The Body on the Roof

by Kevin Creager

  “George, we’re going to arrest Mr. Johnson here on the same charge for theft that we used for Harry Townsend this afternoon. And for the charge of assault, attempted murder, of Stephanie Reasoner. This time, we’re going to use both charges.

  Peabody gently pulled Johnson to his feet and started reading him his rights. Johnson didn’t resist as the handcuffs were put on and nodded in understanding of his rights, but then turned to Addams. He turned so that the handcuffs were not obvious to the other customers.

  “Bud, I want you to know that at some point I would have confessed to everything. It all got out of control so quickly. Everything went to crap. Tell me, what’s going on with Officer Reasoner?” He looked Addams straight in the eyes with apparent sincere concern. “I really regret that, truly.”

  “We got word just before I came over that she was now out of critical condition and had recovered consciousness, but was not yet ready to speak. She is going to survive. It’s going to be a long haul, but she is going to survive.”

  “I’m glad of that.” He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I am sorry. I... I don’t know what else to say.” Glancing down, he noticed his dinner. “Considering everything, I hate to ask this, but could you take care of the bill for me? I can’t seem to get to my money right now.”

  Addams looked at the barely-touched meal, then ruefully smiled and took out his wallet.

  “Oh, what the hell. I’m supposed to be getting a raise being Chief, I hope.”

  CHAPTER 30

  Martin Addams took advantage of the fact that the other two cells were momentarily unoccupied and opened the door to Jeff Pierson’s cell. Not even bothering to shut the door, he sat down on the edge of the bed facing Pierson who had been reading at the one desk.

  “Bud.” Pierson set his book face down. “Do I need my lawyer here with me?”

  “No.” Addams shook his head. “No, Jeff. I just wanted to talk. Mel’s with your lawyer – his lawyer – Harry’s lawyer. And Harry is taking a shower. I just wanted some time with just the two of us.” He stretched his neck in weariness. “This has been a hell of a few days.” He laughed softly. “Just three days. Can you believe it?”

  Pierson inclined his head. “You wrapped up three cases in just three days. That’s pretty quick. I never did anything like that. Certainly not three cases with three perpetrators, all needing to be locked up.”

  “I didn’t do it all. Steph found you.” Addams looked him in the eye. “It all started with an accident.”

  Pierson looked at the wall and drummed his fingers on the desk. “It, it just happened, Bud. It just happened.” He sighed. “And then I went stupid.”

  “And then you went, as you say, stupid. And that’s what’s true for most of what happened. Only Harry’s crime – theft – was typical, and it’s going to be the least of them. Both you and Mel got in much more trouble for trying to cover up, for trying to protect your reputations.”

  Pierson spoke low, still looking away. “I did it, Bud, I killed Grace Mathison. I admit it. I’m not trying to explain away anything. I know I should have just called for the squad right away. There’s no real justification for it.” He turned back to Addams. “But you have to understand, Bud. It was stupid, but all that I could think of at the time was that this is my town. These are my people. They have to trust me, they have to believe that I would never do anything to hurt them. My whole career has been for nothing if they can’t, if they couldn’t do that.” He went back to facing the wall. “But that’s all gone anyway.”

  Addams looked down at the floor. “That’s the same sort of thing that Mel Johnson said. That it was important what people thought of him. The difference is that Mel betrayed them in the first place, then attacked Stephanie to keep them from finding out. You tried to cover up a mistake. There was no malice in your actions.” He straightened up. “But Jeff, I think you underestimated your people. They would have been upset by what happened, sure. They may have been dismayed, they may have tried to rationalize that you could have done something different, that you could have put the trophy down before turning around. But they would have recognized it as an accident. They wouldn’t have feared you. They would still have believed in you as the police chief. You would have gotten past it. And you’ll still get past this. You’re not in the deepest trouble for her death, but more for trying to cover it up. There will be consequences. I’m not kidding you, serious consequences, you know that. For her death, but not as a murder, as an accident. Summerfield will still believe in you as a person. You and your family have to know that.”

  Pierson slowly nodded. “Thank you, Bud, I do appreciate it. I think it’s going to take a while before I believe it, though.”

  Addams stood up. “Everybody knows everyone in this town. Everyone is family. Some things you can forgive in family, some things you can’t. Mel and Harry betrayed their confidence and continue to betray it. You didn’t. You’re going to be okay. I believe that.”

  They shook hands, and Addams walked out of the cell, slowly, reluctantly shutting the door behind him.

  CHAPTER 31

  Judy Pierson took a deep shuddering breath and walked through the front doors into The Southern Westside Memorial Hospital. She kept her head down, not knowing who she might see in the lobby, or worse, who might see her. It had only been a couple of weeks since the storm and its aftermath – Mrs. Mathison’s death and the following events. The town would never be the same, would never completely trust in each other, and she didn’t know how much of a target of that distrust that she might become.

  The receptionist wasn’t familiar to her and didn’t respond except to give her the room number she wanted. She hurried to the elevator and was glad that no one else got on with her. She finished the ride trying to think of what she might say. Everything she had practiced on the drive here still didn’t sound right. There was going to be blame and tears and guilt. But she still had to make this visit. It was important.

  Once she was at the door, it took three deep breaths before she pushed it open and stepped inside.

  To find the room full. Instead of just the one person that she had been fearing facing, there were four women. And they all turned to stare at her as she came in.

  Stephanie Reasoner looked up from her bed. “Judy! Oh, my God! I am so glad to see you!”

  Marie Hazlett was the first one to come to her, holding her arms out for a hug. “Judy, why didn’t you tell me you were coming? We’d have given you a ride.”

  Judy returned the hug, tentatively at first, then stronger as she was reassured by the fierceness of Marie’s hold. When Marie finally released her, Susan Peabody stepped in her for her turn, giving a hug just as strong, just as meaningful.

