Part 1: Ladybug, Ladybug, Where Are You?

7pm at the Cleveland Police station, when captain Will Jackson steps out of his office, “Are you watching the news? The FBI is already on scene at a Walmart store where’s there’s been a 6:30pm kidnapping and homicide. The FBI calling for local police presence. I need an investigative team down there NOW. It’ll be another hour and a half before the mother gets out of the hospital.”

Lt Peter Faulk is already out of his chair, strapping on his revolver. His writer/consultant Dawn Demoire giddily weaving her arms through her bullet-proof ‘Writer’ vest, “Walmart, is that where you commoners shop? You actually buy your panties there?” Lt Faulk looks at her in disbelief (unsure whether this wealthy dilettante is serious or pulling his chain), “We got it, captain.” Peter grabs one last donut on his way out, where he spies another body leaning against the police cruiser, “Captain said you’d need forensic?” Without waiting for a reply, Jorge Guerra slides into the backseat next to his medical bag. They’ve worked cases together before; the others now accustomed to his electronic voice box. Jorge’s larynx crushed in a car accident years ago and thus his electronic aid. Latino twang the others kid him sounds like the Chihuahua from the old ‘Taco Bell’ commercial.

30 minutes later, they pull up to the scene, cordoned with yellow police tape. As they climb out of their cruiser, a loud 2017 Ducati Supersport S bike rumbles in front of their car. Bitch’n ride goes with the bitch’n driver who removes her leather cap and aviator glasses while flashing her FBI badge, “Don’t tell me you’re the locals I’m supposed to work with. Just call me Ima…and don’t get in my way.” Yeah, real bitch’n intro…we’ll get along fine.

Jorge is already out of the cruise and limping (prosthetic left leg from same accident) towards the first body just outside the automated double-door entry. Flashing his badge while dipping under the tape, another officer on scene explains, “Suspect shot the welcome greeter. You’ll find the suspect body inside, near the pets department, where he killed himself.” With her FBI badge dangling from a chain around her neck, Ima steps inside scanning the ceiling, “Good, closed circuit TV. I’ll need those tapes.” As they gather at the 2^nd body prone before the fish tanks, careful not to step in the growing puddle of blood, they all pause with puzzlement noticing ALL tanks seem to be filled with red water.

“Shot himself in the temple. Obvious blood splatter everywhere explains the blood tinted fish tank water.” OK, I can believe some blood made it into one or two tanks. Enough to tint them a light pink. But ALL tanks? And all deep red? As if filled with nothing but blood?! Peter stoops over the body noting the bad hair dye job and fake moustache. No wallet thus no ID. Jorge inspects closer, “No fingerprints. Acid burns hours old. He definitely didn’t want to be IDed.” Dawn already has her phone out, “Click.” Then works her way outside showing the photo-of-the-deceased, “Does anyone recognize this man?” Gasps by onlookers at the uncensored photo; parents covering the children’s eyes. Interest by the TV crews, “Is that the kidnapper?”

FBI agent Ima already has the store video in replay, “Start before 6:30. There’s our man. Tasers the mother, kicks her in the face, then grabs the 5 yr old girl. Rushes her outside to push her into a waiting tan Ford Taurus (female driver with kid seat in back), then returns inside back to the cart to grab the kid’s backpack. Looks like the greeter tried to intervene and gets shot. Car speeds off so kidnapper drops the bag, returns to the store…and shots himself near the fish tanks.” The on-scene police provide more details, “We IDed the mother from her purse. Linda Balfour was rushed to Cleveland Medical. Her husband, the Reverend John Balfour, is pastor of ‘The Church of the Passover Angel’. Says his daughter suffers from chronic pulmonary obstruction; the backpack contained her steroid injections, needed weekly and for flair-ups caused by anxiety.”

