PREVIOUS: The Man Who Wakes Everyone Up

Marked as Evidence: Diary of JoAnn XXXXX
Case Number: M04-6778.  Homicide Investigation of Gerry XXXXX
November 21, 2014

Diary was recovered in a 2010 Toyota Camry left unlocked and abandoned in the parking lot of a Target in Santa Clarita, CA.  Automobile is registered to Gerry XXXXX.  Location of the car is approximately 45 miles from the XXXXX’s home.  Initial handwriting analysis has identified the diary as belonging to JoAnn XXXXX, wife of Gerry XXXXX.

JoAnn XXXXX and her seven year old daughter, Middy XXXXX have been missing for one week.  JoAnn is a suspect in death of her husband and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.

The following are excerpts from the diary.

 

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Gerry’s making such a fuss with Middy’s Halloween costume.  It’s ridiculous – she should be dressing up as one of those little girls from Frozen like everyone else.  Instead, he’s in the garage, forcing her to put on a potato costume and sing a silly song.  He said it would be good on Vine.  Who would think a potato costume is a good idea?  Middy, bless her heart, loves her daddy so she’s having fun no matter what crap he puts her through.  But his obsession with videotaping her is getting out of hand.  He’s turned the garage into a mini-studio – he’s dismantled the garage door opener and I can’t even park the car inside anymore.  I’ll admit, the videos were cute at first, but if Gerry thinks he can transform Middy into some sort of celebrity so we can make money off her, I’m going to have to do something drastic.  When I picked Middy up from school today, her teacher said that Middy was getting worse.  That her “negative, disruptive influence” in class, had become a “serious cause for concern.”  Apparently, she’s been scaring the other students in her class, telling them that they’re going to die.  I assume it’s some joke that Gerry spawned.  I told Middy that she cannot act in school the way she does on the videos, but I’m not sure she got the message.  Especially with Gerry egging her on all the time.  He thinks we have nothing to worry about, but believe me, I’m worried.  We moved out here for Gerry’s marketing job but I don’t think things are going well for him at the office.  Money is getting really tight.  I told Gerry I might get back into nursing.  I should’ve told him that leaving St. Petersburg was a big mistake.

 

Friday, October 31, 2014.

Worst Halloween ever!  Middy was sent home from school after biting – biting! – another girl in class.  She said the girl had made fun of her, but that was no excuse.  When I told her that she couldn’t go trick-or-treating, she threw the biggest tantrum of her life.  And did Gerry back me up?  Nope!  He just started filming her meltdown.  He said it might make up for the lack of loops her potato costume video had received.  It gets worse.  After he was done filming, and Middy had calmed down, he told her that she could go trick-or-treating – right in front of me!  Unbelievable!  I screamed at him – I felt like slapping him – but all he did was laugh, saying that I was making a big deal out of nothing.  I’ve had it with him.  Gerry didn’t even go to work today.  He spent all day in the garage fooling around with the lighting – doing absolutely nothing productive.  At least God was on my side – before the sun went down, it started pouring rain.  It made me smile to see Middy and Gerry pouting because they had to stay inside.

 

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Middy pulled a strange one on me last night!  I woke up around two in the morning to the sound of her laughing.  I opened my eyes and saw Middy sitting on the floor, next to my side of the bed.  She was giggling and staring up at me.  When I asked her what she was doing, she shook her head, stood up, and marched back to her room.  Gerry didn’t even wake up, so I got out of bed to follow her.  But when I got to her room, she had already fallen back asleep.  Could she have been sleepwalking?  In the morning, I asked Middy if she remembered coming into my room.  She had no memory of it.  When I told Gerry what had happened, he said it was no big deal.  Gerry’s brilliant comments are stuck on repeat.

 

Sunday, November 2, 2014

It was warm and sunny today – the weather changes here almost as quick as it did in St. Petersburg.  Gerry and I took Middy to the park and it was a blast – Middy was loving all the friendly dogs that other people had brought – until Gerry freaked out on one young couple who were joking around with Middy.  I think they were newlyweds, a beautiful California pair, and they simply asked if they could take a photo with Middy.  Gerry yelled at them, saying it was “improper” and he yanked Middy away from them.  It was so embarrassing.  It’s not the first time Gerry’s freaked out – he had a hissy-fit whenever Middy talked with the next-door neighbor, a harmless looking writer.  I bought the guy’s book, even though the genre wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, just to piss off Gerry.

 

Monday, November 3, 2014

Gerry dropped a bombshell.  He said he had completed the paperwork to get Middy homeschooled!  He didn’t even consult with me!  He already hired a private tutor – with what money?! – and made arrangements for this week to be her last at XXXXXXXX Elementary School.  He said I could help teach Middy instead of going back into nursing.  I haven’t been this mad at him since he decided our daughter’s name should be Middy.  I wanted Maddy!  Short for Madison!  I’m so furious, I’m shaking.

