The Morelville Mysteries Collection

by Anne Hagan

  Kris eyeballed me, “What was that all about?”

  “The SUV that JD was driving when he died belongs to her father. They were apparently dating on and off before his death.”

  “What?” Gloria responded. “She’s about half his age.”

  “Actually, she’s only about seven years younger.” I held a hand up, “Listen, let’s forget about her. I’ll handle her if she pops up again. This is still an official police investigation.”

  A few minutes later Kris and Gloria had the needed paperwork in hand and the mortuary had been called to retrieve JD’s body. Luke asked my two companions to wait for just a few minutes in the outer office while he went over a couple of things with me.

  When they were safely out of earshot he said, “I still have the clothes he was wearing when he came in.”

  “It’s a murder investigation Luke until proven otherwise. Messenger those over to the crime lab in Columbus. There might be some trace on them we can use.”

  “I also have these.” Kreskie handed me two file folders, one thick and one thin. I glanced over them.

  “His medical and dental records?”

  “They’re requested for ID and medical history as a matter of routine. The medical record actually came directly from the hospital.”

  “I see.”

  “I trust you’ll deal with them as necessary?”

  “You mean take them back to the hospital records department and his dentist? Yes, absolutely. I don’t have any use for them.” I hefted the medical file and shook my head. JD had been in a couple of accidents, a couple of fights and he’d had a few surgeries. I knew the file was heavy because it was full of bodily repair records. “Is there anything else?”

  “No young lady. That’s it. Catch his killer, I guess.”

  ###

  I dropped Kris off at the fairgrounds and then I headed in to work. Olivia Stiers had my curiosity up. She’d said their relationship was more casual than serious and that JD owed a bookie a small fortune.

  People usually only want a death certificate when there’s money or property to be claimed. What did JD have that Olivia wants?

  I set Holly about trying to get a handle on JDs financial records and I started calling storage unit companies. That seemed to be the better bet with a guy like Jeremey David Roberts.

  A couple of hours passed and neither one of us had gotten anywhere. Holly had managed to get a subpoena issued and she’d solicited his bank records at the only bank we could find that had an active account registered in his name. JD was overdrawn there. He had no savings, no CDs, not even a safety deposit box with them.

  Holly and I had a mini staring contest. She blinked first. “What else can we look at Mel?”

  I tapped my chin, “There has to be something. An insurance policy we don’t know about, something...”

  “I’ve got inquiries out; so far, no hits.”

  “Keep thinking. Meanwhile, I think the best thing for me to do is to find Angie. She may know something. They’re just too many coincidences here for her not to.”

  ###

  2:40 PM, Wednesday

  Parking far down the block, I staked out Priscilla Chappell’s last known address again. It was a second floor walkup in a downtown Zanesville Victorian that needed a fresh coat of paint. All indications were that she still lived there but, as before, she wasn’t there.

  Runners are supposed to work all night and sleep all day. Where the hell is she?

  I almost missed seeing her swinging down the sidewalk from the opposite direction, a backpack looped over one shoulder. I only realized it was her when she turned onto the sidewalk leading to the stairs. I waited until she was on her landing and opening her door before I even started to get out of my pickup.

  I was in street clothes, sunglasses and a ball cap hoping that I looked decently disguised. The last thing I needed or that she needed was for me to be made by someone watching.

  Strolling casually, I approached the house. No one appeared to be home in the downstairs unit. I made my way along the side driveway and then made a little noise going up the steps to the second floor. Since I wasn’t expected, it wouldn’t do any good to startle her.

  The door opened at the top when I still had a couple of steps to go. Priscilla poked her head out and looked at me, “Can I help you with something?”

  Lowering the sunglasses a half inch so she could see my eyes, I said softly, “I’m just here to see Angie.”

  Recognition dawned in her own eyes, colored amazingly blue. “Oh, you’re that friend of hers that she mentioned might be coming by?” When I nodded, she said, “She’s not here yet but you can come on in and wait.”

