Benny James Mystery Series Box Set Read online

  “The local police really screwed that one up,” Ted said. “They questioned her for hours. She was very detailed in her statements and they had no reason to believe she was making anything up. A few days later, they had some follow up questions for her and went to the address she had given them after failing to get her on the phone, and it was an empty apartment.”

  “Maybe she’s a liar.”

  “Maybe she’s scared,” Ted said. “Jessica wouldn’t tell me much of what she saw in Brother Jim’s room, but she said it was absolutely filled with snakes braided out of all kinds of different materials.”

  Benny’s eyes sparked as he remembered the snake on Stephanie Mitchell’s dresser and the ones Robert told him about.

  “The girl who got away, Beth, did say something that makes me want to believe that she is telling the truth,” Ted said.

  “What?”

  “Well, not only did she say in her statement that Brother Jim told her who he was, she also said he kept repeating a statement over and over again as he tried to pull her to the edge of the bridge and toss her over. She said he was saying, ‘Damn the snakes, damn the serpent. Damn the snakes, damn the serpent.’”

  Chapter 23

  Benny decided to get his business with Jessica out of the way. He gave her a call upon leaving Ted’s house. Ted had given him her number after reminding him of his pinky swear. Benny reassured Ted he was a man of his word. Before leaving, Ted begged Benny to go buy him a six-pack and Benny reminded him that he had promised not to go out and buy more.

  “Just this once!” Ted had pleaded.

  “I’m a man of my word,” Benny reminded. He flashed his pinky in Ted’s face. “I didn’t pinky swear, but I’m still good for that promise.”

  “You are a man of your word,” Ted finally conceded.

  “Now, this may be semantics, but I promised not to go back out and buy you more beer, right?”

  “Right.”

  “I think I may have one more of those tall boy Budweiser’s in the car.”

  “Really?” Ted’s eyes lit up.

  “Let me look.”

  Benny walked to the car with Ted on his heels, knowing the whole time he did have another beer, bought just for this very reason. He reached in the car, grabbed it, and handed it to Ted.

  “Run yourself a relaxing tub, drink this, and go to bed. You have to work tomorrow morning.”

  “You’re the best, Benny.”

  Ted grabbed the beer and headed for the house. Benny stopped him.

  “Ted!” Ted turned. “And do what I asked. Cut your damn grass!”

  Ted popped the top on the beer and turned around laughing.

  Before calling Jessica, Benny called Rachael to let her know he was going to be a little later than he originally thought. He had to leave a voicemail, since her show was about to go on the air. He knew she wouldn’t mind. He would just have to figure out how to tell her about whom he was meeting and decided to figure that out later.

  Dialing Jessica’s number, Benny formulated a plan.

  “Special Agent Flynn,” she answered, all business.

  “Special Agent Flynn, I would like to request a meeting with you tonight.”

  “Who is this and how did you get my number?”

  “I thought you might like to follow me around some, since I somehow seemed to lose you this morning.”

  “Benny James. That was a dirty, dirty trick you pulled this morning. You and your little friend are lucky I’m not going to have him arrested for interfering with a law enforcement officer.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “I’m sure you don’t. Where were you all day?”

  “I’ll tell you if you’ll meet me in person.”

  “Where and when?”

  “Do you know where the Juno Beach Pier is?”

  “I think so. North of West Palm Beach before you get to Jupiter.”

  “That’s it,” Benny said. “Can you be there in thirty minutes?”

  “Yes, but isn’t the pier closed by now?”

  “I guess you’re right. I’ll meet you under the pier in thirty minutes.”

  Benny hung up the phone and tried to decide whether he should buy a cup of coffee or a bottle of wine. He settled on the coffee, a six-pack of Corona, and a pack of spicy cinnamon gum. He also had to buy a bottle opener. Benny thought the wine might send the wrong signal, and he just wanted information, not trouble.

