Point Hollow Ch. 03

"Well," I said, settling back into my comfortable Command Chair, "my original and most burning question is still unanswered: what were the arrangements to return these people home to the University campus?"

"Yessss! I get to say it!" Cindy exclaimed, a huge light in her ruggedly pretty face. "Okay everyone... 'teachable moment'!. When the Iron Crowbar focuses on something as closely and persistently as he is doing with this question, that is our cluuuuuuue to give it the same amount of attention! Consider yourselves warned!"

I chuckled. "Yes, that is very true." I said. "And it definitely is a key issue in this case. Anyway, Lt. Masters covered my second question: what happened to all these people right at the same time, such that their memories left them right at the same time? And last, and pretty obvious to state: what is the sequence of events that led to Sherry and Annemarie and Danny being at that cabin, and the others found so far away?"

After a pause, I said, "Okay, if you guys will get to it, I have a couple of things to do." That was a dismissal, and the Detectives needed no help understanding it. Everyone left. I made a call to the Crime Lab.

"Ah, Christina." I said. "I need you to search something in particular..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hello, Mr. Muscone." my lovely assistant Helena French said brightly as FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone came to the anteroom of my office. "Commander Troy said you could go right in whenever you got here."

"Thank you." said Muscone. He mentally prepared himself, knocked on the door, opened it, and entered my office. I was sitting behind the desk, my eyes boring into him. He closed the door behind him.

"Have a seat." I said.

"Thanks." he replied. After sitting down he said "I know you're mad, so go ahead and rip me a new one."

"I can understand the FBI not sharing information with the locals; they do that all the time, nationwide." I said. "And I understand that for the most part this case is out of my jurisdiction. But I thought you and I were better friends than this, Jack. Not even returning a phone call?"

"I know." said Muscone. "And I won't insult you with excuses. I will say this, and you can believe it or not believe it: I talked to my boss earlier this morning. I'd already told him I didn't like us treating you this way, and after what happened at the Hospital I told him I was going to talk to you no matter what his orders were. After he saw you, he relented."

"So, what is going on?" I asked.

"You can probably tell me." Muscone said. "The missing people have been Clark Webster's case, and they're not sharing much with my team, either."

"And the gunrunning?" I asked, my eyes boring into Jack's. He winced.

"You do know, don't you?" he asked. "That's where my boss and I are at odds. All I can say is that I've been ordered directly to not tell you nor Cindy anything about it. I think that's stupid, I'd rather have you both working with us, but those are my orders. Yes, I'm your friend, but you know how it is with these things... hell, your own wife doesn't tell you everything, like that Priya Ajmani incident."

"Yeah, I know." I said. "And I understand. But again... next time, pick up the god-damned phone and tell me straightaway, whydontcha."

"All right." said Muscone. "So, how about I make it up to you by treating you to lunch. Cop Bar, of course."

"Sure." I said. "But let me call Cindy. She's pissed at you guys, too." I got on the phone and called Cindy to my office.

When she got to the office, I said "Agent Muscone is treating us to lunch, Cindy. I'm going to have a couple of double cheeseburgers myself, Jack. I'm going to need to pack as much protein as I can if I'm going to have a shot in hell in the Police Boxing Matches."

"The cheeseburgers are tasty," said Cindy, "but they're not going to help when I get you into the ring, Brother Crowbar." Jack laughed, though it was a tepid one.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As Jack and I consumed two double-cheeseburgers each, and Cindy practically inhaled a fish and chips dinner, Jack did tell us some things.

"Martin Nash seems happy to be back, but I think he's going to miss you guys more than he realizes." Jack said. "So tell me something, Don... when do you think you'll be ready to move on the Consultant of Crime? To take him down?"

"Two months." I said. "Literally... I think all will be said and done by July 4th. I am starting to cast my nets around him. The Mouseketeers and I are beginning to put together the financial case that'll get him charged with RICO violations, and I'm starting to put together evidence and witnesses that'll get him the death penalty for multiple murders."

"Conspiracy to commit murder?" Jack asked.

"We may can get him for a direct charge in this last case of the Standard Tools Building blowup." I said. "But it's going to be tricky, no doubt about it."

"Think you can get him without getting yourself killed in the process?" Cindy asked, brutally and directly. I looked at Cindy, then down at my plate. I did not reply, and Cindy was not pleased as she stared at me.

