Jason Deas - Benny James 03 - Brushed Away (15 page)

Vernon took the saw and began cutting. Before long he found a steady rhythm and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. About five minutes later, with little progress, he passed the task to Benny and he spent some time with the saw.

The two men went back and forth for half an hour. Finally, the lock fell to the ground.

Vernon looked at Benny.

“You already know there’s a dead body in there. Accept it. And let’s move on with our work. We’re not here to ooh and awe over death. We’re here to catch a killer. The killer wants us to ooh and awe over his cleverness. We don’t ooh. We don’t ahh. We solve murders.” Benny was breathing hard.

“OK. I’m with you,” Vernon said. “Let’s do it.”

Benny pulled the freezer door open. Before the chill of the frozen air hit them they saw the body. Flat on its back, a person with a frozen towel over its face lay with arms stretched over its head. Frozen washcloths covered the hands. Additional frozen towels covered the body. A thin layer of ice had formed on all the fabric covering the victim. A paintbrush with three notches cut into the handle rested on the chest.

“Hard to tell with all the frost and ice if this is even a man or a woman. He must have been wet when he was brought in here. How else would he have that much frost and ice on him?”

Vernon took a step forward and got down on one knee.

“There are some empty bottles of water under the left leg. Get down here and look,” Vernon said.

Benny crept up to where Vernon knelt and got down on the freezer floor next to him.

“I’ll be damned.” Benny rubbed his fingers across the floor around the body. He did it on one side and then carefully leaned across the body and did the same thing on the other side. “I bet he brought the body in here, covered it with towels and washcloths and then poured water all over it to meld the body to the floor and to hide the identity.”

“What is it with this guy and ice? The second body was in a cooler full of ice and now this.”

“You got me. I guess we need to get this scene wrapped up before we go over my place.”

“I was just thinking that. Could you stay with Red tonight or something? I can’t see them getting over to your place for at least five or six hours.”

“I’ll call Carlton and see if I can get Rachael’s old room booked at the Lakeside Motor Inn.”

“Good idea. Why don’t you go and tell the restaurant owner to clear the place out. We don’t need everybody freaking out when the police cars and the coroner arrive. Tell him the department will pick up any money he loses tonight. It may soften the blow. Have him tell the customers we found a gas leak. They can find out the truth in tomorrow’s paper.”

“Good thinking.”

Benny walked toward the back entrance of the restaurant, and Vernon pushed the freezer door closed as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

Inside the restaurant Benny pulled the owner into his office and told him of his misfortune. He took the news fairly well and asked Benny to tell the patrons.

As Benny walked out of his office he noticed a stack of take-home containers and grabbed it. He walked to the center of the restaurant.

“Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. There is nothing to worry about, and no reason to rush out of here, but we have just discovered a gas leak behind the building and for your safety I’m going to have to ask you to leave. There is no charge for your dinner. If you would like to put what you have not eaten in a take-home box please let me know and I will bring you one. Thank you all for understanding.”

A few people raised their hands and Benny walked over to them and handed over a Styrofoam box as he thanked them for understanding. Others, almost finished, took one last bite and quietly stood up, conversing under their breaths with wide eyes. Before long the restaurant was empty.

Benny found a phone and called information for the number of the Lakeside Motor Inn. Carlton answered.

“Mr. Davis,” Benny said with a smile in his voice. “I need a favor. I’ve got a bit of a situation on my hands, and I won’t be able to stay at my place tonight. I was hoping to get the room Rachael stayed in when she was here.”

“I’m sorry,” Carlton said, with a playful tone in his voice. “Somebody just checked into that room.”

“Of all the rotten luck.”

“Not really,” Carlton said, chuckling.

“What do you mean?”

“I imagine Rachael will let you share it with her.”

Chapter 18

Benny dropped the phone. He ran back outside to the outdoor freezer where Vernon was waiting for his crew.

“I have to go.”

“Is she here?”

“She is.”

“Then go. We’ll be fine here.”

“You sure?”

“More than sure. Go.”

Benny ran to the Jeep, hopped in and slammed the door. He pulled the key from his pocket and stopped just as he was about to jam it into the ignition. His brain went into overdrive.

