Cold Case Conundrum

by Sharon Mierke

  Chapter Five

  The next two weeks went by quietly and without incident. Nathan stopped in almost every day to keep me informed about Shayla. I could tell he just wanted to talk about her and the excuse was the working conditions. He thought they had improved somewhat.

  He’d come out almost empty-handed in the Dr. Campbell investigation. I say ‘almost’ because what he did find out was quite interesting.

  It turned out our Dr. Campbell was anything but poor. He didn’t live an extravagant life-style in college but he wasn’t the struggling student that you thought he might be. As far as Nathan could find out, he didn’t live in the dorm, he had his own little apartment. He was walking distance to the college and later, when working as an intern, he lived close to the hospital. Most students have to share their quarters so they can pay their rent but he always lived alone. Even someone with less of an imagination than me, couldn’t help but wonder where his money came from.

  Another surprising bit of information was that it turned out Carly was not as stupid as she seemed in the beginning. She was quite willing to learn and started to ask Shayla for help and advice. No one could really figure out why she was the one in charge but at least everyone started to relax a little. Unfortunately, gossip about her lifestyle still ran rampant.

  “You must be wrong,” I told Flori. “Nathan says she’s doing very well in her new position.”

  Flori couldn’t say too much but she clung to the idea that Carly was still the town’s harlot.

  Reg hadn’t been making his usual coffee stops at my shop. I guess being a mayor takes up more of your time than being a sheriff. Or, perhaps, he was trying to get in the last few weeks of good fishing.

  It was Tuesday again and another slow day. Most folks were finished winterizing their cabins and homes. In two weeks, the daily temperature had dropped several degrees and the daylight hours were getting shorter. Now when customers came in they talked about their winter vacations. Most of the sixty-five plus crowd was heading south even if it were for only a couple of weeks or so.

  Flori never even considered going anywhere. She would never leave her family. In one way, I was glad because if they left the house, their kids would be over there partying it up every weekend. And no, they are not teenagers; they only act like it.

  Of course, I never considered it either. I have my store to look after and four cats. And, yes, my cats would trash my house if I left them alone in it for more than a day. They are all teenagers at heart too.

  The last vacation I went on was to Las Vegas and I still have nightmares about it. Winning a free vacation is sometimes not all that it is cracked up to be.

  About eleven, Reg walked in.

  “Mayor Smee,” I said. “Welcome to Mabel’s Fables and Things. To what honor do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

  He shook his head and sat down.

  “I could use a good strong cup of coffee, Mabel. In fact, working with some of these fellows on town council could almost turn me to alcohol. Being sheriff is a walk in the park compared to being mayor. At least, if you have a murder to solve, you know whom you’re dealing with. I’m not sure if I’m working with saints or sinners.”

  “You’re kidding. I thought all you had to do was walk around town smiling at people, kiss the babies, and then sign papers. What else do you do?”

  “Are you serious?” His arms started waving. “I’ve got Bob Crackers on one side saying we’ve got to do this, and then on the other side, Denny Wakefield telling me we have to do the opposite. Then, about a dozen others whisper in my ear and tell me not to listen to either one.” He wiped his forehead as if he were dripping in sweat and flung the imaginary drops on the floor. He looked at me. “So who am I supposed to listen to? There’s no way you can please everyone. You got any suggestions?”

  I handed him his coffee. “Well, what are we always told? Go with your gut? Throw some dice? Say eenie, meenie, miney-mo? Don’t ask me, Reg. Why, what do they want done now?”

  He sighed and took a swallow. It was hot enough to remove his esophagus but it didn’t seem to bother him.

  “It’s this new doctor we’ve got coming to town. I don’t know why he wants to come here anyway. No doctors want to start out in a small place like this.”

  “Reg, if Robert Campbell has no experience, he might not have a choice. You know those big city hospitals only want doctors with experience. Besides, he probably wants to live and work here because his mother is still alive and he’s going to look after her. In fact, they’re going to rent Krueger’s house. Didn’t you know?”

