Gone Missing: A Jonelle Sweet Mystery Book 2

by R. Lanier Clemons

  “Things’ll be a lot easier if you’d just stay where you were, ma’am,” he said. He told everyone his name was Earl North. Jonelle went back and sat on the couch, next to Irene.

  “Thank you,” he said. “I’ve got a good idea of the events leading up to you two,” he pointed at Adrienne and Jonelle, “finding the body. What I need now is a timeline of when the deceased, uh, Hugh Rhys-Morton came to be in the closet.” He looked at Sally. “Do you have the answer to that?”

  Sally shook her head. “I have no idea. I mean, we had tea today, as usual and then he went home.”

  “What time was that?” detective North asked.

  “Well, we have tea at four and it lasts for about an hour or so. I guess he went home sometime after five.” She looked up at the detective standing in front of her.

  “Do you keep your doors locked?”

  “Of, course,” Sally said, looking at Jonelle. “I’ve had some problems and we decided I should get new locks.”

  The detective noticed the look Sally gave Jonelle. “What do you know about this?” he asked, turning in Jonelle’s direction.

  She informed the detective that Sally was a client who hired her to discover why her jewelry was missing and who might have taken the items. “Part of what I recommended was that Sally put her jewelry in a safety deposit box and that she install new locks. She did both things. I soon found out that Sally’s jewelry wasn’t stolen, just moved around… by someone. The reason I was here tonight was that I hoped to learn who was hiding her jewelry and why. My friend agreed to help me.” She nodded at a tight-lipped Adrienne.

  The detective tapped his pen against his notepad. “So, if the locks are new, how did the victim end up in your closet?” He looked at Sally, but Jonelle answered.

  “Sally gave Hugh a set of her keys,” Jonelle said.

  “That’s right,” Sally said. Her face brightened. “Maybe he came back, when I was over at Irene’s.”

  Jonelle looked sharply at Sally. Both Sally and William told her the closet stayed locked. Yet, it wasn’t locked when she and Adrienne discovered Hugh’s body.

  The detective turned toward Irene. “What time did Mrs. Piedmont visit you?”

  “Let me think. I want to make sure I get this right,” Irene said. She pulled her bathrobe tight around her body. “The first time Sally came over, I guess it must have been almost seven or so. I wanted to show her where she’d be sleeping tonight. I suppose that only took about thirty minutes. The last time was around ten-thirty when I came to escort her over to my house. Jonelle and her friend arrived at about that same time.”

  Everyone turned to look at Sally. “So,” detective North said, “as far as you know, no one was in this house from seven to seven-thirty and you were alone in the house from that time to when you went to your friend’s house. Is that right?”

  Sally nodded.

  Jonelle saw where this was headed. “Isn’t it possible, detective, that Hugh could have returned and entered the house without Sally knowing?” Jonelle decided she’d better clue the detective in on her thoughts about the case. “I believe someone was deliberately trying to make Sally think she was seeing things.” Jonelle glanced at Sally. “She told me her late husband Percy visited her at night, after she’d gone to bed.” She heard someone gasp.

  Jonelle walked over and picked up Percy’s picture and showed it to the detective. “Look at this. Hugh looks like Percy. And Hugh was wearing a wig and dressed in the same clothes Percy usually wore.”

  After detective North took a good look at the picture, he handed it back to Jonelle. He rubbed his hand through short, blond hair. Pale blue eyes took in each woman in turn. “Right now, we don’t know how the victim died. Until we do, I will consider the possibility that Mr. Rhys-Morton somehow let himself into the house without Mrs. Piedmont seeing him.”

  “And,” Jonelle added, warming up to the idea, “Hugh probably hid in the closet thinking he would pretend to be Percy again. What he didn’t count on was me and Adrienne coming here tonight. The poor man might have died of a heart attack while he was holed up in there.”

  “What about…?” Adrienne pointed to the ceiling. Jonelle did not want to open that can of worms in front of the detective.

  He peered at Adrienne. “What? Something else went on up there?”

