Fred Field had put down the phone after talking to Mrs. Mason. Although, he knew that he could be facing potential murder charges. He now felt much more comfortable knowing that Perry Mason was going to be willing to see him
The problem was though Fred had spent the last 20 years wondering himself what had happened that night. The guilt that he had carried all these years had been tremendous. At the home it had been a subject that did not come up. He had known for many years that his wife had suspected that something had happened the night before Ralph had disappeared. She had noticed right away that he was wearing a new shirt when he came home. Then when she found the ripped shirt that he had thrown in the trash she had been very interested to say the least.
For years that old shirt had been hidden in the garage. He had for some reason held onto it. Partly from guilt and partly because he knew that it was his cross to bear or so to speak. He was sure that Jane didn't know that he had it hid away above the breezeway where there were 2 entrances onMto the ceiling. It was hard to get to as you needed a ladder or needed to climb the wall yourself.
That day Fred left the office early. He needed to talk to his kindhearted wife Jane and tell her everything that he could remember about that ntheight and what had happened. There was very little that she didn't already know but it was his hope that she would go with him into the city to see Perry Mason. He knew that it was a lot for him to ask of her but he wanted her to stand by his side if she would.
Tom and Marcus finally had something to work with. They thought about the 2 state police officers who had been so involved in the original investigation, but there was a problem with them. It had been 20 years and Steve no longer was a detective he was a Captain of the Leominster State Police Barracks and Mike had retired to Florida about 5 years ago.
When the murder had first happened, everything was still done by hand and there were few computers. The town was still a small town and most of the evidence had not yet been put into the central system yet. So, unfortunately Marcus and Tom found themselves going between the computer and handwritten notes. Although most of the notes had been written by him his handwriting leaves someone wishing he had practiced it more when he was young.
Initially there had been several suspects. But, as time went on people had been able to provide alibis on where they had been the night before and where they had been the morning of the day that Ralph Waldon had disappeared. There were other people that had been involved at the bar that evening other than Fred also. Most of them were still in town, and two of them still worked at the same factory with Tom. This is when the two officers decided to make some calls and speak to those who were still in the area. They didn't want to draw much attention to themselves so they would wait for the 2 men who still worked with Fred to get off their shift and then give them a call asking them to come to the station.
Chris Martin was surprised when he got the call from the police. He had lived in the town for all of his life and knew both Tom and Marcus well. The murder of Ralph Waldon had happened so long ago he couldn't help but wonder what kind of new evidence the police had come upon to reopen the case. As he walked into the police station he knew that it was time for him to tell everything that he knew.
Both Toma and Marcus were seated at their desks and stood up and shook his hand. Chris was nervous and he took a deep breath after he saw them turn on the recorder. He was now being officially interrogated.
There had been talk about Fred getting a big bonus at work because of the sale. The story also went that the bank loan manager had received a large bonus from the company in exchange for the denial of the loan. It was said without that loan his company would have gone out of business. Their company was the biggest competitor with the company that took it over and there was a lot of money involved.
Marcus and Tom listened to Chris who they had always known as hones and thanked the man for the information. Of course, what Chris had said was just what could be considered rumors or gossip, but perhaps there was something there after all. That is what they were going to have to find out.
As the men came in and out of the police station Tom and Marcus heard the same story over and over. Very soon after Ralph was killed it seemed that Fred had some money. He had bought himself a new car and a home on the hill, in the better part of town. Also, there was the bank manager who had retired quickly and word in town was that his condo was a very fancy one.
Jane was in her kitchen when she heard Fred's car in the driveway. This was a strange time for him to come home. He rarely came home during the day and she was sure that he had a visit from the police and he was coming home to talk to her.
As Fred came into the house he told his wife Jane that they needed to talk. He told her everything and she listened intently. She agreed to go to see Perry Mason.
Honey I don't believe you murdered Ralph. You have never even spanked the kids. No, but perhaps Perry Mason and that famous detective agency Paul Drake can find the real murderer and you and i can finally rest peacefully.
