“Oh, cool your crows’ feet,” Milton said and waved his hand at Natalie. “We're just chatting.”
“Cops don't just 'chat,' you moron,” Natalie snapped at Milton.
Milton's cheeks grew red. “Back off, Natalie,” he said in a voice that betrayed the depths of his anger. “You ain't my boss. Never have been, never will be. You can’t just show up and boss me around like you did when we were kids, got it? I'm a grown man and I can speak to whoever I choose.” He heaved a breath when he finished, his cheeks slightly red as if holding his tongue.
“You're a pathetic little runt who—”
“Enough,” Sarah told Natalie in a firm voice and stood up. “Ms. Hopski, if you can't speak in a cordial tone then I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're disturbing the other patrons and I will not tolerate that.”
Natalie stared into Sarah's eyes. “Make me leave,” she dared Sarah.
Sarah drew in a deep breath. Natalie was fishing for a reason to sue the police department for harassment most likely, in the hopes of tying up their hands. “Please, don't start something you don’t want to finish.”
“Oh, please,” Natalie said insultingly. “It's time for you to learn your place, girly.”
But before Sarah could reply, Amanda slid out of the booth and threw her finger in Natalie's face. “You and me, outside, you disgusting bully!” she said in a fierce tone. “I'm going to mop the sidewalk with that rat’s nest you call a hairdo.”
“How dare you,” Natalie said and wound her arm back to slap Amanda. Chet caught her wrist.
“Leave,” he told Natalie in a voice that sent a chill through Sarah, who could also see his surprising strength as he restrained Natalie’s substantial arm. Chet barely moved in his seat, but Natalie twisted in his grasp as if in pain.
Natalie finally pulled away from Chet and slowly began backing away. “We're not finished,” she promised Sarah and Amanda, her galoshes squeaking on the floor. “No one speaks to Natalie Hopski this way and gets away with it. My lawyer is going to eat you two alive!”
“Out!” Chet said in a low rumble and pointed at the front door. Natalie flinched and hurried back outside into the rain. Quiet settled over the diner once again and the other customers turned back to their meals, trying not to gossip too loudly about what they had just witnessed.
“What a snake,” Milton said, shaking his head.
“She ain't our sister,” Chet told Milton as he turned back to his coffee, as if nothing had happened.
Milton turned to Amanda. “Hey, you're not half bad.”
“For an English woman,” Chet added quietly. Sarah smiled a little as she realized this giant of a man was actually teasing Amanda.
“Don't mess with my tea and scones,” Amanda teased back. She sat down and shook her head. “How can you two put up with that woman?”
Sarah sat back down, grateful that Chet had intervened before the confrontation could go any further. “Natalie sure did listen to you,” she commented to Chet.
“That's because Chet stopped being her door mat years ago,” Milton said in a proud voice and patted Chet on the shoulder. “My brother gave me the courage to stand up to that jelly roll bully, too.”
Amanda tried not to laugh but she couldn't help it. “Sorry,” she said, bursting into laughter. “Oh my...jelly roll bully...oh dear.”
Sarah saw Chet grin sheepishly. “Hey, if the shoe fits,” Milton grinned, “wear it.”
Sarah glanced around and saw faces staring at the raucous laughter coming from their booth. She cleared her throat. “Amanda, dear, try to control yourself.”
“Jelly roll bully,” Amanda cried in a desperate whisper and slapped the table.
Sarah sighed. What was the use in trying? “Chet, there are more questions I would like to ask you, but not here. It's obvious my partner is having difficulties focusing.”
Chet grinned a little bit wider. “It's good to see people laugh. In my family laughter was scarce even on a good day.”
“You got that right, brother,” Milton dove in. “In our house, Pop and Ma sure had their bouts, but it was mostly Natalie causing the trouble. By the time she was a teenager we were all ducking for cover. Her and Ma especially went at it like two wet cats in a burlap sack.”
Chet shook his head, disapproving. “I heard Momma tell Daddy once that Natalie was evil.”
Amanda stopped laughing. Chet's tone quickly sobered her mind. “Oh, Chet. You don’t think your mother really thought that, do you?”