  “It’s just the attic,” Jonelle said. “We heard movement up there, and think there might be mice. Or bats. We were going to suggest Sally get an exterminator.” She gave Adrienne a look that warned her friend to be quiet. “Critters are not something the police can do anything about.”

  Adrienne rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s it. Mice or bats. Right.”

  The forensic team stomped down the stairs. “We’re done here,” the first one said. “Looks pretty straight forward. No forced entry anywhere. No signs of blood.”

  Another gasp.

  “Lots of fingerprints though. We’re gonna need everyone’s prints here in case it turns out he didn’t die of natural causes.”

  While the others were printed, Jonelle advised the detective that her prints were already on file, both with the state and the FBI. “I had to give sets for my PI’s license,” she said in response to his raised eyebrows. Detective North informed Sally, Adrienne and Irene that their prints would be destroyed once he concluded the investigation. Although Jonelle didn’t want to bring it up, she felt the detective needed to consider another possibility. “Um, Sally did William stop by today?”

  “Who’s William?” North asked.

  “He’s my son,” Sally said. “He doesn’t come by often, thank goodness. He can be rather unpleasant.”

  The detective sighed and took out his notebook again. “I’ll need his complete name, phone number and address please.”

  Sally gave him the information, and as he walked out the door, he told them all he’d be in touch.

  No one said anything until they heard a car engine turn over and the vehicle drive away.

  “Thank goodness that’s over,” Irene said, hands still clutched on her robe. “I don’t know why the police make me so nervous. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “Same here,” Adrienne added. “If he’d stayed any longer, I would have confessed to stealing candy from Murphy’s drug store when I was ten.”

  A relieved Jonelle returned to the sofa. “They have that effect on innocent people. It’s the guilty ones who remain calm.” As she said those words, she looked over at Sally. Jonelle’s stomach tightened. Sally sat back in the chair, eyes half closed, a serene look on her face.

  CHAPTER 36

  Jonelle didn’t want Sally alone in the house, and was relieved when she agreed to stay with Irene for a few days. Afterwards, Jonelle took a complaining Adrienne home. She had to promise never to again involve her friend in anything connected with what she insisted on calling, “Sally’s psycho house.”

  After about four hours sleep, Jonelle roused herself, made a strong cup of coffee, and fixed a quick breakfast of two hard boiled eggs and whole wheat toast. At around ten she called Burt’s phone, which went directly to voice mail. Determined to speak to him, she called the county’s criminal investigations division and asked to speak to detective Thelonius Burton. Disappointed when told he was in a meeting, Jonelle took a quick shower and decided a face-to-face with Burt was probably the best way for her to get the information she needed on LucieBlu’s case. She called his cellphone back and left a text message. If she had to bide time for an hour or so, that was okay with her.

  Jonelle arrived at the station, informed the duty sergeant that she was there to see Burt and hung around in the lobby waiting for him to escort her to his office. Unable to sit still, Jonelle got up and read a few community service items on the bulletin board. As she wondered what she could donate to the local food drive, a voice called her name.

  “Jonelle. Just got the message you wanted to see me.” Burt had the same rumpled look he always wore. Day or night, early or late. The only variable was th
e unique, whimsical ties he wore. This time Snoopy and Charlie Brown were on display.

  “Let’s go up to my office,” he said. Jonelle followed him down the familiar corridor, through the heavy metal door and up the stairs.

  Neither one spoke as Burt released the security lock to the unit. Jonelle followed him inside. As she walked by the open door of a break room, Jonelle screwed up her nose at the sour coffee smells.

  “Have a seat,” he said, pointing to the one guest chair. Jonelle sat to the right of Burt’s computer. He swiveled to face her, a big smile on his face. “Coffee?”

  Remembering the smell that assaulted her nostrils, Jonelle shook her head. “No thanks.” She pointed to his tie. “So, I see we’re going up market in the tie division.”

  Burt smiled. “Glad you like it. Can’t go wrong with the Peanuts crew.” He reached inside his desk and pulled out another tie. This one depicted a flying wizard kid, medieval castle, and some kind of three headed monster, all on a pale gray background. “Started to put this one on, just to add a little different look.”

