“Charlie’s only fifteen,” Jo pointed out. “He’s not going to be making any life-changing decisions for a while. I hope Dan will see that this might be only one of many things Charlie wants to look in to.”
“I hope so too.”
As if their thoughts had mysteriously drawn him to them, the door jingled as Charlie bounced in, his school backpack hanging from one shoulder.
“Hi Mom! Hi Aunt Jo.”
Jo heard a liveliness in his greeting that had been missing before. Carrie was right. Even now, coming from a day spent at school, Charlie seemed energized.
“Charlie! Is it that time already?” Carrie looked up at the clock. “How was your day? Are you hungry?”
“Nah, I stopped with some guys at McDonald’s. Got some fries.”
As he swung his heavy backpack onto the counter, Jo caught the aroma of fried burger grease still lingering on his clothes, and, though she had cut down on such high-fat treats some time ago, it triggered a hunger pang. She wondered what Carrie might have around to nibble.
“That’s why I came here,” Charlie explained. “Aunt Jo, remember those guys I knew who worked at the Country Club?”
“Yes?”
“Well, they had a lot to say about Kyle Sandborn, the guy that got offed here.”
“Charlie,” Carrie automatically admonished, but mildly.
“Tell me,” Jo urged.
“I was cool about it,” Charlie said, clearly pleased with himself. “I mean, I didn’t just come right out and say, ‘Give me all you know about this guy’. I acted like I might be interested in getting a job there, which I might,” he said defensively. "You never know.
“So I asked them what it was like working there, and this one guy, Garth, says it’s okay except for having to work for the grounds supervisor, Hank Schroder. Schroder’s an old guy, but an ex-Marine who runs the crew like a drill sergeant. Garth said everything has to go exactly his way, and he won’t let you dig a hole without making sure you’ve got exactly the right shovel and measured everything ten times. He drives them all crazy.”
“How does this fit in with Kyle, honey? Kyle didn’t work for him, did he?”
“I’m getting there, Mom. Then they start laughing, Garth and these other guys, ’cause they’re remembering how Kyle used to play tricks on Schroder.”
“That’s interesting,” Jo said.
“Uh -huh! Kyle used to do things like sneak over and turn off the sprinklers after Schroder walked away. He’d do this over and over until Schroder thought something was broken and took the whole system apart, checking it out. When he didn’t find anything, he’d set the sprinklers up again, watch it ‘till he was okay with it, then, when he finally relaxed, Kyle would turn them off again.
“Schroder would accuse the guys, but they could always prove they were nowhere near. So he’d take it all apart again and go crazy when he couldn’t find a problem.”
“That’s kind of mean, isn’t it?” Carrie said.
“Yeah, I know. These guys, Garth and the others? They’re not the brightest bulbs, if you know what I mean, but they wouldn’t snitch on Kyle because of all the guff Schroder gave them.
“Then,” Charlie paused dramatically, “Kyle changed the timer on the sprinklers without Schroder knowing, and they all went off when a bunch of bigwigs were on the golf course. It soaked them, and they were jumping up and down, they were so mad. And Mr. Gordon,” Charlie said to Jo, “you know, the manager? He really chewed Schroder out, and said things like maybe Schroder was getting too old for the job.”
“Uh-oh. How did Mr. Schroder take this?”
“He was steaming. Garth said his skin under his grey buzz cut turned bright red.”
“That’s sounds awfully immature for someone Kyle’s age,” Carrie said doubtfully.
“Yeah I know, but Garth also said there’s a guy married to Kyle’s older sister who might want Schroder’s job. They live in Virginia and want to come back here. He thought Kyle might be trying to open up the job for him, but he was having a ball at the same time, doing it.”
“Did Schroder figure out what was happening?” Jo asked.
“I don’t know. These guys started acting stupid, so I couldn’t get to that.”
The phone rang, and Jo reached for it. It was Loralee.
