by Owen Parr
The police officer sitting in the driver’s seat asked, “Mancuso, how do you want to handle this?”
“Let’s simply walk to the front of the home, and knock on the door,” I replied.
“Lead the way,” he said.
I parked my car behind theirs, and all four of us walked to the home. There were two vehicles parked in the driveway; a silver-gray, Bentley convertible, and a dark blue Mercedes Maybach.
I told the two officers, “Guys, why don’t you take the back, we’ll knock on the door.”
“We’re looking for a potential murderer, right? Asked one of the officers, whose named tag read John Tinsley.
“Yes, Tinsley right. Why?”
“Either of you two armed?”
“No, we’re not.”
Tinsley said, “Then we’ll split up. Mancuso, you and I take the back. You, Father, knock on the door with my partner, Russo. Give us five minutes before you do.”
I nodded. That made a lot of sense. Tinsley and I made our way through the hedges and landscape, until we finally reached the back of the home. The manicured lawn in the back went for at least one-hundred yards, to where there were two tennis courts, side by side. There was an Olympic size infinity pool, after a large keystone patio that had huge glass doors leading to the home. We approached carefully, as Tinsley rested his right hand on his pistol.
We carefully looked inside, putting our faces close to the glass doors and cupping our hands to remove the glare. What we saw was an expansive family room, or great room, opened to the living room, and front foyer of the home. On the right side of the great room, was a bar, and on the opposite end of the room, was a pool table, with a large flat screen television on the wall. As Tinsley and I met in the middle, we could see a grouping of comfortable chairs. There she was, Mrs. Jessica Adams, sitting alone in complete silence, with her head down.
Tinsley pulled his pistol out and kept it pointed down, as he nodded, and I knocked on the glass door.
“Mrs. Adams, it’s Joey Mancuso.”
She didn’t move, or acknowledge the knock.
“Mrs. Adams, can we come in?”
No reaction from her. Tinsley asked me, “Is she dead?”
“Let’s see if we can go in,” I replied, reaching for the door and sliding it open.
Tinsley now held his pistol with both hands, as we approached Mrs. Adams. In front of her, originally blocked from our outside view, was Mr. Adams, who lay, facing up, in a pool of blood. The right side of his face was blown off, and blood could be seen spattered in an outward fashion, all over the area rug, and beyond, to the marble floor behind him.
Mrs. Adams still sat there, almost catatonic, holding a silver Smith & Wesson 38 caliber revolver, with her right hand. Tinsley pointed his gun at her. “Mrs. Adams, please drop the weapon.”
Without even glancing up, she let the revolver slip out of her hand, letting it land on the carpet by her feet. Tinsley moved in and kicked the weapon to one side.
I carefully examined Mr. Adams, but there was no need to check for a pulse. He was still warm, but, very, very, dead. I went to the front door to let Dominic and Officer Russo in, avoiding the blood on the floor. Captain Johnson arrived as Dom and Russo were walking in. I waited for Johnson to get out of his car.
“What do we have?” Johnson asked.
“Looks like Mrs. Adams just killed her husband, Marshall.”
“Is she here?”
“We found her here, just sitting, holding the gun.”
“You were right.”
“About what?”
“Mrs. Adams called Geraldine Francis, and told her to meet her, and one other board member at the Foundation’s office that night.”
“So, what happened?”
“Geraldine said Jessica called at about nine, and told her they couldn’t make it, they would meet another time. Jessica asked her to put together a list of offshore donors that they wanted to review. So, Geraldine stayed at the office. Then she went home after ten.”
“Jessica kept Geraldine at the office, while she went to Sheila’s home, enjoyed themselves in the tub and shower, then killed her.”
“That’s what it looks like,” Johnson said. “Let’s see what we have, here,” Johnson said, as we walked towards the family room.
Tinsley put his gun away, and asked Mrs. Adams to stand. She got up slowly, still looking at her husband’s body. Tinsley cuffed her hands behind her back and began reading her Miranda rights.
Jessica finally spoke in a whisper, “The son of a bitch still loved her.”
Tinsley asked, “Mrs. Adams, did you understand your rights?”
Jessica nodded in the affirmative.
“Mrs. Adams, did you shoot your husband?” Tinsley asked.
“I killed them both. Now, they can fuck in hell,” she replied sternly, without raising her head.
We all glanced at each other.
I asked Mrs. Adams, “Mrs. Adams, did your husband admit to having an affair with Mrs. Longworth?”
She only repeated, “They can fuck in hell.”
I walked closer to her, and in a low voice, I asked again, “Did he tell you they were having an affair?”
Mrs. Adams shook her head. “He admitted on the stand, to loving her,” she replied, without looking at me.
The Captain said, “Officer, please take her away to your car. Have you called this in?”
