“Kidnapped or murdered. It wouldn’t be the first time an over-zealous gambler ran out of luck.”
“His daughter dreams of him walking away from the house and disappearing. I know that doesn’t prove she stood in the doorway and watched him go.”
“Mrs. Snow, if the man is alive, I trust Detectives North and West will find him. I can’t help thinking of my granddaughter and how devastated she would be if her daddy disappeared from her life.”
***
Rebecca called Annie telling her Dr. Floyd Bennett would talk to her about hypnosis.
“Rebecca, I can’t believe you acted so quickly. I talked it over with my husband. Kevin is afraid it will bring up memories I’m better not knowing. I want to try it, but I promised him I’d check with our family doctor first.”
“I understand, Annie, and I know Dr. Bennett will agree. You have waited this long, another few weeks won’t hurt, and it will give you and Kevin peace of mind.”
“I don’t want to wait that long, I’ll call Dr. Blair today. The children are at camp and I am free when Dr. Bennett can see me.”
“Annie, you know it might not help you find your sister’s killer. I don’t want you to get your hopes up only to be disappointed.”
“I know it’s a long-shot but after all these years it will be therapeutic for me to do something about finding the maniac who chose to drink and drive. Rebecca, I can’t thank you enough.”
Rebecca felt good about helping the women find peace and closure. Her mind went to Sally Evans. She wondered if it would be intrusive if she stopped by Sally’s house uninvited to discuss the Community Playhouse. Yes, but I’ll do it anyway, she thought to herself.
***
The ring of the doorbell startled Sally. She’d only been home from work for a few minutes and was changing into shorts and a tee-shirt to do gardening.
“Rebecca, what a nice surprise, pardon my attire, I’d planned to pick weeds from my flowerbed this afternoon.”
“I’m sorry to barge in on you, Sally, I was on my way home when I remembered I’d promised to introduce you to Sandy Clark the director of the Community Playhouse. If you are still interested.”
“Oh yes, I’m interested. I need something to occupy my time. My job helps, but it’s only part-time. My husband works late hours and my children both have jobs after school. I have too much time on my hands and I’d love to involve myself with the playhouse.
“May I offer you a glass of iced tea or lemonade?”
“I don’t want to keep you from your garden.”
“The weeds can wait, I’d much rather talk to you about the playhouse and how someone with no experience can help.”
“Except for Harvey Rutledge, none have had professional experience. I just left the office of Detective Dan North, he’s a cop and hadn’t acted a day in his life. Now he can’t wait for our fall programs to start. He’s a good actor.”
Sally filled two glasses with ice, added a lemon slice and filled them with freshly brewed tea. As she walked to the kitchen table, she glanced out the front window and saw a man’s shadow on the side of the house. Alarmed, the glasses fell from her hands. Ice cubes, lemon, tea, and shattered glass covered the floor.
“I’m sorry,” Sally cried, “I’ll take care of this mess.”
Rebecca’s heart went out to the woman, Fear made her drop the glasses, and the fear was caused by movement outside her window.
“Sally, I’ll help you clean this up and then I want you to sit down and tell me what has you so frightened.”
Chapter Eleven
Sally glanced out the window often while cleaning the spilled tea. Her fear subsided when she saw no one there.
Rebecca helped with the mess and then offered to pour a fresh glass for them both. When she placed the glasses on the table, she rested her hand on Sally’s hand.
“I understand if you don’t want to talk about your fear, however, I am happy to listen.”
“Rebecca, I’ve kept the fear inside for so long, it has become a part of me. I never thought he’d find me again.”
“Sally, if you are in danger, perhaps the police can help.”
“I don’t know if my fear is real or my active imagination after so many years. It happened some twenty years ago. I lived with my mother’s Aunt Tilly after my mom lost her battle with cancer. I didn’t know my father, Mom didn’t say much about him except I knew they’d never been married. Because of Mom’s illness, money was short after she died. I found a part-time job in a jewelry store working after school and on weekends. I enjoyed working there and continued during the summer after graduation. One July day, I’d forgotten my lunch and walked to a nearby deli to buy a sandwich. Upon my return, I sensed something was wrong when I opened the back door. Mr. Richardson wasn’t in his office and it was strangely quiet in the showroom. I walked to the door peeking through a crack and saw a man wearing a ski mask filling a bag with jewelry. I could see a sales clerk lying on the floor with her face in her hands, she was whimpering. As quietly as possible, I found my way to Mr. Richardson’s office and dialed 911. I know the operator could barely hear my incoherent voice when I told her the store was being robbed, and I thought I saw a gun. Somehow, she deciphered what I was saying and told me she would send help. I knew I should hide, but something made me walk to the door of the showroom. The thief had a gun pointed at my friend, Ethel. I screamed ‘NO!’ startling the gunman. In an instant, Mr. Richardson jumped to his feet tackling the man around the knees and knocking him to the floor. The gun flew out of his hands. I ran to pick it up and held it aimed at his head. I don’t know what I’d have done if he’d come after me. The gun felt like a weight in my shaking hands. Instead, he ran through the store and out the back door. Before he disappeared, he pulled off the ski mask, and I recognized him as Todd Swayze, a boy in my graduating class.
