“Anyway, they said you were asking about that whole Roscoe and Alice thing and that you’re gonna be searching for Alice.”
“Do you have information on where Alice’s body could be?”
“Not exactly, but I remember Barb saying one time after visiting Roscoe and trying to save his soul that she wouldn’t be surprised if Roscoe just dumped her body over in the community garden. You know, the one on Seventh?”
“Did Roscoe have a garden plot at the community garden?” The guy I met in prison didn’t exactly look like the gardening type.
“No, but Alice did, and after they found her body I heard Roscoe actually paid a friend a few bucks to go and make sure her garden was taken care of.”
That was definitely odd.
“Do you know the name of the friend who was helping at her plot?”
“No, but maybe one of the other gardeners knows. There’s almost always someone around there.”
“Okay, thanks for the information, Dana. I appreciate it. Did you happen to work at the diner when Alice was there?”
“She wasn’t here long. I took a month off work to tend to my ma on account of she’d had hip surgery. Alice came and went during the time I was off.”
“Could you talk to the other employees and some of the regulars? Find out if anyone remembers Alice hanging out with anyone in particular or see if someone has information they’d like to share.”
“Sure, I can do that and if you, like, want me to do any other sneaking around outside of work and asking people stuff I can do that, you know. I don’t mind.”
“Just be careful. What if Roscoe really is innocent? That means there’s a murderer on the loose, right? I don’t want to put you in danger but if you happen to hear anything I’d appreciate the information.”
After we ended the call I did drive over to the Seventh Street community garden. An elderly man was on his knees pulling weeds. Any vegetables had long since been harvested, but still I walked carefully through the rows so as not to step on anything as I got close to him.
“Hi! Do you happen to know which plot belonged to Alice Ebert?”
He glanced over at me, taking a slow look from my feet up to my face and pausing a minute on the backpack slung over my shoulder. “In my day we used dowsing to find water, not bodies.”
My reputation had once again preceded me. “It’s possible the rods are good for both.”
He harrumphed and got to his feet. He pointed a muddy finger toward the corner of the plot of land. “Hers was on the very edge there but you’re wasting your time. Cops dug it up a while ago and didn’t find Alice. Even after that nice young man came and spent all that time tending to the plot.”
Dana had mentioned Roscoe paying someone to take care of Alice’s garden.
“Who was the nice young man?”
The old man looked up at the sky, then slowly shook his head. “Don’t know if he ever did say his name. Maybe your age. Shaggy hair, beard and a little slow but had good manners. He was always saying ‘yes, sir’ and ‘no, ma’am’ like he was raised right.”
That could’ve described just about any hipster in a hundred mile radius. I tried to ask more questions but he dismissed me by stating that was all he knew, then he lowered himself back to the ground and kept on with his weeding.
“I liked his hat,” the old man muttered as he yanked out a thorny weed.
“What kind of hat was it?”
“Old school Mariners cap from back in the late 1970s. That royal blue with the yellow M on it. Had a hat like that myself back in the day.”
I carried a Mariners cap in my backpack with my rods and I pulled it out now and placed it on my head.
“Don’t think I’ve ever seen one like the one he was wearing,” I remarked. “This is the only one I’ve ever had.”
He looked up at me and grunted something before reaching for the next weed.
I knew it was a long shot since the police had probably been thorough, but still I got my rods out of my pack and began to walk with them throughout the community garden. It took less than half an hour to walk a grid of the plots, and my rods didn’t waver even once. As I was stuffing them back into my backpack, the old man muttered, “Told ya.”
I walked over and handed him my business card. “What can you tell me about Alice or her family?”
“Her dad was an ass and now he’s dead. Her ma couldn’t get out of this town fast enough once he was gone. Alice was a sweet girl. She got on good with Roscoe’s ma, who was quite frail, although won’t do you any good to talk to her on account of she can’t talk since her stroke.”
“If you think of anything more to tell me, or the name of that nice young man, could you give me a call?”
He didn’t reply but at least he took the card and stuffed it in his pocket.
As I walked back to my Jeep, I noticed a police cruiser parked behind me, and the officer climbed out of her car.
“Hello.” I gave her a bright smile, which was answered by a contradictory frown.
“Can I ask what you’re doing?”
“Just taking a walk through the garden.” I pointed behind me.
“Looked like more than a walk to me.” She was maybe fifty with a tight ponytail and parallel creases between her eyes that deepened as she scowled at me. “Who gave you permission to do that?”
“Given that it’s a community garden, I didn’t know I needed to ask permission.” I kept my words even, though my blood was beginning to heat.
“I know what you do, Ms. Hall. One of the neighbors across the street mentioned you had those rods of yours out and were bothering Mr. Cole in the garden.”
“He didn’t seem so bothered but I’m on my way so—” I walked past her car toward my Jeep and she followed.
“You think the law here are just country bumpkins that didn’t think to check Alice’s garden plot?” she hissed at my back as she followed. “You think we haven’t turned this entire town and half the state upside down looking for her body?”
I pressed my key fob to open my door and turned to face her. “Look, I’m not trying to step on any toes. If anything, I just want to help. If I did find her body, your department would be the first place I’d call.”
