Chapter 6 (Part 2)

The slide show came to a stop. Someone flipped a switch and turned the lights back on. Twenty-seven people stood crowed in the station. Officers, Investigators and the Chief. No one said anything. Chief Wilks cleared his throat before continuing.

"What you just saw was the footage that was put together in 1980 of the Stratton murder. The case was deemed unsolvable, not enough evidence, and was put to rest in 1985. For five years, investigators from our department and the GBI followed leads, interviewed suspects, and collected evidence. It's been a cold case now for 30 years. We never expected to reopen it, that is until this morning." With that, Chief nodded to the chief investigator. " Tom, will you explain please?"

Tom stepped to the front of the room. He tugged at the all ready loose collar of his blue polo before beginning. "This morning, around 9am, Kristen Carter let herself into her sisters house on Rankin street. She said her sister hadn't been answering her phone in a couple of days, so she got worried. The smell is what she noticed immediately. Flies too. She didn't go any further, afraid of what she might find. She called us. I arrived at the house around 9:15am. Inside, myself and officer Bagson, who was assisting me, found the body of 37 year old african american female, Kerri Carter. The body, at our estimation, had been there at least three days. The air was not on in the house."

Across the room, Bagson looked down at his boots and kicked the floor, looking like he would be sick at any moment. To tell the truth he had felt that way sense this morning, and when they found the body he had to run out to use the bushes in the front of the house, rather than embarrass himself. 

Besides the obviously disgusting details, everyone seemed to be wondering the same thing, how did this all fit together?

"Kerri Carter's body was found in the exact same state as the body in the pictures you have just seen. In the bath tub, killed by multiple knife wounds. "

There seemed to be an audible gasp seeping through the room. Like each person was trying to wrap there head around the possibility that something so horrible could be duplicated. 

"There's more" The Chief said, bringing everyone back to attention "Kerri Carter, was the daughter of Colleen Carter, the woman that was murdered in the same way in 1980". 

The Chief and Tom could easily imagine how everyone was feeling. They had both felt the same way when they came to the realization that they were either dealing with a serial killer, or a copy cat. Neither of which either one of them had ever delta with. GBI had been informed, they had done their own work up of the scene, coming to the same conclusions as Tom had. To exact a replica to be a coincidence. 

Mason was the first to speak. "What do we do now?". 

That was what the chief liked about the kid. He was a no Bull guy. Straight to the point, and not afraid to speak up. Like his father in so many ways that he didn't even relies.

"We called you all here, so that everyone gets the same information. None of that he said she said crap. You all know what we're dealing with. We appreciate an ideas or input you may have. We're taking this one step at a time this go around. One thing I'll promise you, this time it will not go unsolved. We'll get this sombitch."

"Surveillance? Anything like that need to be amped up chief? At the schools or somethin?" Jerry ran a nervous hand through his unruly red hair as he spoke.  Everyone knew he was thinking about his kids. Just like half the other officers in the room. 

"We have no reason to believe that the killer will lash out any other ways. Both of these murders were very specific. Not random by any means. Just one family has been targeted. For that reason we will assign an officer to keep 24 hr surveillance to the other emendate family members. From what we have gathered, that only consist of her sister and kids, a grandmother and an uncle. Apparently though, Kerri was a bit of an outcast. She lived in the same neighborhood, but didn't see eye to eye with the other family members from what we've been told. Thats the reason no one found her earlier than we did. Anyways, no one is out there Po-lecing, so lets get back to it. But, hear you this,all of you, not a word to anyone. We want to keep it as quiet as we can right now. Don't need the town in an panic about something like this."

Everyone knew they had just been dismissed, but while the on duty officers went back out to their cars, the others seemed to hover around, talking or just sitting.  Mason walked up to his Sergeant and Tom, who were talking in a quiet corner.  He walked up as Tom was saying "It was like walking into bad De Javu'. I worked it with Mason's father back in 80, and it was like I was seeing the whole thing over again. For a min I thought I might be going crazy or something." 

"So this was the case. The one that started him off on those night mares." 

 Tom looked startled, like he didn't realize Mason had walked in on the conversation. 

"You remember that?"

"No, I just remember bits and pieces I've heard about it. It happened about 5 years before I was born. He would never tell me much about it, except to say it was the worst thing he had ever dealt with in his career."

Tom shook his head in remembrance. "We only talked about it once after it was over. Your mamma was pregnant with you. We went out for drinks after a shift, and you father got a little looser than he normally would. He told me then about the dreams. Never talked about it any other time. The GBI had just ruled the case cold. I guess thats what brought the memories back. He didn't get the night mares until then, when your mamma was caring you. I think the fear and responsibility of parenthood made it all the more real to him." Tom's words trailed off. Lost in thought. Whatever was coming, whatever they were about to have to deal with, he knew was going to be John Carter's nightmares realized. For his son to relive the very same horror that he had.

