The souvenir

"We have a time of death yet, Johnson?" Captain Harris asks, slipping on gloves and squatting next to the corpse.

"ME thinks 36-48 hours ago, but he'll confirm once he gets the body back to the morgue."

"Vic have a name?"

"Jimmy Jones. Resides at 2525 Feldstone Court."

"Married?"

"Yeah. A car has been sent to inform the widow."

"No missing person report?"

"No, sir."

"Ring's missing."

"Ring?"

"Wedding ring. Look at his finger." Detective Jonson leans over the captain's shoulder. "There's still a deep indent where the ring was. Probably wasn't easy to get off."

"I just lick my finger when I need to get my ring off."

Captain Harris looks at him with disgust. "Why do you need to take off your ring?"

"Oh, you know...no reason really."

"Yeah. Maybe the vic had the same no reason. Where are his pants? Anyone check his pockets?"

"Wallet, cash and cards intact and keys. No ring."

"Hmmm. Do we have a cause of death yet?"

"ME says he'll have to run some tests to confirm, but it looks like some kind of neurotoxin. Old-fashioned hemlock, maybe."

"Maybe. Could be botulism. Any food in the room?" he asks glancing around the motel room.

"No, but whatever he ate will come up in the autopsy."

The captain gives him a duh look then asks, "Any cameras?"

"Manager says the only one working is by the back entrance."

"Vic have a car?"

"Front entrance."

"So either he knew the cameras weren't working or he didn't care. Interesting. Receptionist see him come in with anyone?"

"She said the room was reserved by a woman," he looks at his pad. "Nancy Doss."

Harris looks up from the body. "You're joking."

"No, why? Name mean something to you?"

"If I'm right, I'm pretty sure the vic's wife will not be home."

"You thinking the wife did it?"

"Google Nannie Doss. But first call for back up at 2525 Feldstone just in case."

"Court."

"What?"

"Feldstone Court."

"Just do it, Johnson."

"Copy that, Captain."

Five hundred miles away, behind a luxurious log cabin in the Adirondacks, Nancy Doss, aka Jenna Jones digs up a small wooden box. Inside are four gold wedding bands. She drops in the fifth.