Manalapan Connection

When David went to bed and laid next to his wife, he didn’t realize his next murder case had already happened. He didn’t yet know that his peaceful slumber would be interrupted so he could get out of bed, drive to the scene of the murder and attempt to solve the puzzle laid out before him. He hadn’t yet seen the half dressed body with a fresh bullet hole in it covered in blood, and tossed behind a strip club like yesterday’s garbage. He certainly hadn’t talked to all of the family and witnesses that he would eventually spend time with one on one.

David was awake when the phone rang after making a trip to the bathroom and he hadn’t made it back asleep yet. It was quiet in the house even though it wasn’t unusual to hear ships in the distance even at night. The beach house Police Lieutenant David Smith inherited from his uncle was located in a well-to-do area of Manalapan Florida. David considered himself very lucky; he had inherited a great deal from his uncle and he had married the love of his life.

His house wasn’t as large as some of the magnificent showplaces that were all around David’s house that some of the more affluent citizens of Manalapan presented to the world, but it was impressive enough. When the phone broke the silence at two thirty in the morning, David answered quickly hoping it didn’t wake his wife Eva who was nestled beside him. The phone had only rang once.

It was a common occurrence for the phone to wake David up while Eva just rolled over without much acknowledgment. They both knew it would be the dispatch and somebody was most likely dead. Since David was already awake he was able to prevent the phone call from waking Eve. He wrote down the address and was told that officers were already on the scene. He would show up, let the officers on the scene fill him in on the events as they knew them, he would make sure they secure the scene and then he would return home and wait till morning to start investigating.

He strapped on his shoulder holster that held his Ruger Service Revolver. His case with his badge slid into his pocket as he headed out the door. He climbed into his red Nissan pickup, which also was inherited and headed to the address the dispatcher told him contained a dead body abandoned in an alley behind the building.

David arrived at the site surrounded by officers in uniform in a deserted alleyway behind a strip club, “The Pink Lady Club”. The area was noted for strippers and prostitutes and the body lying in the alley splattered with blood was certainly that of a prostitute. She was young, David thought she was maybe college age and attractive, although not as attractive in the blood soaked gravel that now accented her body. The color had drained from her body along with the blood that had drained as well. Her clothing had tears and signs of being cut. Her underwear had either been removed or she didn’t have any on and sexual assault could not be ruled out.

A trick gone wrong they figured but they would still have to investigate and make whatever determination the evidence would dictate. David knew the girl was somebody’s daughter, sister or girlfriend and she mattered. He knew cops generally become jaded because of the things they are exposed to every day but he worked at avoiding those trappings.

The forensics team was there gathering and bagging evidence while cameras flashed at every conceivable angle known. One of the lab guys drew a chalk line around the body, which wasn’t that easy on the gravel scattered in the alleyway.

David asked the patrolman standing nearby, “I don’t suppose there were any witnesses this time of night?”

The officer said “Nobody was around and I didn’t want to start canvassing in the neighborhood till sunrise.”

David walked around the crime scene examining everything and thought about possible motives. Armed with just a flashlight, he examined the body for anything that gave them a clue. He thought maybe just some other hooker wanted the territory or maybe she held out on a pimp. They had so many possibilities but the first thing they had to do was determine who it was that was dead.

While David was bent down looking at the body a shot rang out and narrowly missed hitting David before landing in the ground just the other side of the body. David looked out toward the street in the direction he thought the shot came from and drew his weapon.

A car out on the street started and the lights turned on and the car sped away as David ran towards where it had been. It disappeared too fast to get a look at it so he wasn’t able to run after it. He put his service weapon back in place. He had been lucky, the shot missed him and he hadn’t bothered putting on his bulletproof vest. He figured he was just going to examine a crime scene and it wouldn’t be needed. He would not be sharing this information about the vest with Eva.

He walked back over to the officer and asked, “Is everyone okay, did anyone get hit?”

All of the investigators replied that no one had been hit and everyone was okay. David looked for the shell that had been fired at them but had no luck finding it in the dark. He figured he would have the same luck finding the casing expelled from the gun used to shoot at them.

David said, “Get everything gathered and bagged. I am headed back home till daylight.”

David thought about the girl as he drove back home, wondering who she could be. Getting an identity helped to solve cases as much as anything. Knowing who your victim is tells you who she is associated with. Most people are killed by someone they know.

David arrived home, parked his truck in the driveway knowing he would leave again in just a few hours and walked over the docks entering his house through the back door. He was very grateful his uncle had left him this place; it was quiet and somewhat secluded. He walked through the kitchen and headed down to the master bedroom, one of four bedrooms the house possessed. Eva still slept, her long dark brown hair sprawled over her pillow. He never tired of that view of her. She was a beauty and he knew how lucky he was. Her beautiful brown eyes with gold specks were shut but he knew every reflection in them; they have greeted him for twenty years.

