Peril in Paxton Park

by J A Whiting

  “Keep it.” Juliet smiled.

  “I think I’ll call the local animal hospital and ask if she might be a patient. They might be able to figure out who the owner is.”

  “Good idea, but I get the feeling you just adopted a cat. Or should I say, a cat has adopted you.” Juliet tilted her head. “She’ll need a name.”

  “Hmm.” Shelly let out a sigh, the image of the red athletic shoe in her mind. “How about Justice?”

  “Yes,” Juliet said softly. “I think that’s a good choice. Maybe this new cat will bring us all some good luck.”

  A frown pulled at Shelly’s lips. “I think we’re going to need it.”

  The young women decided to make tea and have something to eat so they sliced two pieces from the apple pie Juliet had made and delivered to Shelly the day before. They took their drinks and plates out to the porch table. Justice followed along, jumped up on the railing, and sat watching the road and listening to the night sounds of crickets and peepers, chirping and clicking.

  “I know it’s early in the investigation, but are there any indications that the two dead women might have had a connection?” Shelly lifted a bite of pie to her mouth.

  “Jay said they don’t know yet. Right now, they’re trying to reach her next of kin.”

  “Where was she staying?”

  “At the resort hotel. She was due to check out in a couple of days.”

  “She came alone?” Shelly asked.

  “I don’t think they know for sure yet.”

  “Do you know where she lived?”

  “A town in central Massachusetts. Ashbury.”

  “I don’t know it.” Shelly shook her head.

  The cat let out a soft mew, turned her head to the women sitting at the metal table, and then looked back to the sidewalk. A woman was hurrying along the sidewalk carrying a paper bag. She looked straight ahead and slightly downward as if she had no desire to engage in any pleasantries or conversation should she run into someone as she made her way along the lane.

  “It’s Maria Stores,” Juliet whispered. “The sister of the first murdered woman.”

  Shelly watched as Maria hurried away and a thought popped into her mind. “Where was Meg Stores from?”

  “I don’t recall.” Juliet took out her phone and tapped at the screen to do a search on Meg. When the information loaded, she read through the articles. “Here it is. She lived in Eastborough, Massachusetts.”

  “Where’s that?” Shelly asked. “I don’t know that town either.”

  Juliet tapped again and slid her phone across the table so that Shelly could see. “Here’s a map of the state. The little red flag on the map is where Eastborough is.”

  “Central Massachusetts.” Shelly looked up, her forehead lined with concern. “Eastborough is only five miles from Ashbury.”

  “That’s a coincidence, isn’t it?”

  “Could those women have known each other? Could they have had a mutual acquaintance?” Shelly’s eyes were wide. “Could central Massachusetts be a link?”

  “The police will look into it.” Juliet tried to be reassuring. “Whatever it is, they’ll figure it out.”

  “In the meantime,” Shelly said with a determined tone, “I’m going to get myself some pepper spray.”

  Justice mewed her agreement from the porch railing.

  5

  After Juliet left, Shelly took some leftover chicken from the refrigerator and cut it into small pieces for the cat who eagerly gobbled it up. Looking up at the wall clock, she said out loud, “The market and the hardware store are still open. I’m going to go and get you some cat food and a litter box.” Shelly stared at the new arrival. “Or are you an outside cat?”

  Justice kept licking her paw and moving it over her face to groom herself.

  “I’ll be back.” Shelly grabbed her keys and wallet and headed to the center of town. Entering the market, she found the aisle with cat food and chose several containers to put in her cart in addition to several toy mice she thought the calico might enjoy. Shelly was happy to see that the store carried plastic bins and kitty litter and she put those items in her shopping cart and headed for the checkout counter.

  A couple of customers stood chatting with the owner.

  “I can’t believe it,” one gray-haired woman fretted. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Paxton Park as long as I’ve lived here.”

  “A second murdered woman.” A tall man shook his head. “The police better get on this fast or tourists will steer clear.”

