by Jason Deas
“Can we change the subject?”
“Do you want to know what else I found in the computer?”
“Please.”
“I found a screenshot for a Craigslist ad.”
“What’s Craigslist?”
“Are you kidding me?”
Benny shook his head from side to side.
“It’s like classifieds on the computer. And before you ask, a screenshot is like taking a picture of what is on your computer screen.”
“So, Alton basically had a picture of a classified ad?”
“Yes.”
“And what did it say?”
“The writer of the ad wanted someone for a ‘curious adventure.’ It said something that sounded sexual and maybe about drugs—you have to read it. It’s strange. You can read it one way as completely innocent and another way as something different.”
“When you’re able to stand up and function again, can you pull it back up on the computer and show it to me?”
“I’m one step ahead of you. I already sent it to the printer. You know where my printer is, right?”
“Yes,” Benny answered rolling his eyes so Ned couldn’t see. “It’s under the framed gun that was used to shoot Ronald Regan.”
“Right.”
Ned claimed and really did believe he owned the gun that was used in the Regan shooting. Benny had never told Ned he didn’t believe him and didn’t want to have that conversation or hear about how he acquired it again, so he hurried off to the other room.
Benny pulled the paper off the printer and read:
Seeking male for curious adventure. Must be willing to think outside the box and play in the box. Will be rewarded with candy and sugar. Must be a big dog who loves cats.
“What?” Benny said aloud.
“Benny?” Ned called from the other room.
Benny scampered back into the room.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but can we finish this all later? I think a nap would do me some good.”
“Sure. How about I stick around just in case you need some sort of help?”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. One of the reasons I’m off is probably because I’ve been awake for fifty-nine hours.”
“Fifty-nine hours!”
“Just another part of the study.”
“Somebody should study you. I’ll leave, but you have to promise to call me if you wake up not feeling well.”
“OK.”
“Can I just leave the computer here and we can wrap this up tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Ned said, nodding off and snapping his head back up.
“See you tomorrow.” Before Benny even finished his sentence Ned was asleep.
Back at the Tilley Police Station, Vernon was still working at his desk.
“Any luck?”
“Maybe. Ned’s a little tired and is taking a nap, so hopefully it will be all right if I get the computer back to you tomorrow.”
“Sure. I think if we get it processed before the end of business tomorrow nobody will ever be the wiser. Hell, he can keep it two more days if he needs to. We’ll just put in the report that we discovered it tomorrow.”
“Gotta love small towns, huh?”
“They’re the best.” Benny unfolded the piece of paper from Ned’s printer. “I need your help with some lingo on a document we found on Alton’s computer.”
“I’ll try.”
“Let me read you the Craigslist ad we found. ‘Seeking male for curious adventure. Must be willing to think outside the box and play in the box. Will be rewarded with candy and sugar. Must be a big dog who loves cats.’”
Vernon laughed. “Let’s call in the expert on this one.” He turned his head toward Chief Neighbors’ office and yelled, “Chief. Need your help out here.”
Chief Neighbors emerged from behind his office door rubbing his eyes.
“You sleeping in there?”
“Yeah. I got a big date tonight.”
“But this week you’ve already been with two… never mind. Give him the paper and let him read it,” he instructed Benny.
Benny handed Chief Neighbors the copy of the ad and both men watched him read. The Chief’s eyes widened and began to glow.
“Did it come with a phone number? E-mail address?”
“It’s a piece of evidence in the murder case,” Benny said, snatching the paper out of his hands.
The glow from Chief Neighbors’ eyes vanished.
“Of course,” he said, obviously dejected.
“What does all that mean?” Benny asked. “I understand thinking outside the box, but what does ‘play in the box’ mean?”
“A box is a woman’s entertainment center,” Chief Neighbors said. “How does anybody not know that?”
Benny shrugged his shoulders.
“What about the candy and sugar part?” Vernon asked.
“Well, sugar is nookie. I’ve heard people call cocaine ‘nose candy.’ They were probably talking about that.”
“We were thinking in the same vein,” Vernon said. “What about the big dog and cats part?”
“A cat would most probably be a woman and a dog would be a man. So maybe she likes big men.”
“Thanks, Chief,” Vernon said, excusing him. Chief Neighbors took the cue and disappeared back behind his office door.
“He scares me,” Benny said. “Is he part rabbit?”
“Must be.” Vernon’s face turned serious. “So, we have a hunter. Not only does our killer enjoy the kill, he also enjoys the set-up.”
“You think we’re looking for a male?”
“Yeah, don’t you? I think it’s a guy pretending to be a girl.”
“I’m still open to either one, but I’m leaning toward your way of thinking.”
“Well, this piece of information might convolute your thinking.” Vernon handed Benny a sheet of paper from his desk.
As Benny studied the paper, his eyes doubled in size.
“Victim number two,” Vernon said. “The guy in the ice cooler.”
“I’ll be damned. Erick Frederickson, also known as Little E. Big E’s brother.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I thought he was incarcerated in Colorado.”
“Seems as though he was paroled last week.”
