A Crying Shame: A Jesse Watson Mystery (32 page)

“Frank, this is Jesse Watson… I mean, Blackhawk.”

“I know who you are, Jesse. Let me call you right back. We’re
tying up this line and that cute little nurse is giving me a wicked look.
What’s your number?”

“I’m on Billy’s cell phone,” I replied. I rattled off the
number and then closed up the phone. I looked at Billy and said. “He’s going to
call me back. He didn’t want to tie up the phone.”

“I figured as much.”

A short bit later, the cell phone rang.

“Hello,” I answered.

“How’s everybody doing over there?” Frank asked.

“Better than expected. I haven’t had a fit in a while, but
I’m still on the edge.”

“Well, you’re really going to get your hair in a knot after
you hear what I have to tell you. I’m sure that must be why you hunted me down.
Do you realize it’s nearly
midnight
? You’re lucky the hospital put you
through. They’re not too happy about keeping track of nosey and cantankerous
old detectives like me. At least, that’s what one of the nurses called me.
However, I think the night shift head nurse, Alexandra, has a crush on me. She
said I could call her Alex. She has it bad for me. I might even ask her out.
She’s a real beauty. I think I’m in love.”

“I don’t need to hear that, especially if the next thing
you’re going to tell me is that sex is going to be involved,” I said. “Tell me
about
Sherry Lane
.”

“
Sherry
Lane
was transferred
to a hospital in D.C. about an hour ago, under heavy security,” Frank replied.
“I was just about to leave when you called. I was headed to the helipad to
catch my helicopter.”

“Where are you now?”

“Outside of the ER, and the reception here is really good.”

“You’re stalling, Frank.”

“Yeah, I guess I am. Maybe that’s because I like you a little
and don’t want to get you upset. If you get upset, you’ll yell at me, and
frankly, I’m just not in the mood.”

“Let’s make this simple, Frank. Tell me what she said.”

“She said that Carl killed her husband, Ophelia Pitman, and
the woman in
Florida
. She had some elaborate story going
for her. She says she has proof.”

“Remember what Carl said? Sherry hired someone to kill her
husband. That’s easy enough to find out. Billy could trace that down in a
minute. Ophelia Pitman had something on Sherry, or Carl. Sherry lured her to
Carl’s house on the pretense of paying her off, and when they got to Carl’s
house, Sherry struck her with a poker and then shoved her down the wine cellar,
or she forced her into the wine cellar and then struck her with the poker.
Either way, it doesn’t matter, because the woman’s dead. Carl says he wasn’t
even there at the time. He didn’t find out about Ophelia until Sherry confessed
while they were in
Florida
. For him, it was the end of the
line. He was afraid of Sherry. He locked her in the pantry so he could escape
her craziness. She’s obsessed—like in that movie. Oh, what’s the name of that
movie? I can’t think of it to save my life. Anyway, why would Carl kill the
woman in
Florida
? He says he was already in D.C. when
that happened. The timeline can be verified, I’m sure. I believe Carl’s story
about locking Sherry in the pantry. It all makes sense. Sherry was possessive
of Carl. Maybe he
was
trying to get away from her. The woman next door
probably heard something, or saw something suspicious and went over to help,
and got killed for her kindness. I believe
Sherry Lane
’s
a head case and she killed those two women. She might’ve been the one who
killed her husband. She might not have been able to get someone to do the job,
so she did it herself. I think Billy and I can prove it if given the chance…
not that I care what happens to Carl, but I do care about the kids. If the
man’s innocent, I want them to know it.”

“Maybe you can be of some help. Carl’s in jail and he’s asked
to see you and Billy. He’s willing to pay whatever it takes for you to help him
out. He says you and Billy are the best, according to his wife, Claire.”

“I’ll talk to Billy about it and get back with you on that
one. Now tell me what kind of forensic evidence you have.”

“You know I can’t tell you that.”

There was a long silence. I was afraid to push Frank, yet I
think he wanted to tell me something. Perhaps a gentle nudge would work.

“Can you tell me whose fingerprints were on the fire poker?”

“No, I can’t tell you who, but I can tell you that there was
only one print. The rest had been wiped clean. Whoever wiped the poker missed a
thumbprint.”

“Just tell me, Frank. If you don’t, I’ll find out for myself
and then I’ll tell everyone that you told me whose print was on the murder
weapon.”

“That’s blackmail!”

“I call it a sharing of information between colleagues.”

“You’re nuts, woman! I could have you arrested for
blackmail.”

