Gracie’S Promise

By Tommy Lowery and Catherine Millard

Gracie Chapman had been bad. Her mommy had locked her up again. She was cold and all alone. She didnt know that a killer was in her house. Trapped for three days in the hole, Gracie was finally discovered by homicide detective Logan Anderson of the Breckinridge Police Department. And it was up to Logan and his partner Charlie Watkins to track down the psychopath who was responsible for murdering Gracies family.
Darla Wilkerson loved her job as a pediatric nurse. When she first met six year old Gracie, she had no idea what a drastic change this precious little red-haired girl would make in her life. She hadnt known the true power of love until she met Gracie.and the handsome detective that had taken a personal interest in Gracie.
The killer knows that he left one behind and hell stop at nothing to find Gracie. Logan and Charlie will stop at nothing to put an end to his reign of terror. All leads to a heart-stopping chase that none of them will ever forget.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465311436

Tommy Lowery

Catherine Millard lives with her fiancé and son in Richmond, KY. She enjoys going to church, singing, composing and playing music. She loves spoiling her grand-daughters, Jaylyn and Annalise and spending time with her children Serena and Dustin and son-in-law Adam. Tommy Lowery is a devoted father of four and grandfather of eight. He enjoys spending time with friends and family and is an avid reader. He is also a craftsman who builds furniture and creates beautiful quilts which he sews by hand. “My kids hung the moon but my grandkids are the colors in my rainbow”

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Copyright © 2011 by Catherine Millard and Tommy Lowery.

ISBN:          Softcover                                 978-1-4653-1142-9

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4653-1143-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Eight

Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty-One

Chapter Fifty-Two

Chapter Fifty-Three

Chapter Fifty-Four

Chapter Fifty-Five

Chapter Fifty-Six

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Chapter Sixty

Chapter Sixty-One

Epilogue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Dedication

For my children Serena and Dustin;

I hope mommy has made you proud

In memory of my mother, Clara Pectol

Acknowledgements

I must first say that writing this book has been a wonderful journey. Gracie has been pleading for years to be heard. But as is the case with many moms, life just sort of got in the way and I just didn’t have time to devote to her. Now my children are grown and I finally decided that it was time to let Gracie’s voice be heard.

To my writing partner, Tommy Lowery, I want you know from the bottom of my heart that there is no one else that I would have rather had taking this journey with me. You are truly one of my dearest and closest friends and your advice and wisdom are worth more to me than $1.06. Thank you for being patient with me and for believing in me and Gracie.

I must thank Major Bob Mott of the Richmond Police Department in my hometown of Richmond, KY. Your invaluable knowledge of investigative techniques truly made this book a reality. I had no idea where to even start but your infinite knowledge pointed me in the right direction and your support is greatly appreciated. To Chief Larry Brock of the Richmond Police Department, thank you for hooking me up with Bob. You certainly picked the right person for me to speak with.

My friends and family have been wonderfully supportive in my endeavor to finally write this book, so thank you to you all. Thank you for always staying objective and giving me your honest opinion.

To my children Serena and Dustin and my granddaughters Jaylyn and Annalise; you all are the reason that I get up every day and trudge through this crazy thing we call life. We haven’t always had all the money in the world but we have always had our love for each other and it has carried us through some very hard times. Thank you all for teaching me just as much, if not more, than I have ever taught you.

To my beloved James; thank you for hanging in there with me through all the re-writes and all the time that it took away from you. I love you from here to the ends of the world.

Dad, I finally did it. I hope, beyond all things that come from the writing of this book that I have made you proud. I know that I haven’t always lived up to your expectations but I know that writing is the one thing that you have always encouraged me to do. So I hope you like the book Dad; I love you.

Mom, though you’re not here on earth to see me achieve this accomplishment in my life, I know that you’re smiling down from heaven saying, That’s my girl. I told you that you could do it. You always did love to be able to say I told you so. I love you and I miss you every day of my life but we will be rejoicing together again.

And finally to my readers; thank you for taking the time to read Gracie’s Promise and I hope that you fell in love with that precious little girl as much I did. Gracie has come a long way and if you’d like to know what happens to her then be sure to look out for the follow-up; Gracie’s Hope.

