Earl planted two bugs in the study and then left Lily alone to do her thing. He searched the house for places to hide his listening devices and while doing this, he also kept a sharp eye out for signs of Martin. The house was empty, except for stacks of boxes covered with a thick film of dust. They looked as though no one had touched or moved them in years and he assumed they belonged to the present mysterious new owners. The only sign that Martin had been using the house was fresh food in the refrigerator.
Earl climbed the back staircase up to the bedrooms. He opened the first door and discovered a large room with a connecting bath. He assumed this was the master bedroom. It was empty. He continued down the hallway to the next door. When he entered the room, it was apparent it had been recently used. A chill went down his spine as he saw a butcher knife and two pieces of cut rope lying beside the bed. This must have been Connie’s old bedroom and the scene of her kidnapping ordeal. The room took on an eerie atmosphere when his eyes caught sight of a woman’s green dress dangling from some kind of stand. Laid out neatly under the dress was a pair of high heels and a small lady’s purse. A sinister undercurrent swept through the room as if a dark presence were lurking somewhere in the shadows. When Earl bent down to place a listening device under the bed frame, something swooshed past the back of his head. The sensation was hair-raising and evoked images of blood sucking bats and ghostly apparitions. Whatever it was, he wasn’t about to search it out. No rational, common sense person should feel the way he did in that room. Quickly securing the bug to the bedframe, he literally ran down the back stairs.
Safely down the dark staircase, he began feeling quite foolish. He wasn’t a believer in spirits and ghosts and surely it was his imagination that had gotten the better of him. Earl’s belief that evil in this world was due to earthly beings, triggered the thought that Martin could enter the house at any moment. He suddenly became worried about Lily alone in the study.
Earl found her still in the study, sitting on the floor with Dr. Harriman’s watch in her lap. She took one look at Earl and said, “What’s the matter? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.”
“You and your ghosts,” he grumbled. “I’m fine. What about you? Are you feeling anything in this room?” he asked, wanting to change the subject.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”
“Well, don’t start speaking in tongues or anything or I’ll have to call the loony bin,” he said, beginning to regain some of his customary bravado.
“No. I’m hearing words and seeing pictures. The pictures are like flashes on a fast slideshow in front of my eyes. It’s like I’m looking through a window, and everything is speeding by.”
“Very weird,” Earl said.
“There’s more. I see money and pale blonde hair. I see Dr. Harriman involved in an argument with the person who has pale blonde hair. I’ve got to call Connie when I get home.”
“I don’t think you’d better tell her about our little escapade. She could tell Sgt. Reynolds and then he’ll arrest us for breaking and entering,” Earl said.
“I’ll just tell Connie I got these visions in my apartment while I was focusing on her father’s watch.”
“That’s fine, as long as you keep our little adventure a secret, Miss Swami.”
“Absolutely, Earl. We are co-conspirators. But now I need to go to Connie’s room.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’ve been here long enough and if Martin comes in, I’m not sure I can defend you from a guy hopped up on drugs or even from one of your evil spirits.”
“This may be my only chance. Please, Earl. Take me up there.”
“All right, but I need to warn you, there’s something strange going on in there.”
“Oh Earl, don’t tell me you’re becoming a believer now.”
“No. This is none of your mumbo jumbo, Lily. There are ugly reminders of Martin’s attack on Connie and I would swear that there is something alive in that bedroom.”
“Well. I’m not afraid and I’m going up there with or without you.”
With that, Lily led Earl up the staircase.
“Connie’s room is the second door on your right.”
As Lily turned the doorknob. Earl placed his gnarled hand firmly on hers and said, “Please, Lily. We really need to be careful.”
Lily discounted the concerned look on his face and opened the door.
The room was deathly quiet. The bed had been neatly made up with a pillow enclosed in a white lacey sham and a pink bedspread edged with a white ruffle. Clearly, it was the decorating choice of a young high school girl. Beside it, on the floor, lay a large butcher knife and two pieces of roughly cut rope. The juxtaposition of the frilly feminine bedding and the stark steel blade was jarring. Lily bent down to get a closer look at the knife and out of the corner of her eye saw something green and familiar. She gasped. “Earl that’s Connie’s reunion dress. Oh my God, it looks like it’s been slashed with a knife.”
“Don’t touch anything. Somehow we’ve got to get Sgt. Reynolds in here to see this.”
“I can’t believe the police didn’t find all this,” said Lily.
“Since Connie wouldn’t press charges, there was no reason for the police to come in here. We all know the old witch wouldn’t let the cops in without a warrant.”
They had both turned to leave when Lily noticed an open closet door. “There’s a box in there. Let’s see what’s in it.”
The box was full of high school memorabilia belonging to Connie. There were pictures of Connie with Martin, Connie’s family, Connie with her girlfriends, and a picture of Nola, Martin and Dr. Harriman. Lily sifted through the pictures and was shocked to find one with the eyes of Dr. Harriman poked out. They both looked at each other. Under the photos they found an envelope printed in embossed gold, the words, ‘Tilden Park Cotillion, 1959’. Inside was a pressed corsage. On the back was handwritten the words, ‘Connie and I,’ December 20, 1959.They also found a scarab bracelet, a gold circle pin, a silver charm bracelet and a 45 record of the song, Good Night My Love. It looked like a yellow throw pillow at the bottom of the box. Together they slid the box halfway out of the closet. Before they could move it fully into the bedroom, they heard a loud rustling noise and something black flew right at them. Earl yelled, “Duck!” as the sound of flapping wings soared over their heads. When it stopped they turned to see a huge black bird perched on the neck of Connie’s green dress.
