I went into great detail about Luke’s demeanor, Luke’s trip preparation, and Luke’s reckless-scooter-driving neighbor who drove that thing around as if she might pop a wheelie at any time. I was helping CeCe collect her bags that had been hastily dropped when she was in decoration search mode, when the tinkle bells on the door jangled again.
To my surprise and CeCe’s delight, it was Deputy Ben removing his hat as he entered the maternity shop. Since I heard CeCe’s soft little gasp when she saw him, I suspected I would find my words before she did.
“Morning, Deputy,” I greeted him. “We don’t get a lot of your kind in here, but we’ll be happy to help you find something,” I joked.
The deputy didn’t look all that relaxed when he came in, and I noticed he tensed slightly at my greeting.
“By my kind, do you mean law enforcement personnel?” he asked with no indication that he was kidding.
“No,” I replied with what I hoped was a welcoming smile. “I meant men.” He appeared to release a breath I hadn’t noticed he was holding and with it, some of the tense manner he brought in with him. I thought this odd for a second and then realized his chosen profession was probably pretty unpopular in some circles they were required to frequent.
We weren’t in the business of running numbers, making book, or dealing drugs. Nobody had ever accused Big and Blessed of being a chop shop, so it hadn’t occurred to me the deputy could be visiting for anything other than a social call.
“Just because we don’t see many men in here doesn’t mean they aren’t welcome,” I continued.
Since CeCe still hadn’t joined in the greeting process, I wondered if she was still feeling the sting of Ben’s name blunder from last night.
“I’m hoping you ladies can help me with something,” he explained. “I just came from Barney Becnel’s place. Stopped by to see his nephew, but he wasn’t home. One of his neighbors mentioned Luke was loading his car earlier this morning. Either of you ladies have any idea where I might find him?”
“Things must be kind of slow down at the sheriff’s office,” CeCe suggested, hiding her bitterness fairly well. “You stopped by Luke’s last night, and now you’re looking to speak with him again. That’s a lot of condolences for one murder victim’s bereaved family member. Or do you have news? Did you guys arrest Barney’s murderer?”
“There haven’t been any arrests,” Ben replied, obviously choosing his words carefully, “But we are checking into a person of interest.”
“Humph – it sure doesn’t look that way, since you’re spending so much time – wait a minute,” CeCe paused, with an aggravated expression on her face. “You aren’t seriously considering Luke as your ‘person of interest’ are you?”
Uh-oh. CeCe wasn’t controlling her anger about Deputy Ben’s name flub as well as I thought. Now she was jumping to some ridiculous conspiracy theory, imagining Luke as a suspect when we all knew Deputy Ben was too smart to think anything of the kind. It’s true he was kind of lacking in the clue department where women were concerned, but everything I’d heard about him around town for the last few years indicated he was level-headed, well respected, and more than competent when it came to police work.
I was about to come to poor Ben’s rescue when he stood a little straighter, put his hands on his gun belt, and said, “With all due respect, ma’am, how well do you know this Luke Becnel? It’s my understanding he just came back after being gone for the past 10 years. He’s back in town only a few months when his uncle’s friend and then his uncle are brutally murdered. We would be remiss in our duty if we weren’t looking into his alibi and whereabouts, since he’s inheriting his uncle’s sizeable estate.”
Idiot! What kind of a moron did they put on this case? Now I was the one standing with my mouth agape while CeCe took over the conversational requirements.
“You’re right,” CeCe agreed. “We don’t really know him at all. We haven’t seen him since high school, until a few days ago. So to answer your earlier question, no we have no idea where you might find him,” she concluded.
She had me worried for a minute there. I was afraid she was falling for her love interest’s (a.k.a. the idiot’s) assessment of Luke. Since I just finished telling her, in great detail that Luke was packing for a few days stay at Fry’s family cabin, I knew she was just going along with Deputy Ben to get rid of him, and I appreciated her solidarity.
Ben had been looking at CeCe while she was speaking, but now turned his attention in my direction.
“Does that go for you as well? Before you answer, let me tell you something else Becnel’s neighbor shared. Apparently, this morning while loading the car Luke had a visit from a woman matching your description in a little Honda remarkably similar to the one parked in front of your shop right now. Since I saw you there giving your condolences last night, I was wondering if you could clarify your relationship with him?”
I took a deep breath before I began, to help maintain my composure and buy me a second to decide what I wanted to say. “Luke just lost his uncle. As you pointed out, he hasn’t been back in town long and hasn’t been in touch with a lot of people. I was sorry for his loss and knowing he didn’t have lots of support, decided to drop off coffee this morning and let him know he could call on us or our mothers if he needed anything,” I explained, gesturing to CeCe and myself. “He told me he was going away for a few days, because he found it difficult to be in that house without his Uncle Barney. He didn’t indicate where he was going and I didn’t ask, since we don’t have any type of relationship,” I said emphasizing the last word with air quotes.
Deputy Ben stood and stared at me for a few seconds before he asked, “What about Fry Everhaas? He was there last night with you two and Luke? Doesn’t he work here? What is his relationship with Becnel?”
