by William F. Smith
Jason Stewart watched with interest as the police search team went to work on his neighbor's trees. When they finished. Inspector Norman Goodenough had a confession and the solution to a thirty-year-old mystery. He explained it to Stewart the next afternoon.
"When we pulled out the stumps, we uncovered the remains of the three missimg Baums - husband, wife, and daughter - who disappeared in 1995. The son Henry reported that they had left to visit relatives in Texas, but never arrived. Their disabled car was found in the desert, and it was presumed that they had perished while trying to walk out. Henry always said he planted these trees as a living memorial to his family, but when we showed him the bones, he broke down and confessed that he'd killed his parents and sister at home, buried them, and towed their car to the desert."
Stewart looked past where the trees had been. "That lake is beautiful. First time I've been able to see it from here."
"Come on, Mr. Stewart," Goodenough said. "I know you are the anonymous tipster. You moved in only six months ago, so how did you know the bodies were buried under those trees?"
"I didn't. No one was more surprised than me when you dug them up. Someone told me Henry Baum's parents and sister had mysteriously vanished, so I just invented the story. I had to do something to get rid of those damned ugly trees. They were blocking my view."
William F. Smith's stories, humorous verse and photographs have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mike Shane Mystery Magazine and Reader’s Digest. His stories have been included in several anthologies.
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