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Disappearing Act Ch. 01

By: WifeWatchman



The chronological order of my stories is as follows:

Todd & Melina series, Interludes 1-5, Sperm Wars series, Russian Roulette series, Case of the Murdered Lovers series, Case of the Murdered Chessplayer series, The Swap series, Interludes 6-10, The Murdered Football Player Series, Case of the Black Widow series, Teresa's Christmas Story, The Case of the Black Badge series, A Case of Revenge series, Teresa's Summer Race, The Trilogy series, Dark Side Of The Force series, Caught In The Act series, The Phyllis Files 1-2, Case of the Murdered Bride series, The Credit Card Caper series, The Phyllis Files 3, The Hot Wives Investment Club series, Seriously Inconvenienced series, Case of the Paper Trail series, Christmas Mystery Theater, The Porno Set Mystery series, The Medical Murder Mystery series, The Eightfold Fence series, The Phyllis Files 4, Pale Morning Light series, Silverfish series, Cold As Ice series, Secrets of Apple Grove series, Sting of the Scorpion series, Reichenbach series, Case of the Parole Officer series, Teresa's Summer Race Redux.

Disappearing Act, Ch. 01

This story list is now in WifeWatchman's biography!

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

*****

Part 1 - Prologue

Tuesday, July 13th. The first summer heat wave was enveloping the Town & County, with temperatures approaching the upper 90s, and the humidity soaking the air into an unwanted, velvety blanket of unbreathable oppression.

The day before (Monday), my Police email account received a post from an insurance company, Reems & Berry Life Insurance, bypassing normal Police channels. This irritated me, but I held my composure and read the email. They wanted information on a missing persons case that had taken place nearly seven years ago. As is usual for requests of this kind, I sent a copy of the email to the local FBI Missing Persons office, and replied to the insurance company that I'd forwarded their request to the FBI, and to direct all further inquiries to the FBI or to our Police Public Relations Department.

That apparently wasn't good enough. This morning, Tuesday, July 14th, I'd barely had time to sit down in my comfortable chair in my office at 8:00am when the phone rang. Helena French, my assistant, buzzed me.

"It's the Governor, sir."

"Of the State?" I asked. Obviously I was not fully awake, nor had I consumed a proper amount of coffee.

"Yes sir." Helena replied with a giggle.

I took the call, of course. "Yes, Governor Jared, how may I be of help to you this morning?" Yes, Chief Emeritus Griswold had taught me fairly well about kissing ass.

"Good morning, Commander." said Governor Jared. "You sound busy, so I'll get right to it: I'd like you to do me a favor. My friend Mr. Richard Hudson of the Reems & Berry Life Insurance Company needs some help in closing out a missing persons case, and I would appreciate it if you can give him a hand in doing so."

"Uh, sure, Governor." I replied, then added. " But 'missing persons'? Would not the FBI be better able to handle that?"

"I'm sure they normally would," said the Governor, "but this is actually a cold case that occurred in your County. I know it was before your time, but maybe you can glance into it and give the insurance company some help. Two people disappeared, and the insurance company has never believed that they were dead. Some very strange things about this case, Commander; I would imagine it would appeal to your liking of those seemingly inexplicable cases that you've so often solved so brilliantly."

"Sounds interesting, Governor." I said, not interested at all. "Does the insurance company understand that if I find evidence these two people are dead, that I'll be obligated to present my findings to the families, and the insurance company will have to pay up?"

"Oh yes," said the Governor, "they understand. We- er, they just want closure on the case, if that's possible."

"In that case," I said, "I will assign my Cold Case experts to it at once. They're better than me at such things as this, and they've solved some cases I've thought impossible. I'll be backing them up, of course, but if they can't get something for your friend, no one can."

"Thank you very much, Commander." said the Governor. "I'll let Mr. Hudson know that you'll contact him this morning. Thanks so much, and you have a great day, Commander." I barely had time to say good-bye before I was holding a dead phone line in my hand. Politicians. Sheesh.

Part 2 - The Case

"Captain Ross and... Detective Troy?" asked Richard Hudson with some surprise on his face. "I thought Troy was the Police Commander. And I thought he was going to help me on this case."

Richard Hudson was in his late 40s or early 50s, with curly hair that reminded Cindy of the late Mr. Blair of Lightsource Industries from the 'Murdered Bride' case some months before. Hudson was not in as good shape as Blair had been, though, and Hudson had a sneer of arrogance about him... it was clear he'd expected Commander Troy to personally come running at his beck and call. It was just after 2:00pm, and he had kept the Detectives waiting for nearly 30 minutes before admitting them to his office, having rebuffed their efforts to see him earlier in the day.

"He is indeed the Police Commander," said Police Auxiliary Detective Phyllis Troy, who Mr. Hudson did not know was the Commander's mother, and who was making a large effort to conceal her anger and disgust with the arrogant insurance executive, "and he is helping by sending Captain Ross and myself to help you. We are his Cold Case team, and the Commander has shown his high regard for this case by sending his Chief of Detectives to personally see you and look into this case."

"I see." said Hudson sourly, not at all happy about it. Despite the heat, both women had worn their 'Duty Dress' uniforms, and apparently Hudson did not know that the silver-framed red rectangle and purple rectangle above Cindy's right pocket above her nameplate represented some of the County's highest honors that had been bestowed upon her: the Medal of Valor and Purple Order.

"Mr. Hudson," Cindy Ross said crisply, "if you will give us the details of the case, we will be able to begin our investigation immediately."

The insurance executive did not like having control of the interview wrested from him in so strongly a fashion, but could see he had no further choice. "Okay, here are the details." he said, opening a file folder on his desk.

"Nearly seven years ago, on the Labor Day holiday, two people disappeared, both of whom had life insurance policies on them with this company." said Hudson. "On that date, they can and will be declared dead by the Court if we cannot find evidence that they are still alive, and we will have to pay their beneficiaries. It is routine for us in these situations to review these cases with the Police before the time expires, and give it one last effort to make sure the insured are indeed dead or irrevocably missing."

Cindy was about to say something, but was stopped by Phyllis's hand on her arm and Phyllis saying "Please continue, sir."

Mr. Hudson said "There was a party at the address of 123 Little Street, at the home of Claude and Jenny Tolson. The house is two stories, and there was a small attic bedroom which could be called the 'third floor room' or 'attic room'. There was only one set of stairs to this room, which had a bathroom all to itself. The room below, from which the stairs ascended, was a sitting room that had been turned into a game room of sorts."

"About 5:00pm," Mr. Hudson continued, "the Tolson's oldest son Billy Joe, who was 20 years old and a college student at-" Hudson named the school that Phyllis's son Don had attended- "and was home for the summer, went upstairs in the company of Bonnie Jean Mason, age 42. The Masons lived in the home that bordered the back side of the Tolson's home."

Hudson continued: "There were about six to eight teenagers in the game room, and from the time Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean went to the upstairs room, there were never less than four people in the room. No one saw Billy Joe nor Bonnie Jean leave, nor heard the stairs creak, and by all accounts the stairs creaked loudly."

"About 6:30pm, Art Mason, Bonnie Jean's husband, came into the house and into the game room. He was angry and looking for his wife. He went up the stairs to the top room, but found it empty- completely empty. Several people had followed Art upstairs, and they looked in the bathroom, the closets, under the bed, everywhere... there was no sign of the two. There was no trapdoor or any entrance to the attic above, no damage to the walls or ceiling. The window was shut and locked from the inside; and that window opened onto the yard where there were many people at the cookout party; surely they would've been seen by someone if they'd left by the window and attempted that dangerously steep descent."

Hudson went on: "Art Mason was very angry, and grabbed Jimmy Tolson, Billy Joe's younger brother, by the collars and was screaming at him, demanding to know where his wife was. Jimmy had been in the game room the entire time, and said he didn't know where they were. Jimmy was somewhat skinny and frail, and Art was shaking Jimmy very hard and Jimmy was not defending himself."

"About that time, Claude Tolson, who was not a huge man but strong enough, came into the game room, saw Art physically assaulting Jimmy, tore them apart, and punched Art hard in the face, knocking him down. Mason got up to attack Claude, and got knocked down again with another punch to the face. People got between them, and within moments the police arrived and began trying to sort out the mess. As the game room remained occupied, and then had police in there for hours afterwards, there was no chance at all for anyone hiding in the upstairs room to escape undetected. But that is apparently what happened: Billy Joe Tolson and Bonnie Jean Mason have never been seen alive again."

"I'm sure your company investigated the case?" said Phyllis.

"Yes, we did." said Hudson. "A copy of our complete case notes and findings are in this folder, which I will be giving to you. I'm sure that you can obtain further police notes from your Department, and you can also contact the FBI about their investigation of the case... which I must say left me very disappointed with their lack of effort."

Richard Hudson handed Cindy the thick file folder, and it was clear he wanted the interview to end. But Phyllis had more questions.

"Sir, how much were the policies for?" she asked. Was that a hint of displeasure in the wincing of Hudson's eyes? she thought.

"Tolson's was for $250,000, with an education benefit." said Hudson. "Mason's was for a million dollars. In both cases, the amounts were raised just a couple months before they vanished, which is one reason we're suspicious of how they disappeared."

As she stood up, Phyllis said "If we have further questions for your company, sir, whom do we contact?"

"You can contact me through my secretary, and arrange for some time for further interviews." said Hudson. "Thank you ladies for coming, and let me know what you find. Time is of the essence, so I hope and trust that you and your Commander will find something soon..."

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

"Wow," Cindy said as she drove back to Headquarters, "if it weren't for the fact the Governor himself called Don, I'd be ready to shove these papers up Richard Hudson's arrogant ass."

"Oh, but didn't you find that to be the most interesting of interviews?" asked Phyllis, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"How so?" asked Cindy.

"Think about it, dear." said Phyllis.

"I'm driving, Phyllis." said Cindy, who was driving and therefore concentrating on the road and the notoriously unpredictable Town and County traffic.

"Yes, dear, of course." said Phyllis. "And if you stop at the Courthouse Square Bistro for an afternoon late lunch, I'll treat you while we talk about it."

Some minutes later, as they sat down for what the British might call afternoon tea at the bistro, sitting outside and braving the heat, Phyllis said "Okay, what did you think of the interview?"

Cindy had been learning from her father to channel her thoughts and energies, and did so at this time as she thought about the interview.

"It was clear," Cindy began, "that he was upset that Don did not personally come to see him. Total arrogance on the bastard's part."

"Yes, that's true." said Phyllis. "Go on." She was watching Cindy as the ruggedly pretty platinum blonde thought about it.

"He obviously wants this case solved, and preferrably these people found alive, so that he doesn't have to pay out the money." said Cindy.

"And why do you say that?" Phyllis asked.

"He all but said so." said Cindy. "But I sense you're driving at something, and I'm not seeing what that is."

"You did well, and you're on the right track, so let me connect those dots for you." Phyllis said. "What I see is that the Governor of the State called my son and asked him to give attention to this case. That shows this Insurance Firm is powerful with the Governor, likely through political contributions, and that the Governor has no problem asking a local police officer to look into the case due to that influence."

"And that leads to this deduction: for the Insurance Firm to call in a 'chit', or a favor like that," continued Phyllis, "it bespeaks the importance of this case to the Insurance Company. Oh yes, he wants the case solved... he's almost desperate for it to be solved, to the point he calls in favors from no less than the Governor of this State. And as you said, he was clearly disappointed that we arrived instead of Don, though he doesn't realize that you and I are his better hope for solving the case."

Cindy smiled at that one, as Phyllis continued, "When I heard him say that it was 'routine' to do one last check on these in the months leading to the Limitations running out and him having to pay out on the policy, I knew that what he was saying was technically true, as far as process was concerned... but it also was a dishonest comment which conflicted with the importance he's already shown that he attaches to this case. Now the reason for that importance may be equally compelling to us as finding the truth about these missing persons."

"When we get back to Headquarters, I'll start looking at the details." Cindy said. "By the way, I joined the Force about the time this happened, but I don't remember anything about it. We'll have to dig up old case notes."

Part 3 - Beginning The Investigation

The next morning, Wednesday, July 15th, Cindy Ross came into MCD looking a bit tired. Jenna Stiles was with her. I handed them large mugs full of coffee and asked what was going on.

"I was reading the case notes of this disappearance cold case last night." Cindy said. "About two o'clock in the morning, there was this redheaded woman behind me, with my new blue crowbar in her hands-"

"If you will excuse me, I have work to do." Jenna said as she hurriedly scooted out of the room.

"So Jenna had your crowbar..." I said, getting Cindy started again.

"She said that either I could come to bed, or she would knock me out with it and put me to sleep that way." Cindy said.

"So what did you do?"

"She was standing there naked." Cindy said. "So of course I took her to bed."

It took a supreme effort on my part not to spew coffee all over the place...

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

At 8:00am my mother came into my office, so I asked her and Cindy to bring me up to speed on the case. Just in case the Governor called, of course.

"It's very interesting." Phyllis said. "Bonnie Jean Mason was a very attractive blonde woman, fit body, nice legs... you'd like her, Don. Billy Joe Tolson was well built, slender, and according to a few notes on the police reports, he was well-endowed and a player with the ladies."

"You'd like him, Mom." I retorted. That got a withering look from my mother and a chuckle from Cindy.

Phyllis continued: "Apparently this young stud and older MILF were headed to the upstairs room to have sex. One of the teenagers in the game room apparently snuck up for a peek and told the police he observed them having intercourse on the bed--"

"Who gave that report?" I asked immediately, interrupting my mother's narrative.

"The younger son. Jimmy Tolson." said Phyllis, her eyes twinkling with understanding.

"For that matter," I said, "who called the police? I understand that they got there very fast."

Cindy replied "The Duty Desk logs of that time only show a call from a 9-1-1 operator to the Desk, and it was over a domestic disturbance at the location. They initially sent Senior Patrolman Briscoe, who is now a Sergeant, and his partner, now Sr. Patrolman Cole, who at that time was just a rookie Officer in rank. Cole is up for Sergeant on August 1st, by the way. They were in the neighborhood at the time, so their fast response time is not a surprise."

"And the 9-1-1 call? Who was that from?" I asked, persisting strongly in this important line of inquiry.

Cindy shuffled through some paperwork, then said "The 9-1-1 service gave the number of the caller, and it was a land-line at the Tolson home. It was only used for the fax machine... they didn't even have a phone connected to that line, so there's a bit of mystery there."

"So we have a strangeness right there, right off the bat." I said, hoping my point was not being lost upon my Cold Case Team.

"We have a bigger one in that the lovers disappeared into thin air." said Cindy. "In reading the police reports last night, the kids... who were really teenagers around 18 years old or more, and hardly young kids... were playing video games or computer games the entire time, and they all swear under oath on the affidavits that the couple did not come down again after going upstairs."

Cindy continued: "The police reports were pretty thorough about police searching every nook and cranny of the room and being sure there were no exits, including secret exits behind the walls. They even had sonar equipment brought in during that night, and there are no places the couple could've possibly hidden."

"Definitely a strangeness." I said. "So what's the plan?"

"I drove through the neighborhood last night." said Phyllis. "The house is empty and up for sale, so I called the real estate agent, Leanne Gonzales, to allow us in this morning so that we can look at the home for ourselves."

"I've already contacted Sandra Speer with the FBI," said Cindy, "to ask her to get the case info from their Missing Persons offices. I also called Missing Persons myself. They, meaning Missing Persons, have yet to return my calls."

"That's curious." I muttered. "I might have to look into that. No point in either of us being FBI Consultants if we can't use it to get some answers."

"I might suggest, Son," said my mother, "that your friendship with Special Agent Muscone will serve far better on this matter than your own status within the Bureau."

"You're right, Mom." I said, then wisely added "As always. Okay, what else?"

"Speaking of status," said Cindy, "I'm going to use mine to conduct some interviews of the Police that investigated the case. Most of the officers are still here on the Force. Then we'll start trying to find witnesses and talk to them again."


Disappearing Act Ch. 01



"Approach the witnesses with some adroit discretion." I said. "I'm willing to bet that house is empty and unsold because of the continuing nature of this case, and the people involved are more than tired of hearing questions about it."

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

"Come in, come in." said Dr. Sidney P. Wellman, president of the University, as he rose from his chair behind his desk in his office, coming around to greet his visitor. "May I get you some coffee or juice?"

"Thank you, Mr. President," said Thomas Riordan, wealthy booster for the University and it's sports teams, "but I've already eaten breakfast."

"Splendid." said Wellman. "Have a seat, have a seat." He returned to his chair as Riordan sat down in the comfortable chair to the side of the desk... the chair Henry R. Wargrave had sat in many, many times.

"I know Henry Wargrave was a friend of yours, Dr. Wellman." said Riordan, as if reading Wellman's mind, "Please accept my condolences upon his loss."

"Yes, it was deeply painful for my wife and myself," said Wellman, "as well as to our great University. Fortunately, men such as yourself are filling the void he has left."

"Yes," said Riordan, "it's an honor to be able to continue his great legacy on behalf of the University. As you know, I've been named one of the Trustees of the Wargrave Charitable Trusts that will continue to serve the University for years to come."

"Ah yes, I do know." said Wellman. "Mr. Thomas P. Cook, a Town Councilman, and Mr. Austin R. Murphy, one of our University Regents, have also been named to it. A truly strong group of leaders. So, what can I do for you this morning?"

"I came to tell you of some very interesting developments I have learned." said Riordan. "For example, Commander Troy gave Detective Leonard Sharples, a.k.a. 'Sergeant Sharples', the assignment of looking into an old but ongoing child trafficking case. Unfortunately, Sharples is making progress in that case, and made connections to the ring's Texas pipeline."

"That is interesting." said Wellman. "But certainly Detective Sharples's local jurisdiction does not apply to Texas?"

"No, indeed." said Riordan. "But the Iron Crowbar can hand the ball off to the FBI. They were pissed at him about Wargrave's untimely and, dare I say it, suspicious death. This gift would appease their anger. Greatly."

"Yes, it would." said Wellman sourly. Indeed, he was no fool and had surmised how Wargrave's death had occurred. The Iron Crowbar and his loyal blonde pitbull would pay for Wargrave's death, he thought to himself.

