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.
The author claims all copyrights to this story and no duplication or publication of this story is allowed, except by the web sites to which it has been posted, without the consent of the author.
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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
All three 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 Twenty-Two
Wallace entered the kitchen, having slowly made his way up the stairs from his living quarters in the basement. He and Edna each had their own living area and bedroom down there allowing the two faithful people the privacy they deserved. The two had proven their loyalty through their many years of service to the McKenzie family. Wallace had not been able to fall asleep, and for that reason he decided to come upstairs and make himself a cup of hot chocolate.
He heated a cup of water in the microwave and mixed in the powder. Wallace took a seat at the kitchen table and gently stirred the liquid in his cup. When the mixture was dissolved, he took a cautious sip of the steaming hot liquid.
"Ah, yes," he spoke out loud. Hopefully this would help him fall asleep.
His cup was almost empty when suddenly a scream pierced through the nighttime quiet of the house. It came from the floor below the kitchen.
Wallace hurried down the stairs and discovered Edna standing in the hallway looking white as a sheet.
A concerned look on his face Wallace asked, "What's wrong?"
In a shaking voice, Edna said, "Something woke me up. I heard a strange noise coming from somewhere. When I got up to see if everything was alright, I saw someone's head in the laundry room window. I screamed and turned on the light."
"Did you see who was in the window?" Wallace asked.
Edna shook her head. "By the time I had the light on, the person was gone." A shudder went through Edna's body.
"I'm going up and let Mr. McKenzie know what has happened," Wallace told her. "Come upstairs with me," he added. "Just in case the prowler decides to come back for another visit."
Edna didn't offer any objection. Without a word, she followed Wallace up the stairs into the kitchen. When they reached the stairs leading to the top floor, she remained at the bottom. She told Wallace she'd wait there.
Britt and Devon were both in a deep sleep when a knock sounded on the bedroom door. A second knock sounded before either of them were a wake.
"Yes? What is it?"
Devon had been the one to wake up first.
The door opened slowly, and Wallace identified himself.
"Is something wrong?" Devon asked the old man.
"Sir, there's been an incident. I think the police should be called."
Wallace's words caused Devon and Britt both to sit up in bed. Britt leaned over and switched on the lamp beside the bed.
"What has happened?" Britt asked.
Wallace stepped hesitantly into the room. "Someone has broken the window in the laundry room. Edna discovered a prowler trying to get inside the house."
"Is she alright?" Devon asked.
Wallace assured him she was okay, adding she was shaken up.
Devon told the man to go to Edna until they could get downstairs. Once the old man had left, Britt and Devon quickly jumped out of bed. Both men were nude and quickly threw some clothes on. They hurried downstairs where they found Edna and Wallace huddling together in the entryway.
"Are you alright, Edna?" Devon asked.
Edna gave him a nod and remained silent.
Britt followed Devon down the stairs and into the laundry room. He could see glass on the floor. Looking at the window, he could see shreds of it everywhere, jagged edges pointing dangerously to the center, indicating where the point of attack had occurred.
"We need to call the police," Britt decided.
Devon made the call, and while they were waiting, Britt hurried upstairs and knocked on the door of Jerry Poteet's bedroom. When the sleepy man stood in the doorway, Britt explained what had happened, ending with saying the police had been called.
Jerry pulled his robe on and stepped out into the hallway. "Is Cory alright?" he asked.
"I think so."
Britt walked quickly across the hall to the closed door of the detective's room. He quietly opened the heavy wooden door and looked around the room. There was just enough moon light coming through the window to allow him to have a good look around the bedroom. Britt saw that Cory was sleeping peacefully in his bed and quietly pulled the door closed.
"What time is it?" Jerry asked as they made their way down the stairs.
"It was a little after one when Wallace woke us up," Devon answered.
As they reached the bottom of the staircase, the doorbell rang, and Britt quickly opened the door. He discovered Chris Vaughn standing on the top step.
"What's going on?" Chris greeted.
"It looks as if someone tried to break into our home," Britt explained.
"Working the graveyard shift I see," Jerry greeted the police officer.
"Yeah. It comes around about every five weeks," Vaughn explained.
As Britt was leading the way down to the basement floor, Chris asked, "Do you know if anything was taken?"
"Not sure, but I don't think so. I think Edna surprised the person, causing him to run away."
Britt followed the police officer into the laundry room, stepping around the pieces of glass that had shattered when the attempted break in had taken place.
"You can definitely tell where the initial attack on the window to place," Vaughn acknowledged. "Who discovered this?"
Devon told him that Edna had heard a noise and got up to check it out.
"I was upstairs having a cup of hot chocolate when I heard her scream," Wallace volunteered.
"Did you see anyone trying to enter the house?" Vaughn asked the McKenzie cook.
"Just a shadow," Edna explained. "When I opened the door to the room, I saw a shadow in the window. That's when I screamed. By the time I found the light switch and flipped it on, whoever was out there had disappeared from sight."
