With a Tilt of My Hat

by Mary Matuskey

  Ryan called for me. I turned and re-entered the office where I was introduced to a lovely lady named Jean, who was the photographer, and then to Kellie, a young journalist. I extended my hand to Kellie, when I heard Bo Bo and John enter the front door.

  Several minutes later, we all went into the living room, then Ryan entered carrying a tray of cocktails and water. “Alright everyone, please take a glass and let’s toast to prosperity.”

  Minutes became hours when daylight turned to night. Our hands and fingers grew stiff from all the signing. I agreed with Ryan that it was a lot of fun, physically holding our CD and signing our names to them. Kellie and Jean were more than satisfied with the interview we gave them. Jean promised to deliver several of the photos to Ryan within the next couple of days.

  Ryan looked forward to choosing the best photograph for the poster that would hang in the Seattle nightclub. He told Jean he wanted fifty additional copies made for personal signings. One photo in particular, he said, of just me leaning over my guitar.

  Ryan handed us copies of our agenda for the next two months. Bygone Era club would be the first club to promote our CD. First the band would continue as usual, performing Thursday to Sunday evenings. The lineup would be based solely off the recordings from our CD and in that particular order. No changes were permitted unless there was a request from a patron. We must still honor our Portland people with the utmost respect for their continued dedication to VitalWinds.

  Ryan then said, “There’s a rental van on hold for our drive to Seattle. We’re set to arrive there two days prior to opening night. This will allow for set-up and lighting time.” He finished with, “These are the requirements for Blue Waterfront that also allowed time for practicing. Three hotel rooms were reserved for us, compliments of the Waterfront staff, and Bo Bo—the hotel is pet friendly, so you can bring Derelict.”

  “Hey, thanks man. Right on track, thinking about us, but I already made arrangements with Paul in Tillamook. Derelict loves the country life and he has a canine lady friend awaiting him on the farm.”

  Finally, with all the plans set, John called it a night and we separated into our own cars and went home.

  Chapter 52

  What the hell is that noise, that fucking disturbing music? Damn, it’s my phone ringing. No one calls me. I am the only one who calls out. Fucking bastards bothering me, I’m not talking now! My head is pounding so fucking loud. The beating sounds worse than ever before, banging bongo drums pulsating at my temple!

  The rustling sound of branches leaves crackling with the wind, birds chirping while squirrels raced up the tree trunk nestling in their nest.

  “How did they get to be so damn loud?” Jay shouted to the blank walls. There was a time when I enjoyed those sounds, but now it’s painful. Please let me sleep, please shut out the noises!”

  He shivered, bound tightly within the blankets, and fell asleep in the frozen old cottage. I’m awake all alone, except for the dead guy in the closet. He should have listened to me. All he had to do was take the cash and keep quiet for a few days. Trusting bastard made me kill him just so I could sleep here.”

  Jay had counted the cottages on his way in; there were twelve. These two were set further back from the rest. “Private cottages, some people want total privacy—like me,” Jay spoke out loud. This cabin had been closed for repairs. The handyman informed Jay that he’d be working on it during the rest of the week.

  I would have walked away from the guy except he kept on badgering me. The bastard talked as if he knew me, kept asking all sorts of fucking questions about my family and shit.

  Furiously, Jay hit him with the guy’s own hammer. He had to—had to shut out the noise. Actually, Jay just didn’t hit the handyman; he plundered his head filling the skull with multiply craters before he dragged the heavy body into the closet. Blood, radiant red blood splattered on every wall. The blood pooled on the floor where it was now sticky and cold.

  Goddamn phone keeps beeping with a voicemail alert. I recognized Beth’s voice and wondered why the hell she would be bothering me? Damn it, I want everyone to stay away from me!

  “Sal, it’s your girl. You know which one, the great contortionist. The cops are saying you killed a bunch of people. They questioned me at the police station. I told them I don’t know anything! You’re not a killer; just a little messed up, right? Miss ya, baby. Bye.”

