Clues of the Heart: Baytown Boys Series

by Maryann Jordan

  Mitch nodded his agreement, “I’ll give you a call when we’re ready.”

  With that dismissal, Gareth walked back to his SUV to drive back to the office. Sighing as he pulled into a parking space, his gaze landed on the beautiful woman sitting at the desk in the reception area. Rubbing his chest, he closed his eyes for a moment, the previous night’s memories sliding through him. With a mental shake, he stepped out of the vehicle and smiled as Katelyn met him at the door.

  North Heron’s Medical examiner, Dr. Warren stood outside the room with the body, his observant gaze on Eleanor’s pale face. Glad her hand was clasped in Katelyn’s, he said softly, “Mrs. Berry, normally this type of thing is done at the hospital where they use a camera from another room for identification purposes. We don’t have a camera here at this facility, but it’s my understanding that you want to identify the remains now, before we transport him to the hospital for further examination?”

  A shaky nod met his question and Katelyn felt her fingers squished by Eleanor’s nervous hand.

  “All right, then this is what we will do. I have taken pictures and have them here,” he explained, patting his lab coat pocket. “I will place them on the table and you will look at them closely. You may certainly keep Ms. MacFarlane in the room with us and, for legal purposes, Officer Spencer will remain with us as well.”

  Katelyn glanced over to Ginny, sharing a tight-lipped grimace with her. She was glad for Ginny’s presence, not knowing how Eleanor would react.

  Eleanor nodded jerkily once more and they stepped toward the table after Dr. Warren laid five photographs down, side by side. Before Katelyn had a chance to study them, she heard a gasp from Eleanor just before she cried, “No! Oh, no!”

  Feeling Eleanor’s body slumping into hers, Katelyn tried to steady her, grateful as Ginny rushed forward to support Eleanor as well. Dr. Warren slid a chair behind Eleanor and they assisted her to sit.

  “Oh, God. Oh, God, no,” Eleanor repeated, her mouth opening in gasps, as though no air was reaching her lungs.

  The nurse stepped in and the medical staff attended to Eleanor for a few minutes, keeping her from fainting. Katelyn stood back with Ginny at her side as they silently watched the scene unfold. As Eleanor’s sob finally worked its way to the surface, Katelyn jerked, the woman’s raw emotion hitting her in the stomach. Feeling punched, she fought tears herself as Eleanor’s grief took over.

  “Mrs. Berry, I just need to hear you identify the man in the pictures,” Dr. Warren said softly, his hand comforting on the back of her shoulders.

  “Yes,” her voice croaked. “That’s my husband. That’s my Walter.”

  Katelyn and Ginny moved to assist Eleanor from her seat as the doctor explained the next steps in the procedure. Katelyn saw Eleanor nodding but knew she was not actually hearing anything the doctor said. Her heart ached for the woman whose journey of grief was just beginning.

  Ringing the doorbell, she waited a moment until it swung open, Eleanor greeting her wanly. “I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to come by to see how you were doing.”

  Eleanor’s red-rimmed eyes filled with tears as she reached out to clasp Katelyn’s hand, pulling her forward. “Thank you…please come in.” Trying to force a smile to her lips, she followed Eleanor though the entrance foyer into the den, passing a formal living room. The den, in contrast, appeared to have been very much lived in. A plate with leftover pizza sat on the end table and the coffee table contained several half-empty cups and glasses.

  Stopping suddenly, Eleanor turned quickly and, with a blush, said, “I’m so sorry. I’m seeing this room through the eyes of a visitor and realize how horrible it looks.”

  “It’s fine,” Katelyn said. “In fact, I like to work while I’m talking, so maybe I can help.”

  Eleanor gave an embarrassed nod and within a few minutes the two women had rinsed the dirty dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. Giving the kitchen counter a swipe with a clean, wet cloth, Katelyn observed Eleanor standing at the window staring into the back yard. Looking at the same view, Katelyn appreciated the landscaped yard that eventually ended at the dunes and the bay beyond.

  “You have a lovely home here,” she said honestly.

