This was originally intended as episode 6 of a virtual season 8. For the original five episodes go to www.coldcasevirtualseason.net

Okay, I guess the link is back up now. So here is 8-6; 8-7 will be coming soon.

COLD CASE:

ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS

Lilly and her team begin investigating the shooting of a rising star in the daytime talk show circuit when new evidence suggests that the original theory that the victim was killed for her car may have been a rush to judgment.

PREVIOUSLY ON COLD CASE:

"Jimmy Mota," Pierson said. "He’s the piece of garbage that attacked your mother."

"What about him?" Scotty asked, frowning as they walked.

"Took a deal, three to five, sent him to Graterford."

Scotty looked at Pierson. "You gotta be kidding me!"

Pierson shook his head. "Could be out in eighteen months on good behavior."

"There’s a new fish on your block, likes to sing." Scotty said, quietly.

Hector looked at Scotty. "Sound to me like you want someone to catch a cold."

"It’s goin’ around."

Hector looked down in thought for a moment. "Suppose... suppose this fish gets made out to be a snitch in the yard."

Scotty shrugged. "Then he’s everybody’s problem."

"Yo, Mota." Scotty said with a smile as he approached Mota in the yard. Mota turned around and just recognized Scotty as Scotty put his arm around the felon. "What’s happenin’, bro?"

"Tag, you’re it, b*tch." Scotty said, quietly into his ear. "That’s for my moms."

In the prison showers, Mota lay in a pool of his own blood.

Scotty entered his apartment, and looked at his mail. Two bills, one letter trying to get him to apply for a new credit card, and an envelope with a typed address.

He opened the last one up. Inside was a newspaper clipping and a piece of paper.The clipping showed a picture of Scotty in uniform, smiling. It was from his time at West. He had helped solve the murder of Frank Gaines. Frank had been abusing his daughter for years. His wife had snapped and stabbed him with a knife when she found out.

The piece of lined paper was torn from a notepad with a printed list of names: Frank Gaines killer got 3 years, Nash Cavanaugh 6 years, Lauren Williams 2 years, Rudy Tanner 2 years, Mark Ellison 7 years, Jimmy Mota … ?

Scotty ripped up the piece of paper and the clipping, and stuffed them both in the bin. He opened the trash and grabbed the bag, then took it downstairs to throw it in the chute.

He then took out his cell phone and looked at the display.

10 new messages.

1

The following story is fictional and
does not depict any actual person or event.

Tears for Fears
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc7rhuwJW0k

November 14, 1985

One golden delicious apple… three-quarter cup dried cranberries… preheat oven to 350 degrees… she didn’t even pay attention anymore. For Bella Valdez it was all a blur after hosting ‘A. M. Philly’ for seven years and listening to the same stuffing recipes every Thanksgiving. But she still had no choice but to force a smile for the camera as she said, “Well, that was very informative. Let’s have a round of applause for channel 5’s very own ‘Chef Judy’ and her recipe for sausage apple cranberry stuffing!”

A round of applause went up from the rows of viewers seated behind her before she spoke again. “Obviously we all love food during the holiday season, but after New Year’s Day it’s a very different story. After the break our next guest will show us an exercise routine guaranteed to work off those pesky holiday pounds. I’m Bella Valdez, and you’re watching ‘A. M. Philly’.”

The camera panned left and right to get a clear shot of all the applauding audience members before they cut to commercial and Bella walked off the stage. A tall blonde woman in a gray suit charged at her with a series of papers in her hands. “I hate Thanksgiving,” Bella told her.

“Bella, we need to talk about these possible show topics you submitted to me. ‘An expert discussing the appointment of Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union’, ‘Should President Reagan have thrown his support toward Iran?’, ‘Combat vets and their struggle with post traumatic stress.’!” Frustration was clearly growing in the woman’s voice.

“Patricia…”

“No Bella, it’s too heavy. When people wake up in the morning, they’re grumpy and mad at the world because they have to go to work. They tune in to this show to lighten the mood. People want entertainment in the morning, not news. We’ve talked about this before,” insisted Patricia.

“I’m almost thirty, and I have worked here for seven years. I don’t want to spend the rest of my career talking about stuffing recipes,” insisted Bella. “That’s why I want the 3:00 P.M. time slot. I want to discuss real issues.”

“I can’t let you have that, Bella. That sports show is doing too well in the ratings,” explained Patricia.

Suddenly a voice called out, “We’re on in 30 seconds!”

Bella turned to Patricia as she headed for the stage. “My contract is up on March of next year. If we do not renegotiate my time slot by then, I will find another station that will.”

Cold Case Soundtrack: “The Park” www.youtube.com/watch?v=yueBflg9PEE

The body of Bella Valdez was found in a parking garage in downtown Philadelphia next to a red convertible with two bullets in her chest.

In the office of Philadelphia PD Homicide division, Detective Kat Miller sat at her desk when a Hispanic woman in jeans and a pink, flowered blouse walked up to her. “Are you Lilly Rush?” she asked.

“I’m Lilly Rush,” said Lilly as she was walking past the desk.

“My name is Alicia Valdez. I was told you solve old crimes,” said Alicia.

“Old murders, yes. Do you have information for us?” asked Lilly.

Alicia set a red laptop that she had been carrying on Kat’s desk. “My sister was Bella Valdez, a local celebrity in the 80s before she was shot. The police never found her killer.”

“We’re sorry for your loss,” insisted Kat.

“Thank you, but I really have not thought much about my sister’s murder until recently. I have a daughter now; she is ten years old and just became a reporter on her school newspaper,” Alicia explained.

“Really, a school newspaper in this day and age,” said Kat with surprise.

“That was my first thought too, but then I told her how journalism ran in our family. Then I started looking for information about Bella to inspire her. That’s when we found this,” explained Alicia. Alicia opened the laptop to a screen with an internet page—bellavaldezfan.com—that showed the start of a video message. Lilly clicked the play button. A series of clips from Bella’s show began streaming.

“This dark-haired woman I keep seeing; that’s your sister?” asked Lilly.

“At first I thought this was it; random videos of Bella from her show. But then when you reach the end…” Alicia clicked fast forward until the video screen went blank. Then a message faded into view: IN MEMEORY OF BELLA VALDEZ 1956-1986. This was followed by a second message that also faded slowly into view: P. G. DID IT!!!!!!!

“’P. G. did it’. Well, I guess that’s a start,” said Lilly. “Whoever posted this would have had access to Bella’s show footage. Did Bella ever mention any P. G.s in her life?”

“When she was working she used to talk about how she argued with her manager at the station all the time—Patricia Geller,” informed Alicia.

“So maybe these two had an argument; maybe things got crazy and she pulled a gun,” said Kat.

“Growing up my father was very aggressive with my mother; she of course was in complete denial. It was Bella who took care of me. Please promise me that you will find out what happened to my sister,” said Alicia.

