A Crying Shame: A Jesse Watson Mystery Read online

  A Crying Shame

  by Ann Mullen

  http://www.aftonridge.com

  Copyright © 2005 by Ann Mullen

  ISBN 13: 978-0-9828776-3-0

  This book is a work of fiction. Any characters portrayed, living or dead are imaginary. Any resemblance to actual persons is completely coincidental. Any places, business establishments, locales, events, or incidents in this book are the product of the author’s imagination, or used fictitiously.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  TABLE OF CONTENT

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  CHAPTER 1

  The drive from the Great Smokey Mountains back home to Charlottesville, Virginia was long and tiresome. Billy and I had just spent our honeymoon in a cozy cabin nestled in the woods, covered with six-foot snow drifts. For two weeks, the wind howled and whisked its way through the trees. Not once did we venture outside to explore the scenery as we had planned, but instead, spent most of our time cuddled up by the fireplace, wrapped in each other’s arms. We talked for hours. It was so wonderful, but as they say, all good things must come to an end, and it was time to get back to the real world. We’d made a promise to each other that we wouldn’t discuss our next job or anything else that involved our business while we were on our honeymoon, but since we were on our way back home, I figured it was okay to do so now.

  “Tell me about this guy, Brian Cherry,” I said as I slid over closer to Billy. I couldn’t help but think of how much I had come to love this man in such a short time. Not so long ago I was sure that Cole James was the man of my dreams, but the dealer had dealt the cards, and Billy and I turned out to be the winning pair.

  My name is Jesse Watson. I moved with my folks to a little town called Stanardsville in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This happened a little less than a year ago and since then, many life-altering changes have occurred. My father, Mack, died from a heart attack shortly after our arrival, leaving my mother, Minnie, alone for the first time in her life. Much to my surprise, Mom has handled his death well. She’s a strong woman. My sister, Claire, and her husband Carl, separated and will soon become divorced. This makes me happy to no end, since I never did like Carl. The only thing he ever did for anyone else other than himself was to father two delightful children. Carrie and Benny are the light of my sister’s eyes, and I love the way Benny calls me Ant Jess. I guess one day I’ll have to tell him that I’m not an ant. Eventually, Claire and the kids moved in with Mom permanently, and I moved out. I took up residency in Billy Blackhawk’s house in Charlottesville. In the midst of all this, I had a short, but intense romance with Billy’s childhood friend, Greene County deputy, Cole James. Cole could’ve been the perfect man for me if he’d invested more time into our relationship. Unfortunately, his job was more important than I was. After a very short courtship, Billy Blackhawk and I discovered that we were meant to be together, and were married on Christmas Eve. We expect the arrival of our first child in August. And somewhere in the middle of all this, my brother, Jack, revealed to us that he is gay.

  “His name is Brian Cherry and he wants us to investigate the disturbing incident that happened to his wife and child,” Billy said. “He firmly believes the doctor was negligent.”

  “I remember you said that both of them almost died in childbirth. That’s a scary thought considering I’ll be going through the same thing pretty soon,” I said, my voice a little shaky. Most of my life it was all I could do to take care of myself; now I would be responsible for the life of someone else. The whole concept was a lot for me to take in. However, it was a little late to change my mind.

  “If you don’t want us to take on this case, I’ll understand. I know it hits close to home.”

  “I can handle it. I think I can handle almost anything as long as I have you by my side.” I winked at Billy, leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

  “Aw shucks, you say the sweetest things.”

  “Lord, help me.”

  “One of the first places we’ll check out is,” Billy said as he began his detailed explanation, “ER Care One. It’s located on Rt. 29 in Ruckersville.”

  “You know I’m terrible on directions, Billy. Just give me a landmark.”

  “It’s across the street from Durrer Remodeling—the white, two story house with a big sign out front. Coming from Charlottesville, the medical center is on the right about a tenth of a mile before you get to the Rt. 29/Rt. 33 intersection in Ruckersville.”

  “Oh, yeah, I remember now.”

  “Anyway, the emergency center is like a mini-mall of doctors—a one-stop-shop is what I call it. It has a twenty-four hour emergency care facility in the middle, and is surrounded by a lot of smaller buildings—doctor’s offices. You can go in and have your head stitched up and if you need follow up treatment later, you can go right next door. There’s a doctor for your every need. They even have a drug store there. They all belong to Regional Health Associates—a locally based group of doctors and health care professionals.”

  “I’m going to need a doctor for my back if we don’t hurry up and get home. It’s been a long ride.”

  “We’re almost there. Just try to hang in.”

  “Oh, I’ll be fine,” I said. I lay my head back and waited for Billy to continue with his story.

  “Brian Cherry’s wife, Vicki, was about eight months pregnant when she developed preclampsia and was confined to bed rest.”

  “What’s preclampsia?”