  “Oh, yes, I knew that. She has other kids though so why doesn’t she go and live with them? Besides, I don’t care for the way he goes about things.”

  “Why? What do you mean?”

  He shrugged. “I don't know. Too fast. He’s coming in and asking for changes before he’s even settled in yet.”

  I sat down in my other chair.

  “Maybe it’s us, Reg. Maybe we’re the ones who should be making the changes. You know, the older we get, the less we like change.”

  “Well, what he’s asking for is going to cost thousands of dollars.”

  “Like what?”

  “For starters - a big office for himself. He’s not happy having one the size that Fritzy has. He wants all the best equipment in that office plus new computers. He says ours are archaic. All his files will be on the computer, which will be connected to the hospital. Then, he says when someone comes to the ER, all the information will be there. If someone from Parson’s Cove is visiting someone in any city and gets sick, that hospital can have all the information sent to it immediately.”

  “He told you this, Reg?”

  He nodded.

  “So you’ve met him? What’s he like anyway, besides sounding like a very modern up to date doctor?”

  “Oh boy, Mabel, you’re going to fall for him too. He comes across as this very caring person. Nothing but the best for his patients and for Parson’s Cove. He thinks if we update our hospital, we’ll get more patients coming here, which in turn, will mean more business. Families will be coming to visit loved ones. They will stay in our hotel and eat at our restaurants.”

  “And buying souvenirs at my shop?”

  “You wish. I think that’s all this is - wishful thinking.”

  He sat and drank his coffee in silence.

  After a few minutes, I said, “What does he look like?”

  “He’s a very handsome young man.”

  “Isn’t he going to pay for some of the things he wants?”

  He shrugged. “Money doesn’t seem to be an object. He comes from a dirt poor family so I don’t know how he got rich so quick. He hasn’t had a practice anywhere else. Doesn’t it seem kind of odd to you, Mabel?”

  Before voicing my concerns, I thought I would see what Reg had in mind. It was my turn to shrug. “Who knows?” I mindlessly swirled the remaining coffee in my cup. “Are you saying we should check into this?”

  His already ruddy complexion turned a tad ruddier. “I guess it’s not a crime to have some money. I don’t know; you just can’t help but wonder where it all came from though.”

  “Why don’t you ask him?”

  “Are you serious? You can’t ask a man where he got his money from, Mabel. Maybe he inherited it. I’m sure he didn’t rob a bank if that was what you were hoping for.”

  I laughed.

  “No way; I’m definitely not hoping for that, Reg. I’m finished sleuthing and so are you, remember?”

  I set my cup on the counter.

  “But if he inherited money wouldn’t his brothers and sisters inherit money too? From what I’ve heard, they are all as poor as church mice.”

  Reg sat and thought for a moment. “Unless he made friends with someone while he was going to college. You know, maybe a rich professor or something.”

  I nodded. “I guess so or maybe he’s like other young doctors and is up to his eyebrows in debt.”

&
nbsp; Reg shrugged, stood up, and ambled over to the door.

  “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to check it out though, would it, Mabel?”

  I grinned. “Can’t see how it could hurt anyone, Reg.”

  My advice to all people over sixty-five is this: if you retire, stay retired.

  Chapter Six

  Before I opened my eyes on Wednesday morning, I lay still and listened to the wind. It raced through and around every corner and cranny of my house. No rain pattered on my roof so I was thankful for that. I didn’t, however, like the sound of it. Every few days, we seemed to pick up a Canadian north wind or some sort of clipper from Colorado and even if the sun shone, it felt cold. It was one of those autumn days where you really wanted to turn over and never get out from under the covers. Especially, if like me, you sleep on a featherbed and have a down feather duvet over you.

  Of course, no cat in this house would let anyone sleep in. They insist on waking me up at dawn and feeding them so they can immediately have a nap.

