165Chapter One (There Is No Such Thing...)
Brenda Lee Johnson shielded her eyes, glancing out at the lightening as it split the sky, the dark clouds gathering above, ominously showcased in the momentary brilliance. She pulled the small compact slowly along the winding cement road she traveled, her eyes taking in the wind whipped trees bending precariously low to the ground. They reminded her somewhat of the weeping willows in Georgia during hurricane season.
The rain sheeted the windshield, the wipers hard pressed to do the job they were designed to do in such a down pour.
"It's not fit for man nor beast out here." Brenda whispered, quoting her Mother, Willy Ray, trying to peer through the heavy rain, maneuvering around the bend in the road slowly. It had taken forever to drive across town, once she had gotten the call, the elements against any human venturing out this night.
Detective Lt. Louis Provenza had awakened her out of a fitful sleep. She and Fritz had quarreled again tonight. He had been in D.C. all week and she had rushed home, calling him immediately, anxious to hear his voice.
He had sounded so tired and exhausted. The case he was working on was not going well..all leads had been exhausted and that meant, two women were still unaccounted for and very likely the next victims of a serial killer Fritz was attempting to apprehend.
She understood the stress and disappointment he must be feeling, determined to cut the call short that he might get some much needed rest, perhaps.
Brenda had been totally unprepared for the abrupt curtness of the man's tone as she had tried to gracefully let him off the hook. He had actually snapped at her, asking..was it the office calling her on the other line? Was 'THAT' why she wanted to get off the phone..as usual.
The woman assured him that, no..no one was calling and was about to explain her reasoning when he rather rudely cut HER short saying..he had to go..something had come up, that he would check in later.
Brenda was a little shell shocked by his attitude but moreso..by the sharp click of the line going dead.
What in the world was wrong with him? Her pride refused to allow her to call him back for she didn't think she had done anything wrong, in reality.
She pondered the call for a goodly while, then decided to chalk it up to..well, Fritz was clearly dead tired. He probably hadn't taken the time to eat even. Maybe his blood sugar was low. She had read recently that, people get moody and snippy when that happened. She had no knowledge of such a thing, personally. That's exactly why she kept a supply of energy foods around at all times. Maybe she should mention that to Fritz.
Yes, he had just been frustrated about the case. She had tried to sleep but she ended up tossing and turning even with the lovely thunder storm to lull her. She usually so loved such things but tonight, it was just irritating and..wet.
The old mansion was lit by another sudden crack of thunder and lightening as she pulled her car alongside the others parked in the oval driveway. She studied the red brick facade with the ivy covered windows and walls.
The rounded arch covering the front steps offered little protection from the elements, she also noted. "Well..damn." She muttered, having hoped for a car port or something dry from which to exit her vehicle and still remain relatively dry.
Brenda covered her brand new heels with her body, holding them close to her chest, she cradled them close to her body...no way she was chancing them to the rain and mud. Having turned the car off, the keys dropped into the huge purse she lugged about everywhere, she prepared herself for the inevitable.
She had only the protection of the light weight hood of her summer rain coat as she made a mad dash for the shelter of the over hang of the front porch. The rain was cold on her bare feet and she was soaked and miserable by the time she reached the area.
"Chief!" Lt. Andrew Flynn had ventured out, his stocky figure hunched against the force of the wind, umbrella in hand. "You should have waited..I signaled." He held the object up for her to see.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Lieut. I didn't notice." She raised her voice above the violence of the storm, following him past the massive oak doors into the relative quiet of the huge foyer. The marble of the tiles below her feet was cold. She grasped unto the man's shoulder, having pulled a small towel from her purse to wipe the wetness before replacing her heels. "Thank you, anyway."
She swept the area absently, taking in most of the details needed. "What have we here, then?" She pushed the hood off her head, glancing around her surroundings.