Chapter 6

Russell Drake was sweating. The tie he was rearing was beginning to feel like a hangman's noose around his neck. It had been a long hot day. He was standing at what was his third grave side service for the day. Why did everyone seem to choose to "depart" all at once? He was fine with the occasional two funerals in one day, but three on what seemed to be the hottest day the've had so far? That was ridiculous. Just as the pastor was saying "amen", Russ felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. Great, he thought to him self, What does a black man have to do for some peace and quiet around here? The number was the police department. Of course it was. Why wouldn't it he? 

"Sergeant Drake" He answered in a whisper as he tip toed away from the grave site. 

"Russ?" The female voice on the other end seemed to yell into the phone.

"Yes Tammy, it's Russ, you don't have to yell at me" he was still speaking barley above a whisper.

"Why in tarnation are you whispering for?" She was still yelling.

"Im at a funeral Tammy, What do you want?" Still whispering.

" Oh, I'm sorry, I wouldn't be bothering you at all if I had a choice, so you can just drop that attitude" now she was whispering which made it hard for Russ to hear over the crowed chatting behind him.

"What in God's name do u want Tammy!" Sergeant Drake picked the wrong moment to speak above a whisper and the pastor gave him a disapproving glance.

"Well Chief told me to call you to come in quick as you can. He's beside his self about something. Told me not to say anything to no body but to call you lickity split".

Russell checked his watch. He should be able to sneak out any minuet now. "Ok, i'll be by there as soon as I can" He hung up before Tammy could say anything else. He could just imagine her slamming the phone down at the office, ready to spit fire at him.  

                                                                            _________

Tammy mumbled under her breath as she began to dial the other numbers the chief had given her. They seemed to be calling everyone in and it must be important because when one of the officers response to coming in on his day off was "I've been drinking sense lunch time" Chief said "then sober up quick 'cause we need you". 

She sat there twirling her long blonde hair around her index finger. The phone rang, rang and rang and finally went to voice mail.  She hung up and tried again, this time leaving a message when he didn't answer. "Hmm" she thought allowed. That wasn't like him at all.

_____________________________________

The water was warm. Not a warm as bath water. Still cool enough to feel refreshing on your bare skin, but warm enough to make you want to stay in it for hours. Reluctanty both Mason and Blair trudged out of the water just as the sun was setting behind the hill. Instantly making it a little bit cooler. They lay on the side of the bank, clothes dripping.

"Well, i'm not going to lie, I'm disappointed you wouldn't jump in with your uniform on. I mean, that would have been much more reckless of you." Blair had dimples on either cheek when she smiled. She leaned her head to the side now, ringing her hair out. The water made her hair look almost black.

"You kidding me? These things are like gold around the department. If your lucky to get a new one, you treat it like its you last!"

They both laughed together.

"What are you studying in school, Blair? You haven't told me."

"Early child hood education. Last semester was the last on for me in a class room. This fall I'll be student teaching."

The light was growing less by the minuet. With the sunset came a cool evening breeze. Mason noticed Blair was shivering a little bit. He stood to his feet and offered her his hand.

"Guess it's time we head to find some dry clothes."

"Mason?" Blair asked him as the walked to the fork in the path, where he would go one way, and her the other.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping me pick up where we left off, I needed it"

He just chuckled and nodded a reply.

"I'll see ay Blair".

She smiled and lifted her hand in a slight wave, and turned her back on him to go back to her grandparents house.

Mason fairly flew to his truck, this time jumping over the gate. He was almost giddy, and he new it.

he climbed into his truck and heard the annoying beeping of his phone. He looked down to check it, and got a little worried when he saw there were 7 missed calls. All from the department.

Chapter 5

Mason drove a little slower than usual home that evening. The weather was beautiful so he road with the windows down and his stereo up. Instead of diving straight home through town, he decided to take the long way and come up through the back side of Doc Walkers land. He had traveled this dirt road countless times as a kids, on foot or someones four wheeler. There was a pond that sat partly on Doc's land and partly on Mason't fathers. When Blair had come home in the summers, she and Mason spent hours down by the pond. Fishing, catching craw daddies, skipping rocks. Back then there had been an old rope swing that hung from a low branch of a big old oak tree that sat right up the bank. Mason hadn't been back there in years. As he pulled off the road in

front of the gate that led to the pond, Mason wondered what made him think about it now. The gate wasn't locked, but rather than go to the trouble to open it, he just climbed over the top. Summer grass was just up past his ankles. It would soon be time for him to get his second cutting of hay off of this field. Doc let him cut his fields too. In return, Mason gave him a 3rd of what he bailed. 