  The owner leaned against the checkout counter shaking his head. He was medium-build, about five foot ten and had dark hair with gray streaks at his temples. His skin was tanned and kind of leathery from years of outdoor activities. “First Meg was found strangled, now someone else has been killed. It’s been over two months since Meg died and there hasn’t been an arrest. It’s not a good sign.”

  Shelly approached the group and nodded. She was familiar to the owner as she’d done quite a bit of shopping in his store since moving to town.

  “You heard the news?” the owner asked her. His name tag had the word Chet engraved in black letters.

  “I did.” Shelly didn’t know if she should share that she was one of the people who had found the body, but then thought it would seem odd if Chet found out later that she and Juliet discovered Jill Murray in the woods and she’d said nothing. She gave the small group a brief description of what had happened near the crooked forest.

  “Something evil must be in those woods.” The older woman clutched her arms over her chest. “Two bodies in that area. Those trees. Maybe they harbor evil spirits.”

  “It’s definitely something evil,” Chet said, “but it’s most likely a human being.”

  “It’s all too much for me.” The older woman gathered her grocery bags and left the store with the tall man.

  “I’m sorry about your employee,” Shelly said as Chet rang up her things. “I didn’t know anything about it until recently.”

  “It was a shock, I’ll tell you that. The whole town was abuzz when it happened, then it went on the back burner when no one was charged with the murder. People stopped talking about it. Now a second murder.”

  “What was Meg like?” Shelly asked gently.

  Chet looked surprised at the question, but he answered. “She was a nice person, quiet, did her work.”

  “Did she have family?”

  “An older sister. She’s here in town for a few days. She came back to clean out the house her sister rented. I guess she couldn’t face doing it at the time.”

  “I can understand that.” Shelly thought of her own sister and about cleaning out Lauren’s apartment after the car accident. When her throat tightened with emotion, she swallowed hard. “Did Meg seem happy here in town?”

  Chet blinked a few times pondering. “I guess so. She didn’t seem unhappy. Like I said, she was quiet, a hard worker.”

  “Had she made some friends?”

  Chet’s shoulder went up. “Not sure. I didn’t see her around much if she wasn’t here at the market.” The man paused. “Though I did see her at the candy store a few times talking to the blond girl who works there.”

  Shelly’s interest piqued. “Do you know her name?”

  “Um, I can’t think of it.” Chet put the cat food and toys into a bag. “You want the litter and the bin in a bag?”

  Shelly shook her head. “Did Meg have anyone visit from home while she was here?”

  “I don’t think so. Meg never said anything about that.”

  “Did she ever say why she moved to Paxton Park?”

  Chet took Shelly’s cash and returned a few coins. “Meg said she needed a change. She liked nature and this place fit the bill.” The man stroked his chin. “One time, she said something about feeling safe here. Ironic, huh?”

  A shiver ran across Shelly’s skin. “Did she talk about where she came from?”

  “Not much. Her sister lived in New York. Meg want
ed to do a lot skiing when winter came. She said her previous town was boring and she had to drive everywhere. She liked all the tourists here, the hustle and bustle. Meg liked that she could walk to all the stores and restaurants in Paxton Park and didn’t have to use a car.”

  Shelly liked that about the town, too. If she could avoid it, she’d never get back in a car again and was perfectly happy to use her feet or her bicycle to get around.

  “What did Meg do for work before she came here? Did she work in a market?”

  “Meg was a real estate agent. She was working part-time at Park Realty, helping out the listing agent. She told me she wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue in real estate, but she wanted to make contacts just in case.”

  “I wonder why she didn’t want to work as an agent anymore.”

  “I asked, but she didn’t say much.” Chet put the bag of cat items and the small bag of litter inside the plastic box. “This way it will be easier to carry home.”

  “Thanks.” Shelly picked up her things and headed for the door wishing Chet a goodnight.

  “Be careful out there.” Chet made eye contact with the young woman. “Keep on your toes.”

