Sweet Obsession Read online

  “Only that there’d been another bomb. He asked if we could come and he gave me the address.” Angie hadn’t had time to brush her hair so she pulled it up into a ponytail.

  “Any word on the victim?”

  “No, the chief must have been in a hurry.” Angie looked out the window at the dark sidewalks punctuated with small, blotches of light from the streetlamps. As they drove, she told Josh more about the meeting with the owner of Blue Sky Painting. “Dave Hanes has trouble controlling his emotions.”

  “Maybe a pop in the face was just what the other guy needed.”

  “The other guy’s name is Joe Boles. I think Dave hitting him only upped the bad feelings between them. Joe sounds like a troublemaker and seems to know how to push Dave’s buttons. The two of them can’t work on the same team anymore.”

  “Better to keep them apart,” Josh agreed. “I’d probably let them go, but I don’t have as much trouble hiring and retaining good workers for the resort. I had a friend who owned a roofing company. He was a nice guy, he treated his workers really well. He’d hire people and they’d collect one pay check and then they’d be gone, never to return. It happened all the time. He was constantly training people.”

  Angie reported how she and Finch experienced bad feelings when looking at the drawings the older man had done. “Mr. Finch said he has the urge to draw the same themed-pictures over and over. It had become concerning to him, but now we know it’s some kind of clue. We’ll go over the new ones again in a few days. There’s a message in the pictures. We just have to figure out what it is.”

  Josh turned the car into a well-tended neighborhood of smaller Capes and ranches. Flashing lights could be seen up ahead and police cars were positioned to block off the road. An officer approached the car and Josh put down the window.

  “You can’t go any further,” the officer said. “You’ll have to turn back around.”

  Angie recognized the officer and leaned over the console. “It’s me, Angie Roseland. Chief Martin of Sweet Cove asked me to come.”

  “Oh, Ms. Roseland. I didn’t see it was you. If you pull to the curb and park, you can walk to the house where the chief is waiting.”

  Josh parked and they walked together towards the flashing lights. A sharp odor carried on the air and made Angie’s nose sting.

  “There’s a fire up ahead,” Josh said.

  A ranch house was fully engulfed in flames. Angie and Josh crossed to the other side of the street and walked up the sidewalk to a group of neighbors watching the commotion.

  A neighbor said, “The car is on fire. They won’t let us get any closer in case it explodes. The firefighters have almost got it out. The house is another story.”

  One person said, “I was watching television. I heard an awful blast. When I looked out the window, I saw Jesse and Mary’s car on fire. It spread to the house.”

  Angie’s heart pounded. “Jesse and Mary are the owners? Did they get out of the house?”

  “They’re fine. They’re with the police officers,” someone else said.

  “Shall we cross to the other side to find Chief Martin?” Josh asked.

  Angie’s eyes swept over the inferno in front of her. Angry orange flames shot into the sky and plumes of smoke created black clouds that drifted away from the scene.

  Angie tugged the front of her sweatshirt up over her nose to keep from inhaling the smoke and she reached for Josh’s hand. “I think I’d like to wait for my sisters and Mr. Finch.”

  18

  “Ellie is sure the bomb victims are chosen deliberately, not at random,” Angie said. “And I’m inclined to agree with her.”

  Jenna, Courtney, and Mr. Finch sat in the Solana Village Police Station conference room with Chief Martin. Josh went back to the cottage and Jenna would drive Angie home after they were finished with the meeting.

  The young homeowners were in another room being interviewed by a detective and when they were done, Jesse and Mary Foley would speak with the sisters, Finch, and Chief Martin.

  Angie explained the reasoning behind the thinking that the bombs were not being placed at random, and Chief Martin told the small group that he’d been leaning that way himself.

  “Someone had to see the pile of firewood in the rear yard of the Reynolds’s house,” Jenna said. “We should drive on the road that loops around behind the Reynolds’s property to see if the firewood is visible from the street.”

  “I did that the other day,” the chief said. “I wasn’t doing it to see the pile of wood, but I don’t think you can see it from back there. I’ll take another drive by tomorrow.”

  “So if the bomber is deliberately targeting certain people, what’s the connection between them?” Courtney asked.

  “The connection may not be obvious.” Finch rested both hands on top of his cane. “The bomber may have strange reasons for picking these people out. Maybe one of them cut him off in traffic, maybe someone at work annoyed him. The reasons may not be based in reality.”

  “Those are good points.” Jenna nodded. “We have to consider that the bomber could be choosing victims from all aspects of his life, from the cashier at the grocery store to someone he meets in passing. It’s not going to be a simple task to link the victims to the bomber.”

  A knock came on the door and two people in their late-twenties entered the room. Mary Foley was slim and petite with shoulder-length auburn hair. Her eyes were red from crying. Jesse Foley was about five feet, ten inches tall with dark brown hair and brown eyes. They both had on jeans and t-shirts. Jesse was wearing sneakers and Mary had on a pair of flip flops.

  Chief Martin said, “I know you’ve had to tell about the evening many times already, but I need to ask you to go through it once again as if you haven’t told the story to anyone.”

