(A Tootsie Chase Mystery)

The Crime

Friday 11:45 PM

Joe Woods, CEO of Petroleum Plus,
Had secured his position with little fuss.
His grandfather’s, father had found the black gold.
Drilling well after well, so the story is told.

The company passed from father to son,
That’s how the Woods’ legacy had begun.
But Great Grandpa Woods was a sly old coot.
He didn’t like banks, so he hid his loot.

Although the oil business has prospered and grown,
The location of great grandpa’s stash is unknown.
Each son dug through notes and files from the past.
Now Joe thinks he’s found the answer at last.

He sits at his desk on this damp, dreary night,
Nods his head slowly then smiles in delight.
As he clicks his computer’s mouse once, then once more,
The knob slowly turns on his office door.

Joe quickly hits save and closes the file.
A shiver of fear replaces his smile.
Who would be here this time of night?
Then the face at the door relieves his fright.

The visitor enters; is welcomed in.
“You gave me a scare,” Joe says with a grin.
There’s small talk from both as the visitor advances
And scans Joe’s desk with inquisitive glances.

“Just give me a minute to shut this thing down,
Then we’ll go get a pizza at Tony’s, downtown.”
Joe turned to the screen, but was slow on the draw.
’Do you want to log off?’ are the last words he saw.

For the guest, gloved in black, was quicker than Joe,
Scooped up a prized trophy and then let it go.
The heavy oil derrick hit Joe on the head.
Now he’s slumped in his chair and he’s dead, dead, dead!

Saturday 8:30 AM

The cleaning crew started their morning routine.
Joe Woods liked his offices tidy and clean.
They chatted and laughed so work wouldn’t go slow,
Till they came to the big boss’s office, you know.

The door was ajar. “Mr. Woods, you in there?”
When the cleaning man entered he looked at the chair.
“Holy shit,” the man muttered, “I think that Joe’s dead.
I wonder who bashed the poor guy in the head?”

Saturday 3:15 PM

I go by the name of Tootsie Chase,
A private detective brought in on the case
Of Mr. Joe Woods who was hit on the head
And left at his desk where he was found dead.

I agree with police that the suspects are five.
They all knew Mr. Woods when he was alive.
I must eliminate all but one,
To find who killed Joe Woods and why it was done.

The Suspects

Sandy Piper

Personal Assistant to Joe Woods was she.
She knew when each appointment with Joe would be.
Says the death of her boss came as quite a surprise.
Yet there don’t seem to be many tears in her eyes.

Nicki “Nitro” Woods

Joe’s younger sister, whose temper ignites.
Nicki holds her own in scuffles and fights.
She keeps the refinery under control.
Petroleum Plus is her heart and her soul.

Catherine Hemlock

If anyone knew Joe, it would be Kate.
That he loved the girl, there’s no debate.
Did she really love her wealthy honey?
Or was she just after Joe Woods’ money?

Attorney, Denise Steele

Denise and Joe were friends from way back.
At times her advice kept Joe on track.
The Steele Law Firm keeps Joe’s company straight.
Denise was known to drop by quite late.

Emily Riggs

Accounting’s her forte; she’s one of the best.
She was close to Joe Woods, like all of the rest.
Lately the books had come into question.
An audit was called for, at Joe’s suggestion

Joe Woods – The Victim

He had money and power and Kate on his arm.
The world on a string and plenty of charm.
But Joe Woods was greedy, he wanted it all.
For that he took the ultimate fall.

Saturday 3:30 PM

The body is gone, the crime scene secure.
Will the cops let me in? Of this I’m not sure.
My good friend Steve is working the case
He said, “Come on in, Ms. Tootsie Chase.”

He threw me some latex gloves, which I caught.
This place is neat as a pin, I thought.
No struggle went on here, Joe knew his killer.
The case still might be a mysterious thriller.

“Whoever killed Joe left without a trace,”
Said the cop as he looked me straight in the face.
“The weapon of choice was taken away,
We haven’t found anything here today.

“The door knob was clean; no prints were left there.
Someone has wiped down the desk and the chair.
I’d be willing to bet, the killer wore gloves.
It’s the kind of case a detective just loves.

