The Widowmaker: A Stan Brookshire Novel, #5

By Allison Cosgrove

A fifteen year-old unsolved case is still causing problems - this time in Homicide Detective Stan Brookshire's backyard. Newlyweds seem to be an endangered species in and around Lake City. What evidence there is, lies with a small-town sheriff and may or may not have been gathered and handled properly. Stan can only hope to make sense of what's been left behind and apply it to the recent case before more innocent lives are lost. 

Meanwhile, Father Jaime cannot remember anything for entire periods of time... periods that happen to coincide with the times that the murders took place. He is tormented by this and has come to doubt even himself. Can he trust this big city cop to handle this information with an open mind? Or will he immediately be persecuted? He worries the whole town will look bad, having worshipped under a potential killer all these years... 

It's up to Stan and Jane to get to the bottom of the murders before the killer strikes again. This time, they need help from the outside - will they get to the bottom of this, or will they take the easy bait destroying more lives in their wake?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allison Cosgrove
• Release date: Feb 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524240851

Allison Cosgrove

Allison Cosgrove was born and raised in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario. A married mother of three daughters, she runs her own business by day and creates her own worlds by night. She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters hiking in the woods or sitting by the fire reading a good book. She has had the love of reading and writing detective mysteries from the age of twelve but it has only been since the birth of her youngest that she has gotten serious about crafting some of her own works for others to enjoy. She credits her family and friends with being the driving force that has given her the strength to breathe life into her books.

Book preview

Prologue

She looked so lovely walking down the isle. He looked so handsome. They were picture perfect together: the blushing bride with her groom.

It should have been him up there. He did not deserve her. She was his. She would always be his.

Focus. His mind reeled. He knew that he had to keep a grip on reality. He was here for a purpose. He had a job to do.

But he couldn't help but think about the fact that he should be the one standing there beside her, not the groom.

It should have never ended up this way. They’d had a fairy tale romance. They had been made for each other. They had grown up together, had been high school sweethearts. Everyone had thought that they were going to be the one couple that made it through the long haul.

So when they had decided to get married half way though their college years, there had been a cheer from the residents in their small hometown. Their Golden Boy was marrying The Golden Girl.

It was a bright spring day that they had chosen to get married. The weather had been perfect. The sun had been shining, a light breeze ruffled the leaves in the trees and there wasn't a dark cloud in the sky.

Almost everyone in their small town had shown up. The tiny church had been packed to standing room only. Everyone had been smiling.

He remembered looking down at his watch, standing beside the priest at the altar, and seeing that there were only a few more minutes left before his beautiful bride walked down the aisle and he married her.

They had even decided to write their own vows. They would have the conventional ones in there to appease the rest of their family but they’d had their own things that they had wanted to say to each other. And he had spent the last of those minutes of waiting going over the words that he had prepared for her.

He remembered the door at the back of the church opening. He remembered the look on her father’s face as he walked down the aisle.

Alone.

He remembered the feeling in his chest. The constricted way his lungs seemed to close up on him. He remembered feeling the way his head spun and he had almost passed out when he heard the words that her father had spoken to him.

She is not coming.

They all had tried to soothe his pain, but in that moment, his heart had shattered on the floor of the church and there was nothing that any of them would ever be able to do to put it back together again.

From the bits and pieces his broken mind had gathered, she had found someone else. She had met the other man many months before. Apparently what she’d never told him was that she’d had doubts about marrying him since she’d met this other man.

She told her father that she believed that she was doing the right thing; that she did not want to marry someone if she wasn't positive it was love.

It did not make sense to a lot of the people there that day. And it most certainly had not made any sense to him either. It had done little to stop the bleeding in his soul and soothe the ache in his broken heart.

He had left the church in the arms of his mother. The one woman he had always been able to count on through thick and thin. There had never been a doubt about her and her loyalty to him. His father had left his mother when he was just a toddler. When his father walked out on stormy night, she had turned all her love and devotion on her little boy and had sacrificed everything she had had in order to give him the best that life had to offer.