David crawled back in bed beside his still sleeping wife and wrapped his arms around her and went to sleep. Their relationship was pretty unusual for a policeman and his wife in that they were still together. Divorce rates among policemen were sky high in almost every area of the country. She just understood him and knew the danger he was constantly subjected to. She also knew his job wasn’t an eight hour office job. Her deep understanding kept him from becoming another divorce statistic.

The two hours left of night time went fast as David’s alarm squealed at him at six am. He pulled himself out of bed and went to make coffee. Eva came into the kitchen with her hair stuck over her cheeks and eyes barely open.

David looked at her and said, “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

She just barely grumbled back as she took the coffee cup he set out for her and filled up as the steam rose out over the rim of the cup. Eva was certainly not a morning person but would become human, David figured, with about the third cup of coffee. After she had been up for a half hour Eva began to smile and finally said her good morning.

David smiled at her and said “We had a murder last night. It was a young girl that looked about college age. It looked like a hooker rubbed somebody the wrong way.”

Eva asked, “Was she anyone you recognized?”

David answered “No, I never saw her before, she probably wasn’t a street hooker. She was more likely one of the new breed of call girls working the internet.”

David knew there was a large number of girls who placed ads on Craigslist or some of the adult dating sites. There were way too many of those but no resources to stop them. Money was way too tight for those crimes. About all they could do was handle the after-effects that resulted, like this murder. It was a lot like drug trafficking, you handled the break-ins and robberies instead of the root problem of drugs.

Eva sipped her coffee as David watched as her robe fell open. Even after twenty years the sight of her body never failed to get his attention. Eva was a stunning forty-one year old. David almost cussed under his breath knowing he didn’t have enough time to pursue that open robe.

David said, “I better get to the station, and you better close that robe before the mailman gets here or you’ll never get rid of him.”

Eva looked down at the right breast that had tried to make an escape. She pushed it back and tightened up the tie around her waist and buttoned the button at the top. David leaned over and kissed her goodbye.

As he walked out, Eva said, “Don’t forget the Shoreline Property Owners’ party Friday night.”

David grumbled as he walked out the front door. The Shoreline Property Owners were not David’s favorite bunch and he wasn’t much of a party guy.

Eva gathered herself together and went back to her bedroom to shower. She was happy with her life even though she had feared every time David put on his badge and left. But she loved him and being a detective was what he wanted to do in life. She looked out the window and watched him get in his pickup and drive away. She often remembered when she had first met him as a patrolman in his rookie year. She always liked the way he looked in his uniform and especially thought he had a nice firm ass. She appreciated his rugged good looks and muscular body. David worked out three days a week and unlike the cliché of policemen and doughnuts he was careful about what he ate. Not fanatic about it but careful.

David arrived at the department and said his good mornings to all who were there. David usually arrived early, before most of the dayshift got in but the overnight call for the murder case caused a slight delay. David’s partner Jack was off today for some family issue with an ex-wife and David rode in alone. Jack always had a lot of ex-wife issues due to having a lot of ex-wives.

David called the coroner’s office to see if there was any preliminary information but was told they weren’t finished yet. The lab guys had printed out photos shot at the crime scene or at least the scene where the body was found.

David took out the photos that were left in an envelope on his desk, and he studied each of them, looking close at each one trying to see any details they might have missed when they were shot. He needed another in person look so he went back out to the crime scene and made sure they had bagged everything in the dark. He thought maybe there was somebody who had seen something and he would find them if anyone was there.

David showed up and parked across the street. He walked over and slid under the crime scene tape. He flashed his badge at the officers there, squatted down and examined the area. He studied the position of the body that had been marked and outlined in the gravel in the alleyway. The body had definitely been punctured by a bullet but there wasn’t much sign of blood indicating the murder occurred somewhere else and the body was dumped there. He went to the other side of where the body was laying to look for the shell that had been fired at him and thankfully missed. He combed the area where he saw dirt and gravel fly up knowing that was where the shell hit. He broadened his search area and found the shell another five feet away where it had ricocheted away bouncing off the gravel by the body.

David bagged the shell and went out into the street to see if there was any sign of the spent casing to gather as well. David saw tire marks where the car had sped away and he took some photos of those before continuing to examine the area for the shell casings. He didn’t find the casings and knew they could have flown out into the car and he would never find them.

David stood up and glanced around at the businesses and homes in the area as he tried to determine who had a straight line view of the area. There was a home with its backyard facing the alleyway so David decided to start there. He got in his truck and drove around the block and parked in front of the house.

He knocked on the door and an elderly lady answered the door. David showed his badge and ID and asked, “Ma’am could I ask some questions?”

She answered, “Yes, I guess so. I suppose it has something to do with whatever has been happening over in that alley.”

