The One Who Watches

by Emerald O'Brien

  “I’ll give you all my findings once the investigation is concluded.” Grace slipped the notebook in her pocket. “I appreciate your help, and please give us a call if there’s anything you can think of that we should know. I’ll be in touch with my findings and any follow-up questions.” Mrs. Gibbons nodded, and Grace followed Mac down the hallway. “We can see ourselves out.”

  As they walked down the pathway lit by first morning light, she caught up to Mac. “Thanks for coming.”

  “That was tough, and I can’t blame them. Everything about it seems like an accident, so…do you know why you were called out?”

  “I think Mindy’s statement; she might have said something to insinuate he was in an altered state of mind. Then there are the brake lights. I’m going to the P.D. to ask Banning myself.” She reached her car, and Mac continued toward his. “Hey, could you do me a favor before your shift is over?”

  “Sure.” He turned around and stopped by the trunk of his car.

  “Could you look into a man named Paul Rothman?”

  He frowned. “Okay, why?”

  “Lockwood went on a date with him, and he turned out to be a bit of a creep. So, after she let him know she wasn’t interested, she came home to a teddy bear on her doorstep, and now, she feels like he’s watching her.”

  “Whoa, that seems like a bit of an escalation.”

  “I didn’t tell you all the details because it would take too long, but trust me when I say, it’s worth looking into.”

  Mac smiled. “I trust you.”

  “Good.” Grace smiled and opened her car door. “I’ll see you at the station, then.”

  As she arrived, pulling up beside Mac’s patrol car, Malone left the building.

  “Long night,” she said as she passed him. “Going home?”

  “Yeah. Longer one for you,” he said, holding the door open for her. “Have a good one.”

  Grace stopped to get coffee and raised her eyebrows to Mac as he sat with his coffee before striding to Chief Banning’s office.

  “Sheppard.” He waved to the chair in front of him. “How’d it go at the scene?”

  “Not much there to go off, although one of the firemen found something with the brake pad—looked like it had been tampered with. Waiting for the results of that. Just notified the vic’s parents and they gave us the contact info for the vic’s best friend.”

  “Good.” He scratched his head and opened the newspaper before him, taking a sip of coffee.

  “I was wondering what made you call me in? I’d like to hear the call to dispatch. Was that it?”

  Banning shook his head and pressed his lips together, reading the paper and flipping the page.

  “The road conditions?”

  Banning continued to flip the pages and sip his coffee.

  “Chief, do you want me to guess, or?”

  He sighed and sipped at his coffee again, pointing at the newspaper.

  She walked around his desk to check out the article.

  Former Tall Pines Child Prodigy becomes millionaire overnight after developing new music app, Table Turner

  “It’s a paper from last week,” he said. “When I heard the I.D. on the vic, I remembered his name.”

  She scanned over the article. “Was it something specific in here?”

  “This quote. Read the paragraph before it...”

  “Amherst Today received information from an anonymous source that suggested Tyler Gibbons had not invented the app, and that the idea had in fact been stolen from a competing developer. When asked for comment, Gibbons told our reporter, ‘There will always be haters, jealous colleagues in the field who aren’t man enough to see another succeed and congratulate his success. I feel sorry for them, to be honest, because they’re wasting valuable time on trying to bring me down, when they could be using it to come up with an original idea of their own—something many of them have never had. I don’t waste my time on those unsubstantiated claims, though. I’ve got to concentrate on my next project. Wait until you see what’s next.’”

  “That’s why I called you in.”

  “You think someone’s out to get him for copying their success.”

  “Or like he suggested, they don’t want him to succeed for any reason, really.” He took another sip of coffee and closed the paper, handing it to her. “He’s a public figure here who recently came into a lot of money. I think it’s worth it to investigate.”

  So, he’s a rich public figure, and he’ll get more attention because of it. That’s sounds about right for this town, but not for the rest of the cases that deserve attention but don’t get it because they don’t meet that criteria.

  There is something about this one, though. It’s not so cut and dried.

  Maybe Banning has the same instinct I do.

  She sipped her own coffee before leaving the office. “I’ll keep you updated.”

  “You do that,” he called after her.

  She threw her cup in the garbage and stopped by Mac on his computer. “Anything?”

  “Paul Rothman’s pretty clean,” Mac said. “Two parking tickets in recent years, and one speeding ticket in his early twenties that led to a DUI. He had his license suspended for two years and paid a thousand dollar fine. Nothing since then. He’s from Newport, works at a computer security firm in the city there. There’s nothing suspicious here. You think she’s got cause to worry?”

  “I don’t know, but maybe now she can relax a bit, thanks to you.” She grinned and looked around the room, but Officer Vila had his back to them. “I’ll see you on your next shift, right?”

  He nodded. “What’d you find out from Banning?”

  “I’ll fill you in this afternoon about that and the call I’m making to Joel. Get some sleep.”

  “I’ve got papers to fill out still.”

  She tapped on the cubicle wall. “See you after.”

  He smiled up at her, giving her butterflies, before she turned to walk away, grabbing her cell phone from her pocket and punching in Raven Lockwood’s personal number.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Raven, it’s Grace.”

