Bead onTrouble

by Barbara Burnett Smith

  Beyond that I kept wondering how Peterson had found out that Ron and May were having an affair. I knew that Shannan hadn't mentioned it, and I hadn't.

  "Do you know how Peterson learned that May was involved with Ron Fairfield?"

  "May I safely assume you didn't tell him?"

  "You may assume that, and correctly so."

  "I suppose Beth knew, too, even if they do say the wife is the last to know."

  That was pretty perceptive of him. "Beth knew but she didn't tell me; I didn't find out until Thursday."

  "Oh?"

  "I found out by accident." He waited so patiently, I found myself starting into the story about finding Ron and May in the parking lot.

  "What did you do after you saw them?"

  Well, that put me on the spot again. After a long pause, I told him how I had mostly accidentally rammed Ron's Lexus. Nate started that little smile again.

  I don't know why I was talking so much; maybe the old rock was giving off confessional emanations. "And then we were going to tell Peterson the truth, but that didn't happen. Long story." I wasn't about to blame Shannan. "We ended up lying, in part to protect Beth and Ron. Peterson was obviously pissed off, pardon my French, when be found out where we'd really been Thursday night. So, the question becomes, how did he find out? I'm sure Beth didn't say anything."

  "May could have talked about Ron to someone. If she was really in love with him, that would be natural, wouldn't it?" "That's true. I just wonder how many people are going to be put under a microscope because of it?"

  "I'd say Ron, Beth, and Shaman, at the very least.

  And you."

  "I'm not worried about me." I thought for a minute.

  "Oh, dear. What if Shannan decides to go home for something? She'll run right into Peterson." I jumped off the rock.

  Nate was behind me. "Do you know where to call her?"

  "Shoot! No I only know her friend's first name."

  "Let me call Beth's house. I'm pretty much in the clear, in case anyone official answers the phone."

  "Are you sure?" We were already moving toward the path.

  "I'm sure. What's her friend's name?"

  "Christie. Come on in the Lazy L; we can use my cell."

  We cut around the other side of the cabin toward the sleeping porch, and I heard a meow in the brush to my right.

  "What in the world?" I stepped off the path and there was Sinatra, watching me from under a dwarf cedar. "You are supposed to be in your cage. What are you doing out here?" I asked him. I bent down, but I couldn't quite reach him.

  "Here, let me." I stepped back, and Nate's longer arm made it all the way into the foliage so he could scoop up Sinatra. The kitten immediately started purring, like he might have been nervous out there in the wilds of the country.

  Nate held him against his chest. "You're a handsome fella:" He turned to me. "Yours?"

  "Yes, and I surely would like to know how he keeps getting out. First, he was getting out of his cage, and now he's gotten out of the cabin. This is more than a little worrying."

  "He's safe now," Nate said, using his free hand to open the door and hold it for me. "So, what's his name?"

  "Sinatra. After old Blue Eyes. Plus, as I'm just learning, he thinks everything ought to be his way."

  In the distance the lunch bell rang, but I ignored it as I dug out my phone. I punched in the number then handed it to Nate. "Here you go:' Next I pulled paper and a pen from my purse.

  "Beth? Nate Wright here. Are you okay?" He nodded at me. "Shaman went to her friend Christie's house. Do you have Christie's number?" He repeated it along with Christie's last name, and I wrote. Then he said, "I think Kitzi wants to talk to you." And I hadn't said a thing. He handed me the phone then pointed outside and went, taking Sinatra with him. I'd forgotten the no men allowed in the cabins rule, but Nate hadn't.

  "Beth? How are you?" I said.

  "Fine:" She dropped her voice. "We've got a stand-off here. Ron won't talk 'til his lawyer arrives, and Peterson won't leave until that happens."

  "Sounds like a happy time'

  "Not much. Why is Shannan at Christie's?"

  "I thought she'd be safe there."

  "Kitz—get her back to Green Clover. Peterson is out to crucify someone, and I—" Beth raised her voice. "No, we don't want a maintenance contract on our house, but thank you for calling." And she hung up.

