Chapter 11
It was now Sunday and five in the morning.
Detective Chambers got up early and drove over to Buster Clements house.
He woke Buster up by pounding on his front door.
Buster appeared at his front door in his tee-shirt and white boxers. "Chuck, what's so fucking important to wake me up in the wee hours on a Sunday morning?"
"I need you to head over to the Piggly Wiggly. There's a fifty-seven, black and yellow Ford Fairlane in the parking lot. It's by the side of the store. I need it towed to and placed behind the station."
"Why now?" said Buster between yawns.
"That Fairlane belongs to Colonel Abbott from the airbase. His teenage girl was killed down at Meyers' cabin last night?"
"What? A young girl killed down at Meyers' cabin?" said Buster said. His eyes widened. "Probably one of those queers that go there to do nasty perverted stuff with other homos," he said and paused for a few seconds. "You know that those homos sometimes use that old cabin?" he said then cringed. "I mean, that's what I heard. You know talk around town," said Buster, as he didn't want Detective Chambers to believe that he secretly visited that cabin in the past.
"We heard about some of those stories," said Detective Chambers and he saw Buster's wife Carla in the living room, and she heard everything.
"I'll get that car right away."
"Thanks, Buster," said Detective Chambers and he walked away and headed back to his car.
Buster closed his front door and got dressed.
Thirty minutes passed, and Buster towed Colonel Abbott's Fairlane away from the Piggly Wiggly parking lot and placed it behind the police station.
He drove away and wanted to go home and took a nap.
The Warner Robins police station was quiet.
Forty-eight-year-old Officer Wilbur Glenn and forty-year-old Officer Andy Steward were on duty. Usually, Officer Glenn was the only one working third shift on Sunday morning, but since they had a prisoner, Officer Steward also worked that shift.
In his jail cell, Kent was sound asleep.
He was deep in a dream…
In his dream, Kent was strapped to a wooden chair that was no way comfortable. It was Old Sparky. He had his legs shaved and straps around his legs above his ankles. His wrists were strapped to the wooden arms of the chair. He could feel his head was shaved by the feeling of cool air flowing across his bare skin.
He saw through glass windows of the room that numerous people were watching him like he was a Circus Side Show, and some were eating popcorn from paper bags. "Die you piece of shit!" all the people chanted between handfuls of popcorn into their mouths.
All of a sudden, his mom was in view in the front row of the audience. She was her age from nineteen eighty-one. She was the only one in the audience, not chanting or eating popcorn. She was crying during the "Die you piece of shit" chanting.
Kent's vision went black while the leather hood was placed over his head. He still could hear the "Die you piece of shit!" chanting behind his mom's loud sobbing.
Kent felt a sudden thud throughout his body…
Back to reality…
Kent woke up on the floor by the bunk in his jail cell. He was dazed and a little confused. He sat up on the floor and looked around and saw his eight by eight foot cell. He remembered where he was and realized he fell out of his bunk during his dream. He was a little relieved that he wasn't the guest of Old Sparky.
He got up off the floor, stretched then sat back down on his bunk. He realized his headache was gone entirely, and he was so relieved.
He felt something and got up and headed to the cell bars. "Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom," he called out while pushing his face through some bar openings.
A few seconds passed, and Officer Glenn came down the short hallway that housed three jail cells.
He walked up to the middle cell that held Kent. He unlocked the door and opened it.
Kent stepped out in the hallway.
"I'll shoot if you attempt to run," said Officer Glenn while he placed his right hand on his revolver in its holster.
"I won't, sir," said Kent.
Officer Glenn escorted Kent to the front end of the hallway where there was a bathroom.
Officer Glenn stepped inside the bathroom with Kent. "Take your piss."
Kent was the bathroom had one toilet with no privacy, a urinal, a sink without a mirror, and a small shower without a curtain. No privacy. He thought while he walked up to the urinal.
Kent felt awkward peeing with someone watching, but he also didn't want to piss in his pants.
After he was done and washed his hands, Officer Glenn escorted him out of the bathroom and placed him back in his cell.
