Murder for Hire

Murder For Hire

Linda was puzzled when she heard a car pull into her drive. Living far out in the country on a large farm, her house was the only one on her road and she seldom had anyone just drop in. She was not expecting anyone. Getting up from her writing desk, she walked to the window and looking out saw a man she did not recognize getting out of a pickup. Maybe her husband had sent him to do some work and she started to the door to inquire about his business when she noticed something that disturbed her. He had a crowbar he had taken from his toolbox, but the thing that worried her was the pistol he held in his other hand. This was not good, she thought and watched as he walked up to a window and looked into the dining room, then started toward the back of the house.

Knowing she needed to protect herself, she went quickly to the bedroom and took the 9mm automatic and clip from the night table drawer. Jamming the clip into the gun she snapped a round into the chamber and headed up the stairs. He may only want to make a quick theft of something he could hock and if that were the case, he probably would stay on the first floor. However, if he had other things in mind, she wanted to encounter him on her own terms so as to have a greater chance for survival.

The house was a two-story farmhouse built in the 1870’s and renovated by her and her husband. The main living area was on the first floor with only a couple of bedrooms and some storage areas on the second. The stairs ended on the second floor on a large landing that gave access to the rooms. Arriving there, she surveyed the area looking for the best place to make her defense. Amazingly, she was calm and thinking clearly as she considered her options. She thought about using one of the bedrooms where she could get behind a bed and shoot him as he came through the door. However, she would be unable to see him until he actually came through the door. If he eliminated the other rooms first he would know she was there and would have the advantage. Kicking the door open suddenly would cause her to shoot giving away her position. No, that was not the best.

She was beginning to feel anxious about her situation when she realized where the best location was. Grabbing a thick comforter from the bed she spread it out, leaving it rumpled on the floor. Then taking some clothes, sheets, and towels, she scattered them randomly over the comforter and placed a clothes hamper on one side. When she had finished, it looked as if someone were sorting clothes for the laundry. Then she crawled under it, leaving an opening so she could see him as he came up the stairs. But, she realized if she moved even a little to aim the gun, he might catch the movement. She had to block his view, but keep her vantage of being able to watch him coming up the stairs. Running back into the bedroom she grabbed a small table and set it on the floor in front of the comforter and crawled back under. Now, she could see out from under the comforter and after he was on the third or fourth step from the top, his head would be high enough so the tabletop would block his sight line to her upper torso, and she could raise up somewhat without him seeing her.

As she lay on the floor she could hear him moving around on the first floor. Old houses have creaks and groans and living in this one for 12 years had acquainted her with every board that creaked and the sound it made. She could tell he was in the living room near a closet, but she needed to make him think she was in one of the upstairs bedrooms unaware that he was in the house. If his plans involved her, that would draw him up the stairs on her terms. However, if his plan was just to grab something to sell for quick cash, the knowledge that another person was in the house might cause him to leave.

Taking off her shoe, she gently tossed it into the bedroom. It bounced on the bed and fell to the floor with a dull thud. Almost immediately she heard him moving and then the first step on the stairs creaked its signature sound. Her heart was pounding because she knew this was a life and death situation. In the next few minutes one of them would be dead. She quickly said a silent prayer and thought of the irony about praying that God would help her kill this man.

What he had come for and why he had chosen her house, she did not know. She ran through lists of people who worked for her and Roy, her husband, through the last several years and could think of no one that should want to harm them. Besides, when she looked out at him in the yard, he was a total stranger. Did he see the large farm and think they had money in the house? She did not know, but whatever his reason for being there, she had resolved to end his search.

Her heart rate and blood pressure jumped as she saw the hair on his head rise above the landing, and then his eyes. She hoped he did not look at her camouflaged pile of clothes and see her, but he seemed oblivious to it as his head moved from side to side scanning the landing and doors. She stayed perfectly still as he slowly continued to take one step at a time. Soon his head rose so the little table blocked his view of the lump of comforter that hid her head. Slowly she raised the 9mm and aiming dead center at his chest, squeezed the trigger. As the bullet exploded from the cylinder, the recoil caused her to fire a second time slamming the intruder backward down the stairs into the wall on the bottom landing.

Worrying about the possibility he might get up and come back up the stairs, she threw off the comforter and knocking the table out of her way, ran to the top of the stairs with her gun cocked and ready. Looking down she saw him crumpled against the wall on the lower landing. Concern that he might not be dead, she slowly walked down the stairs with the gun still cocked and aimed. Carefully she approached him and felt the pulse at his neck. He was dead.

She felt a sense of regret that she had killed him, but was comforted reminding herself that had she not shot him, she would be dead or possibly raped and dead. Better him than her.

She wondered about him and seeing some papers in his shirt pocket, pulled them out, hoping there might be a clue as to why. There were three small notes. The first had her name, address and a map to her house, so she knew this was not a random burglary or attack. He had come with the plan of getting her for some reason. The second note had $10,000 with a line under it and $5,000 under the line. The third note had her husband’s first name and a telephone number that she recognized as his cell phone. She looked back at the first note and recognized her husband’s handwriting.

He had sent this guy to kill her! Why? She had no clue, but one thing for sure, she was not going to confront him with the information she had.

“Ten thousand dollars,” she thought. “That’s all I’m worth. My husband contracted to have me killed for one month of his salary! Wait a minute. That five thousand dollars on the note is probably the down payment. This guy has five thousand dollars from my husband. I wonder…” she mused.

