by Cindy Bell
“You don’t have to. It makes a big difference when we work as a team.”
“And I went off and did something stupid on my own.”
“It wasn’t stupid. You were trying to solve the case. It was brave. None of us had any idea there was a bomb under that car.”
“I wasn’t exactly as cautious as I should have been.”
“It’s a wake-up call for all of us. We’re not investigating a petty theft, we’re investigating a murder, and we need to be very aware of our surroundings.”
“You’re right, Samantha.” She stifled a yawn. “Right now all I want to be aware of is my bed. I’ll see you in the morning at the community center.”
“I’ll be there.” Samantha gave her another quick hug.
As she walked back to her own villa she thought about the crime. There was a piece missing, something that linked all of the pieces in the chain, if she could just figure it out, everything would fall into place. However, when she reached her villa she decided to review some information about Valerie. Even though she was a possible suspect, Samantha hadn’t done much research on her past. She had been blinded by the fact that she thought she knew her, and then distracted by the photograph she found of Valerie holding hands with Daniel.
Samantha settled at the computer and began to investigate the woman she thought she knew. As she dug deep into her past she discovered many broken hearts along the way. Valerie was not only engaged several times, she announced the engagement each time. Despite the many attempts, as far as Samantha could tell Valerie never actually married. Which meant she dealt with failed relationship, after failed relationship. Samantha felt a twinge of sympathy for the woman who clearly wanted that once in a lifetime love and struggled to find it.
Samantha dug further into Valerie’s past, and was surprised to come across the fact that Valerie was in the military. It wasn’t that unusual for a woman to be in the military, but Valerie never struck her as someone who could be that disciplined. She was an impeccable dresser, and always had her hair styled as if she’d just walked out of the salon. Appearance was important to her, and to picture her in a uniform or sweating through boot camp was almost impossible. It seemed the military wasn’t the right fit as her career ended after ten years with a dishonorable discharge. Samantha tried to figure out why, but she couldn’t find any clear reason. However, she did discover that Valerie was involved in explosives. Her heart dropped when it struck her that Valerie might have been the one to plant the bomb. Would she really do that? Anyone could have opened that door. So Valerie had the knowledge to plant the bomb, but what motive could she have? Did Daniel have something on her?
Samantha thought about paying Daniel another visit, but after the way he reacted to their presence at the time of the explosion, she didn’t think that would be very effective. She picked up her phone to call Eddy and update him on what she had found out about Valerie, but before she could her cell phone began to ring. Walt’s name flashed across the screen.
“Hi Walt, what did you find?”
“How did you know I found something?”
“You rarely call for no reason.”
“True, that would be rather inconsiderate.”
“What did you find, Walt?”
“I decided to do some digging into the loan sharks that Daniel owed money to. I wanted to see if any had a history of using explosives to get their point across. I came across something rather strange.”
“What’s that?”
“As you know I’ve looked into Reynold’s financials, and also into Daniel’s financials. Reynold’s financials are spotless. However, I hadn’t really looked into Jacob’s financials.”
“Jacob’s? The one who drowned?”
“Yes. I didn’t think there was much reason to look into him because I didn’t think there would be anything about his financial records from so long ago and also Jacob was not a suspect, or a victim.”
“As far as we know.”
“Yes, I’m getting to that. Now, as I was looking into Daniel’s history I discovered like you did that he got into debt many years ago. We assumed from what we found that he got into debt originally, shortly before Jacob’s death around the time he was accused of fraud. So, I decided to look more into the court documents associated with the fraud. I’ve found our connection between Daniel, Reynold, and Jacob.”
“What is it?” Samantha’s eyes widened. She wished she could reach through the phone and shake the information out of Walt.
“You see, Samantha, in order for a pyramid scheme to work it’s most important to have…”
“Walt! I know about pyramid schemes, please just tell me the connection.”
“Oh dear, calm down, Samantha, you don’t want to get your stress level up, that’s a leading cause of many diseases and…”
“Walt!”
“Fine, fine. From what I can gather from the transcripts, Daniel pulled Jacob into the pyramid scheme with him, which led to them both taking loans to cover the debt that they created by over-investing in the scheme. So, not only did Daniel ruin himself financially, it seems he also played a big part in ruining Jacob financially.”
“How interesting.” Samantha narrowed her eyes. “So, perhaps May knew Reynold while her brother and Jacob were both involved in the pyramid scheme.”
“Yes, and perhaps Reynold had a problem with Daniel because of what he did to his brother.”
“Maybe, but Jacob died. So did his debts. Would that really be motivation to go after May?”
“I can’t honestly say what would motivate a person to kill another person. But I do think it adds another dimension to this investigation. Suppose Jacob didn’t die an accidental death. Suppose he jumped into the water on purpose.”
“Suicide?”
“Maybe with all of the debt he faced he thought it was his only way out. If that was the case then Reynold might blame Daniel, and in turn May, for his brother’s death.”
