Episode 3

"Who were the responding officers?"

"Marsh and Sanchez."

"Find anything on the ground?"

"No. Just gravel and candy wrappers."

Tate stepped back from the car and surveyed the scene. He took a camera from his jacket pocket and took several pictures from different angles and distances. The final picture was taken through the driver's side window showing the position of the body.

"I think, Sgt, Washington, that we'll need to have the dumpster gone through." Tate shined his flashlight into the dumpster. Most of the trash seemed to be made up of cardboard cartons, napkins, bar coasters and paper towels. "I'll let you choose the officer to do it."

"That'll be O' Connor. He's the rookie and he might as well learn that being a policeman can be dirty work."

"It's up to you. Just have him wait unit the crime scene team gets finished."

"No problem, Lieutenant."

Tate started toward the two officers standing with a pair of men near the building, then stopped and turned back to Sgt. Washington.

"How's your wife doing?"

"She's having a rough time with the chemo. Up days. Down days."

"I'll keep her in my prayers. She's a lovely woman. Too good for the likes of you."

"Thanks, Lieutenant."

"Will you be able to make it to the special meeting?"

"Lord willing."

"I'm looking forward to seeing you and Sarah."

Two officers, Marsh a stocky blonde with massive biceps straining the short sleeves of his uniform shirt, and Sanchez, olive skinned and turning paunchy, stood talking to two men next to the door of the bar. Sanchez was taking notes.

One of the men was a big man wearing a tank top revealing an assortment of tattoos on his shoulders and arms. His light brown hair was worn in a mullet, and he sported a thick Fu Manchu moustache. He kept smoothing his moustache as he spoke.

The second man was average height and of a thin build with a small pot belly. He wore a Hawaiian print shirt. He smoked a cigarette, inhaling deeply, while talking to Sanchez.

Just as Tate was about to approach the scene of the two officers talking to the men a black Ford 150 pick up truck bounced into the parking lot of the Rustlers' Roost. The door opened and a man wearing a light blue polo shirt, jeans and a pair of black frame glasses jumped out.

"What's up, Tate," he asked.

"There's a dead man in the Infinity by the dumpster. It looks like he was shot behind the ear. Go take a look, take notes of your impression and then join me here."

"Will do."

Sergeant Frank Garza went to the crime scene while Tate walked to the two officers and two civilians. He got to them just as the big man said, "This whole thing really sucks."

"I'm Lieutenant Detective Tate," Tate said to the uniformed men. "Who found the body?"

"He did," Marsh said nodding toward the big man. "His name's Randy Troutman."

Tate looked at the man. The man was stroking his moustache and when he wasn't stroking his moustache he was hiking up his pants. Then he stroked his moustache again.

"Tell me about it," Tate said.

"I came out to dump some empty cases while we were cleaning up. I saw the car and didn't think nothing about it. We get a few guys who leave so drunk they fall asleep in their cars. I figured he was drunk and passed out I went over to knock on the window to see how squashed he was and try to wake him up and maybe get him a cab to get him home. And when I looked harder in the car and saw his face I figured that there was more going on than a passed out drunk. Then I came into the bar and told John about it and he called you guys."

"Do you get very many people passed out in their cars?"

"Three or four a year. It doesn't pay to have guys driving out of here drunk. Drunk idiot drivers hire smart lawyers after they smash their cars."

"Are you the owner of this place?"

"Nah. I'm just the bouncer, bartender, sometimes DJ and clean up crew. John Malick's the owner. The guy in the aloha shirt."

"Have you ever seen the victim before?"

"Yeah. He wasn't what you'd call a regular, but he'd come in come in every month or two. He was easy to remember. We mostly serve floor apes wanting to blow off steam after a day's or week's work, or guy's about to get married. This guy's a Joe Businessman -- Dockers, Izod, dumpy, flashing green. A Shriner in Vegas type."

"Did he ever cause any trouble? Make any enemies?"

"No. He was pretty quiet. Liked the girls. Some of the girls liked him. He was a big tipper. Money makes friend in this gag."

"Any girl in particular?"

"Angel Grant, lately. Before her is was Desiree Booth and before her it was Marilyn Mendoza."

"Did you see him leave?"

"I didn't notice."

"Did you see Miss Grant leave?"

"Yeah. She left about 1:30. I walked her out to her car. It's something we do with all the girls. Some of the customers get a little aggressive about a girl they've 'fallen in love with.'"