All Roads Lead To Columbus

Somewhere On The Coast Of Maine

​Natalie ate breakfast at her kitchen table, courtesy of the Breakfast Bee. Wendy, the waitress who cared for Ricky Riccardo and a few girls, surprised Natalie with a full-course spread that included pancakes, eggs, and all the extras, including coffee and cranberry juice.

"Ahhhhhh, she said you now know what I look like with no makeup on," Nat said.

The girls laughed. "It's only fair we never have any on at the Bee."

"Your house is so beautiful."  "This was the Desmond House when we grew up."

At that, they all laughed until one girl said, "Everyone wanted to get with Frank Jr., but he was killed in Iraq." "Then Mr. and Mrs. Desmond died."

Natalie thought about this and how every house up here has a history that the locals all know. This house will now be known as "That Actress who got stabbed at The Bee's house." 

They laughed some more, and Natalie wiped a tear, thinking how good it was to have friends suddenly. The girls from The Bee, Eve and Allston, and her good buddy Ricky Riccardo, who circled in the kitchen, pleased as punch to see his other mother, Wendy.

The girls had to return to The Bee, and they left quickly, thinking they did not want to lose a day's tips.

From her tiny kitchen, Nat could see the sun coming up over the ocean. Today was nice.

​She sat at her table and started to check the web for stories about her recovery and the new mystery man that knocked a photographer on his ass.

So far, nobody has identified Allston as the Stomper Of Photographers, which is good.

At that thought, Natalie's phone chimed with the first five seconds of the theme music from Stanley's Girls. It was Allston.

"Hey Nat, I'm going to send you some headshots. Let me know if any of them look familiar.

A few minutes later, two photos appeared on her phone. Natalie looked and instantly recognized the two faces.

One was the man who tried to kill her, and the other was the man she stabbed while getting out of the truck all those years ago.

​Natalie started breathing hard and sweating as memories returned, but she calmed herself back into this moment.

TEXT NATALIE: The one named Brad is the one who stabbed me at The Bee.  Let's talk about the other. TEXT ALLSTON: TTL

Somewhere On The Coast In New England

I got Natalie's Text message and realized again how smart the actress is. By not saying the other was the one I stabbed, she was distancing herself legally. Our communications will be discoverable in court if it goes to court.  

From a trailer in Kentucky to Hollywood to Maine, Natalie was no "Freaking Idiot."

All of this is commendable.

​Natalie now identifies Bradley Falter as the one who stabbed her in the parking lot in Maine.  If he is the one who also killed Charlie Lopez, another star of the show Stanley's Girls in Aspen, Colorado, we will have a Twofer.

I have to consider multiple jurisdictions for a minute. There are the cops in Maine who are trying to solve the case regarding Natalie Leuze and then the cops in Aspen, Colorado, who are trying to solve the murder of Charlie Lopez in Aspen. 

Do both cases lead to the Falters in Ohio?

Isn't it a little too neat? 

By immediately aiming at Falter, all the other potential motives are ended. 

The possibility of the other actresses paying someone to kill Natalie is real.

Natalie was still making millions from the canceled TV show, and the others were not.  

There is also Natalie's ex-husband, who is bitter about the divorce assets.

Is the TV show's production company and syndicator tired of paying Natalie millions of dollars year after year?

These questions are worth considering as I prepare to go to Ohio.

Tango and I are going long distances to confront a scumbag.

Time to grab coffee and some donut holes.

TEXT ALLSTON: Evie, Tango, and I are going on a little road trip. TEXT EVE: Be careful, please, and don't feed Tango too many donuts. (Heart Emoji)

I checked gun reciprocity agreements in all the states I'll be crossing into while armed. 
I checked Tango's rabies permit, and he's up to date.

Tango, the short-legged seagull chasing, seaweed breath attack dog.

I love that Pooch. 

Stratham New Hampshire

Ron Strier was riding his range mid-morning. There were traffic details near construction sites and a few hotspots where drivers needed to slow down. 

The number one automotive issue he and his team deal with is the results of distracted drivers.

Cell Phone use, bags of to-go food, sun blindness, and speed lead to fender benders.

Strier knew all the spots on his patch where these things factored the most.

Strier also knew that any phone call from Thomas Allston would be for a cop favor. Allston was pinging him now.

Strier pulled over and said, "Allston, you broke dick, Gyrene, what's up?"

Thomas started laughing because Strier got the jump on him.

"What do you need?" Strier asked

"Between you and I, I'm working on a case that involves a famous actress who got stabbed in Maine."

"Whoa, you are involved with the Gina Freaking Idiot Stanley case?" 

"Hey, wait a minute. Was that you on the video in the limo? "It was you!" 

"Allston, you dog." You are not two-timing Evie, are you?"

"Leuze is hot, but can she bake blueberry muffins like Eve?"

"Ron, I promise you I am not two-timing Eve," I added.

"Is she hot, Allston? You know a nice person, do you remember that poster? I mean, Holy Moly, you actually know her?"

"Hey Ron you sound a little starstruck and remember I need to keep it under wraps."

​"I need a cop favor."

"Duh," said Ron.

"Can you poke around the Maine Police and in Aspen, Colorado, and try to figure out what directions they are working on the Leuze and Lopez cases?"

"Charlie Lopez was another hottie." "You got the life, Allston." 

"You do know that Charlie Lopez is dead, right Ron?"

"I do"

​"I'm trying to figure out how solidly connected the two cases are."

"I can pretty much crawl in bed with the Mainers. We all know each other here in New England, and I'll see what I can do about Aspen, but no promises. Give me twenty-four hours."

"Cool," I said, and remember I need RECON quiet on this, please."

"You don't even need to ask," said Ron.

"I can't believe a Parris Island Boot like you gets into limos with Natalie Freaking Idiot Leuze."