Confession

by Gary Whitmore

  Nancy and Michael looked surprised with her statement. “We can play before dinner?” they both asked in unison.

  “Yes, but only today,” Becky replied.

  Nancy and Michael ran out of the room all excited.

  “I believe his book has clues to the identity of the October Slayer,” Sam told Marty.

  Marty suddenly looked a little cautious. “Can I see some identification?”

  Sam removed his wallet and showed Marty his retired FBI identification badge and Florida driver’s license then he put his wallet away.

  “Sorry about that. You have to be cautious these days,” Marty said.

  “I understand,” Sam replied.

  “So why would a retired FBI agent be interested in such an old unsolved case?” Marty asked Sam then he thought about things for a few seconds. Then his eyes lit up when it dawned on him. “You’re the real life FBI agent that tried to find the October Slayer,” Marty said.

  “Yes I am,” Sam said then looked sad. “The fourth victim was the sister of my best friend in college. I promised him I would catch his sister’s killer. I failed and can’t let this go unsolved. At least as long as I’m alive,” Sam said and looked sincere.

  Becky and Marty felt sorry for Sam.

  “I think Billy’s looking for that wooden chest the book mentioned. It had the dresses, bat tip, teeth and pictures showing the dead girls with the killer,” Marty said.

  “We searched daddy's house, attic and every nook and cranny, and didn't find a wooden chest,” Becky added.

  “But Becky remembers seeing an old wooden chest when she was a young girl. She found a dress inside and put it on. He father caught her and gave her a spanking,” Marty told Sam.

  Becky glared at Marty for bringing that up.

  “I don't remember if it belonged to dad or Uncle Billy. I only saw it once and dad stated the dress was a Christmas present for mom. Dad probably threw it in the trash a long time ago.”

  “Did you mom get that dress at Christmas?” Sam curiously asked.

  “I really don’t remember since I was young at the time,” Becky replied.

  Outside, Billy sat in his Malibu down the street with a view of Becky’s house. He smoked a cigarette while he glared at Sam’s car parked in the driveway.

  He got out of his car and rushed over to her house.

  Back in Becky’s house, their conservation continued.

  “I’m thinking dad must have used that old wooden chest he once had to jazz up the story,” Becky said.

  Sam discreetly shook his head in disagreement.

  “So if you don't mind, I wish we could let him lie in peace,” Becky said as all this talk was starting to upset her.

  A car was heard outside driving away a little too fast.

  Sam sensed she was getting a little upset, and he looked at his watch. He got concerned. “It’s getting late and I better get going. I’m supposed to attend a play that my girlfriend’s granddaughter has a part in tonight.”

  They all stood up then walked to the front door and Becky opened it.

  “Thank you for your time,” Sam said then he removed his note pad from his pocket and wrote down his phone number again. He ripped off the paper and handed it to Becky. “Please give me a call. I still need some good evidence to turn over to my FBI contact.”

  “Believe me, if I find any evidence on Uncle Billy, I’ll be calling,” she said.

  Marty’s eyes widened when he remembered something. “Oh, but the way, I checked out Allan’s laptop and found nothing that would be evidence,” he said the cringed.

  Becky glared back at Marty. “You didn’t tell me you checked out his laptop.”

  “Sorry,” he said and cringed for forgiveness.

  Sam looked curious and wondered if Allan deleted some files with evidence. Then he wondered why he would do that. “Well, I better get going,” he said then stepped outside.

  Becky closed the door.

  “It sounds like your father’s book is Uncle Billy's unwanted confession. That's why he's pissed, he's been exposed,” Marty told Becky.

  “Why can’t I get Uncle Billy out of my life forever?” Becky said while she walked away to check up on the kids.

  Marty got a funny feeling when he didn’t hear Sam’s car start up. He peeked out the living room curtains and suddenly looked concerned.

  He quickly rushed to the front door and went outside.

