Sequestered with the Murderers by Dr. Tanner (books for 8th graders TXT) 📕

chair. I hadn’t eaten anything since the biscuits Aunt Clove brought into my office earlier. I used the ladies’ room, then walked outside to get some fresh air. I walked back and forth in front of my restaurant for ten minutes. It was just what I needed. I walked back into my office, picked up the phone, dialed the kitchen, then ordered a cheeseburger, a garden salad, and iced tea.

I turned on my computer and began answering e-mails. I felt renewed. So when Luis Lopez came to my mind, I keyed in the Danville News Source newspaper and began searching for articles on his missing daughters.

EPILOGUE

Marjorie and Rebbie were found Thursday evening on the Pruitt’s farm in a barn basement near a land plot used for a vegetable. They were in poor health, primarily dehydrated, but were expected to recover.

On Friday morning, the telephone call I made to Armie Bledsoe went as planned. After expressing condolences again on the loss of his friend, I said, “I’m nowhere close to finding out who murdered him, so I’m reviewing information from the people who have previously talked to me. I need your help.”

“Sure, sure, anything you need,” Armie said.

After verifying several of the details he had previously given me, I said, “I still believe the murder of Diantha Lloyd is connected to Duffy’s murder, but I don’t have any evidence.”

And then Armie said quite definitively what Detective Rivers and her two associates wanted to hear. They had been eagerly standing around my desk, guiding me through the questions they had prepared.

“I do hope you find who raped and murdered Diantha. The Envyton County police don’t seem to be doing anything. That bunch of blue lacecap hydrangeas Diantha had with her meant she was meeting someone. She had them with her to give to someone. Why can’t they find that person?”

Detective Rivers and one of the associates high-fived each other and began a two-step jig. The other associate kept calm and pointed to the last sentence for me to say. I just wanted to get off the phone. They had what they wanted.

“I don’t know, but I am going to keep looking. Armie, is there anything else you remember that can help me find Duffy’s murderer.”

“No, Vett, but if I do, I will call you.”

“Thanks for your help, Armie. Have a nice day. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Vett.”

As soon as I got off the phone, Detective Rivers made a phone call to one of the people waiting outside Armie’s house.

“It’s a go. Pick him up now,” Detective Rivers said.

What Detective Rivers said yesterday about Armie was true. He was so cocky—so sure of his own ability. He was absolutely sure others knew Diantha had a bouquet of blue hydrangeas with her at the time of her murder. I could hear that assumption in his voice. Being cocky definitely doesn’t mean you’re smart. Keeping a high price brilliant lawyer on retainer and not following his advice to not talk to anyone without him being present is not an intelligent idea.

After Detective Rivers and her associates received a full report from me on Duffy’s murder, Detective Rivers said, “I wonder why Marjorie and Rebbie recognized Gwen and Carolyn when Duffy didn’t.”

“I don’t know,” I said

“Uh, I don’t know why I asked that question. I know the answer. It’s because the prostitutes frequently had contact with the sisters. My investigation revealed that the sisters helped Ms. Lacecap in her business from time to time as did Whirley.”

After that explanation, Detective Rivers and her associates thanked me and left. I then called the Attribute state police and gave them the same information I had given them. Two troopers made an appointment to talk to me in person. They were going to drive from Attribute and would be at my restaurant Saturday at 2:00 pm.

I sat at my desk and reflected on Duffy’s murder. Until my mother-in-law, Rachel, said, ‘Seems like they all did it,’ I was looking for one murderer, possibly two. This was my first case where there was more than one murderer of the deceased. I found this to be extraordinary. The six of them—Holt Junior, Joe, Carolyn, Gwen, Sybil, and Whirley—had appointed themselves jury and executioner. I imagine they had been planning the murder at least since Christmas. This conclusion is credible because Carolyn had explained that last Christmas she and Gwen committed to taking their first bus trip with Brightness. She said the date, price, and amenities of the Tennessee trip were perfect for them. No doubt in my mind that it was perfect for all of them. They used those fifteen weeks between Christmas and the April trip to plan their clever murder and to train Carolyn, who has arthritis, and Gwen to use a .22 caliber revolver properly. Holt Junior and Joe probably did the gun training on Holt Junior’s farm. I’ve asked Detective Rivers to search for an area on Holt Junior’s farm that was used as a shooting range and to look for target practice paraphernalia.

Sybil, I visualize, was heavily involved in the planning but couldn’t take the Tennessee trip because Duffy would have recognized her. Other passengers may have recognized her since her face was prominent in the media when her mother and daughter were murdered. Most assuredly, Marjorie and Rebbie would have recognized her. I also visualize Sybil there at the rest area as Whirley’s lookout and getaway driver. I know this needs to be proven, but I was leaving this challenge to the state police.

They all did it so no one person would ever know which shot actually killed Duffy.

Other than Holt Junior and Joe, Marjorie and Rebbie were the only people on the trip that recognized Carolyn and Gwen—Ms. Lacecap’s sisters. The heavy disguise—makeup and wig—concealed their identity from Duffy as they had planned. I’ll never know if Duffy ever knew the sisters’ last name. Nevertheless, I am certain he did not recognize them.

On the bus, Marjorie began the disparaging remarks about Duffy. I