by Tonya Kappes
“Do you have the footage or did they take it?” I asked.
“I have it still, but they took a copy.” His eyes lowered. “Why?”
“Well, I was wondering if I could take a look at it.” I waited with anticipation. “I can’t say just yet, but Hank has suspects on his list that just couldn’t have killed Paul.”
“Ask him for the footage then. I told you he had a copy.” He took the last drink of his coffee and handed me back the cup. “I told Ann I’d be here all afternoon and Hank was going to stop by and pick up another copy from months prior. You can go when he goes and I’d be fine with that.”
“Perfect.” I pinched a smile and knew that I had to get to the bank before Hank did. I’d seen him bribe children, I wonder if I could bribe an adult. Ann. “Thanks again for helping with all this. I truly do appreciate it.”
Dottie had gone beyond the lake and started to go between the lots. She’d made her way over to the far road of the camper ground, which was out of sight and perfect timing for me to go into her camper, as the manager of course.
When I opened Dottie’s door, I glanced around and made sure no one saw me. The coast appeared to be clear, so I quickly jotted up the three steel steps and closed the door behind me.
Dottie’s camper was much different than mine. I had the separate rooms, where she had one big open space. In the back of the RV, she had a full table that folded away and a murphy bed. In the middle of the camper was her kitchen and up towards the front, she had a full couch and Lazy-Boy. The entire place had the stale smell of smoke and there were ashtrays all over the place that needed to be emptied. Her TV was on and so was the ceiling fan, making the smell of the smoke even more nauseating.
There was a filing cabinet next to the kitchen table that had the alphabet letters printed on the front tabs. I took the liberty of opening the top drawer just to see what was in them and the files had rental agreements in them. I pulled out a couple and noticed some of them were so far dated back that they probably could’ve been thrown away. Dottie had a system and I wasn’t interested in learning that day. I was interested in finding out if she had a gun or if Hank had told me that to see if he could call a bluff.
The bottom metal drawer of the filing cabinet was labeled personal. The wheels on the drawer screeched when I opened it.
“Mae, what are you doing?” Dottie surprised me.
“I was, um, looking for the money you took in.” I had to think fast on my feet.
“It certainly isn’t in my personal files.” She walked back, wiping the sweat from her brow with the collar of her shirt. “And I don’t think I gave you permission about even come in here.”
“You know, I was thinking about that.” I tried to play it off. “You know that out building near the lake. I wonder if we can make that an office instead of using your camper.”
I was even impressed with what I just pulled out of my sleeve.
“If we can get the lake and everything cleaned up, we might be able to have a tackle shop or even a snack stand in there.” I shrugged at my great idea.
“Then that means you might have a job for me?” The shifting of her eyes going back and forth between me and the personal file didn’t go unnoticed.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I found that to be an odd question.
“Hank Sharp told me last night that he wondered if you were going to carry out your husband’s wishes about getting rid of me.” There was a sadness that crossed her face.
“Dottie, I think we need to sit down.” I pointed towards one of the kitchen chairs. “Because I think Hank is putting us against each other. Or at least trying to figure out if we are in cahoots. Trust me that I know it’s not been easy for you.” I’d been gone for twelve years and somehow my accent started to pick right back up, though I’d tried so hard to lose the twang. “The real reason I’m in here is because even though you’ve been the nicest person to me, he’s made me doubt you and your motives.”
“He did the same about you to me. Even told me that you were from Kentucky.” Her jaw dropped. “That little . . .”
“I am from Kentucky, but the western part of the state.” I made it sound like no big deal. “What if you and I put our heads together and figure out just what Hank wants from us,” I suggested.
“He wants a confession that either I killed Paul or that you and I killed Paul.” Her brows shot up. “The gun that shot your husband was my gun.”
I interrupted her, “Ex.” I was just about tired of people calling him my husband.
Ever since he was arrested, I never wanted to call him my husband and had immediately proceeded with divorce papers. He wasn’t the man I’d thought I’d married and he certainly didn’t love me since he forged my signature on all of those documents.
“Still, it was my gun. I’m not sure even when it went missing,” her voiced trailed off and her eyes looked at the filing cabinet. “You were in here trying to figure out if I had a gun, weren’t you?”
“Yes. I told you that Hank had me rethink how nice you’d been. But I don’t think you killed Paul.” I bit the corner of my lip, thinking about Henry and Ty. “Though it does look bad that it was your gun.”
“And,” she took a cigarette out of the pouch and tucked it into the corner of her lip. “Paul had come to town the day he escaped from jail. He gave me the sob story about how he needed money because he was going to prove that he didn’t take everyone’s money that his partner had.”
“He didn’t have a partner.” I couldn’t believe how he lied even when he escaped. “How did he get out of jail?”
“That’s a good question. He skipped around it and when he refused to answer my questions, I told him I wasn’t going to even think about giving him money. There was something that didn’t sit well right here.” She pointed to her stomach. “That’s when I called the police to let them know that he was in town. Then you showed up the next day.”
