Edgar, miserable and still planning his AWOL escape, paid little attention to the political shenanigans going on around him. First and foremost, General MacArthur was relieved as commander in the Philippines and sent to Australia. A General Wainwright took over from MacArthur, only to be replaced eight days later by a General King. During all these political moves, a major counter-attack to capture Japanese supplies at Olongapo was foiled by the Japanese attacking with fresh troops. The enemy struck the hospital and bombed it without mercy. The Japanese Easter offensive broke through the Marines’ front lines and on Good Friday armed barges struck the rear flanks from Manila Bay. By April, the eastern front had become chaos and General King was determined to surrender Bataan’s battered remnants. Edgar and a few other Marines became aware of this plan when they saw officers in a staff car with a white flag depart the camp and head north through streams of troops retreating south.
On April 8, 1942, a severe earthquake shook Bataan and the Marines retreated to their prepared tunnel. An hour later they heard explosions as Navy personnel blew up the USS Canopus, the dry dock and its other installations at Mariveles, followed by army demolition of ammo dumps and supply stores, to keep them out of the hands of the Japanese.
In preparation for their surrender, officers were told to remove their insignias of rank and rid themselves of any Japanese souvenirs or currency. Enlisted men threw their rifle bolts into the jungle and destroyed the remainder of their small arms. All remaining rations were issued. Edgar grabbed what he could, eating some of it while stashing more in his clothing for later. No one noticed as Edgar went to the jungle with a small shovel and buried his poker winnings and booty bought in Shanghai. Then, knowing his fellows had been ordered to just sit and await the arrival of the Japanese, Edgar kept walking, straight into the jungle with three handguns and a rifle he had grabbed before all were destroyed, and the few rations he had stashed in his clothing.
SIX
Willis wanted to go back to bed, but I was wide awake and itching to know what was being discussed in Diamond Lovesy’s room. Did she have something to do with Hammerschultz’s death? How could she if she was as drunk as she seemed when she went upstairs? But people killed other people all the time when they were inebriated – probably more so than when sober. And she was a big woman, bigger than Humphrey Hammerschultz. She could have easily overpowered him. But why? Why would she want to kill him? They seemed to be on the same page since I’d met them. Out to fleece the kind old lady who’d allowed them into her home. Scenario: Diamond came downstairs, an argument ensued and, with one thing leading to another, she managed to break Humphrey’s neck.
But what about the grrrrrrrrrr-plop? Or, as Willis insisted, the rrrrrrrrrr-thump? Was it Diamond? If so, doing what? And if she went out the front door as the sound indicated, how did she get back in her room just minutes later? We were all in the living room to be sure, but we could see the staircase from there. And the back staircase led from the kitchen to the first landing of the main staircase, and could also be seen from the living room. If we didn’t see her, chances were she’d never left her room and had nothing to do with the grrrrrrrrrr-plop. Could the murder and the dragging noise really be unrelated? Somehow I doubted it.
So if Diamond didn’t do in Humphrey, who did? Daddy? I do not believe in ghosts – mostly. So scratch Daddy. But something was going on in this house. Someone had been scaring off Miss Hutchins’ guests, and someone (not something!) had made that dragging sound tonight. And someone had killed Humphrey Hammerschultz, not to mention Miss Hutchins’ mother those many years ago. And since Daddy had already died on D-Day, the chances were good that he hadn’t committed either murder. But who had?
Could a random stranger have killed Humphrey? OK, a bum (it’s always the proverbial bum, right?) sneaks into the house to steal something, Humphrey catches him (the proverbial bum’s never a woman, right?), they scuffle and Humphrey lands half on the sofa with a broken neck. Was anything missing? I’d have to check that with Miss Hutchins. But what would a random stranger have to do with the grrrrrrrrrr-plopping going on upstairs?
I told Willis to go to bed and that I’d be up in a minute after making sure Miss Hutchins was all right. It wasn’t a total lie. I try never to totally lie to my husband. It was one of my vows at our wedding – one of the ones I never said out loud.
I found Miss Hutchins in the dining room, sitting at the long trestle table, the small glass in her hand as it rested atop the table, staring at the apparently empty whiskey bottle. I sat down next to her. Covering her free hand with mine, I asked, ‘Are you OK?’
