The May Day Murders by Scott Wittenburg Page A

settled back into his home.”
    Sam nodded in agreement. “Christ, I
really feel for the guy. Imagine going back to that house and
trying to get on with your life after what happened
there.”
    “ I’d sure hate to be in his
shoes right now, no doubt. He’s got to deal with his kid too,
remember. It’s times like this when I feel thankful I’ve never
gotten married. All I’ve gotta do is worry about my own fat ass and
nobody else’s,” Roger declared.
    Sam said, “But the good definitely
outweighs the bad in having a family. I wish I still had
mine.”
    Roger shrugged. “I know you do, buddy.
At least they’re still among the living.”
    “ Thank God for that. Well,
I’d better get moving. This article isn’t gonna write
itself.”
    Roger scooted out of his chair and
stood up. “I’ll make those copies for you.”
    “ These too,” Sam said,
handing him the copies of the yearbook.
    Roger smiled, headed for the door, and
led Sam over to the copy machine. When he was finished, he handed
the completed copies to Sam and said, “Classified info,
remember.”
    “ Right. Catch you later,
Roger,” he said, then made his way out of the Smithtown Police
Department.

     

CHAPTER 7
     
     
    On Thursday evening, Ann sat at the
kitchen table and fumbled with the business card, trying to decide
whether or not to call him. It had been a slow week at the office
with plenty of time for her mind to drift, and what time hadn’t
been spent mourning Marsha Bradley had been spent thinking about
Jerry Rankin. Karen’s incessant urging had also come into play—to
the extent that Ann now practically felt obligated to call Jerry
just to make Karen happy and to be done with it once and for all.
Heaving a nervous sigh, she reached for the phone and dialed his
number. After four rings she started to hang up, half hoping he
wasn’t home. Then he suddenly answered.
    “ Jerry Rankin,” he
said.
    Ann forced herself to speak. “Uh,
Jerry, this is Ann—we met on the parking lot at the supermarket
last Sunday?”
    “ Ann, yes—what a pleasant
surprise! I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to call.
How are you?”
    “ Fine,” she replied,
suddenly feeling a little more at ease. His cheerful voice with
that irresistible English accent had a reassuring quality to it.
“And how have you been?”
    “ Very well, thank you,” he
replied. “I’m so delighted you called, Ann. To be real honest, I’ve
spent this entire week thinking I was a bit too forward last Sunday
and deduced that I must have scared you off. I’ve always felt a bit
awkward meeting someone for the first time like that anyway, and
almost always manage to somehow put my foot in my mouth, as was the
case that morning.”
    Ann gave a little laugh. “I don’t do so
well myself, as you might have noticed.”
    “ I thought you handled it
wonderfully—anyone else probably would have told me to take a hike
under the circumstances. I’m truly flattered that you’ve given me
another opportunity to talk to you again.”
    Ann gushed, wondering if he was really
as sincere as he sounded. “Were you late for your
appointment?”
    “ Almost, but I managed to
make it just in the nick of time. I was showing a house in
Muirfield to a client who was sort of, well, the pushy type. He’d
insisted on seeing this particular house on Sunday morning at
eleven-thirty and I already knew I’d be pressed for time anyway
because of church services, so I sort of fouled myself up by trying
to fit in the grocery as well. Looking on the bright side, though,
I wouldn’t have met you otherwise, so I have no
regrets.”
    “ I was a little curious why
you were shopping in my neighborhood when I noticed that the
address on your card was on the other side of town. Your church
must be close by, I assume,” Ann said.
    “ Yes, it’s just a few blocks
north of the supermarket.”
    “ And do you work out of your
home exclusively, or do you have an office as well?”
    “ Just my