“Do you think Big E knows?”
“Knows what? That his brother is dead or that he was paroled?”
“Either one,” Benny said handing the paper back to Vernon.
“I have a feeling he knows both.”
“Let’s go find out.”
“Chief isn’t going to like us bothering him again.”
“Well, tough. At least we now have a real reason.”
Benny drove and Vernon thought out loud as they made their way to the other side of the lake and Big E’s monstrous office.
“Let’s just say that Big E knew his brother was getting out of jail. Or, maybe he didn’t know and was surprised to find him on his doorstep asking for his half of the family money.”
“Wouldn’t he have called?”
“Benny,” Vernon admonished, “I’m trying to think something through here.”
“Sorry, I’ll just shut up and drive.”
“Thanks.” Vernon stared out the window and continued. “Either way, Big E probably wanted him out of the picture. So, maybe Big E told Little E he would cut him his half of the money if he killed Alton, all the while knowing he would double-cross him.”
“But,” Benny tried.
“Shh! I’m not finished. And he needed Rene’s help, so he…”
“Can we just ask him some questions and go from there?”
“Dammit Benny. I almost had it figured out.”
“Sure you did. And what about the art? How does that play into it all?”
“I was getting there.”
“No you weren’t.”
“I was. They threw in the art stuff to put suspicion on Nina Oglethorpe and Uncle Karl since they are the town weirdos.”
“Touché,” Benny said. “Next time you have some out loud thinking to do, why don’t we take separate vehicles?” Benny cackled and playfully punched Vernon in the arm.
Pulling into Big E’s driveway the two men witnessed a golf cart ascending the hill from the dock area below.
“Poor golf cart,” Vernon commented.
Big E noticed the Jeep and his jowls sunk.
“I don’t think he’s happy to see us,” Benny said. “Do you want to play good cop, bad cop?”
“Nah. Let’s play bad cop, bad cop.”
“That’s fun too. You lead and I’ll follow.”
Vernon got out of the car first and slammed the door extra hard to make a statement. He looked pissed and Benny tried not to show his amusement.
Big E parked the golf cart and wiggled out. “I thought we settled our business about the gambling. I’ll have you know I am a very good friend of Chief Neighbors and he is going to hear about this visit.”
“He’s the one who sent us,” Vernon lied, filling his chest with a deep breath.
“Oh?”
“Yeah. We’re on to more serious things today. That gambling is petty bullshit compared to what we’re onto today.”
Benny stepped in front of Vernon and said, “I thought the Chief said to cuff this asshole and drag him into the station.”
“He did,” Vernon lied, playing along. “I just want to hear what he has to say for himself here and now. I’m an impatient man and I’m ready to get at the truth now.”
“The truth about what?” Big E asked.
“Oh, hell no. He didn’t just say that, did he?” Vernon asked.
“He did.”
“I really don’t know,” Big E pleaded.
“We aren’t stupid, boy. Yeah, I called you boy. Ironic ain’t it? You go to the Chief and complain about me being up in your grill and you call me boy. Chief Neighbors may be a lot of things, but he is loyal and he told me about that. Boy? What is this? 1950?”
“I’m sorry. I was angry about the gambling thing.”
“Why don’t you drop all the hateful bullshit and tell me a little something about your brother.”
“Erick?”
“No, your other brother, dummy. You only have one brother. Spill.”
“He’s in prison.”
Benny pushed Vernon aside and said, “We all know that isn’t true. This may be a small town, but we still have access to phone records. You better think about this next answer long and hard before you give it because I’m going to hold you to it in court.”
“Court?”
“You heard me,” Benny said, gritting his teeth together in Big E’s face. “When is the last time your brother called you? And remember, I probably already know the answer.”
“Jesus. OK. I talked to him last week. He said he was probably getting paroled.”
“And?”
“That’s it. He said he would come home and wondered if I could give him any work. I told him I could.”
“You weren’t angry?” Vernon asked.
“Why would I be angry?”
“Money.”
“He has a trust account that is worth at least three million dollars,” Big E stated.
“Then why would he be inquiring about work?” Benny asked.
“It was a requirement of his parole. He had to find a steady job to keep him busy I guess.”
“And have you heard from him since?”
“No. He does this all the time. He makes contact and he drops off the face of the earth.”
“What if I told you he was dead,” Vernon said.
“I would tell you I wasn’t surprised.”
“It’s true,” Benny said. “We found your brother dead yesterday.”
“He was a scoundrel,” Bid E said. “I won’t miss him.”
“What did you have to do with it?” Vernon said trying to get his edge back, but feeling sorrow for Big E’s loss.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
Big E’s face was a blank. Neither Benny nor Vernon could read anything at all in the expression that it held.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Benny said. “His body is at the county morgue and Chief Neighbors was supposed to contact your parents this afternoon.”
“They won’t be surprised,” Big E said solemnly.
Vernon tipped his head toward the car as he caught Benny’s eye, signaling he was ready to leave. Benny shook his head side to side signaling no. With Big E looking away, Benny pointed to his head signaling back to Vernon that he had an idea.
