The Morelville Mysteries Collection

by Anne Hagan

  “Just have the DA get the Staties back on the trail of the real killer.”

  ###

  Early Thursday afternoon, June 26th, 2014

  In a Toney Suburb of Columbus, Ohio

  “What the hell is wrong with you Kelly?” Noland Troutman stormed into his New Albany town home cursing his fiancé.

  Kelly Rice jumped up from the laptop at his desk and whirled to face him. “What are you talking about? What did I do now?” Her voice trembled with fear.

  “I knew that guy was going to be trouble when he called me!”

  “Who? What guy?”

  “Your ‘real’ witness, the fisherman,” he spat. He recanted Kelly. On top of that, there’s a statewide APB out for you, you fucking worthless bitch!

  Noland, please, you don’t mean what you’re saying...”

  “Yes, I do. You are worthless. You can’t do anything right and now it’s not just about the charges you already had but if this former witness IDs you...well, you’ve screwed me!”

  Kelly walked toward him and placed a hand on his forearm. He shook it off.

  “Don’t touch me you dumb bitch! I should never have let you get involved.” He looked at her with nothing but hatred in his eyes. “Frankly, I should never have gotten involved with you!”

  “Noland don’t say that...you don’t mean that...” She tried to grab onto him again.

  He held up his hands and backed away, “We’re done Kelly. It’s over! Give me back that ring; maybe I can at least get some of my money back for it!”

  “But, you said this was your grandmother’s ring...”

  “Do you honestly think I’d give a Troutman family heirloom to someone like you? Just give me the damn thing back and get the hell out of here. You disgust me!”

  “What about your campaign Noland?”

  “What about it? I have the best people money can buy. They’ll figure out a way to spin everything in my favor. You can go piss in the wind for all that I care. I don’t need you anymore.”

  ###

  Thursday evening, June 26th, 2014

  “Dana, I just wanted you to know that the DA, Tyler Whitsell, reconvened the Grand Jury today. He’s going after more charges against Kelly Rice.” Mel was calling my room phone.

  “Has she been found?”

  “No but there’s good information out there that she’s been hiding out at Troutman’s condo in the Columbus area where I don’t have any jurisdiction. If Tyler can come back with a new indictment, we’ll have ample reason to go after her wherever she is.”

  “Do I have to keep staying in this God blessed place until she’s found?”

  “You really need to hang out there at least until the indictment comes back for her or until State drops the warrants for you.”

  I sighed into the handset.

  “We’re working both ends hon. It’s just going to take a little time.”

  “I’ll have you know, this place sucks!”

  “I do know babe. Please just hang in there and don’t do anything...er,...stupid...you know what I mean, until we have what we need to nail her or to nail her and Troutman.”

  “Please keep me in the loop?”

  “I will Dana. You know that.”

  “Okay.”

  “I gotta’ go. I love you.”

  “I love you too Mel.”

  Chapter 28 – Losing Hannah

  Friday Morning, June 27th, 2014

  I was feeling trapped and going stir crazy staying way out in no man’s land with nothing to do and nowhere that I could go. I was also feeling grungy. Now that I didn’t have access to Sarah’s closet, I was living in the same couple of outfits I’d started out with a week ago.

  I need to get out of here and I need clean clothes...

  My phone was lying on the crappy little table. I’d kept it charged but I hadn’t been using it for the past week. I flipped it on and scanned through my texts quickly once it booted up. I had a couple from Hannah. She wanted to meet with me, she said, because she had something she thought she should tell me.

  A plan formed in my mind. I had Cheryl’s SUV. No one that knew me was familiar with it. I figured I could drive it into Morelville, sneak to the house and get clothes, have a quick meeting with Hannah in Zanesville and be back to the motel without Mel ever even knowing I’d left it.

  I quickly texted Hannah back and told her we could meet. She sent a text right back:

  Hannah: Please meet me at Chaps Run Park. It’s really close to the other park.

