He had to get this goatee off before that girl identified him. He stared into the smudged mirror and used fingernail clippers to cut the whiskers as close to the skin as possible. It was a pitiful way to go about this, but he didn’t have any scissors, and to get a razor he would have to go home.
He couldn’t believe how stupid he was. All to cover a lie to his wife.
He’d had a whole year to break the news to her about their money. And it would have been smart. At a time when they had no access to their bank accounts anyway, he could have told her the truth: that he’d lost the money at the blackjack tables, and they didn’t have a penny to their name. Before the Pulses, the bank had been planning to foreclose on their house. The Pulses had bought him some time, so he’d never broken the news to her.
If only he’d come clean, he could have made her see that they’d been given a second chance — that despite his weakness, they were no worse off than anyone around them. But no, he had kept it to himself. And now he had to make it right. He was not a killer. He was a man who solved problems. He had never set out to kill two people. Now he would have to kill three.
How had this happened? He would rather have an angry wife than a murder rap hanging over his head. It had all seemed so simple when he’d planned it. He hadn’t expected anyone to be around, especially with the rain.
But the plan had gone awry, and now he faced the real possibility that he might be caught. He could never survive in prison. Never.
He left a little pile of hair clippings in the sink, then went back over what he’d cut, trying to get it even closer. It wasn’t a close shave, but he could drag a razor over it when he got home.
He ran his hand over his chin and shook his head. He wasn’t fooling anyone. His face was tanned dark — except for the area that had been covered by the goatee, which was now pasty white. He kicked the ceramic tile on the wall. He’d just become the poster boy for the term stupid. Why hadn’t he just told the truth? Losing money to a gambling debt was much more tolerable than killing two men.
It was getting more and more tangled, more and more out of hand. He was losing control. But what was he supposed to do now?
One crime led to another. If he could just find the girl, shut her up, it would be the last crime he would ever commit.
He wasn’t a criminal. He wasn’t a killer. He told himself that over and over, trying to believe it.
EIGHT
AS CONSERVATIVE AS KAY TYPICALLY WAS WHEN RATIONING their food supplies, she decided to sacrifice two chickens for dinner that night, since they now had the money to replace them. As always when they killed one of the rabbits or chickens from their flock, they did it across the street, in their deceased neighbor’s yard, so Beth wouldn’t see. She treated the animals like her pets and had a hard time handling the fact that they were raised for food.
Kay and Deni cooked some beans and potatoes, and they sat down to a feast. Before they ate, they each thanked God for providing for them through the outage, for ending the Pulses, and for allowing them to get the cash out of the bank.
Doug’s voice wobbled in gratitude as he ended the prayer. “Lord, you’ve shown us that everything we have is from you, and we’re in control of none of it. That’s been a good lesson to learn, and we thank you for it. Thank you for how much closer you’ve brought us through this season. Thank you for the time we’ve had to spend together. Now, please help us as we decide how to spend this money. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”
The family echoed “Amen,” and began to dig in.
For a moment, conversation ebbed as everyone ate. But Kay noticed that Beth only picked at her food. She constantly looked out the back window, her eyes scanning the street between the houses behind them.
“Beth? Don’t you want to eat?”
“I am,” she said, and took a bite.
“What are you watching for out the window?” Kay asked.
“Nothing.”
“She’s waiting for Jimmy Scarbrough,” Logan said, putting his hands over his heart. “She can’t stand to be away from him.”
“No, I’m not,” Beth snapped. “Shut up, why don’t you?”
“Did you two have a fight?” Deni asked.
“No. We’re just friends, anyway.” She looked back at her little brother. “Get a life.”
“Come on,” Doug said. “No bickering. We’re celebrating. Now let’s talk about how we’re going to spend this money.”
“Dad,” Jeff cut in, “there’s this dude who lives over by the post office who has this killer guitar he wants to sell, and my birthday’s coming up, so I thought — ”
“Jeff, we can’t spend it on a guitar,” Doug said. “We have to be smart with it.”
“But we’ve been smart with all of the FEMA disbursements,” Jeff said. “You never let us spend any of that on what we wanted.”
“We spent it on things that would help us make more money,” Doug said. “Like the flour and yeast for the bread we sold. The chickens that produced eggs. The rabbits that multiplied and gave us food.”
Kay poured him some water. “And the knife sharpener that we bought for you, Jeff, so you could sharpen razors. That made us a little extra money. Your dad’s idea made you an entrepreneur.”
“But even when I made money, you didn’t let me spend any of it on things I wanted. Now we can get nine hundred dollars a month. We’re practically rolling in dough.”
“We’re not rolling in dough.” Doug shot Kay a weary look. “We have to keep working as a family to survive. So no guitars. What will help the whole family?”
“A car.” Kay set her fork down and folded her hands. “I want a car.”
“Yeah!” Logan cried.
“Can we get a car for nine hundred dollars?” Deni asked.
“We might if there were any available,” Doug said. “But there aren’t. And no gas to put in them.”
Kay wouldn’t give up. “I figure they’ll allow people to get car loans again soon, so with a small down payment we could afford it. And prices are so low now that we could probably get one really cheap. Relatively speaking.”
