5 Murder at the High School Reunion

by Steve Demaree

  I had nowhere to which I had to rush, so I sat down in front of the computer, and visited my new friend Google. I found an article titled Six Powerful Health-Boosting Foods, and scanned the list to see if I could stomach any of them. In a matter of seconds, I realized that I was already eating four of those six foods; tomatoes, kale and spinach, blueberries, and sweet potatoes, and liked one of the other two, walnuts. I looked at the last one, pomegranates. I wasn’t sure what they were, but I suspected they were something closely related to figs or dates, something else I wasn’t sure if I had eaten.

  I studied the list. I’d been eating walnuts on my ice cream sundaes for quite a while, but I was quite surprised I had managed to choke down some of those others, particularly kale. I was about to Google pomegranates, to see what they were, when the phone rang. I figured it was Lou, calling me to see if I had finished the book. I figured wrong.

  +++

  “Lt. Dekker, I have a message for you.”

  I assumed that the message was from the DA and had to do with whether or not they planned to prosecute Walter Gillis. Again, I assumed wrong.

  “Lt. Dekker, a man called here this morning. An Earl Spickard. He wants you to come to his place. He says it’s urgent. It has to do with those murders you’ve been working on.”

  “Does the Chief know about this call?”

  “The Chief is the one he insisted on talking to. At first the man wanted to talk to you, but when we told him that wasn’t possible, he insisted on talking to the Chief. That was about ten minutes ago. Anyway, the Chief wants you and Sgt. Murdock to go out there as soon as possible, and to report to him as soon as you return. Mr. Spickard wouldn’t tell the Chief what he wanted with you, just that it was very important, and that it has to do with the deaths at the high school.”

  “I’ll get right on it.”

  My day of leisure was no more. I couldn’t figure out what old man Spickard wanted. I didn’t even know he had a phone. I had one though, and I used it to call Lou to let him know that he too was no longer a man of leisure.

  “I’ll be ready when you get here, Cy. I was going to call you in a few minutes anyway, to make sure you finished your book. We can talk about that on our way out to the country.”

  +++

  I made a clean getaway, sort of. I walked out the door and saw my next-door neighbor and her mutt in her front yard. When they saw me, both of them turned around to face the other direction. The mutt promptly squatted to do her business. I bet she wanted to do it in my yard, but feared incarceration.

  As I neared Lou’s place I saw he was already standing at the curb. I pulled up, and he quickly got in and buckled as I sped away.

  “So, what’s our message of the day, Lou?”

  “Don’t have one.”

  “Don’t have one?”

  “Is there an echo in here?”

  “Is there an echo in here? I wonder if this means that we are about to become free men again.”

  “We’re already free, Cy. At least I’m not married. You didn’t happen to tie the knot last night, did you?”

  “No, remember, I was never a boy scout. I’m not any good at tying knots. So, enough of this fiddle-faddle. What did you think of the book?”

  “Of course I enjoyed it. I figured out who did it, too.”

  “So, did I, but then I usually do.”

  “Me, too.”

  “So, Lou, we’ve been at this for a couple of years now.”

  “Has it been that long? It’s seems like we only discovered the bodies months ago.”

  “I’m talking about reading mysteries and you know it. Now, tell me, have you got any favorite authors?”

  “Well, there are some I prefer to others, but I can’t say I have one or two favorites. It’s more like favorite books. Most of my favorites of the books I’ve read are classic mysteries.”

  “Me, too. Which ones?”

  “Well, let’s see. I really like The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie, Green For Danger by Christianna Brand, and The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne. You know, the guy who’s famous for writing about Winnie the Pooh.”

  “I know. I love that book, too. It’s a shame it’s the only mystery he ever wrote.”

  “So, how about you, Cy? Do you have any favorite authors?”

  “Well, as far as classics are concerned, I like Christie, Erle Stanley Gardner, and S.S. Van Dine. My favorite current authors are Mary Higgins Clark, Carolyn Hart, and Martha Grimes. Of course there are several others I like a lot.”

  I thought about who some of those other authors are, until I realized we were getting close to the school. While I didn’t plan to stop at the school, I wanted to see if our conversation yesterday had frightened Walter Gillis away. A couple of minutes later, I realized that I was no spider and he was no Miss Muffet. Evidently, he really felt we didn’t have a case against him.