“That’s why they think I did it and realized I wasn’t here when they pinged my cell phone location.” I sighed. “And now he has you on footage with Paul, plus the gun.”
“It doesn’t look good. I never go anywhere but the Laundry Club and here. I don’t have an alibi with witnesses. I was here watching The Real Housewives. I can tell them everything that happened and who got into fights on that episode, but that’s not good enough.” Her determination faltered.
“I’m no detective, but I’ve been in many circles of women who liked to back stab each other. I can read people really good.” My confidence was starting to come back about my intuition. “I want you to look into Henry and what he was doing that night. He’s a suspect too since Paul had taken him for all his money.”
“I can do that. What are you going to do?” she questioned.
“I’m going to go to the bank and see if I can talk Ann into letting me see the footage of you talking to Paul. Someone else had to know he was in town and if there’s anything on there, the slightest thing, we might have something.” I stood up and looked out her window when I heard gravel spitting up underneath some tires.
It was Betts Hager in her mini-van ready to pick me up to take me to town.
“I can’t promise anything, but I’m going to try.” I said. “I’ll be back this afternoon. And think about the office thing. That I’m serious about.”
“Thanks, Mae.” Dottie reached for her lighter on my way out the door.
TWELVE
“A car?” Betts questioned.
“Yeah. I don’t need something big. I just need a little something to get me back and forth into town and around the campground.” I’d asked her if she knew anyone with a used car lot around town. “That way you don’t have to keep picking me up. By the way, I want to thank you for sending Lester over to see Alvin.”
“It was nothing.” She scrunched her nose and pulled in front of the library. “Sometimes it’s good to use the big guy above when it’s for the good of the people.”
“Let me know if I can repay the f
avor. I know I don’t have much.” I gathered my beloved Gucci bag and another not so fancy backpack that I’d found from the previous owners of the camper that I’d dumped my purse contents into it.
“You can show up to church this Sunday, that’s me calling in my favor.” She was relentless.
“Are you on a mission to save every soul in Normal?” I joked.
“If I can.” She winked. “I’ll see what I can find out about a car. And don’t forget book club later,” she reminded me.
“I won’t.” I lied. I’d totally forgotten about it, but now I wouldn’t. “Thanks for bringing the fundraiser items over this morning too.”
“No problem. Do you know when you’re going to make the official date for it?” She asked a really good question.
“Now that Alvin is cleaning up the lake and giving me the sod, I’m thinking we can do it in a couple of days. I’m going to ask Abby to keep getting the word out through her social media marketing with all those hashtags.” I started to laugh. “She said that she’s been getting a great response and there’s a small window between now and the start of the camper season. She’s so nice.”
“Everyone here is nice.” Betts turned in her seat. “Say,” She grabbed her cell phone from the cup holder. “I think the church has a car that you can borrow until you can get your own car.”
“Really?” That would solve a lot of my issues.
“Yeah.” She nodded with a sparkle in her eyes. “We have a donation program. When someone donates a car, they get to write it off of their taxes and Joel Grassle from the gas station looks them over and fixes them up for us.”
“Do you really think I could use it?” I asked. “It’d be such a big help.”
“I’ll call Lester and let you know.” She reached over and grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze. “Just another good deed from our church.”
“I hear ya,” I winked. “I know. Front row on Sunday.”
I waved goodbye to her and when she was out of eyesight, I didn’t go to the library. I wanted to see Ann before Alvin had decided there wasn’t much more to mow and go in to work.
The bank was empty except for Ann.
“Mae West,” she greeted me and slid off the stool next to the drive-through window. “I’m not sure what you’ve got over Preacher and Mrs. Hager, but they sure have taken a like’n to you.”
“What? You don’t like my charm?” I joked.
“I didn’t tell no one about the money you put in Dottie’s account.” There was something to her words that made me think she was prying a little.
“I appreciate that.” I rubbed the outside of the Gucci to get one last feel of what it felt like, so I’d burn it into my memory. I nearly teared up just thinking about what I was about to do.
“Mr. Deters isn’t here if you’re looking for him.” Her eyes drew down to my hand that was gripped around my purse.
“I’m not here to see Mr. Deters. He’s at the campground right now,” I spoke with a softly and looked around to make sure we were still alone. I put the Gucci on the counter in front of me. “Ann, have you ever seen the inside of a real Gucci?”
“I’ve never seen a real one until you walked in yesterday.” She licked her lips.
“Detective Sharp and I were talking on the way back to the campground yesterday.” I tilted my head side to side a few times in a jovial way. “I’m helping him with the investigation since I know a lot of people Paul swindled. He said that the security footage showed Dottie Swaggert and Paul meeting the day someone killed him. When he got the copy back to the station, he said that it didn’t copy all of it and he sent me here to get another copy for him.”
“He did?” She gazed at me with questioning eyes. “That seems odd that he’d ask for your help since you’re not a police officer or detective.”
I pushed the Gucci a little closer to her and opened it up. She leaned in a smidgen and looked inside. Her big gulp told me that I almost had her on the hook.
“I’m willing to part with the Gucci if you’re willing to give me a copy of the tape.” I stared at her.
