Murder in Humboldt Read online

  “Scotty, this girl needs to make another call. She now has the number of her lawyer in Memphis and must contact him. She didn’t have the number and called me to get it – okay?”

  “No problem. We’ll make it happen,” Scotty assured.

  ~

  Just when the crowd started to gather and just before Nickie exploded, Leroy finally showed up.

  “Thank goodness. I thought there was going to be a riot if you didn’t show up soon. Without that stupid jukebox, this crowd had the attitude of a lynch mob.”

  “Remember Carson, you can’t change their habits. They are not a wine and cheese group!” Leroy laughed.

  “Let’s get out of here. We need to talk,” I said headed to the door.

  As I discussed my plan, Leroy drove me to Deloch Auto Repair to get my car. When he left me there, he was heading to the Maxwell house to visit with Mary Ellen and Liz. They would discuss the details of my plan and put the wheels in motion to hopefully bring this case to a close tomorrow.

  My plan depended upon a lie that should bring out the truth. I was counting on particular personality flaws that I felt were vulnerable. The lie had to be convincing or it wouldn’t work, but I had to trust my faith in people’s view of their own self. What they see in the mirror is rarely what others see.

  ~

  With the Ford back on the highway, I felt like a free man again. I drove back to Chiefs, parked at Cottage 4 and wandered into the bar to finish the evening. My ‘Out of Order’ sign was now pasted across the front of the TV screen, and my corner office was occupied by three lovely ladies and four guys, who had probably just parked their tractor outside!

  I found a seat at the end of Nickie’s bar, and she kept me watered with Jack/Coke until I just couldn’t handle that jukebox anymore.

  After making a quick call to Leroy to confirm our plans were in place, I was off to bed in Cottage 4. I expected to be sleeping in my own bed tomorrow night.

  DAY TEN

  FINAL DAY

  Final Day

  The day started early for everyone.

  Figuring it was still too early for Dorothy to be awake; Leroy placed a call to the Wayne house at about 8:30 AM. Today was Saturday and Carrie Mae’s day off. After 10 or 12 rings there was still no answer, but we knew she was home. On the third try Dorothy finally answered her phone. It was obvious, and painful to the listener, that she was suffering from a serious hangover; however, that was not unusual for her.

  “Yes, Leroy, how can I help you? Isn’t it awful early for you to be calling your citizens?” Her words came out hard.

  “Yes, and I apologize for the hour, but I have some difficult news to deliver,” Leroy started. “The FBI has released your husband. However, my office has now arrested him again for the murder of JR Maxwell. I am holding him in my jail and I need you to come down, speak with him and bring him a few personal items. Can you do that this morning?”

  “What? Arrested? Murder of JR Maxwell?” she was speaking from her foggy mind. “Are you crazy? Lester Blankenship is the killer, and you have him in your jail already. I don’t understand?”

  “Dorothy, I really can’t discuss details over the phone. His sister, Mary Ellen Maxwell has provided an alibi for Lester and we have other evidence linking Gerald to the murder. I will be happy to discuss this with you when you get down to the office.”

  She never really hung up the phone. She threw it in anger or just dropped it, either way the connection remained until Leroy hung up on his end.

  Dorothy also never dressed and, amazingly, didn’t grab the vodka. What she did do was storm out of the house, get in her red Thunderbird and streak out of the long Wayne driveway.

  I have heard that women in pajamas and housecoats drive faster than those dressed normally. I’m not sure about that, but the normal 10-minute trip from her house to the Maxwell home took her less than 5 minutes. Leroy had a deputy discreetly following, just to make sure there were no detours. She followed the plan perfectly.

  After making the sharp turn into the Maxwell driveway, Dorothy never stopped the car before opening the door and getting out. The Thunderbird remained in gear and came to rest against some tall shrubs, just a few feet from the house main entrance. This lady was very upset!

  The Maxwell home main entrance opened into an open hallway, with a formal dining and living room to the left. Immediately to the right was a slightly sunken den with fireplace, wet-bar and large windows overlooking the pool area. An adjoining closed hallway, past the dining area, lead to the split-level where bedrooms and baths were located. The kitchen was partially hidden and off to the rear of the den. Leroy and I were waiting and watching from the kitchen area.

  Dorothy was standing in her pajamas and furiously pounding on the front door. When Mary Ellen finally opened it, Dorothy pushed the door, and her, – hard – back into a planter near the living area. “Mary Ellen, you bitch,” she screamed. “What do you think you are doing? Telling lies about my husband and telling lies to give an alibi for Lester!”

