[Break, Lies, Daintily, Disagreeable, Dark]

  I walked home from the police station, after getting the name of the very young officer, acting as the receptionist for the department. I wasn’t making an idle threat to August, and he knew it. So of course I needed that Officer’s name for my first article. I sat at my laptop, opened the word processor and began typing.

  The Local Police in Lake Placid

  This is about how the local government left us in the hands of an inept police department. How an unsolved murder in two thousand and seven was causing more killings just this week. This shows systematic failure for almost two decades.

  If the police can’t or won’t keep us safe. If the only thing we see them doing is playing traffic warden, then let’s just get rid of them. If they aren’t doing their job, aside from parking tickets on Main St, and hassling the teenagers drinking beer and smoking pot in the town park. Get rid of them. Am I missing some big picture, have the police silently and invisibly been doing anything that actually benefits the citizens.

  Sanitation Workers are part of the town’s budget and I see their value each and every week, Likewise the Park’s Department, walk by the town park and it’s pristine. It didn’t get that way by itself, thank you park’s department workers you are doing a great job. Fire Department, Health Department, Building Codes Department thank you for keeping us safe along with the Highway Department who keep us both safe and mobile.

  Is the police department keeping us safe or are we safe because the overwhelming majority of us are law abiding citizens and good neighbors watching out for each other. It seems to me, a huge hunk of my tax money must be going for all those shiny new vehicles the police department has, what about all that equipment they each wear and carry, to say nothing about salaries and pensions. Want a pension, just work twenty years and you got yours if you are a cop. How come the sanitation workers don’t get a twenty year pension. They are working their butts off, dirty smelly work too.

  Every week I read about how the fire department saved someone and they are volunteers. Maybe we need a volunteer police force. The DEC rangers I read about weekly, finding lost hikers, rescuing injured campers. If the police helped you when your car broke down, couldn’t a Triple A membership accomplish the same thing, for what fifty dollars a year.

  I was attacked in my own store, a guest in my home murdered. My privacy was violated by the murderer. A good neighbor saw this man watching my store, waiting for the perfect time to attack. She reported this to the police. Guess what happened, nothing, they didn’t even make a report. Personally I’d like to find out just what percentage of the town budget goes to the cop’s and just deduct that from my taxes. I’ll bet you I’d save enough to get a security system for my home and store, with enough left over to buy one of those tasers to keep me personally safe. I mean if they aren’t doing their job now, let’s just get rid of them, and use the savings to make ourselves and our neighbors secure.

  Have the police done anything for you in the past ten years that’s worth more to you then what the Sanitation Department did for you last week? If they have, please write to me. I’d really like to know, because right now, I'm just thinking of years and years of taxes that I’ve been paying and for what? Another thing I’d like to know is what the mayor thinks of all this? I mean he’s been mayor for a while now, I think he’s coming up for re-election this year, why does he allow the police department budget to grow, year after year? I think how he answers that question will determine how I vote in the mayoral race.

  By Laura Eriksson

  I printed out two copies of the diatribe and put one in an envelope for the mayor and another for the chief of police. I hand-wrote on each envelope that I’d love for a response before emailing the essay to the gazette. I emailed copies to Amy and to Anais. Then I went down into the store. It felt like a long time since I’d worked in my own store. It had just been a few days but it just felt like time had stretched out, as I got older usually my days just seemed to fly by. But these last few days felt like weeks had passed.

  Lucy wasn’t behind the counter, she must be tidying up. She never really seems to stop moving, I don’t remember having that much energy when I was her age. Maybe it’s a side effect of my now fuzzy eidetic memory. I’d been looking forward to re-reading Lord of the Rings. But if my true eidetic memory would help solve this case, I guess I’d just like it back. It’s a good thing wishes can’t just come true, before I was injured I was wishing to forget my favorite books so I could read them again. But people are never satisfied, I got my wish, now before I have even had a chance to use it, I want to reverse it.

  “Hey Lucy.”

  “Coming.”

  “Lucy, could you do a favor for me, please?”

  “Sure Laura, what would you like me to do?”

  “Would you please take these two letters over to city hall, ask to see the mayor, tell him that Laura Eriksson is writing an article for the gazette and would like his response. Tell him I don’t want any accusations that I’m being one-sided. They probably won’t let you see him, but just say that exactly to the mayor’s assistant and he’ll get the gist of it. Then do the same thing with the chief of police. Just say the same thing. Again, they might not let you see him, but if you mention my name, they just might.”

  “Does this have anything to do with the cop that has been parked out front since you came back.”

