Count Catula (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 9) (4 page)

“And you determined that the girls were killed elsewhere and then dumped in the woods. What do you base that on?”

“When I found the bodies it was apparent both girls had bled out, but there was very little blood found at the scene where their bodies were found.”

“And you never found the scene of the actual murders?”

“No, I didn’t.”

I clicked my pen open and closed as I considered the series of events on the night in question. I had to wonder how the girls came to be with the killer in the first place. It seemed they might not even know each other or that they’d started off the evening together, yet somehow they’d both ended up with the same madman.

Tripp got up from the table and refilled his coffee cup. “Are you sure you don’t want some?”

“I’m fine.” I’d drunk Tripp’s coffee on another occasion and knew it was lethal.

I waited until he returned to the table before I continued. “Let’s talk about the suspects.”

“Weren’t any. There were folks who thought Dracon Moon might have been behind the murders, but I never found any evidence to support that, and I never had a chance to interview him.”

“I heard his house burned down.”

“The following day. Most people suspected he burned down the house himself to hide any evidence he might have left behind and then fled.”

“Is that what
you
think happened?”

Tripp paused. He shrugged. ”Hell if I know. He made as good a suspect as any if you bought into the human sacrifice theory. The guy was a weirdo.”

I tapped my pen against the table as I processed this piece of information. “You said there were no other viable suspects. Surely that can’t be true. There must have been people, other students, who might have had a motive to want the girls dead.”

“I interviewed dozens of kids, and yes, there were those who had an unkind word to say about one girl or the other, but I never found anyone who seemed to have a strong enough motive to murder both of them.”

The crime had been committed fifteen years before and I supposed a lot of the students he’d interviewed had since moved on, but it wouldn’t hurt to track down anyone who was still around. I thought about the puncture wounds in Amanda Lowman’s neck as well as the necks of the teenagers fifteen years ago.

“Was it ever determined what was used to create the puncture holes in the girls’ necks?”

“As I said before, a murder weapon was never found, but the ME thought it was some sort of a two-pronged instrument: possibly something like a large fork.”

One thing became clear to me as I spoke to Tripp: If Amanda Lowman had been killed because of her investigation into the fifteen-year-old murders she must have uncovered something Tripp never had because it seemed clear Tripp didn’t have any evidence that would be worth killing over. I had to wonder if there hadn’t been a lot more to the initial investigation that Tripp wasn’t sharing with me for whatever reason. The fact that he hadn’t had any real suspects at the time of the Vampire Murders was pretty hard to believe. Tripp was a smart guy. There was no way he would have accepted defeat so easily.

“Do you think I can get a look at any notes you might have taken during the initial investigation?”

“Don’t have them. They’re filed, along with all the other old cases, at the county office. I doubt the sheriff would let you have a copy, but if you’re really interested, Finn might be able to get his hands on them.”

Chances were Finn was already on that, but I would definitely ask him when I spoke to him later in the week. “Amanda Lowman had a list of names on a notepad. Your name was on it. Had she been by to speak to you?”

“She tried. She showed up on my doorstep two days ago, told me who she was and what sort of information she was after, and I made it quite clear that any information I might have was privileged and that I wasn’t willing to share it with her or anyone else who didn’t have authorization.”

“Including me?”

Tripp grinned. “To a point, but I’ve shared a lot more with you than I would ever have with her.”

I pushed back my chair and stood up. “I understand there are confidentiality issues involved here, but if you can’t talk to me, talk to Finn. A woman is dead and I’d really like to find out who was responsible.”

“I’ll help you as much as I can.”

I smiled. “Thank you. I’ll be in touch.”

I left Tripp’s and headed to St. Patrick’s and Father Kilian. I wanted to chat with him for two reasons. First of all, his name was on Amanda’s list and I was very much interested in finding out why. Second, I wanted to ask him about Harland Jones and his plan, if he had one, to help the poor man. I knew how important it was for the elderly man to find a place to live that would welcome his dog and I was determined to make sure that happened.