“Tinsley replied, “Yes, Captain. Detective Angelo Levy, the crime scene unit, and the coroner are on their way.”
I smiled, “Levy again. He’s going to enjoy this one. All wrapped up for him, just like he likes it.”
“Joey, step out to the driveway with me. Father Dominic, join us.”
We walked out of the home and stood outside.
“Are you guys ready to start on Monday?”
“Captain, you know I have limited time, but I’ll do as much as I can,” Dom said.
Johnson nodded and turned towards me.
“Shit, I have nothing to do. I can start tomorrow. What’ve you got?”
“Three horrific murders.”
“All at once?” I asked.
Johnson replied, “Three different nights, all in about ten days.”
“Serial murderer? I haven’t heard anything.”
“We’re keeping it under wraps. We don’t want to start a city-wide panic.”
“Of course, by we, you mean the Mayor?” I asked, knowing full well the answer. “Who’s on the case now?”
“Detectives Farnsworth and Charles.”
“Oh, Cagney, and Lacey. I’ll bet they’re going to be delighted that I’m getting involved.”
“I’m going to have your old partner, Detective Lucy Roberts, pair up with you on this one. You can use her shield for easier access to whatever you need.”
“Very smart. I love Lucy,” I said smiling.
“Amusing, Mancuso,” Johnson quipped.
Dom asked, “Captain, you said horrific, how so?”
“Three young good looking ladies, all brunettes, two in their late twenties, and one, early thirties. They have anal sex, extreme sex, then, the perp strangles them, and finally slices the top of their breasts to form a cross. Then leaves without any trace.”
“When did this start?” I asked.
“Like I said, in the last ten days,” Johnson replied.
“All in ten days? Dom asked.
The Captain nodded. “Yes, are you in?”
I looked at Dom, then back at the Captain. “We’re in.”
EPILOGUE
Harold Longworth’s motion for judgment acquittal was successful. He never moved back to his home. He put it up for sale, then bought a condominium in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. His real estate development business is doing very well, and he continues to run the operation. Both his children continue in school. Tom is pursuing a Master’s degree, and Margery has decided to join her Dad in the business, upon graduation. Luisa Sanchez, their longtime housekeeper, contin
ues to work for Mr. Longworth.
Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez, Marcy’s parents, went back to their home in New Jersey. Rosa, her mother, calls Marcy every day to make sure she is alright. Twice a month, they visit Marcy and make her a homemade Cuban meal.
Jessica Adams was convicted of two counts of first-degree felony murder. She was sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole. Had it not been for the moratorium on the death sentence, established by New York Governor Pataki, in nineteen-ninety-five, her fate would have been a lethal needle. She was to spend the rest of her life at Belford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, in the town of Belford, Westchester County, New York, a maximum-security prison for women. Coincidentally, her cell was once occupied by another infamous Long Island prisoner, Amy Fisher, known as the “Long Island Lolita.” Fisher, who served seven years after pleading guilty to first-degree aggravated assault in the shooting of Mary Jo Buttafuoco, the wife of her lover, Joey Buttafuoco, was paroled in 1999.
Geraldine Francis was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, tax fraud, and racketeering. She was sentenced to fifteen years in prison, at Albion Correctional Facility located in Orleans County, New York. It is a medium security prison that houses up to one thousand, two hundred adult female inmates. In her first month of incarceration, Geraldine requested a sex transformation surgery, but later decided against it, preferring to stay in the all-women facility.
Charles, “Chuck”, Pearson was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, tax fraud, and racketeering. He was sentenced to twenty years at the Metropolitan Correctional Facility in Manhattan, known as the most secured facility in the prison system. “El Chapo” Guzman is currently a resident of said facility. It is also where Gambino crime boss, John Gotti, and other high-profile inmates resided. Fearing for his life, Pearson cooperated with authorities to reveal all ties with foreign governments and U.S citizens in tax schemes through the Longworth Foundation. As a result of his cooperation, he was moved to the Adirondack Correctional Facility in Ray Brook, New York, a mid-level security prison.
Captain Alex Johnson is delighted that Joey and Father Dom are consultants to his precinct’s homicide division. Especially, in light of the new case with the serial murderer. The Captain prays that Joey’s unconventional methods of investigating don’t fuck up his last few years on the force and planned retirement.
Detectives Farnsworth and Charles were, in fact, dismayed that Mancuso was going to shadow them on the new case. Although Charles liked Mancuso, having partnered with him for a while, Farnsworth was much less enthused by Joey’s methods.
Simon Cohen, the Managing Partner of Bevans and Associates law firm, was not thrilled that Mancuso did not accept the offer to take over the space available in their prestigious building. He didn’t like the idea of their primary investigative team working out of an Irish pub and cigar bar. However, Senior Partner Ruth Goldstein convinced him that regardless of where Mancuso hung his license, he and Father Dom were going to be valuable assets to their law firm.
