Jewel of a Murderer

by M. Glenn Graves

  “I remember some of these bits and pieces. You updated me each night after you did whatever you did during the daytime. You just never told me the whole story of the daytime stuff,” Rogers said interrupting my remembrances.

  “Yeah, you got the short, sketchy review edition each time I updated you. I treated you more like a data retrieval system than a gifted AI back then. I was still learning to adjust to your varied talents.”

  “Still are, if you ask me,” Rogers said.

  “You did some research on the knife and found it.”

  A photo appeared instantly on Rogers’ monitor of a long knife with a bone handle. “Made by OEM in Guangdong, China. Used Damascus steel. I have the model number and some other details from that. The police lab matched the blade with the three murders you were investigating,” Rogers said.

  “It took them a few days.”

  “But the prints from the weapon you took from the culprit never did produce anything.”

  “Not immediately. There was no record of our suspect in the system. He seemed to be clean and that made our job difficult.”

  “It didn’t stop him from coming after you again,” Rogers said.

  “True, but I did what I considered to be the best strategy for apprehending our villain.”

  None of the leads we had for the purchase of the Centelle Blade Runner jogging shoes panned out. McGrady and I did the leg work on that dead-end in between my jogging strategy in the early mornings and the late afternoons.

  After a boring and unproductive week of running the Barraud Park paths with no subsequent attacks, McGrady was ready to call it quits. I was getting good exercise while he was achieving nothing less than accumulated frustration and gaining a few extra pounds from all of the peanuts he consumed.

  It was a Friday morning and I had just finished five miles of an extremely boring jog around the park. More boring than usual. Even that is hard to imagine. Jogging is generally therapeutic for me. It’s what I do, what I enjoy. But this kind of jogging had no remedial value. It must have been my high degree of expectation and the subsequent disappointment after each lap. No fun at all.

  I met McGrady at our agreed upon spot on Hanson Avenue, a block or two away from Sizemore’s house.

  “I’m ready to go at this in another angle,” he said.

  “He might be on to us by now, I’ll give you that.”

  “Or else he’s out shopping for another knife.”

  “What angle are you pondering?” I said.

  “I got nothing on this. You suppose we can go back and look at the three victims to see if we missed some remote connection that might prove to be of substance?”

  “It’s worth a try. Possible we missed something,” I said, still guarding my information about the restaurant video. I wanted more background on Candace and Jeffrey. I was also trying to give Rogers enough time to produce some small lead.

  “I’ll go back to Sizemore’s and change clothes. Sam and I will meet you at the station. You have skills with computer searches?” I said.

  “Nah. I’m old school when it comes to junk like that. I’ll get one of the tech guys to help,” he said.

  Sam and I trotted to Sizemore’s place as McGrady drove away. I decided that it would be worthwhile to have Rogers do a wider background search on all three victims. Extensive meant from birth to death for me. I assumed that she also had that idea. Perhaps something would click in some remote nook or cranny.

  The Sizemore house was still a crime scene, but that kind of stuff never bothers me much. Upon entering the house, I decided to take a quick shower instead of changing clothes and then driving across town to my place to clean up. For an ever-so-brief moment, I thought that showering here might not be such a good idea. I quickly discounted that intuitive notion because of Sam. He would be sufficient protection, I reasoned.

  I pointed to a spot by the bedroom door for Sam to lie in wait while I cleaned up. He obeyed without objection.

  The shower felt good. Always good to feel clean again.

  Just as I turned off the water, I thought I heard Sam whine, just a little. The unusual sound gave me pause. I stopped moving and listened.

  No further whining and no other sound that I could detect.

  I eased open the shower door, grabbed the oversized towel and wrapped it around me without much drying my dripping self. I took a smaller hand towel and rubbed my red flames just to have my head semi-dry as I investigated my guard dog.

  I then heard him growl. A low growl. Nothing prolonged, just a simple growl, if a dog could control such a thing. It was at that moment as I stood next to the closed bathroom door that I realized I had made a mistake by undressing in the bedroom on the other side of the door.

  My clothes and firearm were on Drew’s bed.

  I waited and listened for another growl.

  Nothing.

  This bathroom was part of the master bedroom suite so I knew I would have to open the door, take a few steps to the bed to retrieve either clothing or weapon. I was counting on Sam’s diligent protection.

  That earlier growling from my guard made me just a tad apprehensive. I eased opened the door doing my best not to make a sound. I could see Sam staring in my direction with his eyes and ears alert. He was no longer growling.

  I wanted to speak to him, but I decided that if someone was inside the house, then talking to my dog would not be wise. I opened the door further and then moved quickly toward the bed to retrieve my weapon and some clothing.

  The stabbing pain in my back caused me to fall to my knees on the carpeted floor before I could reach the short distance from the bathroom to the bed. That pain was sharp and distinct. I realized too late what had happened.

  I suddenly felt weak and sick to my stomach. Some sharp object had penetrated my lower back and I could feel myself falling from that kneeling position, falling as if in slow motion to the carpet below me. As I fell I turned my head slightly to the left to see Sam stand and start towards me. As I hit the floor hard, I heard someone yell, “Stay!”

