Murder is Secondary: A Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mystery Page 14

  “You got it,” said Mike. “First things first.”

  Chapter 46

  The next morning, Susan took the valet parking receipt to Lynette and told her what she and Mike had discovered. Lynette agreed to have Jackson drive to the hotel and take a statement from the valet. Then he would once again question Phillip. Lynette was cautious as always, but Susan could tell that she thought this could prove Phillip was the killer. Susan headed to the school to volunteer for a few hours.

  On the way to the school, Susan plotted her actions. She would try to talk to Julie, and perhaps get her to open up about the twin towers. That would be like prying food from a dog’s mouth, she thought, but, nonetheless, she could try. She couldn’t leave that mystery unsolved. When she entered the media center, she found Janet overwhelmed as usual.

  “So glad to see you,” said Janet. “I’m trying to sort through all these VHS tapes. We’re replacing all the VCR’s with DVD players as they wear out, but some of the tapes are worth keeping, at least for now.”

  “I’ll grab this pile,” said Susan. She chatted with Janet until Julie/Kaitlyn came in as usual during her planning period. Julie/Kaitlyn asked Susan about Lynette.

  “She’s doing well, staying off her feet like the doctor ordered. She’s getting a bit stir crazy, but she’d do anything to protect that baby.”

  “Glad to hear she’s doing well.”

  “Julie, can we go somewhere private to talk?” asked Susan.

  Julie raised an eyebrow. “Sure, I guess so. Come on back to my classroom.” Susan followed her to a room a few doors from the media center. “What’s going on?”

  Again, Susan channeled her creative muse. “I think I need to share something with you. I heard Lynette talking to her partner on the phone. She said that she’d discovered a link between you and Zach. She said you’d once been married to him. I’m just telling you this because you’re my friend and I don’t want you to be blindsided when the police question you about it. They may be thinking you had motive to kill Zach, and you certainly had the opportunity the night of the shower. I mean, I know you could never kill someone, but the police might consider you a suspect.” Julie’s shoulders dropped and Susan watched the color drain from her face. It took her a moment to respond.

  “Susan,” she spoke slowly and deliberately, “This is terrible. I never wanted to have to admit this. Yes, I was married to Zach once, but I didn’t kill him. It’s going to look bad if the police start digging into this though.”

  “Why’s that? Lots of couples divorce and that’s not usually motive for murder.”

  “Yes, but…”

  “But what? You can tell me. I want to help. I’m on your side.”

  “We were never divorced. Zach was an abusive husband, both physically and emotionally. He gave me this scar on my wrist, for example, by holding my wrist down on the stove burner. He was a horrible and dangerous man.”

  “That’s terrible. I’m glad you got away from him.”

  “Oh, getting away was not an easy task. I knew that if I left or threatened divorce he would have killed me. He never would have let me go. When Joey was born, I was terrified that he would start hurting him too.”

  “And did he?” asked Susan.

  “Not at first. It started around the time that Joey turned four. It broke my heart. I didn’t know where to turn. Zach was a very influential man in our community. He had connections. If he didn’t kill me, he would have certainly taken Joey away from me. I never would have seen my son again.” Julie’s cheeks were wet with tears.

  “So how did you manage to escape?”

  “An unexpected opportunity fell into my lap on the tail of one of this country’s worst tragedies. One day, as I was commuting to work, Joey started crying hysterically. We took the train every morning into Manhattan. There was an onsite daycare/preschool at my work. He’d been a little fussy that morning, but now he seemed to be in pain and he felt warm. By the time I got off the train, I knew he was sick.”

  “So what did you do?” asked Susan. She leaned forward.

  “Joey had this wonderful preschool teacher. Her name was Julie Martin. When I got to the daycare, she could see that Joey was sick. She offered to let me take her car to run him over to the pediatrician. She was so goodhearted like that. So I took her up on the offer and drove him to the pediatrician. Turns out he had an ear infection. On the way back, I heard the most horrifying news on the radio. The Twin Towers had been attacked. My head was spinning. Then it sunk in. I was supposed to have been there that morning. Joey was supposed to be at the daycare. It was a miracle that we weren’t. I couldn’t wrap my head around it.”

