by Boone, Lisa
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8:40 P.M.
Madison sat down at a table located in the sunroom of Pearl Oliver’s Bed & Breakfast, a quaint little Victorian B & B located in the heart of downtown Goodwick. Its restaurant was widely known to be the best eatery in fifty miles. Or so the retired constable they had last talked to claimed. “Not only could a person get a reasonably priced meal,” he said with a knowing nod of his gray head, “but you might find what you’re looking for there.”
According to him, Pearl Oliver had been the principal of the town’s elementary school for over forty years until she retired a few years back. “If Todd Abbott and this Alex person were old enough to attend school, she would know them and remember them,” the constable assured them. “And,” he added somberly, “if Pearl didn’t know them, then they simply didn’t exist.”
So, hungry and running out of people to interview, they continued to Pearl’s, hoping they would have better luck with her than they did at the library, the local paper, the sheriff’s office, or any of the other places they had been to that day. It seemed to Madison that they had talked to almost everyone in town, including every person with the last name Abbott who happened to live in Goodwick, and each person they spoke to said basically the same thing.
They had never heard of Todd Abbott.
So, it seemed Pearl was their last hope.
They took a table in the sunroom overlooking the lake and ordered Pearl’s best, and after eating, waited for Pearl who insisted on cooking every meal herself, to come out of the kitchen and join them.
She was in her eighties, with white hair and the palest blue eyes Madison had ever seen. She listened politely as they explained what they wanted and promised to help if she could, assuring them that her memory and mind was as sharp as ever. If the men they were looking for passed through her school, she would know.
Madison, for a moment, felt a surge of hope, which was quickly dashed when Pearl shook her head.
“There was a Hollis Abbott, a David Abbott, two in fact, a Michael and a Frank, but no Todd. At least not in the time period you are talking about.”
“Are you absolutely sure?”
“I could be mistaken but…” She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry; there was no Todd Abbott that went to my school.”
Defeated, Madison sat back against her chair.
“It looks like Yvette fed us some false information,” Ethan said, clearly disappointed by the exchange. He pushed back his chair and stood. “We’re sorry we wasted your time.”
“Ah, no waste,” Pearl said, “I hope you enjoyed the food, at least.”
“It was excellent,” Madison said, remembering her manners.
“I hope you find the man whose threatening you,” Pearl said. “If I think of anything that might help, I’ll give you a call.”
Ethan reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, which he laid on the table in front of Pearl. “Thank you, we would really appreciate it,” he said pulling back Madison’s chair and helping her to her feet.
They were almost out the door when Pearl suddenly called out to them. “Do you have a picture of the boys you’re looking for?”
“Not any of them as children,” Madison said.
“Well, if you have picture of them as adults, I might be able to recognize them. Children change growing up, but usually not so much that you can’t recognize them when they get older. Unless of course they had some work done on themselves.”
Ethan pulled out his phone and navigated to a picture of Todd he had found on the Internet that morning. He had showed it almost to everyone he had come into contact with, but had stopped as the day wore on and more and more people insisted that they didn’t know anyone by the name of Todd Abbott.
Madison looked over his shoulder and felt sick as she gazed down at a picture of Todd seated at a low table stacked with books. He was smiling up at a pretty young woman as he handed her a book. “He was in his late twenties, we assume, when this was taken,” Ethan said as he walked back to the table and handed the older woman his phone.
Pearl took out her glasses and peered down at the screen. A frown crossed her face as she tilted the phone this way and that. “Is this the only picture you have of him?” she asked handing him back the phone.
Ethan pulled up another picture, this one from an interview he had given for one of his books.
“It’s a bit grainy,’ she complained. She started to hand the phone back to him when she paused and brought it closer to her face. “And his friend’s name you say was Alex?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “Alex wasn’t his friend. That was his brother.”
Madison and Ethan both snapped to attention.
“You know them?” Madison asked sitting back down at the table. She made room as Ethan sat back down next to her.
“Sure do, but their last name isn’t Abbott. It’s Sampson. Todd and Alexander Sampson.” A look of distaste crossed her face as she handed the phone back to Ethan. “I’m not surprised at how they turned out. I’m just surprised it took so long for someone to ask about them.”
“I’ve shown these pictures to a dozen people today,” he complained as he pocketed the phone.
“They left seventeen years ago. Some people just don’t have an eye for faces. If you had asked about Todd and Alex Sampson, they would have remembered.”
“What happened?” Madison asked.
“The youngest one, Alex, killed their parents. Although there is some question as to whether he killed his father. Most people around here think their mother actually killed him.”
“What were his parents’ names?” Ethan asked bringing out a small notebook.
“William and Barbara Sampson. William grew up here. He was a good man. Always polite. Never had a harsh word to say about anyone.” A frown pulled at Pearl’s thin lips. “Barbara wasn’t from here.”
Ethan jotted down their names quickly and asked, “How did they meet?”
