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With a Tilt of My Hat

Page 14

by Mary Matuskey


  Bill served in WWII and was being honored by the military with another graveside service, which touched me the most. These servicemen honored him so beautifully. The gun salute gave us all a bit of a fright but also warmed us inside somewhere special. Then the trumpet played “Taps” and that really hit me hard. I’ve heard this song a hundred times and always knew it was for respect of service and of death, but it was all so very different performed for a loved one.

  Now as much as I was sure Bill left to the Heavens after Bryan’s mom said her eulogy in church, he must have returned to play a joke on us. See, as loving and kind as Bill was, he also had a wicked sense of humor. He wanted his casket to be placed in a crypt several feet from the ground. In order to reach that level it must be hoisted by a special machine. Suddenly the machine froze, shut down and wouldn’t turn back on. The groundskeepers had to find a different machine and transfer Bill’s casket onto it.

  But it encountered another problem as the crane arms locked about a foot below the needed height. I actually smiled as I listened to everyone coming up with their version of what they thought Bryan’s grandpa’s spirit was doing. I heard; “He’s teasing us, getting his last laugh.”

  “Always trying to teach us to be patient,” and I thought…he wants us to lift him in there ourselves, hold him one last time, and that is what came to pass. All his grandchildren and children were underneath the casket and they pushed it above their heads.

  Finally, it was in perfect position to enter the opening and be placed into the crypt. What a way to cap off the moment. Everyone laughed and cried when they said, “Goodbye Grandpa, rest in heaven, Bill.” They waved, and the door was shut.

  Chapter 43

  Mrs. Straws was still in Denver; however, Captain Michaels was able to speak with her by telephone. She had no clue to her son’s whereabouts, and denied any anger issues or violent actions regarding them.

  Fike blew fumes in regards to this, his hunch still held strong with the notion of the Straws’ family involvement. He ordered an officer to discretely walk the grounds of the cabin site every other day observing if someone had been there. He explained to the team how the killer murdered in the woods, and the importance the forest has impacted on him.

  “I’ll be in forensics following up with Myrna on the analysis of the jacket and baseball cap that was obtained from Portland,” Fike told Jones. “Hello, Myrna.” Fike smiled, and then asked if she had any results on the fibers from that jacket Captain Clark’s team sent her.

  “Yes, the results are in. Susan and I concur that they are carpet fibers from about twenty years ago. We narrowed it down to an old motel with outdated carpet, pretty dirty too. Remnants of sand, dirt, grass, coffee, and semen were all found and documented on those strands,” Myrna finished.

  “Did she suggest any motel in the outskirts of Portland which may be somewhat run down?” he asked.

  “Susan mentioned several older motels along a northern route which were not rundown, but outdated, and still lured a growing number of tourists. She already passed this information to Captain Clark.”

  Fike watched her move with her long leg strides as she crossed the room to her desk. The act of sensually touching her skin took over his thoughts. He was lost again in fantasies of having Myrna for himself. The phone rang, and from where she stood, she lifted the receiver and said, “Hello.”

  Her backside faced him, the contours darting in Fike’s direction. His desire to touch her became almost overwhelming.

  “Excuse me, Detective Fike, I’m going to be a while on this call. Was there anything else you needed today?”

  “No, thank you, Myrna, just keep me alerted with any new findings,” he told her, hoping his voice did not reflect the lust in his eyes.

  Jones focused on Fike when he entered the office. She explained the newest information received from Captain Clark just moments ago. “The Falls Motel remembered an older couple—the Baxters, who stayed a few nights. The older gentleman claimed some clothes were stolen along with his long trench jacket. He said someone broke into their room and used the shower and ruffled the bed. It appeared this guy just needed a place to clean up and change, the gentleman thought perhaps it was a vagabond.

  “At first Mr. Baxter accused the motel’s maid service, but later found a pair of boxer shorts behind the toilet. All their employees are female except for the outside maintenance crew. That’s when the Baxter’s realized they had been intruded upon. Mrs. Baxter recalled a young man who bumped into her at her motel door. He must have stolen her key. She was later relieved that he did steal it, because she thought she may have misplaced it herself, due to the fact that her husband kept insisting that she had dementia.