 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Gerry played a horrible joke on me this morning.  He woke me up by whispering into my ear, but when I opened my eyes, he wasn’t in bed next to me.  He wasn’t even in the bedroom – he was in the kitchen.  I don’t know how he did it – maybe my process of waking up is much slower than I thought – but I had clearly heard his voice saying: IS THIS HEAVEN?  The words had sounded scratchy like he was coming down with strep throat again, but I have to admit – they warmed my heart.  We actually had sex last night – first time in two months! –and I thought he was reaching out to me with a romantic gesture, telling me that his love for me was still strong.  That we had a lot to be thankful for.  That our lives were not as bad as I thought, despite all the arguments we’d been having.  But when I confronted him about it, he denied saying anything.  He couldn’t even own up to it!  I felt like such a fool.  I can’t take much more of this.

 

Thursday, November 6, 2014

When I went to pick up Middy, her teacher, Ms. Rodriguez, asked to speak to me privately.  I thought she was going to tell me that taking Middy out of school was a mistake.  Instead, she showed me a chunk of her hair.  She said Middy had cut it when her back was turned to the class.  I was shocked, concerned, but Ms. Rodriguez accused ME of being hysterical!  And she had the audacity to say that both Middy and I needed intensive therapy and medication!  I told the bitch that homeschooling was the best idea my husband had ever come up with.  At dinner, Gerry and I finally agreed on something – there was no need to send Middy to school for her last day.  Middy danced the rest of the night when we told her she didn’t have to see that teacher ever again.

 

Friday, November 7, 2014

I’m worried.  Gerry took the day off of work and spent all his time in the garage with Middy.  Filming.  He said he had some leads on getting her an agent and he needed more funny clips to present.  I’m worried because Gerry found a way to lock the door to keep me from entering the garage.  He said I was a distraction.  They came out of the garage, off and on, to eat, use the restroom, and watch TV, and Middy always seemed OK.  And most of the time, I could hear Middy singing in the garage, or both of them laughing.  Except a few times, I heard only silence.  During those quiet times, I banged on the door and they would respond with laughter.  Why wouldn’t he let me inside?  Why won’t he show me any of the new movie clips?  Am I right to be worried?  I feel so uncomfortable writing about this.

 

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Had an unbelievably horrible NIGHTMARE!  I dreamt that I woke up in the middle of the night.  Gerry isn’t asleep next to me.  Middy isn’t in her bedroom.  As I walk through the house, I hear their voices.  Coming from the garage.  I try to open the door, but it’s locked.  I can hear Middy screaming, terrible cries of help.  I pound on the door, trying to break it down, and I’m screaming back at her.  Next thing I know, I’m inside the garage.  I’m on my knees and Middy’s lifeless body is lying in front of me.  My hands are around her neck.  I look up and see Gerry standing by the door.  He’s SMILING and CLAPPING.  I woke up choking on a scream and with tears streaming from my eyes.

 

Monday, November 10, 2014

The bastard did it again.  He woke me up with his stupid IS THIS HEAVEN? whisper in my ear.  It made me so nauseated.  I didn’t respond, and he was out of the house before I got of bed.  We didn’t talk much over the weekend, but he did tell me that he had finagled some meetings in LA with potential agents for Middy and he’d be gone all week.  I guess Gerry had taken more time off of work.  Or maybe he had gotten fired.  I didn’t care.  Because it gave me the opportunity to spend time with my daughter.  And I had the car because Gerry had said his brother was driving him to LA – thank God for minor miracles.  The first thing I did was schedule a doctor’s appointment for Middy.  I needed to make sure she was all right.  The earliest appointment I could get was for Friday, so I decided to plan a host of fun activities that Middy and I could do the rest of the week.  She needed to get out of the house.  In the morning, I caught her a few times, staring at the door leading to the garage.  I told her she was forbidden from going inside.  During the rest of the day, I tried to play with her outside, but it was tough – I felt like I was coming down with the FLU.  I’ve still got a headache and upset stomach.  Hopefully a good night’s sleep will do wonders.