David said, “Yes ma’am, can I ask your name?”

She replied, “It’s Thelma Williams.”

David noticed a wedding band on her finger so he asked her, “Mrs. Williams there was a body found behind that strip club. I wanted to ask, have you seen anything suspicious over there recently?”

Mrs. Williams answered, “Well I saw a couple of guys get out of a white van and look around yesterday. It was like they were looking for something.”

David asked, “What kind of van was it?”

Mrs. Williams answered, “I don’t know much about cars but it was a panel van with no windows and the guys were pretty well dressed; they had suits on. I just figured they were the club owners or something.”

David asked, “Did the van have any markings or logos?”

Mrs. Williams answered, “I didn’t see anything, just plain white.”

David asked, “Did you notice anything special about the men that got out?”

Mrs. Williams answered, “One was kind of tall but the other one was very short, I was too far away to tell much about them.”

When David asked about an estimate on the height, Mrs. Williams said she was just guessing but thought the tall one was over six foot and the short one was maybe five foot five inches.

David said, “Mrs. Williams, thank you for your time and here is my card. If you think of anything else or see anything else please call me.”

David checked with the rest of the neighbors close by and asked if anyone saw anything and a couple of them remembered having seen the white van but most said they hadn’t seen enough of it to help any. After the interviews were over it was lunch time. David wasn’t crazy about normal fast food fare and usually went home when he had time. He went to a local sandwich shop that had been in business for a while and he knew they had lean meat and fresh cut veggies on all the sandwiches they made. David usually preferred olive oil and garlic as a spread instead of mayo. He ate better when he was alone than when he rode with his partner Jack. Jack’s favorite spot was a hangout most of the guys went to called “Bar Louie’s” and it was more of the hot wings and beer kind of place.

After lunch David thought it might be late enough to catch the manager at the strip club and see if he knew anything. When he got back, there was a car parked by the club and David assumed it was the manager. The door was locked but David pounded on it hard and long enough till the manager came and opened it up.

David showed him his badge and ID and asked, “Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”

The manager said, “You can ask and I will answer what I can.”

David asked, “I suppose you are the manager here?”

The manager said, “I am the owner manager, this isn’t exactly Las Vegas.”

David nodded knowingly, and then asked, “Could you tell me your name?”

The manager answered, “Sure, my name is Alonso Toscani.”

David said, “I suppose you know we found a body behind your place during the night.”

Alonso said, “Yeah somebody from your department called this morning at eight a.m., I thought that was nice since by the time I can leave from this place it’s about two thirty a.m.,”

David asked, “Did you notice anyone around at that time? That was about the time I got called out from home.”

Alonso answered, “A white van circled around the block twice and I figured it was customers who thought they might catch a glimpse of one of the girls as she left.”

David found that interesting since the body was discovered around that time and if the white van was involved maybe they were circling waiting for everyone to leave. He also thought maybe whoever shot at him may have shot from the van even though he thought he should have seen the white color. He was sure the car that drove away was a dark color.

David took out a photo of the victim and asked Alonso, “Do you recognize this girl?”

Alonso confirmed that he didn’t.

David said, “I was kind of hoping she worked here and we would have a lead. She wasn’t one of yours?”

Alonso said, “No she isn’t really our type.”

David asked, “What does that mean exactly?”

Alonso said, “We have a high end clientele and our girls are professional dancers, not amateur college kids. That girl in the photo is a college kid, probably making tuition turning tricks.

David asked, “Do your girls have problems with men when they leave work at night?”

Alonso answered, “No, we have security walk each girl out and wait for their car to start or their ride to get here before we leave them.”

Alonso paused, then added, “We don’t exactly have preachers as customers.”

David replied, “Well you don’t really know that for sure but that isn’t my concern.”

Then David asked, “Do you mind if I look around a bit?”

Alonso said, “Go ahead, nobody’s here so you won’t be disturbing anyone.”

David walked around and looked, he wasn’t sure what he was looking for but he would know it if he saw it. He even climbed on stage and just looked at everything including what view was possible from there.

David glanced at the poles and thought, “I wonder if they ever clean those things.”

He came back over and told Alonso, “I will probably want to talk to the girls later to see if anyone saw anything when they left last night.”

Then David added, “I will need to chat with your security guy too.”

Then David asked, “What time does everyone get here?

Alonso said, “Most of the girls begin arriving about four thirty p.m. and start getting makeup and hair done and costume fitting.”

David just said, “I will be back sometime after that so you might want to put the word out.”

David drove away feeling like he needed a shower. He thought to himself, “I can see why I don’t hang out at those places.” Then thoughts of Eva reminded him of the other reason he didn’t go to those places.

