Hattie and Mr. X - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1 – P 3/11
By KenJ <ken.janney@kjanney.com>
This version is rated PG-13
Submitted
Disclaimers: Some of the characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros., except those I created. No copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
Note::
This story takes place in the Matchmaker Chronicles universe. Hattie Kaplin has had a long standing relationship with Jon Kent and the entire Kent family; in fact she is almost part of the family. Recently she had been brought in on the family secret that the Kents are in fact the super family.
This story is a sequel to Hattie Kaplin and the Main Street Bomber – Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1 - O
*denotes emphasis*
<denotes thoughts>
/” denotes telepathic communications.”/
Previously
Hattie and JJ were sitting in JJ's car around the corner from the main entrance to the Metropolis Museum of Art. They had only parked a minute earlier when there was a knock on Hattie’s door. JJ hit the switch that unlocked the doors and Graham climbed into the back. He challenged, “What’s with the locked doors? Don’t you trust me or something?”
Hattie laughed and said, “It’s not that, it’s just that there have been so many attempts on our lives in the last year that we are trying to be extra careful.”
“Yeah, I heard something about that. You’ve really ticked someone off.”
“Don’t we know it. Well, what do you have for us?”
“I don’t know, but that it may be related to your situation.”
Hattie was suddenly very eager to hear what he had to say. “Come on, don’t keep us in suspense. What do you have for us?”
“That depends, what do you have for me?”
“How does a Double Bacon, Double Cheese Burger Supreme with fries, apple pie and a drink from Hank’s sound?”
“Sounds like we’re talking business. Okay, here’s what I have. There are rumors on the street about ‘X’.”
Mystified, Hattie looked at him in disbelief. She snatched away the bag she was about to hand to him. She challenged, “’X’? That’s all you have for us, just a letter? ‘X’ could stand for anything. You’ve gotta do better than that.” With a look of defiance, she deliberately reached into the bag, pulled out a fry and stuck it into her mouth and chewed.
Seeing his payment start to disappear, Graham said, “Look, don’t be hasty. ‘X’ is more than a letter, it’s a name. ‘X’ could be the one behind all of these attacks on you. The word on the street is that he has started buying up parts of the old Luthor Empire. He could have been behind MetroServe and its attack on you. I think he’s behind MiraLabs as well. He’s been slowly buying up controlling interests in those businesses.”
Hattie extracted another fry and turning to JJ, waving the fry in her hand like a teacher waving a ruler at a student, Hattie said, “That could fit. All of this started when I busted MetroStaff and proved their collusion with MiraLabs in that corporate espionage caper. That was shortly before you joined the Planet.” She popped the fry in her mouth and chewed thoughtful for a few seconds swallowed and absent mindedly pulled out another fry and placed it in her mouth before turning back to Graham. Once she swallowed she said, “You said he was also buying influence?”
She was starting to put her hand back into the bag when Graham reached over the seat back and grabbed her hand, stopping her. She looked at her hand, partly in the bag, with his holding it and suddenly realized what she had been doing. She started to blush, closed the bag and handed it to Graham. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. No wonder I'm feeling so full. You say he is also buying influence?”
“Right, political influence.”
Hattie turned to JJ and said, “I wonder if Robbins was on his payroll. It looked like it was businesses downtown, but we were never able to get any actual names and no convictions as accessories. What if that was all a blind and it was really this ‘X’ that was behind Robbins the whole time. I always thought we found those documents that showed the plan to embezzle the money from the bond sale too easily. What if they were planted so that we would find them?”
JJ rebutted, “It may have been, but he’s definitely the one that taped that bomb to your hands, so he was still guilty of all of those deaths.”
“Right, we got him on that, but he could have been innocent of the other.” Turning back to Graham, she challenged, “Okay, just who is ‘X’?”
“’X’, that’s all I know at this point.”
“It has to stand for something! ‘X’ as in ‘X’ marks the spot, ‘X’ as in cross. If it was ‘XX’ that would be double cross. Something!”
JJ offered, “What if it’s an initial? ‘X’ something. Something like Xavier or Xandra or Ximena," snapping his fingers, he added, "how about Xena?” Shaking his head he said, “I’ve run out of names that start with ‘X’.”