I paused to appreciate Father Kilian’s garden before I went inside. It was bursting with fall color, the trees artfully placed to give the feeling of a quilt that had been stitched together using different-colored squares. I parked my car on the street, then went up the walkway to the house next to the church, where Father Kilian lived.

“Afternoon, Cait. It’s good to see you,” he said after answering the door.

“I love your front porch display.” I nodded toward the scarecrows and pumpkins, which were arranged around a bale of hay.

“My housekeeper came up with the idea. It feels very festive.” Father Kilian showed me into his living room and motioned for me to take a seat on the sofa. “How can I help you today?”

“Have you heard about Amanda Lowman?”

“I have.”

“Finn is at a conference, which I assume you know, and I’m looking into things in a very low key sort of way while he’s away. I found a note Ms. Lowman made before she died. Actually, it was really more of a list. Your name was on it and I wondered if you’d spoken to her.”

“I spoke to her briefly on the phone yesterday. She wanted to make an appointment to talk about the murder of two teenage girls fifteen years ago. I’d agreed to meet with her today.”

“Did she ask you any questions on the phone?”

“No. She just verified that I knew the girls and I told her that I did. Bronwyn had been a member of the church since she was born and I’d counseled with Ruby a couple of times at the request of her caseworker.”

“You counseled her?”

“Part of my job as a priest is to counsel others. Ruby’s caseworker thought she needed someone to talk to, but she’d refused to speak to anyone in the mental health profession. I agreed to give it a try and, oddly enough, she seemed to open up to me. Ruby was a troubled girl, but I think deep down she wanted a way out of the life she’d created for herself.”

Okay, that was a different perspective on Ruby, although I couldn’t see how it would help me solve either Amanda’s murder or the Vampire Murders.

“Whoever killed Ruby and Bronwyn was never caught. Do you have any theories as to who might have done it?”

“Not really. At the time I had a few ideas, but time proved them to be inaccurate. I know a lot of people believed it was a man named Dracon Moon, but I didn’t think so. Dracon was odd, and he did have a disturbing presence, but I’d spoken to him a few times over the years and he never struck me as the sort to be a killer. I think the method used to kill those girls was an intentional attempt to frame him.”

“How so?”

“The only reason Dracon was a suspect at all was because of the method. If they’d been shot or strangled his name most likely would never have come up.”

Father Kilian made a good point. “I assume you heard Amanda Lowman was killed in a similar manner. Her blood wasn’t drained and her body hadn’t been moved from the crime scene, but she was stabbed in the neck with a two-pronged instrument. I’m not sure if she could have been killed by the same person who murdered those girls or if someone else used a similar method because they knew of her interest in the unsolved case, but it seems someone is trying to link them.”

“It’s possible Ms. Lowman’s killer might be trying to send everyone on a wild-goose chase by implying a connection that isn’t really there. If I were you, I’d keep an open mind, and I’d also be careful. Whoever killed this woman may very well kill again if they feel you or anyone else, for that matter, is getting too close.”

Father Kilian was right. If whoever killed Amanda Lowman had done it because she was getting too close to something, they probably wouldn’t think twice about eliminating anyone else who threatened them. I promised to be careful and then segued into the second reason I’d come to see him.

“I also wanted to speak to you about Harland Jones.”

“Such a shame, what happened. The poor man really is between a rock and a hard place.”

“I know he needs a place to live that will allow him to keep his dog. I’m not sure what I can do, but I want to help if I can.”

“Harland is in a difficult situation. On one hand, he’s both broke and homeless. He needs help, but he’s reluctant to accept it. There are programs he might qualify for, particularly given his age, but he refuses to even look into the options I’ve tried to provide to him. He’s insistent that he wants to maintain his independence. And he has the dog to consider; most subsidized housing don’t allow pets. I’m looking for a place that will meet his needs, but so far I’m not having a lot of success. You don’t know of anyone who has an empty house they aren’t using, do you?”

