Blood Brook by Robert F. Clifton (classic romance novels .TXT) 📖

questions”.

“Why me?”

“Excuse me, but just for the record would you mind telling me your name?”, asked Wallace.

“Not at all. My names Bentley, Norman Bentley. I own this place”.

“Good, then you should be able to answer a few questions”.

“I'll try”.

“How many homes do you service in Blood Brook?”

“Only three. Folks living back in those woods used kerosene for light and wood for heat. That went on for years. Then, one day they ran electricity back in there and things changed. Some of the women didn't like using electric ranges so they asked for gas. Well South Jersey Gas wasn't about to run lines through the pine barrens, as a matter of fact I don't think the State would let them do it anyway. So, to make a long story short, I got the business. But, like I said, I only service three in Blood Brook”.

“We know that you served Greta Shoemaker and Dorothy Timberlake. Can you tell me who the third party might be?”

“Sure. Jesse Cook and his wife. Mrs Cook, like the other women don't like electricity for cooking”.

Wallace opened a manila folder and removed a piece of paper. “I want to show you something. This is a bill, marked paid in full, written by hand and with the initials AV. What can you tell us about it?”

Bentley took the bill, looked at it and said, “ This is a bill for a new tank of propane. Most times I have to send out bills to my customers. In this case Mrs. Timberlake nearly always paid cash. Abraham Volpe was the delivery man that day. He removed the empty tank and installed the new tank. After that he collected the money”.

“Is Abraham Volpe working today?”, asked Wallace.

“No, he's been out sick for the last couple of days”.

“Is he the only employee that serves Blood Brook?”

“Yes, unless he's on vacation or sick.”.

“Just how difficult is it to install or change propane tanks like those we're talking about?”, asked McKenna.

“There's nothing to it. All you need is a valve wheel wrench and a little know how”.

“What kind of wrench?”, asked Wallace.

“A valve wheel wrench. Wait a minute I'll show you one”.

Bentley got up, went outside, walked up to the rear of a Chevrolet Blazer, opened the rear hatch, reached in and removed a tool. He then walked back into the office. This is what I'm talking about”, he said.

 

 

 

 

 

Wallace reached out and took the wrench from Bentley. He saw the crescent shape end with the bulge inside the crescent. At the same time he judged the length of the tool to be about twenty two to twenty four inches. “I assume each service man has one of these”, he said.

“Yes. Once in a while one or two get lost a year. Usually, the men get talking to the customer and walk off leaving it. Other times, who knows, I've heard all kinds of excuses, it must have fallen out of the truck, someone stole it”.

“Are they expensive?”, asked McKenna

“One like the Captain's holding cost me seventy five dollars and change”.

“How much does this thing weigh?”, asked Wallace.

“Three pounds and believe it or not it's made out of aluminum and magnesium”.

Wallace handed the wrench back to the owner. “My next question is how are the vehicles assigned to the men?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean is each service man assigned a particular vehicle or do they just take one at random off of the parking lot?”

“Each man is assigned to a SUV. Some are Ford Broncos the others are Chevrolet Blazers. They're responsible for gassing up, oil, tools, loading and unloading tanks and servicing customers”.

“I see. Are the men allowed to take their SUV home?”, asked Wallace.

“No”.

“Then the vehicle assigned to each man is here”

“Correct”.

“I'd like to see the SUV that's assigned to Abraham Volpe, if you don't mind”, said Wallace.

“No problem, It's the Ford Bronco parked over there by the fence. Help yourself, it's open. Now, if you don't mind I'd like to get back to work. I've got a few contracts I have to study”.

“Thank you Mr. Bentley”, said McKenna.

When they reached the end of the Blazer McKenna opened the large rear window lifting it up then Making sure it stood open moved aside so Wallace could look inside. Wallace stood silently looking at the contents inside the rear compartment of the SUV. Then, he saw what he was looking for, the valve wheel wrench. Taking the clean handkerchief from his right rear pocket he used it to cover his hand. Then, he reached inside and picked up the tool. Showing the end of it to McKenna he said, “Do you see what I see?”

“Yes sir. To me it looks like strands of hair and what could be dry blood stains.”

“Well the Prosecutor investigators in their wisdom failed to protect not only the crime scene, but the victims body as well. Let's hope that either Doctor Wescoat or Doctor Shell took hair samples for analysis”.

“Wouldn’t it be good idea just in case they didn't to have someone go back to the victims homes and see if they can get hair samples, maybe from a brush or comb?”, asked McKenna.

“Tom? Great thinking. Go ask Mr. Bentley if you can use his telephone. If he says yes, call Myers and have her and Donahue go out to Blood Brook and try to get hair samples”.

“Yes sir”.

Wallace walked back into the office of Norman Bentley. Bentley looked up from the paper work he was doing. “Find what you were looking for?', he asked.

“Yes, I did”, Wallace answered holding up the valve wheel wrench he had taken from the SUV used by Abraham Volpe. “And, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you?”,the Captain continued.

“Oh, what kind of bad news?”, asked Bentley.

“We have reason to believe that the Ford Bronco, used by Volpe was used in the commission of a crime, those being the murders of Greta Shoemaker and Dorothy Timberlake. I'm afraid I will have to impound it as evidence”, Wallace explained.

“How long will you have to keep it?”

