Not A Good Reason

by McCarthy, G. L.

  “Has anything like this ever happened before in this area?” JT liked the fact that she invited him in.

  “Not to my knowledge, but then I’ve only lived here for a little over five years. Can I get you anything to drink?” Alex motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen where she had sharp knives to get at.

  “Wow, water would be great. Thank you. So except for your dealings with Sally Jennings several months ago and then this Richard Greenway character everything here in Hastings has been nice and quiet.” JT had heard Sally rant about how Greenway had been the perfect patsy in her plan to kill Alex.

  “Very much so. You have done your research into the recent events hereabouts. Would you like ice?” Alex filled a glass from the tap. She was wondering why he had come looking for her – maybe to finish the job Sally started back in October.

  “Just the glass is fine. I was wondering if you knew this hiker that discovered the bodies. I would love to get an exclusive on how he came to find the bodies.” JT knew why Sally didn’t like this woman she was nice, one thing Sally wasn’t.

  “My friend, the Sheriff, said they just got an anonymous tip. I thought maybe this guy was up there doing some illegal hunting. You know, and didn’t want to explain himself.” Alex hoped that was a good enough answer.

  “I hadn’t thought of that.” JT really hadn’t thought about that being a plausible explanation, now what. “Damn it.”

  “Sorry.” Alex was a little startled at that response.

  “Excuse me, just disappointed about not getting that part of the story. I appreciate your time and the water.” JT downed the whole glass in several quick gulps.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t have been more help.” Alex didn’t want to let him leave; but how would she get him to stay without letting him know she knew who he was. “I actually thought you were here about Sally Jennings and her husband being murdered this morning.”

  “What. When did that happen?” JT suddenly realized his absence would be discovered as soon as this news got back to NEIMH.

  “This morning sometime. The Sheriff had to come to Taylorwood to break the news to their daughter. She’s a live in student there.” Alex could see by his expression he hadn’t planned on this news getting out so soon.

  “Do they have any suspect?” JT knew his picture would be all over the news when they realized he was gone.

  “Not to my knowledge. I think they’re still trying to figure out how Sally got out in the first place. I could call the Sherriff and see if he has some time to talk to you.” Alex thought this way she could let the Sheriff know he was there and get a car to head her way to intercept him.

  “There’s no need to bother him. I’m sure he’s really busy with these latest murders. Thanks again for the hospitality.” JT needed to get going before his picture was broadcasted on every TV channel.

  “You’re welcome. Good luck with your story.” Alex tried to think of a way to keep him there, but short of pulling a knife she had no way to stop him.

  It wasn’t until JT reached for the door knob to open the back door that Alex saw the gun stuck in his belt. He had found it in the same desk drawer as the tape recorder. Alex was glad she hadn’t brought a knife to a gun fight and needed to let the Sheriff know JT was now armed. Alex followed him out and questioned him about were he parked his vehicle. He smiled and pointed towards the road. She said goodbye and stepped back into the house. She grabbed the cordless phone and headed for the front window to see what he was driving. She was waiting for Jim to answer when she saw the motorcycle go by and didn’t give him time to speak.

  “Jim tell the Sheriff he was just here at my place. He’s riding a motorcycle and has a gun.” Alex hoped he could get the Sheriff right on this.

  “Alex, who has a gun?” The Sheriff had answered the phone.

  “JT DeFranco, he was just here looking to see if I knew who found the bodies. He’s on a motorcycle and he has a gun. Now that I know he has a gun I shouldn’t have told him that Sally was dead. He may be headed for the highway.” Alex wasn’t aware her heart was racing.

  “Are you all right? What was he wearing?” The Sheriff was looking for a pen and paper.

  “He has a grey jacket on over a white t-shirt and white pants with a black belt and shoes. The jacket was too big for him so it could have belonged to Sally’s husband.” Alex was a little surprised at how much she had noticed.

  “Thanks Alex. I’ll get an APB out. Stay there just in case he comes back. I’ll let Trooper Valdez know so he can keep an eye on your place. Good job keeping your cool. I’ll talk to you later.” Sheriff Taylor hung up and was happy to see Jim come back from his late lunch so he could get this info on the air.

  Alex hung up and jumped when Oliver appeared from the guest room. He had overheard everything and wondered who the guy was. He was the first visitor other than TJ that had come to the house.

  “Is everything okay? Who was that guy?” Oliver didn’t like the look of him.

  “That was our serial killer JT DeFranco. I think I just dodged a bullet. He just happened to come by to ask if I knew who the anonymous hiker was that found the bodies.” Alex was glad Oliver was around.

  “Aren’t you the anonymous hiker who found the bodies?” Oliver was confused.

  “Yes, but he doesn’t need to know that. Oh my gosh, that’s why he was so mad. He wanted to find out so he could silence them too. I just remembered what he said in one of my dreams. That no one would ever find them or care about them again. He’s angry because there are people who will care now that they are dead.” Alex felt a chill run down her back.

  “Is he coming back?” Oliver would do his best to keep Alex safe from this guy.

  “I don’t see why he would. He doesn’t think I have any information.” Alex was really glad he thought so.

