A Gambling Scandal Learn English through story level 1
chapter one
at the golden globes
jack morgan got out of his dark blue
lamborghini
near the beverly hilton
it was the night of the golden globes
and he was with a beautiful and famous
movie star
he helped gwenevere scott evans out of
the car
and she held his hand hard
gwenevere trusted jack
and she trusted his company private
everyone trusted private
it was the best
but then
jack’s oldest friend
andy cushman
called him
andy spoke quickly
jack
come to my house now
i need you
it’s not a good time
what’s wrong
ask jack
it’s shelby
she’s dead
said andy
shelby and andy married six months ago
gwenevere was not happy
but jack took her to her table
then
he was on the road to andy’s house in
bluffs
he stopped near the open front door
took out his gun
and went in
andy
shouted jack
jack
i’m in the bedroom
jack went through the house
his gun in his hand
in the bedroom
there were clothes everywhere
shelby
was on the bed
with blood on her head
what happened
asked jack
andy was near shelby
his head in his hands
someone shot her
please find him
jack took photos of everything in the
room
did you call the police
he asked
no
i wanted you here
said andy
do you have a gun
asked jack
no
said andy
okay you must understand
the police will want to talk to you
they always want it to be easy
they will think
a woman is dead
did her husband kill her
but i can help
said jack
he called the police
and waited for them to arrive
chapter 2
a young woman dies
justine
worked with jack at private
people trusted her too
tonight
she was in an expensive italian
restaurant
then
the chief of police called her
another young woman is dead
justine told her friend
i must go
in two years
eleven young women in los angeles were
dead
now
it was 12.
the killer always took something from
the women
hair
and necklace
clothes
then
the killer emailed the chief of police
and told him about the women’s things
nobody knew where the emails came from
but the emails all had the same name
steam cleaner
the police found the women’s things
but they could not find steam cleaner
the police wanted justine
and private
to help them find the killer
emilio cruz from private
stopped his mercedes at the restaurant
door
and justine got in
what do you know about this girl
ask justine
her name is connie you
she was 16
and very intelligent
said emilio
she was on the ground behind a
restaurant
there was an earring in her left ear
there was no right ear
emilio stopped in a small dark street
near some police cars
they walked past the police
and spoke to the doctor
we’ll get an email about the ear in a
day or two
emilio said
at 2 am
justine and emilio
were at private’s offices
they talked to psy
private’s forensic expert
we have the woman’s bag and cell phone
said justine
can you look for dna on them
of course
said psy
i can work all night on it
chapter 3
and private
the next morning
justine
emilio
sai
and mobot the computer expert were in
the office
jack opened his laptop
and showed them the photos from andy’s
bedroom
[Music]
look at these
he said
i can’t see anything important
can you
did the killer take anything from the
house
asked justine
no
he took nothing
said
jack
and were andy and shelby happy together
asked emilio
yes
said jack
very
happy okay
said justine
this killer is a professional
but why did he kill shelby
the police always like easy answers
they will think one thing
andy killed her
said emilio
did andy kill her
no
he didn’t
said jack
i know andy well
he loved shelby
what next
asked mobot
we look at andy and shelby
said jack
we talk to their friends
and to people they work with
let’s go
wait said justine
i have some news on the young woman
we have her bag
psy couldn’t find any new dna
but mobot looked at her phone
i looked at the text messages
said mobot
there were hundreds
from 20 or 30 people
i looked at the numbers
and they are all friends or family
but there is one strange message
i can’t get the number for it
look
a text message came up on the wall
connie
it’s linda
my mom took my phone
i must talk to you
can we meet
please
behind the restaurant
at 8 30 pm
don’t tell anyone
i talked to linda
said mobot
her mother didn’t take her phone
linda didn’t send that message
the killer got into connie’s phone
and found all her friends
then
he sent her that message from his phone
but
we can’t find the number of the killer’s
phone
said psy
it isn’t possible
who is
steam cleaner
ask jack
rudolph crocker left his office at 7 pm
and went for a drink
at 9pm
he was at home
and ready for a run
he ran out to marina del rey
