Hidden Secrets

by Madison Johns

  Callie ran into the other room. Angelo stood up and threw open the front door. “We’ve heard enough. It’s time for you to leave.”

  Eleanor and I walked to the door. “Are you sure this is how you want to handle things?” I asked.

  “I’ll make sure Sheriff Peterson is aware of my father’s distrust of our mother. If anyone killed him, it’s her,” Angelo said from beneath hooded eyes.

  “What did she do to make you think that?” I asked. “You’re pretty quick to throw your mother under the bus,” Eleanor said with a curt nod. When Eleanor and I walked outside Angelo slammed the door shut. “What’s his problem?” Eleanor asked.

  “I certainly don’t understand the anger,” I said.

  “We did accuse them of murdering their father.”

  “We alluded to it. There’s no way we could know for certain, but the time line is certainly interesting.”

  “And they both claimed to have been in town.”

  “We’ll have to touch base with Sheriff Peterson when we get back.”

  Eleanor and I waited in Peterson’s office. I had to suppress the urge to take a look in the file that was on his desk.

  Boxes were stacked in the corner. Eleanor was peeking inside one when Peterson cleared his throat as he entered the room. “I need to fire whoever let you in my office.”

  “The door was open,” I said.

  “And you helped yourselves?”

  “I was just curious what you have in the boxes,” Eleanor huffed.

  “I promise I didn’t look at the file on your desk,” I quickly added.

  “How tempting was that?”

  “Very, but I’m quite aware that we’re on the edge with you as it is. I’d hate for you to shut us out of cases.”

  “We came here to share information,” Eleanor volunteered.

  Peterson plopped down in his chair that for once didn’t squeak. He’d shed about forty pounds the past six months.

  “Go ahead. I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.” He smiled.

  Peterson’s lips barely moved when he smiled and I felt he was mocking us.

  “We paid Wilber and Bernice’s children in Troy a visit.”

  “Troy, you say?” Peterson asked as he jotted that bit of information down. “I didn’t get a chance to find them yet.” He frowned. “Did you two blab about Wilber’s death?”

  “You don’t have to be rude,” Eleanor said. “We’re trying to help.”

  “And now we’ve lost the edge when we do speak with them. I hope you didn’t accuse them of killing their father.”

  “Well… .” I began. “Angelo told us they were in Tawas a few weeks ago.”

  “Both of them?”

  “Yes. But they denied having anything to do with Wilber’s death.”

  “Angelo was too busy throwing Bernice under the bus,” Eleanor said.

  I cued the sheriff in about Angelo’s thoughts about his mother and her past.

  “Wilber did come to see Bernice,” Eleanor reminded the sheriff.

  “I’m aware of that. I’m hoping Wilber’s friends come forward about his movements the last month. I believe Bernice didn’t have anything to do with his death, but keep that between us for now. I want her to think she’s still a suspect.”

  “I imagine she still is. I don’t blame you for that.”

  “We told Angelo and Callie that they should come to Tawas,” Eleanor said. “They’re aware that you’ll want to question them.”

  “What bothers me the most about Angelo is that he said so many horrible things about his mother. It wasn’t long ago that Bernice reconnected with her children and ex-husband,” I said.

  “We thought it was water under the bridge,” Eleanor added. “It will crush Bernice when she learns what Angelo said about her.”

  “Then don’t tell her,” Peterson offered. “It would be easier for her to not know.”

  “I can’t keep that from her, not when Angelo will be in town soon. I don’t want her shocked when he tells her how he feels about her possible role in Wilber’s death.”

  “Fine, but I expect you to report back to me about her reaction.”

  “We’ll be happy to. What can you tell us about Wilber’s remains? Has a cause of death been determined yet?”

  “How can I be sure that you’ll keep this to yourselves?”

  “You’ll have to trust us,” I said.

  Peterson leaned back in his chair. “Sorry, but that’s not good enough.”

  “We’ll have to try harder,” Eleanor said. “How about if we pinkie swear?”

