Karl’s arms slid around her waist.
“This is very sweet but I still have a murderer on the loose,” Babs reminded them. “I’m going to interview Phillip Sawyer right now. Karl won’t be released for a few hours. Carolyn, why don’t you come with me? You can see your first case brought to a successful conclusion.”
Carolyn glanced at Karl.
“You go ahead. I’ll be fine here,” Karl grinned.
Carolyn smiled at Babs. “I’d like to.”
They started out of the room, but Karl caught Carolyn by the hand and pulled her back. “Thank you.”
Carolyn threw her arms around his neck. “It was my pleasure. I would do anything for you, darling. You should know that by now.”
Babs turned and frowned. “What don’t you understand when I say, a murderer is on the loose?”
Chapter 9
Babs parked outside the Sawyer B & B and looked around. “It doesn’t look like much, does it?”
Carolyn surveyed the B & B, too. “It looks like Phillip has seen better years.”
“It looks like he’s seen better decades, you mean,” Babs countered. “There is peeling paint everywhere, and a broken window pane on the second floor. Is that grass growing out of the gutters? Who would stay at a place like this?”
“Before that nasty headline Phillip wrote, I didn’t know this place existed,” Carolyn remarked, “I think this is the one time I would agreed with Porky. This place is a disaster.”
“He probably poisoned the lunchboxes so that The Heights would be shut down and bring his B & B more customers,” Babs added. “He would get revenge on Porky and frame the competition.”
“He picked the wrong family to go after,” Carolyn insisted.
“I agree. Let’s go inside,” Babs chuckled as she led Carolyn up the B & B steps. “The sooner we get that scumbag Phillip behind bars, the better I’ll sleep tonight.”
As Babs opened the reception office door, it scraped on its hinges when they went inside. There was no one to greet them at the front desk. They rang the bell on the counter, but no one came. Babs looked around again. “Some service. No wonder he isn’t doing well.”
Carolyn rang the bell again. A man’s voice echoed from the other end of the hall. “I heard you ring the first time, I will be there in a minute.
A tall man in a worn button up short sleeve shirt arrived at the front desk. “Do you have a booking with us?”
Babs flashed him her badge. “I’m Babs Gillespie from the Homicide Squad. I’m here to investigate the murders of Porky Tenboom and Monica Rorschach. They were discovered on the water’s edge of Grey Fox Lake a few days ago. Are you Phillip Sawyer?”
“Yes,” Phillip replied. “But they weren’t staying here. They weren’t even found anywhere near here. I thought you guys caught the man who killed them. Some lowlife chef with a vendetta.”
Carolyn bit her lip. She promised Babs not to say a word.
“I have some questions for you,” Babs told him.
Phillip glanced at Carolyn. “Who is she?”
“This is Carolyn Jacobson,” Babs replied. “Maybe you’ve heard of her.”
“No. Should I know her?” Phillip asked.
“You should. She has an amazing food blog but let me not waste anymore time. Where were you the morning of the murders?” Babs asked.
“Where do you think I would be? I was standing right behind this desk.”
“Just like when we entered a few minutes ago?” Carolyn quipped.
Bab’s glanced over at Carolyn with a furrowed brow. Carolyn raised her eyebrows and smiled meekly. She whispered to Babs. “I’m sorry. Not another word.”
Bab looked back at Phillip. “Is there anyone who would be able to corroborate your whereabouts?”
Phillip’s face contorted into a scowl. “No. I am the owner and operator of my bed and breakfast. I have been running this place for twenty years by myself.”
“How far from the Lake are you?”
“I’m about a ten minute drive,” Phillip answered as the corners of his mouth turned down. “I don’t have time for this. I have a full house of guests that I need to attend to.”
“Did you know the victim Paul “Porky” Tenboom?” Babs continued, ignoring Phillips statement.
“Every local owner of a restaurant, bar or hotel knows Porky and his blog.” Phillip replied. “I was not the least bit surprised when I heard he was murdered. The guy had it coming.”
“You received a bad review for your B & B from Porky, didn’t you?”
