Stuart Woods - Hothouse Orchid

“You have a counterhypothesis?”

Holly picked up the phone and dialed Lauren again.

“Hi, Holly.”

“A question, Lauren.”

“Okay.”

“What was the time of death on the last victim?”

“Midnight to four a.m.”

“And what was the time of death on Bruno?”

“Two a.m. to six a.m.”

“And what time did Jimmy get the call about Bruno not showing for work?”

“A little after ten a.m.”

“And what time did you get to Bruno’s house?”

“About ten thirty.”

“So how long would Jimmy have been at Bruno’s house when you got there?”

“Ten minutes, maybe.”

“Okay, that’s all I wanted to know.”

“You were thinking Jimmy might have offed Bruno?”

“I just wanted to eliminate the possibility, and the time line does that. Oh, who found the panties and the vaccination gun?”

“Hurd. I didn’t want to go into Bruno’s bedroom, so he and Jimmy were searching it. Hurd called me in to witness the evidence find.”

“That clears up my questions, then. Thanks, Lauren.”

“Bye-bye, Holly. See you Saturday.”

“Hang on a second, Lauren.” Holly turned to Josh. “Lauren has invited us to dinner at her boyfriend’s house on Saturday night. You available?”

“I’ll have to switch a shift, but that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Lauren, we’re good for dinner. You said seven thirty?”

“Yep. I’ll give you the address.”

Holly wrote it down. “And Jack’s last name?”

“Smithson.”

“See you Saturday at seven thirty.” Holly hung up.

“You look happier,” Josh said.

“Lauren had the right answers to my questions.”

“I heard the questions; what did the answers prove?”

“That Jimmy Weathers couldn’t have killed Bruno.” She explained the time line and the details of Jimmy’s finding Bruno’s body.

“Jimmy’s the cop I met at the hospital, right?”

“Right.”

“And you thought Jimmy might have killed Bruno?”

“Not really. I was just covering all the bases, eliminating Jimmy as a suspect; it’s how cops think.”

“Interesting,” Josh said. “Jimmy didn’t have time to kill him and forge a suicide note.”

“That’s it.”

“But…”

“But what?”

“He had time to hide the panties and the vaccination gun, didn’t he?”

“You’re thinking that Jimmy could have murdered the women?”

“Can you eliminate him as a suspect in the women’s murders?”

“I see your point,” Holly said, “but something else eliminates him as a suspect in those crimes.”

“What?”

“Bruno’s suicide note; he claimed credit for the women, and that excludes Jimmy and everybody else in town.”

Josh nodded. “Got it.”

“You’re thinking like a cop, too,” Holly said.

“Maybe cops and doctors aren’t all that different,” Josh said. “I was thinking that Jimmy had been at the hospital, and he could have stolen the vaccination gun.”

“Good point.”

“But you’re right; Bruno’s suicide note clears Jimmy.”

“It’s good enough for me,” Holly said.

“You’re sure he couldn’t have murdered Bruno and written the note in ten minutes?”

“Listen, I know Jimmy well. He’s a nice young man and a good cop, but I don’t think he has the low cunning or the skills to commit murder and forgery on the fly.”

“How about if he finds Bruno already dead, then forges the note and plants the evidence?”

“Just barely possible, but the investigation will include authenticating the suicide note.”

“So you’re happy, Holly?”

“I’m happy.”

“In that case, so am I.”

Holly was having breakfast the following morning when the phone rang. “Hello?”

“Holly, it’s Jimmy.”

“Good morning, Jimmy. I heard about the clearing of the Bruno murders; I want to congratulate you.”

“Thanks, Holly. It’s a big relief. I want to ask a favor of you.”

“What do you need?”

“I need a letter of recommendation to the city council.”

“Recommending who for what?”

“Me for chief of police.”

“I see.”

“Bruno never appointed a deputy chief, and I’m the senior officer, so I’m acting chief. I’d like to have the council make it permanent, and a letter from you would be a big help.”

“All right, Jimmy, I’ll be glad to do that.”

“Can you fax it, then mail it?” He gave her the number.

“Sure, I’ll have it out within the hour. Have you asked Hurd?”

“Yes, and he’s agreed. You and Hurd are the best recommendations I could have.”

“When’s your interview?”

“This afternoon.”

“Good luck, Jimmy.” Holly hung up and put her dishes in the dishwasher, then she went into her secure office, fired up her computer and wrote the letter:

To the Orchid Beach City Council:

I wish to recommend James Weathers for the position of chief of police. Jimmy has been on the force for twelve years now, and I participated in his training as a detective. I always found him eager to learn, organized, efficient and meticulous in his work, and I am sure he would bring these traits to the position of chief. He has the respect of the entire force and mine, as well.

Holly signed it, faxed it and left the envelope in her mailbox for pickup. When she got back to the house, the phone was ringing.

“Hello?”

“Holly, it’s Hurd.”

“Good morning, Hurd, and congratulations on wrapping up the Bruno case.”

“Thanks, but you know very well that we got lucky.”

“Sometimes you need luck.”

“I know. Has Jimmy Weathers spoken to you this morning?”

“Yes, and I wrote him a recommendation, faxed it and mailed it. He told me you had agreed to do so, too.”

“I did, after he told me you had agreed.”

Holly thought it best not to mention that Jimmy had told her Hurd had already agreed. “I think he’ll do a good job.”

“I guess he will. He never gave me any cause to doubt his ability.”

“Well, I hope he gets it.”

“Yes. Lauren told me you asked some time-line questions about Jimmy.”

“I did.”

“I just want you to know that I had the same questions, but they were answered to my satisfaction. Also, I had the benefit of seeing Jimmy work the scene, and I thought he did a good job there, too.”

“I’m glad we’re in agreement, Hurd, and I know you’re glad to get this one off your desk. I’m sure the governor will be pleased, too.”

“I expect so. Well, I’ll get my letter for Jimmy off now. I hope to see you again before you go back to Virginia.”

“You’ll have to come by for a drink, Hurd.”

“Thanks.” He said goodbye and hung up.

Well, Holly thought, I underestimated Jimmy’s capacity for low cunning; he was smart enough to tell both Hurd and me that the other had agreed to write a letter.

Clad in a freshly pressed suit, Jimmy Weathers presented himself in the offices of the city council. He stood and waited in the reception room, not wishing to spoil the crease in his trousers.

The phone on the reception desk buzzed, and the secretary answered it. “Yes, ma’am,” she said, and hung up. “You can go in now, Jimmy,” she said.

Jimmy walked into the council chamber and found all the chairs at the long table filled. He knew these people; some of them had known him since childhood.

“Please sit down, Detective Weathers,” said Irma Taggert, the council chairperson.

Jimmy took the lone chair facing the curved table. “Good morning,” he said to all of them.

“Good morning,” Irma replied. She seemed less unpleasant than usual. “Detective, we each have a copy of your application and a package containing your performance reviews since you joined the force. We want to congratulate you on amassing a very good record over the past twelve years.”