Lilly leaned in a little closer. “On one condition, when we catch this guy I want an interview with your daughter. It might be nice to talk a legitimate newspaper for a change.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaw9Vpa0JDM

2

The team was down in the archive room searching for the box that had Bella’s information. Suddenly Lilly heard a voice from a few rose down. “Found it!” It was her lieutenant, John Stillman. Kat Miller, Lilly Rush, Scotty Valens, Nick Vera, and Will Jeffries all hurried to his location and huddled around the white box as John started reading. “Bella Valdez: Hispanic female approximately 30 years old. The body was found in a parking garage two blocks away from the Omni Hotel on January 10, 1986.”

“So much for a happy new year,” insisted Vera.

“Gold watch, purse, and gold necklace found on the body. I’m guessing we can rule out a robbery,” Lilly suggested.

“Police back then thought the killer was more interested in her car. She was found next to a red convertible. They ran the plates back then and found the car was registered to her, so the primary theory was a botched carjacking,” explained Jeffries.

Scotty spoke up, “I’d say ‘botched’ is an understatement for what I’m seeing here. Look at these pictures; we have two bullet holes in the left side door, a windshield that doesn’t exist, and the cherry on top, a bullet in the left rear tire.”

“Good luck selling that car for parts,” added Vera.

“What kind of car thief shoots out his own tire?” asked Jeffries.

“Maybe Bella put up a fight and they struggled over the gun,” said Lilly. “Did they recover any bullets from the scene?”

“The file says that all bullets recovered from the scene were of the same caliber; fitting the profile of a single shooter. The bullets were consistent with those of a 9mm pistol, but they never found a gun at the scene,” explained Stillman.

“Here’s something interesting. The medical examiner noted that there were recent spiral fractures on Bella’s right wrist,” Kat mentioned. Then she took a few steps backward. “So if I’m getting into my car, and a thief comes at me from behind tugging on my free hand wouldn’t the fractures be on my left wrist?”

“Maybe Bella was left-handed,” Scotty suggested.

“I don’t think so. All the pictures have Bella’s watch on her left wrist; a left-handed person usually wears their watch on the right wrist,” insisted Lilly.

“M. E. could have screwed up,” said Vera. He could feel the eyes of everyone on him. “What? You’d be surprised how many grown adults can’t tell left from right. I just saw this thing on ’60 Minutes’ about this doctor…”

“Next week is my yearly physical; I don’t need to hear your horror stories,” Jeffries replied. Lilly turned her head suddenly.

“So the thief breaks her wrist with one hand… and shoots her with the other? Why not just use the gun? It doesn’t add up. I say there were at least two people there that night,” Miller insisted.

“It’s all speculation until we find out more about Bella. You said that she used to fight with her boss a lot?” asked Stillman.

“Patricia Geller, Bella’s sister said they argued all the time,” said Lilly.

“Could be a motive plus she’s a P. G. Rush and Miller I say you two track her down. Vera and Jeffries see if you can locate a… Paul Goldman. It says here he was a witness who told police he saw a shirtless man running from the crime scene after the shots were fired,” Stillman commanded.

“Boss, where do you want me?” asked Scotty as the others started to pull out.

“Here with me checking hotel and phone records. Bella lived clear across town from that garage; she was in that part of town for a reason,” Stillman replied. “Scotty, speaking of phone records I received a notice from Personnel that you changed your cell phone number. Is something going on?”

Scotty started to sweat. “Oh that. It’s nothing; me being the klutz that I am I dropped my phone and it broke, so I had to get a new one.”

“And they had to change your number?”

“Tell me about it. It’s some security thing with the phone company. I have to change my contact information with everyone now,” Scotty explained.

“I see. In that case, I will update my records.”


Miller and Rush stood at the front desk with the red-haired receptionist as she pressed a button on the office intercom. “Ms Geller, there are two detectives out here who say they need to speak with you. They say it’s about Bella Valdez?”

Patricia’s voice came through the speaker. “Bella Valdez? I’m finishing up with a potential sponsor right now. I’ll be ready in two minutes.”

The intercom went dead. “Are you really here about Bella?”

“Did you know her?” asked Lilly.

“I’m Brenda Moore; I was her assistant years ago before she was killed. That was a sad day for me when I found out; she was more than another boss to me.”

“You were friends,” said Miller.

“She stood up for me. Sometimes other personalities would try to dump their personal errands on me, but Bella always made it clear that I only worked for her. And as crazy as working for her was, she was always the one person at channel 5 I could talk too…”

Donna Summer
“She Works Hard for the Money”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g64usa2j5s

Bella walked into the office as I, in a light blue dress and heals, was about to run past. “Brenda, where are you racing off to?” asked Bella.

“I was just running these copies up to Mr. Bett’s office,” I replied.

“Bett! Great, on top of everything else I have to do today, now I have to go yell at him.”

“I really don’t mind.”

“I mind. You work for me, not that aging, hairless, tub of lard,” insisted Bella. Then she noticed that her phone was ringing. “Meanwhile, my phone is ringing off the hook. Answer the phone while I have a word with baldy.”

I dove behind my desk and held a calendar in mid air. “Bella, I organized all your appointments for the month. Your interviews are in red, your advertising meetings are in blue, your dentist appointment is in green, and the Thanksgiving holiday is in… white. I guess I didn’t really need a color for that.”

“Alex, I’ll take interviews for $100. Just please answer the phone,” insisted Bella.

My hands started to shake. I stumbled over to the coffee pot across from my desk. “I noticed that we’re out of the decaf that you like. I can run to the store and buy some. I’ll even pay for it myself.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll need the caffeine to stay awake through another stupid recipe,” replied Bella.
Left with no other options, I slunk back to my desk and picked up the phone. “Bella Valdez’s office; this is Br… I… No, I’m… I told you to stop calling me here… We need money… If you want me to stay home, maybe you should look for a job… Screw you too!”

That’s when Bella knew something was up. “Is that the reason you are afraid of the phone?”

“That was my boyfriend, who thinks he owns me. I’m seriously considering leaving him,” insisted Brenda.

Bella turned her head and noticed a black mark on the side of my neck. “Is he the one who gave you this bruise?”

“That… is nothing. I… took my dress out of the closet, and the hanger hit me.”

“How big was the hanger?” asked Bella. I had no response. “Brenda, my mother spent half of her life ‘walking into doors’. I know abuse when I see it. You need to get away from him.”

“Bella, that’s a little strong. He’s not usually a bad guy…”

“I just saw how good he can be. Leave him,” Bella whispered.

“I don’t want to talk right now.”

“He won’t stop until… Baldy just got off the elevator. We’ll talk later,” Bella whispered. She left my desk and headed for the elevator. ‘BETT! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO HIRE YOUR OWN DAMN SECRETARY!?”

“Sharing a secret like that bonded us.”

“Did you leave him?” asked Kat.

“Probably not as soon as I should have, but yes,” replied Brenda.

