Birds of a Feather (An Agnes Barton Senior Sleuth Mystery Book 9)

by Madison Johns

  “How old are you, June?” I asked, as I slipped behind the wheel.

  “Ninety-two.”

  “Wow, you really don’t look like it,” I said.

  June sucked in her bottom lip. “No need to kiss up to me, dear. Take me shopping and I’ll answer your questions.”

  Eleanor laughed, slapping a hand on her leg. “She sure told you.”

  June leaned forward. “I’d love to hear you two banter back and forth, but I really need to get my groceries sometime today.”

  I cranked over the engine and slowly moved up the road.

  “Argh,” June groaned. When I looked into the rearview mirror, she was shaking her head like she was annoyed. “Can’t you get this jalopy moving any faster? I’m not getting any younger.” Fine, if she wanted to drive faster I would. I stepped on the gas, nearly mowing down a cat. I then felt a tap on my shoulder. “You almost ran down Mrs. Patterson.”

  “You mean the cat?”

  “Oh, bother. Are you telling me you didn’t see her at her mailbox?”

  “No, sorry.” I swallowed hard, wondering if this was such a good idea.

  I drove the rest of the way to the store without further incident. I dropped off June and Eleanor at the door and parked, quickly coming inside like I might lose them. Instead, June and Eleanor were waiting just inside. “You didn’t need to do that, dear,” June said.

  “Do what?”

  “Drop me off at the door like I’m an invalid. Use it or lose it, I say. I can’t afford to lose anything at my age. It takes dang near a week to find it.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say, so I kept my mouth closed. It seems that I may have somehow offended June, or perhaps she’s just decided I’m a nuisance. I was too afraid to say anything at this point. Should I grab a pushcart, or electric cart, or just keep standing here staring at her?

  “Are you going to get a cart, dear—”

  “Or stand there all day?” Eleanor added.

  When June and Eleanor had a good chuckle over that one. I went in search of a cart, but there wasn’t one. So with my shoulders slumped forward, I went outside and found one. When I walked back inside, neither June or Eleanor was in sight. What now?

  I moved the cart down the produce aisle and proceeded up the bread aisle, where June was inspecting a Little Debbie snack cake. “I never know which one I like better, the zebra cake or swiss rolls,” June said.

  “The oatmeal cream pies are good, too,” I suggested.

  June made a face. “Yuck, you can have them.”

  “You could always buy both of them.” Eleanor smiled.

  “Thank you, sweetie. I love a woman who thinks,” June said, pointing to her head.

  I chose this moment to try to get something going in the investigation department. “What can you tell us about your car?”

  “Not much to say, really, but let’s browse more and I’ll tell you all about it.”

  I followed them from a distance, since I was beginning to not like that June at all. June stopped abruptly and glanced over to the meat counter. “Look. That Mrs. Patterson follows me everywhere I go. Let’s get a move on, girls. Maybe we can lose her in the chip aisle.”

  June and Eleanor sped off and I stood staring over at the meat counter where there were no customers, only a smiling young woman working behind it. I strolled over there and asked, “Do you know June Crawford?”

  She laughed. “Oh, yes. She’s a regular.” The woman then glanced around. “I don’t like to talk about the customers.”

  “I understand. I was just hoping that you knew who Mrs. Patterson is?”

  “Sorry, that name doesn’t ring a bell.”

  All that did was reaffirm that June might just be a brick short of a full load. I walked over to the chip aisle and June was standing midway, glaring at me. “What did Mrs. Patterson have to say about me? I saw you talking to her.”

  “No. I was talking to the woman who works the counter.”

  “Why do you think that Mrs. Patterson follows you?” Eleanor asked.

  “Oh, she’s just mad because I outbid her on the house I own. She has been a nuisance ever since. First she claims I mowed on her granddaughter’s property and the next day she threw garbage all over my yard. Can you imagine it, garbage? I had quite a time cleaning it up.”

  “I thought we were going shopping.”

  “Fine, but keep that Mrs. Patterson away from me.”

  June went up the aisle and Eleanor shrugged.

  “How on earth are we going to be able to keep June’s mind off of Mrs. Patterson?”

  “I don’t think earth and June should be used in the same sentence. She’s clearly not living in the here and now,” Eleanor said.

  We followed June up and down the aisles, sometimes the same aisle more than once. If we were lucky, she’d put something in her cart on the first pass. After nearly two hours we finally made it to the register. “You still plan to tell us about your car, don’t you?”

  “Of course. I’m not a ninny, you know. Even if I forgot where I parked my car that day. I’m almost certain that I didn’t leave the keys in the car that time.”

  “How would you have parked your car one place and not remembered it? What I mean, is how would you get home if you left it elsewhere?”

  “Maybe it wasn’t that I didn’t remember where I parked it, but that I loaned it to that nice young man at my doctor’s office. He was kind enough to drive me home when I wasn’t feeling good after my appointment.”

  “In your own car?”

  “Yes. After that I told him he could borrow it, but he never brought it back.”

  “So, that’s when you reported it stolen?”

