In spite of how protective he felt toward one of his own, he had also seen Tess’s reaction to her confrontation with Storm. He saw her looking quickly and frantically around to locate any possible exit. He heard what Storm was saying to her and he knew now Storm had evidence that would implicate Tess. When she reached for her gun, his experience and his reflexes took over and even he could not let the office boy die like this.
Rushing to Tess’s body and cradling her head in his lap, Storm asked, “’Tess, did you kill all those girls?”
Still smiling, Tess said, “Yes, but I loved only one.” And she was gone.
Chapter Twenty-six
Peggy’s Notebook
Storm was sure that DNA would prove Tess to be Peggy Wise’s killer, and Tess’s dying declaration would be written up, but they still had to find evidence to bolster the motive for killing the others Remembering what Pancho had told them, that most serial killers keep mementos of their crimes, he was hopeful; there would be something in Tess’s personal things to tie her to the other murders.
* * * *
It was then Russell called Grady and Alisha to tell them the outcome and ask Grady to meet him downstairs with a camera.Russell was a news man again. He felt vital, and he and Grady were going to break the biggest story of the year. Alisha was to join Storm and Hernandez at the scene of the shooting.
* * * *
For the first time in a long time, Storm wished he could have a drink. All hell was about to break lose, the facts of this case couldn’t be hidden from the public anymore, and there were careers about to be lost. He picked up Peggy Wise’s notebook and thumbed through the record of her research.
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Gage
Elaine Marie Gage, 25
Elaine Gage of Houston/Hallettsville passed away February 26, 1998. Funeral services will be March 1, 1998 at 11:00 a.m. at Westbury Cemetery, Houston, Texas.
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Local Woman Found Murdered
Elaine Gage, a local Hallettsville High School graduate, was found murdered in Houston over the weekend. She was discovered inside an abandoned car across the street from the Dome complex early Sunday morning. She was discovered as police ran random checks on derelict vehicles abandoned on the lot. The circumstances of her death have not been released by Houston Police, but anonymous sources have revealed that the girl had been sexually assaulted before her death. Homicide detectives have assured the public they will be investigating her murder and as soon as more information is available, they will be releasing what they know to the press. Miss Gage graduated in 1991 and immediately got a job working for Tejas Petroleum in Houston, where she was living. She had been a member of the Hallettsville District Championship Lady Brahma volleyball team. She leaves no family and services will be held in Houston at the Westbury Cemetery, Wednesday, March 1, 1998 at 11 A.M.
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Peggy’s Notes: My friend Elaine has been found dead. Her body found across the street from the Dome inside an old car. My only friend from Tejas... We just had lunch she giggly about the fun she was about to have at Rodeo. I told her I was worried, she had fallen in with some not so nice people. Saw her with stinking big wheels that like younger women and are all married. They found body Sunday a.m. Cops told me someone had cut her throat. She was naked and they were sure she had been abused. Her funeral was in town, she didn’t have any family left. The funeral was simple not too many there, some I knew from Tejas... Strangers too, two men and two women... must have worked for Tejas after I left. The Tejas people told me the company paid for funeral since she had no family. Elaine, I will miss you my friend.
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Turnbull
Debra Ann Turnbull
Beloved sister of Jenna Hopkins of Needville passed away February 25, 1999, in Houston Texas. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M. March 1, 1999, at Green Lawn Cemetery in Needville, Texas.
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Young Woman Dies Violent Death
Houston, Texas - Early this morning the body of a young woman was found against the fence on the north side of the Dome parking lot. There are some utility and storage buildings on that side of the parking lot, her body was discovered between buildings when a cleaning crew looked under what described as an abandoned tarp. When they pulled the tarp away, they found her naked body. Her throat had been severed and police spokesmen said the girl had been violated before her death. HPD is investigating, but have not yet released her identity, awaiting notification of nearest of kin. Police said no suspect had been determined.
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Notes: Second girl: Another found, looks like Elaine, tall, slender, brunette, young and cute. Saw her at Show, seen her going in and out of VIP club. Committee Volunteer. Not seen her with Joe, but had with other married big dogs. Cops say she was killed same way as Elaine, throat cut, raped and found naked. Did not go to her funeral it was out of town. Killed on weekend night small town girl no family same time of year as Elaine Cops found her clothes but no shoes or boots...?
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Canter
Michele Louise Canter, 24
Michele Canter of Joachim passed away March 12, 2000, in Houston Texas. Funeral services will be March 15, 2000, at Mr. Avery Cemetery, Joachim, Texas. She is survived by her brother Peter Canter of Spokane, Washington.
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Local Cheerleader Found Dead
Houston - Michele Canter, of the Class of 1994 at Joachim High School, was laid to rest March 15, 2000, in Mt. Avery Cemetery. After graduation, Ms. Canter moved to Houston, working for Harris County as dispatch clerk for the streets department. The roadside cleaning crews she used to be responsible for dispatching found her body early Sunday morning. Her death has been determined to be a murder and the Houston Police are now investigating. They added Ms. Canter had been sexually abused and her throat had been cut. Her naked body was found near an abandoned eatery in the Dome area of Houston. So far, no suspects have been identified. Her brother Peter Canter lives in Spokane, WA. He returned to Joachim for her internment and asked all donations be made to the Joachim Shelter for Women.