"And in other news, Governor Jared has focused the Iron Crowbar's attention upon the disappearance of of two people nearly seven years ago. The Reems & Berry Life Insurance Company is concerned."

"Ah, indeed." said Wellman. "I remember that disappearance case. It will be a tough one for even the great Iron Crowbar to solve, wouldn't you say?"

"Knowing that man, Mr. President... one never knows." said Riordan.

"Well," said Wellman, "you'll just have to... er, monitor... the Iron Crowbar's progress. The Governor and former Chief Griswold were very good friends, and it appears the Governor is drawing the Iron Crowbar into his... circle of influence, shall we say. That could be a... devastating combination if we're not careful."

"Yes sir, Mr. President." said Riordan. "Of course, sir, you have a leash on Commander Troy, what with his wife working at your University and all..." 

The look Wellman gave him sent a shock wave of queasiness through Riordan's stomach.

"Tom," said Wellman, "there are some things you're going to learn as your University patronage career develops. One of those is that Dr. Laura Fredricson is absolutely untouchable. I'd rather take ten beatings from Commander Troy's crowbar than have to come up against her even once. Best you heed this advice, my friend..."

"Yes sir." said Riordan, absorbing the lesson...

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

"Come on in, gentlemen." said Cpt. Cindy Ross. Sergeant Briscoe and Senior Patrolman Cole came into the main conference room. "Please, have a seat. If you don't know her, this is Detective Phyllis Troy, who is working with me on a case."

After the intros and the police officers being seated, Cindy got right to the point. "We are looking at the cold case of the twin disappearances of Billy Joe Tolson and Bonnie Jean Mason nearly seven years ago. I believe you two were the first officers that responded that night?"

"Yes ma'am, we got there first, then other officers came to the scene." said Briscoe. 

"Looks like you were in charge, Sergeant Briscoe?" asked Cindy.

Briscoe replied "Well, Sergeant Charles, now Captain Charles who retired last winter, was the senior officer at the time, but he had me in charge of the scene before a Detective arrived. That was then-Lieutenant Harold Malone."

"Well, we won't be getting much from him." said Cindy. "So, Sgt. Briscoe, I have your notes here, and you can look at them to refresh your memory as you tell me as best you can remember what happened that night."

Briscoe glanced over his notes quickly, then started: "We were called in around 7:00pm for a domestic dispute. When we got there, we found that Art Mason had assaulted Jimmy Tolson, and Jimmy's father Claude had defended his son by punching Mason in the face. We were about to arrest them both, but everyone there started talking about the people that had disappeared."

"We separated Mason and the Tolsons, and kept officers with them from that point on. Mason was downstairs and the Tolsons stayed with an officer in the second floor room, which was called the 'game room'. Art Mason said he'd come over to find his wife, who he thought was in the third floor bedroom, called the 'upstairs room' by everyone, and that he thought she was cheating on him with the college boy Billy Joe Tolson.

"Of course,Cole and I went upstairs, but there was nobody there. We looked under the bed, in the closet, which was totally empty, the bathroom, everywhere, thinking they might have tried to hide when they heard Art Mason coming to catch them. But they were not there. They weren't anywhere."

"No trap doors to the attic?" asked Phyllis.

"No ma'am." said Sr. Patrolman Cole. "I specifically looked for one, even inside the closet. It was all solid ceiling with no possible entrances to the attic."

"Did you try calling their cell phones?" asked Phyllis.

Sergeant Briscoe said "Yes, we did. Calls to their cellphones weren't answered, and we later found Billy Joe's cellphone in his bedroom, and Bonnie Jean's was in her house, in the kitchen."

"And her house was right behind the Tolson's?" Cindy asked.

"Yes, ma'am." said Sgt. Briscoe. "We searched the Mason home some hours later, as a precaution, but found nothing."

"Okay..." Cindy said, "it says in this police report that a... yeah, here it is... a blow-up sex doll was in the attic room."

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that." said Briscoe. "Yeah, there was a deflated, folded up male sex doll under the bed. Considering that people were using the room for sex, I figured it was a prank, or someone had used it in the past. Didn't seem to be important."

"No fingerprints on it?" Cindy asked.

"Several people's." said Briscoe, "but I don't remember that they got a solid one from anyone. Maybe the Crime Lab report has it."

"They did, and they found nothing that matched anyone in any database nor anyone at the scene. No semen or anything like that, either." Cindy said as she looked over the papers in the file.

"And no other sex toys?" asked Phyllis. Briscoe shook his head and Phyllis then said "So you were saying about possible exits..."

"Yes." Briscoe replied. "As I was saying, the Crime Lab brought in sonar, which they'd just acquired, and used it on all the walls of the Tolson house to make sure there were no secret exits from the room. None of it was for any good; both of them were totally gone, disappeared, and we had kids swearing up and down that they never came downstairs out of that room."

"What did you do next?" Cindy asked.

"All the usual stuff, per procedure." said Briscoe. "We interrogated the older adults at the party as well as the younger people, and pretty thoroughly. You can see the notes and affidavits in the file, here. All the stories matched and there were no discrepancies at all. So we put out APBs on the two and called in the FBI's Missing Persons Bureau, and essentially handed it off to them."

"I see." said Cindy. "Senior Patrolman Cole, anything to add to this?"

"No ma'am." said Cole. "I had only been on the Force for a few months. I was in your Academy class, Captain Ross, and we got here about the same time. I basically stayed in the game room with the Tolsons and talked to the people in there."

"If I may," said Phyllis, "how were the Tolsons that evening? How did they act, what were their emotions?"

"Mr. Tolson, Claude, he was pretty upset that Mason had attacked his son, and of course concerned where his other son might be." said Sr. Patrolman Cole. "Jimmy Tolson was kind of irritated, not really upset at anything, but a touch of 'angry', if you know what I mean. I got the feeling... I know I'm not supposed to speculate like this, but I think Jimmy was kind of a wimpy kid, and being manhandled like that in front of other kids his age really humiliated him, and he was bothered by it."

"He was 18 at the time?" Phyllis asked.

"Yes ma'am, I believe that's right." said Cole.

"He said he went upstairs to peek on his big brother and Mrs. Mason, and that he saw them engaged in sexual intercourse, is that right?" Phyllis asked.

"Yes ma'am." said Sergeant Briscoe. "He told me that during questioning some hours later. He also took a polygraph a few days later, and we asked him about that. He passed the polygraph with flying colors, on that and everything else."

"I see." said Phyllis. "Patrolman Cole, you were in the game room all that time. Can you describe it for me?"

"Yes ma'am." said Cole. "It was not a very large room. The door came in at the left side, by the outside wall. There was a window to the outside right there at the left, outside wall. The stairs going up to the upstairs bedroom were right in front of the entry door, right next to that window, and there was a door that you had to open to get to the stairs, which looked like a closet when the door was closed. That door did not open against the wall, but towards the room, so that the view of persons in the room were blocked by that door until it was closed again."

Cole continued: "There was a big TV, big for that time, against the front wall, the wall that contained the door where we came into the room from downstairs. Anyone looking at the TV would be looking towards that front wall, with the window and the door to the upstairs to their right. There was a black leather sofa facing the TV, and a big bean bag chair that was pretty old. Also, there was a desk on the far wall, the wall opposite the TV, that had a lamp and a computer on it. "

"How was the lighting?" asked Phyllis.

"While we were there, the overhead light had been turned on." said Cole." There was a black sheet over the window, though; the kids said that was so they could see the TV better. If the ceiling light and lamp were turned off, it'd be pretty dim in there, though not pitch black until dark, and the computer screen would've given some light, as well."

"Thank you." said Phyllis.

"Gentlemen," said Cindy, "we are about to go look at the house. Would you two mind coming with us?"

Part 4 - The Crime Scene

"This house has stayed on the market for four years." said Leanne Quinlin Gonzales, the hot, tight-bodied, redheaded real estate agent as she opened the door for the officers. "Police and FBI agents kept coming around, and the owners that had bought it from the Towsons finally abandoned it. No one else wants to buy it, but I'm hoping that will change after the seven year wait, and after the insurance company has to pay out when they're declared dead. At least it'll be legally resolved then, and we can move on."

"Where did the Towsons move to?" asked Cindy.

"Oh, they still live in Town, just another subdivision." said Leanne. "They live in the Kensington district now."

"What about the Masons?" asked Phyllis.

"Still in the same house." said Leanne. She led them into the den, which had a window overlooking the back yard. "You can see the back of their house from here. The properties are next to each other."

The four police officers went upstairs to the second floor room, the 'game room'. It was empty now, and the only light was through the window at the left. 

"I see that this door opens to the right, towards the room, then the door upstairs opens towards the room." said Phyllis. "That really blocks a lot of the view of anyone coming straight up the stairs from below to the attic room above."

"It sure does." said Cindy. They went forward and up the stairs to the attic room, which turned right alongside the wall of the house. At the top, one was looking to one's right toward the front of the house. A bedframe was still there, the headboard against the far wall (again, toward the front of the house). There was one window, facing the back of the house. Looking out, one saw the backyard below.

"Nice little bedroom." said Phyllis as she looked in the bathroom along the inside wall of the bedroom. "Did Billy Joe use this room while he was at home from college?"

"That's what I understood at the time." said Briscoe. "But I also understood that the 'young adults' would come upstairs for sex during parties. One couple did so about an hour before Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean snuck up here."

"So outside there were parents," Cindy said, more in a tone of thinking out loud, "and the kids, as we're calling these of-age teenagers and college-aged people, were inside on the video games?"

"Yes and no, ma'am." said Sr. Patrolman Cole. Some of the younger people were in here, and some were in other parts of the house or outside. Same with the older people; some men were inside, in the den on the first floor, watching a baseball game. Other men were outside, grilling the steaks and hamburgers. Of course the wives, the mothers of the kids, were having their own chat sessions outside or in the kitchen and living room areas."

Phyllis was looking all around the room. She knocked on the walls of the closet, whose door was to the left of the bathroom door, she tried to look under the bathroom sink, only to find that there were no doors; it was paneled cabinetry, and only the thin sides opened.

"Oh my, nothing but water pipes and the drain pipe. Certainly no room for a person to hide here." Phyllis said.

"Any theories, so far?" asked Cindy.

"No, dear, only eliminated ones, I'm afraid." Phyllis replied. "It is indeed as everyone said: there is only one way out of here, and that's through this stairway and one door. The window is very obvious to the backyard; I cannot see anyone getting out that way without being seen immediately by persons outside, and it would take professional climbers to scale that wall. There are no passages, no hiding places, and I believe the police did do a good job of searching for anyone trying to hide in here."

As they moved to the stairs, Phyllis stopped everyone. "Let me get to the bottom of these stairs before you come down." She descended, then had the others come down until they were all in the game room again.

"Did you hear that?" Phyllis asked.

"Sure did." Cindy said. "Those steps squeak a lot."

"Yes," said Phyllis, "and the insurance man said that they squeaked back then, as well. Even coming down alone, one at a time, you made a racket that I could easily hear down here. So if Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean walked down those steps, even if the other kids were gaming on their consoles and making noise, I'm not seeing that they slipped out of there undetected."

Cindy turned to the police officers. "Guys, do you remember who called in the report to Headquarters, whatever made you respond and come to the house?"

"Gosh, not offhand." said Sgt. Briscoe. "It was a call to the Duty Desk, who called us on the radio in our patrol cars."

"All right, guys," said Cindy to the patrol officers, "you can go back to your regular duties. Thanks for your help today." The officers left, and soon Cindy and Phyllis were on their way back to Headquarters.

"What's next?" asked Cindy, very sure that Phyllis had a plan.

"Why, interviews, of course." said Phyllis. "All of the reading of the past notes will not substitute for talking directly to the people involved."

Part 5 - The Mason Interviews

Cindy and Phyllis knocked on the door of the Mason home. After being admitted, they were brought into the den by Art Mason's daughter Willa. Also at home were Art and his son Danny, who was the same age and school class as Jimmy Tolson.

Willa Mason was fairly tall in her high heels, and she was what might be described as a 'big' girl, having taken after her father. She was voluptuous, with the beginnings of a nice, fleshy big butt, and her legs were curvy and shapely. As noted before, she was wearing nude/tan high-heel, peep-toe pumps, and Phyllis was remembering Don's comment that almost any girl was fuckable if she was wearing a pair of high heels.

She was wearing a clingy, revealing dress. Her light brown hair was very long and straight. She was not unattractive, but not exceptionally pretty, either. She was a year younger at age 25 than her brother, and she was Jimmy Tolson's age.

Danny Mason was medium in his build, having taken more after his attractive mother, but was strong and in good shape. He was in the State Army National Guard, had graduated from the University, and was employed at Crown Chemicals.

His father Art was getting beefier but also more out of shape as he got older. He'd worked at King & Ebenezer Food Industries, in the meat packing department, and was now working in a menial position for BigAgraFoods.

"Thank you for seeing us today." said Phyllis in her most soothing voice. "I'm sure you don't wish to go over all this yet again, but we're working it as a cold case and giving it a last try."

"It'll be over soon." said Art Mason. "After the first week of September, the insurance company will have to pay up. They've been bastards about this all the way through, and I really want to make them pay. I sued them a few years ago, and they're going to have to pay the full amount of the policy plus interest at that time, after the Court ruled they interfered with the Police investigation."

"Oh my." said Phyllis. "What happened there?"

"They said Bonnie Jean and Billy Joe had been seen in another State." said Mason. "The FBI ripped that one apart, and even suggested the Insurance Company had faked the sighting to re-start the seven year clock before having to pay. I took them to Court, and won."

"And how long ago was that?" Phyllis asked.

"About two and a half years ago." said Mason. "Well... closer to three years ago now, I guess."

"Mr. Mason, do you believe your wife to be dead?" Cindy asked. Mr. Mason's expression didn't change, but Phyllis noticed that Willa winced hard.

"Willa, why don't you and I talk in the kitchen while the Captain talks to the men of the family." said Phyllis. But as Willa got up, Art Mason objected.

"I don't want her talking to you police without me present." he said.

"Mr. Mason, your daughter is of age and can talk to us if she likes." Cindy said, her eyes boring into the older man's.

"Willa, don't say anything to 'em. You've got rights." Mason said.

"No, I'll talk to them." said Willa. Her father's face became furious and it looked like he was about to charge her.

"Mr. Mason," Cindy said, bringing out and showing off a blue crowbar, "I'm not sure why you're upset that we want to talk to your adult daughter, but I would recommend that you not interfere with our investigation."




Disappearing Act Ch. 01



"It'll be quite all right." said Phyllis. She guided Willa to the other room. Cindy turned to the men. 

"We're not saying a damn thing." said Art Mason defiantly.

"Is that your word also, Danny?" asked Cindy.

"I'll answer your questions, Captain Ross." said Danny.

"Why you-" snarled Art, but Danny had quickly gotten up to stand off against his father. "Captain, I can talk to you here or we can go to the Station." Danny said.

"Let's go into the living room." said Cindy. Art shot off for the kitchen, and would not leave Willa.

"Okay, let's go to the Station." said Cindy, seeing what was going on. "Your father can't follow you into the Interrogation rooms. If he tries, he'll get a tour of my holding cells."

Art Mason was furious. He brought out his cell phone and immediately called his lawyer. He was then denied a ride to the Station, which Cindy was providing for Willa and Danny.

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

"Have a seat right here." Cindy said to Danny Mason as they entered Interrogation-B. She'd called in on the way to the Station with the Mason 'kids', and we had officers ready to stay in the rooms during the interrogations.

As Cindy was about to start up with Danny, a lawyer came to the Station, demanding to be let in as Danny's legal representation. Danny clearly stated that this lawyer was not his representation, and that he wanted no representation. Willa did the same. Then Art Mason came to the Station and screamed along with the lawyer. That brought out Your Iron Crowbar, wielding my red piece of hardware and aching to use it.

"They've refused your presence, Counselor." I said to the lawyer. "Now get out of here, unless you want to represent Art Mason when I arrest him for disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and possibly for interfering with a police investigation. Which way do you want it to be, Mason?"

As the lawyer tried to calm Art down, I went through with it: "Sergeant Rudistan, accompany Art Mason to Interrogation-C. If he refuses, place him under arrest and put him through full booking." Mason looked at me in shock, but went with Rudistan without further trouble.

"I've got to get going." I said to the Duty Desk Sergeant. "I'm heading to the City and will be back by shift change, Lord willing and the creek don't rise. Get Captain Ross if anything breaks."

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

"Okay, Danny," said Cindy once they got to talk. "First, what was going on before the incident of Claude Tolson and your father?"

Danny replied "Well, let me start at the very beginning. There was a big party, and it was for Billy Joe's sister Rebecca. She had been accepted to Yale."

"She was a rising Senior at Town High School, wasn't she?" Cindy asked.

"Yes." Danny replied. "I had already graduated. Rebecca and I had dated while we were both in high school; she was pretty cool. Very smart, too."

"So you were having a party..." Cindy said, prodding Danny to continue.

"Yeah." Danny said. "Their parents were hosting it, and it was the Labor Day bash for their church friends, work friends, and all that. A bunch of us came with our parents, but we mostly hung out in the house playing video games or watching TV."

"Which church?" Cindy asked.

"The Tolsons went to First Baptist, and my family went to First Methodist." said Danny. "Though I have to say that since Mom disappeared, we pretty much stopped going. My dad doesn't think much of it, and Willa doesn't care, either. Then I went to college."

"I see." said Cindy, making a note on her pad. "Tell me, what was Billy Joe like?"

"He was tall, broad-shouldered." Danny said. "I had been pretty scrawny as a kid, but I started working out with Billy Joe. He got to be pretty muscular and big. I got strong, but not so big."

"He was popular with girls?" Cindy asked.

"Oh yeah." said Danny. "He was-" Danny stopped, blushing.

"Go ahead." Cindy said. "Nothing I haven't heard before, I'm sure."

"Er, he was well hung." Danny said. "I heard several girls, and even a few neighborhood women, say that his dick was at least nine inches long, and that he knew how to use it."

