Cry for Me Read online

  Samantha was on cloud nine. She could still smell Rick’s cologne as she walked back to her apartment. She found herself day dreaming of her and Rick going on dates. Going to the movies, fancy dinners, walking along the river front, and being held in his arms. “Samantha Miller. I like the thought of that.” she thought as she closed the door behind her.

  Just as Samantha’s apartment door had closed the light in laundry room turned on. It had been off before. Inside the laundry room stood Gene Harrison. He had heard and seen it all. The rage was quickly boiling inside him. He could not believe the gall of that Rick. “Had he not learned his lesson?” he thought as stood there twisting a hand towel around his fist.

  “Of course he did not learn his lesson! He is a hot shot! He is only concerned with himself and his happiness! The Swanson’s meant nothing to him! I will show him. He needs to be taken down and I am just the man to do it and I know exactly what I will do to bring him to his knees and then I will kill him. I will string his mutilated body up in Panton Mill Park for the whole god damn village to see what happens to hot shots! My next murder will be epic!” Gene’s anger was catching hold of him and he was beginning to lose control and went back to his apartment to consume the tears that he had just harvested from the Swanson’s. He would nap and then set his new plan into action.

  Gene began to drift off to sleep as he lay there clutching the now empty test tube that once held the tears of Mrs. Swanson. He especially liked the taste of her tears. He found them to be sweeter and was comforted by the taste that still lingered on his taste buds. He was not sure why he liked her taste better. Was it because she had reminded him of his own mother and grandmother or was it because of the amount of pain she endured as they poured from her eyes. He reminisced of the day of the murder when he was licking them from her face. They were so fresh. Fresh with her pain and he could taste it with each lick. Oh, how excited he felt thinking about that day. He had felt like a kid drinking from a fountain that delivered liquid chocolate in place of water.

  He knew his next murder had to be epic and he had just the plan. This plan would show everyone that Detective Rick Miller is not the god he makes himself to be. It will uncover just how inept of a detective he really is. He will be an embarrassment to the police department and the entire village. It will cripple him and he will not be able to solve these murders and then Gene would kill him and drink the tears of the beloved Detective Rick Miller.

  Chapter 14

  It’s early Thursday morning and Rick and Dan were driving north on Rt. 31 headed to the Elgin Mental Health Center. EMHC is located at the juncture of Illinois Route 31 and U.S. Highway Route 20. EMHC is a state run mental health facility. It originally opened in 1872. After World War II, the hospital reached its maximum size of 1,139 acres. It now encompasses just 100 acres. The campus is peppered by several buildings that once housed hundreds of patients and staff members. Over the years budget cuts and various other reasons lead to many of the buildings being closed down and remain empty to this day.

  The hospital is primarily used to care for "forensic patients" who have been found "not guilty by reason of insanity," and those persons found "unfit to stand trial," but who are required by Illinois law to remain confined in a mental hospital for a period of time. From time to time these patients escape and are cause for action from the local police agencies that border the state facility.

  They drove in the main entrance of the campus and past the administration to the security building. Dan had a contact at the hospital. He went to college with John Grash who is currently Chief of Campus Police at the facility. Dan and John have kept in touch and are on the same bowling league. Dan put a call into John and gave him a heads-up and that he needed his help. John was more than happy to help his friend out.

  They pulled up to the old red brick building that housed the Elgin Mental Health Campus Police Department. Chief Grash was standing outside on the front step looking at another storm that was getting ready to blow in. He greeted the investigators as they reached the top landing of the 10 steps leading to the entrance. “We have a storm rolling in, gentlemen. Not good for business, makes the natives restless. If you know what I mean.” stated John, as he shook Dan and then Rick’s hand.

  “As long as you keep your “natives” inside and off our streets we’re happy!” chuckled Dan.

  They walked down the long hall that leads to Chief Grash’s office. The hallway was dimly lit with many off the bulbs burnt out and many of the remaining ones flickering. It had the smell of an old building. It reminded Rick of a musty mixture of old wood and mildew with a slight hint of urine.

