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
I would like to welcome my previous as well as hopefully new readers back to enjoy this story. However, should you have not read any of the Porterville books before, you should do so
- Porterville 2. Murder in Porterville 3. Silver Candlesticks 4. No Regrets
All the stories are stand alone, however, a lot of the same characters from the first book return for more adventures.
To my old readers: Welcome back. To my new ones, welcome aboard.
Please feel free to write me with any thought you might have. Please keep comments positive. I already have an editor that keeps me walking the line. Ha ha. You can email me at:
jetdesk2@yahoo.com
Chapter Eight
Britt and Devon had just finished their dinner Tuesday evening when Britt received a telephone call from Brian. It was a short conversation, and when Britt ended the call he said to Devon, "That was Brian. Grab your coat and let's go. Sandra Collins is dead."
Following Britt out the door Devon asked, "What has happened?"
As they got into Britt's car he said, "Don't really know. Brian said to meet him at Sandra's home."
Sandra Collins lived on the same street as Britt's mother so it didn't take long to reach the woman's house. Britt's phone rang just as he was pulling up behind a police car with flashing lights.
"Hey, Mom, can I call you back?"
Catherine had seen the flashing lights and was worried something was wrong with one of her neighbors.
"I don't know anything at the moment, Mom," Britt told her. "If and when I know anything I will let you know. Bye, Mom."
Britt ended his call and quickly walked up the drive with Devon on his heels. Reaching the front door, he gave a quick knock on the closed door and pushed it open.
"Brian," Britt called out as he stepped inside.
"In here," Brian answered.
Britt and Devon walked into the living room and discovered Brian and Chris Vaughn standing over the body of Sandra Collins.
"What the hell happened?" Britt asked.
"Gunshot wound straight through the heart," Brian explained.
"Dead when we got here," Chris Vaughn added.
"Tracy Coleman's out in the kitchen," Brian said. "She discovered Sandra's body."
"My God," Devon said with a groan.
"Evidently Sandra didn't show up for the town meeting tonight. She had told Tracy that she was planning on attending, so when she didn't arrive, Tracy gave her a call. When she didn't answer, Tracy came over to check on her. The front door was open, so she came in and discovered this." Brian's eyes looked down at the body.
The coroner, Diane Baxter, joined them followed by two men. Brian explained what he knew so far, which wasn't much and then said to Britt and Devon, "Why don't we step into the kitchen and visit with Tracy? Thanks, Diane. Sorry to have to drag you out on such a cold night."
Diane smiled and said, "That's my job, Brian." Looking at Britt, she said, "We should plan on meeting sometime when there's not a dead body nearby, Britt."
"Isn't that the truth," Britt agreed.
Reaching the kitchen, Britt discovered Tracy Collins sitting at the table. He knew of her, but he didn't know her well. Devon had been on several committees with the woman. He walked over and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Tracy," Devon said.
Tracy's eyes settled on his face and said, "I don't understand. How could this happen. Sandra was the kindest and sweetest person I know."
Devon removed his hand and stepped away when Brian pulled out a chair and took a seat.
"Tracy, I'm sorry, but I need to ask you a few questions. I'll be as quick as possible and then you can leave."
Tracy took a deep breath and then gave him a nod. "I understand," she said quietly.
To Brian's questions she repeated a lot of what she had already told him. When Sandra hadn't turned up for the meeting, and she couldn't reach her on the telephone, she left the meeting and drove to the councilwoman's home. "And found her," she said softly.
"And the door?" Brian asked.
"It wasn't shut, so I pushed it opened and called out to Sandra. Then I—".
Brian gave the woman a smile and said, "That's alright, Tracy. I understand." Then leaning back in his chair, he asked, "Tracy, do you know if Sandra had any concerns or problems? Any enemies?"
"I'm not for certain. She was concerned about something and called me to drop by her house last evening."
Brian leaned forward. "You were here last night, with Sandra?"
"Yes. Sandra was concerned about a conversation she had overheard at City Hall yesterday."