and thought about connie you
that was a great evening
there was nobody near him
he stopped near a boat
and put something on it
then he went home
and sent an email to the chief of police
you can find connie u’s ear
on a boat in marina del rey
cleaner
chapter 4
another young woman
jason pilzer got a text message at work
at 3 pm
cilla
your big night is saturday
be ready
steam cleaner
cilla was jason’s computer name
at 6 pm
he left his office
and drove to a store
he bought some gloves
and some electric cable
he did not pay with a card
and he looked down at the ground
he did not want the cameras in the store
to see him
the big night
was in three days
he was ready to kill his first woman
i’m going for a walk
marguerite esperanza shouted to her
grandmother
it was saturday evening
marguerite walked out the house and onto
rowena avenue
a text message came onto her phone
hi marg
it’s lamar
where are you
she read it and answered
i’m on rowena
lamar was a really nice boy
marguerite liked him
do you want to get a pizza
asked lamar
okay
marguerite answered
marguerite called her grandmother
i’m getting a pizza with lamar
she said
and he’ll walk home with me
is that okay
the black van was near rowena avenue
the driver was steam cleaner
cilla and morbid were in the back of the
van
she’s out of her house
said morbid
he gave the laptop to cilla
cilla wrote a message
hi marg
it’s lamar
marguerite answered
wrote another message
the van stopped near the pizza
restaurant
and waited
then
they saw marguerite in the street
go
shouted morbid
cilla got out of the van
he pulled a bag over marguerite’s head
from behind
and he and morbid threw her into the van
steam cleaner drove away quickly
help
shouted marguerite
be quiet
shouted morbid
maybe you can win the game
when
asked marguerite
what do you mean
steam cleaner stopped the van in a park
with nobody near
morbid and steam cleaner were behind
cilla this was scylla’s game
marguerite got out of the van quickly
and she pulled the bag off her head
she could not run away steam cleaner and
morbid could stop her
but she was tall and strong
and ready for cilla
her hand flew out
and hit him on the nose
there was blood on cilla’s face now
and he was angry
he ran at her
but she kicked him hard in the stomach
and then
she kicked him again
steam cleaner looked at morbid
she’s too good for cilla
he
said he took out a gun
and shot marguerite in the head
then
cilla put on the gloves
and put the cable around the dead
woman’s neck
he took her shoes
and put them in the van
that wasn’t good
said steam cleaner to cilla
but maybe
you’ll win the next game
chapter 5
cilla’s next game
[Music]
justine met police lieutenant nora
cronin in the park
at 4 00 am on sunday
the chief of police is here
said nora
he wants to talk to you
the chief
was with three police officers near
marguerite’s body
justine walked up to him
it’s good to see you he said
we need your help
thirteen women are dead
and look
somebody shot her dead
so why is there cable around her neck
it’s very strange
said justine
and where’s her handbag
there’s no handbag
said the chief
and no shoes
i’m waiting for the email
on sunday evening
cilla was on the terrace of his
apartment
at the top of a tall building
the city was beautiful at night
but he did not look at it
his face and body were black and blue
that girl was strong
he thought
then
he read the message from morbid again
you weren’t good yesterday
steam cleaner isn’t happy
but you can play again tonight
we have someone for you
be ready at 7 00 pm
[Music]
morbid and steam cleaner were at the
door now
and cilla went to open it
how’s the nose
asked morbid
okay
said cilla
do you want a drink
no
said steam cleaner let’s go on the
terrace
i want to show you something
the three men walked onto the terrace
and looked down at the city
then
steam cleaner turned to cilla
you think you can play again
he asked
you can
but you’re playing
with us
steam cleaner took silla’s legs
and morbid took his arms
and they threw him over the terrace wall
justine and jack were at private with
mobot
they talked about marguerite
the killer sent an email said justine
and we found her shoes
psy is looking at them now
but they’re probably clean
the killer is using a van to look for
the young women i think
said mobot
he has a laptop
and a radio in the van
and he can send messages to the women’s
cell phones
he can stop messages to their phones
from other people too
and maybe
he can find them in the street from
their phones
is that possible
ask jack
i don’t know
i’ll ask psy about it said mobot
his friend kit kat
knows about cell phones
