Murder at the Lake_a small town murder Read online

  Murder

  at the

  Lake

  a small town murder

  by P. Thompson

  To contact the author, please email: [email protected]

  copyright ©2017 P. Thompson

  Kindle edition

  This book is available in print at Amazon.com

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter 11

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter One

  It was late October but the weather felt like August. Halloween was right around the corner and the parents of the kids wouldn’t know what costumes to buy, something warm for a cold night or light weight for a warm night.

  I was on my way to the lake as Bubba had bought a small houseboat and we were about to christen it with a party of food and drink. Bubba was one of the detectives from the sheriff’s department along with Bo and Roy. The day was warm and the trees full of color—red, yellows, and oranges—which was a delight seeing as how we’d had no heavy rains or high winds to blow the aging leaves off the trees.

  As I was driving up the incline going toward Normandy Lake, I watched a pick-up truck head right at me. I could see the driver was not paying attention and it looked like he was texting on his phone. I laid down on the horn and he looked up and swerved, pulling the wheel hard to the right. At that point, he lost control and was headed for the wooded area next to the road. Unable to correct his turn, he hit a tree.

  I grabbed my cell and called 911. I told them where I was at and that I was Detective Jenny Jordan of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department. Then I grabbed my medical kit from the back seat and was off across the road. When I reached the truck, I found he was knocked out and had on no seat belt. His head had hit the windshield and there was blood all over him and the front seat. Head injuries bleed a lot, but other from that he was alive. I looked for ID, but he had none visible without me climbing in the truck. I did see what looked like a bag of weed on the seat next to him and a pipe. Everything else had shifted to the floor from the impact of hitting the tree. I applied pressure to his head wound while laying him back a bit. I could hear the sirens coming and I talked to him as if he were conscious. I just wanted him to know that someone was with him. Suddenly I smelled smoke and a small fire was coming from under the hood. Could I wait for the EMT’s to get here, or should I move him and risk a neck or back injury? I was watching the flames get higher and knew I would have to try and get him out of the truck. A guy pulled over about that time and ran toward the truck.

  “Move, little lady, and let me get him out of there,” he says to me. Little lady, indeed! He was a big guy and could manhandle a body that was limp. He got him out and on the ground.

  “We need to move him further away in case this thing goes up. Let’s drag him back a good twenty five feet at least,” I told him.

  The EMT’s came over the rise and parked behind the truck. I wave them back and they see the flames getting higher under the hood. One of the EMT’s jumps out to help the man carry him back to the ambulance.

  “I’m Detective Jordan, sheriff’s department,” I told them, but they weren’t interested in me, just the guy from the truck. I saw a fire extinguisher on the ambulance and asked, “Can I get that and put out the flames before we have an explosion?”

  “Sure. Just take it and hurry,” said EMT number one.

  The big guy grabbed it first and headed to the pick-up truck. The hood was smashed up enough that he could get the nozzle in and extinguish the flame.

  “I didn’t know you were a cop. No disrespect a while ago,” he told me.

  “That’s ok. Most people don’t know I’m a cop. Keep watch under the hood while I try to have a look inside his truck, if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure, no problem. You go ahead and look all you want.”

  Most of the blood went with the guy so I was pretty clear. I got gloves from my medical kit and crawled inside the truck. I put the pot and the pipe in an evidence bag and continued my search. Found his phone and looked at his contacts. No ICE number on his phone so I had no idea who to call. Found an envelope with his name on it, Jake Henderson, and then went back and looked through his phone for anyone with the last name of Henderson. Only first names, so that wouldn’t help. One of the EMT’s was headed my way.

  “Here’s his wallet. We’re headed to the hospital. He’s awake now. Did you happen to find his phone?” He asked.

  “Yeah, here you go. We didn’t know who to call as he has no ICE on his phone.” I handed his cell off to the EMT. He handed it back and said I should keep it till this guy was good and awake. He headed back to the ambulance and drove away with the sirens blaring.

  I turned to the big guy and asked, “What’s your name, just for the record, and I need a phone number to get in touch if we need to.” He gave me all the info I asked for. Tommy Roberts was his name and he had a local address, then he left. I called for a wreaker and waited. Collected some other things of value; you never knew who might go through his truck. The wreaker came and went and I wrote up the accident report then called Cindy, our after hours and weekend dispatch girl who was on for Loraine. Loraine was our daytime dispatch girl and Roy’s girlfriend.

  My cell rang and I answered, “Jordan here.”

  “Where are you? Bubba’s got the steaks on and we’re almost ready to eat.”

  “Sorry, I caught an accident that was right in front of me. I’ll be there by the time the steaks are ready. Make mine rare, please, and keep my beer cold.”

  I headed down the old country road and thought of words I had read somewhere: “Old roads, old dogs, old folks, and old ways still have a lot to offer in this sped-up world we live in.” Ain’t it the truth!

  Chapter Two

  I arrived at the boat dock with my contribution to the lunch, Ralph’s famous potato salad. Ralph was my main chef at Table Number Nine, a small diner that at one time was the Thirsty Turtle. We got burnt out and moved to a new location and renamed the place. Sometimes we referred to it just as The Table.

