Coulson's Secret

by McIntyre, Anna J

  “It’s a little more complicated than that.”

  “It always is.” Harrison waved his cigar as if he didn’t want to hear any more about Emily “But I still don’t know why we have to talk about all of this now. Your brother is dead. Let his sins die with him.”

  “You obviously knew about Carol.” Garret sat on the edge of the desk and looked down at his father.

  “Yes, but not back then. Like you, I found out after coming across some papers from the accountant. Harrison was never good about covering his tracks.” Harrison smashed the lit end of the cigar in the ashtray sitting next to him. He looked up at Garret and asked, “Was it the house? You found out about the house he bought her?”

  “Yes, and a number of monthly payments,” Garret told him.

  Harrison nodded as if he too knew about the payments.

  “Dad, is Kim Harrison’s daughter?”

  Harrison didn’t answer immediately. “He swore she wasn’t.”

  “And you believed him?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve always had my suspicions. Your brother didn’t always tell the truth, which made him such a natural politician.” Harrison chuckled sardonically. “He told me he first met her when she went to work for the Coulson Charity in the late seventies. Her husband was overseas in the military, and according to Harrison, she was a hot and horny thing. She was eager, and your brother could never pass up a hot piece of tail. He hadn’t been married to Shelly for very long when he got involved with her. Harrison told me he thought she was trying to trap him because she got knocked up within a month or so after they started their affair.

  “He told me he wanted to do the right thing, so he bought her a house and started sending her support money. Then he caught her screwing around with someone else, and she admitted the kid wasn’t his. He stopped giving her money but let her keep the house so she wouldn’t tell Shelly what had been going on.”

  “And you believe his story?”

  “Like I said, I’ve always wondered if maybe Kim really was his. Call it a gut feeling.”

  “So, did Carol lie or did Harrison? That is, of course, assuming Kim Myers is Harrison’s daughter.”

  “She is not Harrison’s daughter,” an angry voice announced from the doorway.

  Harrison and Garret turned to face Shelly, who walked into the room, barely able to contain her anger.

  “But you would both like that, wouldn’t you? It isn’t enough to kick me out of my home but strip away half of my inheritance and give it to some outsider… You’d love to see that.”

  “Shelly, if Kim is Harrison’s daughter, she’s entitled to half of his estate according to the terms of the will. You will still be a very rich woman,” Garret said in a calm tone.

  “Well, she isn’t Harrison’s! I knew all about his affair with that woman. I also know she tried to foist her bastard off on my husband, but she eventually recanted the story and admitted she was just a gold digger.”

  “It’s fairly easy to find out the truth. A DNA test would tell us once and for all if Kim Myers is my granddaughter.”

  “You can’t be serious!” Shelly blurted out angrily, but in the next moment, she took a deep breath and made a concerted effort to address the situation calmly and rationally. “Harrison, you and I have had our issues, but please, don’t pursue this. I’m not afraid of the DNA test; I already know Kim isn’t Harrison’s. But you would have to tell her why you want the test, and then the story of Harrison and her mother’s affair will come out. Please don’t embarrass me this way. Do I really deserve this? I stood by Harrison all these years, and you know it hasn’t been easy for me. Please, don’t open up this Pandora’s box.”

  Harrison studied his daughter-in-law for a few moments and then asked, “When are you leaving?”

  “I was planning to leave tomorrow afternoon after the movers finish. This morning, I went downtown and had my car washed and filled up the gas tank so I’d be ready to leave. But if you want me to leave today, I will.”

  “No,” Harrison told her, “tomorrow is fine. Where are you planning to go?”

  “I considered going to our beach house, but I had a change of heart this morning. I’ve already stopped by our travel agent and made arrangements to go abroad. I’ll be putting my things in storage.”

  Harrison and Garret made no comment on Shelly’s plans but watched silently as she turned and left the room. Garret waited a few minutes before speaking, wanting to make sure Shelly was out of earshot.

  “So, you don’t intend to find out if Kim is your granddaughter?” Garret asked.