"I see. Such information can actually be useful. Was he dating anyone at the time?" Cindy asked.

"No." Danny said. "He didn't really 'date' girls. He took them out, had sex with them, then went on to the next conquest. He seduced a lot of older, married women, mothers of the girls in our classes. He was a showoff, that way. The only girl he dated for any length of time was my sister, Willa. That shocked everyone, that he was going out with a 'big girl', but he really liked her as far as I could tell."

"I see. Okay, on the day of the party, when did you last see Billy Joe, or your mom? Cindy asked.

"Uhh... I didn't really see Billy Joe at all, best I remember. I saw Mom outside earlier that afternoon, talking to the other moms, and drinking some spiked lemonades."

"So your mom was drinking alcohol." Cindy said, to confirm.

"Yes, ma'am. All the parents were. She didn't overdo it, but she enjoyed drinks now and then." said Danny.

"Where were you during the afternoon?" Cindy asked.

"I was in the game room most of the time, with Rhonda Stevens." said Danny. "We were making out a lot."

"Were others among your friends making out, or doing more?" Cindy asked.

"Oh yeah." Danny said. "Steve and George were playing a video game, and their girlfriends, both named Penny, were watching. Penny P. and Penny D., we called them. Some guy came up and started fucking Penny P. right on the floor, and Steve didn't give a shit, he just kept playing the game. About 4:00pm, I took Rhonda to the upstairs room and fucked her. She was eighteen at the time, so nothing wrong with it."

"Sixteen is legal in this State." said Cindy agreeably.

"True, but I didn't do underage girls. Rhonda was eighteen, and we went upstairs and had some really hot sex." said Danny. "After we were done upstairs, we came back downstairs, then went down to the kitchen to get something to eat. I heard later that Billy Joe went up there with my mom. If I'd been up there then, that would not have happened."

"Why not?" asked Cindy.

"Uh, I'd have beaten the crap out of Billy Joe if he'd tried to fuck my mom like that." said Danny. "And by the way, I also heard that some of the other kids were trying to get Jimmy to make a play for my mom, and if he had, I would've had to beat the shit out of him, too."

"Did Jimmy know you would do that?" Cindy asked.

"Oh, nawww..." said Danny. "Look, and excuse my language in advance: Jimmy was a pussy. He was weak, a wimp. He was scared of girls. No way he would've had the courage to try to fuck my mom. Now Jimmy sometimes would try to hang out with me and some of my buddies, at least when his brother wasn't around. We would dare him to ask out girls, and one guy offered him 500 bucks if he scored with a woman, but we knew that bet would never be paid out, and I don't think Jimmy even tried."

"Why did your dad attack Jimmy?" Cindy said. "Why did he single Jimmy out?"

"I have no idea, Captain." said Danny. "Maybe he thought Jimmy knew something. But I don't think he did, and he sure as hell wouldn't have protected Billy Joe."

"Oh, the brothers didn't get along?" Cindy asked.

"Are you kidding?" said Danny. "They hated each other. Billy Joe thought Jimmy was a pussy-, er, a wimp, and Billy Joe was always fucking with Jimmy: if Jimmy showed interest in a girl, Billy Joe would start dating her and get into her pants, have sex with her, then taunt Jimmy about it. Billy Joe knocked up two girls doing that shit."

"So the word was that someone wanted Jimmy to seduce your mother," said Cindy, "and based on what you just said, Billy Joe might step in on that. Even if he didn't try to seduce her, he might have flirted with her, and might've taken her to that upstairs room just to drive Jimmy nuts."

"Again," said Danny, "I don't even know that they went up there; I was in the kitchen with Rhonda."

"Danny, why is your father so upset at all this, at you, at us? What's he afraid of?" Cindy asked.

Danny acted as if he were thinking about it, then said "I don't know, but if you ask me, he just wants the money from the insurance company. Times have been tough, and he lost his job and his pension when King & Ebenezer went bankrupt. He got on with BigAgraFoods, but it's still been tough. Not knowing if Mom is alive or dead, not knowing if she left him or not..."

Danny added: "And what's more: Willa's been good about the cooking and cleaning, but she's a burden. She went to junior college, but didn't make it into the nursing program. She's had some jobs. She was a desk clerk at the University Hotel, but they let her go. I think it's her appearance, she's not getting any thinner, if you know what I mean. She's not dating anyone, and so she won't be getting married anytime soon. So it's been hard for Dad. I'm surprised he doesn't drink like a fish."

"Like your mom did?" Cindy asked, her blue eyes boring into Danny's.

"Yeah." admitted Danny, his face a mask of resignation. "Like my mom did."

As he got up to go, he said, "If you'd like to talk some more about it, how about over coffee?"

Cindy gave a faint smile, noting that Danny was confident, aggressive, and not that bad looking... for a guy. But she flashed her ring as she said "Sorry, bud, I'm engaged. But thanks for the offer."

"Figures." Danny replied. "Lucky guy, whoever he is..."

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

"Now, dear," said Phyllis to Willa Mason in Interrogation-A, "I'm so sorry about all that commotion. Now let me ask you about what happened that day. When was the last time you saw your mother?"

"As near as I can remember, it was at our house before I left for the party." Willa replied. "While I was at the Tolson's house I was inside most of the time, mostly in the kitchen snacking on the finger foods there, and I think my mom stayed outside with the other mothers the whole time."

"Do you think something happened to your Mom, or did she just leave, and by that I mean ran away with Billy?" Phyllis asked.

"I... I don't know." said Willa, then let the words flow. "I... let me just say this: I think my mom did go up to that room with Billy Joe. Billy Joe liked seducing women. In fact, he dated me. He took me out, treated me nice, and so after a couple of months I... did it with him. And almost immediately after that, Billy Joe dropped me and went on to his next conquest. I was hurt by it, but it was my own fault for being willing to sleep with him. Billy Joe and I stayed friends, but didn't date or have sex again."

"What about Jimmy?" asked Phyllis. "Did you ever go out with him?"

"Oh no, never." said Willa, her face becoming a scowl. "I tried to be nice to him, but then he asked me out a couple of times, and I turned him down. Jimmy was... he was that awkward, nerdy kid that everyone made fun of, that nobody liked. Some of the girls tried to set me up with him on blind dates as a joke, but I would find out and tell them I didn't want to go out with Jimmy. I wasn't the hottest girl in school by any means, but if I'd gone out with Jimmy, I'd've been the joke of the school, and they'd've call me 'desperate' and probably worse."

Willa then added "I did think of using Jimmy to get Billy Joe interested in me again. It was pretty well known that Billy Joe would steal any girl Jimmy was interested in, just to mess with Jimmy's head and cause Jimmy pain. But I didn't do that because I didn't want to hurt Jimmy. I didn't hate him or anything."

"So the brothers were not friendly?" Phyllis asked.

"Oh God, no." said Willa. "Billy Joe was embarrassed that Jimmy was his brother, and Jimmy really hated Billy Joe for all the years of bullying and taunting."

"So what do you think happened to your mom and Billy Joe?" asked Phyllis.

"I don't know." said Willa. "I could understand if my mom wanted to run away from my dad-"

"Oh?" Phyllis interrupted. "Did your dad abuse your mom?"

"No!" Willa almost shouted. "That's not what I meant to say or was going to say. My dad never hurt my mom at all. But he always thought she was cheating on him, and if she came home late he'd ask her questions to no end. I think he thought she was having sex with some of those younger guys, and it was killing him inside that she was cheating on him. If he'd caught her with Billy Joe, it might've been ugly, but he never got physical with her, and she yelled at him just as hard as he yelled at her."

"Willa," said Phyllis, "you were in the game room during that time?"

"I went up there, and it was right after Mom and Billy Joe went into the upstairs bedroom." Willa said. "Jimmy was on the computer, and he told me they'd just gone up there. Penny, that was Penny P., not Penny D., said she saw them go up, as well. I was shocked, and then Jimmy said he was going to sneak upstairs and see what they were doing."

"How'd he get up there without making a lot of noise?" Phyllis asked. "I was on those stairs myself today; they are very creaky and loud."

"Oh, we had a game, Rebecca had us play it before, to try to get up and down those stairs without making any noise. There are spots on each step where you can step and they won't creak, but it's tricky. I think Jimmy knew how to get up there without making noise."

Phyllis thought about that as she brought the interview to a conclusion.

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

Phyllis and Cindy came into Interrogation-C together to confront Art Mason.

"Okay, are you going to answer our questions today?" asked Cindy.

"My lawyer has advised me it's in my best interest to," said Mason, "but I'll stop if you try to say I did anything wrong."

The lawyer spoke up: "I'm advising you that the assault on Jimmy Tolson is well past the Statute of Limitations."

"We're not interested in prosecuting your client for that." said Cindy. "But in the interests of keeping this proceeding completely aboveboard, I am going to read Mr. Mason his rights." Cindy did so, asking if Mason understood the rights, and he said that he did.

"Okay," Cindy said, "on the day your wife disappeared, you went up into the game room, then into the upstairs bedroom, looking for her, is that right?"

"Yeah." said Mason. "I was trying to catch her cheating with that young asshole Billy Joe Tolson."

"Do you think they were having a sexual affair?" asked Cindy.

"Yeah, I think they'd hooked up before, and I heard something about someone offering Jimmy Tolson a thousand dollars to make a play at my wife. Jimmy's a fucking punk, too gutless to do anything like that. But his brother might have tried to seduce my wife, and she would've done him, too, the slut."

"Do you have any proof of your wife's infidelity?" asked Cindy.

"Never actually caught 'em." Art said. "If I had, I'd've divorced her."

"Did you ever hit your wife, Mr. Mason?" asked Phyllis.

"No. Never." said Art. "You can ask my kids about that, and they'll tell ya..."

"Did you ever verbally argue with your wife?" Phyllis continued.

"Yeah, we argued." Art said. "She'd come home late and I'd ask where she was, and she'd lie, I could see in her eyes she was lying. She'd start yelling at me and I'd yell at her to tell the truth... but I never hit her."

"When was the last time you saw your wife, and the last time you saw Billy Joe?" asked Cindy.

"I didn't see Billy Joe that whole day." said Art Mason. "I don't think I'd seen him in days, maybe a week or two. I last saw my wife during the party, but can't say exactly what time that was."

"What do you think happened to your wife, Mr. Mason?" asked Phyllis. "Do you think she ran away with Billy Joe? Or did something happen to her?"

"I don't know." said Art Mason. "But I think something happened to her. I think she's dead. I think if she was alive, we'd have found her by now. I think the Police or FBI may have found evidence she's dead, but that god-damned insurance company has done all it can to keep the truth from coming out, so they wouldn't have to pay. But the bastards are going to pay, mark my words."

"You seem sure that she's dead, Mr. Mason." said Cindy. "Are you sure you have no idea of what happened that day, of how they disappeared?" The lawyer leaned over and whispered something to Mason, who nodded.

"Don't start trying to twist my words." said Mason. "I don't know if you're working on behalf of that filthy insurance company, but what I do know is that my wife disappeared, she has never been found, and I think something happened to her."

"If I may, Mr. Mason," interjected Phyllis. "You apparently rushed to the house looking for your wife. What gave you the idea she was in that bedroom with Billy Joe?"

"Oh, that." said Mason. "I got a phone call on my cell phone. The voice was muffled, but said that my wife was fucking Billy Joe Tolson in the attic bedroom of Tolson's house. I thought it was Jimmy that called; that's why I shook him to get the truth out of him. But he told the cops later that he didn't make any phone call, and he passed the lie detector test on it, so I don't know what to think now..."

Part 6 - Missing Persons Bureaucracies

Entering the FBI offices in the City, I went to Jack Muscone's office.

"Before I take you down to Missing Persons," said Jack, "let me fill you in on where we are on following the Wargrave records."

"Sure." I said.

"I'll warn you that this is going to be slow and laborious." said Muscone. "His wife knew nothing at all about his finances. She had two credit cards, one Visa and one Mastercard, she didn't abuse them, and he had them paid off every month. But she did give us permission to examine most of what he had, and we ran with that ball even though it might not've been fully permissible to do so in some places."

"And you've found?"

"Wargrave had 33 separate corporate entities, and ten of those were wrapped up in trusts. Lots of protection, legal hoops that way. They covered his real estate dealings, his transportation hubs, and his port hubs. One of his biggest companies, Acme Consolidated, is the father company of 126 entities, including KSTD in your County, and just a host of small companies. Some did medical research, some did agricultural research, several patents, leased to bigger companies."

"And nothing illegal?"

"We're getting there." said Muscone. "Some of the companies, especially the transportation hubs, have some sketchy stuff. Kind of like your buddy Ward fudging his production numbers... Wargrave's minions probably had 11 boxes when they listed 10 on the manifest. There've been some 'random acts of accurate reports', and we're putting together the anomalies. They'll lead to bigger finds."

"And nothing leading to any certain Consultants?" I asked.

"You know, there may be." said Jack. "But we might be looking it in the face and not know even know it. So sometime in the near future, my boss wants you to scan as much of the stuff as you can. We're collating and indexing everything now, so it'll be easier for you, but you might see something we won't know we're seeing."

"Sounds good." I said. "If I survive the SBI investigation of his death, I'll take a look."

Jack laughed. "That fucking little prick Lewis, he's something, ain't he? But if he assigns his poodle Ferrell to mess with you, let me know. I'd love to beat the dog shit out of Ferrell again."

"And I'd love to let you." I said. "But maybe he got religion after the Reverend Steven Ikea laid hands on him."

Jack could not stop laughing for a moment, and it was infectious as I joined him in the amusement. Finally he recovered. "Okay, ready to head down to Missing Persons?" he asked, getting up.

"Sure." I said. "But before we go, let me ask this. Is Clark Webster up for a promotion?"




Disappearing Act Ch. 01



"Yeah, as Chief Inquisitor for your Witch Trial at Salem." said Jack, teasing me. "Seriously, yes, he's up for his next level. How did you know? Did you look up his file?"

"No. It's his reticence to help in this case." I answered. "He fears it'll hold up his promotion."

"I can reassure him about that." said Jack.

"Let me do it." I said. "As someone once told me, you're a blunt instrument, and I'm a surgical scalpel."

"Sounds like something P. Harvey Eckhart would say about me." Jack said witheringly as he led the way into the hall, leaving me wondering if he knew that for sure, or had just struck lightning... after all, it had been Eckhart that had told me that...

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

"Clark, this is Donald Troy, our Consultant over in the University Town." said Jack Muscone. "Don, this is Clark Webster, chief of our Missing Persons Department here in the City. I'll leave you two to talk about the case. Come see me before you leave, Don." I shook hands with Clark Webster, who had curly dark hair and a long, thin nose, the perfect stereotype of a political bureaucrat.

"So this is about the Tolson-Mason disappearances?" asked Webster as we sat down. He had a way of talking that sounded rapid even if it wasn't. In response, I employed my semi-Southern speech to slow down even more.

"Why, yes it is." I said. "Just a last check of it as a cold case before the seven year mark hits... and they're declared dead."

"If I may ask," said Webster rapidly, "why did you become interested in this case again? What brought it up?"

"Well," it happened in my local jur- er, home county." I said, suddenly remembering that Muscone had made a point to introduce me as an FBI Consultant and not the Town & County Police Commander. "And I was asked to glance at it by the Governor of the State." Name dropping. Yes, I did it.

"Oh." Webster said, and I saw the concern on his face.

"Let me reassure you, Agent Webster," I said, "that this case, no matter its disposition, is not going to have any bearing on your upcoming promotion. Of course, if you choose to not help me... well, that might have a negative impact for you."

"I see." said Webster. He peered at me, then opened a desk drawer and pulled out a file. "Okay, I might as well trust you. Muscone is the Big Boy around here, and if he personally brought you in here, that means something. So tell him I helped you, if you don't mind."

"Sure." I said. "So what do you have on the case?"

Webster said "This was the worst case of my entire career. Almost got my boss fired over it, and I've lived in fear for years that it'll keep holding me back from any advancement. Now the local police in your Town did a good job investigating, but they had no idea how those two people just disappeared into thin air. I thought that something had to have been missed, so when we went in there, we really left no stone unturned. But it was on the up-and-up, those two just disappeared, magically vanished out of that bedroom into thin air, and have never been seen again. That just doesn't happen in this day and age."

"Unless they were murdered somehow, and the bodies not found." I said.

"And their bodies were gotten out of there... how?" asked Webster, then caught himself. "Sorry. I'm not trying to be a smart-ass with you about that, Don... it's just frustration. But believe me... my team and I went over that and every other possible scenario. All the stories held up, people took polygraphs and no one failed... and no trace of these two or anyone matching their descriptions showed up, nor any bodies matching the descriptions. No leads whatsoever."

"I believe you." I said. "But nothing at all stuck out as unusual? What about the insurance company?"

"You're not working for or with them, are you?" Webster asked. I shook my head. "Yeah, they were weird about it. I can understand they won't pay until the seven years are up, but they started interfering with our investigation, then started intimidating witnesses about talking with us. Almost landed in hot water with the U.S. Justice Department and the State Insurance Commissioner over that."

"What did they do?" I asked.

"Nearly three years ago, they kept trying to get us to investigate leads of the two people that disappeared being alive and in other places. A private dick that one of the families hired sent us word that it wasn't those two, but imposters hired by the insurance company to pretend to be the two people. I wasn't personally on that, but some of our agents looked into it. It's here in the file, and the file says the leads were checked out but came to nothing, and that there was some indications that the insurance company may indeed have hired imposters to pretend to be the deceased-- er, the missing people."

"Any idea why the insurance company did that? And why they were interfering so strongly in the first place?" I asked.

"No." said Webster. "But I didn't get much chance to investigate that. My superiors investigated the claims they were elsewhere, and the claims came to nothing. Then I was told to find the missing persons, and that my job didn't go farther than that. I was told the Insurance Company was the State's problem to handle."

"And to some extent, that's true." I said. I examined the file that Webster extended to me, and when I was finished, I handed it back, saying "I appreciate your time today, Agent Webster."

"By the way, who are you working for?" Webster asked. "Jack said you were an FBI Consultant, but for who? Him?"