“Yes, cost me a whole season of guests. I had to take out a second mortgage just to stay afloat.”
“Is that why you were so quick to write a post about Porky’s murder the morning after? I had just reported my findings to the Grey Fox Gazette when you posted your headline. Did you even read their article?”
“I couldn’t wait to announce it to the community. I was excited that I would never have to see another nasty review by that swine.” As Phillip spoke, his words passed through his clinched teeth. Carolyn took a step back from Babs and Phillip. His quick mood change frightened Carolyn.
“Yes, I read it. Your post was quite clever,” Babs remarked. “Wasn’t it, ‘sandwich topped with poisonous mayo for lunch’?
“Ha! Yeah, that’s it,” Phillip snickered. “Ham sandwich topped with poisonous mayo, what a way for Porky to go,” Phillip snorted. “That pig.”
“I guess I have to disagree with that statement,” Babs countered, “I have a witness who also ate a lunch box from The Heights that day. She tells me the sandwiches that Porky and Monica’s picked up didn’t have slices of ham in them.”
Phillip reared back and his laughter ended. He shifted from one foot to the other. “How do you figure?”
“Karl made turkey sandwiches for everyone that day,” Babs informed him. “But you are right, the sandwiches that killed Porky and Monica were made with ham. What inspired you to write such a informative post?”
A bead of sweat raced down Phillip’s forehead, and his skin turned pale. Phillip glanced back and forth between Babs and Carolyn. “I read it online in the news article. I knew all the guests would be leaving The Heights and I wanted to get some of that business. You can’t blame me for trying to turn the situation to my advantage.”
“Unfortunately for you, the kind of sandwich they ate was never published in that article,” Babs imparted. “It wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the media. I should know. I’m the one who handles all the press releases for the Homicide Squad.”
“I just read the article wrong… I wanted to post right away… I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to draw in their customers,” Phillip stammered.
“The only way you could have known the poisoned sandwiches were made with ham,” Babs speculated, “was if you put them there. You must have gotten into the lunchboxes when the couple went swimming and replaced their turkey sandwiches with the poisoned ones.”
“I did no such thing,” Phillip shouted.
“You can deny it all you want,” Babs told him.
“I’m not denying anything. I told you, I was right here behind the counter the whole day,” Phillip asserted.
Babs pointed up at the ceiling. “I think it is time for you to show me where you store the footage from these security cameras. I think they might help me determine if you were behind the desk like you are telling me.”
“You can’t prove any of this,” Phillip stood and stared back at Babs. For the first time, Carolyn noticed fear enter his eyes.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask to see your kitchen,” Babs demanded as she walked around the counter of the B & B.
“What for?” Phillip asked putting his body between Babs and the entrance to his kitchen. “You can’t just barge in and demand to see my kitchen. This is private property.”
“I’ll need to run a DNA test on all the ham slices in your refrigerator,” Babs replied. “I’ll have to see if it matches the ham taken from
the sandwiches. You can bring me back to the kitchen now, or I can obtain a warrant with a phone call and do it myself. Whether you like it or not, I’m taking your ham in that kitchen to be tested.”
Phillip grumbled something under his breath and turned away. Babs shot Carolyn a grin behind his back and followed him to the B & B kitchen. Carolyn was thankful for the encouraging smile. The questioning had made her tense.
Carolyn brought up the rear. He pushed open the swinging kitchen doors, but as soon as Babs and Carolyn entered the kitchen, Phillip took off running. He dashed through the kitchen and kicked open the back door.
“Quick, Babs!” Carolyn cried. “He’s getting away.”
The two women ran out the back door after Phillip just in time to see his car peel out of the parking lot. Babs waved her hand. “Hurry, back to the car.”
They raced around the B & B and jumped into Bab’s police cruiser. They tore out of the parking lot and screeched onto the road. The dust cloud from Phillip’s tires was just crossing the horizon in front of them.
The two women jumped into the car and Babs revved the motor. Carolyn’s head slammed back against the seat when Babs dropped her foot onto the accelerator. They skidded onto the road and took off after Phillip.
