Rip Tide - Robert F Clifton (red white and royal blue hardcover txt) 📗

Chapter One floatsom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RIP TIDE

by

Robert F. Clifton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright...2014 by Robert F. Clifton

All rights reserved. No part of this book

may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means without the

written permission from the author

 

 

 

 

The reader is advised that this is a work of fiction and any similarity to places, persons, events or things contained in this book is purely coincidental .

 

R.F. Clifton

 

Dedicated to Cynthia Goldberg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table Of Contents

 

Chapter One..........Flotsam

Chapter Two..........The Merry Wives

Chapter Three........The Desert Angel

Chapter four...........The Black Dress

Chapter five............Suspect

Chapter Six …..........Independence Day

Chapter Seven........Undercover

Chapter Eight......... Propositioned

Chapter Nine.......... Amalgamated Energy

Chapter Ten........... Private Show

Chapter Eleven....... Trial and Error

Chapter Twelve...... Acid Tongues

Chapter Thirteen.....Squeeze

Chapter fourteen.....Dinner At Eight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter One

Flotsam

 

Robert Wallace read again the legal papers he held in his hands.

They were the divorce papers ending the marriage of one, Robert Wallace to one, Mary Wagner. He noted that the name, Mary Wagner was

emphasized in the decree stating that she wished to revert to her maiden name. That was fine with him. The property settlement was uncomplicated. The house they had lived in together had been her house. It was only right that she be allowed to keep it, rather than to sell it and split the money. At the same time and in the same way, Robert kept his condominium. Mary did not request or desire alimony. Now, as he folded the document and placed it back in the envelope they were both free. The marriage was over, ending the mistake they both had made together.

He leaned back in the desk chair and thought again of the then, ever present complications that eventually destroyed the marriage.

First of all, just as he had expected, their age difference would be a factor.

He was in his forties, she in her twenties. While he preferred classical music her preference was rock and roll. He, although not quite anti-social did not trust too many people and like most police officers surrounded himself with other law enforcement types. Mary was out going and friendly. Her friends were young women and men who, like her were journalist's and news reporters. It was no secret that Robert Wallace did not like or trust news reporters. At the same time he had to admit that Mary had made every attempt necessary to save the marriage. She had quit the newspaper where she had been a top, investigative, reporter.

Leaving her desired profession she turned to free lance writing, submitting articles and short stories to magazines. Although successful she still longed for the times when she reported a news event, followed it up and put it down on paper. Nonetheless, she had regarded her marriage more important then her line of work. In all, she wanted to be a wife and a mother and when her husband refused to father a child it was the last straw. Mary asked for a divorce. Robert agreed. Now, the marriage was over. Still, they agreed to remain friends.

He opened a drawer and placed the papers inside. Then, he stood up from the cluttered desk and walked between the many cardboard boxes that had been placed on the den floor. The boxes contained what he considered important to him, musical albums and tapes, books on many subjects from American and world history to forensic science and investigative techniques. Somewhere, in some box were a list of unsolved homicide cases from all over the world.

Walking to the glass panel door that opened to the balcony he opened it. When he did a soft, cool breeze entered the room. He took a deep breath, smelling the scent of salt from the ocean carried in the air. From the sixth floor of the building he looked out into the night. In the distance he observed the wave motions of the water as white capped waves rolled gently up and on to the sandy beach leaving a whiten foam as the water retreated again rushing back into the sea. Moonlight illuminated the beach creating what appeared to be a silver strand that extended for miles. A hundred and fifty yards from the waters edge hundreds of people strolled the boardwalk. Merchants hawked their wares, hamburgers, hot dogs, pork roll sandwiches, pop corn, peanuts and the miracle kitchen aids, guaranteed to make the life of the little home maker so much easier. It was the same, year after year. The same people types walking and the same merchants hustling. Wallace closed the door.

At about the same time that Wallace made his observations the fully clad body of a young woman tumbled over and over as the wave action of the ocean tossed her lifeless body like flotsam in the churning water. As the body moved, one high heel shoe came off and sank slowly to the sandy bottom. Her eyes were open as was her mouth. The waterproof wristwatch on her left wrist kept ticking as the lifeless motion of her body activated the self winding Rolex wristwatch allowing it to keep perfect time. Eventually, one large swell created a sizable wave which caught the now half submerged corpse lifting it gently to the surface then carried it to the wet, sandy beach. A second rushing wave moved it again and eventually the deceased woman like a piece of drift wood was deposited on the sands of Nautilus Beach, New Jersey.

The next morning Captain Robert Wallace walked into his office.

He placed the large, white paper bag containing Styrofoam cups of black coffee, stirrers, creamers and a half a dozen doughnuts on his desk then took a seat and waited for the members of the Major Crime Squad to enter, take their traditional office meal and discuss on going investigations. At the same time Wallace reviewed and relayed any new orders or department information relevant to his detectives. Before taking a bite out of a lemon filled doughnut The Captain asked for information on any events that occurred during the previous night. “Anything happen that we should know about?”, he asked looking at those seated in the room.

