The Dark Mist of Autumn: Autumn's Mist

By MARK BARRESI

By Mark Barresi
In the peaceful, quiet town of Malapaso, a small town in the Adirondack
Mountains in upstate New York, homicide detective Marc Collins begins
to investigate the deaths of two well-known college students. At fi rst it
appears to be the crime of youths involved in satanic worship that got
out of hand. But as the investigation wears on, Detective Collins learns
there are more sinister evils at work that will push him beyond his own
boundaries as a cop and test his own faith in God. Along with Police
Psychologist Dr. Shannon Medford, who will aid him in his investigation,
they will have to fi ght to keep Kathy Westscott, the only witness to the
murders, alive as they face the most supreme evil of all. Marc learns the
deception of evil goes far beyond his understanding; it brings him back to
the reality of his wifes murder fi ve years before. In the end, Marc risks his
own life to save a young girl who holds the key to the future of the most
ancient evil itself to exist.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 17, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456733599

MARK BARRESI

About The Author Mark Barresi spent three years in the army infantry, training at fort Benning and then fort Campbell while going to college and taking creative writing courses where he sharpened his military skills. He has authored six novels now and has established himself as one of Hollywood's most sought after action and horror Authors and Screenwriters, as he has completed his first Screenplay for the TV series, "The Poser Project," set to air on Television in 2014. As his novel, "The Encounter Over Alaska" will be a Television movie in the near future. Apart from writing, Barresi is a very strong supporter of the Republican Party, and a strong supporter of animal right's for abused and neglected animals and wildlife. He enjoys traveling and collecting military antiques. He currently lives in New York City. Other titles by Mark Barresi The Dark Mist of Autumn Evil's Redemption The Encounter Over Alaska The Reckoning Of Jack The Ripper Daughter of Affliction

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

It was almost one o’clock in the morning on October 13 in the quiet town of Malapaso, New York, a small town of just fourteen thousand residents located in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. Kathy Westscott and Chris Hutchins were sitting in his Honda Civic; they had set out from Malapaso with their best friends, Samantha Martin and Steve Philips, to seek seclusion at Maple Lake, the lover’s lane just outside of town. Samantha and Steve were parked in his blue Chevy TrailBlazer right next to the lake. Chris and Kathy were parked about fifty yards away at the bottom of the hill.

Kathy was a very pretty, brown-eyed girl with shoulder-length hair. Chris Hutchins was tall and lean, a standout athlete at nearby Plattsburgh College, where all four friends attended. Chris was telling Kathy that he had many scholarship offers to play baseball at other colleges. He was a very talented first baseman and could hit for both power and average; he was also great with the glove for defense. Chris was telling Kathy that he dreamed of becoming a famous pro baseball player.

Kathy asked, Chris, what about us? We have been dating since we graduated high school four years ago.

All four friends grew up together in Malapaso; their families were very close. Now, at twenty-two, Chris had what might be his last chance to show baseball scouts that he was worthy of the pros. Kathy, I know how we feel for each other, but this is something I can’t pass up. This is my last chance to show the scouts I’m ready for a pro team. I’m not going to get that chance going to that small college in Plattsburgh, and for what? Studying to become an x-ray tech at that small hospital and staying here in this boring ass town for the rest of my life! This is a chance I can’t pass up.

With tears in her eyes, Kathy said, We have known each other our whole lives. My parents are here, and I need to be here, Chris. Most of all, I need you now more than ever.

Their argument grew louder; Samantha and Steve could hear the yelling coming from down the hill. Steve knew that Chris was going to tell Kathy of his plans to leave town to play baseball. He told Samantha about that; she felt sad for Kathy, knowing how much she loved Chris.

Chris became enraged and snapped back at her, You’re a girl! You can find some other guy. I’m not going to let you stand in the way of my dreams! Yes, I love you, Kathy, but this is what all guys hope for, and now I’m about to make it all come true by going to play in Columbus, Ohio. The New York Yankees have a farm team in Columbus, the Columbus Jackets.

Kathy yelled back, Go then, Chris! I hope you become a big star and make millions of dollars and then turn out to be a bigger asshole than you already are now!

Kathy then opened the car door and slammed it shut, as she turned and ran up the road toward Steve’s TrailBlazer. Chris yelled, Fine! He slammed the car in reverse till the tires burned rubber, and then he headed back to town.

From a distance, two men dressed in black watched the couple in the blue SUV. The shorter one said, Is that her?

Yes, the other figure said softly, as they walked toward the vehicle quietly. You get the girl, and I will take care of him. He took out a long, curved dagger. Don’t let her escape! he whispered.

