Read Between the Tines

by Susan Sleeman

  I told her about the morning and mentioned this was likely no accident and we needed to keep it quiet per Mitch's request.

  "Another murder? What's going on around here?"

  I shook my head. "Price we pay for living in a growing town, I guess."

  "It's all that pickle factory's fault. If it'd never opened we wouldn't have so many new people moving in."

  I picked up my mug. "I wouldn't go that far. The place keeps the local kids from moving away to find jobs after they graduate."

  "Just like you to look at the positives. I'd rather complain." She smiled, pulling the pleated skin above her lips taut. "So, is Daisy coming in this afternoon?"

  "I don't think we should count on it. I haven't heard anything from Adam so I'm assuming Mitch is still detaining her. We should call Teri. I need to go back to the Buzzys' house to move the Bobcat or I'd stay." I explained Karen's peculiar behavior regarding the patio.

  "Can't imagine what's going through her mind right now. As much as I fuss at Zeke, I don't know what I'd do if I lost him." Hazel rolled her right shoulder as she often did to stretch a tendon damaged in an old accident. "Do they have any idea who might have killed him?"

  I sipped the coffee and reveled in the nutty taste. "Mitch is trying to blame it on Daisy since she found Gary, but she didn't even know him."

  "Didn't know him, hah! Guess she forgot to mention Friday afternoon." Hazel's outburst spooked Mr. T.

  Dazed, he took a few faltering steps and squawked, "Is that your final answer?"

  I ignored him, as we often had to do if we wanted to continue a conversation. "What about Friday afternoon?"

  "You were out giving the Simpsons an estimate when Gary came by. I'd assigned Daisy to deliver his plants by three. Well, you know Daisy. She works on Daisy time not by a clock." Hazel rolled her eyes, and I felt her pain. "When Gary got home from work and didn't find his order, he stormed in here asking for you. I told him where you were, and promised his delivery would happen in the next hour. Daisy overheard and came over to apologize. He lit into her something fierce. Really let her have it, he did. She even started crying."

  I took a long drag of the cooling coffee and swallowed while processing this news. Daisy had lied, and Gary had given her a reason to want to at the very least strike back at him. Maybe Hazel was exaggerating as she sometimes did to prove a point. "That doesn't sound like Gary. Maybe he had a bad day at work."

  "Surprised me. I remembered how you said he became a Christian a few months back. He wasn't acting like one if you ask me." Her tone was ripe with judgment.

  Her fierce reaction was nothing new. We'd talked about my faith many times in the past. She sided with Daisy and thought anything to do with God was a lot of hogwash and a waste of time. "Christians can lose their cool, too, Hazel. I'm sure, when he had a chance to think about it, he was sorry for the way he treated her."

  Hazel's eyes turned sheepish. "He did call at the end of the day to issue a formal apology, but Daisy went straight home after delivering the plants."

  "So she didn't know about his apology?"

  "I don't know if Gary said anything when she dropped off his order, but I planned to tell her when she came in this afternoon."

  I glanced at my watch. 1:40. "Doesn't look like she'll be here. How about you call Teri while I hitch up the trailer?" Needing time to think about Daisy's deception, I didn't wait for an answer but started for the back door. "Let me know if she can't come in."

  On the way out, I grabbed a pair of leather gloves to fit the trailer's hitch onto the ball without bruising my fingers. I struggled under the weight of the trailer, but I didn't mind doing this work for Karen. Even though it was physically demanding, and even if she changed her mind and wanted me to continue the project, it was worth it to give her some peace right now.

  Hot with strained muscles, I climbed into the truck and cranked up the air conditioning. I swiped a hand across by forehead and adjusted the vents to blow semi-cool air over my face. My cell rang in Adam's tone.

  "What's happening?" I asked, forgoing a greeting and fanning my face.

  "Lawson just released Daisy. Where are you?"

  I told him about my encounter with Karen. "I'm on my way back to pick up the Bobcat now."

  "Can you meet with Daisy and me in your office after you finish?" His voice lowered. "I could use your help with her. She'd kind of freaking out and not making a lot of sense."

