After Joyce Hartford left the office, Marvin asked, “Do you think she could be the killer, Chief?”
“She was obviously upset by the breakup, but I don’t think she’s our killer. I think we better have a talk with Alex Shafer. He obviously had a deep-seated grudge against Jay Taylor.”
Marvin patted the sizable bulge at his waistline. “How about some lunch, first.”
After lunch, Dr. Evans informed the chief that the security officer had arrived.
“Send him in,” the chief replied.
Tony Maxwell swaggered into the office eager to be heard. He was a broad-shouldered husky man, someone you would not care to cross.
After introductions, the chief got right to the point. “What time did you find Mr. Taylor’s body?”
“About eight thirty. I was doing a routine building inspection and found him near the back door. I knew he was dead the minute I saw him. I felt his carotid just to be sure. The guy was beyond help, but I dialed 9-1-1 to report the emergency.”
“Did you happen to see anyone else when you were touring the building?”
“No, I didn’t run into anybody.”
“Dr. Evans told me that you left after the paramedics arrived. Where did you go?”
“My shift was over and I met Alex Shafer at a bar downtown.”
“Was Alex there when you arrived at the bar?”
“Yeah, he was waiting for me and he didn’t lose any time getting drunk.”
“Did you tell him about the murder?”
“Yeah, but he didn’t seem too interested. He just said he was glad Taylor was dead because he was responsible for his sister’s grief, and she was going to be better off without him. Then when he was so drunk he couldn’t hold his head up, he started playing the harmonica. Alex always carried his harmonica in his shirt pocket. He kept playing the same tune over and over again. It was driving me crazy. He told me it was a Sousa March. I finally told him to play something else, but he said that he couldn’t because that tune was stuck in his head. It would be there forever. He kept saying forever. The guy was losing it. I knew he was in no condition to drive, so I drove him home.”
“You can leave, Tony. We have no more questions for you at this time,” said the chief.
“That was confusing,” said Marvin. “What do you think?”
“We’ll sleep on it, Marvin. Let’s go over every piece of information we collected today. Maybe something will make sense.”
The chief didn’t get much sleep that night. He pondered the information they had collected from each suspect. He kept thinking of the Sousa March that Alex had played over and over, the tune that he said would stick in his head forever. Then in a brilliant flash, he made a connection. It was a long shot, and since they might not come up with any forensic evidence, he knew he needed a confession.
A tape was rolling when Alex Shafer sat down to be questioned. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but sitting in that corner chair. His dark hair was unruly and his clothes were rumpled.
After reading Alex Shafer his Miranda Rights, the chief said, “Let’s get right down to business. We know that you murdered Jay Taylor. You told him if he didn’t do right by your sister he would pay the price. You might as well confess.”
The color drained from Alex’s face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he blurted out.
“You knew Jay Taylor’s habit of working late, so you came to the Space Center intending to get revenge. You waited for him to leave and then you killed him.”
“You have no proof,” Alex stammered, folding his arms across his chest.
“Do you remember the march you were playing at the bar last night?”
“No, I don’t remember anything that went on at the bar.”
“Then let me refresh your memory, Alex. It was Stars and Stripes, Forever wasn’t it?”
“I don’t remember,” Alex stammered, shifting uneasily in the chair.
“I think I know why you were playing that tune. When you were beating Jay Taylor you saw the bloody-red stripes on his white hat, the hat with blue stars, and that image stuck with you. It reminded you of Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever. In your drunken condition you started playing that tune over and over again and you said that tune would be with you forever, and I’m sure it will. After you killed Jay Taylor you snatched his briefcase intending to throw suspicion on one of the scientists.” The chief pointed a finger at Alex Shafer. “Do you remember that you confessed last night?”
Alex slumped in the chair, silent for a few moments before he spoke. “Jay Taylor ruined my sister’s life and those two beautiful little boys. He didn’t care what happened to them. When I found out that Anna had taken the boys and left, I was furious and wanted to get even. I knew he was always working late so I came over here, got a sledgehammer out of the tool chest and waited for him to leave. It was over so fast. He didn’t know what hit him.”
The chief shook his head. “You not only ruined your life but also your sister’s life. Your brother-in-law had ended the affair two days before you killed him.”
Alex remained silent. He folded his hands and hung his head.
“You’re under arrest, Alex Shafer, for the murder of Jay Taylor,” said the chief.
Alex Shafer was handcuffed and led out of the Space Flight Center to be booked for Jay Taylor’s murder.
Marvin wagged his index finger at the chief. “Shame on you for telling a lie. Alex didn’t confess. Tony had no idea that Alex murdered Taylor.”
“I didn’t say he confessed, I asked him if he remembered that he confessed.”
“Oh, you’re a foxy one, Chief. That question loosened his tongue. And speaking of tongue, mine could use a taste of something sweet. Let’s go to the diner!”
Days later, there was a headline titled: GOODBYE MOON in the Greenbelt Patch. The article stated that the moon was suddenly shrinking at an astronomical rate. Scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. could not explain why the rate of shrinking had speeded up or why the moon was being pushed much more rapidly off orbit. Instead of being pushed gradually by the earth’s magnetic tug 12 inches a year, it was being pushed much faster. Scientist predicted that if the present rate continued, the moon would fall off orbit by the year 2034 and Planet Earth would suffer the consequences whatever they may be.
