Shadows of the Past

Picking up a few things for dinner, Tess heads to the park to collect her new ID. The change in identity was a legal necessity if she wanted to lead a normal life, since her old one was no longer valid now that she was presumed dead. Without a valid Identification, Tess couldn't open a bank account, drive a car, or even rent a house. I'm glad to put it behind me, she thinks, recalling how her legal nightmare began as she made her way across town.

Just as Tess was about to board her flight, an overwhelming wave of illness struck her. She rushed to the bathroom. When she returned, she witnessed her departing plane explode in a fiery ball. She felt relieved at narrowly avoiding tragedy but soon faced the challenges of being assumed deceased. With no fingerprints or DNA on file and an outdated ID photo that bore little resemblance to her, due to some weight gain and her now-blonde hair, proving her identity became an impossible task. Frustrated, she confided in a friend, who suggested she adopt an alias.

Seeing her friend at the edge of the park, Tess approaches her. "Did you get it?"

"I have everything you need, Grace Morgan." Betty hands her a manila envelope.

"Is that my new name?"

Her friend nods. "What do you think?"

"I love it."

Betty's eyes lite up when she smiles. "I'm glad."

*** 

A bustling police station buzzes with activity, brimming with a sense of urgency and purpose as officers dart to and fro. Beat cops, dressed in clean, crisp uniforms, dash in and out of the front door, followed by disgruntled citizens. A handful of townsfolk stand in line at the front desk, hoping to speak to the clerks. The sharp, constant ringing of phones pierces through the ever-growing noise.

Toni is doing her best to search for new leads despite the chaos around her. I wish I had an office away from this mess. She glares at the growing crowd.

A woman's heart-wrenching cries echo through the station as an officer drags her cuffed child away. "I'm innocent, I tell you!" A suspect yells as an officer leads him down the hall. In the distance, a baby wails.

Toni throws down her pencil. Pushing away from her desk, she stands. With her fists balled at her sides, her face turning increasingly red, she screams, "Enough!"

The room falls deathly silent as the crowd's eyes turn toward her.

"Are you okay, Serge?" Jamal asks, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"This noise is driving me insane." Noticing a smirk on the detective's face, she rolls her eyes. With a shake of her head, she says, "I already know what you're about to say, so zip it." With a hint of a smile, she adds, "Kid." Their back-and-forth banter is how they kept the stress of the job at bay.

Jamal chuckles. "Why don't we grab some lunch? My treat today."

She glances at the papers on her desk and then at the crowd. "I could use a break from all of this." She grabs her jacket from her chair, turns, and asks, "So, what did the help have to say?"

"What?"

"Did you find out anything?"

"I'll tell you on the way," he says, motioning toward the door.

***

After a restless night, Tess decides to lay down while her client naps. Her dreams are pleasant at first, taking her back to special moments with her mom, carefree outings and serene picnics in the park. But without warning, they abruptly shift to a horrific childhood memory.

She had been on her way home from school when the class bully, Ryan, and a group of his friends stepped in front of her. She tried to sidestep around them; Ryan shoved her back.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Ryan asked, pushing her again.

Her feet slipped out from under her, causing her to fall into a puddle of mud. The hateful children laughed as the murky water soaked through her threadbare clothes.

"Leave me alone, Ryan," Tess said, getting to her feet. Her knees were bloody, her pants torn. Layers of mud covered her clothes, hands, and face.

"Hey, look, everybody! It's the monster from the Black Lagoon," Ryan jeered, and the children laughed again.

"Stop it," she cried.

This wasn't the first time he was cruel to her, and Tess was sure it wouldn't be the last. But she didn't know what she could do about it. Tess didn't want to tell her mom because she already had so much to worry about. The power company turned off their utilities the week before, and the landlord threatened to evict them. Tess knew telling a teacher would only make things worse. Timmy was proof of that, and he ended up in the hospital.

"What are you going to do about it if I don't?" Ryan taunted, pushing her again.

"Please, just let me go," she said, tears streaming down her dirt-smudged face.

"Tess is a crybaby! Tess is a crybaby!" the children chanted, closing in around her.

Pushing past them, she darted toward home. Laughter echoed behind her as she crossed the road. She glanced over her shoulder to see the kids chasing her. Terrified, Tess picked up her pace. "Please let me get home. Oh, please let me get home," she beged, wiping tears from her face.

Running into the empty house, she locked the door behind her and then glanced at the clock on the wall. Mom will be home soon. She darted to the bathroom to change. She's halfway down the hall when she sees Ryan standing by the back door.

"You'll never get away from me." He smiled, walking toward her.

"No!" Tess yells, springing up in bed. Opening her eyes, she glances around and realizes she was in her employer's guest bedroom. She then remembers what she did to him that day. Ryan can't hurt me anymore, she smiles, swinging her legs over the bed.

*****.

A warm southern breeze whips through the cruiser as the sergeant and her detective take the 285 out of town.

"I sure needed this break." Toni leans back against the seat. After a long, relaxing meal, she feels a thousand times better.

"I could tell." Jamal chuckles, recalling her explosion a few hours before.

"So, what did you find out?" Toni asks.

"Their employees speeks highly of them, claiming the Whitmore's treat them fairly and pay them well."

"Did you ask about their marriage?"

"Everyone says they've never quarrel,  The maid did say that Emily is stern with her husband, often telling him what to do. He says, "Yes, dear," and that is that. She also says that Emily often seems more like his mother than his wife.

"She's older than him, correct?"

"Ten years, I believe."

"He is running her daddy's business, so I'm sure she wants to make sure things are done according to her father's plans."

"True. So, how did your investigation go?"

"Everyone I spoke with talked about her like she was a saint. The charities she supports said they're not sure they'll survive without her. She seems to have contributed a lot of money in addition to her time. So, I'm thinking we're looking at this all wrong that maybe her husband was the intended target. I'm going to start looking for connections between him and the victims and go from there. Oh, and the medical examiner ran an extensive tox screen and didn't find anything. He's planning to consult a few of his colleagues about possible causes of death."

"The guest that went on the cruise is coming back today, correct?"

"She should be. Why?"

"Maybe she can help us figure out what's going on or who might be."

"Hold that thought," Toni says, answering her cell phone. "Rodriguez. Jamal and I are on our way." Hanging up, she glances over at her partner. "The maid found Mr. Whitmore dead in his pool."


List of Characters
Tess Cadwell Serial Killer
Toni Rodriguz Sergeant of the Atlanta PD
Jamal Monroe Detective for the Atlanta PD
Jack Whitmore Emily's Husband
Tess's Victims
Steven Cadwell - Tess's Husband
Lisa Moore - Stevens lover
Marsha Whtiager - Steven's Sister
Bill Whitiger - Marsha's Husband
Emily Whitmore - Tess 's Enemy.