A Crying Shame: A Jesse Watson Mystery

by Ann Mullen

  “I’m not going to let this upset me,” I said to Cole as I turned and walked back to the living room. “Carl’s sure to show his ugly face soon enough.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I looked over to see if the kids had been listening. Fortunately, they had not. I went over to the fireplace where they were playing and sat down on the floor. Before long, Athena had her head resting in my lap as I stroked her back, and Thor had stretched out with his belly up as Benny patted him. Carrie rested in the crook of my good arm. I ignored what Cole had said, and pretended not to notice the worried look on Mom’s face. It was all a mistake, and everything was going to be fine. I was sure of it.

  Claire came over and sat down on the floor beside me. “Look, Jesse,” she said. “I know Carl. He’s got a mean streak in him when it comes to practical jokes. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s hiding out just to throw a scare into us. He knows what he did was wrong and the only way he’s going to get out of this mess unscathed is by making us so glad to see him when he finally does appear. He’ll show up sooner or later.”

  “Do you think so?”

  “Sure, I do. I know him. He’s probably sitting back right now, watching us squirm, just waiting for the opportunity to jump out and yell ‘boo’.”

  Cole walked over to us and sat down on the sofa.

  “I think I’ll start dinner,” Mom said as she began to rattle around in the kitchen. “How does meatloaf sound?”

  “Sounds good to me,” I answered. I looked up at her and asked, “What do you think about this, Mom? Do you think Carl’s in hiding?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “We’d have to ask Claire.”

  “Mom, you wouldn’t believe some of the things he’s pulled. Why…”

  I heard a car pull up. Seconds later, the front door opened and Billy walked in. I jumped up and ran over to him. I threw my arm around his neck and hugged him until I cried.

  “What’s the matter, Jesse?” Billy asked as he stepped back and pulled my arm down. “What has gotten you so upset?” He glanced over to the living room and upon noticing Cole, he said, “Need I ask?”

  “Did you know that the D.C. Police think Carl might have met with foul play?” I asked him. I tried to get myself together, but my stomach was in knots. I know how this could play out. The police come in and arrest someone who later turns out to be innocent. Of course, their innocence isn’t proven until they’ve been put through the gauntlet.

  Cole stood and walked over to where Billy and I were standing.

  “Look Billy, I tried to tell Jesse that they don’t have enough evidence yet. They’re still trying to piece the facts together. There’s really nothing to worry about. Sheriff Hudson thinks Carl’s hiding out or has fled to avoid possible prosecution on kidnapping charges. What Carl doesn’t realize is that Claire just wanted her kids back. Of course, I suggested that she file charges, but she refuses. She’s afraid that he’ll use his influence to have the charges dismissed and then retaliate against her. You know how it is when a parent takes a child. They always say the other parent was upset and misunderstood; they didn’t take the child; they were just late or something stupid like that. In Carl’s case, he said it was previously arranged by the two of them. In the end, if Claire causes him trouble, she’ll be the one to suffer.”

  Billy looked at me and could see the concern on my face. He looked back at Cole and said, “Are you trying to stir up a mess?”

  “Yeah,” I said as I turned to Cole. “You tried to make me think they were coming after Billy any minute. You kept harping on that blood thing. I was convinced that Billy was going to jail. Why did you do that?”

  Claire stood and walked over to us. She put her arm around Cole and said, “Jesse, I’m sure Cole wasn’t trying to scare you. He just wanted you to know all the facts.” She spun around and headed back over to Benny and Carrie. “See, I knew we should’ve let the police handle this. Now the whole family’s in an uproar. If we’d just let the police do their job, none of this would matter.”

  “Excuse me,” I said, walking over to her. “I seem to remember that you went along with the plan, and I also seem to remember that you wanted your kids back no matter what it took.”

  “That’s enough!” Mom butted in. “The kids are safe and whatever happens with Carl, we’ll deal with it as a family. I want all of you to settle down and let’s get ready for a nice family dinner.”

