Murder, of Course

by Diane Weiner

  Jay Hart looked at the floor and mumbled. “Yes. We consider that a cold case.”

  Emily said, “I’m just trying to verify some basic facts. I won’t use your name if you’d rather I didn’t. A boy has been missing nearly two years and his father is heartsick wondering if he might still be alive. At the very least, he should have the chance to bury his son properly.” She doubted he was old enough to be a father, so she said, “What if you went missing and your father or mother had no idea whether you were dead or alive. Can you imagine how they’d feel?”

  Jay looked over his shoulder, scanning the empty desks behind him. “I don’t know. If this gets out, I could lose my job, or worse. You promise not to use my name?”

  “Promise.”

  “The day the boy disappeared, two officers came into the station with evidence sealed in bags. They asked me to log it into the evidence room, which I did.”

  “What evidence?”

  “A bottle of grape juice, a Red Sox baseball cap, and an empty prescription bottle. Oh, and a small rug. I logged the items in carefully. Since I was new, I pulled up the instructions and followed them to the letter so I wouldn’t make a mistake.”

  “And then what?”

  “The next day when I was retrieving something from the evidence room related to another case, I noticed the items were gone. I double checked to make sure they hadn’t been moved, but they were gone.”

  “Did you ask someone where they went?”

  “I checked the log, and the entries I’d made the day before had disappeared. Later that day, two of the guys I worked with were gone. Fired? Transferred? No one would say. They were the ones who brought in the items. I kept my mouth shut. There’s not a day I don’t wonder what happened to the evidence, the officers, and the boy.”

  Emily said, “I’m hoping my new book turns up some answers. If not, it will hopefully draw attention to the case once again. Thanks for your help.”

  “Hope you find that little boy. Remember, don’t use my name.”

  “I got you. And I’ll send you a copy of my book when it comes out.”

  When they got back to the car, Emily said, “Do you remember how to get to Mair’s?”

  “I do, but do you want to stop and get a bite to eat first? We passed a pizza place on the way into town.”

  Maddy said, “I’m starving.”

  Emily was anxious to go back to Mair’s but went along with the consensus. She was more convinced than ever that Mair was responsible for Nathan’s death. Nathan’s father also mentioned the juice, and the missing rug. He’d also told her Mair took prescription sleep medication. Mair was the only one with a motive. After all, how many enemies does a twelve-year-old boy make?

  The pizza place was across the street from the historic museum, which was now closed. Henry easily found a parking space out front. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by a hostess in a tiger costume, who handed them off to a waitress dressed like Mulan.

  “Want to share a veggie pizza?” asked Maddy. She had to repeat the question before Emily answered.

  “Huh? I’m sorry, I was thinking about the missing evidence.” Mair’s father had to know she was guilty. Otherwise, why would he have cared about getting rid of the items. “Veggie pizza sounds great.”

  “Don’t you think whoever took the evidence must have destroyed it by now?” said Henry.

  “Probably, but maybe if we search the barn and servants’ quarters we’ll find something. Nathan’s father said an area rug was missing. I’m thinking she used it to carry the body and had to have hidden it. Her husband would have noticed it thrown in the trash or out on the porch. I was thinking, maybe she buried Nathan in it. I wonder if the police ever dug up the barn floor.”

  “From what we’ve heard, Mair’s father wouldn’t have authorized it if he knew the body was hidden there.”

  “She had to have help carrying the body. It had to be her old boss I’ll bet.”

  The waitress set the steaming hot pizza on the table. The cheese oozed from under the green peppers and mushrooms. Now, Emily’s appetite kicked in. Emily’s back was to the window. “Maddy, what are you looking at out that window? Trick-or-treaters?”

  “No. I just had this crazy idea while staring at the museum. Henry, didn’t you say Vermont was on the side of the slaves? That the underground railroad went through here?”

  “That’s what my parents said, and there was an exhibit in the museum showing replicas of the places the slaves hid.”

  “And we found a real, live tunnel at Coralee’s.” Emily wiped sauce from her hand.