“Actually,” Doug said, “I think it’ll be just the opposite. They’ll be so expensive that only millionaires can afford them. No, it’ll be a long time before that’ll be a possibility, guys. I’ll keep looking on converting the Expedition. That’ll happen before we can buy a new one.”
Deni shook her head. “I bet you’re wrong, Dad. The government has to figure out a way to get cars back on the road. If they want to help the economy recover, they have to give us transportation.”
“They’ll come up with a bus system before they’ll have enough cars for the public to buy.”
“Dad, you’re so negative,” Jeff moaned. “This is supposed to be fun.”
Doug grunted. “I’m just trying to be realistic. I’m a stockbroker. I know how the economy works. We have nine hundred dollars. This is not a bad thing. But let’s think of things that we can afford to get right now.”
“A refrigerator would be nice,” Kay said.
“Yes, and that might be possible when the power comes back on. I could be wrong, but I don’t think our refrigerator has solid-state parts, so maybe it’ll still work.”
“Really?”
“And if not, I’m sure those will be popping up for sale. They won’t be that hard for manufacturers to make. So what else?”
“Coffee?” Kay asked. “I want a crate of instant coffee.”
“Sugar!” Logan cried.
Doug smiled. “We’ll see.”
“Hair dye?” Deni asked, smirking.
“Yes!” Kay almost shouted. “Hair dye. Doug, please. If it’s available, you’ve got to let me get it. I’m so sick of this gray.”
Doug chuckled. “Kay, you don’t have that much gray. And if you ask me, wherever we go, you’re the best looking dame in the joint. Isn’t she, guys?”
Jeff rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Mom, you’re a real Miss America.”
&
nbsp; Kay punched him. “Thanks a lot.”
“I’m not kidding,” Doug said. “Your mom has come through this looking great.”
“He’s right, Mom,” Logan said. “There are some real hags around here. Most of the ladies have white stripes on the tops of their heads where their roots have grown out, and without makeup, they’d scare small animals. Gag me. I hope they spend their money on hair dye and makeup.”
Jeff laughed, almost choking on his food.
“And you, Deni,” Logan added. “It wouldn’t hurt to start fixing yourself up a little more. Then maybe Mark would finally ask you to marry him.”
Deni threw her napkin at Logan. Everyone laughed.
Everyone except Beth, who appeared to have checked out of the conversation. Her eyes were still on the window.
NINE
SATURDAY MORNING, MARK GREEN WAITED FOR DENI TO leave home before showing up at her house. He’d checked the work schedule at the sheriff’s department to make sure Doug wasn’t working today. If he’d timed his visit right, Doug and Kay would both be home.
Beth came to the door with her brother’s rifle. “Hey, Sparky,” he said, shaking off the rain and stepping inside. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.” As she closed the door, she glanced through the etched glass.
“Have you been able to work up any enthusiasm about the Pulses ending?”
She finally looked him in the eye. “Are you making fun of me?”
His smiled faded. “No, I was just teasing you. You’re not going to shoot me with that thing, are you?”
“Not unless you give me reason to.”
There. A hint of her sense of humor. Or was it? There was no twinkle in her eye, none of the usual shyness or admiration, none of the spirit that made Beth who she was. He decided to leave her alone. “Hey, are your folks home?”
“Yeah, they’re here. Mom!” she called out. “Mark’s here.”
Kay came out of the kitchen. “Come in, Mark. Deni just left.”
Mark went into the kitchen and looked through the window. Logan and Jeff were out back feeding the chickens in the rain. “I didn’t come for Deni. Actually, I was hoping to talk to the two of you alone.”
Doug, who sat at the kitchen table with his Bible open, looked at Kay and winked. Slowly, he closed his Bible. “All right, then. Why don’t we go into the study?”
Mark’s heart rate sped up as he followed them in. They suspected why he was here. He could tell by the hint of smiles on their lips, the way they avoided his eyes, the way they hurried into the study without asking why.
Doug took the chair behind his desk, and Kay sat in one of the Chippendale chairs. He took the other one. He’d sat in here a few months ago, when he’d talked his way through the mystery surrounding the break-in at his house. He’d grown close to Doug that night. He remembered their conversation the next day as they’d searched for his brothers. Doug had told him that he would like it if Mark and Deni got married. “I might as well just lay this out on the table, Mark. You’re the kind of man I want for my daughter. A man I would consider it an honor to call my son.”
It hadn’t been the right time then, not when Mark was struggling to clear his own name. He hoped Doug still felt that way. And he wasn’t sure how Kay felt.
“So what’s this about?” Doug asked, breaking the ice. “Did you come to talk to me about investments?” He clearly knew that wasn’t it.
Mark glanced at Kay. Her eyes were round with anticipation. “In a way. I’ve kind of been thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my life.”
“And?”
He wasn’t ready to jump into the question just yet, so he cleared his throat and took the roundabout route. “I was thinking about using some of my money to get into the solar energy business.”
Doug’s eyebrows came up. “That’s a great fit for you. You’ve already helped so many people with your solar ideas. And after things are back to normal, most people will want to ensure that they never find themselves without electricity again.” He grinned at Kay. “This kid’s got some sense.”
