“What were you doing there?”
“You already know the answer to that.”
“You won’t be happy until you have him thrown in jail.”
“That’s not true,” I spat, “You know I consider all suspects and right now Randall is number one.”
“And siccing Detective Shorts on him. How low can you get?”
“Now wait a minute,” I said, “I had nothing to do with that. You know as well as I that he covers all his bases. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to shower and get ready for work.”
“Mel, what has gotten into you? Can’t you be happy that for once I found a guy I truly like and he likes me back?”
Oh, not this again. “I am happy for you, Jackie.”
“You have a heck of a way of showing it.”
“Oh, go cry to your boyfriend.” It came out ruder than I wanted.
“You know, I spent the last several days telling Randall how great a friend you are and then you go and pull a stunt like this. His people know that someone was there.”
“Then why don’t you tell him it was me?”
“How can I? I’d look stupid.”
“Is that your real reason?”
Jackie crossed her arms in a posture that told me she had another reason for not running off to tell Randall about my activities last night.
“Look, I copied some files from his computer last night.”
“You what?”
“Hear me out. If nothing comes up on them, then I’ll leave him alone. But if something does, I’m taking it to Detective Shorts.”
“Fine. And I’m coming with you.”
I shut the door to the bathroom and showered. After I had dressed and eaten, I still had a couple hours to kill before having to report to work. I dragged Jackie with me to Jack’s office in the police station.
“Oh no, not again,” moaned Jack when he saw me.
“I need to know what’s on this,” I held up the flash drive.
“That crazy girl isn’t here is she?” asked Jack looking around me.
“I left her behind this time, but I can call her if you’d like,” I said.
“No. No. No need for that.” Jack stuck the thing into his computer and brought up the files. “I don’t see anything here that seems suspicious.” He scrolled through various things bringing up one window after another. “Sorry, Mel, but these all just look like a bunch of business records.”
Well, there went that idea. My great bit of espionage came up dry.
“Well?” Jackie stared pointedly at me demanding an apology. I had none to give.
“We’ll bother you no further,” I said to Jack, leaving.
“Might I keep this?” Jack held up the flash drive.
“Yeah, sure,” I replied. I had no use for it.
“Mel,” Jackie chased me into the hallway, “I think I deserve an apology.”
“Well, you’re not going to get it.” I rounded on her. “You knew I suspected him and you knew that I would pursue it. So don’t act all upset because I did exactly what you knew I would.”
I continued to the outdoors only to be accosted by a more snow flurries and a fierce bitter, cold wind that went right through my coat. Could this winter get any colder?
“But you knew I liked him.”
“Which means nothing if he was guilty of murder. Why do you keep pressing the issue? He’s been cleared. There was nothing on that memory drive to indicate he had anything to do with Helen Campbell’s murder. You should be relieved.”
“I am,” shouted Jackie.
My phone buzzed as it received a text. I opened it wondering who would be texting me at this hour.
Have info about the Campbell’s murder. Meet me @ 15 Weston. Now.
I pondered over the text. Only a handful of people knew I pursued this case and they always called me directly. Who sent this? I didn’t recognize the number. The area code seemed to be from out of state. Lost in my mental debate of going to this meeting or not, I paid no heed to Jackie berating me. I knew it would probably be a stupid thing to do, but if someone did have information about the murder I had to know what it was. I couldn’t risk that there was a slight chance of it being genuine.
“Mel? Mel, are you even listening to me?”
“Sorry, Jackie, but I have to go.” I ran off.
“Mel!”
15 Weston wasn’t far. It was in the downtown area just a few blocks from the police station. Pushing my way past last minute shoppers with their bags of goodies, I pounded the ice crusted pavement with my boots.
“Mel!” Jackie continued shouting my name as she chased after me.
When I reached my destination, I went inside. The building had the look of abandonment, but I knew there were a few apartments up there. A dark shadow waited in the long hallway. “Excuse me,” I said.
The person took off. I followed. My feet stomped noisily as I followed the mysterious figure up a flight of stairs and to the roof.
“Hey, wait!” I wandered around on the roof wondering why he ran up here if he wished to speak with me. Or perhaps I mistook him for the one who sent me the text. “Hey, I’m Mellow. The one you sent the text to,” I called.
A figure darted from behind something heading straight for the door. I pursued it. The door slammed shut just as I reached it. Tugging on it with all my might I soon realized that it only opened from the inside. I strolled over to the edge of the roof to see if anyone on the sidewalk below could hear me. Despite my shouts, no one looked up.
“Mel, what is going on here?” Jackie stepped onto the roof.
“Jackie the door!”
Bang!
Trapped.
“Mel, what are you doing up here?” demanded Jackie.
“Why did you let the door close?” I said through chattering teeth. “Now we’re stuck up here.”
“What?”
“That door only opens from the inside.”
“Well how was I supposed to know? You’re the one who came charging up here.”
“You didn’t have to follow.”
“Well maybe I won’t next time.”
“Dammit. I should have known this was a trap, but my curiosity always gets me.”
