Chapter 10

Murder or Not?

By

Rebecka Vigus

Copyright ©2019

All Rights Reserved

Chapter 10

Sam was waiting for Anna when she came in the next morning. “We need to brainstorm,” she said as Anna came in. Sam handed her a cup of coffee. “Leave the machine to answer the phone.”

“What’s up?” Anna asked.

“I’ve got something niggling in my brain,” Sam answered. “I thought if we could hash around some things about the case, it might take hold.”

“Shoot.”

“Let’s start with the Hillman’s. We know about the brothers from their background checks. We know where they work. Yesterday we learned they ran off all of Bryleigh’s boyfriends.”

“I’m with you so far.”

“We don’t know anything about the mother except the boys take care of her. I think we need to talk to her,” Sam spit out.

“How are we going to get through the brothers to talk to her.”

“Here’s where brainstorming comes in,” Sam replied. “I was wondering if we could somehow get her to Misty’s and talk to her there. We might get her to agree to let us record it.”

Anna nodded, “Yeah, it could work. How soon do you want to do it?”

“Ideally, yesterday, but we need a good reason for Misty to invite her over and we have to get Misty to keep it secret.”

“Let me work on Misty,” Anna said. “You get a small recorder and work up the questions you want to ask.”

“Sounds like a plan. Do we need to discuss yesterday?”

Shaking her head, no, Anna said, “I think we are both on the same page. There is something hinky with the brothers and their relationship to Bryleigh.”

“Okay, I had dinner with Dad last night,” Sam said, a smile lingering on her face.

“How is the chief?”

“Fine, he made pot roast with all the fixings. We talked about the case,” she answered. “I don’t think he’s sure where it’s going either. Let’s see how soon we can get the Misty thing set up. I don’t want the brothers to hide their mom away.”

“Agreed, I’m on it.” Anna took the rest of her coffee and headed to the reception area. Their two-woman office was working just fine. She looked up the phone number she’d used to call Misty before and started dialing.

###

By noon Anna had Misty ready to help. She entered Sam’s office and laid out the plan.

“According to Misty, the brothers go out of town on Tuesday nights and don’t return again until Thursday night. They always seem to come back with extra cash,” Anna told Sam. “Misty has Mrs. Hillman over for lunch on Wednesday every week. So, if we were to pop in on Wednesday, we could talk to her then and it would be nothing out of the ordinary.”

“What if the brothers don’t go out of town?” Sam asked.

“Misty will call us Wednesday morning if they are still around,” Anna explained. “We’ll just have to put it off a week.”

“I’m in if you are.”

“Glad you agreed,” chuckled Anna. “I’d hate to have to go up there by myself.”

“I cannot imagine where they have her living.”

“We should have scoped out their addresses.”

“After lunch on Wednesday might be a good time for scoping out addresses,” Sam said. “Maybe we could offer to take Mrs. Hillman home after lunch.”

“I like your thinking.”

“With all this work done, I’m ready for lunch or are you eating in?” asked Sam.

“Lunch it is.”

After lunch Sam and Anna talked about how they wanted to approach the subject of Bryleigh with Mrs. Hillman. Maybe Misty could bring her into the conversation.

They wrapped up the day, hoping DNA would come through soon.

###

The next day as Sam and Anna drove to Misty’s, they rode quietly. Both wrapped un in their own thoughts.

How did Bryleigh end up dead? Was someone with her at the falls? What made her brothers so protective? Why were her brothers out for revenge? Was Robert Bakersfield or someone in his immediate family in danger?

Misty’s trailer still looked rundown and forlorn. They parked and got out of the car. Taking in the rust and deterioration of the trailer. Kids toys were strewn across the lawn.

Misty was at the door waiting for them. “Hi, ya’ll! I’m so glad you could come,” her voice sounding bubbly. She held the door open for them.

Sam was surprised to see an elderly woman sitting on the sofa a cup of coffee in her hand.