"He better not get himself killed." said Muscone. "No one else will be able to correlate everything and wrap it up tight for a Court case. Paulina's good, and so are my U.S. Attorneys, but this one is going to need the Iron Crowbar."

"Don't worry." I said. "When all is said and done... we will not have failed." I would say no more, and I still had one agitated platinum blonde with a blue crowbar sitting next to me.

Part 16 - The Camera Doesn't Lie, Does It?

Later that afternoon, I got an email from Christina Cho. She said that they had found the digital media storage device for the camera Annemarie was using, in a false bottom of Jeff Slake's backpack, just where I'd suggested she look. She also said the data was on evidence servers, and was password protected due to the 'adult' nature of the material. I forwarded the email to Cindy, Coldiron, and Teddy, then sat back to watch.

The video showed Sherry and Big Jake at the river. Sherry was a beautiful Asian woman, short and lithe, but with very shapely legs under the 'Daisy Dukes' jeans she was wearing, a mouthwatering ass, relatively large breasts that jutted out proudly under her low-cut shirt. Her black hair fell in gentle curls down her upper back. Her lips were full and inviting, and her high cheekbones and slanted eyes were a hot interracial contrast to the young white stud next to her.

After collecting some samples, Jake leaned over and kissed Sherry, and she eagerly returned it. Their lips locked, alternating with showing their tongues twining hotly. I could hear some voices in the background, a male voice whining "Sherry, what are you doing?" and another voice, a woman's, saying "It's for the video, just watch and enjoy it."

Jake was now on his knees, and Sherry was kneeling between his thighs. He unzipped his jeans and fished out his cock. Even half-hard, it was huge, and it was quickly hardening to its full length. Sherry grasped the huge weapon of lust in her small hand. As she gently jacked it, I could see the veins and ridges of his cockshaft as the camera zoomed in on it, and the drop of pre-cum on the huge, helmeted head.

The camera zoomed out a bit as Sherry bent down and slid her mouth over Jake's cock. Her full lips slid up and down his taut shaft, stretched by his thickness as she fellated him hungrily. She took almost all of it into her throat, gulping and gasping as she sucked him hard and deep. The look on Jake's face was pure pleasure, and Sherry's eyes betrayed her pure lust.

Finally Jake stopped it, saying he would come if she kept that up. They got up and Jake closed his pants, then they walked hand in hand towards the camp in the yard of the Point Hollow property, the house visible on the right.

The video went dark for a second, then came back on. This time Sherry was wearing only a skirt and t-shirt, and high heel sandals instead of tennis shoes. The sandals had a block heel. She and Jake were making out on a sheet on the grass, and it was obvious they were really into each other. They began stripping each other, and Sherry's breasts came into view, her nipples hard and pointing out with arousal. Jake's huge boner was bobbing in front of his large, low-hanging balls. Sherry had a nice little pubic bush above her pink slit. Jake eased Sherry onto her back, then slid between her upraised legs and began feasting on her virgin, Asian pussy.

Again I heard voices off-camera, someone saying "Sherry, stop! What are you doing?" and a woman, likely Annemarie, saying "She seems to like Jake's tongue better than yours, limpdick!" Others laughed.

Then the moment arrived and Jake mounted the beautiful Asian woman. Sherry reached for the young stud's big cock and eased it to her labes. Jake dryhumped her several times, slicing his long, thick cockshaft along her slick labes several times. Then he prodded at her swollen clit a number of times, making her moan. Then she reached down and pushed his cockhead into her cunthole. He pushed forward.

"AHHHHH!!!!!" Sherry gasped out as she was penetrated. Jake eased his ass up then sank down again, burying more of his meat into her virgin cunt. He withdrew and pushed in hard again, and his long cock sank all the way down into her!

"Oh yeah!" I heard someone off camera say. A woman then said "Damn, he just popped her cherry with that big thing! Sherry! how does it feel?"

"It's heavenly." Sherry said as Jake ground his loins against hers. "Ohhhh, it so good!" He slowly withdrew until his cockhead was visible between her labes, then slowly sank all the way back in again. They both groaned.

"How does Sherry's pussy feel, Jake?" asked Annemarie, who was holding the camera.

"Tight." he gasped. "So fucking tight! But frickin' awesome!" He began pumping his cock in and out of the lovely Asian woman, slowly at first, then increasing the speed and power of his strokes until he had a good, steady rhythm going.

