Brett Eagle and the Necktie Killer

Don Bowers placed two pictures in front of Cedric. One was of a man digging a ditch, the other was of a man talking on a phone at an office desk. Cedric studied the pictures and eventually pointed to the ditch digger. Bowers made a little check mark on the index guide.

“Okay, that’s the last of the pictures. Good Job!”

Bowers returned to his office to tally up the results of the interest inventory for presentation at the next treatment team meeting. He was the vocational evaluator at New Horizon which served emotionally disturbed adolescents. Apparently Cedric preferred caual work clothes, an outdoor environment, and work which involved using his hands.

There was no rocket science involved in determining what interested Cedric yet Bowers wrote up his report in a way he hoped would impress the pyschologist and program director: The subject shows a proclivity for external tasks in unpretentious garments while utilizing the metacarpus.

He grinned as he read his own report. Another New Horizon masterpiece.

Don Bowers snapped his shoulder bag shut and left his office for the day. Now, he was free to pursue his real passion, which was hunkering down in his bar seat at Jake’s and writing fiction on his laptop. 

“What’s up, Don?”

Jake had a glass of merlot waiting on him. All the regulars knew to leave the barstool on the corner open for him. Jake wiped the bar.

“So, is Brett Eagle going to crack the case tonight?”

Don smiled. “Maybe.”

Jake paused from wiping the bar and looked off into space. “I’ll bet it was the parking valet with the bad attitude. He killed the prostitute!”

Don pulled out his laptop. “Maybe.”

As far as Don knew, Jake the bartender was the only fan of his Brett Eagle detective series. The parking valet was a red herring. Soon Jake would know it was the wino who bludgeoned the prostitute.

It was nearly 10:00 and Don Bowers put the finishing touch on his story:

“Brett Eagle looked across the Center City skyline and saw the neon glow of the Westbury Hotel. He had restored order and put the bad people in jail. The end.”

Don had chills run up and down his arms. He always did when he finished one of his Brett Eagle stories.

He stood and snapped his shoulder bag shut and put cash on the bar, leaving Jake a generous tip.

"So long. Thanks."

"See ya' next time, Don. Hey, did you finish it?"

Don nodded.

"Great! Can't wait to read it."

When he returned home to his apartment he booted up his laptop and checked the online site where he published Brett Eagle. He had one like, and it was obviously from Jake.

It was frustrating pouring out his heart and soul, night after night, writing about Brett Eagle, only to receive one acknowledgement.

He turned out the light and was about to drift off when his laptop sputtered and crackled. He sat up in bed and observed an odd static image taking over the screen. It reminded him of an old analog television with bad reception.

When the screen came into focus an ominous figure in a black robe stood silently in a red room. Don rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining it. Then a deep booming voice asked the question, “Tired of not getting the attention you want on other online publishing sites?" There was a pause. "Come to Veritas.” It echoed veritas veritas veritas.

Don sat up in bed and watched the advertisement. The testimonials for Veritas were especially impressive. A young lady with cat eye glasses and a nose ring was first to speak.

“My romance novels were going nowhere, but when I logged into Veritas, I signed with Random House within a month!”

A stoner wearing a sleeveless Judas Priest tee was next to offer his Veritas experience.

“Dude. Nobody cared for my story about the indecisive motorist who spent his life in a roundabout until I logged into Veritas. Season two is streaming on Netflix now.”

Don was intrigued. Roundabout was one of his favorite shows.

I want to be on Netflix!  

Now he was inspired and wide awake. He started his first work on Veritas. It would be number forty-three of the Brett Eagle series. He took a deep breath and began tapping on the keyboard.

“Having solved the wino prostitute mystery, Brett Eagle took a well-deserved break at the Blue Note Spa where a blonde bombshell massaged his aching muscles and dropped grapes into his mouth.”

Don Bowers figured Brett Eagle deserved some pampering after that water boarding scene in book forty-two. Brett Eagle would be up to his eyeballs in shit before his new story was over.

The next morning Don felt rejuvinated as if he were the one who visited the Blue Note Spa. He was quite satisfied with his writing on the new publishing site and couldn't wait to continue work on it.

He had coffee and a danish and reported to work where he would present his report on Cedric to the New Horizon staff.

"So in conclusion, my recommendation for Cedric is some hands-on experience in the masonry program and perhaps some responsibility in the greenhouse."

The psychologist shrugged dismissively and the case manager appeared to be jotting down notes but was in fact working a crossword puzzle hidden within his notebook. 

Before dismissing the group, the director announced it was the administrative assistant’s birthday. He brought out a cake and fruit tray. Everyone gathered around to wish Melody a happy birthday.

