Silent Clues

The clear blue ski is canvas to the bright midafternoon sun. The sergeant and her team pull up to Clark's collectibles on the corner of Church and Main. The one-story red brick building running north and south along the square has been home to various stores through the hundred plus years. The historical area originally served as a camping ground for the soldiers during the civil war. 

The crew climbed out of their car to find a towering brawny rookie posted outside the door. A few of his smaller coworkers were doing their best to keep the onlookers back. "Wouldn't it serve them better if it was the other way around?" Rachel questions as she closes the gap. 

"You'd think so." Jerry chuckles.

Sergeant, he says, opening the door. 

"Who found her?"

"Her husband." He points to the grieving man sitting in the back of his car. "He said he was taking her out to lunch the way he does most every day and found her lying by the front door." 

Turning to her detectives, the sergeant points to the crowd and says, "Jeff, you go talk to them, see if they saw anything and check for cameras in the area. Kirk, do a deep dive into her life. Jerry, you talk with the husband." 

"Yes, sergeant," they say in unison.

Rachel steps inside to find forensics processing the scene. "What can you tell me?"

"She took one to the chest, through and through. I found one slug, a 38. I'll know if it's the same gun that killed our other victims once I get it to the lab."

"Are there any cameras?"

"They have a security system, but unfortunately it has been disarmed. I spoke with the husband about it and he said they had it installed after the attempted burglary a few months back and that she only arms it before she leaves for the day."

"Did the ME determine the time of death?"

"She said it happened within the last hour."

"Sergeant, you need to see this." The forensic tech says, glancing up from her desk.

"What is it, Jack?"

"I think I've found the motive." He holds up a small notebook and says, "It was under a stack of bills." Handing it to the sergeant he adds, "It looks like the victim was doing a little detective work on the Muller case." The investigation has been inconclusive as to if he was taken or disappeared on his own. 

Rachel scans through the timeline on the first page to find it was a detailed account of Bill Muller's whereabouts going all the way back to weeks before the alleged crime. "Joe did say she was asking questions about the supposed crime."

"That's not all." Jeff holds up a power cord laying on the floor beside the desk. "Her laptop seems to be missing."

"Maybe she figured it out."

"Or the kidnapper thought she had."

The sergeant glances at the notebook again and says, "Hopefully this will tell us more."

***

Tony is on his way to lunch when his phone rings. Recognizing the number, he steps into the alley and growls, "What do you want now?"

"Is that anyway to greet your only daughter?"

I don't have time for her games today, he thinks. He glances at his watch as he shifts his weight and then repeats, "What do you want, Nadia?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I took care of the busy body that's been snooping through your things."

"Who are you referring to?"

"Becca Clark. She's been asking about gramps' disappearance and grandma's death. Evidently she found your treasure trove of trophies in an old storage shed and wanted to know more about the crime. I saw her talking to the cops at the library and again at her shop."

Nadia isn't aware of his plan to turn himself in, exonerating her of their crimes. Tony figures it'd be his parting gift to her because he knows from years of experience that having something like that hanging over her head, the uneasiness of it all, constantly worrying about when the police's life-changing knock will come is mentally exhausting. It can take a huge toll on one's mind, drive you insane if you allow it. Although he's glad they he did what they did, saving young innocent lives, he doesn't want her to have to spend the rest of her life paying for the crime. There is no better way to ensure that than by clearing her name. "A little heads up would've been nice."

"I saw the opportunity and took it," she says, recalling the ad Becca placed in the paper. It was like she was begging to get killed, she thinks.

"So much could've gone wrong when you don't plan ahead. I've told you this before, and I'll say it again. These reckless acts of yours are going to get you caught." Seeing a passerby staring, he lowers his voice, turns and says. "Haven't you learned anything from me?" 

"She was causing you trouble," she argues, devastated he wasn't pleased with what she'd done.

"Drudging up inconclusive evidence would cause me less harm than what you just did."

"I don't understand why you're so upset about this."

 "Think about it Nadia. Who do you think the police will suspect now she's dead? Me, that's who because I'm the one who has the most to lose by her reopening the case."

"That's why I did it while you were at work. So you'd have an alibi for the time of the crime."

 "When and how did you do it? On second thought don't tell me. The less I know the better it will be for me." Nervously shifting his weight he asks, "You got rid of everything she found, correct?"

"I'm not an idiot, dad." 

"Of course you're not. What's up with all these lawyers I've been seeing on TV?" He hopes she isn't a part of it, but has a strong feeling she might be.

"I'm getting justice for my baby sister and the others who've been victimized because the prosecutors refuse to do their jobs." In a sing-song voice she adds, "Similar to what we did for the abused kids." A project that was near and dear to her heart. 

Shortly after his sister's demise, her mother took her life. With her father in prison, Naida was sent to live with her only other relative, an aunt and uncle in upstate NY. After years of abuse she ran away. Finishing her schooling she enrolled in the police academy hoping to make a change. Realizing what her father was doing now that he was a free man, she decided she'd do more good by helping him than walking the beat. 

He hadn't planned on bringing her in, but figured having a cop on his side couldn't be all bad so he agreed. "We had a good run, helped a lot of kids." He smiles, recalling a few of the children.

"We did and that's why it's so important for me to continue our work."

"You stay safe out there, be smart, not impulsive and always be two steps ahead of your coworkers."

"I will, dad."

***

The sun is slowly setting over the lush Ozark mountains as the sergeant and her crew continue to work on their case. Rachel checks DFS employment records to find the majority are either deceased or have moved away. The few webcams they found on the square don't show the business's front door. The by standards said they'd only arrived after they heard the sirens. The rookies are still canvassing the area but don't seem to be having any luck.

"I think I found something, sergeant." Jeff says, turning his monitor around. "Both Kendra Fox and Shelby Atteberry worked on cases together and as a team they got a lot of conviction."

"You've already told me that."

"Right,. but I didn't tell you about the cases where the suspects were acquitted.

"Let me guess, Marco Rossi was one of them."

"No, he was out on bail, although the case against him doesn't seem strong, a lot of circumstantial evidence, not sure they could've pulled it off, but that's beside the point." He points to the screen and continues. "Richard Davis was accused of sexually assaulting one of his students, and Paul Morton was accused of transporting minors across the state line."

"So you think they might be next?"

"It seems.."

"Hold that though, Rachel says, reaching for her phone. "Berryville PD, Sergeant Bower speaking. "She glances at her detectives and says, "We're on our way."

Hanging up the phone, she scoots away from her desk as she says, "There's been a double homicide at the housing complex on Spring Street. So I need all hands on deck."