“I met the doctor and I seriously doubt he had anything to do with it, but if this guy is hiding something, I want to know what. My sister is dead and if he is responsible, then I want to know how.” Amber said.
“Your choice,” Michael said, “I’m just saying you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“I want to.” She said.
Michael nodded and got out of the SUV. Amber and April climbed out at the same time.
April came up next to Michael and whispered. “Michael, I am not sitting out here and waiting in the car by myself. This place gives me the creeps.” April said looking around. She could just make out the outline of the building against the night sky. A slight breeze blew and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She had goose bumps all over her arms.
“Alright. We’ll all stick together then.” Michael said. Michael led the way and the girls followed him up to the front door.
All three quietly walked to the door. As they approached, it became obvious that the front door wasn’t quite completely closed. It had been left slightly ajar. Light from an inside lamp was visible in the crack. April and Amber looked up at Michael who just shrugged his shoulders with a ‘don’t ask me’ look. He reached out and knocked on the door which caused it to open further.
“Hello?” Michael hollered into the house. “Is anybody home?” There was no sound and no reply. Michael hesitated a moment and then spoke even louder. “Hello? Anybody?” Still nothing. Michael reached out and gave the door a little push so it would open the rest of the way. After a moment of not hearing any sounds Michael stepped into the house.
April grabbed him by the shirt. “What are you doing? We can’t just walk into someone’s house!” She whispered sternly.
“What? The door was open. I thought I heard someone say ‘come in’. Didn’t you?” Michael said. April gave him a very sarcastic look.
“That’s what I heard.” Amber chimed in and took a step inside.
Michael and Amber walked into the house. April decided she must have heard someone say ‘come in’ as well because she crossed the threshold and stayed close to Michael.
The light was coming from the living room to their right and that was the direction they all went. There were bookcases from floor to ceiling on the right and they circled around the far wall. Most of the shelves contained books, but the third and fourth rows from the ceiling were adorned with various trinkets, artifacts, and old family photos. As they rounded the corner, they could see a recliner chair set up near where the bookcase came to a halt. There was a small end table next to the chair that had a glass of what looked to be iced tea. The glass was sweating from the melting ice cubes. The lamp that lit up the room was slightly behind the table and arced over the top, illuminating the area and most of the room. There was a book on the table next to the glass of tea that had been laid face down and open as if someone had set it down for a moment with the intent of returning to it momentarily. Michael took another step forward and stopped dead in his tracks. His heart all but froze as he took in the scene before him. April saw Michael’s expression change and followed his gaze. Her hand flew to her mouth where she stifled a scream. Amber moved around Michael to get a better look and stood expressionless unable to believe what she was seeing.
There on the floor of the reading room was the doctor with a small hole in his forehead and blood oozing out of it and onto the floor. The doctor’s glasses had fallen away from his face and his eyes were open looking out toward them. They hadn’t even begun to gloss over yet. Michael realized that whoever killed the doctor had done so only moments before they had arrived.
Chapter 41
Detective James and Dr. Crane were thumbing through the evidence piece by piece. Under normal circumstances, they would have both gone home and continued putting the pieces together the next day. But this case was going to become very public with a suspected murderer on the loose and two police officers that were publically arrested in Alexandria Bay. There was no dragging their feet on this one. Michael Bander had escaped their custody once and they had failed to collar him at the river, Walmart, and the amusement park. Both Detective James and Dr. Crane knew that they would be held accountable for any more deaths that may come about from Michael Bander. They nearly had him at the amusement park, but the Alexandria police force had not been told to watch for him. They were focusing on the descriptions of the two renegade police officers instead. The other officers and detectives were supposed to watch for Michael and April at the gate until backup could arrive and sweep the entire park. But a fake bomb scare sent a large crowd of people screaming through the entrance and the officers believed to have lost Bander and his wife in the crowd. Mrs. Bander must have come to the conclusion that they were tracking her vehicle because she abandoned it there. They had tried to track her cell phone but weren’t getting a signal. Detective James let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair. He pulled at his face with his hands attempting to pull away the exhaustion. He looked up at Dr. Crane who was partially sitting on his desk looking through one of the dossiers. “We’ve got to be missing something Doc. There must be something we’re overlooking.” The detective said.
Dr. Crane looked at the detective shaking his head. “When the evidence is conflicting, and the likelihood that the current theory can’t be supported, I like to lean on the advice of the old craftsman Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”
“Doyle?” The detective said.
“Detective, you of all people should recognize the genius behind the notorious Sherlock Holmes.”
“Can’t say I’ve read any Sherlock Holmes stories,” the detective said while grooming his mustache lost in thought, “what would this Doyle tell you in this situation Doc?”
Dr. Crane stood up and stretched his back. “Sir Doyle would tell us that ‘once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.’”
The detective thought about it for a moment. “That really doesn’t tell us much now does it Doc?” The detective said.
“Are you certain about that Detective? Have you actually applied it?” Dr. Crane said with a smile.
“Doc if you’re on to something just spit it out.” The detective was growing impatient.
