She sighed and stared down the long hallway on the second floor. She marveled at how big her house suddenly seemed. “I find it odd someone would try to rob the house while we were awake. We had half the lights on.”
“Perhaps someone is upset that you’re writing that article for the paper,” he announced. “Roseanne’s death has the town in a tizzy.”
“Brenda’s working on an article too, so I’ve heard,” Jacey replied. “No one’s gone after her.”
“Forgive me, but that woman has a little too much air in her head to write a meaningful story,” Maxwell announced then immediately silenced.
Jacey looked at him and appeared surprised. “You met Brenda? When?”
Maxwell fidgeted and appeared uncomfortable. He attempted a smile. “Well, she, uh, sort of stopped by this evening.”
Jacey rolled her eyes. “Oh, so that’s why no one was worried about Brian. He made a little side trip to do an interview with Brenda, huh?” She snorted a laugh. “Or just do Brenda?”
Maxwell fidgeted.
“You don’t have to spare my feelings about Brian,” she informed him. “He pursued me; not the other way around. I have zero interest in him.”
Maxwell glanced at her, offered a tiny smile, and shrugged. “In that case, he’s a whore.”
She suddenly eyed him and had to keep from laughing. “Wow, that’s pretty bold coming from you. A little out of character.”
“Considering your memory loss, you probably won’t remember this conversation in the morning. I can afford to be bold.”
“Oh? Well, in that case,” she announced with a tiny grin. “I’m a virgin.”
Maxwell stared at her with some surprise and tilted his head. A tiny smile crossed his face while hiding his humor. “I think you completely misunderstood the concept of your memory loss.”
Chapter Eighteen
Professor drove Jacey and the girls back to her house early the next morning. It was already planned that he would come that afternoon to go riding with them before the party. During their drive, Professor invited Monique and Coleen to the institution gala. They just smiled but didn’t respond. That they didn’t jump at the chance to attend the party at Professor’s request was almost odd, in Jacey’s opinion. As the white van drove along the dirt road and away from the house, both girls looked at Jacey.
“I think I speak for both Coleen and myself when I say you’re not getting us to wear dresses,” Monique announced firmly. “Not for a party and not even for Professor.”
Coleen nodded in agreement.
Jacey finally understood their reluctance to attend the party. She managed a smile and laughed softly. “I understand. I’m not much for dresses myself. I certainly wasn’t at your age.” She considered her options then inhaled deeply and sighed. “I suppose I’ll have to borrow a dress from Shelly.” She looked back at the girls. “I’m not leaving you alone tonight. I’ll see if Shelly will stay with you until I return.”
Both girls frowned their disapproval. “We don’t need a baby-sitter,” Coleen whined.
“Yeah, we can take care of ourselves for one evening,” Monique agreed. “Jameson said the break-in was probably just an isolated incident.”
Jacey rolled her eyes and groaned, not wanting to be reminded. “I still don’t want to leave you alone--especially here.”
Monique wrinkled her nose. “Do we have to go to Shelly’s apartment above the press? There’s nothing to do there.”
“Maybe Jameson could stay with us,” Coleen suggested.
“Yeah, I bet he likes watching movies and eating junk food,” Monique announced. “Wouldn’t need more protection than a country cop.”
“Unfortunately, Jameson’s on duty until eight o’clock, and then he’s going to the institution to patrol the area,” Jacey said simply. “Word has it that Jill is forming a protest.”
“How special,” Monique muttered under her breath.
“Why don’t you two feed the horses, and I’ll call Shelly about the dress and her coming to stay with you,” Jacey suggested. “We’ll go to town this afternoon for lunch before your ride. I don’t think the fair was canceled, so you can play some more games while I take care of things with Shelly.”
Both girls nodded.
“Just as long as we’re back before two o’clock for our ride with Professor,” Monique announced.
“We’ll be back in time,” Jacey assured them. “I wouldn’t want to keep you girls from your date.”
