“Lady, I already talked to the police. Now, I gotta go. I have an emergency!”
He goosed it, and Ashley jumped away from the car. She watched him streak off in the distance. She knew he was lying. He had never been to the police. She’d have to ask Thompson what they’d found when they ran the plates on his car and to see if they found another car with front-end damage.
***
Ashley got into the rental car and headed to the bakery. Wow. She needed breakfast, pastry, and more strong coffee. Large clouds were growing in the gray sky, and it looked like it might rain again. She hoped not. If she was going to go around and try to spy on everyone, she needed visibility. Hopefully, it would pass over. As she pulled into the bakery parking lot, she heard rumbles of thunder. After the sweet evening she and Sean had enjoyed, today was off to a gloomy start.
When she got in, Sean waved to her to sit at the counter. She glanced at the pastry case first and made a selection then sat down as Sean breezed over with coffee. He gave her a big grin.
“I had an incredible time last night,” Sean said.
“Me too. It was special,” Ashley replied. “And now I’ve got to eat.”
“Whoa, you don’t waste any time, do you?”
“Sean, it’s already been a morning. I’ll tell you about it later. But first, one of the ham biscuits and one chocolate croissant. And orange juice. Oh, and two ham biscuits to take to Detective Thompson.”
Sean laughed. “Tell the detective he owes me after all this free food.”
“Oh, I’ll pay for them.”
“No, you won’t. You two are working hard. Just cook dinner for me tonight. “
She laughed. “Deal.”
Ashley ate her breakfast with relish and savored the warm, comforting smells of the bakery. Sean was busy with customers, so she waved as she left. Time to get to business. She’d stop at Steppe’s Autos first.
***
When she arrived at the dealership, there were already customers looking at new cars and sitting at desks talking about deals. Employees were milling about, and before she had a chance to even get to the receptionist desk, a man came up to her and extended his hand.
“Hi, welcome to Steppe’s Autos. Finest cars in the county and the best deals too! What are you looking for today?” the man asked.
“Oh, thank you, but I’m not looking for a car. I’m looking for Jason Steppe,” Ashley said.
The salesman’s face fell. One less commission today. “Sure, go to the desk, and they can help you.”
Ashley asked the receptionist for Jason Steppe. The lady was very nice and sweet, the total opposite of Holly Harris at Hartman’s Autos. Plus, she was dressed for work, not a night at the bar. She smiled at Ashley.
“May I have your name?” the receptionist asked.
“Ashley Crane.”
The receptionist buzzed Jason and told him Ashley was there to see him. She smiled again and asked Ashley to take a seat.
When Jason Steppe came out, he walked like a master showman. Looking at him, he was like a younger version of Bob Hartman, full of swagger and attitude. No wonder the two hadn’t gotten along. It wasn’t just that they had rival dealerships. They were both too much alike.
He extended his hand to Ashley and smiled because he was in front of people. When she stood up, he lowered his voice and leaned in toward her.
“What are you doing here? I don’t think it’s to buy a car,” Jason said.
Ashley smiled back at him. She was very aware of the people in the showroom too.
“Hello, Mr. Steppe. Yes, I’d be happy to talk in your office. It’s very important, and I appreciate your time,” Ashley replied.
He got the message and turned around. Ashley followed him. The receptionist smiled at her again.
***
As soon as they got into his office, Jason shut the door and glared at her.
“Why are you bothering me? I talked to the police already. I didn’t kill Hartman, and I resent you coming here to question me,” Jason barked.
Ashley feigned surprise. “How do you know I was coming here to question you about the murder?”
“Because I’ve heard that you’ve been grilling some folks already. They don’t like it either. Aren’t you supposed to be a caterer? You’re not a cop, so leave me alone and go back to cooking.”
“I love to cook, and I intend to keep on doing it. My best friend’s brother is in jail for a murder that I’m sure he didn’t commit, so I think you can understand why it’s personal.”
