Posted by tina on May 23, 2007 at 12:43:11:
Hi, everyone! Here is the next installment of the adventures of my favorite strangler. Enjoy!
"The South Side Strangler’s Playmate"
By Tina
The statuesque blond held a simple white card displaying the name "Charlie Smith". The letters had been neatly printed with a black magic marker. Charlie had seen the blond in the waiting crowd as he arrived at LAX through gate seventy-three but he stopped when he saw the placard with his name on it. The young woman was wearing a white silk blouse with a crushed velvet bow tie at her throat. She was wearing velvet pants in black but they did nothing to hide the fact she had marvelous hips and legs. Charlie could see spiked high heels peeking out from under the cuff of the pants. Her hair was long and straight. Her head was bare and she wore no adornments in her fine blond hair.
Charlie was quite pleased to find such a striking young woman at the airport to greet him. He was also quite sure that most of the men in the airport that morning would want to be Charlie Smith.
"I’m Charlie Smith," he said as he walked up to the blond. She had taken a quick look at the picture taped to the back of the card and then back at Charlie’s smiling face.
"Follow me please, Mr. Smith," the girl said brusquely. She did a sharp about face and started down the concourse.
She had not asked about luggage. Charlie had been told he would not be staying overnight. He had no luggage to be claimed and apparently the chauffeur was already aware of this fact. Charlie fell into step slightly behind the blond so he could watch the sway of her ass as they walked through the bustling airport.
Charlie was amazed at the diversity of human kind he saw as they walked along. The crowd was an equal mix of Orientals, Hispanics and Caucasians. People of all ages were walking along the concourse or having a drink between flights at one of the many airport lounges. Charlie almost ran into his companion at one point as he took a long look at a French Vietnamese woman passing in the other direction. Charlie had always thought that Vietnamese women descended from French soldiers were the most beautiful women in the world. One of his goals was to take a French Vietnamese girl as one of his ladies.
Charlie and the young woman emerged into a muggy Los Angeles morning that was particularly oppressive with heavy smog.
"I’m sorry, Mr. Smith," the girl said apologetically, "but the city is under a smog alert. It is usually not this bad."
"That’s quite all right, Miss....ah, I don’t think I caught your name?" Charlie said smoothly. He looked not at the girl’s face but at the long slender neck, framed by golden strands of hair. Charlie, or actually his alter ego the South Side Strangler was always on the look out for potential victims. His young chauffeur was perfect. Charlie liked his ladies to be youthful in appearance although his oldest victim had been 57. He also preferred woman with long hair. There was something about long hair that really excited Charlie and of course there was nothing like long shinny hair flying about as he strangled the owner.
"No, sir, I didn’t give it," the woman said flatly, "watch your head."
She pulled the back door of the limousine open for Charlie. He carefully got into the back seat, watching his head and a little puzzled as to why the girl was being so distant toward him. Charlie usually had the opposite effect on women. Charlie seemed to excite women and make them want to become his. He was not exactly sure why this was true. But he accepted his gift without question.
The girl got into the passenger side of the stretch limo and slid across the seat behind the wheel of the monstrous car. Charlie was six feet tall and yet he could stretch his legs out almost straight.
"There are refreshments in the bar to your left and snacks in the cabinet on your right," the beautiful driver called over her shoulder, "Should you need anything press the speaker button."
"Thank you," Charlie said curtly as he watched a smoked glass partition slide up between himself and the young woman.
The car pulled smoothly out into the airport traffic. They were on the 510 in a few minutes cruising toward Bel Air. Charlie was not sure what to expect. So far everything about this trip had been a puzzle. He decided to sit back and relax as the big car glided smoothly through traffic.
* * * *
"I trust you had a good trip out," the man said as Charlie settled deeply into a stuffed leather armchair.
"It was okay," Charlie said a little diffidently, "I actually don’t care for flying all that much."
Charlie looked at the man sitting on the couch across from him. Charlie felt somewhat overdressed in a coat and tie. The man wore black silk pajamas even though they had just finished a wonderful brunch. The man’s hair was grayer than Charlie had expected but then he had not seen any recent photos of his host.
