Cause of Death (Det. Annie Avants Book 1)

by Renee Benzaim

  Laine stood up to leave and turned back around as she reached the door.

  "Oh, before I forget. We found an ammo can - the kind you can buy at military supply stores - with his journal inside. It's in evidence, but I made a copy for the file. When you're up to it, you'll want to read it. It's fascinating. He goes into why he had such a paranoia about spiders and why he targeted young Hispanic females. Also in the ammo can were four earrings, including one of yours, and a gold cross necklace. They matched the ones left on the victims."

  Annie thought for a minute. "Another serial killer that keeps tokens from his victims." She shivered at the thought. "Well, we definitely don't want the media to get a hold of that journal. They'll run with it for weeks."

  "Don't worry. No one will see it until all the final reports are issued. At least we won't have a trial to go through. Can you imagine the media frenzy that would be?" Laine said.

  "I don't even remember much about what happened. I was out cold most of the time. I get chills just thinking about it and how close I came to being his fourth victim."

  "Well, lady, get some rest now. You'll be out of here soon and back to work before you know it. I've a lot more to tell you about his house and stuff, but it can keep. I just wanted to see for myself that you were OK.

  "Oh, by the way, I was talking to Tom and he informed me that the beautiful Native American woman we saw Jesse with at Uricchio's was Jesse's sister, Chianna."

  "Yes, he told me. I really feel stupid now. Well, I guess Jesse and I have to have another talk. I don't know where it's headed, but we'll see. I actually felt guilty when he was here and we were discussing my 'date' with Eddie."

  Laine walked over and gave Annie a hug. "Noura called me this afternoon and asked me how you were. She would like to come and visit you. The thought that you may have died with things between the two of you being unresolved upset her. What do you think?"

  "I'd like to see her, yes. Life's too short and, in some ways, I can understand why she did what she did. Family is important and I know she's suffered from her decision. You can tell whomever is controlling who sees me that she can come. I hope to be out of here tomorrow. The food is terrible."

  "Well, if your worrying about food, you must be feeling better. We'll have to have another one of our potlucks as soon as you're up to it. I'll make a double batch of President Johnson's 'Perdernales Chili' so you can stash a bunch of it in your freezer."

  "Can't you sneak me in some tonight? I'm really hungry."

  "It takes a couple of hours to make, silly. It's not like I can go home and open a can. What would you like? I can run out and get you something and be back before visiting hours are over."

  "A pizza would do for now," Annie said. "I'd like some biscuits and gravy," she laughed, "but that's breakfast and I doubt if you could find it anywhere now."

  "OK, one pizza coming up," Laine said and headed out the door.

  Thirty minutes later, Laine returned and the two friends enjoyed their pizza.

  "Now maybe I can get some sleep," Annie said.

  On that note, Laine left and Annie flicked on the television and flipped through the channels, never finding anything interesting to watch. Finally, she slept.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  Wednesday, 12 September 2012, 2:00 PM

  With tears in her eyes, Noura tapped softly on the door to Annie's hospital room.

  "Come in," she heard her friend say.

  Slowly she opened the door and stuck her head inside, not sure of the reception she would receive. In her arms were a bouquet of flowers cut from her flower garden.

  "Oh, Noura," Annie said as the tears started to flow. "I've missed you so much."

  Noura ran to her side and carefully embraced her friend, her tears mingling with Annie's.

  "I wasn't sure if you would want to see me," Noura said, "but I couldn't stay away."

  "Noura, I will always love you like a sister. You made a mistake, but we all make mistakes. I know it's going to be tough on you dealing with the consequences, but I'll be right there beside you no matter what happens."

  "Thank you, Annie. You don't know how much that means to me. When my mom heard you were in the hospital, she cooked a bunch of 'authentic Mexican food' for you. She says it's just what you need to get your strength back. I have it in the car if you want to try it."

  "That would be wonderful, Noura. The food here is not nourishing and I'm always hungry."

  "Well, at least that hasn't changed," Noura laughed.

  When Noura returned with the food in a big picnic basket with all the accessories, the two friends enjoyed a meal just like old times.

  "My mom wants to invite you, Jesse, Laine and Noelle, and Tom over for a big piñata party. She says it's time I stopped hiding my family from my friends. And, she's right. What do you say?"

  "I would be honored to visit the home of your parents, Noura. Just let us know when, OK?"

  "I have some other good news, Annie," Noura said. "Jesse talked to his friend, Eric Stone, who is an attorney here in town who specializes in Intellectual Property law. Jesse set up an appointment between the three of us. I told Mr. Stone the truth about what happened. Jesse had filled him in about my experience and competence as a paralegal, so Mr. Stone offered me a job."

  "Oh, Noura. That's great news. I know how much you love paralegal work. I'm glad you'll be able to continue and stay here in Bakersfield."

  "It's going to be interesting, Annie. He doesn't have a big office, but most of his clients live in the Los Angeles or New York areas. We have a small conference room if we need it, but most of my work I can do from my home office. This has made my husband very happy and I can spend a lot more time with Estefan."