  Alex hoped JT would be picked up by the Sheriff’s men and this case would be closed.

  But JT had no intentions of going back now that he would be wanted for murder. He wouldn’t let them catch him. For the time being he would head for Sally’s place, the police had already been there and there would be no reason for them to return.

  Chapter 46

  Alex filled Oliver in on everything that had happened as she cleaned Eva’s litter box. The kittens were getting bigger but still too small to be allowed out of the box. Eva loved the company and jumped out of her box for a short break from being Mom.

  Alex kissed the soft tummy of each kitten as she carefully handled each one. They smelled so clean and their little purr motors started up from the attention.

  “Why are you crying?” Oliver could see the tears. “Am I?” Alex wiped them away and smiled. “Is it because of Sam?” Oliver missed her and thought

  Alex did too.

  “To tell you the truth, I don’t know why. Right now I

  just feel numb.” Alex also felt as if someone was pushing on

  her chest.

  “Maybe you should have TJ come by for a visit. She

  could bring steaks to cook for you. You always like that.”

  Oliver didn’t like seeing Alex this way.

  “Not tonight Oliver. It’s better if I don’t tell TJ about

  Sam not being here. It would just complicate our friendship.”

  Alex didn’t need anyone knowing that her ten week relationship was already in trouble.

  Maybe she did move too fast with Sam; but it seemed

  right at the time. Making Sam her beneficiary may have

  seemed ill advised to some, but not letting her mother have her

  estate was at the front of her mind. Sam was a good person and

  Alex loved her very much. If their relationship did fall apart

  Alex wouldn’t regret anything. It was the happiest she’d been

  in a very long time and Power of Attorney and Wills can

  always be changed. Maybe this was all the time the Universe had planned for her to be in a relationship. The rest of her time she would
live alone and become a crazy cat lady who talked

  to ghosts.

  “Oliver, I know this isn’t a fair question to ask you

  right now. But if Sam and I do separate who would you like to

  live with or would you like us to have joint custody?” Alex

  thought that was fair.

  “What is joint custody?” Oliver wanted to stay with

  Alex, but didn’t want to hurt Sam’s feelings.

  “You would spend equal time with both of us.” Alex

  smiled as this could be the craziest custody battle ever. “That would be okay, but could I still live here and

  visit Sam.” Oliver wasn’t big on changing his new environment.

  “That would be fine. You do have a say and can stay

  with whomever you want. But I appreciate you wanting to stay

  here. I can’t imagine this place without you.” Alex turned

  away before Oliver could see more tears.

  “I can’t imagine me being anywhere else either. I

  guess it’s settled then. Besides I told Sam I would take care of

  you and I always will.” Oliver felt that was as good a reason as

  any to stay with Alex.

  Alex put Eva back in her box and looked at the picture

  of Anna and Ramon. They hadn’t stepped in yet, but then Alex

  hadn’t been in any real danger. It was getting close to dinner

  time and the thought of eating alone wasn’t appealing. Yes,

  Oliver was there but because he couldn’t eat anything it made

  Alex a little uncomfortable eating in front of him. The Sheriff

  had told her to stay home, but surely what harm could it do to

  have dinner in town. Alex jumped when her cellphone came to

  life while she was leaning against the kitchen counter. It was

  the Sheriff otherwise she would have let it go to voicemail. “Hey Sheriff. Any good news?” Alex was hoping it

  was okay to go to town so she could get a burger at the Diner. “I’m afraid not. No one saw him or anyone on a

  motorcycle today. What are you doing right now?” The Sheriff

  wasn’t thrilled that JT knew where Alex lived.

  “I was hoping I could come to town to get something

  from the Diner. That burger we had the other night is sounding

  really good right now.” Alex wondered if he would bring it to

  her.

  “Why not come into town and you and Sam can stay at

  the Motel. I don’t like having this guy know where you live.”

  The Sheriff didn’t know what triggered this homicidal maniac

  to kill.

  “Actually Sam’s staying near the Academy so it would

  just be me coming.” After hearing that Alex knew the Sheriff

  wouldn’t let her stay home alone.

  “That does it then. Pack a bag and get here as soon as

  you can. I’ll go set it up at the Motel. I’m putting you in

  witness protection so to speak.” The Sheriff would have the

  city foot the bill, thinking it was the least they could do for

  Alex.

  Alex closed her phone after saying goodbye and went

  into the guest room to see if Oliver was still there. He was

  talking to Eva and the kittens while sitting on the floor next to

  her box. Alex let Oliver know what was up and asked if he

  would take care of Eva and babies while she was gone. She

  would be back in a few days, she hoped. Alex asked Oliver

  that if Sam did come back home to have her call and she

  would fill her in. She looked at Anna and Ramon’s picture and

  then put the wolf fetish in her pocket. It couldn’t hurt to take it

  along as a beacon, just in case. Then she went to her bedroom

  and threw some clothes into a bag and grabbed her toothbrush

  and comb from the bathroom. This was going to be a mini

  vacation for one.

  By the time Alex got into town she was really hungry,

  but thought she should stop by the Sheriff’s office first to let

  him know she was in town. Jim hit the speed dial number on

  his phone and would have Alex’s order ready by the time she got there. Both the Sheriff and Jim looked very tired. But once JT was behind bars things would settle back to there old boring

  ways.