I didn’t, but I did know of someone who had part of a house they might be willing to rent. “I have an idea, but I need to talk to someone first. I’ll let you know if I can work things out.”

I decided to head back to the bookstore as soon as I left the church and call the other names on Amanda Lowman’s list from there. Maybe someone would have a piece of the puzzle that would allow us to make sense of things. When I arrived Tara was standing at the counter, talking to one of the women who had attended the book club meeting the previous evening.

“I heard what happened to poor Ms. Lowman,” the woman said the minute I walked through the door. “Please tell me Deputy Finnegan has figured out who did this awful thing.”

“As far as I know, there hasn’t been an arrest made at this time.”

“It’s just so hard to believe. One minute she was standing right here in this very shop, talking about her book, and the next she’s dead. It really makes you wonder what this world is coming to.”

“It’s a terrible thing,” I agreed.

“I hope Deputy Finnegan makes an arrest soon. I don’t think I’ll feel safe in my own home until this monster is caught and dealt the punishment he deserves.”

“Deputy Finnegan is at a conference, but I’m sure his replacement is working on it.”

The woman picked up a Coffee Cat Books bag from the counter. She turned and looked at Tara. “Thank you for your help, dear. I know you live alone now that Destiny is off at college.” Destiny, the teenage mother who had been living with Tara, had moved to Oregon to live with her aunt so she could go to college there. “You be careful, and keep your door locked. It’s very unsettling to have a killer in our midst.”

“I will, and thank you for stopping by.”

After the woman left Tara asked how my interview with Tripp had gone. I explained that he hadn’t seemed to have much information at all, which seemed odd to me. You would think every rock would have been overturned with the death of two young girls fifteen years ago, yet Tripp made it sound as if he’d asked around a bit, hadn’t found any obvious suspects, then basically had given up. He could be holding back something he didn’t feel comfortable discussing with me, I thought; I just hoped he’d open up to Finn.

“I spoke to Father Kilian as well,” I added. “He had a slightly different perspective but no real answers. I’m going to call the other names on Amanda Lowman’s list to see if any of the people who were around back then can remember anything more.”

“Wasn’t Siobhan in the same graduating class as the girls who were killed?”

“Yeah. She’s going to tell us what she remembers at the murder board dinner tonight. I hope you can come as well.”

“I’ll be there. I really don’t think I’ll feel safe until Ms. Lowman’s killer is found. You know who might be able to tell you something about the victims? Fran Hillford.”

Fran had taught history at the high school until she’d retired a couple of years before. She’d been at the high school for thirty years, so she would definitely have been there when the murders occurred. Maybe she would have input about the victims Tripp hadn’t. “Mrs. Hillford and I always did have a special relationship. I’m sure she’d tell me what she knows. Maybe I’ll call her too, even though she isn’t on the list.”

As it turned out, none of the people on Amanda Lowman’s list who I hadn’t already spoken to answered their phones, so I left messages for them and called Mrs. Hillford, who was at home and more than happy to speak to me. I instructed Tara to let me know if any of the people I’d left messages for tried to get hold of me at the bookstore and then headed toward Harthaven, where Mrs. Hillford, along with most of the longtime residents, lived. When I arrived at her house, I parked at the curb, walked up the paved path to the door, and rang the bell. When Mrs. Hillford opened the door I was greeted by a large brown and white cat that wound its way around my legs until I picked her up.

“Caitlin dear, how nice to see you. Do come in.”

I smiled as I entered her small yet neat-as-a-pin home. I set the cat on the floor and took a seat on the sofa beside my ex-teacher.

“I was so sorry to hear about the fire at your mother’s house. It must have been a traumatic event for the entire Hart family.”

“It has been hard on everyone,” I answered. “There were a lot of memories in that house. In some ways it felt like losing a family member. But it’s been a few months and I think we’re all beginning to move on.”