  Once I was safely inside, Priscilla bolted the door behind me. We were standing in an open room that was half taken up to the left by a living room space that was sparsely furnished but neat and tidy. The rest of the room was taken up by a small, round 4-seater table set just past the mid-point to the right set near an even smaller kitchen island. Cabinets and appliances were arranged behind that on the far right wall and to one end of it.

  “Can we talk here?”

  She nodded and indicated the dining table. “Would you like a soda?”

  “Yeah, sure, if it’s not too much trouble.”

  Standing with the fridge door hanging open, she asked, “Diet or regular?” She held up Diet Pepsi and regular Coke.

  “Aww, a woman after my own heart. I’ll go for the diet today.”

  “Glass?”

  “No thanks. It comes in one.”

  Priscilla eyeballed the can critically but then handed it to me. We took seats at the table. The backpack was laying there, a textbook already out of it.

  “Are you going to school?” That would explain her not being home during the day...

  She nodded, “Zane State...Physical Therapy Assistant.”

  “Nice. Good for you!”

  “Thanks.” She studied me closely.

  Leaning closer to her I asked, “You know I wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t important, right?”

  She was silent.

  “You still, uh...working?”

  She nodded and indicated the book and the book bag. “It’s how I’m paying for school and able to keep up with my studies. Can’t work a 40 hour job and make the kind of money I make and go to school too.”

  “Gotcha. I won’t waste a lot of your time either. I just need a little info.”

  Priscilla leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms and waited to hear what I had to say.

  “Does the name Jeremy Roberts or JD Roberts ring a bell?”

  She simply nodded.

  “He died last week.”

  Again, the nod.

  “He’d been in some sort of fight. I need to find out who he tussled with.”

  She shrugged, “I don’t have any idea.”

  “Look, I know you probably weren’t there and you probably weren’t in on any of the details of it, but anything you can give me will help me. He was, I’m told, in debt to a loan shark or a bookie. I’m just trying to narrow down a long list of possible leads.”

  “Why come to me?”

  Sizing her up, I leveled with her, “Because your description keeps popping up as the only local runner around these days. Two of my boys even shook you down recently.” I decided not to mention The Boar’s Head incident. That was a card I was going to hold close to my vest just a while longer.

  Priscilla dropped her head and appeared to be contemplating the carpet remnant on the floor, under the table. Without any more prompting, she started talking.

  “JD was doing a little work as a collector for a loan shark and bookie. He collected bookie bets only.” She paused.

  “Your guy?”

  She half shrugged. “There’s more than one bookie in Zanesville.”

  I pretended to act shocked which put her a little more at ease but I knew she wasn’t telling the truth. If she knows JD was collecting, that’s probably because she was
one of the runners he dropped money to.

  “He was pulling some crap scam...I hear.” She paused and sipped her soda. “JD worked with another guy. You need to talk to him to get the whole story.”

  “Got a name?”

  “No. I didn’t know him. Everybody knew JD. He was a real loudmouth.”

  I didn’t know whether to believe her or not. I was sure the other guy was Sterling Moon anyway but I had no idea where to find him. “What else can you tell me? Anything?”

  She was quiet for several long seconds, looking up at the ceiling. Finally, she leaned over the table and looked back at me, a decision to tell me something in her eyes. “I heard the two of them pulled a pool shark deal on the same guys JD was supposedly waiting for in a bar the night he died. That’s how he originally hooked up with them. The guys started to bet and pay up on their losses through him and they were high rollers. They wanted to bet only though and not be scammed at pool or at betting.”

  “They caught on to the scam and turned the tables?”

  “That’d be my guess.”

  ###

  Muskingum County Fair

  Wednesday Evening, August 13th, 2014

  I was pulling meet and greet duty at the front gate again when my dad wandered through. He looked exhausted after a day of working on the farm. He didn’t even notice me standing there until I called out, “Jesse Crane.”

