Down The Rabbit Hole Part 1

Chapter 230

Down The Rabbit Hole

Part 1

Stringum didn’t say directly why he had chosen this hotel over the Marriott he normally likes staying at here in Salt Lake unless it had something to do with what happened when we had stayed there last time. Yet I had to say the Hilton Garden Inn was just as fancy if not more. We had no luggage to check in as Landon took us through the private entrance where movie stars and presidents, basically people that wanted their privacy, without attracting attention.

Then again we were filthy and only wearing robes that had seen better days. Personally, I didn’t want to be seen in the first place, not like this. The manager greeted us at the private elevator pretending not to notice the state we were in. Instead of treated us all like royalty. Telling Stringum everyone has arrived expect our care package.

Stringum hand the manager a large envelope and list of our sizes so he could send someone out to get us something to wear. That didn’t smell like smoke or looked chard where we came a bit to close to the fire. He said. Everything was done as he requested if we needed anything at all just call him and he’ll see to it is done personally. We got into the waiting elevator as he pushed the buttons that required a special key. Telling us no one will bother us here and the staff is very discrete. The doors opened finding us all on the top floor which was the entire 3rd floor known as the penthouse. It wasn’t as big as the Marriott were we stayed last time, but it seemed as just as nice if not better. It looked like it was like made for a king.

Mrs. Walter and her family gasped seeing how rich people live seeing her suite with one large king size bed just for her, with a large sitting area out front with two large couches that one of them pulled out into a sofa bed and a small kitchen with a gas fireplace. The bathroom was to die for, with a jetted tub/hydro spa shower. She didn’t have to share it with no one unless she wanted too.

Stringum told her he had arranged smaller rooms for the kids and big ones for all the adults 16 and older. She said. “No, that’s ok I rather keep my family close for now.” She said she would share the bed with her two daughters still unconvinced that Holly had anything to do with trying to kill them. The boys could share the sleeper sofa.

He nodded told them there are fresh clean towels and clean robes in the bathroom. That he would take the ones they are wearing and make them as good as new, she asked. “How much is this going to cost me Mr. Stringum? I am not made of money, like the rest of you.”

He blinked a couple of times said. “My treat, I would never ask you to spend a single dime, I am not cad, or a highway robber Mrs. Walters. I am a man of integrity and manors. If you need anything at all just ask.

“I will bring you your daughter the moment she arrives, then after we will have a chance to have a heart to heart talk with her. I want to make sure that if she is responsible she doesn’t try to make a second attempt, burning down our fine hotel. I would hope that you could understand my reasons, considering the information we have gathered that states she could be guilty of such a horrible crime. Or at least knows who is responsible.”

She nodded. “I pray to god that she isn’t, but like you said her recent behavior points to the fact she lied to us from the beginning. I too would like to know the answers to those questions. I still believe Mr. Tate is responsible considering its not the first time he has ordered, someone, to do something like this. He was responsible for burning down The High Bishops house, a few months ago.

“I should know because the order was given to my husband and Randy and his three friends. True nobody was in it at the time, but he still ordered it. Hoping he would either move away or stop him from interfering with Mr. Tate’s affairs in regards of his movie business that has been a major part of our income for some time and many others in the church.”

Stringum said. “I wasn’t aware of that, but I can say with a certainty that he wasn’t evolved in this one. Like you, I have been monitoring him, to find the person responsible for the death notices and threats against me, and all my friends here. It’s that one missing phone call that has got me worried, because how easy it would be for someone like her or your husband to do it without raising suspicion. Plus like you said he didn’t write that suicide note, someone else did and I believe he didn’t hang himself either.

“Because he wouldn’t have a reason too with a large amount of cash in his pocket, he could go anywhere in the world he wanted to know you and his family were all dead, and that cash was still on him, I am having it fingerprinted and the numbers checked to make sure it is the same cash Mr. Carrion had given him. Not to worry Mrs. Walter the cash is real, but when we give it to people we don’t really know we take extra precautions. You can still spend it any way you like.

“You said it yourself he had no love for you or his family. He wanted more than that and he knew none of you can give it to him. If he wanted a fresh start he could have taken it and no one would be the wiser because he was down at the bar during the time the fire started. Giving him a perfectly good alibi, who’s to say that Holly was the only one he had decided to keep alive and was taking her with him? No Mrs. Walters. Too many unanswered questions that point to the fact someone else was in on this and I believe your daughter knows who, and so did your husband, but being as he is dead we can’t ask him any questions.

“It is most likely he knew the person and they told him to do it promising him a fresh start with enough cash he would do anything they asked. I’ll call you once she has arrived I promise.” He let himself out and closed the door behind us. He said to me as we walked down to my suite. “Jeff says Holly didn’t do it, but she knows who did because they were the ones that picked her up in that limo. He says it was those two buddies of Tate that are trying to take over the church. Mr. Walters set the house ablaze and left them to die because your Dad refused his offer to align his house with his by marriage.