Andy Flynn waited patiently for the woman to finish replacing her shoes, offering assistance when needed, his hand balancing her effortlessly. "Everyone is in the room just down the hall there, Chief." He started off, matching his steps to her smaller ones. "Wait until you see this one!"
Brenda Lee traipsed after the man, his broad shoulders obscuring most of her view but she found much to hold her interest as she walked the long corridor.
Outside, the storm raged on, the sound muffled by the walls of the old mansion. "...OHH..MY! Brenda grimaced, her hand fluttering gracefully to her chest as she by-passed the stuffed carcass of a very life like, snarling wolverine positioned on the floor, as if poised to attack any unsuspecting visitor stupid enough to venture into the ill-lit area.
"Yeah, charming, right?" Flynn ducked below several vampire bats swinging from an unseen hook somewhere in the claustrophobic ceiling. "Watch your head."
"Ohhh..Goodness!" Brenda scurried past the objects, shooing the nocturnal creatures out of her way. "What IS this place?"
Flynn had caught the free swinging objects, holding them aside. "This is only the beginning." He chuckled, seeing her difficulties and reaction. The sound somehow soothed the woman's frayed nerves. He had a nice laugh, the deep, resonant sound vibrating along her spine causing goose flesh on her arms.
Brenda wondered why she had disliked the man so thoroughly upon first meeting. But, that time was past and they had moved on. She trusted him completely now and had great confidence in his abilities.
The detective held out his hand, glancing back at his boss. "It's in here, Chief." He halted, gentleman enough to allow her precede him into the room. He was also man enough to admire the petite figure in the flimsy summer dress beneath the well-fitted rain coat.
The yellow and pink floral print was gauzy and feminine, the knee length material accentuating those legs he liked so much and the tiny heels did all sorts of nice things for his imagination.
He could 'imagine' slipping them off, say..and massaging her feet after a long night, such as this one was gearing up to be. He 'imagined' she would make those incredible sounds..the ones that turned him inside out..the very ones she made when biting into a piece of chocolate, ..or her very favorite snack of all time..a thick, fresh..creme filled...ding dong.
The thought brought a smile to his handsome face. That the man did not see his attributes only made him all the more attractive to the females. He just had the habit of being attracted back..to the wrong type.
"Right over there, Chief." He directed her further into the enormous room. Brenda acknowledged the others gathered with a sincere smile of greeting. Toa, Daniels, Sgt. Gabriel..Provenza and of course..Buzz Watson, who was busy snapping photos and peering into the lens of his video camera, all offered 'hellos' of different degrees.
Dr. Morales was stooped, doing what ever it was he did, alongside a dead man who lay sprawled, arms akimbo, legs spread slightly, expensive looking shoes sticking out from under the cover draped over the recently deceased.
"T.O.D...approximately four hours ago." Morales had made his decision, glancing up to the woman. "Shoes!" He reminded testily.
Flynn handed her the required blue paper cover, which she placed over her heels, once again leaning on the man while performing the task.
Morales glanced about superficially. "Just got here myself." He smiled insincerely at her. "Give me a few."
Lt. Tao lifted the sheet, that she could take in the victim.
"Ohh!" She was a little taken aback by what she saw once the sheet was lifted.
"Yeah, Chief..pretty gruesome." Tao agreed, holding the cover, allowing her to take her time.
The clothes were of good quality, what one could tell under the blood stains. A dark suit, what was once a crisp, white shirt and an atrocious paisley tie which was all askew and half hanging off the body.
The fact that 'the body' was missing it's head likely accounted for the less than impeccable style of dress, but to it's credit..it had acquired another..head that is. A skull, with it's yellowed, aged bones grinned up at Brenda Lee Johnson as she stared right back at it's sightless eyes.
"We don't know where the head..eh..skull came from, or where the rightful one is..yet." Tao continued his narration. "Forensics is still stuck over on Ventura. The streets are pretty much flooded out in most areas..as you probably know. They're looking for alternate routes."
