May 15, 2025 • 8 mins
In the grimy underbelly of the city, a girls lifeless body is discovered in a desolate lot, horrifyingly beaten and with an eye brutally gouged out. Across town, another young woman is found dead under similar circumstances. Lieutenant Mendoza is convinced theres a chilling connection. As he delves into this twisting mystery in this first riveting installment of the Lt. Mendoza series, he navigates a colorful landscape of intriguing characters, veiled secrets, and stark realism that resonates with the modern reader. (Summary by Ben Tucker)
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fifteen of case Pending by Del Shannon. This LibriVox
recording is in the public domain. Chapter fifteen. The gun,
said Mendoza. Damn lucky, I had it on me, repeated Morgan.
He was all there himself, sitting up smoking a borrowed cigarette,
(00:22):
not much of a bandage to frighten his wife when
she came, but he had had just enough sedation to
slow his mind somewhat at the same time loosen his tongue.
I don't deny it. You've saved everybody quite a bit
of trouble, including the expense of a trial. It's only
a small point, mister Morgan. And maybe you'll think I'm
being unnecessarily careful, but as of the moment, California Los says,
(00:43):
you don't need a license for fire arms unless you're
carrying them on the person over. I needn't quote the
whole thing. That's the relevant part. Listen, mister Morgan. And
not that it's any of my business, but how did
you come to be carrying a loaded gun on a
visit to one of your cases. It's all to hell now,
muttered Morgan. Oh for nothing. You know, I don't think
(01:06):
I don't think I could have done it anyway. He
looked at Gun at the other side of the bed,
Gun who had had to get dressed and come out
after all. I'll tell you, he said, I'll tell you.
Didn't go there to see missus Lenstrom, Mendoza, I went
to kill a man, a man named Smith. They heard
(01:26):
about Smith in disjointed phrases. Guns round. Amiable face got
longer and more worried by the second. Oh, you damn fool,
dick kind of been thinking straight. Should have come to me,
gone to the police. He couldn't. Oh couldn't he can't?
He I remember enough. Law extortion. Law doesn't take your
unsupported word, does it. Turning on Mendoza, who shook his head.
(01:50):
What could I do? What else could I? Well? There
it is. Wasn't intended, I guess. And now we're right
back to where we were gone. I don't know Smith,
said Mendoza description And when he'd tried to pry that
out of Morgan, Yes, well he won't be troubling you
for a while. His real name's Dalton. He's a small
(02:12):
time hood on the run from parole in New York.
And we picked him up tonight in the middle of
the other excitement. He's got two years coming back east.
Oh god, you don't mean it. He's all this for
it easy, Dick said Gunn, sitting down, looking almost sick
with relief. It doesn't mean he're out of the woods,
but it makes it a hell of a lot easier.
(02:33):
If the woman's so tractable the way you say, there
shouldn't be any trouble. Put it through nice and quiet,
get her to see a lawyer with you. There shouldn't
be any contest, just a routine thing. Dalton wasn't after Jenny,
only the money. He wouldn't you think, No, hitch, do
it like that? If we? Oh god, I hope. So
(02:53):
we've both been about crazy. Morgan sat up and clutched
Gun's arm. You said, Sue's coming, wanna tell her? Tell
her it's all right? Or almost so? Who's coming? You?
Lie down? I called Christy. She's gone over to stay
with Janny, and Sue will be taking a cab down
on her way right now. Probably Mendoza stood up. There'll
(03:14):
be an inquest, of course, but purely formal. You needn't
worry about it self defense justifiable homicide, which is a
very damn lucky outcome for you, Morgan, you don't know
how lucky. If you want the luger back, you'll have
to apply for a license. Oh well, keep it. I
don't want it. I I feel fine, said Morgan and laughed.
(03:37):
Wish su'd get here. You can have the damn gun.
Glad now didn't use it or the way I planned anyway,
just as well. Mendoza looked down at him, smiling very faintly.
