This story is purely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to person's living or dead, or to events that may have occurred, is purely coincidental.
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Mark Stevens
Chapter Fourteen
When Britt and Devon arrived at Louie's that evening, they found Glenn Redding already there. The lawyer greeted them with a smile.
"I reserved a table for us," Glenn told them. "When you told me where you wanted to meet, I thought it might be a good idea since it's the weekend."
"Glad you did," Britt said to the man. "It didn't even cross my mind this place might be packed."
The three men were shown to a table. After drinks had been ordered and food decided upon, conversation around the table turned to the subject of interest. Britt was the first to speak.
"So tell me, Glenn, were you able to find out any information for us?" Britt leaned closer to the table.
"Actually I found out several things." Glenn watched as the waiter approached their table with drinks. When they were alone once more, he opened a folder and said, "I came up with the name of Justin Reynold's mother. She lives here in Oklahoma City. Her name is Charlotte North."
A puzzled look appeared on Britt's face. "North?"
Glenn nodded and said, "That's right. She divorced Justin's father when the boy was eight years old. Six months later Logan committed suicide. Two years later Charlotte married Wilson North."
Devon turned to Britt and said, "Do you realize what this could mean?"
"I sure as hell do. I think we're about to discover who Susan Abbott's killer is." Britt looked at Glenn and asked, "Did you by any chance discover where Charlotte North lives?"
Glenn pushed a sheet of paper across the table. "Take a look for yourself."
Britt studied the paper before him. "My God, the woman lives just a few miles away."
"Are we going to pay the woman a visit?" Devon asked.
Britt didn't immediately answer his lover's question. He appeared to be lost in thought for a moment. Finally he said, "I think we should give Brian a call before we do anything else. I'm not sure it would be a good idea for the two of us to show up on her doorstep."
"She might be more willing to answer Brian's questions," Glenn agreed. Looking at Britt the lawyer said, "I take it you think this North woman might have some answers for you?"
Britt gave a nod. "I do," he answered. "I just don't know how to prove it yet. But I will," he added.
Their food arrived and for a time neither of them discussed anything concerning the Abbott murder. As they were leaving the grill a little later, Britt thanked the lawyer for his help. "Send me your bill," he said.
Glenn shook his head. "You bought dinner and drinks. That's plenty pay for me."
"We really appreciate your help," Devon said shaking the man's hand.
Britt led Brian Poteet into his living room. "I'm glad you could make it," he said to the officer. Britt had called the man the evening before, and when Brian heard what the two of them had discovered, he immediately agreed to meet them the next day.
Britt left the room and returned almost immediately with coffee. He handed a cup to Brian. "How did you manage to leave town without Alice?"
Brian took a sip from his cup. "Catherine had invited her over for lunch today, and she didn't want to disappoint her. You know your mom, Britt. She goes all out when it comes to entertaining. Actually I was included in the invitation as well."
"Sounds as if you're not as loyal as my sister," Devon said with a grin.
"When I spoke with her, Britt's mother was very understanding," Brian declared.
"Mom will love having Alice," Britt said. "She thinks of her as a daughter. The two of them will have a great time today."
Brian drained his cup and said, "Okay, explain to me again what you guys have found out."
When Britt had contacted the officer the previous night, he had given Brian not only the address, but the telephone number belonging to Charlotte North. "Have you called the woman yet?" he asked.
"I spoke with her this morning," Brian answered. "She's going to see us this afternoon at two o'clock."
"Us?" Devon had a look of surprise on his face.
"Yeah, `us'," Brian replied. "I don't think there is any way I could keep the two of you away. Besides, you guys have been working hard on this case. You've earned the right to come along with me."
Brian rang the doorbell announcing their arrival at the North residence promptly at two o'clock. The door opened at once, and the three of them were greeted by a well dressed woman. The police officer made introductions, and she invited them to come inside her home.
She led them into her living room where they were introduced to her husband, Wilson North.
"What's this about?" Wilson North asked.
"Please, have a seat," Charlotte North said pointing to a sofa.
Britt and Devon remained silent and took a seat beside Brian. They listened as he began talking.
"Mrs. North, thank you so much for seeing us this afternoon. I apologize up front for barging in this way, interfering with your Sunday. I hope we haven't interrupted any plans."
"You spoke on the telephone about a crime that had taken place in your town," the woman reminded him. "Tell me why you think I might have any information for you. I've never been to the town of...was it Porterville?"
