The Devil's Water: Scenic City Murder Series #1 Read online

  “I need to go too. I’ll be late for class if I don’t get out of here.” Tasha directed to Clutch.

  “Alright. Run along.” Clutch said to her as Skopic left the room.

  “Just don’t be mad at me when you see Jerry tailing you, ‘kay?”

  “Aw, hell Clutch. I don’t want you to put that kid back to tailing me! You’re just being paranoid!” she said in a very loud voice.

  Clutch smiled up at Tasha as she ranted. When she finished, he answered in almost a whisper, “It’s not a suggestion, it’s an order. I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer and you need to always remember one thing. Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean there aren’t people out to get me.”

  CHAPTER 40

  The lights in room 326 were turned off and all was quiet except for the constant beep of the ventilator. Tasha crept to Carol’s bedside trying to make as little noise as possible. There, beside her bed, David Campbell was kneeling with his head bowed and hands clasped in prayer.

  “David?” Tasha whispered.

  The man looked up at her and smiled. “Tasha! I’m so glad you could come today.”

  “Well, I’m just glad that you called and told me you would be here. How is she?”

  “Why don’t you ask her?” he said, standing up and motioning Tasha to come closer.

  Tasha walked over to the side of Carol’s bed and took her hand. She couldn’t help but notice how cold it felt. “Carol? This is Tasha Yoder. Do you remember me? Squeeze once for ‘yes’, two for ‘no’.”

  Suddenly, Tasha felt firm pressure on her thumb and index finger. It lasted for only a few seconds and then the pressure was gone.

  “Great, Carol!” Tasha exclaimed. She glanced up and made eye contact with David. “Now, I have another question… David Campbell is here. Do you remember David?”

  Again, Carol squeezed Tasha’s hand even harder.

  “That’s great! You’ve really come a long way, baby!” Tasha responded.

  “Her grasp is getting stronger. Dr. Connor says that’s a very good sign.” David said.

  “Where are her folks?”

  “They’ve been down in the chapel for some time now. Both Buck and Sarah believe this is a true miracle. Sarah isn’t reading Job anymore. She’s moved on to more positive parts of the Bible.”

  “Thank God… in more ways than one.” Tasha laughed.

  David walked around the bed, coming to stand beside Tasha. “Hey, would you like a cup of coffee? We could go down to the cafeteria. The java down there isn’t as good as Moe’s but it isn’t bad either.” He smiled.

  “I’d love a cup.” She answered.

  “Well, let’s go.” He said, offering her his hand. Reaching out she felt her heart thud in her chest and she locked fingers with him and they left room 326.

  Ten minutes later, Tasha and David were standing in line waiting to pay for their steaming hot cups of liquid. Tasha noted that the lady standing at the register had a very sour expression on her face. In short, she looked like a bitch. It seemed to Tasha that nobody in the whole damn hospital wanted to work there. Certainly not the receptionists or cafeteria workers.

  “That’ll be $4.21” the woman murmured, not making eye contact.

  David handed her a five spot and the woman made change. “Have a nice day.” Tasha said as they walked away toward the dining hall. There was no response.

  David led the way, selecting a table by a large window. He pulled Tasha’s seat out for her and waited for her to sit. Then, he walked around to the other side and seated himself. As always, Tasha observed, he looked great. She found herself staring at him and tried to divert her eyes before she was caught. Too late. Instead of saying a word, David just smiled.

  “So… it’s really great that Carol has come this far, huh?” Tasha asked.

  “Yes. She’s made incredible progress. Her parents are so happy. As I said before, her mother is doing so much better.”

  “Hopefully, Carol will completely pull out of this. I think there’s every reason to believe that it might happen, right?”

  “Well, Dr. Connor is very positive about it. I think there’s a good chance.” David answered.

  “I’m just glad we got Berndt and now we don’t have to worry about him anymore. I just hope he’s the only one we have to worry about.”

  “What?”

  “Aw, shit. I really shouldn’t have said anything.” Tasha mumbled under her breath. “You are involved with the case, though.”