Inez Hartman, an attorney with Bevans and Associates was looking forward to having Joey work for their law firm. She found out through the grapevine that Joey and Marcy were momentarily apart, and no longer an item. That put a smile on her face.
FBI Special Agent Tony Belford, or GQ, as Joey had labeled him, took over Marcy’s cases while she convalesces. He was working with Marcy with her rehabilitation, and on the range, practicing the firearms test twice a week with her.
FBI Special Agent Marcy Martinez was on paid leave of absence, still suffering from depression. She continued her physical therapy and was working hard to come back one hundred percent from her potential disability to her right arm. She continued her cold-shoulder, and aloofness towards Joey, although they did speak on the phone every week or so.
Larry and Harry, at first, were troubled with losing their gig with the law firm. Then, they realized that Joey and Father Dom would need them almost all the time. Plus, Joey promised a discount on well drinks and cigars.
Alan Feinstein, the owner of Dino’s Deli, adjacent to Captain O’Brian’s Pub and Cigar Bar, was not successful in securing a buyer for the deli. Instead, he opted to sub-lease the space to Joey and Dominic, so they could proceed with opening the cigar club, and space for their investigative service. Feinstein retired to Costa Rica.
Patrick Sullivan, or Mr. Pat, the red-bearded, Irish identity of the pub, passed his private investigator’s test and was looking forward to entering yet another phase of his life. He was also looking for a replacement manager for the pub. And while concerned about the equal employment regulations, they were secretly holding out for an Irish sounding manager, with red hair, and hopefully, a red beard.
Agnes Smith, the white-hat computer expert, and researcher, agreed to give up her boring fifteen years of working at a life insurance company, in hopes of being part of an energetic and eclectic group, investigating homicides. She began dating a parishioner at Saint Helen’s Church, whom she met during her daily ‘stalking’ of Father Dominic’s morning Masses. She still had hopes that Father Dominic, one day, would extricate himself from the church, and his vows of celibacy.
Father Dominic O’Brian, Associate Pastor at Saint Helen’s in Brooklyn, part owner of a pub, and licensed private investigator, continued enjoying wearing multiple hats. He was happy to see Agnes found herself a partner, although she was still there every morning for his six-thirty Mass. He was full of anticipation and ready to get started on the new case that Captain Johnson has asked them to consult on.
Giuseppe "Joey" Mancuso, was in a funk. On the one hand, he was excited about having exonerated Harold Longworth, and to see the happy faces of Margery, his daughter, and her brother Tom. Thrilled, with the check he had received from Longworth, for solving the case and very enthused about the new opportunities that had landed on their door. But, on the other hand, terribly sad, and somewhat depressed, about his break up with Marcy. He was willing to give her the space she had requested, but a bit impatient with her attitude. His hope was that things could get back to normal with her. At the same time, he was not liking GQ’s, or Belford’s closeness to Marcy. In consulting with a shrink, who is a patron of the pub, the doctor told Joey that it was very normal for Marcy to develop some feelings towards GQ. Since he had been next to her when she was shot in the plane, and he had immediately assisted her, when she thought she might be dying. Joey was not going to give up on Marcy, and was going to keep a close eye on GQ Tony.
THE END
A note from Owen Parr —
Thank you for taking the time to read: A Murder on Long Island. I trust you enjoyed it. I want to thank my editor, Mrs. Kathy Rothenberger, for her guidance and meticulous review. Artist; Island, at Selfpubookcovers.com for a great book cover. And the many experts, attorneys, and law enforcement personnel that assisted me with the research. As I always say, in spite of the research, I may have taken some liberties, and any mistakes, or inconsistencies are my own. All authors appreciate reviews on their works, and yours, would be greatly appreciated on Amazon.com. Thank you again.
Please visit my website at www.owenparr.com for my other titles, and the next Mancuso, O’Brian Crime Mystery Novel.
Other titles by Owen Parr
Due Diligence —An International Political Thriller
Operation Black Swan —A John Powers International Intrigue -Book 1
The Dead Have Secrets —A John Powers International Intrigue - Book 2
A Murder on Wall Street —A Joey Mancuso, Father O’Brian Crime Mystery –Book 1
The Manhattan Murders —A Joey Mancuso, Father O’Brian Crime Mystery –Book 3 (release Fall 2017).
How To Sell, Manage Your Time, Overcome Fear of Rejection —A non-fiction, Self-Improvement Book
All titles available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, or, visit our website at www.owenparr.com
Write the author at: [email protected]
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Owen Parr, A Murder on Long Island_A Joey Mancuso Father O'Brian Crime Mystery
