The Invisible Wife

by Thomas Fincham

  Patti saw how miserable he was becoming. She had let him go without any bickering.

  He got the freedom he was searching for, but now he realized it was all an illusion. There was so much wisdom in the saying: The grass is greener where you water it.

  Callaway had a steady job as a deputy sheriff. He had a beautiful wife who loved him, and he had a precious little girl who needed him the most.

  Instead of working hard to make things work, he threw it all away.

  When Callaway saw Patti get in the Ferrari with Dr. Hayward, he felt like a piece of his heart was cut out of him. The feeling was so intense, it was physical, something he had not experienced before.

  His heart was broken.

  You’re a dumbass for letting her go, he scolded himself. Don’t be surprised if she ends up marrying him. He will be a far better husband and stepfather than you’ll ever be. As a medical doctor, he’ll give Patti the financial support she always deserved, and he’ll be there for Nina like you never were. You had your chance, buddy, and you blew it.

  FIFTY-NINE

  Callaway checked his watch. The time was now late. He could not very well go back to his empty hotel room. His emotions were all over the place. He needed to focus, get his mind preoccupied with something else.

  He thought about going to a bar, but no good would come out of that. He would only get drunk by trying to drink his sorrows away, which would result in him arguing with the bartender and getting thrown out. Worse, he would get in an argument with another patron and get hit in the head with a bottle.

  That had happened before. Callaway had to get eighteen stitches in the back of his head.

  He could always go to his office, but it too was empty. He would end up ruminating about all the mistakes he had made in his life.

  He decided to drive across the city. He parked in front of a gated house; it belonged to Isabel and Cary Gilford.

  Whenever he was on a job—whether it was on a stakeout or gathering information—he felt alive.

  Behind the property’s walls, he could see lights on the second floor. His client and her husband were still awake.

  He was not sure what he would find here, but he did not care.

  If he had to spend the entire night in his car, he would.

  Isabel Gilford had given him a substantial fee to dig up dirt on her husband, and Callaway would do just that.

  He looked around. There were other cars parked on the street, so he was not worried about being spotted. Every once in a while, a car would drive by, its headlights almost blinding him. Whenever that happened, he would slide down in his seat.

  He would hate for a neighbor to call the police on him.

  How would he explain what he was doing here?

  He tilted his seat back and decided to close his eyes.

  Before he left Patti’s house, she asked him if he could drop Nina off at school in the morning. She had an early shift and she had forgotten to remind her neighbor.

  Since Callaway disliked said neighbor, he agreed without hesitation.

  He did not know when, but he eventually fell asleep.

  His eyes snapped open. He bolted up and looked around. He was still in the Charger.

  He quickly realized what had awoken him.

  It was the noise from the Gilford’s front gate. He lowered himself even further into the seat. He watched as two headlights appeared behind the gate.

  Cary Gilford’s Audi emerged from the gate and drove away.

  Callaway put the Charger in gear and followed after.

  The clock on the dashboard showed it was well past midnight.

  Where are you going this late at night? he thought. Are you meeting your mistress?

  If that was it, then he had hit the jackpot. He would have the proof he was searching for.

  The Audi moved through the empty streets and got onto a busy road. The Audi then pulled into a tavern’s parking lot.

  Callaway did the same.

  He watched Cary Gilford get out and go inside.

  Callaway debated whether to wait for him in the Charger, but he was here for a reason, and it would not be complete unless he got close to the action.

  He left the Charger and entered the bar. He scanned the interior and caught Gilford in a booth in the far corner. He was wearing a baseball cap, jeans jacket, and khaki pants.

  Callaway went to the other side of the bar and pulled up a stool.

  So much for not going to a bar, he thought.

  The bartender came over, and he ordered a drink. When the drink came, he took small sips.

  Meanwhile, Gilford was flirting with a waitress who was young, blonde, and wore tight-fitting clothing.

  Callaway’s hands balled into fists. Gilford was the worst of the worst. He was cheating on his wife with his assistant, and on top of that, he was also physically violent toward his wife.

  If Callaway had his way, he would teach the man a lesson right this minute. But if he did his job right, then Gilford’s wife would teach him a lesson he would never forget.

  Gilford drank from a tall glass and stared at his phone.

  Almost forty-five minutes later, with his glass empty, he got up, paid his bill, and then left the tavern.

  Callaway followed him back to his house. Afterwards, he decided to head home himself. He had given Patti his word that he would be at her house first thing in the morning.

  If Patti’s relationship with Dr. Hayward became serious, Callaway would need to be on her good side, or she might finally start limiting his access to Nina.

  SIXTY

  Fisher was at her local gym. Her feet pounded on the treadmill. She preferred running outside. Nothing compared to the feeling of fresh air in her lungs. But rain was falling when she woke up.

  She liked going for an early morning jog each day, but this was not possible when she was deep in a new investigation. Last night, after Holt had left, she went through all the evidence they had on Big Bob’s murder.

  From photos from the crime scene to witness statements, it was a lot of material. She was up until two a.m. at the office when she finally decided to go home.