She quickly went through his pockets and found truck his keys. Grabbing some gloves she searched the pickup. Finally she opened the toolbox behind the cab and there was an envelop from her husband’s bank with fifty new one hundred dollar bills in it. She took it, and relocking the toolbox, went back in the house and replaced the keys in the man’s pockets. Suddenly she had an urge to kick this low-life in the face, but caught herself before she did. Putting the notes in the envelop with the cash, she hid it in her lingerie drawer and dialed the sheriff’s office.

When someone answered, she said excitedly, “Hello, uh, uh, this is Linda Hardisten. Please come quickly. A man just broke in my house and I shot him. I think he’s dead. Hurry! Please!”

“Yes man,” the officer said, “An officer is on the way. Now you just stay on the line. Are you OK? Did this man hurt you?”

He kept talking with her as she let her emotions go, weeping often and sounding very upset and frightened. Soon, she heard the sirens of the Sheriff’s cars and excused herself to meet the deputies.

They came in and checking the man confirmed that he was dead. One of the male deputies along with a female deputy led her into the den and began to question her.

“Mrs. Hardisten, tell us what happened?” the man said.

I was in the bedroom,” she began tearfully, her voice cracking, “when I heard a window break. I stepped out of the room and heard the door being unlocked and pushed open. I ran back into room and I don’t know why I even thought of it, but Roy keeps a gun in the night table. I grabbed it and ran up stairs because I thought maybe he was here just to steal a TV, VCR or something he could hock and then he would be gone. Upstairs I grabbed an old comforter and I got in the corner and pulled it over me like it was just a pile of clothes and stuff in the corner. But I had it so I could watch the stairs with one eye. I could hear him moving around on the first floor and I figured he was looking for valuables. I though he went in my bedroom and I thought he took my jewelry box, but then I heard him on the stairs. He must have not known I was here cause he was not trying to be quiet with his walking around. Anyway, when he came up the stairs and was almost to the top step, I must have moved because he brought his gun up to aim at me and when he did I panicked and closed my eyes and pulled the trigger. I think it fired twice. I knew any minute he was going to shoot me cause I had no idea I would hit him, and I heard him hit the floor. I thought I had probably just wounded him and I jumped up and run in the bedroom locking the door and pushing the bed up against it. I wished there were a phone up here, but there isn’t and after about 30 minutes, since I hadn’t heard anything downstairs I thought he must be badly hurt or had left. I slowly came out the door and when I got to the stairs I saw him in a heap on the floor and I went down and kicked his foot a couple of times before I figured he was dead. Then I called you. Oh, Lord what’s gonna happen. I’ve never kill anyone. I’m afraid I’m never going to get over this.”

“Now, now, Mrs. Hardisten,” the deputy said, “You did the right thing. This man would have probably killed you or worse raped and killed you. He might have even kidnapped you and drug you around with him and a week, but eventually he would have killed you.”

Just then, Roy Hardisten drove up to the house, jumped out of his car and ran inside. Seeing a deputy he demanded to know if his wife was OK.

“Yes, Mr. Hardisten,” the deputy said, “She’s OK. She’s in the den talking with Deputies Johnstone and Brown.”

As he entered, Linda jumped to her feet and ran to him.

“Oh, Roy, this was terrible. A man broke in the house with a gun!” she cried. “I don’t know why he came here. Go look at him and see if it’s someone you might know. Maybe someone you refused a loan or had some business dealing with who has a grudge against you!”

“I’ll go look in a minute, honey,” he said, “But first, are you OK? Are you hurt?”

“Oh, I’m fine physically, Roy, but emotionally I’m a wreck,” she said.

“Your wife is a dead shot, Mr. Hardisten. She blew his heart open with two slugs within an inch a part,” the deputy explained.

“I didn’t know you could even shoot that gun.” Roy said.

Roy had bought the gun to keep at home for protection. He had tried to teach Linda how to use it, but she couldn’t hit with it and seemed frightened of it. Several months later, she had decided to see if she could shoot it and after several attempts became more comfortable. She bought more ammunition and practiced every week until she could hit tin cans with regularity. She had planned to surprise Roy about her success, but just never remembered to tell him about it. Now she was glad she hadn’t.

“I can’t,” she lied. “I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger once. It was pure luck that I hit that man and the kick from the gun made me shoot a second time. Luck was smiling on me. Maybe I ought to go to the casino with that kind of luck,” she joked.

“Look, honey,” he said sympathetically, “I have to go back to the bank for about an hour. Why don’t you go with me and we’ll grab something to eat in town. I hate for you to stay here by yourself.”

“No, Roy, I refused to let scum like this drive me from my house. I can’t leave it forever; you go to the bank, take care of your business and come home when you’re finish. I’ll stay here. Besides I got my trusty gun,” she said smiling.

“OK, but I’ll pick something up for supper so you don’t have to cook,” he offered.

“No, I already have supper prepared. I put a roast on this morning with potatoes and carrots. All I have to do is fix the rice and make the salad. Take care of your business and come home at the normal time.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she answered.

So Roy went back to the bank and Linda stayed to answer questions as the forensic officers completed their investigation and left. As she waited for Roy to return home, she thought about why he would want to kill her. Normally, she assumed, there were two reasons why a husband would do it. One, if he were having money problems in an attempt to collect insurance. However their insurance would not pay for a murder and she was well acquainted with their basic finances and they were doing well. The farm was making a profit and with bonuses and incentives, Roy earned between one hundred and one hundred-fifty thousand a year as president of the bank. In addition to that, they had extensive investments that were doing well.

The second reason was an affair. She did not really believe that was a valid reason either, however, she knew it was the odds-on favorite. How could she prove or disprove it?

