When we last left our story: Arnold J. Armbruster was on the case of the recently murdered Police Chief & also the case to prove a man was innocent of the murder. The Chief was found dead at the bottom of a ravine & was on the way to a high society party at the mansion of Manfred Wilton. After some fact finding excursions to the ravine & to the Police Station, Arnold saw in the paper that Mr. Wilton was having another party. So with his secretary, Snookie, Arnold going to crash the party.
It's around 8 p.m. & on the outskirts of the city in the ritzy part of the city, there is party going on. The party was at the estate of Manfred Wilton. All the right people are at the party. But, then that all changes when a Catering truck pulls up. It's wasn't the caters that changed the status quo at the party, it's the people riding in the back.
"Why did we have to stow away in this truck?" a vaguely asian sounding female voice said as me & her exited the truck. I was eating a puff pastry.
"Well, my dear Snookie. I would have used my car but a boyfriend of a girl I slept with last week set it on fire." I said as he finished his pastry. "But, were here. Aren't we?" We were lucky that the truck was going here because I was not about to hitchhike.
"yes." Snookie said.
We smoothed out our clothes, so we looked mildly presentable. I wore my only classy looking suit: it's Black & White. Snookie wore her fancy Flapper getup. We rounded a corner & walked up the front steps of the mansion, It was very Art Deco. Snookie wrapped her left arm around my right as they walked up the steps.
Once at the door, I rung the doorbell & a few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a squat looking Gentlemen. It wore a black tux & looked to have a slight hump on his back. "Good evening." It said creepily. That voice sent shivers up & down Snookie back.
"We here for Manny's shindig." I said.
"What?"
"You know, Manny! Manfred, the jolly ol' chum from Great Britain. The home of the Queen, crumpets & afternoon tea!" I said, hopping that my BSing would get us in. I did.
"Ah, yes. Master Wilton's party. Right this way." The slightly hunchbacked butler said as he ushered in us inside. Once inside, the butler closed the door. "Walk this way." he said & motioned for us to follow him. He started to walk away, we followed. Snookie tried to walk like she had a hump on her back, but gave up soon after.
A few minutes later, the butler opened two big doors that opened into the party. The sounds of music & people talking were almost defying. In the front of room, on a stage, was the local band: the Flint Michigan review. They were playing all the standards. Near them was a dance floor, it was almost totally crowded with people.
Me & Snookie descended the staircase to the main floor. Snookie let go of my arm & made her way to the Buffet table. She specifically brought a purse, so she could take some food for later.
I scanned the audience, I was looking for Manfred Wilton so I could talk to him about Graham. But, Manny was no where to be found. It was his party & his house, he should be here! Who I did see were: Two of the Heiresses to the Wooster empire when dancing like the floozes they were. Mayor Bloatsburgs made his way across the room, he was followed shortly by his personal bodyguard for the night, Detective Dury. Professor Harper & Doctor Alarcon were discussing something. Fellow Olympian's Carl Bastion & Joshua Clement were near the punch bowl. Shipping tycoon William Reed & the Senator from Louisiana, Senator Clancy, were talking about something.
I groaned when I saw the Senator: he hates me. You try to put a guy away from fraud once & he hates for the rest of your life! I tried to avoid the Senator's gaze, but he saw me & made a bee line for me, leaving his discussion with Mr. Reed. Why was the Senator even here? We're not in Louisiana!
"Hello, Armbruster." Clancy said with some distain.
"Clancy." I said with a nod hello.
"I didn't expect to see you here. This isn't your normal hang out." The Senator said. We both understood the double meaning.
"Maybe I'm trying to better myself?"
"Maybe. But, I think it has more to do with the Graham case your working on." Clancy said with a raised eyebrow. Clancy always seemed to be connected & there was not any information he doesn't know about.
"Maybe. But, maybe I just like the free cocktail weenies?"
"I guess that's something you & your secretary both enjoy?" The Senator said & then we both looked over at Snookie emptying a tray of mini sausages into her purse.
After a few seconds of stairing at each other menacingly, a woman dressed to the nine's walked up to the Senator & gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Are you going to introduce me to your friend?" she asked.
"Sure, Hallie. This is private detective Arnold Armbruster." he said & motioned to me.
"Hello." Hallie said & held out her hand.
Showing I have at least some class, I took her hand & kissed it. As I did that, I bowed & said hello.
Hallie took her hand back rather quickly from me & she gave me back a weak smile.
"Such a gentlemen you are, Armbruster." Clancy said, sarcastically.
"Let me introduce you to me lady friend, Miss Helen MacAllistair. You may have heard of her."
I had: Miss MacAllistair was one of the top research students at the local college. She was working in the existence of possible "fake" entities. It sounded like science fiction to me but hey, whatever floats her boat.
"Yes, I had." was my reply. I then wondered why a lowly college researcher would be dating the epitime of evil.
There was more silence & then to get out of talking to me some more, the Senator faked that someone was calling him over. "Well, it was nice to see you again, Armbruster. But, I think I hear the mayor is calling me over. Goodbye."
Clancy left & almost drug his date along after him, she waved goodbye as he did.
This left me to continue to look around for people, about half of them might have a grudge against Police Chief Graham. Graham was not know for his friendly attitude or ability to make friends. My train of thought was broken when Mrs. Mulvain, the wife of the accused killer & my current employer, came up to me. "Hello, Mr. Armbruster."
"hello."
"Having a nice time?"
"Not really. There are way to many people here that dislike me."
"oh. If you don't mind me asking: shouldn't you be out searching for Graham's killer?"
"I am. Most of the people here may have wanted to kill him & when he died, he was heading to this very house."
"Interesting."
"Yes. Very." I replied rather hesitantly. My feeling was either that she's coming on to me, drunk or both. Now, normally, I would have gotten with her, but she's a client. I do have a few rules that I live by & one is don't have sex with clients!
"I'm going to go over there, now." I said & then walked away from her.
I walked over to the Buffet table as the Caters were now putting out more food. Snookie was standing near by, eating out of her purse.
"Shrimp?" she asked as she showed me the inside of her wax paper lined purse which was now filled with Cocktail Weenies, Shrimp & any other small food item from the buffet table. I think I may have seen a roll or two in there.
I declined the offer & wanted to get out of here. I also wanted to get out this monkey suit, but I wanted to talk to Wilton first. Where the frick was he?
I found out a few minutes later, when Mrs. Mulvain screamed. She walked into a room she thought was the bathroom, it wasn't. It was Manfred's personal study, Mulvain screamed because Manfred was now Mandead. He was lying face down in the middle of the floor with one of those letter openers that looked like mini swords sticking out of his back.
I guess I could now cross Manfred off the list of being Graham's murderer. But, then again: Wilton may have murdered Graham, someone found out & then murdered him for doing so. So, that means we either have two murderer's running around or just one. Man, this mystery keeps on getting deeper. I wonder if Mrs. Mulvain will pay me more now?
TO BE CONTINUED.....
Two murders that may be connected in some way, shape or form: what does Armbruster do about it? Will Snookie eat all her purse food? Who else will cross Armbruster's path? Who is Murderer or Murderer's? How long can I keep this up before I lose interest? Find out most these answers & more in the next part of Bang. Bang. Your Dead! Out sometime in the future.
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