It’s about time, Jess thought to himself, those old birds must be over a hundred. This works better, I’ll have the place to myself. No telling what I will find on the upstairs’ floors.
***
Jess made his way to the bottom of the hill, looking up, he saw the flashing lights of cop cars near the house.
Great! What are the cops doing there? I can’t search the place now. Did they find the window I jimmied open? I wore gloves so they won’t find my prints, they’ll never know I was here. Jess turned the car around and left town as quickly as he could.
***
Bradbury Cattle Ranch, Elk River
Katie Bradbury watched the sunrise while on her favorite mare, Annabelle. Katie liked to start her day riding her horses and surveying the Bradbury land.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Alma was mixing pancake batter and turning bacon slices in the big cast iron skillet. She had a small television turned to the network morning news when she heard the Bradbury sisters of Oakwood Park were victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. Alma called Clem who was in the stable office to tell him the news.
“Katie will be upset, those two were her only kin and now one is gone and the other isn’t expected to live. Do you think we should tell her?”
“I know you would like to shield Katie from bad news, Alma, but she is a grown woman and can handle the truth. We have to tell her.”
“Good morning you two, it’s a lovely day out there, I’m so happy to be home again,” said Katie when she returned to the ranch house.
“What’s happened? I can tell by the looks on your faces it’s something bad.”
“Katie,” said Clem, “The Bradbury sisters were apparent victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. Anna passed away and Emma is in a coma. I’m so sorry, my dear.”
“I should have stayed another day in Oakwood Park, maybe I could have done something to save them.”
“No, Katie, you can’t blame yourself. If you’d been with them, you might have been harmed too. According to the news, the police are investigating the incident as a possible crime.”
A look of shock came over Katie’s face. “Jess stayed in Oakwood Park, if he did anything to cause this, I’ll never forgive myself for including him in my quest to meet my great-aunts.”
“Katie, dear, Jess is an opportunist, but I don’t think he has it in him to murder anyone.”
“Why didn’t I see what everyone else saw in Jess. I thought he was funny, he made me laugh. Even Emma Bradbury saw through him after only one meeting. I’m such a fool.”
Oakwood Park Hospital
Jake stood by Emma’s bedside not knowing what to do to help her. An oxygen mask seemed to cover most of her small face. He’d been distracted and forgot to call the heating guy after he’d examined the furnace and found a crack.
“Jake,” said Kenzie, “it’s not your fault, how would you know there was a problem with the cracked pipe, you are not a furnace specialist. If anyone is to blame, it’s the heating company who didn’t report a problem the last time it was checked.”
“I know it was an accident but I still feel guilty. Those ladies lived by themselves in that big mansion. I should have hired a bodyguard for them. If someone had been there, this wouldn’t have happened.”
The Bradbury House
“Detective, come look at the fireplace in the parlor. There are several loose bricks, they slide out easily and each one has money stuffed inside. There must be thousands of dollars in this fireplace alone.”
“Detective, the lab is calling, they’ve identified only one set of fresh prints on the furnace. They belong to a guy named Jake Morgan, the Bradbury accountant.”
“Dan,” said Erica, “the morgue called, they want to know what funeral home is handling Anna Bradbury’s arrangements? I looked in an address book I found in a desk in the office and called Eli Grant, their attorney. He’s on his way here.”
“Good, I hope he has the funeral demands, these sisters are held in high esteem in this city. We don’t want to ruffle any feathers by not adhering to their wishes.”
Eli Grant arrived at the house. Erica tried to suppress a giggle when she saw him. He is a short portly man with eyeglasses perched on the end of his nose. Erica towered over him. He introduced himself and asked to see the detective.
“I’m Detective Erica West, sir. I suppose you would prefer to speak to Detective North.”
He gave her a condescending look and turned his attention to the male detective.
“Very sad news about the Bradbury sisters, very sad news indeed. I have instructions for their wishes after death. The sisters both agreed they would be cremated and buried together. I pointed out how unusual it would be if they died at the same time and they agreed although they wish to be buried in the same plot alongside their father. A year ago, they asked me to draw up a revised will. They have left substantial amounts to the cook, the gardener, the cleaning people, and their doctor. The bulk of their estate will go to their accountant, a fellow by the name of Jake Morgan. If Miss Emma survives, the will is not valid.”
He left the house rolling his eyes at Erica.
“I don’t think the little fat man likes womenfolk,” said Dan with a smile.
“He probably likes womenfolk who know their place and look up to him. I don’t fit the bill,” she replied.
“Shall we go back to the station and call Jake Morgan in for questioning? I’d like to listen to what he has to say.”
Chapter Eleven
“Jake, go back to your office, there’s nothing you can do here. I’ll be close by if Emma’s condition changes.”
