Fatal Encounters, Chapter 23
by Irv Pliskin
Carl finally found his way back to the Day’s Inn motel where he had stopped when he first came to New Jersey. He had never checked out, so he still had a room there. Before going to his room, he stopped at the office and brought his account up to date. He didn’t want the management to get concerned and call the police, for instance. He was suddenly quite tired, and although he had eaten a hearty breakfast he was hungry all of a sudden.
He went to his room, washed his face and decided to change his clothes. He put on the second outfit he had bought and realized that he would need more clothing. He had enough for the moment, but he would have to find a place to buy some clothing.
He got into his car and drove down the highway looking for a place to eat and shop. He saw a huge shopping center on the other side of the divided highway, and decided to turn in. But he missed the turn to the mall, and as he did that, realized that he had also missed a diner up on a hill.
“Shit,” he said. “I would have gone there, but I missed the entrance. I guess I’ll have to go on until I get a chance to make a U turn and come back.”
As he drove, he saw yet another diner: a glitzy establishment with lots of cars parked around it. The diner had pennants all over the place, but it looked busy and busy was generally a sign that if the food wasn’t good, it was plentiful, at least.
They put him at a table in a large second dining room. The waitress was an old crone, with a high-pitched voice. But, she seemed to know the score, and was quite efficient. He got his food in short order. After eating, he asked her about places to shop.
She suggested that he go around the circle out front, and back down the road toward the shopping center. “You can go into the center and find a lot of expensive stores,” she said. “But if you take the road and go to the center on this side of the street you have Kohls--which is pretty good and always has stuff on sale, or Target...they got a lot of stuff there, too. If you're rich, go to the mall. If not, go to the other place. It’s is a lot cheaper.”
Carl thanked her and left a good tip, not big enough to draw attention, but enough to say, Lady, I thank you.
Carl’s libido was raging and even as he sat in the restaurant eating his meal, he had an almost obsessive desire to reach out and touch the breasts of the young women who walked past his table. He even had to constrain himself from trying to fondle the breasts of the waitress-crone, as she bent over to put something on the table.
He had never felt this way before, and it was tough to restrain himself, but his intellect told him he must. Were he to touch anyone, he would surely be in trouble. He managed to downplay his driving desire, and went shopping. He spent an hour buying slacks and shirts, underwear, socks and a few other things, and then started back to the motel.
The motel was on the other side of the divided highway, but by this time he had figured out how to get to it, so he was comfortable driving through the afternoon traffic to his hideaway. As he drove, he realized that he was feeling the strong sexual stirrings that he had had before he met Betty Louise.
He wondered what was happening to him. Usually, after a conquest that ended like hers, he was fine for as long as a month. Often longer. Sometimes his quest through the Internet and in Europe took as long as six months, and he was fine during that time. But now he felt the urge: he was almost burning with desire, and knowing himself he knew that he would have to find some way to satisfy it.
“Maybe what I’ll do,” he muttered, “is go to Philly and find a massage parlor and get myself screwed by a couple of hookers.” But, that would probably not be enough, he realized. He could tell that his need included watching the death throes and then the subsequent domination of the lifeless woman. “Jesus,” he muttered. “I have to fight this. Too many too soon, and my ass will really be on the line. I’ve got to fight this.”
He went into his room, double locked the door and wondered how he would deal with this developing, raging unexpected compulsion.
He was lying on the lumpy bed, trying to clear his mind so he could nap, when he remembered something that last broad said. “What the hell was her name again?” Her name just wouldn’t come to him. All he could think of her was that she was the woman with the sex toys. “How dare she”, he said aloud to the empty room. “How dare that hillbilly bitch need those after I made love to her? What a terrible put down that is. That bitch deserved to die. She got what she deserved. She did.”
He thought about her for a moment and then remembered something she had said. She said that she had been a lot lizard, hadn’t she?
Yeah, she did. A lot lizard, he mused. A lot lizard that’s a possibility. What did she say they were? Oh yeah, gals who hang around the truck stops and boff the truckers. I wonder if that’s a place to go to take care of this itch. I wonder.
He didn’t have a lot of cash left. He’d have to go find an ATM. That should be easy. Thinking about it, he fell off into a restless sleep. Just before he did, he remembered her name. Betty Louise, lot lizard.
Carl slept until late in the afternoon. When he awakened, he got out of bed, took a shower and feeling somewhat refreshed, slipped into one of his new clothes.
He took his money belt and opened it. He counted twenty-five hundred dollars in cash, and felt that that would be all right for a short time, but he was sure he could use several thousand dollars more.
Getting it should be no problem. He would visit half a dozen ATM machines, which he realized were nearly everywhere around him, and tap each of them them for a few hundred dollars.