“Trap?” Jackie’s bewildered expression told me that I should explain myself.
“I received a text just after we left the police station. Thinking it could help, I came only to be led up here.”
Jackie released an exasperated sigh. “Mel, you have got to stop thinking that everyone is honest. And get control of your curiosity and impulses.”
I pulled out my cell phone. Hopefully I could get a hold of someone who could come up here and release us. No signal. I sometimes wondered about cell phones. How can you be in the middle of the city and not get a signal? I moved around trying to get a strong enough signal to place a call.
Apparently, Jackie realized what I was doing. “Here. Try over there.” She took a step toward me, slipped on a patch of ice crashing into my outstretched arm. My cell phone flew out of my hand clattering on the hard surface of the roof. “Jackie.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
I picked up my phone. It seemed to be okay, but the battery had died. Perfect. “We’ll have to use yours.”
Jackie backed away nervously.
“Well, give me your phone.”
“Uh, I don’t have it.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I left it in my car.”
“What good is it if it’s in your car?”
“Well, what good is your phone if it’s dead?”
“You’re the reason—Oh, we need to get someone to open that door.”
The wind howled around us as the falling snow thickened. I pulled my coat tighter. My hands had already gone numb and my teeth chattered even more. I searched the roof for a way down. Nothing. No ladders or stairs and no way was I about to try and climb down. The clacking of stone drew my attention as my foot accidentally kicked some rubble. A
n idea formed in my brain.
I picked up a loose brick and flung it to the sidewalk hoping that I didn’t hit anyone, but got their attention instead.
“What are you doing?” asked Jackie.
“Trying to get off this blasted roof,” I replied.
Jackie scooped up a piece of gray brick and tossed it down below. For five minutes we threw one thing or another at the people below us, but no one looked up. How can people be so oblivious?
Exhausted, I stopped and sat by the door. My nose felt like it was going to fall off at any moment.
“Mel,” Jackie sat next to me, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For not believing you when you said that you saw someone get killed. For getting mad when you thought Randall was the one that did it.”
“No, I should be sorry. I never should have gone after Randall. A part of me was jealous that you found someone.”
“Jealous?”
“Well, yeah. Greg’s been gone an awful lot and I used to be able to count on your company. But when you started dating Randall, I just felt all alone.”
“You’re never alone, Mel.”
I shivered from the frigid wind. It was getting colder. “Right now we could use the help of a ghost.”
“Yeah. You know, I’m surprised that you haven’t seen one. Don’t they usually show up by now?”
I laughed half-heartedly. “Strange, isn’t it?”
The door squeaked as someone pushed it open. Instantly, I jumped up and grabbed it not wanting it to close again.
“You girls okay?” Chris stood in the doorway.
“We will be once we’re inside,” said Jackie as she plowed through him and to the warmer indoors.
“How’d you know we were up here?” I asked.
“I was inside working on one of the windows when I noticed bricks falling from the sky. After a while I put it together.”
“You work here as well?” I asked.
“I work in a lot of places. Like to keep busy,” Chris replied.
Jackie and I headed down the stairs and to the sidewalk. I was late for work, again.
“You two take care, now,” said Chris as we left.
Chapter 10
Being the last day for Christmas shopping, the Candle Shoppe was especially crowded. I was able to sneak in without being noticed by my boss. This was the second day in a row I was late for work. Amazingly, Mr. Stilton hadn’t noticed, or at least hadn’t bothered talking to me about it.
My entire day consisted of standing behind the cash register and ringing up people’s purchases. Not a second went by where I didn’t have someone asking for help. Poor Tammy spent the day running back and forth from the storeroom to the shelves in an effort to keep things stocked. She did manage to find a spare minute to ask me about my bit of espionage.
“So did you find what you were looking for?” she half whispered, half shouted.
“No,” I sulked, “There wasn’t anything there to convict him. He didn’t do it.”
“Bummer.”
I chuckled. Did she actually hope that a city councilman killed someone? With Tammy, you never know. “Well, it just means I was wrong.”
“Any leads or ideas about who might have?”
“No. Tammy, this isn’t the place or time to discuss it. I was wrong about Randall Hopkins. I don’t know where to go next and I might just let it drop.”
“But you can’t,” Tammy blurted out garnering a few odd glances in our direction.
“Thank you. Come again,” I said to a customer. “Tammy, now isn’t the time. This is a matter for the police. It’s time I let them handle it.”
Sulkily, Tammy stalked off, her shoulders hunched in a way indicating her disappointment in my decision.
I was exhausted. I hadn’t slept well the last several nights and was no nearer to learning who murdered Helen. “Sorry, Helen,” I muttered to myself, “Looks like I can’t help you with this one.”
“You okay?” Mr. Stilton stared at me as though I might pass out at any moment.
“I’m fine.”
“You look a little pale. You’re not coming down with that flu that’s been going around, are you?”
“Really. I’m fine.”
