Fortunately, most retirees keep better schedules than a New York subway. They’re creatures of habit. They eat at same time, go to sleep at the same time, wake at the same time. So far, things had worked out perfectly. A few more and he’ll be finished.
It’s not that he disliked the retirees, but they were pawns in a bigger game, one he had to win.
Right on schedule, the target got off the elevator and walked to their apartment door. If the target stayed true to the pattern, the lights would go out in less than forty-five minutes, and there wouldn’t be movement again until well after midnight.
He looked at his watch. Seven-thirty. He’d have a four-hour window to make his move.
Chapter 8
Jason’s phone began to vibrate on his way into work the next morning.
“Hello.”
“Good morning,” Vanessa chirped. “You on your way?”
“Yeah, five minutes out. What’s up?”
“The lieutenant caught me as soon as I got here. There was an attempted break-in at Orchid Village last night.”
“Attempted?”
“Yeah. You remember Willie Davis, the black man who found our first victim’s body?”
“Sure.”
“He was up about eleven-thirty and spotted someone trying to cut his door chain. He yelled at them and they took off.”
“Did he get a look at the person?”
“I don’t know. You want to go see him?”
“Yes. I’m pulling into the parking lot now; do you want to meet me out here?”
“Be right down.”
*******
Vanessa had called Willie Davis while they were on the way out to Orchid Village. He told her he was at the community center with Grace and Ruby.
The detectives parked and went in to find the group huddled together in the reading room. The look on their faces said it all. They were terrified.
Jason came up behind Willie and laid his hand on his shoulder.
“Good morning. Can we join you?”
The ladies nodded and Willie pulled out the chair next to him.
“By all means.”
Vanessa stayed standing, as was their habit. One detective sitting and one standing, looking over everything. Willie offered Vanessa a chair.
“You’re welcome to join us, Detective Layne.”
She smiled. “Thanks, Willie. I’m fine standing.”
Ruby perked up. “That’s my Bill, always a gentleman.”
Willie gave her a smile and touched her arm.
Grace looked at Jason. “Willie was just telling us about last night.”
Jason kept the mood light. “Oh good, perfect timing. Okay if we listen in?”
Jason could see Willie appreciated what Jason was doing. The women were afraid, and there was no sense in making it worse. Willie took it a step further.
“Shouldn’t we go to the apartment so I can show you what happened?”
Jason nodded. “Actually, that’s a very good idea.”
Willie got up and smiled at the ladies. “I’ll talk to you two later.”
********
Once Jason and Vanessa were in the apartment with Willie, he went over the events of the night before.
“I had dinner with Ruby and Grace. Ruby makes an awesome chili, but I always pay for it later. Anyway, about ten-thirty, I got up to get some antacid for my stomach.”
Willie walked through the events as he spoke.
“I was walking out of my room, toward the kitchen, when I noticed the door ajar. A set of bolt-cutters comes through the opening, so I yelled, and the cutters disappeared. I ran to the door, opened it, but didn’t see anyone.”
When he was done, Vanessa peppered him with questions.
“You said you saw a set of bolt cutters coming through the crack in the door?”
“That’s what they looked like.”
“Would you normally be awake at the time you surprised the intruder?”
Willie thought about it for a minute.
“No, I guess not. My reflux was acting up, or I probably would’ve been asleep.”
“Could you tell which way the intruder went?”
Willie went to the door and opened it. Stepping outside with the detectives, he pointed at a stairwell leading down the back of the building.
“It sounded like he went down those stairs.”
Jason headed for the stairwell while Vanessa said goodbye. She caught up with him at the bottom.
“Find anything?”
“No. Too many footprints to be of any use, but I’d bet he went upstairs from here, as well as coming back down.” He waved his hand in the air. “No security cameras on the stairs.”
Vanessa agreed, and had a theory of her own to offer up.
“The locks weren’t damaged, and our guy brought cutters with him. I think he knew there was a chain, and I think he knew Willie’s habits.”
“Which means you think Willie was stalked?”
“It fits.” Vanessa’s phone began to vibrate. “Detective Layne.”
“Vanessa, this is Patton.”
“Yes, sir. What’s up?”
“Where are you two?”
“Orchid Village. We just finished talking to Willie Davis, the man whose apartment was broken into last night.”
“I just took a call at Jason’s desk. It came from a Tonya Jensen.”
Vanessa shot Jason a look. She recognized Tabby’s real name.
“She said a neighbor of Fred Murphy called, saying there’s a smell coming from Mr. Murphy’s apartment, and the neighbor knew Mrs. Jensen has a key and wants her to check it out.”
“That’s right. She has all of her friends’ keys.”
“Well, Mrs. Jensen called because she’s afraid to go in the apartment alone. She wanted to know if Jason could go in for her. Can you two get over there?”
“Yes. We’re on our way.”
Vanessa hung up and started for the car. Jason was right beside her.
“What’s up?”
“Wasn’t Fred Murphy the member of Willie Davis’s group who was on vacation in Florida?”
