She swiped some loose strands of hair away from my mouth. “Reed called a doctor. He should be here shortly.”
“For what? I just got wonked on the head.”
Aunt Zoe pulled her hand from my tight grip. “Don’t worry.”
“Easy for you to say. I don’t have any insurance, remember, Zoe?”
The owner of the Bar X quickly joined Aunt Zoe by the thick, deep-chocolate-brown leather couch I was resting on. “Mary, don’t be upset with Zoe. After I saw how jangled her nerves were, it was me who suggested calling a doctor. He just lives down the road.”
“Troy treats horses,” Aunt Zoe added, “so I’m sure he won’t charge that much.”
My mouth flapped shut at that news flash. Wonderful! Another man to see me at my worst—an equine veterinarian at that. Why couldn’t the vet at least have been a woman?
*****
Doc Taylor, a single, cute as all get out nerdy thirty-something guy, responded to Reed’s call almost immediately and confirmed what we three already presumed. I was fine except for the lump on the back of my head. In a lame attempt at practicing his professional skills on a human being though, the man with the thick head of pale-blonde hair and bright-blue eyes flashed a bright light in my orbs. Then he asked me, the patient, if I had been vomiting, prescribed an acetaminophen product like Tylenol and predicted I’d be on my feet in no time. “Your darn lucky, Mary. Your accident could’ve been worse. Sally Sullivan’s dead.”
“What?” I reached for my aunt’s hand now and squeezed it. “How? When?”
“I think you’ve been through enough,” Doc Taylor said as smooth as glass, “Let’s let your questions ride, okay? Now getting back to your head injury, there’s always a chance for a concussion, so I want someone to keep an eye on you for the next twenty-four hours.” Aunt Zoe generously offered her services. The perfect nurse. She was as trapped as I was. Without me she couldn’t escape.
Reed slapped the doctor on the back now. “Well, thanks, Doc, for coming on such short notice. How about if I walk you to your car? I’ve got something else I need to discuss with you.”
“Sure.” Doctor Taylor excused himself with a nod and the word, “Ladies.”
I tried to offer a smile, but it was impossible. It hurt too darn much.
“Looks like we’ll be at the Bar X longer than we anticipated, Mary,” my aunt said quite gleefully as soon as the men had left the room. What a turnaround. Last night she was twisting in the wind when she heard that Reed had a wife, and today she’s ready to kiss and makeup. Did somebody invade my aunt’s body while I was knocked out?
“I can’t stay here another minute,” I nervously announced. Now, I tossed off the light blanket that had been covering the lower half of my body and swung my legs over the side of the couch.
Aunt Zoe rested her hand on my shoulder. “Oh, but you must. You heard the doctor, Mary.”
I have to remain calm. If I don’t, my heads going to shatter into tiny pieces. “No, Auntie. You don’t understand.”
“Don’t understand what?”
“I can’t stay in this room.”
“Oh? Why not?” she asked, and then she strolled to the living room window and pulled back one of the curtain panels. She’s probably wondering why Reed hasn’t come back in yet.
“We can’t afford to have the help asking questions.”
She let the panel fall back in place and returned to the couch. “Ah, I see your point. Maybe Reed can help us with that little problem.”
“What little problem?” Reed inquired as he reentered the room and handed me a glass of water and two tiny white pills.
“Mary thinks we should be out of sight. Otherwise, the help will become suspicious. Do you have a spare bedroom we can use?”
“Sure. Sure. Come on, Little Lady. I’ll fix you right up.” Reed had me lean forward now, so he and Aunt Zoe could get a good grip on me before moving me from the couch. “You just relax, Mary. We’ll keep you steady on your feet.”
I promise to be good, Lord. Just don’t let me slide to the floor.
The double bed in the spare room was covered with a lovely heirloom quality off-white embroidered bedspread, the kind a matronly relative passes on from one generation to the next. Was it from Reed’s side of the family or his wife’s? Knowing I didn’t dare broach the subject of his wife with Aunt Zoe present, I gave my thoughts over to the dirty jeans I’d had on since yesterday morning instead, and suggested someone remove the antique coverlet before they plunked my bod down to rest.
