* * * * *
**~Part 3~**
Earl arrived at one of the worst streets in town and used his key to enter what looked like an old run down house. Inside, the spacious home was richly decorated with all of the latest technological gadgets and gizmos.
“Gregg! Thanks for coming so quickly. I just wanted to check with you and Denzler about how things are going. I hope this isn’t too much of an inconvenience.” Grant Gendell’s booming voice caused a smile to come across Earl’s face.
“No, no, sir, it’s fine. Did you want me to give you a briefing?”
“Well I just have a couple of questions, but let’s wait till Denzler gets here before we start.”
Just then the door opened again and Denzler walked into the living room.
“About time you showed up! I was starting to wonder if you decided to take a vacation on some tropical island without me!” The jolly old man laughed at what he obviously thought was a joke.
Denzler smiled and gave a nod and a small courtesy laugh, then politely replied, “I was on the other side of town. I came as soon as I could, Mr. Gendell.”
“Quite all right, quite all right. I just have a few quick questions that I wanted to get to tonight. First of all, gentlemen, what is the status on Ms. Lane?”
“My wife and I had dinner with her and her husband this evening. She seems very eager to tell your story, and to tell the truth of it. I think she’s an excellent choice, Mr. Gendell.”
“Well good, glad to have your approval then. Denzler, what’s the status on your end?”
“I am planning to call her tomorrow to set up an appointment to interview her. Once I have confirmed her reliability, I’ll set up another meeting time for her to sit down with you. Frankly, Mr. Gendell, I have my doubts. She has been involved in exposing some very high profile people. She will dig for unflattering information, and I’m afraid she may create some when she doesn’t find any.”
“We’ll worry about that if the issue comes up. For right now just interview her and let me know how it goes.” Gendell looked from Denzler to Earl. “What arrangements have been made for tomorrow’s funeral service?”
“My office has arranged for flowers to be sent to the family,” Earl replied.
“And what about Marshall Holm?”
Earl opened his mouth, but Denzler cut him off before he had a chance to reply.
“He’s been taken care of, sir.” Denzler replied, a little too quickly.
Gendell glanced curiously at Eric, then back at Earl and waited for his reply.
“A confidentiality agreement was signed this morning, sir.”
“Good, good, all right then, I think that’s everything. Eric, let me know what time you work out with Ms. Lane, and Earl, be sure to let me know if you start to have any reservations about her suitability.”
Eric Denzler nodded. “Yes, Mr. Gendell.”
“I will, sir.” Earl assured his boss, and the meeting was over.
* * * * *
The Daily Planet newsroom was buzzing with activity, including that of the famous reporting team of Lane and Kent. Lois was doing research on Gendell Technologies and Clark was putting the finishing touches on his article describing the events of last night’s fire.
“Clark, get in here!” Perry yelled from his office.
Lois and Clark exchanged a puzzled but intrigued look. Clark headed toward Perry’s office, leaving Lois to stare at her cell phone waiting for Gendell’s lawyer to call.
“What’s up, Chief?” Clark asked when he reached Perry’s office.
“I’ve got an assignment for you. There was a murder last night over on Laurel Drive. See what you can find out.” Perry handed Clark a piece of paper with a few notes about the case on it.
“Sure thing, Chief.” Clark turned back into the newsroom and headed toward his wife.
“There was a murder last night. Not too far from where we live actually. A man was shot and killed practically right in front of his wife. Perry wants me to check it out.”
“Last night? Didn’t,” Lois mouthed the word ‘Superman’ and continued, “hear anything?”
“Well the only thing I can figure is that it happened during last night’s fire. I’ll find out more when I go talk to the police.”
“Do you think the murder and the fire are connected? Maybe someone used the fire to create a diversion for the murder to take place?”
“It’s possible, but I don’t think so. The fire was started when one of the employees dropped his cigarette. He seemed sincerely distraught and apologetic. I’m going to head over to Laurel Drive and have a look around, ask some questions. Do you want to come with me?”
“Actually I think I’ll stay here. I’m expecting Denzler to call sometime today, and I want to do some more research on Grant Gendell and Gendell Technologies while I wait.”
“Okay. I’ll see you when I get back then,” he said, bending down to give her a kiss.
“Good luck.”
* * * * *
“Clark Kent, Daily Planet. Mind if I take a look around, ask a few questions?” Clark asked the nearest officer when he arrived at the crime scene on Laurel Drive.
“Officer Matthews,” he answered, shaking Clark’s hand. “Sure, you can look around, but there’s not much to see. The body was found here.” He gestured toward a chalk outline on the sidewalk. “Apparently he was shot from the direction of the alley, but we’ve found no weapon, no foot prints, no fingerprints, and basically no clues, except for this.” He held up a piece of paper inside of a protective plastic cover that looked as if it had been smoothed out after being crumpled up. The paper was white and blank, except for the words ‘trust no one’ in small, plain lettering in the middle of the page. “We found this on the ground next to the body and we think it’s probably connected to the murder. There was another murder like this, with the same message about a week ago, but we still don’t have any suspects.”
