The Fifty Dollar Man: A Tony Langel Mystery Series

By RICHARD E. RICHARDSON

Mount Olive, located in the Midwest is a thriving community of 40,000. Tony Langel is a former Navy man that applied for and was accepted into the Mount Olive Police Departments Academy, later becoming a patrolman and is now a Detective Lieutenant. Tony marries a former informant.

Mount Olive has its share of criminal activity. Tony is a good investigator and does his part to enforce the laws and to protect the good citizens from criminals. Tony investigates a lot of cases. This case challenges his ability to uncover an organized criminal counterfeit ring operating out of Chicago and Miami.

A counterfeit suspect held in custody will testify, however organized crime figures prefer this doesnt happen. A series of events will have devastating effects on the Mount Olive community.

Tony will travel to Chicago and Miami, following leads in the death of his best friend. He discovers that not all law enforcement people are trustworthy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Mar 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491729472

RICHARD E. RICHARDSON

Richard E. Richardson retired from two law enforcement agencies -- the Arizona Highway Patrol as an Officer and Agent for 23 years and the Madison County Sheriff’s Dept in Nebraska, as Chief of Corrections for 10 years. He and his wife, Cheryl, currently reside in Norfolk, Nebraska.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

THE GOOD LIFE

Detective Tony Langel completed fifteen years with the Mount Olive Police Department, the past four years as a detective. He turned 38 during November. He met a cocktail waitress named Kate Gearing a few months earlier that was seeking help in determining if her boy friend Tom White was a crook.

He recently solved a major case involving the same Tom White. White happened to be a renegade former CIA operative who after being arrested for the second time died while in custody of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.

White met Kate Gearing at the Northside Hotel lounge while on a trip to California. His stop in Mount Olive was planned as he intended to go to the state capitol of Lexington to meet with an associate for a special clandestine operation. He fell in love with Kate and wanted to take her with him to a Pacific island and enjoy the good life. Kate became fearful of him and went to the police for help during the time Tom would be in Lexington for a couple of days. This is when she met with a detective Jarvis Randall and was soon introduced to Detective Tony Langel.

White was apprehended upon return to the hotel, closing the arrest of a fellow that possessed two stolen cars, several weapons, large amount of money, a ski mask, numerous fake identification cards, many vehicle license plates to use on the stolen vehicles, and a few other pieces of evidence indicating the man was a bank robber.

White died from poison administrated to him while in custody by an attorney who came to visit him. The attorney turned out to be a fake lawyer, but an assassin that got away with murder and was never apprehended.

Tony and Kate began dating, fell in love, and decided to tie-the-knot. Not only would he gain a bride from the Tom White investigation, but he was also promoted to Detective Lieutenant, largely due to past cases and recent solving the Tom White case.

Tony didn’t mind if she continued working after nearly three years at the lounge after they get married; however it was her decision to quit the job. She didn’t want her husband, a policeman to have any gossip about her working at a cocktail lounge. Kate figured that if she did any other work, it would be respectful work, not that what she did was bad, just not what she thought was appropriate at the time. Tony didn’t object and was pleased to have her move into his house shortly before they would be married, making her home too.

Kate decided to give her thirty day notice to Clyde Williams, the owner-manager of the lounge located in the Northside Hotel. He hated to see her go and remembered when she first stopped at the lounge while traveling through the state on her way to California. The lounge was very busy that evening and she volunteered to help wait tables. Her help resulted in her being hired to work at the lounge on a temporary basis, as long as she wanted the job. She had plenty of time and liked making a few extra dollars to pad her purse before continuing the western venture. The short time job ended up to be almost three years, and about the time she met Tony.

Williams wished her the best as she deserved it. She would give him a thirty days notice, enough time to hire and train a new cocktail waitress. He told her, Kate, there will never be anyone that can take your place. The many customers you helped come back will certainly miss you too. I know that you and Tony will be very happy. Now you two come in and see me now and then, Okay?

I’ve almost completed three years working for you Clyde and it’s been great. Little did I know that my one day stop in Mount Olive would result in my not making it to California and that I would meet the man I’m going to marry. Thank you Clyde.

The time went by quickly and the time to resign was here. Clyde gave her last pay check in an envelope, as he always did with her checks. Kate you earned it, God be with you.

Kate arrived home. Tony was still at work. She opened the envelope. There was the check as she figured, but something else was in it. A smaller envelope with her name and Tony’s on it. She opened it and there were three five hundred dollar bills and a note. The note read, ‘One thousand dollars is from the hotel management and five hundred dollars is from me. Our best wishes to you both’ signed ‘Northside Hotel and Convention Center, Mark Johnson, hotel manager and Clyde Williams, lounge manager.’

She had tears in her eyes, ‘What a great bunch of people. They didn’t have to do that."

