Murder in the Middle: A Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mystery

by Diane Weiner

  Was Lynette in danger, breaking into a kidnapper’s home? Should I call for help? Susan swallowed hard and crept up to the open door. Gingerly, she peered inside. Then, she let out a scream fit for a horror movie. How was this possible?

  Chapter 26

  Lynette spun around. “Mom, why did you follow me? You keep stepping right in the middle of dangerous situations. Go home.”

  “Lynette, what happened here? Is that Caleb Bartolo? Is he…is he dead?” Susan worked her way into the room and after digesting the scene, she bent down close to the body. The stench was overpowering. This wasn’t nearly as gruesome as the body she’d discovered last year which was run over by a bulldozer, but still, she felt her stomach lurch.

  “Don’t touch anything. This is a crime scene.” Lynette covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief.

  Susan shook off the nausea. “It looks like someone hit him over the head. Who did this? Where’s the murder weapon? I bet it’s still here.” Susan regained her equilibrium and began throwing cushions off the sofa. It was here someplace.

  “Mom, I said don’t touch. Leave the cushions on the couch. You’re messing up the crime scene.”

  “I’m just trying to help. I know my way around a crime scene.”

  Lynette grabbed her mother’s arm. “Just stop. Don’t even walk around. Every time you move you’re destroying evidence.” Lynette grabbed her phone and called for back-up.

  “Do you think Sophie is still here? I can check the bedroom.”

  “No. Mom. What did I just tell you? Wait outside the front door.”

  “Okay. I’m going.”

  From the doorway, Susan absorbed the details of the room. Sparsely furnished. A lamp lay on the floor beside the couch, and an open laptop rested on the floor in front of the coffee table. Susan couldn’t help herself. While Lynette climbed up to the bedroom/loft, she crept back in and took a closer look at the laptop. It was open to Caleb’s mail. Not wanting to destroy finger prints or anything, she used her gloved hand to scroll through. She checked the sent mail and found three separate e-mails which listed revenge as the subject. They were all sent to Sophiegirl@yahoo.com. The first one said, I have the proof to lock you away for the rest of your life.

  “Mom, get away from there!” screamed Lynette. Susan jumped. She was engrossed in reading the mail and hadn’t noticed Lynette descending the ladder.

  “Lynette, you have to see this. Caleb was threatening Sophie. He has to have her here somewhere. Or maybe she was able to escape. Do you think she killed him?”

  “Mom, shut up. I have to think. If she’d escaped, I’m sure she would have come forward by now.”

  “Maybe she got amnesia and doesn’t remember where she lives or who she is.”

  “You’re watching too many soap operas.”

  “I’ll go home, but please, will you let me know what you find?”

  “Mom, this is an open investigation and not your business. You don’t seem unnerved by seeing the dead body, so I’m confident you’ll be able to drive yourself home. And don’t blab to anyone about this. Nobody, kapish?”

  “My lips are sealed.”

  Chapter 27

  Later that afternoon, with Mitch, the math teacher at their side, the Pearsons gave a televised press conference. The police hadn’t yet publicly announced Caleb’s death. Susan felt like the cat who’d swallowed the canary, keeping that information to herself. They didn’t find Sophie at Caleb’s house, so either Caleb was not the abductor, or Sophie had managed to escape. She noticed bags under Mrs. Pearson’s eyes, and Mr. Pearson sported a five o’clock shadow. Imagining herself in the Pearsons’ shoes, she wished she could find Sophie for them. Mitch looked––distracted. His eyes stared off into the crowd of reporters. It was hard to tell whether he was distraught, or just numb.

  Mr. Pearson stepped behind the microphone and held up a photo of Sophie and one of Caleb. “Please, someone out there may have the key to finding our daughter. If you’ve seen anything out of the ordinary or had any contact with either my daughter or this man, call the Westbrook Police Department.”

