Distinguished Bumpkin

by Sam Cheever

  I could tell what Hal was thinking. The molestation was bad, but lots of politicians abuse their staff and get away with it. However, if the girl had been underage, even speculation of the crime might be enough to sink him.

  “Does that really matter?” Cecily asked, slightly indignant. “Even if she’s an adult, what he did was wrong.”

  “If it’s true, it would be wrong,” Hal agreed, speaking carefully. “But the public’s reaction would be different if the girl was underage. It would be harsher, less forgiving. Which means Robb would be more desperate to keep that from being known.”

  I was watching Benson. He looked nervous. Almost scared. An over-the-top reaction to what they were telling us. “Why come forward with this now?” I asked.

  He looked surprised. “Because you were bound to find out that Cecily fought with Calliente. I didn’t want you to think she killed him.”

  “You could have waited to see if we suspected her,” I suggested. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew there was more they weren’t telling us.

  He sighed. “You’re right. Someone is threatening me. Someone knows I paid Calliente to snoop.” He looked up finally, his expression taut with worry. “I’ll be honest. I’m scared. Robb’s a skunk. He has friends in high and low places. If he decides he wants me dead…” Benson shook his head.

  He didn’t need to finish that thought. We’d all witnessed what Robb was capable of.

  “Tell us what you were fighting with Calliente about,” Hal asked Cecily.

  She took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. “He claimed he’d found evidence, but he wanted more money for it. I told him we didn’t respond well to blackmail, but he wouldn’t budge.” Cecily’s face flushed deep red with remembered anger. “He demanded double what we’d agreed on. Or, he said he was going to tell Robb what I was doing.”

  She looked away, her face tight. “I know that gives me motive to kill him. But I promise I didn’t do it. I was going to tell Benson to pay him what he wanted. It was the only thing we could do.”

  “If you didn’t kill him,” Hal said. “Who did?”

  The pair exchanged another look. Finally, Cecily said. “Mayor Robb came into the house to make a phone call. I think he caught Calliente going through his stuff. I think he killed him and then returned to his party, cool as you please.”

  I was very afraid she was right. I was also afraid that was bad news. Because, in all likelihood, it meant the killer would get away with murder.

  9

  “Pam Wickham is the obvious prospect to be the blackmailer,” Hal said.

  We were once again sitting on the back porch, and I was watching him grill burgers for our dinner. We’d spent the day researching and calling Calliente Catering clients from a list Benson had given us. As expected, the largest percentage of them felt as if they’d been overcharged, and a couple of them were potential blackmail victims. But we couldn’t get them to open up to us over the phone.

  Hal scooped two small patties off the grill and placed them on a platter to cool. The tiny burgers were for Caphy and Ethel Squeaks. I’d give LaLee some of mine. I could definitely eat an entire burger myself, but I was trying not to. As I got closer to thirty, all the pie and carbs I’d been eating were starting to accumulate around my hips. If I was honest, the real reason I was going to cut calories with my sandwich was that I fully intended to suggest we go for ice cream after dinner. I smiled at the thought.

  “Did you believe their story?” Hal asked, sliding the last two burgers onto buns.

  I tossed the salad and added a dollop more Italian dressing to it, the scent of herbs and vinegar making my mouth water.

  “Cecily and Benson?” I asked, shrugging. “I want to. But it works in their favor to point us in a different direction. Both had motive. In Benson’s case, it’s more than one motive. And Cecily had opportunity too.”

  I’d been ambivalent about Benson Dexter since the first time I’d met him. He was a politician. In my mind, that made everything he said suspect. But he also seemed like a decent guy. He was good to Cecily, and he loved animals. And, while his adopting a senior dog from the local shelter in a town where he’s trying to get elected made my cynical side itch, I did believe he liked dogs.

  “The things they told us could be possible. It’s all feasible. Especially the part about Pam Wickham being a viper.” My brain rebelled against calling the woman “Pammie.” She was a grown woman, and the moniker made her sound five.

