Sins of the Father

Chapter Five

"What's this?" Happy motioned towards the scrapbook on the table between them.

"Where I come from." Mercy opened the scrapbook. On the first page was a newspaper clipping. Then she sat back and allowed him to read.

*** 10TH GIRL MISSING, COPS FEAR MULTIPLE MURDERER!

According to Tacoma police, Brandy Rowe, 19, has been reported missing from the University of Washington campus. Police say that signs of a struggle were found in Rowe's dorm room.

Rowe is the 10th Tacoma woman to go missing in the last 26 months.

After the bodies of earlier missing women, Molly Kincaid 21, and Katie Strayer 18, were found in Panther Lake, police suspect a multiple murderer may be loose in the Tacoma area.

Young women are being urged to travel in groups and to avoid contact with strangers, especially men. Katie Strayer was last seen in the company of a handsome man in his mid to late 20a with dark hair... ***

Happy just gave Mercy a strange look once he was done reading.

"Turn the page."

Happy did as she instructed. "Read both articles."

Happy turned his attention to the first article.

*** TACOMA GENTLEMAN IDENTIFIED!

Police in Tacoma are asking for citizens to be on the lookout for Cameron Clyde, 31, of Tacoma. Clyde has been named as the prime suspect in the Tacoma Gentleman Murders.

Cameron Clyde stands accused of the sexual assaults and murders of Molly Kincaid, 21, Katie Strayer, 18, and Brandy Rowe, 19, whose body was pulled from Panther Lake last week. Clyde is also suspected in the disappearances of multiple other Tacoma area women. ***

Mercy watched as Happy turned his head to the second article.

*** CAMERON CLYDE/TACOMA GENTLEMAN ARRESTED!

Cameron Clyde, 31, suspect in the Tacoma Gentleman murders, was arrested Tuesday evening in the home that he shares with his girlfriend, Teagan Nelson, 25, and the couple's infant daughter...***

Happy's head shot up to look at her.

"I've always used my mom's last name, but word always seems to get out," Mercy huffed bitterly. "I dropped out of high school because people found out who my father was. Being the daughter of a serial killer doesn't make a girl very popular."

End Author's Note: The term 'serial killer' wasn't really used yet in the 1970s. In fact, the term came to be commonly used after the Ted Bundy murders. Before the late 1970s/early 1980s, the term most commonly used by police and the press was 'multiple murderer.' I read WAY too many true crime books. Because this story is taking place in 1999, the articles about Mercy's father would be from the late 70s. Mercy would have been born in 1978.