LETHAL WATERS

  LETHAL WATERS

  By Marianne Spitzer

  © September 2017

  This book is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, events, locations, or organizations are purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced without the written consent of the author.

  Acknowledgements

  There are many people I would like to thank for their help and understanding while I wrote this book, but first and foremost, I want to thank God for all His blessings. I also wish to thank my family and friends for their patience and understanding when I disappear into my writing world especially my son, Lance, for his unwavering support. Last, but by no means least, I would like to thank my loyal readers who read my books and leave reviews. I couldn’t do this without you.

  LETHAL WATERS

  Chapter One

  Cooper’s Restaurant was quiet at one o’clock that Friday afternoon. Kellie and Taylor were enjoying a cup of coffee and a slice of chocolate cream pie while Kellie’s son, Aaron, did his best to mash cookies into his hair.

  Taylor smiled at Aaron and commented, “I remember when Kayla ate like that. Thank goodness she’s outgrown it for the most part.”

  Shaking her head Kellie answered, “He’s much different than the girls. They were little ladies from the day they were born, and now they’re almost nine. Where has the time flown, Taylor?”

  Pushing a loose strand of red hair behind her ear, Taylor took a sip of coffee and looked at Aaron. “I don’t know. It’s hard to believe Aaron’s two, Kayla’s four, and Ethan and your girls have birthdays in a few weeks. At least it’s been quiet since Miss Annabelle’s spirit left and you found the last rose.”

  “Thank goodness. I think that last single red rose meant our lives would quiet down and the spirits would leave me alone. Max certainly is happy that I stopped battling evil,” Kellie replied and slid the last bite of pie into her mouth.

  Six hours later, a jogger found a woman’s body dressed in jeans and a pink t-shirt edged with embroidered red roses.

  ~ * ~

  Kellie sat cross-legged on her sofa watching the news report. She felt a tingle run down her spine at the thought of the poor young woman murdered along the jogging trail but didn’t understand why. She didn’t feel any spirit activity near her. It must be the horror of the violent crime that brought on her case of nerves. Kellie jumped when her phone rang beside her.

  “Hello, Claudia, how are you?”

  Kellie listened and answered, “Is that all? Do you think it’s important?”

  Claudia spoke, and Kellie nodded her head. “If you hear anything else please let me know. For now, I’ll assume that young woman’s death was the result of an argument or a random killing and not spirits. I hope I’m right. Have a good night.”

  Kellie ended the call just as Max hurried down the stairs, “Aaron is finally asleep. The girls are whispering as usual, but they’ll sleep soon. You look troubled.” He dropped onto the sofa next to her and slid his arm around his wife’s shoulders.

  “I’m not troubled. I watched the report about the young woman killed this evening. The police don’t know much, and then Claudia called.”

  Max jumped to his feet. “No, whatever it is, the answer is no.”

  “Please calm down, Max,” Kellie implored. “The kids will hear you.”

  “Let them. If you’re involved with spirits again, they’re leaving with me now.” His blue eyes flashed an emotion of mixed anger and fear.

  Kellie rubbed her hands over her face searching for the right words. She didn’t want Max angry the way he was three years ago when she last battled an evil spirit.

  “Max,” she began. “Claudia called to let me know this murder doesn’t seem to be spirit related. The spirits are chattering. Something has upset them, but nothing specific. It may be their way of dealing with a brutal murder and helping the spirit cross over.”

  Max crossed his arms and glared at her. “It better not or we’re out of here.” He spun on his heel to leave the room.

  “Wait,” Kellie called. “I told you once before, and I’ll repeat it now. My children are not going anywhere without me. Must I remind you spirit guardians protect them. Please don’t push their protectors.”

  Max shook his head and looked at her over his shoulder. “I know. I need a beer. Do you want anything?”

  “No, thanks.” Kellie’s heart broke a little seeing the dejected look on Max’s face. He loved their children as much as she did and would give his life to protect them, but she refused to lose them. Whether the murder was spirit related or not, the children were safe. Max needed to have faith in her and their guardian spirits.

  Kellie looked up when Max entered the room beer bottle in hand. “It’ll be okay, Max. I promise.”

  He took a long draw on the bottle and sat next to her. “I know. I just thought this was over after you said the last red rose was a message that we’d live in peace.”

  She took his hand in hers, “I still believe that. Neither Claudia nor I think there is a spirit involved. We don’t feel it. It’s most likely a lover’s quarrel or a random killing. Stop worrying, please.”

  He nodded and Kellie felt bad that she didn’t tell him the complete truth. She didn’t want him to worry but she felt fear creep up her spine. Something didn’t feel right about this.

  ~ * ~

  Less than two miles away, Detective Mike Stellion sat at his battered wooden desk reviewing the crime scene photos. He shifted in his chair unable to get comfortable. The first murder in Malone Springs in three years frustrated him. It was early in the investigation, and he knew the young woman was strangled. The only clues were a strange woven grass ring slipped on her left ring finger and the word “ONE” written in chalk under her body in large block letters. Since the chalk wasn’t smudged, he surmised the killer wrote the word after the murder and placed her body over it. Did it reference something personal between the killer and his victim or was it a warning that more murders would occur? He couldn’t fathom a serial killer in Malone Springs, but his gut feeling told him that’s exactly what they faced.

