by Rose Pressey
As the group walked down the sidewalk, I waved, but they had already turned their backs on me now. It was doubtful they’d recommend my tour to any of their friends. I headed in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, Abigail held onto her flashlight and walked next to me. Would I ever get away from her? What did it take for her to take a clue?
“I can take the flashlight now,” I said, stretching my hand out toward her. “You don’t have to come with me.”
“Oh, I was walking back to the tavern with you, but if you don’t wanna walk with me, fine, I understand.” Abigail narrowed her eyes.
“It’s not that I don’t want to walk with you,” I said. “It’s just that… well, I’m meeting my boyfriend.”
“I was going that way anyway.” Her stare remained fixed on me.
I tried not to groan audibly, but inside, I practically screamed.
When I didn’t answer, she handed me the flashlight. “Oh, I totally get it. You just don’t like me, obviously. We got off on the wrong foot, so I’ll be on my way now.” She turned on her heel and stomped away.
I thought about calling out to her but maybe it was better left exactly this way. After the way she’d acted on the tour, I just didn’t think I could handle another minute dealing with her. Maybe she wouldn’t want to join the book club now. I felt bad about that, but on the other hand… it was probably for the best. I stood there for a couple seconds and watched to see if she turned around. She never looked back my way.
Releasing a breath of relief, I stuffed the flashlight into the tote bag. Thank goodness I’d remembered to bring the bag along with me. Sometimes I left it back at the graveyard, but that was when I knew for sure the group would be joining me there. I didn’t always start the tour at the graveyard–sometimes I liked to mix things up so that it wouldn’t be too routine and monotonous. Abigail had taken care of that single-handedly on her own tonight.
I hurried down the sidewalk, trying to push the thoughts of this disastrous tour out of my head. But when I did that, all I could think about was what had happened at Mr. Byrd’s, and the fact that someone who looked just like me had been there.
After a couple minutes, I reached the tavern and stepped inside. A larger crowd had gathered by now compared to when I’d been there a short time ago. Not a seat in the house was available. Not even at the bar.
A country band was playing at the back of the room. I scanned the crowd looking for Brannon, but apparently, he hadn’t arrived yet. Tammy looked frustrated as she tried to pour the drinks fast enough. I’d offer to help, but the owner didn’t want me behind the bar for insurance reasons—employees only. In order not to bother her right now, I would just hang around by the front door and wait for Brannon to show up.
I checked the time on my phone. Should I text him and let him know I was here? I typed out the message and hit send. Just as I did, the door opened, and Brannon stepped inside. He looked to his left and smiled immediately.
“You have a knack for showing up just as I send you messages,” I said.
He kissed me and then said, “Well, I think it’s more like you have a talent for luring me here.”
“Yes, I have such a way with words.” I laughed. “It looks like all those tables are taken. Maybe we could go somewhere else?”
“It would probably be better if we go somewhere else that’s quiet so that we can talk,” Brannon said.
“Okay,” I said hesitantly.
Reality hit me all over again. Now he was making me nervous. I hadn’t forgotten how bad I’d felt when he’d called and told me that they had video of me in the antique store. However, it bubbled to the top now like a boiling pot of water. Tammy still hadn’t noticed me, so I’d have to leave without saying goodbye. I’d text her later when she wasn’t so busy.
Brannon guided me out into the night air onto the sidewalk. Cars drove up and down the street. Immediately I felt someone watching me, and it wasn’t from the passing cars. When I glanced to the left, I spotted Abigail. I clutched my chest because her stare had startled me. Oh, that wasn’t super creepy. Oh, no, not at all.
Chapter 5
Abigail must’ve followed me after all. When I made eye contact, she turned and hurried down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. In that moment Brannon noticed her too.
“Is that the woman from the library?” he asked.
“Yes, and she is super-annoying.”
“What makes you say that?”
“She was on the tour tonight and she completely took over. She was finishing my sentences and she even got a burger at the restaurant,” I said with a sigh.
Brannon laughed. “They have good hamburgers.”
“It’s not funny,” I said around a chuckle. “Plus, she wanted to walk with me to the tavern.”
“What was wrong with that?” he asked.
“I’d had enough and couldn’t handle anymore. She got really defensive. Now I guess she followed me.”
“Well, maybe you hurt her feelings,” Brannon said.
“I certainly didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. You have to admit the way she was staring just now was creepy.”
Brannon looped his arm through mine. “Let’s go to the restaurant and forget all about it.”
“I suppose that’s where we’re going to talk about this video,” I said as we started walking.
“Yes, but I hope we’ll enjoy dinner too,” he said.
As we continued toward the restaurant, I said, “You don’t really think that was me at the antique shop, do you?”
“I don’t know what to think, Rip,” Brannon said. “It looked just like you.”
“Well, I really have to see this video because Tammy can vouch that I was at the library all day. The only time we left was to the diner for lunch. And then we came right back.”
“I reviewed the video and I just don’t know how to explain it,” Brannon said.
“It has to be connected with the other sightings,” I said.
“What other sightings?” he asked with a frown.