Jake returned to the accounting firm. Janet asked about Emma Bradbury.
“She’s so frail, Janet, she isn’t a big woman but I always thought of her as being strong, maybe invincible is the word I’m looking for. I can tell by the medical staff’s faces, Emma won’t make it.”
“I’m so sorry, Jake, you will miss those ladies and I’ll miss hearing about them after your visits. What do you think will happen to that big old mansion?”
“I have no idea, hopefully, they left it to a worthy charity. It’s a beautiful building and could be useful to a volunteer organization.”
“Jake, a package came for you while you were out, I left it on your desk.”
Jake knew what the package was and breathed a sigh of relief. The situation he’d worried about was concluded. He opened the package and removed the money putting it in his briefcase.
***
“Janet, I’m going out for thirty minutes or so.”
Jake left the building with his briefcase in hand. He drove to Kensington, paid off the loan he’d made earlier and returned to Oakwood Park.
“What’s with that guy?” said the loan officer, Paul Walton. “I get a bad vibe with that whole transaction. Who takes out a loan for a substantial amount of money and repays it almost immediately?” he asked his assistant, Peggy.
“Someone with a gambling debt who got lucky in poker?” Peggy answered.
***
Detective North changed his mind about calling Jake to the police station.
“Let’s drop in on him at his office. I’d like our visit to be a surprise. If he has anything to hide, we’ll catch him off guard and he might make a slip.”
Janet greeted the detectives. Her face fell when they showed their badges and introduced themselves.
“I knew you looked familiar, Detective, I saw you in Murder on Chamberlain Lake. I never miss a Community Playhouse show. Mr. Morgan will return soon if you care to wait for him. May I get you a cup of coffee or tea?”
“No thank you, Janet,” said Detective North, his tone was curt. Janet didn’t think he was as nice as the character he played on stage.
I wish I could call Jake to warn him about his visitors without being obvious. I have a bad feeling about this.
Jake arrived at his office. The sadness is apparent on his face.
“Mr. Morgan, Detective North and Dete
ctive West are here to see you,” Janet said trying to hide her distress.
Jake introduced himself although he knew it was an unnecessary action after Janet called him by name.
“Are you investigating the Bradbury sisters’ tragedy?” He thought it was unusual for detectives to follow-up on an accidental death and injury because of a faulty furnace vent. He led them to his office.
Detective North recognized a photo of Mackenzie Snow on the file cabinets behind Morgan’s desk. He knew Kenzie from the playhouse and found it hard to believe a cold-blooded killer was her significant other. He remembered how wrong he had been about her mother, Rebecca, when he thought she’d committed murder.
“Mr. Morgan, suppose you tell Detective West and me about your relationship with Anna and Emma Bradbury.”
“The sisters are my clients. I handle all their household accounts. They have investment bankers for most of their holdings, I take care of the day-to-day expenses.”
“Mr. Morgan, is it unusual for a partner in an accounting firm to provide services a lower level bookkeeper could manage?”
“Yes, I suppose it’s unusual; I choose to oversee the sister’s accounts because I enjoy being with them and they seem to look forward to my weekly visits. Detective, they are ninety-six years old and don’t get around easily. Their expenses could be handled from this office but Emma prefers to dole out the money she hides behind loose bricks in the fireplace.”
“Did you ever help yourself to the money behind those bricks?”
“No, sir, why are you asking that? Is there money missing? Was the accident a result of a robbery?” Jake’s head felt as though it was spinning. I’m forgetting something Emma told me, he thought to himself.
“You tell us, Mr. Morgan. Did the sisters discover you in the basement taking money from behind the bricks in the wall? Did you get careless when you rigged the furnace vent causing it to leak poison into the house killing one sister and leaving the other on death’s door?”
“Mr. Morgan,” interrupted Erica, “What if we told you your fingerprints were found on the furnace and the vent?”
“They would be, Emma asked me to check to see if the heater was functioning. The sisters were chilly, but that had more to do with their age than the heater. I know nothing about heating systems and told them I’d call a contractor which I did, he was due this afternoon. If I’d had any idea what was about to happen, I’d have called the gas company immediately and gotten those two women out of the house.”
“Mr. Morgan, are you aware you are the main beneficiary in the surviving sister’s will?” Dan asked.
“That is nice of Emma to leave me a little something but unnecessary,” Jake replied.
“I’d hardly call the Bradbury mansion and everything in it a little something,” said Dan.
“You’re mistaken, Detective, that’s not possible.”
“Not according to the sisters’ attorney, Eli Grant.”
“Jake Morgan, believe you intentionally or unintentionally caused the death of Miss Anna Bradbury and critical injury to Miss Emma Bradbury. We are placing you under arrest.”
