The Phantom Killer was a serial killer of the early 1940’s in Texarkana, Texas.
He killed at least five young people usually in “lover’s lane” settings. His total victim count remains as mysterious as he is. This is mostly because some killings were attributed to him which didn’t fit his usual MO, and other killings in nearby areas which may have been by “The Phantom” were not thought to be his victims until years later.
He was sometimes also called the “Moonlight Murderer” because he seemed to surface at three-week intervals to murder when the moon was full. These crimes were never solved. No one was ever caught. 2
Present Day: Clifton Park, N.Y.
The next morning John sat down with the Dayna and Lenny while Jennifer had Jessica in the yard throwing a ball for Sadie. Dayna told John how the shape or shadow (what the kids call the killer now) must have already taken her mother and then her father, when he got home from work, down to the cave before she got home because her mother, who is always there to greet her, was nowhere to be found.
She just assumed her father was next door at the Emerald Club. He had
been a member there as far back as she could remember. However, she found out later from the shape he had grabbed them one at a time. That was all she could recall of the abduction, other than she knew her parents were dead or hurt very badly from all the blood in the living room. It was not but seconds after she entered the living room and noticed the blood that suddenly all went black. 3
“But Detective…” and John stopped her there. 4
“Call me John, honey. Now what were you saying?” 5
“Well, I think he could have taken us all at once, but he chose not to. It was more fun for him to do it one at a time, I think.” she said very much like an adult. 6
John just eyed her in amazement. It seemed she had grown up overnight. She did not seem scared anymore. 7
“One thing puzzles me, Dayna. How in the hell did he get you, your sister and your parents out of there and down to the cave making that many trips without being seen?” 8
The kids both raised their eyebrows at him in an "are you kidding me?"
expression. John noticed their expression then he straightened up in his chair while holding out his arms and asked, “What?” 9
“John,” Lenny began. “The back of our house, if you haven’t noticed, sits right on the edge of the road and little wooded area that leads right down to the gorge. We used to sneak in and out all the time and no one ever saw us. I use to scare the girls all the time when we were little. It would be quite easy actually.” 10
“Yeah, I guess you would know. The back way to your house runs down behind the diner, right?" he asked. 11
“Yeah, if you choose to go that way. The other way goes up behind the club or straight back and down which is, I’m sure, the way he came and went.” Lenny answered. 12
John was still looking at Dayna. “Hey, are you ok?” he asked the little girl. She looked at him and her emerald green eyes sparkled. 13
“I’m fine, John. I'm not scared anymore. I don't think he can hurt me. I know, you’re looking at me as if I’m crazy, but I really don’t think he can, or he’s afraid to. Something stronger than him is coming. I feel it. When I woke up this morning I felt this presence. It calmed me. It, in its way, let me know he wouldn’t hurt me.” 14
“What are you talking about, Dayna?” Lenny asked, as if she were crazy. The 15 year old just turned to him, placed a hand on his shoulder and looked into her brother’s eyes. 15
“It’s ok, Len, really. You're not like me and neither is Jessica. I don’t know what I am, but I have this feeling I’m going to find out and what my destiny is.” she said calmly, as if she were an adult talking to a child. 16
John just sat there observing the two kids. Dayna had definitely changed. He took a drink of his coffee Jennifer had made for him. He took his attention off the kids to look out the sliding glass door to the backyard at Jennifer playing with Jessica and Sadie. His thoughts went to Jennifer. After he had carried her into the bedroom, they had made love gently until exhausted, then they fell asleep in each others arms, waking up to caress and experience each other throughout the night.
