The Nakamura Letters, page 3
part #7 of Professor Molly Mysteries Series
Emma Kano`opomaika`i Nakamura
to Molly
Eh, thanks for the article on false confessions. I didn’t even think of that angle. I guess it puts things in perspective. So maybe Priscilla Hodges, if that’s who wrote it, had a guilty conscience about something. She might’ve even blamed herself for her brother’s death or something.
I can’t remember exactly what it said now. Did she literally write that she killed someone, or did she just say she was responsible for someone dying? I guess I should just haul my lazy carcass upstairs and find the note so I can check for myself.
…
Well now I can’t find the stupid note. I thought I remembered putting it right on top of the nightstand but now it’s not anywhere. Nettie comes into the house sometimes. Maybe she was doing that thing cats do where they go onto a shelf and bat everything onto the ground. Last time (and I do mean the last time cause I’m not going there again) I went to visit my college roommate, her cat got on the bathroom counter and swatted all my stuff off. I found my deodorant floating in the toilet.
Oh I know what though. I can drive down to the church and check the gravestones to see when the brother Titus Hodges died. Then if I ever find the stupid note I can compare the dates. Not sure what that’ll tell us, but it’s something to do anyway. Long as I’m stuck up here thanks to the stupid burning truck.
Now, let’s go over what you told me:
So it’s two in the afternoon, you hear banging on the back door, it’s your gardener. He says he found Kayla in the shed unconscious with a burning cigarette on the ground next to her. (OK, you were right about that, she was sneaking out to smoke. Chalk one up for your suspicious mind.) Now, was she lying on the ground, sitting up, what? See if you can find out. I can’t think of any biting insect here that could kill someone, but maybe that’s something to look into.
Does the gardener have a motive? I mean probably not, but you can look into it.
Unfortunately your gardener messed up the crime scene when he moved her. Probably left his footprints all over the place.
What happened to the cigarette? Did the police take it? If I could get down there I could bring it into my lab and see if there’s anything in there that shouldn’t be. Did someone poison it?
DID YOU? JK I know you didn’t. Probably.
Did you look inside the shed after they took the body away? Better yet let Donnie do it, just in case there’s something toxic in there. He’s not breastfeeding.
Anyway, I still haven’t found the Confession Letter. But: I was looking in the storage closet in the back for a trowel, and there was an inside door that’s locked. I brought my bolt cutters (the ones I told Yoshi the Women’s Studies department was handing out, he still believes it LOL) and cut off the lock and guess what was inside: No not skeletons or anything like that but a big pile of old books. Holy anticlimax! They look pretty old, though so they’re probably worth something.
Emma Nakamura, PhD
Professor of Biology
Mahina State University
mahina.edu
-----------------
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
Carl Sagan (1934-1996)
Chapter Nineteen
Emma Kano`opomaika`I Nakamura
to Molly
Remember I told you I found a closet full of old books yesterday? I didn’t like seeing them outside where they could get moldy so I brought them in. The books…are not what I’d expect at the home of a pastor, let’s put it that way.
I actually went out to look for Betty’s camp today. Is that weird? I wanted to ask her if she knew anything about the books. I mean, if those were the ones Priscilla Hodges didn’t throw away, I sure would like to know how bad they’d have to be to get tossed over the cliff.
But before I could find Betty, the park ranger, Ellie, found me.
I still didn’t want to tell her about the note, especially now that I don’t have it anymore cause she’d think I was just making it up. So I cleverly told her I thought Betty had said something about a murder although I could’ve misheard, and I asked her had she heard anything about it. She said no, but also that this place was pretty isolated and lots of stuff could’ve happened without anyone noticing. Then she told me even now she’s pretty much the closest thing to law enforcement we have up here, so that was really reassuring.
I was going to tell her about the books I found but I decided not to. Cause when you think about it, how is that even worth talking about? Oh, I was in a house and guess what I found BOOKS. And if I told her I cut off a padlock to get to them then that sounds like I’m confessing to B&E. So I just kept my mouth shut.
I also didn’t tell her that someone has been calling me on the stupid landline EVERY SINGLE NIGHT (yes, it’s true) and that I heard crying outside the house again and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the cat (I heard it again when Nettie was with me, and it definitely sounded like human sobbing). Cause that would make me sound crazy.
I did ask her if she’d seen Betty and whether Betty was okay (between you and me I don’t think she’s okay at all; I’m starting to suspect Betty’s the one who’s been calling me and hanging up, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d let herself in and was poking around too. Who knows how long it’s been since the keys were changed?) Anyway Ellie said she’d check on Betty later, and that was that.
