by J A Whiting
“Olivia, the preliminary DNA test was positive,” Father Anthony said. “Maybe he was in Boston for part of that day, but he obviously returned, since evidence puts him at the crime scene. The question is did Emily see something? Did Emily see Overman? Does she know who killed the Monahans?”
Olivia stared at Anthony. What she needed to make sense of all this was right there in her mind. All the pieces were swirling around but she couldn’t grab them and make them align. She just couldn’t make it gel.
“I’m missing something. The clues are in front me. I just can’t form the puzzle.” She looked at the priest. “Was Emily’s car in the rec hall parking lot?”
“Her car?” He gazed into space. “I don’t know. I don’t remember. I don’t even remember what she drove back then. Wait. She was in jogging clothes so she probably didn’t have her car.”
They both sat in silence, thinking.
“Can you think of anything else?” Olivia asked.
Father Anthony shook his head.
“I guess I should head back,” Olivia said. “Thank you for telling me all of this.” She got up from her seat.
“Should I tell the police what I told you?” Father Anthony asked.
“It can’t hurt. Maybe you should,” Olivia said. “Maybe you should tell Kenny’s lawyer, too.”
***
Olivia left the diner and headed for her Jeep. A passing car’s headlights shined in through the windshield and she could see Jackie sitting in the driver’s seat, so she opened the passenger side door and jumped in.
“You’re okay?” Jackie asked.
Olivia nodded. “He had quite the story.” Olivia repeated the entire thing to Jackie while they sat in the parking lot.
“So Kenny and Emily were at the church?”
“Anthony only saw Emily. He is speculating about Kenny being around. He wonders if Emily knows something or saw something and is protecting Kenny.”
“But,” Jackie said. “You don’t think Kenny did it.”
“No,” Olivia said. “I don’t.”
“Maybe…” Jackie’s voice was soft. “Maybe you’re wrong about him.”
Olivia raised her eyes to Jackie and then turned away and stared out of the rain streaked windshield.
“Am I?”
Questions and doubts swirled inside her head.
Chapter 32
Jackie and Olivia were silent on the drive back to Howland, each one playing events and conversations over and over in their heads. The rain had nearly stopped and, now and then, the moon peeked through the clouds. Jackie was driving Olivia’s Jeep.
Jackie glanced over to see if Olivia was sleeping, but Olivia was sitting straight in the passenger seat staring intently out the windshield. Her face muscles were tense as she worked at the puzzle of who had killed her cousins.
“Maybe give it a rest,” Jackie said. “Sometimes the brain comes up with an answer when you give it a break.”
“Yeah, I know,” Olivia said. “It’s just eating at me and I can’t turn it off.” She rubbed her eyes. “Am I wrong about Kenny?”
“I don’t know.” Jackie shook her head.
“I just don’t think he did it but things keep pointing to him and it makes me wonder if I’m wrong.”
“I don’t know if you’re wrong, but something’s wrong with the car,” Jackie said.
“Like what? What’s the matter?”
“Feels like a flat tire.”
“Ugh, no,” Olivia said.
Jackie pulled to the side of the road. They got out and stared at the tire, soft and flat.
“Jeez,” Olivia said. She turned to go to the rear of the Jeep to access the spare, the wrench to loosen the lug nuts, and the jack. “At least it isn’t pouring rain,” she groaned.
With Jackie’s help, Olivia changed the tire with much effort and by the time she finished, they were both wet to the skin from the drizzle.
An hour later, Jackie pulled into the driveway of John’s house and she pushed the button on the visor to raise the garage door. She drove the Jeep into the bay.
“I’m beat,” Jackie said.
“Thanks for driving. I’m so distracted it was good that you drove back.”
Olivia opened the door into the kitchen and went to the back door that led to the deck. Lily was waiting for them. She jumped up and down to greet them.
“Such a good dog,” Olivia told her as she scratched her ears.
