by Lynn Cahoon
Her mom squinted, then picked up her reading glasses sitting next to today’s paper. “These are the donation forms I made for the video. We sent this form and the video to every store in town and the college sent it to their donor list as well. That’s why I was thinking we’d get at least a couple thousand back.”
“There is close to two thousand right there.” Cat took back the phone and found the second picture. “And there has to be another hundred forms in this pile. Those are all donation pledges.”
“Mr. Hines said there weren’t very many responses.” She looked up at Cat. “Where did you get these pictures?”
“I went to Hines’s office to try to talk him into giving your job back. He was arguing with this guy who’s Michael’s friend’s uncle.” Cat saw the look her mother gave her when she mentioned Michael, but she waved it off. “Don’t be like that. Anyway, the admin was keying these pledges in. When she went to get a copy of my TA contract, I read them and took the pictures. I think he’s hiding money from the council. At worse, I know he lied to you about why you were fired.”
“What’s wrong with your TA contract?” Her mother’s concern pinpointed the one lie in the story and Cat wasn’t surprised.
Cat shook her head. “Nothing. I used it as an excuse to be there. I told Molly, she’s the admin, that I wanted to review it in case I needed to review a contract when I got a job next year.”
“That was smart. But how do you know who Mr. Hines was fighting with?” Her mother stood and went to stir the soup.
“Does it matter?” Cat waited but her mother didn’t answer. Which meant, yes, it does matter or I wouldn’t have asked you. “Okay, fine, I talked to the guy because he had a huge limo parked outside the administration building. He asked me if I wanted to take a ride. I said no. But he gave me his card. When Michael saw it in my office, he said it was his friend’s uncle. And he told me to be careful.”
“Well, at least he gave you good advice there.” Her mother returned to where she’d been sitting. “What was this rich guy’s name?”
“Marcus Cornelio.” Cat saw the flash of fear in her mother’s eyes before she shut it down. “What? Do you know him?”
“Let’s just say that he and his types are why I’ve asked you not to consider any of the Covington people, especially the men, as friends or romantic interests.” She tapped her finger on the table. “I’m pretty sure you’ve been told to stay away from those people.”
“And what is it about those people that you’re not telling me?” Cat fired back.
A knock sounded at the door and Cat stood to answer it. She took a deep breath, trying to push back the anger that her mother’s order was causing in her system. Every time she thought they were on good terms, some stupid rule like don’t date Covington men came into play. Cat wondered if her mother would ever see her as an adult.
Uncle Pete stood on the side porch. Anyone else would have gone to the front door, but her uncle knew that her mom and dad mostly spent time in the kitchen when they were home. “Hey, Cat. How’s your mom?”
“Good enough to try to start a fight just now.” She held open the door. “We have soup on if you want some lunch.”
“That would be awesome.” He took off his hat and coat and hung them on the hooks on the wall. “Hey, Lori. How are you?”
“Well, I’m not deaf and I didn’t start a fight with my daughter. She is just testing the boundaries around Covington. Again.” A look passed between her and Uncle Pete. “Did you do what I asked, before?”
“Yes, ma’am. From what I can find out, he’s not connected, but his best friend is in deep.” He sat and nodded to the water glass Cat had just put in front of him. “Are you out of coffee in this house?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Cat took the water away and then walked over and poured him a cup. “So, are you talking about the murder?”
He shook his head. “No, I was just doing some work for your mom.”
“No one in this family is a good liar, you know that, right?” Cat studied the two of them who now wore blank expressions. “Okay fine, do we eat first and then kick me out so you can talk to Mom or what?”
“I think it’s best if I talk to your mother alone.” He nodded to the kitchen. “I’ll wash up and help get the meal on the table.”
Cat glanced at her mom who had moved into hostess mode and was getting out bowls. “Do you want me to slice the bread?”
“Please. I’ll dish up the soup and take it to the table. I’ve already turned the oven on to broil.” She moved around the kitchen like she was dancing in a ballroom. A grace Cat had always found enchanting.