  Jesse ran his hand over the top of his head. The couple showed signs of fatigue and shock, their faces drawn and serious, their eyes wide, shoulders slumped, both looking uncomfortable and nervous. An officer brought in cups of coffee and some cookies and put them on the table.

  “I was working in the basement. I like to do woodworking. A huge blast shook the house. Mary called down the stairs to the cellar to me.”

  “I was in the kitchen. At first, I thought Jesse had done something downstairs to cause the explosion.” Mary wrung her hand together. “Then I saw the fire outside the window. I screamed to Jesse and he came running upstairs.”

  “I worried something happened in the kitchen, maybe the stove exploded or something. When I saw the car, I couldn’t believe it.”

  “We have a remote starter,” Mary said. “I used it to start the car when I was in the kitchen. I’d been hot all day and I wanted the air conditioning to start up before I got in the car. I didn’t connect the explosion to the car right away.”

  Jesse said, “We were both in shock. I called the fire department and when I finished the call, the neighbor from across the street was yelling and banging on our front door. He told us to get out of the house. He was afraid the car would blow up and he said the flames had already spread to the house. We grabbed our keys and wallets and ran.”

  “We waited in the neighbor’s house. I started to cry. I told Jesse I caused the explosion by using the remote starter.” Mary dabbed at her eyes.

  Jesse took in a deep breath. “The remote starter didn’t cause this fire. There was nothing wrong with the car. It was brand new. We bought it a few weeks ago. It was that bomber. He must have put a bomb somewhere near the engine. It must have been set to blow when the car started. If Mary didn’t use the remote starter, well, she would have….” His voice trailed off.

  “I’d be dead,” Mary managed to squeeze the words from her throat.

  Jesse took his wife’s hand in his. “We’re very lucky. Of course, not from the standpoint of losing our car and house and most of our things, but we have each other and we’re alive. I’m very grateful.” The man’s eyes misted over.

  Mary gently touched the man’s cheek. />
  “It’s not yet known if a bomb caused the explosion,” Chief Martin explained. “It will take some time for that determination to be made.”

  Jesse nodded. “The other officers told us that. I know no one can jump to conclusions, but in my heart, I know it was a bomb.”

  Angie asked, “Is there a reason you feel you’ve been targeted? Did something happen recently that makes you suspect a bomb?”

  “Only the other bombs that have been placed in town,” Jesse said “and a car doesn’t usually blow up on its own.”

  “Did either of you have trouble with someone over the past few weeks?” Jenna asked.

  “No.” Jesse looked at Mary. “We can’t remember anything happening that would make someone so angry with us that they’d plant a bomb.”

  “What if you remove the idea that an incident would have to be something big to cause this?” Finch asked the couple. “The bomber may perceive things in a distorted way. He may blow things out of proportion … things that someone else would dismiss and forget.”

  Mary bit her lower lip thinking about what Finch had said.

  “I can’t think of any reason to target us.” Jesse helplessly shrugged a shoulder.

  “What do you do for work?” The chief asked.

  “I’m a chef at a restaurant in Silver Cove. This was my first night off in weeks.” Mary’s expression was one of disbelief at what had occurred.

  Jesse said, “I’m an accountant. I work in Salem.”

  “Have any of your customers or clients been upset or angry over anything in recent weeks?” Courtney asked the question.

  Both Jesse and Mary shook their heads.

  “Any complaints from someone? Any pushy or excessively demanding customers?” Courtney tried to prompt a memory.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary,” Mary said. “There are always demanding diners. There are always a few complaints. We make them right and the customer is satisfied.”

  Jesse reported no complaints from any clients at the accounting firm.

  “Have either of you been involved in a traffic issue? An accident? A fender-bender?” Courtney tried to jog the young couple’s thoughts.

  Again, the answer was no.

  “Any disagreements with colleagues?” Jenna asked.

  “No. None.”

  “What about with a neighbor or with the oil company, the electric company, anything like that?” Angie questioned.

  “We can’t think of anything,” Jesse told them.

  “Do you have family in the area?” Mr. Finch asked.

  “We’re both from Virginia,” Mary said. “We have some friends we can stay with.”

  Jenna had to clarify what she’d meant. “Do you have any family members with whom you don’t get along?”

  “Oh,” Mary said. “I see what you mean. We get along with our families. There isn’t a weird uncle or a strange brother or anything like that. No one from our families resents us or dislikes us.”

  “Have you noticed anyone suspicious in the neighborhood?” the chief asked.

  Mary’s hand went to her throat. “That scares me.”

  “I haven’t noticed anyone around,” Jesse said and then looked at the chief. “If it was a bomb, when could it have been planted? He’d have had to do it this evening, wouldn’t he? If it was set to go off when the engine started? He must have been out there when I was in the basement. He must have been quick.” The young man’s face reddened with anger.

  Chief Martin asked if the couple knew any of the other targeted individuals and listed off their names.

  “I don’t know them,” Mary said.

  “Neither do I.” Jesse’s disgust and anger seemed to be increasing the more he had to talk about the incident.

