CHAPTER 80 Enigma


    Joy


    I woke up to a rainy Monday morning. I quickly grabbed my phone from my nightstand and checked my


    messages. As expected, a message from Liam was waiting for me, informing me Cynthia McDowell’s


    funeral had been postponed to this afternoon, but he would no longer be attending. His father was in


    the hospital and he had to attend to his needs first.


    Sh it! Pete survived the fire.


    I put my phone down and stretched. No problem. If a fire couldn’t kill him, I would.


    Last night, before the firemen and the rest of the first responders arrived at the scene, the boys decided


    it was better if we left and met up with Leo and Benny instead, before they left. New Salem. It was such


    a huge relief to see them alive and well,ughing with a drink in their hands. After giving Leo and


    Benny each a hug, I gave Sam a kiss on the cheek as my way of thanking him. Xavier looked on, proud


    of his protégé. Sam was proving himself indispensable.


    I was already up, brushing my teeth and recalling the deal Liam made with Petest night, when the


    doorbell rang. Wondering who it was, quickly put on my robe and rushed downstairs.


    It was Noah. He was wearing a long sleeved id shirt, jeans and his trusty work boots, while holding


    up an umbre to shelter him from the rain. He smiled brightly at me, appearing to be in a good mood


    despite the bad weather.


    “Good morning, Virtue! I dropped by to check up on you. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there was a


    fire at the funeral homest night,” he said.


    I invited him inside so he could get out of the rain and ushered him into the kitchen for


    some coffee.


    “Yes, I know there was a fire at Chimesst night. I was there when it happened,” I replied, filling the


    reservoir of my coffee machine with water. After cing some coffee grounds in the filter, I turned my


    coffee maker on.


    “I thought you weren’t going to Cynthia McDowell’s viewing,” he said, taking a seat in one of my kitchen


    stools and leaning his elbows on the kitchen ind. “Tell me, what happened?”


    “Well, I changed my mind at thest minute, thinking it would be better if I did go… to show


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    CHARTER


    Pete during this very emotional time for them. Chip and I were about. this explosion. Smoke suddenly


    starteding out from the viewing people were running and screaming. Liam told Chip to get me out


    of there inside to look for his father. It was a frightening experience,” I said, narrating short version of


    last night. “Anyway, I received a message from him this morning. rently, he and his father are fine,


    although his father is currently in the hospital.” I gged in my toaster, then I asked him, “Do you know if


    there were any


    any casualties?”


    Yeah, several, ording to reports. The police are still identifying the remains,” he answered. “After


    your, uhm, horrifying ordealst night, I have some good news for you. My team and I will be finishing


    up your boutique today instead of tomorrow. I, uh, I’ve been. hired to clean up the debris at the funeral


    home and see what can be salvaged. Once Linda


    Jacobs’ insurance pays up, she wants me to start construction.”


    “That’s really nice to hear. Thank you, Noah,” I said gratefully, grinning at him. I actually waited for you


    toe home yesterday to ask you if you wanted toe with me to Cynthia McDowell’s visitation,


    but I guess you were busy,” I opened my refrigerator and took out a bag of bagels and some bananas.


    “Aw, you should have called me. Seems like I missed a lotst night. I was over at the Hughes’


    residence installing new flooring, some light fixtures and putting up


    up new shelves,”


    Noah exined.


    Sure you did, Noah. Sarah Hughes and Nicole had that same look when they looked at Noah. They


    were in love with him..


    I nced at him from time to time while I prepared a simple breakfast for the both us. I had. to make


    sure his hands were where I could see them. After finding bugs and cameras in inconspicuous ces


    in my boutique, I didn’t want him doing the same in my house.


    “Are you going to the funeralter this afternoon? Liam messaged me it was postponed to this


    afternoon,” I mentioned while cing a cup of coffee in front of him, including some cream and sugar.


    “Ah, no,” he answered, shaking his head while he poured some cream into his coffee. “I’ll be at your


    boutique remember? Plus, there’s some talk going around town that the McDowells are, uhm…


    cursed.”


    I stared at him with a bewildered expression on my face, but in reality, I was fighting the urge tough.


    If you guys only knew….


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    CHAPTER 80 Enigma


    ursed? Why do the people think that?” I asked, cing a te of bagels, a te of sliced ananas, a jar


    of cre amy peanut butter and a block of cream cheese on the ind counter. “Do people here still


    believe in witchcraft?”


    “Well, North Dakota has a rich Native American history and that includes certain beliefs about spirits


    and curses,” he exined while putting some cream cheese on his warm bagel. He took a bite and


    moaned in satisfaction. “As a precaution, Virtue, I think it’s best if you stay away from Pete, just for the


    time being.”


    “Noah, I doubt if a curse caused the firest night,” I said, putting some peanut butter and slices of


    bananas on top of my bagel. “I was there. The air in that ce was moldy, the lights were flickering and


    the hallway was so dark, I thought the boogeyman was going to jump


    out


    and grab me. That funeral home was in dire need of repairs. I suspect the fire was caused by


    something that short circuited.” I took a bite of my bagel and savored its sweet taste.


    “Well, they’re still investigating,” Noah said, looking at me. “Are you considering going to the


    funeral?”


    “Of course. Pete needs our support,” I answered before chomping down on my bagel. I was hungry.


    “Is Liam going with you?” He asked, finishing his bagel.


    “Ah, no. His father’s in the hospital,” I said. “I’m going to call Chip and ask if we can go together.”