“Wow, that is a sad thing to consider. I guess it could be possible. But I think if we’re going to consider that Jacob’s death might not have been accidental then maybe we should think about whether it might have been murder.”
“Murder? How did you get from suicide to murder?” Walt sounded mystified.
“It’s just something to think about. If we suspect that Reynold might have killed May, then we might want to consider that he might have also killed his brother on that fishing trip. Maybe he was embarrassed by his brother’s debt, or maybe they argued about it.”
“You’re right, that is something to consider. Maybe Daniel or May found out about it and suspected Reynold, which would give him plenty of motive.”
“Would you like to hear the dimension I can add?”
“Yes, please do.”
“First, did you find any loan sharks with a history of using explosives?” Samantha asked.
“No, I didn’t. I must say, I got a little distracted. I have put a list together for Eddy so he can look into them further.”
“I did find someone who is an expert in explosives. Valerie.”
“What?” Walt asked.
“Yes, she did ten years in the military and specialized in explosives. I think it’s safe to say that she could be responsible for the bomb planted on Daniel’s car. However hard that is for me to imagine, she has the experience.”
“But why would she do it? Do you think she had something against Daniel?”
“I think there are a few possibilities. One is she killed May and suspects that Daniel might know something about it. The second is that she is just trying to protect Reynold. And, since we know that she dated Daniel at one point and clearly has a history of chronic romance, maybe she wanted revenge for him dismissing her so easily.”
“Hm interesting. I hadn’t really thought about her as a murderer much, but if she can plant a bomb for the purpose of murder, I guess she could have also killed May. Hard to believe we could be living in the same place for so long with a killer in our
midst,” Walt said.
“I’ll see if I can find out anything else about Jacob. Maybe there’s some connection that we’re overlooking. But at least now we know how Reynold, Daniel, May, and Jacob are all connected.”
“At least we think we do. I suppose it’s still possible that it’s a coincidence and had nothing to do with the murder,” Walt said.
“Maybe, but I don’t think so. I hope we find something at the community center tomorrow, otherwise we might just be spinning our wheels.”
“Don’t give up hope now, Samantha, we’re getting close, I can feel it.”
“You can feel it?” Samantha laughed. “It’s not like you to trust your intuition, Walt.”
“I’m trying out new things.”
“Good to know.” Samantha hung up the phone and began to consider what to do next. Now that she knew that Jacob was involved in the same scheme as Daniel, she wondered if Daniel might have somehow had something to do with Jacob’s death. Maybe Daniel was in the water waiting for Jacob? Maybe Daniel and Reynold planned it together? None of it quite made sense to her. Perhaps that was because she was so tired. It was difficult for her to think when her mind swirled with exhaustion.
In surrender, she crawled into bed despite the early hour. She soon fell asleep, despite her mind whirring with suspects and facts.
Chapter 17
When Samantha woke up, it was around eleven at night. The explosion from earlier in the day still rang in her ears. Her hearing was still muffled from the impact of the blast, but in her head she heard it loud and clear, as if it was stuck on repeat. The more she tried to go back to sleep, the more frustrated she became. What if someone was rigging up a bomb to one of their cars as they slept? It was a bit of a stretch to believe they would be targeted, but she just couldn’t get it out of her head. What if May was the first, but others would follow? Daniel survived. Would the killer go after him again? The worst part was, she still suspected Daniel. As absurd as it was to still believe that he was a killer, she did.
After another toss and turn she sat up in bed. There was no point in trying to sleep. She considered calling Eddy to see if he was awake, but changed her mind. Maybe, just maybe, there would be something left in the fireplace, or something had rolled under the couch in the community room. There had to be some clue somewhere that would point them in the right direction. She dressed and walked down the sidewalk towards the community center.
Samantha was sure it would be locked, but she had the key from when she had helped with the trivia night. She decided to try the knob on the door before using her key. She was surprised when she found that it was unlocked. Her mind started to churn. Why would it be unlocked? Maybe the police had left it unlocked? Maybe someone was so distracted by what happened there that they forgot to lock it? She frowned and pulled the door open. Once inside she noticed that there was a light on in the kitchen. Her heart stopped beating for a moment. Was someone else in the building? She ducked down behind the couch and waited to find out.
Moments later a surprising sight greeted her. A woman, dressed all in white, with a strange glow around her, stepped out of one of the dark hallways and into the recreational area. Samantha couldn’t see her face from her position. She held her breath as she remained hidden behind the couch. She’d never been one to believe in ghosts, but with the sight she’d just seen, she wondered if it might be May returning to ensure justice. She willed herself to peek around the side of the couch. As before she noticed the woman in a long robe with an eerie glow around her. A shiver raced up her spine. However, her rational mind took over and reminded her that this was a real person, who had no reason to be in the community room in the middle of the night. The question was, should she confront her, or just hope that she left on her own?
