Benny James Mystery Series Box Set Page 36

  Realizing that screaming was not a good idea, Jim clamped his teeth and shut his mouth. He dropped the glass bottle and put one hand under Kendra’s knees. Jim released the other from her breast and led her in a controlled fall away from the wall. As she fell, Jim put the other hand behind her neck and shoulders and carried her to the van. As Jim maneuvered through the door with the limp body, his fingers pulsed against the young woman’s damp skin. Jim put Kendra on her back, and before he shut the door he lightly ran his fingers down her stomach and through the middle of her legs. The sensory information of the touch sent his brain into overdrive, and he fell to the soft ground and pounded his fists into the earth.

  Gaining composure over his body and mind, Brother Jim cranked the van and slowly pulled around the house. He did not turn on the headlights until he reached the driveway. As he left the driveway and turned away from Kendra’s house, Jim noticed a fog had descended on the night.

  “Perfect,” he said aloud. “You’re a bad girl and Daddy doesn’t like it. Time for baptizing. If you live, God needs you. If you don’t, the devil does. Where you gonna go Kendra?”

  Kendra’s mind reeled. One time she had downed nine shots of Jagermeister and the confusion she felt compared to that coup of her mind. She tried and tried to lift her arms or move her legs, but it didn’t seem the signal from her brain was reaching her limbs. As they drove, she passed in and out of a dream state and sleep.

  Jim knew, even with the fog, that pushing Kendra off the Dames Point Bridge would be a risk. He had a plan. Traffic was light as it was a little past midnight, but there were still enough cars for an observant driver or passenger to see him in the act and call the police. He stopped the van in the middle of the bridge, as far to the edge as he could, and activated the hazards. He assumed the bright blinking lights would have some drivers looking away. He also left the headlights shooting ahead to further distract motorists coming from the front. Jim opened the front passenger door and rear door panel on the same side, giving him a fairly concealed area in which to work. He wasn’t concerned that someone would stop to help. Most people didn’t stop to help strangers fix flat tires in the middle of the day. He was certain that no one would stop in the middle of a bridge to help a stranger fix a flat in the middle of the night.

  Jim opened the side door of the van and put his hand on Kendra’s forehead. “I baptize you in the name of all that’s good. I baptize you to please my Daddy on earth and heaven and to keep you from torturing my body any longer. The snakes can have you.”

  With that said, Brother Jim picked Kendra up, maneuvered her through some cables at the edge of the bridge, and pushed her over. She didn’t have a chance. Instead of hitting the water, Kendra hit a concrete pier just above the water’s surface which held sensors for the tide. Falling toward the concrete structure, her mind took her to her high school cheerleading days. She was flying through the air, about to be caught by her squad. Just as the vision of being caught entered her mind, her body met the concrete pier. Her thoughts went forever dark.

  Chapter 28

  Benny had not talked to his brother Douglas in a few weeks and gave him a call. When Benny’s parents passed away, they left Benny and Douglas with two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars apiece. Benny blew through most of his money before he realized it would not last forever. His older and wiser brother invested in his dream of being a pilot. Douglas took the lessons, logged the hours, and eventually started a business flying mostly high-end business types around the country to meetings and tropical vacation destinations. Benny placed the call hoping his brother was on the east coast and free.

  Douglas did not answer with a hello, but instead said, “I haven’t seen you on television lately, did the country get tired of your ugly mug?”

  “No.”

  “I know you’re involved with this case. You’re name’s been mentioned, but I’ve yet to catch an appearance on any of the news channels.”

  “My client stipulated that I not participate on any shows while I’m working for him.”

  “Oh. I see. So, what’s up?”

  “I think you forgot something recently,” Benny said.

  “Your anniversary?” Douglas joked.

  “Very funny.”

  “You heard from Jane lately?”

  “Thank God, no. Stop talking about her, you might jinx me.”

