FIRST STEP MURDER Read online

  At 5:05 Mr. Brennon walked out of the bank and got into the back of a black sedan, Faxon followed in the jeep, the tag on the sedan indicated it was a private driver service. The car stopped in front of a condo high rise, 130 Bowdoin. While Mr. Brennon tipped the car service driver Faxon quickly found a place to park along the street. He got inside just in time to watch what floor the elevator stopped on. He followed up to the twelfth floor not yet knowing what room Mac Brennon went to. There were twenty condos on the floor. Faxon took out his surface microphone as he approached room 1201. He put the earwig in, adjusted the volume, and then placed the microphone against the door. After just a few moments of no sound he moved to the next door, 1202, he hoped to get lucky before he had to check every door on the floor. Then he heard a woman talking.

  “I bought something I thought you might like,” he heard her say. “I’ll be right back, make your-self a drink.”

  After a few minutes she must have come back into the room.

  “Well what do you think,” she asked?

  Faxon pictured a thirty-something hooker wearing a teddy. Just then he heard the elevator door open behind him and he quickly slipped the surface microphone in his front pocket as he leaned against the door jamb and acted drunk.

  “Don’t understand why damn key won’t work,” he slurred.

  “Are you sure that’s your condo sir,” asked a cute petite girl with a pretty smile and blue eyes.

  “1201, I’ve owned this condo ever since my father died,” he said, still acting drunk.

  “That’s right next door sweetie.”

  “Oh, thank you,” he said.

  Faxon stumbled back to 1201 and heard her knock and in a moment the door opened.

  “Damn girl look at you, that’s sexy, have you already started without me,” he heard the petite girl ask?

  “I had to keep him occupied until you got here, he’s anxious.”

  After she went in and the door closed he moved back to 1202 and placed the surface microphone against the door again. They made small talk and had a couple more drinks, the girls giggled between short periods of quiet then he heard the first girl suggest they go into the bedroom. Faxon didn’t hear much more for a few minutes, and then he heard a low moan. He hadn’t planned on this being the moment to get what he needed. Most of the time he’d follow the guy for a few days and make sure he had the right opportunity, but it wasn’t going to get any better than this. Faxon put away the surface microphone and took out his lock pic set. He slipped inside and left the door open just a little for a quick get-a-way. He took out a digital camera and walked toward the open bedroom doorway where the moaning was coming from.

  Faxon peeked around the doorjamb, and Mr. Brennon was definitely cheating on his wife, with high priced hookers. He stepped into the room and clicked off a few images before the three of them turned to look at a stranger standing in the bedroom. It was several more images before Mac Brennon managed to get up cussing and threating. The fat naked banker tried to grab the camera and Faxon kneed him in the crotch and he went down groaning. The two pretty young girls smiled then laughed as he made his way out.

  * * *

  The next day he waited until nearly noon to call Shira Brennon.

  “You could have called earlier Faxon, Mr. Brennon didn’t come home last night and I got a call from his lawyer first thing this morning. He’s offering a very generous settlement. I assume everything went as planned,” she said, in her Ukrainian accent.

  “It did, Mr. Brennon tried to take the camera from me. I had to knee him in the crotch. I don’t think he was able to pleasure anyone after that.”

  Shira laughed. “Bravo Faxon, bring me those images, I have the rest of your fee. I live at the Devonshire, unit 2, 1 Devonshire Place.”

  “I know the building Mrs. Brennon, I’m on my way.”

  “Please Faxon darling you must call me Shira.”

  At the building there was an entry area with a desk and a doorman. The on duty receptionist asked his name and checked the list and then he was allowed to go on. After just two knocks on her condo door she answered. Shira wore a loose black robe with a tie at the waist. After kissing his cheek she invited him in. He followed her swaying stride into the kitchen.

  “Can I get you a cup of tea Faxon, or maybe a coffee? I always have tea, I never got used to drinking coffee like you Americans.”

  “I’ll have coffee please.”

  She had one of those single cup makers and in no time served him a cup, black, strong, just the way he liked it. Shira left the room and when she came back she set her laptop down on the counter in front of Faxon, and a small bundle of one hundred dollar bills. Faxon plugged the flash drive in and moved the laptop over to her. He sipped his coffee while she viewed the images without emotion.

  “They were pretty girls, yes?”

  “Ya, sure,” Faxon said, “they’re pretty, and expensive.”

  “Do you think there’s something wrong with me?”

  “No, you’re a very attractive lady. I think it’s hard to find that special person though.”

  “I never refused him, anything,” she said, “I think you may be right, sometimes sex is just sex, not love.”

  * * *

  It was Friday night at Ned Devine’s the dark polished wood paneling had come from Ireland, accented by brass fixtures. The Clancy Brothers played, all the waitresses wore dark red shirts tied in a knot above the waist with short red and black plaid skirts. Faxon sat at his usual spot at the end of the bar.

  “Amy Lindsey is sitting in a booth, she’s alone,” William said.

  “I really don’t feel like an argument with her tonight.”

  A pretty, tall, sandy blonde sat beside Faxon, and after William asked what he could get her she said, “A shot of Tequila.”

