6/6/66

by JN Lenz

  I wondered if his choice in murder targets in those later years began to be driven by the amount of media attention he could garner by their disappearance or murder. One thing was clear; apart from the first six he planned to murder and the homeless he had killed years ago, Clyde was now selectively searching out what he considered to be scum for his murder targets. Having the media attack the murdered victim’s character after they had vanished became a way of revealing their greed and hatred to the public, Clyde would reason in several of his later files. For those who he had simply made disappear by disposing of the body in the furnace, he provided the fuel for the media to brandish those murdered individuals in the worst possible light.

  The radio would be the first to break the story of the vicious murder of the recently released from prison pedophile. The killing they would report occurred in a mid-morning attack in an east side apartment building, with a witness that survived the attack recovering in hospital. That would be all the facts released by the radio station shortly after one PM on that Monday afternoon. Within an hour of the radio report, all the local TV news channels began reporting on the murder. One news reporter suggested on air, of the probability that Lance’s past had perhaps invoked his murder that morning. Clyde would remain at his desk completing the very file I was reading until well into the evening, he would watch the news updates as he continued to document his most recent murder.

  As darkness descended outside, Clyde would climb the stairs to the garage and clean the rented Chevrolet Malibu of any blood and finger prints, waiting until close to eleven PM he would drive the car into the suburbs and park the vehicle along one of the side streets. Walking the two blocks to the nearest bus stop, Clyde would take the city bus back to the Funeral Home to retrieve his Land Rover from the garage for the drive back to his country home. There would be several more entries made in the file over the following days, as he made note of the media’s updates from the Police investigation. The coroner had determined the cause of death to be a loss of blood due to multiple stab wounds.

  “No shit” was his sole comment on the results of the autopsy.

  The woman he had knocked unconscious that morning in the waste disposal room, turned out to be of little use to the Police. The shock from the brutality of the knife attack on Lance was enough for her mind to block the whole attack. She had no recollection of the attacker’s physical features, that or she had feared Clyde’s return in the event she turned into a credible witness against him. Being the dredge of society while living, a murdered pedophile garnered little public condemnation and the media attention surrounding his murder dissipated quickly. There was no mention ever of the Police having the murderers DNA, not that they necessarily would release this information to the press.

  Between the media reports in Lance’s file, Clyde noted he would discover from one of our directors that Lance was to be buried by one of our homes. The service was not a cheap one either, turned out the source of Lance’s income was from a workplace injury he incurred shortly before being imprisoned. The construction company where he worked had been forced by the courts into a substantial cash settlement due to gross negligence.

  The day that Lance was brought to the Eastside Funeral Home from the morgue, Clyde would make the trip across the city to inspect his handy work first hand. We had this place back in the year two thousand and three; the layout of the place was contained on a single floor of a bland plaza like structure. The embalming room and office were located at the back of the business; it was not one of our nicest homes by any stretch. The Coroner that had completed the autopsy required no addition incisions into the body of Lance to complete his investigation, the incision Clyde had made opened Lance from stem to stern.

  Clyde would commend himself as he inspected Lance’s naked body lying on the embalming room table in the backroom, the deep cut that Clyde had made into Lance stretched from below his belly button in a surprisingly straight line to the base of Lances chin. The lengthy cut had both been sutured closed in a surprisingly neat and tight stitching by the Coroner, must have been a woman Coroner he would note based on the neatness of the work. Since the body had yet to be embalmed Clyde had decided to perform it himself. There would be little blood to drain from Lance’s cadaver; Clyde had already accomplished that back in the garbage room. He would take a certain pride in filling this cadaver with chloroform.

  After discovering that Lance had pre-arranged his funeral at one of our locations, Clyde rediscovered our pre arrangements. He would request a list of all pre arrangements from the head directors of each of our Funeral Homes. The request was placed to all our locations to send him a detailed listing along with any personal information of the customers that had made the pre arrangements. Looks like I was not the only one that was looking out for the bottom line, that or he relished having the bodies of those he had murdered brought before him one last time.

  This rediscovery of the pre arrangements would be the first time in almost ten years that Clyde would scour the lists searching for suitable candidates to butcher. By now he would have use of software whose algorithms could quickly identify candidates from the determined criteria Clyde had entered. The hundreds of pre-arranged funerals dumped into the system would result into a handful of candidates with critical alignment against the raw data inputs. From that condensed list Clyde would complete his own process of elimination reducing the list to a half a dozen.

  There was no mention of names for the six at the end of Lance’s murder file, nor would he detail what his criteria had been in selecting his targets. Between the murders of files numbered forty six to sixty four there would be six more of Clyde’s murders in which we had all profited. In all his murders over the years not once had Clyde asked me if there was anyone I wanted dead, if he was going to kill so many you think he might have asked a little input from me along the way. It could easily have been done in a way I could have given him a name unwittingly, like some time when we had been drinking.