  Benny had been married for a very short time. Jane had been a client and after the case was solved, she asked him out to dinner, and a romance developed. Ironically, she later left Benny for the husband he had caught cheating on her.

  “Oh my gosh,” Douglas said. “I forgot your birthday again.”

  “Again. Do you have any idea how that hurts me?” Benny joked.

  “I’m betting you have a way I can make it better.”

  “Now that you mention it, I do.”

  “I am actually taking the week off, so you caught me at the right time. Does this involve my plane?”

  “It does,” Benny said pumping his fist with his good luck.

  “Where am I picking you up and where are we going?”

  “I’m in West Palm Beach and I need to go to Junction Rock, Mississippi tomorrow morning.”

  “Sounds good. Let me make the flight plans and I’ll call you tonight with the details. Talk to you tonight, bro.”

  Douglas was about to hang up when Benny said, “Wait!”

  “What?”

  “You forgot to tell me happy birthday.”

  “Happy birthday, you bastard.”

  Benny checked in at the West Palm Beach International Airport. The gentleman at the check-in desk informed Benny that his brother’s plane had just arrived from Jamaica and was being checked by customs.

  “That happened the last time I was here.”

  “OK,” the man said.

  Benny flashed the man some credentials and said, “Listen. Last time this happened I was escorted to the plane and security had no problem with me being on the plane while they searched.”

  “I don’t know,” the man said.

  “Call Ms. Crenshaw,” Benny suggested. “I’m sure she would love to escort me like she did last time.”

  The man’s face lit up. “You know Lanelle?”

  “Yes,” Benny lied. “She loves me.”

  “Isn’t she a trip?”

  “She certainly is.”

  “I’ll give her a call and tell her you’re here.”

  “Do me a favor,” Benny said. “Let me surprise her. Just tell her she needs to escort a passenger to a private plane. Please.”

  “OK.” The man picked up the phone and dialed. He told her she was needed and hung up. “She’s in a bad mood,” he told Benny.

  “Isn’t she always?”

  “I guess she is.”

  “Part of her charm. I’ll just wait over to the side. Thanks for your help.”

  A few minutes later, Benny saw Ms. Crenshaw walk around the corner. As she got closer to where he was, he stood out from the crowd of people so she could see him and waved with a mischievous smile.

  “Oh, hell no,” she said.

  “Don’t say that, Lanelle. You know you missed me.”

  “Like hell I did, and don’t you ever call me by my first name again or I’ll swing at you.”

  “Ms. Crenshaw it is, then. I thought you would want to escort your favorite passenger to his flight.”

  “My favorite passenger is here?”

  “You’re hurting my feelings,” Benny teased.

  “Well, you ruined my day,” Ms. Crenshaw said, deadpan.

  “Enough with the pleasantries. We can catch up as we walk to the plane, Lanelle.”

  “You call me that again, and I’ll put you on the ‘Do not Fly’ list.”

  “Sorry. Forgot. It’s just so pretty.”

  Ms. Crenshaw took off and Benny followed. She pulled her trick again at the security checkpoint and the agents gave Benny the full treatment.

  “I’m starting to lik
e that,” Benny teased as he was cleared and reunited with her.

  “You would,” she sneered.

  “I’m getting the feeling you don’t like me.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t like your friend. And if you are friends with him, I don’t like you either.”

  “What friend?”

  “Reverend Jim.”

  Benny and Ms. Crenshaw had made it to the point where she could let Benny walk to the plane alone.

  “Reverend Jim? He came here once to meet me.”

  “He comes here a lot.” She turned and walked away, leaving Benny standing there, not knowing what to think.

  Three hours later, Benny’s brother had flown him to Mississippi, he had rented a car, and he was outside of Reverend Jim’s compound. The man at the gate was not pleased to see an unannounced visitor.

  “You’re not on the list,” the gate attendant said.

  “I’m his private detective, in charge of finding his son. I’m above the list. Open the gate.” Benny did not like to be rude, but sometimes a little intimidation helped.

