UPDATED CHAPTER

As the state police started unpacking their things, the sheriff stopped the officers at the door. “This is my case and investigation; I want to make this clear before we go any further,” he said.

‘Election year coming up,’ I thought to myself; this will really be a mess.

Thanks to quick thinking the state police and sheriff’s deputies had closed off the farm lane, keeping the media out.

The investigation began with a deputy and a state police officer taking thousands of pictures. While the police were doing their thing I was still on the phone with Eric. Courtney occupied her time by calling in off duty security personal to bring her department to where it needed to be.

After my debriefing with Eric I called Dean David Skaggs of “Frost Borough College” to make the toughest phone call I had made in a long time.

“Mr. Skaggs, this is BJ, I am calling about one of your students, her name is Caroline Breeze, age 19, and she was abducted last night from a party at the Bulls Den Club. No one reported her missing until this morning when her roommate found her bed had not been slept in. We found her a short time ago and she is in a Medivac chopper headed to the medical center as we speak,” I said then added.

“She was raped and brutalized by as many as three men; two of the assailants are dead and the third is on his way to the center as we speak. She is in critical condition for sure. I am with the police assisting with the investigation outside of town with Courtney and some of her security personal. As soon as I find out more information I will call you,” I said.

“I will put a call into HR to get her family information and then go the Medical center. Meet me there when you can. I want to hear the complete story from you and Courtney before I call her parents,” Dean Skaggs replied. BJ please call me David.

“Ok David get the family’s information and I will get one our jets on the way to pick them up. I think they are in the Fort Wayne Indiana area.”

While I was talking to the Dean the state police and the sheriff’s forensics units rolled up.

A few moments later Major Robert Welch – the MSP barracks commander who we had met when we first took the Frost Borough contract. The Major escorted all three of us, the sheriff, Courtney and I into one of the forensics units.

“Start at the beginning,” Major Welch instructed. “Sheriff, because you fired your weapon you cannot be the lead investigator. I will be running this three ring circus from this point on.”

Courtney started by describing the frantic call from Caroline’s roommate, then to her investigation of her partying friends and the conversation up to the in-flight call to me.

Courtney told how she even tried to get a look at any video from the Bulls Den, only to be told that the cameras did not record for customer privacy.

“Why didn’t you call the barracks?” the Major asked.

“I did and I was told that there was little that could be done until she was missing 24 hours,” Courtney replied. “After that a missing persons report could be filed.”

Major Welch did not like that reply and it showed on his face and in his eyes.

Then it was my turn. I explained the electronic search leaving out as many of the details that I could. I quickly moved my statement to us arriving at the house and finding Caroline’s clothes and ID card.

“I have the other county forensics unit at the house collecting evidence,” the sheriff stated.

The sheriff said, “I arrived at that point,” then he began filling in pieces and leaving out as much as he could.

Major Welch asked the sheriff how he convinced Murphy to give up the location where Caroline was held.

I was waiting for his response to that question.

His reply was, “Aggressive interrogation tactics and the pictures on here sealed the deal that he had no choice,” as he handed the bagged camera to Major Welch.

“I want a copy of all the pictures on the camera,” the sheriff replied as he gave the camera to the Major.

“I need all the weapons that were fired collected and who they were issued to,” The Major replied. “The corporal will collect them and log them.”

When the corporal was finished the security department was down 6 side arms – Ronnie’s, Sandra’s, Justin’s, Shelly’s Courtney’s and mine.

Dean Skaggs called back with the family information. Caroline had two younger brothers and a younger sister by 10 months.

I called the weekend duty clerk in the office back home. With all of us gone we thought it was best to have someone there. By luck both of Lorrie’s clerks chose to work overtime. Carson was working today. We had coverage from 6 AM till 10 PM. They knew how to run the aviation division and the rental side if something happened.

“Carson please send one the Gulfstream’s directly to Fort Wayne Indiana International and have the crew stand by for an emergency flight back to Frost Borough ASAP. Make sure there is a flight attendant and anything she needs on it,” I instructed.

“Jamie is on her way to the office. She is going to give you 6 handguns from the lockup. Get them on the 11 AM BWI to Frost Borough business flight. Send them in a locked JBG courier case, mark it Special Handling. Use one of the smaller planes from the island to BWI. You have handled this before; it should be a piece of cake.”

“10-4 Boss,” Carson replied. “Call us back when you can. We have been listening to the radio the whole time, it sounds bad.”

“It is very bad,” I replied.

At this point in the investigation Major Welch started interviewing everyone one at a time in the forensics truck.

The coroner removed the bodies in body bags. The bale of hay was put inside a big trash bag. More pictures were taken.

At 11 Carson called back, “The plane is in route to Fort Wayne; they will be on the ground in an hour and a half. The package is on the business flight.”

“Thanks Carson,” I replied.

“Dean Skaggs, the plane will be at the general aviation terminal at Fort Wayne around 12:30. How is her condition?” I asked.

“Critical is all they will tell me; they are doing more tests,” he replied. “She is drifting in and out of consciousness as we speak.”

“Will you make the call to the family or do you want me to do it?” I asked.

He gave the contact numbers he had; a home and two cell phones. I guess that was my answer.

This one was going to be a lot worse than the call to the Dean. I walked out to sit in Courtney’s Suburban.

I called the home number first. “Is this Mr. Robert Breeze?”

“Yes”

Hello Mr. Breeze, my name is Roberta Jones president of JBG Security, the security company for Frost Borough College. Everyone calls me BJ.

“Do you have a daughter named Caroline who attends Frost Borough College this semester?”

“Yes”

“Mr. Breeze, I have some bad news to tell you. Caroline is in the hospital in surgery as we speak. She was a victim of an attack.”

I heard yelling, shouting and several names being called; the rest of the family from my note.

A woman came on the phone and I had to repeat what I had said. Then Robert came back on and the lady was sobbing in the background. My heart was breaking for her.

“Mr. Breeze, Robert, a private jet will be at Fort Wayne International about 12:30 to bring you and your family to Frost Borough. You need to pack several days’ worth of clothes. You need to meet the crew of the plane in the General Aviation section. Do you need to write down that information? General Aviation section G; the plane will have a Black and Gold circular logo with JBG in the center on the tail.” I said.

“How many will be with you so I can get motel rooms for you?” I asked. “Seven.” “How many rooms do you need?”

“Four rooms with two beds each.” “OK, they will be ready,” I replied.

I made a call to the Holiday West for four rooms, then to the MAAR office at the airport for two SUVs for the family.

I walked back into the barn, “Major, Courtney and I need to go to the hospital. Dean Skaggs is there waiting. Caroline’s family will be here in a couple of hours. I am having them flown in from Indiana. I would like to meet them at the hospital,” I said.

“We are almost done here; your people are free to leave. We know where to find them if we need anything more. We are headed to the hospital ourselves,” he replied.

As soon as I sat in the passenger seat when Courtney turned to me and asked, “How do you sleep at night with days like today? I thought I saw it all at the gym. BJ were you really going to cut off That Bastard’s fingers?”

“Courtney, the only thing that stopped me was the look on your face. (With a laugh) girl it was precious and what I needed at the time.”

“If Caroline recovers I will sleep just fine. If she does not, I will not sleep until I answer what could have been done to change the outcome. It will be the walk to St. Peter at the Pearly Gate that will be tough.” I replied. “The words I get may not be good,”

I looked at the clock on the console; it had just changed to noon. I was exhausted – the adrenaline rush was gone and the worst part of the day was yet to come.

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Joe H.