  “Hope you don’t wear that one out to Mickey D’s. You’ll scare the poor little kiddies,” Jonelle said laughing.

  “Then it’ll serve its purpose,” he responded. Pleased that the stress of the hospital visit had evaporated and the easy going relationship they had forged in the past was still there, Jonelle asked Burt if he’d learned anything else about LucieBlu.

  “Ah, I had a feeling you didn’t come here just to see me.” He’d said it with a smile, but something in his voice told her he was disappointed.

  Rendered momentarily speechless, Jonelle fiddled with her necklace. She spoke before the silence could drag on to an uncomfortable level. “I promised Marcella I’d give her a progress report on who hurt LucieBlu and why.”

  Burt straightened up in his chair. He turned to his computer and tapped a few keys. “There’s not a lot I can tell you at this point,” he said, staring at the screen.

  “So, are the Hightower brothers in jail for what they did to their latest victim?”

  “Guess the pleasantries are over,” Burt said, “and it’s on to business.”

  Jonelle frowned. “Well, of course. That’s why I’m here.”

  “Now don’t get offended,” Burt said. “I’m just making an observation.” Burt looked at his computer screen. “Yes. The victim pressed charges and both brothers are being held in the local jail. It’s hard for those people… I mean, the victims,” he amended as he notice the color creep up on Jonelle’s face. “It’s hard for the victims in these situations to want to press charges. Most just want it to stop. This time, though, someone witnessed the whole thing.”

  “Great. So, when are you gonna investigate what they did…” Jonelle noted the pained expression on Burt’s face “Excuse me, what they might have done to LucieBlu?”

  “Slow down, Jonelle. It’s a stretch from harassing a trans to accusing someone of attempted murder. We’re waiting to hear from Bonderant who’s still unable to speak. What’s the matter?”

  Jonelle’s eyebrows knitted together and her eyes flashed at the detective. “I’d appreciate it if you would refer to her as Ms. Bonderant or LucieBlu. Or if that’s too hard for you to digest, refer to her as the victim.”

  Burt sat back at Jonelle’s outburst. Both stared at each other without speaking. Jonelle refused to break eye contact first. Burt played with a pen on his desk. “Okay, you win.”

  “It’s not a contest, Burt. It’s a matter of treating someone with respect. You of all people should appreciate that. I bet it wasn’t easy rising up the ranks when you first started. Was it?”

  “You haven’t seen everything I’ve seen,” he said, with an edge in his voice. He flicked the top of the ballpoint several times. “There are people who live this alternate lifestyle who aren’t as nice as your client’s friend. They’ve done unspeakable things to their own… kind. So, excuse me if I sound a little harsh, but I’m coming from a different perspective.”

  Jonelle considered what Burt said. “I’m not as naïve as you think. I myself held a stereotypical view of what a transgender person was. What I’ve learned in talking to people who know her, is that it’s just a matter of seeing, and treating, someone as an individual. Even Luther helped her and treated her with respect, and he’d never met her before.” She held out her hand. “Lesson over. We still friends?”

  He smiled, took her hand and shook it. “Still friends. Now, since you brought him up, what about the bum?”

  Jonelle threw up her hands. “Oh, for Pete’s sake.”

  “Seriously, Jonelle. We can’t find him. We went over that warehouse and it looks like the stuff that the EMT’s said was there when they removed, uh, the victim, is missing. There were a few people milling about, but they didn’t look like the man Mr. Isaacson described and none of them admitted knowing Luther.”

  Jonelle shook her head. “I’m telling you, you’re wasting your time with him. He didn’t get a good look at who did this to her and he actually helped save her life. Focus on those two Hightower creeps. If you go to the Rainbows and Lollipops club, talk to the upstairs waiters and the bartenders. They’ll tell you what the brothers were up to.”

  “Been there, done that. Tell you what. If you get word to your friend at the warehouse, let him know all we want to do is talk to him. Nothing else. Right now, the Hightowers have no connection to that warehouse or Ms. Bonderant. As soon as we can find one, we’ll request extradition and bring them in.”