Both girls snickered in response.
†
It was late morning. Jacey entered her mother’s bedroom and poked through the assortment of dresses in the closet. As she suspected, her mother didn’t have anything she would consider wearing. She picked up the phone on the bedside table and called Shelly. She looked out the window from her mother’s bedroom to the barn where the girls were washing their horses.
“Shelly?” she announced into the phone. “Hey, it’s Jacey.”
“Jacey,” Shelly chirped back through the phone. “Do you have my article?”
“Yeah, I’m going to drop it off this afternoon,” she announced then hesitated. “I was hoping you had a dress I could borrow for the party tonight.”
There was an odd silence from the other end. “Uh, yeah,” Shelly announced. “I have plenty of dresses, but I’m not sure any will actually fit you.”
“I think we’re around the same size,” Jacey informed her. “I’m sure something will fit.”
“Yes, I’m sure they’ll fit,” Shelly replied from the other end. “But you might be popping out a little more than you’d like.”
Jacey was silent and uncertainly looked down at her chest. She groaned softly. Shelly was barely an ‘A’ cup and Jacey was a solid ‘C’ cup.
“I’m sure you have something I can wear.”
“You’re welcome to stop by and look,” she replied. “I hope you’re planning on getting some good stories at that party. I didn’t realize you were invited.”
“It was last minute,” Jacey informed her. “Speaking of that, I was hoping you could entertain the girls while I’m out tonight.”
“Sure,” Shelly replied and a deep sigh was heard from the other end. “It’s not as if I was invited to the party.”
“I heard they’re boring anyway,” Jacey remarked. “I’ll drop by in an hour.”
After Jacey hung up the phone with Shelly, she heard movement from downstairs. She again looked out the window and saw the girls still running the hose over their horses. Jacey slowly stood from where she sat on the bed and walked toward the bedroom door. There was another, more distinct sound. It sounded as if it came from the kitchen. Jacey held her breath as her heart pounded roughly. She looked around the bedroom and hurried to the closet. The shotgun had long since been removed and placed in the gun cabinet--another one of Uncle Russell’s brilliant ideas. Put the guns in the locked cabinet. Never mind if you need one when you’re upstairs. Jacey snatched a baseball bat from the corner of the closet. She hurried toward the bedroom door, slipped into the hallway, and quietly crept down the stairs. She carefully avoided the two steps that usually creaked and approached the kitchen. Jacey heard the distinct sound of a knife being removed from the knife block. She clutched the bat in sweaty hands and held her breath. She slowly looked around the corner and into the kitchen. Jameson cut his sandwich at the kitchen counter. She released her breath, rolled her eyes, and muttered softly to herself. She stepped into the archway as he turned around. Jameson jumped and nearly dropped his sandwich from the plate. He let out a startled gasp then relaxed and groaned.
“Don’t ever sneak up on a man with a gun,” he announced firmly.
She realized he hadn’t even made a motion for his gun. She doubted if Jameson had ever drawn his weapon in his nine years as a deputy. Usually nothing ever happened in their little town. Although there was that one time--
“After last night, I’d think you’d announce yourself before prowling around my kitchen,
” she remarked sternly.
“Oh,” he said then smirked sympathetically. “I wasn’t thinking. You’re out of mayo.” Jameson sat at the table and ate his dry sandwich. “Besides, I thought you were in the barn with the girls.”
Jacey leaned against the counter. “No, I had other things to do. I still need to find a dress for tonight,” she informed him while frowning. “I’d really hate to buy one for just one night.”
Jameson stared at her with some confusion then tilted his head. “You’re going to the institution party?”
“Yes, Maxwell suggested I attend and--” she stopped herself and considered not mentioning Asher. She didn’t feel like getting into another debate about Asher. “--and I thought it was a good idea. I thought I could write an article on it.”
“Maybe you could have, but Brenda’s attending that party tonight, from what I’m to understand,” he informed her. “She’s not going to give up that story without a fight.”