The next day, she took a ride to Willow Falls, a city of seventy to eighty thousand people. There she talked with a private detective company, which led her to a surveillance company that had various kinds of ease dropping and spying equipment. She learned of a device she could purchase that would record his conversations on his cell-phone and a camera and voice recorder. All these would be installed in his truck since that’s where he stayed when not at work or home, and another device would be placed in the house that would download the information each night on an FM frequency.

The only catch is that she had to take his truck to have it installed. So, she went by her favorite furniture store and selected a bookcase and purchased it. She made an appointment to pick it up the next day.

That night, she asked Roy if she could use his truck to get the bookcase and he readily agreed saying that she needed something new to get her mind off what happened the day before. So, the next day at one o’clock she changed vehicles with him and drove to Willow Falls. There, she went by the surveillance store and had the equipment installed.

The cameras were mounted behind panels and used fiber optic lens that looked through a pinhole. One was mounted on either side of the cab and programmed to alternately take a picture every minute between the hours of 2:00 pm and 9:00 pm. The pictures were stored digitally on a hard drive along with the audio recording during the same hours. The salesman suggested those because they semed to hold the most potential for incriminating evidence. He also showed her the cell-phone bug and explained how to mount it in the phone. It would transmit to the same hard drive in the truck anytime he used the phone within a hundred feet. He would have to be near or in his truck to capture the conversation, however, since the truck was parked right outside his office, he was seldom more than a hundred feet away at anytime.

Roy did not know, but he was purchasing the equipment to ease drop on himself because she paid for these devices with the money taken from the assassin.

After picking up the bookcase she returned home and when Roy arrived he moved the bookcase into the house for her.

The next day when he arrived home, she went into the den where the stereo was and activated the download from Roy’s truck. The device looked like a Stereo tuner and since Roy had no interest in the stereo, there as little chance he would ever notice it was there or wonder what it was. The data was downloaded to a hard drive located in the device and then burned on a CD.

Roy informed her he had to go back to the bank for a meeting and it gave her an opportunity to check the data she had downloaded.

When she opened the photo file on her computer, there was nothing of importance, mostly pictures of an empty truck and the audio from the truck recorder was likewise unenlightening. However, when she listened to the cell-phone messages there was an interesting one. A lady Roy called Myra called and said she would meet him tonight in the usual place. So that’s what the bank meeting is about, she thought.

When he returned, it was after ten o’clock.

“How was the meeting?” she called as he passed the den.

“Long, boring and pointless, in my opinion,” he answered. “I’m going to take a bath and go to bed, I have more of the same tomorrow.”

While he was bathing, she downloaded the new information, and when he was in bed, she burned a CD and popped it in the computer.

The first pictures were of Roy as he drove. But after about thirty-five pictures, a woman’s face suddenly appeared. Linda did not know her, but guessed she was about ten to fifteen years younger than she and Roy.

“So this is the lady worth killing for?” Linda half said to herself.

She wondered where they were going, and then she realized the outside scenery had not changed. There would be pictures of a kiss and hands in different positions until one showed his hand on her breast. Then a few pictures later her dress was off her shoulder revealing her naked breasts. Suddenly they were not there anymore. Then in one picture she realized where they had gone. They were lying in the seat having sex.

Looking again at the outside scenery, she realized she could see a car and assumed it belonged to the woman, Myra. Enhancing the images from both cameras, she was able to determine where they were parked.

“Good Lord!” she exclaimed. “They’re parked in a cotton field having sex like two hormone charged high school kids! I can’t believe he wouldn’t spring for a motel in Willow Falls!”

Soon the pictures showed them sitting up again, a little disheveled and clothes in disarray. Picture by picture they became properly dressed and the last picture showed Myra exiting the truck.

Linda laughed to herself as she listened to the audiotape to the sounds of their lovemaking. “Myra was quite a noisy lover who liked dirty talk and hard sex or maybe she was just trying to keep old Roy revved up. Maybe that’s what attracted him to her, or maybe it was the fact that she would do it in a truck seat in the cotton field. Kind of took him back to his youth,” she thought and smiled at the image it conjured up in her mind.

She filed the CD in the safe she purchased along with the other equipment yesterday. A plan was beginning to form in her mind. They both were going to regret their actions.

First, she needed technical information about a drug she had read about. It was often used in date rape, but was manufactured for veterinary medicine to be used as a sedative for animals. Getting it would not be difficult, she would simply ask her vet to give her some for her dog so he could travel more comfortably with her to Florida.

Next, she talked Roy into agreeing to a float trip down Big Rock Creek, a trip they had made many time. Until a few years ago, they had enjoyed the outdoors, camping, fishing and boating. Big Rock Creek had been one of their favorite trips and they had on several occasions camped on a broad sandbar about half way on the four-hour trip. But for this trip, she had convinced him to go on Saturday morning, floating to the sandbar for a sack lunch and then using the motor to return back to their starting point.

Other items she needed were duck tape, Roy’s old alligator upper and lower jaws, some rope, a bed sheet and a few other assorted items. Saturday morning came beautifully with sunny skies and mild temperatures. Roy would have no excuse to back out of this trip.

Fixing his breakfast, she removed the drug, Ketamine and administered the proper dosage to his eggs. Then she added a bit more to his grits, just in case. He was dressed in his camping clothes when he came in the breakfast area. Taking a cup of coffee he drank the strong black liquid to wake him up, then sat down and consumed his entire breakfast without comments.

Ketamine is a sedative and if enough is administered it can be used as an anesthesia. But normally it makes the person very lethargic and compliant. Suddenly, he began to complain of being tired, but Linda told him he would perk up once they reached the creek. He thought a minute and agreed with her. She had everything ready, so she helped him get up and walk to his pickup. By the time they arrived at the truck, he was unable to move and she helped him crawl into the bed of the pickup where he drifted off into a light sleep.

