Thirty-Six and a Half Motives: Rose Gardner Mystery #9 (Rose Gardner Mystery Series)

by Denise Grover Swank

  I shuddered. “How can you be discussing a man’s death so coldly?”

  He glanced over at me. “He’s been dead for quite some time, Lady. I’m sure it’s not a coincidence he’s here next to the safe.” He opened the wallet. “Thaddeus Brooke. His license expired a year after the factory fire and Dora’s death, so if he died in that period of time, he was thirty-five. He lived in Henryetta, and based on his photo, he was plenty rough around the edges.”

  “You think he was here in the barn looking for the book?” I asked.

  “There’s a good chance. I think we need to do some diggin’ into poor Thaddeus while you skim the journal.”

  He leaned over again and dug into the grave, pulling out a set of keys and a money clip. “You girls head into the house. I’ll be inside in a minute.”

  “What are you gonna do?” Neely Kate asked.

  “See if there’s anything underneath him. It’s bound to get messy.”

  Neely Kate made a beeline for the door, and Muffy, who’d been so quiet at my feet that I’d nearly forgotten her, took off in a sprint after her.

  I paused at the edge of the stall, suddenly feeling the weight of Skeeter’s discovery. “We’re gonna have to kill J.R., aren’t we?”

  Skeeter had jumped into the shallow grave, but he looked up at me with a serious expression. “You won’t be killin’ anyone. I’ll take care of it.”

  That should have made me feel better, but it only terrified me.

  “What’s our endgame, James? We know J.R.’s plan is to torture and kill us. We’ve been on the defensive, trying to outwit him, but what’s our goal? It can’t just be survival. We have to best him, and the only way I know how to do that is to kill him, because as long as J.R. Simmons is drawing a breath, he’s a threat to everyone. So what’s our plan?” My voice broke, frustrating the hell out of me. This wasn’t the time to fall apart, but I couldn’t believe what I was suggesting. When had I crossed the line to condoning murder?

  “You’re right. I have an endgame in mind, but I haven’t shared it because I’m sure you would never approve. I plan to show the bastard no mercy.”

  “That’s murder.”

  “Not if it’s in self-defense.”

  “I suppose that’s how it’s goin’ to end anyway. The two of us starin’ down the barrel of his gun.”

  He held my gaze for several seconds, then turned his attention to the grave. “Not if I can help it.”

  I headed into the house to find that Neely Kate had started a pot of coffee and set the remains of one of Maeve’s lemon pound cakes on the table. I grabbed one of Mason’s empty legal pads, a pen, and my laptop, and sat down at the table with the journal.

  “I think we should write down anything that looks important, then figure out how it might fit in.”

  Neely Kate nodded. “How about you read and I’ll take notes?”

  “Actually,” I said, opening the book, “why don’t you search the Internet for anything you can find about Thaddeus Brooke?”

  We’d been at it for ten minutes before Skeeter walked in the back door, covered in dirt.

  “You find anything?” Neely Kate asked.

  “No.” He glanced at the book. “What about you?”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’ve found a host of things that will interest the state police, like the dates and times J.R. and Henry Buchanan met, but nothing that will help us tonight.”

  Neely Kate looked up from the computer screen. “And I’ve been searching for anything I can find about Thaddeus Brooke, which isn’t much, so I’ve sent texts to a few friends at the courthouse to see what they can find.”

  “Keep diggin’,” he said as he walked across the room. “I’m gonna take a shower. Jed should be here in a bit with a change of clothes.”

  “He struck out at the barn, too?” Neely Kate asked.

  “It doesn’t look too promising. He’ll tell us when he gets here. Is your shower upstairs?”

  “Second door on the right,” Neely Kate said, giving me a worried look. Once we heard his footsteps on the stairs, she said, “So far we have a fat lot of nothing to help us for tonight. I think we need to try tracking down Anna and Bruce Wayne. If we can find Anna, we’ll find Bruce Wayne.”

  I sighed. “You might be right, but it seems a little late for us to try findin’ her now. I wouldn’t even know where to look. That’s the reason we went this direction.”

