Mirror Mirror

Preface

Amos and Ruby Connelly were sixty four years old and nearing sixty five that fall. They were planning their retirement and were as happy as any couple their age could be. He was a metal worker and general craftsman and she was a housewife. In addition to their work and homemaking duties they worked a small farm to help them build their retirement nest egg and Don, their son, lived next door to them in a small house that was part of the farm. He was a thirty three year old contractor with a growing business and the pride of their lives.

He was the pride of their lives right up to the moment they were murdered in their bedroom that cool fall night.

*

Chapter One

I was having dinner with Rachel, a woman I was dating, and my good friends Merle and Renee. It had been over nine months since I had found my parents murdered in their bed. It was a terrible shock and it took me a long time to recover from that awful experience but I was finally getting on with my life. We were having after dinner drinks at the restaurant when Merle asked me, "Have you decided what you'll do with the old house Don?"

"No."

"Still tough to go in there?"

"I don't go in there."

"Not at all?"

"Just a couple of times and I made it as far as the living room the second time before I went out, locked the door and didn't look back."

"Think you'll ever go back in there?"

"I have to do it some day I guess."

"Do they still suspect your nephew Ryan?"

"The last I heard they did but I think they're nuts. That kid is too much of a wimp to hurt anybody let alone murder his own aunt and uncle."

"Do they still think it was a robbery attempt?"

"Yeah but they're pretty sure whoever it was didn't get what they thought they'd find. The whole house was ransacked like they kept looking until they ran out of places to look."

"What a waste of two great people."

"You can say that again."

"Well if we can be of any help let us know."

"Thanks I appreciate that."

The subject was changed then when Rachel asked me, "You told us you were trying to connect with Travis Development how did that ever work out?"

"It's still working so I'm still in the running. I hope to hear something in the next few days."

"Good luck on that. It sounds like a big win for you if you get it."

"It could be the start of something very good for my little company." We'd all had more than enough to drink so we called it a night and went our separate ways and I took Rachel home and had a Coke with her before calling it a night.

I was in my office the next Monday morning when I got a call from Travis Development. I was almost holding my breath until I heard the secretary say,

"Mister Travis would like to meet with you. Would one o'clock be convenient for you?"

"I can make that."

"Okay I'll inform the Colonel then and we'll see you at one."

"Thanks goodbye." I was gentle as I hung up the phone but then let out several loud war whoops and jumped around the office. This would be the biggest project my little company had ever taken on and I was ready for it. I grabbed the phone and started making calls to several tradesmen that I had lined up if the deal went through with Travis. I put them on standby saying I'd know for sure by the end of the day and it was looking good for us. This would ensure them solid employment for many months to come and possibly for years to

come if everything went on schedule and the developers were satisfied with the quality of our work.

I was at Travis Development about fifteen minutes early and told the receptionist a lie when I said, "I was nearby so I just came early."

"That's fine Mister Connelly make your self comfortable." She snuck a few potato chips from her drawer and apologized saying, "Sorry, I'm still at lunch."

"Oh well then we can't be talking business." She smiled and just raised her eyebrows so I continued. "What's your name?"

"Paige" and she pointed at her name plate that I'd missed.

"Oh sorry."

She talked around her chips and said, "That's okay. I'm the Colonel's secretary and all around assistant."

"The colonel is one very lucky man then."

"Thank you."

"Is the colonel part real or for marketing?"

"Oh no he was a full colonel in the army, you'll see a few photos on his walls when you go in."

"I'll be sure to check them out. Got any tips for me?" She smiled yet again and feigned a whisper saying, "Be nice and tell the truth."

"Those are always good rules to follow."

Her phone rang and she said okay and got up. "Follow me Mister Connelly."

"Don please."

"Okay then Don this way." She led me just around the corner and through a door and announced me before closing the door behind me.

The colonel stood up and we shook hands as he said, "My assistants have done all the hard work but I wanted to meet you myself."

"Thank you for finding the time for me."

"So you think you can handle the project then?"

