“Glad you came in, Ms. Hanna, I’d already decided I needed to talk to you again, and then Officer Brown told me you and your friend came by yesterday with this license number.”
“Yes, I’m pretty certain this guy was following me earlier and both of us on Saturday,” Lin decided not to speculate that Mike was also their prowler, at least not at this point.
Parker pushed a sheet of paper toward her. “The truck is registered to Mike Clark. He’s a resident of Nags Head.”
Lin nodded as this matched the information Tim had given her, “I know that he works in Manteo at the Simon Gallery. That’s where I first saw him, at least where I’m sure I first saw him.”
“What do you mean by that?” Ken asked.
Lin took a deep breath, “Well, I certainly can’t be sure of this, but I think he might be our prowler.” She described his size and hulking shape. “I didn’t ever see the prowler’s face; I couldn’t make a positive identification, but I just have a gut feeling he’s the one.” Lin waited for Parker to dismiss her accusations. To her surprise he did not.
“I guess you know that’s not enough for a positive identification. I can’t arrest this guy and charge him with anything—not attempting to break into your place nor really threatening you in any way. That crowbar we found at your place had no identifiable fingerprints either. It wouldn’t help in any case. You did say he never approached you or anything when he appeared to be following?”
“That’s right,” Lin had to agree, “I know we can’t prove anything, but it’s enough for me that you understand our concerns and that you are taking them seriously.”
Lin decided to venture a bit further, “I’ve taken the liberty of writing down some of the information that has…er,” she wasn’t sure how to put this, “come my way since all this started.” Ken raised his eyebrows in interest. “I thought you might be interested. Maybe something here can help your investigation?” Lin didn’t want to sound presumptive. She took out her list and pushed it across the table.
Parker picked it up and began reading. When he’d finished he leaned back in his chair. “ You have a good bit of information here,” he admitted, “including a couple of items I haven’t uncovered yet. I haven’t talked to that young man at the Holiday Inn,” he admitted, “but I’ll do that later today.”
“There are a lot of unanswered questions,” Lin offered, “ You’ve filled in the gap about the identity of the guy who followed us.” Lin didn’t reveal that she’d gotten the same information from Tim. The truck registration did provide confirmation.
Parker nodded his agreement, “Indeed there are. Some of these I’ve already answered but others I’m still looking into. Let me assure you, Ms. Hanna, that we will get to the bottom of all this.”
“Please call me Lin,” she replied. “I’m glad I could provide at least one piece of new information for you—I’m talking about the clerk at the Holiday Inn and what he observed, of course.” She realized that Parker was not going to fill in any gaps for her by revealing additional information he might have. She decided not to press him further on these questions.
She reached for her list, preparing to leave. “May I make a copy of this?” Parker asked. “You’ve organized this list very well and you have raised some important questions.” He didn’t go so far as to say he hadn’t thought of some of these himself, but Lin felt some satisfaction in the fact that he apparently thought her findings had some value. “Please do,” she responded to his request.
Parker followed Lin to the reception area where he made a copy of her list returning the original as she walked toward the door. “Lin, I do feel that I must warn you again to be very careful about where you go and who you talk to. I think you realize that this case is becoming more complex than it originally appeared. There are many unanswered questions, as you yourself have discovered. I do feel the need to ask you to let us handle this. You were threatened earlier, and even though we can’t prove harassment at this point, I think we both know you and your friend were being followed this weekend. Hopefully, we’ll have all of this tied up soon but until we do…”
Lin smiled and extended her hand, “I promise that I will be careful, and any information that might come my way I’ll bring to you.” That was as much as she wanted to promise.
***
It was past noon by the time Lin left the police station. There was one more thing she wanted to do. She’d been told that Mark Simon should be back in his gallery today, and she wanted to ask him if he’d seen Dorrie in his shop earlier. Apparently, he’d also been in business longer than some of the other merchants so he might remember something about the Liz Frazier case and the fact that Dorrie was a suspect. She had another reason to drop in. Neal had revealed that he’d purchased her ring there, and she could ask about having it sized.