It was seven-thirty that morning, and Officer Glenn and Officer Steward went home. Officer Peabody was covering the first shift, and he arrived.
Officer Peabody went to Kent's jail cell. "Breakfast will be here in two hours after the diner opens," said Officer Peabody and couldn't wait for his daily dose of glazed donuts.
He walked away while Kent sat down on his bunk. He was already bored. "Why did I make this trip?" he quietly said while he stared at the white-painted concrete wall across the bunk.
It was a long and grueling two-hour wait with Kent's stomach growling the whole time.
The cell door opened, and Officer Peabody opened up the cell door and entered with a tray in hand. On the tray were a covered plate with two fried eggs, two pieces of bacon, one piece of buttered toast and a paper cup of hot coffee. "That's all you get," said Officer Peabody while he handed Kent the tray.
Officer Peabody left the cell, locking the door while Kent sat down on his bunk and devoured his breakfast. He was starving.
Officer Peabody returned to his desk and started munching on the first of his six glazed donuts along with his coffee. He was in donut heaven.
Ten minutes passed, and Kent was finished with breakfast, and Officer Peabody took the tray away.
Twenty minutes passed, and Detective Chambers arrived at the station after eating breakfast at the Peach Tree Diner. He was dressed in his brown suit.
He sat at the counter, eating his breakfast when Edith walked up and placed an order in the pass-through window.
"Edith, I would like to ask you something."
"What's that sugar?"
"Has a stranger been eating here at the diner within the past few days? Goes by the name of Kent Hollister?"
Edith thought about his question for a few seconds. Her eyes lit up. "There's this one new kid, said his name was Kent. Didn't tell me his last name."
"Was he in his thirties and had black hair?"
"Yes, that sure sounds like him. He's been eating here for the past three days. Why are you asking?"
"Well, there was a teenage girl, daughter of an Air Force Colonel murdered over at Meyer's cabin last night. This Kent guy was standing by her bodies when our officers arrived at the scene."
Edith's eyes widened in shock. "Teenage girl. Murdered last night? And this Kent stranger killed her?"
Detective Chambers nodded that that was true.
"Oh my, he seemed to be such a nice kid."
"Well, he's a murderer."
Edith thought about what Detective Chambers said then she recalled Kent eating here at the diner. "He seemed so nice. And the strange part is that I had this weird feeling I knew him."
Detective Chambers thought that comment was a bit odd, as he also had that same feeling.
The door to the diner opened, and Edith walked away to greet her new customers.
Detective Chambers returned to his breakfast.
Fifteen minutes had passed, and Detective Chambers was in the station.
He immediately started looking inside the Fairlane and concentrated under the seats for any evidence. He found nothing and decided to release the car to Colonel Abbott. He went back to the station and made the call.
He went into the station and got a cup of coffee and sat at his desk, thinking about the past eighteen hours. He remembered something about the case and made a phone call.
Fifteen minutes had passed, and Kent was climbing the walls in his jail cell.
Officer Peabody walked up to his jail cell. "You have someone that wants to see you," he said.
Kent stood up, and his eyes widened in shock the second he saw his daddy, Henry, standing at the jail cell next to Officer Peabody. Henry was dressed in his brown suit, as he just got home from church when Detective Chambers called.
Kent was speechless. Daddy! Kent cried out in his head and wanted so much to run over there and hug him.
"Do you know him?" said Detective Chambers, who walked up to Henry.
Henry looked at Kent, and there was something familiar with this guy in the cell. "Ah, I, don't believe so," he said while Henry and Kent stared at each other.
After a few seconds of Kent and Henry staring at him, Detective Chambers motioned that they should leave.
The three walked away from Kent's cell.
Kent sat back down on his jail cell bunk, and his eyes started to well up with seeing his daddy alive again. He was just like he remembered when he was a kid.
"I was out in the woods yesterday doing target practice with my thirty-eight revolver. I didn't hear any screaming. But I was quite a bit away from that cabin," said Henry while he and Detective Chambers walked out of the jail cell hallway and through the office area.
They walked over to Detective Chambers desk.
Henry sat in a chair next to the desk.
