Murder Mysteries

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  By the time the picnic lunch arrived, the rain was coming down like a fall storm. The chief complained the rotten weather was bothering his arthritis. So far spring had, according to the calendar, been late in arriving. Nobody gave a thought as to Nature following a calendar. That was a human thing; not the cycle of reality.

  Soon the three detectives were driving north to the state park where the road to the north jetty and the famous Bandon Lighthouse was located. In recent years a nice road had been constructed for tourists to visit the lighthouse and view the seldom, but beautiful sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.

  Lately there'd been few visitors because of the inclement weather. When they arrived at the parking lot near the jetty and lighthouse, only a few cars were there. It was still raining but the wind had died off indicating that maybe in a few hours the rain would stop. They detectives decided lunch in the SUV was best.

  "I haven't been here in years," said Ben. I did hear that the North Jetty was blessed with a concrete sidewalk to the end. On a nice day the sights of Old Town with the lighthouse in front would be a nice picture."

  "I was out here a month ago as some old lady called to say she'd lost her cat at the lighthouse. I told her we didn't classify animals as missing persons. You know what she told me," as she took a bite of pizza, "she said she'd donate $1000 to the animal shelter if I found her damn cat."

  "Well, Detective Stacy, what pray tell did you do," said Rory with a bulging mouthful of chicken leg plus the thigh.

  "I jumped into my new car and went to the lighthouse. I got lucky, as the place was almost empty save the guide. I told him my story and he said he heard some cat crying up in the top somewhere. He told me that he'd been so busy counting the cars coming and going that he'd no time for stray cats."

  Both Ben and Rory were cracking up. Ben shook his head and said, "I want to meet this guy. Do you suppose he's here today?"

  "Probably is. I went up and found the stupid cat. I had a can of tuna with me. The big, and I mean big, fluffy cat came out and wolfed down the whole can. It must have weighed twenty pounds. Old Mrs. Latterhock was so happy she wrote out a check before I left."

  "Great story with a happy ending," said Rory. Now don your rain hats and let's go find the rest of the body."

  -Three-

  For our three local detectives sightseeing wasn't in their vocabulary. From the lighthouse, the end of the jetty was perhaps a little over two hundred yards. At the very end, protruding out into the ocean, a small finger of rock and concrete topping went about twenty feet allowing the tourist a feeling of being one with the power of the ocean.

  Along the way, driftwood was piled up on top of the jetty from violent storms leaving a sign of its strength at times. While they walked slowly down the jetty searching both sides for any sign of a human and/or human body parts, Stacy was between the two men. Rory with his above average height had the ability to see more than the other two less tall detectives. Nothing was seen until almost at the end where the 'finger' poked out into the sea.

  "Hey guys, I think I see something on the north side of the jetty," said Rory. Stacy and Ben hurried up to stand by Rory who was looking into a pocket or enclave just to the side of the finger where some driftwood sat surging back and forth. The pocket was about the size of a small swimming pool.

  Stacy stared down into the sea looking hard an object that appeared to be a human body surging back and forth face down. "I think we found the mate to the arm," said Rory.

  "What can we do at this point," said Stacy. "How can we retrieve the body so Marsha can determine what we have here?"

  "I think we need a net that's weighted on the edges. I saw it on TV one time," said Ben.

  "I'll call the station and see if some firemen can come and take a look," said Stacy. "Rory you'd best call Marsha who will not be happy to be driving back and forth," said Stacy while dialing up Flo.

  "Flo, would you call the fire dept and have them bring a net to the north jetty. We found a body that needs taken out of the water. Also send a patrol car to set up a crime scene protection area. Tell the chief I'll call him after awhile," said Stacy.

  "I'm on it Stacy. James will on his way soon. The chief is still out to lunch, but I'll tell him when he comes back in. Good luck," said Flo.