"Seventy-two or three," Charlie thought to himself as he looked at the sharp features. There were a few wrinkles but all in all the man could easily be mistaken for someone younger than Charlie in age.
"I suppose you are wondering why I invited you out here," the man said finally.
"Yes," Charlie admitted, "I am very curious. All your administrative assistant would tell me is that it will be worth my time to meet with you."
The man smiled at Charlie and nodded. He took a sip of his champagne cocktail.
"So here I am," Charlie said opening up his arms wide, "it’s your nickel."
"There is an envelope on the coffee table that I think will interest you," the man said and pointed to a manila letter sized envelope, "Go ahead, dump the contents out on the table."
Charlie, still a little puzzled did as the man instructed and then Charlie whistled softly as he watched the bundles of crisp hundred-dollar bills spill out on the table. There was also a 5 X 7 photograph in the envelope, a latchkey and several neatly typed sheets of paper that appeared to contain a schedule of some kind. The last item that fell from the envelope was a set of airline tickets.
"There is $10,000 on the table," the man said and smiled broadly at Charlie, "Do you recognize the woman in the picture?"
Charlie gazed at the snapshot. Initially he had the feeling he did in fact know the woman but he could not come up with a name to put with a most pretty face. She was a woman in her late thirties or perhaps early forties. The eyes were dark but the hair was a light brown that almost ran to blond. She had a bright smile on her lips. Charlie thought she was a most gorgeous woman. She was definitely his kind of lady.
Then Charlie had mentally darkened and lengthened the hair. He pictured a velvet choker around the slim neck. Of course the smile was the same, full white and sparkling as where her eyes. The same dark eyes of her youth twinkled out at Charlie as he recognized the woman in the photograph.
"Yes, it’s my ex-wife, Barbie," the man said as he clearly could see the surprise of recognition on Charlie’s face, "and I want you to strangle her."
Charlie Smith had put himself through college playing high stakes poker. He still supplemented his teaching income by playing in hold-em competitions from time to time. Charlie needed all his skills to avoid divulging the major shock he was feeling at that moment. Ever so casually Charlie tossed the photo onto the pile of money on the coffee table. He could feel his pulse rate quicken but still maintained an outward calm.
"What makes you think I would do such a thing?" Charlie asked point blank as he gazed intently at the man.
"Bear with me and I will explain that," the man answered quietly and took another sip of his drink. He set his glass down on a coaster and looked briefly at Charlie.
"Let me tell you a story....."
Charlie’s host proceeded to tell Charlie that one of the girls currently living at the mansion had a friend who was an airline stewardess. The stewardess like to meet men while on layovers and had arranged a rendezvous with a man she had encountered on the Internet. This particular young woman had later been found in her hotel room strangled to death with a white nylon stocking. She was the ninth victim of a serial killer who the papers had dubbed the South Side Strangler.
The girl had followed the case of her murdered friend but eventually the police had told her they had no suspects. The strangler had subsequently claimed two more victims and the police still had no clues as to his identity. One day the girl had been talking about her friend’s murder with an older woman who was newly on staff at the mansion. The woman allowed as how the murder sounded exactly like a strangulation murder that had occurred in her hometown many years before.
"Charlie, my ex-wife has recently become a liability to me," his host continued, "In fact things have gotten so bad that during our last telephone conversation I decided there was only one thing to do."
He paused at this point and Charlie was beginning to wonder if he would ever get to the point. The man finished his drink. He returned the empty glass to the coffee table and looked at Charlie with a slight smile.
"So," the man continued, "I decided if I could find the South Side Strangler my troubles would be over."
He sat back on the couch, propped his slipper covered feet up on the glass tabletop and smiled at Charlie. The face would have been recognized anywhere in America and perhaps much of the rest of the world with that particular expression.
"That is a very interesting story," Charlie said passively, "But I still don’t see what that has to do with me."
