The Radio Murders - The Radio Murders

Though it was not planed, the Deputy Superintendent for Investigations Herman Jeffries, Vice Admiral, U.S.N. (Retired) found himself acting as lead investigator in the series of crimes that rocked the city and region. Here is an excerpt that puts Chief Jefferies motivations in perspective some perspective. This is from The Radio Murders: The Caller. Chief Jeffries and Torsha Lofton were discussing the way the latest crimes were being presented to the public.

Chief Herman Jeffries was sitting at the breakfast table in Torsha Lofton's Damen Street townhouse. He was already dressed in his starched white shirt with the appropriate insignia and perfectly pressed blue uniform, ready for the cameras on what was sure to be a media day.

"Would you like to hear it, it's still on my computer." Torsha stood at the kitchen sink, rinsing breakfast dishes.

"No, I’m sure I’ll have ample opportunity." He looked through the door at the elaborate computer based audio system Torsha had in the corner of her dinning room. "Besides, hearing the actual Peter Janich murder from those recordings was quite enough for this old sailor.  I can't believe Bennett actually saved it." Jeffries weighed his next comment carefully.
"Torsha, you might want to research the possibility that Bennett was not responsible for the DOA found in the Janich home."  He looked up. "Not directly, anyway."

"There’s an old African saying, chief, when seeking revenge, better dig two graves." Torsha turned and faced her friend. "I have no doubt that there is more to this story, Herman, much more."  Jeffries returned the smile.  He loved the way she managed to stay ahead of everyone.

"Have you thought about what's next?"

"You mean for me?" Torsha sat down and sipped her tea.  She folded her dark red lips onto themselves. "KCI will survive. Radio always does.  What those men did was despicable, but it is blood on their hands, not ours. We'll take some serious hits for a while, then it's back to normal, fighting for ears in Chicagoland."

"What about Kradich? Your star. We still have a murder case against him."

"Mr. Gibbons will point to Bennett and say he was responsible for poor Mr. Minues' death. The case is circumstantial at best. A lawyer of Sherman Gibbons' talent can use the alternative theory of the crime. I doubt Mr. Kradich will ever see the inside of a courtroom."

"You could be right. The last I heard the only witness that put the victim and Kradich together has vanished from the face of the earth."

"The man with the one eyed pit bull?" Torsha smiled.

"Without a trace. His associates say they last saw him with a suitcase and wearing a tropical shirt. Hell, even the dog had a Key West eye patch!"  Jeffries laughed a silent laugh. "What does that tell you?"

"Long trip?  Someplace warm?  Perhaps he won the Powerball." Torsha lowered her eyes. The room went silent. "He really was a good cop, wasn't he?"

"The best. He had his ways, but there's not a police force in America that doesn't cultivate bigoted feelings, at least to some degree. Even we are not immune, Torsha."

"I'll instruct the news staff to avoid digging through his dirty laundry.  He deserves better."

"I hope the others will follow your lead." The chief stood and reached for his uniform jacket. He looked at the computer station and thought about the horrific recording. "I also hope we aren’t treated to that little drama on the air. Janich’s murder, I mean."

Torsha thought about the possibility. She wanted to assure him that the people in her business had more sense, more class.

She knew the answer, and said nothing.