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DANA GOT INTO HER CAR and turned on the ignition.
“Hey, I’m coming with you,” Katie said as she slid into the passenger side.
Before pulling out of the driveway, she keyed in a few numbers on her text and entered a few numbers and sent off a text for back up support. She had to do this right, but as Evan said, she should never put her life in danger again.
Her mind then flashed back to the day after the murder and she briefly closed her eyes and swallowed hard, drawing in a deep breath...
“Hey, you’re back so soon?” Phil looked aghast and turned his attention to Mike and shook his head, giving him a tsk.
Dana looked at the mailbag on the counter. Mike probably had some more bills to give to Phil. Who could blame him for not wanting to see the mailman everyday. But that wasn’t the case, was it?
Later, Dana ended up at the Tavern & Bar in the Town’s Square, while Katie waited in the car in the parking lot.
“Hey Mike!” Dana said to the mail guy when she spotted him sitting in the bar drinking a cold beer.
“Hey, yourself, Dana. What’s going on?”
“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if we could have a few words. You and I. I have to ask you something.”
Mike looked around. The bar was practically empty and there was no one else there.
“Sure.”
They went over to the side while Katie waited in the car with her, the ignition turned off and the lights off so that Mike would not be aware that anyone else was around outside.
“What’s this about?”
“The day that Brad was murdered. I just have a few questions. You see I have this murder mystery blog and I was hoping you can help me solve this murder that’s similar to this.”
“Oh, you’re a sly one, aren’t you? You think I don’t know the real reason you’re here?”
Dana felt uncomfortable but she was determined to hold her ground. She had some mace in her purse just in case.
“The truth is, Mike, I was confused about a tiny detail,” Dana said.
“About what?”
“You always delivered mail at 9 a.m. I went to the pharmacy on my morning break. I was at the pharmacy at 10 a.m. So I thought what gives?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You know what I mean. It was then I realize that you couldn’t have possibly been there for mail delivery—again. Phil has a photographic memory and remembers each customer’s refill time. That’s why he shook his head and tsked you. He thought you were there way too soon. You should have had a week left of supply left. But you didn’t. And Brad was killed with the equivalent of seven digoxin tablets crushed in the pill crusher that you purchased a few days prior. You were there to refill your digoxin because you finished your 30 day supply earlier than 30 days which meant, you used a few to crush and sprinkle on the cupcake at the Berry Cove Gazette head office. But something went wrong and you struck him too.”
“So you figured it all out, did you?”
Mike’s expression darkened giving Dana chills that slithered down her spine. But Dana was determined to hold her ground. She was not going to be fearful of him—though she probably should be.
“Well yes and no.”
“Yes and no?” he said, inching closer to her.
Dana instinctively took a few paces back, slowly and smoothly.
Never corner yourself, she was taught in self-defense. Always be near a door so that you could never be cornered in a room. Thank heavens she always took that advice. Of course, she was also claustrophobic, so having a quick exit point out of a closed in space was always something she made sure of.
“You see, you went through a lot of effort to appear as if you disliked Bianca, which wasn’t true, now was it?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That’s supposed to mean that when Gerdie-Sue went over to Bianca’s home, she noticed a picture in a frame of you with Bianca when you two were much younger.”
“So what? We went to the same school.”
“Precisely. But not only that, I was lucky enough to catch up with an old mutual acquaintance of yours who said you’d always had an unhealthy crush and obsession with Bianca from the time you two met in school. And you’ve never let that up.”
“So?”
Dana’s tone softened slightly. She really wanted to reach out to Mike, as much as she didn’t like what he did. There was that compassionate part of her again.
“Mike, I know it must have really broke your heart. She was....she was your first love, wasn’t she?”
His eyes widened. Was it fury blazing in his eyes or something else? Dana couldn’t tell right now.
He stopped walking toward her and paused. His expression froze, then his eyes glazed over as if dazed by a memory or thought. As if he were in a trans.
“You’re right,” Mike agreed to Dana’s surprise.
