Meat Your Maker

By Sandman

It is 1891 in the small town of Medway, Maine. The local rivers are alive with loggers, a few stores line the streets, and the residents work hard for small financial gain. Still, the town is quiet, peaceful, and without troublethat is, until a mutilated body is found on the side of the road.

Mark Jr., a hard-working, single man and the new lawman in town, is suddenly propelled into a murder investigation of a young woman known to be a lady of the night. No one knows who she is, and now Mark must determine who killed her and why. Haunted by nightmares that nearly drive him insane, Mark begins questioning the towns residents and slowly assembles a mysterious puzzleone agonizing piece at a time. But then another mangled body is discovered, and Mark suddenly realizes the dead woman is the same one who came to him in an earlier dream. Mark has no idea that a murderer is attempting to open a gate to hell.

In this gripping Western thriller, a young lawman must stop a meat-hungry serial killer before he slaughters another innocent woman.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 13, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462026821

Sandman

From make believe dreams created as a little girl to adult love stories that come true. Tetti’s imagination and real situations take you to places, then to where you have never been. She will capture you with her easily understood poetry, so that you may travel with her to fantasies you otherwise would not dream of. ”Sentiments From My Heart” bears her soul and life for you. She is honored that she can share this book with her son, The Sandman. Come allow them to take you there; to their gallery of literary luxury. “You can go anywhere you want to be when you step into Poetic Fantasy”.

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Sandman

Meat Your Maker

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

Meat Your Maker

Copyright © 2011 by Sandman

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-4620-2681-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-2683-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-2682-1 (e)

Printed in the United States of America

iUniverse rev. date: 05/31/2011

The summer was warm. The spring flowers had passed. The fields were green. The town was Medway, the year 1891. Not a lot of people in the town at that time. A new paper mill was opening in the town for East Millinocket. Medway was a nice place to live, very few houses, and close to the water and the mill. It was a short walk to work and everyone knew who you were. People back in these times knew what making a living meant. Long hours at work and a home to run after it was done.

Medway didn’t have much back then, a few people and one or two shops. One store was a Mom and Pop store and it sold just about everything you would need to run a house back then. The other store was a dry meat place run by a man that drank more than he dried meat. That was the towns biggest trouble back then. No really good people to do meat drying. Everyone was sick from the meat not being done right, then the store closed.

The middle part of summer a man from England showed up and opened a store for dry meat. The man knew what he was doing, and soon the town was giving him more than he could do. But some how the man got it done. The man’s name was Jack . He was single and lived in the back of the store. He was a short man, about 5’5", no hair, and smoked a small pipe. He was quiet, didn’t like to speak about his meat and didn’t let anyone know how he did it.

The town didn’t care as long as the meat didn’t make them sick. Jack did like to fish and started to dry fish. The town’s people liked the idea and he couldn’t keep up with the locals. The boys around at that time would bring Jack their fish for some dry meat. Jack had a good little shop an kept to himself. When Jack had finished all his meat drying for the day you could see him sitting on the front porch enjoying a good smoke. He would sit in a chair with a book and pencil and seem to be writing.

The local rivers were alive with men running logs down the river heading to the local mills. Life in those days was much harder but more carefree. The only bad time was when the money started to show, lose woman and hard drinks soon arrived. The nice thing about Medway was that lose woman didn’t seem to stay long. You would see them maybe once or twice then they would leave. All in all the town was quiet .

Mark Jr., the cop in town, was a young man that was thin an looked like a bean pole. Mark was liked by all the locals. He would go around once a week to check on everyone and see if they were ok. Mark Jr. had a horse, a painted pony. She was real good and fast. Jack said Hi, to Mark Jr., Mark Jr. said Hi, back to Jack. Mark Jr asked, Everything ok? Have you had any trouble? Jack said, Just people wanting to know how I do my meats. Mark Jr. said, Well, if you tell them then they’re not going to need you to do it. Jack replied, Right, that’s why it’s kept in my head.

