by J A Whiting
“Overman seemed too convenient to me. The State Police took over the case from the local cops. Seemed like they would have loved to pin it on Overman. Get a conviction. Tie it up nice and neat.”
“But that didn’t happen,” Olivia said.
“Probably not for lack of trying. Overman was the perfect person to charge with the crime. A loser. No family that would fight the arrest. Somehow the cops couldn’t pin it on him though. Lucky, for him.”
“So you don’t think it was Overman?”
“Could have been him. But it wasn’t my feeling.”
“Did you have any thoughts on who might have done it?”
Waters hesitated. “Have you heard anything about the priest at St. Catherine’s?”
“Father Anthony? There was some gossip,” Olivia said.
Waters waved to the waitress indicating he wanted more coffee. He looked at Olivia and let out a long breath. “My family went to St. Catherine’s.”
Olivia waited for him to continue.
“I was in the youth group. For a while. I thought it would be a great way to hang out with the girls.”
“It wasn’t?” Olivia asked.
“The girls were all into Anthony. He wasn’t that much older than most of us. I think he must have been around twenty-five or twenty-six? Anyway, most of us guys couldn’t get any attention from the girls. They were always flirting with Anthony. Thing was…he didn’t seem to discourage it. I didn’t think it was right. Part of it was jealousy on my side of it, but it just didn’t seem right for a priest. To me, he seemed to encourage the attention.”
“Do you think he had something to do with the murders?”
“I don’t know. I suppose not. But I’ve always had a feeling. I imagine the police checked him out.”
“Is your feeling based on his flirtations?”
Waters leaned back in the booth. “One time, the youth group went on a camping trip. We got to the place late. Some of us guys were putting up the tents. One guy had no experience, made a mess of one of them. Anthony came by. He yelled at the kid. Lost his temper. Knocked the poles down. Made a scene. Told him to figure it out and do it right. It was an odd over-reaction. I didn’t like it. The guy seemed off to me. I quit the group after that. I thought the priest was volatile. I didn’t want any part of him.” He shrugged. “I wondered. In a certain situation, with that temper of his?” Waters leaned forward and lowered his voice. “They wouldn’t let him off would they? Just because he was a priest?”
Olivia had no answer for that.
Chapter 19
On Friday, Olivia took Lily to the state park for a long walk and a swim in the lake. After drying themselves in the sun on the bank of the water, they headed home, stopping first at the florist so Olivia could buy a bunch of mixed flowers for the dining table.
Joe and Brad were coming for the weekend and Olivia couldn’t wait to see them. They were bringing a kayak and a canoe so that they could spend Saturday on the lake and the river that fed into it. The canoe was so Lily could go along too. Joe had prepared something special for dinner for Friday night, but wouldn’t tell Olivia what it was. Olivia decided she would put together a green salad with strawberries to go with whatever Joe was bringing.
The oppressive heat of the past few days had been chased away by a late night thunderstorm and now the air was warm and pleasant. Olivia had cleaned the house, made the beds with fresh sheets, and put out fluffy towels in the bathrooms.
She was feeling tired suddenly and decided to sit on the front porch in one of the big wooden rockers and take a break for a little while. She called Lily as she opened the screened door and the dog came bounding from the kitchen. There was a cushion in the corner of the porch for the dog but Lily lay down in front of the gate that John had placed across the steps to contain her safely on the porch. She surveyed the occasional cars driving past, the two squirrels playing in the big oak, and she snapped at a fly that buzzed too close to her head. Olivia sank into the cushioned rocker thankful for the quiet at the house today. The work crew had taken the day off from renovating the sunroom. Olivia moved gently back and forth in the rocker, the movement lulling her to drift into sleep.
