Deadly Neighbors (A River Valley Mystery)

by Cynthia Hickey

  An entire candy aisle screamed my name. I almost shouted in glee when I realized the store had started carrying one pound bags of dark chocolate M&Ms. I clutched my prize to my chest and moved to the soda fountain. Thrusting the largest cup the place carried under the carbonated stream, I waited for cup to fill.

  A rush of hot air hit my back as another patron entered. The red head screamed.

  My hand froze. Chilly soda ran over my hand and onto the floor. I whirled to face the cashier. My feet slipped on the wet floor, and I grabbed a magazine rack to steady myself.

  A person dressed in black from head-to-toe, and wearing a Clinton mask, approached the counter. One gloved hand held a pistol. I couldn’t help but think how hot the person had to be in the heat of the day. Those masks weren’t made for comfort.

  I sat the overflowing cup on the counter and squatted behind a display of chips. What should I do? The obvious answer would be to call the police, but I’d left my phone in the car. I slid my hand in my purse and wrapped my fingers around the Tazer. Could I get close enough to use it?

  My heart pounded with the strength of a heavy metal band. Sweat broke out on my forehead and upper lip. God, please don’t let the person shoot anyone.

  I peeked around the corner of the rack. Baggy clothes, thick jacket, and the fact they had yet to utter a word, didn’t give me a clue as to the burglar’s gender. Auburn hair girl continued to shriek until the person in black pointed the gun in her direction then held a finger to their vinyl lips. The girl shuddered and dropped to the floor. Better for all of us in my opinion.

  The burglar made a movement for the cashier to open the register then turned to face the rest of the store. I shrank back against the wall and swallowed the acid taste of fear. I scooted. The metal shelf grabbed my uplifted hair in its cold fingers. Footsteps scuffed closer. Held prisoner, I shoved my purse behind a bag of pork rinds and closed my eyes only to open them when the president impersonator tapped me on the head with the weapon. The genderless specter motioned for me to move to the front of the store. Most robbers are men, right? I chose to believe so.

  “I can’t. I’m stuck.” Adrenaline rushed through me, speeding my breathing.

  The bad guy shook his head and pulled a knife from his pocket. Oh, God, I don’t want to die in a convenience store! Please make it quick. I tugged harder to release my hair and wilted when the thief cut me loose. I lifted a hand. Did he have to cut the entire pony tail off? It took me years to grow it this long. Tears welled in my eyes. Stop it, Marsha. Now is not the time to cry about your crowning glory. I sniffed. Duane loved my hair, but considering my recent habit of getting it tangled, maybe this was for the best. Clinton motioned again toward the counter.

  Sure thing. No argument here. I scrambled on my hands and knees until I sat with my back against the counter. I laid my chin on my overall clad knees.

  Where were all the customers? By now there ought to be at least five dozen people traipsing through the door. Okay, maybe one or two, but I’d take anyone. I glanced out the window and pressed my candy closer. Everyone had disappeared like an old episode of a Twilight Zone movie. “Is that gun even loaded? Why won’t you say something?”

  The gun whipped in my direction and pointed at my foot. No words needed.

  “Okay, don’t try it out on me.” Good Lord, save me from my mouth. “You must be pretty desperate to rob The Corner Store. It isn’t like it’s a booming business. Have you tried the bank? They actually keep money there.” Maybe if I kept talking, I could distract the person. “Are you the one whose been stealing from the residents of this town? Because they’re blaming my daughter, and if it’s you, you should say something and clear her name.” My chest started to hurt from all the pounding.

  “Here’s all the cash.” The cashier’s voice squeaked as he tossed a bag on the counter. “It isn’t much. We’ve had a slow day, and I don’t have the combination to the safe.”

  The robber grabbed the money, rifled through the passed-out debutante’s purse, grabbed her wallet, then dashed out the door.

  “Call the police!” I dashed to my feet and sprinted after the black dressed he/she. The robber disappeared around the corner as a van full of kids roared into the parking lot. Perfect timing. Now we get company.

