Or was it because she was having dinner with Gabe Stevenson?
Brushing the latter idea from her mind, she concentrated on her daughter and her latest crisis, a little peeved by the tone of her greedy greeting. “Gee, and how are you dear? What was your week like at school? And did you miss me? Of course you did.”
“Sorry, Mom. I just really need the cash.”
Lexie straightened and clipped on hoop earrings. Studying her face in her dresser mirror, she applied makeup from a mostly untouched basket of cosmetics. “Well, I really need to know what’s going on. I don’t speak with you for a week, and out of the blue you call needing money? It doesn’t sound good.”
Annoyed, Lexie glanced at her watch. Stevenson expected her at MacGreggor’s in a half hour. It was as if Eva had ESP and knew Lexie didn’t have the time to argue. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder what was up. She was a mom, first and foremost.
“Trust me. It’s going for a good cause.”
Like what? Save the whales?
Lexie sighed and fluffed her hair like the women in all those glamour magazines, then spritzed it with hair spray. “Hon, I asked last weekend if you needed anything. I would have bought it for you before you went back to school.”
“But I don’t need anything, Mom. The money is for something, um … different.”
Oh my God. She’s getting a belly button ring. Or maybe a tattoo …
Lexie’s mind reeled for a minute. She wanted to ask Eva if that’s what the money was for, but then she’d stew and fret if Eva confirmed what she feared. No, maybe it was better she didn’t know what her daughter had planned. The girl was eighteen. Even mothers had to let go some time. But maybe if she changed the subject, Eva would forget about the plea for cash.
She took a deep breath. “I take it you’re not coming home this weekend?”
“No. Zoe and I are going hiking in the mountains with a couple of guys tomorrow. Then on Sunday we’re going to do some research at the library together.”
“Zoe’s your roommate, right?”
“Right?”
“Right.”
“And the guys are …?”
“Just guys, Mom. They live in the same dorm.”
“I see.” Ah, the joys of watching your baby girl go off to a co-ed dorm at college. Would wonders never cease?
“Lighten up, Mom. It’s not like I’m gonna run away and get married. We all just figured we’d get out and enjoy the warm fall weather. Living in the dorms gets intense, you know? And it smells weird, too. Kind of stinky and moldy.”
“You’re not dating either of these guys?”
“No way. They’re both dweebs. But one of them has a cool four-wheel truck. So about that fifty dollars …”
Darn. Eva, precious child that she had always been, was not so easily distracted. “I’ll get it to you in the mail tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’ll pay you back.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear.” Lexie knew Eva’s part-time job at the college bookstore didn’t pay much. “Just make sure that cause of yours really is worthy.”
“Oh, it is, Mom. It totally is.”
Lexie replaced the phone in its cradle, wondering about Eva. The girl’s transfer from high school to college seemed to have gone smoothly and it appeared Eva was enjoying her higher education experience. It was just that with her being so far away, Lexie couldn’t physically see her daughter every day and gauge how things were going.
For the first time since she was born, Lexie had to loosen the apron strings and trust Eva would make good choices. She had to trust she’d instilled good morals and provided a decent enough upbringing so the girl wouldn’t wind up doing something crazy, dangerous, or stupid.
Right now, she wished Dan was still with her to discuss her fears and their daughter’s future. But that wouldn’t happen now. Dan’s brain had left earth and landed on a whole new planet. Planet Davina. Lexie knew he didn’t think much about Eva these days.
Lexie’s friend back in California had sent her a card a few days ago updating her on happenings in her old neighborhood and the news that Dan and Davina’s baby girl had been born. Leave it to Dan to let his daughter learn about her new sibling through a former neighbor, rather than talk with her himself.
Then again, maybe Dan planned on calling Eva. Did he still have a shred of human decency left in his shriveled, maimed heart? Maybe donkeys really do fly, a small voice told her. No, more than likely, Dan would leave the task to her. Lexie would be the one doing damage control. Eva would be hurt hearing the news second hand.