Finally she had fallen asleep for the night with her head on his chest. John laid there holding her, feeling he could stay right in this spot forever. There was nowhere else in the world he would rather be right at this moment. Then he fell asleep. 17
“Hello, John. Boy you got it bad for her!” Dayna said, waving her hand in his face getting his attention back. 18
John chuckled then stood up and walked to the back door. Jessica looked up and smiled, already beginning to forget the nightmare of the last couple of days in the brilliant sunlight of the morning. 19
Sadie saw him stepping out the back door and happily trotted over to him wagging her tail. “Hey, girl, how are you? Huh? Are you watching the girls out here? Good girl. You sure saved my ass last night.” John said, kneeling down patting her and roughing her up a little playfully. Sadie began to run in circles then stopped and crouched down playing. John laughed and looked up into Jennifer’s eyes. 20
“Hey, how are you?” 21
“You mean after last night?” she coyly answered, smiling. 22
“Yeah, about last ni..." John started to say, but she raised her hand to his lips stopping him and he just stared down into her eyes until they were startled by Dayna’s voice right behind John. 23
“Oh great, now they're both doing it!” and she brushed past them to play with Sadie. John and Jen just smiled uncomfortably and separated
awkwardly.24
Nick had pulled into the parking lot at the falls in Cohoes despite his girlfriend's protests. She was complaining that with everything going on with that serial killer running loose in Troy, she just didn’t want to be here alone while it was starting to get dark. The water sparkled like crystal as it rushed over the rocks in the dying light of the day. 25
“Come on, that's in Troy, babe. We have nothing to worry about. Besides, you think I’m gonna let anyone hurt you?” Nick asked the tall thin dark haired girl.
She was taller then Nick and thin with an almost frail looking body. Nick, on the other hand, was short and slightly stocky with tattoos running up and down his arms of symbols and images of naked women. His red hair had a dark tint to it that offset the freckles that consumed his face. 26
“I just don’t want to be here, Nicky.” the girl answered him. But he was relentless, taking her hand and pulling her through the little archway which stood as the gate that led to the bridge that crossed the little family viewing park area. 27
The wooden bridge swayed slightly as they walked across it. There was a fence on both sides and it was a very nice touch to the park's surroundings. They came to a viewing area bordered by a wall.
“Nicky, come on, let's go. It’s getting darker. I’ll do it in the car if we can just leave. Oh my God, put that away!” she exclaimed, looking down at Nick's member that he had pulled out of his pants. 28
“Darlene, no one’s gonna come. Besides, I’m watching.” he said, as he was wrestling her hand down on him trying to get her to stroke him while they stood at the wall looking out over the falls. Every once in awhile Nick would glance back to check for people coming into the park. She was beginning to get down a rhythm when Nick began to worm his hand down the front of her pants. 29
“Nicky, not here.” she whispered, but made no attempt to stop him being consumed with the passion of where they were and what they were doing in public.
She sagged against the wall groaning as he began to work his hand between her legs, while she increased her strokes on him faster and harder. Her free hand shot up gripping the top of the wall as her knees buckled and her damn broke as her juices flowed down over his fingers. 30
Suddenly there was a loud snapping sound. Darlene, looking up at Nick, only had time to gasp as his head had been completely twisted around snapping his neck like a twig before feeling something grip the back of her head by the hair, and then her face slammed into the top of the wall knocking her senseless.
The girl slumped to the ground. Her nose was broken. The killer, still holding Nick by the neck, lifted him up and threw him over the wall to drop 120 feet to the ground below landing next to the river flowing past. Then he gripped the unconscious form of Darlene by the hair, lifted her up in front of him, ripped her shirt from her body and tossed it aside, then discarded her bra. He held her by the hair out in front of him and studied her. Blood from her nose was running down her face, over her lips and down her neck. He slapped her small breasts to make them bounce, which caused her to squeal in pain as Darlene began to come conscious.
She crossed her arms in front of her moaning in pain while kicking her feet trying to touch the ground to relieve the torture of being held up by her hair.
