Six Murders and Counting
Previous Published by Maudlin House
How did I end up here? What time is it? Oh, not again…. This can’t be….Is she dead? ....I gotta get the hell out of here before someone finds me with this person, whoever she is. George picked his clothes up off the floor, got dressed, and walked out. No one in the building saw or heard him. It was five in the morning; everyone was asleep. That was fortunate for him but not for the victim. I need to figure out what happened. Who is this woman? Why does this keep happening? I don’t understand.
George arrived at his apartment, stripped, and took a long hot shower. There was some blood on his shirt. I better throw the clothes out. I’ll put everything in a garbage bag and drop it in the can in the alley. Today is garbage day. I can’t have anyone thinking that I had anything to do with this because I didn’t. What happened??? Come on…think…I left work yesterday and awoke in this woman’s bed. But she’s dead….who did it? …That’s it. Someone got into the apartment and killed the woman. Maybe it was a jealous boyfriend or husband? He left me alone. Phew…lucky….I didn’t know her. I don’t know how I got in her bed. I’m going to have breakfast, dress for work, and go into work like nothing is wrong because there is nothing wrong. I didn’t do anything wrong.
George decided not to worry about it. Someone else did it and the police will find that person. But what about the other people? There are so many more. Everywhere I go….It must be a coincidence. Yes, that’s what it is…a coincidence. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Someone must have seen something,” said exasperated Detective Joe Miller of the Major Case Squad to his partner Bill Kelby at the scene of the latest murder.
“No one saw anything at any of the other murders. So why should this be any different?” replied Kelby.
The bed was covered in blood and a 6” hunting knife was stuck in the back of the latest victim. All the details were the same. Each body was nude – no struggle. There was what looked like semen on the dead woman’s back. “Call forensics and see what they can come up with, perhaps some fingerprints, anything we can use to nail this psycho and ask them to check if this is semen like the others victims,” said Miller.
“How can this happen without anyone seeing something? Would you please explain it to me?” replied Kelby.
“Oh, someone saw something; the murderer saw something. This is so damn frustrating,” said Miller. “He must be covered in blood. How did he walk out of here unnoticed? There aren’t any bloody footprints. What did he do? Fly across the room?”
“Maybe he brought a change of clothes in a suitcase?” said Kelby. “Come on, be serious.”
“Now don’t be funny. Seriously, where are the bloody clothes? He didn’t wash them or leave them behind. What’d he do with them? Bring a garbage bag in his pocket. There isn’t any blood in the shower. How’d he kill them and not get blood on himself? …It makes no sense.” Miller shook his head. “Unless, he murders them while he was nude. Of course, that’s it! His clothes are on a chair or the floor. After he kills them, he dresses and leaves. That’s why there isn’t any blood anywhere else. Maybe there’s some on his body but he showers when he arrives home and tosses the clothes in the garbage. We’re dealing with a sicko.”
“You’re just figuring that out now. This makes five dead bodies and we’re no closer to solving this serial killer than we were on the first murder. Different parts of town, different people, different races, and sexes. I’d like to know where they met. In an era of the swinging 70s’ disco, this twisted person has his pick of places and people. Seriously, this person must be out of his mind,” stated Kelby.
“This is out of our league. We need to consult the department psychologist on this one as soon as possible,” said Miller
“Let’s go see Dr. Delmonico,” replied Kelby.
“Well, after reviewing the autopsies and evidence collected, what you have here, in my expert opinion, is two different personalities inhabiting the same body of the killer,” said Dr. Delmonico. “One may know the other exists or then again may not. But you better find this person soon or he’ll kill again and again. You’re up to five. I suspect this isn’t new. He’s probably been killing in other cities. You need to put this on the wire and find out if any place has had a string of unsolved killings that don’t match a pattern.”
“Are you out of your mind? Do you know how many places there are to contact?” shouted Miller.
“Then you better get started because you haven’t seen anything yet. If this is a repressive personality disorder, and I think it is, then the killer rears its ugly head after having a stressful day. But, back to the murders at hand…let's assume for a moment, he works for a tyrant or lives with a dominant parent or partner, one that abuses him mentally and physically. Let’s also assume he is a submissive personality which means he takes the abuse. The boss puts him down or the mother yells at him for being late or his girlfriend or boyfriend says he can’t do anything right. ‘You lazy, good for nothing so and so,’ someone says for example. Whatever it is, he can’t speak up for himself. The dominant personality comes out. He goes to bars, dances, discos, wherever, and mingles. Wherever people congregate, he’s the life of the party. He isn’t a bad-looking person. I’d even bet he’s nice-looking. He’s probably a good conversationalist with a fun personality, as five people found out when they asked him back to their place for sex. That’s the key. He goes back to their place, never his. He goes with anyone. It doesn’t matter the race or sex. Of the five dead people, four are women: Black, Hispanic, Asian, Filipina, and one white man. So far, four of the people were traced back to nightclubs and bars in the area. The man was a prostitute. Maybe that was a spur-of-the-moment thing because he couldn’t find someone to hook-up with in the bar.” Dr, Delmonico stopped speaking and looked at the detectives for a moment.
