by Sharon Rose
There’s a short hallway off the reception area. On one side is the cell and on the other there are two rooms: a restroom and a coffee room. Reg had locked the cell door but the key was in the lock so I turned it and went in.
Melanie was lying curled up on one of the cots in a fetal position. The only light came from the hallway so I couldn’t see too well; however, even in the semi-darkness I knew that her whole face was swollen from crying. It looked as if her hair hadn’t seen a comb or brush in days and it was easy to see she’d been sleeping in her clothes.
I quickly walked over to her and put my finger to my lips. One scream from her and I would’ve been out on my ear. She stared at me and slowly nodded her head.
“Are you going to be all right?” I whispered.
She shook her head. “I killed my husband,” she whispered. “I killed Bernie.”
“Are you sure you did?” I asked. “Can you tell me what happened, Melanie? I’m going to try to help you.”
For one brief moment I saw a glimpse up hope in her eyes but it faded quickly.
“I don’t think you can, Mabel. I’ve already confessed.”
“You confessed? Why did you confess?”
“Because I killed him, that’s why.”
“Melanie, tell me exactly what happened, okay? Don’t leave anything out.”
“We were at the carwash. Bernie had this thing lately about keeping the car so clean.” She stopped. “I don’t know why that bothered me so much. It seems so stupid now. It was like he was fanatical. He was washing his car every second day. It was driving me crazy. We were on our way to Mom and Dad’s and suddenly he pulled into the carwash again. He jumped out to make change and I jumped out after him. I know it isn’t much but it’s five dollars every time and we don’t have that much money to waste. I guess I just lost it, Mabel. We were going to be late for dinner at my parent’s house and there he was, trying to get change to wash the stupid car. I followed him to that little box at the side of the building and I guess I was screaming really loud but he didn’t pay any attention to me. I told him that I wished he were dead. He started yelling at me then. I can’t remember everything that we said. It must’ve sounded terrible. When he said he didn’t want me in his life anymore, I hit him.”
“With the brick?”
“No, not with a brick. With my fist. That’s when I saw Prunella standing across the street and staring. I was so mad at Bernie for letting people see us fight that I pushed him out to the back of the washing bay. He started hitting me back then. I gave him a hard push and he stumbled. He went down on one knee and I picked something up and threw it at him. Then, I saw him stumble backwards over a rock sticking out of the sand and he fell into the water.”
“You picked up a brick?”
She put her hands over her face for a moment and then looked up at me. “I didn’t think it was a brick. I thought it was a stone but they tell me that it was a brick.”
“Who’s ‘they?’”
“Well, almost everyone. That’s what killed Bernie and since I’m the one who fought with him and threw something at him, it had to be me, didn’t it?”
“No, it didn’t have to be you. Someone could’ve come after you left. Didn’t you think of that?”
“Yeah, but who? Who would want to kill Bernie besides me?”
“I don’t know but I think we should try to find out. Why did you sit in the car so long waiting for him to come back?”
“That’s another thing they have against me. It looks like I killed him and then waited before calling Reg.”
“So, why didn’t you go to check on him sooner? Why did you wait so long?”
“Oh, Mabel, I don’t know. I was so mad at him and the longer he took coming back, the madder I got. Mommy called me on my cell phone and I told her that Bernie was working and we wouldn’t be able to make it for supper.”
“Another lie. You weren’t doing yourself any favors, were you? So, what did you do for those two hours anyway?”
“It was so hot, I let the car run and turned the air on. I figured Bernie could sweat outside but I’d keep nice and cool. I dozed off. Well, that is until Esther woke me up.”
“Esther woke you up?”
She nodded. “She banged on the window. She said she thought I had passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning.”
“Oh brother, she didn’t realize that there’s plenty of air circulating through an open carwash bay? How dumb can a person be?”
“That’s when I went to look for Bernie. At first, I thought he was so mad that he just left me and went home. I wouldn’t have blamed him. I went out the back and there he was. Dead.”
