by Jessica Beck
CHAPTER 16
“Hey, you! Lady! Stop right there!”
I looked up to see the stranger who had grilled me about Carson earlier, and he didn’t look happy.
“May we help you with something?” Momma asked him curtly. She clearly didn’t like the look of the man any more than I did.
“I’m not talking to you, sister,” he said.
“Sir, I can assure you that you are no sibling of mine.”
He looked at Momma to see if she was serious, and then he turned back to me. “It’s just an expression. Why did you call the cops on me?”
“I don’t know how much you know about small towns, but we here talk to each other. All of the time. I was concerned about the way you were acting, so I called a friend, one who happens to be the chief of police here. If you have a problem with that, then I’m afraid that’s just too bad.”
He wanted to be angry. I could see it in his eyes, but after a moment, his frown softened. “Yeah, I get that. I probably would have done the same thing. Anyway, I hear you’re some kind of genius at finding killers. Is that true?”
“I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but I’d hardly call myself a genius,” I said.
“Sir, what exactly is it that you want from my daughter?” Momma asked him, stepping in between us. Though she was much shorter than we both were, her presence was immense. She was protecting her baby, even if her baby happened to be a grown woman who was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.
“Take it easy, will you? I want to hire her, okay?” the man asked as he pulled a fistful of bills from his wallet. “I need to know who killed my friend.”
There was a sudden softness in his voice and in his gaze that touched me. Perhaps I’d misjudged his gruffness and his outward manner and appearance. I put a hand on his and gently pushed it back in his direction. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m not for hire. I can promise you that I’m doing everything in my power to find out who killed Carson Winfield.”
He looked at me oddly for a second before putting his money away. “If you aren’t doing this for cash, then why exactly are you doing it?”
“You may have a difficult time believing this, but it’s for the principle of the thing,” I admitted. It probably sounded stupid to him, but it was what drove me in all of my investigations. “I feel that I have a personal stake in this. When I found his body, it became something I needed to follow up on, and when I learned that it was murder, it intensified my search for the man’s killer.”
“But you didn’t even know him,” he protested.
“I didn’t have to. His death became a part of my life, if that makes any sense at all to you. I owe it to him.”
“Okay, I get it, and I can respect it, too.” He started to walk away, but then he stopped and looked at me a moment longer before speaking again. When he did, he reached into his wallet and pulled out a plain white business card. All it had on it was a telephone number. As he handed the card to me, he said, “If you ever need anything that I might be able to help you with, don’t hesitate to give me a call. The way I see it, I owe you one.”
“What kind of help could you possibly provide me?” I asked, curious about this turnabout in his attitude.
“Your only concern is to ask. It’s my job to make it happen.”
After he walked away, Momma studied me for a moment, and then she said, “Suzanne, you meet the oddest people in your investigations, don’t you?”
“I seem to. At least it keeps it interesting,” I admitted. “Now let’s go see if Trish has anything new for us.”
“Hey, ladies. Come by for a bite to eat?” Trish asked as we walked into the Boxcar Grill. It was well after five, and the tables were mostly full. “I’m sure I could squeeze you in if you give me a minute.”
I knew Trish’s methods of accomplishing that, and I didn’t want her evicting any slow diners on our account. “Actually, we’re coming back later to get food for our husbands,” I said off the cuff.
Momma looked surprised for an instant, but she went along with it. “They’ve been working so hard, they deserve a treat.”
“Trust me, they aren’t going without. The two of them were in here not two hours ago for pie and ice cream,” Trish said with a smile. “Those guys looked worn out. Whose idea was it to rewire and replumb the cottage?”
“Do we look insane enough to you to suggest something like that?” I asked her with a grin.
“I knew it! I’m not sure if you have a Plan B, but I’d start working on it if I were you. I give them until tonight, and then I’m willing to bet that they’re going to call it quits.”
“You don’t say,” Momma said with a hint of a smile.
“Dot, you’re ready for the next step now, aren’t you? You were planning on them giving up all along.”
“I never said any such thing,” my mother answered carefully.
“You don’t have to. I can read it in your smile. So, if you aren’t here for food, what brings you by? I’m guessing it’s not just for the pleasure of my company, as pleasurable as that might be.”
“We came to see if you’d noticed anything out of the ordinary since we chatted with you earlier, but we can come back later. You’re clearly really busy right now.”
“True enough,” Trish said. “I have a few things to share with you, though.” She glanced back at her patrons and added, “Don’t worry about them. They can wait,” she said as she stepped outside to the front steps.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Don’t lose any business on our account.”
“Are you kidding? I’m practically the only game in town. I couldn’t drive them away if I wanted to,” she said. “Besides, this will only take a minute.”
“Okay, shoot,” I said. I knew there was no point in arguing with her. The only thing I’d accomplish would be to delay her return to work even longer.
“First off, there was a rough-looking stranger in here looking for the pair of you not half an hour ago. If I were you, I’d steer clear of him. He looks like trouble to me.” Trish then went on to describe the man who’d just given me his business card, but I wasn’t about to get into that with her. “Excellent. What else?”
