Garage Sale Mystery: The Beach Murder Page #5

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THE CODE'S BEEN CHANGED.

OKAY.

DRIVE SAFE.

THANKS.

GET SOME REST.

I WILL.

[SIGHS HEAVILY]

HEY.

HEY, ARE YOU GOING

TO BE OKAY HERE?

[SIGHS]

UH... I THINK SO.

OKAY.

CALL ME,

ALL RIGHT?

I WILL.

DRIVE SAFE.

OKAY.

BYE.

[BLOWS THUD HEAVILY]

[SHOUTING AND STRUGGLING]

[GUNSHOTS CRACK]

ALL I CAN SUGGES IS THAT YOU BE SURE

YOUR HOUSE IS LOCKED.

GET SOME SECURITY LIGHTS

FOR THAT GARAGE.

THAT'S IT?

THE GUY HAD A KNIFE.

PATROL CARS ARE LOOKING

FOR HIM ON THE STREET.

OKAY.

HEY.

THEY SAY I'M GOING TO LIVE.

MY PRIDE'S HUR MORE THAN ANYTHING.

WHAT HAPPENED?

IT WAS DARK, THE GUY

WAS WEARING A MASK,

I FIRED OFF A COUPLE SHOTS,

BUT HE GOT AWAY.

COULD IT HAVE BEEN TODD?

IS THAT POSSIBLE?

I DON'T KNOW,

IT HAPPENED SO FAST.

DID YOU GET A SENSE

OF HIS HEIGHT, HIS BUILD?

IT COULD HAVE BEEN

LIKE TODD'S,

BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW.

I'M CALLING THE D.A.'S OFFICE.

THIS HAS TO BE CONNECTED

TO STEVE'S DEATH.

HOW DID YOU HAVE A GUN?

I HAVE A PERMIT TO CARRY.

NORMALLY I LEAVE I IN THE HOUSE,

BUT LATELY I'VE BEEN

A BIT MORE CAREFUL.

ANNE, IF THIS

WAS TODD--

AND I'M NOT SAYING IT WAS--

SHOULD YOU:

BE CONCERNED?

I DON'T THINK SO.

IF TODD BROKE INTO MY HOUSE,

HE COULD HAVE HARMED ME THEN.

HE DIDN'T.

THE QUESTION IS,

WHAT IS HE LOOKING FOR?

DOES MITCH THINK

THIS IS ABOUT TODD

TRYING TO STEAL:

THEIR BUSINESS SECRETS?

MAYBE.

IT COULD ALSO BE ABOU TODD GETTING REVENGE

FOR GETTING KICKED

OUT OF THE BUSINESS.

BUT IF TODD:

WANTED TO KILL MITCH,

WHY NOT JUST DO IT?

THE ATTACKER HAD A KNIFE.

WHY NOT HIDE IN THE DARK

AND STAB HIM?

YOU'VE GO A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS,

ONE PARTNER DROWNS,

HIS WIDOW GETS BROKEN INTO,

AND THE OTHER PARTNER

IS PHYSICALLY ATTACKED.

AND THE BROTHER:

WHO WAS FIRED IS MISSING.

SEEMS PRETTY OBVIOUS.

THAT'S WHAT BOTHERS ME.

OH, BOY.

WHERE IS IT?

OH, IT'S RIGHT AROUND HERE,

THEY JUST OPENED UP.

IT'S A SPA?

IT'S A "FLOAT SPA."

YOU FLOAT ON WATER

THAT IS THE EXAC TEMPERATURE OF YOUR BODY,

SO YOU CAN'T EVEN

FEEL IT.

IT'S COMPLETELY DARK,

TOTALLY SOUNDPROOF.

SOUNDS A LITTLE SCARY.

YOU FLOA FOR AN HOUR,

COMPLETELY DEPRIVED

OF ALL SENSORY INPUT.

[CHUCKLES WRYLY]

THAT'S JUST WHAT I NEED.

IT IS WHAT YOU NEED.

COME AND FLOAT.

PASS.

[SIGHS]

OKAY, GIMME YOUR COAT.