* * * * *

Kate liked Tony’s house. A fellow detective a while back decided to resign from the PD and go to work for a law enforcement agency back east. Tony assumed the mortgage and paid a small amount to satisfy the equity.

The house is a nice three bed room, three bath, and in a great neighborhood. After Kate and Tony are married, the house would then become a real ‘home.’

Tony thought with both working, they would be able to pay off the mortgage much quicker and then build up their saving account. Retirement is still a long way away and they could still go on nice vacations every year. Besides, there is always the possibility of little ones entering in the picture, as both are still young enough. Kate and Tony did talk more about a family the past few months. They both want to plan for a good life, what ever it may bring.

Tony was on his way home from another day at the police station. Kate enjoyed greeting at the door each time he entered the house. She enjoyed fixing an extra nice supper of the things he liked best.

Tony arrived at the house and she greeted him with a big hug and kiss.

What do I owe this honor?

Because I love you so much. Get washed up as I have supper about ready. Here, I want to show you this. She handed the envelope to him.

Fifteen hundred dollars, wow, wasn’t that nice of the hotel and lounge folks. They are really going to miss you.

The wedding plans kept both Tony and Kate busy. They selected March 25th as the date to make their living together legal. There wasn’t any particular reason for that date, just what they decided on.

Tony wondered how many law enforcement officers, including state and federal officers might be at the wedding. Invitations were sent to those that he worked with, but figuring who will come is a different thing. Tony didn’t realize how many people he touched in his fourteen years in law enforcement.

The easiest chore was selecting the best man for the wedding, there is but one and that is his best friend Detective Jarvis Randall. Jarvis joined the police force about a year before Tony and now has 15 years, of which the past year has been as a supervisor. A close second is his friend Terry Brooks with FBI. Terry has been stationed in Lexington for the past 9 years as AIC and has 12 years as a field agent in another state. Tony wanted for both Jarvis and Terry to be there for the wedding. Terry will have the rings and present them to Jarvis, who then will present the rings to Kate and Tony at the appropriate time. Kate agreed completely and selected Jarvis’s wife Betty Randall to be the bridesmaid.

Jarvis was thrilled to accept the request from his long time partner in crime fighting. Tony and was always one step behind Jarvis in promotions. The only thing that Jarvis had before Tony was a wife. Jarvis used to kid with Tony about being single and tried to ‘fix-up’ Tony with dates over the years. Even Betty would have Tony over for meals and occasionally there would be a female guest at the house. Jarvis and Betty would get that silly grin on their faces when introducing Tony to his date. All the women were very nice and good looking, but Tony just didn’t meet the girl that captured his heart until Kate came along.

Kate and Tony sat on the couch after supper and chatted about how they met and what she did for Jarvis in those days.

Tell me more about how you and Jarvis met.

Are you jealous that maybe we had something going?

No, not at all, you were really scared that first time I met you.

I used to be an informant for Jarvis before Tom White came to town and provided him limited information on the gangster type people that frequented the lounge. Mount Olive didn’t have any of the high rollers like the bigger cities had Mafia types. Mount Olive did have some wanna-be hoods. You of course knew that I worked for Clyde almost three years when we met.

Yes, only what Jarvis told me before our meeting that day. I must say, you were really an attractive woman.

You are embarrassing me honey.

I’m sorry, go on, but you do look cute with redness in your cheeks. He grinned and she just smiled.

"I was not one of those paid informants you hear about in the movies and TV. I just happened to meet a few shady guys, some with ‘bent noses’ that frequented the lounge. I was able to help Jarvis in looking at various photos and also point out some of those characters.

My bad experience with Tom was why I ended up contacting Jarvis. I had to do something or I might end up dead. I didn’t want to go to some South Seas island with that guy. Jarvis was really never able to identify White from research of various law enforcement agencies, including the military. It was like White never existed except through the fake ID’s he possessed. I’m so happy that I got out of that situation and thanked Jarvis and you for helping.

You met Jarvis at the lounge, but you didn’t meet me until a short time later at Charlie’s Place.

I do remember that now. For some reason I thought that you had been at the lounge.

I used to stop at the restaurant part several times for lunches during breaks from patrolling the streets for criminals. I have been in the lounge a few times, but it’s usually dark in there and I must admit that I don’t recall seeing you there. Maybe I did but have a blank.

So you didn’t think that I was appealing enough to remember?

No dear, I have no excuse.

I say now that I should have not been wearing blinders in those days or I would have remembered you. After-all, you are a good looking chick.

I’ll forgive you for now. I do remember when Jarvis asked me to meet him at Charlie’s Bar, oh I should have said Charlie’s Place.

It’s is known by both names, not to worry. Yea I remember that day very well and what you were wearing when we were introduced.

Jarvis told me that he had a full plate of investigations and he wanted for me to tell you my story, you’d help me."

