“Well, I guess it’s a mute point now anyway. She’s awake,” Mark said. “Bill wanted to see you but I was telling him you needed to sleep.”
“That’s okay, He knocked loud enough to wake up the dead,” I said as I smiled at Bill. I was glad to see him.
He walked over and gave me a long passionate kiss that took my breath away.
“I think I’ll go downstairs and get a cup of coffee,” Mark said and left before either of us could say anything.
Bill picked me up and carried me to my bedroom. He dumped me on the bed and I forgot all about what John had said about suspecting Bill. I forgot everything except being in his arms once again.
It was just like it had been when we had spent the night together in Virginia Beach. I felt like a drug addict that couldn’t get enough of the drug. We took a shower together and went at it again. He finally left and I fell asleep. The next thing I knew, Mark was shaking me. I was so disoriented at first; I didn’t know where I was.
“It’s almost time to go to John’s” he said. I thought I saw disgust in his eyes.
When we pulled up in front of John’s house, Trudy was sitting on the porch with Delilah. They were deep in conversation, but when they saw us they waved and smiled. Bill came out and winked at me and I could feel my face turn red. I felt like everyone was looking at us.
Tracy and George were late getting there. We ate while we waited. We were hoping to wrap everything up tonight. John said he had a few things to report, but would save it until they got there.
They finally arrived at a 1:15 a.m. and, by then, we were all on pins and needles. We settled in the living room and Tracy sat in Mark’s lap. She introduced George and told him to begin.
“Well, we picked up Judge Renfroe and his wife.” He looked at John, “Sorry, John, but we’re going to need Trudy to identify Judge Renfroe’s wife.”
“She’s up for it,” John said swelling out his chest like a proud father.
George smiled, “Good. We’ve been with the couple for the last hour. We questioned them separately hoping one would roll on the other but, so far, they have held firm. Both of them have hinted about someone called Jupiter but wouldn’t give the real name. We thought Judge Renfroe was the top dog, but it appears that both of them are terrified of Jupiter.”
“Did they say whether Jupiter was a man or woman?” asked Bill.
“No, we couldn’t even get that information out of them. I’m telling you, they are terrified of this person.”
Tracy took up the story, “I know it’s late, but could we wake Trudy up and…”
“I’m awake,” Trudy said coming into the room, “and I can’t wait to see that bitch, Dr. Fro, again. Do I get to confront her?”
George looked at Trudy, and Tracy introduced her to him. He cleared his throat, “I admire your courage, Trudy, but you will be looking at her through a one-way mirror to identify her. You will be able to testify against her in court, however, if it goes to court.”
CHAPTER 43
I wanted to go with them, but Bill asked to see me alone. After they left, we stepped out onto the front porch and he began kissing me and again I was lost in lust for him.
When he abruptly pulled away, I felt thrown off balance. He took my hand and led me to his car.
“Let’s go for a ride along the river front,” He said.
I looked at my watch, “It’s after two a.m. and I have had almost no sleep, for I don’t know how long.”
He picked me up and carried me to his car. “Wait,” I said. “I need to tell John and Mark where we’re going.”
“We’ll tell them when we get back,” he said as he swung me into the passenger’s seat. After buckling me in, he bent to kiss me and I again was beyond any logical thought.
“I thought we’d park along the river bank, and make out in the car life a couple of teens. How does that sound?”
I could only nod and he got in the driver’s seat and drove off. I looked back to see John on the front porch looking after us. At the back of my mind I felt something was off but I was so wrapped up in the whirlwind of feelings that I couldn’t think straight. I was later to see that was what he wanted.
It was like I had been drugged, but I knew I hadn’t. Then I vaguely remembered Bill handing me a glass of wine when we went into the living room. Was I also beginning to suspect Bill?
Everyone had been trying to warn me in their own way, but Bill had been so kind to me and then there was also the physical thing. It was like I was addicted to him. Like a drug addict my judgment had become impaired.
My thinking was going in circles, and suddenly the nightmares from my childhood were coming back to me. At first I didn’t understand why but, as I was fading in and out of the dream state, one of the dreams got my attention. I became wide awake with a gasp and looked over at Bill.
He laughed, “You finally put it together didn’t you?”
I pretended not to understand what he meant. Julia was always the actress of the two of us. Being a psychologist, with my own therapy under my belt, had maybe taught me too much honesty.
“I’m very good at reading people and I knew the moment you got it. You’re no longer looking at me in the same way,” Bill said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bill, got what?” I tried to laugh but it came off flat. “Where are you taking me, Bill?”
He laughed again and the laugh seemed so evil to me, I didn’t know how I could have ever been attracted to him. He pulled the car into one of the many small parks along the Mississippi River. I reached for the door handle but noticed for the first time there wasn’t one.
He was laughing so hard I thought he was going to pass out. When he got his breath he said, “This is a great story and it should be made into a movie. Too bad it never can be, because it shows what a high IQ I have.
