The Hidden Mystery

By Paul Hillman

This book speaks about a young boy who dreams of becoming a homicide detective. However, little did he know he would need to go on a quest in finding his family. This happened after his home caught on fire, then learned that his family was not in the fire: they were abducted. Before finding his family, he would have to cross over the Brooklyn Br

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Jul 29, 2019
• ISBN: 9781643456690

Book preview

The Hidden Tale

Life sometimes starts out on a good term in some people’s dream before seeing their wishes and dreams been fulfilled; however, in some people’s lives, it’s just the opposite, the unexpected. There are some who started life, then gave up and faded away because their life’s tragedies were too overwhelming for them to handle. Some hang in there with tears and hopes, hoping for the turn around and the best to happen in the end.

It started out on a sad note in the life of a young boy whose name was Martin Bowman, as he was left to struggle with unanswered questions and the mystery that lay beyond the abduction of his family and the death of his grandfather over the Brooklyn Bridge. Martin was living approximately fifty miles away from the city of New York with his family, just a few blocks away from his grandfather’s home. Martin was young and curious, loved to have fun. He also liked to play chess with his best friend, Mark, who lived a few miles away from his home.

Martin and Mark became friends after the two came together to take down a robber one late evening at a convenience store. It happened after Martin walked into the store; he noticed that the store clerk was held up at gunpoint. In haste, Martin pounced upon the robber, knocked the gun from his hand, and then put the robber into a choke hold. The robber tried desperately to get away as the two began to toggle. It was then Mark came on the scene, who was informed by the frightened clerk what had happened. Mark then joined Martin, and the two subdued the robber, as the police was called to the scene. The robber was then taken to jail. After the incident, the two became best friends and hoped one day that they would be able to make a difference in solving crime.

The mystery about Martin was, he likes mystery movies, likes adventures, and likes solving clues and puzzles. He was fourteen years old, the youngest of three. The oldest was John, followed by his older sister, Alicia, who was fifteen. Their father, Jack Bowman, and mother, Jane Bowman, noticed that there was something outstanding and special about their youngest child, Martin. He was loving and caring and also likes to go on adventurous journeys with his best friend, Mark Chapman. He was known to be the favorite grandchild and was well admired by his grandfather, Mr. Joe Bowman, who would spend most of the time telling Martin stories, as Martin would love to sit and listen. The old man was a retired detective who also followed the footsteps of his father, who was also a detective. Joe Bowman had solved numerous crimes and put many killers behind bars. Martin hoped to take on that journey of adventure and hoped to walk in his grandfather’s footsteps when he grew up. Young Martin did not have a clue in knowing that one day he would be the one to go on a mystery in solving his family’s abduction and his grandfather’s death over the Brooklyn Bridge.

The story of the Bowman family seems to take on the tale on a narrative’s telling, which also leaves a trail to the tale of a legacy. Joe Bowman’s father, Mr. James Bowman, leaves a narrative telling like his son Joe and his great grandson Martin. James Bowman started life on his own at the age of seventeen. He grew up through a life of struggle after his mother and father were both kidnapped and later found dead in a building that was abandoned. His parent’s death was declared unsolved, although the unknown suspects were later arrested, yet their crime was not known, which remains a hidden mystery. He was adopted at the age of seven and was raised up in a foster care home. He was not comfortable living in foster care. Because of the ways in which he was treated, he was forced to run away. At the age of sixteen years old, he ran away from foster care and had spent time living on the street. He grew up around the project, living with friends, from one house to the other. He witnessed a lot of crime and violence, gang members robbing and shooting. After growing up, he learned about the homicide and what had happened to his parents, as he lived with the regrets of the sad memory. Yet he has no clue that two persons who was involved in the murdering of his parents were part of a gang living in the project, where he spent most of his young days growing up. It was later after becoming a detective that he would capture the two gang members who were part of one of the gang during a raid. Yet he had no clue that two of the gang members whom he had put behind bars were suspects in his parent’s death. As a young man growing up around the project, despite the environment and his surrounding, he did not get involve but rather made a vow to make a difference in solving crimes.