“Seconds later, the police arrived. Todd was too fast for them and he’d made his escape. The police questioned me and I identified the thief.
“Todd’s father was a big shot on the town council and he visited Aunt Tilly and me urging me to say I was mistaken. He said he and his son had fished all that day and it was impossible for Todd to be in two places at the same time.
“I told Mr. Swayze I knew what I’d seen and Todd would have killed my friend if Mr. Richardson hadn’t tackled him. I can remember him saying no one would believe a little nobody like me over his boy. He said his lawyers would ruin my reputation and say I was a rejected lover because Todd rebuffed my advances.
“I thought Aunt Tilly would take a broom to him, she was so mad. He left with a promise he rewarded those who were loyal to him. He didn’t say what would happen to those who weren’t loyal, but I understood his meaning.
“The case went to trial, and I was the key witness. True to his word, Todd’s lawyers tried to discredit me but remembering Ethel lying helpless on the floor while Todd pointed a gun to her head kept me strong.
“Todd was found guilty of second-degree robbery and sentenced to twenty years behind bars.
“After the verdict was read, Mr. Swayze walked past me in the courtroom, he glared at me and called me a liar. He said I would be sorry and walked on.
“Six months later, Aunt Tilly was the victim of a hit-and-run accident while walking home from church. She never recovered from her injuries and the driver was never found.
“The next day, I packed my belongings and boarded a bus to Oakwood Park. I wanted to get as far away from the Swayze family as possible. I attended the community college where I met Paul.”
“Sally, that is a horrific story, did you tell anyone about your aunt and Mr. Swayze’s threats?”
“No, I didn’t want to talk about it. I blamed myself for Aunt Tilly’s death. If I’d only told the court I didn’t see the thief’s face, the accident wouldn’t have happened. The incident has never been out of my head although it’s been many years. I think Todd’s father has found me; the man who has walked in the circle looks like an older version of
Mr. Swayze.”
“Sally, that man has upset everyone who has seen him. If Mr. Swayze still blames you for his son’s imprisonment, and he has found you, you could be in danger. You said you are often home alone in the evenings when your family is at work, does your husband know of your fear?”
“I’ve never told Paul everything about the situation. He knows about the robbery and that I was a witness, but I couldn’t talk about Mr. Swayze and his threats. You are the only person I’ve been honest with, Rebecca.”
“Sally, I’d like you to tell your story to Detective North at the police station. He will learn the identity of the man wandering the circle. I think we all will feel better if we know he’s simply a neighbor taking a walk.”
Sally agreed to meet with Detective North at the police station. She didn’t want him to come to her home in case Mr. Swayze was watching the house. Sally would tell Paul about the trial and Mr. Swayze’s threats. She wondered if she was making a big deal out of nothing and then remembered Aunt Tilly and the hit-and-run driver who killed her. Mr. Swayze had enough money to pay a professional to make a deliberate hit look like an accident.
Meanwhile, in the Rutledge home
“Erin, dear, what is wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I think I did see a ghost, Grandma. A man walked past the house who looked like Coach Willard. Mother said he’d been run out-of-town because of me. Does he still live in Oakwood Park?”
“That’s not true, Erin, Coach Willard left because his wife threw him out after your mother exposed their affair. He lost his job and his family. His wife, Elizabeth, couldn’t live with the shame of people knowing her husband was unfaithful, she and her children moved out of Oakwood Park. I’ve heard nothing about them in several years. The Willards could be back together, but I doubt it, Elizabeth Willard never struck me as the forgiving type.”
Harvey came into the house. “Did you see that fellow who walked around the circle? His face looked familiar, but I can’t place him. I called out, and he kept walking. Maybe he’s hard of hearing.”
Chapter Twelve
Waving from the window as Rebecca pulled away from her house, Sally felt a sense of relief. She’d been consumed with fear Mr. Swayze had found her again. Rebecca promised to talk to the police detective, perhaps he would discover the man was living in California and had not traveled to Oakwood Park to torment her. Sally agreed with Rebecca, she needed to tell Paul the truth about the threats and stop hiding her fear from her family.
Rebecca called Dan North on her way to the police station to let him know she was stopping by.
“Rebecca Snow is on her way. I can tell by her voice something new is troubling her. Rebecca is a mystery magnet, lucky for us, she’s on our side.”
At the Police Station
“I’m sorry to barge in on you two. I have new information that might involve a mystery man who has spooked most of Kenzie’s new neighbors on Applewood Circle.
“Something disturbing occurred several years ago in each of five families living there. I’ve told you about Annie Palmer’s little sister’s accident, Jessica Barnes’ missing father and Al Fox, the careless mechanic who might be responsible for Carol Harper’s accident.”
