Act Normal, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 9

around and Alice was in bed. She agreed to meet me there a 11:00 p.m. When I arrived in my swim wear at the indoor pool I was relieved to see it was deserted. A few minutes later Tehra arrived wearing a white terrycloth bathrobe. When she took it off she looked like any other naked female athlete except for the two slits that ran down both sides beneath her breasts. Her feet appeared normal until she stepped into the water and her toes seemed to swell and protrude outward connected by a thick webbing. Her hands did the same thing.

  "Whoa! How do you do that?"

  "I don't know. It just happens when I get in the water."

  I was a good swimmer and when I was young I had spent a lot of time in the high school pool near where I lived. In Boy Scouts I'd even earned my swimming merit badge by swimming a mile, but I was no match for Tehra who did three laps to every one of mine.

  "You're slow and in terrible shape. You wouldn't last long living in the sea."

  "Yeah. Maybe twenty minutes."

  She laughed. "You should put a pool in your backyard and keep in shape."

  "Have you been talking to my kids? They've been after me for years to get a pool."

  "So, why don't you do it?"

  "Rebekah isn't keen on the idea. She's a nurse and always fears the worst."

  Tehra nodded. Her stomach was starting to bulk up a bit. She'd be showing soon. Then people would start to talk. I wondered how long it would take for them to figure out what happened. When I looked over at her she had a serious expression on her face.

  "What's wrong?" I asked.

  "I heard from the Loyalists. The civil war has come to Earth. It's time to choose sides."

  "On, Jesus. What do they want you to do?"

  "They said I should sabotage our base. They gave me orders on how to do it."

  "How could you sabotage it by yourself? It's under heavy guard."

  "There are Loyalists on the base who will help me. I have to find a way to get into the main control room. Once there I can initiate the self-destruct mechanism built into the computers. I have the access and command codes."

  "How much time will you have to get out after you do it?"

  "Three minutes."

  "Well, I've found a safe place for you to hide once it's over, but how will you get back to Tarizon?"

  "The Loyalists have a ship on the way. It will be here in a few weeks. They'll take back anyone who wants to join the Loyalist’s movement."

  "Just a few weeks?"

  "Yes, so you won't have to worry about our secret being revealed."

  I sighed. "I don't care about that. I don't want you to go."

  "Yes, you do. I can see it in your eyes. You love your family and would be devastated if anything happened to destroy that relationship." She shook her head. "It's funny, before I came to Earth I had no concept of love, but now I'm starting to feel its relentless power. So, it's a good thing I'm leaving. I'm not sure I could resist it."

  "Relentless. Yes, love is that and more. You are starting to understand. . . . Okay, when the time comes, just tell me how I can help. I don't like Kulchz much and I want to do whatever I can to stop the abduction of innocent Earth children."

  That night she went back to her room and I didn't see her until morning. We had an early flight to the Grand Cayman Island, so right after breakfast we went to the airport. We arrived in George Town before noon on Saturday. We had planned the trip for the weekend because we thought there would be more personnel working at hotels, bars, stores, and other resort facilities then than at any other time. This would thus increase our odds at finding someone who had seen Ike or Ralph. We had to find a witness or some other convincing proof that Ralph had set up the account at the Royal Bank or Ben Stover would probably go to federal prison. A man in good health might survive that ordeal and come out with many good years ahead, but with Ben's health he'd probably die in prison. It was an unbearable thought. I couldn't let it happen. I just couldn't let Alice down. The proof had to be here somewhere; in my heart I knew it.

 

  42

  The Prosecution

  Paula Waters

  The Stanley case was moving incredibly fast. On Wednesday Francis called his first witness, Detective Riley Rhodes. Rhodes was a man of small stature but he dressed well and talked with confidence and authority. The jury seemed very attentive. Francis asked him what he found when he got to the Brown house on the night of the fire.

  "The Brown's two story townhouse was at the end of the street. When I got there, just a minute or so behind the fire department, there were three trucks working the blaze and several police cars parked in front and in the alley behind the house. The spectators who had been drawn to the fire were being kept across the street or down the sidewalk to the east. I parked on the side street and walked up the alley to the back of the house.