After making it through the street life of struggles, he met Ray Chapman, who was also a longtime friend of James Bowman’s father. Ray noticed that James was a very smart and intelligent young man. He told Ray about the life that he was living in the street and the many times that he witnessed violence—and vowed to make a difference. After his mother and father were kidnapped and found dead, James did not give up hope. His hopes and desire were to overcome the tragedy, the brokenness, and sorrows that he had experienced in the past. He was eighteen years old when he decided to become a homicide detective. Little did he know that his hope and desire of fighting crime would one day become a reality, which would also leave a legacy through his son and grandson after his work as a detective would come to an end. In addition, this would later turn out to be a legacy in his family’s tradition. After becoming a homicide detective, he began to fight crime and vowed to keep guns out of the hands of killers and off the street.

It happened one day while patrolling, Detective Bowman heard the sound of gun shots spark, as he patrolled the project where he once hanged around during his teenage days. It was then he radioed other detectives, as he rushed to the violent scene. Not long after, a team of homicide detectives were on the scene. Detective James Bowman and the team of detectives were able to surround members of the gang and then capture them. It happened that two gang leaders were captured and taken to jail. Later the two members of the gang were both interrogated and gave the names of each member of their gang. Not long after, Detective Bowman managed to capture all the members from off the street, which also put an end to the crime and violence that were taking place in the project. His hopes and desires of making a difference in the community had surely come to pass.

It was later after intensive interrogation that Detective Bowman learned that two of the gang’s leaders that were captured might have played a role in the abduction and the murder of his parents. However, this could not be proven since there was no evidence, which becomes a hidden mystery; however, he was feeling very happy because of the difference that he had made in the community. He believed solving crimes and making a difference in the community was his hope and desire; however, after finding the person who was responsible for his parent’s murder, although there was no evidence, he believed that his work had finally come to an end. Sometime later, he married his fiancée, Lisa Johnson, and both gave birth to a son, whom they named Joe Bowman.

Joe would later become a detective, who would solve his father’s murder. One of the best day for a father and a son spending time together was the last day that Detective James Bowman spent with his son, Joe Bowman. It was a day for reflection, which later turned out to be a day of memory for young Joe Bowman. Detective James Bowman told young Joe about some of the experience and the things that he encountered as a detective. Young Joe was very fascinated, anxious, and curious to hear more, as he listened to his father. This seemed to urge Joe of becoming a detective because he believed that his father was living a life full of adventures. The two spent time together as they watched a movie and read books about mystery. This was one of Joe and James best day spending time together as a father and son. Joe hoped that he would be able to have a few more days spending time with his father because Detective James never seemed to be at home, but was always busy working as a detective solving crimes. It happened the next day when Detective James Bowman received a call about a robbery that was taking place at the East River Trail. It was then Detective Bowman gave his son the last hug and goodbye, not knowing this would be the last day that he would spend time with his son Joe. There was something that Detective Bowman told his son Joe that would trigger Joe’s mind a few years later.

Before leaving for the East River Trail, he told his son Joe, I will be heading to the East River Trail. If you miss me, you know where to find me. At one point, young Joe thought that his father was leaving him a clue, not knowing that this would turn out to be a trail and a clue for young Joe to follow. These were the last words that Detective James uttered to his young son Joe before racing to the East River Trail. After arriving and beginning his investigation, he learned that two tourists had been robbed while walking the trail. Detective Bowman later heard from an eyewitness that there was a suspicious person. And the person who happened to sail on the same boat was one of the suspects. Detective Bowman quickly tried to pursue the boat. During his pursuit, a gun battle developed between Detective James Bowman and one of the robber. The unexpected tragedy happened, which ended detective Bowman’s life, when he was shot to death in the chest. After hearing the sad news that his father was killed on the trail, young Joe Bowman was speechless and terrified. He would live with this memory in his mind and the last words from a father to a son, I will be heading to the East River Trail. If you miss me, you know where to find me. This was a clue for young Joe in finding his destiny and to pursue the one who took his father’s life. Like his father’s death on the trail, his life would end over the Brooklyn Bridge, which would also leave a trail for his young grandson, Martin Bowman, to follow some years down the road.

Before Mr. Joe Bowman’s mysterious death over the Brooklyn Bridge, his life started out on a similar journey just like his father and grandson. He was eighteen years old when he started his life’s journey as a homicide detective. He served thirty years in the service, has solved many crimes, and put away many killers behind prison bars. Mr. Joe Bowman decided to become a detective after his close friend and classmate was gunned down and murdered while he had to watch his friend bled to death.

