The Noir Evil

by Richard Paul Caird

  The meeting also had another covert purpose in that it would argue against the newspapers constantly damaging accusations that Ness was simply a playboy about town whom preferred to wine and dine the nights away with attractive female company rather than solve this case. These unbecoming stories about his notorious behaviour around town where indeed true but constantly reading there sordid details concerned him to no end, not just about his tarnished public image but also about his future career prospects within Cleveland. He knew more than most that if your image was distorted too heavily by the newspapers that this could have a cascading effect, causing him to unwitting lose the more positive press which he so desperately craved. This could also terminally infect his well-maintained public image which he had so carefully built up over the long and arduous years. He wished to stamp out this prolonged bad press which appeared to be relentlessly focusing on him and refocus the newspapers attentions back upon his tireless efforts into finding the Mad Butcher and stopping this madness once and for all.

  The newspapers where dubbing this well publicized meeting of expert minds as the aptly named “Torso Clinic” which composed of detectives, past and present coroner’s, psychiatrists, psychologists and other policemen. The well renowned pathologist Dr Reuben Strauss was also set to be in attendance and he had performed many of the autopsies of the victims along with Gerber. Gerber and Strauss rarely saw eye to eye on various aspects of other, less serious cases but in this particular case they were both of the same mind and confident in there expert assentation’s about the unknown assailant’s questionable medical ability.

  Merlyo’s wandering thoughts about the cases stagnation then evaporated when he noticed the Gladstone bag clutching Gerber talking to his close friend, Dr Royal Grossman as they both walked into the packed Torso Clinic meeting room. The renowned criminal psychologist, and keen archaeologist, Grossman looked a lot older than Gerber but he was actually about the same age. His large weight and greying hair had unwitting added many years to his actual age whereas his warm eyes and smile beckoned too all with a naturally comforting aura. The heavily tanned doctor was smartly dressed in a pleasantly beige three piece suit which silently expressed both his long and successful career as a renowned psychologist and his famed love of exploratory Middle Eastern history.

  Both men where soon followed an assortment of other guest speakers at the front of the meeting room as they all then sat down and spoke amongst themselves in quiet conversation. Gerber only momentarily ceased talking to Grossman when he carefully repositioned his beloved Gladstone bag under his chair, ensuring that it would not get kicked by the endless procession of feet that where walking past him. Other notable people whom were in attendance where Gerber’s aging predecessor, the knowledgeable Arthur Pearce, the tough old sergeant James Hogan, the mobster bashing county prosecutor Frank Cullitan, the acting Chief of Detectives, Inspector Joseph Sweeney and the reclusive Chief of Police himself, Matowitz.

  Yet more people then filtered into the already overly crowded room and brought with them there cigarette smoke of various brands and humidity which only further added to the already muggy and stifling atmosphere. The strategically placed projector added yet further to the discomfort of all as it effortlessly produced more heat to add to the accumulated masses of the room’s attendees, shooting out its artificially generated warmth from deep within its metal interior. A squeaky fan helped this humid air leave its metal master in an unrelenting wave of discomfort for those whom where unfortunate enough to be close to its heated frame. Merlyo then finally closed Gerber’s insightful report and used it as a well needed fan whilst he leaned back in his chair, noticing that they were now being reluctantly joined by another mass group of people whom had cleverly been waiting until the very last possible moment to enter the stiflingly hot room.

  The first part of this group consisted of the smartly dressed detectives May, Musil, Shibley, Wachsman and Weitzel. Detectives Gordon Shibley, Herbert Wachsman and Lieutenant Harvey Weitzel where younger there the twin like team of May and Musil and had the odd habit of continually sticking together no matter what the situation was, giving them the amusing office nickname of “The Three Stooges” This trilogy of dark haired detectives quickly followed the observant May and Musil and found some spaces to stand nearby the back wall, loyally following one another to their selected location as each where reluctant to get settled within such a uncomfortably hot environment.

  They were soon followed by the newly appointed Lieutenant Dick Dave Cowles whom casually walked in but could not help but physically show his discomfort within his face upon entering the humid meeting room. The young Cowles was his usual bookish self as his small round spectacles that sat uncomfortable on the tip of his stubby nose, causing him to periodically push them back up for fear of losing them to his sweat. He had developed the impressive reputation of being incredibly smart and having a uniquely sharp mind that never appeared to forget anything regardless of how minor or inconsequential the information was. Merlyo had always appreciated his help on any matter because of this vastly insightful intellect and this marvellous brain would, on occasion, make him see things a little differently and shed new lights on various new avenues of the investigation. Merlyo had been fond of him since he had helped him and his partner discover Andrassy’s remains, and his unknown companions, at the base of Jackass Hill but Ness had apparently been fascinated by his underused mind and hastened his speedy rise up through the department’s ranks.

