Chief Miller, Mayor Carver, Troy Van Horn, Det. Fairchild, Doc Pearlman, and SCB agent Ace Buckwald were all in the Mayor’s side conference room, gathered together to discuss the latest findings surrounding the murders of late.
“So gents, we don’t stand much on ceremony here, so just say what’s on your mind,” Brent started them off on their journey of discovery.
After lighting-up a Pall Mall, Ace jumped right in, “Well, I’ve been pokin’ around some, asking questions and whatnot, but the locals around these parts don’t much like talkin’ to outsiders it would seem. So I’ve run up against a brick wall of sorts,” he said blowing several small smoke rings into the air.
Brent turned his nose up and fanned the smoke away from his face.
Ace took note, “Sorry,” he said rubbing it out on the bottom of his boot.
“Quite alright,” Brent said.
Miller now responded to Ace, “I was afraid that might happen. Might I suggest you take myself or Det. Fairchild along the next time you venture out among the townsfolk?”
“That’s mighty neighborly, I just might do that.” Ace said.
Dick didn’t care for Ace at all, and made it perfectly clear he didn’t, “Well, speaking for myself, I have enough to take care of right now, so if you need someone to hold your hand Ace, you just call on the Chief,” he said staring straight at Ace.
Ace didn’t answer, for the feeling was mutual, he just stared back at Fairchild. The tension in the room was thick and unfriendly; so to break off the pissing contest, as Miller saw it, he now interjected, “Alright, let’s stay focused. As most of you know, Sherry Hendrix admitted to killing Earl Schulz and Johnny Hudson, on that unfortunate night when she forced my hand. So I say at least we can close the books on two murders.”
“I always knew something wasn’t right about her. I could feel it in my bones,” Fairchild stated as he looked at Miller.
“Water under the bridge, anybody else have something to say?” Brent now spoke, hoping to avoid a war-of-words breaking out between Dick and Thomas.
“Ah, I compared the Martha Camp murder file that Mr. Schulz had made up, to my findings on the murder of Stella O’Rourke and they seem almost identical. That is, concerning the method and the type of weapon used. The only difference is the locations of the bodies. Martha Camp was killed at the park, and Stella O’Rourke was killed in her home,” Troy clarified, “Both claw-hammers had no prints on them, except for those of Officer Hendrix, and she was according to the file ruled out as a suspect.”
“Anybody ever check to see who recently bought two claw-hammers?” Ace asked.
Fairchild flashed red, “We small town boys may not have all that fancy training that the SCB has, but we do know how to conduct a proper investigation. So to answer your question Ace, no one in Saint Cloud has bought a hammer in over a year, much less two. And yes, I did check with both hardware stores in Millersburg, and they have sold over thirteen hammers similar to the ones used here. But they have no way of tellin’ who bought’em or when,” Fairchild seemed to be looking for a fight.
“Let’s not get off point, we’re all professionals here. Anyone else have something noteworthy?” Brent asked as he rubbed his forehead. He was now growing tired of the small-mindedness displayed by his lead detective.
“If I may,” Ace began, as he decided to overlook Fairchild’s remarks, “I’d just like to say, after looking over the file of Terri Helms; that the statements made by the now deceased Beauregard Camp concerning his, well, out-of-body episode, just may be factual. Therefore, I suggest we close that case out with the supposition that Johnny Hudson was her killer.”
“There is no factual evidence Johnny killed Terri Helms.” Fairchild put forth.
Miller looked to Ace, as he ignored what Dick just said, “You believe in such things as out-of-body, psychics, ghosts and all that occult stuff?” He wasn’t going to mention Frances’ ghost, but was curious about Ace’s thoughts on the matter.
“This is just utter nonsense!” Dick yelled as he now stormed out slamming the door behind him.
Brent was glad to see him go, but Doc and Troy didn’t know what to think, so they remained silent.