"You know Henry, there's something strange about that guy," said Detective Chambers while he sat down at his desk.
"I know," said Henry.
"It's like I know him. I mean, he uses the same name as your kid, Kent, which could be a coincidence as there are probably hundreds of other guys named Kent Hollister across the country.
"I know, but," said Henry.
"But, he does remind me of your Kent. I can't explain it, but it's just a gut feeling that won't go away," said Detective Chambers interrupting Henry.
"I know what you mean. I felt the same way the second I saw him in that cell." "It was weird, but he reminded me so much of my Kent," said Henry and couldn't stop thinking about that. "So, what do you have on the case?"
Detective Chambers handed Henry the case file folder on Angie's murder.
Henry opened it up and started reviewing the pictures and Detective Chambers' notes.
After a few seconds of reviewing the notes, his eyes soon widened. "Grant Bowers? Why would he claim Grant Bowers killed that teenager?" said Henry. "He wouldn't do that. I've known him since we were stationed in the Army in Massachusetts back in the late forties. Sure Grant's a Playboy, but he wouldn't harm a hair on a teenager," he said and felt confident about his feeling.
Detective Chambers frowned. "I don't know why he would state that, but what's also strange is that this stranger, comes into town a few days ago, and sees Grant at the Peach Tree Diner. Kills a young teenager and blames it on Grant."
Henry saw the sketch. "A sketch to the Meyers' cabin?" How did he get the directions?"
"Ah, probably asked someone on the town. Maybe at the diner."
Henry put the sketch down and saw Kent's driver's license. He wasn't sure what he was looking at. "What's this?" he said, holding up the license.
"The guy's fake identification."
Henry frowned. "Fake identification?" He saw the picture of Kent on the license. "Why the long hair?"
"Who knows? Maybe he likes dressing up as a woman on Saturday night," said Detective Chambers and a chill went through his body thinking about guys doing that perverted stuff. "Creepy."
"Maybe," said Henry while he saw the address on the license. Then his eyes widened when he saw the issue date. "It has a date over twenty years from now. What the hell is this?"
"I know. Very weird."
Henry's eyes widened at something bizarre. "His date of birth on this license is the same date as my son's."
"What?"
"His date of birth on this license is October seventeenth, nineteen fifty-one. The same as my boy's." "How the hell did he know Kent's birthday?"
"I don't know, maybe just a coincidence. All I can say is that this guy is so dumb with creating a fake identification in that he puts his picture on and then fucks up and puts the wrong issue date and wrong date of birth," said Detective Chambers.
"Do you think he was spying on me?" said Henry while he stared at Kent's driver's license.
Detective Chambers thought about that for a few seconds. "Nah. I don't think so."
Henry shrugged off that feeling of being spied on and put everything back in the folder and handed it back to Detective Chambers.
"I'll have to talk with Grant to see if he can shed some light on this stranger," said Detective Chambers.
Henry nodded in agreement. "We can drive out to the base now."
Detective Chambers nodded in agreement then his eyes widened when he remembered something.
"So that guy claimed he had a movie camera out there and filmed Grant strangling that girl?" said Henry.
"He did, but I searched the area for evidence and didn't find anything like that," he said. "Claimed it was in some bushes."
"He did?"
"Yeah, but I think it's pure bullshit," said Detective Chambers.
"You're probably right," said Henry while he stood up from his chair. "Well, ready to go wake up, Grant?"
"You bet," said Detective Chambers. "We'll take my car."
Detective Chambers and Henry left the station, got in Chambers Bel-Air and drove off to the Air Force base.
Ten minutes passed, and Detective Chambers drove up to the front gate of Robins Air Force Base
Airman Third Class Derek Allen was on gate duty. He wore his blue uniform with the standard "Air Police" armband and blue helmet with a white stripe.
"Good morning, Airman," said Detective Chambers after he stopped his car. "We're here to see Lieutenant Bowers," he said, showing his Detective's badge.
"It's not official business, we're old softball friends," said Henry from the passenger seat.