"Thank God you weren't hurt," Devon said.
The officer walked back into the laundry room and stood silently as he looked around. Then turning back to the others, he asked, "Britt, do you think this had anything to do with your house guest?"
"It definitely could," Britt agreed.
"Have you checked to make sure he's alright?" Vaughn asked.
Jerry Poteet answered that question. "We checked on him before coming downstairs. He's sleeping soundly in his bed."
"That's good. I'll check for fingerprints before I go. However, I won't be surprised if I don't find any that shouldn't be in the room."
"Thanks, Chris. We appreciate you coming out here," Devon said to the officer.
"No problem. I think since nothing has been taken and no one has been hurt, I will not give the Chief a call. No use waking him up in the middle of the night. I'll see him in the morning before I leave the station."
While Chris was checking for fingerprints, Britt went out to a storage shed out back of the cabin and found a board large enough to cover the broken window. Devon helped to hold it in place while Britt sealed it off.
"There, that should keep things safe for tonight," Britt said when he had finished. He looked at Wallace and said, "I really don't think our prowler will try again tonight. I think you two will be safe down here."
"Edna, you're welcome to stay the rest of the night in the guest room if you would feel safer," Devon invited the housekeeper.
By this time Edna had calmed down considerably. She assured her employer she would remain in her own bed.
Devon repeated the invitation, telling her she could do whatever made her feel safe. Again, she chose to remain downstairs.
Britt and Devon, along with Jerry, climbed up the stairs and made their way into the living room. By this time all three men were wide awake. Britt took a seat in one of the chairs and the other two followed suit.
Britt asked, "What do you think, Jerry? Did this have anything to do with Cory?"
"I have no doubt," Jerry Poteet replied. "I also believe this is not going to stop. Someone is afraid that Cory is going to eventually remember something about his attack. Honestly, I think things are only going to get worse."
"I think you're right," Britt agreed with the older man. "I think the person responsible for Crawley's death is afraid he's going to be discovered."
"Then what's the plan now?" Devon asked.
"We'll talk with Brian in the morning," Jerry decided. "We'll do whatever he thinks is best."
"It's already morning," Britt reminded. "It's nearly five o'clock."
Jerry stood to his feet. "So it is. I think I'll head up to bed. Night, fellows."
After Brian's dad had disappeared up the stairs, Britt asked, "Are we going to still plan on having our dinner party Friday evening?"
"I think we should," Devon answered. "I'll call our friends this morning and see if they can come. This is only Wednesday. Edna and Wallace will have today and tomorrow to get over their scare. I'll check with them both when I get up. If they're okay with it, I'll get in touch with everyone else."
"There won't be much time," Britt mused. "Plans may have already been made for that night."
"If so, we'll either change the date or have it for the ones who can be here," Devon decided.
The following morning when Britt and Devon came into the kitchen, they discovered both Wallace and Edna in the room. They both assured the guys they had recovered and would live to make it through another day. When Devon asked if they would be able to manage a dinner party Friday evening, they both assured him they would be happy to prepare a meal for their guests.
Because of the previous night's activities, Devon was later than usual leaving for the plant. With the schedule Britt kept, it really didn't seem much different than any other morning. They had just finished breakfast when the doorbell rang.
Wallace soon returned to the kitchen followed by Brian.
"Morning, Brian," Britt greeted.
"Is everyone out here okay?" Brian asked as he walked over to the kitchen table.
Britt pushed his chair back and stood up. "I'll show you what happened. Follow me."
Britt led the way down the basement stairs, followed by Brian and Devon. He opened the door to the laundry room and stepped to the side.
"Damn," Brian said eyeing the boarded up window. Shaking his head he said, "I'm really sorry for getting the two of you mixed up in this."
"No one was hurt," Britt assured the chief. "I think Edna was scared shitless, but other than that, no real harm was done."
"Cory never knew there was any excitement," Devon added.
"What excitement did I miss?"
Three sets of eyes turned around to discover Cory and Jerry reaching the bottom of the stairs.
Britt looked at Jerry and asked, "You didn't tell him?"
Jerry shook his head. "We met in the hall upstairs and came down together. Edna informed us you were down here."
"What happened?" Cory asked for a second time.
They took turns filling the Arkansas detective in on what had occurred during the night. Cory was shocked.
"I slept through all this? I can't believe I missed everything."
"We checked on you," Jerry explained. "You were sleeping soundly, so we left you alone. You were safe, so we knew you would be okay."
"I hate that Wallace and Edna had such a bad experience," Cory worried.
"They survived. We all did," Britt hastened to assure him.
"Tell me, Brian, what's your gut feeling about this?" Britt asked.
"If you're asking me do I think this had something to do with Cory, I have no doubt. Someone's getting skittish. They think that Cory is going to remember something about his attack."
"My thoughts exactly," Britt said, and Jerry chimed in his agreement.
"We're going to have to stay on top of everything from now on," Brian told them.