She could just make out a hole in the dark shape's shoulder where a black tarry substance was oozing from it until she caught the glint of teeth as he smiled at her. His eyes, red as blood, glared evilly. Then, throwing her over his shoulder, he turned towards the gate and wrenched it open by snapping the chain and lock that encircled it. He carried her through the gate and down towards the water as the falls drowned out her screams of fear and horror.31
32
John and the kids were still at Jennifer’s house. They were barbecuing
hamburgers and hot dogs in the yard and Jen’s mother, sister and brother-in-law were all over. The yard was lit up like the Fourth of July. Jen’s father was like that, always overloading the yard with lights. 33
“Sooner or later I have to bring them back and they're gonna have to deal with the loss of their parents.” John said to Jen, as they stood by the double burner grill the whole family shared. Jen frowned sadly and moved over next to Jessica and her mother. Bill, Jen’s brother-in-law, made his way over to John offering him a beer. John took it and thanked him. 34
Bill was a heavy set man with a balding head and flabby cheeks. He was sizing John up then said, “So, uh, I guess Jen and Jim are done, huh?” watching John for a reaction. Bill was Jim’s best friend and he had set Jen and Jim up. 35
“No, I, uh, don’t know anything about her relationship with Jim? Did you say Jim?” 36
“Yeah, Jim. They've been dating for three years and were getting pretty
serious. I just don’t know how he would react to all of this.” Bill said, still feeling John out. 37
“Do you even know what happened last night?” John said quietly but very
menacingly, as he moved closer to Bill. “Those kids lost their parents and we almost lost our lives and you're standing here questioning me about some no show best friend of yours, that most of the time couldn‘t be bothered to give her the time of day? Yeah, that‘s right, I know all about him. So I’ll tell you what, Bill. We can part ways right now like we we're having a nice little chat or I can put my foot up your ass.” John said, smiling and patting Bill on the back. 38
Bill couldn’t get away from him fast enough, almost knocking Jen over coming back with a platter of food. 39
“What was that all about? Bill looks like he saw a ghost.” she asked. 40
“Who’s Jim? And why didn’t you tell me about him?” 41
Jen let out a sharp laugh then looked at him in mock surprise and asked, “Are you serious?” She moved up against him to whisper in his ear, “You didn’t give me a chance to say anything." John turned red and cleared his throat. Jen laughed again seeing how uncomfortable he became about last night. 42
“Well when we're done eating I’ll take the kids and get out of here and let you get back to your life. I’m sorry I got you involved. I’m sorr...", and Jen cut him off. 43
“Don’t you dare say you're sorry about us last night. Don’t you dare!” she said. She turned on her heels and walked away after slamming the platter down, silencing everyone and causing them all to turn and look at the couple. Jen had gone into the house slamming the door. After a few minutes Jen’s father came over to John holding his hand out. 44
“Son, let me have the spatula and go after her. Go on, please? I don’t like that Goddamn Jim.” John looked at the older man, thanked him, handed him the spatula and went after Jen. He found her in the bedroom lying face down on the bed. 45
“What do you want, John? Apparently not me, so what do you want? she spit out with venom. Then she quickly spun around, sat up, hurled a small stuffed animal bear at him and then spun back around onto her stomach. John ducked and the bear hit the door and bounced out into the other room. 46
“Jen, what the hell? Were you gonna tell me about him? Or, let's see, maybe I would have found out if he showed up tonight? So what gives? How close are you with him?” 47
“He asked me to marry him, but I haven’t answered him yet. I wasn’t sure if he was the one I wanted to spend the rest my life with.” Jen said. When John didn’t answer she turned around to see he was gone. 48
That was all he needed to hear. John swept through the backyard scooping the kids and dog up like a typhoon leaving Jen’s family gaping. He didn’t need this shit, he thought. She’s promised to someone else. Commitment shit! Besides, he’s a cop with a case. And what a fucking case. He didn't have time to play games. He wanted her. He could feel it growing. For the first time in his life he wasn’t restless. He didn’t feel like he had to be somewhere else. He was perfectly content when she was near him. Fuck! Get a hold of yourself John, he was thinking as he made his way from Clifton Park down Middletown Road into Waterford and then across the bridge into Troy. He had to get these kids somewhere safe and then track down the killer and put an end to all of this bloodshed. 49