Jacey tilted her head with a curious look. “I wonder why Shelly didn’t tell me Brenda was going.”
“Probably because she wants to be able to choose her story,” Jameson said while snorting a laugh. “Say what you will, but Shelly’s interest in friendship ends when it comes to money.”
Jacey smiled wryly. “Maybe I’ll just have a good time instead,” she replied.
Jameson laughed in a way that mocked her. “You? Somehow I can’t imagine you enjoying yourself at some formal affair with a bunch of scientists, doctors, and politicians.”
She shrugged with a knowing smile. “It all depends on the company you keep.”
His brow raised sharply. “Oh, are we anticipating a certain scientist’s attention?”
“Maybe,” she replied and remembered her promise to dance with Maxwell.
It was going to be a great evening for her just to see Asher enjoying himself, but Jameson would learn of Asher’s invitation soon enough. She felt they were getting off subject.
“So have they found the guy who murdered Roseanne?” she asked, swiftly changing the subject.
“Well,” he said with a depressed sigh, “we’re checking a couple of possibilities, but there’s nothing to really go on. Just about everyone in this town is in bed by midnight,” he announced. “No one saw Roseanne being abducted. There weren’t any fingerprints in her apartment, well, other than those you’d expect to find. Nothing really around the scene of the crime either. The area had been so trampled throughout the day by fairgoers that we couldn’t really find anything useful.” He considered something and appeared more enthusiastic. “But we do have an approximate time of death. She was murdered early yesterday morning. Considering the coroner’s comments on her time of death and the time at which the vendors were setting up, we estimate she was murdered sometime between five and six Friday morning.” He sighed deeply, finished his sandwich, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “According to the coroner, she was killed with a scalpel. Her throat had been slit and there was a symbol carved into her body.”
Jacey’s head tilted, and her eyes narrowed. “The same as the murders ten years ago. Hal Burgess?” she questioned. “But that’s impossible. If he’s even alive, there’s no way he’d return to this town just to murder Roseanne.”
Jameson shrugged. “I’m with you on that. I’m still convinced Asher did him in anyway, which makes me wonder if someone had an ax to grind with Roseanne, or if someone was just trying to make a point.”
“If she wasn’t killed until early Friday, where was she all day Thursday?” Jacey asked.
“I think she was hidden within the institution,” he said with a deep sigh. “If I’d only searched more thoroughly, maybe I would’ve found her before any of this happened.”
Jacey gently rubbed her chilled shoulders. The thought was horrifying that they may have been able to prevent a murder and that she was so close to witnessing something. “What about the killer?” she asked. “Does everyone just assume it was Asher, or is there some actual police work involved?”
Jameson glared at her and frowned his disapproval. “We’re taking this very seriously, Jacey. We’re not going to arrest someone according to the popular opinion poll.”
Jacey lowered her head. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m just worried about the accusations. You know how this town thinks.”
“Yes,” he replied then stood. “I may have my opinion of what happened to Hal Burgess, but I don’t intend to let that dictate how we proceed with our investigation. Besides, Asher has Monroe on his side. He’ll see that justice is served.”
“And besides,” Jacey continued as if she hadn’t heard a word he’d said. “Asher couldn’t possibly have abducted Roseanne on Thursday night. He could barely even walk, let alone carry a woman from her apartment.”
“Yes, Dr. Talbert informed us it would’ve been difficult for Asher to have overpowered her,” Jameson replied simply. “Her ex-husband was with a girlfriend an entire state away at the time.” He placed his dirty plate in the sink and probably didn’t even consider washing it himself. “Dr. Talbert was at young widow Glease’s from early Thursday evening until Friday morning the day Roseanne was killed, and her best friend had been out of town all week with her husband. The only one left would be her sister, who lives several hours away. She was at home with her husband and never left the house.” He inhaled deeply. “Once we eliminate those closest to her, it could have been anyone for any reason. Roseanne was a bit flirtatious. There could’ve been a man in a bar not from around here. Some one-night stand. Perhaps even one of Dr. Talbert’s patients.”
