Fogbound: A Lin Hanna Mystery (29 page)

Although she felt
a bit reluctant, Sue agreed that it might be a good thing to do and a good time
to try it.
  
“I hope you learn
something when you go to the sheriff’s office,” Lin said as she prepared to
leave for work. “Any information we can gather is a plus at this point.
 
I should be home by three.”

Sue lingered a
bit, enjoying a second cup of coffee.
 
Then she decided to call Ellie Clark before heading out to talk to the
authorities.
 
Hillary Clark answered
the phone.

Sue was glad to
have the opportunity to speak with Ellen’s Mom, “Hillary, this is Sue
Gray.
 
I’m calling to see how Ellie
is doing.”

“Good to hear from
you, Sue,” Hillary responded. “Ellie is doing remarkably well.
 
She still has only limited movement in
her shoulder but manages without the sling most of the time.
 
The doctors say it’s healing very
well.
 
They’re even talking about
being able to postpone surgery until her winter break, maybe even later.
 
That means she can probably avoid
missing any school time.
 
Would you
like to speak with her, she just came downstairs?”

“I would,” Sue
said, “but first let me ask if you folks have heard anything from the local
authorities about Stefan Kovich.
 
We
were told he had a deportation hearing this week but haven’t heard anything
about the outcome.”

“Neither have we,”
Hillary said. “We were just talking about that yesterday.
 
We really want to know what
happens.
 
Ellie is still wanting
very much to return to the university there rather than transfer to UNCC, but
we are reluctant to agree to that unless Kovich is out of the picture.”

“I understand,”
Sue agreed. “You want to be sure she’ll be safe.”

“Here she is,”
Hillary said. “I’ll pass the phone to her.
 
Thanks for calling Sue.”

Sue enjoyed
talking with Ellie who seemed energetic and enthusiastic about the possibility
of returning to Boone for the fall term.
 
“Actually, I’d like to attend the second summer session, if
possible.
 
I’m still thinking of
switching my major to art history and I’d like to take the next course.
 
That would catch me up with my
class.
 
But, I’m still not sure
about that yet.
 
Got to see the doctor
the first of next week.
 
Then
there’s the whole issue of Stefan—my parents, you know.”

“We’re concerned
about his case also,” Sue responded. “I’m going to the sheriff’s department
today to try to learn something.
 
If
I get any news, I’ll call you tonight.”

“Thanks, Sue,”
Ellie seemed eager to hear.

“May I ask if
you’ve remembered anything more about the day you were hurt?” Sue probed.

“Just a few
flashes,” Ellie said, “I remember running away, and I think I remember being
caught and shoved from the overlook.
 
I’m still convinced that whoever did this was younger and stronger than
that old man—but I still can’t remember a face or anything else that
would identify him.
 
It was a man
though, definitely.”

“You know, Ellie,
like I said before, it’s possible that you never saw the person’s face at
all—maybe that’s why you cannot recall that,” Sue offered, “but your
memory of the voice and the strength of the person should count for
something.
 
I’ll mention it to
someone at the sheriff’s office.
 
Maybe they’ll want to talk to you again when you’re here.”
 
Sue realized that Ellie might not be
back for school yet, but knew she could come up for an interview if necessary.

They chatted for a
few more moments; then Sue ended the call and went upstairs to dress.
 
She wanted to get into town as early as
possible, knowing she might have to wait to talk to someone.

An hour later Sue
was cooling her heels in the reception area at the sheriff’s office.
 
She’d learned that Dave Winkler was in
that morning and the receptionist indicated that he could talk with her.
 
Evidently, he was making her wait.
 
Sue was determined that she wouldn’t
leave until she talked to the man, even if it took all day.
 
She wasn’t going to let him get the best
of her.
 
She and Lin deserved
answers regarding the intrusions at their home, and she wanted to know if
Kovich was being deported.

Finally, the young
woman at the desk indicated that Sue could go back to Winkler’s office.
 
She found him sitting at his desk,
engrossed in an open folder.
 
He
shuffled a couple of papers, presumably reading them before he finally looked
up at her.

“Nice to see you,
Ms. Gray, please sit down.
 
Can I
offer you a cup of coffee?” the words were hospitable, but the voice was
strained.

“No thank you,”
Sue replied as she sat down. “I know how busy you are, and I promise not to
take more time than necessary, but Ms. Hanna and I are seeking some answers
about the progress that’s been made in investigating the vandalism at our
home.
 
We’re concerned that the
person or persons who did those things hasn’t been identified.
 
We also have an interest in the outcome
of Stefan Kovich’s hearing—you mentioned that would happen this week?”

Winkler jumped to
the easier issue first, “The Kovich hearing did occur yesterday. As you know, he
has been terminated from his job at the university, and his permit to remain in
this country is no longer valid. It is our understanding that he is to be
deported to his home country, and he will not be allowed to return to the
United States for some extended period of time.
 
I would say that he is no longer a
threat to you folks or to Ms. Clark.”

“What about the
possible murder and assault charges in Pete and Ellie’s case?” Sue asked. “I
know that, originally, the DA felt that the evidence was too circumstantial,
but I’d hoped perhaps you might have uncovered something more.”

Sue continued,
explaining that, while Ellie couldn’t make a visual identification, she had
recalled enough details of the incident to be even more sure that her assailant
was a male with a deep voice and sufficient strength to force her over the edge
at the overlook.

 
“Also, you do have the evidence of her
apartment mates that Kovich directly threatened Peter Dunne and confronted him
at the apartment.
 
If you had found
anything else that might link him to the location of the crime, for example; it
might lead the DA to pursue the case.”

Winkler seemed to
be straining to control his response to Sue’s insistent pressing of the issue.
“I wish that I had such evidence, Ms. Gray, but the fact is that I do not.
 
