Pulling into the diner, she was amazed at the number of cars in the parking lot. It seemed that The Waffle had drawn a whole round of returning customers the second day. She quickly parked the car, headed around the building and walked in the back door.
Vic looked up from the egg frying on the griddle, smiled and waved.
“Hi, Vic.”
“Hi, Sonja,” he beamed. “Alison,” Vic called into the dining area. “Sonja’s here.”
“About time,” Alison shouted from the front.
“I thought Alex was running grill today,” she said.
“He told Alison he wanted another day at home with Cynthia, so here I am,” the jolly cook shrugged.
Sonja thanked her lucky stars for such a great team of employees who worked hard and didn’t hold a grudge over the fact that she had been gone for so long.
Within seconds, Alison appeared in the back. “Here you are. Where were you this morning when we opened?”
“I’m sorry, it’s a long story” she apologized.
Her friend gave her the up and down look. “You look like you haven’t slept a wink. Are you okay?”
“I haven’t slept at all,” Sonja admitted. “I was out at Hinkley’s farm all night. The bridge washed out.”
“Washed out?” Ally remarked, surprised. “And you got stuck out there?”
“Yeah, me and the Spook Crew.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I caught them trying to film without permission.”
“Well, I bet that was just a blast.”
“Actually,” Sonja confided, “one of them is dead.”
* * *
After recounting the night’s many details and events Sonja asked Alison and Vic if they could cover for her while she got some shut eye. They agreed, of course, and called in a relief server to help out while Alison worked in the kitchen. Once everything was settled, Sonja headed home and hopped in the shower, washed off, then fell right into bed, sleeping for around four hours. It was already three in the afternoon by the time she woke up.
Sonja got out of bed, got dressed, and headed over to the police station hoping Maddy would still be there. She knew Sheriff Thompson had instructed her to not put her nose in where it didn’t belong, but she just felt like she needed to talk to Maddy one more time. She walked into the police station and asked if the young woman was there.
Marie, the older gal at the front desk, said, “Sure, hon. She’s still here. The Sheriff has her in the holding cell.”
“The holding cell,” Sonja exclaimed. “Why is she in there?”
“Probable cause, apparently.”
“Darn,” she sighed. Now she felt guilty, like she should have come right over after leaving the farm instead of sleeping. “Is it possible for me to see her?”
“Well, hon, you’d have to get Sheriff Thompson’s permission for that.”
“Well, where is he?”
“He’s interviewing that cameraman fellow right now. I’m not sure when he’ll be out.”
“Marie, I need to talk to Maddy.”
“Well, dear. I’m not sure how I can help.”
Sonja paused a moment to think. “Marie, have you eaten at The Waffle yet?”
* * *
It was surprisingly easy to get Marie’s help, the woman was a sucker for a good waffle. Marie unlocked the door to the holding cells, allowing Sonja through.
“I didn’t see anyone,” the pink haired woman stated as she turned back to her desk.
Sonja headed through the doorway and into the room with the two small holding cells. It was a small town so they only used them occasionally for drunks and rambunctious tourists when they got into trouble. Maddy was the only one there, sitting in the far cell.
“Maddy?” she called.
The young girl quickly stood up. “Sonja? Is that you?”
“It’s me,” she answered, stepping close to the bars.
“Oh, I’m so glad to see you,” the tired looking TV star exclaimed.
“What’s going on? Why does Sheriff Thompson have you in here?”
“He thinks I’m the murderer, because of the note.”
“I knew about the note, but that doesn’t seem like enough evidence to hold you.”
“I didn’t write it,” Maddy protested. “It looks like my handwriting but it's not.”
“Is the note all he has on you?” Sonja asked.
The girl looked down at her feet. “No, it isn’t,” she whispered.
Sonja tilted her head, “What is it, Maddy?”
“The police found a heart shaped locket, my locket, on Spook.”
“Did you give him the locket?”
“No. I have no idea how he got it.”
Sonja pieced a few things together. She remembered Maddy stroking Tech’s sweaty hair while he lay in bed. “What was inside the locket?”
“A picture,” Maddy said reluctantly.
“A picture of you and Tech together?”
Maddy’s eyes widened in surprise. “How did you know?”
“I saw the way you looked at Tech last night. Were you secretly seeing Tech behind Spook’s back?”
Maddy nodded. “Spook wasn’t supposed to know. I was afraid of what he might do.”
Sonja couldn’t blame her for that. Spook didn’t seem like the most stable person she’d ever met.
“He found out because of the locket?”
“I didn’t even know he had it,” she admitted, “or how he got it.”
The locket was just one more clue that placed Maddy at the scene of the crime. It also pointed toward a motive, that Maddy wanted Spook out of the way so she could date Tech. If Spook was abusive perhaps she thought killing him was her only way out of the relationship.
“But you didn’t do it?” she asked, watching Maddy’s expression closely.
“No,” Maddy insisted.
“Okay, I have a favor to ask,” Sonja commented. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small notepad she kept in there along with a pen. “Can you write a few words here and then sign your name?”
