Classmate Murders by Bob Moats (best classic books of all time txt) π
Excerpt from the book:
First book of the series.
Jim Richards has reluctantly turn sixty and has just quit his job as a security guard. He describes himself as "I live in my old bedroom in my parents house, lousy credit score, over-weight, balding, gray beard, I drink at least 8 beers a night, I'm now unemployed and I just became a senior citizen, I'm such a loser". One day he receives an email from a childhood sweetheart he hasn't seen in over 40 years, pleading for help but he doesn't get to her in time. A killer is now stalking and killing his old female classmates (while they are under police protection) for unknown reasons and Jim, along with his only friend Buck, a big, mustachioed biker, are trying to stop the killer before he gets to one woman Jim is falling for and before the class of '67 has lost any more of it's female alumni.
Jim Richards has reluctantly turn sixty and has just quit his job as a security guard. He describes himself as "I live in my old bedroom in my parents house, lousy credit score, over-weight, balding, gray beard, I drink at least 8 beers a night, I'm now unemployed and I just became a senior citizen, I'm such a loser". One day he receives an email from a childhood sweetheart he hasn't seen in over 40 years, pleading for help but he doesn't get to her in time. A killer is now stalking and killing his old female classmates (while they are under police protection) for unknown reasons and Jim, along with his only friend Buck, a big, mustachioed biker, are trying to stop the killer before he gets to one woman Jim is falling for and before the class of '67 has lost any more of it's female alumni.
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Brooks. Buck and I chased an unknown person and we lost him somewhere in the studio. Maybe he never left. This Davey schedules Brooks, gets him in here and then disappears till after the accident. We were watching for a stranger in our midst and we didn't look at people who belonged here." I was guessing.
She was quiet then looked sad, "Someone I had gotten to know tried to kill me. That is so bad."
I looked up to Buck, saying, "I don't know the connection between Davey Morgan and Julia Waters, but Brooks being here today, next to Penny, is more than coincidence. Maybe Julia figured she could kill two birds with one stone. Bagging her cheerleader and her ungrateful lover. She and Davey must be in it together. Davey must have been the masked man in Penny's home and Julia could have been the little old lady who slashed Sue."
My cell phone rang, it was Trapper, telling me he found a cooperative judge and had a warrant. He had to call the Lake Orion police to get their help, just to make it official. I filled Trapper in on Davey Morgan, and our theories, he asked me to get Morgan's address also. I said I would and we would meet him at Waters' home. I'm sure he wanted to argue about it, but just said to not get in the way.
Shortly a car came to get Brooks and he went off, not in a good mood. We piled into Buck's van and head out to I-75 North to Lake Orion. It would take a while, so we just listened to the radio playing crappy music and lots of commercials. Buck finally popped in a tape by Creedence Clearwater Revival and we sang along to John Fogerty, the best we could. I checked my map program on my Palm and gave Buck the directions to Waters' address, as we neared Lake Orion.
We pulled into the long drive up to what amounted to be a cabin. There were two police cars and one unmarked car in front of the building. Trapper was standing next to Becker out front with some big-bellied sheriff, talking. We pulled up and Trapper came over to the van and said "Well, it's the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Oh, and the Incredible Hulk," looking at Deacon. "You can look around, but don't touch anything. The sheriff's people just got here, but so far no one is answering. The sheriff has a locksmith coming, to open it up."
Buck smiled and said, "Be just as easy to bust the door window."
"Yeah, I agree but the sheriff doesn't want to piss off Waters. I think he may be dicking her too," Trapper grinned.
We got out of the van and just stood by. After a short while, a truck drove up and the locksmith got out. He proceeded to open the front door and the cops went in. Buck said he would just stay outside and watch for attacking terrorists. I knew better. Penny and I wandered in and I asked one of the deputies, if I could get some of his rubber gloves, he obliged. I gave a pair to Penny and pulled mine on.
Penny went up to the fireplace mantle and looked at the assorted pictures, in frames. She picked one up as I came up beside her. It was a picture of a little girl about six standing next to a man and woman, I presumed were Waters' parents, the man sort of looked like Rocco. Penny just stared at the picture till I took it from her and said not to dwell on the past. She kissed me on the cheek and went off into the kitchenette. The cops were buzzing around digging into closets, drawers and cupboards. Becker called Trapper to the bedroom, I tagged along. He brought up a box from the closet and showed Trapper the contents. In all, Trapper deduced, a rope for strangulation, a small bottle of strychnine poison, a mallet with blood on the head and a straight razor.