"A conversation with whom?" Chris Vaughn asked.
When Tracy hesitated, Brian said, "Please, Tracy, if you know anything at all, it might help us discover who committed this crime."
"When I came over last night, Sandra told me that walking down the hall she had overheard Boyd Wilson talking on the telephone. Evidently he was really angry with the person he was talking to."
"Did she say what the conversation was about?" Brian asked.
"She said it sounded as if Boyd had asked someone to do something for him and was upset by the way that person had handled it," Tracy explained.
"What time were you here last night?" Chris asked.
"Around eight o'clock."
"How long were you here?" Brian asked.
"Maybe an hour. It wasn't long. My husband's out of town on business, and I needed to get home and make sure my boys were alright. They are twelve and fourteen, but I don't like to leave them too long by themselves, especially at night."
"How was Sandra when you left?" Brian asked.
"She was still a little concerned, but she said she felt better after we had talked."
"Was Sandra going to tell anyone else about her concern?" Britt asked.
"I don't believe so, Mr. Williams. After our visit she seemed relieved."
Diane Baxter joined them and said, "We're leaving, Brian."
"Can you give me any information?" Brian asked her.
"I can only estimate the time of death to be somewhere within the past twenty-four hours," she answered. "Other than the wound made by a thirty-eight bullet, I won't know anything for certain until I do a full examination."
"Tracy was here last night at around eight o'clock. She left approximately an hour later. She says that when she left Sandra was alright."
"Thanks, that gives me a little to go on. I'll get with you, Brian just as soon as I know anything."
"Thanks, Diane. Again, thanks for coming out tonight."
After Diane and her crew had left, Brian asked Tracy if she knew of any family Sandra might have.
"She was single and never had been married," Tracy replied. "I think that she has a sister that lives in Oklahoma City. She's mentioned her before, but I don't recall ever hearing the woman's name."
"Perhaps there's an address book in that desk," Devon said eying a built in desk at one end of the kitchen.
Britt walked across the room and pulled out the only drawer in the desk. He immediately took out a small blue book and flipped through the pages. "Here," he said handing the opened book to Brian. "Here's the name of a woman living in Oklahoma City. Maybe this is her sister."
"Great. Thanks, Britt. Thank you both," he added looking at both Britt and Devon. Then turning to Tracy, he said, "Tracy, you can go home. If I need anything more from you, I'll give you a call tomorrow."
Tracy got to her feet and slowly made her way out of the kitchen. It was evident that she was still pretty shaken up by the way she carried herself.
"Tracy, wait a minute," Devon called out. Then turning to Britt he said, "Why don't I drive Tracy home and make sure that she gets there safely? You can follow me over and pick me up."
"That's a great idea, Devon," Brian said. "Thank you."
Before Britt left he asked Brian what his next step would be.
"I'm going to secure this place and then give the person in this book a call. This type of call I hate like hell to make."
"I can understand that," Britt sympathized.
"Then Chris and I are going to pay Mr. Boyd Wilson a visit and see if we can get any answers from him."
"Sounds like a plan. I'll pick Devon up, and we'll go home. If you need to, you can give me a call later."
"I will, Britt. Thanks for coming."
Britt hurried out to his car. He wasn't sure where Tracy Coleman lived, so he had to keep her vehicle insight. As he pulled behind her car he thought about Sandra Collins' death. He wondered what was happening to his hometown. Porterville, for its size, seemed to be having more than its share of murders. Britt had been home for two years and Sandra's murder was the fourth one. His mother used to worry when he lived in Oklahoma City, but he was beginning to think in its own way, Porterville was a dangerous place to live as well. What was wrong with people? He decided that was a question that would probably never be answered, so he turned his attention to the car he was following.
When he arrived at Tracy's home, Britt remained in the car and watched Devon walk the woman to the door. When she was safely inside the house and the door closed behind her, Devon joined him in the car.
"Is she going to be okay?" Britt asked.
