Hell in a Handbasket: Rose Gardner Investigations #3

by Denise Grover Swank

  “What time was that?”

  “I dunno exactly. I was scared, and it all kind of ran together. Maybe four? Maybe six?” Then he held out his hand to Neely Kate. “He called me. I’ll look it up.”

  She handed him his phone, saying, “Don’t try to delete anything, or we’ll drive you to Ripper Pawn and drop you off on Kip Wagner’s front step with a bow tied around your neck.”

  He looked scared to death as he opened his phone, and he seemed to be careful as he scanned his calls. “Here,” he said, holding it up. “He called me at 5:05 and said his buyer had fallen through, but he was on the west side of town, so he wouldn’t be back for at least a half hour. He said he was bringing food.”

  “You trusted him?” she asked. “You trusted that the buyer didn’t go through?”

  He looked surprised. “Why would he lie?”

  “To keep the money,” she said.

  He adamantly shook his head. “No. Rusty wouldn’t do me wrong like that.”

  “Then why didn’t he take you with him?” Neely Kate asked. “And no, I’m not buyin’ his excuse of not bein’ seen together. You could have ducked down in the back.”

  Marshall didn’t answer.

  “So he came back a half hour later with food?” I asked.

  “No, closer to an hour.”

  “And did you talk to anyone while he was gone?” I asked. “Did anyone know what you two were up to?”

  He shook his head. “Only Becky.”

  “Did you call or text her while you were waiting for Rusty?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I texted.” He gave me a pleading look. “She knew what we were doin’, and she’d heard about the robbery on the news. She was scared for me and sent me a text askin’ if I was okay. So I told her I was fine, we’d gotten some loot, and I’d be back in town soon.”

  “Did she know where you were?” I asked.

  He ducked his head. “Rusty told me not to tell, but she was scared, so I told her not to worry, I was at Rusty’s granny’s property on the east side of town.”

  “So Rusty showed up with food,” Neely Kate said, “and then he took you back to town?”

  “No, he said we should hang out for a bit. He looked really nervous and could hardly choke down his burger. I asked him what was wrong, and he said he thought Wagner was onto us. He thought we ought to leave town. I told him I wasn’t leavin’ without Becky, but he said I couldn’t go into town to get her. We needed to head to Little Rock.”

  “What happened then?” Neely Kate asked.

  “Well, the only reason I agreed to this whole mess was to help Becky, so I sure as hell wasn’t leaving without her. I made a dash to his truck, but he tackled me. And as we were rollin’ around in his yard, a truck showed up and started shooting at us.”

  “Wagner’s men found you?” I asked.

  He nodded. “I guess so. I got shot, but Rusty dragged me into the truck and took off.”

  “How’d you get away?”

  “I don’t know. I was freakin’ out, but I think he lost them on his granny’s property. When the coast was clear, he brought me to you. He said you’d take care of me.” Tears filled his eyes. “He saved me and got himself killed. I can’t believe he’s dead.” He swiped a tear from his cheek.

  “Where’s the loot?” Neely Kate asked.

  His tone turned bitter. “He took all the stuff with him, but I didn’t realize that until today. I risked my life and got shot for nothin’.”

  It was hard to argue with that.

  “You’re tellin’ the truth?” Neely Kate asked. “Rusty took everything?”

  He nodded but avoided eye contact. “I don’t know how I’m gonna be able to save Becky now.”

  “Marshall,” I said gingerly. “Somebody told Kip Wagner that you were at Rusty’s granny’s farm, and he also found out you were here at my house. Both instances involved you tellin’ Becky where you were. Are you sure she’s on the up-and-up?”

  “Why would she want to rat me out when I was tryin’ to help her?”

  I shot a glance to Neely Kate, who didn’t look happy with my line of questioning. “I don’t know. It just seems like an awfully big coincidence.”

  “I think we need to talk to Becky and hear her side of the story,” Neely Kate said. “We’re gonna need her number.”

  “I have a better idea,” I said, then held out my phone to Marshall. “We’re gonna need your phone.”

  Chapter 14

  Marshall was reluctant to hand over his phone, but Neely Kate finally convinced him.