  “If you could kill anyone, or have them rubbed out, who would it be?”

  Not once did he give me the opportunity, even being the best of friends he would never offer.

  The mistakes made during Lance’s murder still remained a game changer for Clyde, regardless of the fact that he had managed to circumvent Police capture once again. The evidence he had left at the scene, the blood beneath the finger nails of the pretty young girl that the Police may not have gathered still changed the way Clyde was to live his life. Initially after the risk of him being arrested out right following Lance’s murder had subsided, Clyde had to ensure the Police never had just cause to extract his blood or a DNA sample from him.

  Within a handful of years technology allowed new laws which came into effect in the year two thousand and sixteen, these included mandated eye retina scanners, breath analyzers and finger print recognition touch pads in all International Airports. Anyone traveling on all commercial flights was required to pass through the scanners before boarding any plane.

  The revised airport security laws which followed the second terrorist attack in America by the use of airplanes, the last attack on the city of Chicago where an Air Bus had slammed into the skyline. The plane had narrowly missing the Sears Tower and slamming into a neighboring sky scrapper, completely destroying the building. That planes attack allowed the governing Republicans to bring sweeping anti-terrorism and crime laws into effect. The new laws would have ramifications in not only America, but throughout the world.

  The new technology could not only detect modern bomb making materials but would also match DNA, finger print or retina scans against a International Police cloud data storage system to match wanted fugitives within seconds. Within a couple of years hundreds of these units had been installed in all the international airports around the world. In North America and Europe officials would scan all passengers boarding flights domestically and internationally, deployment of the airport scanners instantly began to capture headlines in the media. Within
weeks hundreds of wanted fugitives throughout the world had been identified and apprehended by the scanners, inside airports around the world.

  It had been over a decade since any wanted criminal risked taking a commercial flight anywhere, media outlets displayed the rare fugitives attempting escape from airport security only to be gunned down at some stage of their escape.

  The western world’s governments had moved hard to the right by this point in time, selling the new security measures to the public as a safety measure for citizens and the security of each nation. Interestingly at the same time, small jets which seated fewer than ten passengers had no such requirements, having only to pass through the immigration officials in each International destination. In all the larger airports of the world these officials would be housed in a stand-alone structure, apart from the metal detector and weapons search these offices rarely if ever held the same comprehensive scanning devices that the commercial terminals possessed.

  The true power brokers, along with their criminal connections had invoked this vital exception made to the new regulations mandated on commercial flights throughout the world. The underworld would be effective at utilizing these new security laws to their benefit; their connections intact with the upper echelons of the political engine ensured their success. Less successful would be the civil rights groups who marched throughout the world condemning the increased security measures and attack on civil liberties and freedoms by the right wing governments during the two thousand teens.

  This combined of intrusive new finance regulations in the developed nations of the world, allowing all western government’s complete access to all bank accounts throughout the world. There would be new controls placed cash purchases over designated amounts; slowly one by one the developed world watched concessions and freedoms they had enjoyed for decades eroded before their very eyes.

  The close connection the governments had forged with the banks, a result of massive bailouts and monetary backing for the very survival of the monetary system. Soon with the governments in their own financial crisis and proximity to bankruptcy they clamped down on all avenues open to gain revenue, particularly the loss of revenue from tax evasion. The governments around the world spun the implementation of these new laws as a necessary measure to ensure financial stability, to level the playing field on those evading paying taxes. The successful propaganda used to scare the residents of the world to the risks of failure, allowed the factions of the far right to implement sweeping controls, they preached less government while they continued to encroach on the rights of the masses, on law at a time.

  The media had played their role as the big business and special interest groups had monopolized the majority of broadcasts being fed down the collective world’s throat. To verify their reports, they could report on similar measures taking place around the developed world. A minority continued to wage mostly peaceful demonstrations on introduction and anniversary dates of the newly implemented laws around the world, having little effect on the lawmaker’s decisions or public opinion which consistently became more apathetic in its view of the government. Rumors would be told of protestors being confronted by the authorities at work or at home helped in scaring all but the most rebellious from taking to the street. The demonstrations declined in frequency over time as the masses became accustomed to their reduced liberties.

  A wave of regressive laws were implemented quickly in the year two thousand and sixteen, for those law abiding citizens of the world who continued to pay their increasing tax load without question had little to fear from the greater government intervention. On the surface little seemed to have changed, the handful of rich continued to be ridiculously rich, and the masses of poor stayed poor. It was the divide between the two, which continued to spread unabated from the lost decade of two thousand eight to two thousand and eighteen; there was seemingly no solution to the disappearance of the middle class.