  I could hear them laughing and carrying on long before I got to them. No one was going to call the cops on the cops so they knew that being a bit loud was okay.

  “There she is. It’s about time you showed up. Tell us about the accident.” Bo called to me.

  “Just a guy on his cellphone texting. He lost control and hit a tree. No seat belt. He hit the windshield and bled all over the place. EMT’s came and hauled him off. I really should have gone to the office and turned this stuff in, but it can wait.”

  “What kind of stuff?” Bo asked

  “I’ve got his wallet, phone, and some pot and a pipe. A few things I didn’t want the wreaker crew going through and taking. Nothing really big, it can all wait. Hey, where’s my beer?”

  Bubba came and took me on a grand tour of his little houseboat. It had an upper deck for sun bathing and that’s where I found Roy and Loraine. Not sun bathing, but fishing. I took my beer and joined them.

  “Hey, look at that huge houseboat out there on the water. I wonder how much one that big cost?”

  “More than we make in a year, I’d bet.” Loraine said. “Look at that sexy guy up on top in his Speedo. Roy, you need a Speedo.” She laughed and he made a face at her.

  A shot was fired and the guy in the sexy Speedo plummeted into the water. Bubba hit the water and was almost to him when
Bo got the small rowboat that was docked next to Bubba’s houseboat, and headed out to help. He had no idea who the rowboat belonged to, but Bo was rowing out to where the guy fell in. Bubba got to him and began to drag him back. Bo got there and, between the two of them, they got him into the rowboat. He wasn’t dead, but had a nasty gunshot wound to his shoulder. When Roy saw that the guy was alive, he called for the EMT’s and went back to fishing. Loraine was down tending to the steak so they wouldn’t burn or overcook, and I ran to get Bubba’s first aid kit out of the houseboat.

  When they got him on the dock, I brought the first aid kit to Bubba, but he waved me off.

  “He needs more than a first aid kit.”

  “Roy called for the EMT’s so they’re on the way. Do you need someone to dock your boat, or is there someone else on the boat beside you?” I asked.

  He groaned and said, “No one is on the boat. My dock number is sixteen. Be careful, she’s big for that space.”

  “Row out with me, Jenny, and help me find number sixteen,” Bo said.

  I went with Bo and he got onboard. I rowed back, something I’m not too good at doing. Once at the dock, I tied up the row boat and went to find number sixteen to help guide Bo in safely. Before I left I heard a small explosion and looked out to the houseboat. There were flames rising from the engine then I saw Bo jump from the boat and swim as hard as I have ever seen him swim. Boom! The whole houseboat went up in flames and debris was flying through the air. I untied the rowboat and pushed it out a bit and started to row toward Bo.

  “Are you hurt?” I yelled at him.

  “No, thank God,” he said and climbed into the rowboat. “I heard the explosion and knew I didn’t want to be on that boat.”

  People were gathering around to see what was left of the houseboat as the EMT’s were taking the guy away. The lake was covered with bits and pieces floating by when Roy yelled, “There’s a person out there. Looks like a girl from up here.”

  Bo turned around and got back in the rowboat and I was right behind him. He rowed out to where Roy was directing him to go.

  “Bo, no one could survive that blast.”

  “We’re going to find out,” he said back to me.

  We got to the body, and then Bo and I reached in and pulled her into the boat.

  “Oh my God, her hands have zip ties on them. What the hell?”

  “No, these aren’t zip ties. These are Flex Cuffs, like we use. These are police issue.”

  She was maybe twenty, at the most, with beautiful red hair. Bo rowed us back to the dock.

  “Call Doc Simpson and tell him that he and Billy have a body, and where to come.”

  I told Loraine to leave the steaks and see what was happening.

  I heard her on the phone with Doc telling him she was sorry to bother him on a Sunday, but we had a body out here and he was needed.

  Doc was for the most part our ME till the boys in Nashville come. They turned the lower level of the hospital into a morgue as we began to have a need for one.

  The girl lay in the boat and Bo tied the rowboat up to the dock. Bubba brought out his camera and began to take pictures. “I’ll get more once we have her up here.”

  “Hey, the steaks are done, how about we eat before all hell breaks loose.” Loraine called out.

  “I think all hell has broken loose already.” Roy called back at her.

  We dished up the food while we were waiting for Doc and Billy to get there. I know, it sound heartless, but we’ve seen so much of this it’s become just another day.

  An hour later, Doc and Billy arrived in what we lovingly called the “meat wagon.” It got its name due to the fact it used to be just that, a meat truck, one that went to the butcher shops back in the day when we had a butcher. Everything now comes from the supermarkets.

  Billy got in the rowboat and, with Bo’s help, lifted the girl out. Before Doc did his exam, Bubba got his camera and took more pictures at different angles. We explained about the explosion and he said that was more than likely what had killed her, but he would know more once he had her on the table. He asked about the Flex Cuffs and we told him that’s the way we found her.