  He looked at the photos again. He scanned each thoroughly looking for anything out of place. The young woman could’ve been anyone from town. Her clothing, makeup, and hair gave no clue as to why anyone would target her. She wore everyday running shoes available at any shoe or department store. Her ID let Mike know she was a thirty-two-year-old school teacher named Breanne Derman. The red mark around her neck indicated strangulation. The lack of a ring on the finger used for the grass ring indicated she was single or left her valuables at home. A quick scan of the department’s report of her parent’s notification confirmed she was single and not engaged. The medical examiner would send him the official cause of death, but Mike’s gut feeling kicked in again. Strangulation and a serial killer. He jotted down notes, but he knew he wouldn’t forget the details.

  A knock at the door broke into his thoughts. Mike looked up and saw the young officer from the forensics team. “Sir, we covered the entire area and didn’t find anything more than what was on the jogging path. Lab says the chalk is plain old chalk you can find in any store.”

  “Or school?” Mike asked wondering if there was a connection.

  “Yeah, I suppose they might use the same chalk in school. Lab also said the grass in the ring is local crabgrass. It appears it was woven, then frozen for a short time. It might have been placed on her finger still frozen. They’re doing more tests.” He handed the written report to Mike.

  “Thanks, Kwasniewski, keep me informed of anything else you discover.”

  “Will do,” the young
man answered before he hurried down the hall.

  Frozen. That meant premeditation, but why? If he could figure out why, he might find out who, and he intended to do just that.

  Kwasniewski returned a short while later with the initial medical examiner’s report. Mike knew the cause of death before he read it, but what he read made him jump to his feet. Strangulation and drowning. How was that possible? The toxicology screen and more detailed report would follow, but Mike had enough information to know he would search for a cold-blooded killer. If he knew what the word “ONE” meant, it would help. He’d find out, but first, he needed a good night’s sleep. He wouldn’t hear from the medical examiner until at least tomorrow. He walked to his office door and then spun and returned to his desk. He’d never sleep until he had at least a partial answer. He picked up the phone and called the medical examiner’s office.

  “Doc, could you please explain this preliminary report?”

  “Sure Mike,” the medical examiner replied. “The marks around her neck indicate strangulation and it may have contributed to her death, but x-rays show her lungs full of water. With or without the strangulation she would’ve died. She drown plain and simple. I just don’t know where or how. Her clothes show no signs of having been wet. Initial analysis of the water shows local river water. That’s all I have now.”

  “Thanks, Doc. Send me the final report when you get it.” Mike dropped the phone back on his desk and rubbed his face with his hands. Drowning without being in water wasn’t possible since she didn’t appear to have fought off her attacker. If she was pushed under water, why weren’t there any signs? He was too tired to think. Maybe he needed that sleep after all.

  ~ * ~

  Rita and Mike were sound asleep when his phone rang a little after four the following morning.

  He reached for it and mumbled, “Stellion. Okay, be right there.”

  Rita sat up and asked him “What’s wrong?”

  He did his best to answer while trying to hurry putting on his pants, but the pant legs weren’t cooperating. “Rita, I have to go in. They found a second woman’s body. I know you’re good at keeping the doors and windows locked and the alarm system on, but to ease my mind, please check each one while I get ready.”

  “It’s bad, Mike, isn’t it? Another girl murdered?” Rita asked while she slipped on her robe. “Do you want me to make coffee?” He shook his head.

  “I’ll have someone at the scene get me coffee. I need to shave; you check the doors and windows.” Mike did his best to smile and reassure her, but she’d been a cop’s wife for nearly thirty years. He didn’t need to explain the urgency.

  Rita pressed a kiss on his cheek and hurried out of the room.

  She checked the windows and doors and made sure the alarm system was set. Rita rubbed the sleep from her eyes when Mike rushed into the kitchen headed for the garage door. “Make sure you double check the garage door, too. I’ll watch the garage until the door closes.”

  “You’re worried, aren’t you?”

  Mike stopped and took a deep breath before pulling Rita into his arms. He whispered in her hair, “Yes, I’m worried for every woman in the area. Stay safe, please.” He kissed her and hurried to his car.

  Rita watched as Mike pulled out and they both watched the garage door close. She closed and locked the small garage door behind her, reset the alarm, and put on a pot of coffee. Rita knew she wouldn’t get more sleep and needed to call Kellie as soon as she knew she’d be awake. If Mike worried about all the women in town, she needed to let Kellie and Taylor know, too.

  Rita paced the kitchen while the coffee brewed and nibbled on a left over biscuit from the night before. Absent mindedly chewing, she didn’t really taste it as she walked past the coffee maker for the third time, but she knew she needed something in her stomach besides coffee. Her nerves were on edge. Finally, the coffee was ready and Rita filled a mug and sat at the kitchen table staring out of the window into the darkness waiting for morning when she could call and warn Kellie.

  Two murdered women in less than twenty-four hours was terrifying. Malone Springs was a safe place to live, but Rita knew a diabolical person could travel anywhere. She shuddered and sipped her coffee. The thought of a killer roaming the streets was nearly impossible to believe.

