Confession by Gary Whitmore - HTML preview

Chapter 29

It was one-thirty in the morning in Daytona Beach, and the city was quiet.

A shadowy figure crept into Sam’s backyard. It was Billy in a black ski mask and gloves.

Billy walked to the back door, unlocked it with his key, then quietly stepped inside Sam’s house.

Billy stood in the kitchen. The house was quiet the way he wanted it, so he cautiously walked out of the kitchen and down the hallway, ever so quiet.

Billy walks to a bedroom where he sees Cindy asleep on Sam’s bed, then walks away while scheming.

Billy walked down the hallway and peeked in the den. He spotted Sam asleep in the lazy boy chair and then quietly entered.

Billy removed his ski mask and set it on Sam’s desk.

He softly approached Sam, seeing the 38 Special in Sam’s lap for protection. After a snicker, he slowly reached down and grabbed the revolver.

Billy opened up the barrel, removed all but one of the bullets, shoved them in his pocket, closed the barrel, and then walked around to the back of the chair.

Billy touched Sam’s temple with the barrel of the revolver. Sam swatted, thinking it was a bug.

Billy leaned down to Sam’s ear.

“Come to bed, honey. I’m horny and want you, Sam!” Billy whispered in Sam’s ear with a fake woman’s voice.

Sam smiled while waking up, thinking of a good time with Cindy. “Wait until I take my blue pill,” Sam said, then his eyes widened when he felt the barrel of a pistol pressed into his temple.

Sam looked down and saw his revolver was gone. “This doesn’t feel good,” Sam thought to himself.

Billy walked around the front of Sam with his back to the den’s door.

“No ski mask this time?” Sam said.

“I don’t need it,” Billy replied.

Sam instantly understood. He tried to get up, but Billy slammed him back in his chair.

Billy leaned down to Sam and slowly dragged the barrel of the 38 Special down Sam’s nose and then to his top lip.

Sam closed his mouth. Billy pressed the barrel harder against Sam’s lips. Billy pressed so hard Sam thought his front teeth would break. Sam almost peed his pants when he heard the click of the revolver. He was relieved, but sweat still formed on his forehead.

Billy pulled the revolver away from Sam’s mouth and kept it aimed at him. “So, here’s what happened. You are the October Slayer. Guilt finally got to you, and you got drunk again. The horror of you killing all those girls back in the sixties finally became so unbearable that you went off the deep end. You killed your girlfriend, then killed yourself,” Billy told Sam, and then a smirk grew on his face. “I’ll make sure her tummy is properly marked.”

“You’ll never get away with this.”

“Of course I will. I’ll leave a suicide note on your computer before I leave. You’ll also admit to killing dumbass Bo Smithson. As I previously taped his wallet and the gun that killed him under your sofa, of which you’ll write in your note that that’s where you hid it,” Billy said, looking proud, pulled out a small whiskey bottle from his pants pocket.,and opened it.

“I’m not going to continue my investigation,” Sam pleaded.

“Oh, by the way, they’ll also find child porno on your computer. The media will hate you,” Billy said while he forced the bottle into Sam’s mouth.

Sam tried to fight back, but Billy was stronger. He forced some whiskey down Sam’s throat.

Sam choked.

Billy pulled the bottle away and spilled some on Sam’s crotch, then dropped the bottle to the floor.

“If it’s one thing my big brother Allan taught me, it’s how to get away with murder,” Billy said with a huge, proud smile.

Sam gets furious and tries to stand up, but Billy forces him back into his chair.

“Get ready to meet Allan in hell!” Billy said with a smart-ass tone while he cocked the revolver.

Then, out of nowhere, a cast-iron skillet whacked Billy on the back of his head. His eyes crossed, and he dropped to the floor on his knees, dropping the revolver, and it slit across the floor a foot away. Billy was in a daze.

Cindy hovered over Billy with the cast iron skillet in her hand.

Billy stirred and looked up at Cindy. He realized she struck him and got pissed. “You fucking bitch,” he yelled out, then started to get up to come after her.

Cindy whacked him one more time with the skillet across his temple. Billy dropped to the floor out cold.

Sam got up from the chair and rushed over to Billy. Sam looked proud of Cindy.

“Find the evidence to fry this sicko!” she told Sam.

Sam looked down at Billy and nodded in agreement.

Cindy saw the wet spot on Sam’s crotch.

“Don’t tell me you had an accident?”

Sam smiled as he picked up the whiskey bottle off the floor. “He forced this down my throat and spilled some on my crotch,” he said while showing her the bottle.

Cindy looked relieved after hearing that story.

Sam picked up the revolver off the floor and aimed it at Billy.