“Yeah.”
“Tabby Jensen got a call to check on a smell coming from the apartment. She’s too scared to go in.”
They got to the car and took off for Fred Murphy’s building.
*******
Fred Murphy lived in a second-story apartment. Tabby Jensen was waiting by the elevator.
“Thank you for coming, Detective Strong.”
“No problem, Tabby. What’s up?”
“Fred’s next-door neighbor called me. She smelled something, and thought Fred might have left some trash out before going on vacation. When I went to check, the smell was too strong. I don’t think it’s garbage.”
“Okay, Tabby. Do you have the key?”
“Yes.” She handed the key ring to Jason, showing him which one.
“Thank you. You stay here while we go check.”
“Okay.”
Jason and Vanessa took the stairs to the second floor and turned left, toward Fred Murphy’s apartment. They were still a couple doors away when Jason smelled it. Vanessa covered her nose with her hand.
Once a detective has smelled a decomposing body, there’s never any doubt what they’re about to find when they come across another.
Jason put the key in the door and opened it. He was immediately struck with the combination of rotting flesh and ice-cold air. The A/C had been left on very cold in this apartment. No doubt to cover what was likely a dead body.
Jason found a light switch on the entry wall and flipped it on. He could see the living room and kitchen from the door, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
They moved to the hall and the odor became overpowering. Jason put his sleeve across his face, stepped into the first bedroom, and found the light switch.
The light came on to expose a horror show. What Jason assumed to be Fred Murphy’s body lay on the bed, covered in flies. He s
aw the strip of tape, loose now, and a bag by the head.
He stepped back and closed the door. Vanessa was following him, but hadn’t seen the body.
“Is he in there?”
Jason did his best to keep from throwing up.
“Yeah, he’s in there.”
*******
Back outside, Vanessa called in the murder while Jason went down to speak with Tabby. She was right where they’d left her.
“Did you find the smell?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Was it rotting food?”
“No. Come sit down over here, Tabby.”
The little woman started visibly shaking, as Jason escorted her to a nearby bench. When she was settled, he sat next to her and looked into her eyes.
“I’m sorry to tell you this Tabby, but Mr. Murphy is dead.”
Tears started down her face.
“Was he murdered?”
“It looks like it.”
She leaned toward Jason and let her tears flow. Jason put an arm around her and waited. He wasn’t going anywhere until this little lady was okay.
Vanessa came over a few minutes later. “I called it in. The forensic teams are on their way.”
At the sound of Vanessa’s voice, Tabby sat up. “I need to tell Willie and the others.”
A voice came from behind them. “Tell Willie what?”
The elderly man walked up, smiling.
“I saw you two detectives take off like bats out of you-know-where, so I followed you over here. What’s going on?”
Vanessa rested her hand on Willie’s shoulder. “It’s about your friend, Fred Murphy.”
“What about him? He was surprising his granddaughter at her graduation. Did he have an accident?”
Tabby stood up and moved toward her friend. “Fred never made it to Florida, Willie. He died in his apartment.”
Willie looked from one face to another, then up toward the door of Fred’s unit, and finally back at Vanessa. “What happened?”
“Same as Ruth.”
Willie shook his head, turned, and walked away. Tabby called after him. “Where are you going, Willie?”
“I need a few minutes.”
Jason stood up next to Tabby. “Let him go.”
Tabby nodded, and Jason took her arm, getting her to sit back down. “Tabby, we need to know a few things.”
Again, she nodded, still looking toward Willie, who had stopped next to the pool building.
“When was Fred supposed to leave for Florida?”
“Three weeks ago. He was flying out on a Wednesday but wasn’t sure when he would be back.”
“Did he have family expecting him?”
“No. He said he was surprising his granddaughter at her college graduation.”
Vanessa had taken out her pad and was making notes.
Jason continued. “You said it was a Wednesday when he left. Do you know the date?”
“Not exactly, but I’m sure it’s on my calendar. I know it was a Wednesday because he missed our card game that night.”
Willie had walked back over to the group.
“Somebody needs to tell Grace and Ruby.”
Jason stood. “Vanessa and I will go there now. We need to speak with them, anyway. Willie, can you take care of Tabby?”
“Of course.”
Chapter 9
Jason knocked twice and stepped back. Vanessa was looking at her notes from the last time they had spoken to the two sisters.
“Ruby! Get the door, please.”
Jason and Vanessa smiled at each other. Even through the door, the yelling was loud.
There was no response but a minute later, the door opened.
Ruby, dressed in a smock and wearing fuzzy slippers, looked at them with sleepy eyes. “Can I help you?”
“Mrs. Pryor, I’m Detective Strong and this is my partner, Detective Layne. Do you remember speaking with us the other night?”
Ruby rubbed her eyes. “Yes, of course. Is there something wrong?”
“We need to speak to you and your sister.”
“Okay, come in.”
As Jason and Vanessa followed Ruby into the apartment, Jason nodded toward his partner to take the lead.
