A Day in the Park: Murder Witnessed: Murder Made, #5

By E.G. Voss

Parks are many things to different people. A playground, picnic spot, an area to relax. And sometimes they're a perfect place for a murder.

 

16-year-old Gretchen Retrum is a New York City girl born and bred. Fiercely independent, she's not like most girls her age and likes to spend time alone. Central Park's newest attraction, the Shakespeare Garden, opened earlier in the spring of 1916 and she went there whenever she could when she needed to unwind.

But another relaxing trip to the park proved to be more than she bargained for when she ran head long into a war conspiracy. Now she has to get to the bottom of the plot while dodging a determined German spy and saboteur who's been trying to cover his tracks by eliminating her as the sole witness. 

As Gretchen speeds towards her destiny, she must use her wits to survive.

 

As one of two backstory novellas leading up the events in the first novel of the Murder Made series,Murder Made Casual, be sure to buy A Day in the Park: Murder Witnessed, to see how it all began!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erik Voss
• Release date: May 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201236380

E.G. Voss

E.G. Voss is a nearly 30-year veteran police detective sergeant having investigated everything from the mundane to murder.  Additionally, Voss also serves as an instructor in several criminal justice disciplines teaching active-duty police officers, college students and academy cadets. Married with three children, Voss enjoys the small-town life of Wisconsin.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

16 -year-old Gretchen Retrum was running as fast as she could, and she was losing her breath. She considered herself to be in good shape but the man chasing her was gaining ground quickly. She weaved her way through the trees and bushes of Central Park, navigating them with ease as she’d done so many times before. New York’s largest park had far more than that within its boundaries but for now, she wasn’t thinking about that. She was thinking about the man trying to kill her and the best thing for now was to make it out of the woods and head for the more populated areas. 

In this park, it wasn’t too difficult to run into people. Smack dab in the middle of New York City, it was extremely popular with the tourists and the locals alike. 

Except apparently today! Where is everybody?

She could hear the man’s grunts as he was trying to catch up. Gretchen knew that if she made it out into the open, he’d catch her. Likewise, if she found a manicured path, she’d be dead meat. Her only option now was to stick to the more heavily wooded section of the park and hope to come across someone who could help her. She was in the area known as the Ramble which was near the lake and the Bethesda Terrace. That area was always crowded, especially during this hot July of 1916.  

She scrambled up over the rocks and disappeared down towards the cave. She’d managed to put a little distance between her and the man and hoped it was enough to lose him in this area. She also hoped he didn’t know the area as well as she did. She ran south through the stone Ramble arch and west of the lake and took a hard right turn heading down the steps to the cave. It was a gamble on two fronts: there could be nefarious people down there or she could be trapped if he found her. She really hoped that she would just be able to lose him.

Gretchen headed down into the cave and waited. Her heart was pounding, and she was trying to keep her breathing quiet. She could hear the man on the small rock outlook above her.

I know you’re nearby, the man called out with a German accent. I know you’re scared because of what you saw. And you want to know something? You should be scared.

Gretchen felt eyes growing wide.

This is a big city, the man continued. Easy to hide. 

The man paused and she could see the pebbles being kicked over the side as the man was walking around, probably trying to get a better look.

Fortunately for you, I don’t have the time for this right now. But know this, he said with a menacing tone. I have a way of finding people, no matter the location. Your days are numbered.

And then there was nothing. Gretchen couldn’t see any pebbles dropping over the edge, it was just quiet. She then heard a man and a woman joking about the day they’d had.

Gretchen listened to the man and woman and debated her options. the chances were good that the man that had been chasing her was gone. And if he weren’t, the fact that there were more people around meant he wouldn’t try anything. Or he could just kill all three of them. No matter what the situation was, she couldn’t just stay down in the cave forever. She decided to go for it as there was safety in numbers.

She crept up the stairs cautiously peeking up over her right shoulder until she could see over the ledge. The man was gone, and it was only the man and the woman. Based on their conversation, they were getting ready to leave. She figured this was her chance to just tag along until they got closer to more people and she could just slip away.

