by Patricia Fry
“And your homeless brother says he’s seen Tyrone Allen?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m telling you.” He paused. “For what it’s worth, my brother Johnny is kind of mental, you know? He got sort of whacked over in Iraq and now he’s more comfortable on the streets than in a job or even with the family. We were close, so I go down and spend time with him fairly often. Sometimes he seems quite savvy, like he knows what’s going on around him; other times, not so much. He’s writing a book.”
“That’s ambitious.”
“Sure is. I don’t know if he’ll ever finish it,” he laughed, “or who would want to read it, but it keeps his mind off the things that drove him to the homeless lifestyle, if you know what I mean.”
“Yes. So he’s the one who may have seen Tyrone? You say he saw him recently?”
“Uh-huh. I’ve always pretty much shined him on when he’d mention seeing Tyrone. I mean, he’s also seen Jesus, John Travolta, and several major sports professionals. But I sorta believed him when he mentioned seeing Tyrone about a year ago. That made sense because it was right after that old jerk, Abe Allen, died.”
“Where?” Savannah asked.
“I guess where he always sees him whenever he sees him—somewhere around the old Allen furniture store on Main, there in Hammond.”
“Where the family business was—that abandoned building?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you recall what day that was—I mean, when your brother saw him most recently?”
“Let’s see, I saw Johnny a week ago last Sunday. He said he’d seen Tyrone Allen the day before, on a Saturday.”
“At the same place?”
“Yes. At the old furniture store building.”
“Interesting,” Savannah said quietly. “So, is he living in there?”
“Not that I know of. No one knows where he’s actually living or, as I said, if he’s even living at all or just a figment of Johnny’s imagination.”
“Tom, what do you remember about the day or night that Ronnie Griffith disappeared?”
He hesitated. “How about if I send you what I wrote up for the authorities back then? I transferred it to my computer a few years ago—thought I might need it somewhere along the line. Can I email it to you?”
“Sure. But can you please look your statement over and make any changes or additions you might have thought of over the years?”
“Okay. I’ll see if there’s anything I should add to it and I’ll send it to you.” He then said, “As a matter of fact, there is one thing I never told anybody. It’s something my brother Roland told me. He saw Ronnie with Tyrone the night he disappeared.”
“Why didn’t you say anything before this?” she asked. “Sounds pretty important to me.”
“I thought so, but by the time Roland told me this, a lot of time had gone by. Tyrone had gone into hiding or whatever, and the authorities were all involved in that big murder case involving the dirty politician.” Sarcastically, he added, “Most everyone thought Ronnie was dead, so what was the big deal?” He asked with interest, “Are they really going to reopen the case?”
“I think they are,” Savannah said, “especially in light of what you just told me. Be sure to add that to your statement before sending it to me, and provide as much detail as you can.”
Chapter 9
The following morning Savannah placed a call to Gail. “How are things going?”
“Okay, I guess. I feel so overwhelmed most of the time.” Her tone lightened. “But I’m making headway. I sure appreciate your help and Adele’s. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“Well, that’s good. Can you use some help today?” Savannah asked.
“Sure can,” Gail said brightly. “I love it when you help; we always get more accomplished than when I’m alone.” She chuckled. “You won’t let me stew in the past. If I hesitate, you say, ‘Toss it.’ And you haven’t been wrong, either. Sometimes I go back to that item and realize that yeah, I don’t need that in my life.”
Savannah chuckled. “Cool. It sometimes feels good to shed the old and start fresh.”
“Yes, it does. So when do you want to get started?” Gail asked.
“I’d like to come early if possible. I have to be back here by one or two.”
“Good. Come any time. I’m up and ready to tackle the next challenge in this old place. I have to finish cleaning out the closets, because the charity people are coming to pick up our donations this afternoon.”
“Already?” Savannah asked.
“Yes, it’s my way of getting things done. That’s how I meet deadlines—set up an appointment so I have to complete the task. I won’t disappoint someone else.”
Savannah hesitated before saying, “Gail, I hope soon you’ll consider yourself as important as you do others.” When Gail didn’t respond, she said, “Okay. I’ll be over soon. Oh, by the way, I’m pretty sure Detective Sledge is bringing people out there to do an excavation on your property today.” When Gail didn’t respond, she continued, “It looks like they’re going to reopen Ronnie Griffith’s disappearance case and they want to…maybe do some digging in your yard.”
Gail gasped. “Oh my God, they think he’s buried here?”
Savannah was quick to say, “Now, they don’t know that, Gail. It’s actually something they should have done before and, well, I guess better late than never.”
“No, Savannah. I don’t think I can face that.”
“It might not be what you think, Gail. It’s probably just another thing for them to cross off their list of possibilities. That’s how investigations go sometimes. You know, if he isn’t there, they go elsewhere to look. But it has to be done if they’re ever going to resolve the case.” She spoke more gently. “I think it’s important for you to have closure.”
Gail let out a sigh. “I guess you’re right. I have to know, even if the truth stings. Okay. I’ll let them do whatever they need to do.” She added, “Savannah, I’m glad you’ll be here with me.”
“Okay, then. I’ll see you in a bit.”
