Beyond Secrets, The Art of Murder

by DB Jones

  Chapter 9

  Madison and Josh reviewed what little information they had on the other missing women. The only concrete evidence they had was the identification of Margaret Hill. But they were still left with the other four missing women. They hadn’t yet identified the most recent body, but Josh and Madison felt it might be one of the women in their investigation. They were slowly gathering information, and desperately trying to discover a link between all five women. Madison had a gut feeling that, whoever was responsible for Ms. Hill’s murder just might have something to do with the disappearance of the other women.

  “Madison, I think you’re right about the connection. I talked to Doc Webb, and he agrees that whoever killed Ms. Hill most likely killed our other victim. However, until we have a match on her dental records, we won’t know who for sure who she is. There is something very strange about this case. I know you feel it too.”

  “If the victim from the canal is one of our missing women then I think we’re dealing with a serial killer. I’m just not sure of the motive. We need more clues to complete the profile. Hopefully, our trip today will bring us closer to piecing this puzzle together.”

  “Okay, who are we checking out first?”

  “I thought we’d see what we could uncover on the first missing person, Lois Cramer. She was reported missing July 23rd by her mother. She said daughter called her every Sunday morning, like clockwork, and when she didn’t call, she became concerned. She tried calling her daughter, but it kept going to voicemail until the voice mail recording said Lois’s box was full. Her parents drove over from Tampa but found nothing. That’s when they reported her missing. Ms. Cramer lives in an apartment off Park Avenue in Winter Park, and is a grad student at Rollins, majoring in psychology. She lives alone, and her mother stated that Lois takes her studies very seriously.”

  “Did she have any hobbies or outside interests?”

  Madison continued reading from the report. “Not that her parents were aware of.”

  They pulled up in front of the opulent apartment complex on Morse Boulevard, which was within walking distance to Park Avenue. Lois’s apartment was on the second floor. It had an elevator, which made these dwellings more upscale.

  Josh had called the complex manager, who met them at the door with a master key to let them in. “Is there any news on the whereabouts of Ms. Cramer, yet?” the manager asked.

  “No, but that’s why we’re here. We’re hoping to find something that may help us locate her. What can you tell us about Ms. Cramer?”

  “Well, she always paid on time and was never any trouble. From what some of her neighbors said, she was well liked and a serious student.”

  “Did she ever have any visitors?” Madison asked.

  “Not that I’m aware of; the only people I ever saw her with were her parents who occasionally visited. As I said, Ms. Cramer was a serious student and was here for her degree. You should ask some of her neighbors; they might know more than I do.”

  The manager remained in the doorway. Josh reached for the door. “Thank you. We’ll lock the door when we leave.”

  “If you need anything else, I’ll be in my office.” The manager turned toward the elevator and left.

  The apartment was a two bedrooms, two baths unit, with a modest living room and dining room combination. The kitchen was the typical galley set up with an open counter top spanning into the dining area. It would be good for entertaining, yet nothing in the place indicated Ms.Cramer did much of that. The cabinets held the bare essentials for eating or cooking. There were no small appliances, other than a microwave and toaster. The pots and pans looked as though they had never been used.

  Madison checked the kitchen area. “I suspect Ms. Cramer ate all her meal out, except maybe heating up the occasional leftovers in the microwave.”

  Josh checked out the guest room and bathroom, and then came back to the kitchen while Madison made her way toward Lois’s bedroom, at the end of the hall. The master bedroom was very spacious and had an adjacent bathroom. Madison opened up the medicine cabinet to see what medications Ms. Cramer may have been taking. There was medication for high blood pressure and anxiety. But what caught her attention was the Lybrel, which is an extended birth-control pill. Why would a woman who has no visitors and spends all her time studying, need birth control pills? She bagged all the pills separately and labeled the bags. Then she moved through the rest of room.