  “No, that cop is here for our protection. You see, the chief of police is worried what the public will think when a little old lady pleads for his protection and is still hurt or worse. That letter is my first shot across their bow, metaphorically speaking. I figured if you are going to threaten the chief of police you might as well threaten the mayor at the same time. I think my next essay, number two of four, will go to the chief, the mayor and the county executive and so on and so on. Number four goes right to the governor.”

  After Lucy left, Amy texted me a thumbs up. Then Anais showed up.

  “Are you out of your mind, I hope you didn’t email that to anyone else.”

  “I emailed it to Amy, she sent me a thumbs up, if you didn’t like it a thumbs down would have been fine.”

  “Well what caused this scorched earth approach?”

  “The murderer scared Lucy. He has already murdered someone in my home, attacked me and caused an inept police force to victimize a young woman under my protection.”

  “How did he scare Lucy? Did she see him?”

  “No, a threatening note was waiting for her when she opened the store. I’ve had enough. If by chance this guy gets to me, I want the world to know just how bad the police in this town are. I haven’t sent it to the gazette yet, Lucy is delivering hard copies to the mayor and the chief right now.”

  “Is that why the cops are sitting out there right now?”

  “Well, I’ve already been to see August and I gave him one week before this first essay gets sent along with all the clues we’ve uncovered.”

  “Did you think to run any of this by Eve?”

  “No, as I said, I was angry. Besides I didn’t put anything in there about the case besides the fact that I was attacked and that the police are incompetent. Aside from that, this should go great in Eve’s true crime novel. Plus these views that a private citizen, with a right to free speech, can say if they wish too. What have the police done for you in the past ten years, Anais?”

  “Just their being there, deters crime.”

  “So they claim, but is there any data to support that? And yet, two unsolved murders and a lead detective that is a total waste of space. Next week's article number two is going to be about the district attorney’s culpability, in following a lead detective that I wouldn’t trust leading a blind man across the street, for fear of getting the man run down.”

  “Okay, Okay, calm down, I get it you are mad and you have every right to be. I just hope that this doesn’t do more harm than good.”

  “Well, just the threat got Jones sent to Claire’s to take a formal statement, so that’s something. The idiot accused Claire of lying in front of August, claiming I was blackmailing her into making a false statement. And a cop car in front of the store twenty four seven until the case is resolved.”

  “Well that cop might not be running to save your life when he learns that you want the department shuttered.”

  “Anais, do you think that the mayor or August will be showing those letters to anyone, let alone their subordinates?"

  “No, I suppose you are right about that.”

  “If I’m right about that, I might be right about the whole thing.”

  “Volunteer police?”

  “Yeah, well maybe not volunteer police. I was just trying to point out what the police should be doing, they should at least be as effective as a volunteer organization, don’t you think?”

  Just then, August, hurried in.

  “Are you insane?”

  “Why hello August, how can I help you?”

  “I’m not here for a book Laura, I want you to delete this, this, pack of lies right this minute.”

  “August, if you’ll carefully read that over, I’d like you to point out one fib in there.”

  “Laura, I thought we were friends?”

  “Why we are August, and we still will be even after almost two decades of systemic failure of the combined law enforcement in the county.”

  “Who else got copies of this?”

  “Oh, hello mayor.”

  Lucy walked in right behind the mayor, she had a big smile on her face. I guess the girl favors chaos over threats. This was exactly the kind of hornet's nest you need to stir up to get anything done.

  “Laura, you can’t possibly publish this, it will undermine all faith in our police department. Crime will increase, people will get hurt. Vigilantism is not the answer to a poorly handled case.”

  “Mayor, I never called for any such thing, I just pointed out that we are fine with a volunteer fire department. Perhaps exploring a well regulated volunteer police force could be a talking point for my campaign for mayor if I decide to run. We could debate it, of course I’d need to see the figures for the town budget but what percentage of our taxes goes to the police? Just how much would our taxpayers be saving if they were gone?”

  “Laura it’s not that simple and you know it. The response time of the sheriffs department or the state police would be double or triple what the police department time is. People will die.”

  “How many people have they saved in the last ten years? It’s a question. I’m sure every person that the police department has had a positive interaction with will pour out their support. What have you got to worry about if I ask a question, mayor?”

  “It’s a dangerous idea, besides I can point out that you are biased. An arrest has been made in the case. You are just disgruntled that she is a member of your collective.”

  “She is also the victim of the murder that the police failed to solve almost two decades ago, you honor, you really want to drag her into the conversation? I can’t wait until the mystery book club discusses the case this week, you should come with your wife, mayor. I have a whiteboard with all the evidence that your ace detective has ignored, where did you two ever manage to find him, anyway?”