  Me: How far?

  Hannah: A couple blocks west. I have to be at work at noon today.

  Me: Okay. I can be there at 11:00.

  Hannah: Okay. See you then!

  I strapped my ankle holster back on, grabbed my crutches, my wallet and Cheryl’s keys and headed out. I knew I was under two hours away and it was a little early to leave but I would have to find the park and I wanted to play it safe. Getting clean clothes could wait until afterward.

  10:20 AM Friday Morning, June 27th, 2014

  Chaps Run Park was easy enough to find. Like Hannah had said, it was just a couple of blocks west of Putnam Hill. It was more heavily treed than Putnam which would give us a little bit more privacy but there was only one big parking lot and it was on the far west side of the park.

  I parked in the lot and contemplated what to do. This place was further from Muddy Misers than Putnam Hill was so I wasn’t sure why Hannah, who walked everywhere, chose it. If we could find each other at all, I’d probably just have to give her a lift to work after our chat. Still, I wasn’t sure we’d even be able to find each other.

  Risking using my phone again, I turned it on, sent Hannah a quick text and turned it right back off.

  Me: I just parked in the lot. Look for me at one of the benches under the trees just out from it.

  I hated using the phone but I had few alternatives.

  10:25 AM, Friday Morning, June 27th, 2014

  Noland Troutman cruised through the neighborhoods near Putnam Hill Park at a speed just under the limit. He was looking for the girl. She hadn’t been going to the park for the past couple of days but she had gone to work. He’d seen her going there. He had come to know her usual habits and thought she might be going to read in a different place before she reported in at the bar and grille.

  He looped around the end of a block and turned north. Looking left down the next residential street he spotted a young woman heading west, away from him. It looked like the girl he was looking for. He turned his mother’s car down the street and drove along slowly, pulling in at the curb about half way down while she waited to cross Luck Avenue. It might not be her lucky day but it was starting to become his.

  Once she crossed, he hustled back out and up the street. He watched her as she turned north and continued up the sidewalk. As he got to the corner, he spied her taking a left off the walk, onto a footpath. He turned right and went slowly up the street, hoping she wasn’t paying enough attention to notice him since he was pretty sure she’d made him at least once before when he’d been a little careless.

  The footpath seemed to lead into another little city park. Troutman realized the girl must have changed her routine. He didn’t want to spook her by showing up here too if she was watching cars. He parked at the curb again just up from the footpath and then hurried back to it. He’d go into the park and wing it on foot.

  10:30 AM. Friday Morning, June 27th, 2014

  I found a bench in a copse of trees just off a walking path and sat down there to wait for Hannah. My wait wasn’t long. She came along the path shortly after that and joined me on the bench.

  We hugged each other quickly in greeting.

  “I’ve missed seeing you Dana.”

  “I apologize for that. I had to go out of town unexpectedly for a...work related project. I’m still sort of in the middle of it so, if I don’t return future texts right away, please be patient with me.”

  “It’s okay. I understand.”

&
nbsp; “Your text said you had something you wanted to tell me?”

  “It’s probably nothing...”

  “What is it? You can tell me anything, you know that, right?”

  Hannah nodded. She turned and looked over her shoulder back toward the parking lot. After searching it for several seconds, she turned to me. “Do you remember my texts from before about the man in the pick-up truck?”

  “Yes.”

  “I think the man is watching me...following me Dana. At least, he was until I started coming over here to read instead of going to Putnam Hill.”

  “You’re sure?”

  She nodded again.

  “Can you describe him again for me?”

  “He’s usually in a car or a truck but they’re different. He is white with light brown hair but that’s all I know. He always has those glasses for sun on that the English wear.”

  “Has he ever spoken to you?”

  “No. He never gets out of the car or truck he is driving and he never speaks.”

  “He scares you?”

  She dropped her head, “Yes.” She looked back up at me, eyes pleading.

