was probably David Bigalow. Paul knew that David worked the late shift at Martin's Jewelers, so he'd probably be helping Stan Doyle remodel Mary Ann's old apartment.

He rang Stan's doorbell and when Stan opened the door and saw who it was, he started to shake.

"What's the matter, Stan? you look guilty as Hell. What'd you do rob a bank or something?"

"No, Paul just bad memories. Last time I saw you, I had bodies all over the place and was about to be out of a home and a job. What can I do for you?"

"I just stopped by to have a chat with David. Is he still helping you remodel that apartment?"

"Yeah, he's in there working now, I think. Let's go look."

"That's all right, Stan. I know the way, and I'd really rather talk to him in private, if you don't mind." Paul could tell that Stan was still very curious, but at the same time he also seemed strangly relieved that Paul had come to visit David and not himself.

Paul let himself into 2d and close the door. Daved was replacing molding on the living-room base-boards. He looked up sensing Paul's presence,

"Hi Mister Gillette, long time no see. This hasta be a social call because I'm working and in contact with my parole officer twice a week. No more trouble for me. No Sir!"

"Your right, David. It's just a social call, but I do have a business motive. I need your help. There's something very strange going on down at Deke Patterson's Pool Parlor. Now I don't want you telling me about the theft ring that Deke's running. I know all about that. It's just a matter of time before we nail Deke and his little sneak-thieves. There's something else that's got those kids real excited and I can't figure out what it is. Can you help me?"

"Oh, that's easy. They're looking for Jason ... Jason Moses. He's disappeared. I mean really man, like right off the face of the earth. The way I hear it, Deke sent him out on a job and he never came back. At first everybody thought he made a big score and decided to rip Deke off, but that wasn't so because the stuff never got stolen, and Jason just can't be found. That's all I can tell you, so please don't ask about anything more."

"David, just one more question, where does or did this Jason live?"

"Up in the attic, over the bowling alley. The owner let him sleep up there in exchange for sweeping up, after the alley closed for the night." Paul thanked him for the help and left. He was sure David knew much more, but didn't want to press the issue. He also had a feeling that Stan Doyle was far more upset than the occasion warranted.

A quick check at the bowling alley revealed nothing except that the boy hadn't been there for several days. Paul decided not to question Deke. He didn't want to alert Deke to the fact that The police knew Jason was missing. The big question was ... where had Deke sent Jason on the day he had disappeared?

Paul called Ernie on the radio, "Ernie, I hate to do this, but the situation is bad. We've got a kid missing since last Friday, and I'm afraid that we're not going to find him alive. Here's what I want you to do:

"Get in touch with those two narcs we talked to before and have them plant one of those kids after he leaves the Pool Parlor. Bust him on possession and sales and haul him down to the station. Better make it one of the kids who don't have a family to come looking for them.

"Have them grab either Steve Cobb, Alex Winfield, or Otto Krueger. Sweat him until tomorrow, then you show up as the good cop and offer to trade him a pass on this one for Jason's destination on the day he disappeared." Ernie said that he'd get working on it and signed off.

Friday morning, when Otto Krueger told Deke that Alex had disappeared, Deke started getting the feeling that maybe the Snake Bloods didn't all die in the collapse of the bank building. He sent Otto out to the club house to get Steve.

When they returned and took up positions on a couple of bar-stools, Deke slapped the palm of his hand with the large, broken end of a pool stick. He hadn't been able to find the other end, after he had thrown it against the wall.

"Guys, I think we got ourselves a turf war. Maybe some of those damn Snake Bloods are still alive, or it could be some other gang trying to move in. Anyway, they're too damn chicken to fight -- they're just knocking off my best guys, one at a time.

"But Deke," Otto interrupted, "we ain't seen no strangers in the neighborhood. We been out lookin for Jason, everywhere, and if there were any new faces, we'da noticed."

Deke's face twisted in anger, "Shit man, people don't just disappear. Somebody's got to be snatchin them, and I'm going to find out who it is.

