by Raven Snow
“It doesn’t happen often, but no one was very surprised. There aren’t any secrets between people out here in Lichen. If people don’t like you, they make it known.” Brenna chuckled. “You know that yourself now, don’t ya?” She motioned over her shoulder, toward their car.
Rowen didn’t find that quite as humorous, but it interested her all the same. “So the townsfolk here pressured the Lucas family into moving out?”
“They heavily suggested that they should, yeah.” Brenna went back to rocking. “They got out not long after that started. It was in their best interest.”
“Timothy Lucas didn’t move out, though,” Rowen pointed out. “Did that make people angrier?” She felt some walls come up around Brenna when she asked that question. She was getting close to something the woman clearly didn’t want to talk about. She wasn’t a “rat” after all.
“People weren’t too happy about that, no,” said Brenna. “But he was married to Edith. That made things a bit more complicated. You met Edith. Sweet thing. Too good for that piece of garbage she married if you ask me.”
“It doesn’t sound like the Lucas family had many friends in town,” Eric observed.
“What did they do that got them kicked out?” Rowen added.
Brenna’s lips made a tight line. She didn’t much look like she wanted to respond. “They weren’t neighborly,” she said finally. “You’re supposed to love thy neighbor. They didn’t do none of that. They were a selfish bunch through and through. It’s a shame. I knew the previous generation of that family back when I was a girl. Sweet people. Dunno what happened to change ’em. Sometimes you just get a few rotten apples that spoil the bunch, I guess.”
“So they all got run out of town except for Tim,” said Eric, summarizing things.
“And do you think that’s why Timothy got killed?” asked Rowen. She knew they were all thinking it. She might as well just come right out and ask.
“I don’t know who did the deed, and I wouldn’t say a word if I did know,” Brenna assured them. “As far as I’m concerned, he deserved it.”
“He was abusive, I take it?” asked Eric, his tone somber. Rowen had gathered that herself.
Brenna hesitated in answering, but finally she just sighed and shook her head, like telling that part of the truth didn’t matter anymore. “Goodness, yes. It was terrible. Like I said, that poor girl was just the sweetest thing. I don’t know what makes a man a monster like that. I-”
“I’m sorry,” Rowen interrupted, turning on the recorder in her purse. “Do you mind if we record this for our paper?”
Brenna hesitated but shrugged. “I don’t suppose so. Let everyone know what kind of man Tim Lucas was for all I care.” She continued as Rowen set the recorder down. “I lived here before the two of them moved in. She was such a doll in the beginning. She would always come over and have dinner with me when her husband was working late, which was most nights. I didn’t have kids or a husband, you see. I was a school teacher back then, helped homeschool nearly all the kids here in Lichen.” She sat up a little straighter at that last part, like she was still very proud. “I retired a few years back, but my old students still come and visit nearly every day.”
Brenna shook her head and got back on topic. “I noticed the change in Edith’s personality first. She was so cheerful and bright to start with. She was just this little ray of sunshine that would light up a room. She dimmed little by little after those first couple of years. After that, it wasn’t long before I started seeing the bruises. She’d tell me she bumped into a table or fell down, but I’m no dummy. The bruises were finger shaped, like someone had grabbed her arm too tight.” Brenna paused then. She stared at the floor, a deep frown on her face. “I got fed up with that real quick. I’d talked with Edith, but of course she denied it. I went to her mother next. Fran? You must have met her while you were doing all your snooping around. Good woman.”
Rowen nodded and Brenna went on. “Well, Fran had her own suspicions. I’m not sure what happened after that, but I do know Edith stopped having dinner with me. That’s just what abusers do, you know. They cut off their victim from everyone who cares about them. After that, I mostly just saw Edith at the mailbox.”
“The two of you didn’t have any contact after that?” asked Eric.
