With His Dying Breath (20 page)

             
JJ walked in to the shop, speaking to everyone and started gathering up towels. She saw Anne in Mrs. Young’s office. “Hi Anne. Hi Mrs. Young.”

             
“Hey there” was said in unison.

             
“What are y’all laughing at?” she asked.

             
“Anne just said she’s sorry I got my cosmetology license.”

             
“I did not.” Anne retorted. “JJ, I meant I was sorry her friend died. Did you know Madelyn Sommers, JJ?”

             
“I know what you meant and thank you. I’ll miss her.” Evelyn said.

             
“I’ve seen her in here. She’s always very nice, brought me a recipe book the real estate company put out. You know how I’m learning to cook. And I…”

             
“You can cook? I wish I could,” Anne interrupted.

             
“Oh, Anne,” Evelyn said, “anyone can follow a recipe. Go on, JJ.”

             
“Well, I, uh, I think she and my parents were friends. Daddy introduced me one time. Mrs. Young, I’m sorry, too.”

             
“Thank you, hon. Y’all, I’m scared of what’s happening in this town. River Town used to be a nice, friendly place. I just don’t understand what’s going on. My grandmother used to tell me stories of the old days. She said she and her friends used to spend the afternoons at the river on dates. Back then, big barges and steamships used to come up the river.”

“I saw a photo of one down at Mulgie’s the other night,” JJ said.

“They’d watch the big boats come in with cotton, tobacco, sugar—all those goods. They’d sit down on the bank with all the flowers blooming and flirt with the guys unloading.”

“How romantic!” JJ said.

“She’d tell me stories about her mother talking to her about falling in love, how intoxicating it was to be in love and watch your kids play in the water and watch your fellow catch your supper.”

Aw, Anne and JJ said in unison

“People from all over would ride the boats in. Then they’d get on the train and go to Atlanta or New York or wherever. Wasn’t that an exciting time?”

“Yeah, but no Internet, cell phones
, or microwaves,” JJ said. They all laughed.

             
“I wish it would just change back to the way it was a few weeks ago.”

             
“Me, too, Anne,” JJ said, “I’ve been held up by funerals for a week now. Everywhere you go in Macon a funeral possession is moving across town. I feel so sorry for all those families.”

             
“It may change in that we won’t have a murder every week, but I don’t think it will ever get back to the way it was. You know, we used to have to run into Macon for everything, milk, bread, clothes, gas, just everything. Then Blake built this shopping center.”

“This one?
” Anne asked.

             
“Yes ma’am. Blake started clearing this land and you’d thought he was going to build a prison.” JJ’s ears perked up.

             
“Mrs. Young, who owned all this land before Mr. Brockton built the shopping center?”

             
“Seems like some of Jenny’s folks owned it come to think about it. I know her dad owned a lot of the property over by the river. It used to be a big, beautiful open space right on the river. You know over there where the big new grocery store is. Not where the new park is.”

             
“Really!” Anne exclaimed.

             
JJ added, “I remember it, Mrs. Young. I remember when I was little we used to go there and play on the swings and merry go round.” She smiled thinking about such nice memories.

             
‘Yoo hoo’ was heard from the front. ‘Yoo hoo.’

             
“Oops, gotta go, that’s my four o’clock.”

             
“I gotta get busy, too,” JJ said.

             
Evelyn pulled a tattered newspaper photo from the back of her desk drawer, which showed five teenagers enjoying a Sunday afternoon at the river’s edge. Three of the girls who posed for the photographer were Evelyn and her two best friends, Madelyn and JJ’s mom. Yes, I remember it, too.

* * *

              It was a chance meeting at a local card shop when Wylene and Sammi saw each other again.

             
“Wylene,” Sammi spoke first. “I’m glad to see you. I didn’t know you were still in town.”

             
Her surprise was evident as she asked, “My friend’s daughter just had twins. Why are you glad to see me?”

             
“Since the funeral, I’ve wanted to talk to you. You know, Wylene, two weeks ago I would have hidden on another aisle rather than speak to you. But I think we have something to talk about.”

             
“Yes, I feel the same. There’s a coffee shop next door. I could use some caffeine and a sandwich. How about you?”

             
“Sounds great,” Sammi said thinking this might just work out. 

             
Neither woman noticed a crippled man follow them into the coffee shop.

             
Wylene was about ten years older than Sammi but still very attractive. Her pronounced features indicated she might have had a face-lift. Her very short red hair softened her face and her emerald green eyes were probably enhanced with colored contact lenses. She wore practically no jewelry except for large loops, a three-carat diamond ring and a wide platinum band. She was dressed in blue jeans and a soft pink sweater.

             
The two ladies took their espresso to a corner table. Wylene broke the ice. “May I call you Sammi?”

