“Come on in. We’re about to sit down to supper.”
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean to barge in on you like this, but I really want to help.”
Miranda waved her hand. “Come on. You know how we cook around here. There’s enough for an army. I’m glad you’re here.” Miranda looked at Austin. He raised his eyebrows. “Yes, you’re going to save us from a run up to your cabin. Apparently, you don’t like social media. We haven’t been able to find out very much about you.”
Stephanie pressed her lips together. “That’s right.” She walked up onto the porch. “I had a good friend in the pharmacy program with me. She had been an online activist pretty much like any person her age. You know, ‘day in the life of a pharmacology student’ kind of thing. Nothing overtly controversial at all, just friendly and chatty.” Stephanie paused. “Then it got ugly with some followers who found her in real life. They found out that she was gay.”
Miranda slapped her forehead. “That wouldn’t go over well in some ultraconservative parts of West Virginia.”
“That’s exactly where she was. They began stalking her and it was a nightmare. She finally had to resign, leave the state, and enroll into another pharmacy program. It cost her a least a year’s delay in graduating, an expensive year, mind you. I’ll never be on social media.”
“Thanks for explaining.” Miranda led them into the dining room and popped her head into the kitchen. “Hi, Mom. One more for dinner. Can you manage?”
“Sure, sure, honey. I’m just taking a plate out to the barn for Ron. Set your friends up in the dining room. It’ll be much nicer there.”
Miranda grabbed another plate, napkin, along with silverware. She added it to the three settings her mother had already laid out. “Would you like a cocktail? I’m working on a new one to pair with our pan-fried pork chops.”
Stephanie smiled. “Wonderful. I’m feeling quite the guest.”
Miranda went over to the dining room sideboard.
“What are you going for?” asked Austin.
“I thought I’d go for something a tiny bit acidic to offset the sweet blackberry sauce, so I’m starting with a jigger of ’shine over some muddled lemongrass. Then I’ll add ice and top it off with 7UP.” Miranda mixed the four cocktails. By the time she garnished the mason jars with a sprig of lemongrass and placed them on the table, her mother had returned with a tray laden with serving platters and bowls.
With due appreciation to the wonderful dinner, Miranda resisted asking Stephanie any questions until the meal was finished. “I have a dried-apple pie to reheat if anyone’s interested.” That was followed by a unanimous yes. “Good, I’ll just pop it in the oven for a few minutes and we can go out to the porch. It’s such a nice evening, we can talk out there. No one will mind a side of vanilla ice cream?”
Another unanimous yes followed.
Miranda brought out the desserts and joined Stephanie on the porch swing. Austin and Dorothy sat on the wooden bench along the front of the house. After the last fork had scraped against each empty plate, Dorothy gathered them up and left to clean up the kitchen. “I’ll clear up the kitchen, sweetie. Then, I’m off up to bed. I’ve got a fantastic book that I simply must finish.”
After a few moments of companionable silence, Stephanie cleared her throat. “I’m not sure how to start with this, but I’m going to say that Jennifer couldn’t possibly have harmed Howard. She’s too kind.”
Miranda sighed. “I’ve gotten confirmation now that Jennifer and Howard were romantically connected. What I’m failing to understand is your friendship with Howard. Did you two get along?”
Stephanie shifted her position in the swing and caused it to squeak. “I’m sorry, but that’s why I’m here. It’s not something you’ll find out from the others. Howard and I didn’t take to each other from the very start of freshman year.”
“Why?” asked Austin.
“Nothing that I could do anything about. At first, he claimed to have an aversion to redheads. I have no idea why as he never admitted the real reason in the beginning beyond a blunt ‘I don’t like red hair.’ Although we were outwardly friendly, eventually he began to avoid me when we gathered as a group.”
Miranda lifted her hands in a why gesture.