  “Hannah, have you called the police?”

  She shook her head violently no, “No police!”

  I said to her as gently as I could manage, “Baby you know you could have called Mel.”

  “Dana what if the man is the police?”

  I cocked my head and looked at her with a question in my eyes. “I didn’t think you were afraid of cops. You were okay with Mel. Anyway, what makes you think he’s a cop?”

  She grabbed my arm and held it, “What if my father sent him to try and find me?”

  I shook my head, “Hannah, do you remember that Mel knows your father; she buys calf feed from him?” I looked at her questioningly.

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “Now, please understand, we’ve said nothing to your father about where you are. We haven’t even told him we’ve seen you. He has though expressed to Mel that if she happens to see you, she’s to tell you that if you want to come home you’ll be welcome back.”

  Hannah stared through me.

  “Hannah, he doesn’t know where you are and we’re not going to tell him. I doubt that he has anyone out looking for you?”

  “Who is the man then?”

  “I don’t know hon.” But I have my suspicions...

  ###

  Troutman stood with his back to a big, old growth maple tree several yards away from the pair. Once he realized the girl was meeting here with the Rossi bitch, he’d worked his way over to it while they were engaged in conversation. He could hear most of their conversation.

  He knew he’d have to take action soon. Rossi’s tone suggested she knew who was watching the girl but the girl she called Hannah was just too stupid to catch it.

  ###

  Troutman had been watching the girl hoping to find her with me, I just knew it. I didn’t think she was in any personal danger but, either way, I wanted to keep her safe.

  “How about I give you a ride over to work?”

  “What time is it?”

  I shrugged. With my phone turned off and no watch, I didn’t have a clue. Hannah pulled out her own phone and checked the time.

  “Thanks Dana but it’s too early. I’ll just sit here and read. I have some studies to work on.”

  “I see. You’re sure you’ll be okay?”

  She looked around and then nodded.

  “How about this, you text me when you leave here if you see anything at all that you think is odd or out of place? I’ll be in the area for a while. I’ll try and come and check it out or call Mel to come and check it out. Can you do that?”

  “Okay, yes.”

  I hugged her and then gathered my crutches to leave.

  “Thank you Dana. I feel better just because we’ve talked.”

  I blew out a quick breath, “I’m glad. You call me or text me, okay?”

  “I will.”

  I worked my way back to the car lot, my mind in a whirl. Somebody needs to figure something out soon...

  ###

  Once Dana was out of earshot, Troutman took his leave from his perch behind the big maple. He worked his way slightly southwest, got on the path well away from Hannah’s bench and then hightailed it back around to his mother’s car parked along the residential street.

  He drove around the north end of the park to the lot he’d seen Rossi head toward on the west side of it. Mentally kicking himself for not staying long enough to watch what she was driving, he worked to form a plan in his head to get to her.

  He pulled the zipper of his duty bag. It went everywhere he did. Since he was on leave, he didn’t have his handcuffs with him but he had a couple of sets of the zip tie style flex cuffs. He’d just have to use those. He pocketed the ties, checked his back-up weapon and tucked it in the small of his waist.

  Troutman exited the car and walked purposefully toward the girl. He stopped right behind her. Hannah looked up at him and startled but didn’t get up.

  “Hannah?”

  “Ye...yes?”

  “You’re under arrest.” Troutman flashed her his Columbus PD badge.

  “Wh...why?”

  “You’re a run-away aren’t you?”

  Chapter 29 – Ransom

  11:40 AM, Friday, June 27th, 2014

  The drive over to Morelville was blissfully uneventful. I parked Cheryl’s little escape at the edge of the lot for one of the town’s two little churches and waited until Kris walked by, headed in to work at 12:30. Mel could have brought clothes up to me at the motel but I just had to get out of there for a while and I just didn’t see what it was hurting if I was careful and I snuck back here real quick.