  “Becky might not answer if the call or text comes from someone she doesn’t know,” she said. “She’ll be more likely to answer if it’s you.”

  Fear filled his eyes. “She didn’t rat me out. I swear it.”

  “I believe you,” Neely Kate said. “But if someone’s watchin’ her, she might be in danger.”

  Neely Kate placed another unanswered call to Becky while I took his temperature. I was relieved to see it had gone down. We told him to get some sleep, and Neely Kate promised to start looking for the girl first thing in the morning.

  “Are you gonna bring Becky here?” he asked.

  “I don’t know what we’re gonna do,” I said.

  “If we find her and she wants to come, yes,” Neely Kate said emphatically. “The fact that her number doesn’t go directly to voicemail is a good sign.”

  I had major doubts about Becky—and her failure to answer seemed like an indication of guilt—but now didn’t seem like the best time to address them.

  When we headed downstairs, Witt was standing in the living room talking to Jed. The moment he saw Neely Kate, he jogged over and engulfed her in a bear hug. “What trouble have you gotten yourself into now?” he asked in a teasing tone, but the look he gave me let me know he was none too pleased.

  “The usual,” she said before pulling free. “Thanks for coming.”

  “If you need help, I’m there, NK,” he said in a serious tone. “You know that. Always.”

  “I know.” She reached up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Are you hungry? We still have some leftovers from Rose’s picnic yesterday.”

  Witt laughed. “I saw the whole thing on YouTube, although I guess it’s not so funny when you take into account that Patsy Sue went and killed her cousin later.”

  Neely Kate put her hands on her hips. “She did no such thing.”

  “How on earth can you say that?” Witt asked in disbelief. “Isn’t it obvious?”

  “And that’s why our client hired us,” Neely Kate said. “Because everyone thinks she’s guilty, never mind that we’re all innocent until proven guilty.”

  “It didn’t help that we found her standing over the dead body,” I muttered.

  “Is that why I’m here?” Witt asked. “How’s Wagner tied up in Carol Ann Nelson’s murder?”

  “He’s not,” Neely Kate said, heading for the kitchen. “Totally different situation. Wagner is Lady in Black business.”

  Witt’s dark look returned, but Neely Kate missed it since he was facing her back.

  “You’re seriously tryin’ to prove that Patsy Sue Clydehopper is innocent?” he asked with a chuckle.

  “Yep.” Neely Kate pushed open the kitchen door, and Witt followed her in.

  “Find out anything helpful?” Jed asked. He was seated on the sofa and Muffy was curled up on his lap.

  “Possibly,” I said, flopping down in the armchair. “But I think we should wait for Neely Kate and Witt before we discuss it.”

  He gave a short nod.

  I glanced toward the closed kitchen door, and when I heard the cousins’ muffled voices, I said, “Jed, I’m about to ask you a few things that will likely have you tellin’ me to mind my own business, but I’m gonna ask them anyway.”

  He looked amused. “Shoot.”

  I suspected he wouldn’t be grinning when I was finished. “Why does Neely Kate keep goin’ up to Little Rock to see Kate?”

&nbs
p; Sure enough, his smile fell. “You should be askin’ her that question, not me.”

  “Believe me, I have, and she refuses to tell me.” I paused. “Joe knows. He confronted her with it on Sunday night. Did she tell you that?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But he didn’t seem to know about you goin’ with her. I know you drive her up there, but does she visit Kate alone?” I couldn’t stand the thought. Kate Simmons was a manipulative witch who’d been stringing Neely Kate along by claiming to have details about her missing mother. But from what I could gather, Kate mostly just taunted and tormented my best friend for her own sick amusement.

  “No. I go with her.” Jed paused, then lowered his voice. “But that’s not public knowledge. Skeeter has a person in the hospital who lets us in through the back door. I have no idea how Joe knows about our visits. Maybe Kate told him.”

  “But she didn’t tell Joe about you?” I asked. “Because I know he would have grilled her about you.”

