Next Move, You're Dead - Book 1 of the Next Move, You're Dead Trilogy

by Linda L Barton

Those moves set Charles in motion to achieve his ultimate goal: President of the United States.

  ***

  When Charles awoke early that morning, he was convinced the destruction the current Mayor was within his grasp. One of his contacts had given him some damaging information on the mayor, so Charles looked forward to leaking it to the local news outlets.

  The mayor and his family had long been a thorn in Charles side. They were old family friends of his wife and had made it clear they believed she married below her station.

  “Just who do they think they are?” Charles groaned. “My blood may not be blue, but I’m not trash, either!”

  Charles was from a proud, blue-collar family, who had believed in hard work. His father worked long hours for little pay while his mother took in laundry to help make ends meet. Charles swore he would never live the life they had. He demanded more from his life, and would do whatever it took to achieve his goals.

  On the day, Charles had left for college; he vowed he would never look back. He did not even return for the funerals when his parents died. Charles worked hard to put himself through college and then law school where he made all the right contacts necessary to begin his path to achieving wealth and power. He met his wife through of one of those contacts.

  After graduating and passing the bar, Charles got a job at a small law firm in Pittsburgh. Then on a fortuitous day, while filing some papers at the courthouse, Charles ran into Jeffrey Sidesmore.

  Jeffrey was from a prominent family in Philadelphia. He had taken a liking to Charles in law school, so when they went out to lunch to catch up on their lives; he invited Charles to work for his family’s law firm in Philadelphia. Charles had jumped at the opportunity, knowing this was what he needed to progress with his plans.

  First, he would make a name for himself at the powerful law firm. Then he would marry into the right family; guarantying the contacts needed to achieve his goals. With this new job, Charles was convinced he would soon have everything he desired.

  Charles was with the firm for seven years when he met Mrs. Clara Willings. He realized she would secure the next step in his career plan.

  It was not difficult for Charles to woo Clara. She was lonely after losing her husband and only child a few months earlier in a tragic airplane crash.

  Her husband, Michael was the CEO of a large insurance company in New York City. Michael knew she would never be happy living in New York City. Therefore, he commuted to and from work via his private jet, this allowing her to stay in the family home she loved.

  Clara and Michael enjoyed a loving marriage for thirty-seven years. However, it all ended on the day when his airplane went down on his flight home, killing everyone.

  Andrew was Clara and Michael’s only child. He had moved to the city a few months earlier after taking a job with a prestigious advertising firm.

  Clara was thrilled when he called to inform her he would be flying home for a weekend visit with this father. However, in her wildest dreams, she never could have imagined losing both of them, but on that terrible day, her worst nightmare came true.

  Clara’s parents died several years earlier and since she had no siblings, with the death of her husband and son; Clara found herself alone. Of course, this was perfect for Charles and his plans for achieving wealth and power.

  ***

  Theirs was not a marriage of love. Charles would act the moral man she believed him to be, and Clara provided him the contacts he needed for his political ambitions. It was the perfect marital arrangement for Charles.

  Charles would laugh at how she blindly trusted him, and how she was oblivious to what he was doing. As long as he made an appearance at her silly, little dinner parties and acted the attentive husband, she was content.

  Another benefit of the marriage was Clara never pressured Charles to share her bed. While he had to admit she was an attractive woman, his tastes were a bit more exotic. Everything was going along as planned for Charles. So now, it was time to make his next move.

  ***

  The Mayor’s fall from grace was something Charles had long awaited. He would step to the top of the social ladder with the Mayor’s resignation in a whirlwind of scandal and disgrace. The best part was he would be the one to step up to save the city in the eyes of the voters.

  “I can’t wait to see that smug look wiped off his face!” Charles laughed with his informant at learning of the scandalous information.

  Charles was tired of the conspiring behind his back and hushed whispers whenever he entered the room. Sick of his plans for the city continually shot down, and then to only have someone else get credit for his ideas; Charles looked forward to the day's events.

  “After today, I’ll have you out of my way,” Charles gloated as he envisioned the Mayor resigning in disgrace.

  Charles left for work before sunrise. He planned to make a brief stop to blow off some steam then head straight to the office.

  When Charles started his car to leave, he smiled realizing how today he would get his due. However, he had no idea he had just become a piece in The Game.

  Chapter 4

  Move Number One

  The rising sun cast a warm and welcoming glow on the streets of the city. At the beginning of the new shift, the dispatch officer had just settled in with a cup of coffee, preparing for the day. The first call of the day reported a well-dressed man had put something resembling a body wrapped in a blue blanket in the trunk of his car.

  The caller refused to give his name but insisted it might have something to do with the recent prostitute murders. He said he could not see the man’s face, but the car was a silver Jaguar. He then went on to say he could see the numbers 687 on the license plate.

  He reported the man was approximately six feet tall, very well dressed, and not the type you would normally see in that part of town.

  “The only people driving cars like that in this neighborhood are drug dealers, and this guy wasn’t a drug dealer.”