“You are the detective, Detective. I’m not going to tell you how to do your job. I’m merely making a suggestion on how to look at the case from a unique angle. You connect the dots.” Dr. Crane said and walked away.
The detective leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. God, why did Doc have to be so damn difficult? He thought. Eliminate the impossible…what seems impossible? The detective wondered. It seems impossible for the two girls not to be the children of Michael and April Bander. The detective sorted through it in his mind. So if I eliminate that, that means Michael and April are the biological parents. But April never gave birth nor did she have a surrogate. Hell, it still didn’t make sense. The detective got up and stormed down to Dr. Crane’s office and stood in the door. Dr. Crane was behind his desk and looked up from his work with his glasses slightly below his eyes.
“The truth is that the twins, Maria and Amber are the biological offspring of Michael and April.” The detective said.
“Go on Detective.” Dr. Crane said.
“April passed two exams and a lie detector test. So it’s also true that she never gave birth. Right so far Doc?”
“I believe you are. So far anyway. Keep going.”
“That means the truth is that there has got to be a surrogate. But she passed a lie detector test. She said she never had a surrogate.” The detective turned his head sideways and put his chin on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and let his mind try and find it. It was right there, he could feel it. It just…wouldn’t…connect. He felt it start to slip away. “Shit.” He said looking back at Dr. Crane. “How can she have a surrogate and not have a surrogate?”
Dr. Crane took off his spectacles and laid them on the desk. He looked at the detective. “Let
me ask you something Detective.”
“Alright, ask.” The detective said trying to maintain some amount of patience.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
“Doc, you know the answer to that as much as I do. I’m an only child.”
“Are you sure of that?”
“Ya, I would think I would have known if I had grown up with an extra kid in the house Doc.”
“So you would pass a lie detector test if I were to ask you while being tested?”
“I would hope so.”
“How many girls did your father sleep with before he married your mother?” Dr. Crane asked.
The detective had a strange expression on his face. “How the hell should I know Doc? I don’t see how that’s…” Then it hit him. “You’re saying I could have a brother or sister and not have known about it and passed a lie detector test.”
Dr. Crane smiled and nodded. “And…”
“If Michael and April had a surrogate and didn’t know about it, all the pieces fit together…” The detective rubbed his mustache. “How could you have a surrogate and not know it?” The detective asked.
Dr. Crane smiled again. “Now that is a question worth investigating don’t you think?”
The detective stopped grooming his mustache and looked at Dr. Crane as if another revelation had dawned on him. “The doctor…the one who found the twins…shit. You’re a genius Doc.”
“I didn’t do anything.” Dr. Crane said. “That was merely the collective reasoning of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.” Dr. Crane said while placing his spectacles back on.
“Well then Sir Arthur Doyle is a fucking genius. I gotta go. Thanks Doc.” The detective said as he spun and headed out of the doorway. He looked down at his watch. With any luck the doctor would still be up.
Chapter 42
“Oh my God!” Amber said as she went to the doctor’s side and knelt down.
“Don’t touch anything,” Michael said, “we’ve got to get out of here.”
“We can’t just leave him here,” said April, “we need to call the police.”
“It’s the police I’m worried about.” Michael said. “I’ve already been found with one dead body. No way I’m going through that again.”
“Michael!” April exclaimed and nodded her head toward Amber with a look that said ‘shut up stupid’.
Michael looked down at Amber who was looking at him with a wounded expression. Michael was so caught up in reliving the being found with a dead body experience that he had forgotten that that dead body was Amber’s sister. “I’m sorry,” Michael said, “I didn’t mean to sound insensitive. It’s just, when I found Maria, they didn’t exactly coddle me. They tend to treat you like you’re a murderer and it’s up to you to prove you aren't.” Amber’s look softened. “I just don’t want this hanging over our heads. You don’t know what it’s like to try and prove you didn’t do something. It won’t look good. And whoever did this, did it just moments ago. Look at the drink.” Michael nodded toward the glass on the end table near the chair.
April and Amber looked toward the glass. There were still ice cubes in it and it was sweating on the outside. “Michael, we just can’t…” April began.
“No. He’s right. The guy who killed the Doctor is probably the same guy who killed Maria. He’s looking for me. If you’re with me when he finds me, he’ll kill you too!” Amber said. “I’ll go. I’ll go to the police and tell them everything.” Amber looked from Michael to April. It was obvious she was trying not to cry. “Maybe they can catch him before…” Amber turned her head away and back toward the doctor. “…before anyone else gets killed.” Amber stood up. Tears were falling down her cheeks. “This is all my fault,” she said, “If I had been brave enough to go back to the police, they might have caught this guy and the doctor would still be alive.”
Michael put his arm around Amber’s shoulder and embraced her. Amber was crying hard and laid her head on his chest. She had never had a shoulder to cry on before.
April comforted her by rubbing her back. “It’s not your fault,” she said, “you didn’t do this. It’s not your fault.”