“I-I’m right?” Dana echoed, quietly.
“Yes,” Mike said, drawing in a deep sigh. “She was my...my first. I was so in love with her and I would do anything for her.”
“Even kill for her, right?”
Mike looked at Dana as if struck by something.
“Well, it’s true, isn’t it, Mike?” Dana probed gently.
“I hated Brad. He could never be to Bianca what I could be to her.” Mike looked off into space.
“You really loved her, didn’t you? But she was from a wealthy background and it hurt you when her grandfather insisted she stop seeing you. Then of course, she later met Brad and you weren’t too fond of him, either. And of course, you fantasized about being with Bianca and not having to ever work another hard day in your life because she could take care of you financially, too, right?”
Mike stared off into space.
“I noticed that you were always complaining about your job and about your financial woes and all that debt you owed. That couldn’t have been easy. If only life could be easy, you get the girl of your dreams and because she’s also wealthy, you wouldn’t have to worry about finances again, either.”
Mike sighed heavily.
Dana continued, “There would be two things in your way. You heard Bianca cry over her bakery sales declining because of my business. And you knew that Brad wrote that horrible review about me and that would be the perfect opportunity to have your wishes come true. You would get rid of Brad and pin the blame on me so that Brad would be out of the way and so would Bianca’s competition the very thing that threatened her livelihood. Isn’t that right, Mike?”
“Yeah, so what? So freaking what?” Mike appeared to have snapped out of his trans. He proceeded to inch closer to Dana again.
“It hurt you when you told Bianca what happened and she didn’t want you anyway. You felt as if everything you did was in vain. That must have really hurt you, Mike. I know what it feels like to be hurt like that, though I would never do what you’ve done.”
“I wanted so badly to get rid of that creep, Brad. But I didn’t do it.”
Before he could take a step further. Bianca came out behind the door. Tears filled her eyes. “I can’t believe you wanted to kill Brad.”
Detective Evan and Detective Troy also came out.
Mike looked around stunned. “Wh-what’s going on?”
“You underestimated me, Mike.” Dana fought to sound as cool and collected as she could. Even though deep down she was a bundle of nerves. She couldn’t believe she was confronting an actual killer or a possible killer. “You really didn’t think I was going to come alone, did you?”
“But, I didn’t do it. I swear to you.” Mike’s eyes were watered over. He always got that way when...when he was telling the truth!
Dana moved close to Mike and took a good sniff.
“What is your problem?”
“Nothing. It’s just that...well, you don’t smell the way I expected you to.”
Mike raised a brow.
The look of incredulity slid across Mike’s puzzled face.
“I had every reason to want that creep dead. He took Bianca away from me and then he tried to blackmail her into staying with him. That low life son of a gun.” Mike huffed. “I’m glad he’s gone. But I can tell you this, I didn’t have a strong enough motive to go through with it. Besides, I knew Bianca didn’t really want me.”
“You’re right. You didn’t do it,” Dana concurred. “And it had to have taken someone with an even stronger motive.”
“A stronger motive?”
“Yes, a stronger motive. Someone who had a lot to lose—or who lost a lot like the life of a loved one. Your ex is still alive but someone else who lost someone permanently would have more at stake. Like the life of someone close to them. Besides, like I said before, you just don’t smell the part.”
“Are you crazy?” Mike asked incredulously.
“Not all the time.”
Just then Detective Evan said firmly, “Let’s just say we might never find the real killer then.”
Like a bolt of lightning a thought struck Dana and her mind lit up with a Eureka moment!
She had her suspicions about something, but now she was more sure than ever. And now she understood that coincidence that happened on the keyboard when her slate was wiped clean except for a few letters. The four-letter mystery name wasn’t Mike, was it?
She thought back to the day when Brad’s body was found. “Detective Evan, can I please have a word with you, alone.”
“Sure. What is it?”
Dana sighed heavily when they went into the back room and closed the door.
“I think you’re a really nice guy, Evan. You are. But...sometimes we do things that might be out of character for us.”
She took a good sniff of his chest.
