Melt Point by Walter Reutiman

Author:Walter Reutiman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: North Star Press of St. Cloud
Published: 2015-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

16. Moving Forward

Cookie slept on the information she had gathered over the previous few days. When she arrived at the office on Thursday morning, she compiled her report and brought it into Mike Donnelly’s office.

“Where’s your smile, Cookie?” the chief asked.

“I must have left it at home.”

“The weatherman said we’re going to get a storm today and then cooler temperatures. Be glad for that.”

Cookie smiled. “If you insist.”

“How’s the Scott situation coming?”

“It’s a matter of perspective. There’s no body . . . that’s good.” Cookie gave a sick laugh.

“Not much success, then?” Mike asked.

“That’s an understatement. As I mentioned before, I talked to Minneapolis and they’re happier than pigs in slop to dump it in our lap. I was told that Scott lives here, so it’s our jurisdiction. They’ll help all they can, but . . .”

“I get it,” Mike answered. “So you’re getting nothing from them?”

“No.”

“But in fairness to them, why should they be involved, at least at this time?”

“I know. I’m just feeling sorry for myself,” Cookie said. “Chief, I haven’t found anything to show that the missing man ran on his own. On the contrary, everyone says it’s the last thing he would have done. It’s that pending judgeship.”

“So, it’s pretty well-established there wasn’t an auto accident, right?” Mike asked.

“Right, no car, no victim.”

“And you said that there is nothing pointing to him disappearing voluntarily?” he asked.

“That’s correct.”

“So, Cookie, that leaves just abduction or possibly murder.”

“That’s the conclusion I’ve come to, Chief, but with no body and no car, where do we go?”

“Good question. Any suspects?”

“There’s a guy who loaned him money.”

“The poker player,” Mike said.

“Yes, the poker player. But I can’t figure a motive there. If a guy owes you money, how do you hope to collect from him if he’s dead?”

“Murder does seem like a drastic solution to a loan gone bad,” Mike suggested. “But there could have been an argument that got out of hand. In the heat of the moment kind of thing.”

“That does make sense,” Cookie agreed, “but not the way Scott disappeared.”

“But Cookie, we don’t know how he disappeared,” Mike said.

“No, not precisely,” she responded, “but if his wife talked to him on the way home, and he didn’t make it there, then it had to be somewhere in between.”

“Why don’t you follow up with everyone and see what kind of alibis they have. It’s all we have,” Mike suggested. “Who else you got?”

“This Nugent fellow from Greenwood may have an axe to grind because of his kid’s arm.”

“Explain.”

Cookie gave Mike the Reader’s Digest version of the story.

“Thin,” Mike said.

“I know, but it’s the best thing we’ve got so far.”

Mike reflected on that. Then he asked, “What about the garage thing?”

“Possible racial motive. I’m going to interview those planning committee members, but are you going to kill a guy because he yelled at you? I know we have to check everything, but like you said before, pretty thin.”

“Does that Nugent fellow have an alibi?” Mike inquired.

“Perhaps not. His family was out of town, and he says he was home alone on that entire Friday night.

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