Arriving in Manteo, she decided to go straight to the Simon Gallery; she was getting a bit hungry, but lunch could wait. When she entered the gallery she was relieved that Mike Clark was nowhere in sight, perhaps this was his day off, or maybe he was working in the back. The clerk she’d met previously was busy with customers who were looking at paintings. A tall, slim man stood behind a counter, sorting items in a jewelry tray. He was quite handsome she thought, slightly graying hair, chiseled features. If he’d been dressed in western attire he could’ve passed for the Marlboro man. He looked up with a big smile as Lin approached.
“May I help you?” he asked.
“Perhaps,” Lin said, “are you the proprietor?”
“I am,” he smiled, “I’m Mark Simon.”
“Lin Hanna,” she shook his offered hand, “I believe my fiancé purchased this here last week.” She extended her hand to show him the ring.
“Ah, yes,” he took her hand and examined the ring with his long, slim fingers. “This is a beautiful piece, one of the prettiest we’ve hand in stock.” He almost caressed her hand as he slipped the ring around her finger. Lin felt a moment of discomfort with his familiar touch.
“It appears to be a bit too large for your lovely hand,” he continued to finger the ring, increasing her sense of discomfort with his familiarity. She firmly removed her hand from his grasp.
“It is, just a little, I don’t think it will fall off…”
“But, my dear, you don’t want to risk that nor risk hitting it against something and damaging the setting. This is one of our best pieces, handcrafted. It came from an estate sale. We need to make sure it’s perfect.”
Lin felt somewhat intimidated by his overwhelming personality and presence. She could only nod her agreement, allowing him to remove the ring from her finger.
Simon placed the ring on a piece of black velvet placed on the counter. He carefully measured its size and then reached for her hand once more. Even though she still felt uncomfortable, Lin allowed him to check her ring size, happy when he had finished and released her hand from his grasp.
“It’s only half a size too large but that can make a difference. You’ll see, it will be more comfortable to wear once it’s properly fitted.”
“How long will that take,” Lin asked. “I’m going to be in town for a short while…”
Simon was still smiling, but he shook his head. “My dear, I regret that I’m unable to perform such work here, and there’s no one else here in town I’d trust with such a valuable piece, if I were you. I’ll need to send it to a friend of mine in Elizabeth City. He’s very skilled, and I trust him with all my repair work. Don’t worry, I can have it back for you on Friday.”
Reluctantly, Lin surrendered the ring, signing a duplicate form Simon gave her. “I’ll deliver this tomorrow and pick it up personally Thursday afternoon. You can come by anytime on Friday to pick it up. We open at ten,” Simon smiled as he placed Lin’s ring in a small velvet lined box. “I’ll take very good care of it.”
Lin nodded reluctant agreement and took a deep breath, seeking to allay her sense of discomfort. She still needed to talk to this man so she resisted her desi
re to get away.
“I stopped by last week to talk with you, but you weren’t in,” she deliberately smiled trying to feel more relaxed. “I wanted to ask if you’d seen a friend of mine.”
“Oh, was that you? My clerk told me someone was asking for me, who were you inquiring about?”
Lin decided to revert to her story about gathering information for Dorrie’s family. “She was coming to Manteo the Friday before Thanksgiving. I think she was inquiring about a friend of hers from years ago—maybe trying to find folks who knew her? Dorrie’s parents are trying to find out what she was doing here, hoping to understand how she came to have the tragic accident that took her life.” Lin hoped her inquiry seemed reasonable; perhaps Simon would be sympathetic.
Simon appeared to be thinking. Trying to recall or, perhaps, trying to decide how to answer her? Lin sensed a tension in his demeanor.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Hanna, but I simply do not recall seeing anyone who fit the description of your friend—not on that Friday or on any other day. I did read about this death in the local news, terrible thing to happen and to such a young person, but I didn’t know the young lady, never met her and she certainly didn’t come to my shop. Maybe, she found the answers she was seeking elsewhere.
