Ashley Crane Cozy Mystery Boxed Set

by Laurie Anne Marie

  “Her cat kept howling and howling as she was lying there, I couldn’t stop it,” Margaret said. “I can still hear it screeching…”

  Her voice trailed off again. It was so quiet that it was nearly impossible to hear her.

  “Please Margaret, I can barely hear you,” Ashley said. “Do you know this woman?”

  “I used to know her very well. We were best friends,” Margaret said.

  “And? Were you the one who found her?” Ashley asked.

  “Yes,” Margaret whispered again. “I was the one who called 9-1-1.” She looked around the dining room in fear.

  Ashley didn’t want to follow her eyes. Instead she kept them focused on Margaret.

  “And then…there...there…” Margaret’s entire body started to tremble.

  “What?” Ashley whispered.

  “They reported that there was a body in the back yard! I didn’t know that when I found her. But I did see a gun in Arabella’s hand! I can’t believe my old friend killed someone!” The woman reached in her pocket for a tissue, then dabbed her eyes with it. “But her front door was open, just banging in the wind when I found her. Someone must have tried to break in. The police can’t blame her for shooting an intruder, can they?”

  Margaret put her head in her trembling hands and started to cry. Then she stood up quickly and wiped her eyes again.

  “I have to go,” she whispered again. She got her purse and started to leave.

  Ashley gently took her arm. “Please, can we talk a little bit more about—?”

  Margaret’s eyes drifted, then focused on Ashley’s face. They were detached again, listless. As if she were looking at nothing, as if her eyes were turning back on themselves.

  “There’s nothing more to say.” Margaret backed away a few steps, then that slight curve formed on her lips again.

  When she turned and walked out, Ashley couldn’t help but notice her walk was robotic.

  Ashley sat down at the table that Margaret had just left. She needed to think for a moment. Then she jumped up and started to hurry out of the bakery.

  The banging door. The howling cat. My dream, she thought.

  She had to get to the police station and ask Thompson to take her to Arabella’s home. She was sure there were answers there.

  Just then, the man she thought she saw in the drone video, at the widow’s home, in the park, and those old crime photos, walked into the bakery and stopped at the door. His face had always been fuzzy, but as he looked around the bakery and eventually settled on Ashley just a few feet away, he gave her a wide grin and she knew it was him. Tall, lanky, sharp features. And the smile he flashed at her wasn’t friendly. It was the coldest, most menacing smile she had ever seen. She stood there breathlessly as he kept fixated on her, then as quickly as he had entered, he left through a throng of people.

  He’s trying to frighten you, she thought. He’s psychologically toying with you.

  She walked back to the table she just left and dialed Thompson.

  As soon as he picked up, she blurted, “Hope you have the coordinates from the drone for that hole we spied in the ground. We need to get there, as soon as possible! I’m sure there are tunnels and there are answers in them!”

  Chapter Ten

  Ashley quickly explained what had transpired at the bakery and Thompson said he would come and meet her. He ordered her not to leave until he got there, and said he would bring backup to join with the cop that was already there, then they would head out. She ran up to the front and looked for Sean. He was passing by with a tray of apple cider donuts and she urged him to step aside and talk for a few moments.

  “Ash, I’m sorry, it’s crazy busy! Can I talk to you later?” he asked.

  “No, it’s urgent. I’m going to that hole we saw in the ground on the drone with Thompson and some other police to see if there is a tunnel there. I’ll be fine with all the protection, but wanted to let you know where I will be,” she said.

  “Why now? Can’t you wait until later when I can go with you?”

  “No, if we don’t get there right now, we could lose the evidence we need!”

  “Ash, I really—” Sean started to say.

  Ashley cut him off as she looked out the window. “Gotta go, that’s Thompson pulling in.”

  She ran out the door waving at Nate, and jumped in his car. Along with the cop car who had been tailing her, they all headed out toward the field where Sean, Ashley, her dad, and her uncle had flown the drone.