  The sun was starting to sink below the horizon while Sam had his head inside the trunk of his car.

  “What's wrong?” Marty asked while he approached Sam.

  “I got a flat tire,” Sam replied while he removed his spare tire and jack.

  Marty looked at the flat passenger tire. Then something caught his eye. He bent down and looked closer.

  “Your air valve's been sliced,” Marty told Sam.

  “What happened?” Becky asked while she walked up to them.

  “Someone flattened his tire,” Marty told her.

  Becky looked up and down the street. “It had to be Uncle Billy,” she said with suspicious eyes.

  Sam found it troublesome that Billy could be in Florida.

  Marty assisted Sam with changing his car tire.

  Forty-five minutes later, Sam was back on the road and just accessed Interstate I-4. He headed north to Daytona Beach.

  His cell phone rang and he opened it up. “Hello,” he answered.

  “Where are you?” Cindy asked concerned from his cell phone.

  “I’m on I-4 headed north,” he answered.

  “Are you close to Daytona?” she asked.

  Sam hesitated for a few seconds knowing this wouldn’t be good. “No, I’m kinda south of Orlando,” he said then cringed knowing she would be pissed.

  “South of Orlando? Why the hell are you south of Orlando?” she replied in a raised tone. “Wait, did you have to talk with someone for your stupid investigation?”

  “Ah yes. It was really important that I talked with the author’s daughter.”

  “So I take it you’re going to miss Kristen’s play?”

  “I’ll make there in time,” he said then he broke his own rule. He accelerated his car to fifteen miles over the speed limit. “Why don't I meet you at the school?”

  “I’ll be waiting outside, so you better not let me down.”

  “I won't,” he responded then set his cell phone down and didn’t notice the low battery indication.

  An hour later, Sam still drove north on I-4. He checked his watch. “I have plenty of time!” He didn’t pay attention to the traffic ahead of him. Then his eyes widen in fear and he slammed on his brakes. His car came to a screeching stop one foot from the rear of another car.

  A major car accident had traffic completely stopped in I-4.

  A few seconds had passed and Sam’s car was blocked in with the other cars stopped for the accident.

  “Damn it!” Sam yelled out while he pounded his steering wheel and stared at nothing but cars in front and behind him.

  Sam grabbed his cell. He opened it up to make a call. He wanted to cry when he saw his battery went dead.

  “I’m dead meat,” Sam said while he ran his hands through his hair in frustration while he stared at the traffic jam.

  A medical helicopter descended and landed in the highway just ahead of the accident scene. Medical personnel had one seriously injured woman on a gurney ready for transport to the hospital.

  Hours later, and Cindy stood outside Kristen’s elementary school where no other parents were visible. She looked pissed since Sam hadn’t arrived.

  Clapping was heard from inside the school auditorium where the play just started.

  She opened up her cell phone and punched in Sam’s number. A “Caller Unavailable” message appeared in her viewfinder. She punched in Sam’s home phone number.

  “Sam how could you? You promised to attend Kristen’s play and never showed up! She was hurt! It's either me or that stupid case, of which you'll never solve
!” she yelled into her cell phone.

  She snapped her cell phone shut.

  She was furious while she stormed off and went inside the school.

  Traffic on I-4 just started to inch forward after all the injured parties were well on their way to various hospitals.

  Outside Kristen’s elementary school, the play was over. The parents were walking to their cars with their kids.

  Outside the auditorium, Cindy gave Kristen a hug while her parents watched.

  “I wanted Mister Woods to watch my play,” Kristen said and looked hurt.

  “I know honey. He had to fly out to Los Angeles for some business and got delayed,” Cindy said but inside she was furious with Sam.

  “That’s too bad,” Kevin said and Kathy nodded in agreement.

  “Let’s get you home, honey,” Kathy said to Kristen then held her hand.

  “Good night mom,” Kathy said and kissed Cindy’s cheek.

  Kevin kissed Cindy on her cheek.