  “I think Hilary knows more. I texted Jonah, but apparently she wasn’t home when he stopped by her house. The question is what’s the connection between Anna and Hilary? You said Anna acted strange when Hilary walked into the shop.”

  “Yeah, but Hilary didn’t seem to recognize her.”

  Neely Kate was quiet for a moment. “Hilary was pretty upset over Roberta leaving. It was obvious from the way she acted earlier, and Joe even said as much. What if Hilary had something to do with it? What if Anna is here because of that?”

  I shook my head. “That seems like a reach, but we don’t have any idea why she’s here.” I tapped my pen on the table and flipped the legal pad page over. “We’re gonna write down everything we know and try to tie it all together.”

  “Good idea.” She grabbed the notebook and pen from me. “Let’s start with Kate. She disappeared from Little Rock two years ago, right around the time Roberta died in Memphis.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then she says she went to California, but she dropped off the face of the earth when she left. She didn’t even tell Joe how to find her.”

  “Right.”

  “But we know she’d been keepin’ tabs on Mason since July—she has photos of him outside the courthouse with you and Joe.”

  “Right.”

  “She showed up in town right after Christmas. But why?”

  I nodded my head. “Good question.”

  She sighed. “Okay, let’s move on to Hilary. She showed up pregnant with Joe’s baby in November . . .”

  I jumped in. “And Kate showed up a month later, eager for me to get back together with Joe.”

  “Hilary and Kate seem to hate each other.”

  I paused for a moment. “We know how Joe and Hilary felt about Roberta leaving, but what about Kate? How did she react?”

  Neely Kate released a loud groan. “This seems pointless.” Tears filled her eyes. “That monster is going to hurt Bruce Wayne or worse. And we’re sitting here talkin’ about a housekeeper who worked for the Simmons family thirteen years ago!”

  I stood and began to pace. “We know why J.R. is here—revenge against Skeeter. I’m collateral damage. And Mason . . . Why Mason?” I stopped and looked at her. “The fact that Mason’s name was on J.R.’s hit list proves he’s not involved.”

  “Unless he’s on the list to throw you off.”

  I shook my head and pulled out my phone. “This is ridiculous. Why would J.R. go to so much effort?”

  “Because it would be quite the reveal at the showdown, wouldn’t it? I don’t want to believe that Mason’s part of this, but after Ronnie, I don’t trust anyone but you, Skeeter, and Jed. But think about it—Mason standing by J.R’s side. How much drama would that be? And you’ve said it before—J.R. Simmons loves a big show.”

  I gaped at her. I couldn’t believe she would turn on Mason so easily. “You really believe Mason would do that?”

  “Did I think Ronnie would be part of a plot to kill you? Hell, no.” She took a breath, then lowered her voice. “Look, I’m not saying Mason’s part of it. I don’t want to think he is. But you can’t ignore some of the red flags. Just like I’d ignored them with Ronnie.” When I started to protest, she held up her hand. “All I know is that we can’t trust anyone, Rose. Only each other.”

  I could see why she’d say that. She’d been used and lied to for years, so in her eyes, this was just more of the same. But I had plenty of trouble believing either man was capable of such a thing.

  “We’ve talked to Hilary, and we’ve talked to Joe,” I said.
“We need to talk to Kate.”

  Her eyes flew open. “What? Are you crazy? That witch tried to kill you!”

  “Kate doesn’t know we’re onto her.”

  “That’s not true. If Teagen knows you were in the shed, he surely told her.”

  “I still want to talk to her. We really have nothing to lose.”

  Neely Kate studied me for several seconds before nodding. “This is crazy . . . but I’m game.”

  I slipped my phone out of my pocket. “I have her number from when she called me after the warehouse incident.” I looked up her number and pressed send.

  Kate sounded surprised when she answered. “Well, well, well . . . little Rosie’s calling me. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  “I have a few questions to ask.”

  “Do you now?” She sounded amused.

  “I want to know if you—”

  “Stop right there.”

  I tried to quell my disappointment. “So you refuse to talk to me?”

