by Tonya Kappes
“If I know Maxi,” Crissy wiggled her finger, “and I know Maxi, she’d done it herself if she wanted it done.”
“You’re right,” I snickered and went back to the ingredients to mix more up for the rest of the pans. “Do y’all know anything about Mari and Drew?” I asked.
I could’ve told them about what Bib had told me about him being with Leslie at the Moose, but I didn’t.
“They’re weird.” Morgan confirmed something I’d already seen. “He’s always out of town with those books.”
“Banned books.” I looked over at the tipsy women. “It was the only section in the bookstore that was thrown all over the floor. Did Drew and Alexis not get along?”
The two of them looked at each other and shrugged.
“Did Leslie know Drew well?” I asked.
The images of them on the boardwalk where Drew handed her the boat ticket tickled my brain. I couldn’t count on either of them to answer me with any sort of clear head.
“Drew came in here to get two tickets to the boat ride over to the bee farm for tomorrow. When he walked out, he handed one to Leslie.” I chewed on my lip and looked at them hoping it’d spur some memory of gossip about the two of them.
Crissy had put her head on the table and she was snoring. Morgan’s was slumped over and her eyes were slightly closed.
“I guess you can go on the boat with them and see for yourself.” Morgan had an excellent idea.
I hurried along with the casseroles and stacked them in the refrigerator so they’d be ready to go in the oven. The oven clock read midnight and I was suddenly really happy I still had enough doughnuts in the freezer to have for the morning rush. Four a.m. was going to come too early if I didn’t get home.
I pulled Pepper’s quilt out of my bike basket and threw it over the both of them. I took an apron and put it in the basket to replace it. The bike ride home was just a few minutes and Pepper would be fine.
I scribbled a note on the table for the girls in case they woke up and how to lock the door before I walked my bike and Pepper out through the coffeehouse door and onto the boardwalk. With the door locked, I’d noticed over the lake was the moon and a set of clouds. Not that I wanted to work up a sweat before I dropped into my bed, but those clouds looked really dark, stormy dark.
Pepper hunkered down into the basket as I pedaled down the boardwalk ramp and out to the road. The light on my bike was flipped on, but it was the full moon that made a nice spotlight on the black top curvy country road.
The air was muggy for not only the time of year, but the hour of the night. It was usually a sign of some thunderstorms and I wished beyond wishing that if it did storm, it’d be overnight and not ruin the festival activities tomorrow. Especially since I’d decided to go to the bee farm.
I wasn’t sure what time Drew and Leslie were going to go, but I figured I’d have Morgan call me when she saw them get on the boat since A Walk In The Bark had a perfect view of the marina.
A light shot out and beyond my little bike light. I glanced back and noticed two headlights off in the distance before I took the last curve on the way to the cabin. I veered to the furthest edge of the road. The sound of an engine roared and the rubber of the tires grinded on the road as it came closer and closer. As soon as the car approached, it swerved toward me, nearly sideswiping me. I yanked the handlebars to the right, sending me, Pepper and the bike into the grassy shoulder. The tires of the bike popped and I tried to steady the bike as best I could before it hit a wire fence sending me and Pepper into the air.
Seventeen
“Where is Pepper?” I demanded to know.
The beeps of the emergency room monitors echoed around the room and bounced off the pulled together curtains. The doctor jabbed his pen light in my face and used his fingers to push open my lids, blinding me in the process.
“I’m not joking.” I was getting madder by the minute and there wasn’t anything worse than a southern woman losing her mind. “Where is my dog?”
“I’ve got him.” Patrick’s familiar voice entered the room.
I jerked my head away from the doctor’s light and peeked around his arm. There he was, Pepper in Patrick’s arms.
“Louise is coming by with the local veterinarian to check him out, but he looks fine.” Patrick smiled as he tried to hide the scared look in his eyes.
The doctor left the room.
“What happened? How did you lose control of the bike? Were you tired?” He drilled me with questions.