“There you go. Are you comfortable enough, Mary?” Reed anxiously inquired as he and Aunt Zoe positioned two thick pillows behind my head.
“Yup. I’m fine. I’m just sorry I’ve disrupted your routine.”
“No problem. Right now, it’s your safety and comfort that are of the utmost importance.” The furrows on Reed’s forehead froze as he stepped away from the bed a bit. “I know your head is really throbbing, Mary, but did you recognize anyone?”
I tried to shake my head, but it wasn’t worth the pain. “Nope. Too dark.”
“That’s okay. Just try to rest.”
“Believe me,” I said, “I plan to but not quite yet. I need to know something.”
“What’s that?” Reed asked.
“Sally’s body. Where did you find it? In the pasture or the barn?”
“The barn. Why?”
“Just curious.” What would make Sally return after the evening get-together? She’d already seen her horse. There’s definitely more going on here than even my client suspects.
Aunt Zoe picked up the plum-and-cream afghan thrown over the top of a rocking chair and laid it over me. “Mary, dear, you probably won’t appreciate my saying this, but one good thing came from your mishap in the woods.”
I stared at my aunt like she was the one knocked on the head, not me. “What are you talking about?”
Reed’s eyes appeared blank. “Yes, fill me in too, Zoe.”
“Mary planned to ask you if any of the horses were capable of opening and closing gates, but she never had the chance. Now, I guess it doesn’t really matter.”
“Jumping the fence was included in that equation too,” I said as I weakly addressed Reed, “but you had stated the height of the fence would make it impossible for your breeds to do that.” There was no reason to challenge my client right now about horse facts. My head was spinning too much. But I’ve done my homework, and it will come in handy down the road. Crossed Arabians and American Quarter Horses don’t need to be spooked to clear the fence. They’re up to the challenge anytime if trained properly.
“So, basically we’re back to square one. Damn it!” Reed rubbed his calloused hands together. “I kinda hoped one of the horses was getting out on his own too, so I kept my eyes glued on them the best I could. I didn’t see a darn thing. Not a single stabled horse seemed interested in the locks.” He started to back out of the room. “I just can’t figure out what’s going on here, and now Sally’s gone. Why? What’s next?” Poor Reed. He acted like he had been thrown off a horse. He needed some good news right about then, and I didn’t have any to give. “Oh, shoot, before I forget, Doc insisted you don’t drive anywhere for at least twelve hours, Mary.”
I flung my hands wildly above my head. “Is he crazy? I’ve got things to do. Places to go. I can’t stay here that long.”
Aunt Zoe, ever the peacemaker, forced my hands back down to their original resting position. “Calm down, Mary. Remember, Doctor Taylor said not to get excited.”
A deep sigh escaped from my lips now. “I can’t help it. I’m a human not a horse.”
Reed scratched his prominent forehead. “Look, gals. Stay at least until two, and then I’ll follow you home.”
“Fine,” I mumbled more to myself than anyone else.
Chapter 21
The bewitching hour seemed like it would never get here, but it finally did somehow, and now Aunt Zoe and I were back on our own turf discussing the events of last night with Mrs. Grimshaw. The elderly woman had kept Gracie overnight, and it was the mutt who loudly proclaimed our return.
“You know, Mary, I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I was so concerned about your welfare. Yours too, of course, Zoe.”
“Thank you. I only wish I could say the same,” she said.
“Whatever do you mean?” the old woman asked as she sat. “It sounds like whoever killed Sally and hit Mary was pretty clever. I don’t think it would have made much difference one way or the other if you had stayed awake.”
My aunt bobbed her head. “Maybe so.”
