Gwen

By Blu N. Golden

Gwen Jarvi, a newly hired detective in the Billings Montana Police Department, has a murder case to solve. A headless corpse is discovered in a dumpster, and the corpse is connected to Gwen's former lover's ranch. When she goes to visit the ranch to investigate, she's forced to revisit her ex-boyfriend Paul and a set of mysterious, identical twins. While she works to find the murderer, a possibly connected robbery is reported on the news. A love triangle with the sheriff and local veterinarian complicates things for Gwen, but nothing will get in the way of solving her case.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667871486

Book preview

Chapter 1

Gwen Jarvi worked as an undercover cop in the Minneapolis police department. She was a seasoned investigator. She stood at 5’8", a slim good-looking brunette with hazel eyes. Usually, she was dressed in jeans and a sweater with her hair tied in a ponytail.

She was sitting in the office of her longtime partner and mentor Saul Kohen, a retiring undercover cop. She was used to working with Saul and did not want to partner with anybody else now that Saul was retiring, not that there weren’t some great guys in her department. She just felt she needed a change. She was recently recruited by the Billings Police department. She accepted the offer and was leaving Minneapolis where she worked for the last ten years.

The FBI also recruited her but she decided to move out West. If she had her way, she would have been a park ranger or a county sheriff like her dad, but as luck would have it, she wound up in Minneapolis working with Saul Kohen who spent much of his life in Minneapolis as a Private Investigator and in his later years became an undercover cop for the Minneapolis police department. Saul was leaving the department in six months.

I’ll miss seeing you around, Gwen, we made a great team. We had many good years since we cracked the murder case and the espionage ring at the Prime Metal Supply Company.

Why did you decide to leave here and go to Billings instead of taking the FBI offer?

I didn’t want to work with anybody else around here, I need a change.

I didn’t take the FBI offer because I don’t want to move around from place to place like I would have to if I worked for the Feds. I don’t want to spend my life chasing after Mexican and Somali drug dealers.

I felt Billings is a nice place, it’s about the same size as Duluth where I went to high school, just the right size for me.

Speaking of Billings, do you still keep in touch with Paul Svenar? I hear he moved out that way said Saul with a knowing grin remembering Gwen’s love affair.

I saw Paul off and on for three years while he was attending medical school at the U. Then a couple of identical twins from Montana moved in with him. He knew them before I met him. He let them live in his house while they were going to medical school studying to become surgeons. It was some agreement he made with the twins while he was visiting their grandfather in Montana.

Now that you mention it, boss, you’re right about Paul moving out West. He did his medical residency at the Clinic in Billings about four years ago, after he did a tour in Afghanistan. Apparently, the twins went back to Montana to be with him because I know he sold his house in Minneapolis.

Saul’s reminder of her affair with Paul made her twinge inside, the memory of their love affair still lingered in her mind. She wondered if their paths would cross in Montana. Paul was her first real love, the love of her life. She tried to go out with other men, but she could never love another man the way she loved Paul. She did get engaged but backed out of it because her fiancée had a drinking problem. Besides, she was not ready to commit to anyone again any time soon. Something inside her never accepted anybody else as the replacement for Paul. For now, Gwen decided to stay single. She liked men and their company but if she couldn’t have Paul, she didn’t want anybody else for a husband.

Paul was not on my mind when I decided to move to Billings. He’s not the reason I’m going there, I just want to get away from the big city for a while. Minneapolis is too big for my taste.

I didn’t mean to imply you were going to Billings because of Paul, but you did hit it off with him back then, said Kohen.

We did, Paul was fun, naïve as hell, and non-committal. I started going out with him after we solved the murder of his friend Dave. He was depressed for a couple of years grieving the loss of his best friend. I gave up on him because I could not snap him out of his depression rut. We still saw each other for another year until the twins moved in with him, that’s when we drifted apart.

Although I really liked him, there was never a serious commitment between us. I liked him a lot, maybe more than he liked me, but in his initial grief for his buddy Dave, he had little time for anyone. He buried himself in his medical studies and his job at Honeywell. I wasn’t able to snap him out of his doldrums. Apparently, the twins were more successful once they moved in with him and took over his social life.