“You’re still lucky, some victims never get out,” said Lilly.

Two men in suits left the adjacent office. “Are you the police?”

“Detectives Rush and Miller,” said Lilly as they flashed their badges. They crossed onto the soft, blue carpeting of Patricia’s office and sat in the two puffy red swivel chairs across from Patricia’s white swivel chair on opposite sides of a glass desk. “I have to say I was surprised to hear that name. I haven’t heard the name Bella Valdez in over 25 years. Had you ever seen ‘A. M. Philly’?”

“I’ve done some research: decorating tips, cake recipes, who bought the most expensive wedding dress this year—not the sorts of things girls who play with guns are into,” Lilly replied.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly Bella’s thing either.”

“What do you mean?” asked Miller.

“Bella always felt that the morning show was holding her back. She always wanted to do a show with more substance to it,” Patricia explained. “She kept begging me to give her an afternoon slot.”

“Her sister came to us with this. She mentioned that you argued with her a lot. Was that what the arguments were about?” Lilly asked.

“Most of the arguments surrounded that,” Patricia responded.

“How heated did these fights get?” asked Kat.

Patricia leaned back in her chair. “I didn’t shoot Bella.”

“That’s not exactly what I asked.”

“I threatened to fire her a few times, but it was mostly just to keep up appearances. At the end of the day Bella had talent and was growing more popular all the time, and she knew it. Had she lived, I think she would have given Oprah a serious run for her money. I was actually about to negotiate a new contract with her before she was killed that would have given her that afternoon air time she wanted,” explained Patricia.

Miller leaned forward. “Ms. Geller, the tip we received said a P. G. did it. So unless you can give us another possibility…”

“Oh that’s an easy one, Pete Galespi,” Patricia responded quickly.

That answer seemed to take Miller by surprise. “Pete Galespi, the radio sports guy?”

“He wasn’t always radio. In the mid 80s he hosted a local sports talk show on channel 5,” Patricia explained.

“And this put him at odds with Bella?” asked Lilly.

“Bella wanted his show time. Do the math,”

“Yeah, Pete’s a loudmouth on the radio. I can’t imagine he was happy about losing to Bella,” said Kat.

“Put it this way, if Bella was Oprah, Pete was Springer…”

Guns ‘n’ Roses
“Welcome To the Jungle”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJko3HB9vJs

Bella was standing in the middle of a faux living room set as she was rehearsing her lines for a promo. “But don’t worry everyone. I’ll still visit you, just at 3:00 P. M., and maybe instead of that morning coffee you’ll enjoy an afternoon tea watching ‘Afternoons with Bella’ starting after the new year…”

Pete Galespi, a heavy built man with curled black hair stormed onto Bella’s set. “b*tch!”

“Pete, what the hell are you doing here!” yelled Bella.

Pete charged full steam for Bella knocking over a small wooden chair. “This is my show, not yours! 3:00 P. M. belongs to Pete Galespi!”

“Not anymore, dumbass! Patricia wants to see how I do in the afternoons!” Bella yelled back.

“What a shock! She’s a b*tch too, and b*tches always stick together! b*tchES!” At this point the whole studio was staring.

“Pete, you’re making a scene!”

“You’re right; I guess I should just sit back while a couple of skirts RUN CHANEL 5 OUT OF BUSINESS! Do you really think people want to watch your whiney, girly crap and drink tea! Tea sucks!”

“Only when it doesn’t have booze in it right?” replied Bella.

“Shut up!”

“You’re clearly drunk!”

“Shut the hell up!” yelled Pete as he picked up teacup and threw it at the wall.

“That’s it! Get out of my set before I call security!” Bella shot back.

Pete jumped up in Bella’s face. “Oh, you want a war! I’ll give you a war! Hit me, b*tch! I dare you! Hit me! Hit me! Hit…”

She hit him clean across the face. “Back off!”

Pete rubbed his sore nose. “This is far from finished!” he said as he stormed out of the exit like a charging bull.

“That was Bella, she never backed away from a fight,” insisted Patricia.

“This Pete sounds like a really rational and professional guy,” said Lilly.

“He overreacted. I wasn’t going to fire him; I was only moving him to 4:00 P. M,” said Patricia.

“Do you know where we could find him?” asked Kat.

“1220 AM WAEJ. He should be on the air soon,” Patricia informed.

“Thank you for your time,” said Lilly as they left the office. “Sounds like Pete didn’t like losing to a girl.”

“Maybe he figures a 9mm would help him win.”
 

3

Vera and Jeffries were out walking the street. “You said your yearly physical is next week?” asked Vera.

“Don’t remind me. Talk about a pain in the ass, literally,” Jeffries replied.

“Well, I wouldn’t bring it up at all, except I could have sworn your yearly physical was last month. Is something going on?”

Jeffries stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “Nobody else knows, but I have to go in for more tests. The doctor found something on my chest x-ray; it’s probably nothing, but at my age they like to be cautious. I say I’m already old; why waste the time I have left?” They started walking again. “I don’t want anyone else to worry, so don’t say anything.”

“Have it your way,” said Vera.

“Nick, I’m serious. I don’t want anyone to know until I know what I’m facing,” insisted Jeffries.

The pair walked for another block until Vera spotted something. “There it is, ‘Goldman Studios’.” The pair walked through the glass doors that had ‘Goldman Studios’ in gold print. Inside there were a series of cameras and various landscapes used as backgrounds for photographs. A man stood behind a wood table with a cash register; he had more gray in his hair now as compared to the photo in Will’s hand, but it still looked like him. “Paul Goldman, detectives Vera and Jeffries.”

“What can I do for you?” asked Paul.

“You were a witness to the shooting of Bella Valdez back in 1986, is that correct?” asked Jeffries.

“That’s not a night I’d forget, yes I was,” said Paul.

“We’re reopening Bella’s case and were wondering if, after all this time, you might have something to add to your story,” said Jeffries.

“All I can tell you is what I told the cops back then. I was doing some photography work at a convention in the Omni Hotel, I was on my way back to the parking garage to find my car, and then I heard multiple gunshots. The next thing I know, some guy with no shirt on comes barreling out of the garage and runs right past me,” Paul explained.

“You sure you don’t remember the guy’s face?” asked Vera.

“That night is etched in my brain. If I had seen his face, I would have said something,” Paul responded.

“Well, here’s one of our cards,” said Vera as he pulled a business card from his right pants pocket and dropped it on the counter. “If you remember anything, please call us.”

“And I’ll take one of your cards,” added Jeffries. “I’ve got a Police Academy reunion coming up. Not many of my class left now, but we may still need a photographer.” Jeffries took one of Paul’s business cards from the counter; it had a drawing of a camera with Paul’s information written across the lens.

“I appreciate your business,” said Paul. The pair walked out of the studio.