Well, Mark Jr. said, If that’s all then I’ll see you next time around Jack. Jack said, Ok, see you then Mark Jr. Mark Jr. rode off to the next place down the path. The house he didn’t care to stop at, but it was his job. Mary, the owner, was a mean woman that killed her husband for sleeping with a lady for rent. She had been real bitter towards all men. Mark Jr. rode down the driveway and could see her with her shotgun walking to meet him. Mary asked, You need anything Mark Jr.?" As she pointed the gun at him.

No Mary, just doing my job and checking on all the locals. Mary hissed back , I don’t need any man looking out for me! Well then, I guess I’ll see you next time. One time to many for me. Mark Jr. replied, See you later then. Mary grumbled, Good, take your worthless man ass with you. Mark Jr. just turned around and started off. Mary aimed her shotgun in the air and fired two shots. He kept on going back down the drive. The next place down the road was his place. He put his horse in the barn and went into his house . He went out onto his back porch area and got himself a glass of his dads good corn whiskey.

He sat back in a chair as he watched the water run by his home. His house was a location where he could fish and hunt, most of the time off his back steps. The house was a nicely built log home that all the people had back then. He thought, with the new mill in East Millinocket starting up the town would start to grow. One of the townsmen, Jeff, was going to open a post office. Mark Jr. thought that would be nice. It would keep the locals from traveling ten miles to Millinocket just to mail a letter. Jeff was a funny man. He could run just about any type of business, but the man couldn’t ride a horse worth a dam.

Mark Jr. was sitting there when suddenly he heard a bang in the woods behind him. He got up and ran towards the sound. It was Dad and the still again. Smoke rose round out of the place and Dad sat on the ground with a black face and his hair still smoking some. Mark Jr. ran up and yelled, Dad, you ok? Mark Sr. said, Yup son, I’m ok. The still just heated up to much. You know, one of these days that dam thing’s going to kill you? You may be right there son. Mark Jr. put out the little fire before it blew the main still. Dad said, Thanks, think I should go clean up.

Mark Jr. went back to his place to start a meal and get ready for the night. He thought to himself, Dad’s lucky, he should close the still but, he wondered, where would everyone get their whiskey then? He cooked up some steak and home fries. The smell of the meat cooking filled the house. He sat down at the table and began to eat. The meat was soft and sweet. Dam, Jack can really dry meat good. When he was full he washed up the dishes , locked up, and headed upstairs after loading the wood stove for the night.

The upstairs was nice a big room that hard large windows in each side to let in the morning sun and the moonlight. Town was quiet and everyone got a good nights sleep. Mark Jr. went to bed, the heat of the fire warmed the room. He still had the buzz off dad’s corn whiskey making him sleepy. The night went by with little noises, the sound of frogs and wolfs in the air. He went to sleep and would be there until 7:00 a.m. the next morning when the sun made it’s way through the windows.

He got out of bed and washed up. Then he went down to fill the stove and get some things for breakfast. Ham and eggs were the morning meal. After he’d finished eating, he’d placed his dishes in the sink and was about to wash them when he heard a knock at the door. He went over to see who it was . He opened the door and there stood young Kaci, a local girl that cleaned houses in town. He asked, Well Kaci , can I help you with something this morning? Kaci was about seventeen. She had black hair and a very nice body. She replied, Patrick was going fishing this morning down by the wooden bridge and said he found some woman’s body. Where is Patrick right now? Down by the bridge making sure no animals mess with the body. Mark Jr. went out the door after getting his gun belt and colt pistol. He asked, Do you need a ride back? Kaci said, No, I’ve got to clean your Dad’s house this morning. Ok, he said. Well, I’ll go get the horse and be on my way." Kaci walked down the road and Mark Jr. watched as she went. Kaci looked back to see if he was watching and smiled at him.

