by PJ Fernor
“We can do that.”
“There’s got to be files around here,” Lizzy said. “I need to see some notes. Anything. Sometimes the smallest little detail in a notebook can bust a case wide open. Chances are whoever this is… it’s someone who… what? What would make me kill and then wait all these years to do it again?” Lizzy paused. She looked at me. “Maybe in the killer’s mind, enough time had gone by. Right? Waiting to see if they were going to get caught but they don’t. You just took the department over.”
“That was months ago,” I said. “I took it over back in winter.”
“Think about the changes,” Lizzy said. “Spring into summer. A lot of daylight. Hot weather.”
“You think the killer waited until now because of the weather?” I asked.
“I’m just throwing anything out there. But first we need to see some files. I need to talk to the mayor too. Get his side of things. If you’re positive those other three men had nothing to do with it, then I believe you.”
“They didn’t do anything,” I said. “Certainly not in the past.”
“So we’re looking at either the killer is back,” Lizzy said. “Or someone is having fun. Meaning they knew about the killer. Or they got into the notes. Or some old stories. Small towns, right? There are always stories.”
“True,” I said. “Okay, this is good so far, Lizzy.”
I stood up and was about to tell her we needed to go into the basement to dig for files.
Ben came hurrying into my office.
“Mrs. Mickels,” he said.
Lizzy snapped her fingers. “The pain in the butt.”
“That’s right,” Ben said.
“What about her?” I asked.
Ben ran a hand through his hair. “She just called to say there’s a box and a note on her porch.”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
I told Muldavey to call Mrs. Mickels and tell her to get away from the box.
Immediately.
Just like that, Lizzy’s visit to town went from calm and brainstorming to springing into action.
She got into my SUV and Ben followed us in his.
We arrived at her street within minutes, parking across from her house.
Ironically enough, we parked almost where this entire thing had begun.
My mind went back to walking through the woods, then finding the two bodies.
I stood out on the street and signaled for Ben to park and block the street.
Nobody was allowed to come near the house until I figured out what to do.
Lizzy hurried around my SUV.
When she looked like she was going to keep moving toward Mrs. Mickels', I grabbed her arm and stopped her.
“Wait,” I said.
Muldavey pulled up behind Ben.
They joined Lizzy and me.
“Hey, Detective Cold,” Muldavey said in a smooth voice.
“Really?” Ben asked him.
“Sorry,” Muldavey said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“I think it’s kind of cute,” Lizzy said.
“You do?” Muldavey asked.
I snapped my fingers. “Focus.”
I looked across to the house.
Mrs. Mickels stood in her front window. That seemed to be her favorite place in the world to be.
I gave a two-finger wave and she nodded.
I held my hands out, hoping she’d understand the signal to just stay there.
To stay inside and wait.
My eyes moved down and I saw the box.
Right at the edge of the porch.
“She touched it already, right?” Ben asked.
“Muldavey?” I asked.
“She called in a panic,” Muldavey said. “I had given her my cell number. Figured it would be easier than having her drive everyone crazy. I could field her worries.”
“That’s nice of you,” Lizzy said.
“Just doing my job, Detective Cold,” Muldavey said, hooking his thumbs to his belt again.
“What did she say to you, Muldavey?” I asked.
He cleared his throat and looked at me. “She said there was a box on her porch. And a note. She said she didn’t order any packages. That she doesn’t believe in online shopping. She doesn’t even have internet.”
“Big shock,” Ben said.
“I told her to stay away from the box,” Muldavey said. “Could be anything in there, good or bad. Better to be safe than sorry.”
“Good thinking,” Lizzy said.
“Thanks,” Muldavey said with a smirk.
“So she went back inside and stayed there,” I said. “She never listens to us. She must be scared.”
“Yeah, well, what are we going to do now?” Ben asked. “Standing here won’t solve a thing.”
“What I should do is make a call,” I said. “But that will mean this town will be busy. A lot of talking. Especially from Mrs. Mickels.”
“It’ll get Mayor Jim riled up too,” Ben said.
“Yeah, I know.”
“This small town is fascinating so far,” Lizzy said.
“I can show you around if you’d like,” Muldavey said, jumping forward.
Ben put a hand out. “Take it easy, Muldavey.”
“I have to think here for a second,” I said. “At the very least we should get Mrs. Mickels out of the house. Just in case.”
“You think it’s a bomb?” Muldavey asked.
“I don’t know what to think,” I said.
“Could be a bomb,” Lizzy said. “I’ve seen that before. I had a cold case once that I solved. The guy had barricaded himself in his house and left bombs in the front yard. They were lawn decorations.”
“Anyone get hurt?” Muldavey asked.
“That doesn’t matter right now,” I said. “Call Mrs. Mickels right now. We have to talk to her.”
Muldavey nodded, took out his phone and placed the call.
He put the call on speakerphone and handed it to me when Mrs. Mickels answered
“Mrs. Mickels, this is Allie,” I yelled. “I need you to go out the back door and leave your house.”
“Leave my house? For what?” Mrs. Mickels’ voice asked.
“We aren’t sure what’s in that box,” I said. “Until we know, we need to get you to safety.”
