The Body on Ortega Highway by Louise Hathaway Read Free Book Online

where she lives and what her house
looks like.
    She searches Seattle’s
on-line phone directory and starts dialing the phone numbers of the
many James Smith’s listed in the metro area. She finally connects
with the twin brother.
    She tells him, “Remember me?
Clarissa Santy? I dated your brother?”
    “Yes, of course. I’m surprised to
hear from you.”
    “I’m a Detective at Orange County’s
Sheriff’s Department.”
    “Really? Good for you.”
    “ I’m investigating the murder
of two girls whose bodies were dumped on Ortega
Highway.”
    “ I read about that. Didn’t they have their arms chopped
off?”
    “Yes. It was very gruesome.”
    “How will I be able to help you
with this?”
    “Your twin brother has become a
person of interest.”
    “ John? No way. He’d never do
anything like that.”
    “ When was the last time you
talked to him?”
    “I haven’t seen him for seven
years.”
    “Seven years? Why so long?”
    “ John is schizophrenic. He’s
hard to keep track of.”
    Clarissa asks, “How can you lose
contact with your own brother? Especially your twin?”
    He says defensively, “I’ve
tried to help him. For years. Do you really think I haven’t? He’s
been in and out of psychiatric hospitals. He gets better and
discharges himself. There aren’t enough community resources to help
him remain stable and he goes off his medication and has to go
right back to the hospital again. He views me like I’m the enemy.
Like I’m the bad guy. When all I’ve done is loved him and tried to
get him the right treatment. It’s heartbreaking for me.”
    “ I’m sorry, James. For you
and your family.”
    “ I have kids I have to think
about, too. They’re afraid of him.”
    “ Why? Has he hurt
them?”
    “ No. They just think ‘he’s
weird’.”
    Clarissa tells him about the phone
calls she’s been getting.
    James says, “He always did
like doing those phony surveys. I guess he never out-grew it.
Sounds like he’s taken things to a whole new level. I’m sorry that
he’s been bothering you.”
    “ Okay. James.
What ’s the last address you have for him?
Where was he living?”
    “ He was in a half-way house
in Fullerton. By the college. I’ll have to go look for the
address.”
    “Okay. I need you to send me the
most recent pictures of him that you have. I also want a list of
all the psychiatric hospitals he’s stayed at.”
    “This is going to take some time
gathering everything together.”
    “ James, I need this
information right away. Especially the most recent picture of him
that you have. It’s a matter of life and death.”
    “ I understand. I’ll send it
to you. What’s your email address?”
    Clarissa gives him her email
address and phone number.
    James tells her, “Do you
really think he killed those women?”
    “I don’t know, James. I hope I’m
wrong.”
    “I can’t see him doing something
like that. He’s always liked women.”
    Rather than add her two cents’ worth to his comment, she tells him,
“You really do need to try to find your brother. He’s family, after
all. Even if he is crazy.”
    “ Alright, Clarissa. I promise
I’ll do all I can to help the police on this. I’m sorry he’s been
bothering you. He always liked you. He told me that you were the
love of his life.”
    “ It was just puppy love,”
Clarissa says.
    “ Not for him.”
    “Didn’t he get married?”
    “ Yes. When he was about
twenty. Things went bad for him after they lost their baby. When
the little boy was delivered, he had water on the brain and wasn’t
breathing. The doctor said it was ‘for the best’ that they let the
baby die. John was in the delivery room and grabbed the baby and
did mouth-to-mouth. The baby lived for a few months, but died. John
and his wife sued the OB-GYN. They won their case and the doctor
was reprimanded, but John started drinking heavily after that, and
had trouble holding down a job.”
    “Did his wife eventually leave
him?”
    “Yes. She