“Why do you have to be her mouth-piece, Lucille? If she had something to say, she could’ve said it to me.”
“And I agree. But I guess she thought you might be in a sort of fighting mood. Don’t know where she got that impression,” I said.
“Probably because I threatened to whoop her the next time I saw her. That’s how!”
“Anyway, she’s sorry, Merlene. She did a dumb thing. But you need to get over it. Everyone makes mistakes.”
“Yeah, but some mistakes are unforgiveable,” she said.
“You mean like what you did to me?”
I could tell that one socked her in the gut.
“Am I not letting that go?”
She sighed deeply. “Okay, you got me. I won’t hold it against her anymore, mainly because I know she’s just a natural gossiper and can’t seem to help herself. But I won’t trust her and we’re not any type of friends — that will never happen.”
“Can’t blame you for that. Anyway, I’m going to rest for a little while longer before dinner.”
“Okay. And I hope to get all the juicy details of your kidnapping over lunch tomorrow,” she said.
“Juicy?”
“You know what I mean. It might turn out to be movie-material. Something good might actually come out of it.”
“I think you’d better get out of here before there's a second murder on these grounds, Merlene, which would surely turn out to be movie-material.” I went back to bed and she closed the door behind her.
15
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It was the next day and the alarm clock flashed at 5:35 a.m. I had to get up out of bed and find that ring. I’d almost forgotten about it.
As soon as my feet hit the floor, Nilla shifted slightly on the fluffy mat she’d fallen asleep on. I got up, grabbed my duster and headed down the staircase. Nilla didn’t follow; she must’ve had a really rough night.
Coincidentally, Sir Clement was sitting on the rail of the staircase near the bottom. It was as if he was luring me.
“Good morning!” I said, while passing him. He returned a single nod.
The house was quiet as the boys were still asleep. I switched on the table lamp nearest to the couch and got down on these old knees of mine. Must admit it wasn’t easy. It had been years since I knelt anywhere. I lie. I attended a special service I was invited to about a year ago and had to kneel a few times. The last time, I thought I was literally stuck to the floor.
I reached into that spot I’d seen the ring roll to. “Where are you?” I muttered. I extended my reach further to the right since I’d already felt in the far left corner of the chair, but there was nothing. Then by means of my inner sight, I realized there was nothing under that couch other than a few of the boys’ socks Nilla had obviously dragged under there.
As I got up off my knees, I heard the clearing of someone’s throat. Sir Clement was standing next to the linen closet which was on the northern side of the stairs.
“If you can clear your throat, you should be able to talk to me,” I told him as I headed his way. “Or do you like to see me suffer?” He looked at me and I looked at him. My comment didn’t seem to interest him one way or the other.
“Is it in there?” I stood facing him.
He stared. This is precisely what I didn’t like.
“Okay.” I opened the door. At first I had no vision of where the ring could be, but then it appeared. There — in a corner of the closet — it sat. I stooped down and picked it up. The inscription on the inside was: “Pearl, my love.”
I felt shivers run down my spine. I turned to where Sir Clement was a minute ago, but he’d vanished.
“Oh, boy. This is worse than I thought,” I whispered.
* * *
I woke Theodore and Anthony up right away. Nilla hurried down the stairs along with them.
“What is it, Lucille?”
When they got to the bottom, Nilla ran over to me and started licking my toes. I caressed her fur, then she went after Theodore’s socks. He usually wore white socks to bed and Nilla loved sinking her teeth into them and occasionally, his toes.
I said to them: “You’ll never believe it. The guys who kidnapped me – those same guys from the excursion, killed Ralph Edwards! He did not drown. He was murdered and this was stolen from him.” I showed them the ring. “Read the inscription. Pearl was his wife.”
“Where did you get this, Lucille?” Anthony asked.
“It must’ve slid off Jake’s finger yesterday as we were tussling. Nilla obviously picked it up and dropped it inside the linen closet while it was open.”
“But how did you find it?” He pressed.
I knew he wanted to rephrase that to: But how did you find it? You're blind!
“I went to the closet for a sheet and partly stepped on it, so I picked it up.”
“But how did you know what the inscription was?”
“Is this the third degree, Anthony?” Theodore asked. “She slid her fingers across it; that’s how she knows.”
“Precisely!” I added. Whew! Theodore saved the day.
“Boys, I was literally in the company of two cold-blooded murderers for all that time! I’m surprised I didn’t turn up dead too when it was all said and done.”
Theodore put his arm around my shoulder. “We’ll go to the Sheriff’s office and let them know.” Then he looked at Anthony. “Let’s get her down there.”
“We can’t go to the Chadsworth police,” I said.
“Why not?” Anthony asked.
“Mickey and I went to the one in Brighton. That’s where I gave my statement about the kidnapping. It’s their jurisdiction.”
“Where the kidnapping took place was their jurisdiction, Miss Pfiffer,” Theodore said, “but the murder happened in Chadsworth, so that’s Sheriff Cooke’s territory. I think it’s best that you contact Mickey to find out what you should do, just to be sure though.”
“Good idea,” Anthony agreed.