  Peterson must have snuck up on her. At least she sounded okay, and maybe this adversity would give old Mo-Ron a new appreciation of Beth.

  I dialed Christie's number and after a quick conversation with her mother, was assured that Shannan would be on her way right after the girls finished lunch.

  Not nearly soon enough for me.

  "Aren't you coming to lunch?" It was Sande, passing through on her way to the dining hall.

  "In a minute." She hadn't gone more than two steps when I remembered a question I had for her. "Hey, Sande, what is the story with your cousin? Why does she dislike me so?"

  Sande turned, a frown on her pixie-face. "Lynn? She doesn't seem to like many people. It was better e-mailing her than spending time with her."

  "But why is she so hateful to me? She said last night, well, never mind, but she seems to have a personal grudge."

  "I'll ask. She'll probably be overjoyed to tell me:'

  "And one more question; I heard her husband left her for another woman, one with dark hair. That-woman wasn't by any chance May, was it?"

  "Oh, no, it was someone named Alicia. He married her, and I think they have a baby. You should hear Lynn go off on that."

  "No thanks, but I appreciate the info."

  She started to leave, then turned back around. "Where's your kitten?" Sande's a cat person with two of her own including an adorable Maine Coon.

  "Sinatra is outside. Having a cigarette and hanging out with Nate Wright."

  She laughed. 'That's quite a boy. See you at lunch."

  And she was gone.

  I put my cell phone on vibrate and stuck it in my pocket, because there was no telling when I'd need it next. Then I went outside to get Sinatra and put him away. I had a plan of sorts formulating in my head, and I was sure that Sinatra would only get in my way.

  Twenty-three

  In the dark of the night

  When the moon's the only light

  It's scary and I run

  Cuz the darkness is no fun

  So I sneak into my bunk and I eat the kind of junk that the counselors don't al ow

  They would have a mighty cow!

  If they caught me in the night,

  when the moon's the only light

  And it's scary and I run

  Cuz the darkness is no fun

  And I sneak into my bunk and I eat the kind of junk That the counselors don't allow

  They will have a mighty cow

  Holy cow! Holy cow!

  Here come the counselors now!

  Green Clover chant, said when the counselors

  return from a meeting during dinner

  Cordy clanged the bell, and the talking in the dining hall slowed, then stopped. "As most of you know," she began the announcements, "Two of our premier

  demonstrations can't be held today. I take full responsibil-ity—I called Fire Mountain Gems and Interweave Press and asked them not to come out here, after the unfortunate, uh ." she trailed off. She still couldn't say murder or death. "So, we have a special treat for you instead:'

  "Strawberry shortcake?" someone asked.

  Cordy smiled. "No, but I'll put that on the list for next year." It was her standard reply when we made an off-the-cuff request; most of the time she even followed through.

  "This weekend is the Wimberley Trade Days. Merchants come from all over the state with antiques, craft items, homemade baked goods—"

  "Show me the way!" a woman called out.

  "I'm in," Sande said with a laugh.

  "Good, then it sounds like you'll enjoy this. We have three Green Clove
r vans, and I've shanghaied Nate and Jeb to help me chauffeur all of you. Believe me, you don't want to take your own cars; the traffic is unbelievable.

  We'll load up in front of the Saloon in ten minutes."

  "How do we get back?" Sande asked.

  "We'll rotate the vans so there's always one where we dropped you off. When you're ready to leave, you just climb in. Oh, and if you want to stay longer at the Trade Days, you certainly can, but vendors will open their booths here at two, and demonstrations start again at two-thirty."

  It was a scramble as everyone jumped up and headed for their cabins.

  I wasn't in the mood for shopping, and I couldn't leave anyway, since I was waiting for Shannan, so I sat and chewed my lower lip, an unattractive habit I had developed in the senate.

  "Not shopping?" It was Tony Campanelli. I'd have thought the man would avoid me after the morning's en-counter, but he looked a little lonely. If I wasn't as pushy as last time, he might actually answer the half dozen questions I had stored up for him.