“Go get some Duct tape and rope out of the garage,” he told Cindy.

She ran out of the den.

Ten minutes later, Sam had bound Billy’s wrists and ankles with Duct tape.

Cindy called the police, and they waited in the den for them to show up.

The doorbell rang ten minutes later.

“They’re here,” Sam told Cindy.

She rushed out of the den.

A few seconds later, Cindy reappeared in the den

with Daytona Beach officers, Dayna and Sean.

“So we meet again,” Dayna told Sam as they walked up to Billy, who was tied in the lazy boy chair with a splitting headache.

“This is the guy that broke into Cindy’s house. He broke into my house and tried to kill me. He’s Billy Stein,” Sam told the officers.

Sean walked over, untied the ropes, and then yanked Billy up to his feet.

“So you have any weapons or sharp objects in your pockets?” Sean asked Billy.

“No,” Billy replied and cringed over the pain in his head.

Sean reached into his back pocket and removed his wallet. He opened it and confirmed that he was indeed Billy Stein.

Sean reached into his front pockets, removed his car keys, handing everything to Dayna.

“Mister Stein, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in court. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?” Sean said.

Billy nodded his head in agreement.

Dayna cut the Duct tape off his wrists and then handcuffed him. She cut the Duct tape off his ankles.

Sean and Dayna escorted Billy out of the den. Sam and Cindy followed.

Sam opened the front door.

“We’ll need you to come to the station tomorrow,” Sean told Sam.

“We’ll be there,” Sam replied.

Billy looked really worried while he was being escorted out the door.

Sam closed the door and looked relieved. But he still looked concerned about never finding evidence to keep Billy behind bars forever.

“I better call Becky,” he said, then rushed out of the room.

In Kissimmee, Becky and Marty were sound asleep. The phone on the bedside table rang, and Becky stirred. The phone continued to ring, so she rolled over and picked it up.

“Hello,” she answered, still half asleep.

Marty woke up and curiously looked at Becky.

“It’s me, Sam Woods. I’m sorry to wake you, but I have some important news. Your uncle broke into my house and tried to kill me. But my girlfriend got the better of him with a cast-iron skillet,” Sam told her.

Becky shot up as she heard that waking her up. “Oh my God!” she cried out.

“What happened?”

“Uncle Billy tried to kill Sam Woods,” Becky told him.

“The Daytona Beach police arrested him and hauled him away,” Sam said.

“He’s in a Daytona Beach jail,” she told Marty.

“I’m going to the station tomorrow,” Sam told Becky.

“I’ll meet you at the police station in the morning. I want to talk to that bastard,” Becky told Sam.

“Okay, I’ll be there at nine,” Sam replied.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Becky said, then hung up the phone.

She lay on her back and stared at the ceiling, looking happy Billy was arrested. She wanted him to stay in jail for the rest of his life.

It was nine the next morning.

Sam and Cindy met Becky at the Daytona Police Station.

After Cindy and Sam had stated what had happened the previous night, they allowed Sam and Becky to talk with Billy.

Detective Matt Paule watched while Sam and Becky sat across the table from Billy in one of their interrogation rooms. Cindy sat at the other end of the room.

“What the hell’s going on, Uncle Billy?” she said.

Billy sat tight-lipped at the table.

“I know you’re the one that broke into Dad’s house. Guess what? Marty found that wooden chest!” Becky said while she glared at Billy, hoping that would loosen his lips.

Billy got nervous and fidgeted in his seat, figuring his goose was cooked after discovering that chest.

Sam looked elated. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he

asked Becky.

“Marty found it in the attic. We didn’t call you because it’s empty,” Becky told Sam.

Sam looked like he wanted to cry with that news.

Billy got a satisfied smirk. “Great job, Allan!” he thought to himself.

“For once in your life, do the right thing. Tell the truth. Admit you’re the killer,” Becky said, glaring at his eyes.

“My attorney will get me out of here soon, and I’ll live the rest of my life as a free man,” Billy replied with a smart-ass smirk.

“I want that lien removed.”

Billy stared at Becky briefly, then looked over at the guard. “Take me back to my cell.”

The guard walked over, and Billy stood up.

Cindy, Sam, and Becky watched while the guard escorted Billy out of the room.

“Are you sure that chest is empty?” Sam asked Becky.

“I’m sure,” she replied.

They got up and left disappointed with Detective Paule.

Outside the police station, Cindy and Sam stood by Becky at her car.

“I guess your investigation is over,” she told Sam.

“I guess. But, I wonder if that evidence was hidden somewhere else?”