“I’ll answers those, but first I want to know how you knew I was here?” There were some sketchy moments that faded in and out, which made me question if I’d called him or had the EMTs call.
“They called your aunt and she called me since I was closest to the hospital.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “So, answer my questions.”
The IV fluid needle stuck in my hand tugged when I reached over to pat Pepper.
“Someone tried to run me over.” I knew the words sounded so strange in a place like Honey Springs because nothing ever happened like that around these parts.
“Run you over?” He stood up, his brows cocked. “What do you mean, run you over?”
“Exactly how it sounds.” I chewed my tongue to stop me from saying anything more smart-alecky. I was grateful he was there. It really was a relief. “I had left the coffeehouse and it was late. Pepper was in the basket and I remember seeing the headlights. I’d steered the bike all the way over to the edge of the pavement. The car nearly sideswiped me.” I sucked in a deep breath because I needed the courage to tell him what I was about to say because he wasn’t going to like it. “After we swerved off the road, the tires popped and I went head first into the fence. The person in the car stopped. I heard them stop for a few minutes as I lay there. I called out for help, but I heard them get back in their car.”
“They didn’t help you?” Patrick’s voice was tense. I could tell he was trying to be comforting. “They took off?”
“Yes.” There were so many vague memories about what happened after; I didn’t even remember the ambulance coming.
“You’re lucky,” the doctor who’d returned during our conversation looked over his glasses, “that you were awake enough to call 9-1-1.”
“Oh.” I bit the edge of my lip. My brows furrowed. “I don’t even remember that.”
“Do you remember calling your aunt?” Patrick asked.
I shook my head.
“Are you sure someone stopped? I mean you don’t remember calling anyone,” Patrick said trying to make sure.
“I’m positive. I remember hearing the gravel under their feet. I called out for help and that’s when I remember a car door shutting and hearing the car take off. The details are so vague.” I looked out into the room trying to play it over in my head.
Nothing. All I recalled were the sounds.
“It’s not unusual for the details of a traumatic event to be a little fuzzy the first day or two.” The doctor pulled off his gloves. “Everything looks good. Nothing broken. Doesn’t seem like a concussion. Just a little banged up. I’m going to give you a prescription for some extra strength ibuprofen to help with any aches or pains you might have due to falling off the bike.”
“Thank you, doctor.” I offered a smile.
The rings on the curtain zipped opened. Spencer stood on the other side. He looked between me and Patrick.
“I’m here on official business, if you don’t mind,” he said to Patrick.
“I do mind.” Patrick pushed his shoulders back. “She was run off the road by some crazy driver and I want to make sure that you’re going to do something about it, unlike the murder investigation for Alexis.”
“Would you like me to arrest you for tampering with evidence?” Spencer seemed to love to throw up his authority in Patrick’s face and it was very entertaining.
“I’ll be outside with Pepper.” He pointed to the curtain. As soon as he walked out, Spencer zipped the curtain shut.
&
nbsp; He walked over and eased down on the bed.
“What happened?” he asked in a concerned and soft tone.
“How did you know I was here? Did I call you too?” I asked.
“No. The EMTs called dispatch and said they didn’t think it was an accident. I sent the crime scene guys over to check out the wreck.” He put his warm hand on top of mine. “Can you recall anything?”
“Well, not much. I do remember pulling way over to make sure I wasn’t in the way. The bike lights were on. Pepper was in the basket and the car tried to sideswipe me.” I wondered if I told the story enough, more memories would come back. “My bike tires popped and I smacked into the fence. But I swear the person stopped and got out. I called for help, but they got back in the car and took off.”
He took his hand off mine and wrote in the little notebook. After a couple of minutes, he looked up.
“There were some tracks in the gravel on the edge of the road that matches what you are saying.” He finished writing down what I’d said. “The tracks aren’t good enough to lift a tread to see what type of tire, so if you can remember anything else, it’d be great.”
