Текст книги "Murder in Marietta"

Автор книги: Deborah Malone

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Текущая страница: 2 (всего у книги 10 страниц)

CHAPTER THREE

My eyelids fluttered open. I awoke propped upright on a stark white stretcher, a blood pressure cuff squeezed my arm, and an oxygen mask covered my mouth and nose. A paramedic held a needle, at least six inches long, poised, ready to aim. The young woman appeared way too eager to stick the offending weapon somewhere.

“Don’t do that!” I wondered if she understood my muffled cry.

“Hey, Joe! We’ve got a live one over here,” she called to her partner.

“You better believe I’m alive!” I grabbed at the oxygen mask.

“Whoa there ma’am. You’ve had a bad scare and we need to make sure you’re okay. Let’s take the pressure one more time before you stand up. We don’t want you to drop like a sack of potatoes again.” The paramedic squeezed the bulb to tighten the cuff around my arm.

“Hey, Trix.” Dee Dee placed her hand on my shoulder. “Relax. You gave us a scare. Let the EMT do her job.” Dee Dee looked like she needed to be on the stretcher instead of me. Her face was pale as biscuit dough.

Then I remembered. “Is he…?”

“Yep. Dead as a doornail. Killed with a bayonet.” Dee Dee always did have a way with words.

“Who is it? What happened?” I strained to sit up, but my head swirled and I feared I would pass out again. I was amazed at how much strength a body needed to maneuver from lying down to standing up.

“They haven’t identified him yet, and they probably wouldn’t tell us if they had.”

“Let me help you up.” The young female EMT removed the blood pressure cuff and the oxygen mask. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to a sitting position. “Sit there until you get your bearings.”

I surveyed the room. Doc stood in the corner talking with a couple of uniformed policemen. Two men, their heads close together in conversation, kneeled beside the body. One was Joe, the EMT, but I didn’t recognize the other one decked out in a nice suit. I wondered if he was the medical examiner.

An unfamiliar man dressed in a rumpled trench coat, reminiscent of Columbo, walked toward me. I pegged him to be in his late fifties or early sixties. His black hair streaked with gray, matched his thick, bushy eyebrows that reminded me of two caterpillars.

His wrinkled suit gave the impression he’d slept in it. A big fat cigar stuck out of his mouth. Please let him walk past me.

“Ms. Montgomery?” His rough, craggy voice belied years of smoking. He stabbed an unlit cigar at me. “Are you better?”

“Ugh, I guess I am.”

“I’m Detective Bowerman from Marietta P.D. I need to ask you and your friend some questions. One of the officers will stay with you until you’re questioned.” He turned and walked away.

“Can you get up now?” The young EMT shouted, as if I were deaf.

“Yes, I think I can,” I said. She grabbed one arm and Dee Dee clutched the other. Between both of them they stood me up. They held on tightly until I steadied myself.

“Ladies, I’m going to see if the Medical Examiner needs me.” She observed me and said, “If you feel faint again, be sure and alert us.” She hurried over to assist the M.E.

Dee Dee hung on to me like Stonewall Jackson hung on to Manassas. I welcomed her support. “Dee, did you see the body? He was all crumpled, and there was so much blood.”

She nodded. “Yes, I did.” She leaned and whispered in my ear, “Not again, Trix. Why us?”

“I don’t know.” The reason we kept stumbling over dead bodies was a mystery to me.

The officers made their way over and introduced themselves as Officer Debra Roach and Officer Rick Trapp. A nervous laugh escaped my lips. Dee Dee covered her mouth in an attempt to keep from laughing out loud.

“Don’t worry, we’ve heard all the jokes. Follow me ladies,” Officer Trapp said. Dee Dee and I walked arm in arm until he announced, “Ms. Lamont, you come with me. Ms. Montgomery can go with Officer Roach.”

“Can’t we stay together?” Dee Dee pleaded.

“I’m afraid not. Detective Bowerman wants you to remain in separate areas until he speaks with you.” Officer Debra wasn’t someone you’d want to disagree with. Built like a linebacker, she stood a good six feet tall. Her short spiky hair only increased her macho appearance. So, I gave Dee Dee a forlorn look as we went our separate ways. She answered with a hang-dog expression.