Carolyn managed to get her seat belt fastened. Babs gripped the wheel with white knuckles. “I didn’t know you could DNA match deli meat from somebody’s sandwich. That’s amazing.”
“I have no idea if you can,” Babs replied. “I was just bluffing. But I knew someone so cheap wouldn’t throw out the rest of it after making the sandwiches.”
The smile vanished from Carolyn’s face. “But you just said....”
Babs laughed. “The guys in the lab are pretty amazing, but I’ve never had to prove a case with the remnants of deli meat before.”
“What are we going to do about Phillip?” Carolyn asked. “How are you going to prove he killed Porky and Monica?”
“I am going to haul him in for questioning now,” Babs asserted. “He ran out on an interview. He’s guilty, all right. That’s why I bluffed him. I knew he wouldn’t take the risk of letting me test anything,” Babs explained. “He would do anything to stop me from pinning the murder on him. I can obtain a search warrant and confirm he left the B & B on his security camera footage.”
Carolyn gazed at the road ahead. “How are you going to catch up to him?”
Babs never got a chance to answer. In front of their eyes, Phillip’s car skidded to one side. He swerved into the middle of the road, and then he veered back the other way and turned down a side road.
“Where’s he going now?” Carolyn asked.
Babs yanked the wheel and turned down the dusty side road after Phillip. “He’s not going anywhere. This is a service road for the fire department. The road ends in a quarter of a mile.”
Carolyn glanced back and forth between Babs and the road ahead, but a giant cloud of dust obscured her view of Phillip’s car.
“This roads end with a heavy fenced security gate,” Babs murmured. “He can’t go any further than this.”
Babs slowed down, but Phillip’s car continued at a high speed down the dirt road. He barreled around another corner and discovered the gated fence. He hesitated for a moment and looked around to avoid slamming into the fence. His car veered back and forth, and he hit the brake, but was too late. His car skidded on the loose gravel unable to slow down.
“He’s going to hit that fence,” Carolyn gasped.
Phillip spun the steering wheel, but his wheels wouldn’t grab hold of the ground. He braked and steered, but the car only turned at a more perpendicular angle to the road. It floated across the gravel and slammed broadside into a tall pine tree.
“We have him,” Babs exclaimed and radioed dispatch for backup. “Carolyn stay in the car. I don’t know if he has any weapons.”
Babs braked to a smooth stop, and she jumped out. Carolyn sat watching as Babs made her way towards Phillip who was struggling in his car.
Phillip turned the key over and over in the ignition. The engine ground metal against metal, but the car didn’t move. Steam billowed out from under the hood, and radiator fluid poured out from underneath the car onto the powdery ground. The passenger side of the car wrapped around the tree and almost met on the other side. Phillip kicked at the gas pedal and beat the steering wheel with his fist, but to no avail.
Babs stared at Phillip and sighed. “That’s that.” She strode over to the car and opened the driver’s door. Phillip gave the ignition one more vicious turnover, then turned to Babs defeated. Babs took hold of his elbow. “Phillip Sawyer, you’re under arrest for the murders of Paul Tenboom and Monica Rorschach.”
She handcuffed him and put him into the back of her car. Carolyn fumed as she looked at him through the caged partition window. She threw open her door and jumped out. Babs opened the driver’s side door and looked over at Carolyn. “Come on. Let’s get him back to town.”
“It isn’t a good idea for me to ride back to town with you and that… that,” Carolyn stammered to a stop before continuing, “maybe I should find another way to get back to town.”
Babs glanced around. “How are you going to get a ride back to town from here? We’re miles out of cell phone range. I would have to drive back to town and get someone to come out and get you. That could take all day. Get in the car.”
Carolyn walked back to the car and pointed to the backseat. “I can’t stand the sight of that scoundrel.”
