A Predetermined Course Of Events by Robert F. Clifton (short novels in english .TXT) 📕

of Nautilus Beach. Since he has struck once it is almost certain that he may strike again. Tell me, which of your female students may be next?,” asked Woodson.

“You certainly have a point Sergeant. Let me say this. Although I object to you disturbing the girls classes for the reasons I have mentioned I offer this. If you will allow me time, say three or four days to a week first to contact the Board Of Education as well as the parents of the students here for permission to talk to you I will then announce that the female students meet in the auditorium after school. There and then you announce to them what information you are requesting. Any student with information that wants to talk to you can then meet with you in room 102.”

“That sounds reasonable. I'll wait for you call,”

said Woodson.

“Also keep in mind that the girls will be attending on a voluntary basis and can only speak to you with their parents permission,” Fedor added.

“Naturally, at the same time may I ask that when speaking to the Board Of Education that you inform them that it is possible that we also might need to meet with girls in Junior High School. If necessary, we might need to go into the elementary schools as well,” said Woodson.

“I'll see what I can do,” Fedor replied.

Returning to headquarters Woodson reported their meeting with William Fedor.

“Interesting. Good thinking Sergeant. Once they are aware of what information you are seeking those with nothing to add will not show up. Those that do will. Let's hope that some have something to say. At the same time Mr. Fedor is protecting his ass. By law teachers and school administrators automatically obtain parental protection and guidance from eight AM to four PM every school day. Meaning he could allow the girls to talk to you. Instead he's placing the need for permission to talk to the police on the parents.”

“Let's hope some girl comes forward with information,” said Myers.

“Yeah but at the same time be sure they have the OK from Mom And Dad, Wallace replied.

**********************

Two weeks later Detective Myers stood in the high school auditorium looking at five girls. Three of the girls were African-American. The other two were Caucasian. Myers looked at her wristwatch and decided to wait another ten minutes just in case other female students might arrive. At the end of that time she said to the girls,”Three of you go to room 102. Sergeant Woodson will listen to what you have to say. Two of you stay here with me. I'll be interested to hear what you say.”

The three Black girls got up and left the auditorium. After they left Carol said to the two remaining girls, “Now, before I listen to what you have to say I want you to know that I will also be asking you questions. At the same time don't be shy. As young woman by now you should know and be aware that adolescent boys and many men usually have sex on their minds most of the time. What I want to know is have any of you been approached or accosted by anyone and if so what did they say? Where did it happen and when and if you can describe whoever it was? Who would like to go first?”One girl raised her hand.

“Fine. What is your name?” asked Myers.

“Cynthia Fraser”

“Cynthia do you have your parents permission to talk with me?”

“Yes I do here is the note they sent giving permission.”

“OK. Suppose you start.”

“It was on a Saturday. I went shopping in the mall.

As I recall I had bought a sweatshirt in Old Navy. After I left the store I stopped and bought some french fries in the food court. I sat at a table by myself and sat eating. A man came up to the table and said to me, “A pretty girl like you shouldn't have to eat alone. Suppose I join you.”

“Then what?,” asked Myers.

“I said, No but he proceeded to take a seat and said, “Now don't be scared. I won't hurt you. I just want to talk to you. I got up, left the table and walked away.”

“What did the man do?”

“I have no idea. I was afraid to turn and look at him thinking that he might think I was inviting him to follow me.”

“Smart. Very smart,” Myers replied.

“Thank you.”

“Can you describe this man?”

“He was a White man. I remember two things about him that were strange.”

“What was strange?”

“He was wearing dark sunglasses even though he was inside the mall.”

“What else?”

“He had a cheap wig or hair piece.”

“Really? What color?”

“Dark brown. It was easy to see that it was a wig because it didn't match the wrinkles in his face and you could see that it fit like a hat. You could see the outline. The wig was styled for a young man. This man was probably fifty years old.”

“I see, anything else you can recall?”

“No, that's about it.”

“Alright Cynthia. Write down your address and telephone number just in case I want to talk to you again. After that you're free to go. Now, who's next?”

“I'll go next,” said a small petite blond.

“Fine. What's your name?,”asked Myers.

“Martha Haynes.”

“Alright Martha do you have your parents permission to Talk to me?”

“Yes. Here's my note.”

Myers took the note, read it and placed it in the file folders he had brought with her. OK. Suppose you start.

“It was on a Saturday right after Thanks Giving.

Since it was a nice day I decided to ride my bicycle on the Boardwalk. As you know you're only permitted to ride between eight and ten o'clock in the morning. So I missed breakfast and I got to the Boardwalk at about eight thirty or a quarter to nine. I guess I rode for about an hour. At Denver Street and the Boardwalk there's a hot dog stand that also sells hot coffee. donuts and danish. Having no breakfast I was hungry so I bought a cup of coffee and two jelly donuts. I walked with my bicycle and the bag with my breakfast to a pavilion. There, I sat down and ate. As I was leaving a Black man walked up to me and said, “Damn girl, you sure are sweet. I bet them long legs go all the way to that beautiful ass of yours. Don't it?”

“Then what happened?,” asked Myers.