He did not want to take a conspicuous amount of money from any one machine. That would certainly draw attention to him. If he needed more, he could get it after a small trip. He had squirreled away more than two million dollars, in cash, in safe deposit boxes in banks all around the Pocono area.
Getting the money might be a little complicated, he knew, but he had worked it out in every detail.
When he had decided to seed money around for his emergency use, he bought and paid for one of those ubiquitous shipping stores that seem to do so well and offer post boxes, permanent storage safes and other stuff. He bought an ongoing concern that had half a dozen lock boxes for patrons. He leased the store back to the original owner at a very fortuitous rate, the rental money going to a lawyer who kept it in a special account, if Carl should need it.
The lawyer had all control and was paid handsomely for his services. Carl was perfectly anonymous. The attorney paid the bills and all else. Profits were put into Carl’s escrow account, where they sat, and grew. Carl arranged for one of the boxes to be rented to him, under a phony name, in perpetuity. Carl had paid the rent for it in advance for twenty years, He had the lock box fixed so only he could get into it , using the safe combination he had in his house.
The only things the box contained were the keys to the safe deposit boxes he had around the area. He had each key in a special envelope, with a code identification on the envelope. All he had to do is go to the store, which was in a little town called Lenhartsville in Pennsylvania. That would be safe, he thought. He had a safety deposit box in the bank there too, and then in banks all around the area, up to Hazleton.
So, if he really needed money, all he had to do was go to Lenhartsville and replenish his funds. It was really easy. It was however, at least a three-hour drive to Lenhartsville, and he didn’t think he wanted to do that, at this time. The ATM’s would work just fine.
He used three different credit cards, and went to eight ATM machines, taking no more than three hundred dollars from each. When he had two thousand dollars, he stopped and went back to his hotel room.
That was easy, he thought. Not a problem in the world.
When the Army had broken the code on Carl’s photographically preserved financial records, and provided the state police with a list of holdings and banks, Hallen had had them all contacted. There was no way to freeze or appropriate the money; Rogers was not charged with anything. He was, so far as the banks and the law was concerned, a citizen with citizen’s rights: completely innocent until arrested, charged and proven guilty.
Hallen suspected that even if the man was arrested and found guilty, his money might still be sacrosanct. Rogers could end up being the most outrageously wealthy man on death row.
The banks and security houses, however, were willing to cooperate with the state police. Although they could not withhold funds, they could, if they chose, inform the authorities if funds were drawn upon, and how much and where.
Eight hours after Carl made his first ATM withdrawal, his flagged account found its way to a bank official’s desk.
The man picked up his phone and called Hallen.
“Detective Hallen?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Sir, this is Philip Hazelman of Lenders Bank in Chicago. You asked to be informed if an account on our list was activated.”
“Yes, I did. Got some action?”
“Yes sir. The account that we have flagged was activated at several ATM’s in New Jersey. It was used at three banks for a total withdrew of $850.”
“Where are these machines, Mr. Hazelman? You did say Hazelman, is that correct, do I have your name right?”
“Yes sir it is. The machines are in the Cherry Hill, N. J. area. The money was withdrawn over a short time period. It looks as if he decided not to take too much money at one time and draw attention to himself. So he went from machine to machine and got small amounts.”
“Looks that way, doesn’t it?” Hallen said. “Thanks so much. This may be very helpful.”
Hallen leaned back in his desk chair, put his feet on the desk and closed his eyes to think. He had a good idea of the procedure to follow, but he felt it might be to his advantage to get some additional opinions. He asked a clerk to find BB and Frank Godowsky and have them both come to his office.
Then he reached for the phone and called the chief of detectives of the Cherry Hill Police.
When the officer, Lieutenant Bill Kushmanik came on the line, Hallen identified himself. “Chief,” he then said. “We think there is a very wily serial killer in your area. He has no record, and is not under arrest, not yet at least. But we traced him through withdrawals at several of your ATM’S. This guy preys on women. Have you had any strange or bizarre sex killings in the area recently?”
“Not here in my town thank goodness. But wait a moment. I think I may have something for you. Yeah, the other day there was a really strange homicide in a nearby town. Why don’t you talk to the chief over there, I’ll give you the phone number. “
BB and Frank came in to the office about the same time. Hallen motioned them to chairs and told them what had happened.
“We’ve got a location, at least a location a few days ago, for Rogers,” he said. “Now we have to figure out what to do next.”
He brought them up to date on the situation and told them of the strange homicide of a female. He got the chief and told him his problem. The chief responded.
“Hell yes, detective. We got a real strange one the other day.” The chief described the situation.
“Jesus,” Hallen said, “that sounds like the sort of thing our guy might do. Have you guys done a DNA?”
“It’s in the work. Do you have one for comparison?”
“We sure do.” Hallen said.
