Jean: The Box Cutter Murders Ch. 07

Content Warning: The following novel-length tale is an erotic murder mystery with graphic violence and gratuitous non-consensual sex. Since I am writing for Literotica, the story contains more sex than mystery.

Sensitive readers should look elsewhere for entertainment.

This story took place in 1977. There were no cell phones, no internet and computers were scarce.

Chapter 7: Graterford Prison

I heard a shot, and the sickening sound of a body falling to the floor outside of my room in Herod's apartment. The door flew open, and someone flicked on the light. I was too terrified to cry out. I heard a familiar voice, "Jean, it's Ok. It's Samuel. You're free. Herod's dead."

Samuel had Herod's women quickly pack up everything in the apartment. A lot of stuff was still in boxes from the recent move. I was in a daze as I watched them work. Julie dressed me in the slippers and robe Jose had given me. She also found his earrings and put them on me. I was now wearing everything I had owned in Herod's world. Julie held me close as Samuel drove all of us to his apartment in a big van he had borrowed. A small moving truck followed behind. I wondered how everyone was going to fit in Samuel's already crowded apartment.

Since I had last visited his place to get ready for the Velvet Grove, Samuel had added the larger apartment across the hallway to his private kingdom. When we arrived, Samuel's old family greeted their new sisters.

The Moldavian girls were turned over to the care of Marian. They were overjoyed to talk to a fellow countryman. They were even happier when Marian told them they weren't going to work as prostitutes. Samuel had Marian inform them he would find them legitimate part-time jobs while they went to school. Samuel might be a pimp in one of Philadelphia's roughest neighborhoods, but he had no stomach for prostituting minors.

I knew Trixie had felt overworked and wasn't surprised when she welcomed Julie and Rosie. The three older women were soon hard at work preparing bedrooms for the new women. Herod's former family members were happy to learn that they had two good sized bedrooms between the four of them instead of being crammed into a single tiny room. Everyone felt relieved to be out from under Herod's domination.

I sat watching everyone scurrying around and wondered what the future held for me. Herod had taught me one thing well. My dreams of becoming a women's rights lawyer were nonsense. I didn't have the confidence required. With my spirit broken, I was worthless for anything except prostitution. However, I was afraid to work the streets of North Philly; they were too dangerous for a skinny white girl. I hoped Samuel would let me work from his apartment. I knew I could make enough to pay for my keep.

I was jolted out of my thoughts when the doorbell rang. Who would be coming over in the middle of the night? Maybe Trixie had lined up my first trick.

I heard a deep voice shout, "Jean, thank God you are safe. Samuel and I looked everywhere for you. We missed you at Herod's last place by a couple of hours. If Jose hadn't recognized his grandmother's apartment from your bedroom window, we might never have found you. I'm so sorry for everything you went through."

I looked up and saw Samuel leading Professor Williams over to me. It was the first time I had ever seen or heard any suggestion of concern on his part. For once, he wasn't obsessed with getting some random murderer off death row. The professor pulled me up from the couch and hugged me in his massive arms. I was afraid he would break me in two.

Samuel said, "I think she should stay here for a couple of days and recuperate. Monday, she can go back to school. Michael, maybe you can help ease her back into her routine. Thanks to that asshole Herod, Jean's been through a lot of trauma, I'm sure she could use all the help recuperating we can provide. If she has any friends on campus, maybe you could invite them to visit her tomorrow."

Professor Williams said, "I'll ask about friends. I know she has a roommate. I'll give her a call."

The professor looked at me and said, "I talked to your Contract Law instructor. Professor Stone and I are old friends. He chided me for getting another of my interns into trouble. At least, he is sympathetic to your situation. He agreed to base your grade on the final. He said if you can score an 80 on the final, he'll pass you. I'm sure with a little effort you can easily pass the course. Your only remaining obstacle to getting your law degree will be making progress on Daniel's case. I'm looking forward to hearing your report on what you learned from Herod. Maybe we can meet Monday afternoon at our usual time?"