“All these years and no one suspected me of anything. I’m going to tell you the story of my life.”
CHAPTER 44
This is the story Bill told me in his own words. Of course he thought I wouldn’t be around to tell anyone, that I would be dead, but his ego had to tell someone the whole story.
Believe it or not, I grew up in a very wealthy household. I was an only child and had everything I wanted except my father’s love. It’s too bad you’re not going to be around to study me. I’m an interesting case.
Anyway, to continue the story, my father was married to his third wife by the time I was 10. I had so many step mothers over the years, I lost count.
When I was fourteen, my step mother, at that time, came into my room in the middle of the night. It was during one of the many times my father was out of town, on a business trip. On this particular night, my step mommy came into my room and slid under the covers. She was naked. It woke me up and I got an immediate hard on. I was so proud of myself. I acted like a real man. You have her to thank, Judith, for my skills in bed.
She was like you in bed, Judith. She couldn’t get enough of me. At the age of fourteen, I thought I had found the most wonderful thing in the world. I got mixed up though and thought this was love.
It wasn’t until later that I realized she didn’t love me, and had only used me for her own lust, and to fill the empty spaces while my father was out of town. In my ignorance, I thought she loved me, and would agree when I asked her to run away with me.
She actually laughed at me, and told me I was pathetic, that I was a very poor substitute for my father, who was a real man, and hung like a horse. She said my dick was so small she could barely feel me when I was inside her.
I didn’t say anything to her or react in any way, deciding to get revenge by telling my father, when he got home. My step mommy and I continued to sleep together until my dad came home. But the love I had for her had turned to hate, and I would take her roughly. It seemed to turn her on more. She complimented me, telling me that my love making skills were improving.
One night she begged me to choke her until she almost lost c
onsciousness. It turned me on even more, and I found I could control my orgasm until she climaxed a bunch of times. I knew I was becoming the best lover in the world.
One night I almost lost control and killed her. I was able to stop myself because I wanted the satisfaction of telling my dad, and getting his approval. By this time, I had begun to suspect what kind of man my father was.
When he finally came home, I asked to see him in his study. My experiences with his wife must have shown because he whistled and said, “You’ve grown into quite a man while I’ve been away. How old are you now?”
“I just turned fifteen last Saturday, sir,” I said. “And thank your assistant for me for the birthday present, a computer. I’m probably the only kid at my school with one, thanks, dad.”
He said, “You’re welcome,” as if he was responsible for the gift, but I didn’t care any longer.
I told him what I had been doing with his wife, while he was away, and he actually laughed. Then he said something that totally took me by surprise.
“How would you like to kill her son? I’m getting tired of her, anyway and I’ll be damned if I will pay alimony. I never have and never will.”
The thought of actually killing someone got me so excited; I thought I would come right there in my father’s office.
“It’ll be the best sex you’ve ever had, believe me. We could make it a threesome and kill her together. Which do you want to do?”
The thought of sharing something so intimate with my father made me love him more than I ever had. I was so chocked up, I could hardly speak.
“I want to do it together dad,” I said. It was the first time I had ever called him dad. He had always been Father. Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks, as I stood there in front of his desk and thanked him.
That night he came and got me and took me to their room. This room had been totally off limits before and I felt very privileged. She was sleeping on her stomach and was completely naked. There were no covers over her and, looking at her, I realized how beautiful she was. She had thick red curly hair that came down to her waist. He body was perfection. Besides shopping and spending my dad’s money, she worked out all the time and was always on some diet or other.
I hesitated at first. It seemed a shame to kill someone so perfect, but then my father took my hand and said, “Make me proud, son. I think I’ll watch. I’m already pretty much spent. She was like a wildcat tonight. I think you had her primed.”
Here Bill paused and I asked him if we could find a restroom. I had to pee really badly. He had been so into telling his story he looked at me like he had forgotten I was there.
“But, Judith, I’m almost to the best part.”
“I know, Bill, but I really do have to pee.”
“Okay, but go outside the car so I can watch you. And don’t try to run. I will catch you.”
He came around to the passenger side of the car, opened the door, and clamped handcuffs on me. I was reminded of the time he had arrested me, when I was sixteen. I remembered how kind he had been.
It was difficult to pee while being handcuffed and I ended up peeing on my hand, but figured what did it matter, I was going to be dead soon anyway. I thought of Ben. I would have given anything to see him one last time. I had wild lust with Bill but Ben had been the love of my life, and I had been too stupid to see it. I began to cry as I thought of never seeing Ben again.
“Not time to cry yet. We have a long way to go. I haven’t finished telling my story. Does the story turn you on? It should, you’re just like her you know.”
“It doesn’t turn me on. It makes me sick. I understand the psychodynamics but I can’t sympathize. We all have things in our past to work through. We don’t have to go around hurting other people. Please Bill! Turn yourself in. I’ll see that you get put in a mental hospital instead of jail.”
