Empty Promises and Crowded Caskets

by Ana Bisset

  Nikki turned around to Mel and me, we huddled, “What’s up with that?” She asked.

  “I saw him earlier, or his ghost, in the carriage house when I first got here and again at the Smith’s home.”

  “Oh, no!” Mel said quietly, “That means his death is somehow connected to you.”

  “You can’t know that,” I whispered. “Maybe it’s connected to old buildings or newspapers.” I looked at Mel who was giving me the evil eye, “Okay. Might have something to do with me, but I cannot think what it could possibly be. I’ve never seen the man before.”

  “Could it have something to do with your grandfather?” Mel asked.

  Someone cleared their throat, I popped my head up from the three woman congregation to see Mr. Romano, Sr. looking directly at us. Realizing that we weren’t being as private as I would have liked for this conversation, we all took a step back and gave a little nod. This was our body language for ‘we’ll talk later’ but, just how much later I didn’t know.

  I looked around the scene. The men in black lifted John Smith to place his full body back in his coffin. The dead guy with the leather coat lay face up. Leah had left the room, but her father was still there, looking shocked. The Romanos maintained quiet composure in front of us, not looking as shocked as the rest of the viewing crowd. The one son took on the same look like his father, dispassionate, the other was helping his mother who had become unglued at the sight. The daughter began sobbing but the son-in-law looked at the body, sat down, and seemed to settle in for what might be a long wait.

  “Hold it. I’m really sorry about this folks, but you’ll have to leave everything, and everyone,” he said looking at both bodies, “just where they are. The family can go out into the vestibule, my deputies will be here momentarily.”

  As he said this, in walked two of Black Ridge Cove’s finest: Jake Herring and Craig Daigle. Jake was a young man about 24 years of age, tall and wiry, with a wife and two kids under the age of two. Craig’s three kids were grown. He and his wife, who was a school teacher, were close to retiring. Both were looking forward to it, but for different reasons. She wanted more time with her grandkids, and he wanted to be able to have a beer or two without worrying about being called to duty.

  Okay, no one is perfect, and these guys did have the heart. But, it was going to take more than heart to figure this mess out, I thought as I again started peering around the good smelling Romano men to get a better look at the dead guy. Something told me that the Cove’s finest weren’t ready for what was going down now. Jake was staring at the bodies with his eyes as big as saucers, and I wasn’t sure if Craig was aware that the room had a crowd of people in it.

  “Jake! Start interviewing witnesses, begin with the family. I want to know when the last time they saw this coffin open with only one body in it. They find out where they are going to be for the next twenty-four hours before you let them go. Then, talk to the employees of the funeral home.”

  Jake started to walk out to where the family was gathered, “Wait,” Kyle said, “Did the state police say when they were going to show.”

  “Well, at first they were wondering why we needed them to come for a dead body at the funeral home, but then I explained that it wasn’t the dead body we were trying to bury, it was another one. They said they be here as soon as they can. Shouldn’t be long, the driving is clear tonight. They said the forensics team might be here first and to not touch anything,” Jake told him.

  “Yeah, no kidding,” Kyle said rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

  Jake left, and Nikki asked Kyle when we were going to be let go. He said, “Just as soon as I get your statement and the statement of everyone here.”

  Nikki looked around at the crowd. “You can’t be serious! That is going to take all night.”

  He ignored her for all of two minutes. Then, Mr. Romano spoke up. “Excuse me, Sheriff Kyle,” he said, “this has upset my wife and daughter. Perhaps they can wait in the outside room as well? My wife has a sensitive disposition, she is not well.”

  “Okay, folks. This is how it is going to go. Since much of the town is here, and it’s late, we will gather statements in the next couple of days. You are to leave here directly after giving Deputy Herring your name, phone number, and where you’ll be in the next couple of days. Don’t make me come looking for you, be where you say you’re going to be. We still have got to do this by the book, or you will be talking to the state police instead of me and my deputies,” Kyle said.

  The threat of having outsiders peering into your private business usually quieted the of Black Ridge Cove community and got them to do what needed to be done. There might not be anything to see here, but they would rather share what they did see with one of their own.

  When Kyle got to Grammie, the girls, and I made our move. We walked back to where they were talking and began to give our two cents.

  He asked Grammie, “Did you see anything at the Smith house today?”

  I answered, “She wasn’t at the Smith house today because she was waiting for me to show up.”

  Kyle looked at me, “I didn’t ask you.”

  “Kyle Stewart! Don’t speak to her with that tone of voice. Libby has had enough going on today she doesn’t need your poor attitude to add to it. Now, if you don’t mind, we will be taking our leave. Unless you are planning to arrest my granddaughter, her friends, or any of these women for crowding a casket with too many bodies?” Grammie asked.

  They went eye to eye, and for one second I thought he was going to actually argue back - something no one ever did to any New England woman of a certain age who had made her point. He shook his head and backed down.