"Oh, that..." I said, "Well, I do work with Jack, but on this case I'm investigating as part of the Town & County Police Department."

"Troy..." mused Clark Webster, then his eyes lit up with understanding... and shock. "Whoaaaaa, you mean you're the Iron Crowbar?!? I... I had no idea... Jack never said anything..."

"Can't imagine why not." I said with a shrug. "Thanks for your help."

Back at Jack's office, I said "Why didn't you tell him who I was?" I asked.

"He was already shitting his pants about this case and his promotion." said Muscone. "If I told him that the Iron Crowbar was coming in, he would've had a heart attack."

I laughed. "Geez, am I that bad? No, don't answer. Let me take you to lunch for your help with him, though..."

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

As we ate lunch at a small but decent pub in the City, Jack was saying "One thing I didn't mention earlier: We think Susan Wexler might have something on Wargrave, and maybe a tie-in to your boy, the Consultant. But she won't give us anything more than she originally gave. She just says it's all in the Iron Crowbar's hands."

"Her confidence in me is touching." I said sardonically. "But I wish she'd give you guys more. I'm sure she could if she wanted to."

"That's the way it is with these guys." Jack said. "They think they're doing the right thing holding something back. But if they don't get it out... they might well be buried with their knowledge."

"Yep." I said. After we finished, I paid the bill. "Okay Jack, I'll drop you off then go back home. The party never stops in my Town & County. I've got to help my Bulldog buddy and my mom solve this cold case."

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

After dropping Jack off, I was on the road towards home, when it hit me. I got on my phone.

"Jack," I said to Muscone after he picked up the phone. "You said Susan Wexler said that everything was in my hands?"

"Hold on a second." Jack said. He then came back on the line and said "Her exact words were, and I quote, 'It's all in the Iron Crowbar's hands.'. Why? You think that means something?"

"It might." I said. "I'll check on something when I get home, and let you know."

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

I did not go directly to Headquarters, but first stopped by The Cabin. I went into my small office and got out two things: the laptop that I never connected to WiFi, the Internet, or anything else; and from my safe I obtained the DVD that Susan Wexler handed me, which contained the video files of her and me having sex.

Inserting the DVD into the 'virgin' laptop, I looked through the file system. The DVD files of the sex videos were all there, in order, and could be played in sequence by an app. Using some other software to check the files, I found what I had hoped: five of the files were not part of that sequence. They were data files of information!

As I used other special apps to read the data on the files, I realized what Susan Wexler had given me. There were some leads to Wargrave's various smuggling transactions, but not much. I might could get a start looking into things with the information, but there needed to be more.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it: the jewel case that the DVD had come in. On the front it said 'Iron Crowbar', then 'R.E.M.'. R.E.M., of course, was the band out of Athens, Georgia that had made it big in the 1980s and '90s. It therefore made sense that a couple of files had been songs, including the group R.E.M.'s "Stand."

I picked up the jewel case and examined it very closely with my rectangular magnifying glass. 

"Oh my God!" I gasped. "There it is!"

To be continued...



Disappearing Act Ch. 02



The chronological order of my stories is now listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

*****

Part 7 - The Tolson Interviews

It was still Wednesday, July 15th as the investigation rolled on.

"Thank you for seeing us today." said Cindy, after Jenny Tolson had admitted them. Claude Tolson and their daughter Rebecca were at home. "I'm sure you're tired of the endless questions, but we're taking one last shot at this as a cold case."

"If it will help find Billy Joe..." said Jenny. She was an attractive woman with a medium build and brown hair, but the years of not knowing had etched her face with pain and sadness. Rebecca, a 25-year-old woman with a pretty face and a slender, sexy body, comforted her mom.

"We're certainly going to do what we can." said Phyllis.

"Before you ask anything," said Claude Tolson, also of medium build but still showing underlying physical strength, "are you acting on behalf of the insurance company?"

"Not at all." Phyllis said quickly, keeping a straight face. "We're acting on behalf of the Town & County Police Force, and anything we find will become public knowledge... which the insurance company can do nothing to stop." Cindy nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Okay." said Tolson. "I don't want to sound uncooperative, but those bastards have acted in the worst way. I don't have much to do with Art Mason, but I supported his lawsuit against the insurance company."

"I understand." said Cindy. "First, I need to ask if any of you know who called the police that day." None of the family members appeared to know, and said so.

"Okay, so we move on: who benefits from Billy Joe's policy?" asked Cindy.

"We do, his parents." said Claude. "What happened was: when Billy Joe and Rebecca were very small, we began life insurance policies on them, variable whole life policies, to pay for their college educations. The amount of the policies was not a tremendous amount, and we've borrowed against the policies to pay for the kids' schooling. But those bastards at the Insurance Company tried to shut the policy down after Billy Joe disappeared so that we could never collect, then tried to claw back what we'd borrowed for Billy Joe's schooling. Thank God Rebecca's policy was with another company; we were able to get her through Yale without going into debt."

"Oh, that's quite an accomplishment, of which you should be proud." said Phyllis. "And going to Yale in itself is something to be proud of. But the policies did not pay you a lot of money, is that right?"

"No, just $250,000." said Tolson. "Well, I guess the word 'just' sounds bad, but in reality, after we'd borrowed against the policy, it wasn't going to pay a tremendous amount. In fact, on Rebecca's policy we were only left with about $5000 after she graduated, which we redeemed and gave to her as a graduation gift.

Tolson continued: "If Billy Joe is declared dead, which he will be in September if he does not turn up alive somewhere, we'll get the full $250,000, and after the court case Mason filed that we won, we're going to get paid the interest also. The Insurance Company is very upset about that."

"I see." said Phyllis. "So why don't I take Miss Rebecca into the kitchen for a moment, while Captain Ross talks with you the parents." The parents put up no protest.

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

"So let me just ask right out," said Cindy, "what do you think happened to your son?"

"We don't know." said Claude. "He was there that afternoon, then he wasn't. I don't know if he went upstairs with Bonnie Jean or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. But how they disappeared, and why? I have no idea."

"Mrs. Tolson?" Cindy asked, peering at the woman, who was being too quiet and passive.

"I agree with my husband." said Jenny. "Absolutely no idea, and I still can't understand how no one saw them come out of that upstairs room..."

"Mrs. Tolson, do you think Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean were having a sexual affair?" Cindy asked.

"I don't know." said Jenny Tolson. "I do know that Billy Joe tried to seduce just about every woman he met. The only girl he ever dated for any length of time was Willa Mason. I think he felt something for her, but he later said she was a slut, too, so he stopped dating her."

"Mr. Tolson?" Cindy asked the husband.

"I don't know about why he broke up with Willa," said Claude, "but he was a jock and girls were flocking all over him."

"Did Billy Joe get in trouble very much?" Cindy asked.

Claude Tolson answered "He was basically a good boy, minded us, his parents, got good grades and got into college and all. But he was also headstrong, and a handful. I was scared to death that one day some girl was going to show up on our doorstep and tell us that Billy Joe had gotten her pregnant."

"That did happen, didn't it?" Cindy inquired, peering at both parents. They just looked at each other with surprised looks on their faces.

"No ma'am," said Claude. "I never heard of Billy Joe knocking up any girl." Jenny agreed. Cindy made a note on her pad.

"So how was Billy Joe with his brother and sister?" asked Cindy.

Jenny Tolson said "I'm sure you'll hear, if you haven't already, that Billy Joe and Jimmy didn't get along. Billy Joe wasn't an unkind boy, though. He was protective of his sister, and they were pretty close. We did have to keep an eye on Billy Joe regarding Jimmy, or he'd do something like shove Jimmy's head in the toilet."

"Where is Jimmy now?" Cindy asked.

"He graduated school and has an apartment south of the Courthouse Square." said Claude Tolson. "He's an accountant and actuary with an insurance company. No, not the one that's given us all that trouble, but Conway Property & Casualty Insurance."

"What was Jimmy like, growing up?" Cindy asked.

"He was a very smart boy, still is." Jenny said. "He kept to himself a lot, though. We knew he was picked on a lot in school, but there was little we could do about it."

"What were his interests, hobbies?" Cindy asked.

The parents looked at each other, then Claude said "I am not sure that he had any hobbies. He was on the internet a lot. We tried to follow what sites he got on, but he was smarter than we were, and erased the logs, or whatever they call them."

Cindy then asked "What has your relationship with Jimmy been since Billy Joe's disappearance?"

The parents looked at each other, then Claude said "I'd have to say... it didn't change a lot. Jimmy didn't say much, but there was no hiding how happy he was that his big brother was gone. I don't think the rest of us reacted well to that, though I understood it. We really don't have much contact with Jimmy now. He lives his own life."

Jenny Tolson then said "Rebecca didn't take it very well at all that Jimmy was so happy about Billy Joe's disappearance. Rebecca and Billy Joe were close..."

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

"I hope you take this the right way." said Rebecca Tolson, "I really hope I look as good as you do when I'm your age."

"Why thank you, dear."said Phyllis. "I do try to keep in shape. And it is indeed quite an accomplishment to graduate from Yale, as you have done. What are you doing now?"

"I was working for Congressman Condor, here in his local office, while working on my Masters in Poli-Sci here at the University." said Rebecca. "I'm thinking of applying for the Ph.D. program, as well, but I might get a job with State Senator Woodburn."

"I see." said Phyllis. "So, tell me what you remember of your brother's disappearance."

Rebecca's face fell noticeably. "It's been really hard, not knowing what happened to Billy Joe." she said. "He was... well, let me start at the beginning. I was having to help my mom host the party, since it was for me, so I had to stay outside and talk to the older people a lot. I didn't get to spend much time with the other people my age. That kind of pissed me off, because Danny Mason was hanging out with that slut Rhonda Stevens, and I was trying to get Danny away from her."

"When was the last time you saw your brother, and for that matter, Mrs. Mason?" Phyllis asked.

"Oh gosh," said Rebecca. "I remember seeing both Mr. and Mrs. Mason, Art and Bonnie Jean, early on. I think Art went to talk with some of the older men that were watching a ball game inside, and Bonnie Jean was talking to some of the women outside. The last time I saw Billy Joe was... gosh, I can't even remember seeing him at all after the party started."

"That's okay, dear, it was such a long time ago." Phyllis said reassuringly. "So let me ask this: how has your brother's disappearance affected your parents, your family?"

"It's been hard on Mom and Dad." said Rebecca. "Not only was Billy Joe gone, they were constantly being hounded by police and FBI visits to the house, to the point they finally had to move out. They sold the house, which I think hurt them to have to do. For me, it's just the not knowing that's hurting."

"How about Jimmy?"

"Oh gosh." said Rebecca. "He tried to hide it and act somber about it, but he was absolutely ecstatic about Billy Joe being gone. He didn't and still doesn't miss Billy Joe one bit."

"And how do you feel about that?" Phyllis asked, having very accurately read Rebecca's face as the younger woman spoke.

"Er..." Rebecca said, "well, Jimmy and I were never close to begin with. It was really humiliating being his sister, and to be honest, ma'am, I felt the same way about Jimmy that most of my classmates did. I had no respect for him. Billy Joe was great, he was the perfect big brother in every way, and when Jimmy was so happy about Billy Joe being gone... well, what little respect I might've had for Jimmy fell through the floor. I really don't care if I ever see him again, and I would imagine he feels the same way."

"What do you think happened to your brother, to Billy Joe?" asked Phyllis.

"I have no idea." said Rebecca. "It was just so sudden, and so strange. I've always hoped that he and Bonnie Jean just ran away and are okay somewhere, but it's just so..." She did not finish the sentence as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. 

"I understand, dear." said Phyllis. "So you never heard or saw anything to suggest that Jimmy knows anything about his brother's disappearance?"

"No..." Rebecca said, then thought about it. "No, I don't think so. Jimmy was in the game room the whole time of the party, playing on the computer. He said he saw Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean go up to the upstairs room, and he said he snuck up there and saw them having sex. He took a polygraph, too, so he couldn't have been lying."

"Very likely not." said Phyllis soothingly. "Let me ask, when the fight between Art Mason and Claude Tolson began, who called the Police?"

"Like I said earlier, I don't know." said Rebecca. "But the Police did get there very quickly after the fight began."

"Thank you, dear." said Phyllis. "If you can think of anything else, please do call me."

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

It was very late in the afternoon when Cindy and Phyllis arrived at the apartment of Jimmy Tolson. Their knocks went unanswered.

"Maybe he's still at work." Cindy said.

"No," said Phyllis, "I called there, and they said he'd left. I think he knows we're looking for him, and he's avoiding us."

"So what do we do?" Cindy said. "I can have a patrol car sit here and call us when he gets home-"

"I'm sorry, dear, but that would be a total waste of time." Phyllis replied. "Let's have some dinner, then continue with the interviews this evening."

A nearby Applebee's was not too busy, so they stopped there to eat, requesting a rather isolated corner booth so their conversation would not be overheard too easily.

"So," said Phyllis after they'd ordered, "what do you think of the case so far?"

Cindy replied "There are two points of interest to me from the interviews today. One is that Art Mason totally overreacted to us. Suggests a guilty conscience. The other is that Danny mentioned two girls being knocked up by Billy Joe, but the parents either didn't know or were acting like they didn't know."

"Oh, that's very good, my dear." said Phyllis. "Yes, it's interesting. As to Art Mason, he definitely is a person of interest. Has a temper, has had some serious challenges in his life the past few years. Now he's close to the insurance payoff, we show up on his doorstep, and he might've popped off if my son had not been there at Headquarters to intimidate him."

"Yeah." Cindy said. "Both his kids say he never got physical with his wife but that they argued a lot. And he went off on Jimmy the night of the disappearance and got punched in the face for it. Hmmm, someone knows something, there. At any rate, Art's a big bully until someone that can cut him down to size fronts him. Danny did it at their house, then Don at Headquarters."

"Yes, something to keep in mind there." Phyllis said musingly. At that moment the food came, and they settled down for a few minutes to eating. Once they were done and the check paid, Cindy resumed discussion of the case.

"My second point of interest is the insurance company." Cindy said. "How could they possibly cancel the policy, and even try to claw back legally borrowed money from it? That was just asking to get slam-danced by the Courts."

"I could not agree more." said Phyllis. "And that is interesting in itself."

"So... what do you think about the case... Aunt Phyllis?" Cindy asked, grinning as she used the term for her aunt-by-marriage, only recently discovered. Phyllis chuckled.

"You're making me feel old, calling me that." Phyllis joked, then said "But it's interesting. Don has always been very correct about ascertaining the importance of whoever calls the Police to report a crime. Sometimes it's nothing, but all too often it's a vital clue to the case. So far, we have not been able to determine that about this case... at all. Don was all over it, and I have a feeling he is correct in drawing our attention to its importance."

"What about Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean?" asked Cindy. "Do you think they're still alive? Or did something happen to them?"

"I'm not yet seeing how it was all done, but I do believe that Bonnie Jean and young Billy Joe are no longer with us." Phyllis replied sadly.

Part 8 - Other Interviews

"Oh yeah, suck that cock, baby!" the handsome young stud moaned as he sat on the sofa. The young woman, about 25 years old with with longish platinum blonde hair that hung limply, a nice tight body with medium breasts and a succulent ass, was on her knees on the floor in front of the stud, sucking his large cock. She was the 'Penny D.' from the Tolson-Mason disappearance case.

"Oh yeah, babe, I'm going to fucking come!" the stud announced. "Oh yeah, here it comes, yeah, oh yeah! Oh yeah, take that fucking LOAD! TAKE THAT LOAD!!" he yelled out as spurts of thick semen blasted into the woman's mouth, filling it. She rapidly swallowed as her hand jacked more of his cum out of his pulsing balls until he was totally satiated and spent.

"Damn, Penny, you have one hell of a mouth." the guy said as the woman finished him off. "Get me hard again, and I'm going to fuck the living shit out of you-"


*DING DONG!*

It was the doorbell.

"Damn." said Penny D. "Who the hell could that be?" It was early evening, about 7:30pm. Penny quickly put on her housecoat and went to the door. Two policewomen were outside.

"Can I help you?" Penny asked after opening the door.

"Police, ma'am." said Cpt. Ross. "Can we talk to you for a moment about a past case you were involved in?"

"Uh," Penny said, "I'm, er, kind of busy right now." Just then the young man appeared behind Penny.

"What's going on- oh, hello Captain Ross, Mrs. Troy." said the stud.

"Hi, Teddy." said Cindy, recognizing Teddy Franklin, friend, race partner, and business associate of Phyllis's grandson, Todd Burke. "Sorry to interrupt you, but we need to talk to Penny for a few moments."

"Baby, you talk to them, and I'll be waiting for you upstairs." said Teddy. Penny looked daggers at him, but admitted the policewomen into her home.

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

"So, dear, just tell us what happened." said Phyllis. "And believe me, we have heard sexual terms being used all the time, so don't hold back and tell us everything."

"Yes ma'am." said Penny D., who then began her narrative: "I was dating George at the time, and we were in the game room. George was playing a game with Steve, and I was watching them. Big Rusty and Lisa came up, and were in the beanbag chair. They began having sex, right in front of all of us."

"What time was this?" asked Cindy.

"Right at 5:00pm, if I remember right." said Penny D. " Lisa was riding Big Rusty, and I was watching his big dick going in and out of her as she rode him."

"Did you see Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean go upstairs?" asked Phyllis.

"I remember seeing some shadows out of the corner of my eye, and a couple of people went up the stairs to the upper room... yeah, Jimmy Tolson was by the door to the upstairs, and he said it was his brother and Bonnie Jean Mason, and it looked like them from the glimpse I got..."

"And Jimmy was near the doors to the upstairs and downstairs?" asked Phyllis.

"Uh, yeah, that's right," Penny D. said, though with some uncertainty in her voice. "Jimmy was standing near the door to the upstairs, talking to Willa Mason, who had just come in from the downstairs... Jimmy said he was going to go upstairs and see what his brother and Mrs. Mason were doing."

"Did Willa go with him, or stay with you?" asked Phyllis.

"Willa just hung out with us, and then Jimmy came back and said they were fucking."

"How did Jimmy look and feel about that?" asked Phyllis. "Happy, angry?"

