The Medusa File - Robert F. Clifton (best ebook reader android TXT) 📗

you and your team have done an excellent job so far on this cold case Medusa File. What I want to know is how close are you to solving the murder of Michael Winters?”

“Very close. I almost broke the case yesterday, but Delores also known as Patricia fell back on her love and loyalty to her husband. So, at that time, even after telling us about the other three murders, she refused to talk. However, I'm hoping that by showing compassion to the woman with the death of her husband and the fact that she is not obligated anymore to protect her husband, she might be willing to talk to us”, Kevin explained.

“I see. Now, I understand you want a female officer in plainclothes to be assigned to you for the funeral of Edward Dawson”, said Myers.

“Yes Mam. I want an officer on both sides of her. I don't want her jumping into the grave or throwing herself on the casket. I'm certain that the news media will be present. We don't need to give them anything to complain and write about”.

“I see. Alright you'll get Lorraine Mitchell. Have Adams brief her and then you inform her of her duties and where and when. Kevin?”

“Yes Mam?”

“Fine job. Now, close out this case”.

“Yes Mam”.

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

A cold early March wind blew through the bare limb maple trees and across the brown, dormant lawns of the cemetery. The members of Kevin's unit with the addition of Lorraine Mitchell stood silently with Patricia Gollegos as the black hearse slowly pulled up beside the open burial site. Four men, dressed in black suits moved the casket out of the vehicle and then slowly carried it to the grave. There, the casket, bare and without flowers rested on the canvas straps that would eventually lower the coffin to the bottom of the open pit. Then it would be the final resting place for Edward Dawson. There was no clergy, no prayers. The only sound was the constant sobbing of Patricia Gollegos, the long time wife and mate of her Edward.

Kevin gave the woman a reasonable time to grieve at the grave site then motioned for the two female officers to lead Gollegos away from the area and back to the unmarked car she had arrived in. Strangely, none of the media had been at the funeral.

Three days went by after the funeral and as they did Sergeant McKenna sat patiently at his desk reading and re-reading the first, original reports in the investigation of the murder of Michael Winters. On the fourth day Patricia Gollegos was escorted to the interrogation room. There she met Kevin and Cynthia Adams. “Have a seat Mrs. Dawson. Would you like anything before I begin asking you some questions?”, McKenna asked.

“No thank you Sergeant. And, thank you for allowing me to visit my husbands grave”, said Patricia.

“You're more than welcome. Now, before I ask you for information I want to let you know that Edward left you the Dolphin Motel. That's the good news should you be allowed to remain in the United States. The bad news is if you're deported, the U.S. government will seize your property and you get nothing but an airplane ride back to Columbia”.

“You said that if I co-operated you would help me to stay in America”, said Gollegos.

“Yes I did and I will. You co-operate and you have my word that I will appear in federal court at your hearing”, Kevin said.

“I believe you. Now, I suppose that you want to know about the death of Michael Winters. The reason I wouldn't talk before was to protect my husband. I hope you understand”, Patricia explained.

“I understand completely. Now ,before you say anything let me advise you of your rights and the fact that you have already been given the Miranda warning. Do I need to read it to you again?”

“No sir”.

“Good. Now suppose you just tell us what happened the day or night that Micheal Winters was killed.”, said Mckenna.

“Very well. During the month of October 1968 my brother Adolfo arrived at the rooming house for a visit. Now, my Edward always called me by the name Delores. Adolfo made a mistake one night and called me Patricia. Michael Winters heard him use that name. The next morning I was in the kitchen making breakfast and Winters came in. He put his arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, “Good morning, Pat”. I pulled away from him and told him I didn't know what he was talking about. He smiled and said, that he now knew my real name and that Adolfo was the man supplying cocain and scopolamine to Edward and Altina. Then, he threatened me. He said that I had to sleep with him or that he would go to the police. I became afraid for my husband and brother so on the night of October 15, 1968 I slipped out of bed and went to Michael Winters room. When I got there he got out of bed. I saw that he was nude so I began to try to reason with him, telling him that I loved my husband and didn't want to betray him”.

“Then what?”, asked Kevin.

“As I stood there both talking and crying, my Edward barged into the room. Eddie had a knife and in anger he went for Winters. At first Winters held him off but he underestimated the strength that Eddie had. In the struggle Winters wristwatch was broken. Then, somehow Eddie got the upper hand and with a stabbing motion drove the knife point into the back of Winters”.