“I heard when I came in this morning that a body washed up on to the beach”, said Detective McKenna.

“Man or woman?”

“I don't know. All I heard was that the midnight to eight shift district car crew is waiting for a detective and photographer to arrive so they can send the body to the morgue and go home”.

Wallace glanced at his watch noting the time at eight fifteen A.M.

“I can imagine that right about now two patrolmen are bitching and moaning. Alright, sit tight, could be anything, accidental drowning, suicide and if it's a homicide they'll let us know.

At one fifteen P.M. that afternoon the Medical Examiner at the hospital morgue found bruising on the throat and neck of the dead woman. At two P.M. the case of the unidentified victim was officially assigned to the Nautilus Beach Police Departments Major Crime Squad. At two thirty five P.M. Captain Wallace and Sergeant Frank Stiles waited while the morgue attendant pulled back the white sheet covering the woman's body. They gazed upon the now nude body of a Caucasian female. Wallace judged the woman to be in her late teens or early twenties. She had natural, ashen, blond hair and if she had worn it in any particular style it had vanished caused by the time in the salt water. As he gazed upon the body his thoughts were interrupted by a female voice behind him.

“Do you have any questions?”

Wallace turned and saw a woman wearing a white lab coat. She was approximately five feet eight inches tall with jet black hair, dark brown eyes, slender and with an olive complexion and to him, very attractive, For a moment he was lost for words.“I'm sorry. I'm Captain Wallace. I must assume that you are the new Medical Examiner”.

“Yes I am. I am Doctor Wescoat, Emily Wescoat”.

Wallace stuck out his hand in a sign of friendship.

“I don't think shaking hands right at this moment is a very good idea. I still have my gloves on from another examination. I came here just as soon as I heard that you arrived.”

Wallace smiled. “Believe me I completely understand. Doctor I see the bruising on the victims throat. That of course could indicate that the cause of death was strangulation and I'm sure it is. However, I will need to know if drowning could also be the cause of death”.

“ Naturally when I perform a complete autopsy water or the lack of water in the lungs will determine that”.

“Also doctor we would want to know if the victim was involved in any sexual activity, such as intercourse, rape or sexual abuse of any kind”.

“ Actually, I've already conducted an examination and I can tell you The hymen is still intact.”

“Well , until the results of your autopsy are ready I have no other questions. We would like to see her personal effects”.

“Of course. They are in the room next door. I'll have someone show you the way”.

“Thank you doctor, but that won't be necessary. We know where it is”.

“Of course how silly of me. I'm new here, you're not”.

As Wallace stood over the fiberglass box containing the clothes of the young woman in the morgue Stiles removed a notebook and pen from the inside pocket of his blue blazer. The Captain removed a pair of powder blue panties and a matching bra from the container. “ Well, since we now know that sex is not involved we don't need to test these”. Picking up the Rolex wristwatch he whistled. “This baby goes for about seven thousand dollars. It's rose gold.” He moved pantyhose and one black shoe then picked up the still wet black dress. Grains of sand clung to the fabric. He searched for and found a label, “Kalinka” it read.

“Make a note of that dress name. That, along with the Rolex might have some bearing in this case later on”.

“Got it”.

****************

Arriving back at headquarters Wallace walked into his office. Stiles followed. Sitting at his desk he looked at the Sergeant and said, “ Read back to me what we did and found at the morgue”.

“Well, we more or less confirmed that the victim was strangled.

We estimate her age to be between eighteen and twenty five years old. At the same time we can assume that sexual activity did not take place during the murder. And, the victim had a very expensive wristwatch”.

“O.K. What was the name of that dress?”, asked Wallace.

Stiles looked at his notepad again. “Kalinka”, he answered.

Wallace leaned forward and pressed the button on the office inter-com. “Carol? Can you come in here please?”

Detective Myers entered the office. “Yes sir?”, she responded.

“What do you know about Kalinka dresses?”

“I know that I'll never own one”

“Why not?”

“Because they're too expensive. They range in price from the hundreds to the thousands of dollars”.

“Really. Very interesting. Right now we have a young female victim who was in possession of a very expensive wristwatch and was wearing a very expensive dress. I have a feeling that one or both of those items could be important in this case. Carol, go to the morgue, gather up all of the victims belongings bring them back here and tag them as evidence. Eventually someone is going to inquire about or claim the body along with her belongings. I don't want possible evidence to be lost”.

“Yes sir. I'm on the way”.

 

 

 

 

Later that day Robert Wallace entered his condo and once again made his way through filled cardboard boxes that still took up room and space on the floor. He took off the light blue sport coat that he wore, walked to the bedroom closet and placed it on a wire hanger. After that he unbuckled his belt and removed the holstered Colt Detective Special revolver and as usual put it on the top shelf of the closet. Walking into the kitchen he opened the freezer door