  I rolled my eyes at Eleanor. “I give you my word. We want to help solve this case.”

  “Wilber suffered a gunshot wound to his chest.”

  “I wonder why the killer moved his body to the bedroom.”

  “The killer didn’t move him. Wilber was shot in his bed.”

  “What about the bloodstain on the floor in the living room?”

  “That blood didn’t belong to Wilber.”

  “So we have another victim?”

  “It’s possible. That or Wilber murdered someone.”

  “How can you be certain he was shot in bed?” Eleanor demanded.

  “We found the bullet wedged in the mattress.”

  I sighed. “Bernice didn’t say Wilber was seeing anyone. He was distracted.”

  “If Wilber killed someone that would make him very distracted,” Eleanor pointed out. “I’ve only seen him at Bernice’s house a few times, but he didn’t seem the killing type.”

  “He was quite capable of demanding custody of the children when he divorced Bernice,” I said and then gave the sheriff the details about the divorce.

  “I’m not certain at this point if it’s prudent to speak to Bernice again. She doesn’t seem to know much about Wilber’s recent movements,” Peterson said.

  “Let us know if Wilber’s children ever show up in town.”

  I led the way back to the car and munched on the doughnut I’d snagged on our way out. It was always worth coming to the sheriff’s department if we could reward ourselves with a sweet treat.

  Bernice frowned as she sat opposite Eleanor and me. She drummed her fingers on her abdomen nervously and said, “I just don’t understand what I did wrong. It was great to speak to my children again, but it ended abruptly a few months back.”

  “Angelo spoke harshly of you. Callie didn’t have anything to say.”

  “He’s right about everything he said about me, but that was years ago, when he was only a child. He was only three when we broke up. Wilber and I kept our problems to ourselves.”

  “I don’t think he has ever gotten over not having you in his life,” Eleanor said.

  “It’s always a hard thing when your mother is gone,” I agreed.

  “He was so kind to me not long ago,” Bernice mused. “He certainly changed his mind about me. I can’t help but wonder why.”

  “Someone has to be involved here,” Eleanor said. “Wilber must have been involved with someone else.”

  “Or had friends who didn’t have a good word to say about Bernice.” Eleanor fidgeted and pulled on her fingers. “He lives in the country. How will we be able to question his neighbors, Agnes?”

  “We’ll just have to knock on doors and see what we can find out. Hopefully we’ll be able to track Wilber’s movements. It might lead us to potential suspects.”

  “I wish I could help,” Bernice said. “But I shouldn’t be involved with the investigation because Peterson considers me a suspect.”

  I paced for a few moments. “Actually, I rather like the idea of you helping us with this case. We need to clear your good name and find out who in town is tarnishing it by bring up the past.”

  “Should I change clothes?”

  “Whatever for?” Eleanor asked. “I don’t see anything wrong with what you’re wearing.”

  “But people will know who we are.”

  “They know who we are already.”

&n
bsp; “I mean me.”

  “Don’t you dare change anything,” I said. “I refuse to allow anyone to say a bad word about you. I can’t believe that many people even know where you live.”

  “Or what your name is,” Eleanor added. “Besides, it’s not scandalous to have been divorced.”

  “You should know how rumors were back then, Eleanor, but I can’t say any of those people still live in town or are even alive.”

  I tapped my foot. “Let’s go ladies.”

  I drove west and coasted past Wilber’s house. It had been boarded up and covered with crime scene tape. “Can you believe they boarded up the crime scene already?”

  “They need to keep it secure.”

  “I wish we could go into Wilber’s house,” Bernice said. “How well did either of you examine the house?”

  “That’s one place you don’t need to go,” Eleanor said. “You don’t need to see that.”

  “Especially that crime scene. Wilber has been dead for a few weeks,” I said with a groan. “Please promise me you won’t go there, Bernice.”

  “How would I get there when I don’t have a car?”

  “Whatever happened to that old truck you had?”

  “Wilber sold it for scrap.”

