The Black Leather Belt Murders

By Chrystal Lee Stevens

Mandrake is lethal... Blondes are a poison, the belt is his cure.

FBI profiler Rick Sullivan finds himself on the trail of a serial killer known as Mandrake. Mandrake strangles blondes with a black leather belt that he leaves fastened around their necks. As the body count rises Mandrake evades Rick at every turn. He finally catches a break in the case when he travels to a small Virginia town and meets Destiny Malone.

Destiny came home a week before Christmas to find her roommate Sydney strangled in her bed. Destiny was planning to become a PI after college graduation but has now been thrown full force into her first case. She is determined to find out who extinguished the fiery redhead and not even sexy Rick Sullivan is going to get in her way.

Rick believes that Sydney was killed by a copycat. Especially when he discovers that her ex-boyfriend who has recently escaped from prison was the one responsible for his father’s murder. Rick believes that Destiny is now in danger too and will stop at nothing to protect her even if it means staring into the face of death.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chrystal Lee Stevens
• Release date: Nov 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370116294

Chrystal Lee Stevens

I'm an avid reader. I love movies, music, books, and film especially anything relating to the 1950s. I'm trained in Journalism and Law Enforcement. If I'm not reading or writing I'm usually spending time with my little red Pomeranian named William Wallace Braveheart aka Willie for short. A cutie I saved from a trip to the pound.

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The Black Leather Belt Murders

By Chrystal Lee Stevens

Copyright 2016 Chrystal Lee Stevens

All rights reserved

This e-book is a work of fiction. Any similarity to real people or places is purely coincidental or used fictitiously by the author.

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Start of The Black Leather Belt Murders

About Chrystal Lee Stevens

Connect with Chrystal Lee Stevens

Book Cover Origin

Acknowledgments

I want to thank everyone at Southwest Virginia Community College for my education and experiences that helped me to be able to write this book.

I also want to thank my mom and dad for their never-ending support of my writing endeavors.

And to the three-best people in the world: Charlie, Shana, and Ronni. I love you guys!

And last. I want to extend a big thank you to my good friend illustrator Stan Bruns for the excellent design Celtic Mandrake that is on my book’s cover. Stan has done illustrations for Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern science fiction series among others.

Chapter One

I'm Mandrake. Just like the root of the same name I'm deadly. I've decided to rid the world of all blondes. Blondes are a plague and my trusty black leather belt is the cure.

I'm currently in a New York City suburb. There are cookie cutter houses as far as the eye can see. None of them are of any concern to me except for the one I'm parked in front of. For the past month the blonde woman who lives here has been sitting in a chair creating a quilt. I've watched her work meticulously on every piece waiting for the right moment to strike. She's alone. Her husband and kids won't be home for hours. The time is now.

The latch on a small window is loose. I pry it open and climb inside. I walk down a narrow hallway and enter her room. She doesn't hear me come in. My footfalls are cushioned by the thick carpeting. I remove the black leather belt from around my waist and stand behind her chair. The sweet anticipation of what's about to happen gets my adrenaline pumping. I reach around the chair and have the belt around her puny neck within seconds. She claws the belt with her hands trying desperately to get it off. The harder she struggles the tighter I pull.

Eventually her body goes limp and slumps slightly in the chair. I look into her deadened eyes and think she had been so easy to kill. I'm going to enjoy this.

I fasten the belt around her neck and take the antique brooch from her cardigan. I then leave the same way I came in and return to my borrowed van.

Now I'm in Manhattan. For my next victim I've chosen a blonde who's trying to make a name for herself by running for mayor of this fine city. She lives on the top floor of this swanky apartment building not very far from Broadway. The building comes complete with a doorman and 24-hour concierge.

I'm able to gain access to the building by posing as a maintenance man. While in the lobby I distract the concierge and get the key for the blonde's apartment. I ride the elevator to the 50th floor and unlock her door with the key.

I have trouble locating her. She apparently heard me come in and has hidden somewhere. I love to hide and seek.

Here mousy, mousy, come out to play! I shout down the hall. I don't have to worry about anyone hearing me. The other apartment on this floor is vacant. There is no one around to hear her scream.

When I finally locate her hiding behind the desk in her office and reach for her, she screams and tries to run. The way she chooses brings her straight into my hands, gloved hands with the belt wrapped around them. I strike with the swiftness of a snake and choke the life out of her precious soul. Her body goes limp against mine and I let her go. She falls back against the desk then rolls off. Her watch scraps the side of the desk and leaves a long scratch mark as she falls to the floor. I make sure that the belt is fastened around her neck then take the gold locket she is wearing. It is shiny and I can see my reflection in it.