  The Sheriff walked Alex out to her truck and said he

  would stay in touch. By tomorrow more law enforcement

  agencies would have more information on JT and hopefully he

  would be apprehended soon. Alex jumped in her truck and

  headed for the Diner. By now her stomach was growling with

  its displeasure, but she was pleasantly surprised when her

  dinner was no charge. This being a police informant had its

  perks. Alex was also beginning to feel the effects of a rather

  stress filled day and knew that she’d probably fall sound asleep

  as soon as she finished her dinner.

  Alex found her little motel room quaint to say the

  least. The burger was delicious and consumed in a matter of

  minutes. The leftover french fries and onion rings went into

  the small refrigerator.

  All she needed to do now was brush her teeth and then

  she could get in bed for some needed sleep. This was the

  second night Alex would spend alone and she wondered just

  how much time Sam would need to figure out who she was

  and what she wanted.

  Alex fell asleep within minutes of climbing into bed

  and then started dreaming immediately. She found herself

  standing in front of a house she’d never been to before. The

  door was open and so she walked in to see why she had been

  shown this place. When she walked into the entryway she immediately turned away. JT was hanging from the second floor

  railing. She couldn’t believe he had killed himself, but he must

  have known he had no way out and so he chose this way to end

  his life. Alex would get the Sheriff on this first thing in the

  morning. If JT was dead there really wasn’t any reason to rush

  over right now. He wasn’t going anywhere.

  Chapter 47

  When Alex awoke she felt well rested and was surprised at how early it was. It must have been the fact that she was sleeping in a strange bed and the noises coming from outside that were interrupting her continuing sleep.

  It was Saturday and she wondered what time the Sheriff would be in his office. It didn’t seem logical that he would take the day off with JT still at large. But if her dream was right he could sleep in tomorrow.

  A quick call to the office would answer her question and maybe he would be up for some breakfast. But if she told him her dream he may take a rain check until he could confirm JT’s current status.

  Alex wasn’t that hungry and she did want to get this case wrapped up. So she would call and then maybe they could do an early lunch. Alex was surprised at how nonchalant she felt about JT’s death. Just another day in the life of Alex Whitney – Have Ghosts – Will Travel.

  When the Sheriff answered the phone he sounded more tired than he did last night and Alex hoped he had gotten some sleep.

  “Good morning Sheriff. I hope you weren’t up all night?” Alex pulled her tennis shoes on and tied the laces.

  “No, but I did sleep here last night. I guess it’s one of the perks of being divorced; no one to go home to. How did you sleep?” Sheriff Taylor had given Jim the morning off.

  “I hope I have some good news for you. I’ll be over in a few minutes. Do you have any coffee made?” Alex could stop if he didn’t have any brewed.

  “I just made a fresh pot a
bout twenty minutes ago. Come on over and I’d love some good news.” The Sheriff could only hope Alex’s news wasn’t just good, it was great.

  Alex grabbed a bear claw from the platter of breakfast pastries sitting on the Front Desk counter and hoped it would hold her until lunch. When she pulled into the parking space in front of the Sheriff’s office she noticed a State Trooper’s Patrol Car parked a few spaces over. Did something happen or did the Sheriff ask them to come by.

  As Alex got out of her truck she saw a familiar face ride up on a bicycle; so much for Jim taking the morning off.

  “Don’t you ever take a day off?” Alex knew Jim loved his job – but really.

  “Nothing as exciting on TV as what’s going on down here. How are you?” Jim was tired of boring TV.

  “Great. I hope to share some good news.” Alex didn’t want to leave the Sheriff out of this news flash.

  Alex held the door open as Jim entered with his bicycle. Sheriff Taylor was talking to Trooper Valdez and both men looked up and smiled as she approached.

  “So what is this good news you have for me? Did you have another insightful dream?” The Sheriff was drinking his third cup of coffee for the morning.

  “Yes, I did have another dream.” Alex poured herself a cup of coffee and added her cream and sugar slowly; giving Jim enough time to get back in the room from putting his bicycle in the back.

  Both men looked at Alex like she could speak at any time just as Jim joined the group.

  “I had a dream where I found myself at a house I’ve never been to before and found JT hanging from the second floor railing. I believe he’s dead.” Alex took a sip and waited for their reaction.

  “JT hung himself.” Trooper Valdez looked at the floor and was trying not to laugh; he was finding this news hard to believe.

  “Let’s go. Fil you take your car and follow us.” The Sheriff was hoping that Alex was right and this nightmare was over.

  “Are we leaving?” Alex hadn’t finished her coffee.

  “Yes, bring your coffee. I want to take you to the Jennings’s place to see if you’re right.” The Sheriff grabbed his gun from his desk drawer and told Jim to get ready for another crazy day.

  Alex took several sips as she entered the Sheriff’s car and was glad she did. Thankfully the streets were empty as the Sheriff backed up and then peeled out leaving tread marks in the road. This was the fastest she’d ever gone in a car and was glad the Sheriff was at the wheel.