Disillusioned, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 2

by William Manchee

  Chapter 7

   

  The next morning, Stan received a call from Dick Stuart, Chairman of the Republican State Executive Committee. He wanted to give his condolences about Rob’s death and find out more about what had happened. Stan told him everything he knew, and Stuart asked if Stan would consider running for the state legislature in Rob’s place.

  The idea excited Stan as his dream had always been to go into politics, but he knew if he ran for public office now his disastrous military career would surely come up and be intensely scrutinized. He couldn’t put his family through that again nor would the party nominate him if they knew he had a skeleton like that in the closet.

  “No. I’m still in law school, and I want to get my degree before I get serious about politics.”

  “You sure? We’ve heard some great things about what you’ve done up there.”

  “Well, that’s good to hear, but I still need to finish up my law degree and get a practice going.”

  “Okay. The Committee’s going to meet the day after tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in Austin to vote on a candidate. Will you be able to attend?”

  “I don’t know. It depends on when the funerals are scheduled. You know, you might want to consider Kristina Tenison. She was Rob’s campaign manager and my assistant before that. She comes from a well established family from this area and would probably have good financial backing.”

  “Okay. You can nominate her at the meeting. What about Commissioner Barnes?”

  “Well, I don’t know him very well. Frankly, I’m a little suspicious of anyone who switches parties.”

  “I agree, but he’d pick up a lot of Democratic support, which would enhance his chances of victory in November.”

  “That’s probably true.”

  “Alright, Stan. Hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Stan hung up and then went looking for Rebekah. When he found her he told her about his conversation with Dick Stuart. She couldn’t believe they were already looking for a replacement for him.

  “His body’s not even cold yet,” she complained.

  “True, but whoever takes his place has a lot of catching up to do to be competitive in the election.”

  “I suppose. Do you think Kristina will want to run?”

  “I don’t know. I’m going to call her and see.”

  Rebekah nodded. Stan picked up the telephone, dialed her number, and waited.

  “Hello,” Kristina said softly.

  “Did you hear the news?” Stan asked.

  “Yes. I can’t believe it. Rob seemed just fine last night. I didn’t think he was depressed.”

  “He was a little depressed but not suicidal. There is no way he killed his family.”

  “I agree. He’d never do that. What do the police think?”

  “The two detectives on the case think it was a murder-suicide, but there’s been no official word from the Medical Examiner.”

  “I can’t believe they’re all dead. It just seems surreal.”

  “I know. It’s hard to accept.”

  “I was really looking forward to the campaign.”

  “I know. I’m so sorry. I already got a call from Dick Stuart.”

  “Really? That’s right…they need to replace Rob quickly.”

  “They wanted to know if I was interested.”

  “What did you say?”

  “No, of course, but I told him he ought to consider you.”

  “Me? Don’t be silly. You should do it.”

  “No, I can’t. I need to finish law school plus I have a full time job. You’d be a perfect candidate.”

  She laughed. “I could never get elected.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “It’s okay. I’m happy as your assistant. They’ll find somebody else.”

  “Yeah. They’re talking about Barnes.”

  “Right. He could probably win. He’s the obvious choice, thanks to us.”

  Stan laughed. “That’s right. He’s going to owe us, big time.”

  They talked a while longer then Stan hung up and looked at Rebekah. “I think I’m going to go over to the crime scene and look around. Something’s not right about all of this.”

  “They won’t let you, will they?”

  “I don’t know. Probably not, but I can talk to some of the neighbors and get a feel for what happened. I’d like to try to clear Rob’s name. I know he didn’t do this.”

  “That’s not your job,” Rebekah said. “Let the police handle it.”

  “Yeah, right. You heard Moore and Albright. They’ve already decided it was a murder-suicide. You want me to trust them to find the truth?”

  “No. But you don’t have time to get involved, honey. You’re stretched too thin as it is.”

  “I just want to look around.”

  “Right. But I know you. Once you start something it will become a crusade and ultimately the kids and I will suffer.”

  “Oh, come on. It’s not that bad.”

  Rebekah shook her head. She knew it was useless to argue with Stan once he got an idea in his head. “Be careful. If someone else did do it, they won’t like you snooping around.”

  “I’ll be careful. Don’t worry.”

  Stan left and drove over to Rob’s house. There were still a police van and two squad cars parked in front of the house. Stan parked behind one of the squad cars and got out. Crime scene tape had been placed around the front of the house to keep out unauthorized personnel, but otherwise, the house looked like it always did. When an officer came out the front door, Stan approached him.

  “Officer, hi. I’m Stan Turner, a friend of the Shepards.”

  “Oh, right,” the officer replied. “I’m Lynn Jenkins. Sorry for your loss.”

  “Thanks. Has the Medical Examiner made a determination as to the cause of death yet?”

  “No, but unless he finds some evidence to the contrary, I’ve been told he’ll rule it a murder-suicide.”

  “Hmm. That’s not right.”

  “Why do you say that?” Officer Jenkins asked.

