LIVING ON THE EDGE

CHAPTER: 31

Sharon sent Stuart a text telling him to meet her at the Blue Grill at 7:30 for breakfast. Just as she was heading out of the door, Mr. Davies called and agreed to meet at 10:00 a.m. that morning.

Even though it was only fifteen degrees, she decided to walk to the Blue Grill. She bundled herself up in a knitted scarf and heavy cardigan and slipped on an overcoat and flat black boots. The snow was easy to traverse. Her boots crushed the white powder, still fresh and unshoveled, creating a slippery trail behind her. The crunch of the accumulated flakes echoed with each step as she trekked the three blocks to the restaurant.

Stuart's long, lanky frame was folded into a cabin at the back of the dimly lit diner. He wore a beige sweater, faded jeans, and brown shoes.

"Hey," Sharon said, sliding into the opposite side of the booth.

"Morning. Did you find anything interesting?" Stuart asked her.

Sharon smiled and shook her head. "You are never going to believe this."

"Try me," he replied.

"Adriana and Melanie lived in Maury County at the same time. They were sixteen-year-olds, living less than a block from one another, and there is a man who is listed as living at both of their addresses."

"The same guy?" Stuart asked.

"Yes! Can you believe that?" Sharon said.

"Oh, man! What do you think is going on?"

A tall waitress with a smattering of freckles and thick, curly red hair pulled into a bun came to their table. She smiled and asked for their orders.

Sharon ordered an omelet with home fries and wheat toast, and Stuart ordered a stack of blueberry pancakes.

"I don't know. It does not make much sense. These two young girls from totally different worlds, end up in the same place for one year. They have a man in common. Over the years, they seem to be friends, but twelve years later, one of them is murdered a few steps from where both of them lived," Sharon said.

"But even if they had this man in common, and there was a love triangle, it played out long before Adriana's murder. Adriana was living life in Nashville and was married with kids. Melanie is a counselor and yoga instructor, living in Huntsville, and obviously successful. Maybe there had been some trouble in the past, but they seem like smart enough ladies to get over that, right?" Stuart asked.

"Sure, but there is one problem with that," Sarah said. 

"What?" he asked.

"Adriana Reed is dead," Sharon replied.

"Well, tell me what you are thinking," he asked.

"I think Melanie should have been a little more emotional than she was when I went to talk to her about Adriana. I know it has been a while, but if my best friend had been murdered it would take me forever to get over it. Discussing it two years afterward would still produce some emotion. That is another reason I think Melanie knows something or is connected somehow... I just do not know how," Sharon said.

"Yeah, death is so permanent. It is not something you get over. Especially since it seems they had known each other since they were pretty young," Stuart told her.

"Right. So we need to find out more about what happened way back in Maury County," Sharon told him.

"You think that is really connected?" Stuart asked her.

"I do not know. It was a long time ago, but we should check things out anyway," she said.

The waitress set down their plates. Stuart's stack of blueberry pancakes was as wide as the plate. Her plate of the omelet was stuffed full of veggies and cheese.

"Anything else?" the waitress asked.

"No, we are fine. Thanks," Sharon said.

Stuart sawed off a chunk of pancake and soaked it in syrup. Sharon stirred her omelet and home fries together before pouring some ketchup on the mess.

"The brother was also weird. He was standoffish and a bit rude. I sensed some bad blood between the siblings, and a sibling scorned could be dangerous. He still seems bitter about the parents babying her," Sharon said.

"It is silly to still hold a grudge against a dead sibling. Petty and cold-hearted," Stuart said. 

Nicholas had not shown any remorse or love when Sharon had spoken to him about Adriana. Though her brother had been missing since she was ten years old and there was not a day that he did not cross her mind. Sharon had been in a state of mourning for more than two decades, but Nicholas Davies did not show any signs of sadness over losing his sister. 

"You have a point, but I do not think he has a clear motive. There is not much online about Nicholas, a couple of social media posts about his family and the weather, but nothing major. Run a background check on him; maybe talk with people from his job. I am going to set up another interview with him next week and visit Chase at home," Sharon said.

"What is the plan for Melanie?" Stuart asked.

Great question. There was no information on Melanie Jackson on social media sites, and googling her name turned up very little. She owned a yoga studio and was a therapist. Normally, that would mean an online presence of some sort. It was strange that her name did not turn up anything.

"I think Melanie is hiding something. The Maury County connection may be involved in the murder," Sharon said.

"Do you really think that Adriana's death is the result of something that happened over a decade ago?" Stuart asked.

No, Sharon did not. But she didn't know where to start with this case. So far there was not any proof that Adriana was anything besides an upstanding woman at the time of her death. The fact that her good friend had once lived in the neighborhood her body was found in, gave Sharon a pause. She did not know what the connection was, but something was off, and she could not lay her hand on it.

"What do you think this is all about?" Sharon asked Stuart.

"I think Adriana Reed slept with some guy, he asked her for money or something, she refused, he killed her and dumped her in Maury County. Case closed. Sorry, Dr. Chase Reed, your wife was sleeping around with some loser," Stuart suggested.

"Is that some plot from one of those Thursday night cop shows? Not the kind of answer I expect from my brilliant little assistant," Sharon said, before throwing money on the table and getting up to leave.     

A/N: To be continued...