“Are you joking?” she asked.
I couldn’t tell if she was happy or just shocked I’d even consider a bribe.
“I never joke about Gucci.” I let the silence between us speak for itself.
Without a word or even a facial movement, Ann got up and walked back into the vault. I heard some shuffling and clicking, praying it wasn’t her calling the police or better yet, Hank.
The door of the bank opened and someone walked in, stopping at the counter in the middle with the extra deposit slips.
“Mrs. West.” Ann’s eyes glanced past my shoulders and she looked at the customer. “Here’s the contents of your safety deposit box.” She laid a CD file on the counter and grabbed the Gucci.
“Thank you so much. I just love this bank.” I smiled and looked behind me when the customer walked up and waited at the sign that said to wait there until the teller called them.
“The pleasure is all mine.” She smiled.
I took the CD and headed out the door, walking towards the library.
Today the library was nice and quiet. Story time was only once a week and there weren’t a lot of kids running around like yesterday. Abby was putting back books in the mystery department when I found her.
“What are you doing here today?” She picked up a book and looked at the spine.
“I need to use a computer with a CD.” I showed her the disc.
“Go on behind my desk and use that one. It’s the newest.” She shoved the book on the shelf. “Let me know if you need help.”
“Thanks.” I left her to finish the cart and grateful she was letting me do it myself, so I didn’t have to explain what I was doing.
The news popped up on the computer when I moved the mouse. There was a big picture of Paul as a main news story. Normally, I’d just not read it or even watch if it were on TV, but Grady Cox’s name caught my eye.
I scanned down the article and read about Grady being suspect since he’d gone missing the day of Paul’s murder. They even had a photo of Ava Cox, Grady’s wife, and Grady Jr., their son.
I’d only met Ava, Grady and Grady Jr. two years ago when Paul and I got married. They traveled from Kentucky to our house in the Hamptons.
My heart sank as I looked at their family photo. Just another casualty in Paul’s scheme. I hit the print button. I had a deep need to go see Ava and apologize. According to the google map, they only lived forty minutes from Normal, which also made Grady a suspect. The article said that detectives believe Paul might’ve come to Kentucky to meet up with best friend, but the best friend wasn’t so forgiving. The article still didn’t say what the FBI thought about the escape. Somehow, that played a part. But who helped Paul?
Out of curiosity, I googled the penitentiary where Paul escaped. There was a list of employees that I printed off. Just to make sure, I’d take the list and compare it to the list Hank had given me of Paul’s victims. Maybe someone in there knew him and let him out. Even the list of outside sources that came in was a possibility. Most of them were church groups that tried to turn the prisoners to God. I’d ask Betts about these groups and see if she knew anything about them.
Instead of wasting more time on Paul, I needed to see about Dottie. The computer buzzed after I put the CD in the slot and shut it. A window popped open with a movie link and I clicked it. The scene was the outside of the building. I scrolled over most of it until it showed two people in front of the bank. They looked as though they were debating something. I put my finger on the small figure that was Paul. I could pick him out from anywhere. He was so debonair and mature. Even a little scruffy, he was still handsome. For a second, I let my heart go back to the Paul I’d been married to, not the criminal. I shook my head to bring me back to the reason I was in Normal.
It wasn’t him and Dottie I was focusing on. That was what Hank was doing. I was interested in the surroundings. I took the backpack off
my back and took out my file, writing down everything I could see outside of the two of them. There was a clear view of Normal Diner.
I wrote down Trudy’s name and wondered if she could give me any names of customers who lost their money to Paul had been in the diner eating that night. Or maybe Ty Randal had seen Paul and my theory about luring him back to the campground was right. I sat and watched until Dottie and Paul had parted ways.
THIRTEEN
“Say,” A man sitting in a Ford Escort parked at the curb in front of the bank, leaned over the front interior of the car had shouted out the passenger window, “Are you Mae West?” He asked.
He wore a pair of bib overalls with a greasy handkerchief hanging out of the front pocket. He had a buzz cut. The lines around his eyes deepened as she squinted away the sun.
“Yes, I’m Mae.” Cautiously, I walked up to the car window with a sudden fear that this was someone Paul had wronged and they were going to shoot me or something.
“I’m Joel from Grassle’s Gas Station down there.” He pointed towards the gas station with the heavy price. “I got a call from Preacher Lester sayin’ that I needed to bring you this car from the church.”
I put my hand to my chest as a sigh of relief escaped me.
“Yes. Wow, that was fast.” I bent down and looked into the four-door. It looked like it was in great shape and perfect for what I needed.
“Here you go.” He turned the car off and got out. “I can walk back down to the station. You do have a valid driver’s license, right?”
“Yes. Of course.” I nodded and took the key. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem. Though Preacher Lester did have something he wanted me to tell you. He said he was looking forward to meeting you on Sunday.” His mouth opened into a big wide grin before he started walking down Main Street towards his gas station.
“Did he, now?” I shook my head. “Even the church isn’t above bribing,” I whispered and looked back at the bank where I could just imagine what Ann was doing with my Gucci.