Secrets Never Told

by Raegan Teller

  Enid was excited about this meeting, because Madelyn had hinted that she had interesting information about the bones. Of course, Enid would have to corroborate whatever Madelyn told her with someone else before it could be printed. As they agreed, Madelyn would be kept out of the story at all costs.

  The driveway from the road ended in front of Madelyn’s garage apartment, where Enid had previously lived before moving to Madden. Madelyn had rented it to her for a fraction of what she normally charged, and Enid had been grateful for her friend’s support. There was no way to repay Madelyn, nor would she expect payment.

  The melodious chimes of the doorbell produced Madelyn’s housekeeper, who invited Enid inside. “Miss Madelyn is expecting you. She’s in her study on the phone, but she asked you to come in and have a seat. She’ll be with you shortly.”

  Enid followed her down the hallway where the housekeeper opened a tall door and motioned for Enid to go in. “I’ll be serving soup and sandwiches in a few moments.”

  Just as Enid sat down, Madelyn got off the phone. “Hey, girl.” She walked over to Enid and hugged her. “I’ve missed you.”

  They shared information about their lives in bullet-point fashion. Madelyn just wanted the facts, with no embellishments. When the housekeeper brought lunch, Madelyn pushed her plate to the side of her desk. “While you eat, I’ll fill you in on what I found out about the bones.

  First of all, the DNA results haven’t been matched to anyone. Not yet, anyway. So they don’t know who it is. It is a woman, between twenty and thirty years old, and she’s Caucasian.” Madelyn stopped talking long enough to sip her iced tea.

  “So that’s it?”

  Madelyn took a bite of sandwich and held up a finger for Enid to wait. “Sorry, I just love that woman’s pimento cheese. Had to grab a bite.” She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. “Now, where was I? Oh, yes, the forensics report. According to the soil samples, a small amount of decomp was found there, but the body mostly decomposed somewhere else.”

  “That’s odd. Why would someone move a partially decomposed body?”

  “Fear of discovery? Second thoughts? Who knows,” Madelyn said.

  “Can they tell how she died?”

  “They didn’t find any poisons leached from her body into the soil. But, if she was moved, then there might be some traces in the original dump site. There also were no traces of embalming fluids found and no bullet or knife nicks on the bones.”

  “So we don’t know anything more about her,” Enid said. “Maybe if I tell them I think it’s Angel, they might be able to find her family and do a DNA test. And what about dental records?”

  “No luck so far on the dental. Apparently, she was one of those rare individuals who didn’t see a dentist, at least not for any identifiable work. They’ve put out statewide alerts to dentists. Will your source, I forget her name, will she come forward?”

  “I don’t know if Phyllis wants to get involved, not with the police.”

  “Well, if she wants to clear her brother, she needs to get over herself.” Madelyn paused. “Then again, this might prove her brother really did kill that woman.” She glanced at her phone. “I’ve got a meeting in thirty minutes. Got to run.” She took another bite of sandwich. “Stay here and finish your lunch.” As she walked out of the room, she called over her shoulder. “And you got none of this from me.”

  ◆◆◆

  On the drive to Sheriff Boogie Waters’ office, Enid had thought about how to approach him. Finally, she decided just to be straightforward.

  Boogie offered her a seat in his office. “Well, well, Ms. Blackwell. What a pleasure to see you again.”

  “I’d like to talk to you about the bones found at the inn.”

  Boogie leaned back and appeared to study Enid. “You’re mighty interested in that case. But then, I guess your small-town paper doesn’t get much real news. This is probably a big deal for you.”

  Enid resisted the urge to remind him that the paper now covered three counties. But he was right; it was big news. “I may have some information on the victim’s identity.”

  Boogie slowly leaned forward and eased up to his desk. His face was as stern as her third-grade teacher’s when Enid announced that she wanted to be a reporter. “Now, Enid. I’m sure you’ll find something more practical to focus on. Won’t you, dear?”

  “And just who do you think she is?” he asked.

  Enid wanted to smile but didn’t. “So you are confirming it’s a female.”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact. But I guess you knew that.”