“Who hired you? Was it Roscoe? He was a bad seed from the day he was born and—”
“Kim hired me. His sister and dead father.” I opened my car door and met her gaze with a firmness of my own. “Finding the body should do nothing but cement the case against Roscoe so, in the end, I’d just be helping your department. Like I’ve done in the past.”
“We don’t need your help. You don’t live here anymore. I suggest you go back to your new home and stay there.”
“And I suggest you talk to most of the other law in this state who would argue differently when I’ve found bodies for them.” My words contained just enough heat to show I wasn’t backing down, but a wave of nausea soured the back of my throat.
The radio in her car garbled out some message.
“People liked Alice. She was a kind person who never should’ve gotten messed up with the likes of Roscoe Ebert. Just so you know, if you’re going to be trespassing around these parts there’s a good chance someone is going to call me.” She turned and walked back to her car.
I waited until she pulled away and was long gone before I got inside my Jeep. My hands shook as I turned the key. Meeting the officer did give me an idea. I placed a call in to a homicide detective I knew in the area who I’d worked with in the past. I left a message for Detective Larry to call me, then I steered the Jeep into traffic.
I headed south on I-5 and was suddenly overcome with fatigue. I tried playing music and making a call to Tracey but I was still struggling to stay awake. The stress of the day had stolen all the energy I had, and at Tracey’s good suggestion, I took the next exit and parked in the back l
ot of a strip mall for a nap.
My phone rang an hour later, shocking me awake. I grappled for it, dropped it on the floor, then finally took the call. “H-hello?”
“Hi, it’s Ray.”
“Ray?” I frowned, my brain struggling to catch up.
“Ray Hughes from the side of the road where you were body hunting yesterday.”
“Right. Ray.” I pulled my seat up from a reclining position and cleared my throat. “How did you get my number?”
“We exchanged business cards, remember?”
I didn’t.
“Sorry, I’m a bit out of it today.” I reached for the water bottle in my cup holder and took a sip. “What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to give you an update about Rachel Wu.”
“An update?” I took another drink from my water and wondered what he could possibly have to talk to me about.
“I had a dream about her. My dreams can be quite illuminating. Sometimes they’re visions and often they—”
“You had a dream about Rachel Wu?”
“Yeah, in my dream it was like she was reaching out to me and telling me to contact her parents again so I found their number and gave them a call.”
“This must be really hard on them.” I cracked my neck.
“Yes, when I talked to them they were obviously grieving but they were very grateful to you for finding their girl. I’m meeting them this afternoon to give them another reading. Free of charge, of course, after all they’ve been through. They asked me to get in touch with you and see if you could join us.”
I cringed. “That’s really not my thing, Ray. I’m glad they’re getting some closure, but honestly my work in this scenario is done.”
“I totally get that. I really do. But you know how some people are...” He chuckled. “They just really feel like they want to shake your hand for being instrumental in finding their girl.” I hesitated and he added, “It would really mean a lot to them. They live in Bellingham.”
I sighed. “You’re going to their house in Bellingham? What time?”
“Yes, at two o’clock.”
That was only an hour from now and I was less than five miles from Bellingham. “I’ll pop in for a quick handshake but I can’t stay for your reading.”
“Perfect! They’re going to be absolutely thrilled to death.”
After we ended the call I went into a juice bar in the strip mall and got something sweet and fruity to try and quash the uneasiness in my stomach. I sipped it in my car and scrolled through my emails to kill some time. Kim had sent me my deposit and also a list of a few friends and associates of Alice and Roscoe. She’d even provided their social media links. I fired off the same message to each, telling them who I was and that I was trying to find Alice’s body and asking them to provide me as much information about Alice and Roscoe as they could, and also let me know of any spots they may have visited that needed checking. I was careful not to mention that I was doing this in order to hopefully free Roscoe. I assumed a lot of their friends thought he was guilty and I wanted them to think I was more about finding the body and putting Alice to rest.
This was true. She’d been a fellow sufferer of child abuse. It might be the only connection we had besides this small city, but it was enough for me to feel compelled to find her body. She deserved to be properly buried.
At the Wu’s home, Ray Hughes’s small white car was already parked in the driveway. I parked on the street in front of the small blue ranch house and made my way to the door. Mrs. Wu answered my knock and Mr. Wu joined at her side a second later. Both began enthusiastically pumping my hand and repeating thank you over and over, while dabbing their damp eyes.
“Come in!” Mrs. Wu stepped aside.
“I really can’t stay,” I said.
“Please.” Mrs. Wu pointed behind her. “I baked cake and there’s tea.”
“Just for a minute then,” I offered.
I kicked off my shoes in the foyer and stepped through to the living room. The room held a few bouquets of flowers. Family and friends had been busy expressing their sympathies. On the fireplace mantel was a large framed picture of Rachel. It was her high school prom picture and her smile was as bright as her fuchsia gown. It was nice to put a smiling face to the body I’d found.
“She probably never should’ve been behind the wheel of her car,” Mr. Wu said as he motioned for me to come to the dining room table. “Who knows how much longer she would’ve been down in that ditch if it weren’t for you finding her.”