Dr. Carl Evans, Director of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center gave special recognition to the late Jay Taylor, whose dedication and persistence in the study of lunar activity led to this spectacular scientific discovery.
* * *
A special thanks to my friend Anita McKay for her helpful suggestions and grammatical corrections.
To my son, David and daughter-in-law, Twila for their love and support.
Moon Dust
“In Space, No One Can Hear You Sneeze”
By Lance Zarimba
Fine dust filtered down from the air duct as the man worked. Sweat burned his eyes as it ran into them. He wiped it away with the back of his hand. The airlock panel had been sending a false signal to the control room, and he was trying to figure out why. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a beautiful view of the earth from the window. The water was azure blue and the land a deep rich green, spring was blooming over the world.
He sniffled as his nose began to run. They built a colony on the moon, travel back and forth was easier than step in and sit down, but they couldn’t find a cure for the common cold or allergies. He didn’t know much about the immune system that kept him well and made his nose run, but today, he wished he would never have to sneeze, wheeze, or blow his nose again.
The funny tickle rose in his nose and down the back of his throat. He blinked his eyes and ran his tongue over the roof of his mouth to stop the unstoppable. It came fast and furious, before he could cover his nose and mouth.
“A-CHOO!” Fine droplets covered the part of his hand that almost made it to his face.
The alarm lights came on, an
d the inner airlock door closed. The outer door flashed warning lights as the red and yellow chased each other around and around the airlock. There was a metallic click and a pressurized escape of gas, as the airlock opened into space.
He gasped as he grabbed for a hand hold. He reached for the control panel that he had been working on, but the airlock door opened and the rush of escaping air sucked him out into space. He floated away as he gasped for oxygen. The last thing he saw was a silhouette peek out the airlock window, and the world went black.
* * *
Alarms blared across the Moonbase. “Security Breach, Airlock Open. Security Breach, Airlock Open.”
Parker Morgan ran down the corridor, pulling on his spacesuit. He struggled to get his arm in and pull the sleeve up over his shoulder. He secured the zipper as he rounded the corner.
His partner, Cassidy Diaz, tossed his helmet to him as he pulled on his own. He connected the wires and sealed his own into place. “Test alpha beta gamma.”
“We read you, Cassidy,” Kate Benning said, as she watched his life signs appear on her computer screen.
Parker said, “One, two, three.”
“I read you loud and clear. All signs are working, Parker. It is safe for you guys to proceed.”
Parker was already inspecting the control panel. He entered the code and watched as the outside airlock slowly closed. Once sealed, the valves repressurized the chamber. The flashing lights turned off as the atmosphere was restored and the door opened with a metallic click.
“Are you sure you should open that?” Cassidy connected his oxygen line to his suit and secured his tether to his belt. “Maybe you should hook up.”
“According to the panel, the door opened under verbal orders, not keyboard entry.” Parker turned the panel around and showed him the settings.
“Only a few people have access to the exterior hatches, and even fewer have verbal authority to open the airlock.” Cassidy typed on his forearm’s keyboard and entered the information.
A list scrolled with names and positions on the Moonbase of those with such access.
Parker read the list as they rolled on his face shield monitor. “How about those men who could reprogram the airlock?”
Cassidy added some information into the keyboard. “There is no record of changing the voice activation codes. Robert Egan didn’t do anything wrong except show up for work today and get sucked out into space.”
“He doesn’t have that high of security clearance for voice activation orders.” Parker flipped the control panel over in his hand. “Everything is working. I don’t understand why this happened.”
“This was the third accident with airlocks across the Moonbase.” Cassidy looked around the seal of the airlock and pushed against it to test its strength. The thick metal didn’t budge. He typed into his wrist keyboard.
“Jacobson, Wayne, airlock failure at the waste management center. Expired. Hellwig, Jeffrey, airlock opened during shuttle landing. Expired. Egan, Robert, airlock incident west dormitory, lost in space, presumed expired.”
“Kate, can you run a document/personal profile search to see if there are any links between these three men?” Parker set the control panel back and secured it into place. He opened his helmet and stepped out of the bay.
Kate gasped as she read the names.
“Is there a problem, Kate?” Cassidy asked.
“Right away, Parker.” Kate’s shaken voice echoed in the helmet in his hands.
Cassidy unhooked his oxygen and tether. He released his helmet and shook out his static-filled hair. “You have a funny expression on your face, what are you thinking?”
Parker pulled his glove off and touched the control panel. A fine grit covered the buttons. He rubbed his fingers together and felt it roll between his fingertips. He pulled out a swab and wiped the surface to collect a sample. He pulled the swab into the self-contained unit and sealed it.
“Did you find something?” Cassidy stepped closer. He saw the fine layer of dust. “Maybe the air filtration system needs to change a filter or the vacu-bots need to work a little harder in this section.”
“Something doesn’t feel right,” Parker said, as he rotated the swab in his hand.
“Do you think it was on purpose?”