“Listen, I’d like to come down there and look the situation over. Would that be okay with you?”
“Just fine,” the chief said.
“I’ll bring a couple of my people. How about first thing in the morning?”
“Jesus,” BB said “that’s a hell of break. If the DNA matches, we really did get a break, right?”
“Right.” Hallen said.
Frank hadn’t contributed to the conversation, so Hallen turned to him and said.
“Hey Gadowsky, what’s with you? You usually have a wise-ass comment to make. The trouble is, they are usually right, too.”
“Sorry, boss, but Regina’s mom is the hospital, and she may not make it. So, I don’t feel particularly wise-ass today.”
“What? What the hell happened?”
Frank explained the circumstances and what they were waiting to hear.
“We should know something in about an hour or so. When I got the call on my cell, Regina insisted I come here. I’m really quite concerned about her and her mom.”
“I appreciate that. We aren’t going to Jersey until tomorrow, and if things aren’t better you won’t have to come.”
“No sir, I want to be in on this all the way. Please don’t write me out.”
“I won’t. Tell you what, go back to Regina now and as soon as we work out the details, I’ll call you and you can join us in the morning. You’’ll have a pretty good handle on it then, I would guess.”
“Thanks, boss, I do appreciate the consideration.”
Frank went back to the hospital where Regina was still waiting for any sort of news. He was with her when a doctor in a blood stained green gown walked out of the operating room area, looking for her.
“Well, young lady,” the doctor said. “I think you should congratulate us. We did a hell of job and managed to stop the cranial bleeding and drain the pooling blood. Had we waited a little longer, the brain may have been too compressed by the blood and serious damage could have occurred. As it is, it looks like she’s going to be okay, We’ve got her out of the ER, and she's being moved to the ICU right now. I have every reason to believe that she won’t be awake until early tomorrow morning. She’s pretty badly dosed up and I want to keep her that way. So you can go home now. You won’t accomplish anything here. Leave your number with the desk nurse. If they need you, they will call, I promise you.”
“Do you really think she will be okay doctor?” Regina asked.
“Ninety nine percent sure. Go home now, get some rest, relax. She’s going to be okay, I promise you.”
Regina sat in the car absolutely motionless all the way back to her apartment. Frank had started to say something, but she acted as if she was alone, and as if she didn’t hear him. She was almost zombie like, and for a moment he was concerned for her, but then he figured she was processing all that had happened and was just putting it all in focus.
When the pulled up in front of the apartment, she sat motionless in the car, not moving.
“We’re here.” he said. “Let’s go.”
She didn’t move, so he went around to the passenger side of the car, and opened the door. He slipped his hand under her arm, and she came out of the car, listlessly.
Holding her closely, he walked with her to the apartment door, which was locked.
“Do you have the keys, honey?”
She nodded her head yes, and fumbled in her bag for them. He opened the door, and then led her inside.
When he closed and locked the door behind him, he took her arm to lead her to a chair, but she turned into him suddenly and put both arms around him in a strong and passionate hug.
She kissed him, with a vigor he had never before experienced and she ground her pelvis into him, pushing him against the wall, and hanging on for dear life.
Without a word, she took her arms from around him, still firmly encased in a kiss, and opened his belt, zipped down his trousers and pushed his pants and underpants down. She grabbed him and made sure he was erect and then, she pulled up her dress, pushed down her pants. The sex was erotic, violent and apparently life giving.
When it was over, she pulled his pants up to his knees, kicked her underpants away and still kissing him, dragged him to the sofa and lay down on the sofa alongside him.
“Frank, Frank you are the only thing that is keeping me sane. Oh God, I love you, I love you. When you are ready, I want you again. As much as you can. As hard as you can.”
She collapsed on his chest, breathing hard. He put his arms around her and patted her shoulders as one would a weeping child.
They showered together. Frank was enthralled with the way her hair responded to the water, long and stringy and very, very sexy.
He nuzzled her, stroked her breasts as the soapy water washed away, and washed her back with tender loving strokes.
When he massaged her, she purred like a kitten, and he knew, that with prompting he would be soon ready for another love making session. But he decided to control himself, and wait until later.
Sitting at the kitchen table, Regina in her robe, and he in his boxer shorts, she said to him, 'Frank, I hope you don't think I acted badly before, when we got here, doing you like that in the hall.”
“Regina, listen to me. I don't think its bad to approach making love with the passion, excitement and need you had back there in the hall. And I called it making love, not screwing, because that's what it was. It was really making love, understand me? That was a desperate need. But God it was wonderful, and I will never ever, forget it. Not even if we're together a hundred years.”
Looking downcast she said. “You've never been with a whore before now. Maybe what has happened to my mom is punishment for what I was doing, whoring. and....."
Frank slammed his fist on the table and overrode her, loudly.