 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Very strange day.  I woke up to Gerry’s voice again.  I swear I had heard him, but of course, it was impossible.  It was very DISTURBING and I felt that is was a sign that my emotions were getting the best of me.  So I let myself cry in bed for a good thirty minutes.  I still felt sick, but I managed to get up so I could take Middy to the zoo.  On our way, we stopped to grab something eat and that’s when Middy asked me if I had heard him.  When I asked her who she meant, she said: “The man who wakes everyone up.”  I thought she was playing a game with me, until the next words out of her mouth sent a CHILL INTO MY BONES.  Middy said, “You know! He always asks: IS THIS HEAVEN?”  I tried to play it off, telling Middy that she overheard me saying those words with daddy last week.  But I knew it wasn’t true – I never told Gerry what he had whispered to me since he obviously already knew what his own message was.  Middy smiled and giggled at me, happy that she wasn’t the only one who heard the voice.  She asked me if anyone else heard the man who wakes everyone up, but I didn’t answer her.  I was dizzy and I pushed myself away from my McDonald’s breakfast.  I told Middy we needed to get going.  Our time at the zoo passed in a blur, and I spent the rest of the day watching TV and trying to rid myself of this awful flu.

 

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

I feel like I’m losing my mind.  I heard the voice again this morning.  Why am I waking up to the sound of Gerry’s voice?  IS THIS HEAVEN?  What does that mean?  Is Middy really hearing it too?  I sent Middy outside to play this morning so she wouldn’t hear me throwing up.  My flu is getting WORSE.  I called Middy’s doctor to try and bump up her appointment and I called my own to see if she had any openings.  I failed at both attempts – my doctor’s office actually referred me to urgent care, but I hated that place.  All day, I kept hearing Gerry’s voice in my mind, those DAMN words echoing inside my brain, and I had to cancel my trip to the park with Middy.  I’m doing my best to hide my sickness with her, but when I walked past the door leading to the garage, I almost threw up in front of her.  My imagination has always been my worst enemy!  I thought I had smelled something awful, a ROTTEN smell seeping out from the garage.  I’ve got to get myself under control.  Luckily, I found an old prescription sedative in my medicine cabinet.  The expiration date wasn’t that long ago so I’m hoping it will help me sleep tonight.

 

Thursday, November 13, 2014

TODAY was much better.  The sedative worked and I slept like a baby.  Middy even had to wake me up!  I had a great time with her at the museum and I think the worst of the flu is over.  I also feel like I’m finally getting my emotions under control.  I have one more sedative left, but I think I’m going to pass on taking it tonight.

 

Friday, November 14, 2014

OH MY GOD!  DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN!  I’m doing my best to stay calm for Middy’s sake, but I can’t drive anymore.  I need to be calm so I can write this down.  I need a RECORD!  It’s why I brought this diary.  I need to write this down for the POLICE!  They need to know that MY HUSBAND IS NOT in the garage!  DON’T BE FOOLED!  HE IS NOT IN THE GARAGE!

Everything happened so fast.  Gerry’s voice woke me up this morning.  I know it’s IMPOSSIBLE, but I HEARD IT.  It sounded different.  ANGRY.  EVIL!  My ears were ringing.  I threw up in bed, all over myself.  Middy ran into my room.  The voice had woken her up too.  I told her not to listen to IT!  I told Middy to get dressed and to go outside.  I told her to GET OUT of the house!

I got out of bed, and as I changed out of my soiled clothes, I heard a BANG.  Like someone banging against the front door.  I thought it was Middy so I rushed to see what was going on.

A BANG shook the whole house.  This time I knew where it was coming from – the closed door that led to the garage!  Someone was banging on it from inside the garage!  Another BANG.  I was afraid it might be Middy.  So I went to the door and opened it.  That’s when I saw IT!  Lying on the floor.  A bloated and decaying body.  A CORPSE!  It looked like Gerry, but IT’S NOT HIM!  I KNOW this because as I stared at the dead body, its head rose off the ground and IT SMILED AT ME!  THE ROTTING. LYING FACE SMILED AT ME!  THEN ITS ARMS MOVED.  IT BROUGHT ITS HANDS TOGETHER AND IT STARTED TO CLAP!  IT WAS SMILING AND CLAPPING AT ME!!

I DAMNED THE THING TO HELL and slammed the door shut.  I turned around and Middy ran back in the house.  My mind was reeling, but I had to act.  I told her we needed to leave.  I started grabbed things to take with me.  I grabbed Middy.  And we got in the car and drove away.

OH GOD!  I’m losing control!  GOD HELP ME!  WHAT CAN I DO!  WHAT CAN I DO!

IS THIS HEAVEN?  NO!  THIS IS HELL!  THIS IS HELL!  THIS IS HELL!

 

There are no further entries in the diary.  However, the last page of the journal is significant.  The following words are written in pencil in what appears to be the shaky handwriting of a child:

Now I lay me down too sleep.
I pray the Lord my sole too keep.
If I die beefor I wake,
I pray the Lord my so

The letter “o” trails off as if the pencil slipped off the page.  The page is also streaked with what appears to be multiple fingerprints stained with blood.  Segments of the paper have been sent to the forensics lab for analysis.

Case Number: M04-6778 has been designated High-Priority.

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