Murder Never Sleeps

By Douglas Hall

Victor Madison was a man who never took "no" for an answer and Private Investigator Paul West immediately sensed that he could be trouble the moment he walked through his office door. He didn't ask, he demanded that West find his only daughter, Cindy, who had been missing for over two years. Money was no object.
Police Inspector Charlie King, West's former partner, was the lead investigator into Cindy's missing case which was a cold one but was once again active when he was given permission to work on it with West.
Their investigation took them to Alabama where they became involved with a collection of fascinating and questionable characters, including a local sheriff who made them his deputies; a bank manager with self-serving interests; a charismatic pastor and cult leader who knew a dark secret; and a besotted enabler who would go to any devious means to protect him… and she did.
Madison's daughter was found, but not in the manner the reader could ever guess, or imagine. The suspense, in this page-turning mystery, never wanes right up to the last page and the chilling climax.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: May 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781528968294

Douglas Hall

Douglas Hall was born in Toronto, Canada, where he went to school and graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Business. He was employed by IBM Canada as Senior Press Officer before embarking on a television career which spanned thirty-three and a half years on air as anchor and panellist. A number of Hall’s shows were syndicated in Canada and the US. He travelled extensively on TV assignments to Russia; Europe; the US; Haiti; Iraq; Egypt and Israel. Hall’s twenty-seven published books include eighteen mysteries, five novels, three children and one historical. He is now writing Murder Confirmed, another Paul West Mystery, his twenty-eighth. Hall is a Writer’s Guild of Canada Life Member, long-standing member of ACTRA and former member of the Toronto Mens Press Club.

Book preview

Twenty-Five

About The Author

DOUGLAS HALL

A graduate of the University of Toronto, Douglas Hall was appointed senior press officer for IBM Canada Inc. After seven-and-a-half years of extensive media relations, he began a 32-year career as a Canadian radio and television personality. He hosted a number of nationally syndicated Canadian shows on both radio and television including: The Doug Hall Show, Daybeat, The Anatomy of Living, Taking Sides, Your Opinion, Bestsellers and What is Truth as a panel member along with Paul Hellyer, former Canadian minister of national defense; CBC personality, Lorraine Thomson; and Bob Hesketh, CFRB radio newscaster. Author, broadcaster, newspaper executive, Charles Templeton was moderator. Hall’s TV shows were also telecast on cable and independent U.S. stations.

Hall was the only multiple screenwriter for the 20th Century/NBC/CTV science-fiction series, The Starlost. He was also the executive/producer for a number of television musical biographies including: Englebert Humperdinck, Paul Anka, Chet Atkins and Gordon Lightfoot.

Hall’s 26 published books include: thirteen mysteries, five novels, from which three are children’s, and three biographies including: The Real Patsy Cline and The Mamas & The Papas. Hall’s books have been published in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany and the Soviet Union.

During Hall’s career, he travelled extensively on TV assignments to the United States, Europe, Scandinavia, the Soviet Union, Lebanon, Syria, Jordon, Israel, Haiti and Iraq.

Hall is a life member of the Writers Guild of Canada, a member of ACTRA and for a number of years, he was a member of the Toronto Men’s Press Club.

Dedication

It is hard to believe that as I close in on my 91st year and Joyce in her 88th, with me still writing and Joyce still editing, that together we have produced 28 books with the 29th in progress since the first one The Brittle Thread came out in 1968. We are now working totally on The Paul West Mystery Series and are well into the fourth Murder In Time. We shall keep at it for as long as we can. I could have never done it without her.

Copyright Information ©

Douglas Hall (2020)

The right of Douglas Hall to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781528935517 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781528968294 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2020)

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd

25 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5LQ

Acknowledgments

There are many people I want to thank for their invaluable help and support. Without them, this book would never have seen the light of day. First and foremost, there is Joyce, who critiqued and edited the manuscript page by page. Her remarkable skills with syntax, plotting, spelling and grammar are second to none.

I have had many excellent publishing professionals who have worked on my 26 books over the last 50 years but I have to say: Executive Editor, Daniel Smith; Vinh Tran; and his amazing production team including Luke Davies are right at the top. They are a delight to work with and I wish I had met them and Austin Macauley 26 books earlier.

Without them, this book would not be what I hoped it would be, and that is a worthy addition to The Paul West Mystery Series.