  “Dorothy, what are you talking about? What’s wrong with you?” Mary Ellen replied as she got up from the floor and began slowly moving down into the den, hoping to avoid another attack.

  “I’m talking about the police arresting my husband for the murder of your husband, that’s what I’m talking about!” she yelled.

  “Dorothy, they have evidence that he committed the murder,” Mary Ellen answered while still slowly moving toward the den area.

  “What evidence?” Dorothy screamed.

  “His car was seen at the Tennessee Motel at the time of the murder, and they have his fingerprints on the gun.”

  “His car? Why has no one told me about his car? Fingerprints? There were no fingerprints on the gun,” Dorothy was still yelling.

  “How do you know that?” Mary Ellen asked having successfully made her way to the sunken den.

  “Because, well, I read it in the news,” Dorothy stuttered.

  “No you didn’t. There has never been any mention of fingerprints in the news or by the police.”

  “I don’t care, he didn’t do it. Lester did it. I know he did.” Dorothy continued to yell and follow Mary Ellen into the den.

  “How do you know that Dorothy?” Mary Ellen asked as she finally stopped moving and stood up straight to face Dorothy.

  “I just do. And how can you provide an alibi for someone who killed your husband? Are you as crazy as that half-brother and your cheating husband?” Dorothy laughed.

  “My husband is gone and I can’t bring him back,” Mary Ellen said firmly. “But I can save the only sibling I have. If you hadn’t been jerking his pants down at every opportunity, I might have been able to keep him out of the trouble he is in now. Dimwit or not, he is still my brother.”

  Dorothy was calming, but her anger was getting deeper and deeper. Her bloodshot eyes were showing the rage that had been growing in her for many years.

  “Don’t you mean half-brother and half wit? He’s so stupid he probably thinks he did kill JR,” she said with a cruel laugh while staring hard at Mary Ellen.

  “I thought you just said that he did kill JR?” Mary Ellen countered.

  “Well, he did, and Gerald didn’t,” Dorothy stuttered. “I know that.” She was frustrated.

  “What about the car? What about the fingerprints?”

  “I don’t know,” Dorothy said while inching closer to where Mary Ellen was standing. “Maybe Lester stole the car; maybe he borrowed the car, maybe anything. But I do know one thing. Years ago you took the man I loved from me, and then left me broken and embarrassed in a two bit town in Arkansas. Now that I’ve found someone who loves and cares for me, you are going to lie for a dimwitted half-brother and take that man away too. I won’t let it happen.” She was still inching closer to Mary Ellen.

  “Dorothy, what about his fingerprints on the gun?” Mary Ellen asked desperately.

  “Damn it, Mary Ellen, I told you there were no fingerprints,” she scre
amed. “I wiped that gun clean, so I know there is no way my husband’s prints could be on that gun!”

  Mary Ellen was silent.

  When Dorothy realized what she had said, she had no choice but to continue. “Yes bitch, I shot him,” she sneered. “I shot him while he was pleading with me not to do it. But it felt good, it made up for all the hurt that bastard had given me for all these many years. You, and your fancy dress, your fancy words and your fancy friends - you stole him from me, and now I stole him from you! He’s dead and I’m glad.” Dorothy was only a few feet from Mary Ellen when she spoke.

  Mary Ellen was losing it. “Oh my!” she said in shock.

  “Yes, and I just might as well send you to join him,” Dorothy said before lunging at Mary Ellen. Dorothy’s hands were on Mary Ellen’s throat and they both fell onto the couch before rolling onto the floor.

  Leroy grabbed Dorothy within seconds. He had her handcuffed before I could get Mary Ellen back on the couch.

  Dorothy screamed, “You tricked me, you bastards! You bastards tricked me!”

  I looked at her and said, “Yes my dear – we did."

  ~

  Leroy and his deputy walked Dorothy out the front door and put her in the cruiser. She was still screaming, struggling, cursing and crying – the jail was going to have a new and interesting guest.

  When things settled, I sat down with Mary Ellen and Liz at the kitchen table.

  “I know that was tough, Mary Ellen,” I said to them both.

  “Yes, but thank you for talking me into doing it,” Mary Ellen said wiping away tears. “This way I have some comfort in JR’s death - knowing the truth.”