i remembered something important
said justine
someone killed a woman about five years
ago
in the same street as connie you
her name was wendy bormann
the killer took her phone
and her necklace
five years ago
said jack
maybe it’s not 13 women
maybe it’s more
we have work to do
chapter six
an angry husband can kill
on monday morning
andy was at private
jack had something to tell him
i can’t sleep
andy said
i think about shelby all the time
andy
said jack
we talked to a lot of people about
shelby
she had a lot of friends
you know that
and we found one very good friend
the movie star
bob santangelo
she saw him every week
that’s not true
shouted andy
she loved me
maybe she loved you
said jack
but she loved santangelo too
did you know that
no i didn’t
shouted andy it’s not true
andy left
jack and psy
talked about santangelo
did andy know about santangelo
asked psy
i don’t know
said jack
an angry husband can kill you know
said psy
i know psy
said jack
but andy’s a good man and he’s my friend
he didn’t kill shelby
i understand
you don’t want to hear it
said psy
but
maybe he did
justine was at the police station with
lieutenant nora cronin
[Music]
i looked on the internet
said justine
but can you tell me more about wendy
borman
one thing isn’t on the internet
said nora
an 11 year old girl called christine
castilla saw something
she and her mother
were in a coffee shop on melrose
avenue christine saw two boys
push wendy into a van
her mother didn’t see anything
and christine didn’t see a lot
the boys were white
one had a long nose and big ears
the other
had long hair
but christine is 16 now
said justine
we need to talk to her again
chapter 7
help from psy’s friends
psy lived in an apartment with a lot of
computers
on monday evening
he sat at a computer
and talked to his friend kitkat in
sweden
you asked about cell phones
said kitkat
i can help
someone in the united states of america
has a new program
it can find a phone
and get inside it
then
it can send messages from the phone
and nobody knows it is happening
that’s great kitkat
said psy
do you know who made this program
his name
is morbed
he’s american i think
thanks kitkat
you’re wonderful
then
psy sent a message to his friend darren
who was in
india darren played games on computers
do you know
a player called morbid
yes
i saw a message from a player called
cilla about morbid
on saturday
what did he say
he said
i’m playing a new game with morbid
then
there was a message from morbid the next
day
cilla can fly
he flew off his terrace
flying is easy
but the streets are hard
psy
looked on the internet
on sunday
a man fell off at terrace in los angeles
and died
his name
was jason pilzer
was that silla
psy thought
psy met jack in a coffee shop early on
tuesday morning
jack
i have some news
lots of people like playing games on the
internet
in some of these games
you kill people
but you’re playing
it’s a game
i think some men in los angeles are
playing a game
but they are really killing people
not on the computer
but on the streets
who are these men
asked jack
one man is
was
jason pilzer
his computer name was scylla
another man
is morbid
cilla died on sunday night
the police say he fell off his terrace
but maybe
someone pushed him
let’s go to his apartment said jack
jack and psy met nora at the apartment
building
and they went up together
there was not anything interesting
in the living room
but in the bedroom were a laptop and a
cell phone
i’ll take the computer back to mobot
said psy but i’ll look at the phone now
he started to read the text messages
jack
look at this
psy gave the phone to jack
it’s tonight cilla
you’re the killer
steam cleaner
it’s from steam cleaner
said jack
he’s working in a group
chapter eight
they’re going to kill again
[Music]
justine took the police photos of wendy
borman’s body
to the office at private
she also took a bag of wendy’s clothes
psy can look at those
she thought
there may be dna on them
justine looked at the photos of wendy
dead
behind the restaurant
five years ago
the police found wendy’s bag next to her
but her necklace was not there
wendy always wore the necklace
and justine found a photo of it
it had a star on it
then she went to find christine castilla
in school
justine found christine in the school
restaurant
do you remember wendy borman
she asked
i was only eleven
said christine
yes
but can you remember anything
what did you see
asked justine
a van stopped
and two boys got out
and pushed a girl into the back then
they drove away
it was very quick
said christine
and you saw the driver
said justine
he had a long nose