****
“You really should keep that door locked,” Craig nagged a couple of hours later as he stepped into the dining room of the Allen home. “It was standing wide open.”
“Oh,” Savannah yelped, dashing to close and lock the front door. “I guess Gail was watching for the charity people.” She asked quietly, “How’d it go out there?”
He thinned his lips and glanced down the hallway to see if Gail was nearby. “We found something.”
“Oh?” Savannah asked, feeling a knot in the pit of her stomach.
“It is remains, as you suspected. Our people took them to be tested. We want to make sure it’s Ronnie Griffith.”
She shook her head. “Gads, that’ll be hard on Gail, knowing he was right here all the time.”
He handed her something. “By the way, I promised to get this back to you.”
“Oh, the cat-fur picture. Thanks.” She looked at him inquisitively. “So what did you find out?”
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, it’s the same. The veterinary lab team believes it’s from the exact same cat.”
“Wow! So that puts Tyrone Allen either at Ronnie’s house, in his vehicle, or otherwise in close proximity to him around the time he disappeared, doesn’t it?”
Before Craig could respond, Gail entered the room. “So, are any of the linens worth keeping?” she asked cheerfully. When she saw Craig, she said, “Oh, hello. I hope you’re finished digging up my lovely landscaping.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I think we are. The last of us are leaving now. We’ll be in touch.” Before Gail could say anything more, he slipped out through the door and down the steps to his car.
“Yes,” Savannah said quickly, “I found some really nice tablecloths and dresser scarves you’ll probably want to keep. I’d have them dry cleaned to freshen them up and maybe…”
“The linens?” Adele asked as she joined the two women.
“I know a great solution for removing the yellow from old linens. No need to pay for dry cleaning.”
“Great,” Savannah said. She gestured with one hand. “I think these are worth saving.”
Gail picked up a dresser scarf. “Oh, this one’s pretty, isn’t it? Yes, I want to keep this one.”
“Some are pretty ratty,” Savannah said. “I put them in the trash pile.”
Gail patted Savannah’s shoulder. “Good job. Ready for a break?”
Savannah nodded. “I’d like to set some traps. We still have a couple of cats that haven’t been assessed.” She asked suspiciously, “Now, you haven’t been feeding them, have you?”
Gail widened her eyes. “No. It’s hard, but no, I haven’t. I want what’s best for all my cats and it appears that you know what’s best.” She smiled. “I’m just so happy to have Arial and Lady back home with me. I missed them. They’re wonderful company, and I imagine they’ll adore moving into the house.”
“Lady has weaned her kittens already?” Savannah asked.
“Yes, I guess they were older than we thought.” She looked sheepishly at Savannah. “I also brought Blackie home.”
Savannah cocked her head. “I thought someone was going to adopt him. You’re keeping him?”
“Yes. I changed my mind. I really can’t part with him. I hope to train him to be an inside cat. I think it’ll be easier once we move in here, where there’s more room for him to roam.”
“Maybe, “Savannah said. “Just bring in cat trees and toys and comfy cat beds…”
“Gail wants to move in right away,” Adele reported.
Savannah looked at Gail, who explained, “I’m just itching to get my new life started, and like Iris said, I can live here while they’re painting and all.”
“Let’s think about that, shall we Gail?” Savannah suggested. “You’ll want to make sure it’s…well, adequate and safe for you and the cats.”
“Yes, I know,” Gail said. She laughed. “I stay awake at night down in the dungeon thinking about it. I really love it up here, where I can leave my worries and grief behind.” When Savannah and Adele looked at her, she said, “It’s like a new life for me up here. I can see things from a completely different perspective.” She tilted her head. “I guess it’s been long enough that the bad childhood memories are gone, or at least greatly diminished.” She shivered. “I’m just so excited to start my wonderful new life.”
“Okay, so what’s your plan?” Savannah asked.
“Well, I’ve cleaned out all the rooms.” She motioned. “As you know, the charity people are coming today to pick up that pile of stuff. The trash haulers will be here in the morning. Adele and I have put most of the kitchen stuff in the pantry, out of the way. I’ve scrubbed the kitchen down. Oh, a used stove is being delivered today and they’ll haul away the old one. I’ll use the fridge from below for now. The bathroom is clean and in working order. I’ll eventually want to replace fixtures in there, but it’s usable and sanitary. We’ve washed down just about everything in the place. I just need to clean the floors and have my stuff moved up here. Do you know someone I can hire?”
“Probably Antonio and his son would be happy to help you out, and maybe Antonio’s brother-in-law,” Savannah said. “You really should have the floor repaired before you and the cats move in.”
“Oh, your husband said he’d be over this afternoon. He’ll put down the subflooring; all I have to do is find matching wood and get someone to install it. I might just lay a rug over that spot.”
Savannah smiled. “Well, Gail, it sounds like you have a working plan. Good for you. Let me know when you’re ready to bring stuff up here; I can help with that.”
“Me too,” Adele said.
Gail reached her arms out to embrace both women. “I just love you guys. Thank you so much for all that you’ve done.”
“You’re most welcome,” Savannah said. “Thanks for letting me be involved in your launch into a new life.”