Best Regards,

Catherine Millard

Prologue

She had just finished putting her makeup on and looked at the clock; it was 10:30 and her next client would be arriving any minute. He was a new guy that she had only done once before. He was quick and, for that, she was glad. She hated it when they dragged it out. With him, she could make fifty bucks for five minutes of work. She had just put her kids to bed when she remembered about the little one. She should let her out but she figured she would wait until the guy left. It wouldn’t hurt her to stay in a little while longer. It would teach her not to be so damned clumsy. Right on time, there was a knock at the door. She fluffed her hair in the mirror and stared at her reflection and the lines that all the years and all the drugs had left there. She thought back to a time when life was easier; before she had the kids. She had dreams of going to college to be a teacher. She had had a pretty terrible childhood and she wanted to help people. But that was a long time ago. A lot of things had happened between then and now. She had gotten hooked up with Jessie’s dad and he was bad news. Her sister, Maggie, had tried to warn her but she hadn’t listened. He was just so rugged and handsome and she couldn’t resist him or the opportunity that he provided her to get out of town. He drove her away on his Harley and she never looked back. Before long, he was beating her up on a daily basis. He was the one who had introduced her to cocaine. She loved it because it took her away from it all. Then she had gotten pregnant with Jessie and she tried to stop. She had started out really loving her baby but then she would cry when the baby cried and so she would get high. Then two years later, Ashley had come along and life had gotten even more stressful. By the time Gracie came along, she was smoking crack on a daily basis. But crack wasn’t cheap so she started selling her body for money to buy it. And that’s where she was now… . strung out on crack; beating her children; living a nightmare. She took a deep breath and said, Show time.

He came in at her invitation and she was lying on the sofa. Hey there big boy are you ready for this?

He grinned and said, Oh, I’m ready; I’ve been ready since the first time I met you.

She gave him a puzzled look, What is that supposed to mean?

He smiled and laid on top of her and whispered in her ear, You’re going to die tonight! How does that make you feel?

She laughed, Yeah right man, I ain’t into no fantasy rape and shit. Just pay me and do your business.

He hit her hard in the mouth. The look of terror on her face aroused him. He said again, You are going to die tonight,

She struggled against him and he punched her in the face. Get the fuck out of my house! Are you crazy? she screamed.

He hit her again, Do you really think that you can talk to me that way? You’re a dirty whore and it repulses me to even look at you! he hissed.

Why are you doing this? she asked.

He laughed, Oh, you know why. Do you really think that you can act like you’re innocent? You’re a disgusting whore! He saw his mother’s face and he spit on her.

Just then Jessica came out of the bedroom, rubbing her eyes and then yelled, Get off my mom! He quickly pulled a gun, walked over to her and shot her in the head.

You shot my kid you bastard! Oh my god you killed her! she screamed as she jumped up from the couch.

He grinned malevolently, Like you care and if it’s any consolation, you’re next! Now where are the other two girls?

They’re not here! she answered.

What a surprise, he said sarcastically, you’re a liar too. It’s okay though, I’ll find them.

Do what you want to me but please, leave my girls alone, she begged.

You don’t give a shit about those kids you sadistic bitch! I know what you’ve done to them. I know all about it! I intend to put them out of their misery. They will never lead a normal life having had you for a mother. I am sending them home to be with their Father; they are going to a place where you will never be accepted because you are going straight to Hell. I love them and I will set them free! He lit a cigarette and came toward her with it.

What are you doing? she cried.

Just giving you a dose of your own medicine, he said, let’s see how you like it. He ground the cigarette into her face and she screamed in agony. She slapped at him and he grabbed hold of her wrists and slammed her against the wall. He retrieved a knife from his pocket. She was shaking like a leaf and he loved it. He tore her shirt open with the blade. He quickly cut off one of her nipples and then the other. The more she screamed the harder he got. He thought about masturbating but thought better of it. He had to remain focused on the job at hand. He held the knife over her stomach and slowly carved the word whore into her stomach; all the while she was screaming in agony. He loved hearing her scream! Yes, she had suffered before she died. He slid the blade of the knife across her throat, making sure to cut the carotid artery. The look of complete terror on her face gave him immense satisfaction. He listened as the blood gurgled in her throat and watched as her eyes glazed over when all of the blood in her body had spilled out onto the floor.

He went back through the house and found one of the other girls cringing in her bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. It’s okay honey. This won’t hurt a bit. He shot her at point blank range in the head so that she would die instantly. Gracie, he called in a sing song voice, come on out honey. Don’t be scared. You don’t have to stay here anymore. I’m going to set you free. He looked for the youngest one but had no success in finding her. He looked in closets and under beds. He hadn’t notice the small door beneath the stairs. The dog hadn’t been much help; he went and cowered in a corner after he kicked him in the head. Gracie, c’mon sweetheart. He knew that someone would probably report the gunshots so he had to leave. But he would find her eventually. He couldn’t leave her behind. It just wouldn’t be right. She would be passed from one foster home to another and he knew how painful and unsettling that could be. No, he wouldn’t leave her behind.

He put the knife and the extinguished cigarette in his coat pocket, picked

up the shell casings and ran out the back door with perspiration dripping from his brow. He was making sure that he didn’t leave any evidence that DNA could be retrieved from; he wasn’t stupid. His heart was racing a mile a minute. He knew that what he had done was the right thing. He looked back at the house with a smug sense of accomplishment. He always knew that his first kill would be the hardest but he had done what had to be done. Those kids would never suffer again. He was their hero. He smiled widely at the thought. He had killed her again and he would continue to until she stopped tormenting him; until he stopped hearing her shrill voice taunting him and her wicked face running through his memories.