Hattie turned back to Graham and said, “We need more information. Tell you what, get us a name and it’s a full dinner at Travaglini’s, pasta, wine, dessert, the works. A sit down dinner, not take out.”
Graham smiled in anticipation and said, “Stick by the phone. As soon as I have something it will be ringing.” He grabbed the door handle and let himself out.
JJ smiled to himself, he had just decided where to take Hattie for dinner.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 3 – A Strange Robbery
Thursady afternoon, March 01, 2029
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
After Graham departed, JJ drove them to the Twelfth Precinct where the robbery suspect was being held.
As they were entering, Hattie spotted Boyce. She headed in his direction and he spotted her as she approached.
He moved to meet her and said, “He just returned from the psych eval. I don’t know what the results are as yet.”
“Would it be possible for us to interview him?”
“I think that can be arranged, he isn’t in solitary or segregated holding. Wait here a minute. I’ll arrange it.”
“Thanks, we owe you for this. How is it that a plain clothes cop is in charge of this investigation?”
With a smile, Boyce replied, “Hey, I owe you. I’m not a plain clothes cop anymore. I’ve been promoted to detective, thanks to you and your partner.” He started moving down a hall and said, “Come this way. His name is Dennis Day. He works for the firm of Benny, Livingston and Van Jones. No previous arrests, not so much as a parking ticket.”
“Sure doesn’t sound like a hardened criminal, does he?” JJ commented.
Boyce replied, “Appearances can be deceiving, but I don’t think so in this case. I think I believe him,”
Boyce left them in a room with a table and some chairs. At one end was a large mirror which Hattie guessed was a one way glass so that interviews could be observed. While they waited, Hattie delved into her bag and came up with a mini-recorder, notepad and pencil.
After a few minutes, Day was brought in. JJ introduced himself, “Hi, I’m James Olsen Junior and this is my partner, Henrietta Kaplin. We work for the Daily Planet. Do you mind if we record the session?"
Day had a thoughtful expression for a few seconds and then said, “No, I don't mind, record away. Kaplin and Olsen. I’ve read your stuff. You’re good. Why are you here?”
Hattie said, “We’d like to find out what happened last night. Did you really rob that jewelry store?”
He burst out, “NO! No … well, I don’t really know.” He started shaking his head, “They showed me a tape and it sure looked like me and they say that they found my fingerprints, but I don’t remember anything about it.”
Hattie indicated the chairs and said, “Why don’t we get comfortable?”
After they were all seated, Hattie placed the recorder on the table and said, “Why don’t you tell us what you do know, what you *do* remember.”
He started getting agitated. And almost shouted, “But, I don’t remember anything. If I don’t remember anything, what can I tell you?”
JJ said in a soothing tone, “Dennis, we’re on your side. We want to solve this mystery and get you off the hook. Help us out here.”
He settled down somewhat and said, “Sorry, it’s just, I’ve been arrested for something I didn’t do and they seem to have everything they need to prove that I actually did it.”
Hattie said, “If you don’t remember the evening, let’s start in the afternoon. What were you doing in the afternoon?”
His countenance was one of concentration as he thought back. He was concentrating for almost half a minute before he spoke, obviously marshaling his thoughts. “It had just been announced that they were making me a partner in the firm. I was really happy; all of that hard work had finally paid off. I was on my way up the corporate ladder. The sky’s the limit. There was a meeting of the staff for the announcement of my promotion.”
“Everyone was congratulating me. Lots of hands patting me on the back. There were a couple that I was very happy didn’t hold a knife. It’s a cutthroat business. There were a couple of other, junior partners that were also vying for the same position. I’m sure they weren’t happy with the decision.”
Hattie held up a hand to stop him and said, “Let’s look at that. Would it be possible that one of them was responsible for what happened?”
Shaking his head he said, “I don’t see how.”
What are their names?”
“Well, there’s Don Blank and Phil Harris … and, oh yes, Mel Wilson. Don’t forget Mel.”
“Do you suspect anyone in particular?”
“If I had to guess, I’d guess Mel. He did an impersonation of Mr. Benny, James Benny, our CEO, that had all of us rolling on the floor laughing. He doesn’t look that much like him, but over the phone, you can’t tell them apart. One time, he called the deli and ordered a catered lunch for the entire staff and impersonated Mr. Benny when he did. When the lunch was delivered, the delivery boy who had taken the order swore up and down that it was his voice on the phone. It really galled Mr. Benny to have to shell out the cash for the meal. He's a real penny pincher, that one.” He started laughing at the memory.