  I turned and went to refill my soda. By the time Bruce arrived with an officer I didn’t know, I sat on the curb slurping an ice cold drink and had eaten a fourth of the way through my bag of candy.

  The store clerk stood in the doorway. “Lady, you talk a lot. Blabbering like that could’ve gotten one of us killed.”

  I shrugged. Thank you very much young man with the puberty sounding voice. When scared, I tended to ramble through no fault of my own.

  “I should’ve known you’d be involved.” Bruce glanced my way as he pushed into the store.

  I held up my soda. Couldn’t a person buy a coke in this town without being accused of a crime? To top things off, the adrenaline disappeared, leaving me with shaking limbs and an overwhelming urge to start bawling at the top of my lungs.

  By the time the media showed up, my blood pressure had returned to normal. I held a hand over my face and dashed to my car when they wanted a statement. The hounds turned their attentions to the two police officers. Could I be arrested if I went home before Bruce talked to me? He held up a finger for me to wait. Wonderful.

  I called Duane. “You’ll never guess what happened to me.”

  “You won the lottery.”

  “No. The Corner Store was held up while I was inside. If I would’ve had my gun, I could’ve held up the person holding up the store. I’d have been a hero.”

  “Tell me you’re joking.”

  “Nope, I’m completely serious.” I tossed another handful of candy into my mouth. “They pointed a gun at me and everything. Plus, they cut off my hair. Better that then my head, right?”

  “Are you all right? Because you’re running off at the mouth like a tsunami.”

  “I’m fine. Peachy. Right as rain.” Tears slid down my cheeks. My hands trembled. It took me two tries to get my straw in my mouth. “No, I was terrified. I thought I was going to die and would miss out on more of your kisses.” A sob escaped me. “That would be horrible, wouldn’t it? I mean, you enjoy kissing me, right? Because I do love kissing you. It’s the best thing ever.”

  “Are you still at the store?”

  “Y . . .yes.”

  “I’ll be right there.” Click.

  Within five minutes, Duane’s motorcycle pulled up alongside my car. He leaped off and yanked on the door handle. “Unlock the door.”

  I pushed the button. “Let go of the handle.”

  “I’m not holding the handle.”

  “Well, I’m unlocking the door.”

  He stood back and held up his hands. “I’m not holding the handle.”

  “Oh.” I pushed again, and Duane slid inside. He turned to face me.

  “Woman, you’re going to be the death of me.”

  “You? I’m the one who faced a gun. All you have to worry about was getting tackled by a high school student. Or Gatorade dumped on your head.”

  Duane yanked me against his chest. “Your phone call scared me to death. I can’t let you out of my sight.”

  “Can I have a kiss?” My gaze focused on his chiseled lips.

  “For the rest of your life. Lord, may it be a long one.” He tilted my face and planted a kiss hot enough to melt my gym shoes.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  “What happened to your hair?” Mom glanced up from where she sat watching a movie. “When did you have time to get it cut? And whoever you hired needs to be fired.”

  “I didn’t go to have it cut.” I plunked my purse on the coffee table. “The Corner Store was held up. I got my hair stuck in a rack of chips, and when I couldn’t move when the burglar wanted me to, he cut me free.”

  Leroy laughed so hard, tears sprang to his eyes. “A robber with a conscience. I would’ve loved to have seen
that.”

  The big doofus! Maybe I wouldn’t let him marry my mom after all. “I don’t see anything funny about losing my hair. I probably look like a poodle!”

  Duane wrapped his arms around me from behind. “I like it. Makes her look sassy. Now her hair matches her personality.”

  Cleo bounded down the hall and planted her front feet on my chest. She stared into my eyes as if checking to see whether I was really me. She gave a huff, and apparently satisfied, padded to lie down by the window.

  “I’m going to the bathroom.” I wiggled free from Duane’s hold and shuffled down the hall. Once inside the guest restroom, I stared into the mirror. The new do, shorter in some places than others, made me look younger as the tighter curls framed my face and highlighted my eyes. A visit to the beauty parlor would fix the unevenness. I did like it, and since Duane agreed, almost everything was right with my world again.