“He was flat broke and they promised him if he did it. They would pay off all his gambling debts and send him somewhere warm. To start over with his daughter Holly with enough money to see him through comfortably for the rest of his life, yet the truth was they killed him they paid the bartender to look the other way; until it was too late.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to kill him too, leaving no loose ends and make it look like he and his daughter committed suicide after hearing their entire family had been killed. That only reason they released Holly was so she could see that it was true, and pin it on her, and with her dead. No one would be the wiser. 

“I have people watching over the body of Mr. Walters and the bartender just in case and his business knowing how these people work in destroying evidence that could lead back to them. If you can see if your friend will give you a little help in finding out where they are hiding I’d appreciate it. I think they got to be close knowing that Mr. Tate is about to give his big announcement to tomorrow in church.

“As much as hate to say it they are helping us and jeopardizing our mission all at the same time. Mr. Walter was clearly a bad man and father, to think he was willing to kill his entire family and yours, says it isn’t the first time he has done it. Well, at least that’s what our mutual friend says. Now go get cleaned up, I want Holly to see everyone that she just tried to kill and wanting her to know she and her friends have failed.”

Sparky greeted me the second I walked in; apparently, the manager of the hotel must have missed read the sign that said no animals allowed, don’t ask sign. Then again money talks and makes people blind to rules. Eli and our wives greeted me as girls ran to my side, but one whiff of me they didn’t want to hug me or kiss me. Instead, Rhoda quickly disrobed me, said. “Bath first, dear husband.”

Jackie took my robe and dumped outside into the hallway as Rhoda and Eli led me to the awaiting tub have me climb in first, Sparky quickly made himself comfortable on the only bed in the room other than his doggy bed which he seldom uses when we are home.

The bath always had magical qualities more so when you’re two wives and your husband bathe you. Stringum knocked on the door as we were just finishing our bath, Eli answered it and said we will be right down. Stringum gave him the room number and closed the door.

I cringed not wanting to find out those unanswered questions, wondering why it was so damn important that I had to be there just so she could see that I too was still alive. I knew she hated my guts because I didn’t believe in discriminating people regardless of the color of their skin.  I slipped on clean clothes that my wife Rhoda brought with her so I at least had something to wear.

The room I was directed to go was at the end of the hall which wasn’t as nice as our rooms it was more of an office than anything else for security detail. I knocked on the door and Tony let me right in, he too had changed clothes since the fire. I could see his hair was still wet. Dr. Sars was also in the room mixing something that smelled like sagebrush with a hint of lemon and mint.

Somehow I didn’t think it wasn’t our normal drink. In the middle of the room was Holy sitting in a fairly comfortable chair with a black hood on her head and her hands handcuffed with a zip tie and her feet tied to the legs and a rope around her waist tied to the chair. She kept struggling, but she couldn’t free herself nor speak which meant she was also gagged.

Her mother and brothers, as well as her sister, were sitting on a sofa on the side, Stringum said. “Now that everyone is here we can begin.” He took off her hood as she blinked a couple of times due to the light and being in the dark so long. She had been gagged and had a pair of headphones on her listening to some music to keep her totally in the dark. Her eyes widen seeing us all in the room, everyone except her father.

Stringum removed the headphones as it played through the earphones until he shut it off. He said. “I going to remove your gag, you can scream all you want Holly no one is going to hear you or care.”

He removed the gag and she took a deep breath and screamed “What the hell, why are treating me likes some God damn criminal? Where is my father?”

Her mother stood up and slapped her across the face. “You don’t use that kind of language young lady, and by your looks, you know very well what has taken place.”

She said. “Prove it, you will get nothing out of me, you f*****g b***h.”

She was about to be struck again by her mother until Dr. Sars got in the way said. “I’ll loosen her tongue now that we know she was in on it.”  Holly spits in her face and Dr. Sars smiled. “We can do it the easy way or the hard way young lady. Either way, you’re going to spill your guts to us.”

She laughed hysterically says. “Oh yea, you think just because you tied me up and kidnapped me that my father and our friends won’t find you?”

Stringum said. “Yes, and I am counting on it. We found your tracking device and right now they are all going into my little trap. Your father your friends everyone that they have hired.”

Her face paled. “You won’t get away with this, Mr. Tate is a very powerful person and he’ll have you all killed for this.” Mr. Tate came into the room, and she gasped looking at him.

He said. “That’s right Holly, the order didn’t come from me; I didn’t order anyone to burn down your house nor did order anyone to kill your entire family and the Carrions. That order came from my two best friends trying to pin it on me for aligning my house with theirs and what I am about to do tomorrow that will shake them to the core.

“We are going to ask you a few questions, the answers you give will determine if you will go to prison the rest of your natural life. Or join your father in a nice warm place, where I am sure he is waiting for you, but for now he is being held to prevent you and your friends doing any more harm to anyone.”

