by Erin Wade
“The next day I saw on the news about the heads. I knew they had to be my girls.”
“Why didn’t you go to the police?” Jody asked.
“Right! And tell them I run girls who just happen to fit the description of the heads they found.” Pender squeaked. “I’d be their prime suspect.”
“Good point,” Jody shrugged. “Still, you have to do something. You can’t just keep sending women to their deaths.”
“I’m leaving town,” Pender snorted. “I’m not hanging around here waiting for some psycho to chop off my head. That’s why I’m offering you the opportunity to take over my stable. I’m not asking much. Say fifteen thousand for the entire operation.”
Jody sneered. “Fifteen thousand for the opportunity to take your place in the crosshairs of some killer. No thanks.”
“Look, my girls, they’re all licensed and good workers. They get their shots regularly. They’re healthy. I’m leaving town tonight. You want them or not?” Pender pulled a small brown book from his inside coat pocket along with his cellphone. “Everything you need is right here. The calendar and merchant’s info to accept credit cards is on the phone and the girls and johns are all listed on my phone and in this book.”
“You keep your girls, or do they live all over town?” Jody asked
“They’re working girls,” Pender snorted. “They have their own places. I just call them when someone contacts me. They work out of the Creole Hotel on Bourbon Street and all of them have steady customers. They pay all their own expenses. I just schedule them collect their money and provide protection for them for half of their take.”
“I’m betting at least four of them would want their money back right now.” Jody rasped.
“I had no idea they were being murdered until I saw the artist’s composites on the news.” Pender defended himself. “I’m not stupid. I wouldn’t send my girls to their death.”
“I gotta’ take a leak and think about this,” Jody mumbled. “I’ll give you my answer when I return from the men’s room. Order me another bourbon and coke.”
##
Jody considered the pros and cons of Pender’s offer. He needed more ladies, but something about Pender’s anonymous customer gave him the heebie-jeebies. He didn’t want to be on the receiving end of death threats.
Jody snorted to himself when he saw Pender leaning his forehead on the bar. What a wimp. He’s probably crying, and the little twit didn’t order me another drink, Jody thought.
“I gave this some thought,” Jody whispered in Pender’s ear. “I’ll take your stable off your hands for five thousand. That’s my only offer. Not a penny more.”
Pender ignored him. “Not a penny more,” Jody huffed.
He caught Pender by the shoulder and pulled him upright so he could see his face. Pender slid off the barstool and crumpled onto the floor. The front of his shirt was soaked in blood.
“Jesus!” Jody exclaimed. “Somebody call an ambulance. This guy’s been stabbed.”
As the bartender raced for the phone Jody removed Pender’s little brown book and cellphone from the dead man’s pocket and slipped it into his own.
CHAPTER 10
The wail of sirens was nothing new on Bourbon Street and few noticed the ambulance or when the coroner’s van backed up to the front door of Rochelle’s Ale House to cart off the body of Pender Crane.
Java watched from the outside balcony of her supper club. The sight of Jody Schooley scurrying from the Ale House made her wonder what the man was up to.
Java scanned the throng of people writhing their way down the potholed street. Her eyes settled on two brothers she suspected were involved in most of the robberies in the French Quarter.
Tiny and Pierre Roché were exact opposites. Tiny was six foot four, two-hundred-fifty pounds and completely bald. Pierre was short and slender with a mop of unruly black hair.
“Why are you watching the Roché brothers?” Kat touched Java’s back and let her hand slide down to the blonde’s waist.
“The coroner just hauled off a body from Rochelle’s. I have a feeling the Roach brothers had something to do with the death, but I’m not sure.”
“You do know its pronounced Row-shay,” Kat furrowed her brow at Java’s insistence on calling the two men the Roach brothers.
“Roach brothers fits them,” Java chuckled. “Look, they’re going into Rochelle’s now.”
“Buy me dinner somewhere quiet and private and I’ll find out for you.” Kat promised.