  Shelly stepped out into the darkness and even though the sidewalks were lit by streetlamps, the night suddenly felt oppressive and made her painfully aware that she was alone. Holding tightly to the cat box, she walked faster, her heart pounding. Every few seconds, she thought she heard footsteps coming up behind and she took quick glances over her shoulder to see. The awkwardness of carrying the box kept her from bolting down the streets and she berated herself for not waiting until morning to run the errand. Keeping up a brisk pace, Shelly turned down her road thankful that she was almost home.

  Passing by Juliet’s cottage, she let out a sigh of relief and was ashamed for letting the talk of the murdered women spook her so badly. A few houses down on the other side of the street, a figure burst through the front door of the bungalow and tore down the porch steps, ran across the street, and headed towards Shelly.

  Shelly stopped in her tracks, startled by the sudden movement of the person. A flash of anxiety ran through her body. Should she stay on the sidewalk? Should she run for her house? Should she turn and run into Juliet’s cottage? Even though the options zipped in her mind in a matter of milliseconds, the dark figure nearly bashed into her on its mad dash along the dark sidewalk.

  Adrenaline coursing through her veins, Shelly let the items she was holding drop to the ground and she lifted her arms up in a defensive posture.

  The person gasped, halted, and when she saw Shelly, reached out and took her arm. “Can you help me?” It was Maria, the sister of Meg Stores.

  For a split second, Shelly thought her request for help was a trick of some sort, but getting a look at the woman’s face pushed her suspicions away. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  Maria clutched hard to Shelly’s arm and took a glance back to the house her sister had been renting. “In the house. I heard something at the back door, like someone was trying to break in.”

  “Why don’t you come inside with me?” Shelly gestured to her cottage. “We can call the police.”

  Maria’s expression was tentative, but then she nodded. As Shelly picked up the things she’d dropped, Maria apologized. “I startled you. I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you in the dark. I just wanted to get away.”

  Shelly gave the woman a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. Come in with me.”

  When the door swung open, the calico cat was waiting, sitting calmly just inside, its long tail swung around its front paws.

  Shelly removed her phone from the pocket in her wallet and handed it to Maria. “You can use my phone to call the police.”

  Maria held the phone, but when she didn’t make a move to place the emergency call, Shelly asked, “Don’t you want to call them?”

  “What if I was hearing things?”

  “It’s okay,” Shelly encouraged. “They can take a look. It will make you feel better if they go through the house.”

  Maria gave a slight nod, made the call, and then said to Shelly, “I’m sorry to bother you.”

  “It’s no bother.” Shelly offered a drink, but Maria declined.

  “Have a seat while we wait.”

  When the cat jumped up to sit beside the shaken woman and Maria stroked the multi-colored fur, Shelly noticed a crumpled piece of paper in the woman’s other hand. “The cat showed up on my doorstep today. Have you seen her around the neighborhood?”

  “I haven’t. She’s lovely. I would have noticed a cat like this.”

  Maria’s tension seemed to slip away slightly as she patted the small, friendly animal so Shelly asked her about what she’d heard in the house.

  “I was going through Meg’s papers. I started to get upset. There was a noise at the backdoor in the kitchen, a scratching, a sound like something metal scratching at the doorknob. I panicked, afraid Meg’s killer had come to the house.” Maria shook her head slowly. “I probably imagined it.”

  “It’s possible that someone knew the house was empty and decided to break in. You did the right thing to get out of there. Let the police take a look.” Shelly realized that she hadn’t offered condolences to the distraught woman so she told Maria how sorry she was for the loss of her sister. Although Shelly wanted to ask some questions about Meg, she knew it wasn’t the right time to do it so she stayed quiet. “Shall we go out to the porch so we can see when the police arrive?”

  Maria stilled clutched the piece of paper in her hand. Looking up, she seemed to be struggling with something. At last, she passed the paper to Shelly and said, “I found this in Meg’s things.”