She looked at me and smiled. ‘As well as can be expected,’ she said. She upended the glass to drain the last drop of the whiskey.
‘Do you want me to get you another bottle?’ I asked, wondering why I was so willing to assist such behavior.
She shook her head. ‘You know, until Uncle Herbert died five years ago, I’d never allowed alcohol to touch my lips. But he left those four cases. I just couldn’t allow them to go to waste.’ She looked longingly at the empty bottle. ‘I’ve grown to enjoy a sip or two,’ she said. She shook herself and pushed the glass and the bottle away. ‘So, how was Mr Hammerschultz’s room?’
‘A mess,’ I said. ‘But the police chief didn’t seem to find anything of substance. He had me wake up Miss Lovesy, then he and his officer went in to talk to her.’
‘And he didn’t let you go with?’ she asked. She patted my arm. ‘That was unfair. After all, you found the body!’
‘Exactly!’ I said.
‘And knowing Rigsby Cotton as well as I do, he won’t tell us squat.’ She stopped for a moment, then a smile spread across her face. ‘Unless I shame him into it,’ she said.
‘Ma’am?’
‘I was Rigsby’s Sunday school teacher at the First Baptist Church for many years. And I know where a few bodies are buried – figuratively speaking, of course.’
BACK HOME
Alicia lay in bed the next morning, worried about her little sister. Actually, Bess was ten days older than she, but because of Bess’s miniature size, she always considered her to be her smaller sibling. Bess had never even really liked a boy, and Alicia could tell that what had gone on the night before between Bess and Logan was much more than like. Knowing how her own heart had reacted to finding out that Graham cared for her as much as she cared for him, she was more than a little worried – she was downright scared. She didn’t know if Bess could handle this. Granted, she’d handled a lot in her seventeen years – the loss of her entire birth family, being stalked and kidnapped, among other things. But Alicia knew how tentatively she herself held on to her sanity knowing that her relationship with Graham was on the skids, and she’d only lost her family through abandonment. Not murder. Well, abandonment was pretty bad, she supposed. At least Bess had the certain knowledge that her birth family had loved her fiercely, whereas Alicia’s family …
She threw her feet over the side of the bed. No use dwelling on that, she told herself. She was loved now, of that she was certain. Mom and Dad Pugh loved her, and her sisters loved her – even Megan – no matter what the status with her foster brother/boyfriend might be.
When Bess arrived downstairs that morning – having arisen early, fixed her hair, put on make-up and donned casual yet elegant clothing – Logan was already up, bedding carefully folded and set on the ottoman. Bess was surprised at the scent of coffee coming from the kitchen.
‘You made coffee?’ she said with a smile.
‘Yep!’ he said, smiling back. ‘And good morning.’
Bess laughed. ‘Good morning to you, too.’
‘I also put out the desserts for breakfast, along with some bread for toasting, for those who prefer something savory for breakfast.’
‘You’re going to make someone a very good husband!’ Bess said, then hearing her own words, blushed.
Logan’s smile disappeared and he sighed. ‘If I’m not careful, that could be Harper Benton in th
e not-too-distant future.’
Bess touched his arm to reassure him, but could feel the heat emitting from that touch. She removed her hand quickly. ‘We’re going to find out what’s going on – why she’s lying. If she’s even pregnant!’ she said.
Logan sank down on the sofa. ‘Oh, she’s pregnant all right. She was in the car – must have gotten out when Tucker came in to get me. He yelled at her to get back in, but not before I saw the distinct baby bump.’
Bess sat on the sofa next to him. ‘We’ll find out who did this and why she’s lying. I promise you.’
Logan shook his head. ‘How can you find out anything? There’s no way.’
‘Yes there is,’ said a voice behind them.
‘You bet your ass there is!’ came another.
Bess and Logan turned to see both of Bess’s sisters coming down the stairs. ‘We’re not E.J. Pugh’s daughters for nothing!’ Megan said, grinning wide.