How could a little girl who had been the apple of her daddy’s eye not be hurt? Even if she was all grown up and in college?
Damn you Dan Lightfoot. Damn you to hell.
Suddenly Lexie remembered she had a dinner date with the law. She glanced at her watch again, seeing she had five minutes to make it over to Mac-Greggor’s Pub for dinner with Stevenson. Mentally reminding herself to get a check to Eva in the mail tomorrow, she inspected her makeup one last time. Oops, maybe she’d overdone it a little.
I look like Barbie on Prozac.
But there was no time to worry about that. She put on her leather jacket and headed downstairs. Locking the door, she hustled to the garage and her truck, heels clicking like little steel nails being hammered into her coffin.
As she started up the old wreck, hearing the strange, but familiar, rat-a-tat-tat in the engine, she hoped Otis wasn’t patrolling the streets. She’d have to step on it a little to get to MacGreggor’s by six and she sure didn’t need her brother-in-law stopping her for speeding.
Lexie wondered if he’d believed Lucy’s story that the sisters were going to a movie in Westonville. Otis might not be the sharpest or the brightest crayon in the box, but he had an uncanny ability to sense whether someone was telling the truth.
Fortunately, she made it to MacGreggor’s without incident, pulling into the lot off the street and parking way in the back of the building where no one would recognize her car. She walked toward the pub, fiddling with her fake nails and wishing she’d had the chance to rip the goofy things off.
As a last-minute thought, she undid the top two buttons on her blouse. She told herself it would have a good affect on the cowboys at the bar she intended to question. Hopefully, loosen their lips a little. That sort of thing.
“Parked kind of far away, didn’t you?”
Lexie nearly jumped out of her skin when she looked up to see Detective Stevenson observing her with his intense hazel eyes. He wore jeans again, cowboy boots, a white button-down shirt and a tweed blazer. And she swore he was wearing Drakkar, a men’s cologne that always made her weak in the knees.
Instantly she stopped fiddling with her buttons, heart pounding as she grappled for a sensible answer. “I, ah, figure my truck’s safer parked in the back where it’s not so visible to thugs.”
“Last I heard, the criminal element isn’t jacking too many ’69 Ford trucks these days. In fact, last I heard, there’s really not much of a criminal element in Moose Creek Junction.”
Lexie smiled. “Except for the murderer we have running around loose. Or doesn’t he count?”
Stevenson shrugged. “Sorry. I’m cursed with an observant nature. Guess it comes with the job.”
“Well, call me a fool for being too practical, Detective Stevenson,” Lexie said, nearly calling him Deputy Dog. “But I don’t believe it’s a crime.”
“That’s a fact,” Stevenson agreed. “By the way, call me Gabe. We might be working together for a while.”
Good Lord, I hope not. Lexie was still a little hot from the detective’s unwanted scrutiny, but decided it would be to her advantage to stay on his good side, so she didn’t voice her thoughts aloud. Forcing a smile, she continued toward the pub.
In one long stride, Stevenson caught up and opened the door for her. “I really didn’t mean to start off on the wrong foot with you, Lexie. I’ve got a crime to solve so we might as well get alon
g.”
Lexie met the detective’s gaze. “What makes you think we’re not getting along?”
Later, when they’d been seated in the restaurant area of the pub and ordered their dinner, Lexie ventured another question. “Tell me, Gabe. Why did you leave the high society crimes in New York for a bunch of backwater lawbreakers in windy Wyoming?”
He observed her silently for a moment, a muscle twitching in his cheek. “Police work in big cities is intense and I’ve got a daughter to raise.”
“A daughter? How old?”
“She’s 12. I had her in a private boarding school back east but she hated it so I got us moved out here to be together.”
Sympathy twisted in Lexie’s heart. “And her mother?”
He cleared his throat and his voice tightened. “Passed away a few years back. Cancer.”
“I am so sorry to hear that.” Lexie instinctively patted his hand, then quickly pulled back, realizing what she’d done. “What’s your daughter’s name?”
