The Almost Perfect Murder

By Webster Russell and Dee Coffeen

After twenty-five years, Detective Sargent Rob Sanchove is retiring, when unfortunately the death of an 18-year-old University of Texas student is dropped on his desk. He needs to clear this case quickly so the Lieutenant will get off his back and he can get on with his retirement. Interviews with classmates identify potential suspects, but they all have airtight alibis. The coroner doesn't provide any clues and the forensics are negative as well. Or are they?

Rob and his partner know that they are missing something, but what is it?  What does a post it note on Sanchove's coffee maker, a strange dream and a murder in a Texas border town four hours away have to do with their case?

If you love a great murder mystery with a twist, then "The Almost Perfect Murder" is what you are looking for?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Sep 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098330170

Book preview

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons either living or dead, events, or locals is entirely coincidental.

Please note there is no Chapter 13. This chapter was purposely removed by the authors.

All rights are reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book, without the permission of the authors constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the authors, at authorsrussanddee.weebly.com. Thank you for your support of the authors.

C & R Publications 2020 Copyright

© Webster Russell & Dee Coffeen

The rights of Webster Russell and Dee Coffeen have been asserted

ISBN: 978-1-09833-016-3 (print)

ISBN: 978-1-09833-017-0 (ebook)

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

About The Authors

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Cast of Characters

(In the order of their appearance)

David Williamson: The victim

Rob Sanchove: - Detective Sargent Temple Police Department

Fluffy: Rob’s miserable dog

Detective Jennie Parks: Rob’s Partner

Lieutenant William Summers: Rob’s and Jeannie’ boss

Sharon and Tim Williamson: The victim’s parents

Dr. Martinez: The high school principal

Sally: The high school administrative office’s clerk

Peter Sampson: David’s classmate

Cynthia Davis: High school senior class advisor

Janice: Pharmacist

Miroslav Gorkove: Janet Gorkove’s father

Gavin Taylor: David’s classmate

Bernie: David’s classmate and Janet’s old boyfriend

Janet Gorkove: David’s girlfriend and a flame of Bernie

Vera Sampson: Peter’s mother

Roger Sampson: Peter’s father

William McAllister: Bell County Medical Examiner

Bennie:David’s classmate and party videographer

Michael Yavonovich: Lawyer representing Sharon Williamson

Carol: Rob’s ex- wife

John: Rob’s son

Susan: Rob’s daughter- in- law and John’s wife

Jody: Rob’s daughter

Steven: Texas trooper

Bonnie: Friend of Steven, Carol, Barb, and Bruce

Barbara: Friend of Carol, Steven, and Bonnie

Bruce: Barbara’s husband

Deputy Kelly: Web County Deputy Sheriff.

Dr. Hargrove: Web County Medical Examiner

Sancho: The Tamaulipas State Medical Examiner

Raisa Gorkove: Janet Gorkove’s mother

Chris: The Temple Police Chief Forensics’ Tech

Gabrielle: A woman on an internet dating site.

Jim Walker: An Aattorney

Chapter 1

At eighteen, David loved the Big Mac. Since he had his driver’s license, the McDonald’s on 31st was his favorite stop. As usual, he rolled down the car window and ordered a Big Mac and fries and then drove up to the restaurant’s window.

As David sat waiting for his order, he shook his head, thinking. Why am I so foggy- headed? I haven’t had anything to drink.

There was mumbling in the background. After a moment, he realized it was the young woman in the window. Four twenty nine, please, she said.

He reached into his shirt pocket looking for his cash. First a fuzzy head now my fingers are tingling. What in the hell is up? he mumbled to himself.

He paid the girl, took his food from her, and then the change. Damn, he said as the penny fell down inside the door. Not caring about the penny, he pulled forward into a parking spot and ate his Big Mac and most of his fries hoping his mind would clear up. It didn’t.

He was getting concerned. He decided to drive home, slowly to be sure.

David pulled out of the McDonald’s and headed toward home. Even with his window open, washing cool air over his face and head, his mind was getting slower and more confused.

