The Cabin by the Sea: The Audrey Murders - Book Two Read online

  It was primitive living. The cottage was originally an old tin garage. The plumbing, septic and drainage were all in need of repair. Fifty years ago the cottage and land were given to the caretaker of the large farm that covered the peninsula. Today the peninsula was covered in bush and subdivided into private properties, recently becoming a protective kiwi zone.

  Audrey’s property was the closest to the Hihi public beach and unfortunately her two private beaches were accessible to the public when the tide was out. Occasionally she found fishermen fishing off the large rock at one of her beaches. The other beach was much more private requiring people to clamber over huge craggy rocks to access the beach area. This was the beach she had made accessible by cutting steps into the cliff.

  The cabin was a more recent addition. The last owners had erected the small unit. It was also in desperate need of a face-lift when Audrey moved in. Now it was presentable and even comfortable and thank goodness provided her with a much needed income.

  Audrey leaned back in the bath and sipped her wine. She played Mozart on her computer. She had copied over three thousand songs from her CDs left at the Three Suites. Now they were all on iTunes. The music calmed her mind and the hot water calmed her body. She heard the phone ring and ignored it. There was no one she wanted to talk to.

  C H A P T E R 1 3

  Suzy was getting ready for her night out. She had told her parents she was staying at Lucy’s house. Lucy had told her parents the same thing – that is, she was staying at Suzy’s house.

  Together they had arranged to meet up with Staci who Suzy had met at the summer camp. Suzy looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She looked older than her sixteen years. Especially when she put on makeup and fluffed her long red hair out so it looked sexy and full. She had a pale complexion. She knew men liked her pale skin and red hair. Her big green eyes and full red lips made up for her lack of experience in the sex world. Staci was older and more experienced.

  This was Suzy’s fifth time out. It was Lucy’s first time. Suzy stuffed her work clothes and makeup bag into her backpack and went to kiss her parents goodbye. Lucy’s house was just down the next street. She was actually meeting Lucy outside the old library. They were planning on going to the movies in Kaitaia before hitting the streets later that night. Staci was going to take them to work in the small town of Taipa. There had been a lot of trouble lately with under aged sex workers and they heard that the Kaitaia cops would be checking the city streets tonight so working out of town was their only option.

  After the movie, the girls changed their youthful faces into desirable women with mascara, lipstick and powders. Their jeans and sweaters were replaced with short skirts, knee -high boots, push up bras and leather jackets. Lucy had to borrow Suzy’s clothes as her parents were strict and conservative unlike Suzy’s Mum and Dad who pretty much let Suzy wear what she wanted. They reviewed their metamorphosis with giggling delight. They could hear it was beginning to rain. They hoped they would get picked up early and taken somewhere nice and warm.

  Staci dropped them off under cover at the small shopping center on the main highway out of town. The shops were closed and they huddled together under the awning.

  It wasn’t long before a man in a red truck stopped and asked Lucy if she would like to go somewhere for a ‘good time.’ Lucy was pleased she was chosen over Suzy and eagerly got in his truck leaving Suzy alone in the cold wet night.

  Suzy began to regret her decision to work tonight Twice she had to crouch down on the wet pavement behind a bench to hide from a police car cruising the area. Luckily she spotted the well-marked car in time. Staci hadn’t told them the police would be cruising Taipa too. She must be careful.

  It was after midnight when she saw the man pull into the shopping center. He was a rather good-looking, older man and spoke in a soft, well-educated voice.

  “Hello there. What is a nice looking girl doing out here in the middle of no-where on such a cold night?

  “Looking for a good time, “ she replied bravely.

  “I can provide that” he said. “Hop in”.

  “It will cost you a hundred bucks” she said and waited for his response.

  “No problem, hundred dollars it is,” he said as he leaned over to open the passenger door for her.

  Suzy noticed the interior of the car was clean and tidy. “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “To a nice warm cabin” he replied. “About twenty minutes from here. How much for the whole night?” he asked.

  Suzy thought for a moment. She had her cell phone on her and could text Staci later to let her know she would not be back until tomorrow morning. “Five hundred bucks” she said boldly.

  “Make it three hundred and we have a deal,” he said.

  Suzy thought about it. Three hundred bucks and a warm place to hang out sounded OK to her. “It’s a deal” she said and sat quietly beside him as they made their way through the dark night.

  C H A P T E R 1 4

  Constable Bromley had cruised the area for more than three hours. Nothing. He doubted anyone would be working on such a wet, cold night. He had only passed a couple of cars and that was a couple of hours ago. One looked liked the silver Toyota that belonged the man at the fish and chip shop in Mangonui this afternoon. He wondered what he was doing out so late. He could see someone in the car with him – but who? He couldn’t see clearly in the rain – it was too dark and wet. He must be staying locally, he thought.

  Bromley looked at the time. Almost two o’clock in the morning. He made his way back to the station. What a waste of an evening. He could have been eating a nice roast lamb dinner by a warm fireplace with his family. Instead he was out looking for wayward girls selling their bodies for a few bucks. His oldest daughter was sixteen. She was a good girl - never any trouble. He didn’t know what sort of parents would let their children walk the streets.

