One Chance: A Thrilling Christian Fiction Mystery Romance (14 page)

Penelope fisted her hand around her pen and counted to ten in her mind to relax. This guy had no idea what Jacob was to her. He had seen an opportunity and taken it and it was their dumb luck it had gotten Jacob mixed into this.

"I knew who he was, of course," Findley was saying. "The doctor, I mean. He was a friend of Camille's. Camille talked about him all the time. He was at her wedding to Doug, or something. So I knew what kind of hours he worked and how the house would be empty most of the time. When I got in there I scoped the place out and saw the photos on the wall, with Camille in them, so I took them. If Camille's gonna leave me, I wanted something to remember her by."

"You sure you didn't take them to remember her after she was dead?" Penelope asked him.

Findley just shook his head. The arrogance the man displayed was monumental. "Nope. Far as I knew, she was still alive and just leaving me. I wanted to give her some space to do that."

Penelope took more notes, then sat back and regarded Findley. All the words seemed to fit, except with one glaring discrepancy. But Penelope was more interested in the way the man spoke. It was the way he used words like weapons to defend himself against every accusation. The way he had every answer ready and prepped. Penelope knew Findley was lying.

But did she have enough to prove it?

"You're lying," she told the man flat out.

Findley's jaw dropped. "I'm lying about what? What? You tell me anything you can prove is a lie. Go on, you tell me right now!"

"See, Mister Findley, you think you have everything prepared, and that's actually what's tripping you up." Penelope leaned forward some, her hands resting casually on the table. "You're playing kind of a shell game, moving information from here to there and expecting no one to notice." Penelope turned over one hand at a time to demonstrate. "Right hand, left hand. They have to both know what the other is doing, or it all falls apart."

"You're nuts!" Findley exclaimed. "You tell me one lie I've made. Go on. Tell me."

"The biggest lie of all, Mister Findley. You lied about not killing Camille."

That smile returned and Penelope so wanted to slap it off the man's face. But she buried her anger, and did her job.

"So how do you know I'm lying about that, Deputy?" Findley asked her with a sneer.

"Because," Penelope answered, "when I asked you where you were when she was killed, you never asked me when it happened."

CHAPTER 24

She questioned Findley for a long time, mostly about the other things he had done, getting admissions about the attack on Officer Marks, admissions that Findley knew there was a warrant out for his arrest from California, and so on. Penelope tried again, three more times, to pin Findley down about Camille's murder. But it didn't work. Findley had all the witnesses at The Pizza Palace, the same witnesses that had confirmed Doug's story, backing up everything he said.

But, there were no witnesses from Ricky's Pub yet. And that was because Penelope hadn't found anyone there yet who would be able to say either Findley or Doug were in the place Friday night. The same thing that was hanging Doug was the same thing that might give Findley reasonable doubt.

When she realized the interview was going in circles, she decided to take a break. She left Findley where he was and closed the interview room door behind her, reminding Findley that the monitors were on and that he could call out if he needed anything.

"Why you want to tell him that?" Jim asked him after the door closed.

"Because," Penelope explained. "If he says anything now, anything that incriminates himself, he does it in full knowledge that the cameras are recording him. It will be fair game if it goes to trial."

"That's brilliant. You gonna question him 'bout his whereabouts for Saturday?"

"After I've established a time line for Friday night." Penelope said sharply. "We still need time of death from the Gainesville Medical Examiner. Right now we're working with a forty-eight hour window, so the murder could've taken place Friday night or even Saturday. I'll give him a couple hours to stew and then see if he sticks to his story."

Jim laughed to himself. "That's why you're the top dog, Penelope."

Penelope didn't feel like the top dog right now. She felt like an utter failure. She had asked Findley about the vehicular attack on Pete. Findley had just smiled and said he didn't know any Pete Lamb. And that was that. Until Penelope could find something more.

She would have to go back out to speak to Dan Hughes. Hopefully the man with his little dog would be home by now, and he would have seen something Friday night. Hopefully. But first Penelope needed to go talk to Doug. And to call Jacob, of course. Anthony would have filled him in by now, but she wanted to let him know the finer details and reassure him that everything was all right.

Back in the holding cell area Penelope found Doug lying down on the metal bench behind his bars. He looked like he was asleep. His eyes were closed, and he was breathing evenly. With all the stress he was under, Penelope knew he must be exhausted. She didn't bother trying to wake him.

She asked Jim to keep an eye on Findley while she went out for a while. Deputy Peterson was due at work for the night shift in a few hours. Jim promised to watch the guy and to have Peterson do the same if he got there before Penelope got back.

On her way out to Dan Hughes' house, she called Jacob. He didn't pick up until the fifth ring. "Hey handsom," she said when he answered. "Busy day over there?"

"Well, I have a police officer with a nice slice across his shoulder that required fifteen stitches to close. Plus a young kid who spilled out on his bicycle. Trevor's in there playing with him now. And some fool broke his leg falling off a ladder. Oh. And I've got a guy in here who swears he fell down the stairs. But I'm pretty sure he's been beat up. Maybe you want to swing by and see him?"

"Wish I could, honey. I've got to go see a potential witness in Doug's case. Did Anthony tell you what happened with your house breakin?" She slowed for a stop sign at an intersection and waved an old man to cross the street.

"Yes, he did. You have no idea how creeped out I am to think that guy was actually living in my house. I mean, how many times was I in there when he was?"

"I don't know. Try not to think about it. We've got him in custody now and he's not going anywhere for a long time. You want to stay at my house for a while?"

