The small group huddled around a table at the State Police Post, drinking hot coffee, silently absorbing the facts as they came to light during their discussion.
Clark Tomlinson walked into the room and announced to all present. “Crime technicians are finished at the site. They found the grave and it looks like it could be her.” Puzzled, he continued, “They found a knife and a rose on top of the ground…not sure if they were placed there by Trent or not.” He shook his head and said, “They just called and will be here shortly...with everything.” His voice trailed off as he turned and looked at Claire and Jim. They didn’t respond, only sipped at their coffee, avoiding eye contact.
George Stanley swallowed and nodded his head up and down. “Thanks, Clark. We’ll still be here when they arrive. Just tell them to come on in.”
Officer Tomlinson softly closed the door behind him.
The group remained quiet for a few seconds and then, Claire spoke up in an obvious attempt to change the group’s train of thought. “So, Chief,” she paused as if still trying to get things straight in her mind. “Tell me again how you knew to come out to Pine Lake?”
Jim spoke up before he could answer. “I called him, Claire. I just wanted him to come along with me in case we had any trouble.”
“And I didn’t get the message until after Jim had left,” Captain Hennessey interrupted. “But, I decided to follow him out there anyway.”
Claire sighed, “Good thing you did, Marvin. You saved our lives.”
“Yes, Chief, if you hadn’t shot Trent Newman when you did, Claire and I might be dead right now.”
“If you hadn’t bent over to grab your gun when you did, Jim, I’d have shot you instead!”
The group around the table managed to smile at this bleak attempt at dark humor.
“But, I’m curious,” Chief said. “How did you know this Trent Newman, Claire?”
“I had the misfortune to date the guy about eight years ago. I met him at a book store; we had a few dates and then I found out he was married.”
“That was back when he was calling himself Greg Roberts, right?”
“Yeah, I didn’t know it of course, but that was a false identity too.”
Corporal Stanley spoke up next. “So, let’s summarize what we know and get this straight. This guy was Grady Rogers. He and his wife committed a murder and then set their house on fire to collect on some insurance money?”
Claire responded affirmatively, “Yes, they used some poor homeless guy that Grady had picked up as a hitchhiker.”
“Then, he disappeared for a while and resurfaced only to meet you, Claire, the love of his life…”
“Please, George, let’s not play up that angle too much!”
“Okay, my apologies.” He grinned and continued, “Grady, or Greg, figured out that you dumped him and then he took on the identity of Trent Newman, met Libby, and married her.”
“And, he was still married to his first wife!” Jim shook his head in disbelief.
“Libby was suspicious of his long absences but just chalked it up to being a truck driver,” Claire interjected.
“So,” Marvin picked up the story, “she divorced him and then disappeared the next year.”
“He said that she was planning to move to California…,” Claire hesitated before reminding him, “We suspected that might be the case, remember?”
“Yes, I remember…and then he told you that he was afraid he might lose her, even though they were already divorced…and he killed her for that?”
“Crazy…but remember we were dealing with a psycho serial killer,” Jim replied.
“And, he killed Doug for no reason at all,” Claire added quietly.
Jim reached over and put his arm around her shoulder. “As I said, Claire, we had a nut case on our hands.”
“Yeah, I know but it just seems so surreal. To think that he would kill so many people…he told me he killed his first wife after he found out that she had him declared legally dead. He felt she was of no use to him anymore,” she lowered her head and paused, “I can’t believe it. It’s just too horrible to consider.”
“We’ve all been in law enforcement long enough to know that loonies do crazy things,” Corporal Stanley responded.
“Don’t forget, George…he probably killed Art Cane too,” Marvin said.
“Hell, we know he killed Mr. Cane!”
The group fell silent again.
Claire glanced at Jim surreptitiously. She hoped he caught her message—should we tell them about Libby?
He placed his hand over hers and squeezed. She nodded slightly and remained quiet.
Jim nonchalantly spoke up,” Will you need us when the techs get here, George? Or, can we go home and get a few hours of sleep first?”
“I don’t think it will do any harm for the two of you to get some rest first, Jim. Go on and we’ll call you in the morning.”
Claire smiled in gratitude. She stood up to leave and bent over to give Marvin a hug. “Thanks again, Chief.”
He smiled up at her and whispered, “Thank Libby too, Claire.”
She stiffened in shock and reared her head up to look Marvin in the eyes. She whispered, “Did you see her?”
He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Sometimes the night can play tricks on us.”
She stared at him. An unspoken doubt hung in the air between them, but she saw the answer in his smile and in the discreet wink he gave her.
THE END