The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

Chapter 16

The Cypress Guardian

Wednesday, July 20th 1977

Once more, a vicious animal attack has struck Cypress, this time at Jimmy's, a roller rink on the corner of Harrison Ave and 18th, on the city's Northeast end.

Authorities are not giving many details as of now, but they are saying that it is definitely an animal attack.58 year old Clavell Diggs, 57 year old Anita Lunsford, 31 year old Marvin Reeve and 28 year old Lucius Turner were all found mutilated inside the basement of the rink last night.

Those questioned at the site said they heard nothing in the basement of the rink, while some say gunshots could be heard, but that it was so loud inside the building that it was hard to tell.Police, however, did happen to discover multiple grams of cocaine, marijuana and other drug paraphernalia down inside the basement where the murders took place.

When sought for questioning, the rink's owner, James Tolliver, was nowhere to be found. But needless to say that the rink will be shutdown indefinitely, or until at least Mr. Tolliver can be located.

While authorities have not been able to pinpoint just what kind of animal could be responsible, it leads them to believe that perhaps this all could harken back to similar animal attacks in the past. Mainly those that took place in Cuyahoga Falls this past February.

***

"You gotta be kidding me." Ortega sighed in dismay before folding his newspaper and looking around at the busy floor of the police station.

"C'mon, pal, and get in here!" A white, plain clothes officer shouted as he and another plain clothes officer who happened to be black dragged a raggedy looking black man into the area before planting him down into a chair.

Ortega, forgetting that he had his newspaper tucked underneath his armpit, nonchalantly carried himself over to the scene where he managed to keep himself somewhat in a partial distance, just close enough to hear but not appear as being nosey.

The man seated in the chair wore nappy dreadlocks and a scruffy beard. His shorts had a huge hole in the side while his tank top shirt had grease stains plastered all over. Judging by his appearance, he looked to be in his early to mid-thirties.

"Okay, buddy, we're gonna keep going over this until we get it right." The black officer stood above the young, overconfident looking man. "Is there a rival gang here in town?"

Growing a grin, the man sat and said, "Hey, mon, I know nuting about any gangs."

Rolling his eyes, the white officer stood on the other end and said, "C'mon, George, how many times are you gonna tell us that? You know about the murders from last night, as well as the guy in the alley just the other night. There has to be a connection."

Pointing at himself, George asked, "Why ya ask me?"

"Because some of the folks at Jimmy's said that there were two Jamaicans that entered that club last night, and no one ever saw them again." The black officer stated. "Let's face it, my friend, there aren't too many of you guys in this city to begin with. You folks have to be networking."

Still wearing his grin, George replied, "Look, mon, I was at home all last night. I don't even know how to skate."

"Wipe that stupid look off of your face." The white officer grudgingly ordered. "You want us to bring up that little charge you had so mysteriously wiped away a month ago?"

Promptly, George frowned before wiping the sweat from off his face. "Look, mon, I know nuting about no murders."

"We never asked anything about any murders." The white officer gritted his teeth. "We want to know if there are any Jamaican gangs in this city. Any drug rivals."

With his hands outstretched, George pleaded, "It's hot, mon. Too hot for murder."

"You people should be used to the heat." The black officer said. "Now, tell us what we need to know and you can go back home to your nice, cozy fan."

George sat back in the chair and exhaled before saying, "Okay, mon, in de streets, I be hearing about a woman and a mon."

"Keep going." The white officer said.

George then shrugged his shoulders and continued, "I hear dat dey live down in Hollis Estates."

"That does it!" The white officer irately exclaimed before lifting George to his feet. "Get this comedian outta here before I crack him in half!"

Ortega just stood and watched as George was carted away, all the while pleading his so called case to anyone who would listen.

Once the man was out of sight, Ortega approached the white officer."Tell me, uh...why did you just have that man taken away when he was giving you the information that you needed?"

The officer just stared back at Ortega as though the man were growing a new set of ears right before his eyes.

"And you are?" the officer grimaced.

"Inspector David Ortega," Ortega snapped back.

