Murder or Not? Chapter 8

Murder or Not?

By

Rebecka Vigus

Copyright ©2019

All Rights Reserved

Chapter 8

   As she at in her office finishing her doughnuts, Sam tried to look at this from all the angles. Why had the Hillman brothers come after Tom? Was there more to the story? Did Bryleigh really kill herself? Who was responsible for Matt’s accident? The Masons or the Hillman brothers? Who was after Robert Bakersfield or his family? Why now?

Anna came quietly into the office and handed Sam the files on the Hillmans. “There’s a few things you really need to look at here,” she said.

“Want to give me the breakdown?” Sam asked looking up.

Being used to Sam’s expressive green eyes, she just said, “You need to read it for yourself.” Then she left the office.

Opening the file Sam saw photos of the Hillman brothers and Bryleigh. Bryleigh had been twenty when she died. She had not been two months pregnant as Robert had been told. She had been six months pregnant with a little girl. Whose child was it? Were the brothers collecting DNA samples? Do they know who killed their sister?

This opened a whole new avenue for Sam. Was Robert the father? She needed to get her hands on the DNA and get Robert’s DNA. She buzzed Anna on her phone.

“I need to get the baby’s DNA and Robert Bakersfield’s DNA,” she said. “How on earth am I going to get them?”

Calmly Anna told her, “The chief has already requested the DNA sample to be sent to a lab. I am brilliant, and the cup of coffee Robert took to the interview are still there. I’ve already bagged and tagged them. The chief is coming by here to pick it up in a few minutes.”

“You are brilliant! I knew there was a reason I stole you from Dad,” Sam smiled as she spoke. Anna always came through. Hanging up, she turned back to the files of the brothers.

There was a lot of violence in their backgrounds. Could they have possibly killed their sister? Sam felt as though she had more questions than answers.

She called to Anna, “Let’s grab some lunch.”

“I’m ready,” Anna replied. She put the phone on answering machine and grabbed her coat. “Where are we headed?”

“Not the deli. I don’t need to see cops and lawyers right now.”

“How about the Screen Shot?” Anna offered.

“Ooh, yes,” Sam replied. “Maybe we’ll see a movie star.” She chuckled as she joined Anna.

The Screen Shot was a local diner with photos and billing sheets of the 1930s film stars. No one had ever seen one in person, but you never knew there could be a chance. They talked and laughed as they walked across the square to the restaurant. Trying to guess who might make an appearance.

###

Having seen no celebrities at lunch, Sam and Anna made their way back to the office.  Slipped under the door was an envelope. Both women looked at each other.

Anna broke the silence saying, “I’ll get the gloves.”

“I’ll call the chief,” replied Sam.

Neither touched the envelope until they had gloves on. Anna had evidence bags at the ready. Sam was on hold for the chief.

“Dad,” she said when he answered. “I’m not sure where you are, but we have another envelope.”

“On my way back from the lab,” he answered. “I can be at your office in ten minutes.”

“We’ll wait. Anna has your gloves ready.”

“On my way.”

She hung up and turned to Anna, “Ten minutes.”

Anna nodded. Waiting was always the hardest. They stood looking at the envelope as if it could reveal what was inside.

When the chief arrived, Anna handed him a pair of gloves and Sam opened the envelope. Inside was another letter. This one implied someone would die soon.

“I’ve had about enough of this,” the chief stated. “No one knew any of this was connected.”

“It’s okay, Dad,” Sam assured him. “No one new about Bryleigh Hillman or her baby. No one understood the threat to Tom Mason. No one connected the hit-and-run of Matt Weaver to what happened to Tom. It’s not like someone drew a road map.”

“She’s right, Chief,” added Anna. “I would never have linked this together. These were cold cases. We don’t work them.”

Nodding the chief answered, “You are both right. Who is this clown? Why wait until now to stir this up?”

“Million-dollar questions right there,” quipped Sam.

Make a copy and we’ll put this in an evidence bag,” the chief told them. “I know we won’t find anything but smeared prints, but I’ll have it and the envelope checked out. Meantime, we wait on DNA testing. I’m trying to track down DNA on Tom Mason and Matt Weaver. Maybe then we’ll get some answers.”

“We need answers soon, if we are going to prevent another incident,” Sam said. “This is frustrating, Is it the Hillman brothers? Is it someone from the Mason family? Is it a totally unknown person?”

“All good questions and we will find answers,” the chief stated.

Sam sighed, “I hope so, Dad. I really hope so. I think whoever this is wants it all out so he or she can stop.”

“You may very well be right,” he agreed.

Anna handed him the letter in an evidence bag. The chief signed for it. He hugged Sam, thanked Anna, and left.

“I’m going to see what I can find out about the ex-Mrs. Hillman,” Sam told Anna. “She might be able to give us some insight.”

Nodding she said, “I’ll do a background on her. Maybe get a location or phone number.”

Sam headed to her office while Anna warmed up her computer for another search. It was going to be a long afternoon.