  Faxon thought she looked familiar. Then he checked to make sure the stalker bitch wasn’t coming over to make a scene.

  “You don’t remember me? My names Barbie,” she said as she turned the shot glass around in a circle on the bar and smiled.

  “I’d remember if we ever when out.”

  Barbie laughed. “No we never went out, although you’ve been to my place and seen me naked. You might say you broke in.”

  She picked up the shot glass of tequila and drank it down. Faxon wasn’t smiling anymore.

  “How’d you find me?”

  “Now don’t get your-self all worked up, it’ll ruin the mood. Mrs. Brennon, Shira wanted to meet me. I guess she wanted to know what got her husband to cheat on her. She gave me your name and told me where I might be able to meet you. You’re kinda good looking, I thought since you saw me naked you could return the gesture. You did break into my condo. I could have called the police. Come on, let’s have some fun, you show me yours and I’ll show you mine, no charge.”

  “You wouldn’t have dared call the police and bring that kind of attention to your business, and no thanks, I’m fine.”

  Barbie drank down her second shot of tequila.

  “Well I have to say I’m a little disappointed, but if you change your mind you know where to find me.”

  She walked away and Faxon didn’t turn to watch, but William did.

  “I can’t believe you turned her down, she was beautiful.”

  “Let’s just say she’s not my kind of girl,” Faxon said. “When I find the right one I’ll know it, and so will everyone else.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Harper Lewis, the only child of Clayton and Lindsey Lewis, twenty four years old, six foot tall with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She’s what most people would call a tomboy. Easily pretty enough to be a super model getting her looks from her mother, but everything else from her father. She had spent the day at the MHC (Massachusetts Horseman’s Council) Finals in Northampton MA one of the biggest jumper events of the year. Even without her parents cheering she had done well with her fearless horse Neck Rider. She pulled the three quarter ton king cab pickup and trailer beside the stables. T
he three axel horse trailer could hold four horses, and in front was a comfortable mobile home complete with refrigerator and kitchen, a table with booth seating, and a large bed above the fifth wheel, it was air conditioned and had satellite television. It was top of the line.

  Jose, her stable manager had been her only support today, her mother and father had gone to a banquet at Massachusetts General Hospital. It was to honor Lewis Construction for their charitable contribution to the new children’s care unit. Clayton’s construction company had been awarded a contract for a new wing that would be built over the next couple of years.

  “I’ll take care of the horses Ms. Harper, I know you’re tired,” Jose’ said.

  “Thanks for helping me out today Jose’, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Harper entered the house through the kitchen side door, it was the one they used on a daily basis, the large front double doors were for company. She went to her upstairs room, stripped off her clothes and took a long hot shower, reliving the excitement of the day’s course. After she went downstairs and made a ham sandwich with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on whole wheat bread with mayo and ate chips from a large bag as she watched the news. Then she went upstairs and fell asleep exhausted.

  * * *

  In the early morning hours she rolled over onto her back, something had woken her. She looked at the clock and it was 4:00 am. The chimes of the doorbell sounded apparently again and then there was loud knocking. She slipped on a pair of grey sweat pants and a blue hoodie then down the hall barefoot. She wondered why her father hadn’t woke first as she went down the stairs to the front door. Harper looked out one of the small narrow windows that were on either side and saw two Littleton Police cars in the driveway, two uniform officers and one person wearing a suit.

  Harper opened the door. “How can I help you officers?”

  “Ms. Lewis, I’m Jerry Matson, I’m the personal relations officer with the Littleton Police Department, I’m afraid we have some bad news. I don’t know how else to say it, your parents were in a head on car crash early this morning around 1:00 am up on Goldsmith road not too far south of Kings Street. They were both killed.”

  Harper was stunned. She just starred at the man. She could see his mouth still moving but she couldn’t hear what he was saying.

  “It was a high speed crash. The nearest we can tell your parents were on their way home when a car coming the other direction at extremely high speed crossed the center line and hit them head on, both vehicles were destroyed.

  Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Her knees buckled and if not for the two officers she would have fallen down on the floor just inside the door.

  “Come on guys let’s get the young lady to a chair.”

  They helped her to one of the large leather chairs in the living room, more carrying than Harper walking. Jerry went to the kitchen and got a small bottle of water out of the fridge and went back to where she was sitting. He handed her the water and sat on a stool in front of her.

  It was several moments before Jerry Matson spoke to her.

  “Is there anyone I can call for you Ms. Lewis?”

  “The only family I have now is my father’s younger sister, she lives in Atlanta. I haven’t spoken to her since I graduated high school. We weren’t that close.”

  “I’ll be glad to call her for you, I’m sure she’d like to know about her brother.”

  “In the office, top right drawer there’s an address book, her name is, Rachel Evans. I’ll need to call my father’s minority partner in business Richard Mathis, and the company’s general manager, Sam Shepard.”

  “I’ll stay here for a while and be glad to answer any questions as you think of them, and I’m still getting updates on the investigation. I know it’s a shock Ms. Lewis I can make those calls and explain until someone comes, you’re understandably still shaken. If you need to go to the hospital I’d be glad to take you.”