  Eleanor turned, her eyes blinking with tears, and offered a small smile. “Walter actually enjoyed yard work. We didn’t hire a landscaping company…we did it all ourselves.” Swallowing deeply, tears filled her eyes once more.

  Pulling her into a hug, Katelyn felt Eleanor’s shoulders quake with silent sobs. Not speaking, but hoping to simply offer comfort, she stood for several minutes until Eleanor took a shuddering breath before lifting her face.

  “I feel so guilty,” Eleanor admitted.

  “Let’s go sit and talk a bit,” Katelyn suggested.

  Once settled in the den, Eleanor said, “I thought the worst I was going to find out was that he had run off with another woman. I never…never…”

  “Have the police told you anything?” Katelyn asked.

  “Not much. I know they said that it appeared he had been brought to the golf course by boat…from the bay and then up into one of the many inlets around the courses.”

  Katelyn immediately tried to envision where Walter’s body could have come from…and when…but without more information, her imaginings were halted. Reaching, out, she grasped Eleanor’s hand. “Do you have relatives who are coming? What can I do?”

  Sighing, Eleanor replied, “I’ve got family coming in this afternoon. I can’t plan the funeral until the police release his…his...”

  “I understand,” Katelyn rushed to say.

  “Walter’s mother is still living and he has a brother. They’ll come when I have the arrangements made.”

  “What can I do to help?”

  Eleanor focused on Katelyn, shaking her head. “Oh, my dear, just being here is a help. And the cleaning you just did…it’s more than enough.”

  As she walked Katelyn to the door, she said, “Will you and Mr. Harrison continue to find out what happened to Walter?”

  Katelyn hesitated before answering. “Uh, well, it’s a police matter now, Eleanor. We’ll turn over our information to them for their investigation.”

  “Oh,” Eleanor replied, her voice low. “I thought…well, I really hoped…”

  “I’ll talk to Mr. Harrison and if the police would still like our assistance, then we’ll be more than happy to work with them.”

  Eleanor’s face lifted for the first time that morning as she nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please. I feel like a horrible wife, accusing my husband when he was actually…uh…” wiping her eyes hastily, “well, it would make me feel better if you kept working on finding out what happened.”

  Squeezing her hand, Katelyn cautioned, “Eleanor, what we find might not make you happier.”

  Letting out a deep sigh, Eleanor nodded. “I understand what you’re saying. You might find that he was having an affair. But I still want to know, and I think if he was, it might be tied to his death.”

  With a final nod, Katelyn turned and slid into her car. Driving back to the office, she wondered what they would find…and if it really would give Eleanor peace.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Murder?”

  Mitch stood with the medical examiner, Gareth with him, both men carefully reading the report.

  “Yes. The blow to the back of the head would have rendered him unconscious, and then he was in the water. Official cause of death is drowning, but being unconscious, he would not have had a chance.”

  “So, someone hits him near the water, he falls in and drowns, and they transport the body to the golf course.”

  Nodding, Dr. Warren said, “That’s my assessment. There were no drugs or alcohol in his system.”

  “Time of death?” Mitch queried.

  “My estimate is approximately eight or nine days ago.”

  “So, the weekend before last, when he was supposed to be gone on a trip, he was killed somewhere, then transport
ed and deposited at the golf course where it took over a week for anyone to find him,” Gareth commented.

  Dr. Warren added, “Just so you know, I’ll be releasing the body to the funeral home this afternoon.”

  Mitch thanked the medical examiner as he and Gareth walked out of the building into the sunshine, both men sliding their sunglasses on in unison. “You said he told his staff he was going on a trip, and that’s not just the word of his wife?”

  “Yeah…they were not expecting him back until Tuesday. They assumed he was taking a trip with his wife.”

  “And his wife thought he was going on a business trip?”

  “According to her though, she assumed he would be back on Sunday evening, checked with his staff on Monday, and came to see me on Tuesday.”

  Driving back to Baytown, Mitch said, “I’ll take all the evidence and notes you’ve collected. In fact, why don’t you come meet with my staff and we’ll call in Colt, since the Berry’s live in his jurisdiction.”