“Jo, how are you today?” she began. Jo sensed Loralee had called for reasons other than to check on Jo’s health. But Loralee, ever the soul of old-fashioned courtesy, was not one to rush into things. Eventually, though, after a comment or two on the weather, she got down to it: “Jo, dear, Ina Mae asked me to tell you that she found out through that walking group of hers that the young man we were discussing the other night, Pete, works over at Hanson’s garage. Ina Mae would have called you herself,” Loralee explained, “but she had to rush out for another one of her meetings, book club this time, I believe.”
“Hanson’s garage? Thank you for calling me with this, Loralee.”
Loralee had a question about her scrapbooking project, which Jo worked through with her for a couple of minutes. After hanging up, she shared with Carrie and Charlie what she’d learned.
“This is the boyfriend,” she explained to Charlie, “that you overheard mentioned backstage.”
“The guy who was happy Kyle wasn’t going to be the lead with his girlfriend?”
“Uh-huh. I overheard him talking to Genna as they were leaving the theater last night, mad about something else. I’d like to find out more about him, maybe talk with him, but I’m not sure yet how to go about it.”
“I can do it,” Charlie quickly offered, clearly buoyed up by his recent success.
“What? How?”
“Guys like me hang around garages all the time. It’d be no problem”
“No, Charlie,” Carrie said, her expression firm. “I don’t think that’s a good idea at all.”
“Mom!”
“I mean it. I don’t want you hanging around someone who might be dangerous.”
“Your Mom’s right,” Jo agreed. She wasn’t about to start sending her only godson out alone into unknown territories.
Charlie looked ready to argue, his jaw beginning to jut, but then he gave in. Jo figured he might have been thinking he already had one precarious situation going – his time spent at the playhouse – and didn’t want to jeopardize it.
“Okay,” he said, picking up his backpack, “but I still think it’s a good idea.”
As the door jangled closed behind him, Jo turned to Carrie. “Well, Charlie’s come up with another suspect for us – Hank Schroder of the Country Club.”
“I know,” Carrie said, looking pleased but also concerned.
“I’m sorry, Carrie. I shouldn’t have let Charlie get involved at all, should I?”
“But he is involved, Jo, just for caring about you like the rest of us. Don’t worry, he’s a sensible kid. He won’t do anything foolish.”
Carrie smiled confidently, and wandered away to tidy up the yarns. But Jo noticed her glancing out the window often, as if her thoughts were following Charlie on his way home.
As were Jo's.
CHAPTER 15
Jo had mixed feelings as she pulled up to Hanson’s garage. She’d called ahead to arrange for an oil change, and recognized Pete’s voice on the phone. It gave her an odd feeling as they spoke, knowing his thoughts were on one thing – garage business –while hers were on the much less prosaic notion of murder.
What would she accomplish by coming here? Part of it, she was aware, was simply heading off Charlie, in case he decided he knew best after all. It was getting hard to remember the old Charlie, the one who had to be dragged away from his mind-numbing Game Boy. Jo was happy to see his new energy, but feared it might push him too far toward playing private eye.
But after her intriguing evening at the playhouse, Jo wanted to get a better understanding of Pete Tober, and to do that she had to talk to him face-to-face, and watch him with others. Was it a foolproof way of judging if t
he man was capable of murder? No, but it was a start.
A large man in oil-stained overalls came over, and she realized it must be Pete, whom she had seen only from behind and by mottled streetlight before. His face was that of a boxer’s: broad, with blunted features. Only his friendly smile saved him from looking intimidating.
“Mrs. McAllister?”
“Yes.”
“Pull over to the first bay there, will you? Leave your keys in the ignition, and I’ll drive your car onto the lift.”
Jo followed Pete’s direction, wondering at the same time what he must think of her rusty old Toyota. Some might have dumped a wreck like hers before putting any money whatsoever into it. But hey, it was only an oil change, a bit sooner than she needed it, but it wouldn’t break her. The noises she was beginning to hear in her transmission were something else, but she wasn’t going to think about that now.
“You said something about coffee, when I called?” Jo asked, as she climbed out.
“Yes, ma’am. Right there in the office. There’s magazines to read too, while you wait.”