  Once I was sure Kris was at the gas station and the coast was clear, I steered the truck down a closed off alley behind the house and parked it back behind the old barn. I’d hoof it the rest of the way up through the back lot on crutches since I didn’t want to park in the driveway and alert anyone watching to a new vehicle at the house.

  Approaching from the rear of the house, I thought I’d try the slider off the back deck first before going all the way around to the front door and using my key. The back was far more private and would keep me out of anyone’s view for more than a couple of seconds.

  The steps were a little difficult but I did better than when I’d previously tried and I managed them.

  ###

  Mel heard a vehicle door thunk closed somewhere behind the house. She got up from her bed and went to the window. Pulling the heavy drapes back just slightly, she watched as Dana picked her way carefully across the back yard.

  Her stomach whirled and she swayed with nausea as she watched her girlfriend trying to be sneaky and do something she shouldn’t have been doing. She thought about going downstairs and confronting her but she didn’t think she could make the trip without upchucking for the fourth or fifth time this morning. Instead, she worked her way back to the bed and sat perched on the edge, waiting and listening.

  ###

  Mel’s truck was in the driveway but that didn’t mean anything. She often drove her County Sheriff’s SUV back and forth between home and work when her official duties were going to exceed a normal 9 to 5, which was often. Still, when I got inside the house, the first thing I did was call out, “Is anybody home?”

  Satisfied at the lack of an answer, I went on about the business of gathering up some clothes, meds and toiletries. I couldn’t carry a lot in the backpack and I certainly couldn’t carry a very big tote too with the crutches but just having a few more things would be far better than the little that I had now.

  While I was collecting my stuff and deciding what I really needed with me right now I let my phone power up again. I’d hoped that Hannah hadn’t called or texted but, if she had, I needed to know now, before I headed back toward Mansfield.

  Hannah: Dana, please call me back. Urgent!

  Oh God, I really had hoped everything wou
ld be okay... I texted her right back to call Mel’s office line and I left her the number. I shut my phone off and tossed it on the bed.

  A couple of minutes later the phone rang. The caller .ID told me it was Hannah’s cell. Relieved, I picked up the phone, “Hannah, I’m so glad you’re okay. I was worried when I got your text.”

  “Dana, it’s Hannah...” Fear dripped from her voice.

  Uh oh...this doesn’t sound so good...

  “I’m in trouble and I need your help.”

  Concerned, I hurriedly asked, “Where are you Hannah?” as I snatched up the two little bags and prepared to fly to her rescue.

  “Dana, he says if you want me kept alive, you need to pa-pa-pay him.”

  “Pay who?” I know who...

  “Please stop asking questions. Just listen. He says he wants $50,000 tomorrow and he’ll let me go.”

  Troutman doesn’t need $50,000. He wants me. “Hannah is he there?”

  “He’s right here.”

  “Can you put him on the phone?” The other end of the line was muffled quiet for several seconds. “Hannah, are you still there?”

  “I’m he-here. He won’t get on the phone.”

  “Is it the guy we talked about?”

  “Dana, just please get the money he says that he knows you have and come. He’ll text you the location from my phone when you tell me you got the money.

  “Can’t you just tell me now?”

  It was quiet on the other end of the line again then Hannah was speaking again, “No Dana. He said if you don’t cooperate, he’s...he’s going to k-k-kill me.” She wailed. “He said no cops. If he sees any cops, we’re both d-d-d-dead.”

  “Hannah, I’ll be there. Don’t you worry...” The line went dead.

  ###

  Mel quietly hung up the upstairs extension. Stomach flu or no, she was going to have to follow Dana and keep her from walking into a trap. She knew what Troutman wanted and it wasn’t money.

  Chapter 30 – Collared

  Friday Afternoon, June 27th, 2014

  Troutman didn’t want money. I knew that much for sure. He wanted my ass. Even if I’d had any of my settlement money in my account already it wouldn’t have done any good to withdraw any of it and take it to him.