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Woman Found Dead
A young woman’s body was found early Sunday morning by roadside cleaning crew. The cause of her death is unknown at this time, but is being investigated. Release of the victim’s identity is awaiting notification of her next of kin. The body was found while cleaning crews picked up trash just off Old Spanish Trail and Kirby next to a derelict restaurant. #
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Notes: Girl number three: Slender, brunette, young and cute. Small town girl only had a brother. Cops say she was found naked, throat cut and raped. Didn’t know this one but she is listed as committee member of the Show. This is a pattern, kills same time every year Why? How does he find these girls?
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Black
Linda Elisabeth Black, 23
Linda Elisabeth Black of Alice, Texas, passed away March 16, 2001. Funeral services will be held March 21, 2001, at Rest-land Cemetery at 10 A.M. in Alice alongside her mother and father.
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Killer Sought
Houston - Police are seeking the killer of a young woman. A young woman’s body was found early Saturday morning behind dumpsters used for disposal of waste at the Dome. No facts have been released as the cause of death and the young woman’s identity is being held awaiting notification of next of kin. #
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Area Girl Found Murdered
Houston, Texas - The body of Linda Black was found Saturday morning in Houston. Ms. Black had apparently been raped and murdered by an unknown assailant. Houston police are investigating the killing of this Alice girl, but have yet to release any details of their investigation. Ms. Black was a very po
pular student and will be missed by the entire community. Her funeral was held at Restland Cemetery on March 21, 2001. Ms. Black will rest in her family plot with her parents and two sisters.
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Notes: This is the fourth girl killed in four years. She was killed the same way as all the others. From small town, no family and looks just like Elaine and the others. Sgt. Hebert came around asking if any of us knew her, told I had seen her around knew she was volunteer and had seen her going into the VIP club in the center. Show has also made it clear we were to help with investigation but not to talk to the press or anyone else. Girls in office are scared so at night we are walked to our cars or walk in a group. Nobody acts like this is same person, but I think it is, but who? They have to be out here, they have to be finding these girls out here. Cops only know she was cute and they had a picture of her they showed us to see if we knew her. Told them I had seen her but didn’t know her. When I asked if they thought it was same person who killed the others they acted like I was nuts.
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DeBuse
Danielle “Sissy” DeBuse, 25
D. DeBuse passed away March the 9, 2002. Funeral services will be held March 14, 2002, at 11 A.M. at Mem. Park Cemetery in Kingsville, Texas. Ms. DeBuse has no remaining family and will rest next to her parents Phil and Lois Debuse.
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Houston Unsafe….
The crime rate in Houston is on the increase as the number of murders, home invasions and car thefts have skyrocketed in the nation’s fourth largest city. One of the latest killings involved a young girl from Kingsville last week. Ms. Kitty DeBuse a 1995 graduate of Kingsville High School was found murdered and sexually assaulted near the Dome complex on Houston’s south side. Police suspect Ms. DeBuse was killed sometime the night before and that she was found naked with a deep cut across her neck and throat. Due to injuries, the police doubt the girl had a chance to yell for help or fight her attacker. Ms. DeBuse if one of many killing that have gone unsolved in the Houston area. Violent crime statistics show murder in Houston has increased 10% over the past two years. Ms. DeBuse worked for Twinco Valve and Fitting in Houston.
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Notes: Fifth girl in five years, all similar killings I don’t have any clues, I had seen this girl too, but she was like the rest didn’t know her, only really just seen her. Cops say the same but no one asked about this, nothing much about on the news or in the papers only one article from her hometown paper. Almost like...no one cares...
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Gilmore
Stephanie Anne Gilmore, 25
Stephanie Gilmore will be laid to rest March 26, 2003. The funeral services will take place at 3 P.M. at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Huntsville, Texas. Ms. Gilmore died March 21, 2003, and has no surviving family.
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Huntsville Girl Murdered
Texas - A popular Huntsville girl was found raped and brutally murdered March 21, 2003. Stephanie Gilmore, a graduate of the Huntsville High School the class of 1998, body was found near the Dome complex in Houston. Police say a man walking his dog near the north entry of the complex found the young woman’s body. The details of her death have not been released pending further investigation. Ms. Gilmore worked for a law firm in Houston and her body will be brought back to Huntsville for interment in her family plot. Ms. Gilmore had no remaining family in the Huntsville area.
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Notes: Girl 6 Volunteer, I knew this one, talked to her a few times. Brunette, slim, cute, young all the same. Raped throat cut clothes found no shoes or boots… Cops not saying anything about this girl except how she died... this girl late in season of show not found till last week.
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Phillips
Leslie Markus Phillips, 25
Leslie Phillips will be put to rest March 15, 2004 at Aransas Memorial Cemetery at 2 P.M. Ms. Phillips is survived by her grandparents Jake and Dorothy Phillips of Hallettsville Texas.
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Notes: 7th girl Nothing in paper yet Detective came to see Ms. Taylor, again I had to tell the girls and had to repeat no one talks about it or to press. I am going to follow detective see if he can lead me anywhere, then I will talk to him. I have got to tell detective I think this is same killer as Elaine and others....
