Panic in Paxton Park

by J A Whiting

  “I won’t be able to walk for a week and you might need to carry me back down,” Shelly kidded, “but it was definitely worth it.”

  Jack let out a hearty laugh. “I’d be happy to carry you down.”

  They climbed up to the viewing platform and admired the beautiful panoramic views before heading to the café for their tasty reward. Shelly ordered coffee and a slice of cheesecake and Jack had iced tea and a hot fudge sundae which they carried to a table near the windows and joined a few people they knew from working at the resort.

  Chatter moved from one topic to another before centering on Abby Jackson’s murder and its ramifications.

  “The police need to catch this guy. People are on edge, they’re afraid the killer will strike again,” one young man said.

  “Tourists are going elsewhere,” another person in the group said. “We can’t afford to lose the tourists. It will cause a lot of financial problems for most people in town.”

  “There’s an undercurrent of panic in town,” a woman told them. “Worry, fear, a feeling the police aren’t doing enough.”

  Shelly didn’t mention that Jay was barely getting a few hours of sleep a night and was consumed with every aspect and detail of the case.

  Tony, a friend of Jack’s, sat across the table from Shelly and her boyfriend. “It’s like a bunch of dominoes going down, one thing leads to another. My sister works in the office at Glad Hill Farm. She told me Dwayne Thomas has been knocked to his knees by Abby’s murder and from finding the hand. He’s on meds for anxiety, he’s become mentally dull, is making lots of mistakes. If that farm loses business, it will be a disaster. The place employs tons of people from the area.”

  Shelly asked, “What kind of mistakes is Dwayne making?”

  Tony said, “My sister told me that Dwayne moved money from the farm bank account into his personal account and there wasn’t enough money to pay the supply vendors. It took a while to sort out and some of the vendors are mighty angry and had to be cajoled into not taking their business elsewhere. Dwayne started a project on the west side of his property. He wants to add a winery to the farm. The cost is way too high and Paul Blake, the nephew, thinks it’s a terrible, risky financial move so he halted the building plans. My sister said it’s been lucky that Paul has been around to set things right.”

  Tony shook his head. “That’s only one example of how this murder is impacting people and can cause a chain reaction of trouble throughout the town.”

  Jeff brought up the possible layoffs that might be coming to the resort if guests continue to cancel their reservations and while the two men discussed the issue, Shelly’s thoughts strayed to Dwayne and his instability and began to wonder if his mental decline had started before Abby’s disappearance. What Abby’s mother’s told them in the interview the other day rang in her head. Dwayne loved Abby. He was afraid he’d never see her again after she left for college.

  Cold sweat beaded up on her back. Was Dwayne in the first stages of dementia? Did he become obsessed with Abby? Was her upcoming departure to college upsetting Dwayne so much that he wanted to prevent it? Did Dwayne…?

  Shelly’s worries were interrupted by Jack’s voice. “Shelly?”

  She shook herself back to the present and forced a smile. “Sorry. I was lost in my own thoughts. What did you ask?”

  “How is business at the diner?” Jack asked. “Have you noticed a drop off in people coming in?”

  “Um. I’m not sure,” Shelly said. “There hasn’t been a decrease yet in orders for baked goods for either the diner or the resort bakery. Hopefully, the crime will be solved soon and things can go back to normal for the town businesses.”

  Thoughts about Dwayne Thomas’s mental state swirled in Shelly’s mind and made her heart pound. She needed to talk to Jay.

  Has Dwayne lost touch with reality? Did Dwayne kill Abby?

  19

  Shelly arrived early for her baking job at Glad Hill Farm and was asked by the main chef if she’d mind waiting thirty minutes to begin since they were still using the counter where she did her work. The day was less hot than it had been and the air was clear and comfortable so Shelly decided to take a walk around the farm to pass the time.

  Approaching a small lake not far from the food barn, she spotted a figure sitting on a bench facing the water. She walked over and greeted the man. “Hi, Dwayne. What a beautiful day. May I join you?”