  The caller said he was walking home from work at one of the convenience stores. He said he had stopped to light a cigarette when he heard the unusual commotion coming from a car parked in the alley. The caller figured with the murders going on he should report it to the police.

  The dispatch officer took the report and told the caller a patrol car would come out to the scene and investigate.

  ***

  After completing his early morning business, Charles drove to his office in City Hall. He was mulling over the coming events when a patrol car pulled in behind him and turned on its lights.

  Why would someone pull me over? Doesn’t he know who I am?

  Charles knew he was not doing anything illegal, and, to be honest, the last thing he needed, was a record of him in this part of town.

  This could defiantly put a wrinkle in my plans; he thought to himself.

  Charles pulled to the curb, rolled down his window, and waited until the officer walked up to the car.

  “Good morning, officer. What seems to be the problem? I wasn’t speeding, was I?” Charles smiled, trying to appear calm.

  “No, you weren’t, but you do have a taillight out, and I thought you ought to know. It looks as if someone broke it.”

  The officer motioned letting Charles know to follow him toward the rear of the car. Noticing the license plate with the three numbers in the report, and since the car was a silver Jaguar; the broken taillight gave him an excuse to stop the car for a closer look.

  The officer had immediately recognized Charles and did not want any trouble for stopping him without probable cause. The last thing, he wanted, was upsetting someone from city government.

  Learning of the broken taillight angered Charles. How could someone hit my car and not leave a note informing me? He had hurried to his room the night before, not wanting to awaken Clara, and this morning he had rushed out of the house before she awoke.

  “Damn, I had no idea,” Charles groaned as
he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car to look for himself.

  With things about to go his way, he did not need someone asking why he would be in this part of town so early in the morning. Charles knew the press, as well as the Mayor, would be thrilled with the information, and that was the last thing he wanted.

  Both men walked toward the rear of the car. They both looked at the broken light when the officer noticed a small piece of blue fabric sticking out of the trunk hatch. The officer stepped back, drew his gun, and pointed it at Charles. “Open the trunk, sir!”

  “What the hell is wrong with you? It’s only a broken taillight! Do you have any idea who I am? I’ll have your badge for this!” Charles bellowed.

  “Yes sir, I’m aware who you are, and I’m also aware you have a lot of power in this city. Now open the trunk, sir!” The officer held his gun firmly aimed at Charles and never flinched.

  Charles slowly reached into his pocket and pushed the button on his key remote to open the trunk. However, what lay inside the trunk of his car made his blood turn to ice. There to his horror was the body of a young woman, loosely wrapped in a thin blue blanket. She appeared to be around sixteen years old, dressed in torn and tattered clothing, and wearing a cheap blond wig.

  Charles could not believe his eyes. How did a body get in the trunk of my car? “What the hell? I have no idea how she got in my trunk! Someone must have planted her there. I have many enemies! Yeah, that’s it. It has to be someone trying to frame me!” His head spun wildly, as the officer cuffed him and placed him in the patrol car then called for backup.

  ***

  The mood at the station was a mixture of surprise and celebration. No one had ever expected the serial killer would turn out to be Councilman Charles Everett.

  John was relieved there had been an arrest in the case. He had worked hard on this case but never once did he believe it would turn out this way. Kathy had told him not to worry because they would solve it, and even though he was not the one to make the arrest, he was glad it was finally over.

  ***

  When they brought Charles in for booking, the look on his face was one of complete horror and disbelief. He kept repeating, “I didn’t do it! Someone framed me!”

  The next shocking thing was the jeweled box found in the trunk, along with the body. The box appeared to be old and valuable, but its hidden contents surprised even John. Tucked safely inside were the missing nipples from the other victims. Each carefully dehydrated and pressed between sheets of wax paper, as though it were a unique treasure.

  This man is one sick and twisted bastard; John thought to himself.

  Once the report with the DNA results came back linking Charles to this and the other murders, they could close the case for good. Finding the box with its individual contents was the final piece needed to convict Charles Everett of multiple murders.

  John sat quietly and watched the jubilation around the office, but for some reason, he could not shake the strange feeling growing up from deep inside of him. It was all too easy. Maybe there is more to this than meets the eye.

  Charles was dumbstruck when they fingerprinted, and booked him for the murder of the young girl found in his trunk. No matter how much he protested no one believed in his innocence, and how he had nothing to do with committing the heinous crime.

  Charles Everett was now a mere shadow of the man he had been the day before. He also had no idea he had just become an unwilling participant in The Game.

  Chapter 5

  Don’t Rush to Judgment

  John sat at his desk going through some paperwork when his mind wandered back to the strange phone call from the night before. “Tracker, the Game; what the hell does that mean?”

  He jumped when his phone rang, bringing him out of his thoughts, “This is Detective Cooper.”

  “Hello John.” the voice was cheerful.

  “Who is this?”

  “Have you forgotten me so soon? We only spoke last night, John,” he teased.

  “Who are you, and what do you want with me?” John demanded, feeling anger swell up inside of him.