As Brian was getting ready to head back to the police station, Devon issued their dinner invitation for Friday evening. "We want Alice and you here for dinner," he added.
Brian looked doubtful. "Are you certain about that? You guys have been through an awful lot."
"I think it will be good for us," Britt spoke up. "Take our minds off all the shit that's been happening."
"Alright then, I'll pass the word along to Alice. What time?"
"Eight o'clock," Devon said and his brother in law left.
After Devon left for the plant, Britt asked Jerry what his plans were for the day.
"Nothing spectacular," Jerry answered. "I think I'll just walk around town and see if anything turns up. After the late hour last night, I'm not too excited to do much of anything today."
"I think I agree," Britt said. "I'll be around should you need me. Just give me a call."
Britt went upstairs to his office. Later in the morning he gave Devon a call.
"Have you called with our dinner invites yet?" Britt asked.
Devon told him things had been a little crazy, and he hadn't had a chance yet to make the calls.
Britt told him he would do it for him. "I've decided not to get into anything too exciting today. I'll have the time."
Britt ended his conversation with Devon and made his first call. It was to Larry Owens. When the minister heard the invitation, he assured Britt that he and Bonnie had no plans and they would definitely be at the cabin Friday evening.
When Britt had gone through their entire guest list, everyone on it was coming. The idea of getting everyone together gave Britt a good feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was definitely ready for a relaxing evening. He would much rather spend it with good friends than entertaining thoughts of robbery or even worse, murder.
Little did he realize that one other thing was going to take place before the planned dinner party took place.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Britt spent Friday, the day of their dinner party, working on his book that morning. Cory was still under doctor's orders to do nothing strenuous, and Jerry spent the morning running errands.
Britt closed his laptop up at noon and joined the two men downstairs. When he entered the living room, he found them discussing the Crawley case. They halted their conversation and greeted Britt.
"How's the book coming along?" Jerry asked.
"Actually, quite well," Britt answered. "What's going on down here?"
"Do you mean other than Jerry babysitting me?" Cory spoke up.
"Hey, I'm offended," Jerry said. "We've been discussing the case," he pointed out.
"Yeah, sure."
"Did you come up with anything new?" Britt asked falling into one of the winged back chairs beside the fireplace.
"Nothing," Jerry reported.
Britt turned and looked at the clock over the fireplace. "Devon should be home in an hour or so. Once he's here, let's table all discussion on the case and focus on our party this evening."
"I'm looking forward to meeting your friends," Cory said.
"I think you will like them," Britt remarked.
"They're good people," Jerry said. "I met them at Brian and Alice's wedding."
They were sitting at the kitchen table eating a sandwich when Devon arrived from the Textile plant. He joined them for a light lunch.
"You guys ready to party?" he asked as he pulled out a chair and sat down.
"I am," Cory replied. "I'm ready for anything other than lying around the house doing nothing."
"He's bored with my company," Jerry said.
"Don't you go back to the doctor one day next week?" Devon asked.
"Yep. Next Wednesday."
"Watch out, he'll be back in full force," Britt warned.
"It's about damn time I get back in action," Cory declared.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Britt and Devon spent the afternoon helping Edna get ready for their dinner party. Both of them realized that Edna and Wallace were getting along in years, and they were more than willing to give them a hand. Preparing a meal for eleven people was not an easy task.
Britt had just finished setting the dinner table when he was surprised to see his mother being ushered into the dining room by Wallace.
"Hey, Mom," he greeted.
Britt walked over and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. Then stepping back, Britt studied the woman closely.
"Is something wrong, Mom?"
"Of course there's nothing wrong," Catherine Williams declared. "I just got to thinking about your dinner party and decided that perhaps I should come early and see if I can help Edna in some way."
"That wasn't necessary," Britt told her. Then seeing the look on her face, he added, "However, she might welcome your help."
"I will go find Edna."
Britt watched his mother disappear through the swinging door leading out to the kitchen. Catherine was constantly offering help to anyone she thought might need it. Britt was always amazed at her willingness to help people out.
A short time later Britt pushed the kitchen door open wide enough to get a look around the room. His mother was working at the kitchen counter putting a delicious looking salad together. Britt had wondered what Edna would think of Catherine's offer to help, but from the looks of it, the two women were working well together.
"Hey, what's going on?" Devon asked coming up behind Britt.
Britt quietly pulled the door shut and motioned Devon to follow him. Stopping by the dining table, Britt told him of his mother's offer to help Edna with the meal.
"I really didn't know if Edna would be offended by her offer," Britt added. "I was checking to see how things were going in the kitchen."
Devon grinned and said, "Well?"
"It appears to be working out."
"That was very kind of your mother to offer her help," Devon said. "She is such a great lady."
"It's hard to realize she's seventy years old," Britt said.
"She must have been younger than your dad," Devon commented.
"Ten years younger."
"Don't ask me what I think seventy should look like, but I don't think Catherine looks that age."