I waited with Miss Hutchins while the coroner examined the body and the crime scene investigator (one middle-aged woman with a small kit) took pictures and left behind little numbered plaques. At one point I got up and made a strong pot of coffee, which was gone in a flash, what with the police chief and his crew to serve, not to mention Miss Hutchins and myself. I was making my second pot when Diamond Lovesy’s heavy tread could be heard on the stairs. I left the kitchen to meet her. She looked bad – her hair uncombed, her eyes bloodshot, and she was wearing a mu-mu that had seen better days. I said, ‘Miss Hutchins and I are in the dining room. I’ll bring coffee in.’
‘Lots of it,’ she said, her voice harsh.
I set up a tray, found Miss Hutchins’ coffee thermos and filled it with the second pot, then started a third. I took the tray, laden with all the necessary paraphernalia, into the dining room. Miss Hutchins was holding Diamond’s hand, stroking it gently. They didn’t appear to be talking.
‘Here we go,’ I said, not as perkily as the words might imply. ‘Diamond, how do you take yours?’
‘Sweet and almost white – the way I like my men,’ she said, then burst into tears.
Miss Hutchins put her arm around Diamond’s shoulders, patting her madly and saying, ‘There, there,’ a lot.
I fixed the coffee for Diamond and found a box of Kleenex in the kitchen, which I brought to her. ‘Here, clean up and try the coffee.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said between sniffles. ‘This is just so terrible! Terrible!’ She sobbed again, clutching a wad of the Kleenex tightly in her hand. She turned toward sounds emitting from the living room. ‘Is he still in there?’ she asked.
‘They haven’t moved the body yet,’ I said. ‘The coroner is still doing his thing.’
Diamond got up and moved into the foyer. I quickly followed her. ‘Diamond, you really shouldn’t—’
‘He was my partner and friend,’ she said. ‘I want to see him. I’ll need to tell his mother that I saw him. That I tried to help!’
I took hold of her arm. ‘There’s nothing you can do now to help him, Diamond. There’s nothing you could have done, period.’
‘If I hadn’t gone to bed—’
‘Just don’t go there,’ I told her.
She pulled away from my grasp. ‘I have to see him.’
I could do nothing more than follow her into the living room. The coroner had the body on a gurney supplied by – I could see the name on the side of it – Leeman’s Funeral Home: We Care. A young man stood yawning to one side, obviously the driver of the hearse I could see through the open door parked in front of the house.
Diamond went up to the body and started to touch it, but Chief Cotton was on her – as my mother-in-law would say – like a snake on a June bug.
‘Now Miz Lovesy, can’t have you touching the corpse,’ he said. ‘Not until he’s been autopsied and released.’
‘I just wanted—’
The chief shook his head. ‘No, ma’am, I can’t let ya do it. Procedure, ma’am. Nothing personal.’
Diamond nodded and stared at the body of her partner for a long moment, then turned to me. ‘I guess I’ll have that coffee now,’ she said.
Seems like my husband was the only one who got any sleep that morning. Willis is very good at compartmentalizing. Why get worked up over the dead body of someone we barely knew when there was sleep to be had? Why, indeed. I wasn’t so much concerned about Humphrey Hammerschultz – although I didn’t like the fact that someone had come into the place we were staying and killed him (unless, of course, it was Diamond) – as I was about the entirety of the situation. I had come to like Miss Hutchins a great deal in the short time I’d known her, and thought what was happening to her and her little inn was thoroughly unjustified. And I like to solve puzzles – not the kind they put in newspapers or game shows on TV, but the kind where people do ungodly things for no apparent reason. There is always a reason – mostly a stupid one – and I want to know what it is. This penchant of mine had gotten our marriage in trouble the year before, with Willis demanding that I cease and desist in finding dead bodies. As I was knee-deep in something I couldn’t let go of at the time, he ended up leaving me and moving in with his mother. We reconciled eventually with a compromise of ‘let’s see what happens next time,’ but when our foster daughter Alicia was kidnapped he was the one pushing me to get involved – not that I really needed a push.
So here we were again. He hadn’t said anything yet, but I was afraid his first words in the morning would be, ‘Pack up, we’re leaving.’