She was the one that he could count on and from the moment that thought had come to him he decided that he would never love again. He followed his mother in her beliefs that God had done this for a reason. He soon believed that there was a higher purpose to his life and that was the reason. He went to church every day and prayed for the knowledge and the guidance to know the path that he was to take. He prayed to know God’s will and to understand the reasons for the way that things went in his life.

And as he prayed the answers became clear. He was to become a member of God’s house and to teach the world His words. He was to transform from just a simple member of the congregation to a teacher of the congregation. He was to become a priest.

When he told his mother of God’s wishes, she had become elated that God had chosen her son to lead the church and had supported him in any way he had needed, just as he had known she would. She had bought him his airplane ticket to the seminary school and had carefully packed his bags for him.

At the airport she had hugged him fiercely as he prepared to board the plane and she’d been there waiting for him when he disembarked years later as a priest. He had decided that he would be the one to take over for the priest that was leaving the church that had had gone to as a child. It was something that he knew that he knew would make his mother very proud.

Coming back into the present, he realized that what had seemed like an hour lost in his own memories was only a few precious moments in reality and that the bride had just barely made it up the isle to stand before him at the altar.

At least she made it to his side.

Pushing back his thoughts as he stared at the woman, he couldn't help but notice how much she looked like the woman he was supposed to have married. Her hair was long and blonde, with a slight wave to it. Just as his bride's had been all those years ago.

He started the ceremony just at that moment, trying to push out the thoughts that were running through his head.

They had their own vows to say. Just like he had had so many years ago.

His chest was starting to tighten as he pushed onward through the prayers, the hymns. He had to get out of there or he was going to pass out right there at the altar.

Oh, dear God! She looks so much like the woman who was to be mine! His mind screamed at him as he spoke about the vows that they had undertaken: the vows of holy matrimony and the sanctity of marriage.

And then it was over.

And you may now kiss the bride. His voice cracked as he spoke.  He reached for the glass of water that had been brought up for this very reason, and he drank it down in a matter of a few seconds. It still did not do any good to cool the waves of emotions that washed over him like tidal waves in the grips of a tropical storm.

As the new couple walked back down the isle hand in hand, smiling and waving at everyone they passed, he took it as his chance to leave. As he passed one of the sisters in the hallway, he instructed, Please tell them that I am not well and please see to it that no one disturbs me.

She nodded, Yes, Father. Is everything alright? You look like you have seen a ghost.

I will be fine. I just need to rest and to think on things for now. Thank you for seeing to the things that I have asked.

And without another word, he turned and walked the rest of the way down the hall to the sanctuary of his rooms, shutting the world around him out as he closed the door behind him.

Chapter 1

The squad room was a buzz with activity as Detective Stan Brookshire made his way through it and into his office, closing the door behind him. They had been pushing hard for the last couple of days on a case that no one could wrap their heads around. It was just too senseless to begin with and there were things that simply were not adding up or making sense.

Newlyweds Tyler and Brea Hamilton had just returned home from their honeymoon and the night they had come home the husband had been killed by what seemed to be a random act of violence. But the woman had been left alive and unharmed in the bedroom. And although they went through every item in the house, there was absolutely nothing missing. There were signs that someone had stayed in their home for an undetermined amount of time. Food had been cooked and eaten. Dishes had been washed and were left in the drain board. A bed had been slept in.

That was the part that Stan couldn't understand as he looked out the window to the busy downtown street below. Why lie in wait for a long time, attack and kill the husband, leave the woman alive and unharmed, and then in the end take nothing.

At first, he thought that it might be that the woman had had an ex-boyfriend who had not taken kindly to the fact that she had married someone other than him. But as far as Stan and Jane had been able to see, there was no animosity between her and her former boyfriends, in fact a few had actually put in an appearance at her wedding with ladies of their own.