  Mike turned off the television. “You know, they’re focusing on Sophie’s parents, and I know they’re devastated over their daughter’s disappearance, but I was in the office when the police came to break the news to Scott that his second son was found murdered.”

  “Mike, I was thinking about the Bartolos also. So tragic. Now both of their sons are dead. I can’t even imagine the pain they must be feeling.”

  “Already I’m hearing people around the office whispering that Caleb had snuck back into town and he had probably murdered Sophie. If that’s true, then where is she? People should mind their own damn business.”

  “I know. Instead of supporting Scott, they’re busy gossiping about something they know nothing about. I’m sure Scott has caught wind of the office chatter. It does look bad for Caleb though. If he did abduct Sophie, then where is she? My guess is that she’s dead. She would have turned up by now. But that still leaves the question of who killed Caleb?”

  Mike shook his head. “I couldn’t begin to guess. Not to change the subject, but I was thinking maybe we could spend the night in the city after your cheek swab. I’m taking Friday off. We could go up early, finish the testing, and maybe take in a show Friday night.”

  “I’d love that,” said Susan. Even though she’d decided to go ahead with the testing, she still had moments when she questioned herself. She knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up. If it’s meant to be, I’ll find some answers.

  After dinner, she couldn’t resist checking in with Lynette to see if she’d uncovered anything at the crime scene that she’d be willing to share.

  “Mom, we just started this investigation this morning. It’s all circumstantial.”

  “I knew it. What did you find? Chloroform? Duct tape?”

  “Mom…”

  “Duct tape, right?”

  “Having duct tape in your house doesn’t prove anything. There are reasons other than being a kidnapper that a person might have duct tape in the house.”

  “Like what? Taping up ducts? Sure, Lynette. I’ll bet you found some rope too.”

  “Mom…”

  “Okay then. Duct tape and rope. Anything else? Just what is the Westbrook Police Department doing to solve this?”

  “How dare you.”

  “I’m sorry, Lynette. I didn’t mean that. I know how hard you work.”

  “Just to reassure you that your tax dollars aren’t being wasted, I’ll say this much. We got a call on the tip line after the press conference. Probably nothing. That’s all the info you’re getting.”

  Chapter 28

  Susan woke up early and got ready to go over to Westbrook High. At least on these mornings when she volunteered, she had a reason to get out of bed and get dressed before lunch. She pulled on a crew neck sweater and black pants with an elastic waist. When she got up to the media center, it was empty. Where did everyone go? She peeked around the stacks and saw no one. Then she spotted a small group of staff huddled around a TV in the librarian’s office.

  “Hey, did I miss something?”

  “Boy, look at this,” said the librarian. She pointed at the screen. “This morning Sophie Bartolo showed up at the Westbrook Police Station.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes. A motorist saw a dazed woman with no coat on walking on the side of the road. Says he nearly ran her over. He picked her up and took her to the Police Station. Look, they’re showing her now.”

  “Thank God,” said Susan. “Thank God she’s safe and sound. She doesn’t even look any worse for the wear.” Susan was convinced after finding Caleb that Sophie was dead too. “If she combed her hair, you’d think she just stepped out of her house to run an errand or something.” She tried to call Lynette, but the phone went to voicemail.

  “Her parents and boyfriend must be saying a huge prayer of thanks right now,” said the librarian.

  “Did she
say anything, like who took her or where she was being held?” said Susan.

  “Not yet. They said there will be more on the evening news.”

  Susan spent a few hours shelving books in the media center, and left around lunch time. Of course, she’d have to drop by the police station and pump Lynette for some information. She figured if she arrived with a cheeseburger and fries in hand, Lynette would be less angry at her for poking her nose into the case. Of course, Susan would get the same meal for herself. Her diet wasn’t going very well these days. She’d focus better after her trip. Then she could ditch the elastic waist pants. Maybe my birth mother had weight issues and that’s where I get it from. Maybe it’s not my fault at all that I’m overweight. Maybe it’s simply genetic. The mom she grew up with was naturally thin, and growing up, Susan had always wished she’d inherited her body. Now things were making more sense. When she got to the station, she was surprised to run into Lindsay, Caleb’s crazy ex-girlfriend.