Chet looked down at his large hands encircling his coffee mug and then looked back up at Amanda. “Momma didn’t think I could understand her. She used to rant and rave to Daddy when I was in the room, like I was invisible. I know what people think about me, ma’am. They look at me and they see a giant, an oaf, an idiot. A circus freak.”
“You're not a circus freak,” Amanda promised Chet. She reached across the table and patted his hand. “I’m sorry you went through such things as a child. I just met you, but I can tell you have a very gentle heart. And you may not speak often, but when you do, you’re clearly a very intelligent man. No one should judge a book by its cover.”
Chet blushed. Amanda's sincerity touched his heart. He looked at Sarah, determined to go on. “Daddy said that too – never judge a book by its cover. Daddy never liked the rich people he sold homes to. Daddy always liked the underdog.” Chet looked down at his hand again. “Daddy gave us a good life. Momma and Daddy loved us so much. Natalie never appreciated it.”
“Natalie hated Pop,” Milton said in a matter-of-fact voice. “Natalie hated Ma, too. And to this day I believe Natalie pushed Ma down the stairs.”
“Stairs?” Sarah asked, a little shocked. Peter’s background check certainly hadn’t turned up this tidbit.
Milton made a sour face. “Oh yes, hot stuff. Pop loved Ma. Oh, boy, did he. Those two were inseparable...real love, you know? When we were teenagers – Natalie was about sixteen – Pop took us all on vacation to Europe—”
“London,” Chet said and looked at Amanda.
“Yeah, London first,” Milton continued. “Anyways, the first day we got there, Natalie had a huge fight with Pop and Ma, demanding a bigger allowance, a separate room, all kinds of other stuff. She loved to play Pop and Ma off each other, and in the end, just to get some peace and quiet probably, Pop told Ma to take Natalie shopping. Maybe if he hadn’t…” Milton shook his head in disgust. “Long story short, Ma fell down a flight of stairs in the fancy store where they were shopping. It was near the winter holiday and the store was jammed full of shoppers, so there were lots of witnesses, but you better bet that most of them scattered when it happened. One store clerk later swore she saw Natalie push her, but another clerk swore a statement that Natalie had been in a dressing room the whole time. The department store owner was desperate to get it cleared up and covered up so there was just a quick investigation, an ‘Inquest’ they called it, in front of a judge. Ma’s death was ruled accidental. Pop continued to baby our beloved sister even though she continued to torture him. He could not bring himself to believe she killed the only woman he ever loved.” Milton sighed and ran a tired hand over his eyes.
“How awful,” Amanda said and nearly began crying.
Sarah leaned back in the booth and folded her arms. She looked into the eyes of the Hopski brothers and saw real pain – the type of pain that damages the heart for life – rise up like a ghost. “Excuse me,” Chet said, “I need to...use the bathroom.”
Milton stood up to let Chet out of the booth. Chet lumbered away, wiping at his eyes. “Big guy never got over Ma's death,” Milton told Sarah and Amanda quietly. “He loved Ma more than life, even if Ma underestimated him. Ma loved him fiercely. She loved me, too. She was one special lady,” Milton said. Without a word, he walked off after Chet with watery eyes.
Sarah felt her heart break. “Amanda—”
“Don't say a word because I know exactly what you're thinking, Los Angeles. Natalie Hopski is go
ing down, and so is that little scarecrow Charlene,” Amanda promised, wiping the corner of her eye with a napkin.
“Within the law,” Sarah cautioned. She felt anger grip her heart. “I feel so bad for those two guys.”
“Me, too,” Amanda replied. “I mean, here they are, set for life with more money than we'll ever see, and yet...they're a little bit broken inside. Or maybe more than a little bit. It's so sad.”
“We need to see Mr. Hopski's will,” Sarah said resolutely. “From this point forward, we're going to conduct an intense investigation, turn over every stone, investigate every possibility, and step on two vicious spiders.”
“I'm with you, all the way,” Amanda promised. “Los Angeles, I think I'm beginning to understand why being a cop is so important. I know cops get a bad name, but I also know there are some really good cops in this world like yourself.” Amanda patted Sarah's arm. “I'm proud to have you as my best friend, love. We've been through the ringer together and I'm not backing down now.”
