Chapter 14, by Elizabeth Shipp
Detective Peter Muttinachek: “This interview of Janet Rosen, private investigator, is being conducted in the presence of myself and Detective Timothy Jefferson, both with the San Francisco Police Department, to determine the events surrounding the death of a young lady---”
Rosen: “Could we move it along some? I do have other things to be doing today. ”
Jefferson: “If you cooperate--”
M: “Thank you, Detective. Miss Rosen, what exactly is it you have to be doing? We have ways of knowing that you don’t really have all that much else on your plate. ”
Rosen: “Maybe you don’t know everything after all. ”
J: “Maybe you don’t either. ”
R: “At least I know I don’t. ”
M: “As I was saying, we are looking into the circumstances of Uke’s death. Now, Miss Rosen, before we start asking you questions--”
R: “Yeah, I waive the reading of my rights. Since I didn’t do it, and I don’t know anything about it, I have nothing to worry about. ”
M: “Well, then. Could you describe how you came to meet Uke? ”
R: “By streetcar, actually. I took it right into town and hoofed it from there. ”
J: “Miss Rosen, you don’t seem to realize that a young woman is dead here, and you are apparently the last person before her killer to have seen her alive. Perhaps you’d like to be a bit more helpful! ”
R: “Oh, you mean why was I there? I was hired to find a guy. Goes by the name of Akiyama. ”
M: “And? ”
R: “Well, I was told that last address was down in the Tenderloin. So that’s where I went. I ran into Uke in the hall, talked to her, went into a room, came back out, gave her a five, and left. ”
M: “Now this room you went into. How did you get in? ”
R: “I opened the door. ”
J: “You opened the door. It was unlocked? Or did you have a key? ”
R: “What is it with keys? All I’ve heard about the past week is keys. Keys, keys, keys! ”
M: “Well, how did you get in? ”
R: “The door opened for me. ”
J: “So this girl was sitting in the hall outside an unlocked door? ”
R: “I’m better at opening doors than she is. ”
M: “So it was locked. ”
R: “I had to work on opening it. ”
J: “So you talked to her. What did you talk about? ”
R: “I asked her if she was all right, and what her name was, and if she had a key for the door. That seemd to set her off. Like she was psychotic or something. ”
M: “Who told you Akiyama’s last address?”
R: “The person who hired me.”
M: “Who hired you? ”
R: “Sorry, that’s private. ”
M: “That’s not the type of answer we like. How about a name. Was it a man or a woman? What was the name? ”
R: “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. ”
J: “Would you like us to treat that as a threat against law enforcement personnel during the normal performance of their duties? ”
R: “No comedians here tonight, huh? OK, he said his name was Matt Burns. ”
M: “He said? I take it you don’t believe him. ”
R: “My mistake. His name was Matt Burns. How’s that? Hey, listen, you guys mind if I smoke? ”
M: “No. ”
J. “Yes. ”
R: “So I’ll only smoke half a Lucky. ”
M: “We’ve already talked to your building supe. He said he was in the lobby the whole day Friday, and he didn’t see anyone go up to your office. ”
R: “Well, this guy came in the door, not the window, so obviously he did come into the building. ”
J: “Actually, we have a surveillance film from the building across the street. It shows the door to your building. No one came in or out the front door, and need I remind you the only door, except for the grinds who work in there. ”
R: “I don’t know what to tell you, but he was there. How else did I get the retainer he paid me? ”
M: “Ah, yes, the retainer. Glad you brought that up. Were there any markings on that bill he gave you? ”
R: “How do you know it wasn’t a check? ”
J: “Just answer the question. ”
R: “Yeah, there were scribbles on the front. Like someone had given the guy fangs and a droopy mustache. ”
M: “Like this? This bill here? ”
R: “Yeah, that looks like the one. ”
M: “I’m glad you said that, since it does have your fingerprints on it. ”
R: “And why do you have it? ”
M: “A guy from Chinatown brought it in. He thought he’d gotten some funny money.”
R: “And is it? ”
J: “Of course it is. ”
R: “Well, if you can pull my prints, you can pull some other prints off it too. Like the guy who gave it to me. ”
J: “You mean the wonderful Mr. Burns. ”
R: “Yeah, like him. ”
M: “We already printed it. It was surprisingly clean. Yours, the guy you gave it to, and the guy who got it from him and then brought it in. ”
R: “You mean the guy who gave it to me didn’t leave any prints on it. ”
J: “If there was a guy who gave it to you. ”
R: “ There was. ”
J: “You do realize that counterfeiting is a federal offense? ”
R: “I do, but since I didn’t make it, I don’t have to worry. Do I? ”
J: “I don’t know. Do you? ”
M: “Miss Rosen, I don’t think we can go anywhere else productive at the present time. You will, however, contact us if you have any further information, won’t you? And you won’t leave town, will you? ”
R: “Yeah, sure, I’ll share with you. Do I get the same in return? ”
M: “If we think you need to know anything we have. ”
J: “Thank you, Miss Rosen. Will you please close the door behind you on the way out? ”
R: “OK, guys, I can’t say it’s been fun. No offense, but I hope I don’t see you again. ”
[Tape records the sound of a chair being pushed back, then a door closing.]
M: “OK, Agent J. Let’s roll on out of here and back to Washington. ”
[Recording ends.]