by PJ Fernor
Lo was in a bad mood. A typical teenager kind of mood.
I didn’t put much thought into it.
Even when we sat down to eat dinner, I didn’t worry too much.
Then I watched Lo pick at her food.
One small bite of meatloaf and she looked at me.
“What?” I asked.
“This tastes gross,” she said.
“Glad someone said it,” Ben Sr. said.
“Dad!” Ben yelled.
“Sorry,” Ben Sr. said. He lowered his head.
“Lo…,” I said.
“I’m not eating this,” she said. “Why can’t we have pizza?”
“Pizza? Where did that come from?”
“Oh, I can’t have a craving for pizza?” She stood up. “You can’t treat me like some suspect all the time!”
“Whoa,” I said. “Sit back down. Right now.”
“Fine,” Lo said. She sat down. “I’m not eating that.”
“What’s going on with you right now?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
“Lo.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
She stared at me, then it hit me.
I nodded.
I looked down at the meatloaf on my plate. “Okay. This does kind of taste crappy. Sorry about that, everyone.”
“I think it’s fine,” Ben said. “I’ll eat it all.”
“Ben, stop,” I said.
He put his fork down.
He looked between Lo and I.
“What’s happening here?” Ben asked.
“We should just get some pizza,” I said. “Comfort food.”
“Comfort food?” Ben asked. He looked at Lo. “Comfort from what? What happened? Are you okay?”
“Ben,” I said.
He stood up. “Is it Trevor? Did he do something to you? Did he hurt you? What did he say? What did he do?”
“Ben,” I called out.
Lo looked up at him.
“Look, Lo, I know this entire arrangement is a little crazy, but I’m here for you,” Ben said. “What happened? Huh? What did Trevor do?”
“It’s not Trevor,” Lo said.
“Then what is it?”
“Ben,” I said again.
He finally looked at me. “What?”
“Trevor didn’t do anything wrong to Lo,” I said.
“How do you know?”
“Because… well… this sort of thing happens… once a month…”
Ben frowned. “Once a month? What happens once a-” Ben’s eyes went wide. “Oh.”
“Oh,” I said.
“Oh,” he said again. “Let me go get the menu for the pizza place then.”
I looked at Lo and winked.
She offered me a smile for a second.
Ben’s father was happy to get pizza too.
So I went from trying to have a home-cooked meal to waiting for someone to deliver pizzas to the house.
After Lo got settled into her room and Ben’s father went to bed, I stepped out on the front porch to catch my breath and clear my thoughts for a second.
It was a perfect fall night.
Just cold enough to make you reach for your favorite hoodie.
There were houses on the street that had lights up and on for Halloween. Along with inflatables scattered across front yards.
“Want some company?” Ben asked.
“Sure,” I said.
He came outside and looked around.
“My favorite time of the year,” he said.
“Yeah, mine too.”
“How many nights this week are we ordering pizza?” Ben asked with a smile.
“As long as I steer clear of meatloaf, we’ll be fine. That was pretty bad.”
“It wasn’t great,” Ben said.
“Thanks.”
“Hey, I offered to eat it.”
“You don’t have to eat the crappy food that I cook.”
“But I want to,” he said. “You have a lot on your plate. The last thing I want to do is to act like a food critic when I’m known for burning toast.”
“I don’t mind burnt toast.”
“And I don’t mind crappy meatloaf.”
“I guess we’re meant to be together,” I said.
“I guess so.” Ben put an arm around me. “You’re out here thinking about Claire and Candice.”
“Of course I am. Two women, Ben. Murdered.”
“Three men all entangled in it too.”
“Can you see one of them doing it?”
“I don’t know,” Ben said. “If there was a gun involved, maybe. But to… you know…”
“Yeah,” I said. “That’s what I’m thinking too. A crime of passion or jealousy is usually a quick one. This feels more planned out.”
“It does. But… those guys all have motive. Think about it. Drew still loved Candice. Hated that she was with Greg. Greg loved being the current love interest. He loved having that power. That feeling or whatever. Then you have Candice in the middle. I don’t like to speak ill of someone who is now gone, but…”
“I know. She played them both against each other.”
“With Claire sucked into it too.”
“She just wanted to be a good friend,” I said.
“She was settled in life. Or at least more settled than Candice. Not that it should matter. I mean, anyone can choose how they want to live. They just seemed so opposite.”
“That happens. Maybe Claire liked the thrill of having a friend like Candice. And I’m sure Candice liked having someone like Claire to call upon.”
“That seems very complicated. Yet it seems so simple, that it has to be either Drew, Greg, or David.”
“Let’s say it’s too easy to be that. That it’s not those three. That someone planned this out for whatever reason… why those two? Why Claire and Candice?”
“Maybe they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“That scares me, Allie Down.”
“Scares me too.”
Because it meant we didn’t know if and when this killer was going to strike again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The next day, I was pacing behind my desk, thinking, when Johnny called.