  Kathy kissed Cindy on her cheek.

  Cindy watched while Kathy, Kevin and Kristen walked away toward their car.

  Cindy went in another direction and cursed Sam under her breath.

  Off at another end of the parking lot, Billy sat in his Malibu and watched Cindy while she walked to her car.

  He started up his car and waited for her to leave.

  He followed her out of the parking lot and tailed her down the street.

  Eighteen minutes later, Cindy pulled into her driveway and stopped while her garage door opened. She pulled her car into her garage. She did not notice the shadowy figure that wore a black ski mask and gloves that snuck in her garage. It was Billy.

  Cindy turned off her car and closed her garage door.

  She got out of her car and walked to the door that led inside her house. She didn’t notice Billy who crept up behind her with a piece of Duct tape in his hand. He quickly covered her mouth with tape.

  “Get the fuck inside before I kill you here in the garage,” Billy whispered in her ear with a threatening tone.

  Cindy’s eyes widened with fear and unlocked her door.

  “Turn that fucking alarm off,” Billy whispered in her ear after then went inside the utility room.

  She immediately turned off the alarm.

  “If you signal for the police to come, I’ll slit your old throat,” he whispered in her ear then nibbled on her lobe.

  Cindy was scared to death while she turned off her alarm.

  He forced her through the utility room and exited into the hallway.

  Billy then walked her to the dining room. He threw her onto the floor.

  Cindy slammed hard on the floor then looked up at her attacker. She saw a man that wore a black ski mask and gloves. She peed on the floor with fright.

  Billy chuckled when he saw the puddle between her legs. He was proud of himself.

  Chapter 27

  Sam raced his car down the street and headed to the elementary school. He whipped his car into the parking lo. He stopped and noticed it was deserted. “Shit!” he said when he realized he completely missed Kristen’s play.

  He drove out of the parking lot and headed back down the street.

  Later that night, Sam went inside his house and immediately went into his kitchen. He walked over to his phone and saw his message light blinked.

  “Sam how could you? You promised to attend Kristen’s play and never showed up! She was hurt! It's either me or that stupid case, of which you'll never solve!” she yelled from her recorded message.

  Sam quickly punched in Cindy’s phone number from his kitchen phone.

  Inside Cindy’s kitchen, Billy wore his black ski mask and gloves. He opened up her refrigerator and looked for something to drink.

  Her kitchen phone rang. Billy looked at the phone on the counter. Her phone rang a few more times. The answering machine beeped after Cindy’s message.

  “Cindy, I’m so, so sorry. I was on track to make it to Kristen’s school but an accident on I-four stopped traffic. Then my cell phone battery went dead. Please don’t hate me,” Sam’s message said.

  “Cindy, I’m so, so sorry,” Billy mimicked Sam’s voice in a teasing tone while he grabbed a Coke out of her refrigerator.

  He walked over to the answering machine and deleted Sam’s message.

  He walked into the dining room.

  Cindy sat naked and scared to death on a dining room chair with Duct tape over her mouth. Her hands were bounded with Duct tape behind her back. Her ankles were also bounded with Duct tape. Rope tied her torso to the chair. Billy also smeared the number six to her wrinkled stomach.

  On the floor next to the dining room table was Cindy’s torn clothes. Billy enjoyed them ripping off her body.

  He walked up to Cindy and slapped her across her face a couple of times.

  Billy chuckled then walked out of the dining room while he sipped on the Coke.

  Her front door opened and closed when he left her house.

  She looked relieved he was gone then her eyes welled up.

  Cindy sat on her chair for an hour. She was scared to make any movement afraid her prowler would return.

  Twenty minutes passed. She now felt it was safe so she rocked her chair numerous times and was able to get on her feet.

  She hobbled the dining room and into the hallway.

  She hobbled down the hallway.

  She hobbled through the utility room to her alarm pad that was on the wall. She was able to press her nose into the “P” button.