“Listen,” Babs told her. “You might not be a badge-carrying member of the Evergreen Police Force, but you’re just as much a part of this case as I am. You solved this case yourself. I know you’re angry, but I wouldn’t be arresting this jerk now, if it weren’t for you. I should have let you make a citizen’s arrest just now to cap your victory, but I didn’t know if it was safe. We’ll just have to wait until next time.”
Carolyn snorted. “There won’t be another time. Can you retire after one case?”
Babs chuckled. “Get in the car, Carolyn, and I’ll take you back to Karl.”
Chapter 10
Carolyn looked up from her laptop as Sarah walked into the kitchen of the manager’s apartment. “How is everything going?”
Sarah nodded and took the chair next to her mother. “It’s good. I’ve checked in all the guests who were staying at Phillip’s. Kat is all set to start performing this week.”
Carolyn sat up straight with her hands over the keyboard. “I’ll have to be sure to catch her act. I love listening to her sing.”
“She asked if you and Dad would come to her opening performance,” Sarah told her. “I suspect she wants to thank you in front of everyone for saving the day.”
Carolyn pressed her daughter’s hand. “I’m so happy this is over. You and David can get back to the nice mundane chores of running this place.”
Sarah chuckled. “I’m looking forward to the pile of laundry waiting for me.”
David sauntered in from the B & B dining room. At the same time, Karl swung open the bedroom door. Karl poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down next to Carolyn. David poured himself a bowl of cereal from the cupboard and sat down across from her.
“I didn’t know you had a review to write today?” David asked.
“I don’t,” Carolyn replied. “I’m searching through the real estate section of the gazette.”
Sarah’s head whipped around. “You’re not thinking of renting a place, are you?”
Carolyn shrugged. “I’m just seeing what’s out there.”
Sarah turned towards David. He shrugged his shoulders. She jabbed David with her elbow. His arm knocked into his bowl, spilling cereal and milk on to the tabletop. He frowned at her. Sarah jerked her head toward Carolyn.
David stuck his spoon into his bowl. “By the way, Carolyn....”
She looked up. “Hmm?”
He cleared his throat. “By the way, Carolyn, I haven’t said I’m sorry for accusing you and Karl of destroyi
ng our business. I shouldn’t have said that. I should have known you would do the right thing and find a way to compensate us for staying here. I’m sorry. Please forget I said anything.”
Carolyn burst into a glorious smile. “Thank you very much for that, David. I accept your apology. Let’s forget it ever happened.”
Sarah stared at her mother. Carolyn returned her attention to the screen and typed a new search on her laptop. David took a bite of his cereal and Karl sipped his coffee.
Sarah nudged her father with her elbow, and he spilled coffee down his front. “Hey!”
Sarah jerked her head again toward Carolyn. Karl wiped the driblets of coffee off his cheeks and chin. “You know what, Carolyn....”
Carolyn’s eyes widened. “Yes?”
Karl continued in monotone, “I’m sorry I got angry at you for providing a roof over my head. I was an ungrateful clod. Please forgive me.”
Carolyn laughed out loud. “I would never hold it against you, darling. I will try to be more honest with you in the future. I know you were upset with me. I shouldn’t have hidden anything from you.”
Her focus returned to the laptop screen with a satisfied smile. Karl brought the coffee cup up to his lips, Sarah elbowed him again a bit harder this time, and he set his cup down on the table. “Oh, I didn’t tell you, Carolyn....”
“What is it?” Carolyn asked as her eyes glanced up at Karl.
Karl cleared his throat. “I’ve been meaning to thank you for solving the murder....” Sarah gave him another jab. “And for getting me out of jail. I don’t know how to thank you.”
Carolyn beamed at him. “I did it because I love you. You are very welcome. I would do anything for you. You know that.”
Karl swallowed hard. He didn’t bring the cup back up to his lips again until Carolyn’s gaze moved back to the laptop.
Carolyn pointed to a listing on her screen.
“Look at this one,” She announced with excitement. “It’s downtown near Stan’s, and it’s affordable, too. They’re having an open house tomorrow. Maybe we should go take a look.”
“You’re not still thinking of moving out, are you?” Sarah asked.
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