“William said they met at college.” She snorted. “I’d have to see Barbara’s degree before I’d believe she graduated from college. I heard from a few of William’s friends that she was an exotic dancer he picked up on spring break his senior year. They came back married and with Todd on the way. Settled down the street from here.”
“I take it family life was not a happy one,” Ethan said wryly.
“She made William miserable every day of his life. The boys too.” Pearl shook her head sadly. “They never had a chance.”
“How did William die?” Madison asked.
“Someone slit his throat while he slept. Todd was eight at the time. Alex six. Todd came running from the house screaming that his mom killed his dad, but when the police arrived, Barbara was nowhere to be found. The only person in the house was Alex and it was his fingerprints on the murder weapon. When they did find Barbara the next morning, she said she was visiting a sick friend. Turned out the sick friend was the mayor, whose wife was out of town. The mayor, once it came out, tearfully admitted to the affair.”
“So she had an alibi,” Ethan said.
“That Mayor was as crooked as they came. He was protecting her. I was there that night when Todd came running into the streets just scared to death. I believe to this day that he was telling the truth, and that his mom killed William. Probably the first time he ever told the truth in his life. She killed William and she did it in front of her own children. Then to save herself, she tried to frame her own son. She was an evil, hateful woman. Her little scheme wasn’t entirely successful. The prosecutor was convinced she was guilty, so was most of the town, but there wasn’t enough evidence. William’s death became one of those cold cases where everyone knows who the murderer is, but nothing could be done about it.”
“Why did she kill her husband?” Ethan asked.
“She wanted the Mayor. His wife was sick, dying. It was only a matter of time before she passed on. Barbara wanted to take her place when she did, but William wouldn
’t give her a divorce.”
“But do you really believe she tried to frame her own son?” Madison asked in disbelief. “Why?”
“Rumor was that the Mayor didn’t like the boy, but I’m sure Barbara thought that since he was young, no one would really do anything about him. And no one did because we all thought she was guilty, not little Alex.”
“Why didn’t the Mayor like the boy?” Ethan asked.
“There was always something strange about Alex. Todd you could talk to. He’d lie to you but when he wanted, he could be rather charming. Alex was quiet and very reserved. The only person he seemed to care about or at least want to be around was Todd. Used to follow him around everywhere like a little puppy.”
“And how did Todd feel about Alex?” Madison asked.
“He protected him. If Todd had any good to him, it was that he loved his younger brother. Loved him more than anyone else, including that mother of his.”
“What happened to Barbara and the kids after William died?” Ethan asked.
“Well, after the Mayor’s wife passed on, Barbara finally got what she wanted. She and the Mayor married and she became the wife of a very wealthy man. Barbara shipped the boys off to live with her mother the next day.”
“That was quick,” Madison said.
“Had to. The Mayor was threatening to divorce her if she didn’t send them away. The night they returned from their honeymoon, their house burned to the ground. Barbara and the Mayor almost died.”
Ethan looked up from his notebook. “They blamed the boys?”
“Sure did, and I don’t doubt it. One of those boys set the place on fire. Not sure which one, but I have my suspicion it was Alex.”
“But he was still a young boy,” Madison murmured.
“Old enough to play with matches,” Pearl replied. “We didn’t see the two boys again until their grandmother passed away a couple of years later. From what I understand, she was a rather wealthy lady. Left the boys her entire estate.”
Madison lifted her eyebrows. “How soon did it take for their mother to rediscover her motherly instinct?”
“It kicked in shortly after the reading of the will. She picked her boys up and brought them back here. A week later, she started asking around town about boy’s camps she could send Alex to.”
“Just Alex?” Ethan asked.
“Just him. I think Barbara was scared of him. She had reason to be. He killed her with his daddy’s knife three months later.”
Madison and Ethan exchanged a look. “Are you sure it was him?” Ethan asked.
“No doubt about it. The maid saw him do it and wrenched the knife out of his hand. Cut her hand up pretty bad, but she survived. He was too young really to do anything with,” Pearl continued, “so they put him in a hospital someplace.”
“What happened to Todd?” Ethan asked.
“He went to a little town near Paducah. Don’t remember the name. William’s sister took him in. I think she ended up adopting him, but I don’t know that for sure.”
Madison gripped her purse tightly in her hands. “Do you remember what their names are?”
“The woman’s name was Allison. I don’t think I ever heard her husband’s first name. I remember people saying that they owned a hotel and restaurant.”
Ethan tapped his pen against the notebook. “What about the name of the hotel?”
Pearl turned her head to the side as she thought. “The Depot Inn,” she said after a moment. “Yes, that was it. Definitely the Depot Inn. I remember someone saying they lived next to a railroad. I don’t know what became of either of the boys after that. I always assumed that Alex joined them at some point, but I really don’t know.”
“What about a picture,” Madison said. “Do you know how we could find a picture of Alex?”
“We used to have class pictures filed away in the records room, but the school burned down a few years ago. I’m sure some students have class pictures, but I couldn’t tell you which ones would have kept it.”