  Hal put the platter on the table between us, and I cut one of the small burgers into tiny pieces. I added some salad to the top and put it on the floor in front of Ethel. Hal fixed Caphy’s plate, sans everything except carrots and cucumbers from the salad. The pitty didn’t eat salad.

  “Something doesn’t add up,” Hal said after swallowing a bite of burger. “I can’t put my finger on it.”

  I stabbed some salad. “What do you think about the possibility that Mayor Robb killed Calliente?”

  Hal wiped his mouth and sat back. “You know how much I’d like to believe he was the killer.”

  I nodded. “Me too.”

  “He had opportunity, though the timeframe was slim. If what they said was true, he had motive. But the optics of another murder in his vicinity are really bad. This will stretch the goodwill of the police and the public.”

  I knew he was right but, of the suspects we had, I’d much rather believe Robb was our killer than almost anybody.

  Except maybe Pam Wickham.

  My phone rang, and I grinned at the ID, punching the button to answer it. “Mom! Are you and Garland back in town?” My mom and her long-time boyfriend, who she’d only recently gotten back together with, had gone to Paris and Venice for the summer. Just because.

  “Hi honey! I’ve missed your sweet face. No, we’re sitting at a little café in Paris eating croissant.” She sighed. “It’s so romantic here, honey. You and Hal really ought to come.”

  “Hi, Joey!” Garland said in the background.

  “Tell him I said hi,” I answered with a smile.

  I ignored her suggestion, not even tempted. Even if I had a desire to travel, which I didn’t, I couldn’t leave my menagerie with just anybody. I’d worry about them the whole time, and it wouldn’t even be fun.

  But she’d think I was crazy if I told her that, so I just made agreeable noises as she told me how much fun they were having. “I’m glad you’re having a good time,” I said. “But I miss you guys. When are you coming back?”

  “I’m not sure, honey. As soon as we figure it out, I’ll let you know.”

  “Good.”

  There was a beat of silence, and I picked at my salad. There was apparently something she wanted to tell me but wasn’t sure how. Finally, she said, “How’s it going there? Anything new?”

  I bit back a bark of laughter. You mean like a dead body at a party? Blackmail? Threats? “Same old, same old. Hal and I are good. The kids are good. It’s all good.”

  “Good.” She must have realized how shallow the conversation had turned. She sighed. “Well, I’ll let you go. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

  “Okay…” I hesitated. “Mom, is there something wrong?”

  “No, honey. I’ll talk to you soon. Love you!”

  “Love you too.” I ended the call and sat staring at my plate.

  Hal’s hand found mine and gave it a squeeze. “Problem?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Then we won’t worry about it until we know it’s a problem. Eat your food before it gets cold. You can’t have ice cream if you don’t eat at least half of your dinner.”

  I grinned at him, the strange phone call forgotten. The man really got me. Sometimes I thought he knew me better than I knew myself.

  I moaned with heartfelt enthusiasm as I slipped the first bite of dark hot fudge over sweet, creamy vanilla ice cream into my mouth. I closed my eyes as the treat melted over my taste buds. It was almost as good as Banana cream pie.

  Almost
.

  “That good, huh?” Hal’s delectable lips curved into a genuine smile.

  Not as good as that smile. “Amazing.”

  A long chorus of pathetic whining sifted through the open window in the car, which was parked under the shady branches of a nearby tree. The whining was accompanied by a loud squeal that made the poor woman at the order window yelp and throw her hands into the air.

  I winced, watching the two cups of ice cream she’d been holding fly through the air and splat onto the sidewalk.

  Her three toddlers, two boys and a tiny girl, burst into tears at the sight. Inconsolable.

  Hal patted my hand. “I’ll take care of it.”

  I watched him stride toward the frazzled mother, who was holding the little girl and trying to soothe all three of the kids. She looked up as he addressed her, and the tension streamed from her curvy form when Hal smiled. He crouched down and spoke to the two boys. Within seconds, he had them both giggling, and their mother wasn’t far behind. Hal went to the window and said something to the order clerk.