  “That’s an excellent idea,” Billy added. He turned to Cole and said, “Why don’t you and Claire make yourselves at home while Mom fixes dinner? Jesse and I need to talk.” He looked over at the kids. “I see Benny and Carrie are having a good time.” He walked over to them and bent down. He rubbed Benny’s head and then planted a kiss on Carrie’s forehead.

  Cole appeared to be defeated as he walked back over to the sofa and sat down. He had nothing else to say.

  Benny jumped up and held out his hand. “Hello, Uncle Billy.”

  Claire almost cried at the sight of her little man acting so grown up. When Carrie stood and hugged Billy’s leg and then whispered “I love you,” a tear rolled down Claire’s cheek.

  I reached over and put my good arm around her shoulder and said, “It’s amazing how much you can love your kids. I know how you must have felt at the thought of losing them. It must have been awful for you.”

  “It was,” she replied. She walked over to Cole and sat down.

  “I’ll have dinner ready soon,” Mom said. “Let’s have a good meal and a nice, quiet evening here at Billy and Jesse’s home.”

  “That works for me,” Billy said. He looked at me. “The dogs probably need to go outside. Let’s take them out and we can talk while they’re doing their thing.”

  “Let me get my coat.”

  “Can I go, Uncle Billy?” Benny asked.

  “Not this time, buddy,” Billy said. “It’s freezing out there. I’m sure your mother wouldn’t like it if your nose froze off.”

  “That won’t happen,” Benny said as he turned to look at his mother. “Would it, Mom?”

  Claire chuckled. “I don’t think so, but if Uncle Billy says it’s too cold, maybe you should stay inside with us. Maybe Grandma will let you help her in the kitchen.”

  “That’s for sissies. I want to do stuff men do.”

  “Then why don’t you come over here and we’ll turn on the TV?” Cole asked him.

  The look on Benny’s face was a dead giveaway. Apparently, he wasn’t too fond of Cole. “No thanks,” he said. “I’d rather go help Grandma.” He grabbed Carrie by her sleeve and they both headed toward the kitchen. He stopped for a minute and then turned back to speak. “My dad says that no one will ever take his place.”

  I smiled at Benny’s obvious dislike for Cole. “I guess kids do have a sense of what’s really going on. They’re pretty smart.”

  Claire wasn’t at all pleased with her son’s declaration. She got up from the sofa and took Benny into the laundry room. A minute later he returned and apologized to Cole.

  Billy opened the front door and then called to the dogs. They took off into the woods as we stood on the porch watching them disappear. The chill in the air went right through me even though I had on a big, heavy coat. Tiny snowflakes swirled around making circles in the air and then fell to the ground.

  “Haven’t we had enough snow?” I asked, making conversation. I could see my breath as I spoke. I looked up at Billy and noticed the cut on his forehead had begun to heal and his black eye was starting to fade. I touched his face lightly with my finger. “I guess battle scars come with the territory, huh?”

  “That’s why I want you to stay home and let me handle this next case.”

  “What case are you talking about and why can’t I help?”

  “Brian Cherry has been charged with the murder of his wife. Russ is going to handle his defense and I’m going to look into the events surrounding his case. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s innocent. From what I’ve been told, someone broke i
nto his house while he was at work. Brian swears it was a home invasion and his wife, Vicki, was killed in the process. Fortunately his infant daughter was unharmed.”

  “Ah, they have a little girl?”

  “Yes,” Billy replied. “Her name is Maisy. She was named after her mother’s nanny from way back when.” He looked over at me and smiled. He kissed me passionately on the lips. His embrace was tender, but firm. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

  “Yes, many times.” I looked into his warm eyes and saw the man of my dreams. I couldn’t have made a better choice in men. “I’m so lucky.”

  “Why do you say that, `ge ya?”

  “Who would have thought that the two of us would’ve made such a good pair? We’re so different, yet so much alike in many ways.”

  “Isn’t that what your people say, that opposites attract?”

  “You’ve got to get past this ‘your people’ thing. Now it’s our people.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  “You’re avoiding my question.”

  “What question was that?”

  I turned to him and stared into his eyes. I pointed my finger at him and said, “If you think for one minute that I’m going to stay home just because I’m pregnant, you’ve got another thought coming, mister! You don’t know me as well as you think.”