  There were all the new ultra-rich in Asia and South America, their growing numbers over the past twenty years; as a group they cared little for the poor masses. There was the handful of very rich, and there was the mass at the bottom with little in the middle. The majority of these new laws would escalate the proliferation of this gap between the working poor and the ultra-rich. Just as big government and big business had utilized the newly implemented laws to control the masses around the world, so too had the large criminal organizations of the underworld revised their operations to conform to the new world order. This handful of super-rich criminals helped control the vested interests of their many government and conglomerate masters. Like the divide between the few rich and the masses of poor, the few kings of the underworld would stand in stark contrast to the new breed of poor petty criminals in the street. Even a successful neighborhood crook had few avenues to spend their ill-gotten gains with the restrictive new monetary rules.

  Within four years the majority of Police patrol cars across North America and Europe began to carry smaller hand held devices capable of extracting the same DNA, finger print and eye retina scans as the larger airport models. These samples could be demanded of the driver during road side alcohol and drug sobriety tests by the Police, they could also demand a sample in the presence of any incriminating evidence. The law even now provided the officer to request a sample from any citizen based on a suspicion or hunch, the seeping new laws provided law enforcement with a wide range of new powers.

  In America in particular these invasive laws began to effect the movement of reputed criminals, those wealthy enough would have drivers to avoid any roadside incidents. For those which were lower on the food chain, running from the law was augmented by stints in one of the hundreds of prisons built to house the increase of inmates.

  The new laws had been the reason that for the last ten years, Clyde almost refused to drive. Usually whenever the two of us went anywhere together, I would be the one that had to pick him up and drive. Luckily for Clyde, Sid could not wait to drive and had his learners permit the day he turned sixteen, he would complete his full license in the nine month training minimum mandated by the province.

  Once Sid had obtained his full driver’s license Clyde would show up a day later at our door with a brand new vehicle for the kid, a Mazda six wagon. That damn prick beat me to the punch, which pissed me off at the time. I realize now that the gift had a dual purpose for Clyde, helping him avoid police while looking like a hero to Sid. A wagon may have turned off some teenagers, but not Sid, he knew it was perfect for the hunting and climbing trips with Clyde.

  The false identities which Clyde had used with impunity in the past, had limited use after the year of two thousand and sixteen. They could still be used to rent cars, and rent hotel rooms but nothing more. Should he get pulled over in a rental car by police and his retina scanned, the fake identification would be of little assistance in fooling the authorities. Through all of these changes I can’t believe he continued to murder, there was no way to know for sure the police had not obtained his DNA from the murder of Lance.

  It was a decade ago that Clyde had stopped taking part in our regular motorbike rides, we had ridden together forever, he just up and stopped ridding. I was surprised because he had always loved to ride, told me he had lost interest in it. I realize now it was all to do with the roadside DNA devices. There would be a few track days we went to together, tearing up the asphalt for a couple of hours at a track east of the city. But as for the street riding, Clyde gave it up. He always did have a hard time driving slow, whenever we rode together the inevitable high speed run would inevitably take place.

  The decision Clyde had made in killing Lance in the manner he had instead of planting a bullet in his head from three hundred yards away had cost him much of his freedom. Return to Table of Contents

  Chapter 15

  Pulling myself from the deep thoughts of the past once again, I realized the arms of the clock had made their way to eight thirty six; I had now been in the bunker for more than twelve hours. Spending
the last half of the day finding out who the real Clyde Drexler was, how easily he had kept his deepest secrets from me for all these years. Had I just been conveniently blind to these murders? The pair of us had been so close our entire lives; I somehow should have known. A homicide investigator I am not.

  All those years with my head stuck in numbers and the cash, blinding me to the point of ignorance I guess. There had to be have been signs over the years, I was just too caught up in our success to pick up on any of them.

  Might have saved some lives, not that I knew any of these people, can’t say I really feel sick over their deaths either.

  What if there were no signs form Clyde, no indications for me or anyone else; maybe he was just that good at killing.

  One of the greatest murderers ever for all I know.

  I guess the best killers are the ones never caught. Apart from Clyde’s records the evidence had long ago been buried or burned.

  “OK its eight forty six now, I need to be out of here and back home before midnight for Sid’s call”

  I said aloud, hoping the sound of my voice might stop the continual day dreaming. Hopefully Sid and Clyde reach the base camp for the call, as they had planned.

  My legs needed a stretch and I was ready for another piss, so I left the desk and made my way to the washroom.

  The bunker washroom was a full three piece unit, a large dark slate tile shower with multiple heads sat on the right side of the room. There was a stainless steel sink and counter, along with the thrown, which sat directly across from a dark slate shower. After taking a leak and washing up, I walked over to the double glass door that opened into the large shower, reaching in I turned a series of handles on the near wall, flipping each of them open. The half dozen shower heads on one wall sprung to life with strong jet sprays of water filling that entire section of the shower in fast flying jets of water. From above, six heads streamed dozens of lines of water, down into what amounted to a human version of a car wash. There must be a large water line into this section of the building, I thought reaching back in to turn the handles off, or a hell of a pressure pump somewhere.