“Prove it, Frank.”

“My cell phone records all my conversations.”

“Darn.”

Franks laughs into my ear. “You’re such an easy target,
Jesse. You’re so gullible.”

“Don’t do that to me again! I’m pregnant. I don’t need that
kind of stress. Are you trying to push me off the deep end?”

“Oh, God, I’m sorry, Jesse. I didn’t think.”

“You owe me now, pal.”

“Okay, let’s stop playing this game. It’s giving me
heartburn, indigestion, and a desire to pull out my hair, and I don’t have a
whole lot of that left. You could find out whose thumbprint it is—you’re
married to a P.I., who, I’m sure has his ways of digging up evidence. He can
find out anything he wants. I just wanted to mess with you, but I forgot that
you’re pregnant. I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

“Yes, I forgive you! Now tell me whose print’s on the poker.
God, you make me crazy.”

“The thumbprint belongs to Carl Benson.”

“Thanks for telling me, Frank. I guess Carl’s going to need
our services after all. Who do I need to talk to about arranging to see him?”

“You’re talking to the man right now. I can set it up for
you. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“Thanks a lot, Frank. I’ll wait to hear from you. Have a safe
trip back.” I closed up the cell phone and handed it to Billy.

“What did he say?”

“Carl’s in a real jam,” I said, looking at him. “As much as I
dislike Carl and would love to choke him for some of the crappy things he’s
done, I don’t think he’s guilty of murder. We’re going to have to talk with
him. He needs our help.”

“I’ll do as you wish.”

“You’re a good man, Billy Blackhawk.”

“And you’re a fine `ge ya.”

“Aren’t we a pair?”

“Yes, we are.”

We turned and walked back inside, closing out the world
behind us... if only for a little while.

The dawn of a new day had settled in. Billy and I awoke to
the smell of fresh brewed coffee and the sound of an infant’s cry coming from
the kitchen.

I rubbed my eyes and tried to wake up as I looked over at
Billy. I admired his glistening bronze skin and long black hair hanging down
around his shoulders. My husband is a handsome man, I thought to myself. He has
honor, integrity, and he loves his family. I’m so proud to be able to give him
a son. I was now convinced that Billy’s child would be a boy. Why wouldn’t I
be? I have two well-educated men who could see into the future, or read tea
leaves, or have visions, or something of that nature, who told me so. I finally
have it all. I have everything I ever wanted. I have a good man to love me and
soon I would give birth to his child. Giving birth—I don’t think I’ll think
about that right now. I’ll save that scary thought until I have to cross that
path.

Billy crawled out of bed and headed to the bathroom. “I’m
going to take a shower. Want to join me?”

“Sure, why not?” I winked at him. “Maybe we could… you know.”

“I’m game if you are.”

Needless to say, the shower was wonderful, but even the
soothing spray of warm water massaging my body paled compared to the euphoric
feeling I got from making love with Billy. Lovemaking with the right man is a
wonderful thing, especially first thing in the morning in the shower. You have
to love it!

As Billy and I were coming out of the bathroom, someone
knocked on our bedroom door.

“It’s me, Jesse,” Mom said. “Are you up? Breakfast is ready.”

“We’ll be there in a minute. We’re getting dressed.”

Billy and I put our heads together and chuckled. He kissed me
on the lips and wanted to continue our sexual shenanigans, but I pushed him
away.

“Hold that thought until we have a little privacy. The house
is full of people.”

“We can be real quiet. I promise. Let’s just crawl back under
the sheets for a…”

“You’re crazy! My mother’s in the next room!”

“She was in the next room when we were in the shower.”

“That was different. We had the water running the whole time.
Now put your clothes on, sex fiend.”

“Okay, but we need to pick up on this later.”

“The honeymoon’s over, pal. Give me a break.”

“Is that what you really want?” He reached over, grabbed my
towel, and snatched it away from me. He grabbed me up and laid me down on the
bed. His body was warm and his touch was tender. I couldn’t resist his
caresses… his lips. By the time we crawled back out of bed, got dressed, and
then headed to the kitchen, everyone had finished eating.

“That was a long shower,” Claire said, her face covered with
a smile from ear to ear. “Oh, I remember the days!”

“What days, Mama?” Benny asked.

The adults laughed and the children were left with a strange
look on their faces. I guess they probably thought we were nuts. No wonder kids
have a hard time understanding us.

Athena and Thor let out a howl. They understood.

Spice Cat jumped down off the top of the sofa and meandered
over to me. He rubbed his body against my leg.