“We checked the flophouse where the man was found dead. They rent by the hour. The flophouse manager was so drunk he didn’t know who was coming or going,” said Kelby.
“We’ve interviewed all the places where the dead people visited and we came up empty,” said Miller.
“Well, go back and interview them again,” continued Dr. Delmonico. “Now you have a fifth person to add to the list. This suspect is an equal-opportunity killer. The only statistics I can give you about him is he’s probably on the taller side because he has been able to subdue his victims. I’d say maybe 6’ tall. Based on what I’ve read, he ties them up mostly with rope and stuffs a tie or ascot in their mouth so they can’t scream. It takes strength to hold someone down, to bind their arms and legs, and shove a knife in their back. He had sex with each victim with no condom before killing them. One more thing….”
“More bad news?” replied Kelby.
“After he shoves the knife in the back of his victim, he has a second orgasm. Forensics confirmed it with all four of the victims. For him, it’s a better release if you will. Killing them completes the sex act for him. I believe after the second orgasm he changes back to the submissive personality,” said Delmonico confidently.
“Christ, not a dominant fetish,” said Miller rolling his eyes.
“He has sex with them; they roll over, and go to sleep. He ties them up, murders them, and gets off on it. Terrific…it’s worse than kinky,” said Kelby.
George went to work as if nothing happened the night before.
“Hey Georgie,” said a co-worker who walked over to his desk.
“I asked you not to call me that,” replied George.
“The boss wants to see you.”
George got up from his chair and walked into the boss’s office.
“Close the door, George. I reviewed your work and found it
to be subpar. Why don’t you follow company policy?” George stared at his boss
like he wasn’t there while his boss droned on and on about what a poor worker
he was. “Maybe you should consider transferring back to the home office? Have I
made myself clear?” said the boss.
“Yes sir, I understand?”
George emerged from the boss’s office with his head bowed low. Everybody looked at him while they tried not to laugh.
He went back to his cubicle and worked through lunch so he could leave early.
Four o’clock couldn’t come fast enough. George left. Thank God, I can get the hell out of here until Monday. I’m free. I can’t wait to go out tonight. I think I’ll quit this two-bit job on Monday. The boss can kiss my ass. I’ve never been to Phoenix. Maybe I’ll try my luck there.
The cycle continued.
George morphed into his other personality, Bennett. He took a long shower and put on his finest suit. He checked himself out in the mirror. Hey, good looking, head’s up, shoulders back, I’m oozing confidence because I’m one lucky son of a bitch. Money is no object. George lived frugally in a one-room place that had a bed, dresser, closet, and TV. He spent his money on clothes, and having a good time. To hell with everyone! There are always new people to meet, to go to bed with, to kill….
“Hi, I’m Bennett. I’d like to buy you a drink if you are interested.”
“Sure, you’re cute,” said Jose.
“Come here often?” asked Bennett.
“A few times but you’re new.”
“Yeah, I’m not from around here but I decided to check out this place tonight…
“Let’s have a few drinks and dance.”
“I’d love to.”
It came to closing time, 2 a.m. He bought the last round for himself and his new friend. “You know this party doesn’t have to end.” Bennett hoped Jose would invite him home.
“No?” responded Jose hopefully.
‘Well, I don’t live near here but if you want, we can take this party over to your place.” Bennett was so excited he nearly spilled his drink.
“I’d love to. I just live around the corner.”
“Let’s go,” said Jose. They downed their drinks and headed off.
“Damn it. Number six. This man wasn’t a prostitute. In fact, he was a businessman: a pillar of the community. If we don’t solve this soon, we’re going to be walking a beat in the kiddies’ park.” Miller looked at Kelby. “Tonight, I want every available detective and off-duty cop; I don’t care if you have to pull them off of sick leave, vacation, or whatever else they’re doing, to go undercover in every bar, nightclub, and dance place in the surrounding area. Dr. Delmonico believes whoever it is, will be out again tonight. Someone had to have seen something said Miller.”
The wire lit up. Delmonico was right. There had been unsolved murders in San Diego, San Francisco, and Las Vegas that fit the pattern: six, five, and seven to be exact.
“It looked like he moved a lot,” remarked Kelby.
“We have to catch him tonight before he decides to leave town,” said Miller.
