The Dance of Death (La Danza De Muerta): A Sandra Lerner Mystery

By George W. Barclay Jr.

Brutal axe murders of Dr. Teena Mazon, transplant surgeon, and Cathy Reyes, ICU supervisor, both ballroom champions, and the tragic plunge of lawyer Eugene Cash to his death gives lawyer-sleuth Sandra Lerner nightmares, panic attacks, and insomnia. Psychiatrist prescribes pills, vacation, and recreational ballroom dancing. Mystery, horror, sex, violence in ethnic urban setting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 11, 2003
• ISBN: 9781469772110

George W. Barclay Jr.

Dr. George W. Barclay Jr. is retired Beaumont Cardiologist. He writes adventure, mystery, science fiction and metaphysics. This is his twenty-sixth novel. He is graduate of Texas AM and Southwestern Medical School (MD FACC).

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All Rights Reserved © 2003 by George W. Barclay Jr.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or 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.

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an imprint of iUniverse, Inc.

For information address:

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ISBN: 978-1-469-772110 (ebook)

ISBN: 0-595-26533-2

Printed in the United States of America

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 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 1

Houston, Texas

May 18, 1993

Sandra couldn’t sleep. She rolled and tossed and about midnight drifted into a light slumber in which she saw a closed casket with Fathers Burke and Augustine reading the Rosary, over and over again. Hail Mary, mother of grace,…. Glory to the Father…. Hail Mary, mother of God. Teena Mazon’s head appeared above the casket smiling a ridiculous smile that never changed, and her severed neck dripped blood on the casket and flowers.

Sandra woke, hyperventilating and drenched in sweat. She realized she had a nightmare and was experiencing her very first panic attack, ever. The words of the Rosary came over and over again, wouldn’t stop, and grew louder like church bells far away. She forced herself to breath slower and quit shaking. Her hands were tight, spastic and numb. Her lips were numb and her tongue dry. Damn! thought Sandra. I must be going nuts. Her chest got tight, and she imagined a heart attack which made things worse. She went to the lavatory, got a glass of water, and opened her medicine cabinet. All she had was Benadryl and Tylenol, so she took one of each and lay down for the Benadryl to take effect.

She drifted off to sleep; the Rosary continued, and she saw Eugene Cash lying in the snow, dead, with one hand clutching his briefcase and the other beckoning to her like Ahab from the body of Moby Dick. Sandra climbed out on the window and jumped. Hail Mary, mother of grace…Glory to the father.…Sandra woke up abruptly, hyperventilating, perspiring, shaking, and grasping her chest. WOW! Maybe she was having hypoglycemic attacks. She ate a Danish and drank some milk. Her stomach felt better, so she telephoned Devine’ down the hall, apologized for waking her, explained her nightmare and panic attacks, and got permission to join her as bed partner for the rest of the night.

Devine’ let her in and suggested a sleeping pill, but Sandra wanted to try the Benadryl. The two ladies snuggled up in bed, and Sandra, feeling secure, went rapidly to sleep. She dreamed she was dancing with a tall handsome partner to the sound of the Rosary and distant church bells. He led her into a tango with all the dips and turns. Then she saw Teena smiling her crazy smile, and her severed neck dripping blood all over her ballroom gown, Eugene beckoning with his right arm, the Rosary got louder and louder, and looking up, her partner turned into a grinning skeleton in a black tux with white bow tie. Sandra woke up, panicked, and hyperventilated. She got up and walked around the room, embarrassed that Devine’ should know.

Devine’ went to her medicine cabinet, showed Sandra a bottle of Valium, gave her one, crawled back in bed, and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, a dark sedan parked in the shadow of the Granada high-rise near the intersection of I-45 and Southeast Mean. A man carrying a bag got out and walked to the dumpster in the alley behind and tossed in the bag. He drove to the alley behind Little Mexico mall and dumped four more packages, before dumping the decapitated, quartered body of Catherine Reyes in the horseshoe bend of Buffalo Bayou near Brady Island.

At 8 A.M., city garbage collectors discovered the garbage bag containing Cathy’s head decapitated at the neck and called 911. They were struck by the fixed smile on her face.

