Hattie and the Main Street Bomber - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1C – O 10/10
This version is rated PG-13
This story is a sequel to Hattie Kaplin - Reporter – Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1C - N
By KenJ <ken.janney@kjanney.com>
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
/ denotes telepathic communications./
Previously
At that point it was all over but the shouting. After a few more technical witnesses the case was given to the jury.
After the jury deliberated for a short time they came back in.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A special edition of the Daily Planet hit the streets a short time after the jury returned its verdict.
”COUNCILMAN ROBBINS CONVICTED AS SERIAL MURDERER”By: Lois Lane
“In a surprise twist charges were presented against Councilman Robbins regarding the activities of the Main Street Bomber.
As a result of the testimony presented by members of the staff of the Daily Planet and the Metropolis Police Department, Councilman Robbins has been convicted of 98 counts of murder in the first degree, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
James Draper, his accomplice, was convicted of conspiracy and will be remanded to the St. Louis jurisdiction where he will be tried on separate counts of murder in the deaths of members of the infamous Clanton Gang.
The nature of the evidence presented was so compelling that the jury deliberated only two hours before returning a verdict of guilty on all counts. Sentencing will be performed in ten days, but it is expected that the death penalty could be imposed. (Story continues A2)”* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A little later, in the editor’s office at the Daily Planet, Lois, Clark, Hattie and JJ were together. Hattie and JJ were sitting on the couch while Lois and Clark were in their office chairs.
Hattie said to Lois, “Thanks for testifying. That kept them from trying to place the blame on me.”
Lois smiled and said, “All I did was tell the truth, besides, you didn’t do anything except gather all the evidence the police needed to put him away, for good. Good job.” She looked over at Clark and said as she started to laugh, “You’re right. Two peas in a pod.”
Clark gave JJ a wink as he said, “Absolutely scary.”
Just then there was a knock on the door.
Lois signaled for the person to enter.
A delivery boy entered and said, “Delivery for Kaplin”
Surprised, Hattie jumped up and said, “That’s me!”
She accepted the box. It was long and was obviously a flower box. Hattie sat it on the corner of Lois’ desk and opened it. Inside were a dozen red roses. Hattie looked over at JJ and smiled. She said, “You don’t waste any time do you?”
“How can you be so sure it was me?”
“After the discussion the other day?” Hattie put the flower box under her arm and with her free hand grabbed JJ’s hand and said, “Come on JJ, you owe me a dinner.”
Shocked JJ stammered, “Dinner? I do?”
Hattie smiled and said, “Sure, this will be number three. Remember what I said about number four?”
JJ started to smile at the memory and said, “Ahhhh, yes, yes I do! Let’s go partner. I know this little place around the corner. Romantic sidewalk seating and they have the best Italian food in the city.”
As the door closed behind them Lois looked at Clark and said, “I think we did good partnering them up.”(7)
“Yeah, I guess we did. You know, I think JJ’s on to something. How does Italian sound to you for dinner?”
Lois got up out of her office chair and moved over to Clark and sat in his lap. She turned so that she was facing him and put her arms around his neck. She moved in close so that she was whispering in his ear, “You and I both know what Italian does to you, so I say, I know this little place in Rome. Someone who shall remain nameless used to fly me there for dinner sometimes.”
Clark jerked back and asked, “Luthor?”
Lois laughed and said, “No, silly, Superman! Now, don’t give away this secret, but I think he had a thing for me.” She giggled. “Actually, I think he still does. I have always enjoyed my time with you. Remember my birthday, back in 2010 when I got the pendant? We flew to Paris for dinner and then we joined the mile high club.”(8) She closed the distance between their lips for a lingering kiss before she finished, “I’d kinda like a repeat performance. The paper has been put to bed. Celeste or Lucy can make dinner for the rest of the kids. Superman and Ultra Woman are taking the night off. Let’s get out of here.”
With a gleam in his eyes, Clark said, “I can’t wait. Let’s go.” <”Hmmmmm, the last time we did this we wound up with Sam. I wonder.”>
And now
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Epilogue
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Universal Locator designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 Canon universe also called – Prime
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One week after the jury rendered its verdict the banner headline of the Daily Planet read:
”FORMER COUNCILMAN RICHARD ROBBINS FOUND DEAD” By: Kaplin and Olsen
Former City Councilman Richard Robbins was found dead in the exercise yard of Metropolis Prison today.
The Councilman was in the general population of the prison while awaiting sentencing in his conviction as a serial murderer. When he was not present for roll call after an exercise period a search was conducted. He was found in a shaded corner of the yard with a toothbrush, the handle of which had been filed down into a sharp point sticking out of his chest. The implement of death was inserted into his chest just to the left of the sternum and pierced the heart. Death would have been instantaneous.
Sources in the DA’s office say that his lawyer had been in negotiations with ADA Sylvia Costas offering a deal which would have guaranteed a life sentence rather than the death penalty at sentencing.
It is speculated that the motive for his death was revenge taken by a members of one of the families that he killed in his bombings.