  I closed my eyes, or maybe they closed automatically. Hard to know. Too much pain at that moment.

  Time passed.

  I heard a voice say, “Where is it?”

  I opened my eyes, but I couldn’t speak. Pain, sharp pain…and something warm on my back. A hooded figure was now close to my face, next to me, on the carpet. If he said anything, I was too woozy to comprehend. I tried to adjust my vision – I think I blinked a few times in an effort to clear my sight. The face close to me was wearing some ridiculous mask, or I was suddenly dreaming about a carnival and some stupid clown showed up to watch me in agony.

  A voice spoke loudly again, “Stay there, you mangy dog!”

  Another blink and the ridiculous masked-face was gone. Something black and moving quickly passed close to me. The last thing I remember thinking was that the warmth on my back was probably my own blood.

  Chapter 15

  I came to my senses in a bed in Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. A short, stocky whirlwind of a nurse came into my room just as I opened my eyes to see the environs. I felt dull-witted, dry-mouthed, and lots of back pain. Did I say my head hurt as well? I couldn’t remember the last time I had such a wondrous awakening experience of pain and regret.

  “How’d I get here?” I mumbled to the nurse.

  “Ambulance. Yesterday.”

  She left in the same whirlwind that had brought her into the room. I swear the white curtains on the window moved when she left. She didn’t even close my door. Perhaps that meant she was coming back. Oh, joy.

  I did a quick survey of my surroundings and decided that I had a private room. I couldn’t see any other bed, so I felt a bit more at ease. Crowds sometimes bother me. The private room allowed me to yell if need be. If I had thought it would help, I would have yelled at that moment.

  I noticed that I was wearing one of those immodest hospital gowns. I remembered that my last garment of note was a large towel. Oh boy. S
omebody must have dressed me…or worse.

  Nurse Whirlwind returned. She had a syringe and an eye full of business. I was hoping that she would remain still long enough for me to read her name tag. No such luck.

  “Before you do that to me, let me ask you something else,” I said.

  “Ask quick. I have rounds to make and I don’t have time to socialize.”

  “I bet you do. I bet you see them all before the hour is up. ”

  She frowned.

  “I’m not trying to be social. Was I brought in by a male or a female?”

  She frowned some more. Then she walked to the foot of the bed and looked at the clipboard chart.

  “Both,” she said. Then she came at me with the force of a pro wrestler and stuck the syringe in my arm as if she had something against me. Maybe she knew me from another life. Maybe I had taken her case and never solved it. Maybe I had refused to take her case. Either way, she had her revenge. She had undoubtedly failed the bed-side manner course that they teach in nursing school. Perchance they didn’t teach it to her?

  At any rate, Nurse Whirlwind left once again and took a good bit of the air from the room with her. This time she closed the door. Bet her rounds with those other patients were a fun-filled adventure.

  I must have fallen asleep since the next thing I recalled was a knock at my chamber door.

  “Yeah,” I managed to squeak out as if I was still learning to speak.

  McGrady stuck his head in before entering.

  “You got clothes on?” he smiled.

  “Sort of,” I said. “Where’ve you been?”

  “Believe it or not, working.”

  “I’ll reserve judgment on that. You responsible for my being here?”

  “I followed the ambulance after I had called nine-one-one.”

  “How’d you know I needed help?”

  “Didn’t. When I showed up at the office without you, Wineski sent me back. Told me that I was not to leave you.”

  “I had the dog,” I said.

  “Lotta good he did you,” McGrady said.

  “I think he may have saved me from being murdered.”

  “You took a blade to the back. Deep wound, they tell me.”

  “But just one wound, right?”

  “Yeah, that’s all they could find.”

  “So, our killer was aware of us and must have seen more than we realized,” I said.

  “Failed plan from the beginning.”

  “You say that only because it was not your plan.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You find any evidence at the house?” I said.

  “Besides the bloody towel you were wearing, only some blood stains and another knife. Imagine that.”

  “The blood’s probably mine.”

  “The towel, for sure. But we found some blood on the carpet in the bedroom and in the living room,” he said.

  “I didn’t make it into the living room, did I?”

  “Naw, you were out of it by the time I got there. I thought you were dead. But I found a pulse and called the medics. The blood stains were not yours in either place. There was a soaked portion of the carpet in the bedroom that was your blood. You struggle with the attacker?”

  “Not that I can recall. He jumped me when I came out of the bathroom. He knifed me almost immediately from behind. I really had no chance. I had left my handgun on the bed with my sweats. Dumb thing to do.”

  “He could’ve knifed you in the back even if you had your weapon in the bathroom.”

  “Yeah, but I could’ve turned and shot him.”

  “Like you were alert enough to do that once he stabbed you? I know better than that. You’re just too proud to admit that you were almost killed.”

  “Proud? I don’t admit any such thing. The dog saved me. I’m sticking with that story.”

  “You have too much faith in that mangy canine,” he said.

  “Good thing he’s not here in the room to hear you say that. Speaking of Sam, where is he?”