Chapter Twenty-seven
The Trophy Room
This night was going to be a long one after the events earlier at the stadium. Storm and Hernandez were on their way to Tess’s home to see what evidence they could uncover. Traffic at this time of night seemed lighter than usual, or maybe they just didn’t notice how heavy it was, as their minds were elsewhere. The mental image of Tess lying dead and her Madonna smile replayed through their minds as they drove out of town on the Southwest Freeway toward Crabb Tree Road.
The farther they got into the country the darker it got, and the quieter. Neither had said much since they left the scene of the shooting at the stadium.
Storm sneaked a look at Hernandez and could tell that he, like Storm himself, was chewing over how things had gone so terribly wrong. The house was located in an old farming area just south of the freeway where developers had begun to build new homes sprouting up around it like mushrooms. They found the road that led to it, a long gravel and dirt combination that led to a two-bedroom clapboard house with a garage/tool shed behind it. Giant live oak trees hung over the drive as if it were a covered bridge, blocking out all light from the stars and moon. The yard was mowed and everything seemed in its place. The house was small; freshly painted in white with blue trim.
The inside was even neater. Tess’s furniture was modest; a couch, chair, TV and a simple kitchen table and chairs; all looked spotless. The white porcelain in the kitchen and bathroom gleamed. The floors were scrubbed and no dust appeared to be anywhere. Her bedroom was the same; the bed made, pillows fluffed, and the chest of drawers lined with items she probably used on a daily basis all perfectly laid out in order. The clothes in her closet were arranged by type and color, her uniforms on one side, her jeans and casual shirts on hangers on the other. Her shoes were stored in boxes labeled by the type and color with the exception of her boots, both work and cowgirl. Those were all lined up on the floor and perfectly polished.
Nothing they found surprised either of them. From the information Hernandez had retrieved from the FBI profiles, everything fit the model of an organized serial murderer. They would have been shocked if they found things in disarray; after all, this lady was deliberate about the things she had done, or what they thought she had done.
After scouring the living area of Tess’s home they still hadn’t found anything to link her to the other killings, that was, until they entered the second bedroom. The door was locked, but a stiff shoulder cracked the jam. When the door smashed in, they found the other world Tess lived in and all the pieces of the puzzle appeared before them.
Across the room was a clear Plexiglas case that ran the length of the wall and was two levels high. The case sat on shiny chrome legs. It held two sets of clear cubes about two feet by two feet. Each row had four cubes and each cube held a pair of boots, with the exception of the last, which held a pair of running shoes. In front of each pair of boots was an engraved nameplate with the name of the girl they had belonged to. The only exception was the one with the running shoes; they must have been what Peggy was wearing the night she died.
There was a work table and chair with a role of clear plastic sheeting, a material used by workmen to protect floors and furniture from dust and paint spills.
She must have used the sheeting, probably Visqueen, Storm realized, to hide her crime scene.
A dozen combat knives, all in sheaths, arranged on a rack hung on the wall. These knives would be tested for blood and Storm was sure eight of them would be found to have traces of blood from each of the victim
s. They might even find blood evidence of the girl in Victoria who had disappeared nine years ago.
On the work table was a photo album and a diary. These were the pieces of evidence Storm and Hernandez wanted to look at, even though they both dreaded what revelations they might find.
An individual page had been dedicated to each girl in the photo album. There was a picture of each girl lying in her own blood, her face lifeless. The other picture on each page was of each victim posed with her bare bottom raised and with a large plastic phallic object protruding from her anus.
Although the album assured them that they had the right killer, it didn’t answer the biggest question of all, why? Storm hoped to find those answers in Tess’s diary that lay on the desk. The diary was meticulously kept and dated on top of each page, so he felt he could look for dates near the times of the killings and he would find the answers.
____________________
My Diary
Shannon Teresa Stone
3/16/96
Dear Diary
Today I met a beautiful new girl. She flirted with me and acted interested. She is tall, brunette and gorgeous. Her name is Gail, Gail Ponders. She is a year or two younger than me and told me she had had a relationship in college with another girl. I hope she wants another; Victoria is a terrible place to meet a girl who likes girls, the town is too small and prudish and I am getting lonely.
____________________
3/17/96
Dear Diary
Work was the same today. Nobody takes me seriously, everybody thinks I just got this job because I am a woman and they needed to fill a quota. I am a good cop and I know how to do the job. The other deputies tease me about being a lesbian but I blow them off. They are not sure about me and I don’t say, but I guess they’ll know if I start dating Gail. I called her today and she was so sweet on the phone, she made my heart melt when I asked her to lunch and she said yes. XOXOXOXOXOXO
____________________
3/19/96
Dear Diary
I went to lunch today with Gail. She is wonderful; she laughs and teases and even reached over and took my hand during lunch. She is bright and funny. I asked her out for Saturday night and she said yes. My heart is skipping from the joy at having found such a wonderful girl. The day can be terrible at work, but when I think of her my smile takes over my face.
Charity Kills (A David Storm Mystery) Page 21