Taking the bed sheet, she wrapped it around his torso, leaving his hands, head and feet out. Then she took the duct tape and taped him securely from his shoulders to past his knees so that when she had finished, he looked like a mummy. She stacked the supplies around and on top of him to hide him, and then took a dummy she had made by stuffing some of his clothes with rags and set it in the passenger’s side of the truck, putting his cap on it to make anyone who saw them think he was sitting in the truck.

With the camper shell on the truck’s bed, no one could see what was hidden there as she pulled out of her driveway and headed to the creek. She took a round about way so a few folks would see them heading out towing the boat. As she pulled into the trail to the creek where she would launch the boat, a couple of fishermen were just pulling out and waved at Linda and the dummy in the truck. Her timing was certainly perfect and by the time they got to the creek, Roy was rousing a little and began to complain of being tied up. Linda ignored him as she prepared the boat with all the supplies. Then she took the dummy apart and folded the clothes neatly, laying them in the cab of the truck.

Roy was a fairly large man and she could not handle him with his weight. In order to get him out of the truck, she tied a rope to his feet and the rope to a tree, and then gunning the truck motor pulled away from the tree, dragging him out and dropping him unceremoniously on the ground. Roy complained loudly about his treatment, but his protests fell on deaf ears as she prepared the other items she needed.

Finally Linda came over and sitting down by Roy said, “Well, Roy sweetheart, I’m sure your wondering what all this is about, though you shouldn’t.”

“Linda, honey, I am at a loss why you’re doing this. Just cut this tape off me and we’ll forget it all happened,” he said.

“Can’t do that, Roy,” she said. “See, I could forgive a lot of things, but when you and Miss Cotton Patch whore, Myra, sent Bubba to kill me, well, that just put the hair in the butter.”

“Linda, what are you talking about? Do you think I sent that guy who broke into our house to kill you?” he said in his most convincing tone. “Surely you don’t think I would do that?”

“Not only do I think you would do it, but I got the directions to our house in your handwriting, the note that you paid him $5,000 down on the job and your name and cell phone number all on the papers he had in his pocket. And not only that, I got the $5,000 you paid him in an envelop with your bank name on it. Want to protest your guilt any more?” she said with finality.

“But Linda, all that is circumstantial. He could have just written all that because he was getting a loan and then got the cash from our bank so it would be in one of our envelops.”

“Wrong again, Roy. The directions were in your handwriting. I’ve looked at enough notes from you to recognize your writing. By the way, I had someone over in Willow Falls compare that note with another note you wrote to me and they, too, said you wrote both notes. But, the clincher in this whole sordid affair is that I have a phone conversation, as well as a conversation in your truck where you and Miss Myra discussed your options since Jo Jo was unable “to kill the bitch.” Now do you think you can convince me of your innocence?” she said with a chuckle.

“If you have all that evidence, why didn’t you just give it to the sheriff?” he asked.

“The wheels of justice grind slow and while they may eventually achieve some measure of justice, my justice grinds completely, and it’s quicker, harsher and grinds it up into little bitty particles. And when it’s completed, you can’t put it back together. Roy, when I’m finished, little Miss Cotton Patch is going to be ruined forever and you, Roy, are going to be dead.”

At those words, Roy’s face blanched white as he realized this woman who had been so genteel, kind and sweet when he had married her, was now vindictive, hard and totally uncaring for what happened to him. As a matter of fact, she was going to enjoy it and there was nothing for him to say as tears welled up in his eyes. He wanted to cry and beg for his life, but he knew it would all be for naught; in his pride he did not want to give her the satisfaction.

Linda went to the truck and got the alligator mouth. Roy had gotten it somewhere in his travels. She had no idea where or for what reason he had gotten it, but it was going to be handy now. It contained both the top and lower jaw and was hinged with a steel rod so it could be opened and closed. All the teeth were still in the jaw, big and as razor sharp as they had been when they still belonged to the gator.

Linda came and stood over him and said, “Roy, I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to enjoy this final hour of our time together, so feel free to yell and cry or whatever you want to do.”

He was perplexed because then she started undressing. As she took off her clothing, she folded it neatly and laid it inside the truck cab.

“What are you doing?” he asked. Do you think you’re going to titillate me with your naked body? “

“Oh, no, Roy, I just don’t want any blood to get on my clothing. You see, blood will wash off skin, but you can never get all of it out of cloth. I’d hate for the sheriff to wonder how blood got on my clothing when I report that an alligator got you,” she said chuckling with the most evil laugh.

Until she raised the opened alligator jaw and struck him in the face with those sharp teeth, he had not noticed it. Then she raised and struck him again and repeatedly struck him making his face a bloody mess. At times she would clamp the jaws over his head making corresponding teeth marks on each side of his head, nose, ears, hands, etc. as if an alligator had bitten him. Finally one blow punctured his jugular and blood spurted. Quickly she pushed his upper torso into the water submerging his head. She knew for the autopsy to be accurate, water had to be in his lungs. He trashed about briefly, and then was still.

She jumped into the creek and rinsed the blood from her body, dressed and finished loading the boat with the supplies they would have taken on the trip down the creek. Then because she could not wrestle him in and out of the boat, she used a piece of rope to tie him to the boat by his legs. She knew of a spot down the creek where a large tree had fallen into the water and there she would stuff him under the limbs. Since bodies will float, she knew she could tow him behind the boat and use a cane pole to guide him around any stumps or logs in the water.

