Moonshine Murder [Hawkman Bk 14]

by Betty Sullivan La Pierre

  Reaching home, Jennifer put away the groceries, then paced the floor. She knew the woman at the grocery store was Tami Spencer. No one could duplicate her looks. Why did she repudiate it? Did she recognize me? Jennifer wondered. Did she feel threatened?

  She sat down at her computer, and suddenly a thought hit her on why she'd received the ‘butt out’ signal from Beth, and Tami had avoided her. They'd found out about Hawkman being a private investigator. It still didn't fit all the puzzle pieces together, but a few. She could understand Tami's denial better than Beth's, because her line of business would prevent her from being too friendly. However, Randy surely told his mother about Hawkman before they went up to meet the family. Of course, with Jeb now selling the hooch, she might want to keep her distance, so he wouldn't be exposed. The explanation made some sense, but still didn't satisfy Jennifer completely.

  When Hawkman arrived home, she ushered him to his chair in the living room, where a cool drink and treats awaited.

  “Okay, what do you want?” he said.

  “Nothing but your expert opinion.” She sat on her seat, and swiveled to face him, then told about the encounter she'd had with Tami, along with her conclusion of why Beth had turned against their friendship.

  Hawkman took a swig of his drink, placed it on the table and took her hands. “Honey, you don't have a criminal mind. There's no way you can tell what these people are thinking.”

  She frowned. “It doesn't make any sense to you?”

  “On the contrary. Any normal, down to earth person would think along those lines, but these people don't. Upmost in their minds is how they'll make money. The more the better.

  Also, they don't care who they hurt.”

  “So, you don't think it matters you're a private investigator?”

  He shook his head. “None whatsoever. They'd just as soon shoot me as they would you, if you got in their way.”

  She fell back against her chair. “Darn, I thought I had it all solved.” Then, she came forward again. “One more thing. Do you think Randy would have told his mom about seeing you on the property?”

  “Have no idea, but it wouldn't matter. He's a kid, and it was late. His imagination could have been working overtime.”

  She sighed. “I think my best option is to stay away from the whole bunch.”

  “Excellent decision. I'd certainly feel better if you did.”

  “By the way,” he said, pointing at the box on the counter. “Who's the baby cereal for? Has Miss Marple developed a stomach ache?”

  “No, it's for Beth. She gave me a couple of dollars and asked me to pick it up when I went to the store. Marcy will start solid foods soon.”

  “Are you going to take it to her tomorrow?”

  Jennifer shook her head. “She told me she'd send Randy to pick it up in a day or two.”

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  * * *

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  * * * *

  Wednesday passed slowly for Jennifer. She kept checking out the kitchen window in hopes of seeing Randy come up the driveway on his bike, but it didn't happen. Already, she'd decided not to take the baby cereal to the cabin; instead she'd wait for the boy. Why expose herself to more rejection?

  When Hawkman got home, Jennifer immediately started talking. “I'm so glad you're here and hope your day has been more exciting than mine.”

  “Actually, it's been boring.”

  “Mine too.”

  He eyed the box of cereal still on the cabinet. “No Randy?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. It can sit right there until it gets weevils before I take it to Beth.”

  “So you're going to wait until it's bug infested?”

  She laughed. “No, silly. That's just a saying.”

  He put his arm around her. “Giving you a hard time, my love.” A car coming across the bridge caught his attention. “On second thought, I could hail Tami and let her deliver it for you.”

  Jennifer jerked her head around, then turned toward the kitchen window. “It's her all right. There's also a man in the passenger seat, but it's not Jeb.”

  Hawkman stared at the windshield until the car drove out of sight. “I'd swear that was Moss Atkins; bald head and big jowls.”

  “Doesn't he have a pub to run?”

  “He might have run out of whiskey. I have news for him; Jeb won't have another batch ready until this weekend at the earliest. He sold the rest of that first run to ‘The Hut'.”

