“I’m sure between the two of us, me and Jack, we can find someone who’s interested in it. In fact, I’d love to run it here at the Madden Gazette, but it would never get past our owner.” She stood up. “Nice to see you again, Jack, and nice to meet you, Enid. Good luck. I’ll ask around discreetly, and if I find anything about this Frank fellow, I’ll be in touch.”
CHAPTER 29
After they left the newspaper office, Jack drove for several miles in silence.
“You’re not driving toward the inn. Do you mind telling me where we’re going?” asked Enid.
“You said you wanted to find the coroner’s full report and notes on Rosie. I’m hoping his file on Rosie is at the courthouse over in Camden.” He glanced over at Enid. “It’s not far from here.”
Enid put her head back and closed her eyes. The warm sun was making her sleepy, so they rode in silence. She must have dozed off because Jack was shaking her by the arm.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re here.”
Enid pulled down the visor to check her makeup. She got a tissue from her bag and wiped a smudge of mascara from under her eye.
“You’re beautiful already. Come on,” said Jack. Looking a bit embarrassed, he got out of the car and waited on the sidewalk.
The Kershaw County Courthouse was a relatively modern looking brick, two-story building on Broad Street in the quaint little town of Camden, South Carolina. They parked on the street and walked into the front entrance.
Inside the courthouse, they went through the metal detector and one of the deputies on duty directed them to the Clerk of Court’s office. After they explained what they needed, the young woman told them the coroner’s records would likely be filed at the courthouse since he had died. She gave Jack and Enid a request form to fill out and told them she would see what she could find.
After completing the form, Enid discreetly motioned her head toward the door. Jack didn’t understand at first, so Enid nodded again.
“I’ve got phone calls to return. I’ll be downstairs,” said Jack as he left the clerk’s office.
Enid focused on the young woman. “I know you have rules you have to follow, and I don’t want to get you into trouble. But I want to explain to you why we need to see that file.” Enid proceeded to tell the clerk about Rosie’s murder and the lack of information available. “Rosie had dreams, but she was killed before she even had a chance to fulfill them. If she were alive today, she’d be about your age. Will you help me?”
“My name is Maggie, by the way,” said the clerk. “The coroner was my daddy’s fishing buddy. He was a good man, and he was thorough. I’ve heard the county solicitor say he was an excellent witness in court, because he kept such good notes. If we have his file, I bet it could help you find that poor girl’s killer. I remember hearing my grandmother talk about her murder. So sad.” The clerk motioned to a chair against the wall. “You wait here. Let me see what I can find.”
* * *
When Enid left the clerk’s office, she found Jack near the water fountain in the lobby, studying the oil portraits along the wall. She called out, “Hey, you ready to go?”
“What was that all about? Why did you motion for me to leave?”
“I just wanted to make sure she understood the significance of our request,” she said.
“And?”
“Come on, I’ll tell you in the car.”
While Jack was driving, Enid explained what she had learned from the clerk. “The coroner’s records were sent to the courthouse when he retired, just as you said. Maggie found it, but there were no personal notes. She said that was unusual.”
“Then why did you look so happy when you left there?” asked Jack.
“During my little tete-a-tete with Maggie, she told me that keeping separate files of notes is against the rules. Notes are part of the official documents and are supposed to be stored in an official place. Maggie suggested we check with the coroner’s widow. Maggie said she would call to let her know we’re coming.” Enid gave Jack the address, and he put it in the car’s navigation system.
Jack checked the rearview mirror, and Enid noticed the look on his face. “Anything wrong?” she asked.
Jack didn’t respond. Instead, he turned into a Quick Mart and circled around so he could see the oncoming traffic on the road. A green pickup truck drove slowly past them. The driver had a bandana on his head. He looked at Jack and then sped away quickly.
After the truck had traveled down the road and out of sight, Jack backed up and turned around in the parking lot to get back onto the highway. “Sorry, didn’t mean to alarm you.” He rubbed his chin in the now-familiar gesture. “That truck followed us to Camden and showed up again when we left.”
“Did you recognize the driver?”
“Yeah, I know that knucklehead. He’s one of Eddie’s bikers.” Jack checked the mirror again. “He’s gone. He knows I saw him.”
“Why do you think he was following us?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”
Enid frowned and then looked out the window, her pulse racing. “I think that’s one of the bikers from the cemetery. I recognized him.”
“Let’s hope he’s just out for a ride.”
Enid nervously watched the rear mirror as Jack drove in silence for several miles. The truck had not appeared again, but Enid couldn’t relax.
After turning onto a narrow gravel road, Jack slowed down to keep from throwing the small rocks against the car. After about a half mile, he pulled up in front of a large two-story brick house and stopped in the wide circular driveway.
“Is this the house?”
Jack smiled. “Yep.” He pulled the key from the ignition and opened the car door. “Come on. You said she was expecting us.”
CHAPTER 30
Jack pushed the doorbell and melodious chimes announced their arrival. The door opened and a housekeeper in a gray uniform invited them in. Inside, a heavy scent emanated from a large glass container of potpourri sitting on the table in the spacious entrance hall, making the house smell like a florist shop.
