"Perfect, now let's go visit the grieving aunt."
12
Pulling into Aunt Rose's drive way, Debra parked behind a dark blue van with a handicap plate on the back license. The home was similar in vintage as Norms, but her house was surrounded, at least in the front, by large rhododendron shrubs. Norm decided the place could use a little gardening work. A short sidewalk led to door that was in need of a fresh coat of paint as the entire house could stand a little painting as well. Debra knocked on the door and a full two minutes went by before Aunt Rose opened the door.
What Norm saw before him was about what he had expected: an aging woman with clearly defined aging signs from head to toe. She held the door open as they passed by and he detected the familiar scent of that same age: a heavy dose of cheap perfume fighting a losing battle with the stench of unwashed bodies. In addition, because he was a reformed drinker, he caught the distinct smell of vodka. Some people think vodka does not have much of a smell. But in reality, it has its own unique aroma.
The living room was spacious with thick carpet except for the hallways and of course the kitchen. Wheelchairs do best on flat uncarpeted floors. Aunt Rose said, "Please sit down and would you both like a cup of coffee," she said with a slight gravelly voice of a hard drinker.
"I would like that very much," said Norm and Debra nodded her agreement as well. They watched her walk away on legs that were slightly bowed and she walked with being conscience of where she stepped. A quick look around by Norm reminded him of what an old ladies house on the coast should look like: Pictures on the wall of the ocean, framed pictures on the mantel above the fireplace of family and friends. The room held old furniture, but in good condition. Also a coffee table in front on the sofa with neatly aligned magazines of popular reading, for the visitor. He saw on top of the stack a "Better Home and Gardens, a recent People and strangely, a book lay nearby of astrology. Next to sofa sat a recliner with a small round side table with a large coaster for her drinking glass.
She came back in with a tray and two mugs steaming with hot coffee. She carefully sat the tray down on the coffee table and hurried back into the kitchen. Debra sat one mug in front of Norm and took the other one for her. Aunt Rose came back with a tall glass that was frosted on the outside preventing anyone from seeing what was inside. The clinking gave rise to the fact ice cubes were chilling the contents.
She deftly sat down and let out a blast of air and said, "So nice of you to come by Debra. And who might this dark handsome man be?"
"He's helping us with our investigation into who murdered Linda, Aunt Rose." Norm saw Rose take a healthy drink and then said, sitting her glass down and fishing out of her cigarette case a long cigarette from a Virginia Slim package. Norm tried not to grin thinking what a typical over the hill Aunt Rose was. She would be better suited in a late fifties movie with Tyrone Power in a bar swirling back tumblers of whiskey with clouds of tobacco smoke obscuring the scene. He could see Rose glance at him while she flamed her silver lighter that appeared on cruise control, found the end of the cigarette. A cloud of blue smoke rose up around her and quickly sat the cigarette in a glass ash tray. There it sat curling smoke up on one end and the other end, a deep dark red contrasting the white filter with her lipstick.
"I see and does he work for the Sheriff's Department?"
"Indirectly he does. He moved here from back east where he was a homicide detective for many years. We asked him for some help as we are not readily equipped to handle such violent crimes. He'd like to ask you a few questions."
Norm could see Rose was not comfortable with him asking her questions. She was not atypical of a heavy drinker who had lapses of memory from the drink. It made them embarrassed and rightfully so, he thought. "Ms. Rose," he began in a soft soothing voice, "tell us your story from, say, early afternoon until you last saw your niece."