  Before filling the large coffee cup, he filled it with ice and a couple of packets or real sugar. By the time he made it to the car, the coffee was cool enough to drink and he slammed it back. Benny popped a piece of the gum in his mouth as he pulled out of the overly lit convenience store lot.

  Driving toward the pier with the windows down and the air conditioner on low, Benny inhaled the Florida night air and tried to think of a better smell—he couldn’t. Although he loved Florida, the days could sometimes be too brutal for him if the wind wasn’t blowing. His thoughts slipped away for a moment to his houseboat and the Sleepy Cove Marina. One could get a sunburn there too, just as easily, but on the lake it seemed a bit easier to find a cool shady spot to spend a lazy, quiet afternoon.

  The Trans Am pulled into the lot by the pier. Benny could tell that Jessica would still be a few more minutes, because he had not received a message through his phone that her car was within the undesired range.

  Leaving his shoes in the car and grabbing the six-pack, Benny headed toward the pier. Low lights lined the pier and a sign stated the pier was open twenty-four hours. Benny had hoped to meet with Jessica under the pier in a mysterious, dark setting he thought might intimidate her. It worked on some people.

  Benny anticipated the plan still might work if there were not too many people fishing. He didn’t want the possibility of the coming conversation being overheard. Catching an older fellow with fishing gear in hand, Benny excused himself and apologized for bothering him.

  “I’m so sorry to bother you, but do a lot of people fish on the pier at this time of night?”

  “A good bit, yeah.”

  “What do you catch?”

  “At this time, with the low tide, we’re usually all out at the end of the pier trying for Kingfish, Snook, Bluefish, and Macks. Pier goes out damn near a thousand feet, so low tide still ain’t a bad time to fish.”

  “Thanks,” Benny said.

  “You meeting a lady under the pier?” the old man asked.

  “How did you know?”

  “Most men out here with a sixer of fancy beer and minty breath ain’t walking around alone.”

  “You’re pretty sharp.”

  “These wrinkles on my face weren’t free,” the old man joked. “I earned every one.”

  “Good luck tonight,” Benny said.

  “I think you might need it more than me,” the old guy said, turning his head to look up the beach. “If that’s the girl you’re waiting on, she’s way out of your league.” The old man slapped Benny on the back laughing, and walked toward the pier, still chuckling to himself.

  It was Jessica and she was not dressed for work. Benny’s heart dipped in his chest and for a second he felt something quite unusual for him— a small case of nerves. Jessica too had left her shoes in her car. Her hair, which was usually pulled into a tight ponytail blew freely with the ocean breeze. She had traded the suit for a pair of jean shorts with a few rips in just the right places and a white baby doll t-shirt. The logo on the baby doll t-shirt read “Red Stripe” with a sentence under the main logo proclaiming it to be “A Lager Beer Brewed in Jamaica.”

  Benny held up the six-pack of Corona and said, “I hope you like beer from Mexico as well.”

  Jessica glanced down at her shirt and laughed. “It doesn’t really make up for the hundred dollar bottle of champagne I bought you and your girlfriend, but I suppose it’s a start.”

  “I thought the FBI bought that?”

  “Yeah, but it was on my expense report. How would y
ou explain that one to your boss or the taxpayers if you were in my shoes?”

  “Just say you were trying to win the influence of a very important person.”

  “Get over yourself,” Jessica said, as Benny fumbled with the bottle opener and the Corona. “You wouldn’t make a very good bartender,” she added.

  Benny finally managed to pop the top off two beers and handed Jessica a bottle. “Why don’t we start over,” he proposed. “Our first try at this was a bit awkward.”

  Taking the bottle from Benny, she clinked glass with him and said, “Cheers. OK, we’ll start over out here where your girlfriend can’t find us and interrupt.”

  “That’s not really what I intended.”

  “But, it is a plus.” She took a deep drink from the bottle of Corona. “You didn’t buy a lime?”