Upon the death of the Blessed Virgin her body was miraculously preserved from corruption and after being united with her immaculate soul was carried by angels into heaven.

Hail, Mary, full of grace! Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! O loving, O clement, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

CHAPTER 2

Sandra overslept and woke at nine. Devine’ had gone. Groggy from Benadryl and Valium, she sat on the side of the bed until her head cleared and walked slowly back to her room. She looked up her family physician’s number, explained her symptoms and was given an appointment in six weeks. She called a psychiatrist friend, Dr. Freid, and was given an appointment for 2 P.M., same day. She called her receptionist, explained she was indisposed, instructed her to arrange with Devine’ and Anthony for coverage, notify her answering service, and reschedule appointments. As she put down the phone, the building began to tremble; her refrigerator and cabinet doors popped open, pictures fell off the walls, and everything started shaking. Her lights went out, and she could not get a dial tone. Still doped up and fuzzy headed, she lay down on the couch, took a short nap, and ignored the shaking to which she had become accustomed. To sleep, per chance to die, whatever, she was too dopey to care.

Afterwards she woke up refreshed. The shaking had stopped; the lights were on, and, pulling the curtains, she thought maybe the sun was trying to peep through the dark overcast, and the ice and snow were melting. She turned on the weather channel, and surely enough they were predicting fair skies and return of warm weather typical of Houston in late May. Hurrah! Sandra turned on the coffee maker, put bread in the toaster, bathed, dressed, ate a few bites, locked up and headed downstairs to the high-rise basement garage. She had decided to drive out to Saint Nicholas University, pre-register for summer school, visit with Tisha in the Student Union, and attend Dr. Nigera’s Anthropology class before keeping her psychiatrist’s appointment at two.

She could tell the ice was melting on Brays Bayou, and increased flow suggested melting snow. Student Parking Lot C was filled with cars and crunchy under foot by slush, rock salt, and gravel. Very few students were walking across campus, Don Allergeri’s statue glistened in the emerging sun; classrooms were busy, and the Student Union was bustling. She had studied her summer bulletin, and the only class offered during the noon hour was a graduate course, Metaphysics 501, in the Physics building taught by Dr. Aristotle Plotinus, Monday through Friday. She stopped by Registration, paid her fee, signed up to audit Metaphysics 501, received her green audit pass, and was informed her student ID, car registration, and decal were good for the summer, but she would have to get new ones in the fall.

Tisha was waiting in the beer garden across from the bookstore. You could purchase a mug of tap for a dollar, a pitcher for two, and a giant two inch thick pizza made to order for five. Neither ladies were hungry. Tisha, on duty in Maintenance, was wearing a maid’s costume. She was one of two operatives under Sandra’s employ, Dirk the other.

What did you get, Miss Lerner?

They only had a solitary one hour course during the first summer session, Metaphysics 501, so I took it. How about you?

I’ve had all my Criminal Justice and Police Academy. I just lack science, math, and a few electives to graduate. Tisha seemed embarrassed to tell. She was forty-seven.

What’s your schedule?

You know I have a deal with Erasmus for me to work nights, and he’s taking days. And I’m still cleaning Dr. Tamar Lewine’s apartment on Saturday’s plus working for you. I signed up for calculus in the mornings and geology in the afternoons. I think some call it earth sci ence.

My goodness, you think you can pass?

It’s watered down for non-engineers and non-scientists. The labs aren’t as long and the tests are easier. The kids call it geology and calculus for dummies. I think I can make it. Next fall I’ll have twelve hours of electives left to graduate.

What are you going to do for sleep?

We’ve got a cot over in Maintenance that the campus cops gave us.

Tisha, didn’t you tell me Jack Strongbach kept a double bit axe in his utility closet out back?

Yes ma’am, but I hadn’t cleaned up over there in two weeks. Roxanne Strong cleaned up last. Teena Mazon was murdered last Friday, and they’re burying her today. I went to the Rosary, so I won’t be going to her funeral. You going?

No! I went to the Rosary. I’m sure the funeral will be closed casket.

Did you see her body or hear anything unusual? asked Sandra.