  Jonelle had no intention of telling Burt she’d already talked to Luther. Although she would have preferred Burt telling her he planned on going to Delaware to talk to the men in custody, she could at least let Marcella know the police considered them persons of interest. Jonelle stood to leave.

  “Um. One more thing.”

  “Yes?”

  “When you talked to Sherman Isaacson, did he mention the discrimination lawsuit LucieBlu filed against him?” Jonelle asked.

  Burt stared at her in disbelief. He rubbed his face. “No, he didn’t,” he answered in a weary voice. “And you know this… how?”

  “By accident. When some papers fell off his desk, I picked them up and noticed letterhead from a lawyer’s office and the name Lawrence Michael Brown.”

  “Who—?”

  “That’s LucieBlu’s birth name. She’s not legally changing it until her transitioning is complete.”

  Burt reached in his desk and took out a bottle of antacid tablets. He shook two out in his palm and put both in his mouth.

  “I’ll let you get back to work,” Jonelle said. “Thanks for keeping me in the loop.”

  Burt stood. “Right,” he said, chewing the tablets. “Need me to escort you back out?” His voice indicated he really didn’t want to.

  “Not necessary. I can find my way.”

  As Jonelle started around his cubicle, Burt stopped her. “If you’d like, once this case is over, maybe we can, you know, go out and grab a bite to eat sometime. Maybe. If you want to, that is.”

  Jonelle smiled. “Of course. That sounds like a good idea.”

  Pleased with the look on Burt’s face at her response, she couldn’t help but think that in the midst of her first two cases, she’d come across two different men who wanted to see her socially. Maybe she was finally moving on after all.

  CHAPTER 37

  The next morning, Jonelle bought two non-recyclable bags of groceries, plus a couple gallon jugs of water and placed them on the back seat of her Jeep. The sun had barely risen above the horizon when she set out. She wanted to beat the heat as well as increase her chances of finding Luther before he left for his struggle to survive another day. Jonelle circled the block around the warehouse in case the police were watching the area. After the second pass, and not seeing any cars parked anywhere near the building, Jonelle eased her vehicle next to the curb.

  She sat behind the steering wheel, and stared at the building. For several minutes, she watched the st
ructure. No one either entered or left the warehouse. Jonelle wondered how often the homeless left one area and moved on to the next. Strangers had invaded Luther’s home. In spite of the encroachment on his turf, she hoped he was still around.

  She unbuckled her seatbelt, went around the vehicle and removed the groceries along with a small hand cart, and set the Jeep’s alarm. The day promised to be another scorcher and Jonelle worried if maybe she should have bought more water and less food. “Too late for that now,” she said to herself.

  With cart in tow, Jonelle worked her way through the chain link fence and approached the entrance to the warehouse. She stopped and listened for sounds coming from inside. So far, the only sound she heard was own breathing. She crept closer. If she remembered correctly, Luther’s things were in the back. Once her eyes adjusted to the dimness Jonelle took a deep, energizing breath and turned left.

  Before she made it to the first archway, furtive movement caught her attention. “Luther?” she called out, turning in that direction. “It’s me. Jonelle Sweet. I want to give you an update on LucieBlu.” Jonelle paused. “She’s getting better every day. Once she’s able to have visitors, I plan on telling her all about how you saved her life.” The scuffling stopped. “Luther? Are you there?”

  Jonelle continued to where she’d found LucieBlu. Shadows of various shapes and sizes hugged the walls, some covered with old clothes and guarded by the shopping carts she’d seen before. As she kept her eyes trained on the odd looking forms, a few of them moved. Jonelle stopped. “Luther?”

  One of the figures sat up. “No, I ain’t Luther,” said a female voice. Jonelle couldn’t make out the person’s face. “You need to shut up,” the voice said. “I needs my rest.” The body slid back down.

  “Sorry,” Jonelle mumbled. She had no desire to make these people mad. The handcart’s wheels squeaked behind her as she trudged on.