Confession by Gary Whitmore - HTML preview

Chapter 32

A couple of weeks passed, and the paternity tests proved Becky was John’s daughter. She was so relieved she wasn’t related to Allan that she legally changed her name to Rachael Watson Adams.

Marty and Becky also decided to sell their house and move to Phoenix for a new life. John stayed with Becky in Florida to help her move to Phoenix in the upcoming weeks.

Then Becky hands an idea.

“There’s something I want to do before I move to Phoenix,” she told John.

“What’s that?” he asked curiously.

She whispered in his ear.

John briefly considered her idea and debated whether he should condone such a plan. Then he thought about Annette’s death. “I’m in,” he said.

Becky immediately called the office at the Heavenly Place Cemetery. She asked if she could have Allan’s body dug up and have him cremated. The manager said he would put the proper paperwork into work and approve it.

Meanwhile, at Sam’s house, he relaxed on his sofa in the living room, watching the Dirty Harry movie.

His phone in the kitchen rang; Sam got off the sofa and left the room.

Sam went into his kitchen and picked up the ringing phone.

“Sam Woods,” he answered.

There were a few seconds of silence. “Mister Woods, my name is Les Bowman. I saw on the news that you uncovered that Allan Stein was the October Slayer,” Les said.

Yes, sir.”

“Well, I know that he’s dead, but there’s something I want to get off my chest,” Les said.

“Okay.”

“I was in the Army and stationed in Saigon in nineteen seventy.

I saw Allan stab a black soldier in an alley one night. Allan said something about payback for something that happened in Mississippi when they were kids,” Les stated.

“Why didn’t you tell the Army about that?” Sam curiously asked.

“Well, I’m ashamed of this, but back then, I was selling drugs for extra cash. I was making a drug transaction, and after it was done, I saw Allan kill that black Staff Sergeant,” Les said. There was a brief second of silence. “I then heard that CID was investigating the murder and learned that the guy who killed that sergeant was the investigator. I knew I had to keep my mouth shut, or I might end up dead.”

“Well, nothing can be done now since Allan’s dead,” Sam said.

“I know, but I wanted to tell someone and get it off my chest,” Les replied.

“Well, thanks for telling me. This at least answers one question I had floating in my mind,” Sam responded.

“Thanks for listening,” Les said, then disconnected his end of the call.

Sam hung up his phone and knew nothing could be done now. He wished this guy had come forward years ago.

Sam left the kitchen and returned to his movie in the living room.

The next day, Sam drove with Cindy on Interstate 95 in South Carolina and headed north. They passed a North Carolina I-95 road sign while music played on the radio. The music stopped.

“It’s now time for the news. Billy Stein, brother of the famed October Slayer, was arrested in a Jackson, Mississippi jail on child porno charges. He’s also under investigation for the murder of a retired FBI agent in Jackson, Mississippi. Mister Stein was previously arrested for the murder of a young woman in nineteen sixty-five who was the fourth victim of the October Slayer. Also, in Jackson, Mississippi, Jerome Franklin had his nineteen sixty-one rape conviction expunged. It was revealed that Billy Stein actually committed those rapes and framed Franklin for it. Mister Stein pleaded guilty to all of his rape charges. Over in Charlotte…”

“My nightmares are finally over,” Sam said while he turned off the radio.

Cindy leaned over and kissed his cheek. She returned to her Biltmore Estates book.

A day passed, and Becky’s plan was ready to be implemented after receiving a call from the Heavenly Place Cemetery.

John and Becky drove to the Cemetery and picked up Allan’s ashes in the cheapest Urn they could find.

John and Becky drove around Orlando for the perfect place to bury Allan’s ashes.

They soon drove by a perfect construction site.

After they parked their car, they walked the Urn to a Porta-Potty. They both went inside and opened up the Urn.

“This is the perfect burial place for you!” Becky said, then dumped Allan’s ashes into the human waste bin. “I hope you smell shit for eternity!” she added, then dropped the Urn inside then they left.

They walked back to the car arm in arm, ready to finish the life that was taken away from them thirty-nine years ago.

“Marty told me you got another royalty check for his books,” John said.

“Yes. It was a check for fifty-two thousand dollars. Marty and I talked and decided to keep some for our move to Phoenix. We’ll donate the rest to some charity for families that were victims of horrible crimes,” she said.

“That sounds like a great plan,” he said while they walked to her minivan.

Sam and Cindy were inside the Biltmore Estates for another tour the next day.

Cindy was in heaven on finally seeing this beautiful mansion and had to revisit it.

Sam’s cell phone buzzed. He opened up and saw it was a text message.

“Sam. I just wanted to thank you for everything. Marty and I sold our house and are moving the kids to Phoenix to be closer to my real father, stepbrother, and stepsister. Please stay in touch,” Becky’s text message stated.

Sam put his cell phone in his pocket.

“Who was that?” Cindy asked.

“Becky, thanking me for everything,” he told her.

She smiled, then held his hand while they walked to another room in the Biltmore.

His cell phone rang from his pocket. He removed it and smiled when he saw the caller from the viewfinder. “Hello, son,” he answered.

“Dad, I can’t wait to see Cindy and you tomorrow,” Charles said from the cell phone.

“Me too.”

“And congratulations on finally putting this case behind you. You did a great job.”

“Thanks, and I’ll call when we get into D.C.,” Sam said, then disconnected the call.

They walked off and entered another room, where Cindy stared at the room in awe.

In Florida, Becky and Marty packed the kids in their minivan and headed west to Phoenix to start a new life. John tagged along to help with the driving, but they had to make one detour.

They drove to Curtis, Mississippi, and stopped at the Rest in Peace Cemetery.

They got out of the minivan with three potted plants.

After walking through the cemetery, stopping at Annette Watson’s headstone.

They noticed that the area dug up at the backside of her headstone had new sod installed.

Becky set the potted plants at the front of her headstone and then stood up.

“Who is this person?” Nancy asked curiously.

“Why, she’s your real grandmother,” Becky replied.

Nancy looked up at the sky. “I love you, grandma! And I love my new grandma!” she said, blowing kisses at the sky.

Michael rolled his eyes at Nancy.

John chuckled.

Nancy looked around at the other headstones. “Is grandpa here?” she asked.

Becky knelt down to Nancy and looked her in her eyes.

“Don’t you love Grandpa anymore?” Nancy asked.

Becky was at a loss of words for a second. “Honey, it’s complicated to explain why right now. So, can I explain it when you get older?” she asked.

“Okay, Mommy.”

Becky gave Nancy a kiss on her cheek and stood up. Nancy looked up at John.

“Let’s go, my new grandpa,” she said, grabbing his hand.

Hearing the sound of being called, Grandpa brought another tear to the old Marine’s eyes.

They left the cemetery and returned to the road heading west for their new life.

Elsewhere, Sam and Cindy drove north to visit Charles in Washington, D.C.