“Got it, but look at those papers I sent. I think that ties in with what you got there. Over and out.”
“Uh, yeah.” Wannamaker was gone before he could sign off himself. Addams opened the folder. It was a list of property improvements for the Mathison’s home, going back several years. Wannamaker had starred the top page. It was the bill for adding a closet to the back of the spare bedroom, which had involved extending the room two feet into the back yard. The listed dimensions appeared to fit this hidden room.
Addams grinned at Getty. “We seem to have reached the same conclusion at the same time. You heard what I told Mike?”
Getty nodded.
“Then get to it. Mike will have that list for you. I’m going to wait till you get back, then I have some people to talk to. District Attorney Alvarez will probably be one of them. You will wait for Phil Culbertson from the crime scene unit –- you may have to vouch for him with Emmett out there. Don’t touch anything till he gets here, then go through it with him, doing whatever he tells you to do. And check this stuff against the list of stolen goods. Got it?”
Getty nodded again and left.
Addams rubbed his chin, looking at the contents of the secret room. “Now we just have to figure out who’s responsible for this and what this has to do with Steph’s attack.”
CHAPTER 20
George Peabody drove out to the Pierson home with Seth Getty sitting beside him, looking very earnest, the way rookie cops look on their first day, trying to appear professional and experienced, but settling for not seeming overwhelmed.
“Take a breath. We got a long day ahead of us. No point in using up all your seriousness in the car. Save it for the witnesses.”
Getty started to smile, but stopped as if he wasn’t quite sure that was called for either. He did take a breath.
“So, Seth, you and Sam are brothers?”
Getty turned to directly face Peabody. “Yes, twins.”
“Really? Fraternal?”
“No, identical. Most people can’t tell us apart.” He started to hold up his left arm. “I’m the right-handed...”
“Yeah, yeah, I saw that trick. But I don’t think you look all that alike,” Peabody shrugged. “Maybe when you dress exactly the same. I don’t know.”
Since Seth and Sam had both worn a long-sleeved black shirt and khaki pants that morning in lieu of a Summerfield Police Department uniform, Seth wasn’t sure what to make of the remark.
“Well. Maybe when you’re in uniform, huh?”
As they got out of the car, Peabody spoke again. “Remember, we’re not here arresting anyone. We’re just here to pick up what Jeff told us was here.”
Judy opened the front door and drew a deep breath to compose herself, but still took a few seconds to open the screen door for them and gesture for them to come into the hallway.
“Judy.”
“George.”
“Judy, this is Officer Seth Getty. The town council just hired him this morning.”
“To replace Jeff? Already?”
“To fill out the department. Nobody is replacing anybody. And we weren’t consulted. They just presented him and his brother this morning as new hires. He is with me because, after this, we’re going to talk to some people about Steph.”
Judy put her hand to her mouth. “How is she? Any news?”
Peabody shook his head. “No. Nothing has changed.”
“I am so sorry about what happened. You know Jeff would never have done anything to hurt her. She, all of you, meant the world to him.”
“We know that, Judy,” Peabody agreed. “We know he had nothing to do with the attack. That’s not in question.”
Peabody noticed Getty standing quietly, appearing to be trying to look more sympathetic than earnest, but not quite accomplishing either look.
Judy inhaled deeply again. “I suppose you’re here for the box. It’s still out in the garage. I was going to take it down, but Jeff said not to touch it. And, to be honest, I want nothing to do with it.”
“That’s okay, Judy, we’ll handle it.”
As they followed her through the kitchen, Peabody asked Getty, “Did Marie give you some gloves?”
“Yes sir.” Getty pulled them out.
“Go ahead and put them on. I’ll let you handle the box.”
Judy pointed to a box labeled Poindexter’s Sporting Goods on the top shelf. Getty reached up and pulled it down to his chest. It didn’t appear to be heavy, but several objects shifted. He pulled back a flap and Peabody glanced inside.
“Yep, that appears to be what we’re looking for.” He looked at Judy. “Thank you. I know this has to be very difficult for you. I just want you to know that – that we’re still here for you.”
Impulsively he stepped forward and put his arms around her. She stiffened for a moment, then collapsed into his shoulder and started crying. “Oh, George. Oh, George, I don’t know what I’m going to do.” She was quiet for a few seconds. “I know I need to be strong for Jeff and for Jo. But...I never saw anything like this coming.”
“Would you like Susan to come over? She can spend some time with you.”
“I don’t – I don’t know. I don’t know if I can face anybody right now.” She pulled out a tissue and dabbed her eyes, then reflected for a few seconds. “But Susan has always been a good friend. If she doesn’t mind.”
“She won’t mind. I’ll call her. Can I use your phone?”
“Sure.” Judy backed away and wiped the tears from her face. Peabody handed her a tissue to help. They went back into the kitchen, and he dialed the phone, remembering at the last moment to call her at the hospital.