So I didn’t get to ask Betty about the books. I really want to talk to her now. This is what else I’d ask her, while I’m at it:
1. Who was the woman Priscilla (thinks she) killed?
2. Where is the body, if there is one?
3. What was the motive?
4. Did you take the note from my bedroom?
5. What’s the deal with the books?
Emma Nakamura, PhD
Professor of Biology
Mahina State University
mahina.edu
-----------------
This is an era of specialists, each of whom sees his own problem and is unaware of or intolerant of the larger frame into which it fits.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
Chapter Twenty
Emma Kano`opomaika`i Nakamura
to Molly
I’m so sorry I had to miss Kayla’s memorial service. I hope you told everyone I’m literally stuck behind a burning truck, otherwise I would’ve come down for sure.
So Donnie finally went to check out the shed? That’s good, although he doesn’t have your obsessive attention to detail. I’m not surprised he didn’t find anything out of the ordinary.
But yeah, I get why you don’t want to go in there. I mean, Kayla died in there and we still don’t know what killed her.
So:
Gardening tools, an old bicycle, hedge clippings, pesticide, weed killer.
Seems like the only thing in there that might kill someone without leaving a mark would be the pesticides. Although you didn’t see her close up, did you?
I’m sure it was some kind of accident or natural causes. Who would want to murder Kayla? But if getting a house alarm makes Donnie feel better you should probably let him do it.
Emma Nakamura, PhD
Professor of Biology
Mahina State University
mahina.edu
-----------------
I hope when I get to Heaven I shall not find the women playing second fiddle.
Mary Watson Whitney (1847-1921)
Chapter Twenty-One
Emma Kano`opomaika`i Nakamura
to Molly
Did someone say house alarm? Turns out I’m the one that should have a house alarm, not that it would do any good way up here.
I had a break-in last night. I heard some noise last night and thought it was the cat, but someone got into the office. They pulled books off the bookshelf and messed up my desk (shut up I know when someone’s moved my stuff). At least none of my things seemed to be missing when I checked.
So I called the police right away and told them what happened, and also that there’s only two people who could’ve done it, Ellie the park ranger and Betty Brewster. I said it has to be one of them cause no one else can get up here cause of the road being blocked. So the lady I talked to said hold on let me check something, then she came back and said, they cleared the truck away early this morning.
So the bad news is the burglar could be anyone. Although somehow I don’t think so. I know I didn’t leave any doors unlocked. Whoever it was must’ve had a key.
The good news is the road’s finally open again so I’m gonna make a trip to Mahina. I can bring my samples down to the lab, and let the house sit empty for a couple days. That way the burglars can come back and take whatever they want and leave me out of it.
Of course I’ll come over to your place. Can you drink yet? Beer’s supposed to be good for nursing mothers, right? I’ll bring a couple six packs.
And before you ask, no I haven’t told Yoshi about any of this. I’m gonna wait till he gets back from his retreat. That way we’ll have something to talk about for a week or so at least.
Emma Nakamura, PhD
Professor of Biology
Mahina State University
mahina.edu
-----------------
[Those] who have an excessive faith in their theories or in their ideas are not only poorly disposed to make discoveries, but they also make very poor observations.
Claude Bernard (1813-1878)
Chapter Twenty-Two
Emma Kano`opomaika`i Nakamura
to Molly
Well, that was a fun trip back down to civilization. I’m back up at the haunted house now. I can see why it would be hard to travel with the baby, wow, does she ever stop eating? When she gets older are you going to tell her that her nickname was “the termite?”
It’s still kind of weird seeing you as a mom, but even weirder seeing Donnie as a doting dad, don’t tell him I said that. And not that I wasn’t happy to see him, but I couldn’t exactly snoop around your shed looking for clues with him there, could I?
But the good thing is it sounds like Pat’s on the case. (That’s one super annoying thing about the bad connection here, I can’t get Island Confidential. But I know he’s snooping around!) It looks like Donnie’s OK with Pat hanging around now. Progress, right?
So I had a visit from a nice police officer and I couldn’t identify anything that was taken, except the letter. I showed him the picture I’d taken of it on my phone. But it wasn’t my property to begin with, so he was all like, whatever. He said I should change the locks, but he couldn’t really help me with anything else. I guess I need to talk to Ellie the park ranger about changing the locks since the house is part of the park now. Oh and I asked him if he’d heard about your case, you know, Kayla, and he said yeah but he can’t tell me anything about it. He knows your friend Detective Medeiros though. He said everyone remembers that time when Medeiros got everyone on the island involved in rescuing some lady professor from the university who’d gotten herself stuck down in a lava tube on an abandoned property. Have you ever heard of such a thing LOL
Emma Nakamura, PhD
Professor of Biology
Mahina State University
mahina.edu
-----------------
I believe there is no philosophical high-road in science, with epistemological signposts. No, we are in a jungle and find our way by trial and error, building our road behind us as we proceed.