"You are the South Side Strangler," the man stated flatly, "and I want you to strangle my ex-wife...the woman in that picture."
Charlie opened his mouth, then closed it, gazed at the money and the picture. He knew he had to be careful as to exactly how to proceed.
Finally Charlie spoke, "There is no one here with us so I can’t sue you for slander. But speaking strictly hypothetically, what makes you think I’m him...the so called South City Strangler."
The man chuckled at Charlie lame attempt at subterfuge. He then clapped his hands in a gesture of praise toward Charlie.
"Bravo," he said, "I would have been disappointed had you freely admitted your identity. If you will permit me to digress a minute. In order to sue me for slander, or at least to win the case, I have to have said something about you that can proved to be untrue and at the same time has damaged your reputation. Since you are the South Side...city indeed, sir, please," the man smiled brightly at Charlie as he shook his head, "since you are the South Side Strangler you would loose the case not to mention finding yourself locked up for all those murders."
Charlie continued to look intently at his host. Still Charlie showed no emotion that this man knew who and what he was.
"I happened to be present when the woman were discussing the murders. I have never believed in coincidence so I began to do a little research. Then I hired six of the top private investigation agencies in the country to make some inquiries for me. I assure you I went about this in such a way that I am the only one who can connect you and the strangling. I suggest you look at the contents of this folder."
The man handed Charlie a file folder and Charlie quickly leafed through the various reports, photographs and news articles that were inside. By the time he had finished Charlie was satisfied that his host had indeed found enough proof to tie him to the murders of Olivia Bennet, Dr. Michelle Qwan and the stewardess....and of course Mother all those years ago. There was no information about the college student or the other eight strangler murders but that was of little comfort. After Charlie closed the folder he placed it carefully down on top of the coffee table. He leaned back in the easy chair and gazed at his host.
"What now?" Charlie asked.
"My wife currently lives in Colorado Springs. That key is to her condominium. The sheets contain her schedule for the next six months and there is one with the code for her security system. The set of airline tickets is open-ended. At your convenience I want you to fly to Colorado Springs and murder my wife. The police may or may not link the murder to the South Side Strangler but at any rate there will be no link between you and me. And of course there will be nothing to link me with the murder."
The man paused to read Charlie’s face. He saw no sign or hint as to what Charlie was feeling.
"Charlie, do you play poker," he inquired idly.
"I play a little," Charlie answered honestly, "I put myself through college playing cards."
"I’m not surprised," the man stated, "you give no indication that what I have told you has phased you in the slightest."
"Again speaking hypothetically," Charlie said as he casually examined his fingernails, "what is in it for me? I mean killing your wife...what do I get out of it?"
Again the man laughed with gusto.
"Well, for a man who apparently enjoys strangling women I should think strangling a former playmate and, I might add, a woman who is still quite beautiful, would be incentive enough." He stopped talking for a second before adding, "But I am a generous man. You can have the $10,000 now. When you have disposed of my ex-wife I will put this folder along with its contents in the mail for you."
"Why should I trust you," Charlie asked even though he already knew the answer. This was a test and the answer would be the key to whether or not Charlie would accept this most unusual offer.
"First of all, I need desperately to have my wife dead. The reasons are of no real consequence to you. Secondly, I quite fancy the idea of my ex-wife being the victim of a serial strangler. Thirdly, I have enough evidence to put you in jail for life or perhaps even in Old Sparky. Finally, I want no tie left between us when this affair is over. Colorado can invoke the death penalty for conspiracy to commit murder and I don’t want to risk it. By the way, I fear that folder might fall into the wrong hands should you decide to turn me down."
Charlie looked the man square in the eye. He gazed deeply into the man’s eyes and could see he was deadly serious. Charlie also knew in an unexplainable way that he could trust this man to keep his word.
Charlie stood up, stuck out his hand and said, "You have a deal."
The two men shook hands.
Charlie put the money and the photo back into the manila envelope. He made no effort to touch the folder. He put the apartment key in his coat pocket and the airline tickets he slipped into his inside jacket pocket. Charlie turned to face his host.