He thought to himself, I’d sure like to date that girl. He got his horse set and headed down to the wooden bridge. Going through town he could see Jack getting ready to open for the day. He said, Hi, as he rode by. Jack said, Good morning. Mark Jr. got to the wooden bridge and Patrick was sitting on the rail with his pole in his hand. Patrick was Kaci’s older brother, a tall, good looking young man with black hair. Mark Jr. said, Good morning there Patrick. Your sister said you found a body? Yes, the body isn’t in good shape. It’s been there for a day or more.

Mark Jr. asked, Well, where is it Patrick? Come here and see. Mark Jr. got off the horse and hooked him to the rail. He walked over to Patrick and Patrick pointed to the body laying down on the side of the road. Mark Jr. looked and said, Dam! What happened to her? I don’t know, but it’s a lot worse as you get closer. They went down the bank to have a closer look at the body. Dam! Mark Jr. said. What the fuck happened to her? Patrick said, Think we got one sick, twisted, son of a bitch in town. You think someone from town could do this?"

Patrick said, No, I hope someone from town didn’t do this. Mark Jr. looked closer at the woman. The flesh on her hands, lower legs, and face was still there but the body was stripped to the bone like someone was cleaning a deer or something. Mark Jr. said, Can you ride a horse Patrick? Yes, why? Go tell my dad I need the wagon, two shovels, an old blanket to pick the body up with, and some gloves. Patrick said, Ok, and went to the horse and rode back into town. Mark Jr. looked around to see if the killer had left any clues. He saw a suitcase, the woman must of had it with her, sitting in the grass near the body . He walked over and picked it up.

He could tell it was the woman of the night that was in town a few days ago. He came back to the rails and set the bag down to see if he could find her name. He opened the case and said, Well, she wasn’t killed for money. He found about two hundred in small bills. Business must have been good. He looked at the money and said, If she was killed for something, what was it? He could hear the sound of the horse and wagon coming. He closed the case and his dad pulled up with Patrick sitting on the other side of him. Mark Sr. asked his son, What do you have here? Dad, it’s a dead woman of the night. Dam! Mark Sr. said. We’re going to have to take her to the unknown grave yard. The locals aren’t going to let you put her in the good graveyard.

Mark Jr. said, Yup , I’m going to need some help digging the hole. Patrick said, I can help. Dad said, Sure, me too son. Mark Jr. said, Ok, bring the blanket and gloves. We’ll get the body. The three men went back down the side. Dad looked at the girl and said, Sorry son, you and Patrick will have to do this, And he began to throw up from the smell. Mark Jr. and Patrick went to get the body. Mark Jr. covered the body with a blanket and him and Patrick rolled the body into the blanket. Mark Jr. tied the body up so it wouldn’t smell so bad and then they could move it to the wagon. Mark Jr. and Patrick placed the body in the wagon and the three men headed for the unknown graveyard.

Mark Sr. asked, So, you think someone killed her for money? Mark Jr. answered, No, she still had money on her. She was cut up like you would a deer or animal for food. Mark Sr. said, Dam, you think someone ate her? He pulled over and threw up again. He said, Hope it’s not anyone from town, Mark Jr. said, Sure hope not, but I’ll be looking around for some clues. Mark Sr. got back on the wagon and they headed to the grave area that was just outside of town so the town people didn’t have to see it.

Mark Sr. pulled the wagon off the main road to a lonely road. Not many people used this road. The grass was over grown. The road came to an opening. A set of dark pines, almost too dark from the unwanted souls that laid there. The ground had six other markers. Three men and two women. The grass was short because of the pine needles dropping and killing the grass. The ground was sand making it good for digging holes. Mark Jr. told them to put her in the corner near the big pine. Mark Jr. and Patrick got out to start the hole digging. It was going well.