I leave her apartment and exit the building after sneaking the key back onto the concierge's desk. I climb back into my van and drive to the warehouse district. It's the poorest neighborhood in the whole city. An area frequented by junkies, prostitutes, and the occasional killer like me. Most of the buildings are rundown and were once warehouses before being converted into apartments. I'm heading to one former warehouse in particular. A blonde girl lives on the third floor there. I found her by accident one day when I went to the coffee shop around the corner and saw her working there as a barista. I followed her home and after some stalking discovered the exact apartment she occupied.

The landlady Mrs. Pugh is so gullible she believes anything that you tell her. I'm surprised that someone hasn't robbed the old bag blind. I tell her that I'm here to inspect the wiring in the attic for fire code violations and she believes me. I climb in through an access panel and crawl my way to the blonde's apartment.

When I realize that I'm at the right place I make a set of Murphy stairs drop down. I climb down and emerge from her closet. I immediately hear water running and follow it to its source. I find her in the shower. I stand there for a few seconds staring at her naked silhouette then I jump into the shower. I get my hands around her neck easily since the only thing separating us is a flimsy shower curtain. I get tangled in the curtain and we both fall out onto the floor.

I'm almost on top of her. I hold her down and remove the belt from around my waist. She moves and tries to raise up to escape. This only makes it easier to get the belt around her neck. I push her body down with my knees while pulling the belt. It doesn't take very long for the blonde to take her last breath. I climb off of her lifeless body and grab the silver charm bracelet that I see hanging around the showerhead. I then exit the bathroom leaving her wearing nothing but the black leather belt.

I return to my stolen maintenance van and drive out of the city. I park on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. I climb into the back and remove the uniform and boots I found stashed in the van. I'm now in black jeans and a black T-shirt. I quickly put on a black jean jacket and black sneakers to complete my signature look.

I throw all of my things out of the van onto the ground. Then I rig the steering wheel and the gas pedal. I send the van flying off the edge of the cliff. It perishes in a ball of fire and flame.

I then pick up my stuff and walk the short distance to a wooded area. I have a dark brown sedan stashed here that I obtained by slitting the owner's throat. I toss my stuff into the trunk and the backseat. I then climb inside and head South in search of my next blonde offering.

****

Chapter Two

Agent Rick Sullivan was fresh from the FBI Academy when he got assigned to work in the NYC field office. Rick was glad to be back in the city that never sleeps. He knew the city well. He had grown up exploring its streets and back alleys.

As soon as Rick stepped out of the cab onto 67th Street he knew that he was home. The sounds of the traffic speeding by, music wafting down from nearby Julliard, and the smell of fresh baked pies floating out from the Blue Moon Restaurant, Bakery, and Deli on the corner.

The pie smell told him all he needed to know. He was expected and his grandmother Ruth Sloane, owner of the Blue Moon, had decided to bake pies. Rick figured coconut most likely since that was his favorite.

When Rick stepped through the doors of the Blue Moon his grandmother greeted him. Ruth had raised him after her daughter Sophia had died from complications in childbirth bringing him into the world. He was always her little Ricky referring to I Love Lucy, her all-time favorite TV show.

Ricky, when did you get in? Why didn't you call me? I would have picked you up at the airport. Ruth Sloane said while giving her grandson a hug.

It's okay grandma Ruth. I didn't mind taking a cab. Rick said while giving his petite grandma a squeeze back.

Are you hungry? I made all your favorites.

I know. I smelled the coconut pies and I'm starving.

Ruth Sloane had a table for two in a back corner of the restaurant ready for him. Rick took a seat and feasted on garden salad, Chicken Marsala, garlic bread, and had two slices of his grandma's famous coconut pie for dessert.

Rick had already made arrangements to move into Bridgehaven Apartments half a block east of the Blue Moon. The FBI had contracted with a moving company to have all of Rick's belongings shipped from Quantico to NYC and unloaded in his new apartment. After leaving the Blue Moon Rick walked the half block to the apartment complex and used his key card on the front security door.

Once inside the foyer which was nothing more than a place containing tenant mailboxes to the left and an elevator to the right. Rick walked to the mailbox for apartment 3A and checked for mail. He was hoping that his mail forwarding service had kicked in because he was expecting some letters from ODU and his old apartment building.

