Secret Hollows by Terri Reid

saying you discovered another body?”
    “I’m saying I would like to speak with Emil Forrest because I have information about a similar crime during that time period,” Bradley repeated.
    “We don’t have any missing persons from Lena during that time period,” he said. “I think you’re working on a dead end.”
    Mary quickly scribbled down a note and slid it over to Bradley. He read it and winked at her. “Well, I understand that not all of the victims came from Lena,” he said. “At least one of them is from my jurisdiction.”
    “How’d you know that?”
    “Chief Richards, I make it my point to know as much as I can about the cases I’m working on,” he said, as he grinned at Mary. “I want to reassure you that I am quite aware of the deep feelings involved in this case. It was your nephew, Mike, who originally told me about the case.”
    “Mike,” Richards sputtered. “You…you knew Mike?”
    “Yes, I counted him to be a great friend,” Bradley said. “I know he felt bad about Timmy’s death. Felt he had let him down.”
    “Mike had nothing to do with Timmy’s death,” Richards replied angrily. “Nothing to do with it at all. He was nothing but a kid. We were damn lucky he wasn’t one of them Emil killed. Damn lucky!”
    “I realize that, sir,” Bradley said. “But children often feel survivor’s guilt. Mike told me it took him a long time to realize that he didn’t have to feel guilty about being alive.”
    Mary and Bradley heard the deep sigh. “I didn’t know he felt that way,” Richards said. “I had no idea.”
    “Well, I think we all carry around our own little secrets,” Bradley said. “Things we want to keep to ourselves.”
    There was another pause.
    “You just want to talk to Emil, that’s it?” Richards asked.
    “Yeah, that’s it,” Bradley said.
    “Okay, you talk to him and if you got more questions, you feel free to come talk to me.”
    “Thank you, sir,” Bradley said. “I appreciate it.”
    “Well, you know, any friend of Mike’s…,” his voice cracked. “I sure do miss that boy. It’s like I just saw him yesterday.”
    Bradley looked over at Mary and shook his head.
    “I know just what you mean,” Bradley agreed, “Almost like he’s still here with us.”
    “You call me, son, if you need anything.”
    “Thank you, I will.”
    “Good-bye.”
    “Good-bye.”
    Bradley hung up the phone and turned to Mary. “So, what did you think of that?”
    “Well, he certainly wants to protect the people he serves,” she said. “And he doesn’t want to remind them of the past.”
    Placing his elbows on his desk, he cradled his hands together. “Mary, are we messing around in something we should just leave alone?”
    She sighed and sat back in her chair. “I don’t know,” she said. “There’s a reason Timmy hasn’t moved on. I don’t know if it’s because Emil didn’t do it or because Timmy hasn’t been able to recognize that Emil did it. But, unless we talk to Emil, we’ll never know and Timmy will never move on.”
    He nodded slowly. “Well, then, it looks like we’re going to be planning a visit to Dixon in the near future.”
    “Oh!” Mary said, sitting up straight. “I nearly forgot. Linda and Bob are getting married in a week and a half and they would like us to attend.”
    He smiled. “That’s great. So, will you be my date?”
    Grinning, she nodded. “Of course. And she asked me to be her maid of honor.”
    “Well… that’s a good thing, right?”
    She laughed. “A very good thing,” she said. “Rosie, Linda and I are going shopping this evening to pick out some fabulous dresses.”
    Both of their cell phones vibrated and they reached for them at the same time and read their text messages.
    Bradley grinned and typed in his response. Mary did the same.
    “So, how many cookies did you buy?” he asked.
    Mary looked a little embarrassed. “Don’t laugh,” she said, “I bought forty.”
    “Yeah, well, you don’t