Becky thought for a few seconds. “I don’t know where. We went through all of Dad’s stuff at his house. We didn’t find anything that appeared to be evidence,” she told him.

“That’s not what I wanted to hear.”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” she replied.

“Well, take care,” Sam said.

“You too,” Becky replied and walked to her car.

Sam and Cindy walked over and got inside his car.

They drove off in separate directions.

But they both wondered if they could ever keep Billy behind bars forever.

Sam dropped Cindy off at her house since she was safe to be alone.

Later that night in Daytona, Sam lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. His eyes welled up when he thought about Angie and his promise to Gary.

Marty and Becky lay in their bed in Kissimmee, and both wondered where the evidence was hidden.

The next day, Becky went to Allan’s house to meet some movers she hired.

All the stuff was repacked into boxes in Allan’s living room. The wooden chest was off to the side by the front door.

Becky paced around the boxes while she talked into her cell phone. “Take Nancy home after her dancing lessons,” she told Marty.

The front door was opened, and Jake and Willy from Cheap Movers entered the house.

They both picked up a box and carried them outside.

“Where’s Michael?” Marty asked from her cell phone.

“He’s outside on his razor scooter.”

Jake and Willy returned to the living room and picked up two more boxes.

They carried the boxes outside.

Michael ran into the house, ran over, and climbed up on a stack of boxes. He sat on the top box.

“Get down, Michael,” Becky yelled while she closed her cell phone and shoved it in her pants pocket.

Michael jumped off the boxes just as the two men entered the house.

Becky eyed the wooden chest by the front door. “Can you take that wooden chest to the trash for me?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Jake replied.

“May I use your bathroom?” Willy asked.

“Sure, it’s down the hall,” Becky replied.

Jake picked up the wooden chest and then walked out the door.

Willy headed toward the hallway.

The crash sound of wood breaking outside was heard a few seconds later.

Becky looked worried and ran out of the house.

Outside, the moving Jake lay on the ground on the smashed wooden chest. Michael’s razor scooter was tangled around his shoes.

“Michael! How often have I told you never to leave that scooter lying in the grass!” Becky yelled, then rushed over to the man.

Michael appeared at the front door. He saw Jake in the grass with his scooter tangled around the man’s

shoes and felt sorry.

Becky helped Jake to his feet. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Jake replied.

“I’m so sorry.”

“That’s alright,” Jake replied, then bent down and picked up the broken wood pieces.

“Go put that scooter away,” Becky told Michael while she walked to the door and went inside the house.

Michael ran over to this scooter and picked it up. He walked it over and set it down by the front end of their mini-van.

Willy walked out of the house and saw the broken pieces of wood. “What happened?”

“I tripped on the kid’s scooter and busted this chest.”

“It’s a good thing it was going to the trash,” Willy said, then bent down and picked up some pieces of wood.

Jake saw an old color picture in some of the pieces of wood.

He picked it up and glanced at it.

Willy peeked over Jake’s shoulder.

“That’s weird,” Willy replied while they looked at

the picture.

Jake walked to the house with the picture in his hand.

Becky was in the kitchen when Jake and Willy entered the house.

“Ma-am,” Jake called out.

Becky walked out of the kitchen and entered the living room.

“Is there another problem?”

“No, I found this picture amongst the pieces of the wooden chest. Thought you might want it,” Jake said.

Becky took the picture from him and looked at it. “This was in the chest?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jake said, then grabbed another box and walked outside.

Becky stared at the picture. “Why would Dad keep this?” she said while she stared at an old color picture of a gravesite for Annette Watson with flowers planted around the headstone.

She immediately removed her cell phone from her pocket and made a call.

“Sam, it’s me, Becky. Listen, I found something interesting,” she said into her cell phone.

“What’s that?” Sam replied from her cell phone.

“Well, apparently, a picture was hidden in that wooden chest.”

“A picture? Great!”

“But I don’t understand it because it’s a picture of a gravesite for Annette Watson,” Becky replied.

There was a long moment of silence from her cell phone. “She was the last girl killed by the October Slayer. I talked with her husband a few weeks ago. He’s a retired Marine Colonel.”

“Maybe that’s what Uncle Creepy was looking for?”

“Could be.”

“You’re welcome to come over and pick it up if you wish. I don’t have any use for it.”

“I’ll be over in a few hours,” he responded.

“Make it five o’clock. I’m at Dad’s, and the moving men are picking up his stuff to take it to Goodwill.”

“I’ll be there at five. And thanks. This might lead to something.”

Becky closed her cell phone and shoved it back in her pocket. She stared at the picture and got the creeps.

She left the living room and went into the kitchen, where she dropped the picture into her purse.