  “He’s the county executive’s son.” The mayor answered.

  “Perfect, next week’s article will be about nepotism in the police department. Why didn’t the exec get him a job with the sheriff?”

  They both stood there silently.

  “Don’t tell me, the sheriff fired him, so the exec got you two to hire him. If he wasn’t a menace, this would be laughable. So what are you planning to do about this? I’m telling you, he arrested an innocent girl on your watch. Just think what the lawsuit is going to cost the town.”

  Just then Claire walked in.

  “Perfect timing Claire.”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  “Laura, I just wanted to tell you that, the policeman I spoke to came back and took my statement, and had me sign it.”

  “That’s great Claire, could you just look at a picture and tell me if either of these people was the man you saw watching the store?”

  “Sure Laura. Yes, that man on the right.”

  “Are you sure Claire?”

  “Quite sure, Laura, I saw him very clearly.”

  “Maybe you could point out to the chief, where he and you were standing when you saw him.”

  August and Claire walked over to the window and she pointed out where he had been standing and where she was when she saw him.

  “Mayor, you may want to stick around, I think we are about to solve a double murder. With a little luck in twenty minutes we might even get a confession. Lucy, would you please go up and ask Monique to come down for a minute.”

  “Sure Laura.”

  “Laura if you solve this, then there is no need to send this letter to the gazette, right?”

  “I don’t know mayor, I think my fellow towns people have a right to know just what kind of standards the department has now. If you fire Jones and he winds ups in Saranac or Tupper, that’s just passing the buck and putting another town's folk in danger isn’t it.”

  Monique came down the stairs into the store hesitantly, I didn’t blame her for being skittish, with the chief of police and some suit standing at the counter.

  “I’m sorry to bother you Monique, but could you look at this photo and tell me if it is the woman you saw murder the man in the woods in two thousand and seven.”

  I showed her the picture. But held my thumb over the caption so she could see the name.

  “Yes, that’s her Laura. But how did you ever get her photo?”

  “It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later tonight. Mr Mayor, you saw Monique identify the suspect didn’t you?”

  “Yes, Laura, I did, chief, get over here.”

  Monique again identified the suspect for the chief.

  “Alright I'm going to pick them up.”

  “No need, they'll be here in about fifteen minutes. I called them and asked them to stop by.”

  Monique went back upstairs, Claire went home after I thanked her prolifically.

  “So leave this to the police Laura, you don’t need to be at the arrest.”

  “Yes I do, Anais, because I want a confession, I want Monique officially cleared and an apology for her from the chief of police. Plus the final clue hasn’t been established yet, I’m almost certain, but it hasn’t been confirmed yet.”

  “I don’t know, you have two eye witnesses. I think that will be enough.” Anais said.

  “A confession would be better.”

  As I finished saying that the delivery bell rang.

  “Come on chief.”

  August and I went into the garage that served as the loading dock and overflow stockroom. I showed August where to stand. He had a partial view, but could hear clearly.

  “You have a package for me, Laura?”

  “No, I’m sorry Harry, I lied. But then again you lied to me first. Why did you lie about meeting Lachlan?”

  “I didn't, I never met him.”

  “Harry, there’s a picture of you two, it’s only a few weeks old. You must have been playing against him for hours and even if there wasn’t a picture. Just think of all the witnesses who saw you both together.”

  “I must have just forgotten, Laura. I’m sorry.”

  “Did you mean to kill me Harry or just to frighten me.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about”

  “When you pushed me off of the ladder, did you mean to kill me?”

  “I would never do that, Laura. I think I better go.”

  “I think you should stay and talk, Harry. Leaving that book was a real mistake. Now the cops have your DNA. It’s going to be very easy for them to piece the whole thing together. You were seen watching the store the night before the murder. You’ve already been identified to the police. Why kill Lachlan, it wasn’t over a silly videogame. It’s because he was talking about the old murder, wasn’t it.”

  “Stop it, this isn’t funny.”

  “What about the drug dealer you killed in the woods, the little girl you were going to kill. Were you ripping off the drug dealer or was he trying to rip you off? Look if you don’t want to talk to me fine, but I’m going to the cops the minute you leave, I have to Harry, they arrested a traumatized young woman and charged her with your crime. Do you think that’s fair Harry?”

  “You can't go to the cops.”

