“Do I know either of you?” Alex asked gently with some confusion.
“Somewhat,” Harlan announced simply. “I’m Harlan Brendan, and this is Trisha Allister’s friend, Sidney McBride.”
Alex looked from Sidney to Harlan. “Harlan? Yeah, I remember you now. You were the guy Emily had her eyes on.” Alex forced a tiny smile and chuckled. “There was a time when I would have enjoyed knocking you senseless, but I’m over that now.” He then looked at Sidney. “So, you’re Sidney, huh? You look a lot older than I remember from the trial. Trisha and I talked about you when she visited. How is she?”
“She’s fine now,” Sidney said gently while studying Alex. “Sam abducted her, and nearly killed her.”
“Sam?” Alex gasped with wide, horrified eyes. “Why would he want to hurt her?”
“She was poking around in Emily’s murder, and he must not have liked it, not that Sheriff Drukard had made any real connections,” Sidney replied bluntly. “Sam was killed.”
Alex was silent a moment then nodded. “Damned good thing too,” he replied firmly. “You said Trisha’s okay? I told her to let it go. No one believed either of us anyway.”
Sidney drew a deep breath and held it a moment. “Opinions are slowly changing, Alex,” she said gently. “We need to ask you a few questions.”
“I’ve answered all Trisha’s questions,” he said simply. “I don’t really know what more I can tell you that hasn’t been told a million times.”
“You can start with Sam,” Harlan announced. “The day Emily was killed; you went to the tavern for the beginning of your shift. Was Sam there?”
Alex considered the question a moment then shook his head. “No, I don’t think so, but that wasn’t unusual. He would sometimes sneak off into the back room to catch the score of some game he had money on.”
“When did he return?” Sidney asked.
“I’d say he returned around six o’clock, about half an hour before the police arrived,” Alex explained. “I reached the tavern about five-thirty.”
“Did anyone complain about not being served their drinks on time?” Harlan asked.
Alex had to think. He scratched his head thoughtfully then nodded. “Malcolm complained, now that you mention it. Almost all the glasses were empty,” he replied. “Malcolm said Sam gave them a free round about four-thirty or so. That must have been around the time he went into the back room.”
“Paul Malcolm was there?” Sidney asked.
Alex nodded. “He was a permanent fixture, especially on a Friday.”
“Sam said he had left after one drink,” Sidney replied simply. “Of course, Sam lied about everything else. I suppose he wanted to make Malcolm look suspicious.”
Harlan gently cleared his throat. “An eyewitness saw Sam driving through town just before five that day. He wasn’t in the back room watching a game,” he informed Alex.
Alex stared at him with surprise. “I was out of sorts,” he said gently. “I didn’t think twice about old Sam. Where had he gone? Surely, you don’t suspect he killed Emily. Around the time you say he’d left the bar, would have been around the time I found her dead.”
“No, we don’t suspect he killed her,” Harlan continued. “We’re convinced he went to Mrs. Randall’s house.”
Alex nodded. “Yeah, that’s a possibility. They were close ever since her son died. She called Sam when she had trouble with Billy. Sam was like a father to Billy.”
Sidney wasn’t surprised to hear that. It made perfectly good sense that Mrs. Randall would call upon Sam that day, especially if she had nowhere else to turn.
“We think Billy was in trouble,” Harlan said and held his breath while staring at Alex through the cloudy glass. “There’s a distinct possibility Billy may have murdered Emily.”
Alex’s mouth fell open while he stared at Harlan. “Billy? Billy Randall?” he gasped softly and shook his head. “That’s impossible. Billy adored Emily.”
“We think Billy may have been in the woods by the stone house while you and Emily exchanged apologies,” Harlan announced delicately and cleared his throat. “We think he killed her in a jealous rage.”
“Mrs. Randall met with an accident right after Sam’s death,” Sidney informed him sadly. “We think he may have silenced her as well.”
Alex stared at them with disbelief. “You suspect he killed his own grandmother?” He shook his head. “I just can’t believe he’d do something like that. Not his own grandmother. If anyone killed Emily, it was Malcolm. They were having an affair.”