  Eager to ask Daisy why she lied about knowing Gary, I agreed and slipped my phone into my belt clip. As I'd talked, the air had turned cold and left a chill on my face. I pushed the fan lever to a lower setting and set off for Karen's house. Maybe I should have let the air run, preparing me for the chill that would surely invade the room once I confronted Daisy. I could only hope she hadn't sealed her fate with Mitch by lying to him.

  Chapter Five

  Bobcat on the trailer and ready for transport, I stretched my back. As I'd physically worked to load the huge piece of equipment, my brain worked over Daisy's lie. Whenever I tried to reason out Daisy's thinking, I had to take into account her childlike way of thinking. It was possible she didn't lie, didn't connect the dead body with the man who'd yelled at her just three days ago. Possible, but likely? I aimed to find out, but first, a quick check on Lisa and Karen who had moved inside while I was gone.

  Pressing my finger on the doorbell, I listened and heard footfalls approach.

  Lisa pulled open the door. "Paige, good. I was just coming to get you."

  "Is Karen any better?"

  Lisa shook her head. "She's in denial. I know it takes time, but she's jabbering on about mundane things. When Pastor Stephens got here, I thought he might help. She did seem to start grieving for a while but then she clammed up and stared out the window. She saw you out here and sent me to get you. She wants to talk to you again."

  "About the project?"

  "I don't know. She suddenly went quiet then lost it and asked for you."

  I squeezed Lisa's shoulder. "Well, let's find out what she wants."

  Together we entered the living room decorated in muted variations of beige and boasting contemporary furniture. Karen spotted me and leapt from her boxy sofa. Her eyes were alight with excitement. "Paige! You are the only one who can help me." She latched onto my arm and dragged me toward the sofa.

  On the way across the room, I gave Pastor Stephens a quick nod and offered a quizzical gaze. Dressed in formal clerical attire, he leaned against the wall. A monster of a frown overtook his chin, making me think he was equating me to the very devil himself. Not a good comparison from your pastor or anyone else for that matter.

  Karen tugged on my arm, and we sank onto the firm cushions at the same time. "You have to figure out who killed Gary."

  I glanced at Lisa whose face was as skeptical as my thoughts. "Karen, I don't know if—"

  She tightened her hand. "Before you say no, I want you to think about it. Who better than you to solve this? You figured out who killed Bud, you can surely do the same thing for me."

  I looked at Lisa again and saw the warning in her eyes. She was right. I shouldn't even consider trying to solve Gary's murder. True, I'd eventually figured out who killed Bud, but it wasn't easy nor was it safe. The killer had almost done me in. Mitch had been one step behind me, so he would have eventually made an arrest. Mitch. The big meany. Did I want Karen to have to deal with him and his heavy-handed tactics or should I intervene?

  "Please, oh, please, Paige. I'm begging you." Karen leaned forward. "You should have time to do it since you're not working on our yard."

  She had a point. A weak one, but a point nonetheless. I looked into her eyes filled with grief, but a glint of desire to know how her husband died shone through. I couldn't help her with the grief, but I could help her find out who killed Gary. Besides, what would it hurt if I asked just a few little questions? "Okay, Karen. I'll do it."

  "Yes!" She shot a fist into the air, a simple movement seeming to exhaust her and s
he slumped back on the sofa.

  Pastor Stephens joined Lisa and the pair glowered at me like a set of gargoyles perched on ancient buildings. I ignored them and focused on Karen. "I'll have to ask you some questions. When would you like to begin?"

  "Now. Yes, right now." She swiveled to the side. "Lisa, go get a notepad and pen from the desk in the study. Pastor Stephens, you might want to sit down. This could take some time." She turned back to me. "Okay, ask away."

  I felt stabs of guilt at allowing Karen to ignore her grief, but quickly warmed to the idea of tracking down a killer again. After all, Karen couldn't really put Gary to rest without knowing who killed him.

  Let's see. I tapped my finger on my chin. Who might have killed him and what did I need to ask?

  Lisa returned with a yellow legal pad, a pen, and a scowl.

  I took the pad and pen but ignored the scowl. "I guess the first thing I need to know is when you last saw Gary."