Olivia dreamed of a sunny field of wildflowers and long grasses. She wandered through the field happily picking some daisies for a small bouquet. Black-grey clouds appeared on the horizon and rushed overhead turning the day into evening. Olivia looked up at the darkened sky and huddled in the field, trembling. The wind whipped around her. Lightening flashed. Olivia heard a low rumbling, an engine, the sound getting louder and louder, closer and closer. Over the ridge to her right, a blue sedan flew over the hill, went airborne and hurtled toward her. She knew she didn’t have time to run so she knelt on the ground and crouched into a ball. She clamped her eyes shut. The sound of shattering glass and crunching metal deafened her. Tiny shards of glass rained over her. She opened her eyes. All was black.
She was inside now but the place was unknown to her. She stood and took a few steps in the darkness trying to get her bearings. Her foot bumped into metal. She tripped over something and fell to the concrete floor. Her foot was caught in the wheel spokes of Aggie’s bicycle. She struggled to free herself. A light was coming toward her. It was blinding. Olivia shaded her eyes. It was a man, an eerie blue-red light glowing from him. It was Aggie’s killer. He had a knife. The silver blade reflected the light emanating from the man. Olivia tried to scramble away but her foot was still tangled in the wheel. She smashed at the metal spokes with her free foot while she jerked the trapped leg from side to side. The knife flew from the man’s hand like a missile and plunged into Olivia’s stomach. She screamed.
Olivia startled awake from Lily’s nose nudging at her. Sweat beaded on Olivia’s brow, her clammy hands pulled at the sweaty t-shirt stuck to her chest and back. Her breath came in short, fast gasps. Adrenaline was surging through her veins.
Lily put her head on Olivia’s knees and Olivia stroked the soft smooth fur of the dog’s head. After several minutes of patting, Olivia’s breathing evened out and her heart beat returned to its regular pace. Anxiety is no match for the tenderness of a gentle dog.
“These stupid dreams, Lily. When are they going to stop?” Olivia sighed. Lily tapped her tail on the floorboards of the porch. The big pink tongue shot out and licked Olivia’s arm. Lily stood up and put her paws on the rocker on the outside of Olivia’s knees and tried to push up onto her lap. Olivia laughed.
“Lily, we both can’t fit in this chair.” Lily’s tongue slurped a big kiss over Olivia’s face. Olivia turned her head away. “Ugh,” she laughed again and gently pressed Lily back down. She scratched behind the dog’s ears.
“Good dog. Come on, let’s go get ourselves a cool drink.” Olivia and the dog headed for the kitchen. Olivia splashed her face with water and went to the bedroom to change her sweaty t-shirt. When she returned to the kitchen, Lily was sitting next to her food dish thumping the floor with her tail.
“I get the message,” Olivia told her. She opened a can of dog food and scooped it into Lily’s bowl along with a container of dry dog pellets. Lily gobbled her meal while Olivia freshened the water in her bowl. Olivia sipped cold water from a glass, her hip leaning against the counter, and watched the dog enjoying its meal.
Lily and Olivia turned their heads at the sound of two car doors slamming. Olivia smiled at Lily. “They’re here, girl. Let’s go see Joe and Brad.” Lily looked eagerly at Olivia, and then cocked her head at the sounds in the driveway. They both trotted to the front porch to greet the visitors.
Brad was removing an overnight bag from the back seat and straightened when he heard the slap of the screen door closing. He grinned at Olivia. Lily let out a friendly woof. Joe was hidden by the open trunk of Brad’s car, but leaned left to reveal his tanned, craggy face, his light blue eyes beaming at Olivia. She hadn’t seen them for over a month and the sight of them filled her with warmth and calm and light.
Olivia slid the porch
gate back and Lily bounded down the stairs and danced around the men. Brad dropped his bag and enveloped Olivia in his arms. He leaned back a bit, brushed a strand of hair from her face, and tenderly cupped her chin in his hand. He kissed her.
“Okay, it’s my turn,” Joe kidded. Brad and Olivia laughed and stepped apart. Joe gave Olivia a bear hug.
“You look good, Liv,” Joe told her, his voice was soft.
She hugged him tight.
“So do you,” she smiled.
Lily bounced around them. Brad greeted the dog and patted her head. Joe scratched her ears. They carried in bags of food and the two small suitcases.
