Why Not Murder

5. Missing

5. Missing

Maya took the train from town to arrive at the city of Marhaven. It was a journey of several hours, strikingly beautiful through thick evergreen forest. Now and then they crossed a large river on steel and wooden bridges. Sometimes a small river ran parallel to the train. The day was so clear, mountains were visible in the far distance. Now and then wildlife could be seen by the tracks and Maya regretted how dangerous the train was for them. There was no highway from Maple to the Marhaven.

Why did Wyler, the dead man, use stolen ID? How had he acquired it? Who was he? Most importantly, why did he end up dead in Hudson's car at the bottom of the cliff nose-dived into the lake? At this point Maya was assuming that Wyler had stolen the car but she needed to confirm that. She had to prevent assumptions from unconsciously ruling her thinking and thereby covering up the truth. Maya was enjoying this mystery and appreciated how it distracted her mind from constantly mourning the loss of her husband and child, like little windows opening out from the sadness.

As the train pulled into the city, station workers on the platforms made ready to load it up with supplies and return to the town. Maya disembarked amid rushing people. What uncomfortable feelings swept over her. She was not used to being around so many people, all of them stressed for one reason or another. The stress was contagious and it was like being swarmed by a cloud of hungry mosquitos all seeking a bite out of you. She felt like this the entire time she was in the city. There was no escaping it. It was in the air she was breathing. She left the station and walked in the sun to Wyler's address which she had obtained from the police missing persons book. Fortunately, it was not far away and in a half-hour she was there. It was a large three story house, about two hundred years old, maintained with care, in a neighbourhood of similar houses. A thick flowering bush surrounded the front yard and nearly hid the front gate. A sign on the gate warned of guard dogs running free in the yard. Maya entered anyway and was immediately rushed by two German Shepherds, who as soon as they got near Maya, started wagging their tails, barking a friendly bark and licking her hands. Maya had a lucky way with dogs. Beside the front door there were a three buzzers for the various apartments within. She scanned the names and pressed the buzzer for Roberts. No answer. She tried a number of times. The curtains on the first floor window that viewed the front door parted and a man and a woman were looking at her. The woman was speaking to her through the intercom.

"Yes," the woman said.

"I'm looking for Wyler Roberts," Maya said.

"He hasn't been around here for months," the woman answered.

"This is his address, isn't it?" Maya asked.

"Maybe. He just hasn't been here for ages," the woman responded.

"Do you know where he is?" Maya asked.

"Why do you need to know?" the woman replied.

"I work for a law firm and it's about a will inheritance," Maya said while thinking to herself 'another lie'.

"His wife is away most of the time," the woman answered, " She'd probably be at her work at this hour. We look after this place when she's not here."

"Do you know where she works? It is imperative that I speak to her and find Wyler Roberts," Maya insisted, "Do you know why Wyler hasn't been here for so many months?" He hadn't been seen by this couple for a time quite prior to his death.

The woman was helpful and said, "We think he split because of his wife's affair. One night there was a terrible fight when Wyler came home and found his wife, Heather's her name, with her lover. They weren't doing anything incriminating she claimed. We couldn't help but hear them yelling and screaming so loud you could have heard them blocks away. Heather and her lover were denying the affair but Wyler apparently didn't believe them. We haven't seen him since."