Officer Debra and I passed Doc’s office. Detective Bowerman sat on the edge of Doc’s desk. Doc squirmed in his chair like a worm on a fishhook. I anticipated my turn as much as a root canal.

CHAPTER FOUR

After Officer Debra and I exchanged niceties, no one spoke. The silence became deafening, and I broke like a tortured woman. “What do you think is keeping them? Why wouldn’t they let Dee Dee come with me? It’s not like we’re in cahoots or anything,” I blabbed.

She observed me with pity. “There’s no need for concern, Trixie. Detective Bowerman just likes to interview the witnesses separately. Shouldn’t be too much longer.”

Easy for her to say. I sat in the hot seat waiting to be questioned by a wanna be Columbo.

“I hope he hurries. I want to check on Dee Dee and Doc. And I need to call my editor to update him on what’s happened.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She straightened her gun belt and repositioned her pleasantly plump body in her chair.

Time passed slower than a snail riding on a turtle’s back. When Detective Bowerman finally entered the room, he glanced at Officer Debra and said, “Officer Roach, help secure the scene.” I wanted to shout, please take me with you. I’m a quick learner and I can help. But I didn’t say a word to her, and she left me alone with Columbo.

“Detective, would you tell me how my friend is doing?” I clasped my hands in silent prayer.

He chewed on his unlit cigar and answered in his own sweet time. “Your friend is fine. She’s shook up of course, but you don’t have to worry; she’s in good hands. And I’ll ask the questions now.”

Geeze Louise. “All right.”

I must have talked on and on, gauging by his glassy-eyed stare by the time I slowed down. I explained the reason we spent the night at the museum and how we met Doc and Penny. Next, I mentioned the mysteries Doc told me had plagued the museum lately.

I described our delicious meal at Hemingway’s Bar and Grill, at which point my stomach emitted an unlady-like growl. Of course, I revealed the Chocolate Fetish was to die for, and if he ever had a chance to eat at Hemingway’s he needed to sample it. I reckon the only reason he listened to all of the useless details was because he wanted to separate the wheat from the chaff.

I shared how Dee Dee had procured a bee in her bonnet when I told her the assignment required me to spend the night in the museum with the resident ghosts. Amazingly, he didn’t stop me then and there. I revealed Harv had sprung this on me, and I wasn’t too thrilled about the assignment either. Taking a deep breath, I related how Doc claimed to see the ghosts and how the media ran with the story.

I continued the saga of our harrowing night up to the moment Doc woke me, and that his sickly appearance spurred me to assume he was having a heart attack. Without skipping a beat, I ended with the big finale – when Doc showed us the body and everything went blank. I sat back in my chair and let out a sigh.

“Are you finished, Ms. Montgomery?” Bowerman stared at me.

I wanted to say, well duh. The truth – the fight in me had been extinguished, so I politely answered, “Yes, sir.” I felt the perspiration dripping down my forehead. I guess the detective noticed, too. He offered me some Kleenex and I gently wiped the droplets away.

Thinking he was done, I relaxed a little. Then he said, “Now, tell me about these spirits you say you claimed to behold.”

I ignored the barb. “I understand a sighting is hard to grasp, Detective. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t seen them. At first, only one soldier appeared. Then Dee Dee spotted a lady ghost. That makes two.”

With mouth agape he stared at me like I was crazy. “Okay. Go ahead. Tell me the rest.” He wrote as I talked.

“Well, I don’t have much else to say. One minute they were there, and the next they weren’t. I do remember, though, I experienced a strange awareness when we went to the facilities right before we lay down. The ladies’ room is close to the Andrews’ Raiders display where Doc discovered the body. Oh yes, something else I thought seemed odd.”

“And what would that be, Ms. Montgomery?” He twirled his cigar between his thumb and forefinger. Did he use the unlit cigar as a prop?

“The soldier was dressed in a Yankee uniform. Don’t you find that outlandish, Detective? Why would a Yankee ghost want to hang around in the South?”