“Or someone who knew Roseanne lived alone and would be a good target to make their point, possibly framing Asher at the same time.”
“There’s no evidence that anyone’s attempting to frame Asher,” Jameson said firmly.
Jacey was still considering the phone call Asher received, which would have put him in the institution at the same time Jameson received his anonymous phone call to search the place. If he had discovered Asher there, uninvited, he probably would have searched the place with great care and would have found Roseanne. Asher would have been arrested, but Roseanne may have been found alive. She hated even thinking about it.
“Have you checked Jill’s alibi?” Jacey asked as she leaned against the sink near him. “She has mental problems in her family, and she’s willing to go to any length to keep the place closed. I think she’s capable of killing to get her way.”
“She doesn’t have an alibi. We already checked on her for that very reason,” he announced. “We’re smarter than we look.” He flashed a smirk. “At the time of the abduction and the murder, she was by herself, sleeping both times, like myself and a majority of the town.”
Jacey nodded. “That includes me too.”
It seemed more plausible than ever that they were locked in those rooms to prevent them from seeing Roseanne’s abductor carrying her to some secluded location within the institution. The thought frightened Jacey. Perhaps last night’s break-in was actually Roseanne’s killer tying up loose ends. If he suspected they saw something--? Jacey suddenly shuddered. She didn’t even want to think such things.
Chapter Nineteen
The fair was less crowded despite it being a Saturday. Attendance would spike toward late afternoon. By evening, it would be crowded once again. Most of the afternoon patrons were from neighboring towns. Jacey walked with Monique and Coleen through town, being most of the roads were blocked off for the fair. As they approached Town Square, they noticed the scientists’ stand was gone. There were broken eggs lying in the area where the stand had been, telling Jacey they were needlessly attacked by Jill’s disciples. It was going to be a tough road ahead convincing people that the new institution would help their town while Jill was promoting fear and anger. Monique and Coleen looked at the broken eggs then each other and frowned.
“Those poor guys,” Coleen said sadly. “They’re just trying to feel welcomed, and this t
own is treating them so badly.”
Jacey frowned and shook her head. “Sometimes I think Asher has the right idea by avoiding this place. I never knew quiet people could be so cruel.”
“And the guys at the institution are really nice,” Monique added. “Well, except for Angela. She’s a bitch.”
Jacey glared at Monique.
Monique smiled with a tiny laugh. “Oops.”
Jacey glanced at her watch and sighed. “Okay. Let’s meet back here around one. That should give you plenty of time to meet Professor for your ride.”
Both girls nodded. Jacey gave them some money then walked across the closed off street to the press. Monique and Coleen immediately headed for the nearest hamburger stand. They each got a hamburger and shared some fries. While sitting on a bench in the center of town, Monique pointed to an alleyway.
“Doesn’t that go past the murdered woman’s apartment?” Monique asked.
Coleen shrugged. “I don’t know. Jameson said something about the alley near the press.”
Monique slowly stood and strained to look down the alley in the distance.
“If you’re so curious,” Coleen announced, “we could take a walk that way.”
Monique nodded. Both girls ate their food while walking along the blocked roads in town. They passed the new statue with its bright, yellow police line around it.
Coleen shivered. “Gives me the creeps,” she said softly then ate a fry.
“Do you think Jill did it?” Monique asked curiously. “Or Asher?”
“I don’t know,” Coleen replied and stared at the statue as they passed. “Someone wants to shut down the institution, that’s for sure.”
“Or at least make it look that way,” Monique informed her. “Maybe someone just hated Roseanne, and they’re using the institution as an excuse.”
Coleen chuckled softly. “You sound like a detective in a novel.”
The Deadliest Institution Collection Page 15