The Portland Autopsies

By Joseph Lange

Dr. Trevor Knight, having survived his ordeal in The Misophonic Murders, has accepted a position as the head of psychiatry at the prestigious University of California, San Francisco. Trying to come to grips with the loss of Chief John B. Smelly, Knight intends to get as far away from Paltry Station and its horrific memories as he can. Life has found him enjoying his new career and oceanfront home until the specter of a serial killer drags him back into the dangerous world of crime solving. Knight works with Detective Lance Lange from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office as he attempts to decipher a ten-year-killing spree that has terrorized the Portland, Oregon, area as well as the entire country. The monster has returned, more sinister than before, and allied itself with the most evil of partners. Only the most brilliant of minds and solid belief in a higher power can save him as he uses his intellect, solid faith, and of course, his grandmother Shelly Mahl's advice to survive the horror that has come to visit him. Murder is just a game, and it is. "Your move," Dr. Knight said.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781645598497

Book preview

Chapter 1

The plane ride was a long one for someone not used to flying. Seated by the window, Dr. Trevor Knight was looking out at the wing as the plane made its descent into San Francisco.

The Airbus A380’s engines hummed and shifted frequency, a sound Knight did not particularly like. The headphones he wore were tuned to the cockpit as he found it was interesting to listen to the goings-on in the flight.

United 715 heavy reduce speed 210 kn. Descend and maintain six thousand.

Knight looked over the wing and began to see the flaps articulate to the command. Looking out, he saw the Golden Gate Bridge coming into view and the small island of Alcatraz.

God, what it must have been like to be in there, he thought. No mental-health help for those poor souls.

Closing his eyes, he prepared for the landing that would bring him to a new chapter in his life. Although excited, he already missed the small town of Paltry Station and his grandmother Shelly Mahl.

The rumble of the plane’s wheels returned his attention to the fact that he had touched down. The plane taxied to terminal 3, and Knight saw gate 73A ahead.

Gathering his things, he made his way to the exit doors and the baggage-claim area. Watching the turning baggage conveyor for his luggage, he again daydreamed of home.

Seeing the large blue suitcase make its way to his position, he tugged at it and finally removed it. Looking through the growing crowd of people bumping each other to retrieve their baggage, he could not help but think that manners and common civility were less than practiced in his new environment.

If these people only knew how some folks react to this type of behavior, he thought.

Looking to the taxi exit, he made his way toward the waiting line of cabs.

*****

Back in Paltry Station, Shelly Mahl glanced at her watch. He should be there now, she thought. Please, God, keep him safe out there.

*****

The cabbie opened the trunk and putting the luggage in asked, Where to, boss?

Five hundred five Parnassus Avenue, UCSF Medical Center, please, replied Knight.

The roughly fourteen-mile trip took longer than Knight would have liked, and it was the first indicator that he no longer was in the one traffic light of Paltry Station.

Arriving outside the main medical center, Knight stood and surveyed the scene. Reaching into his coat pocket, he retrieved a crumpled-up map and made his way into the sprawling facility.

Seeing an information desk, he made his way to it and was greeted by a young woman behind the desk. Can I help you? she asked, smiling broadly.

Yes, thank you, Knight replied. I am Dr. Knight, Dr. Trevor Knight. I have a meeting with Dr. Hoo. I am a bit late due to traffic. Can you ring him for me, please?

Certainly, Dr. Knight. He is expecting you. As she dialed the number, Knight continued to inspect the spacious main entrance of his new facility.

I must look like such a tourist, he thought innocently.

Within five minutes, an audible ding from the elevator was heard just to the right of the info desk. Glancing over, Knight noticed a small rotund man exit and make his way toward him.

Hello, Dr. Knight. Wonderful to finally meet you, the man said, giving a hearty handshake.

I am Dr. Hoo. Please follow me.

Knight struggled against the weight of his baggage but managed to follow Hoo into the elevator and soon found himself on the penthouse floor.

Exiting the elevator, he quickly noticed a sign that stated Administrative Suite and half-carrying and half-dragging his oversized luggage managed to get through the doorway and find a chair.

Within a few minutes, the door opened and entering was a tall, thin gentleman. Knight recognized him immediately as the chief of staff for USFS Medical Center from the interview process he had undergone.

Dr. Knight, welcome to USCF. Wonderful to have you on board, the man said. Your reputation has preceded you. Everyone is buzzing about your research on misophonia and of course, the incident in Paltry Station. Thank God, you survived that, he said.

Thank you, Dr. Grey. It is a pleasure to be at this facility, and I look forward to working here. Can you tell me where I am to stay and my office space? It has been a tiring flight, and I would like to lose this heavy luggage.