             
“Yes, please.” Sammi added a little cream to her drink.

             
“Sammi, I’ve seen the scandal sheets and heard the rumors about Blake’s bigamy, not getting divorced and other infidelities. And to tell you the truth I just don’t believe it, the part about the bigamy especially.”

             
“You don’t?” she said with a surprised expression.

             
“No, Blake’s a, or was a smart man. Why would he risk going to jail or his wealth on a piece of paper. A piece of paper that’s so easy to get. That’s all a divorce amounts to. Sure, he may lose property or some of his money, but he had means to get it back and make twice as much more. I know for a fact we were legally divorced.”

             
“Wylene, are you sure?”

             
“Of course, I am. I have signed papers, and we knew the judge who signed them. So, I’m positive we are divorced. Sammi, I’m not sure what’s going on.”

             
“Me either, Wylene. I was going to tell you that you were the happy widow, but I guess that’s not the case.”

             
“Well, no. I know our divorce was legal, and I know my current marriage is legal.”

             
“Well, I’m glad for you. A bigamist is really the last thing I would have suspected. Blake told me he had acted hastily after the third wife. But, what about his second wife? Did you know her?”

             
“Well, now. I can’t speak for her. I don’t even know where she is. I think she got a very good settlement just from gossip around town. I still have some close friends here. But, you know, I moved back home, to north Georgia, well to North Atlanta. So I’ve been out of touch all these years other than Christmas cards and birth announcements, things like that.”

             
“Did you know her?”

             
“Who, dear?” Wylene took a sip of espresso and winced.

             
“Strong, huh?” Sammi continued. “The second wife?”

             
“Yes, I love espresso. Can’t drink it very often, though, uh, about the second wife. She and her husband and Blake, well, me too, we met at a fund raiser, I believe for the hospital.”

             
“Wylene, were all of you friends, and do you think he betrayed you?”

             
“Yes, we saw each other socially. But no, I really don’t think he was unfaithful, not with her anyway.” Wylene seemed to be dodging the question. “Was he cheating on you, Sammi?”

             
“I don’t know, I just don’t know. Do you mind if I ask why you and Blake never had kids?” Sammi asked. “He never mentioned having any children to me.”

             
“No, I don’t mind. I don’t know about anybody else, but he was just too busy for us to have any. He was always putting a deal together, buying property. You know he developed most of Macon and practically all of River Town. He even had a hand in other state developments. There was no room in the marriage for me. So, I moved on. I have three kids now, all grown. But I’m still waiting on grandkids”

             
“That’s wonderful, I’d like children one day but it’s looking very unlikely.” Sammi dropped her head and continued, “I definitely understand how you must have felt because I felt the same way the last few months. He seemed very agitated and gruff. He questioned me about my activities.”

             
“Well, that’s how it started with me. And I did meet one of his other wives, maybe number four, I’m not sure. She said the same thing. He starts out very loving and doting on your every concern and poof, the magic disappears after a year or so.”

             
“Wylene, I’m so glad we talked. I did question if he might be having an affair. You know Jenny, right?”

             
“Oh child, yes, she’s another subject for another day. I don’t care to discuss her. I really don’t even want to recognize her or waste my breath over her. She’s a tramp.”

             
“A tramp, that’s pretty harsh.” Sammi knew her character was questionable but evidently did not know about her past. 

             
“Yes, a tramp and that’s all I care to say.”

             
As the two women continued to talk, the crippled man in the back booth slipped a listening device into his breast pocket and walked out of the café unnoticed. He was not happy that his plan was coming apart.

             
JJ walked in the coffee shop about thirty seconds after the man left. He noticed her and decided to stall for a few minutes near the entrance. JJ saw Sammi and walked over after ordering a lemon cooler.

             
“Hi Sammi, hi,” she said to the ladies.

             
“JJ, did you get off early?”

“No, just taking a short little break.” She eyed the woman opposite Sammi.

“I would like to introduce you to Wylene.”

             
“Hi, I’m JJ Matthews. Do you live here?” JJ recognized her from Blake’s funeral.

             
“No, JJ, I live in Atlanta. I was married to Blake many, many years ago.”

             
“Oh. Oh!” she said.

“And, I divorced him many years ago, as well!”

             
Hilda and Jasper spent a long afternoon going over their evidence. So far, they had hundreds of leads but nothing pointing to the murderer. They had no evidence that would eliminate Samantha Brockton as their only suspect. In fact, the case against her was strong and getting stronger. She had motive, Blake accused her with his dying breath, she had no alibi except for being home in hiding during the murder but the most damning evidence was that she had access to the murder weapon.

             
“Jasper, are we ready to give this case to the DA?”