[ENTRY BELL JINGLING]

OH, HEY, FRANK.

HEY.

I JUST GOT A CALL FROM THE D.A.

THIS MORNING:

BECAUSE HE GOT A CALL

FROM ANNE WINTERS.

THE PRESS IS GONNA HAVE

A FIELD DAY WITH THIS,

RUMOR OR NOT,

AND WITH THIS MUGGING

LAST NIGHT,

THE STORY EVEN GETS JUICIER.

HOW CAN I HELP?

KEEP THE WIDOW:

AWAY FROM THE PRESS, OKAY?

NOW, I GOTTA GO TALK

TO THIS OTHER PARTNER,

AND TRACK DOWN:

THE BROTHER, TODD.

ANNE IS WONDERING

IF TODD MIGHT BE THE ONE

THAT MUGGED MITCH LAST NIGHT.

OH, I READ THE REPORT.

IS THERE ANY CONNECTION AT ALL

TO THE DROWNING SUSPEC JESSE FULLER?

NO, HE'S GOT A SOLID ALIBI.

NO CONNECTION AT ALL.

AND IS THE D.A. SAYING

THIS IS NOW:

A MURDER INVESTIGATION?

NO.

THIS IS A "KEEP MY JOB

AND MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY"

INVESTIGATION.

YEAH.

I'LL SEE YA.

SO, DID YOU FIND

ANY ONLINE ACTING LESSONS?

I DIDN'T LOOK.

I, UH, I DON'T THINK

I'M REALLY CUT OU TO BE A THESPIAN.

A WHAT?

A THESPIAN.

YOU KNOW,

LIKE AN ACTOR.

WAIT, SO YOU'RE NOT GOING OU FOR "ROMEO AND JULIET"?

NOPE.

I'VE GOT WAY BETTER

THINGS TO DO.

HI, LOGAN.

OH, UM, HI.

WHAT'S UP?

I SAW WHERE YOU SIGNED UP

FOR ROMEO AND JULIET.

YEAH...

YEAH, I-I DID.

THAT'S COOL.

IT'LL BE FUN, AND WE NEED

MORE GUYS IN DRAMA.

YEAH... YEAH,

THAT'LL BE, UH...

THAT'LL BE REALLY FUN.

I GOTTA GO.

SEE YA, LOGAN.

UH, BYE, REGAN.

I GUESS YOU'RE BACK

IN THE AUDITION?

I'M HERE TO SEE MITCH.

STEVE FELT GUILTY

ABOUT HIS BROTHER.

HE WAS, FRANKLY, A FAILURE.

IT'S CRAZY,

WE EVEN CREATED A JOB FOR HIM,

MADE HIM A VICE-PRESIDENT.

STEVE THOUGHT,

GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY,

TODD MIGHT STEP UP.

IT WAS A MISTAKE.

HOW MUCH IS THE COMPANY WORTH?

WELL, IT'S

A PUBLIC COMPANY,

SO IT'S NO SECRET.

GIVEN OUR CURRENT SHARE PRICE,

ABOUT $200 MILLION,

MORE OR LESS.

HOW MUCH WAS TODD MAKING?

ABOUT 200K A YEAR.

BUT THERE WERE INCENTIVES

FOR VESTING WITH STOCK OPTIONS.

WORTH?

AT 36 MONTHS,

ABOUT $2 MILLION.

HE HAD A YEAR LEF BEFORE VESTING.

AND BY GETTING FIRED, HE...

HE GOT...?

NONE OF IT.

I WANT TO SHOW YOU

SOMETHING.

THIS IS SECURITY FOOTAGE

FROM HIS LAST DAY HERE.

HE HAD BEEN DRINKING

ALL MORNING.

YOU CAN TELL.

WELL, MRS. WINTERS THINKS

HE BROKE INTO THE HOUSE

AND TRIED TO GET INTO

MR. WINTERS' STUDY.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING

THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME.

THERE'S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

THAT A THIEF,

IF THEY WERE FAMILIAR

WITH OUR BUSINESS,

WOULD BE ABLE TO SELL

TO A COMPETITOR.