I stared at the two men in disbelief. They had casually decided on their own what was good for me. Neither of them had asked what I wanted. For the last couple of weeks, I had repeatedly been told I was a worthless cunt, good only for satisfying a man's sexual needs. I was still under Herod's influence. I doubted I was good enough to earn a law degree. The thought of practicing law sounded like a fairy tale.

I started to ask Samuel if I could work for him, but Trixie didn't give me a chance to challenge the two egotistical assholes. "Come on, Jean. You look exhausted. You can discuss your future tomorrow. Say goodnight to your rescuers."

It was just as well Trixie put me to bed. I was angry enough I wanted to punch someone. When I told Trixie how mad I was, she said it was a good sign. She said it was the first step to recovery. She tucked me into bed and kissed me goodnight. The hard mattress was familiar and strangely comforting.

The next afternoon when I awoke, Julie brought me breakfast in bed. I put on my fancy robe and sat up to eat a substantial meal of ham and eggs with a side of home fries. While I proceeded to devour the comfort food, she chatted about how happy she was to have escaped from Herod. She asked me questions about Samuel. I told her that he treated his women well and seemed genuinely concerned with their welfare.

I heard laughter and squeals from the other room. Trixie opened the door for Niles. I saw the reason for all the commotion. Butterfly was smitten by Niles and had her tiny body pressed against the big blond ex-quarterback. I laughed when she offered to do him for free. Trixie had to pry the diminutive young woman away from my friend. She promised to wait for him in the other room.

Niles was overjoyed to see me safe. After I had been missing for a few days, he had gone to my roommate. She hadn't been much help, but she did mention that I was on an assignment for Professor Williams. He went to the professor to express his concern and managed to arouse my single-minded professor to check with Samuel. Of course, Samuel had been searching for me since the night he dropped me off at the Velvet Groove. The three men joined forces and eventually tracked me down. Niles apologized for the length of time it took to rescue me.

Niles was shocked when I said I was done with law school. I had poured my heart out on the drive to the Bruce Springsteen Concert, and he knew how much a law degree meant to me. I didn't know how to tell him that Herod had broken me. I had always had issues with self-confidence, and now I had none left. My usual hostility toward male authority figures had been transformed into complete and utter submission.

I was an empty vessel that Niles proceeded to fill with his overwhelming optimism. Over the next few hours, Niles reshaped me into an imitation of my former self by replenishing my soul with all my hopes and dreams that I had expressed to him over a month ago. I was still very fragile, but I promised him I would give it my best effort.

Everyone offered to help. Niles promised to study with me for the final. Samuel gave us a large supply of speed to help us stay awake while Niles and I crammed for the most boring class ever devised by man. Even Professor Williams promised to go easy on me for the next few weeks. I should have known the professor's enthusiasm for David's appeal would trump his concern for my recovery.

#

I didn't go to my Contract Law class Monday morning. Instead, I went to the Temple Student Health Clinic. They took a blood sample to test for STDs. I wasn't surprised when the test came back positive. We talked about birth control, and I related my failure with the pill. The doctor suggested an IUD. I welcomed the idea of a birth control technique that didn't require taking a pill daily. He said I would have to wait ten days until my infection was cured.

I was out of the clinic in time for some lunch before I met with Professor Williams. I told him everything I had learned from Herod when the pimp tailed Jamel, Youssef, and David the night Inesa was brutally murdered. He didn't seem discouraged that Herod had lost track of the three young men after they picked up Inesa. He pulled out his file on David and made notes on a timeline for the murder. The shooting gallery where Herod lost them was only a block from where Inesa had been murdered.

Professor Williams said, "I want you to write up a report on what you learned from Herod. Take your time. I think you need a break. Focus on Contract Law for now.

Niles and I did well in Contract Law over the next two weeks. We found taking speed helped our concentration. Focusing on my studies helped take my mind off the damage Herod had done to my spirit. The pimp had repeatedly told me I was a worthless whore fit only to please men. It was going to take time to heal if it was even possible.

There were about two weeks left in the summer session when I stopped by the health clinic after Contract Law. The doctor inserted an IUD, and I was good to go in half an hour. I even had time to grab a falafel from a food truck before my afternoon session with Professor Williams. It was a warm sunny Monday, and I felt good. I was beginning to think there was a chance Niles and I would pass Contract Law by the skin of our teeth. I was feeling better about myself every day. I was smiling when I went to visit the professor.