  “And Mair’s house had that historic plaque on it, right?”

  Emily’s eyes widened. “Maddy, you’re brilliant! Are you thinking there were underground rooms or tunnels in Mair’s house?”

  “It fits in historically.” Maddy took a big bite of pizza, then wiped cheese off her chin with the red cloth napkin.

  Henry summoned Mulan. “Check, please. And we’ll take a box.”

  Chapter 28

  An orange moon lit the night sky, a perfect backdrop for Halloween night. On the way to Mair’s, they passed a roadside haunted house, and a pickup truck, back filled with hay, offering ‘ghost rides.’ Emily wondered how Maddy’s classmates were celebrating Halloween tonight and if she was feeling left out. If so, she was hiding it well. She was bubbly with excitement over snooping around for slave tunnels.

  “Her car is gone,” said Emily. “We should park around the back of the property and go it on foot.”

  Henry tucked the Jeep in between a clump of evergreens near the barn. “Something tells me the barn is the place to start.”

  When they got to the barn door, it was closed with a rusty padlock. Henry pulled on it to no avail.

  “Let me try,” said Maddy. She looked around the ground. “I need something like a piece of wire.”

  Emily touched her hair. “I have a bobby pin.” She’d been trying to grow out her bangs and had been pinning them back when they felt extra annoying. Maddy took it and pulled it straight, then stuck it in the lock.

  “Are you picking the lock? How did you learn that?” said Emily.

  “Back in Chicago, there was this boy I was friends with since kindergarten. He was into spy stuff and taught me how to pick a lock. Let’s see if I remember.”

  She fumbled with the bobby pin, trying to fit it into the lock. “This isn’t going to work. It’s too flimsy. Do you have anything else we could use?”

  Henry said, “Let me check the Jeep.”

  Emily shivered. It felt like a true winter night, minus the snow. She pulled a pair of gloves out of her pocket. “Maddy, do you want to borrow my scarf?”

  “I’m okay. Chicago was much worse than this, especially when the wind picked up.”

  Henry ran back to the barn. “I found this in the glove compartment.” He showed them an ultra-thin mini screwdriver. “We had an eyeglass repair kit in there. My old sun glasses kept losing the little side screw. I forgot to take it out after I replaced the glasses.”

  Maddy pulled off her mitten and took it in her hand. “This is perfect!”

  Emily and Henry watched her fumble with the lock, turning the screw driver until the lock popped open. “Voila.”

  Maddy pulled at the rusty door, but it took all three of them to slide it open as it screeched from years of inertia. When they walked in, Maddy let out a blood curling scream. A swarm of bats swooped down from the rafters causing all three to cover their heads and hit the floor.

  Henry put his arm around her. “It’s okay. I think they’re all out adding to the Halloween ambience by now. Are you alright?”

  Maddy was shaking. “I guess so. I don’t want to wind up with rabies or something.”

  Henry pulled a small flashlight from his pocket. “This was in the glove compartment also. Stay here.” He slowly shone the light up over the rafters and into the corners. Then he walked across the length of the barn kicking away rotted hay and searching f
or critters. “I think the coast is clear.” He opened one of the two horse stalls and felt along the floor. Finding nothing, he did the same in the other stall. “No false bottoms here.”

  Meanwhile, Emily carefully climbed the shaky ladder to the loft, feeling the walls and checking the ceiling with the flashlight on her phone. “I don’t see anything here. Maddy, do you see anything down there?”

  Maddy methodically crisscrossed the floor, stamping her foot and listening for hollow sounds. “Nope.”

  Henry dusted off his hands. “Let’s move on. How about the silo?”

  Maddy once again was able to pick the lock and gain entrance to the silo. It was easy to explore given it had long ago stopped storing grain. Convinced it was a dead end, they moved on to the servant’s quarters, gaining access through a broken window.

  “I’ll check the walls; Maddy, check the floor. Emily, take my flashlight and scan every inch of the ceiling.” When Emily shone the flashlight at the ceiling, a bat swooped down and made its way out the window. Her heart pounded.

