Murder! Too Close To Home

by J. T. Lewis

  “Thanks,” I replied, suddenly very concerned, “Get back here as soon as you can, will ya?”

  As I hung up the receiver my mind started to race, and I did not like the implications of everything I now knew. A sudden epiphany crowded its way into my head, the vision.

  I ran out of the conference room, crashing in through the doorway of the other conference room.

  Empty.

  I turned again and ran down the hallway and exited the building where I saw the state cruiser starting out of the parking lot. I ran full tilt on an intercepting course, trying to stop the sergeant before he exited the property, my street shoes sliding dangerously on the leftover winter road sand.

  I arrived at the exit of the lot only seconds before the trooper. His tires screeched to a halt as I threw my hands on his hood to keep him from hitting my legs.

  A much surprised Sergeant Brady looked at me out the windshield, his hands gripping the wheel tightly. I slowly stood up, but waited to catch my breath before approaching the driver’s window. He stared at me for a few more moments before rolling the window down.

  “Just one more question, Sergeant,” I wheeze, hands on knees while I catch my breath before speaking again. “Did Jane have any tattoos that you noticed?”

  “Oh,” he said, seemingly relieved it was nothing more serious, “you mean the snake?”

  Chapter 90

  April 3, 1997

  I was surprised at the revelation, yet not surprised at all.

  “Describe it for me please.”

  “Starts in the middle of her back and curves up to the back of her shoulder.” The state trooper then looked around him as if to confirm we were alone.

  “Very sexy, if you don’t mind me saying.”

  I kind of did mind. That was the last thing I wanted to hear about the woman at that moment. I let it go though, and thanked the sergeant for the information as I turned to walk back to the office.

  I entered the conference room a few minutes later to find Frank and Betty sitting at the table awaiting my return, their faces anxious for answers. I slumped down in a chair, folded my hands on the table and looked upon my partners.

  “There is another story you guys need to hear, a story from one of my dreams.”

  I then revealed the contents of my latest dream, how this woman seemed quite taken with her body, and would it seemed not be above using it for personal gain.

  I then revealed the tattoo I had noticed on her back, a tattoo that Sergeant Brady had just described to me in matching detail a few moments ago.

  Finished, I slumped back in my chair, the reality of my revelations having just confirmed the identity of our killer, of Jasmine.

  Betty was surprised at the revelation of my dreams, but seemed to readily accept it after but a few questions.

  “We have our killer, our mastermind, now we just need to get some real proof so we can arrest her.”

  “I can’t believe Jane would do this…could do this,” Betty stated sullenly. “Why would she do this?”

  “This will hit Lean hard,” Frank added, “as if he doesn’t already have enough tragedy as it is.”

  My cell phone rang; I noticed it is from the Sheriff’s department.

  “Gabriel, this is Tucker. One of the patrols went by Jane’s apartment. She wasn’t there, and the door wasn’t latched. Deputy Tom Smith looked in and said it looked like it was ransacked, wants to know what to do.”

  “Have him lock it down, we’ll be right there,” I said with an authority I didn’t have. Looking around, I told the others, “her apartment’s open and she isn’t there, maybe we can find the evidence we need there.”

  ***

  We all headed out to the car and off to the apartment on Catalpa. None of us felt like talking and remained silent throughout the whole ride. Six minutes later we arrived at the apartment and gloved up before we entered.

  Deputy Smith was looking at us with confusion, maybe a little defensive. I ignored his feelings for the moment and told him to make sure no one entered without our say-so, telling him this could be a crime scene.

  We entered slowly, taking our time and observing the general condition before delving into anything. The apartment did indeed look like it had had a whirlwind go through it, but after a few moments it appeared to me that it was more like the scene you might see when someone has to leave in a hurry for a trip.

  Clothes and belongings had been pulled out of closets and drawers, like they had been quickly picked through to find what they wanted to pack.

  “Anybody see anything to indicate this as a crime scene?”

  “No,” Betty replied, “looks more like she was in a hurry to leave.”

  “Ditto” Frank added as he leaned over a desk; reaching down and picking up a book.

  Opening the door then into what I would assume to be a bedroom, Betty let out a gasp as she stood staring into the room.

  Coming up beside her, the scene revealed to my eyes was unexpected to say the least. Memorabilia, or should I say Murderabilia filled the walls and the table tops of the room. Pictures, weapons and other items had been neatly and lovingly displayed like one would your family mementoes.

  I instantly recognized the postcard that we had tracked, front and center in the middle of it all. Prominently displayed on the table, it was held in by a little folding tripod one would normally use for a picture.

  “Over there,” Betty pointed to the left, revealing to me a large bulletin board full of newspaper clippings of our current murder spree.

  “Humph!” I heard over my shoulder as Frank also got a look at the room, his face a mask now devoid of emotion. After a few moments, he nudged me, indicating that we should follow him across the room.

  “Look familiar?” he asked as he held up a notebook, an exact match in looks to the code book taken out of Wesley’s apartment. Opening it up, he then confirmed that it is indeed filled with rows of letters resembling the other book.