  “No problem,” Gareth replied, rubbing his chin in thought. “I gotta tell you, Katelyn’ll have a hard time letting go of this.”

  Chuckling, Mitch glanced at the passenger side. “So, is she liking the investigation business?”

  “Taking to it like a duck to water. In fact, she’s taking a private investigation class at the community college to get her license.”

  “No shit?” After a moment, Mitch added, “Good for her. Nothing wrong with waitressing, but I always felt like Katelyn was stuck in the past and didn’t know how to move forward.”

  “That’s what Aiden and Brogan said.”

  “Whoa,” Mitch exclaimed. “You’ve got the brothers talking to you about Katelyn.” Shaking his head, he added, “I gotta tell you, that’s big, man.”

  “I kinda got that feeling,” Gareth admitted, smiling in return.

  Sighing, Mitch said, “Okay, back to Walter Berry. Listen, I’m not going to lie. I’ll throw everything my department has into this investigation, just like always, but as long as you and Katelyn run everything—and I mean everything—by me, I’ve got no problem having you keep working the case. You’ll need to inform Mrs. Berry that everything will go to us, and you’ll probably have to stop billing her as of now, but I’ll take whatever help I can get.”

  Pulling into the parking space directly in front of Harrison Investigations, Gareth hopped out of the BPD vehicle, turning to Mitch just before shutting the door. “Let me know when you want to meet, and Mitch? I appreciate the vote of confidence.” With a wave, he headed back into the office.

  Parking at the church where the funeral was to be held, Gareth looked to the passenger side where Katelyn was quiet. His hands still on the steering wheel, he hesitated before asking, “You okay with this? I could have come by myself.”

  She turned, a slight smile on her face as she shook her head. Reaching over to place her hand on his thigh, she said, “I’m good. Living in a small town, you go to a lot of funerals ‘cause you know everyone.” Sighing, she said, “It’s just…I really thought we’d find him…alive, and probably with another woman, but still…this isn’t the conclusion I thought we’d find.” Looking out the front windshield at the mourners, she added, “They might not have been able to have children, but they had hopes, dreams, plans. They say funerals are supposed to be a celebration of a person’s life…but really? It’s all about saying goodbye to dreams.”

  Nodding, he curled his strong hand around hers, saying, “Let’s go in and pay our respects to Eleanor.”

  “And do a little more investigating?” she asked, her brow lifted.

  “Unfortunately, yes. Murder is usually committed by someone the victim knows and this is our chance to see all the players.”

  The church was filled to capacity with friends, family, and co-workers all present to say goodbye to Walter Berry. Katelyn sat a few pews behind Eleanor, noticing that she sat with a woman that looked so similar to her, she must be Eleanor’s sister. An older woman, probably Walter’s mother, was seated next to them with a man that appeared to be Walter’s brother.

  The Berry office staff was seated on the other side of the church and Katelyn leaned slightly forward so she could observe them with ease. William was with a distinguished woman who occasionally brought a handkerchief up to her eyes. Probably his wife. Behind them, Sandra and Beth sat. Funny…no one is between them, but they’re at least four feet apart on the pew. Behind them, she recognized Carrie and sitting with her was a couple, the woman also dabbing her eyes. Wonder who they are?

  Katelyn, so intent on observing the crowd, startled when Gareth took her hand. Darting her eyes sideways, she blushed before turning her attention back to the service.

  The minister’s words sang Walter’s praises before allowing a few to offer their eulogy. William, dignified as ever, spoke of Walter’s unwavering ethical professionalism and his kindness toward others. Another man from one of the social organizations Walter belonged to also commented on Walter’s sense of fun and his dedication to charities.

  A slight hiccup sounded and Katelyn’s eyes moved back to see Carrie and her mother wiping tears.

  The service was finally over and Gareth walked over with Katelyn to offer condolences to Eleanor. She grasped their hands and introduced them to her and Walter’s family. “These are the private investigators I hired to find out who did this to my Walter,” Eleanor said, turning to her sister, an attractive blonde attending the funeral by herself.

