"Stine, Jean Marie - The Boxoffice Caper" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stine Jean Marie)

9:20 p.m. Interviewed Gernsback. Young then blond man in early twenties. Wears San Leandro Community College ring. Asked him to describe his actions since receipts placed in safe.

Gernsback said he had been kept busy cleaning up at the concession counter until 8:10. Then he had sent the girl who filled the orders while he operated the cash register home for the night.

Said her name was Hazel Held. Gave her address as 3636 Experimenter Blvd. Confirmed she had no access to theater office or the safe.

Gernsback claimed he had remained behind the counter until Ackerman emerged from the office at 8:30 and announced he'd discovered the receipts were missing.

Denied he'd left the concession stand. Said his job was to remain there until forty-five minutes after the last show started to serve patrons who decided they wanted more popcorn midway through the feature.

When I said a witness thought they had seen him near the men's room around 8:15, Gernsback said he could not have been there at that time, because at 8:15 he was serving a woman who became quiet angry because the concession stand had sold out of chocklet covered rasins and gumdrops. She had come out of the autitorium complaining under her breath about the film's nudity about and remained arguing until about 8:20.

Said he had not seen Ackerman or Mrs. Brackett since they had joined together to deposit the night's receipts.

9:30 p.m. Had usher find woman in question, Mrs. Lilith Lorraine. She confirmed Gernsback's account.

9:40 p.m. Interviewed usher, Roberta Olsen. Late teens, not too much make up. San Leandro C.C. ring. Polite. She confirmed Ackerman's story about rowdy patron. Also placed time at around 8:20.

Verified that neither Ackerman, Mrs. Brackett or Gernsback could have left Rialto between 8 and 8:30, when money reported missing.

9:50 p.m. Asked Ackerman, Mrs. Brackett, Gernsback if they were willing to be searched and to have their locker's searched. Warned them that they had the right to refuse and the right to an attorney.

All three agreed, although Gernsback was clearly reluctant.

10:00 p.m. I searched the two men. Contacted station, requested female officer to search Mrs. Mrs. Brackett, and two patrolcar units for backup.

Neither of the men had any portion of the $4,500.00 on their person.

10:10 p.m. Searched lockers with Ackerman, Mrs. Brackett and Gernsback as witnesses.

Search of Ackerman and Mrs. Brackett lockers negative.

Search of Gernsback's locker turned up $300.00 in $20.00 bills.

I asked him what the money was doing in his locker. Gernsback licked lips, betrayed other signs of nervousness. Said money was his, he had just taken it out of his bank teller machine. Gernsback appeared to be making up at least part of this story.

Ackerman and Mrs. Brackett became excited at sight of twenties. Said they might be able to identify some of the bills.

They went through the stack. They found a torn bill, and a bill with a stain on it they said they remembered taking in during the night.

Gernsback became pale and stuttered that it wasn't the theater receipts. That it was his money. He repeated that he had just gotten it from an automatic teller machine.

Ackerman and Mrs. Brackett stated that they were positive that the money I'd found in Gernsback's locker was from the Rialto receipts.

I asked if they would be prepared to accompany me to headquarters and sign statements to that effect.

If so, I told them, I was prepared to take Gernsback into custody.

10:15 p.m. Officer Catherine Moore and patrolcar officers arrived. I had officer Moore search Mrs. Brackett.