Rush and Miller stood outside the recording booth at WAEJ radio where a heavy, curly-haired man was giving some caller the business. “You morons can have your opinions, but I still maintain what I’ve been saying for years; the Eagles will NEVER win a Super Bowl with Andy Reid as the coach—“

“Pete Galespi!” yelled Rush.

“What do you know; we have another psycho fan in the studio. I keep telling them no autographs until after the show…” Pete looked up and saw Miller flashing a badge. “I’ll be right back to beat some sense into all your heads after this commercial.”

Rush and Miller walked into the booth. “If you ask me, the real problem is Vick; he’s the one who keeps getting hurt,” said Kat. “Detectives Miller and Rush; we’d like to talk about Bella Valdez.”

“You’re joking right? If you’re really dragging me into that again, I want my lawyer now!” yelled Pete.

“You can call him; there’s a phone right outside the booth. But I’m just curious; how long does a typical commercial break last, about five minutes?” asked Rush.

“Maybe longer if we play with some of these buttons.”

“Don’t touch my stuff!” yelled Pete.

“Then you have a choice; talk to us, or let your fans listen to dead air for two hours,” insisted Rush.

“What I know is I didn’t kill that girl,” Pete replied.

“We have reason to suspect otherwise. We talked to your old boss, Patricia Geller,” Lilly informed.

“She told us that you were threatened by Bella because she was about to take over your time slot. She also told us how you got drunk one day and trashed Bella’s promotional shoot, and how you got beat up by a girl,” Miller added.

“You talked to Patricia. Unbelievable, 25 years later and the bitch is still screwing up my life. I’m guessing she didn’t tell you Bella was in on it,” Pete informed.

“Bella… told you to threaten her?” asked Miller with skepticism.

“Not Bella, Patricia. She told us that it would get more people talking about us if we stirred the pot a little. She said it would get me a job on a national network if more people knew who I was; trusting her was the dumbest thing I ever did…”

Don Henley
“Dirty Laundry”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHimia_Fxzs

Me and Bella sat across from Patricia in her office. “You want me to threaten Bella in plain sight at her shoot tommorrow?” I asked stunned.

“Make sure you spill some whiskey on your shirt; the smell will help sell the illusion,” Patricia added. “I’ll make sure one of the camera guys keeps the film rolling so we can put the ‘shocking footage’ on the evening news.”

“Won’t people start to wonder why Pete is still on the air after that?” asked Bella.

“Not if you fight back. Make it a real war of words between the morning show and the sports show; people don’t like to admit it but they like drama. Trust me, do this and everyone in the city will know your names.”

“Yeah, they’ll make Bella out to be a tough career woman, and they’ll make me out to be the monster who picks on little girls,” I insisted.

“Which is why you have to let Bella hit you; it will level the playing field showing that Bella can defend herself just fine,” said Patricia.

“Then I’ll be the guy who got beat up by a girl. I just don’t see how I come out better here,” I said.

“Just go on your show the next day and make a few smart remarks; you’re good at that. You can say something macho like ‘If this chick likes to hit, maybe she should step into the ring with me.’,” said Patricia.

“But now I have a problem. Won’t people expect me to actually fight him?” asked Bella.

“Nobody wants a real fight; that would obviously be a slaughter. Just keep taking shots at each other in the media,” insisted Patricia.

“I just don’t see how this helps me,” I replied.

“If you want to move up in this business, you have to be known. What’s that new cable network? … ESPN. I know I can get you a job there, but more people need to know who you are. And then, Bella, we’ll need to make preparations in case Pete leaves. In which case, you’ll be guaranteed that 3:00 P. M. time that you want,” Patricia insisted. I still looked suspicious. “Look, if this doesn’t work, we can always go back to the way things are now. Trust me; you have nothing to worry about.”

I shook my head. “Alright, I guess I’ll gamble.”

“At first everything was actually working; the local press was following us, the ratings were going up and up with more guys watching me and more girls watching Bella,” Pete explained.

“So what happened?” asked Rush.

“Bella got shot, and then the walls caved in. Patricia stabbed me in the back; she said it didn’t matter that the cops had nothing on me. The public said I killed Bella, and she couldn’t have a suspected murderer working for her. Then everyone forgot about me completely, and five years later I ended up in this dive.”

“That’s quite a story, Pete,” insisted Miller.

“Newspapers have archives, right? The local tabloid that was primarily interested in us was ‘The Philadelphia Squealer’; check that if you don’t believe me,” Pete informed.

“We will. Thank you for your time,” said Lilly.

“It took some digging, but I finally found archives for the Squealer. It looks like your guy was telling the truth,” said Scotty back at the station. “I found a bunch of articles between November, 1985-January, 1986 that feature Bella and Pete going back and forth; in one article Pete challenges Bella to a boxing match, and in the next Bella says it would have to be sumo wrestling to be fair to him. It just gets uglier from there.”

“That still doesn’t exonerate Pete. He could have bought a 9mm and taken things too far,” explained Lilly.

“In any case we still don’t have any evidence to bring him in,” said Scotty.

“I just can’t believe so many people cared about two local talk show hosts who hated each other,” said Vera as he passed by with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Please Vera, you are such hypocrite. I’ve seen you looking at ‘People’ magazine before,” replied Scotty.

“Think about it, Vera: Elton John and Madonna, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, John Gosselin and Kate Gosselin, Mel Gibson and … everybody. Patricia was right about one thing; celebrity feuds get big press,” Lilly explained.

“Here’s what I don’t get; ‘P. G. did it.’. If the person who made that video wants this murder solved, why not just give us a name?” asked Scotty.

“Nobody wants to be a rat,” Vera replied. “Did computer crimes ever find out who posted that website?”

“Not yet, but I found something interesting,” said John as he dropped a pile of papers on Lilly’s desk. “Bella’s credit card records show a charge for the Omni Hotel from January 3-10, 1986.”

“She was staying there before she was killed,” said Lilly.

“Omni Hotel records confirmed that, from January 3-10, 1986, room 205 was registered to a Bella Valdez and guest,” explained John.

“Bella had a man? Nobody has mentioned one,” asked Lilly.

“And she had her own place. Why go to a hotel?” asked Valens.

“There’s something else too. The day after Bella was killed maintenance had to go to her room to replace a broken window, but they couldn’t tell me anymore,” John added.

“Well, chicks tell each other everything, right? Maybe if we go back to that friend of hers we can find out,” insisted Vera.

Brenda Moore was seated in a restaurant near her work. Lilly and Scotty walked up to her. “We have a few more questions about Bella Valdez,” explained Scotty.

“Detectives, I’m on my lunch break. Can this wait?” asked Brenda.

“We found out a few things. Bella was staying with someone at the Omni Hotel before she was killed. Did Bella ever mention a boyfriend at all?” asked Rush.

Valens’s cell phone rang, and he stepped away from the two women.