“Margaret came by not fifteen minutes ago. She got a hamburger to go, and I’d swear it looked as though she’d been crying. Is she involved in this mess somehow?”
We’d given our word not to talk about Margaret’s involvement in the case, at least not yet. “I couldn’t say,” I said.
“You couldn’t, or you won’t?” Trish asked me sharply.
“Does it matter? How did you leave things with her?”
“I was about to say something to her when Jenny came in. She saw the state Margaret was in, and she was quite unhappy with whoever got her all worked up. The two of them left together, and when I glanced outside, I saw Gabby meet them out front. Margaret took off with Gabby, and Jenny went off on her own. Folks are acting really strange around here lately, and it’s got nothing to do with Fright Week. Or does it?”
“Was there anything else?” Momma asked her. Trish might have sassed me, but she wasn’t about to give Momma any grief.
“No, I thought that was plenty,” Trish said. “Did I help at all?”
“You very well may have,” I said, not wanting to tell her that she hadn’t shared any new information with us that we hadn’t known. We were already aware of the fact that the stranger had been looking for us, and it made perfect sense that Gabby and Jenny were both looking out for Margaret. “Now get back inside and take care of your customers,” I said as I gave her a hug. “We’ll see you soon.”
“I’m counting on it,” she said. “Do me a favor. Once this mess is over, and I mean Fright Week and the murder investigation too, let’s all sit down and have some pie and a nice long chat about it.”
“You bet,” I said.
Momma nodded in agreement. “Thank you for your contributions.”
I swear it looked as though Trish was abo
ut to start blushing. “It was nothing.”
“Perhaps, but we appreciate your aid nonetheless.”
“So, we’re no better off than we were before,” I told Momma.
“That’s not entirely true. It’s nice to have confirmations of things we believe we already know. Shall we take a break from sleuthing and go see what our men are up to?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I told her.
We decided to leave the Jeep in the Boxcar Grill parking lot and walk through the park. It wasn’t that we were trying to catch Jake and Phillip doing something this time. It was just a nice evening with darkness fast approaching, and I wanted to take advantage of it while I still could. Before we knew it, winter would be upon us, and my number of walks would drop with the temperature, but for now, it was cool and brisk, and a slight breeze made things even chillier.
In other words, the weather was exactly how I liked it.
“Hello, gentlemen,” Momma said when we walked into the cottage together.
I’d been expecting more chaos than we’d witnessed before, but if they’d accomplished anything since we’d last seen them, I couldn’t say what it might have been. “How’s it going, guys?”
“I’ll tell you one thing,” Jake said, the plaster dust in his hair filling the air as he shook his head. “They sure make it look a lot easier on television.”
It took all I had not to smile, let alone laugh out loud. It was a concession I wasn’t sure I’d ever hear, and I didn’t want to ruin it. “I don’t doubt that one bit.”
“Phillip, you look weary,” Momma told her husband.
“Dot, if it weren’t for Jake, I would have been home in bed hours ago,” he admitted, and then he sighed heavily.
“I keep telling you that you don’t have to stay on my account,” Jake said good-naturedly.
“No, sir. If you’re going to keep working, then so am I.” After a moment, he asked softly, “How much longer do you think that might be?”
“Nine?” Jake asked tentatively.
“You don’t have to prove anything to us by keeping at it,” I told him. “We both already think you’re excellent.”
“As law enforcement officers, maybe,” Jake said. “Remodelers, maybe not so much.” My husband looked at my mother and asked, “Dot, is that offer to have your crew step in still open?”
“I’d be delighted to call them whenever you’re ready,” Momma told him. “There’s no shame in admitting defeat.”
Jake took his bandana, ran it across his forehead, and then threw it into the mess at his feet. “I’m waving the white flag and giving up.”
“Your bandana is red,” I told him with a slight smile.
“You get the point,” Jake said.
“We were thinking about buying you two dinner,” I said.
“Truth be told, I’m too tired to eat,” Jake said.
Phillip chimed in, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but all I want is a shower and sixteen hours of solid sleep, and the shower is optional.”
“That’s what you think,” Momma said with a grin. “Shower first, and then sleep. We’ll be by to check on you both later.”
“Don’t rush on our account,” Jake said. “Phillip? Thanks for your help. I couldn’t have gotten this far without you. I’d shake your hand, but I’m too tired.”
“Shall one of us drive you home?” Momma asked my husband in all seriousness.
“No, I should be able to make it that far, but I’m afraid you two are on your own tonight. Is that okay with you?”
“It’s fine,” I said, and I kissed him lightly. There was more than a little salty taste to it, but I didn’t mind one bit. “We’ll see you later.”
“Thanks,” Jake said. “To both of you.”
“Why are you thanking us?” I asked.
“For not teasing us about this. We got in over our heads, and we both know it.”
“We appreciate you trying,” I said. “That’s all that counts with us.”