"Without a doubt. We'll do it right and on time."

"We're counting on that of course. You've had ample time to review the drawings?"

"In detail Colonel."

"Very good. I'll have Paige take you to the other office and they'll handle the paperwork."

"I hope calling you Colonel is satisfactory."

"Not necessary."

"I'd prefer to unless you object. You worked hard for the rank and deserve recognition. They don't pass out those shiny silver birds for your collar like door prizes."

"Thank you for the acknowledgement. I'm proud of my service to the Army. Did you serve?"

"Yes six years also army. Artillery."

"Good for you. It's nice to meet you, may I call you Don?"

"Please do."

"I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other in the coming months then Don and I look forward to working with you."

"Thank you. We're eager to show you what we can do." We shook hands again and I returned to Paige. "Hi remember me?"

"Yes I do as a matter of fact. If you'll follow me I'll turn you over to Walt and his paper shuffling." I smiled at her and thanked her for her help before she disappeared leaving me to Walt who was much less attractive to say nothing of the leg issue.

I took my time reviewing the paperwork and finally signed on all of the indicated lines and shook Mel's hand and left for home. I was on my cell phone even before I reached my truck and started calling my crews with the good news. I wanted to get them all together so I could give them a hard speech about quality and on time performance if they wanted to keep working. With those two qualities satisfied I could almost guarantee them of long term uninterrupted work at very competitive wages starting in just a few weeks.

It was late that night and I was almost asleep when my phone rang. "Don this is Earl across the street. You might want to know somebody is in the old house. I saw a small light dance around just a minute ago."

"Thanks Earl I'll call the police. I punched nine eleven and they were quick to respond. I waited until I was sure it was safe and walked across the lawn to the old house and found one of the officers. "Hi I'm the one that called."

"So this is your place then?"

"I own it yes." "We caught the young man inside trying to find something to steal. He made quite a mess."

"No it was like that before from a previous crime. The house has been empty for quite a few months."

"Oh I'm glad to know that. You better come inside with me then and have a look around."

"Uh...no that's okay. I'll see that the door is secured though."

"Are you sure?" "As long as his hands are empty I'm okay with that. Besides the power is off in there so it will be impossible to tell anyway."

"Okay. You're?"

"Don Connelly."

"Thank you Mister Connelly."

"Thanks to you guys for getting here so quickly." I made it back home and dropped into bed and went right to sleep.

*

Chapter Two

The next morning I did secure the door to the old house and called to have the electricity turned back on. But I still wasn't going inside to check it out. It just wasn't that important to me. I called the florist and ordered one red rose to be delivered to Paige just because she was so pretty and had been so supportive and nice and then spent the rest of the day in my office getting things lined up for the upcoming job with Travis. Late that afternoon all of the guys that I'd called showed up and we had a little meeting in my kitchen complete with ice cold beer and pizza. A little bribery never hurts. I gave them my speech and pushed my points hard. It wasn't likely I'd ever get this kind of chance again to make my company grow and in the process make my bank account grow. The last thing I did was name supervisors for my two crews. I wouldn't have time to deal with what else I had going on plus day to day supervision.

Within days of signing the contracts I received a call from Travis Development. "Mister Connelly this is Paige, the colonel's secretary calling."

"Hi Paige and you're supposed to call me Don remember?"

"I forgot. Oh and thank you very much for the rose. Anyway, I have that packet of drawings you were expecting and I was going to drop them off if it's convenient for you."

"I'll be here a good part of the day."

"Would four o'clock work?"

"I'll be looking for you. Do you need directions?"

"I'll call you if I get lost."

"See you at four then."

It was about five after when she rang my doorbell and when I opened the door she smiled and looked at her watch. "I got lost...but just for a minute or two."

She was too cute for words. I stepped back and said, "Come in, I have fresh coffee if you have time." "Thank you I can spare a few minutes for fresh coffee." I led her to my little office which was actually my living room and told her to make herself comfortable as I went for coffee. When I returned I put a tray down with our coffee and cream and sugar and said, "I know this isn't much of an office but I haven't decided what I want to do about it."