  The alarm on my clock radio switched on and before it had belted out three loud bleeps, three cats were pouncing on my head and squawking in my ear. I’ve come to learn that cats are without mercy. They focus on one thing at a time and it’s always on them. Phyl, being a wise old cat, never pounces; she simply lies quietly in one corner of the bed and when I start walking down the stairs, she ambles after me.

  There was no point in looking after my own needs first so I went downstairs, made sure to give each one a pat on the head and a scratch under the ear, and dish out their food. By then it was time to put my coffee on. Before filling my coffee pot with water, I stood at the sink looking out at my back yard. The sun was just coming up and there was a warm golden glow on everything. Even though I was not happy with the wind, I had to admit it added a lot of character to my backyard. The trees swayed and the gold and red leaves danced. In fact, I was so mesmerized by the sight I almost missed seeing a man come out the back door of Krueger’s house.

  This, I knew, would have to be Doctor Robert Joseph Campbell. Unfortunately, he was either rushing or being pushed by the wind because he was around the corner and out of sight before I could get a good look at him. Even with only a glimpse, I could see he was not an ugly man.

  The Krueger house comes fully furnished so it’s move-in ready. All a single man would have to bring is a suitcase of clothes. He obviously had moved in sometime last night and I’d missed it. I wondered how his mother would like living there though. It was an old house with old appliances and old worn furniture. Surely, she’d want some of her own things.

  It had been awhile since I’d snuck into the house but the last time, I was not impressed. Flori claimed the smell of frying fish was gone but there was still a tinge of it in the air. To me, it’s like cooking up cabbage with curry and garlic; you almost have to burn the house down to get rid of it. Perhaps the real estate company had hired someone to go in and do a good clean-up using lots of bleach. If they did, it must have been while I was at work because I usually always see what’s happening out my kitchen window.

  Surprisingly, this turned out to be quite a busy Wednesday. Four strangers on a road trip stopped in and picked up a few souvenirs. They thought everything about Parson’s Cove was cute and quaint. I tried to play the part too. As they were chatting with me, Reg walked in so I introduced them to our esteemed mayor. It was up to him to impress them after that. I’d run out of quaint ideas. It’s hard to describe a small boring town as cute.

  What surprised me the most was the number of women who came in to buy get-well cards. Finally, after the fifth person came to the counter with six in her hand, I had to ask.

  “Myrtle,” I said. “Is there some kind of flu going round? I’ve never sold so many get-well cards in one day. What’s going on?”

  Myrtle is Bob Cracker’s wife and probably one of the bravest women in town. She has to be because her husband is not only Parson’s Cove’s only electrician, he’s also its gravedigger and plumber. And the reason I say she has to be brave is because I have smelled Bob after he’s left a plumbing job.

  Her face turned a pretty pink and she said, “Oh Mabel, there are so many in the hospital, I wanted to take some cards to them to cheer them up.”

  “Really? Who exactly is in the hospital? Anyone I might know?”

  I didn’t think this was such a difficult question but it appeared to fluster her.

  “Well, there are always sick people in the hospital. That’s what the hospital is for. You know, looking after sick people,” she said with a nervous giggle.

  “I don’t think you know anyone who’s there,” I said. “You just want an excuse to see the new doctor. Maybe catch him as he walks down the hallway. Am I right?”

  Now the pretty pink was more on the side of bright crimson.

  She nodded. “Do you think anyone else will guess?”

  “Well, by the looks of it, you’ll probably run into quite a few of your friends up there too.”

  She gasped. “You mean the other girls are buying cards too?”

  I nodded. “In fact, I think you’re probably the last in line. Maybe you should wait until tomorrow. You know, spread the cheer a bit?”

  She plunked the cards down on the counter. “Oh, maybe I shouldn’t take them.” She looked at me. “It’s kind of stupid, isn’t it? We’ve got this bet going as to who can catch the new doctor and Carly Patterson together. I didn’t know we’d all think of the same thing.”