OTHER BOOKS BY DOUGLAS HALL

The Brittle Thread

The Girl in 906

Not Made for Defeat

The Long Way Down

The Kirsty Affair

The Worshippers

Seconds to Disaster

The China Conspiracy

Playing It Safe

Playing It Safe – Away from the City

Playing It safe – Home, Summer – Winter

Country on CD

The Real Patsy Cline

The Mamas & the Papas

Britons Pride

The Chiliad Murder(s)

Murder & the Minden Star

The $cam Murder

Speak Up It’s Murder

Murder at Lake Madison

Deadly Premiums

Murder in the Boardroom

Murder Can Kill

Murder in Time

Murder Unchained

Murder Never Forgets

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS

*In order of appearance

Paul West – private investigator

Mandy Perkins – executive assistant

Cindy Madison – missing girl

Victor Madison – Cindy’s father

Martha Madison – Cindy’s mother

Inspector Charles King – lead investigator

Amber Ferguson – Cindy’s closest friend

Scott Ferguson – Cindy’s boyfriend

Harry Ferguson – Amber and Scott’s father

Pastor Sammy Proctor – scam artist

Pastor Paul Proctor – heir apparent

Sheriff Virgil Culpepper – Moody Brook Alabama

Stephanie ‘Brock’ Brockhurst – administrative assistant

Jayden Mayfield – bank manager

Gaylord Brunson – lawyer

Thelma Jean Turner – Cindy Madison’s friend

One

IN A REMARKABLE CAREER, that was closing in on its first decade, Paul West had seen many interesting individuals walk through his office door to ask for his help, but when Mandy Perkins, his executive assistant and factotum, or as she jokingly called it, ‘his go-for girl’, ushered Victor Madison into his office, he had never seen his like before. He immediately recognised Madison having seen his picture in the business section of the daily newspaper, as well as reading about his legendary business acumen as a leading venture capitalist who began in a sparse office over a drug store with a borrowed five thousand dollars from his father-in-law. Through shrewd dealings, he built his company into a multi-million-dollar financial giant by investing in founding or struggling companies which he influenced and guided for a large slice of future profits before selling his interest back at an inflated profit. An imposing man with his lean, hard, six-foot-five stature and chiselled features topped off with a full head of salt and pepper hair he dominated every room or conversation and was a master of intimidation. When West shook hands, he had to look up at Madison who towered over him.

It was customary for Mandy to sit in on the initial meeting, and she took her seat in a chair to the left of West’s desk. Madison watched her with a questioning scowl as she activated the desk recorder and voiced his displeasure at a third party being present. West quickly informed him that he never conducted an initial interview without Mandy being present and would not make an exception this time in spite of Madison’s protest that he would be discussing sensitive issues and would feel more comfortable with just West hearing what he had to say. Realising that it could be prejudicial to continue, Madison began with, Mr West, I won’t waste your time with needless chatter as I am a man of few words. I came to see you because I always do my research and found you to be the best man available, and I want to engage you. If you accept, I will demand your full time and energy which means you will have no other distractions.

What you are saying is that you would expect me not to be splitting my time with another case?

Precisely!

West could have told him that he was between cases, and, at the moment, there was not one pending that interested him. And just what is it you want me to do?

Find our daughter who went missing over two years ago. I don’t care what it costs or takes to do it, just do it!

You have to give me more details before I say yes or no. I assume you have filed a missing person with the police?

Yes.

Why come to me if the police are investigating? It was a natural question but one that obviously struck a chord from Madison’s abrupt reaction.

I will say this and only say it once. The local police and especially the lead investigator Inspector Charles King have been a total disaster. Two years after my daughter, Cindy, went missing, not one thing about her disappearance has been discovered, and it is now a cold case. All King would tell me was that if he has any further information, he would get in touch.

West was surprised to hear Madison refer to King in such a negative tone. For the last ten years, he was on the force, before his career was ended by a suspect’s bullet in a takedown, they were partners, and he respected his investigative skills. He was about to tell Madison but decided this was not the time, instead, he asked, I need a description of your daughter.

Madison took an envelope out of his inside coat pocket. I was sure you would need that so here is the last picture I have of her. It’s her high school graduation picture. She loved children and wanted to devote her life working with them. She was enrolled at university the following September and wanted to become a paediatric doctor.

I’ll need her vital statistics.

They are all on the back. This is what I gave to King when I filed the missing person report.

West turned the photograph over and handed it to Mandy. You are very thorough, sir.

I am always thorough. I leave nothing to chance which is something you will find out as we move along, Madison’s tone left nothing to the imagination. There appeared to be no question in his mind about West taking the case.

