A Puzzle in Paxton Park Read online

  “Would you like to sit down for a few minutes?” Shelly gestured to the table. “Would you mind talking with us about Emma?”

  Leena glanced around the café and when she saw everything was being taken care of by her employee, she took a seat. “Were you friends of Emma?”

  “We both work at the resort so we ran into her now and then,” Juliet said. “Have you lived in town long?”

  “About three years. I bought the café and made the move.”

  Shelly had planned to purchase a bakery in Boston, but the car accident put a stop to that. Being unable to work for months, Shelly had to live on the money she’d saved for her future store, and although she was grateful she’d had the money to draw from, it was a heartfelt disappointment to have to let go of owning the bakery she’d had her eye on. Shelly stifled a sad sigh. So much would be different if they hadn’t been on the highway that day.

  “Your shop is great,” Shelly told Leena. “You did a nice job with the décor and the menu.” She told the woman she was a baker and they talked about recipes, customer service, and how hard it was to get up so early in the morning for work until Shelly shifted the conversation back to Emma. “You met Emma at the gym?”

  “We took some classes together and we’d meet to work out a couple of times a week.”

  “Did you get together with Emma and some of her other friends?” Juliet asked.

  “Once in a while,” Leena said. “Running the café swallows up my time. I don’t get out as much as I’d like to. By dinnertime, I usually just want to go home and read or watch television.”

  “Did Emma seem worried about anything?”

  Leena shook her head. “If she was worried about something, she hid it well.”

  “Had you met Emma’s husband?” Shelly questioned.

  “No, I hadn’t. I did meet her daughter once when Aubrey came to the gym with Emma.”

  “Did Emma talk about her family?”

  “She loved to talk about the kids.” Leena smiled. “She sure was proud of them.”

  “Did she talk about Charlie?” Shelly asked.

  “Sometimes. Nothing much, just what they’d been doing.” Leena gave a shrug. “That’s all. Mostly we talked about work, and working out, what we had planned for the weekend, things like that. Nothing monumental.”

  “Did Emma seem happy with Charlie?” Juliet asked.

  One of Leena’s eyebrows raised at the question. “I guess so. She didn’t give any indication she wasn’t. Why do you ask?”

  “We heard there might be some marital issues,” Juliet told her.

  “I don’t know about that. Sometimes, Emma complained about her husband, but it was minor annoyances like you’d have with anyone you lived with.”

  “Nothing major? No talk about breaking up?” Shelly asked.

  “Never. Not to me anyway.”

  “When was the last time you saw Emma?”

  Leena’s shoulders hunched slightly. “The day she died.”

  Shelly and Juliet stared at the woman.

  “You saw Emma that day?” Shelly asked as a flash of adrenaline raced through her. “Where?”

  “I knew Emma went to her mother’s house in Linville for dinner on Fridays and I asked her if she could drive me to a garage I use over there to service my car,” Leena said. “I wanted to pick it up. It’s not that convenient for me to take the car there, but the owner comes into the café almost every morning and I want to reciprocate by giving him my business.”

  “Emma picked you up and took you there?” Shelly asked.

  “She did. She dropped me off at the garage.”

  “Did she tell you she was going to her mother’s for dinner?”

  “She said she had to change the dinner plans, but she was going to her mom’s house anyway to drop off some food to her.”

  “Did Emma say why she had to change her plans?”

  Leena thought for a few seconds. “I don’t think she did. I don’t remember her saying why. I don’t know if it was Emma or her mother who had to change the plans.”

  “Did Emma give any indication what else she planned to do that night?” Shelly asked.

  “I think she told me she had to do some errands and some shopping. She didn’t say what the errands were.”

  “What road did you take to Linville?” Juliet asked.

  Leena blinked a few times before answering, but then she told Juliet the route they took to get to the garage in Linville. “It was the most direct route. Why do you ask?”

  “I wondered if Emma took the same way back to town that she took to Linville.”