  “Exactly, but I don’t think the deputy who took the report believed me.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Because he asked me if I was positive it was stolen this time.”

  “Do you have a habit of reporting your car stolen?”

  June shook her head sadly. “I must have, but I just can’t remember when.”

  I felt bad for June, now. The poor dear most certainly had been taken advantage of by that young man. “Do you remember the name of the man you loaned your car to?”

  “I wrote his name on a piece of paper at home. I was trying to be careful.”

  June checked out and the cashier asked her if she found anything interesting today. “Certainly, I decided to go all out and buy two kinds of Little Debbie cakes.”

  “That sounds like a great idea.” The cashier inspected June’s eight items on the belt and said, “I don’t see any Better Made chips. Are you sure you don’t want to buy any today?”

  “You know, you’re right.” She put a finger to her chin. “Could you be a dear and get a bag for me, barbecue?”

  The cashier rounded the counter, but before she walked two steps, June stopped her by saying, “Make that sour cream.” The cashier moved one step more and June again stopped her. “I meant sweet barbecue.” She beamed now and seemed satisfied with her decision.

  The chips were set down and the cashier finished ringing up June’s purchases. “That will be twenty dollars exactly, again.”

  June reached into her purse and handed the cashier a twenty and I grabbed the bags, leading the way back to the LX. Once we were again rolling down the street, June was very quiet.

  “Did the insurance company tell you how long it would take to get a replacement car?”

  “Oh, no. I can’t imagine I’ll get another car at this point. Actually, I don’t have a license anymore.”

  “Then how did you get to the doctor’s office?”

  “Well, I didn’t have anyone to take me and the car has valid plates and insurance.”

  “I hope you have someone living near you who can make sure you get places.”

  “Not really, but maybe I should ask Mrs. Patterson. She’s not so bad when you get used to her.”

  “But I thought you didn’t like her?”

  “Oh, I kno
w, but who else can an old woman like me ask. I’d hate to be an inconvenience to anyone.”

  I glanced in the mirror and June was playing it for all its worth. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around everything she’d said today. First, she was worried about me almost running over a woman who wasn’t there. And at the store, she said that the same woman is following her, but now she planned on asking Mrs. Patterson to take her places!

  We arrived back at June’s place and a woman was standing at her door. When we were out of the LX and walking to June’s door, the woman greeted us. “Oh, there you are, June. I was so worried when you weren’t home.”

  “Hello,” I greeted the woman. “We took June to the store since her car was stolen.”

  “Oh, I know all about that. How unfortunate, but I have a bit of gossip, as unfortunate as it is.”

  “Well, let’s not stay out here all day. I don’t want the neighbors to hear us gossiping outside. We don’t need them thinking we’re busybodies,” June said.

  “I can take the bags,” the mystery woman said.

  “No, it’s fine.” The truth was I wanted to know who this woman was.

  June told me where to put the groceries she bought and handed me a piece of paper. “The man who borrowed my car only gave me his first name.”

  I read the name, ‘Donnie’ which might’ve been short for Donald. How could I be certain it was Donald Downey?

  “So, this Donnie goes to the same doctor as you?”

  “No, he brings his mother, Clara.”

  “Do you know Clara’s last name?”

  June shook her head. “No, she lives in Au Gres so I can’t say I know her personally.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate your help.”

  “What was this Donnie like?” Eleanor asked.

  “Nice enough. He’s quite the bird watcher, too, but when Sheriff Peterson told me he was killed in a car accident, I was so surprised. He didn’t seem like the sort of man who would drive over the speed limit, or at least he didn’t when he drove me home from the doctor’s office.”

  “So, is that why you allowed him to borrow your car, because his mother went to the same doctor as you?”

  “Not exactly. He had kind eyes. I just know if he hadn’t died in an accident he would have returned my car.”

  “I think you’re right, if what you said about him is true.”

  “What I don’t understand is why would he need to borrow your car when he took his mother to the doctor’s office.”

  “That’s her car and she drove herself home that day when Donnie volunteered to drive me.”

  “Why wouldn’t she just pick him up here so they could go home together?”

  “Because he planned on going to the Birding Festival and he was planning to meet up with his friends. I have no idea who Janice is, but he sure seemed in a rush to meet her.”

  I thought back to the woman we had had an altercation with at the teahouse. Her first name was Janice, but what were the odds that she was the Janice that Donnie was planning to meet?

  “Obviously Donnie had no intention of returning your car, even if he seemed nice. The vehicle identification number was scratched off your car.”

  “Oh, he didn’t do that. It’s been that way ever since the last time my car was stolen, but I’m so forgetful about how long ago that happened. I didn’t report it to my insurance company that time. They nearly dropped me for having so many claims. So I had a mechanic fix the windshield for me.”

  Last time? “I see. Well, it sounds like you’ve had quite a time with that car of yours.”

  “You could say that. Look, I appreciate the ride to the store, but my friend here can help me from here out.”

  “I sure can, June.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name,” I said.

  “Well, I thought you’d figure that out by now. That’s Mrs. Patterson.”