“And nosey Esther Flynn followed you?”
“Yes. I wish it would’ve been anyone else but her. She went all hysterical which didn’t help because I was already hysterical.”
“Can you remember what you said to her, Melanie? Did you give her any reason to think that it might’ve been your fault?”
At this, she started to cry. In between her sobs, she said, “I thought I’d killed him, Mabel. There was blood on his head and I didn’t remember seeing it when I hit him before but there was no one else.”
“In other words, you told Esther that you’d killed your husband?”
She looked at me with wide empty eyes. “I did.”
“And, Esther went to Sheriff Smee?”
She nodded.
“Did he believe Esther?”
“At first, I don’t think he did. He brought me in for questioning but was sure that it had been an accident or something. Then, Prunella came in and told him how she’d seen us arguing. I think Esther told her that she had to. Reg still didn’t think I could be guilty because I told him that I just picked up a rock and threw it at Bernie. I was sure it was a rock. Not even a very big one. That stone couldn’t have killed anyone, Mabel.”
“Who discovered the brick?”
She sniffed and blew her nose. “One of the boys found it in the bush. Jim, I think.”
I’d been so engrossed in Melanie’s testimony that I momentarily forgot where I was. Suddenly, from the front room, I could hear Reg’s booming voice.
“Melanie,” I said. “I have to get out of here fast. If I manage to escape, don’t tell Reg I was here, okay?”
“I won’t.”
“I’m going to find out who really killed Bernie. Don’t give up now.”
I walked to the door and peeked out. It looked like reception area was empty but I didn’t dare try to escape out the front door. My only hope was the back. Before I could reach it, however, I heard Reg coming my way, yelling, “And I don’t want either one of you sitting in my chair, got that?”
I quickly jumped across the hallway, popped into the washroom and shut the door. The light was off and I couldn’t see a thing so I moved along the wall. If Reg opened the door, I would be behind it. If any of them came in to use the facilities, I would be as dead as Bernie was.
A moment later, there was another bellow.
“Which one of you boys left this door open and unlocked? How many times do I have to tell you that this is a jail cell and it must be kept locked when we have someone in it who has actually committed a crime? Well, which one of you left it open?”
There was silence and then Scully said, “It was locked.”
I heard Reg walk into the room and say, “Melanie, are you all right?” Whatever she said, I didn’t hear but obviously she didn’t mention my name because next he asked, “Did you happen to have any visitors while I was away? Someone who came in and left without closing the door?”
My heart was pounding in my ears so hard I thought my head would explode.
Melanie must be an excellent liar because the next thing I heard was Reg telling Scully to run over to the Main Street Café and bring some lunch for the prisoner.
“I’m going to leave the door open for you, Melanie, so you can get some air in that cell. If you need anything, you just give a shout. I’m going to b
e in the office doing some paper work.”
So much for making sure everyone kept the door locked in case the murderer might escape.
All three left for the front of the building. I gave Melanie the thumbs up before I snuck out the back door.
Chapter Eleven
Flori came into the store the next morning with a loud announcement. I had planned to spend my lunch hour at the crime scene but I didn’t dare tell her that. When she insisted on bringing some of her homemade soup over, what could I say? She would know something was wrong if I rejected her offer.
“And, not only that, Mabel,” she said. “I booked a place for us on the seniors’ bus for Friday.”
“You what?”
“I booked a place for us on the seniors’ bus for Friday.”
“I know what you said; I just don’t know why you did it.”
Right away, I could see that I’d hurt her feelings.
“But, Mabel, weren’t you the one who suggested it? You were the one who said it wasn’t fair. You can’t back out now. Dottie is so excited that you’re coming.”
“You talked to Dottie about it?”
Flori’s eyes started welling up. “I thought you would be happy, Mabel. I’m sure we discussed it. Remember, you were so upset because they dump everyone in that park and don’t let them go shopping? Remember?”
