Kelvin Kettle: Book 3 of the Montclair Murders

Finale

ESCAPE TO BOSTON

Kelvin Kettle was a big fan of baseball and his beloved Boston Red Sox. His favorite position on the field was pitcher. When he decided to leave Tampa and head to Boston, he compared that move to a pitcher throwing a curve ball. He believed that no one would suspect that he’d go back to Massachusetts or even dare to show his face in Montclair. If the people of that small town only knew what was coming, they all would have fled for their lives.

Either I’m going to pull this off or fail miserably . . .

—KELVIN KETTLE

Preface

A LONG, SLOW TRAIN RIDE

The lights and sirens were alive with activity as the Monster of Montclair pulled himself through the hole in the basement wall of Candy’s house. The straps he attached to the back of the locker came in handy as he reached out and pulled the locker against the wall to conceal his escape. These assholes won’t be able to figure that I’m gone for hours, he whispered. Now let’s make like the wind and blow!

The trench the construction crew dug was perfect for Kelvin’s escape. He slithered along the cold, wet dirt like a snake. He could hear voices above as he quietly made his way along the sewer lines and past the police. When he got to the end of the first part of the trench, he made a left and continued to move. The coveralls he put on would keep his clothes clean underneath. He attached a plastic bag to his leg that slid along the ground behind him as he moved. He got the idea from watching the movie Shawshank Redemption. The lead character, Andy Dufresne, attached a change of clothes and other items to his leg as he crawled through a sewer line to freedom. Kelvin decided to do the same thing as he made his way by the police and to his own freedom. He could tell he cleared the police as the sound of the sirens began to lessen. When he reached the opening over on Accent Street he decided to sit and listen for a while. When he felt he could open the manhole cover and come out of the sewer line, he did. The cover felt like it weighed a hundred pounds as he struggled to push it out of the way. The noise it made gave him the greatest concern as he poked his head out and looked around. No cars were coming, so he climbed out then returned the cover.

The red Ford Taurus he had rented from Budget Rental Cars was parked only a few feet away. He walked over, then took out the keys and hit the button to unlock the car. Kelvin untied the rope he had attached to the plastic bag from around his leg. As fast as he got into the coveralls, he managed to get out of them even faster. He tossed them into the trunk, then gently closed it. The next thing he did was toss his bundle wrapped in plastic into the passenger’s seat of the car. He walked around to the driver’s side and got in. The engine roared to life as he started the car up. Kelvin looked at himself in the vanity mirror and adjusted his tie. Well, my friend, it’s time to go, he said. The mirror was put back into place as he put the car in gear then pulled away from the curb. He turned off Accent Street and onto Miles Avenue, driving along at the posted speed.

The drive along Miles Avenue was nice, as he saw several people out walking their dogs along the street. A few runners were out making their way along with headphones in their ears as they moved like deer to unknown distances. When I get to my next home, I’ll take up running, I think, Kelvin said.

He reached a four-way intersection and stopped his car. A woman with dark hair and dressed in a skin-tight bodysuit approached the intersection, running. Kelvin didn’t want to pull away until he got a view of what she looked like. As she approached the intersection, he waved her through with a smile. She looked at him and nodded as she quickly passed his car. Look at the ass on her, he said. If I had time, I’d get out of this car and run with her. When she got to the other side of the street, she looked over her shoulder and smiled. I knew she was wondering if I was watching or not. He began to drive through the intersection to continue his trip. Keep up the good work, my dear, your ass is amazing!

The rock station wasn’t playing anything he liked, so Kelvin switched over to AM radio. He was hoping to find any news on himself and the police. For twenty-five minutes he listened to various talk radio stations, but nothing was said. When he moved back to that rock station he left, he managed to catch the tail end of a conversation between the DJ and the engineer that was working with him:

Hey, Beast Man, do you know if the cops got that crazy Kettle guy or not?

I haven’t heard anything on it, man. I was too busy hiding under my bed.

I hope they catch this freak before he starts killing people here in Tampa.

Yeah, that guy’s a real loser, if you ask me.

His grip on the steering wheel increased as he turned the radio off. I’m a loser, huh? he said. I should go down to that radio station and kill both of you clowns!

The exit for the train station was just down the road as he flipped his turn signal then entered the parking area. Kelvin reached over and grabbed his bundle wrapped in plastic. He opened the trunk of the car to remove his bag he had packed for his trip. Inside the bag were several changes of clothes, money, and traveler’s checks. He took out the ticket he had bought and shoved it into his pocket. When he closed the trunk he returned to the driver’s side and opened the door. He put the keys in the ignition and unlocked all the doors. No sense in ruining a nice car like this, he said. He shut the door and headed inside the station.