"May I ask you something?"
"Certainly, Charlie, you may ask me anything."
"Are you acquainted with the young lady who picked me up at the airport?"
"Yes, quite an attractive young woman," the man said with a sly smile, "she runs a freelance livery. I use her occasionally for obvious reasons."
"What would you do if she turned up strangled? This can be a violent city and there are some very unsavory characters who live here."
The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he looked at the South Side Strangler.
"Charlie, I am going to be honest with you," the man said as he put a hand on Charlie’s shoulder, "I personally never cared for her much. She can be quite surly. Of course it would be a terrible tragedy for such a beautiful young woman to be strangled with a stocking...but as you say, Los Angeles can be a brutal place to live...and to die."
The two men shook hands again.
"Charlie, I trust we shall not meet again," the man called out as Charlie reached the door.
* * * *
Six weeks had past since Charlie’s visit to the mansion and the college where he taught was on spring break. He had decided the time was right. Charlie took an uneventful flight to Denver where he rented a car for the fifty-minute drive to Colorado Springs. The weather was cool but sunny and Charlie admired the scenery as he drove along Interstate 25. To his left the beginning of the Great Plains lay flat as the eye could see. A dotted combination of cropland and grazing pasture interrupted by the occasional pine tree or line shack. To his right foothills rose quickly upward with the awesome spires of the Rockies jutting up behind in snowcapped majesty.
Puffy white clouds floated in a light blue sky. Charlie listened to classical music as he drove along. All and all it was a most peaceful journey. He knew from past experience that he would be calm until the actual day. Then there would be the anticipation that would produce a little anxiety. The same nerves a veteran actor feels on the Broadway stage on opening night matched the gut feeling Charlie always had on the day he planned to take one of his ladies.
Charlie had settled into the No Tell Motel on the north side of Colorado Springs. He then drove to the address of Barbie’s condominium. The area was an upscale development and the structures had been built in such a way as to provide maximum privacy to each resident. This suited Charlie’s purposes well. He liked to go about his business without being scrutinized by prying eyes. The development was also close to a large shopping mall complex. Charlie clocked the odometer and found the mall was within easy walking distance of the condominium.
On his second pass he had verified that there was no car in the driveway or under the carport. He had then driven back to the shopping center, parked his rental and walked back to his victim’s house.
The key worked perfectly. Charlie had been prepared to deactivate the alarm system but to his surprise it was already off.
"Tsk, Tsk, lovely lady," Charlie said as he shook his head, "you never know who wants to get into your home."
Charlie did not bother to search the house. He walked up the beige carpeted stairs directly to the master bedroom. The bedroom proved to be quite large. Charlie guessed that Barbie had eliminated a guest bedroom thus creating an oversized master bedroom for herself. The room was bright with defused light coming from three windows and a skylight. Charlie looked up through the ceiling window at the Colorado sky. He imagined the lady of the house had a nice view of starlit skies when the weather was clear.
Charlie moved to an antique dresser and began to open drawers. The middle drawer contained neat rows of lingerie and to Charlie’s delight was a third filled with a pile of hosiery. He began carefully sifting though the nylons and under the pile on the bottom of the drawer he found a velvet bag. With hands trembling slightly with excitement Charlie opened up the bag. He reached inside the velvet pouch and removed his prize. The bag contained a pair of black nylons that were gossamer sheer. Charlie guessed they were 15 denier nylons from France.
"Hmmmmm," Charlie hummed softly, "I am going to truly enjoy this."
Charlie stuffed one of the sheer stockings into his pocket. The other he put back into the velvet bag. He replaced the bag under the other hosiery and shifted everything back into roughly the original arrangement. A pile of nylons was always an amorphous mass. The only risk of detection was Barbie deciding to wear the special pair of stockings before the big day. Charlie knew from her schedule that this was unlikely.
Charlie let himself out and walked briskly back to the mall. He was ready. On the drive back to the motel Charlie thought through his plan of attack.
"Thursday will be the day," Charlie thought to himself and smiled.