There was also the possibility of a lover on the side that had gotten jealous and killed Tyler. But that theory went right out the window as they talked to the family and friends of the victims. The couple had been totally in love with each other. They had spent every waking moment of their courtship together. Inseparable is the word most people used to describe them.

To Stan that did not sound like a couple that would have lovers on the side. Even though he had seen every kind of person imaginable, the way that this couple was described there wasn't a chance of adultery. That left not a single doubt in Stan's mind that this was completely monogamous couple.

That's why it was so hard to put a finger on who this person was that had come after this couple and had left their new life together destroyed with no chance of repair.

What the hell was this person after? Stan asked himself for the hundredth time in the past few days as he turned away from the window and settled into his desk, picking up his notes again to look them over.

You look a little lost there, my friend, he started; he had not even heard the door open.

Stan looked up from his notes in time to see his partner and best friend, Jane Trinity, sit down in a chair across the desk from him.

Yeah, this case has really done in my head. Nothing here is making sense; there seems to be absolutely no motive for the crime at all. All the usual ones have been ruled out for one reason or another, he said shaking his head and running his hands through his thick dark hair.

I know what you mean, Jane empathized, reaching for the papers on his desk. Did you hear back from the lab yet on those finger prints? Maybe we will get lucky and the guy will already have a record and we can get this one in the bag early.

Stan started to laugh. That's the thing Jane. I did get the lab results back, and yes, I was hoping for the same thing you were and no there was nothing there. Not a single blip or anything. If this guy has done anything illegal before he has never been caught.

And just how sure are you that this is a he? Jane said raising an eyebrow. It could be some female stalker type you know.

Oh don't get started on that women's lib crap again. Seriously. I know women are just about as bad as men for causing trouble; if I have learned anything over my years in the department, it’s just that. But in this case I just don't see a woman having done this. She would have had to be pretty strong to have taken out the man.

Remember what the medical examiner said - that the perp had used ether on the victims. That could be how she did it. I mean it wouldn't take much for a woman to walk up behind a man, catching him off guard. One deep breath of shock would have been all that it would have taken for him to go down like a sack of potatoes and as for the woman, same thing. That could have been why the person used the ether, because they were not strong enough to take on the man one on one.

I know, I know. But something about this doesn't seem to fit. I am not sure why. But it is just the way I feel. Call me crazy but I just don't see a woman doing this. I mean look at what she did to the man.

I would rather not have to look at the photos again. I mean seeing the body in person was bad enough to permanently burn the images into my mind’s eye, Jane remembered, obviously adverting her eyes from the stack of photos on Stan's desk.

Whomever it was had done a real number on the man. They had not only slit his throat, effectively killing him, but had desecrated his body by slicing off his genitals and shoving them into his mouth. Almost like they were trying to feed it to the dead man. It was an image even Stan had a hard time handling and he had seen some pretty gruesome sights over the years.

Maybe it has a little something to do with the fact that I am a male and the person cut the guy’s balls off and fed them to him, he thought. At least he wasn't alive when it happened.'

He said as much to Jane.

She nodded. Thank God for small favors.

So where do we go from here? We have gone over every one of the couple’s family and friends. We have branched out to their co-workers, and even down to their acquaintances. Who else?

At the moment, we have guys out canvassing the street they lived on. They are talking to the people that frequent the shops along there and the shops that they went to. We have people out in every area we can think of, checking and rechecking every angle.

That's the whole problem with this. We have checked out all the usual angles and nothing is fitting like it should. It is almost as if there is no motive.

Well... at least not one that we can easily see at this point. But there has to be a reason. Did you check with the woman again?  Did she say anything?

Stan shook his head. She is still almost comatose. She still won’t talk to anyone at all. Not even her mother. She’s a wreck. Even if we could get anything out of her there would be no chance in hell of us getting it to stand up in court now. She’s so far gone that it would take no time at all for a defense attorney to rip her and her testimony to shreds on the stand.

True enough but at the same time she might be able to point us in the right direction. Give us a motive or something to explain what happened to them, Jane pointed out, her brow creased as she spoke.