"Please proceed, sir," said Derek and was a little nervous but wondered if maybe they realized Grant killed that young girl. But the local police had authorization to come on base anytime they wanted so Derek knew he couldn't turn them away.
"Thanks," said Detective Chambers, then he drove away.
Derek watched while Detective Chambers drove his Bel-Air away through the front gate. "I hope they arrest the bastard," he said quietly then went back inside the guard shack and sat down.
Detective Chambers drove his car through the streets of Robins Air Force Base and soon pulled into the parking lot of the Officers Quarters.
He parked his car, and they walked to the old wooden two stories World War II built building.
They went inside and headed to Grant's room on the first floor.
Henry knocked on Grant's room door.
After a few seconds, the door opened, and Grant stood, hair messed up in his white tee shirt and white boxers. He was woken up from a sound sleep. "What?" he said groggy and didn't recognize the two guys in the hall, as his eyes hadn't focused yet.
"It's us, Chuck and Henry," said Detective Chambers knowing Grant just woke up.
Grant's eyes finally focused. "Oh, hey, guys. What brings you out here to see me so early on a Sunday morning?"
Henry looked at his watch. "It's about twelve-thirty in the afternoon.
"It is?" said Grant.
"Party all night did we?" said Detective Chambers.
"Yeah, I did have ten too many drinks," said Grant. "Please step inside, gentlemen," he said, stepping aside.
They went inside Grant's room. "So what brings you here?" he said and had butterflies in his stomach when he remembered yesterday evening. He closed his room door.
"We have a peculiar situation here, Grant," said Detective Chamber.
"What kind of weird situation?" said Grant, and he started to get nervous and fought hard not to show it.
"Well, we had a murder last night. A teenage girl named Angie Abbott. She's the daughter of Colonel Abbott here on base," said Detective Chambers.
"Colonel Abbott's daughter was killed? Oh my," said Grant and pretended to be concerned.
"Yes, do you know her?" said Detective Chambers.
"I know of her. One of my airmen pulled her over for speeding on base a five months ago," said Grant. "Colonel Abbott stormed into our office, furious. I had to tear up the ticket," he said then his eyes widened with an idea. "Want me to help with the investigation? I mean it does involve an Air Force dependent."
"Probably not. We already have a suspect in custody."
"Wow, you're quick," said Grant.
"Yes, but the strange thing is that he claims you killed Angie Abbott last night."
"What? Me? That's really absurd!" said Grant, and he tried his best to look dead serious.
"Tell me about it. So, where were you yesterday evening?" said Detective Chambers. "Sorry I have to ask."
Grant looked at Henry and Detective Chambers and made sure he kept eye contact with them. "Why I was up in Macon. I went to the Pink Pussy Cat Lounge and watched the girls and drank beer all night."
"What time did you get up there?" said Detective Chambers.
"Oh, I would say around six. But I wasn't looking at my watch. I was too busy thinking who would be on the stage showing off her goodies," said Grant and he looked dead serious.
"Why don't you come down to the station and check this guy out?" said Henry.
"Sure. I would like to see this crackpot in person," said Grant, and he grabbed his slacks off the chair and slipped into them.
"We'll meet you down at the station," said Detective Chambers.
"Okay, I'll be there shortly," said Grant.
Detective Chambers and Henry left Grant's room and left the building.
They walked to the car in the parking lot and got inside.
Detective Chambers started up the car and drove away through the parking lot.
He pulled out of the parking spot and onto the street.
He headed to the front gate.
Fifteen minutes had passed, and Detective Chambers, Henry, and Grant arrived at Kent's jail cell.
"Stand up turd," Detective Chambers ordered.
Kent got up off his bunk and saw the three guys at his cell bars. His eyes lit up. "That's him! That's Grant Bowers who killed Angie Abbott last night," yelled out.
"That's a fucking lie!" fired back, Grant. "A boldface fucking lie!"
"Have you seen this guy before?" said Detective Chambers.
Grant looked at Kent. "Nope," he said, then paused for a few seconds. "Wait. I've seen this guy the other morning. Thursday morning at the Peach Tree Diner. I was with a young lady," said Grant, and he gave Detective Grant and Henry, a naughty boy, smirk. "You know."