  “I’m not sure. After she dropped me off, she left to go to her mother’s place. I only saw her leave the parking lot and turn left onto the street. I have no idea what roads she took after that.”

  “Did she seem like herself that day? Was anything bothering her?” Shelly asked.

  “She seemed a little quieter than usual, but that doesn’t mean anything,” Leena said. “She probably had a lot on her mind.”

  “Did she mention anyone’s name while she was driving you to Linville?”

  “I don’t remember her talking about anyone except her mother and her daughter.”

  “She didn’t mention a friend or a work colleague?”

  “No one.” Leena gave a shrug. “Oh, she did get a text right when we pulled into the garage’s lot.”

  Shelly’s senses started to buzz. “Do you know who texted Emma?”

  “It was just her husband.”

  “Do you know what he wanted? What he texted her about?” Juliet’s voice was tinged with anticipation.

  “No. Emma glanced at the phone on the console. She said something like, Charlie … he’ll just have to cool his jets.”

  Shelly and Juliet exchanged a look. What did that mean?

  10

  Emma Pinkley’s husband, Charlie, age forty-four, was just under six feet tall, slim, with short blond hair and dark blue eyes. He sat in the small, cramped conference room in the police station with Jay and Shelly sitting opposite. Juliet was outside the room in a tiny booth watching through the one-way glass.

  Charlie exuded a natural charm, but it was diminished by his slightly arrogant manner that mixed in with the outgoing personality. He sat back in his chair looking relaxed and at ease. Shelly could see how some people would find the man attractive. She saw a man who seemed oddly unaffected by his wife’s recent murder.

  “Thanks for coming in again,” Jay said and then explained Shelly’s presence by telling the man the young woman helped out in the police station with different tasks such as taking notes during meetings and interviews.

  “Can you tell us once more how you spent the late afternoon and evening on the day your wife passed away?” Jay asked.

  Charlie gave the woman a smile and a nod. “I worked at the hospital and after my shift, I went home, showered, and had a bite to eat with my daughter. Later, I went to the Stockville mall to do some shopping.”

  “Did your daughter accompany you?” Jay asked.

  “Aubrey wanted to get a jump on her weekend homework so she decided to stay home.”

  “Did you make any purchases at the mall?”

  “I bought a pair of cowboy boots. I have the receipt if you need it to prove where I was.”

  “What time did you arrive at the mall?” Jay asked.

  “I got there around 7pm.” Anticipating the next question, Charlie said, “I left the mall around nine, stopped for gas. It was a pretty night. The moon was almost full. I got home a little after 10:30pm.”

  Shelly wrote notes on the laptop and glanced over at Jay who gave her a little nod indicating it was okay for Shelly to ask questions. “Did you try the shoe store on Main Street in the center of town? They have a great selection of boots, some are hand-made and others are one-of-a-kind.”

  Charlie studied Shelly for a moment. “I looked there. I didn’t find anything I liked so I decided to try the mall.”

  “Wou
ld you mind bringing in the receipt for the boots?” Shelly asked. “It’s simply protocol. I need to log it into the case notes.” It wasn’t protocol, but Shelly wanted to have a look at the receipt.

  Charlie leaned to the side and removed his wallet from his back pocket. “I have it right here.” He tossed the receipt onto the table and slid it over to Jay.

  “Thank you.” Jay asked, “Where were you when you found out about your wife’s death?”

  “I was at home. An officer came to the door. I went to the hospital. The kids came, too. Emma had already passed when we got there.”

  “There are some delicate questions that have to be asked,” Jay said. “I understand it can be difficult to discuss personal aspects of our lives, but it is necessary in cases like this.”

  Charlie’s face tightened.

  “It’s come to our attention that you have had some issues with gambling.”

  “I knew that would come up.” Charlie tried to keep the defensive tone out of his voice. “It hasn’t been a problem lately.”