She was almost at the spot, she had decided not to use the motor so she would not attract any attention should someone be near the creek, when she looked back to make sure Roy was following the boat as he should. That’s when she noticed it. The largest alligator she had ever seen on the creek following the boat. She didn’t know what to do. Then she saw a second gator behind the first. She was creating the potential for a feeding frenzy. Even though she was planning to use the story of a gator pulling Roy under, the truth was that although one occasionally did come up the creek from the river, it was not often. Here there were two large ones trailing Roy.

As the first gator submerged, she suddenly realized she had a rope looped around Roy’s feet, and she would have trouble explaining that rope to the deputies who recovered his body. The last thing she wanted was suspicious law officers probing into the minute details looking for some thread of evidence his death was not a horrible accident. But it was too late as Roy was suddenly dragged under the water and immediately a fight broke out under the boat as the two gators fought over Roy’s body. Linda hung onto the sides of the boat as it pitched forward and side-to-side as the thrashing gators wrestled below. She knew any minute she was going to be pitched into the water where she would be fresh meat for the gator fight that was already going on. Finally, they established which was the dominant gator and the rope Linda had tied to the boat tightened up and began to pull her down stream. She had over a hundred feet of rope and began to play out slack believing the alligators would eventually stop their feeding and release Roy.

After about three-fourths of the rope was out, it occurred that they could wrap the rope around a submerged log and she might never get him back to the surface. She needed a body so the legal matters could be settled and so she could untie his legs. So she stopped releasing the rope and let the boat be pulled along with the gators. Probably they were headed to their den, which might be on the river, a long way from where she was now.

As she passed a stump in the river, without thinking about the consequences, she looped the end of the rope over it. Suddenly the rope went taut as the gators reached the end of its length. They jerked and pulled for several minutes, then the rope slacked up and Linda was not sure if they broke the rope or pulled Roy out of the loop on his legs. She hoped they had given up as she began pulling on the rope.

There was definitely something on the rope and she hoped at least some of Roy was left for an ID. Finally, she saw the body break the surface and saw his hands and part of his arms were missing, probably pulled off by the gators. Maybe that was enough to satisfy the gators and then she noticed there was damage to other parts of the body that she had not inflicted.

She decided to tow the body back up the river to the general area she had planned to leave the body, however, she was not going to get into the water and try to put the body under the old tree as originally planned. She did not want to encounter the gators in the water.

Arriving at the location she pushed the body into the top of a fallen tree and hoped it would entangle him enough that the gators, should they return, could not get him completely out. Then she headed back up the creek to the launching spot.

Once at the place where the truck was, she pulled the boat up on the bank and leaving everything in it began gathering up evidence she would have to discard. That included the alligator jaw, the sheet and tape so she threw them into the truck. She also took a camping shovel and dug up the blood spots from the sand and threw it into the creek. Satisfied there was nothing she had overlooked, she got in the truck for the trip back to town.

On the way, she stopped along the road and took the alligator jaw and smashed it on a rock. She tossed some of it in the bushes there and other parts along the road as she traveled. Stopping at another small stream she tossed part of the sheet into it and the rest into a briar patch. The duct tape went into another thicket along the road. When she reached a small country store she stopped and ran inside screaming, “An alligator got my husband! Help me, please!”

The owner thought he recognized her said, “Calm down, lady. What alligator and where did this happen?”

“On Big Rock. We were floating down to the sandbar…please call the sheriff!” she pleaded breathlessly.

“OK, lady. What’s your name?”

“Oh, I’m Linda Hardisten and my husband is Roy Hardisten.”

The owner made the phone call and she seemed to calm down as he gave her some coffee. She kept mumbling about how terrible it was and what was she going to do with a big farm and all the business that she knew nothing about.

She was a convincing actress and when the sheriff’s department arrived she delivered another stellar performance. Her story was that she and her husband were planning to float down to the big sandbar, have a sack lunch while enjoying the beauty of the area, and then return to their truck by mid-afternoon. But as they were floating along, he had just picked up his cell phone to make a call, when they struck what she thought was a log in the creek. The boat pitched up and rolled sideways throwing both into the creek. Her husband was helping her get back into the boat when suddenly he screamed and went under the water. He came up shortly spitting water and gasping as she was pulling herself back into the boat, saying something about an alligator. Then he disappeared under the water again and the water boiled around the boat. She said she saw what looked like the tip of an alligator tail break the surface and then there was blood in the water. She called for him and even probed the water with an oar for a while, but gave up and started the motor and came back to the truck.

With the sheriff’s department officers that included two scuba divers, she returned to the creek. Linda said she was afraid to get back into a boat and tried to describe the area where it happened. The officers explained that the boat they had was larger and would not be upset by an alligator and so she reluctantly got into the boat with them. Down stream, she showed them where Roy fell in and disappeared and the scuba divers got into the water over Linda’s protest. She “did not want to be the reason for another person being killed by an alligator.” It took less than an hour to find Roy’s body, which was still in the treetop where she had left it. It had submerged a little, and the two gators had returned and were still fighting as they tried to disentangle him from the branches. Both of gators were shot by the deputies before they could recover the body.

There was no doubt how he died in the minds of the sheriff’s deputies since they found him with the gators. However, prior to the actual recovery from the water, they took Linda back to the launch spot, because they were afraid her genteel nature could not stand the shock of seeing her husband’s body in the condition it was. When they came back, they had him in a body bag and said they had made a positive ID. It was definitely Roy Hardisten. He would be taken to the morgue and though there was no doubt as to how he died, an autopsy would be done, because the law required it in these situations.

Linda returned home, called the funeral home to let them know of Roy’s death and asked them to call the morgue to make arrangements to get the body. She would come by the funeral home on Monday to make all the arrangements since today she was still in shock.