  “We’re working with the police,” Gareth supplied, catching Walter’s brother’s narrow-eyed stare.

  “So, this little town’s police needs assistance?” Ken Berry asked, barely concealing his irritation.

  “No sir, our police are more than capable, as well as the North Heron Sheriff’s Department. But as the firm that had been hired a week ago by Mrs. Berry, we will be giving our findings to the officials. And if we can continue to assist, we’re more than happy to do so.”

  “Hmph, just make sure you’re not being charged for this, Eleanor,” Walter’s brother said. “It’d be just like this little town, having a PI charge you when the police should do it for free.”

  Eleanor bristled as she glared at him. “I am perfectly able to handle our affairs, Ken.” Turning to Katelyn and Gareth, she apologized, “I’m sorry.” Cutting her eyes over to her in-laws, she said, “I…well, I need to be at the wake. I hope I see you soon.”

  “I’ll come in a couple of days,” Katelyn promised, squeezing Eleanor’s hand before taking Gareth’s arm and walking back toward the church’s vestibule, where they could observe some of the others.

  “What do you think of the co-workers?” Katelyn asked, leaning closely to Gareth.

  “I’m curious about the couple with Carrie…the woman was discreet, but shed as many tears over Walter as Carrie did.”

  Katelyn hissed as she stood on her toes, whispering into his ear. “I noticed that. How can we find out?”

  “Let’s try the most obvious way,” he replied and with Katelyn’s hand still tucked onto his arm, began walking toward the co-workers.

  Approaching William and his wife first, Gareth shook his hand while commenting, “Your remarks about Walter were very moving.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Harrison.” William’s arm was around the woman who had been sitting next to him and he said, “Let me introduce you to my wife, Theresa. She’s the one who actually introduced Walter to me, for which I’m grateful, since our partnership came from that introduction.”

  “Mrs. Maskey, nice to meet you. I’m Gareth Harrison and this is my associate, Katelyn MacFarlane.”

  “The service was lovely,” Katelyn commented. “Had you known Walter long?”

  “Walter and I served on one of the charitable committees that he so loved,” Theresa said, still dabbing her nose with her tissue. “I suppose I must have met him almost fifteen years ago. He and William hit it off and we stayed good friends.”

  Katelyn’s gaze drifted to the other Berry emp
loyees standing nearby and she said, “I suppose this is a great shock to everyone.”

  Theresa stiffened, a grimace replacing the sad frown as she sniffed, “There are a few that I don’t understand why Walter courted—”

  “Now, Theresa,” William interrupted.

  “Courted?” Katelyn prodded, her head cocked in curiosity.

  “Oh, she doesn’t mean courted in that way,” William rushed. “Just that he persuaded them to come work for us.”

  “You have our condolences again, Mr. and Mrs. Maskey,” Gareth said with a nod of his head as he and Katelyn moved away, allowing the Maskeys to join Eleanor.

  “What do you think?” Katelyn whispered.

  “Let’s see what else we can find out,” he said under his breath as they walked toward Sandra next.

  The elegant accountant shook their hands as they approached. “I assume your work is finished, Mr. Harrison. I’m just so heartbroken that it ended like this.”

  “Finished, Ms. Posten?”

  She fiddled with her clutch, casting her eyes down. “Well, after all, Walter is no longer missing. And for him to drown accidentally…I assume your work is complete.”

  Katelyn opened her mouth to retort but the squeeze on her fingers halted the words in her mouth. Keeping her expression neutral, she waited for Gareth.

  “Yes, he may have been found, but the police will be investigating the circumstances,” he stated, his eyes never leaving Sandra.

  Sandra looked up, her mouth opening and shutting several times before she said, “Investigating? But…I…”

  “Even though a death might appear accidental, the police have to make sure.”

  Paling, Sandra nodded before rushing her goodbyes and moving away. Gareth and Katelyn shared a glance before moving toward Beth, standing to the side. “None of the office women are talking to each other,” Katelyn whispered.

  “Not surprising when you consider they all seemed to be in competition for Walter’s attention,” Gareth whispered back.