Mark Sr. said, I think we have someone here watching us. Patrick said, That’s just Annette, my mom. They could hear her laughing and speaking to herself. Annette was a weird woman that had gone nuts from a run in with a horse and wagon. She was ok to look at but wasn’t washed up so she smelled pretty bad. Mark Sr. asked, What’s she saying? Mark Jr. said, It sounds like red meat nice and sweet. Mark Sr. said, Shit! It isn’t bad enough that we’re here, she has to say things like that? Red meat nice and sweet. Mark Jr. said, Annette, we see you over there! Head back to town now. They could see her make her way towards town still saying, Red meat nice and sweet. Patrick said, Man, mom is nuts! You think she knows about this? No, Mark Jr. said. She’s just one fruit short of a basket. Ok, this should be just right. Let’s unload the body and be done. Patrick and Mark Jr. unloaded the woman and covered her up.

Well, Mark Sr. said. It’s time to head back. Patrick, you want to be dropped off at the bridge again? Patrick said, No. Is my sister still cleaning house for you? Yes she is. Then I will go over and walk home with her. Sounds like a good plan. The three went back to Mark Sr’s. place. Kaci was just coming out and getting ready to go home.

Mark Jr. said, Patrick, here’s some money for helping with that body. He handed him five dollars. Patrick was thrilled. Thanks! Mark Sr. paid Kaci and the two headed back home. Well Dad, thanks for the help and see you later. Mark Jr. headed to his house.

Annette must have returned to town. He could hear Mary yelling at her and shooting the shotgun in the air to scare her off. He was sitting on the back porch eating some fruit and wondering who could have killed this woman and why he or she did that to the body. He was drinking some of his dad’s corn whiskey. He knew he had to try to do something, even if she was a lady of the night. He made out a report and put it in the file room with the other paper work.

He got his horse and headed into town to the local store. He rode by Mary’s house. She was out front and yelled, You better tell that nut to stay away or I’ll load her ass with bird shot. He yelled back, Ok Mary, I’m going to be over there today so I’ll tell her. He went to the store where a few locals were out front sitting, passing the day away. Lennie’s was that type of store with a nice big front porch where the local’s could sit and smoke. Mark Jr. said, Well, good morning everyone. The owners, Peggy and Jimmy, were out front sitting with Patrick and Kaci. Jeff was playing a game of checkers with Patrick and the group was speaking about the killing that morning. Peggy said, Hi Mark Jr., and asked, Can we help you this morning? Peggy was in her forties, a good looking woman and short. Her husband, Jimmy, was two years older and a tall, thin man. They both would give the shirts off their backs for the people of the town and helped everyone.

Mark Jr. said, Yes. Did the woman that was killed ever show up in the store this week? Peggy said, Yes, she was in two days ago getting some food. We told her that she should move on because she wasn’t welcome in this town. She told us she was on her way to East Millinocket to try to get a lonely mill worker as a husband. Would you like some coffee? Just made a pot, Jimmy offered. Mark Jr. accepted and asked Peggy if the woman had said anymore. No, but it was a sad thing, she wasn’t a bad looking lady. Mark Jr. said, I think you will most likely see more of them with the mill going up in East Millinocket. He thanked Jimmy for the coffee and went out to watch Jeff and Patrick play checkers. Kaci said Hi, to Mark Jr., and he said, Hi, to her.

Mark Jr. asked, Well Jeff, when you opening that post office of yours? It’s going to start in the morning when the mail wagon shows ups. It will be nice. It’s on the way to the church or just down from the new school so every one will have to go by sometime in the week. Mark Jr. asked, No more home service at all? For the first two years. Then we’ll start it when I can put more people on. I wish you luck with the place. Jeff thanked Mark Jr.