“We aren’t dealing with voice impersonations here. How much does he look like you?”
This had the effect of sobering him up, “Well, not a lot. He’s shorter than me and his hair is thinning.”
Hattie had been writing in her notebook, “Let’s move on. What happened after the announcement?”
“We all went back to work for the afternoon, time is money, you know, and then after work some of us went out for a couple of drinks. Now, I don’t normally drink, mind you, but this was a celebration, so I had a couple. At least I think I had a couple, it could have been just one. After that things get kinda hazy. I remember talking with Sadie. The next thing I remember is waking up in my bed. That was really odd. I was still dressed in the clothes I’d had on the previous day.”
“Have you ever suffered from blackouts before?”
“No, never.”
“Are you on any medications?”
“No, I'm as healthy as the proverbial horse.”
“Where did you all go for the drinks?”
“We went to ‘Stokes’. It used to be owned by Lenny Stokes, but it was taken over by a group after he was sent to prison. They still play a lot of loud music even though the founder isn’t around anymore.”
Hattie made a note of the name of the club.
“Is it possible that somebody put something in your drinks?”
“You mean like Roofies or something?”
Hattie chuckled and said, “Guys usually give Roofies to girls so that they can take advantage of them. You’re the wrong sex, but the idea still applies. Perhaps you were given something in your drink that made you … I don’t know pass out. Oooo, no, that wouldn’t work. If you had passed out you couldn’t have pulled the stickup. It would have to be something that would, I don’t know, make you act like you were hypnotized or something. JJ, we need to ask your cousin, Sean. He’s a doctor. Maybe he would have some ideas on that.”
“It’s worth a try. Want me to give him a call?”
”Could you? That’d be great.”
JJ pulled out his cell phone and hit a speed dial number. After a few seconds the call was answered. “Sean, JJ, got a question for you. … Do you know of any drugs that could make someone act like they had been hypnotized?” JJ pulled Hattie’s pad over and pulled out a pen to take notes. “Uh huh. … Yes. … Okay, thanks.” He wrote down a final word and closed his cell. "There is a whole class of compounds called,” he referred to his notes, “Benzodiazepines. There is also a drug called Scopolamine. A long time ago, Scopolamine was used as a truth serum. Now it’s used in low doses to prevent motion sickness, but in high doses it can do some nasty things, especially when combined with alcohol.”
“I wonder … did they do a blood test?” She asked Day.
“No, they haven’t taken any blood samples.”
Hattie jumped up and pounded on the door. When Boyce answered she said, “Detective Boyce, we need to have a blood test performed on Mr. Day. Can you get that done?”
“Let me see.” With that he closed the door again. A few minutes later he reappeared with a paramedic. “I got lucky, Pete was here to transport a prisoner that had a heart attack to the prison hospital. He says he can do what you need while his partner preps for the transport.”
Hattie stepped in and said, “We need at least three vials of blood drawn. JJ’s cousin works at STAR Labs with Dr. Bernie Klein. We want them to analyze the blood for any drugs that may be in his system.”
Pete replied, “I don’t normally carry a supply of vacutainers around in my bag. I do have some syringes and some heparin. Heparin is an anticoagulant. If there will be any delay in running your tests, I’ll need to add that to the samples, so I think I can accommodate you.” He opened his kit and pulled out what he needed and laid it out. He had Day sign a waiver and after putting a restricting band around Day’s arm he examined the inner aspect of the elbow to find a vein then he swabbed the area. He took a syringe and pulled up a small quantity of heparin from a vial and then inserted it into a vein and drew out a syringe full of blood. After capping the syringe he repeated the procedure until he had the required samples which he marked and turned over to Hattie. He gave a copy of the waiver he had signed to Day and left.
Hattie said, “Okay, we need to go. We have to get these samples to STAR Labs. Come on JJ. Thanks, Boyce. Don’t worry Mr. Day, we’ll get to the bottom of this. We’ll let you know what we find out. If we can solve this they might make you a sergeant.”