“You’ve got me.” His caterpillar brows wiggled up and down, giving the illusion of crawling. “I appreciate your patience. I’m going to interview Ms. Lamont next, and I’d like for you to stick around until we’re finished. Then I want to talk with both of you, as well as Mr. Pennington. Please try to stay out of the way while the officers work on the crime scene. I’ll speak with you again in a little while.”

With that, he stood up and left me alone to contemplate the past twenty-four hours. I felt like I’d stepped right into an episode of The Twilight Zone.

Dazed, I walked back to the quilt room to retrieve my cell phone and check for messages. I had one from Nana, my mother’s aunt. She’d accompanied us to Marietta and was staying with a friend for a few days. I’d also received a call from Beau, my next-door neighbor. Beau and I have dated a little over these past six months. Last but not least, Harv, the editor of “Georgia by the Way,” had left several messages. I bit the bullet, and called him first.

CHAPTER FIVE

Harv! Stop yelling. I couldn’t call you back sooner. I’ve been kind of busy.”

My editor is a wonderful guy at heart, and he’d do anything to help me out. He’s just a big ole’ teddy bear underneath that rough exterior of his, but he sticks to me like a cocklebur.

When it comes to his baby, as he calls “Georgia by the Way,” he can get a little uptight and doesn’t let up until my first draft of any assignment is on his desk for inspection. Having said as much, his boisterous ways played havoc on my last nerve sometimes.

“Have you accomplished your goals?” I heard him crunch an everpresent Tootsie Pop. The sweet treat became his vice after doctor’s orders required him to give up smoking.

“Yes and no, Harv.” Tirade expected, I held the phone away from my ear.

“What in the world do you mean?” That booming voice sounded like Harv stood next to me in the room.

“Calm down so I can tell you what happened.” A ‘hmph’ shot through the phone.

“Yes, I’ve picked up a good story. No, I’m not sure when the article will be ready. We’ve experienced a bit of excitement, and the trip might take a little longer than we expected.”

Over the next several minutes I explained what had transpired. I detected muttering as I hung up – something about being glad he didn’t have to travel on assignment with me.

I flipped my cell phone closed. The world as I knew it yesterday, now felt surreal. I willed myself to call Nana. I wanted to make sure she was all right. Mama usually acted as my great-aunt’s gate-keeper, but she wasn’t here, so she trusted me to take care of her. Several times, this sweet little lady had wandered off on what she prefers to call “adventures.” We’ve more aptly termed them “disasters.”

Recently, Nana decided she wanted to enter the world of technology. So, she is the proud owner of a flip-phone designed especially for seniors. I caught her pressing several buttons before she hit the jackpot, so I set the menu to answer automatically when she flips the top open.

“Hello,” a quivering voice answered.

“Nana, its Trixie. I noticed you called me earlier. Are you okay?”

“Oh, Trixie. Something terrible happened. I’m at the hospital.”

“What’s the matter? What hospital?” I could barely form the words. Please Lord; remove this elephant from my chest. I can’t breathe. I wished I could blink my eyes and reach Nana as soon as possible.

“I’m all right, sweetie. Dora’s taken a fall. After we went out to eat supper, we decided we’d go over to the bowling alley. They had a special – two games for the price of one. It was disco night, and they had all these brightly colored lights flashing and disco balls spinning. Those twirling things sure must have given her the dizzies!

“We were having a wonderful time, and everything was fine until Dora fell down and started flailing her arms and legs. The doctor said the flashing lights caused a seizure.”

“How terrible.” Immediate relief Nana wasn’t lying in the hospital was followed by shameful guilt.

“Yes, it is! And that isn’t the worst of it. Dora hit the floor like a ton of sand, and she broke her left hip.” That’s a ton of bricks, Nana. “You know that’s been her bad hip for a long time.” No, I didn’t know about the bad hip, but the discrepancy seemed insignificant. “She’s in surgery. They’re not sure if she’ll need a replacement. I’m waiting for the doctor. By the way, did I mention how cute he is? I think he’s Italian.”