  “Lindsay, why are you here?” asked Susan. She took a step back.

  “The police wanted to ask me a few questions about that son of a bitch ex-boyfriend of mine. He was found murdered. They wanted to know if I’d seen him lately. Of course, I said I hadn’t.”

  “Murdered? Someone besides the two of us must have had it in for him. Any ideas who?”

  “Nah. It was probably another one of the girls he dated. We both know how he treated his girls. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Could have been having it out with some girl. No one would have heard them screaming at that out of the way farmhouse. I can see someone whacking him over the head in self-defense, or purely for revenge.”

  “Well, it looks like he got what was coming to him,” said Susan.

  “You can say that again.” She smoothed out her wrinkled pajama pants. “Gotta get going to the AT&T store. I lost my cell phone and I feel naked without it. I’ve looked everywhere. Might have to buy me that iPhone6.”

  “Good luck with that. See you around,” said Susan. She walked back to Lynette’s office. There was a stack of paperwork on her desk.

  “Mom, I’m really busy right now.”

  “I know, but you have to eat. I brought your favorite meal.” She dangled the fast food bag in front of Lynette’s nose. She loved the smell of greasy French fries and knew they were one of Lynette’s weaknesses.

  “Five minutes. That’s all.”

  Susan kept her encounter with Lindsay to herself for now. “Did you find out who killed Caleb?”

  “Mom, it’s not even been a week. It will take time. This isn’t Law and Order. Murder cases don’t get solved in an hour.”

  “What about Sophie? What do you make of her sudden reappearance?”

  “I’m glad she’s still alive. When she didn’t turn up right away after Caleb’s murder I thought we’d be searching for a body. She’s going to be on the evening news. She’ll share her story with the public then.”

  “So you won’t give me a little hint as to where she was?”

  “No. Watch the news.”

  Susan replayed her conversation with Lindsay all the way home. How did Lindsay know where Caleb was staying? She had to have been there. Did she murder him? Certainly she had plenty of venom stored up against him. And according to her real estate agent /neighbor, Lindsay was crazy.

  Chapter 29

  “Mike, come on in. They’re showing Sophie now,” said Susan. Johann was curled up on her lap, purring like a lawnmower. Mike plopped down on the couch.

  “Mrs. Bartolo, let me start by saying how glad we are that you’re safe. You gave this town quite a scare,” said the reporter. “Tell us your story.”

  “It’s a little hard to talk about, but I’ll try. I was at work early, before anyone else was in the office. I was sitting at my desk checking e-mails when Caleb Bartolo came storming into my office. I was surprised, and a bit afraid, to see him. He started hurling threats he was going to go to the police with proof that I’d killed his brother. I never would have killed Adam. I loved him. We struggled. He grabbed my wrists really hard and pushed me against the desk. He started throwing things on the floor. Then he picked up the bronze paper weight off of my desk, held it over my head. Then the last thing I remember is seeing it come toward me. When I woke up, I was tied to a bed, with duct tape over my mouth.”

  “How horrible,” said the reporter. “Did he torture you while you were being held captive? I know you were checked over at the hospital and released this afternoon.”

  “No. He didn’t physically harm me, but psychologically it was beyond horrible. Excuse me a minute.” She pulled out a tissue and wiped her eyes. “At least he brought me food and water every night. By day, I assume he was at work. I was always tied to the bed with the tape over my mouth so I figured I must have been somewhere near other people and he was afraid I’d scream. Now I know I was at a motel.”

  “What do you think he was after? There was never a ransom note.”

  “He wanted me to confess to killing his brother Adam. Even though I was terrified that he was going to kill me, I wasn’t going to admit to something I didn’t do.” She sniffled and again dabbed at her eyes.