When was the last time you saw your daughter?

It was a Thursday night at dinner. We were surprised when Cindy told us she would be working at a summer camp. She gave no details and told us not to be alarmed when a car came to pick her up around four the next morning.

Didn’t you find that strange?

At the time, yes, and her mother mentioned that, but all Cindy would say is they wanted to get an early start.

Did she say who ‘they’ were? West asked.

No. I didn’t ask because she did not like answering questions.

This camp. Did she tell you its name or where it was?

I asked her that, and all she said was it was a wonderful place dedicated to providing a summer vacation at a place with Christian values. This was the first time she told us anything about her plans for the summer holidays. She said she had to go to a meeting that night and would be home by eleven. We watched the 11 o’clock news and retired.

Did she return when she said she would?

She came in shortly after we retired, and we heard her bedroom door close.

Didn’t you find that strange?

Not particularly. She was 18, a very responsible young woman and independent.

Do you have other children?

"No. Cindy is our only child. When her mother checked her room the next morning, she found Cindy’s smart phone, credit card and chequebook on the night table. The last thing we heard was a car pulling up in the driveway and the closing of a door. It woke both of us up. I looked at the clock, it was two minutes after four. My wife and I couldn’t go back to sleep, so we got up and had a look in her room. The bed was made up and the only thing that caught our eye was her night table. On top were her three credit cards and driver’s licence.

I found it strange that she would remove her credit card from her wallet. When I checked with the bank later in the morning, I was informed that her account had been emptied the day before she left. It was as though she wanted to disappear, and she has for over two years. We haven’t heard anything from her since. That’s when I called the police."

What did the police tell you?

That’s when I first met Detective King. He told me I did the right thing in coming in and filing a missing person report, especially if my wife and I had serious concerns, which was an understatement. He asked a number of questions and said he wanted to speak to my wife.

Did he keep in touch?

Oh yes, quite regularly for the first couple of months. Then I had to call him, and it was the same old reply: we are working on it but have nothing to report. Finally, he said all leads had turned up nothing and the case was being put in the cold files. That’s when I decided to do something about it on my own and came to see you. You can appreciate how this weigh upon us, especially my wife who has retreated into deep depression and thinks about nothing else. Not only have I lost my daughter, I have lost my wife. Will you take on the case and find our daughter?

Yes, I’ll take it on, but there are a number of things I’ll need. First, I want a list of all your daughter’s friends with addresses. Please place her closest friends at the top. Second, you said she was going to a meeting that last night. Do you have any idea where it was and what it was about?

Madison stiffened, If King couldn’t find out, how do you expect me to know?

Also, I want a list of all the people she knew especially friends or anyone who might know something useful especially anyone she had business dealings with.

I told you she was just a young woman and still at home. What do you mean by people she had business dealings with?

You also said she was independent. Did she have her own money?

Madison was beginning to be impressed with West. She had a monthly three figure allowance, and it was hers to spend anyway she thought fit. I never asked what she did with it. If she wanted more, all she had to do was ask.

Did she have a car?

Yes, we gave her one for her 18th birthday, and it was up to her to look after it with her own money.

Where is it now?

We have a three-car garage, and it is still parked there waiting for her.

I want to come by tomorrow and have a look at it. Do you have the keys?

Yes, I’ll instruct the housekeeper to give them to you and open the garage doors.

Who did the servicing and maintenance on her car?

The same garage, and mechanic, who looks after my car and her mother’s.

What the name?

Family Car, and the owner is Jimmy Gordon.

West closed his notebook and said, I think that will be enough for the moment. I will have Miss Perkins draw up a contract with all the details of my service plus my fee. If you agree and sign, I shall begin immediately.

Madison took out his card and handed it to Mandy. Have it drawn up and send to me by courier. There was no ‘please’ attached. I shall sign and return it by courier before the day is out along with my retainer. Madison stood up and extended his hand, Thank you, Mr West.

When I take on a case, my clients call me Paul.

Those who work for me call me Mr Madison. I shall see myself out. With a slight nod to Mandy, Madison left the office.

West waited until he heard the outer door close and called out to Mandy, Get Charlie King on the phone and cancel all my appointments.

What appointments? Mandy replied with a wide smile.

Two

"THERE IS NOT AN INVESTIGATOR who can forget a file that went cold, and I am no different and I can’t forget this one for a totally different reason," Inspector Charlie King said.

What’s your reason? West asked as he drained his coffee and threw the empty paper cup in the wastebasket.

