Murder in Wax

by Holly Copella

  Devon accepted the brochures while staring at the older nurse. “Oh, yes. I hadn’t considered that. Ivy has a female doctor she sees in the city.”

  Gina threw her hands in the air while smiling cheerfully. “You can make an appointment with her doctor then. Cut out the middleman, so to speak.”

  “Thanks,” Devon replied with relief. “I’ll do that.”

  “Anytime, dear,” she announced then raised her brows. “So--who’s the young man? You know how I love good gossip.”

  “Oh,” Devon remarked and immediately fidgeted. Since Brant was still officially in hiding, it seemed a good idea not to mention him by name. “You haven’t met him yet. He’s not from around here.”

  “I understand,” she announced dramatically. “So many young people these days are spending a lot of time in the city. Half the young people in our town are engaged to guys and gals living in the city.” Gina sighed and appeared almost defeated. “I just hope some of them decide to stay in our little town. I so love seeing little ones running around the park.”

  Devon considered the comment and tilted her head. “You hear all the good gossip, Gina,” she remarked, playing on the woman’s ego.

  “Absolutely,” she announced with glee. “This is gossip central. Well, next to the tavern and the hair salon.”

  “Did you remember Jamie ever being engaged?” Devon asked.

  Gina straightened in her chair and gave the question serious consideration. “No, I don’t think so. If she had been, she didn’t tell anyone about it.” Her eyes then widened. “Dorothy would never have allowed it. She wasn’t exactly fond of men.”

  “I suppose she had reason to be protective,” Devon remarked and considered the comment. “With her husband running off like that.”

  “But there comes a time when a mother needs to step back and allow her daughters to make their own mistakes,” Gina announced firmly. “It’s part of growing up.”

  “I’m sure she felt some guilt about Chelsea,” Devon replied, almost surprised she was defending Dorothy on anything. It may have had something to do with seeing the brutality of the crime scene that made her sympathetic toward the woman.

  “Between us,” Gina announced while leaning forward on the desk. “Dorothy was a bit of a hypocrite. I mean, she claimed to be so religious then to even suggest aborting a healthy baby.” She shook her head. “Breaks my heart when I think about it. It’s a shame we can’t practice what we preach.”

  Devon allowed the comment to sink in then realized what Gina was saying. Had Jamie been pregnant and Dorothy insisted she have an abortion? Could that be the significance of the engagement ring? Now the jilted lover scenario seemed almost plausible. Unfortunately, nearly everyone who knew about Jamie’s secret life was already dead.

  §

  Devon got a ride home with Ivy later that afternoon. She waved to Ivy as she turned her jeep in the driveway and drove away from the farm. Devon headed for the house then paused on the porch and looked at the bunkhouse in the distance beyond the barn. She wondered if Brant was out working cattle with the rest of the hands. More importantly, she wondered if he would scale the balcony and slip into her room again tonight. Since he’d be going to the sheriff today to clear his name, she was uncertain what would happen tonight, but she couldn’t deny she was giddy with anticipation. Devon entered the house and paused by the hall table where the mail lay sorted in piles for her and her brother.

  She saw an envelope with her name scribbled across it. Oddly enough, it contained no return address and the stamp wasn’t canceled. She eyed it suspiciously, picked it up while looking around the quiet house, and then opened the envelope. It read, “Meet me at the museum seven o’clock tonight. Urgent. Come alone!” Devon stared at the note without a signature and sank into thought. The note seemed odd, considering Brant was working on clearing his name. He had already made plans to visit the sheriff’s office later that day armed with the bartender from the Ruby Club as his witness and his lawyer, so why the mystery? She couldn’t deny the recent rash of murders weighed on her mind.

  Is this how the murdered women were lured to their deaths? Or was it simply Brant attempting to be romantic? Did she dare show up alone as the note requested? Devon studied the strangely prepped envelope. The note was almost certainly hand delivered, which meant it had to come from Brant. He obviously added her address and the stamp to make it less suspicious if her parents found it first. It had to be Brant; didn’t it?