Sherry was responding to his thrusts, meeting them like a practiced lover. She was kissing Jake's chest, then as he bent down to smash his mouth against hers, she kissed him hard back, pulling his face into hers. Her legs wrapped around his back, then his ass and thighs.

"Wow, not bad for a virgin!" came a voice off camera. Then another voice saying something muffled. Sherry then said "Ohhhh, I'm so glad you popped my cherry, Jason! I'm glad it was a real man like you!"

"Oh yeah, a woman like you deserves the very best of everything, nothing second rate." Jake said. I realized these words were meant for Danny Cantrell, to make him feel the pain of his inadequacy.

The rutting couple humped lustily for several minutes, kissing each other hard and nuzzling each other's necks. The camera moved to show the huge cock pumping the clinging Asian pussy as Jake fucked Sherry to her first of many orgasms. I heard her gasping out.

"Damn, you're a natural at this." Jake said, making Sherry smile up at him.

"It's because I love you, Jason!" Sherry said. "I want to make you happy, only you, Jason!" Jason kissed Sherry again, tenderly then deeply as her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Where's he going?" I heard someone say off camera.

"Who gives a shit?" said someone else. "Come on, Stone! Fuck her like you mean it!"

"I do mean it." Jason said. He then kissed Sherry's cheek then nuzzled her neck. When the camera panned around to show their coupled loins, I could see white froth... Jake had come inside Sherry and was so aroused that his huge cock remained hard, and he continued to steadily and deeply fuck her.

The tape went on for several long minutes. Then Jake raised up, trapped Sherry's sexy legs under his strong, muscular arms and began powerfucking down into her. Sherry cried out in pleasure as Jake fucked her until he announced that his nut was rising. A moment later he cried out as he began shooting his load deep into Sherry's eagerly receptive, Asian pussy. The couple collapsed, holding each other and sharing kisses and small talk, and then the scene ended.

There was a bit more on the tape. It showed Sherry (clothed) and Natalie collecting more soil samples, then the camera went inside the house. I watched and re-watched that portion, but there was nothing of interest in the few rooms shown... but that was an interesting mirror over the fireplace of the greatroom, I thought to myself...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Oh my God." Cindy said as she came into my office some minutes later. "I am going to need a few drinks after that one. You are buying at the Cop Bar tonight."

"Agreed." I said. "Yes, that was pretty... steamy." I said. I did not mention that I'd already secreted copies of all three of Jake' sessions with the three women onto a jump drive to take home for Laura and I to watch... while in our bed making love.

"One thing is for damn sure." Cindy said. "Sherry might have been a virgin until that day, but she was one hell of an experienced cocksucker. I'll pet a paycheck on that."

"I won't bet against you." I said.

"So why did Annemarie say that was on the same tape as the other sex scenes?" Cindy asked. "And for that matter, how did you know where to tell the Crime Lab to find it? Christina Cho is in awe of you yet again."

"Well," I said, "Jeff has a reputation for watching porn and being a pervert. I think he switched out the camera storage device, and intended to keep the Jake and Sherry tape for himself... or maybe force Danny to have to watch it again and again. Annemarie might not have noticed the switch, and thought it was the same storage device."

"Makes sense." Cindy said. "About the only thing that does make sense in this case. Any good clues, though?"

"Well, we do get a better sense of the timeline." I said "We can hear background voices asking where someone was going, likely Danny as he got upset and left. He has not been seen nor heard from since." I said.

"Until his vomit and blood were found in that cabin." Cindy said. "So do you think he walked back to Town?"

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Detective Teddy Parker was admitted. "Ma'am, sir," he said, "I just found out why the Point Hollow house stays so clean. There's been a cleaning service that goes out every Wednesday and cleans the house, top to bottom. They've been paid out of a trust from the Bonniker estate, and the estate's lawyer has maintained the trust. The cleaning service is 'Gomez Cleaning and Repair, LLC'. I talked to the owner, who says they've been routinely cleaning the house for nearly 20 years now, and they've never had a problem nor seen any intruders or trespassers on campus.

Parker added: "The owner did say that they always go in the morning because they refuse to be there after dark. They've never heard any weird noises, but some of them are very superstitious, and won't go near the Hollow itself. They had one woman who worked for them a few years ago. She said the Hollow was haunted by evil spirits."