"I think so. She has her boys with her. She told me that she's going to try and reach her husband and have him come home as soon as possible."
"I'm glad to hear that," Britt said as he pulled away from the Coleman home."
"What about Catherine, are you going to call her when we get home?"
"I think it would be best if we stop by and explain what has happened," Britt answered. "She already knows something has taken place in her neighborhood."
"She may object, but I think she should spend the night with us," Devon said.
"You're right on both accounts. Mom will object to spending the night with us, but, yes, she should probably do so, at least for tonight."
When they arrived at Catherine's home, Britt rang the doorbell and called out, "Mom, its Devon and me."
The lock clicked and suddenly the door opened. A relieved look appeared on Catherine's face. "Come in you two," she greeted and stepped back.
They each gave her a kiss on the cheek and followed her into the living room. Britt explained about the murder and what little Brian had to go on at the moment.
"Dear Lord in heaven," Catherine said falling into a chair. "Sandra was the sweetest person. I can't imagine anyone wanting to cause her any harm."
"Devon said the same thing. Evidently he has worked with Sandra on a few committees. I'm afraid that I didn't know her very well."
A few minutes later Britt suggested to his mother that she spend the night with him and Devon, and he received the reaction he knew would come.
"I feel perfectly safe here," Catherine declared. "I'm locked up tight as a drum, I'll set my alarm, and all will be well."
Britt studied his mom intently for a moment. Finally he said, "I really wish you would come home with us. I would feel better at any rate."
At Catherine's hesitance Devon said, "Would you rather one of us spend the night here?"
"Of course not. I will be fine."
Britt finally gave in with a sigh and said, "Alright, Mom, I give in. You can stay here. However, I am going to call you when we get home."
"If you feel you must," Catherine said. She smiled at her son. "Besides, don't you already have a house guest? Isn't Cory staying with you?"
"He is," Devon answered.
"I'm surprised he isn't with you. Does he know about the murder?"
"I don't know," Britt replied. "He and Jerry were out having dinner together when Brian called. Everything happened so fast that I didn't think to get hold of either of them."
Devon looked at the clock on the wall in Catherine's living room. "It's getting late, Britt. Should we go home just in case Brian stops by?"
Britt eyed his mother once more and asked, "Are you certain you will be alright?"
"Of course. When you walk out the door, I'll lock up and immediately set the alarm. Will that satisfy you? Both of you?" she added.
As the three walked to the door, Devon leaned over and kissed the woman he considered as his mother, as well as Britt's, and said, "It will."
They waited on the porch until they heard the lock click in place on the door and the beep as Catherine set the alarm system. Then Britt called good night, and the two walked out to the car.
When they reached home, they found Cory waiting for them in the living room.
"I understand there has been a murder," the detective greeted them.
"Yes, there has," Britt answered. "Let me give Mom a quick call first, and then we'll explain what we know at this point."
Britt's conversation with his mother was short, and he ended the call after Catherine had assured him not once but three times that she would be okay. He also made her promise that if she needed him she was to call, no matter what the hour.
Britt, with help from Devon, explained to the Little Rock detective what little they knew about the murder that had taken place on Catherine's street.
"Your poor mother," Cory said. "She must be frightened out of her wits."
"You would think so," Britt agreed, "but you know my mother. Devon and I stopped by to see her before coming home, and neither of us could talk her into coming out and spending the night with us."
Another hour went by without hearing anything from Brian, so Britt turned the downstairs lights off, and the three men went upstairs and called it a night.
"What a night," Britt said as he turned the lamp beside the bed off.
"What's new? Just another murder in Porterville," Devon said pulling Britt to him.
"Sometimes it feels to me like it's just as dangerous living in Porterville as it was when I lived in Oklahoma City."
"While Porterville has seemed to have a good share of murder crimes, you have to admit the City is definitely worse. It's a big town with many towns connected to it, so you don't always pay as close attention to those crimes. Porterville is small, and everybody knows most everybody else. News just travels faster here."
"That is true," Britt agreed. "Night, Love."