[Detective Jade Monroe 01.0] Maniacal

by CM Sutter

  The parking lot was small and packed with the type of cars one would expect from the group of guys Morris hung with. Lowered, large sedans from the eighties and nineties with limousine-style blackened windows filled the lot.

  “Guess this is the right place.” Jack smirked.

  I elbowed him.

  “There’s another Crown Vic. Lindstrom and Colgate must be inside.”

  We entered through the double wooden doors. The vestibule was large, and people were milling around. I saw Terrance in the distance when we passed through the second set of doors. He stood near what looked to be a beverage station. The service wasn’t set to begin for another thirty minutes, so we walked over.

  “Mr. King,” I said, my hand outstretched. “Our condolences go out to your family.”

  He shook my hand and Jack’s too.

  He looked around the room. “Well, there isn’t much family here. Looks like most folks are Morris’s bunch. My cousin is over there”—he pointed across the room—“and Morris’s grandma and grandpa on his mom’s side are over there.” He pointed again, to the left front side of the chapel. He turned and showed us the room behind him.

  “Here’s where the meal will be after the service.”

  I nodded. I saw a pulpit set up ahead of the chairs and a curtain closed behind it. I was pretty certain Morris’s casket sat behind that. The man Terrance introduced as Minister Johnson shook our hands then excused himself to greet people. The funeral home staff welcomed the visitors too.

  I scanned the chapel for Lieutenant Colgate and Detective Lindstrom. I saw them seated about halfway back, talking to several people. I figured they were conducting a few discreet interviews. I decided to let them do their thing for now. We would catch up later.

  Jack and I stood back against the wall and sized up the crowd. We recognized Marshon, Kev, James, and a few other boys that we had met in the park a few weeks back. We noticed another group standing off alone and whispering among themselves.

  I nudged Jack and tipped my head in their direction. “I hope they aren’t a rival gang here to smirk.” I kept my eye on them. I was certain Lindstrom and Colgate were familiar with most of the faces in the crowd. A lot of them probably had jackets at the police station.

  The minister asked everyone to take a seat. Terrance and whatever relatives were in attendance sat in the front row. Jack and I shook hands with Lindstrom and Colgate and sat next to them near the back. Most everyone else sat in between.

  The minister probably didn’t know Morris well, but he did know Terrance. He read from a sheet, likely written by Terrance, about Morris’s good qualities and how he’d been taken too soon. A short sermon and a few prayers were recited. People walked up to the closed casket to say their final goodbyes. A photo of Morris at a younger age sat on an easel next to the casket. Terrance had mentioned he didn’t have any recent photos of his nephew. A few people stayed for the luncheon, but most of Morris’s acquaintances left. They didn’t have a reason to stay, and it was unlikely they would sit around a table, eat lunch, and visit with the cops.

  Jack and I sat across from Colgate and Lindstrom. We each had a plate of food in front of us and a cup of coffee. We talked quietly and exchanged information, which took only five minutes. None of us had any solid leads. We told them how we took to the streets, and the only thing that rang true from talking to people was about the guy at Eddy’s Tap. We were told what this man wore and that he laughed at the news broadcast, but other than that, we had nothing. The bar was a small, out-of-the-way place that didn’t get a lot of business and didn’t have cameras.

  We headed back to North Bend at two o’clock and pulled into the station just before three.

  We updated Lieutenant Clark and went back to our desks to catch up on our busywork.

  “So, did the boys upstairs tell you anything important this morning?” I asked Jack as I shuffled through the paperwork on my desk.

  “Nope, their lips are sealed. The DEA shut down the meth lab in that farmhouse off of Decorah in Newburg, but it’s likely they just moved the operation somewhere else. We’re always chasing the low-level punks. I want the people that are funding these labs and paying the rents. That’s who we need to find.”

  I agreed.

  Clayton and Billings walked in, and I gave them a questioning look. Billings shook his head.

  “We’re dealing with a ghost. No video, no eyewitnesses, no evidence, no description, no word on the street. It’s pretty hard to catch someone based on that.”