Detective West read Jake his rights while Detective North placed handcuffs on his wrists. As he walked to the door, he called back to an astonished Janet and said. “Call Alex Snow, tell him to meet me at the police station.”
In tears, Janet placed a call to Alexander Snow. “Help him, Alex, he didn’t hurt those women, he loved them.”
Chapter Twelve
Emma Bradbury takes her last breath and joins her sister, Anna, in the sweet hereafter.
The intensive care nurse notifies Kenzie shortly after the doctor pronounces the patient dead.
Kenzie calls Janet at Jake’s office after his cell phone goes directly to voice mail.
“Janet is Jake in a meeting, he isn’t answering his phone? Emma Bradbury passed a few minutes ago, I knew he would want to know.”
“Kenzie, I don’t know how to tell you what has happened. Jake was escorted out of here in handcuffs. The detectives have arrested him. He asked me to call your brother. I did and Alex is on his way to the police station.”
“They can’t arrest Jake, you must have misunderstood, Janet.”
“My eyes didn’t misunderstand the shine from those handcuffs. The female detective, I think her name is West, had him by the arm.”
Kenzie heard sobs coming from the other end of the telephone. “Try to stay calm, Janet, I’ll call my brother, he’ll know why they have made this terrible mistake.”
Kenzie’s call went to voicemail. She then dialed her mother, hoping she would be home.
“Mom, they’ve arrested Jake. I’m sure it has something to do with the Bradbury sisters’ deaths. Emma died a short time ago, they are both gone now. How could Jake be blamed for an accident, I don’t understand?”
“Kenzie, do you know why Jake was distracted the other day? Did he tell you what he was worried about?”
“No, he didn’t tell me. What are you saying, Mom, are you accusing Jake of hurting those women?”
“No, dear, I can’t help but wonder if Jake’s anxiety had something to do with the Bradbury twins. I’ll meet you at the police station. If Alex is there with Jake, he undoubtedly put his phone on silent.”
Kenzie arrived at the station before her mother. She inquired at the front desk; without speaking the attended pointed toward the waiting room. When she saw Rebecca come through the door, she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.
“They won’t tell me anything. I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Mackenzie, you and I both know Jake wouldn’t hurt anyone. Don’t let your imagination run wild.”
Twenty minutes later, Alex walked into the room. He knew his sister would be waiting and was happy his mother was there too.
“It’s not true, is it, Alex? Jake hasn’t been arrested.”
“Yes, he has, they have circumstantial evidence, nothing that will stick. Did you know the Bradbury sisters left Jake their mansion and its contents?”
“That’s not possible, why would they leave it to Jake?”
“I suspect they thought of him as the son neither of them had. He was kind to them over the years. How is Miss Emma?”
“She’s gone, Alex. There was little hope she would recover. Will they let me see Jake?”
“They’re processing him. He’ll be out on bond in a couple of hours. There’s nothing you can do for him here. You both go home; I’ll call as soon as I can get him out of here.”
“Why are they blaming Jake? Is it because of the will?” Rebecca asked.
“The carbon monoxide came from a cracked vent that was dislodged. Jake’s fingerprints were on the vent. There was money missing too, did you know the sisters kept money behind bricks in the fireplaces and the basement wall?”
“I knew they kept money behind bricks in the fireplace. Jake used to laugh about the never-ending stash Emma withdrew from the hiding places to pay the household bills. The sisters didn’t trust banks although most of their money was apparently in investments through the bank. They had their quirks, but Jake loved them, he would never hurt them,” said Kenzie.
“I know Jake wouldn’t hurt anyone, Kenzie. However, I wonder if he’s holding something back, I’m not saying it has anything to do with the Bradbury sisters.”
“Mom and I were talking about Jake not acting like himself. I don’t know what it’s about, I asked him but he told me nothing was wrong and I didn’t pursue it. You don’t suppose he’s having second thoughts about marrying me, do you, Alex?”
“If I’m certain of one thing, it’s that guy is crazy about my little sister. No, it’s not about you, I just hope it isn’t a financial problem, that wouldn’t look good right now.”
“Kenzie, let’s go, I have an idea. Alex call when you get Jake released, bring him to our house. I don’t want him going back to his apartment alone.”
“Mom, are you up to something I wouldn’t like?” Alex said.
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“You probably wouldn’t, Alex, so I won’t tell you.” Rebecca smiled at her son when she whisked Kenzie out of the room.
They headed directly to Detective North’s office. Midge greeted Rebecca and knowing why she was there, paged Dan without hesitation.
“I don’t believe that nice young man committed this horrible crime. You know how cynical Daniel North can be; I’d hoped Detective West would be a good influence on the old grouch.”
“Who are you calling old?” came Dan’s voice from around the corner.
Murder on Bradbury Hill Page 5