Reaching for her drink and while he asked her the question, she had taken a deep drag and was blowing it towards the ceiling while also looking up there for the answer to his question. She said, "In the afternoon, around two, I went out to see how Linda was doing. I found her at the end of our cement walkway near the river bank. The sun was out and it was nice and warm. The only bad thing was the noisy speed boats out on the lake. They race there two or three times a year and none of us who live around here like it. Linda was really enjoying the nice weather and I asked her if she'd like a glass of lemonade with a touch of vodka. She agreed and when I came back we sat and chatted about nothing important at all. I mentioned the speed boats and she said she really didn't mind at all. I made us another one and after that I left her to make a list, oh, I forgot, we talked about taking a trip down the coast while the weather was nice and warm. She agreed and I went in to make a list of supplies and things to do. I went around the house and into the garage looking for things to take with us. Anyway, I thought I'd take a short nap and lay down on the couch. I've no idea what happened after that as I didn’t wake up until around six am. I figured Linda was sleeping as she can put herself to bed if she has to. I took a shower and then went looking for her. When I couldn't find her I called 911. The rest you know."
"While you were outside sitting with Linda, did you happen to see anybody on the opposite side of the river?"
She took the last drag off her cigarette and while snubbing it out said, "Not that I recall. Sometimes, but not often, tourists from the state park take a trail down to the river. They don't hang around long and seem disappointed by where the trail leads. Soemtimes kids will walk up the river looking for god knows what."
"Tell me Ms. Rose, do you think you'd have heard your niece scream if something frightened her?"
"I know you think I drank too much and passed out. But let me tell you something here. I didn't have any more than usual that day. The sliding door was open and if she'd of screamed I think I'd have heard it," she said, while taking another healthy drink of her nectar.
"Does your niece have many friends that stop by or that she talks to either by phone or computer," he asked seeing her light up another stick only this time her hands were a bit shaky.
"She does have a cell phone, but I don't pry into her life. I know she talks to somebody on occasion, but other than that, I don't know her friends."
"How did Linda come to live with you, her aunt?"
"My sister died a few years ago from lung cancer. Linda has always been handicapped bound to wheel chair since she was very young. She was paralyzed from the waist down. My sister homeschooled her and when it came time for high school, she joined others of her age. She made lots of friends and spent two years at the community college down in Newport. She does have a laptop detective and it's still in her room on her desk."
"Let's take a short break here Ms. Rose and I want to see her room if I may?"
"Of course and it’s the first room on your left down the hall," she said standing up and making her way to the kitchen for a refill.
13
Debra stayed behind to talk to Rose while Norm went to the bedroom. Just inside the doorway, he took stock of the dead girl's room. First he saw her bed. A double bed with a pale yellow cover and chrome bars on one side where she could, if need be, hoist herself up and onto the bed without any outside help. He did think it would take some strength however. On the nightstand was a reading light, with a small clock. A paperback with a bookmarker lay next to the clock. He saw by the cover a romance novel by an author he had never heard of; but then again, he had never read a romance novel in his life.
The wallpaper complimented the bedspread in a cheerful yolk color. A calendar and two mundane prints lined the wall just above her computer desk. A quick look into the closet revealed a sparse supply of clothes and shoes. All however, like the room, were neatly placed and well organized. He would ask Debra to have someone see what she had been doing on the computer and her cell phone, wherever that was. He opened the nightstand drawer finding a small hardcover notebook, that could be construed as a diary. He saw various
notes of everyday kind of things and then found a recent entry about a week before her death. It said: "Those guys are getting a little fresh these days. I must put a stop to their innuendoes." Norm put the diary in his pocket and went back to the living room.
"Excuse me Ms. Rose, but did your niece have any visitors who were men or young adults?"
"Not that I know of detective. I'm usually in bed by seven or eight. She could have had visitors and I'd have never heard them," she answered with her head down knowing full well they would [correctly] think she was passed out.
"Okay and thank you Ms. Rose. We'd like to take her computer with us and we'll return it soonest we can," said Norm standing back up ready to go. Debra jumped up and they said good bye to an old woman standing in the doorway holding her glass in one hand while the other held her cigarette. Norm wondered what the woman would do now that he niece left the house quiet and empty save the clinking of ice in her glass.
14
Debra noticed Norm was very quiet and never took his eyes from the road; even though he was a passenger. He nodded when Debra said lunch at Beth's. It was almost like he was hypnotized by the wipers struggling to keep up with the incessant rain coming down. As they made the bells jangle, Debra felt some hunger pangs and noticed Norms hair was becoming curler being made wet by the rain. If the sun were to shine on it right, it would sparkle. They sat down at the window table and she wondered if it were really pangs of hunger for food or ………. "Coffee?" she heard Beth ask, bringing her back to the business at hand.