  Stacy wanted a closer look. She and Rory carefully made their way down the steep side of the cement and rock wall to within about fifteen feet of the surf. Peering at the body Stacy could see what looked like some ragged flesh just at the right shoulder. The back of the body rode the surge back and forth. A few peck marks denoting flying birds sampling the meat. Stacy thought, it's been in the water for about four days now. I wonder about fingerprints, dental records and some way to ID this guy.

  ""Hey what you thinking about Stacy," said Rory who looked up and saw the clouds breaking up. The rain was down to a sprinkle now. It could be a nice afternoon for the living, but not for the dead man in the seawater sloshing back and forth.

  The first to arrive was James Fletcher the youngest of the patrolmen. He usually worked nights, but today was special for him. Dan Swollow had a dentist appointment in Coos Bay for some root canal work. They'd traded shifts. James was ecstatic he was involved in a homicide. After parking his patrol car, he literally ran to the end of the jetty to receive instruction on what to do from Stacy.

  He came to the edge and looked over seeing her and Rory staring at a blob sloshing back and forth in the sea. Stacy looked up and said, "James, are the firemen coming soon?"

  "Yes, I saw them gathering at the station as I drove by. As it's not an emergency, it will take awhile for all to arrive at the station house. My father is a volunteer as is my uncle."

  Stacy was hoping they'd come soon as she didn't want the body to be damaged anymore than it already was. Her thinking went back to the call to the Coast Guard about a girl's daddy being thrown into the ocean. It was clear in her mind that the two events were tied together. The answer would be not so long in coming how the two came together to make sense.

  "Here they come," said James. "What do you want me to do Stacy?"

  "Make sure that no sightseers come snooping around following the fire engine. Our local newspaper guy might show up and that's okay. Go back and put a crime scene tape across the jetty walkway just to make sure the curious stay away. The coroner is on her way with her CSI team. Of course let them through," said Stacy.

  Not long after James left to keep guard of the jetty, the fire truck arrived with its volunteer firemen. The city could not afford a full time on call firemen, but they could afford good equipment. The 'old timer', James father Tim was the leader of the team. He'd been on call for the last twenty five years. With his son at his side, he quickly came upon the scene. Stacy met him on top of the jetty. She quickly told him the situation and at once he took in the problem.

  "Not to worry Stacy, we'll have him out in no time." He turned to his second in rank and told him to fetch two short ladders and the net he'd barrowed from a fisherman friend. Stacy, Rory and Ben stood back and watched.

  The ladders were place at the top of the jetty to the rocks below. That gave them something to walk on that was secure. Tim walked expertly down the ladder with the fishing net. With his boots on, he waded out a little and then tossed the net the remaining five feet over the body when the surge came in. He let it sink over the body and slowly pulled it in. Another fireman helped to carefully drag the body up out of the water. Two more firemen brought down a stretcher. They placed the body on the stretcher and walked up the 30 degree ladder to the top of the jetty. James took a tarp and placed it over the body while they waited for the pathologist to arrive. The total time was less than twenty minutes by Stacy's reckoning.

  "Tim, great job. Bandon is proud of you guys. I'll make sure the mayor hears about what a good job you guys did today," said Stacy.

  Tim and team held their heads high. "Thanks Stacy. Our boys train hard and receive little praise for their efforts. Call us anytime. Now we hav
e to return to our jobs," said Tim.

  Not long after they left, Marsha made her second trip to Bandon in one day. Stacy watched her take quick steps down the jetty to do her job. She noticed Marsha had a grim look on her face. She was all business this afternoon.

  Dr. Stone ignored the detectives and pulled back the tarp. She stood back while the photographer did his job. It gave her and Stacy time to take stock of what lie on the cold cement of the jetty. Stacy didn't recognize the man at all. It would be difficult to see what he looked like before being thrashed against the rocks from an on shore flow of never ending surf. Also, it was not to mention the predators feasting on free food passing their way.

  Stacy noticed the man had dark brown hair rather short. No beard. He was a little stocky without any extra fat for a middle age man of undetermined years. However, Stacy guesses maybe less than forty years old. Indeed the right arm was missing and flaps of skin hung around a white bone of the shoulder. No shirt, but the pants were still attached, but in tatters. No shoes or socks.