“I know, June Bug,” Sarah replied in a grateful voice. “I didn't think that you would back down, not after seeing the faces of those two poor men after that story.”
“That's right, sister,” Amanda stated in a fighting voice. “My armor is on and I'm ready to hit the battlefield. So tell me, what's our first move?”
“We still have to search for Mr. Hopski's hunting cabin and Subaru.”
“You mean we can't do anything tonight?”
“We can’t get the will faxed up from his lawyer until tomorrow, June Bug,” Sarah explained.
“Drat.”
“Well,” Sarah said and rubbed her chin, “maybe there is something we can do.”
“What?”
“Invite Chet and Milton out to my cabin,” Sarah said, her voice quickening as she thought it through. “It'll be safer to talk there. I have a lot of questions and I want Chet and Milton as comfortable as possible. I need to nudge at them, but with gentle gloves. Not to mention, they might be safer at my cabin than at the lodge. Just in case.”
“Got it,” Amanda stated and looked over her shoulder. She saw Anne approaching with two meatloaf plates in her hands. Suddenly, she wasn't hungry anymore.
***
Chet liked Sarah's cabin and immediately settled onto the couch to read his evening Bible verses. Milton, on the other hand, roamed around the kitchen for a few minutes, then pronounced the cabin a little cramped. “No offense, hot stuff,” he said, finally sitting down on the living room couch and folding his arms together, “it’s just a little tight for my taste. I’m used to big, open beach houses, right on the ocean.” He cracked his knuckles, looking around a little nervously.
Sarah grinned. Milton reminded her of a washed-up 1950s mafia boss running quarters at a run-down laundromat. “I'm sorry my cabin doesn't live up to your standards.”
“Oh, no worries,” Milton promised, trying to stretch his short legs. “You like a little cabin, I like a big beach pad. Hey, we all have different taste, hot stuff.”
Chet looked up from his Bible. “I like your cabin, ma’am.”
“Please, call me Sarah.”
Chet nodded as if he wasn’t quite sure about becoming so friendly. Even though he liked Sarah, he was still uncertain if he wanted to become friends with her. “Okay,” he said, turning back to the book in his lap.
“Coffee,” Amanda announced, bursting into the living room carrying an antique wooden tray with four mugs full of steaming hot coffee. She set the tray on the polished coffee table in front of the couch and sat down in the wingback armchair next to the fireplace. “There are cinnamon rolls warming in the oven.”
“Hey, Chet loves cinnamon rolls,” Milton said and nudged Chet on the arm. “Isn't that right?”
“Yes,” Chet said and blushed a little. “Daddy and me always loved cinnamon rolls.”
Sarah sat down in an armchair next to the couch and relaxed. Night had fallen and the soft rain had turned harder, soaking the darkness outside with mystery. “Guys, I want to ask you a very deep and personal question, okay? But please, if you don't feel like answering, then don't. You're here voluntarily. I would never force you to answer any question that would make you feel uncomfortable.”
“You want to know if we think Natalie and Charlene are behind Pop's death, right, hot stuff?”
“I'm inclined to believe you have both already hinted at that, but I would like to touch deeper on the subject, if that's alright with the both of you,” Sarah replied.
“Chet?” Milton asked.
Chet closed the book in his lap carefully. He looked over to the fireplace and contemplated the dry logs waiting to be lit on a cold, wintry night. “Okay.”
Milton nodded his head. “Okay, doll face, ask away.”
“Actually, before we begin with Natalie and Charlene, I would like to ask about your father’s will,” Sarah explained. “All four of you traveled to Alaska even though the body – your father – could have been easily delivered to you by air freight. My guess is,” Sarah drew in a calm breath, “Natalie and Charlene want to make sure the autopsy report determines that the death was accidental. You two, on the other hand—”
“Know it wasn’t,” Milton cut in. “Chet and I know Natalie and Charlene killed Pop...somehow. We're not sure yet, but we intend to find out how. And boy, aren't you a diamond in the rough up here, doll face. Does Snow Falls know what a gem they’ve got in you? Your reputation back home ranks up there with the big boys. You took down some pretty serious killers in your time.”