After getting his mail Rick climbed into the elevator and hit the number 3 button on the lighted panel. When the elevator whooshed to a stop and the doors opened Rick stood at the end of a long hallway. Apartment 3A was the first door on the left so he walked to that door, unlocked it with the key, and opened it. He stepped inside and found himself surrounded by cardboard boxes.

The movers had set up his kitchen and bedroom by placing all of his furniture and appliances in their appropriate places. All of his personal belongings however had been scattered all through the apartment and left to be unpacked at his earliest convenience. Luckily, all boxes labeled for a particular room had been placed there.

Rick went into his bedroom in the back corner of the apartment. He wanted to unpack his toiletries, clothes, and other personal belongings so he would be settled in before he started work on Monday. Rick spent the rest of the weekend getting moved in, spent some time with his grandma Ruth, then went to bed early Sunday night anticipating his new job the next day.

When Rick entered the FBI offices that first day, he felt apprehensive and didn't know what to expect. He knew that he would be joining a team he just wasn't totally sure if he was cut out to be a profiler or not. He figured he would once he proved himself.

Rick had always been told that he was agency material like his late father Henry. Like his father, Rick was intelligent, quick-witted and charming. He had also inherited his father's dashing good looks; black hair, blue eyes, 6' height and a keen fashion sense that made him worthy of gracing the cover of GQ magazine. He had also inherited the ability to figure out what was going through the killer's mind based on minimal evidence left at the crime scenes. A skill he had discovered while attending crime scene scenarios in Hogan's Alley at the academy.

After checking with the receptionist desk Rick headed to the BAU division that was located on the third floor of the NYC field office. When Rick entered the BAU he was greeted by his immediate supervisor Agent Tom Gibson, a 6'4" African American man wearing a gray suit, gray tie, white dress shirt, and black dress shoes. After greeting Rick and giving him a tour of the offices Tom took him over to meet the rest of the team. The other members were Leo Carden, head profiler; Peter Stark, computer technician; and Becky Madsen and Sadie O'Donnell, laboratory technicians.

Hello everybody. Rick said then shook hands with everyone. Especially you Leo.

Rick, my boy, so glad to see you. Welcome to the team.

Thanks Leo. I'm glad to be here and thrilled to be working with you.

I know. I figured that out from your facial expression. Henry would be very proud of you my boy.

I hope dad is proud of me. He died in the line of duty doing what he loved. I followed my heart as you said I should. I'm here because I figured following in dad's footsteps and becoming an FBI agent would be the best way to honor his memory.

That you have my boy. That you have. Don't you know this young fellow here Peter Stark.

Yes. How you been man? I haven't seen you since college graduation. Rick said smiling and extending a hand to shake.

I'm fine but missed my buddy. Peter Stark said while returning the firm handshake. You used to hang out and protect me from bullies. Now we'll be working together catching bad guys.

Yeah, working together will be awesome.

After this meeting Rick was shown to his desk by Peter. Rick and Peter had desks that faced each other in the east wing of their division. They were near a window and had a nice view of the NYC skyline. After getting briefed by Peter on their current case, the Henderson family murder, Rick got settled at his workstation.

As Rick placed his few personal effects on his desk, a photo of him and his dad, a photo of him and his grandma Ruth, his fraternity pin from ODU, a picture of his college football team, and an FBI Academy Poster, he thought about his good fortune. His first position and he was getting to work with not one but two friends.

Leo had been his father Henry's best friend and college roommate when they attended ODU. Leo was one of the best profilers in the entire world and was known for bringing the notorious serial killer The Boogeyman to justice. Leo had become like a second father to Rick after Henry was killed in the line of duty.

Peter had been a bullied nerd while they were at Brook Hill High School. Peter had tutored Rick which helped him stay on the football team with good grades. This had led to a full ride football scholarship to ODU. As a thank you for tutoring him Rick had protected Peter from bullies. Their friendship had continued, and they were even roommates at ODU up until Rick pledged then got accepted into Phi Delta Gamma fraternity and moved in. They lost touch after graduation when Rick left for the FBI Academy.

Rick was thrilled that fate had brought things full circle. He was back in his hometown and living and working around the people he was closest to. Rick thought things would go great. However, none of his college courses or FBI training in Hogan's Alley had prepared him for what he experienced the first time he went to investigate a crime scene with Leo that afternoon.

It was the Henderson murder, the case he had been told about that morning. The Henderson family had been found by a neighbor late the previous evening. They had been bound and gagged then shot. The responding NYPD officers had stated that it was a random break in gone bad, but the ME didn't think so. There was too much of a similarity to The Boogeyman murders. That was the reason Leo and his team had been called in. Leo had put The Boogeyman behind bars 20 years earlier and the anniversary of his arrest was coming up that week. The ME knew if anyone could get to the bottom of this Leo Carden could.