  Dwayne glanced up at Shelly and shielded his eyes from the sun. At first, the expression on his face showed confusion as if he had no idea who the woman was who was speaking to him, but then his eyes brightened. “Shelly. Have a seat.”

  When she sat down next to Dwayne, he said, “I’ve always liked sitting here looking at the water at the end of a day’s work.”

  “It’s a lovely spot,” Shelly agreed. “Are you finished working for the day?”

  Dwayne checked his watch. “Oh, I guess not. It’s earlier than I thought.” The man had dark circles under his eyes and he gave the impression that he was sleepy or lacking in energy.

  “Are you okay?” Shelly asked.

  “Me? Sure.” Dwayne seemed to wonder why she would ask such a question.

  “Can you tell me what Abby Jackson was like?” Shelly wanted to see what the older man would say.

  “Abby?” Dwayne’s expression softened and a slight smile crossed his lips. “She was an angel. She reminded me of my late wife. If we’d had a daughter, she would have been like Abby. Abby loved this farm, the outdoors, everything about it. We got along great. It made me happy to be around her.”

  “She was a good worker?”

  “The best.” Dwayne nodded a few times.

  “She was planning to head to college this fall,” Shelly said.

  “Yes. She was a smart young woman.” Dwayne rubbed at one of his wrists. “I was going to miss her. I loved that girl.”

  “You found her hand?” Shelly hated to bring it up, but she needed to see Dwayne’s reaction.

  The man seemed to shrink into himself. “Yes.”

  “Where did you find it?”

  Dwayne adjusted his position and looked into Shelly’s eyes. “In the orchard. Abby loved the orchard.” He closed his eyes for a few seconds and didn’t open them until Shelly spoke.

  “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

  Dwayne’s eyelids flicked open. “I’m okay, just tired is all.”

  “Maybe you should go home and have a nap?” Shelly suggested.

  “What’s the point? I’ll still be tired when I wake up.” Dwayne looked out over the water again. “Nothing will have changed,” he whispered. The man turned to Shelly again. “Are you alone?”

  Shelly blinked, not understanding the question. “How do you mean?”

  “Do you feel alone in the world?”

  Shelly’s breath caught in her throat for a moment … sometimes that was exactly how she felt. “I’ve made a good friend since I moved here and I’ve met some nice people. I have a new boyfriend, too.”

  “I’m glad for you.” Dwayne patted her hand. “I’m alone in the world.”

  Shelly’s heart clenched at his words. “But you have your sister and your nephew, Paul, and all the people who work here with you.”

  Dwayne shook his head. “I’m alone,” he said softly. “Abby knew what I meant.” Drawing a long breath into his lungs, he asked, “Do you want me to show you where I found her hand?”

  Shelly opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say.

  A man called out to them and Shelly looked back to see Paul striding across the grass towards them. “Hello, you two. Soaking up the sun?”

  Shelly explained that the kitchen area she used wasn’t available yet. “I’ve been talking with Dwayne.” She stood up and made eye contact with Paul and when she spoke, she used a quiet voice. “Dwayne seems like he might be under the weather or maybe coming down with something.”

  Paul walked around to take a look at his uncle. “Why don’t you go i
n and have some tea with Betsey? She was asking me where you were. She put the kettle on already.”

  “Sounds like a good idea.” Dwayne stood and started away, but stopped and turned his attention to Shelly. “You’re smart, too. I can tell.”

  When Dwayne had tottered away to the office building, Paul asked, “What was he going on about?”

  Shelly didn’t know why, but she didn’t want to tell Paul the details of her interaction. “We were talking about the farm. I was concerned about him. He seemed sapped of energy. He wasn’t like that when I’ve spoken with him before.”

  “His mental decline seems to be accelerating.” Paul watched Dwayne open the office’s door and go inside. “I’ve been wondering if Dwayne has been experiencing dementia and then when he found that young girl’s hand, the whole thing sent him into a downward spiral. I’m taking him to see the doctor next week.”

  “That seems like a good idea.” Shelly looked over her shoulder.

  “He might need to be hospitalized for a little while to do some tests on him.” Paul rubbed the back of his neck. “See if they can get to the bottom of what’s wrong with him.”