* * * *
The second day in Colorado Springs had been spent enjoying the natural beauty of Eastern Colorado. Charlie had visited the Red Rock Amphitheater, a natural open are theater with perfect acoustics created from two walls of flat red rock that had been thrust skyward by some ancient upheaval. He had also traveled to the Royal Gorge and the Garden of the God’s State Park. Charlie had never been to Colorado before and he found the scenery truly spectacular. He had decided to make a return trip to the area in the winter for some skiing.
That pleasure would have to wait for another time. On Thursday, late in the afternoon, Charlie waited in the condominium’s kitchen. During his initial visit he had noticed that the welcome mat was at the townhouse’s side door. That door led directly into a well-stocked pantry and from there into the kitchen. Like the rest of the condominium the kitchen was spacious and bright.
The carport was closest to that entrance so Charlie had reasoned his victim would enter the house via the kitchen door. Charlie sat at the kitchen table and he was situated so he could see her car pull into the driveway. He had left the front door unlocked just in case he had to make a quick get away.
As he waited Charlie idly ran the black nylon stocking through his hands. The stocking was soft and had a faint order of perfume. Charlie found himself becoming quite aroused by the weapon in his hands and the anticipation of its use.
* * * *
Right on schedule he saw the red sports car pull into the driveway and into the protection of the carport. To his relief there were no passengers. His prey was alone. Charlie rose from the kitchen chair and moved beside the already partially open kitchen door.
He careful wound the black stocking around his palms and stretched it out twice to test his grip. Then he brought his hands together creating a loop of black nylon that dangled between his palms.
Charlie heard the car door slam. He tensed slightly. The nervous energy began to build inside the South Side Strangler.
The storm door creaked and then there was the sound of keys in the lock. Charlie crouched slightly as he prepared to spring.
The inside door swung open and Charlie heard the sound of high heels walking across the tiled floor of the pantry. The South Side Strangler held his breath as his lovely quarry walked toward her fate.
The kitchen door pushed a little further open and she was in the room with the strangler.
As soon as he saw her move past the end of the door he stepped directly behind her. There had been no sound but Barbie stopped and began to turn as she sensed something. He could see her mouth begin to open and her arms were already coming up to defend herself as she saw him out of the corner of her eye. In a split second Charlie had the black stocking looped around Barbie’s throat before she could fend off his attack. A package fell from her arm as her hands came up to attempt to pull the ligature away from her delicate throat.
"Aaaaccckkkk....nuuuhhha...gak...ack" Barbie made lovely gagging noises as Charlie pulled the nylon tight.
Barbie and Charlie began to dance around the kitchen. In this dance the woman was definitely in the lead as she tried disparately to pull free of her attacker. Charlie simply moved with the terrified woman as he kept the black stocking taut at her neck. Barbie twisted and turned to no avail, as the stocking grew ever tighter and in turn constricted the lovely throat. Charlie deftly moved with the frantic woman, staying behind her and gradually increasing the tension on the lethal ligature.
Her handbag was still hooked in the crook of her left arm and it swung around as the pair struggled.
"Guuucccllkk.....uuuunnnuhhhh.....aaacckkkk....hhhmmmmmm"
The woman’s mouth was wide open but only half-strangled gasps and moans were coming out of her sweet lips. As she turned her face from side to side, Charlie could see her eyes darting back and forth looking for help. At one point she tried to pull him to the sink where a large butcher knife was drying. Charlie saw the knife and anticipated her intent.
"Oh, no, missy," Charlie admonished as he yanked hard on the nylons and stepped back toward the kitchen table, "my ladies don’t play with sharp things."
Charlie roughly dragged the struggling woman backwards using the ends of the black stocking like reins on a horse. He forced Barbie backwards onto the kitchen table as he brought the ends of the nylon up around her neck, crossed the stocking under her chin and pulled a second loop of nylon tight around the beautiful woman’s throat. He pushed her flat onto the table as his hands, powerful, experienced strangler’s hands yanked the ends of the black nylon stocking away. The two bands of nylon were constricting Barbie’s throat more and more. She struggled wildly on the cool surface of the table but Charlie’s grip was sure.
