by Jaime Maddox
“When was that? When did she meet with PMU?” Reese was trying to understand it all, everything she knew about Steph and what she’d recently learned about Josh’s movements on the night of her murder.
“She actually met with him the day she died. She signed her acceptance letter that day.”
Reese sipped her water and thought about the logistics. Steph decided during the weeks leading up to her death and made it official on the day she died. The remaining question might never be answered—did Steph tell Josh? She asked Sophie.
“I’m not really sure. She wanted to wait to tell him, until she knew whether the university had a scholarship for him. And since she only found out that day, and he was in Philly with his mom, I don’t think he ever knew.”
Reese was willing to bet he did. “So did he go to the ceremony and get the award?”
Sophie shrugged. “Reese—I have no idea. After Steph died, none of it really mattered anymore.”
Ella had heard enough. They knew Josh was in Scranton the night Steph died, but they hadn’t been able to convince themselves he’d held any malice toward Steph. Not until now. No matter what kind of scholarship Josh had received from PMU, it wouldn’t have been the one he was expecting—full tuition, room, and board. Although the Stephanie Gates Scholarship was similar, few others were of that caliber at the university, and Ella doubted Josh would have been able to secure one at the eleventh hour.
“Mrs. Gates, I want to ask you a serious question.” Ella paused to make sure Sophie was listening. “Did you ever tell anyone about this? About Steph changing her plans?”
Once again Sophie chewed before swallowing. The stew had smelled delicious, and Sophie looked like she was enjoying it, but Ella’s taste buds—like everything else—were numb.
“I don’t know, Ella. Why?”
Ella’s voice was thick with emotion—fear, anxiety, sadness. “Because I think we’ve just discovered a motive for Steph’s murder.”
Chapter 28: Reasonable Doubt
Sophie had a hard time believing Josh could have killed her daughter, but when Ella and Reese detailed all the facts that were coming together, she had to admit they cast Josh in an unfavorable light.
“Did you have any idea?” Ella asked on the way to the car a little while later.
The temperature had dropped, and she rubbed her arms through the light jacked she wore, but she wasn’t convinced the weather was the cause of her shivering.
“None. But I think she was going to tell me that night.” Reese told Ella about the surprise Steph had planned.
Ella started the car, and they looked at each other as the engine warmed up. “What was he doing at your house that night, Reese?”
“Cass said he needed to borrow money.”
Ella thought about it for a moment when an idea struck her. Pulling out her phone, she checked the price of gas in 1993. “Okay, Reese. A gallon of regular unleaded gasoline cost $1.16 at the time Steph died. Where was he going on two bucks’ worth of gas?”
“Not far.”
“So, let’s assume he was lying about the gas. He was there for another reason. Do you think he was there before he murdered Steph, to talk to you? Maybe see if you could get her to change her mind?”
Reese shuddered too, as a deeper cold set in. “That’s the first time we’ve stated it, rather than questioned it, but that’s what this is all about, right? Josh killed Steph and then tried to kill Cass to cover it up. We really think that, don’t we?”
The words seemed so strange to Reese, the thought so foreign. Her friend, the United States senator, a killer. Even worse, her friend from student council, the lifeguard, the member of the honor society and the swim team. An eighteen-year-old boy, a murderer. It was hard to fathom, and she had to admit she liked it much better when the theory involved a stranger killing Steph.
“We should talk to Bucky.”
“Have you two made up?”
“I don’t know what was going on with him, but I know he has my back now.”
“Should we call him?”
“Better yet, let’s take a drive around the lake. He still lives in the same house he grew up in.”
A minute later, Ella stood nervously beside Reese as they awaited Bucky at his front door.
“This can’t be good,” he said, and Ella laughed in spite of herself.
“Boy, Buckaroo, do we have a theory to plant on you,” Reese said.
He offered them drinks, which they declined, and then they sat in the richly paneled den they’d never been allowed to enter as children. “It seems strange to be in this room,” Ella said.
He smiled. “Right? Sometimes I stay in here just because I can. Anyway, what’s on your collective mind?”
Without hesitation, Reese began telling him her theory. He listened attentively, but his face remained passive, as if he was weighing all the facts before forming his opinion. “I have to admit, everything you say makes our senator look a little suspicious. But there’s nothing solid here, just a whole lot of coincidence. We don’t even know that Josh knew about Steph’s decision.”
“I know they talked almost every day. The long-distance fees in those days were steep, and Steph insisted he call her collect so she could check on him. Remember how she’d update everyone about Mrs. Nathan’s condition?”
Bucky nodded. “How long were they out of town?”
Reese shrugged as she thought about it. At the time, it had seemed like forever, but it was probably only a few weeks. Josh and Jeremy had essentially stayed at their mother’s side for the duration of her treatment.
“I have an idea,” Ella said. Reaching into her purse, she retrieved her phone and dialed the university switchboard. “It’s Elizabeth Townes. Can you give me Dick Price’s phone number?”
A moment later, Ella dialed the phone. “Hi, Dick,” Ella said, realizing she hadn’t really thought about what she’d say. Scrambling, Ella came up with a plausible explanation. “You know I’m working with Mrs. Gates on a scholarship.” Ella went on to ask if Stephanie had in fact accepted the scholarship to PMU.