“What about the note?”
“Don’t worry about that right now. I need you to get out of the house. Okay? I want you to walk around to the front. Come to us. We’ll keep you safe.”
“I don’t like this one bit,” Mrs. Mickels said.
“I know you don’t. Neither do I. But we have to be safe.”
“But the note…”
“Mrs. Mickels, focus on your safety right now, okay?”
“I’ll give it to you later?”
“What?” I asked.
I looked around at Ben, Muldavey, and Lizzy.
“The letter,” Mrs. Mickels said. “I took it off the box.”
“You touched that box?” I yelled.
“Well, yeah. I shook it.”
I put my head back and sighed. “Mrs. Mickels…”
“Let me read it, hold on.” A few seconds of shuffling later, she read the letter. “It says… OPEN WITH CARE. DON’T WANT ANYONE TO GET HURT.”
“Okay, here’s what I need you to do. I need-”
I saw movement and before I could reach for her, Lizzy hurried across the street.
“Lizzy!” I called out.
But she was on the move.
As I turned my head I saw Muldavey run after her.
“Mrs. Mickels, go out the back door, right now,” I ordered.
I ended the call.
I looked at Ben.
“If it’s a bomb…”
“I know,” I said.
I turned and Ben touched my arm.
“Ben,” I said. “I run the department. I can’t have someone else get hurt. Not on my watch. Not again at least.”
“I can’t let you get hurt eit
her,” Ben said.
“Detective Cold, please don’t do it,” I heard Muldavey’s voice say.
“I’m sorry, Ben,” I said. “You stay here. Lo needs one of us. Just in case.”
Ben opened his mouth.
I took off across the street.
“Lizzy!” I yelled. “Lizzy, do not…”
It was too late.
Lizzy grabbed the box.
She looked back at me and shrugged her shoulders.
“Just wait a second,” Muldavey said to her. “Just give us a second to figure this out.”
“No time to waste,” Lizzy said.
She shut her eyes and tore open the box.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
I ran toward Lizzy.
Ben screamed my name.
Muldavey looked panicked.
Lizzy didn’t have a care in the world as she opened the box.
She turned and faced us, opening the flaps.
I began to lift my hands, fearing the box would explode.
If it did explode, my hands weren’t going to save a thing.
The box didn’t explode.
Instead, Lizzy pushed the cardboard flaps down and handed the box to Muldavey.
He held the box out as though he were still convinced it was going to explode.
“At least it’s not a bomb,” Lizzy said.
“What is wrong with you?” I snapped at Lizzy. “You can’t do that kind of stuff!”
“Why not?” Lizzy asked. “I went with my gut.”
“Your gut?” I yelled.
“This is a small town, Allie,” Lizzy said. “Someone killed a woman years ago. Left some notes. Got away with it. Now the killer is back to do the same. There is zero reason the killer would have left a bomb.”
“You don’t know that,” I said. “We’re closer than the first time. There’s more of us on the case. I’m not giving up. Mrs. Mickels saw the killer more than once. Just the figure of the killer. Not to mention the killer broke into her house and scared her. He knows she’s seen things.”
“Oh,” Lizzy said. “Well, then, yeah, I shouldn’t have opened the box.”
I wanted to pull my hair out.
Lizzy was so calm and collected.
I looked at Ben. His face was as red as an apple.
“Can we at least talk about what’s in the box?” Lizzy asked.
“Might as well now,” I said.
Muldavey stood, holding the box out.
“You can exhale, Muldavey,” Ben said to him.
“I’m fine,” Muldavey said. “I trust Detective Cold.”
“You probably shouldn’t,” Lizzy said. “I’ve been known to open boxes I shouldn’t and break the hearts of men who don’t deserve it.”
Muldavey let out a weak laugh.
I looked into the box and I shook my head.
A pile of rose stems.
No roses though.
Just the stems.
With thick, sharp thorns.
I carefully reached into the box and took one out.
“This is what the note meant,” I said. “About nobody getting hurt.”
“On the thorns,” Ben said.
“This is relieving yet creepy,” Muldavey said. “I mean, you know, I’m glad it’s not a bomb.”
Lizzy reached for the box.
She touched one of the stems and let out a yelp.
Muldavey dropped the box and reached for Lizzy. “Are you okay?”
“I got hurt,” Lizzy said. “Of course I did.”
“Here, I’ll help,” Muldavey said.
He grabbed Lizzy’s left thumb and squeezed it.
“Are we going to stay like this all day now?” Lizzy asked.
“If you need me to, I will,” Muldavey said.
“Lizzy,” I said.
“Hello? Anyone there?”
I turned my head and saw Mrs. Mickels walking along the side of her house.
I almost forgot about her.
“Over here,” Ben said. “You’re safe now. Nothing to worry about.”
“What was in that box?” Mrs. Mickels asked.
“Rose stems,” I said.
“No roses?” Mrs. Mickels asked.
“None,” Ben said.
“Detective Cold got hurt,” Muldavey announced. “I’m helping her.”
“Okay, big guy, I’m good now,” Lizzy said.
