Dreaming a Music Mystery

CHAPTER FIVE

Next evening:

The next evening, Dreaming was in the studio. They were supposed to be working but all they were doing was sitting in silence.

Louis and Darnell were actually in the studio, sitting on stools with their headphones slung around their necks. Fingers were tapping against the music stand. Staring at the floor, motionless. The music was playing through the headphones. Neither Louis nor Darnell cared. Their fists were clenched against their knees, nails digging into their palms.

Marcus was standing outside the studio in the cold with no jacket on. But he seemed impervious to the wind. The passing cars went by unnoticed. They were invisible to him. Marcus was thinking about the death of his father. It was on November 7, 1993, the police came knocking at his door. He's run to the door because his father was later but when he opened the door, Marcus knew.

Officer Peluso called up Louis on the telephone. He had thought long and hard, but he knew that she would find out who stole their single and hurt their manager.

“Louis, it's Officer Peluso. How are you doing?”

“Fine, Officer. Still waiting to hear about Mark. What can I do for you?”

“Well, I know someone who can help you find out who hurt your manager. I would like for you to meet at The Red Parrot at 6:30 p.m. Can you do that Louis?”

“Sure.”

Next, Peluso called up Darwin.

“Law Office, Darwin speaking.”

“Hello, Darwin, and how's my favorite girl today?”

Laughing she replies, “Hungry. You are feeding me?”

“Meet you outside in 10 minutes.”

“Ok.”

In exactly ten minutes she walks outside. Peluso watched her from his cruiser. She always amazed him. At work, Darwin was a paralegal. Dressed in buttoned-up black suites with flesh color stockings and grandma shoes. Her short hair was natural, always covered with a scarf.

Peluso and Darwin meet up. But today, he was preoccupied. This burglary bothered him. Particularly, since neither he nor the other officers could figure out how whoever stabbed Mark and stole the single got in or out of the building. There didn't appear to be any forced entry, all the doors were shut except to the stairwells and no windows were open. As Darwin neared, he looked up, surprised. She said, “Didn't you hear me call your name?” As Darwin looked at him, she could see he was disturbed.

“Lou, what's wrong?”

“Dar, that's what I'm here to discuss with you. Let us walk to the restaurant.”

As the two walked, they walked in tandem. They passed parked cars, mothers walking their children, men on the street corner, and a broken traffic light. Across the street was the Newark Penn Station with the policeman and milling homeless. Up the street, was the “Pink Building” otherwise known as Prudential.

They went into the restaurant and were seated. The restaurant was Spanish, and the inside looked better….

During lunch, he brought up the new case they had just received. “Darwin, you know that building on Market Street by the old Macy's building that was recently remodeled and built up?

“Yes.”

“Well on the first floor it has a studio. That group you like, 'Dreaming' used that studio.”

“How do you know that?” Darwin asked.

“Because, two days ago, I was called on out there to check out a burglary on the premises.”

“Was anybody hurt?”

“Yes, the group's manager, Mark. He was slashed pretty badly. He's been in intensive care and it's very touch and go.” He stopped. She waited in silence.

Darwin was good at that. Letting people continue on when they were ready to talk. Peluso continued.

“There was no forced entry. No windows broken. The security system was intact.”

“So, what's the problem? Nothing was taken, was it?”

“Yes, a disc was taken out of the machine.” His voice trailed off.

“Again, with all that you told me; I am still not sure what your problem is,” Darwin stated.

“Here's the thing. How could someone get inside, slash somebody, steal a disc, and leave without tripping the system?” questioned Peluso.

“Simple,” Darwin said, “inside job.”

“Let's go with that. Inside job means someone would have to know who or what was there. The problem is the people don't trust us. We are the outsiders. I need your help on this Darwin.” Peluso stated simply.

“You know, I'll help you but first I have to get back to work.” Said Darwin.

“Okay,” Peluso said, “I'll fill you in more later on tonight. I want you to have dinner with me tonight and meet one of the members of the group.”