Home of the Gray Dog - Segment 17

Chapter 81

Walker, who had been the one gagging at the thought Samantha undergoing those same tortures, made a decision. He roughly pushed the journal he was reading away from him and stood up. When the other three men looked at him, surprise in their eyes, he said, his voice filled with anger, “I think, guys, we need a break from reading about the agonies these women went through.” He was about to say more when the distant sound of the office phone ringing interrupted him.

         “I’ll get it,” Jack volunteered and headed down the hallway to the office, saying over his shoulder, “I’m expecting a call back, Walker, and gave them your phone number. Hope you don’t mind.” With that, his voice tapered off as he went into the office, closing the door behind him.

         Randall stood, stretching to relax the muscles in his back. “I guess that’s our cue, Anthony. How about taking Sue Beth up on her invite to visit Walker’s new building?” He looked from Anthony to Walker when asking, “What did you call it again? Hannah’s Place?”

         Walker smiled when correcting Randall. “No, Hannah’s Home, but it’s officially registered as an orphanage named Hannah Edgeworth’s Home for Found Children. So far, we have 11 children living there. Four other kids spend most of their days, though, with them.”

         “Four?” Anthony asked. “I know of Joshua and Sue Beth, but who are the other two?

         “They’re Delia’s two children, Gideon and Catherine. Delia Perry is our resident children’s advocate I hired away from my law firm to work for the orphanage.” While Walker was explaining this, he and his two visitors walked down the hallway to the office. Walker knocked on the closed door and called through it, “Jack, we’re leaving and heading over to Hannah’s Home. Join us if you can later.”

         With that, the men left Walker’s apartment. None of them were there to hear Jack’s muffled shout, “Okay, see you there!”

* * *

         Inside the office, Jack hung up the phone. This is not what Walker needs right now, he thought, but I might as well get it over with. Jack reluctantly left the apartment and headed down the flight of stairs to get the elevator on the third floor.

         “Jack, can I talk to you for a second?” This soft request Edith stopped Jack just as he was getting into the elevator. He stepped back into the hallway and waited for her to reach him.

         “Edith, you look tired.” He knew she refused to leave Samantha’s rooms since their return from the hospital. “You need to let someone else help you.”

         Edith shook her head. “I’m okay. How is Walker holding up? Do you think he can keep his emotions under control if Samantha agrees to see him?” The multiple phone calls from her son slowly were breaking down Samantha’s resistance to having any man near her. “I don’t want him upsetting her any more than she is already.”

         “Why don’t I talk to him and let you know?” Jack realized his news would have to wait since it would only upset Walker further. “I’m on my way to catch him and a couple visitors over at Hannah’s. You remember Randall, don’t you?”

         Edith thought before answering, “Yes, he returned Ken Milton to San Francisco for trial.” She shuddered at the memory. “I’ll never forget the man who murdered the mother of Joshua and Sue Beth and threatened all of us here.”

         “Well, Randall’s back for a little vacation after a recent illness.” Jack quickly filled Edith in on Randall’s brush with death. “He brought another agent with him, Anthony Greene. The two of them and Walker are over at the orphanage right now.”

         Edith patted Jack on his arm. “I’ll leave it to you then to decide whether Walker is ready to see Samantha. Just remember I don’t want her to be upset in any way.” With that warning, she left Jack to return to Samantha’s room.

         Jack continued on his way to the orphanage, trying to figure out how to let Walker know he could visit Samantha and the only way Edith would allow this.

Chapter 82

Jack tracked down Walker and the two visitors in the large play room at the back of the first floor. Children surrounded the men, and almost every child seemed to be talking at once.

         “Walker, can I talk to you a minute?” Jack finally got Walker’s attention and motioned him to one side of the room. He quietly relayed Edith’s message that Walker would be able to see Samantha, providing he promised not to upset her.

         Almost before Jack finished, Walker headed out of the play room, not stopping to say good-bye to anyone. His long legs ate up the distance between the two buildings in record time.

         “Hey, Walker, what’s up?” Walker heard this and other comments from people he passed on the way through the entrance room. He ignored them all and raced up the stairs, two at a time, until he reached the third floor. Slowing down to catch his breath, he continued down the hallway until he reached the door to Samantha’s suite.

         Edith opened the door after hearing his soft hesitant knock. “Come in and keep your voice down.” Walker followed his mother into the small living area where he saw Samantha sitting in a chair. She was facing away from them and staring out a nearby window. There was a light blanket spread over her knees, and her red hair hung down loosely around her shoulders.

          “Sam,” said Walker, going to stand near her, “Edith said I could come and visit. Is that okay with you?” When Samantha turned to look up at him, her pale and tired face shocked him. He glanced around to find another chair. Finding one, he pulled it up close to Samantha and sat facing her. “May I stay?”

