The Dead and the Dreamer

"I'm getting to it. Keep your shirt on."

She rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, he gave me a huge tip. The kind of tip investigators die for. The kind of tip that blows cases right out of the water. It's like someone called and tells you who shot Kennedy."

Tammy rolled her eyes again.

"Well," John continued, "after identifying himself, he went on to warn me that his brother might be in trouble. He sounded scared."

Tammy looked as if she was not taking this so seriously. She leaned back in her chair and then stood. "Got anymore drinks in here?"

Now John was off track. "Sure," he said. "You know where to look."

She pulled out a cold soda for herself and sat back down.

"Anyway," he started again, "he really sounded sincere."

"Let me ask you something, private eye."

John waited.

"What made him call you? I mean how did he know to call you?"

"I learned a long time ago to never ask anyone with information how they got your number. You just listen and take it all in. I'm guessing that Hank might have told his brother about me and that maybe I could be trouble."

"That sounds about right," she remarked.

"Sure does."

"Then what happened?"

"That was all he was able to tell me before he hung up. His voice was low as if he was sneaking in the phone call."

"Well, in most jails you only get one."

John had to smile. "Come on now."

"I'm sorry. I'm just so glad this night is over. I hated wearing this wire," she said as she snatched it from her open purse and dropped it on John's desk. "I'm just blowing off steam. Don't mind me."

"Then I started putting two and two together. There's something else I didn't tell you."

"And."

"Frank knew about the cut brake line."

"He did? No."

"I confronted him about it and he confessed. Said he was holding onto it until later to cool down the investigation. I never quite believed him."

"Sounds a little fishy to me. And how does that tie to Hank?"

"To back track a little, I did my own research and found out that Taylor Time has been going all over the place and pulling off the same shady business practices they are pulling off here."