  “Clark notified the Baxters, who have returned to their residence in Florida, about the coat. Photographs were emailed to their personal computer and Mr. Baxter acknowledged that it was indeed his jacket. He agreed to a DNA sample for confirmation. That was set up with his primary physician, noting lab results to be copied to the Portland medical examiner. Those results are pending as we speak.”

  “That is great news!” shouted Fike. “I thought the day was a shambles after being denied the warrant. So, did Mrs. Baxter’s description of our suspect match all the others thus far?” Fike asked.

  “Yes, even though he bowed his head toward the ground when he apologized for running into her. Clark stated he believes this man is our killer. The couple did throw out the unknown boxers with the trash, and, given the time lapse since the incident, the room had been cleaned. Officers have gone over the carpet in the room to obtain more fibers in hopes of a DNA match. Since, as the forensics team discovered, the floor is not cleaned very well after each guest departs, we just might get lucky.”

  “Thank you for that insight, Jones, that was very informative. Now, shall we see what we can find here in our own town? I’d like to cruise through the Straw’s neighborhood and talk to the high school principal,” Fike told her.

  “Also, there may be other employees at some of the stores and so forth who were off those days when the officers first did the questioning,” Jones replied. “Let’s question the store employees again, and dig deeper into any rumors that have floated around the neighborhood. I would think by now one person would recognize our suspect’s sketch or at least picked up on the talk of the investigation.”

  Chapter 44

  Bryan, Kari and I dug our bare feet into the cool beach sand as we discussed events of the past two weeks. Bryan had never experienced the degree of pain that flooded his physical and emotional being like when Grandpa Bill died. He said he felt like he was standing still in darkness.

  Kari continued to stay with Bryan at his house. She tried to lessen his pain by holding him, caring for him as he wept with dullness in his eyes. Joanne checked in often, which made Kari happy as her mother bestowed upon her a childlike comfort, one we forget about until it needs to surface again.

  I tried to brush off my guilt because I selfishly enjoyed my time in San Francisco while they were grieving. Kari put a quick stop to my pitiful indulgence, she told me to snap out of it, that I was doing what was needed for me and the band at that time. Further telling me that those days had passed, and our lives must move on.

  Bryan and Kari wanted to change the subject. They insisted on hearing about my sessions of recording VitalWinds and the visual sites of the bay area. I spoke of John’s argument with the tech sound guru regarding how he wanted his cello piece one note higher on a certain classic number. The fight lasted about fifteen minutes until John finally got the respect and answer he wanted.

  Once I passed my anxiousness, I told Bryan how flustered I became and had to leave the studio. The excitement of recording was overwhelming for me as Kari noticed and told me how my face brightened with each event I shared with them.

  For the moment, my friends were back to their old selves, mixing it up with me and having a good time listening to my stories. It felt great to see them laughing again.

>   Bryan wanted to know all about the sea life I encountered and was mad at me for not attending the famous Bay ocean aquarium. He was anxiously waiting for his class trip to Frisco where they would be exploring it in depth through scuba diving. His education had developed him into a focused student; his fascination with biology overtook his life so much that he seldom noticed the long-legged girls anymore. “The ladies are as natural as the grass growing around campus. I still appreciate their beauty, but glance on by,” Bryan said.

  “What, no more lusting and rocketing towards every girl that walks by? That’s hard for me to believe.”

  “Oh, I still lust, I just have it under control now,” Bryan replied.

  “He does.” Kari jumped in with her remark. “However, I’ve seen him on campus and his glance is less than under control. I think he’s full of himself. Those eyes of his bulge outward when he sees those blades of grass he referred to.”

  I laughed so hard I fell backwards in the soft sand and both of them dog-piled on top of me.