  Cleo barked from the front room. The click of her nails against the wood floor as she dashed to the backdoor compelled me to follow. She scratched and whined until I let her out. I followed with Duane close on my heels.

  “Cleo, what is it, girl?” I sprinted after her as she made a beeline toward my new home. She growled and disappeared into the trees. I skidded to a halt. Running into the woods at night without a flashlight wasn’t wise; especially with my habit of getting into trouble. “Cleo, come!” She responded with a bark and stayed out of sight. As I turned to leave, a flash of white caught my eye.

  Tacked to the front door of the former guest house was a sheet of copy paper. I climbed the stairs and pulled it free from its tack.

  Stop trying to figure out what’s going on in River Valley. Cutting your hair was minor compared to what can happen. Look at Kyle Anderson.

  Ice water ran through my veins. I’d faced a murderer today; someone who was prepared to kill again. And they had their eye on me.

  Duane caught me as my knees buckled, and he lowered me to the top step before taking the warning from me. “We need to call Bruce. He’s going to be mad that we took the note off the door.”

  Was calling Bruce the answer to everything? Handling this on our own had merit. Seeing that man more than once a day was my equivalent of torture, but then, again, I’d been threatened. Something I most likely couldn’t handle alone.

  I nodded. At least the note might remove some of the suspicion off Lindsey. “Cleo went into the woods after whoever left this. I need to find her.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t. They have a gun and already admitted to one murder.”

  “I must be getting close to figuring this out if the person responsible has resorted to leaving notes.” If only I knew what the thief thought I did.

  “And now you’re finished.” Duane grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. “No more sleuthing for you.”

  “You promised to help me.”

  “That was before your life was threatened.”

  I couldn’t stop now. Not when I was so close. The thief thought I knew something and wouldn’t stop now unless my investigating halted permanently. Caution was the key here. I needed time to sit and process the last two weeks. Something lurked in the murky recesses of my mind. I just needed to dig it up.

  One look at Duane’s stern face told me I’d have to do so without his knowledge. The thought sent a stab of pain through my gut. Going against his wishes left a sour taste in my mouth. But, I needed to find this threat of a person before they confronted me. Or worse, I found myself with a hammer in the back of my head.

  Before we entered the house, Duane turned me to face him. His gaze bore into mine. “I know what you’re thinking, and I realize you’re going to do what you want to. But do my wishes count in this at all?”

  “Of course they do, but I’ve started something I have to finish.” I beseeched him with my eyes, pleading for him to understand. “That person could’ve killed me today, and chose not to. I don’t think they feel that threatened by me.” I hoped. Halting me under the pretense of armed robbery would’ve made murdering me easy. Deep down, I didn’t feel the person really wanted me dead. Just out of their business.

  Duane sighed and ran his hands through his hair. The strands stood up like the blond tail feathers of a chicken. He’d never looked cuter. “Okay. Please promise me you won’t go anywhere without someone knowing where you are at all times. Keep your phone and your Tazer with you. Always.”

  “That I can promise.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my cheek on his chest. His heart beat a steady rhythm. A reassuring thump thump that helped keep me cemented to Planet Earth.

  He returned my hug and squeezed. “As much as I’d like to stay this way, it’s time to make that phone call.”

  I frowned. “You’re right.”

  We walked to the main house. While Duane placed the call, I strolled to the living room and handed the note to my mother. She fished her reading glasses from the end table and perched them on her nose. Her eyes widened as she read. “Where did you get this?”

  “Tacked to the door of my house.” I plopped on the sofa next to her. “Duane is calling Bruce.”

  “That little man might as well move in here.” She tossed the note toward the coffee table. It missed and fluttered to the floral area rug like a wounded moth. “This has got to end. We should put a notice in the paper or something. Flush this character out.”

  “Setting a trap might not be a bad idea.” I crossed my ankles on the table. “They’re very interested in me. All I’d have to do was stand in the middle of the road with a ‘come and get me’ sign around my neck.”

