by J A Whiting
“What can I do for you?” Emily asked as she pressed some of the keys of her laptop without looking at Olivia.
Olivia was slightly taken aback by Emily’s business-like manner.
“I was wondering what you were feeling about the arrest news,” Olivia said. “I assume you must have heard.”
Emily stared at Olivia. “You came to ask about my feelings?”
Olivia blinked. “It’s big news. I wondered what you thought of it.”
Emily seemed baffled by the question. “My focus is on my business. I’ve been straight-out.”
“Surely you’ve heard the news that Kenny Overman was arrested?”
Emily nodded. “Yeah, I heard it.”
Olivia was becoming exasperated. “You dated. You fought with your parents over him. He’s been arrested for murdering two people.”
Emily leaned back against her chair. “It’s ancient history. I have no connection to him.”
“But once you did. Aren’t you curious? Do you have any thoughts on his arrest?”
Emily fiddled with the stapler on her desk. “My first reaction was what took them so long. After all these years they make an arrest. I wondered why they didn’t arrest him years ago.”
“They claim his DNA matched samples from the crime scene. They didn’t have that technology years ago.” Emily didn’t say anything so Olivia continued, “Were you surprised that Kenny was arrested?”
“Surprised? I guess not.”
“Because you think he was capable of such things?”
“Because you can never really know a person.” Emily shrugged.
“Do you think he did it?”
“He must have. The DNA.”
“What if he was set up?” Olivia asked.
“Set up how? I don’t understand.”
“I don’t know. Contaminated samples. Someone who just wanted the case solved.”
“That would be you wouldn’t it?” Emily said. “The person who just wants the case solved?”
“I don’t have access to the samples,” Olivia said, a tinge of annoyance in her tone.
“Your idea seems off-base. How could someone contaminate samples? Kenny showed up at the police station. He said to test him. They did. His DNA matched.”
“Exactly. Why would a guilty man show up forty years later and asked to be tested?”
“Conscience?”
“Really? You think so?”
“I have no idea. I’m not a psychologist,” Emily said.
“Would you like to see Kenny? Talk to him?”
Emily sat up straight. “God, no. For what? What on earth would we have to say to each other?”
“You were friends. You had a relationship. I thought you might have things to say.”
Emily shook her head. “I’m afraid not. All we needed to say to each other we said forty years ago. It was a fling, Olivia. There was nothing deep. I liked how dating him drove my parents crazy. He was fun for a while. There was nothing long lasting about it. I knew it. He knew it.”
“Aren’t you concerned about the way things have turned out for him? About what’s going to happen to him?”
“Really? No,” Emily said. “We all make our own beds. We all make our choices. Then we have to deal with the consequences. I’ve worked hard for what I have. No one gave it to me. I made a choice to be a successful businesswoman…to build my business…to make investments…to take care of myself.”
“You had certain advantages that Kenny never had.”
“True.” Emily’s eyes narrowed. “I also had some disadvantages that Kenny never had.”
Olivia was about to speak when Emily said, “Listen. He’ll have a trial. If he didn’t do it, he’ll get off. Case closed.”
“I need to ask you a question about the day of the murders. I talked with Father Anthony Foley recently,” Olivia said.
“Anthony?” Emily’s voice was shrill. “He’s in the area?”
“He’s at a parish in a small town in Connecticut.”
“How on earth did you find him?” Emily questioned.
“I called the diocese office and asked,” Olivia said. “Were you at St. Catherine’s on the afternoon of the murders? Were you out jogging?”
Emily’s eyes clouded. Her lips were pressed tightly together. “Why would that possibly matter?”
“Did you see Mary that day? Did you see her at the church rec hall? In the church parking lot?”
“I went to New York that day.”
Olivia studied Emily’s face. “Why did you stay in the city for such a short time?”
“What?” Emily spit the word out.
“You were already home when your mother returned from Boston. If you did go to New York, you could only have been there for less than two hours.”
