Who Killed Uncle Alfie?

by Samantha Price

  Ettie paced across the floor in the opposite direction from my guests, and then she swung around to look back at Marlene. “When I was in your kitchen the other day helping you with the dishes, I spotted that you had the largest knife missing from your wooden block of knives. And not long after, I found that very knife hidden at your house. I took it and handed it to the police. It was tested, and showed positive with your father’s blood.”

  Marlene looked at her husband with an open mouth.

  “It’s a lie,” he said. “It’s all a lie.”

  “What part is a lie?” Ettie asked. “You listened to Marlene tell you how horrible her father was for years. You were just being a good husband when you snuffed out the source of Marlene’s misery.”

  “I never… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Max said to Ettie.

  “How long has that knife been missing, Marlene?”

  Marlene opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.

  “Don’t listen to her, Marlene.”

  “The knife… ”

  “She’s lying about the knife,” Max said.

  “You said you had it in the garage and you were sharpening it.”

  Max nodded. “That’s right and it’s still there.”

  “What knife did you find at my house, Ettie?”

  “I found it covered in blood, in your trash can outside. I saw it when I was throwing the scraps from the cake into the bin.”

  “That’s a lie,” Max blurted out.

  “It tested positive for Alfie’s blood and Max’s fingerprints were on the handle.”

  Max shouted. “That’s a lie. I wore gloves…”

  Everyone gasped and stared at Max.

  “I didn’t do it,” he said loudly, and then he leaped up and ran out the front door.

  I ran to the front door and saw Max being taken away in handcuffs by police who must’ve been hiding in the bushes. I looked at Ettie. “Is it true, Ettie?”

  Ettie looked at Marlene, who was now standing beside her. “You had no idea?”

  She shook her head. “Why would he?”

  I was right next to them when I said, “Perhaps he wanted the diamond for you, and the money you could get for the house.”

  “I never wanted anything that way,” Marlene said. “Now I’ve got no one.”

  “You’ve got your cousins,” I said putting my arm around her shoulder. I knew what it was like to have no one. “Jazeel’s your cousin and I’ll be your cousin too when Jazeel and I get married.”

  Marlene gave a tiny smile, which told me she appreciated my words.

  The detective walked into the house and said, “Thank you for your help, Mrs. Smith.”

  “You knew all along?” Marlene looked from Detective Kelly to Ettie.

  “We put our heads together and came up with a plan.”

  “Did you really find a knife, Ettie?” Marlene asked her.

  Ettie shook her head. “I saw that the one knife was missing, and I described the kind of knives they were to the detective after I estimated the size of the larger one going by the gap in the wooden block. He said that was roughly the same size as the murder weapon, and that knife wasn’t found at the scene.”

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Clark,” Detective Kelly said. “This must’ve come as a nasty shock.

  “It has. I can’t believe he would’ve done something like that.” She looked up at Detective Kelly. “What’ll happen to him?”

  Kelly scratched his cheek. “He might not get bail considering the violent nature of the crime and his public confession. He’ll go before a judge in the morning and if he gets bail, he’ll be back home with you tomorrow until the trial.”

  “And if he doesn’t?”

  “He’ll stay in prison until the trial.”

  “Would you like me to go with you tomorrow?” I offered, having just gone through the same thing when Jazeel had been accused of Uncle Alfie’s murder.

  “Yes, I would,” Marlene answered. “I’ll fetch you first thing in the morning.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  The whole event had ruined my first get together as a couple with Jazeel. One by one, people made excuses to leave, and I could hardly blame them. We’d have another after our wedding.

  I looked over at Jazeel, who’d been sitting quietly on the couch watching the whole scene play out. I walked over to him while Ettie and Elsa-May comforted Marlene.

  “You must be feeling dreadful.”

  “I’m glad the police got the right man, but I’m upset that it happened at all. The father that Marlene talks about is not the same Uncle Alfie that I knew.”

  I sat down next to him and took hold of his hand.