“I see. Actually, it was into the rear of a shoulder”, said McKenna. “Then what?” Kevin asked again.

“The fight continued. Winters struck my Edward in the face causing his nose to bleed. Now, enraged he drove the knife deep into the stomach of Winters. He moaned and fell face down on the floor. I remember my Edward standing over Winters as the blood dripped from his nose as he said, “Die you bastard, die!”

“Is that it?”, asked Kevin.

“Yes, I can't think of anything else”.

“ Let's talk about your brother. Did he in fact supply you and your husband with cocain and scopolamine?”

“Yes, but it was not as sinister as it sounds. The cocain was for our recreational use. We didn't sell it. The scopolamine as I've already told you was for Teeny”.

“I believe you. Now, if you'll just sit here and relax your statement will be typed up for you to read, change or correct if you thinks it necessary then you sign and you're finished”, said Mckenna.

“Except for Immigration”. Said Patricia.

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

Three months later in the beginning of June Sergeant McKenna sat in a Federal Court Room in Newark, New Jersey. The Department of Home Security had scheduled a deportation hearing for Patricia Gollegos, illegal alien living in the United States. Patricia did not have an attorney to represent her. She couldn't afford one. At the same time the United States government was not obligated by law to furnish her with one. She was on her own. McKenna took the stand and testified how co-operative Patricia had been in helping the Nautilus Beach Police Department to solve four homicides that had gone unsolved for nearly fifty years.

The U.S. Attorney however, proved that Patricia Gollegos lived in the United States for many years with the hidden identity of Delores Rodriquez posing as a citizen of Puerto Rico and by doing so failed to pay federal income taxes. He then produced evidence that the person who posed as her husband was in reality a woman and as such could not be considered the common law spouse of the accused. At the same time even with States allowing or permitting same sex marriages the persons known as Edward Dawson and Delores Rodriquez, also known as Patricia Gollegos did not join in marriage thereby rendering any attempt to gain citizenship through marriage to an American citizen impossible.

In addition the U.S. Attorney introduced the facts of the four homicides that were committed at 1600 Albatross Lane, Nautilus Beach New Jersey, a rooming house that Patricia Gollegos operated with her partner Edward Dawson and aided and abetted in the cover up of those crimes for nearly fifty years. In addition the government recommended a fine of forty eight thousand dollars, for three offenses. In lieu of payment the United States takes possession of the Dolphin Motel, Nautilus Beach, New Jersey,

Kevin sat and heard the Federal Judge quickly reach a decision to deport Patricia back Columbia.

With the governments permission McKenna was allowed to talk to the woman, Pat. “This was touch and go right from the start. I was hoping that my testimony would help you, but in fact, mentioning those deaths might have done you in. If it did, I'm sorry. Will you be alright?”, he asked.

“I'll be fine. Adolfo has a large house in Bogota, I will live with him, Besides he needs me to take care of him. Look at it this way. I came into this country with nothing. Now, I'm leaving the same way, with nothing. All I have is the memories of a person I loved dearly and who loved me in return, regardless of what people said or thought. Good by Sergeant”.

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

At eight o'clock on a Saturday night, Kevin McKenna, John Collins. Cynthia Adams, Captain Carol Meyers, Robert Wallace and Mary Wagner Wallace sat at a large table in the Glass Menagerie Restaurant. Kevin looked at the retired police captain and said, “Uncle Bob you started the tradition of those responsible for breaking and solving a case to meet and celebrate here in this place. Tonight, as you know we are here to keep with that tradition due to the fact that the case you called

“The Medusa File” is officially solved and closed. Personally, I regard you as family. I want to thank you for the things you taught me along the way in the investigation. Speaking for the members of my unit, they, aware of your reputation within the department also want to thank you. Now, I'll turn the talking over to Captain Myers”.

Carol Myers took a sip of champagne then putting the glass down said, “What can I say? We both know that if I am regarded as a fair investigator or a worthy superior officer, it was you Captain Wallace who is responsible for teaching me how to become both. In my early days on the department female officers were assigned mostly to the Juvenile Bureau. It was you who went out of the way and had me assigned to the Major Crime Squad. The rest as they say is history. Thank you”.

“Well said. Now, lets order and eat”, said Mckenna

On the drive home Kevin McKenna looked at Robert Wallace and said, “There's something else I have to tell you”.

“Oh yeah. Well just say it”, Wallace replied.

“In order for your wife to receive your pension should you die, she has to be married to you for five years”.

“Well, in that case, how about being my best man?”, said Wallace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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