"That's correct," Brian said with a nod. "A school teacher in Porterville, Susan Abbott, has been murdered. Tell me, Mrs. North, does the name Justin Reynolds mean anything to you?"
Charlotte suddenly brought her hand up to her mouth. "Is Justin all right?"
"He is," Brian assured her. "At least the last time I saw him he was," he added.
The woman's face suddenly had a look of relief. She sighed. "He's my son," she said softly.
"What's the boy done now?"
The question came from the woman's husband.
"I'm not certain he's done anything," Brian spoke up. "As I said, a murder has been committed in Porterville, and your son is just one of the many people that may or may not be involved."
"Something tells me you think Justin is involved big time," Wilson North spoke up for the second time.
"Wilson, please be fair," Mrs. North begged her husband. "You always make Justin guilty before you've heard his side. You've always treated him that way."
"Charlotte, you know that's not true. I've always tried----- "Wilson North didn't finish his thought.
Brian turned to the older man. "Is Justin your son, Mr. North?"
The man shook his head. "Step- son," he answered. "The boy was ten when I married Charlotte."
"I see." Brian went back to the man's wife. "Mrs. North, does the name Joyce Miller mean anything to you?"
The color suddenly drained from Charlotte's face. From across the room, the woman seemed to sink lower in her chair. She didn't respond to Brian's question.
"Please, Mrs. North," Brian said after a moment of silence. "I understand this may be difficult to talk about, but I'm afraid we have to."
Charlotte took a deep breath. "The girl came to my house a long time ago." The words she spoke were soft.
"Could you please repeat that?" Brian asked.
"I said she came to my house once...a long time ago."
"What was the reason for her visit?" Brian asked.
The woman looked over at her husband. "Please try and understand, Wilson. "
"Evidentially there is more to the story than what you told me all those years ago." The man turned to Brian and said, "Before I married Charlotte, she told me Justin's father had committed suicide a couple years before we met."
"It was the truth," Charlotte insisted. "Logan did kill himself."
"I have to ask this, Mrs. North," Brian said quietly. "Why did your husband feel he needed to end his life? A wonderful wife; a sweet young son. Why?"
Tears formed in Charlotte North's eyes. "He wasn't my husband when he died. That's not right." She appeared to choke on her words.
"Not your husband? Tell me what happened. Please."
"As I said, the young girl came to our home once many years ago."
"You're referring to Joyce Miller, I assume?"
She nodded. "I am. She was young. Only seventeen at the time. When Logan went to the door and found the girl standing there, he had the shock of his life. I could tell he was very upset. He asked her what she wanted."
"What did she want, Charlotte?" Brian asked the question quietly.
"She said she came to tell him she was pregnant."
Wilson North jumped up from his chair. "Pregnant! What the hell happened back then, Charlotte?"
Charlotte North looked at her husband and said, "Please sit down, Wilson. I suppose I should have told you this in the very beginning."
"You suppose?" Wilson North dropped down into his chair once again. A sudden look of tenderness appeared on his face. "Why don't you tell me now?"
Charlotte reached for a tissue on the table beside her chair. "Logan had a traveling job for a time when Justin was young. He was a sales rep for a pharmaceutical company. He would be gone for several days at a time. When Joyce suddenly appeared at our door, he told me he had met her on one of his routes, and things had just happened. Just happened." Her voice became bitter. "The girl wanted to let him know she was pregnant and that he was the father. I could hardly believe it. Logan had always been a good husband.
"Logan told the girl that he had a family and that she needed to move on and do whatever she thought was best for her and her unborn child."
As Britt sat there listening to the woman tell her story, he felt sick inside. Logan Reynolds must have believed the baby was his. While true the man had a family, still, he had to have felt some sort of obligation for Joyce and her baby. He forced his thoughts to come to a halt, and he listened to what Charlotte North was now saying.
"I thought I could forget the whole incident," Charlotte said. "I honestly tried. I thought we both could move on. I actually think Logan did manage to put the entire thing behind him. He tried to become a better husband, made sure he was home whenever possible so he could attend Justin's ball games. Yes, Logan managed to move on with his life.
"As for me, I could not. Move on," she added. "Oh, I tried. Believe me, I did try. A few months after I found out what had happened, I asked Logan to move out. He begged and pleaded with me to let him stay. I told him I needed some space, time, to think things through. Three months later I told him I wanted a divorce. I filed for one, but Logan took his life before the divorce went through."
Charlotte became still. No other explanation came from her lips.