Well, Mark Jr. said. Got to check with others and find out if they saw anything. He got on his horse and started off See you people later. Everyone said, Goodbye. He rode down the road and headed up to Jacks place just a mile from the bridge. As he came to the store he could see Jack sitting out front on the porch. He rode up and commented, It looks like you’re slow today Jack. Yup, not much to do today. Mark Jr. asked, Did you hear about the young woman that was killed? No. Was that what you and your Dad were doing this morning? Yes. Mark Jr. replied. She was in pretty sad shape. Jack asked, Was she a local woman? No, she was a woman of the night. Jack said, It wasn’t that one that was in town the other day? Yes, it was that one. She was in here too, wanted to sell some meat. I’m not looking to buy anything. I sell meat, I told her. She buy anything? No, and neither did I. Mark Jr. said, Well, I’m going to check around to see if anyone knows anything. Ok Mark Jr. See you later then. Mark Jr. headed to the bridge, where he’d found the body, and paused, sitting on his horse, to look at where the body had been found. He said, If she was killed here there would be a lot more blood. It was like someone had dropped her there after he or she killed her.

He went thru the covered bridge to the other side. He could hear the wood crack and move with every step of his horse. He rode past the new post office and down to the church. The church also served as a school house. The little church was one room with seating on both sides. He hooked the horse out front and went into the church. Father Bob was the priest. A large man and loved by the church. Father Bob said, Well Mark Jr., nice to see you here. Well Father Bob, I was asking around and hoping you may have heard about the woman found dead today? No I didn’t. Was this one from town? No, she was a woman of the night . Father Bob said, Satan has taken her home I see.

Mark Jr. asked, So, noone’s been around to ask you about her? No. I’m sorry Mark Jr just me and God been here today. Ok then, if you hear anything give me a yell. Father Bob asked, Do you think it’s one of the people in town that killed her? Not sure. Could be someone just moving throw the town. Father Bob said, Well, ok Mark Jr. I’ll tell you if I see anyone or hear of anything. Thanks Father. See you Sunday. Good, I like seeing everyone in town on Sunday. Mark Jr. went to his horse and headed back to his house. He stopped at one house before the bridge. It was Annette’s house. He knocked on the door. From behind the door, Annette said, Noone’s home.

Mark Jr. said, Ok then. Do you know anything about the woman who was killed? He could hear her say Red meat nice and sweet. Mark Jr. said, So you know something Annette? She replied, Not here, she’s gone. He went back to his horse and started across the bridge. He thought to himself what a pain it must be for Kaci and Patrick to have to keep her under control. See, Annette was Kaci and Patrick’s mom. She was ok, and a good woman until her husband died and she got run into by a wagon and hit her head. Mark Jr. came off the bridge and saw Kaci and Patrick walking home. He greeted them and said, When your mom gets home tell her she needs to stay away from Mary’s place. Kaci said, Sure Mark Jr., but she was home a while ago. Mark Jr. said, She still is, but she came to the door and said noone’s home.

Patrick said, Ok, we’ll tell her. Thanks. Mark Jr. said, Well you two have a good day. Then he started down the road. The kids said, Good day, and started across the bridge. Mark Jr. headed back over to Lennie’s to get things for home. Jimmy said, Hi, and Peggy did also. Mark Jr. went in and got the food he needed. Peggy asked him, Is that all? Yup, all I need for today. Jimmy said, If your dad has more of his whiskey ready the boys have been looking for it. I’ll tell him when I get home.

Jimmy and Peggy told Mark Jr. to call again soon. Mark Jr. said, See you tomorrow then. He got on his horse and headed back home. He was hoping to get by Mary’s house unseen but that wouldn’t happen. Mary yelled out, Did you tell the nut to stay off my land? He yelled back, Yup, she knows.

Then he muttered, I don’t know what’s worse, a crazy woman with a gun or one that isn’t home even when she is. He made it back home and put his food away. Then he went out and walked down to his dad’s place. He walked in and his dad wasn’t at home. He said Well he must be in the still house. He went out back and sure enough, the smoke was coming out of the chimney of the still house. He opened the door and Mark Sr. was running off the last of the corn whiskey. He closed the door and said, Dad, you been working hard today? Yup, trying to get some ready for Peggy and Jimmy to sell. Good. I was just over there and they need some. Good, I just got done their run now. Forty gallons should hold them for a while. Dam, you got that much run off? Forty two gallons in all. One for me, and the other for you. Mark Jr. thanked his father. I was running a little low. Mark Sr. said, I had to take the wagon down to the river to wash it today. Dam that woman smelled it up. You got any clues on who the killer is?