Ima gathers her team, “Let’s go. My FBI chief says for us to get back to your station NOW. Sounds pissed about something.” As the team walks to their cruiser, all notice the horde of frogs climbing out of the sewers. Queer. During the drive, Jorge is already googling the church, 

“Got it. Fire and brimstone pastor. Anti-government. Days of judgment. The last prediction 2 years ago. A new countdown clock for the end of the world…4 plus days away…this coming Tuesday to be exact. And checkout this rant by one of the parishioners...wacko!

https://youtu.be/bntfUA6TmLs

Back at the station, the Balfours are already in a briefing room. Excusing herself and stepping out of the room, chief Lucy Bates’ neck veins are popping while she scratches the heck out of her scalp, 

“Who the hell flashed the picture of the dead guy for all the world to see?! I outa have your ass…you’re just damn lucky it paid off. Got a call from one Jill McMasters. She was the guys’ partner. George Lewiston, former ATF agent. Retired 2 years ago. What the hell was he doing?!” Dawn beams with pride at her success with the picture, “You’re welcomed chief. Say, you’d better get that looked at. I’m guessing head-lice. Here’s my beautician’s card; she can do wonders.” Incredulous, the chief can only offer, “It only started minutes ago. Just, just, just get in there and see if you can calm the parents.”

Ima and Dawn are already at Linda Balfour’s side, “You poor woman, does it hurt.” Two black eyes, her nose broken and bandaged, cotton stuffed up her nose, Linda ignores the question as she irately asks about her daughter. With arm around his wife, the Reverend tries to maintain composure, “Any news?” More questions from Ima only add fire to the flame, “Why aren’t you out looking for our daughter instead of dragging us here to one of Satan’s buildings for the 3^rd degree?!” Pointing to a ceiling camera, ”Eyes of righteousness. Ha. Satan’s leering. Government oversight and control! The government has been harassing my church for years. Tax evasion, guns (I know my 2^nd amendment rights), you name it, they’ve sent all kinds of agents. Now I learn an ATF agent was involved in the kidnapping?!” More efforts to calm, “Sir, we’ve posted an ‘Amber Alert’.” But the pastor is not comforted, “My daughter is without her meds. She’s in danger and you just sit here eating donuts and questioning US!”

“Sir, if you can accompany us to the morgue to ID the kidnapper.” Escorting the Reverend downstairs, Peter notices a swarm of flies gathered in the upper corners just outside the morgue doors. Queer. With the slab pulled out and sheet pulled down, “I know this man! A new parishioner, started coming weeks ago. Called himself Zac Nowiski. Wore conservative business cloths; mostly interested in our countdown to the end of the world. The bible, Exodus 11:6, tells how the angel would pass over those houses marked with lamb’s blood. But he’ll enter the other houses to slay the 1^st born child. Even my travels to Kenya confirm others who recognize the coming Black Wind. You can read about it in my book, ‘The Book of the Passover Angel’. It’s there on my website.”

Attempts to reassure the parents fall on deaf ears as they leave the station. It’s a long night of work. Jorge running toxicology tests on the body: negative. Peter pulling up city intersection camera footage looking for the tan Ford Taurus. “Got it. Plates QAZ651 belong to George Lewiston’s 2005 VW bug. Where’d he get the Ford?” Lost the car. As the rest of us drive to George’s house, Ima stays at the station to call his ex-partner Jill to setup an interview. At the house: computer and cell phone smashed with sledgehammer. Family pictures: sister Nicole and his 20+ yr old niece Lindsay. Receipts: routine breakfast at ‘Eggstravaganza’. Doorbell---busy body neighbor holding moulting cat, “George left days ago. Asked me to care for his cat. Poor thing. Just became sick today. Yes, right around dinner time. Before 7pm. Tuffs of hair falling out.” And that’s when Jorge notices the Reverend in the shadows across the street.

Friday morning finds Peter and Dawn at the ‘Eggstravaganza’ diner flashing their police badges, “George was a regular. Mostly sat alone doing crosswords. Had to pay cash this last time as he had problems with the credit card. Sure, here’s the receipt with his full card #.” Meanwhile, Ima interviews Jill who has agreed to come in, “Worked with George for 6 years before his retirement 2 years ago. Became fixated about his last case investigating some church.” Meanwhile, Jorge tries to recover data from George’s computer and phone memory chips. Computer will take days to recover data. Luckily Ima finishes her interview and arrives to aid recovering data from the phone simm. Last 3 days calls to his niece Lindsay Peale. “Here’s a 3 day old text message referencing a DVD of the ‘Passover Angel’.”

Jorge manages to find files on Lindsay, “Child Protective Services. Taken off field work 2 years ago…when she filed ‘child neglect/abuse’ charges…against the Balfours. She refused to divulge her source; so, case thrown out for lack of evidence. And she just happens to own a tan Ford Taurus, plates ZAJ128.” And that’s when Dawn walks in, “I managed to get a copy of the Reverend’s book.


