Man in booth: I better go. I like to keep moving. They say it is harder to hit a moving target.
Garrett: Why do you think you are a target? Have you been threatened?
Man in booth: I think somebody thinks I know more than I do. I think it is about the contents of the envelope and I don't know a thing about it.
Garrett: Has there been any others times Lana and Maze seemed to be having something serious to talk about?
Man in booth: Kind of. About eight months ago she came in when we opened up the parlor. She was waiting outside for us to open. That was different. She had not ever done that before. She and Maze talked, hush-hush, back in the office. Maze kept stroking and patting her back. He was trying to console her. She was shook up about something and embraced Maze crying for awhile. I don't know what that was all about. They didn't talk for very long and she left and went back to her room above the bowling alley. I know that for sure because Maze called her several times throughout the day to check on her. She must have taken a day off from work because it was midweek. I didn't ask and Maze didn't say one word.
Garrett: What is your name?
Man in booth: I don't want to tell you but you'll find it out by just asking people anywhere in this area. I slept for years on the bed in the back of the parlor. Maze has been good to me and I want to be good to him and not throw him under the bus but something is so wrong and I know it. My name is Patrick Malone.
Garrett: What is Maze's full name?
Patrick: Maze is his first name. His name is Maze Arman.
Garrett: Thank you, Patrick. I'm doing what I can to find out the truth about several things that somehow all seem to be connected. I just have to find the connection. How can I get in contact with you?
Patrick: You can't. I'll check in at the bar and if you want to see me I will find out that way. I should step up to the plate and manage the tattoo parlor but my heart isn't in it right now. I keep thinking that is what I should do but I know I need more time to feel better about it all.
Garrett: Got it. (They both nod) (Patrick quickly gets up and leaves.) ( Garrett stayed in the booth for a couple of minutes and then got up and left. It was rush hour on his trip to his apartment. No time to think about the day, only time to give all concentration on the freeway traffic. Evening traffic has more darting cars of people in a hurry to get home. Like maneuvering through a fast moving ever changing maze. Garrett maneuvering through the traffic was a simple task compared to the mystery maze he was embarking on for answers. He smiled as he thought that the name "Maze" is the perfect name for all of this right now. Once inside his apartment Garrett noticed he had no messages and thought it was too early for him to report on anything to Gini. He was going to spend the next three days at the police station reading statements and talking with Officer Warren Miles. Maybe things would begin to line up and connect. He remembered Marla's words to look for details. Then later in the week he was scheduled to review the investigators reports at Gini's law firm. He had a light snack of yogurt and called it a day. The next morning came too soon. But Garrett was committed and was sitting across the desk of Officer Warren Miles at 6:00AM.)
Miles: So we had our first meeting in the vault and here you are investigating this case for Hanna. I have everything ready for you in the next room. It's at least two days of reading. You, also, requested investigative report files for the Lana Daltine murder. Those files will be another whole day of reading. Did you know she had gotten an alias name of Yvonne Langley and she was going to leave the country in two days from her murder? Everything was in order, passport, airplane tickets even some packed bags.
Garrett: No, I didn't know that.
Miles: Not too many people do.
Garrett: Sounds like I better get started. I brought three legal pads for notes.
Miles: (Leading Garrett into the next room with a table holding one foot high stacked files from one end of the table to the other). Here you go. What do you say?
Garrett: I say, now, it really looks like I better get started and keep moving. I'm glad I'm a speed reader. (Garrett brings one stack of files to an empty table. He sits down in a roller chair and positions his legal pad for quick access for writing down memos. He begins to read.)
Miles: Are you looking for anything in particle?
Garrett: Yes. I'm looking for details.
to be continued: On Monday, October 11th, 2021
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