Mark Jr. said, No, but I’m thinking it had to have been done somewhere else and then she was dropped there afterwards. Why do you think that? Because there wasn’t a lot for blood there and she was dressed. Good. I was thinking the same thing. Also it would have to be someone with some skill at meat cutting, and they’re left handed. Mark Jr. asked, How did you know he or she was left handed? Because you could tell that the knife marks were going from left to right. Mark Jr. said, I saw that but didn’t think it meant anything. Mark Sr. said, In the world of crime even the smallest clue may mean something. Mark Jr. said, Thanks for the clue. Mark Sr. said, That’s ok, grab a jar and let’s head in the house. Mark Jr. said, Ok, and they went into the house. The two went out and sat down out front to try the new run off. Mark Jr. said, This is getting better every time you run it off. Yeah, learn a little bit more each time I make it.

Mark Jr. said, The house looks good Kaci can really clean.Mark Sr. said, Yes, she’s a fine young lady, very nice to look at. I’m surprised you haven’t tried to ask her out. I was thinking about it, but what about her mom? She isn’t going to end up like her mom because that was a wagon that did that to her. Mark Jr. said, I know I should find a woman and she would make a good one. Dad, you still think of Mom? I know I sure miss her? Yup, every day. She was a great woman. To bad she had to die so young. Mark Jr. said, Yes. The black flu didn’t care who it took. Well Dad, got to go get supper on and think about today. See you tomorrow. See you tomorrow son. Have a nice day. Mark Jr. went back to his house with his gallon of corn whiskey and got something to eat. He was glad his dad was still around. He would have made a good cop but didn’t care to deal with the paper work and nut’s like Mary and Annette. He got some eggs and dry ham. Think I’ll make an omelette. He put a small pan on the stove to cook with, beat four eggs and added dry ham, chopped fine, onions, and some cheese. When the pan was good and hot he put some home made butter in the pan, then his eggs and ham mixes. He let the eggs get nice and done before he put the cheese on, then flipped the eggs. He put the pan on the counter to let the eggs finish cooking off the heat. He got out a plate and fork and poured and glass of whiskey. He put the eggs on the plate and went to the back porch to get some air and eat.

The sun was getting low and the night would be warmer and nice to sleep. Mark Jr. finished his meal and went to put his dishes in the sink. He made a small fire to take the chill out of the air. Then he went upstairs to bed. He fell asleep and started to dream. He heard a knock on the door and went down stairs to find out who it was. There was a pretty woman standing at the door. He asked her, Can I help you Miss? The woman looked at him and said, Yes, I need a warm place to stay for the night. Mark Jr. said, Come on in and you can use my spare room. The woman walked in. Mark Jr. asked, So, what’s your name? The woman said, Mary bloody . Mark Jr. said, That’s a weird name. Mary said, Not really, As she removed her clothes and they fell to the floor. He could see now it was the woman of the night. She was standing with no clothes on and no flesh. She turned around with a piece of her flesh in her hand. Would you like a piece? I’ve been told I’m nice and sweet. Mark Jr. jumped back and said, You’re not real, you’re dead! I put you in the ground myself. Mary said, You can’t keep a good woman down. Mark Jr. couldn’t believe what he was seeing. She was bleeding all over the floor as she moved towards him. He tried to move but was locked to the floor.

Mary moved to within inches of his mouth with her bloody flesh in her hand. Then Mark Jr. awoke with a jump. He sat up in bed, sweating like he was a runner on the last lap. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Dam!, he said. What the hell was that dream all about? His hands were shaking so he got out