BRIDGET BUNDY
An alternative modern day murder mystery
Copyright © 2018 bridget bundy
all rights reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
cover photography by Asif Aman.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Dramatis Personæ
Introduction.
Chapter One.
Chapter Two.
Chapter Three.
Chapter Four.
Chapter Five.
Chapter Six.
Chapter Seven.
Chapter Eight.
Chapter Nine.
Chapter Ten.
Chapter Eleven.
Chapter Twelve.
Chapter Thirteen.
Chapter Fourteen.
Chapter Fifteen.
Chapter Sixteen.
Chapter Seventeen.
Chapter Eighteen.
Chapter Nineteen.
Chapter Twenty.
Chapter Twenty-One.
Chapter Twenty-Two.
Chapter Twenty-Three.
Chapter Twenty-Four.
Chapter Twenty-Five.
Chapter Twenty-Six.
Chapter Twenty-Seven.
Chapter Twenty-Eight.
Chapter Twenty-Nine.
Chapter Thirty.
Chapter Thirty-One.
Chapter Thirty-Two.
Chapter Thirty-Three.
Chapter Thirty-Four.
Chapter Thirty-Five.
Chapter Thirty-Six.
Chapter Thirty-Seven.
Chapter Thirty-Eight.
Chapter Thirty-Nine.
Chapter Forty.
Chapter Forty-One.
Chapter Forty-Two.
Chapter Forty-Three.
Chapter Forty-Four.
Chapter Forty-Five.
Epilogue.
Dramatis Personæ
Ruby Taylor
Victim
Victoria Kipling
Exeter on the Rydal Detective Constable
Exeter Police Department
Maisie Green
Exeter on the Rydal District Three Detective Sergeant
Joshua ‘Josh’ Robinson
Exeter on the Rydal District Three Detective Constable
Kai Webb
Exeter on the Rydal District Three Detective Constable
Samuel ‘Sam’ Clarke
Exeter on the Rydal District Three Community Support Officer
Dr. Lucy Turner
Exeter on the Rydal Medical Examiner
Alexander King
Exeter Forensics Team Leader
Ruby Taylor’s Family & Friends
Erin Mitchell
Ruby’s Sister
Finley Price
Erin’s Boyfriend
Harrison Shaw
Ruby’s Friend
Molly Kahn
Ruby’s Friend
Reece Pearson
Ruby’s Supervisor
Kipling Family
Jamie Kipling
Victoria’s Father
Phoebe Kipling
Victoria’s Mother
Other Characters
Logan Scott
Citizen Auditor
Anna Webb
DC Kai Webb’s Wife
Father Luca Butler
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Pastor Ashton Murray
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Ollie Hunt
Hunt Projects CEO
Georgia Knight
Hunt Projects Human Resource Officer
Elizabeth Foster
Coot Building Resident
Aiden Gibson
Crow Building Landlord
Lauren Payne
Exeter Metro Rail Head of Security
Dexter West
Exeter Metro Rail Assistant Head of Security
Zoe Dawson
Exeter on the Rydal University Marketing Professor
Sonny Rose
Exeter on the Rydal University Soils Professor
Introduction.
“Au revoir, darlings! Au revoir!” Ruby speaks with a flourish of her hands. Kisses on both cheeks to friends. Barely there hugs to those she just met.
The Regency Ball was a spectacular event, a perfect escape from work and school, but now it’s time to go. Responsibilities always begin and end the day. Parties are momentary luxuries, a necessity to break up the norm, but one must return to typical everyday routines. Ruby is a caretaker to her sick sister, a secretary - temporarily, and a college student. Overextended, there’s no choice, but the journey will be worth it. She’s close to her accomplishments. The alternative - not caring, not working, not learning - leads to walls and dead ends, a life she couldn’t bear to live.
Ruby is accosted by Molly, a ruddy face young woman, riding on a mixture of alcohol and mind-numbing drugs. She wears a large gold and burgundy Tudor dress with a velvet forepart. The sheer hood headdress is crooked; blonde flyways peek out from underneath. Molly looks Ruby up and down, clear distaste in the dark pit of her eyes.
“You got some nerve,” Molly says loud enough for those close by to hear.
Smiling as if nothing is wrong, Ruby says with a shrug, “What? You got a new one.”
“You’re nothing but a liar and a thief.”
Ruby glances side to side. The crowd this out. Their tension spreads. No one wants to be a witness. No one wants to kill the party vibe.
“No matter how hard you try,” Molly continues, “you’re still trash. I will always be better than you.”
“Careful,” Ruby closes the distance. “Your jealousy is showing.”
“Who are you supposed to be? Little Red Riding Hood, am I right?” Molly snatches the basket out of Ruby’s hand, throws it aside to the floor. It lands under a table.
Ruby is calm. Amused and unafraid, a tinge of a smile appears at the corner of her mouth. “You’re acting like a child.”
“Do you know what happened to Little Red Riding Hood at the end of the fairytale?”