  His blue eyes crinkled at the corners when he looked into my eyes. “Now I’ve got you to share the good times and the bad times.”

  “I’ll always be around to help you through anything.”

  He shook his head. “I was certain it was Bruno Gillespie who killed him.”

  “Jah. I wonder what Uncle Alfie had on Bruno. Do you think we’ll ever find out?”

  “I hope we do.”

  “Have you ever asked Marlene?”

  “Nee. And now’s not the time. I’m sorry your dinner is ruined.”

  When I looked up, there was only Ettie, Elsa-May, Detective Kelly, and Marlene left. “There’ll be a lot more food for the six of us.” I walked over to Detective Kelly. “Would you care to stay and have something to eat? We’ve plenty here.”

  “I’d love to, but I have to get back and conduct an interview.” His eyes swept across the table. “It all looks delicious.”

  “How about just a chicken leg? I’ll wrap it to go.”

  He nodded. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”

  I wrapped a large piece of chicken for the detective and then he was on his way, leaving just the five of us. Marlene was sitting at the table, quietly sobbing.

  “Would you like to stay here with me tonight, Marlene?” I offered. “There’s plenty of room.”

  Marlene nodded. “I don’t think I could drive,” she said through her tears.

  When Ettie was leaving later that night, she apologized again to Marlene.

  Marlene said she didn’t hold anything against her or the police. She was just shocked that her husband could hurt someone.

  I walked Ettie and Elsa-May to the front door.

  “I feel bad for ruining the night, Molly.”

  “I’ve got quite a bit of food left over. At least I won’t have to cook for a week.” I tried to cover my annoyance with humor. I didn’t blame Ettie and I was glad the killer was found, but I was disappointed that my first time entertaining with Jazeel had ended so uncomfortably.

  “I’ll walk with you to the phone,” Jazeel said to the elderly sisters.

  “It’s not necessary, it’s not far.”

  “I’d feel better if I wait with you for the taxi.”

  Ettie nodded. “We’d appreciate that.”

  Three people left the house, and now I was left alone with the woman who’d just found out that her husband killed her father. I couldn’t imagine the things that would be running through her mind.

  She was staring at a blank wall. I put my hand on her shoulder and said, “I’ll just make up your bed.”

  “Thank you, Molly,” she said in a small voice.

  Chapter 20

  The next morning over the breakfast table, Elsa-May asked, “How are you feeling today, Ettie?”

  “Dreadful, just dreadful. If Detective Kelly hadn’t asked me to do that I never would’ve done it. When I told Kelly the knife was missing, he said Max wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed and we might be able to make him confess, but I feel awful the way it happened.” Ettie stared into her hot tea.

  “And so you should.”

  Ettie whipped her head up. “What do you mean?”

  “It was Molly’s night. It was her big dinner, and you ruined it.”

  Ettie slumped further down on the
kitchen chair dropping her shoulders. “At least we know who killed Uncle Alfie now.”

  “We do.”

  “Do you think we should visit Molly and apologize again?”

  “We?”

  “Well, just me if you won’t come with me.”

  “You did enough apologizing last night. I don’t think that’ll help anything. Just leave her be for a few days.”

  Ettie nodded. “Something’s been nagging at me. Max didn’t exactly confess.”

  “Ettie, the man said he’d been wearing gloves when you talked about the knife, what more of a confession do you need?”

  The thing that’s running through my mind is his last words as he ran out of the house. I didn’t do it.”

  “Jah, and if I was facing what he’s facing now I’d probably deny it too, even if I’d done it.”

  Ettie pulled her mouth to one side.

  “What now?” Elsa-May asked.

  “Something’s been bothering me about the neighbor.”

  “His messy house? His patchy uneven facial hair? His full ashtrays lying around his house? The fact that he has no garden in front of the—?”

  “If you would be quiet for two seconds, I might be able to think.” Ettie pushed her teacup toward Elsa-May. “If you want to be useful, make me another cup, please.”

  “Okay.”