"The body is a male, of course." Morales waved the issue aside. Who could not ascertain that bit of information. "Early forties, I would say. Stab wound to the heart here." He showed the woman the area. "He bled out..." The blood stains on the carpet and sheet were plentiful. "The head was hacked off..see these marks?" He pointed them out. "Those are not hesitation marks. I would suggest, the person was too small in stature to do the deed in one swell swoop..it took several tries to dislodge the head from the body."
Brenda nodded politely, still examining the corpse meticulously.
"He was still alive when all this was coming down." Morales finished.
"Ewww." Brenda Lee lifted her hand and Flynn brought the slight weight up effortlessly.
"Nice shoes, Chief." Andy had to say it or die, his eyes having been glued to the objects for some time now. Well, those and her legs.
"Ohhh.." She was more than pleased someone had noted, smiling happily up to the man. "Why, thank you, Lt. Flynn..and they are just soooo comfortable too!"
"Kiss ass." Provenza grumbled under his breath, throwing Andy a disgruntled look.
"What, Lt?" Brenda had missed the comment.
"I was saying, Chief." Provenza recovered easily. "We think we know who's head that is there." He pointed to the skull.
"Really? So soon?" She was impressed. "Well..who's is it, then?"
"This is the old Jon Lundgrim mansion, Chief." Flynn informed her. "You know him, right? He was a big time actor in the 50's?"
"Just how old do you think I am, Lieutenant?" She took offense, her tone a little bitchy suddenly.
"No, Chief. Everyone knows Jon Lundgrim." Flynn waved the supposed insult aside. "Come on..you never heard of 'The Day Of The Dead".. 'Moonlight Murders On Magnolia Drive?"
"Classics." Provenza's tone said what he thought of the genre, as did his expression. "All."
"Well, they ARE! To movie afficionados." Flynn argued the point. "Dirk Flanders was right up there with Hitchcock in my book."
"And who is this eh..Dirk person and what has he got to do with the murder victim here?" Brenda pointed to the floor.
"Flanders directed all of Lundgrim's movies, Chief." Irene Daniels piped in. "If we're talking classics, his movies were right up there with 'The Blob' and 'The Thing'"
"The original versions of course." Tao pointed out.
"Not those cheesy remakes." Flynn agreed wholeheartedly.
"Not as 'in depth' as 'The Creature From The Black Lagoon, of course." Buzz wanted his vote in.
"Says you." Flynn disdained such a notion.
"Ohh, I know that one." Brenda felt a little better finally. "But what I want to know is..how did a head from the 1950's get on our dead man's body in 2010?" She admittedly, had a valid question.
She bumped into something, turning slightly, hoping it was not going to fall over and break. She steadied the large black cylinder with it's odd shaped base, her gaze traveling it's slick mahogany surface which reached to the high loft ceiling of the more than spacious room in which they resided. "Well, for goodness' sake.." She grumbled. "What in the world is this thing here?"
She made a face as she perused the 'object d art' with a less than appreciative air.
Her eyes flew open wide as she reached the pinnacle of the 'statue'..her mind 'registering' finally, answering her own question. "Oh, my gosh!"
Andrew Flynn hadn't even attempted to hide his amusement at his boss' shocked expression. "I believe, Chief.." He offered helpfully. "That's what they call, in the vernacular.."
"A phallic symbol..." Provenza stepped in hastily.. "You uncouth moron. There are ladies present..show some class for once."
Flynn spread his hands helplessly. "What did you think I was going to say?" But the blue eyes twinkled mischievously which made Provenza offer up yet another disgusted look.
"Gentlemen, please." Brenda Lee had more than hastily returned her interest to matters at hand but even 'her' curiosity was piqued. "..But..what is that thing doing out here in the middle of the living room? That is just..indecent!"
"It could be a 'conversation piece', Chief.." Flynn offered magnanimously. "I know we all have been discussing it like crazy." He included the rest of his kind with his nod of acknowledgment.
