Earnest, Frank, Willard, Big Rapids, somewhere that is for sure.
The posse headed by Derek got back about five o'clock and of course as I knew he would be, he was delighted to see Brenda in our midst. They hugged big time.
"Tom here too?" he asked.
"Nope. He is back tending to business. But he sends his hugs and said he wishes he could be here."
I wondered at that knowing Tom as I do, if he would be able to stay away...but figured we would find out one way or another in good time.
"So what you find out, Derek," Rico asked as they walked in the kitchen.
"Not much thug boy," and they both laughed...sort of.
"The sheriff's don't have much to go on. Bodies but that is about it.
He said that just as the phone rang, and Rico got it.
"Hey. Yeh, ok, just a minute," and he handed it to me.
"Who," I whispered.
"Your fave deputy."
"Hello?"
"Hey. Andy Fowler here. Got some news."
"Yeh? Good I hope."
"Well, a step forward let's say. Friend of mine from town, older man and life-long resident just came by and said he had seen the pic of the first victim in the paper and he thinks he knows who it is."
"Yeh?"
"Yeh, he thinks it is Rick Longworth. His dad is the guy who built your house."
"Get out."
"Nope. Little background, Okay?"
"Absolutely."
"Okay, seems Rick's dad Garrett Longworth was from here originally but moved out to Colorado to first go to school and then stayed there and married. He had one son that we know of and that would be Rick."
"Okay."
"After Garrett's wife died, he didn't want to stay there and decided to come back to his childhood home. This was a couple of years ago.
He was an old friend of a realtor here and he, the realtor, found out the property that Longworth was asking about because he had remembered it from a trip back here several years ago...anyway, he asked and found out it was still available, then made an offer which was accepted, and then came back and built the house you live in now. I have no idea what was going on while he was waiting for the house to be finished which as I assume you already know took well over a year to finish.
That time period, so far. It's all a blank. I never knew him and while I may have seen him I wouldn't have known who he was."
"Understood."
"He died right before the house was finally finished. Or I gather it was finished but he hadn't had a chance to move in. Now, here is a piece of information you may not know and I didn't either. Seems the coroner has never completely closed the case on Garrett's death. He says there are still questions. I didn't know that."
"What questions," I asked him.
"He didn't say and I got the impression he wasn't going to. Probably because he isn't totally sure of his facts. Doc Morgan is a very careful guy. He only says what he knows to be true."
"Good way to be, Andy." I figured since we were getting to be such old buddies and all that first names stuff...
"Okay, so I told Doc about what I had heard from my friend and he said he would follow up and I just heard back. He checked and yes that first body IS Rick Longworth."
"So, Rick Longworth who I had heard is from California most recently winds up dead in the river in front of my house which was built by his father who is also dead, and maybe questionably as to how let alone why?"
"You pick up quick."
"My nature, Andy. LOL."
"You are right. Now on to the next part. The two bodies from the island looked like brothers. Doc says it is a virtual certainty that they were. He also found substantial quantities of heroin in their systems. Even with the presence of both a lot of water and the being frozen thing. There was cocaine in Rick's body as well."
"Not mere coincidence I wouldn't think."
"Me either. But how to connect them. Until we know who the brothers are, or were, it is going to be rather difficult."
"Andy, do we know where Rick lived in California? I would post pictures in that area's local paper and see if you get bites."
"Hey, good idea. Yes, he lived in San Francisco."
"Hmmm."
"Yeh, I know what you are thinking Mister Le Maire. I think you are right."
"Thanks, and it is Dylan, please."
"Good. Thanks. Okay, gotta run and follow up and I will be in touch. Tell Derek to expect a call from me later. I'll fill him in too."
"Gotcha," and we hung up.
Lot to digest, but progress definitely.
CHAPTER XIII: WAITING IS NEVER FUN
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