His brother! He could leave the kids at his brother’s house. The precinct was no place for them. They would be safe at Tim’s house. 50
After explaining what he could to his brother and leaving the kids over their protest, John headed back downtown. He wasn’t gone long before Lenny, who excused himself to go to the bathroom, was out the back door and running down Pawling Avenue with Sadie right beside him. Tim got up to check on Lenny, but he was nowhere to be found. After realizing he had slipped out, he cursed under his breath and turned back into the living room, only to find the front door open and Dayna gone. The only child still in his care was Jessica who had fallen asleep in the recliner. Shit, he thought. He didn't want to call his brother, but he had better. SHIT! 51
Dayna knew Lenny was taking off; she could feel it. And she knew Tim would go check on him so when he didn't come right back, she took her chance on getting out as soon as he did. She also knew where Lenny was going and she wasn’t going to let him go alone. She headed down Pawling Avenue, but Dayna stayed back in the shadows. Some kind of weird sense was guiding her now. She didn’t know why, but just knew what to do and how to move. 52
Soon she had caught up to the pair. They were walking now, Sadie stopping occasionally to smell bushes along the way, but never letting Lenny get to far away from her. Dayna watched them feeling an ache in her heart for some reason, like a sense of loss as if she no longer belonged, at least here anyway. She would deal with that later. She couldn’t let them get too far ahead. 53
Lenny and Sadie merged onto Congress Street and continued down until they reached the back road to Bobby’s house. Dayna was not far behind. But instead of going to Bobby’s house, he crossed the yard to the fence that ran along three adjoining yards. Moving to the middle yard, he climbed the fence then turned and held up the bottom for Sadie to go under. Once they were on the other side, the two made their way to the back porch and took the stairs up to the back door of the two story house. Turning to Sadie he whispered, "“Shhhhh. You stay right here, girl, ok? I’ll be right back.” and he dragged a chair over to hatch in the roof. Standing on the chair, he lifted the wooden cover, climbed up onto the roof of the porch and made his way to the window. He gently knocked on the window and waited until a light went on and the curtains were drawn back. Jamie opened her window. 54
“What are you doing here, Lenny? We heard what happened up at the hospital. God! Do you have any idea what he wants besides you dead?” the young girl asked, backing away from the window letting Lenny in. 55
“I don’t think it’s me he’s really after, Jamie. I think he wants Dayna for some reason.” 56
“Why?” 57
“I don’t know, but he isn’t going to get her. Right now she’s safe at that cop’s brother’s house with Jess. I have to stop him, Jamie.” 58
“You know, Lenny, this fucking guy is no joke, right? I mean Jesus Christ, he’s nuts, but I’ll help. And you know Bobby will too. Tracy I’m not too sure about.” Jamie said. 59
“I know, I know, but at least the girls are safe.” Lenny answered, not realizing Dayna was standing in Bobby’s yard watching Jamie’s bedroom window which he had just climbed into.60
61
He had watched her suffer until she died. He enjoyed it. Turning away he laughed at the memory of her pain. He didn’t go back the way he came down.
This time he followed the river down towards the mills and would eventually cross back into Troy. He had unfinished business. 62
Behind him Darlene hung naked from a tree by her wrists with her arms stretched above her head. Her nipples had been cut from her body and placed where her eyes had been. A deep cut ran from under her chin down to her virginal area spreading her open. Her thighs had been stripped of flesh and were hanging loosely from her body, dangling next to her charred feet which were inches above the now dying fire that had been burning under her. 63
He stopped at the bend of the river looking back through eyes glowing red in the dark. He chuckled then turned and moved out of sight towards Troy. 64
65To be continued…, 66
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