“Well, there was this one night.” Brenna paused there like she wasn’t sure if she should go on. She took her tea and drained the rest of it. She sat there staring thoughtfully at the floor for a while before picking up where she had left off. “I remember I was just about to go to bed.” She glanced out the window. “I was just getting up from this very chair when Tim’s car peeled out of the driveway real fast. He took off, burning rubber. I thought it was odd but went right back to getting ready for bed. Then, a few minutes after that, there was a knock on the door. It was Edith.” Brenna closed her eyes and seethed, like this memory still hurt her. “That horrible man had really done a number on her this time. I had to drive her up to the hospital. Turned out he’d broken her arm. Of course, she didn’t want to press charges. I didn’t say anything either. It was what she wanted. That didn’t mean I was going to stay quiet about it, though! No, Sir! I let her family know what happened.”
“Who specifically?” asked Eric.
“Anyone who would listen,” Brenna said, plainly.
“And how did he react to that?” asked Rowen. “Did he hurt her again?”
“I don’t suppose he really got a chance. That was just before he went missing.”
Rowen looked at Eric to see if what Brenna had just said had surprised him as much as it had her. Eric was still staring intently at the woman. “Do you think Orville did it?”
Brenna frowned at Eric. “Like I said, I don’t know who did the deed and wouldn’t say if I did. Obviously, he was murdered. I don’t think anyone is going to deny that. Bodies don’t get burned to a crisp and put into trunks on their own. You’d be hard pressed to find the culprit, though. There were so many people who hated that man.”
“Speak of the Devil,” said Rowen, looking past Brenna. A car had just pulled in next door. Through the window she could spot Orville. He parked next to Eric’s car and got out to look at it.
Eric swore under his breath. After all that had just happened, he seemed to be thinking twice about confronting Orville. “I hope your cousin gets here soon.”
“I hope she called Ben,” Rowen added.
Brenna got to her feet with a groan. “I’ll go have a quick word with him. Goodness knows we don’t need him roughing that car of yours up any more than it already is.”
“Are you sure?” asked Rowen. She didn’t think Orville would do anything to Brenna, but he seemed like a loose cannon. She would rather lose a car than risk this nice little old lady.
“Oh, he’s not going to do anything to me,” Brenna assured them with a laugh.
Rowen didn’t find her words quite so reassuring. The way she had stressed “me” made it sound like she and Eric might have something to worry about. She joined Eric at the window as Brenna headed into the front lawn. “Do you think Edith called him?”
“Either that or one of the people who were over here destroying our car,” reasoned Eric. “Heck, maybe he saw the car himself on his way by. It isn’t exactly inconspicuous.” That had been what they initially wanted after all.
Rowen didn’t like this. She watched a few moments longer. A chill came over her as Orville looked toward Brenna’s house. Rowen swore when their eyes locked through the window just before he started marching in their direction. Eric swore and Rowen headed for the door. She didn’t care if this was Edith’s house. She was going to lock them both inside. Unfortunately, she didn’t quite get the chance. The door slammed open as Orville let himself in, slamming it into her face.
Rowen reeled back, hands cupped over her nose as it streamed blood. “Hey!” Eric put himself between his wife and Orville. Before Rowen could yell at him not to, he’d thrown a punch. His fist hit Orville square
in the face.
Orville stumbled back out onto the porch. One hand shot out, grabbing Eric by the collar. He dragged him along with him. The guy was big. He had no trouble at all shoving Eric down the stairs. Brenna shouted at them both to stop, but neither man seemed to be listening to her. Rowen had never seen her husband quite like this. They rolled around on the ground, fists flying, knees connecting with rib cages. Eric was doing pretty well for himself and… honestly? It was kind of hot. All the same, she tried to break it up herself. Not that there was a whole lot she could do. It was a whole lot like coming across two animals fighting in the wild. You just had to stand back and wait to see who won.
“Hey!” shouted a new voice. Rowen looked up to see Ben’s cruiser parked on the curb. He got out of the car with Rose and another officer. “Lainswich Police! Break it up!” he shouted, his hand on his belt.