  “You’ve both experienced an unexpected, tragic loss,” Mr. Finch pointed out. “It is difficult to come to terms with such things. It might be helpful for you to talk out your emotions with a counselor or your doctor.” Finch made eye contact with the young man and woman. “You’ve lost your car, your home is damaged, you came close to a calamity that might have taken your lives. This can lead to feelings of loss or a feeling of being unsafe. It is not a sign of weakness to see someone for assistance. An experienced professional can walk you through the grieving process and help you handle the situation emotionally. Please consider talking with someone about what has happened. It’s important to take care of yourselves.”

  The couple nodded and Mary thanked Finch for his suggestion.

  Feelings of unease had been pulsing through Angie’s veins. She had the feeling the couple could help with a clue, but she didn’t know what else to ask. Even though everything seemed to have been covered during the conversation, Angie didn’t want them to leave. “If you remember anything that’s happened over the past few weeks, would you call one of us? No matter how trivial it may seem. The smallest detail can end up being the answer we’re all looking for.”

  The chief thanked the couple for their time and wished them good luck with everything, and Mary and Jesse went to the lobby to meet their friends who had come to take them in for as long as they needed a place to stay.

  Angie watched them leave and had to stifle the urge to call them back.

  19

  Angie and Chief Martin entered the day room at the hospital where patients could meet with family and friends in a space other than their rooms. The large space was arranged into groups of sitting areas and the big windows allowed in lots of light to make a cheerful, pleasant gathering place.

  The chief glanced around and spotted a woman waving at them who matched Roberta Reynolds’s description. A young woman sat in a wheelchair next to her.

  “Hello. I’m Roberta and this is Sally.”

  The two visitors took seats across from the women and introduced themselves.

  “We spoke with your husband,” the chief said. “He told us you both were doing well.”

  “Have you caught the guy yet?” Sally demanded. Her arm and leg were in casts and she had a patch over the eye that required surgery due to flying glass.

  “We’re still investigating,” the chief gave the young woman a reassuring nod and then turned his gaze to the mother. “Would you be able to describe the day of the explosion for us?”

  Roberta winced slightly at the word explosion, but she shook it off and forced a smile. “I’d be glad to, especially if what we have to say will lead to the person responsible.” Taking a deep breath, she spoke about the day. “I took the day off from work so Sally and I could spend some time together before school started up again. We had lunch at home, made some cookies, and decided to watch a movie together. Sally suggested we make a fire in the fireplace for a cozy atmosphere. She went out to the wood pile and brought in a bucket of logs. We set them up, I lit them, and we sat down on the sofa. They didn’t catch very well so Sally went over to move them around with the poker. We were a few minutes into the movie when it happened.”

  Roberta clasped her hands together and her breathing rate seemed to increase. “I remember the awful noise. I honestly don’t remember anything else until I woke up here in the hospital.”

  Angie turned to Sally. “Is that how you remember the day?”

  “Pretty much.” The young woman was looking down at the floor.

  “In retrospect, when you were out at the wood pile, did anything look unusual or off in any way?” Angie asked.

  “Unusual how?”

  “I don’t know. Did the pile look like it always did? Were some of the logs arranged in a different way?”

  “I didn’t notice anything,” Sally said.

  “You collected the logs and bought them inside?”

  “Right.”

  “What happened when you brought them in?” the chief asked.

  Sally gave him a look like he was stupid. “They exploded.”

  “Right away?” The chief wanted to hear Sally’s recollection.

  “No, we were watching the movie like my mom said, then all of
a sudden the room lit up and there was a terrible noise. The window blew out I think. Glass flew in every direction. I went up in the air and them smashed to the floor. It all happened in a split second. I remember being on my back on the floor. I couldn’t hear anything. I couldn’t see much. I didn’t feel hurt even though I was injured. There wasn’t any pain. I almost felt like I was floating, looking down on the family room from way up high.” Sally paused for a few seconds. “That’s it. That’s all I remember.”

  “You’ve been to the house?” Roberta asked.

  “We were there to speak with your husband,” Angie said.

  “How does the house look?” Roberta looked to Angie. “Is it a terrible mess? Is the family room damaged beyond repair? I ask Lincoln about it, but he brushes off my questions.”

  “The family room had damage done to it. Some windows were broken, some of the ceiling came down, some stones in the fireplace broke apart and fell off,” Angie listed the things she’d noticed when she was there. “Your husband is having it renovated and repaired. It’s in progress right now.”

  Roberta nodded her head. “I think Lincoln wants the room to be perfect when we get home. He doesn’t want any reminders of the explosion.” With a sigh, she said, “We’d just had the whole house refreshed. All the rooms were painted, new furniture was purchased and delivered. It had all been done for only a week, and then the family room was ruined. I’m sure it will be nice again soon.”

  Angie perked up from what Roberta had said. “You had the house redone?”

  “Just paint and new furniture. It needed an update.”

  “Did you hire people to paint?”

  “Sure. Lincoln and I don’t have the time to do a project like that on our own. It would take forever if we tried to do it ourselves. We hired a company to do the painting of the rooms and we hired a designer to help us with the furniture.”

  “What company did you hire for the painting?” Angie asked.

  “Blue Sky. They do good work.”

  “Except when the painters make you angry,” Sally piped up.