  They reached Chief Grash’s office and took a seat. The Chief’s office was night and day in comparison to the hallway. It was lit with soft lighting and smelled of fresh pumpkin bread baking. Grash did the best he could with the deck that the state had dealt him. With constant cut backs building maintenance had slipped greatly over the years. Grash purchased lamps and scented candles with his own money to make his office more inviting and comfortable as he often puts in 16 hour days.

  Rick and Dan filled him in on Martinez and his link to the case, and asked him for any information he could provide on Martinez that may aid in their investigation. Grash began punching the keys on his computer, wrote down a number and excused himself. He returned a few minutes later with a file folder. Rick’s eyes grew wide when he saw the file. He became excited because they had learned while in route to EMHC that the judge had shot down the request for subpoena citing that it would be a violation of Martinez’s patients rights protected under HIPPA and that there was insufficient evidence at this time.

  “Is that Martinez’s file?” asked Rick.

  “Not exactly.” replied John.

  Chief Grash went on to explain that this file is a facility file. It contained information such as what building the patient was housed in, his physicians, staff, room mates, campus police interaction, etc. and that it did not contain medical records. He explained it was the only file he had access to and that he had no access to medical records due to HIPPA.

  Chief Grash gave Rick and Dan the name of Martinez’s doctor but told them they would get nowhere with him. He suggested they track down some of the staff that interacted with Martinez on a daily basis. He gave them the names of the nurses that took care of him, Dawn Kelsey and Patricia Kemper. He also gave them the name of the unit maintenance man, Robert Cranston. All are former employees due to budget cuts. Chief Grash explained that Martinez had been released due to budget cuts before he had been employed by the state, and he personally, was not familiar with him. The files indicate he had no negative contact with campus police.

  Rick and Dan thanked Chief Grash for his help and assured him that they would keep his involvement off the record and told him if there was anyway they could repay his favor to please call upon them. Grash told them pizza and beer some Friday would be sufficient, and bid the two investigators a good day as he walked them to their squad car.

  While en route to the station, Keyes jumped on his cell phone and within just a few minutes, and with the help of Lt. Jones and Lynn, was able to track down the former state hospital employees. He informed Rick that Dawn Kelsey had moved out of state and he had a phone number. Patricia Kemper was the head nurse at a psychiatric hospital in Joliet Illinois, called our Lady of Hope Catholic Sanitarium. Robert Cranston is currently employed by School Dist. U-46 as a maintenance man assigned to Larkin High School in Elgin.

  Rick advised Dan that after lunch they would call Nurse Kelsey and pay nurse Kemper and Mr. Cranston a visit. Rick was starving. He had not been eating much. The fresh leads started a fire in him and his appetite had returned. They pulled into the Weiner Wagon and headed in for a quick bite to eat. Rick would go over the questions he wanted to ask over a double cheese burger, cheese curds, and vanilla shake.

  Chapter 15

  Detective Miller and Officer Keyes pulled into the spacious grounds of the Our Lady of Hope Catholic S
anitarium. Rick was impressed with the beauty of the spacious grounds. The drive was paved with bricks and meandered through the well kept grounds like a vintage county road. The driveway was lined with perfectly manicured evergreen hedges and a brick paved walking path that ran adjacent to the drive. The walking path was dotted with decorative sitting areas that contained beautiful sculptures and park benches.

  Our Lady of Hope was a catholic ran psychiatric hospital. It is positioned on ten acres along the western banks of the Des Plaines River. It was built in 1872 and was operated privately by a well known doctor in Joliet receiving its first patients at the end of that year under the name Joliet Hospital and Asylum for the Insane; treating mental illness, tuberculosis, and syphilis. The Catholic Church purchased the property sometime in the 1940’s, shortly after 10 patients were found buried in shallow graves along the river banks forcing the asylum to close its doors.

  The building was very large. It included a 214 bed psychiatric hospital, chapel, rectory, and administrative offices. Built entirely of brick and adorned in stunning stone work from the late 1800’s. It has three stories, large beautiful stain glass windows, and a remarkable bell tower covered in ivy leaves.