  “It appears my confidential source may be right. The source informed me that the bones could be a woman who went by Angel.”

  Boogie shrugged.

  “I understand she dated some of your deputies.” Enid maintained direct eye contact with Boogie. His face registered no surprise.

  Boogie leaned back in his chair again. “Of course, I know about Angel. As you know, I helped prosecute her boyfriend. But what makes you so sure it’s her?”

  “You had a missing woman, presumed murdered, and now you’ve got unidentified remains. Seems like a good assumption that it could be her. But since the DNA results haven’t turned up in the database, I thought perhaps you could collect DNA from her family as a comparison. Also, I’d like to show you something that may give some insight into Angel’s home life. That is, if you were not aware of it.” She handed Boogie a copy of Reggie’s poem.

  Boogie put his half-frame reading glasses on and read it. When he finished, he took his glasses off again. “I’m not into poetry much. This sounds more like a young boy who has a vivid imagination, but I’ll follow up on it.” He underlined his note with a sweeping gesture for emphasis. “I always appreciate tips from our county’s fine citizens. Now is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “No. I’ll follow up with you later.”

  Boogie chuckled. “I’m sure you will. Yes, ma’am, I’m sure of it.”

  CHAPTER 33

  The young girl sat up in her hospital bed and ran her hand across her nearly bald, fuzzy head. “Will my hair ever grow back, Dr. Jean?”

  The woman held the girl’s hands. “Yes, honey, of course it will. And you’ll be even more beautiful than ever.”

  “Promise?”

  As much as Dr. Jean wanted to reassure her, the girl’s cancer was not in remission and her journey ahead was uncertain at this point. “Only God can promise you that, but I ask Him every day to take care of you.”

  The girl leaned over and hugged her doctor. “Thank you, Dr. Jean. I love you.” All the patients, and even the staff, referred to the pediatric oncologist by her first name.

  No matter how many times these scenes played out with her patients, Dr. Jean had to fight back tears. “I love you, too, honey. Now you need to get some rest.” She pulled the sheet and light blanket up to cover the girl. “Remember that angels visit you while you sleep. They’ll protect you if you ask them to. Okay?”

  The girl nodded and closed her eyes. Dr. Jean made notations on her iPad and uploaded them to the girl’s medical file. Before leaving the room, she dimmed the lights and pulled the curtains shut.

  As she walked toward the next room on her rounds, Dr. Jean stopped to check a text that had just come in. “I love you,” was all it said. Most of the infrequent texts from her father contained only those three words. Sometimes he said, “I’m proud of you.” Whatever the messages said, they always made Dr. Jean smile. Her world was mostly about suffering and loss. At one point, she had succumbed to alcohol to dull the pain of losing a young patient she had tried so hard to save. Had it not been for her father’s intervention, she would have lost everything she had worked for. “Love U 2,” she responded to the text.

  “Can I call tonight?” her father texted.

  “Call after 9. Working late.”

  Her father texted back the thumbs-up icon, followed by a red heart.

  Dr. Jean put her phone in her pocket and entered the next
patient’s hospital room. “Hey, buddy, how you doing today?”

  ◆◆◆

  By nine o’clock that night, Jean had forgotten her father had planned to call her when she heard her cell phone ring. “Oh, hi. I dozed off for a minute. Had you called earlier?”

  “No, I hadn’t. I worry about you being so tired all the time. Can you take some time off and come home for a visit?”

  Jean was caught off-guard by his invitation. She hadn’t been home in many years. They had agreed it was best if he visited her instead. “You mean come there? You want me to come see you?” She paused. “We’re short a couple doctors, so I’m not sure I can. One had her work visa revoked and another one is doing a tour with Doctors Without Borders. Is everyone okay?”

  “I’m fine. When do you think you might be able to come visit? I think it’s time, don’t you?”

  Thoughts swirled in Dr. Jean’s mind. “I’m not sure my coming for a visit is a good idea.”

  “I hope you can. We need to talk.”