“Okay, okay. It was because I’m gay. He figured it out back in college even though at the time I was still in the closet. Later, I was living in Lexington with my lover, who recently became my wife. Anyway, I’d been approved to adopt a seven-year-old girl from China as a single parent. He was livid. I wasn’t out at the time, but he was hopelessly prejudiced and threatened to tell the adoption agency.”
Miranda looked at Austin and then back at Stephanie. “You understand that you’ve just confessed to a powerful motive to get rid of Howard?”
“It’s not like that; the agency knew about my partner. In fact, it was an advantage as they were seeking diverse candidates. Besides, I have an alibi.”
“What?” Miranda raised her voice, and Sandy yipped and pushed through the screen door to run to her. Picking him up, she said, “Why haven’t you spoken up? Sheriff Larson has been checking everybody out. You could have saved him a lot of trouble.”
“I’ve been burned many times by so-called well-meaning officials, so I’m pretty cautious about sharing my personal life with any man, no matter how progressive he claims to be.” Stephanie glared at Austin.
Austin took Sandy from Miranda. “I’ll settle him in and get your notebook. It needs an update.”
Miranda placed a hand over her heart. She appreciated that he’d figured out that Stephanie would obviously be more comfortable sharing her secrets alone.
After Austin and Sandy had gone, Stephanie’s words tumbled over each other in a rush. She wanted to get it over with. “I didn’t finish the hike on the day that Howard went missing. I had an emergency phone call from my adoption agency in Lexington. They needed another set of my fingerprints for the final application. I barely made it to the police station in time.”
“You got them done in Lexington? Why?”
“The Chinese orphanage doesn’t have the ability to deal with scans like our agencies. I needed the physical-ink-on-paper type of fingerprint card to send. The Lexington officers were the only ones qualified to do them properly. Then I dropped the document off at the agency minutes before the paperwork was picked up by their courier.” Stephanie gently folded her hands into her lap and sat silent.
Austin returned with Miranda’s notebook, and she quietly copied down the name of the adoption agency.
“Thanks for letting me tell you in private. I’m still not comfortable with the other members of Risky Business Adventurers knowing about my wife.”
“I’m sorry, but if you don’t mind, I will let Sheriff Larson know. I’m not obliged to since I’m only the victim’s cousin, but it would be a generous act of kindness to Howard’s family if you make things easier.” Miranda scanned Stephanie’s face for signs of agreement. “I’ll ask him to keep this information in confidence. He will likely confirm that your fingerprints were taken that day.”
“Fine.” Stephanie got out of the swing. “Thank your mother for a lovely meal and thank you all for being so kind.”
Stephanie had nothing else to say as she was leaving except to repeat that she and Howard had accepted that they would stay out of each other’s way. A short argument now and then was unavoidable, but they usually controlled themselves when they were around the others. They both thought the friendship of the group was worth it.
Stephanie was nowhere near Battleship Rock on that day.
Chapter 33
Sunday Night, the Farmhouse
Standing at the end of the porch looking at the plume of dust that followed Stephanie’s red Porsche, Austin folded his arms across his chest. “That’s not what I expected to learn, but honestly, it’s got to be true.”
“It will be easy for Sheriff Larson to verify.”
“Why would anyone confess to hating someone so
freely?”
“Maybe to divert suspicion.” Miranda opened the screen door. “She took a big risk to share her private life with us. Apparently, she doesn’t trust others very often.”
They went into the living room.
Austin added, “But it feels suspicious for her to be that honest. Then there is the fact that it doesn’t make her look like a bad person. It makes Howard look like a bad person. She probably thought that the sooner suspicion is away from her, the sooner she can go back to living her life. It’s a smart move.”
Miranda led the way through the dining room into her office. “The situation between Howard and Stephanie proves that he was more complicated and prejudiced than anyone in my family knew or acknowledged.”
“Let’s get our online searches done for the last of the Risky Business Adventurers. Kurt Smith is the final member. I’m sick to death of punching a keyboard.”
“So, you think detection should be more—what? Glamorous?” She giggled. “Sorry, I’m thinking of TV detectives who tap a few keys and have an identity flashed up on a big display in seconds.”