Mark smiled. “Want to partner with me?”
Doug scooted to the edge of his seat now, his expression growing serious. “Are you seriously asking me?”
“I have enough to get things started alone if I have to. But with your help, I think we could really make a go of it.”
He could see the wheels turning in Doug’s eyes. “It would be a great investment. I suppose I could do it on the side if I go back to my job. What about the sheriff’s department?”
“I’ll keep working there until they rebuild their force. But I don’t want to do it forever. I hope to have a family to support.”
The smile returned to Kay’s lips. “Oh?”
She knew why he was here, and the expression on her face told Mark how she would take it. “And that’s what I really wanted to talk to you about.”
Kay’s eyes shot to Doug’s. Her smile widened a little.
“Deni and me, actually. Our future.”
Doug leaned on his desk. “Go on.”
He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “You know I love your daughter. Secretly, I’ve had a crush on her since high school, but this last year, I’ve fallen in love with her.”
“I think the feeling is mutual,” Kay said softly.
“Well, I wasn’t so sure before, what with Craig still writing her and everything. And you know, Doug, that I was worried what would happen when things went back to normal. I didn’t know if she’d still want what I could give her.” He looked at his hands. They were sweating. “But we’ve been through a lot together, Deni and I. And over the last three months or so, she’s managed to convince me that maybe she does want what I have to offer.”
Silence fell between them, but Doug’s and Kay’s expressions told him they were rooting for him. So he went on.
“But I’m excited about the solar business, and I think I can make a good life for her if I work hard.” Mark cleared his throat. “So I’ve come here today to ask your permission to ask Deni to marry me.”
Kay threw her hands over her mouth and laughed, and Doug came around the desk to shake Mark’s hand and pull him into a hug. Mark felt the love in his embrace, and he turned to Kay. She had tears in her eyes. He hoped they were tears of joy. “I’ve told you before, Mark,” Doug said, “I’ve dreamed of Deni marrying you.”
“You’ll make a wonderful husband,” Kay said. “And a terrific father for our grandchildren. Welcome to the family!”
Mark laughed. “Not so fast. I have to ask her first.”
Kay bounced up and down. “Go after her,” Kay said. “Ask her now. She’s at the newspaper office.”
“No, I want to do it right. Make it real romantic. Get down on one knee, the whole shebang. And I have a ring. I used some of my gold coins to buy it. I think Deni will like it.”
“Okay, but don’t wait too long,” Kay said. “I can’t hold this in for long.”
“I’ll do it this week. Don’t tell the kids,” Mark said. “I don’t want it to slip out.”
Kay pulled him back into a hug and kissed him on the cheek. He hoped Deni would be as happy about this as Kay was.
TEN
THE KID COULD RUIN EVERYTHING. HE HAD PLANNED IT out so carefully, and the thunder and rain had been icing on the cake, masking the sound of the gunshots and washing away any evidence he might have left. Too good to be true.
Except now there was a witness.
It was all his wife’s fault. If she hadn’t constantly threatened to leave him and take their baby, he wouldn’t have felt such pressure to cover for his gambling losses. Infidelity, she’d accused, even though she didn’t have any real evidence. Just hunches, and that wasn’t enough to hang a divorce on. Or so he’d convinced her. He’d managed to keep her — and his baby — living with him for now.
As long as she thought their money was trapped in the banking pipeline, she didn’t have any reason to suspect he’d
lost it all. But the moment they’d received news that the banks were reopening, he’d known it was the beginning of the end. Her suspicions about infidelity, along with the knowledge that he’d gambled away their life savings, would surely send her running home to mama.
Several sleepless nights and a few conversations with a confidant who’d given him the perfect target, and he’d come up with the plan. He would simply take someone else’s money. His wife would think he’d made the withdrawal out of their own account. It would buy him a month — until the next withdrawal date.
He’d found the spot behind the Cracker Barrel, hidden from the road. He figured if he could intercept his target walking home this way, he’d use his gun to force him behind the building. Then he could kill him and take the money — solving several problems with one bullet.
And then the kid had shown up and seen the whole thing. He should have never let her get away. He should have killed her right there while he had the chance, but that homeless guy had come out of nowhere. Now he had two murders on his hands, and a kid who could identify him.
He had to be the stupidest man in Crockett.
She’d complicated everything. He’d had to retrieve both bodies. That was a wrinkle that he hadn’t expected. If all had gone according to plan, he would have left the body there, and it would look like a simple robbery on a day when that was expected. But now that someone could ID him, he feared what might happen if the bodies were found.
Oh, what a tangled web . . . The old cliché his mother used to quote played like a bad song in his mind. If she could only see him now.
He’d never meant to be a killer. Not until a few days ago.
To cover for his crime, he’d gone back in the storm with his rickshaw, loaded both bodies, and covered them with a tarp. If anyone had seen him riding home, they’d probably been so distracted with the rain, their newly recovered money, and the Pulses ending, that they hadn’t given him a thought.
It had been too wet to dig a grave for them, so he’d hidden them in a shed until the ground dried. This morning he had finally been able to bury them while his wife and child weren’t home.
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