Sounds to me like he had a life many men dream about, a guy with two gorgeous twins in his bed. chuckled Saul not realizing how much Gwen still cared for Paul.

You would be right if it was any other guy. I don’t think Paul saw it that way. As I told you back then, he was clueless about women, oddly innocent, said Gwen

Do you have any Idea what you’ll be doing in Billings?

Pretty much what I’m doing here, I was on the phone with their Chief. They just found a decapitated corpse. They want me to investigate the case. It sounds interesting, but as usual, I’ll be the only woman on the case. So, what else is new, right?

Not all guys are idiots Gwen, just take it easy and don’t start out gung-ho as you do so often. You’re a very smart cop but sometimes you are too intense. It puts people off, especially insecure young men. Just let things ride for a while. First, get the lay of the department in Billings, you’ll quickly learn which guys are idiots, and avoid them.

It’s easy for you to say, Saul. Guys’ attitudes toward women get screwy, it’s usually some sort of stupid contest or sex issue. I can’t tolerate assholes.

Every new guy has to establish his place in a new job. It’s no different for women. I agree with you it is harder for women but you had no trouble here. You’ll do fine in Billings. As you said, it’s a smaller place, more like where you grew up.

You kept me out of trouble, Saul, I’m thankful for what you did, said Gwen.

Well, you were like a daughter I never had, but you didn’t need me you’re quite capable to stand on your own.

That’s all I’m going to tell you, Gwen. Take care and good luck, I’m here if you need me. Let me hear from you. If for no other reason than just to discuss any problems you run into. I’ll be happy to help. Please also stay in contact with Ed. The FBI can help you if you get involved with the native tribes in Montana or if you have to deal with the tribal police on the reservations, as you probably will. Billings is close to the Crow Indian reservation. It won’t be long before you run into the Feds who have jurisdiction any time it involves the Native American reservations. Ed went out on the limb to get you the appointment with the FBI. They don’t like being rejected. I’m sorry you turned them down.

Boss, let me buy you dinner. You’ve been good to me all these years.

Thanks, but I’ll pass on the dinner. Ed and I are going to see the Gophers play tonight. Catch me some other time.

Not much time for that, they want me on the job next Monday, four days from now. I’m all packed. I’ll be off in the morning. Sally has my forwarding address. I’ll keep in touch. I’ll try to make it to your retirement party six months from now.

You’ll hate retirement Saul, if you get bored come out my way, I’ll teach you how to fish and hunt. Montana is a great place for the outdoors.

Yea, hunting and fishing, that will be a cold day in hell. I’m a city Jew, remember?

People change when they retire, laughed Gwen.

Gwen shook hands and departed.

Chapter 2

Next, Gwen stopped at Jeff Manner’s office. Jeff and Gwen were engaged to be married five years ago. Gwen liked Jeff. They were serious about each other but Jeff had a drinking problem. Gwen overlooked his drinking on weekends but when she found out he was drinking on the job she called off the wedding. She worked hard for her reputation and wasn’t going to screw it up by being involved with a drunk. Deep down she also knew she didn’t want to marry anybody, but it made her feel good and wanted when Jeff proposed.

Well, well, what brings you here Gwen?

"I came by to tell you I’m leaving the department. I’m going out West now that Saul is retiring.

Well, I’ll miss you not the little Jew who screwed up our wedding plans.

Come on Jeff, you know why I called it off. It had nothing to do with Saul.

Listen, we bought a few things together. Even though we settled our affairs, I thought there may be some things you would like before I sold off everything on the Net.

I wouldn’t mind getting my easy chair back. We had lots of fun on it.

I’ll put it in my pickup and bring it here. Do you still drive your old Ford?

I do.

I’ll put it in your pick-up later this afternoon. It is still in great condition. It wasn’t used much since we bought it.

Where are you going?

I’m off to Billings Montana. I start there on Monday.

You’re after your old flame, the bigamist.

Will you quit that? He’s not a bigamist and I’m not going there because of him. He does not live in Billings.

Anyway, say hi to your wife.

We’re getting a divorce.

I’m sorry to hear that, Jeff.

I’ve had it with her brothers getting on my case about drinking.