When 6'5", 220-pound Leo entered the two story Brownstone on the corner of 52nd and Stone Streets the place was buzzing with activity. The ME was inspecting one of the bodies that was lying face down in the living room. The CSI team was dusting everything for fingerprints. Some officers were guarding the door to keep the scene uncontaminated and away from prying eyes.

Leo stood just inside the doorway and looked around the Brownstone's interior. He watched the bustling of the people and examined their surroundings. The Brownstone's walls were off white with a sharp contrast of brown crown molding. The place was clean and immaculately kept. There were no signs of forced entry, nothing seemed to be missing, and no furniture or papers were strewn about as would have been if someone had attempted to ransack the house while hunting for valuables. Leo knew something was off.

Rick had stayed outside checking out the perimeter and looking for clues. Nothing seemed to be out of place. There weren't any footprints in the mud outside the ground floor windows, none of the windows were broken, and no vegetation around the house had been disturbed.

After his inspection Rick walked inside to tell Leo his findings. The second Rick got a whiff of the metallic smell of blood and death that hung heavy in the room he felt nauseous. The smell was unbearable, so Rick bolted for the door with his hands cupped over his mouth and nose. When he realized that he wasn't going to make it outside he turned around and immediately wretched his lunch into a nearby planter.

Leo was unscathed and joked, Rick my boy you haven't gotten your senses broken in yet. If you ever want to succeed as a profiler, you will have to get used to the sight and smell of blood or at least develop a stronger stomach.

Thanks for the memo Leo. I guess I haven't gotten my sea legs yet. Now I know what my instructors meant when they said 'Better not get used to these paper targets. Dealing with real human anatomy is totally different.' How can I get used to this? How did you and dad?

We didn't and you won't. I'll teach you all you need to know. The secret for dealing with the smells is simple. Just rub some of this under your nose. Leo said handing a small plastic container over to Rick.

What is it?

It's called Mentholatum and it works wonders. You can't smell anything bad. Go ahead and try it.

Rick quickly opened the little container and rubbed some of its contents under his nose. It was the consistency of Vicks Vap-O-Rub and smelled minty. After putting it under his nose Rick felt better and only smelled mint as he walked around the room with Leo.

Notice anything strange?

Yeah. Outside. I'm wondering how the family could have been assaulted like this if they didn't know their killer.

Why do you say that?

Well, Leo, if their killer knew their schedule and just wanted to rob the place then why didn't he or she wait until the family was gone.

Because my boy, robbery was never the motive. Whomever killed the Henderson family had every intention of killing them when he or she came in here.

How can you be so sure?

Come with me.

Rick followed Leo into the living room and watched him kneel next to the body of Mr. Henderson who lay face down in the living room. Leo lifted the white sheet that had been thrown over the body to reveal two nasty gunshot wounds to his back.

Take a look at dear old dad here lying in his own blood on the floor. He is facing away from his killer. He was shot in the back and never tied up. The person who killed him was someone he trusted. Someone he never thought would ever harm him. According to the ME he was shot first and left here. The rest of the family was killed later. However, their ligature marks are fairly deep indicating that they had been tied up for a while before they were shot in the bedroom upstairs.

Okay. I'm not so sure of myself and my abilities quite yet despite what I was told at the academy so let me give this a try.

Okay. What do you think?

I think that you are right and that they were killed just like you say. However, I think that dad was the primary target and the wife and children were an afterthought.

Okay. Keep going. You are on the right track. Don't doubt yourself. Go with it. Feel it. What do you think happened here?

I think that the killer was someone the family knew really well. Someone that the wife or children might have let in willingly. Then the family would have been taken by surprise when he or she forced them into the bedroom upstairs.

Very good. Leo said giving Rick a thumbs up. Based on what you see here have you figured out who the killer probably was.

Yes, I have.

Who?

The neighbor who found the bodies. The one the police are questioning right now.

Really. Mr. Arlington is your prime suspect?

Yes. He found them, supposedly didn't he?

Yes, but that doesn't mean he killed them.

I think it does. Check his clothing. He has dog hair all over his sweater. We need to get a search warrant for his house.

Why?

Because there is a doggy door in the back of the house and filled food and water bowls in a corner of the living room. The family has a dog. Mr. Arlington is holding his left arm as if it is hurting him and he is left-handed. I bet he took the dog after killing the family because it bit or scratched him. I bet the dog is in his house right now. We need a search warrant to examine his clothing and his skin for marks.