and big ears
said christine
and the van
said justine
[Music]
it was black
i remember a word on it
gateway
said christine
gateway
this was new
gateway was an expensive school in santa
monica
thank you christine
said justine
sai worked for hours on wendy borman’s
clothes
he looked for dna
and he found it
from two different men
yes
he said
he heard someone at the door
and mobot ran into his office
sigh
they are going to kill again
this week
i looked at jason’s computer
there were thousands of messages
and i read them all
look at this one
morbid
cilla
here’s the next woman
she lives in silver lake
and her name is graziella
steam cleaner
there was a photo of a young woman
i’ll call jack
said psy
chapter 9
help from carmine nochia
on tuesday afternoon
jack was in his office with emilio
they knew something about the young
women’s killers now
but nothing about shelby’s
andy isn’t a killer
jack said
shelby’s killer was a professional
there was no dna
no gun
nothing
we need to talk to carmine nochia in las
vegas
carmine and his family knew every
professional killer from california to
florida
jack did not often work with men like
carmine
but once
carmine asked for private’s help
his daughter ran away
and he wanted her back
jack found her
carmine never forgot her friend
will fly to las vegas
jack said
carmine was very rich
and his home was in a park half an hour
from the airport
two big men came to meet jack and emilio
at the door
and took their guns from them
carmine was in the sitting room
good to see you jack
said carmine
i need your help
said jack
jack
you helped me
and i’ll help you
but don’t ask again
said carmine
someone killed my friend shelby cushman
in los angeles
a professional
who was the killer
do you know
said jack
i don’t know
but i can ask
i’ll call you when i know
said carmine
the call from carmine came late at night
he only said two words
beau montgomery
jack called emilio early wednesday
morning
emilio said he knew beau montgomery
beau was a professional killer
and he lived on a horse farm in the
agora hills
jack and emilio drove there fast
they stopped near the farmhouse
a door opened slowly
and a man came out
he had a big dog
and in his arms was an ak-47
what do you want
he asked
i’m jack morgan from private
i’m working for andy cushman
someone killed his wife shelby
who paid for that
beau montgomery thought for a minute
and then spoke slowly
i don’t know shelby cushman
i don’t know any women in bluffs
then
he wrote a name on the ground with the
end of his gun
jack
looked at the name
and then beau kicked it away
goodbye mr morgan
he said
and please
drive slowly
the horses get frightened
chapter 10
dna
christine castilia wanted to meet
justine again
on wednesday after school
let’s go to the coffee shop on melrose
avenue
said christine
i’ll remember better there about the
boys and the van
great
said justine
the coffee shop was the same as five
years before
my mom and i sat here
said christine
she went to a table near the window
justine had yearbooks for three years
from gateway school
with photos of all the students
she put them on the table
can you look at these
maybe one of the boys is there
christine turned the pages of the
yearbooks
she stopped
and looked at a photo of a group of boys
that’s him
she said
she showed justine
the boy had a long nose and big ears
justine looked at the name under the
photo
rudolph crocker
great job christine she said
she opened her laptop and looked for
rudolph crocker
there were two in los angeles
the first was 66 years old
the second
worked for a small company on wilshire
boulevard
and there was a photo of him
it was the boy
five years older now
justine needed his dna
justine went to see nora cronin at the
police station
we have dna from wendy borman’s clothes
she told her
it’s from two men
but we don’t know them
but
i talked to christine castillo
we looked at some photos
and she saw this boy
he pushed wendy borman into the van
look
she showed nora a photo on her computer
his name is rudolf crocker
he’s 23 now
and he lives and works in los angeles
maybe this is steam cleaner
and you want his dna
said nora
yes
can you help me
said justine
nora and justine stopped their car near
crocker’s apartment building
they watched
and waited
crocker left the apartment at six pm
and went for a run
he came home
and at 8 pm
he came out and got into a new dark blue
toyota van
he drove to a bar called whiskey blue
and went in
the two women went into the bar after
him
there were a lot of people in the bar
crocker was in the corner with a man
with long hair
justine bought drinks
