Secret Sins: Murder in the Church (12 page)

“Just got case of the creeps,” he answered. Virginia
didn’t
want
to
seem
cold and uncaring, but she had to stay focused and when she knelled down in
the same spot and looked up at Ray, but when she saw was something very
different. She saw sadness in his eyes that seemed to project into her very soul,
but there would be no way for her to console
Ray’s
spirit.
“He’s

looking at something in his hand.”
“Captain West jumped at the idea, “Yeah, but what?”
Taking every precaution she responds in a low whisper, “A Lottery Ticket.”
He cuts one eye at Virginia, “Say what?”
“A winning lottery ticket was in the collection plate on Easter Sunday,” said Virginia.
He shook his head, “Hmm. Who in the devil would do such a thing? That’s just
crazy,” he said ardently.
“What an unbelievable story, but a billion dollars is
motivation
enough
to
get any number of people killed,” said Virginia. Captain West suggested, “We’ve
got to burn some midnight oil connecting the dots of the murders,” as he stood
impatiently watching Virginia.
“Someone
came
in
and
discovered
the
body and
took the ticket,” he
said
reluctantly
and
he paused
before
continuing, “We’re
working with
a
broad
spectrum of suspects and a mega church that employs a lot of people.”
“A lot of people work her, but there are not that many people on the payroll,”
commented Virginia.
Captain West looks around again as they allow the
Crime
Scene
Investigator’s
entry.
They
exit via the automated turnstiles and the stop to get a close look, “I’ve never seen
a church
where you have to pay to get in.”
“The system is pretty sophisticated,” she said as Captain West started pushing
buttons. But nothing happens. She explains, “It’s designed to take only debit and
credits cards and deduct tithes from each member.”
He looks at her in complete shock, “What if you’re just visiting?”
“Then the visitor inserts $20.00 into it and then it will allow you to enter,” she
explained. Captain
West
joked, “They
thought
Jesus
was mad
at
the
money
changers
in the temple, heck if he saw this crap he would have send a bolt of
lightning to strike these folks dead as a door nail.”
Virginia smiled, “Let’s pray it doesn’t come to that.”
They were standing at the entrance when Dr. Hussein walked up to the turnstile
carrying his forensics’ toolbox. He tried to enter, but the turnstile alarm beeped
and Virginia said, “You’ll need to use the side entrance and she pointed to her left.
Doctor Hussein looked at the turnstile instructed in a computer automated voice,
“Please insert twenty dollars to enter.” Dr. Hussein was holding a twenty dollar bill
and was about to deposit it when Detective Reed said, "You don’t have to pay
anything to get into a crime scene.”
Dr. Hussein turned and pointed to the older man standing at the door, “He gave
me the twenty and said to insert it into the terminal.”
“Virginia looked at the man at the door and immediately she knew who it was,
“The Junkyard Prophet,” she replied.
He turned to smile and wave to her as Dr. Hussein inserted the twenty dollar
bill in the turnstile
and
like
magic
the
terminal responded, “Thank
you and May God bless you and multiply your tithe seven fold.” Captain West
looked at the electronic turnstile and said, “Now that’s too much!”

Dr. Hussein is standing beside the stainless steel examination table holding his
clipboard. The form is labeled external autopsy. There is a male figure drawn diagram
on the form. Ray Murdock’s body is lying in a sitting position on
the
table.
He
carefully inspects
Ray Murdock’s body inch by inch. He starts at the head, he
looks at his head and eyes in a downward position,
then he
looks
at
the
position of his left hand, “Looks as though he’s
looking
down at
something
he was holding,” he tells his lab assistant, Suzanne. Suzanne has
a small
electronic
measuring device called a Density Gage about the size of a ballpoint pen
in her hand and she bends to get a closer look at the left hand, “It’s like he was
holding something.”
Dr. Hussein draws an arrow on the form next to the left hand, and instructs makes
note of its position of the head, eyes and hand on his clipboard and he tells her,
“See if there is any space between the fingers.”
She takes the Density Gage and holds it up close
to
the
area
between
Ray’s
thumb and index finger, and a red laser light shoots out between his thumb and
index finger and it beeps. She looks at the LED display, “That can’t be right?”
Dr. Hussein, “What’s the reading,” he insists. Suzanne looks at the reading, “150 gsm.”
“Let me take a look,” and she hands the Density Gage over to Dr. Hussein and he
asks her, “Hold my clipboard for a second?”
Suzanne takes the clipboard as Dr. Hussein carefully does another reading and
the Density Gage, “Its correct 150 gsm”
Suzanne asks, “What is a gsm?”
“It stands for Grams Per Square Meter and its only used to measure the thickness of
paper,” he answered.
Suzanne smiles, “So he was holding a piece of paper?”
“It would seem so. Make note of 150 gsm on the
chart,” he
instructed.
Dr.
Hussein begins inspecting the neck area in search of the embalming incision, but
there is none, “That’s strange,” he said.
Suzanne watch’s closely and asks, “What is it?”
“This man has not been embalmed,” he said. “The police reports indicated that the
body was
stolen
before
the
undertaker
could embalm the body,” she
said.
“We’ll need to get his clothes off,” said Dr. Hussein. Suzanne hands him the
scissors and he begins cutting his clothing in a straight-line beginning at the right
pant leg, and Suzanne begins at the left pant leg. Dr. Hussein cuts the jacket and
shirt straight up the middle, and he stops and looks in complete astonishment.
Suzanne walks over to the other side of the table, and she freezes and looks at a
large black circle branded in the middle of his chest. In the center of the black
circle is a small red dot. Suzanne, asks, “What does it mean?”
Suzanne
removes
a small remote
controlled for the overhead camera to take
pictures. The camera flashes after each picture and displays it on
the
viewing
monitor. Dr. Hussein replies, “I’m not sure, but Detective Breeze needs to take a
look at this.”
Dr. Hussein takes off his gloves and surgical gown and walks to his office and
Suzanne’s iPhone rings, “Hello.”
Suzanna, “Girl you’re not going to believe
what we just found on Deacon Murdock’s body?