“Yes,” he answered. “I wasn’t sure she’d told her parents, so I never mentioned it, but she was in my office the day she died.”
“What scholarship would Senator Nathan have received?” Ella asked him.
“Oh, he would have been fine! I told Steph not to worry about Josh because he had good grades. And when Josh called, I told him the same thing.”
The phone was on speaker, and Ella, Reese, and Bucky all looked at each other. Josh had called the university about another scholarship. He knew! Steph had told him her decision.
“So Josh would have gotten a full scholarship?” Ella asked, not sure what was happening to her theory as Dick seemed to tear it apart.
He laughed. “Oh, no. Everything had been decided by then, but with his financial situation, he would have gotten aid. Plenty of aid. I told him to take care of his mother and to come in and see me when he got back from Philly.”
Ella’s eyes met Reese’s as she nodded. “Thanks, Dick,” she said before disconnecting.
“We have a motive, Bucky,” Reese said. “Josh knew.”
Leaning back in his chair, he shook his head. “Maybe Josh killed Steph. Maybe he didn’t. But either way, we don’t have any proof he’s done something wrong. You can’t even prove that he lied about the bone marrow, because the medical records are long gone by this time. So are the phone records. There was no E-ZPass then to track the movements of his car, and if he used a credit card to buy something in Scranton that night, the records of that would be next to impossible to trace. So, we’ve got a motive, but other than that, we’ve got nothing.”
“Buck…” Reese whined.
Holding up his hand, he stopped her. “Reese, this isn’t some bum from the park you’re talking about. It’s Josh Nathan. If we were going to arrest him, we’d need a smoking gun and a video of him committing the crime, plus a busload of nuns who witnessed it.”
“I know he did this, Buck.”
Bucky shook his head. “It all looks kind of suspicious, but you’re forgetting one thing—he has an alibi. The guy was in the ICU at the time of Steph’s murder. He practically died from that shot of Novocain they gave him for the bone-marrow thing.”
Bucky was right—if that had really happened. “Did anyone ever check that story out?”
Bucky nodded. “The police called down there, Reese. Josh was in the ICU when Steph died. There’s no way he could have done it. And just to be sure, I called myself to check.”
Reese was surprised. “You did?”
Bucky shrugged. “I thought it was a little strange that he threw you under the bus. I asked myself why he’d do it…and, well, I just wanted to be sure.”
Reese felt a huge relief. Bucky cared about her enough to try to clear her. She’d lost one friend, for sure. Even if they couldn’t prove Josh’s link to Steph’s murder, Reese could never trust him again. First, he’d tossed her to the wolves, and now he looked like a suspect. No way could Reese even look at him again without wanting to poke him in the eyes with needles.
For Bucky’s friendship, though, she was very grateful. “Thank you,” she said to him, and he simply nodded and opened his arms for a hug.
Chapter 29: Dracula’s Secret
“Hey, Dr. Ryan. Do you need some help?”
Reese looked up to see a young pre-med student hurrying toward her. “You can help carry doughnuts.”
“Yeah, take these,” Cass said and handed the girl a plastic bag containing a few boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts that the local store had donated.
“Take them yourself, Cass,” Reese said as she nodded toward her car. “There’s more in the Jeep.”
Cass grunted and continued her walk to the student center, where the pre-med club was holding their annual Vampire’s Kiss blood drive. Reese had initiated the event years ago as a student and had taken over mentoring the pre-med crowd when the previous doctor retired. Cass served as her assistant, helping to register people for the event and checking in those who’d pre-registered.
A large table was set up at the entrance to the student center, and strategically placed wall units provided privacy and directed people to where they needed to go. Behind those walls were the stretchers, supplies, and staff from the Red Cross who actually collected the blood. As they were setting up, two dozen students, all in vampire garb, arranged chairs in the waiting area and snacks in the refreshment zone.
Reese was happy for the blood drive to occupy her mind. She still hadn’t recovered from the whole ordeal of being questioned as a murder suspect, and even though Bucky reassured her that she was safe, when she thought about it, Reese still worried. And she might never get over the shock about Josh. Meeting with the students, reviewing the leaflets and posters, and getting ready for the day had been a welcome distraction from the daily routine that the realities of life had tarnished.
Glancing around, Reese hoped to find Ella. She’d been away for a few days, and their conflicting schedules hadn’t allowed them to see each other since her return. Reese was off for two days after the blood drive, though, and they’d made plans to drive along the Susquehanna River and view the foliage, then launch their kayaks and picnic on an island in the middle of the river. Afterward…the possibilities gave Reese butterflies.
“Cass, why don’t you hunt for Ella?” she asked, knowing her sister would much rather wander around than do any real work.
“Okay,” she said as she scurried off, leaving Reese alone to set up the registration table.
She pulled clipboards from a bin and placed a dozen pens in a cup on the table, then piled the forms between the two. Behind her, she hung the registration sign, and after putting away the packaging materials, she went off to check out everyone’s progress.