  “Some housewarming this turned out to be,” Bubba said.

  “Well, we have a murder on our hands and attempted murder on Mr. Speedo. I think we need to get busy. I know that shot came from that wooded area over there; it sort of raises up making it higher than the lake. Need to see if we can find any shell casings before it gets dark,” I told them.

  “It’s going to be almost impossible in that wooded area to find anything. Too many leaves on the ground to start with.”

  “Well, maybe we can find footprints, or tire tracks up near the road, something. We have to try for the sake of the girl.”

  ******

  Lake security came about that time with a cleanup crew, and Bo had to tell them to leave it, being as crime scene detectives were on their way and this was a crime scene. Max would be here soon with a crew and they would cordon off this part of the lake. It’s going to be a mess with most of the evidence floating down stream.

  Bubba went in the houseboat and changed out of his swimsuit, but the rest of us stayed as we were. I did grab a towel and wrap it around my waist. I’m a little shy about my body, not that it looks bad, as a matter of fact it looks damn good, I just don’t like showing it off all that much.

  “Okay gang, lets rock and roll. The little lady says we have to find a shell casing,” Bubba yelled as he stepped out of the door.

  We stomped up the hillside to where I thought the angle made the most sense and spread out to cover the area. It was a slow go with all the leaves that had fallen and the ground was damp. Roy went up toward the road to check for tire prints while the rest of us looked for the elusive shell casing. After an hour, the most we found was a lot of poison ivy and few shot gun shells, but not bullet casings. Roy found some tire tracks, but who knows how old they were? He was going to have them cased, but Bo said to just take pictures. Bo brought him a ruler, and the two of them set off up the hill again.

  “Hey!” I heard the call coming from down the dock. It was Max and his crew carrying rubber boats and paddles.

  “Hey, yourself. About time you guys got here.” Bubba told him in a joking way.

  I was beginning to feel funny as Max was watching me with intent eyes while carrying on a conversation with Roy and Bubba.

  “Well, you guys had better get started. There’s only a couple of hours of daylight left.” Roy told them.

  “We’ll be out here tomorrow again. There’s too much debris and it’s moving farther down the lake as we speak,” Max said. His crew was already in the water, pulling pieces of fiberglass and plastics out of the water. Boat cushions were floating down the lake like surf boards on a calm ocean.

  “Hey, I think I’m going to head back. I need to check in on the guy who got shot—there may be an arrest in his future—plus I need to check in on the guy in the truck as I have some of his effects in the Jeep.”

  Bubba gave me a kiss and told me to drive carefully. He knows better, but he tells me anyway.

  Loraine came out of the houseboat and said, “Here’s the dish you brought. Tell Ralph he makes one hell of a great potato salad.”

  “Thanks, I’ll tell him in the morning. I need to visit some guys in the hospital right now. I’ll see you tomorrow morning too.” I threw on a shirt over the bathing suit and pulled on a pair of jeans, crawled into the Jeep with what was left of my potato salad, and headed to the hospital.

  Chapter Three

  The girl in admit was new and she didn’t know me from Adam, so after a long hassle over the privacy act, I had her call her supervisor and when he arrived he gave me a big hug and said, “Where have you been keeping yourself? We haven’t seen you here in forever.”

  “Just keeping busy, Ray. How about yourself?”

  “Can’t complain, because no one would listen even if I did. My oldest started college this year. You know
what that does to the pocketbook? With two more at home that will be headed that way before long, we are on a serious budget right now.”

  “Ouch. I feel your pain, or at least my dad and mom feel your pain.” I told him.

  “What can I help you with this afternoon?”

  “Two things, a guy named Henderson was brought in from an accident and a guy from the lake who got shot. I need access to both of them.”

  He got behind the counter and moved the girl to one side, pounded on the computer keys like it was a jazz piano, and said, “Your gunshot is in recovery and should be out in about a half an hour.” He pounded some more and said, “The truck driver, Henderson, is in room 210. Seems THP has him cuffed to the bed rails. Check with the nurses up there, they can give you more info that this damn computer can’t.”

  “Great, thanks for your help. Do you know what room my gunshot will go to?”

  “I have no idea, but check back with Miss Cooper here and she can tell you when he gets a room.”

  I looked at Miss Cooper and sort of gave her an evil eye, turned back to Ray and said “Thank you for your help.” We walked to the elevator together and when he got to his floor, we said out final goodbyes.

  When I got to the nurses station, they were busy getting meds ready for the evening rounds. I saw Cathy, a nurse who took care of my dad a few years ago. Didn’t know she still worked here; she’s old as dirt. “Miss Cathy, do you have a minute?” I asked her.

  She looked up and saw me, and a smile as big as all outdoors came to her face. “Why, honey, I will always have time for you. Come here and give me a hug.”

  We embraced for minute and she pushed me back to have a look at me. “You’re all grown up now. Look at you, a detective, and you even carry a gun. How’d you get past security with that?”

  “Came up with Ray. Nobody questions Ray!” I told her.

  She laughed. “That’s true, so very true.”