Mentions Exodus 11:6 and the 10 Plagues of Egypt. Water turning to blood, frogs, lice, diseased animals…Oh Crap! The fish tanks, the street bubbling with frogs, the chief’s head-lice. It’s all coming true!! And I’m a first born! I need lamb’s blood to mark my door!!” And that’s when Peter walks in, “What’s the matter? I was able to get George’s credit card bill. Recent same Walmart purchases for hair dye and acid. And a $1000 charge from the Akron, Ohio airport car rental office.”

Ima and Jorge head over to George’s sister Nicole, while Peter and Dawn drive to the airport. At Nicole’s: pictures of Lindsay’s Trap-Shooting prowess. “I haven’t seen her for days. DVD? No, but here’s a letter from George I haven’t opened.” 

Confession. Jorge notices the Reverend across the street. But he drives off before he can be confronted. Meanwhile, Peter and Dawn find the car rental. More important, they find the tan Taurus across the street. Abandoned. Rental records show George paid for a 2011 black Ford Focus. Newer model with GPS. Police authorization reveals it was headed to Pennsylvania before all tracking lost at the state-line.

Ima and Jorge drive to Lindsay’s home but have little success finding any evidence. Other than trap-shooting trophies and pictures of the events. “Couple of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania events.” Jorge spies the pastor outside, “Does he have your bike bugged?” Meanwhile Peter and Dawn drive to the last known car position where Peter finds the discarded GPS box. And that’s when the skies suddenly turn purplish black and unleash thunderous flashes of lightning and large hail. That smash the windshield. Both Peter and Dawn getting cut by flying glass shards. Dawn unconscious and bleeding. Peter looking heavenward when more lightning flashes reveal an angel!

Tending to Dawn when his phone rings; Ima telling about the Beaver Falls Trapshoot as a possible locale of interest. “We’re on our way to join you.” The storm just as suddenly gone.

Peter driving thru town looking for an emergency care to tend to Dawn when he spots the Focus parked in front of a boarded up vet clinic. Car empty; no child seat. Call to local police. Clinic broken into yesterday. Camera’s show woman smashing window to get in, takes steroid injection bottles, then leaves on foot away from car going west. No child with her. “Did she steal another car? None reported stolen? Then where could she have gone? Are there hotels nearby?” Ima and Jorge arriving to join in the search of the hotel registries via phone-calls. Dawn being treated by the vet for her wounds. No recent customers registered as Peale or Lewiston. “There was an online reservation by a Kevin Lane where a female paid in cash. Five Oaks Hotel, room 23.”

Peter and Ima cover the stairs and back exits to the 2^nd floor room. Jorge covers the parking lot...on the lookout for the Reverend. Dawn approaches the door, noticing knife marks in the doorframe. Red paint filling in the carved runes. Paint or lamb’s blood? Her occult senses tingling, “Protection spells!” 

She knocks at the door, “Excuse me. Do you have some ice I can borrow? No, the ice machine is broken. I was hoping you might have some.” The door cracks slightly open; the chain lock in place, “I don’t have any. I can’t help you.” Dawn pushing her story, “Ugh oh, I gotta pee. Please let me in. Oh god, I feel it coming Lindsay.” Oops. 

The door slams then the sound of furniture sliding in front of the door. A shotgun being chambered, “Go away. Don’t make he hurt you. Or the child. Like Abraham in the bible, Reverend Balfour believes he must sacrifice his only daughter. But his vision is corrupted, for her death will release the Black Wind. Read his book; the Kenya section tells all. If we can make it past Tuesday, we get another 3 years.”

Peter and Ima have heard enough and rush forward to help plead the case. Jorge finally hobbles up the steps to join in. “Lindsay, we want to believe you. George mentioned a DVD.” From within, “Trust me, you DON’T want to watch this. George had to convince me to get involved again. And that’s no angel at the pulpit.” Dawn pushing the issue, “I’m a firm believer in the occult. Please, let me see it so we can all understand what we face.” A long pause before a DVD is slid under the doorframe. And that’s when the skies darken as a buzzing sound grows in intensity. We all turn to face the pulsating cloud that approaches…the sky filled with a swarm of locust! And Regina starts coughing.

Conclusion: https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2018/05/part-2-ladybug-ladybug-where-are-you.html