The Case Of The Missing Bride - Robert F. Clifton (red novels .txt) 📗

Doctor Edwards was head of this department for many years”, said Wallace.

“I've heard nothing but good things about him. Why did he leave?”

“Love, marriage to an old flame. He lives in Australia now. He was my best friend”.

“I can tell that you miss him”.

“Yes. Yes I do. Well doctor, there's one more thing I need to know for my report”.

“What's that?”

“Your first name”.

“It's Janet. Janet Bell”.

“Thank you. I'll let you get back to work now”, said Wallace as he turned to leave.

At shortly after five P.M. Wallace walked into his house. Mary called from the office. “I'm in here. How did it go today?”, she asked

“Alright I guess. We found Partheana.”

 

“You didn't. Tell me all about it and don't leave out anything”, said Mary”.

“Oh no. you've got that newspaper reporter look on your face. If I told you everything you could scoop every newspaper in the Delaware Valley”.

“Let me remind you of a couple of things bozo. As a free lance writer I make my living some times writing about things others have no knowledge about. Next, I'm the one you like to get cozy with time from time in bed. Finally, I'm your wife and I can make your life a living hell, as well as not allow those cozy times. If you get my drift”.

Wallace laughed. “Well, I guess you have pressured me to the point where I'm forced to confess. Let's get serious for a moment. This case is unofficially an old, some could say ancient case. Sure, we found Partheana's remains, but I still need to know how she died. What I'm trying to tell you dear is that when all of the pieces are in and fit I can make a determination. Then, as a guy who loves you I'll see to it that you are the first to get the story”.

“Make sure you do. Now, tell me all about it”.

“Nice try”.

“Idiot!”

Two weeks went by. Captain Wallace fell back into his regular routine of arriving at his office exactly at eight in the morning. As usual he carried two, white paper bags one containing, Styrofoam cups of black coffee, creamers and packs of sugar. The other bag held a dozen assorted doughnuts. Everyone knew that the lemon doughnuts were his.

He sat at his desk munching his breakfast and taking sips of coffee from the cup. The members of his unit took their usual fare then looked for a place to sit. They had heard that Wallace had found the missing White daughter and were anxious to hear how he did it.

“Hey Cap. When are you going to tell us how you solved this case?”, asked McKenna.

“When I'm satisfied that I have all the answers, which by the way I don't”.

“Captain we already know that you found a body in a steamer trunk. At the same time we know that the body was mummified. So why can't you tell us the rest?”, asked Carol Myers.

“Because, I don't know the rest and when I do I'll tell you”, said Wallace as he reached for a ringing telephone on his desk.

“Major Crime Squad, Captain Wallace”, he said.

“Captain, this is Doctor Bell. I thought that you would want to know that we ran a CT scan on the human remains that you sent in. Now, I can give you the results over the telephone or you can come in and I'll show you exactly what we found”

“Excellent. When would be a good time for you doctor?”, he asked.

“Any time after ten this morning”.

“Good, I'll see you then”.

Wallace turned to his squad members and said “O.K. Time for you leather ass detectives to get to work. Sergeant Stiles will be in charge in case anything goes down. I'll be at the hospital morgue if anyone needs me. By the way, they had better want to need me in a very bad way. Understand?”

Thirty minutes later Robert Wallace walked into the hospital morgue. Doctor Bell looked up from the paper work she was studying and upon seeing the Police Captain said,“Come in Captain”.

Wallace walked into the small office of the pathologist and took a seat in a chair next to her desk where she was sitting. “Good morning”, he said.

“Good morning, I think I have what you want from the CT scan”, said the doctor.

As he reached for his notebook and pen doctor Bell interrupted him. “I made you a copy of everything we learned from the scan”.

“Great, but I guess I'm so use to taking notes in my investigation that it has become a habit. At the same time usually I have to jot down things just to remind myself of what to do next”.

“I see, now if you're ready I'll tell you what I've found so far”, said Bell.

“I'm ready”.

“The subject examined had a twisted spine and rib cage. That was probably the result of the position of the body in the trunk. Decomposition of the body began before mummification, The scan revealed that internal organs were present, the heart, intestines and kidneys were present, but atrophy naturally reduced their size”.

“I see. Just to satisfy my own curiosity can you tell me just how a human body in this town could mummify? I associate mummy’s with Egypt and the desert “, said Wallace.

“Decomposition can only occur when it has moisture and oxygen. On the other hand mummification occurs when there is constant dry heat or constant dry cold. You mentioned that you found the body in the attic. Evidently the attic had the constant temperatures needed to create mummification. “

“Thank you doctor. If there isn't anything else, I'll leave you to your work. At this time I have no idea what will be done with the body. I'm sure someone will claim it and make the necessary arrangements”, said Wallace as he got up out of the chair.

“Before you leave, I think you should look at some thing”, Said Doctor Bell.

