Murder in Hillsboro

by Jane T O'Brien

  “I know what you mean, they might resent us being in their lives; the boy, Jake is twelve and Lily is ten, I hope we don’t disrupt their lives too much.”

  “You worry too much,” said Adam, “kids are more flexible than you think, you’ll be fine.”

  The white clapboard house was inviting with its black shutters and an American flag waving softly in the breeze from the large front porch.

  The sound of a dog barking came from inside the home when Luke pulled into the driveway. Molly recognized the man who was her father standing with a petite, pretty woman who smiled as they approached the front door.

  “Please come in,” said Jonathan as Spike made his presence known to the visitors.

  Introductions were made and everyone gathered in the family room off the large kitchen.

  Lily quietly stared at her sisters while Jake held a football in his hands.

  “Dinner will be ready soon, I thought we could get to know each other before we eat,” said Angie.

  “You guys want to toss the football around?” asked Jake.

  The men left the women alone and followed Jake to the backyard after being given a nod by Angie.

  The awkwardness of the first meeting quickly wore off. Lily had never seen two people who looked alike and decided she liked having older sisters after all.

  “Angie, it’s so nice of you to be so welcoming to us, it must have been a shock to learn of our existence, I know it was a shock to Jonathan.”

  “Yes, it was a surprise but not a bad surprise. I only wish we’d known you from the beginning. That’s not possible and I hope we will be friends from now on.”

  Angie’s lasagna was a hit and there wasn’t a morsel left in the dish. Jonathan wouldn’t eat leftovers all week.

  The couples left with the promise of getting together again soon. Lily wanted her sisters to meet all her friends and Jake asked the guys to come back for more football.

  Adam pulled in front of Molly’s apartment building letting her and Luke out. Luke walked her to her door.

  “Luke, thank you for being with me tonight, I’m grateful for your help through all of this.”

  “I’m glad you found your families, I know it’s been an emotional time for you and I haven’t wanted to complicate your life any more than necessary. Molly, I’m sure you know I’m attracted to you and I’m hoping you will let me into your life.”

  “Luke, I thought your only interest in me was the story of my complicated life.”

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything, I understand you want only friendship.”

  “Luke, will you stop talking about friendship and kiss me and I don’t mean on the cheek?”

  Luke smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with the passion that had festered since the day they first met. Molly blissfully responded to his kisses.

  Epilogue

  “Molly, do you think Adam and I are rushing things, we’ve only known each other for four months.”

  “Stephanie, you love the guy and he loves you. It’s not too soon.”

  “We should have a double wedding, now that you and Luke are a couple, what are you waiting for?”

  “You know Luke is the type to take things slow, he has a lot of decisions to make about whether to stay with the paper or pursue his real passion of writing. He doesn’t need a wife until he can figure things out.”

  “Can you believe all that has happened in the last few months? It seems so long ago that we met at Elizabeth and Brad’s wedding and now we not only have each other, we have new families.”

  “Yes, and they are all here to watch you marry the man of your dreams.”

  The door to the minister’s office opened. Margie and Jack Anderson walked in, their eyes glistening with pride.

  “Look at our daughter, Margie, she is beautiful.”

  “Thanks, Dad, I love you guys.”

  “We know that dear and we love you. The church is filled with people who wish you well and most of them are related to you,” Margie laughed. “I used to be afraid your birth mother would appear and take you away from us, now I see I had nothing to fear. I’m happy you have so many people to love you. I still pinch myself when I think about you being the granddaughter of Senator Beresford. I’m glad he didn’t resign and I’m happy Avery will join him in Washington in January.”

  “Margie, Grayson is here to walk you down the aisle, I’ll follow you,” said Molly as she hugged her sister one more time.

  “Dad, you know I will always think of you and Mom as my parents. I’m grateful you found me on the steps of the fire station so long ago.”

  “Stephanie, you are my daughter and I’m proud to be your father. I don’t like giving you away but I can’t imagine a better fellow than Adam Sloan to take care of my little girl.”

  The traditional wedding march played as Stephanie and her father walked down the aisle. Senator Beresford’s eyes saddened as he thought of his wife safely tucked away in her own little world in the hospital. He was told it was unlikely she would recover from her illness. He grieved for his granddaughter, Candace, the poor girl never had a chance for a happy life. He was sorry she was dead but glad she hadn’t been able to follow through with her plan to murder his other grandchildren. Avery looked content sitting next to Charles watching her child marry the man she loved. Avery would be working toward legislation concerning mental health research. Hamilton knew Grayson would someday be involved in that field and felt great pride for his grandson.