Mr. Stilton closed the cash register as I counted out someone’s change. “Take the rest of the day off. Go home. Get some rest.”
Knowing I wasn’t going to win this argument, I thanked him and left taking a quick glance in the mirror by the lockers. I did look pale. Was I really coming down with something? I didn’t feel sick.
Ultimately, I decided to take advantage of the extra time off. I headed for my car thinking of trying to nap when I got home.
“Mel,” Jackie waved me over, cutting my solitary plans short.
“Yes?” I said approaching the car with her and Randall in it.
“I thought you were working.”
“I was, but Mr. Stilton told me to take the rest of the day off.”
“You should come to lunch with us.” The note in Jackie’s voice indicated that she wanted me to bury the hatchet and actually get to know her boyfriend. I owed it to her anyway.
“Get in,” said Randall, “We’re just going to the local diner.”
Knowing I wasn’t going to get out of it, I hopped in the backseat.
We arrived at the diner in a few minutes. Randall ordered for all of us. Jackie still stared at him dreamy eyed. I guess she could have done worse.
“No, I got it,” Randall pushed my money aside as I tried to pay for myself.
Thanking him, I grabbed the tray with my food and carried it to a table in the far corner.
“So,” said Randall as he helped Jackie to a seat and sat down. “Jackie tells me you are a bit of a sleuth.”
I glared at Jackie. This wasn’t something I wanted getting around town. She gave me an apologetic look.
“Sort of,” I said. “Sometimes people come to me for help and I do what I can.”
“Sounds like you do more than just help.” He dug into his chicken sandwich. “You have helped the police solve four cases already.”
“How do you—”
“As a member of the city council I have my sources. Besides, everything is in the police reports.”
I suppose that much was true. “I don’t set out to get involved.”
“How do you get involved? In those cases, the police had no real leads and yet you solved them.”
“I told you, Randall,” said Jackie, “Mel has a gift. It’s a sort of knack for this sort of thing.”
“I don’t mean anything by it,” said Randall, “I’m just curious is all. The reports do not mention how you come by your information. In fact, they are rather vague about how you know the things you do.”
“I asked Detective Shorts to protect my privacy,” I replied, “My ways—oh how do I put this? You know how a private investigator operates. Well, that is how I operate.”
“Are you helping them with this latest murder?”
I studied Randall’s features. He seemed a bit too interested. Though, a part of me was probably being prejudiced.
“No,” I said. “Anyway I really couldn’t discuss it, even if I were working on it.”
“I’m not asking for details,” said Randall.
“Randall,” said Jackie, “You know she can’t discuss this. It is an ongoing investigation.”
“Sorry. Sometimes my curiosity runs away with me.”
The conversation took a turn to more light hearted things: Christmas plans, gifts, New Year’s, and the like.
Methodically, I munched on my spinach salad while Jackie and Randall flirted with each other. I hoped Greg and I weren’t like that when we went out. I felt like a third wheel. Now I understood how Jackie felt sometimes when she was with Greg and I.
I thought about the empty apartment. Why would Helen be there in the first place? I had to call Jack. “Excuse me,” I said, “I need the ladies’ room.”
I
checked the stalls in the bathroom to make sure they were empty and I locked the door so no one could get in.
“Jack,” I said when he answered his phone, “Why would anyone use an empty apartment to meet with someone?”
“A variety of reasons,” he said, “Mostly because it’s out of the way.”
“Why would Helen meet someone there?”
“Maybe she didn’t choose the spot.”
I gave Jack the address of the empty apartment where the murder took place. “What information can you give me about it?”
I heard the clicking of keys as Jack punched the keyboard. “Well, the last known tenet was an Alice Winfried. She moved out about eight months ago. Officially, the place sat empty since then.”
So the landlord lied. Big surprise there. “And unofficially?”
“The landlord was known for renting out apartments for cash. They’re supposed to keep records of their tenants and have leases signed. But this guy sometimes rented on a weekly basis, no signed leases, and payments in cash. There is no way to tell who could have been living there.”
“But there was no furniture or any signs of someone residing there,” I said.
“Sometimes people rent a place like that for business deals or sham businesses. They need an address for something, so they rent a shabby place to provide that address. It doesn’t mean they actually use it.”
“What things in particular?”
“Oh, pyramid schemes, fake charities, or to get an ID,” said Jack.
Charities? That got my attention. “Have you been able to make heads or tails of that flash drive?”
“No, but I think there is some kind of encryption on it. I am using a logarithm to break it, but it could take a while. I’ll call you when I know something.”
“Okay, thanks.” I hung up.
A loud pounding on the door made me jump. “Hey! You can’t lock the door!”
Great. Just what I needed: an angry woman who couldn’t hold it. I opened the door and let the pudgy woman in.
“This isn’t your bathroom,” she spat as she waddled in. “You do have to share.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t have to share a damn thing,” I said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a killer to catch.”
The woman’s wide eyes told me I had achieved the desired effect. Maybe next time she’ll be a little kinder.
Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 05 - Oh Holy Ghost Page 8