  As they drove to the field, Ashley quizzed Nate on what he had found.

  “We have the exact coordinates in the field where the hole was, but who’s to say he hasn’t gone back and filled the hole in?” Nate asked.

  “Well, we have to take our chances. Besides, if there’s a tunnel there, he couldn’t have filled that up by himself, so you can dig in the hole, right? At least we have an area where we can search,” she said.

  “Yes, and if I send guys to dig in the spot, and they do find tunnels, maybe there’s nothing in them connected to that old murder case. Chances are, whatever anyone was hiding there, and even assuming that they were hiding anything, it probably has been destroyed by the elements. Rain, mud, oxidation—all would take a big toll on what might be underground,” Thompson said.

  “Like a body,” Ashley said. “Except bones would still be there.”

  Nate stared at her. “Maybe. Unless they moved those too.”

  Ashley got quiet and they rode the rest of the way there in silence, the detective looking at his notes. The police radio interrupted them when they were nearly there.

  “Sir, where should we park?” a male voice said on the radio.

  “Follow me. We’ll pull up near the top of the hill and park on the left. Have to walk in the rest of the way,” Nate said.

  ***

  As soon as they got out of the car, Ashley followed Thompson as his men led the way to the spot where the camouflaged hole was seen on the drone video. Sure enough, the area looked as if it had been recently disturbed, with mounds of dirt and rocks where the cover had been, including the recent snowfall dug around as well. Thompson ordered a rod to go down what would have been the hole, and it struck a rock immediately and stopped. A few men tried digging around it and they just kept hitting dirt and rocks.

  Thompson frowned. “Seems like as soon as you all left the area, whoever it was seen coming out of that hole in the ground and spied your drone, probably got some accomplices and they filled this area in. We’ll come back with an earth mover and dig it up again and see if there is a tunnel in there. Don’t get your hopes up, though. They probably moved anything incriminating in there, and like I said, whatever else might be left, probably dissolved in ground water by now.”

  Ashley sighed. Another roadblock. She stood there quietly and gazed out over the landscape.

  “If there is a tunnel, there must be another entrance, right?” She turned and glazed at Nate.

  “Maybe it wasn’t a tunnel. Maybe it was just a hole that led to a large room underneath where they hid, or stored things. In which case, this would be the only entrance,” he said.

  “No, it’s a tunnel. Mary said to look for tun—” Ashley said.

  Thompson gave her an exasperated look as he cut her off. “Okay, okay,” he said. “Hopefully, we will get the answer after we dig it up. Satisfied?”

  “No, not yet,” she said. “While your men are doing this, we need to get to the hospital to see a patient name Arabella Lee. I think she will have some answers for us.”

  “That woman who shot a man in her backyard up in the mountain and was found in her living room this morning?”

  “Yes, that woman. Can we get to the hospital and question her?”

  “What has she got to do with this old murder case?” Nate asked.

  “I don’t know. But that lady who came into the bakery and asked to speak with me specifically said she had been her best friend long ago, and that an intruder had entered the house and that’
s probably why the woman shot him. I got a feeling that there’s more to the story. That and my dream.”

  “What?” Nate asked.

  “Never mind. Can we go to the hospital now?”

  “Sure. Let’s go.”

  Nate gave instructions to the cops to call for a crew to get the hole dug open. He then left with Ashley.

  ***

  “You know, she most likely is sedated and won’t be able to talk to us,” Thompson said.

  “I know,” Ashley said. “But at least I can get a look at her and go back to her place.”

  “That we can,” he said. He glanced sideways at her determined face. “Thanks for offering to help. I appreciate it,” he said.

  “You’re welcome,” she said. “Not so sure we’re getting anywhere. It feels like we’re running in circles.”

  “Or chasing ghosts. It’s an old case. Even if we do solve it, everyone has moved on…ghosts have drifted away. And it won’t bring that widow back.”

