The Case of the Negligee Murders

bascom wilson

The Case of the

Negligee Murders

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

The Case of the Negligee Murders

Copyright © 2012 by Bascom Wilson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-4759-6443-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-6444-8 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-6445-5 (dj)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012922421

iUniverse rev. date: 12/6/2012

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2 – Eight Hours Earlier

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

There have been tyrants and murderers and, for a time, they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it -- ALWAYS. Gandhi

I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 1 Peter 2:11 (King James Version)

Chapter 1

SITTING ON HIS VERANDA, Detective Jack Sinclair enjoyed the early morning cool and calming breeze that was blowing from the Chesapeake Bay. The flowering perennials that decorated the upper rails around the deck were dancing as if in tune with the music of the Bay. The swaying the branches of his weeping willow tree were in step with the perennials. Nature’s well-choreographed dance routine, he thought.

LAYING HIS HEAD BACK and staring at the early morning sky, he allowed his thoughts to drift as he rocked in his newly purchased, white, wicker rocker.

He began reminiscing about his tour as a Washington, D.C. detective and why he left all of that glamour and politics for this quiet small town of Onancock, VA. After his fourth year, he began losing interest in the big city police politics. Receiving a call, out of the blue, from his best friend in high school about a detective position opening in his home town, he immediately emailed his resume to the captain of the Onancock Police Department, which in turn, was ceremoniously accepted. Jack couldn’t wait to make his move back to Virginia. He contacted a realtor to sell his Georgetown apartment and started the packing process. He was definitely returning home, back to the laid-back atmosphere of the Eastern Shore.

Upon his return, he immediately he purchased a beautiful and spacious Victorian-Style beach house, utilizing the money he made from the sale of his apartment. He knew it was too large for a committed bachelor, as he described himself, but he loved it. This was his dream home. The downside to the purchase was the location—at the end of Breezy Point Road—the same road where the large vacation houses were located. Most of the year, he was the only one on the beach, but during the tourist season, virtually every one of the houses was occupied, and every inch of the small beach was covered by visiting families.

Jack soon became the senior detective for the VA Eastern Shore Major Crime Unit, with its main office located on the second floor of the Onancock Police Department. The MCU was the integral unit for all major crimes spanning the area from the border of Maryland to the north and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the south.

A lull in major crimes had provided an opportunity for Jack, and his partner, to enjoy some well-needed, and deserved, downtime. In fact, the only ‘murder’ during this lull had been committed by an old, nearly blind farmer who shot a neighbor’s cow, mistaking it for a small deer. This incident became instant fodder, for the jokes around the OPD. Jack remembered entering his office a couple of days after the murder to find pictures of cows, and deer, placed around his office with the comment Help me, I’m just a cow! written on each picture.

Jack slipped from his daydreaming as he stood and leaned on the veranda’s rail to inhale the fresh breeze flowing from the Bay. The cool morning breeze was intoxicating. The music of the bay, caused by the rolling waves crashing onto the sandy beach, provided the background for the singing and squawking of the seagulls hovering over the beach, searching the sand for small sand crab to emerge thus proving a morsel for their early morning breakfast. He turned his glance toward the open waters and watched as other seagulls, following an early morning shrimp boat, diving in and out of the water to gather their meals from what the boat was churning up from the bay. The scene made him smile.

He decided he would take a vacation day and remain on his veranda, taking in all of the scenery from the Chesapeake Bay. He was the senior detective, and damn it, he was going to take the day off; but he knew he had to keep abreast of the open cases in his jurisdiction. Crime, petty or major, didn’t take the day off, he thought. He turned from the rail and sat at the circular glass patio table to view the files that he had earlier placed there.

He was so engrossed in his reading of the case file that he hadn’t heard the sliding door open.

Good morning, early bird! Time to get dressed! Doc Randy called.

Startled, he turned and saw his partner, both at work and privately, Detective Maggie Williams, standing in the doorway completely dressed. Why was she already dressed, he wondered?

Seeing Maggie standing in the doorway, Jack’s mind immediately drifted back to the time when he and Maggie were ‘thrown together’ to solve his first major crime in Onancock. The crime turned into an interstate cooperation which resulted in Maggie being sent from the NYPD to assist him in the crime. Their meeting was ‘love at first sight’, but Jack being a confirmed bachelor didn’t know how to handle the feeling he had for her. During the investigation he had to travel to New York City, where he and Maggie became even closer. When the case ended, Jack had returned to Virginia, while Maggie remained in New York. As the weeks went by, Jack soon realized that his job, as well as his life, began to suffer. It wasn’t long before an opportunity opened that brought them together again. Within a few weeks of Maggie’s returning to Onancock, Jack realized that his bachelorism had to end. He asked Maggie to move into his home, and she quickly accepted.