  “Have you ever seen him angry?” Shelly asked.

  “Occasionally. Not long ago, he threw his shoes across the room at me.”

  “Why did he do that? What upset him?” Shelly asked.

  Paul said, “He was muttering and cursing under his breath. I couldn’t make out why he got angry at me.”

  “You’re living in the house with him?”

  Paul gave a nod. “He shouldn’t be alone. I have the cabin not far from here that Dwayne had built for me years ago so I’d have a place to stay when I came to work on marketing plans for the farm. I haven’t been using it. I want to be near my uncle in case he needs anything.”

  “Have you given up your other clients?” Shelly asked.

  “No, I haven’t. I’m able to work remotely for them.” Paul let out a sigh. “It’s a lucky thing I’m able to stay here until we figure out what to do with Dwayne.”

  “How is your mother taking it?”

  “She’s very upset about it,” Paul said. “My mother doesn’t understand what could be wrong with Dwayne. She doesn’t want to face the fact that Uncle Dwayne might have to move into a facility where they’re able to handle dementia.”

  “It seems odd that your uncle would go downhill so quickly,” Shelly thought out loud.

  When Paul shot her a look, Shelly thought she saw a flash of anger pass over his face.

  “Why odd? It happens.” Paul’s mouth tightened.

  “I only meant it seemed very fast,” Shelly said. “Just a little more than a week ago, I had several very pleasant conversations with Dwayne. He seemed fine. Today, he almost seems like a different person. Maybe his medication should be checked to be sure he isn’t taking too much or that what the doctors put him on is what he needs.”

  There was a sharpness to Paul’s tone when he told Shelly, “Like I said, in some cases, it isn’t unusual for decline to happen quickly.” He shoved a hand into the back pocket of his jeans.

  Shelly realized she’d offended Paul by asking personal questions about Dwayne’s situation. “I’m sure the doctors will figure it out and provide Dwayne with what he needs.”

  Paul looked towards the office. “I’d better get back to work. Nice talking to you.”

  Shelly headed back to the kitchen, her mind working over the interactions with Dwayne and Paul. It was clear from what Dwayne said about Abby that he adored her. Was he so upset that Abby was moving away that he did something to be sure she would never leave him? Why did he ask if Shelly felt alone? Why does Dwayne feel so alone? Is his illness confusing his emotions?

  “Shelly.” A young woman’s voice called to her.

  Shelly saw Dana, the teenager who worked at the farm coming towards her.

  “Are you working today?” Dana asked.

  “I am.”

  Dana said, “William went to the police station today to tell them what he heard Adam say to Abby. After talking with you and Juliet, he felt he had an obligation to report his worries that Adam might have hurt Abby.”

  “He did the right thing,” Shelly said.

  “I was working in the petting zoo,” Dana said. “I’m going to work the food barn counter now. I saw you sitting with Dwayne by the lake. How was he?”

  “He seemed tired,” Shelly said.

  “I’m worried about him. Do you think he has dementia?”

  “I don’t know. I guess it’s possible. The family will get him the help he needs.”

  Dana scoffed. “Will they?”

  “Why do you say that?” Shelly asked.

  “Have you met the other owner? Dwayne’s sister? Nora Blake?”

  “She lives down the street from me,” Shelly said. “I met her briefly.”

  “Old Nora hates the farm.” Dana kicked a pebble as she walked along the path with Shelly. “She gives me the impression that she’s selfish and self-interested. All she cares about is spending money, going on trips, buying things. I bet she hopes Dwayne dies so she can sell the place.”

  “Sell it? Wouldn’t she keep it running? The farm must bring in a good amount of money.”

  “She’d sell it,” Dana said. “It’s too much trouble, it’s too much work. Most everyone here thinks Nora’s motto is take the money and run.”

  “What about Paul? He could run it for his mother.”

  “Yuck, I hope not,” Dana said. “Paul’s a creep. He’s always leering at us. You should have seen him with Abby. She couldn’t stand him.”

