LAKE HIRES PRIVATE DETECTIVE

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FBI Agent Arrives to Investigate Theft of Rare Wine

 

Exmouth, MA -- An unusual private detective arrived here yesterday, hired by sculptor Percival Lake to investigate the theft of his extensive wine cellar.

 

The theft occurred last Saturday or Sunday. Lake reported that one or more burglars broke into his house while he was away for the weekend in Boston, and stole a thousand bottles of wine valued at close to half a million dollars. According to Lake, the collection contained examples of reds from most of the wine growing regions of the world, with a focus on the rare Bordeaux wines of France.

 

"This is devastating," said Lake, interviewed at his house today. "That was more than just a collection. I spent thirty years of my life traveling the world, tasting and collecting rare and unusual vintages." When asked why he had hired a private detective, Lake said that the local police had "done nothing" and that he had little confidence Chief of Police Lester Mourdock was conducting "a thorough and vigorous investigation."

 

"All he did was walk around and take some pictures with a cell phone," said Lake. "I suppose if it were a collection of Bud Light he might have been more concerned."

 

Chief Mourdock, reached for comment, said only that his department had no leads yet, but that the investigation was in the early stages and he was confident they would soon have a break in the case. "In a small town like this," he said, "everything eventually comes to light."

 

The private detective, Lake said, is a Special Agent named A. X. L. Pendergast who is assigned to the FBI's New York Field Office and is investigating the case on his own time. SA Pendergast's name has previously been associated with several high-profile cases in New York, including the well-known string of murders at the New York Museum of Natural History twelve years ago, the details of which became the subject of a best-selling book by the late author, William Smithback Jr.

 

Pendergast's arrival in Exmouth yesterday, in a classic red Porsche Spyder, excited much comment among those who observed it. He was accompanied by a young associate, about whom nothing is known save her name: Constance Greene.

 

Shortly after his arrival, Pendergast was taken into custody by Chief Mourdock. The department reported that the charges were for illegal parking, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. Pendergast was released several hours later after posting bail. The Exmouth Gazette reached Pendergast at the Captain Hull Inn, where he is lodging, but the Special Agent had no comment on his recent encounter with local law enforcement, except to say that his stay in jail had been "most instructive" and that he was sure Chief Mourdock, despite the arrest, would very shortly be extending him "every courtesy."