  I filed a few cases that had either been solved or dismissed, cataloged evidence that went into our evidence room, and asked Clark if we could release Elise’s car. He agreed, and I called Perry to tell him. He was in no hurry to pick it up. I told him it would be parked out back inside the chain-link fence behind the evidence garage. He agreed to come by and pick it up next week.

  I wished everyone a quiet weekend and left at four thirty. A hot bath, two birds, and a cat were waiting for me at home.

  Chapter 31

  I woke to the sounds of dishes and silverware coming out of cabinets in the kitchen. I grabbed my cell and checked the time—eight o’clock. I couldn’t believe I slept in that late. I called Amber’s phone. It rang in the kitchen, and I grinned. She’d never forgive me if I came out of the bedroom with my gun drawn and ready to fire.

  “Hello, Sis, I’m making your birthday breakfast, so get your butt out here.”

  “Sounds wonderful. I’ll be right there.” I got up, washed my face, and slipped on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. I twisted my long hair into a rope and pinched it off with a clip at the top of my head. With my slippers on, I shuffled down the hallway to the kitchen.

  Two plates with silverware and napkins, two glasses filled with orange juice, and two cups of steaming coffee sat on the table.

  “I could get used to this,” I said as I sat and took a sip. “Since when do I have orange juice?”

  “You didn’t. I bought groceries. I don’t know about you, but I don’t intend to starve while I’m living here.”

  “Cool. What’s for breakfast?”

  She turned from the stove and grinned. Amber was beautiful. She had perfect hair, perfect teeth, and a perfect shape. Someday she’d fall in love, and I hoped it would last forever.

  “I’m making French toast. I know how much you love it, so hand me your plate.”

  I grinned. “We have bread, eggs, butter, and syrup?”

  “Uh-huh, we do now.”

  “Man, why didn’t you move in here a year ago?” I got up and gave her a hug. “I love you, girl.”

  “I love you too and happy birthday, now sit down and tell me how you like it. I put extra cinnamon in the egg-and-milk batter.”

  “It’s delicious.”

  I was surprised Melissa hadn’t called yet. It was closing in on nine o’clock. I tried her cell, and it went straight to voice mail.

  “Melissa didn’t call your phone, did she?”

  “Nope.” Amber looked at the screen. “No texts either.”

  “That’s weird. I’ll shower and try her again. Did you bring your clothes with you?”

  “Yeah, some, but I’ll grab more tomorrow. I thought food for the house was more important.”

  I ate four pieces of French toast and had two glasses of orange juice, then headed for the shower. “I’ll be ready in a half hour. I’ll try Melissa again then. Maybe we can just meet her at Realty World and go from there.”

  “Sure. I’m going to hang up some of my clothes.”

  I tried Melissa’s cell again at ten o’clock. This time the recording said the mailbox was full. I sat on the couch and felt a little disappointed. I was sure Melissa was more responsible than that.

  “This is really weird. I’ll try the office number.” I called Realty World, and a female voice answered. I felt relief until the woman introduced herself as Adriana.

  “Hello, Adriana. My name is Jade Monroe. I have the day set aside to look at condos with
Melissa. I’m surprised I haven’t heard from her yet. We set it up on Tuesday afternoon, and she said she would confirm it with me this morning. We were going to start looking at condos around noon. The odd thing is her cell phone recording says her mailbox is full. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

  “Give me one moment, please.”

  Through the phone line, I heard rustling and drawers opening and closing. Adriana returned to the phone.

  “I’m so sorry, Jade, and this is very odd. I got a text from Melissa on Tuesday night saying she had to leave town abruptly. She said she would be in touch, but come to think of it, I haven’t heard a peep from her all week. I just checked her desk to see what appointments she had. I assumed she either canceled them or gave them to another Realtor, but her monthly calendar is gone along with her briefcase. I have no idea if she’s missed other appointments or not. Give me another second, please.”

  I heard Adriana talking to someone else, probably another Realtor in the office. She came back to the phone.

  “Nobody was asked to cover for her, but now that you said her mailbox is full, I’m assuming she’s missed other appointments too. I’m so sorry. I have no idea what places she had lined up, but I would be happy to show you some myself. I’d hate to feel like you wasted your day by keeping it open to look at condos.”