He hesitated, but she already knew what his answer would be. "Do you mind? I mean, I've got to watch Trevor anyway, and watching him at your place just makes the most sense, don't you think?"

She smiled. "Smart man. I promise to be a good girl while you're sleeping just one door down from me."

That made him laugh, finally. "Easy, Deputy Beautiful. You'll have me all to yourself in a few months. There's time for all that after we're married."

"Time for all that, and children," she said. The elderly gentleman made it to the other sidewalk, and turned and waved to Penelope.

"Children? Of course. At least ten."

"Now who's rushing ahead of himself? Let's start with two, okay? You might feel differently about it then." She eased forward into the intersection.

"Doubtful. The world can't have too many little Penelope's running around."

"You mean it can't have too many handsome boys like you?"

He laughed again, and she was happy to hear he was feeling better after the violation of his home by Michael Findley. "So tell me," she said, adjusting the volume on her hands-free set. "What's the name of the guy you think got beat up?"

"Dan Hughes," he answered.

Penelope braked so hard the tires squealed. "Jacob, do not let that man leave your clinic until I get there," she told him, spinning the car into a u-turn in the middle of Main Street. Heads turned to watch her.

"Uh, okay, Penelope, I don't think he's going anywhere for a while anyway, but I'll make sure he stays here. Why? What's up?"

"Dan Hughes is a possible witness in Doug's case," she told him.

And if he had been beaten up, Penelope could make a good guess about who had done it.

Michael Findley.

CHAPTER 25

Penelope pulled her cruiser into the parking lot of the clinic, threw it into park and barely remembered to yank the keys from the ignition as she ran to the front door. Jacob met her just inside with a big hug.

Not that it was unusual for her to hug her fiance. But it felt good to find the time for it, finally. It was nearing six o'clock now. It was practically night. The way the weekend had gone, they had barely seen each other.

She kissed him tenderly and held onto his hands. And for now, it would have to be enough. There was too much to do.

"What's happening in this town, Penny?" he asked her. "First Pete is nearly killed, now this poor guy is brutally beaten. What's next?"

"Where is he?" she asked him. "Where's Dan Hughes?"

"Down in exam room two," he told her. "Officer Marks is there with him, making sure he doesn't leave."

"How's his shoulder?" Penelope asked.

"His shoulder's fine. So is his attitude. Did you say something to him?" Jacob raised an eyebrow at her and ran his hand through his hair as they started walking to the back of the clinic where the exam rooms were.

"I said a few things to him," she said to Jacob after a thoughtful silence. "Mostly, I told him that it was his own decision what kind of police officer he turned out to be. And, of course, that I loved you too much even look at other man."

He smiled and bumped her shoulder with his lightly. "Well. Whatever you said to him, he seems like he's changed. When I first met him it really seemed like he had something to prove."

Penelope nodded. "Maybe he decided to do things God's way instead of his own. I hope so. He seems like he'd make a very good police officer."

"Anyway," Jacob said, motioning with his hand to the wood door with the number two on it. "They're in there. I'm gonna go check on Trevor."

Penelope sighed. They still hadn't told Trevor that his mother had been murdered. How did you tell that to a four year old? No child should have to know their parents are dead at that age.

Like she'd had to know it at the tender age of eight. After their house had burned to the ground.

"Hey, Penny?" Jacob said to her, squeezing her hand tighter. "You okay?"

She showed him a smile she didn't really feel. "Fine, baby. Just tired. Tell Trevor his Auntie Penny said hello, okay?"

"I will. He's been asking about his dad. Any idea when he can see him?"

"Soon, I hope. Soon. I love you."

"I love you back," he answered. She watched him walk away, appreciating what God had brought into her life. Jacob was more than just a pretty face. He was her strength.

*

Officer Marks sat in a chair just inside of the exam room door. Under his dark, ebony skin, he was looking a little gray. His uniform shirt was off and folded on the floor next to him, and had been replaced with a simple white t-shirt. His shoulder was bandaged where Jacob had stitched him up. He smiled at Penelope and hooked a thumb at the man laying on the room's padded bed.

"Dan Hughes," he said to her. "Although I don't think I needed to stay to watch over him. He's not going anywhere."

Penelope saw the man, covered up to his chest with a crisp white sheet, his face a mixture of dark bruises and white sterile wrappings. He breathed deeply through his open mouth, his nose puffy and swollen. One eye watched them both. The other was swollen shut.

"I'll take over, Anthony. Thank you," Penelope said. "How's your shoulder?"

"Hurts. Guess life in a small town isn't always quiet." He stood up and went to the door but stopped before leaving. He turned to Penelope like he was going to say something. Then he just shook his head and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"Mister Hughes. Dan?" Penelope said as she went and stood next to the man, "I'm Deputy Chance. We have to talk."

Dan seemed to relax a little and he nodded his head as best he could.

"Sir, you told the doctor that you fell down some stairs. You didn't fall down any stairs, did you?"

The man hesitated, then shook his head. A tear ran down his face from the eye that could still open.

"Told me...told me he...would hurt me...again if...I talked."

Dear Lord, please help this man, Penelope prayed. I'm sure he didn't do anything to deserve what has happened to him. But I also know he has something he needs to tell me. Please help him. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Dan reached out his hand with a pleading look on his face. When Penelope grasped it, the man closed his eyes, took an easier breath and sighed in obvious relief.

"Thank...you," Dan croaked. His voice was raw and it shook as he spoke.

Penelope barely understood the man's words and wasn't sure what she was being thanked for, but she replied, "You're welcome."

"Have...something...to tell...you."

"Thank you, Dan. The truth is easiest for everyone. Do you know who did this to you?"