  “Is someone else involved in the DWK killings?”

  Tasha took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. “We don’t know yet.” She finally said, her voice low and soft. “There is some reason to believe that we might not be out of the woods yet.”

  “How so?”

  Tasha told David about the letter that had come into the precinct.

  “I think it might just be a nut out there who knows enough of the story to fuck with the PD a little. At least that’s all I hope it is.” She said as she finished her story.

  “Me too.” David said as he finished the last swig of coffee in his cup “Are you finished?” he asked.

  “Yep. I guess I better get going. You gonna hang out here a while?”

  “Nope. I got stuff to do. Say, do you like Chinese food?”

  “Love it.”

  “How about tomorrow night we go out to this little place I know. Great food and some of the best Mu Shu I ever tasted.”

  “That sounds good. Do you want to meet there?”

  “Nah, I’ll pick you up. All I need is the name of your place. I’ll stick it into MapQuest on my cell.”

  Tasha gave him the information. “Wow, I haven’t been on a real date in forever.” She said, trying to gather all the courage she could muster.

  “Well then, it’s about time.” He said, flashing his dimples. “May I walk you to your car?”

  “Please.” She said, feeling as though she might pass out from overheating.

  The wind was bitter cold making Tasha shiver as she walked with David back to her vehicle. Seeing her shake, David took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Aw, geez. Handsome and gallant!” She said, glancing up into his blue eyes.

  As they reached Tasha’s car, David watched as she took her keys out of her purse. “You have a good day, Tasha Yoder.”

  Smiling, he reached around and slowly pulled his jacket from her shoulders. Their lips were inches apart. Without thinking, she leaned in and kissed him.

  “Whoa!” she said as she pulled away.

  “Definitely.” He said as he moved toward her for another kiss. David’s hands moved down to Tasha’s waist and he held her tight. She could feel his body against her own as he whispered in her ear. “I’ll see you tomorrow night about six.”

  Tasha opened her car door and plopped down in the driver’s seat. She felt weak in the knees. “I can’t wait.”

  She closed the car door and stuck the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life. Waving at David, she reversed out of her parking spot and moved her vehicle down the lane that was lined with cars. Looking in her rearview, she watched him slowly disappear from sight.

  CHAPTER 41

  Lord Mclutcheon was sniffing a bush. The dog couldn’t quite figure out what he wanted to mark next. Clutch held the animals’ leash in one hand, a freezer bag and scoop in the other.

  Skopic had called. The word ‘pig’ had been written in blood but they couldn’t connect it to anyone or thing. The blood hadn’t been human. Clutch thought of the mass graves in Berndt’s yard. Clearly, Berndt and his partner, if he had one, weren’t above killing animals. Clutch was becoming certain that Berndt didn’t act alone. Indeed, there could still be someone out there waiting. Maybe, someone even worse than Berndt, if that was possible.

  Clutch watched as Lord lifted a leg and relieved himself on a mailbox post. “Come on, boy.” He said to the dog. “I’m sure Happy can’t wait to see you.”

  The dog looked up a
t his human companion and cocked his head. “You got that I was being sarcastic, didn’t you?” Clutch said to him, laughing.

  Just then, Clutch’s cell phone rang. He jerked it out of his pocket and held it to his ear. “Yeah.”

  “Boss? This is Wilder. I think you need to get to the station as soon as possible. We got another letter.”

  “Be right there, Jeff.”

  Within thirty minutes, Clutch was walking in the door of his office. Ryan Skopic was sitting in the chair across from Clutch’s desk and Jeff Wilder was standing beside him with his hands in his pants pockets. Both men looked grim. Lying on Clutch’s desk was a white envelope that had been opened and an article of clothing. Saying nothing, Clutch moved over to his desk chair and took a seat. He picked up the opened envelope and removed the letter that was inside. Unfolding the letter, he read:

  There’s a killer on the road. His brain is squirmin’ like a toad. Take a long holiday. Let your children play. If you give this man a ride, sweet family will die. Killer on the road.