A smile twitched at the corners of Gabe’s mouth as he poured Lexie a glass of wine from the bottle he’d ordered. “Jade.”
“Very pretty,” Lexie said.
“Lexie, I wanted to talk with you about something important. Henry Whitehead was stabbed to death. We found the murder weapon.”
Lexie took a sip of wine and felt it warming all the way down the length of her body until it tingled in her toes. Deputy Dog sure got to the point when he wanted to. “OK. What has that got to do with me?”
“Have you noticed any butcher knives missing from your kitchen?”
Puzzled, Lexie sipped her wine again. “No.”
“I’m here to tell you one must be missing. It has your fingerprints all over it and it was found stuck in a tree trunk in Whitehead’s yard.”
“How do you know the butcher knife came from my kitchen?”
“It’s a strong possibility.”
Lexie cringed at the idea. Now the police must really think she was a murderer.
“Why are you telling me this if I’m a suspect? Wouldn’t the prosecution want to drop that as a bombshell to incriminate me at a murder trial?”
“You’re not on trial, Lexie.”
“Not yet, anyway. But the way your investigation is going, it looks like I’ll be wearing an orange jumpsuit any day now.” The very possibility made her shiver, and goosebumps pimpled her forearms.
Then Lexie had a thought. “But Detective Stevens … er … Gabe, my fingerprints couldn’t have been the only ones on that butcher knife. My daughter works at the Saucy Lucy sometimes and also my sister Lucy. Otis’ fingerprints are probably on them too since we have Thanksgiving dinner at the café and he carves the turkey.”
“Exactly. Which is why I set up this meeting, and why I’m not arresting you. There are several sets of prints on the knife; the evidence is inconclusive.”
Lexie blinked. “And this is supposed to comfort me?”
“This is supposed to make you want to cooperate with me. Tell me anything you know about Whitehead. Anything at all you think might help.”
“I barely knew him.”
“Doesn’t matter. Tell me what few things you know.”
A server brought their dinner and they fell silent as he handed out the sizzling platters of buffalo steak and baked potatoes. When they were alone again Lexie told Gabe what little she knew about White-head, along with what she suspected, like how things didn’t add up with his ex-wife Violet. It didn’t seem like much.
After a bite of steak, Lexie asked Gabe, “What is your theory on how my butcher knife wound up at the murder scene?”
“Somebody put it there.”
“Really. But how did they get my knife?”
Stevenson dabbed his napkin to his lips. “It’s obvious the murderer came into your kitchen and stole it. Could have been a customer who snuck in when you were distracted, or someone managed to slip in and steal it when you were gone. There’s a million scenarios—just make sure to keep your doors and windows locked and maybe install some dead bolts.”
Lexie made a mental note to do just that. “But why would someone go to all the trouble to take the knife from my kitchen? Why not use one of their own?”
“To implicate you. I believe someone wanted to make it look like you murdered Whitehead.”
Lexie started to tremble. “They framed me? But why? I never did anything to anybody …”
“Do you have any enemies around here? And what about your ex-husband? Maybe he decided to come up and cause trouble. Otis also told me about Hugh Glenwood. I’m checking into that case to see if there’s a connection.”
Lexie felt lightheaded trying to absorb the incredible idea that someone would want to hurt her. “I don’t have any enemies. At least none I know of. And Dan is on Planet Davina.” Immediately Lexie realized what she’d said and warmth tingled in her cheeks. Gabe nodded. He looked like he was going to say something else, but the waiter arrived with their check and he kept silent.
Lexie’s head swam with unanswered questions. Could Dan have sneaked up to Wyoming without her knowing and followed her around, then stabbed Whitehead, thinking he was her lover? Did he off Glenwood, too? Was he jealous of her, even though he was the one who’d had all the affairs while they were married?
The thought was eerie all the way around. More likely there was someone in town who had it in for her. Lexie bristled. Talk about feeling violated. This was her hometown. How dare somebody set her up like this?
Her stomach twisted with confusion, disbelief, and something she assumed might be shock. She finished her wine, then boldly poured herself more of the plum-colored liquid.
