Gotcha Detective Agency Mystery Box Set

by Jamie Lee Scott

  The truck turned left on North Main Street, then almost an immediate left into the Wagon Wheel Motel. Nick drove up the block to the intersection and flipped a U-turn. We came back around in time to see Skinner walking into the motel office, while Rayna sat in the truck. She’d slid down in the seat, as if she was afraid someone would see her.

  The Wagon Wheel Motel’s color scheme looked more like a flamingo than a wagon wheel, although there were wagon wheels on the front of every motel room door. The building was a cream color with pink trim and pale turquoise doors. Like most motels, the office was up front, and surrounded by well-trimmed bushes. The parking lot was shaped like a horseshoe with a fenced-in swimming pool, some sort of recreation room, and maybe a laundry room, in the middle. That building was painted turquoise with cream trim and pink doors.

  “Has Bucky’s death hit the news outlets yet?” I asked. I hadn’t had time to check my news feed or turn on a TV.

  “I’m sure it has, but I haven’t checked.” Nick pulled his car into the motel driveway and drove around to the far side of the swimming pool, where the fence and foliage partially obscured his car. We waited.

  It was another ten minutes before Skinner returned to his vehicle and jumped in. He drove to the back of the motel and parked in front of room 143. He got out of the truck, went around to the passenger side, and opened the door for Rayna. He helped her out of the truck and had his hand on the small of her back has they walked to the room. Rayna looked at the ground the entire time. I swear she wished she was wearing a ball cap. Skinner unlocked the door and let her in.

  “No bags?” I asked.

  “Just wait.” Nick shifted his car in reverse and pulled out of the space.

  “I don’t see anyone coming out.” I craned my neck to keep the room and truck in view as Nick moved the car.

  He moved about four spaces closer to room 143, parking within full view of the motel door.

  The door stayed closed. Not even the curtains moved.

  “I’m going to get out and get closer to the room. See if I can hear anything.” I grabbed for the door handle.

  Nick grabbed my arm. “No, you aren’t. You’re going to stay right here. I don’t care if they are screwing each other’s brains out, or planning their next murder, we aren’t going anywhere near that motel room.”

  “Why not?” I didn’t understand his logic. “They could be hiding evidence. Bloody clothes.”

  “Rayna doesn’t think she’s a suspect,” Nick said, his voice monotone as he stared at the room.

  “And why is that?”

  “Because we told her as much.” Same disinterested voice.

  I knew this voice. He doled out information, just enough to keep me from bugging him, but not enough to get him in trouble for sharing too much. He acted like it was no big deal, so I wouldn’t get all worked up about it. But I was all worked up about it. If Rayna wasn’t a suspect in Bucky’s murder, and we were following them, then Skinner was.

  “So, what you’re saying is, we aren’t following Rayna, we’re following Skinner. You really think he killed Bucky?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about my client being the murderer.

  “I’m not sure what I think right now. I’m just waiting to see what happens next.” He never took his eyes off the room.

  “But why have you ruled out Rayna?”

  “We haven’t.” Point blank.

  “But…” Ah, never mind, he didn’t even have to answer. If she didn’t think she was a suspect, she’d be more open to having the cops search the house, or be more relaxed about her movements, and slip up. “You think the case will go cold?”

  “I have absolutely no doubt we’ll catch the killer.” The lilt in his voice made me think he already knew who it was. He just had to catch the person, or find enough evidence.

  “Alrighty then.” I sat back and closed my eyes. This was his stakeout, not mine. I’d done enough of these, and I wasn’t on duty, so I was taking a nap. I was starving, and I didn’t want to think about my growling stomach, so I concentrated on my breathing. Or on Lola’s snoring, which was louder.

  It seemed like only a minute before Nick smacked me on the shoulder. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty, they’re on the move.”

  I looked at my watch. We’d been there two hours. It was dark outside. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check for messages and it started to ring.

  I answered.

  “Ms. Capurro, it’s Naomi Mathis.” She sounded winded and tired.

  “Yes, Naomi.” This couldn’t be good if she was calling me.