  ONTO OTHER THINGS… WELL, WELL… I HAVEN’T GOTTEN A RESPONSE SINCE MY LAST LETTER. I’VE SEEN NOTHING ON THE NEWS. OF COURSE, I DON’T HAVE GAMBLIN TO KICK AROUND ANYMORE, HA HA!

  BE AWARE: I AM THE REAL THING!!!

  IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME, WHY DON’T YOU TALK TO THE WHORES’ PIMP?

  I’M SURE HE KNOWS HER… SHALL WE SAY… “FASHION SENSE”!

  Clutch laid the note down on his desk and picked up the blue miniskirt that was, very possibly, Flo’s. “This is easy enough to check out.” He finally stated, looking up at Wilder and Skopic.

  “Sure boss. You want me to call Rico Savoy?”

  “Yeah. Tell him I need him here today. If he asks why, tell him it’s about Flo. I’m sure he’ll get his ass down here if he knows that.”

  Wilder left the office leaving Skopic and Clutch alone. “This guy isn’t bluffing.” Skopic finally said.

  “No. I don’t think so either. He’s getting cocky again and that, mixed with the desperation to be ‘recognized’, is a dangerous combination. I think he wants to be seen as the one who got away with it. In his mind, he’s just too fucking clever for us.”

  “Yeah, he’s an arrogant bastard.” Skopic agreed. “So, what are you gonna do?”

  “I’m waiting for Savoy to get his butt down here and ID that miniskirt. Then, when he says that it’s Flo’s, I’m gonna get in touch with Tasha. Maybe she’ll have some insight as to why this bastard quotes Doors songs all the time.”

  “Well… if you ask me, he sees himself as a 60’s flower child. A bohemian poet of sorts. A charismatic dreamer who, to the common man, dreams of horrific things that are almost too evil to imagine. That could explain the ‘pig’ letter. Maybe he identifies with Manson.”

  “Maybe.” Clutch finally answered.

  “Well, I’ll check back in later today. Meanwhile, keep me in the loop.” Skopic said, rising from his chair.

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  CHAPTER 42

  Tasha had just come out of a deep sleep. She reached over to feel if a human sized lump was beside her and, for once, was glad to feel that someone was there. Grabbing the pack of smokes off her nightstand, she tapped out a cigarette and stuck it between her lips. The sound of the Bic lighter seemed to rouse the fellow laying beside her. “Hey, you know that’s bad for you.” He said.

  “Don’t start. After what we did last night, I need a release.” She said, laughing. She exhaled as blue smoke wafted above her.

  “I’ve held lungs in my own hands that have been damaged by cigarette smoke. It isn’t pretty.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “On the other hand, the taste of tobacco when I kiss you is rather sexy.” David reached over to stroke Tasha’s inner thigh. “You hungry? I am.”

  “Oh my God. Are you gonna cook?” Tasha asked, a wide smile on her face.

  “Why is that hard to believe?”

  “It’s just that I’ve never dated a guy that cooked for me.”

  David laughed. He rose from the bed and walked nude to the bedroom door. “I’m gonna make us some eggs and bacon.” He said.

  Tasha finished her cigarette and crushed the ash in the ashtray just as the phone rang. She picked up the receiver. “Hello.”

  “My, aren’t we in a good mood this afternoon.” Clutch answered.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because you never answer the phone like that. Plus I can tell you’re not drinking. Two positives. Must be this new guy you’re seeing.” Clutch said, chuckling.

  “He’s amazing.”

  “Listen, I have something to tell you. You don’t need to come to the precinct. Just let me run this by you.”

  Clutch proceeded to tell Tasha of the note that was left along with the miniskirt.

  “Savoy came by today. He said the skirt was definitely Flo’s.”

  “Well, I agree with you. This son of a bitch is getting cocky again.” Tasha said. “I don’t know what he’ll do next and I’m afraid to guess.”

  At that moment, there was a knock on Tasha’s bedroom door. “Come in.” she said loudly, in a voice that almost hurt Clutch’s ears.

  “Breakfast is sizzling in the pan.” David said with a smile. “You want your eggs sunny side up or scrambled? I can’t make them any other way.”

