“Are you talking about the dead guy, Dad?”
“You guys are lucky,” said Timmy Marshall, “some dude got blown away on your street.”
“Tim!” said his father, “don’t talk like that, a man died, he had a family and maybe a son your age.”
“No, Mr. Marshall,” offered Mikey, “he was an old dude.”
“That’s enough, boys. Say hello to your mother, she’s resting in the family room.”
“Is Annie, all right, Kevin?” Jerry asked.
“She had a shock today, Jerry. She’ll be fine in time. I’m sure she’ll tell Gina about it when she’s up to it.”
***
Annie’s three boys ran to greet her concerned she was sick. It wasn’t like their mother to not meet them at the door when they came home. She hugged all three, grateful she had them in her life. The reality of her father’s involvement in her sister’s death had shaken her. She wondered if she would ever find it in her heart to forgive the man who allowed alcohol to control his life and took Melissa from her.
The Harper patio
“Scott, the kids are stopping by for dinner tonight. They want to hear about that poor man’s murder. Will you tell them you received a letter from Albert Fox?”
“Yes, for the last ten years they’ve heard me rant about the man. They will be relieved to know my fury is lessening. The last time I talked to Ted, he told me I needed to see a professional about my anger. I will take his suggestion.”
Carol smiled at her husband, the nightmare that has been part of their lives will finally be over.
The Rutledge kitchen
Erin Rutledge rushes through the back door of her grandparents’ house.
“Erin, the work-out did wonders for your energy, I should join you next time,” said Harvey Rutledge
“Grandpa, I met the owner of the gym, his name is Connor Marshall, his father is Coach Marshall. He knows you and told me his father never blamed me for causing the Marshalls’ divorce. I told him Mom’s words that Coach would find me and teach me a lesson. Connor says his father would never say a thing like that about a child. I know everyone has always told me that, but I could never get over the guilt. Connor said his dad is living a good life and is a happy man. I wish I could say the same about Mom, but her misery is not my fault.”
“Vivian, our Erin will be fine. The damage Denise caused because of her lies and intimidation is obliterated. We can rest easy.”
“Oh, Harvey, is it too soon to call Richard and Julie, they will be so relieved?”
The Barnes bedroom
Jessica Barnes sleeps restlessly with visions of her father walking out the door before he disappears from sight. Jessica stands in the doorway crying for her daddy to come back. Joe wakes from a sound sleep when his wife thrashes in bed.
“Jessica, you’re having a nightmare, wake up, sweetheart.”
Jessica sobs in Joe’s arms. “Joe, I’m losing my mind, I need answers, I must force my mother to tell me what she knows.”
Meanwhile in the Miller bedroom
A tearful Alice Miller is being comforted by her husband.
“Alice, I insist we tell Jessica the truth. She has suffered enough thinking her father abandoned her. I’ll call her first thing tomorrow morning and ask her to meet with us.”
“I know you’re right, darling, I hope she will find it in her heart to forgive us for keeping the truth from her.”
The Evans family room
Unable to sleep, Sally turns on the television set and stares at the screen. Paul joins her, holding her hand.
“Dad, Ben and I are worried about Mom,” Jessica whispers.
“Sweetheart, I’m sitting here, I can hear you. I’m sorry to worry you, I’ll be fine, I didn’t kill that man.”
“Who says you killed him?” Ben cried. “Who was the guy?”
“Sit down you two, said Paul, let your mother tell you why she was afraid of the dead man. We all know your mother wouldn’t kill anyone.”
Not wanting to force his wife to retell the story, Paul explained what happened to the children’s mother when she lived in California.
“Mom, you’re a hero, you saved that lady’s life. I’m glad that awful man is dead,” said Jenna.
“Dad, let me tell the cops Mom wouldn’t hurt anyone, she had plenty of reason to clobber me when I was a kid, but she never did.”
“Thanks, kids, I love your loyalty. I am the prime suspect. The gun was taken from Mr. Crenshaw’s store and found in the shrubs outside our house. As they say on the mystery shows, I had motive and opportunity. I can’t claim self-defense because Mr. Swayze wasn’t armed.”
“Mom, you didn’t kill that guy, they can’t prove you did.”
“People have spent their lives in prison for a crime they didn’t commit. I think we should be prepared for the worst.”
“Sally, I won’t let you talk that way. Let’s all go to bed. We need our sleep so we can face what happens next,” Paul said knowing no one would sleep that night.
Chapter Twenty
The following morning
Alice Miller placed a call to her daughter.
“Mom, if you will not tell me what happened to Daddy, I don’t want to talk to you,” Jessica said.
“Jessica, George and I are coming over, I hope Joe isn’t at the fire station.”
“No, he’s home today. I hope that means you plan to come clean.”
“Yes, I will tell you everything, I only hope you will forgive me.”
