Coulson's Secret

by McIntyre, Anna J

  “Then you should do okay, and if it’s paid for, why the hurry to sell?” Nick didn’t like the idea of Kim leaving Coulson.

  “Even if the house is paid for, there are other expenses—insurance, utilities, and maintenance. Who knows; I might decide to rent the house. It just depends on the local rental market and housing prices. Back home, the market has dropped so severely that some of the homeowners who have to move, are forced to rent or short sale their houses.”

  “So, who are you going to use?” Nick knew a few real estate agents in Clement Falls but didn’t know of any in Coulson he could recommend.

  “My broker is supposed to call me in the morning and give me a number of someone in town. That way I’ll get a referral and make a little commission when it sells.”

  “You want to know my opinion?” Nick looked Kim in the eyes.

  “What’s that?”

  “I don’t think you should sell the house, and I don’t think you should rent it. I think you should move back to Coulson full-time.”

  Adam Keller was eating dinner alone in his kitchen when he heard someone pounding on the front door. He wondered why whoever was knocking wasn’t using the doorbell.

  He flipped on the porch light and opened the door, not thinking to look through the peephole to see who was angrily pounding away. Preoccupied by other thoughts, he realized his oversight just as he opened the door. When he found it was Angela standing on his porch, he was somewhat relieved. His relief was short lived; she pushed past him and came into the house uninvited.

  “I’ve been trying to call you all day. Why in the hell have you been ignoring my calls?” Angela demanded angrily.

  “I wasn’t ignoring you specifically. I just turned off my cell phone.”

  “I’ve been waiting for you to come over all day!”

  “I never said I would be coming over today,” Adam told her as he walked back to his kitchen to finish his dinner. Angela followed him.

  “I thought you would come over today so we could finish our discussion.”

  “I didn’t know we hadn’t.”

  “Are you breaking up with me?” Angela asked angrily.

  “I have a lot on my mind right now. Mom knows about the loan with Harrison,” Adam explained, sitting down at his kitchen table. Angela pulled out a chair and sat down at the table with him.

  “What did she say?”

  “She wasn’t thrilled. She wanted to know why I didn’t go to her and Garret.”

  “See, I told you that is what you should have done! You never listen to me.”

  “Yes, Angela, I know how you feel. You’ve told me often enough.” Adam took a bite of his dinner.

  “Well, it’s over anyway. It all worked out, and you don’t have to pay back the money.”

  “Mother reminded me the terms of the arrangement make me a prime suspect in Harrison’s murder.”

  “Don’t be silly. You have the perfect alibi. Me.”

  “Yes, you’ve also reminded me of that repeatedly.”

  “What about us?” Angela asked.

  “Us?” Adam set his fork on his plate and looked at Angela.

  “Do I put the ring back on my finger or do we pretend to break up until you get Kim out of your system?”

  “Kimmy has nothing to do with us.”

  “She doesn’t? First, you tell me she is just an old school friend. Then I learn you used to date her. And then Daddy tells me you knocked her up in high school and you two almost got married.”

  “That was a long time ago. She has nothing to do with our relationship.”

  “Have you fucked her again?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Have you fucked her again since she got back to town? I know you were there this morning.”

  “What are you talking about?” Adam shifted uneasily in his chair.

  “When you didn’t call me back last night after our fight, I decided to drive over to see you this morning. When you weren’t here, I drove over to Kim’s, and imagine my surprise when I found your car parked across the street from her house. Actually, it wasn’t that big of a surprise; I suspected something was going on.”

  “Angela, I never meant to hurt you, but maybe we should break it off for good.”

  Angela had not expected Adam to say that. She abruptly stood up. “Are you serious? After I’ve stood by you, kept your secret about Harrison? And now you are going to drop me for that slut?”

  “Kimmy is not a slut,” Adam countered angrily.

  “Oh no? Well, I wasn’t spreading my legs in high school and getting myself knocked up! She’s been in town for a week, and already, she’s fucking you. Fucking you knowing you’re engaged to another woman! I call that a slut! And to think I was nice to the bitch! I actually felt sorry for her!”

  “Angela, you can keep the ring. Sell it if you want. But we’re over.” Once the words were out, he actually felt relieved.

  “This is not over, Adam Keller! You will be sorry!” Angela shouted before storming from the house.

  Chapter 16

  It was 10:30 a.m. Monday morning when Kim pulled into the parking lot of the Silverado Real Estate Office. Ed had called an hour earlier, telling her he’d found an agent to list Carol’s house and that he went ahead and made an appointment for Kim. It was obvious her broker was anxious for her to get the house listed and to return to Arizona and get back to work.

  Thirty minutes later, Kim was sitting in the office of real estate broker Emily Mitchell, explaining why she needed a title search and property profile on the house before finalizing a listing.

  After telling Emily about the circumstances of her mother’s death, she said, “I’m also trying to contact my mother’s attorney. Obviously, I’ll need to get the house in my name before I can sell it and then…” Kim continued, only to be interrupted by Emily.