Gracie left Margaret’s side now and wandered over to the La-Z-Boy where I was seated and plopped her head in my lap. She must’ve sensed I needed some tender attention. I gently patted her head. “That’s what I told her, Margaret. She shouldn’t keep beating herself up. Besides, knowing you, Aunt Zoe, you would’ve skipped the cavalry, flew to my defense on your own and ended up being knocked senseless too.”
“And both of you,” Margaret interjected, “would still be lying in the woods somewhere.”
Aunt Zoe now straightened one of the couch’s toss pillows she had brought with her when she moved in. “You’re right. I should just be thankful you weren’t severely injured, Mary. If you had been, I’d never forgive myself.”
“So, how’s your head, Mary?” Margaret asked. “Still hurting?”
“It seems to have quieted down somewhat, but that’s probably because I took two more painkillers right before leaving Reed’s.”
“Too bad my thoughts regarding horses escaping on their own was unfounded.”
I sighed deeply. “Ditto.”
Our neighbor continued to study my face now. “I suppose with all that’s transpired since last night, Mary, you’ve probably decided to end your short sleuthing career and focus on finding a practical, full-time job, right?”
“Oh, no. I’m more determined than ever to figure out what’s going on at Reed’s.”
My roommate seemed surprised by my revelation. “You are? Really?”
“Of course. A little bump on the head’s not going to stop this gal.”
Margaret stood now. “You’ll just be better prepared, right?” I nodded ever so slightly.
Aunt Zoe bounced off the couch. “Mary, I’m so thrilled you’ve decided to stick with the case because I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
“I begged Reed for a camera, so I could take pictures of the crime scene before Sally’s death was reported to the police.”
“Way to go, Aunt Zoe.”
“Matt would be so proud of you, Zoe,” our elderly neighbor stated as her lips cracked a smile. “Did you bring the camera home with you?”
“No. I, ah, left it with Reed.”
“Well, that’s probably for the best. Mary’s sore head isn’t up to scrolling through pictures looking for answers right now. One needs a clear head for that.” The nonagenarian turned towards the door. “Well, I should be going. I’m preparing a nice Italian meal for supper if anyone cares to join me.”
“I think that can be arranged,” Aunt Zoe said. “We never turn down a home-cooked meal.”
“That’s for sure.” Especially when it’s her turn to cook.
“Good. It will be ready about six.”
“Six it is,” I hastily replied.
Chapter 22
We were watching an intriguing Perry Mason rerun on TV when Aunt Zoe’s cell phone urgently plucked her away from her regular spot on the couch. Curious to know who dared to disturb our old folks routine, one we had so carefully created due to living on shoestring budgets, I lowered the TV volume to barely above a whisper. Five seconds is usually about all I need to determine the caller.
Lucky me. Aunt Zoe was barely on the phone two seconds when she revealed the person’s identity. “It’s Reed, Mary. He insists on speaking to you.”
“Me?”
“Ah huh.”
“Why did he call you? He’s got my number.”
She raised and lowered her solid shoulders meaning, I haven’t a clue.
I signaled for her to bring the phone to me that instant. It would take me longer to get out of the La-Z-Boy then it would for her to walk across the carpet to where I was sitting. Besides, my noggin was still hurting. “Hello, Reed. Yes, I’m feeling much better,” I lied. “Zoe said you needed to talk to me about something. Does it pertain to last night?”
“Yeah. The police just finished their preliminary work here about an hour ago and said they plan to call you in for questioning. I thought you’d want to know.”
This was clearly a classic slam dunk, folks. Now that the cops were involved, my client was calling to say “Sayonara.” How am I going to manage the car payments? Car repairs? The rent? Shoot! How am I going to explain to the cops what I was doing on Reed’s property? I’m not a licensed private eye.“Did they comment at all on Sally’s death?”
“Nope. They just said it would be awhile before they get their answers.”
I might as well ask the 64,000-dollar question, I thought. “Suppose that’s it then, Reed, huh? You no longer need me.”
“What are you talking about? The cops are so backlogged they’ll never uncover anything concerning the horses, and who knows when they’ll figure out what happened to Sally. I want answers now, not tomorrow.”