“If I can use your restroom real fast, we’ll be out of your hair and on our way.”
“Sure,” Big E said, waving Benny toward the house. Vernon waited in the driveway.
Benny pretended to rush toward the bathroom. He flushed the toilet after a minute and turned on the sink faucets. Finished pretending, he emerged from the restroom and took a look around the decorated room and out the window onto the lake below..
“My God,” he said to Big E. “What a view. And look at this art.”
“I am blessed,” Bid E said.
A painting caught Benny’s eye and he walked toward it.
“Ah,” Big E said as Benny stood in front of it. “My favorite.”
Benny studied it and his eyes finally made their way to the painted signature—Nina Oglethorpe.
Chapter 13
“Why did you want to go inside of Big E’s place so bad?” Vernon asked on the drive back to the station.
“I thought I might be able to tell with a quick look around if Little E had been there or not.”
“Big E said he hadn’t seen or heard from him since the phone call.”
“And I’m pretty sure he’s lying. The door frame is splintered and a piece of drywall just inside the door is cracked as if someone forced their way in and had a bit of a tussle just inside the door. The rest of the place is immaculate. Big E doesn’t seem like the kind of person to let something like that go unrepaired. I bet if we go back in a few days it will be repaired and good as new.”
“Do you think Little E really has a three million dollar trust fund?”
“I’m guessing no. Why don’t you dig around on that one. And did you ever run the registration number on the boat?”
“No, I’ll do both of those things this afternoon. I guess I better tell Chief Neighbors what we’re up to as well before he gets another phone call and loses his mind.”
“Maybe without Big E’s donation money you could beat him in the next election.”
“Stop saying that,” Vernon warned. “I’ve actually started thinking about the possibility.”
“You got my vote.” Benny bobbed his head and bit his lip as he tried to hide his grin. He knew he was responsible for putting the thought into Vernon’s mind.
Benny dropped Vernon off at the station and headed back toward the Oglethorpe place as he had thought of a few questions he wanted to ask Uncle Karl. He also just wanted the opportunity to observe him with his new understanding of his ability to mimic others. Benny also hoped to have the opportunity to explain to Nina that he wasn’t the fainting type.
Uncle Karl was throwing rocks at a dead pine tree when he arrived. Getting out of the Jeep he noticed a kite was stuck between some branches.
“The m… m… man is kee… keeping me down,” Uncle Karl stuttered.
“The way I see it, a tree is keeping you down.”
Although Nina and Dr. Walton had told him of Uncle Karl’s ability to switch personalities and mimic other people, Benny had not truly believed. He watched Uncle Karl in amazement as even the way he moved was different. Benny wondered who he was mimicking.
“Pick up a ro… ro… rock and help. Stop standing around and wa… wa… wasting my time.” Uncle Karl glared at Benny and even his eyes seemed to be different. The man whom Benny had talked to before was not behind the eyes he looked into.
Benny picked up a handful of rocks and began to throw. He hit the kite
a few times, but it didn’t budge. Picking up a stick, Benny hurled it toward the kite and realized midair it probably wasn’t the best idea he’d ever had. The stick pierced the cheap kite, going all the way through it while the kite remained stuck in the tree.
“You little bi… bi… bitch,” Uncle Karl screamed. “Get out of my fa… fa… fa… face! N… n… now!”
Benny hurried back to the Jeep and sped off as Uncle Karl pounded his chest like a mad gorilla.
As Benny made his way back into town he passed the Lakeside Motor Inn and noticed the parking lot was beginning to accumulate vans from various media outlets across the country. During the last murder case, which rocked the little town, the lot was full and every room was filled with some sort of journalist. Benny slowed the Jeep and spied Room 12—the room Rachael had stayed in when he met her. His heart lurched and without thinking he pulled the vehicle into the lot and parked in front of the door. As he stared at the door he wondered what she was doing and if she was thinking of him. Thoughts of her vanished as someone tapped on the driver’s side window. Benny broke from his thoughts. He lowered the window.
“We don’t allow loitering.”
“How do you do, Carlton?”
Carlton was the owner of the hotel and ran it with the help of his family. He was a retired businessman who had traveled extensively during his career. Once retired, he decided to build an Inn that had all the things he wanted in a room but never got all those years on the road.
“She was a good one,” Carlton offered.
“You heard, huh?”
“You know Donny can’t keep his mouth shut. He’s pretty upset. How’re you doing?”
“I’m OK. I obviously miss her—I’m sitting in my car in front of a room she stayed in a couple of years ago. How sad is that?”
“Heartache makes a person do strange things. Do you want me to go get the key for you so you can go inside?”
“No, but that’s really kind of you to offer, Carlton. I’d rather just sit here and imagine her inside.”
“Do whatever it takes and stay as long as you like. If you change your mind about the key, you know where to find me.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh,” Carlton said, “have you been by Rene’s today?”
“No, why?”
“A newspaper guy from Ohio was in the lobby earlier saying a New York City art dealer was there causing a stir. He was buying all the paintings off the wall. Cleaned out the entire restaurant.”