"She's still just as active as ever," Britt agreed. "I think that helps her to stay young looking. That and good health."
By the time their dinner guests arrived, Britt and Devon were dressed and standing in the hallway to greet them. Catherine had brought her clothes, and after helping Edna, had gone upstairs to dress for the party.
Alice and Brian were the first to arrive, followed by Larry and Bonnie Owens. The last to arrive were Ron James and Marty Wilcox.
Devon mixed drinks and the guests mingled around the living room. Some were visiting. Cory Manners sat on one end of the sofa. He appeared to be a little self-conscious.
Britt waited until Devon had served the last drink and then stood in front of the fireplace. He called for their attention.
"Devon and I want to thank everyone for coming this evening. There are a couple of reasons. First and foremost, we enjoy having you in our home." Britt paused and gave Devon a smile. He went on, "Either you are family or we think of you as family.
"A sad situation has happened in our town that has brought new people into our lives, and even though the situation is not a good one, we, Devon and I, are grateful for our new friends."
Britt turned to Cory and said, "This being said, Cory, I want to introduce you, our newest friend, to our other friends."
Cory knew Catherine and the Poteet families. Britt introduced him to Ron James and his partner, Marty Wilcox, followed by Larry and Bonnie Owens.
The Methodist minister, always in rare personal form, reached out to the detective from Little Rock and gave Cory a warm handshake. His wife, Bonnie, was at his side offering a warm welcome as well.
They had finished their drinks and the conversation was slowing down when Edna came into the room and announced that dinner was ready to serve.
Britt and Devon led the way to the table, followed by the rest of the guests. Devon explained that there were no name cards, and they were free to sit anywhere they liked.
The delicious salad that Catherine had put together for the dinner was consumed and the plates whisked away, replaced with prime rib, baked potatoes and green beans. Britt and Brian had intentionally kept the conversation from landing on Jacob Crawley's murder. The purpose of the dinner party was to help everyone relax and not dwell on anything sad.
When the main course was over and dessert was before them, Britt decided to bring up a topic. He had touched on it briefly earlier with Devon, to make his partner aware of what he was going to do and the reason why.
Pushing his empty dessert plate to the side, Britt spoke Larry Owens' name. When he had the minister's attention, Britt said, "I've been meaning to let you know of a decision Devon and I have made, Larry."
Larry sat up straighter in his chair. "I'm listening," he said.
"Do you remember what you asked the two of us just before Alice and Brian were married?"
A big grin appeared on the minister's face. "I certainly do. Is it happening?"
Britt's mother and Alice had been in a side conversation with each other. When they heard the words passing between Larry and Britt, their conversation came to a halt. In fact, there wasn't any talking at all. It appeared Britt had caught everyone's attention.
"It is," Britt answered. He looked at Devon and said, "Why don't you fill everyone one in, Dev?"
"Just before Alice and Brian were married, Larry asked Britt and me if we had any such plans. He even suggested he could do a double wedding. At the time, we felt that Alice and Brian deserved their time. We told Larry our time could come later.
"To make a long story short---"
"Too late for that," Brian teased his brother-in-law.
Ignoring the words, Devon said, "Well, Britt and I have decided on a date. Larry, do you think you will have anything planned for December 21st?"
Catherine, taken by surprise, paled. Then catching her breath, she pushed her chair back and stood to her feet. Walking around the table, she leaned in between her two "sons". She kissed Britt first and then Devon on the cheek.
"I am so happy," she said wiping a tear from her face.
Alice was next to hug, followed by Bonnie. Ron James and Marty Wilcox were the last to offer hugs. Brian, Cory and Jerry gave hearty handshakes or thumps on their backs.
When everyone had returned to their seats, Britt looked around the table. He wasn't surprised to see a confused look on Cory's face. Britt sat there for a moment studying the detective. He remained silent, thinking about what he wanted to say.
Finally, "I would like to say one other thing." Britt paused another second or two and then said, "I realize I might be opening up a serious can of worms here, but I have something on my mind."
Addressing his minister friend, Britt said, "Larry, didn't you tell Devon and I from the beginning that if and when we were ever ready you would be happy to marry us?"
"I did, Britt. I've told you several times that marrying you and Devon would make me very happy."
"It would make us both very happy," Bonnie Owens agreed. She reached across the table and covered Catherine's hand. "And I know how happy it will make you, Catherine."
"Britt, did you bring this topic up because of me?"
Before Britt could answer, Cory added, "It's okay, I know that you did." Cory looked at the minister and said, "Britt and I were talking and somehow the topic of his relationship with Devon came up. I asked him if people in town treated him differently because of it. He assured me that everyone seemed to think well of both him and Devon."
"I don't want to ever discover anyone mistreating my boys," Catherine Williams declared.
"Did I not tell you how Mom felt?" Britt asked the detective and grinned.
Cory admitted he had. Then turning to Larry Owens, he said, "I guess I was the most surprised by you, Mr. Owens."
Caught off guard, Larry said, "Me? Why me?"