Orville froze. This wasn’t his first run-in with the law after all. Eric landed one more punch before he went still. His adrenaline was clearly still pumping. He looked around wide-eyed before following Orville’s lead and raising his hands. Both men had looked better. Eric had a bloody nose and skin that was split above his eye. The front of his shirt was speckled with blood. Orville, meanwhile, had a nose that was pouring blood and a big red splotch around his eye that was going to become quite the shiner.
“What in the world?” Rose stared at Eric and Orville. Gradually, her eyes rose to meet Rowen’s. “Oh my gosh! Are you all right?” she hurried to her cousin’s side, like her bloody nose was the most concerning thing out of all of this.
“I’m fine,” Rowen assured her.
Ben looked from the men on the ground to the car that was trashed. “What exactly happened here?” he asked as, next door, Edith Lucas came running across her front lawn and toward them.
“Orville! Orville, are you all right?!” called Edith.
“Stay back,” Ben warned, holding up a hand to keep the lady at bay. He nodded to his partner. “Cuff both of these guys.”
Rowen was startled by that. “Ben!” She couldn’t believe he was cuffing Eric like he was some complete stranger and not practically his brother-in-law.
“He’s got to go about this fairly,” Rose hissed at Rowen before she could say anything. “He can’t show any preferential treatment. You know that.”
“If you’re wondering who started it, it was that fella there.” Brenna pointed to Eric.
“He was not!” Rowen couldn’t help but raise her voice. She pointed at her own nose. “I’m pretty sure this happened before Eric slugged him.”
“I didn’t know she was behind the door when I forced it open,” Orville said. “Sorry.” He added that last part without making eye contact with Rowen. She felt a tightness well up in her chest. She wasn’t one to hate people, but she was coming awfully close with Orville Powers.
“Either way, Eric was provoked,” Rowen insisted.
“Honey…” Eric gave Rowen a look that was telling her to back off. Rowen wanted to do no such thing, but Ben got things more orderly soon enough.
***
The fallout from the fight took about an hour to settle. Ben and his partner had to get statements from everyone. Then there was the matter of waiting around for a tow truck to come and get the car.
Orville and Eric were both hauled away in the police car. Rowen wasn’t too happy about that. She had a few choice words for Ben, but Rose wouldn’t let her say them.
“You’re going to regret it,” Rose warned her. “He’s being as fair as he can be. Give him a break.”
Rose stayed behind to wait with Rowen for the tow truck to show up. They climbed into the cab together, Rose volunteering to take the middle seat since Rowen had had such a tough day. Rowen spent most of the ride in silence, staring out of the window with a frown on her face. Rose was right about one thing. She was starting to feel a lot of regret. Ben had been right. They really shouldn’t have come back here. What had they even learned?
“It’s not that big of a deal,” Rose offered, giving her cousin a reassuring pat on the knee. “We’ll be able to bail him out by tonight. It’s not all that late yet. It’s pretty routine stuff anyway. They might even just let Eric go with a warning. It’s not like he has a record or anything.”
Rowen sighed. “I’m sorry Ben had to deal with this,” she said, turning to look at Rose.
“It’s okay. It’s his job.” Rose was clearly just trying to be nice. The Greensmiths were causing difficulties for Ben all the time. Rowen knew it bothered Rose, mostly because she had told them it did in the past. It troubled Rowen to think that the stunts she pulled might drive a wedge between Rose and her boyfriend someday. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was them.
“Seriously, Rose. We shouldn’t have pushed with this one. We should have backed off a long time ago”
“Well, what’s done is done.”
Rowen gave her cousin a hug while the guy driving the tow truck tried pointedly to pretend like he wasn’t right there. “Thanks for getting there as quick as you did,” said Rowen.
“I’m glad I did.” Rose nodded to Rowen’s nose. “Does that still hurt?”
“It’s fine. First bloody nose, though. At least I can say I had a new experience today.”
Rose laughed. “There’s that at least… Did you learn anything while you were there?”
That was the big question, wasn’t it? Rowen thought back on all the people they had interviewed. “Well, Eric had a theory, but…” Rowen fell silent. She chewed at her bottom lip as she tried to piece everything together. “Wait. I’ve got an idea.”
Rose raised her eyebrows. “What is it?”