  “No thank you. My father would be very disappointed he would have wanted me to have more self-control. He was a tough guy. I’m sorry but could you tell me what happened again, I think I must have missed most of it.”

  Jerry repeated the story again slowly, Harper cried but wasn’t hysterical.

  “I want to go down there.”

  “It’s probably all cleaned up by now Harper, besides you don’t want to see it, believe me. Just remember them the way they were.”

  * * *

  “Good morning. Can I speak to Richard Mathis?” He called the Lewis Construction office. “You can tell him I’m Jerry Matson, personal relations officer with the Littleton Police Department.”

  There was quiet on the line, and then a man answered, “Richard Mathis here.”

  “Good morning Mr. Mathis. I’m calling in behalf of Harper Lewis. Her parents were both killed in a car accident early this morning.”

  “Oh my God, tell Harper I’m on my way.”

  * * *

  “Good morning Mr. Shepard, the office said I could reach you on your cell phone. I’m Jerry Matson with the Littleton Police Department and I’m calling you on behalf of Harper Lewis. Both her Parents were killed in a car accident at 1:00 am this morning.”

  * * *

  “Miss Evans my name is Jerry Matson. I’m the personal relations officer with the Littleton Police Department. I’m calling on behalf of Harper Lewis from your brother’s home. He and his wife were killed in a car accident in the early morning hours.”

  “Oh shit,” there was quiet on the line for a moment, “tell Harper I’ll drive straight there right now,” her voice shook.

  * * *

  Jose was the first one there. He had come up from his apartment at the stables as soon as he saw the police cars in front of the house. Richard Mathis arrived in his expensive sedan. Sam Shepard pulled up right behind him in his one ton pickup with the company name on both sides. Jose sat in the living room with Harper she looked out the back through the French doors still holding the small bottle of water. Richard and Sam stood out front with Jerry Matson, the personal relations officer. He had met them when they pulled up not wanting to go through the story again in front of Harper. He explained the accident.

  “I got a call a few minutes before you gentlemen pulled up,” Jerry Matson said. “The accident investigators estimate the other car was going in excess of one hundred miles an hour at the time of the collision. They also found an empty bottle of vodka on the front floor of the car. It appears it was an out-of-control drunk driver.”

  Sam Shepard, Lewis Constructions general manager, had been with the company since Clayton Lewis started his business. He was older and had been working for another big company as their site developer, but hadn’t been paid for his experience. Clayton Lewis said he could always tell a good man when he saw one and hired Sam as his General Manager.

  Richard Mathis, thirty four years old, was the son of Clayton’s superior officer in the Marines. Richard had spent four years in the navy and when he got out he earned an engineering degree from Boston College. Richard’s father had convinced Clayton into selling twenty percent of the Company to Richard, which his father funded, convincing Clayton he could spend more time with the family and as a result, Richard took over all the blueprints and engineering of their projects. Clayton spent his time doing what he liked most, getting contracts, and wining and dining the who’s who of the Boston area.

  They both walked into the living room after talking to Jerry Matson. Harper dropped the bottle of water on the floor when she stood not even realizing it was still in her hand. She threw her-self into the big arms of the tall general manager. He had salt and pepper hair, tall, handsome, and still in good shape for a man of sixty two.

  “They’re gone Sam,” Harper cried, again hugging his neck tight.

  “It’s ok girl let it out, have yourself a good cry and then be done with it. That’s what that hard ass father of yours would’ve said.”

  “He thought a lot of you Sam,” Harper snubbed.

&
nbsp; Richard stepped up but their hug was brief.

  “If there’s anything I can do Harper, I can stay until you feel better about being here by yourself if you want?”

  “Jose’ has already offered to stay here at the house till my Aunt Rachel gets here from Atlanta.”

  “Can I help with any of the funeral arrangements,” Richard asked?

  “No, I want to do that myself. I’ll call the newspapers in the morning, that’ll give me time to sit down tonight and write something of an obituary.

  “Well don’t worry about the company, I’ll take care of everything,” Richard said, “your father’s schedule book is at the office, I’ll make sure I keep all of his appointments.”

  “Thank you Richard,” Harper said.

  Soon the driveway was filling up with Lewis Construction office employee cars and trucks by the dozens. Everyone had a lot of respect for the tough guy that was the owner of the Company. In truth he had helped most of them, from sponsoring kids ball teams to the Christmas party and the generous bonus he gave every year. By the time everyone left Harper was exhausted, but still took a sleeping pill.

  The next morning Jose’ answered the door and let in Rachel Evans, Clayton’s younger sister. She had driven straight there and went to the kitchen and sat at the bar drinking coffee while Jose made scrambled eggs and bacon. Harper woke around 10:00 am when the smell of food woke her. She sat on the edge of the bed still a little groggy from the sleeping pill. She didn’t like taking them but didn’t want to take the chance of waking during the night, afraid that she wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep, her head full of thoughts from the previous day. She brushed her hair, put on a pair of old blue jeans and a t-shirt and without shoes or makeup went downstairs.