  A shot of pain flashed over Karen's face before she schooled it. "This morning. At 5:30. He went to work early so he could come home and destroy the patio." She gave a weak grin. "He was so looking forward to it."

  "Do you know if he made it to work or if anyone there saw him leave?"

  "I don't know." Her fingers curled into a fist, turning white from the tension. "I don't know, Paige. I didn't think of that. Why was he at the ball field instead of work? I mean, where is his car? We have to find his car." She grabbed my hand.

  "My first point to clear up." I extricated myself from her grip and made a few notes on the pad. "Do you know Gary's usual route to work?"

  She rattled off directions, and I wrote as fast as I could. "Did you tell the police about this?"

  Her hands twisted together. "I don't remember what we talked about. It was such a shock."

  "Okay, well, I'll drive the route later and see what I can find. What kind of car did he have, and do you know the plate number?"

  "A Ford Explorer. Black." She turned to Lisa. "In the desk, bottom drawer is our car registration info. The number will be on the form. Will you get it?"

  Before leaving the room, Lisa gave me a look much like the head of a dart might have the moment it narrowed in on the target. Maybe she had a point other than to skewer me. Maybe I should make this short. Just a few more questions. "Is there anyone you can think of who might want to hurt Gary?"

  "No, no, of course not." She shook her head so hard, her heavy hoop earrings slapped against her skin. "Everyone liked him. At least I think they did. I don't know much about the people he worked with. Could be one of them, I suppose. As a personnel manager, he had to let people go from time to time. Maybe someone went postal. But they wouldn't chase him down in the woods. They'd do it at work, wouldn't they?"

  "Is there someone at the factory who might be willing to talk to me about Gary?"

  "I'm not sure. Gary liked to keep work separate from home. He was friends with Nathan Jacobs. He's the accounting manager there. He's also the guy who helped with the patio. Nathan used to come over quite a bit, but when Gary became a Christian, Nathan quit coming around."

  I scribbled Nathan Jacobs on the paper. "I'll see if he'll talk to me or find someone at the factory who might. How about before you moved here? Anyone you can think of who might have wanted to hurt Gary?"

  She tapped a fingernail against her teeth. While she thought, Lisa returned with a folder and shoved it at me. She made a slash across her throat, which even if it wasn't our radio sign for wrap things up, I would know what she meant. She wanted me to leave Karen alone, and let her move forward in her loss. I noted the license info then laid a hand on Karen's jeaned knee.

  "Karen," I said gently. "I think this is enough to get started. Why don't I go now, and we can talk in a day or two when I've learned something?"

  "Oh, yes, good. Good. Get started. That's what I need you to do." Her eyes burned with excitement, but her tone held apprehension.

  "I'll get back to you." I gave her knee a quick pat, and before she changed her mind, I made my way to the door.

  Lisa's flip-flops snapped in a rapid beat as her short legs worked to keep up with me. The moment I stepped onto the porch, she snagged my elbow then gave my flesh a twist.

  "Ouch," I whined.

  "What are you doing?" she whispered and pulled the door closed. "It was bad enough when you thought you could figure out who killed Bud on your own. You were afraid Mitch would send you to jail. But this! This is just foolish."

  "Come on, Lisa. What can it hurt if I ask around a bit?"

  "Did you forget that asking around last time nearly led to your death?"

  "This is different. The murder has nothing to do with me. I'll be fine."

  "You're being naive."

  "Maybe so, but I have to do this. I don't have the skills to help Karen with her grief like you do. I feel like I'm doing something to comfort her by looking into the murder."

  "And what will you tell Adam? He'll go ballistic if you do this."

  "He'll understand once I explain how important this is to Karen." Knowing I couldn't win the argument, I slowly eased backward and made my way down the steps. "Let me know if Karen needs anything else. I'll be at the shop. Daisy and Adam are coming by."

  "You better tell him what you're up to when you see him." Her warning tone gave me a moment of unease, but I shook it off and rushed to my truck.

  I hurried to the shop and backed the trailer into a narrow space in the alley. Inside the shop, I heard muffled voices belonging to Daisy and Adam coming from my office. Daisy's voice sounded shrill and Adam's comforting as he usually sounded, warming my heart.

