The Cabin by the Sea: The Audrey Murders - Book Two Page 11

  Mark and Betty were horrified. “They can’t do that. They can’t ruin my poor girl’s reputation. She is dead for God’s sake.” Betty wailed. “Can’t you stop them?”

  “We did not confirm their allegations but we cannot prevent them from releasing the information if they can substantiate it” he replied.

  “Well I am sure they have no proof of such a thing? Said Bruce.

  Detective Burt and Constable Bromley left the Cunningham’s and headed off to the Hihi Peninsula. It was almost ten thirty and they wanted to lead the search.

  Upon their arrival at the motor camp the police dog team greeted them. The dog and his handler headed up the peninsula road. The road had been blocked off and only residents were allowed access. A small group of local residents were already congregating by the camp. It wouldn’t be long before the media caught on. Detective Burt kept a couple of officers by the camp to safeguard the area.

  By eleven thirty the search team had made their way almost three kilometers up the road.

  Bromley was beginning to doubt his instincts but insisted they keep going. At noon Bromley was just about to call off the search when he heard the dog barking. He ran to where the search team had gathered and saw the silver Toyota parked not far from the road. It was in a wooded area surrounded by tea tree and gorse. Detective Burt reached the car before Bromley and said; “We’ve found him. He’s dead.” He put on a pair of protective gloves and opened the driver’s door. “Look like he was shot in the head”. They radioed the forensics team and the coroner and waited for their arrival. The search team returned down peninsula road to a deluge of media. “No comment” they said as they pushed their way through the crowd.

  It was mid afternoon before the body and the car had been removed from the scene. There had been no doubt that Jenkins had been shot. Was it a suicide? Was it a homicide? They wouldn’t have long to wait for the answer.

  Bromley got the message about five thirty. Jenkins’ fingerprints were the only ones found on the gun. There were no other fingerprints found in or on the car. His belongings were also searched. The forensics team had a question. “Was Suzy wearing a pair of panties with pink and purple hearts on them? A pair matching this description was found among Jenkins personal items.

  They were processing them for DNA. There was also a flash drive found in his suitcase. They were sending the photos via email over to Bromley now.

  Constable Bromley clicked on the photo attachments and sat in shock as he reviewed Jenkins’ photos of Suzy. They were disturbing and confirmed Jenkins had been with the girl the night she went missing. They were damning proof. The girl was handcuffed, blind folded and at times even gagged.

  It was time to call the Cunningham’s. It was not going to be an easy conversation. But Bromley had to find out if the panties belonged to Suzy. If so, then they obviously had the killer and the case would be closed.

  Constable Bromley hung up the phone and sighed. They had just confirmed his worse fears. Jenkins had obviously kept the girl’s panties as a memento.

  His next phone call was to the local hotel to talk to Jenkins’ sister. Detective Burt ha already taken Diane to the coroner’s office to officially identify the body. She had broken down and sobbed uncontrollably. Bromley wanted to extend his condolences and ask her to come into the station tomorrow to answer a few questions if she was up to it. The hotel advised she had checked out.

  He made it home in time to watch the six o’clock news. Suzy Cunningham’s murder was the first story.

  C H A P T E R 6 1

  The conversation between Diane and Audrey was still worrying Paul. He too couldn’t understand why Diane’s brother had left so suddenly and without any explanation. Could he believe Audrey? She had a history of being involved with missing, murdered middle-aged men. He had not told Diane about the information he had found on Audrey. No need to cause her more grief, he thought. He just hoped this was not a murder too or there might be more to the sweet talking, innocent Audrey.

  Paul unpacked his clothes and placed his laptop computer on the small wooden table. He had already asked Audrey about a wireless service and she had given him the password so he could access it. The signal was not very strong - but adequate. After checking his emails he continued to research the Suzy Cunningham case. Diane had told him she planned on talking to the police, if she couldn’t find her brother before tomorrow. She was going to call around his small circle of friends this afternoon. Maybe one of them had heard from him. Suzy Cunningham’s Facebook page gave him access to her list of friends. He wondered if Lucy Bromley was any relation to Constable Bromley. It would appear Lucy was one of Suzy’s closest friends. There were numerous photos of them both. Some of Suzy’s photos looked a little too sexy for a sixteen year old. He did a search for Lucy Bromley. There was no record on Facebook or other social media sites. That’s strange, he thought.

  He had heard a dog barking up the peninsula about noon and wondered what a dog was doing in the area. The peninsula was a dedicated kiwi zone with strict rules prohibiting cats and dogs. The cabin was quite a distance from the road. Paul figured that they didn’t take the “no dog” law very seriously.

  At three o’clock Paul decided to take a walk down peninsula road to the Hihi beach. He hoped the small shop at the motor camp would be open so he could pick up some supplies.

  It was a nice stroll downhill all the way. The rural road was lined in old pine trees, pungas and tea trees. There was thick bamboo on the corner before he reached the flats. Some shoots were precariously hanging over the road. The road continued on around a few bends bordering the bay. It was full tide and the swollen bay crashed against the rocks on the shore.

  Paul decided he should take this walk every day. It helped clear his head and give him time to structure the outline of his book.