Cat reached for the slicing knife in the block. It wasn’t there. She looked in the sink and finally in the dishwasher. “Where’s the bread knife?”
“Oh, I left that at the office.” She opened a drawer and handed Cat a knife that looked a lot like the one that had been in the dead guy’s throat. “Use this one.”
5
Cat’s mom had refused her offer to help with the lunch dishes so instead she headed back to her apartment. She’d just finished her reading for the next week when the phone rang again. She frowned at the caller ID. “Uncle Pete. Is Mom all right?”
“She’s fine. She just told me you went to Alfred Hines’s office yesterday.” He paused. “Is that true? And if so, why did you go there.?”
“Yes, it’s true. You know Mom can’t tell a lie to save herself. I went to talk to him about getting her job back. That idiot fired her for no reason. He told her it was because of budget cuts, but I know they got a ton of money donated to the library that would have more than paid for mom’s salary. I think he’s stealing from the library. Can we investigate that?”
“Cat, slow down a bit. Where are you? I need to talk to you in person.”
“My apartment.” Cat glanced around the living room. It wasn’t too messy. Cluttered with schoolbooks and papers, but she was a teacher. That was the way her workspace was supposed to look, right? Or was that scientists? She looked longingly at her laptop. There was no way she was going to be left alone long enough for her to be able to get some words in today. But family came first. And her uncle sounded upset.
“I’ll be there in ten. Don’t go anywhere.”
Cat made a salute to the phone as she turned it off. “Where would I go? I’m supposed to be working.”
Cat gathered up the towels in the kitchen and bathroom. Then she took off the sheets and pillowcases from her bed and threw those into the washer along with the towels. She might as well be productive. She couldn’t focus enough to do either her class work or write so this would have to do. She stacked her dirty dishes and filled a sink full of hot soapy water. She loved the feel of doing dishes by hand. Since she didn’t have a dishwasher, that was a good thing. She let them sit for a few minutes while she updated her shopping list for Saturday. Maybe if she got a few things off her list, she could spend time on this book. She wished she had someone she could show it to or even talk about the writing process with. She needed to find a writing group. Maybe one in Denver. Who wouldn’t be tempted to chat with her fellow graduate students about how Cat was spending her writing time.
She’d just written a reminder in her planner when a knock sounded at her door. She opened it and let her uncle inside.
“I didn’t hear you disarm the chain.” He strode inside. “Is it broke? Do you need to call the apartment manager to get it fixed?”
“I didn’t have it on.” She glanced toward the table. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I won’t be here long. Tell me why you were at Alfred Hines’s office.”
She folded her arms and stared at him. “Why do you want to know?”
“Cat, he’s the body we found at the library. Your mother could be in trouble on this if we can’t prove she was somewhere else when he died.” He sank into a chair and took off his hat, rubbing a hand over his hair.
“Because she was home alone?” Cat didn’t t
hink that could be enough of a motive, but she didn’t know how murder trials worked, except how they showed them on television. “That doesn’t seem fair.”
“No, that’s not why. Or not the whole reason.” He paused then jumped into what he hadn’t wanted to say. “Cat, the knife that killed him was your mom’s. It was taken from the body.”
“That knife was there to cut the banana bread she’d been taking in to share. Someone else must have used it.” Cat explained again why she’d visited the office that day and what she’d found. “Maybe it’s about the library budget, not Mom being fired.”
“That’s a good theory.” He wrote the information down and had her send the photos she’d taken to his email. “Now delete these pictures. You need to stay out of this.”
“Okay, but do you want a copy of the library budget?” She held up her phone. “I can email you one.”
“Where in the heck—” He held up a hand. “Wait, don’t tell me. I can get an official copy myself. You just stay out of this. No going to the board for your mom. We’ll figure this out.”
“You know Mom couldn’t kill anyone, right?” She studied her uncle’s face, hoping his answer would alleviate her worry.
