Mulch Ado About Murder

by Martha Rogers

  “I’ll help her.” Harry appeared at Ben’s side, and he couldn’t contain his laughter. “I was coming back from the tennis courts when I heard the commotion over here. That was quite a ride Ben old boy.”

  Ben’s face flushed a deep red, and he jerked away from Harry. “I don’t need your help, and I don’t need a doctor. I’ll be fine.”

  After a few steps, he stopped. “Well, maybe I’ll go up and get doc to look at it and put an ice pack on my ankle and shoulder.”

  I glanced at Harry who was still grinning, and then turned to scold Ben. “That was the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. You shouldn’t have been trying to drive that thing. When will you ever learn just to do what you’re supposed to do?”

  Ben glowered at me, but he continued on to the clinic. Harry caught up with him and he didn’t complain about Harry’s help. An hour later we emerged with a sling supporting his arm. It had been a simple shoulder sprain, but bad enough for him to not use his left arm for a while.

  I walked beside him. “I’m sorry for your pain, but it was your fault.”

  The scowl he gave me said more than the words he didn’t say. One thing for certain, this day certainly wasn’t going like I’d planned.

  Chapter 13

  After Ben’s accident, nothing more was said or done about Pete’s murder. Ben had gone back to his place with his pain pills, and Harry said he’d wait until Ben felt better to go see Lenny.

  On Tuesday, the day of the funeral, the breakfast table buzzed with Ben’s accident. The other women had to know all about it. I had the errant earring in my pocket to give to Noreen who was supposed to be back today, so I ate quickly.

  I left them all still talking about poor Ben. Knowing him, he’d milk that sore shoulder for all it was worth.

  Noreen’s door was ajar, so I knocked and entered. “Good morning, Noreen, we’re glad you’re feeling better and back on the job.”

  “Thanks, Abigail. It’s good to be back. How can I help you this morning?” She shuffled some papers on her desk and slid them into a folder.

  When she glanced up at me, my heart did a double take. She wore earrings exactly like the one I’d found except a different color.

  “Those are beautiful earrings you have on. May I ask where you got them?”

  “At the War Eagle fair. I bought them last year. A jewelry craftsman makes them and sells them there. They’re really popular.”

  The one I had burned in my pocket, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to give it to Noreen just yet. “I’ve noticed fewer lost and found items listed on the bulletin board. Are we not having as many losses as we once did?”

  Noreen shrugged and laughed. “Not sure. Either they’re getting more careful or just not turning in what they find. I don’t get many reports of lost items either.”

  “Let’s hope it’s because they’re more careful.” I wanted to get back to the topic of that earring.

  “Is the War Eagle fair the only place you can get the earrings?”

  “I think this particular one is, but the crafts people exhibits aren’t exclusive to the fair. They go other places during the year, but I’ve never seen this particular craftsman anywhere but War Eagle.”

  “That’s too bad. I’d like to purchase some jewelry like that.”

  “I’ll check with you the next time I plan to go and maybe pick up a piece or two for you.”

  “I would like that, thanks.” If I didn’t figure out to whom the one I had belonged, I’d give it to her, but I wanted to a little more detective work before that.

  I left her office and stopped by Carrie’s desk. “Will any of the staff be attending the funeral service for Pete this afternoon?”

  “Taryn reserved the big van for any of the residents who wanted to go. It filled up quickly.”

  “I’m not surprised. Pete was well liked. How about you?”

  Her eyes opened wide. “What about me?”

  “Are you going to the funeral?”

  Red flooded her face, but her shoulders relaxed. She picked up a stack of papers and flipped through them. “No. I can’t leave. Someone has to stay and be in charge.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” I left and headed home. Something about Carrie skittered around in my head, but I had other things to do now.