Well, somebody hacked off her head, all four limbs, and cut open her guts, but there was one thing. I heard the EMS chuckling about it. She had a fixed smile on her face. They taught us in forensic that corpse’s faces are expressionless before the embalmer gets them. She had a weird smile, almost like a grin, and it was permanent. I doubt if they embalmed her after autopsy, just put her parts in a body bag and sealed the casket so it wouldn’t stink.

Tisha looked at her watch, and Sandra started to walk with her on her way to Anthropology when a tall, slender, exceptionally handsome man of about fifty in sport suit and tie walked through the door and directly toward their table. Both women stopped talking and waited. He bowed slightly and extended his hand to Sandra.

Miss Lerner, I’m Dr. Winston C. Blood. I wonder if I can have just a minute of your time?

Tisha nodded, smiled, rose to leave, and whispered, I’ll call you at eight at home.

The gentleman spoke with a definite British accent and seemed too proper and well mannered to be a native Texan.

Surely, Dr. Blood. However, in about five minutes I’ll have to run to Anthropology.

I’ll be direct. I would like to invite you to be my dancing partner and enter us in the Texas ProAm dancing competition to be held here on September 4-5 during Labor Day weekend. We would represent Saint Nicholas University in the Swing/Jive category. He smiled, and Sandra wondered if he were the man of her dreams. She was speechless and in a hurry to leave.

How did you learn about me, Dr. Blood?

Dante. Does he ring a bell?

Yes, laughed Sandra. He was my ballroom dance teacher over in River Oaks for about twenty years. What do you do here at the University?

He smiled modestly. I have dual professorships. I teach Ballroom in Performing Arts, and I have a tenured chair in Medieval European History.

Sandra rose to go. I’ll say yes! When do you want me to audition? I have an afternoon appointment today, but I can dance at one tomorrow. Sandra extended her hand which he politely kissed.

I’ll be waiting in the student practice ballroom at one. Please bring four inch spikes to practice. We must present a good man-woman image, and tonight practice smiling before a mirror. You must learn to smile, no matter what, it is absolutely necessary, if you want to be a champion. Practice smiling every chance you get and smile in your sleep if you can.

Dr. Mambo Nigera, Professor of Anthropology and Comparative Religion, wife of Dr. Morton Salter, University President and Professor of Engineering, Sandra’s favorite teacher and good friend, Dean of Women and originator of the KISS technique of instruction (keep it simple and stupid), had promised a series of lectures on pre-colonial new world religions before the end of the semester and final exams scheduled in two weeks. Parking lot C was near the Physics building, and Sandra had to walk by the Student Union, statue of Don Allegri Tantalia, founder, and the library to the Social Science Building where Dr. Nigera taught all her classes in the ground floor lecture amphitheater. The students loved her; she was an easy grader, and you had to be illiterate or stoned to fail one of her exams. Mambo was born in Belize of Anglican-Afro missionary parents, studied in Haiti and Boston IVY where she was awarded a doctorate (Ph.D.) in Anthropology. She was strikingly attractive with swept back hair, black suit and heels and tie set off with red hair clasps, lipstick, red carnation lapel corsage and long shiny red nails.

She waited for her class to settle and glanced at the roll. She returned Sandra’s smile. She turned to the green board and wrote:

Holy Land Tour

October 16–24

Coed: $1600 including air fare

Plan: 42 students 8 faculty

Must have roommate

$50/day extra for singles

Reservation: Drs. Nigera and Omikami

Chaperones: Father Galbreaux and spouse

Guest lecturers: Dr. Plotinus and Rabbi Joseph Credit: Elective 3 semester hours

Can make up missed classes and exams

We’re planning on a little trip this fall to Palestine. You will be expected to take notes and will be tested on Saturday morning before our return trip on Sunday. We will go as a group and leave at 4 P.M. on Saturday and return at 4 P.M. on Sunday at HIA. Any questions?

Can we take our boyfriend as our roommate? Giggles went around the room. Mambo smiled slightly and looked stern. The lady student sat down.