"Er," Penny said, "yeah, he could've been pissed... but he might not really have cared. I dunno." Phyllis pressed penny to continue her story of what was going on in the 'game room' at that time.

Penny D. continued: "Penny P. and Roddy were fucking on the floor, Steve and George were playing the video game, and Jimmy went back to the computer. Willa watched Jimmy on the computer for a while; she was the only one who would talk to Jimmy, he was such a shit and we all hated his guts... 

"If I may ask," said Cindy, "if you guys hated him so much, why did he hang out with you?"

"I have no idea." said Penny. "Maybe he just wanted to watch the sex. He was a real perv. The rest of us were ignoring him. Steve and Willa were the only people that would even speak to him, and Steve was into his video game with George..."

"And what about the altercation with Mr. Mason and Jimmy?" asked Phyllis. "What time did that occur?"

"It was about seven o'clock when the shit hit the fan and Art Mason came into the room. I was sucking George's cock; he was lucky I didn't bite it off when Mason came rushing in, yelling like the world was going to end...

"He went right after Jimmy?" Cindy asked.

Penny D. replied "Yeah, he went right after Jimmy, made a beeline for him. Then some people went upstairs and Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean weren't there.

"And you never saw Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean come back down?" Phyllis asked.

"No, they never came back down, I'm sure I would've seen them if they had. Nobody came down... well, Jimmy did right after he went up there to spy on them, but Billy Joe and Mrs. Mason never did come down. I'm sure of that."




Disappearing Act Ch. 02



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

The doorbell rang at the home of Penny P. and her husband, who happened to be Roddy, the guy who had been fucking her in the game room while her then-boyfriend Steve played a video game.

"It's the Police." Roddy said as he looked out the spy-hole in the door.

"I wonder what they want?" Penny said, concerned but not upset nor nervous.

"Only one way to find out." Roddy said. He opened the door...

Once Cindy and Phyllis were seated, they explained their mission.

"Yes, I remember that." said Penny as she held their newborn second child. Her face was very pretty, though her body was starting to add some weight after having delivered that second child. Roddy had taken their two-year-old upstairs. "I'm going to have to be blunt in front of you, but at the time Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean went upstairs, I was on the floor and Roddy was fucking me. He was nuzzling my neck and I was looking in the direction of the window. I saw the shadows crossing the window for a second... yes, the woman's hair was like Bonnie Jean wore hers, and I immediately thought of her. I only saw a shadow of Billy Joe for a second, and didn't know who it was until somebody said something about it being him."

"Did you see anything, Roddy?" Phyllis asked when Roddy came back to the room. She had long since observed and deduced that Roddy was not the brightest bulb in the string of lights.

"No." said Roddy. "If I wasn't kissing Penny or nuzzling her neck, I was looking up at Lisa and Big Rusty on the beanbag chair. Rusty was the tight end on the football team, he and Billy Joe were good friends. Lisa was riding him and I had this awesome view of his big cock going into her as she rode him. It really got me hot and I was fucking Penny hard and deep. I remember some shadows, but didn't really see Billy Joe or Bonnie Jean going upstairs."

"Where were the other people in the room at the time?" Cindy asked.

Roddy said "Let's see: Steve and George were on the sofa, playing their game. They had a hundred dollar bet on it. Penny and I were on the floor, and Lisa and Big Rusty were in the beanbag chair. Jimmy Tolson had been at the desk, and Gloria and Tommy had been in the game room but went back downstairs. Danny and Rhonda had also gone downstairs. Yeah, Jimmy walked over to the door right about the time Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean Mason went upstairs, then Willa Mason came in, she was talking to Jimmy. Again, it's all kind of hazy because I was busy with Penny and was watching Big Rusty's cock slamming up into Lisa..."

"Did any of you leave between that time and when Art Mason arrived?" asked Cindy.

"No, we stayed in the game room after the sex." Penny said. "Steve and George's video game lasted another hour after Roddy and I finished fucking... no, nobody came down from the upstairs room, I am positive of that." Roddy agreed with Penny's assessment.

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

George was enrolled in University Medical School, and was on shift at the Hospital. He said he was watching the video game, but did glimpse out of the corner of his eye Bonnie Jean Mason and what looked like Billy Joe go upstairs, but they were on up the stairs before he could turn his head from playing the game. He remembered being surprised that his friend Billy Joe was scoring with Bonnie Jean. The video game had gone on and on, there was money on it. No, he never saw anyone come back from the upstairs room, but he had been preoccupied with the game. He hadn't even paid attention to the sex going on behind him at the time..."

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

Steve lived in Midtown. He was a mid-level manager at a company there, and appeared to be shocked when the doorbell rang.

"Hi, I'm Detective Sergeant Molly Evans of the Midtown Police, and this is my partner Detective Frank Soltis." said Molly. "Can we come in?"

Once inside, Molly explained that they were cooperating with the Town & County Police in looking into the cold case of Billy Joe Tolson and Bonnie Jean Mason. In reply, Steve told the story that he'd been playing the video game with George, that he could hear Penny and Roddy fucking on the floor behind him... no, he didn't care, Roddy and Penny had fucked while he was in the room on several occasions, and he'd fucked other girls, too... yes, some other couple was in the beanbag chair, but he, Steve, was watching the video game and playing it because there was some serious money on the game. No, George had blocked his view of the door leading upstairs, and the window, so he didn't see Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean go up, but he heard Jimmy Tolson tell Willa Mason that Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean had gone upstairs.

Then Steve unleashed the bombshell: "Yeah, I fucked Bonnie Jean once, about six months before that day. Big Rusty fucked her first, I got sloppy seconds. She was a real whore for teen cock. Yeah, I'm sure Billy Joe was fucking her, that's why I wasn't surprised that he had taken her upstairs... no, I have no idea how they got back out of that room without any of us seeing them, but I was playing the video game...

Part 9 - Jimmy Tolson

Jimmy Tolson walked into the offices of Conway Property & Casualty Insurance just before 8:00am Thursday morning, heading for the relative safety and privacy of his cubicle. He didn't get far.

"Mr. Tolson! Mr. Conway would like for you to go straight to his office, immediately." said Janice, the pretty receptionist at the front desk.

"Uh, did he say why?" asked Jimmy.

"No," Janice said, her voice condescending, "he just said go straight there, don't even go to your desk first." Jimmy Tolson was such a loser to look at, she thought to herself, happy to see Jimmy walk away from her post.

Jimmy headed to Mr. Conway's plush office. The administrative assistant said when she saw him, her voice severe: "Mr. Conway has been waiting for you, Mr. Tolson. You need to go in immediately." She very quickly buzzed that Tolson was there, and opened the door for Jimmy to go in, happy to close the door so that she did not have to see any more of Jimmy.

Inside the room, Mr. Conway was sitting behind his desk. In front of the desk were two women, one middle-aged but very attractive, the other a younger platinum blonde, downright muscular in some areas. They were wearing Police uniforms.

Phyllis noticed Jimmy's face go from inquisitive curiosity to disdain and disgust when he realized the Police were there.

"Mr. Tolson," said Mr. Conway, "these police officers would like to speak with you for a few moments about the disappearance of your brother. I would like for you to make some time this morning and speak with them. I can have one of our lawyers sit in with you, if you like."

"Sir, with all due respect," Jimmy Tolson said, his voice angry, "I've given multiple statements to the police and the FBI over the past seven years about this situation. Officers, my statements are on record and I took a polygraph test. But I will answer no more questions and will not speak to you." Jimmy turned to go.

"Jimmy," said Phyllis, momentarily stopping him, "we simply want to ask a few questions to clarify the situation before we close the case. Will you not help us?"

"As I said," Tolson replied, "I will not cooperate with you any further. My statements are on record; refer to them."

"Tolson!" Conway almost yelled, standing up out of his chair. "I don't understand this at all. I strongly recommend you cooperate with these police officers! Your status of employment with us will be reviewed if you do not."

"If you want to fire me, Mr. Conway," said Jimmy, his eyes coldly determined, "that is your prerogative. But you haven't had to live through the seven years of hell these cops and the FBI have put me through. I'm done with them." Not waiting for a dismissal, Jimmy turned and left the room.

"Ladies," Conway said, sitting back down, "I am befuddled that Tolson will not talk with you, and I can assure you that if he does not change his mind, he will no longer be working for this company."

"Ah, Mr. Conway," said Phyllis in her soothing voice, "please don't do that, at least not over this matter. I can understand Jimmy's side of this."

"I can't." said Cindy. "He's talked to the police before; why can't he speak with us now? What does he have to hide? I wouldn't blame Mr. Conway for firing him-"

"No! That is what you must not do." said a voice from the doorway. A tall, broad-shouldered man with reddish-blonde hair, a light trenchcoat, and a red crowbar in his hand was walking up to them. The assistant was watching from the doorway; the Iron Crowbar had walked right past her and into the room.

"My apologies for intruding, Mr. Conway." I said, then introduced myself. "Sir, if you fire him, he can sue you for wrongful dismissal, unless you have something else on him. He was, and is, well within his Constitutional rights to not speak with us, and as he said, he has given his statements many times over. We must not harass him, nor should you retaliate against him, Mr. Conway."

"If you say so, Commander." said Mr. Conway. "But I'm embarrassed at his actions. And no, he's not a model employee... and won't be an employee much longer, anyway."

"Commander," said Captain Ross, "do we need to keep tabs on Tolson? APB?"

I just smiled. "Wayyyy ahead of you, Captain. Been there, done that, got the TCPD Prison T-Shirt all ready.." I said. Cindy nodded and Phyllis beamed at me.

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

"He's driving east on Jefferson." said Sergeant Rudistan into the radio. "He's heading to Nextdoor County. I'm pulling him over." Patrolman Johnson was with Rudistan in the police cruiser.

Jimmy Tolson looked into the rear view mirror to see the police cruiser settle in behind him, blue lights flashing. He muttered unprintable curses as he pulled onto the side of the road.

"Well now, young man," said Sergeant Rudistan in his jovial manner as he approached the car, "may I see your driver's license and car registration, please." Johnson had stepped out of the cruiser, and was standing between it and the open door, behind the hinge of the door, using the car as a shield in case of violence.

"Here, officer." Tolson said, handing Rudistan the documents. "I am informing you that I am recording this stop. Why am I being detained?"

"Oh, that's just fine, my cameras are recording it also, Mr. Tolson." said Rudistan, totally unperturbed as he examined Tolson's drivers license. "So where are you going this morning?"

"That is none of your business, Officer." said Tolson. "Am I free to go?"

"No, you are not." said Rudistan. "I stopped you--"

"Then I'm being held against my will? Am I under arrest?" Tolson demanded.

"I stopped you," said Rudistan, unperturbed by Tolson's lack of manners, "because you are wanted for questioning in the case of the disappearance of your brother. An APB was put out for you, and I stopped you before you crossed the County line and left my jurisdiction."

"Am I free to go?" Tolson demanded, "If not, why am I being held against my will? Is there an arrest warrant issued for me, or am I free to go? I again remind you this conversation is being recorded."

"I hope so." said Rudistan. "So let me be clear. You were stopped by Police because of an APB issued for your arrest. Driving in this State and County is not a right, but a privilege, and I have the authority to stop you while you are driving on the highway. My probable cause for the stop is the APB issued for you. And at this time, you are being arrested as a 'person of interest' in the disappearance of your brother. Please step out of the car, sir, and keep your hands where I can see them..."

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

"What the hell is this about?" said the lawyer. He was from the firm of Chase, Lynch & Berry, who were virulently anti-Police. He'd arrived at the station, claiming to be Jimmy Tolson's lawyer pro bono, and was haranguing a very irritated Police Commander in Interrogation-1. Cindy Ross and Sergeant Rudistan were with me in the room, while my mother and Paulina Patterson were watching through the one-way glass.

"Your client refused to cooperate with Police this morning." I said. "That, in and of itself, is not the issue. However, your client then tried to flee the County, making him a person of interest in the disappearance of his brother. Judge Watts agrees with my ADA that Mr. Tolson's behavior is sufficiently suspicious to warrant him being detained, and also that Tolson is an extreme flight risk. So, counselor, we had no choice but to detain him on suspicion, and he will have to wear an ankle monitor if and when he makes bail."

"I am going to barbecue you over this." the lawyer muttered, his voice low and menacing.

"I keep hearing that from your firm's lawyers," I said, taunting the legal beagle, "yet it never seems to happen. Mr. Tolson, you can either cooperate with my officers, or you can sit in a holding cell for three days."

"Don't worry, Mr. Tolson," said the lawyer, "I'll have you out by noon. Now according to the Ninth Circuit Court, you have to invoke your right to remain silent out loud, so please do so now."

Jimmy Tolson said in a weary and bitter voice "I invoke my right to remain silent. I will not answer your questions nor cooperate with you in any way at any time."

"Rudistan, take Tolson through booking." I said. "Put him in a holding cell." I then went into the anteroom and down the hall towards my office.

"I hope you know what you're doing." ADA Paulina Patterson said, walking with me. "You've got 72 hours to do something. After that, he'll be released, without an ankle bracelet, and you may well never see him again."

"Don't sweat it." I said. "He can run if he wants, though he'll never be able to hide. Besides, he'll have to come back in September if he wants any share of the money from the insurance company, and I suspect he'll very much want to be around when his 'beloved' brother is declared dead..."

Part 10 - Insurance Issues

"Come on in, Detective Newton." I said to Julie Newton as she appeared at my doorway at 11:00am, having been sent in by Lt. Teresa Croyle at my request. Julie's hair was very black and she still kept it short. Her body was lithe but attractive in the tight blouse and skirt she was wearing, made even more shapely by the high heel pumps she was wearing.

I also noticed that, despite the long interval of time, her face had not lost the sadness that she had obviously felt when hearing that Harold Malone had been assassinated in Alabama. She had gone to the funeral, and had come back a different person. Frankly, I was a bit surprised she was still with us at the Town & County Police Force, but I was glad she was: I needed her financial skills for this task.

As Julie seated herself, I put a file folder on the front of my desk for her. "Julie, there is a cold case some of the other Detectives are investigating, and this insurance company is part of the issue. This insurance company attempted some financial shenanigans a few years ago, which has aroused my suspicions of them. I want you to investigate them, find out everything you possibly can about them. Use Lainie, Sonali, even Myron and Mary if you need to, but I need this information by tomorrow afternoon, meaning 2:00pm at the latest. The warrant to do this is the top document in the file folder."

"Yes sir." Julie said. She was about to get up. "Is there anything else, sir?"

"How are you doing, Julie?" I asked, peering at her. "Everything okay with you?"

"Yes sir." Julie said. "I'm fine. I should get started on this right away." She said nothing further, despite this opportunity to open up.

"Let me know anything that stands out as you find out about it. Thank you, Detective." I said, dismissing her. She got up, took the folder, and left without so much as looking back.

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

"Thank you for seeing me, Professor." I said as I entered the small office in the Mathematics Department at the University. "I really appreciate your help."

The office belonged to the Sir Isaac Newton Professor of Advanced Mathematics, Dr. Marvin Milton. I was wearing my Duty Dress uniform, as was the officer with me: Supervisor Myron Milton, the professor's son.

"I understand that this is of some importance." said Professor Milton. "My son said that I might be interested in it. Few things beyond the Grand Unification Theory truly interest me, so let us see what it is, yes?"

I smiled. "Sir, I found this microchip inside the jewel case of a DVD. I understand that it fits into a jump drive module, but I'm not sure how to correctly insert it and then get the data from it." I handed Milton the chip, encased in a static-electricity-proof bag. It was a small black square, barely more than 1/8th inch on a side, with four tiny silver slivers coming out each side, for a total of sixteen such prongs.

"Ahhhh, yes." said the Professor. "Yes, the CIA uses these, and I was happy to expose that to the Academic Community. Your wife was most displeased with me."

"I'm sure." I said. "So how do they use these things?"

"Well, since you've come to me," said Professor Milton, "then you don't want even your own wife to know about it until you've seen the data yourself. And that means you think its about something, or someone, that is skeptical of your investigations into a master criminal. Am I right, son?"

"Father, if the Iron Crowbar thinks it's important and needs to be kept away from the CIA, then I'd stand completely behind him on it." said Myron. Chief Griswold would congratulate him for his ass-kissing speech, I thought to myself.

Professor Milton took a jump drive out of his desk. Somewhat to my surprise, he separated the halves of it. I could see a little square slot where the chip would fit.

"The problem, Commander, and Myron," said Professor Milton, "is that if we insert that chip the wrong way, it will destroy itself and all the information upon it when we plug in and power up the jump drive. That's the insidious thing about it. You only have a one-in-four chance of making it work."

I thought about it. "I think the person giving this information would want me to find it. I think she left a clue. Hmmm..." As I thought, the band R.E.M.'s music came to me:

"Stand in the place where you were,

Now face West...

"Okay, Professor," I said, "put it in facing left."

"Are you sure?" asked Professor Milton, amazed at my confidence.

"Yes." I said. "Educated guess, and our only shot."

Professor Milton got some tweezers out of his desk (I decided not to contemplate just why he happened to have these tools for this job so readily available) and inserted the chip, top facing left. He resealed the parts of the jump drive, and handed it to me. I put the jump drive into my 'virgin' laptop and accessed the files. 

Q'plaa!! They were there! They popped up, and I copied them to the laptop after they passed a virus check.

"Excellent work, Commander." said Professor Milton. "I see why my son speaks so highly of you."

"Thank you, sir, and you, Supervisor Milton." I said. Myron just gave a wan smile.

I was going to hand Professor Milton his jump drive back, but he said "You keep that, Commander. If I don't miss my guess, you're going to be needing it in the near future."

Part 11 - The Bigger The Cushion...

"The bigger the cushion,

the sweeter the pushin',

oh yeah,

that's what I said..."

--- Spinal Tap

I did not have time to further examine the data from the jump drive, however. After taking the laptop, drive and chip home, and securing them in separate places, I had another mission to attend. I headed for Willa Mason's house.

"Hello, Willa." I said as the young woman opened the door. "May I come in?"




