Crazy Uncle Mike

Crossed Swords

Sacramento, May 12, 2007 – An unidentified woman was discovered today in Discovery Park she was apparently strangled with a purple scarf, no other details are being revealed at this time.

Sacramento – Torch Club (15^th street)  A man walks in out of the bright Sacramento sun into the darkness of the Torch, there is one person sitting at the bar, an older man, looks late 60’s but you just get the feeling he looks a lot older than he is, drinking will do that to you.  Seeing himself in the mirror he smiles, a grin, sly and shy, he admires his thin frame, the care he’s taken to have his clothes just so, his brown wavy hair parted perfectly straight.  His wife is so proud of him, making partner at 32 has shown the world how powerful he really is, and he grins.  Gin and tonic he orders with a splash of lime juice.  Hector the bar tender has heard this order a hundred times, but every single time he smiles and says, “yes sir, coming right up.”

Sacramento, June 18, 2007 – An unidentified woman was discovered today off of the American River Parkway near Cal Expo.  She was apparently strangled with a pair of women’s nylons, no other details are being revealed at this time.

Sacramento – Torch Club (15^th street) A man walks in out of the warm Sacramento night into the dim light of the Torch.  There is a sprinkle of people around the joint, several at the bar, a couple back at one of the tables.  Regulars mostly, familiar, but unknown faces that don’t look up and that’s why he likes this place.  He comes to the bar and orders a gin and tonic, splash of lime, Hector smiles, “yes sir, coming right up.”  His phone rings, the wife, with a list of things to bring home, “yes dear”, Hector overhears him saying again and again.

Sacramento, July 23, 2007 – A woman’s body was discovered today in a downtown alley one block from the river, although identified, her name is being held pending notification of her family.  She was apparently strangled with a colored scarf.  A police source, speaking off the record has suggested a connection between two other recent Sacramento murders.

Sacramento – Torch Club (15^th street) – A man walks in out of the Sacramento heat, one thing to like about the Torch, the air conditioning always works.  Two regulars at the bar chatting, the only thing missing from this picture are the cigarettes or this could be any bar scene from a 70’s flick.  The Torch is not exactly up to date, but to him, that’s part of the charm.  “Gin and Tonic”, Hector starts and the man flies into a rage, screaming and yelling about letting a man make a decision.  Hector backing away and apologizing, says, “hey man order, it’s free, on the house.”  He calms down and doesn’t order, but turns away and leaves the bar.

Sacramento, August 27, 2007 – An unidentified woman’s body was discovered today floating in the American River downstream of Goethe Park.  Initial indications are that she was strangled with a pair of stockings that were still wrapped around her neck.  Police refused to answer questions related to whether or not this murder is connected to a string of unsolved Sacramento killings.

Sacramento – Torch Club (15^th Street) – A man walks in out of an unusually cool evening for a Sacramento Summer evening.  Short sleeves really didn’t cut it tonight and he needs a drink to warm up.  “Gin and Tonic, splash of lime”, “coming right up sir”, Hector smiles as he says this familiar line but this guy has always creeped him out a bit, but he pays, and tips ok.

Sacramento, September 30, 2007 – A woman’s body was recovered today in the Bluffs Area of Fair Oaks today.  Initial reports that the woman was identified as Sue Sheffert, who has been missing for the last two weeks, were incorrect.  The woman was apparently strangled with a scarf and linked to several other Sacramento area murders by someone who has been dubbed the Sacramento Parkway Strangler.

Sacramento – Torch Club (15^th Street) – A man walks into the Torch club dodging leaf piles in the street as he enters.  He sits down at the end of the bar alone as usual sipping his gin and tonic.  Hector wonders what he’s thinking as he sits there, mumbling to himself, sipping his gin, and smiling as usual.

Sacramento, November 3, 2007 – The Sacramento Parkway Strangler has struck again!  A woman’s body was discovered today strangled with her own stockings on the American River Parkway just outside of the Old City.  No other information was released.

Sacramento – Torch Club (15^th Street) – A man walks into the Torch Club, sun setting behind him as he enters and he grimaces.  Three days to Christmas, Bah Humbug runs through his head and he grins as he orders his gin and tonic, splash of lime.  He hates Christmas, more than that, he hates the way people are around the holiday.  His drink order catches the attention of a thin set man in the corner, grinning.  He doesn’t like the look of this fellow but sits two seats away to avoid the happy drinkers on the other end of the bar.

Sacramento, December 22, 2007 – Authorities are reporting that they believe the Sacramento Parkway Strangler has struck again.  What has police baffled is that the latest victim is reported to be a male, found just off 12^th street near Richards Blvd. police have scheduled a news conference for noon today.

Sacramento – Torch Club (15^th Street) – A man enters the Torch Club at noon, waiting for Hector as he opens.  The thin, normally orderly man seems a little off today, Hector realizes why as he pours the gin and tonic, splash of lime.  He notices that the man’s hair is not parted in a straight line as usual, a small thing, but it stands out with him.

The man sits down at the corner of the bar, his normal spot, sipping his drink, grinning and mumbling.  Mumbling as he remembers the night before.  It had been time again, time to take another little doll and play with her before making her eyes pop out as he wraps her neck. He’d been on edge and hadn’t waited the normal amount of time, but that bitch of daughter had set him off with all of this Christmas bullshit.  Normally he’d have his pre-play drink and then go off to the trail to find some unsuspecting doll, take her quickly from behind and pull her into the trees, chase her for fun, beat her a bit, waiting until she’d given up recognizing his power and begin to beg.  Then he’d slip around behind her asking her to be nice, telling her if she did, he’d let her go.  He loved the little squeal of surprise as the nylons found there mark, the hands compulsively going to their necks, tearing at the nylons until it was over.  Laying them down on their pretty little backs, admiring their big wide eyes popping out of their head, burning the image in his brain.  Taking their nylons if they have any and slipping away into the night.

But last night was different, so on edge, he found a doll in the bar and was about to follow her out when he saw him leaving behind her.  The other gin and tonic, splash of lime, so he followed them both wondering what was going to happen.  The excitement was incredible as he saw him grab her on 12^th Street and drag her toward the trail.  In a moment it was clear, the other gin and tonic did the other murders, the ones he thought the police lied about to trick him into their web.  He knew what would happen, so close to what he did with the dolls, when the moment came, he new the other would be distracted and he pounced.  As the scarf did its work on the doll, he jumped up and his nylons did his work on the other.

He left the nylons on the other’s neck and went over to look at the doll, her eyes bulging, burning her image into his brain.  Then, and he hated it, he had to hide the doll, they could not find this doll, not this time.  He picked up the doll, taking her to the river, finding ropes and wires to bind the rocks and concrete pieces to her body.  Dropping her under the bridge where the water was deep and slow, the doll sunk to the bottom, slipping into the darkness of the water, she would not be found for a time at least.

He sits now at the Torch Club, his post-play drink in hand, sipping and talking over the experience under his breath, grinning like he always did, all the glory once again his, now that the other was gone.