“What are you talking about? And why are you sniffing me?”
“Well, first of all. The fact that you were so quick to make sure no one innocent gets pinned for this crime for one thing was incredibly noble of you.”
“So? Would you rather someone innocent go to jail for something they didn’t do?”
“Of course not. And I appreciate you standing up for me the other day. I really do. But you only wanted to make sure nobody wrong got pinned for this murder because you know who did it?”
“I do?”
“Yes, you do, Evan.”
He folded his arms across his chest, a puzzled expression slid across his face.
“It must have hurt you badly when Brad, or Bradley-Jo as he was known then, killed your father.”
Evan’s eyes widened in shock. “What are you talking about, Dana?”
“I’m observant, Evan. That’s one of my weak spots as well as my strength. Sometimes, I wish I wasn’t so much so. But it all suddenly clicked when I had done some research about an accident that was covered up by Brad’s family. And the injured and deceased parties of that accident.”
Evan’s face froze as he listened.
Dana continued, “That surgical scar across the side of your face was caused by an accident when you were a passenger in a car, along with your father, that was hit. An accident caused by a drunk driver. A young, careless college-aged student who was intoxicated. The emotional scar though was far worse than the physical scar, wasn’t it?”
“And?”
“Well, for one thing. You told me the day Brad died that his name was Bradley-Jo Farmer. He changed his name to Brad and dropped the Jo, just in case anyone tried to make the connection to his past. Then he used his mother’s maiden name. Only those from his small town in Connecticut would have known that. No one from around here. I did some checking up on him online to see how he could have so many enemies. Then I tried to go to Connecticut. Someone had cut my tires because they didn’t want me to go. And that was you, wasn’t it?”
“Now, why would I do that?”
“You always seem to be around at the right time, even when it isn’t your shift. For example at the Gazette. You were off that morning. Troy inadvertently confirmed it with me. But it didn’t all click yet. You do you morning runs and that’s why you were tired and flushed. Then you splashed on your cologne like most guys who didn’t have time to shower. And the trail is near the Town Square. A good spot to be close to the station and the Gazette. No one would suspect you.”
Evan said nothing for a moment. He shoved his hands in his pockets and held his chin up.
“And then there is that special scent. Your cologne to mask that you hadn’t showered yet that morning. You put it on heavy at that time. My nose could not forget that scent. The same one I smelled when I walked into Bradley’s office the day he died. Just moments after he died.”
“You really are observant, aren’t you?”
She nodded cautiously. “I realize that it was you that had me bugged. That’s why you were able to tell Detective Troy that I was meddling in the case. You weren’t really trying to help me solve the case after all, were you?” Disappointment clouded her voice. She really truly thought that she had found a good friend in Evan. Someone who knew what she felt losing her parents.
“Oh, no. You were trying to make sure I didn’t solve the case,” Dana continued. “How foolish of me to not realize at the time. But it all makes sense now, doesn’t it? Because if I did solve the case...well, you know the rest.”
“I do?”
“Yes, you do. And to be quite honest, I might be observant but you helped quite a bit, Evan. I have to admit it. I might have been observant but not as much as I wanted to.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You let yourself slip yet again when you told me that a witness had told you that I had business to take care of.”
“You did say that.”
“I did. True. But I only said it to Mike, the mail guy.”
“So what is your problem then?”
“My problem is that when I confronted Mike about it the next day at the pharmacist when he went to refill his prescription, Mike’s innocent reply was “Huh? What are you talking about?”
“So?”
“I realized later that Mike probably didn’t know what I was talking about. You never interviewed him. You were, however, near by in the vicinity after you’d killed Brad then tried to go around the back of the building and come back out as if you hadn’t been there earlier. I even remembered when I briefly confronted Mike, the mail guy, at the Town Square monument outside the Gazette building. I remembered just before Mike appeared, the bushes near the monument were rattled. I assumed it had to be Mike but it wasn’t. It was you, hiding. You were listening. You hadn’t expected us to be there. You overheard what I said. And as far as the security at the Gazette is concerned. You were very confident that the tapes would show nothing because you handled security there from time to time. You are a part time security officer, too. You moonlight like everyone else here.”
