"The 9"x11.5" envelope sat smack in the middle of a pile of typical pre-Christmas mail - exclusive invitations to investment workshops for recent retirees, requests for donations from every blood sucking charity under the sun, final notices requesting immediate payment for unpaid bills ... the usual crap - but the return address on the plain brown-paper bubble-wrap caught my attention;
JJ Discrete Enterprises
18 Sutherland Avenue
Winnipeg MB
R2W 3H3
Thus begins the most bizarre puzzle, and one of the best Christmas presents in the case-files of this west coast gumshoe. Inside the envelope was a book ... but not just any book ... DUN DUN DUN DUUUUNNNNNN!!!!
... and a letter.
When I Google-map-streetviewed the address, this is what I found ... a picture of Western Scrap Metals Inc.
As I started to mentally gather the possible suspects, I soon realized that I am lucky to have among my friends, family and acquaintances, many who might have the imagination necessary to concoct this tantalizing mystery. Of course most of them might dream it up in some alcohol or drug induced stupor and forget the plan on waking-up on their couch the next morning as they wipe a cold trail of saliva from their chins and stumble past the still-on television on their way to their less than spotless washroom. Yes there are many who have the imagination, but only a few who know me well enough to be aware of my admiration for Walter Mosley as, after only George V. Higgins, James Ellroy and perhaps Elmore Leonard, the best American crime writer working in the last fifty years. And only a few who had the perseverance to follow through on such a complex plan.
No, there was only one person who had the opportunity, means and motive to carry out this crime. When I looked more closely at the post marks (the original mailing city) on the envelope and the initials on the company name, JJ (aka JoJo the Dog Face Boy) Discrete Enterprises, I knew it had to be ... DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNNNN!!!
TUNE IN NEXT WEEK FOR THE THRILLING CONCLUSION TO "THE MYSTERY OF THE HARD-BOILED PORN!