  Now Flori is the one who can really raise her eyebrows but I think mine almost reached the same peak.

  “You have a bet? You want to catch Robert Campbell and Carly Patterson together? Like, how do you mean together?”

  “Oh, Mabel, nothing like that. Maybe talking. We wanted to see how they were, you know, getting along.” Her eyes nearly popped out when she said ‘getting along.’

  “Actually, Myrtle, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Besides, I have a feeling you would be very disappointed. I’m sure they’d smile and maybe shake hands and then be on their merry way. Life in Parson’s Cove is not as exciting as you women want it to be.”

  On the other hand, I didn’t want to lose a sale.

  “However, I still think it’s a good idea to take cards to folks who are sick. If you go to the hospital with a good motive, you’ll probably be the one to see those two doing who knows what. And you’ll win the bet!”

  I picked the cards up, scanned them, and put them in the bag before she could change her mind.

  At that moment, I had an epiphany. Maybe Flori wouldn’t have described it that way but I sure did. Why hadn't I thought of it before? My brain was definitely not working on all cylinders. How rude of me not to welcome my new neighbor to the town of Parson’s Cove.

  And let’s face it; wouldn’t it be an added bonus if a certain ex-girlfriend happened to be there? I wonder what prize I would win.

  I’ve made many trips to the house behind mine––sometimes even legally but never without an ulterior motive. Because it’s empty so much of the year, it seems to be the target place for nefarious deeds. It has harbored murderers, stowaways, and thieves. Now, it seems that finally I’ll have an upstanding citizen as a neighbor. By the description Reg had given me though, I doubted he’d be living in the Krueger house for long. If he insisted on a modern office, he’d probably prefer a half decent house too.

  The Krueger house was, basically, a duplicate of my house. Back in those days, one builder built and designed almost all the houses in Parson’s Cove and, unfortunately, he had only two plans. The town was a village then and since it was in the late thirties, people were happy to have a roof over their heads.

  My father helped build our house and his store. He also helped build Mr. Krueger’s house. There were two bedrooms upstairs and a bathroom. On the main floor, there was a kitchen, living room, dining room, and small bedroom. There were no bathrooms on the main floor. I guess they thought that if you were lucky enough to have one, you
were lucky enough.

  Both our houses have unfinished basements. For many years, there were only dirt cellars but eventually folks poured cement for the walls and floor, thinking they would have lovely family and laundry rooms. Mostly we were left with dark, damp, moldy smelling basements, not good for anything.

  I knew I should take something over when I visited my esteemed neighbor so I pulled out a bag of muffins from my freezer and let them thaw out on the counter.

  The bag contained a variety so he could have a choice––raisin bran, chocolate chip, blueberry, and pumpkin. There were no lights on in the house so I knew I might have a long wait. I decided I’d stay up until ten-thirty. Ten is my bedtime so I was really putting myself out.

  I talked on the phone with Flori for about an hour while keeping my eye on the house. I watched the world news and checked the house during every commercial. I started reading a cozy mystery and stopped every fifteen minutes to see if there were any lights on at the Krueger house. Finally, at twenty minutes after ten, I decided to call it quits. I went to the back door to let the last cat in and then I was heading for bed.

  I opened the door and Sammy, my only white cat, flew inside. Just as I was about to shut the door, I saw someone go into Krueger’s house and switch the light on.

  I grabbed my bag of muffins and ran out the door.

  Chapter Seven

  Our lot sizes are not large so it isn’t far from one back door to the other back door. There’s an old wooden fence separating our yards. I put a few coats of white paint on my side a couple of years ago but the other side hasn’t seen the end of a paintbrush in many years. It really needs to be replaced but fences are expensive and I don’t want the sole burden of paying for it.

  I traipsed through my yard, pulled open the sagging gate, and then dodged between thistles and over clumps of dandelions until I came to the Kreuger’s back door. The kitchen lights were on but the curtains were pulled shut. I knocked.