“But by your own testimony, Malcolm was at the bar when you arrived,” Harlan remarked. “In order for him to have murdered her, you would have passed him on Cressman Road. He’d never have made it back to the bar in time by foot. Cressman Road is the only road between here and there. He would’ve been seen had he driven through town.”
Alex frowned and nodded. “I suppose you’re right.” He glared at them with a look of anger. “Her affair with him made me so angry.” He leaned forward on the counter between them and stared at Harlan. “I mean, I could understand her chasing you, but that Malcolm--?”
“Why didn’t you tell Trisha about Malcolm and Emily having an affair?” Sidney asked since it seemed like an important detail to leave out of an otherwise candid conversation.
“Emily’s dead, and I’m in jail. Trisha adored Emily. I saw no reason to lower her opinion of her. At least someone would have a fond memory of Emily,” he said then sighed with defeat. “Tell Trisha I’m glad she’s feeling better and just to give it up. I’m not blaming either of you for testifying against me. It was just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time for all of us. It’s not worth getting herself killed over.”
§
Once they left the prison, they had plenty of time before they were to meet Mrs. Cooper. They decided to stop at the hospital to check on Trisha’s condition. Trisha was roaming around the room in her housecoat while Sidney’s mother sat in the bedside chair reading a woman’s magazine. When they entered the room, Trisha was excited to see Sidney. She hurried to her friend and hugged her.
“They’re supposed to release me tomorrow morning, but I’m pushing for tonight. I just want out of this place,” she said happily while pulling away from Sidney.
“That’s great Trisha,” Sidney said with a relieved smile then fidgeted. “You haven’t seen Billy today, have you?”
“No, he hasn’t been in since his grandmother’s death,” she said sadly then turned angry. “It sickens me to think what he’s done, and no one can prove any of it.”
“We’re working on it,” Sidney replied gently.
“Poor Mrs. Randall,” Trisha scoffed. “A real pain in the ass, but she’d never hurt a fly.”
“Do you remember anything more from the night you were abducted?” Sidney asked.
Trisha shook her head. “I wish I did. Maybe I could point the finger at Billy for that much.”
Harlan’s cellular phone chirped. He removed it from his pocket and answered it. “Hello?” He was silent a minute then looked at Sidney. “You did? Don’t keep us in suspense,” he practically cried out. “What’s in the box?”
Sidney approached Harlan and listened intently.
“You’re kidding,” he said with some surprise as his expression dropped. “You didn’t remove the box, did you?” Harlan was silent a moment then sighed. “Thanks, Lyle.”
Trisha’s eyes brightened at the mention of Lyle’s name. Harlan disconnected the call and appeared defeated. Sidney, her mother, and Trisha stared at him with little hope.
“The box contained cocaine,” Harlan said lowly. “I think Denny lied to us.”
“Do you think Denny wanted the drugs for himself?” Sidney asked.
Harlan nodded.
“So why lie about Billy’s involvement?” Sidney asked with some confusion.
“We put him in a position where he thought he had no other choice,” Harlan informed her. “He didn’t want t
o be connected to Trisha’s abduction, so he threw suspicion onto his best friend.”
“That’s low,” Trisha said coldly.
“We’re officially back to square one,” Harlan muttered.
“How are we going to prove Billy killed Miss Fisher or his grandmother?” Trisha demanded.
“I doubt that we’ll ever be able to prove it,” Harlan remarked simply then glared at Trisha. “As for you, I don’t think you’ll be snooping around for quite some time.”
Trisha folded her arms across her chest and glared at Harlan. “I’m feeling perfectly fine,” she insisted. “I’m not going to allow one little incident stop me from my mission. We’re too close to stop now.”
“Yes, you’re close all right,” Harlan remarked sternly while glaring at her. “Close to getting yourself killed. Arrangements have been made for your safe transportation to California, compliments of Lyle Holstead.”
Trisha stared at him with some surprise and almost appeared uncertain how to respond. “I’m not going anywhere; not even with Lyle.”
