“What are you, some kind of jokers?” the taller of the two men asked. “A man’s head is found our Aunt Maria’s freezer and you’re showing up with jokes like you’re some kind of a half-assed comedian?”
Jude stepped forward. “The medical examiner determined that the remains found at your aunt’s house could possibly date back to the 1970s, which would make this a cold case. We did not mean any disrespect by coming here. We’ve been assigned to this investigation and need some preliminary information. The two of you were the one who found the remains, right?”
Both brothers shook their heads. “Sofia found it. Then she screamed for us. I got her out of the basement and my brother called 911.”
Jude nodded as he took notes. “Was there any blood in the freezer or anywhere in the basement?”
“Not that I saw,” the taller man said. His brother nodded along.
Jude handed each of them his card. “If there’s anything else you can tell us that might help identify this man, old family photos, sentimental gifts your aunt treasures, please let us know.” He paused and turned the door handle.
“We’re not going to let you interrogate our aunt.” the second man jerked the door shut
“No one is being interrogated,” Jude said, in a calm voice. “Like I said, we just need to get a few facts straight so that we can begin our investigation.”
The door opened and a woman stepped into the hall. “Let them in, Little Sal. You too, Tony. I’m Sofia Deluca, Maria’s great-niece. Please come in.”
Ronan followed Sofia, with Jude and Tennyson behind him. Ten shut the door.
Getting his first look at Maria, Ronan could see how beautiful she must have been in her youth. Her grey hair was wound into an intricate French braid, obviously Sofia’s work. She was dressed in floral pajamas and seemed to be resting comfortably in bed.
“Auntie, these are detectives from the Salem Police Department. They want to talk to you about your freezer.”
“I’m Detective Ronan O’Mara.” Ronan was about to introduce Ten and Jude when Sofia interrupted.
“Irish?” Maria looked Ronan up and down. “I always was partial to kissing the blarney, if you catch my drift.”
Ronan caught it alright. He pulled a chair up to Maria’s bedside. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, but we’re investigating the death of a man whose remains were found in your house. Is there anything you can tell us about that?”
Maria shook her head. “I’ve been out of my house for almost two weeks now. Someone could have snuck Jimmy Hoffa into my freezer for all I know. Janis Joplin could be singing in my shower. Elvis could be waiting for me in bed.”
Ronan paused, unsure where to go with Maria’s answer. “You think human remains were placed in your freezer after you broke your hip and you were in the hospital recovering from surgery?” In all his years in law enforcement, Ronan had never heard a more ridiculous, yet plausible answer.
“Have you ever been married, Maria?” Jude asked, sitting on the corner of her bed, reaching for her fingers. The back of her hand was one giant black and blue.
“Once, honey. Why are you looking to become my next mistake?” Maria laughed.
As Jude flirted with Maria, Ronan watched her reactions to him. She had no interest in Jude, that much was easy to see. The look in her dark eyes never changed and her mouth was slack when she wasn’t speaking. Ronan turned to Sofia. “What kind of pain meds is your aunt taking?”
“All the good ones!” Maria laughed before pressing a button on her IV pole.
Ronan knew the button added more pain medication into her IV. It was obvious Maria was higher than a kite. He motioned Sofia to join him in the hallway.
“Her doctors have had her on morphine for the last two weeks,” Sofia said. “I know this is the worst possible time for you and your investigation.”
“How often do you see your aunt?” Someone in the family had to know something about how the head ended up in the freezer.
“When I was a kid, I was at Auntie Maria’s house all the time. She never had kids of her own and loved to have me for sleepovers. We’d bake cookies and watch Disney movies. She taught me to roller skate. We went to the beach in the summer and read books by the fire in the winter. It was a great way to grow up.”
“I sense abutcoming,” Ronan prodded.
“When I graduated from high school, I went to UCLA and fell in love with California. I got my Bachelor’s degree and then stayed on to get my Master’s. I graduated last year and found a job in marketing for a major cosmetics firm. I have only been back to Massachusetts for Thanksgiving and Christmas over the last few years. When I heard that Auntie had broken her hip, I put in for all my vacation time and came home. I’ve got to fly back to California in a few days.”
“In all the time you spent at Maria’s house, do you ever remember seeing anything strange in the freezer?”
Sofia fisted her hands on her hips. “Are you serious? I haven’t spent time at my aunt’s house in years. I had no idea what was inside. I have no idea what’s in my freezer now. Do you?”
“I know exactly what’s in my freezer. Chicken nuggets, frozen ground beef, pork chops, and popsicles.” Ronan knew what was in his house at all times. Maybe he couldn’t catalog theexactcontents of his freezer, but he knew damn well there wasn’t ahuman head covered over with piles of frozen veggies and ice cream bars.
