January 26, 1998-Monday

I've tried several times this week to write about what happened. I haven't been able to get through it. I need to write about it. Maybe if I write about it, it won't continue to haunt my every waking moment. And I need to write it in case they find out I was a witness and come to kill me. Then, maybe this written account will help the authorities catch the vermin responsible. I can't claim to be a writer, but if I just write the facts maybe that will be enough. One more try.

I went into the office building through the back door, as I had planned, quietly opened the secret wall decoration and went into the hidden room. It hadn't changed much. There were a couple of chairs and three file cabinets haphazardly placed around the area. The clean smell of wood caressed my nostrils. I smiled and looked around. The knotholes were still there. It was a relief that they hadn't been covered in any way. And even more of a relief that I hadn't opened the secret door and run right into Mr. Lencurl.

Removing my coat, I flung it over one of the chairs and set up the video camera. I stifled a giggle, turned it on and placed it in front of the knothole that seemed to have the best view. Once I had it focused, and wanting to watch what was being taped, I put a chair in front of another knothole and relaxed.

I hadn't been watching and taping for more than five minutes when they came in. Five men, carrying their coats over their arms, walked into the office. One of the men, tall, tan, gray at the temples and very nice looking except for his thin lips, walked up to Shirley and asked to see Mr. Lencurl. Shirley gave him a lingering once over. Here was a man with the look and assurance of a rich man.

"May I ask your name and business, Sir?" Shirley asked with a slightly seductive smile.

Thin Lips pulled a gun from under his coat, pointed it at Shirley and said, "Just get him out here."

Fear pushing the smile from her face, Shirley looked around at the rest of the men. They dropped their coats. They were all armed with guns and a couple of them had knives too. I know something about regular rifles and handguns, but I don't know much about big, modern, fancy guns. These looked like the automatic weapons I had seen on television cop shows, as close as I could remember.

Shirley called for Mr. Lencurl. Thin Lips sent a man to watch the back door. I put my hand in my mouth to keep from making any noise. What was I going to do? There was no way I could do anything if I went out there. And, I told myself, they'll probably just leave when they've talked to Mr. Lencurl.

"Yes, Shirley. What do you-----?" Mr. Lencurl started to speak, impatiently. Then he saw Thin Lips and the others. "Mr. Colonelli, what can I do to help you?" he blustered.

"You know what I want, Lencurl. Where's my stuff?"

"I--I don't know what you mean, Mr. Colonelli." Mr. Lencurl stuttered. "Did you order something from us? I'm sure I can find it if you just tell me what it was."

Thin Lips, or Mr. Colonelli, nodded to one of his men. This man, who had a thin pinched, foxy-looking face and wore his greasy, black hair in a ponytail, walked over and grabbed Shirley by the hair, pulling her head backward. Before Shirley even had time to react or scream, Colonelli pulled up a knife and slit her throat. Blood squirted from the wound like someone had just turned on a garden hose. Colonelli took out his handkerchief and wiped his hands and face slowly and deliberately. "Messy," was all he said.

I put the sleeve of my coat in my mouth to stifle my screams. I knew that no one was getting out of this alive. They couldn't afford to leave any witnesses and I didn't want them to find me. Oh, God, was there something I could do? I couldn't fight five armed men, but I had to do something. Suddenly, I thought of the cell phone in my coat pocket. I could call the police. But how could I call without making any noise? This room wasn't soundproof. If I could hear everything they were saying, then they would be able to hear me.

"Now, Lencurl, I believe you see that nobody steals from Albert Colonelli and gets away with it. Tell me where my stuff is or I'll kill all of them."

"Oh, God. Shirley had nothing to do with any of this. You just killed her for no reason." Mr. Lencurl tried to stall.

Colonelli said, "Well, Boys, maybe things happened too fast for Mr. Lencurl here. Take the blond there and have a little fun with her."

Mr. Lencurl's chubby body shook all over as he screamed. Colonelli just laughed, backhanded him and nodded to his boys. They grabbed Karen, the blond, tore her clothes off, pushed her from one to the other and began to laugh at her. Then one pulled his huge penis from his pants and while two of the others held her down, he began to rape her. I've never seen anything like that in my life. It looked like he was stabbing her with a giant pepperoni. I didn't want to watch, but I couldn't take my eyes away. Her screams ripped through the air. They were shrill and constant and invaded my body as if they were lobsters going into a trap. They went in easily but may never leave.