The next thing he did was go into the men’s room to use the bathroom and make one more change to his appearance. Kelvin took the stall at the end of the row inside the men’s room. He locked the door, then took out a set of clippers from his bag. He removed his tie, dress shirt, then his T-shirt. It took him about forty minutes to shave his head due to the in-and-out traffic of the men’s room. When he finished, he cleaned up the hairs from the floor then flushed them down the toilet. He got dressed, then checked himself out in the mirror. The last thing he did was put in a different set of colored contacts to change the color of his eyes completely. Nice work, Kelvin, he said. I look good with a shaved head. He gave himself a wink in the mirror as he left the bathroom then headed toward the platform for boarding.

The elderly couple that sat together was holding hands during their ride north. They thought they’d be sitting alone on their ride to Washington, DC. The young man coming down the aisle looked tired as he carried his bag. He smiled at them and gestured to sit down. He was clean-cut with a goatee and shaved head.

Hello son, how are you doing?

Kelvin smiled and nodded at them.

Where you headed to today?

The question from old woman let him know he’d have to talk.

I’m heading to Boston to visit my grandparents, he said.

The elderly couple looked at the young man and smiled. I’m Hillary Franklin and this is my husband, Bobby. We’re taking a trip to DC to see the monuments and take some pictures.

The young man smiled and nodded at them.

Have you ever been to DC, son?

Yes, sir, I have, he said.

I bet your grandparents are going to be happy to see you, huh? Bobby said.

It’s a surprise trip, actually, Kelvin said. They have no idea I’m coming to visit them.

The elderly couple smiled and looked at each other. That’s so sweet of you, young man, Bobby said. How old are your grandparents, son?

The feeling of rage began to boil inside Kelvin as he sat staring at the two elderly souls. He struggled not to explode as he sat up and smiled. They were born two weeks apart, and they’re both eighty-five years young, he said.

That’s great, Hillary said. I’m seventy-six and Bobby’s seventy-eight.

The young man smiled and nodded again.

I’m sorry son, I don’t mean to pry, but we didn’t catch your name, Hillary said.

The young man smiled and rubbed his goatee. I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself, he said. My name is Kelvin . . . Kelvin Kettle.

It only took a couple hours before the elderly couple fell asleep. Kelvin sat and watched them for a while before he went over the plan in his head. The train left Tampa, Florida, heading north toward Boston, Massachusetts, and would take forever to arrive in his mind. His plan was to get off the train in Raleigh, North Carolina, then fly from there into Boston. It wouldn’t be too hard to get away from the elderly couple because he assumed they’d be falling in and out of sleep the entire time they’d be on the train. The trip from Tampa to Raleigh would take just over fifteen hours to complete, and that would give him more than enough time to change any part of his plans that he needed to. He decided to get some well-needed sleep, so he closed his eyes and drifted off into the darkness.

The first major stop that he woke up for was Jacksonville, Florida. The ride there took five hours by train. He woke up to find the elderly couple was gone, which suited him just fine. He rubbed his eyes and stopped the conductor, who told him they’d be stopped there for about twenty minutes. Kelvin exited the train and went inside the station. He bought a newspaper and something to drink before getting back on the train to continue his trip. When he got back to his seat, he checked his surroundings before looking in the newspaper. It didn’t surprise him to see he was still front-page news, and he read the article about him and what he had done to Candy and her mom. He closed up the newspaper and put it in his bag. Fuck it, he mumbled. I did what I had to do, and if those fuckers wouldn’t have found me, I’d have lived a normal life.

As the train pulled away from the Jacksonville station, the elderly couple he was sitting with returned with a bag full of items. We slipped off and went to the thrift shop, Hillary said. Bobby and I like to buy souvenirs for our grandkids every time we take a trip.

A lot of this stuff we hold on to until a birthday or even Christmas, to be honest, Bobby said. When you’re on a fixed income, money is tight, so we have to spend it wisely.

Sound advice, Kelvin said. You two are pretty smart with your money, and I need to follow your lead with mine. After my visit with my grandparents, I’ll be looking to possibly move back to Boston for good.

That’s nice, son, and there’s nothing wrong with moving back to be close to home, Bobby said. I’m sure they’ll all be happy when you break the news to them.

Hey, honey, you feel like heading up to the dining car to see what’s for supper? Hillary asked.

Sure, let’s go, Bobby said. They waved good-bye to Kelvin, then left him alone in his seat.