  The bedroom had minimal furniture with a queen-size bed and what looked like a bed-in-a-bag set, possibly a designer set. Next to the bed on the small bedside table, was a photo of Ms. Cramer and her parents that Madison bagged and tagged. On the opposite side of the room was a modern chaise lounge, and a small desk with Ms. Cramer’s laptop computer. She had it plugged into the external backup. Madison took the laptop and hard drive to send it to the FBI lab. She opened the closet; the clothes were high-end. However, there weren’t that many. There were no dresses in the closet, only slacks, and blouses that could be mix-matched. They were the type of outfits a woman could wear anywhere, with just a few accessories to make it more dressy or to tone it down for everyday wear.

  Ms. Cramer appeared to be very organized and maximized what she had. Madison grinned. “If someone opened my closet, they would be looking for a body in the piles of rubble.”

  “Hey, Madison.” Josh hollered from the kitchen.

  Madison walked into the kitchen, and there was Josh looking through the drawers.

  “This is strange. There’s a set of car keys in this drawer. I’d like to see if they’re hers. Shall we walk down to the parking garage?”

  “That’s odd. Yes, let’s check that out now.”

  Before Josh could head for the stairs, Madison jumped into the elevator. She was eager to get down to the parking garage to see if these keys belonged to Ms. Cramer’s car. Josh nearly tripped, racing back to the elevator before the doors closed. Madison was waiting for no one; she was on a mission. Her mind was spinning with speculations and didn’t even notice Josh stumbling through the doors.

  As the doors of the elevator opened, Madison pushed the alarm button on the key ring, and it went off immediately. There was a car parked at the far end of the garage, and its alarm was blaring. Madison and Josh raced through the garage until they came up on the car and then Madison turned off the alarm.

  Before opening the car, she and Josh walked around toward the back, checking it over completely. Dust covered the hood of the car. “This car hasn’t been driven for quite some time.

  “Yeah, I noticed that too.”

  Josh knelt down and looked under the car, but there was nothing on the ground. Madison clicked the key-ring and opened the car doors. They donned their latex gloves and entered the car. Madison entered on the driver’s side and Josh on the passenger's side, to look in the glove compartment. He leaned down to check out the glove compartment. “Doesn’t look like she used this car much either. The only thing in the glove compartment is the registration. You should see mine.

  Madison chuckled. “I have; It looks like mine.”

  “Okay, if she didn’t drive off, then she left with someone, willingly or unwillingly.”

  Madison popped the trunk, got out of the car and slowly walked to the back of the car. The trunk was ajar. Madison reached in, so not to disturb any prints, and lifted it open. The only thing in the trunk was a spare tire. Someone had detailed the car and based on what Ms. Cramer’s apartment looked like; Madison was leaning toward the idea that this woman walked most everywhere and rarely used her car.

  Josh shook his head. “What young woman walks everywhere? This is certainly not your typical college girl. I’d like to talk to some of the neighbors and take some photos of the inside of her place.

  “Let’s snoop around a little more in the apartment. I want to see what’s inside of her dresser and desk.”

  They went back up to Lois’s apartment and found a few of the neighbors standing outside of their door
s, looking toward the parking garage. Josh stepped up to one of them and flashed his badge.

  “Are you here because the car alarm went off?” one of the neighbors asked.

  Josh stepped up closer to the neighbor. “No. We’re here investigating the disappearance of your neighbor, Ms. Cramer.”

  Several of the other neighbors, overhearing what he said, joined in on the conversation. One lady, from the apartment next to Lois’s, slowly approached. “She was such a nice lady. Is she dead?”

  “At this point, it’s only a missing person’s investigation. What can you tell me about her?”

  “I don’t know her well, but every morning she walks to Rollins College to attend classes. I think she told me she was getting her Ph.D. in psychology,” another woman said. “I would usually see her early when I went to get my paper. She always had a smile and a warm hello for me.”

  “Did she have any visitors, other than her parents?” Madison asked.

  An elderly woman stepped up closer. “I never saw anyone visit. She was a very serious young lady. You don’t see much of that in the young people these days.”