As Steve and Samantha were kissing each other softly, Steve heard a slight noise outside the truck. A gloved hand pulled open the door and grabbed Steve by the hair; the hand pulled the curved blade across his throat. Dark blood spat out from his neck and mouth as the hand pulled Steve out of the truck and threw him to the ground. Samantha screamed as she came face to face with the other dark figure, who pulled her out of the truck and threw her to the ground. The taller man came around now and stared down at Samantha’s face; he yelled, Wait, it’s not her!

Samantha saw Kathy coming toward the truck and screamed, Help! as loud as she could.

Fuck! screamed the smaller figure as the other man plunged the curved blade deep into Samantha’s heart, so deep the blood darkened his whole hand. She stopped screaming and fell silent. Kathy turned and ran without waiting to see if her friends were okay, knowing she couldn’t help them now. The two dark figures chased after Kathy, who ran down the hill to the road, slipping and falling but regaining her footing and continuing toward the road. She knew she had cut her knee but could not stop as she saw the two figures coming faster toward her.

She reached the road, hoping to find help; finally she saw headlights coming her way. She screamed as loud as she could, Stop, help me!

The two men saw a Ford Explorer come to a halt in front of the girl. As an older couple stopped the truck and got out to assist Kathy, the short man said, Let’s get out of here! They ran back up the hill, passing the Chevy truck; they looked at the bodies lying on the ground on either side of the TrailBlazer.

They reached their car parked on another back road; the shorter man cursed, Damn it! We fucked up!

Shut up! snapped back the other figure. He drove off fast in the other direction, away from the town. We can’t change what just happened, let’s wait for directions from him to sort this out now.

The Wilsons, the couple driving the Explorer, helped Kathy into their truck. Joe Wilson was driving as his wife Mary comforted Kathy in the back seat; they headed to County General Hospital in the heart of town.

Who were those men, Kathy? Mary asked.

I don’t know, Kathy said, crying and in shock. They killed my friends, and they wanted to kill me!

The Wilsons looked fearfully at each other and continued driving to the Emergency Room to the hospital.

When they arrived at the hospital, Kathy told the E.R. staff of County General Hospital about the attack. They called the Malapaso police, who interviewed her and went to the crime scene to cordon off the area.

Malapaso Chief of Police Ed Vallone was already at the scene, along with four of his officers, who had taped off the area. Lieutenant Drew Nelson came over to brief Vallone about what was known at this point. A black PT Cruiser with tinted windows pulled up. Nelson said, It’s Collins.

Homicide Detective Marc Collins got out of his car wearing tinted sunglasses; his hair was cut military style, short on top and flat with his sides shaved to the skin. He was an Army veteran and had been a cop in Malapaso for sixteen years, the last nine as a detective. Marc walked up to Vallone and Nelson, greeting them with a nod.

This isn’t Hollywood, Collins; lose the shades, all right?

Marc smiled and said, Whatever you say, Boss; what do we have here?

Nelson replied, Victims are Samantha Martin and Steven Philips, both twenty-two years old. Philips was cut with a sharp instrument from ear to ear, and Martin has one stab wound through the heart. We have one witness, Kathy Westscott, age twenty-two, who is at County General. She claims she saw two individuals dressed in all black, one tall, the other shorter. Kathy saw them stab Martin, and then she ran down the hill to Pikes Road, where she was picked up by Joe and Mary Wilson in their Ford Explorer. They took Kathy to the hospital, where she was treated for minor cuts to her hands and knees.

Marc asked, Could she see their faces?

No, Nelson said, she said they were wearing either a black mask or a veil; she could not see their faces.

Okay, gather around, everybody, Vallone interrupted. Officers Glavine, Mark Killroy, Tyler Richards, and Will Tress joined them. Guys, I put a call in to the N.Y. State Police; once they get here, they will take over the investigation and collect all the forensic evidence. Good job sealing off the area. Now I want this placed taped off at least fifty yards away so no media can get in here and shoot anything.

Marc laughed and said, What about Nicole?

Vallone gave him an aggravated glance and said, I’ll deal with the mayor’s daughter, okay Marc?

Soon Michael Symms, the mayor of Malapaso, along with Kevin McCord, captain of the State Police, and Investigator Gary Sutter and along with six state troopers, were on scene.

After McCord introduced Sutter to Vallone and Nelson, the chief briefed them on what was known so far. McCord explained that John Astine, state forensic specialist, was on the way with his team to gather the evidence.

What does it look like so far? asked Sutter.

Vallone said that there was a witness but she couldn’t see their faces because they were wearing black masks or veils; he added that the Wilsons, who came upon the witness running down Pikes Road and screaming hysterically, didn’t see anyone else.

Sutter then noticed Marc kneeling down and looking over Samantha’s body. Sutter asked, Isn’t that Marc Collins?

Yes, that’s him, replied McCord.