"Most serial killers will take a souvenir of the victims, this one collects the murder weapons." I speculated, Trapper agreed.
"Becker, bag the evidence and call in CSU. We got a killer. Sheriff, if you have no problem with us taking over jurisdiction?" The sheriff hesitated, but had to agree when he saw the contents of the box. He whistled and said he couldn't believe that Waters would be a killer. "Can you also put a call out to watch for Waters?" The sheriff went out to his car to radio dispatch and let his people know.
Deacon came in from another room, calling for Trapper. We went into a back bedroom. In the room there was a video camera, on a tripod, aimed at a makeshift curtain. Deacon pointed to a VCR, on a dresser, next to a television. Trapper found four tapes sitting on the dresser, each marked with the name of the cheerleaders. Wickens and Grolich were missing. Trapper put the tape marked "Carter" into the VCR, and turned on the machine, and the TV. The screen lit with Waters' face, she was sitting on a stool.
"I want to tell everyone about my Father. He was a hard, mean man, but he had a good side. In 1967, he was a gym teacher, and six cheerleaders decided to make my father's life a living hell, by accusing him of sexual misconduct. He didn't do it. My father was beaten by police, and fired from a job he loved. For years he couldn't find work, then he met my mother. She worked at a local church, as a secretary, and managed to get him hired in as custodian. They married, and I came along shortly after. My father was miserable for most of my childhood. He drank too much, and would often beat my mother if things weren't going right. But he had a decent side, in that he did care, but only when he was sober. He even taught Sunday school. I was twelve when my mother finally had it, and just ran away. My father became distant from me. I left his house when I was old enough, and he couldn't stop me. The rest of my life is not important. I never knew about the accusations in 1967 until my father was on his death bed. He and I talked about it, and how it led him to be the way he was. He made me promise to avenge the life that he was forced into. He also made another confession. He had a son, by the girl's gym teacher, from the school that fired him, Alice Stone."
Penny was shocked, and looked at me, I put an arm around her.
"He never knew until years later, when Alice Stone finally tracked him down, and told him. It was after I moved out, so I didn't know about him either, until my father lay dying. The years of hard drinking was killing him, diseased inside. He died painfully. Now you will meet the last living cheerleader, giving her confession for this murder of my father. She will apologize for this crime, and atone for it by dying on camera. A tribute to my father. Now I present to you, the last bitch, Sue Carter." The tape went blank.
"I guess she had one for each woman set up, because she couldn't be sure who would be last to go. This woman is nuts." Trapper said quietly.
I said that two tapes were missing. The last two women still alive.
Trapper said, "She must have the tapes with her. I didn't know why, unless she knew we were on to her, and took them. Becker, bag and tag everything here." He walked out of the room. I guided Penny out, she was shaking a little.
Penny and I went out to tell Buck about the find. Trapper came over to us, and pulled me aside.
"Listen, Richards, I just want to say, off the record, that I appreciate your help in this. Now, do you have the address for this Morgan guy." he asked.
I gave him the paper, with the address, that Penny acquired for me. Trapper said that Morgan was probably the half brother she mentioned on the tape.
"That's my guess too, she found him and dragged him into it," I said. "Penny called Joy, in the booking office, on our way up here, and Morgan hasn't returned. Joy said she called his apartment, under the pretense to see how he was feeling, and got no answer."
"Since this guy lives in my jurisdiction, it will make life easier to get a warrant, and these tapes will help. Don't go doing anything till then, you got that?" he warned. I agreed.
I figured that since the heat was on, both Waters and Morgan would be lying low for now. They still had Grolich to contend with, if Waters wanted to continue her vendetta. And Penny. I went back to the van, everyone was standing around, and I said we may as well head back. It was now after three, and there was nothing more to do here. The ride back would take an hour, and I had to get my mind set for my nightly Dad duty. I was going to take Penny with me this time, but use her car, since Waters knew mine. I felt that Waters probably would back off to regroup for now. Besides, it would thrill Mom to meet Penny, and get Penny away from her house for a while.
We drove back while trying to work out the time line of all that happened the last three days. Penny was quiet most the trip back. We got back to Penny's house, and Deacon went in, followed by Buck, to make sure there were no uninvited guests. They signaled that it was clear, so Penny and I went in. I jumped when something attached itself to my ankle, and I made a loud yell. Everyone looked down at the cat that was straddling my ankle, and Deacon said, grinning, "You still have a problem with cats."