  “No. Not at all. I just want to be able to look at you while we chat. Meet me at Merilee’s at four, one minute late and I’m leaving. Bring Neely Kate with you, but be sure to leave your bodyguards behind. Otherwise, no conversation,” she said. Then she hung up.

  My mouth dropped open.

  “So she wouldn’t talk to you?”

  “She wants to do it in person.” I glanced at the clock on the wall. “At Merilee’s in thirty minutes. But just the two of us.”

  “If we’re gonna make that, we need to leave soon.” She gave me a dry look. “Which one of us is going to tell Skeeter?”

  I twisted my mouth as I considered. “He’s in the shower, and I’m not gonna interrupt him.” I paused, thinking it through. “We’ll leave and then call him on the way into town. He can catch up.”

  “You’re forgetting that we don’t have a car,” Neely Kate said.

  I grinned. “But we do have a car.”

  “You want to steal Skeeter’s car?”

  “Not steal it. Borrow it. Besides, Jed’s already on his way.”

  Grimacing, she shook her head. “For the record, I think this is a bad idea. How do we know she won’t kill or kidnap us?”

  “Because J.R. wants me to show up of my own free will. He wants to see me slink in and beg him to spare Bruce Wayne. It would be far less rewarding if he has to capture me first.”

  “Unless he does it to make Skeeter show up.”

  “No, he knows Skeeter will walk in with me. I don’t know why she wants to meet us, but I’m not gonna pass up the chance. Maybe we’ll get something we can use to help us tonight.”

  “Or she’s looking for something to use against us.”

  “Then we’ll just have to be smarter than she is.” I grinned. “We’re pretty smart.”

  Chapter 25

  Getting away was easier than I’d expected. Skeeter had left the keys in his ignition in case we needed to make a quick getaway.

  Muffy and I climbed into the backseat. I had no idea when I’d be back, and I couldn’t bear to leave her behind.

  As soon as I closed the door, Neely Kate put the car in reverse and the car sped backwards before she hit the brakes. “Whoa. Skeeter’s car has some serious horsepower.”

  Then she put it in drive and shot down the driveway.

  “I suppose he needs it for his getaways,” I said, looking out the back window. I hadn’t sent Skeeter a message yet to let him know where we went. I wouldn’t put it past Skeeter to strut around my house in a towel, which meant if he heard someone taking his car, he could be chasing us out the front door at any moment. Maybe even naked. “He’s gonna be livid when he realizes we left without tellin’ him first.”

  “Good thing he can’t run as fast as his car,” Neely Kate said as she turned onto the highway. She looked in the rearview mirror. “Maybe you should call him and try to butter him up.”

  I grabbed my phone. “I have to figure out what to do with Muffy.”

  “You want to take her to the safe house?”

  I looked out the window at the passing landscape. I had no idea how tonight was going to turn out and no idea when I’d be back to the safe house. What if I never came back at all? What would happen to Muffy then? “No,” I said quietly. “I’m gonna ask Maeve if she’ll look after her.”

  “Do we have time for that?”

  I glanced at the speedometer, stunned to see she was driving over eighty miles per hour. “If you keep driving that fast, we’ll end up in town five minutes before we left. I think we can make the time.”

  She shrugged, but was grinning ear to ear. “I can’t help it. I love me a fast car.”

  I still needed to send Skeeter a text.

  Neely Kate and I went to Merilee’s to talk to Kate. We’ll meet you and Jed later. She says no bodyguards or she won’t talk.

  I called Maeve before he could respond, and she answered right away. “Rose! Have you heard the news?”

  I blinked, nearly choking on fear. “What news?”

  “Deputy Miller has woken up and is doing well. They’re moving him out of ICU. He’s going to be just fine.”

  I pushed out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God. We could really use some good news right now.” I looked up front. “Neely Kate. They’re moving Randy out of ICU. He’s going to be fine.”

  She smiled. “Well, of course he is.”

  “Maeve,” I said, feeling guilty, “I have a favor to ask.”

  “Of course, Rose. You know I’ll help you in any way I can.”