  "I'm so happy for you, Noura. How are things going with Tito?"

  Noura shifted in her chair. "Not too well, I'm afraid. I haven't been back to see him since he told me he used me. My mom says I have to learn forgiveness, too, but it's too soon. He's my baby brother and I idolized him. It will take time, I guess. In the meantime, he has a good public defender and his fate is in the hands of the Courts."

  Noura started cleaning up the remnants of their meal. "When will you be released, Annie?"

  "I think I have the doctor convinced to let me go home in a couple of hours," Annie said. "There were no traces of spider venom in my blood work so there's really no more reason for me to stay here. I feel fine. I'll be on medical leave for a couple of weeks, but then I'll be right back in the swing of things. At least this case is solved and the Hispanic community can breathe a sigh of relief now and not worry about their daughters."

  Noura stood and gathered her things. She leaned over and kissed Annie on the cheek. "Take care, Annie. I'll be over to see you in a day or two, after you get settled in."

  "Bring Estefan with you, Noura. I haven't seen him for a long time," Annie said. "The weather is still nice enough that we can have a picnic in my backyard."

  "That sounds like a plan," Noura said with a big grin as she walked out the door, feeling better than she had in many weeks.

  EPILOGUE

  Summer, 1991, from Eddie's Journal

  The old house sat on a quarter acre lot in the west side of the Kern County. It was a good-sized house with a covered porch in front.

  At the back of the house, and off to the left, was a stone walkway that meandered through the dead stalks of long forgotten flower and vegetable gardens. The walkway, which was about 15 feet long, was enclosed in an open-sided arbor made of criss-crossed slats that supported a very old, very unkempt climbing rose plant.

  This walkway led to a covered patio, also with a slat roof and walls and cement floor. Several old pieces of dusty patio furniture were scattered around the patio.

  Attached to the back of the patio was a room of sorts. It, too, had slotted walls that let in air and light, but the roof was made of tin. It contained four old army-type cots that the family, or guests, used to sleep on when the weather was hot.

  Th
e owners of the house were an older couple who had one daughter late in life. The daughter turned sixteen years old in June of 1991.

  To make ends meet, the couple took in foster kids or kids referred to them by family or friends. Kids that were in the way, or unwanted, or couldn't be taken care of properly for one reason or another.

  There were four kids staying with this family in the summer of 1991. Three were placed there through the foster children program and all of them were Hispanic females.

  The fourth child was an 8-year old Caucasian boy who was throwing a crimp in his mom's new marriage.

  His step-dad didn't like kids and didn't appreciate being stuck with this boy while his mom worked nights cleaning local offices while they were closed.

  The boy had been passed around to various relatives for about a year, when his aunt mentioned this family who took care of kids that were better off living somewhere other than with their parents, but weren't actually part of the foster kid program.

  His mom talked with the family and decided to put her son in their care.

  * * *

  He had been there about six months and it was terrible. Whenever he told his mom how mean the other kids were to him, she wouldn't take him seriously. Actually, her hands were tied and she couldn't do anything about the situation without displeasing her new husband.

  At the side of the patio and sleeping room, about 30 feet away and slightly to the back of the lot, was an old abandoned Ford Coupe. It had been sitting there, on its rims, for years and was so covered with dust you couldn't see in the windows. The kids were warned to stay away from the abandoned car.

  However, kids being kids, they thought it would be fun to lock Eddie in the car. They knew he didn't like spiders and the car was full of granddaddy long legs. One day, while they were playing tag in the lot close to the car, two of the girls grabbed Eddie, forced the car door open, shoved him inside, and slammed the door closed. There was no handle on the inside so he couldn't get out.

  Eddie screamed. He was totally paralyzed with fear. He was shaking uncontrollably, and his skin appeared drained of all blood. All around him, starting to move at the invasion of their space, were dozens of granddaddy long leg spiders. He had always been terrified of them and the way they moved. You never knew what they were going to do next. He was only eight, so he couldn't rationalize the fact that they don't normally bite people. All his life he had had nightmares about them because of other tricks his cousins played on him when they found out he was afraid of spiders. Now, it wasn't just a fear, it was a deep-rooted paranoia that he couldn't control.

  For two hours they left him locked in that car screaming, and then whimpering, and then screaming again, as the spiders crawled over his head and body.

  Eventually the daughter of the people who owned the house took off her earphones to check on the kids and heard him scream. She rushed to the car and opened the door. He fell to the ground in a semi-conscious state. She brushed the spiders and dirt off him, carried him into the house, and put him directly in a tub full of water. She screamed at the other kids to go to their rooms.

  She got him cleaned up just as her parents came in. When she told them what had happened, they took him to the emergency room to make sure he hadn't been bitten by anything dangerous. When he had been checked over and given a tetanus shot just in case, they sent him home with instructions to watch for certain signs for a couple of days.

  The next day, they returned him to his mother.

