Chapter 2: The Tattooed Man

Jimmy---I started hearing rumors about the ‘foreigners’ soon after they rented a trailer just outside of town in Hickory Hollow. He rode a big Harley motorcycle, nothing wrong with that, and was often seen riding around town with the woman sitting behind him. He never wore a jacket, only a vest. What attracted everyone’s attention were their tattoos. Not only were his arms covered with these odd looking tattoos but he had them on his neck and his face as well. She sported the same weird looking designs on her arms, neck and face!

Some people said they were satanical, others said they were gang markings. I never did find out what they meant. Everyone was sure about one thing, he was from somewhere in the Caribbean Islands. He spoke English with that sing-song accent so typical of people from that region. Know what I mean?

Bobby’s eyes never left Becky when he said, “Yeah” then licked his lips.

Everything was fine for the first month or so. They kept to themselves and did not bother anyone.

But then one day he stopped his bike in front of a local convenience store. He went in to buy his favorite brand of cigars. Those short skinny ones with the plastic tips. Know the ones I mean?

Bobby shakes his head yes but his eyes are on Becky. I am beginning to wonder if he is even listening to my story.

The young clerk behind the counter told him they were out of that brand and suggested he try another. Well this biker, Jose Ortiz was his name, didn’t want to try another brand and demanded the clerk go look in the storeroom. The boy tried to explain that they did not have a storeroom and all the cigars they had were in the case at the register. He again suggested another brand.

Jose got pissed and started to get loud and vulgar with his demands. The clerk told him to get out of the store and go find his cigars somewhere else.

That’s when Jose slapped him! He slapped him so hard with the palm of his hand that he knocked off the kid’s glasses. Then Jose proceed to the front door.

Now about that time Mrs. Benson, a retired school teacher who had recently had hip replacement surgery was coming in the door. Jose pushed the door open so violently that it hit her and knocked her to the ground.

Jose screamed at her, “Get the fuck out of my way you old bitch!” Then he kicked that 78 year old lady in the chest so hard that it broke six ribs. The autopsy would show that two punctured her lungs and one her heart! He never looked back. He just got on his bike and roared off!

I arrived at the scene just as the ambulance did. Mrs. Benson, who had taught almost everyone in town at one point or another, even me...

“Me too!” shouted Becky, as she arched her back, seemingly to get more comfortable. Bobby had to notice her nipples trying to poke out of the thin fabric of her bikini.

Mrs. Benson was pronounced dead at the scene.

The clerk told me what had happened and who did it. I took four deputies and drove out to where Jose lived. His bike was in the front yard so we knew he was home.

We expected trouble but there was none!

He came to the door and I asked him to step outside. He did as he was told. I explained he was being arrested for the murder of Mrs. Benson and read him his rights.

Jose protested and said he had not killed anyone. He claimed to have seen that old lady fall as he drove off. One of my deputies said, “The clerk tells a different story.”

Jose just grinned.

“He won’t testify against me! I’ll make sure of that!”

Jose kept grinning and seemed very sure of himself as we loaded him in the car.

We obtained a search warrant for his house and went back that same day. His girlfriend was gone. So was his bike. The house was free of drugs. Notice I did not say clean. The place was a pigsty! We never saw that girl again. But we never looked. She was not at the crime scene and had nothing to do with the murder. So why bother? Back at the Sheriff’s Office Jose was booked into the jail. That’s when we saw him naked for the first time. What a sight!

He had tattoos that completely covered his body! His back had some strange creature with chains on its feet tied to a big ball. There were letters under it but we never determined what language it was. Even his legs were covered with those strange symbols, including his feet!

We gave him a jumpsuit and settled him into cell number 8. At that time only two other cells were occupied, numbers one and five, which are directly across the hall from each other. He was on the end, no one could see into his cell.

He went before Judge Parker the next morning with an attorney provided by the state and of course he was denied bail.

Back at the jail he spoke with his attorney in private. That’s when Jose got a surprise.

He wanted the name and address of the kid who was on duty at the store that day. He was sure that boy was going to be a witness against him.

His public defender told him that when he slapped the kid he had broken his glasses and without glasses the boy was blind as a bat! He would not be a witness.

Jose was grinning until the attorney told him the entire incident was captured on the stores’ cameras!

Jose thought for a minute then told the attorney he was not pleading guilty but wanted a trial!

“I want the names and addresses of every juror.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You’ll do it or your wife (He pointed to the attorney’s wedding ring) will disappear.”

The attorney left the room and came directly to my office. He told me how Jose had threatened not only whoever would be on the jury but his wife as well. I told him to go home and not to worry. I would take care of Jose.

I personally told each of my deputies that Jose was not to be allowed to use the telephone or have any visitors. A violation of his rights, I know. But murders should have no rights. Jose killed that innocent old lady for no reason. I had seen it with my own eyes on the security tape from the store.

This is where I should tell you about how I ran my jail.

There was only one prisoner allowed to a cell. In all the time I was Sheriff we were never over crowded. I had three deputies assigned as jailers. One for each shift. We did not have a kitchen so we ordered all prisoner meals from the City Café which is across the street from the jail. They delivered the meals in Styrofoam containers with a plastic spoon. The Deputy on duty as ‘jailer’ checks each meal before handing it to the prisoner. Everything that went into the cell came out. No exceptions. Both the container and the spoon were accounted for then disposed of in the garbage. Meals were served at 6 am, noon and 6 pm. At 9pm the prisoners were given a Styrofoam cup and a packet of instant hot chocolate with a plastic stirrer. They used the warm (not hot) water from the sink in their cell to make a cup of hot chocolate. Then at 9:15 the Styrofoam cup and stirrer were collected. Lights were out a 9:30. When the shift changed at 11 pm. both deputies entered the cell block without turning on the lights. Using flashlights they confirmed that all prisoners were in their cells and noted this in the log book. Both men initialed that each had seen the prisoners in their cells.

Halloween was on a Wednesday night that year. Becky and I were at home handing out candy to the trick or treaters and it was a quite night at the jail. The afternoon shift jailer handed out the hot chocolate as normal and when the night shift came on they counted the prisoners. No problem.

It was when that night shift jailer cut the lights on the next morning that he found out Jose was gone! The bed was empty and his orange jump suit was on the floor but Jose was nowhere to be seen.

He opened the cell and checked everywhere but no Jose!

He called and woke Becky and me up. I immediately notified the state police and the U. S. Marshalls. We searched and never found a trace of Jose.”

Bobby’s eyes darted back to me. But just for a moment. He was fixated on Becky. I wonder what is going thru his mind?!