  Suddenly he heard the crunching of car tires on the road behind him. He quickly stepped to one side to allow the vehicles through. He was taken back when he watched the St John’s Ambulance and a police car pass him by and head down towards Hihi beach. He wondered why the ambulance did not have its siren on. Usually that indicated the person in the ambulance was deceased. For a quiet town it certainly had a lot happening.

  When he reached the motor camp he saw a number of television vans pulling out and heading for the highway. A few locals were milling around the camp. He stopped and asked an elderly couple if they knew what was going on.

  “They must have found that Jenkins man” a slender, well spoken, elderly lady informed him “They had police dogs searching all morning up the peninsula. Then we saw an ambulance go up and come down.”

  “What makes you think it is the Jenkins guy?” Paul asked.

  “Because we were talking to the television crew and that’s what they told us,” she replied.

  Paul could see the shop was closed. “Closed for the winter” the sign on the door read.

  “Damn” said Paul “I guess I will have to go into Mangonui for supplies”.

  “This is a holiday town,” said the elderly man. “Only a few of us stay during the winter.

  Paul sat on the park bench and looked out across the bay to the open sea in the far distance. He had heard a meteor originally formed Doubtless Bay. It certainly looked like an enormous crater with Karikari peninsula on one side and the Hihi Peninsula on the other.

  On his way back to the cabin he wondered if it was Jenkins they had found. Should he call Diane at the hotel? He decided he would not upset her incase it wasn’t Jenkins after all. He remembered she was going to visit the Mangonui Police today anyway.

  Paul decided to wait until tomorrow to do his shopping. He had a couple of beers and a couple of steak pies that would last him until then.

  By quarter to six the sun was beginning to set and Audrey was knocking at his door. “Shit! What the hell does she want?” He opened the door and saw her standing there all dressed up “Yes?” he enquired.

  “It is going to be such a wonderful sunset,” she
said

  “I have a couple of glasses and a bottle of wine on the front lawn and thought you might like to join me for a welcome drink.”

  “Sorry, but I was just settling in to watch the news. Another time” he said politely.

  “Oh, OK then. Another time” she said.

  He could see the light disappear from her green eyes. Her warm smile didn’t vary. As he closed the door she turned on her heels and walked determinedly towards the cottage.

  Paul turned on the news and watched in horror as he listened to the Suzy Cunningham update. Detective Burt was reading a statement to the press:

  “Today we located the body of Gavin Jenkins. It would appear Mr. Jenkins took his own life. We have reason to believe that he was involved in Suzy Cunningham’s murder. However, it is an ongoing investigation but we are not looking for any other suspect at this time. Suzy Cunningham’s body was found in Doubtless Bay yesterday. She was sixteen years old. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. We thank the public for their support.“

  “Poor Diane” he said. “I must call her and give her my condolences. She is here all-alone and must be devastated. He dialed the number at the hotel and asked for Diane Jenkins. He was told she had checked out of the hotel and had given no forwarding address or left any message for him. He would wait and contact her tomorrow. Everyone can be located now either through social media or online directories.

  He looked over at the lights in the cottage. He didn’t know what to make of his landlady. She seemed to bring death with her wherever she goes. He would need to keep a safe distance from her.

  While he is Mangonui tomorrow he might stop by the police station and talk to the officer in charge of Suzy’s case. He was curious why they thought Jenkins was responsible for the murder. He also wanted to ask them about Audrey and the two murders over in Whangaroa last year. Both murdered men were also her guests. It seemed too much of a coincidence to ignore. He would tell him he had just moved into the cabin and wanted to make sure his life wasn’t in jeopardy.

  C H A P T E R 6 2

  Audrey watched the news with relief. They had found Gavin’s body in his car and suspected suicide. The police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the murder. She was off the hook. There would be no reason for the police to contact her any more.

  She had been disappointed that Paul preferred to watch the news rather than join her for a glass of champagne. She was hoping she could have distracted him. He already knew that Jenkins had stayed in his cabin and now his body was found just up the road she was worried he might decide to leave.

  Audrey wondered what Paul was writing about. She had meant to ask him. If it weren’t for that dreadful woman she would have had some alone time with Paul and would have learned more about him. She wondered if he had been married. Maybe he was married and just needed time away to write his book. He didn’t appear to have much in the way of luggage. Maybe he had a home and family tucked away somewhere. She hoped not. Audrey wanted Paul all to herself.

  She decided to have an early night and ran a hot bath laying out her pajamas and warm dressing gown on the bed. She had just climbed into the bath and stretched out into the hot water when she heard the phone. “Bloody Hell! She complained as she climbed back out of the bath to answer it.

  “Hello” she snapped into the phone

  “Audrey?

  “Yes, who is it?

  “It’s Diane Jenkins. I need to talk to you.”

  “I’m taking a bath can you call back later?” she said

  “O.K. I’ll call you back,” replied Diane.

  Audrey stepped back into the bathtub. She used her toes to turn on the tap and refill it with hot water. The bath felt wonderful. ‘Bloody woman” she complained. “Who does she think she is? First she accuses me of what- I have no idea and then she needs to talk to me. I don’t think so. I certainly won’t be answering the phone tonight.”

