Murder in South Carolina

by Agnes Alexander

“And they got here before we did.”

  “Right.” He looked around the room. “I don’t see her purse. Maybe she took her cell phone.”

  “Chances are she doesn’t keep her purse in the kitchen. Let me look in her bedroom again.” In a minute, Bett returned with the purse in her hand. “She didn’t take it. I looked inside and her phone is there and so are her keys.”

  “I’ll call the station and see if we can get the results of the prints on the vase. That could tell us who has her.”

  “We also need to have someone sent out here to watch her place in case they come back.”

  He nodded and began barking orders into the phone. When he closed the cell phone, he glanced at her. “We’ve got to find her, Bett.”

  She could only assume the look on his face was panic. In that instant Bett knew Joe had feelings for Nola Dean he would never have for her. And to her surprise, it didn’t matter. Nola Dean had become her friend and Bett knew she wanted to find her friend almost as much as Joe wanted to find the woman he was beginning to care for. Bett reached out and put her hand on his arm, “We’ll find her, Joe,” she almost whispered. “Stay focused. I know you can.”

  * * * *

  Grady pulled the car under the high-rise condo in the gated community. He hadn’t said anything on the drive. Neither had Nola Dean. As he turned off the motor, he glanced at her. “I don’t think I have to remind you I have a gun.”

  She shook her head.

  “Then get out and act normal in case we run into someone.” He came around the car and took her arm and led her to the elevator. The car was empty as they entered. It didn’t stop until it reached the seventeenth floor.

  The doors opened and Grady ushered her to a door he opened with a key. “Welcome to my home away from home,” he said and gave her a little push inside.

  Though she was frightened, Nola Dean couldn’t help noticing the luxury of the condo. It was huge and of course the view to the Atlantic Ocean was stunning. The furnishings weren’t the usual beach packages people used to furnish their places. Instead, it displayed top of the line groupings only a good decorator could put together.

  “Now, until I decide what to do with you, take a seat there.” He pointed to an occasional chair with cherry wood trim and a mauve and green satin covered cushion.

  Nola Dean sat down. She still didn’t speak.

  “Oh, yes. You might as well go ahead and give me the list. I know you have it in your pocket.”

  She frowned. “No I don’t.”

  He chuckled. “Of course you do. I heard you tell your policeman friend you would put it in your pocket until he arrived. Why do you think I took you away so quickly? I knew where it was all the time.”

  “How could you know I told him that?”

  “Don’t be naive, Nola Dean. I’ve had your phone bugged for several days. I know everything you’ve told the lawman, and everyone else for that matter.”

  She stared at him.

  “Close your mouth, my dear, and give me the list from your pocket.”

  “I told you, I don’t have the list.”

  He moved toward her. “I heard you tell Randell where it would be. Now hand it over.”

  “I didn’t mean I was putting it in the pocket of these shorts.”

  “Do I have to get rough with you? Stop stalling.”

  “I’m not stalling, Grady.” Though she was shaking from fright, Nola Dean stood. “Look at these shorts. They don’t have pockets.”

  His face went blank as he stared at her. He stammered, “Then where…? But you said you were going to put it in the pocket…”

  “I did. I put it in the pocket of the jeans I found it in. They’re lying on the washer in my laundry room. I knew it would be safe there.” Her knees were giving way and she sat down.

  Grady’s face went from bewilderment to anger. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he yelled.

  “You rushed me out. I didn’t have time to say anything.”

  He was standing above her now. “So you thought you pulled a fast one on me?”

  “I was scared.” She looked at him. “How could you do this? You’ve got a great business and a wonderful family. How could you…?

  He slapped her—hard.

  Nola Dean’s eyes filled with tears as the pain traveled across her face. A few drops of blood trickled from her nose. Her thoughts went wild. Where was that wonderful man she’d had dinner with earlier? It was almost impossible to accept the fact Grady Collier was the man behind all the tragedy.

  Without a word, Grady jerked off his red silk necktie and moved behind the chair. He pulled her arms behind her and tied them tightly. A sinister smile crossed his lips as she winced with pain. When finished, he left the room for a few seconds and then returned with another necktie. He used it to bind her feet together.

  “There. That should hold you. I’m going to get the list. It had better be where you said it is.”

  Again he left the room. He was gone for several minutes. When he returned, Nola Dean looked up with a start. Her eyes showed her confusion. She was staring at a different man.

  He smiled. “I see my disguise fools you. That’s good. I’ve been all over town in this get up. Nobody has recognized me.”

  “I’ve seen you talking on the pay phone on the street near my condo.”

  He smiled again. “Of course you have. I’ve been watching you.”

  “But you’ve been in Columbia and…”

  “All I had to do was tell Rex or Megan I had lent this place to some investors or golfers and I could stay here anytime I wanted. There was no danger of anyone coming around when they thought it was being used.”

  Nola Dean took a deep breath, but said nothing.

  He walked over to her and took her chin in his hand. He yanked her head upward to look directly into her eyes. “And as soon as I get that paper, I’ll be able to get safely away and nobody will be the wiser. I’ll hang around your place until the police leave then I’ll get the list and be back to take care of you.” He shook his head. “It’s not going to be fun getting rid of you, Nola Dean. But unfortunately it has to be done.”

