“I can’t see the car,” Ashley said. Her head kept spinning around looking in the driveways and alleys for the sedan.
Thompson cursed under his breath.
“Where should we go?” Ashley said.
Thompson muttered, “Don’t know.”
He kept driving slowly, turning down several streets, crisscrossing the neighborhood like Margaret may have done, then grunted.
“Time to go. She lost us,” he said.
***
They drove silently to the other side of town, passing the trim houses in the quiet neighborhood.
“This all looks familiar, “Ashley said.
“It might be. It’s where the widow, Beatrice Small, lives that I told you to go check up on.
“Oh, yeah,” Ashley said.
They turned another corner to get back on the highway, and there it was. The luxury white sedan. Sitting in Beatrice Small’s driveway. All the curtains in the house were shut.
“Pulling over,” said Thompson.
They parked far enough down the street to observe without being noticed in case they saw Margaret. Was Margaret living with the widow? Ashley sat with her heart and mind racing as she tried knitting up the connection.
Just then, a taxi pulled up in front of the house. Both Margaret and Beatrice Small came out and gave each other a hug. Margaret had a big manila packet tucked under her arm. She got in the taxi and waved to Beatrice as she drove down the street.
“Should we follow her?” Ashley said.
“No, she’ll get suspicious again. We’ve got all the stats on the car. We’ll know where to get her soon,” Thompson replied.
“But why would she leave in a taxi?” Ashley wondered.
“Maybe they both live there and share the car? Maybe she was just borrowing it, or maybe she’s letting Beatrice borrow it? Let’s keep an eye on the widow for a few minutes now that we know they’re acquainted.”
***
They sat quietly as Beatrice cut some flowers from her rose bushes on the side of the house. A cat walked out from the bush and the widow reached down to pet it. Then they both walked over to the driveway and headed in the front door. The cat stopped for a moment and peered around before entering the house. Ashley felt it was looking right at her.
Thompson’s radio crackled.
“Detective, we’ve got all the stats on the white sedan and the owner. Do you want it now?” a male voice said.
“Thanks. Hang on to it. I’ve got another stop then I’m heading back in. But I will take the address of a Mrs. Arabella Lee that I phoned in earlier. Checked herself out of County Hospital this afternoon.”
“Got it,” the police officer said. He came back on the line a moment later and gave Thompson the address.
Thompson started the car and turned right around from where he had pulled over. He didn’t want to risk going back in front of Beatrice Small’s place.
“Let’s head up the mountain and see this superhuman patient who checked herself out so early.”
“It’s twilight Nate; will probably be completely dark when we get up there,” Ashley said.
“Well, things will be a lot more interesting then,” Thompson said. He turned and grinned at her. “You like it when things get edgy, don’t you? As long as I’ve known you, that’s been the case.”
Ashley just stared back at him and tried to foster a weak smile. Her stomach was acting up again, and her nerves were worse than ever. She had a feeling of dread driving up the mountain.
“You know, she doesn’t live too far from where your Uncle George lives. Wonder if he knows her,” Thompson said.
“He may. Or he may not. But he would probably know her house at least,” she answered.
“Still can’t figure out how she released herself so early from the hospital,” he said.
“People who live all the way up here are tougher and more self-reliant,” Ashley said. “They have to be.”
“They’re more anti-social too,” Thompson said.
“Yep,” she said. “Can’t say I blame them after what I’ve learned about the human race in the last couple of years.”
She stared out the window into the darkening landscape. There was only a light here and there from the houses separated a good distance from another dwelling. Occasionally, a curtain was open and she could see an occupant inside, going about their business. In one house she spied a family, seated at a table, and thought she saw a platter of chicken? Vegetables? Potatoes? Whatever it was, she caught them reaching for the food as they drove by.
“I’m hungry,” she said.
“Well you have to wait. Here we are,” Thompson said as they pulled into a small driveway.
