Strangers in Their Midst
Page 6
“Good find, Mrs. Hanlon.” He took several photos of the door and window and the piece of wood lying on the floor; then, wearing latex gloves, Skip placed the evidence in a bag.
Several minutes later, when Skip left with his evidence, Kate went back to the counter, where Fred was ringing up Kate’s purchases. “Did you need anything else?” he asked.
“Just answers.” Kate set her handbag on the counter and pulled out her wallet.
The bell on the front door jangled, and a teenage boy who looked about fourteen came in. He wore army fatigues and had his dark hair shaved in a military buzz cut. His gaze met hers for a moment. She remembered seeing him at a sports function at the high school but couldn’t recall his name.
“Morning, Corey,” Fred greeted. “What can I do for you?”
“I need some of that stuff my dad uses for pain.”
Fred came out from behind the counter and took Corey to the pain-reliever section. “How’s his back doing?”
Corey frowned. “Not too bad. Just pains him at night.”
“Sorry to hear that. Like I told him the other day, he needs to see a doctor.”
“Yeah, well, he can be pretty stubborn.” The boy glanced at Kate and looked away.
“Will that do it for you, Corey?” Fred asked before coming back behind the counter.
“Nah...I need to find a card for my mom’s birthday.”
“In that case, I’ll finish up with Mrs. Hanlon.” Fred placed Kate’s items in a bag to hand her.
He motioned toward the boy. “Corey, have you met Mrs. Hanlon? Her husband is the minister at Faith Briar. Kate, this is Corey Brainerd—Joe and Cat Brainerd’s son.”
“I haven’t. Hi, Corey. Nice to meet you.”
“Um...hi.” Corey gave Kate a nod, then looked away as if he’d sized her up and wanted nothing more to do with her.
She shrugged. His response reminded her of rebuffs she’d gotten in the past when a person discovered she was a pastor’s wife. Or maybe he just wasn’t into meeting older ladies.
When Fred had run her credit card, Kate shifted her attention back to the break-in. “Fred, do you have any idea who might have taken those medications?”
“Not really. I never told the deputy this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t one of those homeless people who have set up camp out at Ash Grove Campground. One lady and her kids came in late yesterday afternoon. She needed some allergy medicine and didn’t have enough money to pay for it. I went ahead and gave it to her. Hate to think she’d come back and steal from me after that.”
Kate nodded. “Skip said something about a homeless camp on Monday when we were at the diner. How many people are we talking about?”
He shrugged. “Couldn’t say, since I haven’t been out there. I heard that with so many layoffs and foreclosures, folks are losing their homes right and left. A lot of towns have what they’re calling tent cities.”
“I’ve heard that too, but I didn’t realize we had anything like that so close to Copper Mill.”
“I hear you, Kate. Much as we’d like it to be otherwise, we aren’t immune to the world’s problems.”
Kate agreed. “If there really is a homeless problem, we as a community need to step up and help.”
Fred smiled. “Sounds like something you’d say.”
Kate settled her purse straps over her shoulder. “I’ll make it a point to find out what’s going on. Maybe we can do something to help these people. A person shouldn’t feel they need to steal medication.”
“You do that, Kate, and let me know if I can do anything to help.”
“Also, you should tell Skip about your suspicions. Or I can. If you’d like, I can stop by the deputy’s office now.”
“Probably a good idea. I may not be able to get away for a while.” He waved to her and turned back to the papers he’d been looking at earlier.
After saying good-bye, Kate drove back to Town Hall to talk with Skip. Unfortunately, neither Skip nor Sheriff Roberts was in the office. There was, however, another deputy there standing in front of an open file cabinet.
“Hi,” Kate greeted. “Have you seen Skip?”
“Sorry, I think he went back out to the accident scene. I just came in to pick up a file. Can I help you?”
“No, that’s okay.” Kate took a pad and pen out of her bag. “I need to leave Skip a note.”
“Be my guest.” He smiled and returned to the file.