The pond was just over the swell in the land that Mason was strolling up now.  As he walked, memories came flooding back. His dad and he spent many an evening just like this one, fishing out of the pond. Mason drank his first beer when he was 14, sitting in a little john boat, with his best friend Garrett. Mason had stole them out of his dad's shop. They wouldn't have gotten caught, but Garrett's little sister had seen them sneaking around and got suspicions.  She was only 10 at the time, but Becky was a smart one.  A week later when she was told she wasn't old enough to ride the four wheelers with them, she got her revenge by telling Mason's dad about the beer. Like he did with everything in Mason't life, John Carter Lawerence turned the incident into a learning experience. He and Garrett's father took them back down to the bank by the pond and over the corse of 2 hours, made both boys drink a six pack a piece. At first they was excited with something to prove, but after 2 of the dark liquid, both boys weren't so sure this was such a fun experience. Needless to say, the little lesson had worked well. Neither of the boys touched alcohol for the next two years. Now sophomore year, that was a different story……

The water was calm and inviting. Doc had kept the dock in excellent condition and all around the edges of the water were closely cut and edged. Mason grinned as he surveyed the sight in fro of him. Apparently he wasn't the only one strolling down memory lane. There, at the end of the dock with her toes in the water, was Blair.

She didn't hear him coming. He didn't make a lot of noise. He was enjoying the picture she made, her long hair in a loose braid down her back, catching the sun light. Renegade strands escaped around her face, drifting in the breeze. A few pieces seemed to tickle the back of her neck and ears.  She looked small and angelic, sitting there in the heart of their old haunts.  

Mason began to feel a little creepy, standing there watching her without her knowing. So he decided now was as good a time as ever to let her know he was there. He strode the few feet down the bank and on to the dock. She heard his foot steps and peered over her shoulder. She didn't looked startled. It was almost as if she was expecting him. Like his being there was the most natural thing in the world. 

"Do you remember all the time we spent here in the summer time?". No "hello" "nice to see you". She acted as though they were in the middle of a conversation and had been talking for hours.

"I was just thinking about it" Mason replied as he knelt to sit down beside her " Thats why I decided to walk down here. Kinda walking down memory lane."

Blair picked up a twig that was sitting on the weathered boards between them and idly rolled it between her finger tips. "Things were so easy, simple then, you know? Some of the happiest memories of my life are down here, in the water or on that swing." With that she tossed the twig off the side of the dock and into the water. They watched it land, causing little ripples in the water. The slight breeze floating off the water picked that moment to lightly tickle the edges of her skirt causing it to flip up above her knee. She smoothed it back down nonchalantly, but not before Mason caught himself admiring the smooth tanned skin. Her body was made for the warm air of summer. Her legs were meant to be displayed and caressed.

 Mason stopped his train of thought before he embarrassed himself. He silently cursed his father. It was his fault. If nothing else, John Carter had instilled in his son an appreciation for the female figure. He had repeatedly told Mason "Son, a beautiful women is to be admired, appreciated and cherished". From a young age Mason had been told "Look at her son, she's a beautiful women." He always finished with "Not as beautiful as your mother mind you, but attractive non the less" Mason figure that was how he got away with what he said.

"Have you been here long?" he asked her, dragging his eyes back to her face. Once could easily get lost there too.

"Oh, about an hour or so. I brought a book down to the old swing, but i don't think that rope will hold me anymore. It's a lot smaller and older than I remembered" she said with a soft laugh. God. Everything about her was soft.

"Yeah, no one has used it in years I guess. I know I couldn't tell you the last time I was down here." A sudden thought came to mind and he began to laugh.

"Whats so funny?" She asked. His laugh was contagious and she couldn't help but chuckle as she watched him. Time had done nothing be improve him. Who had once been a string bean of a farm boy was now a tall, handsome, lithe young man. He had a smile she was sure kept the single girls guessing and a strong brow that made you wish you were a damsel in distress. 

"Do you remember the last time we were down here together? The fight we had?"

She thought for a moment, her forehead furrowing in thought. Her face brightened in remembrance and she began to laugh with him.

"You mean when you and Garrett dared me to go skinny dipping and then I got mad because yall wouldn't stop teasing me and calling me names? Yes I remember! You two were trouble when you got together. I can't believe you even remember that!"

Mason shook his head "Yeah, bad thing is, Garrett is still probably using the same tactics to get girls out of there clothes."

They laughed together. Funny how easy this was. It was almost like they had spent every afternoon together for the past 10 years. 

"Ok then, It's my turn. Mr. Officer. How about it? I dare you to jump in." She smirked at him, issuing her challenge. Mason stared at her in disbelief. Could this girl, who until this very second, he had believed to be the very essence if feminine frailty and shy purity, could this same girl be a little bit of a vixen?

"You're kidding"

"Never been more serious in my life"

"You want me to jump in, uniform and all"

"The uniform is optional. If you don't I'm just going to call you names and pick on you the rest of the evening" She was grinning ear to ear now. He watched her, not knowing what to think, as she jump to her feet and started to unbutton her shirt. He felt his palms getting sweaty. This was not what he had anticipated and he didn't know how to react. He found his self breathing a sigh of relief as he realized she had a cotton slip under the clothing she was quickly discarding. One moment she was standing in front of him in a cute little white cotton dress and the next Mason was being splashed as she jumped in.

Her head popped out a few feet from the dock. As she tread water and glanced back at Mason who had yet to move, she asked "Well, are you a chicken?"