The woman drew her eyes away from the enormous set of..testicles at the base of the 'object', her expression at once comical yet..appalled. "I'm sure you have, Lt. Now..tell me more about this unfortunate victim here and..how he is connected to your movie person..this Dick Glanders?"
"Flanders, Chief...Dirk..Flanders." Flynn just barely held his amusement in check. "Say..that wasn't Freudian, was it?"
He glanced to the statue meaningfully, then grinned impishly.
"Ohh, Lt!" Brenda chided. "Whoever he is..how is he connected to ..this guy?" She demanded to know.
"The murder was in all the papers, Chief." Tao reminded. "Headline news in the 50s."
"I didn't read them, Lt." Brenda explained patiently.
"Dirk Flanders was murdered right in this very room, Chief." Flynn took up the tale. "His head chopped clean off. It was never found. They accused Lundgrim but they could never pin it on him."
"They had this big trial but the guy walked." Provenza said.
"Really." Brenda was taking it all in, pulling her eyes away from the ghastly decor as often as she could, trying to concentrate on the story, but it was difficult. The entire house reminded her of that Addam's Family show she used to watch as a teenager.
"Of course, Lundgrim never worked in Hollywood again." The older detective continued. "He died under.. 'mysterious circumstances'." He had quoted with his fingers. "This was a few years later."
"Mysterious circumstances?" Brenda asked politely, wiggling her toes about in her shoes to relieve some of the pain she was experiencing.
"You know how the studios protected their people way back then, Chief." The man explained. "By the time the cops arrived, any 'evidence'," again he 'quoted' with his fingers. "..was long gone. If they did the drug testing crap back then..it wasn't done on good old Lundgrin, so..the official cause of death was listed as..'natural causes'." Again..the 'quote' and an added lift of the proverbial brows to signify.. 'WhatEVER.'
"He had his head cut off." Brenda pointed out the obvious. "How is that..natural causes?"
"The scuttlebutt was, Chief.." Flynn had read extensively on the matter, after all. "Drugs were involved and some unidentified broa..eh..female, excuse me, Chief..." Andy had remembered his breeding, helped along by a stern reminder look from the 'female' before him. "Some unidentified 'female' had been present at the time of death, but there were no files or interviews taken down for posterity. She never showed at the trial."
"And get this, Chief." Provenza had heard the story often enough to have memorized it from Flynn. "The body was cremated that very night."
"Why..that's against the law!" Brenda was more than incensed.
"Hey..Hollywood, Chief. They had some pull back then..they built this city, right?" Andy reminded.
"And evidently..owned the police force." Brenda disdained. "Well...I never!"
"So anyway, we're thinking that head there belongs to Dirk Flanders." Andy finished, pointing to the bloodied skull grinning up at him from the floor.
"This is all speculation until Forensics arrive." She shuddered as another clap of thunder shook the house.
"You cold, Chief?" Flynn had noted the slight shiver of her body, and the fact..that rain coat was soaked. He removed his jacket, draping it about her slender shoulders. "Where's your sweaters?"
"Ohhh, I couldn't, Lieutenant..reall..."
"Hey..if you catch cold, Provenza will be in charge. I'll have to hire Vito to whack him and where will that leave me?"
"What?"
"Ohh, please.." Daniels pleaded, throwing up her hands, resigned . She had heard it all before. Soooooo many times. "Don't start that!"
"What?" Brenda's interest was caught and she directed her inquiries to the other woman now.
"Ohh, Chief.." Daniels tried to warn her contemporary..
"She's right, Chief.." Andy had forgotten others were about, his expression asking her to trust his judgement on this one. "It's just some stupid.."
"I think it's a mob hit, Chief." Provenza's eyes twinkled with malice as he shared a 'moment' with his partner, a suddenly very disgruntled Andrew Flynn.
"Oh, don't even start that shit." Flynn grimaced accordingly, his expression holding a beleaguered, impatient warning.
"YOU..started it." Daniels reminded peevishly.
