by Allen Gates
“You’re saying he’s on a mission to prove himself a complete man,” Anne queried.
“Yes, but again that is just a theory that I drummed up in my head from past cases and medical readings.”
161
THE ESTATE THAT Joan Raymore called home was very large and provided Lon with ammunition for several of his predictable self-indulgent remarks.
“You had better stay close to me partner this lady appears to be in a position to get anything she wants. She is probably going to become attracted to me and want me to remain here on this palatial estate with her. You have witnessed how my manly aura works on the female gender. Look how it causes you so much discomfort riding around with me, bringing out your hidden desires.”
“Look in the mirror over your visor. That my egotistical friend is the only one attracted to your manly aura. And besides stud horse, you forget I saw your red faced manly aura dissipate when you were too embarrassed to examine a dead girl’s exposed breast on the table. Lonny boy’s bluff was called. And so, withstanding your manly aura is a piece of cake for me, big talker.”
“Oh sure, you can run Anne, but you can’t hide from the truth,” Lon laughed as he opened the car door.
Anne stepped up to the door and pushed the button. An elderly man answered the door and led them to a receiving room.
“Is he the butler Anne?”
“I would assume so.”
“Well this case is solved, he did it. The butler always does it.”
Anne started to call him an idiot, but was interrupted by Joan Raymore’s appearance. Anne estimated her to be in her fifties, dressed in a tight fitting jogging suit and a long pony tail. She was very attractive and Anne immediately wondered why this lady would ever be in the Roadside Bar?
“Hi, I’m Joan. You must be the Detective Cummings who called me.”
“Yes, and this is detective Towers, my partner.”
“Now then, how can I help you? Before you ask I have already made my donation to the police.”
Lon laughed as Anne assured her they were not after a donation.
“Last night you were at the Roadside correct?”
“Yes, I stopped in for a have-a-see and a drink. I had the one drink and didn’t see, so I left.”
“What’s a ‘have a see?’ ” Lon asked.
She smiled at him and said, “I have a see if there is anyone interesting and alone having a drink.”
Her meaning was clear.
“I enjoy going to those type places. The people are real and most often you can strike up a conversation with an interesting person, much like yourself detective Towers.”
Lon accepted the compliment and smiled a told you so at Anne, who merely rolled her eyes.
“Did you find anybody interesting in your ‘have-a-see’?” Lon asked.
She thought for a second.
“No, not inside. But, a very cute man was looking in the front window as I walked up to the door. I asked him to come in with me, but he refused.”
“Did he say anything as to why he was there looking in the window?”
She answered no.
“I assumed he had left, but later I saw him driving away with one of the young gal’s from the bar. He didn’t see me as I watched them drive by.”
Lon looked stunned.
“I remember saying to him as he passed by, ‘You could have had me.’” She laughed and then said, “That’s a bit conceited sounding isn’t it?”
“Miss Raymore that man you wished had selected you murdered that lady not long after you saw her driving away with him.” The look on her face was one of complete shock.
“You are the only person, to our knowledge, that may have seen the killer. We’re going to ask you to come to the station. We need you to recall everything you can about this guy while his face is still fresh in your mind.
“You can follow us in your car and that will give you time to rethink specific details of your first encounter with him outside the bar and to draw up the image of him driving past you with the victim.
“Based on your memory a composite will be created by our artist from your description. I can’t tell you how important this is. You can be thankful he had this girl picked out before you encountered him.”
“It is hard to believe it could have been me. I guess being at the wrong place at the right time does ring true.”
“Is there any reason you can’t come down to the station now?”
“No, it is no problem. I’ll get my keys and be right behind you.”
162
STEPHANIE HAD FINISHED for the day and was making last minute notations on a patient’s chart, when she heard whistling. Turning toward the bird sounds she smiled as Len approached.
“Not bad Len, sounds like a mocking bird.”
“Thanks Doc. Hey, you want to grab a burger and a coke somewhere?”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I can’t today. I’m meeting someone for a drink, but there is no reason why you can’t join us if you’d like. It’s not a date or anything like that. I’m going to suggest the Rainbow Room as our destination, so come on by.”
She saw his disappointment.
“It’s not a date, Len.”
163
BACK AT THE station Lon determined there was no reason for the both of them to hang around while the artist completed the composite. So, he suggested that Anne take off.
“As soon as she is finished I’ll fax it to you at home.”
Anne gave him the, You are a snake look and got out of the car.
“It’s not what you’re thinking this time, I promise. Yes, she is rich and attractive and as I had predicted she was obviously attracted to me, but I have the reports to go over with the chief. So, why not let you go home and relax?”
“Okay, I’ll go check in, get my messages and then head out for my nightly tonic.”
A deep blue Lincoln Navigator drove up and stopped in the visitor parking spot. Joan Raymore stepped out and walked toward them. Anne looked at her partner ready to resume her harassment of his ogling, but the woman spoke before she could make her comment.
