A Shred of Evidence (10 page)

L
ate Monday afternoon, Will Seevers sat in his office, the ceiling fan rustling the papers on his desk, and perused a FAX that had just come in from the Biloxi police department.

Nothing on file indicated Ross Hamilton had ever been accused of child molestation. But the department had kept an eye on him after Valerie Mink Hodges from the
Biloxi Telegraph
wrote an article summarizing Hamilton’s questionable history and insinuating that the police were sleeping on the job.

The chief read through several pages, which essentially outlined what he already knew. His eyes dropped to the final paragraph:

Over a twenty-six year span, Ross Hamilton has been the sole witness of three accidental deaths. And was the last person to see two young women alive before each mysteriously disappeared in two separate incidents. But there has been no evidence whatsoever linking him to a crime
.

Will removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. The phone rang and he picked it up. “Seevers.”

“Will, it’s Gordy. I’m not askin’ for a special favor, but can you tell me
anything
about Ross Hamilton?”

“Yeah, the Biloxi police have nothing on him. But listen to this.” Will picked up Valerie Mink Hodges’s article and read it aloud. “How uncanny is that? Hamilton’s either one slick operator or the unluckiest chump on the planet. The media ought to have a heyday with this.”

“It’s hard to blame Eddie for bein’ rattled after overhearin’ Hank say the guy’s a child molester.”

“Yeah, but Hank says your buddy Eddie interpreted the phone conversation all wrong. He insists that Ross is a victim of cruel circumstances.”

“Come on, Will. Hank’s his uncle, whaddya expect him to say? I’ll tell you one thing: Billy Lewis is sure uncomfortable around Hamilton.”

Will leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped behind his head. “Yeah, that’s what he told my officers. Think he knows something he’s not saying?”

“Nah, Billy wears his feelings on his sleeve,” Gordy said. “But it’s worth notin’ that he doesn’t want anything to do with Ross Hamilton.”

“Hear anything down at your place?”

“I’m startin’ to. But wait’ll that garage door is shown on the news. That oughta set off a chain reaction.”

The chief picked up a pencil and started doodling. “I’m gonna keep an eye on Hamilton. But Hank thinks he’s innocent, and I put a lot of stock in Hank’s judgment.”

“Why—because he picked
you
to pitch the final inning in that championship game?”

Will laughed. “We won, didn’t we? Listen, I gotta get back to work. By the way, did you ever ask out that lady who runs the clothing shop?”

“Nah, I haven’t had time.”

“You big chicken.”

Gordy sighed. “I don’t think I’m ready, Will. It’s a big step.”

“Listen, friend, life’s too short to put off the good stuff. Why don’t you just jump in with both feet and ask her out?”

“Every time I see her I get so flustered one foot ends up in my mouth.”

“You just need to build up your confidence.”

“You really think any woman’s gonna get cranked up over
a guy with a spare tire that would put Goodyear to shame?”

“Yeah, I do. You’re a big teddy bear. Women like that. But would it be so bad to get a haircut a little more often and learn to skip second helpings? You’ve got a lot to offer. Don’t sell yourself short.”

Ellen looked at her watch, then picked up the remote and turned on the TV

“Good evening, this is Shannon Pate …”

“And Stephen Rounds. Welcome to Regional News at Six. Seaport police are trying to uncover the motivation behind a blatant and troubling act of vandalism in north Seaport.

“Shortly after sunrise this morning, Seaport police began getting calls from concerned citizens who had driven past the home of Ross and Julie Hamilton in the 900 block of Whitmore and saw the words ‘Child Molester’ spray painted on the garage door. Jared Downing is at the scene. Jared, tell us what you know.”

“Stephen, I’m standing outside the Hamilton residence, and you can see the words ‘Child Molester’ are still visible, even after being painted over. Police have investigated the situation and have made no arrests in the case. But sources inside the police department told WRGL News that the incident may have occurred in response to a February 15th article that appeared in the
Biloxi Telegraph
, and which outlined a series of accidental deaths involving Ross Hamilton, including the death of his four-year-old son Nathaniel—and the unexplained disappearances of two young women.

“It’s unclear at this hour what precipitated the vandal to write ‘Child Molester’ on the garage. But given Ross Hamilton’s history, local residents want answers, fearing that someone may be pointing a finger at a sexual predator. Hamilton and his wife, who have a two-year-old daughter, have refused to comment.

“Police Chief Will Seevers would not comment on the case,
but did say that Biloxi police had no evidence to indicate Hamilton was guilty of a crime, nor has he ever been charged with a crime. This is Jared Downing, reporting live. Stephen …”

“Thanks, Jared. Well continue to bring you breaking news as it happens. In other news tonight …”

Ellen turned off the TV and sat for a moment, trying to absorb the impact of what had happened. She shuddered to think of Sarah Beth being in that house.

The phone rang and Ellen went out to the kitchen and picked it up.