  I had to give it some thought. Melissa knew exactly what I was looking for. “Um, okay. I’m only interested in three-bedroom units, though, without yard work.”

  “Sure, give me a second here. I’m pulling some up on my computer as we speak. You want to stay in North Bend?”

  “Yes, definitely.”

  “Okay, I have five vacant condos and two brand-new models I can show you. Would you like to go ahead and take a look at them?”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “Absolutely. My sister and I have been looking forward to this all week.”

  Adriana laughed. “I know how exciting it is to look for a new home. Would you like to come to the office and leave from here?”

  “That sounds perfect, and we’ll leave now. Thank you.”

  “Time to go?” Amber asked as she poured kibble into Spaz’s bowl.

  “Yep, let’s go enjoy the day. How about a beer at Left Field later?”

  “That sounds great. I’ll even kick your butt at a game of pool.”

  We met with Adriana, who apologized again. The whole thought of Melissa bailing on us didn’t sit well with me. She didn’t seem the type to leave, emergency or not, and not make arrangements with the other Realtors to handle her appointments.

  Adriana drove as Amber and I looked over the listing sheets.

  “This place sounds awesome,” Amber said. “It has a huge clubhouse with a workout room, a library, a business center, and an indoor pool. The split floor plan is cool too.”

  “Yes, that’s a new development on the south side of town. It’s called Ashbury Woods. It’s very nice, with only fifty-five units. Some are even set back in the woods. Would you like to see that one first?”

  Amber looked pleadingly at me. I chuckled.

  “Sure, it sounds great.”

  We toured a three-bedroom unit available at the end of a cul-de-sac. It sat among oak trees and had a private balcony facing the woods behind it. It was large enough for each of us to live comfortably within our own space. The extra bedroom and den were definitely pluses.

  “Can we check out the clubhouse too?” Amber asked.

  “Of course. The nice thing about this unit is there’s a walking path right next to it. The path cuts through the woods and opens up at the clubhouse. It’s a fast and beautiful shortcut. Let me show you.”

  We took the path through the woods, and it was peaceful and serene. I could actually hear birds singing and see squirrels romping. It felt amazing to have something so quiet and relaxing right at our feet when we were still within the city limits.

  “This is wonderful,” I said. I looked at Amber. She couldn’t have wiped the smile off her face even if she’d tried.

  The clubhouse was large and inviting. Many residents were inside taking advantage of the workout room. Just beyond the glass doors were a hot tub and a patio with plenty of umbrella tables and grills. The Olympic-size pool was inside, along with saunas and lockers in each restroom. A beverage bar and a large-screen TV were to the left of the pool area.

  “Wow.” Amber and I spoke the words simultaneously.

  We toured five more units scattered throughout town, but my mind kept taking me back to the condo at Ashbury Woods. We returned to Realty World at three o’clock. I pulled the listing sheet out again and checked the square footage and the price for the first condo.

  “It looks like you really have your mind set on Ashbury Woods, don’t you?” Adriana said.

  “It is wonderful, and at two thousand square feet, it’s almost as big as the house I have now. You know, Melissa was going to write up a description and get my house listed for sale. Do you know if she did that before she left town?”

  “I’ll check. All I need is the address.”

  I gave Adriana my address, and she entered it into her computer.

  “Sorry, it hasn’t been listed yet. Did she take photos already?”

  “Yes, several weeks ago. I was hoping to have the house listed by now. I don’t want to step on her toes by having somebody else do it. Did she upload the photos of my house into your database yet?”

  “It doesn’t appear so. I wish there was a way to get ahold of Melissa and find out when she’s coming back. How long do you want to wait?” Adriana asked.

  “I’ll let it go for a few more days. I’d love to put an offer on the condo, but it would have to be on a contingency basis, I guess.”

  “We can certainly do that, if you like.”

  “I think Amber and I need to talk it over before I commit to anything. Are you working tomorrow, Adriana?”