  We all moved like a swarm towards the deputy, answered his questions, getting our belongings and leaving.

  “The girls and I are going to get a glass of wine and fill Neal in. Do you need anything before I come home?”

  “No dear. Enjoy your friends and drive safely,” Grammie said, giving me a kiss. She left with Mrs. Anderson and the other women that were part of their posse, some from the quilting guild others from church.

  While waiting for Mel to tell her parents she was going home with us, I peered back into the viewing room. I saw that Sheriff Kyle was talking to the Romano family. Being curious, I walked into the room pretending to be looking for something. Luckily, there were enough people still there that I was not noticed.

  “Do you know that deceased?” Kyle asked Mr. Romano.

  “Which one?” he chuckled. “No, no. I kid. Yes, I knew them both. Mr. Smith, he was kind to my family when we move into this lovely community. And Diego, he worked for me.”

  “Diego? Diego who?”

  “Diego Esposito, he runs errands, drives me places. He’s been living in the apartment out by our pool. I haven’t seen him for a few days and wondered if he had gone back to Boston.”

  “I don’t remember seeing him around.”

  “Well, he had stayed in Boston when we first moved here. He had connections there he didn’t want to let go of but, things change. He has only come here a week, maybe?” He shrugged his shoulders as if not convey he didn’t know how long Diego had been here in his employ.

  “Pop, it’s been since the beginning of the year. About three weeks.”

  “Alright,” he said, a little miffed. “About three weeks. Mostly running back and forth to Boston.”

  “Do you know of any reason anyone would want to kill Mr. Esposito?” Kyle asked.

  “No. He was a good guy. He didn’t make waves, did his job and kept to himself.”

  “How about you, Lorenzo? Do you know of anybody that wanted Diego dead?” Kyle asked.

  “Well,” he looked at his Pop, “a few husbands in Boston might have wanted to off him. He was a real ladies man, except he liked them already attached, so he didn’t have to deal with them long,” Lorenzo said.

  “Nice guy,” Kyle said.

  And that is all I was able to hear because Nikki came and got me.
/>   “What are you doing?” I shushed her, but it was too late. Kyle caught on that we were still there and I could hear them.

  “Thanks for the information, I will follow up with both of you this week,” Kyle said. Then, he made a beeline for me.

  I thought about making a run for the door. Nikki read my mind, “You’ll never make it.”

  “So, you heard all of that,” Kyle said.

  “Yup, I did,” I said, knowing it was not a crime to eavesdrop.

  “And on that note, I’m going to go wait in the car with Mel. Don’t be too long,” Nikki said.

  “I read some crime beat pieces you were doing at the Boston Gazette. They were good,” Kyle said.

  “Should I be flattered?”

  “Yeah,” he chuckled. “Listen, I know that you know about the crime families in Boston. I also know that you are wondering about this guy,” he pointed to Diego, “and when you have questions about something, you go after the answers. But, I want to caution you.”

  I started to argue, but he put up his hand, “Just let me finish. Don’t get messed up in this. In a few days, you can go back to Boston and live your life with your boyfriend. You don’t want to end up in my jail because you went too far.”

  “While where I am now or ever is none of your business, I’m going to tell you anyway so we can get a few things straight. I’m back in Black Ridge Cove for the time being. As still a member of the press, all news is my business. So, can I quote you on that threat?”

  He looked shocked, then curious, “No,” he said and walked over to his deputies without another word.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  We walked into the Shady Pines Bar to find many of the people who were at the service there. I supposed those of the older crowd were gathering at someone’s home for coffee and sweets. I doubted many people went home without talking over what had just happened.

  “So, I hear there was a two-fer at the funeral home tonight,” Neal said to us smirking as we sat in our usual seats at the corner of the bar. Neal is one sweet guy with an active sense of humor, not nearly as rough around the edges as his sister, Nikki.

  “Yeah, never a dull moment,” I said sarcastically. Mostly because there are usually tons of dull moments here, our days used to be filled with them. After what happened here at the bar on New Year’s Eve, and now with this other murder, people may begin to long for the dull moments.

  Then, it hit me. Not only had my life changed in the past twenty-four hours, but my hometown was also completely different. I’m pretty sure that this was not the case of someone seeing life through the different lens of adulthood. I think I would have noticed more killer type of crime when I was a kid if it had been there. Then again, adults have a way of shielding children.

  “Do you think Black Ridge Cove is really changing or is this a one time thing?” Mel wondered and I thought for the millionth time how good she was at reading my mind. She continued, “I would hate to think our little town was going to have to deal with mob hits regularly.”

  “What makes you think it was a mob hit?” I asked.

  “Well, he certainly looked like he was in the mob. And he was shot in the head. Isn’t that how the mob does things?” Mel said.