  “Yeah, but—” she started to say.

  “I know, I know,” he said. “How would we feel if someone we loved was murdered and no one followed through to solve it?”

  “Exactly,” Ashley said. “And would you ever be the same after someone you loved was taken away?” Thompson just stared ahead.

  She looked out the window at the trees frosted with snow. She noticed the gloom had lifted somewhat and there were small rays of sun poking out. On the horizon, though, she could see a mass of gray clouds moving in. Getting ready to change everything again. Just like life itself.

  She whispered to herself, “I know I’d never be the same, even forty years later.”

  ***

  As soon as they got to the hospital, Thompson showed the receptionist his badge.

  “Detective Nate Thompson here to see a Mrs. Arabella Lee.”

  The receptionist took a look at the handsome detective in front of her, and blushed.

  “Can you wait just one moment while I look up that patient?” she asked.

  Ashley noticed the woman glancing up from her computer at Nate. Was she batting her eyelashes at him?

  Ashley rolled her eyes. She certainly had noticed over the years that Nate was handsome, but as time went by and he became just her friend, she didn’t think about his looks anymore. Besides, Ashley getting married to Sean sealed the deal. And soon Nate would be married too. She felt like telling the receptionist that.

  “Arabella Lee? It says here that she checked out an hour ago,” the receptionist said.

  “What?” Thompson said. “That seems unlikely. The report said she was brought in this morning with possible severe injuries.”

  “I’m sorry, Detective, but that’s what it says. Here, you can read it for yourself.”

  The receptionist swung her computer around and sure enough, it said Arabella Lee had checked out at two-fifteen. Almost exactly an hour ago. Both Thompson and Ashley stood rooted to the ground. He stared at the computer again.

  “Who checked her out?” he asked.

  The receptionist squinted at the computer screen. “It looks like she checked herself out. Is there anything else I can help you with, Detective?” the receptionist said. Her voice was almost purring as she smiled at him, and yes, she was unmistakably batting her eyelashes.

  Ashley smiled back at her. “You can start helping by not flirting anymore. He’ll be getting married soon, and I’m here to keep him grounded.”

  The receptionist blushed again, this time from embarrassment, and got up from the desk and walked to the other side.

  Nate turned and glared at Ashley. “That was unprofessional, and uncalled for. I’m a grown man, I can handle myself.”

  Ashley felt a hot wave of shame flood over her. She didn’t know why she had blurted that out. Because at one time she had been interested in him? As a warrior for all women everywhere? But it rang hollow. The receptionist was only being human. And there was no ring on his finger yet to tip her off. It really had been an innocent exchange, but Ashley had blown it out of proportion.

  Probably because I just got married not so long ago, she thought. But that’s no excuse.

  “I’m sorry. My bad,” she said to Nate. “Can we go?”

  He was still glaring at her. “Let’s go,” he said curtly, and headed for the door.

  She turned to follow him when just then, she spied that woman, Margaret, from the bakery. She was walking toward the reception desk also.

  This time there was a different woman sitting at the computer. Margaret leaned in and spoke so softly that Ashley could barely hear what she was saying.

  Ashley moved a bit to the back so Margaret wouldn’t see her. She then motioned to Detective Thompson. “Nate, wait a minute,” Ashley whispered.

  Unfortunately, Thompson couldn’t hear Ashley. He kept walking toward the door.

  Ashley stood rock still close by the desk but out of Margaret’s sightline. She heard the new receptionist tell Margaret that Arabella Lee had checked out of the hospital already.

  Margaret clutched her hand over her chest. Her voice got quite loud just then. “That’s not possible! She was just brought in early this morning with severe injuries! I saw them myself. My friend and I were the ones who called 9-1-1. It can’t be!”

  Friend and I? Ashley wondered. Margaret had told Ashley in the bakery that she was the one who found Arabella at her house. She hadn’t mentioned a friend being with her.

