Crime in the Suburbs

Last lines of Chapter 5:

When Amanda got back to the interrogation room the gathering outside the door had disbursed, except for Mrs. Zito. Amanda knocked softly on the door. When Brennan opened it, she entered and told him she had something important to relate. Upon hearing her message, he commended her for her quick and efficient handling of this important manner.
Then he said, "You didn't miss anything, here. The custodian, Biff Farrel, had nothing to add, unless you would enjoy hearing what his new grandson did for the first time, today."
"Please, not on an empty stomach."


Chapter 6

You Didn't Hear It From Me.

"Before we get to Mrs. Zito, what about the status of the robber?" Brennan asked.
"Oh fiddle. I was so excited about the teller wanting to make a statement, I totally forgot about our robber."
Amanda left the room, invited Mrs. Zito to go in, while she stayed outside and called the hospital again, this time for an update on the anonymous thief.

Rose Anne Zito

"Be careful when you sit in that chair, Mrs. Zito. It's missing a wheel," Detective Brennan said. "Is it Ms. or Mrs.?"
"I prefer Ms."
Brennan turned on the recorder. "The questioning of Ms. Rose Anne Zito. Please tell us what you know about the shooting and robbery."
"Very little, had it not been for Hermy, I mean Mr. Sterling."
"And what did Hermy, I mean, Mr. Sterling, tell you?"
"He said . . . oh I shouldn't have called him that."
"Don't let that bother you. Inter-office romances are bound to occur in any business." Amanda's cute countenance came to mind then quickly left. "Go on."
"He said for me to stay in my office and to lock the door."
"He didn't mention a shooting or a robbery?"
"No. I heard the shot. I guess everyone did but, at the time, I didn't know that's what it was."
"Can you think of anything further?"
"No. Mr. Sterling said he'd fill me in later."
"Did he?
"Not yet."
"Anything else?"
"I can't think of anything, right now."
"Thanks for your help, Ms. Zito."
Brennan turned off the recorder.

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Amanda entered the room.
"Where have you been?"
"The little girl's room. Is something wrong?"
"Nobody knows nothing, he said, irritably."
"Maybe we'll get some good news from the hospital," she said.
"I doubt it. Did you learn the robber's name?"
"Leonard Wisczoski. Thirty-six. Had a couple business cards in his pocket with the name, "King's Billiards" on them. It's right next to the Famous Ballroom. I could check it out when we're done here."
"No. That's a bad neighborhood. We'll go together." This could be our first date, he thought to himself. "Did the hospital give you his address?"
"They couldn't find it in his wallet and they searched him head-to-toe. He also had some business cards saying, Expert Landscaping. But get this! Landscaping was spelled with an 'r', l-a-n-d-s-c-r-a-p-i-n-g. Probably the only land he'll be scraping will be his grave. Oh, I almost forgot. The phone number on the card is the same as the pool hall."
"Sounds like a good motive for robbing a bank."

Brennan sat on the folding chair, and leaned back, causing the front legs of the chair to rise above the floor, as well as his own short legs. He closed his eyes and said, "Who's left?"

"Eric McNamara," Amanda said. "Want me to get him?"
"No. He's not going to know any more than the rest of them." He opened his eyes, returned the chair to its usual position and continued. "After all, his office is farther away from the shooting than Ms. Zito's. Let's drop in on Sterling and see what the view is like from his office."

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