“You know what?” Michael said. As he pulled back a little. Amber lifted her head up. Her brown hair was stuck to her wet cheeks. Michael ran his finger under the stray hairs and pulled them back. “We are going to stick together. All three of us. We’ll all go to the police and tell them what happened. I’ll have April’s sister Becca meet us there and she will make sure nothing happens to you even if we get arrested. Who knows, maybe they can make sense out of this mess.” Michael said.
Amber nodded her head and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. April reached around her and embraced her. “Come here you.” April said as she hugged Amber. “I forget how hard this must be on you too. Michael’s right, we need to end this for better or for worse.” She said.
“In sickness and in health.” Michael chimed in. April smiled and with her arm around Amber they all headed toward the door.
They were just about to go back through the door they had come in when a fragile voice of a female came from behind. “Please don’t go.”
Michael, April, and Amber spun around to see an older lady in a nightgown peering around the corner of the adjacent room. “Please…don’t go.” She said again. “My hu…hu…husband…he’s dead isn’t he?” She asked.
The two girls stood expressionless with their mouths half ajar in shock. Michael nodded his head. “Yes ma'am, I’m afraid he is.” He said.
The older lady nodded. She had beautiful gray hair. She looked to be in her mid sixties. Her face was smooth and didn’t have many wrinkles except under her eyes. Her eyes were a dark brown color that gave away too much. Michael could see the pain in them. “It was only a matter of time.” She said.
Michael looked at her. “What do you mean? You’re husband was shot ma'am.” Michael said.
“Yes, I know. I heard it from downstairs. I assumed that’s what had happened. It’s a wonder he made it this long.”
“I’m afraid I don’t follow you.” Michael said.
“Please, take me to him will you?” The older lady asked.
“You’re his wife?” Amber asked. The older lady nodded. “But he said you left him years ago. Right after you found my sister and I on your door step.”
The older lady nodded. “He was protecting me. He was worried they would find me.”
“They?” April asked.
The older lady nodded. “Please, take me to him. I’ll tell you everything.”
Michael offered his arm and she held on and followed him as he led her into the other room where her husband lay on the floor.
The older lady stifled a gasp and cupped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my poor Benjamin. What have they done to you?” The older lady spoke aloud. “Dear…” The older lady looked at Amber. “There is a closet down the hall on the right. There are sheets on the second shelf from the top. Would you…”
Amber nodded and walked around the doctor and down the hall. There was a sound of a door opening and a moment later she came back with a white sheet. She opened it up and April stepped over to help, and they both covered up the doctor.
“Thank you dear.” The older lady said. She glanced over at the tea on the end table. There was a book titled Finding Mommy laying open and face down. The older lady nodded. “He always liked to read about this time. Come, let’s sit down at the table and talk for a while. I haven’t spoken to anyone but Benjamin in twenty years or more.” She said and motioned toward the other room.
Michael offered his arm again and led the way into the adjacent room. It appeared to be a dining room. There was a large table and many chairs around it. There was a light attached to a ceiling fan overhead. Amber found a switch on the wall and turned the light on. “Thank you dear.” The older lady said as Michael pulled out a chair for her. “Would any of you care for something to drink?” She asked.
Michael, April, and Amber all loo
ked from one to the other and shook their heads no. “Tell us, what happened to your husband Mrs…” April began.
“Jane dear. You can call me Jane.” The older lady said.
“Ok Jane. I’m April, this is my husband Michael, and this is Amber.”
The older lady froze her eyes on Amber. “My how you have grown into such a beautiful young lady.” She said. “I’m so sorry about your sister. I wish none of this had happened.”
“So you remember us?” Amber asked. “You remember the day we were dropped off on your porch?”
“Oh I remember you.” Jane smiled at Amber. “But you weren’t dropped off on our porch I’m afraid.”
“We weren’t?” Amber showed an expression of shock. “So you knew our parents?” She asked.
“Well, no. I mean…I didn’t.” She looked from Michael to April. “But I do now.”
Amber felt a big lump well up in her throat as she looked at Michael and then at April. April did look an awful lot like her and her sister. “I don’t understand,” she said, “April has never given birth. She can’t possibly be my biological mother.”
“That’s because she didn’t give birth to you,” Jane said, “but I can assure you, she is your biological mother.”
“How can…” April began. “How can you know this? I don’t understand. How can I be her biological mother if I never gave birth to her?”
Jane smiled at April and then at Amber. “I know this because you weren’t found on our doorstep. That is just the story we made up for the newspaper to protect you.”
“Then who gave birth to me?” Amber said.
Jane looked at Amber right in the eyes. “I did.”
Amber stood up. Her eyes were welling up with tears. “I can’t do this. I’ve got to go. This is creeping me out.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t understand.” She said.
Jane’s smile faded. She reached out and put her hand on Ambers. “Please. Don’t go. I’ll explain. You’re right. The story is a strange one. Sit. Please.” Jane pleaded with Amber. Amber nodded her head and wiped away a stray tear and sat down.
Over Her Dead Body Page 22