“You didn’t tell me about the cute doctor,” I said, rolling my eyes. The mistake was too late. Nana possessed an uncanny ability to detect when I’m eye rolling, and she never lets it slide.

“Don’t roll your peepers at me, Missy.”

No point in arguing with her. “Sorry. I wish I could come to the hospital, but something’s happened at the museum. I won’t be able to visit right away. Will you be okay until I arrive?”

My insides churned like an old-timey washing machine. I wanted to be with Nana as she waited for news about Dora. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t envision Detective Columbo letting me go anywhere until he finished his interviews. I did the next best thing – I offered a prayer. Please be with Nana and her friend and keep them safe. Dee Dee and I sure could use some comfort, too.

“I’ll be fine. The nurses and doctors have been so good to us. A nurse set me up in a little waiting room and gave me some snacks. Tommy, Dora’s only son, lives in some foreign country. The name starts with a B, maybe Brazil or Britain. She told me he’s a big wheel in a company over there. The doctor put a call in to him. You take care of your business at the museum and come on over when you can.”

“Thanks, Nana. I’m so glad you’re okay, and I’m sorry Dora fell.”

“Thank you, Sweetie. I’m going to go and find out if I can finagle an update. When that nice young doctor comes out to talk to me, I’ll put in a good word for you. A little competition wouldn’t hurt Beau. I’ll see you when you get here, dear.”

“’Bye, Nana.” I heard dead air and realized I didn’t get the name of the hospital.

I flipped my phone closed and walked over to where Doc discovered the body. The activity resembled a bustling beehive. Officer Debra and Officer Rick were huddled, talking with each other. A redheaded woman dressed in jeans and a bright blue sweatshirt took pictures as fast as the shutter clicked.

As the EMT’s carried the body out on the gurney, a lifeless arm flopped out from under the sheet, swung down, and dangled toward the floor. One of the techs reached down and nonchalantly tucked it back under. The hair on my own arms stood at attention.

CHAPTER SIX

Mr. Nice Suit, whom I assumed was the medical examiner, followed closely behind the techs. He turned around and addressed the police officers. “Tell Bowerman I’ll call him later.”

I was aware of my surroundings, but felt like I was in the midst of a horrible dream. Doc, standing next to a man I didn’t recognize, surveyed the scene around him and appeared as displaced as I felt. We made eye contact, and I walked over.

“Trixie, this is Samuel Brooks. He’s the chair of the museum board. Sammy’s always been supportive of our cause, so I knew he needed to know what happened.”

He flashed a toothpaste ad smile. “Sammy, this is Trixie Montgomery. She writes for “Georgia by the Way,” and planned on writing a feature article on our ghosts. I hoped the publicity would be a shot in the arm for us; a good ghost story could renew interest in the museum.”

Sammy and I shook hands. The man appeared to have stepped from a page of GQ magazine. He stood well over six feet tall. Up among the clouds, I imagined he experienced an air of supremacy over us mere mortals. A double-breasted suit with a pink dress shirt might be considered arrogant on some men. Not on Sammy. Olive skin, blue eyes, and salt and pepper hair completed the package. A thousand watt smile lit up his face.

I remember a time, after my divorce, I thought I’d never be interested in men again. Guess I was wrong.

“I’m sorry we have to meet under these circumstances, Ms. Montgomery. I must admit, the museum grapevine informed me of your visit. I suppose now that such a tragedy has occurred, you’ll want to put your research off indefinitely?”

Ha! Sammy didn’t have a clue when it came to Harv. If a story involved murder and mayhem, he anticipated the scoop more than ever. My editor isn’t unfeeling, but he’s a journalist, and that means he thinks like a reporter. Get the story, no matter what! is his rallying cry.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen, Mr. Brooks. The decision will be up to my editor.” For a mere second his smile faded, but he quickly replaced it with blinding white teeth.

“Yes, of course.”