  Not a killer, then why is there a dead man in my closet? Shit, I’m a fucking killer! I’ve become a sadistic fucked-up man. How could my feelings of wanting closeness with another human being turn me into this? These sick twisted desires are so fucking gross inside me; they are just tormenting me to let them out!

  Shhh, someone is coming. I heard outside noises on the ground.

  Jay grew increasingly paranoid. He moved the corner of the window curtain open just enough to peek out. Calmness washed over his skin, wonderful soothing sensations relaxed his mind when he inhaled. A few feet from the cottage stood three deer grazing on nubs of grass. Jay rested his chin on his folded hands upon the windowsill, and took in this awesome event. “I love the deer,” he whispered.

  A memory unfolded before his eyes, which placed him in a dreamlike state. He visualized beautiful children standing in the tall grass playing catch with a ball. Young Jay ran backwards and looked up into the sky following the soar of the ball. Wow, he caught a high fly ball and giggled when it hit the pocket of his new baseball glove.

  Great catch.

  The thunder clapped loud bringing him smack dab back to reality. He was in a cottage, a place he’d rather not be. Startled by the lightning crack, he took a step away from the window, but remained focused on the deer. He watched them run into the forest for shelter. Shudders from the earth’s thunder roared even louder. The coldness from outside entered through the wood floor, causing him to shiver more. Darkness bestowed sadness that evoked dreariness within him; he huddled on a chair with a blanket.

  Chapter 53

  A woman, about fifty years’ old, wearing blue jeans and a button-up red blouse, had just entered the Straw’s family cabin. Officer Green guessed it was Elizabeth Straw’s place. He focused on the windows, and noticed her shadow moving about the rooms. The front door opened, and she placed an iron statue of a deer near its base to keep it from closing. The flow of classic rock music could be heard through the doorway. She then stepped back inside the house.

  Officer Green moved towards the cabin and knocked hard on the outer doorframe. He did a quick scan over the living quarters while waiting for her response. A couple of framed photographs were on the fireplace mantel. There was a nice photo of a family, and one with two young boys holding a string of fish.

  “Yes, can I help you?” asked Elizabeth.

  Mrs. Straws stood in front of him with her sandy blonde hair tied back held by an orange band. He smiled at her, removed his baseball cap, and bowed like a gentleman, then intruded himself, leaving out the fact he was a police officer.

  “Bob Green, here, ma’am, I was just in the area. I’m interested in building myself a cabin in these woods. I heard music coming from this site and hoped you’d be kind enough to offer me a glass of water.”

  She looked hesitant, a bit uncertain to have this stranger at her doorstep. “Well, yes, of course you can, would you mind if I brought it outside to you? Please go sit down, there’s a table and chairs to the left side of the cabin.”

  “Thank you, I’ll go over there.”

  Elizabeth sat across from him and sipped her water; Bob tried to resist the fact that he felt physically attracted to her. He consciously became aware of his gestures, because he was somewhat smitten with her. Bob spoke in a precise tone when he asked her about the framed photos.

  “Those are my sons. That picture was taken about a decade ago. Same with our family photo, both were taken around the same time. My husband recently passed, and my two boys, of course they’re grown men now, moved out of state,” Elizabeth said.

  “Sorry for y
our loss. Where did your sons move?” Bob hoped for some facts that would help with the murder investigation.

  “I’m not quite sure where they are. I received an email from my son Steven several months ago. He met a young lady and told me he was happy. He’s trying to make a life for himself in Oregon,” Elizabeth said, proudly.

  “Beautiful state, Oregon is. Have you been there?” Bob asked.

  “No, I’ve always lived in Washington, born and raised here. We seldom traveled.” Quiet and still for a moment, Elizabeth’s eyes gazed deep into the distant trees, lost in a memory. “Well, Bob, it was nice to meet you, but I have to get back inside now.”