Cory's face turned red. "Well, because you---of your job."
"My job? Oh, you mean because I'm a pastor?"
Cory nodded.
Larry looked at his wife and said, "Before you say anything, I promise not to go into preaching mode. He gave Bonnie a smile.
"Cory, I have always believed that people should be able to love whomever they wanted to. Again, not preaching, but think about John 3:16. The verse ends that whoever believes. It doesn't say you have to be Methodist, Baptist, etc. There's no stipulation. God loves us all.
"There, I'm going to stop before I do go into preaching. Have I answered any questions you might have?"
Cory shook his head. "I'm just blown away that a small town can be so opened minded. I'm glad they are for Britt and Devon's sake," he added.
"Does it surprise you that as a minister, I believe in their cause?"
"Honestly, yes, it does," Cory answered.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you will come to know me well enough to change your opinion. Yes, I will admit, there are some in my profession that won't feel the way I do. You know, we're not supposed to judge, but sometimes Christians, using the Bible as a reason, will do exactly that. I have a feeling since you've been dropped into this wonderful family that we will see more of you around Porterville. I hope I can convince you to change your mind."
"I don't think it will be a problem," the detective assured the minister.
From the other side of the table, Ron James spoke up. The head of accounting for McKenzie Textile Company, he had been long time friends of Devon McKenzie. The two of them had gone to school together. When Ron had lost his job for helping solve another mystery that concerned Devon, his friend immediately offered him a job with even better benefits, as well as pay.
Ron said, "Marty and I have been together long enough to realize that we want to get married as well. We just weren't sure how to bring it up before now. Tonight has helped us to reach a decision. Marty and I have been talking. It won't be anytime soon, but we would like for you to marry us, Larry. That is, if you are willing," he added.
Larry Owen's grinned and said, "Wow, I've reached pay dirt tonight, haven't I, Bonnie?"
His wife agreed with him.
This time it was Marty, Ron's partner that spoke. Turning to Cory, he said, "Ron and I have been together for quite some time, and we've always felt welcomed in Porterville. Everyone just seems to take it in stride that we love each other. I guess we are just really lucky, because like you, we know for a fact it isn't always this way."
The party soon moved to the living room where the rest of the evening continued being a success. By the time the guests began leaving, the newest ones of the group felt like they truly belonged and would look forward to another such gathering.
Ron and Marty had just left when Britt's cell phone rang in his pocket. When he pulled it out, he received a stern look from his mother.
"Do you have to take that now?" she asked.
Britt looked at the screen. The message read "blocked". Britt held up a finger and said he would only be a moment. He stepped out into the entrance way and answered the call.
"This is Britt Williams," he spoke into the phone.
The caller, rather than introducing himself, only said, "Have you ever wondered why Kathy Applebee walks with a limp?"
Startled, Britt said, "Pardon me?"
"Have you ever wondered why Kathy Applebee walks with a limp? Maybe you should check it out."
There was a click in his ear and the call ended.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Britt returned to the living room with a puzzled look on his face. Devon was the first one to notice and asked his partner if something was wrong.
Britt looked around the room. He caught Brian's attention and said, "I hate to be rude, but I really need to see you in the kitchen, Brian. You guys as well," he said to Jerry and Cory."
Britt saw the worried look appear on his mother's face and said, "Not to worry, Mom. I just need to run something by these guys. I won't keep them long."
Britt headed for the kitchen with the guys on his heels. Once they were behind the closed door, Britt leaned against the kitchen counter and folded his arms.
"The phone call just now has left me concerned."
"Tell us about it," Brian said.
"I don't have a clue who made the call. However, the message it brought was quite clear. Someone seems to think we should talk to Kathy Applebee about Jacob Crawley's murder."
Surprised by Britt's words, Brian asked, "Kathy Applebee? Why the hell do we need to question her?"
Britt shook his head and said, "Someone seems to think there's a connection between Kathy and the murder."
"Did you recognize the voice?" Cory asked.
"No, only that it was a man who made the call."
"What did he say?" Brian asked.
"He suggested that we find out why the woman walks with a limp."
"Someone's trying to say that because the woman walks with a limp is reason to believe she's involved in murder?" Jerry asked.
Britt shrugged his shoulders. "Evidentially. However, I can't really see Kathy as a murderer."
Brian shook his head and said, "I can't either. However, I'll drop in and have a talk with her tomorrow."
"I do remember asking Mom if she knew the reason why Kathy walked the way that she did," Britt remarked. "Mom said she didn't have any idea why, and that Kathy had always walked with a limp since she moved to town."
"I think it's just a false lead, but it won't hurt to check it out," Brian decided.
"I agree," Cory said."
"If that's the plan, I vote we get back to your guests," Jerry suggested. "I'm sure they are all wondering what we're talking about."
"I'll just say police business," Brian said. "No one need know about this latest development. Other than Devon," he added. "After we're gone, you guys can fill him in. He needs to know what's going on."