“Well, I was scared but I remember saying leave me alone.”

“Did he?”

“Yes. Although he did ask me for a dollar.”

“Did you give it to him?”

“No, I got on my bike and rode away as fast as I could.”

“Can you describe this man?”

“I'd say he was about six feet tall, dark skin and when I say dark I mean black and he weighed about one hundred eighty pounds or close to two hundred pounds.”

“Any scars, mustache, beard?”

“No.”

“How long was his hair?”

“He was wearing a hat but his hair stuck out from under it, particularly in the back.”

“Is that about it?”

“Yes.”

“Alright if you think of anything else get in touch with me,” Myers replied.

In room one hundred and two Sergeant Woodson

sat looking at the three girls. “First of all I want to see the permission notes from your parents,” she said.

All three girls presented their notes and after Woodson carefully read them she said, “Who wants to go first?”

“I will said a small, petite light skin girl.”

“What's your name?,” asked Woodson

“Latoya Madison.”

“Alright Latoya what do you have to say?”

“Well my mother works all day down beach. She works as a domestic and she works long, hard and late. She rides the bus home and most of the time has to send me to the store two blocks a way for things for supper. I have to walk past the Mission House and a couple of times two homeless men asked me if I'd like to make five dollars. I asked them how. One of the men laughed and said you come back here in the alley with me and I'll show you how. As pretty as you are I'll give you ten dollars.”

“Then what?,” asked the Sergeant.

“Nothing. My Mama taught me along time ago about men and boys and what to watch out for. So I walked away both times. The word was that the police wanted information so here I am and that's what happened to me,” said Latoya.

“Can you give me a description of these two men?,” asked Woodson.

“Both men are light skinned. One has long hair and a beard. The other has a thick mustache. He also has a scar over his left eye. He was the one that spoke to me.”

“What kind of scar? Long? Wide? Deep?”

“Like a scar caused by a knife or razor.”

“How are they dressed?”

“Like most of those that live at the mission. One man wore black and white wing tipped shoes, pants and shirt that didn't match. The other guy didn't wear socks.”

“Did you hear their names like a first name or a nickname?”

“No.”

“Alright Latoya. Thank you.”

“Alright girlfriend you're next. What's your name?,” asked Woodson.

“Tonya Lofton.”

“I'll ask you the same question. Did your parents give their permission for you to talk to me?”

“Yes Mam.”

“Fine. What can you tell me?”

“It was on a Saturday right after Thanksgiving.

My boyfriend was playing basketball in the schoolyard at Monroe elementary school . I wanted to see him so I left my house and started walking.”

“Where do you live?”

“On Turner place.”

“OK, as I recall the school is two blocks from your house.”

“Yes Mam.”

“Please continue.”

“I walked about one block when a man crossed the street and walked up to me and said, “Don't you know a pretty girl like you shouldn't walk these streets alone?”

“Then what?”

“I kept quiet and kept walking.”

“What did he do?”

“He followed me.”

“Did he say anything else?”

“He said he would give me twenty dollars if I would show him my panties.”

“I see. What did you do then?”

“I ran.”

“Very smart Tonya. Very smart. Can you describe this man?”

“Yes Mam. He was a white man about forty or fifty years old. He was medium height and wore dark sunglasses.

“What color was his hair?”

“He was wearing a hat. I remember that the hair at his temples was white or gray.”

“Anything else?”

“No. That's about it, except I was scared.”

“Being scared is a good thing girl. Running away just might have saved you from harm. That leaves you miss. What's your name?”

“Candice Morgan.”

“ What happened to you?”

“ Every time I go to the WaWa store a man whistles at me and says things.”

“What kind of things?”

“I don't know. I think he's speaking in Spanish.”

“Alright what do you think he's saying?”

“Something about having sex.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because as he's talking he's rubbing his crotch.”

“Which WaWa store are you talking about? There are two in your neighborhood.”

“The one at Chester Ave.”

“ Can you give me a description of this man?”

“He's young, maybe eighteen or twenty. Tall, thin, olive skin. He's either Mexican or Puerto Rican.”

“Did he approach you in any way?”

“No, just making sucking noises and grabbing himself.”

“What time of day does this occur?”

“All I know is that he hangs out at the store. I usually go there between four and five PM.”

“Anything else?”

“No Mam.”

“Alright Candice. I'll take care of this. Don't worry or be scared.”

After the teenage girls left Sergeant Woodson and Detective Myers sat comparing notes. Myers made sure they had the names, addresses and permission slips from each girl they interviewed and then satisfied left the high school and headed back to headquarters.

After they entered the Major Crime Squad Office Captain Wallace asked, “Well, how did you make out?”

“Very good,” said Woodson.

“I'd say excellent,” Myers replied.

“Is that right? Let me hear what you have,” said Wallace.

“I'll start. We interviewed five teen age girls. Three were African-American. Two were Caucasian. I questioned the Black girls. Myers questioned the White girls. Each girl questioned produced a permission slip from their parents allowing them to meet with us,” said Woodson.

“Good, good,” Wallace replied.

“ As a result of my questioning I came up