Lorenenzo’s is the best Northern Italian Restaurant in Saint Louis, and they are
well known for having best Chicken Marsala because it’s
made
with
a
tender
chicken breast,
sautéed with fresh mushrooms, onions and green peppers in a
homemade Marsala wine
sauce
in Region, and
it
is Kristen
and Tyrone Lane’s
favorite. Tyrone made the reservation two days ago, so Kristen has been looking
forward to this night. She and Tyrone rarely get anytime alone since the birth of
their son, Derrick a year ago.
Kristen walks
in cultured and sophisticated wearing, Giambattista Valli Metallic
Brocade Pumps with a black cocktail dress as soon as she entered the maître d’
acknowledged her, “Good evening Mrs. Lane, you look lovely this evening.”
“Thank you Antonio,” said Kirsten as the maître d’ escorts her to her table, all the
men’s eyes were on her, and the women slashed her with switchblade glances of
scorn and envy. “Your waiter will be over in a minute,” then he pulls out her
chair and helps her to sit down, then he walks away.
Tyrone is supposed to meet her at eight sharp, Kirsten
checks the time on her
iPhone, and it’s eight-thirty, “This is not like him,” she says to herself. She picks
up her cell phone, and
begins entering a text
message, “I’m
at the restaurant,
where are you?”
A young and attractive Italian waiter with dark hair and dark eyes, and built like a
tennis player of about twenty-two, wearing a classy black tuxedo
uniform
walks
over and introduces and said, “My name is Giuseppe, would you like something
while you wait for Mr. Lane?”
Kristen
thinks
for
a
moment,
she
considers herself
somewhat
of
a
wine
aficionado and she answers, “I’ll have a Sassicaia,” she tells him as she could feel
him dressing her down with his eyes.
Giuseppe smiles at her “Would be my pleasure,” he responds.
Her
cell phone
rings,
she
looks
at
the
Caller ID,
and
does
not
immediately
recognize the number, “This is Kristen.”
A panicked, fast talking voice, “Mrs. Lane this is Julia, and the police are here and
they found Mr. Lane’s car with bullet holes in an alley!” Giuseppe walks over and
sits the glass of wine on the table as Kirsten picks up her small clutch purse and
walks quickly out of the dining room in quick steps. She exit’s the restaurant, and
hands the valet her parking ticket, and she says to Julia, “Calm down, I’m on my
way home.”
Kirsten squalls her breaks as the Mercedes Benz takes the hairpin turn of the circle
driveway, and comes to a complete stop behind a Saint Louis Police Department
Patrol car.
She quickly gets out of the car, and makes a mad dash into the Lane
Mansion, she finds two uniform police officers in her living room. Julia is sitting
on the sofa holding a crying Derrick, “I want Mommy!”
She’ll be hear soon,” said Julia, trying to console Derrick, and Kirsten enters the
room in tears.
“What’s going on?” cries Kirsten as Derrick runs and jumps into her arms.
Kirsten looks at his badge, Kincade as he said, “We found your husband’s car in
South Saint Louis, and it was covered with bullet holes, said Kincade.
The other Officer, Jenkins asked, “When was the last time you saw your husband?”
“This morning
before he
left
for
work,” sobbed Kirsten as she holds Derrick
tightly in her arms.
Officer Kincade looks at Kirsten’s appearance and asks, “May I ask where you
were?” “Tyrone was supposed to meet me at Lorenenzo’s at eight, and he never
showed up,” said Kirsten, “then I received Julia’s phone call, and I rushed home.”
Officer Jenkins, “Although we haven’t found his body, but
we have reason to
believe he may have met with foul play.”
“You said there were bullet holes in his car?” asked Kirsten.
“Yes, but there was also blood everywhere,” stated Jenkins.
Officer Kincade is writing in a small notepad nonstop, but he pauses as asks, “Did
your husband have any enemies?”
“Yes, no, in his line of work…I can’t be sure,” said Kirsten.
The officers look at one another, and Officer Jenkins asks her, “What does your
husband do for a living?”
Kirsten
reluctantly
responds, “Tyrone
is Director of the State Gaming
Commission.” “Do you mean the Riverboat Casinos?”
“And the State Lottery,” Kirsten halfheartedly responds.
Cold and rude, Officer Jenkins, “Detective Virginia Breeze will be in contact, so
don’t leave town.”