  “When was the last time there was a problem?” Jay asked.

  Charlie exhaled. “About six months ago.”

  “And was there a problem prior to that?”

  “About a year and a half ago.”

  “Some debts accumulated from the gambling?” Jay questioned.

  “Yeah. Emma told me I should go to counseling to get help.”

  “Did you go?”

  “Not the first time I gambled, but I did go a few months ago.”

  “Are you still working with the counselor?” Jay asked.

  “I went a few times, but we didn’t hit off. I was trying to find someone I liked better.”

  “Did you find the counseling helpful?”

  Charlie shrugged. “Not really.”

  Jay asked, “How were you and Emma able to pay off the debt?”

  A little color rose up Charlie’s neck. Shelly guessed it was probably more from annoyance with the question than from any feelings of embarrassment or guilt. “We had savings so we used that the first time. The second time, we took a home equity loan to pay for some of it. Emma got a part-time job for a while to pay off the rest.”

  “Was that at Windsor Manufacturing?” Jay questioned.

  “Yes, it was.”

  “How did Emma like working there?”

  “She liked it well-enough. It was only a temporary thing.”

  “Did you pick up any extra shifts at the hospital to help pay off the debts?” Jay asked.

  “I couldn’t. There weren’t any available shifts.”

  “In the weeks leading up to the crime, did Emma seem herself?” Jay asked the man.

  “I thought she did.”

  “No signs of worry or anxiety? No arguments with anyone?”

  “Nothing like that. Not that I know of.”

  “Did she indicate any concerns for her safety?” Jay questioned.

  “Not to me she didn’t.”

  “Would you say you and Emma had a close relationship?”

  Charlie’s mouth turned up in a slight grin. “We were married, so yeah.”

  “Did you consider Emma your best friend?”

  “Uh. I guess you could say that. I have guy friends, too.”

  Jay looked squarely at the man. “Did Emma have a life insurance policy?”

  Charlie’s eyes darted around the room. “Yeah, she did. I did, too.”

  “And how much was that policy for?”

  Charlie squirmed a little in his seat. “Five-hundred thousand dollars.”

  “When was that taken out?”

  “About six months ago.”

  A cold shiver ran over Shelly’s skin.

  “We both got policies. In case something happened.” Charlie swallowed and his Adam’s apple moved up and down in his throat. “We wanted the kids to be okay if anything happened to one of us.”

  “Please forgive this next question,” Jay said. “Have you ever been unfaithful to your wife?”

  Charlie’s jaw moved like he was clenching his teeth together and he leaned forward with both arms on the table. “Look, I know people talk. I like to go out, have a few drinks. Sometimes, I flirt. So what? It’s just good fun. I always go back home to Emma and the kids.”

  “So you have never been unfaithful?” Jay pressed.

  “Listen, I’m a good guy. I like to go out and have some fun. Who doesn’t? It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just flirting.”

  “Have you ever had an affair?” Jay reworded her question.

  “Come on. I was married to Emma.”

  “That doesn’t answer the question, Mr. Pinkley,” Jay said with stern eyes.

  Charlie rubbed his face. “Yeah, okay. I hung out with some women over the years. None of it ever meant anything.”

  “Were you in a relationship with any of the women?”

  “No, for Pete’s sake. I flirted. I had a few flings. It was never anything serious with anyone. I always went home to Emma.”

  Shelly wanted to roll her eyes.

  “When was the last time you had a fling?” Jay asked the man using his own word to describe his indiscretion.

  Charlie looked down at the table. “I don’t know. Maybe six months ago.”

  “Can you tell us the woman’s name?”

  Charlie made eye contact with Jay, his expression angry. “No, I can’t. I don’t remember her name. It was one night. One night.”

  “There may come a point in the investigation into your wife’s death when it may be important to know the name of some of the women you’ve been with,” Jay informed Charlie. “It might be a good idea over the next few days to try to refresh your memory.” Jay glanced at her notes. “Did you call your wife on the afternoon or evening of her death?”