That was June 25th 2006 as I recall. After that meeting, I did some checking on Tom White with what you provided and couldn’t find any anything on him.

Kate was afraid of White and didn’t know what evil things that White was into until after the arrest.

White then managed to escape from custody and was later captured in Florida, about the first of February 2007. It didn’t take long to extradite him back to Monroe County That was about February 1st 2007."

Had I went with White when he wanted, that would have been the biggest mistake of my life. You were my savior Tony.

Thanks to Tony, everything ended up okay for Kate and she did find real love with Tony.

Tony and Kate weren’t romantic in the early months. Tony liked her right from the start, but of course she was still trying to get over Tom White back then. It took some time for her to get Tom White out of her mind. After White died, Tony started dating Kate and it took some time for their relationship to develop into a real love. Both were very patient and happy that they were.

Tony do you remember when you asked me about where I wanted to get married, you know, a church wedding?

I figured that you’d want a church wedding, where many of our friends could attend. You weren’t from Mount Olive and didn’t know too many people except the people you met at the cocktail lounge and not many of my friends.

I promptly mentioned Charlie’s Bar and you were flabbergasted, but accepted the idea. You knew that Charlie had a bar and grill that was big enough to hold a wedding, but wasn’t sure that Charlie would like it. He has a business to run and there had never been a wedding at his place before.

Charlie went for the idea in a big way.

* * * * *

Captain Charlie Gates completed 42 years with the MOPD and now has been retired for 14 years. Tony joined the police department shortly before Gates retired and did attend the captain’s retirement party. Charlie owned ‘Charlie’s,’ a cop bar frequented by Mount Olive’s ‘finest.’ Jarvis first introduced Tony to Kate there.

Kate liked Charlie and said, Charlie’s a retired cop and has done so much for the cops and the citizens of the city and is such a good friend, why not at his place, if he’d have us?

Tony agreed and when he asked Charlie about holding a wedding at his place, Charlie was ecstatic. The poor guy had tears in his eyes thinking it was so nice for Tony to want to have the wedding at his place. Who’d ever think of having a wedding at a bar?

Charlie told Tony that he thinks the world of him and Kate and that Tony is the luckiest stiff in town to get a gal like her.

Charlie is the kind of guy that any officer could come to any time, for any reason. Charlie’s forty two years with the department was unprecedented. He’d seen several ‘Chief’s’ come and go. You couldn’t ask for a more honest and dedicated police officer. He’d helped young officers that wondered if they had made the right choice in joining the department because of some of the things they saw after pinning on a badge. Charlie would tell them that law enforcement isn’t for everyone, but if you really wanted to be a cop, you put your heart and soul into it and you’ll never regret wearing that piece of metal hanging on your chest. Charlie was always there for them and anyone else in the department. He was one of those big believers in the victim having rights. He used to say, The criminals seem to think they have all the ‘rights’ and they never informed their victims about ‘rights’ when taking advantage of the innocent citizens. Even when an officer’s wife would be having a rough time at home, Charlie was there for her as well. The divorce rate is fairly high in the law enforcement profession compared to many other occupations, except here in Mount Olive, thanks to Charlie. Charlie helped resolve many a dispute between husband and wife, and wife and husband. Charlie agreed, set the date and I’ll make sure it happens." Kate couldn’t have made a better choice for a wedding site than Charlie’s and this pleased Charlie.

* * * * *

Charlie went all out for the wedding. He removed the small round tables and put in larger round table with white table cloths and linen napkins. The place was transformed into a really fancy joint at Charlie’s expense and he didn’t mind it at all. There was room for about 300 persons once Charlie reset everything. Tony chuckled, Kate, you’d think he were the one getting married. Bless his heart for caring so much."

Charlie’s place was packed wall to wall with well wishers. The wedding was a beautiful sight. Tony never saw anyone look as beautiful as when he saw Kate walking down the aisle in a wedding gown. She wore a low neckline, white satin dress with a chapel length train. Her head piece was a sparkly tiara with frosted silver flowers and leaves, and pearl details with a 36" veil that flowed as she walked, resting her hand on Charlie’s arm. Yes, Kate chose Charlie to walk down the aisle with her. Tony could see that Charlie was as proud as a peacock, acting like she was his daughter.

Tony glanced over the crowd and noticed a lot of hankies being used, even with some of the heartiest of police officers. Captain Richard ‘Rich’ Henry, Chief of Detectives was observed holding a hankie too. Terry handed Jarvis the rings, then Jarvis held the rings until the last moment. His best friend was finally getting married. Jarvis looked at Kate and thought, ‘What a beautiful lady Tony’s getting and I’m proud to be part of their lives.’

Captain Henry told Tony to get lost for a couple of weeks, I don’t want to see your ugly mug around here. You two young people go and have a wonderful honeymoon.