  “Rob was my best friend,” Stan said. “He loved his wife and children. He’d never kill them.”

  “That’s my take on it too. I’ve known Rob since high school. He loved living too much to take his own life, and I know he’d never hurt his family.”

  Stan nodded. “What can we do to set this straight?”

  Jenkins shrugged. “I’m not a detective, and I’ve already given them my opinion. So, I don’t know if there’s anything else I can do.”

  “There’s always something that can be done. We just have to figure out what it is.”

  “Well, if someone else is responsible for this atrocity, then I agree they need to be brought to justice.”

  “Right. That’s what we need to make happen.”

  “Wait a minute. What’s this we business?”

  “Well, as a police officer you have a duty to uphold the law, right?”

  “True.”

  “And as a law student, I’m dedicating my life to the pursuit of justice, so if we both know Rob didn’t kill his family and someone is getting away with murder, we have a responsibility to find the murderer and clear his name.”

  “That sounds good, but it’s not very practical. You’ve got to go to school, I have to work all day, and neither one of us is a detective.”

  “I know, but do we really have a choice? I mean, can you just walk away an let this travesty of justice stand. I don’t think I can. There are still a few weeks before school starts up again, so I’ve got some time I can devote to the investigation. What I don’t have is the resources of the police department. That’s why you need to help me.”

  “I don’t know. I could get in a lot of trouble if I’m discovered.”

  “There is no reason for you to get discovered. Just be careful, and even if you get caught, your superiors will not be too upset that you’re trying to clear the name of a friend. In fact, they’ll probably be impre
ssed by your loyalty and initiative.”

  “Okay. You’re probably right. Just let me think about it a day or two.”

  “Sure. I’ll get in touch with you when I need your help.”

  “How do you even know where to begin?”

  “Oh, I’ve had a little experience in a murder case—my own, in fact.”

  Stan told him about his court martial for allegedly murdering his drill sergeant.

  “Jeeze. What a nightmare that must have been.”

  “Detective work is pretty much just common sense. You just keep asking questions until you get the right answers. The key is not to give up. I’m stubborn by nature, so it’s comes natural for me. ”

  “I see.”

  “So, do you have a card?”

  Officer Jenkins pulled out a card and handed it to Stan. Stan looked at it carefully and then smiled. “Thanks, Lynn. Do you mind if I call you Lynn?”

  “When we’re alone, it’s okay. In front of other officers, you better keep it formal. I don’t want to raise any eyebrows.”

  “No. We wouldn’t want that. . . . Were you on the football team with Rob?”

  “Yes. I was a receiver, and Rob had a great arm.”

  “So I’ve heard. I bet people around here will be anxious to help us clear his name.”

  Officer Jenkins nodded. “Yes, a lot of them will be.”

  “Good. That will make it easier.”

  Jenkins didn’t say anything.

  “Is Detective Moore here?” Stan asked.

  “Yes, he’s inside.”

  “Would you go in and tell him I’d like to have a word with him?”

  “Sure. I’ll be right back.”

  While Officer Jenkins went inside, Stan examined the front flower bed and area around the front porch. Something’s not right. He’d remembered a small sign indicating the Shepards were members of the neighborhood homeowner’s association. The sign seemed to be missing. Looking around, he finally spotted it on the ground behind a bush.

  “What are you looking at?” Detective Moore asked.

  Stan turned around and smiled at the detective. “Oh, hi, Detective. I was just noticing that the Homeowners Association sign has been kicked over behind that bush.”

  “How do you know it hasn’t been there for months?”

  “Well, it was right here in the ground the day before yesterday when I was here last,” he said, pointing to a hole. “See? The hole impression is still there.”

  “Okay. Jenkins, bag that sign and get one of the crew inside to look for footprints.”

  “Yes, sir,” Officer Jenkins said.

  “So, what can I do for you, Mr. Turner?” Detective Moore asked.

  “I’d like to see the crime scene. I know you don’t usually let civilians in a crime scene, but I’ve been in the Shepard’s house many times, so I might see something out of place that your crime scene people wouldn’t notice.”

  Officer Jenkins came out the front door with two crime scene crew members. He pointed to the flowerbed, and they went over to it and started working.

   Detective Moore studied Stan for a moment and then shrugged. “Okay. We’re almost done with the place anyway. Jenkins, take Mr. Turner through the house, but make sure he doesn’t touch anything.”

   “Yes, sir,” Officer Jenkins said and motioned for Stan to go on in.

  Stan stepped into the house, and his stomach twisted as he observed the outline of Maureen Peter’s body on the tile floor. She was facing away from the staircase like she’d been running for the front door and was tackled from behind.

  “How’d Maureen die?” Stan asked.

  Jenkins pointed to the fireplace in the den. She was hit with a fire poker the perp got from over there. Stan walked over to the fireplace and looked around the large room. There was a large TV cabinet on one wall and two blue leather sofas facing it.

  “I wonder why she wasn’t shot in the head like the others,” Stan asked.