  "The smoke was so thick and the fire so hot, I couldn't get very close. Flames were protruding out from the wood shingled roof. There were several explosions. A fireman had managed to open the garage door and I noticed that there were two cars in the garage, a black 1990 BMW and a grey 1992 Honda Accord. The Accord was on fire and already heavily damaged.

  "Several firemen tried to enter the house to rescue the family but the fire was so intense they were forced back. It was pretty clear to me that there would be no survivors. I've seen a lot of fires, but none like this one."

  "What was different about it?" Francis asked.

  "Its speed and the intensity for one thing. It engulfed the house so quickly and completely that the firemen were helpless to do anything but watch. Normally, they can put a fire out very quickly and often save much of the structure, but there was no chance with this fire."

  "So, while the firemen were trying to put out the blaze, what were you doing?"

  "I secured the area as best I could and got a couple officers to begin looking for witnesses. While they were doing that I began a careful inspection of the perimeter."

  "Did you find anything?"

  "Yes, several things. First, there was evidence that a dog lived in the backyard. There was a dog run and a chain, but no dog. The back gate was opened and I found what appeared to be blood on the concrete stepping stones leading out of the gate."

  "Did you find the dog?"

  "I didn't, but Animal Control picked it up the following morning running loose several miles away."

  "After the fire cooled did you inspect the premises?"

  "Yes. There wasn't much left of the structure but we did sift through it and found charred skeletal remains. It's presumed the remains were of Mr. and Mrs. Brown and their three children."

  "Were the bodies intact?"

  "No, they were pretty well incinerated, but there were portions that could be identified as bones and body parts."

  "Were you able to recover any records or personal property kept in the town home?"

  "No. Everything was destroyed."

  "Did you find any evidence as to what might have caused the fire?"

  "The cause of the fire was arson. A lock was cut on the back gate, the back door into the garage was forced open with a crowbar it looked like, and there was an odor of kerosene everywhere. From the garage the perp was able to gain access to the kitchen and the rest of the house."

  "Were you able to determine how the fire spread so quickly and consumed the home the way it did?"

  "Well, we found remnants of several propane canisters not only in the garage, but in the kitchen and the living room as well. The arsonist may have placed the canisters in strategic points around the house and then opened them slightly so they would explode when the fire got hot. The electronic fire sensors were disabled as well."

  There was a murmur from the gallery. Stanley swallowed hard and slouched in his seat.

  "So, by engulfing the bottom floor in flames so quickly the perpetrator made sure the Brown family couldn't escape."

  "Objection!" I said. "Calls for speculation."

  "Sustained," the judge said.

 
Francis shrugged and continued. "Anything other than kerosene and the propane canisters?"

  "No, nothing else that was obviously connected to the fire."

  "Thank you, Detective," Francis said and sat down.

  "The judge looked at me. "Ms. Waters, your witness."

  There wasn't much to dispute about Detective Rhodes' testimony, but I did have a few things I wanted to clarify. "Detective, to summarize your testimony, it's your opinion that someone cut the lock to the Brown's back gate, forced their way into the garage, spread kerosene around the first floor of the dwelling, and then strategically placed propane canisters around the house so they would explode as the fire got hotter."

  "Yes, that sums it up pretty good."

  "Isn't it true the Browns liked to barbeque and kept several backup propane canisters so they'd never run out?"

  "I wouldn't know about that."

  "But the canisters you found could have belonged to the Browns? They did have a barbeque, isn't that right?"

  "Yes, they had a fairly large one on their patio."

  "Did you find any kerosene lamps in the rubble?"

  "Well, yes we found some kerosene lamps used for camping."

  "Yes, the Brown kids liked to camp, didn't they?"

  "I wouldn't know—"

  "Well, I assure you they did, so the smell of kerosene after the fire wouldn't be that unusual would it. Couldn't we presume that Mr. Brown would keep some around to use when they went camping or around the patio for ambiance?"

  "Yes, but we smelled it all over the house."

  "Was there any wind the day of the fire?"

  "Well, yes. There was a moderate breeze."

  "So, the smell of kerosene could have blown over the whole crime scene?"

  Rhodes shrugged. "It's possible."