    “That’s right. Theodore Cohen is in the hospital, Noah said, sipping his coffee. He sighed. and ced a


    hand on mine, squeezing it. “I know Liam’s some sort of hero for saving Norma Martin from the fire, but


    he’s dangerous, Virtue. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Liam Cohen has been in the middle of two,


    uhm, cases.”


    “Dangerous? Liam’s dangerous? What do you mean, Noah?” I asked, pretending to be concerned for


    my safety. I finished my bagel and began licking my fingers. I saw Noah swallow hard as he watched


    me ce my fingers in my mouth.


    Naughty… Naughty….


    “We were in high school when he, Jack, Cris and Dan were used of raping Joy Taylor, al friend of


    ours. S-she’s the girl I was talking about… my bestfriend. I don’t know what happened to her after. She


    and her family left New Salem in the middle of the night. I haven’t heard from her ever since,” he said,


    practicing some self-restraint. Good boy.


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    CHAPTER 80 Enigma


    “used? Did Joy Taylor ever file charges?” I asked.


    “No, but her father wanted to. Unfortunately, no one would talk,” Noah said candidly.


    “So, there weren’t any witnesses to corroborate her story. I see,” I said. “Do you suspect a cover up? I


    heard Theodore Cohen was mayor before Liam.”


    “That’s what the town suspects,” Noah admitted,


    “Poor Joy. She was raped and no one believed her. So how about the other case?”


    “I’m sorry?”


    “You said Liam was in the middle of two. The first, he’s an alleged rapist. How about the


    second?”


    “Ah… The Joan Summers rape-y case. Her body was found in the middle of thekest spring,”


    Noah said.


    “Yeah, I recall Sheriff Combs talking about her. How does he figure in her case?” I asked, removing my


    hand from his grasp and picking up the used dishes and utensils, cing them.


    in the sink.


    “He was seen following her, stalking her before she went missing,” Noah answered.


    “Noah, if Liam killed her, don’t you think he would dispose of her body properly where no on


    would find it?” I asked. “It just looks too obvious. Plus, if I remember correctly, they found the person


    who killed Joan Summers or was that a cover up too?”


    I read the coroner’s file on Joan Summers. Liam said Joan was his friend who yed chess with him at


    his office from time to time. Unfortunately, after Old Man Eugene found out about Joan’s after school


    get-togethers with him, he began telling the townsfolk Cynthia McDowell and the Cohens werend


    grabbers. Liam stated he had no part in her abduction or rape, but he was ordered by Peter McDowell


    to get rid of her. Since he couldn’t kill her himself, he instructed his men to do it for him and to bury her


    body. However, his men threw the body in theke instead of burying her.


    Noah leaned back on his stool with a sombre expression on his face.


    “I know he’s your friend, but Virtue, you don’t know him like I do,” Noah said. I was ying the devil’s


    advocate and it was working.


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    CHAPTER 80 Enigma


    “Uhm, isn’t he your friend too? I’m not defending him. I just want the facts. You were the one who said


    he was dangerous. Is there more to these cases… maybe certain details you may know?” I asked.


    I watched him squirm ufortably in his seat He knew more than what he was letting on, but he was


    sworn to silence..


    “I only hear what the townsfolk have to say,” he mumbled, finishing his coffee.


    I just have onest question, Noah.


    “You said you were bestfriends with one of his victims. Did you ever feel the need to avenge Joy


    Taylor? Because if she were my bestfriend, I would.”


    He looked outside through the windows before answering my question. I was surprised to see the


    regret in his eyes.


    “No. Because she left, so I moved on,” he answered, ncing at his watch. “I best be going. Thanks for


    breakfast.” He stood up and quickly went to the door.


    No balls Noah…


    “My pleasure. Since you’ll be busy, I hope you’ll have time to drop by when I have my grand opening,” I


    said, following him.


    “For you, I will,” he said, suddenly turning around to face me. He ced his arms on my shoulders and


    gazed down at me with his chocte brown eyes. “Virtue, I care for you. I don’t want to see you get


    hurt. So please, avoid Pete… temporarily, until I say it’s okay, and when you need to be with Liam,


    make sure you aren’t alone.”


    I nodded my head. “Okay.”


    “You promise?” He gazed at me with puppy dog eyes.


    “I promise, after I go to the funeral.” He rolled his eyes at my answer.


    “Fine. Just as long as you’re with Chip,” he said, epting my proposal. “I better get going. Take care,


    Virtue.” He quickly kissed me on my cheek and left.


    I waved goodbye as he walked through the rain underneath his umbre.


    Noah was an enigma. From what I remembered of him in high school, he was usually easy to read.


    Now, I couldn’t read him at all.


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    TER Pama


    thing I was sure of, he was up to something.


    nced at Joy’s shed as I walked away. The lens of the camera I had ced on the door had


    something blocking it. I’ve been meaning toe over and take a look at it, but Old Man Tucket was


    always watching. Plus, I had stuff to deal with it.


    After climbing into my truck, I fixed my hair and checked if I had something in my teeth through my


    rearview mirror. I frowned as I gazed at my reflection, frustrated my boyish good looks weren’t enough


    to charm Virtue.


    She needed a respectable man with money, a nice house, a nice car… Someone she could be proud


    of.


    I backed out of my driveway and drove out of the cul-de-sac, slowing down as I passed her


    house.


    Soon Virtue.


    Soon.


    Chapter Comments


    Luna-Mom


    oh well karma what goes aroundes around y


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