"No doubt about that." I said, getting a look from Cindy. "Oh, you know it's true, Crowbar Two."

"Yes." Cindy said. "I did feel something really deep and dark there when we were out there the other day. I don't know what it is..."

Part 17 - The Flatfoot Grind

Still Wednesday, May 4th. There were a lot of University students dressed up in Star Wars gear as I drove in my Police SUV to the Biology Building. In the vehicle with me were Captain Cindy Ross and Detective Teddy Parker.

The Biology Building was one of the older and least-kept-up buildings on Campus. It was one of the least funded majors on this campus and many others, for right or for wrong.

Coming around back, I saw three vehicles parked near the back dock. There was a young man unloading one van, and I recognized him from his DMV photo.

"Ron Estes?" I asked loudly, coming up to him.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"I'm Commander Troy of the Town & County Police Department. This is Captain Ross and Detective Parker. Can I ask you a couple of follow-up questions about the students that disappeared?"

"I thought you guys found them." Estes said as I indicated to him to sit on the concrete steps at the end of the loading dock.

"Most of them." I said. "One's still missing. Danny Cantrell."

"Oh, him." Estes said with a hint of derisiveness.

"Something about him you can tell us?" I asked.

"Not really." said Estes. "I thought he was an idiot. He was chasing after Sherry Kim, and it was plain to the world she didn't think much of him. He didn't give a damn about Biology, either. Changed his major to get near her."

"What do you think of Sherry Kim?" I asked.

"Oh, she's a great girl." Estes said. "Kind of quiet, like many Asian women are. But she could take charge when she wanted to. She'd organize field trips to collect samples, stuff like that."

"So she arranged the trip to Point Hollow?" I asked.

"Uh, no, that was Professor Mickelson. He arranged two trips at the same time: one to Point Hollow, one to Farmdale County, south of the nuclear power plant."

"And you used those three vehicles to take them there?" I asked. "Two vans and an Jeep Wrangler type of truck?"

"Uh yeah." said Estes. "We used the Wrangler and one van to take them out to Point Hollow, then we drove back and used the two vans to go to the other collection point."

"The two vans?" I asked. "Why not take the Wrangler, like you did with the Point Hollow group?"

"Uhh..." Estes stammered, then collected himself, "... we took a lot more gear to the Power Plant collection site. The guys going to Point Hollow mostly had their own stuff in their backpacks or rucksacks, and just a cooler for their samples. To be honest, I didn't know if that was a real sample collection trip or just going out camping and drinking beer."

"Who went on the Power Plant trip?" I asked.

"Me, Ben Ellman, Shani Waughton." said Estes. "That dirtbag Cantrell was supposed to go with us and do some work for a change, but he went with Sherry's group. Of course."

"Where is Shani now?" I asked.

"She went with Dr. Ellman to his conference in Tennessee." said Estes.

"So let me ask this." I said. "What was the arrangement to pick the Point Hollow guys back up?"

"Sherry was supposed to call." Estes replied. "She has my number as well as Professor Mickelson's and the Biology Department's line. But she didn't call at all. I got a bit worried on Monday, as did one of her dorm mates. We thought maybe they got back another way, but when they didn't show up Tuesday, Professor Mickelson suggested we call the Police."

"So why didn't you go out there to check up on them?" I asked. "You're in charge of all three vehicles; you could've taken one out there, to see what was going on?"

"Well, Commander," said Estes, just a hint of testiness creeping into his voice, "with perfect 20/20 hindsight, you're right; I should have. At the time, we thought little of it. We'd just gotten back from the other trip, we had samples to process and test, gear and vehicles to clean up, and all that."

"When did you get back from the Power Plant trip?" I asked.

"Sunday. Just before sunset." Estes said.

"Nothing out of the ordinary down there?"

"No sir."

"Okay, thanks." I said. We all took our leave of Estes and went around to the front of the Biology Building. I told Cindy and and Teddy that my appointment with Professor Mickelson was for me alone, that he was touchy and would balk at seeing three of us, and that they could walk a couple of buildings down and visit my wife in her office and I'd catch up to them there.

I went up to Mickelson's office, where I was ushered in by his assistant. His office was most very typical of a Science professor's: books on shelves that reached from floor to ceiling, a few awards hanging on the wall, a desk littered with papers.