  We passed the school. I was beginning to get the lay of the land. As we neared Flat Rock Road, I slowed Lightning down and flicked Lightning’s left turn signal, even though more than likely there wasn’t another vehicle for miles. As always, the incline pushed us against the back of the seat, until we leveled out. I was thankful that I didn’t have to attempt that incline in the winter, but then coming back down would have been even worse. I could see us sliding through the stop sign and Lightning ending up in the trees across the way, with her body full of lacerations.

  We passed Duck Spencer’s place, saw him out front near the road, appearing not to notice us. He seemed to be mowing grass that didn’t need mowing. I wondered if he knew of our visit.

  As we neared the dead end near old man Spickard’s place, I sensed that Lightning had begun to tense up. I too wondered if it was safe to leave Lightning alone. I decided to do so, because I wanted Lou with me, in case Spickard tried to fill me with lead.

  I parked and we got out. I walked across the road and looked through the trees, trying to see if riffraff were afoot. I saw or heard nothing. When I had satisfied my feelings as much as was possible considering the situation, I moved back over to Lightning, whispered some comforting parting words, and headed off with Lou to Spickard’s cabin. Every few feet, I stopped and turned around, checking on Lightning. Halfway there, I was surprised to see Spickard approaching.

  “I heered ya coming, so I decided to come meet ya. I remember last time you was here, those juvenile delinquents stole your whatchamacallit.”

  He laughed before continuing.

  “Though, Duck Spencer said if he had one a them things you drive, he’d put it out on the road and hope somebody stole it.”

  This time he stopped, laughed, and slapped both knees. I didn’t share his humor. I wanted to tell him that a Whatchamacallit is a candy bar, and it might have been the name of one of Volkswagen’s cars at some point, but my Lightning wasn’t one of them.

  When Spickard didn’t slow down when he got to us, I realized that he really was going to stage this to do out by Lightning. Lou and I turned around and followed him back to where my pride and joy was waiting.

  After what Spickard called my baby, I was a little perturbed when he leaned up against her.

  “Mr. Spickard, what’s so important that we had to come all the way out here today?”

  “Walter Gillis is what’s so all important. I heered ya thinkin’ of arrestin’ him for these here murders. I just want you to know it ain’t gonna do you no good.”

  “Oh?”

  “If’n you arrest him, I’m gonna say that it was me that done it.”

  “But you have an alibi for the whole time you were at the school that night.”

  “Them there alibis have a way of appearin’ and disappearin’ whenever they’s convenient.”

  “How did you hear this, Mr. Spickard? And how did you call us? I was under the impression you don’t have a phone.”

  “I was under the same impression, but I got legs, and Duck Spencer’s got a phone. He let me use his’n.”

 
; “And how did you hear this news, anyway?”

  “That’s not important. What’s important is that I’m a gonna do what I have to do. Now, it’d be best for you city boys to forgit all about these here murders and go ’bout more important things. I’m serious about what I say. You ain’t gonna convict my friend, so there’s no need of ya stirrin’ stuff up.”

  I told Spickard I’d pass his message on to the Chief and the DA, but I had no voice in the matter. He said he understood that, but just to let them know that they can’t win this time.

  We thanked him and I headed around to Lightning’s driver’s side. Lou said, “excuse me,” and Spickard moved from near the door. I stood at the door, thanked Spickard for calling, and got in and started the car. Spickard backed up a little, but stood there until we turned around and headed back toward town.

  We seemed to be popular that morning, because we’d gone only a quarter of a mile when I looked up and saw Duck Spencer standing in the middle of the road with his hand up. I guess he wanted a few minutes with us, too.

  I rolled down the window, but refrained from turning the air conditioner off.

  “Mr. Spencer. So, what can I do for you today? I can’t help you with your grass cutting. I don’t even mow my own.”

  “That don’t surprise me, Lieutenant. I seen ya on your way to see Earl Spickard. I didn’t figure you’d be there long, so I jist come out to put my two cents worth in. Jist in case you’s plannin’ on chargin’ eithera ’em janitors with ’em murders, I want ya to know that there’s some a us who is willin’ to say that ’em janitors never went near that kitchen that night.”