The young girl looked at her, confused.
“Just trust me,” she urged.
Maddy took the pen and paper. “What should I write?”
“Anything, really.”
Maddy went to work, scribbling on the paper. After a moment, she handed it back. The paper said, “I did not kill Spook,” and it was signed, “Maddy.”
“Thanks,” Sonja said.
“What did you need that for?”
“I wanted to compare it to the handwriting I saw written on the letter.” Sonja took a moment to examine the words, and more specifically the penmanship, carefully.
“And?” Maddy asked.
She nodded. “It doesn’t look the same to me.”
CHAPTER 11
As Sonja stepped out of the holding cell area, she caught sight of Sheriff Thompson escorting Benjamin out of the interrogation room. The cameraman caught sight of her and nodded a greeting.
Sheriff Thompson looked at Sonja with an eyebrow raised.
“Hi Benjamin,” she said, trying her hardest not to blush.
“Are you here to give your statement?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Well, I won’t keep you then. Good to see you again.” He turned toward Sheriff Thompson. “See ya, Sheriff.”
Thompson raised a hand in farewell, his gaze still focused on Sonja.
Benjamin stepped out into the lobby.
“Sonja,” the Sheriff frowned, “what are you doing back here?”
She held up the notepad. “I was getting this,” she replied.
“What is it?”
“I wanted to see Maddy’s handwriting for myself. I watched her write this out and then looked at it. It looks like different handwriting to me.”
“Look, Sonja. We have significant evidence against her now,” he explained.
“I know,” Sonja replied. “The locket.”
The office
r scowled.
Sonja shook her head. “I can’t stand by when an innocent girl might be convicted of a crime she didn’t commit.”
“That’s not your problem or responsibility. We have evidence that places her at the scene of the crime, we have a motive, and she had the means.”
“Have you sent the note along to be compared to her actual handwriting? To see if it matched?”
“I’m not going to discuss that with you, but even without the note, the locket places her at the scene of the crime.”
“What about all the other people on the farm that night? Have you even considered them?”
“Of course, we have, Sonja. Everyone else either has an alibi or simply has no apparent reason or motive.”
“And Benjamin?” Sonja felt her stomach sink even thinking of him as a murderer.
“We have no evidence at all that points to him.”
She sighed with relief. “There is just something I feel like we’re missing.”
“Well, it isn’t your job to find out. It’s mine. Go back to The Waffle. You’re great at making food. Stick to that.”
Sonja shoulders slumped, defeated. She was feeling beat at this point.
The Sheriff placed a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, since you’re here, let me get your statement at least.”
She nodded.
“But after that, I don’t want to see you until this case is closed.”
Sonja followed him to the interrogation room.
* * *
After recounting the night’s events for Sheriff Thompson, Sonja walked out to her car and got in. The Sheriff seemed dead certain that Maddy was their culprit, and Sonja didn’t have any good evidence to dispute the theory. She didn’t even have any clue as to who the real murderer might be. Daniel Marston seemed the most likely, but—as the Sheriff had mentioned multiple times—he had been locked up in the basement all evening.
Benjamin didn’t have an alibi, but she couldn’t see any real reason for him to commit the crime. She knew he wanted to quit show business but doubted it would create a strong enough motive to kill. And Mr. Hinkley was simply too old. He wouldn’t have had the strength to lift a body up, but then again neither did Maddy.
Sonja was at a loss. She knew she needed something else. She needed evidence. There had to be something that she’d missed. She headed out of the parking lot, deciding she would make one more stop before going back home for the night. Ten minutes later she pulled into the parking lot of the Haunted Falls Hospital. It was a small tan building with only one floor and two wings, one for hospital rooms and one for testing, research, and exams.
“Hi,” she said to the nurse at the admittance desk, “a young man came in this morning with a broken leg. I was wondering if you could tell me which room he’s in?”
“Do you have any relation to the patient?”
Sonja hated to do it, but she knew that she had to lie. The hospital would never tell her which room was Tech’s if she wasn’t a relative.
“I’m his cousin,” she smiled brightly, hoping that the receptionist didn’t ask her for Tech’s full name.
“Alright,” the receptionist nodded toward the hallway on her right. “Go down to the very end -- it’s the last room on your left.”
“Thank you,” Sonja replied, scurrying down the hall. She came to the open door and knocked.
“Come in,” Tech called.
She stepped into the small room. Tech lay on his back in the hospital bed. His leg was in a cast and was elevated with a pulley system. “Hi,” Sonja said, stepping in.
The young man looked up at her and smiled, confused. “Oh, hi. You’re Sonja, right?
“Yes. Sonja Reed.”
“And you helped me out last night.”
She nodded.
“Thanks,” he said. “I appreciate it.”
“You looked like you were in pretty bad shape.”
“I was,” he admitted, “but I’m feeling comparatively better now.”
“Well, I would hope so.”
“Thanks, I heard you changed your mind about letting us film at the diner.”