Chapter One

She was cold. The icy air slithered around her and snaked its way into her little bones. She was huddled in the crawlspace with her legs pulled up close to her and her arms curled around her. And it was dark… but she didn’t mind the darkness. There was a time when she was afraid of it but after a while it became as familiar to her as an old friend. She was comfortable there. It hid her ugliness from the world. She reflected on her time in the hole, that’s what she and her older sisters called it. It was where they had to go when they were bad. At least her sisters used to be put in here. But they had grown too big to fit inside. Gosh, she sure wished that she was big too; her mom always called her a puny little piss ant. And it stunk really badly; like pee. Her mom put her in here a lot. She was so stupid that she was constantly screwing up. She tried so hard to make her mom happy but it never seemed to be good enough. This time she had simply broken a glass and she had been beaten and thrown in here. It was her prison. It seemed to her that she had been in for a long time this time. She always lost track anyway. She knew better than to yell or bang on the door because her mommy had taught her a lesson about that. She would not make that mistake again. Her arms and legs hurt so badly. She wanted to stretch them but there just wasn’t any room.

She often daydreamed about what she would do when she grew up. She was only six but spending a lot of time alone gave her freedom to wonder. She wanted to be a rock star but only pretty people got to do that. She wanted maybe to be a teacher like her favorite, Miss Matthews; but only smart people got to be teachers. Maybe, she thought sometimes, that she would do what her mommy did. She always had money and all she had to do was be nice to those guys. That didn’t seem like a hard job. She remembered one time when one of her mom’s friends had touched her in her bad place. She yelled for her mom and she had come in the room and said, Hey, you little bitch shut up. He paid for it. She hadn’t really understood what that meant but she knew better than to ask questions.

Her stomach growled and she wished that she had been able to eat the bowl of chicken noodle soup that she had made right before she had received her punishment. But she was pretty much used to going without food. Her older sisters sometimes made her something to eat but, for the most part, she had to fend for herself. Jessica, her oldest sister, was really mean to her. Ashley, the second to oldest, was just really quiet. She spent a lot of time by herself. She sometimes wondered what it would be like if she lived with a different family; how it would feel to be loved and not be yelled at and hit all the time. But that’s all it was—a dream. She was stuck here and she began to cry. She cried until she fell asleep.

When she woke up, her head felt funny. It hurt really bad and she felt dizzy. The air in the crawlspace was so thick and she felt like she couldn’t breathe. She had to pee really bad and couldn’t hold it any longer. Her bottom hurt so badly because it was wet and her mom had burned her with a cigarette because she didn’t get up right away when her mom told her to take out the garbage. Her mom had said, Now you won’t be able to sit down you lazy little bitch! It had hurt so bad but she just gritted her teeth and didn’t cry because she knew better. Her mom didn’t like to hear her cry—she said it got on her nerves. She felt so hopeless and then she thought of Bandit, her best friend—her only friend—and smiled. He was her dog and she loved him more than anything in the world. He had wandered into their yard last year. It was winter and he was freezing to death and starving. Her mother had said no at first when she asked if she could keep him but then in a rare moment of kindness she relented. She and Bandit had been inseparable ever since. In fact, he always sat outside the door when she was in the hole and waited until she was released and they would have a joyous reunion every time. He was always glad to see her. He was the only one who really loved her no matter how stupid and clumsy she was. Sometimes she prayed to God that He would let her and Bandit come and live with Him. Because she knew that He would love them no matter what.

Sometime later, she heard loud voices outside the door. She was scared and she heard Bandit growl and then yelp. She started to cry because she didn’t know whether he was hurt or not. Then she heard Jessica shout, Get off my mom!! Then she heard the first bang. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was. She heard her mother screaming in agony, saying Please stop! Even though she was always mean to her she was so scared for her. She didn’t know what was happening to her. She cried softly because she didn’t want the bad guy to hear her. Then she heard another bang farther away. Then the door slammed shut and there was nothing but silence. She listened closely for any sounds. She waited and listened and finally heard Bandit sniffing at the door and her heart leapt with joy that he was okay. But what, she wondered, about her mom and her sisters? Were they okay? Mommy? she said softly.

*     *     *

Myra Northern stayed to herself most of the time. In this neighborhood, it paid to do so. She had thought about moving out of the area after her husband had died. But they had raised their children in this house and she just couldn’t leave it. There were too many memories here. Her oldest son had begged her to move in with him and his wife but she had declined. Her children loved her and worried themselves sick but they knew that she was just stubborn enough to stay. They often checked on her and came over for Sunday dinners. The morning of November 18th had started off just as every other day had. She had gotten up at 5 a.m. and made a pot of coffee and read the daily paper. She was sitting at her kitchen table