They couldn’t see much of the house except the front porch with its little light illuminating the front doorway. Ashley could just make out a small table and chair near the entrance. There was a dim light upstairs to the right in what was most likely a bedroom. They sat there a moment and peered upstairs, looking for movement.
“Should we go in?” Ashley asked.
“Showtime,” Thompson answered.
Just then, a cat jumped up on the small windowsill upstairs and seemed to look down on them. Its face was barely illuminated with the backlight, but it looked like it was howling. The little light upstairs quickly snapped off.
“Whoever is upstairs knows we’re here,” Ashley said.
“Yep,” said Thompson. “Let’s go knock on the door.”
They walked as quietly as possible to the front door, but Ashley stumbled on the second step and had to brace herself to keep from falling. She knocked against the little chair by the door and it tumbled over. She thought she heard a yowl again from the cat upstairs.
“Oh great,” she whispered. “And who says cats can’t make good watchdogs?”
“Never mind,” Thompson whispered back. “She knows we’re here anyway.”
“Maybe it’s not just a she. Maybe there’s another person here?” Ashley said. Her stomach took a nosedive and she felt like she was going to vomit.
Get a hold of yourself, she thought. This is not the first time you’ve been in a scary situation.
Thompson knocked on the door. No answer. He knocked again. Everything was as quiet as could be. Then they heard a slight shuffle coming from inside. Was it from upstairs? A far off yowl from the cat again. Thompson put his face next to the door and raised his voice.
“Detective Thompson here. I just need to ask you a few questions, then we will be on our way. Please open the door or I’ll have to call for police back up.”
They heard a few steps, maybe coming down the stairs? The floor was definitely creaking inside. Ashley looked up at the porch overhang and saw that the paint was peeling, and the middle part sagged. The house was obviously old and in need of a lot of care. She wondered if Arabella Lee lived here all alone.
Thompson and Ashley didn’t say a word as they waited. Finally, the detective gave out a sigh. He reached for his radio to call for backup when, just then, the door slightly opened. In the glow of the little porch light, they could see an old woman standing there. She held a flashlight in one hand and a gun in another. She was trembling but her face was defiant.
“I’m old, I’m tired, and I just got out of the hospital today. Don’t mess with me.” She held up the gun. “I ain’t never killed no one but if you got to be the first, so be it. Now what do you want?”
Ashley stood there rooted to the spot. She barely breathed. Thompson spoke to Arabella very slowly and quietly.
“Ma’am, I’m Detective Nate Thompson. We’re not here to harm you. I just need to ask you a few questions. If you’ll allow it, I’ll reach inside my vest and show you my detective’s badge. Just please don’t shoot.”
Arabella stepped back from the doorframe and kept her gun pointed right at them. “Can’t promise that. Depends on you. Get your badge real slow like.”
Thompson reached inside his vest and slowly pulled out his badge. He held it up for h
er to see.
Arabella squinted at it. “Can’t see nuthin in this low light. Toss it on the floor to me.”
Thompson gently tossed the badge at her feet. Arabella reached down still looking at them and holding her gun high, then grabbed the badge. She groaned as she straightened up.
“That wasn’t so easy. My back hurts now. Lemme see.” She peered at the badge, turned it over, then right side up again. She tossed it back to Thompson. “Looks like the real thing. I’m holding on to this gun though.”
“Ma’am, with all due respect, it’s hard to talk with the gun pointed at us.”
“You a detective, right? You a tough guy, right? Sure this ain’t the first time a gun been pointed at you.”
“No ma’am it isn’t,” he said. Okay then, here goes.”
Thompson proceeded to explain why they were there; that they were trying to solve an old murder case from years ago. He also told her that they had been to the hospital and noticed that she had been admitted early in the morning with injuries when her roof collapsed, and that she had been found by a woman claiming to be her best friend from years ago, Margaret Dougherty. Margaret had also been the one who called 9-1-1 to have Arabella taken to the hospital.
