“Oh, a real nice fella’ named Jason Dobbs. He’s a real sweetheart.”
Anna smiled, eyeballing her invisible partner with a knowing eye. “Well, thanks for your time, anyway.”
“Are you a resident here?” the woman asked before Anna could leave. “We don’t know a whole lot a’ folks here yet.”
“Yes, I am. My name is Anna-Lee Francis.”
The woman’s eyes went wide, and her face erupted into a smile. “Oh, my goodness. Are you one of those sisters who owns that drive-in?”
Anna was surprised that the woman knew about her and the drive-in. Tilting her head, she smiled. “That’s right. My sister owns it and I help run it.”
“Oh, that’s just amazin’. I’d heard about it from the guy who runs the motel. Hubby and I have been talkin’ about going out to that place for a date night once we get settled. We just love old movies. I mean, if it don’t cost too much or nothin’. Not to mention finding a babysitter.”
“Well, maybe I could babysit for you,” Anna offered before she knew what she was doing. “And I’m sure Belle would be more than willing to give you guys two complimentary tickets for your first time.”
“Oh, you’re a sweetheart. Really?”
Anna nodded, knowing she couldn’t back out of it now. “Once you guys get settled, just give me a call over at the drive-in during business hours and we can work something out.”
“Why, that sounds lovely, hon’. That sounds just lovely.”
Chapter 10
* * *
“You? Babysitting?” Belle asked with her mouth wide open.
Anna sat on the arm of the couch in her sister’s upstairs apartment above the restaurant. Belle was all wrapped up in multiple layers of blankets, a cup of lemon honey tea clasped in her hands to help keep her warm. The rainstorm had brought an uncomfortable chill into the room. Meanwhile, Harlem stood off to the side with his arms folded, listening to the two girls talk.
“I know, I know. It sort of just slipped out, and she seemed like such a sweet woman.”
“I think you’re just a sucker,” Belle teased.
“Now, that’s rude,” Anna retorted.
“Not to mention, you offered free tickets without my approval first,” she declared, turning her head up, closing her eyes, and sticking her lips out in an exaggerated pouty face.
“Hey, am I a manager here or not?” the older sister defended herself, taking her sister’s joke a little too personally.
“Hey, hey, hey, can we talk about the matter at hand?” Harlem asked, diverting the sisters’ attention away from the antics of babysitting and business management. While he usually didn’t mind the sisterly squabbles and playful bickering, he was growing more concerned about this case the deeper they got into it.
“He’s right. We now have two suspects with the same motive,” Anna mentioned.
“One who has already been evicted and another who is going to be soon?” Belle asked for clarification, going over the facts her sister had already shared with her earlier.
“That’s right,” Anna replied. “While Jason Dobbs was apparently just doing his job as a property owner and real estate agent, some of his tenants might not feel the same. To them, they’re either having their home or their livelihood taken out from under them.”
As Anna laid out the facts, Harlem started his pacing again.
“But was he just doing his job?” Belle asked, grabbing a tissue from the nearby box and blowing her nose.
“What do you mean?” Anna pressed.
“I mean, are we sure Jason wasn’t using any kind of dishonest business tactics?” She tossed the tissue across the room, landing it in the wastebasket near the window.
“I thought Jason was a friend of yours,” the older sister asked with one upturned eyebrow.
“I wouldn’t call him a friend, necessarily. I only interacted with him while I was in the midst of buying this property. He seemed like a nice guy. Sort of quiet, but professional.”
“So, what makes you suspect that he was being dishonest?”
She shrugged. “I don’t, necessarily. I just wondered if there was more to this whole thing than we thought. I think killing your landlord for evicting you is a pretty extreme measure. Like you said, Jason was just doing his job.”
Harlem’s stopped his pacing and looked at the sisters. “It may seem extreme, but if you’re in a desperate enough situation, people are willing to do most anything.”
“I guess,” Belle said skeptically.
“By the sound of it, William Percy did not take well to the eviction. He had to be removed from the property, according to the new owners.”
“That’s right. It sounded like Dan handled the situation himself,” Anna added.
“Well, maybe we should call and ask him about it,” Belle offered.
“Ask me about what?” came a familiar gruff, yet comforting voice from the apartment’s doorway. “Sorry, I didn’t knock. I heard you girls talking and thought you wouldn’t mind me popping in,” Dan said, walking over to the couch.
His dark bald head shimmered with water droplets, revealing that he’d just come in from the rain. Pulling a handkerchief from his breast pocket, he wiped them away.
“That’s okay, Dan. It saves us from calling you,” Belle beamed.
“Are we sure we want to tell him that you’ve been snooping, Anna?” Harlem asked, knowing that the police chief wouldn’t be able to hear him.
Anna ignored this comment, knowing that discussing their findings with Dan was the right choice. Not only was he the chief of police in Sunken Grove, but he was also like family.
“What was it you girls were going to ask me?”
“About the woman living in William Percy’s old place,” Anna said, realizing she’d never even gotten the woman’s name while she was there. How could she have been so foolish?