  Sleep was fitful. She felt like she was missing a significant piece to this entire puzzle. She just was not sure what it was.

  She ramped up the speed on the treadmill and went on a full sprint. Only when her legs were turning to pulp did she slow down and begin to jog again. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. This gave her a good sweat. Fisher believed if she was not sweating hard, she was not running hard.

  A man wearing a cut-off T-shirt, shorts, and runners was seated on a bench at the far end of the gym. He was curling his biceps with fifty-pound dumbbells. She had noticed him the moment she entered the gym. He watched her walk from the main doors to the treadmill. Even now he was staring in her direction.

  The man was a regular. His muscles were bigger than his head. Fisher knew his type. They came to the gym to not only work out but also pick up girls. And if they saw a woman who had not been there before—Fisher was not a member, she had only purchased a day pass—he would make his move.

  Fisher suddenly missed McConnell. They had both been working long hours, and they hardly saw each other lately. But neither complained. They knew the demands of the job before they became a couple. For this reason, Fisher believed this relationship might last longer than her others.

  McConnell was also far more mature than other people she had gone out with. He was not needy. He did not call her every hour of every day. Sometimes she wished he did, but only because it made a girl feel like she was special. But when he did call, he rarely spoke about work, which was also refreshing.

  She looked at the man on the bench again. The moment their eyes met, as she expected, he jumped on his feet and strolled over to her.

  “Hey,” he said with a grin. “I haven’t seen you here before.”

  “It’s my first time.”

  “You know if you need pointers on how to work out prope
rly, I can help you.” He leaned closer. His body spray was overwhelming. “My name is Zack.”

  Zack! Of course, she thought.

  She smiled. “Oh, what a coincidence. My boyfriend’s name is Zack as well.”

  Zack looked like he had been hit on the head. “It is?”

  “Yes, and he’s a police officer for the Milton PD.”

  Zack turned pale. “Police officer?”

  “I will introduce him to you.”

  “Um… I should go finish my workout.”

  As he raced away, she yelled, “Nice to meet you.”

  She had a feeling Zack would no longer bother her for the remainder of her workout.

  She glanced down at her watch.

  She frowned.

  I should get back to the station, she thought.

  She walked over to her gym bag. She pulled out her cell phone and saw there were five missed calls, all from Holt.

  She checked her voicemail.

  Her eyes widened at what she heard.

  She raced out of the gym.

  SIXTY-ONE

  On any other day, when the alarm clock would go off, Callaway would hit the snooze button and fall right back to sleep. Today was different. He could not be late to drop Nina off at school.

  After washing his face and changing his clothes, he drove straight to Patti’s house.

  He knocked on the door. She answered. “You keep surprising me, Lee,” she said.

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Last night you were there to watch Nina, and here you are first thing in the morning.”

  He shrugged. “People change, you know.”

  She stared at him. “I guess if Jimmy could change at his age, there is still hope for you.”

  Patti knew all about Jimmy Keith. Callaway told her all the details. Jimmy had taught Callaway a way of life that included being selfish and self-indulgent. Callaway had adhered to his teachings like they were gospel, something he now realized was foolish.

  “Where’s Nina?” he asked.

  “She’s having breakfast.” Patti replied. “You had something to eat?”

  “No, I came straight from bed.”

  “You look it. Come in. There’s an extra cup of coffee in the pot. And you can make toast and jam. The jam’s in the fridge.” Patti grabbed her coat, purse, and said, “Nina’s school doesn’t open for another forty minutes, so don’t drop her off too early.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t leave her at the door and walk away,” Callaway said.

  Patti did not look like she believed him.

  When she was gone, he went to the kitchen.

  “Hi, Daddy,” Nina said with a smile. She was having a bowl of oatmeal.

  “Hey, sweetie,” he said, kissing her on the forehead. He grabbed the pot and poured himself a cup. He then grabbed a bagel from the fridge and sat down across from Nina. He could not remember the last time he had breakfast with her.

  Is this what I’ve missed all these years? he thought.

  “You’re excited about school?” he asked.

  She beamed. “I am. I love my teachers. And Jamie and I are working on a project together.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Jamie’s a girl, right?”

  Nina laughed. “No, Dad, he’s a boy.”

  They finished their meal. Nina jumped up from her chair. “I have to go change my clothes.”

  “Okay, dear, I’ll be right here.”

  Callaway was still hungry. He rummaged through the fridge and grabbed a piece of lemon pie. The pie was leftover from several days ago, but he did not care. He ate the pie like it was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten.

  Once Nina was ready, they walked the three blocks to her school. A boy ran up to them. He had curly hair, wore glasses, and he had braces on his teeth. He smiled and said, “Hi, Nina.”

  “Hi, Jamie.”

  So that’s Jamie, he thought. I saw him before.

  “I have so many ideas for our project,” Jamie excitedly said.

  “Me too,” Nina replied.

  The bell rang. Nina waved goodbye to Callaway.