Disappearing Act Ch. 02



"Sure, Commander." Willa said, her eyes lighting up. She was dressed in a form-fitting, clingy dress that seemed more like a flower-print negligee, showing off her large breasts; and plush tan very high heel pumps, which shaped her luscious, curvy legs and fleshy ass. I felt my loins stirring.

"I just came by to ask you a few final questions about the disappearance of your mother." I said. My eyes were taking a lightning inventory of the den room we were in as I spoke. "I understand that she left her cellphone here the day she disappeared."

"I think that's right, sir." Willa said, and I felt her eyes looking me up and down, evaluating me in a sexual way. I stood in front of her, seeing her eyes go from my eyes down to my crotch.

"So Willa," I said quietly, conspiratorially, "tell me: did your mother have sex with other men? Did she cheat on your father?"

"I... I don't know." said Willa, her eyes looking into mine again. I could see that there was not a lot of cunning behind those eyes. Willa would never be known as a brainy girl, so sorry. She continued: "She did flirt with all of Danny's friends a lot. She even flirted with Danny, especially after he started working out, and right in front of Dad."

"And that made your dad mad?" I asked. Willa might not be smart, but she had an aura about her... and aura of sexuality. I'd felt it with some other women, especially my wife Laura. And I let myself feel Willa's sexuality fully as I stood right in front of her.

"Yeah." Willa said, looking at me. I could tell she was aware of her feminine charms, and was projecting them upon me.

"What about you, Willa?" I asked quietly. "You and Billy Joe were hooking up?"

"We... had sex." she said as I stepped up to her and put my arms around her.

"Did he hold you like this?" I asked as she slid her hands up my chest and around my neck.

"You do it better than he did." she said. "I'll bet you do a lot of other things, better, too..."

I didn't reply, but mashed my mouth onto her full, sensuous lips, enjoying the tastiness of their fleshy warmth and wetness, then pushing my tongue past them to explore her mouth...

We went to her bedroom, where she sat down on the side of the bed. I stood in front of her and slid my throbbing hard cock into her mouth. I gently guided the back of her head as I pumped my hips, fucking Willa's face, sliding my turgid meat in and out of her warm, wet mouth. I knew that I couldn't let her do this for long, or I would come.

I withdrew my cock, now glistening with Willa's saliva. As she lay back on the bed, I took out a condom and rolled the thin latex sheath over my prick. Adequately protected, I eased onto the bed and mounted Willa, feeling her take my cock in her hand and guide it to her wet slit...

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

*CHOCK!* *CHOCK!* *CHOCK!* *CHOCK!*

The sounds of our hot mating filled the air as I fucked Willa dogstyle on her bed. She was naked except for the high heel pumps, her big breasts hanging down and bouncing back and forth as I slammed my hard, taut groin against the fleshy sweetness of her fine asscheeks, driving my throbbing hard cock in and out of her sopping wet pussy with powerful thrusts. She was moaning and gasping, and had come hard twice already, her velvety cunt clenching hard on my cock.

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

As I fucked her, I remembered fucking a 'big girl' in college. Her name was Michelle, she was a redhead, and she was a bigger girl than Willa. I'd enjoyed fucking her fleshy pussy, and I was watching my roommate Jack Burke fuck Michelle's friend Nicole. Nicole had been an amazingly beautiful woman, hardcore fit, what Jack Burke called a 'pornstar quality' piece of ass.

And after that, I remembered, Nicole had come in one day and fucked me when we were alone in my dorm room. She was awesome and rode my cock hard, saying how much harder my cock was than Jack's huge weapon of lust... and then Jack came in the room and caught us.

It was the only time Jack Burke took a swing at me. He was then introduced to Aikido, as when his punch missed, I saw his shoulder and elbow fly by... ah, joints, I know what to do with those, I thought to myself as I applied the techniques. Jack's face slamming into the floor made him understand that his brute power didn't always win. He never tried to fuck with me again, and I was the only person (that I know of) that ever whipped his ass.

What happened to Nicole, I didn't know. She left school shortly after the incident, and I never heard from her again...

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

I felt the sweat dripping off my temples and down my chest in the warm room as I relentlessly fucked Willa. I felt my nut rising, and knew that I was going to come into the condom which sheathed my iron-hard penis.

"Turn over onto your back, babe." I gasped as I pulled my meat out of Willa's sloppy quim. She did so and I mounted her in the missionary position, letting her reach down and position my prick back into the folds of her warm, receptive womanhood. I began pumping, enjoying the feel as well as the sounds of the wet smacks of flesh on flesh as we rutted lustily with raw abandon.

"Uhhh, here it comes, baby..." I gasped. "Here it comes... OH YEAH!! UNNHH!! UNNGGGHHH!!" I felt my throbbing cock pulsing hard, and the warm semen around the helmeted head of my cock as my load of semen filled the tip of the condom. I regretted the need to use the prophylactic device; it would have been a really great feeling to pump my full climax into the woman with whom I was hotly copulating.

Willa and I made out for some minutes, kissing hotly as we cooled down. Finally, I got up and got dressed.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Willa asked.

"I think you answered my questions." I said. "And I can see why Billy Joe enjoyed dating you."

"You're a good fuck, Commander Troy. Billy Joe was good, too." Willa said as she got up and put on her dress. "It's too bad he broke up with me."

"Yeah." I said. We went back into the den room. "It's warm in here. You don't use the air conditioner?"

"We keep it set pretty high." Willa said. "The electric company raises the rates during the summer. It's ridiculous what they charge."

"I couldn't agree more." I said. "Oh, there's a vent behind that chair. It's pretty big for an A.C. vent..."

"Oh, that." Willa said, her voice disinterested. "I think it's the intake for the heater in the winter. I have to dust it a lot."

"I see." I said. I gave Willa a warm, deep kiss goodbye.

"I'll be talking to you again soon, Commander." Willa said, the first hint of a malicious smile forming on her face.

"I'm sure of it." I replied, not letting my face reveal anything. I then left.

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

Willa went to the hidden audio recorder in her bedroom and took out the digital jump drive that was recording the sound. She then got the hidden video camera.

And then she got a shock. Both were scrambled. They'd utterly failed to work, to record the lusty liaison with the Police Commander. How could they have failed? she wondered to herself... not knowing that I'd activated a certain device in my pants pocket...

Part 12 - Singing Like A Canary... Not So Much

At 4:30pm Thursday afternoon, Paulina Patterson informed me that Jimmy Tolson's lawyer wanted to meet with us and his client. I had Jimmy brought to Interrogation-1 and his legal beagle brought there also. Patrolman Johnson and Captain Ross joined us, and my mother was watching from the anteroom through the one-way glass.

"Okay, Counselor," I said, "what is this about?"

"I'm advising my client to speak with you 'hypothetically' about the disappearance of his brother and Mrs. Mason." said the lawyer. I could not hide my surprise; my eyebrows shot up. But I did not ask why.

I chose my words very carefully. I said. "So Jimmy, you waive your Fifth-"

"My client is going to speak to you on a limited and 'hypothetical' basis." said the lawyer, interrupting me with deliberate rudeness. "And only about this particular case. After he answers your questions, you will release him on his own recognizance, he will not be ankle-monitored, and you will not harass him further without obtaining a Court-issued warrant beforehand which will be obtained only based upon probable cause. If you don't accept this, then my client will not answer your questions, he will be out of here in a couple of days, I'll have a restraining order against you following or harassing him an any way and you'll get no further cooperation from him at all."

"I see." I said. "No thanks. I don't accept your terms. Mr. Tolson has taken the Fifth; if he chooses to speak to us at any time on any thing from this time forward, he revokes those rights and will not be permitted to re-invoke. Furthermore, I don't play the 'hypothetical' game, which is why you're offering to do so."

I got up. "Mr. Tolson, while I respect your Constitutional rights, I find your actions suspicious. Your actions are so suspicious that it may be enough that when the insurance company hears of your refusal to cooperate, they may be able to use your actions to delay paying the claim upon them when the seven-year time limit runs out-"

"That's bullshit!" gasped the lawyer.

"Is it?" I thundered back. "We'll see. Certainly the insurance company is going to do anything it can to prevent paying Jimmy's family on the policy. They can tie this thing up for months in Court if that's what they want to do."

Not a flicker from Jimmy's eyelashes, so I went further: "Of course, the only crime that can still be prosecuted is murder, Mr. Tolson... and any refusal of help from you just keeps me from shutting down this investigation and throwing it back into the disinterested hands of the FBI. I am looking at a murder case, Jimmy. You think about it. You think about it." I then exited the room, Cindy following. Jimmy had blinked at my last words.

Once back in my office, Cindy's excellent restraint finally broke. "Okay, Commander, what you told him was 99% bullshit. What was it about?" My mother was also peering at me, though for different reasons: she was reading me like an open book, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"I appreciate you going along with it, Captain." I said. "It's a bit of a gambit on my part, to get Jimmy to talk to us."

"And if he doesn't?" Cindy asked. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Then he doesn't." I said.

"My dear," Phyllis said, looking at Cindy, "you are not asking your partner the most important question of all arising from that little interview you just witnessed."

Cindy thought about it, then her eyes lit up...

Part 13 - Insurance Issues, Redux

"Wow, that was fast." I said in my most complimentary voice.

"It was pretty easy, after I looked in the right places." said Detective Julie Newton. It was 5:30pm, and Julie had been at it only a scant few hours. "I took a few shortcuts that often show quick results, but keep in mind, sir, that this is just a little bit and we're just beginning an investigation. I've informed Lt. Croyle already."

"Excellent." I said. "What have you got?"

"Reems & Berry are definitely in trouble financially." Julie said. "And Mr. Richard Hudson is the primary reason for that. I'm not sure they have the money to pay out the policies in September."

"What, fraud? Embezzlement?" I asked.

"No sir, more like leveraging to the limits of their cash flow, and perhaps beyond." Julie said. "Hudson is the main principal with the company, and he has two partners who are also principals. They've been giving substantial money to political candidates in both parties, which I suspect is to get inside information on upcoming legislation and regulations of various industries. They then trade stocks on the inside information, but also use it to write policies in directions favorable to new laws and regulations... before those laws are even passed and the regulations finalized."

"Surely they are not the only insurance company doing that?" I asked.

"I don't know, but I seriously doubt they're the only ones getting inside information." Julie replied. "Such crony capitalism is almost crucial to their industry and their survival today."

"Oh, by the way," I said, as if it were a sudden thought, "they were laying groundwork to not pay these policies on Tolson and Mason well over two years ago. So were they having these financial problems all that time?"

"I'm still getting data on that, sir." Detective Newton replied. "The Data Guyz are melting your servers and wires, and we hope to have a lot more by tomorrow noon."

Just then my intercom buzzed, with Helena telling me that Detective Troy wanted to see Commander Troy. I asked her to send my mother right in.

"Hi, Detective Troy." I said to my mom. "Detective Newton and I were talking about the insurance company and financial aspects of the case you're investigating. We're wondering about the groundwork the company has been laying to not pay these two particular policies, going back at least a couple of years, enduring a court case..."

"Hello, Detective Newton, you're looking quite lovely. How are you today?" my mother asked Julie, putting manners and correct social discourse before police business. My mom was 'old school' about that; it was a long-forgotten art that today's youth neither understood nor cared about. Julie answered graciously and in kind.

"Well, Commander," my mother finally said, "I might can help with that. I was reading over the notes the insurance company gave us about the case. There are some internal memos regarding the disappearances, and the company apparently truly does believe that someone is trying to scam them, and that Mr. Tolson and Mrs. Mason are alive."

"The Court did not agree with the company when Art Mason's lawsuit came up." I replied.

"No, indeed." said Phyllis. "And Detective Newton might just correlate an increased expenditure on, shall way say, political things... beginning right after that case. The company wants more influence on who gets appointed to judgeships, especially in this area. I suspect that the late Senator Allen was most helpful to them, even though they were a competing insurance company to his; it served his interests as well as theirs to have company-friendly judges."

I noticed Julie's face flicker just a bit as my mother mentioned Allen's name, but I continued on: "So maybe the insurance company is on the up-and-up, but I have a sneaking suspicion something is going on, there. Okay, Ms. Newton, you can head back to your desk. Keep digging; I suspect there's a lot of fire under this smoke. I need to talk to you for a moment, Detective Troy, so please stay." Julie took the hint, got up and made farewells with my mom, then left.

"Thanks, Mom." I said. "And perfect timing. That could not have gone over any better."

"Oh I agree, son." Mom said. "I am puzzled by one thing: surely the Governor would not call you to get involved with this if there was any problem with his benefactor, the insurance company itself, no?"

I looked at my mother with an enigmatic smile; this was one of those rare few instances when I was ahead of her. "Oh? You think the Governor made a mistake?" My mother still looked puzzled.

"Well," I said, "never mind that, for now. This disappearance case... pretty obvious?"

"Yes, son, I think it is." Mom said. "But I wonder..." There was a light in her face as she had a mini-reverie...

"What's that, Mom?" I asked.

"I'll bet you and I have arrived at the same conclusion, but through different visions of the case." Mom said. We began talking, comparing our ideas...

Part 14 - The Magic Disappearing Act

"You ladies have done a terrific job on this case." I said as Cindy and I enjoyed tall mugs of cold beer at the Cop Bar after work. My mother was having red wine, and Teresa Croyle was drinking Coca-Cola; she was on call. Ranks were off; we were on a first name basis as we relaxed, snacked, drank, and talked.

"I'm glad you think so, Don," Cindy said, "but I don't see that we're very far along at all." 

"Oh, I cannot agree with that, my dear." said my mom Phyllis. "I think we have the full picture. We just need a few things to fall into place."

"Like evidence of a crime, and something to allow getting a warrant and making an arrest." Cindy replied.

"Good things are coming." I said. "And soon, I suspect."

"Phyllis," Teresa asked, a hint of amusement on her face, "did Don ever get offered money to seduce hot wives in Apple Grove?" My mom laughed, especially at the look on my face. Cindy was suppressing a huge grin, but failing at intervals.

"God, I wish someone would have challenged me like that." I said. "I could've used the money."

"I suspect I should not tell my son's secrets in front of his subordinates." my mother said, then did so anyway: "Especially that he was much more shy in those days than he is now, and he might not have succeeded. It's my grandson Todd that couldn't keep his pants zipped up; he would've loved to have those bets made, and he would've collected time and again."

"I remember when I was in high school here," Cindy said, "there were some rumors that money was being offered to seduce certain teachers or female students. I don't think it ran to four figures, though. More like $200 to $500."

"So, pertaining to this case," I said, "do you think that is what was going on? Billy Joe was trying to win a bit by seducing Mrs. Mason?"

"I tend to doubt it." Cindy said. "Money like that was offered to those with much less of a chance to win it; from what I hear of Billy Joe, he was getting into girls' pants all over the place. And Bonnie Jean was spreading her legs for teen studs, too. That'd be a bad bet to make."

"Oh I agree, my dear." said Phyllis. "And I also think that Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean Mason were having sex, and it wasn't a bet or a game but a full-blown affair."

Just as I agreed with my mother, Cindy's police cell phone rang. She answered it, then her eyes widened in surprise as she listened to the story. "I'll be right down." she said, then hung up. "Guess who just showed up at Headquarters, asking to make a statement to me personally?"

To be continued...

Dear Readers, you have the clues. What happened to Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean? Did they run away, or did something happen to them? And if it's the latter, who is responsible? Tune in for the solution... and the exciting conclusion...



Disappearing Act Ch. 03



The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

*****

Part 15 - Confession Is Not Good For The Other Perp's Soul

Cindy Ross came into Interrogation-A alone. Officer Lydia Green was just inside the anteroom. Willa Mason was waiting for Cindy, alone.

"Willa," Cindy asked. "Do you want a lawyer?"

"Not yet." replied Willa.

"In any case, I'm going to read you your rights." said Cindy.

"If you do, I won't speak." said Willa. "I want to talk to you, privately, off the record. If you're recording this, then turn it off, or let's go somewhere else."

"I can't play that game." Cindy said. "But tell me, what do you want?"

"If I tell you everything, I want no charges against myself. I walk, as if I was never there." said Willa. "I'll give you enough to get the real bastard, in exchange for full immunity."

"I can't do that at this point." Cindy said. "And I have to read you your rights first."

"I'll walk anyway." Willa said. "Your boss, the guy with the crowbar, he fucked me earlier today. I've got audio and video recordings. We both know what that means, not only for your case but the scandal that will happen."

"Do you have a semen sample?" Cindy asked.

"I've got the recordings." Willa countered. "That's enough."

"I suspect you have no semen sample, and I'm willing to bet that audio and video recording didn't come out very well." Cindy said immediately. "I'm even willing to bet it's just static. But what you just did was attempt blackmail. That in itself is a felony, Willa, and I can assure you that the video recorder in this room right now is working perfectly. So you are going down, one way or another."

Cindy turned to the one-way glass and gave a thumbs-up, jerking it upwards. I turned on the recording equipment, which had been off, and disabled my device that jams recording... which had been on just in case Internal Affairs was trying to listen in.

Cindy then read Willa her rights, verbatim from the card. At that point, Phyllis came through the anteroom and into the Interrogation room, followed by ADA Paulina Patterson.

"Miss Mason," Phyllis said severely, a tone she used with me growing up whenever I was in real and deep trouble, "it's time for you to stop with the games. Now you can work out a plea deal with the ADA here and tell us all you know, or you're going to be charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder..."

Part 16 - The Final Interview

On Friday morning, July 17th, at 8:05am, I walked into Interrogation-1 with ADA Paulina Patterson. Cindy and my mom were watching through the one-way glass. Jimmy Tolson was already sitting at the table, wearing an orange jumpsuit, his lawyer sitting next to him, both just having been brought in by Patrolman Hicks, who stayed in the room per requirements.

Saying nothing else, not even a good morning, I read Jimmy Tolson his rights from the card. When I asked him if he understood, he refused to answer.

"Okay, let the record and the video show that you have been read your rights in the presence of your lawyer, and you don't need to answer the confirmation for my Constitutional duty to have been done; as your lawyer is sitting next to you, you're fully represented and your rights maintained."