  “Scrambled. I can’t stand runny eggs.”

  David left the room and went back to his work preparing the meal.

  “Well, we do have a bit of good news out of all of this.”

  “What’s that?” Tasha asked.

  “You might tell David that Carol opened her eyes today. Limmel called. Buck Shipley had called him. She still can’t talk but she’s responding to visual stimuli and she is building strength in her arm and hand muscles. It’s great news.”

  “Make sure that Limmel tells Buck and Sarah that they are in our prayers. Tell them that we are so glad that Carol has come so far.” Tasha said.

  “Will do. Meanwhile, I’m going back to Berndt’s farm. I’m taking Wilder with me. We’re gonna see what else we might find out there.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous with what we know?” Tasha asked.

  “Nah. We have a key to get in. From what I’ve heard, nobody has been around the place since Carol took a nosedive on that asphalt out from the house.”

  “Hey, Clutch?”

  “Yep.”

  “Keep me posted, will ya?”

  “Always.”

  CHAPTER 43

  The old house looked spooky in the waning shadows of the cold winter day. All of the windows had their curtains drawn but Clutch could tell that, inside, it was as dark as a coffin. He stepped up onto the porch with Jeff Wilder and looked out across the land. The bare branches of the tall trees, gnarled like witch’s fingers, made Clutch really wish that he was someplace else. Someplace warm and light and inviting.

  “Lions and tigers and bears.” He muttered sticking the house key in its’ lock.

  “What’s that, boss?”

  “Nothin’. Let’s just get this over with.” Clutch said, stepping across the threshold of the front door.

  “God, it’s like a dungeon in here.” Wilder observed.

  “Keep in mind that it was used for that. At least we’ve already seen all there is to see in the basement.”

  Wilder shone his flashlight around the foyer. The large iron maiden gave Clutch a start when he caught it out of the corner of his eye. “You look in the grandmother’s room. I’ll get Berndt’s.”

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  Clutch took his own flashlight out of his trench coat pocket and turned it on. He walked slowly back toward Berndt’s bedroom, feeling somewhat familiar with the rooms he was walking through since he’d been there before.

  Berndt’s room had been left just as Clutch remembered it. Glancing over, he saw some of the books on serial killers that Berndt had obviously studied. Once again, Clutch noticed the lines on the carpet left from a vacuum cleane
r. The lines weren’t as obvious as they had been initially because of the heavy foot traffic that was also evident in the room.

  “Nothing new here.” Clutch called out to Wilder. “You havin’ any luck?”

  “Nope. Not a bit, boss. Everything looks exactly like it did the last time we were here.”

  Shit.

  Clutch directed his flashlight slowly and methodically through the room. He was looking for anything, really. He was becoming more and more disgusted when the light came to rest on two closet doors which were partially obstructed from view by a screen. The wooden screen had three connected panels. Clutch figured that perhaps the screen had allowed Berndt some privacy when grandma was around. He walked over to it and pushed it out of his way, giving himself access to the closet doors. He opened the closet and shined his light inside. Nothing was really out of place. Berndt’s clothes were hung neatly on a rod which ran the length of the interior. Clutch noted that he used all plastic instead of wire hangers. Winter clothes were on the right side of the closet while summer clothes were on the left. Shining his light on the floor, Clutch saw that all of Berndt’s shoes were lined up neatly in two rows.

  “What a fuckin’ neat freak.” Said a voice behind him. He turned and saw that Wilder was standing with his head almost on Clutch’s shoulder. “Yeah. I think more than a little obsessive compulsive though I ain’t no shrink.”

  Wilder laughed. “Well, I think this guy had bigger problems than that.”

  Clutch was still shining the light on the floor of the closet when something caught his eye. There were two large boxes sitting in the shadows behind Berndt’s shoes. “We need those.” Clutch said, handing his flashlight to Wilder. Wilder shined both his and Clutch’s lights on the big cumbersome boxes as Clutch crawled in the closet to get them. “You need some help?” He offered.