Crashed Into Reality

Chapter 13

"Okay, Friedman, we got the go ahead from the wife. I have to say I'm a little surprised. Something still isn't sitting right for me on this. I tell ya, when I was at Greene's office, the whole thing seemed too perfect. Practically nobody was there, the fiery temptress of a receptionist put it to the fact everyone was shocked by Garrett's death and took the day off for bereavement. Which sounds all fine and dandy, except the whole time she was talking to me, she was all flirty and bubbly. She made me think of "Basic Instinct", definitely dangerous. How's that search coming? Did you find anything?"

"Yeah, okay, here's what I got so far. The wife-minor records are sealed, which usually means she was in the system, most likely a foster child. No arrests or even driving tickets. No employment on record, seems she has been a housewife since they got married. She's so clean, she squeaks.

"Now, the husband, at first glance he appears to be clean, too. But after a little digging, I found he was arrested at age fourteen, under suspicion of involvement in a forged checks scam. They couldn't hold him, didn't have enough evidence. But man, check fraud as a teen? My biggest goal as a teen was trying to get with Susie Lamberg. If he started scamming that early, it's not likely it just stopped. I'm betting, if we talk to some of the people he's done business with, we'll find someone who lost money to him."

"Okay, well, that's a place to start, did you get anything on the company?" Peters was thinking, maybe the whole company was a scam.

"Yeah, it's like with Greene, at first, everything seems legit. Or, more that the products and businesses they use for examples of success, are real. So they actually have done some work. But, after looking at some other small businesses they invested in, there is nothing that indicates that business ever existed."

"So how does this work, if it's a scam?"

"Well, we'll need the company's records to know for sure, but I'm thinking, they earned a name for themselves first, so they seem trustworthy. Then, they come up with a product or business to "invest in". As they show their interest in this thing, they start collecting from others to invest in it as well. What do you know, the business flops, the money is gone. It's always a risk to put in an investment. The other investors are lured back in with a real success, and then suckered into bigger projects. But the money just goes to the pockets of those at Bollocks."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Okay, do we have enough to get a warrant for those records?" This company needed to be taken down, if they were doing everything he thought they were. There also might be a connection to Greene's death. Maybe one of the investors wants to send a message to the company.

"Also, I need you to look into this Mazlin guy, owner of the company, see if there's any records for him. And, I think we need to try to run a search to find this Boudreaux, or Kudro guy, it sounds like Greene had something on him, maybe he was going to try blackmail?"

"Hey, June? Do you mind if I go hop in the shower? I stink."

"Yeah, sure, there are extra towels in the downstairs bathroom."

"Thanks, I'll be quick, okay? If you hear anything, come get me. I'll be out in five minutes." He didn't really want to leave her, but he couldn't sit around dripping with sweat, especially since he hadn't showered since yesterday.

He was feeling much better after letting the scolding hot water run down his body, it helped sooth his shin a little, too. He was dressed and back out in five minutes. He smelled bacon as he came down the hall. He followed the scent to the kitchen, where June was fixing up some sandwiches.