  When he approached, I asked, “Whatcha’ doing back here dad? You look beat.”

  “Am, but I told the boy I’d come tonight to watch the rodeo with him. He’s got some crazy notion that he wants to be a bull rider.”

  “He’s out of his mind. Don’t worry though, in two weeks it will be something else.”

  Dad simply nodded and then stood silently.

  “Tell you what; I need to talk to you about something so why don’t I get my Sheriff’s cart and give you a ride over to the campers?”

  “Sounds fine.” He looked relieved.

  Once we were underway, I told him, “Kris and Gloria claimed JD’s body this morning. Gloria made arrangements to have the funeral home pick him up. They each have certified copies of the death certificate.”

  I looked at my father for confirmation that he understood what I was saying. We were driving slowly down the crowded midway. I didn’t want to have to spell it out for him out loud. He didn’t say anything at all. He just nodded.

  “Dad, you need to get a copy from Kris and claim that money. We’ll need it to pay for the funeral, for one thing.”

  “Hate givin’ that bastard a funeral...”

  “Then don’t think of it as being for him. Think of your grandchildren.”

  ###

  “4H member Cole Roberts, please report to the Fair board office with an adult advisor. Cole Roberts, please report to the Fair Board office,” the PA announcement echoed over the fairgrounds as dad and I pulled up alongside my camper.

  “What are they wanting with Cole?”

  “I don’t know, Dad.”

  Dana was sitting in a chair several feet from us. She’d been reading through a fair program when we pulled up. She smiled at me but I was too curious wanting to know why they wanted Cole to respond with anything more than a question, “Babe, have you seen Cole? Where is he?”

  “He’s in the camper; why?”

  “Didn’t you hear that announcement just now? They want him at the Fair Board office.”

  “They said Cole Roberts.”

  “Right, Cole and Beth both carry their father’s last name. Kris and JD were married when she had the kids. I’m sorry; I thought you knew.”

  Dad jumped in, “No harm done!” He looked at Dana, “Where’s the boy?”

  Dana shot dad one of those ‘I just told you that’ looks but he didn’t pick up on it. She said again, “I’m pretty sure he’s in the camper.” She pointed to dad’s rig. He must not have heard it in there.

  I yelled for him and got him to come to the door. “What are you doing in there, napping?” I didn’t give him a chance to answer. “Where’s your mom?”

  “Over at the barn. I came over here to wash up and to get her something to drink.”

  “Forget that. Let’s go and get her. They want you at the office.”

  “Why?”

  “We’ll find out when we get there.” But I have my suspicions!

  We all piled onto my cart and took off. We caught Kris halfway between the barn and the campers. I was glad I had grabbed the bigger of the two carts my department had on the grounds.

  The Fair Board office was along the back midway. It wasn’t as crowded as the main drag through the grounds but it was getting there. When we got there, Gene, the kids 4H club advisor was standing outside the little building.

  He addressed Kris, “I heard the announcement...wasn’t sure if they meant ‘advisor’ or parent so I thought I better get over here too.”

  Dad rolled his neck, “The more the merrier. Let’s see what they want.”

  We all filed into the little air conditioned space. It felt so good after the being out in the heat of the August sun.

  Sandy Pennington was leaning against the counter talking across it to the Fair Board Director. She spotted Cole and pulled him to the front of our little group. “Director, this is Cole Roberts.” Waving a hand at all of us she continued, “And, of course, his entourage.” She signaled Kris out, “His mother Karissa Crane” and then, pointing at Gene, “and you know his advisor.”

  The director nodded at the two adults but got up and came to the counter to shake Cole’s hand. A tall man, he bent a little at the waist and got eye to eye with Cole. “Young man, I need to know, that steer of yours, did you raise him by the book?”

  Cole looked confused. “Ye – Ye-Yes sir.”