  Josh added. “Do you know if she had any hobbies or interests outside of the home?”

  An older gentleman leaned in. “Come to think of it, before she came up missing, I passed her one evening on her way out, and I asked her where she was going. She told me she was attending a lecture at the college. But I forgot what she said it was about.”

  Another woman chimed in. “She told me that she was taking a new class at night.” “I can tell you she sure was dressed up for a class, but then again, Lois was no ordinary young woman. She was serious about everything she did.”

  “Well, thank you for your help. If any of you can think of anything else, please give me a call.” Josh passed out his card among the neighbors.

  As Madison and Josh entered the apartment, one of the elderly ladies hollered out, “I sure hope you find her alive. She was such a nice neighbor.”

  Josh nodded his head.“We’ll do our best.” Then he closed the door behind him.

  “I’m not feeling real optimistic that we’re going to find this young woman is still alive. She is a creature of habit, and the evidence just isn’t adding up. I’m going to check some more in her bedroom.” Madison entered Lois’s room.

  Madison pulled out the top drawer of the dresser, and it too was well organized. There were a few pieces of jewelry lying in a slotted black velvet tray, and not costume. And next to that box was a smaller one of make-up and a few jeweled hair clips. There was a clip in the drawer that resembled the one Ms. Cramer was wearing in the photo. Madison bagged the clip as well. On top of the dresser, there was a decorative, hand-carved, oriental box that held a brush and some decorative combs. Madison was surprised to see that the brush still had hair tangled up in the bristles. She photographed the contents of the box and then bagged the brush.

  The rest of the drawers were full of clothing, neatly folded. There were no notes or pieces of paper that one would normally see in someone’s dresser. Nowhere in the apartment was there any indication of what this woman did in her leisure time. It was as though the only things Ms. Chambers did there was study, bathe, and sleep. “This seems so odd for a young woman.” She glanced around the room. “I think we’ve got all we’re going to get here. I’d like to run these items over to the forensic lab before we head back to the office.”

  Josh grinned at Madison. “I can hear the wheels spinning in that brain of yours. You’re onto something, aren’t you? That’s why you want to go by your office.”

  “I have a few more things I want to jot down on our board. Something is formulating, but I’m not quite sure what it is. I was hoping if we could stand back and look at our board, something will click.”

  Our board, she said. I like that. “Well, let’s get going. I’m getting a little hungry. How about we grab some take-out before we head to your office?”

  Madison smiled. “That sounds good.”

  When they arrived at the lab, Josh stayed in the car and ordered some sandwiches to go while Madison delivered the items they collected from Ms. Cramer’s apartment. “How soon can we get the results?”

  The woman in the lab took the sealed bags from Madison. “We’re working on some other evidence Maitland sent over, so we’ll add these to that order.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  Madison returned to the car, and Josh was thumbing through some papers. “I took the liberty and ordered us some sandwiches. I didn’t know what you liked, so I ordered a couple of things. If you don’t like any of it, we can get something else. I knew you were eager to get to the office.”

  “I’m sure whatever you ordered will be fine. You’re right; I am eager to get this information we gather up on the board.”

  As they pulled up in front of Madison’s office, the skies opened up, and a deluge of rain came pouring down. “Crap,” Josh barked.

  Madison opened her car door and bolted for the front door. She fumbled with her keys but finally got the door opened, and then turned to see Josh still sitting in the car, looking out of the window, as if he was waiting for the rain to stop.

  Madison spread her papers out on the table and shuffled them around until she had them in the order she wanted. Then one-by-one, she transferred the information to the whiteboard in the appropriate column. As she continued adding to the lists, she heard the roar of thunder and the pounding of the rain intensify. She glanced out the window at Josh still in the car. “By the time he decides to come in, he is going to be totally drenched.”