Why, she’d never had an enemy in her life!
Lexie stared through the window at the dark road outside awash with the pink tinge of streetlights. The buzz saw effect of the wine made her light-headed and for a second she thought she saw a dark figure. Then it vanished into the shadowy alley as quickly as she’d noticed it. Not much of a drinker, Lexie knew she was either tipsy or losing her mind. Sensing Detective Stevenson’s steady gaze, she turned to see he’d grabbed the check and was concentrating on her.
Lexie took another sip of wine and looked him right in the eye. “What?”
His brow wrinkled with concern. “Are you all right?”
“Good Lord.” Lexie rolled her eyes. “The man tells me I’m being framed for murder and asks if I’m all right.” She glared at Stevenson, feeling the effects of the wine on her tongue. “Of course I’m not all right. I’m scared stupid. What am I supposed to do now?”
“Don’t panic. Stay calm.”
“Easy for you to say,” Lexie returned curtly.
“Watch your every move. Be careful. Keep your doors and windows locked, make sure no one follows you when you’re driving.”
“You’re thinking of the person who hit me at the stoplight the night I left Whitehead’s house?”
He nodded. “Possibly the murderer.”
Lexie hiccoughed, then giggled, then felt helplessness wash over her. “Be careful. Sure, I’ll be careful.” The waiter appeared to clear away the table and just as quickly disappeared.
“Are you certain you don’t know who was driving the car that hit you?” Gabe asked.
“No. Not a clue.”
Lexie was really feeling loopy now. Heavens to Betsy, she was a cheap drunk. That’s what happened when you didn’t drink very often. One or two drinks, and poof! You’re seeing pink elephants.
“See, at the time I was still upset about White-head groping me, so when this goober pulls up from behind and hits me, I wasn’t thinking too straight. It was getting dark and I couldn’t see who was inside the vehicle, and I sure as heck didn’t get a license plate number.”
Lexie sighed and templed her hands on the table. “Which reminds me, I still haven’t had a chance to get that dent pulled out of my bumper.”
“Good.”
Lexie looked curiously at Deputy Dog. “Excuse me?”
“I’ll take a look at it before I leave tonight. Could be some paint was left by the other car. I can scrape it off some and possibly trace the make and model.”
“Be my guest. Scrape away.” Lexie stood. “Since you’re not going to arrest me, may I be excused from the table now?”
Gabe pushed his chair back and stood. “He reached into his tweed blazer and handed her a business card, one dark brow raised. “Call me if you think of anything that might be pertinent to the case. Or even just to talk.”
“Sure.” Lexie sensed he might have another interest in her besides the case. But she wasn’t really in her right mind with the wine coursing through her blood, so she might be imagining things. Best not to assume anything.
“Are you sure you’re all right? I could drive you home.”
Lexie hiccoughed again. “Oh, I’m peachy, detective. Just peachy. And by the way, thanks for dinner.”
No more alcohol for me, Lexie told herself firmly as she watched Deputy Dog saunter to the front desk to pay the bill, then exit the restaurant.
She sighed and walked over to the bar to sit and wait for Lucy on one of the padded stools. “Ice water, please,” she asked the bartender, looking forward to a drink that would clear the wine from her senses.
It was important she get her wits about her. She had work to do.
The riot in Lexie’s head settled to a dull roar as she drank the ice water. She tapped a fake fingernail against the glass while the dizziness receded to a small corner of her brain. Minutes ticked by on the bar clock and Lexie turned to look around at a darkened room full of tables with small candlelit globe centerpieces. Picking through the sea of faces and bodies in a haze of smoke, Lexie still did not see Lucy anywhere. Maybe she’d chickened out. Figures.
Disappointed, she slumped over her water and stirred the ice cubes with the thin red straw. A few seconds later, she felt a touch on her shoulder.
Heart pounding, Lexie whirled around, then relaxed. “Geez, Luce, you scared me half to death.”
The Saucy Lucy Murders Page 7