“Umm, sounds like a win-win for me,” Java agreed. “Turn on your earbud just in case you have any trouble.”
“I can handle myself,” Kat insisted.
“It’s not you I’m worried about, love.” A twisted grin crossed Java’s face. “Don’t hurt them.”
##
Kat slid onto the barstool at Rochelle’s and smiled sweetly at the bartender.
“You’re on the wrong side of the street, pretty lady” Lindy Rochelle grinned at Kat, “but you’re always welcome here. What’s your poison?”
“Dubonnet over ice,” Kat answered. She looked around the club and wasn’t surprised to see it conducting business as usual so quickly after the coroner’s extraction of a body.
“You had some excitement a while ago,” Kat placed a twenty on the counter to pay for the drink Lindy slid toward her.
“No charge,” Lindy grinned. “It’s not every day one of Java’s girls visits my establishment.”
“I’m not one of Java’s girls,” Kat seethed. “I’m just here for the season.”
“You do come and go,” Lindy admitted.
“And do you keep track of my activities, Lindy?” Kat’s brow went up.
“Oh, no! No!” Lindy declared. “It’s . . . uh, who wouldn’t notice you? That didn’t exactly come out right.”
Kat smiled to herself at the other woman’s obvious discomfort. “Your excitement? I saw the authorities here. What happened?
“Someone knifed that pimp Pender Crane,” Lindy fumed. “Wouldn’t you know he’d die in my place. It’ll be all over the news. I can see the tag line now, ‘Pimp Stabbed to Death in Rochelle’s Ale House.’ It’ll sound like he ran his business out of my club.”
“Did he?” Kat’s eyes danced. She knew he didn’t but wanted to hear Lindy fume.
“Hell no! He didn’t. You know . . . ah you’re just poking me, aren’t you?”
“Who stabbed him?” Kat took a sip of her aperitif.
“I have no idea. Someone yelled for me to call an ambulance, but the guy was already dead when they arrived. Knife wound in the side.”
“Was he with anyone when he came in?” Kat asked.
“No, he came in alone. But he did sit down next to some guy at the bar. They struck up a conversation. A little later the other guy went to the men’s room. When he came back Pender was bleeding all over the place.”
“Did anyone approach Pender while his friend was in the men’s room?” Kat queried.
“I didn’t see anyone, but obviously someone did. I’m pretty sure Pender didn’t stab himself.”
Kat leaned her head toward the Roche brothers. “Do they frequent your establishment?”
“Yeah, but they give me the willies,” Lindy volunteered. “I think they’re trying to establish a protection operation along Bourbon Street. Have they tried to shake down Java?”
“No,” Kat’s short laugh ended with a sigh. “No one tries to shake down Java.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” Lindy chuckled. “I heard what she did to the gang who tried to rob her after her parents left Java’s Place to her.”
“What did she do?” Kat asked.
“You should ask her,” Lindy shrugged. “That story has been retold so many times its more legend than truth. I don’t want to add to the myth.”
“Have the Roche brothers tried to shake you down?”
“No,” Lindy frowned, “but I can feel it coming.”
“You should tell Java if they
do,” Kat advised.
“What can she do?”
“If all the club owners ban together and file charges against the Roche’s they’ll do jail time. Don’t let them get a foothold and form a gang,” Kat advised. “That’s when they really become dangerous.
“Were they in here when Pender died?”
“No, they came in later,” Lindy said. “Would you like another drink?”
Kat checked her watch. “No, thank you. My show starts in fifteen minutes. I’d better get back.”
Lindy walked around the bar and escorted Kat to the door. “I should catch your show sometime,” She smiled. “I bet you’re good.”
“Of course, I am,” Kat laughed. “You should come to our Valentine celebration. Java’s pulling out all the stops.”
“Maybe I will,” Lindy beamed.
CHAPTER 11
Beau checked his calendar. Tomorrow was Valentine’s Day. He didn’t exactly have a date, but Chris Canton had invited him to Java’s Place for their Valentine celebration. He knew the club had been sold out for months and was delighted to receive the invitation.