Arabella’s mouth dropped open. She started to slowly lower the gun.
“Who?” she asked.
“A woman named Margaret Dougherty,” Ashley replied. “She said she had come to see you and found you on your living room floor and called 9-1-1. She said you had a gun in your hand and had probably shot an intruder as your front door was open.”
Arabella kept staring at them with a shocked look on her face. The hand holding the gun had nearly dropped to her side.
“There’s more, ma’am. They found a body in your backyard. The police are trying to identify it and determine the cause of death. Could you give me some information about that?” Ashley asked.
Arabella still stood there with a look of disbelief on her face. Then she stared at Thompson and screamed. “I didn’t do nuthin! I didn’t kill no one! It’s those people, those sick, sick people trying to blame me! The same ones tried to blame my son. My baby didn’t do nuthin! You got to believe me, I ain’t lying! They the ones lying!”
Her eyes began to slowly drift up to the ceiling, then she wobbled and dropped the gun.
“Oh Lord help me,” she moaned. Then she fainted with a thud as she hit the floor. A black cat came running down the stairwell and screeched at them.
Thompson rushed inside the house and scooped Arabella up in his arms.
“Help me get her to that couch over there!” Nate yelled at Ashley.
Chapter Twelve
Ashley struggled to help Thompson get Arabella to the couch. She wasn’t a heavy woman, and only average height, but had become “dead weight” that people feel like when they pass out. They placed her gently on the couch with her head up and straightened out her legs. Ashley smoothed her hair and stroked her brow.
“Poor thing,” she said. “Are you going to call 9-1-1?”
“Yep! She left the hospital too early,” he said. “She needs to get back there and have her vitals checked and get some fluids in her.” He reached for his radio and made the call.
Arabella opened her eyes and looked around. She tried to sit up, then winced. “What happened?”
Ashley stroked her brow again. “You fainted. We think you left the hospital too early. You need to get back there and get checked up. You need some more fluids in you and some more observa—”
Arabella’s eyes shot wide open and she grabbed Ashley’s hand. “No, no, don’t send me back. They’ll come kill me. They’ll come in the night when the nurses ain’t looking and kill me! Please, I’ll be fine here at home. Just need to rest, that’s all.”
“They can come and kill you up here on this lonely mountain road a whole lot easier than they can in the hospital,” Thompson said.
Arabella then grabbed the detective’s hand too. “I got my gun up here! Can’t take no gun to the hospital. And I can shoot it good. Please, sir…” She looked imploringly at Thompson, then swiveled her head to look at Ashley. “Honey, you seem nice. Please believe me, I’m safer here than in the hospital. And I’ll try and get someone to come stay with me.” She looked desperately into Ashley’s eyes. “Maybe you can come stay with me? Bring your big detective gun and scare everyone off?” Arabella was trying to squeeze Ashley’s hand, but she was too weak.
Ashley stroked Arabella’s brow again and talked soothingly to the frightened woman.
“First of all, I’m not a detective. He is. I’m just helping with the case. Second, you can’t play around with your health. If you don’t get some more treatment, you could die up here all alone without a bullet even being fired. Third, when they thoroughly check you out and release you, I’ll come up and visit every day, I promise.”
“And I’ll make sure to station a policeman outside your door at the hospital. No one will be able to get in and harm you, I promise,” Thompson said.
Arabella blinked at them both. Her body slowly relaxed. Ashley felt her hand go limp.
Arabella rolled her head to the side and closed her eyes. “Sure will be nice to have someone takin’ care of me again,” she sighed. “My body hurts all over. I only left so soon cause I was scared. I liked that bed they put me in. And them warm blankets too.”
“We will make sure you get the best treatment,” Ashley said. “All you have to do is rest up and get well again.”
The sound of the ambulance came up the hill, getting louder as it got closer. Thompson was on his radio talking to the station, but Ashley just sat by the woman’s side, stroking her brow and hair rhythmically.