  “Did you hear me say that?” Harrison chuckled. Before Garret could comment, Alexandra barged into the room.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” she told them, sounding a bit agitated, “but I thought you’d want to know. Emily Mitchell was killed this morning. Someone ran her down in the parking lot behind her office.”

  “Good lord, how did you find that out?” Garret asked.

  “I just got off the phone with Steve. One of the waitresses told him. Her boyfriend is a paramedic. Apparently, when the paramedics arrived, they could do nothing for her. Someone hit her so hard with their car that she literally flew into a concrete pillar. I guess it was pretty gory.”

  “I know that parking lot. The way it’s situated, you can’t really come racing into it off the street. How did this happen? Do they have the person who did it?” Garret asked.

  “No. Apparently, someone from another office heard an engine rev up several times and then heard a woman scream and a car race from the parking lot. They think it was intentional.”

  Garret almost asked who would want to kill Emily when a cold chill ran down his spine. He recalled what she had told him the other day. According to Emily, one reason she was telling him her story was to afford her some protection since she had foolishly confronted the person on the phone. Garret was now concerned for the safety of his family, including Kim, who might be his niece.

  Initially, he had thought Emily had been overreacting, and even if her story was true, he didn’t believe it had anything to do with Harrison and Carol’s murder. Yet, now he wondered. Perhaps it was time to circle the wagons, he told himself.

  Chapter 24

  Kim felt as if she had just stepped into one of those old murder mysteries in which the detective gathers up all the players in one room to reveal the killer. Harrison Coulson’s living room was a fitting location, although somewhat cliché. Overhead, the thunder clapped angrily, while inside, a fire flickered in the room’s massive stone fireplace. It was dusk, and outside it was raining.

  Thirty minutes earlier, Garret had called Kim and asked if she would come over to Coulson House, saying he needed to discuss her mother’s murder. She had agreed but told Garret she would bring Nick with her. Before leaving Carol’s house, Kim had tucked two of her mother’s ledgers in her large purse. They barely fit.

  Kim and Nick sat next to each other on one of the two leather couches in the massive room. They understood they were waiting for everyone to arrive. Kim didn’t ask whom they were waiting for.

  Harrison Coulson sat quietly in his wheelchair, next to the fireplace. His son’s widow, Shelly, paced nervously on the other side of the room, obviously unhappy to be there. When Kim had arrived, Adam had greeted her with a brief hug while Nick glared at the embrace. Adam had then taken a seat on a chair across from Kim, yet remained quiet. Kate and Russell arrived at the same time as Kim and Nick, and they had no idea why they were there, yet sat patiently on the other couch, along with Alexandra. Sarah and Hannah were also present, and the girls sat on the floor by the fireplace, each with a cell phone in hand, busily texting with friends.

  The doorbell rang, and Garret went to answer it. He returned with Police Chief Peterson by his side. Garret looked at his daughter and niece.

  “Girls, please turn those cell phones off.”

  Sarah started to argue, yet noted the stern expression on her father’s face. The girls quickly turned off t
he phones and set them aside.

  “I don’t know if you’ve all heard yet, but Emily Mitchell was killed this morning. Possibly murdered,” Garret began. By their reaction, it was clear most of them had not heard the news.

  To her cousin Sarah, Hannah whispered, “Who’s Emily Mitchell?”

  Sarah shrugged, because she had no idea.

  “Do you mean the Emily that worked for Russy?” Kate asked.

  Garret started to reply when Kim spoke up. “That’s the name of my real estate agent. She’s dead?”

  “It’s the same Emily. She used to work for Coulson Enterprises and has been a real estate agent for about fifteen years,” Garret explained.

  “I’m not sure why I’m here,” the chief interrupted. “We’re investigating Emily Mitchell’s death, but it’s too early to rule it as murder. It’s possible some kids were out joy riding and she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “Like my mother,” Kim said angrily.