Chief Cotton followed Diamond Lovesy and me back into the dining room where Miss Hutchins awaited us. ‘Ladies,’ he said, ‘until we figure out what’s going on here, I need everybody to stay in place. I know that you, Miz Lovesy, and you, Miz Pugh, don’t live here in Peaceful and are gonna wanna get home, but I need y’all to stay in town until this is cleared up. And your mister, too, Miz Pugh.’
I nodded my head, knowing I had the perfect counter-attack to Willis’s possible ‘pack up’ scenario. ‘No problem, Chief,’ I said.
BACK HOME
‘Yeah, I’ve heard rumors about your mom,’ Logan said. ‘But I still don’t see what y’all can do.’
‘First thing,’ Megan said, flopping down on the loveseat, her long legs draped over one arm, ‘we confront Harper – without her brother around! If all four of us ponce on her, we’re more likely to get a true response.’
‘Gawd, Megan,’ Alicia said. ‘If she is pregnant, that would be kind of harsh, don’t you think? I mean, from what little I know, pregnant people are pretty sensitive emotionally.’
‘To hell with her!’ Megan responded. ‘She started this! And, Logan,’ she said, staring daggers at the boy sitting next to Bess, ‘if you’re lying to us, you’re dead meat. Understand?’
Bess jumped to her feet. ‘Megan, how dare you—’
Logan stood up and put his hand on Bess’s shoulder. ‘She’s right, Bess,’ he said. ‘You’re really sweet to believe in me so thoroughly, but Megan doesn’t, and she shouldn’t. All I can tell you, Megan, is that I didn’t do it. I never touched her, ever. I’m not saying I didn’t want to, but she was, like, real stand-offish. I always got the feeling I’d be shut out if I even tried to kiss her. So I never did. And I can swear to that on a stack of Bibles if it would help.’
‘It won’t,’ Megan said. ‘If you’d lie about knocking up somebody, then you’d be stupid enough to lie on a stack of Bibles, too.’
‘Megan!’ Bess started.
‘But!’ Megan said, raising her voice to drown out Bess, ‘I don’t think you’re stupid. And I do think Harper is up to something. So we’ll help you.’
‘Gee, Megs, that’s so good of you!’ Bess said sarcastically.
Logan pulled Bess back down to the sofa. ‘It is good of you,’ he said. He glanced at Alicia. ‘And you?’ he asked.
‘Yes, I’m on board,’ Alicia said, although she still had her misgivings about any relationship building between this boy and her sister. She wouldn’t be ab
le to handle Bess being hurt the way she was hurting now. Shaking herself mentally, she asked, ‘So how do we get Harper alone?’
‘You said y’all were on the same volleyball team?’ Bess asked.
‘Yeah, last semester,’ Alicia confirmed.
‘Would she be suspicious if you reached out to her?’ Bess asked.
Alicia shrugged. ‘Could she see that well from the car last night? I mean, I was one of the ones jumping her brother.’
‘It was pretty dark in the parking lot. One of the lights burned out and Cam hasn’t gotten around to having it changed yet. You gotta call an electrician to do it because—’ Logan started.
‘We really don’t care,’ Megan said. To Alicia, she said, ‘I think we can take the chance. There was so much going on, and she never got out of the car while we were beating on her brother, so chances are she wasn’t paying that much attention.’
‘So what would I say?’ Alicia asked. ‘“Hey, Harper, I hear you got knocked up. Anything I can do to help?”’
Megan rolled her eyes. ‘Hardly. You know, just say how you’ve noticed she hasn’t been back since winter break and you wonder if she needs you to bring her some schoolwork or whatever. Ask her, you know, if she’s sick or something.’ Megan grinned. ‘That might even get a confession out of her.’
‘So I go over there or what? I don’t even know where she lives,’ Alicia said, not overly keen on Megan’s plan.
‘I’m sure Logan knows where, but I think a phone call first.’
‘Just call her up out of the blue?’ Alicia asked.
Megan swung her legs off the arm of the loveseat, straightening herself. ‘Alicia, dear,’ she said, ‘it’s not that big a woop, OK? You just call her up and say what I just told you to say! She responds. Put it on speakerphone and I’ll get paper and pen and write down the correct response to whatever she says, if you’re afraid you can’t do it!’
Dead to the World Page 8