“I did, before the accident,” she replied.
“The sooner we can get back to filming, the better.”
That was odd. How could they go back to filming? Spook was dead and Maddy was behind bars. “Is that even possible?”
“Yep, I think we should go on filming. I think it’s what Spook would want.”
“And what about Maddy?” Sonja added. “She’s currently a suspect in Spook’s murder.”
The wounded TV star looked down, “I heard. The deputy told me when he came and got my statement. I’m hoping that she isn’t actually the killer, but if she is, there is nothing I can do about it.”
“And yet you want to go on filming?”
“Well, to stop now would be a crime, I think,” he insisted. “You can’t get a better story than this. A murder in association with one of the hauntings?”
This had nothing to do with honoring Spook. It had to do with getting ratings, and if this went live it would make the ratings of the show potentially shoot through the roof.
“I was even thinking about maybe trying the barn again if Mr. Hinkley will allow us, and see if we can contact Spook’s spirit.”
“I actually wanted to come in and talk to you about Spook.”
“What about him?”
“And about Maddy,” she continued. “I don’t think she committed this murder.”
“Well, I hope not,” Tech nodded. “But, it’s not like we can change facts.”
Sonja was astounded by how nonchalant he seemed about the situation.
“I would think you would be more worried about your girlfriend going to jail.”
Tech’s face went slightly pale. “How did you know that?”
“The police think she killed Spook to get him out of the way so she could date you instead. They think she was afraid of him and didn’t know what else to do. So she killed him.”
“That’s crazy,” Tech shook his head. “Our relationship had nothing to do with Spook’s death.” This was the first sign of real emotion Tech had shown about the murder.
“That’s not what the police believe,” Sonja said, carefully watching his reaction. “They found a locket on the body. It had a picture of you and Maddy together in it.”
“Well, if Maddy killed Spook I had nothing to do with it,” he protested.
“That much is obvious,” she agreed. “How could you have been? You were upstairs in the bedroom with a broken leg.” Sonja motioned to his cast.
Tech settled back. “Exactly.”
“Of course, that doesn’t mean you didn’t help plan it,” she prodded.
“I’d never do anything to hurt Spook,” he said matter-of-factly. “We’ve been best friends since elementary school.
“How long have you two known Maddy?”
“Only since college. Maddy started dating Spook and the next thing we knew the three of us were filming videos together.”
“I see.”
“I suppose,” he paused, “it could have been Maddy.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Maddy wrote Spook a note.”
“You know about the note?” Sonja asked.
“Yes. She told me she was finished with him. She wanted to talk to him,” he paused, “about us.”
“Seems like poor timing.”
“Maddy was never good with social cues. That’s why she’s ‘The Mystic’ in our group. She’s better at dealing with ghosts than people.”
Sonja would have to disagree on that front. Maddy seemed like the most amiable member of the group.
“So, did you see her leave to go to the barn?”
Tech thought for a minute. “No, I don’t think so. I was pretty knocked out. I slept through most of the night.”
“I think you were the only one who got any sleep,” Sonja commented wryly. “You’re sure you never woke up, didn’t see or
hear anything?”
“Not a peep.”
The amateur sleuth sighed. She wasn’t getting anywhere. All she had found was more evidence pointing toward Maddy as the killer.
“Well, I guess I’ll let you rest,” she remarked. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“No problem,” Tech replied.
Sonja turned to go and her purse caught on the bedside table. She stumbled, catching herself on the table. Tech’s duffle bag went falling to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere. “Oh no. I’m so sorry.” She could feel herself turning red with embarrassment.
“It’s okay,” he reassured her. “Accidents happen.”
Sonja leaned down and started picking up the items and placing them back in the bag.
“It’s just a bunch of junk anyway,” he said.
Sonja put multiple things away, including the painkillers she remembered him taking the night before, and even the mud encrusted socks. “I haven’t gotten a chance to wash them yet,” Tech noted as she picked them up gingerly and placed them back in the bag.
Then she picked up something odd. There was a container of red, black, and purple eyeshadow in the bag.
What would he want with that? She held it up.
“Oh,” Tech exclaimed. “That’s Maddy’s.”
“Do you want me to take it to her?” she asked.
“No, that’s fine,” Tech replied. “Just put it in the bag, thanks.”
She placed it in the bag and put the bag back on the table.
“Thanks for coming.”
“No problem,” Sonja replied. “Get well soon.”
She turned and walked out of the room. Something told her that the container of eyeshadow didn’t belong to Maddy.
CHAPTER 12
Sonja’s head was spinning as she drove away. She felt like she was getting close to figuring things out. If she just had one more piece of the puzzle, maybe she could solve the case. She had her suspicions, they only needed to be validated.
Sonja drove directly back to the police station. She needed to talk to Sheriff Thompson again. As she parked the car, she spotted the deputies taking Daniel Marston up the steps of the station in handcuffs. She quickly got out. “What’s going on here?”
Battered and Buttered Waffle: Book 2 in The Diner of the Dead Series Page 7