“Or even better, they have a horde of minions that do all the work behind the scenes and an answer is presented to the hero—”
“Or heroine.”
“—naturally, it could be a heroine, within seconds.” Austin sat in the guest chair. “Tap away.”
Miranda jiggled the mouse to wake her sleeping computer, entered her PIN, and typed a search for Kurt Smith. Immediately, the screen filled up with advertisements for his plastic surgery office. The ads were polished and sophisticated, for beauty services at a clinic in the most exclusive area of Lexington.
“Wow,” said Miranda. “He has a really big practice in Lexington. It looks like his reputation is so good he can support an entire staff who each specialize in youthful beauty treatments.”
Austin looked over her shoulder. “Look, there’s more. He’s been on national television for some of his radical treatments. It looks like they’re controversial.”
“He also is one of the movers and shakers in Lexington’s horse-racing crowd. Looks like he bought himself into the game by purchasing a training complex. Then one of his horses won the Kentucky Derby only a year later.”
“That probably doesn’t set too well with the established families of the racing world.” Austin straightened up in his chair. “He must be a bit older than the others. I wonder how he became part of Risky Business Adventurers?”
Miranda rubbed her eyes. “I’m not sure, but it looks like there was some trouble the next year with a drugs scandal with his racehorses.” She clicked on one of the entries. “As a surgeon, he would have easy access to performance drugs. I’m not sure how that would connect him to Howard in any way.”
“Nothing obvious from these search results.”
“All I know at this point is that I’m too tired to think about it anymore.” Miranda covered her mouth over a barely suppressed yawn.
“Let’s stop. I’ve got an early staff meeting at headquarters. I need to get some sleep before I fall asleep walking home.” He put his hands on his thighs and lurched up. “Tomorrow will bring something new.”
“Right. I’ve got to get Sandy out back to the chicken coop. Your dog-scent trick seems to be working to keep the critters away.”
“Have you decided what to do about Ron?”
Miranda rolled her eyes.
Chapter 34
Monday Afternoon, the Farmhouse
Miranda flopped down on her back into the cozy sofa.
“Whew! This has been a busy week.”
Her mother came into the front room bearing a cold bottle of Ale-8 soda. “This might perk you up.”
“Oh, yeah.” Miranda sat up and swigged about half the drink. “The. Best. Soda. Ever! I really missed this for the whole time I was in New York City. I could occasionally get it in the deli around the corner. Thanks, Mom.”
“An old farm truck came by yesterday. I was surprised that they would be out on a Sunday.”
Miranda took another sip. “That must be my replacement ingredients for my first batch of moonshine. Lots of my farmers have jobs in Lexington or even up in Cincinnati. They deliver whenever they get a chance. Their timing is perfect.”
Dorothy sat in one of the rockers by the window. “What have you decided to do about Ron? It’s not fair to keep him hanging on. Although he’s getting quite settled in the barn’s loft.”
“I know. I know.” The phone rang, saving Miranda. She recognized the Lexington number illuminated on the screen. “Hi, Tyler. What’s up?” Miranda pointed to the phone and went into her office to take notes in her murder sketch book.
“Sorry to interrupt but I’ve uncovered the background situation on Alfred. The plagiarism incident occurred a few months before Howard’s disappearance. It involved Alfred’s best friend from childhood, who . . .” Miranda heard Tyler cover the mouthpiece and speak to someone. “Sorry, I’m getting close to deadline here.”
“No problem, I’m listening.”
Tyler continued, “The friend is the nephew of the publisher who has since sold the newspaper and the John Latchy who turned out to be a no-talent weasel so he left not long after. Alfred, however, is still stuck with the suspicion and will carry this stain for life. He might still be mad. I know I would be spiteful.”
“Do you think he could have been capable of murder?” asked Miranda.
“That’s a huge leap to go from ruined reputation to murder.”
Miranda paused a moment. “To my mind, Alfred doesn’t seem to be the grudge-holding type.”