  “Wow, talk about luck.”

  “Yeah, a little divine intervention maybe. Anyhow, when I heard the news, I just froze. I pulled into a parking lot and just sat there. I knew they weren’t letting cars anywhere near the towers. I was shaking, thinking about my coworkers and Julie. I thought about the poor kids at the daycare and prayed they had escaped. I couldn’t stop crying. I must have sat there for hours. Joey had fallen asleep in the back. Then it occurred to me. I was supposed to be there. Not a soul besides Julie knew that I had taken Joey to the doctor. I wondered if I could maybe just take Joey and disappear. Zach would think we had died in the explosion and wouldn’t try to find us. It seemed like the perfect solution.”

  “Where did you go?” asked Susan.

  “My parents have been living abroad for many years. Before they left the states, they owned a small house here in Westbrook which they rented out during the summers. They still own it. It was fall so the summer renters had already left. I knew I could stay there for a while.”

  “That was brave of you.” Susan couldn’t believe how lucky Julie had been. She tried to piece it together. “How did you have money to live on?”

  “I had a secret bank account. I’d been stashing away small amounts of money for years. I was planning on running away from Zach one day. I just hadn’t gotten up the courage. I also had Julie’s car and––call it divine intervention––but she’d left her gym bag with her wallet inside it in the trunk. I was sick about Julie, but somehow I knew she would have been okay with what I did.”

  “How did you know that Julie hadn’t escaped?”

  “I waited weeks, then months, to hear news but they never found her remains. If she were alive, I would have heard. Besides, the daycare was hit hard, there weren’t many survivors.”

  “You must have been scared being in a new town with a small child like that. Didn’t the money eventually run out?” asked Susan. She imagined how alone and scared Julie must have felt.

  “Remember, I had Julie’s driver’s license and credit cards. Her social security card was even there in her wallet. I started to wonder if just maybe I could get away with becoming her. She had a teaching certificate. I applied at the school district to substitute and started getting called. Eventually I was offered a full time position and here I am.”

  “How did Zach find you then after all these years? You must have been terrified.”

  “Zach had seen us on Sixty Minutes when they did that story about Joey winning the national science contest. I told you he had connections. It didn’t take him long to hunt us down.”

  “Julie, I have to ask. Did you push him into the Jacuzzi the night of the shower? I’m sure you felt threatened. I’d understand if you did.”

  “No, Susan. Of course not. I don’t have it in me to commit murder even considering how much I hated Zach. We argued on the patio that night, but he was alive the last time I saw him.”

  “Julie, you need to go to the police with this before they come to you.”

  “Oh God, I don’t know if I can. I don’t want to go to jail. What would happen to Joey then?”

  “Just tell them the whole story. I’m sure they’re going to find the real killer soon.”

  “Let me call downstairs and see if I can get a sub. I’m in no position to teach today. Then I’ll go over to the sta
tion.”

  “Ask for Jackson Simpson. He’s Lynette’s partner. He was at the shower.”

  “Okay, I’ll summon up my courage and do that.”

  “Call me if you need anything.” Susan was still absorbing the enormity of the situation as she exited the school. She felt in her heart that Julie couldn’t have killed Zach, and she had faith that the Westbrook Police Department would find the real killer soon. She was convinced that Phillip was the murderer. She walked through a crowd of students eating lunch at the picnic tables outside the school and heard a familiar hello. It was Carolina.

  “Hey, Mrs. W.! Volunteering today?” asked Carolina. She was with Joey Martin. Susan wondered if the two of them were an official couple or just good friends.

  “Good to see you, sweetie. How’s your dad? He looked great at the shower.”

  “He’s good. We’ve come to a new normal since Mom died. I still miss her though.”

  “I’m sure you will always miss her.” Susan thought about her own birth mother and wondered if she ever missed the daughter she gave up. “Joey, what happened to your hand?” asked Susan. His right hand was still bandaged and wrapped.

