by Quinn, Lucy
“You have?” This really got my interest piqued.
“Dennis Kuntz’s mother lives in the assisted part of the facility.” He nodded toward the door. “I sit on that porch every single night to watch the sun set. Every single Thursday night, Dennis Kuntz comes to visit his mother. They watch Jeopardy, and he usually watches a few other shows with her until she falls asleep.”
“Then he’d been awake to have killed Chuck. Maybe he was driving down Main Street and saw Chuck. They took a walk.” I was throwing things out there. “We do know…” I grabbed my phone from my back pocket and pulled up the notes. “Thursday night, Mac Tabor had Tasha over to his house after the city council meeting. Chuck Shilling stopped by Mac’s house to tell him he wasn’t sure if he was going to go through with the deal because the town had gone nuts. Then Tasha and Mac had a fight, she left, and Mac followed her to Madame’s.”
“Madame’s? Whoa.” Vince’s eyes lit up. “I’ve always wanted to get an Uber there.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed.
“Anyways, Mac claims Chuck was there. That’s the last time he saw him alive.” I put my phone down and looked at Vince.
“What else do you have on that phone?” He leaned a little closer.
“Well, I have Ashley Williams as a suspect because she lives in the neighborhood. She claims that she’d do anything to stop the sale of the club because of the riffraff and traffic it would cause, but I think her main motive is her family.” The more I talked out loud, the more my theories started to come together cohesively. “She said they moved there to bring their daughter up in a great community. She wants that life, and like my mama said, when people’s lives get turned upside down, they don’t know how they are going to live in them, and that’s motive enough.”
I scrolled down a little more.
“I hate to even think maybe Kenneth Simpson had something to do with it.” There was a twinge of sadness when I thought about him and Emmalynn. They were such nice people, but nice people sometimes did bad things. “He’s the golf pro there and apparently being blamed for the bankruptcy of the country club. I’m going to ask Audrey about them today when I drop off some of the leftover pumpkin sugar cookies. And it just so happens Emmalynn said they had a meeting with a lawyer about some important business.” I could see by the look on Vince’s face that he was taking it all in. “They even missed their daughter cheering last night to take care of this business. That’s suspicious to me. Plus his reputation has been dragged through the wringer, and if the club did go under, who is going to give him a good recommendation?”
“You’ve done your due diligence.” Vince sat back and drummed his fingers over his belly.
“Which makes me wonder if he or Ashley were the ones who spray-painted the golf course.” I wiggled my brows and typed that into my notes so I wouldn’t forget.
“The only way to see if any of your theories are true is to snake them out.” Vince’s eyes twinkled.
“You’re enjoying this.” I smiled and gave him the side-eye.
“It’s not easy living a life of detective work and then retiring. That’s why I go to all the council meetings and trials down at the courthouse. Keeps me in the game without being in the game.” A slow smile crossed his lips. “Not that I’m happy anyone was murdered, but I can’t help but think I’d like to get in on a little sleuthing myself.”
“Like partners?” I asked.
“Yeah. You are the eyes and ears on the street. I’ve got connections.” He leaned over a little like he didn’t want anyone hear. Like there was even someone up this early to hear us. “I even have my online logins from being with the bureau.” He snickered. “I guess I was an oversight.” He winked.
“Like secret things?” I asked, having no idea what I was even talking about. His actions made me think it was very important though.
“I’ve got ways of finding things out about people and money, things that might help us figure out why so many people are against the club. Things that might help us hack into security cameras, like the ones at the country club.”
His words made my jaw drop. “You mean you can break into the country club cameras to see if a certain someone was spray-painting something?” I asked.
“I’m not saying I’ll be able to jump on the library computer here at the nursing home and get it immediately, because I might be a little rusty, but I’ll be able to figure it out.” He winked, folded the paper up, and set it on the small round table between us. “Deal?” He stuck out his bony little hand.
“Deal.” I gave him a good handshake. Or thought I did.
“You aren’t going to break my bones.” He kept his hand extended. “We are partners, and I need a firm handshake.”
“You are something else, Vince.” I did exactly what he asked to seal our deal. “So, now what?”
“First, you need to find out everything about Mac’s night and find the woman. We not only need her account of Mac’s whereabouts to help me out, but she might’ve seen something at the Madame he didn’t.”
Vince was asking me to do something that was pretty tricky, considering the situation of my friendship with him.
“Okay.” I nodded in agreement even though I had no idea how I was going to approach this situation. “I can do that.”
“Then you need to see Gill Tillett down at the General Store. We need to know who bought spray paint.” His eyes lowered as if a thought had come into his head. “I’m thinking this is a local job, the murdering, and probably a little premeditated if someone went to all the trouble to get a gun from Mac’s house. You need to ask all them widow women if they heard anything else that night.”
“Okay.” I nodded and realized there was going to be a whole lot more to this sleuthing than I even thought.
“I’m going to need you to also get me one of those burner phones from the General Store.” He reached around and pulled a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet. “We are going to have to communicate somehow, and I don’t want it traced back to me.”
“Got it.” I took the money.
