Blood Red Sundown: Evil Begins (12 page)

PULLING OFF THE
highway
onto a marked scenic overview, the senator parked and stepped out of his car. The
view was breath taking. He nodded to a woman standing in front of her car taking
pictures. She smiled and stood staring at him then excitedly said, “You’re Senator
Radford.”

“Well, yes I am and thank you for noticing. It’s always
nice to have a person from your district recognize you.”

“I was so sorry to read of your wife’s tragic death.
It must pain you so.”

“Thank you for your concern and yes it was very troubling.”

With that he turned and walked to an area affording him
a total view of the vast ocean. The beach and rock lined shore were obscured in
spots, because of the heavy tree line along the rolling terrain. A sailboat with
heavy white mast in full dress was moving slowly across the horizon. The white sails
against the blue hue of the water presented a magnificent picture. It was breath
taking.

“Marie, you should be here to see this.”

He checked his watch. He had to hurry if he was going
to catch the sunset on the beach.
But, is it the sunset you want to see or
is it something or someone,
his mind asked him?

Waving goodbye to the lady still taking pictures, it
caused a reaction from her he wasn’t anticipating. She asked to take his picture
with her. She set the timer, arranged the camera on the guard rail and stood next
to the Senator, smiling as the flash went off.

“Thank you so much, Senator Radford, maybe someday I
will get you to autograph it for me.”

“I would be most happy to sign it for you if the opportunity
arises in the future.”

GRABBING HOBO, STEPHANIE
acknowledged Mrs. Cummings sitting in her usual position in front of the TV and
then walked to her car. Hobo was in his usual excited state, so he ran ahead, turned
and started to bark.

“Easy boy, we have a lot of time ahead of us.”

When she opened the door on the passenger side Hobo jumped
in and took his usual pose looking straight ahead out the front window. Stephanie
smiled and stepped around to the driver side. A note was pinned under the wiper
blade. It simply read, [I FOLLOWED YOU HOME!!!]

A fear, the depth of which she had never known
before, swept over her. Hobo’s whimpering brought her back to an awareness of her
present situation. Starting the engine she drove off filled with fear of who and
why someone wrote the note. What does it mean,
I followed you home?

Tomorrow, you will take this to the police. Tonight,
you will try to forget it and enjoy a pleasant evening, she convinced herself. Pushing
down on the accelerator, she reached over and turned on the radio, leaned back and
determined that nothing mattered except tonight. With senatorial luck it will be
a wonderful night. “Please do not rain on my parade.”

LAUGHING LOUDLY AS
they
walked out of the bar into the night air, they turned to each other and kissed.

“Where are we headed, Anne, your place or mine?”

“My place would be better for me. I quite often get an
emergency type call on my land phone and I need to be ready to respond.”

“Well, I have a small problem. I can’t stay all night.
I must be at home for a very early business meeting.”

“You know my rule Terry, stay the night or go home now.”

“I guess we had better call it a night then. Will you
be here tomorrow night?”

“I’ll be here barring some unusual problem with the case.”

Anne moved into his chest; he saw a need and answered
it. He kissed her again with the passion she wanted, then led her to her car, stood
and watched her drive away. She is different from most women, went through his mind.
He sat staring out and began to rethink his plan. A few drops of rain hit the windshield.
He sat and watched as it turned into a full force rain storm.

FROM HIS VIEW
parked
a short way up the street he watched Stephanie walk quickly down the porch steps
and at a fast pace approach her car. He noticed the change in her and as she seemed
to be in unusually high spirits and he thought,
Let’s see how long she
remains on cloud nine when she reads my note.

He watched her pause before reaching in and bringing
out a small folded piece of paper. The pleasure he desired came over him as he witnessed
the change in her body posture. She sat down, swung her legs into the seat and placed
her head on her hands holding the steering wheel.

This was the reaction he had hoped for. Satisfied with
the results of his plan to this point, he could simply wait for the next opportunity
to take the next step. He looked at the sky, and it was growing dark and it appeared
ready to rain. That could be a good thing, he reasoned. Darkness and rain both have
their merits for deception; especially when you have them both on the same night.
He watched her car pull away and he started his engine.

As she drove off, he pulled out to follow as a spattering
of rain continued to hit the windshield.

“Where do you go at night after work? I guess tonight
we’ll find out.”

Stephanie was delighted to see William’s car as she approached
the parking area. There was a second car parked next to his which she found unusual.
The drizzle of rain continued to dance on her windshield. That’s alright; I can
handle a little rain. Hobo scratched at the side window, turned and barked at her.

“Patience my friend, I need a couple of seconds.”

He barked again, so she reached over and opened the door
for him. He leaped out and was headed
down to
the beach and was out of sight
in seconds. She checked herself in the mirror and as she did she caught the image
of a car driving slowly behind her and when she turned to look it backed up and
sped away. She thought of the notes and wondered if it could have been the writer.