Certainly, Dr. Knight.

We have a residence for you, Gray said. It is in a quiet part of Daly City, just south of here, only six miles from the campus on 280.

Yes, I passed it on my way here, Knight said.

Here is the address. And your office is down the hall and to your right. Your nameplate is on the door. I have a meeting now, but welcome again, and you will see your schedule on the desk in your office and your orientation schedule as well.

If you have questions or any need, please let Dr. Hoo know.

Thank you, Dr. Grey, Knight replied, struggling with his luggage and proceeding to the door.

Dr. Hoo, I will be in touch then as I have needs, Knight said.

Absolutely, Dr. Knight, Hoo said. I am here to make sure you are settled in and ready to go.

Heading down the hallway, Knight came to the office that Dr. Grey had mentioned.

Dr. Trevor Knight, Chief of Psychiatry.

Opening the door, he was surprised at the spaciousness of his new office. His old office was dark, dank, and located in a building eighty years old. This was definitely a huge step up.

Laying his luggage to the side, he reviewed the items on his desk, a letter explaining his first week, a set of keys to his residence, and a set of keys to the vehicle assigned to him and the location.

Another contained his passwords to the PC and his name tag.

Sitting down into the large leather chair, he reached for the phone, and dialing the number, he waited for the answer at the other end.

Hello, who is this? the voice on the other end asked.

It’s me, Grandma. Trevor, Trevor Knight. I’m here, Grandma. I’m in my new office and safe. Just wanted you to know.

The adventure had begun.

Chapter 2

After the conversation with his grandmother Shelly Mahl, Knight made his way to the parking garage, and after a short time and with the help of the medical center’s security department, he located the vehicle that was assigned to him.

A new red Jeep Grand Cherokee. Knight smiled as his grandmother had often let him use her Grand Cherokee while he attended college. His fifteen-year-old Chevy was often in the shop for repairs, and his grandmother always let him use her new Jeep.

One day I will have one of these, he often told her, and he was getting closer to realizing it, even if for now it was assigned to him.

What a difference from the security I had depended on at the Marshburg Clinic, he thought. These guys are really professional.

For a moment, the horror of Officer Gallager and his fate came rushing forward. Knight had tried hard to come to grips with the whole thing, but understandably, the terror of it all came at the strangest of times.

Little things would trigger it, but Knight used his extensive training to cope.

He located the GPS and began to enter the address of where he was to stay: 1545 Palisades Drive.

I hope it isn’t in a scary part of town, he thought. Being new, he worried about where he would be staying, and coming from a town of less than two thousand, he feared the worst. His grandmother had begged him to stay local, but the opportunity to head the psychiatry department at USCF was just too much to overcome.

Knight also soon realized his driving skills were not up to California standards and certainly not at rush hour. After a short time driving south and trying to keep up with traffic, the GPS voice broke the tension.

Turn right on Eighty-Seventh Street.

Knight managed to maneuver into the correct lane with only a few angry honks and a few more middle fingers given by the locals.

Turn right on Skyline Boulevard, the GPS instructed calmly.

Where is it? Knight gasped as he saw the traffic slowing and congesting.

Turning right, he proceeded until turning right on Palisades Drive.

Thank God, I’m almost there, Knight thought. After travelling a short distance, the GPS announced, Arriving, 1545 Palisades Drive on the right.

This has to be wrong, Knight sighed. Stupid GPS.

Pulling into the white concrete driveway, Knight parked the vehicle and exited. The address on the front of the home was clear, 1545 Palisades Drive.

Knight checked the address given to him by Dr. Gray to verify what he was seeing was actually correct. It was.

The home was just what he had always wanted, a two-story structure located just a scant few yards from the magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean.

The sun glistening off the water was amazing, and Knight could feel it warming the back of his neck. The incoming breeze brushed his face, and Knight closed his eyes and soaked it in.

This is where I’m staying? Knight gasped. Making his way to the front door, he inserted the key and heard the solid click of the lock release, and he was soon inside the spacious foyer.

Walking to the living room, he gazed out of the huge window and out to the west and the ocean view.

God, he sighed.

The place was completely furnished. The smell of new carpeting and the gleam of the polished hardwood floors caught his attention. There was a notification that the maid service will arrive daily at nine each morning and clean unless notified in advance not to, another informing of the linen service, and another about the yard-maintenance crew.

Oh my god, is that a pool? he asked himself as he gazed to the lower level facing the ocean.

Maybe they made a mistake here, he thought.

Locating an envelope on the table labeled Ocean View Realty, he removed the contents.

Greetings, Dr. Knight!