  Jennifer leaned on the counter top with her elbows. “Jeb is going to find it hard to do business with no way to communicate with his prospective clients, other than going through Tami, or having them drive up themselves.”

  “On top of that, they have to rendezvous out in the boonies with Jeb, who meets them with a horse and wagon.”

  She grinned. “Nothing like going back to the good old days of a whiskey run.”

  “Yeah, but at least they had cars. Trying to outrun the authorities was much more exciting. Jeb will have a hard time getting away.”

  She shot him a look. “I'm worried about the family.”

  He patted her on the back and headed for the living room. “I think we better change the subject.”

  * * * *

  Thursday morning, Hawkman left for Medford, and Jennifer busied herself around the house. Shortly after lunch, the doorbell rang. When she answered the door, she looked into the face of a smiling Randy.

  “Hello, good to see you. Looks like you've healed completely.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Casey. Yeah, I'm feeling great. I came to pick up the baby cereal for Marcy.”

  “Do you have time to come in for a minute?”

  “Sure,” he said, stepping into the house.

  “How about a bowl of ice cream after such a long ride?”

  His eyes lit up. “That would be great.”

  She pointed to the stool at the kitchen bar. “Hop up there while I dish it up.”

  After placing the icy dessert in front of him, she moved around the bar and sat on the opposite side. “How's everything going at home?”

  Randy made a face. “Not real good. Mom and Dad fight a lot over Tami. I hate her. Like last night, she brought up some guy to see Dad. When the guy and Dad went for a walk, Mom went outside, climbed into Tami's car and gave her a talking to.”

  Jennifer looked at him wide eyed. “Did you hear her?”

  “No, but I peeked out the door, and I could tell by Mom's expressions, she wasn't happy.”

  “Where'd your dad and this man go?”

  “They were walking around in the field in front of the cabin.”

  “Do you know why Tami brought this man to your house?”

  Randy shrugged. “Not really, but Mom said it had to do with Dad's business.”

  “What is his business?”

  He frowned. “I don't know, but I think it has something to do with the two buildings beside the cabin. They're always locked, so I've never been able to see what's in them.” He finished his treat, and just about jumped off the stool, when he spotted Miss Marple at the corner of the kitchen bar watching him. “Can I pet her?”

  “Sure.”

  The cat welcomed the strokes to her back and purred, then wound around his legs.

  “She likes you.” Jennifer said, smiling. “Normally, she doesn't take to strangers.”

  “She's one of the prettiest cats I've ever seen.” Then he glanced at Jennifer. “I better get home; don't want Mom to worry about me, since this is the longest ride I've taken since I got hurt.”

  Jennifer put the box of cereal, receipt and change into a plastic bag. “This sack has holes in the top on two sides; makes it easier to carry, or you can slip it over your handle bars.”

  “Mom said to thank you for picking this up, and I thank you for the ice cream. I really liked it.”

  She walked him to the door with Miss Marple trailing behind. “I think Miss Marple would like you to come see her again.”

  Randy laughed.
“I will when I have time to play with her.” He jumped on his bike and headed down the driveway, then turned west onto the road.

  Jennifer watched his feet pedal as rapidly as a ten year old boy could go. She shook her head. “Boys feel they have to go fast, fast, fast,” she murmured, closing the door. “Miss Marple, I hope the cereal gets there in one piece,” she said, picking up her pet. She went to the glass sliding door overlooking the lake. Her thoughts went to Randy as she stared out over the calm water. Sam was this age when she and Hawkman adopted him. Maybe that's why she had such a tender place in her heart for this young Hutchinson boy. Sam had adjusted to a new home and parents, becoming their source of pride. If Beth's children were taken away, this could happen for Randy too. She prayed Beth wouldn't be involved, but she didn't see how it could be avoided with the still right there beside the cabin.

  Wondering how long Hawkman would wait before talking with authorities, she put the cat on the floor. It made her smile as she watched Miss Marple stretch, then attack her stuffed bunny. It also made her happy that her pet liked Randy. It indicated he was a good boy. Animals seemed to know how to judge character, much better than people. She went to her computer. Maybe it would help to get this crap off her mind. If not, surely there was a story in all this.