Saturday night is the loneliest night of the week. Oh yeah, for some people, but not for me. Yeah, baby, yeah. I’m going out and have some f-u-n. Fun! I heard Aladdin’s is exciting. Yeah…Aladdin’s. That’s where I’m going tonight. This fellow is off to get some action.
“Now everyone get this through your heads. He’s going to be out there tonight, said Miller. “We don’t have a clue what he looks like but we’re looking for a guy who lights a room, with his presence, is narcissistic, charming, charismatic, and probably spends lots of money on drinks. He’s a good dancer and he talks to women as well as men. He likes everybody. He kills everybody. We’ve got six dead bodies in the morgue each one with a 6” knife wound in their back and semen on the spot where he stabs them to confirm that. He may be carrying a small bag or the knife is in his pocket. We checked knives shops in the area and came up empty but he could have bought them at hunting shows or sporting goods stores so that doesn’t mean anything. He ties up his victims but in two of the murders, he used his tie, not rope. He gags them too. He’s evolving. Take nothing for granted. You see something, you call it in. We’ll probably be hauling in innocent people tonight but we don’t have a choice. Go with your gut. If someone doesn’t look right, move in. Got it?” said Miller.
All the detectives addressed by Miller nodded in agreement.
“Your name is…..?” Bennett squealed with excitement.
“Francine.”
“Francine? Pretty name. I’m Bennett. Can I buy you a drink?”
“Yes, that would be great.”
“Waitress.” Bennett motioned to her to come over.
“Yes?” as she laid napkins down in front of Bennett and Francine.
“I’ll have a Screwdriver.”
“And you, Miss?”
“I’ll have a Manhattan” …So you drink Screwdrivers. Is that a subliminal suggestion? Francine looked at Bennett and laughed.
“Maybe….but I like vodka. Are you from Manhattan?” asked Bennett.
“No, but I am from New York. Ever been?” She blinked her eyes and tilted her head.
“No, but I’d like to go someday. Let’s dance,” said Bennett as he picked up and took Francine’s hand and led her to the dance floor.
Miller and Kelby entered Aladdin’s and checked out the bar and dance floor and they immediately picked up on Bennett. They watched intensely as he danced with the young Asian lady. He was quite the showman on the floor. They went back to their table to drink their drinks and stayed a couple the whole evening and as the bar started to empty at 2 a.m., she asked him home. The detectives followed them out to her place. They had no evidence yet that he was the one. They were another couple making a connection on a Saturday night. It was the 70s…. Bar hopping, discos, dancing, free love, murder….
Miller and Kelby stared through the window of Francine’s apartment from a distance using binoculars while she offered Bennett a drink. They watched intensely while he drank his drink and she started to undress. He finished his drink and dropped his clothes on the floor and then he made passionate love to her.
“You know, I feel like we’re a couple of perverts,”
“Well, there are ten other teams, peeking in ten other windows, so if we’re perverts, they must be ones too.”
“But if he’s our guy, then we aren’t, right?”
“Right!”
“What a stinking way to spend a Saturday night.s”
Miller and Kelby believed they had their man. They continued to watch as Bennett and Francine finished making love. She rolled over on her side to go to sleep. He rolled over in the other direction and went for his necktie, rope, and the knife he kept in his coat pocket. He stuffed the tie in her mouth and began to tie her hands behind her back when the detectives busted in through the window. Kelby held him down while Miller disarmed him.
Bennett screamed, “What are you doing? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“What’s your name?” said Miller.
The Bennett personality was gone and George took his place. “My name is George…George Watkins. I don’t know what I’m doing here. Who is this woman? Why am I in her bed? I have no clothes on. Please, please let me get dressed. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Just like Delmonico said,” Kelby shook his head.
The detectives looked at the woman while they untied her. “You’re a very lucky young lady. You were almost his seventh victim,” said Miller.
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About the author
Maxine lives in North Hollywood, California with her aquatic friends which include African dwarf frogs, tropical fish, and striped and tomato snails. She is disabled but she stays active by taking college classes at Los Angeles Pierce College mostly in English. Maxine has two A.A. degrees: one in Natural Science and one in Liberal Arts. Her goal is to pursue another A.A. in English but is waiting to see if she can get the classes she needs to do it.
She has self-published one book, entitled Unglorious War, Revised Edition and it is for sale on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, Apple, and other platforms. Confessions Press in England published her second book on a limited run. The book is entitled The Professionals 16, Meeting the Men of CI5. The first limited two print runs sold out and they are considering doing third run.
While she loves to write crime fiction and romance, Maxine has written futuristic, literary, dark and creepy, but not horror or gory stories, and a WWII historical story about a German doctor working on the side of the free French underground entitled, Hiding Amongst the Gestapo published by The Heartland Review Spring 2024 Edition.
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