He stood and pulled her into a hug. “Now don’t you worry about anything Miss Kitty. Your mother isn’t going to go down for something she didn’t do.”
She breathed in the scent of his Old Spice, and a feeling of calm overwhelmed her. He’d always been there for her. When she was mad at her folks, she talked to Uncle Pete. When she was upset with Seth, she talked to Uncle Pete. He was her rock. “I trust you. But I could help with this.”
“No, Cat, you can’t. You’re not an investigator and there are some things about Aspen Hills that you are better off not knowing. Just go back to getting that degree and finding your life. You deserve to focus on you for a while.” He tucked the notebook into his shirt pocket and picked up his hat and coat. “So, you’re going to do what?”
Cat was glad that she had her hand in the pocket of her sweat jacket and she crossed her fingers before she spoke. An old kid’s trick, but one she’d use for today to keep from having to lie to her uncle. “I’m going to stay out of the investigation.”
He laughed as he opened the door. “And if I believe that, I’m an idiot. Just don’t get yourself killed out there, okay?”
After he left, she tried to get lost in writing, but she gave up after staring at the same page for over an hour. Instead, she put on running clothes and planned a run through town. Aspen Hills wasn’t big so if she took Main street down to First street, then went up to River Street, she’d have mostly clear sidewalks to run to Campus Drive where she’d hit the running paths through Covington, then she could come back down Fourteenth and go to Warm Springs Avenue. She loved running that part of town because of the old Victorian houses that lined the street. Someday, she was going to buy one of those houses. Maybe open a tea house inside. She tucked her house keys and a credit card into her running jacket and headed out. Running always cleared her head.
When she got to the park, Charlie sat on one of the benches. This time, he had a golden Lab mix beside him. She took out her earphones and paused in front of him. “Hey, Charlie.”
“Hey, nice lady. I saw you at the coffee shop. This is Star Jones. He’s my friend.” Charlie reached down and rubbed the dog’s head. “He can’t go to the shelter because he’s not human.”
“Nice to meet you, Star Jones.” She wished she’d brought some cash with her. But no, just a credit card. “Charlie, are you okay? I saw you at the library. Mrs. Gibson is my mom.”
He stared at her hard, then nodded. “I can see that. Mrs. Gibson is very nice. And she makes very good banana bread. Star Jones likes the library. He sleeps under the table when I read.”
Cat thought about the back door lock being broken. She didn’t want to push him, but if he’d killed Mr. Hines, Uncle Pete needed to know. “Do you visit the library a lot? Maybe at night?”
He looked down and didn’t meet her gaze. “I don’t hurt nothing. I just sleep there. It’s warm and sometimes people leave food in the refrigerator.”
Cat’s mom had been complaining that someone had been stealing her lunches she’d left at work. Now Cat thought she knew who. “Were you there the other night? When the man was killed?”
“I’ve got to take Star Jones for a walk.” He stood and gathered his things. “You have a nice day.”
And all of a sudden, he was gone. She’d call her uncle, but he’d remind her that she’d promised to stay out of things. Right now, it was a good thing her mother was staying home away from the library. As much as Charlie liked her, if he was challenged, who knew how he’d react. She had to talk to her uncle, even if it got her in trouble. It wouldn’t be the first time.
She put her headphones back in and finished her run. She was on Warm Springs when she heard a yell from one of the oversized porches. She turned but kept jogging in place.
“Hey, Cat? Is that you?” Marcus Cornelio ran down the driveway and jogged toward her. “I’ve been wondering why you haven’t called.”
She took out her earphones again. Usually when she ran it was an hour of quiet contemplation. Today her run had been a freaking social hour. “I wasn’t planning on calling.”
He held a hand against his heart. “Now you’re just being mean. Seriously? You don’t see a future for us?”
“Mr. Cornelio, I don’t know you. I’m not in the market for a boyfriend. And I don’t need a ride anywhere.”
He smiled at her. “Call me Marcus, please.”
