CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

 

The Woods Citizens Against Crime meeting took place on a Saturday afternoon at the Community Center. There was a packed house, eager to hear what Quinn Herrera had to say.

Selene sat next to Elisa and Marvin. Quinn had shared his feelings with her last night and, though she had argued against it, she knew what he planned to do was best for them and the community.

She held her breath. Quinn exchanged a few private words with Todd Foxworth, before Todd took a seat next to Julian McKenzie and his wife.

Quinn paused before addressing his audience. There was no easy way to do this.

“Glad you could all make it this afternoon on such short notice,” he began. “I’m sure everyone here has heard the rumors and innuendos about me being a suspect in The Woods Strangler investigation. I want to assure you that there is no truth to this allegation...”

Quinn talked about the anonymous phone calls and their decision to go to the police. Selene tried to gauge the faces of those in attendance as to whether they supported her husband’s presumed innocence or feared him as a possible killer. She saw Robert Leighton sitting smugly in judgment.

“I’d like to think that you would have done the same thing had you been in our shoes,” Quinn continued. “How this turned into my somehow being a suspect in the killings, I don’t even want to guess.” He paused deliberately. “Because I care so much for this community, I don’t want there to be even a hint of doubt in your minds that I’m the right man to head this group. On that note, until I am fully absolved of any wrongdoing, I have decided to step down as director—”

There were murmurs throughout the room, followed by questions, which Quinn dutifully answered as candidly as he could.

“If you don’t have anything to hide, why quit?” Robert Leighton challenged him.

“Because I don’t want to put my wife through the second-guessing and gossip. It’s not worth it, especially when someone else can take over the job without the excess baggage.”

“The truth will come out sooner than later,” Robert said.

“You mean like with you and your wife?” Quinn retorted.

“That’s between me and her,” Robert said. “This involves all of us.”

“Beating a woman, even in the privacy of your home, is something that involves the entire community,” Quinn said.

Robert offered little defense. “I wouldn’t go spouting my mouth off about something I know nothing about, Herrera.”

“My sentiments precisely,” Quinn said.

Robert grumbled without further response.

“I’m not willing to wait until the truth clears me,” Quinn told the group. “Not while speculation hangs over me like a dark cloud.”

“I hear you,” Marvin said. “You don’t need the hassle. Neither does Selene. That said, I want to go on record as saying that Elisa and I stand behind you one hundred percent.” He rose, as if to make his point. “Anyone who knows you knows that it’s ludicrous to think you could be the killer!”

“Thanks, Marvin, I appreciate it.”

“I agree with Marvin,” Elisa said, standing up. “We’ve become close friends with Quinn and Selene over the last few months and they’re good people. It’s obvious the caller is just trying to stir up trouble and make us turn against each other. Is that what we really want? I don’t think so.”

Todd stood. “She’s absolutely right,” he said. “Pointing fingers is the last thing we need. They put me through the same torment of guilty till proven innocent when my girlfriend Cyndi was killed. People still look at me funny, like I’m responsible for her death or the others. The police seem to be grasping at straws by going after innocent men like me and Quinn instead of the real killer.”

Julian got to his feet in a further show of unity. “We need to stick together, no matter what. This is our community and infighting and paranoia is only going to undermine the efforts to make The Woods a safe place to live again.”

One by one, people seemed to rally to Quinn’s defense.

“We think you should stay on as director,” an elderly woman said. “Don’t let anyone or anything drive you away.”

“Thanks for saying that,” Quinn said. “And thanks to everyone for your support. But I think it’s best all the way around if I vacate the position. To that effect, I’d like to nominate Julian McKenzie as the new director...”

Julian approached the podium with his wife Loraine. He was a logical choice, especially after Marvin, Elisa, Todd, and others had turned down the job, preferring to keep their contributions to the community on a behind-the-scenes level.

Julian and Quinn shook hands and then Julian gave his predecessor a bear hug. It didn’t take long for the citizens of The Woods to approve the new director and stand solidly behind the old one, save for a few.

“We’ve all got your back,” Julian said. “As soon as this thing is over, you can have the job back if you want it—”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Quinn said.

Right now, he just wanted to focus on the important things: his wife, his writing career, and trying to get his good name back.

* * *

Dennis Cramer was impressed with the sense of community he felt at the meeting, in spite of the fact that it was him and his department who were in the hot seat by seemingly going after all the wrong men, while unable to hone in on the real culprit. But Cramer was not about to let his job be dictated by public sentiment.

He found it hard to believe that Quinn was the man they were looking for. But he had been wrong before. Why couldn’t the killer be someone who seemed above suspicion?

The department was videotaping the meeting. With any luck, they would find something or someone that hadn’t shown up previously in the investigation that would point them in the right direction.

Meanwhile, Cramer was hoping the killer had gotten so full of himself that he was bound to make a mistake that would prove to be his last.

* * *

He watched with satisfaction as the gathering disbanded like cockroaches scattering when the light was turned on. It had gone pretty much according to plan. The good men and women of The Woods were more confused and apprehensive than ever. He chuckled. The Woods Strangler was alive and well and not done with this community yet.

Keep them off guard, looking over their shoulders and under their beds, wondering if they’ll be next.

He left the building calmly.

Let the anonymous caller play with their heads, pitting neighbor against neighbor.

Friend against friend.

Husband against wife.

Wife against husband.

Which one of them was greedy enough to do whatever it took to pocket the reward money? That was something the cops would have to find out for themselves.

They needed no help from him. Not voluntarily anyway.

For now, he would lay low and let things play out as they were meant to. And when the time came, he’d do what needed to be done.

He spied a nice looking, leggy redhead eyeing him with a “let’s hook up” look. Very tempting, but not the right time or place.

He turned his attention elsewhere, focusing on Selene. She was talking almost conspiratorially with Elisa. When he walked up to them, they shut off their conversation and smiled at him. He smiled back and decided to play along just for the fun of it, even while strategizing his next move.