“There is one clue that has come to light,
It seems Joe had made an appointment last night
With Ms. Denise Steele. It’s here...take a look
At Sandy Piper’s appointment book.”

Then I studied the office from bottom to top.
A framed photograph caused my survey to stop.
It was Joe at his desk and what sat to his right,
Was an oil derrick trophy, right there in plain sight.

I walked up to Joe’s desk, the computer was there.
The space where the trophy once sat was now bare.
Was the trophy the weapon? Where is it now?
My guess is, it was, and I’ll find it somehow.

Before I could mention my speculation,
Show off my powers of observation.
A cop yelled, “Clear out. There’s a fire, I smell smoke.
We’ve got to get moving, this isn’t a joke.”

I grabbed the framed photo and rushed out the door.
There was no time to talk or see anything more.
I sat in my car while they put out the flames,
Going over my list of suspect names.

I stashed the framed photo under the seat,
Decided which suspect I’d first like to meet.
Then I looked out the window and tried not to stare
At Emily Riggs, who was standing there.

She didn’t see me, of that I’m quite sure,
As the smoke created somewhat of a blur.
The flames had engulfed the offices now.
Emily looked quite relieved, somehow.

I watched as she clutched a purse tight to her chest
And tried not to smile, she did her best.
Had she been in the building? What was she hiding?
I decided to see if she’d do some confiding.

“Emily,” I called as I stepped from my car.
She tried slipping away but she didn’t get far.
I caught up to her quickly and gave her my name.
She knew she was trapped, so she did the same.

“So, you’re the detective brought in on this case.
Tell me, who hired you?” Ms Tootsie Chase.
I smiled as I said, “That’s of no concern.
Were you inside when it started to burn?”

She gasped and said, “No. What made you think that?”
Then she lowered her purse and gave it a pat.
“I heard all the sirens and stopped by to see,
What all the excitement seemed to be.

“That’s when I saw the whole building in flames.
I’ll be anxious to hear who Nicki blames
For the fire and the murder of brother, Joe.
I’m sure she’ll put on a really good show.”

“You don’t like Nicki?” I said. “Tell me why?”
“I think she wanted her brother to die.
Then she’d own this company, lock, stock and barrel,”
Emily’s statement was laced with peril.

Yet, Emily Riggs had something to hide.
That black smudge on her face said she’d been inside.
I said, “Do you have something there in your purse?”
Her answer was short and her answer was terse.

“It’s none of your business, Ms. Tootsie Chase.”
I saw right away by the look on her face,
She wouldn’t reveal what she’d taken that day,
As she clutched her purse and hurried away.

I watched as she threw the purse into her car
That was parked down the street, although not very far.
As she drove past me quickly, I happened to see,
Mud on the car where it shouldn’t be.

Yes, Emily Riggs was hiding a clue.
I’ll find what it is, before I get through.
Right now I see Kate with a smirk on her face,
Shaking her head as she looks at the place.

When she saw me she sobered, and tried to look sad.
The act she put on was really bad.
“Joe’s gone,” she choked out, “and all’s lost in the fire.
I’m devastated,” she said. What a terrible liar.

“Do you have a few minutes to talk?” I asked Kate.
She tried to protest, but I put out the bait.
“I heard Joe’s company has been losing money.”
She folded her arms and said, “That isn’t funny.

“He was looking at someone’s creative accounting,
His questions to Emily Riggs had been mounting.
The business was growing and he knew where to find
The money his Great-grandpa Woods left behind.

“We were going to get married in Vegas, real soon.
I booked Elvis’s chapel the first week in June.\
But that broad at the law firm kept saying she
Had papers that Joe really needed to see.

“I don’t trust her at all. She had eyes for my honey,
Petroleum stock and his grandpa’s money.
She spent time with Joe, they were working he said.
I think she was trying to get him in bed!”

Kate sounded jealous, like maybe she knew
There was more than just business between the two.
Would jealousy lead to the killing last night?
Would she burn down Joe’s offices just for spite?

I got back in my car as the facts were mounting,
A jealous girlfriend, some funny accounting,
A lawyer that Kate said was after her Joe.
There is more to this case that I need to know.