"Started what?" Brenda asked. "And for heaven's sake, Lt. Provenza..why would you think something like that? What has the mob.."
"He's just being a smart ass, Chief." Flynn sighed heavily.
"Well..the missing head, Chief." Provenza took on an innocent air. "You know how 'they' are about such things..of course now..we DO have our resident expert 'in house' so to speak if you are needing the input. Detective Flynn here knows all about the mob..with his being so closely connected and all."
"Go to hell, Provenza!" Andy suggested..strongly.
"Excuse me?" That was not something the Chief Deputy wanted to hear concerning one of her 'people'. She turned a 'shocked' look Andy Flynn's way, asking the rhetorical question. "This is news to me, Lt. Would you like to explain these allegations?"
"No, I would not, Chief." Flynn seemed adamant on the subject. "What I would LIKE to do is..kick Provenza's ancient ass!" He stated emphatically for the other man who smiled happily over at the younger, totally unaffected by such threats.
"It's a tv series, Chief." Tao stepped up to the plate. "An old one. Provenza caught it on the TV Channel a couple weeks ago." He cast the older man a benign glance. "He's been needling the Lt. ever since."
"Yeah, and if he doesn't lay off..." Flynn's 'glance' was not so 'benign' to his partner-in-crime. "I'm gonna kick his old, ancient ass, Chief..I swear to God!"
"Needling him about what?"
Tao was only to glad to 'tattle'.. "Seems Flynn has a remarkable resemblance to one of the characters, Chief..on the show, that is."
"I do NOT!" Flynn spread his hands plaintively, his expression a pleading one. "I look NOTHING like that guy, Chief..NOTHING!"
"Spitting image." Provenza shook his head woefully in disagreement.
"He does, Chief." Tao was apologetic. "Very much so, actually...sorry, Andy." He whispered aside to the woman. "I'll bring in a dvd, Chief..you can judge for yourself."
"Now, of course..Flynn here is MUCH older than this guy, Chief..I'll give you that much." Provenza defended his actions.
Andy rolled his eyes, turning aside then back jerkily as a suitable rebuttal occurred. "You would know from 'old'..you 'OLD' geezer, you!"
"Now settle down, Lt." Brenda suggested calmly, putting a restraining hand on the man's chest. She rather liked the feel of the dark blue silk vest he wore beneath the lighter grey suit. "Lt. Provenza is just teasing you, as is his way..as you well know." She frowned a bit at the older man. "Let us endeavor to conduct ourselves with a little decorum, please."
"I'm gonna kick his ass." Seemed the extent of Flynn's 'decorum' phase.
"Stuff and nonsense." Brenda shook her head at the thought. "I need you both to do your jobs, please..Buzz..I think that's enough pictures surely. Thank you. Lt. Flynn, could you check to see if this place has any type of surveillance equipment? If it's as famous as you claim, perhaps it has some monitors or something and if so..turn those tapes over to Lt. Tao, please. Thank you. I am assuming there has been an extensive search for that missing head?"
"On it, Chief." Flynn grumbled, still in a pissy mood from Provenza's idea of a joke. "Yeah, we searched but..it's a big damned place. And the generator is running the lights..so, it only covers a few rooms. We're waiting on everyone to get here to help out."
He pulled his notepad from the inside pocket of the expensive grey suit with it's shocking periwinkle tie which oddly suited the man. He jotted down something then glanced about aimlessly for a spell.
"I think the head is 'Gone With The Wind', Chief." Provenza kept a perfectly straight face.
"Another Southern reference, Lt..how quaint." Brenda smiled tightly at the man. "We need to find out who our gentleman friend here is people." She placed her hands on her hips. Flynn's jacket held a hint of his cologne and it was warm and taking the cold from her body. She felt better and herself once again. "Let's see what we can do with what we have to work with..shall we? Thank you all very much." She nodded her gratitude and smile.
The storm continued outside but now, Brenda Lee Johnson did not notice it so much any longer. She was in HER element.