“It’s only a bird,” Lily exclaimed.
“I can see that, but how in the hell did it get into this room, and how long has it been here? I don’t see any bird shit, so it either just got in, or someone’s been feeding and cleaning up after it. I think it’s time we left. This room is giving me the creeps.”
“I want to take a piece of the jewelry and a few other mementos with me.”
“Take what you want, but make it snappy,” Earl grumbled.
Chapter 52
Tuesday—December 2, 1986
Julio phoned Earl to ask him if he had any Realtor friends.
“There is a guy I used to play cards with. He didn’t work at the same agency that sold your house. What do you want him to do?” Earl asked.
“I need someone who has access to the multiple listings. I’m hoping to get the sales history of our old house. Although, maybe it’s through tax records, I’m not sure. But a good realtor will know how to get the information. We need to find out who bought the house after my parents and contact them.”
“I’ll get right on it,” Earl said.
Later that day, while dutifully monitoring the listening devices he had planted in the Harriman house, Earl’s phone rang again. It was his realtor friend, and he had the names of the people who bought the house from the Harriman estate. The surname was Ridenhour and the first names, Louis and Marcia. The house was sold again to a corporation and the records showed no forwarding address for the Ridenhours. Earl called Julio right away with the information and Julio immediately contacted
P.I. Max Ferguson to see if he could locate the Ridenhours.
Several hours later Max had located their current address and phone number in New Jersey. Julio was impressed with Max’s quick work and made a mental note to himself to use Max whenever possible. He then picked up the phone and made the phone call that he hoped would shed some additional insight into Beth Vreeland.
The phone was answered in a curt and cautious tone. “Yes, this is Lou Ridenhour. May I help you?”
“As a matter of fact, you can.” Julio introduced himself and then asked about the Harriman house.
“Yes, I did purchase a home in Tilden Park from the Harriman estate. May I ask what this is about?”
“Of course.” Julio explained that he and the police were looking into his parents’ murders again. Lou’s manner warmed up. “Sorry to hear it was your parents who died in the house. We knew the previous owners had died, but what we didn’t know, was that they had been murdered. We were from out of town and thought we were getting a fabulous bargain. The price was so good we immediately began to remodel it to fit our needs. It wasn’t until one of the subcontractors got chatty with my wife that we found out about the murders. When I called Beth Vreeland, our realtor, and asked her why she didn’t tell us the house had been a crime scene, she said we never asked! Do you believe that? She admitted that had we asked, she would have, by law, needed to tell us the truth. So unless asked, she had no obligation.
“I have never been so angry with anyone in my life. She changed her attitude when I told her I would sue both her and her broker for everything I could get. It was then I learned she had a back-up offer for the house and she would contact them to see if they were still interested. She was insistent that, if given some time, she could sell it for us. I agreed with the stipulation that I wasn’t going to pay her a commission for the next sale.
“About a week later, she called to tell us she had a buyer who would pay the agreed upon price, but we needed to finish the renovation. At that point, my wife and I didn’t care. We just wanted out. Our children were young and impressionable. We didn’t want the rumors and thoughts of dead bodies to frighten them. My wife was so upset by all of this I asked my company for a transfer back east and got it.”
“Can you tell me anything more about Vreeland?” Julio asked.
“Oh, she was a go-getter, for sure. She raced us through the closing so fast my head was spinning. The home inspection was done immediately and we were encouraged to close ASAP, before the owners changed their mind. She sure played us for fools. Neither my wife nor I cared for her. Far too aggressive for our liking. Have you had dealings with her?”
“No, I haven’t,” Julio said. “The Tilden Park police are trying to track her down because we understand she had a fight with my mother some twenty years ago. We could be grasping at straws, but we’re following every lead possible and so far we’ve had no luck in finding her.”
“Well, if I remember correctly, I think she said she was moving to Florida.”
“Yes, that’s what we heard, too. Thanks so much for the information, Lou. Sorry you and your wife went through such a difficult time with the house. Apparently, a corporation bought it. It’s so sad. My sister and I have such fond memories of living there before we lost our parents.”
“I may be speaking out of turn here, Julio, but my wife experienced some very strange happenings in that house. While it was being remodeled, we lived in a residence hotel with the children. When they were in school, Marcia spent much of her time overseeing and checking on the progress of the work. Thank God she did, or we wouldn’t have learned the home’s history. If you’re interested, why don’t I put her on the phone? It’s probably better that you hear it directly from her.”
“Thanks, Lou. I am interested. So sorry you were a victim in this whole deal. If you hear anything or remember anything pertinent about Beth Vreeland, I’d appreciate it if you’d call me.” Julio gave Lou his phone number and the man’s wife was put on the phone to speak with him.