  Shelly smoothed out the paper and when she read the words written in black ink, a shot of fear pulsed in her veins.

  I’m going to get you

  6

  The police arrived, walked through the dead woman’s house, and checked the lock on the back door. “It looks like someone was picking at the lock,” the officer said.

  Maria went pale.

  “It wasn’t a professional. It was probably some kid or some young guy who thought it might be entertaining to break in and look around.”

  Maria sank into a chair at the kitchen table.

  “You have the lights on a timer?” the officer asked.

  “Yes.” Maria’s voice was barely audible.

  “You’re staying at the resort, right? Not here at the house?”

  “That’s right. I don’t want to stay here.” Maria bit her lower lip.

  “The guy most likely came by on a few nights, saw the lights on, figured they must be on a timer, and came back tonight to break in.” The officer shook his head. “It wouldn’t take a lot of skill to pick this lock. Whoever it was doesn’t know what he’s doing. It’s doubtful the attempt had anything to do with the person who was responsible for your sister’s death.”

  Shelly stood near the counter and glanced over to Maria. The police officer’s information wasn’t that comforting. Any person would be filled with fear no matter who tried to break into a house, but … it was reassuring that the killer wasn’t attempting to terrorize his victim’s relative.

  Before the officers left the bungalow, Maria showed them the piece of paper she’d found in her sister’s files. A look of surprise passed over their faces and the senior officer put on gloves to handle the sheet and slip it into an evidence bag. “Did you come across anything else like this?”

  Maria gave a slight shake of her head. Shelly thought the woman looked like she was about to pass out and brought a glass of water over to her.

  “We’ll deliver this to the detective in charge.” The officers assured Maria that the note would get the attention it deserved, told her to keep the doors locked, and then Shelly walked them to the door.

  Returning to the kitchen, she sat in the chair across from Maria who looked weak and exhausted. “Can I get you anything?” Shelly asked. “Tea? A glass of wine?”

  “No, thank
you. There isn’t anything here anyway.”

  “Would you like to come back to my place?”

  Maria tried to smile, but without success. “No. I don’t want to take any more of your time. You’ve been very kind to me.”

  Shelly got the feeling that the woman wanted to talk so she waited quietly to see if Maria would start a conversation. When she didn’t initiate, Shelly said softly, “I lost my sister not long ago, my twin sister.”

  Maria raised her eyes.

  “We were on the highway. Lauren was driving. Her boyfriend was in the back seat. There was a bang. It was something called a tie rod, it had to do with the steering gear. There was no way to steer the car.” Shelly took in a deep breath. “We smashed into a cement barrier and the car flew into the air. I don’t remember anything after that, but the police told me the car flipped over several times. Lauren and her boyfriend were killed. I was in the hospital for a long time.” Shelly brushed at her eyes. “Lauren was more than a sister to me, she was my best friend.”

  “I’m very sorry,” Maria whispered. A tear rolled down her cheek and she cleared her throat. “Meg and I weren’t close. I’m fifteen years older than she was. We were always at different points in life. I’ve been so busy with my career. I live in New York. I never made time for her.” Maria’s voice broke. “If I paid more attention to Meg….” Her voice trailed off.

  “It’s not your fault.” Shelly’s voice was gentle.

  “Maybe it is. Maybe if I’d shown more interest, she wouldn’t have moved here and….”

  Shelly held Maria’s eyes. “And if my sister and I weren’t on that highway, Lauren would still be alive. It doesn’t do any good to speculate or to torture ourselves with what ifs.”

  “I feel like I wasted an opportunity,” Maria said. “At least you and your sister were close. I’ve lost the chance to know my sister, to have a relationship with her. It’s gone. It slipped through my fingers. I can never get it back.”

  Shelly didn’t know which was worse, losing someone you were close to and loved, or having the chance to build a relationship with someone ripped from your hands. In the end, it didn’t matter. Loss was loss, and it tore a hole right through your heart.