  We now have more than enough to bring her in for questioning, but our reverie is suddenly interrupted by a commotion outside the front door.

  As I started that way to check it out, I was stopped in my tracks when the door suddenly busted inward loudly, hitting the inside wall with a thud as it reached the end of its travel.

  Outlined in the doorway was a visibly angry man that we had not been expecting to see, a slightly inebriated Lean McHenry.

  “What the hell have you done with my daughter?”

  Chapter 91

  April 3, 1997

  “I said, where the hell is my daughter?”

  We had been unsure as to what to do when he had shown up at the door; therefore we had done nothing until he angrily repeated his question.

  The Sheriff’s service weapon was prominently displayed on his hip, his fingers nervously caressing the handle. His anger was apparent…and cause enough for concern considering his present state.

  Looking out beyond the sheriff, I saw a confused deputy that seemed not too sure where his loyalties lay.

  He’d be no help to us right now. I worried that he may even turn against us if his old boss looked threatened.

  I was closest to Lean, with Betty to my left and Frank directly behind me at the desk, most likely hidden from the sheriff’s sightline at the moment. I also knew that my partner would about now be slowly sliding his Glock out of its holster in readiness for any trouble, a very comforting thought to me at that instant.

  “Lean, we need you to calm down, right now,” I started evenly, “And I would appreciate if you slowly handed the deputy that revolver for the time being.”

  My thought was that he probably found his old deputy a little less threatening than me at that moment. It also might help our cause in allying the deputy towards us just a little bit.

  I was banking a lot on those psychology classes I had taken in college years ago.

  I was about ready to dive for cover when I noticed that the deputy was approaching the sheriff’s position.
<
br />   “Sounds like a good idea to me, Sheriff. I’ll be right out here if you need me.”

  Lean McHenry waivered for a bit, but finally relented and handed his revolver to Deputy Smith.

  “You come running if I give you the signal,” the sheriff commanded, the deputy nodding before stepping back with the weapon.

  “I heard you were looking for JJ for some kind of questioning, locking her house down as a crime scene! What the hell are you doing, Celtic?”

  The sheriff walked in a few steps, looking around for the first time.

  “What the hell have you done to her place?” he accused with a disgusted look on his face. “You people have torn the hell out of this place.”

  He took a cigarette out from behind his ear and popped it in his mouth angrily, digging his Zippo out of his pocket and lighting it before flipping it closed with one hand and reinserting it back into his pocket.

  “Sheriff, we just had some questions for her earlier.” I swallowed hard before continuing, “But now, with everything we’ve discovered, she is the primary suspect in the murders.”

  The sheriff was in the middle of a large drag when the reality of what I had told him hit.

  “WHAT?” he screamed, smoke billowing out with his words, temporarily covering his face in an eerie display.

  “You people are fucking nuts; my daughter wouldn’t hurt a fly…unless it bit her first.”

  “We have incontrovertible evidence of her involvement, Lean. She has a copy of the codebook, and that bedroom over there is a monument to murder. Jasmine is the name of the mastermind, and we have just proven that Jane is Jasmine.”

  “I know she’s your daughter, Lean,” I continued quickly, but with sympathy. “And I can’t imagine what you’re going through at the moment. But facts are facts, and we need to find her and fast, before she hurts somebody else. We can get her some help Lean, all we gotta do is find her.”

  “Now,” I sighed when I saw the hardness in his eyes dim slightly, “It looks like she cleared out of here in a hurry. Any idea where she would go?”

  Lean grimaced angrily, still unbelieving, pushing smoke slowly out through his teeth.

  “Nope, unfortunately my daughter and I don’t socialize much anymore. I don’t know how or where she spends her time when she ain’t working.”

  “What about the house in Franklin County?” Frank asked, “You think she would go there?”

  “She must have had some connection to the house to send Wesley there; I doubt he would have found it by himself.”

  The sheriff got a funny look on his face before asking, “Do you know the owner’s name of the Franklin County House?”

  Frank dug out his notebook, flipping through a few pages before announcing, “Barbara Schwartz. We looked into any local connections, but haven’t found any yet.”

  I looked back at Lean, who was now white, his lower lip trembling. Bringing his hands to his face in shame, he started mumbling, “Oh my God, what has she done?”

  I walked over to him, “Sheriff, what the hell’s the matter?”

  Pulling his hands down, he looked at me through tears. “Barbara Schwartz is my sister-in-law, my wife’s sister. She’s in a nursing home now, dying of cancer. That house and farm she inherited from my wife’s parents. No one’s lived there for years.”

  “Would Jane be able to get in easily?” I asked.

  “Jane takes care of it for Barbara, she has the keys.” He almost cried before again covering his face with his hands.

  I looked at Betty and Frank, none of us believing how this was unfolding. This case was starting to solve itself, but it definitely didn’t feel like our finest hour.

  “Lean, assuming she won’t go back to that house, is there any place else she might go?”

  Pulling his hands down reluctantly, he suddenly dropped into a chair, his legs no longer able to support him. He sat there inhaling deeply, trying to will himself to calm down.

