by Nick Russell
“You need to talk to somebody on the phone."
"Who is it?"
“It’s Mrs. Shaw's sister."
John Lee turned off the engine and they went back inside. He picked up the receiver and said, “This is Deputy John Lee Quarrels. Who is this, please?"
A woman's voice said, "I'm Deborah Kappler, Alice’s sister."
"Have you heard from her in the last day or so, ma'am?"
He could hear the distress in the woman's voice when she said, "I haven't talked to her in a couple of weeks, I guess. We don't talk all that much, so that’s not unusual. But I just now turned on my computer. I don't get online all the time, but there was an email from my sister that scares me."
Dreading the response, John Lee asked, "What did she say?"
"She said she loved me and asked me to forgive her and said that she hopes God will forgive her someday, too. Then she said goodbye and for me to be strong."
***
Leroy Gates from the fire department used a crowbar to force the front door open, then stood aside as John Lee, Maddy, and Somerton Police Chief Miranda Bryant entered the house.
"Police officers, anyone here?"
There was no response and he called again, "Mrs. Shaw, it's John Lee Quarrels from the Sheriff's Department. Are you here? If you are, call out and let me know."
They looked around the living room and it was, as Mama Nell would say, neat is a pin. A table next to an overstuffed chair held a Bible and a pair of reading glasses, there were religious pictures on the walls, along with family pictures from times past. There were no dishes in the kitchen sink nor anything to indicate when someone had last been there. Chief Bryant looked at Maddy and said, “I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Neither do I," Maddy told her.
They found her in her bed, wearing pink slacks and a white blouse buttoned to the collar. She looked like she was sleeping, her hands folded across her stomach. But when Maddy laid her fingers alongside the woman's neck, feeling for a pulse, she shook her head. "She's gone."
There was a large manila envelope propped up against the lamp on her nightstand, To Whom It May Concern neatly written on the outside. Pulling on latex gloves, John Lee opened it and pulled out the papers inside. There was a will giving her home and everything she owned to her sister, two checkbooks and a bank deposit statement, a neatly typed list of her accounts and pin numbers, and a letter. John Lee opened it and read it, and then handed it to Maddy.
I know this is a mortal sin, but sin seems to be something I've been sinking into deeper and deeper for too long now. I have prayed and I have begged God for direction, but I cannot find it. I just can't go on with life without Audrey in it. I loved her so much. I know that's terrible to say, but I did. I don't know why she couldn’t love me back. I have betrayed my God, my husband’s memory, and everything I once stood for. I'm sorry to any and all the people I hurt. Please bury me next to my husband. I'm sorry.
Chapter 42
"Such a shame. She was always such a nice lady," Mama Nell said, shaking her head as she put thick grilled pork chops on their plates. "I hope she didn't suffer."
"I think she's been suffering for a long time, Mama Nell," Maddy said. “From all the empty sleeping pill and pain pill bottles we found, though, I think she went pretty quickly."
"I'm not much of a churchgoing woman, but I just don't understand how things like this can happen. I guess there’s a lot in life I don't understand."
"We never know what's going on behind closed doors, or in someone's mind," John Lee said.
He hadn't directed the statement at Billy, but he saw a slight blush on the old man's face.
"So she's the one that killed them two?"
"We don't know, Paw Paw. She didn't say anything about it in her letter, but she didn't say she didn't, either. The state crime lab is sending someone over in the morning and they're going to go over the pickup and see if they can find any evidence on it, paint scrapes or anything that might tell them more."
"The way I hear tell, they thought it was a bigger truck," Paw Paw said.
"That's what they said. But it's an F-450 four-wheel-drive, and it would have plenty of power with its diesel engine," John Lee said. “We don't know anything yet."
Maddy picked up an ear of corn slathered with butter and took a bite. She chewed and then said, "This is so good, Mama Nell. How do you do it?"
"Do what, honey?"
“How do you turn out meals like this over and over and over again? I never heard of fried corn on the cob."
"Shoot, Maddy, that ain't nothin’. It's easy."
"If you and John Lee are going to get hitched, I guess you need to learn how to cook," Paw Paw said.
"Nobody's getting hitched today or tomorrow, Paw Paw. And don't worry, Maddy knows how to cook just fine."
"Well, when you two do, I want to be here to kiss the bride,” Billy said." He was acting subdued and not his usual self. John Lee didn't know if it was because his secrets had come to light, if he was embarrassed, or what was troubling the old man. But he did not want to press it at the dinner table.
"Have you guys talked to Sonny Rittenhouse lately?"
"No, we haven't," John Lee said. “Things didn't go too well on our last visit."
“But we did talk to the Effin sisters today," Maddy said.
"The who?"
“Three old broads that still think they're 30 and act like they’re 20," Paw Paw said.
“I guess they're pretty wild, from everything I hear tell," Mama Nell added. “People say when those three walk into a bar together, everybody in the place knows it’s about to get wild and crazy.”
"They are a wild bunch," Paw Paw said.
"One of them pinched John Lee on the ass,” Maddy said with a grin.
“Really? Which one?"
"Who knows? I can’t tell them apart."
