Chapter Twenty-Two

Investigation Update

Dani

Dad had come home for lunch and was preparing sandwiches for us when his cellphone rang. “Hey, Frankie, how’s it going?”

Looking up from studying at the kitchen table, I watched his eyes open wide as he listened to Frankie. I stopped reading.

“This sure puts a different spin on the case. It’s something we need to consider. Joel is coming over tonight. I’ll tell him about this. We’ll see you Saturday. Love you, son.”

When he hung up, I anxiously listened as Dad explained, “When they were looking through the Cunningham House, they found a letter taped to the back of the bureau in Bill’s mother’s room. This guy named Clay Jackson asked Ida Gunderson if she was his mother. Mr. Cunningham is completely baffled. He doesn’t know why his mother would hide the letter—unless it’s true.”

This was massive! “There’s no doubt they’ll have to reopen the case now.”

Grace and Joel both came to dinner. Dad reiterated his phone conversation with Frankie. Joel agreed with my assumption. “When this discovery is revealed and Mr. Cunningham comes forward, this becomes a new case. Since your grandfather was murdered instead of him, two new avenues must be investigated. We’ll be able to get a warrant to obtain Mrs. Gunderson’s medical records.”

Grace added, “We should change our appointment with the attorney ASAP to introduce Mr. Cunningham and show Mr. Plimpton this new development. It’s imperative we find out what we need to do as soon as possible.”

After dinner, Dad and Grace went to the living room while Joel and I went to our usual make-out spot, the back patio. As we were sitting on the love seat looking at the stars, Joel said, “You know, this case is really getting to me. I think I’m becoming as much involved as you. After seeing the evidence and those photos, it just makes me so angry the murderer has gotten away with this for all these years.”

“I know exactly what you mean.”

Before he replied, he had this tough guy, mug shot look with his chin and closed mouth jutted forward and nose crinkled, and he raised his voice. “You know what I mean? Do you know what I’m thinking right now?”

I was startled. I hadn’t seen him act like this before. “Uh, no. Should I?”

Like magic the weird face disappeared. “I’m thinking I want to take you in my arms and kiss those lips until they swell to twice their size.”

And he did. We did a little groping too.

****

The next day I changed our appointment with the attorney to Monday at three, texting Dad, Joel, and Grace to inform them. Joel would get Sean Sullivan to talk to his captain about reopening the case. Looks like Mr. Cunningham would only have Saturday and Sunday to acclimate to his new surroundings before we threw him to the wolves.