A Stab in the Dark, page 14
part #2 of Whodunit Antiques Series
“You and Theodore were together, way back when. Eventually you moved on, but he didn’t. Next thing he knows, you’re all grown up and getting married, and he wasn’t ready. Did he try to talk you out of the wedding? When you told him that it was over, how did he take it?”
“He threatened me.” Monica spat the words as if they were bitter on her tongue. “One minute he’s telling me he loves me for all eternity, the next minute he’s threatening to tell Frank about an affair we never had. He was going to lie to my fiancé.”
Abigail nodded. “So you turned to Rachel, your friend since high school. Between the two of you, you decided Theodore deserved to die for what he was trying to do to you.”
“He was going to ruin my life,” Monica murmured. “On my wedding night at that.”
“And I’m sure Rachel fed that fire, didn’t she? I bet she encouraged you to take care of him.”
Monica nodded.
“And she figured, why not mimic the Ripper? Though you and everyone else had moved on, she was still obsessed with Wallace Point’s long-lost serial killer. It gave her a chance to relive the glory days, back when exciting things happened and people actually locked their doors. Not to mention the wonders it would work for her career. And in return, you’d get to save your marriage.”
Monica met Abigail’s gaze. “Teddy deserved it. He wasn’t just threatening my marriage. He had been stalking me for a few years now, sending me these… inappropriate messages and letters. Then he told me if he couldn’t be happy, neither could I. It freaked me out. I thought he was going to do something to Frank.”
“Why didn’t you tell Frank what was happening?”
“Teddy said he’d use some old love letters to tell Frank ‘the truth.’ The creep even booked himself a room in the motel where some of my wedding guests were staying. We hadn’t invited him, which I think made him angrier. I was so stressed, I didn’t know what to do. So I called Rachel.”
“And from there, she convinced you to take things into your own hands, didn’t she? And to pin it on the Ripper?”
“She told me the Ripper would have killed Teddy. He only killed people who deserved it.”
Abigail heard James shifting his weight behind her, so she hurried on. “So Rachel bought the original knife, and she told you it would be just fine. She would cover the story herself. She would suggest the Ripper was back and alarm the town. That way, no one would ever think to suspect you.”
Monica looked away, not answering.
Abigail pressed further. “So you dressed in black, the way the Ripper always dressed. Told Teddy you’d meet him so you two could talk. You then took Frank’s car and drove to the motel where Theodore was waiting for you. He probably thought you were coming to tell him that you finally realized you two were meant to be together, but then you stabbed him three times. Just like Rachel told you to.”
Monica was absolutely still now. Tears ran down her face, but she didn’t make a sound.
“Once you were sure he was dead, Rachel had you return the knife to her so she could hide it. Is that right?”
“I’m sorry,” Monica whispered. “He deserved it. He really did. If he would have just let me live my life. But he couldn’t do that. He was as obsessed with me as he had been with the Ripper. He didn’t give me a choice.”
James moved to Abigail’s side and crouched down so he too was face to face with Monica. Abigail stole a quick glance at his face. He looked angry, hurt, and tired. But he looked like himself. Something in Abigail unwound and relaxed.
James began, “If it can be proven as aggravated assault, perhaps you won’t spend the rest of your life in jail. But I can’t say I have any sympathy for you. Dredging up a cold case, giving this town hope that the horror they’ve survived might finally be resolved, that’s unforgivable.”
“I didn’t want to make it about the Wallace Point Ripper,” Monica insisted. “That was Rachel’s idea, and the only reason she convinced me to go along with it was because she promised it’d keep me from getting caught. She said it was the only way.”
“There are always unintended consequences when people try to avoid blame. For one, you’ve brought back very painful memories for me and my father. By shifting the blame away from yourself, you’re only shifting the hurt onto someone else.”
Monica sniffled. “I’m sorry. I hadn’t thought about that.”