  He let her chin drop and headed toward the door. He turned and looked at her. “It’s a shame. You’re such a lovely woman.”

  With that, he closed the door and left Nola Dean alone.

  * * * *

  “I don’t believe this,” Joe looked at the report before him.

  “What is it?” Bett looked at him.

  “There were fingerprints on the vase all right.”

  “And?”

  “Grady Collier.”

  She stared. “You’re not kidding, are you?”

  “I’m not kidding.” He picked up the telephone. “Get me Collier, Collier, Briggs and Burton,” he said into the receiver. Turning to Bett, he said, “I don’t suppose we’d be lucky enough to catch him at the office.”

  She was standing. “Probably not, but I’ll get a bulletin out on his car and check with the uniform we sent to watch Nola Dean’s place.”

  He nodded and said into the phone, “Is Mr. Collier in?”

  “Could I tell him whose calling?”

  “Detective Joe Randell.”

  In a minute a voice came on the line. “Rex Collier here, Detective. How can I help you?”

  “Actually, I was calling your father,” Joe said.

  “I’m sorry. Dad went back to Columbia last night or early this morning, but I’ll be glad to help you, if I can.”

  “Are you sure he went back to Columbia?”

  “Of course. He told me himself he was going.”

  “When was the last time you saw him?”

  “I had dinner with him last night.”

  “Did you not stay at the same place last night?”

  “No we didn’t. He said if he decided to stay over he’d stay at the condo we own here and leave this morning. He was expecting some people to come into the place later today. I stayed with a friend.” Rex changed the subject
. “Why all these questions about my father, Detective?”

  “I need to talk with him to clear up some things.”

  “I’ll be glad to give you the number in Columbia. I’m sure you can reach him there.”

  Joe took down the number. “Thank you, Mr. Collier, I’ll call him there.”

  Joe hung up and immediately dialed the number in Columbia. As he expected, the secretary told him that Grady Collier was in Myrtle Beach and wasn’t expected home until the next day. He dropped the phone and stood. His mind was racing. He didn’t know what his next move should be, but he knew he couldn’t sit at this desk and wait. Nola Dean was probably with this man. Considering the people Collier had already killed, Joe knew her life was in danger. He prayed that whatever action he took wouldn’t be too late.

  * * * *

  Nola Dean knew she didn’t have a lot of time, but she had to try to escape. She pulled at her wrists, but it was useless. Her feet were the same way. She looked around the room. At any other time, she’d be admiring the lovely surroundings, but at the moment the beauty was lost on her. Her gaze swept the area and she noticed the telephone on the table beside the sofa. If she could get to it, she thought she might be able to get the receiver off the hook and maybe she could figure a way to dial. But was there a way she could move the heavy chair she was tied in?

  At first she rocked the chair back and forth, trying to make it go forward. The legs refused to move out of the indentions in the thick carpet. It was going to remain where it was no matter how hard she rocked.

  Next she tried to topple it. She knew this was the only way she could get out and try to crawl to the phone. Her hands were tied behind the back of the chair and there was no way she could pull them over the top of the back without getting it on its side. She worked for several minutes trying to get it to fall on its side. Though it did move a few times, it refused to go over.

  Her next thought was to fall forward. She knew she could get hurt if she fell this way because there was no way she could brace herself. At this point it didn’t matter. She decided it was better to hurt herself a little than to sit here and wait for Grady to return and kill her. And he’d made it clear that this was his intention.

  She could see the clock on the opposite wall. Almost an hour had passed since Grady had left. She’d have to work fast. He’d probably made the trip to her condo in that length of time. If he found the scrap of paper, and there was no reason to think he wouldn’t, he could come back at any minute.

  With this thought, she took a deep breath, turned her head to the side and pitched her body forward. The chair followed and in an instant she felt her knees and her cheek scrub on the carpet. The heavy chair slammed into the back of her head and she winced. Without taking time to worry about her pain, she pulled her arms over the back of the chair and began dragging her body toward the phone on the end table. It was a slow process.

  Finally she reached the table. Resting for only seconds, she worked her body into a sitting position and shoved the table with her shoulder. The lamp toppled off the back and she heard the light bulb break as it hit the floor. She didn’t care. She was determined to get the phone close enough to get the receiver off. Leaning on the table, she managed to get the end of the cord in her mouth. She pulled it forward as swiftly as she could. In a matter of minutes it fell off the table into her lap.

  She wiggled until it fell on the floor. She maneuvered around until she could push the receiver off with her chin. Getting on her knees, she tried to dial with her nose. She managed to push the 9.

  She was so intent on what she was doing, she didn’t hear the door open.

  She pushed the 1 and was about to push it again when a hand reached down and jerked her up by her hair and shoved her away from the phone. She fell backward as he picked up the receiver and replaced it.

  Chapter 33

  “Detective Randell, this is Officer Stubin. I’ve been watching Ms. Buckingham’s condo.”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, it may be nothing, but I thought I’d mention it. A guy came into the parking lot and turned around. I don’t know if it was because he saw me or he just wanted to turn around. Anyway, he went back to the pay phone on the corner and stayed there for a pretty good while. When I started to walk over to ask him what was going on, he hung up quickly and jumped into his car and drove off.”