Stringum gave him a look said careful we don’t want to give her any more information than necessary. Dr. Sars said. “So Holly, you can either answer our questions willingly or we can do it the hard way where I will loosen that sweet tongue of yours. We already know you didn’t set the fire because we tested your skin and clothing finding no chemicals that were used at the fire, but we believe that you know who did, and we want to know who they are, and your part in this.” Holy spit in her face again. Dr, Sars calmly wiped it off as if meant nothing, said. “So that’s your answer is it?”

She went over to the desk and removed the tray with three small needles and a small glass vile which I have seen before known as a truth serum. Jabbed her in the arm after using alcohol wipe, handing the needle to Stringum to put into the plastic hospital container for sharp objects; she garbed a chair pulling close, while Stringum handed her the tea she had just made watching her drink it.

She asked her a bunch of easy questions like what school she goes too and the classes she is taking. She said cleverly. “So you’re telling me you like, girls in a gay way over boys.” She said no then yes then no again, fighting the drug.

Dr. Sars sipped her tea stood up and placed her mug on the desk and refilled it. “You like the idea of killing don’t you Holly knowing there is a certain gratification of killing someone?”

Holly head turned and said, “yes” as she laughed hysterically. Everyone gasped and her mother started to cry.

Dr. Sars said. “You are lying to me aren’t you? Hoping that if you say yes I will free you, so you can see your father who is in the next room, selling you and everyone he knows out.”

She shook her head no as she grinded her teeth as she whispered. “Yes.”

Dr. Sars picked up the second needle and measured the amount of the serum and gave her another shot and then placed the needle into the container with the other one, picked up her mug and returned to her seat, tapping her fingernails on the glass mug that had the hotel logo on it as she waited for the second dose to take effect. We watched Holly shoulder sag as she was becoming totally relaxed. She then asked. “Tell me, Holly, tell me again about the feeling you get when you killed someone.”

She said. “You should know you black b***h because you tried to kill my family.”

Dr. Sars. “Really, and who told that may I asks?”

Holy said. “Mr. Grant Coldwell, he said he saw you do it, that it was you that started the fire. It was you that prevented my family from escaping and it was you that killed them so no one could stand in your way when you stand before the church announcing your marriage to Mr. Tate as his first wife, so you can take him and bed him and have royal children since you have none of your own except for that retarded boy, that follows you around like a puppy dog; that you plan to sacrifice him tomorrow as marriage gift to our true god. Now let me go so I can see my father.” Everyone gasped including Mr. Tate who was about say something, but Dr. Sars held up her hand telling them not to intervene.

She said. “So Mr. Coldwell told you that? Was it him that picked you up at your house so I could have plenty of time to start the fire and get out?”

She said. “Yes, and you just proved it. He is going to tell the whole church tomorrow that you really weren’t married to Mr. Stringum, but you were just his black lover w***e because you didn’t take his last name.”

Dr. Sars laughed. “Really, so he told you all that did he? So if I was responsible. Why are you and everyone still alive? You know as well I do if I had failed I would be dead right now. Yet you remain alive, your family remains alive. You say I have killed before to get my position. Which was all lie for your benefit, I have proof that I wasn’t even near your home, nor was I in Heber. I was with my Husband Mr. Stringum and Mr. Tate planning a Halloween fundraiser.

“There is no way I could be in two places at once. Besides if I was going to kill someone like an entire family, fire is not the way I would choose to do it. I would prefer to sacrifice them one at a time so I could see the whites of their eyes as I strap them down on the altar and kill them slowly and painfully in front of the church so they could see it. No the fire would be too easy, because they would die by suffocation then burn them without any pain whatsoever, which would be a mercy killing.

“I am willing to bet that Mr. Coldwell was the one that issued the order and held you hostage so he had someone to blame it on; knowing that you look as guilty as hell, being the first person to leave the house to make your escape; while your father and Mr. Coldwell friends started the fire and made sure none of them could get out of the house… and then he released you telling you that I had just killed your entire family.

“Right now there are rumors spreading that your entire family is dead. You acknowledge it the moment you saw that they were all alive. Now tell me dear where Mr. Coldwell is then we will release you since you weren’t involved, only your father and Mr. Coldwell?”

Holly started to cry that if she told us they would kill her and her father. Dr. Sars said. “Not going to happen, Holly. That much I can promise you. Right now as I have mentioned we have set a trap for him.  All we want to know is where he had taken you and we will free you.

“No one knows where you are or your family.” Holly tried to resist, but the drug made it nearly impossible and her will was broken as she gave the location to where she was being held.  Everyone gasped as they found out that she was being held at not more than block away. I contacted Jeff asked him to go there.

He said. “Don’t bother the places is empty. You won’t find anything but cobwebs, and satanic markings.”

Stringum growled angrily, and then brighten when CB radio went off. It was Jenny stating that they had caught their mice’s. That they fell for the bait, Stringum said. “Good work takes them down the Rabbit hole cook them. I repeat don’t tell them they had failed. We want everyone to believe that they are all dead. ”

Jenny said. “Copy Red leader, over and out.”