  Once again Bob nearly blushed as he soaked in her features. Cautious of his desire in wanting to know her better, and feeling embarrassed, he drank the last swallow of water from his glass. Just then Bob realized she never told him her name. “Thank you for your time, ah…”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m Elizabeth.”

  “Elizabeth, that’s a beautiful name. Are you going to keep the cabin now that your family has moved?” Bob asked.

  “Funny you should ask. That’s the main reason I’m here today. I have to sort through some personal items to pack up so I can list the cabin for sale.”

  “That may be a touch of good fortune having met you today. Perhaps I could browse around to see if it meets my requirement,” Bob asked.

  Elizabeth felt uncomfortable and put up her guard. She answered no. “Not at this time, Bob. Would you like to come back in a few days? I think it would best to show my property once it is officially on the market.”

  “Yes, that makes more sense. That’s fine with me,” Bob replied, “say, Wednesday morning around eleven?”

  “Perfect. See you then.” Elizabeth waved from the front door.

  * * * *

  “Detective Fike, this is Officer Green calling from the grounds of the Straw family cabin.”

  “What do you have for me, Green?”

  Bob informed him of the conversation with Mrs. Straws.

  “No, you have to get in there today, Green. There may be evidence she’s packing into boxes to remove in order to protect her son,” Fike demanded.

  “I tried, sir, but she’s alone and protective of herself. She is unaware that I’m a police officer. We merely chatted like new acquaintances; I don’t believe she will allow a stranger inside.”

  “I understand. If she is that anxious, we don’t want to push her away. Stay in the woods; keep observing her. Call me back when she is through packing her belongings. Furthermore, when she has left the cabin, I want you to check out the grounds more closely, especially peek through each window. However, do not disturb anything.”

  “Yes sir, will do.” Bob ended the call.

  A sense of unprofessionalism crept inside him. He felt uneasy watching Elizabeth. After spending the afternoon with her and enjoying what he saw in Elizabeth, he now felt more like a peeping Tom than a police officer.

  Hours passed; the sun was low as it bounced off Bob’s binoculars, which caused a beam effect onto the cabin’s siding. He desperately hoped Elizabeth hadn’t spotted any glares coming from them. Bob removed them from his eyes and let them rest against his chest just to be cautious. That’s when he heard the cabin door slam.

  Another door slammed and a car engine revved. She must be finished for the day; nothing suspicious noted here to report to Detective Fike.

  Chapter 54

  The town of Astoria radiated with Victorian charm. Bright boardwalks and pathways led to unique houses, many shaped like birdhouses. Officer Pete breathed in the salty air and watched an old sea captain swab the deck of his boat.

  Clanging sounds were heard from the trolley car that passed by; the tourists waved hello when they glided down the street.

  “It’s absolutely breathtaking. I wish we were here on vacation instead of investigating,” said Jones.

  “Well, there’s nothing wrong with viewing some of the town once we’ve finished here,” Officer Pete answered once he’d crossed the road. “What is that paper you are holding?” asked Pete.

  Jones showed him the map of the cabin sites in the area that she had obtained from a clerk. “They are located just a few miles from here. Get in the car—I’ll drive.”

  The first six cabins faced forward on their foundations just a couple yards from the parking lot. Two more rows of six followed in suit behind them. Bells hung on the door handle and chimed when Jones entered the first. In the lobby, they were greeted by a man and a lady, who appeared to be in their early seventies.

  “Good day, I’m Detective Jones from Washington State, and this is Officer Pete. We are hoping that you may be able to help us in investigating several murders that took place in Portland.”

  The old man spoke while chomping on his loose dentures. “Yes, we saw the horror of that recently on the news channel. What makes you think we can help you?”

  “Do you recall seeing this girl?” Jones held up a photo of Beth.