"What is this about, Commander?" the lawyer asked, witheringly but warily. He could tell something was up, and he was correct. "My client has invoked, and you're fast reaching the point where you need to swear out a warrant to charge him, or else let him go."

"I just have one question for you, Jimmy." I said, my eyes boring into his, seeing the contempt there, matching my own for him. "Just this: What did you do with the bodies?"

"What?!" asked the lawyer. "This is-" I held up my hand, silencing the legal beagle while maintaining the staredown with Jimmy. I'd seen the fear flash behind his eyes.

"C'mon, Jimmy," I said, "you might as well tell us. I already have an incredibly strong case against you... for murder in the first degree, with premeditation and under aggravating circumstances that will get you the death penalty."

"Now just a minute-" the lawyer tried again. I turned to him and made a motion to Paulina, who handed the lawyer a document.

"This is a warrant for the arrest of Jimmy Tolson." said ADA Patterson. "For the murders of his brother Billy Joe Tolson and Mrs. Bonnie Jean Mason, both human beings." The lawyer examined the document.

"It's valid, Jimmy." the lawyer said. "So, what is your evidence?"

"Willa has confessed," said Paulina, "and has agreed to turn State's Evidence in exchange for a plea deal. She has told us how she helped your client stage the scene of his brother and Mrs. Mason going to the upstairs room, and how he murdered them." Jimmy looked at his lawyer.

"The only thing Willa could not tell us," I said, "is where and how you disposed of the bodies. Why don't you at least do the families the decency of telling us where the bodies are?"

"Why should I give a shit about them?" Jimmy said, his voice full of hatred and derision. "They sure as hell didn't give a damn about me. And you can put me to death if you like, but I won't help you at all."

"There is no hope for any deal for you, except perhaps some consideration if you tell us where the bodies are." I said. "In fact, if you don't tell me where you put them, I'm going to make sure you don't get the death penalty. You'll get life without parole. You'll be placed in the general prison population, and I'll make sure you don't get protective custody or isolation. You'll be bent over and your ass turned up, and you will be raped in your sorry little ass, every... single... day. You will be some gangbanger's bitch, and you will give him and his buddies sex whenever they order it. You'll be passed around like a piece of meat, and you won't be able to shit or spit after they finish using your ass and mouth."

I leaned in. "Oh, you think nothing can be worse than what your brother did to you? Shoving your head into a shit-filled toilet, ramming a vibrator up your little ass like he did? Well, you got him back for that, you murdered him, and I might even understand that, just a little bit. But shit, boy, after the gangbangers are finished with you, you'll be begging them to kill you or help you commit suicide."

"Can this bastard really talk to me this way?" Jimmy asked his lawyer, looking sideways at him as he leaned back.

"At this point, with what they have," said the lawyer, "there's nothing more I can do for you." The lawyer turned to me. "If he gives you want you want, will you give him protective custody?"

"He'll get Supermax." I said. "Total isolation, 24/7. Life without possibility of parole, forever in Supermax. That's the best I can do for him." Paulina nodded in agreement.

"I'll take Supermax, and complete protective custody." said Jimmy Tolson. After Paulina put it in writing, Jimmy Tolson started talking.

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

We stood on the edge of Reservoir Lake at its northernmost point, nearly into Nextdoor County. Indeed, we'd called the Nextdoor County Sheriff to let him know what we were doing, and that the bodies dumped here might be on their side of the line. Their Sheriff said to just bring them out of the water on our side of the line, which would keep it kosher with him.

A Police Diver, also a member of our SWAT Team, surfaced just yards within the line. He then submerged again, and I knew that he was telling the other divers to bring the bodies more westerly, to ensure we were on our side of the County line when they surfaced. Indeed, when they did, they were well inside our borders.

The bodies were heavily wrapped in plastic and preserved well enough that my Crime Lab team, led by Dr. Woodrow personally, said that they should easily be able to get enough DNA to make matches. Even so, a necklace found on one of the bodies was known to be Bonnie Jean Mason's.

Part 17 - Insurance Issues, Twice Redux

The party moves fast in my Town & County. At 2:30pm that Thursday afternoon, I entered the offices of Richard Hudson of Reems & Berry Insurance, brushing past the receptionist and the man's personal secretary. I was wearing a uniform: police blue pants and my light blue uniform shirt with dark blue soft shoulderboards displaying my rank, so it wasn't like they didn't know who and what I represented.

"Ah, Commander!" said Hudson, coming out from behind his desk. His two partners were in the room with him, poring over a sheaf of documents on his desk. "I'm so glad to see you! What an excellent job on that case! We're filing the motions in Court now; since the murderers were family members, we're going fight having to pay off the policies to... you guessed it... family members. And we have you to thank for helping us!"

"I understand a Court is going to decide that." I said. "It may not go your way."

"Oh, I think we have a good case, a strong case." Hudson said, his pleasure molded onto his face. I was about to take some pleasure myself... in wiping that grin off the bastard's face. "At the least, we tie this up in Court for several more years, and at the end I think we win this one... like we always should have."

"Well, you won't be thanking me too much," I said, "after I tell you why I am here." I squared up to him. "Mr. Richard Hudson, you are under arrest, as are your two partners here... ah! ah! ah!, keep those hands where I can see them!" I said as the men's faces registered their open shock. My hand hovered over my gun until the men raised their hands.

At that moment, the door burst open and several SBI Agents, led by Ted Crenshaw and Jeff Reubens, poured into the room. Several dozen other agents were pouring into the company, ushering everyone out and seizing every document and computer that they could lay hands on. Crenshaw cuffed Hudson as Reubens and another agent cuffed the partners.

"The SBI was called in by the State Insurance Commissioner," I said, "after the Town & County Police Department discovered and documented evidence of several serious crimes by you and your partners, Mr. Hudson. And the FBI is probably going to join the party when the Racketeering and RICO charges start bubbling up. Indeed, Mr. Hudson, I am so happy to bring your Company's matter to a most very successful conclusion. You have a nice day."

With that, I turned and left, leaving the case to the State. I had one other mission to perform, and it was going to be far harder to accomplish: I had to tell the families of Billy Joe Tolson and Bonnie Jean Mason that their loved ones were dead, and at the hands of more of their loved ones.

I called Captain Ross as I headed to the Mason home... there was no telling how Art was going to react to this, and I needed the Police Boxing Matches Champion at my side... 

Part 17 - Solution

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" blared the lovely redheaded reporterette at 7:00am Saturday morning, July 18th. "Channel Two News is bringing you continuing coverage of two crimes solved by the Town & County Police this past week!"

"The first case," shouted Bettina into her microphone from the front of the Courthouse, "is the resolution of the disappearance of Billy Joe Tolson and Bonnie Jean Mason nearly seven years ago! Jimmy Tolson and Willa Mason were arrested in connection with the murders, and the bodies of the victims were found yesterday and the families notified.

"Commander Donald Troy released a statement praising his Cold Case team, led by Captain Cindy Ross, for solving this difficult case. Commander Troy also praised Captain Ross's exceptional leadership qualities on this and many other cases."

Everyone in MCD was ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the praise for Cindy, who was blushing and looking at me with a not-so-thrilled look, wondering why I'd made sure to get her name and praises out to the Public like that. And oh yes, I had a very good reason for doing that... it was namely for Chief Harold Bennett's benefit.

Bettina continued, "Commander Troy also praised his Vice Squad's Financial Crimes and RICO team for uncovering evidence that led to the arrest of several key officers of the Reems & Berry Insurance Company. This company was involved in the life insurance policies of Billy Joe Tolson and Bonnie Jean Mason, as well, and that case is headed once again to Court.

"Meanwhile, in a rare show of cooperation, the Town & County Police have worked with the SBI and State Insurance Commissioner to bring charges against Reems & Berry and some of their highest officers, and the FBI may also be brought into this rapidly expanding case. Reems & Berry gave large campaign contributions to several State politicians, and there is potential for further scandal rocking the State Capitol. This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!"

"Sorry, Mom." I said to my mother, who was watching with us. "I wanted to announce you as part of the Cold Case team, but I was advised that your status as an Auxiliary Detective might be scrutinized; but more important, we don't want the bad guys to realize you're my mom, not that we're keeping it a secret or anything... we just don't want to bring on any issues."

"Oh, I quite agree, son." said Phyllis. "In fact, it was I who suggested to your Public Relations Department that my name not appear in the public pervue in any capacity in these matters. I won't even be called to the stand in trials unless it's totally necessary." I was relieved that my mother understood the security needs, though I'd love to have given her the public credit she deserved.

"Same excuse for you, Julie." I said to Detective Newton, who'd been instructed to come in and watch the broadcast with us. "I definitely don't want the white collar criminals around here to know who 'The Abacus' really is. You have to remain our secret weapon."

"I have no problem with that." said Julie Newton. "I just wish I could get a raise out of it."

"I'm working on that. Keep hope alive on it. August 1st is coming." I said. Everyone looked surprised, and Julie looked happy... for the first time in months.

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

Saturday night we were in the back room of the Cop Bar, enjoying some celebratory beers and toasting Cindy and my mom Phyllis on their success. We also made sure to toast Julie Newton and the I.T./Data Guys for their roles in landing the big fish of the Insurance Company, a case which was beginning to get even national attention. And it was the first time in a while that we were able to pry Julie Newton out of Headquarters and to one of our parties. I wanted her to feel like part of the family... our Police family, that is.

Martin Nash came up to me for a quiet moment of conversation. "I just got word that the FBI is going to step into the Insurance Company issue. They think Richard Hudson might have been an associate of 'Superior Bloodlines', and basically laundered money for them through staged injuries and deaths, not to mention paying out more money than policies were worth."

"Good." I replied. "I think our Moriarty was also behind the scenes on this one."

"Think he's part of 'Superior Bloodlines', too?" asked Martin Nash, just a bit too quickly and incisively.

"No." I said. "He's his own man... or woman, as the case may be. But has he advised them on criminal enterprises, making and laundering money, and setting up murders of Blacks and Jews? There can be no doubt..."

Just then, someone rang a glass. "Okay, usually Cindy asks this," said Teresa Croyle, "but since she led the Cold Case Team solving the case, I get to ask... what was the answer and how did you get to it? All of you, Commander included?"

"I can lead people." said Cindy. "But when it comes to observation, deduction and knowledge, I'm still the Junior Troy around here. Phyllis, Don, it's your floor."

"Cindy is simply too modest about her own abilities." said Phyllis. "She did wonderfully on this case."

"Hear hear." I said, raising my beer mug in salute. Cindy was not cajoled, and had Phyllis do the talking.

"Let me just say this." said Phyllis, beginning the 'lecture'. "We came to our conclusions from different angles. It was a good case of Don knowing some things, me knowing some things, and Cindy knowing some things. Put together, we came to the correct conclusion and were able to make arrests and find the bodies of those poor people."

"Tell us first how they got out of that attic room." said Sonali, of the self-named 'Data Guyz" team.

"I was confused about that, also." said Phyllis. "It was Don that got me on the right path, there. Don?" Everyone looked at me.

"Well, they had no trouble getting out of that room," I said, "for the very simple reason they were never in that room to begin with." There were gasps and murmurs as I continued.

"There were three possibilities for the disappearance of this couple." I said. "First, alien abductions or the U.S.S. Enterprise came along and beamed them up, Scotty. I somewhat discounted that." There was laughter, then I continued "Second, they got out without anyone seeing them, not only in the game room but downstairs or anywhere else."

There were murmurs as I said "No one else saw them go up from the ground floor, no one on the ground floor saw them come down or leave, never mind the game room. Ergo, that left the idea that they were never in the room, and however improbable, that appeared to be the truth of the matter."

"So I'm now looking at Jimmy Tolson's story as a fabrication. Add to it that Jimmy was the only person who said he saw Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean go upstairs, and that no one else could even remember seeing Billy Joe for hours if at all, and I had a good idea that they had met their fates elsewhere."

"So... so why didn't someone else think of that?" asked Martin Nash.

"They may have." I said. "But they believed Jimmy Tolson when he passed the lie detector test, also. I'll get to that in a minute, but for now here's what happened: Bonnie Jean came to the party with her husband, but then had to go back to her house for some reason, who knows what, maybe to get her cell phone that she'd left. Billy Joe, with whom she was having an affair, and a pretty hot one at that, saw her and snuck off to her house himself. Maybe it was pre-arranged and coordinated, or just spontaneous. But the bottom line is that with the family at the Tolson house, Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean were making love at the Mason house."

"Jimmy Tolson knew they were there, because his confederate and lookout told him." I continued. "He snuck over to the Mason home, and did indeed see his big brother having sex with Mrs. Mason, upon whom he had a huge crush, which my mom will discuss in a minute. Jimmy then went into the bedroom, stabbed them both, then wrapped the bodies tightly in plastic and hid them in air vents. So the bodies were hidden in the Mason home, not the Tolson home. And that's how Jimmy passed the polygraph: he did see what he said he saw... just not where everyone thought he saw it."

"So he had the plastic ready to go, and apparently the murder weapon?" asked Martin Nash.

"The plastic was hidden in the air vents," I said. "which shows plenty of premeditation and forethought. He'd planned it for some time, and was just waiting for an opportunity to kill his brother. Of course, he's not all that big and strong, and bodies are heavy. So he clearly had an accomplice. Who would that be? Willa Mason is the only possible choice."




Disappearing Act Ch. 03



I continued as the audience listened with rapt attention: "At the Tolson home, a scene is staged, which came from an idea Jimmy saw on the internet. The room was relatively dark. He had Willa do her hair up to look like her mom's hairstyle, and she had something like a blow-up sex toy in her arm, to represent Billy Joe. The teens in the room were having sex or playing a video game for money; they didn't really look good, and it was fairly dark in the room, as well. The window would also silhouette the figures."

"But they went up the stairs, didn't they?" Julie Newton asked, as she tried to keep everything together in her mind.

"Yes and no." I said. "Willa came up the stairs with the doll and in her mother's hair style. She goes straight up the attic room stairs going halfway up and then right back down. While doing that, she drops the doll and opens the valve to deflate it, undoes her hair and then appears in the game room as if she'd just come from below. Jimmy was standing by the door, giving her cover, and as the doors open closely to each other, no one noticed which door Willa actually had come out of."

I went on: "Then Jimmy snuck up the stairs, being noisy on the way up, allegedly to see if his brother and Bonnie Jean were having sex. He finishes deflating the doll, threw it under the bed, then came back down the stairs quietly, knowing where the quiet spots on the stairs were. So no one really was aware of how long he was upstairs."

More murmurs as I went on:

"So far, so good." I said. "But there is another duty to perform, which is to get Art Mason involved and then the police, so that the vanishing act might be discovered. Jimmy had Willa go to the fax machine, which had a dedicated line. She got a landline phone out of her purse, connected it to the line, and called her father, disguising her voice. As soon as Art came into the house, she called the police on the same line, then put the phone in a drawer somewhere. I couldn't find any police notes reference to a phone around the only landline in the house, so I don't know where Willa put it, and she didn't say. But my hypothesis is that it was plugged into the fax machine directly to make the call, and the Police plain missed the phone or else didn't think anything of it."

"So we have the melée, we have the police come, we have the couple having disappeared, and there's Jimmy telling the story, later confirmed by a polygraph, that he saw them go up into the attic room and he saw them having sex. And this is a huge reason that I absolutely hate polygraphs, folks. In this case, it totally misled everyone at the time."

"And later on, too." said my mother. "I admit that it influenced my thinking of the case, until you put me on the right track."

I nodded, then finished up: "Jimmy and Willa got the bodies out of her home some time later, and he went and dumped them in Reservoir Lake. They were weighted down and the plastic helped preserve the bodies for lo, these nearly seven years."

"But why?" asked Myron Milton. "And especially: why did Willa help Jimmy?"

"Mom?" I said, giving the floor to her.

"Before I answer that," Phyllis said, "let me say that I came to a similar conclusion but for different reasons. It was Don that showed me the light in that the couple had never been in the upstairs room; that had confused me. But I was also looking at Jimmy's role in the matter."

She started in: "First, I've had the unfortunate experience to be part of a family where siblings did not like each other, to say the least. Don turned out okay, as did my grandson Todd, but the same cannot be said of Don's sister and Todd's brother; indeed, Ned's evil actions brought him to an unfortunate end."

"Did we not have the same thing here?" Phyllis asked. "Two brothers that despised each other, the younger one being weak and resentful? And the weak one also being of a brilliant mind, perhaps too much so?"

"I would add to it," Phyllis said, "that Jimmy was also picked on mercilessly by his classmates. They teased him, they even made money bets that he couldn't seduce some girl or woman or another. And if he did try to ask a girl out, there was his big brother, stepping in and stepping all over him, and Billy Joe was getting the sex from the girls that Jimmy wanted to date, and Billy Joe was making sure Jimmy knew, in excruciating, graphic detail.

"It continued when someone found out Jimmy had a crush on Willa Mason's mother... and once Billy Joe found out, he was all over Mrs. Mason, who was quite eager herself to date Billy Joe. They had a very intense affair, much to the chagrin of Art Mason."

After pausing to drink some water, Phyllis continued: "And that was my first thought: why in the world was Jimmy in the game room at all? The other kids up there hated him, they said so. They were having sex, which was denied to Jimmy. Why did he subject himself to that? Only Willa was even talking to Jimmy, and she came up much later than he did."

"So I realized that Jimmy had a role in the disappearance," Phyllis said, "but as I said before, I admit I was also fooled by accepting the polygraph, which Jimmy easily beat. But leaving the 'how' of the disappearances aside, I could easily see that Jimmy was involved."

"Then Willa began entering my thoughts." Phyllis mused. "First, she made sure to tell me she thought her mother and Billy Joe were in that upstairs room. That had to be established, and only my son was not fooled by that story. She also made some comments that all but threw Jimmy Tolson under the bus, which should have told me more at the moment, but I was fortunate to realize later on."

"But most importantly, Willa was, and still is, a very sexual woman. She has what I call an 'aura' about her, a tangible sexuality that attracts men to her despite her plain looks. She had been in a strong relationship with Billy Joe, who was not prone to making such strong relationships. They had broken up, but I could tell that their relationship was not one of tormenting Jimmy; Billy Joe had genuine feelings for Willa."