Don Bowers had worked with Melody for nearly two years and their relationship was always nothing but professional, yet on this particular afternoon he noticed her coiffed blonde hair seemed thicker. Her power suit seemed to fit much tighter, especially around the breasts. He caught himself staring and quickly looked away. 

The program director cut the cake in big slices and placed them on festive paper plates. Bowers took a piece and positioned himself in the corner of the conference room next to the book keeper. As he took his first bite Melody appeared directly in front of him. He was startled and a nervous grin spread across his face.

"Uh...happy birthday."

The attractive administrative assistant winked and moved closer into his personal space. 

"Thank you, Don."

She lifted a grape from her plate and held it up to his lips. He was uncomfortable and wasn't sure what to do. He side glanced the book keeper who was shoveling cake into her mouth. She didn't seem to notice Melody's unusual behavior.

When Melody began rubbing the grape between his lips he reluctantly accepted it into his mouth. She giggled and reached up to his shoulder and gave it a little squeeze and rub before returning to the other side of the conference room. The others were conversing around the table. No one was aware of the odd exchange.

That afternoon Jake the bartender told Don he liked the way the story ended. “I never guessed it was the wino who did it. Brett Eagle always gets his man!”

Don took a sip of wine. “Thanks.”

“So, what are you writing now?”

“I’m calling it Brett Eagle and the Necktie Killer.”

“Great. Can’t wait to start reading.” Jake popped a bottled beer and took it over to one of the regulars.

Don pulled up the Veritas publishing site and began tapping on the keyboard.

“Brett Eagle was walking down Front Street when his phone rang. It was his boss at headquarters. ‘Eagle! We need you on the west side. The necktie killer has struck again!’ He hopped in his car and put the little blue light on the roof before spinning off.”

The next morning Don was in his office checking email when his phone rang. It was the New Horizons director.

“Bowers! I need you to go to our west side branch tomorrow. Steve is out sick and there’s a one-year review due Friday.”

“No problem. I’ll take care of it.”

When Don entered Jake's that afternoon a group of regulars waved at him. Harry yelled across the bar, “We like your latest Brett Eagle story, Don!” All the men nodded in agreement.

It took Don aback because none of them had been fans before. He waved and settled into his corner seat. “Thanks, guys”

Jake brought him a glass of wine.“Looks like you’ve got some fans other than me.”

Don was pleased. “Yeah, looks like I do.”

He opened the laptop and pulled up Veritas. He was shocked to see he had earned his first red badge indicating a thousand readers were now following his story. He stared at the badge and took a sip of wine. This was very encouraging and he couldn’t wait to continue the story. He began typing.

“Sargent Collins met Brett Eagle as he was exiting his car and escorted him to the crime scene. ‘Looks like the necktie killer has struck again.’ He lifted the yellow crime scene tape so Eagle could enter the alley. He squatted down and pulled the plastic cover off the body of a young woman. There was a necktie around her throat and Eagle got out his magnifying glass.”

“Sargent Collins said, ‘We knew it was him when we saw the half Windsor. That’s his signature knot.’ Eagle lowered the magnifying glass and replied, ‘Do you have a lot of women strangled with neckties on the westside, Sargent?’ Sargent Collins didn’t understand the question.”

The next morning, Don Bowers reported to the west branch of New Horizon and was greeted by the caseworker.

“Thanks for giving us a hand, Don. Steve’s out with the flu and one of our residents has his one-year review and we don’t have a current voc eval on him.”

“Glad to help.”

“His name is Windsor Collins.” They walked along a corridor towards the evaluation room. “I’ve got to warn you, Don, this kid has a history of violence. He can be really aggressive.”

Don nodded. “I’ve worked with lots of aggressive kids. They’re usually fine in a one-on-one situation.”

Don stepped into the room and saw a small boy wearing thick eyeglasses waiting for him at a table. “You must be Windsor.” Don extended his hand but the boy made no effort to reciprocate.

The boy pushed his glasses up on his nose and seemed to be studying Don's pale blue tie.  

He started the evaluation with the cards which show different work situations. Windsor pointed to the cards showing men in neckties whenever that was an option. When they came to the end, Don said, “Okay, Windsor, that’s the last of the pictures. Good job!”

The boy screamed and lunged across the table pushing Don backwards in his chair. He clutched Don’s tie and attempted to strangle him.

Fortunately for Don he always tied a double windsor, so Windsor was unable to tighten the knot around his neck. Still, it was quite unpleasant having the boy on top of him pulling on his tie. 

“HELP!”

Two men wearing New Horizon t-shirts ran into the room and pulled Windsor off him. They restrained the boy and carried him out of the room. The caseworker rushed in.