         Samantha nodded. “Edith, could you leave us alone for a while? I need to talk with Walker privately.”

         Edith hesitated, knowing how delicate Samantha’s mental state was. Looking into Samantha’s pleading eyes, though, convinced her she had no choice. “Walker, call me before you leave. I don’t want Samantha to be alone right now. Do you understand?”

         “I’ll call.” After getting Walker’s solemn promise, Edith left with one last look back into the living room. She saw Walker holding one of Samantha’s hands in both of his. He was leaning forward, patiently waiting for Samantha to say something. Edith closed the door and returned to her own suite of rooms. It would be a long nerve-wracking hour and a half before her phone rang.

* * *

         “Kids,” Jack shouted above the din of multiple childish voices, “I’ve got to take Randall and Anthony away now so they can get settled in their rooms.” He was able to lower his voice when the playful shouts changed to sounds of disappointment. “Not to worry, they’ll come back later on. Now, you rug rats, scoot! Isn’t it almost time for your dinner?” At the promise of food, something many of these orphans had seen little of before coming to Hannah’s Home, the children quickly waved at the departing men and headed for the kitchen.

         Anthony watched them leave, a big grin on his face. “I can’t believe one man did this for strangers.” He waved his arms to indicate not just the play room but the whole orphanage. “All this is because of one dead little girl?”

         Randall spoke before Jack could explain. “You really had to be there when we found that pitiful pile of bones. Nancy Edgeworth’s diary described in horrible detail how Hannah’s demented mother murdered the child. We were all upset, but Walker most of all!”

         “Yeah,” muttered Jack, thinking back on the last few days, “Hannah’s father was just as bad or maybe even worse.” The men left the orphanage, discussing what they had already read in Jason Edgeworth’s various journals and what the plan would be for exploring the underground torture chamber the following day.

Chapter 83

The next morning, Walker came down late for breakfast. He had spent a long restless night remembering his afternoon conversation with Samantha. When she finished what she felt he needed to know, he reluctantly promised to keep what she told him a secret between them. As soon as the promise left his mouth, he regretted giving it. He was a man of his word, however, and wrestled with what he now knew almost until dawn.

         “How is Samantha?” was the first thing he heard when he joined Jack at the dining room table. Randall and Anthony, also at the table, waited for his answer.

         “She’s, um, I mean, yesterday, she was…” Torn between keeping his promise to her and needing to share what he’d heard with someone, anyone, Walker hesitated before going on, “She was fine, tired but fine.” He smiled at Randall. “She said to say hello to you and Anthony. Now, have you all decided what you’re going to do today?”

         Realizing Walker had closed the subject of Samantha, Jack spoke for the three of them. “I’m going to show the guys the hole back of the mansion. I already phoned Sheriff Bitson. He gave his permission to go underground after I told him two forensic agents are here ready to check it out.”

         “Good, sounds good.” Walker saw Franklin coming into the dining room, two cameras slung around his neck. “Franklin’s going with you, too?”

         “Yes, to document what we need. His earlier pictures were great,” Anthony said this while motioning Franklin over to their table, “and we might want more detailed ones to document these women’s manner of death.”

         Randall closely watched Walker during Anthony’s explanation, a slight frown creasing his forehead. There was something wrong with his friend, a feeling that Walker was in torment and unwilling or unable to ask for help. “Are you coming with us, Walker?” Randall hoped he would join them and eventually share what was bothering him.

         Walker dashed this hope by saying, “I don’t think I’ll go down there today. Once was more than enough for me.” Finishing his coffee and waving away the approaching waiter, Walker stood. Watching him slowly cross the dining room, Jack put into words what they all were thinking. “I wish I knew what went on yesterday between him and Samantha. He sure looks like hell today.”

         With that, the four men finished their own meals and headed out for what turned out to be an informative and interesting day for all of them and possibly deadly for one.

Chapter 84

It took only a few minutes for the men to reach the back of the mansion. They found Sheriff Bitson and Officer Shannon Casey waiting for them by the entrance to the underground area.

         After introducing himself, Randall took charge, automatically falling into his supervisor role. “Sheriff, have you been down there yet?”

         “No, Walker told us you were coming, and I didn’t want to compromise the scene before you saw it.” The Sheriff, a veteran of law enforcement for over 45 years, was happy to turn the investigation of this crime scene over to the forensic agents. He was only a few years away from retirement and tired of seeing dead bodies.

         Shannon Casey, though, still craved excitement in her job and stepped forward. “I was the one who pulled Colin’s body out earlier and have been through this area before. You might need a representative from our office, so I’m willing to go down there again with you.”

         Randall nodded. “You’re welcome to join us. Now, are there flashlights enough to go around?” He asked this of Jack, who had been poking through a metal box placed near the cavern entrance.

