July 10

July 10 is the date on which Frank Peterson was abducted and killed, and a later inquiry into that crime connects it to Claude Bolton’s presence at Gentlemen, Please. The club owner’s recollection is anchored by a contemporaneous note, turning a detail about Bolton’s work schedule into a potential alibi lead.

A Date Recalled

John Zellman, the owner and operator of Gentlemen, Please, called Ralph Anderson fifteen minutes after their earlier contact. He sounded curious rather than irritated and was willing to help. Zellman was sure Claude Bolton had been at the club on the day Frank Peterson was taken and killed.

The Note and Its Reason

Ralph checked whether Zellman meant the day Bolton had come in early: July 10. Zellman confirmed the date and explained that he had made a note because he did not want Bolton paid for two days in Cap City when Bolton’s paid vacation was due less than two weeks later. The record therefore arose from a practical pay concern, not from an effort to document the crime.

Relevance to the Investigation

Zellman’s certainty and dated note give Ralph a concrete basis for checking Bolton’s whereabouts against the date of the abduction and killing. The exchange does not itself establish where Bolton was at every relevant moment or resolve the case; it identifies a potentially significant club visit whose timing can be tested against other evidence.