Detective Chambers and Henry gave Grant a little smile.
"I was in uniform, and he probably saw my name tag and heard my blonde lady friend, Helen Cooper, say my name in the diner. She's a secretary here on base. At logistics," said Grant, then he paused for a few seconds. "So he probably heard her say my name in our booth." "I was sucking on her ear lobe, and she told me that it tickled."
Detective Chambers and Henry chuckled over that. "That's what he said," said Detective Chambers.
"Then, after Helen and I were done eating breakfast, we went back to my car. Where she, you know," said Grant and used his tongue and poked the inside of his cheek to show she gave him a blowjob. "That creep then creped up to my car in the parking lot to take a peek. He's a fucking peeping Tom."
Kent knew he couldn't dispute that fact. "But you tried to run me over after that," blurted out Kent.
"That's more bullshit," said Grant. "I'm Air Police with the Air Force. I wouldn't do that!"
"Well, we're done here," said Detective Chambers then glared at Kent. "I'm going to have you arraigned in the morning on murder charges."
The three walked away from the cell.
Kent sat back down on his cell bunk. His eyes welled up, knowing that they didn't believe him.
Detective Chambers, Henry, and Grant walked into the office area of the station.
"That guy's loony," said Grant. "Give me a few minutes alone with him. I deserve that since he falsely accused me."
"Nah, we better not. We don't want to give Kent an advantage in court," he said, but inside he didn't want Kent harmed.
"Well, no harm was done," said Grant. "I better get back to the base and let me know if you need me to testify against him," he said.
"We will," said Detective Chambers.
Grant walked away to the station front door. He opened one of the doors, turned around. "I'll see you guys on Thursday evening for the softball game?"
"You bet," said Detective Chambers then he pretended he swung a baseball bat.
"See you then," said Henry.
Grant left the station.
"Well, that's that. My job is done here. That guy we have locked up killed that Abbott girl pure and simple. Case closed," said Detective Chambers.
"Yeah, it does look that way," said Henry, but he had this little feeling in his gut that made him wonder. "Well, I better get home to Brenda and Kent," he said then headed to the door.
Henry left the station.
Detective Chambers went over to the coffee pot and poured another cup of coffee.
He returned to his desk and sat down.
Five minutes had passed, and Detective Chambers relaxed at his desk, drinking his coffee.
"Detective Chambers," said Colonel Abbott in civilian clothes standing at the front counter.
Detective Chambers glanced up and saw the Colonel. "Ah, yes, your car," he said, grabbing a set or car keys off his desk.
"It's parked behind the station," he said, handing Colonel Abbott the keys.
"Can I see him?"
"I don't see why not," said Detective Chambers and motioned for the Colonel to follow him.
Colonel Abbott followed Detective Chambers through the office and to the hallway for the jail cell.
Kent sat up in his cell and saw Detective Chambers walk up to his cell door with an Air Force Colonel. He got up off the bunk.
"That's him?" said Colonel Abbott.
"Yes, sir, he's the one that killed your daughter."
Kent realized that that man was Colonel Abbott. "No, sir, I swear I didn't kill your daughter," said Kent.
Colonel Abbott looked at Kent and saw that he appeared serious.
"One of our officers found him standing by your daughter's body in a clearing out by Meyers' cabin. Nobody else was around."
"I swear, sir, I didn't kill Angie. It was Grant Bowers from the Air Force Base."
"Lieutenant Bowers? From the Air Police?" said Colonel Abbott. "I know him."
"Yes, sir. Angie claimed he got her pregnant and wouldn't marry him?"
"Pregnant? What the fuck is this man talking about?" said Colonel Abbott in a raised voice. "Not my Angie. No way!" he said and clenched his fists and wanted to beat the crap out of Kent.
"I swear she said she was pregnant," said Kent. "I heard her tell Grant that and he refused to marry her."
Colonel Abbott thought for a few seconds and knew how these teenagers were in today's times. "I want an autopsy to verify what he just told me," he told Detective Chambers.
"Yes, sir, I'll have the coroner do that."