She stepped in, intent on leaving a note on Skip’s desk, asking him to call her or Fred. When she’d finished, Kate returned the pen to her handbag and spotted a familiar face on a wanted poster sitting in a basket on the deputy’s desk.
“Oh no. This can’t be.”
Chapter Eleven
Ma’am, are you okay?”
“No. Yes.” Kate sank into Skip’s chair, her mind spinning. This can’t be happening. I’m usually a good judge of character. Am I too trusting...too gullible? Kate didn’t think so. Still, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d been burned by someone who turned out to be a fraud.
“Can I get you something? Some water maybe?” the deputy asked.
“Yes—water, please.” When he stepped out, Kate stared at the photo of the man on the wanted poster. Charles Mayer of Pine Ridge, wanted for embezzlement in the Valley Trust and Mortgage theft.
Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity. After all, the names were different. This Mayer guy is older, Kate thought. Troy can’t be more than thirty, and he looks like Andrew. This Charlie guy didn’t look like his son at all. He had darker hair than Troy, and a mustache. Still, those sky blue eyes. Kate shook her head. A lot of people had blue eyes.
It was easy enough to mistake one person for another. She had recently seen a television show where eyewitnesses often made mistakes. One woman had picked an innocent man out of a lineup, convinced he’d been the man who had robbed her. Years later, DNA testing proved that he’d been the wrong man. The poor man had spent years in prison for a crime he hadn’t committed.
The mind could play tricks on a person. Kate felt certain that was happening here. The Valley Trust embezzler couldn’t be Troy Eaton...Could he?
The deputy brought in a paper cup full of water. “Feeling better?”
Kate nodded and took a long drink. “I’m sorry, I felt a bit faint. Thank you.”
“Not a problem.”
“I’m fine now.” Kate thanked him again and left the office, feeling somewhat reassured. Troy had sent a thank-you card. Besides, it couldn’t have been the same person. Skip met Troy at the diner Monday and even donated to the cause. He thought he’d recognized Troy from the campground, not in the context of a wanted poster.
Kate pushed the disturbing thoughts to the back of her mind and focused on the tasks she had yet to accomplish. She still wanted to research Ellen’s and Claire’s backgrounds and learn more about St. Lucy’s and the stained-glass windows. And get an update on Ned Castile. First, however, she’d see if Livvy could break away for lunch.
Copper Mill Public Library, one of Kate’s favorite places, was housed in a historic building that served as a hub for community meetings, book groups, and many other events. She spent a lot of time upstairs on their high-speed Internet computers when she was puzzling out some mystery and needing to do research. Kate had a computer with a dial-up connection at home, but working online seemed slower than waiting for a rain drop on a clear day.
“Hi, girlfriend.” Livvy grinned when she spotted Kate. “What’s up?”
“Too much.” Kate flashed her a smile. “Do you have time for lunch?”
“Sure. Be with you in a minute.”
Kate waited while Livvy checked out books for several teenagers. Two of them, who were active in the Faith Briar youth group, greeted her.
“Don’t you have school today?” Kate asked.
“We decided to use our study-hall period to do some research for term papers.”
“Ah.” Kate smiled. “How well I remember.”<
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The boy behind them caught Kate’s attention. At first she thought he was the same boy she’d seen at the pharmacy, but she realized this one was older. With the combat boots and camouflage cargo pants, he looked military. But Livvy’s next comment told her he was still in school.
“Hey, Chad, how’s the math coming?” Livvy asked.
He shrugged. “Okay, I guess. At least I’m doing good enough to graduate.”
“Well enough.” Livvy grinned. “And I’m glad to hear it.”
“Thanks.”
“You tell your mother I said hello and to call me when she has time to get together.”
“Yeah.” Chad ambled off. He seemed like a kid with a lot on his mind. Much like the boy in the pharmacy.
Once Livvy had gotten the students checked out, she went back to the stacks to let her co-worker know she was leaving. Morty Robertson, a retiree who often volunteered at the library, waved at Kate. “You two have fun, and take your time.”