  “OK,” the attendant finally said. “Third building on your left.”

  “He wants me to search Brother Jim’s room again,” Benny lied.

  “It’s in the basement of the same building. The Reverend keeps a close watch on his son.”

  “Very good.” The attendant raised the gate and Benny drove the rental car through and started counting buildings. He stopped at the third building and parked the car. Most of the buildings were fashioned as barns and painted red. Reverend Jim’s was fashioned in the same way but painted gold. There was a sidewalk leading up to the front door, and Benny wondered what he would find inside. He knocked.

  Reverend Jim opened the door. He did not look happy to see Benny.

  “You should have called.”

  “I just happened to get lucky and catch a flight.”

  “Come in.”

  Benny walked into the room. He was surprised to find it was not divided into separate spaces. He was led to the stage in the center of the room that held Reverend Jim’s massive desk. Reverend Jim plopped down in his desk chair and motioned for Benny to sit in the chair across from him.

  “How are you doing?”

  “I’m tired. I’m worried sick. I’m embarrassed.”

  “Give me another week.”

  “A week!” Reverend Jim said, perking up. “Are you that close?”

  “Things are coming together.”

  “I want to know the moment you know where he is. I want you to call me before he’s arrested.”

  “OK. I’m working for you. You’re the boss.” Benny knew how to placate a customer. He knew in his mind though, that this in all likelihood would not happen.

  “I know you did not catch a flight to Mississippi to tell me that you are getting close. What can I do for you, Mr. James? I’m tired and I have a sermon to write.”

  “I need five minutes in your son’s room.”

  “The FBI has already been through everything.”

  “I’m sure they have. I just want to take a mental picture. Give me two minutes.” From what the guard had said, Benny knew the room was in the basement. He looked around and saw two doors. He picked one, pointed to it, and asked, “Is that it?”

  “It’s the other one,” Reverend Jim answered.

  “Don’t get up,” Benny said. He hoped he could have his few minutes alone. It would make what he had in mind a whole lot easier.

  “Make it fast.”

  Benny hurried to the door and pulled it open. Just inside the door he found a light switch and flipped it up. Lights illuminated the dark stairwell and he took the stairs two at a time, in case Reverend Jim changed his mind and joined him.

  The room looked normal. A bed with a neutral colored bedspread was pushed against one wall. The opposite wall held a desk and a reproduction of the Last Supper. A beanbag chair, clothes hamper, and bookshelf completed the space. Benny knew what he was after and walked straight to the bed. He lifted the mattress in the middle and looked underneath. The FBI would surely have taken the magazine Jessica told him about which had Charlene’s nude pictures, but Benny hoped to find at least one more. He did not see any. Benny moved to the foot of the bed and lifted the mattress once again. This time he tried to lift as much of the mattress as he could that butted up against the wall. With almost all of the mattress above his head, he spied another girlie magazine. Thinking he heard footsteps coming down the stairs, Benny dove under the mattress and grabbed for the magazine. The mattress fell on him as he had to let go, and he wrestled his way out.

  As Benny stood with the magazine in hand, his ears confirmed the sound of someone coming down the stairs. Benny shoved the magazine in the back of his pants and pulled his sports coat over the small bulge. As the footsteps neared, Benny noticed the bedspread was crumpled. He grabbed at it and pulled it taut. Moving away from the bed, Benny felt his hair sticking up. As he had pulled out from under the bed, the mattress had rubbed the back of his hair, making it obvious he had been up to something.

  As Reverend Jim broke the plane of the door at the bottom of the stairs, Benny swiped his hands at the air. He ran them through his hair and tussled it some more.

  “Get off me,” Benny said.

  Reverend Jim stared at him as if he was crazy.

  “Bee,” Benny said.

  Benny hustled toward the stairs.

