Chapter 10

Five years ago, Seth and murdered friend Police Captain Bert Bradley had worked together on two cases. And now according to the anonymous note sent to Seth, the killer from one of those two cases is seeking revenge.

It was the next day and when Jessica had arrived at the Sheriff's office, Detective Logan McIntosh was also present, a file in his hand.

"Here's the file for Lars Draken, although it hasn't been updated, " Logan told them, "It was the first murder investigation that Uncle Seth and Uncle Bert had corroborated on. Their testimonies had sent Lars to life imprisonment."

"Really?" Jessica said, as she put on her thick black glasses and began reading a summary of the case from five years ago:

Lars Draken and his wife, Yvette, had lived in a tiny house in a poorer section of Tremont, on the outskirts of Bar Harbor. Neighbors describe their marriage as volatile.

According to what Lars told the police, on the night of the murder, at approximately 2am, Lars had heard some noise downstairs and went to investigate. In the living room, he caught a glimpse of a dark shadow, but before he could react, he was knocked unconscious with a heavy metal object. Later he woke to find his wife, Yvette, dead on the floor in their upstairs bedroom and he immediately contacted the police.

Police arrived and noted Draken with a nasty bruise on the left side of his head.

Yvette Draken was also discovered, bludgeoned to death in her bed. Despite a thorough search of their home, a weapon has yet to be recovered.

Dr. Seth Hazlitt of Cabot Cove, Maine, performed an autopsy on Yvette. Metallic traces were found in one of Yvette's gaping wounds indicating she may have been struck with a steel instrument, possibly a crowbar.He also reported traces of Lars' DNA underneath her fingernails.

Police Captain Bert Bradley headed up the investigation and after questioning husband, Lars admitted they had a physical altercation that night. Lars was eventually arrested for the murder of his wife.

During the courtroom testimony, Lars testified that both he and his wife had fought and made up that same night. They went to bed at 11pm and slept soundly until the noise interruption downstairs. But Dr. Hazlitt later contradicted that testimony when he asserted in court that according to the contents of her stomach, Yvette had eaten a good-sized snack sometime between 1 and 2 am.

Thus Lars Draken had perjured himself in court.

In conclusion, the circumstantial evidence of Lars' DNA found on victim, his perjured statement, the lack of other people's fingerprints, and finally, the previous evidence of Yvette contacting the police regarding spousal abuse, was enough to convict Lars of murdering his wife.

Postscript: As Lars Draken was led away from the courtroom in shackles, he swore that the DA, police captain, and medical examiner had all conspired against him and one day they would pay dearly for this betrayal.

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After reading the quick summary, Jessica next retrieved two pictures that were loose in the file. They were pictures of Lars Draken after his arrest; both of them showed a picture of a man with cruel eyes and a mean disposition.

One picture was taken on the day that he was arrested, standing in the lineup room. The other picture was a full body shot of him taken last month at the correctional facility. Life in prison had changed him, for he had gained at least 50 pounds and he was bald.

"Lars claims to this day that he loved his wife too much to have murdered her," Logan told them, "Uncle Bert had believed it. He noted in the file that Lars Draken wore his wedding ring throughout the trial."

Mort looked doubtful, "That doesn't prove anything. Lars could have worn the ring in an effort to gain the jury's sympathy."

"Shows you how much you know," Logan looked superior, "I just questioned Lars this morning in prison regarding this case. Of course, he's adamant that he's innocent. And you know what else? I noticed that he still had his wedding ring on. So I don't think this was a show; he truly loved his wife."

Meanwhile, Jessica stared at the two pictures in the file again and noted the same-looking gold band.

"I doubt that he's wearing the ring to show his love for his first wife," she concluded.

Logan scoffed, "And why not?" he practically demanded to know.

"If I'm not mistaken, " Jessica noted, "the ring Mr. Draken is wearing is for his second wife."

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Logan looked skeptical, but it only took a short call to his precinct to verify that what Jessica had stated was true, "Turns out Lars Draken had remarry, but they never updated his file," he verified, as he hung up, an embarrassed look plastered on his face, "but...how...how did you figure out he had a second wife, Mrs. Fletcher?"

"It's common sense, really," Jessica sensibly said as she pointed to the two pictures in the file, "Mr. Draken had obviously gained at least 50 pounds during his five years in prison, and yet the ring on his left hand fits him perfectly in the first picture as well as in the second. The only conclusion I could draw from that is that Mr. Draken must be wearing a new ring."

"Well, I'll be..." Logan looked amazed.

"I don't know why you're so surprised," Mort stated, "He probably met his future bride in prison. We've all heard about these fan groups of lonely, lunatic women who exchange love letters with jailed prisoners."

"Still, I just never thought..." Logan shook his head incredulously.

"Logan, perhaps you can answer this question for me," Jessica changed the subject, "Is the new wife residing in Mr. Draken's old house?"

"I believe so." Logan stated,"why?"

"Would you mind if I have that address?" she asked, "I think we should pay her a visit."

Her request puzzled Logan, but from the file, he wrote the address for her.

"You'll be wasting your time," Logan stated, handing her the paper, "The new Mrs. Draken knows nothing about this old case. She wasn't even around five years ago."

"Perhaps," Jessica said, nonchalantly, "but it's the only clue we have for now."

#

Mort volunteered to drive Jessica over to Lars' residence.

"Do you think it'll actually do any good for us to talk to Lars' new wife?" Mort asked her, "Logan may be right. There's probably not much she can tell us."

"Actually, Mort, it's not her I want to see," Jessica said, "the reason why I want to go there is I'd like to take a look at the house itself, since Mr. Draken used to share it with his previous wife, Yvette."

"Oh, oookay..." Mort responded, not quite getting it, "...but the murder occurred five years ago."

"I just have a feeling, call it women's intuition," Jessica stated, and then ended with a heavy sigh, which didn't escape Mort's notice.

"You okay, Mrs. F?"

"Why? Do I look ill, Mort?"

"Oh no...I didn't mean it like that," Mort claimed as he opened the door so they could exit the office, "you just seem... a little down. Does this have to do with the Doc?"

"I am worried, to be sure," Jessica admitted, absentmindedly, "after all, he was poi-"

Her eyes suddenly lit up at what she saw ahead. Following her eyes, Mort turned to see a very refreshed Seth, with arms folded, leaning against Mort's patrol car.

"Hmmmph!" Seth grunted, as they approached him, "it's about time you two got here!"

"Seth!" Jessica fell into his opened arms with an affectionate hug, "It's so wonderful to see you up and about!"

"You're not the only one with 'stuff' to do, Woman!"

His smile was big, his eyes were twinkling.

"Doc! What are you doing here?" Mort asked, also pleased to see him, as he went around to the driver's side of the squad car.

"Gonna join you on your investigation!" Seth told him, "You don't think I'd let you two do it alone, would you?"

"One can only hope..." Mort jested as Seth eyed him closely.

"Just for that comment, Mort," Seth pointedly said, as he opened the door on the passenger side, "I'm informin' you right now that I'LL be ridin' shotgun!"

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