  A few minutes later, the kids were holding fresh ice creams and their mother looked like she’d be willing to leave her family behind and run away with my boyfriend. I fought a smile as Hal returned.

  “The magic of Hal Amity,” I said as he scooped a bite of half-melted ice cream into his mouth. “What did you say to them?”

  He grabbed a paper napkin and dabbed his lips. “I promised they could come see Ethel Squeaks when they were done with their ice cream.”

  “No wonder,” I said. “What self-respecting country kid doesn’t want to see a pig in a tee-shirt.”

  “That’s what I thought. We shared a grin and he leaned close, pressing his cold, sweet-tasting lips to mine. It didn’t take long for our lips to heat back up.”

  At the sound of a gently cleared throat, we jumped guiltily apart. The woman with the kids was staring at us with a shy smile. “Is this a bad time?”

  Hal untangled himself from the bench of the picnic table. “Not at all. That was fast.”

  The woman sighed. “I’m sorry. But once you told them about the pig, they didn’t want their ice cream anymore.” If she was upset about that, it didn’t show in her pleasant face.

  He laughed good-naturedly. “No problem. She is kind of a rock star.” He squeezed my shoulder, murmuring, “I’ll be back in a few.”

  I nodded and gave myself over to the last of my ice cream sundae. My attention was caught by the shrieks and giggling behind me, and I laughed as Ethel trotted from kid to kid and then to mom, tail spinning and happy snout twitching. Princess Piggy did love being the center of attention. But then Hal brought Caphy out, and the happy squeals reached a crescendo. The kids were smitten.

  Caphy got her ice cream second-hand, licking it from the kids' hands and shirt fronts.

  I’ll never know what made me turn my head toward the back of the parking lot. It was shrouded in mature trees, the entire end of the lot a shady haven that usually held several cars with dogs that were waiting patiently for their ice-cream-bearing owners. A cornfield butted up against the lot, the stalks reaching well over my head and forming a perfect backdrop for the two people standing near an expensive-looking sports car.

  I didn’t recognize them at first, but when I did, surprise kept me rooted to the spot. “What in the world?” I was dimly aware of laughter behind me but couldn’t seem to turn my gaze away from the sight of Mayor Robb and Karinne from Calliente Catering. At well over six feet tall, Robb towered over Karinne, and her body language said everything there was to say.

  Karinne had folded in on herself, her slender arms wrapping her in a defensive hug. Her chin was tilted downward, her gaze on her feet, and Robb was poking a finger at her, jabbing in what could only be perceived as a threatening action. Though the mayor was slender, the ropey muscles of his arms and calves implied a strength that had probably been honed in a gym rather than built naturally through genetics.

  Used to seeing him in perfectly fitted dark suits with crisp white button-down shirts and power ties, I found it odd to see him dressed in a polo shirt and khaki shorts.

  Before I considered what I was doing, I was on my feet, striding toward them. When I was ten feet away from the pair, the mayor turned my way, the angry infusion of color in his cheeks flaring brighter when he spotted me.

  Karinne shrank back as if considering an escape through the cornfield.

  “Is there a problem?” I asked, a frown taking over my face. I didn’t like bullies. And I especially didn’t like when men bullied those who were smaller and weaker than they were.

  “Mind your own business Fulle,” Robb growled out. “This has nothing to do with you.”

  Ignoring him, I looked at Karinne. “Are you all right?”

  The woman’s eyes flashed with something that looked like anger. She raised her chin. “I’m fine. As he said, it’s none of your concern.”

  I didn’t let her attitude fool me. Fear was threaded through every line of her body. She wasn’t angry with me. She was angry that I’d caught her appearing weak.

  I glanced toward Robb again. “I don’t care if this woman worked for you at the party. You don’t have the right to abuse her.”

  The politician’s fists tightened at his sides. But he hadn’t gotten as far as he had in politics by being unaware of optics. He lifted his gaze to take in the dozen or so people watching us and made a sudden, cynical calculation. I watched him morph into a political animal right before my eyes. His posture loosened, his jaw unclenched, and his expression became almost pleasant. Except for the cold steel in his gray eyes. He inclined his head. “You’re right, Ms. Fulle. I forgot myself for a minute. I’m sorry.”