  “I sure am, until three o’clock. Here’s my card. If you’d like to put in an offer, give me a call. It’s been fun working with both of you today.”

  “Thanks.” Amber and I stood, shook her hand, and headed to Left Field. We’d discuss the condo over a beer, then go home to get ready for dinner.

  “So, what do you think of the place?” I asked as I slurped the creamy head of my oatmeal stout. I already knew the answer, but I loved seeing her happiness and hearing the excitement in Amber’s voice.

  “I really love it, Jade. I never knew something that pretty was right in town.”

  “Me either. What do you think of putting an offer in on it tomorrow before someone else sneaks in and buys it?”

  Amber reached across the bar table and hugged me. “I’d be over the moon.”

  I noticed a thoughtful gaze on her face as she sipped her beer.

  “What’s going on in that mind of yours?” I asked.

  “Nothing important, just wondering.”

  “About what?”

  “Why Mom named us the names she did. I thought all babies were born with steel-gray eyes.”

  I laughed. “Where did this come from?”

  “I don’t know—it’s your birthday. I was just wondering what giving birth was like, and then I thought about our names. Were you born with green eyes and me with yellow?”

  “Highly unlikely. Mom likes jewelry, and amber and jade seem to be what she wears most often. Don’t overthink this. I’m sure there wasn’t a deep-seated thought process when we were named. Mom is easy to read. I bet she wears jade tonight.”

  We both laughed.

  I wanted to bring up the idea of self-defense courses with Amber. I decided to do it after the birthday party. It was time to go home and get ready for dinner.

  I paid the bill and got up. “Let’s go. We don’t want Mom to have a heart attack if we’re late.”

  Chapter 32

  The hostess led Amber and me to the back room at Stanley’s. The large banquet room was divided into six sections, separated by planters filled with glossy greenery.
Mom and Bruce were already there and waved when they saw us approach.

  Mom stood up. “There’s our birthday girl! Hi, honey.”

  Our mom, Ann Sommers, was dressed nicely tonight. She wore a summery sheath and had her shoulder-length black hair pulled into a sleek ponytail that just skimmed the back of her neck. She wore her signature plum-colored lipstick, which we always had to wipe off our cheeks after a kiss.

  Amber and I exchanged glances and smiled. Mom wore jade jewelry tonight, obviously in honor of my birthday. She kissed me then moved on to Amber. I pulled a tissue out of my purse and wiped my cheek.

  Bruce looked like Bruce. He always wore a plaid cotton shirt when they went out. He never tried terribly hard to impress anyone. His shirts were dangerously snug around his ever expanding midsection, and he usually wore jeans that looked uncomfortably tight. His short gray hair looked the same as always, although it did appear to be thinning more every time I saw him.

  Amber and I said hi and sat down. We didn’t want his hugs that would last too long while he pressed himself against our chests. I made sure Amber sat between Mom and me so Bruce wouldn’t have the opportunity to accidently brush his knee against hers.

  “Let’s order a few drinks and catch up. After that, we’ll eat, then you can open your presents,” Mom said.

  “I’m thirty-one, Mom. I don’t really need presents and a cake.”

  “Nonsense. As long as I’m alive, my kids will have birthday parties. Maybe someday I’ll even throw parties for my grandkids.”

  Amber and I rolled our eyes.

  “In due time, Mom. So, we looked at condos today and found a beautiful one available in Ashbury Woods. It’s a fairly new complex on the south side of town. I just might put an offer in on it tomorrow.”

  “That sounds wonderful, honey. Here comes the waitress. Let’s order.”

  Prime rib was Saturday night’s special, and we all ordered it. I couldn’t remember the last time I had prime rib, a baked potato with sour cream, and steamed vegetables. Hot bread and butter was delivered to the table first.

  Mom and Bruce each drank their usual—a Brandy Old Fashioned. I grew up in an era where all adults drank them. I was sure anyone over sixty in Wisconsin still did. The memories of my youth returned, and I smiled. I recalled sneaking around at dinner parties, plucking the speared maraschino cherries and orange slices out of our guests’ Brandy Old Fashioneds and gobbling them down.