I watched her to see how she drank her coffee just in case she came by again and she said, "Well if it works for you that's all that matters."

She drank her coffee black. "Well I do need more office space and it would be nice to have my living room back."

"Too bad you don't live in that big house next door."

"That was my parents house, this is all part of their little farm."

"You say that was? They don't live there anymore?"

"No they were murdered last fall."

I watched as her cup stopped at her lips and she looked at me. "Oh my God really?"

"I found them in their bedroom."

She put her cup down without drinking and looked at me and said, "I'm so sorry...I..."

"Thanks. I know I still can't believe it myself even after all this time."

"Did they find who was responsible?"

"They never have."

"I'm sorry that's rude of me to make you talk about it."

"I'm okay talking about it, I just can't make myself go into the house even now."

"I, um what will you do with the house?"

"I'm still undecided about that. Don't be uncomfortable Paige it's good for me to talk about it."

"It's just such a shock."

"Believe me I understand. There's just no simple or gentle way to tell somebody."

"No I guess not but what a shame though. And that big house just sitting there too."

"The murderer tore the place up looking for something to steal and I never even cleaned it up."

"So it's just as you found it."

"Pretty much." She continued to look at me, most likely trying to decide if she should stop asking questions or maybe just leave. "On a lighter note, what's it like working for the colonel?"

"He's okay. He can get ornery some times but it never lasts and I learned early on not to take it too seriously. I think it's the old commander mentality sneaking out. He knows all he has to do is say something and I'll see that it's done." Paige set her cup down and said, "Well I better get going I have one more stop to make before I can go home."

I walked her to the door and said, "Thanks for bringing that over."

"My pleasure Don. She stopped and turned around to face me, which put the old house just in her peripheral vision to her left and she said, "I really am sorry about your parents."

"Thank you."

She looked toward the house for several seconds and smiled. "That house has such a warm homey look to it." It was still a couple of seconds before she turned back to me and smiled. "Bye Don. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming months."

"I hope so." I watched her get in her little car and she was soon tearing off down the road.

The next few weeks went pretty smoothly for me but we were just starting the rough framing of the two houses for Travis Development. I knew from experience that there would be change orders coming and arguments with suppliers or the architect or somebody before too long. I had dinner with Rachel Friday night and half way through the meal she said, "You seem preoccupied or something."

"Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind. I quoted the Travis project pretty tightly because I wanted to get my foot in the door with them. Because of that I have to be damn sure everything goes by the numbers if I want to see any profit from all of the work."

"I just wanted to make sure you felt okay."

"I'm fine and I'm sorry to be such dull company."

"That's okay. Job stress seems to be the order of the day for most of us anymore."

"There's more than enough of it."

I was riding my crews hard but in spite of that we were just a couple of days ahead of what I wanted to see. At least we weren't running behind and nobody could complain about the quality either. I had just left the first building site and was headed for the second one when I got a call. When I opened the phone I saw who it was but kept it professional saying, "Connelly Construction."

"Don it's Paige."

"Hi what's up?"

"I heard a rumor about you and I just wanted to confirm it."

"I'm pretty sure I'm innocent of all charges but go ahead."

"I heard that you're having a feast at your place for the crew that completes their framing first."

"I don't know where you heard that but it's true."

"I told the colonel and he was impressed with your tactics."

"It's a tactic I'm sure he used in the Army more than once. I'm on my way to check my second crew and if I'm right they are the winners. The feast will be next Sunday afternoon. Care to join us?"

"Me be the only woman among a whole crew of construction guys? I'm not that crazy."

"I'll protect you with my life. We're having ribs from Bubba's and cole slaw, beer and chips and more."

"I'll think about it."

"Food will be there at one so you better be here before then for the best seat."

"Oh no I'd stay standing so I could escape faster if needed."

"Well think about it. Bubba's ribs are the best you'll ever find. Oh and the beer will be ice cold."

"Hot summer Sunday in Knoxville and ice cold beer and ribs. You make it pretty tempting."