“How did you know all this?”
“Mac and I have been doing a lot of research.”
“Mac?”
“Never mind. It’s a long story. Anyway, it surprised me at first but being that it’s a small town and all...You made sure that the security tapes would show nothing. You said you had taken the tape to run through them yourself but what you had done was doctored the tape yourself then returned it edited. But why? Why Evan?”
Evan looked as if he was lost. He then drew a deep sigh.
“My father was everything to me,” Evan admitted to her, on the verge of breaking down.
“I know how you feel,” Dana said gently, her voice as soothing as she could sound. And she meant it. There was nothing like losing a parent.
“That brat Bradley-Jo and his friends were out drinking and driving. That was one of the reasons I decided to become a cop.”
“To help change the system. To save people’s lives.”
“Yes,” he said, looking out the window. “His old man got him off with his connections. And he avoided jail time. A lot of people protested at the time and since his father had connections and investments here in Berry Cove, he shipped him off here and changed his name to his mother’s maiden name. Of course, Daddy wasn’t here to save him this time, was he? His old man got caught by the IRS for income tax invasion and his mother, too.”
“I see.”
“And well, anyway, at the time of my dad’s death, I had testified in court and the judge dismissed it. I even told them what the plates were.” Evan’s eyes misted over. “They told me I had gotten it from a newspaper description of Brad’s car. And that I must have recited it from there.”
“It must have really hurt to know you were telling the truth and your testimony wasn’t counted.”
“It wasn’t counted as much then. But I made sure that one day it would. Everybody would respect what I had to say. And when I said it.”
“Wait a minute. I’d overheard Mrs. Baxter talking to her daughter at the memorial saying something to the effect that the secret would be buried with him.”
“So?”
Dana snapped her fingers as if she just had an A-ha moment. “Well, that’s it. I knew there was something fishy about his hidden records or at least the records his folks were trying to hide. Brad never changed his ways. When he moved to Berry Cove, he continued to drink and drive and he was in the car with Bianca. That’s it. They’d hit someone who later died. Now that case had been a hit and run but a part of Brad’s car had been dented. So he used that against Bianca to say that he’d pin it on her. You knew that, too, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did. So?”
“That’s why it wasn’t hard to get Bianca on your side in all of this.”
He turned to look at Dana and she stepped back nervously.
What was he going to do now that she knew his secret?
But detective Troy and the rest of the them were in the next room. He wouldn’t do anything stupid would he?
“I’ve waited so long, all my life. I dreamed about this day when I would get even with Bradley-Jo Farmer. I would make him pay.”
“That was an awful long time to wait.”
“And it was worth it. I didn’t know that I was going to kill him that day. But I made sure that I was going to have a few words with him. And when I told him who I was. He laughed. He didn’t even seem to care. It was as if it was some big joke to him. I thought he would have been scared.”
That couldn’t have been good for Evan’s male ego. Or the hurt he was carrying all these years. Dana could see how this unfolded. Of course, it was still wrong. All wrong.
“So you killed him.”
Evan nodded. “I had no choice.”
“There’s always a choice, Evan. You could have just requested for the case to be re-opened?”
“Not a chance. And you know something. I’ve avenged my father’s death. So my work is done.”
“Not quite,” Detective Troy came in, the look of disappointment on his face. “Man, there are so many ways to get justice. You should’ve known better. That’s not one of them. I’m disappointed in you, Evan.”
“I’m not. I did what I had to do and I’m not sorry. Least I didn’t try to pin it on anyone.”
“But if you’d come clean in the beginning, you could have saved a lot of us a lot of grief, Evan.” Dana’s voice was unwavering, though her heart was going a mile a minute.
She was just glad this was all over and that detective Troy was there by her side. Boy, was she glad he was there now. How could she have gotten the guys all wrong? The good one was bad and the bad one turned out to be good, after all.