*
Chapter Thirteen
Penny pulled Shadow off my leg, and scolded him. I glared at Deacon, and said that I loved cats, and cats loved me. He said he could see that, by the way the cat was humping my leg. I just snorted, and followed Penny into the kitchen, where she was opening a can of cat food. I went to pet Shadow, but every time I reached, the cat moved a couple of inches away. I gave up trying to pet him as he went over to feed. Penny laughed, and said that I could pet her anytime, and she wouldn't move away.
We had another hour before I had to go, so we sat on the porch and just relaxed. Buck and Deacon were out wandering around the house, talking cars, I imagined. They both came in, through the porch door, a while later and sat with us. I told them I was taking Penny with me, so they could relax, and watch TV, or whatever. Buck said that he would probably run home to get a fresh change of clothes. I looked at Deacon and said he could just sit here and pet the cat. He used his middle finger to scratch his forehead. He said he would run home too, and change. Buck smiled, and said that Deacon was getting a bit ripe. Deacon scratched his forehead again for Buck. We all laughed.
Penny
She was quiet then looked sad, "Someone I had gotten to know tried to kill me. That is so bad."
I looked up to Buck, saying, "I don't know the connection between Davey Morgan and Julia Waters, but Brooks being here today, next to Penny, is more than coincidence. Maybe Julia figured she could kill two birds with one stone. Bagging her cheerleader and her ungrateful lover. She and Davey must be in it together. Davey must have been the masked man in Penny's home and Julia could have been the little old lady who slashed Sue."
My cell phone rang, it was Trapper, telling me he found a cooperative judge and had a warrant. He had to call the Lake Orion police to get their help, just to make it official. I filled Trapper in on Davey Morgan, and our theories, he asked me to get Morgan's address also. I said I would and we would meet him at Waters' home. I'm sure he wanted to argue about it, but just said to not get in the way.
Shortly a car came to get Brooks and he went off, not in a good mood. We piled into Buck's van and head out to I-75 North to Lake Orion. It would take a while, so we just listened to the radio playing crappy music and lots of commercials. Buck finally popped in a tape by Creedence Clearwater Revival and we sang along to John Fogerty, the best we could. I checked my map program on my Palm and gave Buck the directions to Waters' address, as we neared Lake Orion.
We pulled into the long drive up to what amounted to be a cabin. There were two police cars and one unmarked car in front of the building. Trapper was standing next to Becker out front with some big-bellied sheriff, talking. We pulled up and Trapper came over to the van and said "Well, it's the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Oh, and the Incredible Hulk," looking at Deacon. "You can look around, but don't touch anything. The sheriff's people just got here, but so far no one is answering. The sheriff has a locksmith coming, to open it up."
Buck smiled and said, "Be just as easy to bust the door window."
"Yeah, I agree but the sheriff doesn't want to piss off Waters. I think he may be dicking her too," Trapper grinned.
We got out of the van and just stood by. After a short while, a truck drove up and the locksmith got out. He proceeded to open the front door and the cops went in. Buck said he would just stay outside and watch for attacking terrorists. I knew better. Penny and I wandered in and I asked one of the deputies, if I could get some of his rubber gloves, he obliged. I gave a pair to Penny and pulled mine on.
Penny went up to the fireplace mantle and looked at the assorted pictures, in frames. She picked one up as I came up beside her. It was a picture of a little girl about six standing next to a man and woman, I presumed were Waters' parents, the man sort of looked like Rocco. Penny just stared at the picture till I took it from her and said not to dwell on the past. She kissed me on the cheek and went off into the kitchenette. The cops were buzzing around digging into closets, drawers and cupboards. Becker called Trapper to the bedroom, I tagged along. He brought up a box from the closet and showed Trapper the contents. In all, Trapper deduced, a rope for strangulation, a small bottle of strychnine poison, a mallet with blood on the head and a straight razor.
"Most serial killers will take a souvenir of the victims, this one collects the murder weapons." I speculated, Trapper agreed.
"Becker, bag the evidence and call in CSU. We got a killer. Sheriff, if you have no problem with us taking over jurisdiction?" The sheriff hesitated, but had to agree when he saw the contents of the box. He whistled and said he couldn't believe that Waters would be a killer. "Can you also put a call out to watch for Waters?" The sheriff went out to his car to radio dispatch and let his people know.
Deacon came in from another room, calling for Trapper. We went into a back bedroom. In the room there was a video camera, on a tripod, aimed at a makeshift curtain. Deacon pointed to a VCR, on a dresser, next to a television. Trapper found four tapes sitting on the dresser, each marked with the name of the cheerleaders. Wickens and Grolich were missing. Trapper put the tape marked "Carter" into the VCR, and turned on the machine, and the TV. The screen lit with Waters' face, she was sitting on a stool.