“What happened?”

Don’s heart was racing as the caseworker helped him get to his feet. "I'm fine. No problem."

That evening at Jake’s, Don wasn’t writing. He was deep in thought. It might just be his imagination, but it seemed like things in the story he was writing were manifesting into reality. He first noticed it when the attractive administrative assistant named Melody put a grape in his mouth and rubbed his shoulder. Just like the girl at the Blue Note Spa massaged Brett Eagle and fed him a grape.

Don decided to conduct an experiment. He pulled up his story and wrote in a scene where Brett Eagle returned to the spa. While he was having his shoulders rubbed, he made a lude comment to the girl. Incensed, she slapped him.

At work the next day, Melody came into Don’s office. Her lips were tight and her eyes were accusatory.

She hissed, “Here are the copies you wanted, Don.”

He looked up from his laptop. “Thanks, Melody.”

“My eyes are up HERE! I’m sick of the way you leer at me.”

He flinched and looked away, yet he wasn’t sure if he’d done anything inappropriate. He kept his eyes down at the documents as she exited his office.

That evening he deleted the scene where Brett Eagle had been rude and replaced it with the charming version of his character.

At work the next day, Melody came into Don’s office.

“Here are the copies you wanted, Don.” Instead of handing them over, she walked around to his side, lifted herself up on the edge of the desk and leaned in close so he could smell her perfume as she placed the documents in front of him. 

She lifted the top sheet from the stack of copies and touched it against his cheek. "They're still warm." As she sashayed out of his office he couldn't help but notice her skirt was extremely tight.

Don wondered what was happening. It was impossible that his story could alter reality but it certainly seemed to be doing so. It was somewhat disturbing but he couldn’t stop writing the story now. He had three red Veritas badges.

It was a slow night and Jake was standing behind the bar reading the latest installment of Brett Eagle and The Necktie Killer.

“Sargent Collins spread out all the neckties that had been used by the serial killer and Brett Eagle examined each one carefully. After reviewing the brands, he knew there was only one shop in Center City that sold them.”

Jake lowered his phone. “How did he know that all the ties were only found at one shop?”

Don glanced up from his laptop. “Jake, think about it. Who is Brett Eagle?”

Jake paused and replied, “Brett Eagle is the detective with a flair for fashion!”

“Exactly.” Don returned to his laptop and Jake continued reading.

“Brett Eagle walked into Reed’s Haberdashery on Front Street and spread the neckties out on the countertop. The prissy shop owner stepped out from the back room sipping on hot tea. ‘May I help you?’"

'‘I’m Brett Eagle from Central City homicide. Do you recognize these neckties?’”

“The shop owner put his cup of tea down and removed his glasses and wiped them off on the tip of his tie. He examined them and agreed they were all purchased at his shop. Brett Eagle’s precision perception zeroed in on the haberdasher’s necktie. The knot was a neat half Windsor.”

Jake looked up and exclaimed, “It’s the haberdasher! He’s the necktie killer!”

Don smiled and took a sip of wine. “Maybe.”

“Dang it, Don, this just keeps getting better and better.”

Don was deep into his story when a man walked into the nearly empty bar and had a seat at a hightop table across from him. Jake greeted the man and took his order.

Don was about to bring his story to a resolution. He sipped the wine and briefly looked off into space. He began typing.

“The prissy haberdasher always wanted to be a woman but knew he would never be one, so he took it out on the ones he found walking the streets of Center City using one of his favorite fashion accessories – silk neckties.”

This wasn’t the end of the story but Don experienced the chills running up and down his arms. He still needed to add the part where Brett Eagle looked across Center City at the neon lights of the Westbury Hotel.

When he looked up from his laptop, a reflective shine of the bar lights appeared across from him. It was coming from a man's eyeglasses. Don wasn't sure but the man might be staring at him. He couldn't see his eyes behind the reflection. 

Where did he come from?

Don looked away. He didn’t want to stare at him but he couldn’t help but notice the man was wearing a tie with a half Windsor knot. The man removed his glasses and began wiping them off on the tip of his necktie.

Don got Jake's attention and Jake stepped over to him. "Need something?" 

Don whispered, “Who is that guy?”

Jake glanced over and replied, “No idea. I’ve never seen him before.”

Don stole nervous glances at the man.

“What’s he drinking?”

“Hot tea.”

Don's eyes widened. “I’ll take my tab, Jake.”

Don put some cash on the bar and exited into the dark night. 

The prissy haberdasher finished his tea and followed out behind him.

The online publishing site called Veritas didn’t charge its users a fee, however, that didn’t mean it was free. There were details in the epic user agreement statement few writers ever read, yet always clicked “agree.”