Quickly Misty made introductions. “Mama Hillman this is Samantha Worth and her associate Anna Wilkins. Ladies, this is Mama Hillman.”

“Please to meet you,” Sam said putting her hand out. “Please call me, Sam.”

Mrs. Hillman reached for Sam’s hand and ask, “Are you the ladies looking into the death of my Bryleigh?”

“Yes, Ma’am, we are?”

“Good, I really want to talk to you.”

“Let’s go get lunch we can all talk in the kitchen,” Misty suggested.

They went to the kitchen and everyone took seats. Misty had made a pasta salad and some finger sandwiches. She offered sweet tea and coffee. Anna and Sam took coffee as did Mrs. Hillman.

Sam started off, “Mrs. Hillman, why don’t you tell us about Bryleigh and then ask your questions.”

As they ate their meal, Mrs. Hillman began, “I was young when I married my husband about fifteen. We lost a baby girl and then the following year the twins came. I was overwhelmed. My husband was a drinker and stayed away most nights with his buddies. I had no one to help with the boys.

“By the time they were ten, my husband had taught them to be mean. He abused me and the boys especially when he was drinking. I tried to protect them. I lost a couple more babies over the years. Then one day a young feller came drifting through town. I saw him at the grocery store. The boys were acting out as usual. He was so kind. He helped me get my groceries to the car and promised the boys he’d be by in an hour to take them fishing.

“He was true to his word. Jasper was his name. He come ‘round every day while the boys was in school and he’d be waitin’ for ‘em when they got home. He did some odd jobs for me. I am not sure how it happened but one day we ended up making love. Bryleigh was the baby of that union.

“Jasper was long gone before I even started showing. I never told him I was pregnant. It was the one thing I kept for myself all those years. At first after she was born the boys just steered clear of her. As she grew up they became her protectors. As they got into high school, they heard rumors about some guy who was hanging around just before Bryleigh was born. There daddy was gone now more than he was home, but the boys started wondering if there was some truth to the rumor. One night they beat me to get the truth out of me. I had to tell them so, they wouldn’t hurt Bryleigh.”

She paused and took a big gulp of her coffee. Then she plunged in again.

“Bryleigh got so she was sneaking out to keep her brothers from coming into her bedroom at night. They told her, she was their whore to use since she was only half their sister. She tried to run away several times, but the always found her and brought her back. I’m not for sure the baby she was carrying didn’t belong to one of them. They keep me away from people except for Misty. If they find out I talked to you, they will beat me.”

  Anna jumped in, “Mrs. Hillman, you are leaving with us today. No one is going to beat you again.”

“I couldn’t they would find me,” she protested.

“No one will find you. I promise,” Sam assured her. “We know of safe places to put people who need help.”

“Misty, you were right to tell me to bring a bag,” Mrs. Hillman smiled at her.

“I just knew these ladies could help.”

“Let’s get these lunch dishes cleaned up and get you out of here,” Anna suggested.

“No, way!” Misty said. “You get Ma Hillman and go. I am capable of doing dishes.” She turned and hugged the woman she affectionately called Ma. “I don’t never want to hear from you again.”

Mrs. Hillman had tears running down her face, “Bless you for bein’ a friend to me and my girl.”

They walked to the entry where a small bag was waiting for them. Anna picked it up. Since there were no close neighbors they walked to the car and got in. Mrs. Hillman sat in the back seat.

“Mrs. Hillman, there is a blanket back there and a pillow,” Anna told her. “Please lie down and cover yourself completely. We want to be well away from prying eyes before you sit up.”

The woman complied, and they drove off. It was a quiet ride for about fifteen miles, when Sam said, “Mrs. Hillman you may sit up now.”

Seeing no response from the woman in the back seat, Anna turned in her seat and pulled the covers down. Mrs. Hillman was sound asleep.

“Drive carefully, she’s sleeping, and we don’t want her hurt in an accident,” she told Sam.

The unexpected turn of events had landed them with many more questions. Sam was trying to think of where they could stow her for the night until arrangements for a safe haven could be made.