"Look -- Steve, you take Otto with you today. I want you to take care of both those places on Oak, okay? Then when you get back, we'll split the gang into two groups.

We'll turn this damn town upside down, but we'll find Jason and Alex. When we do, whoever is screwing around with us is going to die. Now get out of here and go to work."

The two boys left. Otto was still grumbling about Alex, and Steve was hurriedly outlining what the job was, where they were going, and how much time they had. Deke made a quick call to his brother, promising delivery of the merchandise before dark.

Chapter Eighteen
---------------

Alan knocked on Sarah's door promptly at 9:00 A.M. and was a little startled when the door was jerked open and she hurried out into the hall. Standing beside him, she joked,

"I've been waiting to see all those wild animals for seventy years, so let's get the show on the road."

Alan laughed, "Can you wait just a couple of minutes more while I use your bathroom? it's a long bus ride to Griffith Park." She opened the door and stood waiting while Alan went inside to use the bathroom. He came back out after a few minutes, and they headed down the hall singing, "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to the zoo, we go."

Stan Doyle, watching them leave, shook his head, "I guess, second childhood is just as good as the first time only not so messy." ..........

It was late in the afternoon, when Alan walked the tired, sleepy Sarah to her door and asked if she had any instant coffee that she could loan him. She replied,

"Come on in Alan, I'll fix us both a cup. I know you'll be too lazy to do it yourself." Alan followed her into her apartment and stood quietly as she carried her coat down the hall to put it away. "Alan! Alan!, for God's sake, come in here. I've got another body." Alan rushed to her side and bent over to examine the body lying half in and half out of her closet.

"Well," he grunted angrily, "it looks like we were right about your Cindy. We'll soon know for sure. If I've got a body in my place then there'll be no doubt about it."

"What do you mean, Alan? you don't have any hanging wires in your place. How could you have a dead body?"

"Sarah, there's more than one way to set a trap. I'm not saying any more until we check." They carefully stepped around the body of the dead boy and headed for Alan's apartment. Outside, standing in front of his door Alan pulled a small gun from his coat pocket,

"Better let me go in first. If there is someone in there, he could be wounded and still dangerous."

Sarah stood to the side as Alan unlocked his door, opened it a crack, slid in his hand, and turned on the light. He stood waiting, his gun quivering in his hand. He took a deep breath and crouching as low as a seventy-two year old could crouch, he entered the room. Sarah waited as long as she could then angrily barged in behind him. If anyone was in there, they'd have to deal with the two of them.

Alan was standing in his hallway looking down at the body of a young boy lying in a large pool of blood. Sticking out of his chest was the small end of a broken pool stick. Alan had a strange satisfied smile on his face,

"Don't touch anything in here, Sarah. This body is going to put a very wicked man behind bars for the rest of his life."

"I don't understand, Alan. What is this all about?"

"You don't need to know, Dear. I'll explain when this is all over."

"Why Alan, that's the first time you've ever said anything nice to me. I want you to know that I thought you were real brave to come charging in here. You could have been killed."

"Enough of this romancin, Sarah, I've got work to do. Go back to your place. Stan Doyle and I will take your corpse away first, then tonight I'll plant mine. See you later."

Alan had a much more difficult time convincing Stan Doyle to help dispose of the two bodies this time. Stan was scared, and he told Alan that he was sure detective Gillette was suspicious. Alan went into great detail about how he intended to use the second body and why. Finally, Stan was convinced that the rewards were worth the risk and agreed to help.

The body of Steve Cobb was disposed of in the same manner as Jason Moses'. All of the vital organs were found to be reuseable and were put to good use.

Chapter Nineteen
----------------

Ernie Stanton, from his vantage point, saw Deke close up the pool hall and accompanied by a large crowd of young ruffians head in the direction of Oak Avenue. Ernie called Paul on the radio and followed close behind the group. Paul called for back up at 3211 Oak Avenue and headed for the apartment building at top speed.