  As they walked through the massive wooden doors of the front entrance Rick was amazed at the cleanliness of the interior. The floors looked wet from the shine of the wax. There was the most ornate and beautiful wood work Rick has ever seen displayed throughout the building. The smell was pleasant and very inviting. It felt like a place one could come to get well again. A vast contrast from the run down state facility that had fell victim to bureaucracy in the wake of several incompetent and corrupt state officials.

  Rick walked up to the reception desk where a young nun was seated and introduced himself and Dan, and stated his business there. She identified herself as Sister Heather Weston and asked the officers to please have a seat while she called for Head Nurse Kemper.

  Rick and Dan had taken a seat in the lobby. They were admiring the beauty of the twenty foot vaulted ceiling when Ms. Kemper appeared. Rick shifted his gaze from the ceiling and to Ms. Kemper. He introduced himself and Officer Keyes and asked if they could have a few moments of her time to ask her a few questions that will assist them in their investigation. Ms. Kemper agreed and showed them to her office.

  Patricia Kemper is a very attractive middle aged woman with an exceptionally beautiful face. She had straight shoulder length brown hair and was a very kind and compassionate person. Very much how Rick envisioned how a nurse should be. She was far from what he had expected. He expected a cold and strict Nun with a stern look to her face. She was the exact opposite. She had a kind and beautiful face. She wore the traditional nursing uniform that nurses used to wear. Her uniform consisted of a white nurses shirt that contained a name plate that read “P. Kemper MSRN“ , a skirt that went well pass her knees, and white nurses shoes. She even wore the traditional nurse’s cap. Her office was very neat and well organized. The walls were adorned with framed certificates and degrees. Rick had noticed a degree from Northern Illinois University for a Masters of Science Degree hanging on the wall.

  Ms. Kemper had been a nurse for over 20 years and it was the only career she knew. She was very experienced and had an exemplary work record. She was a trauma nurse many years before becoming a psychiatric nurse. Rick thought it must take a very special person to be a psychiatric nurse and did not know how she could do it.

  They took a seat across from her desk and began to ask her questions about Mr. Martinez. They asked her if there was anything that she could tell them about him. They were interested in anything she had to tell them no matter how insignificant she may feel it was. They explained that her help could be beneficial in solving a multiple homicide case and could possible prevent another murder from happening.

  Ms. Kemper was very sympathetic to their requests and informed them that she had no recollection of any details regarding this patient with the exception of the name sounding familiar to her. She also explained that even if she could remember that she would be unable to comment or offer any information without a court order as it would be a HIPPA violation.

  Rick thanked her for her time and commented on the beauty of the hospital and how he was impressed by the cleanliness and the inviting and caring first impression it had on him. He also felt the need to point out how the state run facility felt so cold, dirty, and depressing. He could not understand how a place like that could help people suffering from mental illness issues feel better in a place that felt so “institutional”.

  Rick and Dan headed back north towards Elgin. Rick wanted to try and catch Mr. Cranston before he left for the day. He had an hour and a half before Cranston got off shift. Dan placed a call to Dawn Kelsey, the other nurse that Chief Grash gave them, and was on the phone talking to her as they drove. Rick was in a hurry and eager to talk to Cranston. As much as Rick liked Ms. Kemper she was unable to be of any assistance.

  Dan hung up the phone with Ms. Kelsey and began filling Rick in on their conversation. “Well that was short and sweet.” said Rick. Dan told Rick that Dawn was living in Utah now and is still a nurse working in a small clinic. She had remembered Martinez and said he was quite the Romeo always trying to get down her scrubs. She felt Martinez was faking his illness to avoid serving his time in a prison. He didn’t cause any trouble that she could remember and could only remember the first name of his room mate, Gene something.

  Dawn made a point in telling Dan that Martinez’s room mate was a real legit “whack job” and she was afraid to be around him and did not have much interaction with him. She described him as a “creepy little fucker” with greasy black hair combed over to one side. She stressed to Dan that she would not testify to anything she had said and would deny ever talking to him if they used her statements as matter of record and said if she violated HIPPA she would lose her job. Dan looked at Rick as said, “What the hell is this HIPPA shit and why is everyone so afraid of it?”