Personally, I think that Stefan Kovich
did commit this crime, but, at least, he is out of our community, and he will
be leaving the country soon, I hope.”

Sue decided to
drop that particular subject. “What about the incidents at our home?
 
Where does that investigation stand?
  
We could’ve been seriously harmed
on each of those occasions and we certainly intend to press charges.”

Winkler continued
to shuffle the papers before him.
 
Sue noticed that they included the reports she and Lin had filed in both
instances.

Winkler sought to
divert her attention. “ Have you experienced any further problems, Ms. Gray?”

“No, we haven’t
but…”
 
Sue was cut off by the
deputy’s next remark.

“Then, I would say
that there’s no point in this department pursuing these cases further.
 
I believe that any danger has passed at
this point.
 
You will recall that,
at the time, you were nosing around, gathering information for this book you
say you’re writing.
 
Most likely you
ruffled some feathers of folks who maybe thought it was none of your
business—that you should leave such matters to law enforcement.
 
You might even be glad no one has come
forward to charge you with assault when you shot at your visitor.
 
They might claim they simply were coming
to see you—your word against theirs,” Winkler’s expression was smug, “You
can be grateful this is behind you now, it seems to me.”

Sue was livid,
barely able to contain her anger, “Deputy Winkler, I think you would have to
agree that visitor’s do not shoot at your front door, nor do they try to
sabotage your back steps.
 
The
damage done was clear and is documented in those reports of yours.
 
This is not some ‘he said’—‘she
said’ situation.
 
It may well be, that
my looking into some unsolved murder cases has led someone to do these things,
but I would think this might provide your department with some new avenues to
pursue in trying to solve these cases.”

Dave Winkler’s
face reddened.
 
He closed the
folders in front of him and straightened them on his desk.
 
His anger lurked just beneath the
surface, threatening his self-control.
 
“Ms. Gray, I really have to bring this meeting to a close.
 
I have other business waiting for my
attention.
 
I’m sorry that you and Ms.
Hanna seem dissatisfied with our department’s response to the incidents at your
home.
 
I can assure you that the
file remains open on these incidents, and we will continue our efforts.
 
We are short staffed, and, frankly,
there are more pressing matters to attend to. Nevertheless, the inquiry will
remain open, and, should we come across any pertinent information, we will
certainly keep you informed.”

“And I will
continue to pursue my inquiries into these unsolved murders, as I have been all
along,” Sue was grim-faced as she rose to go. “In fact, my next step may well
be to talk to someone in local media.
 
Perhaps they will be interested in taking another look at these cases.”

By the time she
got to her car, Sue had to sit for a few minutes to calm down.
 
She was so angry.
 
She couldn’t believe that man!
 
He still seemed to want to blame her and
Lin for what had happened.
 
She was
more convinced than ever that Dave Winkler knew more than he was sharing
regarding who might’ve vandalized their home.
 

Sue was in no mood
to go back home, but she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do next.
 
The weather continued to be damp and
foggy—not a good day to take a walk outside or drive out on the parkway
to unwind.
 
She decided to go to the
local mall where she could walk about inside and have some lunch.
 
It was a small establishment with only
two wings and, perhaps two-dozen shops.
 
Nevertheless it did provide some distraction and helped to ease her
mood.
 
She browsed a small bookshop,
deciding to purchase a couple of used paperback editions of popular books she’d
not yet read.
 
A sports shop was
having a sidewalk sale so she purchased logo T-shirts from the local university
for Lin and her.
 
Finally, she went
to Bath and Body Works and bought some shower gel and body spray that were on
sale.
 
By that time she was getting
hungry so she took her purchases to her car and decided to have lunch at Panera
Bread.
 
The temperature was mild but
the foggy, wet nature of the weather led her to decide on a bowl of soup and
half a sandwich.
 
She took her food
to a secluded booth toward the back of the restaurant where she could think and
plan what she wanted to do next.
 
She decided to pay a visit to the local newspaper.
 
She had earlier researched the news
files online seeking information about the earlier murder cases, but she hadn’t
yet talked to anyone directly.
 
Perhaps there was someone on the staff who might remember all or some of
these murders and who might be able to give her some insight.
 
She decided to call first.
 
She saw a discarded copy of the most
recent edition of the Mountain Country Gazette in a rack nearby and took it to
her table.
 
Locating the phone
number and the name of the editor she placed the call.

When she connected
and asked to speak to the editor, she was put through quickly.

“Hello, this is
Ben Burton, how may I help you,” the voice was smooth and professional.

Sue explained who
she was, noting her background as a reporter and then turned to the purpose of
her call.
 
She told him that she was
doing research for a book and was looking into unsolved cases that had occurred
along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
 
“I’d
welcome the opportunity to talk to someone who might remember these cases,
someone who might have reported on them at the time. I’ve already read most of the
stories in your archives.”

Ben Burton seemed
immediately interested in what she had to say. “It’s funny you should ask me
that today, Ms. Gray,” he responded. “Just yesterday, our most senior reporter
was talking about some of these same cases.
 
He was considering doing a feature
article about some of them—you know, maybe bringing these stories to the
public’s attention once again, maybe producing some new information.
 
I have only been here for about a year
so I have no first hand information to share, but I’m sure, Ted Whitley would
be interested in talking with you.
 
He’s been working at the paper for about seven years and is actually in
charge of our online edition.
 
In
fact, he probably wrote most of those stories you’ve read.
 
I think he’s out working on a story for
our next edition right now, but let me give you his cell phone number.
 
When you reach him, just tell him you’ve
already talked to me.
 
I’ll be
interested in what the two of you can come up with,” he added.