Emily’s eyes darkened. “I don’t know what Father Anthony told you but I wouldn’t believe everything that comes out of his mouth.” She stood up. “I really need to get back to work.”
Olivia hesitated then stood up and walked to the door.
She left the building and slumped in her parked car staring into space. Emily Bradford’s reaction to Kenny’s arrest stumped Olivia. She was surprised at how indifferent Emily was about the turn of events. But it was a long time ago and her relationship with Kenny was based solely on how it annoyed her parents. What did Emily mean about not believing what Father Anthony said? Why would she say that? Was Emily at St. Catherine’s that day? Or did she go to New York?
Olivia sighed and started the engine.
Chapter 29
In the afternoon, Olivia and Lily walked along the old raised rail trail. Dense thickets of oaks, maples and pines soared on either side of the path. A wide lake opened to their right. Lily’s ears perked up and she turned her head to Olivia.
“Go ahead,” Olivia said. She knew the dog was itching to leap into that water.
With permission given, Lily raced down the hill and ran along the edge of the lake, weaving between and under brush and bushes. Olivia kept walking. She knew Lily would find her on the trail when she was finished swimming and exploring the area near the water.
Olivia pulled her camera from her pocket. She knelt and shot some wild flowers growing next to a rocky cliff rising from the side of the trail. A path veered off to the left and Olivia thought she could hear water running. She walked that way eager to find the source of the sound, hoping for a small waterfall. She knew Lily would locate her with her keen sense of smell.
When they went for their daily walks in the woods, Lily would often venture off sometimes for fifteen minutes and then, after she had had her adventure, would come bounding up behind Olivia at full speed and then jump around as if she were trying to convey to Olivia what she had seen or done.
Olivia crouched on one knee framing a shot with her camera when she heard rustling off to the side. Expecting Lily, Olivia turned. A Jack Russell terrier zoomed out of the woods straight at her. The dog ran past, turned on a dime, and shot past again. This went on several times, back and forth, back and forth. Olivia laughed, which caused the dog to slide to a stop. The terrier stared at her for a second, leaped into the air and began its running sequence again up and down past Olivia. Olivia sat, entertained by the crazy dog’s antics. She heard feet crunching and turned to see Robin from the Sports Bar Restaurant trudging up the path. She was breathing hard, her face bright pink.
“Olivia! How are you?” The dog changed direction and tore down the path toward Robin. “How do you like this crazy dog?”
Olivia stood, brushing the dirt from her butt. “Hi, Robin. I was enjoying the show.” She laughed. “I was wondering how long he could keep it up.”
“Oh, God. For hours,” Robin puffed. “Why didn’t we just get a tiny lap dog?” The terrier took off down the trail and the women headed in that direction. “Walk slow,” Robin requested. “This dog is killing me. I need to catch my breath.”
Olivia looked behind them for Lily. She had been gone longer than usual.
“Lily went down to the pond for a swim,” Olivia said. “She’s been gone for a while.”
“She’s probably enjoying the water. You know how Labs are. So how are you? Enjoying your stay at John’s house?”
“Yes, it’s nice to be done with school and just relax a bit. Yesterday I worked some more on cleaning John’s attic. I made good progress. Lily and I take a long walk every day or we go over to the recreation area by the lake and have a swim in the evening,” Olivia said. “Thank you for setting up the meeting with Dan Waters. We had a long talk the other day. He’s a nice man. Finding my cousins’ bodies in that field took a heavy toll on him.”
“I imagine so,” Robin said. “Was talking with him helpful?”
“It was,” Olivia said. “But I’m really no closer to understanding what happened.”
“I suppose that’s why there was never an arrest,” Robin said.
The women walked and chatted as the Jack Russell continued careening through the woods.
“Is that dog on speed?” Olivia asked.
Robin laughed. “I wish I could bottle whatever it has inside it.”
Olivia looked over her shoulder again. “Robin, I think I should go back. Lily never stays away this long.”
“We’ll walk with you. My car is in that direction.”