"Give it some thought."

"I will. Oh I know I have a couple of change orders that I was going to fax to you. I'll bring those and make it a business call."

"That's perfect, see you then. Oh and tell the colonel he's invited too."

"I'll do that."

*

Chapter Three

By noon Sunday I had my backyard set up for the feast. There were two coolers crammed full of cold beer and ice along with a few soft drinks. The food was delivered and just as the catering truck pulled away my crew pulled in. It took them about thirty seconds to find the beer coolers. It was no more than ten minutes later that Paige followed the noise and appeared around the corner of my house. I saw her out of the corner of my eye and called out, "Hey, glad you came." Everybody looked and saw Paige just as she saw the three wives that had come with my guys.

Her first act was to slap my shoulder hard and say, "You led me to believe I was the only woman coming."

When they saw me getting hit they all applauded and whistled and I laughed. "I wanted to see if you had the nerve to come anyway."

"That was so dirty." I lightly put my hand on her back and introduced her to everybody and got her a beer. Paige helped me spread the food and for the next hour we all ate too much and while the others worked on the beer supply Paige insisted on helping me pick up the leftovers and take them inside. As we stuffed paper plates and napkins in a trash bag Paige said, "Judging from the beer and food consumption I'd say your feast was a success."

"They're a hard working group so they earned this."

"I have to think it will guarantee their loyalty and continued hard work too."

"I hope so. We always have something like this for everybody at the end of a project too. It doesn't cost me a lot and I think it really helps the cohesion of the teams."

"God you sound like the colonel."

"Maybe we think a lot alike because of our Army background."

"Maybe so." She rinsed her hands off and said, "I stopped in front of your other house for a few minutes as I came by and just looked at it."

"That really bothered you didn't it?"

"It did."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry for me. It's just such an awful thing to have to experience both for them and for you."

"So what went through your mind as you sat there in front of the house?"

"I think your parents would be sad if they knew their home was just sitting idle like that."

I smiled at her and said, "Oh great. Now I have the burden of guilt too."

"Well you asked and that is what came to me."

"Want to go over and see it?"

"Would it bother you a lot?"

"I'd be okay."

"Then yes."

"Want a beer to go?"

"Sure." I grabbed two beers from the refrigerator and we went out the front door and walked the couple of hundred feet next door.

We stood about thirty feet out from it and looked at it. There was a large porch that wrapped across the far half of the house that opened larger and went across the front of the large eat in kitchen. "Paige, the room to your left is the

living room and then the one right behind the porch is the kitchen. Behind the kitchen is the dining room and then there are two bedrooms with a Jack and Jill bathroom between them."

"The Jack and Jill bathroom sounds pretty modern."

"I did that for them for their fortieth anniversary. Upstairs is another bedroom and bathroom and Mom's sewing and craft room. Still want to see inside?"

"Don if you'd rather not I certainly understand."

"No as long as I don't go to the bedroom and we don't stay long I'll be okay." I smiled and added, "Of course it would help if you held my hand." She just smiled and without commenting took my hand in hers as we approached the front door. I unlocked the door and Paige led the way into the entryway and the living room. I stood behind her and let her look around in silence. The living room hadn't been ransacked so other than the heavy coat of dust it looked perfectly normal.

I watched as she tentatively touched a few things and studied the room from ceiling to floor. She looked over her shoulder at me and smiled and said, "It's just like I pictured it to be." We made our way through the dining room and into the old kitchen and she saw where things had been pulled from the cupboards and tossed around. At least the dishes hadn't been taken out and broken. I had opened and emptied the refrigerator right after the murders and it still stood as I had left it. Paige still held my hand as we stood in the middle of the room in silence until I said, "I won't go back to the bedrooms but if you want you can." "Is it...I mean did they..."

"No that was cleaned up by a company from Knoxville and the bed is gone."

"Okay" and she eased down the hall and looked into both bedrooms while I made my way back to the front door and waited for her. I watched her reappear and come over to me and take my hand in both of hers.