  Her mind finally focused in on her latest mystery novel, and the hours flew by. Before she knew it, Hawkman walked in the door. “Oh, my gosh, what time is it?”

  He laughed. “Don't panic. I'm a little early and decided you didn't need to fix dinner tonight, so I went by and had Pedro make us a take home Mexican dinner for two. I'll tell you from the weight of this thing, there must be enough for six people.” He carefully placed the large box on the counter.

  “Oh, yummy. I love Mexican food.” She immediately opened the box, closed her eyes and sniffed the aroma. “It smells delicious. Let's eat right now while it's still warm.”

  As they ate, Jennifer told him about the visit from Randy and the disturbing news about his folks arguing over Tami.

  Hawkman put down his fork. “Speaking of her. I took the long way to work this morning and went to Yreka. Located her apartment on my GPS and drove by it. She lives in the crummiest part of town, in a rundown building.”

  “Are you sure you got the right address?” Jennifer asked.

  “Yes, I spotted her car in front.”

  “She must not be making much money. I wonder if Jeb pays her for getting him customers.”

  “I imagine she gets a small percentage from both parties.”

  “Another good reason for Beth to be angry about her showing up at the cabin.”

  “If things get rolling and Jeb has to keep the still going twenty-four hours a day, Tami will demand more.”

  Jennifer put her hand in the air. “If he builds a good reputation, he might not need her services anymore. Then what happens?”

  “He'll get rid of her.”

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  * * *

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  Jennifer stopped eating and studied her husband. “What do you mean?”

  “He'd fire her, but that won't be necessary as she won't be working for Jeb or any tavern owners before long. It'll all be shut down.”

  “Have you talked to the detective?”

  “No, but I'm putting it on my schedule for the end of next week. I tasted Jeb's brew at The Big Mug, and it's good stuff. Once the word gets out, he'll have to keep the still fired up all the time.”

  Jennifer sighed. “Wonder how long it will take Randy to figure out what his dad's doing?”

  “It wouldn't surprise me if Earl doesn't tell him soon. When the activity increases around the still, Jeb probably won't keep those sheds locked, as it's a pain to get into them. He may also have to teach Earl how to fix the mash. Once Earl is involved, he'll brag to Randy. He'll let him know how dad has put him in charge of a secret job, and he'll feel like a big shot.”

  She put her head into her hands. “Their household will erupt into complete chaos.”

  He reached over and took hold of her arm. “Honey, it already has.”

  She patted his hand. “I know. I've backed off now, and am ready for most anything. I even thought about how Sam adjusted to us after we adopted him. It worked out. The same can go for Randy, Marcy, and even Earl.”

  “Good point.” He took a bite. “Let's not spoil this great dinner by talking about the Hutchinsons. We can get into them later.”

  “I agree.”

  They finished their meal and went into the living room.

  “Now we can resume talking about the Hutchinsons. I've got a favor to ask of you.” Hawkman said.

  “Sure, as long as it doesn't mean going to the cabin.”

  “No, it doesn't. You can do it right here from the house. It might be boring, but I'll only ask you to do this for one day.”

  “Don't keep me guessing. What is it?” Jennifer asked, with a puzzled expression.

  He leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on his thighs. “While I'm at work tomorrow, I'd like you to keep an eye out, not only for Tami driving by, but the bald headed guy that was with her the other night. I have this feeling, he's going to pick up his own moonshine.”

  “What'll he be driving?”

  “Unfortunately, I'm not sure. It will be a strange vehicle to the area; just try to concentrate on the driver. Do you remember what he looks like?”

  “Vaguely. Do you have a picture?”

  “It's not clear, it's real fuzzy.” He went to the kitchen counter and rummaged in his briefcase, then handed her the photo.

  She frowned. “This definitely isn't a good shot, but I'm sure it's the man I saw with Tami.”

