A Knight Before Christmas: Inspector Calamari Mysteries, #4

By Richard Vadim

A family Christmas party becomes a crime scene when four attendees are murdered.  Calamari and Treadwell struggle with snow and deception to unwrap the killer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Richard Vadim
• Release date: Oct 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215405284

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A Knight

Before Christmas

Inspector Calamari Mystery Series

#4

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Richard Vadim

A Knight Before Christmas

Inspector Calamari Mystery Series

#4

by Richard Vadim

Published by Richard Vadim

Copyright © 2022 Richard Vadim

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions, contact: [e-mail]

This work is a product of the author’s imagination.  Any references to people or places are imagined or used fictitiously.

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ISBN:  9798215405284

First Edition

To my family.

A Knight

Before Christmas

An Inspector Calamari Mystery

Contents

Prologue

Inquisition

The Dynasty

Afterlife

Man Cave

Trinkets

Submission

Turned Tables

Gotcha

Prologue

The morning sun eased into the bedroom and fell upon an elderly couple huddled at the center of an enormous bed.  Egyptian cotton down-filled pillows cradled their heads, but ashen faces suggested that something was amiss.  While their hands were intertwined affectionately beneath a colorful duvet, the fingers of the woman’s left hand caressed a miniature golden horseman.

Inquisition

Sergeant Angel Treadwell sipped her coffee as she read her computer screen in the Philadelphia Police Department’s homicide squad room.  Hearing a slight commotion, she looked up over the miniature Christmas trees taped to the top of the monitor.  Captain Waldo Slotnick was approaching along with a stranger bearing an ominous smile.  The pair stopped in front of her desk.

Sergeant? the captain said very matter-of-factly, This is Gruber Hanson from internal affairs.  He has a few questions about that incident at your home a few months back.  Perhaps you two can talk in one of the interview rooms.

Spying this gathering from the corner of the room, Calamari stood and was soon walking alongside the group.  What’s this?

It’s about that incident at Treadwell’s, the captain answered.

Calamari stared at Hanson.  Why aren’t you talking to me?

You’re next, Hanson glared.

Why not do us together?

You know that’s not how it works.

The Sergeant did nothing wrong, Calamari insisted.

Fine, then it won’t take long to clear this up.

Let it go, the captain said to Calamari as he opened the door to the interview room.  Let’s just put this behind us.

Calamari forced a supporting smile at Treadwell as she disappeared behind the closing door.

Hanson motioned for the sergeant to sit opposite him.  He placed a recorder in the center of the table, switched it on, and opened a folder before him.  Interview with Sergeant Angel Treadwell of the First Precinct concerning an incident at her home on August thirty-first of twenty-twenty-two.  Now, Sergeant, I’ve read your and Inspector Calamari’s reports, but I’d like you to recount exactly what happened.

Were there deficiencies in the reports? Angel asked.

That’s what I’m here to find out.  Again, can you tell me exactly what happened that day?

Alright.  I had called Inspector Calamari to inform him about someone who appeared to have been stalking me.

You called Inspector Calamari?

Yes.

At the office?

No.  He was at home; it was the weekend ... as the report indicates.

Was the Inspector really at home?  Or did he spend the night with you?

Treadwell’s mouth dropped open, and she flushed.  Of course not!  What are you trying to do?

Get at the facts.

Treadwell scowled and gritted her teeth.  The Inspector was right about you.

Oh, so you two discussed being investigated by internal affairs.  Did you discuss how you would write your reports so they would tell the same story? 

"No!  The Inspector said we should write our reports as quickly and concisely as possible."

The reports look like you wrote them together.

Are you calling me a liar?

Let’s move on.  Tell me what happened at your home, from the beginning.

Treadwell took a deep breath but continued to squint at her questioner.  I was going out for a run and again saw this guy who had been stalking me.  I went back into the house for my gun and badge, but he was gone when I came out again.  I called Dulles—

Dulles?  So, you two are on a first name basis?

We were—are partners.  That’s it.  When speaking informally, everyone in the squad room refers to each other by their first names.

Please continue.

The Inspector arrived after ten or fifteen minutes.  I heard the bell and went to the door.  Not seeing anyone, I stepped out.  The inspector was down the porch a few yards; someone had an arm around his throat and a gun to his head.

That was Mr. Bernie Upper?

"Yes,