  "Shannon's at a friend's," I said. And she's in my car, so I need to be here when she gets back."

  "Hope she knows to drive around Wimberley. If not, you can add an hour to her trip."

  Shoot. "I'm sure she doesn't." By now the dining hall had cleared out "Have a seat," I said, gesturing to the empty bench across from me. "Are your sales doing any better?"

  "Some, not much.".He drifted to the other side of the table and sat down. "This is just the worst retreat I can remember?'

  "Isn't that the truth? At least we have Peterson off our backs." Instead, Peterson was squarely on Beth and Ron's backs—which I didn't like much better.

  "Peterson may be gone for now, but I have the awful feeling he'll be back," Tony said. "He can't believe I wasn't in love with May, or a jilted lover or something. She was sexy and beautiful, granted, but there's more to life.

  The guy needs to get over it."

  I had a real interesting thought. "Tony, did he go through your trailer? Or did one of the other cops?"

  "They aren't cops, but actually, Peterson did go in the trailer just to use the bathroom_ Why?"

  Which was the perfect segue into my questions for him.

  This conversation was meant to be. "Because," I said. "I'll bet he poked around in your trailer and saw something that made him think that you and May were close. Anything like that in there? A picture of the two of you?"

  He shook his head. "Nothing. May and I weren't close.

  I've known her for seven or eight years, and we've had dinner together maybe twice. We are die-hard competitors, and we never forget it."

  "So, you didn't have a rose and some condoms waiting for her the other night?"

  He flinched. "How'd you hear about them?"

  It was time to fess up. "I didn't hear about them—I saw them;" I said. "I went to use your bathroom, and well, there they were."

  "Damn it, Kitzi, I resent the hell out of you poking through my trailer—"

  "I wasn't. I didn't open a single drawer, and I didn't poke at anything. I saw the rose and the condoms on top of the dresser. I didn't go looking for them, if that's what you're thinking." I added. "And I didn't tell Peterson or anyone else about them, either."

  He glared for just a moment before he said, "No, you didn't, and I appreciate that?' He ran his index finger over his chin which had been shaved a little better since the last time I'd seen him. "But now I see why Lynn was so pissed at you for going through her things. You know, you—"

  I held up my hand to stop him. 'There have been very good reasons for everything I've done. Primarily to protect Shannan or to help Beth."

  "Which is admirable, but not so considerate of the rest of us." He slowed down again. "How is she doing, do you know? Beth, I mean."

  "She's doing pretty well, considering. Now, are you going to tell me about the rose, or not? Was it for May?"

  "That is none of your business?"

  "I am well aware of that, however, I'm not above telling Peterson, not if it will get Beth off the hook." I stopped and let Tony fume for a minute, assuming he'd blurt out the truth eventually. Just as his internal temperature appeared to be near the boiling range, the truth hit me. "Lynn brought those things to your trailer!"

  He shoulders dropped, and so did his armor. "But, Kitzi, you cannot tell anyone. You know how she is, we've already had that conversation—"

  "I know, I know. Calm down."

  "My brother always says that I'm in the wimpiest business," Tony said. "Since I work mostly with women who are much older than I am, but little does he know about you, and how I have to—"

  "Don't say any more." I patted his hand. "You'll hate yourself in the morning."

  He sputtered, "You see? You see how you are? Are you happy now that you know? Lynn brought the flowers and condoms," he said. "When she stopped by uninvited, just like I told you before."

  I thought for a few minutes. Now I knew the source of the mysterious rose, and that Tony was not a sexual predator, at least not one who lured young women with flowers and condoms. There was only one more thing that I could think of to find out from Tony. I hoped it was more reveal-ing than the rest of what he'd said.

  "Okay, last question."

  "I wish you'd told me this was a quiz."

  "You're passing, so don't let it bother you," I said. "Did you hear an argument near the front gate sometime Thursday night?"

  "Peterson asked me that. No."

