LIVING ON THE EDGE

CHAPTER: 20

"What do you think happened to Adriana?" Sharon asked.

Elizabeth Reed sighed.

"No theories?" Sharon asked.

"I am not a private detective, Mrs. Stone. I don't like to contemplate," she said to Sharon.

"I understand Dr. Reed, but for the sake of Chase, would you care to wager a guess?" 

"An Affair that has gone bad," she replied to Sharon.

"So, you think that particular gossip going around the case is accurate?" Sharon asked her.

"Sometimes a common gossip is common because it is true," Dr. Reed replied.

"I agree, but sometimes when something happens to a person that we are close to, we have our own theories," Sharon stated.

"So true. If I had been closer to Adriana, I would probably have had an assumption or two about what could have happened to her," Dr. Reed said.

Dr. Reed was not shy about the fact that she did not care for Adriana.

"Is that your Monte Carlo out there?" Sharon asked, attempting to lighten the mood.

"It is," Dr. Reed replied. 

"Looks great."

"We are into, cars. I only drive it on special occasions," Dr. Reed said.

"Nice. May I know, what is the special occasion?" Sharon asked.

"We have a fundraising event in North Nashville tonight. Don't worry. I will not be wearing this. My gown will be dropped off before I leave... and before you ask, the fundraiser is for single mothers in Nashville."

"Sounds like a worthy cause," Sharon said.

"Mrs. Stone, I am smart, but I also have been very lucky. I never believed the things I was told about womanhood; it made all the difference. So, I give back to those who have fallen prey to the idea that a woman needs a man or children to be worthwhile. It is still a widespread theory in our society, so I do not hold it against anyone. Since you are here, I have to assume that you feel the same way."

It was totally true. Sharon really pitied women who thought that they were not worthy simply because they were not married or because they did not have children. Life was much more complicated than that.

"With that in mind, Mrs. Reed, I still see the value of being married and a mother, and that is why I am here. There are two children and a husband who will never have a wife and mother back. The woman just happens to be your daughter-in-law. Is there anything else you can tell me to help find out who took her life?"

Elizabeth Reed waited for a minute, her forehead furrowed while she considered Sharon's question.

"I wish I had something more, something that could help, but I don't. I am sorry to have wasted your time, Mrs. Stone."

Fair enough, Sharon thought. It seemed that she had gotten all the information she was going to get from Dr. Elizabeth Reed. "Thank you for your time. Mrs. Reed. If Mr. Reed has a break in his schedule, I would like to speak with him as well."

She nodded her head in a manner that told Sharon it was highly unlikely that Mr. Reed would ever be available to talk to Sharon. Mrs. Reed and Sharon then shook hands again, after which Sharon saw herself out.

                                                                *************

Sharon had a better idea, now of what might have made Chase Reed's family reserved, but she had no idea what to expect from the Davies'. The loss of a child was unquestionably painful, but during Sharon's time as a cop, families of victims were often overeager and determined to give officers every piece of information, even if it seemed completely unrelated, to the case. The fact that the Davies had been uncooperative was strange. It was time to get to know the victim's people. The preliminary information Sharon had gathered told her that Adriana was from a different world compared to Chase.

After jotting down a few notes, she called Nicholas Davies (Adriana's brother)  a second time to set up a meeting. He was less than enthusiastic but agreed to meet at 4:30 p.m, the following day. After talking to Nicholas Davies, Sharon was able to get a hold of Melanie Jackson, and then set up a meeting for the following morning. By the time Sharon was finished with her cyber-sleuthing and appointment setting, it was 5:30 p.m. She decided to close her laptop, relax for the rest of the evening, and start fresh in the morning.

                                                                            **************

Sharon woke early the next morning, brewed her coffee, and got a run in before 6:00 a.m. There was a chill in the air. Spring was about to replace the winter season. The breeze was crisp, cool, and refreshing, but the soft rays of early sunlight brought the temperature up to ideal running weather. After her morning run, she showered, slipped on a black pantsuit and boots, and pulled her hair into a neat bun. Melanie Jackson had agreed to meet with her at ten o'clock that morning and Nicholas Davies had agreed to meet with her at 4:30 p.m. Sharon reviewed the preliminary information on Melanie while eating a bowl of oatmeal with fresh apple slices and cinnamon.

Melanie Jackson was the last person to hear from Adriana, which made her an obvious person of interest, but the fact that she was still a supportive friend for Chase made her an unlikely suspect, somewhat. Melanie and Adriana had been scheduled to meet for coffee on the day of the murder, and even though Adriana had never made it, they had exchanged texts. It was possible that could have been organized if Melanie was the killer, but that was a leap in logic at this point.

The phone conversation with Melanie Jackson had been strange. She had spoken in a slow, subtle tone, void of the emotion, that Sharon had expected to hear from one of Adriana's good friends. Her address put her on the outskirts of Huntsville, close to the border of Maury County. Sharon took to a secluded road and would have missed her place if it would have not been for the dark blue mailbox that was marked, 'Jackson.' The bare branches of winter-stripped trees surrounded the narrow, uneven road. A picturesque red-brick converted farmhouse was tucked away behind a thicket of trees at the end of the dirt road. Sharon pulled up beside a row of cars that were parked adjacent to the house at around 10:00 a.m.

A chilly wind slapped Sharon in the face as she stepped out of the car. She grabbed her briefcase and moved swiftly onto the wide country porch, past the hanging swing bench, and to the front door.       

A/N: To be continued...