The Blues of Portsmouth P.D.: A Series, Episode Four

By Robert Franklin Jackson

Gone, but where?

Episode Four

Case of the Puzzling Similes

Noble Alan Palmer was a resident of Portsmouth during the “asked and answered” serial murder case. He followed the case in the newspaper and on TV. He was envious of the notoriety that the media gave the killer. He wanted that fame for himself. But the thought of killing someone sickened him. He thought of his name, Noble Alan Palmer (NAP), then it hit him—Napper. He would become a serial kidnapper. He would be known as Nappy.

When following the “asked and answered” case, Nappy became familiar with all the officers at the Portsmouth PD. He admired Chief Masterson and Tim Slone and Skiv Van Dyke and Keegan O’Regan. He looked forward to staying ahead of them in investigating his abductions.

Nappy left a signature note at the scene of each kidnapping. The first note contained a cryptic phrase and three letters with a comma separating the first from the last two, “Warning, no house is like a home. —G,BW.” A next note included a different phrase, but there were two letters before the comma. The conclusion was made that Nappy was planning quite a few abductions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796017298

Robert Franklin Jackson

Your Author, Robert Franklin Jackon, following an enlistment as a U.S. Navy Seabee/deep-sea-diver, four years in elementary school teaching/administration, twenty-seven years as a high school geography teacher, the office of Historian General NSSAR, is not content unless he is working on a writing project. Projects include: Family Genealogy, Sons of the American Revolution - History Vol. III, plus several pamphlets, just completing a 3,200 page encyclopedia of his home town, Oroville, Oroville 1915 - A Place in Time, ninety acrylic paintings, and presently, The Blues of Portsmouth P.D. a Series of eight episode, four other novellas, The Truth Book, wewillfindyouamach.com, No Vacancy, and Pene-lope and Anti-gone, and the book of a musical comedy, Stoneface.

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by Robert Franklin Jackson.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2019901931

ISBN:                  Softcover                         978-1-7960-1712-0

                            eBook                               978-1-7960-1729-8

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. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 02/27/2019

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Contents

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-three

Chapter Forty-two

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

Chapter Sixty-two

Chapter Sixty-three

Chapter Sixty-four

Chapter Sixty-five

Chapter Sixty-six

Chapter Sixty-seven

Chapter Sixty-eight

Chapter Sixty-nine

Chapter Seventy

Chapter Seventy-one

Chapter Seventy-two

Chapter Seventy-three

Chapter Seventy-four

Chapter Seventy-five

Chapter Seventy-six

Chapter Seventy-seven

Chapter Seventy-eight

Chapter Seventy-nine

Chapter Eighty

Chapter Eighty-one

Chapter Eighty-two

Chapter Eighty-three

Chapter Eighty-four

Chapter Eighty-five

Chapter Eighty-six

Chapter Eighty-seven

Chapter Eighty-eight

Chapter Eighty-nine

Chapter Ninety

Chapter Ninety-one

Chapter Ninety-two

Chapter Ninety-three

Chapter Ninety-four

Chapter Ninety-five

Chapter Ninety-six

Denouement

Gone, But Where?

The Case of the

Connected Palindromes

The Fourth Book

of the

One Night’s Reading Series

Published by

Robert Franklin Jackson

Written2009

We hope you have read

EpisodesOne, Two, & Three

Taking the Fifth

The Case of the

Erroneous Homophone

Written2000

Jeff NeededKilling!

The Case of the

Connected Palindromes

Written2001

Asked and Answered

The Case of the

Acrimonious Alliteration

Written2007

DEDICAT

IONS

To my loving wife, Bobbi,

my greatest fan, painstaking editor,

supportive critic, and very best friend.

"Good - Better - Best -Never let itrest,

Till your good is better, and your better, best."

Ressie Fix, 11th Grade English

Arsenal Technical High School, Indianapolis

Bobbi Jackson, Proof Editor,

insists on striving for the best.

Chapter One

Saturday, August 8,2009 - Ledyard Mansion

It was another Saturday morning. Eight years had passed since Sandy, SanfordLedyard, IV, had shot his partner, Jeff Matson, on the first tee, at the PortsmouthCountry Club.

Sandy had used a 12 gauge shot gun, and as the police records stated, Sandy’s shot, aimed at Jeff’s crotch, took out everything from his knees to his navel.

Sandy didn’t do any time for the murder, because he was given immunity for testifying against his father, Sanford Ledyard, III, and Judge Andrew Wetherell, who were the real bad guys in the Otto Case.

Sanford Ledyard, III, and Former Judge Andrew Robert Wetherell, known as Otto, humiliated and sodomized women in a torture room. They usually shoved the women into a pool, pushed a button, and the women were electrocuted, with the exception of Evelyn Ledyard, Ledyard, III’s second wife, and Sandy’s step mother.

Ledyard, III had met chorus girl, Evelyn, on a trip to Vegas. He had to have her, and Evelyn had to have Ledyard’s money. He didn’t know Evelyn was gay. When he found out, he and Otto brought Evelyn and her lover to the torture room and threatened death unless they gave them a lesbian show. They preformed, but Otto pushed the lover into the pool to her death. Evelyn thought she would be next. Otto wanted more sex, but went limp. Evelyn, with a brilliant thought, finished him off by hand. Otto was so appreciative, he whispered Keep my secret, and you will live.

Evelyn feared Otto would kill her, so sheput Otto’s identity and the story of his sex and murder for excitement operation in a lock box.

Even though Evelyn’s quid-pro-quo was forcing Otto to keep her alive, Otto really loved her, and left her his fortune, after he committed suicide to escape prosecution.