“I ran into your mother at the market the other day and she seemed determined to make the best of a bad situation. I admire her. I can’t imagine what she’s going through. Talk about the ultimate betrayal: to be engaged to a man who’s just using you to manipulate those you love and care about.”

I nodded. “It’s been hard, but she’s trying to put the whole thing behind her. The reason I’m here is to ask you about the murders of Bronwyn Hampton and Ruby Collingsworth.”

Mrs. Hillford offered me a dish of mints, which I declined. She took one for herself before she answered. “I heard about what happened to the woman who was here to investigate the murders and figured that was what prompted this visit after all these years.”

I actually blushed. Mrs. Hillford had been one of my very favorite teachers when I attended Harthaven High School. I’d promised to go back to visit—to keep in touch—but I never really had.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been by. I guess time has a way of getting away from you.”

“I do miss visiting with my favorite students, but I understand what it’s like to be young and building a life. I’m so proud of you and Tara for opening the bookstore. I came in a few months ago to see what it was all about. You weren’t there that day, but Tara and I had a nice chat. I have to say your idea to incorporate the cats into the books and coffee was genius.”

“I don’t know about genius, but it’s worked out well for us. You might have heard that Amanda Lowman was a guest speaker at the bookstore just an hour or so before we found her body. Having her death hit so close to home has made me curious, not only about who murdered her but about what happened to those girls fifteen years ago. I know you were a teacher at the high school when Bronwyn and Ruby were murdered. I was hoping you could tell me a bit about them.”

“I might be able to help you with some general information, although I don’t have any idea who murdered those poor girls.”

“Any information at all might help.”

Mrs. Hillford settled in before she continued. “Bronwyn was a beautiful, calculating, and popular girl. She was a good student with a bright mind who acted in a very precise manner.”

“Precise?”

“She had a plan, an agenda, you might say. She knew what she wanted and was determined to get it. She only hung out with students who could help her to achieve the goals she’d set for herself. She tried out and was successful in her bid to be named head cheerleader and she served as vice president of the student council. By the time she was a junior there were a lot of girls following her around, hoping her popularity would rub off on them, but I suspect very few true friends. When I learned she’d been murdered I was saddened, as I would be had any of my students died in such a tragic way, but not really all that surprised.”

“And why is that?”

“The truth of the matter is that in order to become a very popular student and maintain that status, it’s usually necessary to stomp on the hopes and dreams of the people just above you as well as the ones just below you on the food chain. There was no doubt in my mind that Bronwyn had stomped on quite a few of her peers on her way to the top. She was definitely the queen bee of the school, but it was a hard-fought journey to get there.”

“Did she have a boyfriend?”

“I remember Bronwyn dating a different boy every week. I’m not sure she was serious about any of them. I suspect she chose her boyfriends based on their ability to elevate her status or move her toward a specific goal. While her approach to dating seemed cold and calculated, I had a feeling her attitude might have stemmed from a broken heart at some point in her life.”

“And Ruby?”

“Ruby transferred to Harthaven High at the beginning of that school year. She was loud and abrasive and it was obvious to me the minute I met her that she had a chip on her shoulder. She didn’t seem to be interested in school or school-related activities. She cut class more often than she attended and was flunking the classes she did attend. I noticed she homed in on other troublemakers as her friends of choice right from the beginning.”

“Did she have a boyfriend?”

“In spite of the fact that she had very few girlfriends, she actually had a lot of male friends. I don’t remember her having a boyfriend per se, but she did spend a lot of time with a boy named Toby Willis. He was a popular kid, a top student, and a good athlete too. I seem to remember Bronwyn dating him for a short time the previous year, but I don’t think it ever went anywhere. I’m sure they broke up after only a few weeks. Although,” Mrs. Tillman paused, “I do seem to remember a renewed interest on her part after Toby and Ruby began to hang out.”