Stan knew that her heart went out to the victims and their families and that she hated to see someone hurt. Which was one of the reasons she had decided to pursue a career in the police department, so that she would be able to find a way to stop some of Lake City's people from hurting by putting away the people who were causing the pain.

He admired her for that. She had a huge heart for everyone and everything and no matter how badly things got on the cases that they worked on day after day, night after night, she never lost that about her. She still had the strength to care after all was said and done. She was still able to go home to her husband and two sons and show them all the love in the world. Sure there were some days that the tortures of the job got in her way and she did her best to keep it from them, but for the most part she was able to separate the emotions from the job, and still have it all left when she walked in the door at home.

What can I say? The doctors have no idea how long it is going to take for her to come back to the rest of the world. There is nothing that they can do for her at this point but make her comfortable and make sure she continues to look after herself adequately.

She is up and walking around still? Jane asked, an eyebrow raised. He knew what she was thinking that maybe Brea had slipped backwards into the comatose state that she had been in when she had arrived at the hospital.

Yes, she’s up and doing for herself. But she still walks around, looking around and at you, but at the same time through you. It’s almost like she doesn't see you, doesn't hear you. And if she does hear us, I don't know if there is anything left in her to answer us. I have tried everything I can. I just can not seem to get through to her at all, Stan said shaking his head.

It’s sad. Makes this case all the worse, Jane said picking up the case file on his desk and flipping idly through the pages, almost as if she was hoping for something to pop out at her.

Know what? I have gone over that file ten times today and I still haven't seen anything. I am beginning to think that if I don't get food in the near future, I am going to start eating that file, Stan joked. His stomach was starting to growl, that much was true, but at the same time he also wanted to get out of the station and away from the case just for a bit. To clear the air and his head and he knew that Jane could use it as well.

Alright I’m game, Jane agreed standing up and turning to walk out the door. I’ll grab my coat and meet you downstairs in the garage.

Done. Stan stood up and shrugged on his own jacket before heading towards the door.

Meeting up in the garage a few minutes later, they climbed into Stan's car and headed out of the garage.

So where are we headed this time? Jane asked looking at her watch; it was almost four o'clock. Too early for the dinner rush and just past the late-comers for lunch. Wherever they chose they would most certainly have the place all to themselves, which of course suited them just fine. They liked having the places they ate to themselves.

They drove down the road in their usual silence that they fell into whenever they were working on a particularly rough case, easily loosing themselves in their own thoughts. Neither spoke about where they would head but the car soon took them to their favorite diner on the outskirts of downtown.

Ma & Pa's Diner was your usual mom and pop shop. A flashback from the 50s and 60s with its checkerboard tiled linoleum flooring and red leather booths. Even the bar stools around the main counter and the jukebox in the one corner were throwbacks from the same era.

Holly, their usual waitress and granddaughter of the original owners immediately came over to them with two large mugs off coffee as soon as they had sat themselves down in their usual booth in the corner near the jukebox.

Hey guys. How’s things with you today? she greeted, smiling at them. 

We are about as good as we can be I suppose, Stan answered as he took a sip of the steaming brew.

You guys working that case about the bride and groom that came home from their honeymoon only to be - she started.

Yeah, unfortunately we are, Jane confirmed looking down at the open menu before her.

So sad about them. They seem like such nice people.

Yeah.

So strange this world is becoming. I just don't know what’s gotten into people nowadays. Really I don't, she sympathized shaking her head as she pulled out her pad to take their orders. But I know you guys cannot talk about it so I won’t say anymore.

Thanks Holly, you would be one of the ones that we would talk to if we could, Jane said, smiling up at her.

Yeah, Jane's right. You are one of the good people, but unfortunately walls have ears and well if people found out-

I know, you don't have to tell me. Last thing I would want to do is get you guys in trouble. But what I will do is take your orders and feed two of Lake City's finest.

"Right. I’ll have the