Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Summer
T he courthouse was closed when I got there, so that left online work and in-person interviews. Now that I had some significant information, I needed to come up with a plan.
I headed over to the office and found Dixie deep in paperwork from the box. Stacks of envelopes covered her desk.
“Find out anything?” I asked as I walked through the door.
She grimaced. “Only that their electricity bills were insanely cheap.”
I laughed. “I bet.” Then I gave her a coy smile. “I did a bit better.”
She cocked her head, narrowing her eyes. “Chip had something helpful?”
“He did indeed,” I said as I sat in my office chair and dropped my purse in the bottom desk drawer. “Lila’s sister’s name was Bethany, and it looks like she was two years younger than Lila. There were annual photos of the family in the church directory up through the year Lila would have graduated. Then the next year, the family photo only featured their parents, and Bethany was listed in the back as deceased. The year after that, Jim Bob and Celia were dead.”
She flopped back in her chair. “Wow. How could they have both died the same year?”
“I don’t know. I had hoped to get to the courthouse in time to see if Lila had passed the property through probate, but it was already closed. Next on the agenda is to see if I can dig up their death certificates.”
“I didn’t talk to Maybelline,” she said. “I figured we’d see what we can find without her.”
“Good idea.”
I logged on to my computer and searched for the death certificates online. Many states sealed the records for fifty years, but I was fortunate that Alabama released them after twenty-five years. I could have used my license to access them officially, but this was more immediate.
I located Bethany’s first.
“Found her,” I said, glancing over at Dixie.
“Bethany?” she asked excitedly.
“Yeah.”
“So give me the details!”
I turned back to the screen and scanned the certificate for the pertinent information. “She was sixteen, and her death was listed as a homicide.” My gaze jerked back to Dixie.
“She was murdered?”
I grimaced. “Looks like it. Blunt force trauma.”
Dixie gasped. “Someone beat her to death?”
I couldn’t help shuddering a little. “I guess so.”
She had been dead for around forty years, but I hated the thought of someone beating her.
Dixie’s eyes narrowed. “How is it a teenage girl was murdered in this town, and no one’s talkin’ about it?”
“Well, it was a few decades ago…”
“There aren’t a whole lot of murders here,” she said with a shake of her head, then added, “This past summer excluded.”
I shrugged.
“I’m sure we would have heard something ,” she insisted.
I started to grab my phone to call Luke but decided to wait until I found the death certificates for Lila’s parents. I printed off the information, then moved on to Celia, figuring Jim Bob might be a nickname and harder to find.
I located it a minute later. “Lila’s mother died in a car accident a little over a year after Bethany’s murder.”
Her brow furrowed. “A car accident. That sounds fishy.”
“Agreed.” I reached for my phone and pulled up Luke’s number. “I know a way to help clear some of this up.”
“Hey, darlin’,” he said when he answered. “How’d your meeting with Magnolia go?”
“As well as could be expected. Afterward, Belinda convinced Magnolia to go to Pensacola for the rest of the weekend.”
“That’s a great idea,” he said, sounding relieved.
“I told Belinda I’d let them know if I needed them to stop by on their way home on Sunday, although I suspect I can just fill them in over a video chat.”
“Agreed. So does that mean you’ll be workin’ on the case tonight?”
“Yeah, and it’s part of the reason for this call.”
“I’m listenin’.”
“Thanks to your father, I found out Magnolia’s aunt’s name, and also that she died the year Lila graduated.” Then I added, “Well, I found out her name and that she died from your father, but the exact date and cause of death came from her death certificate.”
“My father knew her?” he asked in surprise. “And when did you see him?”
I laughed. “I went to his place to see him this afternoon. You know, he could start a historical society with all the records he has stowed in his shed.”
“That would definitely give him a hobby to keep him out of trouble.”
“Definitely something to bring up to him and the city council,” I said.
“Seein’ how I’m not Mayor Sterling’s favorite person, I need to stay far away from that project.”
“Good idea,” I said, “but that’s not why I called. Although, in hindsight, I probably should have called Amber.”
“Let me be the judge of that. What’s up?”
“Magnolia’s aunt’s death certificate listed her cause of death as a homicide due to blunt force trauma.”
“You’re wantin’ to see the police report.”
“Yeah. That case and also a car accident her mother died in fifteen months later. I haven’t found the death certificate for Jim Bob yet, so I’m not sure if he died in the same accident or from another cause.”
“They’re pretty old, so it might take some digging.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to get them tonight?”
“Is there any way you’ll be able to get your mind off this case and spend time with me tonight if I don’t?”
“I could try ,” I said with a laugh.
“You’re like a dog with a bone when you’re on a case,” he said good-naturedly. “So that’s a no.”
“Should I be insulted you just compared me to a dog?”
“One of those cute fluffy dogs,” he said.
“Is that supposed to be any better?”
“Summer, I didn’t?—”
I laughed again. “I’m teasin’.”
“Is Dixie workin’ with you tonight?”
Bill was in town, but Dixie and I were a lot alike. Once we were invested in a case, we had trouble switching it off. Luke had warned me on more than one occasion that it was a surefire way to burn out, but we hadn’t had a case that sucked us in since August.
“Yeah,” I said, “I’m 99% certain Dixie’s workin’ late too.”
Catching my eye, Dixie nodded enthusiastically.
“How about I bring you girls dinner?” he said.
“Will you be bringin’ police reports with that food?” I asked.
“He’s bringin’ us food?” Dixie asked eagerly.
“I’ll try my best to bring those reports,” he said. “I’ll have Amber get started on it, and I’ll come back and pick them up at the station if need be.”
“Then you can bring us food,” I said, grinning at Dixie.
“Tell him to bring enough for Bill,” Dixie said. “He’s comin’ by to get ready for production next week.”
“Bring enough food for Bill too, and I’ll go home with you tonight. Get me those reports, and I’ll do that move you want me to try.”
“Gotta go,” Luke said, then hung up.
Dixie leveled a sly look on me. “What’s this about a special move?”
I winked at her. “Once we solve this case, not only will I tell you about it, but I’ll send you the link.”