“Okay guys, I’m ready if you are.”
“The artist has been contacted and should be here any minute. Meanwhile we can have a coffee and go over your evening and test your recall. We’ll compile everything you can remember about him to put on paper.”
Anne walked behind them into the station envious of Joan’s stylish way of dressing and the terrific shape she kept herself in. Lon led Joan into the interview room and began listening to her description of the man which matched the same basic description given by Andrea the friend of the victim, but she was able to add a description of the man’s height to the equation.
Anne met the artist as she was walking out and directed her to the interrogation room and left for the night headed for the place that would help her forget a horrific day.
164
STEPHANIE SAW LEO leaning against his car when she stepped through the hospital’s front door and started across the parking lot.
“Nice wheels, Leo! I’m impressed.”
“Thank you kind lady and might I ask if you have a location in mind to indulge in your drink of choice?”
“If it’s all right my polite friend, I would like to go back to the Rainbow Room. It appears to be a fun place and the people seem to be nice and friendly; and, the music is not heavy rock.”
“Then step into your Limo and the Rainbow Room it is.”
The drive was short, but it had given her the opportunity to analyze her impressions of Leo.
“Are you a California born and raised Leo?”
“No, like you I moved here for a change of life style. I was divorced and decided it best to put the past behind me and start over.”
“Did you remain friends with your ex?”
“No, I was bitter and filled with anger toward her. She cheated on me and so I severed all ties.”
They arrived at the Rainbow and were sittin
g at a table enjoying the sounds of Johnny Cash and the Highwaymen when Anne walked in and strode directly to the bar. Angie was behind the bar and they were amused at the exchange of jovial conversation between them.
Anne turned on the stool and saw Stephanie and Leo Trent waving to her. Happy to see a friendly face she walked over to greet them.
“And what, may I ask, are the two of you doing in a place like this? Is there a special occasion?”
“No occasion, Leo simply asked if I would like to have a drink with him and here we are.”
“That sounds like a special occasion to me. I guess I’m jealous. Well, I’ll leave you to your drinks. I have had a very trying day. So, I need to go back and pay attention to my drink sitting over yonder, as they say around these parts. I’ll stop back later when the wonders of alcohol have calmed my nerves.”
As Anne was walking away, Stephanie was glad to see Len walk in the door and stood up to go over and greet him at the bar. She introduced him to Anne then asked him to join her and Leo when he received his drink.
Anne sat stirring the ice in her drink deep in thought about the killer’s description when she realized Johnny had walked behind the bar and was standing in front of her waiting for her to say hello.
She smiled and as she greeted him. For some reason she noted his physical appearance, light hair, good looking. She turned to the man she had just met, light hair and pretty cute. She spun around to view the room and there was Leo Trent fairly light hair and attractive. She was surprised that there were several light haired men in the place. It could be any one of them, she thought.
She looked at Johnny’s hands as he prepared a customer’s order. A ring was on the left hand and a watch on his wrist. Leo wore a ring and a watch. She looked at Len, a good size gold ring. The ring she surmised was not their strongest clue to rely on.
Her second drink consumed, she stood shook hands with Johnny and prepared to leave when Stephanie called out to her. She asked her to sit and have a drink with them and she noticed that Len was now sitting at their table, so she agreed to have one more to be polite.
Sitting down she checked her phone thinking she had been messaged, but it was Leo who had received a page. He excused himself and left the table to call the station.
When he came back he said that it was an important call and it was necessity for him to leave for a short time.
“Listen Stephanie, I’m really sorry about this, but I will return quickly to resume our evening.”
Anne asked if it was police related and he nodded yes.
Another ringing sounded. It was Anne’s phone that rang this time and she was surprised when she realized it was Lon. She heard, “Did you get my fax?
“Oh, no Lon, I haven’t been home yet. I’m still at the Rainbow.”
“Get the fax number for the bar and I’ll fax it to you there. Keep the results totally to yourself and above all keep the fax to yourself. I’m leaving right now and will meet you there.”
She wondered what was so important that had her partner talking a mile a minute. It wasn’t like him to get that excited about anything. As she stood up she was surprised to see Terry Ryan walk through the front door. He caught her eye smiled then sat at the bar.
Johnny brought a round of drinks to the table and Anne asked for his fax number. She repeated it twice to Lon and hung up. As she sat down she took a sip of her drink allowing time for Lon to send his fax. She then started to move to the office to retrieve the fax when Stephanie suddenly stood. Suddenly she began falling, pulling the table with her, and sending drinks and bottles crashing to the floor.
Len knelt beside her and checked her pulse and said it was strong. He checked her airway. He tried to revive her, but after a short time he said, “She hasn’t had enough to drink to pass out like this. Something else is going on with her. I’m going to put her in my car and take her to Santa Barbara Emergency. Call nine-one-one, and tell them I’ll have my emergency lights flashing and blinking my headlights so they will know it’s us. It will save time that way and get her help more quickly.”