“Natalie wasn't happy when she found out you live here,” Chet added. “Neither was Charlene.”
Sarah sat silent for a few seconds while her mind stored away Chet's words. Somehow, she had not anticipated that they would have gone as far as looking up the various law enforcement personnel in town. “I see,” she finally said. “That's why she burst into the diner. She wanted to interrupt our meeting.”
“Natalie warned us to stay away from you,” Chet admitted.
Milton patted Chet on his arm. “And you sure told her where to stick it,” he said in a proud voice.
Amanda’s cheeks turned pink as if she had bitten her tongue. “Uh...excuse me,” she said and ran out of the living room.
Milton tossed a thumb toward the kitchen. “Your friend liked my joke, huh?”
Sarah sighed. “I’m sure she’s just fetching the cinnamon rolls, don’t mind her.”
“Not at all,” Chet said mildly.
“Okay, we are agreed that Natalie and Charlene are possibly responsible—”
“Not possibly,” Milton cut in. “Those two are demons sent straight from—”
“Language,” Chet warned Milton.
Milton bit his tongue. “Sure, yeah, sorry,” he said. “Natalie and Charlene killed Pop.”
“Okay,” Sarah continued. “If we agree on that, then how could they have done it?”
“Natalie is evil,” Milton insisted. “She knows too many people. She’s got her fingers in too many pies. She even pressured the mayor of Los Angeles to get the fuzz to begin hunting for Pop.”
“When was this?” Sarah asked. She remembered Pete’s mention of this and was intrigued to hear more.
“Let's see...Pop left for Alaska...I mean, he vanished on us shortly before the holiday shopping season. About two weeks later, Natalie started fussing at the mayor,” Milton explained. “Usually they wouldn’t file a missing person report because there was no evidence of distress, but she greased some palms to make it happen.”
Sarah quickly mapped a time frame in her mind. “Any idea if Natalie or Charlene might have hired someone to carry out their plan? Some friend of theirs, perhaps?” she asked, her patient voice hiding her mounting frustration.
Chet slowly folded his arms together. “Natalie never had a friend.”
Milton nodded in agreement. “She's too calculating for that. But money can buy people, so who knows who Natalie might have bought?”
“Do y
ou believe your sister would have hired a professional killer to go after Mr. Hopski?” Sarah asked.
Chet shook his head no adamantly. “Natalie doesn't like strangers.”
“What Chet means to say is that she's the type that likes to do the dirty work herself...like when she killed Ma,” Milton chimed in. He leaned forward and snatched up a mug of coffee and handed it to Chet. “Natalie wouldn't have found a gun for hire to go after Pop, no way.”
Sarah watched Milton take a mug of coffee for himself and add four packets of sugar, then sit back and take a grateful gulp. “What about Charlene? Perhaps Natalie instructed her to hire—”
“No way, doll face, you're barking up the wrong tree,” Milton told Sarah as he shook his head. “No way Natalie would let Charlene have that kind of advantage on her. No way in the world. Natalie is playing Charlene like a fiddle because she thinks it’ll get her to her goal, but she would never give Charlene a chance to take the reins like that.”
Milton's statement made sense to Sarah. “Where were Natalie and Charlene during the two weeks Mr. Hopski vanished?”
“You mean before Natalie started nagging at the mayor?” Milton asked.
“Yes.”
Milton shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows? Like I said, doll face, when Pop went on a hunting trip, he would just up and leave without saying a word. I didn't even know Pop was missing until Natalie called me and told me to meet her at the mayor's office.”
Sarah mused on this, taking in the information Milton was pouring out. “How about you, Chet?” she asked.
“Teresa and I were on a cruise,” Chet explained. “Teresa likes to take cruises to the Bahamas.” Chet gave Sarah a grave look. “Natalie waited until I was gone,” he said and she saw his right hand ball into a fist on the arm of the couch.
Spring into Murder (Alaska Cozy Mystery Book 5) Page 7