by Tonya Kappes
“Hi, Leighann. Aren’t you supposed to be in school?” I asked. “You too, Manuel.”
Leighann jerked out of Manuel’s loving arms and both of their faces reddened.
“I don’t think your daddy would like this.” I pointed between the two of them. “Skipping school. Didn’t I get a call about some sort of trespassing?”
“We ain’t trespassing here.” Leighann pulled her long red hair around her shoulder.
“No, but you are skipping school and going against your dad’s wishes from what I see.” I nodded toward Manuel.
“This here is none of your business, Sheriff.” Manuel stood up. He was about an inch taller than me, and you could tell he was a football player with his stocky build and muscular neck. The mustache on his upper lip quivered. “Me and Leighann are having breakfast before we go to school.”
“Here you go, Sheriff.” Bartleby walked up with a to-go cup of coffee and two plates of pancakes. He put the pancakes in front of Leighann and Manuel.
“See.” Leighann pointed. “We’ve got a right to eat. No wonder my daddy is voting for Lonnie Lemar,” she said in a smart-aleck tone.
“I’ll see to it that your daddy knows you are here eating breakfast right now.” I clicked on my walkie-talkie. “Betty, can you call Sean Graves and let him know that his daughter is at Cowboy’s eating breakfast with Manuel?”
The girl glared at me with hatred in her eyes.
“You are a bitch, Kenni Lowry!” Leighann grabbed her light jacket and backpack before she slid out of the booth and stormed out of the restaurant.
“Never mind, Betty.” I pushed the walkie-talkie again. Little did they realize, I really didn’t call Betty. It was all pretend.
I eased down into the booth next to Manuel. I curled my hands around my coffee cup and rested my forearms on the edge of the booth’s table. Taking a breath, I turned toward Manuel and said, “You listen to me. Sean Graves is not a man to mess with. If I were you, I’d cut my losses. Focus on football, get an education, and go off to college. You don’t need the hassle of Sean calling the cops and having you arrested. You don’t need a record.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Manuel looked down. “But she calls me and I lose my mind. I love her so much.”
“I understand,” I lied. I didn’t understand. Mama was right. All I ever did was spend my time being sheriff and not having a life. “But you are young and have a wonderful football career ahead of you. That’s what’s important to you and your family. I heard your folks are real proud of you, and that the University of Kentucky is looking to give you a scholarship.”
“Yes, ma’am, they are.” He nodded again.
I slid back out of the booth and held my coffee.
“Now, you get on out of here and go to school. I don’t want you fooling around with that Graves girl again. You hear me?” I asked for good measure.
“Yes, ma’am.” He grabbed his book bag and stood up. “I’m sorry about what Leighann said about not voting for you, but my parents are. They even have a sign in the yard.”
“You thank your parents for me.” I offered him a smile.
At least that was one vote for me besides my mama’s.
Chapter Fourteen
The day was slipping away fast and I’d felt like I’d gotten nothing accomplished on the murder of Cecily Hoover or the assault on Paige Lemar. After I scared the ever-living you-know-what-out of Leighann Graves, I walked into the department, where Betty was on the phone and writing things down on a pad of paper.
Her head tilted up to see me when I walked in the door. The phone was jammed between her ear and her shoulder. She put her finger up in the air for me to wait.
“Okay, thank you so much,” Betty said into the phone. “I appreciate all of your help.”
Betty hung up and grabbed the edge of the piece of yellow paper. She jerked the corner and ripped it off the top of the pad. She waved it in the air.
“Here’s the list you asked for.” She smiled. “I called immediately and Darby answered. When I told her what I needed, she said something about privacy and all that and hung up. But I knew that she had a meeting with your mama to get Derby Pies delivered. I called your parents’ house and your dad said that your mama was out at the Inn dropping off pies to Darby. So I called back, knowing that flighty girl Darby just hired would answer the Inn desk phone and she’d flap her lips.”
