The Pregnancy Ship
Chapter 8: Tying up Loose Ends...part 2
A warning in advance: Talk of incest, also of a miscarriage.
"Hello Mr. Gordon and Mr. Jenkins, my name is Lieutenant Provenza and this is Lieutenant Tao. Have you been mirandized Mr. Gordon?" The suspect and his lawyer looked up. The suspect William Ronald Gordon nodded, yes.
With that covered Provenza started by stating, "The first thing I want to mention to you is we have you dead to rights. We have your fingerprints on the murder weapon your DNA all over the crime scene, all over the bloody clothes in the trunk of your car. The only things we don't have are a few facts to clarify your involvement."
"Such as?" said Jenkins the lawyer.
"Such as, was this a crime of passion or was it premeditated murder?" Louie always did find lawyers annoying and this one was no different. "In other words did you plan to go into the house and murder these people? Or did you get upset and grab something to kill them with? Also, did you purposely copycat the original Borden murders? We want to hear all about how you came to this situation."
William consulted with his lawyer for a few minutes then, he began his story. "My mother was a waitress in a little diner in North Carolina. It was closing time, but this city slicker comes in, it was snowing you see, and he sweet talks ma into a meatloaf special, a piece of pie and some coffee. When he was finished he paid for his food, and asks where the nearest mechanic is. He explained that his car had run into a snow bank that was around the base of a lamppost. So she tells him about the only mechanic in town, and then she offered to take him to the shop, but it was closed. So she took him to the nearest hotel. He got a room and invited her in. He then sweet-talked her into going to bed with him and left the next day. Leaving a note saying he enjoyed himself and 50 dollars, like she was some whore. Three months later she found out she was pregnant." At that moment the young man looked like a sad five-year-old as he talked about his mom. However, Provenza and Tao knew better to feel bad for a killer no matter what their upbringing were.
Taking a minute to gather himself. William then continued with his life story, "When she tried to let him know, by calling his number nobody ever answered. He had told her his name was Andrew Borden, and he was heading to California. He had dreams, and he was gonna make them come true in California. She never did get hold of him, but she met a new neighbor with a little boy, who needed watching. The man, Robert Gorden, was a widower. He found my ma crying in the stairwell of their apartment building, after she got fired from the diner. She told him she had gotten sick that morning, all over the plate of somebody's bacon and fried egg sandwich cause she was having a baby and they fired her. He offered to pay her to take care of Bobby Lee, his little boy." Provenza looked at Mike, they had both seen how hard live could be for a pregnant single mom with no job. At least someone that was descent found this man's mom. It could have been much worse they were both thinking.
"She watched Bobbie Lee for pay, until she had me then he asked her to marry him and she did. He adopted me, and we lived together for 18 years. They had two more babies, a girl named after my ma, Leann and another boy, David. Then Robert up and died, and Ma found out she was sick, and thought she was dying. So she told me that my real father was Andrew Borden, and I should try to find him. I had gone to a trade school to learn cooking, and I found a job at the Blue Goose." William genuinely smiled then. He did like to cook and missed it. "There is one not far from the trade school in Charlotte, North Carolina. I told my manager one day about how I'd like to live and work in California and it turned out somebody in California wanted to come back east, so the manager of the restaurant helped us, to switch. It meant I had to move across country, but ma gave me some money my adopted dad had put aside for me, for expenses and I came west. I lived here several months, and tried to find out where in California, Andrew Borden lived."
The detectives could here the determination to find his real father in his voice. Then I met the girls by accident, first Emma then Lizzie. They were both really pretty, nice, and ripe for the picking. They told me about their father and how he made them live, and I just got angrier and angrier. It didn't take me long to sweet talk them into bed, like that jerk did to my mother. They both got pregnant almost right away."
"What about, excuse me for saying this but their body odor? I mean how did you get past that?" asked Tao more out of curiosity than anything else.
"What body odor?" William questioned back looking surprised. "I didn't smell anything. I got pneumonia one too many times when I was a kid and haven't smelled anything since. But back in North Carolina some of the mountain people. They are too poor to buy stuff to make themselves smell all flowery. Some of them make their own soap, but like as not they do without and well you just get used to it. It's natural."
Electronics room:
"That explains it, I was wondering how anybody could get close enough," said Sharon with a look of distaste.
"Well you won't recognize them now, Captain. Their hair is cut and clean. They themselves are squeaky clean. The girls have new clothes more than four outfits." Amy explained almost proudly at how well the sisters looked and smelled now. "They love taking bubble baths and using the high end products Jamie and I bought them."