  Harrison looked over at Kim and smiled at her outburst. The chief shifted uncomfortably, holding his hat in his hand. He remained standing, as did Garret.

  “I asked you here, Chief, because I think we need to reveal what we’ve learned recently about Harrison, Emily, and Carol. There is a connection between them, and it could possibly have something to do with the murders.” Garret had the attention of everyone in the room. “The reason I called the rest of you all here is that I believe it’s important that family pull together in times like these. Some of the things I’m about to say I would prefer not to discuss in front of Sarah and Hannah, but I’d rather they hear it from me than at school.” Garret now had the full attention of his daughter and niece.

  “I found some documents that showed Harrison financed Emily’s real estate business, including the purchase of her commercial property. Basically, it was a payoff from my brother to Emily to keep her quiet.

  “Ironically, Emily showed up on our doorstep the other day, not long after I came across the papers. She believed she knew what the connection was between Carol and Harrison. Emily being Emily, called someone before she contacted Alex and me, telling him she suspected he might be involved in the murders, considering his connection to the two victims.

  “After the phone call, she realized that probably wasn’t the smartest move, so she came to me, believing if she told me, the person would leave her alone. I didn’t take any action on the information, therefore I have no idea if her death has any connection to the secret she revealed.

  “You see, Harrison paid off Carol in a similar fashion. Yet, instead of buying her a business and commercial property, he paid for her house and gave her money. Apparently, one man knew about both payoffs, and that is whom Emily called. Now, she is dead.”

  “What was the payoff for?” Kate asked.

  “Good lord, Kate, must you be so dense?” Shelly blurted out. “And Garret, I really don’t understand all this drama. None of this has to do with my husband’s murder. But if you all must know, Harrison was not a faithful husband and he was very generous to his ex-lovers.”

  Kim stiffened and started to stand up, but Nick gently pulled her back down on the couch and whispered for her to listen.

  “Actually, Shelly, that isn’t exactly how Emily told the story.” Garret turned and faced his father. “Dad, sorry I haven’t told you this part, but I was afraid if I did, you would find some way to stop me.”

  Harrison didn’t make a move; he just listened.

  “According to Emily, Harrison raped her. He invited her to his office under the pretense that he was going to help her get her business off the ground. When she arrived, they were alone. It was not a seduction or a brief affair. It was quite brutal, and for the sake of our girls, I won’t go into the details.

  “Emily immediately went to the police, and there was sufficient medical evidence to indicate she was telling the truth. But someone came to her and convinced her it would be more prudent to accept financial restitution from Harrison than have him arrested. The man who convinced Emily to accept the payoff was the police chief at the time, Joe Carter.”

  By the sick expression on Harrison’s face, it was obvious he believed the story.

  “That’s a lie!” Shelly blurted out. “A disgusting lie! Harrison may have been unfaithful, but he was not a rapist.” She turned and faced her father-in-law. “How can you sit there and allow them to tell these lies about your son?”

  “Sit down, Shelly, and let Garret finish,” Harrison snapped.

  “In spite of the physical evidence of the crime, Carter always discussed the rape as if it were consensual when speaking to Emily. He even told her about another scorned lover of Harrison’s who ended up with a brand new house. Emily was afraid Carter was going to cover up the rape, and considering Russy had fired her not long before, she was afraid no one would believe her story. So, she decided to take the pay off.

  “While Emily never knew the identity of this other woman, she knew what house he was talking about. It wasn’t until Kim walked into her office to list Carol’s house did Emily fit the puzzle together.

  “When she heard about Angela turning in the murder weapon, she realized it was possible to place that weapon in Carter’s hands, considering Angela is his daughter. Carter was the connection between all the murder victims, including Emily.”

  “Enough!” Shelly called out again. “There is no proof that my husband raped that woman. As you said, she had reason to destroy our family’s good name. After all, you fired her. As for Carol Myers, both your father and I already knew about their affair and how she tricked him into buying her that house.”

  “That’s not true!” Kim jumped to her feet. This time Nick did not try to stop her.

