The Christmas Vacationers Case: Christmas FL, May 2016

The Christmas Vacationers Case: Christmas FL, May 2016

Characters: John Martin, Jeremiah Dixon, Lena Barrett, & Doctor Karl "Oprah" Birkin

A pair of missing persons cases caught some media attention during a relatively slow news cycle; two Kentucky State students on a road trip had been reported as missing by their friends and family, with the last known sightings in the town of Chuluota FL two weeks prior. The story was most run as a public awareness piece, with photos of the students and a plea to contact authorities of readers have seen them.

However, a person inclined to research unsolved missing person cases further would be able to find a history of similar events- In May of 2015 a newlywed couple from Tennessee went missing on a trip to see family, last seen in Oveido FL. In May 2013 a young man and woman from from Alabama were reported missing in a trip to see her mother in Cocoa, and the last purchases in their credit card placed them in Geneva FL. In 2012, a brother and sister from Georgia going to a funeral in Miami never showed up; last seen Chuluota FL. The authorities did not see a connection, but that doesn't mean there isn't something to be found.

Story:

The lack of physical evidence makes this case a lot more time consuming than most. No bodies were ever found, nor was there the vehicle ever discovered in any of these disappearances. That alone might strike the characters as odd in itself, since a victims car gets discovered as often as not in disappearance/killings like this. If anything, the police seem to think that makes it less likely that any crimes were committed. Unfortunately for our investigators, that means a lot of talking to potential witnesses and cross checking information.

The first time our characters cross paths isn't directly; in the course of questioning potential witnesses, John Martin, Dr. Birkin, & Jeremiah Dixon each become aware that someone else is looking into the case, asking questions. As they are questioning various shopkeepers, restaurant staff, gas station attendants, hitting the spots where these victims might have been seen before disappearing, someone they talk to mentions how another fellow was asking similar questions earlier that week.

Setting that aside, they learn a common theme- the newlyweds in 2015, the couple in 2013, and the siblings in 2012 each came into town (either Oveido or Chuluota) being hauled after their car broke down. They spent 3-4 hours in town while the car got serviced, and left town just before nightfall.

The first time any of them actually meet face to face is in Geneva. While Dr. Birkin is questioning a mechanic if he knew anything about the most recent couple, he learns that another man had been asking questions just hours before. He finds out that the man had been asking about many disappearances, some that Birkin wasn't even aware of, and the doctor asked the man what he knew about this other investigator.

John Martin was sitting in a diner, nursing a cup of coffee as he reviewed copies of new records. With a bit more time, he'd been able to dig deeper into records from across the state, and found 4 more cases as far back as 1993 that 'might' fit the bill- a man and woman went missing sometime in the first weeks of May, vehicle never found. The connection had never shown before because he had never been looking at the travel angle- they were from the western part of the state visiting the eastern coast around the Cocoa/Titusville area. And these were just cases where friends or family were aware that they were taking the trip. He's a little startled, or maybe that's just the caffeine, when a strange man sits down across the booth from him. Birkin pulls a manilla envelope with some scant records about the most recent missing people, and suggests that they may have a mutual interest in the case...

The next day, not that any of them know it, Jeremiah Dixon visits an older mom & pop gas station on the outskirts of Geneva to ask a few questions. He doesn't get any answers that lead him anywhere, but sees something that gets his attention; the back lot behind the station has a few junked cars behind a chain link fence and a locked fence, but off to the side he sees a few flower beds. They stand out to him, vibrant yellow and purple among rusty metal and muddy grass. He circles around the fence to get closer, and is surprised- Daffodils and Foxglove, while pretty, aren't very hardy species of flower, and this junkyard lot is a strange home for them. He goes back to his car and pulls away to find a spot to watch this station from.

He's watching when, an hour later, Agent Lena Barrett pulls up to the station. She speaks with the attendant, asking if he recalled anything about a couple that had gone missing after making a purchase there back in 2012. The attendant said he didn't recall anything - that he didn't think he worked that night, and if he did then he must not have talked to them. He was polite enough, and seemed really sorry he couldn't help more.

The only problem was that Agent Barrett had reviewed the security camera footage the police had confiscated during the original investigation. She recognized this man as the attendant from that night, and she'd seen from the time stamps that the couple had talked with him for several minutes before driving off into the early night. He'd lied smoothly, and now she wanted to keep an eye on him. She left and drove away, before circling around to find a spot to keep surveillance. It was when she circled back that Agent Barrett spotted Dixon sitting quietly watching the place too.

Character Interactions: John quite clipped, "Excuse me, I don't believe we know each other." John's eyes narrow as he looks up his new lunch guest.
 * Lena plugs his license plate number into her system to see who it's registered to amd runs a scan on whatever name comes up. (NOTE No update on FB)
 * Interaction between John and Motta:

Dr. Motta smirks. "No, we don't. But judging by the file, we are here for the same reason. The missing persons. I am Dr. Motta." He does not offer his hand, but has a warm smile.

"Salutations, doctor. Call me, John. I am afraid I have only found more questions than answers in this tragedy."

Dr. Motta seems disingenuous, "Yes, tragedy. Anyway, did you notice it is not a single place? It seems to be people traveling in pairs." Dr. Motta looks at John and chuckles.

Sorta off, "Couples. It has been happening for some time. Whatever is nabbing them is patient and practiced. Unless the authorities do a thorough search and get lucky. This is just going to fade from memory and just then happen again." John snaps back into reality. "I just have patterns of phenomenon, doctor, and a hunch that this is a practiced killer."