I gave Mickey a call and he said he’d pass by the house on his way to work to have a look at what I found. He lived a few miles down in a beautiful subdivision called ‘Feathers Nest’ where only wealthy folk resided. They had twenty-four hour security, so not just anyone could roll in there.
He arrived at my house around a quarter of eight and seemed quite spirited for that time of morning.
“Would you like a cup of coffee, Mickey?” I asked.
“Oh no, thanks. I’ve already had two for the morning,” he replied.
Well, that explained the sprightliness he’d brought along with him.
Mickey and I were sitting in the living room while Anthony tidied up the kitchen and Theodore stood listening near the archway.
Mickey checked out the ring as I explained where I found it.
“You’ll have to turn this over to the Sheriff’s department here in Chadsworth, so they can find out whether or not it belonged to this Edwards guy.”
Then he paused.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“I’m afraid that even if it’s proven that it belongs to the dead guy, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he was killed and that those guys killed him. The autopsy report would have to conclude with something significant that points to death other than drowning for the state to even have a starting point in building a murder case. And the report hasn’t been released yet. Between just us though, I heard from a source at the Medical Examiner’s office that they were wrapping things up yesterday, so we might hear something concrete by today, as far as that’s concerned.”
“So, you’re saying there’s a chance those guys can get away with it?” Theodore chimed in.
Mickey nodded, reluctantly. “Anything is possible. The ring on its own can point to ownership, but proving how it got here and the fact that Lucille didn’t actually see it in their possession makes things quite difficult. On the other hand, even if it could be proven that the ring was in their possession, it could be argued that they stole it while Edwards wa
s asleep in his room at the resort or it could have slipped off his finger and one of the guys found it. It would be an uphill battle with the ring alone to prove those guys killed anyone, even though I personally believe they had something to do with his death.”
“So, what now?” I asked.
Just then, Anthony stepped out of the kitchen and said, “The news is starting now, you guys!” He turned up the TV’s volume.
The first item on the agenda was concerning Ralph Edwards’ autopsy. The results were in. We all glanced at each other and in a way, were holding our breaths. Inwardly, I prayed that the old guy got justice and the truth surrounding his demise would not be hidden.
I gasped as it was announced that the pathologist ruled Ralph’s death an “accidental drowning”. Then I was furious.
“How could he make such a careless mistake?” I exclaimed.
There was silence in the room, then Theodore said, “Suppose the results are right and the most those guys did was steal his ring?”
“The results aren’t right!” I snarled. “I feel it in my gut!”
Anthony seemed to have an opinion, but probably figured it might be best to keep it to himself, considering my mood.
Mickey cleared his throat. “Under the circumstances, Lucille, I suggest you hand over the ring to the police so once they obtain a positive ID they can release it to the family of the deceased. No need for any analysis to be done at this point.”
“And that’s it?” I asked.
“I’m afraid so.”
“Hogwash!” I stood up. “Are they still holding those guys down in Brighton?”
“Yeah, they are,” he replied.
“Call your office and let your secretary know you’re going to be late. Take me to where those brutes are and bill me for your time if you must.”
I then turned to the boys. “You boys, don’t miss another day of work on the count of me. I’ll be fine. Go on.”
They both agreed they’d be going.
I promised Nilla an afternoon stroll, made sure her necessities were accessible, then Mickey and I left for Brighton.
16
_________________
Mickey contacted the lead detective in my kidnapping case prior to our arrival at the station and he agreed to allow me to see Jake for a few minutes. That afternoon he and Sal were scheduled to be transported to the big house to await trial, so we were lucky to get there beforehand.
Despite Mickey’s curiosity as to why I insisted on seeing any of those crooks before the trial, I resisted telling him. I didn’t need anyone trying to talk me out of what I’d made up my mind to do.
Detective Maura led us over to a little room where Jake was seated at a steel table. He was chained hand and foot, and awaiting my arrival. A tall, armed guard stood nearby.
“Here’s your guy,” Maura said, at the door.
“Mickey, I’d like to do this alone, if you don’t mind,” I said.
“Are you sure?” He seemed reluctant.
“Isn’t there someone guarding him?” I asked, knowingly.
“Yes, there is,” Maura indicated. “Don’t worry, Mickey. She’ll be fine.”
“Okay, Lucille. I’ll be close by,” Mickey replied. He guided me into the room and helped me in a chair on the opposite side of the table, facing Jake, then he and Maura left.
It felt weird sitting across from Jake knowing he was now the one being held against his will.
“What do you want, old lady?” he asked abruptly; his arms outstretched on the table and fingers interlocked.
I pulled out the ring as the officer looked on.
“Does this look familiar to you?” I asked Jake.
He gazed at it, then replied, “Nope. Can’t say it does.”
“Do you know what the inscription says? It reads: ‘Pearl, my love’.”
“So what? What does any of this have to do with me?”
“Everything, and you know it. Listen to me. Ralph Edwards lost his wife not too long ago. From the way he spoke, it sounded like he really loved her just as I’m sure you loved your Helen.”
“Don’t bring my wife into this. She has nothing to do with anything you’re talking about.”