  He was told that legalizing prostitution cleaned up the business. It was the oldest profession in the world. Personally he thought prostitution should be illegal and smoking weed should be legal. California and Colorado legalized marijuana. He knew prostitution was illegal over there. New Zealand had it all wrong he thought. Maybe methamphetamines would not be such a problem in New Zealand if weed were legal. But, who was he to complain. He had a job to do.

  As soon as he had filled out his paperwork he made his way over to his house next door. It was another night of creeping into bed so not to disturb his sleeping wife. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

  C H A P T E R 1 5

  Gavin parked on the gravel drive about thirty feet from the cabin. He didn’t want to wake Audrey next door. The rain had stopped long enough for them both to make their way inside.

  He turned on the television to a music channel and opened up a bottle of wine. He passed one glass to Suzy who had removed her wet jacket and muddy boots and was warming her exposed legs by the electric panel heater. She looked a little bedraggled he thought. Her long red hair was dripping at the ends making small puddles on the floor. Her eye makeup made black, raccoon-like circles around her pretty green eyes. Gavin didn’t mind. He realized he had struck it lucky. She was much younger than he had first thought. He could tell she was only about sixteen or seventeen.

  “What sort of music do you like?” he asked pleasantly.

  “Oh, most anything” she replied.

  He kept it on the groove channel but he guessed she would have preferred one of Justin Beiber’s songs. He watched as she confidently sipped her glass of wine and was surprised at her obvious sophistication and her lack of concern at being in a stranger’s isolated cabin in the middle of the night. She must have been doing this for some time, he thought.

  “I need the money first,” Suzy said pouting her beautiful full lips provocatively.

  Gavin picked up his keys and walked toward the chest of drawers. He reached into the back of the second drawer and removed a metal box and placed it on the small wooden kitchen table.


  Suzy looked intently as he unlocked the box and lifted the lid. She couldn’t see what was inside but was pleased to see he had a wad of money in his hand. He removed three crisp hundred dollar notes and returned the wad to the box. “Three hundred” he said as he handed her the money.

  “Thanks” said Suzy and tucked the money into her wet boot on the floor. “Now what would you like?” she asked as she stood facing the older, good-looking man.

  “This” he said as he pulled out a small black cotton blindfold from the box and proceeded to tie it around her pretty head. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I won’t hurt you. It is just a game.” He led her to the bed and pulled her gently down onto the fresh clean duvet. He rested her head on the pillow and began to slowly undress her. She lay quietly and obediently still. He prized open her young legs and touched her in places that made her sigh. Suzy liked older men. She liked the way they smelt. His soft scent of aftershave and musty body odor reminded her of her first time she had sex with an older man. It was during the summer holidays just a few months ago. He was staying at the same camping grounds as her family. He was married with children her age. They would meet in the bush down an isolated track most afternoons. He taught her about her body and how good it felt to be touched. They made love in the sunshine. It was at the summer camp that she also met Staci and learned she could make money doing the same thing. She loved it. She knew she looked mature for her age and men would pay good money to be with her and she wasn’t wrong. Her dream was to be a porn star like the ones she saw on television. She only had a few years to wait before she could open up her own brothel. By then she should have enough money. Tonight she was making three hundred dollars and as long she was back home in the morning her parents would never know. Little did she know her choice of tonight’s sugar daddy was not a good one.

  C H A P T E R 1 6

  Audrey couldn’t stand it. She had heard his car return about twelve thirty. She wondered why he had parked so far down the driveway. She heard the little metal gate to the cabin clink shut and footsteps going into the cabin. Soft music began to play. Audrey had to strain to hear. She thought she heard voices but a new shower of deafening rain and high winds made it impossible to eavesdrop. Looking out the curtains didn’t provide any more information. His curtains were drawn and his lights were low. She would have to wait until morning.

  The weather forecast on the late news had forecasted more showers tomorrow turning into heavy rain in the evening. She turned down the fire and switched off the lights and climbed into bed. Tonight she would sleep with the electric blanket on two. She reached over to take a couple of sleeping pills and a sip of water. Tomorrow she would do some serious snooping. Audrey drifted off to sleep with visions of metal boxes and dark places.

  C H A P T E R 1 7

  Constable Bromley slept in late. His late night of cruising the streets in the rain had been uneventful and he was in no hurry to venture out into the heavy rain he could hear pounding on the tin roof. Mary had been kind enough to let him sleep in. He could hear her in the kitchen with the three girls. He was pleased to hear his older daughter’s voice. He didn’t like her staying away at night. His stomach let him know he hadn’t eaten a meal in too long. Bacon, eggs and cooked tomatoes would go down really well right now. He swung his legs over the bed and pulled on a pair of sweat pants. Work could wait another few hours.

  Bromley was pleased with his body. He kept himself fit and healthy. You never knew when you needed to run down a young hoodlum. He knew he could outrun almost anyone even though he was turning forty- five this week. Daily runs and weightlifting were two of his favorite hobbies. His thirty-three inch waist had never altered since his high school days. He knew his wife was pleased he looked after himself. Their friends were beginning to let themselves go. He was proud of how Mary still had kept her youthful body. She didn’t look a year over thirty-five. Their daughters had taken after her. They were pretty, petite and athletic. He was proud of his family. He heard the phone ringing in the kitchen.