Kelvin looked around his area with anger in his eyes. There was no way he’d be able to stand riding with those two all the way to Raleigh. Either I’m going to kill these two fuckers or kill myself in the shitter, he mumbled. All this happy bullshit is making my head hurt. He took out a map of the train’s route from Tampa to Boston to check and see how many major stops would be coming up. The map showed that Savannah, Georgia, would be next, followed by Charleston, South Carolina. I’m going to be with these people for another ten hours, he sighed. This is going to be a long trip to glory for me. Kelvin slumped down in his seat and looked out the window. It’s going to be another four hours to Charleston, then another six to Raleigh. When he saw his reflection in the window looking back at him, he smiled. I should wait until tonight, then kill these two old pricks with my bare hands, he whispered. At least I’d have accomplished something good during this long train ride!

Kelvin Kettle was one part genius, one part madman. He had changed the lives of so many people in his brief time on earth. His twin brother, Sebastian, was his parents’ favorite from the time they took their first breath. His life was filled with pain and suffering. He never really felt love or knew what that emotion was like. The only thing he loved was hate, the only emotion he ever felt was joy, and that came from the feeling he experienced every time he took a life!

Chapter 1

THE FUNERAL

The city of Tampa had its share of crime and heartbreak. It had never had a serial killer before. Murders occur in every city, but nothing had ever happened like this before. When the funeral was held for Candy and her mom, Rose Anne, the entire town was there. The mayor, police chief, and several members of city council were in attendance. No one ever imagined that a serial killer could come into the community and blend in with society. Kelvin Kettle pulled off the impossible. His escape from capture by the FBI and police made national news. There were all kinds of outrageous stories in the tabloids about his time in Tampa. One story had him sleeping with the mother and daughter. Another story had him living a double life as a drag queen. All of these things made the locals angry, because these types of stories brought in all the nut jobs and trashy tourists.

The funeral was held at Forest Park Cemetery on the east side of Tampa. It was a rainy Saturday morning. The funeral inside the church was short and without incident. The misty rain began to fall at a slight angle. The wind picked up, and the palm trees that ran through the cemetery swayed back and forth. Rebecca stood off in the distance with the rain running down her face. She was wet from head to toe. The rain added a certain chill to the air and it made her feel even angrier at the loss she suffered. How could someone kill so many innocent people without any remorse or feelings? Rebecca never had a very good relationship with her mom or sister because she left home at the age of ten. As a runaway on the streets of Miami, Florida, would be her life for at least five years. During life Rebecca had actually hitchhiked as far as Los Angeles, California, where she worked as a prostitute at night and a panhandler by day. She experimented with all types of drugs and other mind-numbing substances. Her mother and sister being killed brought her the most pain she had ever felt in her life. What hurt her the most was not being able to have a relationship with her mom or sister ever again. The funeral brought out the entire city of Tampa. Rebecca didn’t realize how much her mother and sister were loved until she saw the crowd at the cemetery.

Father Thomas O’Brien conducted the services at the grave site and closed out the funeral with these words:

As we stand here today at the final resting place of Candy and Rose Anne Peterson, let us remember all the good times we shared with them. Let us remember how much we loved them and how much they loved us. I know the good Lord has welcomed them into the kingdom of heaven with open arms and that we should never fret for them now or forever. Thank you all for coming.

Now that the only family she ever had was gone, what was she going to do with her life? The very moment she comes back to town to reconcile with her mother and sister, they get killed. Rebecca cried as the rain began to fall even harder and harder. The crowd began to slowly leave the cemetery until only Father O’Brien remained. As Rebecca approached the grave sites, she pulled out two roses and tossed one into each grave. She then picked up a handful of dirt and did the same.

Father O’Brien walked over and smiled at her. Were you friends with Candy and Rose Anne? he asked.

They were more than friends to me, Father. They were my family, Rebecca said.

Is there anything I can do for you, my child? he asked.

She came over and gave the priest a hug. Yes there is, Father, she said. You can pray for me.

I will be happy to, he said. What will you do now, my child? he asked.

I go to seek vengeance for my losses, Rebecca said.

Let me give you a piece of advice, my child, Father O’Brien said. The Chinese have an old saying: when one goes seeking revenge, one should be ready to dig two graves.

Rebecca looked at the Father O’Brien and smiled. Before I’m done, Father, it’s going to be more than two graves dug.

Rebecca got up and walked back to her car. The drive to the hotel was a long one as she held the steering wheel tightly. Traffic was steady, and she arrived at the hotel in no time. The car was parked in the parking lot and she went inside. Her heels came off as she walked into the room and went to the mini-fridge to grab something to drink. That day’s newspaper was sitting on the dresser as she sat down and stared at it. Rebecca hadn’t read it yet and was eager to see if anything had been said about her mother and sister. She opened it up and looked inside. On page two there was a story on the town of Montclair and its residents. The story talked about how much the murders had change the town forever. It talked about how the tourist industry in the town would be affected by the murders and