He smiled at the thought and waived to their retreating backs.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
JJ parked the car and they hurried into STAR Labs. As soon as they entered they spotted Jon. Hattie had called him and filled him in while JJ drove. She handed him the syringes of blood and followed him as he headed down the corridor to the lab.
When they entered the lab, Hattie spotted Dr. Klein and said, “Hi, Dr. Klein!”
“Well, if it isn’t Ms … “
“Kaplin.” She provided.
“Right, Ms Kaplin. You were in Jon and Jen’s wedding. So nice to see you again. Wait a minute, wasn’t it you that found the nitroglycerine that was being used in those bombs about a year ago?”
“That was me all right. How have you been?”
“Well, I’ve been busy helping this assistant of mine unlearn everything wrong he was taught in school. He’ll make a fine researcher one day.”
Jon was off to the side laughing at Dr. Klein’s little joke.
Dr. Klein spotted the syringes in Jon’s hand and asked, “What do we have here?”
Hattie said, “Dr. Klein, we need your help again. There was a robbery last night and the person that they say did it has no memory of the event or the entire night for that matter. I was wondering if you could check and see if there are any drugs in his bloodstream. We are looking for, I don’t know, Benzodiazepines or Scopolamine or something like that. Can you find things like that?”
Bernie was intrigued. He started thinking aloud, “Hmmmmm, has to be non-destructive, qualitative, not necessarily quantitative. Have to separate them from other natural blood components. Most likely organic.” He seemed to come to a decision. “Jon, take an aliquot of this sample and dilute with normal saline solution. We have some of it in that cabinet over there. We were using it in those rat studies. Then inject it into the HPLC under standard conditions. Run the effluent through the mass spec. I’m going to process some of this and run an FTIR. Once you finish with the HPLC, take the same sample and run UV Fluorescence and also run a UV spectra. Pull up those standard spectra from that drug study.” He turned to Hattie, “Do you know the blood type?”
“No, I didn’t ask.”
“Jon, do a blood type analysis so that you get the right profile. Make sure you pull up the right type.”
“Will do, Doc.” Jon turned to his tasks.
Hattie asked, “How long will all of this take?”
Dr. Klein looked over at Jon and said, “I don’t know, it all depends on how efficient my assistant is.” He saw that Jon was moving at superspeed. He looked at Hattie and JJ and raised an eyebrow.
Seeing this, Hattie reassured him by saying, “We’re all family.” She hooked her arm through JJ’s and said, “We’re getting married in just a couple of months.”
Bernie released a relieved sigh and said, “Okay, so you are in on the family secret. That’s a relief.” He had been concerned about Jon revealing what he could do.
In a relatively short time, short only because of Jon’s superabilities, they had the answer, at least a partial answer. Jon provided Dr. Klein with the reports that he had generated. Dr. Klein moved to his lab bench and after donning a hot mitt, picked up a beaker containing a steaming brownish liquid that had been sitting on a stand over a low burning Bunsen burner and took a sip. Seeing the shocked expression on his visitor’s faces he held it out and asked, “Coffee?”
Seeing what it was in Hattie thought that there was a danger of ingesting something other than that which was being offered and said, “Un, no thanks, Dr. Klein.”
“Your loss, Jon makes a terrific beaker of coffee.” He took another sip and paced it back on the burner. He took a few minutes to look over the reports.
Once he had finished his analysis he said, “Okay, when we compare his blood to a sample of, let’s see, type O negative, from an earlier study I believe that I can see some traces of foreign substances. By running this sample against the previously run sample of the same type the common factors are identified and eliminated. It looks like most of it has metabolized and there isn’t enough to get a clear analysis of the structure. It looks like a benzyl ring, some hydroxyls, could be a carbonyl some amines or amides. Hard to tell, but there definitely is something there. It’s a shame that the sample wasn’t taken sooner, then we might have had a better chance at a complete structure. You mentioned Benzodiazepines and there are structures that could indicate that something related to them is present.”
“Thanks, Dr. Klein. Could you please write that up for me? If this happens to someone else, we can use your analysis to make sure they order a blood sample be drawn as soon as the individual is picked up next time.” Turning to JJ she said, “Let’s go JJ, we have to get this written up. Maybe he’ll be granted bail based on these findings. At least we can hope.”
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