I walked over and patted Flori on the shoulder. “Of course, I remember. It is upsetting. I didn’t realize you were all that concerned too.”
“How can you say that, Mabel? You know I love those old people as much as you do. I talked to Jake about it and he called the Retirement Home. They’re so happy about us going with them. They have a new manager there. Sam Kinney. Jake asked him if we could accompany them every week and he said he’d consider it. I think we could do it, don’t you? I’m sure Delores would love to come and watch the shop for you. Or, better yet, you could put a sign in the window to let everyone know you would be closed Fridays so you could help out the seniors. The townspeople would be so impressed. I’m sure your business would improve. What do you think, Mabel?”
“First of all, Flori, I would never consider going on that bus every week. Secondly, I would not even for one second consider putting a sign up saying that I was helping out old people and thirdly, Flori, you know very well I couldn’t care less what the so-called townspeople think.”
Tears were forming quickly in Flori’s eyes.
“However, Flori, I will agree to go this Friday with you.”
“Oh thank you. I knew you would.” She proceeded to get up off the chair and crush me almost to death. When she reached the door, she turned and said, “And I’ve booked us for the next Friday as well.” With that, she opened the door and disappeared from sight.
I’d been had.
There was one positive side to Flori’s rushing out the door before I could throw something at her (which I would never do) – I could now visit the crime scene and not have to worry about any interference.
At five minutes before twelve, I locked the front door, hung up my closed sign and left out the back door. The back lane looked clear all the way to the carwash. I would have to get across one intersection, however, and that could be tricky. It was a slow day in Parson’s Cove so there was a good chance I could get across without anybody spotting me.
Charlie Thompson’s little house is not far from the carwash. After Charlie’s place, there’s a narrow empty lot and then Murray McFerguson’s house. Murray must have about an acre because there are no more houses after his place. The McFerguson’s stick to themselves but you do see Murray walking around town with his dog quite often. This reminded me that someone had also murdered Biscuit. Could the old hound have attacked whoever was in the process of murdering Bernie and got clobbered himself? Melanie never even mentioned the dog. I wished she’d never made that stupid confession.
When I reached the intersection, there was one car puttering down the street. I say puttering because it was Adolf Klassen. He’s almost blind and as deaf as a rock but since he only drives from his house to the post office, no one complains. In fact, if Reg took his license away, probably half the town would be outraged. I say he’ll keep driving until he runs over someone or something and then everyone will blame Reg. Once in awhile I do feel sorry for the sheriff.
Since Klassen is blind and I could walk faster than he could drive, I crossed the street. When I reached the other side, I heard him yell, “Watch where you’re walking, mister. I almost ran over you.”
I pretended I didn’t hear and hurried down the lane to the carwash.
Sheriff Smee and his deputies had left a few signs to say that they’d been there. There were strips of yellow tape still clinging to some trees and there was a Styrofoam coffee cup sitting on a rock.
I stood back and surveyed the scene. The sand by the beach looked like a dozen people had trampled on it. You’d have to be an old Indian scout to read footprints in the sand anyway. I really had no idea what I was looking for. I guess anything to prove Melanie did not kill her husband. Anything to give reasonable doubt. Even that would please me.
Stupid Esther Flynn. Why didn’t she stop to reason with Melanie before jumping to conclusions? Why did she make Prunella go to the police? If Melanie had to spend the rest of her days in prison, it would be stupid Esther Flynn’s fault and I would go to any length to make her life as miserable as I could. I made that vow as I stood looking at the spot where Bernie Bernstein was murdered.
It only took a few seconds to make it so when I finished I decided to walk up to the carwash bay where Melanie had sat for two hours, waiting to see if her husband would return. Did Reg check to see if anyone else was getting their car washed at the same time? Maybe a witness saw someone else walking on the beach. Someone who could easily have come up after Melanie threw her little rock and that person could’ve hit him with the brick and killed him. I stood in the bay for a few minutes. It wasn’t a drive-through bay because on the other side of the carwash, several feet away, was the lake. You drove in, washed your car and backed out. This is Parson’s Cove so nothing is fancy like in the city. The water was pumped up from the lake and I’m sure the dirty water went right back in, although it wasn’t supposed to - not with all those shampoos and phosphates. There were so many town meetings regarding pollution and contaminates before the carwash went in that I stopped going. They were going to do what they were going to do anyway.