For a long moment Brenda was silent. “Forgive me; it’s a part of my past I’m trying to forget. Bella was seeing a man there, but he wasn’t her guest. I was…”

Pat Benatar
“Love Is a Battlefield”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGVZOLV9SPo

Bella and I took pairs of suitcases up to the room. “We should be safe here,” Bella said as she sat on the edge of the rose-colored bed. “You’re doing the right thing, but can I ask why you suddenly decided to leave him?”

I joined Bella on the edge of the bed. “A month ago I discovered that I was pregnant, and after I told him the beatings just got worse. Then finally, two weeks ago, I miscarried.”

“So that’s why you requested time off before the Christmas break,” Bella insisted.

“Thank you for that by the way,” said I. “I finally realized you were right. All those times he would hit me and then say how sorry he was about it; I kept thinking he would change. I kept thinking there was some good in him. I’m such an idiot.”

Bella took my hand. “You realized the truth and you left; you are not an idiot. And maybe the miscarriage was a blessing, because at least you only have yourself to worry about now. My mother never got out, and so I spent my entire childhood taking care of my sister.”

That’s when we heard a knock on the door causing me to jump out of my skin. “Bella, it’s me. You said you would be here,” said a man’s voice. Bella opened the door to find Pete on the other side. “Brenda’s here?”

“I’m helping her with some personal issues. Pete and I need to discuss our next b*tch session in the media. Why don’t you go down to the restaurant? You said you haven’t eaten today,” insisted Bella. “And remember it’s my credit card. Don’t be afraid to go nuts.” I walked out of the room.

“I always knew they didn’t hate each other as much as they let on, but Pete kept coming back to that room and sometimes I could hear their ‘discussions’ all the way down the hall,” Brenda explained.

“Pete and Bella were seeing each other?” asked Lilly.

“Let’s just say I spent a lot of time in that hotel restaurant alone,” said Brenda.

“Did this scumbag you were dating have a name? Maybe Bella had a run in with him,” asked Lilly.

“Thankfully, I don’t think Bella ever met him. But he did have a name, Magdon Lapul; I think that name is why I started seeing him in the first place,” Brenda informed.

Lilly got up from the table as Scotty returned. “Rush, Stillman just called. He ran a check on local gun shops to see if Pete Galespi ever purchased a 9mm. Pete never bought one, but it turns out Patricia Geller did.”

“Well, I just found out Pete and Bella were sleeping together,” Rush explained.

“Really, enemies with benefits? How the hell does that work?” asked Scotty.

“Apparently not too well,” Lilly added.
 

4

“You know, Patricia, withholding information from the police makes you look suspicious,” said Jeffries leaning across the table toward Patricia in the gray interview room.

“What are you talking about?” asked Patricia.

“Where’s the gun?” asked John. Patricia remained silent. “That’s okay, you don’t need to talk. We already know.”

“What’s to know?” asked Patricia.

“We know you purchased a 9mm two weeks before Bella was killed. What happened, you find out about Pete and Bella’s affair?” asked John.

“What affair?”

“You sure like to play dumb, don’t you?” asked Jeffries.

“When I don’t know what you’re talking about, yes.”

“I think you do know what we’re talking about,” said John. “I think you found out that Pete and Bella were getting romantic.”

“But this couldn’t happen, because if they were caught it would have exposed their war of words for what it was, a sham. Then people would lose interest in them and ultimately your network would take a huge ratings hit,” added Jeffries.

“I didn’t kill Bella.”

“So maybe you followed her to the parking garage and you confronted her with what you know! Bella wouldn’t back down as usual, and then you lost your temper and pulled your gun and shot her! You figured you would get away with it because Pete was the perfect patsy! I saw the crime scene photos; you’re not a very good shot!” added John.

“I didn’t kill Bella! I didn’t even know they were seeing each other!” Patricia yelled back.

“Then why were you so quick to give us Pete’s name?” asked Jeffries.

Patricia took a breath. “Because I panicked; I bought a gun before Bella was killed, and I knew you would suspect me. But I swear I never used it.”

“I want to believe you, Patricia, but right now you’re the only one involved in this that had access to a gun,” explained Jeffries.

“I didn’t want Bella dead; she was a good person. I bought that gun because of her; she told me someone needed protection…”

‘til Tuesday
“Voices Carry”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uejh-bHa4To

It was after Christmas, but a small string of lights still lined the door of my office. Bella ran through that door. “I know what to do for my first show. I want to do a show for Brenda.”

“Secretary appreciation? I don’t think that will be a big ratings getter,” I laughed.

Bella shook her head. “There’s more to her than just that.” Bella closed the office door. “Did you know about the man she was seeing?”

“What about him?” I asked from behind my desk.

“He hits her, every day,” Bella explained.

For a moment, I could not catch my breath. “You’re serious. I’ve… seen her come in with bruises before, but she always had a reason for them. I just… always assumed she was clumsy.”

“That’s what abuse victims do, and she probably fooled a lot of people. But I grew up around it so she didn’t fool me. Even when I caught it; I had to drag the truth out of her,” Bella explained. “That’s my show idea: Victims United Saying No to Abuse.”

I took a deep breath. “It sounds risky. Do you really think people would pay attention to it?”

“I think so. People watched Farrah Fawcett do ‘The Burning Bed’ last year. They are ready to hear these stories; they need to hear these stories,” Bella insisted.

“You know what, I agree with you. And if you can actually convince people to come on television and talk about this; it will guarantee you a new contract for next year,” I replied.

“Thank you, I won’t let you down,” said Bella as she rushed out of the office.

“Then the following Monday I bought the gun.”

“To give to Brenda?” asked Jeffries.

“Yes. I didn’t know anything about any affair. If I had I would have told Bella and Pete to be careful. I liked Bella,” insisted Patricia.

Scotty and Lilly were walking into Pete’s radio station. “I’ve been meaning to ask you; how come John can reach you and I can’t?” asked Lilly. “Every time I call you I get a message saying your phone is out of service.”

“Oh, I thought I told everyone. I had to get a new number after breaking my old phone,” Scotty replied.

“They made you change your number?” asked Lilly.

“Yeah, the phone company said it was some new security thing,” insisted Scotty.

“Really. Well, make sure you give me your new number soon,” said Lilly unsure if she believed him.

Pete walked into the lobby where he saw the two detectives. “The station manager sent me here so I’m here, but as far as I’m concerned this is harassment! I already told you I had nothing against Bella Valdez!”

“We both know that’s a lie,” insisted Rush.

“According to some other sources; it sounds more like you had you against Bella Valdez. That makes us wonder if you’re being honest with us,” said Scotty.

Pete sat down in a chair near the two detectives. “Oh yeah, I didn’t really lie; I just… forgot. It’s been 25 years; I’ve had a few girlfriends since then.”

“So you were involved with her?” asked Lilly.

Pete sighed. “I wouldn’t say ‘involved’… Have you ever heard of couples picking a fight with each other just so they can make up and fool around right away? That was us; after talking trash about each other all day it was like a pressure release.”