“Right now Mr. Bentley I can't say. I will tell you this. Since you have been more than co-operative I'll try to get it back to you as soon as possible”.

“Well, I'll just have to come up with something else for Volpe to drive”.

“Since, you mention Volpe I'm sure you have his address. Would you mind giving it to me?”, asked Wallace.

“Just a minute”. Bentley got up from his desk and walked to an old, dented, forest green colored, filing cabinet. Removing a manila folder marked, EMPLOYEES, he scanned the list of names with a forefinger then said, “Volpe lives on Oak Shade Road over in Shamong”

“OK, that's the same address we have. Now, if we could use your telephone again, I'd like to call for a tow truck”.

Returning to headquarters Wallace turned the valve wheel wrench over to Lieutenant Campo where it was photographed, dusted for latent prints and scheduled for analysis of what might be human hair and blood. On the same day Detective Carol Myers and Investigator, Maria Donahue submitted hair brushes and combs taken from the homes of the two victims.

Sergeant Stiles entered the Captains office. “So, you got what might be the murder weapon”, he said.

“Yep. Right now I think it's safe to say that's what the killer used”, Wallace answered.

“And, when do we pick up this Volpe guy?”

“ He lives in Shamong which is in Burlington County. As far as I know that's State Police jurisdiction. I'll contact Gallagher and see who he wants to be with us when we arrive there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seven

Probable Cause

 

On Monday, November 13, 1978, Captain Robert Wallace sat in the office of James Gallagher. “So, now we're getting somewhere. We've got the murder weapon and a key suspect. All we need now is to arrest this Volpe guy and wrap up the case”, said the prosecutor.

“It's not as easy as that. I'm still waiting for hair and blood analysis reports. Mrs. Shoemaker had O type blood. Dorothy Timberlake had AB. We got that information from each woman's doctor. If blood type AB is found on the wrench, that should be an important piece of evidence, wouldn't you say?”, asked Wallace.

“It certainly would stand out to a listening jury”, Gallagher answered.

“I'm not ready to arrest Volpe at this time”, said Wallace.

“Why not? We certainly have probable cause”.

“Maybe. But consider this. We assume each woman was killed after receiving a large wrapped package. Each woman had propane tanks serviced at their homes by Abraham Volpe. That means that both women would have recognized Volpe when they opened the door”.

“Yes, so?”

“So, I don't think that it was Volpe that did the actual killing”.

“Then who did?”

“I don't know yet. As far as I know Volpe has fled the coop. What I would like is a search warrant for his residence in Shamong. Can you take care of that?”

“Yes. Is there anything else you might need?”

“Someone from law enforcement from Burlington County to be with us when we execute the warrant. A Trooper, county investigator, whatever”.

“Alright, I'll take care of it”.

“Thank you. Have someone call me when the warrant's ready. I'll have somebody pick it up”.

Late, the next morning and armed with a search warrant, Captain Robert Wallace and Sergeant Frank Stiles drove along Route 30 then through the cities of Egg Harbor and Hamonton. They then entered the Wharton State Forest using Route 206. As they drove through the woodland on that November day, a crisp autumn breeze blew and the color of red, orange and yellow oak leaves on the trees and on the ground indicated that winter was coming.

“I wonder who is going to meet us?”, asked Stiles.

“I have no idea, but I'd be surprised if it was a Trooper.

As they entered a winding, gravel road known as Oak Shade Road

Wallace, who was driving said, “There's the house back there among the trees and somebody's there. There's two cars parked in front.

Wallace parked the Ford he was driving next to the cars parked in front of the house belonging to Abraham Volpe.

When they got out of the car Wallace and Stiles were greeted by

a man who introduced himself as Dennis Mitchell, Chief of Detectives for the county. Mitchell then introduced Sergeant Harry Moyer of the State Police. After the introductions Mitchell said, “Captain, I have no doubt that everything is in order, but I'm required to examine your warrant”.

Wallace handed the warrant to Mitchell, then stood and watched the man read it. When it was handed back to him Wallace said, “Can we get on with it now?”

“We might have to force the door. We've been here about a half an hour. It appears that no one is here. Volpe owns and drives a Volkswagen and it's not here either,” said Moyer

“It appears that you've been doing your homework, “Said Stiles.

“Actually our knowledge about Abraham Volpe goes back to the arrest of his stepbrother, Adam Grisle”, said Mitchell.

“Stepbrother? That's news to me”, said Wallace.

“They had the same mother, different fathers. Our information is that when Adam was killed Abraham changed dramatically. He became withdrawn, resentful and somewhat paranoid., Mitchell added.

“I take it then that they as brothers were very, very close”, said Stiles.

“Absolutely. They grew up in Blood Brook. There, they were arrested twice for poaching deer out of season. Evidently Adam was a pain in the ass and always in trouble. He drank a lot and when he did he became a nasty drunk which meant he was usually involved in fights. Some he won, most he lost”, Mitchell explained.

“Interesting. Now, let's see what we find inside”, said Wallace.

“What exactly are you looking for?”, asked Moyer.

“The first thing we want is anything that is a sample of his handwriting. After that anything that links him further to Greta Shoemaker and Dorothy Timberlake”, Wallace answered.

“I'll take a look at the front door”, said Stiles.

“The word is that you have the murder weapon”, said Mitchell.

“Someone then has a big mouth. We won't know if