  “I’m allergic, can’t get stung.” Benny continued to talk and yell all the way up the stairs so Reverend Jim would not hear the magazine rustling in his pants.

  Benny rearranged the magazine in the back of his pants as he waited at the top of the stairs.

  “Sorry about that,” Benny said, when Reverend Jim emerged.

  “Did it get you?”

  “No. Thank goodness. I better go in case it followed us up.”

  “Thanks for dropping by. You call me as soon as you know where my son is.”

  “I will. I will.” Again, he talked until he was out the door so the magazine crinkling in his pants would not give him away.

  Chapter 29

  Ned picked Benny up at the Peachtree Dekalb Airport, north of the big airport in Atlanta. Ned had invited Red to ride along, but a thunderstorm was headed over Georgia and Red wanted to be with his plants. Douglas had made plans with a girl he knew in town and promised to be ready to fly Benny back to Florida the following morning.

  As Benny and Ned made their way up 400 North toward Tilley, a light sprinkle splashed the windshield.

  “I sure do appreciate you picking me up.”

  “No problem.”

  “Why aren’t you turning on your windshield wipers?”

  “Don’t need them,” Ned answered, his voice dripping with pride. “I invented a glass coating that will repel the water better than any wipers on the market.”

  “I don’t see any repelling going on.”

  “Keen observation. The maximum efficiency of the coating is realized when the vehicle reaches seventy miles per hour.”

  Ned stomped on the gas and his car lurched forward. Benny tightened his seatbelt and grabbed for the door handle. Just before the speedometer reached seventy, the rain seemed to disappear as it hit the windshield.

  “Well, I’ll be,” Benny said.

  “Patent pending,” Ned said, with a huge smile. “Hey, Benny, do you have time to come by for mushroom pizza?”

  “No,” Benny said a little too quickly.

  “I can make an appetizer of fried mushrooms and my special sauce?”

  “I’m going to have to take a rain check.”

  “That’s funny since it’s really raining.”

  “I’m a funny guy. Tell me what you found about Brother Jim. Am I chasing a ghost?”

  “Oh no. He’s real. I was able to find a birth certificate and his social security number. Definitely not a ghost. He even went to public school for one year. After that, he kind of disapp
eared from anything I could find. Nothing before that either. Maybe he talked his dad into it and then it didn’t work out. I was able to find a yearbook picture of him as a ninth grader.”

  “How are you able to do these things the FBI can’t?”

  “I’ll take the fifth,” Ned said. “The less you know the better in case we ever have to explain ourselves.”

  “I appreciate that, Ned.”

  “Beth Marvin used her credit card yesterday.”

  “Where?” Benny was excited.

  “Place called Dirk’s Rentals.”

  “No way!”

  “I’m guessing you’ve heard of it.”

  “I have.”

  As Benny and Ned entered the Tilley City limits, the rainstorm reached its peak. Ned turned on the windshield wipers.

  “Am I taking you to Red’s house? I saw your Jeep there.”

  “Yeah, I thought leaving it there would make people think I still lived there. I don’t want people finding out that Red has money and taking advantage of him.”

  “You don’t have to worry about Red. He told me some girl came by the other day looking for you and he ran her off.”

  “What?”

  “From what I understood, a woman came to the house pretending to spread the Gospel, but she was really looking for information about you.”

  “Oh crap.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it earlier. I thought it was just a reporter trying to do another story on you or something like that.”

  “She’s been following me around.”

  “Red freaked her out,” Ned said laughing.

  “How?”

  “He told her you were about to catch Brother Jim and he had guns and bombs.”

  Benny doubled over with laughter. As he recovered from his laughing spell, Ned pulled the car into Red’s driveway. Benny and Ned both immediately spotted Red, standing in the middle of his garden with a gigantic yellow umbrella. Galaxie was huddled against Red’s leg. Red heard the vehicle and turned. Seeing Ned’s car and knowing who was inside, Red bent over, scooped up Galaxie, and ran to greet Benny.