problem within our ranks. Sure it had its uses but like everything else in life too much of anything is usually a recipe for disaster.
“I’m not making any promises. Tell me what you know.”
“Okay. Well, one day I was cleaning one of the stalls. Another janitor had borrowed my cart, so it wasn’t outside the restroom door. In other words, no one suspected I’d be inside. In comes Lisa, her sister Brittany, and another girl. They thought the restroom was empty, I guess, ’cuz they start talkin’ ’bout the two murders in Alabama. I mean, why they did it and how after that moment it would never be discussed again. I bet you’ll find those cases are still open.”
I’ll be damned – my heart raced I was in complete shock and disbelief. Sweat started to seep through my skin. What were the chances that some random old woman at a motel in the middle of BFE would help me with a case that I had to solve?
“I must say I am quite taken aback and impressed. How did you manage to go unnoticed? If what you’re saying is true, they would have killed you had they found you there.”
“I was deathly still. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I haven’t told a soul since that day—not one person on earth. I’m not really even sure why I’m telling you now. But you seem kinda desperate. Trading goods is a way of life here in the swamp, detective. So you gonna help me?”
“Why didn’t you go to the authorities?”
“Didn’t wanna get involved. It’s not really my style. Like I said, looks like you could use some help, though,” she said pointing to my inside-out shirt.
“People like you are the reason police officers solve cases. I do have a really important question that you have yet to speak on. Who was the third girl in the restroom that day?”
“You’re getting’ ahead of yourself, sonny. Don’t you even wanna know why they killed them ol’ boys in Bama?”
I was happy to be getting this information, but I didn’t want to scare her off. I was willing to play her game, at least for the time being.
“Did the girls discuss that? I don’t imagine they were there very long.”
“Only a few minutes, and one girl did most of the talking.”
“Lisa?”
“No, never heard a peep from her or her sister Brittany. Nope, the ringleader was a girl named Marci Wingup. She did all the talkin’. Really smart girl, from what I gathered. She said, ‘I guess we taught those monsters a lesson.’ She also said they had to learn all they could ’bout killing, ’cuz they couldn’t be so careless the next time. About then, someone tugged on the door. Two of ’em hid in stalls, and one of them slowly opened the door and peeked out before disappearing.”
“Miss Romero, this is fascinating information. I will work on helping your friend after I do some research on these Alabama murders.”
So they had not only killed their uncle but two other rapists in Alabama a decade earlier. If the details matched up with Miss Romero’s story, I’d bend over backward to get her friend out of jail. I also started to wonder if they’d pulled off other murders across the country that had never been linked together or solved.
“I’m going back to my room to work on this. Thanks for the info and the coffee. Looks like I’ll be around here a bit longer than I’d planned.”
“Like I said, you aint botherin’ me. Fryin’ some gator here in a little while. Come up ’round noon and get you a plate.”
“I will, thank you.”
Nothing better than a home-cooked meal. Lord knows I could use it. And Cajun food just happened to be one of my favorites.
Chapter 21
I walked back to my room, punching in Captain Wilcrest’s number on my way.
“David, glad you called. It’s been a few days. Things couldn’t be more unsettled here. I met your detective friend Lafitte earlier. I’m actually headed to the crime scene now. I thought you’d call me sooner. I’ve tried you a few
“I’m not making any promises. Tell me what you know.”
“Okay. Well, one day I was cleaning one of the stalls. Another janitor had borrowed my cart, so it wasn’t outside the restroom door. In other words, no one suspected I’d be inside. In comes Lisa, her sister Brittany, and another girl. They thought the restroom was empty, I guess, ’cuz they start talkin’ ’bout the two murders in Alabama. I mean, why they did it and how after that moment it would never be discussed again. I bet you’ll find those cases are still open.”
I’ll be damned – my heart raced I was in complete shock and disbelief. Sweat started to seep through my skin. What were the chances that some random old woman at a motel in the middle of BFE would help me with a case that I had to solve?
“I must say I am quite taken aback and impressed. How did you manage to go unnoticed? If what you’re saying is true, they would have killed you had they found you there.”
“I was deathly still. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I haven’t told a soul since that day—not one person on earth. I’m not really even sure why I’m telling you now. But you seem kinda desperate. Trading goods is a way of life here in the swamp, detective. So you gonna help me?”
“Why didn’t you go to the authorities?”
“Didn’t wanna get involved. It’s not really my style. Like I said, looks like you could use some help, though,” she said pointing to my inside-out shirt.
“People like you are the reason police officers solve cases. I do have a really important question that you have yet to speak on. Who was the third girl in the restroom that day?”
“You’re getting’ ahead of yourself, sonny. Don’t you even wanna know why they killed them ol’ boys in Bama?”
I was happy to be getting this information, but I didn’t want to scare her off. I was willing to play her game, at least for the time being.
“Did the girls discuss that? I don’t imagine they were there very long.”
“Only a few minutes, and one girl did most of the talking.”
“Lisa?”
“No, never heard a peep from her or her sister Brittany. Nope, the ringleader was a girl named Marci Wingup. She did all the talkin’. Really smart girl, from what I gathered. She said, ‘I guess we taught those monsters a lesson.’ She also said they had to learn all they could ’bout killing, ’cuz they couldn’t be so careless the next time. About then, someone tugged on the door. Two of ’em hid in stalls, and one of them slowly opened the door and peeked out before disappearing.”
“Miss Romero, this is fascinating information. I will work on helping your friend after I do some research on these Alabama murders.”
So they had not only killed their uncle but two other rapists in Alabama a decade earlier. If the details matched up with Miss Romero’s story, I’d bend over backward to get her friend out of jail. I also started to wonder if they’d pulled off other murders across the country that had never been linked together or solved.
“I’m going back to my room to work on this. Thanks for the info and the coffee. Looks like I’ll be around here a bit longer than I’d planned.”
“Like I said, you aint botherin’ me. Fryin’ some gator here in a little while. Come up ’round noon and get you a plate.”
“I will, thank you.”
Nothing better than a home-cooked meal. Lord knows I could use it. And Cajun food just happened to be one of my favorites.
Chapter 21
I walked back to my room, punching in Captain Wilcrest’s number on my way.
“David, glad you called. It’s been a few days. Things couldn’t be more unsettled here. I met your detective friend Lafitte earlier. I’m actually headed to the crime scene now. I thought you’d call me sooner. I’ve tried you a few
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