After they were on their way back to Momma and Phillip’s cottage, my mother pulled out her cell phone and made a quick call. “This is Dot. Yes. It is time. Bring every able body to the cottage you can lay your hands on right now. Are you certain you want to work through the night? Very well. I appreciate that, and I know my daughter and her husband do as well. Yes, we’ll leave the key under the mat.”
“They’re starting right now?” I asked her incredulously. It was late in the day even for folks who kept a normal schedule. For me, it was closing in on my bedtime before too much longer.
“They insisted. I believe everything will be accomplished before Halloween.”
“I’ve never heard of a remodeling project taking that little time,” I said. “Don’t they need permits and things?”
“All of that has been taken care of. The mayor volunteered to expedite the process, and who was I to say no? He seemed to think he owed it to you as an apology.”
“He didn’t, but I’m glad to hear that we’re okay,” I said. “I’m not sure your workers are going to feel the same way about you.”
“Ah, but these gentlemen wish to return to my good graces. They are delighted to get the opportunity. Mark my words.”
“I’ve never made any money betting against you in the past, so I’m not about to start now,” I told her. “The guys may not be hungry, but I am. Care to go grab a bite at the Boxcar?”
“Of course. I have to run an errand after we eat, though,” she said as she patted her purse. “Do you remember the deal that fell through? Well, it’s back on again. The seller seems eccentric and capricious, but I want what he is selling, so I’m willing to jump through a certain number of hoops to acquire it. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. I’ll run all of the errands you’d like to,” I said, “but only if you let me buy dinner.”
“Suzanne, I take great pleasure out of paying. You know that.”
“Sorry, but you’re picking up the majority of the tab for the remodeling job. The least I can do, and I mean the very least, is pay for our dinner.” I patted my jeans pocket and realized that I’d left my wallet somewhere, probably at the donut shop. “We need to stop by Donut Hearts first, though.”
“We’re not sampling donuts before we eat, are we?” Momma asked me.
“No, but I think I left my wallet there. Don’t worry. It won’t take a minute.”
That was where I was wrong, though.
What happened next took considerably longer than a minute, and by the end of it, we’d both be lucky to make it through alive.
CHAPTER 17
“What was that?” I asked Momma as we approached the front door of Donut Hearts. It was starting to really get dark now, and in a few days when Daylight Savings Time kicked in, we’d be in full night by now.
“I didn’t hear anything,” Momma said. “Suzanne, you really don’t have to make such a production of things. If you want me to pay for dinner, just say so.”
“Quiet,” I said as I listened again intently. It was a dangerous move shushing my mother, but I had no choice.
And then I heard something again.
“Follow me,” I said softly as I started walking around Donut Hearts to the back. Something was going on there, and I meant to find out what it was.
When I peeked around the corner, I saw Jenny Preston moving my trashcans around so she could spray-paint a warning on them. So far, she’d written, “STO,” and I had a hunch what the last letter was going to be. It was in the same hand, even though it was printed in block letters, as the jack o’lantern writing I’d found earlier.
“Jenny, what on earth do you think you are doing?” I asked her pointedly as I stepped out of the shadows.
“Suzanne,” she said loudly as the spray paint can dropped from her hands. “I can explain.”
“You’ll have every opportunity to do so in a minute,” Momma said as she pulled her cell phone from her purse. “I’m calling the police.”
“Don’t do
that!” Jenny said loudly. “I didn’t kill Carson Winfield!”
“I never said that you did,” I said, watching her carefully. “Why would you assume that we thought that?”
Had Jenny killed the stranger after all? But why would she do that? What possible motive could she have?
Jenny glanced around, and then she put her hand in the baggy pocket of her jacket. “We need to go inside. Right now. Unlock the door, Suzanne.” She glanced at my mother and added, “Don’t call the police, Dot.”
It appeared that we’d stumbled onto the killer after all, someone I’d barely suspected, and now we were about to pay for it.
CHAPTER 18
As I unlocked the back door of the donut shop, I said in the calmest voice I could muster, “Don’t do anything rash, Jenny. I’m sure we can work this out.”
“Are you, Suzanne? How can you be sure of anything? Things just keep getting worse and worse, and there’s nothing I can do about any of it.” She sounded as though she were ready to start crying.
The last thing I needed was a hysterical killer upset.
“Just put the gun away and we’ll help you,” I said.
“Gun? What gun?”
“The one in your pocket,” Momma said.
“I don’t have a gun. I was getting my lip balm out,” Jenny said. “Why would you think that I had a gun?”
I took a deep breath, and then I let it out slowly. “Maybe we should all just calm down a bit and have ourselves a nice little chat.”
Momma tried to subtly reach for her phone, but I shook my head. We didn’t need Chief Grant, at least not yet. I wanted to hear Jenny’s story and what had led her to this point.
“Like I said outside,” Jenny explained, “I didn’t kill Carson Winfield. I’m not saying that I wasn’t planning to, but he was already dead when I got there!”
“Why would you want to kill him?” I asked her, clearly puzzled by the part she played in all of this.