  “Plus, the Romano family knew him,” Nikki added and Mel agreed, nodding.

  As it was closing in on midnight, and the kitchen closed at twelve, I ordered potato skins with sour cream and chives. Mel ordered a salad and wine. Nikki got wings, hot, with a beer. I was still driving and very tired from the day's events, so I stuck with club soda and lime to drink. I could not believe how very long this day had been. We sat at the bar still trying to work out what had happened, waiting for the order.

  “Hey, Libby. Do you want to run down how you knew that guy before or after we get our food?” Nikki asked.

  “Like I said before,” I said. “I don’t know him at all. I’ve never met him. But, I saw his leather jacket wearing ghost at my carriage house and again on the porch of the Smith house when I was picking the two of you up. At least by the second time I saw him, he finally knew he was dead.”

  “You mean he didn’t know he was D-E-A-D?” said Nikki.

  Mel was sitting across from me at our table. She had a couple leather, and suede bags open with several stones poured out of them. “Oh, here it is! Hold this one, Libby. It’s fluorite. It will help keep your energy up and get you through this transition with a clear head. Keep it in your pocket for the next couple of days and rub it when you start feeling anxious.”

  I did as she asked because she is Mel. She believed because she had both Salem witch and gypsy ancestry, that she was able to do small types of incantations and spells. Did I think it would work? I believed it couldn’t hurt.

  “No, he seemed shocked that he went through me,” I said to Nikki, then I explained the specifics of what happened at the carriage house..

  “Usually, you see ghosts at certain places for a reason, right? Aren’t they attached to a place or something? I mean, why would he show up at both of those spots?” Nikki asked.

  “Good question. I don’t know the answer.” I said.

  “That’s scary,” said Mel.

  I agreed. “So is tomorrow, since I’m out of a job. Although, I didn’t formally turn in my press pass. I think I may hang on to it until the Gazette makes a fuss.”

  “You do have financial resources to fall back on, right? The trust is still there?” Mel said.

  “Yes, it is, but I’m hoping not to have to use it. I told my grandfather I could take care of myself when I was graduated college, that hasn’t changed. Plus, I have enough for the foreseeable future in savings. It’s a good thing I didn’t pay into the new apartment with Tony.” I said.

  “What are your plans?” Mel asked.

  “That is an excellent question. Grammie says to take it one day at a time, and after today’s happenings, I think that is sound advice. I may look into the mob family here and see if I can’t tie them to the murder. They have to be involved. Then, sell the story to someone?” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “Aren’t Tony and your editor going to run with the other story. Will you lose your source?” Nikki wondered.

  I smiled, “Maybe, but I’m not an idiot. Tony had gotten old notes of mine, some of which didn’t check out when I tried to double source them. As soon as they run that story, it is going to come back to bite them. Plus, I have this new angle to check out here. It’s not Pulitzer material, but it will get me work to do.”

  “You know, your Gramps was able to get his Pulitzer running his story in our small town newspaper. With everything available to independent journalists today, you’ll get there too, Libby.” Mel said.

  “That is just what Grammie said,” I said.

  “I always said she was a smart woman,” Mel said.

  “You usually said that when she caught us sneaking out of the house to go to a party,” Nikki said.

  “I wasn’t wrong,” Mel laughed, then sobered when she looked at Libby. “What is it?” she asked.

  “You have me thinking maybe my story in Boston does have something to do with this dead guy. I think he was at the carriage house because I was there. Maybe we should go see why he was at the Smith house. Anyway, can we get in?”

  “I have a key,” Nikki said.

  Mel and I looked at her dumbfounded. “Why do you have a key?” I asked.

  “The real estate agent wanted me to look at the property tomorrow. It really would be the perfect spot for my spa! Anyway, we can play dumb if we get caught.”

  “Oh! That might be fun,” Mel said.

  “What might be fun?” Kyle asked the three of us as he took the took the seat next to us. Had this been ten years ago, it would have been normal to fill him in on our antics. But, not today.

  “Don’t you have a murder investigation to pursue?” I asked.

  “Yes, I do. It is my understanding you may have known the deceased?” Kyle asked me.

  “I never met the man,
” I said. “I thought it was someone I knew when I first saw him, but I was mistaken.”

  “Yeah, I’m not buying it. But for now, I’ll let it go.” He added, “His name was Diego Esposito, he worked for Lorenzo Romano, Senior, and had ties to the mob in Boston. So, are you sure you haven’t heard of him, Ms. Gazette Crime Beat Reporter? Maybe a friend of your boyfriend?”

  “Well, I don’t know everyone in the mob in all of New England, Tony is my ex-boyfriend as I said before, and I am not sure if I am employed at the Boston Gazette,” I said. “Let me make this clear for you,” I continued, “No. I do not know him.”

  He almost looked ashamed for pushing the issue, “You okay?”