  “So you didn’t get to talk with him.”

  “No.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “Curly brown hair and a beard with some gray in it. Had on a red plaid shirt, jeans and work boots. He was driving a dark sedan.”

  “Thanks, Stubin. If he comes back, see what you can find out.”

  “I will.”

  Joe turned to Bett and told her what Stubin said.

  “Doesn’t sound like Grady Collier, does it?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Unless…” Bett said.

  “Unless, what?”

  “Maybe he was wearing a disguise.”

  Joe chuckled. “Doesn’t seem to be the type of disguise that Collier would wear.”

  She smiled too. “You’re probably right.”

  Joe frowned. “I just thought of something. Rex Collier mentioned a condo the family owns here. You don’t suppose…” He grabbed the phone and dialed Collier’s office again. After getting the address, he turned to Bett. “Let’s check this out. We might get lucky.”

  * * * *

  Rex Collier turned to Megan. “I don’t understand why that detective keeps calling about my father,”

  “It does seem strange.”

  “I think I’ll call him and ask.” Rex dialed the Columbia number. He was shocked when the secretary told him that his father was in Myrtle Beach.

  “What is it?” Megan asked when he hung up the phone.

  “They say Dad isn’t there. They think he’s still in Myrtle Beach.”

  “Why would he lie to you about going home?” Megan looked confused.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “I can’t understand why the police want to talk to him. I’ve dealt with them much more than he has about Walter’s murder. If there’s something happening there, they should talk with me.”

  Megan walked around the desk and began massaging Rex’s shoulders. “I don’t think it’s anything very important or they would to talk with you.”

  Rex smiled. “You’re good for me, Megan.”

  “It’s because I love you, Rex. You know that, though.”

  “Yes I do and it pleases me.” He chuckled. “My mother is going to have a fit when I tell her I’m going to divorce Colleen.”

  Megan’s hands became still. “Do you mean that?”

  “Yes, I mean that.” He stood abruptly. “Let’s go for a ride. I need to get out of here.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe the condo. I want to see if Dad is still in Myrtle Beach and if he is, why he decided to stay here.”

  * * * *

  Grady righted the chair and stared at Nola Dean. “Looks like I got here just in time. What made you pull such a crazy stunt?”

  “You said you were going to kill me. I figured I had to do something.” She couldn’t keep the fright out of her voice.

  “I would do it right now, but they were watching your place. Must know you’re gone.” He went to the liquor cabinet and poured from a bottle into a heavy crystal glass. Turning to her he said, “Want one?”

  She shook her head.

  “I’ve got to figure out how to get that paper.” He sat down on the sofa facing her. “Got any ideas?”

  “Grady, why are you doing this? You’re a well-respected businessman. You have a wonderful family. Why would you want to risk losing all of that?”

  “Sure, I’m well respected, but what does that get you? A country club membership and businessmen who want to stab you in the back whenever you make a new deal. The business itself affords us a good living, but doesn’t make the millions I want.
As for family, my father had that horrible stroke and my family ties with the business died with him. My wife is a demon. I hate the sight of her. My son would actually make a fine businessman if he’d stop trying to please his mother all the time. He married the woman she picked out for him and they have no children because Hazel didn’t want to be a grandmother. He may love his mother, but he doesn’t like her at all, and as far as I can tell he can’t stand his wife.”

  “How sad you feel this way.”

  He sneered. “Don’t feel sorry for me. When I get my hands on the money, I’ll live the good life in some exotic land with all the women I want. Rex can spend the rest of his life with an unloving wife while longing for someone else and Hazel can go straight to hell as far as I’m concerned.” He finished his drink and set the glass down so hard that she wondered why it didn’t break.

  He went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

  Nola Dean could hear him mumbling, but she couldn’t understand what he was saying. She closed her eyes and thought about the things Grady had said. There was no way he was going to let her live now that she knew he was a murderer. She thought of Emily and tears filled her eyes behind the closed lids. As any mother, she wanted to see her daughter graduate from college, settle in a career and then marry the man of her dreams and maybe someday rock a grandchild. But now she knew that wasn’t to be.

  Oh, Emily. I’m sorry I won’t be there for you when you need me. But you’re a strong person. You’ll be okay. Please always remember that I loved you more than words could ever say. She then thought of Joe Randell. I would have loved to get to know you better, Joe. You’re the first man I’ve felt a closeness to since Marcus died. I think we would have been good together, and I think you were beginning to have feelings for me, too. I’m sorry we’ll never get to explore those feelings.

  “What are you doing? Praying?” Grady’s harsh voice interrupted her thoughts.

  Her eyes opened and she stared at him. “Just thinking.”

  “Well, you’d better stop thinking and start praying because I’ve decided what I have to do.” He took a bite of the sandwich in his hand as he sat on the sofa.

  She didn’t answer and he went on. “After I finish eating, we’re going to take a little ride. I’ll find some out of the way place and then you’ll be getting out.”