A KILLER AMONG US #SYTYCW15(Intrigue)

A KILLER AMONG US CHAPTER ONE (Part 2)

                                                                                CHAPTER ONE

"Thank you, Mrs. Charbeau. We greatly appreciate it." Officer Colby Daniels smiled at the elderly woman and tucked the ticket money for the department's annual baseball tournament in the white envelope. "I hope we'll see you at the game."

"Well, I don't know about that but I'll be cheering for the police department."

Elegant was the only way to describe Mrs. Charbeau. Medium height and stately bearing, she was average in size but a little on the thin side. Platinum hair swept back from her face and pinned into a smooth oval at the nape of her neck. A simple white blouse was paired with navy blue slacks of fine linen and the gold belt buckle matched the buckle on her navy blue flats. A single strand of pearls and a solid band of gold were the only jewelry she wore.

Her smile was friendly but Colby noticed her hesitation. "Mrs. Charbeau? Is everything all right?""

"I hate to ask and it's probably nothing but I'm worried about my friend, Ida Bernstein. She was supposed to pick me up at five thirty for supper. Monday is seniors night down at Cora's and we make it a regular weekly outing before going to Bingo. Ida is such a stickler for punctuality so naturally, when she didn't show up on time, I became concerned. She lives alone now that Burt's passed, so I called to see if she was running late but there was no answer. I assumed then, that she was on her way but that was over an hour ago and now I'm afraid something might be wrong. Would you be a dear and check on her, just to be sure?"

"Of course. What's the address?"

"Five Barn Hollow Road. The big farmhouse at the end of the street."

"I'll get someone to take a run over there."

"Thank you, Officer. I sincerely appreciate it."

Walking back to her cruiser, Colby pressed the button on her shoulder radio. "Twenty-five, dispatch. Request welfare check. Five Barn Hollow Road. Bernstein residence."

"Ten-four, twenty-five. Can you take it?"

"Ah...okay." 

Puzzled, she fired up her cruiser and backed out of the paved driveway onto Plantation Drive, making her way north. Barn Hollow Road was two streets up, parallel from the station and her own rented house. The property was large and well-kept with a split rail fence encircling the perimeter. She parked in front of the detached wooden garage, noticing a white car peeking out from the not-quite closed double doors. Getting out, she crossed the freshly mowed lawn, mounted the two broad steps to the front porch that ran the length of the house and knocked on the front door.

 When there was no response, she knocked again, louder. "Mrs. Bernstein? Officer Daniels!"

Still no response. The heavy, walnut door was thick and windowless. She tried the brass knocker, a simple ring that echoed sharply in the quiet neighborhood. Nothing. She moved to the tall, double-paned window to the left and cupped her hands around her face. Pressing her nose to the glass, she peered inside. The foyer's polished oak floor gleamed in the sunlight beaming in through a side window. A crystal chandelier dangled from the ceiling, the diamond shaped prisms casting rainbows over the floor and white walls. An archway to her left, revealed an end table and shaded, fringed lamp which she assumed was the living room.