  The main dining hall doors were closed, and everyone had left. I didn’t see Ben or Harry, so I went on to my cottage. I glanced at Carrie’s when I made my way back outside. Her behavior niggled at the edge of my mind. Something seemed out of kilter, but I couldn’t quite get it into focus. Every time I mentioned Pete, she reacted differently. I’d have to mention that to Ben, too. One of the people I’d talked to had said Carrie was one of Pete’s girlfriends, so I guess that accounted for her strange behavior. Mercy, that man was gigolo despite how nice everyone thought he was.

  I decided to wait until after the funeral to talk with Ben. He needed to rest as much as possible since we’d be out most of the afternoon. His accident on the golf course had ended up with an injury, but I couldn’t help but laugh at the memory of him hanging on to the cart as it careened down the fairway and into that hedge. Maybe that little mishap would teach him a lesson about the benefits of walking.

  I spent the rest of the morning taking care of chores around my house. I had sorely neglected it for close to a week. After a quick lunch I dressed for Pete’s funeral service. Promptly at one-thirty, Harry drove up in his SUV. He had picked up Ben, Bessie and Clara first. Ben sat in front with Harry because of his shoulder. I joined Bessie and Clara on the middle seat. Harry said Doris wasn’t feeling well and decided not to attend.

  I didn’t talk much on ten-minute drive to the service. I had been surprised when told the services would be at a local church instead of the funeral home, but I learned his family was active at this church. Made me want to know why he had taken up gambling and women.

  The Spring Hills van sat parked in a space for the handicapped when we arrived. It held fifteen people, and I was a bit curious to see who had come.

  We entered the sanctuary, and many people already filled the pews. Ben led us to a row behind the Spring Hills group. Taryn must have driven the van. Jim Tate, Tillie, Reverend Lewis, Nell Clark and several others whose names I didn’t know were there along with the Stewarts and Clays who must have driven their own cars. More people than I realized cared about Pete.

  I read the handout given us when we signed the book in the foyer and the information there was quite interesting. Pete served his country then returned to work at Spring Hills while attending college to study landscape design. No wonder that boy knew so much about plants and taking care of them. Now I wished I had made the effort to know him better. But that gambling bit still bothered me.

  The sheet listed the members of his family, two sisters and three brothers and his parents. We stood as they all filed in to sit in the reserved section in the front. All his siblings had families because it took more than a few rows to seat them all. After a prayer, we stood and sang It Is Well With My Soul. I love that song. It had been sung at more than a few services I had attended in the past and would be at mine as well.

  All during the eulogy and remembrances, I noticed Ben wore a rather bored look. That gave me something to think about. Come to think of it, Ben rarely attended our Sunday evening services, but I’d figured he’d been to church in the morning so didn’t feel the need to come again. Maybe not. I tucked that into the back of mind for more exploration later.

  A glance around the room revealed more people from Spring Hills had attended. Mr. Kirk was in attendance as well as several other members of the grounds crew who must have come in their own cars. In fact, the church was filled to capacity from what I could see. What a nice thing for his mother to have for a memory.

  Ben yawned and a few minutes later his eyes closed. I nudged him with my elbow, and he shot me a look that told me not to do that again. I wouldn’t, but I didn’t understand his behavior.

  After the service we waited outside un
til the hearse left the premises with its entourage of cars before heading back to Harry’s car. The first few minutes were quiet, but Bessie didn’t take long to start a conversation.

  “Now that was a lovely service. He certainly came from a large family.”

  “Yes, he did. The pastor did a wonderful job with his message. So much hope for the family.” I glanced at Ben while I spoke, but he simply worked his mouth in a way men do when they are displeased or trying to keep from saying something they shouldn’t.

  Bessie and Clara kept up the conversation, but I kept my eye on Ben in the front passenger seat. After dinner, we needed to have a little talk.

  Bessie mentioned the Harvest Dinner and gave me my opening to join in. “I want to thank all of you for volunteering to help me decorate. I bought some decorations yesterday for us to use on the tables. Mr. Kirk is getting the floral arrangements for us.”