"Thank God!" Said Sharon and Andrea.
Interview room:
Provenza got the questioning back on track by asking, "So basically you were trying to do to Andrew Borden's girls what he did to your mother?"
Looking a little sad for just a second. "Yes, but then I kinda fell in love with the girls and couldn't make up my mind which one I liked best."
"You do know they are your half sisters, right?" Tao asked. Hoping maybe the boy just hadn't figured that part out.
"Sure, but we weren't raised together." William added smugly, as if he had one upped the LAPD.
"Holy Crap!" Now knowing what he had done was intentional Tao said disgustedly, "it doesn't matter, you're still committing incest!"
William gave them a shoulder shrug and said, "Where I come from that's pretty common. There aren't a lot of people to choose from."
In the electronics room there was a collective, "Eeeewwwwwww."
The lieutenant's shared a look as the suspect went on with his story as if nothing was wrong with what he had done. "Anyway, something about Lizzie's name kept nagging at me, I remembered reading about the case when I was in middle school and I started doing research. I found out how similar everything was in their family to the original Borden's and how Andrew Borden from now, was distantly related to the original Andrew Borden, probably through his illegitimate son. William. It was creepy, how everything was almost the same now, as it was then. I mean, who names their kids the same names as people who have such a lousy history? After thinking about it a lot, and getting madder and madder, I decided that if I couldn't talk the man into acknowledging the babies or me I had another alternative."
William sat back in his chair and crossed his outstretched legs. He knew this is where he messed up. Man, he had really thought he had a great plan. "Back then the killer was never caught, so I figured if I did everything like the other murderer I wouldn't be caught either. The cops back home where I come from are not that experienced with twisty murders. I mean it's not like there isn't killin' goin' on but usually it's pretty straightforward. Joe killin' Moe cause he stole his prize hog or chicken and having it for supper. I guess I under estimated you guys."
"Well, they don't call us the elite LAPD homicide squad for nothing," said Tao sardonically and half under his breath, but loud enough to be heard in the electronics room. Everybody listening snickered a little bit.
Lieutenant Provenza rolled his eyes then said, "Okay, we have the why now give us the how."
Giving them a blank stare he asked, "What do you mean?"
"I mean how did you kill them? What did you do?" Louie was getting frustrated dealing with this kid and wanted to get this cased closed.
Suddenly understanding William filled in that part of the story. "Ah, first I had to get the girls to tell me where they lived. I told them I needed to know in case of an emergency. Then I told them I was going to be outta town this weekend. I found the place and watched the house. I saw an axe in a stump not far from where I was waiting. I took the axe out, put the cap on and hid it in the back of my pants then I settled in to wait. Pretty soon the stepmother came home. I knocked and when she answered I came in and politely introduced myself, and explained who I was and what I wanted. I'd hoped she'd help me, you see, but right off the bat, she started caterwaulin'. Saying she wasn't gonna share her husbands hard earned money with no git from the other side of the blanket. I don't mind saying I saw red!" William gripped the edge of the table as he tried to hold back his anger for the woman. "She turned away from me and grabbed a broom, I guess to shoo me out with. I took the axe out, took the cap off and started chasing her upstairs with it. When we got to her room I managed to hit her in the back of her head and kept hitting till I got nineteen whacks in."
They could hear no remorse in his voice and his face held a stone cold expression. "Then I went outside cleaned the axe and myself up and started waiting for Andrew. He came about an hour later. I let him go in the house and knocked on the door. He opened the door and started undoing his tie while he asked what I wanted and me who I was. I started explaining about my mother and me, and how I was his son. He said the words bastard and git and I hit him right between the eyes with the axe. I made sure I gave him eleven whacks." William smiled and a bit of evil sparked in his eyes as he spoke of fulfilling his revenge and killing his own father. "I put him on the sofa, like the first Andrew was when he died. Then I went outside got the hose and washed myself up, and left."
Provenza had seen this before too many times. The disdain the kid held for his father had driven him to murdering the man. Louie shook his head then inquired, "Where were you headed?"
Acting as if he didn't just tell the story of how he had just chopped up his dad and step-mother William told them, "Originally to Canada, but then I decided to go get the girls first. Tell them I found their parents dead and ask them to go with me to where having two wives was not against the law so we all could be together. You see I didn't want to do to those babies what my father did to me."