“Look, damnit stop that,” he almost shouted. “Stop that. I don't give a damn about what you did before we met, but if I ever hear you refer to yourself as whore again, I swear to you I'll make you regret it. I swear.”
“You will, how?” she asked and now her voice was frivolous and inviting. “What will you do, lover? Wash my mouth out with soap? Spank me? You wouldn't spank me would you? I'd love anything you might do to me, lover. Anything. Want to spank me now because I'm a bad girl? Go ahead.”
She stood up and turned around, bending over so he could see her behind. For a moment he was tempted to really give her a wallop and then, he reached out, took her by the arm and pulled her into his lap.
“Stop it Regina. Just stop it. I love you, you crazy kid, and as soon as we get over this hurdle with your mom I want to marry you. So stop it, for God's sake, please, please.”
She threw her arms around him, and kissed him again.
“Will you marry me?” he asked.
She shook her head yes.
“Well, how about we go look for a ring this weekend? Will that be okay with you? That is if your mom is doing better. Okay?”
She shook her head yes again, and this time he could feel the tears drop from he cheeks onto his bare chest.
Frank had planned to be up at five AM so he could shave, shower, dress and meet Hallen at six on the Pennsylvania Turnpike extension. They were only a couple of hours from Philadelphia's Walt Whitman bridge that crossed the river into South Jersey. But Hallen thought there might be traffic problems on the Schuylkill Expressway, and he did not want to be late. So he planned to leave plenty of time for the trip.
It was four thirty in the morning when Frank came out of his deep sleep to realize that he was sexually aroused. Regina was administering to him in a way that was irresistible. She sensed he was awake, and she moved up to him kissed him on the lips and whispered, “Are you awake, darling? I can't let you go today with something to remember me by, so I thought this might be a good send off.”
“Oh great, he said. Great. What a way to wake up.”
He reached for her breast. “No,” she said, “don't touch me, I want to do it all this time, all by myself. You just lay there and enjoy. Okay?”
And she did.
He showered and dressed by five thirty, with plenty of time for his meeting. Regina already had fresh coffee on the table, and a small thermos of coffee for him. “After we're married,” he asked, “am I going to be awakened like this every morning? If so, let's get hitched this afternoon.”
“No, Frank. I don't think so. But I need you now, so much and I just have to show you how much I care, how much I need you.”
He stood up, and hugged her. He kissed her coffee flavored lips.
“Honey,” he said. “I know. I know. Besides, if it happened every morning, I don't think I'd ever sleep, I'd just lay here expecting it. Regina, I'll be here for you all the time, for all time, believe me. I have to run, but you have my cell, if you need me, and I'll call you on yours the first chance I get. Go back to sleep now, you need your beauty sleep.” He kissed her again. “Regina, I love you, I really do.”
The traffic moved swiftly on the North East Extension of the Pike, and it was sparse on the famous Schuylkill expressway too. Hallen told his traveling companions that the natives called the roadway the “Surekill' for good reason. “This highway is a killer,” he explained. “When it gets tied up, and it often does, it is almost impossible to drive. But we seem to be lucky this morning. How about some breakfast? We've got plenty of time, and the famous Melrose diner is not far from here.
Shall we try it?”
They found the diner with no trouble and went in. A smiling hostess led them to a table, and they looked at the ample menu.
Before they could even look at it, a pert young waitress was pouring coffee into sparkling hefty mugs.
“How did you find this place, Jerry?” BB asked. “How do you know about it?”
“Don't you ever watch Philly TV, BB? This place's commercials are on the TV often. Everyone knows them. Then he sang a part of the famous TV jingle: 'Everybody goes to Melrose, the Melrose diner restaurant.' Haven't you ever heard that?”
“Gee, I don't know,” BB said. “How about you Frank, have you heard it?”
“Sure have, and I've always wanted to come here and try it. Looks like a real nice place. All I have to decide now is if I'm going to have ham or their famous scrapple. Scrapple's supposed to be good here.”
As they were being served, Hallen turned to Frank and said:
“So, how is Regina this morning?”
“She seems better. I left her a note saying that I would call her this morning and see what progress is being made.”
“You living with that girl now?” BB asked. “You must have just started, and you mean she didn't get up with you, make your coffee, and give you a going away boff to remember her by? That's what young lovers are supposed to do.”
Jerry grinned. “Hey BB don't rattle the kid's chain. You never got that treatment, and he has no reason to tell you if he did.”
“No, she didn't,” Frank said. “But she did agree to marry me as soon as her mom is better and out of the hospital. We're going to look for a ring this weekend, if everything is okay.”
“Hey, that's great,” Jerry said. “I like that lady, smart, pretty and with lots of spunk. You couldn't do any better, not since my wife is not available.”