  “I could be all wet on this, but I have a feeling he'll want first dibs on this batch of hooch, and he'll come to get it to make sure.”

  “I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee I'll catch him going by.”

  “That's all I ask.”

  “Why are you interested in whether this man picks up his own moonshine or Jeb meets him in the boonies?”

  “I need to be able to tell the detective how they're picking up the whisky so he can put a team of men on both sides. Otherwise, he could miss them all around.”

  * * * *

  Friday morning, Hawkman left for Medford, and Jennifer prepared for her surveillance duty. She opened the drapes, then moved her computer table around so she'd face the dining room window overlooking the bridge. Being able to spot an unfamiliar car or truck coming across the span would give her time to dash to the kitchen window, and check it more closely.

  Miss Marple watched her mistress intently from a distance, then cautiously approached when she stopped shifting things back and forth. Timidly, she jumped upon the chair and then onto the table eyeing Jennifer with each movement.

  “You're not sure about all this, are you? I get the feeling you don't like it much.” She laughed, then gave her pet a loving stroke across her head. “Don't worry, it's only for today.” Pulling up the extra chair to the side, she pointed. “There's yours.”

  The cat jumped down onto the seat and immediately curled up. Jennifer went to the kitchen and fixed a glass of cold water and brought it to the computer table. She booted up the machine, then made herself comfortable.

  Hawkman didn't have any idea if this Moss Atkins would appear today, or at what time, but figured he'd make a run before the tavern opened at five. So Jennifer settled in for the long haul. She wrote on her latest book for a couple of hours and just as she hit the printer key to print out a chapter, she spotted a deep green colored pickup with a fitted cover over the bed, turn onto the bridge. She'd never seen the vehicle before. Most people on the lake had black Fords, but this looked like a Chevy. She hurried to the kitchen window with her binoculars, and focused on the man's face. Even though he wore a ball cap, she could tell it was Moss Atkins by Hawkman's description.

  Writing down the time, she happened to glance outside again, just as Tami dr
ove by. “Wow, I almost missed her,” she said aloud.

  She thought it odd Tami would be coming so close behind Atkins, almost as if she knew he'd be going to the Hutchinson place. Jennifer tapped her chin with the pen, and wondered why Tami would even be going there. Maybe she got paid for each sale, and wanted to make sure she didn't get screwed.

  Jennifer made a call to Hawkman. “Moss Atkins just went by with Tami following close behind. Why would she be tailing him?”

  She listened for a moment, then nodded. “I thought as much.”

  After hanging up, she went back to her computer and checked the time. Hawkman figured Atkins would be there about an hour if Jeb had the whiskey ready, otherwise, he'd be out sooner. Keeping her gaze on the bridge, in a little over an hour she spotted Atkin's pickup traveling back toward town.

  Jennifer kept a close eye on the rode, thinking Tami would follow, but she never appeared. Doubting Beth had welcomed the woman with open arms, Jennifer wondered if by some chance, she'd gone out the back way.

  Hawkman soon arrived, and Jennifer told him the time Atkins had come and gone, then told him about Tami never coming back.

  “Do you think she went out the back way?” she asked.

  “I doubt her car would make it over the rough trail from the cabin to the road. She'd hit bottom, or wreck the underside. You probably just missed her.” Hawkman said.

  “I'm sure I didn't, but I can't believe she'd still be up there.”

  “Maybe she collected her money, and left sooner than Moss.”

  “I did run to the bathroom right after she went by, but surely she didn't do a turn around that fast.”

  “Did you take a book with you?”

  Jennifer laughed. “No.”

  “Maybe Beth invited her for dinner.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Not unless she had it in mind to poison her.”

  “Now that's a thought.”

  Wrinkling her forehead, she scowled. “You're not amusing.”

  “You started this dialog.”

  “I think we'll end the subject of Tami Spencer. She must have snuck by me.”

  Hawkman raised his hands. “Fair enough.”