She left me for a job. She ended us with a phone call. But people make mistakes. She made a mistake. Rachael made a mistake and realized it. Go.

Benny jammed the key into the ignition and cranked. As soon as the engine fired he was off. His heart pounded as the miles flew by.

A rental car was parked in front of Room 12. Benny parked the Jeep next to it and shut off the engine. As he tried to gather himself, the door opened and Rachael stood in the opening, unsure of herself.

Benny opened the door and climbed out of the vehicle.

“Welcome home,” he said.

“Do you mean it?” She pulled her hand to her face to hide her trembling lip.

“Of course I do. Don’t cry.” Benny walked to her and they embraced. Rachael shook with nerves.

“How did you know I was here?”

“It’s still a small town.” They both smiled. “Aren’t you going to invite me inside?”

“I wasn’t sure where I stood with you.”

“Let’s go inside and figure it out.”

Benny pushed the door to Room 12. It shut with a bang.

As they rested on the bed, both staring up at the ceiling exhausted from their reunion, Benny got Rachael up to speed on the new case.

“So, who do you have your money on at this point?” Rachael asked.

“I honestly don’t know. I’m having a hard time nailing down a motive.”

“Well, I’ve got my money on Big E. It seems a little too convenient that his brother is involved. And now that he’s out of the picture he doesn’t have to worry about splitting any family money with him. Sounds like he wasn’t the sort of guy you would want around anyway, money or no money.”

“Then why all the crazy art stuff?” Benny asked, playing devil’s advocate.

“To throw everybody off. From what I understand, it seems like maybe he thought it would be easy to pin this all on Uncle Karl.”

Benny laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“I was just laughing at myself—and you. I call a guy Uncle Karl who isn’t really my uncle and it just sounded funny coming out of your mouth as well.”

“What I don’t understand though,” Rachael said, pulling the sheet up under her chin, “is why the two other murders. If he wanted to get rid of his brother, that’s one thing, but he took two other lives as well.”

“Assuming it was Big E, he would almost have to take out at least one other person so it wouldn’t look like it was all about his brother.”

“That’s a good point.”

“We can dig a little more on him tomorrow. I have to check on the houseboat in the morning and then check in with Vernon to see if they got an ID on the body.”

“Mind if I tag along?”

“I was hoping you would. We’ll need to stop in to see Red, too. He’ll be glad you’re home.”

“It does feel like home,” Rachael said.

As Benny and Rachael walked out of Room 12 the following morning, Carlton was outside the lobby talking to a customer. He looked Benny’s way and offered a wink that said more than any conversation could.

With Benny’s focus directed at checking out the boat and getting on with the day, he forgot all about the obstacle of Donny seeing Rachael. When he did, it was too late, and he didn’t have time to warn her how badly she had been missed.

Donny walked toward them on the dock and happened to be looking down at his sunburned feet. When he looked up, Rachael was a mere five feet from him. Startled and filled to the brim with joy all at once was too much of a shock for his body, and the jolt of electric feelings buckled his legs. Being a narrow dock his knees bounced just at the edge and he toppled into the water.

Coming up for air he splashed water on his face and said, “I’ve been baptized anew! The prodigal’s daughter comes home.”

Rachael smirked. “I’m glad to be home.”

Donny splashed his face again and looked at Benny. “Did she say home?”

“She certainly did.”

“Oh my,” Donny said, pushing back from the wooden pier into the back stroke. He spit water out of his mouth and chuckled as he swam away from the dock.

“I think he’s happy to see you.”

“I would say so.”

“We’ll talk to you later, Donny. We have a busy morning.”

“And I’ve got a hug for you when you’re dried off,” Rachael added.

Donny kicked his feet and spewed more water from his mouth.

The boat checked out and aside from a few items being out of their normal place, Benny could hardly tell that a crew had gone over it looking for evidence.

“They don’t usually clean up this well. I feel special,” he joked. “Why don’t we get out of here before Donny finishes his swim. If he corners you now, we may be here for a long time.”