Monday my first stop will be at the firm
Of Ms. Denise Steele, I’ll she if she’ll squirm.
Was she Joe Woods’ lover? Was Kate right on track?
Was she seeing Joe, behind poor Kate’s back?

Monday 9:15 AM

I arrived at Steele Law Firm a little past nine,
I asked for Denise, which was not out of line.
A client was with her so I took the time,
To ask a few questions about the crime.

The receptionist didn’t seem busy at all.
I went to her desk when she’d finished a call.
“Did you know Joe Woods?” I asked with a smile.
When she nodded, I asked, “Can we talk for a while?”

I told her my name was Tootsie Chase,
A detective brought in on the Joe Woods case.
“Was Joe here a lot in the last month or two?
Did he look concerned when he talked to you?”

“Yes and no,” the receptionist said to me.
“It was always Denise, Joe wanted to see.
There was no concern in his handsome eyes.
Maybe just secrets or maybe some lies.

“He came at all hours and on several occasions,
I made them some dinner reservations.”
As she opened her mouth to tell me more,
Denise Steele opened her office door.

“If you want information, Tootsie Chase.
Come in and ask me straight to my face.
I’ve nothing to hide, Joe and I were friends.
Business is where the relationship ends.”

I followed her into an office quite grand.
She showed me a chair with a wave of her hand.
“Now tell me, Detective Chase, why are you here,
Besides bending my unethical receptionist’s ear?”

The tone was set, so I waded right in,
I knew right where I was going to begin.
“Were your late night visits to Joe common place?”
I wanted to check the look on her face.

She turned to the window; her back was to me,
To hide what she didn’t want me to see.
When she turned back she’d mustered a lawyer’s composure.
Like that at the end of a big trial’s closure.

“As I said, Joe and I were friends from way back.
The accounting discrepancies we tried to track
Were what had us meeting both night and day.
It was Joe’s idea to do it that way.”

“All right,” I acknowledged. “Then is it true
That last Friday night, Joe Woods sent for you?”
“Your information is flawed,” Ms. Steele said.
“Friday night this attorney was home in bed.

“I’d already seen Joe at lunch that day.
Told him what I had to say.
That’s privileged communication, you see.
Things said between my client and me.”

I knew that’s all I’d get from Ms. Steele.
She’s also hiding a secret, I feel.
I left, but after I shut the door,
I spoke to the gal at the desk once more.

“Excuse me; I have one more question for you.
Do you know if Denise Steele has lately gone through
Records of births and deaths in this state?”
The receptionist smiled, she’d taken the bait.

“Why yes, and I thought it was strange that she
Was checking through Joe Woods’s family tree.”
I smiled and said, “Thanks, you’re more help than you know.”
Then she picked up her pad and said, “I’ve got to go.”

When she left, I saw an appointment book
Right there on her desk, so I took a quick look.
“Hmm...” I murmured, “That doesn’t look right.”
As I checked the appointments of Friday night.

Monday 10:32 AM

I went to Town Hall and found out that I
Was not the only one dropping by
To check out the Joe Woods’ family tree.
That information also helped me.

From there I went down to Petroleum Plus
Found Nitro Nicki was making a fuss.
The people whose offices went up in smoke,
Were camped out down here and that was no joke.

Nicki was screaming at Sandy Piper.
Called her a ghoul, a pack rat, a viper.
“Joe’s body is hardly cold, and you’re here
Picking through papers, not shedding a tear.

“This is my office, Sandy. Get out. Get out now,
Or I’ll throw you out. Do you want to see how?”
Sandy left all the papers and quickly departed,
Not able to finish the things she had started.

“Hello, Nicki,” I said. “My name’s Tootsie Chase.
I think you and I need to touch base.
When was the last time you saw brother, Joe?”
She stopped yelling and let out her breath really slow.

“I saw Joe Friday morning, we had a nice chat.
That squirrel, Sandy Piper, can verify that.
He was happy and joking; he never seemed better.
But he hadn’t yet seen the Steele Law Firm letter.”

“So, you know what Joe heard at lunch that day?
How did that information come your way?”
“Joe called me that night around eight o’clock.
What he told me came as quite a shock.”