  Bessie’s eyes lit up like a neon sign on Broadway. That lady loved a party of any kind. Even Clara’s eyes reflected her excitement.

  Ben grunted. “What next? Are you going to sign us up for the ballroom dancing lessons?”

  Harry laughed. “Oh, come on, sport. This will be fun.”

  “As long as I don’t have to do a lot of work using my shoulder, I guess I can help.” He rubbed his sling to emphasize his point.

  I might have known that the others had to put in their two cents worth, but Ben didn’t respond. His woeful expression told me all I needed to know about his bid for sympathy.

  After we arrived back at Spring Hills, Harry dropped everyone off. Ben followed me to my cottage and Harry joined us after he parked his car.

  I told them about my visit with Mr. Kirk. “You know, Taryn told me she and Pete argued over the flowers because he didn’t want to get involved, but from the way Kirk talked, Pete enjoyed doing that, and I can see why he would if he was taking classes in landscaping. Doesn’t make sense for him to argue with Taryn about it if he liked doing it.”

  Ben drummed his fingers on the table. “No it doesn’t. I think you need to question Taryn Burns a little further.

  I thought so too and would do that soon. “When are you going to check out this Lenny person?”

  Harry shrugged. “Soon as I can get around to it. Thought I’d talk to him before giving the number to the police.”

  “You don’t think they’ll be upset for not turning it in sooner?”

  “No, I’ll explain the car was parked near yours, and you wanted it checked out.”

  That sounded plausible, but I sure didn’t want them thinking we were withholding evidence.

  Ben’s bushy white eyebrows knit together. “I still can’t believe Olivia actually uses binoculars to watch birds every morning. Why, she probably knows more about what goes on around here than anybody, including Tillie.”

  “Yes, and it’s all locked in her mind, and I’m afraid the key won’t be working too well in the future. The whole thing saddens me after listening to her daughter-in-law talk about how active Olivia was before her memory problems.”

  Harry sipped his coffee. “Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease. My brother’s wife is in a memory care facility down in Little Rock. It’s been difficult watching the changes in her. She doesn’t know any of us now.” He shook his head as if to clear it. “Let’s talk about something else.”

  This was as good a time as any to tell them about my conversation with Noreen this morning, but for some reason, I withheld that information, and stayed quiet.

  Ben rubbed his chin. “Sure would be nice to know who that last woman he argued with is. She has to be from around here.”

  I thought so as well, but until we had a better description, she’d remain the mystery woman.

  Chapter 14

  Since we’d exhausted any new information, Ben and Harry left. Ben didn’t look happy at all, but he followed Harry out the door. It was still late afternoon with a little over two hours until dinner, and I wanted to get more information. I remembered the address for Lenny and found the note I had written. A quick look at a map on my computer, and I had the information I needed to find this Lenny Fields.

  Fifteen minutes later I drove down the street I had written down. Now that I was here, my doubts surfaced. What made me think I could talk to and question someone mixed up in illegal gambling? Especially if he was a hit man or a collection goon or whatever they call the ones who do the dirty work. Besides that, he may not even be home this time of day. At the moment, I hoped he wasn’t.

  I drove into the apartment complex and immediately spotted the gray car. I checked the license plate and it was the same numbers as the ones Olivia had given us. Abigail Billings, what are you doing here? You can’t just walk up and confront this man.

  Why hadn’t I waited for Ben and Harry and come with them? Because they wouldn’t have let me come, that’s why.

  The apartment numbers gleamed in the sun on the side of the building where Lenny lived. I parked the car and sat there a few moments to gather up my courage. A door opened and a man stepped outside. He fit the description Olivia had given, brief as it was. When he beeped his remote and the lights of the gray car came on, I knew it was Lenny.

  Before I could think about what I would do, I jumped from the car and ran over. I figured I’d be safe outdoors in the open. “Lenny Fields?”