  “Have you heard from Skinner at all? I’ve been calling him, and he’s not answering his cell phone. I’m starting to worry about him.”

  I looked at Nick before answering. “Have I heard from Skinner?” Nick shook his head. “No, I’ve been at work all afternoon, and he hasn’t called me since I talked to you.”

  Her voice became shaky, “I hope he’s okay, or I hope he’s dead. I’m not sure which.”

  “I’m sure you want him to be okay, Naomi.” I really hoped they weren’t having sex in that motel room. I hoped they would have picked a nicer place than that.

  “With Bucky out of the picture, I’m not sure where I stand now. I’m really scared. I haven’t heard from him all day. It’s not like him to leave me to unload the cows, and not even check to see if everything’s okay. If I’m okay.” If I could hear a breakdown coming over the phone line, this would be what it sounded like.

  “Are you okay?” I really wanted to know. I felt sorry for Naomi.

  “I don’t know. I think so. I need to talk to Skinner.”

  We followed Skinner’s truck back up Highway 101 toward what I hoped was the Cox place. I guess we’d find out soon enough. I knew Nick was adept at tailing a suspect (or whatever Skinner was), but I kept finding myself wanting to give him directions, hints, reprimands. I didn’t dare, or he’d leave me on the side of the road. I’d do the same to him if he was in the passenger seat and had the nerve to tell me how to do my job.

  “I’ll see if I can get in contact with him. But if he’s not answering to you, he surely won’t answer for me. Are you still at work?” I knew she was; what reason would she have to go home?

  “Yes,” she said, barely audible.

  “Take a break. Sit down. Have something to drink, and take a deep breath. I’m sure he’s okay, and that you have nothing to worry about.” Lie, lie, lie.

  I disconnected and immediately dialed Skinner’s cell phone number.

  He answered on the second ring.

  I greeted him with, “Call your freaking wife, asshole.”

  “Excuse me?” He sounded more perplexed than mad.

  “Your wife is terrified that you’ve rolled your truck in a ditch and died. You haven’t returned her calls, and she’s worried about you. Call her now!” I didn’t even try to be friendly.

  “What the heck is Naomi doing calling you?” Now he sounded mad.

  Oh, about that… “I stopped by your livestock place earlier today, looking for you. Low and behold, you weren’t there. For a man so eager to get to work this morning, you sure have found it difficult to actually make it there.”

  “What did you need that you couldn’t have called me for?” His words were clipped.

  “That’s beside the point by now. Your wife unloaded a full trailer by herself, because you were too distracted to get to work and help her.”

  “Oh my, I truly forgot. I can’t believe…she’s going to kill me. I’ve gotta go.” He hung up on me.

  What I said must have lit a fire, because he went from driving the speed limit to pushing the pedal to eighty-five. On Pesante Road, he took the turns faster than was safe, but somehow made it to the Cox place safely. He dropped Rayna at the house without getting out to open her door, then hightailed it out of there and back onto Highway 101, headed north.

  “I’m guessing he’s headed to help his wife out,” I said, pleased that he’d answered my call, and that he’d cared en
ough to go help her finish up for the night.

  “I just wonder if he’s going because of her, or because of the business.” Nick had to ruin the moment for me.

  I wanted Skinner to be in love with Naomi for real. All of the years she worked so hard, side by side with him, in that livestock business, she deserved more. I can’t imagine it was an easy business. She’d given up her rodeo life, and her favorite horse. And of all things, that horse ended up in the hands of her nemesis. Funny how life works.

  I rarely wished I wasn’t with Nick, but in that moment, I wanted to head north and see how Skinner handled things with Naomi. I wanted to see if she pulled out the shotgun and gave him a piece of her mind. Or maybe they were in on this together. Bonnie and Clyde of the rodeo circuit.

  “Drive thru okay with you?” Nick asked.

  It wasn’t, but by now, I knew I wasn’t getting a home cooked meal. I’d be lucky if I got him in bed with me. He’d be up all night going over the case, putting pieces together. I’d be sleeping with Lola. Whoopee! Not. “Sure.”

