Andrea
Detective Peck called. “We’ve got the report on the fingerprints from the popcorn bag.”
At the rate my life was going, I knew better than to expect good news. “Was anything usable?”
“Yes, we were able to identify Carolyn’s print.”
Finally progress. Praise the Lord. I could tell he had something else to say. “What else?”
“Cecil Chamber’s print showed up on the bag.”
“Both of their prints were on the popcorn bag? His car was there and he was there, too?” I was out of my chair on my feet now. “Oh my God! Now what happens, Detective Peck?”
“Now we get a warrant to search his place, search his car, and see what we come up with.”
“That’s the best news I’ve had in—was Christmas just last week?” It hardly seemed possible because so much had happened. I massaged my neck as I explained, “I’m going through something else now. Did you know that my ex-boyfriend was murdered?”
“Say what? Where was this?”
“It happened in Kentucky, but the police there and here consider me and Benjamin Dunn suspects. He was Carolyn’s old boyfriend and is now my fiancé.” I listened, waiting for the typical reaction to that information. Detective Peck curtailed his thoughts or at least the words that went with them.
“Congratulations. And about you being part of the investigation, we have to check everything out, you know. Did you kill anybody?” His tone was light, like he already knew the right answer.
“Of course not.”
“Then you don’t have anything to worry about. Like I’ve been saying, can’t make a case without evidence.”
“Right. Tell that to the innocent folks on death row. The cops working Eugene’s case think there could be a connection between Carolyn’s and my ex-boyfriend’s murders.” I pushed my hair back on one side. “I’m surprised they haven’t consulted you.”
“I’m not. It’s not uncommon for the left hand not to know what the right hand is doing in city bureaucracy. What’s the detective’s name working the case?”
“Michael Wellborn and the guy from Kentucky is Carl Haines.”
“Oh yeah, I know Wellborn. I’ll make it a priority to get with him and see what’s up.”
“Okay, thank you Detective.”
“I’ll be in touch. Happy New Year.”
“The same to you.”
I hung up, needing to tell someone about the fingerprints, but it was New Year’s Eve and BJ and Gloria were unavailable. Benjamin and I were going to have a candlelit dinner here when he got off work. Somehow I didn’t think he would be as excited as I was.