  “It’s a condition that can develop, usually in the latter stages of pregnancy. It causes elevated blood pressure, blurred vision, swelling of the feet and hands, and protein in the urine. It’s treated with bed rest, fluids, and a special diet. If the condition becomes severe, it can lead to seizures and even death. They usually induce labor before it gets to that point.”

  “How do you know so much about this preclampsia thing?”

  “I did some research on the computer after I got the call from Mr. Cherry.”

  “What else do I have to look forward to in the next few months?”

  “It’s just a possibility. It doesn’t mean you’ll develop this condition.”

  “What about Vicki’s obstetrician?”

  “Oh, believe me; we’ll turn him inside out before this investigation is over. When Mr. Cherry’s wife started having premature labor pains, he called the doctor. The doctor told him to go to a first care center close by, or to a hospital in Charlottesville. Mr. Cherry took her to ER Care One. They did some paperwork and then told him to have a seat in the waiting room—they would get to him as soon as possible. It was a busy night. He said the room was packed to capacity, so he told them to kiss his… well, you know. He immediately took his wife to the hospital where they performed an emergency c-section. It seems that not only was his wife in labor, but the baby was in distress. His
quick thinking probably saved both their lives.”

  “So her obstetrician shirked his duties and sent her to that emergency facility. He should have known better. It was his job to take care of her right then. He should have sent them directly to the hospital.”

  “It turns out that Vicki’s doctor had been drinking most of the day. It was his day off. He couldn’t have taken care of her properly even if he’d wanted to.”

  “Once we get the dirt on the doctor and the clinic, then what?”

  “If we can prove that there was neglect and endangerment on the OB’s part, Mr. Cherry can sue.”

  “Is that his ultimate goal? Does he want to sue, or does he have an ulterior motive?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The crisis is over and his wife and child are doing fine. What would be the point in suing? Is he just trying to make a big stink?”

  “I can’t blame him if that’s the case. If it were me, I couldn’t just let it go. You have to remember that he almost lost his family because of that doctor.”

  “Don’t you think that’s a little over the edge?”

  “Are you saying that you don’t blame the doctor?”

  “No, that’s not what I’m saying, Billy. Actually, I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I’m tired and I can’t think straight.”

  “I’d think that you’d be the first one to jump right in and blast that doctor.”

  “Mr. Cherry has just cause to be angry, but I don’t think he has a case. I say we have a long talk with him before we make any decisions.”

  “We’re coming up on our exit,” Billy said, pointing to the sign. “Do you want to go straight home or stop at your mom’s house to pick up the dogs?”

  “Let’s stop at Mom’s house and get the dogs,” I answered. I was tired, but at the same time, I wanted to see Mom and Claire. I particularly wanted to get the latest on Claire and my ex-lover, Cole. Just before Billy and I got married, Claire and Cole’s relationship went from being friends to being lovers. Cole immediately spoke of marriage. There was no doubt in my mind that he was on the rebound and intent on revenge. He was a scorned man.

  “I wonder how Cole’s doing,” Billy said.

  My mind drifted back to those final moments when I thought Cole had died. I could still hear the hissing sound of the bullet as it passed by the side of my head, and remember the fear in my heart when I looked down and saw Cole lying on the floor. Blood ran down the side of his face. His eyes were lifeless.

  But that was a while back and since then, Cole has recovered and acquired a real zest for life. It was obvious to Billy and me that his new love for Claire was a facade. It was his way of throwing water in our faces. Cole didn’t love Claire; he was just using her.

  “I’m sure he’s doing fine. You know Cole…”

  Billy put on his signal and made the turn toward Stanardsville. “I’m just waiting for him to go off. I really do believe he has brain damage from that gunshot to his head. Only time will tell.” He glanced over at me. “Why don’t you give your mother a call and make sure they’re home? Here, use the truck phone.” He reached down, pulled it from its cradle and then handed it to me.

  I punched in the numbers and waited for a few seconds. “Sorry,” I said. “It rang once and then stopped. Now there’s nothing but static.” I replaced the phone. “We need to get rid of this phone. It’s outdated. Besides, with all the new cell phone technology, who needs a phone in their car? We don’t need to call. It’s time for dinner. I’m sure they’re home.”

  Billy gave me a wink. “I guess you’re right about that. Cell phones are a dime a dozen. Car phones are obsolete. As long as one of us has a working, charged cell phone, who needs an old car phone anymore? Ah… did you forget to charge your cell phone? I guess the first order of business is to purchase a new one for me since you destroyed my other one.” He laughed out loud.

  “You deserved it! How many people do you know who carry a cell phone to their own wedding? You should be ashamed of yourself!”

  “How was I to know that someone was going to call?”

  “That’s not the point!”

  Billy kept his eyes on the road as he reached over, took my hand in his, and gave it a kiss. “Please forgive me. It won’t happen again.”

  I had to laugh. “You can bet it won’t, Mr. Blackhawk. In twenty-five years from now when we renew our vows, I’ll make sure of it!”

