Page 2 (1/2)

“Let me see,” Pro said and took the end of the twisted braid in her hand “No, this isn’t it”

“Huh?” Chu replied “It’s a rope, and the est a rope was the murder weapon”

“Yes, but this is icians soft-cut rope,” Pro explained “It would be le him with a real rope from a hardware store This looks nice, but it is basically foam rubber wrapped with a cloth tube”

“We’ll let forensics figure it out,” Chu said and rose “Tillie, have you verified the ID?”

“Yes, sir, it’s the owner, like Detective Thompson said,” she replied

“Al Floss,” Pro noted and shook her head as she stood “He’s been running this place for years”

“Anyone else work here?”

“Not from what I can tell, sir,” Tillie answered and looked around the tight quarters “And I doubt there would be room for two people”

“Where’s the perp?”

“He’s there in the back rooer than this one My partner is watching him, and he’s restrained”

“Good work, Tillie,” Chu said “Let’s see him”

There was a battered, old red theater curtain in the doorway that possessed a faded glory Tillie took the detectives to it and pulled it aside

There was aand a man in a chair with his hands fastened behind his back The man had carefully coifed silver hair that had some black still mixed in at the top He had a mustache with a small beard, commonly called a “van dyke” He wore black pants and a black shirt with an open collar, and a beautiful black velvet sports coat that suggested a tuxedo He raised his blue eyes to the detectives

Pro gasped and Chu glanced at her, surprised by her reaction The ht of six foot two He brought his hands from behind his back as a pair of round behind him

“Pue man stated joyfully, as he opened his arh that he released his service weapon from his holster