With Cruel Intent (22 page)

might speak to Seymour?” her voice

quivered slightly, as she made the request.

“So would I,” his mother said

back into the receiver. “Never get much of

a chance to see him these days, I think he

sleeps here cause his bed is tussled in the

mornin’ and food is missing from the

fridge but he’s nothing more than a ghost

around here, I'm afraid.”

“Sorry to hear it,” Blanche

sincerely responded.

“Can I take a message or you

could try his cell?”

“He’s got a cell phone?” she

questioned, wishing she had had that

information before trying his home.

On his fixed income and school

expenses she hadn’t imagined he could

afford a phone as well, but then again

every kid eight and older had a cell phone

these days.

“Yup, not for very long. Would

you like the number?”

“That would be helpful, thank

you,” her pulse slowing, with the cheerful

mood of the call.

“You ready? 229-412-3838, don’t

have any idea where he is tonight but you

are welcome to give him a try. Do you

mind me asking what this is in reference

to?” his mother questioned the stranger.

“No, not at all, this is Blanche

Delaney, I work with Seymour at the

library. I just had a couple of work related

questions for him. While I’ve got you, I

must tell you, he’s a very courteous young

man and a pleasure to work with.”

“Thank you, thank you very much,

it’s nice to hear once in awhile that your

efforts are paying off. Hasn’t been easy

‘round here since his father passed but

don’t know what I'd do without him. I’ve

heard him talk about you. You the pretty

red haired woman?”

Blanche could feel her cheeks

warming and reflexively turning red, “I

guess you could say my hair is a shade of

red, everybody else at the library is

graying so guess that would be me.”

“Well, this here boy of mine has

got a tender heart and I believe a pretty

big crush on you. I’d appreciate it if you’d

be careful with his feelings,” his mother

said, worried that she had perhaps

overstepped her bounds but forging ahead

anyway.

“No, no, it’s not like that at all,

just needing to talk about some shift

changes we’re considering and I needed

his input.”

“Well that’s fine, he’s a grown

man and all, but just don’t want to see him

get hurt, if you know what I mean,” the

concerned mother continued.

“I

certainly

appreciate

your

concern and will do all I can to avoid

causing your son any distress,” Blanche

replied. “Thanks for the phone number and

it was nice talking with you Mrs. Wood,

good night.”

His mother’s tone gave her pause.

The phone shook in her hand as she

considered both the up and down sides of

making the call. Her mind made up she

pressed the digits and lifted the small

phone to her ear, a pause much longer than

she expected, then a ring, ring, ring, ring,

finally someone picked up at the other

end.

“Hello Blanche, that really you?”

the voice said.

“Yeah, it’s really me, how are

you?” she excitedly said into her cellular.

“I can’t believe you’ve finally

found time to phone me, thought maybe

you’d forgotten about your best friend,”

Holly said.

“Never, no way, just been so crazy

with trying to get my life settled here and

everything. You know how it can be?”

Blanche responded.

The old friends picked up their

conversation like it had been yesterday

that they had talked last. The librarian

filled her friend in on what she’d been

doing, information about the job and the

area. Holly was anxious to hear all that

but was more than a little interested to

hear about Blanche’s love life.

“So, I can tell you’ve been

avoiding the topic, but what about the men

out there, any Southern Gentleman calling

on you,” she said, with a distinctively fake

Southern accent.

Blanche filled her in on meeting

Jasper and Rufus, and the bodybuilding

thing that was happening the next day, as

well as her run-in with Mikey and

company.

“Blanche, you have got to be more

careful, a babelicious little nugget like

yourself is gonna attract every swingin’

dick in the county with a pea-sized brain

controlling it,” Holly said laughing at her

end.

“You sure know how to turn a

phrase Holly, and with so much tact as

well.”

They continued to joke with one

another for some time not realizing how

long they’d been talking or how much this

call would cost Blanche. At the end of the

call, Holly tried to be a bit more serious,

expressing love and true concern for her

friend located so far away.

“Really Blanche, how are you, you

okay?”

“Holly, I have to tell you, I really

miss you and everybody there, but moving

here is the best thing I think I’ve ever

done. I love my job, Valdosta is great, and

I’ve had this funny feeling lately, it’s hard

to describe, but I think it’s what happiness

must feel like,” Blanche expressed.

She lay back on her bed and

continued, saying more than she had

intended to, “And I’ve met a young guy

that makes me feel good, makes me feel

special. Not so much in a love interest

kind of way, but just makes me feel

important and that I make a difference.”

“Blanche, I’m so happy for you

and glad that it’s going well there. I miss

you too, but I know you did what you

knew you had to. So tell me, how much

younger is he. What’s his name? You

know, all the good stuff.” Holly anxiously

awaited the answers.