No, Stephanie it’s just someone who did not prefer being
here with others around. Get out of the car and get down to the beach and join your
dog. One last look at hair and applying lipstick and she was ready for what she
hoped would be the beginning of a pleasant evening and maybe more.

“Wait much longer and it will be dark and this fluff
won’t matter. He won’t be able to see you.”

He was looking her way and waved when she appeared at
the top of the hill. As she neared the bottom of the incline, she smiled and walked
to him taking in and admiring his stature. In fact she thought all six foot one,
slightly graying hair and tanned face was something very special.

“It’s nice to see you Stephanie. I was hoping you would
be here.”

“That’s very nice of you William, may I say that I was
hoping for the same. Have you seen Hobo?”

“He came running up to me and after I petted his head
he ran off at full speed toward the water. I watched him running along the edge
of the water and then lost track of him watching for you.”

It began to rain with more intensity.

“I had better go find him before the storm really gets
going.”

“I’ll go with you. Let’s hope the heavy rain holds off
a little longer.”

Stephanie began to call Hobo’s name over and over unaware
that he was hidden a mere twenty-five feet away, held in a man’s arms his mouth
bound tight with tape.

“Where could he have gone?” she asked.

Suddenly the skies opened up and torrents of rain literally
blinded them as they ran back up the hill to their cars.

“We can sit in my car until it slows down; then we can
resume the search.”

Water was dripping off them as they took refuge in the
car. They looked at each other and laughed. Her hair was flat and her mascara was
running below each eye. He took his handkerchief and wiped the black from her face.
His tenderness touched her and she thanked him for being so special.

The sound of a car door closing and an engine starting
surprised them. Obscured by the rain, the car appeared as a shadow and they could
not see the driver as he backed out and drove away.

“Where could he have been all this time?” the senator
asked.

The rain began to subside and they decided it was their
opportunity to resume their search.

Stephanie went to her car to see if she had an umbrella.
As she opened the door she heard whimpering in the rear of the car. She pushed the
trunk release button and walked to the back and lifted the trunk lid. Hobo jumped
up and she saw tape around his snout.

“William, hurry, I need you.”

He approached and saw the tape.

She asked, “Why would anyone do such a thing?”

“He obviously didn’t want us to hear him bark and alert
us that he was nearby watching and before the downpour hit, he carried him to your
car. You didn’t lock it so he had access to the trunk. The question is, “Why would
he do this to you?”

“I need to show you something, William.”

AS TERRY SAT
in the
parking lot pondering his next move, the rain began to come down harder. His mind
had filled with anger toward Anne as he replayed her ending to the evening.

“That should teach her a lesson,” he said talking to
the image conjured up in his mind of her last words.

Two can play the “I have rules” game. Let’s see how long
it takes to change her attitude. Next time she’ll have to ask me to go home with
her.”

“Wait a minute,” he thought, “calm down and finish what
you started.”

Rain pelted his windows, causing difficulty in driving.
He decided it was better to call it a night. Picking up speed he suddenly hit a
deep pool of water in the road causing the car to fishtail. He was able to maintain
control and slowed his speed. He couldn’t keep his mind off Anne and now regretted
not going home with her.

“On a night like this why didn’t you stay the night?”

I can simply phone her tomorrow and all will be well.
He turned his car around and drove back to the corner bar. Home was the last place
he wanted to be on a night like this.

Johnny seemed surprised when he entered.

“I thought you left with Anne?”

“We decided to call it a night and meet here tomorrow
night. Let me have a big draft of your choosing. No wait, let me have a vodka martini
with a twist. With this rain, I may as well hang around here.”

He turned to survey the room.
The usual
neighborhood crowd
he thought. There was a couple dancing and he noticed the
man was enjoying himself with his hands roving in several key locations. He watched
an attractive lady coming back from the restroom sit at a table near the juke box.
He caught her eye and lifted his glass to her. She returned his salute and kept
it raised signaling Johnny for another drink.

“Go for it, he thought. There is nothing to prevent you
from striking up a conversation. He walked to her table and asked her if she would
like some company.

“Why not, you look like a gentleman.”

READING THE ONE
line
message, the senator seemed puzzled. He raised his eyes and stared at Stephanie
for a brief moment.

“This is serious, Stephanie. You cannot ignore it any
longer. You need to take this to the police. There is a dangerous man in this area
and something like this could spell danger for you. It may have nothing to do with
the other murders, but you can’t take the chance. Are you certain you can’t think
of someone who might be doing this to you?”

She just shook her head no looking at him almost in tears.

“Listen, it’s still early and it appears the rain will
continue for a good while longer. Would you like to come by my house for a drink
or cup of coffee, or whatever you prefer?”

“I would like that, but look at me, I’m drenched.”

“Not a problem. You follow me and I’ll drive slowly so
you won’t lose sight of my car in this rain.”

She started the engine as he walked around behind and
got into his car. The rain started up heavy again, as they were pulling out onto
the roadway.

“This is turning out to be quite an eventful night and
it’s not over yet,” she said to Hobo. I wish you could talk and say who did that
to you.”