“Hey, my life and my business of selling cars are personal too. I don’t like anyone rocking my boat, got it?”
“Did Hartman rock your boat in any way? After all, you’ve got a nice setup here, but his dealership was the biggest in three counties. Didn’t that make you jealous?”
“Jealous? Ha! I’m a lot younger than he was. I’ve got time to catch up with him, pass him even. Now that he’s gone, I’m the biggest game around.”
“How can you be so sure? Don’t you think that his son would want to take over and keep running the business with his same crew, Mark Laughlin and Noel White? They were all quite a team. I think the missus would want the place to stay strong. Keep it in the family, as they say. You’d still have a long way to go to catch up to that.”
“They can’t make it without Bob! I couldn’t stand the guy, but now that he’s gone, that dealership will go in the tank. I give them one year, tops. Then they’ll be at each other’s throats over the business, and I’ll just sit back and laugh. None of them ever got along, anyway.”
“How do you know that?” Ashley asked.
“What do you mean?” he stuttered.
“How do you know how well they did or didn’t get along? I thought you weren’t chummy with Bob. So, how did you know what was going on behind closed doors?”
“I heard stuff. Everyone heard stuff,” he sneered.
“Well, you must have heard it from Janice Hartman. What else did she tell you?”
“Get out! I mean it. Get out now. You keep out of my business, you understand?”
“Sure thing. I’m going. Oh, and how’s the romance with Janice going? That was really classy, showing up with her at her dad’s party. Talk about getting revenge. I hope you’re comforting her after what happened to him.”
“If you don’t leave now, you’ll be sorry,” Jason warned.
“No worries, I’m out of here. Have a nice day,” Ashley said.
Ashley shut the door on her way out but could hear him immediately getting on the phone.
The receptionist waved to Ashley when she walked through the showroom, and the salespeople all gave her smiles. Nice group of people. Very different atmosphere than Hartman’s was. At least the employees were pleasant. Steppe and Hartman, however, could’ve been cut from the same cloth.
***
Ashley got into the car and headed for Donna Hartman’s. She hadn’t seen Donna in town at all since the murder. She knew she was busy planning the memorial for her husband, but she still had to get out sometime. Ashley didn’t have time to wait. If she could, she would question her today.
When she got to their house, she decided not to pull up in the driveway. She parked on the street and looked up at the sky. Still gloomy, but the rain was holding out. Ashley saw two cars in the driveway. The house was huge and very beautiful. The landscaping was perfect. Elegant and manicured. She understood that the Hartmans had a beach house too. Must be nice.
A text then popped up on Ashley’s phone. It was Lara, wanting Ashley to call. She texted back that she was busy and would call her soon.
Ashley approached the front door and rang the bell. No one answered, so she rang again. Then again. It was quiet outside, and the trees lightly rustled. She decided to ring one more time.
A woman’s voice replied, quavering. “Hello?”
“Mrs. Hartman? Hello? Could I speak with you?”
“Who is it?”
“Ashley Crane.”<
br />
Donna Hartman opened the door. She blinked at Ashley. She was in her nightgown, and her hair was disheveled. Her eyes were red and puffy. “Who?”
“I’m sorry to bother you. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your husband. I was hoping to ask you a few questions.”
“Oh, how nice. Do come in,” Donna Hartman said.
Donna had a goofy grin on her face and waved to her living room. Ashley could smell alcohol on her breath. She smiled ruefully at Donna. She hadn’t been expecting such a boozy welcome.
“Sit down, dear, sit down.” Donna patted the end of a couch. “How about a drink?”
“Uh, thank you, but it’s a bit early for me.”
Donna chuckled and took another sip of her drink. “Well, have you ever heard that saying, ‘the sun is over the yardarm somewhere’?”
“Yes, I have. And I think it’s even a bit early for that.”
“Well, I’ve just lost my husband, so yardarm or not, I think I’m entitled to this.” She held up her glass and drained it.