To be blunt…Victor Madison!

King still had some coffee left and took a sip before he related a tale of intimidation, domineering and total frustration from the day Madison first came into headquarters to file a missing person report on his daughter until the day West had more than he could take with the incessant calls and demands to know why he hadn’t found his daughter. It had reached the point whereby it could severely damage his professional reputation.

What started out as sympathy for a father whose daughter had disappeared morphed into loathing for a domineering, demanding man who made it well apparent that he had little or no respect for authority unless it was his. Throughout his discourse, which West listened to silently, King dropped in numerous incidents of intimidation, unfounded charges and threats to support his decision to ignore further communication which had sunk to a litany of caustic exchanges each one topping the last. All had a common thread of lost confidence and intimidation sprinkled with blatant suggestions that he was not the man for the job of finding his missing daughter.

West didn’t have to be reminded that Madison was a formable adversary. He had crossed swords with others before him who thought they could best him and to their sorrow failed miserably. None was to match Madison.

Unlike some police investigators who resent PIs sticking their noses into a case, as they would call it, King welcomed the thought that West might bring something fresh to the investigation and give him full credit if it contributed to the solving of what was the most frustrating case of his career.

How can I help? King asked.

I’d like to see everything you have beginning with the day you became lead investigator.

King stood up, I’ll get the case file with my reports, witness statements and evidence box. We can’t have any privacy here in the cafeteria so let’s go to an empty interrogation room where we can talk in private. After all, our years together on homicide, I owe you that much.

For the next couple of hours, King took West through his investigation as he asked questions and took pictures of pages and items with his iPhone.

I think that about does it, said King as he arched his back. You will have to agree that it was one frustrating investigation, and Madison didn’t make it any easier.

One only has to read his e-mails to realise it, West acknowledged.

You should have heard his phone calls. I recorded everyone. You can hear them if you want.

I’ll do that one day when I have more time. Right now, I’d like to know if any of Cindy’s friends jump out as persons of interest when you interviewed them, and I start there.

King didn’t have to think hard to answer, Amber Ferguson was Cindy’s closest friend, and confident, she was also not very forthcoming. She is one frustrating young woman. If I were you, I’d begin there, you never know you might do better. I don’t think she liked the police, and me even less. It was difficult to keep my tempter when she would only answer my questions with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. That girl knows more than she ever told me, and with luck, you can get it out of her.

Do you think she knows what happened to Cindy?

If she does, she is protecting her, that is, if she is still alive.

King made suggestions on whom else he thought should be interviewed along with background on each individual. When he was finished, West had the advantage of not starting cold and building his investigation from the ground up.

THE PAST TWO YEARS since the disappearance of her daughter had weighed heavily upon Martha Madison. The once vibrant society maven, who hosted galas, played bridge twice weekly at the country club, had retreated behind pulled drapes and refused to talk to her once wide circle of friends who took the hint and, gradually, dropped her. The retreat from reality also weighed heavily upon Madison when she began lashing out and accusing him of giving up when King informed them that the case had gone cold and he was moving on to a new investigation.

MANDY HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND to call West, who was on his way to see Amber Ferguson, and tell him Victor Madison had arrived at the office and insisted upon waiting for him until he returned.

When West arrived, Mandy pointed to his closed office door. He’s in there waiting for you, she mouthed.

West stiffened and opened the door, Mr Madison, this indeed is a surprise. I had planned to call you later in the day with an update after I had finished some business, but now that you are here, I give it to you in person.

This is something that could not wait. I gave your executive assistant the signed contract and wanted to tell you to start working.

I have already begun.

Madison took out a folded piece of paper and handed it across the desk. This is a list of everyone who knew Cindy. I hope it helps, and I have made some margin comments about a couple of them.

Go on, West said, as he turned on the recorder and scanned the page. At the top of the list was Amber Ferguson.

Madison didn’t waste time. Start with Amber Ferguson. We are members of the same golf and country club as her parents and have been for years. Our daughters are the same age and had been close friends all the way through public and high school. In fact, they were accepted at the same university and planned to be campus roommates. No one knew Cindy better than Amber, and she probably knows more secrets than we ever did. I talked to her shortly after Cindy disappeared, and she said she was as mystified as we were. She expected to hear from her any day and promised to tell us if she did.

Is Amber the only child the Ferguson’s have? West asked.

"She has a brother, two years older. His name is Scott. He and Cindy were an item during her last year in high school and we thought it might work into