He had some time to kill so he went by the beach house to see if Eva was home and walked into the kitchen as Eva cooked dinner. She looked up as David stood there and stared at her.

She said, “Dead hookers got you down?”

He replied, “We don’t know that she was a hooker. That is speculation at this time.”

She smiled and said, “Sounds like you are talking to the media.”

David walked over and put his arm around Eva and looked over what she was cooking.

She asked, “Are you going to get to eat dinner at home tonight?”

David replied, “I will take the time, I still have to go back and interview some strippers.”

Eva said, “Damn you really have a tough job don’t you?”

David replied, “You know I think you look better than any of those skanks down there.”

David lifted her chin up for a kiss. His phone beeped and there was a message. David called the station and they put him through to his partner,

Jack Tolbert was David’s partner for twelve years. He was shorter than David and a little heavier built.

Jack picked up the phone and said, “Hello David, we think the dead girl had an ad on Craigslist.”

David asked “Do we have a name?”

Jack said, “The ad said her name was Rachael Bennett but I don’t know if she was using her real name. The photo in the ad looked like our victim.”

David was lost in his thoughts for a minute then asked “Is there any forensics yet?”

Jack answered, “The coroner thinks the cause of death was a gunshot from a pistol, a .38 caliber.”

David replied, “Wonder what gave it away that it was a gunshot, those big holes in her chest? I figured that out when I first saw the body.”

Jack said, “Ha ha, I know, we will have prints and DNA this afternoon and then maybe a positive identity on that girl.”

David hung up the phone as Eva asked, “Do they know who the girl was?”

David said, “A girl that looks like her had an ad on Craigslist under Rachael Bennett, but I would be surprised if she was using her real name.”

David looked at his watch and said, “Looks like I need to go talk to some strippers before they get busy.”

Eva put her arms around him and said, “Just make sure they don’t get busy with you.”

David gave her a kiss gently on the lips as he thought, “I really need to come home and spend some time with her.”

David climbed into his Pickup and drove to the club. Alonso was nowhere to be seen but he showed his badge and ID to the security guy and said, “I talked to your boss this morning and asked to talk to the girls.”

The Security guy let him in and led him back to the dressing room.

He introduced David to the girls by saying, “This is the detective investigating the body found behind the club.”

David was uncomfortable asking questions because none of the girls bothered covering up. It was a sea of breasts.

Suzee, the lead girl stepped up and said,”Hey sugar, what do you think we might know?”

David took out a photo and showed it around and asked, “First off, does anyone recognize this girl?”

Suzee took the photo and examined it closely before saying, “She never worked here that’s for sure.”

David asked, “What makes you think that?”

Suzee replied, “It’s her looks, not stripper looks, hooker maybe but an amateur. This girl puts on a sexy outfit on Friday night for her boyfriend, but she ain’t no stripper.”

David was impressed because that was what he had figured; those Craigslist girls were all amateur and a lot of them were risking what had happened to this girl.

David then asked the whole group, “Did anyone see anything when you left last night?”

Suzee asked one of the other girls “Hey Toni, didn’t you say you saw a white van driving around the block several times before you left?”

Toni answered “Yes it was a white panel Chevy.”

David wrote that down as he asked, “Are you sure it was a Chevy?”

Toni answered back, “I’m sure, I used to deliver in one almost like it except mine had a Florist logo on the side of it.”

David asked, “Does this place have any video equipment?”

Suzee walked over and put her arm around David’s waist and said, “Honey there is an old video recorder and a few cameras located inside and one outside but it is pretty old stuff; I wouldn’t know if it works.”

Suzee dropped her hand down from David’s waist and squeezed his ass.

David jumped and made a point of moving. He handed out his cards to everyone, although he was a little nervous about handing one to Suzee.

She took it and gave him a big smile and said, “Why don’t you come back some time off duty and I will give you a free table dance?”

David just said, “I will make a note of that.”

He tried to emphasize his ring finger but had doubts it would matter.

He walked back out to the security guy and asked, “Does the video recording equipment work?”

The security guy said, “It is mostly for looks, it has been busted for two years.”

David had thought that might be the case as he prepared to leave. A lot of these places had old busted equipment or phony equipment just for looks to frighten away would be robbers. The stripper who was a witness of the white van and the fact it might be a Chevy was something at least but there were a lot of white Chevy vans around. David took the notes and decided to head home.

The weekend was coming up and he was determined to spend some quality time with his wife. That was rare most of the time, especially after becoming a detective. As a patrol officer he worked a shift but then came home. When he became a detective, regular shifts faded; he was more inclined to work when it was needed and that wasn’t limited to any eight hour shift.

He enjoyed being a detective and felt like it gave him a means of contributing. He thought it gave him a purpose in life and he thought what he did mattered. With Eva by his side he thought he had everything he needed in life. He couldn’t imagine his life being any more complete.