  Maddy covered her head for a moment, then stomped across the floor. Suddenly, she screamed even louder than when they’d encountered the bats. Henry ran over to her.

  “What’s wrong? Did you find something?”

  Emily said, “Are you okay?”

  “I…I.” Maddy pointed to the corner.

  “It’s only a rat,” said Henry. “He’s more afraid of you than you are of him.”

  “I’m ready to go home,” said Maddy.

  “Okay,” said Henry. “I think this is a dead end. Let’s go.” He put his arm around Maddy and they walked toward the car.

  As they approached the evergreens, Emily stopped in her tracks. She shone her flashlight up and down around the trees. “Something’s not right.”

  “What’s the matter?” said Henry.

  “Come on, Emily. I don’t want to run into more bats.”

  “Wait, Maddy. Both of you, look at that tree back there. Does it look weird to you?”

  Henry walked closer to it. “It’s rotted out, except at the bottom of the trunk, it’s not.” He shone the light and touched the tree. “It’s not even wood. It’s metal, painted to look like wood.” He pushed on the trunk, feeling for a handle or some way to open it.

  “Push up from the bottom,” said Maddy. “Like you open a garage door.” An owl hooted and she jumped. “Hurry, I want to get out of here.”

  Henry pushed from the bottom, and the rusty door slipped up into the rotted trunk. “I think we found something!” He shone the light. “It’s some sort of tunnel, just barely big enough to crouch through.” He started to go in.

  Emily grabbed his arm. “Henry, it could be dangerous. What if it collapses on you?”

  “What if there are rats in there?” said Maddy.

  Henry came back out. “You’re right. Even more, if there’s a body hidden there, we want the police to find it with a search warrant so they can use it in court. Come on. We’ll stop back at the station and talk to Jay Hart. He should still be there, right?”

  “He mentioned having to be there until midnight. Let’s go.”

  “Wait. If we go to him, he’ll know we were trespassing. I have a better idea. Give me your phone.” He scrolled to the number of the police station. “Officer, I’d like to report a break in…”

  Chapter 29

  Emily could barely look at Mair at work the next day. She was dying to know what happened when the Oakbridge police checked Mair’s property after their anonymous call about the break in last night. She half expected them to be at St. Edwards this morning, arresting her.

  “Did Maddy have a good Halloween?” asked Nancy. Emily was so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn’t realized Nancy was behind her.

  “I think so. What about Brooke? Did she go trick-or-treating or are they too old for that?”

  “They aren’t too old. Brooke went around with a few friends from school, then they came back to our house and binged on chocolate. Brooke invited Maddy but she didn’t want to join them.”

  Emily looked around the mailroom. “Have you seen Mair yet?”

  “Speak of the devil,” said Nancy. Mair strutted in, barking orders. “Remember to take attendance first thing. I don’t want you accepting any lame excuses about being late or missing class because of Halloween, you hear me?”

  Did she miss something? Was this college or elementary school? Emily wondered if she was really expecting a ‘Yes, Ma’am’ from her staff. Maybe a salute to go with it. It’d be a cold day in Hell before she’d get either from her.

  All through her first class, Emily peeked out the window for a cruiser and listened for sirens. Nothing. She was disappointed, and wondered if the police hadn’t found anything. Perhaps they’d gotten all excited over nothing. Just because they’d found a secret tunnel, it didn’t mean Mair hid her dead son in it.

  Emily’s phone rang at lunch time. It was Henry.

  “Any news? Did they come to the school to pick up Mair?”

  “Nada.”

  “Maybe they just need to get all their ducks in a row before they can make an arrest. Let me know if you hear anything. I’ll see you at dinner time.”

  Emily washed down her almond butter sandwich with a can of Diet Dr. Pepper. Nancy peeked into her office. “Coming?”

  She grabbed her bag and walked with Nancy to the lecture hall, where her students were waiting with open laptops. Emily couldn’t focus. While trying to lecture, she kept daydreaming about Mair in handcuffs doing a walk of shame in front of all the staff and students. She listened for sirens and continually peeked out the window. Before she knew it, class was over. Disappointed, she went back to her office to lock up and grab her things.