  “Oh, yes, I do,” he replied. “I have other plans for you, but I’m not sure you’re the right one for the job. I’m not sure who is. I thought about talking to my mother, but then realized that I’d better talk to you first.”

  “Just spit it out, Billy!”

  “Brian’s daughter, Maisy, needs a home for a little while. She’s with Russ’s mother for the time being, but she needs someone who can care for her until her father gets out of jail and this mess is cleared up. Russ’s mother, Madeline, has a bad back and can’t handle it for long. Brian wants a family member to take her. He doesn’t want her in foster care and I can understand why. If it were my child…”

  “We’re not his family,” I said, shocked at what Billy had just told me. Silence hung in the air as I realized where this conversation was going. “I don’t know what to say, Billy.”

  “Just tell me what’s going through you mind, and we can decide together.”

  “Why would he ask you to take care of his daughter; he hardly knows you, and what brought him to you to begin with?”

  “Would that be the only concern you have?”

  “Hold on. I need to think about this situation for a minute. This is a serious decision; one that could impact the lives of us all.”

  “I realize that,” Billy said. He raised his hand to touch my face.

  “No touching,” I said as I backed up. “That’s not fair.”

  “I know you have many questions, Jesse, but this is only going to be temporary.”

  “You say that now, but what happens if Brian Cherry goes to prison?”

  “It wouldn’t make any difference. Brian Cherry is my cousin, on my mother’s side. His mother, Geneva, is my mother’s sister.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me who Brian was right from the start?”

  “I was a little busy getting married at the time, if you remember.”

  “Not to appear crass, Billy, but why doesn’t someone from his immediate family, like his mother or father, step up to the plate?”

  “He does not speak to his father, Eli, and his mother is an invalid.”

  “Doesn’t he have any brothers or…”

  “No, he’s the only one. He chose me,” Billy said, proudly. “As children, we were close, but we have not seen each other for some time.”

  My mind raced. There were so many unanswered questions, but so little time in which to make a decision. Billy needed an answer now. Instead of analyzing the situation to death, I decided to follow my heart. If this was what my husband wanted us to do, then we would do it somehow. I looked at him and said, “You’re asking a lot of me, Billy. I’m inexperienced and I’ll have to deal with being pregnant and taking care of someone else’s child at the same time. I’m going to need some help. You know how I am.”

  “We will do this together. You have my word as a true Cherokee.”

  “Okay,” I said, forcing the word out.

  “All I have to do is call Russ.”

  “Then I guess you’d better call him.”

  Billy hugged me and kissed me on my face over and over again. “You’re so wonderful, `ge ya!”

  “Okay,” I said. “You can stop now.”

  Billy released me and said, “Your heart is large, `ge ya.”

  “I hope you mean that in the rhetorical sense.”

  Billy turned and whistled, calling the dogs.

  Athena and Thor came running out of the woods, leaving paw prints in the snow as they reached the front steps. As soon as they were on the porch, blue flashing lights appeared in the driveway. Seconds later, Sheriff Wake Hudson and his men walked up on the porch. Sheriff Hudson was carrying a folded piece of paper in his hand. The word WARRANT stared back at me.

  CHAPTER 8

  Sheriff Hudson placed the search warrant in Billy’s hand and said, “I have a warrant to search the premises. I’m going to have to ask you to come inside and remain with the rest of the family.” He turned and said to me, “I see your mother is here. Maybe you’ll get everybody together for me.” He turned back to Billy. “I’m also going to need to speak to my deputy outside.”

  “Sure, sheriff,” Billy responded. “Can you tell me what this is all about?”

  “The warrant is self-explanatory,” a man said as he came up from behind Sheriff Hudson. He then motioned for his men to enter the house. “It isn’t my intention to satisfy your curiosity. You can read the warrant for yourself once you’re inside.” He held up his shield and said, “Detective Frank Trainum, D.C. Police. Now step inside.”