“Spice Cat likes living here,” Benny said. He looked at Billy
and then back to me. “We do, too. It’s always so much fun at your house.”

Mom walked over to me and placed Maisy in my arms as she
smiled up at Billy. “Indians have big families. Maybe Billy can build on a
couple of extra rooms and we can all move in.”

Billy’s mouth dropped open, but nothing came out. He sat down
at the table and said, “Where’s breakfast? I need a big cup of coffee.”

“I’m just kidding, Billy,” Mom said as she laughed out loud.
“I was testing you to see if you’re awake.”

“I am now.”

“That’s a good idea,” Benny said, smiling at Carrie.

“I like it,” Carrie said, looking up at me. “Can we move in
with you and Billy, Ant Jess? We could help with Maisy.”

“Thanks for the offer, Carrie, but I think your grandma was
just kidding. Besides, you already have a place to live.” I looked around the
room as I walked over to the table and sat down. I looked down at Maisy and she
smiled back at me. “Did you see that? She smiled at me.”

“It’s probably just gas,” Abby said. “Babies smile when they
have gas.”

“Oh, bull,” I replied. “That’s not true.”

“Don’t listen to my mother,” Randy said. “And I don’t think
I’d take advice from a woman who hasn’t had a baby in over forty years.”

“Some things you never forget,” Mom chimed in. She looked
over at Abby and smiled. “When it comes to your kids, you know it all. You…”

The telephone rang.

Billy stood up and walked over to the computer table, picked
up the portable phone and said, “Hello.” He stood there and listened for what
seemed like an hour before he finally said good-bye and hung up. He turned,
walked back to the kitchen table and sat back down. He looked up at Mom and
said, “What’s for breakfast? I’m going to need some food before I start this
next conversation.”

“We have bacon, eggs, grits, and toast. There’s plenty left.
I’ll fix you a plate.”

“I think the kids should go upstairs and play while we have
this discussion,” Billy said.

“Should we leave?” Isabel asked. “Maybe it’s time for us to
be going home. We’ve outstayed our welcome already. We’re terrible.”

“No, you haven’t, Isabel. You can stay,” Billy said.
“Besides, you can’t leave until one of us takes you to the airport.”

“We could call a taxi,” Abby said.

We all turned, looked at Mom and laughed. I guess we all
remembered the time when Mom was in the hospital and swore to take a taxi home
if someone didn’t come to pick her up right away. She was determined to leave
the hospital, but she learned quickly that calling a taxi was an empty threat.
Good luck.

“Forget about a taxi. I can attest to the fact that I don’t
think that’s going to happen. We’re not in D.C., Abby. We have few taxicabs
here. You could already be home by the time a taxi arrived.”

“Randy and I walked outside earlier,” Claire said, causing us
to raise our eyebrows. “The snow’s melting and the temperature is already in
the upper forties. I guess winter is finally over. I saw buds on the trees and
patches of daffodils around the yard. I’ll get the kids coats and take them
outside. They can play with the dogs for a little while.”

Athena and Thor came to attention. They were ready to go.

“Maybe you should stay, Claire,” Billy said.

“I’ll take the kids upstairs,” Mom said. “This might take a
while.”

“You might want to hear this, too,” Billy added.

“I’ll take the kids,” Isabel said. “I won’t miss a thing.
Abby will fill me in later. I have plenty of patience. I can wait to hear all
the details when we get home.” She walked over and took Benny and Carrie by the
hands and led them upstairs. Athena and Thor followed. Spice Cat wasn’t far
behind.

“After our discussion, I’ll take you all to the airport. I
hope you don’t mind waiting.”

“We have nothing but time,” Abby said. “Start talking.”

“Mom!” Randy said. “Give the man time to eat his breakfast
first.”

Maisy was so quiet and holding her felt so comfortable that I
hadn’t noticed she had fallen asleep in my arms until Mom walked over and
gently took her from me.

“I’ll go put her in the crib,” Mom said. She looked at Billy.
“Don’t start without me.”

Billy and I drank coffee and within ten minutes we had
finished eating. I was dying to hear who he had talked to on the phone. It had
to be serious for Billy to remain silent during the whole conversation. Billy
reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He handed Randy a
dollar bill and said, “We need to retain you for legal advice. And we need
whatever is said here to fall under client-attorney privilege. Russ is my
lawyer, but it doesn’t hurt to have co-council.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Randy said, handing Billy back his
money. “Russ and I have already worked out an arrangement. Whoever is present
at the time will advise you. How does that sound?”