Livvy put a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks, Morty. I’ll be back in about an hour.”
With the Country Diner not much more than a block away, the women decided to walk. “Looks like you’ve had a busy morning.” Kate adjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder.
Livvy smiled. “I’m afraid so. As much as I love working with the kids, term-paper time gets a bit frantic.”
“Speaking of frantic, you are not going to believe what’s happened.”
Livvy rubbed her hands together eagerly. “Tell me.”
Kate laughed. “I will, but first I need to ask you something. That young man you were talking to—Chad. I saw a kid dressed just like him at the pharmacy. Fred introduced him to me as Corey Bray-something.”
“Brainerd.”
Kate filed the name away. “Right. I don’t ever remember meeting them.”
Livvy nodded. “Their parents don’t come into Copper Mill all that often. The boys go to school here because their place is a little closer to Copper Mill than Pine Ridge. Why do you ask?”
“Just curious. He seemed reticent—even for a teenager.”
Livvy hesitated. “He’s quiet, but behind all that military garb, he’s a sweet kid.”
Kate pulled open the door of the diner and stepped inside. Once they were seated, Kate gave Livvy a thumbnail sketch of her encounter with Claire and Ellen. “Have you seen anyone like that around town?”
Livvy shook her head. “No, sorry.”
She pulled out her folder and showed Livvy the information she had so far. “I was hoping to do some research on them.”
“Royalty, huh? Sounds intriguing. Finding the Count of Eltonborough from the early 1900s shouldn’t be that difficult.”
Kate agreed. “That’s what I thought. I’m hoping that digging around in Claire’s past will give me her last name and maybe a last name for Ellen as well.”
“I’m happy to help. Since we’re talking royalty here, we should be able to come up with a genealogy. Of course, there were a lot of counts during that era, so it may not be as easy as it seems.”
They paused while LuAnne poured coffee for Livvy and brought tea for Kate. “You gals want some dessert? Loretta’s got some fresh strawberries and made a strawberry cheesecake. If I were you, I’d grab it fast. You can always have a sandwich later.”
Kate and Livvy looked at each other and laughed.
LuAnne rolled her eyes. “You girls, always watchin’ your weight. How about I bring you one piece with two forks?”
“Perfect,” they said in unison. Then they both ordered a guilt-free chicken salad.
“You’ve piqued my interest with your countess,” Livvy said.
“She certainly is a colorful character.” Kate chuckled. “In more ways than one.”
LuAnne brought their cheesecake. “I couldn’t help overhearin’. What’s this about a countess?”
It dawned on Kate that LuAnne knew just about everyone in town, especially if they frequented the diner. She went on to give LuAnne a brief description of Claire and Ellen.
LuAnne shook her head. “I haven’t seen anybody like that. Believe me, I’d remember.”
Kate nodded. “I’ll keep asking around town. Maybe Betty has seen them. The beauty shop’s as good a place as any to get the latest news.” LuAnne and Livvy agreed.
While they savored the strawberry cheesecake, Kate told Livvy about the break-in at the pharmacy and the clue she’d found.
“Any suspects?” Livvy finished off her coffee.
“Fred is thinking it could be someone from the homeless camp. I’m not so sure.”
Livvy laughed. “I have a hunch you’ll find out sooner or later.”
Time flew by entirely too fast as the friends ate and chatted. All too soon, Livvy had to get back to work.
“Where has the day gone?” Kate glanced at her watch. “I’m supposed to work at the Faith Freezer Program this afternoon. I was hoping to get in some research on Claire and Ellen.” She sighed. “Also, I’d like to search for some history on St. Luke’s and the stained-glass window.” Plus, there was the homeless situation, but she didn’t really have time to talk that through with Livvy today.
“Wow,” Livvy said, “you do have a lot on your mind. Today isn’t a good day anyway, with all the kids coming and going,” Livvy reminded her. They paid the bill and stepped outside.
“Tell you what,” Livvy said while they walked. “Give me the information on Claire and Ellen, and I’ll see what I can do.”