  “It’s a horrible idea.” Duane squeezed in between Mom and me. “You aren’t the police. Leave it alone.”

  “Party pooper.”

  “Nope. Just trying to keep the woman I love alive.”

  “I’m thinking the women might be onto something, Duane.” Leroy’s feet clunked the floor. “Except, I’ll be the bait. I’ll spread it around town that I’ve made a withdrawal for repairs around the house. I’m an old man. Folks won’t think anything odd about it. Look at Melvin. He kept his money in a shoebox.”

  “I don’t want you in harm’s way.” Mom leaned forward and patted his arm. “And fifty-five isn’t old.”

  “But it’s okay for a couple of women?”

  “Don’t get your dander up, Leroy. Watch your blood pressure.”

  “It’s a bad idea all around.” Duane laid his arm around my shoulder. “Let the police handle it.”

  “Are you afraid, son?” Leroy peered at Duane over the rim of his glasses.

  “Not for me.” Duane returned the stare. “If y’all want to set a trap, I’ll set it.” You could almost smell the testosterone.

  “Good grief. You two roosters stop prancing around the living room before someone gets clawed. We won’t set up a sting.” No matter how much fun it sounded. I rose. “We’ll keep going along with our little lives and let Lindsey keep getting blamed for anything that goes wrong in this town.” With a tilt of my chin, I stormed into the kitchen.

  Life had dealt me bad hands before. This was mild, comparatively. So, what had my bloomers in a wad? I planted my hands flat on the kitchen counter and stared into the deepening dusk toward my cozy little house. Where was Cleo? Please, Lord, don’t let her be hurt.

  “Marsha? Bruce is here.” Mom’s voice rang from the front room, disrupting my thoughts. “Make some coffee.”

  I shook my head and reached to fill the pot. One of my friends, or close acquaintances, was a thief and murderer. The realization churned the acid in my stomach. Someone in a peaceful, country town had committed the unthinkable.

  Sure, we’ve had our share of deaths. Hunting accidents or drownings, mostly. And that one husband who killed his wife in a jealous rage. But that was years ago. Evil didn’t have a handhold here. A few trains had run over cars until they installed the new guard over the tracks. We had the occasional drunken driver. All in all, life drifted along in peaceful tranquility. What could make som
eone kill in order to steal? What could they want so badly? I couldn’t imagine resorting to murder for money or for anything, actually.

  There were other ways of getting what you want. If you need cash, get a job. If you insist on taking something that isn’t yours, you don’t have to take a life in order to get it.

  I measured out the coffee grounds and started the java brewing. As soon as the aroma wafted from the pot, the others drifted into the kitchen. To my relief, Cleo scratched at the door. I let her in, taking a moment to scratch under her chin. “Did you catch that nasty person? No? Well, better luck next time, you ferocious beast. Don’t take off like that again. You had me worried.”

  Bruce was the first to drop his skinny body into a chair. He shook his head at me. “A record in this town, Marsha. Twice in one day. Remarkable. You would probably qualify for the Guinness Book of World Records. I’ll send a photographer over tomorrow to take your picture.”

  “Ha ha.” I handed everyone a mug.

  “Duane gave me the note.” Bruce leaned back on the chair’s hind legs and folded his arms. “Leave it where you find it next time. Now your finger prints are all over it. I don’t think anyone is playing games here.”

  “Really? I thought after Kyle’s death and all the robberies, that we were having a party.” How did the man ever get a badge? “You really think it’ll happen again?”

  “Your store was robbed twice.” Bruce held up two fingers. “Then we have Sharon’s necklace, Melvin’s money, Harvey’s wallet, those Chihuahua pups, and the women ministry’s money.” He put down his fingers to accept the cup of coffee then banged all four chair legs back to the floor. “Now, the convenience store. I have to admit, I don’t think your daughter is guilty of these crimes. Not anymore.”

  “Well, thank you very much.”

  Duane gave me a ‘cut-it-out’ look.

  I pulled up the only vacant chair. “Half of the crimes took place with the victim not recalling what happened during the time the stealing took place. How is that possible?”