He leaned back in his chair and said, "I think it's time for you to interview David. His aunt retained me as his lawyer after he was convicted. Since you are my intern, you can get into Graterford Prison with a letter from me. Do you have a car?"

"Yes, I do. It's old but reliable. How far is Graterford?"

"It's is about an hour drive from Temple. Have you ever been to the Valley Forge National Monument? The prison is just a little further."

I squirmed in my chair. The only time I'd been to Valley Forge was with Inesa's roommate, Marian, and four Philadelphia Eagles football players. I didn't like being reminded of how horribly wrong my clever sting had gone.

"I've been there once. I'll have to check a map. What is the procedure for getting into the prison?"

"Graterford is a maximum-security prison. The process for getting in to see a client is straightforward. Just bring the letter designating you as my representative and your driver's license. I'd suggest only taking in a notepad. They tore apart my briefcase the first time I went to visit a client. I suspect they did it because I was a black lawyer and they wanted to put me in my place. I haven't had any problems since then. Just be patient and respectful, and you shouldn't have any trouble."

I said, "When did you want to schedule my visit with David?"

"Didn't I mention I've set it up for tomorrow? He's going to be transferred from Graterford for a psych evaluation on Wednesday and will be unavailable for a couple of weeks. If you don't interview him tomorrow, the summer session will be over before he is available again. You'll have to continue into the Fall semester. Of course, you're welcome to continue working as my unpaid intern indefinitely."

My head was whirling with questions. I doubted I would ever get used to the professor's manic pace. The date didn't leave me a lot of time to prepare. "Do you have any suggestions on how to interview David?"

"Of course, I do. I believe that David is protecting someone, maybe one or both of his cousins. Even if Jamel and Youssef are innocent, I'm convinced David knows who the killer is. I would start by telling David we know his cousins were with him that night. We also know they were the ones who solicited Inesa."

I said, "I also have some questions for David about knots and his missing notebook."

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening going over questions for David. Michael played the part of an uncooperative prisoner, and I tried to every trick I knew to get information out of him. We were desperate to find anything that would win an acquittal. His aunt testifying that David was too sweet and innocent to kill anyone wasn't worth much in a court of law.

The professor gave me a small notepad to bring to the interview and told me to write our list of questions starting on the second page. The top page just had David's name and the date.

He handed me the pad and said, "Jean, there will be guards watching you the whole time you are with David. Just remember not to touch him."

"Michael, I thought I would be talking to David on a telephone with a glass window between us."

"You've been watching too much Perry Mason. Graterford prison is too old to have such an elaborate visitor facility. You will meet him in a large room filled with a dozen small tables. The possibility of physical contact between the prisoners and visitors is why the guards are extra sensitive about contraband. It can also get very loud when all of the tables are occupied by people visiting prisoners. Sometimes families with young children visit. The visitors' facility can be rather chaotic. You will have to adjust."

"When did you schedule the meeting?"

"The visit is scheduled to last for an hour starting at 9 AM, but Graterford operates on its own schedule. Make sure you get there before 8 AM. Check-in can get backed up early in the morning. They will kick you out by 5 PM no matter when your visit starts."

I groaned when I heard the schedule. I'm not a morning person. Going to bed early wouldn't help since I wouldn't be able to get to sleep until after my usual 2 AM bedtime. I figured I would have to leave my dorm by 6 AM since I had to hike across campus to get my car from the student lot. It was at least an hour drive to Graterford.

So much for the professor's promise to go easy on me. I wouldn't be able to attend my Contract Law class tomorrow. I doubted Professor Stone would be impressed with my commitment to passing his class.

#

I prepared for my trip before going to bed. I filled a thermos with cold coffee. I added milk and a heavy dose of sugar. I made up a peanut butter sandwich and wondered how many I had eaten in college and law school. It was the standard fare for poor students in a hurry.

I rummaged through my closet for a suitable outfit. I was limited in my choices. Most of my laundry was in the dirty clothes pile. I had gone out to an Italian place with Niles on Sunday night. Naturally, I got sauce on my last pair of clean khakis. I had a couple of clean skirts, but both were heavy wool and totally impractical for the summer.