“You just come back here after your work shift and give it to me along with reporting in on what you found out.” His eyes twinkled. I could see the excitement and thrill this type of work gave him.
After the plan we made, I was able to get the mail delivered to all the little mailboxes. I also took the time to write down in my notes app exactly what Vince wanted me to do so I didn’t forget something.
I did wonder why he’d not addressed me finding out anything about the other suspects like Dennis Kuntz, Ashley Williams, or Kenneth Simpson. He was the expert, and maybe it was some sort of way the FBI weeded out the little things, so I went along with him, and happy to do it.
I ran my hand over the outside of my mail carrier bag, knowing the new letter for Mac was in there. I certainly was looking forward to finding out exactly who Tasha was to Mac.
Chapter 11
The courthouse opened at seven a.m. on Saturday and closed at noon. This was the only day I reversed my downtown loop and started with the courthouse first. Normally, I delivered the mail to the nursing home last, but this was not a normal day by any stretch of the means.
I tugged the edges of my scarf up around my neck and put my hands in the pockets of my jacket. The weather was changing fast, and a bitter wind was coming in, which told me the first signs of winter were coming.
The old mill echoed its groans with each turn, giving Main Street an eerie feel. The lampposts glowed in the dark. The sunrise wouldn’t show itself for another half hour. I loved the fall, and when I did this route on Saturdays, I generally enjoyed the quiet peace and serenity of the water rushing over the wooden wheel.
But today, there was something in the air that brought goose bumps along my spine, and they weren’t caused by the chilly wind.
It was as if I felt someone watching me.
I hurried down the sidewalk as quickly as I could and passed all the shops I’d be visiting around the nin
e a.m. hour when they opened. The lights from inside the courthouse glowed, a welcome sight once I was past the old mill.
Once inside, I stopped briefly at the door and let out a long sigh, happy the courthouse opened early every morning.
“That was a loud sigh.” I heard Trudy Evans before I’d even seen her.
“Hey, Trudy.” There was a bit of relief when I saw her.
“You okay?” She looked at me with a cup of coffee in her hands. “Here. You look like you need this more than me.”
“That’s okay. You know, with finding a body and all, I might be a little creeped out.” It sounded so dumb to be scared.
“Honey, there’s a killer on the loose if you don’t believe Mac did it.” She walked over and handed me the coffee. “And I’m not so sure the sheriff’s department thinks he did do it.”
“Why do you say that?” I questioned, keeping my ears open like Vince had told me.
“Because that coffee.” She pointed to it. “I get it every morning from the sheriff’s department, and this morning I overheard someone saying the preliminary autopsy was back, and Chuck was killed at close range. No fingerprints on the gun. One of the officers said it looked like someone wiped the prints off, which doesn’t make sense if it’s Mac’s, because his prints would be all over it since it’s in his house and he put it there.” She took a step closer when someone came through the doors of the courthouse. “They didn’t find the gun in Mac’s house. It was in the bushes next to his front porch.”
“You’re kidding.” My jaw dropped. There was so much information in what Trudy had told me that I wasn’t sure if I needed to go back and tell Vince or just keep going about my day and check off the list of things he wanted me to do.
“What else did you hear?” I asked her.
“Nothing,” she snarled. “They caught me listening in. One of them said, ‘Ain’t you got to get to work, Trudy Evans?’” She rolled her eyes then waved her hand in the air. “Which I do. You enjoy that coffee and stay safe out there.” She winked and smiled. “There is a killer on the loose.”
I didn’t find anything funny in any part of her saying there was a killer on the loose. It didn’t entertain me in the least bit, but this little bit of gossip she gave me could help in Mac’s case.
After I delivered the mail to the various branches of government in the courthouse, I walked up the big marble steps to where the businesses who rented from the local government were located. I was looking for Tim Crouse specifically.
“Any mail today?” I asked Tim when I popped into his office.
“Not today, Bernadette.” He took his glasses off and set them on top of his desk. “Have you talked to Mac?”
He gestured for me to sit down. I did and put the mailbag on the floor between my legs.
“I talked to him at the game last night.” I took a sip of the coffee. “How’s the case?”
“I can’t really discuss it with you, but he’s going to need a friend to lean on.” The corners of Tim’s eyes dipped. He looked as if he knew something that he couldn’t tell me, and it made me worry Mac was guilty.
“What about Tasha?” Not only didn’t I expect him to really answer me, but I didn’t expect the shocked reaction on his face. “Have you found her? Mac was with her the night of Chuck’s murder, and I’m assuming you’d want to question her.”
“Mac told you about Tasha?”
“Listen, Mac has been amazing to me and Grady. Grady is off and married. A grown-up. And just in case you hadn’t noticed all the bags under my eyes, lines around them, and this”—I pointed to my chin— “I’m an old broad. I didn’t expect and never wanted Mac to stay single and feel like he needed to take care of me and Grady.”
“It’s the friendship.” A little snort of laughter escaped Tim’s nose. “I wish I had as good a friend as Mac was to Richard…and you.”
“So did you get in touch with her?” I wondered but left out the part about the papers he wanted Mac to have her sign.
