Joan Renfrew Herrick–secret boozer Suicide attempts, suicide. A neighbor doctor told me:
Joanie burned herself, and begged morphine. Demerol prescribed; selfinflicted burns kept it coming. Zombie matron–all-day jazz on cloud nine.
“She _drank_ Drano, Lieutenant. Her ultimate suicide was inevitable, and a merciful relief for the people who cared about her”
Richie Herrick–shy boy, chump musician. One friend–“This hood Tommy,” “Oil and watei him and Tommy–I think Richie had a crush on Tommy’s sister ” Neighborhood shock expressed: shy Richie the dope peddler The Bakersfield PD queried: Richie was bagged dead to rights, openand-shut. No co-defendants, no Tommy involved–three-to-four Chino.
Richie ‘s prison file–missing. Misplaced? Misfiled? Stolen ?–possible suspect Dan Wilhite–just a hunch.
Warden’s aides searching for it: I wanted to nail Richie’s Chino K4s.
Escape reports 9/57–adios, Richie–no details, no leads.
Mike Breuning–no call from him yet–my B&.E lead was tapped out.
Phillip Herrick:
No record, no Vice Squad sheets City/County
Chemist.
Chemical manufacturer.
PH Solvents, Inc.–dry-cleaning supplies.
Stelfactiznide chloride–made in-house.
Distributed statewide–to dry-cleaning shops and industrial plants.
NOT a customer: E-Z Kleen/J C Kafesjian.
PH employees alibi-checked—clean straight across.
Cross-family background check:
Phillip Herrick–DOB 5/14/06–Scranton, Pennsylvania.
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John Charles Kafesjian–DOB 1/15/03–Scranton, Pennsylvania.
No Pennsylvania criminal records/State Police employment check: 1930–32–Balustrol Chemicals, Scranton. Phillip Herrick: solvent analyst; .L C
Kafesjian: laborer/mixer
California DMV check:
6/32–both men glom drivers permits.
Birth record check:
1932–37: Tommy/Lucille, Richie/Laura/Christine born.
Time ticking–RUN—-custody looming.
Running separate–Exley and Noonan–chasing bank writs.
Noonan moving east–furtive–petitioning Fed jurists. Exley sticking west–slower, no connections.
Name it ALL. the Kafesjian/Herrick case.
Breaking now–CRAAAZY volition.
Crazy fake press leaks–my idea.
We announced a fake APB, then fake withdrew it. One fake suspect fed to the press: an unnamed psycho. Bait: to calm Richie down and lure Tommy to him.
A help: Richie ‘s mug shot on page one–a bum likeness, peeper sketch imperfect.
A hindrance: Feds dogging THEM.
Exley, page-one tweaks:
“Dave Klein is a very savvy detective.”
“He has worked on a burglary case that may be tangentially connected.”
Bait: push THEM toward Richie/push THEM toward me.
One glitch: Fed lockstep surveillance on the Kafesjians.
RUN–
Juniors funeral–mandatory Bureau attendance. Exley there for PR, Dudley Smith somber Stemmons, Sr, still distraugh4 sedative bombed.
Father-son farewell: Sad-ass Bible readings. Thirty years since First Dutch Lutheran, catch the gist: mercy for the sick and insane.
RUN–Sheriff’s Homicide chasers–“routine” questions, two sessions’ worth: Were you hired to tail Glenda Bledsoe?
Did you become intimate with her?
Did she steal from Howard Hughes ‘guest homes?
Yes, yes, no–one cop smirking.
Did you argue with Harold John Miciak?
Yes–this cop-hater shitbird. Instant empathy, a smirky punch line: don’t you think Mr Hughes might try to fuck you for taking his money and his girlfriend?
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Running with me–Sid Riegle/six IA men: background checks/ interviews/shitwork.
Meg working on a title search–4980 Spindrift/”Why meet there?” My own sister: searching records, tracing money–Phillip Herrick ‘s fortune, find me filth–
Kafesjian/Herrick–Mom to Richie: “Long history of insanity both our families.”
Killer Richie–no.
Killer Tommy–doubtful.
Leaning toward: Mr Third Party insane.
Narco men running scared–persistent Bureau rumors. Mass cop divestment: Kafesjian gratuities dumped. Rumors had Dan Wilhite begging Exley: say something, do something.
Exley noncommittal; Fed rumors: nineteen subpoenas headed Narco way.
My subpoenas on hold–via Fed custody extortion. Key witness Dave Klein, compromisable: if that movie showed up on Noonan ‘s desk. Call “if” wishful thinking–I kept waiting the delivery out–time ticking slow.
Running thinking:
THEY made the film–Chick Vecchio their point man. Make him snitch: THEY coerced my starring role.
Conspiracy indictments potentially pending– “maybe” one tainted witness skates.
Maybe wishful thinking.
Running, watching:
THEIR house–night surveillance, parked three doors down. SRO: Feds in front, Feds out back. Family tantrums inside–my nostalgia soundtrack–
The Two Tonys–pomade spatter off point-blank head shots. “No, my children “–a clip victim weeping. Rape-o double-header–buckshot tore this nigger faceless.
Silk dresses for Meg-penance gifts. Meg with Jack Woods now–her own killer Meg holding ten grand–Jack stuffed, Junior otherwise dead. A stray thought Abe Voldrich snuffed, a car spotted. Jack’s car: that make, that model.
Music to watch by: car-radio bop night one. Night two-straight Champ Dineen.
Soft: Richie and Lucille, maybe lovers. Soft: Glenda turning my way off a skid, all this courage.