She found Ella mingling with some of the Red Cross volunteers, to whom she’d proudly distributed PMU mugs, pens, and hats. Warmth flushed through her as she watched Ella talk to the men and women, thanking them for their efforts on behalf of their fellow man. It was hard for her to believe that only two months had passed since Ella had appeared in her parents’ backyard. So much had happened since then, but in the end, the most important thing was the beautiful woman who floated so effortlessly through the crowd, making them all feel important and appreciated.
For a few moments she just watched, and then Ella caught her eye, and she melted. As a smile spread across the breadth of Ella’s face, Reese winked and walked in her direction.
“Good morning,” Ella said as she pulled Reese into a chaste hug.
“Hi,” Reese said as she reluctantly released her grip on Ella’s arms.
“Nice job,” Ella said, and Reese felt a telltale blush spread across her, its heat so familiar in Ella’s presence. How could one woman have such an effect on her?
“Thanks, but it wasn’t me. Two dozen students organized this.”
Ella nodded. “Of course they did. And their message is so powerful that I’ve decided to donate blood for the first time.”
Reese feigned surprise. “You’re a virgin?”
Ella made an exaggerated frown. “The forty-year-old. Don’t you think it’s time?”
Reese nodded. “I do. And what a great way for you to lose your innocence. It’s a great experience for future donors.”
Ella shifted her weight and spread her hands in question. “Well, where do I sign up? I’d like to be the first one to give blood today, unless someone else has claimed that honor.”
“No. In fact, we’ve never had a ‘first donor.’ Maybe it’s a tradition we should start.”
“I have a reporter and photographer from the PMU Times to do a story.” It was Ella’s turn to blush, and Reese didn’t have to wonder why for very long. “They want to interview you, and I think it’s great. You deserve some credit for getting this together.”
“Oooookaaaay,” Reese said, and Ella led her though the crowd to where a young man and woman were interviewing one of the volunteers.
When they were done, Ella approached them and introduced Reese. They began asking questions, and Ella suggested she go get her paperwork so they could start the process. She playfully patted Reese on the butt and headed in the other direction. Cass was sitting at the registration table, eating a doughnut. Much of it was on her face, and she looked adorable.
Grabbing a bottle of water from the snack area, Ella spilled some on a napkin and handed it to Cass. “Wipe,” she commanded, and Cass did a passable job of cleaning up. “Mind if I help?” she asked, and before Cass could answer, she’d removed the dried sugar from Cass’s face.
“I need a registration form,” she announced.
Cass beamed. “Should I help you fill it out?”
They had a few minutes, so Ella agreed, and she wiped down the table as Cass pulled a paper from the pile and placed it before her.
“What’s your name?” Cass asked.
“Elizabeth Townes,” she answered, and then she spelled it.
“What is your D.O.B.?”
Ella smiled and revealed her birth date.
“Have you ever given blood before?”
“No.”
“Do you take any medicine?”
“No.”
“Do you have annamea?”
“Anemia?”
“Yes. Do you have that?”
“No.”
“Do you have any allergies?”
“Penicillin.”
“Hey, I have that, too,” Cass said as she smiled in solidarity.
“I think it’s very common,” Ella said.
“Do you have any community diseases?”
“None.”
“Ella, you’re perfect for donating blood.”
“Why, thank you, Cass.”
“You have to write your name here,” she said and pointed to the place on the permission slip. “In cursive.”
Ella signed her name, and Cass handed her an envelope that she carried tow
ard the back, where she found a nurse and explained what she needed. The woman agreed to be photographed, and together they approached Reese and the newspaper crew. A moment later, Ella reclined on a stretcher, and while Reese held her hand, the woman punctured her vein and began collecting her blood. Reese stayed beside her for the fifteen minutes it took to complete the process, and when they were done, Reese escorted her to the refreshment area for a doughnut.
“So, congrats!” she said. “You just saved someone’s life.”
Ella waved her off. “It was nothin’!”
“Well, good, because in about ten minutes, we’re going to open those doors, and it might get a little crazy.”
Sure enough, Reese’s prediction came true. At precisely eight o’clock, the doors were opened and students, faculty, and members of the public marched through them, eager to do their part to save their fellow man.
Ella helped with the registration, directing people to pick up their packets and then directing them toward the chairs to complete their paperwork. When they returned, either she, Cass, or Reese scanned the form to assure completion, and then students guided them to the donation stations in the back.
They were an hour into the busy morning when a murmur drew their attention to the front doors. Josh Nathan waved to some well-wishers before walking toward the registration table with a smile and a wave. “Hi, Cass. Where’s your sister today?”
Reese, who was sitting beside Cass, rolled her eyes as Cass eyed him suspiciously and pointed. “You should get glasses, Josh. She’s right there.”
“Oh, hi!” he said, and Reese took a deep breath, practicing the cordial greeting she’d promised herself she’d offer Josh. There was no proof, she reminded herself, and even if she knew he wasn’t the man he pretended to be, she’d pretend he was.
Reese stood and accepted his hug, and when she stepped out of his arms, his brother, Jeremy, stepped in to hug both her and Cass.
“You have to sit down over there,” Cass said as she handed them paperwork. “Answer all the questions, or you can’t donate your blood.”