“I certainly understand it. And again, I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope I’m not bothering you.”
“You’re not bothering me, dear. It’s nice to have the company. No one comes to visit me now. Only lawyers and people wanting money—including my children. Money, money, money.” Donna sighed and reached for the bottle on the coffee table. “Well, dear Bob made a pile of it, so no wonder everyone wants some of it,” Donna said as she poured another drink. Then she let out a big burp.
“Excuse me, dear, you know, I thought I recognized your name and that you looked familiar, but I can’t place you. Are you with the funeral home?”
“Uh, no. I’m Ashley Crane. I’m a caterer. I put on the party at your dealership for your husband’s special announcement?”
“Oh, how sad. What a sad night. What a terrible party for you to cater. I hope it doesn’t kill your career.” Donna got up and tottered to the other couch and plunked down.
“I don’t think it will. I just wanted to ask you one thing about that night.”
Ashley knew that Donna Hartman was too drunk to have much recall, but perhaps she could get a little information before she left.
“Go ahead and question away!” Donna whooped. “I’ve got all day.”
“I just wanted to know how soon you left the dealership before your husband.”
“I left right after I confronted him about that sleazy assistant of his. Holly Harris. Do you remember seeing her, all decked out like a tart? You know she was sleeping with my husband?”
“So you left right afterward? And he was still there? How did you get home? Didn’t you both arrive in the same car?”
“Oh dear, now too many questions at once! Let me think.” She paused and rubbed her head. “Yes, he was still there. I told him off, and I told that Holly off. When I left, my husband had gone into his office and slammed the door on me. That dumb girl was standing in the showroom crying. I don’t know why she was crying. I should’ve been the one crying.”
Ashley spoke slowly to Donna. “I see. And how did you get home again?”
“Noel White drove me home. He’s one of our salesmen. He’s such a nice man. He saw how upset I was, and he didn’t want me to stick around anymore. But I didn’t realize….I didn’t realize…” Donna Hartman started to choke up.
“Didn’t realize what?” Ashley asked.
Donna started to wail. “That it would be the last time I saw my husband alive!”
Ashley got up to comfort her, but just then Brad Hartman came running down the staircase. He looked at his crying mother then glared at Ashley.
“What are you doing here? What did you say to my mother?” Brad asked.
“Oh, Brad, calm down. This lady is perfectly nice; she was just giving me her condolences about your father,” Donna sniffled.
“No, she’s not nice, Mom. This lady is butting into police business, and I want her out of here,” Brad snapped.
“Look, I’ll go. Goodbye, Mrs. Hartman. Take care of yourself,” Ashley said.
“Bye, dear, come back and visit when it’s cocktail hour. I make a great gin and tonic,” Donna smiled.
“Mom, that’s enough,” Brad warned. “I’ll show this lady to the door.”
Ashley hadn’t waited for Brad. She was already at the door when he came charging up behind her.
“Don’t you have any decency? My mother just lost her husband. And I lost my father.”
Brad burst into tears. Ashley felt absolutely awful for making the family cry. He stood there wracked with sobs, and she waited another awkward minute before she spoke. The Brad that had menaced her at the dealership and the man she witnessed now were two different people. He looked totally broken up.
“I’m sorry about your father. I truly am. I already told you that, and I told your mom that. It’s just that an innocent man is in jail, and I need to find out who the real murderer is,” Ashley said softly.
“I can see you’re frustrated about all of this. But I’m glad my father’s murderer is in jail. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go. And please, respect our privacy during this difficult time. We have a memorial to plan.” He started to shut the door.
“Forgive me again,” she mumbled. He nodded his head at her then closed the door.
Ashley could hear him crying as he walked back to the living room. Now she really felt awful. She walked to her car shaking her head. Poor Donna Hartman. She seemed like she wasn’t in control of anything, much less what her husband had been up to with other women or his business affairs. And now he was dead. No wonder she was drinking in the morning.