Samantha shifted her feet as her ankles ached from the crouched position she was in. When she did she heard a crunch. A leftover pretzel or cracker was trapped under one of her shoes. She froze and waited to see whether the woman would notice her. Footsteps shuffled in her direction. Ghosts, didn’t walk, they floated, she was fairly certain. She braced herself as she expected to be discovered. Then the footsteps stopped. The sound of the front door to the community center opening forced her to open her eyes. She could see an outline of what she guessed was a male figure. He walked in the direction of the woman.
“I told you no lights.” He growled his words with enough authority that Samantha tensed in reaction to it.
“It’s not a light, it’s just a little glow stick. I didn’t want to trip and break a hip or anything.”
“Put it away. Even the slightest light could draw the wrong attention.”
“Fine.”
The eerie glow disappeared. Samantha didn’t know whether to be relieved that she was right about ghosts, or terrified that two very real people were meeting in secret a few feet away from her.
“This whole thing is getting out of control,” the man said.
“I know it is.”
“You should have stayed out of this. If only May hadn’t told you anything.”
“But she did. I’m glad she did. I told you I would help.”
“You haven’t helped, you’ve only made things worse.”
“That’s what you see right now, but give it some time and it’ll help in the long run.”
“I wish May had never said a word to you about me.”
“Please, don’t be like that.” She sighed. “I know that you have feelings for me.”
“Stop that nonsense. Can’t you see how foolish it is to even be thinking about that right now?”
“Is it really so foolish? I know this is bad timing, but it doesn’t change what we share. How much longer do we have to hide it?”
“With everything going on, this is what you want to talk about? It’s not just bad timing, it’s impossible timing. The first chance I get, I have to disappear.”
“Then I’ll disappear with you. I don’t have any reason to stay,” the woman said.
He sighed and began to pace. Samantha peered around the side of the couch. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t clearly see either of their faces. Because of the explosion earlier she had a difficult time hearing any specific qualities in their voices. She could make out most of their words, but didn’t recognize who they were. If she could just get a closer look she was sure she would be able to find out who May’s killer was.
“No, that’s not going to happen. It’s much easier to disappear alone than it is with another person. Look, I don’t mean to hurt you but…”
“Don’t!” The woman said.
“Keep your voice down!”
“You dare speak another word and I promise you that you will regret it. I’m not going to be treated like this.”
“I think you have the wrong idea about what life on the run will be like. It’s not going to be easy.”
“If you break things off with me I can assure you that I will go to the police with everything that I know. How do you think life on the run is going to be then?”
“You shouldn’t threaten me.” His voice grew deeper. Samantha’s heart raced. Was she about to witness an attack? Would the man do something to silence his female companion? If he did, would she be able to stop him?
“It’s not a threat, it’s a promise. You pulled me into all of this, and I did whatever I could for you. Now, you owe me. I’m not going to suffer through a broken heart while you get to go off and do whatever you please. This is real to me, isn’t it real to you?”
“It is. You know it is. But that’s not what this is about right now. We have to keep our heads clear, and make the right choices. One mistake is going to change everything.”
“Just be patient. No one is going to care much longer. All of this will go away,” the woman said.
“I’m not sure that I can do that. I feel like a sitting duck.”
“That’s what they want. The police will pressure you until you crack. Just keep focused on the fact that no one reall
y cared about May. No one is going to fight for her murder to be solved. She’s gone, and soon people will forget that she ever even existed.”
Silence from both of them followed her words. Samantha bit into her bottom lip to prevent herself from saying anything. She wanted to shout at them both that it wasn’t true. May mattered to her, and her friends, and they were going to find out the truth. But with the tension de-escalating, she knew it was best to remain silent.
“We can’t meet like this again. It’s too risky,” the man said.
“You haven’t even called or texted me. I have no idea what is going on with you.”
“You don’t need to know. I will tell you when you need to know something,” the man said.
“I mean it, if you disappear, I’m going to make sure you pay.”
“Stop threatening me!” He barked his words so suddenly that a small gasp escaped Samantha. She covered her mouth with her palm and closed her eyes. Had they heard her? Would they know that they were being watched? When she opened her eyes again, the figures were gone. She heard the door lock. Her heart raced. Had they left that fast? She cringed as she realized that she’d missed her opportunity to find out who they were.
Cautiously, Samantha stood up and crept to the door. With each step she expected one of them to leap out at her. Instead, she made it to the door and turned the lock and opened it just in time to see a pair of tail lights disappear. Whoever was there, at least one of them had driven. How could she have been so stupid? She never should have closed her eyes. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her.
“Samantha!”
She jumped so high that she thought she might have set a new record.
“Eddy! Don’t do that!” She glared at him.
“I’m sorry, I thought you saw me, what’s wrong?”
Samantha shook her head and closed her eyes. He reached out and curled his hands over her shoulders. The warmth of his touch offered her some comfort, but she didn’t want to tell him what happened. She didn’t want him to know how close she’d been to solving the case, and that she’d let the killer slip away.