  Molly listened as her sister recited her vows but she couldn’t stop looking at Luke. He was the love of her life.

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  Murder in Kincaid Towers

  A Molly Ryan Cozy Mystery

  By Jane T. O’Brien

  “Brooke, I wish I could talk you out of going over there tonight. Travis Kincaid is trouble, why can’t you see that?” Molly Ryan knew voicing her fears would not dissuade her friend but she couldn’t stay silent.

  “Molly, you don’t understand, Travis and I are meant to be together. You don’t know him like I do. Something is wrong and I will find out what it is.”

  Brooke Hartley rushed out of her friend’s apartment before Molly succeeded in changing her mind. She knew Molly was right to be concerned about Travis. Brooke wasn’t stupid, he had a reputation with women and still, she believed he’d finally found true love with her.

  Kincaid Towers is three blocks from the Balsam Lake Apartments where Brooke and Molly are neighbors. It is faster to get there on foot than drive her car to the Kincaid Tower parking garage.

  Travis called her earlier and said he had an emergency meeting and he would see her tomorrow. She knew by the sound of his voice that something was wrong and she wanted to show him she could be an equal partner in their relationship.

  Rawlings, the doorman greeted her as she climbed the marble steps to the entrance of the largest building in town. Kincaid lived on the top floor of the building in the penthouse suite overlooking the lake and harbor. It was a chilly night and Brooke was sorry she’d left the apartment without her jacket. Molly had her so flustered with her dire warnings, it slipped her mind it was the middle of February. She couldn’t go back now; Molly would never let her get away again.

  Brooke shivered when she stepped into the warm lobby.

  “Ms. Hartley, you’ll catch your death, what are you doing out in this weather without a coat?” asked Rawlings.

  Brooke’s teeth chattered and her chin felt frozen, she mumbled something about being fine and Rawlings punched in the code for her to enter the express elevator to the penthouse.

  I can’t remember if Mr. Kincaid told me he was expecting Ms. Hartley tonight, Alice is right, I need to retire, my memory keeps playing tricks on me. Rawlings sat at his post, closed his eyes, and dozed off.

  Brooke could hear soft music playing as she entered the massive living room. The lights were low making it hard to see inside the room. Brooke loved the view from this room with the
bright lights of the city sparkling in the night. A heavy blanket of fog lay over Hillsboro making it difficult to see any lights at all this evening.

  “Travis, it’s me, are you home?” she called out. When there was no answer, she followed the dim light shining from the bedroom.

  I shouldn’t be here, Molly was right, I’m setting myself up for heartache.

  Brooke turned to walk to the elevator when she heard a gurgling sound. She ran into the bedroom and stopped in her tracks when she saw a woman sprawled on Travis’s bed. Brooke gasped in disbelief when she spotted dried blood making a trail from her open mouth. Brooke’s instinct was to help the woman and she rushed to her side stubbing her toe on an object on the floor. She reached to move it away and recognized it as a barbell Travis kept in his bedroom. Without thinking, she lifted the barbell and moved it out of her path. She reached for her cell phone to call for help and discovered she didn’t have it with her.

  Brooke pulled a blanket over the woman in a futile attempt to make her comfortable and wept when she realized this was the meeting Travis had tonight. I must pull myself together, I don’t know who to call. Rawlings, I’ll call Rawlings, I’ll tell him to send an ambulance but it’s too late to save her.

  “Good evening, Rawlings.”

  “Good evening, Mr. Kincaid, I trust your evening is going well.”

  Travis got on the elevator without saying a word.

  Mr. Kincaid must have a weighty problem on his mind, he usually has something pleasant to say. I hope it was all right to let that girl upstairs. I thought he was home already. In fact, I’m sure, he came home two hours ago, I hope he didn’t catch me sleeping when he left again.

  Travis was irked when he saw Rawlings waking from a nap when he came in. What kind of doorman is the guy? Just anybody can walk in off the street and get into the offices or worse, my home.

  The elevator opened to his apartment. He heard someone crying softly in his bedroom. He walked toward the door and saw Brooke sitting on the bed.

  “Brooke, what are you doing here? I told you I couldn’t see you tonight.”

  Brooke looked up with tears streaming down her cheeks.

  Travis saw the body on the bed. He ran to the woman and knew she was dead.

  “Brooke, what have you done to my wife?”