I have to run. I stopped by to say goodbye before you heard it from someone else.

Well, good luck to you. Thanks for the chair,

Gwen left Jeff’s office. She did not stop at the department’s Chief’s office. They did not see eye to eye very often. The Chief didn’t approve of women cops.

Chapter 3

Gwen left for Montana in her Ford pickup pulling a small U-Haul trailer loaded with her belongings. She didn’t have much, just her simple clothes, her Ruger rifle, her old 12-gauge Remington pump, the TV, and her desk with its chair. She sold off her furniture on Kraig’s list rather than have it shipped to Billings. This was a new start for her. She looked forward to it with curious anticipation. Somehow, Saul bringing up Paul made her recall her old affair, but she didn’t dwell on it for long, she thought about her new job.

At first, she thought of taking the scenic Highway 12, but then she decided to take interstate 94 since she had to be at work in three days. She rented a house sight unseen on Burnstead Drive. The rent was expensive but the house looked neat and it was close to the police Department on Twenty Seventh St.

When she got to her rental house on Saturday evening, she got the keys from the realtor who was in charge of renting the place. The owners moved to Las Vegas. With the housing crash, they could not sell their house for the right price so they decided to rent it out. The house was a neat white bungalow with a wide front porch.

Inside there were two bedrooms an open kitchen with a dining area and a large living room. The house was convenient. It was already furnished and would do as a one-year lease. It would give Gwen a chance to look for a place she could buy. Gwen was not the renting type.

She took the next day to unload and get some supplies before she showed up for work on Monday morning.

The police Chief was a medium height heavy set balding man who welcomed Gwen with a firm handshake and a smile.

"I’m glad you decided to take our offer. Let me introduce you to your partner. He’s been on the case since we found the body. He’s from your neck of the woods.

The Chief introduced Gwen to her partner Bob Jackson. Stop by my office tomorrow morning. I have some papers you need to sign, said the Chief as he departed.

Bob Jackson, was a part native American man who once worked for the Fond Du Lac tribal police department in Cloquet. He was about six feet tall, slightly overweighed. He had brown hair and blue eyes. The only thing native about him was his folded Asian eyelids. He looked more like a Swede than a native American. Originally, he came from the Larger Fond Du Lac reservation in Wisconsin.

Nice to meet you. I hear you’re from Minnesota I worked in Cloquet for four years.

It’s a small world, I’m from the Minneapolis Police department. I worked with Saul Kohen for the last ten years.

I met Kohen in Cloquet. He was looking for information about one of our tribal members but he found out the man he was asking about was not our tribe member but an imposter, a Russian spy.

I worked on that case with Kohen. It was my first case. I’m originally from Chisholm Minnesota but I went to high school in Duluth where I lived with my grandfather.

So, what brought you out here? asked Gwen.

The department was looking for someone with experience in dealing with native Americans, someone who knew how to deal with the BIA, the Bureau of Indian Affairs. I guess I fit the job description. The department has quite a few cases involving the Crow reservation. The FBI supplies the cops to the reservation through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The FBI has jurisdiction over the tribal lands. I don’t know much about the Crow or the Northern Cheyenne tribes around here, but I guess they have problems similar to the native Americans in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I was tired of my desk job in Cloquet, so I came out here.

What about you?

Not much different from your situation. I stayed in one place too long. My partner was retiring, so I thought I’d come out West. I was tired of the big city traffic and drug gangs.

Problems here aren’t much different. Let me show you what we’re dealing with.

Bob took Gwen to the morgue.

We found this body last Thursday morning near Sysco Foods on Monad Road. The coroner said his head and hands were sawed off on a band saw a day after he was killed. The body was about two days old when we found it. By the color of his skin and his clothes, the department suspected he was a Native American man from the Crow reservation, but I think they are wrong. What the murderer did not notice or care about were the tattoos on the man’s feet.

He is tattooed all over his arms and chest with the usual sort of symbols nobody notices anymore, but on his feet, he has two peculiar symbols. A Navajo symbol for the Sun on his right foot and a tattoo of a Navajo Bird on his left foot.

Bob pointed out the tattoos.

Where have I seen this before? asked Gwen.

