“Of course, but I can remember so little.”
“What about Tara? Does she remember anything?”
“Tara won’t talk about our mother’s death.”
“I see. It looks like there was a man that came into the house around 8:15, plus or minus a half hour as the witness wasn’t near a clock.”
“I never heard that before.”
“It says right here on the file. The neighbor who saw him said that a man and your mother were fighting. And later, a man ran from the house.”
“What? Can I see?”
Don handed the file to Nikki so she could see.
She read the part he pointed to.
“I was very young and perceptions can be altered by age, my therapist says. We begin to undersand the things around us at a much older age than five. Is it okay if I review the file in depth?”
“Yes, go right ahead. While you’re doing that, I will be right in the office next door, working on another case. Let me know when you’re done and we’ll talk.”
“Thanks, Don.”
Don got out of his seat, took away the manicure kit in a chain-of-custody plastic bag and patted Nikki on the back before he headed to the next office.
Nikki went over the file and didn’t find anything that really caught her eye. It was basically the same information that Don had told her, the same information that she remembered her whole life. Except for the man. But who was this man? Why would he come over to her mother’s house so early? She knew she needed to talk to Tara. She might have some kind of information for them to work with.
Nikki put the file on Don’s desk. She left a note for him that she would call him later that evening. She picked up her purse and headed out the door.
Chapter Ten
“Nikki, why are you doing this?” Tara yelled at her little sister.
“Because Mom’s killer needs to be found. It’s been too long, Tara.”
“I know. That’s why you should just let it be. Let go of the pain.”
“She was our mother. Don’t you think she deserves justice and, at long last, the truth?” Nikki could see her sister was feeling very uncomfortable. Tara was playing with her hair the way she did when she was nervous. “Tara, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just leave it alone. It’s been twenty-five years, so it’s not going to matter much now if you find him.”
“Him?” Nikki was confused.
“Yes, the killer was probably a him, right?”
Nikki got a bad feeling in her stomach and she knew her sister was hiding something from her.
“Oh, my God, Tara. I know that look when you are not telling me everything. You know! You know who might have murdered our mother.”
Tara collapsed on her gray recliner chair.
“Tara, tell me what you know. It’s cruel to keep this secret from me!” Nikki began to get extremely angry and was shouting at her sister.
Tears streamed down Tara’s eyes. “I don’t know for sure if this man killed Mom. I know that they were having an affair around the time of her death.”
“A what? I can’t even believe you would say such a thing. Mom would never do that!” Nikki replied.
“I saw her!” Tara cried.
“Who was it? And what exactly did you see?”
“Do you remember the couple that lived down the street? The Matthews? They bred German shepherds?”
Nikki’s heart pounded fast as she recalled Jimmy’s parents. “Yes, they had a huge Christmas party every year, right?”
“Yes, that’s the one. The husband…I think his name was James or Joseph, something like that. A few weeks before Mom’s death, I came home from school early and I saw them. They were in the stairway kissing. He was on his way out. Even though I was only eight, I knew exactly what was going on. I ran out of the house and he followed me. He grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back and told me if I told anyone what I saw that he would kill me and you, too, Nikki.” Tara broke down in tears.
Nikki ran to her sister’s side to comfort her. Nikki was fighting back tears herself. She couldn’t believe that Tara had been holding in all of this information for so long. What a burden to carry.
“Do you hate me?” Tara asked. “I was young and I didn’t know what to do with what I knew. Also, I think until the last couple of weeks, I had sort of blocked it out from my memory.”
“No, not at all, I completely understand. Tara, you were just a kid. You were scared.”
Tara nodded. “After Mom died, I wanted to tell the police that I knew she was having an affair with someone, but I didn’t want him to kill us. I didn’t want you to die. You were so little.” Tara began crying harder and Nikki joined her.
“I have something to tell you, Tara. And it’s so creepy that I just don’t want to beat around the bush.”
“What? What is it?”