  “Shhhh.” Ettie drummed her fingertips on her chin while her sister fixed the tea. She kept thinking and thinking about the neighbor. “That’s it. We’ll have to visit him again.”

  “Really? Me too?”

  Ettie stared at Elsa-May, who'd just rejoined her at the table. “I’m not going on that long bus ride alone.”

  “Can I talk now?” Elsa-May asked while passing Ettie a second cup of tea.

  “Jah.”

  “I’ll make us some sandwiches for the trip.”

  Ettie nodded and then took a sip of hot tea. "Denke."

  * * *

  While they waited for a taxi, Ettie had the idea to call the retired Detective Crowley, figuring he might remember Bruno Gillespie.

  “Ronald?”

  “Is that you, Ettie?”

  “Yes, it is I.”

  “I haven’t heard from you in a long time. Is Elsa-May okay? Are you okay?”

  “We're fine. She’s standing right next to me. What I called about is to ask you if you know a man called Bruno Gillespie.”

  Crowley chuckled. “Do I know him? I must’ve arrested him around fifteen times. What’s he done now?”

  Ettie told him what had happened, with the murder, the semi-confession from Max, the diamond and the fact that Uncle Alfie had reportedly had some damaging information or some kind of evidence that would put Bruno Gillespie in prison for a long time. She ended with, “Bruno had a solid alibi according to Detective Kelly.”

  “There was a bank robbery that I had been trying to tie him to, but that’s going back a good ten years now. I could never pin it on him. Two of his men were shot dead in the bank.”

  “His men?”

  “Men who’d worked for him before. Fewer members in the gang meant fewer people to share in the spoils.”

  “If Alfie had proof of that, what kind of proof would he have had?”

  “It could be anything. It could be plans of the bank, written agreements between the gang members, stuff like that, but the thing is, Ettie, how would Alfie have been in a position to get any of that? If you find that out, that should lead you to what it was that he had.”

  Ettie was suddenly dug in the ribs by Elsa-May. “Taxi’s here.”

  Ettie gave her sister a quick scowl while rubbing her side. She could’ve broken one of her ribs, Elsa-May had poked her so hard. “Thank you, Ronald. Our taxi is here and then we have to get a bus for a long journey. We’re off to visit Alfie’s neighbor, Paul.”

  “Good luck. And keep out of trouble.”

  Ettie hung up the receiver.

  After a taxi ride, a bus trip and another taxi ride, they finally arrived at Uncle Alfie’s next-door neighbor's house in the early afternoon.

  They knocked on the door and waited.

  “Knock again, Ettie.”

  Ettie knocked again and, when no one answered, she walked over to a window and looked in. She could see Dave peeping over the kitchen countertop, and he stood up when he saw her. “He’s in there,” Ettie told her sister.

  They listened to Dave unlatch a few locks on the door before he opened it.

  “Come in. Sorry about that.” He latched the door behind them and then looked up and down the street from the window.

  Ettie stared at him. “What are you scared of, Dave?”

  “Alfie was murdered and they might come after me.”

  Elsa-May and Ettie exchanged glances.

  “Do you know anything about Max Clark?” Elsa-May asked.

  Ettie asked, “Or what about Bruno Gillespie?”

  Dave recoiled in horror. “What do you know about Gillespie?”

  Elsa-May stepped forward. “Why don’t you tell us what you know about him, Dave?”

  Seeing Dave’s hands trembling, Ettie grabbed his arm and led him to the couch. “Let’s sit down and you can tell us all about it.”

  Dave sat down and folded his arms across his chest. “I’m in danger and so will you be. You shouldn’t have come here. He could be watching the place. I could be next.”

  “Are you scared Gillespie might kill you, too?”

  He nodded.

  “So you know for a fact Bruno Gillespie killed Alfie?”

  He nodded again.

  “You saw him?”

  “I saw him leaving. I didn’t know he’d killed him.”

  “You need to tell the police.”

  Dave shook his head. “I’ll be next.”

