Contents
Preface
The Candy Man Killer
Wendy’s Secret Admirer
Deadly Liaison
About The Author
Preface
After 36 years of policing in Boulder, Colorado, some teaching, and consulting, I decided it was time to put my experience and knowledge of crime and the criminal justice system to good use. My law enforcement experience, from patrol to detectives to management to Chief of Police, provides the canvas from which I draw my ideas for creating crime thrillers. Additionally, I remain interested in and follow other crimes from around the country.
Being an activist community and college town (University of Colorado), Boulder provided the opportunity to experience many interesting and strange events that seemed to occur regularly. It was a great proving ground for officers, supervisors, and management alike. From dealing with the old hippy culture, Halloween Mall Crawls, drugs, naked bike rides, out -of-control parties, protests, and student riots, officers had to navigate the issues while trying to keep the politicians and activists happy. On top of it all, the police still had to investigate serious crimes, including homicides. Two of the most notorious I was involved in was the hunt for escaped convict Michael Bell, who killed four people, and then of course the JonBenet Ramsey case.
In writing these stories, I am doing something I find enjoyable that allows me to utilize my knowledge and writing skills to hopefully provide entertainment to those who enjoy a good fictional crime drama. I've tried to create intrigue, suspense, drama, and mystery in these stories, while also creating a sense of realism. I hope you enjoy finding out what is "Behind The Lies."
Behind
The
Lies
Behind
The
Lies
Fictional Crime Thrillers
Mark R Beckner
The stories in this book are purely fictional, created by the imagination of the author. Any resemblance or likeness to any location, place, incident, or person, either alive or dead is only a coincidence or used fictiously.
Copyright © 2021 Mark R. Beckner
All rights reserved.
The scanning, uploading, copying, reproduction, or distribution of this book without the author’s permission is prohibited.
Mark R Beckner Publishing
First Edition: April 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7369607-0-7 (paperback)
This book is dedicated to my wife Sally, daughter Kimberlee, and son Chad, who have supported me throughout my sometimes difficult career. It is also dedicated to all the law enforcement officers who have given their lives to save others.
I would like to thank my copy reviewers and editors who helped guide me through this effort.
Sally Beckner - review and editing
Kimberlee Hipsher – review and editing
Dan Davidson – review
Roxy – who kept me company late into the many evenings
The Candy Man Killer
It is the day after the long Labor Day holiday weekend and Chicago Police Detective Juan Garcia is reporting to his new assignment in Area 4, which consists of the neighborhoods generally referred to as the west side of Chicago. Before his transfer, he had been working homicides in Area 5, the northwest section of Chicago. However, due to a staffing shortage and a recent spike in violent crime on the west side, Garcia and five other detectives have been reassigned to assist the Homicide Unit in Area 4. Garcia’s new partner will be Detective Mike Ricci, a 34 year veteran of the Chicago PD and a seasoned homicide detective of 13 years.
Area 4 is considered one of the roughest, most dangerous areas to work. It usually rivals Chicago’s south side as having the highest violent crime rates. Much of the crime in these areas is driven by poverty, unemployment, and drug trafficking. Three of the most violent neighborhoods of Chicago; West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, and North Lawndale are in Area 4. The presence of local gangs, usually involved in the selling of drugs for Mexican drug cartels, results in an over-abundance of shootings. The number of homicides in Area 4 keeps detectives much busier than they want to be.
Garcia is not particularly pleased with his reassignment, but he understands Area 4 needs assistance. On the positive side, Garcia will have a shorter commute to work, as he and his family live in the lower west side of Chicago in the historic Pilsen neighborhood, which borders the Chicago River. He and his wife, Rosa, had purchased a nice three-bedroom two-story brick home several years earlier. The Pilsen neighborhood is a mixed ethnic community, primarily Hispanic, with a rich Latino culture. However, there are also a good number of African Americans and whites who have recently moved into the area. The Garcia’s like the diversity of their neighborhood, believing it will be a good place to raise their three children: 11-year-old Jose, 8-year-old Maria, and 6-year-old Julio.
With redevelopment, the eastern part of Pilsen now attracts artists, galleries, and boutique shops, transforming Pilsen into a desirable cultural arts center. Expansion of the nearby University of Illinois Chicago is a draw to more middle and upper-class Latinos and whites. Younger families, like the Garcia’s, are moving in, attracted by the still reasonable housing prices. The Garcia’s early faith in the neighborhood is paying off, as they have seen a nice appreciation in the value of their home.
Area 4, Garcia’s new assignment, is located just a bit north of the Pilsen Neighborhood and south of Area 5, the northwest section of Chicago. Unless the workload in Area 4 results in longer hours, he anticipates being able to get home sooner in the evening to spend more time with his family.
Juan Garcia had grown up in Chicago, not far from the Pilsen Neighborhood he now lives in. His maternal grandparents immigrated from Mexico and settled in Chicago, where his grandfather found work in the steel industry. On his paternal side, the family tree traces back to immigrants coming to America sometime in the early 1800s. Eventually, both families settled in Chicago. Garcia met his wife Rosa while attending Northern Illinois University. After graduation, Garcia applied to be a police officer with the Chicago PD, something he