  “I don’t think so. I was busy at the hospital in the afternoon. When I was getting ready to head to the mall, I couldn’t find my phone.”

  Jay looked up from her laptop and moved her gaze to Charlie. “Did you text her?”

  “I don’t think I texted her from work and I didn’t have my phone with me when I went inside to shop.”

  “You didn’t text Emma after you left home that evening?” Jay asked.

  “I didn’t have my phone so I couldn’t send her a text,” Charlie said with an edge to his voice.

  When Jay was finished with a few minor questions, she thanked Charlie for coming in and showed him to the door. Juliet came in from the observation booth and closed the door behind her before taking a seat at the table next to Shelly.

  “He’s a real winner, isn’t he?” Juliet asked with a groan. “He has fun, a few flings. He thinks those explanations absolve him from calling it ‘cheating on his wife’.”

  “His definition of cheating is obviously different from ours.” Jay opened her laptop and made a few notes.

  “Emma had a life insurance policy. She got it six months ago,” Shelly said. “A lot went on over the last six months, didn’t it? Emma and Charlie took out substantial life insurance policies. Charlie had a ‘fling’ six months ago. Charlie incurred heavy amounts of debt from gambling six months ago.”

  “We’ll look into all of his claims from that time,” Jay said with narrowed eyes. “He says he can’t remember the woman’s name he was with six months ago. Charlie seems to be forgetful, or have some problems with his memory. We’ll look into when he actually incurred the gambling debt, when he went to the counselor and for how long, when the life policies were taken out, and when the debt was paid off.” Jay frowned. “Just in case Charlie isn’t remembering those details correctly.”

  Shelly said, “Charlie didn’t have his phone with him when he went to the mall, and he denies texting Emma when he was on the way there. Leena Tate said a text came in when Emma was dropping her off at the auto repair garage. Leena told us Emma said Charlie in reference to him being the sender of the text.”

  Jay said, “We’ll go through the phone company records. See if he’s telling the trut
h or not.”

  Juliet looked at her friend and asked, “Why did you ask Charlie for the store receipt for his boots?”

  “I wanted to see what he bought and I want to go to the leather store in town to see if they carry the boots Charlie bought at the mall.” Shelly tilted her head. “Why drive an hour away if you can get what you want here in town?”

  “And if the store in Paxton Park does carry those boots,” Juliet said, “the answer to why Charlie drove all that way to the mall might be very interesting to hear.”

  11

  Shelly and Juliet browsed the busy leather shop in the center of town looking for the brand and style of men’s cowboy boots Charlie Pinkley had purchased at the mall.

  “Here they are.” Juliet said softly as she picked up a boot from one of the display tables and turned it over to look at the sole. “These are the same price as the boots from the mall.”

  “So it wasn’t a higher price here that made him shop elsewhere,” Shelly said. “Maybe they don’t have his size here.”

  “What size was printed on the receipt?”

  “Eleven and a half.”

  “I’ll ask one of the sales clerks if they have them in that size.” Juliet went to ask about the boots. In a few minutes, she was back. “They have them in stock. I told the woman I was thinking of buying them for a relative and wanted to check on the sizes available. She told me they have them in stock in every size from ten to twelve including half-sizes.”

  “So why go out of his way to buy these boots at the mall?” Shelly asked.

  “Maybe we should visit the store where Charlie got them,” Juliet suggested, putting the boots back on the table and moving to look at the shelves of women’s shoes.

  “I wonder if we should talk to Emma’s mother and sister again?” Shelly wondered out loud.

  A woman said, “Are you talking about Emma Pinkley?”

  The two friends turned around to see one of the sales clerks standing behind them. Her name tag said Dawn B. In her mid-thirties, the woman was petite and attractive with blond hair to her shoulders, and blue eyes with long fake lashes.