The Quiet Type

  “Where’d you buy it?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Then how did you get it,” Arlen persisted.

  “Can’t say,” Verna stared at the ground, kicking at a clump of grass with her worn sneaker.

  “Verna, did Doctor Dobbins give you this car?” he prodded.

  “He told me not to tell. Said it would mess up his taxes or something. He just felt sorry for me, and I think he was a little sweet on me too,” the woman crumbled like a dry cookie. “I don’t wanna get him in trouble.”

  “I understand,” Arlen was noncommittal. “Did David typically sleep in the corner of his bed, where the walls meet?”

  “No, he usually slept sitting up, under the window. It kept him cooler that way, why?”

  “No reason. Listen, I know you’ve got things to do, so I won’t keep you, but can I get your sister’s address and phone number before you go?”

  CHAPTER 37

  * * *

  The Long Way Home

  Timothy Eckels had been cleared of all possible charges, and under the circumstances, Sheriff Arlen Bemis had told him that he wouldn’t even be reported to the Association of Licensed Morticians, so he’d be able to keep his license. His wife had been temporarily jailed in the next county while she awaited her first hearings, because the Pellman jail was full, and Bradley Dobbins would be going to jail once he recovered from his injuries.

  The veterinary clinic had been shut down, and Tanner had been promoted to Susannah’s position at Le Chateau. Tim had prepared the remains of David Thurston for burial, and had locked the doors of the mortuary forever, giving the keys to a local realtor with instructions to sell it and wire the money to an account at a national bank, that he could access from anywhere. Police had emptied the contents of Susannah’s basement workshop, finding parts and pieces of human remains which tied her to more murders than most law enforcement professionals see in a lifetime, and the FBI was called in to help track down the multitudes of victims.

  Tim packed exactly one suitcase and placed it in the back of his car with regret. He could have made a good life here. He’d had an impeccable reputation, and his work had been satisfying, but now, knowing what his wife had done, he’d been subject to horrified and judgmental stares from strangers and acquaintances everywhere he went. It was only a matter of time before his business dried up and folks ran him out of town anyway, so he’d leave before they had the chance. He never wanted to see Susannah again. He’d been horrified when details about her sick life had been revealed, and people in the grocery store wondered aloud how he could have been married to her for so long and never realized that she was a monster. He wondered the same thing.

  Timothy Eckels would never be the same. He thought that he’d never love another human being after his grandmother died, and now he realized that he would’ve been better off if he’d never tried. That hidden, tender part of his heart was now closed off forever. He’d never trust another human being again.

  The mortician had seen enough of death for a while, and vowed to walk away from his beloved career, not having a clue as to what he’d do next, or where he’d end up. He’d live on his savings, and maybe open a pie shop somewhere. Gram used to make great pies. Her Key Lime pies were the best ever. Where he’d go, he had no idea. His plan was to get in his little car and head south. He had to feel the warmth of the sun on his face, maybe breathe in some salty air. He’d drive until he felt like stopping, and then drive some more after resting awhile, continuing the process until some new place felt right. Surely there would be a place where no one would look at him funny, or better yet, where no one would notice him at all. Maybe he’d adopt a cat along the way. Cats were nicer than people.

  **

  Sheriff Arlen Bemis cursed a blue streak when he entered the Cassel County jail and saw that the lone jailer had been murdered. The female officer was lying face down in a pool of blood, with a leaf-shaped patch of skin missing from her cheek. The sheriff had been assured that every precaution would be taken, but apparently the yokels running the tiny county jail had underestimated the ferocity of the bland-faced blonde woman, and now she was free. Bemis had a whole helluva lot of paperwork to do now, and was oddly relieved that when he went back to Pellman to warn Timothy Eckels that his psychotic wife had escaped, the mild-mannered mortician was already gone. Whether she’d catch up with her husband or not, wasn’t Arlen’s concern. There was a dangerous serial killer on the loose, and it was his fault. Retirement started looking awfully good all of the sudden.

  **

  Though he felt weird wearing shorts, when just days before he’d had a winter coat on, Timothy Eckels stripped off his shoes and socks, sinking his lily white feet into the sugary sands of a Key West beach, enjoying the warmth and texture on his toes. Making his way carefully down the beach, he sat down beneath a palm tree and contemplated the waves.

  “Mew!” a plaintive sound from beside him caught his attention.

  A tiny striped tabby sidled up and bonked her furry head against his thigh.

  “Oh. Hello,” the former mortician reached his hand out awkwardly, not wanting to scare the snuggly creature away. He scratched her between the ears and she nuzzled against his hand, purring.

  Relationships with human beings were out of the question, but this non-judgmental little being seemed like she might be the perfect companion. The cat had no idea that he was weird, or introverted, or that one of his greatest joys was preparing the dead, nor did she care. He was warm and willing to pet her. It was all he had to give, and it was everything that she needed.

  Copyright 2017 S. Prescott Thrillers

  ** I sincerely hope that you enjoyed reading The Quiet Type as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks so much for spending time with another S. Prescott Thriller. I would love it if you’d be so kind as to leave a review to let me know how much you liked (or disliked) the book. Reader feedback is very important to me, and my hope is that you enjoyed it so much that you’d want to comment on it, on Amazon, Goodreads, and any other platforms that you use for reviews.

  Table of Contents

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  THE QUIET TYPE

  1. Susannah

  2. Tim

  3. Do No Harm and a Bucket of Arms

  4. Shakes and Spikes

  5. Death and Dating

  6. Twisted Limbs and Hearts

  7. New Beginnings

  8. Settling In

  9. Colorful Leaves

  10. Mortal Mortician

  11. A Hairy Truth

  12. Goodbyes and Garlic

  13. To the Victor Go the Spoils

  14. Lhasas and the Law

  15. A Dish Best Served Cold

  16. Catlike Stealth

  17. Be Careful What You Ask For…

  18. Kindred Spirits

  19. Unholy Alliances

  20. Too Close for Comfort

  21. A Rock and a Soft Place

  22. Ginger and Spice

  23. If You Can’t Take the Heat

  24. Raining Cats and Dogs

  25. The Shadow Knows

  26. An Inside Job

  27. Raising the Stakes

  28. The Spider and the Fly

  29. Triangle of Treachery

  30. Loose Ends

  31. The Cat and the Canary

  32. The Spider and the Fly

  33. A Deal With the Devil

  34. Knock-knock

  35. The Spider and the Fly

  36. The Hard Cold Truth

  37. The Long Way Home

 

 

 
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