  “I’m sorry, dear,” Shelly said in a condescending tone as she turned to face Kim. “I understand it’s difficult to hear, but your mother tried to trap my husband. She almost had him believing you were his daughter in order to get her hands on his money. But she finally confessed the truth after he discovered her other affairs.”

  Kim was so angry she was shaking. Nick stood up and put his arm around Kim. He then turned and faced Garret.

  “Before anything else is said, I’d like you to read something,” Nick announced. He gently nudged Kim back down on the couch and picked up her purse. He took the ledgers to Garret.

  “These are Carol’s diaries for 1978 and 1979. We found them in her attic. Just start with 1978, then when you get to 1979, skip over to March. It will explain everything. Please don’t read them aloud. They’re too painful for Kim.”

  Garret nodded and took the books over by his father. Pulling a chair next to the wheelchair, he opened the first book.

  “This is ridiculous,” Shelly raged before storming from the room.

  Chapter 25

  January 1, 1978. Tuesday

  I spent New Year’s Eve alone. I miss Frank. But he will be home in five months; I’m counting the days. I haven’t told him yet that I don’t plan to go back to college when the next semester begins. He’ll just try to talk me out of it. I really want to earn some money so we can buy a house when he gets home and then we can start our family. I really don’t care about buying a house, but Frank keeps saying we have to do things in a certain order. House before kids. I sent out resumes last week, but I don’t expect to hear anything right away because of the holidays.

  * * *

  January 2, 1978. Wednesday

  I can’t believe it!!!!!!!! I have a job interview in the morning. I’m so excited. I wish I could call Frank and tell him. It’s working for a local charity, writing press releases. I’ve already lain out the dress and earrings I plan to wear! I’m such a dork! Wish me luck!

  * * *

  January 3, 1978. Thursday

  The interview went great! The guy was so nice! His name is Harrison Coulson. The town was named after his grandfather, so I guess he is some sort of bigwig here. I don’t care; he was just really nice, and he told me the job was mi
ne! Yep, no call back. I landed the job! I need to write Frank. hope he won’t be too mad about the school. I start work next Monday!

  * * *

  January 4, 1978. Friday

  Letter from Frank! He sent pictures!!! God, he looks cute. Those German girls better stay away from my cutie. After I read his letter, spent an hour crying. I’m such a wimp. Have I mentioned, I MISS HIM!

  Spent the rest of the day going through my closet. I need to organize my clothes for work. I’d love to buy some new shoes, but spending money I don’t have rather defeats the purpose of the job. Oh well. hopefully no one will look at my feet.

  * * *

  January 5, 1978 Saturday

  Georgia worked me in this morning. What a doll. Love what she did with my hair. One of the girls told me I looked like a movie star. Ha ha. Wish Frank could see me. If my camera had some film, I would take a picture of my first day at work. Like the first day at school. Yep, I AM a dork.

  * * *

  January 6, 1978 Sunday

  I slept in today. Dreamt about Frank last night. Yes, a sex dream. Naughty girl. Heeheehee. God, I miss him. Thought I would start my book today. I keep threatening to write it. Only problem, still haven’t come up with a decent plot idea. Just reread my ledger—kinda of boring. Maybe I’m not a writer.

  * * *

  January 7, 1978 Monday

  My first day at work went fantastic! There is so much to learn, and Mr. Coulson has been really helpful. I’d write more, but I just want to take a shower and go to bed! Wish Frank was here to snuggle up with.

  * * *

  January 8, 1978 Tuesday

  Mr. Coulson was gone for most of the day. I met his father, also named Harrison. But they left before lunch for some meeting and never returned. Today I worked with a woman named Sally. I swear, she should write a gossip column. She told me the Harrisons (that’s what she calls my boss and his father) are really involved in local politics. She also told me to stay away from him. I asked her ‘him who;’ she said my boss. Which I thought was an odd thing to say. Wonder if she has a thing for him and thinks I’m after her man. Silly woman. Only one man for me.