WELL, WOULDN'T YOU KNOW

IF HE TRIED TO ACCESS

THE NETWORK?

OH, YEAH, YEAH, WE'D KNOW.

AND HE DIDN'T.

I SENT A TECH OUT THERE

TO CHECK IT.

DO YOU THINK:

IT WAS A BREAK-IN?

NOTHING:

WAS STOLEN,

THE COMPUTER WASN'T ACCESSED.

WHY BREAK INTO A HOUSE

UNLESS YOU TAKE SOMETHING?

HMM.

ANY IDEA WHERE TODD MIGHT BE?

THERE ARE A FEW BARS

YOU MIGHT CHECK.

NO ONE CAN REACH HIM

ON HIS PHONE.

HE'S GOT A COUPLE

OF GIRLFRIENDS, BUT...

WHO KNOWS WHERE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

HEY, HOW WAS IT?

[SIGHS DEEPLY]

JENN...

YOU HAVE TO FLOAT.

I AM SO RELAXED.

IT IS BETTER:

THAN A MARTINI,

BETTER THAN A MASSAGE.

UM, AND I GOT THIS

IN THE WAITING ROOM.

ISN'T THAT THE COMPANY

STEVE WINTERS OWNED?

"FOLLOWING THE DEATH

OF CO-FOUNDER STEVE WINTERS,

"IDEA DOME MAY BE

A BUYOUT CANDIDATE.

"WINTERS IS KNOWN

"TO HAVE BEEN OPPOSED

TO ANY SALE,

BUT THE DOOR:

MAY NOW BE OPEN."

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

HEY, FRANK.

YES.

I-I'M ON MY WAY.

IT LOOKS LIKE:

THEY'VE CAUGHT A BREAK.

[QUIETLY] THAT'S NICE.

A GUY BROKE:

INTO A PHARMACY:

LATE LAST NIGHT.

HE WAS CAUGH IN THE ACT.

WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO

WITH STEVE'S DEATH?

WELL, HE'S ON PROBATION,

HE'S LOOKING AT SOME

SERIOUS JAIL TIME.

HE WANTS TO CUT A DEAL.

SAYS HE HAS SOME

VALUABLE INFORMATION

ABOUT STEVE WINTERS.

YOU THINK:

HE'S FOR REAL?

WELL, YOU TELL ME.

SEE IF ANY OF:

THE DETAILS HE PROVIDES

LINES UP WITH:

WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW.

I GOTTA KNOW,

ALL CHARGES DROPPED, RIGHT?

I MAKE NO PROMISES.

LOOK, I'M JUST A SURFER,

I'M NOT REALLY A CRIMINAL.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU WERE CAUGH AT A PHARMACY LAST NIGH AT 3:00 A.M.?

IF WORD GETS OUT,

I'M DONE.

[FRANK]:

YOU'RE ALREADY DONE,

BUT THIS IS A CHANCE

TO REDEEM YOURSELF.

[TUCKER]:
OH, MAN...

OKAY.

WE KEEP A FEW LOCAL SPOTS

TO OURSELVES, RIGHT?

ANYBODY WHO'S NOT ONE OF US

SURFS THERE,

BAD THINGS HAPPEN.

LIKE?

THEY MIGHT COME BACK

TO THEIR CAR:

AND FIND A WINDOW'S

BEEN SMASHED,

A TIRE SLASHED.

WHAT HAPPENED:

TO STEVEN WINTERS?

[TUCKER]:
HE RAN ACROSS

THE WRONG GUY.

[FRANK]:

AND WHO WAS THAT?

[TUCKER]:
JESSE FULLER.

WHEN HE SNAPS,

HE'LL DO ANYTHING.

[FRANK]:
WHAT HAPPENED?

[TUCKER]:
SO...

THE FIRST TIME:

WINTERS WAS WARNED,

HE CAME BACK TO FIND

THAT HIS LAND ROVER

HAD BEEN TRASHED.

HOW WAS IT TRASHED?

NOTHING MAJOR.

DIRT, STICKS, LEAVES...

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