  "What about just a conversation? A whispered conversation? Don't say 'no' right away; think about it. It wouldn't have been that late. At least not too late." I tried to think of times. Angie had said Lynn showed up in the Saloon after ten-thirty and started insulting people. Wonder how long it took to do that? Probably not long, since Angie is patient, but not masochistic. Say, fifteen minutes. Then Angie goes back to the trailer and takes her shower. That would have made the argument at around eleven or so. "I think the conversation was around eleven."

  He stopped and thought, then gave me the oddest look.

  "Thursday wasn't all that unusual for camp; you know what I'm talking about, Kitzi. There's so much talk, and people are excited to see friends."

  "You thought of something."

  "I'm not sure."

  "Talk it out," I said.

  He nodded. "I had the windows open, since the air is so nice out here. Lynn left around, I don't know, say quarter of ten. She'd already had two drinks, and I gave her one for the road. I took a shower, came out, and I heard a car pull in around, say ten. Two women were talking and laughing.

  They'd driven in from some place; you know how that goes." He was thinking again, "I told Peterson that part, but there was something else. I went to bed pretty early, and I remember vaguely hearing Angie go in her trailer, and then I fell asleep. Except, at some point I remember hearing a car door, and Angie closing the window on her trailer. It didn't register at the time, but I remember that afterward there was whispering?'

  "And? . • "

  A frown crossed his face. "Just whispering. Two women, I'm pretty sure, and they walked past my window and went toward the back of the camp." Toward the spot that was now cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape.

  So he heard a car door. Was it when Ron dropped May off? If so, then May met someone, a woman if Tony was telling the truth, which meant it could have been a lot of people. It could have been Angie, except I still couldn't see a reason for her to kill May. It could have been Lynn, just out of meanness. Maybe she thought May had arrived in time for some kind of late date with Tony ... Practically everyone in camp was female.

  I clicked my tongue.

  "What does that mean?" Tony asked.

  "Sony. It means I'm stumped."

  Tony nodded a few times, looking directly into my eyes, then he said, "Well, just as long as you know that I didn't do it, I'm happy."

  He actually reached out and patted my hand. Funny thing, up until that maneuver, I'd been sure. Then I wasn't so sure at
all.

  It was after three o'clock, and Shannan still wasn't back at Green Clover. The demonstrations had started up again, and to ease my stress I had bought a hundred dollars' worth of beads. I decided to ask Cordy if I could borrow a van to

  find Shannan. I was marching toward the office, my eyes on the path when I heard someone ahead of me, just around the bend. I was hoping it was Cordy, who could save me a little time. "Gordy?"

  "Not even close." It was Jeb, smiling that half-smile that used to have an affect on me. "I've been looking for you."

  "Oh?" I was rooted to the spot, one more time hearing the voice of the man I'd dreamed of for way too many years. He wasn't handsome anymore but that wasn't a change that mattered to me. The important one was inside, and I didn't figure that one had taken place.

  "We said we were going to get together and talk over old times. I thought we could go somewhere nice and have dinner."

  I smiled, and my body loosened up a little. "Jeb, be

  honest with you. I really don't care to, but thank you for asking."

  "Oh, don't be mad at me. We could have a lovely time."

  "No, we wouldn't," I said. "Besides I have lots to do right now."

  He did the little-boy-sad look, like I'd just stolen his teddy bear. "Don't be mean to me."

  Mean to him? "You know, Jeb, maybe if you'd made the offer ten years back, I'd have been flattered. I might even have been flattered a month ago, but right now it seems like way too little, way too late. Not only that, I have a whole lot of other things that I need to be attending to."

  "I know that I was a real wanker. You deserved so much better, but I wasn't mature enough to give it. I've grown since then."

  "Really?"

  "Really, Kitzi. I can see now that you're a very special kind of woman—"

  That did it. "And I can see that your eyes are brown because you're full of shit." Those dark eyes flew open in surprise. "Sorry, Jeb, but I'm suspecting something here.