"I want to tell everyone about my Father. He was a hard, mean man, but he had a good side. In 1967, he was a gym teacher, and six cheerleaders decided to make my father's life a living hell, by accusing him of sexual misconduct. He didn't do it. My father was beaten by police, and fired from a job he loved. For years he couldn't find work, then he met my mother. She worked at a local church, as a secretary, and managed to get him hired in as custodian. They married, and I came along shortly after. My father was miserable for most of my childhood. He drank too much, and would often beat my mother if things weren't going right. But he had a decent side, in that he did care, but only when he was sober. He even taught Sunday school. I was twelve when my mother finally had it, and just ran away. My father became distant from me. I left his house when I was old enough, and he couldn't stop me. The rest of my life is not important. I never knew about the accusations in 1967 until my father was on his death bed. He and I talked about it, and how it led him to be the way he was. He made me promise to avenge the life that he was forced into. He also made another confession. He had a son, by the girl's gym teacher, from the school that fired him, Alice Stone."
Penny was shocked, and looked at me, I put an arm around her.
"He never knew until years later, when Alice Stone finally tracked him down, and told him. It was after I moved out, so I didn't know about him either, until my father lay dying. The years of hard drinking was killing him, diseased inside. He died painfully. Now you will meet the last living cheerleader, giving her confession for this murder of my father. She will apologize for this crime, and atone for it by dying on camera. A tribute to my father. Now I present to you, the last bitch, Sue Carter." The tape went blank.
"I guess she had one for each woman set up, because she couldn't be sure who would be last to go. This woman is nuts." Trapper said quietly.
I said that two tapes were missing. The last two women still alive.
Trapper said, "She must have the tapes with her. I didn't know why, unless she knew we were on to her, and took them. Becker, bag and tag everything here." He walked out of the room. I guided Penny out, she was shaking a little.
Penny and I went out to tell Buck about the find. Trapper came over to us, and pulled me aside.
"Listen, Richards, I just want to say, off the record, that I appreciate your help in this. Now, do you have the address for this Morgan guy." he asked.
I gave him the paper, with the address, that Penny acquired for me. Trapper said that Morgan was probably the half brother she mentioned on the tape.
"That's my guess too, she found him and dragged him into it," I said. "Penny called Joy, in the booking office, on our way up here, and Morgan hasn't returned. Joy said she called his apartment, under the pretense to see how he was feeling, and got no answer."
"Since this guy lives in my jurisdiction, it will make life easier to get a warrant, and these tapes will help. Don't go doing anything till then, you got that?" he warned. I agreed.
I figured that since the heat was on, both Waters and Morgan would be lying low for now. They still had Grolich to contend with, if Waters wanted to continue her vendetta. And Penny. I went back to the van, everyone was standing around, and I said we may as well head back. It was now after three, and there was nothing more to do here. The ride back would take an hour, and I had to get my mind set for my nightly Dad duty. I was going to take Penny with me this time, but use her car, since Waters knew mine. I felt that Waters probably would back off to regroup for now. Besides, it would thrill Mom to meet Penny, and get Penny away from her house for a while.
We drove back while trying to work out the time line of all that happened the last three days. Penny was quiet most the trip back. We got back to Penny's house, and Deacon went in, followed by Buck, to make sure there were no uninvited guests. They signaled that it was clear, so Penny and I went in. I jumped when something attached itself to my ankle, and I made a loud yell. Everyone looked down at the cat that was straddling my ankle, and Deacon said, grinning, "You still have a problem with cats."
*
Chapter Thirteen
Penny pulled Shadow off my leg, and scolded him. I glared at Deacon, and said that I loved cats, and cats loved me. He said he could see that, by the way the cat was humping my leg. I just snorted, and followed Penny into the kitchen, where she was opening a can of cat food. I went to pet Shadow, but every time I reached, the cat moved a couple of inches away. I gave up trying to pet him as he went over to feed. Penny laughed, and said that I could pet her anytime, and she wouldn't move away.
We had another hour before I had to go, so we sat on the porch and just relaxed. Buck and Deacon were out wandering around the house, talking cars, I imagined. They both came in, through the porch door, a while later and sat with us. I told them I was taking Penny with me, so they could relax, and watch TV, or whatever. Buck said that he would probably run home to get a fresh change of clothes. I looked at Deacon and said he could just sit here and pet the cat. He used his middle finger to scratch his forehead. He said he would run home too, and change. Buck smiled, and said that Deacon was getting a bit ripe. Deacon scratched his forehead again for Buck. We all laughed.
Penny
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