"Yes please," said Debra and Norm looked up and gave Beth a winning smile. "I'm starved, how about you Norm?"
"I could do with a cheeseburger and fries. I wonder if that is on the menu or not," he asked looking outside seeing the rain making wavy lines down the window. He looked back and she said:
"Yup, it's right here on the menu. I'll have one too."
Debra, before we get or move any deeper into this case, I need to place some of the players and non players for my foundation or base of knowledge. What I mean is when we were at Rose's house, she called you Debra and it appeared to me you know each other well?"
She grinned and said, "Yes, this is a small town Norm. Most who live here have a long history of residency. Rose Stipent was a friend of my mother's. Both were former school teachers and are retired. My mother doesn't see Rose much as mom doesn't drink but a glass of wine on occasion. When Rose's husband died suddenly, she found comfort in the drink."
The restaurant was mostly empty save for them. Beth came back with a fill up and said the burgers would be ready soon. She looked first at Debra and then at Norm for some tid-bits of information she could boast to customers about. Debra did not miss the look and said, "I'm telling Norm here we are a small town and know most everyone that lives here. Or, perhaps I should say, know about them." Beth smiled and hurried off to keep the burgers from being overcooked.
"Debra, of course I'm aware of small town gossip and most know each other, but I've never experienced it. I'm breaking a new trail here for me. I lived in an apartment in New York. I didn't know anyone by name in the building. It was a melting pot of race and age. There wasn't any such thing as peace and quiet. When I slept it was with ear plugs. The smell or stench was always present and it seemed both inside the building and outside. Anyway," as here came the burgers, "this is not something I am familiar with. However, human nature is the same no matter where you live. The killers of this young woman did it for the same reasons whether east coast of west coast and somewhere in-between. "
Beth stood back grinning looking at her handicraft. Debra wondered how she would get her mouth around it and then saw Norm take his hand and push straight down making it eatable. She followed suit. Beth hurried off leaving the two of them alone.
When they had both finished, Norm asked, "Debra, I know you have others helping you with this case -- tell me who they are by name and rank please." He took out a small pocket notebook and with a, what looked like a golf pencil for a scorecard, was ready to jot down what she said.
"First my superior brought back two retired deputies: James Townsend and Eric Snowwin. Also he is elevating three reserve deputies to full time on this case: Clint Kramer, Clyde Horner, and Dan Daniels. All three are under thirty years old and are long time residents of Lincoln City. That's all I have working with me. I was made a detective about two years ago. I'd taken some criminology classes in Portland. At the time we had a rash of break- in around town. I got lucky and caught the two guys at a liquor store stupidly drunk in a van full of cases of whiskey. They'd used a Sawzall and entered through the roof. The city gave me too much credit, but the Sheriff made it look really nice buy promoting me."
"Okay, send the victims computer out so someone can find out who she emails or who might talk to on FB. You know we need a place where we can all meet and discuss the case. I'm thinking a restaurant that has a conference or meeting room." He said while looking around wondering if Beth had an extra room here.
"This is an old house and let me ask Beth." She stood up and went to the kitchen to ask Beth about what they were looking for. Norm took the opportunity to reflect back on their interview with Rose. It was evident that the old lady was a total alcoholic and was generally passed out around eight at the latest. It did not seem plausible that she would have heard her niece scream for help because the perps probably made sure the duct tape was quickly applied. As there were more than one of them – remember to check with pathologist about DNA – one circled around her chair and stifled a scream with a hand to the mouth. Meanwhile, Aunt Rose was snoring away while her niece was being throttled and brutally raped.
Debra came back with two bowls of ice cream. "Ruth has an upstairs room that we can use, but it needs cleaning. Her sister at the real estate office has a regular house cleaner and I'll call her if you agree."