  I think I heard Lola grunt from the back seat. Fast food was great with her. Beats dog food any day.

  “Just tell me, do you think Skinner did it?” I needed to know. I couldn’t stand it.

  The look on Nick’s face told me not to ask that question, or any other questions regarding this case again.

  117

  Charles

  Morning came way too soon, but I happily fired up the stove and put the cast-iron skillet on the front burner. The only question was eggs or omelet? I knew he ate meat, because he’d eaten meat last night at dinner. But did he like it for breakfast?

  I fried the bacon and left the grease in the skillet, then I put the egg yolks in the bowl with some cream, and whisked the whites until they were nearly fluffy enough for meringue. Next, I whisked the yolks and cream together. By the time I was folding the whites into the yolk mix, Max walked into the kitchen.

  Dressed only in the towel he’d used for the shower, which fit around his waist nicely, his body looked as fit as I’d remembered. His wet hair was curly. He smiled. “What would you say if I told you I don’t eat breakfast?”

  I tried not to let my disappointment show. “I’d say, more for me.”

  “That sucks, because I love breakfast, and I hope you made plenty. Let me get dressed, because I’m going to have to eat and run if I’m going to get to work in time.” He looked back at me. “I can’t believe we slept so late.”

  “We didn’t sleep that late, you just take a hell of a long shower.” He’d been in there twenty minutes. “I hope there’s enough hot water for me.”

  * * *

  I smiled all the way to the office, but made sure to put on my game face by the time I got to the door. I had no intention of sharing the details of my test drive and (so called) date from the night before. Then I looked back at the Spyder sitting in the parking lot, and knew I’d have to do some explaining.

  I’d planned to be the last to arrive, so I’d be the last car in the lot, then no questions first thing, but I really did want to show off the car. Just not right away. Okay, fine, right away. I just didn’t want to be too obvious about it.

  I opened the kitchen door and ran smack into Mimi.

  “Oh my, I have so much to tell you. Last night was a doozy. I mean a doozy.”

  I rolled my eyes. I didn’t even try to hide it. I’d bet my life that my night was better than hers. “Couldn’t be better than my night was.”

  “I’m not talking good, I’m talking bizarre. With a capital B I Z A R R E.” She handed me a glass of iced coffee, then sat at the kitchen table.

  I wasn't sure if she could see the Spyder from the kitchen door window as she sat down.

  “What could possibly have been so bizarre in your little white washed world?” I leaned against the counter and waited for the boring story.

  “Nick stopped by, and we were going to go upstairs for a quickie--” Mimi blushed.

  “Stop right there.” I put my hand up. “Already more than I want to know. I can feel my breakfast revolting on me at this very second”

  “Whatever. It’s not about me and Nick, it’s about Uta.” She waved her hand at me to shut me up. “We get upstairs, I open the bedroom door, and there’s Uta and her husband, butt naked in the bed.” She started laughing so hard, iced coffee came out her nose.

  I tossed a tea towel at her, followed by a roll of paper towels. She nearly choked, she was laughing so hard.

  I didn’t see what was so funny. Revolting maybe; funny, not so much. “I fail to see the humor in this. Two geriatrics going at it is probably a task, and you walked in on them and ruined it. That poor boy probably had to work hard to get that thing up, and now poor Uta will probably never get a good servicing again in this lifetime.”

  Mimi wiped at her nose with the paper towels and dabbed at her black pants with the rag. “You had to be there. Her husband hid under the covers and wouldn't come out.”

  “So, did Uta show up for work today? Or do we now have to find, hire, and train another receptionist?” I failed to see the humor in any of it.

  “Fun hater.” Mimi leaned forward to put the used towels on the table. Then she jumped out of the chair so fast, I thought she’d sat on a tack. “What the hell is that?” She nearly ran to the door and swung it open.

  My cheeks hurt from grinning. I think my lips were stuck, because I almost couldn’t answer her question.

  “It’s a car,” I finally managed. I did a little jump in place.

  Now she was looking at me. “And what the hell was that?” But she didn’t wait for an answer and walked out to the Spyder.

  I guzzled my iced mocha as I walked behind her.