Following Otto’s suicide, with fear no longer a factor, Evelyn joined Sandy in turning State’s evidence against Lanyard, III. Evelyn also received immunity from prosecution

While his father was doing forty years in state prison, Sandy was enjoying spending his father’s money. Sandy and Evelyn were both living in the Ledyard Mansion, in wings far removed from each other.

Sandy and Evelyn hardly tolerated each other until Sandy took a young wife, Judy Wilson, who gave birth to an adorable little girl, Megyn, called Megi.

Evelyn fell in love with Megi, and forgave Sandy’s association with his father.

Sandy nudged Judy, and asked, It’s Saturday, do want to play a round of golf, or just play around?

I opt for the golf, go get Megi out of bed, and select her clothing. I’ll call a sitter who will take Megi to the pool.

Sandy trudged into Megi’s room. She was a bundled under the light blanket.

Sandy shook the bundle of Megi, and found a pillow instead. Megi was gone from her bed. He found a note: ‘Warning, no house is like a home. - G,BW.’

Chapter Two

Saturday, August 8,2009 - Tim Slone’s Apartment

Portsmouth Police Lieutenant Tim Slone andADA Susan George have been spending alternate nights at each other’s apartment for six weeks.

Tim Slone, a trim 6 foot frame with a 176 lb. physique that tells you he works-out regularly. His face had more character than attractiveness, with brown hair in a marine boot cut. He hasa demeanor of strength which makes him appealing to most of the women he admires, which at present is Susan George

They both have tooth brushes, changes of clothing, and their cell phones. Tony has his shaving articles, his badge and gun; Susan has her shaving articles, make-up, perfume, and birth control pills. This allowed them to snuggle late, and still get to the office on time. Almost like marriage, sans the ring and the license.

Saturday was special, as they didn’t have to play Law and Order.

Tim’s cell rang and he said. Shit. Doesn’t Chief Masterson know it Saturday.

You must answer it, Mr. Lieutenant, Duty calls.

It’s your quarter, Slone, here.

Slone, it’s Sandy Ledyard, could you meet me at Betty & Lou’s, back table?

With his hand over the cell receiver, It’s Sandy Ledyard. then, Sandy, it’s been a while, don’t tell me you killed someone?

Slone, I’m a different guy. I need your help.

Look, Sandy, It’s Saturday. I’m with Susan George. Get it?

Slone, I’m married, I have a daughter. She’s missing from her bed.

Your daughters is missing? Sandy, give me fifteen minutes, and Sandy, don’t bring your shotgun

Susan said,Ledyard’s daughter is missing? Tim, I’m going with you.

18937.png

Tim and Susan entered Betty & Lou’s. and was greeted by Rene, Betty & Lou’s twenty year old daughter.

Tim said. Hi, Rene, I thought Lou would have married you off by now.

You must be kidding. Rene answered. Lou gives every cop and ADA who comes in here an interrogation. He scares ‘em all off.

Susan said, You said Lou? I thought you used to call him Pop?

That was before he got so protective. I’m just waiting for him to look for a chastity belt.

Tim said. How’s your mom?

Mom’s just fine. She’s in the back helping Lou cook. With one eye on me, he can’t keep up with theorders.

Susan said. Has a guy been in asking for a back table?

Rene replied, Oh, the nervous one. He’s way in the back, I’ll….

Never mind, Tim said, We’ll find him."

18934.png

Finding Ledyard’s table, he said. Why did you bring her?

"Look, Sandy, if Susan hadn’t arranged for your plea deal, you might be doing time with your father.’

You’re right, Slone. Hello, Ms. George, pull up a chair.

Tim asked, Why did you call me, rather than 911?

You are the highest ranking officer I can trust. I don’t know the new Chief.

You must talk with Chief Masterson, sooner or later. The Chief is a great boss, you can trust her.

The note hinted that I better leave the cops out of it.

Woah, Tim said. What note? You better start at the beginning."

Susan jumped in, You say your daughter is missing?

Yeah, It’s Saturday, Judy, my wife and I were planning on playing golf. Judy was calling a sitter. I was going to lay-out Megi clothes. It looked like she was scrunched under her blanket, I shook the blanket, and found a pillow instead of Megi. She was gone and I found this note. Sandy handed the note to Tim.

Susan asked, What does the note say, Tim?

Tim said, It reads:‘Warning, no house is like a home. - G,BW.’

Sandy asked, Doesn’t that sound like a threat to you?

Susan answered, "You’re right, it does sound like a threat. But in cases like these, it is best to involve the police, and let them handle the investigation. By failing to call 911, too much time has passed already. By moving the note, you may have contaminated the evidence, which might harm the investigation.

Tim said, I’m going to call Chief Masterson, and we better go to the crime scene.

I hope you’re right about involving the police. Sandy said with a tear in his eye.

Chapter Three

Saturday, August 8,2009

Ledyard Mansion

When Chief Masterson heard the details of the note, she decided upon utilizing less officers than her full team, in case the abductor was watching the house.

The Chief said, You know the procedure, first, we must eliminate the parents as suspects. In many cases, either the mother or the father is behind the abduction.

Tim, you and Alice question the wife. Keeg, you and Skiv question Sandy Ledyard. I want to see if their stories differ. Sus and I will look for prints or trace evidence, as well as a point of entry. Susan, I want you to observe all of our procedures. In case this goes to trial, I want all of our ‘Is’ dotted. Tony, stay by the phone in case there is a ransom call. Let’s do it.

Tony Brock,