Dr. Motta nods. "Yeah, I was getting that feeling as well. Likely, it is something traveling. But I also think it manipulates the towns people, what with the garage visits."

Giving a little side-eye, "I wish you luck with your investigation, doctor. You have card with where I could reach you if I find anything?"

Story:

John Martin and Dr. Motta met again the day after their chat in a diner. Dr. Motta had come back into town to question some potential witnesses, and John had been waiting for him in the street. John explained that he'd made discoveries in his research that Motta would find useful, handed over a folder full of files, and proceeded to bow out of the investigation.

In looking through the files, Motta saw that he had pieced together multiple disappearances, retraced their moves through the towns. His notes also detailed a theory: the male/female pairing of victims, along with the timing at the beginning of Summer, suggested the kidnappings were for some occult or ritualistic practice. The fact that the cars were never found, and the fact that victims stopped in different towns before disappearing, meant the killer likely had multiple accomplices. Lastly, Martin's notes identified the roads they most likely took before vanishing, which took the victims through a secluded area of a state park, just north of the town of Christmas. His notes also point out a few acres of private land within the park.

* *

Agent Barrett and Jeremiah eye-balled each other awkwardly while they staked out the gas station. It was an odd several minutes, broken by movement when the attendant stepped outside, circled round to the back of the store, and drove off on a motorcycle. Barrett and Dixon each follow as the kid takes the main road south out of town, then down the 419 several miles to the town of Chuluota.

The attendant pulled his motorcycle off the road and parked in the rear of a small shop. Agent Barrett and Jeremiah saw through the shop windows as the kid met with the man at the front counter in the otherwise empty shop. The kid spoke excitedly for a few moments, before the man moved to lock the front door and flip to sign to 'Closed'. They continued talking for several minutes, the shopkeeper occasionally making brief phone calls as they did.

During this time, Agent Barrett pulled up what information she can about the shop, its owner, and staff, without finding any immediate red flags. Jeremiah noticed something altogether different - a planter full of the same bright yellow daffodils decorating the front of the shop. After almost half an hour, the kid and the shopkeeper both left the store, separating. Agent Barrett followed the attendant back to his gas station, while Jeremiah followed a hunch and tailed the shopkeeper.

* *

The shopkeeper lead Jeremiah out of town down a road through a state park toward Christmas. After several miles of secluded roads in the woods, Jeremiah saw the shopkeeper come to a stop at a gated fence. The fence had a molded over sign reading 'Private Property', and the gate had a lock and chain. There was another car parked outside, and Doctor Motta was standing at the fence.

The shopkeeper got out of his car and questioned Motta about who he was and what he was doing. After a little back and forth, the man suddenly drew a gun and attacked the doctor. Jeremiah pulled into view to see the two fighting and saw Motta subdue the man. It didn't take much talking before each realized that the other was one of the other people investigating the disappearances, and they exchanged information they had found so far.

With the shopkeeper subdued and detained, they made their way past the fence line. A quarter mile later, the road lead past a field with a dozen or so cars in various stages of dismantling or disrepair. Further down the road they found a run down cabin with a large greenhouse beside it. The late afternoon sky was dimming as they approached, and they were greeted with empty silence when they reached the cabin. They moved to look into the greenhouse before exploring the darkened cabin.

The greenhouse was full of all manner of vibrant flowers, including planters heavy with brilliant yellow daffodils and lush purple Foxglove. Along the center there was a row of trellises sporting thick grape vines. The vines were heavy, knotted, and laden with fat red fruit. But what got their attention was at the rear of the greenhouse: a stone alter with carved wooden idols, blood stained clay bowls, and dozens of candles and incense burners.

They had only been exploring for a few minutes when they were attacked once again. A haggard, grizzled man with a hatchet sprang out from between rows of plants, rambling madly about 'interlopers ' and 'protecting the master'. They would later find out that he was the legal owner of the property. He was extremely strong for a man with his thin frame, but they were able to overpower him, before turning their attention to the cabin.

The creature within attacked as soon as they opened the door, but Jeremiah Dixon had guessed what awaited them. A makeshift torch helped to keep the vampire at bay, the blazing light in the dark of the house helped to shield their eyes and mind from its powers. The vampire chanted out curses in a strange tongue, seizing Dixon and Motta with limbs made of shadow and dust. But a splash of gasoline and sparks from the flame sent the creature fleeing in fear. In a frenzied fight, they put the beast down with a wooden stake through the heart. Afterwards, while Dixon was looking for any signs of the missing people, Motta absconded the corpse of the vampire, before Dixon himself decided to leave before more of the beasts followers arrived.

* *

Agent Barrett followed the attendant and pulled him over before he got back to his gas station. She called him our on his lies and the knowledge that he was connected to something bigger. Cut off from support, not to mention witnesses, he folded pretty quickly under a combination of intimidation and threats. She placed him under arrest as a material witness, brought him in, then followed the leads he'd given.

By the time she got to what the cabin in the woods, the only people there were the shopkeeper (tied up, despite being unconscious and covered in what looked like bug bites) and the body of the home owner, who had suffered from gunshot wounds and lacerations from a hatchet. While the authorities never pieced together what exactly had happened, the physical evidence tied all three of suspects to multiple disappearances, and Agent Barrett closed the case confident of a conviction.