  “Hello, Mary speaking” he heard his wife singing into the phone. “It’s for you,” she said as she handed him the phone.

  “Constable Bromley, how can I help you?” he asked grudgingly hoping the call would not take him away from his pending breakfast. “No, she is not here.” He said looking across at his daughter, Lucy. “Lucy have you seen Suzy this morning? Her parents say she didn’t come home this morning. I thought you were staying at her house last night?”

  Lucy looked concerned. “No, we went to the movies and then I decided to come home afterwards. Last time I saw her was when we said goodbye after the movies.”

  Bromley repeated the information to the concerned parents. He looked over at Lucy again “Her parents said she was staying here with you last night and she hasn’t come home yet”

  Lucy just shrugged her shoulders and returned to eating her cornflakes. “Maybe she is with Staci,” she said quietly.

  “Staci who?” he asked.

  “She’s Suzy’s friend. She met her at summer camp,” mumbled Lucy almost incoherently. “She lives in Taipa down by the recycling place. She came to the movies with us in Kaitaia.”

  By the time Bromley had hung up the phone from Suzy’s parents he knew breakfast would have to wait. They had never heard of Suzy’s so called friend, Staci. Bromley promised to drive down to the recycling area and question the handful of residents who lived nearby. He was sure there was no need for concern. He had told Suzy’s parents that Suzy had most probably just spent the night with this Staci and didn’t want to concern them with her change of plans.

  The drive to Taipa was not an easy one. The streets were strewn with branches and debris from last night’s storm. Twice he had to stop to remove large branches from the road. The rain had not let up since last night. He made his way across the one-way bridge and turned left down the deserted road along the Taipa River to the recycling depot. He chose the yellow house set back from the road, parked his car and walked up the wooden steps to the front door.

  A quick sharp knock brought a woman to the door. “I am looking for a girl called Staci,” said Bromley.

  “She lives next door,” said the women pointing to the old farmhouse across the grassy paddocks separating their two properties.

  “Thanks, said Bromley, “sorry to disturb you”.

  He returned to the car and set off back down the road to the house the lady had pointed out. He heard a dog barking loudly inside the house. He knocked equally loudly on the door. It took a minute or two before he heard footsteps approaching. When the door opened he looked into the eyes of a beautiful young women. He guessed she was about eighteen years old. She was impeccably dressed.

  “Would you be Staci?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She replied looking at him defiantly.

  “Were you with a girl called Suzy last night?” he asked her.

  “Yes” she replied again.

  “Is she here? Did she stay here last night?” he pushed further hoping to get a longer response.

  “No” she replied noncommittally.

  “Do you know where she is? Her parents are worried. She never returned home last night”.

  “I thought she was staying with her friend, Lucy,” said Staci. “You can check with her. She lives in Mangonui I think”.

  “No she did not stay with Lucy,” said Bromley not divulging the fact that Lucy was his daughter. “Do you know any other friend she could have stayed with?” he asked.

  “No” replied Staci “Sorry I can’t help you officer. Is there anything else?” she asked with her hand on the door in anticipation of closure.

  “Not at the moment” said the constable “Please let me know if you hear from her,” he said as he handed her his card and stepped away from the door and returned to his car.

  Something was troubling Bromley. It wasn’t just the fact that Suzy was a friend of Lucy and was missing but it was the confusion of why the girls had changed plans and
not stayed overnight where they said they were staying. Suzy’s parents thought Suzy was staying with Lucy and Lucy had told him she was staying at Suzy’s house. Yet Lucy came home and now Suzy was nowhere to be found. He made his way over to Suzy’s house to talk to her parents. He wondered. Did Suzy have a cell phone? When was the last time they had talked to her? He had his work cut out for him.

  He would stop by the coffee shop and pick up a steak and cheese pie and a cup of coffee. He needed food so he could think clearly.

  C H A P T E R 1 8

  Audrey awoke late and noticed Gavin’s car was already gone. “Damn,” she said. “I missed him” wondering if she had time to have another look for the key to box in the cabin. She threw on a pair of jeans and a warm sweatshirt, grabbed the umbrella and made her way across the square concrete stepping- stones between the two buildings. She listened intently through the wind and rain incase she heard his car coming up the driveway.

  Carefully wiping her wet shoes she stepped inside and was shocked at the sight before her. The cabin was a mess. Everything was in disarray. The bed linens, pillows and clothes were strewn everywhere. The drawer where the box was kept was left open. She noticed the tin box was now sitting on the kitchen table. It was empty. The lid was open and the key was in the lock.

  She picked up the duvet from the floor and a pair of women’s panties fell out and landed on her shoe. “Oh shit!” she quickly kicked them off “what the hell?” Was Gavin wearing women’s underwear? She noticed they had little pink and purple scattered hearts with a pink lace trim. They looked more like a young girl’s panties she thought. Did he have a girl here? She wondered. She thought she heard voices last night. Where were they now? It was dangerous driving around in this weather. Trees were already swaying precariously in the violent storm.