Suddenly, Nicki began to pace,
Anger again spread over her face.
“If you think I’ll tell you what I heard,
You’re wrong. I won’t utter a single word.”

“Your brother is dead. His killer’s out there.
It sounds to me like you don’t really care.
This information could help,” I said.
“It could be the reason Joe is dead.”

Nicki calmed down and shook her head.
“Joe wasn’t tending to business,” she said.
“My brother had too many irons in the fire,
He shouldn’t have picked that law firm to hire.

“Now, Petroleum Plus belongs to me.
I’ll take excellent care of the company.
Great-granddaddy’s secret, Joe took to the grave.
The Woods’ reputation I’m going to save.”

Nicki turned and walked out and when she closed the door,
I sat at the desk and opened a drawer.
I took a quick peek and way in the back
Was a pair of gloves; I’d say they were black.

I was starting to add up the clues once more,
When Sandy Piper came back through the door.
“Has Nicki gone? Is it safe?” she said.
She closed the door when I nodded my head.

She walked up to the desk, her movements were slow.
She said, “There are some things I think you should know.
Friday night I went back to the office quite late.
In the lot I saw Nicki, Denise...maybe Kate.”

Her whispery voice didn’t miss a beat
When she said, “They parked their cars down the street.”
“You saw them all there?’ I asked in surprise,
As I took in the con artist look in her eyes.

“That’s right,” she assured me. “I didn’t stay long.
I knew in my heart that something was wrong.
If Joe had just left there with me at five,
He wouldn’t be dead, he’d still be alive.”

“Left with you?” I inquired. “Left with you on a date?”
“We’d get something at Tony’s when we both worked late.”
Sandy smiled as she said, “He often got stressed,
When Nicki’s behavior put him to the test.”

“Why were you back at the office that night?”
“I needed to see if my boss was all right.”
Sandy said, “He confided in me all his schemes,
His plans for the future and all of his dreams.

“He was not going to marry Kate, you see.
Joe Woods was really in love with me!”
I thought to myself, this girl has a delusion.
This adds one more thing to my present confusion.

When Sandy left, I sat contemplating
The scene she’d taken such pains in creating.
Who should I believe? Who really killed Joe?
There are two or three things I still need to know.

I watched out the window as Sandy departed.
And noticed, right after her car had been started,
Mud on her tires. I’d seen mud before.
I remembered where, as I went out the door.

Monday 11:03 AM

I went to my car and felt under the seat.
Saw the picture of Joe in his office so neat.
I turned the frame over, felt something inside.
I wondered what Joe Woods was trying to hide.

I lifted the back from the photograph frame,
Found a blue diskette without any name.
At my office computer I slipped the disc in,
The tale of Joe Woods was about to begin.

I read all the data, took all I could use
Then added those facts to my own mystery clues.
If I find the weapon, I think that I know,
The name of the killer and why they killed Joe.

Two hackers were into Joe’s database.
He knew who they were; those are facts in my case.
Joe fed them false numbers and info so they
Would get caught in his trap and be taken away.

But before he could spring what was so nicely set,
Somebody killed him without much regret.
Was it one of the hackers or some jealous lover?
The truth is out there for us to uncover.

I grabbed my cell phone, called my good friend JR,
We drove through some mud in my Tootsie Chase car;
To a tall oil derrick called Old 103,
Where the very last clue just happens to be.

Now is the part where you can have fun.
Do you know who did it and why it was done?
Sift through the clues you’ve been given throughout,
I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out.

Did Sandy kill Joe for a piece of the pie?
Or did Nicki think her brother should die?
Was Kate so jealous she took his life,
Because he hadn’t made her his wife?

What old branch of the family tree
Did Denise insist that Joe should see?
And what did Emily have to hide
When Joe’s office burned? Had she been inside?

Can you solve the mystery, just give it a try.
If you followed the clues you’ll know who and why.
You can solve the mystery at your own pace,
Then check the solution of Tootsie Chase.

Who killed Joe Woods?

 Sandy Piper

 Nicki “Nitro” Woods

 Catherine Hemlock

 Attorney, Denise Steele

 Emily Riggs

 I don’t know