If this didn’t get better soon, he would have to call for help. He pulled to the side of the road and stopped. He laid his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes trying to focus. That didn’t work. In fact, his head was spinning now, so he tried to find his phone. Now, there was a ringing in his ears, and he could hear every heart beat. What bothered him was that his heart was no longer beating regularly.

As he felt around for his phone, a shadow crossed his face. He struggled to focus on that shadow but could not. He tried to call out, but no voice came from his throat.

The irregular heart beat transitioned into a very rapid rate. The pain in his chest grew worse, the sweat poured off his face, and his breathing became more difficult. Again, he struggled to focus on the face that caused the shadow, but to no avail. Soon there was no vision, no sound, or no sense of smell, only an advancing black, and then nothing.

Monday was not Rob’s favorite day. When he thought about it neither was Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Only three more months of this grind and he could retire from the Temple Police force, well eighty-eight days and twelve hours, not that he was counting.

Like an alarm clock, there was a gentle movement next to his left arm. As much as he wished it to be a beautiful and loving woman waking up beside him, it wasn’t. It was that damn dog. He didn’t have to look at his clock to know it was 6:30 am. With in two minutes, that boundless bundle of energy would bounce up and down, making it impossible for him to get any sleep.

He reluctantly got out of bed, pulled on a pair of shorts, tee shirt and his running shoes, and headed toward the front door. As usual, he opened the drawer of the table near the door, got out the leash, and struggled with the excited dog to put it on. He knew Fluffy took a perverse pleasure in making it as difficult as possible to get the leash connected to her rhinestone collar.

Out the door they went. Only three miles to go, at least for Rob. Fluffy barely made it a mile before she refused to move any further. Add to that for the first quarter mile, she had to stop and smell every patch of grass. Then, when she found the perfect spot to do her business, she was walking and sniffing in an endless circle until she identified that perfect blade of grass that she chose as then one to receive her precious gift.

Once done, her walking was over for the morning. If Rob wanted to continue on his morning run, he was left with two choices. Leave Fluffy where she sat, and be off on his run, or pick her up and carry her. As much as leaving her to fend for herself was appealing, he knew the ASPCA and KCEN-TV would be on his doorstep holding a pitiful looking Fluffy and questioning his inhumanity.

Rob picked his adversary up and started his morning run. Every woman on his run had been notified that he and Fluffy were on their way. Standing in their doorways, they would wave and say hi to the dog. He was just her carry all. After a humiliating two miles, he arrived home, opened the door and unceremoniously dropped the dog. Before he could push the button on his Keurig to get a mug of coffee, Fluffy created an uproar until he fed her. Once he put her dog dish down, she would go through her routine. First, stare at the food. Then growl at the bowl, flick the imaginary dirt back with her right paw, and then charge her food bowl. As dumb as he thought it was, Rob watched this pre-meal dance twice a day. Shaking his head in disgust, he then headed to the counter, grabbed a cup from the cupboard, put it under the coffee maker, put in the coffee pod, pushed the button, and waited for what seemed forever for the cup to fill. As usual, he grabbed the Temple Daily Telegram, went over to the breakfast table took a sip of the wonderful brown liquid, and scanned the paper. As soon as he finished his coffee, it was off to the shower.

It wasn’t like Rob was a clothes hog; he wasn’t. His most exciting color of pants was tan. His color in shirts was just as exciting, white, tan, and light blue. If it was cold enough for a coat, he had an old blue blazer or his blue police emblazoned wind breaker.

Dressed, he grabbed his badge, ID card, his 9 mm Ruger, and shoulder holster and headed for the garage. He realized the damn dog didn’t ever follow him to the door. What can you say? He was just there to walk her, carry her, and feed her. That made his day.

He got into his five-year-old Volvo, opened the garage door, pulled out of his driveway and headed off to his office.

The station wasn’t more than a ten-minute drive. This was a time of quiet for him, and he cherished that. On his drive, he prayed that no case would fall on his desk today and if it did, it was one of those gang-related homicides easy to shuffle off into obscurity. There was little doubt that he had a short timer’s attitude.

The morning traffic was heavier today, so the drive took fifteen minutes. He pulled into the parking lot, got out of his car