  “They didn’t have one at the gas station.” All of a sudden, Benny wondered why he hadn’t received a signal that Jessica’s car was near. It was set to text him when the vehicle was within one hundred yards of his vehicle. “Did you drive the ugly Crown Vic over here?”

  “You mean the one with the tracking device on it?” she said with a look Benny did not know how to interpret.

  “I guess we’re even.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  “Ditto.”

  “Where did you go today?”

  “Bradenton Beach and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.”

  “And you met Robert, I’m guessing?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Did you get anything out of him?”

  “Maybe one little nugget.”

  “Care to share?”

  “I’d rather not at this point, but if I feel it’s pertinent, I’ll let you know.”

  “That’s real sweet,” Jessica said, finishing off her beer. “See if you can open another one of those beers in the next five minutes,” she teased.

  Benny finished his as well and opened two more, this time with no trouble at all.

  “You might just have a bartending career in your future.” There was a pause in the conversation and Benny got caught taking a long look at her legs. When his eyes made their way up to her thigh, she said, “I’m guessing you didn’t ask me to meet you out here for a couple of drinks. What do you need?”

  Benny pulled his eyes up to hers and her look told him he had been caught and she liked it.

  “Have you been to Reverend Jim’s place in Mississippi?” Benny already knew the answer but was not going to give that information away.

  “I have.”

  “Is it just me or do you feel when you’re trying to find Brother Jim that you’re chasing a ghost?”

  “He hasn’t left much of a trail, that’s for sure. But I can assure you he’s not a ghost. I can’t give you his birth certificate, social security number, and all that, but you can take my word that he’s out there somewhere and very real.”

  “Did you get to go through Brother Jim’s room?”

  “I did. It was my detail.”

  “What did you find?”

  “That information is going to cost you,” Jessica said with a sly grin on her face.

  She started walking away from the pier toward a dark area of the beach that did not have any people near for as far as the eye could see. She chugged her beer and asked Benny for one more. Benny followed suit and finished his as well, sticking the empties back into the sleeves of the six-pack holder. He opened the last two and they drank as they walked. Benny was dying to ask what the information was going to cost him, but he didn’t want to show his trepidation by asking. Although any man would fall over himself to make out with, or sleep with Jessica, Benny was not willing to betray Rachael for a piece of information.

  Out of eyesight from the pier, Jessica sat down on the sand, facing the ocean. Benny sat down as well, close enough to smell her perfume, and they both dug their feet into the sand.

  “Are you scared of the ocean at night?” Jessica asked.

  “No.” Benny thought it was a strange question.

  Jessica slid closer to Benny and pulled her knees up to her chest. Benny could not keep his eyes from slipping away from the ocean and back to her legs. She noticed him looking again and bent her leg out to rest against his.

  “I don’t mind if you touch it. I know you want to.”

  “Wanting to do something and doing it are two different things.”

  “Fine,” Jessica said, pulling her leg back. “But if you want to know what I found in Brother Jim’s room, you are going to go swimming with me.”

  “Now?”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t make you touch me. It’s just swimming,” Jessica said, standing and pulling off her shirt. She tossed it in Benny’s lap and her bra followed. Benny was speechless. Her jean shorts followed and Benny wondered if she would keep her panties on when he realized she was not wearing any. She tossed her jean shorts in his lap as well.

  Benny felt a stirring and wanted to quickly get in the water before he had to walk in backwards. He stood in a flash and pulled off all his clothes. He ran past her and dove in, coming up quickly, hoping to catch a view of her front. She must have slowed down or backed up, because when Benny came up from under water, her knees were just entering the ocean. Benny pushed back as she neared him, staring all the way.

  When they were both neck deep and standing, Benny said, “This is a dirty trick.”

  “I told you, it’s just swimming.” Jessica dipped her head back into the water.

  Benny wanted to begin questioning her, but he couldn’t think straight. He took a few deep breaths and tried to think of his first question.