The women changed clothes and returned to the kitchen. Jackie put water in the tea kettle and set it on the burner.
“I still want tea even though it’s so damn warm and humid,” Jackie said.
“I set up John’s AC units in the bedrooms so at least we can have a good night’s sleep tonight,” Olivia said. She glanced at the wall clock. It was already 11pm. “I’m starving. I’m going to make a fried egg. Want one?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
Olivia pulled out the big frying pan and got onions and tomatoes, eggs and cheese from the fridge. She put a little butter in the pan and when it was just starting to melt she added the onions to brown. She cracked eggs into a glass bowl, added some milk, and swirled it together with a fork. She set it aside, stirred the onions, and started to dice tomatoes.
“I thought you were just frying some eggs?” Jackie said.
“It turned into omelettes,” Olivia chuckled. “I think better when I’m moving around.”
“Well, it works in my favor,” Jackie smiled. “Smells delicious.”
Olivia added the egg mixture to the pan, let it set for a minute, and used the fork to move it around the frying pan. Lily sat close to the stove, ready in case something made its way from the pan to the floor.
Olivia topped the omelettes with chopped tomatoes and cheese, and then divided it into three equal portions. She scooped some onto two plates and bent to deposit the last third into Lily’s dish. Olivia and Jackie dug into the meal while sitting down at the worn, oak, kitchen table.
“Yum,” Jackie pronounced.
“Thanks.” Olivia smiled. She put a forkful into her mouth and said, while chewing, “How am I going to figure this out?”
“Maybe you’re not. The police haven’t figured it out and they’ve been working at it off and on for forty years.” Jackie sipped her tea. “It might be best to just let it go.”
“I don’t know. I feel close. And what about the squirrels left on the porch. Someone must be feeling squeezed. I must be on to something.”
“Maybe…” Jackie gave her a look. “Maybe you don’t want someone feeling squeezed. If it’s the killer…”
“Then I’m on the right track,” Olivia said.
“Then it might be dangerous was what I was going to say.”
“Do you really think so? What would the person do?” Olivia asked.
“Kill again?” Jackie suggested.
“But that would be stupid. It was forty years ago. Why risk it?”
“Because he’s thinking you’re getting close, that’s why. I think you need to be concerned about your safety.”
“But the police haven’t been able to solve the crime,” Olivia said. “How could the killer really think I would be able to figure it out? Why would he risk leaving some evidence now that might tie him back to the murders? Wouldn’t it be smarter to just lay low?”
“Who knows how he thinks? Suspects know where you’re staying. Overman. Father Anthony. Other people you haven’t even considered who could have committed the murders. They all know you’re staying here.”
“I have the dog.”
Jackie made a face.
“Jackie, it was forty years ago. No one would be dumb enough to chance the attention by hurting me.”
Jackie sighed. “Let’s talk more tomorrow. I’m really tired. I need to sleep. Construction people get up early, you know.”
“I’m feeling sleepy, too.”
They put the dishes in the dishwasher, shut the downstairs windows, and headed off to their room
s. Olivia was glad she had turned on the AC units before leaving for Connecticut. Lily followed Olivia into the bedroom and curled up on her blanket in the corner of the room. Olivia changed into shorts and a tank top, and climbed into bed thankful for the air conditioned coolness of the bedroom. She was sound asleep in no time.
***
Olivia’s mind fell into a dark dream of being drugged last summer. In her sleep, she watched, helpless, as the needle plunged into her arm. She snapped awake and sat bolt upright. Her head was killing her. Her stomach was queasy and she wanted to get to the bathroom but was afraid that moving would cause her to vomit. She eased herself down on the mattress, hoping the feeling would pass. She turned her head to look at Lily on the floor and when she did, a wave of dizziness flooded her. She closed her eyes. She just wanted to fall asleep to escape how horrible she felt. She tried to turn onto her side but her muscles were heavy and sluggish, like she had been drugged.