Okay. I'll get right on that.

Leo acquired the appropriate search warrant and the NYPD searched the house next door. They found a little white chihuahua in the backyard. They then had Mr. Arlington's clothing and skin examined. The dog hair on his clothing matched that of the chihuahua and there was a bite mark on his left arm consistent with that of the chihuahua's mouth. When Mr. Arlington was confronted with this evidence he cracked and confessed to killing the Henderson family over a business deal disagreement gone bad.

After that day Rick continued to listen to Leo's advice regarding profiling. To help build his confidence Leo would let Rick check things out alone every time they went to a crime scene. After 15 minutes Leo would join Rick, check things out himself, then he would ask Rick what he thought. Then after Rick gave his theory Leo would give either a thumbs up or thumbs down depending on whether Rick was right or not.

Rick got more confident each time he was right and started trusting his instincts more and more. The two men worked really well as a team. Rick liked being able to bounce ideas off of Leo and the father-son dynamic their partnership created. Rick also liked the fact that he was coming into his own as a profiler. It was just in time too.

After four months of working together Leo informed Rick that he hadn't been hired to be his partner but his replacement. Leo had been diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer and it was inoperable. He had been suffering from it for a long time but hadn't wanted to burden anyone with his sad news. According to his doctor he didn't have much longer, so he wanted to spend his last days taking it easy.

After that day Rick worked on cases without Leo by his side which he wasn't fond of. However, if Rick felt that he was stuck or unsure that he was right about the killer's motivation, attitude, demeanor, etc. he would call up Leo and give him the 411 about the case. Then Leo would give him a second opinion. This type of teamwork worked well for both of them plus it gave them a way to stay connected and focus on something other than Leo's impending demise.

After two weeks of working together this way Rick got a call from a nurse informing him that Leo was on his death bed with the grim diagnosis that he probably wouldn't survive the night. Leo wanted Rick to come ASAP because he wanted to talk about something important.

When Rick arrived at the hospital, he was apprehensive. He wasn't looking forward to seeing his old friend here. When Rick entered Leo's hospital room he stood there in awe. Leo looked ghostly pale, his eyes were sunken in as if he hadn't slept in days and he was half the weight he had once been. His hands were fragile, and Rick was almost afraid to touch them for fear they might be crushed under the pressure of his grip.

Leo saw Rick enter and gave him a smile as Rick sat down in the chair next to the bed.

Rick my boy, why the long face? You would think somebody's dying?

Don't joke at a time like this. You are the last link to my father all except for Grandma Ruth. You became a father to me after dad passed away. I lost one father. Now I'm about to lose the other. Rick blinked and tears spilled down his cheeks.

Leo took hold of one of Rick's hands and held it. He then gave it a strong squeeze. Or as strong of one he could muster in his weakened state.

Rick you have always been the son I never had. I'm very proud of you. You are a great investigator. Don't doubt yourself. I want you to grant a final request for me.

Name it.

Take this file. It's a cold case dating back twenty-five years. I've always felt the blonde woman and her husband were murdered by someone else. That it wasn't a clean-cut murder suicide as the NYPD detective said. Will you look into it for me?

Definitely.

Okay. Her name was Rita Raven. As far as I know she had only two living relatives. Her sister Anita Grandview and her son Grant Raven, who was ten at the time. I don't know what happened to Anita, but Grant ended up at a local orphanage.

Why are you thinking this now?

Call it my cop instincts or whatever but I always thought that. I'm even more certain now though.

Why?

Because Peter informed me when he came to visit earlier today that in the past 4 months 3 blonde women have been found dead in different precincts. He found it all when Vi Cap popped up a possible linked cases alert on his computer when he was inputting the final data about the latest case you solved my boy. The women have been strangled with a black leather belt that is left fastened around their necks. That's the same MO from the Raven murder scene 25 years ago. Mrs. Raven was killed the same way. It's either the Raven's killer back after 25 years or the work of a clever copycat.

Rick took the case file from Leo then said, It shall be done my friend.

Thank you. Leo then turned his head slightly and closed his eyes. The hand that was holding onto Rick went limp. Rick left his hand there and burst into tears.

****

Chapter Three

After Leo's funeral on December 3rd Rick wasn't sure what to do. He had never worked a case completely alone before. He trusted his instincts but had never been totally without a second opinion. There was a part of him that was scared that he would be wrong