Enid glanced around and realized this place reminded her of the small funeral home where her mother’s memorial service was held. Other than the cloying smell of flowers, what she remembered most was the oppressive silence, and she was feeling it again now.
Enid and Jack waited while the housekeeper went to find the coroner’s widow. After a few minutes, a pleasantly plump woman with silver hair in a pale blue dress appeared. She shook hands, first with Jack and then Enid as they introduced themselves.
“Maggie said you might be stopping by. How may I help you?” Enid glanced at Jack with the mention of Maggie, the clerk from the courthouse.
“We were hoping you might have some of your late husband’s files here,” said Enid.
The woman seemed reluctant to respond. “Anything that’s part of the file would be at the court house,” said the woman.
Enid took the lead. “We don’t want to get anyone in trouble, but we really need your help. If you do have anything that might not be in the courthouse file, we’d like to see it. Please. It’s important.”
The woman eyed Enid suspiciously. “Isn’t this still an open case?”
Enid put her hand on Jack’s arm to signal that she would respond. “Well, yes and no,” she said. “It’s never been solved, so technically it’s still open. But no one, other than us, seems to be looking into it. It’s been over ten years, so what could be the harm?”
“I see,” said the woman. Her smile was gone. “Maggie said you’re both reporters.”
“Rosie’s not just a story. She’s a relative,” said Enid. “Jack is helping me with my research in Madden, since he knows the people and the area.”
The woman’s face softened, and she nodded sympathetically. “A tragic loss of a young life, indeed.” She kept nodding, which reminded Enid of a little toy dog with a bobble head her father had given her. Enid remembered tapping its head and watc
hing it bob up and down. The toy was still in her box of childhood mementos.
“As you know, my dear husband’s files were taken to the county courthouse when he died shortly after that poor girl was killed. God rest his soul.”
Enid nodded. “We have his report, or at least part of it, but are there any other notes your husband may have kept for himself?”
“Maggie said you were looking for any notes about the murder.” The woman tucked a stray strand of silver hair back into the neatly coiffed chignon, worn low on her neck. “If there were any personal notes, the coroner would have included those in his report.”
“I’m sure he would have,” said Enid. “And we’re not suggesting he did anything wrong.”
The woman fingered her wedding ring. “If he made notes that didn’t go into the file, then he must have had a good reason. As I recall, he did mention to me that he was getting a lot of pressure to finish his report quickly. He was also told not to discuss it with anyone.” She looked directly at Enid. “Especially reporters.”
“Who told him to keep quiet?” asked Enid.
The woman looked like she was struggling with her conscience, so Enid and Jack remained silent, allowing the widow to think about her response.
“I know this must be hard for you, and I’m sorry we’ve put you in a difficult situation,” said Enid. “But Rosie had her whole life ahead of her, and whoever took that life from her has not been brought to justice. From what you’ve told me about your husband, the coroner, he was a good man and wanted to do the right thing.”
The widow nodded at the mention of her husband. “Yes, he was a good man. God rest his soul.”
Enid replied, “As you said if he kept notes separate from the official file, he did it for a good reason. Don’t you think he would want you to help us?”
The widow seemed lost in thought for a moment. “Wait here.” When she returned, she had a large accordion file in her hands. It was free of dust and in pristine condition, so it must have been carefully preserved. She handed it to Enid. “Here. This is a copy of the official reports … and his notes. For that poor girl. Bring them back to me when you’re finished.”
Enid and Jack said their goodbyes. As they were walking to the car, Jack said, “Hey, that was pretty good the way you convinced her to give us the file. I’m impressed.”
“She did what she thought her husband would have wanted. Bless her heart.” Enid laughed at herself when she realized how quickly she was adopting the local expressions. “Let’s go back to the inn. I can’t wait to look through these notes.”
CHAPTER 31
Sitting at the table in the inn’s library, Enid and Jack opened the brown folder containing the coroner’s report and personal notes and spread the papers out on the desk. The first document they examined was the county coroner's report, which listed the cause of Rosie's death as asphyxiation due to strangulation. The manner of death was shown as “homicide” followed by “choked by unknown person.” So far, the report didn’t contain any information they didn’t already know.
The next document Jack picked up was the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's Child Fatality Report, required for homicide victims under the age of eighteen. The autopsy report described Rosie as a healthy young woman with no signs of abuse prior to death, other than a blunt-force head injury. Since the injury showed no signs of healing, it was classified as peri-mortem, occurring at or near the time of death. The toxicology report showed no drugs or alcohol in Rosie's system. The coroner had noted that the body was found just inside the Madden city limits, so the Madden City Police Department had jurisdiction.
Photocopies of the coroner's photos were attached with a paper clip. Enid picked up one of the photos and examined it. Rosie was lying on her back, fully clothed. A small purse was on the ground near her body. In spite of the brutality of Rosie's murder, she seemed to be resting peacefully on the bed of leaves and underbrush.