“It sounds like a deal made in heaven,” Claire said. “We need
all the help we can get.”

“Here goes. That call was from Sheriff Wake Hudson,” Billy
said, starting his account of the phone conversation. “He called to fill me in
on the case because Brian is my cousin and we have Maisy living with us.
Benjamin Beard has confessed to everything. He’s Maisy’s biological father. He
was in love with Vicki, they had a one-time encounter, and she got pregnant.
However, she didn’t consent to having sex with Beard. She was in for a routine
exam and he told her he was going to give her a Vitamin B-12 shot because her
blood was so low, but instead, he gave her a heavy-duty tranquilizer and had
sex with her right there on the table while she was incapacitated. He said that
she didn’t even remember what had happened when she came to. Then a few months
later, she came in for a pregnancy test. After the baby was born, Beard told
her that Brian wasn’t able to produce a child and that the baby had to be his.
She was hysterical when he told her the circumstances of how she became
pregnant. He ran a paternity test to prove it to her, but she still refused to
believe him. She told him she would go to the police if he ever opened his
mouth. She said she would ruin his career, his life, and she threatened to go
to his wife unless he kept quiet. He was hurt and he still was crazy about her.
He tried to convince her to leave Brian and marry him. He was willing to
divorce his wife for her. He said she told him that he was crazy, she didn’t
love him, and she never wanted to see him again. She swore to him that if he
ever came near her or her family she would kill him. Beard went crazy. She had
rejected him and he couldn’t take it. He went to her house to try to talk some
sense into her, but things got out of hand. He raped and beat her, and then he
strangled her. It was brutal. The autopsy confirmed the presence of his semen.”

“
DNA
will get you every time,” I said.
“There’s no getting around it. Trace evidence is always left behind. I hope he
gets the death penalty. I say they should fry his…”

“We get the picture,” Mom said, trying to hush me.

I looked at Billy and said, “I guess that means that we don’t
have to snoop into his background concerning other patients. This appears to be
an isolated incident.”

“That’s what his wife, Jacqueline Beard, said. They had a
long talk at the Greene County Jail.”

“So she knows everything, huh?”

“Yes,” Billy answered. “Actually, she sounds like an amazing
woman. She’s aware that it was Brian’s last request that you and I take care of
Maisy. Benjamin Beard has agreed without hesitation to her suggestion that you
and I be allowed to adopt Maisy. Beard will formally relinquish all rights to
us and establish a trust fund for Maisy. Mrs. Beard has no claim to the child.
She plans to sell everything and leave the state. It will all be in writing and
ready for us to sign as soon as we make the decision.” He looked at me and
waited for my reaction.

Everyone sat at the table with their eyes glued to me. Nobody
spoke.

“Where’re the papers?” I asked.

“Don’t you want to think it over?”

“The only thing I’ll have to insist upon is that we raise
Maisy as our own, and we don’t take a dime from that man. We can pay for
Maisy’s college and buy her a car, but I don’t want one red cent from that
killer. I don’t want Maisy touched by his evilness. I don’t want our little
Maisy to ever know that awful man and what he did to her family… unless, one
day we absolutely have to tell her.”

“Agreed,” Billy said.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Mom asked. “It’s a big responsibility
to take on someone else’s child. You and Billy just got married a few months
ago. You have your own baby on the way. Don’t you want to think this over?
It’ll be a major adjustment.”

“I don’t need to,” I said. “Maisy needs a home and we have one
to give her. She’s family. All I need is Billy and between the two of us, we
can work it out.”

“And, of course, you can always call on us for help,” Mom
said as she looked over at Claire.

“Sure,” Claire added. “All you have to do is call.”

“Call where?” I said. “You’re here more than you are at
home.”

Billy reached over and placed his hand on top of mine and
smiled. He mouthed the words,
I love
you
. “Now that we’ve settled
that, we have one other situation at hand.” He looked over at Claire and said,
“Carl is in jail and most likely will go to prison for life, or he might even
get the death penalty. Forensic evidence links him to Ophelia Pitman’s death.
She was struck numerous times in the head with a fire poker and then bludgeoned
with what the police believe to be a baseball bat. They can’t find the bat, but
they have the poker with Carl’s thumbprint on it. They also have
Sherry Lane
’s account, and I have to tell you,
it sounds pretty convincing. She claims to have evidence that will exonerate
her and lay the blame at Carl’s feet for the murder of both women. She claims
Carl hired a hit man to kill her husband and she has a cancelled check to prove
it.”