I stood there thinking of Melanie sitting there for all that time with her husband lying dead not more than thirty or forty feet away. I went out the small door facing the water and walked down to the beach. There was no blood. There was nothing but the relaxing sound of water gently lapping up against the shore. I looked down the beach towards Charlie’s house. Did he know something? One thing was certain - he would never go to the police. If he told anyone anything, it would be to me. He said there was some kind of mystery. Did it have anything to do with the murder?
I walked along the shore towards his place and McFerguson’s. No one ever comes down to this part of the lake. The beach area is very narrow and you’d have to walk through private yards to get here. For sure no one would trespass through Charlie’s yard. Not that he would harm anyone, he would probably sit and stare and that would make people very uncomfortable. As I walked, I watched the ground for any clues I could find. The Sheriff already had the murder weapon. I still can’t understand Melanie not knowing if she picked up a stone or a brick. The murderer wasn’t too bright if he left the murder weapon close by for someone to find. Not a professional hit man, in my opinion.
There was a high fence bordering Charlie’s place. I remember when some of the men in town built that. Their wives were afraid Charlie might wander into the lake and drown. Like, he didn’t have enough sense to walk around the fence and drown. As I said before, sometimes Charlie has more brainpower than most of them.
I stopped behind the McFerguson’s house. There was a row of large old poplar trees border
ing their lot. The house was quite a ways back. There was no movement at all. Poor Murray. Imagine having your dog killed by the same person who murdered your friend. I couldn’t even grasp how I would feel if someone murdered Flori and then one of my cats.
A well-worn path went from their yard down to the beach. They had a boathouse sitting several feet out into the water and a boardwalk going out to it. There was an old aluminum fishing boat tied to a post and it bobbed up and down with each wave. I don’t know how many times I saw Murray out in that boat with his dog hanging over the side, his head almost touching the water. That dog looked so sad but Murray insisted that he was the happiest dog in the world.
I hadn’t learned anything visiting the crime scene but it did give me a better perspective. If it hadn’t been so infernally hot out that day and Melanie hadn’t had the a/c on, she probably would’ve heard Bernie fighting with someone. If she and Bernie hadn’t been arguing, she would’ve gone to look for him after a few minutes. Perhaps, she would’ve made the change for the carwash herself.
I wondered if she was claiming guilt simply because she was feeling guilty about so many other things.
Chapter Twelve
Friday morning loomed before me. There was a dread in my heart as I looked out my bedroom window and saw the dull cloudy sky and the distant sound of thunder. After so many hot days, we knew this was coming but I was sincerely hoping it wouldn’t come when I was with a busload of elderly people.
“No, this is good,” Flori informed me when she called to make sure I was up. Really, she was making sure I hadn’t skipped the country. “Now,” she said, “we will have to go to the mall. That’s what all the women want to do. Calvin has no excuse now. He can’t dump us off at the park when it’s raining.”
I’ve known Calvin Koots all my life and trust me, he could drop us off at the park and disappear for hours if a hurricane was raging. I have never trusted that man. For years he drove an old taxi with Koots Taxi painted on the door and then last year he turned up one day with a brand new car. This one had Koots Taxi on the door too but Calvin didn’t paint it with red barn paint. This one looked like a real taxi. Now, I ask you, how do you make enough money driving a taxi in Parson’s Cove to afford a brand new fancy car like that? I have my own shop and I still drive my 1969 Buick. Mostly I see Calvin sitting in the Main Street Café drinking coffee and until last year, smoking. Now, at least, he has to sit outside to smoke.