He turned to Doc. “I’m going to talk with the officers to see if there’s anything else I can find out. I need to inquire when we’ll be able to open again for business. I’ll call you later.” He gave Doc a manly pat on the back. “Ms. Montgomery, it’s been a pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry to make your acquaintance under these horrendous circumstances. I hope we’ll have a chance to talk later.” He left us standing alone. Two lost souls in a raging storm.

“Come on, let’s go find somewhere to sit down.” Gently guiding Doc by the elbow, I led him toward the sitting area in the foyer. Officer Debra hurried after us.

“Ms. Montgomery, I want to remind you Detective Bowerman needs to talk with you shortly.” She hitched up her pants and settled her hand on her gun.

“I remember. We’re just going to sit down for a while.” I pointed toward the couch.

“Fine. But don’t wander off too far,” she warned.

I helped Doc get comfortable and sat down beside him. The silence between us was palpable. None of this made sense. Doc’s face drooped, and his bottom lip quivered. I said a quick prayer. Please Lord, don’t let him cry. Embarrassed to observe such an intimate moment, I looked up at the ceiling, down at the floor and anywhere else but his face. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I gave his hand a consoling pat.

“Doc, I’m sorry you found the body. It must have been a shock.” He looked over as if he’d just noticed me.

“Yes, yes. It was a terrible shock.” He dropped his head into his hands.

“Do you know who the victim is?” I glanced around. Everyone was busy doing their jobs. No one paid attention to us.

“His name is Jacob Wallace. He’s our handyman. Or rather, he was our handyman. We had to let him go. I was told he’d been making inappropriate advances toward some of the volunteers.” Doc’s face turned a bright shade of red. “What am I going to tell Penny? She’ll be terribly upset. She’s been functioning on her last nerve ever since these crazy incidences began.”

I agreed. If Penny was the nervous type, this would really upset her. But, from my brief observation, I think someone, long ago, had stepped on her last nerve and ground that sucker to a pulp. Like Doc, I feared this might send her over the edge.

“What in the world was he doing in the museum?” I was thinking out loud and jumped when Doc said, “I don’t know. Jacob was madder than a bull stung by a nest of hornets after I let him go. He said the accusations were all lies and I’d be sorry. He was right. I am sorry. Maybe if I’d investigated a little more before I fired him, the problem wouldn’t have come to this.”

“Don’t blame yourself. I’m sure you made the best decision at the time.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

That surprised me.

“He’d been harassing Susan Gray, one of our board members who frequently volunteers. She happens to be the fiancé of Jeffrey Jones, who’s also on the board. When Susan told Jeffrey what happened, Jacob’s fate was sealed.”

Before I could get more details, Officer Debra arrived and escorted us into Doc’s office.

Shortly afterwards, Dee Dee followed Detective Bowerman into the room. “Good, we’re all here.” Columbo leaned against Doc’s desk, studying his notes.

I sidled up to Dee Dee for comfort. Her frazzled appearance indicated she hadn’t fared his inquisition any better than me or Doc.

Unlit cigar pointing at us each in turn, Bowerman’s tone was somber. “We’ve ruled this death a homicide. I’m going to need you all to stay close by. Please leave any contact information with one of the officers so we’ll be able to get in touch with you. I’m sure more questions will come up as the evidence is processed.”

“Ms. Montgomery – Ms. Lamont, I realize you’re from out of town, but I’d prefer you stay around for a few days. I’m sorry if this is an inconvenience to you.” We nodded our heads yes in unison. He gave us one last once over as he chewed his unlit cigar. I almost confessed right then and there. He definitely had this Columbo thing down. “You’re free to go now.”

After he walked out of the room, I grabbed Dee Dee’s arm. “Come on, Dee Dee! We have to go to the hospital.”

“Ms. Montgomery! Not so fast,” Officer Debra said. “I need to get some information from y’all first.” We hurriedly gave her our cell phone numbers with the promise to call and tell her where we’d be staying. We also exchanged numbers with Doc and told him to let us know if he needed anything.

“What’s Nana done now? Is she okay?” Dee Dee knew Nana way too well.

“Yes, thank God. It’s her friend Dora. She fell at the bowling alley and broke her hip. She’s in surgery right now.”