  Chapter Forty-eight

  Devon entered the museum just a little before seven o’clock that night with Ross directly behind her holding a baseball bat in his hand. He closed the front door behind them and gave her a serious look.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to go along?” he asked with concern.

  “Yes, I’m sure,” she replied. “Just stick with the plan.”

  “If something doesn’t seem right,” he announced. “Scream like hell and run for the dungeon stairs. I’ll clock anyone chasing you.”

  “Thank you, Ross,” she replied timidly. “I’m sure it’s just Brant, but I appreciate the backup.”

  Ross managed a weak smile then sat on the nearby bench in the lobby. Devon left Ross and headed along the walkway. She nervously looked at the displays as she walked toward the back then headed down the stairs to the basement and paused at the bottom of the steps. She looked around cautiously then continued past several horror displays. Despite having Ross as her backup, she was still feeling anxious. There was a light coming from the church display that still hadn’t been touched. Obviously, since it was the only lit display that was where she was meant to go.

  She approached the room with some apprehension after her last encounter with the church display. Devon eyed the fake candles and silk flower arrangements around the room. She was already having feelings of déjà vu. As she walked further into the display, she saw a beautiful blonde woman wearing a full, white, wedding gown and veil on top of the altar. She wasn’t sure when Ross or Tyler had completed the altar display, but it was beautiful.

  The woman’s wedding gown train was draped elegantly over the side of the altar, her veil cascaded along her body, and her hands were neatly clasped over her abdomen. She had a small bouquet of wildflowers grasped in her hands. Devon nervously looked around the room, but she didn’t see anyone. She slowly approached the display, marveling at the work someone had put into the scene. It certainly wasn’t Brant. Was Ross up to something? She suddenly stopped when she recognized the woman on the altar. It was Chelsea! Her hair was neatly pinned up, and her makeup was carefully applied. She was a vision of beauty. She was dead. Devon held back her gasp. Her eyes then strayed to the familiar, small diamond ring that was proudly displayed on her left, ring finger with a gold wedding band below it.

  She heard a door gently shut. Devon turned around with surprise. Martin stood by the door dressed in a black tuxedo and had a blank expression on his face. He walked toward her with a glass of champagne in his hand. Devon remained still and stared at him. Her brother walked past her and paused before the altar and the dead woman. He placed his hand on Chelsea’s, revealing the matching wedding band on his left hand. Martin stared at Chelsea a moment in silence.

  “Seven years ago, Chelsea and I were going to run away and get married after she’d graduated high school. I loved her more than life itself. She was the first woman I’d ever made love to.” He hesitated and drew a deep, labored breath. “And I haven’t been with another woman since.” Martin finally looked at Devon. “She was pregnant with our child.”

  Devon held back her gasp while staring at her brother, attempting to make sense of what he was telling her about his past.

  “Last month, after Joe was fired from the ranch, I had a few drinks with him in the tavern,” Martin announced in a solemn tone. “He was so drunk; he started talking about his sister’s feud with Jamie.” He stared into Devon’s eyes with a serious, frightening look. “Paula told him Jamie killed Christine in the w
oods that day. I had left Chelsea at the bridge less than half an hour before she witnessed her sister killing Christine. The three of them chased her to the bridge, and what started as a threat rapidly turned into Chelsea’s accident.”

  “Oh, my God,” Devon gasped.

  “I lied about my one-night-stand with Marlene. I overheard her saying something about Chelsea that concerned me, so I took her out, got her drunk, and encouraged her to gossip. Marlene told me that Dorothy terminated Chelsea’s pregnancy shortly after the accident,” he remarked in a calm tone although the anger could be seen in his moderately sedate eyes. “I had foolishly assumed she miscarried from the fall.”

  Martin finished his drink, set the glass on the floor, and turned to face Devon while straightening proudly.

  “I killed Jamie, Tamara, and Paula for robbing me of my one true love. The woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. When I found out Dorothy destroyed the only part of Chelsea I could have taken with me, I made her suffer for what she’d done.” He hesitated and drew a deep breath. “I swear on Chelsea’s soul; I didn’t kill Marlene. Someone must’ve had a score to settle with her and used my murder rampage to their advantage. It’s all in my journal. You’ll find it on your bedside table.”