  He made a face. “Kate considers me a curiosity. She looks forward to our visits. She probably told Joe about Neely Kate to make her life more difficult. Joe’s gonna be unhappy she’s visiting, but he can’t stop her. But Kate’s not gonna tell him about me because she wants me to keep comin’.”

  “So Kate’s playin’ some sick game?”

  “When is she not?” Jed asked. “But I have no idea what she’s up to this time.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “How and why does James have a person in the psych ward in Little Rock?”

  Jed crossed his arms. “I guess you’ll have to ask him that.”

  “Why do I think I won’t get a better answer out of him?”

  “That’s between the two of you.”

  “Have you really quit workin’ for him?” I asked.

  “I no longer take orders from him, and I’m lookin’ to become a fine, upstanding citizen of Fenton County.”

  But that wasn’t exactly an answer. I still heard Neely Kate’s and Witt’s voices in the other room, so I broached my next subject. “I know you helped Neely Kate in Ardmore. I . . . I need to know if she was mistreated by a man there.”

  He made a face, clearly uncomfortable. “Rose, you’ll have to talk to Neely Kate about this.”

  “Believe me, I’ve tried, so I’m asking you: was she mistreated by a man? I only ask because Marshall told us he was stupid enough to rob the pawn shop hoping to get enough money to help a girl he met at the convenience store he works at. She’s livin’ with a man who controls her, and Marshall’s hoping to help her escape. Neely Kate looked shaken when Marshall mentioned it, and she seems to have taken a personal interest in the girl.” I waited for a reaction, but he didn’t say anything. “I suspect she’s going to dump Patsy’s case to go look for Becky. I’m good with that, but I don’t want her doin’ it alone. I want you to help her—if you’re open to it.”

  “Of course. I care about her, Rose. I’d never let anything happen to her.”

  I nodded, pleased by the fierceness of his reply. It felt good to know she had someone to look out for her. “Thank you.”

  The kitchen door burst open, and Witt walked through carrying a plate of fried chicken and potato salad, along with some biscuits. He sat down in the armchair next to mine while Neely Kate handed a plate of the leftover fried chicken to Jed and then sat down next to him. “I figured you’d want some too.”

  He smiled down at her, his face soft and tender as he leaned over and gave her a sweet kiss.

  She smiled up at him, and my heart nearly burst with happiness for her. Neely Kate deserved every bit of joy she had coming her way. While Jed didn’t seem to know what Neely Kate’s sister was up to, I couldn’t think of a better person to protect my best friend. I’d just have to trust him for now.

  Neely Kate and I then proceeded to tell Jed and Witt what we’d found out from Marshall.

  “We need a plan for tomorrow,” I said, looking at Neely Kate. “I take it you want to search for Becky.”

  Her face hardened. “I know we’re supposed to be helpin’ Patsy, but if Becky’s in danger—”

  “Neely Kate,” I said softly. “You don’t need to convince me. I think it’s a good idea. You look for Becky, and I’ll take over on Patsy’s case. But the only way I’ll agree to all of this is if you take Jed or Witt,” I said, not wanting to let her know Jed and I had already discussed it.

  “I’ll take her,” Jed said.

  “You mean you’ll go with me,” she said in defiance.

  Jed’s brow lifted. “I’d love to let you take me if you’d let me get you another car. Your piece of crap isn’t goin’ anywhere.”

  Witt was strangely quiet considering he was the guy who usually worked on Neely Kate’s piece of crap. Last I’d heard, he was trying to get money together to start his own mechanic’s garage since his old boss had suddenly closed shop several weeks ago.

  “Okay,” I said. “Did your other lead on Patsy pan out?”

  Neely Kate nodded eagerly. “We tracked down a cousin who had some information on Carol Ann. Charlene, a relation on her father’s side.”

  “Oh?”

  “She insinuated that Carol Ann had been back for longer than anyone suspected. I got the impression she’d been back longer than a month. More like two.”

  I tilted my head. “Wait. Patsy and Calvin made it sound like Carol Ann just got here last week.”

  “That’s because she’d been living under the radar down in Big Thief Hollow. According to Charlene, her own mother didn’t know she was back.”