I investigated his wife’s murder five years ago. Poor bastard, McCord stated with a sharp tone of disdain in his voice. I don’t know if I should feel sorry for him or still feel the cold malice I have for him for what he has become after all this time.

Vallone then called to Marc, who looked up slowly while chewing his gum. He laughed and said to himself, This is going to be fun.

Vallone said, Marc, Sutter will take over the case; it’s in the state’s hands now.

McCord explained that his people informed District Attorney Sandra Burke of the circumstances and that she wanted this kept quiet so far. The victim’s names were not to be released to the public.

Who is going to tell the parents? Marc asked.

I will inform them, Vallone stated.

Just then, the medical examiner’s white van pulled up. John Astine and his assistants Chris Walls and Chris Garcia unloaded their equipment and got into their sterile suits, gloves, and masks. John came over and greeted McCord and Sutter.

What do we got, Kevin? he asked McCord.

Two twenty-two-year-old victims, looks like trauma by a sharp knife to both. I want a full scan of the vehicle, fingerprints, any shoeprints in the grass or mud, and blood types. The whole nine yards, John.

You got it, said Astine.

Do a good job, John; Kathy Westscott, the one witness, couldn’t make out the faces of the assailants.

McCord looked around the area and noticed a different set of tire marks in the ground. He asked Lieutenant Nelson, Was there another vehicle here?

Nelson said, Yes, before Kathy walked back up the hill toward the Chevy TrailBlazer, she was with her boyfriend, Chris Hutchins. They had just had a big argument, and he drove away in his Honda Civic.

Exactly, said McCord. There are burn marks in the grass and dirt that then lead to the pavement. He then turned to Vallone and asked, Has this Hutchins been questioned yet?

Detective Scott Pierce interviewed Westscott at the hospital and is going to meet with Hutchins at his house now.

Good; I’d like to hear what he has to say.

Marc was looking at the shoe impressions in the ground as Astine and his men were dusting the vehicle for prints; he said, John, what do you make of this? These prints are just flat, right?

Yep, you’re right; two sets of different prints made on either sides of the vehicle.

Different sizes, yes, explained Collins, but just flat, like a sort of a slipper or sandal, right?

You’re good, Marc, Astine said, as McCord and Sutter came over to look for themselves.

So Collins, tell me, does your keen sense tell you who might have done this? McCord asked.

Well, they aren’t amateurs, I know that, he said.

How do you know that? Sutter asked.

Look, they were dressed in all black fatigues; their faces were covered. We can’t trace their footprints so far; look around, Kevin. Do you see any other tire tracks anywhere else? There are only the TrailBlazer marks and the ones down the hill left by Hutchins’s Civic. They must have left their vehicle parked on Pikes Road and walked up here so they couldn’t leave tire marks. How’s that so far, Kevin? Marc asked.

McCord looked impressed by what Collins found; he also shot a look of hatred at him at the same time.

John said, You saved me a lot of time there, Marc.

Vallone replied, Is there anything here we can go on?

Once we get the blood types back in a few days, we should have something solid; we may also find out what kind of knife it was, McCord explained.

Just then Officer Glavine walked up to Vallone and said that Sandra Burke had arrived, along with the media.

Vallone turned to McCord and asked, What do you want to do?

It’s up to Sandra if she wants to make a statement to the press, McCord explained.

Your daughter’s there, Mr. Mayor, Officer Glavine said.

He smiled and said, I will talk to her.

McCord brought New York State District Attorney Sandra Burke and her assistant, Sarah Furgerson, up to date on the investigation. Burke told McCord to go ahead and make a short statement to the media but only release the victims’ ages and say that they were both from Malapaso. She added that she would follow up to say that they were doing their best in the investigation but say nothing about Kathy Westscott or Chris Hutchins at this point.

Mayor Symms, Burke said, you can go ahead and tell the residents of Malapaso that there is nothing to fear, that both state and local police are searching for the suspects as we speak.

Then Burke said they would go to the hospital to get more information from Kathy and have Detective Pierce tell them what Chris Hutchins knew.

Vallone then asked Sandra, What about Marc? Should I hand the local investigation off to Pierce or should Marc do it?

McCord replied, Marc should retire, that’s what he should do.

Sandra told McCord to let Marc do his own investigation locally. If he finds any new leads or evidence, she said, I want him to hand it over to Gary Sutter.

McCord knew that Marc and Dr. Shannon Medford, the department’s psychologist, had a history together; he asked Burke, Do you want Shannon in this?

Let her in, Burke said.

Okay, McCord said, but I want her to keep a close eye on him. McCord then told Vallone and Burke, If he in any way compromises either Sutter’s investigation or Astine with the forensic findings, it will be his ass this time.