  “Your mother was the one killed with Harrison Coulson?” Ed had failed to mention that piece of information when he had contacted Emily earlier that day and asked her if she wanted to take a listing with a referral. Emily had met Ed several years before at the Realtors’ convention in Las Vegas. While Ed had mentioned Kim was selling her mother’s house and that the woman had died, she hadn’t realized it was that woman.

  “Yes, I’m afraid so,” Kim said quietly.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. Do they know what happened? There hasn’t been anything new in the papers.”

  “No, I’m afraid not. They believe Mom was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “That is so tragic. Why doesn’t it surprise me that that family would be responsible for an innocent woman’s death? I never could decide which brother was worse.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m sorry.” Emily immediately regretted her words. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m very sorry about your mother. Harrison was not a nice person and I don’t regret his death, but it’s truly tragic for an innocent woman to suffer for what obviously was some crime committed by Harrison Coulson.”

  “I’m hoping the police find out who did this. I do know my mother used to work for the Senator before I was born.” While Kim appreciated the offer of sympathy, it made her uncomfortable.

  “She did?” Emily’s curiosity piqued.

  Instead of continuing with the discussion of her mother’s murder, Kim quickly shifted the topic back to the possible listing. Emily seemed mildly distracted but agreed to take care of the title search and property profile and meet with Kim the end of the week.

  When Kim finally left, Emily sat alone in her office, considering the interesting turn of events. She picked up the form Kim had completed, which included the property address for Carol Myers’ house. She knew the general location of the property and wondered briefly if it was that house.

  Emily was looking forward to the results of the property profile. Smiling to herself, she picked up the telephone and dialed the title company.

  Monday proved to be productive for Kim. She finally contacted h
er mother’s attorney, and he agreed to fit her in between appointments that afternoon. Apparently, he had been out of town for Thanksgiving week and had just returned.

  At the meeting with the attorney, Kim discovered the will from her mother’s desk was not the current one. The previous year, Carol had instructed her attorney to set up a trust to make the transfer of her assets an easier process. As with the outdated will, Kim was the sole beneficiary. The attorney assured her she wouldn’t find any liens against the property. According to him, Carol owned the house free and clear. He insisted Carol hadn’t had a mortgage on the property for as long as he had been Carol’s attorney. She didn’t quite understand how that was possible since the attorney told Kim he had been Carol’s attorney for over twenty years.

  When Kim returned to her mother’s house, the mail was waiting. There weren’t any bills in the mail, but there was a bank statement. Kim opened the envelope as she walked up to the front door. Pausing on the front porch, she pulled the bank statement from the envelope. Her eyes widened in surprise. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Carol Myers had over $300,000 in her savings account.

  “Mother,” Kim whispered to herself, “where in the hell did you get all this money?”

  Adam Keller’s Monday wasn’t going as well as Kim’s. He was standing by the hostess area of the Lucky Lady Restaurant discussing business with his manager, Steve, when Sam Peterson walked into the restaurant with two other officers.

  “Hi, Chief,” Adam greeted, looking up from the reservation book he was reviewing with his manager.

  “Adam, I’m sorry.” Sam took a deep breath before continuing. “Adam Keller, you are under arrest for the murders of Harrison Coulson and Carol Myers. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, an attorney will be appointed for you…”

  Adam stood numbly, listening to Chief Peterson recite his Miranda rights while the other two officers put him in handcuffs. He was too much in shock to be embarrassed as they led him from the building, passing several longtime restaurant customers along the way.

  Steve didn’t have to be told what to do next. He immediately picked up the phone and called Garret Coulson.

  Chapter 17

  When Kim woke up on Tuesday morning, the first thing she thought of was the money in her mother’s bank account. She knew Carol had been frugal, but she didn’t know how her mother had managed to save that much money and pay off her house while working for the county.

  For the first time since arriving back in Coulson, Kim seriously considered staying. It wouldn’t make Ed happy. She knew he was anxious for her to get back to work. However, she was tired of the real estate business, and considering the current market, it was just too difficult to make a living. She wondered if it was time to try something new.

  Kim liked her mother’s house, and if there weren’t any liens on the property, she wouldn’t be burdened with a house payment. Getting rid of her condo would be a bit more difficult. She wasn’t upside down in her loan, as she had put a considerable down payment on the property when she made the purchase, but it was doubtful she would ever get out her initial investment, considering the decline in Arizona property values. She didn’t know yet how all this was going to effect her income taxes, but considering that her mother set up a trust, she wasn’t too concerned.

  An hour later, Kim was dressed and downstairs, putting on a pot of coffee. She just finished pouring the water in the coffee pot when the doorbell rang. She was expecting Nick to come and help her get into the attic, but she hadn’t expected him to arrive so early.

  When she opened the door, Nick was standing on the front porch. He looked agitated.

  “I didn’t expect you to arrive this early,” Kim greeted cheerfully.

  “You haven’t been watching the news?” Nick asked as he walked through the doorway. Kim closed the door behind him.

  “No, why?” Kim frowned.