  Chapter Nine

  My jaw dropped. Mrs. Patterson was real, not imagined?

  Mrs. Patterson clucked her tongue at June. “You little devil. You’re up to your old tricks.”

  “You should have seen Agnes’s face when I told her she almost ran you over and then at the store … I told her you were following me, but the best part was when you were revealed as the Mrs. Patterson.”

  My hands went to my hips. “And the rest of your story, was that also a lie?”

  “Course not. Why would I lie about what happened to my car and the person driving it?”

  “If you keep crying wolf like that Mrs. Patterson bluff,” Eleanor said, “nobody will ever believe a word you say.”

  “That’s what the sheriff told me, but I swear, Donnie did borrow my car and died in an accident driving it.”

  Mrs. Patterson wiped her brow with a napkin. “That’s not the only accident recently. Poor Mary Watkins was killed this morning in an accident. That’s what I came over to tell you, June. The state police just notified her mother. Apparently her brother identified her body an hour ago.”

  “At least her poor mother won’t have to do the deed. I can’t imagine having to go down to a morgue and identify your only daughter,” June said.

  I frowned. “It’s too bad things are happening so quickly. I’d love to question the mother, but now is so not the right time.”

  “Nonsense. I’m sure if we go along with you, Katherine would answer your questions. Since you have an interest in the accidents,” June insisted.

  “I’m not so sure. If that was me, I’d be in the looney bin,” I declared.

  “Let’s move along before her house fills up with grievers.”

  We went over to where Mary had lived with her mother Katherine. It was a cottage not more than three more doors from June’s. Mrs. Patterson was the one who knocked and a teary eyed woman answered it. “Oh, Mrs. Patterson, please come in.”

  We all walked in the door and Eleanor and I stood in the entryway while June and Mrs. Patterson sat on the sofa with Katherine. She wept silently and blew her nose noisily. “I still can’t believe Mary’s gone.” She then looked up at us. “Who are you?”

  I stepped forward. “I’m Agnes and this is Eleanor. We’ve been looking into the accidents.”

  “You’re insurance adjusters?”

  “Oh, no. We just think something’s not right about two accidents in two days on the same stretch of road.”

  “Two accidents.”

  “I loaned my car to a young man and he died in an accident driving it,” June told her.

  “How awful. Hopefully not anyone from Oscoda.”

  “No, he’s from Au Gres, but it’s tragic, all the same,” I said.

  “I didn’t mean it that way,” Katherine sniveled.

  “I know. Would it be okay if we ask you some questions about Mary? Nothing too invasive, I assure you.”

  “If you think it will help, but I can’t see what good it would do.”

  “Does Mary know anyone on Plank Road?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. You know young people these days don’t share things with their parents like they should. Ever since Mary’s dad died last year, it’s been only the two of us since my son drives a semi over the road. He only makes it here every two weeks to visit.”

  “I see. I’m so sorry for your loss on both accounts.”

  Katherine nodded, more tears leaking down her cheeks.

  “What time did Mary leave last night?”

  “Oh, it was late, around midnight.”

  “Did she happen to say where she was going?”

  “No, she didn’t, but I was so surprised that she left that late since she wanted to get a good night’s sleep. She was so excited about the Birding Festival.”

  “How so?”

  “It’s one of her favorite pastimes.”

  “So, you have no idea where she went?”

  “Sorry. I wish I had put my foot down and told her not to leave, but it’s too late for regrets, now.”

  “Don’t blame yourself. Nobody would blame
you.”

  “How old was she?” Eleanor asked.

  “Twenty, last week.”

  “Was she currently dating anyone?”

  “No. She was quite shy when it came to men. Most people she went to school with called her a geek, since bird watching was one of her favorite things to do. She’s in a club. Now, what was it called? I think it was called, the Bird Geeks.”

  “The Bird Geeks? Now, that is some name,” Eleanor said.

  “It certainly is, but I swear she’s carried binoculars with her since she was five years old. There are plenty of places to bird watch in Iosco County.”

  “Oh, that I know. Is there any place that she flocks to the most?”

  “Not funny, Agnes.”

  “Sorry, bad choice of words.”

  “She likes the Tuttle Marsh the best. Loves how desolate it is out there.”

  “That place gives me the creeps,” Eleanor said. “Especially right before it gets dark.”

  “Who would want to be out there at that time?” I asked. I sighed. “I promise I’ll look into these accidents. I have a feeling they aren’t so accidental.”

  Katherine led us to the door and I had the urge to give her a hug, but I didn’t know the woman so I figured that it would be in poor taste.

  “Is there anyone who can come stay with you, your son, perhaps?”

  “Oh, no. Johnny had to make a run to Detroit and he won’t be back until the service.”

  “Certainly he can take the time off to be with you.”

  “He says he needs the money, but at least he identified his sister’s body for me. I wouldn’t have been able to do that.”

  “Thanks for taking us to the store,” June said. “We’ll be staying with Katherine until her son comes. I’d hate for her to be alone now.”

  I nodded and we left. “I just don’t know what to think, now. There was no way I could see that these accidents could be connected to one another.”