She pulled her hand away and looked at her thumb.
“Ben,” I whispered. “Can you…”
I motioned for Mrs. Mickels.
He nodded.
“Muldavey, come with me,” Ben said.
They went to handle Mrs. Mickels.
I stayed focused on Lizzy.
She studied her thumb and then looked around.
“This is your normal, huh?” she asked.
“Very,” I said. “Mrs. Mickels has been in the middle of this the entire time. She’s a little… nosy. Sometimes it’s annoying. Sometimes she’s right.”
“So the killer keeps coming back here but he won’t kill her,” Lizzy said.
“No,” I said. “We’ve had Muldavey here quite a bit just to keep an eye on things.”
“Apparently he wasn’t here enough,” Lizzy said, pointing to the now tipped over box and rose stems.
“What are you thinking? Do you have a feel for this?”
“I think I do,” Lizzy said. “I think the killer is definitely local. Might even be someone that knows Mrs. Mickels. Maybe whoever it is just can’t bring themselves to kill her. Or someone from town. Both sets of murders were people from the outside, right?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Maybe I’m right.”
“Maybe you are,” I said. “We can’t go and interview everyone who lives in Sandemor.”
“No, we can’t,” Lizzy said. “I need the files. I need everything. No matter how little or messy they are. Most times there’s at least some kind of hint of something in the files. Something overlooked.”
“You will get the files,” I said. “In fact, let’s go back to the station and get to work. I’ll have Ben and Muldavey stay here.”
“You don’t want Muldavey to follow me around with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.”
“Tell you what, Lizzy,” I said. “Let’s solve these murders. Then you can tease Muldavey all you want. But I will say… he’s a good guy. He’s a small-town guy. So don’t crush him too much.”
Lizzy smiled. “I’ll do my best. Or I’ll just ignore him.”
We walked off the porch.
I told Ben to stay with Muldavey and keep an eye on Mrs. Mickels.
Muldavey was quick to say goodbye to Lizzy.
Instead of responding, she took out her phone and faked a phone call.
Muldavey looked crushed.
We were supposed to be solving murders, not playing some high school romance games.
I drove with Lizzy back to the station.
On the way, our conversations were short.
She was deep in thought. Focusing. Repeating herself about the files.
I didn’t have the heart to let her know that we’re - once again - just a small town. There wasn’t some vast filing system of notes. A lot of it was just going on hunches. And most of the time, big crimes didn’t really happen.
Plus, the first murder was such a long time ago… and from what Mayor Jim told me…
For a moment I wondered if calling Lizzy was a mistake.
I chased that thought away.
I pulled into the parking lot of the station.
“Well, that guy looks happy to see us,” she said. She pointed. “Who is that?”
I saw the smile and the teeth.
I sighed.
“That is Mayor Jim…”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
I knew it was inevitable that Lizzy would have to meet Mayor Jim. I just wanted it to be under my terms and my say.
Of course, he was the mayor. And he loved to linger around the police s
tation.
Forever wanting to bother me, nervous about his precious parade, desperate for me to solve this case.
I had my own sense of desperation to solve the case, but mine was different than Mayor Jim’s.
As we approached Mayor Jim, I looked at Lizzy.
“Sorry about this,” I said.
“No worries,” she said. “He worked on the first case, right?”
“Yeah. He helped out a little.”
“Good to know.”
Mayor Jim stuck his hand out for Lizzy to shake. “It’s a pleasure to have you here, Detective Cold. I can’t tell you how much this means to myself and to-”
“You worked the first case,” Lizzy said. “What did you miss?”
“Excuse me?”
“The first murder. What happened? You must have missed something. There’s no way a woman just gets murdered and everyone forgets about it. What kind of town is this? You can’t possibly lead me to believe that you worked on a case like that which went cold and then somehow became the mayor? That seems a little strange to me.”
Mayor Jim was shocked. He slowly lowered his hand.
“Well,” he said. “You’re not wasting any time.”
“No time to waste,” Lizzy said. “That poor woman was murdered how many years ago? Her case just left to sit there and rot away. I’m not sure what you believe in, Mr. Mayor, but I believe that everyone deserves to have their truth told. Imagine if this woman is just stuck in some spiritual realm because nobody knows the truth.”
“If that’s your belief…”
“It’s not,” Lizzy said. “But what do you know? What happened back then?”
“I already talked to Allie about that,” Mayor Jim said. He adjusted his tie. “It was a long time ago. The town was smaller than it is now. We didn’t have the resources. We did the best we could.”
“She wasn’t a resident so it didn’t matter.”
“I never said that, Detective Cold.”
“You quit on her.”
“I took my orders.”
“You’re throwing someone else under the bus,” Lizzy said.
Mayor Jim looked to me for help.
I wasn’t going to bail him out of this.
“Okay, Detective Cold,” Mayor Jim said. “You got me. I should have done more. I didn’t. There’s a reason I’m not wearing a badge right now. It wasn’t meant for me. I think about that poor woman every single day. Knowing I let her down. I’ll gladly take the fall for what happened. If you want me to. Allie can put handcuffs on me right now and end this whole thing. Is that what you want?”