“No one else was around. It was late.” I gulped. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this because now I think I opened a can of worms.”
The doctor was working on my file. He walked around Spencer taking my vitals.
“What?” There wasn’t a happy-you’re-okay tone in his voice anymore.
The beeping from the monitor rang in my ear. I lifted my hand and punched the mute button on the gadget.
“I’ve been looking into Alexis’s murder.” I let it rip out of my mouth. He jerked up and ran his hand through his hair before he stood up and paced in front of my bed. I sat up. “I know. I shouldn’t’ve but Aunt Maxi was in trouble and you…” my voice trailed.
The doctor pulled the plastic rolling table thing with my plastic puke bucket and styrofoam cup with chipped ice in it to him as he wrote in my file.
“What? I didn’t tell you any of my leads because you aren’t a cop or an official?” He shook his head. Anger tensed in his clenched jaw. “This would be a motive for someone to run you off the road.”
“I know. I thought so too. Maybe I got a little close on a clue.” I shrugged and eased myself back down on the pillow. My head was starting to hurt.
“What are these clues you think you might’ve uncovered?” he asked and leaned over the bottom of my bed with his hands planted on the plastic baseboard by my feet.
He stared at me with hooded eyes.
“Well,” I patted down my body. There wasn’t nothing broken. I wasn’t any worse for the wear. I might be right. I was onto something. Was it Drew? Leslie? Or what about Big Bib?
Yeah. I stuck my nose in something I probably shouldn’t, but I was southern. That’s one thing I was good at. Hence the lawyer gig. Only better way to get things out of people? Over a cup of coffee. Hence The Bean Hive.
“I don’t know?” I shrugged, deciding not to tell him my clues. He was the cop. “I think that maybe someone overheard me talking about it at the coffeehouse before Aunt Maxi was taken off your suspect list.”
“So you aren’t going to share with me?” He pushed himself up to standing and did that whole cop I’m the guy in charge here stance.
“I don’t really remember.” I put my hand on my head. “My head hurts and I really don’t remember a whole lot.”
The doctor rushed over. He felt my head. He pushed his fat fingers down into my wrist for a pulse and used his stethoscope to listen to my heart.
“Your amateur sleuthing happened way before you got run off the road.” Spencer was losing his patience.
The doctor put his hand up in the air and listened to my heart a little more. I didn’t have to work too hard to get my blood pumping. I could see out the crack of the curtain Patrick snuggling Pepper and kissing him on his furry head. It warmed my heart and made my pulse soar.
“She needs to rest now.” The doctor adjusted the stethoscope around his neck. “You’re going to have to let her recover at least twenty-four hours before she can answer any more questions. Maybe some of the blurring images will come in clear by then.”
Spencer’s eyes darted between me and the doctor before he gave up. He shoved past the curtain with a slight nod to Patrick and walked out.
Eighteen
The smell of the wood burning in the stove woke me from the best slumber I’d had in the past year. My body ached when I turned toward the bedside table to see the time, reminding me of last night’s hit and run. Or should it be hit, run, and send a message since they didn’t technically run me over.
It wasn’t quite four a.m. I still had about thirty minutes to get up before I had to get ready for work. I dragged the warm quilt up to my chin to snuggle in for the remaining time and Pepper wasn’t on the bottom weighing it down like he’d done the past few days.
Fire? I jumped out of bed and noticed I still had the hospital gown on from the emergency room. My head cocked to the side as I listened to a mumble coming from the gathering room in the cabin which was the combined kitchen and family room. With a fistful of quilt, I got out of bed and dragged it around my shoulder. The foggy mind was swirling in my head.
“You’re up.” Patrick, Sassy and Pepper sat by the potbelly stove. Patrick had a tin mug of coffee in one hand and his other hand was stroking a very happy Schnauzer. Sassy lay on the old red plaid stadium blanket asleep and snoring.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I brought you home last night and wasn’t about to leave you here alone.” He stood up and handed me his coffee. “Here. Maybe this will help chase away the fog.”