“So maybe Bella wanted more from the relationship and that’s why you had to shoot her?” asked Scotty.

Pete jumped out of his seat. “I’m going to tell you the same thing I told the idiots back in 1986; I don’t have a gun and I never did!”

“Brenda Moore had a gun, and she was sharing a hotel room with Bella,” said Rush.

“There was a gun in that room?” asked Pete stunned.

“You didn’t know, that’s convenient,” insisted Scotty.

“I swear I didn’t know about a gun in that room! I don’t even think Bella knew, because if she had, I think she would have used it that night!” Pete fired back.

“On who?” asked Scotty.

“That jackass who busted us…”

The Mary Jane Girls
“In My House”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGeuX-W0XrY

Me and Bella were in the bed next to each other. “You’re amazing, Bella. I hope you don’t take it too personally when I call you a psychotic bat on my show tomorrow,” I said as I began to redress.

“I never do. Then after I call you a fat, drunken lunatic, maybe we can come back here for another… session,” said Bella as she redressed.

“It would be perfect if we didn’t have to keep kicking Brenda out all the time. You don’t think…”

“I don’t think Brenda is up for a threesome right now,” Bella insisted.

“I didn’t think so. Are you ever going to tell me what is going on with her?” I asked.

“You’ll find out soon…” A series of flashes caused Bella to freeze. She turned to the window where she saw a man with a camera. More flashes followed. “I told you to close the curtains; that bastard took our picture!” Bella bolted from the room out to the balcony. A struggle ensued and Bella elbowed the photographer in the ribs and wrestled the camera away from him. He chased her back into the room.

“Give me back my camera you little slut!” he yelled.

“Destroy the film and you will get your camera back!”

“Fat chance lady! A picture of you two in a hotel room is worth five cameras, easy!” he yelled back.

“Is that right? Then you won’t miss this one!” Bella replied. She heaved the camera at the window. The glass shattered to bits and the camera crashed into the street below.

The photographer charged at her. “You’ll pay for that, b*tch!”

“Bella, get out of here!” I yelled. Bella ran for the room door. I threw myself between them, and got a kick in the stomach and a punch in the face for my trouble. I collapsed to the floor. The photographer jumped over my limp body and chased Bella out of the room.

“I had to have blacked out, because the next I saw it was morning,” insisted Pete.

“Can you describe the man who attacked you?” asked Lilly.

“I can do better than that; the idiot dropped his business card as he was running out,” said Pete.

“Which would have the man’s name on it. Why didn’t you mention this to the police in 1986?” asked Lilly.

“When I came to my wallet was on the floor, and the card was next to it; at first I assumed it was mine. I looked at it, didn’t recognize the name, and then I heard this voice saying the cops would break down the door if I didn’t answer so I just shoved everything in my pocket. I had just had the piss beaten out of me; I wasn’t thinking straight,” Pete explained.

“Do you still have this business card?” asked Scotty.

“I had completely forgotten about it until you two showed up. You talking about Bella made me think about Bella and… well, I found this in a shoebox this morning,” Pete explained.

“Shoebox?” asked Scotty.

“A bunch of stuff from my glory days in television: some pictures, magazine articles where I mentioned Bella, magazine articles where Bella mentioned me, and of course my old wallet with that business card,” said Pete.

“Hearing all this makes it sound like you fell for her,” insisted Scotty.

“Bella was a pawn just like I was. That little scam screwed us both. I wasn’t in love with her, but she didn’t deserve what she got,” Pete explained.

“Rush,” said Scotty. He took her aside and showed her the business card. “Does this look familiar?’

Lilly took the card. “’Goldman studios’!? Well, he is a P. G.”

“Looks like our star witness just became our prime suspect.”
 

5

Nick Vera and Kat Miller rushed through the door of Goldman Studios. “What the hell? You can’t just barge in here!” Paul yelled.

“We have a warrant that says otherwise; stay out of our way!” Vera replied.

A red-haired woman entered from a staircase behind the counter. “What’s going on?”

“Brenda, what are you doing here?” asked Miller.

“There’s an apartment above the studio; she lives here!” insisted Paul.

“Good, we’ll remember to search that too!” Vera responded.

Miller was rifling through Paul’s file cabinet on the far left side of the studio when she found some photographs under the bottom row of files. “Nice work. Anyone ever tell you this girl looks a lot like Bella Valdez, and the guy looks like Pete Galespi?”

Vera found a small wood box hidden under one of the camera display cases. He opened the box and showed the contents. “Hey Miller, does this look like a 9mm pistol to you?”

“That’s not my gun; I didn’t shoot Bella!”

“Nice try, we’re taking you in!” insisted Vera.

Vera slapped the coughs on Paul Goldman. “This is a mistake; I didn’t shoot Bella!”


“I didn’t shoot Bella!” Paul yelled at the mirror in the gray interrogation room.

“You keep saying that, but we all know it isn’t true. You shot Bella here… and here… and then you chased her into that parking garage and shot her here,” said Miller as she laid out a series of pictures leading up to Bella’s crime scene photo.

“I never touched that gun!” Paul insisted.

“Come on, do you think we’re stupid? The gun was in your studio, ballistics confirmed that it was the type of gun that shot Bella Valdez, and you had motive; those pictures would have made you famous!” insisted Vera.

“We know Bella destroyed your camera. How did you get those shots anyway? There’s no way that camera survived a two story fall,” asked Miller

“I never touched that gun!”

“We’re testing the gun for prints. If they find your print on that trigger, you’re done. But if you tell us what happened now, we’ll tell the D. A. to go light and maybe you’ll at least see the sunset once again before you die,” added Miller.

Paul leaned back in his cold, metal chair. “Those pictures were from earlier that week. I used to take still photos of some of the people who worked at Channel 5. One day I saw Pete and Bella leaving together. I thought it looked weird, so I followed them to the Omni Hotel. I attempted this a few times that week in the daylight, but I didn’t get concrete evidence until the night Bella was killed and the damn camera flash gave me away. So there it is: I took those pictures, I chased Bella out of the hotel, and I… roughed her up a little. But I never pulled that trigger.”

“Roughed her up how?” asked Vera.

“All I wanted was money for a new camera, but she just kept fighting…”

Cold Case Soundtrack: “Freely’s Flashback” www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiRByYobCVM

Bella ran through the lobby of the hotel and then two blocks to the parking garage; I was close behind. It was pitch black outside, but the garage was lit well enough for Bella to find her car. Bella searched frantically in her bag for the keys. She found the keys and opened the door but before she could start the engine I jumped on the hood and kicked in the windshield.

“GIVE ME YOUR MONEY!” I yelled. Bella shielded her face from the shards of broken glass. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the hole twisting her wrist until it snapped. “You owe me a new camera! Give me your money!”

“Never!” Bella shot back.