The former Councilman’s lawyer was unavailable for comment.” (Story continues 2A)* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hattie was pacing in Lois and Clark’s office while JJ sat on the couch watching her.
As she paced she expostulated, “This stinks to high heaven. We’ve started cross-checking the names of the victims against the list of the prison population. What was the result JJ?”
JJ answered, “We haven’t found a single match. There are at least no obvious matches. We haven’t checked for cousins and such as yet.”
Hattie continued, “I spoke with ADA Costas and she told me that this deal that was in the works would have blown the lid off of something big. That was all that she had at this point … something big. Something really big.”
Lois asked, “What do you think it could be?”
“I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In a rundown warehouse on the other side of town, two men were in a darkened office. The light in the room was being provided by a video monitor.
The monitor depicted a single individual, strapped into a chair. The individual was thoroughly restrained in his bonds, unable to do more than move his head slightly. On his head was attached a pair of headphones. They were taped in place so that he couldn’t shake them off. The camera providing the picture was positioned so that it showed the imprisoned individual and some of his surroundings. What could be seen were walls completely enclosing the chair at a short distance. Across the walls played a kaleidoscope of colors and it wouldn’t matter what direction the prisoner looked since the colors were being projected on all four walls the floor and the ceiling.
As the prisoner started to slump in his bonds, apparently dozing off to sleep, a switch was closed and he jerked up and a look of extreme pain overtook his features. Over the speaker could be heard a muted version of the noise being pumped into his ears by the headphones. The noise was loud, just below the threshold that would cause permanent damage to the ears, but painful none the less.
After a minute which seemed like an eternity to the individual in the chamber, for such it was, the sound was turned off and the man in the office keyed a microphone and said, “Tell me what Robbins told you.”
The individual in the chair blubbered, “I told you, he didn’t tell me anything! He didn’t trust me. He wanted the DA’s guarantee before he would say anything. I was just his mouthpiece talking to the DA’s office.”
His statements were picked up by a microphone in the sensory chamber and transmitted through the speakers in the office.
Again the switch was closed and the noise was pumped into his ears. His body was vibrating like a tuning fork in response to the noise as he writhed in pain. This time after thirty seconds it stopped and he slumped forward in relief.
The man in the office keyed a microphone again and said, “Tell me what Robbins told you.”
The individual in the chair thrashed around and blubbered, “I told you. I’ve told you over and over, he didn’t tell me anything! He didn’t trust me. He wanted the DA’s guarantee before he would say anything. I was just his mouthpiece talking to the DA’s office.”
Again the switch was closed. This time the noise was sent for two minutes before the question was again asked.
This process was followed for hours. The subject’s body alternately subjected to pain and then relief and constantly seeing the play of colors all over the chamber, no matter where he looked he couldn’t get away from the colors, just as he couldn’t get away from the noise.
Slowly, over time, the subject failed to respond as violently to the sound and he sat staring straight ahead at the moving colors.
He was asked again and his reply was in a calm voice, “He didn’t tell me anything. He said that his information would lead to a big arrest. That was all. He didn’t give any names or other details.”
The man in the office keyed his mic again and said, “You will forget that you have been here. You will remember a weekend at the beach….” A complete history of impressed memories for the weekend were provided. When he finished he said, “You will go to sleep now and wake up in the morning, in your own bed and remember your relaxing weekend at the beach. Go to sleep now.”
The subject closed his eyes and slumped forward.
The walls of the chamber went dark and the earphones were turned off.
The man behind the mic said, “You will return him to his apartment tonight. Tomorrow we will start on our next project.”
A desk lamp clicked on throwing a circle of light on the desktop throwing the rest of the room into utter gloom. Centered in the light on the desktop was a copy of the Daily Planet. The article about Robins was on the top of the page.
Next to the article was a miniature snapshot of Hattie and JJ, the authors of the article. The man said, “This one,” he placed his fingertip below Hattie’s picture, “cost me possibly billions in patents when she exposed the MetroStaff corporate espionage. Now they together have cost me additional millions on this deal.”
“At least we were able to plant the documents that implicated Robbins in the bond scheme and we were able to silence him, permanently, before he could tell anyone about our … arrangement. Those blackmail materials will no longer be needed. They served their purpose. He performed the tasks we required and now he is dead.”
“Draper may have to be dealt with in a similar fashion, if Robbins told him anything. Have one of our stooges get near him in the prison and pump him for what he knows. If Robbins kept him in the dark we may just let nature take its course.”
“Do make sure that the lawyer he gets in St. Louis cooperates and sees to it that he receives the death penalty. We will let the state do our dirty work for us.”
Touching the paper again he continued, “Now, these two. They are getting too close.” A pen appeared in his hand. He drew a circle around Hattie’s picture. Then he drew a vertical line through it followed by a horizontal line. When he was finished it looked like she was being looked at through a rifle scope. “They need to be dealt with before they interfere in any more of my plans.”
comments go here The end, or is it?