  Jenkins looked around the room and then said thoughtfully, “Maybe she ran to the fireplace, got a poker to use as a weapon, but the perp caught her and wrestled it away from her.”

  “And then used the poker on her?” Stan added.

  “Right.”

  Stan shrugged. “That’s possible. . . . Okay, let’s go upstairs.”

  Jenkins turned and started up the staircase.

  “Don’t touch the banister. I’m not sure if they’re finished dusting for prints yet.”

  “Right,” Stan said, putting his hands in his pockets.

  When they got to the top of the stairs there was a strong odor of blood and chemicals. Stan felt sick as he saw the blood-soaked carpeting where Rob had been found.

  “So, did they recover the gun?”

  “Yes. It was in Rob’s hand.”

  “How many rounds were fired?”

  “Six.”

  Stan frowned. “Six? Five killed by gunshot but six rounds missing? That doesn’t add up.”

  “Right. Detective Moore thinks maybe Cindy was struggling and Rob missed the first time he shot at her.”

  “Hmm. Or, a third party wanted to make sure Rob had powder burns on his hand and forced Rob to fire a wild round after he was already dead.”

  Jenkins shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s a possibility, I guess, but you could never prove it.”

  “Maybe, maybe not,” Stan said, moving on to where Cindy’s body had been lying.

  Stan felt nauseous and struggled to keep from vomiting as he didn’t want to be kicked out of the crime scene before he’d had a good look around.

  “What was the order of the killings?” Stan asked.

  “They were all killed about the same time. I doubt you could conclusively determine the exact order.”

  “What was the murder weapon?”

  “Rob’s .38 special,” Jenkins replied.

  “Rob kept that gun in his car,” Stan said. “He’s shown it to me before. The killer probably waited until Rob and Cindy came home and went into the house, and then he went into the garage, got the gun, and entered the house.”

  “That also means the killer knew Rob had a gun in his car, so Rob must have known his killer.”

  “Or the killer was hired by someone who knew Rob pretty well.”

  “Are you thinking Brad Thornton?”

  “He would have known about Rob’s gun, that’s for sure,” Stan said, “but, he doesn’t strike me as someone who would be capable of ordering a hit like that. He really comes across as a decent man.”

  “It could be all show,” Jenkins said.

  “Maybe. Was anything missing?” Stan asked.

  “His parents are coming by this afternoon to inventory the house, so we don’t know for sure. It doesn’t look like anyone was searching for anything.”

  “They wouldn’t need to search if they knew what they were looking for and where to find it.”

  “True. Do you know of something a thief might want?”

  “Cindy’s parents were well off, so she had a lot of valuable jewelry. I remember her wearing a diamond necklace that was supposedly worth $25,000. In fact, she wore it to the President’s fundraiser.”

  “Really? Let’s go find out if it’s missing.”

  Jenkins walked over to one of the crime scene technicians. “Hey, Walt, did they find a diamond necklace on the wife?”

  Walt looked back at Jenkins thoughtfully. “No. She wasn’t wearing a necklace.”

  “Well, look around for it. She was wearing it earlier in the evening at President Ford’s fundraiser. If it’s not around here, this could be a robbery-murder rather than a murder-suicide.”

  Detective Moore came up the stairs and walked over to Stan and Jenkins. “What’s this about a robbery?” he asked.

  “It seems Cindy Shepard was wearing an expensive diamond necklace last night when she came home, but it’s nowhere to be found right now.”

  “Shit!” Detective Moore said. “Thanks a lot, Stan. Now you’ve really c
omplicated things.”

  “I’m sorry, but if this was a robbery, then Rob’s not a murderer.”

  “Well, more likely someone ripped it off her neck after she was killed. Now I’m going to have to call in internal affairs.”

  While Detective Moore was lamenting this turn of events, Stan wandered into Jenny’s room. From the appearance of the room, Stan figured Jenny must have been asleep and never knew her life was about to be snuffed out. Anger and rage welled up inside him at the thought of someone putting a gun to her head and pulling the trigger. He knew Rob couldn’t have done that. A few minutes later, Jenkins walked in.

  “Jenny was asleep when she was murdered, huh?” Stan asked.

  “Right. That’s what it looks like.”

  “So, the babysitter had put all the kids to bed and was downstairs watching TV when all this went down?”

  “That’s probably true,” Officer Jenkins agreed.

  “If Rob intended to kill his family, he’d just pay the babysitter and get rid of her. Then he’d kill his wife since she’d be the only one who could upset his plans. There would be no reason to make her witness her children’s murder unless he was a heartless bastard, which we both know he wasn’t. And I’m pretty sure Cindy would have told Rebekah if there had been any animosity between them that could have fueled such a horrific act. This murder-suicide theory is a load of crap!”

  “I agree,” Jenkins said. “Maybe this necklace thing will make everyone re-think the investigation.

  Stan thanked Detective Moore for allowing him to look at the crime scene and went home to tell Rebekah what he’d found out. He hoped the missing necklace would delay the Medical Examiner’s determination as to what had happened at the Shepard house, but somehow he doubted that would be the case.