Vanessa took the seat offered by Ruby, while Jason leaned against the half-wall separating the living room and kitchen. The apartment was small but neat. Actually, Jason thought the furniture made it smaller than it was. Large, flower-patterned, overstuffed chairs and a matching couch with doilies over the arms, made the place feel cramped
Grace appeared from one of the bedrooms adjoined to the living room and didn’t need a re-introduction.
“Detectives, hello.”
Ruby sat on the couch across from Vanessa, and Grace joined her. The resemblance was obvious. Jason knew Vanessa had been worrying about the sisters, and it was obvious when she spoke to them.
“How are you two doing?”
Grace smiled at the female detective. “Still a little shook up, but okay considering. Thank you for asking.”
Vanessa didn’t return the smile. “I’m afraid we have some bad news…”
Both ladies seemed to freeze, afraid of what would come next.
“…Fred Murphy had been found dead.”
Grace looked confused. “In Florida?”
“No, here. He never made it to Florida.”
Both women began to cry, and Ruby tucked her knees in toward her chest, curling into a fetal position. Grace fought for composure.
“Was he…killed?”
“It appears so.”
Grace sat back against the couch. “Merciful heaven!”
“Do Tabby and Willie know?”
“Yes. We’ve talked with both of them.”
Jason came across the room, crouched down, and looked directly at both women.
“As tough as this is, we need to ask you a few questions.”
Ruby looked like a scared little girl despite her age, and Jason’s heart broke for both of them.
Grace nodded. “We understand.”
“Did you two hear about Darrel Patterson?”
Ruby appeared to have shut down. Grace answered all the questions.
“Yes, we heard.”
“Did either of you know Mr. Patterson?”
“Yes. We’d run into him at the rent meetings.”
Vanessa looked puzzled. “Rent meetings? I thought all of these units were condos.”
Grace nodded her head. “They are. That is, all except the ones grandfathered in from the early days, when the complex was a rental property.”
“Are you two renters?”
Grace nodded.
Jason made a mental note to ask Steve Jaffe about the history of the complex. “Did either of you ever see Mr. Patterson argue with anyone at those meetings?”
Grace shook her head. “Not that I remember. For the most part, the meetings are not contentious. Just information for the few of us left renting.”
“What about your friends? Did they have anyone who might be angry with them?”
Again, Grace shook her head, before looking at Jason. “Do you have any idea who might be behind this?”
“We have people we’re looking at, but that’s all,” Jason stood. “Thank you for your help.”
Vanessa and Grace got up at the same time, but Ruby remained curled on the couch.
They walked to the door, but before they left, Jason turned and looked at both ladies. “Be careful.”
Grace gave them a sad smile. “We will.”
*******
The next morning, Jason met Vanessa in the elevator heading up to their desks. She carried a forensic report in her hand.
He pointed at the papers. “Been to the basement, I see.”
“I wanted a look at the forensic report before we go out to the Village.”
“My thought exactly.”
They got off at the third floor and went to their desks. The lieutenant’s office door was closed, but it only muff
led the fact someone was very angry.
Jason gave Vanessa a ‘what’s up?’ look. She just shrugged.
They had just flipped open the forensic file when the door burst open and an elderly man came marching out of the office. Tall, nicely dressed, his face beet red, he flew past the detectives. He went straight to the stairs, not waiting for the elevator.
The lieutenant was sitting at his desk, looking at the ceiling, his face a similar color to the man who had just left. He noticed the two detectives watching him.
“You two, get in here.”
They went into the lieutenant’s office. When they had closed the door behind them, he tossed a newspaper across the desk.
“I had this delivered to me today. The man you just saw leave was the delivery boy.”
Jason looked at the headline.
POLICE SEARCHING FOR THE ORCHID VILLAGE
CONDO KILLER
Jason’s friend and nemesis, Devin James, had written the front-page article. A senior writer with the San Antonio News, James had long been a thorn in Jason’s side. He’d also been an asset, invaluable in solving one of Jason’s toughest cases.
Vanessa read the headline aloud, finishing with a moan.
“Really? ‘Condo Killer’? We’re not searching for someone killing condos!”
Patton let a smile cross his lips, but he didn’t like the reporter, and Jason knew it. The lieutenant held Jason, fairly or not, responsible for the reporter’s actions.
“I didn’t tell him a thing, Lieutenant.”
“I assumed you didn’t. The man who just left, do you know who he is?”
“No.”
“His name is George Weber. He’s president of the condo board at Orchid Village, and as you could no doubt tell, he isn’t happy.”
“What’s his problem?”
“The usual. He thinks we’re not doing enough, and what we are doing, isn’t being done fast enough. Where are we on the investigation?”
“Not much to go on. We think it’s someone who’s a regular at the Village and doesn’t seem out of place. We’ve run background on all employees.”
TIED TO MURDER (Det. Jason Strong(CLEAN SUSPENSE Book 5) Page 4