Arriving at his home, she pulled up close behind him
and watched the gates open and then close as she made her way through.

“Why don’t we own something like this?” Why would we
want something this large, right Hobo? Get back to reality, girl.”

The senator helped her out of the car and said to bring
her dog along. They entered the house and Stephanie immediately became mesmerized
by its size and magnificent décor. He had been married, but the furnishings screamed
masculinity.

“Look Stephanie, you can’t stay in those wet clothes.
At the top of the stairs, turn left and the third door on the right is the guest
room. You can shower if you feel comfortable. There are towels and robes in the
bathroom closet. Make yourself at home. Would you like a mixed drink, coffee, tea
or even hot chocolate if you’re feeling young?”

“I’m feeling very old in these drenched clothes with
my hair hanging like a mop. I would love a vodka tonic.

She found the guest room to be very elegant and yet not
overbearing. Removing her clothes, she went into the tub area. It was very spacious.
Looking in the full-length mirror, she could not believe her appearance. Her hair
was in complete disarray from the rain. Her makeup was completely gone.

The shower was spacious and there were several choices
of shampoo. The warm water proved gratifying and even the towel was special. Its
thickness seemed to envelop her. When she was dry, the towel felt like it had never
been used. She put it up to her face and breathed in deep to take in the fresh bouquet.

After removing the hair dryer that was mounted on the
wall, she began to dry her hair, looking at herself in the full length mirror.

“You’re beginning to look a little better,” she said
to her image. A heavy white robe was hanging in the closet and she pulled it on
and grabbed her wet clothes.

Assuming there must be a laundry room she began opening
doors as she passed each one and stopped short after opening the door to one of
the rooms. A portrait she recognized as his mother hung over a large beautifully
made up bed. The decor appeared more like a shrine than a room to sleep in. It must
have been his mother’s room, she surmised.

She thought it strange as she looked at the bed. It appeared
as if someone had been lying on it recently and left a depression. Closing the door,
she walked to the stairway and as she descended she paused to look at the many pictures
and paintings displayed on the wall along the stairwell. Recent family photos were
mixed with obvious elder members of their ancestry. She stared closely at the framed
pictures of his recently deceased wife intermingled with those of his mother. Stephanie
was intrigued with them as each seemed to portray her in varying emotions.

In most she noted a sense of happiness, but in others
a sad almost pleading expression seemed to prevail. Hearing sounds from the downstairs
she continued down the staircase and entered the den. He had showered and was wearing
a red robe and bedroom slippers. Again she was enamored by his elegance and special
looks.

“Is there a laundry room so I can dry these clothes?”

“Here, give them to me. I’ll throw them in the dryer.
Your drink request is in the den. I’ll be right back.”

There were cookies beside the tray holding two glasses
of very appetizing looking chocolate drinks. She could not believe she was involved
in this unusual situation of being in a stranger’s home with nothing on but a robe
and him in another room drying her underwear.

She watched William as he returned and sat in the chair
across from her.

“Let’s drink to a very rewarding evening. What we need
is some relaxing music. I’ll warn you right up front, I’m a Sinatra fan.”

Frank Sinatra came out of every side of the room and
then blended into the center for a beautiful sound. “It is nice, isn’t it, he said
looking at her? Do you dance, Stephanie?”

“I do and if I may add, I actually love to dance.”

“Shall we?” He stood and offered his hand and helped
her out of her chair and drew her into his arms. “There is no better singer to dance
to, than my boy Frankie.”

As they danced he gradually pulled her closer and she
was hoping to keep her initial protective resistance from melting away.

“What am I doing here?” she thought.

He was an excellent dancer and she felt herself getting
swept away in the moment. The song “Strangers in the Night” brought a smile from
each of them and both felt a little more comfortable with the situation. She placed
her arms around his neck and he placed his cheek against hers. When the song ended,
she backed up and returned to the couch and picked up her drink. He sat in the chair
across and looked at her. She tried not to show her unease.

“I have really enjoyed this evening and I hope we can
do this again, Stephanie.”

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t, but I think you should
check on my clothes. I’m working the early shift in the morning, so that I can have
extra time off in the afternoon. I’m in the market for a home and a realtor is going
to show me several for sale around the area.”

“If I can be of service, please don’t hesitate to ask.
I do have friends in the real estate field and they would be able to assist you
in your search.”

She simply smiled and shook her head yes.

“Let me get your clothes. You can dress in the study.”

When she was dressed and reentered the room, she thanked
him and called to Hobo sleeping on the rug.

He watched her closely as she picked up her dog and knowing
she was uncomfortable he maintained his distance and avoided the contact he was
anxious for. He took her arm as he walked her out and opened the car door for her.

“Good night, Stephanie.”

She watched him in her mirror standing and waving as
she drove out of the gate. This was a wonderful night, she said to herself. I think
this could be a very good thing.

“What do you think Hobo? Did you enjoy the evening, sleeping
in the big house instead of a room?”

Turning her attention back to her situation she wished
she could have stayed longer to allow whatever might have happened, happen.