  “You gave him permission to do that?” Eleanor asked. “Why?”

  “It didn’t run and it was too dangerous for my cats to climb around.”

  “Was it your idea to get rid of it?” I asked.

  “Wilber mentioned it and I had to agree. There was no sense in keeping it around. If I didn’t live in the woods someone might have complained.”

  “Since when has that ever happened in Tawas?”

  “It depends on who does the complaining.”

  I slowed as I approached a driveway nearest to Wilber’s, where a black truck with a lifter was parked.

  Chapter 4

  Bernice knocked on the door as Eleanor and I held back.

  A man with red suspenders answered the door. “Cat Lady, is that you?”

  “You can call me Bernice. Could we come inside and talk about my ex-husband Wilber?”

  “Of course. Come on in.”

  We walked inside and were directed to the couch. The man sat opposite us. It was your typical man’s house -- minimally furnished, huge flat-screen television. “I don’t think I know your friends, Bernice,” the man said.

  “I’m Agnes and this is Eleanor. We’re helping Bernice investigate a case.” I didn’t think it would hurt to lead him to believe Bernice was the reason we were here.

  “I’m Robert Boyd,” he said. “Does this have anything to do with all the cops at Wilber’s house?”

  “Do you know anything about that?” I asked.

  “No.” He frowned. “Is Wilber okay?”

  “He’s dead,” Bernice muttered.

  “Dead!” Robert gasped. “What happened?”

  “I was hoping you could tell us,” Eleanor said. “I mean, you’re practically neighbors.”

  “I don’t know Wilber that well. We spoke whenever I saw him in town, but that’s the extent of it.”

  “Have you ever been at his place?” I asked.

  “I hope the sheriff doesn’t consider me a suspect. I’ve never been at Wilber’s house.”

  “Can you tell us about his comings and goings? Just tell us anything you observed.”

  “I try to mind own business. I don’t make a habit of spying on my neighbors.”

  “How about any lady friends who might have stopped by his place?” Bernice asked.

  Robert pulled on his scruffy beard. “Sorry, I can’t help you.”

  “Have you noticed any cars parked in the driveway of late?” I asked.

  Robert fell silent for a time and then said, “Now that you mention it, a black SUV has been parked there a few times a week.”

  “When was the last time you saw it?” I asked.

  “About a few weeks ago. It was about the same time Wilber began neglecting his lawn.”

  “And you didn’t think to check on him?” Eleanor asked.

  “I told you, I don’t know him that well.”

  “Is there anything else you might have noticed?” Bernice asked. “It’s really important.”

  “I wish I had checked on him.”

  “Did Wilber ever try to sell you an old truck?” I asked.

  “You mean that rusted heap of junk he had? Jimmy towed it away.”

  Eleanor narrowed her eyes slightly. “I thought you only saw a black SUV there.”

  “So much for you not watching your neighbors. Did you see a woman over there?”

  Robert backed up. “I never saw any woman there other than his daughter.”

  “Wilber’s children paid him a visit a few weeks ago,” I began.

  “Now that I think about it, his son drives an SUV. It might have been him.”

  “Except that he couldn’t have visited twice a week as you suggested because he lives and works in Troy.”

  “I don’t know anything about that.”

  “That’s convenient,” I began, “whenever the questions become too tough you just say you don’t know anything.”

  “We’ll show ourselves out,” Bernice said with a tight nod.

  “Does Wilber or Callie own a black SUV, Bernice?”

  “I haven’t seen them in months.”

  “It might be someone else who has been going to Wilber’s,” I said.

  “He found himself another woman. I should have known not to trust that man,” Bernice grumbled.

  “How was his health?” Eleanor asked.

  “Good enough I suppose, why?”

  “It could have been a visiting nurse,” I suggested. “He might not have wanted to tell you he had medical problems.”

  “But it makes no sense when it comes to his murder,” Eleanor said. “I suppose we’re going to the impound yard now.”

  “Why?” Bernice asked.