  The waves rolled in harder, forcing the whitecaps to show as the water hit the large boulders. The fog thickened; it showed us what nature offered as its spookier side began to dominate the earth. The rain droplets glistened on Kari’s nose. The sight of her aroused me with a desire to lick her face, but instead I stood up and suggested we walk the oceanfront and head back to the car. Today renewed our minds and souls. We embraced our friendship and respected each other’s life goals.

  Bryan, as usual, had a little more bounce in his steps and led the way back up the hillside while Kari and I stopped to cuddle for a passionate kiss. Loud thunder clapped in the sky, which made us move faster as we tried to beat the pouring rain.

  However, the rain got the best of us and we were soaked to the bone. I decided it would be a smart idea to stay at my place for the night. The house was colder than I expected and the dark shadows on the walls portrayed somewhat of a horror scene.

  Bryan started a fire while I lit some candles and turned the stereo on to classical music. We were in agreement about dinner and ordered Chinese from Wangs. Kari set up the Parcheesi board. She had brought some of her favorite childhood games from home and forced us to play with her. Neither Bryan nor I were ever big on board games. We preferred video games. But to indulge our girl, we played once in a while. She usually won each game then bragged to the hilt. I was surprised by my reaction because I felt relaxed and childlike after each game. Actually, that’s when I stopped fighting her about playing the board games, for I realized the uniqueness we acquired.

  Suddenly, I smelled something burning—cigarette smoke or leaves. “Do you smell that odd odor guys?”

  In unison they said, “No, just the fireplace.”

  After we checked the entire inside and outside, I let it go. Another roll of the dice, and I still smelled it, so I got up to recheck the rooms, but the odor seemed to dissipate as soon as I left my spot. I moved slowly back into the patio room wiggling my nose in the air like a rabbit in heat. The odor became stronger. There was no sign of smoke or haze anywhere, and that’s when it became familiar to me—it was cigar smoke. I asked Bryan if he smelled it; again they both denied smelling any odors.

  Another roll of the dice and Bryan won the game, an unbelievable first! After doing his victory dance, cheering and ranting like an eight-year-old girl, he said to me, “Funny, I can smell grandpa’s cigar.”

  “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, guys, I’ve smelt it the whole night.”

  “I think your grandpa’s been visiting us,” Kari said.

  The three of us smiled at each other and we privately held our own thoughts.

  Chapter 45

  Fike entered the convenience store and held up the sketch along with the photograph Mr. Johnson took of our suspect at the Radcliffe pier. No doubt in anyone’s mind that the two were identical. This time the woman behind the counter was more cooperative in answering their questions. Her name was Judith; she’d worked here for about a year now. Judith stated she got the job immediately when she and her sister moved from Idaho. She said the photograph resembled the same guy who hung out with her sister’s friend Jacob. She couldn’t recall the guy’s name, but she did know where Jacob Moore lived. Fike asked if she would write out her sister’s name and address, and she complied.

  Judith added, “My sister Beth, in my opinion has always been a little disturbed, and out there.”

  * * * *

  Jacob wasn’t home but his roommate had no problem giving up the address of his employment. He worked in the shipping area for an auto parts company about ten minutes away. When Jones and Fike approached the parking lot, it was being robbed.

  There were two men wearing blue ski masks. One of the men had a semi-automatic gun and the other man held a bag. Several people were on the floor, and two men, who were probably clerks, stood behind the counter. Fike parked the car further away so it appeared as if they were going to the fast food joint in the next parking lot. The POP POP of gunshots sounded above the noisy city. An explosion immediately followed and they ducked for cover. Jones snatched up her phone and called for backup.

  The robbers headed towards a gold Chevy 1976 Malibu that was parked at the side of the store building.

  Fike ran to the Malibu, with his gun drawn, and shot at the car tires. Then he aimed at the windshield and shot once more. The driver sagged over the steering wheel; his car slid halfway into traffic. An oncoming truck crashed into the driver’s side. The car spun out of control several times until it stopped against a cement wall.