  “Can you watch Muffy for me? Overnight?”

  “Of course. You know I love that little dog,” she said. “She helps keep me company. Are you up to more investigating?”

  “Uh . . .” It was a simple question, but my friends’ seeds of doubt had me feeling paranoid. Still, this was Maeve, and if I couldn’t trust her, I couldn’t trust anyone. “Let’s just say I’m busy. I’m not sure when I’ll be back to get her.”

  “I can keep her as long as necessary. In fact, I can bring her back to the nursery with me in the morning if need be. She loves greeting the customers.” She paused. “I was thinking about going over and telling Violet goodbye in the morning. I know she’s leaving at eight. Will you be able to see her off?”

  A lump filled my throat. Would I? What if it was the last time I ever saw my sister? Or worse, what if I didn’t survive the evening to see her off? But I swallowed my grief and worry. I was going into this with a positive attitude. Fretting was wasted energy. “Yes.” I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “I’ll be there.” I wiped away a tear that escaped the corner of my eye. “Are you still at the nursery?”

  “Yes. It’s been a long day with Anna missing.”

  More worry churned in my gut. “No word, I guess.”

  “No.”

  I expected as much, but the disappointment still stung. “We’ll be by in a bit.”

  I hung up and told Neely Kate to stop by the nursery, then said, “I have to go see Violet tomorrow before she leaves. She’s taking off at eight.”

  Neely Kate kept her eyes on the road, but her face tensed and her hands tightened on the steering wheel. “That shouldn’t be a problem.” Her gaze flicked to mine in the mirror. “I know you’re not typically an early riser, but surely you can be up and about to make that.”

  I put my hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Thank you. For everything.” I heaved a breath. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

  She covered my hand with hers. “I told you,” she teased. “We were meant to do this together.”

  “Try to escape a psychopath?”

  “Live a life of adventure and mystery.”

  “Well, I want peace and quiet, thank you very much.”

  “You’d be bored to tears.”

  That’s what I was afraid of.

  My phone rang, and I cringed when I saw Skeeter’s name.

  “Hey,” I answered, putting the phone on speaker as I prepared to be chewed out.r />
  “What the hell do you girls think you’re doin’? How did this meeting with Kate get set up?”

  “I had a call with her.”

  “Kate called you?”

  “No . . . I called her and told her I wanted to ask a few questions, but she suggested an in-person meeting—just me and Neely Kate. No one else.”

  “And you’re on your way now? Have you lost your mind? Why didn’t you wait for me or Jed?”

  “She said we had to be there by four or she was leaving. I sure wasn’t walking in on you in the shower, and we had no idea when Jed would show up.”

  “Here’s an idea,” he said, his voice tight. “You could have called him.”

  “It was all so spur of the moment,” I said. “I didn’t want to lose the chance to talk to her.”

  He was quiet for several seconds before he said, “What do you hope to get from her?”

  “Anything that will help us tonight. Maybe get her take on Roberta.” Getting her to confess her and her father’s scheme would be great, but I’d take what I could get.

  “She’s gonna figure out you know about Anna if you do that.”

  “Does it really matter?”

  “No,” he said slowly, as though he was thinking out loud. “I’m not sure it does at this point.”

  “No lectures?” I asked in disbelief. “No threats and ultimatums?”

  “You’re a grown-ass woman, not a five-year-old.”

  I was momentarily stunned by his pronouncement, and then I grinned. “You’re only okay with this because I pointed out all the reasons I’d be safe.”

  He chuckled. “Plus the fact that you’re not really alone. Jed’s been tailing you for a few minutes.”

  “What?” I spun around in my seat to look out the back window. Sure enough, I could see Jed’s car two cars behind us. “We can’t have anyone with us, Skeeter.”

  “You’re insulting me with your insinuation that my associate’s an amateur.”

  “I just don’t want to screw this up.”

  “She’ll never know anyone is there. Call me when you’re done.”

  Neely Kate glanced over her shoulder. “That went better than expected.”

  “Yeah, I agree.”

  “Let’s hope our chat with Kate goes equally well.”