“Let’s go view the tapes of the incident and see what actually happened.”
* * *
The screens on the wall showed every angle of the room and the airlock, even the outside. Everything seemed routine until the door closed and the airlock opened.
“I can’t watch it again. The expression on his face of sheer terror is awful. He knew as soon as the door closed what was going to happen, but he didn’t have a chance to do anything.” Cassidy closed his eyes and held his head in his hands at the work station.
“Rewind,” Parker said. The screen started to rewind the video images until he said, “Stop.” He bit his lower lip. “Find airlock incidents for Jacobson and Hellwig, but keep the Egan one onscreen.”
Two screens of Egan faded to be replaced by new videos. Jacobson was a thin dark-haired man who was moving the recyclable solid waste. Plastic bottles and boxes filled the green container that hovered above the ground guided by Jacobson. He passed by another container and as he emerged from the other side, he wiped his hand across his face and screamed.
The huge doors that allowed vans and trucks to enter and exit to the Moon’s surface, opened, and the bottles and boxes exploded out of the container and were sucked out. The container slowly rose and gained speed as it hurdled toward the open doors.
Jacobson hung on for dear life as he was pulled out with the container. His scream died as he ran out of atmosphere. His hand released the control on the container, and he followed the recyclables out into space.
On the other new screen, a space shuttle touched down and taxied to the airlock. Hellwig stood with his e-clipboard and aimed the scanner at the bar code on the transport. He sneezed. As he reached into his pocket to get a tissue, the Moonbase garage doors opened, and his body was sucked out of the opening. He slammed against the transport’s windshield. His clipboard flew from his hand, and he slowly peeled off the glass and rose into space. People on the shuttle screamed and looked away as he drifted farther and farther away.
“Stop,” Parker said.
Cassidy looked up. “Did you find something?”
“Maybe. Play all three videos at the same time, but sync the spot where the airlock opens on all three.”
The screens focused on the airlocks. Warning lights flashed on as the doors opened. All three men were sucked out into space.
“Stop. Now, back to the spot where the doors open.”
The videos all returned to the same place.
“Play backward.”
The men moved slowly in reverse. All three unwiped at their noses, Jacobson disappeared behind the container, but the other two men jerked their heads backward violently. Their faces contorted and returned to normal and continued backward.
“Stop. Play forward, slowly.” Parker leaned forward and strained his eyes.
Cassidy watched in horror. All three men moved forward in slow motion, slowly their faces squished up as their upper lip and nose seemed to pull up and back with their heads and a violent sneeze sprayed a fine mist of Hellwig and Egan, Jacobson was behind the container, as he emerged all three men in sync wiped at their noses, screamed and slowly were sucked out into space.
“Crap,” Cassidy said, as he grabbed Parker’s arm.
“That’s what I was thinking.” Parker looked at his partner. “Kate, I think we have a murderer loose on the Moonbase.”
* * *
Commander Cross watched the videos. “Are you sure that it’s not just an awful coincidence?” The tone in his voice told them he knew what this meant.
“Parker, Cassidy, and Commander,” Kate’s voice came through their earpieces, “the report on the men’s personal profiles just finished.
“And?” Parker said.
>
“And there appears to be nothing in common with any of the men, except they all worked and lived on the Moonbase.”
“No common friends? Organizations? Work shifts?” Parker asked.
“The computer ran everything. I doubt these three men ever saw each other on the Moonbase.”
“Crap,” Cassidy said.
“So all we know is that the three men sneezed and were sucked out into space. Does that mean the airlocks are programmed to open with a sneeze?” Commander Cross looked horrified. “We need to warn the people.”
“And start a panic?” Parker asked.
“We have to protect the people who work and live on the Moonbase.” Commander Cross typed frantically on his keyboard.
Parker walked over to him and placed his hand over his and stopped him. “We don’t know anything yet, and we can’t cause a panic on the Moonbase. More accidents could happen, and people may start seeing killers around each corner and take law into their own hands, and some innocent person could get hurt.”
Cassidy moved over to join the men. “Give us two hours to review the men’s charts. If we don’t find something by suppertime, we’ll help you announce the concerns in the dining hall.”
“Wait a minute,” Parker started.
“The accidents have happened over a fourth-month period. I doubt the killer would try again so soon. Commander, give us a little time.”
He balled his hands up into fists, but slowly nodded his head. “Okay, you have until supper. Commander Cross signed out of his monitor and left.
“Kate, can you forward all your files on the three men and upload them to our screens?” Parker pushed his chair over to his station and sat down. “Who did you want to start with?”
“I’ll take Jacobson’s file,” Cassidy said.
“Okay, I’ll do Hellwig, and we’ll see who gets Egan.”
* * *
“Jeffrey Hellwig is a single man who worked on earth and came to the Moon after he finished high school. His parents are deceased, and he never attended college. He worked hard and has made his way up the ranks in the shuttle bay. Hellwig has been reprimanded several times for not checking the status of all of the passengers, and he has let several shipments of cargo off the shuttle without inspection. He was not involved in the drug smuggling or the stolen art cases, but he was responsible for two small epidemics that resulted in several deaths.”
Moon Shot Page 18