“Jimmy Matthews, their son, who used to mow our lawn for his dad’s lawn care business, owns our old house and he’s the one who is selling it.”
Tara screamed. “Why would he own the house? Why?”
“I don’t know. He said his parents bought it after Mom died and held onto it all of these years. When they died in a car accident last year, he inherited it.”
“Oh, my God, his father is one sick…you know what!”
“Yeah.”
“Tara, I still don’t think Mom would have an affair. When you saw them kissing—Mr. Matthews and Mom—did she look happy?”
“Happy?” Tara got a faraway look in her eyes. “No, she wasn’t. In fact, she was crying. Silently. Why the heck didn’t I figure this out before? He was doing stuff to her and she was keeping it quiet from Dad, for whatever reason.”
“Because he would have killed the guy if he knew Matthews was hurting her.”
“But why wouldn’t she call the police after the first time? Why?” Tara asked.
“I don’t know. He must have known something about her that he threatened her with,” Nikki said.
Tara shifted uncomfortably.
“Blackmail!” Nikki said. “That’s it! But what could it possibly be that he knew that she would allow him to…you know? Possibly more than once.”
“I don’t know. We were young, Nikki, and we didn’t understand the world.”
“I still don’t,” Nikki said.
“The world is one big cluster of misunderstanding,” Tara said. “I don’t think we are meant to comprehend every nuance of humanity.”
Nikki nodded. “I agree with you there, but I can’t let this go. Mom was…sexually assaulted…before she died. Dad would have never, ever done that.”
Tara burst into sobs. “Okay! So, Dad didn’t do it! He didn’t.”
“Of course not. What have I been telling you all this time?” Nikki protested.
After the two sisters calmed down and dried their tears, Nikki called Brad on the phone to let him know he needed to pick up Katie from Tara’s, that they had a painful discussion going on that she shouldn’t be privy to. It had been a very emotional talk. Nikki was just happy that Katie had stayed in Tara’s room, watching cartoons and coloring through most of their intense conversation.
When Brad arrived a few minutes later, Nikki asked, “Where’s the toy telephone, Brad?”
“Where you can’t drive yourself crazy with it.”
“I need it, Brad. I have to make a call. Right now.”
“Dang it, Nikki. No!”
“Yes!”
“Who are you going to call?”
“My dad.”
“This is sick, Nikki.” His face turned red. “Stop calling your old phone number and talking to dead people.”
“I’m not going to call my old phone number. That’s not where he is. Mom said that he’s at the place where he died. Another number.”
“Let me get this straight. Deborah gave you a phone number where your dad’s spirit is?” he asked.
“Exactly.”
“This is a bad, bad idea, Nikki. That haunte
d toy phone is making you go nuts.”
“What do you mean, me? You’ve been using the phone all day to call dead people, haven’t you?” Nikki demanded.
“Yes,” he admitted. “My grandparents send their regards. And my aunt. And my…never mind.” He blushed like crazy.
“Has everyone in the family gone stark raving mad?” Tara asked, throwing up her hands.
“Where’s the number, Nikki? We’re gonna solve this once and for all,” Brad said.
Nikki raised her hand where she had written the number in eyebrow pencil last night.
“I can’t even read it,” Brad said. “It’s all smeared.”
“Don’t worry. I know it by heart.”
“How do you know it?”
“Because not only do I have it on a sales flyer, I called it when I was five years old. At our old house, it was tacked up on the bulletin board by the phone on a sheet of paper where Dad kept track of how much he owed Mr. Matthews for lawn care and yard work.”
“Oh my God,” Tara said. “You remember calling Jimmy for help?”
Nikki started crying harder because now she did remember. “Yes! I said, ‘Jimmy, it’s Nik-Nik. Your dad is hurting my mom! She’s crying! Please help us!’ He rushed right over, gardening gloves and all.”
Tara said, “And when you hung up, I called Dad at work, and said basically the same thing. He left work and rushed right home.”