Joe produced a huge pan of pasta and eggplant parmesan and a plate of garlic bread. He instructed Olivia to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brad pulled whipped cream from the cooler and put it in the fridge. He placed the blueberry cake on the counter and pushed it back to the wall in case the dog got exuberant and decided to help itself.
Olivia had set the table earlier, so the men had glasses of beer and Olivia poured herself a glass of iced tea. They sat around the dining table, the candles flickering, waiting for the meal to heat through. Olivia filled them in on what she had discovered so far about the murders.
“So it sounds like that Kenny Overman kid is the one that did it,” Joe said.
“But the police didn’t arrest him, so maybe not,” Brad said.
“Whoever it was, he was pretty darn bold,” Joe said. “Taking the woman and child in the daylight. Killing them outside…someone might have heard screams.” He was quiet for a minute. “Were they…” he paused.
“Molested?” Olivia finished it for him. “No, they weren’t, but there was semen found at the scene.”
“Ugh,” Joe muttered.
“So the guy kills them and then stands there and …” Brad shook his head.
“I know,” Olivia said. “It’s sickening.”
“If the police think Overman did it and they found some guy’s bodily fluids at the scene, why don’t they run a DNA test on it now?” Brad asked. “Wouldn’t that prove he did it?”
“I guess it would,” Olivia said.
They were silent thinking it over.
“Would the police need something to go on besides speculation in order to ask someone for a DNA sample? In order to match it to the DNA from the crime scene,” Joe said. “I wouldn’t think they could just ask to take a sample without cause. Without something concrete. Would they need something like a search warrant?”
“That’s a good point,” Brad said.
The oven timer went off and Joe took the eggplant out of the oven. It was getting dark outside and a light breeze floated in through the windows. Olivia put some music on and they enjoyed the delicious meal.
After the dishes were cleaned up, the three of them took Lily for a walk around the neighborhood and then they sat on the front porch rocking. Brad and Joe caught Olivia up on the news and gossip from Ogunquit.
“It’s nice having you here,” Olivia told them. “I miss you two.”
Brad reached over and held her hand. “The feeling’s mutual,” he said.
“I sure miss you, Liv. It’s strange not having you next door,” Joe said.
“How is the renter doing, Joe?” Olivia asked. Olivia decided that since she would be away in Cambridge for law school it would be best to rent out the Ogunquit beach house that Aggie had left to her. Joe was keeping an eye on the house for her.
“The woman is very nice. She takes good care of the place,” Joe said. “She’s quiet. A good neighbor. We sit around the fire pit together some nights now that the weather is good.”
“That’s great,” Olivia said. “I’m glad it’s working out.”
“I’m looking forward to having you stay with me for the month of August,” Joe told her. Olivia was going to stay at Joe’s house during August after she returned from her summer class.
“Me too,” she grinned. “You can make me tasty meals.”
“Bah,” Joe responded. “We’ll take turns.”
They chatted and rocked for another hour.
Joe stood up and stretched. “Time for me to hit the sack. I need a good night’s sleep if I’m going to keep up with you two on the river tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry, Joe,” Brad said. “We’ll take it easy for you.”
The three of them knew that it would be Joe who would be way ahead of Brad and Olivia when they hit the water with the kayak and canoe.
“Goodnight, children.” Joe kissed the top of Olivia’s head.
“Goodnight, Joe,” they said in unison.
Brad and Olivia stayed outside on the porch for another half hour. Olivia sat in the rocker next to Brad with her legs pulled up under her and a blanket over her lap. She adjusted herself a bit in the chair so that she was slightly facing Brad. She watched him as he rocked, engrossed in a novel. His brown hair flopped over his forehead. Olivia admired the line of his chin, the curve of his bicep, his strong hands cradling the book. Lily lay at their feet, fireflies danced by the tree line, and crickets and peeper frogs chirped and called in the darkness. Olivia wondered if anything could be more perfect.
Brad shifted his position and caught Olivia looking at him.
“What?” he asked. He reached his arm across the space between the rockers, held his hand out to Olivia and she placed hers in his.