  “I...” Judy was holding back tears already. “I wasn’t expecting anyone else here. I just thought I should come to see, to see how Steph is doing.”

  From her left, Sherri Northrup stood up from her seat and gave her the brief hug of acquaintances. “Hey, Mrs. Pierson. I guess we all had the same idea. You know what they say, great minds, huh?” She stepped back and let Judy move up to the head of the bed.

  “Oh, Steph,” she hesitantly started to say, but couldn’t continue when Stephanie held out her arms, and they both started crying. They held each other for what seemed like long moments but was not long enough.

  Judy straightened up. “I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t know how sore you are, or what you can do?” It ended up as a question.

  Stephanie smiled. “I’m fine.” She shrugged. “Well, considering, I guess I’m okay. Hugs are therapeutic anyway.”

  Judy looked at the other women, then back at Stephanie. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Susan offered her a tissue. “I, I don’t kno
w what to say. I practiced coming over here, but...I just wanted to see you.”

  “You’re here. That’s all you need to say. I am so glad to see you.”

  Everybody started to cry again, even Marie, almost.

  “Sit down, Mrs. Pierson, sit down.” Sherri indicated the chair that she had been in. “I need to leave soon anyway.”

  “Are you sure, Sherri?” Judy took the seat. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  “Sure. My shift is going to start soon.” She glanced at her watch. “Since the insurance office closed, I’m now at the receptionist’s desk downstairs. You probably passed Lisha as you came in. She’s going to say that she got me this job, but she just happened to know that there was an opening because they were trying to get her to work more.”

  “Oh, Sherri.” Judy put out her hand to the younger woman’s arm. “I am so sorry about your job.”

  “Hey, you didn’t have anything to do with it. Besides, it worked out better. I’m actually making a little more money. But...” Sherri leaned toward her and grinned. “And this is actually the big part, I’m able to talk with more people. All day long. And they’re happy to spend time talking with me. At Johnson and Johnson, they usually were complaining about something – something they wanted to add or a claim they needed to file. But here, they really seem to enjoy just talking, and having me talk with them. I love it.”

  She touched Judy on the shoulder. “Look, it’s good to see you, but I do have to go. You have a nice visit and be sure to stop at the front desk when you come back.” She waved at the others and left.

  Susan sat down in the other chair. It was assumed by everybody, and rightly so, that Marie would prefer to stand. They all looked at Judy, and Stephanie asked the question.

  “How are you? Really. And... how is Jeff? We’ve been so worried about him.”

  “You’ve been worried...about Jeff? After everything that happened, and after what happened to you?”

  Stephanie nodded. “Yes, I am. He didn’t have anything to do with this. I’m going to live. I’ll be back on my feet.”

  “Of course we’re concerned, Judy.” Susan added. “About Jeff and you. We care – we’re all one family. That’s the way we work.”

  Judy put her hand to her mouth. “I’m, I’m okay. Everyone has been nice to me. The neighbors have brought over food, but I think that’s just as much to see what’s going on. Pastor Johns stops in every couple of days, and he and Jeff have a good talk. Jeff is, well he doesn’t want to get out much. He’s out on bail, you probably know.”

  Marie nodded. “I told them.”

  “I think Matt Laurenfeld is trying to work out some sort of deal for Jeff...and for all of them. Everybody knows what they did, so there’s not much point in going to trial. Nobody’s denying anything anymore.”

  “I think that would be best,” Marie said, but then she looked at Stephanie. She nodded in agreement. “Yes, I agree. Let’s get this done and move on.”

  Judy asked, to change the subject, “Steph, how much longer are you going to be here?”

  “Just a few more days, I think. When the therapists are sure I’m going to be steady enough to not fall and hurt myself again.” She laughed. “Well, pretty sure anyway. I could still fall, just for the heck of it.” She pointed at the other two. “Marie and Susan, and Sherri as a matter of fact, have worked out a schedule to watch over me, I mean, help me around the house as they put it.”

  Marie smiled slightly, as much as she ever smiled. “We need her back. George is trying to train the Gettys, but I think he’s, what they call micro-managing, rechecking everything they do.”

  It was Susan’s turn to laugh. “Yeah, probably, but he loves it. I think it makes him feel young and useful again. He’s even getting friskier at home.”

  “And,” Marie continued. “We’ve got that extra desk waiting for you, Steph. Well, actually it’s the same old desk that you had, but no one is using it. And you better get back before it becomes the file table, or the snack table, or whatever George decides to use it for.”

  Stephanie shook her head. “It’s going to be a little while yet. And I think Bud’s got a handle on it. I think you’re in good hands right now.”

  “Oh, we need you, don’t think we don’t.” Marie cocked her head. “Bud has grown up a lot in the past few weeks. I have to give him credit for that. But I do think he would really like your experience and knowledge by his side. You’re the one that really had this all figured out – Jeff, the size of the room, the extra money in the house. We need you back.”

  They sat in silence for a moment. But, to Judy, it was the most comfortable silence she had experienced in several weeks. She was with friends, and they were still friends. They accepted her. They still accepted her as one of them, as one of their family. There were issues yet to be resolved, but, for the first time in a while, she felt she might be able to get past them.

  “Judy?” Susan broke the silence. “Judy, you read a lot, don’t you? I think you might like to sit in on my book club. Actually, we don’t always talk about books, but it’s fun, it’s good to get together.”

  Judy smiled. She liked books. She could do that.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Kevin Creager is a school psychologist who has previously published We Cuss a Little: The Life and Times of a School Psychologist, named one of the nine essential books for a school psychologist. He grew up in a small town where everyone knew everyone else. His wife and three grown children work hard to keep him in touch with the real world.

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