Life was hectic; she had to remember she was the bereaved widow in public, while in private a new single person full of life and potential. But she got through all of it. She called her lawyer to settle Roy’s business and make the legal changes to her name, which included the probate of his will.

She also finally identified the mysterious Myra. It turned out she worked in a coffee shop not far from the bank, but actually lived in Willow Falls. She had met Roy at the coffee shop and immediately went after him. During the reading of the will she had attended, because Roy had mentioned her and left a small amount of money to her. Linda questioned why her husband would be leaving money to a total stranger and Myra, in her anxiety of losing the gift and other possible gifts from Roy’s estate, blurted out that Roy was in love with her.

Rising to her feet, Linda said, “In love with you! My dear, Roy just three days before he was killed, said to me, “Linda, I have to confess that I have been involved with a little trollop from the coffee shop near the bank. But it was only sex and that’s over. Let’s you and I take a float trip like we used to on Big Rock Creek and get our marriage back to where it was two years ago.” So, my dear, Roy was just using you. He was not in love with you. He was in love with what you can do on your back! And furthermore, I do not intend for you to get a single dime from his estate. As a matter of fact, I hold you responsible for his death. Had you not wormed your way into my husband’s bed or more appropriately, his back seat, we probably would not have felt the need to go on the float trip and that alligator would not have killed him. My lawyer will be investigating to see what charges I can bring against you!” and sat down.

Knowing she had made a mistake in her statement, Myra got up and left hurriedly.

After the reading of the will, Linda met with her lawyer and his staff.

“Hiram,” she began, “How long have you been doing mine and Roy’s legal work?”

“Twenty something years, Linda,” he replied.

“Well, this is the most important legal work you will ever handle for me. I want you to kick that little whore out of this will and out of my life. I simply can’t abide that trollop!”

“That shouldn’t be too hard,” Hiram said, “She has so much as said she was trying to destroy your marriage.”

“I want you to research Roy’s business holdings. I want to know if he purchased anything recently that he might have given to her,” Linda instructed.

“That shouldn’t be too difficult. As his wife and inheritor of most of his assets, you have only to give us a power of attorney to look at his business.”

“Done!” said Linda. “You draw up the papers and I’ll sign them. I want this done as quickly as possible.”

A few days later, she arrived at her lawyer’s office to see the results of the search.

“Linda,” Hiram began as he handed her some papers, “ you were right about Miss Myra. Roy cashed two CDs for $50,000+ each and purchased two new CD’s in the name of Myra Jean Muloy.”

“That lousy…” she started, but caught herself.

“He also purchased a beach house in Tampa, FL, filled it with furniture, and purchased two vehicles and a boat for it. The house is in his and Myra Jean Muloy names. In a review of his personal checking account, we have totaled the checks written to her and the total amount is $126,000. In addition, he has a checking account in Tampa on which both he and she have authority to sign and the balance is approximately $75,000. The good news is that account is styled in his name only but with her being able to sign checks. We presented a death certificate to the bank and that account is now blocked. Linda, it appears that Roy was indeed planning to leave you.”

“Oh, I had surmised that, Hiram. I am certain if Roy had not been killed so tragically, he would have left and you and I would be talking about divorce options instead of this mess. Hiram, I just can’t understand why Roy would run after this little trollop that’s almost half his age.”

“No, you wouldn’t, Linda,” he said, “It’s a man thing. Something about losing his grip on youth, a midlife crisis.”

“Midlife crisis,” she snarled, “When I had my midlife crisis, I went out, bought a new outfit, had my hair redone, had a facial, bought a new red convertible, let the top down and drove around town. The next day I wished I hadn’t bought the car, but otherwise I was fine.”

“Like I said, Linda, it’s a guy thing.”

“OK, what do we do because I don’t want her to have any of this,” stated Linda.

“We attack the will’s provision from the perspective that she was an interloper only playing up to an aging man who was losing his youth in an attempt to unfairly take advantage of him and take resources away that rightfully belonged to you, his legal and faithful wife.”

“That sounds like a good one. What are our chances of winning it?” she asked.

“Pretty good,” responded Hiram. “It’s not a lock, but I’d say we have the percentages on our side.”

“Well, I guess that’s all there is to it. Let’s go get her,” said Linda as she got up from her chair.

Two months later, the trial began. It would take about a week for Hiram to present the great deal of evidence he had assembled and he wanted to lay it out in a logical manner so the jury could fully understand and appreciate the deception Myra used. He would paint Miss Myra Jean Muloy as a gold digger pure and simple.

The first day of court was spent with a lot of procedural moves on both parts and then Hiram began to lay out the case. Several bank employees gave testimony that she came to the bank often and always wanted to speak with the president, Mr. Roy Hardisten. Her business with Roy always took a lot of time and was done behind closed doors. The progression of the relationship was revealed and then the data of all the funds that were transferred and property purchased in his and her name. Slowly but sure Miss Myra Jean Muloy was looking more and more like a opportunistic gold digger seeking to destroy the marriage between Linda and Roy Hardisten in order to profit herself.

After two days of court, Myra’s attorney called a conference with her and his partner.

“Myra,” he began, “This is not going as well as we had hoped. Hiram is slowly painting us into a corner and we are not going to have any leverage to defeat this case. We had better try to settle, because if it continues much longer in this manner, we won’t have any position from which to bargain.”

“You mean we’re going to lose this case?” she asked.

“Precisely,” he replied. We’ve got to settle before it goes to the jury.”

She asked that he try to preserve as much of her assets as possible and her attorney immediately called Hiram to set a conference for the next morning. He then began looking for ways to set the stage for saving as much as he could for Myra.