  Both Merlyo and Zalewski congratulated the young and smartly dressed new lieutenant about his promotion upon his arrival as he thankfully sat down next to them, not understanding that the reason the solitary seat was empty was because it was directly opposite the uncomfortably hot projector. The projectors fan frantically spun in order to cool its sensitive interior mechanics which instantly hit the surprised Cowles as he sat down, making him sweat within a few mere seconds of being near its humid embrace. The hesitantly smiling Cowles then took of his jacket and loosened his collar, immediately sensing the incredible heat that the little machine was producing but bravely opting to stay at his chosen location due to its close proximity to the knowledgeable guest speakers.

  Then Sheriff O’Donnell and his deputy Kilbane came strolling into the room and upon entering it, O’Donnell immediately removed his impressive hat which always advertised his appearance well in advance of his arrival. This was very unlike the man but it was obviously due to the uncomfortable heat that the room was retaining within in its four unforgiving walls, forcing the vain O’Donnell to immediately respond to the emergency. Both he and Kilbane were quickly followed in by another one of the sheriff’s goons whom was known around the department as Detective Harry “Gentleman” Brown. Brown was rumoured to be anything but a gentleman and this name was given to him as a sarcastic joke due to the many unbecoming rumours that where swirling around within the department’s ever popular rumour mill.

  Brown always appeared to take immense pleasure in over using specific curse words from the English dictionary even though he also repetitively used skilled etiquette in all situations, expressing a uncomfortably amusing union that set him apart from his other two accompanying colleagues. He could also be a skilled orator when he chose too and was seen as the “acceptable face” of the sheriff’s department even though he was not part of it. This was because whenever the newspapers wanted information from the sheriff or his deputy, Brown was used because he was much more adept at talking to members of the press corps and had even built up a positive relationship with many of the reporters. The greying Brown was a little older than his two colleagues and was always smartly dressed in a brown suit and tie, along with his straw hat, but all knew that he was hiding a vulgar mouth under this polished exterior.

  As the sheriff and his two trusted men talked amongst themselves by the open door, the large and preoccupied detective Trunk then made his appearance known by barging his way through these three unsuspecting men. He then procee
ded lead the sheriff and his goons towards the back of the smoke laden room and to the solitary blinded window whilst he struggled with yet another one of his origami creations. He was determined to add to this new masterpiece to his ever expanding collection that lay disorderly upon his already overly crowded desk, feeling that this particular piece would be a spectacular new addition to his collection. The secretive group then whispered amongst themselves at the back of the room whilst Merlyo and Zalewski curiously watched them, both still interested in how the corrupt group had managed to survive Ness’s corruption purge. The gum chewing and smiling Zalewski then amusingly winked at the on looking sheriff and his men as they looked at him and his partner with distain in their eyes. He then turned to Merlyo and whispered to him as he kept the group within his vision “What a bunch of corrupt douchebags!”

  Merlyo smiled and nodded in agreement upon hearing this, still confused as to how the group had been missed by Ness’s effective anticorruption dragnet, before quickly concluding that it had been because of the closeness of Trunk and O’Donnell to the all-powerful congressman. The uncomfortably sweating Merlyo’s drifting thoughts then refocused as the meeting finally began with the standing Gerber introducing the numerous guest speakers whilst the accompanying Grossman eagerly turned out the lights. Grossman then motioned to Brown at the back of the room to close the open blinds by the window and he begrudgingly did so, causing the room suddenly become exceedingly dark. The only light was now provided by the dim hallway lights outside and the projectors light which shown the ominous image of the faceless man with a question mark at its centre onto the display board.

  Merlyo thought about how he was going to have to explain to awaiting press corps downstairs about his fruitless investigative exploits within the Kingsbury Run area as well as their beleaguered investigations lack of results. He had always detested public speaking even more so than flying and he would have felt more positive about it if he actually had something of value to report. His heart was already beginning to pound in his chest at the thought of speaking to the awaiting press delegation after the meeting and especially to the Cleveland News’s famed investigative reporter, Frank Otwell, whom had a particularly unhealthy interest in the case.

  Otwell had even requested to go undercover with him and his partner into Kingsbury Run but Ness had not been too keen on this creative idea, jealously choosing to only allow the press to be with his men when he deemed it fit for fear of losing his own treasured spotlight. His slowly accumulating anxiety about the press corps meeting was then thankfully alleviated by Zalewski, whom offered him some of his lemon flavoured gum to which he politely declined. Since the Great Lakes Exposition he and Zalewski had numerous undercover exploits reportedly hunting the notorious Mad Butcher within Kingsbury Run area. They had gone there numerous times undercover, dressed covertly as hobo’s and built up quite a reputation within the local community as detectives whom where on the verge of cracking this most macabre of cases.

  News then naturally spread from the local community to the local newspapers until they were now both amusingly considered to be somewhat of minor celebrities within the besieged community, having there newspaper worthy adventures regularly reported on at least two times a week. Their exploits within that downtrodden area had captured the public’s imagination so much so in fact that they were also now being asked for their own thoughts upon the killer’s motives and reasoning behind his gruesome crimes. The jealous Ness had remarked that he did not like them making such speculative statements because they represented the police department as a whole and the general public took their word as that of the departments. Therefore he had recently refrained them from making any statements about either the unsolved homicides or the Mad Butcher himself, which further enticed the eager newspaper readers to purchase the next day’s edition for more speculative information about the phantom killer.