They had a great time visiting Florida, staying in Key West for a few days and going to Orlando’s Disney World. Kate brought her baby doll and red heels along, but rarely wore the outfit. She’d get out the outfit to put on and Tony would just say, Forget it honey and they’d make love right then and there. The couple seemed destined to be together.

The two glorious honeymoon weeks finally came to an end. Tony reported to work.

Jarvis was there waiting to see his buddy and get some ribbing in. Hey buddy, are you sure you’re ready for work, that is physical You look a bit drawn and haggard. I’d guess that Kate took real good care of you.

A smile crossed Tony’s face. His desk was of course cluttered with more cases to be looked at and see where to start.

His joked, Really, we’ve missed you Tony, it’s about time you did something worthwhile since we’ve been carrying your usual light load and are ready for you to take over. I know you need your beauty sleep but it’s time to get back to the real world and he laughed.

More congratulations were in order from Chief of Police Gary Bidders and even Mayor Casey Staub stopped in at the station and greeted Tony back from his honeymoon.

Chief Bidders was appointed by the mayor 11 years ago, Bidders has experience at other law enforcement agencies and has an extensive background in police management.

Captain Rich Henry was pleased to see Tony back to work, I have something for you Tony. The mayor here pushed for it. You have been promoted to Detective Lieutenant, effective the first of this month. The mayor handed Tony the proclamation as the Law Enforcement Officer of the year 2006 then handed the new badge to the captain. He pinned it on Tony’s lapel and also handed him his lieutenant bars. Congratulations Tony from the city and also from me.

He called Kate at home. "Kate honey, get your self together for tonight, we are going out to celebrate and the Randall’s are coming too. Dress casual honey. He arrived home in plenty of time to clean up and they headed to Charlie’s.

They all met at Charlie’s place, ordered sandwiches, pizza, and beer. Kate was happy for Tony being promoted. Even Jarvis was excited too. You know Tony; I don’t quite know how you skipped sergeant and went directly to Lieutenant. I had to go to sergeant first and I am still a sergeant.

I can’t say Jarvis, maybe I’m a lot smarter that you. After all you had some college and I didn’t,

Jarvis said, What’s that got to do with it, some college should be in my favor.

Jarvis, have you ever heard of being over-qualified? Well you are an example. You should have not gone to college, and then you’d be as smart as me College boy. Tony chuckled.

Funny man Tony 10,000 comedians out of work and you make with a joke.

Then Jarvis laughed, "Its okay Tony, I’m not jealous of your new bars, just tickled to see you heading into the realm of the administrative quagmire. Too bad, because you were, and I say ‘were’ a good detective. Now you’ll be directing paperwork, pencils, and paper clips while I do the real detective work, so sorry old buddy."

Charlie stopped by frequently and chatted with them. It’s nice having Tony back and you Kate. You certainly add some class to my old establishment. I wish I could say the same for these two clowns. They had a good time ribbing each other. Betty and Kate ignored the clowning. Betty said, You guys are a bunch of hicks; don’t bother us ladies from having an intelligent conversation.

They all laughed. It was a fun evening.

* * * * *

Kate liked law enforcement especially after making a connection with the guys at the station and thought that perhaps a job with a legal firm might be a respectful position for her talents and that of a wife to Detective Lieutenant Tony Langel.

Her education was geared towards handling books, accounts, and taxes. Kate dropped off several applications over the next couple of weeks. She visited the firm of Miller, Jones, & Decker PC and submitted an application to the secretary. The firm has been in business for many years in Mount Olive and has a great reputation for handling Wills & Estates, Personal Injury, Trials, Divorce, Criminal Law, Commercial & Business Law, Farm & Ranch Law, and Real Estate Law.

Mr. Fred Miller, one of the senior partners came out of his office momentarily and noticed Kate standing by the secretary’s desk. He couldn’t help notice a beautiful woman, and inquired what her business was at the firm. The secretary handed the application to Mr. Miller. He looked it over and invited Kate to his office.

Now I know who you are young lady. You and Tony Langel were married about a month ago. I read about it in the paper, please be seated. Mr. Miller sat behind his desk and studied at the application. Umm, I’m impressed, BA degree at Amherst and an MA degree at Boston College and top honors.

Kate never used her education to show off, she didn’t need to. Mr. Miller checked the previous employment history, I see that you worked as a cocktail waitress for several years back east and last worked here in Mount Olive doing the same thing the past three years. You really haven’t used your education during all those years since graduating. I’m curious that a woman with your education chose working as a cocktail waitress, mind you it really isn’t any of my business and you needn’t answer if you wish not too.

Kate didn’t mind, she said that during college she worked as a cocktail waitress to help pay her way through school and she enjoyed it so much that after receiving her master’s degree, she continued as a waitress until the right business opportunity came along. She really didn’t pursue the business search as she enjoyed what she was doing, being a people person.

Mr. Miller asked, "What brought you to Mount