  As Audrey climbed into bed and turned her electric blanket down to one she heard the phone ringing again. Ignoring the call she turned on the tele and listened to a movie until she fell asleep.

  There was a noise outside Audrey’s window. A rustling in the night. Eyes were watching.

  C H A P T E R 6 3

  Constable Bromley decided to make Mary and the girls breakfast this morning. He was celebrating having solved the case. Well at least he had the killer and just had to tie up the loose ends. Bromley liked to cook. He popped in the toast as he checked the bacon, tomatoes and eggs sizzling in the fry pan. His wife had fallen for the infomercial on the stone non- stick fry pan. It was only non-stick the first two times you used it. He always had trouble turning over the eggs. The coffee pot sat on the table. One of his favorite aromas was the smell of bacon cooking it reminded him of his youth.

  He called the girls and went to wake up his wife. It is going to be a wonderful day today, he thought as he kissed his wife on her cheek.

  Mary stirred and smiled. She could smell breakfast cooking and knew her husband must be in a good mood this morning. “What’s the occasion?” she asked.

  “Just celebrating life,” he answered

  As the family sat down for breakfast they could hear the morning news on the television in the next room.

  “There has been a new development in the Suzy Cunningham’s murder case,” the announcer was saying. “It has been confirmed by various sources that Suzy was better known as Red, a local prostitute working the streets at only sixteen years of age. This morning in the studio we have with us a man who does not want to be identified who will testify that Suzy Cunningham was prostituting herself at the Taipa Shopping Center on various separate occasions.

  The news went on with the man’s interview. He said he had seen her only a week before at the shopping center and a few times prior to that.

  Bromley was furious. How dare the media destroy the young girl’s reputation when she died such an awful death. Oh God, he thought. Her parents – they will be devastated.

  He walked into the living room and stood in front of the TV and watched as the announcer said “Now we have an interview with Gavin Jenkins’ sister”

  He watched shocked as Diane Jenkins appeared on the screen.

  “My brother is innocent,” she said. “He did not kill himself. He was murdered. This is a conspiracy. That girl was a prostitute. Any man could have picked her up that night. It was not my brother. He was a quiet, respected man”. She began to sob.

  “Shit!” Bromley said. “I have to go to the station.” All hell is breaking loose. Sorry about that. I’ll see you later. He left his breakfast uneaten sitting on the kitchen table surrounded by four forlorn faces.

  C H A P T E R 6 4

  There were only a handful of television stations on the Freeview in the cabin. Paul tuned into TV One to watch the morning news. He wasn’t disappointed. The story was getting bigger every day. If Suzy Cunningham was an under aged pro then Jenkins must have been her john on the night she was murdered. He hoped it hadn’t happened in the bed he was sleeping in. The thought gave him the shudders.

  He was surprised to see Diane talking about her brother. Didn’t she realize the cops must have some proof he was responsible for her death or they wouldn’t have announced it? But then, it is always difficult for family to accept their loved one could be a monster. He changed his mind about calling Diane. She obviously was coping with his death the best way she could even if it was in complete denial.

  He decided to get some writing done before he headed into Mangonui to do his grocery shopping. He needed to get everything down in writing while it was fresh in his mind. He was pleased Audrey had left freshly ground coffee and a small jug of milk in the fridge. There were also sugar and some condiments in the cupboard. It would keep him going until he hit the town for lunch.

  It wasn’t long before he heard Audrey’s car going down the driveway. He wondered where she was going. She sounded like she was in a hurry. He kept typing and was soon lost in
a writer’s daze.

  He jumped as he heard a knock at the door. He wasn’t expecting anyone to be around and hadn’t heard a car pulling up. It frightened the shit out of him. He pulled open the curtains on the sliding door and saw a short balding man facing him.

  “So sorry to disturb you” said the man “I am looking for Audrey. Do you know if she is around?”

  “I heard her leaving in her car about thirty minutes ago.” He said

  “Damn.” He swore. “You must be the new tenant. I’m your neighbor, Bruce Bromley. I live just over there” he said pointing north across the lawn.

  Paul recognized the name as the guy who found the backpack and the body. He had been reading an article on line about how he, Bruce Bromley, was out in his boat during the search. He was an ex firefighter and well known in the area.

  “Pleased to me you. Paul Jamieson,” he introduced himself. “There has been a lot going on around here.”

  “Bloody right there” Bruce said.

  “You found the girl’s body” Paul said “That must have been difficult”.

  “Terrible, terrible.” He said

  “Did you meet Gavin Jenkins who was staying in this cabin?” Paul enquired

  “No. Can’t say I did. And a good thing too. Shocking what he did to that girl”.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee? I haven’t got much else to offer, as I haven’t picked up any supplies yet. Just moved in yesterday afternoon,” Paul explained

  “Don’t mind if I do,” said Bruce as he followed Paul to the small kitchen table.

  “I’ll just move my laptop and make more room,” he said. “I am a writer and am taking a few months off to write a book. In fact, you might be just the man to help me get it off the ground”