"Tell me more about these women," Billy said, looking interested.
“Never you mind, Billy," Mama Nell told him. “Those sisters are strumpets. Absolute strumpets."
"That's okay, I like strumpets!"
"Well, they don't like old guys like us," Paw Paw said. “They’re pretty much cradle robbers."
"Hell, I act pretty juvenile sometimes, don't I?"
"You act juvenile all the time, Billy. But trust me, you’d be way in over your head with those three."
"I’d damn sure be willing to give it a shot."
"You know how I always tell you I got your back, no matter what, Billy? Well, not this time around," Paw Paw said. "Those women would wear you out in a heartbeat. There wouldn’t be nothing left of you but a corpse with a big grin plastered across its face and I’d have to kick you in the nuts before we put you in the casket, just to make you look respectable."
"Watch your mouth, Stanley," Mama Nell said. That ain’t no way to talk at the dinner table."
"What can I say? He brings out the worst in me, Nell."
"No, the two of you bring out the worst in each other," she said. "There's like some kind of chemical reaction that happens when the two of you get together, and Lord help the world when you do!"
John Lee stuck a piece of his pork chop in his mouth and said, "Damn, Maddy, I think I found something the tastes even better than the corn if that's possible.”
***
"You know, that was the first time I ever felt uncomfortable at my grandparents’ house," John Lee said as they were driving back to Maddy's place.
"I think Uncle Billy is embarrassed about what you found out about him and doesn't know quite how to act," Maddy said.
"Neither do I," John Lee admitted.
"Have you given any thought to what you're going to do?"
"That's about all I think about," he told her. “That and this case."
“Can you see Alice Shaw being the one responsible for what happened at that railroad crossing?"
"I just don't know what to think," he admitted. "She was always such a straight-laced lady,
but obviously her feelings for Audrey were totally different than what one might expect. A jealous lover might do anything, I guess."
“It must be a sad way to end your life, don't you think?"
"From what I know about the drugs she took, I think she just went to sleep," John Lee said. “I don't think there was any suffering."
"I'm not just talking about her committing suicide, John Lee. I'm talking about living your life loving somebody that you can’t have." She was silent for a moment and then added, “I guess I know a little bit about that."
"I guess we both do, don't we?"
She reached over and held his hand. “Yeah, we do, don't we?"
"I'm sorry for being such a fool for so long, Maddy."
She squeezed his hand and said, "That was in the past, John Lee. I try not to dwell on the past because there isn’t much there worth thinking about."
"But there's the future, right?"
He was just pulling in her driveway and Maddy said, “Yeah, there's that. Sometimes I feel like maybe I'm expecting too much of the future, though."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I try to be a realist, John Lee. Sometimes I ask myself if what might happen is going to be a disappointment."
"I'm not sure where you're going with this."
He turned off the engine and Maddy said, "To be honest, I don't know where I'm going with it either. Paw Paw says things about when we’re married, and I've got to admit, sometimes it scares me.”
“What are you afraid of, Maddy?"
“Face it, John Lee, neither one of us has such a great history when it comes to marriage. Yours ended badly and mine lasted, what, three weeks? And like we were talking about the other day, a marriage between cops almost seems doomed to start with, doesn't it?"
He turned to her and said, “Maddy, we don't have to get married. Let's just take it one day at a time, okay? If you want that to happen sometime, it'll happen. If you want to live together, we’ll make that work. If you want to keep separate places for a while and ease into things, that’s okay, too. We’ve both waited a long time. There's no rush, is there?"
“I don't know," she said, shaking her head. “Part of me wants to run down to the courthouse and get married first thing in the morning, and part of me wants to take it slow and ease into things like you said. But is there any reason to do that? What is there to take slow and wait for?"
"I'm going to follow your lead on this, Maddy."
"You're a very patient man, John Lee. I appreciate that, in case I haven't told you before."
"Whatever happens will happen in its own good time, Maddy."
"I don't want to die alone, John Lee. I don't want to die a lonely old woman like Alice Shaw. I don't. When I think about how close I came to doing that, back when I was drinking and so messed up in my head, it scares me."
He leaned over as far as he could in the Charger and pulled her to him and kissed her softly. "Nobody's dying anytime soon, Maddy."
"I'd like to think that. But you and I both have been cops long enough to know that anything could happen at any time."
"Don't dwell on that. We could live out our careers and never have any kind of problem like that."
“Or some fool could push us into a train," she told him.
"Well, then, I guess we'll just have to avoid railroad tracks, won’t we?"
Chapter 43
Word of Alice Shaw's suicide had circulated through the county by the next morning and the rumor mill was in high gear. Some claimed that it was obvious the dead woman had been responsible for the murders at the railroad crossing. Otherwise, why would she have killed herself? Wesley Armstrong, who preached an especially hard line of fire and brimstone from his small church’s pulpit every Sunday morning, sent out an email message to his congregation declaring that the deaths were God’s wrath against the real estate industry, who were willing to sell homes to homosexuals and other degenerates who were polluting the community with their unholy ways.