"Welcome back," Catherine greeted the group. "We thought you were waiting for breakfast."
"Sorry about that, Catherine," Brian spoke up. "Some police business came up. I apologize for pulling everyone away."
"Is everything okay?" Devon asked.
"It is," Britt answered in a way that told Devon he would fill him in later.
It was Bonnie Owens who spoke up next. She said, "Thank you guys for a wonderful evening. The food, the company, the discussion, it was all lovely. It's always such a pleasure attending your dinner parties."
"Yes, it truly is," her husband agreed. "We do enjoy your company. Please, give me a call sometime. We'll set up a time to meet and discuss your plans."
Britt agreed, and with that, the last of the guests were gone. Britt, Devon, along with Brian's dad and Cory went back into the living room and took seats.
Scratching his head, Jerry Poteet asked, "Tell me, Britt, what you really think about your telephone call?"
Before answering the man's question, Britt explained to Devon what the nature of his late telephone call had been. When he was finished, he said, "To answer your question, Jerry, I think the call was a hoax. If I'm honest, I would probably have to say I could even say my phone call was connected to the real killer. I think someone wants us to think Kathy Applebee is our murderer. If the police go after her, it takes pressure off the real killer."
"I would have to agree with you, Britt," Cory said. "I did talk with the woman early on, and I don't remember anything at all unusual or questionable about her or the way she answered my questions."
"Still, it won't hurt for Brian to follow the lead," Jerry remarked.
Britt caught Devon's attention and asked, "What's your take on this?"
Devon shook his head. "I'm just puzzled about your telephone call. I don't really know the Applebee woman. I only just met her when Alice began planning her reception. Do I think she could be the murderer? Who knows? People often do things in a time of crisis that might seem otherwise impossible. All the same, I just don't see the caterer harming anyone."
Another hour passed by as the four men discussed several prospects of this latest murder taking place in Porterville. As they headed up the stairs for the night, nothing had been decided. All four of them were anxious to hear how Brian's interview with the Applebee woman went.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The next afternoon Brian called Britt and asked him to drop by his office. When he arrived, he discovered Jerry and Cory already there.
"Come in," Brian invited.
Britt took a seat and listened as Brian spoke. He told the men that his visit had gone well with Kathy Applebee. The woman had explained the reason why she walked the way she did. She had polio as a child, thus leaving her left leg drawn up somewhat.
"Britt, I'm positive the telephone call you received last night was a hoax. Kathy gave me the name of her childhood doctor. She said he has since retired but that her records are still in the clinic where he saw her patients."
"Are you still going to check her story out?" Cory asked.
"I am," Brian said with a nod. He handed a sheet of paper across his desk to Cory and said, "Would you mind checking her story out? Her records are in Rogers, Arkansas. A phone call might work, but I think you probably will have to get a search warrant from Preston Wood, the judge."
"So you think I might have to drive over to Rogers?" Cory asked.
"Possibly. Why don't you try a phone call first? At this point, I firmly believe it's wasted effort checking it out. If you can't get any information with a telephone call, we'll decide then what to do."
"I completely agree with Brian on this. I've heard a lot of false information over my years working in the department, and I think this is definitely meant to throw us off the real murderer's track."
"I agree as well," Britt said. "Still, we're obligated to check the story out."
Brian pushed his chair back and stood up. "Thanks for coming in, guys. I really appreciate all your hard work. We will solve this. The fact Britt received that phone call convinces me we're getting close to something."
Britt was walking out the office door when Brian stopped him.
"Do me a favor, Britt," Brian said. "Can you check with your wireless company and see where the call came from last night?"
"I already thought of that," Britt said. "I checked this morning, but it wasn't registered yet. I'll keep checking and let you know what I find out."
Chapter Twenty-Five
Britt checked his cell phone records the next day and discovered he was right about the telephone call he had received two nights ago. The called was listed as blocked unavailable. When discussing this possibility the day before with Brian, Britt had referred to the call possibly coming from a track phone. He now remembered that these type of cell phones were actually labeled as a burner phone. They actually came out on the market as an item people could purchase when they didn't have an actual wireless carrier. They could purchase these type of phones with prepaid minutes. Unfortunately it seemed that people with bad intentions hit this market stronger than innocent people who actually used them for the better good.
Britt punched Brian's cell number in and waited for the chief to answer. When Brian picked up, Britt explained what he had found out.
"Damn't, I was afraid that's what you would discover." Brian went on, "By the way, Cory talked to Rogers Medical Clinic first thing this morning. As I suspected, they wouldn't give him any information on Kathy Applebee."
"Shit, does that mean a trip to Rogers?" Britt said and groaned.
"I don't think so. They're going to fax a consent to release form to Kathy. She's going to sign it, have it notarized and fax it back to the clinic. When they receive it, they're going to fax me a copy."
"Does she know this is being put into place?" Britt asked.
"She does. She assured me that she was willing to do anything to help. Evidently she thinks a lot of Catherine and is willing to do whatever it takes to put an end to all of this."