“You do have the advantage in that you’ve met him.”
“Right, I have. So far, he seems to be a well-adjusted person who obviously overcame a bad chapter in his life. He’s got friends, hobbies, and a career he obviously enjoys. I’m glad dirt digging is not a normal part of my life. That’s your part of this investigation. I love digging up the puzzle parts and fitting the pieces together.”
Tyler’s voice lowered a notch. “You may be right. I’ve got a bug for the chase. Okay. Got to go.”
The call ended before Miranda could say anything else.
She returned to the front room, and Ron was sitting in the second rocker by the window, chatting with her mother. He was on his best behavior. His hair was slicked down, still wet from a shower. He had on a clean flannel shirt under a newish pair of clean bibbed overalls.
He stood up. “Your mom suggested that I come on in and have a talk with you about building out the barn loft. Have you decided? I hope you’ll consider how important it’s gonna be to have good security after you start distilling your uncle’s moonshine recipe.”
Miranda picked up her half-finished soda and downed the rest of it. She felt pressured by both of them, but it was also a practical point to have someone in the building. She sat on the sofa and looked at Ron.
“I’ve been giving this some thought. Although I’ve upgraded the barn with modern plumbing from our spring, it is still a barn. It wouldn’t keep out a determined seven-year-old.”
Ron raised his eyebrows but remained silent.
“There are still some issues that we need to work out, but I’m coming around to the idea.”
“Thank you, Miss Trent. You won’t regret it.”
Miranda was pretty sure she would regret it at any moment, but it was an ideal solution to her barn-turned-distillery security problem. A person of any sort would be a deterrent. “One of the first things we need to do is figure out how to keep track of your hours.”
“Oh, I can do that.” Dorothy answered so quickly that Miranda suspected that there was more to her friendship with Ron than Miranda thought. “I’ll start a ledger book so we can tally up both the security tasks right along with the handyman tasks.”
Ron piped up, “That’s a great idea, Dorothy. You have such a clever way of thinking.”
Dorothy continued, “We also need to figure out how many hours a week would go towards boar
d and lodging.”
“You’re a wonderful cook, Dorothy,” said Ron.
Miranda sighed. She needed to ignore this blossoming situation. Nothing she could do or say would help. “I basically think that any work towards getting the barn livable would be in trade for living up there.”
“That sounds fair to me,” said Ron.
Miranda looked at her mother, who tipped her head forward. “That’s good for now. We’ll get back to you on when guard duties should begin. For now, we need to get ready for the electricians that are coming early tomorrow morning. It should only take about an hour.”
“Great. I’ll get my work clothes on and get started.” Ron smiled his thanks, flashed a wink to Dorothy, and left by the back door.
“That was very generous of you, sweetie.”
“We’ll see.” Miranda decided not to challenge her mother’s motives. A love interest might become complicated later, but her mother needed a little love in her life, even if it was temporary and would probably end in disaster.
Miranda changed into her paint-spattered work jeans, a T-shirt, and slipped on one of her uncle’s old flannel shirts. When she walked into the barn, it was easy to see that Ron was trying hard to be neat. All of his tools were tucked away on one side of the tool stall, while the original barn tools had been neatly hung on the opposite wall. Nice, she thought.
Ron climbed down from the loft. “I worked a bit in the tool stall, and then I put everything from the shipment you got yesterday in your storage area. Look a’here, I tried to make it easy for you to grab what you need.”
Miranda tilted her head. “You enclosed this? Just since yesterday?”
Ron stood a bit taller. “You need to protect your supplies.”
She opened a newly hung door to the horse stall that she had set aside for the storage of the ingredients she needed to make moonshine. Inside, Ron had installed a ceiling, and everything was already placed on the shelving. She was just about to comment on the lack of light when Ron reached around the wall and flicked a switch. He had run a bare bulb from the ceiling. He had also installed a bracket and found a padlock. Miracle of miracles, it also had a working key on a nail next to the doorway.
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