Murder in Mossland Mississippi

Episode 6

            The next day seemed to be quiet around town. Fin and Lola’s house had lost its excitement for the town’s people. The old men had picked up their lawn chairs and moved back in front of Bobby’s gas station.

            New comers had migrated to the edge of town. Investigators from two counties above theirs had come down to take a look at the scene. Barking hounds roamed the woods looking for a trail but the body was too old for a scent. The investigators knew that when they brought them down but you can’t tell a country boy that he can’t bring his prize tracking dog.

            Blake stood silently watching strangers wander around his grandmother remains. He could see her pale blue nightgown peeking out from under the fallen foliage. For a moment he thought he felt sadden well up inside of him, but then brushed it off, telling himself it was just because he didn’t have much sleep. The town only had two full time deputies, Blake and Earnest. The task of securing a scene had proven too much for the two of them to handle alone. The Sherriff called in a part time officer and they had taken shifts guarding the crime scene. They made sure Blake wasn’t ever alone even though he swore he didn’t care.

            When the sun started to go down, the corner came and started bagging the body. Berry was a thoughtful old man, retired from the highway patrol. He looked at Blake with sympathy and kindness. "I’m gonna ship your Maw Maw up to the crime lab, Blake. I’m gonna make sure she gets up there ok though. Don’t you worry,” said the old patrolmen. He gave Blake a nod that all policemen give, signifying that they take care of their own.

            “I don’t give a damn what you do with her” he snapped back. With that, Blake turned and stomped back up the hill. His coarse words took Barry back a few paces as he watched Blake carve boot marks into the hill. Each step pounded deeper into the earth.

             Blake hopped in his old Crown Vic and made his way to town, to Chad’s place. He roared through streets and came to a screeching halt. His coarse hands hurled the old Vic into park in front of the town’s florist shop, De’ La Fleur. The shop was owned by the Mayor Willie and he let Chad rent the humble apartment above. Willie was a hard man to deal with but he had always been good to Chad. He gave him a second chance and a place to live. Before Chad got on with city maintenance, Willie had given him a job sweeping and moping, making deliveries. It didn’t pay much but it gave him a chance to start over. Blake always hated Chad for that. He hated the way people forgave him and helped him; no one had ever helped Blake make his way in life. He earned everything he had himself.

            His rage was apparent when he slammed the patrol car door. The boom echoed down the street, bouncing from one dilapidated building to the next. Luckily the streets were empty or all the old ladies would have been stretching their necks to find the source of the sound. He padded his way to the side of the building to find the steps to the apartment above. He slowly thudded his tactical boots upwards thinking with each step what he would ask and what he would say. Before he reached the top, the door swung open. “I figured you would at least wait a day but I guess you just don’t have the decency. You might as well just come on in and get your stupid questions over with,” bellowed Chad to the figure below.            Blake jumped, startled over the surprise invitation, but he managed to hide it as he continued his climb.

            Inside the décor was typical of a single guy who spent past years blowing his money on pills and whatever else he could find. It was bland, old, worn and mismatched. The only thing the apartment had going for it was that it was clean and organized. Blake could tell that Chad was trying to do the best with what he had though he hated to give him any credit. He plopped down on a familiar floral couch that once sat in his own living room. His mother, Ana, had apparently given her brother the family relic. The mauve colored roses and budding vines of the fabric were not something any self-respecting bachelor would own.

            He looked down and the old coffee table, with tea glass ring impressions all over the top. He seemed to remember that belonging to some dead aunt that he really couldn’t even remember. The carpet was Berber and new. Willie must have had it put in, though he really couldn’t figure out why. The curtains were white. He guessed Chad bought that himself because what else could possibly get to match all of this old crap.

            Blake rubbed his hand back and forth across his light brown buzz cut head. Strange to think that the towns biggest screw up was actually his uncle. They had been friends most of their lives, until he lost Jess. Then Chad didn’t care about life anymore, he didn’t care about him. Shortly after the accident, Blake left for the police academy. It had always been his dream. He hated that everyone was so focused on Chad that he never got the praise he deserved.

            “So what do you want, Blake?” the coarse words snapped the deputy from his bitter trance. Blake took a deep breath and grit his teeth. “Don’t lose your cool. This is your chance to finally fry him,” he thought to himself.