  After the photographer had finished, Marsha went to work with her examination. Stacy and Rory stood there while Ben walked around looking at the corpse from all directions. It didn't take Marsha long to do her job. She stood up and said, "I'd say again it's around three or four days he's been in the water. I'll do the autopsy tomorrow morning if you'd like to join me."

  "Thanks Marsha. Is there anything else you can tell us from your first look," said Stacy.

  "The cause of death is yet to be determined. I felt the skull and didn't find any indication of blunt force trauma, but then the lungs will tell us if he drowned. I'd say he's thirty five to forty, male of course, weight about hundred and eighty. No visible calluses so he could be a professional. The pants, what's left of them, are rather expensive. The teeth are well taken care of. That's about it Stacy. See you tomorrow," said a smiling Dr. Stone.

  Rory was looking at his smart phone. He'd taken a close up of the face and stood there rubbing his chin. Stacy asked, "You know this guy Rory?"

  "Maybe I do. He sort of looks familiar, but I can't place him. It will come to me after pie and coffee at the restaurant,'' said a laughing Rory to a scowling Stacy Foreham.

  Ben walked up after starring at the Pacific Ocean for a few minutes. He said, "I think I know who it is. I could be mistaken but it sure looks like Judge Guy Nethers to me."

  "Yes, you're dead right Ben and no pun intended," said Rory. He lives in Coos Bay but holds court in Coquille."

  "He's a nice guy as Judges go," said Ben. He was fair, but some criminals hate being treated fair. If it's him, then we must look at who he put away and their release dates. I know he's married and has a disabled or handicapped daughter"

  "How come nobody has reported him missing," said Stacy.

  "Good question, but I'm sure before the day is out you can tell us why he's not on the MIA list," said Rory.

  "It is late afternoon and I'm game for a sit down snack at the restaurant," said Stacy.

  "A woman after my heart," said Roy, "so lets go man go."

  All the way back, about a twenty minute drive, Stacy wondered why someone would murder the Judge. Kill him yes, but why chop off the arm. And why the call to the Coast Guard? Where is the wife in all of this missing person business? The motive resides in his past participation in court and not necessarily with a disgruntled felon. It's the quiet ones that are the most dangerous. I'll talk to father about this Judge Nethers later, as they pulled into the parking lot.

  "You're awful quiet," said Rory as he ordered both pie and cake with milk. Ben had a banana shake while Stacy drank ice tea thinking about summer coming soon she hoped.

  "Just thinking Tall Man. How come the wife didn't call in missing persons and where or what is the daughter in all of this mess," asked Stacy.

  "Let's hit your desk after this snack and make a few calls," said Rory wolfing down the chocolate cake leaving frosting on his chin. Stacy took a napkin and wiped it off seeing a chocolate toothy smile from Rory.

  ''Yes, as soon as you finishing stuffing your face we'll go back to work," said Stacy. His face turned a shade of red while he looked around to see if anyone overheard the poke in the ribs.

  Across the street at the police station, Flo handed Stacy a message from the Coast Guard. A phone number was asking her to return the call. They proceeded to her office where taking up her new board marker she wrote the questions she'd been thinking about. On the other half she wrote down the name, Judge Guy Nethers [bio]

  Stacy said, Ben would you call the Coast Guard and see what they want," asked Stacy. Rory please call and get a list of the last five years of the Judge's cases. I'll call his house and see if I can talk to his wife."

  All three went to work. Ben finished first and wrote on the board: Guy Netters called the Coast Guard five days ago to say he was going fishing on the Coos Bay jetty. The Guard says he always told them where he was going in case of an accident. He also told them he was taking a five day vacation fishing up the coast. They told me that's the only record of anybody calling in the last two weeks. Rory waited for Stacy to finish her talking to the wife.