I'd advise you, Morgan, not to get in a situation
again where you start thinking about murder. In the first place,
it never solves any problems, you know, only creates more.
(03:59):
And in the second place, from what you told me
of your plans for this one, it wouldn't take a
full fledged lieutenant of detectives to spot you for x
about half an hour after the corpse began to cool. However,
as it is, we're all very happy you happen to
be in the right place at the right time, and
congratulations on the rest of this working out for you.
He nodded to Gun, still looking amused, and went out
(04:21):
After a minute. Morgan said, damn him. That's when I
thought I was being so clever too. But I suppose
he's right at that. Just something about him puts my
back up. Is all guns sneezed, said, oh well it
is a cold, and took out another cigarette. Well, you know, Louise,
(04:44):
he added soberly. Maybe he's just what they call overcompensating.
For a time, he was only another dirty little Mexician
in a slum street. You know, tell you one thing, Dick.
He's a damn good cop, if a little erratic now
and then, and he grinned if owned a packet of matches,
looked at it without lighting the cigarette. He's also a
(05:04):
very lonely man, which maybe he'll find out someday. Morgan
moved restlessly. Give me another one of those, will you?
I wish Sue would come. Philosophizing, Mendoza came up behind
Hackett in the lobby. Yeah, I guess you could say
I was, said Hackett, who had been standing stock still,
staring vacantly at the wall. I guess so you know,
(05:26):
this whole thing it just struck me. What for? What's
it mean? Mendoza laughed and shrugged. Kin, Sabi sabi dios.
Nice to think it means anything, No, but it makes
you wonder. You look at it and you can work
up a fine righteous wrath against that damn fool woman,
against the ignorance and false pride and plain damn muddle
(05:47):
headedness that's killed three people for if you count him,
and all unnecessarily. But what was it? The way things dovetails?
Sometimes Morgan just happened to be there with a gun
on him, because if he hadn't had, you know, I
don't think he could have handled that one alone. I
don't think any two men without the gun. Maybe Morgan
(06:07):
dead too, And maybe it was all for something Luis
that we don't know about. Never will to save the boy.
Maybe he's got something to do here, part of some plan,
you know. Maybe, and Hackett laughed. So Agnes Brown could
get all straightened out with her Joe. Maybe so the
Weeds can keep their nice, high class, superior white Protestant bloodline.
(06:30):
Pure comforting to think, repeated Mendoza cynically. That's why I'm
a lieutenant in your sergeant artro. Every time I formulate
a theory, I want evidence to say it so, or
I don't keep the theory goprende on that there's no evidence.
If you want the theorized, you go, Maybe it all
happens so I can meet this pretty redhead. Change please,
(06:50):
if you've got it, doctor priest support for Hackett took
the quarter and gave him three nickels in a dime.
You watch yourself with that one, boy. I gotta haunt
you don't get somethin for nothin there. Oh these years,
and you don't know me yet. Wait and see, after Luigo,
eight o'clock sharp. We've got a lot of routine to
clear up. Mendoza went over to the row of public
(07:13):
foam booths. When Allison answered the second ring, he said, Louis,
would you like to hear story human foibles and follies. Yes,
we've got him. It's all over, But for the routine,
I'll be with you in twenty minutes. You'll be interested
to hear all about it. Well, yes, but it is
rather late night still, young chica. Twenty minutes, he repeated firmly,
(07:36):
and hung up on her reluctant laugh. Hackett was gone.
Mendoza stood on the steps, lighting a cigarette, and the
dead man in the freight yards wandered through his mind.
The next thing now tomorrow, A couple of rather suggestive
little things there might yield the ghost of a line
to look into when it came out onto the street.
Somebody in a brash new Buick had sewed him up
(07:58):
tight in the parking space. It would take some maneuvering
to get the Ferrari out, he swore, getting out his keys.
No denying at all that a smaller car, he might
just look into it. No harm in looking, maybe that Mercedes.