As much as I would have taken great pleasure in ignoring his call, I knew I had to answer it.
I put him on speakerphone.
“How’s your day so far?” he asked.
“Why do you ask?”
“I care about you and your day, Allie. You should know that by now.”
“Let’s keep to the case, like always,” I reminded Johnny.
He laughed.
The man knew no boundaries and no shame.
Ever.
“What’s happening next?” I asked.
“You tell me. What are you thinking?”
“It makes perfect sense, Johnny. There’s a lot of tangled up emotion there. Three men. Two women. One marriage that was sturdy enough. The other victim in these complicated and drama filled relationships. It’s the perfect catalyst for something like this.”
“Yes,” Johnny said.
“What gets me… the foot. Why in the world would Drew or Greg severe Claire’s foot like that? And put it into a pumpkin?”
“You forgot about David.”
“What?”
“You only said Drew and Greg. Are you implying David couldn’t have done this?”
Johnny was right.
I looked out the window and sighed.
I admired the bright, colorful autumn show outside.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Why would David do this?”
“Frustration,” Johnny said. “The guy has been dealing with his wife and her friendship with Candice for a long time. Seeing guys come and go. I’m willing to bet that Candice probably wasn’t super supportive of Claire marrying David. Just a hunch. She probably wanted Claire to be more like her. I’m sure David had to deal with a lot of personal anxiety each time Claire went out with Candice. Y
ou even heard that David had to get in the middle of things sometimes when Candice called Claire.”
“But why kill them…?”
“They can’t have kids,” Johnny said. “The failed IVF put a huge strain on their marriage. Maybe Claire was starting to think living like Candice was better? Maybe there’s stuff we don’t know. Or maybe David just lost it. He knew where they were going. He always knew where Claire would be when she was with Candice. I can’t picture Candice giving Greg details as to where she was going to be with Claire.”
“I can,” I said. “If Greg is possessive and jealous over Drew’s presence in their relationship.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that one,” Johnny said.
“So we’re right back to square one,” I said. “We can’t prove that David did it.”
“He is the smartest of the three guys though. You have to admit that.”
“Meaning?”
“Let’s say David lost his cool. Tracked down Claire and Candice. Maybe he wanted to eavesdrop on them. Hear what Claire had to say. He said she was pulling away from him. I would assume that meant they weren’t communicating all that great. So he listened to them. Maybe he heard something that made him snap. Maybe Claire said she was going to leave him. Maybe Candice told Claire to have an affair to find some joy in her life. David - who has been a loyal, faithful husband and has taken care of Candice - snaps.”
“That’s not smart.”
“The smart thing… what if he cut off his own wife’s foot to throw us off his trail?”
I sighed. “That’s reaching.”
“It’s possible.”
“Anything is possible, Johnny.”
“Except us being together.”
“Right.”
“Give me something else then, Allie,” Johnny said. “I’m looking at all their history. Restraining orders. Assault charges. DUIs. This is impressive in a bad way.”
“It makes sense for Drew or Greg. The foot in the pumpkin though…”
“A message for sure,” Johnny said. “Both of us can agree to that.”
“We just need to-”
“Allie, I’m sorry to do this, but I’m going to hang up. David is here looking for me.”
The call went dead.
I looked at my desk, my eyes wide.
David was there… wanting to talk…
I groaned.
Someone knocked at my office door.
It was Muldavey.
“How’d it go last night?” I asked.
“Nothing happened,” Muldavey said. “Even overnight, nothing.”
“How is Mrs. Mickels?”
“The same as always,” he said. “She’s obsessed with this now.”
“Of course she is.”
“She keeps trying to suggest theories. I’m not sure what to do with them all.”
“Do any make sense?”
“Not really. She said there was a delivery driver she yelled at three years ago for leaving a footprint on the grass.”
“And the driver waited three years and killed two random women just to scare her?”
“Seems like she thinks the world revolves around her,” Muldavey said.
“Oh, that’s exactly what she thinks. Either way, we have to keep a police presence near there. Just for the crime scene alone.”
“Do you have any real leads yet?”
“Besides the significant others of the victims… no.”
“Let me know if I can help in any way.”
“I will, Muldavey.”
My phone began to ring.
Johnny was calling back.
“I have to take this,” I said.
I grabbed my phone.
“Johnny…”
“David is here and wants to talk,” Johnny said in a quiet voice. “I told him to give me a minute to call you.”
“I’m on my way right now,” I said. “Keep him busy and do not let him leave.”
I hung up and rushed out of my office and through the station.
When I got into my SUV, I looked out the windshield, I noticed something stuck under the driver’s side wiper blade.
It looked like a note.
I opened the door and reached around to grab it.
I unfolded the piece of paper.
It was handwritten.
I read what it said and shut my eyes.