Jessica felt her knees go weak. What could her mother say needing forgiveness? Was her father a criminal on the run?
“Joe, Mom and George are on their way here, Mom is finally telling me the truth.”
“Are you prepared to listen? The happy memories of your father could be destroyed, I don’t want you hurt.”
“I know it might not be a pretty story, but I have to know the truth.”
“Do you want me to take the kids to the park while you talk to Alice?”
“No, I want you here, I’ll ask Erin Rutledge to watch them for us.”
Jessica heard George’s car pull into the driveway, her heart beat faster knowing she would finally be told the truth.
Joe offered the couple a cup of coffee, they declined.
“Jessica, your father didn’t abandon us. I’ve kept the truth to myself for so long, the lie became a reality.”
George held Alice’s hand, “Would you like me to tell the story, dear?”
“No, George, Jessica must hear it from me.”
“Spit it out, Mom,” cried Jessica, “whatever it is, can’t be as nerve-wracking as waiting to hear what you have to say.”
Alice’s voice quivered as she continued. “Your father left for work that Wednesday morning as usual. He often rode the bus, leaving our only automobile for me. He didn’t make it to the bus stop, he was abducted at the corner of our street.
“Kenneth worked as an accountant at the old Oakwood Park Bank. He’d discovered discrepancies showing the bank officers were swindling the bank and its customers.
“For several weeks before his disappearance, Kenneth’s demeanor changed. He was tense and anxious, he’d always confided in me about his work, but now he was secretive.
“I later discovered he’d not made it to work. I reported him missing that evening. After several days, the police concluded Kenneth had abandoned his family.
“I knew my husband and knew he would never leave us without a reason. I met with Roland Hinckley, the bank president. He was sympathetic but insisted he knew nothing of Kenneth’s disappearance. His brow was dripping with perspiration when he led me to the door. The next day I read he’d committed suicide in his office. I’d convinced myself it was because of his guilt over what happened to Kenneth.
“A week later, I had a phone call from a Dr. Byron Arnold. He’d been walking his dog near Redmond Lake, ninety miles from Oakwood Park. He’d discovered a man, half-dead and unconscious with multiple injuries to hi
s face and body. Dr. Arnold called for help and transported the man to a nearby hospital.”
“It was Daddy, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, Jessica, it was your daddy. When he regained consciousness, Dr. Byron said he called out for Alice and Jessica. His injuries were extensive, but not serious. The men who did this to him thought he was dead when they dumped him on the rocks by the lake. Eventually, he told the doctor who he was, and how to contact me.
“I didn’t tell you about Dr. Arnold’s call because I was afraid for your safety. After I dropped you at school that day, I drove to the hospital where I was shocked to see the man I’d loved since eighth grade. His head was covered in bandages; the parts I could see were swollen and bruised. His leg was in a cast and his arm in a sling.
“His recovery took months; I’d visit him twice a week on the days I didn’t have classes. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid for our safety. Roland Hinckley was dead and the other officers were arrested. I couldn’t let anyone know Kenneth Ford was still alive.”
“Mom, did my father have plastic surgery to repair his battered face?” Jessica said looking at her stepfather.
“Yes, Jessica, I did,” George said.
Jessica didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She threw her arms around the man she’d known as George Miller for most of her life. “Daddy, I think deep down I knew it was you. I couldn’t understand why Mom never wanted to talk about Kenneth Ford. I could see the pain in her eyes when I mentioned him and didn’t want to hurt her with my questions. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Jessica, you were too young to burden you with the secret. Your father’s recovery took almost a year. He needed extensive surgeries to repair his broken face. With the help of the FBI, Dr. Arnold invented George Miller. I’d planned to tell you the truth when you were old enough to understand. By then, the deception had gone on for so long, I thought you’d never forgive me for keeping the truth from you.”
“Sweetheart, don’t blame your mother, I went along with the plan. Most of our friends have forgotten Kenneth Ford existed and have accepted George Miller as your mother’s husband.”
“Alice,” said Joe, “I know you thought you were doing the right thing, but you haven’t heard your daughter cry out while having a nightmare about her father disappearing from her life. I’m sorry, George, I know you never meant to hurt your child, but you have deceived her for many years.”
“Joe, I’ll be fine, my folks handled the situation as best they could. Mom’s right, I was too young to keep the secret. Even now, I want to tell the world my daddy’s alive and he still loves me.
“Mom, I would like your permission to tell Rebecca Snow and Detective North the truth.”
“Yes, I’ll talk to the detective if you still want me to. I have nothing to add to the story. I was wrong, Jessica, you will forgive me because that’s the way you are. Joe, I hope you can forgive us someday too.”
“Let’s gather the kids and go out to breakfast as a family. These revelations have made me hungry,” said Joe.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cheryl Swayze Harding arrived at the Oakdale Police Department at ten o’clock that morning. She is an attractive woman in her thirties with a look of despair.