“We need to swing by the hospital.” Rowen looked past Rose, to the driver. “Can you drop us off at the Stonewall Memorial Hospital?”
The driver glanced at Rowen, doing a bit of a double take when he realized that she was talking to him. “No?” he said, looking baffled she even had to ask. “I’ll take you to the shop where I’m taking this car. From there you can call someone to come pick you up.”
“Oh. Right.” Rowen pulled out her cell phone. “Fair enough.”
Chapter Sixteen
“What are we doing here?” asked Rose as Willow parked her car outside Stonewall Memorial.
“We’re following up on a lead,” said Rowen.
“I get that, but what kind of lead?” Rose looked very uncomfortable with all of this. She kept wringing her hands in her lap. Really, Rowen probably shouldn’t have brought her along. She’d insisted on going, but it would have been a lot better if it was just Peony and Willow with her. Those two were always up for outings that were… not quite legal.
“A lead that will help us figure out who killed Timothy Lucas.” Rowen said, getting out of the car.
“Do we care who killed Timothy Lucas?” asked Willow.
“Yeah,” Peony agreed. “He sounds like he was a royal jerk.”
“We care,” Rowen assured them.
“Is this something that we should be running by Ben?” asked Rose, getting out of the car as well.
“Better that Ben doesn’t know about this, I think.” Rowen headed for the hospital entrance. Behind her, she heard Rose groan.
“And why can’t we just get him to go through the proper channels with this?” asked Rose.
“Because I don’t know how to feel about it!” Rowen hated to admit that, but it was the truth.
“What do you mean you don’t know how to feel about it?”
“I mean, Timothy Lucas might have deserved it,” Rowen muttered.
“See?” said Willow.
“Timothy was murdered,” Rose hissed, lowering her voice even though no one was anywhere near them. “Murder is wrong no matter how you slice it. If you figure out who murdered that man, you have to tell Ben.”
“If that’s how you feel, I’d really rather you go wait in the car.”
“No way.” Rose picked up the pace, walking right up alongside Rowen. “I’m with you ev
ery step of the way on this one.”
“You can be a real stick in the mud, Rose,” said Willow.
Peony nodded hesitantly in agreement. “Yeah, I mean I think it might be cool if someone murdered Reginald and Peter right about now.”
Willow rolled her eyes. “We don’t know they’re not coming back yet.”
“You don’t have to live with Mom and Lydia,” Peony pointed out. “You don’t have to hear about it all the time. It’s all they ever talk about.”
“Are they really that worried about it already?” asked Rowen. “Last I saw, Aunt Lydia was in the downstairs hallway, practicing walking Nadine down the aisle.”
“They’re going back and forth on it a whole bunch,” Peony said with a sigh. “Neither of them wants to admit it out loud, but they’re both worried that the Greensmith curse is gonna hit them. The guys haven’t given them a definite time of when they’ll make it back.”
“Great.” Rowen wasn’t looking forward to dealing with that later. “One thing at a time. Let’s settle this before we jump back into that can of beans.”
***
The hospital had a full waiting room. People were sitting here and there, slouched over, cradling injured limbs or coughing. “I hate hospitals,” Peony muttered.
“That’s stupid,” said Willow. “Who likes hospitals?”
Peony shrugged. “Doctors?”
“Focus,” said Rowen. “Peony, you go sign in.”
“Huh?” Peony clearly hadn’t expected that that would be her role in all of this. “Why? I’m fine.”
“I know you’re fine. I just need someone to distract that woman at the front desk. Plus, I don’t need all of you following me back there.” Rowen gave her cousin a gentle shove toward the sign in sheet. “Ask a bunch of questions about insurance and stuff. Drag it out as much as you can. Rose, you go with her.”
“Absolutely not,” said Rose, planting herself where she stood.
“Rose.” Rowen groaned. She should have seen this coming. “Come on. Please don’t do this.”
“I’m not sure what you’re planning, but it seems highly illegal. I’m not going to be your accomplice.” Rose had always had a sturdy moral code. It sucked.