“I see. Well, I can see why you’d be upset.”
“Yes, but not enough to kill anyone. Sheriff, I don’t even kill spiders. I always collect them and put the back outside. I’d never kill anyone.”
Jack could see the tears forming in her eyes, and he struggled to find something that could lead him to another answer.
“Sheriff, can I ask who said they saw me?”
“Lots of people saw the car, ma’am.”
“Yes, but did anyone see me?”
“One witness.”
“Who?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
Abby sat upright again. “Don’t I get to face my accuser?”
“You haven’t been charged with anything, ma’am, and this isn’t a trial. I’m really sorry Mrs. Holtzman.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m sure it was that weasel, Gary Juniper.” She turned her head and sneered. “You know he hates me.”
“Ma’am, we’re not here to talk about Gary Juniper.”
“I guess not. Well, are you going to arrest me?”
“I’d rather not, ma’am. However, I do need you to stay around until this investigation is complete.”
“Sheriff, I’ve been here longer than I can remember. I’ve got roots here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Jack smiled and started to stand when he tipped his cup over, spilling coffee on his clothes and hands. “Ah, crap.” He looked up. “Sorry, ma’am, for the language and the spill.”
“Don’t worry, Sheriff. Why don’t you just go wash up, I’ll call the cleaners.”
“Thanks, ma’am.” Jack stood up and headed for the guest bathroom around the corner.
“Oh, you’ll have to use my bathroom. The guest sink isn’t working. Just go around the corner down the hall. It’s to the right once you’re in the bedroom.”
“Um.” Jack paused and Abby laughed.
“It’s fine, Sheriff. I don’t have anything embarrassing in there. Just ignore the dress in there, I spilt some grape juice on it yesterday after church and I tried to get it clean. Unfortunately, I failed.”
Jack nodded and headed to the functioning sink. He stepped into the large bathroom, eyed the large purple stain on the dress, and placed his still hot hands under the stream of lukewarm water. As the sensation in his hands improved, he looked up and noticed a group of beautiful flowers just outside the open window. He craned his head out the window and took a deep breath before opening his eyes and seeing two deep pits in the ground below.
Jack dried his hands and hurried back to the living room. Waiting for him were Tommy and Abby Holtzman sipping tea. “Mrs. Holtzman, those are gorgeous flowers outside the window.”
She looked up, beaming. “Why, thank you, Sheriff. I keep that window open so I can smell them. I know you shouldn’t keep windows open all the time, but that portion of the house is above the garage, so I don’t think anyone knows it’s open. And I do just love the smell of the flowers when I take my late night showers.”
“Late night showers, ma’am?” Jack could feel the idea forming in his head.
“Yes, well it may be a bit personal, but I always take a shower in the middle of the night. Arthur used to work late, and he would always want a shower when he came home. He would always wake me up and we would shower.” Her voice started to shake. “I still wake up around two in the morning every day. I still take those showers.” She wiped her eyes and looked down.
“Well, thank you for your time, Mrs. Holtzman. We’ll be in touch.” Jack motioned for Tommy to leave.
“Well, Sheriff, I do hope you find the real killer before you have to arrest me.”
Jack held the door as Tommy exited. “Me too. Take care, ma’am.” He put his hat on and followed Tommy to the cruiser. “Let’s get back to the station, Tommy. I need to check something.”
“What’s up, boss?”
“I’ll let you know if it works out.” Jack searched for the final piece of the puzzle during the drive. He thought he found an alibi, but he still needed a motive. When they arrived at the station, Jack leapt from the car and rushed to his desk. There, in color, was a picture of Abby Holtzman taken the night before during her nightly shower. Jack held the picture, remembering when Jason said he took the pictures.
“Chief, you okay?”
“Yeah, why?” He looked down and realized what it must look like as he eyed the naked body in the photo below. He turned the pictures over and slammed them to his desk. “Sorry, that was Abby Holtzman. Jason was at her window last night.”
“Last night? Then she couldn’t have been at Dietz’s.”
“Exactly, but why would Gary lie. I know he doesn’t get on with Abby, but Dietz is dead, and I don’t see why Gary would kill him.”
“Maybe he didn’t.”
“What do you mean, Tommy?”
“Well, maybe he just saw the car, like lots of them did, and saw an opportunity to frame Mrs. Holtzman.”
“Maybe. Either way, I’m not too thrilled with wild goose chases. I think we should pay Gary another visit.”
Arriving back in the now deadliest neighborhood in town, they found Gary sitting on a lawn chair in his front yard smoking a cigar and holding a tall glass of amber liquid. “Sheriff, what brings you back around here, looking for more evidence to put old Mrs. Holtzman in the piggy poke?”
Jack placed his tongue in his cheek before smacking his lips. “Something like that, we just need to ask you a few more questions. You know, just to make sure we’ve covered all the gaps the lawyers might find.”
“In that case, go right ahead.”
Jack gestured to Tommy so that he would get out his pad and begin taking notes. “Okay, Gary, tell me about the car again.”
Gary waved the cigar in the air as he spoke. “Well, it was a big white car, four doors, definitely a Jag. It had that big ugly cat on the front of it.”
Jack laughed. “Oh, I always liked that cat. So you did get a good view of the car.” Jack made a note to check on the original interviews. “Anyway, now tell me how you knew it Abby.”
“I don’t know. It just looked like her.” Gary sat upright and placed the cigar back in his mouth. “Just like you look like you. You just do.”
“Well, what was she wearing? Did she have any kind of disguise on, like a hat, or a scarf, or a mask, or something?”
“How am I supposed to know?” Gary stood up and paced in front of Jack, taking large drinks from his glass.