  I continued. “She played Lester all along. He faked the break-in here at the house, and then provided a false tip to get me back to Humboldt. At some point, probably during my last visit here, he stole the gun from my glove box and then their plan was set. I’m certain Dorothy was pulling his strings and telling him what to do, but probably when it came down to actually shooting JR – he balked. However, Dorothy had no apprehension about pulling the trigger, and as you heard her say, she actually enjoyed it. Selfish people do selfish things and are only concerned with themselves – usually with total disregard for others. Dorothy fits that mold. That is the reason I thought this plan might work, and it did.”

  Liz spoke, “Well, whatever has happened is over. We all need to move on.”

  “Well spoken, and that is just exactly what I intend to do,” I said getting up from the table. “I’ve got a couple of stops to make and then point my wounded car toward Memphis.”

  “You know, Carson, you and I never did have that breakfast you promised.” Liz was teasing me again.

  “Tell you what,” I grinned. “You call me the next time you get off that big airplane in Memphis. I’ll promise you the largest breakfast Peabody Hotel has to offer. A deal?”

  “That is a deal!” Liz said smiling.

  I got a hug from both Mary Ellen and Liz, plus a little extra ear nibble from Liz. Guess we might be having breakfast sooner than I thought!

  ~

  I stopped at Chiefs to grab my things and tell Nickie and Ronnie good-by.

  “Handsome, it has been fun and exciting,” Nickie said as I was paying my bill. “When will we see you again?”

  Walking out the front door I yelled back, “Soon I hope, but certainly before that jukebox runs out of songs to play. Love you both, talk with you next trip.”

  ~

  My next stop was the sheriff’s office, which was on my way out of town. Jack and Judy were sitting behind the glass in an interview room. I watched for a few minutes, and I’m not sure they could get any legal work done for smiling at each other. This was probably going to be a good lawyer client relationship, in more ways than one!

  I tapped on the glass and Judy ran out.

  “Oh, Carson, thank you so much for your help,” she was ecstatic. “Jack has gotten it all figured out, and maybe I can help Mary Ellen save what is left of Maxwell Trucking. And guess what else?”

  “What?”

  “I won’t go to jail!” Judy exclaimed.

  “Honey, that is the way it was planned,” I said with confidence. “I’ll leave you in Jack’s very capable hands, because I need to get back to Memphis; there are other clients who need my attention.”

  I got another hug, and this time, a big kiss from Judy. She went back into the interview room and I waved good-bye to Jack. He knew we would talk later.

  ~

  I glanced at my watch as I pulled out onto Hwy 79 headed home. I had the windows down allowing the fresh air to blow away all the bad memory of the past several days. However, I had made some friendships that would probably prove to be good for Carson Reno in the future.

  The jazz music soothed my tied mind, and if I didn’t make any stops and cheated the speed limit - I could probably still make the ‘tea dance’ with Rita at ‘The Starlight’ Lounge.

  Photo Credits

  classic-car-history.com

  photo.net

  fwix.com

  Poynter.org

  flickr.com

  desktopcar.net

  vinothkumarm.blogspot.com

  artfreelancer.com

  radaris.com

  nicenfunnys.blogspot.com

  hi-spec-eng.com

  bradfordvotech.com

  theopiumgroup.com

  oceandrivemiamibeach.com

  memphisite.com

  library.uthsc.edu

  elvisweek.com

  terragalleria.com

  harahanbridge.com

  laborphotos.cornell.edu

  About the Author

  A Florida native, Gerald grew up in the small town of Humboldt, TN. He attended high school and was a graduate of HHS class of 64. Following graduation from the Univ. of Tenn, he spent time in Hopkinsville, KY, Memphis, TN and Newport, AR before moving back to Florida – where he now lives.

  This short story is fictional. Murder in Humboldt is what the author calls ‘Fiction for Fun’. It uses real places and real geography to spin a story that didn’t happen, but should be fun for the mystery reader. A quick read, those familiar with the 1962 geography in the novel, will travel back in time to places that will be always remembered.

  His first book, Don’t Wake Me Until It’s Time to Go, is a collection of stories, events and humorous observations from his life. As a non-fiction book, many friends and readers will find themselves in one of his adventures or stories.

  Learn more about this author and his additional works at:

  http://wix.com/carsonreno/carson

  http://www.authorsden.com/geraldwdarnell

  and

  http://stores.lulu.com/geralddarnell

  When visiting the web-sites, you are encouraged to leave your comments and reviews of this book and his others.

  Also, please let the author know if you would like to see continuing stories with Carson Reno and his cast of characters.

  Be sure to watch for Carson’s next adventure – “The Price of Beauty in Strawberry Land.”

  “Life is Cheap – Make Sure You Buy Enough”

  Carson Reno