  “Oh, just a little run in with a cement wall,” said Joey. Susan wondered if by cement wall he was referring to the garden wall in back of her house. Joey was in a hurry, but Carolina stayed back for a few minutes.

  “Carolina, seriously, how did Joey injure his hand?”

  “He was telling the truth. You know he has a temper when he gets angry or frustrated. Something had upset him at the baby shower. He hauled off and punched the back wall of your house.”

  “Seriously? What was it that had him so upset?”

  Carolina looked down at the floor and hesitated. “I really can’t say. You’ll have to ask Joey. I’d better run too now or I’ll be late to class.”

  Susan said goodbye. Even though it looked as if Phillip was the murderer, they still hadn’t gotten back the DNA report. They’d taken DNA samples from all the suspects, but processing DNA took time. She set off for home, wondering again if Joey was at all capable of murder.

  Chapter 47

  Jackson Simpson was eating his lunch at the station when Julie came in. She told him the whole story about the Twin Towers and how she had assumed the real Julie Martin’s identity. Jackson reassured her that she wouldn’t be facing jail time, at least not for that crime.

  “Did anyone see you on the patio or going inside the house while Mr. Chichester was still alive?” asked Jackson.

  “Dalia Chichester saw me. So did Tank Copland. As a matter of fact, I’m sure Dalia was still outside when I came in.” Her account pretty much matched what the witnesses he had interviewed told him. He would reconfirm the statements he had taken, but it looked as if Julie/Kaitlyn would be cleared.

  Julie left the station. Jackson resumed eating his sandwich and chips, licking the orange barbecue powder off of his fingers. Lynette used to hate it when he did that. She used to tell him that it was as bad as listening to someone crack their knuckles, another thing she hated. When he finished, he called Dalia Chichester and asked her to come in. Then he resumed working.

  “Hi, honey.” Theresa Rizzo walked into the station. Jackson’s heart still fluttered every time he heard her voice. “I was on the way home from school and thought I’d stop by and bring you a present. The chorus was having a bake sale today. I bought you some brownies.” She shook the bag in front of his nose. Theresa taught fourth grade at Westchester Elementary.

  “A woman after my own heart,” said Jackson. He peeked into the bag and licked his lips. He couldn’t wait to propose to Theresa, as soon as he could come up with a plan. It had to be special, something memorable. He had already bought her a ring and imagined a thousand times in his mind how it would feel to slip it on her finger.

  “The kids were crazy today,” said Theresa. “We had an assembly in the morning and they were riled up for the whole day. I hate when they bring in those fundraising people who offer them cheap prizes for selling magazines, all in the name of raising money for the school.”

  While they were talking, Dalia Chichester walked in. Jackson told Theresa to wait while he took Dalia into a conference room. Dalia confirmed that she had seen Julie leave the patio while Zach was still alive and she swore that Zach was still alive when she herself had come back into the house.

  “Thank you for your cooperation,” said Jackson. He walked her to the front entrance and then sat down next to Theresa. “Well, Dalia Chichester confirmed that one of our suspects has an alibi. Now we need to clear her.”

  “Jacky, this is your lucky day. I talked to Dalia at the shower. I went outside for a few minutes to get some air and I started talking to her. We were talking shoes. Anyhow, that big mouth Zach was there. It sounded like he was shouting, he had such a big, booming voice. I saw Julie Martin talking to him, then she went inside. A few minutes later, Dalia said she was getting cold and we both came back in. Zach was still talking to someone else outside, so I know he was alive at that point.”

  “Did you see who he was talking to?” asked Jackson. He raised an eyebrow.

  “No, but it was a man. I heard a man’s voice.”

  “A man or a young man? Joey Martin was there that night. He’s on our suspect list.”

  “It was definitely an older voice, and I didn’t see Joey outside at all.”

  “Well, Theresa, you just cleared Dalia. That’s very helpful.” He gave her a kiss.