  Devon was now down to tears. “Oh, Martin,” she gasped. “You could have told the police about Chelsea. It didn’t have to be this way.”

  “It wouldn’t have done any good,” he replied. “Maybe they could have persuaded her friends to point the finger at her for Christine, but there’s no proof Jamie intentionally threw Chelsea from the bridge. Honestly, I don’t care if it was intentional or accidental. I just wanted to see them pay.”

  “What about Joe?” Devon gasped softly while feeling her body tremble. “You didn’t--? Not for me.”

  “Joe was a two for one deal,” Martin admitted proudly while raising his brows. “When Ross blabbed what actually happened that day in the barn, I wanted to kill Joe. It wasn’t until he attempted to blackmail me for killing Paula that I decided he had to go. I didn’t count on him actually remembering our drunken conversation. Joe’s death was no big loss, I assure you.”

  “And Brant?” she asked with surprise. “Did you try to kill Brant? Why did you frame him?”

  “That wasn’t me, I swear. I’ll admit; I did dispose of Jamie’s body down here, but it wasn’t my intention for Brant to be blamed. In fact, when I learned how much he meant to you, I tipped Ross off to the Ruby Club. I was the one Brant spent the evening with drowning his sorrows. When I ran into him at the beach house party, I had to take my leave. I didn’t realize that was your boss and couldn’t risk him connecting any dots,” Martin informed her. “I knew he was innocent. My journal will clear him as well.” He drew a deep breath while staring at her. “You were my only reason for living, Devon. I just want you to be happy. Chelsea and I will be together forever now. This is the way it has to be.”

  “What do you mean?” Devon suddenly gasped with alarm. “What have you done?”

  “Just a little poison cocktail.”

  Devon gasped with horror. Martin clutched the altar for support.

  “It’s okay, Devon,” he gently informed her. “I’ll finally be happy. Chelsea and I will be together forever. We’ll finally be free.”

  “No, we need to get an ambulance.”

  Martin snorted softly and, with all his strength, approached her. He gently touched her face.

  “It’s already too late, I assure you,” he announced while smiling weakly.

  Devon sobbed softly while shaking her head. Martin held her in his arms then released her and wiped away her tears.

  “I love you, Devon,” he announced. “But it’s time for you to go. I only have a few minutes left, and I’d like to spend them alone with Chelsea.”

  She sniffed and wiped her tears while staring into his eyes. “I love you, Martin.”

  Martin smiled warmly and turned toward the altar. He clutched the altar for support and took Chelsea’s hand. Devon slowly backed away and turned for the walkway. She knew she needed to get to the phone in the workshop. Perhaps, she could still save her brother. Save him for what purpose though? He’d brutally killed nearly half a dozen people and would need to pay for his crimes. Letting him go the way he wanted would be the compassionate thing to do. As she headed for the walkway, she heard a thud. She turned and saw Martin lying on the floor alongside the altar. She ran back and fell to her knees alongside him. Devon clung to Martin and sobbed.

  Chapter Forty-nine

  There was a large gathering at the ranch after Martin’s funeral. Despite what had come out about Martin, dozens of people from town showed up to express their condolences to the family. Although no one condoned Martin’s behavior, they knew the family had a long way to go with the healing process. The twelve ranch hands were dressed in their finest jeans and flannel shirts to attend the wake at the main house following the viewing at Tony’s funeral home.

  Devon’s friends were there to support her as well, which she was grateful. She needed her friends more than ever to deal with the crushing blow of losing her brother. Even more so, the fact that someone she had admired since she was able to walk could do the horrible things he’d done. Tyler had accompanied Brant to the farmhouse. It was his first introduction to Ivy, and he was particularly taken with Devon’s friend. Devon wanted to warn her about Tyler, but she just couldn’t bring herself to have a normal conversation. She particularly avoided Ross, because he would try to make her feel better, and she didn’t want to feel better.