“Good job,” I said, loving the enthusiasm Betty showed. I took the paper and looked at the list of twelve people before I looked over at Duke, whose snoring had caught my attention. “Who is the new girl working for Darby?”
“I don’t know.” Betty rolled her eyes. “Said she was just coming through town and liked it, so she stayed.”
“Really?” I asked, looking at her. “That’s odd.”
“You’re telling me, but Darby trusts everyone.” Betty cocked a brow.
“I didn’t see the new girl when I was there yesterday.” I wondered how I’d missed that. I noticed most everything, and I distinctly remembered when Finn and I walked down from Hattie’s room after the critter catching that no one was at the desk. “How long has the new girl been there?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Betty scratched her noggin. “I reckon a few days.”
“What’s her background?” I asked.
“Kenni, I don’t know.” Betty seemed annoyed. “Why don’t you ask her when you go over there?”
“I just might. Did you get her name?” I asked, looking down the list.
“No, I didn’t. Why? Is she a suspect?” Betty suddenly became interested.
“Everyone’s a suspect.” I waved the paper in the air on my way over to my desk.
“Oh, Gina Kim is going to drop the security footage off at some point today. She called earlier. Wally Lamb called too. He said that he was bringing Ruby by this afternoon.” She looked at me over her glasses.
“Did Gina say what time?” It would be great if there was something on the video that would tell me who was running away from the scene, and doubly great if Ruby had some solid answers to my questions.
“No. I told her I’d be here until 5 p.m. Quitin’ time,” Betty said, needlessly reminding me that her quitting time was five p.m. on the dot. That was when she moved all dispatch calls over to Clay’s Ferry dispatch. Clay’s Ferry was the town next to us, and since we were both small, it wasn’t in either of our budgets to have a full-time dispatch service all night long. Especially when we rarely had a call.
Over the next few hours as I waited on Ruby and Wally to show up, I sat down at my desk and tidied up my reports on both Cecily and Paige. I added what little evidence I’d collected to be sent to the lab, including the feather I’d found at Ruby’s Antiques. I even filled in Finn’s dry-erase board with all the information since he liked to see everything in black and white.
“Well, if it ain’t Low-down Lamb.” I winked, referring to his high school nickname he’d gotten from doing anything to be elected as class president.
“And you are looking as fine as ever, Kenni.” He winked in his own smarmy way.
“New haircut?” I noticed his blond slicked-back hair filled with gel was a bit shorter on the sides.
Smoothly, he ran a hand alongside his head. “Tina said I should take it a little shorter. I love that you noticed.” He smiled that bright white gleam.
“Enough, you two.” Ruby smacked his arm. “We are here to discuss my shop and how Kenni thinks I had something to do with these crimes.”
“I never said you had anything to do with it. I’m simply gathering information. It’s not unusual for me to ask you, as the owner, your whereabouts, and exactly what could be in your shop that someone would not only kill someone outside your shop for, but also try to kill someone who was inside.” I gestured for them to sit in the chairs in front of my desk.
Wally nodded
for Ruby to go ahead and sit. After she took her spot, he sat down, and I got out my pad of paper and pen. I also took my mini tape recorder out of my desk drawer and set it on the edge of the desk closest to them.
Into the running tape recorder, I stated the day, date, and time as I always did. “This interview is conducted between me, Sheriff Kendrick Lowry, Ruby Smith, owner of Ruby’s Antiques, where the first victim was found outside the shop, as well as a second living victim inside the shop. Wally Lamb, lawyer for Ruby Smith, is also present.” I looked between them to see if there were any objections so far. Neither said anything, so I began my line of questioning.
“Ruby, can you please tell me where you were the night of the murder and break-in of your shop?” I asked.
“I was at the church for church group. You can ask Preacher Bing and Stella.” She nodded at the definitiveness of her answer. “Let me tell you that Beryle Stone was the topic of the night. Now, we did pray for her too, but all this scuttlebutt about a secret tell-all manuscript has everyone talking.”