"Right after this bowl of spumoni let's go take a look. I want to meet the reserve deputies and the retired guys. Let's see how they react to some leg and telephone work. I want the names, addresses and phone numbers of all the hydro racers and the sponsors. I also want it asked of every racer who their primary doctor is and contact numbers." He saw her raise an eyebrow, but she did not ask. "The retired guys need to snoop around the locals for any and all rumors that have a direct or indirect notion of Rose and her niece. Okay, I'm finished and I'm stuffed from one great burger. I see why Beth is so popular as she's one fine cook."
Upstairs, which a stairway led from the back of the building, a large room looked west across the highway towards the ocean. It would be one swell studio apartment, he thought while looking through the windows. "This is perfect," he said. "Let's rent it and send the bill to Superior Biggs," he said laughing.
She smiled and thought what a nice laugh he had. "I'll ask Beth how much she wants and then have the reserve guys find some tables and chairs. It looks like we could use a phone, computer, printer, fax and a white board to write on." She looked at her watch and then said, "I'll drop you off at your house and call you about time we can meet up later this afternoon or evening."
"Now, before you drop me off, let's go to the country morgue and view the body. You might call your Superior and tell him our plan to rent an incident room here at Beth's."
15
Debra did as instructed and soon they were driving to the county morgue in Newport. Norm was introduced to Dr. Glenn Almwist. Dr. Almwist was a soft spoken man of medium age and build. Norm liked him right off as Dr. Almwist was all business and led them directly to the body. Norm said, when they arrived and the murder victim was revealed, "Dr. Almwist when are you going to perform the autopsy?
"It's scheduled for tomorrow morning. Is there something in particular you're looking for Mr. Payne?"
"There're two things I'm most interested in Doctor. One is the DNA from the sperm and the other is if any foreign substance is found under her fingernails. If so, a DNA needs to be determined as well as the sperm. Of course any and all finding will be very
grateful. I thank you in advance."
"Let's take a quick look under the fingernails before you leave. Just a minute and I'll get a magnifying glass." While he was gone, Norm took advantage of his absence to take a close look at the body. He focused immediately on the neck where she had been strangled. The red and blue colors contrasted with the stark white skin of her small neck. While he was at it Debra saw him take a quick look at all of the victim's body. She guessed right he was looking for signs of some sadistic torture to see who he was dealing with in this murder case. To her eyes she did not see anything other than the bruises around the neck.
Doctor Almwist came back with a hand held magnifier, a metal tray and a small fingernail scraper. In the tray was glass slides if any foreign material was found. The scrapings would be placed on the slides for inspection under a microscope. He had on bifocals, Norm noticed. That was indicative of his dedication to duty in his opinion. It also told him this doctor was not vain, but true to his profession.
"Yes, detectives, there is some material under her fingernails. I suspect it's skin, but will run some tests later." He replaced the bags over her hands and he walked them out to the door. "I've work to do and I'll give you a full report soonest I can." Debra told him they were grateful and Norm shook his warm hand.
16
The rain that was coming down could be swept away by intermittent wipers as they drove back to Lincoln City. Once again Debra noticed how quiet he was staring straight ahead out the windshield. He seemed he had powers of intense concentration and she wondered if when he was investigating a similar case back in New York, did his partner and others feel the powerful concentration he exuded. It was not scary, but a little disconcerting to Debra.
She dropped him off at his house and he said, "I'll be at Beth's around seven. Let's meet up then." She agreed and drove away to her office.
Inside he was not aware of the heat being circulated by the newly refurbished oil burner. His focus was on the map of Lincoln City and the area around the victim's home. A glance at the wall clock, that had stopped at nine thirty three, in what year, God only knew, reminded him of some shopping that needed done. He looked at his cell seeing a good two hours before time to meet the team and that would give him enough daylight to cross the river and walk to the state park. At the back room, he slipped on his new rubber boots and an old Gore-Tex coat that had seen better days. A hat he did not bother with. His thick black hair was as good as any duck down keeping the rain off his scalp.
Murder Mysteries Series six Page 4