  When Stacy hung up the phone she stared at the object she'd just sat in its cradle. Rory and Ben both waited for her to look up and tell them what was what. Finally she said, "I talked to Mrs. Nethers, first name Gerrie about her husband. She was totally flustered and it was difficult to understand her. I told her I'd come visit tomorrow and she agreed. The drift I got was Guy went fishing for a week's vacation. He told her not to worry as he'd contacted the Coast Guard. She was fine for a couple days and then heard nothing from him. It's been five days today and she is in a panic. I also asked her if she had a daughter and she told yes, an eleven year old girl that was a little mentally handicapped. She's staying with her grandmother up in Reedsport.

  I get the feeling she is not telling me the truth or at least only part of the truth. I'll know more tomorrow after the autopsy when I see her face to face," said Stacy.

  "There're compiling a list of the Judge's cases. They'll start with five years ago first and work up. It'll take some time and also some long hours of reading. Mrs. Nethers will need to come and ID the body. However, that might not be a good a time to interview her. Well, what more can we do today or should we call it a day and retire to dinner," said Rory.

  "Sorry to disappoint you Rory, but I need some quiet time to think and talk to the chief about the case. I'll see you both in Coos Bay tomorrow am," said Stacy. Both detectives got up to leave. Rory left with a hangdog look as he'd love to sit and stare at her. Ben told him to take it easy and let it develop. Patience will provide dividends he added.

  After they left, it was very quiet in her office. She saw it was almost half past six and her father would be home fixing dinner. Stacy was very lucky as her father loved to cook and she wasn't so bad either. She picked up the phone and dialed home. "You need anything dad from the store?"

  "I forgot some sourdough bread to go with our salads. That's it. When you coming," he asked.

  "Right now and I'll be there shortly," Stacy said hanging up.

  -Four-

  Fresh from a hot shower, Stacy dressed in sweats, sat at the table salivating, smelling sourdough bread with cheese being melted under the broiler in the oven. A giant green salad sat in the middle of the table. Side dishes of chicken, ham, shrimp and crab was your choice for protein on your salad.

  "Dad I guess you know we think we ID the body as Judge Guy Nethers. What can you tell me about him, if anything?"

  "I know a little but not a lot about him. He's got a good reputation as being a fair and honest judge. He lives in Coos Bay and holds court in Coquille. I know he's married, but not sure of the offspring count. A judge like him is subjected to many threats of bodily harm from disgruntled felons. Most of it is just hot air, but occasionally retribution takes place. If in fact it is the judge, then it's 90% fact someone who faced him in court is responsible for the homicide," said her father a
s he turned off the oven, pulled out the hot bread lining them up on a tray with a towel to keep them hot. "Let's eat my daughter the detective."

  After dinner Stacy cleaned up and then went to the living room to finish the discussion of the case. Chief Ray was ready knowing full well this was their time to bond and share family warmth. "Stacy, I remember about five or so years ago, the judge had a particularly high profile case of scamming investors out of their life savings. I'll summarize knowing you'll need to read the transcripts. The man was found guilty and Judge Nethers sentenced the man to eight years prison time. The defendant screamed at the judge for such a harsh sentence. Others felt and me too, that the sentence was not harsh at all. He'd bilked investors out of a few million dollars and only a few thousand was returned."

  "Do you remember his name," asked Stacy.

  "Give me a minute and it'll come back very soon. There was one guy who got taken that I knew fairly well. He'd invested his life savings and mortgaged his dairy farm he really believed in the guy. Ah, yes, his name is Glen……darn……Glen Lever. I knew I'd get it sooner or later. He and his right hand should still be in Salem. If not, then you might want to find where he's hanging out. Originally, it was thought, he was from Bend. He'd made a fortune in the real estate when it was hot so many years ago. Anyway, my friend, Dave Edwards had a nervous breakdown and his wife committed suicide. They left him the original farm house, but took everything else. His son lives in Portland and is a dentist. I'm sure that is how he makes it on a daily basis. Dave lives on Fat Elk Road in Coquille. Anything else on your mind Stacy?"