“I’d like to watch, if you don’t mind.”
Pete hesitated. “I don’t know. It’s pretty dirty, and there’s no place to sit.”
“I don’t mind, really. I promise to stay out of the way.”
Pete glanced over at an older man nearby –Mr. Hanson, Jo guessed. The older man nodded. “All right. Sure.”
“Great.” Jo got her coffee and carried it out to see her car rising several feet into the air. She saw its battered underside for the first time, and prayed that it would hold together for a few more months.
Pete had been polite, but she would have expected that. He wouldn’t last long in the business if he weren’t. She chose a spot and stood quietly, trying her best to disappear into the background, watching his interaction with the other workers. His banter with them seemed easy. She knew she had been forgotten when cusswords slipped in, not in anger but in usual guy talk. This was a far different world from her craft shop, and the testosterone floating about was nearly palpable.
Gradually Jo caught on that Pete was second in command, under Hanson. Pete didn’t do her car’s oil change, but oversaw a younger guy working on it, as well as checking out an engine job on a Ford pick-up in the next bay, and making occasional phone calls for parts.
As she watched, Jo formed an impression of an efficient, conscientious mechanic. But then she remembered Genna’s admission of Pete’s temper, even as she had defended him for at least not being underhanded. Did he have a Jekyll-Hyde personality? Could he turn on the charm or turn on a foe as easily as the twist of a faucet? So far, Jo couldn’t say.
The wall phone jangled, and Pete reached for it, barking, “Hanson’s” into it. He had his back to Jo, but she was only a few feet away and could hear him well, even as his voice dropped.
“Yeah, I’m glad you called back. I can’t talk long, but I wanted to tell you I found a place.”
Pete shifted his weight as he listened, then apparently interrupted the speaker, saying, “no, wait, wait, wait. I know all that. But I’m telling you it doesn’t matter.” Pause. “No, it doesn’t! I’m telling you it’s not good, and you’ve got to get out of it.”
Pete’s tone had risen, growing demanding and agitated. Then it suddenly softened. “Baby, look --” Was he talking to Genna? “I’m only thinking of you, of what’s best for you.” Pause. “Yes, I do know that.” Pause. “No, I don’t think that. Genna, for God’s sake, use some common sense!” He had escalated to shouting. “Fine! Great!” He slammed the phone on its hook and stomped out of the bay, disappearing from Jo’s view, and she soon heard the sound of something metallic and hollow being kicked. Hard.
A few heads in the garage turned at the noise, but no one commented, although glances were exchanged. When a young mechanic walked near Jo to get a tool, she commented, “Sounds like your boss is upset.”
“Ah, it’s nothing.” He said, smirking. “Woman problems.” This thrown out with an air of worldliness by a guy who, Jo guessed, still needed a shave only every other day.
“We should be done here in just a few minutes,” he said.
“Great. Thanks.” Jo sipped at her coffee, and wandered to the bay’s open doorway. Pete was nowhere to be seen. After a few minutes, however, he returned to the garage, looking calm, though grim, and jumped right back into his work.
Before long, Jo’s oil change was finished, and Pete came over to check on the job. “Looks like your oil wasn’t too dirty, which is good. You might want to think about replacing that muffler and exhaust pipe pretty soon, though. We could do it while you’re here, if you like.”
“I guess I’ll wait on that.”
“Okay.” Pete nodded agreeably. "No pressure."
He directed the car to be lowered, and guided her into the office to write up the bill. As he waited for Jo to sign the credit card slip, the young mechanic who had spoken to Jo earlier poked his head through the door.
“Hey, Pete, is it all right if I run over to the vet’s for a minute?”
“Yeah, sure, Del. Not too long, though, okay?”
Del ducked back, and Jo glanced up at Pete.
“His dog’s been real sick,” he explained. “Kid had him since he was in kindergarten.”
“That’s a shame,” Jo said. She picked up her receipts and tucked the papers into her purse. “A friend of mine has a cat who’s in a bad way, but she can’t bring herself to put it out of its misery yet.”