With that he left the bar carrying Stephanie.
Anne’s mind kicked in telling her that something was not right here and she wondered if Stephanie could have been drugged.
She looked around the room and asked herself, if so why, as she walked down the hall into the office to retrieve the fax. It was just coming through and as she watched as the top of the head, then eyes, lips, and the full face came through.
“Oh my God, it can’t be!”
Grabbing the sheet from the fax, she stared at the transmitted image in total disbelief. She folded it and put it in her pocket, regained her composure and walked back to the table with the people still standing around in confused disbelief over Stephanie’s situation.
“Stay calm,” she told herself. She scanned the room carefully and realized “he” was no longer tending the bar. Angie walked up to her and informed her that emergency had been called and they were instructed to meet the car carrying her along the highway as was planned.
“I do not like that idea, but I was in the office and could not disprove it.”
“What do you think happened to the doctor, Anne?”
“I have to assume she was drugged. Hopefully if she was drugged it was just a sleep inducement and she will be fine. The question is why would anyone drug her? There is no connection to her and this place or anyone in it.”
Dialing Lon’s number to check on his location, before she could place the phone to her ear, she heard Dixie. She looked and Lon was walking in the door followed by the EM crew.
165
STEPHANIE SLOWLY CAME awake and was stunned to discover that her hands were taped together, and a strip of tape was covering her mouth. She was in a moving car.
“Why is this happening to me and who is driving?” she wondered.
Sitting up as best she could, still very dizzy, she tried to focus on the side of the drivers head and as he turned slightly, she became very confused. “Why would he be doing this to me?”
Hearing movement behind him he turned and looked at her.
“We’re almost there, Stephanie.”
She found it more comfortable to lean against the car door to steady the vertigo she was feeling. Trying to analyze her situation she could not think of a rational reason for any of it. All she could remember was sitting at the table with other people around her.
As he pulled off into the lane he felt the urge begin to rise. It was finally going to become a reality and he could not, nor did he want to, stop it. He heard the good voice inside say, “This is your last time and you will ever make me do this again.”
166
“CAN THIS BE true, Lon? I can’t get my mind around this.”
“Well, Anne as we learned earlier in the murder business it is not always the butler. Listen we’d better get moving. Apparently the plan to meet on the way did not work. The EM boys didn’t pass any auto with flashing lights.”
“Is it possible they missed each other, Anne asked.”
Leo came in the door angry and animated.
“When I was parking someone told me that Stephanie had fallen and was put into a car and taken to the emergency room. What’s wrong with her?”
“We’re not sure, but we think she was drugged and …”
“Look, Lon, what am I missing here? Why would anyone drug Stephanie?”
“We have no idea. The drugging is only our guess. It could be something more serious. Len is a nurse’s aide and took her to the emergency room. He can get quicker attention being an employee there.”
“Len wasn’t the man they saw put her into a car and drive away.”
167
STEPHANIE FELT THE car slow, then turn, and with the crunching sound under the tires she knew they were now on a gravel road. She felt panic setting in. She knew she had to control her fears and keep her wits about her.
Where is he taking me, she asked herself, and reminded herself
of the need to stall for time to allow authorities, who will be looking, to find you.
When she heard the driver opening his door she looked in his direction and the light temporary blinded her, but then she saw him clearly as he got out and closed the door. She followed his movements as he walked around the car and opened the door she was leaning against. He swung her legs to the outside and pulled her to her feet.
“Well Stephanie, we are finally going to be all by ourselves. I’m going to remove the tape from your mouth. Please do not scream or I will immediately place it back over your mouth and you will anger the bad man living inside me. Please do not anger him.”
Stephanie shook her head to let him know she understood.
“Good, you will soon see that I am a much nicer man as I am now.” He touched her hair straightening it.
Stephanie watched as he removed a black case and a blanket from the front seat. In the quiet moment she heard the surf and she knew immediately where she was.
168
“WHAT DO YOU mean it wasn’t Len?
“I mean it wasn’t Len, the guy that was sitting with Stephanie that put her in the front seat of that car. He said with real certainty, it was the bartender driving. I don’t understand what’s happening here.”
“Leo, take a look at this.”
Anne pulled out the rendering and handed it to him.
“That person is the serial killer.”
“We had decided to have Stephanie taken care of before we received this information. Len left here with her and we thought she was on the way to the hospital, until you told us differently.”
“We have sent a description to the dispatcher and they’ll send it to the patrol cars. Now, we have a rendering that has been sent across the media network.”
Suddenly “Dixie” sounded and Lon answered listening intently.
“Thanks officer, I’d like you to stay there and be sure he doesn’t show up.”