CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
Mayor Carver called an emergency meeting. Present in his office were Det. Miller, Det. Fairchild, Coroner Earl Schulz and Doctor Otis Pearlman. The meeting’s agenda was to discuss the murders of Chief Hudson, Teri Helms and Martha Camp.
They were all seated in a half-circle facing the Mayor’s desk. “So gentlemen, I think you already have an idea why I called this meeting. We need to get a handle on things, and right quick. People are running scared. I’ve heard talk of people saying they are going to pack up and leave if something isn’t done. This we can’t have. So let’s see if we can’t sort things out today. Thomas, where are we at pertaining to the investigations?”
Thomas cleared his throat as he wished he could lite up a Camel; but knowing the Mayor’s distaste for tobacco, he would forgo that simple pleasure for now, “Well, as far as the Terri Helms murder, we have no suspects, other than Beau Camp’s out-of-body experience, where he claims to have seen Johnny Hudson beating an unknown woman, who just so happened to be caught up in barbwire fence at Sonny Darnell’s farm. But Johnny’s alibi for the night of the murder checks out. That is, if you can trust the word of Mike O’Malley.”
“You think Beau could have killed Terri Helms and concocted that out-of-body story to point the finger at Johnny?” Brent asked.
“Well, anything’s possible. Beau said at the time of the murder, he was at Miss Stella’s home. They were having their Monday night séance, he claimed.” Miller stated.
“They?” Brent asked.
“They call themselves the ‘Monday Night Mystics’ and there are seven of them; Mary Achtenberg, Ruth Anderson, Alan Wallace, Beatrice Reid, Beau Camp, Ellen Wellington, and of course, Stella O’Rourke. They meet…”
“Let me guess, every Monday night.” Brent said sarcastically. The others snickered at the Mayor’s comment, that is, all but Thomas who made no response out of family loyalty for his sister-in-law, Miss Stella.
Brent noticed Thomas didn’t snicker at his interruption and now making the connection felt a little uncomfortable, “Sorry Thomas,” he said in a low voice, “please continue with your summation.”
Thomas didn’t take offense and proceeded, “They confirmed he was present, but afterward, it would have been pretty hard for him to have located Terri and drove her to Darnell’s place to kill her within the time frame noted by Earl.”
“Earl chimed in, “That’s true…the autopsy put the time of death between 7pm and 9pm, that’s also the same timespan for Martha Camp.”
“I don’t think, even with a two-hour window of opportunity, the same person could have killed them both. Has to be two separate killers’ in my opinion.” Dick now joined the conversation.
“Is that what you think Thomas?” Brent asked.
Thomas looked at Fairchild, and then back to the Mayor, “Yes, it is.”
“So Earl, what was the official cause of death for the Helms woman?” Brent asked.
“Blows to the head, neck and body; from the imprints, I’d say someone forceful, powerful, who used their fists and one or both boots to pummel and stomp her to death. The other abrasions and cuts were minor.”
Thomas now interjected, “When me and Officer Hendrix spoke to Beau at his home, Sherry excused herself to use his bathroom. She discovered a shirt with blood on it in his bathroom. Beau stated it was from a bloody boot that fell off the back of Johnny Hudson’s pick-up truck. He was on his way home when this incident occurred. But when Johnny turned his truck around and headed back, Beau left the boot in the street and hide in the shadows as Johnny stopped and retrieved the boot and left. So we don’t have the boot, only a shirt owned by Beau with blood on it.”
“So? Is it Terri Helms blood on his shirt?” Brent asked impatiently.
“I sent it off to the SCB to see what they could make of it. Haven’t heard a thing from them so far, but I did check and it’s a match for the same blood-type.” Earl commented.
Brent looked at Thomas with a puzzled look on his face and Thomas knew the Mayor didn’t have a clue what Earl was referring to, “The SCB is the State Crime Bureau, which is a division of the Department of Public Safety. They have a small field office and lab in Millersburg.”
Not to look foolish, Brent stated, “I know who the SCB is for god’s sake. So, Beau had blood on his shirt…where’s that leave us?”
“For now, it’s just another loose end we haven’t been able to tie down.” Dick said.
“What about the two purses found on Beau’s kitchen table? How’d they get there? You sure he ain’t the killer here?” Brent was clearly growing irritated.
Miller responded, “When we questioned Beau, we did a search of his home and no purses were there. After he was later released, within a short time of arriving home, he called and Officer Hendrix responded immediately and there they were, side by side on the kitchen counter top.”
“The only prints found on the purses besides the victims were those of Officer Hendrix.” Dick didn’t want to miss his chance at making her look inept.
Brent took the bait, “Why were her prints on the purses?”
Thomas shot Dick a very displeasing look, “Officer Hendrix is still in training, and in the excitement of the moment she forgot to put gloves on.”
Brent shook his head as he rolled his eyes, “Alright, so, what about Martha Camp’s murder?”
Dick took over, “She was found by Ellen Wellington early in the morning at the North Side Park. The murder weapon was a claw-hammer that was found near the body. No other evidence was found at the scene. You want to tell the rest Earl?”
“Sure, ah, she had been hit over thirty times. First few blows were from behind; those killed her right off. The others were just thrown in for good measure I suppose. She was definitely killed at the park where her body was found.”
“Any print’s on the hammer?” Brent queried.
Thomas gave a sigh as he answered, “The only prints on the hammer were from Officer Hendrix, who picked it up…”
“Let me guess, without gloves on.” Brent said dryly.
“Yes.”
“This may sound stupid; any chance Officer Hendrix is the killer here?” Brent asks half-heartedly.
Thomas answered, “No, just a rookie’s mistake.” Thomas was glad Dick didn’t jump in with his two-cents.
“So…no witnesses…well, that is, other than crazy Beau Camp. No finger prints, no blood results. What a mess.” Brent said as he leaned forward in his chair. Resting his elbows on his desk he raised his hands to his face and rubbed his tired eyes.
“The good news is…” Dick began.
Looking up, “There’s good news?” Brent asks.
“Chief Hudson was definitely killed by Beau Camp. His finger prints are all over the house and on everything inside it. Plus, we have the neighbors who saw him fleeing the scene just seconds before the Chief’s body was discovered.”
Once again Earl speaks up, “That’s true, and the autopsy show’s he died just a few minutes before Beau was seen running from the house.”
“Doc, anything to add?” Brent asks.
“Nope, nothin’ to add, except of course, they’re officially dead.”
Everyone just stared at Doc after his unnecessary statement of what they already knew.
After a few moments, Brent says sarcastically, “Why, thank you Doc for clearin’ that up for us. I was truly wonderin’ if they were just ‘plain’ dead, or if they were ‘officially’ dead.”
Laughter broke out as Doc’s face blushed, for he didn’t think his comment was that off the mark.
Brent asked, “So, how much longer before we catch the little devil?”
“It’s just a matter of time. We’ve got everyone out lookin’ for him.” Thomas said.
“I know you’re all doing your best, but we just got to do better. I’m getting all kinds of call’s wanting to know why Saint Cloud is no longer a safe place to live. You know most folks won’t let their kids go to school. The park’s empty, people are afraid to go there saying it’s haunted with Martha’s ghost. Businesses are calling to complain because folks are afraid to go shopping or to go eat out. I’m at my wit’s end.” Brent said as he cupped his hands over his face.
Thomas and Dick just looked at Brent, not knowing what to say to restore his faith in them. Thomas stood up, followed by Dick, Doc Otis and Earl. Quietly, they left his office.