Thor was the first to hear the sirens. He barked until a group of police cars pulled up behind Abigail’s car and uniformed men jumped out. James stood up and approached the cops as Thor returned to Abigail’s side. Together they watched James explain the situation to his father, who handcuffed Monica while shaking his head.
Sheriff Wilson’s face was a mask of incredulity. The case had obviously had too many twists and turns for his liking. Abigail was just happy the sheriff had pulled himself together when she’d needed him.
After Sheriff Wilson took their statements, he told them they were free to go. “And Abigail.” He paused by the door of the unkempt cabin. “Thanks for keeping an eye on my boy.”
James rolled his eyes as he turned toward Abigail. The tension from the past month seemed to be melting right off his face. “This whole chase has made me hungry. Think your grandma’s baked up some fresh cookies for our triumphant return?”
“Probably not. She has no idea we just caught a murderer.” Abigail paused. “What’s up with everybody and Grandma’s cookies, anyway?”
James shrugged. “What can I say?”
For a moment, Abigail hesitated. Then she took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice. “I feel like after what we just went through, I can share a very dark secret with you. It’s been eating at me ever since I moved here.”
The look on James’s face turned to one of concern. He stooped so that he was closer to Abigail’s height and whispered, “What is it?”
Abigail looked around to make sure no one else was within ear shot. “Grandma’s cookies are from a container,” she confessed. “Like, straight out of the refrigerated section of the grocery store.”
James regarded Abigail very seriously. He looked around and then whispered, “I know. The whole town knows. But we’ll never admit it because we all adore her, and it gives us an excuse to stop by every day.” He patted Abigail’s shoulder as a sly smile formed on his face. “Now you have to keep an even darker secret.”
Abigail stepped back, stunned. And here she had thought the mess at the cabin was the most shocking revelation of the day.
Chapter 27
Sunlight streamed in through the front windows at Whodunit Antiques. From the warmth and comfort of the store, the day looked bright and happy. As Abigail had discovered on her morning run, however, the sun did nothing to ease the biting cold wind.
Grandma stood with Piper Fischer before a floor length mirror. The two were whispering and giggling in hushed tones.
Abigail stood at the checkout counter, watching Missy. “She’s telling someone else, isn’t she girl?”
Missy sat at her feet, peering around the counter and in the direction of the whispers.
“Don’t worry, Missy. You just keep running with Thor and me, and we’ll have your girlish figure back in no time.”
The front door swung open and James walked in, his trench coat flapping in the frigid draft that followed him. “Good morning, ladies.”
“James!” Grandma cooed. “How wonderful to see you again.”
“Hey, Granny Lane. Did you miss me already? It’s only been a couple of days.”
“We haven’t all been busy putting criminals behind bars,” said Piper. “Our days are just a little less exciting than yours.”
“Nonsense. Abigail here puts criminals behind bars and finds the time to help out at the store.” James grinned at Abigail.
Piper sighed. “I still can’t believe you two went on a high-speed car chase.”
Abigail frowned. “We didn’t—”
“They didn’t think a thing of it,” Grandma interrupted. “These youngsters will dive into any situation as long as it’s dangerous and exciting. They make me feel quite old. In fact, I think I need to get off my feet for a bit.”
“Oh, I’ll let you get your rest, Granny Lane.” Piper turned toward Abigail and James. “Next time you two go on another adventure, call me!” With a wave, Piper floated out of the front door and into the cold morning.
Grandma made her way back to the counter and straightened up, no longer looking quite tired. “So, James, what’s new?”
“Well, both Monica Ives and Rachel Cuthbert have officially been arrested for the murder of Theodore Howard. The case is closed.”
Grandma smiled as she settled into a nearby armchair. “That’s not news. Give me something my friends don’t already know.”
“All right, how’s this for gossip? Frank isn’t breaking his engagement to Monica.”
“That’s more like it,” Grandma said. “Is he aware she killed a man?”