When it was apparent she had come to the end of her story, Brian Poteet said, "I'm so sorry, Charlotte. I could tell you I understand, but that wouldn't be the truth. There is no way in the world I could know how you felt; what you went through."
Brian allowed a little space between his words. Then he said, "Charlotte, I have to ask another question."
Justin Reynold's mother looked directly at Brian and waited for him to speak.
"How did your son handle the situation?"
"How do you think he handled it? He hated me at first. Blamed me. Said it was my fault his daddy left. He blamed me for Logan's death."
Filled with compassion for the woman, Brian made the decision not to ask her any more questions. At least for the time being. He was about to tell her so when she picked up with her story once more.
"About a year and a half after his father died, Justin appeared to have made peace with me and the entire situation. He had been having lots of trouble in school. In fact, his principal at the time had suggested that I might look at different options for his education. Like I said, Justin suddenly made a turn, and things seemed to settle down for the both of us. A few months later I met Wilson, and when we decided to get married, Justin seemed to be very happy Wilson was going to be in the family."
"Did that continue?" Brian asked Wilson.
"Pretty much," Wilson answered. "Until the teen years hit. Around fifteen or so the boy began pulling away from us. He still doesn't have much to do with us. We get a phone call now and then; that's about the size of it."
"I see."
Brian turned to Britt. "Do either of you have any questions?"
"I think you've covered it all," Britt answered.
Devon agreed.
Brian stood to his feet and said, "Mr. and Mrs. North, thank you for your time. I appreciate you allowing us to take up your afternoon."
"So what happens now?" Charlotte asked. She also stood to her feet.
"For now, nothing," Brian answered with a shrug. "We're still trying to fit the puzzle pieces together."
"Is my son in trouble?" she asked following them to the door.
Brian shook his head. "I honestly can't say." He gave the woman a warm smile. "I will make you a promise, however. I will remain in touch and keep you posted on what's taking place. You have my word on that."
The woman smiled weakly and said, "I appreciate that."
"We both do," Wilson North said joining his wife at her side.
Brian shook the man's hand. "I'll help in any way that I can. Good bye," he said as he followed Britt and Devon out the door.
Once they were back inside Britt's car, Devon spoke up for the first time since they had entered the North home. "Tell me the truth, Brian. What's your next move?"
"The first thing on my agenda is to return to Porterville. I think it's about time to speak with Justin Reynolds. See what he can add to the story."
Backing out of the North driveway, Britt said, "Can I ask a favor of you, Brian?"
"Anything."
"I think Devon and I will follow you home tonight. I have a couple of things in mind. There's someone I want to speak with back in Porterville first."
"Do you mind me asking who?" Brian asked.
Britt shook his head. "Not at all," he answered. "I want to talk to the bartender who tends bar at the Fox Den."
"What the hell does he have to do with all this?" Devon asked.
"I'm working on a theory." Britt appeared lost in thought for a moment. Finally he said, "Please, give me a little time. I promise, I'll fill both of you in."
"I really need to see Justin tomorrow sometime," Brian decided.
"You can do that," Britt assured him. "It may be early afternoon before I can check my theory out, but you have my word, Brian. By six o'clock tomorrow evening you should be able to meet with Justin. Perhaps even sooner," he added.
"I really appreciate the help you guys are giving me," Brian praised. "I think I can find a job for you any time you'd like to seriously work at getting rid of crime."
"No thanks," Britt said with a smile. "I'd much rather help out on a voluntarily basis. I am paid quite handsomely just by the facts I come across. I can pretty much assure you a story will come out of all this. In due time," he added.
Brian laughed. "I don't doubt that one bit, Britt Williams."
Later that evening as Britt was following Brian at a safe distance along Interstate 40, Devon turned in his seat and asked Britt a question.
"Okay, Britt, it's just you and me now. What the hell is your theory?"
Britt looked away from the highway for a quick second and smiled at his lover. "My theory is that I really don't think Justin was drunk the night we took him home from the Fox Den."
"That thought had crossed my mind," Devon remarked.
His eyes back on the road, Britt said, "I'm thinking that entire act was just that...a play to give Justin an alibi. After all, if people saw him drunk they would have to know he would be in no shape to drive anywhere, let alone commit murder."
"I think you might be on to something there," Devon agreed.
"It will be interesting to hear what the bartender has to say," Britt said thoughtfully.
Britt emitted a sigh. Things were looking up. In his mind he saw this entire situation as one big puzzle with many pieces missing. Now, after all this time, he felt the pieces were slowly coming together, completing the puzzle, bringing forth the whole picture.