"That really makes her sound like a murderer, doesn't it?" Britt remarked.
Brian sighed. "Doesn't it, though? Honestly, I think this is a complete waste of time. At least following through on this will at least pull her out of the running as the murderer."
Britt had a thought run across his brain. "You know, Brian, I can't say for sure about the death of the woman in Little Rock, but I can honestly say that after seeing Jacob Crawley's wounds, as well as Cory's, I find it really hard to believe those were caused at the hand of a woman. Both incidents were brutal, far too much to be caused by a woman. I could be wrong. I know there are some extremely strong women out there, but still..." Britt's voice trailed off and he gave his head a slight shake.
"I'm inclined to agree with you, Britt. I'm beginning to get frustrated with this case. I just want it solved. For some reason, this is the first murder case I've worked that has left me feeling the way I do."
Britt said, "I can tell you exactly why you feel this way. Because it's the same for me. Mom has worked her way into your heart, and if nothing else, I believe that you want to solve it for her. Am I correct?"
"You damned right it is, Britt. I lost my mother when I was a kid. I love my dad, and don't you doubt it. Still, a mother, well, she's your mother. Catherine is a very special lady, and I promise you, Britt, I will not stop until we solve this."
"I know you love my mother. And I know she loves you. We will find out who is responsible for all of this shit. We will," he added.
"Thanks, Britt. For sharing your mother, I mean."
"No problem, Bro. I'm glad to have you in our family. Now, I'm going to get busy. I'll catch up with you later today. Let me know if you turn anything up."
Britt drove to the town square and parked down from the newspaper office. He wasn't sure where Cory might be, but Britt had an idea the detective would be somewhere around the square, especially if he were waiting for Kathy Applebee's paper work.
As Britt walked slowly down the sidewalk, he was surprised to hear someone call out his name.
"Mr. Williams? Do you have a moment?"
Britt turned around and discovered Nathan Brown, the Beacon photographer, walking toward him.
"Good morning, Nathan," Britt greeted. "What can I do for you?"
"I was just wondering how things were going? Concerning the murder, I mean."
"All I can say is that an investigation is ongoing," Britt told the man.
"May I give that statement to Sam to put in the paper?" the photographer asked.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have the authority to give out that type of permission," Britt replied. "For that, you will have to contact the police chief. Brian Poteet," Britt added.
"Can you at least tell me, off the record, if you at least have any suspects?" The photographer was being persistent.
"I cannot," Britt replied. "Look, Nathan, I can understand that you want this case wrapped up. Hell, I do, too. Again, I can't emphasize strongly enough, I do not have any authority to give out any information. Yes, it's true that I am helping out on this case, and for that reason, it's necessary to keep things confidential. I strongly urge you to get in touch with the chief. He will tell you all he can about the situation. Good day."
Britt quickly turned around and walked away from Nathan Brown. Sam's photographer had caused Britt's temper to flare. He had to get away quickly to keep from saying something that he might regret later.
Britt had just reached Kathy Applebee's shop when the door opened, and Cory stepped out onto the sidewalk.
"I was just looking for you," Britt greeted the detective.
"I received the fax from her medical clinic for her to sign giving me permission to receive her records. She's going to the bank this morning and sign in front of a notary. I asked her to give me a call when she's finished, and I'll pick it up and fax back to the clinic. Hopefully we'll have something back by late afternoon. If not, surely tomorrow."
"Is there anything you want me to do for the moment?" Britt asked.
"I really can't think of anything. Have you talked with Brian this morning?"
Britt gave a nod and said, "I have. He has already talked with Kathy this morning. Like me, he feels this is a waste of time, yet, a lead we do have to follow."
"For now I can't think of anything you might do. Why don't you make use of some free time? I don't have anything particular in mind. I think I'm just going to hang around town. You never know what might surface."
"Sounds good," Britt said. "Call me if you discover anything new or interesting."
"Later, Britt."
The two went their separate ways, Cory to look around town, and Britt back home to work on his book.
When Britt arrived home, he went in search of Edna. He found the cook sitting at the kitchen table working on menus. He greeted the woman with a smile.
"I'm home, Edna, but don't bother making lunch for me. I've suddenly found that I'm going to have some free time. I want to use it to work on my book. I'll come down later and make a sandwich if I get hungry."
"You're never a bother, Mr. Britt," Edna assured him. "I can make you a sandwich when you're ready."
"You're too kind, Edna. While I appreciate everything that you do around here, I really do prefer running down and making my own sandwich. Mainly because I don't even have a clue that I'll be hungry. Enjoy your morning."
Britt grabbed a bottle of water from the frig and headed upstairs to his office. On the way up the stairs, Britt thought, "Who would have ever thought that I would have someone cooking all of my meals and cleaning my house? Not me in a million years," he concluded as he entered his office. He closed the door and sat down at his desk.