  “I thought there weren’t any more of these things left on the planet from the way you were carrying on.” She walked around my new baby, not daring to touch it, as if it were a mirage.

  “In theory, there aren’t. This is a replica. Still worth quite a pretty penny, but it’s a Spyder, and it’s mine.” I touched it for her, to let her know it was real.

  Now her smile matched mine. “So this is what Max took you to see?”

  I hedged a bit, then said, “Yep.”

  Mimi looked at me, waiting for more. I wasn’t ready to tell her more.

  Just then, Cortnie came out onto the back porch. “Hey, I know you’re all drooling over Charles’ new car, but we need to get to the Cox place. Rayna’s daughter just called. She said Skinner’s there with a horse trailer.”

  Cortnie had the keys in her hand. She shut the door tight behind her, and I swear I heard Lola howling from the house as we got in Mimi’s Land Rover. Of course, Cortnie tossed the keys to me.

  I rode the fine line between speeding and getting a ticket. You know, that place between definitely getting pulled over, and maybe getting pulled over? And we got lucky. On the way there, I told Mimi and Cortnie the story about Max and the new car. I conveniently left out the part about dinner, and especially the part about breakfast.

  I really wanted to tell someone about Max, and breakfast, and the drive to the bank, but I didn’t want it to be both of them at once. I’d wait until Mimi and I were alone, since I wasn’t sure if this thing was just one date, and the sexiness of the new car on my mind, or if I really liked Max, and there was something more. Hell, I didn’t even know how much longer he’d be in the area. When the import sting operation was finished, we’d likely be finished. Maybe Max had a guy for every operation. Just like those guys with a hook up in every port. I didn’t want to make more of it than it really was: a fun night that ended way too late, or way too early (the next morning) as the case may be.

  We got to the Cox place just in time to block the driveway as Skinner was driving his truck and trailer down past the arena. I stopped the Land Rover in the middle of the drive, at an angle, where the culvert went over the ditch. He couldn’t drive around us without going in the ditch, and he wasn’t going to drive through us if he had an expensive hor
se in the trailer.

  I got out of the car and walked toward the truck. He wasn’t driving fast, and it looked like he was slowing down to talk to us.

  By the time I got to his driver’s side door, Mimi and Cortnie were right behind me.

  Skinner rolled down his window, but made no move to get out. The truck rolled forward a bit, so I didn’t think he had put it in park. “Get your car out of my way.”

  “So, did you make it out to your place to finally help your wife last night? Or did you spend the whole night with Rayna?” Mimi asked.

  I looked at Mimi. “Just what the hell were you doing last night?”

  Skinner glared at Mimi. “You called me last night. I told you I was going to help my wife.”

  “You didn’t tell me anything. You hung up.” Mimi spat the words at him.

  She hated cheaters, almost as much as I did. I wished we’d talked about what was going on with Skinner last night, rather than my car, on the way over here, so I didn’t feel so left out.

  “Well, I don’t need your services anymore, so please move your vehicle.” He rolled the truck forward a bit more.

  “Galynn called us,” Cortnie said. “She said you came by last night and left with her mother for a few hours, then when you dropped her off, Rayna was extremely upset. You just dropped her and drove away. That wasn’t like you. What’s going on, Skinner?”

  The lines in Skinner’s face seemed to deepen before our eyes. “There’s a lot going on between Rayna and me, and it’s none of your business. It has nothing to do with what I hired you for. I’m not going to get my saddle back, because Bucky sold it, and I’m done with all of this. I just want to take my horse and go.”

  Cortnie looked at the trailer, as did I. Mimi looked at Skinner.

  Cortnie asked, “What horse?”

  “According to the court documents, and the judge, the business contract, the LLC was between Pam Brown and Bucky Cox. Rayna Cox’s name was nowhere on the paperwork. Since Bucky Cox is dead, and Rayna was not named anywhere, the assets of the LLC revert to the sole owner, the president of the corporation, Pam Brown. Pam no longer wishes to own the horse, so I purchased him from her for a fair market price, and he’s going home where he belongs.”