Getty shifted the box slightly, as if not sure what he was supposed to do. Peabody shrugged at him, knowing that consoling the perpetrator’s wife would not have been covered in training.
Peabody held out the phone to Judy. “Since Marie’s now at the hospital, Susan thinks it’s okay to leave Steph’s parents. Here, she’d like to talk with you. We’re going to see ourselves out.”
To the sounds of audible sobbing from both ends of the call, the two men walked back through the living room and out the front door.
Once they were next to the car, they both took several deep breaths.
“Whoa,” Peabody said. “I don’t want to do that too often.”
They got back in the car and drove back to the department. As they parked, Peabody pointed to the station. “Take that box inside and give it to Mike. Then come back out. We’re going to walk next door to the hardware store.”
— — —
Getty returned to find Peabody on the front sidewalk, looking at the window displays and the seasonal specials for Peters’ Hardware Store. They entered together and approached Hank Peters rearranging a display of wrenches next to the paints.
Peters hung the last one, and they shook hands. “If I always leave everything exactly the same way, then customers don’t need to ask me where things are. And in this business half of my service comes because of them asking me – the interaction between us, talking about their projects or what’s going on in their lives. Most of them have learned just to ask me in the first place.”
“Hank, this is Officer Seth Getty. Just started this morning. We’d like to talk with you for just a few minutes regarding last night.”
“Sure, I was expecting you, or somebody anyway. How is Steph, by the way? Is she okay?”
“She’s alive, but still in critical condition, Hank. Still touch-and-go.”
“Ah, that’s such a shame. I’ll keep her in my prayers. Hey, Tommy, “he called to another m
an ringing up a sale at the far end of the counter. “Tommy, I’m going to the backroom for a minute. You got it?”
Tommy raised a hand without looking up and continued counting out change.
“Let’s head to the back room, to my office. I spend as little time as possible back here, but I’ve got to have an office.”
Within the small area, there was a desk with a swiveled rolling chair behind it and two hardback chairs in front, both piled high with papers and catalogues. The floor and all other surfaces were covered with miscellaneous boxes, tools, nails, and pieces of wire.
“Sorry about the mess. If I put something away, I never think about it. So I leave stuff out, so I know what I have to do yet.” He looked around. “I guess what I really have to do next though, is clean some of this up. Hah.” He picked up the piles from the chairs and set them on a corner of his desk. They started to lean, but he pushed them back and steadied them, brought his hands up and waited till he was sure they weren’t going anywhere. He went around to his seat and waved a hand at the two chairs in front. The officers sat.
“So, what can I do for you? I didn’t see the attack, if that’s what you want to know.”
Peabody first turned to Getty. “Did Marie give you a Summerfield Police Department notebook?”
Getty held it up to show he had it ready. “And a pen.”
“Good. Turn to page one. You get to take any notes.”
“Notes, huh?” Peters said. “So this is real official.”
“Yeah, Hank. This is official.” Peabody coughed slightly.
“Want a root beer drop?” Peters picked up a tin from under a paper and held it out.
“Thank you, I believe I will.” Peabody took one. Peters offered the tin to Getty, but he shook his head.
“Hank, we know you were on the green last night...”
“I was just locking up. Tommy...” He turned to Getty. “That’s Tommy Delisle, my assistant out there. Tommy had already left a half-hour before. He was gone before any of this happened.”
Peabody resumed his question. “As I was saying, you were there. I know you waited for the emergency squad. But who else do you remember being there at that time? Bud thinks that there were you and Charlene Matthews from the bank and Mel Johnson, but he was busy with Steph and couldn’t picture anybody else specifically.”
“Okay, there was Charlene. She and I usually leave about the same time. And, now that you mention it, I did see Mel come up from across the green, but I didn’t talk with him. I think one of Charlene’s tellers, but I couldn’t tell you which one. And Harry Townsend, yes, I’m pretty sure Harry Townsend was there. But I think he showed up after the ambulance came. I pretty much talked with Charlene and that was it. There were a few more that arrived afterward. Like JJ Plummer, and Mrs. McMahon, walking her dog, and, I think, the girl Tracy Skinner, waiting for her dad from the grocery.”
He shook his head. “That’s all I can picture. If I think of someone else, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks, that’s helpful.” Peabody watched as Getty scribbled down all the names. “That’s m-a-h-o-n, not m-a-n-n.” He turned back to Peters. “Now, what exactly did you see? Or hear?”
“Well, I heard the scream. Well, not really a scream, more of a cry out, you know what I mean? A cry of surprise, sort of. I had just taken a few steps toward the bank, cause I saw Charlene come out, when I heard it. But all I could really tell was that it had come from the green somewhere. By the time I realized it was in the direction of the bandstand, I saw Jeff Pierson and Bud Addams running toward a shape on the ground. I never saw anyone else near there. I heard Bud talking into his radio, then he saw me and told me to wait for the ambulance. So I went to the corner to wave it down.