“How did you know about the novel Beryle was working on?” I asked since I’d not made it public knowledge.
“Kenni, you know somehow word gets around town. Secrets buried don’t stay secrets for long.” Her painted on brows wiggled up and down. “Everybody knows.”
By everyone, I was one hundred percent positive she was talking about the henny-hens.
“Just stick to answering the questions about your whereabouts. Don’t give information the sheriff isn’t looking for,” Wally advised. I glared at him.
“Have you ever met Cecily Hoover before this week?” I asked.
“No,” she stated with a definitive nod. She looked over at Wally and smiled. “Like that?”
He reached over and patted her hand like she was a good girl.
“Tell me about the argument you and Cecily were having at the estate when I showed up,” I said.
“What fight?” Wally asked.
Ruby leaned over and whispered into his ear. While she did that, I texted Finn to let him know that Ruby and Wally were at the department giving her statement, and I’d give him a call after they left to get an update on Paige and the hospital situation. He’d been sticking close to Paige’s room.
“My client is ready to answer your question.” Wally adjusted himself in his seat and tugged on the edges of his suit coat.
“I’m the executor of Beryle’s estate, which took me by surprise since I never really knew her. Maybe we saw each other at a family function when we were children, but other than that, never.” Her eyes grew big, and she shrugged. “There was a painting missing off the list that was supposed to come to the store. When I asked her about it, Cecily claimed she didn’t know anything about it and was just there to make sure the charities got their money and, in the meantime, try to find this tell-all book. She’s in Beryle’s will, which states she’s to stay in the home until the sale of the estate and all items are out.”
“Did you question Cecily Hoover?” Wally Lamb asked in a condescending voice.
“Let me get on that, Wally. I’ll just mosey on over to the morgue and hold a séance in hopes that she’ll come through and maybe even tell me who killed her.” My brows rose.
Wally let out a big sigh, crossing his legs. He clasped his hands and set them in his lap.
“Such an idiotic question does deserve that answer.” Ruby cackled and picked at the edges of her red hair.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Yes. I did talk to her before she died, but she was vague about the whole situation and seemed very adamant about not letting that supposed tell-all get into the wrong hands.”
“If Beryle did have a tell-all, all the proceeds are going to a private fund that Beryle had set up on her own,” Wally said. “She only left me the numbers of the account, and I’m not giving you those until you subpoena me. And honestly, I don’t know. I’m not interested in where her money goes, I’m only interested in my client, Ruby Smith, and the allegations that you made against her today.” Wally Lamb had decided to play hard ball.
“I didn’t allege anything against Ruby. I was simply doing my job.” I sucked in a deep breath. “So you went over to see Cecily to find the missing piece of art?”
“Yes,” Ruby said. “Things escalated, and the next thing I know the poor girl was found dead in the alley behind my store, along with one of my best friends nearly dead inside my shop. I don’t know what I’d have done if she died too.”
Ruby put her hands over her face. Wally reached over and rubbed her back for comfort.
“Take your time,” I said. My heart broke for Ruby as she, along with the rest of us, struggled to see why this had happened in our small community.
“And the only thing I can figure is that Beryle has something that someone else wants. Only the furniture I have isn’t worth killing anyone over.” She looked up, her eyes red from tears.
That was my fear. Whether there really was a tell-all manuscript or not, Beryle had let the cat out of the bag that she was writing one or wanted someone to believe she had one. But who?
“I found this feather at your shop.” I pulled the evidence bag out of my jacket that hung on the back of my chair. “It seems to me that this is from Kiwi over at the Inn.”
“You know, I did see Cecily and Darby arguing at Duke’s ceremony.” Ruby’s eyes bugged out.
“Has Darby been to your shop lately?” I asked, wondering if Darby’s fight and the crime scene were related, making Darby a strong suspect.