  “I was hoping that Jimmy would remember any strange goings on,” I said.

  The drive to the tow company was a quiet one, each of us digesting the information dealt to us. So far a black SUV was our only clue -- and not much of one -- but it was all we had at the moment. I still wondered whose blood was on Wilber’s carpet. It was certainly too much for the victim to get off the floor without help. I’d have to ask Peterson if he’d checked for any 911 calls from Wilber’s address.

  Jimmy was coming out of the office when we pulled up. Bernice waved at our approach. “Nice seeing you, Jimmy,” Bernice said as she was the first one out of the car.

  Jimmy curtly nodded at Bernice. “I heard about Wilber. How are you doing, Bernice?”

  “Resolved to find out who done him in.”

  “What have you ladies found out?”

  “We’re still investigating. One of his neighbors mentioned seeing you towing Bernice’s old truck from Wilber’s house,” I said.

  “Yup. Wilber wanted to scrap it, so I gave him a hand. It’s a shame it’s so rusted out. I would have loved to restore it.”

  “That old truck?” Bernice asked.

  “How long have you had it?” I asked.

  “I picked it up cheap years ago.”

  “It’s a 1955 Studebaker,” Jimmy explained. “I didn’t scrap it yet. I took it to my brother’s house while I think about it.”

  “I’d love to see it restored,” Bernice said.

  “Let’s get back to Wilber,” I said. “Did you happen to notice anyone at Wilber’s place when you came to check out the truck?”

  Jimmy frowned. “I didn’t see another woman over there, if that’s what you mean … or now that I think about it — Faith Fleur’s vehicle was parked over there a few times I drove past.”

  “What kind of car does she drive?” Bernice asked.

  “Black Equinox. It’s a really sharp ride. But I hardly think she was at Wilber’s place for the reason you might think, Bernice. She’s too young, mid-twenties I believe.”

  “Wher
e would we be able to find Faith?” I asked.

  “Faith is Rosa Lee Hill’s boarder.”

  “Rosa Lee is renting rooms?” I asked.

  “That’s what Curt and Cutis told me. Those boys have been having a spitting contest over the woman.”

  “I can’t see Rosa Lee putting up with that,” I said.

  “Can’t tell you nothing about that. You’ll see for yourselves when you drop by. Try not to jump to conclusions.”

  “Who, us?” Eleanor asked with a shocked expression. “We never do.”

  I drove home in silence to the tune of my growling stomach and pulled in behind Andrew.

  “It’s getting a little late for investigating tonight,” I said on the way inside.

  Andrew was eating a slice of pizza.

  “You ordered pizza! How thoughtful.”

  “I figured if I wanted to eat I had to.” Andrew smiled. “Hello Bernice. We have plenty of pizza.”

  “I’m not hungry,” she said sadly. Her eyes lit up when she spotted the kittens. “You didn’t tell me Duchess had kittens!”

  “Don’t try to pick one up. Duchess has clawed all of us when we’ve tried.”

  Bernice gently picked up a black ball of fur, Duchess looking on protectively.

  “What beautiful kittens you have, Duchess,” Bernice said as she nuzzled the kitten and put it back down.

  “I can’t believe it,” Andrew said. “She hasn’t allowed us near her kittens.”

  “Well, I am the Cat Lady.” Bernice grinned.

  I turned to Andrew and grabbed a slice of pizza. “I thought you might want to know that —.”

  “There’s a crime spree in Tawas?” he interjected.

  I cast Bernice a sympathetic glance as she sat heavily in the kitchen. “My ex-husband is dead,” she muttered. “I still can’t believe it.”

  Andrew’s eyes widened and he took hold of her hand. “I’m so sorry. What happened?”

  “We don’t exactly know,” I said. I then brought Andrew up to speed about finding the body.

  “That must have been horrible.”

  “I’m sure glad I wasn’t there,” Bernice said. “I feel so responsible for not calling someone to check on Wilber.”

  “You’re not responsible for anything,” Eleanor said. “You didn’t kill the man.”