  “Don’t be scared. I just need to make sure you didn’t cheat with him in any way since you got him.”

  Cole looked him right back in the eye, “No sir. I didn’t cheat.”

  Dad was getting visibly angry, “That boy don’t cheat! Neither of them kids do! Who’s saying they do?”

  The Director held out his hands. “Whoa there, hang on Mr...”

  “Crane,” Sandy supplied.

  “No one’s saying he cheated Mr. Crane. We called him here because, as much as it pains me to do it, we’ve had to disqualify another steer, the Reserve Grand Champion - due to...irregularities.”

  I knew what was coming and I was beaming as was Sandy. It hadn’t hit anyone else what he was implying.

  Sandy put a hand on Cole’s shoulder, “Cole, we need to get a urine sample from your steer ASAP. If he’s clean – no undeclared veterinary drugs or drugs that he shouldn’t have in his system – your steer will move up to become the Reserve Grand Champion.”

  “Are you serious?” Cole yelled in response. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Kris and dad looked like they were in shock. Dana too was all smiles as we exchanged a knowing look between us.

  Sandy went on, “We have to get him tested right away. The sale is tomorrow. It takes a little bit of time to get the results back.” Cole nodded.

  “Son,” the Director said, “you get on back to the barn and get him a nice cool drink of water. We’ll have a vet tech over there in about 10 minutes to try and get a sample.”

  “He pees quick after he drinks,” Cole helpfully supplied. Everyone chuckled.

  Kris and Cole started to leave with dad following close behind them.

  “Hang on dad, I’ll give you a ride to the barn. I just need to chat with these two a minute.”

  He waved me off. “I’m fine. Never better.” With that, the three of them and Gene took their leave.

  Addressing the Director specifically, I asked, “Is there anything you need from my department?”

  “The entire matter will be referred to you shortly Sheriff, but the Junior Fair Board and the Senior Fair Board must complete their actions first.” He looked pointedly at Dana.

  “This is Dana Rossi. She’s a recently re
tired government special who isn’t, as it happens, prepared to sink into a life of leisure yet.” Dana Snorted.

  “Anyway, if what has happened is what I think has, she has some evidence she can offer.”

  The Director’s brows knitted. “Why would she have any evidence?”

  I leaned into the counter as someone came through the door behind me, “Is there somewhere the four of us can talk privately?”

  He looked at the woman who’d come in, “Please have a seat. Someone will be right with you.” Nodding at the two of us and Sandy, he said, “Follow me. The board is having a meeting in the large conference room right now so this will have to do.” He showed us into a small office with only a desk set and a couple of side chairs.

  “We’ll only be a minute.” I looked from the Director to Sandy and jumped right in, “The Harper boy’s steer tested positive for Clenbuturol, didn’t it?”

  Sandy’s mouth dropped. The Director shook his head in confusion, “How on earth did you know that?”

  I nudged Dana, “Show them.”

  Dana took out her cell phone and pulled up the picture of the contents of the refrigerator. She passed it to the Director who showed it to Sandy.”

  “Where was this taken Ms....?”

  “Rossi,” Dana supplied. “It’s the contents of the refrigerator the Harpers still have plugged in, in the barn.”

  The Director was incensed, “This drug is on the grounds?”

  We both nodded.

  “Ms. Rossi, can you email that to me from your phone? The board must see this at once!”

  Dana got his email address and complied with his request.

  “Wait right here please.” He walked out of the room and across the hall to the large conference room where he knocked and entered. A couple of minutes later he returned and summoned the three of us to follow him. We all entered the room where several members of the board were present plus two representatives of the Junior Fair Board and one of the local veterinarians that supplied his services to the fair.

  “Sheriff, Ms. Rossi, I’ve just passed the picture you’ve supplied to the people in this room. What was an unfortunate situation has become a grave one.” He pointed to the vet, “Doctor, would you please explain what’s going on, from your perspective?”