Columbo Meets the Saints and the Sinners

Chapter 5

When David got there, he was on the last step to the 9th floor, he was a little out of breath, he saw the door was open. He walked up the stairs, as he for closer he saw Columbo sitting on the couch, smoking a cigar and a couple of officers looking around.
Columbo saw Mr. Parker and walked up the the door.
"Columbo?"
"Mr. Parker," he said getting up and walking to him, "I just want you to know, that I am terribly sorry for your loss, I do hope things get better for you, sir."
"Thank you, but, I'm sure she's happy and alive in Heaven. I know she's saved and I'm sure she's up there."
"Now, I'm-"
"Columbo? Mr. Parker?"
They turned around to see Joey, who was standing at the top of the stairs.
"Joey, what are you doing here?" asked Mr. Parker
Joey breathed, "Columbo called me and asked me to come. What's going on?"
"Come on, I've got something to show you, uh, both of you." said Columbo
They walked in, Columbo reached in his pocket, took out the handkerchief and show it to them, "Uh, does this mean anything to any of you?"
"No, I've never seen anything like that." said Mr. Parker
"Oh, that's mine, I guess I dropped it on my way out."
"When was the last time you saw Mary?" Columbo ask Joey
"Uh, I dropped her off at her place, on Friday night, after her little sister's birthday party."
"You dropped her off, sir, here?"
"I walked up to the ninth floor, up to the door of her apartment, we kissed, and I guess the handkerchief fell out of my pants pocket."
"You keep it in your pants pocket?"
"Yes, I was surprised to see it gone, I had no idea where it was."
"I see, uh, here," he gave the handkerchief back to Joey, searched for his notebook, took it out, grabbed a pen out of his pocket and wrote it down, "There's something else you need to see." He put away his stuff.
They walked right up to the couch.
Joey and David saw the note on the table. They both read it and both their hearts sank as they finished reading it.
David sat on the couch and sighed.
"Are you O.K., sir?"
He shook his head, "How could she not say anything?" said David
"She never said anything about this, sir?" asked Columbo
"No, not to me, anyways."
"How about you, uh?"
"Sorry, lieutenant, I forgot to introduce myself."
"It's alright, sir, I understand, sir, uh,"
"Joey, Joey Davis."
"Uh, yes," He put his cigar in his mouth and looked in his coat for his notebook, "Good, very good name, sir, uh," He found it in his coat pocket, he started to write it down, "Joey Davis. O.K., I'll try to remember that. So, what do you think of this? What do you think it means?"
"It means my daughter committed suicide, off the ninth floor of a twelve story building." said David
"Hmm, are you sure about that?" asked Columbo
"What else could it be, Columbo? It says, right there, that she's having a hard time and can't take it anymore." said Joey
"Hmm, well, that could be, sir, that could be."
"What else could it be?" asked Joey
"Well, I don't know if I should say it."
"Oh, come on, tell us, I'm sure we can handle it." said David
"Well, uh, if you say so, uh, I think this could be a murder case, sir."
They were both surprised.
"You think my daughter was murdered?" asked David
"It's possible, the funny thing is, she never screamed when she fell."
"Never?"
"Never. Also, uh, did any of you bring her flowers?"
"Well, I did." said Joey
"You did, sir?"
"Yes, I brought her chrasanthams, why do you ask?"
"Well, I found a bouquet if them in the trash can, right over there." He pointed to the trash can by the door.
"What? You mean she threw them away? Why would she do that?"
"I don't know, sir, but it's possible, sir, uh,"
"Are you trying to say someone else was in here?"
"That's also possible, uh, when was the last time you saw her, Mr. Parker?"
"Well, the last time I saw her was on a Friday. She came to her little sister's ninth birthday party. All of our family was there."
"And she didn't act like something wad wrong?"
"No, she seemed fine."
"Thank you, and how about you, Mr. Davis?"
"The last time I saw Mary, was on Saturday."
"The same day she died?"
"Yes, I knocked on her door, she seemed fine, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with her. I handed her the flowers, we talked and then I left."
"I see, I also noticed there was a cup of coffee on the counter in the kitchen and by the typewriter, did you and Mary have coffee?"
"We did, she and I had a cup, together."
David looked a Joey.
"Whose was whose?"
"The one by the typewriter was Mary's and mine's in the kitchen."
"I see, well thank you, I hope I didn't waste both your times."
"No problem," said David, "If you need anything just call."
As soon as they got to the door, Columbo said, "Oh, uh, just one more thing, uh, why does your handkerchief say: J. C.?"
"It's J. D.," said Joey "A part of the D is faded, I understand why you thought it was a C."
David and and Joey left.
David looked at Joey, as soon as they got to the stairway, "I thought you didn't like coffee."
Joey just looked at him, then walked down, with David following.
"Well," said Columbo, "Let's have these checked for fingerprints." said Columbo, to the officers, pointing at the cup.