“That would be great.” Kate handed her the folder. “I’ll make a point to come in tomorrow.”
“Sounds good. And about Castile—I printed out another article on him. The feds are thinking he left voluntarily. They have no evidence to the contrary.”
Kate shook her head. “Poor Ava.”
“She refuses to believe it, according to the article. But then you know what they say, the wife is always the last to know.”
“Save the article for me. I’ll get it tomorrow. Right now I have to run.”
Kate hurried to her car. She needed to get home and change before going over to the Faith Freezer house. Also known as the Bixby house, the small home located next to the parsonage had been donated to the church and served as a command center for their food program. Volunteers delivered several meals a day to invalids as well as the elderly residents in town. Kate often worked in the kitchen and delivered meals.
Skip pulled up to her car just as she put it in gear. She rolled her window down as he motioned. “Thanks for leaving me that note, Mrs. Hanlon. I just talked to Fred. I’m going to grab a quick lunch at the diner and then head out to the campground to meet the sheriff.”
“No problem. I thought you’d want to know.”
“I wanted to apologize for not filling out the report on those two ladies. I’ll keep trying to find out who they are.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll need that info for my report anyway.”
“Thanks, Skip.”
He saluted, then rolled up his window and drove off.
Kate checked for cars and backed out of her parking spot, then headed east on Main. In a way she wished she could go out to the homeless camp with Skip and the sheriff, but duty called. She needed to prepare meals for the Faith Freezer deliveries that evening and the next day.
Kate recalled what Fred Cowan had told her that morning about the increasing number of people without jobs who were also losing their homes. Though the situation saddened Kate, she hadn’t really considered what that might mean for Copper Mill or the people living here.
They were a small, well-established community, somewhat self-sufficient. From what she’d heard about the town’s history, Copper Mill hadn’t felt the pinch of hard economic times since the mill had shut down back in the midseventies.
The townspeople had survived back then, and Kate felt certain they could now. But what about those folks living in tents and needing food and medication—people like Troy Eaton? Was his family camping there? He’d told the de
puty they weren’t, but he may have been trying to protect them for some reason. Or maybe there were other campsites or tent cities, as Fred had called them.
For the rest of the afternoon, Kate brainstormed ways to help the homeless while she worked in the Faith Freezer house kitchen.
Faith Briar was already set up to feed people. With a little more work and financial generosity from the congregation and others in the community, they could bring evening meals to the campground and serve it under one of the shelters, buffet style. The Bixby house had in the past been designated as a temporary shelter, but the Faith Freezer Program had taken over most of the small house. Maybe they could look at freeing up a couple of bedrooms if necessary.
They could also help out with medication and assist people in finding jobs. There were so many needs. She began a list of other churches and some social organizations, such as the Red Cross, that might be able to help.
Copper Mill had a couple of empty buildings out by the old copper mine. Maybe those could be restored and turned into homeless shelters.
The residents in Copper Mill were great at fund-raisers and meeting people’s needs. She became excited at the prospect of organizing a community effort to feed the hungry and care for the sick and homeless.
Before she could implement any of these ideas, Kate needed to find out how many people they were talking about. She decided that as soon as she’d finished cooking for the day, she’d drive out to the Ash Grove Campground and see for herself exactly what needed to be done.
Chapter Twelve
At six o’clock that evening, Kate packaged up the cooled casseroles and pies she’d made and put them in the refrigerator and freezer. She’d been especially productive in the past few hours.
Kate had been scheduled to work until four, but she’d been overly optimistic about the number of projects she’d taken on. Not that she minded. She loved cooking and baking, and adding needy people to the equation made the tasks all that much sweeter.
Kate pulled off her apron and tossed it into the to-be-washed basket, then cleaned up and made certain she wasn’t wearing flour on her face or in her hair. Moments later she climbed into her Honda and headed toward the Ash Grove Campground. Normally, she’d have grabbed something to eat first, but after an afternoon of cooking, baking, and sampling, she wasn’t the least bit hungry.