  “I don’t play nursemaid to no dog,” he said with his usual command of English grammar.

  “Anything else?” I said, feeling that it was way past time for McGrady to leave my room.

  “The techs took some blood samples from those other spots and the lab is doing a workup. Doubt if it comes to anything, since we already have his prints and they didn’t prove to be much help.”

  “And his knife, you say? That would be his second knife we have acquired.”

  “Yeah, that’s a real surprise to me. After all he got the drop on you and had you dead to rights. Can’t figure out why he didn’t finish you off and just leave.”

  “Sam,” I said. “My money’s on Sam jumping him, biting him or somehow causing him to drop the knife and limp away. Explains the blood stains and the knife left behind.”

  “Makes for a good story, but I don’t have the same love of canines that you obviously have.”

  “So, what do you think happened?”

  “I wasn’t there. You must have injured him in the fight, he dropped the knife and ran away. Again, you know, like that first time you two fought.”

  “I wish that were the story. All I can tell you from what I recall is that I came out of the bathroom, he stabbed me, I fell to the floor, tried to get a look at him but the blood-loss was too much too fast. I couldn’t move. Then someone turned out the lights.”

  “And the dog was with you the whole time?”

  “I remember cracking the bathroom door just a smidgen and seeing Sam sitting by the bedroom door that led to the hallway. He was looking in my direction or seemed to be.”

  “Begs the question,” McGrady said.

  “Call it.”

  “If he’s such a fearless and faithful breed, why didn’t he attack the person before you were knifed in the back?”

  I had no witty remark to make. It had crossed my mind, but I had no answer. I let it pass. I had thought Sam would protect me at all costs. But then I realized that we had only been together a few months, and that I was still relatively new to him. Maybe he wasn’t sure what to do. I had questions for sure. I had no answers for McGrady.

  “Can’t say.”

  “Did the assailant ever say anything to you?”

  “Oh, yeah…I do remember he asked where it was.”

  “Where what was?” McGrady said.

  “I have no idea. Maybe one of his other knives. Could’ve been a favorite, you know.”

  “That’s weak, Evans. Really weak. You know Wineski is gonna blame me for this.”

  “Your concern for my welfare is touching,” I said.

  “Evans, I don’t care for you and your style of whatever-it-is-you-do…investigating. It’s obvious we dislike each other. You think you’re superior to real cops. I’ve worked three decades as a cop and you had, what, a few years on the job when you quit? Decided you were better off outside the law. Now you come along and make waves for me as I am nearing my retirement. I figure Wineski is just looking for a reason to take my shield before I can get out. I don’t care one whit about you. I mean you no harm but working with you is like scraping the bottom of some dark hole.”

  He stood up and moved to the door.

  “Well, I’m glad you’ve cleared the air. Nice to know where we stand with each other. When I get out of here, I will find this killer. It’s personal now. Even you can see that. So, Detective McGrady, you can either work with me, away from me, or not at all. I don’t care. But I plan to continue on until I have this guy in custody. And, I will find him. Eventually. With or without you. You need not worry about Wineski. If he wanted your shield, he would have taken it years ago.”

  He slammed the door and the walls vibrated. I noted that building construction was not what it was when I was younger.

  Nurse Whirlwind came into my room abruptly.

  “Tell your friends that we do not slam doors in the hospital,” she huffed and turned to go.

  “Not my friend,” I said.


  She glared at me. “Then by all means, tell your visitors.”

  She left without slamming the door. I got the impression she wanted to slam my door.

  Chapter 16

  My next visitor brought me a dozen roses. Wineski entered, handed the flowers to Nurse Whirlwind who gazed at him as if he had just lost his mind. Her look was a scowling dissatisfaction. Maybe worse.

  “What am I supposed to do with these?” she said abruptly.

  “Water, sweetie. Vase and water.”

  He sat down and stared at me for a long time before speaking. Nurse Whirlwind left and returned with the flowers in a glass vase. She plopped them down hard next to the small sink, frowned at Wineski, and then scurried out. Likely enough, it was not her custom to have anyone give her orders. That probably included the doctors who probably made mere suggestions for her. I still couldn’t read her name tag. Whirlwind would have to do for the moniker.

  “Could you read her name tag?” I said to him before he spoke a word.

  “Who?”

  “Nurse Whirlwind there.”

  “Naw, I didn’t pay any attention to her name. You like the flowers, huh? Nice touch for an old coot like me.”

  “Like the flowers. Even from an old coot,” I said.

  “You’re gonna be the death of me, kid. You know that?” Wineski said.

  “I live to fight another day.”

  “Barely. What if he had stabbed you multiple times? You likely wouldn’t have survived.”

  I detected a note of positive concern in his voice.

  “Sam was there.”

  “Sam who…oh, you mean the dog?”

  “The very one,” I said.

  “And how do you know that Sam the Wonder Dog saved your bacon?”

  “I’m sitting up in this damnable bed, half-dressed, talking to you, Bubba,” I said.

  “Wow. That was forceful. You and the nurse there have been dancing some.”

  He smiled and I laughed.

  “So, you think the dog helped,” he said.