  “Oh, hi. Listen, I won’t have anything for you on your vic until Thursday.”

  “Good to know, but this isn’t about that. I had a search done on Paul Rothman. He’s clean, Raven. Nothing suspicious.”

  “Nothing?”

  “Nope. He works at a tech security company in Newport, and he’s probably back there by now. He said he was only in Amherst on business, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, well then, maybe he had the teddy bear sent from there as an apology?”

  “Maybe.”

  “You’re not convinced?”

  “I’m sorry. I appreciate you going to the trouble of looking into him. I guess I expected to find something more.”

  “Is there something you haven’t told me?” Grace got into her car and shut the door.

  “No,” Raven sighed. “But I can’t shake the feeling I’m being watched. Maybe I’m being silly.”

  I could never tell a women her instincts were silly, but I don’t know how else I could help her, and I don’t have the time… but Madigan might.

  “See, I knew you thought I was being—”

  “Raven? I might have an idea. If you’re serious about this, my sister Madigan is a private investigator, and I know she’s looking for work right now. If you’re in the position to hire her for a short period, you may be able to work out something together that puts your mind at ease.”

  “If she’s anything like you, I’ll give her a call.”

  “I’ll text you her number and give her the heads up that you might call.” Grace smiled. “But I wouldn’t say we’re too similar. I can tell you she’s determined, smart, and although she’s new to the job, she’s never been on a case she didn’t solve.”

  “Sounds like you have more in common than you think. I’ll call her after my shift. Thanks, Grace. I hope she can help me.” />
  “I’m confident she can. Once she’s on someone’s trail, she never gives up until she finds what she’s looking for.”

  Four

  “Maybe I should just quit,” Madigan said, walking out of the mental health facility with her cell phone pressed against her ear.

  “You don’t mean that,” Grace said.

  “I talked to a neighbour of Julia’s last night, and he confirmed that the last place she went was the psychiatric mental facility like thirty years ago. I’m just leaving now. They wouldn’t tell me anything, and I get it, confidentiality, professionalism, blah, blah, blah.”

  “You’re frustrated. I get it. You knew this probably wouldn’t be easy, though.”

  Madigan sighed as she reached her bike. “I know. When I showed them the documents, they at least told me she wasn’t currently at their facility.”

  “There. You’ve got one place ruled out.”

  “And I’m at a dead end. No other facility will admit if she’s there, and the neighbour wasn’t going to tell me anything more—”

  “And you took no for an answer. That’s not the Mad I know. What’s up?”

  “Well, I didn’t exactly take no for an answer. I think something’s up there, like he had a personal connection to her. I’m going to have to go back and talk to him. I don’t know where she’s worked, or where she lived, at least since she’s left Post Crescent. I don’t have family to contact, and I mean, it’s not like I know someone with special connections or anything…”

  “I know what you’re getting at, and I’ll look into her, okay? But no promises that I’ll be of any help. I can’t share any specific information with you, but I’ll do my best. I have to make a phone call now, but I called to let you know I might have a case for you.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, if you’re not too busy.”

  “You know I’m not. I could really use a paycheck, too—I mean—is it a paying gig?”

  “It would be, if she decides to contact you. It’s Raven Lockwood, Chief Medical Examiner of Deerhorn County. She has an issue you might be able to help her with, and I gave her your number.”

  “What’s the issue?”

  “That’s for you and her to discuss. I have to make that call.”

  “Thank you for the referral.”

  “And I’m not even charging you a fee.” Grace let out a soft laugh and a long whoosh of air, followed by a little hum.

  “You yawning?”

  “Mhmm.”

  “Late night?”

  “To say the least, and it’s not over yet. Why don’t you come over tomorrow night for dinner?”

  “Sure. Sounds good. Will I have to do the cooking as usual or will we order in?”

  “I thought maybe the three of us could make something together.”

  “Three… Mac? Oh, do I finally get to hang out with you two?”

  “If you’re okay with that. I’d like you two to get to know one another.”

  “Oooo, it’s getting serious already, is it?” Madigan teased.

  “I’m hanging up now.”

  “Fine. See you tomorrow night.”

  “Come at six.”

  “Oh, hey, can I bring Buster?”

  “You know Waffles will be hiding under the couch if he comes—but sure.”

  “That was one time!”

  “Bye!”

  “Bye.” Madigan pressed the red button and shoved the cell phone in her bag.

  A possible lead on my mom, a paying job, and a fun night embarrassing Grace in front of Mac?

  This day is looking up.

  She hopped on her bike and headed toward her old neighbourhood.

  One last attempt to get some more information from Vic won’t hurt, and I’ll start off on the right foot, arriving during the day this time.

  Madigan climbed the steps to Vic’s porch and gave a light rap against the door with her knuckles.

  Something about him is intimidating. Maybe it was just the way he approached me last night. He’s not going to hear me if I don’t put some effort behind it.

  She knocked hard, stepping back, satisfied with the sound.

  No movement or sound came from inside. She turned over her shoulder, and the older woman she saw in the window the night before stepped out onto her porch with her purse clutched under her arm.