“It’s okay, Gary, just remember what you can. You saw her, now what did you see?”
“Well, she had her hair in a bun, and she had on the same sleeveless dress that she wore to church that evening, and no hat or nothing. I mean I could see her face real clear. There was nothing hiding it.”
“Hmm, I think I remember that dress.” Jack nodded to Tommy. “And what time was this?”
“I guess it was about two in the morning, maybe a little earlier. I can’t remember exactly, except that it was just after two when I went back to bed.”
“You went back to bed?”
“Yeah, I think everybody did, I mean we didn’t think anything really bad had happened, just another fight between the two of them. Did I mention that they had been fighting lately?”
Jack licked his lips. “Yes, you mentioned that. So, you didn’t go check up on your neighbor after some loud noise woke you and you saw a woman who you knew had been fighting with him drive away?”
“Well, you see Sheriff.” Gary wiped sweat from his forehead. “I assume you’ve been asking around about me and Dietz.” He finished his glass and Jack could smell the alcohol as Gary passed in front of him.
“Why do you say that?” Jack raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Tommy.
“Look, I’m not stupid, Sheriff. People around here know that Dietz and I didn’t get along anymore. Before you came to town, we were good friends, but that’s been over for years.”
“Why’s that, Gary?”
“Well, you see, after my
wife died, I didn’t go around there much. She and Dietz were out fishing one day, and she didn’t come back with him.”
“And you blame Dietz for that?”
“Hell, yeah. I’m sure he could’ve done something. He managed to save himself anyway.”
Jack motioned for Tommy to come closer. “Gary, I think you should stop talking now. Tommy, read Gary his rights and get him to the station. After that, see if you can find out if he rented a white Jag anytime recently. I’m going to go over to Mrs. Holtzman’s house and advise her to keep her window closed.”
Brother’s Keeper
Kelly Barrington stood from the overstuffed leather chair and clinched his fists as he began to pace. “Tracy, don’t be a selfish idiot. The kids will be better with me.”
His twin brother, Tracey, blew his nose for the tenth time in the last half-hour, closed his eyes and shook his head. “Kelly. I have the bigger house, more money, live in a better school district, and have spent more time with them since you moved away. They love me, and they’ll be better off here.”
Kelly’s head itched and his face burned as if he had spent the day at the beach. “Tracy, this is not a discussion. I’m taking Billy and Danielle and you can’t stop me. You know Mom and Dad would want them with me.”
Tracey blew his nose again and stood from the couch. He was stronger than Kelly, but much less menacing. “Two hours after we find out they’re dead and you’re already trying to use them to defend your ridiculous hate and fear. You know I made up with them long ago, it’s you who has the problem.”
“It’s bad enough that I have a faggot for a brother, I’m not about to let you raise our little brother and sister to be as screwed up and sinful as you turned out. You will never end up with them.” He stepped up next to Tracey and pushed his finger into his brother’s forehead. “You hear me. Never.” Kelly turned and stomped toward the door.
“It’s bad enough that I have to admit I come from this bastion of ignorance we call home. But you seem to be willing to revel in the sludge with the rest of townsfolk.”
“I’m proud of who I am and where I come from. You may be family, but that doesn’t make you good.”
“Say what you want, Kelly. I’ll take it to court if I have to.” Tracy stared at Kelly waiting for a comment. None came, so he elected to provoke him. “Trust me Kelly, I can afford a better lawyer than you can.”
“Burn in hell you fairy.”
“After you, you ignorant hillbilly.”
Kelly slammed the door.
Tracy blew his nose again. “I need to go for a walk.” He changed into more comfortable shoes and headed out the door.
Soon after Tracy had left, Kelly came back into the house with a gift-wrapped package of Tracy’s favorite cigars from Ybor City. He set the package on the coffee table and jotted down a note. “Tracy, I’m sorry about earlier. I know we have our problems, but we’re family and we need to pull together. I know you like these, and I hope you can find a way to forgive me while you enjoy them.”
He stood back from the table and admired his work. Smiling, he walked to the back door. On his way past the fireplace he turned on the gas. He did the same on his way through the kitchen. “Enjoy the smokes, you congested pervert.” He shut the door behind him and sped home to wait for the phone call from the police or morgue.
Excerpt from Merciless Pact
A cicada fell from the sky. Then ten more. Then a hundred more. Thousands fell all around him, flapping and flipping.
Loud and angry, they screamed for help. They piled up around him, coming from everywhere and nowhere. They screamed. They cried.
Then nothing. No sound.
Greg looked at the mound of the bugs all around him. It was a motionless stack that stood eight feet high, and encircled him. He turned, in awe and wonderment of how he would get out. The porch beneath him felt warm under his sandals.
His toes felt wet. He looked down and saw a black ooze pooling at his feet coming from the base of the pit of cicadas. The same black ooze that the stranger had puked onto him last night.
He noticed the bugs turning to vacant shells as the ooze flowed. He watched as a line rose from the floor to the opening separating insect from carcass. The last bug gave itself to the black as the ooze rose to his ankles. He was surrounded by the shells. The ooze continued to rise.
His heart raced. He felt trapped. He pushed against the stack, but the wall gave way to his hands, revealing only more wall. The ooze rose to his knees and he pressed again, shoving his arms into the façade of discarded exoskeleton. He could still feel more at the edge of his reach.
The ooze rose to his waist. He took a breath and pushed himself into the stack. With each step, the bugs clawed at his skin and the ooze rose. Bits of skin and hair were lost to the dead and the ooze rose to his chest.
Merciless Pact is available at the Kindle store.
Mayhem: A Collection of Stories Page 10