“She was rescued by the Huntsman.”
“Not the one I read. The wolf ate her.”
“Fairytales don’t scare me.”
“You should be scared of me.”
“Sober up, Molly. Stop drinking. You’re talking crazy.”
“I’m not going to let you get away with this.”
“It’s not that serious. It’s really not that serious.”
“You stole from me, Ruby. You better believe it is.”
“I did you a favor.”
“Is that how you see it? Really? How about I do you a favor?”
They stand toe to toe, dead eye staring at each other, silently challenging who will throw the first blow. The music and circling lights float around them, unaware and celebrating.
“How about, as a favor, I call the cops,” Molly says, “and file a police report? You want to take from me. I’ll take what means the most to you.”
Trying to show she doesn’t care, Ruby blows her a kiss and flits out of the room. But Ruby is very afraid. Accusations of stealing mean jail time, and it also means a loss of an opportunity. She’ll get Molly the money. Ruby’s source has never failed her.
Outside of the ballroom, she stands in the corridor to catch her breath. Arched windows line
the opposite wall, revealing barren trees in cement pots. Equal distance apart, the naked plants frame the sidewalk leading to the road. Two community support officers, dressed in heavy coats and thick fur hats, watch a sweeper creeps against the curb. Dust and dirt bellows from underneath it. On top of the driver’s cabin, the yellow light circles quickly, harsh against the night. Ruby casts her gaze across the street. Black skyscrapers loom upward with random points of light from windows. Stores are on the first floor. Businesses on the next five. The rest are residentials. A little city within a city.
The party is at the Exeter City Centre Train Station in the Grand Red Room. The central atrium is at the end of the hall, an octagonal vast open space with marble floors, polished wood benches, and a water fountain that dances to music during the day. It’s Sunday night, in the midst of winter. The basin is dry. The domed ceiling with cherubs and clouds glow, now the centerpiece for only Ruby to see. A lone community support officer strolls on the outer edges, crossing in front of the ticket counter. His whistling song echoes. He sees her, doesn’t look away, but stays on the trail he’s going.
Ruby has to get home. The central atrium is an empty chamber, no need to hang around. Her train is one level down. It’ll be leaving soon. She has two minutes to make it down to the platform.
Ruby rushes by late-night commuters. The computerized announcer gives one last warning over the intercom. The Red Line Train will be leaving in sixty seconds. Ruby is almost there. One more flight of steps, a turn of a corner, and the elongated silver box is within view and awaits with open doors. She makes it with more than enough seconds to spare. Exhausted from the weight of the dress, she takes a seat and leans her head against the window. The door closes with a hiss and a ding. The train rises off the magnetic surface and begins its smooth movement forward.
A man is in the farthest corner of the cabin. A stocking cap covers his eyes. His wool coat is wrapped tight to his neck. A woman with shades sits beside him. Her skin is smooth and pale white. The bold red lipstick is sloppy, going beyond the lines of her lips. Sensing something’s not right, Ruby looks again. The woman isn’t a woman. It’s a mannequin. This is not the first time Ruby has seen insane things, and seeing a man riding a train with a mannequin isn’t by far the worse she’s witnessed. Still, Ruby takes a different seat, one not so close to the man and his companion.
The rhythmic ride brings thoughts of worry. The haunting threat from Molly.
She wouldn’t call the police and ruin my chances. She wouldn’t, Ruby thinks. She would. Damn it.
Three stops later, the train slides to Hyde-Chapman Platform and sinks with a gusty sigh on the magnetic surface. The doors open, letting in a blend of cold and warm air.
With tulle and an abundance of fabric hiding her feet, Ruby watches where she steps. She can’t wait to be rid of the gown. It was a blast for a time, now it’s a burden. Not looking where she’s going, Ruby runs into a man. Looking up, she sees a bumpy chin. Thin lips with tiny lines. The eyes, watery brown, distant and intense, she’s seen before. They’re angry, desperate.
“You again?” Ruby huffs. She’s annoyed, tired of him.
“Many days are ahead for you,” he says with desperation. “Other chances. Other opportunities. You have all the time in the world, much more than I do. Let me have this, and I promise I will bring you on board, right with me.”
She laughs. “I’d be stupid to give up a better position for a lesser one.”
The mocking angers him, but he tries not to show it.
“I can ruin you,” he says calmly. “I’ll tell him your nasty little secret. Both of you will be out.”
“I don’t care. As a matter of fact, put it in the newspapers. Make a sign and wear it so all of your friends can see. Get a bullhorn and tell the whole world. It’s not going to change a thing.”
“You think I’m joking?”
“It’s more like I think you’re a joke.” She walks away with a flip of her hand. “Stop following me.”
Anger building from within, the man clenches his fists. He turns to watch her run up the steps.
The man cannot take her flippant attitude, her complete disregard. His demands are not to be ignored. She must take him seriously. He sees a homeless woman in the corner of the platform. She has a baseball bat among numerous bags of old clothes and food. He snatches it, but the woman tries to stop him. He slaps her and runs up the steps, leaving the homeless woman in tears.