“Well, he’s only 24, so that’s why

I said he can’t really be a love interest or

anything, but his name is Seymour,

Seymour Wood,” Blanche detailed.

A loud laugh burst through the line

that originated in Arizona and wound up in

Georgia causing Blanche to push the

phone away from her ear. Holly went on

for what seemed like a minute or two

before she could get herself under control.

“What? What’s so funny about a

young guy maybe being into me, it’s only 9

years. I’ve seen worse and the fact that

I’m his boss shouldn’t have anything to do

with it.”

Holly

finally

contained

her

laughter and continued to snicker when

she replied, “Oh Blanche, you are just too

cute and naive. I think it’s great that

you’ve got a younger admirer. Hold on a

minute, did you just say you’re his boss.

Oh that’s perfect, just perfect,” she started

laughing again.

“What is so damn funny?” Blanche

was starting to get a little irritated that her

friend was having so much fun at her

expense.

“It’s not that at all, it’s his name.

Seymour Wood,” Holly chucked into the

phone.

“I don’t get it, what’s the deal?”

“Are you serious, Blanche? You

are kidding right?” her friend asked.

“No, I know it’s an old school

name but I don’t find it that funny.”

“Blanche listen, k. Just listen. See

More Wood,” Holly said, with distinct

gaps in the syllables.

“Yeah, so what?”

Holly was stupefied, “Wood,

Blanche, Wood. His last name is Wood!

You know erection, stiff dick, hardon,

woody.....See More Wood.”

“Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh, Holly!

I’d never even..., oh that is kind of funny.

Bet he gets crap for that all the time.”

The two shared a good laugh that

only the best of friends can share; all that

was missing was the extended hug that

should follow.

After having caught up with each

other, and everything, the two parted, a

promise to talk again soon. Blanche

placed the phone on the bed next to her,

new thoughts flooding her mind, thoughts

of home, Holly and Seymour.

“Seymour Wood,” she said it out

loud, and laughed again before getting

ready for bed.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Sheriff, can you give us any more

information about the nature of the crime

and the injuries sustained by the victim?”

the reporter for the newspaper inquired.

Sheriff Angelo Lupo, or 'The Wolf'

as he was known by his fellow officers,

stood before a handful of reporters

gathered at the front steps of the Lowndes

County Sheriff’s Office, a two story

structure with offices, conference area and

a computerized dispatch room. The two-

acre facility was dotted with other

buildings, including a minimum-security

lockup, motor pool and forensics labs

with an annex to the main structure. There

were a cluster of microphones arrayed

before him that he didn’t feel was

necessary, but the techno types had

insisted.

“Now I know you all are anxious

to get the details about the crime in

question but we are not prepared to share

very much with the public at this time. I

can tell you that we believe the episode a

short time ago, involving Ms. Riddle, and

this latest event are linked. We believe

they perhaps involve the same individual

or individuals. Our investigation is

ongoing but for now our leads are limited

and we could use your help in getting the

word out to the public to report anything

suspicious, and to double check that their

homes are secure before turning in for the

night. We are not releasing the name of the

most recent victim but we can report and

stress that she was not harmed as the

crime was perpetrated. She was taken to

the hospital with minor injuries from a fall

she took once she discovered the nature of

the crime and she has since been released.

Our office will be conducting the

investigation with the cooperation of the

Valdosta Police Department and the State

Police if necessary. The crime was

committed beyond the city limits and that

is why our department is involved. You’ll

note that we had responders from several

jurisdictions yesterday and we’d like to

thank all those involved that helped us

secure the scene, and who are and will

help, in the processing of clues found at

the location.”

A balding, mousey little reporter

interrupted the Sheriff, “So there are some

clues that were left at the scene?”

The broad chested Sheriff stared

the reporter down, not accustomed to

being interrupted, “I said, we are not

prepared to release any details at this time

and I’ll take a couple of questions but

nothing related to the scene, victim or our

investigation at large.”

The same diminutive reporter

spoke

up,

a

high

pitched

whine

accentuating

his

nasal

tone,

“You

indicated that you believe the Riddle

woman and this latest crime are somehow

related, can you expand on that thought?”

“Not at this time. Next question,”

Angelo curtly replied, wondering if the

dogs in the back were having issues with

the reporter’s voice.

A beautiful, young and very eager

woman stepped forward, her hand waving

in the air, “Sheriff are you able to clarify

the nature of the crime. We’d like to

inform the public if their safety is at risk?

Secondly, does your department handle

this type of crime regularly and are you

equipped to deal with a serial criminal as

it seems we have here?”

“Let me first say that the Lowndes

County Sheriff Department is perfectly

capable of dealing with this type of

criminal behavior. We have seasoned

veterans on our staff that have worked

similar cases and I have no doubt that we

will bring the perpetrator to justice