“I don’t think he’s going to give you much choice in the matter,” Harlan informed her. “He’s stubborn about these things.”
“Yeah, well, I’m stubborn too,” Trisha remarked.
“I think you’ll find you met your match in that department,” Harlan replied.
“We’ll just see,” Trisha scoffed.
When she thought no one was looking, Sidney caught a glimpse of Trisha hiding a tiny grin. Perhaps Lyle could be just what the doctor ordered.
Chapter Forty-six
Sidney and Harlan left the hospital a few minutes later. They were still a little early for their appointment with Mrs. Cooper, so they decided to meet her at the library and walk her home. They entered the library and found a young girl in her mid-teens replacing some books on the first floor. The library seemed unusually quiet with no one around. Sidney approached the young girl while she worked.
“Did Mrs. Cooper leave yet?” Sidney asked the girl near the checkout desk.
“She had been downstairs in the archives,” the young girl replied. “But I heard someone go through the back door. She may have left.”
Although it seemed unlikely that Mrs. Cooper would leave the back way, since she’d have to walk all the way around the library to head for her house, Sidney thanked the girl and walked with Harlan to the basement steps.
“Yo, Sidney,” came an unfamiliar male voice.
Sidney and Harlan turned and saw number fifty-two walking through the front door and down the hall toward her. He was breathing heavily as he extended a folder. Harlan looked down the hallway toward the back door with a raised and curious brow.
“I was on my way to the press with my report. You'd asked to see it,” number fifty-two announced with a broad grin. “What a stroke of luck that I ran into you. Ran when I saw you on the sidewalk.”
Sidney accepted the folder. “Thank you. I really appreciate this,” she said pleasantly.
“Tell me if I didn’t deserve an ‘A’ on that report,” he teased while grinning boyishly. “Ms. Palmer gave me a ‘B’. What a witch.”
Sidney laughed softly.
“Gotta go. We’re shooting hoop tonight at Roger’s house,” number fifty-two announced proudly then turned and hurried from the library.
Sidney sighed and looked at the folder. “This won’t do much good anymore,” she replied simply. “The case is pretty much solved.”
Harlan and Sidney continued toward the basement and walked down the rickety, old steps. The archives appeared to be abandoned as well. They walked through the rows of books, magazines, and newspapers. As they neared the back, Sidney saw a thin hand on the floor just beyond a rack of books.
“Oh, my God!”
Sidney ran toward the bookcase and saw Mrs. Cooper lying face down in the aisle. Her silk scarf was tight around her neck, and she didn’t appear to be breathing. Sidney sank to her knees and loosened the scarf. Mrs. Cooper gasped and wheezed once the scarf was loosened from around her neck.
“I’ll call an ambulance,” Harlan said and removed his cellular phone from his jacket but was unable to get a signal.
He ran to Trisha’s desk and snatched the phone from its cradle. Sidney gently rolled Mrs. Cooper onto her thighs and elevated her head. The elderly woman clutched her chest and gasped for her breath. Her eyes rolled as she looked at Sidney.
“You’re okay, Mrs. Cooper,” Sidney announced and gently rubbed the woman’s shoulder.
Mrs. Cooper continued to gasp. She attempted to speak but couldn’t find the breath. She wheezed and clutched Sidney’s arm with fear.
Harlan approached them from Trisha’s desk. “An ambulance is on its way,” he announced with a look of panic in his eyes. “Is she okay?”
Sidney shook her head. “I--I don’t know.”
“I thought I heard someone leave through the back door just before we came down here,” Harlan announced. “Watch her. I’ll be right back.”
Sidney watched helplessly as Harlan ran from the basement. She could hear Harlan’s feet running up the creaking, old steps then heard him yelling something to the young girl. Sidney listened to the sound of his footfalls on the first floor as he possibly ran out the back door. Sidney continued to rub Mrs. Cooper’s shoulder with concern while attempting to reassure her.
“The ambulance will be here soon,” Sidney chanted. “Just relax until they get here. You’re going to be fine.”
“My purse,” Mrs. Cooper suddenly gasped while attempting to catch her breath. “It’s in my purse.”