Having to know if there was any other motive Provenza asked, "Did either of the girls ask you to kill their father for them?"
"Well, Emma said on one of her rants about her father and step mother, she wished they were dead, but they didn't ask me to kill them outright."
"This is my last question," said Provenza happily for a change. He was only happy to be almost done, to lock this idiot up and go home. "Did you hope to benefit financially by killing the Bordon's or was it all about being acknowledged by your biological father, and getting rejected?"
"Oh, I hoped to get some of the money, I wanted to send some to my mother, brother and sister. Mama is better, but not a hundred percent."
Provenza slapped his hand on the table as if to signal case closed to everyone then said, "Well now, write that all down."
Electronics room:
Andrea sat back in her seat and said, "Well, we got him on 2nd degree murder, because he didn't bring his own axe with special circumstances of financial gain."
"What deal will you offer him?" asked Sharon.
"Life without parole, no death penalty." The DDA answered lowly.
Sharon was worried about her friend and suggested, "listen Andrea, Honey why not let Robin or Rios, offer it to him. You are all in, admit it. You need to go home."
Andrea was looking more and more tired as she said, "I'll admit it if you will. You need to go home too. You're almost as tired as I am."
"I will in a couple of hours, I have some loose ends of my own to tie up."
Andrea looked at her. "The girls?"
"Yes, and I don't look forward to it." No one could miss the exhaustion in Sharon's voice as she spoke.
"Captain, let me tell them please," said Amy. "The girls and I have a rapport and you need to go home and rest."
Andy nodded to Amy and gave a thumbs up. "You can do the paperwork at home, Sharon. Let's go. Andrea, can we drop you off?"
"No thanks Andy, Paul just texted me he's on his way and I just texted Rios, she's on her way." The DDA informed them.
Suddenly, a 5 foot 11 tall man with a shock of bright red hair and freckles came through the doors of Major Crimes. It was Paul Hobbs, Andreas husband and he was pushing a wheelchair. "Hi Everybody, Andrea, Honey let's go we have to meet Dr. Lockhart at the hospital."
"Hospital? What's going on?" asked Sharon as she casted a glare at her friend.
Paul looked at Andrea for permission to share; she bowed her head and nodded. "The doctor called and one of the fetus is not viable anymore." He laid a hand on his wife's shoulder in comfort as he continued softly, "it will need to be removed so it doesn't interfere with the other babies. There are identical twins and a single. They are pretty sure it's the single fetus that isn't doing well. It has been iffy all along."
"Oh Andrea! I'm so sorry!" Sharon bit her lip to keep from crying.
"It's okay Sharon, the doctor warned us this could happen. We were prepared especially when we found out it was triplets. There was a possibility of them all not thriving." Sadly Andrea tried to smile but failed as she said, "look at this way, now we'll both have twins and they can grow up together." Her face was awash with tears, belying the attempt to downplay their loss.
"We'll meet you at the hospital!" Sharon said resolutely.
"No, Sharon you need to go home or you'll end up there as a patient too!" Andrea said. "I'll have Paul call you! Okay? Now go home." Sharon nodded at Andrea's admonishment. Paul wheeled Andrea away.
The Major Crimes team was silent for a moment, shocked at what they had just heard. Feeling herself about to fall apart, Sharon tugged at Andy's sleeve and then hurried to her office. Once there Andy closed the blinds, and turned to gather Sharon into his arms. He sat on the couch with her in his lap, while she cried. The team could see their Captain was deeply affected by the news of the loss of one of Andrea's babies. They were too. As a Lawyer, especially a DDA, Andrea was their favorite. They genuinely liked her and cared about her. Not to mention the fact that now they would have to deal with Rios. Andrea was right they didn't like Rios.
Just then the sound of three-inch heels rapping a staccato beat across the tile floor, initiated a small collective groan they didn't even try to suppress. "What are you guys standing around looking so sad for?" asked the admittedly hot Latino young woman. Who was standing with her hands on her hips. She wore a red and black dress that hugged every curve. "And where is your boss?"
"She…she needed a moment," said Tao.
"E-gads," Louie exclaimed when he had known it was Rios coming to finish the case. He wasn't letting that woman near the captain right now. "Besides you're not dealing with her today, I've been put in charge for the remainder of the day," Provenza grumbled. Not caring that his dislike for lawyers and especially this one was heard in his tone. "So, come and make your offer, DDA Rios. We'd all like to get all our loose ends tied up and our paperwork done and go home."