“Hello.”

“It’s me,” Guy said. “Brent and I are getting ready to go out for dinner, but I wanted to check in first and see how your day went. How’s your hand?”

“About the same. But you’re not going to believe the latest in the Hamilton situation.”

Ellen told him about the vandalism at the Hamiltons’ and the stir it had created in the community. She also told him about her meeting with Chief Seevers.

“Did the police chief comment on the article?” Guy said.

“Very little, since it didn’t allude to child molestation and that’s the crime in question. The fact that Hank Ordman thinks Ross is innocent seems to carry a lot of weight with him.”

“Yes, but no police chief worth his salt is going to decide a man’s guilt or innocence based on the opinion of one man—especially a blood relative.”

“Let’s hope you’re right, Counselor. I just wish the Department of Children and Families would remove Sarah Beth from the home until this is resolved.”

There was a long pause.

“I’m surprised you’re even thinking that DCF should take action at this stage,” Guy said. “You would favor tearing that little girl away from her parents based on what—something you overheard about something Eddie overheard? And words spray-painted
on a garage door? Since when is that your style?”

“I’m not acting as a newspaperwoman, just a concerned citizen.”

“So that makes it okay to get sloppy? Assumptions like this can destroy a person’s reputation without a shred of evidence. You’ve always been above that.”

“Come on, Guy, I read you the article. There was just cause to wonder about Ross Hamilton before this happened.”

“Wonder all you want. But he was never charged with anything.”

Ellen sighed and leaned her head on the back of the couch. “Okay, you’re right. I’m way ahead of myself. But something’s wrong in that family. I can feel it.”

“Since when does
feeling
supercede fact? Ellen, either find the evidence—or let it go.”

J
ulie Hamilton stared at the picture of her house on the front page of Tuesday’s
North Coast Messenger
, then folded the newspaper in half and threw it in the trash. She peeked out the kitchen curtains and saw a WRGL-TV truck parked across the street.

Ross came into the kitchen and kissed Sarah Beth on the top of her head, then sat at the kitchen table next to her. “Are the vultures still out there?”

Julie nodded. “I doubt this will just blow over. I’m wondering how long before some social worker comes knocking on our door.”

“We have rights. Just because somebody spray-painted an accusation of abuse on our garage door doesn’t entitle the state to march in here and tell us what to do. The whole thing’s bunk.”

Julie walked over to the stove and stirred the oatmeal, then took it off the burner. “I don’t know how much power they have, but I think we need to brace ourselves.” Julie put her fist to her mouth and choked back the intense fear that felt like chalk in her throat. “What if they try to take you-know-who away from us?”

“Over my dead body!”

Sarah Beth reached over and pushed up the side of Ross’s mouth. “Be happy, Daddy.”

“Okay. Daddy’s happy. See?” He faked an exaggerated smile.

“We don’t have anything to hide,” Julie said. “Maybe we
should just make the first move and invite them to come talk to us.”

“Absolutely not! I won’t play this game. I haven’t done anything.”

“But—”

“But nothing! Why should I make it easy for them when I’m the victim here? If they want anything from me, they can get a court order.”

Julie glared at him. “And what if they do? What then? I don’t know that we have a whole lot of say-so.”

“Oh, yes, we do. We’re not caving in to this. I’m going to work, and you do what you always do. Let’s just go about our normal lives.”

Normal lives?
Julie spooned oatmeal into three bowls, wondering if Ross realized the absurdity of what he had just said.

Julie lay with her arm draped over Sarah Beth until the child fell asleep, then went out to the kitchen table and sat, vaguely aware of the faucet dripping.

She closed her eyes and called up a memory that still seemed as clear to her as if she were there, one she could go back to again and again and remember what it felt like when life
was
normal …

Nathaniel had been riding on Ross’s shoulders, his auburn curls tossed about in the sea breeze, his tiny hands clinging tightly to the sides of his daddy’s head.

“It’s gonna
get
you!” Ross said, making shrieking noises as he ran away from the approaching surf, the sound of Nathaniel’s belly laugh drawing smiles from onlookers.

Julie watched with delight as Ross repeated the game over and over, running from the surf and squealing playfully when the waves flattened out and whooshed onto the sand, covering his feet. Nathaniel’s giggling was so intense that it continued
without sound until he finally caught his breath. Julie memorized the moment, wondering if the child in her womb could bring them as much happiness as Nathaniel had.

But she never imagined the happiness would turn to sorrow.

“Okay hon, I’m going to the store,” Ross had said. “Do you need anything besides milk and diapers?”

“That’s all for now.”

“You want me to take Nathaniel with me?”

“No, I think he’s finally fallen asleep. I don’t know why he fights his nap so hard, but he’s started this new routine where he hides from me and won’t come when I call him. It’s about to drive me crazy.”

“Probably just a phase.” Ross pressed his lips to her cheek. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. If you think of something else, call my cell phone.”