Just then, the EMTs knocked at the door. The black cat yowled and hissed at the top of the landing.
Arabella’s eyes jerked open. “Queenie! Who gonna take care of Queenie while I gone?”
“I will. I’ll come every day and check in on her and feed her,” Ashley said.
“She don’t eat canned food. You got to bring her fresh chicken and fish. She eats good like her mamma.”
Ashley smiled at her. “That’s no problem, I have two picky cats.”
“And she cooks for a living,” Thompson added.
He opened the doors for the EMTs and let them get Arabella on a gurney. They worked quickly and gently, but still the dazed woman was anxious.
“You sure I gonna have protection, Mr. Detective? You promised me.”
“Yes ma’am. Don’t worry.”
Arabella looked at Ashley. “And you gonna take good care of my Queenie?”
“I will. Don’t you worry about that for a moment. And I’ll come visit you here when you get back.”
Arabella looked at the EMTs. “Guess you can take me now. You my witness to what they say. And you all don’t drop me now!”
The EMTs laughed and rolled her out to the ambulance. Thompson went out to give them some more instructions, and Ashley sat at the bottom of the stairs, looking at Queenie.
“Wish you could talk, girl. Bet you could fill us in on what happened here.”
The cat lashed her tail and kept looking at Ashley.
“I’ll give you what I can find in the fridge, then I’ll be back tomorrow with some more fresh food. You be good and don’t run away. You’re precious to Arabella, she needs you.”
Queenie opened her mouth to meow but no sound came out. She wasn’t lashing her tail anymore though, and she sat quietly and listened to this new human talking away. Ashley put her hand out and went “psst…psst” to the cat, but Queenie didn’t move.
“That’s okay. We’ll be friends soon.” Ashley smiled up at the cat again and noticed a glimmering object on one of the steps leading up. She didn’t want to scare the cat, so she stretched up carefully to pick whatever it was up. She turned it over in her hand. It was a pearl drop earring set in a silver base. The drop part was rather large, and there was a clasp on the back. A clip on earring. The kind women wore years ago.
Maybe Arabella dropped it in fear or anxiety as she ran on the stairs? she thought.
Ashley considered taking it up to the bedroom and putting it on the woman’s dresser, but the cat was still crouched at the top of the stairs looking at her.
That will frighten the cat. I’ll bring it back tomorrow.
Ashley slipped it into her shirt pocket for safekeeping and slowly got up, still talking softly to Queenie.
Thompson walked back in the house. “Ready? Let’s lock the place up and go.”
“I’m just going to see what’s in the fridge to leave for the cat and then I’ll be ready,” she said.
Thompson walked through the whole house and checked the windows and the back door to make sure they were locked. He stared up at the ceiling where the roof had partially collapsed and made a note to have someone come fix it. They might as well get the porch propped up and fix a few more things as well while they were here. The house needed a lot more work, but he could at least arrange that.
Ashley met him at the front door and they locked it up and left the little porch light on.
“As soon as she’s feeling better, we’ll take her statement and find out what people she’s talking about that are trying to harm her,” Thompson said.
“She’s probably been keeping secrets too long. I have a feeling she could give us some clues about who the killer was in the case,” Ashley said.
“I hope you’re right,” he said. “I have the same feeling she knows a lot, and probably has for a long time,” he said.
Ashley stared at him. “How nice that you’re not arguing with me about this.”
He smiled at her. “We’ve come a long way. You’ve been a thorn in my side for so long, at first I didn’t know how to feel differently.”
“Very funny,” she said. “And you’ve been skeptical for so long, I can only be in shock at your show of agreement recently.”
“If I really agree,” he countered. “Emphasis on the if. It’s not played out yet.”
Ashley shot him a wry look as she got in the car.
Ashley Crane Cozy Mystery Boxed Set Page 81