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Abeyta, Lupe

  Abeyta, Estralita

  Abeyta, Marta

  Friends of Maria Ortiz

  Adams, Charley

  Peter Adams' Cousin

  Adams, Gwynn

  Peter's Mom

  Adams, Peter

  Charley's Cousin

  Adams, Ted and Fiona

  Charley's Parents

  Alcantar, Manolo

  Tito's friend

  Al-Fassi, Joseph

  Autopsy Assistant

  Morgue

  Amaral, Lucio

  Chief of Police

  Bakersfield

  Avants, Annie Elizabeth

  Detective

  Robbery/Homicide Unit

  Avants, Riley

  Avants, Hester Wilson

  Annie's Parents

  Live in Mena, Arkansas

  Avants, Charles Wilson

  Annie's brother

  Baker, Darla

  Deputy Sheriff - KCSO

  Banuelos, Reina

  Gabriela’s Sister

  Bhakta, Khavi

  Doctor/expert on spiders

  CDC

  Bonner, "Okie"

  Friend of serial killer

  Bossock, Leopold, Dr.

  Medical Examiner

  Tulare County

  Buchanan, Carson

  Buchanan, Karen

  Michele McGaha's parents

  Cardenas, Blanca

  Waitress

  Los Arcos in Pumpkin Center

  Collins, Yvonne

  Sergeant

  Robbery/Homicide Unit

  DelaFuentes, AnaMaria

  Friend of Carmen

  DelMonte, Laine Alicia

  Chief

  Technical Investigations

  Dobbs, Edward Michael

  Owner

  Your Petz

  Drexler, Sam

  Deputy

  Lamont Substation

  Dunphy, Carl

  Owner

  Uncle Sam's Surplus

  Escobar, Angelino

  Ex-boyfriend of Carmen

  Espinosa, Manny

  Forensic Photographer

  Everett, Michael

  Technical Investigator

  Ferrell, Wyatt

  Noelle's Father

  Freemont, Sarah

  KCSO Sketch Artist

  Goodkind, Dr. Lydell

  Criminal Psychiatrist/Teacher

  Modesto Jr College

  Former FBI Profiler (ret)

  Grady, Rebecca

  Miwok friend of Chianna

  Greyeyes, Agnes Tooni

  Jesse's Grandmother

  Cherokee, NC

  Greyeyes, Rodney

  Jesse's father

  Attorney

  BIA in San Francisco

  Greyeyes, Joyce

  Jesse's Mother

  Gallery Owner

  San Francisco

  Greyeyes, Jesse

  Deputy District Attorney

  Greyeyes, SueElllen

  Jesse's ex-wife

  Gueye, Chianna

  Jesse's sister

  Gueye, Dion

  Chianna's husband

  Gutierrez, Carmen

  Victim #2

  Gutierrez, Julio

  Brother of Vic#2

  Gutierrez, Roberto

  Gutierrez, Alana

  Carmen's Parents

  Harris, Mrs.

  Cafeteria Worker

  Hermosillo, Raoul

  Deputy Sheriff

  Jamison, Harry, Sgt.

  Arvin Police Department

  Jones, Malcolm

  Deputy Sheriff - KCSO

  Jurgens, Bret

  Annie's ex-husband

  Kamaguchi, Danny

  Deputy Sheriff - KCSO

  Lamantia, Orlando

  Arvin PD

  Lancaster, Kyle

  Officer, Roseville PD

  Lopez, Stella

  KGET reporter

  Loya, Amata

  Noura's Sister

  Lozcano, Gabriela Maria

  Victim #1

  Maalouf, Kleavon Elroy

  East Side Crip

  McDougall, Alistair

  Professor

  Forensic Entomology

  Bakersfield College

  McGaha, Reggie

  McGaha, Michele

  Victims of MVA

  Maddox, "Stetson"

  Long-Haul Truck Driver

  Marchand, Joelle


  Forensic videographer

  Mason, Ruth

  Postmistress

  Melendez, Arturo

  Deputy

  Moreno, Sunnie

  Admin. Assistant

  Detective Bureau

  Neasham, George

  Technical Investigations

  Nielson, Christine

  Deputy - KCSO

  Nunez, Mireya Aldene

  Noura's Sister

  Ortiz, Hernando

  Ortiz, Lucette

  Maria's Parents

  Ortiz, Maria Guadalupe

  Vic #3

  Perkins, Sam

  Annie's former partner

  Plourde, Forrester

  Detective

  Homicide Division

  Placer County Sheriff

  Quinn, Mick

  Sheriff/Coroner

  Kern County

  Raj, Farhad

  Clerk/Owner

  Texaco Station

  Pumpkin Center

  Richards, Preston, M.D.

  Forensic Pathologist

  Rosado, Salma

  Receptionist at Crime Lab

  Rubio, Jose Officer

  Arvin PD

  Saavedra, Carlos

  Noura's Cousin

  BPD Officer

  Saavedra, Juliano

  Mercedes Bianca delToro

  Noura's Parents

  Saavedra, Pascual Mano

  Noura's Brother