  “I don’t know, some patient right to privacy or some bullshit. But I am sick of hearing about it” grumbled Rick.

  Rick and Dan pulled into the parking lot of Larkin High School. It was where Rick had gone to school. They walked up the main office entrance and went inside. Once inside he was flooded with memories of his academic career here. Rick was a quiet student and received good grades. He was well liked by his teachers. He only had a few friends. He never played any sports but played the bass drum in the school marching band.

  Rick had good memories going to school here. He stood looking at a huge picture of the school mascot that was painted on the wall in the hallway. Larkin’s team name is The Royals and the mascot is a short grumpy looking king wearing a crown, royal cape, and a scepter in his hand. Rick could hear his old favorite pep rally song playing in is head. “From the east to the west, Larkin Royals are the best.”

  Rick’s trip down memory lane was soon interrupted by a female voice. “May I help you?” Rick had been approached by Donna Lane, the school secretary.

  “Yes ma’am. My name is Detective Sgt. Rick Miller and this is my partner, Officer Dan Keyes. We’re with the South Elgin Police Department and we would like to speak with an employee here by the name of Robert Cranston.”, replied Rick as he held up his police star.

  Mrs. Lane told Rick that he should be in the maintenance shop in the vocational wing. She told Rick that she would be happy to show him the way. Rick thanked her and told her that would not be necessary, as he used to be a student here.

  Rick and Dan walked through the cafeteria seating area and down the ramp to a hallway that ran along the gym. School was on summer break and the halls seemed so empty. Rick looked at the display case holding all the trophies from years past sporting events. They continued walking down the hall making a series of left and right turns until they reached the vocational wing. They stopped outside a door marked “Maintenance”. Rick could hear the laughter of what sounded like two or three men coming from inside. He looked at
his cell phone and saw that the shift would be ending in five minutes.

  Rick knocked a couple times on the door as he opened. The room became quiet as they walked in. A big burley guy with a long beard was leaning back in a chair with his feet up on a work bench. He looked at Miller and Keyes and said, “Can we help you?” Rick introduced himself and Officer Keyes and asked to see Robert Cranston.

  Cranston was seated backwards on a folding chair with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. He stood up and said, “I’m Bob Cranston.” with the cigarette still dangling from his lips. Rick immediately did not like his attitude and demeanor. He told Cranston to step out in hall, that he had a few questions to ask him and it would not take much of his time.

  Cranston is a tall and thin man. Well over six foot and probably around 150lbs. He is in his mid fifties. The center of his head is bald. He has a thin rim of hair around the sides of his head. He grows his hair long on the right side of his head. It is straight and combed over to the left. Grey in color and looked greasy. He was wearing a dirty U-46 maintenance uniform with grease stains scattered about the shirt and pants. He looked disheveled and un-kempt. He smelled of stale cigarette tobacco. His face contained a grey five o’clock shadow. There were orange nicotine stains on his upper lip and right fore finger and middle finger. He was missing several teeth and suffered from a severe case of halitosis.

  Rick told Cranston that he had some questions he wanted to ask him regarding a former patient that had been institutionalized at EMHC during his employment. Cranston knew of Martinez and told them that he was just a punk drug dealer playing the system to avoid real jail time. Rick asked him about his room mate. Cranston remembered him too but could not remember his last name. Told them his first name was Gene and the last name was Hartman or something like that. He told Rick that this Gene guy was a weird dude and that he was definitely sick in the head. He also said that he was there when they released Gene and was shocked when he was released. He told them he was let go for the same reason he was - the state was broke. Cranston told them most everybody avoided this Gene character, including staff, because he was so “out there.” With the exception of Martinez who got along well with him and was his only friend. Rick thanked Cranston, turned, and started to walk away when he stopped and turned towards Cranston and said, “One more question Mr. Cranston. Have you ever heard of HIPPA?”