  They turned up the walk to the food barn passing visitors going in and coming out. Before Shelly could ask anything about Paul, Dana said goodbye. “I better hurry. I’m late and I need to change.” She started for the employee entrance. “Thanks for talking with William. You’ve been a big help to us.”

  Shelly pressed a finger to her temple. A doozy of a headache was coming on. What’s going on around here?

  20

  “I thought the best place would be along the back fence since that section of the yard is sunny most of the day.” Shelly pointed to the ground in front of the fence.

  Juliet leaned on the handle of a shovel looking wary about the amount of work that had to be done. “Wait a minute. How big is this thing going to be?”

  Shelly walked in a rectangular pattern starting and ending at different sections of the fence. “Like this.”

  “Okay, good. I worried you were putting in the garden along the entire fence.”

  Shelly smiled. “Even if that was the plan, this yard isn’t exactly big. The garden I’m planning will give both us plenty of vegetables next year.” Shelly wanted to dig out a garden plot and add fertile soil to it so most of the heavy work would be done. In the spring, she would clean up the garden, add nutrients to the soil, turn it over, and plant the vegetables.

  Justice trilled from her supervising spot on the patio lounge chair.

  Shelly nodded to the cat. “See, Justice agrees with the plan.”

  “Okay, tell me what to do.” Juliet stepped forward with her shovel at the ready.

  After two hours of removing the grass, struggling to dig out big rocks, and turning over the soil, the two friends, dripping sweat, collapsed into chairs on the patio.

  “I have a new appreciation for farming and working the land.” Juliet had a smudge of soil on her cheek.

  “Is this your first garden?” Shelly asked.

  “Yes, and my last.” Juliet leaned her head back on the cushion and closed her eyes. “Too bad you’re not putting in a swimming pool instead.”

  “I don’t think the landlord would approve,” Shelly said. “He was slightly reluctant about okaying the garden. He finally agreed to it when I told him if I didn’t renew the lease, I’d take out the garden and return the backyard to the way it was.”

  “Clever.” Juliet still hadn’t opened her eyes. “May I have an ice cold drink, please, before I nee
d to be hospitalized from all that hard labor?”

  Chuckling, Shelly went inside and returned with a little cat treat for Justice and two tall glasses of lemonade with ice cubes clinking against the sides.

  “Heavenly,” Juliet sighed after the first sip and held the glass against the side of her face. “I can go on living.”

  Shelly adjusted the patio umbrella for maximum shade and she, Juliet, and the cat rested in the chairs with a light breeze rustling the leaves on the trees.

  “You had some interesting conversations at the farm yesterday,” Juliet noted. “What do you think is going on with Dwayne?”

  “I really don’t know what to think.” Shelly sighed. “It could be dementia or maybe, his behavior is due to the trauma and upset of Abby’s murder and finding her hand in the orchard. He lost his wife and son years ago, then a young woman he was very fond of ends up murdered. He’s on medication … maybe it’s not the correct prescription or it could be the wrong dosage.”

  “Or maybe it’s a combination of those things,” Juliet offered. “He may have the beginnings of dementia which became amplified by the murder and by the medication he’s taking now.”

  “Good points.” Shelly took a sip from her drink.

  “Do you think Dwayne is a suspect?”

  “I think he has to be,” Shelly said. “The things he said about never seeing Abby again if she left for college and that he loved her. Could his behavior be a mental reaction to having killed Abby? He might have killed her in a moment of anger or rage and now regrets what he’s done.”

  “That’s a definite possibility.” Juliet nodded, thinking it over.

  “I don’t know. He seems like a nice man. He has a very kind energy.”

  Juliet said, “If Dwayne is in mental decline though, his personality could change. He might have killed Abby in a moment when he lost touch with reality, and now recalls what he did, and is suffering remorse over it.”

  “No wonder Dwayne told me he feels alone,” Shelly said. “His sister, Nora, doesn’t care about the farm and would sell it and his nephew, Paul, is taking more control of the business. Dwayne seemed so exhausted yesterday, almost out of it. When I interviewed for the baking job, he was energetic and conversational. How quickly he’s fallen into this stupor.”