Nigel Nelson and the Artist | #Wattys2019

Nigel Nelson and the Artist - Chapter 9

                                       Chapter 9

"I missed something. I just know that I've missed something," I said sitting on the edge of my bed.

"How do you know that you missed something?" asked Taylor sitting next to me.

"I was hit in the head. Bella Burns had something that was key to the case in her home. I was holding a Faberge egg when I was hit on the head when we were standing in her home."

"Who is the number one suspect in the two deaths so far?" asked Taylor.

"Mrs. Plenty is the only one so far, but Tilly McCrans is gnawing at the back of my mind," I replied.

"What happens if the murderer is neither?"

"What? What do you mean? Who else is there on the list that could be a possibility?" I asked trying to go through events in my mind.

"What would happen if it was Mr. Plenty? Why have you ruled him out?" asked Taylor.

"Mr. Plenty died in my arms when we were on the street."

"I think that we need to go to the Gala and see who we can talk to. You need to see what else you can find from Bella Burns's home," said Taylor.

"I just got you back and I'm not leaving you."

"You and Hammond need to go figure out what you missed. I will be fine."

"I will be back as soon as I can," I said as I left her. Hammond was out in the living room and was ready to go.    

"Where are we going this morning?" asked Hammond.

"I missed something at Bella Burns place. I need to go see what it was that she knew about the case that was worth killing for," I responded. I called the Captain to have him open the home of Bella Burns.

"Captain, I need the home of Bella Burns opened so I can see what I missed the other day when I got hit on the head."

"You mean when you got knocked out cold and we had to risk life and limb to try and get you back?" asked the Captain.

"Yes, that would be the time to which I was referring."

"Sure, meet me there and I'll let you back in. They are about to clean the place and release it to be leased again. The body is no longer there, but the scene is preserved to the best of what we could after you were taken," said the Captain.

"Perfect, I'll meet you there to look into the bits and pieces I've missed," I said.

"You're taking me along, aren't you?" asked Hammond.

"Yeah man, I have to have my best friend there. Not to mention that you bring a refreshing angle to just about everything," I replied as I opened the car door.

"Who do you think the murderer is?" asked Hammond inquisitively.

"I think that it's Robert's ex-girlfriend, Tilly McCrans."

"Hmmm...I got this funny suspicion that it is still Mrs. Plenty. She seems to be the only one that has a motive for killing anyone," said Hammond.

"She is not the only one that has a motive. Tilly has motives that are even more passionate than that of Robert's or Mrs. Plenty. She is the odd person out that wants Robert back and she will stop and nothing to get him back, even to death. Mrs.Plenty does have a powerful motive as well as Robert, but Robert died in my arms the other day. Mrs. Plenty was going to collect on Mr. Plenty's death, I'm sure of it. I would be willing to bet that Tilly is our murderer. Tilly killed Bella because she thought that she was Mrs. Plenty. In hopes that she was right, she would have been clear of Mrs. Plenty and she would be able to steal Mrs. Plenty's possessions that she had in her apartment."

"Something tells me that Robert isn't as dead as everyone would like to believe. I mean, could you imagine the payout if he were to die? It would be millions. I imagine Robert getting tired of Mrs. Plenty and he tried to off her. Then he wants to take up where he and Tilly left off back in the day with the money that he would stand to make after faking his own death and killing his wife."

"The only problem with your whole scenario is that you have no proof that Robert is still alive. I don't have proof that Tilly of Gwendolyn is the murderer either, but what I do have is an opportunity to look at Bella's possessions and home before they wipe everything clean. I will be able to figure out for sure who the would-be murderers are."

We pulled up to Bella's place and got out of the car. There appeared to be a dark presence about the place as if the building itself could feel the weight of sins that were committed behind its walls. Everything seemed to droop. I saw a neighbor watering their outdoor plants. He waved and smiled at Hammond and me.

"I wonder what he could possibly know about this whole affair," said Hammond.

"I'm not sure, but he seems awful eager to let us know that he exists by the smile on his face. He must know something," I replied.

"Hello, can you help us?" asked Hammond motioning the guy to come over to us. He dropped the hose and jogged over to where we were.

"I can help, certainly. Whatever you need to make the bust on the murderer," said the man.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"My name is Jimmy Morgan."

"What can you tell me about yourself, Jimmy?" I asked.

"I have watched this neighborhood for several years now. I know the comings and goings of just about everyone here. Bella had strange work hours. She would work a couple hours and then come home. Then, she would go out for a while again and come home," replied Jimmy.

"You do know that she was a criminologist, a chemist, and a forensic team member, right?" asked Hammond.

"Yeah, I know that she was into that sort of thing, but what person do you know that goes to work and comes home a couple hours later and then leaves again?" asked Jimmy.

"I actually don't know of any people," I replied. I examined Jimmy with a fine tooth comb.

My eye was drawn to a grease stain on his shirt, a scratch down his leg and a raspberry that had formed on his cheek. He was nice as could be and seemed helpful, but something was fishy about him. He smelled of tuna, cigarettes, and herbs. One of his flip flops had a bit of something sticky on the bottom of them because when he walked one foot lagged behind. His hair was something of a messed up fohawk and he had a little bit a goatee.

My mind instantly went to a woodsy place as I smelled an earthy scent coming off of his hands. His hands were completely filthy and his shorts were a little bit too short for my taste.

"Jimmy, do you know of anyone that would have wanted to hurt Bella?" asked Hammond.

"No man. She was a kind and sweet person that had time for everyone. She was someone that shared a lot of my same interests. Why would anyone want to kill her?" asked Jimmy getting tears in his eyes.

"That's what we are trying to figure out Jimmy. Can I ask you a really personal question?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Do you like mushrooms?" I asked raising one of my eyebrows. A big warm smile came to Jimmy's face and I knew the reason he was fishy.

"I totally dig mushrooms man. How did you know I love shrooms?" asked Jimmy giving me a handshake, a hug and pat on the back.

"Do you know someone named Gwendolyn Plenty?" asked Hammond.

"I don't know the name itself. There was a woman that went into Bella's home. She was a bigger woman," said Jimmy.

"Are you sure that it was a woman that you saw?" asked Hammond.

"No," said Jimmy. "I'm not."