As the group all relaxed, Ace answered the Chief’s query, “Let me just say this, I never put no stock in such things as ghosts, nor fortune tellers and little green men from Mars. That is, up until about a year and a half ago. To make a long story short, seven young girls had been kidnapped, molested and then murdered over in Martin County. No leads, no witnesses, no nothin’ to follow up on. The SCB and local law enforcement tried for three years to solve this crime spree and failed miserably. Then, out of the blue, one of the local cops said he heard of a young man by the name of Dexter Alexander, who lived down in Millersburg. Said he helped some father find his two lost boys using some kind of ‘special gift’ he called it. Weren’t nothin’ but bullshit as far as I was concerned, but with nothin’ else to try, my superior chose me of all people, to go down and see what this kid had to say. So I went, told this kid the facts of the case and as sure as I’m sittin’ here, that kid closed his eyes and said he saw a middle-aged man pulling a young girl into a barn, and gave me an address. Said she was there right now, tied up in the barn, but that I’d better hurry, for he was out behind the old barn sharpening a small hatchet. Well sir, I didn’t believe a word of it. Such bullshit. But I didn’t get a mile down the road as I was heading back, when a strong feeling came over me, and I swear I heard a voice say, ‘Make the call.’ I don’t mind sayin’ it scared me, so much so, I pulled into the next service station and called on a pay telephone to my boss. Told him what that Alexander kid had said, and he sent the cavalry out, full force. Sure enough, the little girl was there and that murderin bastard was out back of the barn as he said. So you ask if I believe; maybe, maybe not, but that kid hit the nail right on the head, that’s for certain.”
Miller wasn’t sure, but he thought he remembered Nancy and Stella talking a year or so ago about their cousin who was psychic, a young boy they called little Dex. He figured since Dexter is not a very common name hereabouts, little Dex had to be Dexter Alexander. He was now of a mind to pay this young man a visit in the very near future.
Brent now said, “Okay then, all in favor of saying Johnny Hudson killed Terri Helms, raise your right hand so I can get a clear count.”
Ace raised his hand first, most likely because he proposed it. Brent shot his hand straight up. Miller raised his hand, figuring; what-the-hell. Troy and Doc looked at the others, then at each other. Doc shrugged his shoulders and raised his hand. Troy followed Doc’s lead.
Brent smiled, “Very good than, five for yes, and Dick abstains. Now we’re getting somewhere. So, Johnny Hudson killed Terri Helms, Beau Camp killed Frances Hudson, Sherry Hendrix killed Earl Schulz and Johnny Hudson, Thomas killed Sherry…uh, in self-defense of course, I didn’t mean to imply…”
Miller smiled, “I know what you meant, please continue.”
“Ah, yes, where was I?” Brent asked.
Doc spoke up, “You were listing off the dead, my good man.” Doc was hoping the meeting would end soon; as he had a rather important meeting of his own to attend to, down at O’Malley’s Tavern.
“Oh, yes indeed, ah, let’s see now, yes, there was Alan Wallace, Beau Camp and Bobby Taylor all committed suicide. Dear Ellen Wellington passed away of natural causes; and by the way, her relatives are coming over to get the body sometime tomorrow Troy. They want her planted next to the rest of her kinfolk over in Millersburg.”
“The body’s ready for pickup.” Troy noted.
“Good. Well now, that just leaves the Martha Camp and Stella O’Rourke murders to be solved.”
Ace now interjected, “At this point, I’d just like to say, you fellers seem to have a handle on what’s been happening here, so if you don’t need my services anymore, I have quite a bit to do back home. And just let me say, concerning those last two murders, sometimes you just can’t solve every crime, just something to think about.”
Brent looked to the Chief, “Thomas, what are your thoughts?”
“If Ace needs to get home, that’s fine by me, I’m sure Dick won’t mind,” he said with a little smirk, “We’ll still keep looking for their killer; but no matter what happens, solved or unsolved, one thing is for sure, life keeps movin’ on.”
“So true, so very true,” Troy adds thinking of his own personal situation.
“I say we’ve done some very fine work here today gentlemen,” Brent announced.
“I’ll drink to that,” Doc croons.
The others broke into heavy laughter, followed by the Mayor announcing the meeting was hereby officially adjourned.