  “Is that right? Do any of you plan to claim responsibility for shutting the freezer door?”

  “Nope. We figured it was Conkwright and my wife that shut theirselves in that freezer.”

  “And it doesn’t bother you that someone ended your wife’s life?”

  “Didn’t nobody end it but her. Jest remember, Lieutenant, ya ain’t gonna win this one. Ya might as well give up.”

  I thanked Spencer for his contribution and he stepped back. I rolled up the window and Lightning puttered on toward home. I took in the sights on the way back, figuring that I wouldn’t be making any more trips out that way.

  +++

  Luckily, it was not yet noon, so the Chief wouldn’t be keeping us from lunch. At least, I hoped he wouldn’t be. For the second day in a row, Lou and I headed to the police station, parked, and walked in to see the Chief. He had alerted his secretary that Lou and I were his top priority, and she got up to knock on his office door as soon as she saw us coming down the hall.

  “Well, Cy, what did the old man want?”

  I filled the Chief in on what Spickard and Spencer had to say to us and he wasted no time calling the DA. This time he relayed the message to the DA over the phone, which kept us from having to make a second trip to headquarters or a trip to the DA’s office. A decision was arrived at quickly. A story would be released to the newspaper that the two people died accidentally. Everyone hoped that the paper wouldn’t pry for more information. The Chief thanked the two of us for all the work we did on the case, and hoped we weren’t disappointed.

  +++

  “So, Cy, what are you planning on doing?”

  “I think I’ll go home and see what pomegranates are.”

  “Cy, I think the sun’s getting to you. Want me to go with you to the hospital and see if you’re suffering from heat stroke.”

  I filled Lou in about pomegranates being good for us, and I was curious as to what they are. Then, he understood.

  “But Cy, I don’t think that’ll take long. What do you plan to do after that?”

  “Well, I’m thinking about taking a little trip.”

  “You? Take a trip? And without me?”

  “It’s not that I don’t like having you around, Lou. It’s just that the last time you were around when she was, I felt like you were cramping my style.”

  “Oh, I see now. So, do you plan to surprise her?”

  “No, I want to make sure I’m wanted.”

  “Well, unless things have changed considerably, I’d say you’re very much wanted. Do you want me to call you at her place the next time someone’s murdered?”

  “I’m not planning on moving in with her. I just thought it’d be nice to drive down and see her for a couple of days.”

  +++

  I went home and Googled pomegranates. I had no idea what they taste like, but they looked like red lemons. I guess I could try one. If I didn’t like them, I’d give the rest of them to Lou, and go with the other five food groups.

  I didn’t want to become an expert on pomegranates, so I moved on to Google maps. After checking out a couple of things, it was time to make my phone call.

  In a few seconds, that beautiful creature answered the phone. She sounded out of breath. She must have Caller ID.

  “Did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “Cy, you can catch me anytime you want. As it turns out, I just got through with a five mile run on the beach.”

  “I didn’t realize there’s a beach anywhere near where you live.”

  “There’s not. But there’s one on my Wii.”

  “ I see. Say, I was thinking. I’ve been looking at that place where you live and did you know there’s a Holiday Inn Express not too far from your house?”

  “I’ve seen it many times. Are you trying to tell me you’ve finished with your case?”

  “We have. And I thought this might be a good time to take Lightning for a long drive, see what she can do. She’s never been too far away from home.”

  “Well, I think this would be about the right distance to check her out, see what she can do.”

  “Actually, I was thinking about checking someone else out. That is, if you can spare a couple of days for a cop who has nothing to do.”

  “I think I can arrange it. When are you coming?”

  “Well, if Scotty were around to beam me up, I’d say in a few minutes, but I need to pack some things. Would it be okay if I left in the morning?”

  “I’ll dream of you all night long.”

  “I’ll try to wait until tomorrow to dream of you. I’ve heard dreaming about that special someone makes a long trip seem not quite so long.”

  We talked for another half hour, and then I hung up. It was time to think about what I planned to take with me, and to print directions to her place. But before I did anything else, I went over and turned on the Wii. It was time to find out if old Cy could make it all the way through the Ten Minute Run.