Brad Hartman also looked like he was going to fall apart. They both had been so stone faced at the party. Now she knew that was just a front. Brad probably wasn’t capable of being the big shot his father was, and Donna Hartman was clearly spinning out of control.
The clouds were thick and dark, and she heard a rumble again. She wished it would just rain and get it over with. She hated the big buildup to the storm. Thunder and lightning had scared her since she had been a kid. Another huge crack boomed in the sky. This time, she saw a big flash of light too. She shuddered and drove her car to see Detective Thompson. Wait until he heard all about this.
She headed straight for the police station. Then she remembered Lara had texted her. She put her phone on speaker and called back.
“Hey, sorry I couldn’t get back to you right away. An interesting day. How are you and the family doing?” Ashley asked.
“We’re okay, I guess. Will’s lawyer is working away. We all told Will we don’t believe he murdered Hartman, but he swears to it. It’s crazy, Ash. Just crazy,” Lara replied.
“I know. I’m working hard to find the person who really did it. I’m on my way to see Detective Thompson now. Maybe you can come over and have dinner with Sean and me tonight?”
“Maybe. Let me see how the rest of the day goes and how my parents are doing. What time is Sean coming over?”
“Oh, he’ll be home by the time I get there, I imagine. He’s staying with me for a while until everything dies down. Makes me feel safer.”
“Oh, Ash, that’s great. Happy to hear it.”
“And guess what? He told me that he loved me.”
“Everyone already knew that, Ash. I’m glad you finally realized it. What did you say?”
Ashley laughed. “Well, you know the answer to that too.”
“Of course I do. And Josh is still hanging in there with me. As soon as we’re out of the woods, I have a wedding to plan.”
“You have the caterer already!” Ashley joked.
“Absolutely. It will be wonderful. I can’t wait for this nightmare to be over and say ‘I do.’”
“Amen to that,” Ashley said. “Call me later if you can come over. Bye!”
“Oh, hey. Thought you might want to know something. Janice Hartman was in the police station early this morning giving a statement to the detective. We saw her leavi
ng as we came in.”
“Uh, thanks. I’ll ask Thompson about it.”
Chapter Nineteen
Ashley drove faster to see the detective. Janice Hartman hadn’t really been on her radar as much as all the other players. Even though Ashley had just been at the Hartman house, there was no mention of Janice from the mom or brother.
Could Janice really kill her father over his disapproval of her dating Jason Steppe? It hardly seemed feasible. Maybe there was something else. Something she hadn’t thought about. She racked her brains. She couldn’t wait to see the detective.
Ashley walked into the station just as some cops were bringing in a drunk. The drunk was blabbering that he had seen something fishy, and they had better listen to him.
“Yeah, yeah, let’s get you in a nice warm cell, and you can tell us everything later,” one policeman said.
Once inside the station, Ashley knocked on the door to Thompson’s office.
“Come in,” Thompson said. He was busy rifling through some papers and on the computer at the same time. He shot her a stern look when he saw her.
“Hey. What have you been up to?”
She breathlessly told him about running into the man at the body shop who had been at the accident but that he had driven off in a hurry. Then she relayed all the info she had gotten grilling everyone.
Thompson frowned. “I’ve already had a call from Jason Steppe that you were at the dealership questioning him. He didn’t like it and had told me it better stop. Now you’re telling me you went to Brad Hartman’s house and confronted him and his mother? That’s crazy, Ashley. Look, I told you not to go poking around. You said you were just going to run errands and go home and not to put a car on you. And here you are putting yourself in danger.”
“Nate, I told you, you’ve got the wrong person in jail for the murder. He happens to be my best friend’s brother. I’m also being followed, as you know, so I need to check everyone out. We need to get this case solved ASAP!”
Ashley Crane Cozy Mystery Boxed Set Page 32