Wallace followed the pathologist into the large examination room where the mummy of Partheana lay on an examination table. Doctor pulled back the white sheet covering the body, exposing one hand. She then turned to Wallace and said, “Look at her fingers”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eleven

And The Band Played On

 

Captain Wallace sat between Chief Monahan and Sidney Kaplan in the television station KCCD. The news that the body of Partheana White had been discovered generated a great amount of local interest. Every resident of Nautilus Beach grew up with the mystery of the missing daughter of the towns first mayor. Now, tonight the station owner as well as the manager was hoping for a large viewing audience along with a large rating when the discovery would be discussed.

Wallace looked at the programs host, Reds Morton and noticed the sullen look on his face. Wallace had not only accepted his challenge but found what was possibly the missing girl, Nonetheless, Morton's facial expression changed when he got the signal that the show was on the air.

Morton began the program by saying, “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. For those of you who might have been out of state, out of the country or in outer space let me bring you up to date. A few months ago I more or less challenged the Nautilus Beach Police Department in general and Captain Robert Wallace in particular to solve the mystery of Partheana White who disappeared on her wedding day in 1862.

Now, the police and Captain Wallace claim to have solved the enigma that has stumped experts from all over the world. Yet, Captain Wallace claims that he not only found the remains of Partheana White, but can tell us how she died and how she disappeared.

With us tonight in the studio are Chief of Police Jerry Monahan, Captain Robert Wallace, Doctor Janet Bell, Chief of the Pathology Department at the Nautilus Beach Hospital as well as the Medical Examiner for the local police department and Sidney Kaplan, curator of the Nautilus Beach Museum and the President of The Nautilus Beach Historical Society.

Tonight we have decided to do away with our normal format, that being audience participation by calling in your questions. I am sure that you will want to give these gentlemen and doctor Bell plenty of time to present their facts and theory. Now, we will go to a commercial. We will be right back”.

Reds Morton turned to his invited guests and said, “I hope all of you have their facts straight, because in three more minutes we will be on the air”.

Wallace fought the temptation to tell Morton to stick his program in his ass and walk out. Instead he tightened the grip he had on the arms of his chair. Doctor Bell, looked at Wallace and smiled, recognizing the angry look on his face.

The words, “And we're back”, came from the director and Morton began his questions. “Captain Wallace. It has been said that you have found the remains of the missing, Partheana White. The first question I have for you is, how do you know that what you found is indeed, the missing girl?”

Wallace looking at the camera said, “Who else could it be? Do you know of anyone else, any other female that was reported missing in Nautilus Beach back in 1862. Perhaps you can give me information about some other young woman who when she went missing was attired in a wedding gown.”

Morton was taken back for just a moment as the Police Captain's answer made the T.V. host look stupid. Nonetheless, he quickly regain his composure and asked, “Is it true that what you found, let's call it the remains, is it true that the remains you found was a mummy?”

“Yes”, Wallace answered.

“And, just how did you come to that determination?”

“Common sense and the result of the Medical Examiner's report”.

“I assume that you are speaking about Doctor Bell”.

“That's correct”, said Wallace.

“Turning his attention to the doctor, Morton asked, “When you made your examination of the remains how did you come to the conclusion that the remains were mummified?”, Doctor Bell.

“A mummy, is a deceased human or animal whose skin and organs have been preserved by intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, heat or lack of air or oxygen. In any of these conditions the body does not decay. This then leaves soft tissue which is one of the recognizable factors of mummification,” Doctor Bell answered. “I see. And it is your professional opinion that the remains you examined was in fact mummified”, said Morton.

“That's correct”.

“Could you determine the cause of death?”

“Yes, suffocation”.

“Determined how, doctor?”

“The body was examined by using a CT scan, which revealed unusually compressed skin folds and wrinkles on the right and left neck area. Moreover, the scan revealed evidence that the thorax was significantly inflated with air along with a widening of spaces between the ribs and shifting of the scapulae. This is sufficient evidence that either strangulation of suffocation was the cause of death”.

“You mention strangulation. Are you saying that the girls was murdered and her body placed in the trunk?”, asked Morton.

“No, I'm telling you why she died, not how she died. I suggest that if you want that information you ask Captain Wallace”, said Bell.

“Very well, Captain can you tell us how Partheana White died?”, asked Morton.

“Yes, accidentally”.

“You're saying her death was an accident?”

“That's what I'm saying”.

“Care to elaborate?

“Certainly. Let me take you back to the night of the wedding. The reception was held in the ball room of the White mansion. Benjamin White had hired an orchestra for the entertainment of the guest. Dancing would take place after the dinner, speeches, cutting the cake and toast's. What happens next? Let's keep in mind that the bride is sixteen years old. Not a child, but not an adult and still holding on to her childhood ways. One thing in her childhood that she enjoyed was playing the game, Hide and go Seek. Either her or someone suggested that she played the game one more time before leaving on her honeymoon She