He opened his laptop up and was soon lost in his writing. He was having a really good morning because the words were actually flowing from his brain easily and landing on the computer screen, with the help of his fingers. Luck was with him, and when Britt wrapped the chapter up, he was surprised to see that the clock on his desk told him it was three o'clock. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He was tired and his body felt drained. Still, Britt felt a good sense of accomplishment with his day's work. It wasn't often that his work turned out this way. Ever since he had become a published author, there would be times when he would sit in front of the computer the entire day and come up with nothing.
Britt saved his work and closed his laptop. He once more leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Even though he thoroughly enjoyed writing and creating stories in his head, it was a demanding job. When the day of writing was finished, it often left him with no energy for anything else. Today had been no exception. Britt soon fell asleep and was out for half an hour or better. He would probably have slept until evening if his phone hadn't rung, bringing him back to the land of the living.
When he answered the call, Britt discovered it was Cory Manners on the other end.
"Are you alright, Britt?" Cory greeted. "You sound preoccupied."
Forcing himself to come focus, Britt said, "I was actually taking a nap. I spent the entire time since leaving you working on my book. It left me exhausted, and I guess I fell asleep at my desk."
"I'm sorry I woke you, but I saw something this afternoon that kind of strikes me as being odd."
Fully alert now, Britt asked the detective what he was referring to.
"For some reason, I got to thinking about La Donna Fields."
"The woman who works for Kathy Applebee?" Britt asked surprised.
"That's right. I decided to drive by and see where the woman lives."
"And did you?" Britt asked. "Find out where she lives?"
"I did. She lives in a modest but neat house on the east side of town. When I found her house, I discovered a car in the drive. I knew that La Donna was working at the bakery. I started to drive on, but then I thought of something. Why would a single woman have two vehicles?"
"Do you know for certain that she is single?" Britt asked.
"When I interviewed her, she told me she was. She said she had never married. Anyway, I drove back around the block and parked away from the house. I must have waited half an hour or so when I saw someone coming out of her house. A man hurried down the steps and got in the car."
The detective had Britt's full attention. "A man?"
"That's right, and you'll never guess who the man was."
"I have no idea," Britt admitted.
"It was that photographer that works at the newspaper," Cory supplied.
"Nathan Brown?
"That's right."
"Damn, I wonder what that means."
"I have no clue, but I intend to find out. When the woman told me she wasn't married, I wonder if she was covering up that she was living with someone?"
"Maybe there's an exclamation for him being at her house," Britt mused. "A friend or perhaps he's a relative.
"I wonder if they arrived in Porterville at the same time," Cory said.
"I can't say about Nathan Brown," Britt told the detective. "As for La Donna, when I stopped in to pay for Alice's reception, she told me she had been in Porterville six weeks. If you want me to, I can stop in and ask Sam Taylor when Brown started working for him. I never saw the man until he took pictures at Brian and Alice's wedding."
"Okay, I'll leave the newspaper publisher to you. I'm on my way now to tell Brian about my discovery. After he hears what I have to say, I will do whatever he wants me to do."
"I'll give Sam a call right now," Britt decided. "I think that might be the best way. If I go into the newspaper office, and Brown does have anything to hide, my visit might alert him to the fact we could be on to him. That is, if he is actually involved in any of this," Britt added.
The two men ended their conversation, and Britt gave the Beacon Newspaper owner a call. When Sam answered, Britt greeted the man by name.
"Hey, Sam, how's things going for you?
"Busy trying to get the evening paper out," Sam Taylor informed Britt. "What's on your mind, Britt?"
"Sam, are you alone?"
"I am. I'm in the back getting the evening paper ready."
"Sam, I have a question concerning Nathan Brown. Is he where he can hear you talk?"
Sam assured Britt that he was alone in the back room.
"How long has Brown worked for you, Sam?"
"I think a week or two before Alice's wedding. I know he was nervous about taking their wedding pictures. He said it was the first wedding he had been involved with."
"Why do you think he was nervous? It wasn't a large wedding. Not by most standards, I would think."
"If that wasn't the reason, I really don't have a clue," Sam answered.
"He did a perfect job," Britt praised. "The pictures all turned out well. He is good at what he does."
"He is. Now, Britt, if there's nothing else, I need to get busy."
"No, I have all the information I need. You've been very helpful, Sam. Goodbye."
Britt ended his call and thought about the information Sam had given him. If indeed La Donna and Nathan shared anything together, La Donna had been in Porterville about a month before Nathan. Britt also realized that just because Brown had begun working at the Beacon one or two weeks before Alice and Brian's wedding, that didn't necessarily mean that he hadn't been in town before that.
Britt decided that he needed to pass this information along to Brian, to be backed up with what Cory was going to tell the police chief. He decided rather than giving Brian a call, he would go in person and speak to the man.
Britt hurried downstairs and left the house. As he was getting into his car, he suddenly realized that what he and Cory had discovered this afternoon could possibly be two of the best clues yet concerning Jacob Crawley's murder.