“Yes, ma’am. He knows every sordid detail. Of course, he doesn’t support the whole murder part of it. But he says he understands that Theodore pushed Monica into a corner. He knows that Monica has been true to him, regardless of Teddy’s meddling, and that’s enough for Frank Davis.”
Now that Abigail was certain Frank was innocent, she felt pretty sorry for the guy. After all, his fiancée had called off their wedding and completely upended his whole life. And if that weren’t bad enough, she was now in jail for murdering an old boyfriend. Talk about a bad break.
“If only she had simply been honest with Frank,” Abigail mused. “He seems pretty devoted to her.”
James nodded. “Yeah, he actually brought that up. He told Monica he wouldn’t have let Theodore’s claims change his mind about marrying her.”
“If anything, the true criminal in all of this is that Rachel Cuthbert,” Grandma said. “Who encourages a friend to murder another person?”
Abigail answered, “Someone who cares more about her career than the people in her life. She had a man killed, put this whole town in a panic, all for the pleasure of seeing her name in the paper again. It’s bewildering how someone can be that selfish.”
“The judge and jury definitely won’t go easy on her,” James said. “Speaking of Rachel, I’m actually going to see her this afternoon.”
Grandma’s eyes grew wide. “You are? To be honest, James, I’m surprised. Are you sure you want to?”
“I think I need to. I talked it over with Dad and we both think this might be a way to get some closure.” He looked over at Abigail. “What do you say, Cupcake?”
“You want me to come with you?”
James shrugged. “It might be nice to have a friend with me.”
Abigail glanced at Grandma, who gave her the slightest of nods.
“Fine,” Abigail agreed. “But you owe me for all the work I’ve missed chasing you around.”
“Do you accept ice cream as a form of payment?” James asked with a grin.
“As long as it’s not strawberry flavored.”
James clutched his chest. “Oh, my heart! How can you malign the best ice cream flavor humanity has ever known?”
Abigail waved him off and followed him outside. At least he seemed to be feeling better.
*
That afternoon, the station was all but deserted when Abigail and James walked in. Sheriff Wilson awaited them, his face a mix of concern and relief.
“The officers have been working long hours the past month,” he explained when he caught Abigail’s eyes wandering around the empty building. “Most of them are catching up on some much-needed time off. They’re not here to say it, but they have you to thank for that.”
Abigail couldn’t help but smile. She hadn’t thought much about the officers who’d been working the case, but she could see how it would have kept them away from their homes and families.
Sheriff Wilson led them to the back of the station, where a handful of jail cells lined a single hallway. The cells were vacant except for one.
Rachel lay on her cot with her feet propped up on the wall. When Abigail and James came into view, she eyed them upside down before lazily sitting up.
“Well, if it isn’t my two detective friends.” Her voice was gravelly and she had dark circles under her brown eyes. “Come to gloat?”
“We came to talk,” James said. He grabbed a couple of folding chairs and set them up in front of the jail cell. “We’re hoping to get the full story, Rachel,” he said as he sat down. “I’m still confused about a few things.”
Rachel watched as Abigail lowered herself into her chair, paying James no heed. “I’m sure if I had a lawyer, he’d tell me to remain silent.”
“He probably would. Why don’t you have one?”
“I know I’m not getting out of this mess. Might as well begin my penance now, rather than delaying it.”
James hesitated before saying, “That’s not advisable, denying your right to a lawyer.”
“Whatever. What do you want to know?”
“Where did you go when you disappeared?” Abigail asked, the first question on her mind.
“I was at the Ripper’s cabin, burying the knife. I figured eventually the cops would think to look there, and once they found it, that’d make them certain that the Ripper did it.”
“Why were you gone for so long, though?”
Rachel shrugged. “I don’t know. There was a lot of heat on me, with the newspaper putting me on probation, and James here asking me a million questions anytime he saw me. So I decided to take a few days off from Wallace Point, before my nerves got the best of me.”