  Big Thief Hollow was about a half hour south of Henryetta. “Why would she hide something like that?”

  Neely Kate shrugged. “Charlene said Carol Ann was working on setting up a new business, but she had no idea what it was.”

  “She hit Patsy up for money last week. Maybe it was for her business. I’ll take over the meeting you set up with her mother’s side of the family tomorrow. Anything else?”

  “We dropped by Patsy’s real estate office too, but nobody knew anything . . . or at least that’s what they said. I got the impression they weren’t being straightforward with us.”

  I lowered my phone. “I just don’t get it. If Patsy wants us to help clear her name, why not just tell us what she was doin’ after the picnic on Sunday afternoon? Why all the secrecy?”

  “Sounds like she’s up to something devious,” Witt said. “Something that’s likely to incriminate her for a whole different reason. Which is why she hired you all to find the killer.” He leaned back in his chair. “Ten to one she’ll be spittin’ nails when she finds out you’ve been investigatin’ her and not really lookin’ for the killer.”

  Neely Kate leaned forward and planted her hands on her hips. “Are you gamblin’ again?”

  Witt’s face flushed. “What makes you ask that?”

  “You just said ‘ten to one.’”

  He waved his hand to the side. “Everyone says things like that.”

  “But it’s different when it comes from a guy who’s gotten into trouble gamblin’.”

  “I ain’t gamblin’, Neely Kate,” he said, getting riled up. “Now lay off.”

  It was clear Neely Kate didn’t want to let it go, but she sat back on the sofa and Jed wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

  Witt seemed eager to change the subject. “So, let’s return to the kid for a moment. Who was his buddy’s contact for selling the papers from the safe?”

  “And why were they important?” Jed added. “Too bad we don’t have Rusty’s phone.”

  “Do you remember Rusty?” I asked him. “Marshall said James turned him away.”

  Pursing his mouth, he shook his head. “No, but I did turn away the kids who showed up wantin’ to work for us after the Simmons mess in February. Skeeter disagreed, but he deferred to me in the end.”

  “Sounds like it didn’t do any good,” Witt said through a mouthful of fried chicken. “The kid got dirty anyway.”

  “I can sleep at nigh
t,” Jed said. “I had no part in soilin’ ’em.”

  I watched their exchange in silence. James had shared parts of his business with me in the past. One thing he and Jed had never seen eye to eye on was new recruits. Jed was dead set against bringing in green kids, hoping he could keep them from a life of crime, while James insisted they’d be better off joining his men if they were intent on getting involved. In the end, he’d deferred to Jed.

  “I know you two are gonna look for Becky,” I said, “but you don’t have much to go on.”

  “We got the name of the convenience store he works at,” Neely Kate said, “and we know she lives in the apartments down the street. He said she walked there.”

  “It would help if we could ID her,” Jed said.

  Neely Kate held up Marshall’s phone and showed them her photo. “Rose had Marshall send a copy to her phone too.”

  I turned to Jed. “Any thoughts on the file Rusty stole?”

  Jed rubbed his chin. “Could be any number of things. Since Reynolds and Wagner had a parting of the ways, Wagner’s been looking to build his drug business. Maybe it’s a list of out-of-state suppliers.”

  Witt dropped a thoroughly gnawed piece of chicken onto his plate and picked up another. “Last I heard, Wagner was building his prostitution business.”

  “James said there wasn’t a prostitution service in the county,” I said, surprised. “But one of the issues Wagner brought up at the parley was prostitution. James said he’d never allow it.”

  “That doesn’t mean Wagner dropped the idea,” Jed said. “It’s not like we followed through on makin’ sure he let up.”

  Neely Kate turned to face Jed. “What if the file was a list of clients?”

  He shook his head. “Havin’ a few pimps is one thing, but runnin’ a prostitution ring is another. We knew about the pimps. If it had grown any bigger, we likely would have caught wind of it.”

  “Well, Calvin Clydehopper’s secretary is certain he’s hirin’ hookers,” Neely Kate said, then filled them in on what we’d discovered.

  “I’m still not sure I buy it,” Jed said when she finished.