He thumbed through the two serial murder cases they were working. While the first week of January had presented them with enough deaths to last a lifetime, the rest of the month had been quiet—no murdered families and no bodiless heads. So far February was equally kind. Beau hoped the killers had moved on or had their fill of blood and death.
An anonymous letter to the police had resulted in identifying the four heads they had in cold storage. All belonged to local prostitutes managed by Pender Crane. Unfortunately, someone had murdered Pender in a busy club, but no one saw anything. Although all four women were from Louisiana, the heads had been scattered over Louisiana and Texas. Beau hated to think where the bodies might be.
Beau’s phone announced a call from Penny. “This can’t be good,” he mumbled as he answered. “Penny, what’s up?”
“I was wondering what the team is doing for Valentine’s Day,” Penny said.
Beau had a sudden pang of guilt that he hadn’t included Penny in their plans. “I was thinking about going to Java’s Place. Why don’t you join me?”
“Sounds like fun,” Penny laughed. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Kat’s show starts at eight,” Beau informed her. “Why don’t you get there around six and we can have dinner with the team?”
“Sounds good,” Penny responded. “See ya’ tomorrow at Java’s Place.”
##
Java arrived at the club before sunup. Valentine’s Day always stretched the supper club to its limits. All the reservations were filled, and they had been turning away customers for months.
A key turned in the door lock and Java prayed it was Kat. “Good morning,” she beamed as the dark-haired beauty locked the door behind her. “Coffee?”
Kat nodded and followed Java to the kitchen.
“Did you sleep well last night?” Java asked.
“I did until I awoke in an empty bed,” Kat smirked. “I don’t really like—” Loud banging on the front door made both move to the front of the club.
Java looked through the small window in the center of the door to see Penny. “Penny, what’s—”
“Another murder,” Penny blurted as Java opened the door. “I just received the call on my way into the office. I tried to call you, but your phone went to voicemail.
“My team is en route and will meet me there. I’ll swing by and pick up Beau. You get your team there as fast as you can. The locals roped off the entire area. We may actually be able to get some evidence from the crime scene. I’ll text you the address in Lafayette.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Kat scowled at Java as the blonde held out Kat’s jacket so she could slip into it.
As Kat slid into the jacket, Java’s arms wrapped around her.
“This is going to be ugly,” Java mumbled into her ear.
##
“Do we know how many are in the house?” Barbie asked as they slipped on the blue morgue booties and disposable scrub caps Penny required at her crime scenes.
“No,” Penny barked. “When the locals saw the bloody tracks leading from the house to the street, they immediately cordoned off the area.”
“I like these people already,” Barbie noted. “Judging by the amount of blood on the sidewalk, I’d say there is carnage waiting for us.”
Java lightly touched Kat’s arm trying to give her moral support. “Lead the way, Penny. We’ll stay behind you and your people.”
“Oh God!” Kat gasped as they entered the master bedroom of the house.
“Four bodies,” Penny stated for the cameraman recording the scene. “One male, one female and two children.” Penny motioned for the camera operator to zoom in on each victim’s head.
“The skull of each victim has been split open by a blunt object. An ax—covered in blood and brain tissue—is leaning against the headboard.
“As in all the other cases the adult female’s head has been pulverized by several blows. She is completely unrecognizable.
“The male and children died from a single blow to the head. Based on their size I’d say all are lined up on the bed in chronological order.
“Judging from the trails of blood the children were murdered in their separate bedrooms and carried into this room.”
Someone handed Penny a card. She studied it then said into the camera. “According to the male’s driver’s license this is the Lane family.”
Penny led the others from the room as the videographer filmed every inch of the room.
“We’ve photographed the footprints on the sidewalk,” Penny’s coworker informed her. “There’s only one set of footprints. I can’t tell if they’re male or female but there is a brand on the sole so we should be able to pull that.”