James shifted in his seat. “Why did you end up digging up the knife again, if you had hidden it?”
“Monica called me up, after Frank had been taken in for questioning. She told me we had to confess. I told her Frank would be fine. He didn’t do it after all, so he’d eventually get released, but there was no convincing her. She said she wasn’t going to let Frank take the fall; either one or both of us were going down for what happened.”
Rachel sighed, her hand reaching up to her mouth for a cigarette that wasn’t there. “That was about when I realized things had spun pretty far out of our control. We never meant to involve Frank. And, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for the pain this brought back for you and your dad. When I hatched up this plan, I didn’t really consider the trauma it would unearth.”
“Didn’t you?” Abigail asked. “Because it really seems like you were banking on that emotional reaction.”
Rachel shot Abigail a dark look. “I confessed, didn’t I?”
James spoke up. “After you confessed, why did Monica go out looking for the cabin?”
“She wanted to burn it down.” Rachel half-smiled. “She told me that, last night. We were cell neighbors before they took her to who knows where. I had no idea about that ‘high-speed chase’ until she told me. That gave me a kick. A high-speed chase between a sedan and a VW Bug? She always was so melodramatic.”
“Why did she want to burn the cabin down?” James pressed.
“That cabin was kind of a shrine for the club. We used to meet there and do these little rituals and leave offerings for the Ripper. We even held a couple of séances, in case the Ripper had died and wanted to reach out to us. He never did. Monica was ashamed of all that. She wanted to destroy everything the Ripper had left behind. I guess she was just as riddled with guilt as I was.” Rachel paused, looking up. “Did she do it? Burn the cabin down? She didn’t get around to telling me.”
Abigail shook her head. “James caught up with her just as she was going inside the cabin. Seems like she couldn’t remember where it was, so we found her before she found it.”
Rachel looked away. “Maybe that’s a good thing. That cabin is part of Wallace Point’s history.”
On that note, James stood. He folded his chair and faced Rachel. “I’m glad this whole ordeal is over.”
Rachel laughed, a short, harsh bark of a laugh. “It’s over for you. It’s just beginning for me.”
“Serves you right.”
Outside, Abigail and James drew in deep breaths of fresh air. The cold actually felt good on her cheeks. It reminded her that she was alive and free.
“Well, that definitely wasn’t the closure I was hoping for,” James finally said.
Abigail laughed. “I know what you mean. I can’t tell if she actually feels sorry about killing a guy, or if she’s just sorry she got caught.”
“I wonder if it’s a little bit of both? Anyhow, what are you doing tonight, Cupcake?”
“I was planning on grabbing a cozy blanket, sitting by the fire while I read a—” Abigail stopped. Her eyes narrowed. “Actually, Grandma had suggested that I do that. She knows it’s my ‘catnip,’ as she called it.”
James had a blank look on his face. “Catnip?”
Abigail sighed. “Yeah, it’s how she controls people. Grandma wants some girl time, I think. But I’m free tomorrow night. Have you dug up another case?”
“Not in the least. I was thinking of going to Kirby’s Candlepin Alley for a game and a celebratory drink.”
Abigail watched the quiet street before them. School was just letting out, and little bundles of sweaters and boots were making their way down the sidewalk.
Grabbing a drink with James would sound a lot like a date to Grandma. Was she willing to endure her grandmother’s knowing glances and coy smiles? Abigail sighed. The case was closed and James would be moving back to New Jersey soon. The least she could do was bowl a game or two with the guy.
Besides, celebrating the end of the case sounded like fun. She was proud she had helped solve the case, but, more than that, she was happy that it was all behind them.
“A game sounds good,” she said at last. “Tomorrow, then.”
Chapter 28
The next morning, Abigail had no desire to run. Thor rolled his massive torso onto her face. She pushed him off. Then, another, smaller torso rolled onto her face. Abigail sat up hard, and Missy went tumbling over the side of the bed.