  Jean tried to push the fears from her mind and stopped herself from jumping to any conclusions. But her father’s call concerned her. “Is anything wrong?”

  “I just need to see you, that’s all.”

  “Then I’ll see if I can arrange for someone to cover for me a few days. I’ll remind them I haven’t taken time off in two years.” She thought of her patients and how disruptive it would be for them if she didn’t show up each day. But she pushed those thoughts aside. It was time to face the past head on. Besides, he needed her now, and she wasn’t sure why. “Do you want me to get a room at the inn? Or stay in one of the nearby towns?”

  “I’ll make reservations at the inn for you. Just let me know when to expect you. Oh, and before I hang up, do you have those papers that belonged to your mother?”

  “There are several boxes in storage. Why?”

  “Can you ship them to me? Maybe we can go through them together, when you get here.”

  Jean ended the call and walked to the kitchen to put a pod of Colombian decaf in her coffee maker. A thousand thoughts were going through her mind, so no caffeine for her tonight.

  CHAPTER 34

  Glitter Lake Inn was not the kind of place Dr. Jean would have visited, at least not when she lived in the area as a small child. Back then, she didn’t have the money or the right skin color. She had been nervous about checking in, but her father assured her it was safe and that she would be welcomed. She assured herself that things were different now.

  Theo greeted her in the entry hallway and asked if she wanted any refreshments—coffee, tea, or wine, perhaps with a fresh baked scone.

  “No, but thank you. I’d just like to rest a bit,” Dr. Jean replied.

  “I’ll show you to your room then.”

  “I’m expecting a visitor. Is that permissible?”

  Theo laughed. “Of course. Would you like for me to set something up for you in the library, overlooking the lake?”

  Jean shook her head. “No, we’ll just meet in my room. Perhaps you could bring some coffee and a couple of those scones?”

  “Of course.”

  Jean heard the hinges on the inn’s massive oak door squeak. Theo turned and smiled at the woman who walked in. “Enid, how nice to see you,” he said.

  Jean recognized the woman immediately from the articles she had read. Even though Jean lived hundreds of miles away, she subscribed to the Tri-County Gazette. Some of Enid’s article series were in larger newspapers also. Jean started to hide her face but then realized how foolish she was being. Enid Blackwell had no way of knowing who Jean was. Pushing caution aside, Jean met Enid’s gaze. “Hello, I’m a fan of your work, Ms. Blackwell.”

  “Thank you.” Enid held out her hand to Jean. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise. My name is Jean.” Suddenly nervous, she turned to Theo. “I’m going to my room now.”

  As Jean walked up the stairs, she heard Theo and Enid laughing together. Was coming here a mistake?

  ◆◆◆

  Jean’s father had texted her how to go through the kitchen to the rear entrance to open the back door for him. She wondered what she would say if Theo caught her sneaking her guest in through the kitchen at nearly nine o’clock at night.

  She breathed a sigh of relief when she and her father were in her room. He was carrying the two boxes of papers she had shipped to him, so he wasn’t able to take her hand or hug her. She was glad. She wasn’t ready for a family reunion. While she wasn’t one to hold onto resentment or anger, the wounds of their earlier years were always present, deep and painful, and even more acute now that she was with him.

  The room had two chairs near the window, which overlooked Glitter Lake. She motioned for her father to sit down. “Please. Make yourself comfortable. May I get you some water? I’m afraid the coffee Theo brought up earlier is cold.”

  “I’m sorry I’m so late. I got tied up.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t believe how beautiful you’ve grown up to be. You have your mother’s eyes.”

  “Thanks.” Jean looked at the boxes on the floor. “Have you been through those yet?”

  Her father shook his head. “Thought I’d wait for you. Maybe we can do it together.”

  Jean looked at the man across from her. He was her blood father, but she had spent little time with him as a child. “Is there something specific you’re looking for?”

  “Maybe nothing.” He looked around the room. “This is a nice place Theo’s got here. Sometime I’ll tell you about his daughter that went missing.”

  “I read that reporter’s articles.”