Madison bit her lip. “Could you describe him?”
“He had blond hair and blue eyes. Wore glasses. I remember he had a lot of freckles because some of the other children would tease him. He was heavyset too. I don’t know if that description would help you that much.” She patted her snow-white hair. “Except for a period in the seventies when I became a platinum blonde, I used to have long black hair like yours, and the tiniest waist in town, at least until I had children. I once had a gap between my teeth too until my teeth fell out and got replaced by these things here,” she said gesturing to her mouth. “People change as they age. Sometimes it’s subtle; sometimes it’s not. If you can find their Aunt Allison, she would probably have some pictures of him. I wish I could help you more.”
“You’ve helped us a lot. Thank you so much,” Madison said returning to her feet.
She waited for Ethan by the door, mulling over everything they had heard tonight. The more she learned about Alex, the more frightened she became. They had found where he had grown up. They heard how he had lived as a child, but how helpful was that information? They still didn’t know where he was or what he looked like today.
As far as she was concerned, he was still the boogeyman ready to pop out at a moment’s notice. She was so lost in thought, she hadn’t heard Ethan approach and jumped when he pressed his hand to her back.
“I’m sorry,” he said dropping his hand, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t,” she said taking his hand. “I was just thinking about Alex.”
He brought her closer and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Don’t. Take a break from it for a little while.”
“I can’t. It seems like he’s always with me now.”
He pressed his lips to the side of her head. “I’m here with you right now.”
“Did any of what we learned help at all?” she asked looking for reassurance from her dark thoughts.
“Of course it did. We’re that much closer to finding this guy.”
“Good,” she said as a shiver went down her spine.
“Are you cold?” he asked wrapping both hands around her waist and pulling her against his body.
“Freezing.”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “Well, I should probably do something about that.” He leaned his head forward and kissed her until their heads were spinning. When she broke the kiss to take a ragged breath, he whispered, “Come on, let’s go back to the motel and get you warm.”
She nodded as she slid into the passenger seat. “What’s the next step?” she asked when he pulled out onto the main road towards their motel.
“See if you can find the Depot Inn on your phone. Hopefully, they have a web presence.”
Her hands shaking slightly, she reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. By the time they reached their motel room, Madison had found the inn’s address and the owner’s names.
“Neal and Allison Abbott. Well, at least we know where Todd’s last name came from now. Do you want me to call them?” she asked, her finger hovering over the screen.
“No, I’d rather talk to them face to face.”
“They may not want to talk to us.”
“Even more reason to go there and see them. I find that people are much more polite in person than on the internet or the phone.” He inserted the motel key into their door. “Besides, if they won’t talk, maybe their neighbors will.” He held open the door for her and let her pass in front of him.
“Paducah is so far away,” she said, taking off her coat and laying it on the chair next to the bed. She closed her eyes as Ethan’s arms encircled her from behind.
“Still cold?” he asked in between light kisses on the side of her neck.
She bit her lip to keep from answering. She was so close to giving in to him. She wanted him more than she wanted anything, but everything was happening so fast.
She felt his hand turn her head to the side and her mind suddenly went hazy, as she bec
ame lost in his kiss.
He stopped suddenly with a groan and pulled away from her.
“What? What’s wrong?” she asked, only then hearing the sound of her phone ringing. She reluctantly reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. Looking down at the screen, she said, “It’s Sarah’s pub,” before answering the phone.
“Hey, Madison, this is Emily.”
Her heart leapt into her throat. “Is Sarah all right?”
“Yeah, sure, she’s fine. She wasn’t feeling well so she left a little early, but I’m sure everything’s okay. I hope I didn’t give her my cold. I’ve been sick since Christmas.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Madison said wondering why Emily was calling. “I hope you’re feeling better.”
“Eh, I’ve felt worse. Anyway, someone called here looking for you a couple of hours ago and asked me to deliver a message. He didn’t leave a name but said you would know who he was. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to call, but it’s been really crazy here tonight.”
Madison felt a chill go through her. She walked to the other side of the bed, feeling the need to put some space between her and Ethan. “That’s all right. What did he say?”
“He said that he hoped you were having fun wherever you were and that he’d catch up to you in four days. Well, I got to run. My manager is making faces at me. Tell Sarah I said I hope she feels better. Bye.”
“Bye, Emily.” Madison felt sick as she ended the call. She tossed the phone down on the bed and blinked back tears.
“Is everything okay at home?” Ethan asked.
“Um, fine,” she said trying to get control over her emotions. “Emily was just relaying a message. Sarah called in sick.”
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot to tell you. Casey called while you were in the restroom earlier. He said Sarah wasn’t feeling well and they were at his place. He said not to worry, she was safe and they were having a good time watching the fights.”
“Good,” she said finally turning back toward Ethan. “What are they going to do tomorrow?”
“She wants to go shopping. Told him that she had to get something for her friend’s bachelorette party.”