             
“Hilda, I don’t think so. I think we gotta find out about this Jonas Attaway character and see what that’s all about. Don’t you?”

             
“I just don’t know how we’re gonna do that. We don’t have one thing, not one thing that says he exists.”

             
“Then we just gotta dig deeper. I just believe it’d be a mistake. I really do. If the defense brings it up, it’d definitely create doubt. And besides, we got all those fingerprints in his car to review. Could be from his real estate business. Could be something else. Still I think…”

             
“Just a second, Jaz.” Hilda’s cell was ringing. “Marabell.”

             
“Hi Detective Marabell, it’s JJ Matthews, Cain Matthews’ daughter.”

             
“JJ, what can I do for you? And call me Hilda.” She covered the mouthpiece and mouthed ‘I agree’ to Jasper.

“Yes ma’am. Miss Hilda, I need to talk to you about something if you have time. It’s about Mr. Brockton’s murder. I have some more information that could help with the Skinmore comic strip
and something that a friend told me. Something about him being blackmailed.”

             
“Well, JJ, when’s a good time for you?”

             
“I get off in two hours. I could meet you at the precinct. I’d like for my dad to be there, too.”

             
“JJ, call your dad and let’s just meet down there where you’ve got all the comic strips mounted. Two hours, let’s see at seven, then how about seven thirty?”

             
“Yes ma’am. Thank you.”

             
“Thank you, JJ. See you then.”

             
JJ stepped in from the outside. She did not want anyone to hear her conversation. She sent a quick text to her dad, “7:30 your office.”

             
She sent Chip a text message and he replied he would not be able to see her until about nine. He and another deputy escorted a prisoner to Savannah and were on their way home. “Just now at Statesboro exit. TTYL.” She sent back a smiley face.

             
Beaming that she would see him tonight, her mind raced through her history class notes and the elephants and turtle. Where have I seen that poster?

             
She left Exquisite You at seven and walked to the music store. Chip’s sister was working and they chatted for a few minutes before JJ asked her if she had seen such a poster. “No, but I’ll keep my eyes open for it,” she said.

             
The only other place JJ could think of was the real estate office. She walked in where one agent was making calls, Bill Fritz was in his office and two agents were at the coffee pot. As she waited, she looked around the office and she saw the poster. The exact same poster as in her textbook was on the wall in one of the offices.

             
“Hi, could I help you with something,” the agent asked as she hung up the phone.

             
“Hi,” JJ knew she needed an excuse. “I have a friend whose parents are looking for a bigger house in River Town. Do you have anything for sale?”

             
“Oh, I’m sure we do. Could I get their names?”

             
“Well, let me just take your card, and I’ll give it to them.” The agent handed her several business cards and a sheet of listings in River Town.

             
“Whose office is that, pointing to the end office by the conference room?”

             
“Well, it was Blake’s. But Bill is moving in there since it’s a little bigger and closer to the boardroom. He’s just working out of both right now until a new manager can be hired.”

             
“Bill?”

             
“Yes, Bill Fritz.”

“Oh, yeah, he was at the jail the other night to see Sammi.
Was that Mr. Brockton’s poster?”

             
“Yes, I think it was, but I’m not too sure. I haven’t actually paid attention to it. I’ve only been here a month. Why do you ask?”

             
“Funny thing, we just studied about religious cultures today and that same poster is in my text book. I probably wouldn’t have paid any attention to it, but it’s such a coincidence.”

             
Bill Fritz walked out of the office as JJ stood to leave. He spoke to her asking about her fellow.

             
“My fellow?” she asked since she had not spoken to him before.

             
“Yes, I was waiting to see Sammi the other night when the deputy asked you for a date!” he smiled.

             
“Oh, yeah,” she smiled. “Oh, he’s fine, we’re still dating.”

             
“That’s good. He seems to be a nice young man. You two make a good couple,” he said.

             
“Oh, thank you. And he is very nice, very nice.” She smiled. She walked toward the door.

             
The office was closing so he walked over to turn the sign and lower the blinds. As he brushed past her, she noticed a sour smell on his clothes. Yuk!

             
The phone was ringing and she heard the agent announce “Brockton Real Estate…..yes one moment, please.”

             
“Bill, it’s for you.”

             
“I’ll let you get to the call, thank you.” JJ left in a huge hurry and punched in Sammi’s cell number. The call went straight to voice mail.

             
“Sammi, hi, it’s JJ. Please call me when you get a chance.” JJ drove to her dad’s office and went upstairs to wait on the others.

              As she stared at the white board with the Skinmore comic sheets, she mulled over the keywords. She remembered her history book and went back to her car in the parking lot. She happened to see Mr. Grumman’s car parked across the street at Wink’s Drive-in but she did not see him anywhere. She did not notice the red sports car and the driver parked in the
Monitor
’s parking lot.