  “I have to Harry. I just wanted to hear your side of the whole story. So unless you plan on killing me in the stock room, with a cop parked outside who saw you drive in then drive out while I’m dead in the loading dock. Even these stupid town cops are going to be able to figure out who killed me. So just tell me, were you trying to kill me, or just cover your tracks when you murdered Lachlan.”

  “Of course I wasn’t trying to kill you, I just knocked into the ladder by mistake while trying to get away.”

  “You didn’t kill Lachlan because of a video game but because he started telling people about the murder of the drug dealer. Were you afraid that if his book came out they might reopen the case and find DNA or something.”

  He shook his head, yes. I hope August saw that nod.

  “Did you know that Lachlan stole that story from someone else?”

  “No.”

  “Yes, the witness, who saw you hit the drug dealer with an ax.”

  “He was trying to pull a gun on me. He was going to shoot me, it was self defense.”

  “They didn’t find a gun, when they found the body.”

  “No, I took the gun with me.”

  “You took all his drugs too, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, it’d be a waste to just leave them in the woods for the cops to find. But I swear it was self defense.”

  “Maybe, but Lachlan wasn't self defense. Why attack him in the store not out on the street. Wouldn’t that have been safer.”

  “He was never alone, he was always with some blonde. That’s how I knew that he knew about the killing in the woods, he was telling some blonde in the Brew House. I couldn’t believe it. After eighteen years, I thought he was the little kid I saw that day.”

  “No it wasn’t him. Did you realize you lost your sheath when you attacked Lachlan?”

  “Yes but I looked for it and I couldn’t find it.”

  “I found it and turned it over to the police, you’re a big Lord of the Rings fan aren’t you?”

  “Yes, it’s my favorite book.”

  “Mine too, you got the sheath at The Leather Crafter in Kesse Mills right?”

  “Yes, when I was still in college.”

  August walked out from behind the boxes.

  “Come on, Harry.”

  August walked Harry upstairs and put him into the cop car that was no longer needed to protect us. The mayor was still waiting half to see if August really arrested the killer and half to get me to promise that now that the killer was arrested. That letter could be safely destroyed.

  “Destroyed, oh, no. It’s sitting on my hard drive and will be emailed to the gazette with dispatch if I hear that idiot Jones has yet another job in law enforcement.”

  “Laura, it’s been his dream since he was a little kid.”

  “Well he should have dreamed of being in the Department of Environmental Conservation, those guys do some real good. Plus some get to carry guns if that’s why he wanted to be a cop. Besides he’ll be spending a lot of time in court when Monique sues him and the department and town for false arrest. Unless you offer her some kind of cash settlement to not sue. But I wouldn’t try to low ball her, I hear she can get some pretty good advice about lawsuits from a friend of mine.” I looked at Anais.

  “Laura, tell her not to do anything rash, I’ll be back tomorrow with an offer and it won’t be a lowball, I promise.”

  “Good and I won’t mail the whole story to the gazette until I hear that Jones is in law enforcement somewhere.”

  With that the mayor left and it was just Lucy, Anais and I.

  “Do you want to go to the pub tonight to celebrate?”

  “I would love to but I promised to have a special dinner for Monique tonight here, why don’t you join us. One last party, because when the collective’s contract is done in a month, I’m afraid that we will be closing shop. Maybe then the store can eck out a few more months before the inevitable tax bill comes. Maybe six months if I can get some freelance editing work. You too Lucy. Let’s celebrate a win for Monique at least.”

  “I thought you had a financial wiz working on it?”

  “I do but she hasn’t mentioned it, probably because she knows I was focused on solving the case and clearing mine and Monique’s name. If she had solved it, she would have mentioned it to me today while we were waiting for a check from the bank clerks. She is a wiz, but even wizards can’t get blood from a stone. Come on, don’t look so down, we helped keep an innocent young woman out of prison, caught a double murderer. Lucy call your dad and ask him if you can stay for dinner. I can drive you home afterwards.”

  Just then Amy walked in.

  “I was just going to call you to ask if you’d like to have supper here with us?”

  “Sure, I came over to see what kind of chaos your essay stirred up. I can’t believe it’s so quiet. I thought for sure August would be here trying to wring your neck.”

  “Nope no neck wringing was required.”

  So we filled her in on the details.

  “Why do you look sad, Amy?”

  “Because I liked being part of a murder investigation. Granted I didn’t do much but drink at the Brew House but it was fun.”

  “It was a critical clue, if you and Anais weren't playing videogames I never would have seen that picture of Harry and Lachlan. I never would have suspected Harry, I always liked him.”

  “I’ve been telling you he was no good since high school.”

  “Yes we know, Anais.”