  Jones moved and stood by Fike’s side. “Ambulance and back-up should be here in two minutes.”

  Everyone who was in the store stepped out to witness the events. The explosion prior to this was merely a small smoke bomb one of the robbers threw. A few of the shoppers held their hands over their eyes, but from what Jones could see, no one was badly hurt. Fike recognized one of the store clerks; he could barely make out the guy’s nametag: Jacob. Jones followed Jacob and decided to question him on today’s crime scene. She’d speak to him later about the murder cases.

  After all the statements were taken, including Fike and Jones’, they went into the fast food place for a bite. Most of the crowd had gone home, or had been taken to the hospital. The driver was dead, and his partner critical. Jacob and two others came in for a burger just as they finished eating the last fries. That’s when Fike approached him. “Let’s go outside, I have a few more questions for you.” Fike pushed the photograph and sketch angrily into Jacob’s face. “Who is this man, and how long have you known him?”

  Jacob held the photograph, squinted his eyes then he lowered his head, and replied, “I don’t know this man. Why are you asking me about him?”

  Fike ignored his remark, and continued. “What about your girlfriend, Beth. What was the relationship like with the three of you?” Fike asked.

  “My girlfriend and I broke up, so I don’t know who she hangs out with anymore.”

  “Listen Jacob, this man has murdered three people. He will continue to kill more, so please help us find him. Honestly, do you really want to be connected with a murderer? Because when I find out that you are lying, which won’t take me long to do, I’ll discover that you and he have been partners all along! Got it? Now answer me!”

  Jacob moved across the parking lot with Fike at his heels, before he turned to face him. “I might have known that guy a long time ago.”

  “I’m listening,” Fike replied.

  “It might sound kind of sick to you and other people what the three of us liked to do together, I mean sexually. We never hurt anyone. We just got off on watching each other. There were times we brought in a stranger to participate with us.”

  “You mean to rape, to tie up, to beat, to whatever? That’s violating a person, that’s hurting someone, Jacob!”

  “I didn’t violate anyone, it was consensual. Mainly I was doing it with this guy Sal I met up with, or at least that’s what he call
ed himself. And yeah, he looked pretty much like the man in your photograph but with shorter hair. Sal enjoyed watching us while he fondled himself and stroked the new partner we took in for the night. One guy in particular he got off on, although for some reason he never touched him. Sal was a very weird guy, very depressed, and angry all the time. He always said stuff like, ‘needing comfort, something familiar’.” Jacob said, in an anxious tone.

  “Holy shit,” Fike said. “Where did you meet this Sal?”

  “At a club, it’s not a bad place. Men and women, all kinds go there, I’ve never seen any problems. So, don’t be thinking people kill or hurt each other there. I mean it’s a cool joint.”

  “Where the hell did you meet him—the name of the joint!” Fike yelled.

  “XXXLadies Club.”

  Chapter 46

  Jones leaned against a car in the parking lot and discreetly listened to Fikes’ entire conversation. She approached Jacob with handcuffs, grabbed his arms behind his back, and proceeded to read Jacob his rights. She told him he would be held in custody for further questioning. Jones then made a phone call to Captain Michaels; she replayed the incident, and asked him if he would obtain a warrant to search Jacob’s car and apartment, along with a warrant to search the XXXLadies Club.

  Back at the station, police officers had picked up Beth and she now waited in the interrogation room. No one had questioned her thus far. She sat cross-legged and alone with a can of soda when Fike entered. “Hello, I’m Detective Chris Fike. Have you been briefed on the reason why you’re here?”

  “Yes, the officer told me you picked up Jacob for knowing Sal. This is all a bunch of crap, you fucking cops. We citizens can’t even choose the people we want to hang out with!” Beth yelled.

  “Take it easy, Beth. Let me explain what’s happened over the previous months that led us to you. First of all, there have been three murders. Well actually, four have taken place under three cases. All these murders seem to involve this man Sal with whom you are friends. Now tell me what have you been doing with Sal, and where have you been in the past several months?”

 

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