  “Now, tell us how you managed to escape.”

  “One night, he didn’t come by with my dinner. He didn’t show up the next two nights either. I wriggled my hands against the ropes all night long and somehow I managed to loosen up the ropes enough to escape. That’s when I ran out into the street and that Good Samaritan picked me up.”

  “I’m sure your family is thrilled to have you back. Thank you for sharing your story.”

  Mike clicked off the TV.

  “Glad that story had a happy ending. At least for Sophie. Now let’s go pack for our outing to the city,” said Mike. He gave her a playful swat on her behind.

  “She looks awfully good, don’t you think? I mean for being tied to a bed and not eating for three days, she’s lucky not to be staying at the hospital rather than going home.”

  “She looks like a strong woman. Anyhow, she’s probably still running on adrenaline.”

  “I guess you’re right. Let’s pack.”

  Chapter 30

  Susan barely slept. She tried her left side, then the right, but couldn’t get comfortable. She kept imagining what her birth mother looked like and ruminated over reasons why her mother didn’t keep her. Maybe she’d been a pregnant teenager, unable to care for a child. She could have given her up so her baby could have a better life than she could offer. That would have been a noble thing to do. Perhaps they had to rip me from her arms. Maybe she wanted to keep me but her parents wouldn’t let her. She pulled up the extra blanket, then kicked it off. Maybe her mother was in fact married and had other children. Maybe she just didn’t want to raise another baby. Was she too selfish to raise a child? Did she really want to meet this woman? This whole Georgia Babes thing could be a complete red herring. Would she be disappointed if it was, or relieved? She flipped the pillow over. The alarm buzzed. She heard Mike downstairs starting the coffee.

  “Should I make us some eggs?” asked Mike.

  “I have a better idea. Let’s stop for blueberry pancakes. Howard Johnson’s is right on the way.”

  Still full from breakfast, they arrived in Manhattan later in the morning and walked around Rockefeller Center. The Christmas tree was already gone, but they stood and watched skaters before doing some window shopping. Susan drank in the aroma of hot pretzels and chestnuts as they walked by street vendors. Although she was stuffed, she couldn’t resist trying one.

  “It’s almost time for my appointment.” said Susan. Her hands trembled and she dropped the hot pretzel she’d just bought. “I was looking forward to eating that.”

  “I’ll buy you another pretzel. Remember that if anything comes of this, you still have the choice not to contact her. Your life has been pretty darn good without her.”

  “You’re right. Maybe I should blow this whole thing off and we can go to Macy’s instead.”r />
  “It’s your call. Your birth mother could have even died years ago. There may be nothing to find.”

  Susan sighed. “We’re here now. Let’s head over to the hospital. I’m just ready to get this over with.”

  At the hospital, they easily found the lab and sat down in the waiting area. There were half a dozen others, all about Susan’s age, waiting to be called. Naturally, they were all anxious to share their stories with each other––perfect strangers who shared a unique bond.

  “So where are you from?” asked a woman wearing a leather coat. “Wouldn’t it be great if we can get some answers out of this? All my life I’ve wondered about my parents.”

  “All your life?” said Susan. “I just found out about being adopted last year when my mom, I mean my adoptive mom, died. I felt so betrayed that she’d kept this from me my whole life. It wasn’t right for her to hide this from me. Did she think I’d run off and try to live with my birth mother for heaven’s sake? My mom was my mom. I wish she had realized that I loved her too much to ever leave her.”

  “Really? You just found out? That must have been quite a shock. I feel for you. What makes you think your adoption is related to this whole Georgia Babes thing?”

  “I saw it on Sixty Minutes. I’d been hitting dead ends everywhere and this made sense. Falsified records? And my mom had a sister who lived in Georgia.”

  “Same here––Sixty Minutes I mean. I’ve been looking for over a decade.”

  “If we do find relatives, just think how strange it will be to meet them. What if they’re horrible people or they didn’t want to be found?”