“Why didn’t we know to call 9-1-1?” Nikki asked, puzzled.
“It didn’t exist in our small town then.”
“Excuse me, ladies. I need to get you out of here, princess,” Brad said, covering Katie’s ears and whisking her outside.
“And then, everyone converged and a huge fight broke out!” Tara said.
“And Jimmy…oh no, it was Jimmy!” Nikki said, remembering in a moment of clarity. “It was Jimmy all along.”
“I saw the whole thing, too. I was taller than you, with a better vantage point because I was standing on the couch screaming when it happened.”
“Oh, Tara!” Nikki wailed.
“It was an accident, Nikki,” Tara said. “Jimmy tried to stab his horrible father with one of our kitchen knives, but he killed Mom because Mr. Matthews whirled around and used her for a shield. He thrust her naked body at Jimmy. The knife went right in her heart.” Tears sparkled in her eyes.
“Oh no! But where’s Daddy in all of this?” Nikki asked.
“I don’t know,” Tara said, “because Jimmy locked us in our bedroom, to protect us, after Mom got killed. Then it really turned into a battle.”
“I know. I talked to Mom on the toy telephone and she said Dad died that same day she did.”
“You what?” Tara excused herself and went to the bathroom. Nikki could hear her sobbing and water running in the sink.
Nikki sobbed and was surprised to see Brad coming back in with the toy telephone.
“Fine. Call your dad on the haunted toy phone, Nikki. Just call him.”
“Where’s Katie?” she asked in a panic.
“Calm down. She’s locked in the truck. I need to get her away from this discussion. Now.”
“I agree,” Nikki said.
“Tell me what happens when you call your dad, okay?” Brad said.
“Of course.” They kissed goodbye. He left in his truck with Katie.
Nikki shoved the toy telephone in her big purse. “Do you want to use the haunted toy telephone with me?” she called through the bathroom door.
“No, I do not. I don’t even remember it from when we were kids. Not one bit. I don’t even know what it looks like.”
“I’ll show you.”
“No, thank you.” Tara came out of the bathroom blowing her nose. “I have a date coming over in a few minutes. I’m going to need a glass of wine before Ted gets here.”
“You’re pre-gaming for the date?”
“Very funny. You want one?”
“No, I’m good.” Nikki wasn’t much of a drinker because she wasn’t supposed to mix alcohol with her meds. Not that she had taken her meds today. She had only consumed alcohol a few times in her life and each time, she had gotten violently ill.
“Did you ask Brad if we can have a barbeque at your house for Ted’s birthday?”
“Oh shoot, I forgot.” Nikki hurriedly texted Brad and within a minute, he texted back that it was fine.
“It’s a go for the barbeque surprise party, but it has to be on Saturday because I have night school.”
“Cool, that works out for me, too, little sis.”
Just then, the doorbell rang. Tara groaned in frustration. “I’m not ready for my date.”
“I’ll get the door while you pull yourself together,” Nikki said.
Nikki opened the door when she saw Ted through the peephole on the other side. Nikki greeted him and guided him in the door. Tara walked out of the kitchen, leaving her glass of wine and crumpled tissues behind.
“Hello, Tara. How are you this evening?” Ted asked.
“Wish I could say I was doing well, but that would be lying. I’m having about the weirdest day I have had in about twenty-five years.”
Ted smiled at her. He was older and so calm about everything. Nikki could tell he found her sister irresistible, as most men did. Even though Tara had been crying, she was still beautiful with her eye makeup smeared all over her face.
“Have a seat, Ted,” Tara instructed. “I just need to freshen up my makeup before our date.”
“You’ve got it.” Ted winked at her. He sat down on a recliner chair as he waited for Tara to come out of the bathroom.
“What’s going on with you two?” he asked Nikki.
“Oh, Ted. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. This week has just been so exhausting.”
“I’m a good listener,” he offered.