“Not that I can recall. Not recently.” She shook her head. “Is that why you asked me about the tourists that were staying at the Inn coming to the shop?”
“It is. Someone came in there with the feather attached to them.” I smiled and set the bag on the desk. After the interview, I’d lock it up in the evidence room. “Unfortunately, with the traffic coming in and out of your shop, and most of them staying at the Inn, it could make anyone there the killer.”
After a few more questions and signatures to Ruby’s statement, she and Wally left.
“That was interesting.” Betty busied herself at her desk.
“Isn’t it past five o’clock?” I let Betty know that I knew she’d only stayed after quitting time so she could eavesdrop.
“See you in the morning.” She grabbed her purse and waddled out of the office.
It was soon after that that Duke and I were on my way over to the estate. I gave Finn a call.
“Hey, Kenni. Um, Sheriff,” Finn corrected himself.
“You can call me Kenni. It’s not like everyone else in town doesn’t,” I said. A smile crossed my lips. “How was the hospital?” I asked.
“They put Paige in an induced coma because they said she has some swelling on her brain around the wound. They are hoping to give her some medication for it and then slowly take her out of the coma by tomorrow morning. I also heard from the lab about the quick analysis of the ax. There was only two set of prints on it. Cecily’s, and someone who’s not in the system,” he said with a resigned voice. “Cecily Hoover had prints on file from one of those kid ID kits that parents used to fill out just in case their kid went missing.”
“Smart.” I was impressed by his forward thinking. “No others on there?”
It made sense Cecily’s prints were on there. I was sure she was trying to defend herself by grabbing it.
“No,” he said. “But when I was at the hospital, I sort of sweet talked a nurse into letting me curl Paige’s hand around a cup.”
“You sort of sweet talked a nurse?” I chuckled. “You know what, I don’t want to know how you got it. I’m just glad you got her prints so we can narrow it down.”
“Where are you?” he asked.
“I’m headed over to the estate to look around and try to find the manuscript. I’ve got the Inn’s guest list from Betty and am hoping to
stop by there at some point, but I’m running out of day.” It was already almost suppertime, not that I had to look at the clock. My stomach told me. “Gina was supposed to drop the security tape off, but she didn’t. I’ll give her a call in the morning.”
“I have to run by and look at a house, but afterward do you want me to run out there?” he asked. “Or check on the tape with Gina?”
“A house?” I questioned what wild goose chase Betty had sent him on.
“Yeah. Lulu isn’t all that happy with Cosmo,” he said.
“Oh, you mean a house to live in,” I said.
Finn had been renting a room over Lulu’s Boutique and recently he’d adopted Cosmo, a cat formerly owned by one of the people we’d just stuck in prison. His sister was actually going to take Cosmo, but found out real fast that her roommate was allergic to cats, and Cosmo came back to live with Finn.
“She said that she can’t have cat dander and fur flying in the duct work since the shop is underneath and some clients might be allergic to cats. It’s a shame too, because it’s a perfect place for me to live,” he said. “Not too big or too small. But I guess since I’m officially a paid employee of Cottonwood, I might as well start putting down some roots.”
“Finn Vincent.” My jaw dropped. “I never ever thought I’d hear you say that.”
“This town has grown on me.” While he was talking I got another call. I pulled the phone away from my ear and saw that it was Max.
“Listen, Max is calling. I need to take it. Just come by the estate when you’re done looking at the house. Don’t worry about Gina. She’ll bring it.” I didn’t have time to ask him where the house was. I didn’t even bother telling him goodbye. I just clicked over. “Hey, Max.”
“Well, you aren’t going to believe what I found.” Max always had a way of keeping things suspenseful.
“What?” I asked, taking a right onto the estate drive.
“While I was harvesting Cecily’s organs and doing the autopsy on them, I got to her esophagus.” He hesitated. “I found the normal contents in her stomach. When I got to her esophagus…” There was a pause. “I found a small key,” he finished, as if he was in disbelief.