“That’s more than we’ve ever had,” Penny huffed.
The coroner’s crew began wheeling the gurneys into the house. “A second van is on its way,” someone informed Penny.
“I hate when it takes more than one van to clear the bodies from a crime scene,” Penny shook her head and walked back into the house.
“Barbie you tag along with the fellow checking for the point of entry,” Java barked orders. “Chris you make certain they cast any footprints or tire tracks on the place. Kat, you ensure that someone pulls water from the commodes for urine analysis.”
Kat gave Java an exasperated look then stomped off to find the bathrooms in the house. “I’m going to shadow Penny,” Java called after her.
Penny was taking blood samples from each corpse as it was placed on a gurney. Java watched as she meticulously labeled each evidence bag and each vial. “Just in case some idiot removes the vial and puts it back into the wrong bag,” Penny grimaced. “I know it’s overkill, but you’d be surprised how often it happens.”
I’d kill for a cup of coffee, Java mused then regretted the thought others uttered a million times a day. She frowned when she realized how easily people integrated the phrase “I’d kill for . . .” into their thoughts and conversations.
“This case is baffling me,” Penny grumbled as she swabbed a viscid fluid floating on top of coagulating blood.
“Is that what I think it is?” Java quizzed.
“I certainly hope so,” Penny beamed. “If it is, we have the bastard. I have to say this is an incredibly large discharge.”
“It appears the MO is the same as all the other slaughters,” Kat joined them. “We took ample samples from the commodes and your men pulled the trap off all the sinks and collected gobs of unbelievable filth from them. He finally took the trap and all.”
“Gobs?” Java raised her brow.
“Not a classy word, I know,” Kat shot Java a scathing look, “but very appropriate. Gobs and gobs of filth.”
Penny placed the tools of her trade back into her kit and snapped the clasps. “This is as thorough as anyone has ever been with one of these crime scenes. Hopefully we’ll be able to pull some
meaningful evidence.”
“Did you find anything truly significant?” Kat asked.
“Semen,” Penny beamed. “The DNA carrier every ME loves. I’m heading back to the lab now. Maybe I’ll have a special valentine for all of you by tonight.”
“The perp’s ID,” Java chuckled. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather have for Valentine’s Day.” She openly appraised Kat. “Well, maybe there is one other thing.”
“In your dreams, Java Jarvis,” Kat snapped.
##
The ride back to the club was a silent one as each agent mentally sorted through the crime scene. It was Barbie’s first introduction to mindless carnage and Chris’ first encounter with pure bloodlust.
Java and Kat had seen a lot in their careers but nothing as senseless and evil as the murders they were now working.
“I hope Penny brings us something tonight,” Java said. “We must stop this loon before he kills more families.”
“Did anyone notice anything unusual at this scene?”
“There was a voodoo doll placed on each victim,” Chris noted. “Do you think these murders are premeditated or spur of the moment?”
“Although they seem like some crazed killer giving into the urge to kill,” Java said, “they must put a great deal of planning into each murder. No one has ever seen the culprit or even a vehicle and they take the entire family by surprise. It’s almost as if they know their victims.
“They must case the house. They seem to know what window to break into to go unnoticed.”
“I agree with Java,” Kat added. “For all the blood and carnage, I think the killer knows when the family is most vulnerable.”
“Oh my God! Look at the cars lined up at our parking garage.” Barbie gasped. “Java, please tell me we have extra staff for tonight?”
##
Java surveyed the crowd from her usual table in the balcony. She wondered if any of them were The Basher. Most of the city council was dining in her establishment tonight along with the mayor, a couple of senators and house members.
From her viewpoint she could see diners as they walked to the hostess stand where Chris graciously directed her assistants to take them to their table. She was surprised to see Lindy Rochelle enter alone. She watched as Lindy was seated at a table for two and wondered who would join her competitor for dinner. Lindy often dined at Java’s club, but she was surprised Lindy wasn’t swamped in her own club. What would bring her here? Java thought.