“Thank you,” I said. Our hands met. His big hands covered my thin hands. I brought the tin mug up to my lips and his hands dropped down. Over top of the mug, I looked deep into his eyes. The lines deepened at the corners. There was a sincere look of concern on his face that chilled me to the core.
He opened up the old cedar chest that I’d also retrieved from Aunt Maxi’s storage shed, which was rumored to be made by my grandfather, and he took out another blanket, draping it over my legs.
“What? What’s wrong?” I asked, grateful for the coffee.
“I’m not leaving you alone here at night until they can catch whoever it was that tried to kill you.” He walked past me, past the couch, and plucked another tin mug off one of the many pegs on the wall.
“I really don’t think they were trying to kill me. I think they were trying to shut me up,” I said and eased down in front of the stove with the quilt still wrapped around me.
He poured from the fresh pot. The smell of the coffee and the wood burning in the stove was warming to the soul. It was still early, but it was exactly what I needed at this moment. It didn’t hurt that Patrick was here too.
“What on earth did you discover that would want someone to shut you up?” He walked over and sat down next to me. His presence was comforting and made me want to share with him the things I’d found out.
“I don’t really know anything, but I have been poking around a little bit as a lawyer just in case Aunt Maxi needed me.” I tried really hard to remember all of the events of last night. Nothing was coming. I continued, “I found out that Leslie has a secret about her mom. She also was put on the lease for the bookstore. I was going to go to the courthouse to see about Alexis’s will. I find it odd she’d give Leslie anything. According to everyone who knew them, they had a very volatile relationship.”
“You are assuming Leslie was holding something over Alexis’s head and forced her to put her on the lease.” He snapped a finger. Sassy jumped up. He ran that big hand down her curly fur. I watched him stroke her a few times. “Not you girl.” He laughed, filling the room.
I smiled. As much as I wanted to believe he’d changed since I’d been in love with him, I knew he hadn’t. He’d always been caring, loving, and put others before him.
“I remember seeing her and Le
slie going into the Rhett law offices downtown. I could ask Chuck Rhett about it. I’m doing some side work for him at their house.” Sassy lay back down and he went back to drinking his steaming coffee.
“That would be great.” It was funny how he’d suddenly gotten interested in figuring it out. “I also found out that Drew Kirkwood works with banned books. The banned books section of Crooked Cat was the only section that looked liked someone had rummaged through it. All the books were thrown on the floor. I thought Alexis was cleaning the shelf and getting it ready for the Honey Festival.”
“I don’t understand.” His brows drew together.
“He came in the coffeehouse to buy two tickets to the bee farm boat ride. I thought it was for him and Mari. It wasn’t. He walked out of the coffeehouse and handed one to Leslie.” That was probably my biggest piece of evidence of the two of them being in cahoots.
“That is odd.” He looked out and over his mug into the family room.
It was glowing with the dimly lit candles that sat on the red chippy long sofa table behind the couch. The cabin was cozy and homey, exactly the way I’d planned. I found the cream couch slip cover at an estate sale. The chippy red tables were from a roadside garbage pile that I’d repurposed. The old oriental rug with reds, blues, and whites was from a yard sale where I’d picked up a bunch of old stadium blankets, tin candle holders and fluffy pillows.
It was definitely different than I was used to living in. Kirk would’ve never let me live this comfy. He’d say it was too cluttered. Too southern.
What on earth did I ever see in him?
“A long time ago Alexis and Drew had gotten into an argument at one of the council meetings about a banned book. That doesn’t mean he killed her.” Patrick took my mug from my hands. “She must’ve won, because ever since then, he quit coming to the meetings. It was shortly after that, Leslie came to town. I figured Drew and Alexis made up because she and Mari were in charge of the beautification committee.”