I swallowed hard. My butt’s saved. I still had a chance to hit a home run after all. Since the sleuthing would remain in my ball park, I went on to explain to my client that I planned to come back out to his property the next night. Thankfully, Reed eagerly agreed with my after-dusk surveillance. Horse duties weren’t even mentioned. With our conversation reaching a dead end now, the man asked to speak with Zoe again.
She hadn’t gone far. Ever since she announced Reed wanted to speak to me, she had been hovering like a mother bird, afraid she’d miss something of importance I suppose. I passed the phone to her. She swooped down and scooped it up before I could say, “Here.”
“Yes, Reed. Why, I’d love to do that. Just a minute, I need to get paper and pen.” She quickly retrieved what she needed off the coffee table. “Okay. That’s this Thursday evening, at seven o’clock. Line dancing in the back room of Ziggy Piggy’s Barbecue Joint on Seventh and Hennepin. Got it. Say, do you mind if Mary tags along?”
I waved my hand to signify I didn’t care to be included in their dancing plans, but Aunt Zoe was so wrapped up in Reed’s words she totally ignored me. I can’t line dance. Why does she do this to me? I had already shared I was a klutz when it came to dancing. Hmm? Maybe Kamini could offer to train me that night. The message she left on the land line stated I got the job and she wanted to get in as much training as possible before she went on maternity leave. I guessed I’d better call her later and see what dates she was thinking of. In the meantime, I had to come up with more safety precautions for my next trip to the riding stable. There was no way I could afford a repeat of the previous night. It still bugged me that I never heard anyone come up behind me. I must’ve been too in tune to the conversation, but that’d never been a problem before.
In the classroom setting, a zillion things buzzed around me, and I still pinpointed who was where doing what. For instance, I’d be up front writing on the chalkboard, several students would be working on a project, the teacher aide would be busy with a group of students, and even with all that going on, I still knew that Joey was at the back of the room annoying Jacob.
Of course, when I was a student, we thought our teachers were two-headed monsters. Well, they seemed to have eyes in the back of their heads. Nowadays kids thought differently—in their eyes we were s
orcerers. You couldn’t blame them though with all the Harry Potter paraphernalia out there. As a teacher, I preferred sorcerer over two-headed monster any day.
Leaving my own thoughts behind now, I caught my roommate’s final words to Reed and began to seethe. “Great. We’ll see you then. Bye.”
How dare she? Dad’s sister had gone too far this time. My eyes bore into hers. Time to lambast her with both barrels. “How could you include me in such nonsense? I told you before people make fun of my dancing, so why would I want to be humiliated even more by dancing to the stupidest dance form out there? The fun of dancing, Aunt Zoe, in case you’ve forgotten, is to have some hunk of a guy hold you in his arms, float you around the dance floor, and see all the other eligible men’s tongues drop.” There. I was done. I had said my piece. Auntie looked like she was on the verge of tears, but for once I didn’t care. This roommate stuff was for the birds. I was meant to live alone.
“I’m sorry, Mary. I didn’t mean to get your dander up, but since you and I have joined forces, you haven’t gone out to play, not even once. You need to relax a little. You’re too knotted up, like my ball of yarn Gracie got a hold of the other day.”
“Wuff. Wuff.”
“See. Even Gracie agrees with me.”
I knew my face was in pouting mode, but I didn’t feel like rearranging it quite yet. “You’re right. I do need to relax, but I’ll do it my way and in my own good time. Okay?”
“All right. I didn’t mean to be managing your free time. I’ll call Reed back tomorrow and ask him if he can pick me up. I just thought it would be nice to do something fun together outside of these four walls. You know, like we did when we were a lot younger.”
Ah, yes. Where did those good old days go? I suddenly felt quite guilty about my snappishness. “You’re much better off without me, you know. A gal doesn’t need a third wheel around when establishing rapport with a new man in her life.”
Aunt Zoe blushed. “Ah, so this is what it really boils down to, hmm?”
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