He knows which way Ruby went. He’s followed her the past week. Her schedule is easy to remember. Within seconds, the man is only a few steps behind her. The red dress stands out among the cold drab of the city and night. He walks fast, keeping her within sight, jogging when he must. His blood boils hot as he gets closer.
Ruby turns into an alley, a shortcut to where she lives. He catches up with her halfway in. That’s where he stops her again. She notices the baseball bat and the glaring rage at the surface of his sweating skin. He bites his bottom lip, canines showing like an angry dog. Backing away, Ruby takes a phone from her purse. He snatches it out of her hand, tosses it to the ground, and grabs her by the arm.
“Let me go!” Ruby tries to wiggle out of his grip, but he’s too strong.
“I’m not going to ask you again.”
“Face it,” she says spitefully. “You’re a has-been. I’m not walking away from something I worked hard to get.”
“This is your last warning.”
“Whatever, old man. You. Lost.”
The man sighs, takes a step back, turns as if he’s about to leave, but suddenly twists around, swinging the baseball bat. The blow connects with her head. Ruby wretches sideways, falls violently to the bricked, muddy ground.
Her mind fights for strength, the need to rise to her feet, but the alley spins and blurs. Ruby knows she’s in trouble. She tries to scream, but she chokes on blood. The man hits her again and again. Blood sprays on his coat, on his face, and on his shoes. He backs off when he realizes she’s not moving. Blood seeps from her demolished skull. Her brain is pummeled into pulp.
The man has no regrets. His hands shake. Adrenaline flows. She should have agreed to do what he asked.
“Whatever,” he whispers. “You. Lost.”
A noise comes from above, or is it from down the dark alley? He’s not sure, but he can’t stay to find out.
The body? He panics. What is he going to do?
No time to move it. Nowhere to hide it. Blood is everywhere. Her skull is crushed. Someone will see him if he tries. The police will be called. He runs as fast as he can. He doesn’t look back.
Chapter One.
Detective Constable Joshua Robinson, my mentor, is late picking me up. We have to be in the squad room in less than fifteen minutes. It’s currently eight-forty-five in the morning. I’ve called and texted him. If I could send smoke signals, I would.
I can’t wait any longer. My supervisor doesn’t tolerate tardiness. I’m already thinking of excuses as I set on my way, but every lie is lame, not even worth trying. I’ll have to say that I was waiting on Robinson. No harm in telling the truth.
The weather is extra cold, but in between the jogging and the quick-stepping, I warm up. Two miles isn't too far to the police station, but I do wish I live closer. The only thing that holds me up is the do-not-walk signals. I have to cross against the lights much to the disgust of some drivers. I even get a few nasty calls and blaring horns.
Eighteen minutes after nine, I go through the body bio-readers at the front entrance. It’s how the system keeps track of who enters and exits the police station, and it’s how police officers clock-in. Without slowing down, I run up the steps to the third-floor squad room.
Much to my embarrassment and dismay, Detective Sergeant Maisie Green, my supervisor, is having a meeting when I walk in. She stands behind the podium giving the daily briefing. I was hoping she would be done before I got there. I want to shrink down to a minuscule size to hide from her, but there’s no escaping the staring f
rom her and the other detectives. Keeping my head low, I take my seat.
Robinson is at his desk across from mine. His feet are propped up, and he’s smiling. He winks. The snake didn’t pick me up on purpose. We have an agreement. He’d pick me up as long as he’s my trainer, but I guess pranking me is too much to pass up on.
“Lastly, I have one more announcement,” DS Green says, turning the page in the Daily Action Book. Only a detective sergeant has one. It’s an itinerary of expectations for the unit. “I would like to recognize Detective Constable Joshua Robinson for his outstanding work during the last quarter of twenty-seventeen. He solved eight murders with convictions. Let’s all congratulate Detective Robinson.”
The detectives clap. Someone calls him a teacher’s pet. Another detective whistles. He stands and raises his hand to take in the accolades.
“That’s all for today,” DS Green says.
“May I give a speech?” Robinson asks playfully.
“No, you may not.” She closes the Action Book. “Remember, Detectives, I want to see all files for solved cases before taken to the prosecutor for consideration. I don’t want a repeat of the last case.” As she walks to her office, she yells over her shoulder, “Kipling! My office.”
I close my eyes. I knew I was going to get in trouble for being late. Robinson chuckles as I get up and head to DS Green’s office. I’m a detective in training. I can easily get fired. I need this job. Robinson better hope I don’t lose it.
“Close the door.” DS Green is settled behind her desk. “Take a seat.”
Without question or hesitation, I do as I’m told. Unexpectedly, she hands me an evidence bag. Inside of it is parchment. Considering the paper appears to be expensive, it looks like crap. Blood stains are all over it and a couple of coffee cup rings. Handwriting on the note says, ‘Ruby is dead in Sable Alley.’
Sable Alley Page 1