  Madigan looked back at the door, but with no movement, she descended the porch steps and jogged across the street as the woman walked to her car.

  “Hi, Ma’am. I’m sorry to bother you, but I was here last night looking for someone, and I was hoping you could help me.”

  The woman sneered at her and tucked her purse so far under her arm, she could barely see it for the blouse.

  This neighbourhood. The people. It brings back so many memories and feelings from the time I was here. Everyone out for themselves, and if you trusted anyone before you knew them—even after you knew them—you’d always be disappointed.

  “I’m looking for any information you have about the woman who used to live in that house next to yours.” Madigan pointed to it. “Julia Morris.”

  The woman raised her brow and scanned Madigan from her boots to her eyes. “Whass’it to you?”

  Madigan strained to make out her slurred words.

  Is she drunk?

  “It’s important that I find her.”

  “No,” the woman said, “what did she do to you?”

  Madigan frowned, about to say nothing, but the truth was more complicated.

  “Oh, come on.” The woman loosened her grip on her purse and twisted the key in the car door. “She was always up to something.”

  “What do you mean?”

  The woman opened her door and grabbed the top to steady her as she stared across the street. “She took up with the man over there.”

  “Vic?”

  “Mhmm.” She grabbed the door handle and lowered herself into her seat.

  “She had a relationship with him? How is that trouble?”

  The woman sneered up at her. “He was married.”

  Madigan stepped back and stared at Vic’s house.

  The hurt in his eyes.

  “What happened?” Madigan asked.

  “She’d always bring in men from God knows where. You get all sorts around these places, and some roughed her up real good. I think she liked it, but then she got Victor in her sights, and the sneaking around began. He’s a good man. She did a number on ‘im. I heard he tried to break it off with her so many times, but she kept coming around, and he’s a man. What do you expect?”

  Madigan turned back and frowned down at her, but the woman shook her head and continued, “So, one hot summer day, his wife found out about them from his neighbour next door. Probably couldn’t take seeing him seduced by that whore anymore. She came across the street here, knocked on Julia’s door, and when she answered, she dragged her out into the street by her hair, kicking and screaming, her dress liftin’ up over her head. It was a sight, I tell ya, but she had it comin’. Shelly slapped her, spat on her, and screamed all about what Julia’d done to her. Victor was at work, but lots of the neighbours were home. Mostly the women. We all watched on—not sure what to do—but like I said, she had it comin’.”

  Madigan covered her mouth, pressing her fingers to her lips, imagining the scene. The hurt and embarrassment her mom must have felt.

  “Shelly left her in the middle of the street, and she lay there, head in her hands, even as cars came. They drove around her ‘cause she wouldn’t move. By the time Victor came home, Shelly was gone somewhere. I heard she left a note, tellin’ him not to call, all that. I saw him come to Julia’s door, right there, and he knocked and knocked. She wouldn’t answer. I guess Shelly finally slapped some sense into her to stay away a little too late. The next morning, my husband was on his way to work and he saw an ambulance on the street. They brought Julia out on a stretcher in a hurry. I heard she overdosed, but some say she tried to kill herself. Never saw he
r again. That house sat empty for almost a decade until we all got together and complained to the city, and they finally condemned the place. Wasn’t even in her name. It was her parents’, I think, and they were paying for it, and she wasn’t even there. I think she couldn’t show her face back here—”

  Madigan strode down the driveway, her heart thudding in her ears.

  They were together. He knows so much more.

  “Hey!” she called after her, but Madigan crossed the street and climbed the porch steps again, knocking hard on the door.

  The woman pulled out of the driveway and drove by her, sneering as she passed.

  With no answer, she jumped down the steps and crossed the front lawn by the house to the stepping stone walkway toward the back. A soft whooshing followed by spatters made her slow down until the mist from a garden hose against a trellis of tomato vines came into view, followed by Vic holding the hose and sipping from a coffee cup.

  “Whoa,” he said, aiming the hose at her.

  She raised her hands and froze as the cold water sprayed her before he pointed the hose away again.

  “Oh, it’s you,” he said, clearing his throat. “What are you doing, sneaking back here? Sneaking up on me? You can’t do that around here.”

  “Can’t come at night,” Madigan said, shaking the water off her arms, “can’t come during the day. I’m beginning to think I’m not welcome here at all. Problem is, I don’t care too much about whether I’m invited or not. You lied to me last night.”

  He pressed his lips together and pointed the hose at the tomatoes again, spraying as he focused on them.

  “You knew my mom. You were having an affair with her.”

  His chest heaved, but he only moved his hand back and forth, spraying the water across the plants in a smooth motion.

  “She was committed because of you. Because of what your wife did to her. Aren’t you going to say something? Explain yourself? Tell me I’m wrong?”

  “Not much to say.” He sipped his coffee. “And I don’t owe you or anyone else an explanation.”

  “Okay, listen, Vic. We don’t owe each other anything, but I’m not leaving here until I find out what you know about Julia. Was that summer thirty-some years ago really the last time you saw her? Didn’t you look for her? She never came back to see you?”