Max Born (1882-1970)
Chapter Twenty-Three
Emma Kano`opomaika`i Nakamura
to Molly
I had Ellie the park ranger come over today. The phone reception’s so bad up here I had to text her. I told her I wanted to put in a request to have the locks changed. The cop that came to talk to me confirmed there were no signs of forced entry. So someone has a key.
Of course if Ellie’s the one who broke in then that was a stupid thing to ask.
But why would Ellie want to poke around the house now, when she could’ve done it before I moved in? And what happened to the confession letter, did the same person break in earlier and steal it?
Ellie told me Betty packed up camp and went back down to her house on the coast, wherever that is. She didn’t know.
Emma Nakamura, PhD
Professor of Biology
Mahina State University
mahina.edu
-----------------
Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.
Harper Lee (1926-2016)
Chapter Twenty-Four
Emma Kano`opomaika`i Nakamura
to Molly
I hope Donnie’s feeling better now! Poor dude, I’ve never known him to get sick before.
I guess it was too much to try to clean out the shed on top of everything else. (What happened to the gardener anyway? Traumatized by finding a dead body? And what the heck was in that shed? You should ask him if he handled any pesticides. Some of those old-school ones are pretty scary.)
Things are getting back to normal here. As normal as things can be stuck in the mountains hours from civilization. The good news is, there’s been no more break-ins, no more weird phone calls in the night, and no more spooky sobbing outside.
Funny how all that stuff stopped after Betty Brewster left. Hmm.
Of course it could have been Ellie doing that stuff and trying to pin it on Betty Brewster.
Or someone I haven’t thought of.
Or, you know, ghosts.
Anyway, I’m taking advantage of the peace and quiet and getting a lot done.
Emma Nakamura, PhD
Professor of Biology
Mahina State University
mahina.edu
-----------------
I do not like it, and I am sorry I ever had anything to do with it.
Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961), speaking of quantum mechanics.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Emma Kano`opomaika`i Nakamura
to Molly
Okay, Molly, normally I’d tell you stop being paranoid but that is weird that your gardener came down with the same symptoms Donnie did. How’s everyone now? How are you feeling? What about the baby?
Are you sure Donnie didn’t get splashed by any liquids while he was cleaning out the shed? Were there any leaky old buckets or containers?
What else is in your backyard? You know what, I bet there’s someone up at the Ag College who can help. They have people they send out to help with contamination whenever someone wants to use an old sugarcane field. (You wouldn’t believe some of the nasty stuff sugar cultivation left in the soil. Dioxin, arsenic, you name it. I’m not saying all that stuff’s in your backyard, but then again, I’m not saying it isn’t.)
Ellie told me Betty Brewster’s in the hospital. It might be a huge mistake but I think I’m going to visit her.
Emma Nakamura, PhD
Professor of Biology
Mahina State University
mahina.edu
-----------------
When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it is tied to everything else in the universe.
John Muir (1838-1914)
Chapter Twenty-Six
Emma Kano`opomaika`i Nakamura
to Molly
Well I got some news. Want to hear it?
Yes, I know you do.
I visited Betty Brewster in the hospital up in Waimea.
(I didn’t just barge in, I bought her some flowers from the gift shop. I’m not a monster, Molly.)
I was surprised to see how frail she looked all of a sudden. I mean sure she was old, but she was healthy enough to spend like a week camping in the forest. I know you couldn’t do that. (On the other hand I think that’s what put her in the hospital to begin with.)
So I felt kind of bad taking advantage of her weakened state to grill her but I got over it. I figured I’d start by asking her about the letter. And just as I’m about to open my mouth to say something I see this folded piece of paper on the little table next to her hospital bed…IT WAS THE CONFESSION LETTER! She had it with her right there! The letter that was in the house next to MY bed! Well, not my bed but the bed I was using, you know what I mean.
So I sat down on the chair and I reminded her who I was, and asked her how she was feeling.
So she goes,
“I am not long for this world.”
That’s how she talks. Kind of reminds me of you. So I said,
“Sorry to hear it. Can I do anything for you?”
She didn’t say anything, so then I go to pick up the letter, and I’m about to ask her where she got it, and she grabs my wrist—holy old lady strength Molly, I don’t think I have a grip like that even in the middle of paddling season!
Then I said,
“Did your cousin Priscilla really kill someone? Like she says in that letter?”
Betty just looked away and didn’t answer me. So I figured I’d try something simpler. I asked,
“Did you break into the house?”
Still she doesn’t answer.
“Was that you I heard crying outside?”
Still nothing. So then I say, look. I’m here, no judgement, I got nowhere to be and neither do you, why don’t you tell me what’s going on?