“Abigail, the new woman in town, said she saw someone who looked just like me out on the sidewalk at the library, and then tonight on the tour one of the tour-goers said he saw someone who looked like me in the graveyard,” I said.
“Interesting,” Brannon said.
“Weird,” I said.
We walked in silence for a bit, both lost in thought, no doubt replaying the day’s events.
When we reached the front of the restaurant, I stopped. “Listen, Brannon, I’m not sure I can eat dinner before I see that video. Therefore, I think you should show me now. Do you have it on your phone?”
He sighed. “Yes, I have it on my phone, but I don’t want you to be too alarmed.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine. Once I see it, I’ll know for sure it’s not me and all this will be cleared up.” I wiggled my fingers for Brannon to show me his phone. “For heaven’s sake there is video of me at the library at the time this happened. I couldn’t possibly have killed the woman.”
He took out his phone, swiped the screen a couple of times, and then pulled up the video. He touched the screen and it started to play. After a few seconds, the woman entered the antique shop. The woman was me. It looked exactly like me. There was no mistaking it. How could this be possible? Could I have blacked out and not realized I went to the antique shop? No, there had to be video of me at the library proving that I hadn’t been in two locations at once. I probably swayed just a little bit because Brannon reached out to grab me.
“Whoa, are you all right?” Brannon asked.
“That’s me,” I said louder than I intended.
“I know, Rip. It looks like you, but you said you weren’t there.”
“I said that, but I can’t deny that looks just like me.”
“There has to be a logical explanation,” Brannon said.
“Like I passed out, went to the antique shop, and don’t remember it?”
“I suppose that’s a possibi
lity,” he said. “But why would you go there? Plus, Tammy would have noticed if you left. We’ll check the video from the library.”
“I had no reason to go there at that time of day.”
“Did you talk to Mr. Byrd recently?” Brannon asked.
“Not really. I saw him the other day when I was on the tour. He was staying late for work and was leaving as we were entering. I locked up for him as usual.”
“He hasn’t mentioned noticing anything odd either,” Brannon said.
“Nothing at all. I still can’t explain why the guy on the tour tonight said he saw someone who looked just like me. I was standing right there when that happened, so I couldn’t have been across the cemetery at the same time.”
“You know, there is one explanation,” Brannon said. “It might sound crazy, but for us, maybe it won’t be so crazy.”
“I suppose nothing is crazy for us. What’s that?”
“You have a doppelgänger.”
“What?” I asked with wide eyes. “Doppelgänger? A ghostly lookalike? As in harbinger of bad luck?”
“I told you it sounds crazy, but we know it’s possible, or at least we’ve heard of it.”
“That’s true,” I said. “But how and why?”
“I wish I had answers for that, Rip. We can certainly try to figure it out.”
“What about the police and the video? Are you really going to go to your boss and explain that I just have a doppelgänger?”
He ran his hand through his thick hair. “I suppose that would be an issue. Don’t worry, I’ll think of something.”
I didn’t want Brannon to have to think of something to tell his boss, but I had no other explanation. I’d better figure this out fast though because otherwise I might be in jail. Maybe I was getting a bit ahead of myself. The death could’ve been natural causes, but something led me to believe that the police were suspicious. Otherwise they wouldn’t have been checking video surveillance. I picked up on those little things. My investigative skills at work, I supposed.
“When will you find out the cause of death?” I asked. “I’m assuming this isn’t a heart attack? Someone murdered her, and you know it. You just don’t want to tell me. You don’t want me to be upset.”
He inhaled and let out a deep breath. “All right, yes, we suspect it was murder. That’s why it’s so important for me to find out what’s going on with the doppelgänger.”
“Otherwise they’ll think I did it,” I said.
“It’s either you or Mr. Byrd. He was on the surveillance going down that aisle as well.”
“Oh, no, not Mr. Byrd. He couldn’t possibly do anything like that,” I said.
“I know you really like Mr. Byrd, but you have to admit it is possible.”
I sighed. “I guess it is possible, but I’m sure he wouldn’t kill anyone.”
“Then that leaves you,” he said.
“But it wasn’t me.” My voice rose again.
“They’re going to want to charge someone with murder.”
The gravity of the situation smacked me in the face. Brannon was right, they would want to charge someone with murder. I didn’t want that person to be Mr. Byrd, but I also didn’t want to go to the slammer either. What would the library board say if their librarian was charged with murder? Many people in town probably wouldn’t be surprised. That black cloud I’d brought with me increased in size every day.
“Let’s just forget about it for right now and have some dinner,” Brannon said.
“I’m not sure that’s possible.” I sighed. “But I’ll give it a try, I guess. “Why think about something today when I can put it off until tomorrow, right?”
“Just put it off long enough to eat dinner,” he said.
Brannon and I headed into the old restaurant. I’d try to eat, but knew I’d be thinking nonstop about my doppelgänger. Brannon and I finished dinner. Somehow, I’d managed to eat a bit. Now he would take me home and it would be time for me to try to sleep. Again, I wasn’t sure how I would do that. We got into his car and headed down the road.