When they passed the spot on the trail where they met, Olivia called for Lily. They reached the main trail and saw an elderly couple walking slowly along. They exchanged greetings.
“Have you seen a chocolate Lab?” Olivia asked.
They shook their heads.
“I’m getting worried, Robin. Where could she be?”
“She’s just got involved in watching a rabbit or something. She’ll be along.”
Olivia called for her every few seconds.
“This is the place where she went down to the lake.” Olivia pointed.
Robin’s dog tore down the embankment to the water.
“Jasper!” Robin yelled. “Ugh, he’ll be a muddy mess now. Jasper!”
The dog did not respond. He disappeared into the woods.
“Damn. He always listens. Even though he acts like a lunatic, he usually comes when I call him. I had to take him to doggy training classes. Otherwise I would have gone nuts with his behavior. What’s got into him? Jasper!”
“He likes the water?” Olivia asked.
“Not usually. He would rather investigate and race along the edge in the mud. He can’t stay relaxed long enough to actually swim,” she joked. Robin checked her watch. “I need to get him and get back to the house. Jasper!” Robin waited. “I guess I better go down there,” she moaned.
“I want to take the trail that weaves along the lake that way.” Olivia pointed. “The trail is raised so I can look down on the water as I go. I’m worried about Lily. If you see her while getting Jasper would you call me?”
“Sure, thing. If you find Jasper, call me.”
“I will.”
They parted ways and headed to different trails. Olivia started jogging, calling Lily’s name as she ran. Ten minutes of searching passed without Olivia locating Lily or Jasper. She stopped to catch her breath and turned, looking all around at the woods, listening. Nothing. Where was she? She never goes off like this. What if she’s hurt? Which direction should I go? After a minute of weighing options, Olivia thought it might be best if she headed back to the point where Lily went down to the water. Her heart was pounding with worry. She took off running back to where she started. Where could she be? She called Lily’s name over and over.
Olivia heard something behind her. Jasper was hurtling towards her like he had been shot from a cannon.
“Jasper!”
He overshot her position, slid in the dirt trying to stop, wheeled and turned back at full speed. He barked at Olivia and rushed past.
Olivia called Robin and reported Jasper’s location.
“I can’t get close enough to clip Lily’s leash onto him. Maybe I’ll head back to where we separated. Maybe he’ll follow me and you can grab him.”
Olivia jogged down the trail. Jasper raced by again, barking. He halted in front Olivia, and raced back in the other direction. Nutty dog. He ought to be in some movie. He acts like he wants me to follow him. Olivia skidded to a stop. She called Robin again.
“He acts like I should follow him. I’m going to run after him. Come this way, Robin. Stay on the phone and I’ll tell you if this ends up being a wild goose chase.”
Olivia was getting winded but Jasper was still running ahead. He stopped and waited for Olivia, and then took off again. He veered down the steep embankment that led to the water. Olivia heard him rushing through the dense growth. She eased down the hill after him. Her legs were getting tangled in the vines and the bushes scratched her arms as she stumbled after the dog. Her feet were wet from the marshy ground. Jasper was howling.
“Can you hear him?” Olivia wheezed into the phone.
“Has he lost his mind?” Robin answered. “I’m going to have a heart attack trying to get to you two.” Olivia could hear Robin’s labored breathing. Jasper was barking now. Olivia’s heart was pounding in her chest.
“Lily!” Olivia called again. Only Jasper’s voice responded.
Olivia’s shoe came off in the muck. She bent to retrieve it from the sucking wet mess. Hopping on one leg, she pushed it back on her foot. Ugh.
The pond bent to the left and a sheer rocky cliff rose high above. Olivia had to walk in the water to continue. She climbed over a fallen oak. Jasper was howling again. He was close. Olivia stumbled forward around a thicket. Jasper stood beside the rocky wall. Next to him was a chocolate colored dog.
“Lily!” Olivia called.
The Lab barked and wagged her tail. One end of a length of yellow and orange cord was tied to Lily’s collar, and the other end was wrapped several times around the base of a tree.