Stan and Alan watched the exodus from the pool hall and had no trouble guessing the reason. They waited for five minutes to see if there were any stragglers. When there was no sign of any activity, they parked behind the pool hall and beside the clubhouse they dug a shallow grave. They put in Otto Krueger's body, being very careful not to touch the protruding pool stick. They covered it with a plastic tarp and then filled the hole with dirt. Patting it smooth with their shovels, they drove to a construction site and left the shovels. Then, to the bowling alley for a beer.

Deke was insane with rage. Every damn time he sent someone out do something, they disappeared and never came back. Someone was screwing with his brain, and that Son of a Bitch was gonna die. But first, by God, he and his boys were going over to 3211 Oak Avenue and take that damn apartment building apart.

Phil was waiting for that record collection, and tonight he was going to get it, even if he, Deke had to waste the damn old woman to get it. That's it! they'ed just take over the whole apartment building, rob everybody, then threaten to burn the freakin place down if anyone squealed.

They rushed into the lobby and started prying on the security gates when the elevator doors opened and two SWAT team members stepped out and fired tear-gas cannisters into their midst. They started choking and ran outside into a ring of spotlights. The youngsters panicked and started shooting at the lights ... shooting at anything and everything.

"Aw shit!" Deke screamed as he ran to the sidewalk, hands behind his head. "Don't shoot! -- I give up." The wild shots fired by the boys hit several officers and the return fire slaughtered the young gangsters. It was over in minutes.

Deke was screaming to Paul Gillette that he had just entered the building to visit David Bigalow, when the hoodlums had entered and started all the trouble. Paul knew that he was a liar, but was afraid that he wouldn't be able to prove it, and the scumbag would walk free.

Stan Doyle and Alan arrived during the excitement, and they were standing nearby as Paul was questioning Deke. Alan whispered into Doyle's ear then disappeared into the crowd. Stan Doyle went to his apartment and soon returned. He spoke to Paul,

"Detective Gillette, there's a phone call for you on the phone in my office. He says it's important." Paul turned to one of the nearby swat officers,

"Watch this piece of crap while I'm gone. I'm not through with him yet." The officer nodded, and Paul followed Stan to his office.

"Hello, Paul Gillette here ... Who is this? ... No, No, don't hang up. Just tell me what you want to tell me. I'll listen ... No, nobody's tracing the call. Why would we? We don't even know why you called. Okay, I'm listening."

After about five minutes, Paul hung up. He had a strange look on his face.

"Doyle, do you know anything about this?"

"About what?"

"Where were you when all this came down?"

"Old man Ebstein and I went over to the bowling alley for a beer. We just got back when the shooting started. Just what are you accusing me of doing?"

"Nothing right now, Doyle, but I've been a cop too long not to know when somebody's holding back. Something's eating at you, and I intend to find out what. Just don't leave town, okay?"

Paul went back outside, told the sargeant in charge to take Deke to the 77th and book him for break and entry and enciting to riot, and to be sure to hold him until he, Gillette returned to the station. Then he took one squad car full of men and went to Deke's pool hall.

They parked in the back by the clubhouse and Paul walked directly to the shallow grave. Pointing to it with his flashlight, he told the men to dig. It only took seconds to uncover the body, and one of the men said jokingly,

"Hey Paul, if you didn't put this stiff here yourself, how in Hell did you know exactly where to dig."

"Trade secret," Paul replied, "that's why detectives get paid all that extra money." He laughed and went to his car to call the coroner and the forensic crew. He then called Ernie and told him to bring Alex Winfield to the clubhouse.

As he sat in his car waiting, all sorts of doubts were running through his mind. First, this was too easy. If ever someone deserved the gas chamber, Deke Patterson did. He knew that soon he would have to make the most difficult choice of his life ... truth or justice. Second, there were more than one missing boy. Was the framing of Deke a message that perhaps, Deke Patterson was indirectly responsible for the others, but not punishable by man's law? Paul shook his head in anger, he hated these moral dilemas. And then there was Stan Doyle, Paul was sure that Stan knew much more than he was telling.