Like his grandson, Detective Bowman was very curious and adventurous. He loved reading books about mystery and loved watching forensic files and detective movies. Sometimes he would have nightmares about serial killers and would wake up from his sleep thinking that someone was about to break in his home. He sometimes believed that someone was out there to get him. It happened one day after he had a nightmare about a young girl being abducted while sleeping, then was strangled to death.

It was approximately eight hours when he witnessed his best friend shot to death the very next day. This had become his living nightmare at the tender age of ten years old. He vowed that he would do something to help other victims who would face this kind of tragedy.

Two years later, at the age of twelve, he spent some time with his father, which end up being the last day spending time with him. Sometime later, he received the sad news by detectives from the scene that his father was murdered along the East River Trail. This would become a place of sad memory about the father that he did not spend much time with growing up. He grew up living with the pain of this terrible and tragic loss and deemed in himself that he would become a detective. Little did he know that another tragedy was about to happen. It happened five years later, at the age of seventeen, when his close friend Gary Coleman would follow the footsteps of his father, as he was also murdered. This tragedy forces Joe to become a detective, as he planned to fight crime. They oftentimes say, Like father, like son. However, some years later down the road, there was a young man who was also the grandson of Mr. Joe Bowman, who would follow his footsteps as a detective.

His journey as a detective started out at the age of eighteen; little did he know his grandson Martin would turn eighteen the very same day when his life would be ended over the Brooklyn Bridge.

Facing the Gruesome Killer

The most fearful case that Detective Joe Bowman had to solve was facing the gruesome killer. He stands 6 feet, 5 inches tall, dark male, dark moustache, and bald-headed. He was known to be crazy, vicious, and dangerous. He was wanted for numerous of unsolved crimes. His last attempt happened after abducting a young girl; just as she was leaving a party, he walked toward her car. It was just after 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday evening when Dawn Jenkins tried to make it home early. She did not have a clue about the ambush and the danger that awaits her. He would hide around cars, especially if he knows that the car was driven by a female. He was given the name because he would viciously attack his victims, beat them, and strangle them while yelling at them as if he was a crazy man.

It happened that Saturday evening, as Dawn was about to open the door of her Lexus, when the dark and tall bald-headed man sneaked up behind her. She was about to turn around, but suddenly without a chance, the man known as the gruesome killer was getting ready to pounce on her. Just before she could scream or cry out, she suddenly felt two huge strong hands as they were wrapped around her face and mouth. Her abductor was making sure that she would not leave any sound of alarm. Her abductor then placed her in the trunk of the vehicle. He then drove Dawn’s car away from the scene. The gruesome killer drove Dawn to his home, where he sexually assaulted her. Her abductor then tied her two hands behind her with a cord, then he yelled at her, calling her names to degrade her. He oftentimes would do so, then go have a drink. After Dawn’s abductor starts drinking, he then puts on a movie of a serial killer.

After forcing Dawn to watch the movie, he mocked her, then asked her the question, Do you enjoy watching serial killers? He would do so to traumatize his victims, put fear in them, and then seem to have fun while killing them. After watching the movie with Dawn, he then began drinking some heavy shots. At some point, Dawn’s parents noticed that it was getting late because they were expecting Dawn home early that night. They tried to call Dawn; however, they did not hear from her. Her cellular phone was left in the trunk of her car, after she was abducted and placed in her car’s trunk. They then made a call to Stephanie’s home, where Dawn went to party, but was told that Dawn had left for home some minutes before nine. This was when Dawn’s family alarmed detectives that their daughter was missing and did not call home or pick up her phone. This was strange to Dawn’s family because their daughter was known as one that would text or call home even before her parents would check upon her. It was sometime before midnight when detectives went to the house of Stephanie to ask questions. However, they received no clues or revelation. They were only told that Dawn had left the party earlier on her own. Detective Joe searched on the outside looking for clues. He then noticed in the area where Stephanie’s home is located, there was a hidden camera. Detectives took a hold of the camera, hoping that the camera would give them the tale of what had happened to Dawn during the time of her