  When I spotted them, their positions confirmed my assessment. Daisy, sans Briny suit, sat crying in a worn side chair, her arms clasped around her concave waist. Adam, brown eyes narrowed, patted her shoulder with the reserve one might use in patting a cactus. "No reason to cry, Daisy. Everything will be fine. I'm here to make sure to help you and Paige is on the way."

  I didn't like how he looked at her or how his warm tone brought out a tentative smile on her face. Surprised at my response, I halted in the doorway. Daisy was married, and Adam was committed to me, but I still felt a sting of misgiving over the scene. I'd never been in a relationship long enough to feel jealous. My reservations were unfounded, but still, I didn't like it.

  Adam sat back and caught sight of me. His very kissable lips tipped in a full-blown smile that I knew was only for me. The movement sent a cute little scar by his bottom lip moving and sent my unease to Never Never Land.

  I entered the room and focused on Daisy. "How're you doing, Daisy?"

  She looked up. "Paige, thank goodness you're here. I just don't know what I'm gonna do. Earl's on his way to pick me up, and he'll let me have it for sure. Will you talk to him?"

  My policy on interfering between a husband and wife could be summed up in one word. Don't. "You better take care of this all by yourself."

  "But Paige—"

  "No buts," I said with a firm tone and held my ground even when her lower lip quivered. Earl didn't like the amount of time Daisy spent gardening, and he blamed me and my radio show for getting her started in the gardening hobby. Even if I were inclined to meddle, I certainly wouldn't have a good influence on him. "So did Mitch have many more questions?"

  Adam shook his head. "He rehashed the same ones while trying to get Daisy to admit she knew Gary and had a motive for killing him."

  Wanting Daisy to fess up about her encounter with Gary, I stared into her large eyes. "And what did you tell him?"

  She looked away. "I said I didn't know the man."

  "Then how do you explain your argument with Gary on Friday?" I perched on the corner of my cluttered desk, crossed my arms, and waited for her reaction.

  "What?" Adam lurched forward, pulling my eyes from the now squirming Daisy. "You're acting as cryptic as Lawson."

  "Why don't we let Daisy clear up the confusion?" I turned back to Daisy. "If it helps, Hazel has already told me
about Friday afternoon. Maybe you want to tell your side of it."

  "Fine." She sat back and crossed her bare arms in a pose that mimicked mine. "Gary came in the shop and yelled at me for not delivering his plants on time. He was so mean he made me cry. I didn't yell back because I knew you wouldn't want me to, but I wanted to tell him off so bad. Hazel tried to make him calm down. I just wanted to hit him."

  I leaned forward, offering a sincere smile. "And when you delivered his plants, did you argue more?"

  She slowly nodded. "Kinda. He tried to start things up again, but his wife stopped him. She told him Christians don't treat others that way."

  "And he stopped?" I asked.

  "Not at first. He hollered at her and said he was new at the Christian bit, to give him a break. Then his wife got really quiet and said new Christian or not he had to try to do the right thing. He kept looking at me, real funny like, but then he went and sat in a chair. So I unloaded the plants." Daisy stopped, sucked in a breath and looked at the ceiling.

  "And that was it?" Adam asked, his face creased in frustration.

  She looked down. "Almost. He apologized before I left. It was kinda weird to watch him go so fast from being such a jerk to really nice. He said it was 'cause he prayed, but I don't buy it." She picked at a spot on her jeans.

  "I'm glad you told the truth," I said, feeling as if I were scolding a child. "But I'm not happy you lied to Mitch."

  "I thought he'd arrest me if he heard about the fight. I didn't do nothing wrong, and I won't go to jail just 'cause Gary Buzzy went off on me." Her lips puckered into a pout.

  Adam held a hand between us and stared at Daisy. "This isn't good, Daisy. Not good at all. If you'd come right out with it, Lawson would probably have let it go. Now, he's going to focus on the disagreement and try to blow it into something it's not."

  She jumped to her feet, her eyes wildly flitting around like a caged animal looking for escape. "So now what do I do?"

  "Might be better if Mitch heard about this directly from Daisy," I said.