  “There is another house,” he panted out, “on the same farm, the next mile over.”

  “My wife inherited it same time her sister got the other. I own it now, was going to give it to Jane. She used to love it out there.”

  “Will you take us there?” I asked quietly. “We have to find her, Lean.”

  He nodded, taking another deep breath before standing and heading to the door. Looking over his shoulder as he exited, “I’ll ride with Tom, you guys follow us,” he commanded.

  As we headed out, Betty half whispered, “I’m still not believing this.”

  I shrugged, not knowing what to think myself. I was guessing though that we would find out soon enough the how and the why of it all.

  Had I known what we were about to confront, I would have turned on lights and siren and drove as fast as I could…the other way.

  Chapter 92

  April 3, 1997

  We are again quiet as we sped toward Franklin County. I was driving with Betty along side me in the front seat, Frank manning the rear. Half way there, Betty laid her hand on the seat between us palm up. I looked over to see a worried look on her face, one that matched mine I was sure. I reached out and grabbed her hand in mine, risking the one-handed, high-speed driving to comfort my beautiful wife…and myself for that matter.

  The sky was overcast as we drove, a fitting day for the task at hand. Thirty minutes after we started our trek, the lights on the cruiser in front of us went off as the siren grew silent. We were going in quiet as we slowed to 20 mph for the last mile before finally turning slowly into a driveway.

  Scanning the area and seeing no other vehicle in sight, I assumed that she may not be there yet.

  We parked about fifty feet from the house and exited the vehicle. The Sheriff and his deputy were huddled at the front of their car, discussing something that had the deputy not looking happy. When we joined the two men, Lean looked over at us and stated, “I’ll go in alone.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea Sheriff,” Betty said with concern.

  “She’s my daughter,” he said determinedly as he looked toward the house. “I should be the one to bring her out.”

  He started walking toward the building before any of us could say anything to dissuade him. He was unarmed.

  “Are we just going to let him do this alone?” Betty asked with concern.

  “Let him get inside,” I said, “then we can position ourselves around the house, just in case.”

  He got to the door and tried the knob, which was unlocked. He slowly stepped in…closing the door behind him.

  “Frank, you take Tom and go around to the left, Betty and I will take the right.”

  We split up and went in low with weapons drawn. We came across a side door, and I indicated to Betty to stay there while I proceeded to the back of the house where I met up with Frank at another door.

  Jane’s truck was there, having been blocked from view by the house. We quietly crawled up onto an old porch and then to the back door. A loud conversation was going on inside the house; the voices now clear to us.

  “You brought them here?” I heard Jane literally scream.

  Pleading, “What’s going on with you Jane, why are you doing this?”

  I edged up along a window and looked in. Jane was there to my right, wearing her uniform and what I assume was a blonde wig. Lean held a position to my left, just this side of the door where I had left Betty. I hoped she could get the lay of the scene from over there. I had no way to communicate with her from where I was at.

  “You have no idea do you? You have no clue you drunken sot!”

  “You’re right,” Lean shouted back, “I don’t have a clue. I do know this is not how I raised you girl.”

  “You didn’t raise me you bastard,” screaming again. “Momma raised me. Momma did everything for me, and for you.”

  “I know that I’ve been too busy sometimes, but I love you JJ. And I loved your momma too.”

  “And when she got sick? Then you decided it would be a good i
dea to be gone even more?”

  “I’m sorry…I just didn’t know how to handle the Lupus.”

  “The Lupus didn’t kill momma you idiot, she died of loneliness. I tried everything I could to make her happy, but all she wanted was you. You to talk to her…to pay attention to her. You couldn’t even do that could you? You couldn’t even give her a few minutes a day out of your lousy life to make her happy.”

  “You disgust me.”

  Glancing back at the Sheriff, I saw tears rolling down his cheeks.

  “I was scared, I admit that. I didn’t know how to handle a disease like that. If you don’t know how to handle something, sometimes you just hide from it. But to kill all of those people for what I did? Your momma never would have wanted that.”

  “She’s dead now, and the rules changed the day she died” Jane said matter-of-factly.

  “The rules of humanity didn’t change! The rules of right and wrong didn’t change either!”

  Jane sneered at him. “All the rules changed, Dad. I made new ones. I’ve done things you’ve probably never even heard of since then. I’m living my own life now.”

  She took a few steps farther from me, strutting really. “Jasmine is my name now, and Jasmine is who I am. Jasmine can do anything she wants. And Jasmine doesn’t like you Sheriff! You shouldn’t have pissed her off.”

  She turned back toward me and I quickly ducked back out of sight.

  “We even sell our body, what do you think about that, Dad? When we realized we needed more money to put you in your place, we went to the city and got it done.”

  The voice had changed, and I risked another look in the window. She was facing Lean once more, rubbing her hand up and down her belly, and lower; moaning with her eyes closed while her head tilted back in enjoyment.

  “Mmmm, it’s delicious, getting paid to do what I do. Now that is a sin!”