“So you think it’s a serial?”
“That’s our suspicion right now.”
“Can you tell me the name of the person that was killed before?”
“It was a married couple.” Officer Mathers fumbled through some paperwork on his clipboard until he found the answer. “Malachi and Allyson Potter, but that’s all the information I can give you about them.”
“Have you tried tracing the paper back to the where it was printed or where the paper was purchased?”
“We’ve looked into it, but it’s just white printer paper and black ink that anyone could buy at any office supply store. It’s not much to go on.”
“Thanks officer. I appreciate the information.”
* * * * *
Back in the Planet’s news room, Clark stopped at Jimmy’s desk with his notes from the morning’s murder investigation.
“Jimmy, I need you to get me any information you can on a Marshall and Lisa Holm, and a Malachi and Allyson Potter. Marshall Holm was killed last night, and the Potters were killed last week. The police found a plain piece of paper at each crime scene with the words ‘trust no one’ on them.”
“Trust?” Jimmy thought out loud. “Trusted by a friend? Trusted with a secret, maybe?”
“That’s what I want you to find out. See what you can find. Friends, family members, business contacts, whatever you can dig up.”
“Sure, CK.”
“Thanks, Jimmy.”
Clark walked over to where Lois was working at her desk. “How’s it coming?” he asked, peaking over her shoulder at her computer screen.
“Almost finished with my research and I’ve got a line of questioning laid out. I’m waiting for Denzler to call and hoping he’ll trust me enough to grant me an interview. How’s your story on the murder coming?”
Clark’s expression changed at the sound of the word ‘trust’ out of Lois’ mouth. “Funny you should mention the word ‘trust’ because it came up when I went to the scene to check things out. The only clue the police could find was a piece of paper with the words ‘trust no one’ on it. No footprints, no fingerprints, nothing but the paper. I’ve got Jimmy doing backgrounds on all of the murder victims.”
“Victims?” Lois inquired. “I thought there was only one man.”
“There was only one man killed last night, but an identical piece of paper was found at the murder of a married couple last week. The police think they’ve got a serial murderer on their hands.”
“And our only lead is the piece of paper? That’s not much to go on.”
“Well hopefully Jimmy can find some sort of connection and we can figure out where to go next. Hey, have you had lunch? I’m starved.”
“Lunch would be great.”
“How’s Chinese food sound?”
“Chinese sounds good.” Lois paused and then added, “as long as it’s not Ralph’s Pagoda.”
Clark laughed and helped Lois with her coat as they made their way toward the elevator.
* * * * *
Ten minutes later Lois and Clark were just stepping up to the front doors of a small Chinese restaurant, when they spotted Earl and Juliana walking toward them.
“Juliana! Earl! Hi.” Lois smiled and waved.
Juliana’s face lit up at the sound of her name. “Lois, Clark, what a surprise! Are you guys out for lunch?”
“We were going to try out this Chinese place.” Earl chimed in.
“Really?” Clark asked. “What a coincidence; this is one of our favorite places.”
“They have the *best* dim sum.” Lois gushed.
“We’ve never been here, but all we’ve heard are good things.”
“Do you guys want to get a table for four?” Juliana asked.
Clark looked at Lois and then replied enthusiastically. “Sure, that’d be great.”
“I’ll get us a table.” Earl stepped over to the hostess and gave his name.
* * * * *
After another pleasant conversation over lunch with Earl and Juliana, Lois and Clark headed back to the Planet.
“You still think we’re gonna hate them?” Clark teased her.
“I’ll admit I’m surprised. After last week, I honestly didn’t think there was any way we’d find a couple in this city that we could get along with, but I really like Earl and Juliana.”
“So you admit you were wrong?” Clark said playfully.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Well,” Juliana wavered, “I wasn’t completely correct.”
“Come on, Juliana, you can say it.”
“ I was—I was wrong.” She grimaced on the last word as if it pained her to say it.
“There, that wasn’t so bad.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Yeah, well don’t expect it to happen again any time soon,” Lois chided.
Clark laughed. “I won’t, but you have to admit that—”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“—Lois really seemed to warm up to you today. I don’t think you have anything to worry about as far as the two of you becoming friends.”
“I think you’re right. We have a lot in common. Lois and I just think—“
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“—the same way. Like good friends should.”
“I’m glad, cause Clark and I are great rivals for each other on the basketball court. He’s got better moves than most people I’ve ever played with, and somehow when I play with him I play better too. It’s like somebody is helping me—”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“—play better. I just gave the ball a little blow once in a while, and I think we both had a lot of fun. He’s got some great moves even without my help.”
“Great moves, huh? I could show you some great moves.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Juliana, we’re in public!”
Juliana just smiled and took Earl’s hand as they headed back to the Gendell Technologies laboratory.
* * * * *
tbc...