  "What else did you find in the debris that you haven't told us about?"

  "Huh? What do you mean?"

  "Didn't you find some remnants of electronic equipment?"

  "Well, yes. Mr. Brown was a scientist so there was a lot of electronic equipment in the house."

  "Didn't you find any remains of the triggering devices?"

  "That was not confirmed. I know the arson investigator thought he found some remnants of a triggering device, but what he found was inconclusive."

  "But it's possible the fire was remotely set?"

  Rhodes shook his head. "It's possible, but I don't—"

  I didn't wait for him to finish. He'd said enough for me to go to my next question. How could Walter Stanley possibly have the expertise to disable the fire alarm and install a remote triggering device? It made no sense.

  "Did you have an occasion to investigate the defendant's background?" I asked.

  "Yes, we've done extensive background checks on Mr. Stanley."

  "In the course of those investigations did you come up with any evidence that Walter Stanley had any knowledge or training in electronics, weaponry, explosives, or other related disciplines?"

  "No, nothing along those lines came up."

  "Then how do you suppose he could have managed to build and set a triggering device to remotely set the Brown fire?"

  Detective Rhodes shrugged. "I don't think he did. It was simply a matter of kerosene and a match."

  "But, assuming a triggering device were used, could he have done it?"

  "Objection!" Francis exclaimed.

  The judge looked at Francis. "I'll allow it."

  Rhodes rolled his eyes. "I told you. I don't think he used one, but if he did, maybe he bought it from someone."

  "Where would someone buy a triggering device like the one used to set the fire?"

  "Objection, assumes facts not in evidence," Francis spat.

  "Withdrawn. Sorry. Where would someone buy a triggering device like that?'

  "Not at the hardware store, that's for sure," Rhodes snickered.

  "Then where? " I pressed.

  "I don't know. I've never bought one."

  I nodded. "Nor have I. It's not something an ordinary citizen would know how to acquire, is it?

  "No. I wouldn't think so."

  "Thank you, Detective, no further questions."

  The judge looked at Francis. "Any redirect?"

  Francis shook his head.

  "You may step down," the Judge advised. "Call your next witness."

  Francis' next witness was the Collin County Medical Examiner, Dr. Winfield. He testified that there wasn't much left of the bodies after the fire had spent itself, but he had managed to confirm the identity of one of the children through dental records. He said he was unable to positively identify any of the other bodies, but that there were remnants of five distinct individuals in various parts of the house. Due to the time the fire broke out, he assumed they were all in bed asleep at the time of the fire. He indicated it was possible that they died in their sleep and never knew what had happened.

  Charles Stewart, the arson investigator, took the stand next and confirmed much of Detective Rhode's testimony, however, when I asked him about the triggering device he disagreed with the detective.

  "Yes, I found pieces of telephone receivers, parts of blasting caps, and other paraphernalia that would be used in making a remote triggering device."

  "So, you don't buy Detective Rhodes theory that Walter Stanley just broke in, opened up the canisters, spread kerosene around, and then lit a match."

  "Well, it could have happened that way but that is inconsistent with the physical evidence."

  "Let's say for argument's sake that a triggering mechanism was used. Could Walter Stanley have configured the triggering device to remotely set the Brown fire?

  He laughed. "There is no way a man off the street would have a clue how to use, let alone configure, that type of a triggering device. It is a highly complex piece of electronic equipment that would have to be handled by an expert."

  "Thank you, Mr. Stewart. No further questions."

  The judge looked at Francis. "Any redirect?"

  Francis stood. "Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Stewart. Are you absolutely sure this triggering device started the fire?"

  "Well, not completely but—"

  "So, the mere presence of possible remnants of a device doesn't really prove anything conclusively. The fire could have been started by a match, right?"

  "It's possible but why would there be remnants of triggering device in the rubble?"

  "Perhaps these were remnants of other electronic devices that had nothing to do with triggering a fire."

  "What about the blasting caps?"

  "Maybe these pieces were left to throw you off. Have you thought about that possibility?" Francis asked. "It would have been easy for Stanley to take apart a telephone and then drop it near one of the canisters just to make you think the fire was remotely set."

  Stewart shrugged. "Well, I guess anything's possible."