“Her phone has been turned off.” He drummed his fingers on the top of his desk. “I’m guessing she wants nothing to do with Mac or this investigation.”
He only fueled me more to find out what really happened to Chuck Shilling.
“What if she doesn’t want anything to do with it because she knows something? Good or bad?” I shrugged.
“Whose side are you on?” I knew he was joking, but my loyalty should never be questioned.
“Mac’s, of course. Or I wouldn’t be going through a list of suspects I’ve collected.” I probably shouldn’t’ve told him that.
“What list?”
Yep, judging by the look on his face, I should’ve kept my mouth shut.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I hear things as a mail carrier. I can’t help but think that Ashley Williams could’ve done it because she’s leading the charge to stop the condos going up. She framed Mac. Plus, she’s been very vocal about how nothing is going to stop her even if she has to lay over your threshold.” I pointed to his door. “Then there’s Dennis Kuntz. He’s got everything to gain because I’m sure he’s going to get all of Chuck’s part now that Chuck is dead.”
Tim leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingers together.
“What about Kenneth Simpson? He is being blamed for the country club going bankrupt, forcing them to sell it. Plus, Emmalynn and Kenneth didn’t show up to watch Teri cheer last night, which is odd. They’ve come to every game.” The words continued to spill out of my mouth as if my brain was doing some sort of dump. “Emmalynn told someone they weren’t coming because they needed to see a lawyer. Now, were they seeing a lawyer because they knew it was only a matter of time before Kenneth was named Chuck’s killer?”
“No, they needed a lawyer to be sure they could get out of his contract at the country club so he could take a job in North Carolina, which is where they’ve been the past two nights.” Tim leaned up and rested his elbows on his desk. “I’m that lawyer.”
“Oh.” Dang. I mentally crossed him off my list.
“And Dennis Kuntz doesn’t gain anything from the contract. Chuck’s son will take over his part of his father’s businesses, including all contracts.” Before I could say maybe it was the son who had some sort of financial gain, Tim stopped me. “His son has a solid alibi. Angela has already gotten this information from me.”
“It still doesn’t mean Dennis Kuntz didn’t kill him.” I shrugged.
“True. But you really need to leave it up to Angela and the sheriff’s department.” It was written all over Tim’s face that he didn’t like me snooping at all.
I changed the subject when I knew he wasn’t going to budge on Mac and Tasha’s relationship. “I guess it’s good news about no prints on the gun.”
He perked up. “How do you know that?”
“Umm…” I took another drink of the coffee. “I just heard it downstairs.”
I wasn’t going to reveal my source because I didn’t want Trudy or the officers who were talking to get in trouble.
“Just now?” He looked over at the clock on his wall.
“Right before I came up here.”
I noticed him look at the coffee cup I was drinking from.
“That cup is from the sheriff’s department.” He snapped his fingers. “Listen, I’ve got to make some calls. Be sure to stop by and see Mac.”
“Oh, I plan on it.”
I stood up, happy that he didn’t press me any further. I lugged the mailbag over my shoulder and threw the coffee away in the trash receptacle in the hallway before I delivered the rest of the mail to the businesses on the floor.
The next stop was the sheriff’s department. When I walked in, no one was there. I really wanted to see if I could get as lucky as Trudy had and overhear something, but that wasn’t going to be possible. They had a few pieces of mail in their outgoing basket, so I grabbed them, tossed them into my bag, and headed out. I was happy to see the sun popping up over the mountains, making t
he outside not so scary anymore.
Chapter 12
The only stores with lights on were the Wallflower Diner and Tabor Architects. Both employed people I wanted to see. Since Tabor Architects was the first one I came to, I headed inside.
“Good morning,” Julia greeted me. “You’re early today. Did you stop by the diner and see Grady?”
“No. My next stop.” I reached around the mailbag and grabbed their mail, which was just a monthly architectural magazine Mac subscribed to. “How’s Mac?” I asked when I noticed a light coming from underneath his office door.
“He’s not doing so good. I think he stayed here last night.” She didn’t sound sure. “He’s on the phone with some clients who haven’t paid. He said he’s going to need the money for his defense.”
“Did they charge him with the murder?” I asked, wondering if it was a new development.
“Not that I know of, but he told me to finish the billing for this past week and just go home for the day.” She picked up the stack of papers. “I’ve already done these and only have a few more left.”
“Then you and Grady can go have some fun.” I loved when the two of them could spend some time together.
“We planned on doing a little hayride and romantic supper before the cold weather really hits.”
It was so nice to see how much she loved Grady. It was exactly what a mother wishes for her son, and Julia was a blessing to our family.
“That sounds like a lot of fun. But don’t forget tomorrow night’s Sunday supper,” I reminded her.
Every Sunday, I have my parents, Grady, and Julia over for supper. It was a long-standing tradition I’d been continuing since I took over my parents’ farm. Richard had loved the parents. Some Sundays he missed because he’d have to leave town for work so he’d make it to his early-morning Monday meetings. But he wanted every single detail when he’d call on Sunday night before he went to bed.