Storymania - Murder By The Numbers by Norman A Rubin

Murder By The Numbers
Norman A Rubin

The mystery of numbers is intriguing and mystifying, as it is a fundamental principle from which the whole objective world proceeds. Numbers are not merely quantitive, but in a way they are a symbolic quantity used in noting specific characteristics, and of the fate of the ones chosen in the spin of the wheel of chance.

In one incident in the recent past numbers marked a tragic turn of fate with its numerals; it marked the scene of a multiple murder enacted in the motive of wronged revenge�.

"A special announcement has just come in. It has been reported by the police of the discovery of victims of a multiple murder. More details will be broadcasted�. The television news broadcasts blared the sensational announcement of a multiple murder at number 9 Cherry Lane, at a pleasant suburb of the city. The tabloids took up the call and printed the spine-chilling news in bold type, "MURDER��.

The facts to the crime revealed itself during the morning hours and air was alive with rumouring tongues. The media announced the incoming news, "According to the report of the authorities, that persons unknown had forced there way into the house at nine Cherry Lane in the early morning hours. That persons unknown had ransacked the house and forced the owners of the home to the basement where acts of murder were committed.".

News of the multiple murder continued to be announced. The reports detailed the gruesome facts. They told how the father of the family was found gagged with his feet branded with tortured burns and his throat slashed in a gruesome smile. Phrases revealed that his wife suffered the choking rag that was forced into her mouth as she endured the merciless violation to her body till the crushing of her lungs ended her suffering.

They news added that their children also found a horrible fate. A girl of six had in all eventualities had called out, "Mummy, mummy", as one of the murderous brutes grabbed her legs and dashed her head against the wall of her daintily decorated room. Their little boy wasn't disturbed of his pleasant dream, as his breath had been closed through the pressure of a pillow.

Photos and words pictured the scene of the crime. The partially covered body of father was described as being tied and gagged with burnt feet sprawled in the basement of the house. The mother's manner of death was descriptively written and worded in the depravity of the horrid rape and beating. Both the tortured body of the man and the violated body of the woman were not allowed the eyes of the media as the basement, the scene of the violent criminal acts was closed and guarded by official order. But, the viewers were shocked in the sight of the bodies of the children in body bags as they were carried to the coroner's wagon. A later additional layer of shock to the viewers was in the sight of a dried stream of blood on the floor of the basement when the bodies had been removed.

The area of the crime scene was shown in film and described in words as a scene of official order; it was the usual scenario with the yellow tape closing off the site under the watchful eyes of uniformed police. The interested watched and read of the medical team and the law enforcement agency as they carried out their investigation at the crime scene. And, they watched on their sets as the inquisitive media with their electronic equipment crowded the officials in their attempt to glean a bit of information for their viewers and readers.

There was a hesitant pause at the surroundings as the official spokesman for the team of investigators came from the house. He raised his hand for attention, quieting the inquisitive questions of the minions of the media. He spoke in a solemn voice as he told of the murderous event. With a slightly chocked tone he told, "that in the early hours of the morning certain parties of an unknown number had forced their entrance into the house. Unfortunately there are no witnesses who had seen or heard them, despite our intensive inquiries.�

He stated, "evidence pointed to the fact that the husband, a Mr. John Judson, was clenched by their hands when he went to the entrance upon the tone of their bell ringing. Mr Judson, most probably was surprised by their presence when he opened the door. Those cowardly bastards beat him near sensenlessness and the unfortunate man was brought to the basement of the building where Mr. Judson was subjected to further torture; the reason is unknown." His hand gestures emphasized the narration,

He continued with phrases of anger to the criminals mixed with pity to the victims, "That other members of the party had surprised Alice the wife, as she left her bedroom for inquiry; then she was dragged gagged and struggling to the basement." The spokesman bit on his words as he told how the husband was forced to watch in his helplessness as the thugs ripped the clothes from his wife�s body and had her thighs forcefully spread. "This had been pictured by the forensic expert as a means of further torture to Mr. Judson in order to extract information, unknown at present." He stated the woman had been repeatedly raped and beaten till her death by strangulation. "Most probably the sound of the little girl was heard and they completed their muderous act upon the rest of the members of the family, Betsy a girl of six and David, age two." He ended by stating that the daily help discovered the bodies when she entered the house and noticed the front door ajar and that there were signs of a struggle. His words finished with the note, "the investigation is in progress and further developments to the case will be made known". The spokesman dismissed the jumbled questions of the media and returned to the interior of the house.

'Number NINE, is all-powerful, composed of the Triple Triad, which symbolizes fulfillment and attainment, and, at times, an angelic figure. It is also an 'incorruptible' number signifying the limit of numbers, all others existing and revolving within it. The number NINE also interprets the beginning of the end in air and water. The ancient believers circled the altar nine times in honour of Thanatos (Death). And nine is the sign of doom from Durga, the malevolent mother goddess."