  Before anyone could respond to Jones’ question, a red-haired lady entered through an archway behind the old couple. “Can I be of assistance? I’m Clare, the office manager. These folks are my parents, Ed and Edith. They own these rental cabins.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Clare. We were wondering if any of you might recognize the lady in this photograph,” Jones said again.

  Clare took the photograph and immediately remembered the girl. “Yes, I’ve seen her. I believe her name is Beth. She came in not too long ago. Paid in cash for a one night’s stay, told me she had just arrived from Washington on the greyhound bus.”

  “Would you please check your records to see which cabin she stayed in?” Officer Pete asked.

  “Yes, officer, give me a moment and I will print out a copy of her receipt,” Clare said.

  “I’ll walk you over there myself,” Ed offered, excited to be a part of the investigation.

  “I have one more question before we go. Was this man with her?” Jones held up our suspect’s photograph of Jay or Jacob, whatever name he was calling himself.

  The elderly couple stared closely at the photo. Clare answered first, stating she believed Beth was alone, although the couple thought he resembled the guy they saw racing around their parking lot driving a Mustang.

  “I saw Beth get into his car the next morning.” Ed came around the front counter carrying the room keys.

  Detective Jones and Ed then went outside and together followed the wooded path to the second row of cabins. Ed spoke proudly of his establishment; he explained how each cabin was cleaned the moment a guest left. “Preparation for the next guest is very important. It’s one of the main aspects of receiving client referrals. I have never seen any acts of violence take place while Edith and I held ownership. We have excellent people who stay with us,” Ed said, sternly.

  “I’m sure they are. However, do you recall finding anything weird, perhaps some kind of item that was left in Beth’s room?” Jones asked, trying not to offend Ed.

  “I don’t check the cabins myself, young lady. We have a cleaning crew, and a lost and found box too, which I don’t go prying through. All the items are kept for one week, and if they are unclaimed then they are up for grabs for the staff.”

  “That is a great policy, sir, but do you recall hearing about anyone who found something from her room?” Jones asked.

  “No, I told you I do not,” Ed practically yelled.

  “Hi, Ed, how are you doing today? You’re looking smooth as silk today.” A young lady with a cart standing by a door told him in a lighthearted manner.

  “You’re pretty slick, too, Julie,” Ed shouted back to the woman who was pushing a linen cart a few doors away from us. “That’s one of our cleaning ladies.” Ed unlocked cabin number eight.

  “Wait, please. Julie, is it?” Jones ran after her. “Excuse me, I’m Detective Jones. I was hoping you could help us with an investigation. Do you recall finding anything out of the ordinary that was left beh
ind in cabin number eight?”

  Julie blushed. “Actually, I’m a bit embarrassed to say this. I really didn’t know what it was used for—thought it was a broken necklace at first glance. Found it under the bed. It was a metal chain of balls. Four blue ones, which were all different sizes strung together on a chrome chain, that was about six inches long,” she said.

  “Did you happen to find it after a girl named Beth checked out?”

  “Why, yes, I did, usually I don’t recall the guest names. But this item was such an odd-looking thing, so I tagged it like we usually do and wrote room #8 on it. I continued to be curious about the item, so after cleaning the total rooms on my shift that day, I checked the guest roster to see who had slept there. I didn’t know until later that it was a sex toy.”

  “Thank you very much, Julie.” Jones lightly touched Julie’s arm. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. However, if you happen to recall anything else from the people who stayed in that room, please call me.” Jones handed her a business card.

  Julie put the card in her pocket. “No, that’s it, but I think that chain is still in the L&F box.”

  “Great, thank you, we may have a little luck after all. I’ll check it out.” Jones walked back into the cabin where Ed was waiting.

  In the room, she found Ed sitting in a chair with his gaze glued to the television. He didn’t even glance up. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for a cabin. She didn’t find any undiscovered items hidden in the cracks of the floor or bathroom. So, they proceeded back to the front office to look in the lost and found. At the bottom corner of the L&F box, stuck in the crevice lay the shiny blue chain.