Sequestered with the Murderers
Page 28
After Detective Rivers and her associates received a full report from me on Duffy’s murder, Detective Rivers said, “I wonder why Marjorie and Rebbie recognized Gwen and Carolyn when Duffy didn’t.”
“I don’t know,” I said
“Uh, I don’t know why I asked that question. I know the answer. It’s because the prostitutes frequently had contact with the sisters. My investigation revealed that the sisters helped Ms. Lacecap in her business from time to time as did Whirley.”
After that explanation, Detective Rivers and her associates thanked me and left. I then called the Attribute state police and gave them the same information I had given them. Two troopers made an appointment to talk to me in person. They were going to drive from Attribute and would be at my restaurant Saturday at 2:00 pm.
I sat at my desk and reflected on Duffy’s murder. Until my mother-in-law, Rachel, said, ‘Seems like they all did it,’ I was looking for one murderer, possibly two. This was my first case where there was more than one murderer of the deceased. I found this to be extraordinary. The six of them—Holt Junior, Joe, Carolyn, Gwen, Sybil, and Whirley—had appointed themselves jury and executioner. I imagine they had been planning the murder at least since Christmas. This conclusion is credible because Carolyn had explained that last Christmas she and Gwen committed to taking their first bus trip with Brightness. She said the date, price, and amenities of the Tennessee trip were perfect for them. No doubt in my mind that it was perfect for all of them. They used those fifteen weeks between Christmas and the April trip to plan their clever murder and to train Carolyn, who has arthritis, and Gwen to use a .22 caliber revolver properly. Holt Junior and Joe probably did the gun training on Holt Junior’s farm. I’ve asked Detective Rivers to search for an area on Holt Junior’s farm that was used as a shooting range and to look for target practice paraphernalia.
Sybil, I visualize, was heavily involved in the planning but couldn’t take the Tennessee trip because Duffy would have recognized her. Other passengers may have recognized her since her face was prominent in the media when her mother and daughter were murdered. Most assuredly, Marjorie and Rebbie would have recognized her. I also visualize Sybil there at the rest area as Whirley’s lookout and getaway driver. I know this needs to be proven, but I was leaving this challenge to the state police.
They all did it so no one person would ever know which shot actually killed Duffy.
Other than Holt Junior and Joe, Marjorie and Rebbie were the only people on the trip that recognized Carolyn and Gwen—Ms. Lacecap’s sisters. The heavy disguise—makeup and wig—concealed their identity from Duffy as they had planned. I’ll never know if Duffy ever knew the sisters’ last name. Nevertheless, I am certain he did not recognize them.
On the bus, Marjorie began the disparaging remarks about Duffy. I believe she did this in support of the Lloyds. As a supporter of Ms. Lacecap’s, Marjorie probably believed, too, that Duffy murdered Diantha and was involved in Ms. Lacecap’s murder. Little did she know, she was upsetting a well-thought-out and organized plan? At this point in their plan, the murderers did not want Duffy’s murder associated with the Lacecap Hydrangea Murders. Marjorie spoiled that.
Joe was Holt Junior’s best friend and watched him suffer for years concerning his daughter he loved, but because of racial discord couldn’t acknowledge her. Holt Junior’s family had taken care of Diantha financially, and Holt Junior saw her regularly, but he never told her who he was. He hated Duffy and persuaded his best friend to help him get rid of Duffy. The Lloyds and Holt Junior decided to take matters into their own hand. They were not going to let another anniversary of Diantha’s death come and go without Duffy, the man they hated, pay for what they thought he had done.
They chose the month of April to carry out their plan because the training was completed, and several practice runs had been performed without any hiccups. They were ready. Duffy’s Tennessee trip was the only trip in April that fit in with their plan. His other trips in April were Northern trips, and the timing was off, and the planners couldn’t be sure of the weather in the Northern states. Bad weather could curtail the plan. The Tennessee trip had the perfect timing and was a tourist place the planners wanted to see. Plus, the Jefferson Springtop rest area was a place Whirley could easily stakeout and learn the maintenance crew work schedule.
Their plan went off like clockwork. There were two elements the murderers could not foresee. The first was Marjorie and Rebbie, and the second was Jackson’s concern for his business. They underestimated him or didn’t consider him a threat. They didn’t think he would look into the murder because of his sister’s prior relationship with Whirley Lloyd, a Black man. Clearly, Jackson was more concerned for his company than about his sister and Whirley’s romance entering into the media.
I can say, too, that they had no way of foreseeing that Jackson would hire someone who receives revelations from God to solve mysteries and has solved every case put before her. The intimidation tactics used by the murderers—the threatening letter and being followed by the white truck—were no threats to God’s plan for me to uncover the truth.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is the inspiration for this novel. I have been a longtime fan of Christie’s works and look forward to having my stories inspire a generation of writers as her writings have inspired generations and me.
I thank my awesome husband, Curtis Simmons, Jr., a retired police officer, who so graciously gave his time to answer my police related questions. He gave me advice on police procedures and provided information on various handguns. He was so understanding when I stayed on my computer for days at a time, only taking a break when nature called. Thank you so very much, my love.
I am eternally appreciative and thankful for my daughter Crystal Strickland, my proofreader, my twin, who took the time to proofread my manuscript and offer constructive feedback. Her eagerness to help me and her love and respect for me encouraged me unmeasurably to complete this novel. I thank her for promoting my work on social media. She is my rock. I truly have no idea where I’d be in my writing career without her support and encouragement. Thank you, Crystal.
I am eternally grateful and thankful for my other rock, my daughter, Daphne Bumbrey, for being the person I could turn to during the periods when my creative juices refused to flow. A writer herself, she sustained me in truly remarkable ways. I thank her for promoting my novels on social media and for putting them in the library in her place of employment. I am so thankful to have her love and respect. I truly have no idea where I’d be in my writing career without her support and encouragement. Thank you, Daphne.
Finally, to all others who have supported me in the writing of this novel, I am forever indebted to you. I thank you for your on-going support in helping me bring my story to life. Writing a novel is hard work and more rewarding than I imagined. I thank God for all of you.
Coming January 2022
Sultry
By Dr. Sandra Tanner
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Sandra Tanner is also the author of novels Sundrenched Water, Secrets of Salmer Tawgg (So Now They Know), Sacks of Murder, Stolen Four Minutes, Six Good Ones, and short stories Oh, My Dear God! and Inconceivable. Born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, she holds a Ph.D. in Organization and Management (Leadership focus) from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN, a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, and a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from the University of Richmond, Richmond, VA.
At an early age, Dr. Tanner developed a love of mystery and suspense stories from reading popular detective novels such as those written by Agatha Christie. She has directed this love into writing her own mystery stories.
She enjoys watching detective television shows and looks forward to solving the crime ahead of the detectives. She considers herself to be an amateur sleuth and
revels in formulating plausible whodunit scenarios.
Dr. Tanner lives with her husband in Richmond, Virginia, where when she is not writing or attending writing seminars, she and her husband travel to see the beauty of the world. Besides writing, reading, and traveling, she enjoys the investment group she founded in 2000; the group is currently in its 21th year of operation.
She loves to hear from readers. Here are ways to contact her:
dr.tanner@verizon.net
www.facebook.com/drsandratanner/author
www.DrSandraTannerBooks.com
Her novels are sold on Amazon.com, barnesandnobles.com, Xlibris.com, and in bookstores.
Her short story, Oh, My Dear God! won 3rd place in WritersWeekly.com website contest.
Her short story, Inconceivable, can be found on theravensperch.com