  Merlyo’s idea to mingle with the local vagrant community in order to gain valuable information about the strange occurrences that where taking place, where proving to be a valuable commodity both for his investigation and the newspapers readers. He may not have located the Mad Butcher yet but he and his partner where gaining a valuable insight into the inner workings of this shadowy community. He had also wished to do something different to what the other detectives had done in order to somehow “kick start” this stagnant investigation because it always appeared to have reached a dead end with every new victims grim discovery. He and his partner had frequently asked the downtrodden inhabitants questions about mysterious and shady characters whom resided in, or frequented, the local area but nothing concrete ever seemed to come from their curiously vague answers.

  This caused many within the department to now suspect that the two detectives where simply feeding their own ego’s and using the entire investigation as a vanity project. Both detectives vigorously denied such allegations and where surprised when this insinuation became so rooted within the departments gossip machine but there was no denying that they both liked the attention from the newspapers and the constant questioning from reporters like Otwell. They had both come to know the locals very well even though it was a transient community location whereby many of them simply briefly stopped off in Kingsbury Run in order to catch another train to go to another part of the country. They had slowly built up a complicated network of information agents by using liquor as an off the record commodity, obtaining valuable information that always bore fruit but never led to their ultimate goal.

  More often than not both detectives would find themselves within seedy bars following a person whom knew another person whom knew the whereabouts of the Mad Butcher or his gruesome laboratory of death. Many of these vagrants whom gave them this questionable information about a potential line of inquiry, where obviously eager to fill the detective’s ears with bizarre tales of outlandish design which almost always sounded genuinely authentic to the untrained ear. To the desperate detectives these troublesome tales, fabricated or not, where almost always too good to pass up even though they suspected that they were most likely false. Coming to this realisation had further pushed the depressed detective further into his lonesome life of isolation whereby his waking thoughts where utterly consumed by the unknown identity of the Mad Butcher.

  He had taken to heart Ness’s wise words about his newspaper comments but he could see no other potentially beneficial lines of inquiry for investigation other than the one he was currently pursuing. He had to do something else except for sit behind his desk and simply wait for some evidence to miraculously reveal itself when the Mad Butcher was notorious for not leaving anything, with the exception of a few odd items that could strangely never be satisfactorily traced. He would much rather be out in the maze like streets of Kingsbury Run investigating the local community rather than being stuck behind a desk and not achieving anything. Both areas where achieving very little but at least by being within the besieged community he felt as though he was doing something, perhaps even deterring the killer with his mere presence as well as reassuring the locals that the police where doing something.

  Merlyo thought that they had no choice but to relentlessly persevere through this seedy underworld of debauched lies and deceit because the elusive Mad Butcher had left them nothing else to go on. He and his partner had already interviewed more than five hundred people, most of whom which were transients in search of work and had never even heard of the unsolved homicides. Ness’s department as a whole had interviewed more than five thousand people with not even a drop of precious useful information to show for it. The Kingsbury Run transients had no allegiances but to themselves and so most of the interviewed people could make up whatever inventive stories that they liked because they would almost always never be around the feel the consequences of their harmful actions. Merlyo and Zalewski both suspected that this is why the Mad Butcher had selected such a willing pool of vulnerable victims because no one would miss them and their families would simply suspect that the
re uncommunicating loved ones had made a better life for themselves elsewhere.

  Merlyo’s wandering thoughts about the troublesome investigation where then abruptly interrupted by the brightly lit and startling photograph of the Tattooed Man’s decapitated head as it was projected upon the white display board in all of its gruesomely troubling clarity. It was one of Gerber’s photographs of the Tattooed Man’s dismembered head as it lay upon his morgue table with a white towel wrapped around it, giving the distinctively misguiding impression that he was both apparently asleep and at peace. He then realised that the talking Gerber had already moved onto this fifth victim and explained in detail the various complex elements of the tragic unknown man’s death whilst the on looking room remained deathly silent, listening to his every word in baited anticipation.

  Merlyo had always found this eerie image rather puzzling because it looked as though the Tattooed Man was apparently at peace, especially since the white towel that had been cleverly wrapped tightly around his jawline which gave the impression that he was simply sleeping. The grim reality is that he had no body when this peaceful looking photograph had been taken and that he was tortured for a prolonged period of time prior to his traumatic death. He could never quite rationalise these two contrasting emotions of this strangely peculiar image and only took a measure of slight satisfaction in knowing that he had been discovered at all within the labyrinth streets of the downtrodden area.

  This investigation was now officially the biggest ever in Cleveland’s history and because the November mayoral elections where coming up and Ness’s friend, the incumbent mayor Burton, was running for re-election that meant that today’s meeting took on an entirely new level of importance. The popular Burton was expected to win the election again but he was still feeling the pressure from his competitors, specifically about the inability of his new safety director to solve the infamous case. This is yet another reason for this meeting to be arranged by Ness because of the obvious pressure that the mayor was exerting on him from behind the scenes to not only solve the case but also lessen the public attacks on him made by his mayoral competitors.