  “Glad I could help. You should have asked me earlier. We’re still on for tonight, right?”

  “You bet. I’ll pick you up at six.” Jackson couldn’t wait. Tonight was going to be the night. He’d made up his mind. “Oh, and take this.” He handed her a small branch.

  “Jacky, what on earth is this?” said Theresa.

  “Oh, just a little gift. Go with it. See you tonight.”

  Chapter 48

  Susan was thinking about her mother a lot these days. She decided to stop at the cemetery. The ground was still fresh and the headstone wasn’t ready yet, but, nonetheless, it was a comfort being near her mom. She told her about Lynette’s shower and how she’d helped decorate the baby’s room. Her heart ached. Her mother would have been so thrilled to have a great grandchild. It was starting to drizzle, so Susan headed toward the car. Along the path, she recognized a familiar face. It was Mrs. Bernstein at Amber’s grave. She walked quietly so as not to disturb her. As she got nearer, she could tell Mrs. Bernstein was talking to her dead daughter.

  “Amber, I miss you so much. To think you died because that Zachary Chichester mistook you for his former wife. I...we couldn’t let him get away with that.” Susan could hear sobbing between the words.

  She crouched down behind a neighboring gravestone. This could be very interesting. Was Amber’s mother saying she had something to do with Zach’s death?

  “My baby. You know I couldn’t imagine anyone hating you enough to kill you. When I heard Daddy saying that a stranger, some Zachary something or other, had killed you I felt an explosion inside my head. He was not going to get away with it.”

  Was this a confession? thought Susan. She heard voices behind her. She was no longer alone on the path and didn’t want to be caught crouching behind a gravestone, eavesdropping, so she got up (reminded again about how she needed some yoga classes) and walked back to the car. Just when it was looking like a slam dunk that Phillip was the killer, here was yet another possibility.

  Chapter 49

  Jackson took a second shower, dabbed on some Old Spice, and combed what was left of his hair. He was fidgeting and had already checked his pocket three times to make sure the ring was still there. He picked up Theresa promptly at six.

  “Wow, you look stunning,” he said to Theresa as she opened the door. She was wearing a short beaded dress and carried a matching purse. Jackson purposely inhaled. He loved the vanilla-scented perfume she always wore.

  “You too, handsome.” Theresa followed Jackson to
the car. Theresa got into the car and sat on something small and hard.

  “Ouch, what’s this?” she said. She pulled a plastic, magnetic letter U from under her bottom.

  “Oh, just go with it,” said Jackson. He was enjoying this and broke into a grin. He pulled into Kenny Tang’s.

  “Asian Fusion? So you’re finally willing to try this place?” said Theresa. Jackson wasn’t much for trying new things. Theresa had suggested this place multiple times, but they’d always wound up at Vinnie’s or Amici’s.

  “Yep, I’m taking the plunge,” said Jackson. His stomach felt like a wave pool inside. He didn’t know if he could eat. They followed the hostess to a candle-lit table in the corner. The waitress approached them.

  “Good evening. My name is Mary. I’ll be your server tonight.” She poured them a complimentary glass of house wine. Theresa looked more beautiful than ever in the glow of the candlelight. They had a delicious stir-fried dinner and decided to top it off with dessert.

  “How about we share the green tea ice cream with almond cookies?” suggested Jackson.

  “Sounds good to me,” agreed Theresa. The dessert arrived and Theresa said, “Jacky, why is there an M on this almond cookie and an E on this one? That’s really strange.”

  “Well, my love. It seems that it spells out a word.” He felt his heart beat accelerating. His hands were sweating.

  “Me. Why does it say that?” asked Theresa.

  “Okay, you’ve been a detective’s girlfriend long enough to be able to put together simple clues. What odd gifts did you receive today?” asked Jackson.

  Theresa thought for a moment. “Well, you handed me a leafless branch at the station.”

  “What was it made of?”

  “Wood. It was made of wood.”

  “Next?”

  “In the car I sat on the magnetic letter U.”