Hiram immediately drove out to see Linda with the good news.

“Aw gee,” replied Linda, “And I so wanted to see her nose rubbed in it. Well, what now?”

“We need to decide what we are going to compromise and what we will require for us to settle,” he said.

“OK, here’s what I want to settle. One, she signs over all the property Roy bought and/or gave to her. Two, she returns the $126,000 he gave her and third, she relinquishes all claims now and future against Roy’s estate,” she said folding her arms.

“Linda, that’s not a compromise. That’s total surrender. We have to offer this girl something to make it worth her while to end this case.”

“OK, Hiram,” she said resigning herself to the fact she couldn’t get it all, “Get as much of the $126,000 as possible.”

The next morning, Hiram met with Myra’s attorney.

“Hiram,” he said, “What do we need to do to settle this?”

“Oh, Bill, it’s won’t be hard,” he said, “Your client just needs to sign a Quit Claim to all the property Roy bought in his and her name, return the $126,000 Roy gave to her and give up all claims she might have against Roy’s estate.”

“Hell, Hiram, that’s not a settlement, that’s financial ruin, ” Bill said. “Surely you’re not serious. What incentive is there to settle? That’s what you’re asking the court to do.”

“I’m dead serious, Bill. What’s the incentive to settle?” he said. “I’ll tell you. Settle now and we won’t go after the money she took out of the checking account she had signing authority on.”

“You have no claim on that money anyway,” Bill said. “ No matter what you and Linda may think, she got that money while Roy was alive and had opportunity to stop it.”

“That’s one way to look at it, but there are others also,” said Hiram.

“Is this the only offer you have?” asked Bill.

“That’s all I’m authorized to offer at this time. We may alter our offer after today, so if you want to discuss it again this afternoon or tomorrow morning, I’ll be happy to reserve that possibility on my calendar.” Hiram said.

“Well, Hiram. I’ll discuss this with my client and my partner and let’s schedule a meeting today at four to see where we are at that time,” said Bill as he closed his legal pad.

“Gotcha down,” said Hiram as he left the room.

The court case continued to go in the direction it was headed, strengthening Linda’s case. She was feeling very good about the prospects of winning a pretty complete victory, but as they discussed the settlement, Hiram continued to push her to give up something to force Myra and her attorney to settle.

“Linda,” Hiram started, “We need to settle this case. It is going well. Bill, her attorney, and myself, both feel you are going to win this case pretty completely, but it would be in your best interest to settle.”

“Why, Hiram?” Linda asked.

“Because you can never be one hundred percent sure of any jury,” he said. “And, Bill Hartwell is no pushover. He knows how to use that silver tongue of his to sway a jury. Who knows what he will pull out of his hat if he has to fight this case to the end. Believe me, he’s saving something to sway this jury to Myra and against you. No, you never want a case to go to the jury if you can help it.”

“Well, what do you think I should give up?” she asked.

“For starters, let’s give up the $126,000. I know that’s a lot of money, but it’s be a small price to pay to get all this property free and clear and the commitment to never ever file a claim against Roy’s estate.”

As Linda was about to agree with that compromise, the door opened and in walked Fred Green, Hiram’s investigator. Fred was a retired Marine Captain who had worked in the investigative branch of the Marine Corp Military Police. Following retirement, he had worked for a time with the State Police as a detective, and had retired from that to work for Hiram on an as needed basis so he could have more time with his family.

“Are ya’ll working on the settlement?” he asked as he entered.

“Yes,” answered Hiram, “and I think we pretty much have it worked out. I think they’ll accept this.”

“Well, I have some information that may change whatever you’ve decided.”

“Oh?” said, Hiram. “What do you have?”

“Well,” he began his story, “I was over in a little bar on Azalea having a beer. There was a guy named Alvin sitting next to me. I’ve never see him before and he obviously did not know me, but he commented on this case. He had obviously been following it and had even sat in on some of the testimony. He said and I quote, “There’s something fishy about this whole thing with this husband being killed and now the wife suing the girlfriend.” Well, I asked why he thought that and he said because the girlfriend tried to hire him to kill the wife before the husband was killed.”

Hiram dropped his pencil and starring at Fred said, “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Fred returned, “Those were his exact words. When I told him who I was and who I worked for, he looked as if he had just stepped in a hole full of snakes and quickly said, “Hey, if I get subpoenaed, I’m gonna have the biggest case of amnesia you ever saw. I won’t know you, I will never have been in this bar before and I may not even recall my own name.”

“Did he say she knew him or was he just someone she met once?” asked Hiram.

“I’m not one hundred percent sure, but he referred to her as ‘Myra’ off and on throughout our conversation, and I found a connection between the two,” he said pausing for effect.
”They both worked at United Manufacturing a few years ago.”

“Did you by chance get his full name?” asked Hiram.

“He is Alvin Foley,” Fred said. “I don’t have an address, but I gathered he comes in that bar fairly often.”

“How confident are you that he’s telling the truth?” Hiram asked.

“Again, no real hard evidence, but I believe him. Don’t think he was just blowing smoke.”

“OK,” said Hiram with a big grin, “He doesn’t have to be willing to testify. If this is true, Myra will know it and will take the bait and the threat will make her agree to our terms. After all, this is a crime that could net her 20 years in prison if it’s proven. Fred, see if you can get anything else to back his statements up with some hard facts.”

Hiram immediately called Bill Hartwell and informed him they needed to meet and that Myra needed to be at the meeting because he was bringing some information on the settlement and wanted to get it completed today. Bill thought this meant they were ready to give up some more.