  Brant remained by her side throughout most of the wake, which she appreciated, but she needed some time alone and was frustrated when she couldn’t escape people attempting to cheer her up. She eventually ended up standing by the paddock fence petting her horse. Even her horse attempted to cheer her up by lipping her cheek when she stood still and silent for too long. She looked across the yard filled with cars and saw her father leaning against Tony’s blazer with his head down. Devon drew a deep breath and finally approached her father. She leaned against the blazer near him but didn’t speak. He placed his arm around her, pulled her to his side, and held her in silence. It was probably the nicest moment she’d had with her father in a long time.

  “Seven years,” her father muttered finally breaking the silence.

  She pulled away and eyed him, wondering what he’d meant by the comment. “What about seven years?” she finally asked.

  “Your brother loved that girl for seven years, and I never knew about it,” he announced almost painfully. “To love someone that much and keep it hidden so deep inside. I guess I never really knew him at all.”

  “You knew him, Dad,” she gently replied. “He just chose to keep that part of his life to himself.”

  “And it eventually destroyed him from the inside,” he remarked then looked at his daughter. “I don’t want that to be us, Devon. I don’t want you mad at me and let it fester inside for the next seven years.”

  “I’m not--” She hesitated and met her father’s gaze. “Yes, I’m mad at you. You took away the thing I loved most because you didn’t want me to be one of the boys. You wanted me to be like mom; a dutiful wife and mother. That’s not going to happen.”

  “You’re wrong, Devon,” he informed her and shook his head. “I don’t believe a woman’s place is in the kitchen. I never have. I don’t want to see you attempting to fill a role that makes you miserable just because you were born a certain gender.”

  “You ordered me to stay away from the ranch hands,” she reminded him. “You told me I could no longer work the herd. Don’t deny it upset you when you had to fire Joe because you didn’t want to lose a hard worker. That it tore you up inside to fire a man fulfilling the role your son didn’t want.”

  He stared at her with surprise. “Yes, it upset me when I fired Joe because he was a great worker,” her father boldly announced. “But I wasn’t upset with you because of his weakness, Devon. I never blamed you for being i
n the barn that day.” He drew a deep breath. “Honestly, I was mad at myself. I’d allowed you to engage with men I thought I could trust around my daughter. Joe betrayed my trust, and I was afraid I’d been mistaken about the others as well. I didn’t want anyone else ever touching you again.” He shook his head. “I just wanted to protect my little girl, and I failed. Keeping you away from them was my only way to protect you.”

  “You don’t get it,” she announced defensively. “You don’t have to protect me. When things happen, I’ll deal with them. I can’t stop living just because I get hurt along the way.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry,” he replied gently. “I don’t want you carrying anger with you like your brother had. I want us to be honest with each other and have real conversations when things are bothering us.”

  Devon lowered her head. “I’ll admit; I didn’t handle our disagreements very well either.”

  “What do you say?” he asked and managed a smile. “Can we start over? You can even come back and work the ranch if you’d like.” He then made a face. “You can even bring your odd boss along since I hear he’s been playing cowboy while evading the police at my ranch like some outlaw.”

  She laughed nervously and managed a smile. “You heard about that, huh?”

  “Yeah, the guys think they’re so slick,” he announced with a sigh then shook his head. “I know more than they think, but we’ll keep that between us.”

  She laughed and hugged her father.

  Chapter Fifty

  Nearly a week had passed since Martin’s journal, and confession had cleared Brant of killing Jamie and her friends. Unfortunately, Martin had an alibi for Marlene’s murder, so that meant he was telling the truth about not killing her. Marlene’s killer was still out there. Sheriff Carter sat behind his desk while staring at the whiteboard on the wall, which contained photos of the dead women and Joe. Marlene was now on the left side of the board by herself. Her murder was unsolved, which took him right back to his first suspect--Brant. Marlene’s body was found in his basement, where it was proven she had been murdered. By his own admission, Brant was in the museum workshop from the time Marlene disappeared until her suspected time of death. He was alone the entire night. Carter shook his head with annoyance and slammed his fist on his desk, bouncing several items.