  He turned toward me and eyed me like I had two heads or something. “Who wants to know?”

  “My name is Abby Billings, and I live in the complex where Pete Simpson was killed.”

  A veil dropped over his eyes as they narrowed. “And what does that have to do with me?”

  “Well, I was wondering why you were parked in my driveway by my white car?” I pointed in the direction where my car sat. “I saw the car around the time Pete was killed. I wondered what the car was doing in my drive and thought you might have seen something.” I prayed forgiveness for my little white lie.

  He blew out his breath then shrugged. “Look, lady, I don’t know nothing about this Pete guy and his murder.”

  I knew that wasn’t the truth. “Then why were you there? And you can’t deny you were.”

  He seemed to ponder this a moment. “You sure you’re not with the police?”

  I planted my hands on my hips. “Do I look like I’m from the police?”

  “Umm…no, but you sure are nosy.”

  I pulled myself up straighter and lifted my head. “See here, I’m not being nosy. I just want some answers.”

  Suddenly he laughed. I didn’t see anything funny at all, but apparently, he must have.

  “What did you say your name was again?”

  “Abigail Billings.”

  “All right, Abigail Billings, I’ll tell you what happened.” He leaned against his car and crossed his arms over his chest. “I did go there to see Pete that day. I saw him mowing the lawn but decided to wait until he was closer to my car. When I got out, a woman stopped him and they had an argument about something. Looked like Pete won because the lady stomped off like a bull ready to charge.”

  That must have been Taryn. She had a few more questions to answer about that argument.

  Lenny continued. “Pete started working in the flower bed there by a house, and again I started toward him. But another woman came running from the main building and confronted him. This time the argument really got loud. I heard her tell him to leave Maria alone because she wasn’t his type.”

  His explanation fit with the second woman, but who was she and why did she mention Maria?”

  “What did this second woman look like?”

  “Well, she was pretty. She had brownish hair, and she wasn’t as tall as the first one.”

  “What was she wearing, and was she young or old?”

  “I didn’t pay any attention to what she had on. I was more interested in what she was doing, but she didn’t have on a coat, and her clothes were dark. I’d say she was about the same age as Pete.”

  His description didn’t help much with
identifying our mystery woman, but she had come from the main building and was young.

  Lenny straightened up. “I saw what happened next. This gal picked up a rock and banged Pete on the back of the head with it. When he fell, she just looked at the rock then ran off with it in her hands. That’s when I hightailed it outta there. I wouldn’t be collecting any money from Pete.”

  Oh my. Now that mystery woman became the prime suspect in my book. If what he told me had any truth in it, the second woman killed Pete. But she hit him with the rock. Had that been enough to kill him? And how did the aerator get into his stomach?

  “I wonder why she ran away with the rock instead of dropping it.” Dumb question to ask if the rock had killed Pete, she wouldn’t leave it for evidence.

  “Probably because it had blood on it.” He jangled his keys in my face. “If you’ll excuse me, lady, I have work to do.”

  “Oh, of course, thank you for telling me this. Would you be willing to tell the police what you saw?”

  He looked at me like I’d lost my marbles. “Lady, I’m not talking to the police about anything, and if I were you, I wouldn’t get involved. No telling what may happen to you.”

  I squared my shoulders and scowled. “Are you threatening me, Lenny Fields?”

  “No, ma’am, just stating facts. No need for you to get mixed up in Pete’s mess.”

  He opened his car door and leaned on it. “If the police happen around, I’ll deny any knowledge of what I saw. So, watch what you say, Mrs. Billings.” He climbed into his car then drove off.

  I didn’t like that one bit, but he wasn’t going to intimidate me. And now at least I had another clue. The second woman had to be found.

  I rushed back to the center, but phoned Ben on the way, and he wanted to know where I was. I told him to get Harry and meet me back at my place. Sure enough, both men waited for me in the carport. Soon as I exited my car, Ben grabbed my arm with his good right hand.