Dammit, Maggie, you almost gave me a frickin’ heart attack. Make some noise next time.

Oh my God! What a drama queen! Get off your ass and let’s move. You know Randy. If he calls, he expects us to be there immediately. Now get up and get ready. We have to go.

He can just wait until tomorrow. Today I’m taking a vacation day! Jack protested.

Yeah, right, she muttered as she turned and reentered their beach house without providing any more acknowledgements to his comment.

Jack knew that if the local M.E. summoned, a major crime had occurred. It couldn’t have come at a better time, he thought. He, along with Maggie, was tired of the boring and mundane tasks of assisting with the petty crimes.

Jack rose from his chair, took one last look across the bay, gathered the files, and turned toward the door. He paused and watched his partner’s long brunette hair toss about her upper back as she walked through the house. As he stood watching her sleek five-foot-eight frame swaying, his thoughts struggled with going to work or rushing into the house, sweeping her into his strong muscular arms, and carrying her back to their bed. As fast as the thought jumped into his head, it left just as quickly—he knew she was right. His daydreaming came to an end, he heard Maggie yelling from inside the house.

Move your ass, Jack! Murder doesn’t wait! It’s time to go to work!

Chapter 2 – Eight Hours Earlier

THE OVERCAST SKY, ALONG with the moon having difficulty peeking through the clouds, provided the darkness that he needed for his arrival into Onancock. After turning onto Breezy Point Road, and extinguishing the headlights of his dark blue Lexus IS 250, he used the illumination from the eighteenth century street lights to guide him to his destination. Within two blocks, he sees the tail lights of a police cruiser driving slowly ahead of him. Damn, must be something new, he thought. He had meticulously planned his drive to the Eastern Shore and couldn’t let this situation delay him.

Slowing his approach, he maneuvered the car down a side street and found an obscure place to hide the car. His prey would have left the club and on her way, therefore his timing was critical. She would soon be arriving, he thought. The task had to be completed tonight, before the morning sun rose over the now darken horizon of the Chesapeake Bay. Parking his car a couple of blocks from the house, he had to hurry to his first designated hiding place, amid the tall dune grass of the neighboring sand dunes. Time was slipping away.

Crouching in the grass, he had not only a perfect view of the driveway, but also the incoming foamy waves of the Chesapeake Bay. Listening to the sound of the breaking waves, he felt a calmness flow over his body. He soon became one with the Bay, almost forgetting to the evil that he was about to leash upon this quiet, seductive town.

Earlier during the day, he had sent a text message that would ensure his prey would have to drive to the house after her shift at the club. He had learned of a technology that allowed a text message to be sent from one telephone but appear to have been sent from someone else’s telephone. He was ecstatic with this new information. It had made getting her to Onancock easier than he had originally planned. His text message stated, "Meet me at our secret place in Onancock tonight. Try to arrive early. I’ll try to leave here by midnight, but don’t wait up for me. I left you a present." He knew she would drive the long distance from Virginia Beach to Onancock.

Hearing the roar of an approaching car, he turned his view from the bay. His mind returned to his mission. She had arrived. Watching her maneuver the car into the driveway of the luxurious beach house, his mind began to relive the thoughts of her transgressions over the past few months. She had worked at the club since her college days. He enjoyed her company. She provided him the needs that he asked of her. They had become ‘a couple’, so he thought. The day that she rejected him for her ‘new lover’ resonated throughout his mind, causing angry thoughts to once again emerge. How could she have done that to him, he thought? Didn’t she know that he loved her? He remember her calling him ‘an egotistically, self-centered, sleaze bag’.

Not wanting to be angry, he took long, slow, deep breaths. He had to remain calm. He needed to be focused. His vengeance was near. She had to die! She was going to die!

Watching her enter the house, he slowly left his current hiding place behind the dune and ventured behind the unattached garage. The new location allowed him the ability to watch his quarry move throughout the bedroom. He would be virtually unnoticed by her; that is, unless she ventured out onto the veranda. He accepted the risk. This was going to be great, he thought.

Reaching the garage, he sat quietly, out of sight of the house, watching the splashing waves onto the now visible white, sandy beach. He allowed the soothing sounds to comfort him again. He had to wait for her to fall asleep before he could complete his mission. Retrieving the Marlboro cigarette box from his shirt pocket, he lit a cigarette and made himself comfortable for the wait. He hoped t it wouldn’t take long for her to fall asleep.

