title: The Fruitcake Murders
author:  Ace Collins 
description: Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. He has authored more than sixty books that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children&amp;rsquo;s works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a network television special and does college basketball play-by-play. Ace lives in Arkansas. Learn more about him by visiting AceCollins.com.&amp;nbsp;
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  Half-Title
  
  
  
  
  
  The Fruitcake  
  
  
  Murders
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 5
  
  
  
  
  
  5
  
  
  
  
  
  Wednesday, December 18, 1946
  
  
  
  
  
  11:02 p.m.
  
  
  
  
  
  It’s all set,” McCoy Rawlings announced as he placed the phone back into its
  cradle. While waiting for a response, the six-foot, three-inch ruggedly good-
  looking man walked over to an end table and twisted a knob on a Zenith desktop
  radio. The dial’s light immediately popped on and thirty seconds later the
  walnut-encased box’s speaker came to life. While tapping his fingers on the
  wooden tabletop, Rawlings listened to the second verse of Perry Como singing
  “Winter Wonderland.” Only after the decade-old holiday hit concluded did he
  turn back and study his visitor.
  
  
  
  
  
  In the shadows beside the small living room’s one door, dressed in a gray wool
  overcoat turned up at the neck and sporting a matching fedora pulled low over
  his face, a short, thin brooding man stood stone still and mute. His
  motionless hands were shoved deep into his coat pockets and a cigar