“Hello, Julio. This is Marcia. Lou said you wanted to hear about my eerie experiences in that house. Please don’t think I’m crazy when I tell you these things.”
Julio reassured her. “I promise I won’t pass judgment on you.”
“Thanks. Well, the only room that made me uncomfortable was the study. Every time I walked in there, I swear I thought I heard a woman crying. One day I was so sure I heard crying I looked out the window to determine if it was coming from outside. There was no one out there. Later, when I learned about the murders, I was really freaked out by it. There were also times when I felt that someone was watching me. I’d never had that feeling before and haven’t had it since, and I hope I never do again. One evening, I took Lou over to see the progress on the renovation and the lights in the study kept blinking on and off. That really scared me, but Lou convinced me it was probably due to the electricians having been there that day. I called the electricians the next day and after they checked out all the wiring, they said everything was working fine.”
“I agree that is pretty weird. Thanks for your help, Mrs. Ridenhour. If you or your husband remember anything else, please call me.”
“We will, and Julio, I’d like to also offer my condolences to you. I’m sure your parents would be proud that you’re trying to solve their murders. We’ll be happy to help in any way possible. Please feel free to call us back if you have any more questions.”
“I certainly appreciate that. Thank you so much,” Julio said.
Chapter 53
Wednesday—December 3, 1986
Lily stopped by Earl’s house after work to see if he had any Martin sightings to report. She found him actively on the job, sitting on his screened-in-porch and wearing a thick down coat, a hunter’s fur cap with flaps over his ears and combat boots. Sniff was right next to him, wearing a camouflage doggie coat. Earl was sipping a beer from a large red cooler resting by the screen door. His cheeks were bright red and little icicles were forming on the hair over his upper lip.
Earl greeted her with a salute and suggested they go inside. Lily guessed he was looking for an excuse to desert his post and retreat to the warmth of the living room. She was excited to talk to him about the upcoming Christmas nuptials between Connie and Andrew and the parts they were to play in the celebration.
Lily smiled at the grumpy old man who was quickly becoming her best friend. “Earl, I have an idea. Since Connie and Andrew are being so generous to all of us, would you consider hosting a dinner on Sunday evening? I wouldn’t expect you to do it yourself. I would do all the cooking and decorating, if we could use your house and your money," she giggled.
“You some kind of gold digger, Lily? What makes you think I can afford it or would even consider it,” Earl grumbled.
“I am so sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, you’re wrong, Miss Co-conspirator in crime. I would be very happy to host a wedding dinner, but remember, you’re doing all the work. Right?”
“Of course, Earl.” She gave him a big hug.
“Don’t get all mushy on me now. It looks like I’ll have to buy a Christmas tree this year and you’ll be the one that has to decorate it.”
“I’d love that,” Lily said.
“I haven’t had a tree since Sue died. If my wife is all around me like you say, she’d probably want me to get out all her old Christmas decorations from the attic and put ‘em up.”
“I know she would,” Lily agreed.
“Well, Sniff,” Earl said, “you’re finally gonna have a real Christmas.”
Sniff opened one eye, then closed it and went back to sleep.
“Let’s get the menu planned,” Earl said. “But first, I had better check my reconnaissance equipment on the porch. You never know when you’ll get activity.” They both put their coats on and returned to the porch. Sniff took one look at the direction they were headed and burrowed himself back into his nice warm bed.
Earl checked
his monitors and let out a loud war whoop. They indicated movement in the Harriman house. He adjusted the telescope to see if he could locate Martin. Instead, he found Nola upstairs going through boxes and stuffing things into huge black garbage bags. After about a half hour of this activity, she disappeared from sight, only to emerge from the garage door dragging one of the large plastic bags. Within ten minutes, Nola had lugged six full bags out to the curb for trash pick-up the next morning.
“Well what do you think of that?" Earl asked.
“I think we need to see what’s in those bags. She might be trying to get rid of incriminating evidence and we can’t let that happen. Maybe we should confiscate her trash.”
Earl walked into the kitchen. He pulled out a box of plastic trash bags and began stuffing them with balled up newspaper.
"So, we’re doing a trash bag exchange?" Lily asked.
“Exactly. That bitch doesn’t miss a trick. If she wakes up and finds her trash gone, she’ll have the police search every house until they find it. Once we’ve filled up the bags we can put them in your car, pull up to the house in the dark and switch the bags.”
“Just one question; why my car?” Lily asked.
“Well, for starters, your car is blocking mine, and secondly, your car is a piece of crap.”
“Ouch,” Lily said.
“No offense. I worry about you driving around in that car. It looks like it could break down any minute. Besides, the old hag knows my car. We’ll cover your license plates with some of this black plastic, just in case.”
“Okay, we’ll use mine. What time should we do this?”
“How about four in the morning? All the insomniacs and Peeping Toms should be asleep by then. The trash guys don’t start picking up until around six.”
“I need to be at work by seven so that should be fine. Do you mind if I spend the night in the guestroom?”
“No. I worry about you driving around at night in that car anyway. In fact, why don’t we think about me loaning you some money for an auto upgrade?”
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