After finishing his cigarette, he snuffed it out against the back of the garage. With the light winds of from the Chesapeake Bay, he knew there would be no ashes to reveal his presence. Not wanting to leave anymore unnecessary evidence, he placed the cigarette butt into his pocket.

Moving closer to the edge of the garage, he turned his gaze toward the house. Using his opera-style binoculars to get a better view, he saw her standing in the master bedroom. The seashell lamps fixtures, placed on the bedside end tables, were lit, illuminating the room with a nice soft glow. He watched her approach the large wooden sleigh-style king-sized bed, with its seven pillows neatly aligned along the head of the bed. Walking around the bed, she sat on the bed, facing his direction. His hairs on the back of his neck began to tingle. The thought of her being able to see him caused him to slide into the darkness of the garage. He watched her grab the gift that he had left for her—a box wrapped with a red ribbon that was tied into a large bow.

He had not expected to see the events that transpired next. He sat shocked with what he saw through the open curtains of the sliding glass door. He couldn’t remove the binoculars from his eyes. He watched her gently untied the red velvety ribbon. He witnessed a small smile of delight appear as she eyed the contents of the box. She stood and hurriedly stripped her clothes from her body and donned the new silky gift, a bright red baby-doll negligee. Her nakedness caused him to become overly excited. He couldn’t remove his gaze from her as she walked around the bed. She stopped, opened the closet door and stood in front of the floor-length mirror that was attached to the inside of the door.

In the midst of his anger, he felt his body become warm with unforeseen desire and lust. He soon felt himself becoming erect. His heart was pounding so hard that he thought it would jump from his chest. He wanted to desperately burst into the house and climb atop of her and make her pay for what she had done to him. He didn’t need this now, but he couldn’t turn away either.

Watching her ran her hands across her small, firm breasts; he saw her nipples becoming erect. As she slid her hands down her hourglass torso, down across her hips and onto her upper thighs, his felt his body starting to shake in tune with her movements. He needed to turn away before his body reached the point of no return.

Just as he was trying to calm himself, she abruptly finished her sensual show. She turned from the mirror and crawled under the sea green satin sheets. The light-weight negligee along with the satin sheet made her appear as though she was a mermaid in a sea of flowing green waves. Within a few moments, he saw her drifted into a deep and peaceful sleep.

He continued to watch her eyes flutter as she drifted into a solemn and peaceful sleep. His own excitement was slowing and his body was returning to normal. She was definitely beautiful, but he couldn’t let her beauty sway him from his plan. She was his once and the thought of her being with another person irritated him. His felt his anger once again return. It was time. Time for her to die! He had to go to her now!

Approaching the front door, he was amazed that she had forgotten to lock the door. Quietly slipping inside the house, he saw an opened package on the kitchen’s bar. Looking into the package, he couldn’t believe what he saw. What a coincidence, he thought. This was going to make the execution of his task so much easier. Retrieving an item from the package, he slowly and quietly headed toward the master bedroom. His mission was now in the forefront of his mind. He knew what had to be done. Before entering the room, he quietly removed all of his clothes.

Quietly standing next to the bed, he eyed the wonderful slender sleeping body of his former lover. He could hear her soft rhythmic breathing. She was sleeping so soundly. He could wait no longer. He raised the object over his head. He must finish his task!

His first blow caused her to awaken, but not for long, the second and subsequent blows that he unleashed upon her head and body left her in a standing pool of blood. The satin sheets caused the pool to remain around her body.

He stepped back, viewed what he had done and said I’m sorry, Tiffany, but if I can’t have you, no one can!

Chapter 3

THE TOWNSHIP OF ONANCOCK, VA relished an alternative slow-paced lifestyle, compared to big city living. Situated along the Chesapeake Bay side of the Virginia Eastern Shore, it provided a sense of solitude, along with a peaceful and enjoyable stay for the occasional visitor. The town dates back to the time of the early settlers and the Native American Indians who roamed the shores of the Onancock Creek. The Indians called the town Auwannaku , which meant foggy place. Over time, the English-speaking settlers changed the name to Onancock.

Over the past few decades, Onancock’s council members worked on numerous plans—bazaars, fishing tours, town events, and cooking shows featuring the local restaurants—to encourage tourists to visit their town. All of these plans were fruitless. The town was considered by many to be too far off the main highway to attract visitors passing through the Eastern Shore. The wharf was too small and too far inland to attract passing recreational boaters or the larger ships sailing the Chesapeake Bay.

Nothing seemed to work. Tourism was suffering in Onancock that is until a gruesome murder took place on a beach behind one of the beach houses. The town became famous overnight. Visitors flocked from the surrounding states to see the scene of the murder and the