The Wives Of Edward Denbre, Robert F. Clifton [recommended reading .TXT] 📗

the living room answering questions put to her by the investigating detective. She stood and led him to the desk top computer that Edward used, and there on the monitor screen was. “ I can't deal with life any more. I'm addicted to gambling. I can't stop and owe thousands of dollars to cassino's and bookmakers. I tried taking Valium for my depression, but it didn't help. I see only one way out and that's to take my own life. I'm sorry Joyce. Always remember that I loved you.

Ed

After reading the message left on the computer Detective

James Polk had the Crime Scene Investigation team photograph the monitor showing the content on the screen. Next, he turned on the printer and printed five copies of the computer suicide note. As he did Joyce sat crying and wiping tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. Polk turned to her and said, “ I'm terribly sorry, but I still have some question I have to ask you.”

Between sobs, Joyce replied, “I understand.”

“Good, now was there ever a time when your husband exhibited and signs of wanting to commit suicide?

“No, not that I can remember. I don't even know how he came up with whatever he put in the bucket.”

“ Do you know what was in the bucket?”

“No. all I know was the first police to arrive called for the fire department after they found his body in the bathroom.”

“That was because of the vapors still present at the time.

Your husband mixed two household cleaners together. Those combined created chloroform. It appears that he just sat there and inhaled the fumes. In all probability he passed out, then suffocated. If there is any comfortable thought Mrs. Denbre your husband died a painless death.”

“But, where would he get such an idea. He was no chemist. He was a businessman.”

“I don't know. However, with your permission I'd like to check his computer history. It might tells us something.”

“Then, please do.”

Detective Polk then searched the recent history showing the websites and subjects that someone had read on the computer. After ten minutes Polk found, “ Dangerous Household Cleaning Agents.” He clicked on the website and found, “A mixture of bleach and ammonia will create, chloramine, and/or

chlorine gas similar to that used in World War One.” On the next line was, “A mixture of bleach and alcohol will create chloroform.” Polk turned to Joyce and said, “Well, it looks as though he was looking for an easy way to go by using ordinary household products. I'd say that he chose the chloroform because it would be painless. In any event I'm sure that the Medical Examiner will give us a report if he finds anything else of interest. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Denbre”.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Nine

Shelter Bay

Floyd Wilkins walked with caution across the snow and ice covered parking lot of the Shelter Bay Police Department. Above him a slate colored, morning sky hinted at allowing the sun to break through and shine and a cold winter breeze blew lifting loose snow and carrying it to the parked cars in the lot. Wilkins had driven the rental car from the Logan airport in Boston to the little seaside hamlet of Shelter Bay, Massachusetts. His assignment as a private investigator was to meet with a Detective Chester Fleming of the Shelter Bay Police Department. Before entering the one story building he stomped his feet removing snow from his shoes. Once inside he met with the Desk Sergeant, “Good morning. I'm Floyd Wilkins. I'm here to see a Detective Fleming”, he said.

“The Detective Bureau is right through that door”, said the Sergeant pointing to an open door thirty feet away.

“Thank you, “ said Wilkins. He entered the Detective Bureau and saw two men in plainclothes seated at their desks.

“Detective Fleming?”

“Right here,” said Fleming as he stood up. “You must be Mr. Wilkins. We finally meet,” Fleming continued as the two men shook hands. “How was your trip from Boston?”

“I met some traffic, other than that your directions were right on.”

“Good, have a seat and tell me again what it is that you want from us.”

“Then, I might as well start from the beginning. I have been hired by a Mrs. Shirley Beauval of Paris, France to look into, no, make that investigate the particulars in the death of one Henrietta Thornton Denbre. It seems that Mrs. Denbre died in a fall in Utah. When it came time to read her last will and testament it was found that several codicils had been added. The interesting thing is that originally, the then Mrs. Thornton had stipulated in her will that Shirley Beauval was her only heir.

What brought Mrs. Beauval's attention was the fact that had Henrietta Denbre indeed added codicils to her will, Mrs. Beauval would have been notified. She wasn't.”

“I still fail to see what our department has to do with either party, Mr. Wilkins,” said Fleming.

“ It seems that after the death of Henrietta Denbre, Edward Denbre then remarried. His new wife was Joyce Palmer. In my reviewing the information on their marriage license application Joyce Palmer listed herself as the widow of a Howard Palmer of Shelter Bat, Massachusetts. What I like to know from you is anything about the death of Howard Palmer and everything you know about Joyce Palmer, now Joyce Denbre.

“ I see. I'll start with Howard Palmer. The county Medical Examiner listed the cause of death as the result of the consumption of Valium with alcoholic beverage which resulted in a massive heart attack', said Fleming.

“It's interesting that you mention Valium. It's been reported that Edward Denbre, Joyce Denbre's late husband was found to have Valium in his system when he committed suicide.”

“That doesn’t make sense. If you are so depressed that you want to kill yourself why would you take a medication before you did it?”, asked Fleming.”

“Exactly,” Wilkins replied.

“What else do you have?', asked Fleming.

“ The fact that Joyce Palmer, also known as Joyce Denbre was born in Lowell. Massachusetts as Joyce Barns. At age nineteen she married one Ralph Givens, who died in an automobile accident. His death meant that she collected on a life insurance policy for almost one hundred dollars. At age twenty two she met and married one Donald Cummings who after eighteen months of marriage was killed by accidental electrocution when the curling iron plugged into the bathroom wall socket accidentally fell into the bathtub while he was taking a bath. Lastly is the suicide of Edward Denbre, a man of wealth and at an age where he could have enjoyed a worry free life, killed himself.”

“What else do you have on her?”

“She travels. Her operation is to stalk rich men. Her favorite place is the high roller tables in casino's. She prefers the high stake baccarat tables in Vegas and Atlantic City. Sometimes, she'll sleep with a rich guy and if he's married she'll threaten to go to his wife. They pay her to keep quiet. All the while she's looking for the long run, a marriage to a rich guy who when he's dead leaves everything to her.”

“I see. Well you've given me enough probable cause to re-open an investigation into the death of Howard Palmer. Thank you. I wish you luck on your investigation.”

“No problem, but it's my understanding that Edward Denbre's death will be investigated as a criminal homicide. Should that be done and Joyce Denbre is arrested and convicted the desire of my client is that Henrietta Thornton's funds from her estate be taken away from Joyce Denbre and given to her rightful heir. The rest of the Denbre fortune will probably go to the State of New Jersey.

“Then, Joyce ends up with nothing” said Fleming.

“Only the rest of her life in prison.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imprint

Publication Date: 11-10-2015

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