A few minutes later they pulled into Red’s driveway. Benny had called ahead, asking him to put on a pot of coffee and to get ready for a surprise.

Knocking on the front door, Benny heard Red call from inside to come in the house. He was sitting on the couch with his hands over his eyes. Rachael walked in behind Benny trying not to make a sound.

“Are you ready for a surprise?” Benny asked.

“Red know what it bees.”

“Did somebody tell you?”

“No. Red just smell Rachael. I hope that good smell be her.”

“It is me,” Rachael announced.

Red pulled his hands away from his face and popped up off the couch. He gave her a gentle hug and as he stepped away, Benny could tell he was beginning to tear up.

“You really did miss her,” Benny said.

“Red do miss her, but Red eyes showing that he heart be happy for Bendy. Bendy now can be all the way happy.”

“I couldn’t have said it better myself, buddy. We can’t stay long, but do you want to have dinner with us one night this week?”

“Red liking that.”

At the station, Vernon and Chief Neighbors were talking at the front desk when Benny and Rachael arrived. From the look on Vernon’s face they both knew that whatever had been uncovered the night before and into the early morning was especially bad news.

Vernon and Chief Neighbors both gave Rachael hugs of welcome. Chief Neighbors’ hands slipped a little past her lower back during his hug. As Rachael backed away she slapped an open fist onto his chest.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Charles.”

“And don’t you forget it,” he said with a wink. “If you ever get tired of that old boy, I may be available.”

“Can we get back to reality?” Benny asked. “I can tell by your faces that something more than just another dead body was found.”

“Yeah,” Vernon began, “unfortunately we know this one. When she thawed out, we were able to remove the frozen fabric from her face.”

“She?” Benny said, gritting his teeth and taking a deep breath.

“Yeah. It was Hazel Walton, Dr. Walton’s mother.”

“I knew there was something fishy about her.”

“The old lady?” Chief Neighbors asked.

“Yeah. I went over there a couple days ago to ask Dr. Walton about Karl Oglethorpe—I had his daughter’s permission. While I was there his mother made us dinner and on the way out I saw a painting in her room made with numbers. She was real defensive about it. I would just about guarantee that it isn’t there anymore.”

“Dr. Walton made a positive ID on the body earlier this morning and I told him to expect a visit later today. Why don’t you get on that Benny—see what he knows and while you’re there you can see if the painting is still on the wall. If not, figure out how somebody would have gotten in there to get it and who that might be.”

Rachael spied something interesting on Vernon’s desk and her eyes began darting around the room.

“Why are all the phones off the hook?” she asked.

“They’ve been ringing non-stop all morning. Media.”

“Word around town,” Chief Neighbors said to Rachael, “is that you don’t have a job right now.”

“That’s right.”

“How would you like to be in charge of public relations for this case?”

Rachael smirked. “I do remember how terrified you are of the cameras.”

“I am not!”

“Admit it and I’ll do it for free.”

“OK. Maybe I am.”

“I’ll do it,” Rachael said as she began walking around the room hanging up the phones. Immediately they began ringing again and she yanked one off its receiver and put it to her ear.

 “We’ll be having a news conference at seven p.m.” Benny heard her say as he waved to her and headed for the door.

Chapter 19

Dr. Walton had a hand-written sign on the door informing patients that the office was temporarily closed to observe a death in the family. A few people had left flowers.

Benny knocked softly and waited. Knowing the residence was upstairs he wondered if Dr. Walton could hear the door and tried the handle. It was unlocked. Benny stepped into the foyer and called, “Dr. Walton?”

“Upstairs,” he heard him reply. “Please lock the door behind you. I’m not expecting any other visitors today.”

Benny locked the door and climbed the wooden stairwell. Each step made a different sound, and the creaks reminded him of a horror film. That, combined with the stillness of the house, created a strange atmosphere that settled uncomfortably in Benny’s chest. He was no stranger to death, but the familiarity didn’t make it any easier.

Dr. Walton was sitting in the dark at the kitchen table with a cup of tea. His back was to Benny as he entered the room. Walking past him toward an empty chair he paused by the doctor’s side and placed his hand on his shoulder.