Chapter Twenty-Four
THAT WAS THE BEGINNING.
I read the note a few times and looked around.
A clear message. Left on my vehicle.
A message I didn’t want to receive, nor did I want to think about the implications.
The first thing I did was call Ben.
I told him to get outside right now.
Is it an emergency?
I looked at the piece of paper again and told him it was.
Ben came rushing out of the station a handful of seconds later, Muldavey right behind him.
“What’s wrong?” Ben yelled to me as he jogged to my SUV.
I pointed to the note now on the hood.
“That was waiting for me,” I said. “Under the wiper.”
Ben glanced at the note and then at me. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“You see it.”
“That wasn’t there when you got here?”
“No, Ben. I didn’t drive here with this under the wiper. Caught my attention the second I got behind the wheel.”
“Okay,” Ben said. “Nobody else touch it. I’m going to get it bagged and see if we can get lucky. Get a print or something.”
“You do what you have to do, but I have to leave.”
“Leave?”
“Johnny called me,” I said. “David showed up over there and wants to talk. Johnny is keeping him occupied until I get there. I want to hear what he has to say.”
“You’re not leaving here, Allie Down,” Ben said. “Not after this note.”
“Ben, it doesn’t-”
“I’m sorry. I have to put my foot down.”
“Then put the next one down and get moving toward the station,” I said.
“If David is with Johnny right now… and this note was just left on your vehicle…”
“I get it,” I said. “I still need to hear what he has to say. Maybe he knows something about Drew or Greg. Maybe one of them did this. To make me nervous. To make me think something else is going to happen.”
“Or maybe there’s someone out there who enjoyed killing Claire and Candice and are being very honest with their intentions,” Ben said.
“I know,” I said. “Ben, I have to go.”
“Will you-”
“Muldavey will follow me,” I said. “He’ll follow me and he’ll watch. I’ll have him drop off a little bit before and park somewhere where he can see my vehicle but he won’t make it too obvious.”
“So that’s it? You’re going to put your life at risk?” Ben asked. “Why can’t you just listen to what David has to say? Put him on speakerphone or something.”
“Ben, you know I can’t do that,” I said. “This is how I work. I’m not going to live in fear.”
Ben looked up. He pointed. “Cameras. We have to check all the cameras.”
“Yes,” I said. “That’s a good idea. One of them had to have seen something.”
“We… I said we…”
“Meaning you and someone else,” I said. “I’m driving to meet Johnny. Muldavey is tailing me.” Ben opened his mouth and I put my hand out. “If you look at the camera footage and see something that shocks you, call me and tell me. I can always turn around. If you see Drew or Greg, you know I need to keep going to talk to David. If you don’t see Drew or Greg, and we really rule these three guys out, then I will turn around and come right back. Look, Ben, David is an emotional wreck. I hate to sound this way, but this is the best time to get him talking. Any little hint of a detail can help.”
Ben gritted his teeth and grabbed the corner of the note and pulled it off the hood of the
SUV.
“I know you don’t like it,” I said. “But it’s smarter to have us in two different places. Covering two different angles. Plus, I trust Muldavey. You should too.”
“Of course I trust him,” Ben said. “I just don’t want you to end up in trouble.”
“Trouble is all I know. Take it or leave it.”
“Yeah, I guess I’ll take it,” Ben said.
I looked at Muldavey and waved him closer.
“Do you have keys?” I asked.
“Yes, I do.”
“Good. I need you to follow me. Not right on top of me though. Just enough to see what’s going on.”
“If you see anyone get close to her, you call her,” Ben said. “Then you call me. Got that?”
“Yes,” Muldavey said.
“I’m meeting with Detective Barby. I need you to watch my vehicle.”
“Someone left a note under the wiper,” Ben said. He showed Muldavey the piece of paper. “This could be something big or just an idle threat. We can’t take any chances.”
“I don’t blame you,” Muldavey said. “I’ll keep a close eye out. Nothing to worry about. I promise.”
“I know,” I said. “Go get your cruiser and meet me right here.”
Muldavey jogged off.
Ben shook his head. “You know, I can’t even get mad at you, Allie Down. Technically, you’re my superior now.”
“Remember that,” I said with a half smirk. I climbed into the SUV. “Just trust me, Ben.”
“Wait a second,” he said. “Get out of the SUV.”
“Why?”
“I’m going to start it.”
“What?”
“Just in case.”
I froze.
We stared at each other.
“Just in case,” Ben said again. “Lo can’t lose you.”
“Your father can’t lose you.”
“You’re not starting the SUV,” Ben said.
I let him have the win.
I got out of the SUV and walked what I felt to be far enough away.
Ben shut the door and sat behind the wheel.
He turned the key and I turned my head.
He had me convinced that the entire vehicle was going to explode.
It didn’t explode.
It started, just like it always did.
“Feel better?” I asked as I walked toward the SUV as Ben got out.