“Big Mistake! You think I let sluts like you bully me around…”

“What the hell is going on, Paul?” I turned around at the sound of a woman shouting.

“Multiple gunshots followed, and next I knew I was covered in blood. At first I thought I’d been shot, but it wasn’t my blood. It was Bella’s; my shirt was covered with it. I heard a siren in the distance, so I took off the shirt, stuffed in the trunk of my car, and left,” Paul explained.

“So you were the shirtless man?” asked Vera.

“Yes.”

“You said there was another woman there… who called you ’Paul’?” asked Miller.

“Yes!”

“That means she knew you. Who was it?” asked Miller.

John entered the room from the other side of the wall. “Miller and Vera, there’s something you need to see.”

Miller and Vera followed John out. Vera turned back, “Don’t think we’re done, Paul.”

John walked them around to the other side of the two way mirror when Lilly and Scotty were observing. “Print analysis came back; he didn’t fire that gun.”

“But he did confess to breaking Bella’s wrist and smashing her car. He might still know something,” insisted Miller.

“There’s more, Rush and Valens think they may have found Magdon Lapul,” insisted John.

“Brenda’s abuser; but we can’t find anything connecting him to any of this,” said Miller.

“I think we did, and we’re looking at it,” informed Lilly.

Lilly pointed at the mirror. “Paul! That’s quite a leap, Rush. Do you have any evidence to back this up?” asked Vera.

Lilly pulled a small piece of paper out of her pocket and showed it to Vera. “That’s a little coincidental wouldn’t you say?”

Vera handed the paper back. “More like circumstantial. Besides, forensics excludes him.”

“We’re not saying it was him,” insisted Scotty.

Miller had to think for a moment. “He did say it was a lady who pulled that trigger; a lady that called him ‘Paul’.”

“But he didn’t give us a name. We need a reason to bring her in,” informed Stillman. “Vera and Miller go back in and see if you can make him give her up. Rush and Valens, all I can say is get those prints.”

Brenda Moore was seated across from Scotty. Lilly handed her a cup of water. “Thank you, but I still don’t understand why I’m here.”

“We just thought you should know that Paul Goldman confessed,” Scotty informed.

Brenda swallowed the water and threw the cup in the garbage can next to the desk. “So then… you found Bella’s killer! But you could have just come to my place to tell me that.”

“Well, we also thought you should know that Magdon Lapul is still in town,” said Scotty.

Brenda looked surprised. “What?”

“Apparently, he never left Philadelphia,” Lilly explained. “But then you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“What are you saying?” asked Brenda.

“We’re just saying that you’re clever, but so are we,” insisted Scotty. He pulled a folded paper from his pocket and unfolded it. The paper had ‘Paul Goldman’ and ‘Magdon Lapul’ written on it with arrows between the letters. “Paul Goldman, Magdon Lapul; It’s an anagram. I have to give you credit on that; you even fooled Rush, for awhile.”

“In fact we really have to give you credit on the whole website: ‘P. G. did it.’ You had us all running in circles with that,” added Lilly. “We traced the domain name; bellavaldezfan.com is registered to you. But the thing we don’t get is why you insisted on just giving us initials; why not just give us Paul’s name?”

Brenda started to sweat. “Fine you got me. Paul threatened me; he said that he would kill me if I talked to the cops. I thought if I just posted initials that maybe a cop might find it and figure it out. I guess I got lucky.”

“Lady, I could let you keep hanging yourself, or I could be merciful,” said Scotty shaking his head. “We found the gun and it had prints on it, but they weren’t his.”

At first Brenda could only shake her head in return. “No, Paul Goldman killed Bella. You said he confessed.”

“He did confess to smashing her car and assaulting her. But then he said a woman entered the scene; a woman with a gun… who called him ‘Paul’,” insisted Scotty.

“Paul Goldman killed her.”

“Keep saying that, but I have a suspicion that when we check that cup you just voluntarily discarded in a public place for prints they’ll match the ones found on that gun,” Lilly explained. “We have you, Brenda, but I’d like you to explain it anyway because I just don’t understand.”

“Understand what?” asked a nervous Brenda.

“An abuse victim protecting their abuser; as a cop I’ve seen it more times then I’d care to count. But I’ve never seen one take it this far,” said Lilly. “You conned her; she actually thought that you were ready to leave him!”

“I was ready to leave him!”

“Yeah, I can tell by the way you still live with him!” added Lilly. “If you ask me, the saddest part of this was that Bella actually trusted you. She thought you were friends and so she told you all the dark secrets of her childhood, and you just kept leading her on!”

Brenda kept shaking her head. “Bella was a hero and a pioneer; one of the first people willing to discuss domestic violence in a public forum. Now they discuss it on talk shows all the time, and it’s always the same damn clichés: ‘why doesn’t she just leave the bastard?’, ‘it won’t stop unless she leaves the bastard.’, ‘I don’t understand why she doesn’t leave the bastard!’ Do you know what happens when you try to leave the bastard? The bastard follows you!”

“So maybe you felt betrayed; Bella said she would keep you safe but she didn’t. In the end, Bella was just another person who let you down. Is that why you killed her?” asked Scotty.

“Paul killed her.”

“No. But he was a witness, and that’s why you stay with him. On top of everything else, now he really owns you. He’s been keeping the secret for 25 years about how you killed Bella; he’s kept you out of prison… or has he?” asked Scotty noticing the long scar on Brenda’s exposed left arm. “I’m just guessing you didn’t get that cut from a hanger.”

“Paul killed Bella!”

“Fine, keep digging that grave!” yelled Lilly. “But we know the truth; you were in the parking garage that night, you had a gun, you pulled that trigger!”

Brenda stood up and slammed her fist on the desk. “You’re damn right I pulled that trigger! Paul Goldman was never going to leave me alone; I had no choice! I had to pull that trigger!”

“But you didn’t shoot Paul, you shot Bella!” added Lilly.

“I NEVER WANTED TO SHOOT BELLA!” Brenda’s heart was beating out of her chest and she could feel her legs going out from under her. She fell back into the chair. “I may have pulled the trigger, but I meant what I said. Paul Goldman killed her…”

Cold Case Soundtrack: “Carl’s Reflection” www.youtube.com/watch?v=axG6KfHVUhA

I was returning from the restaurant when a blurry figure ran past me. I didn’t recognize him at first, but then it hit me. I ran back to the room and found Pete sprawled on the floor; Bella was nowhere in sight. Then I saw a mysterious piece of cardboard next to the body. I picked it up, saw the logo, and dropped it instantly. “He found me. That son of a b*tch found me!” I ran to my bag and pulled out the pistol that Patricia had given me, and then bolted from the room.

I didn’t see Bella downstairs either, so I figured Paul must have chased her outside. If he had threatened her—which it appeared that he had—she would most likely make a run for her car. I headed for the parking garage where our cars had been stationed for nearly a week. I arrived just in time to see Bella being dragged through the broken windshield of her convertible.