Lin decided that, as long as she’d started, she might as well press on, “She was looking for folks who knew the late Liz Frazier, you may recall that she was killed about ten years ago. I believe Dorrie was her roommate. Dorrie had been away from this area for many years and was not aware that Liz had died. I’m sure it was quite a shock to her, and on top of this shocking news, she learned she was a prime suspect in this unsolved case. I think she was seeking information, trying to satisfy her own curiosity about what might have happened. Of course, she asserted that she was innocent of this crime.”
Simon seemed to grow tense, even angry. Lin was aware that he was gripping the edge of the counter in what seemed an obvious attempt to maintain calm. Finally, he relaxed his hold and stepped back. He looked her straight in the eye and smiled unctuously. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t help you there either,” Simon insisted. “Of course, everyone who lived here at the time has heard about the Liz Frazier case; it was the number one topic of conversation for weeks. Now that you have reminded me, I do recall that this Dorrie Johnson’s name was mentioned in that connection, but I’m afraid all I know is what I heard and read about. Liz Frazier was unknown to me personally, as was Dorrie Johnson, then and now. If you’ll excuse me,” he looked in the direction of a couple just entering the store, “I’d best be tending to my business. Don’t forget, I’ll have your ring on Friday.” He turned away from Lin, heading toward the newly arrived customers.
Lin took her receipt and left the store, only too happy to get away from this individual. Something about Mark Simon and the way he’d responded to her questions gave her a sense of uneasiness. She wasn’t sure why exactly, but she knew somehow that Simon wasn’t being entirely truthful about what he knew.
***
Later that evening as she reflected on her day and told Neal what she’d learned and experienced, Lin realized that the uneasy feeling Simon had engendered had not abated. “I simply do not believe him,” she insisted, “I feel sure he’s lying about everything. There’s something ‘fishy’ about him.”
Neal put his arm around her, seeking to provide some reassurance, “Well, he struck me as rather full of himself, but he is quite knowledgeable about jewelry and he does have the best selection in town. Believe me, I shopped everywhere, and that ring was the prettiest thing I saw, hands down.”
Lin smiled, “You’re right about that. I can’t wait to get it back. I’ve only worn it for two days, but I already don’t feel right without it.”
“Tell you what, if you feel so uncomfortable around Simon, I’ll pick the ring up for you on Friday. You won’t have to see him again.”
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll feel ok about that. I won’t try to talk to him, that’s all. Besides, he might not even be there; he often stays home with his wife. Apparently she suffers from some type of illness.”
“Well, if you change your mind, just let me know,” Neal offered. “You haven’t asked me about my day. You weren’t the only one who got some information to add to that list of you made. I now know who’s defending Billy Thornton.”
“Really? How’d you find out?”
“Actually, it wasn’t too difficult. It was in the Sunday paper. There was a copy left on the desk in the office at the visitor center. They’d done a follow up story regarding Connie’s death and a possible link to Dorrie and to Liz’s murder ten years ago. In talking about the arrest of Billy Thornton they mentioned that he was charged with murder in Connie’s death and also mentioned that charges were probably pending related to negligence and possible sexual assault related to the death of Dorrie Johnson. The attorney was quoted as saying his client was, of course, innocent of all charges. He’s a fellow by the name of Thomas Pickett, has an office in Manteo, I believe.”
Lin immediately grabbed a phone book to look up the attorney’s number. She wrote that, along with the office address on a slip of paper. “I’m going to give him a call tomorrow, maybe he’d like to talk about what we’ve learned that might help Billy’s case?”
“I expect he would,” Neal replied, “ but aren’t you working at the park tomorrow?”
“Just in the morning,” Lin said, “I’ll call and see if he’s available in the afternoon or maybe some other time. I just think he should know that there’s a witness who could testify that Dorrie Johnson didn’t appear to be hung over or impaired in any way the morning following her date with Billy. It won’t help with the charges related to Connie, but it could help with the other possibilities.”