Panic pumped adrenaline like a tidal wave through her veins. Her heart was thudding. She used all her strength to sit up and swing her legs over the side of the bed. The room was spinning. Olivia put her hands on the mattress to try to steady herself. Her stomach lurched. She slid to the floor, grabbed for the small trash can next to her bed, and heaved into it. She leaned back against the bed frame and broke out in a fine sheen of sweat.
The room wouldn’t stop spinning. Olivia turned her head to the dog, wondering why she hadn’t come over to investigate her distress. Lily was curled on her blanket. She hadn’t moved.
Olivia’s body trembled, her vision blurred.
“Lily,” she croaked. Lily lay still.
Olivia crawled across the pine floorboards to the dog. “Lily.” Olivia jostled the Lab with her hand. Lily didn’t rouse. Olivia slid onto her side and lay on the floor next to the dog, her head spinning, her stomach roiling again. What’s wrong? Her brain screamed. What’s wrong with us?
“Lily.” She pushed at the dog again. Lily opened her eyes for less than a second and then closed them.
What the hell? What the hell?
“Jackie!” she screamed. But the AC units were running and would keep Jackie from hearing Olivia’s screams.
Olivia was sure she was going to pass out. No. No. She pushed onto all fours and crossed the room on her hands and knees inching across the floor. The edges of her vision were fading into black. Her hearing was muffled and her body felt like it was floating. She had to get to her phone on the side table next to the bed. Keep going. Crawl. Stay awake.
She reached the side table and pulled on it so it would topple. It crashed over but her phone slid out of reach across the wood floor. Olivia stared at it but her vision was twinkling. Sleep. She began to let her muscles relax.
A vision of Brad formed in Olivia’s mind. Brad. Joe. She moaned and struggled to stay conscious. Help me.
The fog in Olivia’s brain swirled and broke for a second and she knew. She knew what was causing her sickness. She turned and reached for the AC tube that vented out through the window. She yanked it free. She pulled herself up and pushed the window sash open as wide as she could. Her head spun and the room swirled around her. She fell backward onto the floor and her head cracked against the wood.
With the wind knocked out of her, she lay flat for a few seconds before pushing herself to a half sitting position. She scooted herself across the floorboards on her butt. Olivia grabbed the edge of Lily’s blanket in her fist and dragged it across the room, inch by inch, with the dog on top of it. She had to get her closer to the open window.
Hot, humid, but fresh air streamed into the room. Olivia went to the side window and struggled to push it up. It opened and more fresh air flooded the room.
Olivia gulped the air and slumped back onto the floor. She turned and crawled across the room. She picked up her phone as she passed it. When she reached the wall, she put her hands against it and pressed hard to balance as she stood and opened her bedroom door.
“Jackie!” she called.
Olivia slid down onto the floor again. She took deep breaths before crawling into the hallway. She moved on all fours to the guest bedroom where Jackie was sleeping. She sat on the floor for a few moments trying to force away the feeling of heaving again. She pounded her palm on Jackie’s door. “Jackie!”
Olivia stared at the phone in her hand. She was disoriented. Her mouth was so dry. Push the buttons. Push them. She turned the phone over in her hand. She lifted her heavy finger and aimed it at the button. “9” she pushed. Her finger hovered over the numbers again before falling. “1.” Once more. Lift the hand. Somehow the finger hit it again. “1.”
The call went through. “This is Howland Emergency. What is the nature of your call?”
Olivia had to get one word out. Just one word. Say it. Her lips parted. “Help,” Olivia whispered into the phone. “Help.”
Her hand dropped to her side and her fingers released the phone onto the floor.
The dispatcher spoke. “Ma’am? Ma’am? Can you talk to me?”
Olivia looked up at the doorknob. She lifted her heavy arm and clasped it. She turned it and leaned her back against the door to push it open. She crawled into the bedroom, to the window. Olivia repeated what she had done in her own room, yanking the AC venting hose from the window. She pulled herself up and slowly pushed the window, up, up. She turned her head and whispered, her voice hoarse, “Jackie.”