  “How did you enjoy the outcome of the case you’ve been working on with the arrest of the murderer of all those women? You must be quite disappointed to have worked so hard over the past few weeks to have victory snatched away by a mere street officer. I saw on the news how everyone is pleased since the arrest. How exciting it must be for Philadelphia’s finest. How thrilled they all must be to get a dangerous murderer off the streets. What a prize; a popular city council member, no less. Tell me, John; does it bother you not to have been there to make the arrest?”

  “No, it doesn’t bother me! I’m glad it’s over!” Of course, John was disappointed not to have been in on the arrest, but he would never let this sanctimonious asshole know his real feelings.

  John heard a soft chuckle, “But has it truly been solved? Tell me; didn’t it all seem a little too easy? First, there was the phone call reporting the suspicious activity in the alley. Next, the body of the young woman found in the trunk of the car, and lastly, the jeweled box with the little treasures from each of the other victims.”

  John interrupted before the caller could continue. “How the hell do you about the jeweled box? No one has said anything to the media about it!”

  Damn it, there is no way this guy can know of the box, unless… John paused, pondering the unthinkable.

  “I know, John because it’s part of The Game,” the voice calmly replied.

  “It’s time for the next move, John. This is such fun, isn’t it?” The phone went dead.

  John sat in silence, stunned by what he had heard. What is he up to and how does he know of the jeweled box with the nipples from the other dead prostitutes? Had someone in the department leaked the information? No, or it would be all over the news.

  A horrible feeling slammed into John, What if we have it wrong. What if Charles Everett is innocent? It did seem to fall into place too easily.

  The problem was all the evidence clearly pointed to Charles but was he a murderer. There was no denying it made no sense for him to have been in that part of town, but being a fool did not make you a killer.

  The problem was the higher ups in the city government seemed more than happy with the outcome. John knew they would not care if someone called claiming to know intimate details of the murders. They caught him with a dead prostitute in the trunk of his car along with the evidence linking him to the other victims, so as far as everyone believed there was no question of his guilt.

  John returned the telephone receiver to its cradle. He sat for a moment when a horrible feeling moved over him. What did he mean by the next move?

  Chapter 6

  Piece’s Two and Three

  George Mizlan and Frank Campos were business partners for years. They had started out as childhood friends going to school together, and then to the same college. After college, they started a very successful internet company, but through years, the taste wealth and power caused a rift in their friendship.

  George came in early to check on some banking reports for the company. Mr. Richards, the company’s head accountant brought the questionable figures to his attention last night, so he decided to look into them before Frank came in for the day.

  While balancing the accounts, Mr. Richards found some unusual money transfers and decided to inform George of his concerns.

  ***

  “Mr. Mizlan, I don’t understand what’s going on here. There have been several large transfers over the past few weeks. I wasn’t able to track them as our system keeps requesting a security clearance I don’t have. I thought you might want to know of this before it goes on any longer.” Mr. Richards wiped the sweat from his forehead, trying to appear calm.

  “Thank you, Mr. Richards; I’ll look into it in the morning,” George said.

  “Yes, sir.” Mr. Richards stood and reached for his coat, and then
walked out the door. Tomorrow should be very interesting; he thought to himself as he left for the day.

  ***

  The next morning while George was driving to work, he heard the morning news of the shocking arrest of City Councilman Charles Everett for the murder of several prostitutes. This news surprised George because he had met Charles at a political fundraiser a few months earlier.

  Even though George found Charles to be egotistical and patronizing, he never would have thought of him as a murderer. “I guess it takes all kinds.”

  George knew how people could surprise you; look how Frank had changed since school. They were once the best of friends, but now they merely tolerated each other for the sake of the business.

  It pleased George that Frank had begun to come in later to the office each day. He was fine with it because the less time they spent together, the better. Besides, everyone knew he was the one who had made the company successful.

  He set his cup of coffee on the desk then sat in his chair, waiting for the computer boot up.

  “Okay, let us see what Mr. Richards found before Frank gets here,” he said to himself, as he entered his security code.

  ***

  Frank was still at his apartment, enjoying his morning coffee when he came across the newspaper article announcing the arrest of Charles Everett for the murder of a young woman. The article also mentioned that he was a suspect in the killings of the prostitutes found along the roadside the last few weeks.

  “Can you believe this?” Frank looked up at his housekeeper, Rosella.

  “No, I can’t, how horrible! I don’t understand how someone can do such terrible things?” Rosella reached for the coffee pot to refill his cup.

  “I don’t know either.” Frank took a sip of coffee and then set his cup back down on the table. “I met him a few months ago at a fundraiser, and he appeared to be moving up the political ladder here in town.”

  Frank then motioned he already had enough coffee, when she tried to refill his cup, “This doesn’t make any sense. He just didn’t seem to be the sort of doing something like that.”

  She pulled the coffee pot back and returned it to the counter, “No, it doesn’t, sir.”

  Frank folded the paper and placed it on the table. “You know, I voted for him when he ran for councilman, and I was planning to vote for him if he ran for mayor. I guess you can never tell what someone is capable of, can you? Well, I need to get going. I’ll be home around seven this evening for dinner.”