  Chapter Two

  Mike pulled up in the parking lot behind the pharmacy and saw the technician busy at work. He walked up to one of the officers and asked, “What did you learn so far?”

  “Not much, sir. Young woman appears to have been strangled. She’s the pharmacy assistant.”

  Mike swore and rubbed his hand down his face. He knew the young woman, he knew her parents, her fiancé, her uncle the pharmacist, and her siblings. Malone Springs was small enough he knew most everyone by sight or name, but the Calhouns were friends. He and Ed Calhoun went to school together. His wife and Rita were friends and belonged to several of the same groups. Sarah Calhoun and Kellie were close to the same age. He knew he needed to take a closer look at the crime scene but his feet didn’t want to move. He swore again and forced himself to walk over to Sarah’s still form. Mike looked up in time to see the medical examiner’s van pull in and what seemed to be an argument between one of the officers and the new nosy reporter in town. He wished he could arrest the obnoxious man.

  He glanced back down at Sarah’s body and saw the red mark around her neck similar to the one on the teacher the day before. He noticed the mark went straight across her neck indicating whoever attacked her was similar in height. The teacher had been five foot five inches and Sarah was close to that height. He was looking for a short man or possibly a teenager although the idea of a teen killing two women in Malone Springs seemed improbable. Maybe a teen could’ve attacked the teacher out of anger, but why Sarah, too? No, that didn’t make sense.

  The light from the overhead rear security light cast Sarah’s body in a circular glow and Mike noticed the green grass ring on her left ring finger. Before the officers had time to turn on the bright investigation lights, Mike knew they’d find a number written under her body. “Damn,” he muttered.

  The young officer broke into his thoughts. “The pharmacy owner is on his way down here. He said he should have video from the security camera, but I checked the camera and someone spray painted it black. Someone didn’t want anyone to see what happened.”

  “Premeditated,” Mike mumbled.

  “Yeah, looks like. Do you think it’s connected with yesterday’s murder? Hey, here comes the medical examiner.”

  Mike shook his head and greeted the medical examiner. “Hello, Doc. We’ve got another one. I need to see under her body to see if there is a number and please let me know if you find water in her lungs.”

  Doc nodded, “If I do then we have a serial killer on our hands. Let me do an initial examination.”

  Mike watched as the doc worked and bit back another swear when the doc and his assistant moved the body and the number “TWO” was written in bold letters beneath the body. Since the officer had found a discarded piece of chalk earlier, Mike knew they would also find the number. He had a maniac to find before he struck again.

  Doc turned to Mike and said, “I can’t tell for sure until I x-ray her, but when we moved her a bit of water ran out of her mouth. Smells a bit like river water and not fresh water or anything from her stomach. I’ll let you know for sure as soon as I get the x-ray.” He nodded at Mike and hurried to his van.

  Mike took a step back and leaned against the brick wall next to the pharmacy’s back door as he watched two men pick up Sarah’s body and set her on a gurney. His gut feeling was usually right. Damn, why did it have to be right this time? He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed his home number.

  Rita answered before the first ring ended.

  “Are you sitting down, Rita? No, no, it isn’t Kellie or Taylor but I wanted to let you know before it’s on the news. It’s Sarah Calhoun.” Mike listened to Rita’s gasp and gave her a few moments to
cry and then added, “As soon as Wes gets here so I can see the security footage, I’m going over to see Ed and Marge. Yes, I’ll tell her. I know she’ll need all the help she can get to cope with this. I see Wes’ car. I’ll call you later.” He hit the end button, slipped the phone in his pocket, and walked over to meet Wes Calhoun.

  Wes hurried over to Mike and asked, “I heard there was an attempted break-in. I can show you the security footage. Come with me,” he slipped his key into the lock and opened the door. He held the door open for Mike and noticed the chalk outline on the ground. “Did one of your men kill the intruder?”

  “No,’ Mike added. “Let’s go inside and sit down.” Wes led Mike to the waiting area near the pharmacy counter and sat motioning Wes to join him.

  “What is it?” Wes asked.

  “There’s no easy way to say this, Wes. Sarah was strangled on her way into work.”

  Wes shot to his feet, “That’s impossible, she’s not due in here for over an hour. Let’s look at the footage, I know it can’t be Sarah.” He rushed off toward his back office.

  Mike insisted that Wes take a chair and spoke quietly. “I’m sorry, Wes. I saw her. It’s Sarah.”

  Wes shook his head back and forth. “Why? Why would someone kill Sarah? She’s the sweetest person. Oh Lord, this will kill Ed and Marge. Do they know?”

  “Not yet, I’m going over there as soon as I see the footage.”

  “I can’t watch that with you.” Wes bolted to his feet again and walked to the corner of the office.

  “I’ll look, but I doubt there’s much useful. Someone spray painted the lens black, but I’m hoping to get an image of who sprayed it.”

  Wes was silent while Mike ran the footage back until he saw the parking lot and back door instead of just a black screen. A figure dressed in black ran toward the building with their head down. When they sprayed the lens, their face was covered by a black ski mask.