"Oh, so you're the new Inspector." The man cracked a grin.

"Yeah, I am. Now, what was all that about?"

"Just a Q and A, that's all."

"But he sounded as if he were giving you a tip on a lead."

The officer stood and smiled at Ortega like he was looking at a simple child. "Inspector, Hollis Estates is a rundown slum. Not even the rats go down there. The place is a ghost town. Completely empty."

floor. Just before he was about to go back to his own office, he caught a glimpse of

until he was able to catch up to

Ortega called out. "You're

only kept walking until he reached a door and went through with Ortega

"Good morning, Mr. Ortega." Brice greeted in a dismal

tiny office littered with shiny, silver utensils, cameras and boxes of papers from one corner to the other. Just trying to find

door behind him and said, "I, uh, I'm glad I was able to catch up

on my mind." Brice explained, looking as if he hadn't slept in days. "Just wipe everything I mentioned the other

bag of snakes at me." Ortega said. "You just can't toss all that at me and expect me to just go away with my tail tucked in between my legs, Mr.

on his face, as to say that he was at a loss for

feet away from where Ortega took his

staring right back at the man, Ortega asked, "You were at that rink

his face, Brice pressed his lips and said, "Yep,

is never done."

"Yeah, you can say that again." Brice said while fiddling with a ballpoint

what happened there

"Just imagine your worst horror

"That bad, huh," Ortega

"Oh yeah," Brice shook his head up and down. "Tell me something, Inspector, how much of the news do you keep

"Enough, I guess."

to his pen.

"Keep going."

anything left of them. Then came this past February," Brice sat up. "Do you

Ortega pondered for a moment. "I believe

"Not caught, but

paper. He was killed by some animal, and then the animal killed some other

tell me, Inspector, do

had to stretch far back in his mind to grab at

giving you the abridged version. Isaac apparently tried to kill not only

mind. "Now I remember." He inhaled. "Wasn't he supposedly high

Inspector with scrupulous precision. "Is that all

Ortega asked, "Is there

the Mercer incident took place. If you've ever seen this neighborhood, the houses are so small and close knit they might as well be apartments. This same elderly couple swore up and down that they heard an animal inside that house. But neither the cops nor coroners

do some pretty crazy stuff. Sounding like an animal wouldn't be too out of the ordinary. Crazy people don't know restraint, Mr. Brice. They tend to be a lot stronger

stop staring endlessly at Ortega in the most

I discovered two things. Number one, these people were by no way murdered by

Ortega sat and looked on as Brice turned around and reached into his desk to pull

"These are strands of

examined it from end to end. "What kind of

a second

went for Brice's face. "There are

kind you're thinking of, but

Ortega handed the fur back to Brice and asked, "What kind

and said, "Inspector, I just happened to gather more fur from not only the alley incident, but also from last night. You saw the guy inside that car. No normal wolf could have or would have ever caused that much

Ortega pleaded, "Okay, okay, I need for you to stop beating around the bush, Mr. Brice. You've been up all night long looking at death. I get it. But I need

on top of his desk before reaching

there she was, as naked as a jaybird. One guy, who wanted to get his jolly's,

entirely too wound up with anticipation to even try and figure out what he

can't make any of this out. What am I supposed

face, Inspector."

vision would allow. All he could

"These Polaroid's all have

at

be looking at?" Ortega asked

"Something was growing out of her

slowly pulled the pictures away from his face and looked Brice straight in the eye. For the longest of moments both men just sat and stared at one another in complete and utter silence. Only the hallway chatter outside the door interrupted their unsettling

going to tell me just what you're getting

but you're an educated man. I'll let

before asking, "What about Mercer's fiancée? She was there. What did she have to say

"Nothing much," Brice nonchalantly shrugged. "No one has heard from

I have to admit that this

to believe that there may

sizes at that point. "What makes

solid brick wall. I refuse to believe that one vicious animal could take out

pitiable manner. "You actually enjoy all this, don't you?" He grunted at Brice. "For God's sake, you even still have evidence from the last crime scene

came to me two days after Cummins was

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