“Yeah, it can be tough. Del’s going to be all broke up when the time comes. Might have to give him the day off.” Pete opened the door for Jo. “Let me know if you decide on the muffler and exhaust pipe. I wouldn’t let it go too long, if I were you. And don’t worry, we’ll give you a real fair price.”
“Thanks.” Jo looked into a face that, at the moment, appeared as open and honest as any she’d ever seen. And likeable. Was it a salesman’s mask, though, or a true reading of the man within? As she drove off, Jo realized meeting Pete face to face had raised as many questions as answers. She had seen his temper, but how far would it carry him? Was he capable of murder? At this point, after spending a good chunk of her afternoon in a garage watching the man at work, about all Jo could say for sure was that he had given her possibly the cheapest oil change she’d ever had in her life.
And the coffee wasn’t bad, either.
CHAPTER 16
“Ooh, I do like that melon-colored paper around your picture,” Loralee said, glancing at the page Ina Mae was working on. “It brings out the beautiful sunset streaks in your photo.”
“I took that shot at Red Rock Canyon,” said Ina Mae. “We had a wonderful time hiking through the area.”
“You weren’t worried about snakes?” Deirdre asked. She sat on the other side of Ina Mae tonight, well away from Mindy and her piles of twin pictures.
Jo doubted there was much at all that Ina Mae worried about which the older woman confirmed by the look she threw Deirdre. “I try not to interfere with their lives, and they don’t interfere with mine. Jo,” she said, turning away, “you suggested we decorate our pages to the theme of the photo. Do you have any stamps with a southwestern look, like maybe a cactus?”
“I think we just might. Let me check. And, for another idea,” Jo reached for a raffia bundle, “you might like to attach a few strands of this, artfully, to your page to add a desert feel.”
“Oh, I like that,” Mindy chimed in. “What can I do to this page I’m putting together on the twins at the Fourth of July picnic?”
Jo helped Mindy look through several possibilities until she found a combination that satisfied her. At least for the moment. Jo had seen Mindy change her mind, and her pages dozens of times, so that progress on her scrapbook was moving at glacial speed – which didn’t seem to worry her in the least. Mindy clearly enjoyed the process as much as the result.
Deirdre had finished a page or two on her scrapbook. Looking them over, Jo noticed that
though the scrapbook’s stated purpose was to memorialize her husband’s career, the photos she had chosen so far all had Deirdre in them as well: Deirdre smiling beside Alden as he received an award from the local Chamber of Commerce; Deirdre at his side as he shook hands with the Governor. Right now Deirdre had pulled out a couple of photos of the two of them dressed formally – Alden in a tux and Deirdre in a knock-out red gown – possibly for a charity ball. The theme of the scrapbook certainly seemed to be turning into “Deirdre and Alden’s Excellent Adventure” rather than “Alden’s Career”, but Jo wasn’t about to comment on it.
“Oh, Jo,” Deirdre said, “I spoke to Alden about the way Lieutenant Morgan treated you. He promised to talk to Russ about it.”
“Thanks, Deirdre,” Jo said, not hoping for any miracles to come from that but appreciating the effort.
“Have you had any luck looking into this jealous boyfriend, Jo?” Ina Mae asked. She was experimenting with the looks of a few western-type stamps Jo had found for her.
“Yes, I have,” Jo said. All hands around the table collectively paused as the workshop women waited for Jo’s latest report. She recounted her talk with Genna, followed by her eavesdropping on Genna’s and Pete’s conversation on the phone.
“That sounds like a problem boyfriend to me,” Mindy stated firmly.
“Definitely,” Deirdre agreed.
Jo then told them about going to Hanson’s garage, and the phone argument she overheard between Pete and Genna.
“What do you suppose he meant about ‘finding a place’?” Loralee asked.
“I’m guessing, since Genna’s cousin mentioned Pete has wanted Genna to move in with him, that it was about that.”
“That he found a place for the two of them?” Ina Mae asked, her raised eyebrows signaling both absorption of the information and disapproval of it.
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