Monday, El Paso to Odessa Texas
Mrs Wilson's voice on the phone came through into the living room from the kitchen and Momoko sighed as she reached the broom under Mrs Wilson's coffee table. "How did we get assigned cleaning duties while she makes the phone calls and contacts more witnesses?"
Dinah, who was dusting everything and especially the tops of things, was about to answer when Mrs Wilson returned to the room. "Well, that confirms it. My contacts say that similar ads have appeared in trade journals in Odessa. He's not going by Albus, obviously." Her tone was dry as the old woman made her way to her chair.
"You have contacts, Mrs Wilson?" Momoko stopped sweeping to listen to the updates. "I thought you said you never made it to an actual officer when you were on the force?"
"I didn't," Mrs Wilson's voice was slightly sharp. "And that has nothing to do with it; We office personnel still were doing police work! And I was in touch with people all over the country as well as across the border... "
"And in Odessa?" Dinah prompted, trying to get the conversation back on track.
Mrs Wilson gave Dinah an 'I know what you're doing' look, but gave in. "Jessica. Clerk of the courts office. She's retiring soon, or so she claims every time a new Judge gets elected. She pulled some things together, and will hold them for you. And Albert at the American's print morgue has the articles you'll want to look at. Apparently this hoodlum has been operating for some time, back and forth across the region. He's probably already set up a new office there. Shouldn't take too long to find him. Unfortunately Delores passed away last year or I'd have her search real estate in town."
Dinah and Momoko stared at the woman who in one afternoon had managed to find more information than they had in days. And without leaving the house.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to Odessa to get the crook?"
"Uhm," Momoko looked to Dinah...
Mrs Wilson rolled her eyes and then reached into the small table at her side. "Here. Make sure she's gassed up and washed when you return her." She tossed them a set of keys. "You do have a license, don't you?"
And that is how Momoko and Dinah ended up in a well-maintained Pontiac Firebird in Odessa Texas.
Dinah, who was dusting everything and especially the tops of things, was about to answer when Mrs Wilson returned to the room. "Well, that confirms it. My contacts say that similar ads have appeared in trade journals in Odessa. He's not going by Albus, obviously." Her tone was dry as the old woman made her way to her chair.
"You have contacts, Mrs Wilson?" Momoko stopped sweeping to listen to the updates. "I thought you said you never made it to an actual officer when you were on the force?"
"I didn't," Mrs Wilson's voice was slightly sharp. "And that has nothing to do with it; We office personnel still were doing police work! And I was in touch with people all over the country as well as across the border... "
"And in Odessa?" Dinah prompted, trying to get the conversation back on track.
Mrs Wilson gave Dinah an 'I know what you're doing' look, but gave in. "Jessica. Clerk of the courts office. She's retiring soon, or so she claims every time a new Judge gets elected. She pulled some things together, and will hold them for you. And Albert at the American's print morgue has the articles you'll want to look at. Apparently this hoodlum has been operating for some time, back and forth across the region. He's probably already set up a new office there. Shouldn't take too long to find him. Unfortunately Delores passed away last year or I'd have her search real estate in town."
Dinah and Momoko stared at the woman who in one afternoon had managed to find more information than they had in days. And without leaving the house.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to Odessa to get the crook?"
"Uhm," Momoko looked to Dinah...
Mrs Wilson rolled her eyes and then reached into the small table at her side. "Here. Make sure she's gassed up and washed when you return her." She tossed them a set of keys. "You do have a license, don't you?"
And that is how Momoko and Dinah ended up in a well-maintained Pontiac Firebird in Odessa Texas.
