Fatal Footsteps
Page 25
“Of course, I do. Why?”
“She died earlier this week,” Barry reported. “She was hospitalized off and on for a few months and finally passed away.”
“Died? What happened? She was only a little bit older than me. Did she have cancer?”
“Cirrhosis of the liver. Pam drank herself to death. She’d been to rehab a few times but always went back to drinking. Doctors told her she would die if she didn’t stop, but either she wouldn’t or couldn’t,” Barry said.
“That’s horrible. Her poor parents. Both of their kids gone,” Marlee murmured, thinking of the heartache the DeWitts endured at the death of their only son and now the death of their only daughter.
“Yeah, but that’s not the big development. Pam couldn’t quit drinking and knew she was going to die. The doctors told her it was just a matter of time. After she passed away, her mother found a letter she’d written to be opened after her death and turned it over to us. In it Pam tells the story of the time she, Tim, and Billy were playing in the shed. She admitted daring Billy to climb to the top and shaking the ladder, but wrote that it was never her intention for him to die. She just wanted to scare him,” Barry said.
“Wow! A deathbed confession. Well, almost. So, she was responsible for Billy’s death, even though she said it was unintentional,” Marlee said. “Did she write anything else?”
“She asked for forgiveness for causing Billy’s death and for turning the family against Tim when he tried to tell them what Pam did. She seemed to carry a great deal of guilt for both of these things, and that’s probably why she became such a chronic alcoholic,” Barry said.
“Those are both huge burdens to bear. She brought about the death of her cousin and caused the whole family to believe Tim was unstable. I can see why Pam turned to drinking. Did she write anything about the death of her grandmother?” Marlee recalled Grandpa Edgar asserting that Pam caused his wife to go into diabetic shock and die. He claimed Pam locked Grandma Ethel in the bathroom while he was gone. She took her insulin shot to lower her blood sugar and then was unable to get food and died shortly thereafter.
“No mention of the grandma. My guess is if Pam had something to do with her death she would have written about it in the letter too. The letter seemed to be her confessional, and I think she was unburdening herself from the bad things she did. If she did kill her grandma, there wouldn’t have been any reason to keep it a secret. Pam knew nobody would read the letter until after her own death, so there wouldn’t be any legal consequences she had to withstand,” Barry said.
“What happened to Eddie, Blake, and the other guys? Are they all still in prison?” Marlee asked.
“John and Adam were both paroled years ago. Adam moved away, but John still lives here. Don’t think he’s been in any trouble since he got out. Eddie and Blake are still at the State Pen, and I don’t think they’re getting out anytime soon,” Barry reported.
“Well that’s good. I don’t want to run into Eddie again. I still have nightmares of him holding that gun to my head. If you guys hadn’t burst in the door when you did, I wouldn’t be here today,” Marlee said with a shudder.
“All in a day’s work, ma’am,” Barry said with a slow Texas drawl. “What’s new with you? New boyfriend, maybe?”
“No, I’m done with boyfriends. They cause too much trouble in my life. I function better when I only have to worry about myself.”
“Don’t let some bad experiences with men make you bitter. There are plenty of good guys out there. You just need to give them a chance,” Barry cautioned.
“Thanks for the tip, Oprah,” Marlee said with a laugh. “How about you? Are you taking your own advice and playing the field again?”
“No way. Women are bad news. I’m not looking for another girlfriend or another wife,” Barry said. They were both still laughing as they finished their conversation minutes later.
After a few more hours, she only had one box of papers left to sort through. Then Marlee would have everything she needed to compile her folder to submit for sabbatical. If she received sabbatical, she planned to travel to Ireland to do research on their criminal justice system and compare it to the one in America. A hot cup of tea steamed near her, while Pippa sat in a box on the table observing Marlee’s every move through one barely-open eye. She glanced around the dining room and smiled, satisfied with the life she’d built for herself. Marlee was a tenured associate professor in good standing at Midwestern State University, well-respected in the community, had a group of wonderful friends, owned her own home, and had the perfect pet.
Still, something was missing. After I’m done with this sabbatical folder, I’ll look at jumping back into the dating game, she thought. I’m just too busy now. Finding a new boyfriend now wouldn’t be the wisest decision. When the time was right, she’d know.
A knock at the front door startled her out of her daydream. She wasn’t expecting anyone, so the knock took her by surprise. As Marlee approached the door she caught a glimpse of her visitor through the small window in the door. She hesitated as she contemplated her next move. Marlee smiled as she opened the door, pretty sure she was about to make a really bad decision.
When the punishment fits the crime, we say justice has been served. But has it really? Is it fair and just that Beth and I are dead while everyone else is living their life? My only consolation is that at least I’m not spending the rest of my life in prison. That would be a fate worse than death.
I hadn’t told Tim about the baby because I didn’t know for sure what I was going to do. Tim would’ve wanted us to get married and raise the baby, and I don’t know that I was ready for all of that. Until I knew for sure if I was keeping the baby, I wasn’t drinking. When Blake said my death was an accident, he lied. He spiked my drinks and made sure I was really drunk. I think he did it so I would have a miscarriage. Then he hid my coat so I couldn’t find my keys. But the worst thing Blake did was watch me walk away from Stairway to Hell that night. He was standing on the widow’s walk and saw me fall down in the snow. Blake did nothing to help. That was no accident. It was murder.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brenda Donelan is a life-long resident of South Dakota. She grew up on a cattle ranch in Stanley County, attended college in Brookings, and worked in Aberdeen as a probation officer and later as a college professor. Currently, she resides in Pierre with her two Himalayan cats, Yeti and Wolfie. She loves reading, playing with her cats, and traveling.
Fatal Footsteps is the fifth book in the University Mystery Series. Brenda is currently working on her next book.
The author can be reached by email at brendadonelanauthor@gmail.com. For more information on Brenda Donelan, books in the University Mystery Series, and tour dates, check out her website at brendadonelan.com or find her on Facebook at Brenda Donelan – Author.
ALSO BY BRENDA DONELAN
Day Of The Dead
When a college professor is found dead on campus, rumors and innuendo begin to swirl at Midwestern State University. The police department and the university are mysteriously secretive about the professor’s background and the ongoing investigation. Marlee McCabe, a professor of Criminology, is unwittingly pulled into the investigation leading her to question the integrity of the police department and her university. Despite warnings, Marlee uncovers information on the professor’s death, making her the next target of someone who has nothing left to lose.
Holiday Homicide
Criminology professor Marlee McCabe is thrust into a criminal investigation when a janitor is murdered at Midwestern State University. Marlee's sleuthing leads her to the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation and into the dangerous underworld of trafficking Native American artifacts and sacred cultural items. Those involved are not afraid to use threats, violence, and even murder to keep their secrets buried. What will they do to keep Marlee from exposing the truth?
Murder To Go
On the second day of a week-long class trip, a body is discovered in a motel
room. Criminology Professor Marlee McCabe struggles to continue the tour of prisons and juvenile correctional facilities while uncovering the truth behind the life and death of the victim. As she protects her students from harm, Marlee begins to suspect the killer has ties to her university. What steps will the murderer take to hide the truth and prevent Marlee from revealing it?
Art of Deception
A million-dollar antique is stolen from an art show in Elmwood and Professor Marlee McCabe jumps into the investigation when her cousin, Bridget, is arrested and thrown in jail. Marlee steadfastly defends her cousin until secret details of Bridget's life call that loyalty into question. As Marlee struggles between dedication to family and the pursuit of justice, she is forced to make decisions which may destroy the rest of her life.