“Big mistake! You think I let sluts like you bully me around…”

“What the hell is going on, Paul?” Paul turned at the sound of my voice. I pointed the gun at him.

“You! Where the hell did you come from?” asked Paul.

“Shut up, Paul! I’m not afraid anymore!” I yelled I fired once, but it was a wasted bullet. In spite of some practice sessions; the gun’s recoil continued to catch me off guard throwing off my aim. The bullet struck Bella’s tire. “What, using me as your personal punching bag get boring? Now you have to go after my friends!”

Bella was cut and holding her wrist near the hood of the car. “Is that…”

“Yeah, he’s the one!” I said.

“You don’t scare me, Brenda. You may have a gun, but you won’t shoot me because you’re mine! I broke you just like I broke that uppity b*tch friend of yours!” Paul yelled.

“Shoot him, Brenda!” yelled Bella.

“Slut, stay out of this!” Paul replied.

“You walked in on an assault, and you shot him to protect me! The cops will understand that!” Bella explained.

“I said shut your damn mouth!” yelled Paul as he lunged at Bella. I took two shots in Paul’s direction but only managed to hit Bella’s driver’s side door.

“I’m not broken anymore! You’ve used me long enough; I won’t let you hurt her too!” I yelled.

“Really, you’re not broken? You’re obviously blind; you missed me three times!” insisted Paul.

A few quick strides put my gun an inch from Paul’s chest. “I won’t miss this time! Go home and pack your bags; I don’t want to see you again!”

Paul was shaking and starting to sweat but he did not move. My eyes locked on Paul, I aimed my gun at Paul’s chest… and backed off; the reality that I was actually about to shoot a man caused me to freeze. “See, I knew you were weak. All sluts are,” said Paul. I stood their staring and thinking—thinking about all the times he had abused me, all the bruises I explained away, all the fights and insults, and all the times he called me weak. I saw red. I turned back to Paul, aimed my gun at Paul, fired twice at Paul… and hit Bella; that brief instant was all Paul needed to grab her and use her as a shield.

Paul collapsed under Bella’s bloody body. My jaw went slack at the sight of Bella’s crimson corpse on the cement. I heard a distant siren and all I could think to do was run.

“If I could only have that one minute back when I froze, Bella might still be alive,”

Stevie Nicks
“Talk To Me”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbnrBVDFEfw

In the archive room, Vera and Jeffries put Bella’s box back on the shelf and marked it CLOSED; her death being ruled accidental. They said no words but only passed a silent, understanding glance between them.

Brenda Moore wrote out her statement as two uniformed officers walked past with Paul in cuffs—charged with domestic battery.
At WAEJ radio, Miller showed up before Pete’s broadcast. She explained why Brenda was staying with Bella and the circumstances of Bella’s death.

John stood outside Patricia’s office with her and explained what happened.

At his desk at the station, Scotty jumped when he heard the ring of his new phone. He started to panic but it was only Lilly; Alicia was there with her daughter. It was time for the interview.

Lilly sat at her desk where Alicia sat across from her with her daughter asking questions and taking notes. Scotty joined them.
When she finally asked about what happened to her aunt, Lilly just told her the truth; Bella was a hero and she was killed trying to protect a friend. As they talked, Alicia looked past Lilly to see the ghost of her sister Bella. She was holding a microphone in her hand and interviewing some unknown guest. The interview concluded, Alicia packed up her daughter’s supplies, and the ghost faded from sight.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHd7937I7SQ

So it appears I started you with a dead link. It's too bad really; I really thought I had some good ideas.

So it appears I started you with a dead link. It's too bad really; I really thought I had some good ideas.

And now it seems that link is back up. So here is 8-6 and I just posted 8-7.

Audio PowerPoint slides now also available.

So, it seems demand for these audio presentations is not exactly skyrocketing. Let me state here once and for all that I do not charge for these presentations. I make no money off of the Cold Case Virtual Season 8; I never intended to make money off of this. This is just a passion that I have had for several years because I thought the show deserved a better ending. Even if I wanted to make money off of this, I would most likely face serious copyright claims due to the amount of music and background audio that I use.

The audio presentations consist of my slightly adlibed narrations of the five acts of each episode. Flashback sequences also play featured music just like in the show or I use selections from the Cold Case Soundtrack. I also treat listeners to a brief commentary after each episode. I suppose I could just post those After the Show segments here as messages, but I just thought the audio component would be a nice addition.

I thought about learning how to post these presentations on YouTube, but, once again, copyright laws.

AFTER THE SHOW

There it is, my first effort. There may have been some parts of the episode that were a little far fetched, but over all I believe that I can be proud of this. I learned a few things while doing this episode. You may notice that most of my flashback sequences are written in first person; this is different from the original five episodes where the flashbacks were written in third person. It occurred to me as I was writing my first witness-initiated flashback that most of these flashbacks are supposed to be based on witness recollections. That means that the witness was some how a part of the flashback, and therefore, much like Lily told Scotty when they first met, the flashback should be written in first person.

The episode itself came out of a time when I was out of work and watching a lot of daytime talk shows. Many were the times when I saw the domestic violence story play out in these shows, and the question "why do you stay?" did start to become a cliche after awhile. That in turn gave me the idea for a talk show host who might have been at least a witness to abuse and would thus want to call attention to the issue of domestic violence on a talk show. Through research, I also learned that The Oprah Winfrey Show first went national on September 8, 1986, and so the idea of a strong, charismatic female who could have potentially beaten Oprah to the punch had she not been killed began to seem appealing. Thus was born the character of Bella Valdez. Weather or not she would have been the first to discuss domestic violence on television I cannot say for sure, Donahue had been on the air for several years at this point.

I know some people might give me some flack over some of my song choices, noting that Tears for Fears's "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry" were already featured in Season 1 Episode 20: "Greed". But if you look back over the series, you will note that there were a few precedents for using a song more than once. What I am most concerned with when I write one of these episodes is that I don't match beginning songs or ending songs from previous episodes. I call these the book-end songs; they are the most remembered songs from an episode and they also try to grant some insight into what the episode is about. As long as my beginning/ending song was not used as the beginning/ending song from an original episode, I feel like I have violated no rules.

As for the book-end songs here, I started with Tears for Fears's "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" because I originally thought that would be what the episode was about, a career woman who wanted a better, more substantial offer than what she was getting. But as I wrote the episode I began to realize that was only part of the story. The episode really wound up being about the secrets people keep: Pete and Bella's secret, Bella's childhood secrets, Brenda's secret, the murder itself, and the secrets between members of the cold case team. The episode changed on me and so I chose Stevie Nicks's "Talk to Me" for my ending song. It's a lesser known song from her, but I felt it best captured what the episode was really about--keeping secrets and weather or not you feel safe enough with someone to reveal those secrets.

In the end, I felt I could be proud of this first effort, and I hope you all enjoyed it as well.