Barbie’s shapely legs hung off the edge of the table and began to wave around as Charlie increased the pressure on the hosiery at her throat. Her thighs would lift up and then slap back down on the hard wood of the tabletop. Then her legs would move apart and just as quickly press back together. And all the while Charlie pulled harder on the pretty black nylon choker. Barbie’s eyes protruded grotesquely as the hapless woman looked up at her strangler. The lovely light brown hair bounced around as she furiously shook her head.
"Please don’t kill me," the beautiful woman pleaded. Of course it was a silent plea in her mind, as she no longer had any voice.
Charlie wasn’t sure if this was an effort to throw off the ligature or a plea on her part for him to stop the strangling. Either way Charlie responded by pulling the stocking tighter than ever. Barbie’s struggles had begun to slow considerably. When her hands fell limply to the sides of her head Charlie knew it was time.
He took hold of the ends of the nylon with his right hand. The stocking loosened ever so slightly and he heard Barbie draw in a raspy breath of sweet air. During the struggle Barbie had managed to kick her skirt up around her waist. She was wearing dress sheer nude pantyhose and plain cotton panties with a lavender waistband. Charlie could see the name Jockey stitched in the waistband of the panties.
"I’m surprised you’re not a satin lady," Charlie said as his left hand caressed the top of the pantyhose.
He pulled Barbie up just a little and she looked down at his hand as it moved inside the sheer hose. Then Charlie gently worked his hand inside the cotton panties.
"NNNAAAAHHH," Barbie wailed as she realized what Charlie was doing.
Then she felt his hand touch her. Something electric was touched off. Barbie had never felt such a sensation before in her life. She had made love with many men but with a simple touch this man had triggered a small orgasm.
"Oh," Barbie quietly breathed the single syllable as Charlie softly touched her labia. His finger ran gently around her lips and the tingle inside began to grow.
"I wish he’d let go of this stocking," Barbie thought, "but his hand in my panties is certainly wonderful."
She was shocked at this unwanted message in her brain. How could a liberated lady enjoy being violated like this? Barbie had no choice but to give her body over to the wonderful touch and the erotic fireworks that were beginning to go off inside her body. Charlie slowly moved his finger inside the moistening pussy. He lightly touched Barbie’s clit and watched her arch her back.
"OOOOOOHHHHHH," Barbie let out a loud moan despite the black stocking still wound around her neck. Her hands moved to her chest and Charlie was delighted to watch her massage her breasts through the sheer material of her dress. He could see her nipples harden. At the same time Charlie’s finger moved inside of Barbie’s sweet pussy. His left hand cupped the lovely bush as first one finger then two probed the former playmate.
"You certainly are a gorgeous woman," Charlie said as he stroked his prize.
Barbie opened her eyes and looked up at her attacker. Although her face was still somewhat contorted from the strangulation it appeared a faint smile crossed her lips. She continued to moan and her body was writhing almost as wildly as before. This time the movements were fired by a volcanic eruption of an orgasm. Barbie had never experienced anything like this.
Her legs again rose off the table but this time her effort was intended to push her hips up against Charlie’s hand. His middle finger continued manipulating her cunt on the inside as his other fingers rubbed her labia and clitoris. The palm of Charlie’s hand also exerted a pleasant pressure on Barbie’s damp pussy. At the same time Barbie continued to rub her breasts and to pinch her erect nipples. Barbie had lost count of the orgasms as she writhed in ecstasy on the table under the expert touch of her attacker along with her own soft handling. She was now totally oblivious to the black nylon stocking around her throat or the earlier brutal attack. Barbie had swum into an erotic world of sensual delight.