Jackie lay still in the bed. Olivia put her hands under Jackie’s armpits and pulled. Jackie’s head flopped to the side. Olivia used the last of her energy to grip Jackie in a bear hug and drag her out of the bed to the chair beside the window. Fresh air. Breathe, damn it. Breathe, Jackie.
Olivia’s vision twinkled to black and she slumped to the floor.
The siren howled as the emergency vehicle sped down the driveway to the Colonial home.
Chapter 33
Emergency workers entered the house and removed Jackie and Olivia on stretchers to the waiting ambulances which rushed them to the emergency room of the nearby hospital. They were administered oxygen during the ride. Lily was given oxygen by the fire fighters who arrived on the scene and she was transported to the Howland Veterinary Clinic where the vet decided to keep her for a couple of days.
“It was carbon monoxide, wasn’t it?” Olivia asked the doctor.
“It was, indeed,” the doctor reported. “And if you didn’t wake up when you did, you all would have died.”
Olivia was to stay in the emergency room until morning so that she could continue to receive oxygen and the doctors could monitor her blood levels. Jackie was in worse shape but it was decided that she did not need to be moved to a hospital with a hyperbaric chamber as she was responding well to oxygen therapy. She was admitted to the hospital but the doctors were confident that she could go home in about twenty-four hours. The doctors told Olivia that they were both very lucky.
Olivia thought that they would have been luckier if it hadn’t happened.
A police officer arrived to speak with Olivia. “We were able to get some technicians out to the house right away. The chimney flue appears to be blocked which caused the build up of carbon monoxide. The furnace runs even though its summer.”
“I know,” Olivia said. “John has a tankless hot water heater so the furnace runs now and then to keep the water hot.”
The officer nodded. “That’s right. All the windows were shut in the house which prevented some fresh air from minimizing the effect. In the morning, someone will be back to take a look at the chimney to find out why it’s blocked. In the meantime, the windows have all been opened and there is an officer stationed at the house.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“Also, Ms. Miller, the carbon monoxide detectors in the house have had their batteries removed.”
Olivia looked quizzical. “John would never do that. He is very conscientious.”
“Did they happen to beep recently? Did you remove the batteries and forget to replace them?” t
he officer asked.
“I did not.” Olivia was indignant. “I understand how important it is for carbon monoxide and fire detectors to be in good shape. I wouldn’t forget to replace any batteries.”
“Well, you should speak to your cousin about keeping up with the CO2 detectors.”
Olivia stayed quiet. She knew John would not remove batteries and forget to replace them. She wished she could get back to the house and inspect the detectors herself but the doctors insisted she remain in the emergency room for four more hours.
“What time will the technician be at the house to check the chimney? I’d like to be there.”
“He is supposed to be there around 8am,” the officer said.
Chapter 34
At 7am, Olivia was discharged. She went up to the fourth floor to check on Jackie. They chatted for a few minutes and Olivia told her what the officer had relayed. She told Jackie she would come back and visit with her after she heard from the technician about what was blocking the chimney. She also told her about the carbon monoxide detectors missing their batteries.
“I don’t think John would forget to put batteries in them,” Olivia said.
“He must have though, since they’re missing,” Jackie said.
“I’m going to call John after I hear from the technician. I’ll be back soon.” Olivia gave Jackie a hug.
“Thank you,” Jackie whispered. “If not for you…”
“If not for me, you wouldn’t have been staying at the house,” Olivia said.
She went down to the hospital lobby and out to the front circular driveway where taxis were parked. She approached one, got in, and was back at John’s house in fifteen minutes.
A police officer was sitting on the front porch and Olivia greeted him just as a truck pulled into the driveway. A technician got out. Olivia and the officer walked to the truck.
“There’s a ladder in back,” Olivia told him. “We have construction work being done. You can use it to get up to the roof.”
“Great. I’ll leave mine on the truck then.”