Gretchen was scanning for the man as they walked, the couple oblivious to her being just a couple of steps behind. She’d figured correctly as they got closer to the Bethesda Terrace, the crowds started to increase.

She slid off to the side and entered the tunnel, heading up the steps. Everything seemed to be going well so far. She’d make her way back home taking a longer route as she wished to avoid going straight there. Just in case.

After taking as many precautions as she could, she finally arrived back home. She ran up the steps, quickly shut the door behind her, and slid down to the floor, her back bracing the door. She’d made it.

She was 16 years old, good in school, with an all-around good life. 

And she had just witnessed a murder.

CHAPTER 2

Gretchen sat there , her back against the door, trying to get her breathing under control.  She was glad her parents weren’t home because she didn’t think she could come up with some story on the fly right now. They’d see right through her. 

After a few minutes, she slowly got to her feet and peeked out the window next to the door. She lived at 15 W. 76th St., just a half a block from Central Park West and for the most part, it was a quiet street. At least as far as New York streets were concerned.

She scanned to the left and then to the right but there was no sign of the man and only a few people walking on the sidewalks. Feeling better that she hadn’t been followed, she made sure the door was locked and climbed the stairs to the fourth floor at the top of the brownstone. She needed time to think.

She entered her bedroom and flopped on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Murder! She couldn’t believe it; she’d watch someone get killed right in front of her at the Shakespeare Garden. She might’ve thought it was a play, given where they were, but for the fact that the man started to chase her. And he wasn’t acting.

What do I do? Call the cops? Tell Mom and Dad? In that order? 

Her mind was racing. If she went to the police first, they’d think she was some sort of crazy kid. If she told her parents, they’d think she was a crazy kid. The options weren’t good. 

She decided that she needed to bring in someone who wasn’t an adult. Mary Slaton. Gretchen’s best friend since the second grade, they’d been through a lot together. Gretchen got picked on because of her red hair and good looks while Mary got it because of her glasses and her personality, which was to put it politely, very dry. Teenage girls, especially the popular ones in high school, weren’t exactly known for their benevolence towards girls who weren’t like them. Gretchen decided that it\d be safer if Mary came over to her house. She lived a few houses down the street and could be here in no time. Gretchen went downstairs and picked up the candlestick phone which was on a desk in the front hall.

Gretchen held the earpiece to her ear, told the operator the number, and waited for Mary to pick it up. Telephones were so convenient, and Gretchen’s parents never forgot to remind her how nice they were. Mary\s voice appeared.

Hello? she asked.

It’s Gretchen, can you come over?

Yeah, I guess, she answered. What’s going on?

Can’t talk on the phone, just get over here.

Gretchen replaced the handset. She began playing scenarios in her head on how she should tell Mary what she saw. And they all sounded crazy.

Within a few minutes, there was a knock on the door. Gretchen went to the window and was relieved that it wasn’t the man there to kill her.

Gretchen opened the door quickly and yanked in her friend and slammed the door.

Hey, what gives? Mary demanded.

Whereas Gretchen was tall, slim, and athletic, Mary was shorter and average sized. Her dark hair was short compared to Gretchen’s long, red locks and her glasses gave her an intellectual look which of course, she was. She was also someone you didn’t want to mess with.

Gretchen looked out the window once more, before motioning for them to go upstairs.

You want to tell me what’s going on? Mary asked as she trudged behind Gretchen up the steps.

In a minute.

They finally made it up to her bedroom and Gretchen shut the door while Mary flopped on Gretchen’s bed. 

I’ve got something to tell you, and you’re the only one that I’ve told.

Mary sat there quietly.

Gretchen exhaled. I saw someone murdered today.

Mary stared at her and then laughed nervously. You want to run that by me again, because it sounded like you watched someone get killed.

Gretchen raised her eyebrows.

Holy cow, Gretchen! Mary exclaimed. "You’re serious?"

Gretchen nodded.

Okay, so let’s have it.

Gretchen began to pace. I was down at the Shakespeare Garden in the park.

"The new one they dedicated a