  “Are you sure you’re not scared that something might bite you out here?” Jessica asked.

  Benny was not sure if she was talking about a shark or herself.

  “No. Tell me a little bit about Brother Jim.”

  “I don’t know much. But from his room it looked like he may be your typical PK.”

  Benny stopped her. “PK?”

  “Preacher’s kid.”

  “Oh.”

  “He’s 22. His room had religious things in it sitting on the furniture and hanging on the walls. Bibles, crosses, devotionals. Typical things you would expect a church going person to have. There were a couple of Penthouse magazines under his bed. You guys really need to find a new hiding spot for those.”

  Benny laughed.

  “We did find a map of Florida. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge had been circled. We did not find a computer. He either destroyed it before he took off on his big trip, hid it, or he has it with him. We still can’t figure out how he knew to go looking for Erin.”

  “How did he find Charlene?” Benny asked.

  “I’ll tell you in a minute. Do you know how he knew about Erin?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “Well, if I am going to share all this with you, you better spill before I go on.”

  Benny told her about the fashion design, which she knew about and the website, which had somehow slipped past her and her people.

  “How the hell did the financial diggers not find a charge for Erin’s website hosting?”

  “Maybe the hosting was free or somebody else paid for it?” Benny suggested.

  “Hmm. Well Charlene was in a spread Penthouse did on Florida’s sexiest waitresses. Charlene was sexy waitress number four. And yes, it was one of the magazines under his bed.”

  “Did he have any of those creepy braided snakes?” Benny asked.

  “Oh God yes. The room was full of them. Was that your little secret you didn’t want to tell me?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I guess you saw the one on Stephanie Mitchell’s dresser?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Weird, aren’t they?”

  “Very strange.”

  “How do you think he found the other girls?” Benny asked.

  “The Internet. Breeze is, or was, on the front page of the strip club’s website. They took her off short
ly after her death. And Stephanie’s face is still plastered all over Florida billboards and she, of course, was on television commercials.”

  They talked a few minutes more. Benny got her to describe Brother Jim’s room a little more without gathering any more important information.

  “Can you promise me you won’t tell Rachael we did this?” Benny asked. “I don’t know how a person would believe two people went skinny dipping in the ocean at midnight and nothing happened. I don’t want to lie to her, but I don’t think she would believe the truth either.”

  “I promise I won’t tell her if you promise not to tell her I did this.”

  As soon as she finished her sentence, she lunged toward him and wrapped her legs around his waist. Benny froze, well most of him did. Jessica slowly put her arms around his neck and pushed her chest against his. With her mouth, she put a single, slow kiss on Benny’s neck.

  Pushing away from him she said, “Be careful, a fish just poked me in the thigh. I think he’s hungry.” She laughed and swam to shore.

  On the beach she quickly dressed, and Benny stayed in the ocean with his waist below the water.

  As she walked off into the night, Benny yelled after her. “If I hear a word about this from anyone, I’m going to tell everyone what that tattoo says you have right above your ass!”

  Jessica just laughed and kept walking.

  Chapter 24

  The next afternoon, with a theory in mind, Benny placed a call back home to his friend Ned. Ned just happened to be one step short of a mad scientist. Although he used his intelligence as a techno-wizard of sorts, his hair-brained ideas and inventions sometimes landed him in a bit of personal turmoil. He once, unsuccessfully, invented a dog shampoo. The shampoo was supposed to leave pets free of fleas and smelling good for over a month without another bath. Ned tried it on his sheepdog, and the poor animal died within hours. His timed refrigerator lock was a hit with dieters and he did earn a fairly large payout for that idea.

  Aside from his inventions, Ned was a computer genius. He somehow had the ability to get into state files, federal databases, law enforcement records, and more without being discovered. He wouldn’t tell Benny how he accomplished such devious tasks, but he did sell his services to Benny from time to time.