         “I think these will do.” He pulled out a couple Coleman lamps instead of flashlights. “I scrounged these up and a handful of flashlights before I went to bed last night. There’s also a first aid kit there in case we need it later on.”

         “Good man!” Randall took one of the lamps and handed the other one to Franklin. “The rest of you grab a flashlight, and let’s go!”

         Randall went underground first, followed closely by Anthony and then Franklin. Jack went next with Shannon bringing up the rear. The light from Randall’s lamp broke up the darkness in the corridor when he walked carefully away from the entrance. Each new lamp and flashlight helped to push the shadows back to reveal ragged limestone walls and uneven ground.

         “Try to hug the walls, if at all possible,” warned Randall, coming upon the trail of blood drops in the middle of the corridor. “Anthony, take a swab. Even though it’s probably Colin’s blood, I’d like to know for sure.”

         Anthony had been carrying a small case containing various items needed for forensic testing. He stopped at hearing Randall’s instruction and took a swab out of the case, swiped it through one of the dried blood drops, and returned the swab in its protective container to his case. While he was doing this, Franklin aimed his camera at the blood trail and took a few photographs.

         “Thanks, Franklin,” said Randall, over his shoulder as he continued on down the corridor. “Looks like you’ve helped out in cases before.”

         “A few when I worked as a police photographer back in the 1950s.” Franklyn kept walking, randomly taking pictures of both the blood drops and the layout of the corridor. Soon he and Randall reached the side corridor containing the women’s skeletons.

         “This one must be Nancy, Jason Edgeworth’s second wife.” Jack led the way into the first chamber. “Walker said she was the first they found and described her manacled to the wall like that.” He remembered what he’d read earlier in the journal about this woman. “She was the first victim of Edgeworth and seemed to have been the most gently treated by him.”

         Anthony snorted in disgust. “Gentle? You think it was gentle to force her down here, torture and then murder the poor woman?”

         “Anthony, you have to see how the other four women died before you decide if Nancy’s death was gentle by comparison.” Jack had seen the mutilated bodies and knew they would invade and haunt his sleep for years.

         After Franklin took pictures of areas selected by Randall, they all left the chamber and continued down the side corridor.

Chapter 85

After Franklin took pictures of areas selected by Randall, they left Nancy’s pitiful remains and continued down the side corridor. Anthony started to revise his opinion about Jason’s gentle treatment of the women when the group entered the second chamber.

         Inside the room was a brass coffin placed vertically over a pile of ashes. Jason originally had placed the coffin containing the woman on top of this fire and left it there for many hours until the brass turned "red hot". There was a stool located nearby on which he must have sat to enjoy the sound of his victim's cries for mercy.

         The lid of the coffin was open revealing only scorched bones as reminders of the body inside. The mouth of the skeleton was still open from her last terrified screams while the scorching heat burned her alive.

         ‘You were right, Jack.” Anthony almost whispered, when the way this woman had died sunk in. “This was far from a gentle death. I thought I’d seen all types of brutality on the job, but nothing as bad as this.” The sudden flash of light from Franklin’s camera startled him. Almost in a trance, he obeyed Randall’s quiet instruction to collect some of the cloth and pieces of jewelry hanging from the skeleton and add it to that taken from Nancy’s body.

         “Why those items?” asked Shannon, trying to avoid looking at the coffin.

         Randall headed out into the corridor before answering. “Perhaps the cloth or jewelry might identify the women. From what I read in his journals, he failed to mention the names of some of these women.” He took a few steps down the corridor and went into the third room.

         Shannon, following closely behind him to listen to his explanation, almost fell over the metal device on the ground just inside the room. She noted it was in the shape of a pear, attached to a wooden handle, and covered in dried blood. “What’s this thing?” she asked, showing no surprise when her question went unanswered.

         After waiting for Franklyn to photograph the item, Anthony reached down and picked it up. Turning the handle opened the spoon-shaped lobes of the metal pear, and he and Randall immediately realized what form of torture this inflicted.

         The other three still appeared mystified until Randall explained how to use the item. “Look at her mouth. He must have put it there and opened the lobes to destroy her teeth.”

         “Yeah, they’re on the ground by the skeleton.” Jack was kneeling and checking the pile of bones.

         “Well, that probably didn’t cause her death.” Randall once had read about this type of medieval torture called the Pear of Anguish, used primarily on homosexuals and women. “If he applied it to either her anus or vagina, a painful death is inevitable and slow.”

         Shannon was starting to regret volunteering to enter this dungeon of horrors, “Guys, it seems each death is getting slower and more painful, but how much worse can the last two be?”

         She was about to find out and be forever grateful she had missed eating breakfast. The men weren’t so lucky, and at least one of them saw his bacon and eggs again.

Continued in next segment.

Home of the Gray Dog - Segment 18  (18+) Chapters 86 through 90. #1282076 by J. A. Buxton