John Judson was in the existence of life a typical executive in the busy world of finance, orderly in his ways. His slim body was always seen dressed in immaculate fashion. John was pleasant in his manners seen in his laughing blue eyes and cheerful smile on his florid face. The coming of the middling years added a slight paunch, which denoted a peaceful and contented life. A welcome phrase of "Good morning" or "Have a pleasant evening", was always on his lips as he tipped his hat to friends and neighbors as he passed them.

John Judson had wed petite Alice nee Hodge, reputed to be a sweetheart from his high school years. Alice was somewhat pretty in her looks and the prominence of her dimpled cheeks added to her loveliness; her blonde hair added a touch to her radiance as it was always trimmed and combed. The coming years had added a touch of fatty tissue to her lithe body, but, a chance at employment, in the field of expertise, namely secretarial duties, demanded a fit and neat appearance, which she followed.

John and Alice brought into their world a cuddly little girl by the name of Betsy, a bundle of joy whose life was was blotted out by a heavy hand at an early age of six, leaving only a cry of "Mummy, Mummy". But, until that fated day she was pleasure in the eyes of her parents. A brother David followed giving joy of full life of the family... till the day of his fateful end.

John Judson's fulfillment of his dreams came quickly, when promotion and a higher rate of salary offered a chance of a better life. Both John and Alice were happy in their recent acqusition of their home at 9 Cherry Lane. There was time for planning and remodeling of the dwelling to their taste, and they looked foward to the future in their happy home. But the number nine, with its symbolism of dissolution hovered.

"Number SIX, a cardinal number, one of luck and chance. The figure is equated with reason and depicts the totality in the nothingness of death. The number SIX is symbolized in the non-being, the ultimate mystery. But it is a winning throw of the dice, a total figure, and when not attained in the throw it craps the loser."

The opposite house on Cherry lane, number six, was a dwelling run down in the neglect of years. Its surrounding garden was equal in neglect with a poorly trimmed weedy lawn, badly cut bushes and the so-called flowerbeds strewn with nature's debris. The house was fenced in high with stained flat pickets, and its gate securely padlocked. To an outsider the house looked deserted, but unknown to all, the dwelling had, at times, served occupants in need of a safe house.

The last fugitive, who took over the residence, was a rat-faced little runt of a man, who took the ten pieces of silver and testified in court in behalf of the law. In fact, he was part of mob of six villanous thugs, who were suspected in the involvment in the lucrative sale of narcotics, mixed with mayhem. The authorities had little hard evidence and only his testimony in court could bankrupt the trade. The merchandise of the illicited trade was never discovered and it was considered by the mob, without a doubt to their criminal minds, that this lout secreted it in a hideout, only known to him.

The judge at the preliminary hearing directed the case to the Grand Jury of fifteen good men and women for the wording of indictment. Nine by six jurors cast for indictment as they deemed there was sufficient evidence to warrant trial. The charges were filed and a trial date was set. The five thugs were remanded into custody till the end of the proceedings and they vowed revenge upon the snitch, the sixth member. They took their sentence in anger and bitterness. They yelled curses and swore their revenge with loud murderous phrases, "We�ll get you for this." and "You�ll pay for your snitching.". Two of the thugs made the sign of throat cutting as the plaintiffs were forcefully ushered from the court. But charges were later dismissed, as the main witness to their illegal activities never appeared in court.

The hidden cache of narcotic substances was never revealed and it was sufficient for the culpirts to keep an eye on number six Cherry Lane through a well-paid informant. A well-versed hit team was imported from another region, ready for the word for the final act of retribution.

The house of number six had been watched at various intervals by a scruffly dressed man whose stance was marked by stamped out cigarette butts, much to the annoyance of the nearby neighbors. His face hidden by large dark sunglasses and a large biker's cap was too menacing and nobody complained to him. But, there was a feared person who saw him as he peered through a slim opening of the window shade. Witnesses noted that the man searched out the dwelling at number six, a few times in the past, but they were unable to specify the correct dates. The onlooker�s words were the same, "A week or two before the murder, I had seen a badly dressed man near the house. He looked rather suspicious." But, at the questioning of the police, they were unable to give a positive identification of the man.

The snakelike curve of six on the small metal number tacked on the derelict house had slithered to nine through a rusted nail and remained in that position for a few days, maybe longer. On the day previous to the tradegy on Cherry Lane, the silver-plated number fell from a loose nail through the blow of heavy winds.

Number NINE is the mark of sacrifice that saw its fullfilment at number nine Cherry Lane; it was the symbol of the beginning of the end that was witnessed in a tragic murderous act. The dwelling at number nine hides the secret of its mystery and defies solution despite the efforts of authorities to piece together the numbers.

The house numbered six was fated by destruction of fire, leaving its mark in the discarded bent metal plate of six. The rat-faced punk, its last occupant, was found in a dump, devoid of life, with signs of a heavy hand upon the remains.

Number nine Cherry Lane is closed to the curious, but there were many that delighted in visiting the sight of the multiple murder and spelling out the details and the possible motive. The morbid onlookers decreased in the period of time till the dwelling of a promising future was left in its mourning. But, if one listens carefully, one can hear the whispered cry of a little girl calling out from a once daintily decorated bedroom the plaintive cry of "Mummy, Mummy".