We hope you enjoy your stay. This magnificent home can be yours for $3.7 million. If you are satisfied with this location, please call our agent listed below, and we can take care of all the needed paperwork.

Welcome to Daly City, Dr. Knight.

Good Lord, $3.7 million! Knight exclaimed. I wonder what the rent is on this place. No one at the medical center had mentioned any terms, but right now, it didn’t matter.

I like this place, he thought. It will do nicely.

Knight heard his stomach grumble. It has been early in the morning since he had left Paltry Station for the airport, and he was hungry.

He had noticed a Krispy Krunchy Chicken place, Subway, and Pizza Hut on his way just off thirty-five a short distance away.

However, that rush-hour traffic had him worried enough to find his bedroom and after a quick clean up retrieved an item from his baggage.

Pulling out a little fuzzy stuffed black-and-white cow. His grandmother had given him that stuffed little cow when he was about four years old, and unbelievably, she had sewn and cleaned it over the years. It was just something he had kept with him throughout his life, and he cherished it.

Everyone needs an anchor in life against the many storms that come, some reassurance that everything would be okay. Some have wives or significant others to cling to, to keep the darkness and its monsters away.

Dr. Trevor Knight had a cow.

Snuggling under the blankets, Knight put the stuffed cow to his cheek, closed his eyes, and drifted into sleep.

It felt like only a few hours, but his wristwatch buzzing indicated that it was already six in the morning. Knight hurried out of bed and after a quick shower was dressed and heading into the medical center.

The morning traffic was horrendous; however, with the aid of the reassuring voice in the GPS, he managed to arrive at his parking spot and hurried into the center.

Chapter 3

Good morning, Dr. Knight, the smiling face said as it poked from behind the small office adjacent to Knight’s office.

The diminutive source of the welcome came out and extended her tiny hand to Knight.

Good morning, and you are? Knight asked.

Oh, I’m sorry. I am your administrative secretary, came the reply. Susan Hoo.

I’m sorry you’re sorry you’re my administrative secretary, Knight quipped, trying to get off on the right foot.

Nothing like Midwest humor to break the ice, he thought.

Knight smiled. Susan Hoo? May I call you Suzy?

No, you may not, Hoo replied. After an awkward couple of seconds, she laughed and said, I’m kidding, Dr. Knight. You can call me Susan.

Well, err— Knight mumbled, looking for words.

Yes, Dr. Knight, you can call me Suzy if you like, Hoo said, finally breaking the continued silence.

I would bet you get a lot of that, don’t you? Knight asked.

Well, actually no, replied Hoo. Just from…some—

This is going just famously, isn’t it? Knight stuttered. May I ask if you are any relation to Dr. Hoo?

Actually no, replied Hoo.

No, you’re not related, or no, I can’t ask? Knight laughed.

We are going to get along just fine, Dr. Knight, Hoo replied, again smiling broadly.

God, I sure hope so ’cause so far I’m batting around .250, said Knight nervously.

I have your schedule, Dr. Knight. You have a full day, so if you would like, we can go over it now.

Thank you. I will need some directions as well as this place is dauntingly large.

Then follow me, Dr. Seuss, I mean, Dr. Knight, Hoo said.

I guess I deserved that one. Knight laughed.

The day began with meet and greet of facility and senior leaders. Knight was receptive to the whole thing but not receptive to the constant questions about what had transpired back home.

What made you famous cannot be ignored, nor can it be forgotten.

Although he had serious issues dealing with the events, it was important in the academia field and especially in his role of chief of psychiatry to maintain a stolid front as would be expected of one of his stature in the field.

It was not long, and Knight was growing weary from the full day’s events and the celebrity status he had obviously acquired.

Would you like to join me for a bite to eat in the cafeteria? Knight asked Hoo. I really haven’t eaten anything since I left Paltry Station.

Oh, I didn’t realize that, Dr. Knight. Of course, Hoo replied. I can take you down there, and we can get a quick lunch.

Knight was happy with things so far, and entering the cafeteria, he picked up two trays. The gesture did not go unnoticed by Hoo.

That’s very nice of you. Manners are not dead after all, she said. You never see a lot of it out here, you know.

I know. You should see the waves I get from folks as I drive in here, laughed Knight.

Sitting down, Knight was cautious to maintain proper decorum, eating slowly and quietly even though he was starving. Hoo sat quietly as well and as if on a first date, slowly picked at her food while smiling occasionally at Knight.

Susan, I was wondering something, the place I am staying, do you know the particulars on it? How much am I required to pay for rent and utilities? I never received a lease or anything and was just wondering.

Yes, I was the one that arranged for that, Doctor, she replied. "I was notified to acquire it through our foundation. It is a