"So what caused them to break up? I asked myself." Phyllis continued: "I then thought about how Willa was never as cruel to Jimmy as the rest of his classmates, and I wondered if Willa had tried to get her lover to ease up on tormenting his brother. Perhaps he became angry at that, and broke up with her over her being just a bit kinder to Jimmy than anyone else."

Phyllis went on: "Willa admitted this was true, and that must be some kind of hatred for a young man to give up his love for a young woman over. Of course, she made it sound like she had given in to sex with him only after a time, but in truth they had been having sex for a while, and Billy Joe was smitten with her."

"Then Willa became angry at being dumped by Billy Joe." Phyllis continued. "It's not clear to me who led who down the dark path, but both Jimmy and Willa wanted to hurt Billy Joe. Cindy, why don't you take it up from here, dear?"

"Okay." Cindy said. "We now come to Bonnie Jean. Willa definitely had the 'aura', and was extremely sensuous, as Phyllis said; and she used that sexuality to seduce men, to entice men, to control men. She was not nearly as dumb as she played herself to be. She had much less problems getting sex than she was letting on. The key here is that she got that aura of sexuality... from her mom. Bonnie Jean had it too... it's what kept her husband Art wrapped around her finger, had her own son panting after her... more on that later... and had all those horny high school studs wanting her."

Cindy continued: "I was able to find out that Bonnie Jean's history before marrying Art was not a pristine one. She worked the pole in strip joints to make it through college, and was picked up for prostitution several times, under false names. Her husband was not able to satisfy her sexual needs, and she liked the college-aged and high-school-aged young men, only dating over-eighteen young men, I'm sure."

The look of sarcasm that only Cindy can make was present upon her ruggedly lovely face. She continued anyway:

"I also suspect that she had an ongoing sexual relationship with her own son, and Willa had an idea about it. Willa hated her mother for a number of reasons, not least was her mother's hold over her dad and her closeness with Danny." Cindy said. "Art was not the violent one... Bonnie Jean had him cowed, perhaps herself occasionally resorting to violence. And Danny worked out with Billy Joe... to get strong... to make sure his mother didn't come to any harm from his dad, nor from Billy Joe. In any case, Bonnie Jean was the strong woman in the family, and Willa didn't like that. So she was amenable to killing her own mother."

"What was the Insurance Firm's role in all of this?" asked Martin Nash.

"I'll take that one." I said. "It appears that Jimmy did have a few hobbies as well as his college studies, including understanding the stock markets and how finance and insurance worked. He told Willa early on that if Billy Joe and Bonnie Jean were found murdered, either or both of them might get caught; but if they just disappeared, the life insurance would have to be paid to the families at the end of seven years...and both of them, especially Willa, could maneuver to take charge of the finances, and they'd abscond with the money, perhaps together."

I continued: "The amounts of the policies were raised not long before they disappeared. We're not sure how that happened, and Willa wouldn't say, but one theory is that Willa prostituted herself with Richard Hudson. We're also not sure if Hudson knew Jimmy Tolson; Tolson may have agreed to become an intern at Conway and spy on them if Hudson would up the amounts on the policies. In any case, Hudson was a man not prone to honesty nor keeping promises, and he was fighting the cases as hard as he could, thinking he could safely promise to up the amounts but never having to pay them."

"For her part," I said, "Willa acted dumb so she would have to stay at home with her father. I have the idea that once that money was paid, Art Mason would wake up one morning with his daughter disappeared and his bank accounts drained."

"Son, let me ask you a question." my mother asked me. I saw the brilliant sparkle in her eyes. She knew something that I didn't. "Willa's motive was financial. What was Jimmy Tolson's reasons for his actions the past few years?"

"I..." I started, then realized what her train of thought was as it pulled into my station. "Yeah, I see what you're thinking, Mom."

"Okay, Mycroft and Sherlock," said Cindy. "Enlighten us."

"Yeah, what about Jimmy Tolson?" I asked, my voice inflective of the huge lines of thought tearing through my mind. "His parents get the insurance money... if it's ever paid out. He had absolutely no financial motive... ohhhhhh, wait! Yesssss..." I was gone, well within my reverie.

"Yes, son." said Phyllis, her eyes twinkling with merriment. Cindy's ice-blue eyes were not looking so merry.

"Spill it, Auxiliary Detective Troy." said Cindy. "That is an order."

"Certainly, Captain." replied Phyllis, her eyes still twinkling with merriment. "We know that Willa had a financial motive to go through with this, and that the payoff wouldn't happen for seven years. But what is Jimmy Tolson's incentive?"

"Oh, I see." said Teresa. "He didn't have control of the insurance payoff like Willa did. It went to his parents."

"Yes," said Cindy, "and parents who weren't happy about his attitude toward's his brother's disappearance. They'd probably save or invest the money, or might give some of it to Rebecca, but in any case Jimmy is not going to see much of it, and not for a long time."

"Yes, exactly." said Phyllis. "So, why hang around? He hated everyone in this Town. He was not close with his family at all. I would think he could find a job, a good job, in the City, or in New York or Charlotte, North Carolina where the banks are... instead, he stays here, in this Town, where all his boyhood pain had been. Now why did he do that?"

"There was a payoff for him." I said, my voice still far away. "From the Insurance Company itself... or someone working with them..." I went deep, oblivious to my surroundings.

"Wow, he's really gone." said Cindy, peering at me, trying to train herself to feel my mental energy more than anything else.

"Yes," said Phyllis, "he's taking it to another level. To fill all of you in on it, I believe that Jimmy was offered some kind of payoff by the Insurance Company if he could find a way to help them not pay out the benefits. At the same time, Willa would never want to share her money with Jimmy; she used him, and I suspect planned to discard him by throwing him under the bus. He in kind must surely have known of this possibility, and so might have had a plan to throw Willa under the bus."

"Ohhhh, I get it." said Julie Newton. "If he can find a way to pin the murders on her, that much larger payout can be disputed because she's a family member that killed a family member."

"Wow." said Cindy. "But I don't think that's where this Wildcat fan is at right now." She and everyone was watching me in utter fascination.

Finally, I recovered.

"So, Crowbar 2," I said, "would you care to go on a little visit with me?"

Part 18 - Clutching At Straws

Having called ahead and made arrangement through the FBI, Cindy and I were driving to the State to the east of ours, where the nearest Supermax prison was. The former home of Jack King, and the current home of Alicia Foster now housed the notorious young Jimmy Tolson.

Cindy asked "One question about all of this: the political fallout of this Insurance Company thing is hitting the Governor a little bit, and it's hitting legislators of both parties a lot harder. So why did Governor Jared come to you and want you to take this case? He has to know that you're the last person on earth to come to if he wants to keep the truth from being found out."

"There you go." I said. "You said it yourself."

"Uhhh," Cindy said, "you're saying he did want this to come out? Why?"

"Simple." I said. "Governor Jared is actually a relatively honest man, especially for a politician in this State. I can't speak for him, but my guess is that he knew this Insurance Company was a political ticking time bomb. Best to get it exposed now, lest it come out in a way beyond his control. I also think he wanted us to find the truth, thus forcing the Insurance Company to have to pay out... which would break them, as well."

"Makes some sense." Cindy said. "But he took contributions from them, too."

"So what?" I said. "Reems & Berry contributed to half the legislators in the State, to both Parties. It's how political business is done. It's far worse at the national level. But one thing the politicians have learned: the Voters, which I call 'the American Sheeple', do not care. They don't give a damn as long as they have their 'bread and circuses'. They just keep voting for the same incumbents, in both Parties, no matter how bad it gets."

"So he pretended to their face to be helping them," said Cindy, "when hoping you'd crush them out of existence. Typical politician, I'd say."

"But effective." I said. "Okay, I'll get off the politics soapbox. Just suffice it to say that the Governor did the right thing at the right time, for the right reasons. And I suspect he has an idea of what we are up against in our Consultant of Crime."

"He's involved in this?"

"Up to his God-cursed eyeballs." I said. "In fact, it occurs to me that Willa might not have slept with Hudson. She might have slept with someone else... someone working behind-the-scenes with Hudson, as well as Willa and Jimmy." Cindy nodded. "But as to who was working with Jimmy: you'll see, and soon."

"Oh, by the way," Cindy said, "I finally figured out why Jack Lewis tried to go after you on the Wargrave thing. I'm having dreams... strange dreams... that the Republicans have asked you to run for Governor against Lewis."

I grinned. "Now that is Iron Crowbar thinking." I said. "Yes, they sent feelers. I tried to be polite about it when I said 'no'."

"First you forego the Chief's chair." said Cindy. "Now you're giving up a shot at Governor. Geez..."

"You better believe it." I said. "I can't even handle the Town & County Council. Why in the world would I run for Governor? So, how did you figure it out?"

"I told you."

"Ah, 'dreams'." I said. "Dreams of your father, perhaps?"

"That's Iron Crowbar thinking, there." Cindy replied, her ice-blue eyes sparkling.

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

After we crossed the State Line, Cindy said "Now that we're out of State, there is something I need to say, speaking freely."

"Go for it." I said.

"I know Willa had the aura." said Cindy. "But you didn't have to fuck her. If you didn't have that bug-killer, we'd be in a world of shit right now."

"Hell, we'd have been in worlds of shit a long time ago." I said.

"Still," Cindy said, "you could've endangered the investigation, created a scandal that the Media would've loved, and hurt all of us. Your private love life is none of my business, but when it comes to official suspects... keep your pants zipped up, buddy."

After a moment of consideration, I said "Within the limits of your knowledge... you are right. It was the wrong thing to do."

"Yeah, I know, I know." Cindy said. "You set a trap, made her show herself to be conniving and not as stupid as she was playing it. It helped your mother understand what Willa was up to. It even got Willa to come to the Station and try to get immunity in exchange for throwing Tolson under the bus like she intended to anyway. But you're not just the Iron Crowbar... you're the Police Commander, and I don't want to find out what life is like without you in that position anymore. Find a better way next time."

"Noted."

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

Hours later, in the dead of night, that period of maximum darkness when the Powers of Evil were at their most exalted (yeah, a little Conan Doyle quotation, there), Cindy and I arrived at the Supermax prison.

I was thoroughly frisked then put through two detectors before being allowed into the interrogation room. I hated being unarmed and crowbar-less, but I understood the security. Cindy was waiting outside, listening on the audio as she watched through the one-way glass.

Already in the room, his hands manacled and chained to the table that was welded into the floor, was Jimmy Tolson, wearing an orange jumpsuit... a fashion he'd be wearing for the rest of his life.

"Ah, Commander Troy." he said, a half grin on his pathetic face as I entered. I could almost feel the evil ghost of my nephew Ned speaking through this piece of trash.

"Hello, Jimmy." I said. "Getting comfortable?"

"Only been here two nights." said Jimmy. "And I've already got a visitor. Now why in the world would you want to talk to me?"

I looked hard at him. "I think you know. I want him. You can help me take him down."

Jimmy's eyes widened. "Ohhhhh, wowwwww... you do know." He peered hard at me. "For you to even say that shows that you know. " He sat back and relaxed. "Wow... I never thought anyone could even realize his existence... but the Iron Crowbar knows. How 'bout that..." I think he was truly impressed.

"Yes." I said, staring levelly at him from under my Tilley hat brow (why they let me wear it inside I don't know, but they did). "Say his name!"

"And why should I do that?" Jimmy said, peering at me strangely.

"I want you to name him, which you can do. I want you to make a statement against him. I want you to testify against him when the time comes."

"You're not giving me any incentive, Mr. Crowbar."

I looked around the dark room. "I can arrange to make things ever so slightly more comfortable for you here." I said. "You're going to be here a long, long time. Occasional junk food, books, extra channel on your TV..."




Disappearing Act Ch. 03



Jimmy smiled. "Commander, Commander..." he intoned. "Your hand is weak, my friend. You really have little to offer me. I'm not sure I'm safe from him even here... but it's my only shot. Your creature comforts... just not enough. Now a hara-kiri knife... that'd be something I could use. I did consider demanding the death penalty; this is an existence, not a life, I have nothing but Death to look forward to."

"You're right." I said. "But he manipulated you, too. Willa manipulated you, the Insurance Company manipulated you, and ultimately he manipulated you to his gain. No, I can't offer you a lot, but you can help me clean some really bad things up, be the hero you always wanted to be. You've had your revenge on your brother. I can understand, I had an older sibling that wanted to do great harm to me. But in the end, help me take this man down, and you'll be happier for it in the long run."

Tolson smiled again, this time tinged with a slight hint of sardonic evil. I realized he was mentally gone. Then he spoke, and confirmed it.

"Commander, let me ask you a question." he said, looking me dead in the eye. "Did your sibling ever shove your face into a toilet bowl filled with turds? Hmm? Did your sibling and his or her friends ever hold you down, strip you naked and slam a butt-plug up your ass, then take pictures of it and post them on Facebook for everyone in the school to see and laugh at you about?"

I just watched his eyes, fascinated at what I was seeing, as he continued: "Did your sibling ever tie you up and make you watch as he fucked the girl you loved right in front of you? And did your parents and any other siblings always take his side, tell you that he was great and that you should be like him, but that you were a piece of shit in that toilet like the other turds?"

"Is that what your sister said?" I asked. He just nodded.

"No," I said resignedly. "I can't say any of that happened to me."

"Didn't think so." Tolson said. "And he made it possible for me to kill my God-damned brother. He showed me how I could have my revenge, get some money, and be free of that fucking bastard. You have no idea, Mr. Iron Crowbar, how good it felt to stab that steely knife into my brother's back, and then his chest when he rolled over. Seeing that light go out of his eyes, seeing my brother die, and by my hand."

He shook his head. "No, he may get to me, he may kill me. It would be a gift, a blessing, if he did. But no, I won't betray him. He made it possible for me to have that one moment of joy, the moment I watched my filthy brother die. Nothing can take that away. No sir, Commander, I will not be his Judas."

Our eyes locked for a long moment. Finally, I got up. "Thank you for your time." I said. "Good luck to you. And goodbye."

"Goodbye." said Tolson. "Oh, and... well met. Good job figuring it out."

"It served you... and him. I said. As I left the room, I thought that I would never see Jimmy Tolson again, that the long, shadowy arm of the Shadow Man would come for him and exterminate him. But the Consultant of Crime was insidious beyond belief, and knew that leaving Tolson alive was a worse torture than giving him his desired release of Death...

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

The ride home with Cindy was silent. The name of the Enemy had been so close to her hearing, but had eluded her. And then it dawned on me... she was not asking who he was after this most previous episode...

As for me, I was realizing some other things. Sure, I'd taken beatings at the hands of my much older sister Elizabeth, until I got big enough to punch back, which I did... hard. But I was past it. I didn't wish her dead, quite the opposite.

But maybe there had been damage: I had caused, and watched, my nephew Ned's death. I had caused, and watched, the death of the evil Senator Nathan Allen. I had beaten Sergei Molotov nearly to death with a crowbar. I had thrown Henry R. Wargrave out of a window. And all was not done... there was one death left to go. Vengeance for a lot of dead people... and some tortured dogs, including my own Bowser.

As we hurtled through Nextdoor County, Cindy said "It's nearly dawn. Why don't you take State 142."

"Ah, The Vision." I said. "Need to calm your mind?"

"No." Cindy said. "You do. I just want some coffee and breakfast."

She was getting good, I thought to myself. And she was right. I turned onto State Highway 142, headed for Coltrane County...

Part 19 - Epilogue

Sunday morning. It was just past dawn, and he was reading the early Sunday edition of the Town & County Examiner. It was now a weekly paper. Many newspapers around the Nation were no longer being printed; this one was barely holding on. He read of the Iron Crowbar and his Team solving the murders. The Reems & Berry case didn't get nearly as much print, as the politicians were already conspiring with their Media allies to suppress the scandal. 

"Ah, my dear," he said to the woman as she came up. "You've come over quite early. And you look tired. Did you not sleep well?"

"No." she said, her voice bitter. "I heard dogs barking all night. I guess some cat was getting them all stirred up."

"Ah, I understand." he said. "I hate dogs. I hate everything about them. If you weren't about to eat breakfast here with me, I would tell you how much I enjoyed working with Bryan Thatcher at his home, watching his experiments, hearing those dogs in pain, seeing that pain in their eyes. Revenge for their existence on this earth."

"It doesn't bother me a bit." she said. "Though I'll be much, much happier when I see some pain in some humans' eyes around here. Like that God-damned Commander Troy and his dyke partner, Captain Ross."

He laughed. "Yes, that is coming. I don't know how the Iron Crowbar did it, but he got onto the Reems & Berry connection with us... with me. I'm going to have to work hard now to shut down that thread of the web before he latches on to it."

"I'd think you'd be much more worried about his connecting you to Wargrave, not to mention the people he has that Fat Boy Sharples looking into." she said.

"Oh, don't you worry your pretty head about Sharples." he said. "His suppositions are about to be... re-directed. No, I'm not worried about him. I am more worried that Susan Wexler left bread crumbs along the trail for the Iron Crowbar to find."

He folded the newspaper and handed it to her, then got up. "If you'll excuse me, my dear, I must prepare for this morning's work. Have a good day, my lovely 'Sinon'."

"You too." she said, wondering why he called her that...

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

The meditation at The Vision had been relaxing. No drugs, no weird treatments, just meditation. Cindy had remained there with her father, Dr. P. Harvey Eckhart, while I had come home with a cleared mind to do some very important work.

I was working in my office at The Cabin. I was studying the files that Susan Wexler had left on the microchip. I could see the path her data was taking me down. Drug deals, gangs, pipelines... and then Wargrave using those same smugglers to move weapons around. Communications with others, laundered money. Several banks being used, including the Regional Bank in Coltrane County, and the Twin Cities Bank in Westphalia. And there it was... a connection to a bank account of 'Victory Christian Ministries'. A thread. A thread for me to tug on.

I knew, as I began accessing records, that my actions would not go unnoticed. The very poisonous Spider at the center of this web would feel the tug, would know what I was doing, would see me toiling every step of the way. But I could not stop now... I had to drive on...


The game was afoot.

Finis.