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THE MIDNIGHT SKULKER 37

Schaumburg, Illinois

Tuesday, March 6, 1974

9:05 a.m. Central Standard Time

“Police Department!”

Sitting at the kitchen table, “Good morning. I’ve been swindled and would like to make a report.”

“One moment, please.”

…”Fraud!”

Marsha nursing a cup of tea, he swallowing the last of his coffee, “Good morning, I’ve been swindled and would like to make a report.”

“Hold on.”

…“Detective Steinberger.”

“Detective Steinberger, good morning. I’ve been swindled and would like to make a report.

“Your name, please.”

“Lipensky, Mitchell Lipensky.”

“Could you please spell your name.”

His eyes locked with Marsha’s, “M-I-T…”

“No, Sir. I know how to spell ’Mitchell’. Your last name; would you spell your last name.”

Sighing:  “L-I-P-E-N-S-K-Y, Lipensky.”

“Mister Lipensky, I can take your report over the phone or, if you would rather, you can come in.”

Holding his cup forward, wiggling it, “Where are you located?”

“Chicago Police Headquarters, ‘Halstead Street’.”

“Downtown?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Taking the re-filled cup from his wife, “Does it matter if I make the report over the phone?”

“No, Sir, not at all.”

“Okay, may as well do it now.”

“Your address, Mister Lipensky.”

“5443 Winston Road, Schaumburg…”

“ ‘Schaumburg’? You live in Schaumburg?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Where did the alleged fraud take place?”

“ ‘Alleged’? It’s not alleged, the son of a bitch cheated me out of three thousand bucks!”

“I know, Sir. But until it’s proved, the crime is an ‘alleged crime’.  So where did the ‘alleged crime’ take place?”

Thinking a moment, ”Uh, in their office, I guess.”

“Where is this office?”

“On Touhy…”

“On the north side?”

“Yes.”

“You need to talk to the Ravenswood division.”

“The ‘Ravenswood Division’?”

“Yes, Sir…. I’ll get you back to the ‘switchboard’ and he’ll transfer you.”

…”Switchboard!”

“ Transfer this call to ‘Ravenswood’!”

“Yeah, okay.”

The phone held to his ear by his shoulder… there was a click on the phone, and then the line went dead.

“Hello! Hello!... Shit!”

“What happened?” Marsha asked.

“I got disconnected.”

Dialing information: “Yes, operator, may I please have the number for the Ravenswood division of the Chicago Police Department.”

….”Police Department!”

“Is this the ‘Ravenswood Division’?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Great!” Rolling his eyes.  “I’ve been swindled and would like to make a report.”

“Hold on, I’ll transfer you to ‘Fraud’.”

…”Fraud!”

“Hello, My name is Mitchell Lipensky. That’s,” speaking slowly, “L-I-P-E-N-S-K-Y and I’ve been swindled.”

“ ‘Morning, Mister Lipensky. I’m Detective Lowrey…. What’s your address, there, Mister Lipensky?”

“5443 Winston Road, Schaumburg.”

“Where did the alleged fraud take place?”

Rolling his eyes once again, “His office at 7544 Touhy Avenue.”

“ ‘His office’? Who are you speaking of?”

“Edwin Plankow. The Bastard’s name is Edwin Plankow.”

“Uh, hold on a minute, will you.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Would this be the office of ‘Your Write Hand’?”

Taken back at this, “Yeah! Yes! How would you know this?”

“Actually Mister, Lipensky, you’re our fifth call on this alleged crime.”

“ Your ‘fifth call’?”

“Yeah, we had three calls yesterday and my partner’s talking to someone else right now.”

“Detective, uh…?”

“Lowrey.”

“Yeah; ‘Detective Lowrey’. Do you know what territories he’s sold to these other four guys?”

“Well, actually, it’s only four other ‘guys’ including you, one of the victims’ a woman.”

“Marcie…”

“Hold on a second, will you Detective?”

“Marcie, I’m the fifth complaint so far and one of them is a woman.”

“Oh, my God!”

“Detective Lowrey, did these other people say which territories he sold them.”

“Yes. One in the Miami area, one Northern California and two in Southern California. You?”

“Southern California…” Knowing is was a stupid question, but, “Is there anything we can do to get our money back”

“It’s doubtful that you’ll ever see any of that money again. Let me have your phone number and if anything comes up or we get hold of these crooks, we’ll contact you.”

“We’re moving to San Diego next month.”

“Let us know where you’ll be and, like I said, we’ll contact you.”

To be continued

©November 17, 2011 / Mark M. Lichterman