The Navajo sign for the Sun means he’s probably a Navajo, not a Crow, said Bob

Navajos call the Sun symbol Yazhe.

Now I remember, it’s the sign on all car license plates from New Mexico. Said Gwen.

However, I don’t think it means he’s a Navajo.

I notice he had an operation on his stomach, added Gwen.

Yes, and an old knife wound on the left side of his stomach, said Bob.

It’s not a knife wound, it’s the place where the surgeon attached a colostomy bag. His operation will narrow down our search for his identity. We need to look for a native man who had colon surgery that needed colostomy, said Gwen.

The surgery record might not specify his tribe if he didn’t live on the reservation, which is probably the case here, said Gwen.

Why do you suppose they bothered to cut off his head and hands? asked Bob.

"My guess is he was murdered by somebody close to him or someone he was seen with very recently. Someone who thought if the cops found and identified the body it would point to him as the prime murder suspect. Chances are the killer thought he could get away with the murder if the corpse was not found and identified until it decomposed in a landfill

Information about native Americans is sparse, and it is almost nonexistent when it comes the native women," said Gwen

Often, native men have no bank record, and few if any have credit cards, especially if they live on the reservation.

Whoever killed this man may have also cut off his hands because the victim has a criminal record and was fingerprinted, added Gwen.

I think you’re right; gangs don’t usually bother hiding the identity of their victims, said Bob.

Gwen, let’s get a cup of coffee, and get acquainted before we decide on our next move.

Thanks, I could use a cup.

Bob showed Gwen around the department and introduced her to other people in the department.

They are all great guys, except for John Tall. He is very good at what he does but he can be an asshole sometimes. He’s the macho type. You won’t deal with him much. He works burglary.

For a small city like Billings our crime rate is higher than the national average, said Bob.

They sat down in Bob’s office.

How do you take your coffee, Gwen?

Just black.

I cleared off the second desk for you. The Chief said we can share this office.

Gwen, I noticed you’re wearing a ring, but the Chief said you are single, are you divorced, or is this by design?

I am single. I was going to marry a guy five years ago. It didn’t work out. He was a nice guy but he liked his drink. I decided you can’t reform a drunk. The ring is there to stop guys from hitting on me.

In most cases, I think you’re right about drunks. I’m a member of the AA. I have stayed off booze for three years.

Sorry, nothing personal.

Well, it’s something you should know about me, we’re partners.

What about you, do you have any family?

I got back with my wife three years ago. We have one daughter, she’s eight.

Susan, my wife, took me back on the condition I stop drinking. I’ve been sobered ever since. It was well worth it.

Why don’t you come over for supper tomorrow, and meet my family?

That sounds great, I would love to meet your family.

I have checked all the reports listing missing people in Billings and the surrounding area, nothing interesting showed up yet.

He might not be from Billings, said Gwen.

I know. Checking the Crow reservation is tricky, but it’s next on my list. I contacted the reservation police for permission to ask questions on the reservation. They know me, said Bob.

While you’re doing that, I’ll check around the neighborhood where the body was found, said Gwen.

You don’t waste any time, do you? asked Bob.

Who found the body? asked Gwen.

An old lady who was taking out the trash to the dumpster early in the morning before the dumpster would be emptied. The body lay on top of the refuse. It was almost completely covered by sheets of cardboard. There was nothing else in the dumpster belonging to the corpse. The head and the hands were not there.

The old lady who found the body was shaken up so I didn’t press her with too many questions. I said I would speak with her later.

I wrote a preliminary report for the Chief. Why don’t you check with the front desk, the officer at the desk has my report on file. The report has addresses of the apartments where the body was found, said Bob.

I’ll be heading to the Reservation. It will take up the rest of the day. I will head home from there. There are office supplies in the storeroom. You should take the rest of the day off to move into our office. I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll let you know about the dinner. You’re not a vegetarian, are you?

No, I’m not fussy about food. Good luck, I hope you come up with something, said Gwen.

Bob took off after he finished his coffee. Gwen checked the supply room and got Bob’s preliminary report. The Garden Apartments where the body was found was near Stewart Park a short drive from the headquarters.

Before she went home Gwen decided to talk