When they arrived and were settled around the large table in Bill Hartwell’s office, Hiram spoke first.

“Bill, did you discuss the settlement proposal we discuss yesterday with your client, Ms. Muloy?”

“Yes, I shared it with her and I must say she didn’t think any more of it than I did,” he said.

“Fine,” said Hiram, “I have brought papers already drawn up and that proposal I gave to you yesterday is the one that we’re all going to sign and accept today.”

“Now, wait a minute, Hiram!” Bill demanded. You said you were bringing a different proposal for us to consider and I gathered from our conversation on the phone, it was going to be substantially more generous than what you proposed yesterday. Now what are you doing?”

“It is substantially more generous than before, but not in the manner you’re thinking. I’m going to share that with you and Ms. Muloy now,” he said and then turning to Myra, “Do you know Mr. Alvin Foley?”

“I…don’t think I know a Mr. Alvin Foley,” she said, he face blanching slightly.

“Well, Mr. Foley knows you and I think you know him quiet well, however to refresh your memory, let me tell you about him. He is…”

“Hiram,” Bill Hartwell interrupted, “What’s this all about?”

“All in good time, Bill, all in good time. Now, Ms. Muloy, as I was saying, he is about 5’10” and about 185 lbs, worked at United the same time you did and you attempted to contract him to murder Linda Hardisten. Now, do you remember him?”

“Hiram!” Bill shouted, “This is preposterous!”

“No it’s not, Bill,” said Hiram. “We’ve been working on this for some time and we finally found the man. There was an attempt on Mrs. Hardisten’s life, but it wasn’t this man because the man that did attempt to kill her is six feet under. We have not made a definite connection on that one yet, but we’re working on it and I think we will connect it back to Ms. Muloy. However, we have a definite connection on this one, so I am suggesting that you sign these papers agreeing to all our requests and end this trial now.”

“Hiram,” Bill pleaded, “Will you step out in my outer office and let us discuss this. We’ll have an answer for you shortly.”

“Sure, Bill, I’ll be glad to. However, I will wait not more than five minutes and if I don’t have these papers signed in my hand, I’m going to the police with the information I have and let them deal with Ms. Muloy. And, we’ll take out chances in court with this case.”

As he walked out of the office, Hiram wished he could be a fly on the wall and listen in on the conversation between this attorney and client. He could only imagine what Bill was saying to Ms. Muloy; he knew it would be direct. He also was hoping the bluff caught hold and they did not question him too much, since he did not know where Mr. Foley was plus the fact that he probably would not cooperate with the police. However, Ms. Muloy knew the basic facts were correct and it should be enough to force her to abandon her claims.

When the five minutes were almost over, Bill’s secretary asked him to step back into the office.

“Hiram, Ms. Muloy has decided to accept your proposal, but we need a little clarification. One, if she signs the settlement, what will you do with the information about Mr. Foley?”

“Well, Bill, I can’t answer than totally. We discussed it but did not come to a full decision. I can say that I will do all in my influence to have the information discarded, however, I cannot control what my client will do.”

“Hiram, that’s poppycock. You know well and good that you reached a decision on that matter. Now, will you commit to discarding the information or not?”

“You know this is a difficult one. To solicit for murder is a crime in this state and you and I are part of the legal system. You are protected because she is your client, but I’m out on a limb. If I don’t report it and if it is revealed that I didn’t, I’ve got a serious liability. Help me out on this one, Bill, give me some rationale.”

“Well, Hiram,” Bill began, “This is a gray area. You could claim it was not clear if the offer or solicitation was legitimate. It's kind of a fuzzy. Do you think Mr. Foley might proceed without your help?”

“Well, I think Alvin might be relieved if he didn’t have to testify. He’s a patriotic citizen and would, of course, want to do what is right, however he might be relieved to be out from under the obligation.”

“So, you’re going to forget about it if she signs the paper?” he asked.

“Sure,” responded Hiram.

“Second,” said Bill, “will you give up any claim to the money she received from the checking account while Roy was still alive and one emerald ring?”

“What is the value of the ring?” asked Hiram.

“About, uh, $1200,” Bill said looking at Myra for confirmation.

“Well, I don’t know. I may have to check this out,” he said.

Bill got up from his desk and walked over to where Hiram sat and leaning over whispered in his ear, “For God’s sake, Hiram, she has to have money to pay my legal bill.”

“OK, Bill, I guess I can twist Linda’s arm enough to get that approved.”

“Good,” said Bill. “If you will wait five minutes, I’ll have my secretary type those amendments to the agreement and we can all sign them.”

The changes didn’t take long to get ready and soon Bill was back with the papers for all to sign. When the signing was completed, Hiram took his copies and left humming inside.

He called Linda and let her know of the settlement and the changes. She was disappointed that Myra got even the ring, but did not complain.

“I hope that ring was one Roy bought for her and not one he took from my jewelry,” she said.

“Doesn’t matter,” said Hiram, “I’ll buy you a emerald that cost twice as much as that one.”

“Wonderful,” she said, “And did you buy the plane tickets?”

“Got them right here in my pocket,” Hiram said, “We leave next Sunday night from New Orleans and fly directly to Porta Plata on the Dominican Republic north shore.”

“Oh, it’s going to be wonderful. We can have two celebrations. One is for winning the court case, and the second for our engagement. How long did you say we had to wait before we can be married?

“We better make it about a year,” he suggested.

“I guess a year is OK, after all, we’ve already waited three years!” she said. “Oh, I’ve got to carry my dog to my sisters in Willow Falls this Saturday. I hope that medication my vet gave me will help him relax and travel easier. And I’ll see you in New Orleans at the airport on Sunday afternoon.”