Enid picked up the coroner’s report and read it again. At the bottom of the form, there was a note, handwritten in pencil: “goat hairs found on the victim’s clothing.”
“Did you see this note?” asked Enid, pointing to it.
Jack adjusted his reading glasses and took the report from her. “Huh. That’s interesting. Don’t think I’ve seen that before.”
She handed him another piece of paper. “Look, here’s the lab report confirming the hairs were goat.” Pointing at the name and address on the invoice, she said, “This lab work was ordered in his wife’s name at their home address. That’s odd.”
“Looks like he wanted to keep the information under the radar.”
“Myra didn’t have any goats, did she?”
Jack laughed. “No, she lived in the city limits. No farm critters allowed.” He handed the report back to Enid.
“I wonder why no one followed up on this information.” Before Jack could reply, Enid answered herself. “Never mind, I know why. Same reason nothing else was done.”
“You’re probably right.” He looked at Enid over the top of his glasses. “I don’t want to disappoint you, but do you know how many goats there are around here? That’s probably why nothing came of it.”
Enid looked up from the report. “Are you serious? Why would so many people have goats?”
Jack took off his glasses and put them on the table. “I’ll have you know goats are good for a lot of things,” he said, pretending to be indignant.
Enid smiled. “Oh, yeah. Like what?”
“Well, for one thing, there’s goat milk and cheese. I’m sure you’ve seen some in the fancy displays at the grocery store under that tacky orange and pink ‘Buy local’ sign.”
“Cassie gave me some the other day on a snack tray with her homemade crackers and some fresh blackberries. It was delicious.”
“There, you see.” He nodded his head. “Lots of folks around here who have any kind of acreage own goats to keep the kudzu cleared out. Goats will eat anything and keep land cleared pretty good, especially on hills, gullies, and tight places you can’t get to easily with a mower or sickle.”
“I saw a tiny goat eating grass by the lake one day. Cassie said it must have gotten out of a nearby pasture.”
“Probably a Pygmy goat. We’ve got a few places around here that raise them for pets and sell them all over the world. I’ve been told that Pygmies have sweeter milk, and better dispositions, than the big ones. And they are especially good as stable companions for horses.”
“I had no idea you knew so much about goats. Let me guess. You did an article on them once.”
Jack laughed. “I did, actually.”
Enid’s smile faded. “I thought the goat hairs would narrow our search, but I guess not.”
Jack put his reading glasses back on. “It might. Maybe Rachel can help us. She should know where Rosie might have come into contact with goats.”
“I don’t think she’ll talk to me again, but I can try.” Enid picked up a handwritten note and read it. “Hmmm. That’s interesting.”
Jack waited for Enid to continue, but she was lost in thought. “What’s interesting?” he asked.
She handed him the note. “The coroner put in his personal notes that he felt Chief Jensen was pressuring him to slant his findings.”
Jack was reading the note. “I see here where Jensen told him there had to be drugs in Rosie’s system and encouraged him to put that in the report. He also said Jensen told him to wrap the investigation up quickly.”
Enid handed Jack another note. “Look at this. The coroner asked SLED for information on Jensen.”
Jack looked at the note she had read. “Why would he do that?” He put the note back on the table. “Damn. You’re right.” He grinned.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because I know this guy at SLED who may be able to help us.” He slapped the table with his palm. “He was a reliable source of confidential information for years.”
“How did you meet?”
; “On a plane. Both of us were flying from Charlotte to Chicago in bad weather. We had to circle O’Hare a few times, so we had lots of time to talk shop and compare notes. We hit it off, so we kept in touch. He was my go-to guy for anything SLED was involved in. Of course, I was careful never to give away state secrets.”
“Will he still help you?”
“I aim to find out.” His smile faded. “I’ll make the initial contact and try to set up a meeting for the three of us. He could get into real trouble for talking with me, so he may not agree to it.”
They went through the remaining documents but found nothing else of value, so Enid put the papers back in the folder.
“I’d like to go through the coroner’s notes again before we return it. I’ll keep it at the inn, someplace safe.”
After Jack left, Enid went to her room and made some notes. In one, she wrote JENSEN in big letters and circled his name several times with her pen. What were you trying to hide?
CHAPTER 32
Enid looked at her notes and found Rachel’s cell number. After a few rings, a girl’s voice answered. “Hello.”
“Rachel? Hi, it’s Enid Blackwell.”
After a brief silence, Rachel responded in a low voice. “Why are you calling me?”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but we need to talk.”
Rachel whispered. “I told you I couldn’t talk to you no more.”
Enid could hear people in the background and assumed Rachel was at her job at the convenience store.
“If you didn’t want to talk with me, why did you leave Rosie’s box at the inn?” Silence. “Rachel, are you still there?”
“Meet me here at the store when I get off at seven tonight,” Rachel said before she hung up.
* * *
Enid sat down in a booth in the snack area of the convenience store. The seat and table were both covered in a nondescript beige laminate. Bread crumbs and a lone, stale French fry littered the tabletop. Enid pulled a paper napkin from the dispenser and was cleaning the table when Rachel sat down.
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