Charlie looked down at his lady and smiled. With a sigh he withdrew his hand from pussy, panties and pantyhose. The lovely woman’s eyes were shut tight and she still moaned loudly as Charlie took hold of the stocking top with his left hand. He again drew the ends of the stocking away from the pretty neck still caught between the deadly circles of hosiery. He could see the sheer black bands become tighter around her slender throat. His hands were out several inches from that lovely neck when Barbie’s eyes had opened again. Her mouth was working furiously and she had a most puzzled expression on her lips.
For the second time she shook her head wildly from side to side. But this time was different.
"No, keep fingering me," she tried to say to her strangler, "please I need you inside me."
Again the lithe body began to struggle against the enveloping pain of strangulation. The multiple orgasms had help to sap what little strength she had left after the initial attack. Barbie was unable to put up much of a fight.
The woman put her hands on Charlie’s hands and weakly tugged at them. Her legs bounced a little but hardly left the tabletop. Her body slowly rocked as the silky ligature again tightened around her throat. Her gasps were barely audible even to the South Side Strangler.
Then Charlie had guided the black stocking around Barbie’s neck a third time. Her hands pushed weakly at his chest as he looped a knot in the ends of the nylon and quickly tightened the hosiery down under her chin. The lovely face was now a contorted mass of purple. The eyes bulged grotesquely with the pupils almost appearing to be swallowed by the huge expanse of white. The poor woman’s tongue had been forced out from between her cyanotic lips. Those lips were covered with a white froth of dried spittle. Heavy yellow mucus had started to ooze from her noose. The perfect white teeth stood out starkly against the dark face and lips. The strangled face was no longer recognizable as belonging to a woman once considered one of the most beautiful in the world.
Barbie’s legs hung down off the kitchen table. Her left pump dangled sexily from her toes while the right had been kicked off during her futile fight for life. The woman’s hands had finally dropped to the sides of her neck with fingers curled into loose fists. Her arms were also curled as though she were showing off her biceps.
The white cotton panties were stained with her orgasmic juices and even the crotch of the nude hose had glistened with the moisture from Barbie’s last orgasm.
She had lain still for several minutes when Charlie put a final knot in the French nylon. The strangled woman’s neck had bulged grotesquely around the tight black loops of stocking. The lovely stocking that had made her leg to appear even more desirable had left the owner’s face a most hideous mask. After tying of the stocking Charlie ran his hands slowly down the dead body. Charlie’s hands briefly caressed the hips and then moved lovingly down the right thigh. Then the South Side Strangler had grasped the under side of Barbie’s leg, gently lifted it and he softly kissed her lifeless knee.
He left the dish to spoil on the table and took his leave of the death house. The South Side Strangler had claimed victim number twelve.
* * * *
The sun was setting as Charlie arrived back to his car. There was a cool breeze blowing and the hint of a spring snowstorm was in the air. Charlie gazed up at the darkening sky and hoped he could get back to the airport before any bad weather hit.
He had immediately checked out of the motel in order to catch a late night flight back home. The snow hit long after Charlie’s departure.
* * * *
Charlie sipped a glass of beer as he watched the Friday evening news. The broadcast showed pictures of people in Colorado and Wyoming dealing with the after effects of the spring storm. Then Charlie was startled to see a familiar face on the screen as Barbie’s murder was announced to the world. The file photo used by the local station was the same one Charlie had in the manila envelope that was safely tucked away in his safe deposit box. She had been a most beautiful victim and Charlie thought she had died just as beautifully. Apparently she was still famous enough to warrant a mention but the clip was brief.
Charlie had smiled back at the smiling face on his TV screen.
* * * *
Two weeks later a large envelope came in the mail. Charlie turned the envelope over and over. There was no return address. He took his pocketknife and slit the top open. Inside was the file folder that contained all the evidence linking Charlie Smith to the South Side Strangler murders. There was also a hand written note:
Charlie,
Should you ever need a chauffeur I think you will find Tamara Howard a perfect choice. She lives at 123 Main Street in Hollywood. She should suite your needs perfectly.
H.H.
Ps Thank you for a job well done.
Charlie smiled. Los Angeles was not really his kind of town but for another ride in Tamara’s limousine he might just have to visit again.