She smiled. “It’s a can of worms. Trust me, opening it right now would totally wreck your date.”
“Can’t have that,” he teased.
“I’m serious.”
“Okay. You girls sure are sitting on some big secret.”
“It’s better that way,” Nikki said.
Tara breezed out in fresh makeup and with a perfume plume spreading from her body.
“Mmm, you smell good,” he said and stood up to kiss Tara.
“Thanks,” she said and kissed him back.
“Have a good time on your date,” Nikki said.
“Bye, little sis.”
“Bye.” Nikki leaned over and gave her sister a hug. “Do you want me to spend the night with you tonight?”
“No, thank you, I really appreciate it, but I may have company when I get back from my date.”
Nikki smiled at Tara and Ted. “Of course. What was I thinking?”
“You’re thinking that you worried about me, which is so sweet. Are you going to hang out in my place while I’m gone?”
“Just for a little while,” Nikki said, thinking about the toy telephone in her purse.
“Well, then, I will be on my way. Don’t let this get you down too much, sis. And lock up when you leave.”
As soon as she left with Ted, Nikki locked the door behind her and took the toy telephone out of her purse and to the couch. She took a deep breath—a few deep breaths, in fact—and dialed the Matthews’ old landline, the same phone number that she had called to contact Jimmy, long ago and recently.
She half-expected Jimmy to answer the toy telephone, but suddenly, she heard a faint, but familiar male voice say, “Hello, it’s me.”
“Daddy?” Nikki said.
“Is this Tara?” he asked.
“No, it’s Nikki.”
“Nikki! Hi, sweetheart! Are you okay?”
“No, Daddy. My heart hurts.” Suddenly, she felt as if she was a child again.
“Why does your heart hurt, sweetheart?” he said gently.
“Because I lost you and Mom.”
“I miss you, too. Very much.”
“Where are you?” she asked. �
��I want to see you.”
“You want to see me?”
“Yes. Can you come through the phone and show me that you’re really here?”
“No, I can’t leave here. I’m stuck.”
“Where?”
“In a big grassy back yard with flowers and trees. It’s next to the river and the water makes such a pleasant sound. I would be more lonely, but there’s a dog, a black and tan puppy with a pink nose. She keeps me company. She’s such a happy little girl.”
“Oh, my gosh! You’re at the Matthews’s house. In their back yard.”
“Is that where I am? I forgot.”
“How did you get there?”
“I don’t know, pumpkin.”
“I’m coming over there, Daddy.”
“No, don’t!”
“Why not?”
“It’s dangerous.”
“It is?” she asked.
And then the voice changed. It was no longer her father’s voice.
“Nikki, you are being a very bad girl.” The voice was menacing. “If you know what’s good for you, you will never call this number again.”
“I want to talk to my dad!” she cried. “Now!” she shrieked.
“No!” It was a mean voice, an evil voice. At first, she wasn’t sure whose it was, but he said with a lot of anger, “You need to mind your own business, little girl. You are dealing with the dark side now. Your mother’s no longer here. And your father…well, stop pursuing this. Never, ever cross me, or you will die!”
Now, she knew who it was. Because the last thing he said to her now was the last thing he had said to her and Tara twenty-five years ago.
Mr. Matthews.
“You’re a horrible man!” she blurted.
“Do you want to die young, like your mother?” he said and then laughed evilly, so evilly that her heart jumped in her chest.
Nikki let out a bloodcurdling scream, hung up the phone and raced out of Tara’s apartment with it in her hand.
Chapter Eleven
At first, Nikki was in a big hurry to get home to her husband and child.
Except…she didn’t go home.
Not only was Nikki scared. Now, she was mad. Not just mad, but furious.
She did the craziest thing she had ever done in her entire life—she drove to the Matthews place. When she got there, she parked in front of the house. Only the blue flickering light of a large-screen TV shone through one window of the big house. Otherwise, the interior was completely dark.
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