“Lily, Lily,” Olivia said when she reached the dog. She stroked the Lab’s head. “What happened? Someone tied you?”
Olivia could hear Robin’s voice coming from the cell phone she had stuffed in her shorts pocket. She grabbed it.
“Robin! I found her! Someone tied her up. Where are you? Are you close?”
“I’m coming.” Robin was gasping. “I could hear Jasper but now he’s quiet.”
“He’s here next to me. Call out as you get closer and I’ll direct you,” Olivia’s voice shook. She tried to untie the rope that was attached to Lily’s collar but she couldn’t loosen it. She stroked Lily’s head. Jasper licked Lily’s face.
“Good dog, Jasper. Good dog,” Olivia told him.
Robin stumbled around the cliff wall covered in mud. She sank next to Olivia and the dogs.
“Let me catch my breath.” Her face was like a beet.
“Are you okay?” Olivia asked. “Look at this, Robin. Who would do this? Tie her to a tree? What if we didn’t find her? Poor thing. Who’d do this?”
“Kids, probably. Punks,” Robin wheezed. “Trouble makers.”
Robin reached into the fanny pack she had around her waist and retrieved a Boy Scout knife. She pulled the blade out. Olivia’s eyes widened.
“I’ll cut the rope,” Robin said.
Olivia held the cord and Robin cut most of it off. Only a stub of rope remained on Lily’s collar. Lily woofed. She slurped Olivia’s face with her tongue and trotted to the pond for a drink. Jasper dashed after her. Olivia and Robin sat on the wet ground, exhausted.
“She seems okay,” Olivia said. “Thank you, Robin. What if I hadn’t run into you and Jasper? How would I have found her?”
“You would have thought of something,” Robin said, leaning back against the cliff wall, her eyes closed.
“Are you okay?” Olivia asked.
“I just need to sit a minute.” She opened her eyes. She took a deep breath. “What bastard would do that? Tie up a dog and leave her? Too many creeps around.” Robin put the knife into her fanny pack. “The knife used to be my broth
er’s. I started carrying it around when I was in college a hundred years ago. Some jerk tried to jump me one night when I was walking back to my dorm. A guy saw the altercation and chased the loser away. I’ve carried a knife ever since. Probably not the best idea as someone could grab it and use it on me.”
The dogs returned from the pond and lay down next to the women. Olivia checked Lily over to be sure she was alright.
“So since I’ve been getting older, fatter and slower, I also carry this,” Robin said. She pulled out her keychain with a small canister attached to it. “Pepper spray. You should get some, Olivia.”
“Maybe that’s a good idea.” Olivia sighed and pressed her head against her knees. Tears escaped from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
Robin inched along on her butt to get closer to Olivia.
“It’s okay. All’s well that ends well, hon. The dog’s as good as new.”
She put an arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “And look, Jasper’s actually worn out.”
Olivia raised her tear stained face and saw Jasper quietly lying next to Lily. Olivia smiled. “Jasper, you’re a hero.”
The light was waning when the four of them trudged off the trail and onto the gravel parking lot. Their two cars were the only ones left in the lot. The dogs and the women were caked with mud and grime. They were glad no one was around to see them come out of the woods like that.
“Call the police, Olivia, and report what happened. People should know to keep their dogs close while walking here.”
Robin opened the hatch of her car and Jasper jumped in like his legs were made of springs. He woofed at Lily.
“Lily’s going home,” Robin told him. She closed the hatch and gave Olivia a hug. “Get some pepper spray.”
Olivia nodded. “Thank you. I wish there was some way to repay you. And, Jasper.”
“I’m sure Jasper would love to meet up with you and Lily for a walk some day. Maybe we can plan it. But no drama next time. My heart can’t take it. I’ll give you a buzz some afternoon when we’re on our way over here.”
They hugged again. Robin drove away and Olivia and Lily got in the Jeep and headed home. But first they had to make two stops, one at the vet and the other at the police department.