He slid under the wheel and started the engine. Meanwhile, Allison,
he smiled to himself. He expected to enjoy Allison. End
(08:25):
of chapter fifteen, an end of case Pending by Del Shannon,
read by Ben Tucker,
Chapter fifteen of case Pending by Del Shannon. This LibriVox
recording is in the public domain. Chapter fifteen. The gun,
said Mendoza. Damn lucky, I had it on me, repeated Morgan.
He was all there himself, sitting up smoking a borrowed cigarette,
(00:22):
not much of a bandage to frighten his wife when
she came, but he had had just enough sedation to
slow his mind somewhat at the same time loosen his tongue.
I don't deny it. You've saved everybody quite a bit
of trouble, including the expense of a trial. It's only
a small point, mister Morgan. And maybe you'll think I'm
being unnecessarily careful, but as of the moment, California Los says,
(00:43):
you don't need a license for fire arms unless you're
carrying them on the person over. I needn't quote the
whole thing. That's the relevant part. Listen, mister Morgan. And
not that it's any of my business, but how did
you come to be carrying a loaded gun on a
visit to one of your cases. It's all to hell now,
muttered Morgan. Oh for nothing. You know, I don't think
(01:06):
I don't think I could have done it anyway. He
looked at Gun at the other side of the bed,
Gun who had had to get dressed and come out
after all. I'll tell you, he said, I'll tell you.
Didn't go there to see missus Lenstrom, Mendoza, I went
to kill a man, a man named Smith. They heard
(01:26):
about Smith in disjointed phrases. Guns round. Amiable face got
longer and more worried by the second. Oh, you damn fool,
dick kind of been thinking straight. Should have come to me,
gone to the police. He couldn't. Oh couldn't he can't?
He I remember enough. Law extortion. Law doesn't take your
unsupported word, does it. Turning on Mendoza, who shook his head.
(01:50):
What could I do? What else could I? Well? There
it is. Wasn't intended, I guess. And now we're right
back to where we were gone. I don't know Smith,
said Mendoza description And when he'd tried to pry that
out of Morgan, Yes, well he won't be troubling you
for a while. His real name's Dalton. He's a small
(02:12):
time hood on the run from parole in New York.
And we picked him up tonight in the middle of
the other excitement. He's got two years coming back east.
Oh god, you don't mean it. He's all this for
it easy, Dick said Gunn, sitting down, looking almost sick
with relief. It doesn't mean he're out of the woods,
but it makes it a hell of a lot easier.
(02:33):
If the woman's so tractable the way you say, there
shouldn't be any trouble. Put it through nice and quiet,
get her to see a lawyer with you. There shouldn't
be any contest, just a routine thing. Dalton wasn't after Jenny,
only the money. He wouldn't you think, No, hitch, do
it like that? If we? Oh god, I hope. So
(02:53):
we've both been about crazy. Morgan sat up and clutched
Gun's arm. You said, Sue's coming, wanna tell her? Tell
her it's all right? Or almost so? Who's coming? You?
Lie down? I called Christy. She's gone over to stay
with Janny, and Sue will be taking a cab down
on her way right now. Probably Mendoza stood up. There'll
(03:14):
be an inquest, of course, but purely formal. You needn't
worry about it self defense justifiable homicide, which is a
very damn lucky outcome for you, Morgan, you don't know
how lucky. If you want the luger back, you'll have
to apply for a license. Oh well, keep it. I
don't want it. I I feel fine, said Morgan and laughed.
(03:37):
Wish su'd get here. You can have the damn gun.
Glad now didn't use it or the way I planned anyway,
just as well. Mendoza looked down at him, smiling very faintly.
I'd advise you, Morgan, not to get in a situation
again where you start thinking about murder. In the first place,
it never solves any problems, you know, only creates more.