They all agreed to let Marc work with psychologist Dr. Shannon Medford. She had worked with Marc as his therapist five years earlier to help him deal with his wife’s death. But they all knew Marc and Shannon also had a personal relationship, which neither McCord nor Vallone approved of.

CHAPTER 2

At County General Hospital, Gary Sutter and Assistant D.A. Sarah Furgerson were again interviewing Kathy Westscott to shed new light on the case. Her mother, Karolyn Westscott Davis, was at her side as well. Karolyn, the head nursing supervisor at County General, was getting agitated by all the interviews by the police; she wanted them to let Kathy rest and regain her strength.

Please, Mrs. Davis, Sarah said, we have to ask Kathy more questions because we have no suspects at this point.

Fine, Karolyn said, but please make it fast.

Sutter told Kathy, We know you said the two men were wearing long black cloaks or jackets and their faces were also covered. But did you see or hear anything before they started to chase you?

I know one of them was taller than the other, and he shouted to the short one, ‘It’s not her,’ when he looked at Samantha on the ground.

Are you sure? Sutter asked.

Yes, then she yelled my name, and that’s when they realized I was behind them, and they killed her!

Kathy began to cry, and her mother hugged her to console her. As Gary and Sarah looked at each other, there was a knock on the door.

Excuse me, sir? a N.Y. state trooper peered in and asked Sutter. Detective Collins is here, is it okay for him to come in?

Sutter looked at Furgerson, and she nodded.

Marc walked in and thanked them for letting him join the interview.

Malapaso is a small town where all the residents know the police, and Kathy Westscott came from an upper class family; Marc was well known to them.

Hello, Karolyn, Marc said.

Marc, nice to see you again, she said.

How are you feeling, Kathy? he asked.

I’m fine I guess, I’m just tired now.

Who’s her doctor? Marc asked.

Tammy Nyce, the E.R. physician, was looking over her, explained Karolyn.

Good, Marc replied. Tammy is great.

Just then Kathy’s stepfather, Thomas Davis, entered the room. Hey baby, Davis said as he hugged Kathy and kissed her on the cheek.

Hello, Marc, Davis said. Marc responded with a smile.

I think that’s all we have for now, Sarah responded.

Yes, let’s let Kathy get some sleep, Karolyn said.

Marc, can we have a word with you? Sarah said.

Sure, I’ll meet you outside in a minute, okay?

Fine, she said as she and Sutter exited the room.

Marc then asked Karolyn to speak to him alone.

Marc, what’s all this about? What happened last night?

For what we can tell, Samantha and Steven were killed by two unknown people and Kathy witnessed it. I can’t tell you any more than that because we don’t know anything else.

Have you told her father yet?

You mean her real dad? Marc asked.

Yes.

No, I didn’t get the chance yet.

I will tell him, Karolyn said.

Good, thanks; well, I got to go, Marc said.

Thom and Marc shook hands and then Marc told Kathy to get some sleep.

She smiled and said, Please, I want to see Chris, Marc; can I?

I’m going to talk to him now, Marc said. I will let him know, okay?

Marc joined Sutter and Sarah Furgerson in the lobby of the hospital; they sat down to discuss the case so far.

So what do you think? Sutter asked.

I don’t know yet, Collins replied. They all go to the same college in Plattsburgh.

Can it be rival college students? Furgerson asked.

I don’t think so, Sutter said. Marc made some key finds at the crime scene; there were no tire marks left in the dirt from their vehicle, and the only shoe prints were flat ones.

I don’t think any college kid, no matter how bright, could have done this, replied Marc.

I agree; that makes sense now, Sarah remarked.

Okay, so Kathy and Chris argue; he drives off, she walks back about fifty yards and comes upon the two men killing Samantha, and one suspect says to the other, ‘It’s not her,’ Marc said. Seems to me we got a case of mistaken identity; I think they were after Kathy all along.

Okay, say that’s true, Sutter said, but if they were after her, wouldn’t they know she was with Chris in his Civic? Samantha was with Steven in his TrailBlazer.

I don’t know yet; that does seem odd to me too. Maybe the attackers did not realize there were two couples out at the lake. Also, remember that all these kids come from well-to-do families here in town, Marc stated.

I know; we read that, Sarah said. This could have been a kidnapping gone wrongs, or someone wanted to get back at one of their parents for some reason.

Well, I’m going to go talk to Hutchins next and then check back with John, see if he made any progress yet with the evidence, Marc said.

As he was about to leave, Sarah called to him. Marc, just so you know, Sandra, Vallone, and McCord want you to only investigate the local angle. Anything you find on your own, you need to hand off to Gary and myself, understood?

Yes, Miss Furgerson, Marc said with a smile. May I ask, is a certain doctor going to be joining me soon on this?

Yes, Marc, McCord has Shannon coming in to aid you along on this, so behave yourself, okay?

I promise, Sarah,