Others thought that her death was proof that a serial killer was on the loose, preying on real estate agents. Marcella Riley, a generously proportioned 61-year-old agent for one real estate company, showed up at an open house she was scheduled to host wearing her husband’s 7½ inch barreled Ruger .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk single action revolver in a tooled leather holster on her belt, because she wasn't taking any chances.
And, of course, other people swore this was just the first step of a nefarious plot by the Commies/Liberals/Conservatives /Democrats/Republicans/Muslims, or whoever they hated at the moment, to take over the country.
On his way to pick up Maddy for the morning briefing, John Lee stopped by the McBride house to check on Darci.
"I haven't seen Vince around since you guys ran him off,” she said. “And I really appreciate it."
“Have you talked to your sister?"
“Amanda? No. Why?"
John Lee didn't want to say anything that would stir up more trouble, so he just said, "Deputy Westfall and I went over to the house to talk to Vince and he was in a nasty mood."
"Vince is always in a nasty mood," Darci said, "unless he's bragging about how much money he's got. That’s the only thing that makes him happy. I guess him and Lonnie had that in common, didn't they?"
“Well, I need to be getting to work," John Lee told her. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
"Thank you,” she said, then added, "someone said that Audrey Rittenhouse’s boss killed herself. Is that true?"
"Unfortunately, it is,” John Lee told her. “We found her yesterday afternoon."
"Do you think she's the one that… ?"
"We don't know at this point," John Lee told her. "You take care of yourself, Darci, and like I said before, if you need anything, call us."
Since he wasn't that far away, he decided to swing by Alice Shaw's house, too. Deputy Arvel Clements’ patrol car was parked in the driveway behind her Buick, and a white high-topped van from the state crime lab was parked next to the garage.
John Lee got out of his car and asked, “How's it going?"
"How the hell do ya think it's goin’? Schroeder’s got me sittin’ on my ass tryin’ to keep the sightseers away from the property and watchin’ the prima donnas there in their white suits pretendin’ they’re somebody special."
John Lee had never cared for Arvel, who seemed to constantly be arguing about something or complaining about whatever duty assignment he was given. He didn't feel like listening to Arvel whining that morning, so he walked past him and up to where three technicians dressed in white jumpsuits were examining the truck.
"Stay back if you would, Deputy," one of them said. John Lee seemed to recall his name was Jack Anderson and said, "No problem, Jack. I just wanted to see if there's anything we can do for you. I was one of the ones that found the truck."
Anderson walked out of the garage and said, "We’re good to go here. There’s a flatbed on the way to take it to the state crime lab to examine. But looking at it, I don't see any scratches or anything on the front that indicates it might have been involved in the incident at the railroad crossing. For an eight-year-old truck, it’s in damn good shape."
"Okay, well if you need anything, give me a shout."
Anderson nodded his head toward Arvel in the driveway and said, "Best thing you can do is keep that idiot away from us. He's been in here three times now trying to tell us how to do our jobs."
"Yeah, he's a piece of work," John Lee said. They were interrupted by the sound of Arvel shouting at someone who had stopped in the street.
"Keep movin.’ This ain’t no parkin’ lot. Go!"
“If he’d stay out there, it’d be fine. I just don't want him in here getting underfoot," Anderson said.
“How soon is the flatbed going to be here?"
In response to John Lee’s question, they heard the sound of a heavy truck coming down the street. A flatbed wrecker stopped and the driver got out and started walking up the driveway.
“You can’t stop there, Arvel said. Get a move on, you don’t have no business here."
“I’m the…"
"I don't care who you are! I said get goin’ or I’ll cite you for trespassin’ and disobeyin’ an order."
“I'm just…"
“I said go!”
John Lee shook his head and rejoined the other deputy in the driveway. "Calm down, Arvel. He's here to load the pickup up and take it to the crime lab."
“Nobody told me about no damn tow truck!"
“I'm telling you,” John Lee said. “Just chill out a little bit, would you?"
Arvel scowled at him and stomped away, saying over his shoulder, "Fine, then you take care of things here. I got better shit to do than play nursemaid."
John Lee walked up to the tow truck driver and said, "Sorry about that. He's having a bad day."
“I'm just trying to do my job, Deputy."
“I understand. Can you get around these cars to back up to the garage, or do I need to have them moved?"
"Naw, it's wide enough I can get past them," the driver said.
John Lee walked out to the street and stopped traffic while the driver maneuvered his truck around, then watched as he expertly backed into the driveway, passing close by the two patrol cars and the Buick. It didn't take long before the blue truck was loaded onto the flatbed and covered with blue tarps, and the driver was pulling back out. Anderson came up and shook John Lee’s hand and said, “Good to see you again. We'll get back to you as soon as we know something."
"Sounds good to me,” John Lee said. He got in the Charger and drove away, leaving a sulking Arvel Clements behind.
***
“I thought you forgot all about me,” Maddy said as she got in his car.
"That's never going to happen," he assured her, then told her about the stops along the way.
Maddy shook her head and said, "D.W. should've canned Arvel a long time ago. I used to think he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, then I realized that no matter what side he woke up on, he’d still be a jerk."