"We are going to the Holiest place on planet earth. You will be chaperoned by a Catholic priest and a Jewish rabbi. All the hotel rooms are air conditioned and have twin beds. No tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, alcohol or guns. There will be no romantic affection demonstrated in public. What you and your boyfriend do in your room stays there and please lock your door from the inside. Saint Nicholas University has always had the honor system. The Arabs go berserk over the sight of a woman’s ankle. We will spend two nights in the Tiberus Moriah on the Jewish side and five nights in the Seven Arches on Mount Olivet overlooking old Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

Think twice before you invite a boyfriend. You’ll relax and have more fun with a same sex roommate. We have plenty of time to discuss your concerns in the next three months. Be sure your passports are up to date. You can use American credit cards and money anywhere in Israel. We’ve arranged to have an Arab driver and a Jewish tour guide, so we won’t be bothered by terrorist, road blocks, and searches. Beside getting three hours academic credit, you will receive a Certificate of Pilgrimage signed by Teddy Kolleck, mayor of Jerusalem. It is my personal feeling that a trip to the Holy Land is an educational and religious opportunity of a lifetime. Safe and properly chaperoned, I think your parents will agree. Mambo erased the green board and wrote:

CHAPTER 3

1. PRE-COLONIAL RELIGIONS, HUMAN SACRIFICES, PHLEBOTOMY, AND CANNIBALISM

2.  CATHOLICISM, JESUS, BAPTISM, AND EUCHARIST.

Mambo left space for further notes. She turned and began her formal lecture.

"I have the balance of today, and three more lectures to cover pre-colonial religions. I’d like to save the last lecture for review. I placed sample copies of last semester’s final examination in the library for you to study. You may xerox them, but please don’t take the originals out of the library.

"The American Indians were products of genetic mutation and natural selection of migrant Mongolians who walked across the land bridge at Bering Strait twenty thousand years ago following and hunting big game. They spread all over both Americas, but were mostly concentrated in Mexico, Central America, and northwest South America. Three major civilizations developed: Aztec, Maya, and Inca. As today, Mexico City was the largest city in the world.

"The Aztecs were an extremely aggressive and hostile people and literally barbecued and ate all their neighboring tribes. They built giant pyramid temples where their priests cut the beating heart out of live humans and offered it to their sun god. They drained and drank the blood and rolled the victimized body down the high steps to the waiting worshipers below who divided up the carcass for barbecue, worship, and feast.

"The Mayas were into blood letting by the priest and priestess and each tribal king-god lived in a temple until he died. The human sacrifices were to appease the sun god. They were convinced that he (the sun) would not rise the next morning unless they made enough human sacrifices. Of course, the priests were ordained and trained to intervene between mortals and immortals, wheal power, store riches and manipulate ruler king-gods. The Aztecs were not monotheistic; they had three hundred lesser gods whose appeasement, fear, and worship controlled every minute of their lives. They feared the ghosts of the dead and prayed to a guardian spirit to protect them like a patron saint or a godfather to look over them. Sound familiar?

"When Hernan Cortez arrived in Mexico City in 1519 with 650 mounted, armored, and armed men, Montezuma II was sacrificing 1000 live humans a day. The Aztecs had never seen ships, horses, guns, wheels, and cannon, and mistook the Spanish for gods.

"The rest is history. The Spanish priests stepped forward and cried out, ‘stop, stop, Jesus has already given his blood and sacrificed his life on the cross for your sins’.

"At gunpoint, the Spanish had no difficulty converting them to Roman Catholicism by giving them a choice between Jesus and the Eucharist or decapitation and Christian burial with instant baptism and last rites in Latin in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

"Even today, next to Muhammad, Jesus is the most popular given name in the world. All of Mexico, Central, and South America, since they were already into blood letting and cannibalism, took to Jesus and the Eucharist like a duck takes to water in lieu of the lesser attractive offer of decapitation by the Spanish sword and/or axe.

Mexico, Central America, and Peru were rich in silver and gold. Their conquest could not have happened at a more fortunate time for the Mother Church since they were deeply in debt paying for building and decorating Saint Peter, and Europe was suffering from the plague of an acute gold and silver deficiency. They were ‘all petered out’, so to speak.

Dr. Nigera stopped and looked at her class. "Will the Mexicans find peace in Jesus? Will the Conquistadors find happiness and the fountain of youth? Will Spain get rich so they can build the greatest Armada ever, and will the Pope pay Michelangelo, Rafael, and Bernini