“Well, I thought you’d be happy to know about the attorney, and Thomas Pickett should be happy with what you have to share, provided he doesn’t already have the information.”
“I’m not sure that Ken Parker even had that information yet. He was pretty closed mouth and didn’t reveal much of what he did know, but he did mention following up with the clerk at the Holiday Inn,” Lin replied.
“Let’s sit on the porch for a few minutes before we go upstairs,” Neal suggested, “I really enjoy the view especially when it’s a clear night and the moon is almost full. He poured them each a second glass of the wine they’d enjoyed with dinner.
They sat quietly for a time, simply enjoying the dancing light on the water and the sound made by the wind rustling the marsh grasses. It was chilly though and Lin snuggled closer to Neal on the sofa.
He put his arm around her and drew her closer. “I’ll bet I know why Mark Simon made you feel so uncomfortable,” he said, “When I was shopping for your ring I asked some of the park service folks at the visitor center to recommend a good jewelry store. Everyone agreed that Mark’s gallery had the best selection and the most unique pieces, but I was also told he has quite the reputation as a ladies man. Apparently, he’s cheated on that sick wife of his over the years.” He looked at her with a sly grin, “I’ll bet he was trying to put the make on you.”
“Well, he did try to hold my hand overly long when he was measuring my finger, actually I’d have to say it was more of a caress. He is a handsome man, but he has that certain manner…just too sure that women are going to be attracted to him, I guess. I must confess I was glad to get out of there, but I’m forewarned now. He won’t get under my skin next time,” she smiled and leaned closer to Neal.
“I just had a thought,” Lin sat up suddenly, almost upsetting her wine, “Maybe he did remember Dorrie coming in, maybe he tried to flirt with her and got nowhere; that might explain why he seemed so tense, almost angry when I asked about her. He didn’t like it when I asked about Liz either. He might’ve tried to come on to her years ago. Supposedly Liz Frazier had a married boyfriend from Manteo. I think Dorrie might’ve been trying to remember who it was and find him. I’d be willing to bet it wasn’t Mark Simon. I think he considers
himself quite a ladies’ man and doesn’t like it when his overtures are rejected.”
“Could be,” Neal agreed, “ guys like Mark Simon don’t like to be turned down.”
They sat for only a few more minutes. It was growing colder, and Lin found herself shivering as she finished her wine.
“I’m going in,” she announced, “that cold front they promised is beginning to come through and I’m freezing.”
“I’m right behind you,” Neal teased, “as soon as I put our glasses in the dishwasher. I’ll be up to keep you warm.”
Chapter 21
At three o’clock the following afternoon Lin entered the law offices of Thomas Pickett. Her morning with the students had gone well and she’d even had time to go back home and change before her appointment. The day was still sunny and clear but much cooler than the previous few days; she had chosen to wear soft gray woolen slacks and a warm sweater under her black wool jacket. She felt comfortable with her appearance, knowing that the bright blue of her sweater set off her blue eyes. Better than a brown volunteer uniform, she thought.
One look around the beautifully appointed reception area made her glad that her appearance was professional. Thomas Pickett was obviously very successful.
An attractive gray-haired woman greeted her and said she’d let Mr. Pickett know that she had arrived. Lin took a moment to review the list of facts she wished to share with Billy Thornton’s attorney, hopeful that she would find an interested audience.
“Ms. Hanna, how nice to see you,” an attractive gray-haired gentleman greeted her, extending his hand in welcome. “I’m Tom Pickett, would you care for coffee?”
Lin followed him into a lovely conference room and accepted a cup of rich-smelling dark roast. “Thank you for making time in your busy schedule for me,” she smiled.
“I expect I’m the one who should be thanking you,” Pickett replied, “This is a difficult case. The evidence against Billy is largely circumstantial, but it’s going to be difficult to refute, I’m afraid. Thus far, I’ve found little in his favor.”
Sandrift: A Lin Hanna Mystery Page 23