  Nick turned and faced her. “They arrested someone last night,” he announced.

  “For Mother’s murder?” Kim wanted to rush and turn on the news, but first she wanted to hear what Nick had to say.

  “Yes.” Nick took a deep breath. He hated to be the one to tell her. One reason he rushed over, he was afraid the news would devastate her. “Adam Keller,” he told her, his voice calm.

  Kim stared blankly at Nick, not responding. Finally she spoke. “No, that’s impossible. I don’t believe it.” Kim turned from Nick and walked to the kitchen, visibly shaken.

  He watched as she pulled two cups from the cupboard and started pouring coffee. The coffeemaker wasn’t finished brewing. When she removed the pot, a stream of coffee hit the burner. Kim ignored the mess she was making.

  “I’m sorry, Kim. They arrested him at the restaurant last night. From what I understand, he isn’t out on bail. And he may not get out.”

  “Why? People get out on bail all the time. I’m sure his mother has the money for bail.”

  “Considering it was a double murder and the amount of money his step-father has, I believe they feel he’s a flight risk. He may get out on bail in a couple days. I’m not sure how all this works. It was just what I heard on the news.”

  Kim was about to turn on the television to see if she could get any news when the doorbell rang again. A police officer was there, informing her she needed to come down to the police department for questioning. Instead of leaving with the officer, Nick said he would take her to the station. The officer started to argue but soon realized there was no way to force Kim to go with him, since he didn’t have a warrant. On the way to the police station, Kim asked Nick to promise to stay with her. She didn’t want to be alone.

  When she arrived at the police station, Sam Peterson started to show her into his office but paused when he noticed Nick trailing along.

  “I would rather talk to you alone, Kim,” Sam told her. He was polite yet formal.

  “No, I want Nick to stay with me,” Kim said stubbornly.

  Sam looked at Nick. “I don’t believe we have met?”

  Nick smiled and held out his right hand. “I’m Nick Myers. My father was married to Carol Myers.”

  Kim had wondered how she was going to introduce Nick. Theirs was an awkward relationship. Sam shook Nick’s hand briefly.

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Myers. I’m Chief Peterson. I’d like to interview Kim alone.”

  “Kim is understandably upset, and I intend to stay with her,” Nick insisted.

  Sam wasn’t thrilled with the turn of events, but he didn’t want Kim walking out. He led them both into his office.

  After they all sat down, Kim blurted out her thoughts. “I don’t believe Adam killed my mother. He would never hurt anyone.”

  “Kim, I didn’t want to believe Adam capable of such a thing, but the evidence is overwhelming.”

  “What evidence?” Kim asked.

  “His fiancée came forward and turned in the gun she found in Adam’s bedroom. Ballistics confirmed it was the same weapon that killed both your mother and the senator.”

  “How do you know it was Adam’s gun? Were his fingerprints on it?” Kim couldn’t imagine such a thing.

  “No. Actually, the gun was registered to the senator. It belonged to Harrison Coulson. And it had been wiped cleaned.”

  “Then what does this have to do with Adam?” she asked.

  Nick sat quietly and listened as Kim shot questions at the police chief.

  “I don’t understand. Why would she have the gun? And why in the world would Adam kill my mother and his step-uncle?”

  “The motive for Harrison’s murder is pretty clear. Adam borrowed a large sum of money from Harrison in exchange for controlling interest in the restaurant.”

  “Why would Adam agree to such a thing when he could borrow money from his mother?” Kim asked, not believing what the chief was saying.

  “Apparently, there was a c
lause in the agreement stating that the interest Harrison held reverted back to Adam upon Harrison’s death.”

  “I don’t believe Adam would kill Harrison just to get out of paying him back. Adam was never greedy.”

  “I don’t think he killed him to avoid paying him back. Harrison was planning to sell the restaurant to developers, which would mean the Lucky Lady would be torn down to make room for a shopping mall. It seems that was Harrison’s intention all along. There was no way he was going to allow Adam to pay off the loan, even if Adam got the money from Garret.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Kim said numbly.

  “While Adam denies killing them, he admitted entering into the agreement with Harrison and confirmed Harrison’s attempt to sell off his father’s restaurant.”

  “And my mother? He would never kill my mother.” Kim wanted to cry.

  “That’s why I called you in here. According to Adam’s fiancée, Adam didn’t intend to kill your mother; he was after Harrison. But he had issues with your mother and decided to seize the opportunity and get rid of both of them.”

  “Why, why in the world would Adam want to kill Mom?” Kim asked again.

  “Kim, I understand you and Adam used to date when you were in high school. And that you intended to get married. But you broke it off, is that correct?”

  “It was a mutual thing. We were too young and realized it.” Kim wondered where this was all leading.

  “Since you’ve returned to Coulson, has Adam made any advances toward you?” Peterson asked.

  “What do you mean?” Kim wanted to go home.

  “Let me be blunt. Have you and Adam had sex since you’ve come back?”

  “That is really none of your business and I don’t see what it has to do with my mother,” Kim said angrily.