“You’re being awfully quiet,” he said.
“Just thinking,” I said.
“Yeah, me too,” he said, turning down the radio. “I want you know I will figure this out some way. I’m not going to let you go to jail.”
“So you believe I’m innocent?”
“It was never a doubt, Rip,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said. “I mean, really thank you.”
“I love you, Rip, and I’ll always be here for you.” He squeezed my hand and butterflies danced in my stomach.
Chapter 6
Brannon had said he’d call with more details about the murdered woman. Though I figured he wouldn’t be able to tell me much. Needless to say, I’d been waiting his call for quite some time. I answered on the first ring, as soon as I’d seen his number pop up.
“What did you find out?” I asked.
“Aren’t you going to ask how I’m doing or tell me you miss me? Perhaps say I love you?” he said in a teasing tone.
I chuckled nervously. “I suppose I’m just anxious to hear what you found out. You know I love you and miss you. I assume you’re stressed by everything with me.”
“Yes, well… the murder victim’s name was Meredith Raymond. She was from Nashville.”
“Do you know why she was here?” I asked.
“Not yet. All I know is her name and where she’s from. I shouldn’t be telling you any of this,” he said.
No, he probably shouldn’t, but I wasn’t going to stop him.
“I suppose her family has been notified?”
“I think they spoke with a niece. Ms. Raymond didn’t have a husband or children.”
I hated to ask but I wanted to know. “Exactly how was she murdered? I know there wasn’t time for her to be strangled. Mr. Byrd was right there. He would’ve heard something. Doesn’t the murderer show up on his video as well?”
“Not that I’m aware of. Ms. Raymond had been hit on the head with a blunt object. We still don’t know what the murder weapon was.”
“Well then, I’m off the hook, right?” I said.
“What makes you say that?” Brannon asked.
He should know I hadn’t murdered the woman. Nevertheless, he wanted an answer.
“Because I didn’t have a weapon in my hand when I walked into that shop.”
“That means that it was probably something at the antique shop,” Brannon said.
“Then you should be able to locate it and find fingerprints, right? The video shows no weapon when I supposedly left the shop.”
“That’s what they’re working on,” he said.
“Okay, so what I know so far is that she was from Nashville and I have her name.”
“Seriously, Rip, you’re not going to investigate, are you? I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“And why not?” I asked. “If not now, when? I mean, the police are looking at me as a murderer. I have to do something. I can’t just stand back and do nothing.”
“Perhaps contact a lawyer,” he said.
His words almost knocked me over. “Are you serious?”
“I don’t know what I think, Rip,” he said. “Obviously, there’s not enough to connect you with the murder for sure, but there’s definitely suspicion.”
“Which is exactly why I have to figure this out. I was at the library. There’s video of me there the whole time, so they can’t say that I wasn’t there. I can’t be in two places at once.”
“No, you’re right, and they are aware of the video,” he said.
The video was the only thing that had kept the police away from me. Otherwise I would have been sitting in an interrogation room all night.
“That’s why am going to find the killer and put all of this to rest. You’ll let me know if you find out anything else?”
“I’ll let you know,” he said.
I knew he didn’t want to give me more info, but I knew he would be
honest if he found out anything. He would tell me.
“I’ll talk to you soon,” I said.
“Stay out of trouble,” he said.
“Well, yeah, of course.” I stared at the phone after the call ended.
Where would I start? What was my next move? I supposed finding out more about Meredith would be the best idea. Talking with her niece? Brannon said Meredith had been killed by blunt force trauma. What antique could do such damage? Maybe I could go back by the antique shop. But I supposed the police had taken everything that was in the area for testing. This was definitely on my list of things to ask Mr. Byrd though.
How did the killer sneak into the antique shop and kill her without capturing it on the camera? Was the person magic? This was perplexing.
***
I’d managed to get a few hours of sleep. After dressing for work, I grabbed my bag and was now headed toward the library with intentions of making a pit stop at the coffee shop of course. I hoped that no one in town knew about what had happened with the camera surveillance at the antique shop. If everyone knew, then Dana would know too. Dana was the owner of the coffee shop and she knew everything in town. Gossip settled there just like at the tavern.
When I stepped inside the shop I spotted Dana behind the counter. The smell of fresh ground coffee lingered in the air. Dana frowned when she saw me. That wasn’t a good sign. Dana never frowned at me. I stepped up to the counter. The other employee eyed me up and down. What had Dana told her?
“Good morning,” I said.
“Oh, now you’re talking to me?” Dana placed her hands on her hips.
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked.
“I just saw you a few minutes ago. I yelled at you to come into the shop and you ignored me. You didn’t even look back. And I know you heard me.” She waved the coffee cup at me.
Oh, no, not again. She probably wouldn’t believe me when I said it wasn’t me. I wouldn’t even try to explain this to her right now. I couldn’t understand it myself, so how would I possibly explain it to anyone else?
“I honestly didn’t hear you, Dana,” I said. “You know I would never ignore you.”