  “Right. I forgot.” He cleared his throat. “Can you ever forgive me?”

  Jean looked down at her feet. “I’m not ready for this conversation. Maybe later. Before I go back.” She looked up. “Okay?”

  Her father nodded. “Let’s see what’s here.” He cut the tape on the first box with his pocket knife and pulled back the top. The box was filled with papers, yellowed with age.

  “Let’s lay them out on the bed,” Jean said. She reached in for a handful of papers and spread them out across the handmade quilt. After a few minutes, the papers had been organized: handwritten notes in one stack, photos in another, and newspaper clippings in the next. The fourth stack was for miscellaneous items. She surveyed the piles of paper. “It would help if I knew what we were looking for.”

  He picked up a handful of old photos. “This is a good one of your mother. I don’t remember it.” He handed it to Jean. “Why don’t you keep it.”

  Jean took the photo and smiled when she saw her mother’s face. “She was so pretty.”

  Her father nodded. “She still is.”

  Jean took her father’s hands in hers. “I’d like to go see her.”

  “Are you sure?” He squeezed her hands.

  Jean nodded.

  “Then we’ll go tomorrow. Now let’s finish going through these.”

  After sifting through dozens of papers, Jean held one up. “Here’s the plan mother drew for adding the storage room at the inn.” She handed it to her father.

  “They walled off one of the maid’s rooms to build it. They plastered over the outside entrance and made a door to the kitchen. Or at least that was the plan.”

  “Why is this important to you now? What’s going on?” The look of concern on her father’s face worried her. It wasn’t like him to fret over anything small.

  “They found bones in that room. It was walled off after you went to live with your aunt.”

  “Bones? You mean, like, human bones?”

  Her father nodded and lowered his head.

  “But who?” A thousand questions ran through Jean’s mind.

  “We don’t know for sure, but it may be Angel.”

  Jean’s hands flew to her mouth. “I need to see Mother, tomorrow.”

  ☐ ☐ ☐

  Jean’s father left the inn by the front door. The time for secrets was over. With a heavy heart, he wa
lked down the stairs, past the reception desk, and to the front door. The door squeaked as he pulled it open and he heard footsteps coming from the library.

  Theo smiled. “I didn’t know you were here.”

  “Just had a brief meeting with someone.”

  “Well, have a good evening, Sheriff Waters.”

  CHAPTER 35

  The acrid smell of disinfectant burned Jean’s nose as she walked down the hallway to her mother’s room. The place was clean, and the staff seemed attentive enough. But it was still a hospital. Boogie walked by her side. When they approached the room, he knocked on the door. Lillian wouldn’t answer, but one of the nurses would be with her. After no response, he slowly pushed the door open. Lillian sat in her favorite chair, staring at the window.

  Jean turned to Boogie. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to visit her alone.”

  Boogie nodded. “Just don’t expect too much.” He left and closed the door behind him.

  Jean pulled up the rocking chair and sat down beside her mother. “Hello, Mother. Do you know who I am?”

  No response.

  “It’s me, Jean.” She took her mother’s hand and caressed it gently as she talked. For the next ten minutes, the two women, mother and child, held hands and stared out the window.

  Jean broke the silence. “I came to see you and to tell you I love you.” Jean studied her mother’s face. “And to ask your forgiveness for breaking a promise.” Perhaps it was an involuntary muscle reflex, but Lillian’s hand moved slightly.

  Jean moved her chair slightly to face Lillian. “You asked me not to ever talk about Angel, but I was never sure why. And I promised you I wouldn’t.” Jean pushed a strand of hair from her mother’s face. “But now I have to.” Jean let go of her mother’s hands to get a tissue from her pocket. Jean dabbed at Lillian’s eyes. “Do you remember Angel? She was my best friend. You warned me to stay away from her, but I didn’t understand why. She wasn’t a bad girl at all. Just sad and lonely. You finally started letting her come to the inn where you were working. She loved to come there. I confess I got jealous for a while, because you began treating her like your own daughter, and I wanted you all to myself.” Jean smiled at her childhood memories.