The squad car with Alex arrived at the same time as the coroner. Paul waved the coroner back as he led Alex to the shallow grave. He watched Alex's face as he pulled the plastic sheet from Otto's body. It first registered total shock, then rage, and finally disolved into a mask of grief, as sobs of anguish mixed with retching sounds while he threw up in the weeds. There was no doubt in Paul's mind that the relationship went far deeper than just buddies. Alex obviously had lost a lover.

"Alex," Paul's voice was gentle as he helped him back to his feet. "Can you help us at all? Have you any idea who could have done this to your friend?"

"It waz'at mean, fucking-bastard Deke!" Alex screamed. "That's the pool cue he broke when he got pissed off and threw it against the wall. He probably did Jason in too, and sent us out looking for him, just to cover his black ass. I swear I'll kill the bastard and his brother, too."

"Why would you want to kill his brother, Alex?"

"Cause we do all the damn jobs, and those bastards make all the money, treat us like trash, and now they're wasting the group leaders, so they won't have to give us our share. That's bullshit! If we go down, they go down with us."

Paul read him his rights, placed him under arrest, and had him taken back to the station, where a complete statement could be prepared.

After Alex left, Paul waited inside the pool hall while he waited for arrest and search warrants for Phil Patterson and his pawnshop. The surprise raid on the pawnshop resulted in a bonanza for the local community. Missing property, social security checks, credit cards, jewelry, and family heirlooms filled the police impound to overflowing.

When Phil Patterson found that he could be implicated in a homicide, he divorced his brother. He made a statement that all he did was fence the stolen property. The thefts and the handling of the boy's gangs was his brother Deke's business.

Paul made a call to Ernie before leaving the pawnshop,

"Ernie, do me a favor. Pick up Stan Doyle and Alan Ebstein and take them down to my office. I'll meet you there."

"Yeah, but what the Hell do I tell them? Are they suspects, under arrest, or what? It's almost midnight."

"Just tell them that we have broken the burglery ring, have recovered tons of loot, and need their help in identifying some gang member's pictures. Tell them we'll be having anyone from their building who has been robbed, come down to identify their property, and we need a list from Stan to weed out the phonies."

"Okay Paul, how long will you be?"

"Give me an hour, Ernie." He hung up, got into his car, and headed slowly for 3211 Oak Avenue. He had that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he knew he wasn't going to be happy with what he was about to find.

He was hunkered down, elbows on his knees, staring at a large bloodstain in the carpet. The carpet was in the hallway of Alan Ebstein's apartment. He really wasn't seeing the stain; he was seeing the worn, pitiful faces of the tenants of the old building, and they all seemed to merge into the visage of old Alan Ebstein. There was a shuffling sound behind him. He turned -- looking over his shoulder was Sarah Perkins.

"You gonna kill Alan?" She asked, brushing a strand of white hair from her face. "If you put him in jail, he won't last a month, and that'll kill me, too, 'cause then I won't have anybody."

"What really happened here, Sarah?" Paul asked softly. "I can't believe that Alan or you could have deliberately killed that young boy. It's my duty to uphold and enforce the law, but if it was self defence or something, maybe I could work it out so that Alan wouldn't have to go to jail."

"Well Mister Detective, come back to my place, I'll fix you some tea, and then I'll tell you all about it." They went to Sarah's apartment, she showed the bare wires to Paul, and then told him the whole story.

When she finished, he used her phone to call Ernie Stanton.

"Ernie?"

"Yeah Paul, when you gonna get here? I can't stall Ebstein and Doyle much longer."

"Change in plans, Ernie. Bring them with you, and on your way pick up that little blonde, Cindy Denker. I know it's one o'clock in the morning, but bring her in cuffs if you have to."

"Okay Boss, but I'll have to bring a matron. She's a minor, you know."

"Oh by the way, the only prints on that piece of pool- que, we pulled out of that kid, belonged to Mister Innocent, Deke Patterson."