and the two women watched
half an hour later
the men finished their drinks and left
nora and justine
quickly went to the men’s table
and took the glasses
in the car
justine called psy
can you meet us at private in 20 minutes
she asked
we have some dna for you
late on wednesday
jack and emilio
drove back to the city from the agora
hills
jack left emilio at his apartment
and went to see andy cushman
jack
why are you here now it’s 1am
you look tired
said andy
i am tired
said jack
today
i drove to the agora hills
how much did you pay beau montgomery to
kill shelby
andy started to cry
you don’t understand jack
he said
she was with another man
that movie star
i couldn’t live with that
jack did not speak
he hit andy in the face
three times
and left
chapter 11
a dark blue van
the next morning psy had news for
justine and nora about the dna
i have dna from one of the glasses he
said
not crocker’s glass
the other man’s
it’s the same as the dna
on wendy borman’s clothes
who is this other man
ask justine
we don’t know him
is it morbid
maybe
and what did you get from crocker’s
glass
i couldn’t get dna from crocker’s glass
it was too dirty
said psy
justine looked at nora
what now
she asked
we must find crocker
said nora
mobot worked all morning on her computer
and then she found something
she called jack
morbid wants to kill graziella tonight
he’s sending her text messages from a
friend
lulu
graziella is answering these messages
from lulu
she says
see you after school
but i don’t know where they are meeting
where is morbid
ask jack
i don’t know
said mobot
justine and nora drove to crocker’s
office on wilshire boulevard
mr crocker is on vacation today
said the woman at the desk
they drove fast to his apartment
but he was not there
let’s find his van
said nora
nora called the police station
we’re looking for a new dark blue toyota
van
every police car must look for it
then
she and justine waited in their car near
crocker’s apartment building
the call came back to nora
the dark blue van is in silver lake
it was on alvarado street
but we can’t find it now
we must stop that van
shouted nora into the radio
the driver is a killer
jack and emilio were on the road too
mobot called jack
i’m reading more messages from morbid to
graziella
she told him
she’s in glendale and he wants to meet
at ralph’s supermarket
graziella was in the street near the
supermarket
morbid walked up to her
graziella he said
i’m a friend of lulu’s
she’s in hospital
can you come with me to visit her
she wants to see you
morbid put his hand on graziella’s arm
jack
ran across the street and hit him in the
stomach
morbid fell down
and jack held him
where’s rudolph crocker
shouted jack
nora and justine got to glendale quickly
too
crocker’s van was behind the supermarket
with a police car next to it
nora talked to a police officer
crocker is in the van lieutenant
he said
he won’t open the doors
justine walked up to the van
crocker was sitting with his hands on
his head
get out of the van crocker
she said
he smiled at her
justine hit the van window hard with her
gun
she put her hand into the van
open the door
and pulled crocker out
there was blood and glass everywhere
at the supermarket
the police took morbid away
jack and emilio walked to crocker’s van
they found justine with her foot on
crocker’s back
are you okay
ask jack
there’s a lot of blood on you
it’s not mine
said justine
it’s crockers
jack put some glass with blood on it in
a bag
and gave it to
emilio get this to sigh
he said
there’s dna here
the police took crocker away
justine looked at nora
we need to go to his apartment and look
for wendy borman’s necklace
justine and nora looked everywhere in
crocker’s apartment
they found
nothing justine opened the closet in the
bedroom to look at crocker’s clothes
again
the light was on a string
and she pulled it
she looked at the end of the string in
her hand
it was the star
from wendy’s necklace
we’ve caught them justine
said jack
back at private
psy looked at the dna from crocker’s
blood
it’s the same as the dna from wendy’s
clothes
the next morning jack’s phone woke him
early
jack
it’s carmine nochia
i have some bad news for you
your friend andy cushman is dead
his car went off the road near marin
and it went into the ocean
did anybody see andy’s car go into the
ocean said jack
oh yes
one of my cousins saw it
he was the only person there
have a good day
said carmine
jack
looked at his phone for a minute and
thought
carmine’s cousin
killed andy
then
he turned and threw it out of the window
it was time for a new phone
and a new phone number
you