She glanced at the large, elegant Victorian. “Is that your house?”
“Now I see I have your attention. Yes, my family bought it a few years ago when my brother’s son started college here. Now it’s used for family visits and when I need to be here for business.” He cocked his head sideways. “Do you want a tour?”
Cat did, badly, but she shook her head. “Sorry, no time. I’ve got to be going. It was nice to see you again, Mr. Cornelio.”
He laughed as she ran away. “You’re breaking my heart here, Cat.”
By the time she got home, she felt ready to crash. She took a quart of soup out of the freezer and put it in the microwave to thaw while she showered from her run. Twenty minutes later, she vegged in front of her television when her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the phone number, but she decided not to let it just go to voice mail. “Hello?”
“Miss Gibson? This is Sergeant Allison from the campus police.”
“Yes, this is Cat. What can I help you with, Sergeant?” Cat muted the television.
“I’m sorry to tell you, but your office was vandalized this afternoon. Could you come down and see if there is anything out of place? I mean, besides the mess?”
Sighing, Cat pulled herself out of the comfortable couch. “Of course. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Is Aspen Hills’ police on site yet?”
“Actually, your uncle is on his way to pick you up now,” a voice called from the other end of the line. “Sorry, I have to go. I’ll see you in a few.”
She turned the soup off and put a lid on the pot. Hopefully, she’d be home soon enough to eat and catch the end of the movie she’d been watching. She picked up her phone and saw the text from her uncle. He was downstairs, waiting.
She texted a quick response and slipped on tennis shoes and her coat. She grabbed her purse and house keys, shutting and locking the apartment door. What the heck was happening in Aspen Hills and why were she and her family in the middle of it?
She hurried down the stairs and saw Uncle Pete’s Challenger idling in front of the building. She pulled open the door and checked to make sure it was her uncle. Things were just too weird right now.
Uncle Pete stared at her. “Are you getting in or have I grown a second head?”
She slipped into the seat. “It’s just been a day.”
“Yeah. Sorry about your office. Any troublemakers in your classes?” He turned on his b
linker and pulled the car out into the street.
“Not a one. I don’t even have anyone I’ll be surprising with a bad grade. I’ve already done my face-to-face counseling with the few who may not finish the course. It’s an amazing group of kids.” She scratched her neck. “You don’t think it’s vandals, anyway, do you?”
“What I think and what I can prove are two different things. Would it surprise you that when I asked for a copy of the library budget, it showed clear funding for your mother’s position?” He didn’t look at her, he just drove.
“Then why did Mr. Hines fire her?” Cat didn’t understand what was going on now.
Now Uncle Pete did turn to look at her. “According to the library administrator, he didn’t know anything about anyone being fired. But he did say they just got word of a huge increase for the budget. That the money just seemed to appear in the account.”
“I’ll send you the budget I saw. It didn’t have enough money to pay for one position, not two, like they have.” Cat got into her email program and forwarded the budget and Michael’s email. “Something’s going on and it looks like they’re covering something up. Like maybe Hines was trying to steal from the library fund.”
“I think you might be right. But the most popular theory is that Charlie broke into the library and when Mr. Hines found him, Charlie killed him.” He parked the car into a spot in front of the Language Arts building. He climbed out of the car.
“Uncle Pete.” Cat got out of the car and started following him.
“Don’t even start. Your mother has already told me that there is no way Charlie is involved in this. I just need to find some real evidence that supports my sister’s crazy assertion. I swear, she’d rather she was the one people were looking at than Charlie.” He nodded to the coffee cart. “You go on upstairs and talk to the campus security. I’ll bring up a coffee for you.”
“Make it hot chocolate.” Cat turned and headed up the stairs. She should have known that her uncle had the Charlie angle under control. Now she didn’t have to confess to talking to him. She turned the corner and saw Sergeant Allison standing guard outside her office. She moved through the hallway and stopped in front of him, not looking inside the room. “How bad is it?”