“Then the other people started showing up, asking what was going on. By then we knew it was Stephanie.” He shrugged. “That’s all I got.”
Getty spoke for the first time. “Did you pick up anything in the area? Anything that normally wouldn’t be there?”
“No, I didn’t pick up anything at all. I didn’t see anything to pick up.”
“Did you see anyone else pick up anything or throw anything away?”
“Nope. Can’t say that I did.”
Peabody asked one more question. “Did you see where Harry Townsend came from?”
Peters paused briefly, but shook his head. “No, sorry. I just know he was there once the ambulance came, but no idea where he was before. I would guess his office.”
Peabody stood up, and Getty followed.
“Well, thank you, Hank. I appreciate your time.”
“Sorry I couldn’t help more.” Peters rose to shake their hands. “As I said, I didn’t see anybody over there before, and only Jeff and Bud right afterward. I hope to hell you catch whoever did this. Shoot, right out there on the green in the middle of town.” He shook his head.
As they walked to the Johnson and Johnson Insurance Company next door, Peabody waved at the buildings surrounding the green. “Seth, this is the heart of Summerfield.” He pointed specifically to a spot near the bandstand. “That’s where Steph was attacked.” Shaking his head, he continued, “I don’t get it. I just don’t get it. This is such a good place to live.”
Peabody opened the door to the insurance office and waved Getty in ahead of him. Sherri Northrup was on the phone, and held up a hand when she saw who entered.
“Have to talk to you later, Lisha, the police have just come in. As well as somebody new that I definitely don’t know yet. I’ll let you know what’s up when I hear something.”
She hung up the phone and spoke to Peabody, but smiled in the direction of Getty.
“Hey, George, how’s Steph doing?”
“Not too good. Last I heard, she was still in guarded condition.”
Sherri’s smile faded. “I’m sorry to hear that. She and I always got along so well. We’d talk and talk. Almost like we were best friends. What is this town coming to? First Mrs. Mathison, then Steph. Is someone after women, do you think? Should I be worried?”
The idea hadn’t occurred to Peabody. “No, I don’t think so, Sherri. I think it’s something else going on.”
“Well, good, because I’d hate to think we had one of those serial killers here in Summerfield. I mean, we don’t even lock our doors half the time. Do you lock your doors?” The last comment was addressed to Seth Getty.
“Uh, yes, ma’am.”
“Ma’am? I don’t think I’ve ever been called ‘ma’am’ before. My name is Sherri, with an ‘i’, Sherri Northrup.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Officer Seth Getty.”
“New to the department, Sherri. Just this morning,” Peabody interrupted. “Is Mel in?”
“Yes.” She pointed. “Back in his office, that way.”
“Thanks, we can find it.”
Peabody and Getty passed the first room, where Harry Townsend glanced up from a stack of papers. Frowning, he stood up and followed them to the next office, where Mel was sitting. In the middle of the desk in front of him sat a small Newton’s Cradle, the continuous pendulum where a swinging ball set in motion on one side of a series of balls transfers energy to a ball on the other side of the series. As they entered the room, the ends were slowing down, and Mel pulled one ball up to start it again.
Startled, he looked up and saw them standing in the doorway. “I’m sorry. It’s been a traumatic few days.” He waved at the Cradle. “This sometimes helps to calm my mind. Sometimes.” He ruefully smiled and belatedly stood up.
“What can I do for you gentlemen? George, I don’t believe I’ve met your friend.” He put out his hand and Getty shook it.
Townsend, holding a pen in his right hand and continually clicking it, didn’t offer his hand and didn’t say anything. He simply stood, staring at the two police officers.
Johnson spoke, “A new officer, huh? It didn’t take long to replace Steph.” He breathed out and sat back down. “I’m sorry, there isn’t any good way to say that. That was insensitive of me. I’m just babbling this morning.”
That broke Townsend’s silence. “We, we really are sorry to hear about what happened to her.” But he didn’t stop clicking.
“How is she by the way? Any better?” Johnson continued.
Peabody shook his head. “Still in serious condition.”
“Has she said anything?” Townsend asked.
“No, she’s been unconscious since she was taken in the ambulance.” He turned to Johnson. “We understand you both were there last night.” Johnson slowly nodded. “We’d like to ask you a few questions regarding who else was there and if you saw anything.”
“Certainly. Please be seated. Harry...do you want Harry here?”
Peabody paused, then said, “It’s up to you. We’re just gathering information at the moment, see what anybody noticed last night. I have heard you were both there. It may save time to talk with both of you at the same time.”
Johnson nodded and said, “I’m okay with that. Harry, could you bring in another chair from your office? Thanks.”
The Body on the Roof Page 13