“You mean Diane Keen?” Dan asked.
Anna hesitated. “Honestly, I don’t know her name.”
Dan put his meaty fists on his hips. “Were you out there today?”
“Yes, I was. I was looking for William Percy,” she admitted.
“Well, don’t,” he ordered, waving a finger at her.
Belle and Anna looked at one another with quizzical glances before turning their attention back to Dan. “Why not?” Anna asked.
“William has been emotionally unstable these past few weeks. He might be dangerous. I don’t want you girls going anywhere near him. It’s been hard enough to make sure Diane and her family are safe in that house.”
“Is that because he’s dangerous enough to hurt someone . . . maybe even commit murder?” Anna pressed, all too interested in this new snippet of information. If Dan suspected William, that was a big deal.
Dan frowned, his bushy eyebrows pushing together. “Anna, have you been digging around where you shouldn’t be?”
She put up her hands. “I’m sorry. I just recognized the dagger from Payton’s shop, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt for me to ask him about it.”
Dan set his jaw. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Why? Because he’s a suspect?” she asked forthwith—maybe not the best choice.
A low grunt of displeasure escaped his throat. Anna hadn’t seen Dan get irritated with them like this before.
“I figured that out when I realized he was being evicted from his shop soon,” Anna admitted.
“How did you learn that?” Dan exclaimed, shocked.
“I just did,” she said, unwilling to reveal the truth.
Harlem rolled his eyes in the background.
“And I suppose he told you he sold that dagger to William Percy, huh?”
Anna hesitated. “Yes, sir.”
“And then you went out to William’s address only to find another family living there.” Dan pinched the bridge of his nose for a second before continuing. “I’d expect something like that from Belle, but you, Anna?”
“Hey,” Belle protested.
“I’m not trying to hurt your feelings or make you feel bad, but these people might be dangerous, okay?”
“I found the car and the dagger, didn’t I?” Belle protested, knowing that no one here would have been able to find out as much as they had if Harlem hadn’t shown her the dagger. Belle was the one who’d called it in.
“Yes, and I appreciated that. You did a very good job at calling me directly as soon as you’d found them.” He turned his gaze back to Anna. “But going after a potentially dangerous person without even notifying me about the things you had learned wasn’t smart,” he scolded her.
“I told you so,” Harlem added.
Anna, not appreciating being called out after she’d done so much work, folded her arms in a show of protest. She wasn’t usually the type to go against rules or regulations, but this time she couldn’t help feeling a little defensive. However, her conservative nature kept her from talking back unnecessarily. A part of her knew Dan was right.
It had been risky. Belle was usually the one to take on those situations.
“I know you girls have been a help in the past during other cases—especially seeing as there were some . . . elements . . . that I, as an officer, couldn’t logically take head-on or add in my reports. Heaven knows my only other officer couldn’t even fathom the idea of it.” The girls knew he was referring to the potentially paranormal elements involved in almost every murder case that had come their way. “While part of me appreciates you girls and the help you’ve provided, I realize now I should have been firmer with you two. In this instance, there is no sign of anything strange involved with the murder. It’s just that, a murder, and those can be more dangerous in many ways. Do you understand?”
The girls both nodded, not wanting to cause more of a conflict than there already was.
“Someone like William Percy is a loose cannon. He hasn’t had a proper job in months. He fell behind on the payments of his semi-truck and it was repossessed.”
Belle and Anna’s jaws dropped. “You mean he lost his entire livelihood?” Belle asked.
“That’s right. As a result, he also lost his home. He is a desperate man, and desperate men do wild and foolish things sometimes.”
The sisters were quickly realizing that the clues were pointing to William. However, for Anna, she didn’t want to count Payton out just yet. In her estimation, it was just as easy for the shopkeeper to use the unstable and down on his luck man as a scapegoat by claiming William had bought the knife—despite not having proof of the sale.
“The point is, we’re on the lookout for William now. He hasn’t appeared to be anywhere in town, as far as we can tell, so I’ve put an APB for the surrounding areas.” He pointed at them again. “However, I don’t want you girls going around looking for him or doing any other kind of investigating. Got it?”
“Got it,” they said in subdued unison.
“If you see any sign of him near here, you call me first thing and steer clear of him.”
They agreed, not wanting to worry the officer further.
“Okay, good. I’ve got to get out there and back to the search. I just wanted to check in on you girls.” With a little wave and the return of his usual cheery smile, he disappeared out the door and down the stairs to the restaurant.
Chapter 11
* * *
After Dan left, there was a moment of awkward silence among the trio still in the apartment. Letting out a huff and setting down her nearly empty mug of tea on the coffee table, Belle threw the blankets over the back of the couch and used both hands to push herself up to a standing position.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Anna argued, standing up herself to try and force her sister back down to rest.
“Well, I can’t just sit here anymore. I’ve gotta do something,” Belle insisted. The medicine had fully kicked in from earlier in the day and didn’t seem to be wearing off. While she still felt a touch stuffy and feverish, she was feeling well enough to at least be up and around.