“Detective North, thank you for meeting me, I’d intended to be here earlier, however because of the time difference, I’m afraid I overslept. I went directly to the hospital morgue last night when I arrived in town. I identified my father’s body. I’ve arranged for cremation and the return of his ashes to California for burial.”
“I’m sorry you had to experience that alone, Ms. Harding, I’d have been happy to go with you.”
“Thank you, Detective, the young man who assisted me was kind. It was more difficult than I thought, but it’s over now.
“I saw on the local news you have identified a person of interest in my father’s murder.”
“Yes, Ms. Harding, our investigation is ongoing. We haven’t ruled out a robbery, Mr. Swayze had no identification on his person.”
“You should know, my father suffered from the early stages of dementia. I accompanied my husband on a business trip to Canada. I mistakenly thought Father would be all right on his own and left for the trip. I called him several times during the week. He didn’t answer his phone. I wasn’t worried because he dozed often and missed phone calls. After several days, I worried he was hurt or ill. I called his cleaning lady. She said he wasn’t home, and she hadn’t seen him for over a week. I flew back to California that afternoon. There was no sign of him in the house and none of his old friends had seen him. The next step was to report him missing, and that’s when the Cloverdale police chief told me he was found dead in Oakwood Park.
“Detective, you said the witness in my brother’s armed robbery case lived on the street where my father died. Is she the person of interest?”
“Yes, we have questioned her. To your knowledge, did your father threaten witnesses in your brother’s trial?”
“There was only one eyewitness if I remember correctly. I don’t recall her name. I was thirteen when Todd was on trial. My parents kept me from the courthouse. I know my father was heartbroken when Todd was found guilty. He blamed the girl who testified against him saying she’d lied. Mother never doubted Todd’s guilt. She told me she was glad he was behind bars and couldn’t hurt anyone.”
“Ms. Harding, the manager of the Oakwood Park Hotel called. Your father’s belongings are in the room. Would you like Detective West and me to go with you to collect his things?”
“If you have the time, I would be grateful.”
***
California State Prison - one month before
“Swayze, I heard your old man cut you off. Who are you going to shake down for money now?”
“I’m getting out of this place. I’ll have more money than you losers ever dreamed of.”
Sally, you bitch, you’ll be behind bars and I’ll be free as a bird. I’ve done my homework, I’ll start with your old man, the boy will be next. I think I’ll keep the girl around for laughs until I’m done with her and then it’s curtains for the last of your stupid family. You’ll be sorry you ratted me out.
The Cloverdale Police Station
“I want a lawyer and don’t give me one of those losers you keep on the payroll. You guys will drop the charges against me in exchange for information I have on a hit-and-run accident that happened almost twenty years ago.”
“What are you talking about Becker, I’m not taking your word for it.”
“It was an old lady named Tilly, I know who ran her down and who paid to have it done.”
Officer Gary Young remembered the case. Tilly was Matilda Jones. She was the only relative of a teenage girl who testified in the trial of an arrogant rich kid, Todd Swayze. His old man’s high-profile defense attorney’s badgering of the witness backfired when the punk was found guilty. The hit-and-run was suspicious, but nothing could be proven and the driver was never found.
“Okay, Becker, you’d better have something good or we’ll nail you for every crime committed this week whether or not you were involved.”
Officer Young called the District Attorney Carlton who agreed to listen to Becker’s accounting.
“Swayze was a punk kid who thought he was better than the rest of us. Bull Harmon, the toughest guy in the cell block was about to teach him a painful lesson when the kid forked over a couple C notes. He told him he could get more. Bull backed down from pulverizing the punk and from then on, Swayze was protected. Every visitor’s day was payday for us. He told the old man he’d be beaten and worse if he didn’t pay up.
“The morning crazy Eddie Shultz was released, he bragged about Swayze giving him dough to knock off the old lady and make it look like an accident.
“Crazy Eddie would do anything for a buck and ran the old girl down. Somebody said he was living the high life in Vegas until his money and his luck ran out.
“Bull Harmon was released three months ago.
He ended up at a shelter where he found his faith. He was told confession was good for the soul and he went to see Mr. Swayze to tell him about taking money from his son for years. He didn’t stop there, he told him about Crazy Eddie and the old lady’s so-called accident.”
“How do you know all this, Becker?”
“I ended up in the shelter one night after the cops pulled me off the street. Bull still lives there and tries to help guys like me. I heard Swayze was mad as a pistol and refused to give the kid more money.”
“According to the police report, you were picked up for swiping a carton of cigarettes. If that’s your only crime, the charges will be dropped. You know smoking will kill you,” DA Carlton quipped.
“I know, but telling you about Todd Swayze could get me killed faster.”
Murder on Applewood Circle Page 9