  I scowled at him, not fooled for a minute. “It’s not me you need to apologize to.”

  He turned to Karinne, but she was already moving toward a small orange car a few parking spots away. She climbed inside the car and shot backward, nearly clipping the pickup truck next to her. Her tires kicked up gravel as she shot toward the end of the lot and exited onto the road.

  I heard footsteps on the gravel behind me. Hal’s warm hand found the small of my back. “Is everything okay?”

  I stared at Robb. “I’m not sure. Is everything okay, Mayor Robb?”

  He chuckled. “Of course. I lost my temper, but Ms. Fulle reminded me that was inappropriate for a man in my situation.”

  “What were you mad about,” I asked.

  Robb shook his head dismissively. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

  “Actually,” Hal said, his tone firm. “We’re working with Sheriff Mulhern to find a killer. Since the murder happened in your home, I assume you’ll want to do everything you can to help?”

  It was posed as a question, but it was really more of a challenge than a request.

  Robb’s jaw tightened again. For a brief moment, he looked as if he were chewing his own teeth. Then he inclined his head. “Of course. Did you have questions for me?”

  I jumped in before Hal could. “Why were you brow-beating one of the Calliente Catering servers?”

  Robb ran long fingers through his perfectly cut brown hair. The sunlight overhead glinted in the silver strands, which only seemed to enhance his attractiveness.

  Annoyingly.

  “I knew Karinne a long time ago. When I saw her on Calliente’s team, I was…surprised.”

  “Why?” Hal asked.

  “Why was I surprised?” Robb asked. He shrugged. “Because I thought she had a real knack for politics. She’d been one of my most promising interns. For her to just throw all that away to serve drinks for a catering company was…criminal.”

  I wasn’t sure he knew what that word meant. “Did you bother to ask her why she changed professions?”

  He glowered down at me. Unfortunately for him, at only five feet four inches tall, I was used to people looking down on me. I liked it when they underestimated me.

  “Of course, I asked her. She didn’t th
ink it was any of my business.” He looked genuinely perplexed by that.

  “You still haven’t explained why you were yelling at Karinne,” I reminded him.

  “I asked her why her boss was murdered in my home.” He frowned. “Strangely, she seemed to take that personally.”

  “Odd,” I said dryly.

  “Did she have any thoughts about the murder?” Hal asked, ever the cop, even years after leaving the force.

  “She implied I might have had something to do with it.” Robb coughed out a laugh that had little to do with humor. “Clearly, she’s lost her mind.”

  “Karinne told the police that she overheard your assistant yelling at her boss before he was killed,” Hal said. “Do you have any idea why Cecily would have confronted Calliente?”

  Robb stared at Hal for a long moment. I didn’t think he was going to answer the question. But he surprised me. “She got it into her head that the company was overcharging me for the catering.” He smiled fondly. “She’s very protective of me like that.”

  “Was the company overcharging you?” Hal asked.

  “I believe it was.”

  “Did you ask Cecily to talk to the caterer?”

  “I did not. The truth is that I hired them at the last moment. I got a new donor and wanted to show her some love.” He gave me a smile filled with faux charm. “Figuratively speaking.”

  I remembered seeing him close-talking with a platinum blonde woman at the party. At the time, I’d assumed they were romantically involved, but she could have been the new donor. Or maybe she was both.

  “Do you mind my asking who she was?” Hal asked.

  “I do mind. She has nothing to do with this.” With that, Robb seemed to lose interest in answering questions. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have a tee time.”

  “One more question,” Hal said, stopping the other man. “Do you know Calliente’s fiancée? Pammie Wickham?”

  Robb’s handsome face creased in a frown. “Unfortunately. Horrible woman. If there was any overcharging being done, I’d place the fault for that right at her door.”

  “You don’t think Jonathan Calliente would pad his income?”