In the back of the closet, I found some old clothes I hadn't been able to wear since high school. I had been a late bloomer. I had reached my full height before my junior year in high school, but I remained skinny as a rail. I had a growth spurt my senior year in high school. I put on about twenty pounds and developed curves. I was surprised when my breasts blossomed into a generous pair that turned men's' heads. It was a pleasant but unexpected development since my mother had small breasts. She said I must have inherited mine from my father. If my mom was right, it was the only good thing my abusive, deadbeat dad ever did for me. Personally, I believed my large breasts were a result of following the advice of my best friend's older sister. Her advice was to masturbate often. I had followed her prescription religiously and was now addicted to the sinful practice.

Fortunately, the old clothes I found included a clean pair of low rise black jeans and a black blouse from my high school anarchist phase. The blouse had black metal buttons that on close inspection were imprinted with a human skull. I had liked the buttons so much I taken the top one from my blouse for the front of the black pants.

I had lost a lot of weight in law school from worry, late nights with little sleep and a loss of appetite. On a whim, I had grabbed some of my clothes from high school when I went home before the start of summer school. I was low on money and just needed some outfits to make it through the summer. I prayed that the slacks would fit.

Despite all the weight I had lost, it was a struggle to get the pants on. I fought to get them over my ass that was still athletic from years of dance classes. I managed to zip up the pants and fasten them, but I knew I would have to wear a belt to relieve the strain on the button. I found a black belt with a big metal buckle.

Unfortunately, my only clean bra was semitransparent, and my dark nipples were visible through the thin material of the bra. I pulled on my old top and managed to fasten the metal buttons that probably had never have been in style. The dark blouse was also tight thanks to my ample breasts, but at least it hid my flimsy bra, and the straining buttons on my blouse matched the belt buckle. I was annoyed that the blouse had gaps between the buttons over my ample breasts, but what choice did I have? I couldn't wear a sweatshirt or any of my flannel shirts. I found a red silk scarf and tied it around my neck as an accessory. My appearance in the mirror was more communist youth group than anarchist.

I turned around and checked my backside in the mirror. The thin pants were skin tight and emphasized the curves of my ass. They also showed off an all too obvious panty line. I shook my head in disapproval. I'm not sure where the taboo over letting people know you are wearing underwear came from, but there was no way I could go out in public dressed so tastelessly. I laughed when I realized Samuel had given me the perfect solution. I found the black lacy G-string that was part of my schoolgirl costume and added it to my pile for tomorrow.

I wondered what reaction my outfit would elicit from David when I questioned him tomorrow. Somehow, I doubted it would help me get the answers I needed. It was probably a waste of effort dressing up for the socially inept young man.

I had a laugh when I considered wearing these tight sexy pants the next time I saw Niles. At least he would appreciate them. I had been wrong about Niles. He was a deeper person than I thought. However, I also knew he was unavailable for any long-term relationship. We had agreed to continue our casual affair while we studied for the exam. God knows I could use a friend. Everyone I knew had graduated, and I had nothing in common with my roommate Dana. Besides the sex with Niles was great. I imagined his delight when he peeled off the skin-tight pants and found my black lacy G-string. That happy fantasy would have to wait. I told Niles about my trip to Graterford and begged off on studying together that night. I needed my sleep for a busy day.

I took off my clothes and dressed in my pajamas. I studied until two in the morning. Naturally, I had trouble falling asleep. Even thinking about Niles and masturbating failed to help. I might have gotten two hours of fitful sleep before my alarm jarred me awake. I showered before dressing in the outfit I had picked out the night before.

Simple leather flats substituted for my standard tennis shoes. I brushed my bleach blond hair and tied it into a ponytail. I grabbed the thermos of cold coffee from the refrigerator. I was halfway down the stairs before I realized I was missing the notepad containing the questions the professor and I had labored over. I returned to my room and grabbed the notebook. I checked to make sure I had the letter designating me as Professor Williams' representative. I took a deep breath and tried to think of anything else I had missed.