  Nancy met up with her on the way. “You okay?”

  “Fine, just tired and anxious to get home.”

  “Me, too. Let’s blow this pop stand.”

  When they got to the parking lot, she heard it. Sirens. Lots of them.

  “What’s going on?” said Nancy.

  Emily’s heart fluttered. “Let’s stick around and see.”

  After a short wait, Emily got her happy ending. She and Nancy, as well as everyone else still on campus, watched the police walk a handcuffed Mair, covering her face with a jacket, into the police car, pushing down her head as she got into the back seat.

  On the way home, she called Henry to tell him what had just transpired. When she got home, he had the local news on the TV and Maddy was sitting beside him on the sofa.

  “Emily, they found a body! They haven’t officially identified it, but you know it has to be Nathan. They said on the news that the police received an anonymous report of a break-in on the property last night and when they went to investigate, they found a tunnel which led back to the main house. That’s where they found the body.”

  Emily’s phone rang. “It’s Mair’s ex—Nathan’s father.”

  “Mrs. Fox, I want to thank you. Somehow, your interest in my son’s case led to the discovery of his body.”

  “I can’t take credit. It’s the Oakbridge police who found him. I’m so sorry for your loss,” said Emily.

  “In my heart, I knew he was dead. At least I have closure and that witch Mair will be punished. I want the public to know all the details about the horrible thing she did to her own son. You’re still writing the book, right?”

  “Of course. And it will be dedicated to the memory of Nathan Rose.”

  Emily relaxed into the sofa next to Maddy. “I’m glad justice was done. We did it!” She high-fived Maddy and Henry.

  Henry said, “That’s not the only piece of good news today. I heard from the lawyer. We’re on track to legally adopt Maddy. We have a court date and everything. We’ll be a family before the holidays.” He hugged Maddy, and Emily did the same.

  “Oh, and more good news,” said Maddy. “Abby called. She finished the mural. And I called the Humane Society. They’re bringing six cats over on Saturday morning to Coralee’s.
Coralee says the café is nearly set to go. Noah and Franklin are finishing up some furniture and have already set up the cat condo.”

  “Now, if we could just solve Danielle’s murder, all the loose ends would be tied up,” said Emily. “Let’s make dinner. We have leftover pizza from yesterday and I’ll throw together a salad.”

  After dinner, Emily sat at her laptop and worked on the new book until well past midnight. She managed to get out for an early run the next morning, then off to work. It was the first time all semester she didn’t feel as if a weight dropped on top of her when she pulled into the parking lot at St. Edwards. Now, she could enjoy teaching again.

  The entire mailroom buzzed with gossip over Mair’s arrest. The mood was a mix of horrified over what Mair had done, and celebratory over the fact that she was gone. Even the students couldn’t stop talking about it. During class, Emily diverted from her planned lesson and instead talked about writing true crime books, which is what she’d originally intended as the focus of this class before Mair thwarted her plans.

  When she got home, Henry was on the phone with Pat. Maddy was in her room doing homework.

  “Then she’s close?” said Henry. “He fits the description and doesn’t have an alibi for the night Danielle was killed? Maybe this town will see two murders resolved this week. See you Saturday, buddy.”

  “Megan found Charles Wilkerson?”

  “Yep. And he’s looking good as a suspect.”

  “Any news on Mair?”

  “Full confession. Don’t you watch the news? She was tired of dealing with an autistic son, wanted to run off with her old boss, who didn’t want children, and took things into her own hands. She drugged Nathan, played a game of hide and seek with him, and left him in the tunnel to die. She threw the rug into the tunnel because Nathan spilled grape juice on it. End of story.”

  “She worked alone, then?”

  “Yep. Didn’t need the help of her ex-boss. He claims he had no intention of leaving his wife and hooking up with her and that she was a nut case. Oh, and they arrested Mair’s father for tampering with evidence.”