“Yes, I’m still working on finding Al Fox, and Kenneth Ford. Has Mrs. Palmer seen Dr. Bennett yet?”
“Her appointment is tomorrow. Her husband insisted she clear it with her physician. He and I will be in the room with her. She’s agreed to having the session recorded. It will be difficult, I hope it does no harm.”
“Dr. Bennett won’t go too far; I’ve seen him in action and he has a knack for triggering memories of unpleasant experiences. I know he will stop the procedure if Mrs. Palmer shows signs of distress.
“What other skeletons have you uncovered about the good folks of Applewood Circle?”
“Harvey Rutledge’s granddaughter, Erin, is living with him and Vivian while she teaches at Oakwood Park Elementary School. There was a scandal several years ago. Erin was a seven-year-old when she came home from a friend’s house unexpectedly and found her mother frolicking in bed with the high school football coach. She misunderstood and called her father because she thought a man was hurting her mother. You can imagine how that scene ended. Coach Willard called it quits with Denise Rutledge and she took revenge by telling the principal of their tryst. She barged into her lover’s home while his wife was entertaining her book club and revealed the affair. Coach lost his job and his family and disappeared from Oakwood Park. Denise blames Erin for ruining her life.”
“That’s dumb,” said Erica who’d been listening intently.
“I agree, Erin’s dad, Richard, married a lovely woman who has been a real mother to Erin.”
“I’m guessing you want to find the errant coach, but why?”
“I have one more story to tell and then I’ll answer your question.”
“Please do, these people are fascinating.”
“The most frightening of all is Sally Evans,” Rebecca repeated the story Sally told her earlier. The concern showed on the detectives’ faces.
“Is there a reason she never told the authorities about this man’s threats?” Erica asked.
“She was young and had no one except an elderly aunt who died under suspicious circumstances. The girl was afraid for her life. She tried to block it out and never told her husband the truth. He knew she’d been a witness in the trial, but thought it ended there. I encouraged her to come clean with him.
“Each one of these women and Scott Harper has seen an elderly stranger walking around the circle. I saw him the first day Erin moved into the house. I can’t tell you why, but I had a sense of foreboding when he glanced my way. I haven’t seen him since that day but the others have spotted him. They say he appears out of nowhere and disappears as quickly. Harvey called to him and he walked away. I don’t think these people are paranoid, but the man adds to their fear. Especially Sally Evans.”
“Rebecca, are you saying the man is a ghost?”
“He’s not a ghost, he’s real and he could be an old man wearing a trench coat with a hearing problem who enjoys walking around the neighborhood. Maybe I’m making too much out of this but my instincts tell me something is not right.”
“I trust your instincts, Rebecca. I will see what I can find on Coach Willard and the Swayze character. Did Sally give you the first name?”
“Frederick Swayze, his son is Todd, as far as she knows Todd is still serving his time in prison.”
“Do you object to our visiting these women and Scott Harper? I’d like it if you are there too, Rebecca. I’ll alert the neighborhood patrol to watch for an elderly man wearing a trench coat.”
“I’ll be on my way, I’ll tell the women to expect you. I haven’t talked to Scott Harper, but I know Carol will cooperate. She is eager to put the accident behind her and hopes her husband can do the same.”
***
At the Rutledge Home
“Grandpa, I said I’d go to the hardware store with you but I think I’ll stay here with Grandma. It’s unlikely the man out there is Coach Willard, but he scares me. Maybe my mother told him I am living with you now.”
“Erin, I won’t let anyone hurt you. I don’t believe the man we saw means you harm. You can’t hold up inside for the rest of the summer, you will become a hermit.”
“Harvey, don’t make her go out. A patrol car drove through, Rebecca Snow alerted the police about the stranger. When they talk to the man, we will all be relieved. Erin will not become a hermit if she doesn’t go out in the next few days.”
Harvey said the women worried needlessly, however, he had his doubts about the stranger himself.
Chapter Thirteen
At the Harper home
Scott Harper arrives from work, Carol greets him with a cool drink.
“You read my mind, sweetheart,” he said as he accepted the drink. “Are you buttering me up for a reason?”
“Can’t I offer you a
drink with no strings attached?” Carol said with a laugh. “Take a few sips of your drink and I’ll tell you what I did today.”
“You had an affair with the milkman and you are leaving me,” Scott replied with a grin.
“No, dear, it’s the mailman, we haven’t had milk delivered to the house in years.”
“Tell me what you did that was so awful.”
“I told Rebecca Snow about Albert Fox and your part destroy his business and his marriage. She and two detectives are coming here to ask you questions. You aren’t in trouble, they are trying to find out if the man everyone is seeing in the circle is a danger. You were shaken when you saw him, do you think it was Al Fox?”
“I don’t know, Carol. It’s been a few years and Fox undoubtedly changed in appearance during that time. I don’t care what he does to me, my fear is he will come after you. I couldn’t bear it if he hurt you again.”
Murder on Applewood Circle Page 5