“Did you not hear what Dan just said? He doesn’t want us involved anymore in this case.”
“Hey, don’t start scolding me. You were the one poking your nose into things this time,” she reminded her older sister.
Anna’s lips scrunched together tightly, turning white. Belle could tell her sister knew she was right. “Still, that doesn’t give you the freedom to go out and start investigating now.”
“She’s right, Belle. You really shouldn’t get involved in this case,” Harlem added his two cents worth.
Belle looked around her sister at the ghost. “And why are you so concerned about this particular murder? I’ve never seen you get so worried before,” she informed him.
“Look. It’s just a gut feeling. I know that Dan thinks this whole thing is a cut and dry murder. He’s worried about someone who was just in a place of desperation.” He paused.
“But?” Belle pressed.
“But, I can’t help but feel like there is something more to this case. That is a ritual dagger and an old one at that. I don’t know the weapon’s history or potential supernatural power.” He shook his head and placed his hands on his hips, looking down at his feet with a sigh. “All I know is what I feel. Call it a spirit’s intuition if you will, but I can’t help but feel there is some dark folk magic involved here somehow.”
“Like what? I doubt William Percy has much experience in voodoo,” Belle noted.
“Unless you’re thinking it was Payton. He sells magic items, but does he know how to use them?” Anna added.
Harlem put up his hands. “I don’t know, okay? I don’t know for sure, but it is a feeling I have. I think all of us, including Dan, need to tread more carefully. We’ve approached every other case we’ve come across from the standpoint that there was something darker and unknown involved. We need to act the same here.”
“So, are you saying we should continue investigating?” Anna inquired, raising an eyebrow.
“We don’t have to go against anything Dan has requested. We don’t have to talk to Payton again or go looking for William.”
“Then what?” Belle insisted.
Making sure he had their whole and undivided attention, he answered. “I think we need to visit an old friend of mine in New Orleans. She’ll know something more about this dagger than I do.”
“And what are you hoping she’ll tell us?”
He hesitated, licking his lips. “Hopefully, nothing too horrible.”
Somehow, Anna didn’t like that answer. “So, basically, by just making a trip to learn more about the dagger, we aren’t meddling in the investigation like Dan asked.”
“That’s right,” he agreed. His gaze fell on Belle. “However, I don’t think you should come, seeing as you’ve been sick.”
“Well, that’s good then, because I wasn’t planning on going out and doing any investigating,” she declared proudly, stepping into her flip-flops she’d had on the hardwood floor.
“You weren’t?” Anna asked with a hint of surprise in her eyes.
“No, I had no intentions of doing that. I was only planning on going downstairs and helping Valerie and the waiters and waitresses get ready for this evening’s guests.” With that, she walked past them and down to the restaurant.
* * *
Belle didn’t wait around to say goodbye to her sister and Harlem. She was getting tired of being treated like glass. She had a cold, so what? That didn’t make her a frail waif.
She was aware that Valerie would argue with her as well, but she wasn’t going to let it stop her. She knew her own limits and would head back to bed if she started feeling woozy again.
“What are you doing down here? Get back to bed,” Valerie ordered, seeing Belle walk into the kitchen.
“Enough, Val. Just let me help down here. It’s my business after all.”
“You’re sick, young lady.”
“I feel fine,” she insisted, going over to the sink and pumping foaming soap into her hands
. With a vigor, she washed her hands to get rid of any of the germs. She’d been washing her hands nonstop that day whenever she got a chance. “I’m not going to do anything too strenuous, I promise.”
Valerie pursed her lips, clearly unsure if this was a good idea. After a moment, she relented. “Alright, then, but the instant you start to feel ill, you’re back up those stairs.”
“I can handle myself,” she promised, using a clean paper towel to dry her hands.
“Where is your sister? She’d been gone all day long and I’ve been here taking care of tonight’s food prep alone.”
Belle sighed. “She’s had something come up. I should have told you,” she said, covering for her sister.
Val put on a smile. “You’ve been sick, so I understand not wanting to run down here just for that. Anyway, it’s fine. One of the waitresses can help me when they get in.”
Belle glanced at the clock. It was about three. The waitresses and waiters on shift for the evening would get there within the next half hour to start setting up the dining room. Many of them had been taught some of the cooking skills and recipes just for this type of occasion.
“Oh, by the way, we’re running low on those blood patterned tablecloths we’ve been using. At least three got stained last night and I haven’t been able to get around to washing them,” Valerie informed the drive-in owner.
“Got it. Don’t worry about it tonight. I’ve got a whole extra carton of them in the storage room,” she informed her. “In fact, I’ll go get them now.”
“Just be careful going down there,” Val said.
Belle tried not to roll her eyes. She’d been down in the basement storage area time and time again. While they kept their entire stock of food supply in the fridge, freezer, and walk-in pantry, all the props and decorations for the various events they hosted were in the basement.
Walking into the pantry, she knelt to grab the ring attached to the trap door to the basement and lifted it up. The open door revealed a set of concrete steps going down into the darkness below.
A Bite of Murder Page 5