Spirit Temple Pentecostal Christian Church is always crowded, but
tonight’s
service is outrageously crowded and spilling out onto the church lawn, and
down the street for the funeral services of Deacon Ray Murdock. Everyone
gathered into
the
church
when Nichelleand Mother
sanctuary.
The pallbearers entered, carrying steel
Murdock. According to Nichelle all the pallbearers came from Murdock
Construction.
A
second
Hurst
pulls
up
outside
Spirit Temple Pentecostal Christian Church
carrying the remains of Jean Newton.
A lot of funerals and burial are held on Saturdays in St. Louis, and finally they get
around to having the funeral of Ray Murdock and of course, Jean Newton. Some
and I don’t know who, but it was decided that both funerals should be held jointly.
Now that’s not a bad thing, but they weren’t married. Let me correct that, they
were married, but not to one another.
The second issue I have regarding today is of all the people that could do the
eulogy of Ray Murdock, why on earth was The Junkyard Prophet chosen and why
does his wife, Sister Lady Soul has to sing at every church service and funeral.

Beulah enter
the
brown coffin
of
Ray
Junkyard starts slowly in a low voice, “Deacon Raymond
Murdock
was
a
wellrespected
businessman, and greatly admired pillar of the community, but we knew him as an
unfaithful
husband,” said Junkyard.
The Pallbearers slowly carried in the casket of Raymond Murdock. Directly behind
The Junkyard Prophet is a large screen monitor, on the screen is a full body shoot
of him as he continues, “His floozy followed him to the grave.”
Someone yelled from the back of the church, “Amen!”
Reverend Shawn Graves sat in a Pastor’s that is more ornaments than the throne
of England,
but
remain
quiet
as throughout
the eulogy.
I’ve
heard
a
lot
of
eulogies, but this one takes the cake, the pie and the entire dessert tray.
“I can’t say he didn’t have any enemies, and can’t say he didn’t step on anyone,”
said Junkyard as the pallbearers sat the coffin on the stage. The band is playing a
slow instrumental spiritual, and the choir rises she sings one of those tunes that
repeats the same one verse lyric repeatedly, “The kingdom of heaven is on earth.”
Sister Lady Soul sings the lead, “The Deacon is dead!”
The choir sings, “Amen!”
They
must
have
sung
for
ten
minutes
while everyone stood
and
with each,
Amen
from the
choir,
someone
Junkyard
Prophet
looked
at the
managed
to
get
the
Holy Ghost,
and
The

woman and said, “May as well have a party
ladies,” and they fainted on the floor.
Reverend Graves looks over at his wife Nichelle and her mother, Beulah, and not
one teardrop from them, or anyone in for that matter, but that expected. All his
business competitors hated Ray Murdock, and there was still plenty of bitterness
over Ray’s kicking Mother Beulah out of her own house and moving in Jean
Newton.
Junkyard Prophet said, “I’d like to invite the undertaker, Brad Mosley to come up
and open the casket, and the Ushers, please come forward.”
The Undertaker, Brad Mosley and his son, Troy are wearing a dark suits. Brad quietly
walks over to the coffin reaches into his pocket, takes out a long S-Shaped key,
walks around to the foot of the casket, inserts the key, and begins turning the
key. Brad opens the coffin in shock, then quickly closes the lid of the coffin.
Junkyard looks over at Brad Mosley, “Mr. Mosley?” Brad
Mosley
motions for
Reverend Graves and The Junkyard Prophet.
Both men walked over to the Undertaker, “We’ve got a problem,” whispers Brad,
“We need to call the police,” said Brad.
Reverend Graves reaches over, and begins to open the top of the coffin. The
camera zooms in for a close-up shot on the monitor. When he opens the coffin, it
was not the remains of Ray Murdock, but Tyrone Lane.
In
the
front
pew
is
Mother
Beulah,
Nichelle Graves,
and
Spiritualist,
Vergi
Quinn. Vergi’s sister Magda hit a sour note on the pipe organ, and the mood
changed in the church. “That’s not Ray!” Mother Beulah proclaims in a loud tone.
Reverend Graves walks to the pulpit, and picks
up
his
bible and throws
it
in
the direction of the casket, “I can’t believe this.” The Junkyard Prophet looked
down and said, “I
think
the Devil’s
trying
to
tell
us
something!”
A voice yells, “Amen!