(03:59):
And in the second place, from what you told me
of your plans for this one, it wouldn't take a
full fledged lieutenant of detectives to spot you for x
about half an hour after the corpse began to cool. However,
as it is, we're all very happy you happen to
be in the right place at the right time, and
congratulations on the rest of this working out for you.
He nodded to Gun, still looking amused, and went out
(04:21):
After a minute. Morgan said, damn him. That's when I
thought I was being so clever too. But I suppose
he's right at that. Just something about him puts my
back up. Is all guns sneezed, said, oh well it
is a cold, and took out another cigarette. Well, you know, Louise,
(04:44):
he added soberly. Maybe he's just what they call overcompensating.
For a time, he was only another dirty little Mexician
in a slum street. You know, tell you one thing, Dick.
He's a damn good cop, if a little erratic now
and then, and he grinned if owned a packet of matches,
looked at it without lighting the cigarette. He's also a
(05:04):
very lonely man, which maybe he'll find out someday. Morgan
moved restlessly. Give me another one of those, will you?
I wish Sue would come. Philosophizing, Mendoza came up behind
Hackett in the lobby. Yeah, I guess you could say
I was, said Hackett, who had been standing stock still,
staring vacantly at the wall. I guess so you know,
(05:26):
this whole thing it just struck me. What for? What's
it mean? Mendoza laughed and shrugged. Kin, Sabi sabi dios.
Nice to think it means anything, No, but it makes
you wonder. You look at it and you can work
up a fine righteous wrath against that damn fool woman,
against the ignorance and false pride and plain damn muddle
(05:47):
headedness that's killed three people for if you count him,
and all unnecessarily. But what was it? The way things dovetails?
Sometimes Morgan just happened to be there with a gun
on him, because if he hadn't had, you know, I
don't think he could have handled that one alone. I
don't think any two men without the gun. Maybe Morgan
(06:07):
dead too, And maybe it was all for something Luis
that we don't know about. Never will to save the boy.
Maybe he's got something to do here, part of some plan,
you know. Maybe, and Hackett laughed. So Agnes Brown could
get all straightened out with her Joe. Maybe so the
Weeds can keep their nice, high class, superior white Protestant bloodline.
(06:30):
Pure comforting to think, repeated Mendoza cynically. That's why I'm
a lieutenant in your sergeant artro. Every time I formulate
a theory, I want evidence to say it so, or
I don't keep the theory goprende on that there's no evidence.
If you want the theorized, you go, Maybe it all
happens so I can meet this pretty redhead. Change please,
(06:50):
if you've got it, doctor priest support for Hackett took
the quarter and gave him three nickels in a dime.
You watch yourself with that one, boy. I gotta haunt
you don't get somethin for nothin there. Oh these years,
and you don't know me yet. Wait and see, after Luigo,
eight o'clock sharp. We've got a lot of routine to
clear up. Mendoza went over to the row of public
(07:13):
foam booths. When Allison answered the second ring, he said, Louis,
would you like to hear story human foibles and follies. Yes,
we've got him. It's all over, But for the routine,
I'll be with you in twenty minutes. You'll be interested
to hear all about it. Well, yes, but it is
rather late night still, young chica. Twenty minutes, he repeated firmly,
(07:36):
and hung up on her reluctant laugh. Hackett was gone.
Mendoza stood on the steps, lighting a cigarette, and the
dead man in the freight yards wandered through his mind.
The next thing now tomorrow, A couple of rather suggestive
little things there might yield the ghost of a line
to look into when it came out onto the street.
Somebody in a brash new Buick had sewed him up
(07:58):
tight in the parking space. It would take some maneuvering
to get the Ferrari out, he swore, getting out his keys.
No denying at all that a smaller car, he might
just look into it. No harm in looking, maybe that Mercedes.
He slid under the wheel and started the engine. Meanwhile, Allison,
he smiled to himself. He expected to enjoy Allison. End
(08:25):
of chapter fifteen, an end of case Pending by Del Shannon,
read by Ben Tucker,
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