  "Thank you, sir. No further questions."

  After Stewart left the stand, the judge recessed the trial until the following day at 10:00 a.m. As I watched the crowd disburse, Stanley turned to me and asked, "So, what do you think? The prosecutor's case seems pretty believable, huh?"

  I turned and smiled at Stanley. "Yes, it does and by the time Francis is done, a lot of people will think you're guilty, but then it's our turn. After we've put on our case a lot of people won't know what to think. At least that's what I'm counting on."

  Stanley sighed. "I'm just so scared. What if they convict me? I don't want to die."

  "Let's not even think like that," I said. "You’ve got to be positive. It's important not to look totally depressed to the jury. They may think you have a guilty conscience or have given up because you know you are guilty. I want to see you smiling once in a while."

  Stanley took a deep breath and shook his head slowly. "I don't know if I can do that. I'm not a good actor."

  "Then start believing in yourself and in me so you don't have to act," I suggested.

  He nodded. "Okay, I'll try to be positive.
"

  "Good. I'll see you in the morning."

  The bailiff took Stanley away and as he disappeared through a side door, a horrible feeling came over me. What if he was right to be pessimistic? What if the jury thought our theory was a bunch of crap and didn't buy a word of it? With five victims, Walter Stanley would get the death penalty. There was no doubt about that. Had we taken too great a risk insinuating that Almatech Life Systems and T. Robert Stout were behind the Brown murders? I prayed to God we hadn't.

  43

  Rendezvous

  Stan Turner

  Saturday afternoon we rented three cars and began to implement our revised and expanded game plan. Alice had a long list of hotels and restaurants to visit. Tehra headed to the scuba and dive shops and myriad of gifts stores wherever there were tourists. I went to the Marinas to see if Ike or Ralph had given in to their passion for deep sea fishing.

  Starting at the Cayman Angling Club I acquired a list of recommended charter boats and guides. Each had a description of the trips they provided. The first one advertised a beautiful 44 foot custom performance open fishing vessel for up to six persons powered by three 250 horsepower Evenrudes that would get you to your destination in the blink of an eye. The perfect boat, they claimed, for deep sea or drift fishing over the Cayman Wall and catching your dream fish—a 100 pound tuna or a giant marlin. The luxurious fishing boat came with a fully equipped Penn International Reels, ice coolers, purified water, soft drinks, bathroom, and fresh water showers.

  As I perused the rest of the brochure, a feeling of hopelessness crept over me. There were hundreds of charter boat companies. How could I possibly cover them all? Finally, I took a breath and began. At each location I talked to everyone I saw and showed them the two photos of Ike and Ralph. By mid-afternoon I'd covered about a third of the charter companies and had talked to hundreds of employees, fisherman, and anyone else I'd seen, but had come up empty handed. As I was leaving one of the marinas, a police officer approached me and flashed his badge.

  "Hello, sir, I'm officer Stuart Brim with the RCIP."

  "The what?"

  "The Royal Cayman Island Police."

  "Oh, hi, I'm Stan Turner."

  "Do you have some identification?"

  "Yes, of course," I said and fished into my pocket for my passport. I finally found it and handed it to officer Brim.

  He looked it over and then asked, "What is your business today in the Cayman Islands?"

  "Oh, actually I'm doing a little detective work. Your office should have been contacted by the Collin County District Attorney's office in Texas. I'm an attorney in Dallas and have a client who allegedly opened up a bank account here in the Caymans and stashed some money in it. He denies it and I'm trying to find evidence that perhaps someone else set it up."

  He nodded. "Yes, we were told you would be here. You should have checked in at the Central Police Station before you started questioning people."

  "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that."

  "I guess we'll let it go this time. At least we knew you were coming. . . . Any luck in your search?"

  "No, I'm afraid not."

  "You've been showing some photos to people, I've been told."

  "Yes," I said and pulled the photos out of my pocket. I handed them to the officer and he looked them over closely.

  "Who are these two men?" he asked.

  "Ike Eiseman and Ralph Herman. They are both from Waco, Texas."

  He nodded and then handed back the photos. "I haven't seen either of these men, but if you'd like I'll run the names on our