A strangled sob escaped Mrs. Wu’s lips, and she put a hand to her mouth as she sat at the table next to where Ray was already sitting. He offered me a wide smile as I sat opposite him. There was a pot of tea on the table and a platter of sliced coffee cake. Mrs. Wu filled a china cup with the tea and slid it in front of me, then plated a piece of cake and pushed that toward me as well.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” My voice was low and sympathetic.
“We were just about to begin our readings,” Ray announced brightly. He took off his glasses and cleaned them with a napkin on the table.
My eyebrows went up in question because I thought I’d been clear when I told Ray I didn’t want to stay for whatever show he planned on doing for these folks.
“You’ll stay, yes?” Mrs. Wu said. “Ray said it will only take a few minutes.”
“I don’t want to intrude...” I picked up my cup of tea and took a large sip. It scalded my tongue and I took a large bite of the cake, wanting to trying to get these niceties over.
“It’ll be quick,” Ray said, smiling brightly.
Before I knew it, he was taking Mr. Wu’s hands in both of his, closing his eyes and making a hmm noise.
“I see you working with a hammer and wood,” Ray began.
Mr. Wu gasped. “Yes! I was a framing carpenter.”
I watched with skeptical curiosity as it continued. Ray talked about other small details, and with each revelation both Mr. and Mrs. Wu grew more enthusiastic. He ended Mr. Wu’s reading by talking about a hobby that had to do with spoons and telling the man that he sees the hobby as making him some money in the future.
Mr. Wu got up from his chair and hustled into another room. He came back to show an array of sculptures he’d made using melted and bent spoons.
“I only started this a few months ago,” Mr. Wu said, his voice laced with amazement. “I’ve been selling them at craft fairs.”
Next it was Mrs. Wu’s turn. She specifically wanted to know about her daughter. Ray said that he could see Rachel doing some kind of knitting or crocheting while sitting next to her mom.
“Yes!” Mrs. Wu exclaimed. “I taught her how to crotchet when she was about ten. She hated it at first, but she was even teaching her roommate at university how to do it up until...” Her voice trailed off and she pressed her lips together. “Is she happy now? Is she...is she in heaven?”
Ray looked momentarily pained but he assured the mother that her daughter was at peace and looked forward to seeing them in the afterlife.
Once Mrs. Wu’s reading was over, Ray reached for my hand and I yanked it back as if he’d burned me.
“I’m good. Thanks.”
The tea and cake began to turn in my stomach, and the cloying smell of the flowers made me feel lightheaded. I got to my feet.
“Mr. and Mrs. Wu, thank you for your hospitality but unfortunately I have to get back to work.”
They walked me to the door, continuing to thank me profusely, and once I had my shoes back on, Mrs. Wu grabbed me in a tight hug and whimpered softly against my shoulder.
“Thank you so much for taking our case,” she murmured. “We’re so grateful to Ray for suggesting you. I will send you the rest of your payment tonight.”
“No hurry,” I assured her as I broke myself from her tight hug. “Take you
r time.”
Outside, I gulped in the clean air and almost ran to my car, only to be surprised to find Ray right on my heels.
“Hey, sorry about that back there,” he said to my back. “As soon as I got there they asked if I could start the readings. I guess they were anxious.”
“That’s okay.” I took in another deep breath, then turned to him. “You’re quite good with your readings.” I gave him a quick smile. “I’m just not ready to get one myself.”
“No worries.” He held up his hand. “Thank you for the compliment. You can see why I think that we’d work well together. I mean, between your dowsing rods to find the bodies and my being able to give loved ones readings, we might be able to do so much more, don’t you think?”
I could see his point so I found myself nodding in agreement.
“I’m thrilled that you agree! So what do you think?” His face brightened with enthusiasm. “Want to give it a go? We could be Julie and Ray, Paranormal Extraordinaires!” He had his hands up as if putting the title on a marquee.
I felt revolted at the thought. “Sounds a bit like we’re sideshow freaks, doesn’t it?” The hurt look that followed made me continue with a gentler comment. “Sure, maybe one day you and I could work together. You never know, right?” I opened the door to my Jeep and climbed inside. “Nice to see you again, Ray. I’ve gotta go.”
“Before you leave, I heard that you’re taking on trying to find Alice Ebert’s body. I could totally start doing readings of everyone involved. Maybe I can pick up on where her body is for you.”
“Sure.” I just wanted to leave now but I quickly added, “Just be careful, Ray. I mean if Roscoe turns out to be innocent, there’s still a killer on the loose, right?”
“Absolutely.” He made a cross over his heart. “I’ll get to work immediately and keep you posted on anything I find out.”
“You do that.” I closed my car door then and drove off.
Just over an hour later I pulled into my own driveway, thrilled to see Garrett’s dark sedan there. I walked inside and found him in the kitchen chopping vegetables. Wookie greeted me first so I gave him a quick pat on the head and then I went to Garrett, wrapped my hands around his waist from behind, and pressed my cheek between his shoulder blades.
A Grave End Page 6