Paul hung up, he grinned, and spoke to Sarah, "Alan Ebstein may be old and feeble, but he's sure not senile. I'll have to admit he really did a job on old Deke Patterson." He then cautioned her about talking to anyone about the case. He said that he hadn't made up his mind about what he was going to do, and he wouldn't be able to make a decision until he found out how much Cindy knew.

He went outside and waited on the sidewalk, pacing back anf forth, his brain wracked with indecision -- one mistake and his career was over -- one mistake and a lotta people could end up behind bars, including Paul Gillette.

Ernie drove up with a carload of people. Paul quickly directed Alan and Stan Doyle to go to Sarah's apartment and wait for him there. He asked Ernie to wait by the entrance while he asked Cindy a few questions, said he would explain in a few minutes. He got into the front seat -- the matron and Cindy were sitting in the back, and as he quietly read Alex Winfield's statement, Cindy Denker started sobbing uncontrollably.

When he described finding Otto's body buried behind the pool parlor, she started screaming that Deke had probably killed them all. Paul waited patiently until she calmed enough to make a statement, then he offered amnesty if she would make a voluntary statement, get the other girls to quit their activities, and testify against Deke in court.

She agreed and dictated her statement to the matron. Paul, the matron, and Ernie signed as witnesses after Paul called him back over to the car. Paul told Ernie to take them back to the station, put Cindy in protective custody, and call it a night.

As the tail lights of the car disappeared into the blackness, Paul sighed a deep sigh of resignation -- he was committed to a dangerous task with rank amateurs for partners. He opened Sarah's door and entered without knocking; instantly, the buzz of conversation stopped, and the three conspirators looked at him fearfully. They looked so much like old wrinkled schoolkids caught in the act that he was hard pressed not to smile.

As he started to speak, he noticed Sarah reaching over and covering Alan's shaking hands with her own. "Alan,-- Sarah, what ever possessed you to do what you did? The first boy -- granted, was an unfortunate accident, but to reset your booby traps, to actually try to get more bodies for some black market spare parts clinic -- that's insane! And you Stan Doyle, I've known you for quite a while, and I never though I'd see you mixed up in a midnight body-parts ring."

Alan interrupted, "It didn't happen quite that way, Mister Gillette. If we had treated that first boy as an accident, the body would have been wasted. All that red tape, the autopsy, and so many poor people just waiting to die because of the lack of a heart or a liver. I couldn't stand it and neither could Stan after I told him about it.

"As for the others, I was passed out drunk down at the pool hall; then, I hear this Deke bastard saying that he's going to get Sarah's record collection, even if he has to kill everbody in the building. He's so mad he busts that que stick, so I figure if we're too feeble to protect ourselves and you don't have the man power, then we better use our brains to protect ourselves and our property."

"That's why I set the traps and why I framed that sadistic bastard. Sarah and Stan didn't have anything to do with it; except I blackmailed Stan into using his truck."

"After that first time, he couldn't refuse to do it again. So let's go --take me to jail and leave them be."

"Hold on there, Old Timer." Paul could see that Alan was getting short of breath, and the veins in his nose were bright red. "I don't remember mentioning jail. Now shut up and listen, here's what you're going to do -- Sarah, you make a pot of strong black coffee, and you two jokers, you start cleaning up. Get rid of that carpet -- replace it with some other old carpet. Give me the crossbow, I'll destroy it and dump the pieces. Fix that wiring, I want new-used light fixtures in those closets in good working order by morning.

"The girl, Cindy doesn't suspect anything. She'll testify against Deke at his trial. He'll never bother you again.

"Now get busy. There's still two bodies missing and I'll have to go over these premises with a fine tooth comb, and Stan, for your sake, I'd better not find even a fingernail when I come back tomorrow."

Paul smiled contentedly as he approached his car and opened the door. He had just broken almost every rule in the book, but damned if he didn't feel just great. Even the air in South L.A. would smell a little cleaner -- at least, until tomorrow.