  “Why do you say that, Dave?” Elsa-May asked.

  Dave shook his head and reached for a cigarette. “Mind if I smoke?”

  “That’s fine,” Ettie said even though she did mind. Her clothes stank of smoke after the last time they were at his house. Still, it might calm his nerves and get him to tell them what was going on.

  He popped the cigarette into his mouth and lit the end with a lighter. After that, he threw the lighter back on the coffee table and inhaled deeply, held his breath for a moment, and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

  “If you’re scared of this man, you should definitely go to the police,” Elsa-May said. “Do you think he knew you saw him leaving?”

  “Dunno.”

  “Then what?” Ettie asked.

  The man took another long drag on his cigarette.

  Ettie leaned forward. “Do you know what information Alfie had about Gillespie?”

  His eyes fastened onto Ettie. “You know?”

  “I think I do.”

  “You’re in danger too.”

  “That’s why you should tell the police and they’ll put him away.”

  “You can’t live like this, Dave. Locking your door and being too scared to leave the house,” Elsa-May said.

  “I dunno.”

  “How did Alfie know Gillespie?”

  “From the bar. There was a group of us that hung out together there. But Alfie and I didn’t know Gillespie was a criminal.”

  “When did you find out?”

  He shook his head. “If you don’t know, I shouldn’t tell you.” He turned to Ettie. “Do you really know?”

  “I know a bit, and you can tell us the rest.”

  He puffed on his cigarette and blew the smoke into the air. “It was years ago. Gillespie asked Alfie to drive him and some men somewhere. Alfie was easy-going and did whatever anyone asked. Alfie grew wary when he drove Gillespie and three men down a dark alley. Then they pulled on black ski masks and Gillespie pulled out a gun and ordered Alfie to wait. Alfie told me he was scared stiff, so he waited. Gillespie came back an hour later with a large black bag, and he was by himself.”

  Ettie recalled the story about the bank job where the men were left dead i
n the bank. The pieces of the puzzle were fitting together. Alfie had been the reluctant driver of the getaway car.

  “When they got back to the bar, Gillespie pulled out a handful of notes from the bag and told Alfie to keep his mouth shut. Alfie gave the money to his wife and told her he'd won a competition and she could do whatever she liked with the money. He said he wanted no part of the money.”

  The diamond! Ettie thought.

  “Then what?” Elsa-May asked.

  “I knew something was bothering him and then Emily started talking about winning money and he didn’t seem excited about it. One night he was over here and we were both drinking. We often hung out together, watching TV or playing darts. He told me what had happened, and I remembered I was there that night when Gillespie asked him to drive him and some of his friends somewhere.”

  “Why did he kill him so long after it happened? Why not back then?”

  “Yes, he killed his other two friends in the bank,” Ettie said.

  Dave shrugged and grunted. “He went away soon after for some lesser robberies.”

  “While he was in jail he probably had time to think about it. Alfie was the only person who could link him to murdering his accomplices and to the bank robbery,” Ettie said.

  “Yeah, Alfie and whoever Alfie had told about it. I’m worried that Alfie told Gillespie he’d told me.”

  Ettie patted him on his shoulder. “If that was the case, he’d probably have killed you on the very same night.”

  “Do you think so?”

  “Yes. And just in case I’m wrong, you should really tell the police all you know.”

  He sniffed, leaned forward and stubbed his cigarette out onto a dirty dinner plate that sat on his coffee table. “I guess I’m damned either way—if I do or if I don’t.”

  Ettie and Elsa-May stayed silent.

  “I don’t wanna be a snitch.”

  “Well, you don’t want to be dead either, do you?”

  “Nah.” He sighed. “I’ll call the detective. He gave me his card.”

  Very good, thought Ettie.

  He stood and walked over to the kitchen, picked up a card and then grabbed his phone’s receiver.

  Ettie and Elsa-May waited while he called Detective Kelly. When he was finished he sat back down.

  “I told him it was urgent I speak with him and he said he’s coming here now.”