  Detective Trainum was a detestable character—I could feel the anger he carried. His demeanor was gruff and his attitude obnoxious. I could tell that he was someone who liked to push his weight around, and he had plenty of that. His suit was wrinkled and he looked as if he had just crawled out of bed fully clothed. He was a short, heavy-set man with black, square-shaped glasses; the lenses so thick that his eyes looked like pinpoints. His belly protruded past his belt by four inches and his breasts were bigger than mine. He was in desperate need of a serious weight loss/exercise program. He was a heart attack in the making, and there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to happen soon. He also looked as if it wouldn’t take much to send him off the deep end. He was wound up tighter than a tick on a dog’s butt and appeared ready to explode any minute. He was so unfit; I was surprised that he was still on anyone’s police force. Maybe he was close to retirement. Don’t cops have to pass some kind of yearly physical fitness test? I wondered how fast he could run, if he had to.

  “I’m not going to ask you to step inside again,” Detective Trainum demanded.

  I was about ready to say something back to the nasty detective, but Billy grabbed me by the arm and led me inside the house before I had a chance.

  “Let’s not make this more difficult than it already is,” Billy whispered in my ear. “He’s a jerk; there’s always one.”

  Detective Trainum’s men had already gathered up the family and had them seated on the sofa. Mom was holding Benny in her lap, and Carrie was crying as she clung to her mother. Billy bent down by the fireplace and held onto Athena’s collar as I sat down on the hearth and did the same thing to Thor. Cole had stepped outside with Sheriff Hudson.

  A full house search ensued. As the detective and his men riffled through our belongings and every nook and cranny in sight, Thor snarled and Athena growled. After twenty minutes of confinement, both dogs appeared to be ready to chew off a leg. Billy and I tried to calm them down. The last thing we needed was for one of them to get loose and eat Detective Trainum, however pleasant that thought seemed at the time.

  Two of Sheriff Hudson�
��s deputies stood guard over us as the police continued their search. I assumed that was what they were doing. I wasn’t sure since I’d never been the victim of a house search until now.

  Billy leaned over as if to read my mind and said, “It’s protocol; they have to have someone to guard the suspects.”

  “Oh, is that what we are?”

  “Yes, for the time being.” Billy unfolded the search warrant. “I don’t believe it! They’re looking for bloody clothes—something to tie me into the disappearance of Carl Benson.”

  Claire was about to say something when Carrie interrupted her. “Mama, I have to go wee-wee,” she said in between her tears. She jumped down from her mother’s lap and ran toward the bathroom down the hall.

  A ruckus broke out. A five-year-old had stunned the cops by breaking their cardinal rule of fleeing from the confined group of suspects, and heading to the bathroom. Two of the cops took off after her, setting off a barrage of fleeing suspects and dogs to the bathroom.

  “Just a minute,” my mother said. She pushed past several of the cops. “I’ve had just about enough of this! She’s just a little girl who has to use the bathroom. She has no idea of what’s going on here, so get out of my way and let me tend to her.” Mom was as mad as a farmer catching a fox in his henhouse, and she was out for blood. “Back off,” she demanded.

  The cops stepped back and let the angry grandmother pass.

  “You should be ashamed of yourselves,” she said as she pointed her finger at each one of them and then slammed the bathroom door.

  Sheriff Hudson ushered us back into the living room. “Please come back and sit down until we’re finished here. Deputy James will stand guard over the child. He motioned to Cole. Detective Trainum’s men backed away.

  Sheriff Wake Hudson is not like the rest of his Greene County Deputies. They’re tall, muscle-packed men with arms of steel, while he’s not much bigger than I am. His blond hair is cut short and tapered. He looks like he weighs about 160 pounds and isn’t one inch taller than 5’ 9", which is a far cry from his subordinates. Regardless of his size, or lack thereof, he demands respect. His words carry the weight that he doesn’t. I respected him, but at the same time, I disliked him. I guess that was because we always seem to be on the opposite side of the fence. Take away that part of the scenario and I’d probably like the man, just like Claire had said. His display of compassion just now with Mom and Carrie made me like him more and more. He was winning my vote. He didn’t hesitate to stand up for a helpless child and do the right thing. Yep, I could finally see the good in this man.