She gave him a soft, sweet smile. “Nothing.”
He leaned closer to her and raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Time to go in?” he asked.
Olivia nodded. They stood and gathered their things. Brad put his arm around her waist and they went inside. The two climbed the stairs with the dog tagging along behind them.
Chapter 20
Olivia, Joe, Brad, and Lily had a wonderful day on the water. Despite applying sunscreen, each one had a bit of sunburn on their faces. Except the dog. Lily was like the captain of the canoe or like a carved figurehead on the bow of a ship. All day she stood at the front of the canoe surveying everything around her as Brad and Joe took turns paddling from the back. Now she was sound asleep next to Olivia on the rear seat of Brad’s car.
“I think that dog enjoyed the day more than anyone else,” Joe laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a creature who loved the water like Lily does.”
“Yeah,” Brad agreed. “She sure seemed disappointed when it was time to leave.”
Olivia patted Lily’s head as she watched the scenery passing the car window.
“I didn’t realize this state park was so huge,” Brad said.
“Yeah, miles of walking trails, the lake, river, a good size pond, fields,” Olivia commented. Fields. “Brad, would you turn left up here and take the longer way back to the house?”
“Sure thing. What’s up?”
“Would either of you mind if we stop at the field where the murders took place? I’ve been wanting to go take a look, but I just didn’t want to go there by myself.”
“I don’t mind, Liv,” Brad told her.
“Gives me the creeps,” Joe admitted. “I’ll stay in the car.”
“Afraid of ghosts, Joe?” Brad asked.
“Nope,” Joe said. “I’m afraid of the living. And the things they do.”
“I won’t be long, if you don’t want to get out,” Olivia told Joe.
Olivia gave Brad directions to the dirt road that would lead to the field where Mary and Kimmy were killed.
“Here. Here it is on the left.” Olivia was craning her neck from the back seat to see the road. Lily sensed the car slowing and sat up to see where they were. Brad turned onto the dirt road and the Jeep bumped up and down as if traveling over a washboard.
“Pull over here,” Olivia told him.
Brad pulled the car over as far to the side as he could. They opened the doors and stepped out. Lily jumped out and sniffed the brush along the dirt way.
“I’m going to stay here,” Joe said. “I think I’ll just close my eyes while you two investigate.” He hun
kered down on the seat to get more comfortable.
“Okay, Joe, we’ll be back in a bit,” Olivia said.
“Take your time. I’m happy right here,” Joe replied. His eyes were already shut.
Brad and Olivia made their way down the dirt road. Lily ran ahead. When the road opened to the field, Olivia said, “This is it, Brad. This is where they were killed.”
They followed a small path that cut through the long grass.
“From the newspaper descriptions I read, the car must have been parked right around here,” Olivia said.
“Strange to think what happened so many years ago,” Brad said. “It’s so peaceful.” He shook his head as they stood quietly observing the place.
“It’s hard to believe that two people were murdered here,” Olivia said, her voice soft.
Lily bounced towards them from across the field.
“There’s supposed to be a lake over that way,” Olivia told Brad. “The guys who found the bodies were on their way to fish.”
“Let’s take a look,” Brad said.
When Lily saw them coming towards her, she bolted back in the direction she had just come. Brad and Olivia followed the narrow path until it widened and edged along a clear blue lake that appeared to cover many acres.
“It’s beautiful,” Brad said. “Is swimming allowed?”
“I don’t know,” Olivia answered. “There’s swimming at a lake over off of River Street. There’s a town beach there. I take Lily to swim in the evenings. Dogs aren’t allowed when the lifeguards are on duty. I’m not sure if this is the other side of that lake. I need a map of town. I can’t get my bearings about where things are located in relation to each other.”
“Want to follow along the trail for a while?” Brad asked.
“Yeah, let’s,” Olivia said. “Maybe something will look familiar. I’ve walked Lily at the state park. Maybe this trail leads to the other side of the park.”
After walking for about fifteen minutes, the trail split.
“Which way?” Brad asked.