I frowned. I supposed in a long shot sort of way Toby provided a link between the girls, and he was on Amanda’s list, so he was definitely propelled to the top of my list of people to track down right away.

“Can you remember Bronwyn and Ruby interacting with each other either in a positive or a negative way?”

“Not directly, but I did notice them noticing each other.”

“Noticing each other?”

“Giving each other nasty looks and intentionally bumping into each other. That sort of thing.”

“Can you think of anyone who might have wanted both girls dead?” I asked.

“Both Bronwyn and Ruby made a lot of enemies and I’m sure there were those who might have wanted one or the other dead, although I can’t really think of anyone who had a grudge against both girls off the top of my head. I definitely can’t think of anyone who would kill the girls in quite the way they died.”

“What about Dracon Moon?”

Mrs. Hillford frowned. “Mr. Moon was an odd man. He lived in a big old house and pretty much kept to himself. A lot of folks thought he was exactly the type to kidnap a couple of girls and use them as some sort of a ritual sacrifice. I didn’t know him well. In fact, I’d never actually spoken to him, so I hate to make a judgment regarding his moral fiber, but I can understand why folks thought what they did. Of course he seems to have vanished. If he did it we’ll never know for certain what happened that Halloween night.”

The rain had stopped by the time the gang met at my cabin. It had actually turned out to be a nice evening, so I dried off my deck furniture and built a fire in the pit Danny had built for me when I’d moved into the waterside cabin. It was cool enough that a heavy sweater or sweatshirt was a necessity, but the relaxing environment provided by the crackling fire and the moonless sky made the extra layer of clothing worth it.

“It’s too dark out here for us to use the murder board,” Siobhan pointed out.

“I thought we’d eat out here and enjoy the ocean and the crystal-clear sky and then move inside for the theory-building session. It won’t be long before it’s too cold to spend time on the deck after dark.”

Siobhan began gathering plates and silverware. “Fine by me. It really is a beautiful night. Finn’s going to call us when he gets back to his room for the evening and we can keep him with us on speakerphone. It’ll almost be like he’s here with us. Did he ever get hold of you this afternoon?”

“No. He called when I was driving and couldn’t answer. I called him back and left him a message, but he must have already returned to the conference. Tripp said Finn might be able to get the original police report from the county, so don’t let me forget to ask him about it.”

Siobhan set a bottle of wine on the counter and then opened the drawer in search of a corkscrew. “I’m sure Finn has already thought of that. He may even have had the report emailed to him. I’m feeling very motivated to get this case wrapped up sooner rather than later.”

“Right there with you.”

“What I can’t decide,” I shared, “is whether Amanda’s death is actually related to the deaths of those two girls, and if we decide they aren’t, is it Amanda Lowman’s death we’re trying to solve or Bronwyn and Ruby’s?”

Siobhan was looking in the cupboard in search of wineglasses. “I think if we decide the deaths aren’t related we focus on finding Amanda’s killer. We have no way of knowing if the person responsible for Bronwyn and Ruby’s deaths is still on the island or even still alive, while the person who killed Amanda could have taken the morning ferry back to the mainland. Though my instinct is that the killer is most likely still in our midst.”

By the time we finished dinner Finn was done with his work for the day, so we dialed him into the conversation from the very beginning.

“Okay, Finn, I have you on speakerphone, so join in as you can,” Siobhan instructed.

“I have to admit it’s frustrating to be here when there’s so much going on there, but I guess this will have to do for now. What do we know?”

The five of us in the room—Siobhan, Cody, Danny, Tara, and me—were huddled around the table so we were all close to the phone and hopefully all could be heard.

“First of all, Amanda Lowman left a notebook at the store that I’d put in my pocket, meaning to give it to her when we stopped off at her motel room. I forgot all about it and accidentally brought it home with me,” I began. “I haven’t had the opportunity to turn it over to the deputy yet, but I did find the time to look through it.”