  She hobbled out of the room.

  She hobbled down the hallway.

  She lost her footing and slammed on the floor.

  She lay on the floor near the front door and cried.

  Thirty minutes later, someone pounded on the floor. Cindy strained to get up.

  “Help!” she cried out from behind her Duct tape and it was a low muffled sound.

  More knocking was heard on her door.

  “Help!” she cried out again from behind her Duct tape. But it was a low muffled sound. Then she scooted across the floor and headed to the front door.

  She positioned herself and pounded on the door with her feet.

  Then the doorknob turned and the door cracked opened. Cindy’s chair stopped it.

  “Daytona Beach police. We got a call from your alarm company that your alarm sent an indication you needed help,” the officer called out through the crack in the door.

  “Help!” she cried out again from behind her Duct tape. It was a low muffled sound.

  The officer pushed hard on the door. It slid Cindy in her chair down the hall.

  The officer Sean Phillips stepped inside. His eyes widened when he saw Cindy tied naked to the chair.

  “Get a blanket,” Sean said while he turned around and called outside to his female partner Dayna Kelley. He kept his eyes off Cindy.

  A few seconds later, Dayna entered and threw a blanket on Cindy to preserve her dignity.

  Sean stepped inside and they assisted Cindy upright.

  Sean removed a knife and carefully cut away all the Duct tape. Then he carefully pulled the tape off her mouth.

  Cindy’s eyes welled relieved help arrived. “Someone entered my garage when I drove home. He threatened to kill me if I screamed. Then he forced me into my house. He ripped off my clothes and tied me to a chair,” Cindy told them with a shaky voice.

  “Do you get a good glimpse of the man’s face?” Dayna asked.

  “No. He wore a black ski mask and gloves.”

  “Did he steal anything?” Sean asked.

  “Not that I’m aware of,” Cindy replied.

  “Did he touch you inappropriately?” Dayna asked.

  “No,” Cindy replied. “He marked my stomach with something,” Cindy added then opened up the blanket for the officers.

  They saw the number six marking on her stomach. “That’s strange,” Sean said.

  “I better get her dressed,” Dayna said then walked Cindy down
the hallway.

  “Please call my boyfriend, Sam Woods. He’s a retired FBI agent and working on his own little investigation. This might be related to that. His home phone number is five, five, five, eight, seven, two, nine,” Cindy said while the female officer walked her down the hallway.

  Sean opened up his cell phone and called Sam.

  In Sam’s house, he was sound asleep when his kitchen phone rang. He shot up out of bed.

  He ran out of his bedroom.

  He ran down his hallway and into his kitchen.

  He ran over to his phone and picked it up. “Cindy. I’m so sorry,” he quickly answered.

  “Is this Mister Woods?” Sean asked from Sam’s phone.

  Sam thought it was that same caller he had a while back. “Listen asshole, leave me the fuck alone!” Sam yelled into his phone.

  “Sir, this is officer Sean Phillips from the Daytona Beach police department. Someone broke into Cindy Leinbach’s house,” he said from the phone.

  “I’m on my way!” Sam said then quickly hung up his phone.

  He ran out of his kitchen.

  Sam ran out of his house and rushed into his car.

  He started it up and immediately screeched down this driveway.

  His car screeched off and raced down the street.

  Sam raced his cars through the Daytona Beach streets.

  He ran a red light where two cars screeched to a stop and blew their horns.

  Sam’s car raced down Cindy’s street.

  He screeched to a stop along the curb by her house.

  He rushed out of his car and eyed the police car in her driveway while he ran to her front door.

  He knocked on her door.

  Officer Phillips opened up the door.

  “Are you Sam Woods?” Sean asked.

  “Yes sir,” Sam replied.

  Sean let Sam inside.

  They walked into the living room where Sam looked around and saw Cindy with Dayna on the couch. Dayna had a small note pad out. She jotted down what happened for her report.