Sidney looked around the aisle with some confusion. Her purse lay on the floor partially hidden beneath Trisha’s desk. “I’ll get your purse,” she announced reassuringly. “Don’t you worry about your purse. Just relax. You’re going to be fine.”
Sidney was actually hoping to convince herself that the woman would be okay. The young girl appeared in the entrance between the bookcases. Sidney looked up and saw the look of fear on the girl’s face. Mrs. Cooper suddenly clutched her chest with a loud gasp. Her eyes rolled, and she fell limp on Sidney’s legs. All color ran from Sidney’s face, and her body began to tremble.
“Mrs. Cooper!” Sidney shook her shoulder as fear filled her. “Mrs. Cooper!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, the young girl dove to the floor and pulled Mrs. Cooper from Sidney’s lap. Sidney stared in complete surprise as the young girl placed her hands on the woman’s chest and started performing CPR. Sidney’s mouth fell open as she watched the fifteen-year-old push on Mrs. Cooper’s chest then breathed into her mouth. Harlan returned and stared at the scene with similar surprise. Mrs. Cooper groaned softly and now breathed on her own. The young girl fell onto her backside and placed a trembling hand on her head. The paramedics arrived shortly after, giving her oxygen and connecting all sorts of monitors to Mrs. Cooper’s body. Once she breathed the oxygen, she seemed more alert. Harlan called the young girl’s mother to come for her after her trying ordeal. Once the ambulance left, Sidney picked up Mrs. Cooper’s purse and the folder number fifty-two had given her.
“I didn’t see anyone,” Harlan replied gently. “Maybe that boy saw someone when he left.”
Sidney sighed and nervously looked around the library. “I just don’t understand it. Do you think Billy knew Mrs. Cooper was going to tell us something?” She then shook her head. “That’s a huge risk he took. Could he be that stupid to strangle an old woman in a public place?”
“The answer’s rather obvious,” Harlan replied simply. “That was no accident.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Sidney said lowly.
“Unless the attempt on her life wasn’t related to the murder,” Harlan said simply.
Sidney shook her head and sighed. “I’m out of answers,” she replied.
Harlan placed his arm around her. “I think we could both use a rest. Let’s go back to my room and relax a while.”
Sidney nodded. “That sounds like a good i
dea to me. I could use a little more sleep.”
Chapter Forty-seven
Sidney lay in Harlan’s arms unable to sleep despite being exhausted. She looked around the motel room and thought about everything that had happened in the past two weeks. It almost seemed amazing what they had been through since her return home. She wondered if Mrs. Lamont had anything to do with Mrs. Cooper’s near fatality. Mrs. Cooper had been reluctant to talk in front of her. Was there a connection? Sidney slipped out of Harlan’s arms and reached for the folder number fifty-two had so graciously brought to her. She read the five-page report despite her burning, tired eyes. There were many facts taken from the newspaper articles at the time of the murder, and some opinions from Ms. Palmer, Mr. Malcolm, and the principal of the school.
Sidney frowned when she read Mr. Malcolm’s comment about the murder. Ironic how much better the sugarcoated truth sounded. Ms. Palmer told what a wonderful woman Emily was and how Alex treated her so poorly. Sidney also knew that wasn’t the truth. Ms. Palmer only saw an attractive woman. Since she hated men, she was going to speculate Alex was a rotten son-of-a-bitch. She set the folder aside and looked at Harlan while he slept. There was a harsh pounding on the door. Harlan jumped with surprise and sprang out of bed. For a moment, he was disoriented. He looked back at Sidney then turned to the door. Sidney remained sitting on the bed as he unlocked the door.
Lyle barged into the room with a huge grin on his enthusiastic face. “You are not going to believe what I just heard,” he announced excitedly.
Harlan ran his fingers through his hair while attempting to recover from his interrupted nap. “Then why bother telling me,” he muttered lowly.
“Denny confessed to assisting Sam to kidnap Trisha,” Lyle announced and raised his brows with a suggestive look. “What do you think of that?”
The Deadliest Institution Collection Page 92