  Our banter continued until we reached the intersection of Rt. 230 and South River Road. Several Greene County Police cars had traffic at a halt.

  “What do you think this is all about?” I asked Billy.

  “It might just be a routine traffic stop,” he replied. “They’re probably doing an alcohol check.”

  “Today’s Sunday, Billy.”

  “You think people don’t drink on Sunday?”

  “I see what you mean.”

  An officer walked up to the truck and motioned for Billy to roll the window down. “May I see your driver’s license, sir?”

  A blast of cold air rushed in. Winter was at its peak.

  “What’s the problem, officer?” Billy asked. He reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet.

  The officer gave us the once-over before he spoke. “We’re on the lookout for a couple of missing children.”

  “As you can see,” I said, “there’s nobody here but us.”

  The officer examined Billy’s license and then handed it back to him. “Have a nice day, sir.” He waved us on. “Keep moving.”

  “That’s so sad,” I said. “I hate to see things like that happen. Crimes against children are the worst.”

  “It makes you wonder what’s going through a person’s mind when they pull such a crazy stunt. It has to be an act of desperation.”

  “I wouldn’t call it a stunt; I’d call it a crime. A person who does something like this should be shot!” The words were barely out of my mouth when I suddenly had a vision of Rebecca Miller. Mrs. Miller was one of Billy’s clients who had gone home and shot her adulterous husband, and then told the police that Billy told her to do it. That was a real nightmare.

  Billy and I looked at each other at the same time.

  “Well, maybe not shot, but definitely put in jail,” I added.

  As soon as we came up to the bridge that crosses the South River close to Mom’s house, a set of flashing lights caught my eye. We pulled into the driveway and saw a Greene County deputy standing beside his car. He had a clipboard in his hands. I put two and two together and looked at Billy.

  “Don’t panic,” he said, before I could get a word out. “I’m sure everything’s okay. The police are probably doing a house-to-house search for those missing kids.”

  “Yeah, and a few minutes ago you said it was probably just an alcohol check. I think I might have a reason to panic now, don’t you? Those two missing kids might be Benny and Carrie.”

  Billy parked next to the patrol car and shut off the truck engine. He turned to me and said, “Whatever the problem is, we’ll handle it. Let’s try to remain calm.” He opened the truck door, stepped out, and extended his hand to me.

  I slid over to his side and took his hand as I climbed down. “Billy, I’d hate to think of what I might do if someone hurt one of Claire’s kids.”

  “Jesse, you’re getting ahead of yourself. We don’t know a thing yet. Come on, let’s go inside and find out what’s happening.”

  The deputy stepped into our path. “I’m afraid you can’t go in there until…”

  I caught him off-guard and brushed past him like he was invisible. “I don’t think so, pal,” I said. “This is my family, and I’m going in.”

  I’m sure he wasn’t expecting that kind of behavior from someone my size. I weigh every bit of one hundred and sixteen pounds fully clothed, and he was the size of a Mack truck—all Greene County deputies are. They’re large, loud, and tough. Criminals beware!

  Billy blocked the stunned officer. “Our famil
y lives here.”

  Billy is a Cherokee Indian and someone to be reckoned with. He’s over six feet tall and weighs about one hundred and ninety pounds, and it’s all pure muscle. Nobody messes with him.

  The officer stepped back and let him pass.

  Claire ran up to us as soon as we walked through the front door. “He stole my children, Jesse,” she cried. Her eyes were puffy and it was obvious she’d been crying for a while. “That lousy creep came to the house while I was gone and took them. He told Mom he was taking them to the Dairy Queen in town for ice cream, and he never came back.”

  “It’s okay,” Billy said. “We’ll get the kids back, Claire. He won’t get away with this.” Billy put his arm around Claire and tried to soothe her.

  Mom was in the kitchen talking to two policemen. She held a photo in her hand. When she saw us, she yelled across the room, “Billy, Jesse, I’m so glad you’re back.” She handed the photo to one of the officers and walked to the living room. “This is my fault! I believed Carl when he said he’d bring the kids right back. He lied to me!”

  I gave Mom a hug. “I’m sure you didn’t think Carl was stupid enough to do something like this. Now tell me everything that happened.”

  As the two officers walked to the front door, they assured Claire that they would do everything possible, but in the meantime she might want to contact a lawyer. “This situation could get ugly,” one of them said. “It usually does. We set up a precautionary roadblock, something we usually do when we get a call such as this, but you said that your husband has shared custody and visitation rights, so there’s not much we can do right now. Sheriff Hudson will be in contact with you as soon as he finds out anything.” They took the photo and left.

  “I can see this is going to be nasty,” I said as we all sat down at the kitchen table. “What on earth possessed Carl to do something so stupid? I’m sure he’s well aware of the fact that we’ll come after him.” I looked at Mom and then at Claire. “Hey, where are Athena and Thor?”

  “I let them out a little while ago,” Mom said. “They’re probably off in the woods somewhere.”