  The receptionist calmly told Margaret that indeed Mrs. Arabella Lee had left, and asked her if she could help with something else.

  Margaret muttered a “no thank you” and stumbled away from the desk. Ashley noticed her walk had gone from a robotic gait to a very unsteady limp. She looked as if she would pass out any moment. Ashley walked behind her so as not to be spied, and gestured wildly to Nate as he stood by the door looking exasperated. He raised his eyebrows quizzically but didn’t utter a word. As soon as Margaret passed through the door and got a good distance in front of them, Ashley whispered to the detective.

  “That’s her! The woman who came into the bakery and told me that she had found Arabella early this morning and called 9-1-1. She looked completely shocked that Arabella was already out. She said ‘it was impossible.’”

  “Well, we were surprised too,” he said. “It’s pretty unusual that a patient with injuries brought in the morning would be out in the afternoon. Especially an elderly one.”

  “Her reaction was different. I think she knows something we don’t. Maybe she is afraid for her safety if she tells. I can’t say for sure, but I think we should follow her Nate!”

  Chapter Eleven

  Nate and Ashley went outside and saw Margaret get in a new luxury white sedan and slowly drive off heading toward the outside of town. Since Thompson had an unmarked car, they followed a safe distance behind.

  Just before they got to the highway, the sedan made a sharp right turn and went up a hill. Then the car looped around to the left, and went down a small side street. Thompson kept following at a distance. When the white sedan slowed nearly to a stop, Thompson pulled over to the side of the road. They noticed the sedan slowly pull over for a moment too, then quickly take off again. He started to pull out after her, and then could see Margaret looking intensely into her rearview mirror.

  “She knows we’re following her,” he said. “She was testing by circling around on these side streets and must’ve seen us mimicking her moves. I’m just going to pull over. The jig is up.”

  Margaret then pulled over too, still staring into her rearview mirror.

  Ashley’s mood turned irritable. She punched her fist on the seat. “Just when we could have found out more about her and where she lives. I have a headache now. And my stomach is upset.”

  “Well, this was your idea to follow her. But if you’d rather head home, I’ve got her plates already recorded, the make and model of the car, and with her physical description, it shouldn’t be so hard to track her down later.”

&nb
sp; Ashley sighed. “No, that’s okay. We might as well see what her next move is.”

  Thompson shot her a look of pity. “Okay, whatever you say. In the meantime, just sit and chat with me and smile a lot because she’s watching.”

  “Can you find out where that patient Arabella lives so we can pay her a visit?” she said.

  “I’ve already entered her name into the computer. Waiting to hear,” he said.

  Ashley gave him an exaggerated grin to pretend everything was amiable. She could see Margaret glancing into her rear view mirror again.

  “When are you going to check back on the men digging into that hole again?”

  “Ash, it’s too soon. It will take them awhile longer. They’ll call me as soon as they’re done, don’t worry.”

  “Okay,” she sighed.

  She gave him another ridiculous grin. Playing this game was getting tiring. She wished they could get up to interview Arabella. But following this woman was her idea. After all, she thought it could lead to something. And even if it didn’t, it could be crucial for the woman’s safety. She had a feeling that Margaret was in over her head, confused, scared, or if nothing else, unaware. Or was she? She remembered that slight curve to her mouth and her robotic gait as she walked away.

  Just then, the white sedan pulled out quickly from the curb and gunned it going down the street.

  “Holy cra—!” Thompson started to shout.

  “Hurry up Nate or we’ll lose her!” Ashley yelled.

  “There she goes!” Thompson yelled back as the sedan sped around the corner.

  He accelerated, but just then a mom and her kids meandered across the street at the crosswalk, with an old dog tailing behind on a leash and slowly wagging his tail. Thompson had to slow to a stop, and the mom waved at him and mouthed a “thank you.” She got to the other side, but had to wait while the old dog caught up to her and the kids. Thompson waved back, and then quickly took the next right where the sedan had gone down.