The Black Jester (Episode One, Kings of New Orleans Series)

  ***

  “A rose,” Johnny says. It’s early the next morning. He and the Detective are examining the chaotic crime scene that was once Dr. Vance’s office.

  “Not just any rose, Johnny. A white rose.” The Detective picks up the rose with a gloved hand and smells it for freshness. “And it’s recently cut, or purchased. Still fragrant and soft.”

  “So, we have a white rose, and a Rose White. And we know she was a patient of Dr. Vance, didn’t you refer her to him?”

  “Yeah. I did.” the Detective says. “We gotta find her John. Any luck yet?”

  Johnny clears his throat. “I know where she is. I found her last night.”

  The Detective looks at Johnny with a mix of surprise and excitement. “You did? Did you talk to her? Was that her in the van?”

  “Pardon me,” an evidence technician says as he slides between Johnny and the Detective to get to the doctor’s body.

  The Detective and Johnny step to a corner of the small doctor’s office, stepping on papers and over the broken furniture on the carpeted floor.

  “Yeah, it was her,” Johnny says, looking down at the floor.

  “All right, all right,” the Detective says pensively, scratching his chin. He thinks for a moment, then snaps his fingers. “Johnny, I have an idea. It’s not the best, but it might be what we need to do if we want to catch the Black Jester fast.”

  Johnny’s stomach tightens. He’s not looking forward to hearing the Detective’s plan. Regardless, he maintains his composure. “What’s your idea?”

  “We set a trap for him.” He holds up the white rose and gestures with it. “If there’s some connection between Rose White and the Jester, and we know where she is, we set a trap and use her as bait.”

  The skeptical look on Johnny’s face hides the dismay he feels about using poor Rose as bait. “Sir, I don’t know if that’s a good idea! She could get hurt. I really think this girl is innocent.”

  “John, we’re running out of time. The bodies keep piling up. Look at this poor fool,” he says gesturing his head towards the dead doctor. “Murdered in his own office!”

  “I know, but you’re talking about using an innocent girl to catch a monster!”

  “Is she innocent? We don’t know the extent of her involvement, John. That video clearly shows the girl and the Black Jester are on the same side. Maybe she hired him to kill her husband or something. Think about it! We don’t know her. We just know she’s connected to our killer.”

  Johnny paces a few steps in the small room and rubs his forehead. Seeing the determined look on the Detective’s face reminds him of his duty to the force. “What do you have in mind?”

  The Detective and Johnny return to the police station to plan the raid. They both settle into the Detective’s office but before they can begin, Officer Danny comes in with news.

  “Sir, I have some new information about Rose White,” he says.

  Johnny straightens.

  “Great! What?”

  “She has a sibling. Here’s the info,” he says, handing the information to the Detective.

  The Detective reads the information, and raises his eyebrows. “This for real?”

  Danny nods. “Yes, sir, the identity is confirmed.”

  “Thanks, Danny,” he says. He immediately picks up his office phone and dials the number on the note.

  “What is it, Detective?” Johnny asks impatiently. The Detective hands him the paper while the phone rings.

  Johnny hears a gruff male voice answer on the other end of the call.

  “Is this Captain Fury?” The Detective says. The voice answers him. “This is Detective Jenkins of the New Orleans Police Department.” A pause, then the voice asks a question. “Captain, there’s someone in New Orleans I need to talk to you about.” He looks at Johnny, who is listening intently. Covering the speaker part of the phone, he gestures to him. “Put a call into Connor’s office, like we talked about,” he whispers.

  Johnny nods and stands. He’s reluctant to leave and wants to hear the Detective’s conversation with Rose’s alleged sibling, but the Detective shoos him away. Returning to his own desk in the noisy precinct, he sinks into his chair and stares at the phone for a long moment before picking up the receiver and dialing.

  The line rings twice. “Apex Associates,” the female voice answers.

  “Harrison Connor, please,” Johnny says, resigned to the Detective’s plan.