             
It took about two seconds for her to cross the street thinking a cherry cola would be a good excuse. Mr. Grumman sat on the opposite side of the restaurant surprised to see her and appeared embarrassed.

             
“Hi Mr. Grumman, having dinner?” she asked, looking around for anyone else she knew.

             
“JJ, hi, what are you doing in this neck of the woods?” He was embarrassed, hoping it did not show.

             
“Oh, I’m meeting my dad, and I guess he’s running late,” she answered. “You by yourself?”

             
“Yeah, one of the cons of being single,” he managed a slight laugh.

             
“Well, you know what to do about that!” she laughed.

             
He laughed wishing it were she who would join him.

             
“Well, I better go. Dad should be here any minute,” she said. “Don’t need Wanda walking up and seeing us here.”

             
He looked startled.

             
“I’m just kidding, Mr. Grumman.” She laughed.

             
“Oh, I know.”

             
“Well, see you Monday. Have a good weekend.”

             
“You, too.”

             
JJ walked up to the traffic light, crossed the street to the
Monitor
lobby door. She looked out the window and saw Wanda and Mr. Grumman walk out of the restaurant.

             
“What? I don’t believe it!” She pulled out her cell phone, zoomed in, and took a photo. She sent it to her home laptop to print a copy. She won’t bother me anymore.

             
About seven twenty, she rode the elevator up to the boardroom to review the notes to discuss with the detectives. Sammi had not returned her call about the poster but really, it doesn’t matter who it belongs to, it’s in the office, JJ said to herself.

             
It was seven forty-five, when her cell phone rang.

             
“Hi Dad.”

             
“Hi, hon, are you at my office?”

             
“Yes sir, what time are you getting here? Miss Hilda isn’t here either.”

             
“Honey, have you heard from Chip?”

             
“Yes sir, he had to go to Savannah, but he’s on his way back. Why?” It disturbed Cain for JJ to be alone in the
Monitor
building knowing she was not safe.

             
“JJ, honey, I need you to listen to me very carefully, okay?”

             
“Yes sir, Daddy, what is it?”

             
“Mrs. Young is on her way to the
Monitor
to get you. I want you to go home with her for tonight. She has some things you can sleep in and extra toiletries. I do not want you to go back to the house, okay?”

             
“Daddy, what’s going on? What has happened? Is Chip okay?” Her trembling voice revealed her anxiety.

             
“Honey, Chip is fine and he will come to Mrs. Young’s house when he gets his truck at the Sheriff’s office. It’s, uh…

             
“Dad, tell me!”

             
“Honey, it’s the nursing home. Sammi’s Aunt Pat was found murdered.”

             
“What? Dad, Aunt Pat? How do they know it was murder?”

             
“They found her in her bed, with the covers pulled up. There was a plastic bag over her head.”

             
“Who did it?”

             
“All they know is a woman, signed the book, and the camera followed her down the hall into her room. The lady in the adjacent bed was asleep and didn’t even know it.” 

             
“The nurses checked on her about an hour ago when they realized she hadn’t had her supper. It’s pretty sad.”

             
“But, Dad, why can’t I just go home?”

             
“Because honey you are too close to Sammi and it looks like somebody is targeting the people close to her.”

             
“Oh, what about Sammi, Daddy, where is she?”

             
“She’s at the nursing home. Detective Marabell is here and some other crime scene investigators. That’s where I am.”

             
“OK, Daddy. Should I go down to the lobby now?”

             
“Yes, honey, call this number 555-1001 from your cell and tell the security guard, Mr. Johnson, to stay on the line with you until you get downstairs. Then Mrs. Young will be there in about five or ten minutes. She was still at the beauty shop when I called her. Call me when you get to her house.”

             
“Yes, Daddy, please tell Sammi I’m so sorry,” JJ cried into the phone.

             
“I will honey. Please be careful, okay?”

             
“Okay, Daddy.”

             
JJ gathered up her material for the meeting and dialed the security guard. He waited at the foot of the stairs until she came through the door. Mrs. Young was waiting in the lobby.

             
“Mrs. Young,” JJ cried and she fell into her arms.

             
“JJ, it’s awful. Someone killed that poor old lady. She was so sick anyway. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

             
“I know. I just feel so bad for Sammi. She went over there every day to see about her and to read to her.” She said through tears.

             
“Sammi was good to her that’s for sure.” Mrs. Young waved to the security guard that they were leaving. He opened the door for them.

             
“Thank you, Mr. Johnson,” JJ said. And he watched them get in the car and leave the parking lot. JJ did not even look to see if Mr. Grumman’s car was still across the street.