I can tell I struck a nerve.
“His wedding ring must’ve meant a lot for him to have had these words about his wife inscribed in it. I know you guys killed him and took whatever you found of any value.”
He sucked his teeth.
“Were you trying to rob him that night at the resort and he resisted you? Or was it that he caught you ransacking his room after he returned from dinner, and to shut him up you killed him, then stole his ring? Why did you kill him?” I probed. “I’m sure no answer you can give will possibly make any type of sense, but I want you to know that I know you’ve murdered a man because of greed and you won’t get away with it. Someday, some way, you’ll pay and it will be really bad for you, Jake. I’m sure you’ve disappointed your wife terribly, the way you’ve lived since she passed away and I dare say that because of you – your horrendous actions, she cannot be resting in peace.”
I slipped the ring back into my purse and backed my chair away from the table. “I’m ready to leave,” I told the guard.
Jake sat there quietly as I left.
I handed the ring to Mickey while in the truck. “Do me a favor and make sure Ralph’s family gets this please.”
He accepted it. “I will.”
I told Mickey what I’d done.
“You had us drive all the way out here just to try and talk sense into a criminal’s head, Lucille? Those type of people will never change. What you said to him went through one ear and out the next.”
“At least I did what I felt I needed to do,” I replied.
He shook his head. “You’re a special gal. That’s for sure.”
I didn’t feel so special at the moment. An innocent man was murdered and no one was going to pay for it. I felt like I’d let old Ralph down.
* * *
Merlene and I kept our lunch date for later that day. She’d given Nilla her favorite meal before we left and promised her an awesome treat when we returned. On the way to the diner, she stopped and purchased several medium-sized packets of treats so Nilla wouldn’t run out for a while. Looks like she beat Theodore to it.
As we sat and talked about the most recent crazy events in my life, my cell phone rang. It was Mickey.
“I’ve got some really great news for you, my girl!” he started.
“What is it, Mickey?” He had my full attention.
“You must’ve gotten to that guy today because Detective Maura just called and said this Jake fella gave a written statement confessing to everything — the kidnapping, extortion and guess what? — The murder of Ralph Edwards! He will likely spend the remainder of his life in prison.”
Almost in a daze, I put down the other half of my sandwich. “When did this happen?”
“Maura said about an hour after we left. Isn’t this fantastic!”
“Yes, it is,” I said. “Did Jake say why they killed Ralph?”
“Robbery gone bad. They accosted him when he was about to enter his room that night at the resort and the old guy put up a fight. Said he was getting loud and they panicked. So they dragged him over to the pool nearby and drowned him,” Mickey explained.
“What about the other guy? Did he confess too?”
“They’re working on him. In any event, Jake already ratted him out in his confession, so he doesn’t stand a chance. They’re both going away for a very long time.”
“Thanks so much for letting me know,” I said.
“What is it?” Merlene asked after I ended the call.
“Jake confessed to everything, including murdering Ralph Edwards,” I replied.
“That’s fantastic! But hey, you don’t look so thrilled?”
I slowly moved my finger around the rim of my soda can. “It was all senseless. Just senseless. A man lost his life for absolutely nothing and now
these two young men are losing theirs to the system. It’s just disheartening, that’s all.”
“I know how you feel,” she said. “Sometimes it seems like there’s no hope for humanity. Anyway, there’s nothing we can do; we can’t change what’s happened.”
“I know.”
* * *
Later that evening, I hid away in the comfort of my bedroom and continued perusing the information I’d recorded from the local Archives relating to Sir Clement’s murder. Soon, something very interesting caught my eye. It had to do with his brother Alfred, who happened to be the grandfather of his grandnephew Luke Tucker whose house was at the end of my block. Could it be that Sir Clement’s murder was not an outside job as everyone in the community suspected it was? Could it be that the real murderer might be much closer to home?
~ The End ~
Find out what Lucille uncovers surrounding Sir Clement Tucker’s untimely death in book three of the Lucille Pfiffer Mystery series: BLIND JUSTICE.
BLIND JUSTICE
Book Three
Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series
Tanya R. Taylor
1
_________________
(A Tangled Web)
I couldn’t get to that blasted phone fast enough! Merlene wouldn’t believe what I’d come across. If my suspicions were right, poor Sir Clement Tucker who lurks around my house, as if it’s actually his, would’ve been knocked off by the very one he trusted. I’m sure the information Merlene and I had retrieved from the local Archives was the same the police had been privy to. So, the million dollar question prevailed: Was there a cover up?
If Sir Clement misbehaved himself and plunged me back into darkness, he’d be doing himself a disfavor since he obviously was looking for me to solve the mystery of his untimely death. I really don’t know what he saw in me—maybe it was my almost seventy-year-old curves and white hair. Maybe in death he had a thing for extremely attractive older ladies. Anyway, as for the “untimely death” thing, Merlene and I had frequently debated whether there’s any such thing. I always thought so, but she was adamant that our clocks were set from the moment we were conceived. I don’t know... I can make a good argument to the contrary—that’s for sure.
Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series Box Set Page 19