He laughed at me. “You’re in no position to help anyone, Judith. You have no control over what would happen to me if I got caught, which I won’t. You don’t get it do you? You’re not going to be around.”
“But I could be, Bill, you could decide you want to break the cycle…”
“Enough psychobabble, get back in the car.”
I decided to do nothing else but listen and hope that maybe someone would find us before he killed me.
CHAPTER 45
I tried not to panic but listen to his story. If by some miracle I got through this, I could testify against him. I needed to prolong everything as long as possible.
I decided I would try asking questions every chance I got and it would draw things out. I knew from what I had studied about psychopaths that they start by torturing animals.
“Did you ever torture animals when you were younger, Bill?”
He looked at me with appreciation. “How did you know that? I never told anyone, not even my father, not even after he and I started sharing everything. Yes I did torture animals. But that started at a much younger age.”
He stared off into the night and thought for a minute. “I must have been about ten or eleven. I started with bugs then graduated to higher animals. I used to like to go out at night and go to the poorer neighborhoods. I would find stray dogs and cats and have fun with them. I never used them sexually though,” he said hurriedly as if he thought I was going to ask that next. The way he denied it so quickly made me believe that he had used them sexually.
“Let’s move on,” he said and continued his story.
As my dad and I moved toward the bed, the bitch turned over and saw us. She smiled and reached out her hands to us.
“I see you told him, Bill,” she said.
My dad chuckled and said, “I’m just going to watch sweetheart. You wore me out before.”
This seemed to amuse her and she held out her hand to me. I was enjoying the hell out of this, knowing what was going to happen to her.
My dad took a seat in the soft leather chair by the window and I went to the bed.
I grabbed her roughly and my father said, “Slow it down, son, you’ll enjoy it more.”
“Oh, yes slow it down,” The bitch said. I wanted to hit her.
My dad complimented me over and over during the night. I had made it last all night long. She appeared to be worn out by then. Twice I had noticed my father masturbating while he watched us, and I admired his size and hoped one day I would be as big. You know I am now, right Judith?
Anyway, toward the morning I started chocking her and I saw real fear in her eyes, but I let her come a few more times so she would be fooled. I finally entered her and chocked the life out of her.
As she died, I had the best orgasm I had ever had before or since, until tonight, hopefully.
I was terrified knowing what he had planned for me, but I tried not to show it. He was studying me, and I thought the time had come, but then he turned back toward the front and continued.
There is unlimited space out there in the bayou. That’s where we dumped her. By now the alligators and crocodiles have eaten her up. My dad told everyone she had run off like all his wives.
He told me that he always picked wives without a family or anyone to care what happened to them. He’s going to give me hell when he finds out about you. I may let him share you with me. I think he’d like that.
I interrupted him, “I’m not without family and friends, Bill. What are you going to do when all those people, who love me, come looking for me?”
“That’s not your concern. My dad will fix things. He always does, when I mess up.
He started the car, “I think it’s time you met my father.”
As we pulled out onto the river road I thought I noticed a car behind without headlights on. I tried to look in the side mirror without letting Bill see me but he seemed to be so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t seem to notice.
He was mumbling to himself and I realized he was having an imaginary conversation with his father. He had become the little boy trying so hard to please his dad, and to get his dad to love
him.
I was straining to try to hear what he was saying and watch for the car in back when suddenly I noticed we had pulled up in front of Judge Gadsby’s house. The car behind had coasted to a stop a few houses down.
“Get out,” He yelled. To me, at that moment in time, he appeared to be more of a school yard bully than a grown man.
He pulled me out of the car and took off the handcuffs. Taking my upper arm, he walked me into the house.
Judge Gadsby was coming out of his study and said, “Hey you two! Good to see you again, Judith, Officer Wheeler. What brings you by, any new developments?”
“I’m sorry, dad,” Bill said. “She recognized me tonight.”
“What are you talking about, Officer Wheeler? What do you mean, she recognized you? Of course she did. She knows who you are. Would you like something to drink?”
“Nothing for me, thank you,” I said.
Bill took my arm again and we followed the judge into a small sitting room. The judge walked over to a wet bar, on the side of the room, and began pouring drinks. He handed one to me and one to Bill.
He looked at me until I took a small sip, and then turned to Bill. “What do you want to do?” he asked.
“We have to kill her,” Bill said. “She knows it was me and Mackey who kidnapped her and her sister when she was three.”
“Son, you got us into a mess. Okay, I agree, we have to kill her, but what do you want to do with her first?”
“I want to finish telling her my story and then we can share her if you want.”
“Why tell her anything? Have you considered she might be wired?”
“Nah, as much as I’ve felt her up I would know.”
His father actually laughed, “All right this show is yours, but we can’t handle it in the usual way when we’re done. We’ve got to make it look like an accident.”
“I agree,” Bill said and continued his story.
Peggy Holloway - Judith McCain 02 - Portrait on Wicker Page 12