  Suddenly, she heard the car door slam and her front door open. His wet shirt clung to his well-built body. Madison stared at him and then laughed. “You look like a drowned puppy seeking refuge.” He just stood there dripping, not sure he should continue any further into the room.

  Madison laughed. “Nice look, Detective Logan, but I think you ought to go home and change. I don’t need you dying on my floor from pneumonia. Oh, and I would advise bringing an umbrella when you return.”

  “You think?” Sorry about the mess. I’ll be back shortly. I only live down the road. Oh crap, I left the sandwiches in the car, too.”

  “Just bring them in when you get back.” She tilted her head, and a grin widened across her face.

  Josh darted back to his car, jumped in and slammed the door. Madison could only imagine how wet the seat was going to be. She envisioned Josh changing into some dry clothes, then sitting right back onto the saturated seat. Finally, she turned toward the piles of information on the table and started writing the data on the board. The more data that came in, the clearer her profile of the type of person they were looking for emerged.

  The killer was targeting women that had similar habits and lifestyles, but there was something still missing that would connect them, and she was close to finding that missing piece.

  Josh returned and pulled into the parking lot. Madison expected to see the back of his pants completely saturated from sitting on the wet seat of his car, but he casually walked in as if nothing had happened.

  “I’ve got an umbrella in the car this time.” He walked over to the table and set the sandwiches down. “I’ll bet you’re starving by now. I know I am. Let’s eat, and you can tell me what new developments you’ve come up with on our victims, or unsub. He pulled a chair up to the table.

  Madison noticed his pants were dry. “When you left here, you were soaked, and I assumed your car seat would be too.”

  “Yes, it was. I piled up some towels and then exchanged cars at the station before I came back. Betty said she’d have the seats dried out in no time, so I left it with her.” Josh grinned as he opened the sandwiches out on the table.

  Business as usual for him, he was ready to eat and then get back to work. He bought ham and swiss on rye, roast beef and a turkey with provolone cheese. “Take your pick. I didn’t know which you’d like, but figured you’d like one of these.” />
  “The turkey will be fine. Thank you.” She reached for the sandwich.

  Madison was just about to go over the new items on the board with Josh when her cell phone rang.

  “Agent Hart.”

  Then there was silence as Madison listened to the person on the other end. Her eyes widened, and she dropped her jaw down almost gasping. “What?” Whatever was being said to her was apparently unexpected.

  Josh was anxious for her to get off the phone. She put down her phone and set her sandwich on the table and walked up to the board. “You’re not going to believe this,”

  “Well, what is it?”

  Madison stepped up to the board and picked up the dry-erase pen and started writing down a name. “They just identified our victim.” She scribbled the name, Lois Cramer.”

  “How did they find out so soon?” Josh asked with a puzzled look on his face.

  “You know the evidence I dropped off at the lab this morning?”

  “Yeah. What about it?”

  “The lab just ran the tests the same time they ran the DNA for our Jane Doe #1, the woman we found in the canal. I’ll be damned; they were the same person, and she is one of our missing women. I knew it; there was a connection.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  She plopped down in the chair and just stared at the board. She was too excited to eat. All she could think about was continuing the investigation as soon as possible. This new information it what she was waiting for, and she was driven more than ever to find the connection between all these missing women. Though it was getting late in the day, she couldn’t wait to check out another woman on their list. They had now, identified two of the five pictures that Jim had given her. Both women, most likely, were shot by the same person. “This woman knew their killer and felt comfortable with him. Josh, will you finish that sandwich. Let’s see what else we can uncover today.”

  She grabbed her purse and file folder and then headed for the door. Josh put his lunch down on the table while choking down what he was chewing on and ran to catch up with Madison. Good grief, this woman never stops. She’s like a bulldog. When she latches onto something, she doesn’t let go. He closed the door behind him. “Hey, you want me to lock the door?” he yelled out.

  “Yes,” she replied as she got into the car and waited for him.

  “Who’s next?”

  “Cora Franklin. She the next one missing in our timeline.”