All three women laughed and Adele quipped. “You owe me big-time, cuz.”
“You got it,” Gail said.
Just then Savannah picked up a large envelope. “Oh, Gail, here’s your picture back.” Gail looked confused, so Savannah added, “The furry cat.”
“Oh yes, thank you.”
Before Savannah could say anything more, her phone chimed. Craig’s name came up on the screen. She took the call and walked out onto the front porch. “Hi,” she responded.
“It’s not him,” Craig said.
“What?”
“The dude buried in your friend’s yard isn’t her boyfriend, Ronnie Griffith.”
“How do you know that already?” Savannah asked.
“Someone working on the original case was astute enough to get Griffith’s dental records before they shelved the case. I believe they found a corpse shortly after he went missing and they thought it was him. Forensics was able to compare those records against the corpse we found on her property today. This one’s not Ronnie Griffith either.”
“That’s good…I think. But who is it, for heaven’s sake?”
“Good question. Just when I think I’ll have some time off to go fishing, a new mystery surfaces,” he grumbled. “Back to work.”
“Good-bye and thank you, Craig.” Savannah returned to the living room where the women were sipping iced tea.
“Here,” Adele said, handing Savannah a glass. “We poured one for you.”
“Thanks.”
As the other two women chatted, Savannah sat quietly, which Gail noticed. “Hey, I hope the call wasn’t disturbing. Is everything okay?”
Savannah nodded. She then said, “Yeah. But Gail, I have something to tell you.”
“Oh no,” she said. “Do I want to hear this?”
“I’m not sure. Well, some of it probably you do. Listen, Craig and his crew were here earlier, as you know. They were searching for evidence in Ronnie’s disappearance.”
“I know,” she said. She stood, walked away, then faced the others. “Why?” she exclaimed. I’d really like to know why they think I…or my father…”
Savannah approached the distraught woman. “In a case like this everyone’s a suspect and every rock must be turned over.” She hesitated, then said, “Gail, they found something.”
Gail slumped into the nearest chair. “What?”
“Remains.”
Gail stared at Savannah. “A body?” she asked weakly.
“Yes, but it’s not Ronnie.”
“Oh,” was all she could manage. Finally, she asked, “Who?”
“They don’t know, but it isn’t Ronnie Griffith. Gail, do you know of anyone else who went missing, probably many years ago?”
Gail shook her head as if in deep thought. “No.”
When Savannah noticed that Adele had become quiet, she looked at her. The woman sat staring straight ahead, her hands in her lap. “Adele?”
“Huh?” Adele responded.
“Do you know who might have been buried out there in the yard?”
“Um…no.”
“Are you sure?” Savannah pressed.
Adele began fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. She glanced at Gail.
“What is it, Adele?” Savannah asked.
“Yeah,” Gail said, “what do you remember? I certainly don’t remember anyone going missing around here.”
“He was a minister,” Adele said quietly.
“What?” Gail cried. “Delli, what are you talking about?”
“We were having a pajama party. Your mom invited me over to keep you and her company because Uncle Abe and Skipper had gone fishing overnight. Remember that?”
Gail frowned. “Vaguely. Was that the night I got a tummy ache from eating too much cake?”
“Yes, we’d helped your mom make a strawberry cake, and you kept eating the frosting. You got sick and threw up, so Aunt Violet put us both to bed early. Later that night I heard voices in the living room, and they sounded angry. I was sca
red, but I had to go to the bathroom, so I finally got up enough courage to go. I got up real quietly and went to the bathroom. I was also curious, so I stopped before going back to your room, and listened. It was your dad. I guess they’d come back early from their fishing trip. He was arguing with that old minister. Remember him?”
“Pastor Simlin?” Gail asked. “He didn’t stay long.”
As if not quite believing her own thoughts, Adele said, “No. Because I think your father killed him.”
“What?” Gail screeched.
“Well, we were just kids and I had a big imagination. After I saw what I thought I saw, I went to bed and hid under the covers. In the morning when I got up and nothing had changed, I figured it must have been a dream.”
“What happened?” Savannah asked. “What did you see?”
“I saw Uncle Abe hit Pastor Simlin with a statue. I think it was that statue of a boy and a lamb. I remember it because I used to like looking at it.” She paused before saying, “After that night, I never saw it again.”
Gail sat forward in her chair. “I remember that statue. I’d hoped to come across it here in the house.”
“I think he buried it out back.” Adele put her hands over her mouth. “He must have also buried Pastor Simlin. Oh my God! I saw him and your brother out there digging.”
“I thought you hid under the covers,” Gail said.
“Yeah, until I heard something outside your bedroom window. I had to look.”
“Wow,” Savannah said, “where was Mrs. Allen while this was going on?”
Adele thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Aunt Violet might have been in bed by then.”
“She sometimes took a large dose of cough medicine at night,” Gail said. “She had trouble sleeping because of her illness and the cough syrup helped.”
Savannah thought for a moment, then said, “I’d better have the detective talk to you if you’re willing, Adele.”
“No!” Gail said sternly. When the others looked at her, she said, “That’s my father and brother you’re talking about. I won’t have Papa’s memory spoiled like that.”