  Jamie was about to go with her when Callaway put a hand out to stop him. He said to Nina, “You go ahead, dear. I just want to speak to Jamie for a second.”

  Nina looked uncertain, but she walked away nonetheless.

  Callaway turned to Jamie. “So, what’re your intentions toward my daughter?”

  Jamie looked confused.

  Callaway said, “Do you love her?”

  Jamie looked at his feet. “I dunno.”

  “Do you like her?”

  “I guess so.”

  “You guess so?” Callaway repeated.

  “I mean, she’s nice and…”

  “Do you plan on marrying her?”

  Jamie’s mouth dropped. “Marriage? I’m only nine.”

  “In some countries that’s the legal age of marriage.” Callaway was not sure if that was true, but he was not about to backtrack.

  “Um… I should go.”

  Callaway got so close that he was inches away from Jamie’s face. “I’m watching you, kid. If you break her heart, I will break you in half.”

  Callaway snapped his fingers. The sound made the boy jump.

  Jamie raced up the steps and disappeared behind the main doors.

  Callaway smiled. I’m glad we had this talk.

  SIXTY-TWO

  Fisher parked her SUV behind a strand of yellow police tape and got out. She was at a trailer park just an hour outside of Milton.

  Holt approached her and said, “We found him.”

  “Chase Burley,” she repeated as if to make sure.

  He nodded.

  “Who found him?” she asked.

  “One of the trailer park’s residents.”

  “Who’s the owner of the trailer home?”

  “It’s registered to a woman named Debra Coleheim.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Not sure. She wasn’t here when we arrived.”

  “Okay, let’s take a look.”

  They ducked underneath the tape and proceeded up a grassy hill. The trailer had aluminium siding and was slightly bigger than a pickup truck. She stepped onto a landing and then entered the crammed space.

  The trailer’s interior had a tiny kitchen in the middle, and a table and chairs were on the right with a TV next to the table. On the left, through a narrow door, was the bedroom.

  She headed for the bedroom.

  She found Chase Burley sprawled on the bed. Blood covered his chest.

  “He was stabbed like his father,” she said.

  “That’s the first thing that crossed my mind too,” Holt said.

  The bed took up the entire room. Fisher had to be careful maneuvering around the space. Fortunately, she was still dressed in her comfortable gym clothes. She pulled on latex gloves and then got on the bed. The sheets and pillows were soaked in red.

  Fisher pulled out her penlight and flashed it across Chase’s face. He had blond hair that was slicked back. He had a goatee and a diamond stud in the left ear. His eyes were open, but there were lacerations across his cheeks, nose, and temples.

  “It looks like someone tortured him,” she said.

  “That would be my guess as well,” Holt said.

  She swept the light over Chase’s hands. All his fingers were still intact.

  Holt said, “I did a cursory look around the trailer, and I didn’t find a safe of any kind.”

  “So why hurt him like this?” Fisher asked.

  “It’s simple,” he replied.

  She turned to him.

  “The money from Robert Burley’s safe,” he said.

  Fisher frowned. “I’m not so sure…”

  “Think about it,” Holt said. “Chase Burley was seen at his father’s house prior to his murder. He was struggling for money and his father had refused to help him further. Robert Burley was known to keep a lot of cash on hand. He did not trust banks. His son would
have known about the money in the safe.”

  “So, are you saying after the maid saw Chase leave, he returned later and killed his father and took the cash?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying. And,” he added, pointing to the body, “someone must have found out what he’d done, and they tortured him to get the money.”

  Fisher pondered this scenario. “What about the drugs we found stashed in the house?”

  “What about them?”

  “I thought that was why he had gone to the house,” Fisher said.

  Holt shook his head. “Did you ever wonder why we found the drugs in the first place? Because Chase Burley had left them behind on purpose. He didn’t need them. He had the money from the safe, which could have been a substantial amount.”

  Fisher turned to Chase’s lifeless body. She could not help but wonder, Is that why someone cut you up so badly?

  SIXTY-THREE

  His name was Bull. Holt and Fisher were not sure if it was his real name, but that was what he told them. In size and girth, he was the polar opposite of his namesake. Bull stood less than five-feet in height, and he weighed less than a hundred pounds. From afar he looked more like a boy than a man. But up close, his wrinkled skin and graying hair gave his age away. Bull was also a heavy smoker. He reeked of cigarettes.

  He took a drag on his current smoke and shook his head. “Man, I ain’t never seen anything like that.”

  “Do you know Debra Coleheim? The woman who lives in the trailer?” Fisher asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Where can we find her?”

  “I don’t know where she is right now,” Bull replied. “I would tell you if I did. After what I saw happen to that guy, I’m worried about her.”

  “You know her well?”

  “Well enough.” He shrugged. “I mean, whenever I saw her sitting out on her lawn chair with a beer in her hand, I’d join her. And it would be the same thing if she saw me outside my home, you know.”

  “What can you tell us about her?”

  “Her parents are from Missouri. I think her dad was in prison for murder, so her mom raised her and her brothers and sister. Debra couldn’t wait to get out, and she left the moment she turned eighteen.”