Recap: “The Cartoonist is at the local Comic Con to promote his strip. As he is settling in his booth a dead body is found. His friend David in another friend’s bear suit. The other friend Ralph is now the prime suspect. He goes to Ralph’s employer to find out why. The reason he finds out is a woman. Cidra.
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Cidra. My girl. My potential girl. I figured we had a special connection. The only problem is that she has a special connection with others as well apparently. The only way I will figure this out is if I talk to her. I say my goodbyes to Jimmy and head out. I get a message that the Con will start up again tomorrow. That’s good. Time to make some money.
After the meeting with Jimmy, I go home, take a shower, have dinner and then bed. I have an early day tomorrow and by the looks of it, it’s going to be a long one. The next morning, I show up at 6 am. Early mornings are the worst. I set up my booth again and have things ready for showtime with time to spare much like last time. Unlike last time I am not going to tour the floor for personal gratification. This time it’s business.
I find Dave’s business partner Gary. They ran the Comic Book Store Rush Town Comics for over ten years. They have 5 locations in New York and New Jersey. They were also best friends since high school. I haven’t known Gary as long as I knew Dave, but we knew each other pretty well. He sees me and acknowledges me. I told him that I was sorry about his loss. He thanks me and at first seemed to be at lost for words. Then he says “I am not sure what I am going to do with this business. Dave was the brains of the outfit. Damn that Ralph” I ask him what happened between him and Ralph. Not telling him about my knowledge of Cidra. ” I know exactly what it was about. That whore Cidra. Playing with their heads, using her twat to manipulate and deceive” I know he just lost his best friend, but I hate him talking about Cidra and I tell. him so. “Ok. Ok. I’m sorry but she played them both and now my best friend is dead…I think I need some air”. He leaves. He’s probably not coming back. At least not today. Plenty of his employees to man his booth anyway.
I walk around to see if anyone else can shed some light on this ugly situation. I find the Convention Director Harrison Bell. I know him somewhat. We have had brief conversations in the past. Nice guy but I can’t say I know him good enough for him for information. We say Hi and ask him about the status for the convention and is the police investigation going to delay the festivities. He says “No. But they will need to talk to relevant witnesses and close acquaintances. They will give me a list as soon as possible. The Con is going on as scheduled”. I tell him Thanks and start to leave. He stops me and ask, “Do you happen to know a Cidra Saunders?” I tell him Yes and he says, “Well if you see her tell her to pack her bags, I want her removed from this Con”.
Wow that was harsh. I walk off and look for Cidra.
I find her outside. She was on a smoke break. I tell the news. She takes better than I thought. “Well screw them, those sexist pigs. On to the next con”. I stand there wondering what to say. I start by asking if the rumors were true with her, Ralph, and Dave. Initially she looks at me like I just slapped her in the face then her expression changes. ” Yes, I saw them both. Nothing serious. I like Men so sue me”. I nod at that. I like Women and I like her. But I don’t say that. Maybe one day. I do ask who you think killed Dave. “I don’t know. But if it was Ralph, it wasn’t over me. They both had the understanding that I wasn’t a one man woman. I liked to play the field” I wanted her to play my field. Again, I didn’t say that. She finishes her cigarette and heads back inside.
We walk in together and the stares start. If Cidra notices she don’t acknowledge it. I help her get her stuff together. Once she is done, I ask her what she thinks of Dave’s murder. “Well, if Ralph did it, it was probably because of their business deal they had planned” Business deal? This is the first time I am hearing this. She sees my puzzled face and realizes the confusion. “Do worry about it, sugar. No one really knew about it. It was on the hush hush. Only Dave, Ralph, and myself knew about it. And I only knew about it through pillow talk”. She gives me a wink. So only the three of them? That doesn’t help Ralph in any way. She continues “Oh and maybe one other person. Ralph’s business partner”
I ask who’s that?
She replies. “Gino Savino”
To be continued…
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