CeCe jumped in, much to my relief, since I was still attempting to look unfazed by the deputy’s suspicions about Luke. “Yes, he does work for us. Last night he was assisting us with our condolence call and offering his sympathies as well. See, we all went to high school together, but none of us have seen him for the last decade or so, as you just pointed out. At least we hadn’t until several days ago when we ran into him. I was going to go with Maggie to Luke’s this morning, but I had to run some errands so she took care of making sure he knew we would be happy to help him with arrangements or anything he needed done during this difficult time.”
I was proud of CeCe. Here she was talking to her fantasy future hubby with not so much as a stutter. I guess I should have been concerned that she was so obviously in her element while lying so completely, but at the moment I was simply grateful.
“Well then, ladies, I thank you for your time. I hope I can count on both of you to get in touch with me if you hear anything from Luke. We have just a few more questions for him,” he informed us. With that he put his hat back on, nodding to us as he said, “CeCe, Maggie, you have a nice day.”
I caught sight of the smile he was attempting to hide as he turned and headed out the door.
Now CeCe’s mouth was the one hanging open. I must say, I was a little shocked myself. Had he known CeCe’s name all along last night? Although I corrected him the first time he called her Bebe, he didn’t appear to have heard me, since he said it again a few minutes later. I would have liked to spend a little more time trying to figure out sneaky-deputy-guy, but I had a more pressing problem.
Luke was in trouble. It seemed the sheriff’s department was focusing on him because of the inheritance, or his timing in returning to town, or whatever other reason that might make it easy to close their murder investigation. What if they figured out that Fry and Luke were more than acquaintances in high school? What if they discovered Fry loaned his friend the use of his fishing cabin? They would approach Luke, who was unaware of the current mind set in the sheriff’s office. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let them catch him completely off guard with their slanted view of things. I had to give Luke a head’s up on the distur
bing direction the investigation was taking.
“I have to go tell Luke what’s going on,” I said thinking out loud while I scrambled to get my keys and purse.
“Hold it,” CeCe said, grabbing my arm.
“You don’t understand, CeCe,” I wailed. “If they question him with their current agenda, but he doesn’t know what they’re thinking, and he innocently answers the questions, then they twist what he says to conveniently fit in with how their minds are already . . . .”
“Maggie!” interrupted CeCe, ending my tirade. “I said hold it not don’t go. Of course you have to go tell Luke. We already know from when we stayed at Fry’s cabin a few months ago that there’s no cell phone reception in that area. I just meant I think you should let me make sure Deputy Ben is gone before you go charging down the street, out of town, and to Fry’s cabin with him following you or something. I mean, what was up with my name? What was that about? He didn’t know my name last night, but he knows it today when neither of us mentioned it in his presence? I’m telling you he’s devious, and he’s up to something.”
That gave me pause for two reasons.
“You’re right,” I acknowledged. “Since he is suspicious of me, I have to make sure he isn’t tailing me.” I’ve seen just as many cop shows as anybody so I can throw around the lingo as if I know what I’m talking about. “Devious, CeCe? I thought Deputy Ben was your hero?”
“Was being the operative word,” CeCe agreed. “I don’t want the father of my children to be someone who does such shoddy police work that an innocent man gets a dirt-nap injection, just because the sheriff’s department wants a quick, easy conclusion to something that is screwing with their violent crime statistics. Deputy Ben and I are so over.”
I couldn’t argue with rational thinking like that, so I nodded my head and asked CeCe to see if the coast was clear. When she gave me the move-it-out-on-the-down-low sign, (or was she giving me the you’re-clear-to-steal-second sign?) I made a break for my car.
CHAPTER 8
As I drove down the highway toward the Tickfaw River, I contemplated the current situation. Luke should have a lawyer with him when the police talk to him again. Maybe I should have my mother call John Salvatino. He was an attorney in town who was infatuated with her. We didn’t have an attorney who specialized in criminal law in a town the size of Oakman. The occasional criminal activity was handled by the different lawyers in town who specialized in other areas. At least that was true when it was typical small stuff.
Let me think, when was the last crime in the ballpark of murder committed in our town? We did have that drug dealer who was murdered a few years ago. He was technically a transplant from New Orleans, however, who was caught by some other dealer he’d pissed off. He didn’t live in Oakman, but was hiding out at his grandmother’s house when he was killed. Since the suspected killer was found dead from an overdose in New Orleans a few months later, nobody needed legal representation in that case.
There was the time Bubba Goodwall ran over Emile Trahan and broke his leg in two places. Emile had been fooling around with Bubba’s wife, but crimes of passion are still considered criminal, right? If I remember correctly, Bubba got a criminal attorney from New Orleans. Maybe that’s the way to go? It worked out okay for Bubba, who got a suspended sentence after Emile refused to testify against Bubba. Turned out, Emile discovered Bubba’s wife was cheating on both of them with a crab boil manufacturer based in Lutherville, the next town over. I think I heard Bubba and Emile opened a bait and tackle shop together after Bubba divorced his wife and Emile dumped her.
Yeah, I think getting an attorney from New Orleans who specializes in criminal law is definitely the best option. I was tempted to call CeCe before I found myself out of cell phone range to get a New Orleans number for a criminal lawyer, but stopped myself when I thought of Luke. This was his life, his decision, and he should be making the choice of who should represent him, if it even came to that. At this point, it appeared the investigators had more questions than accusations. All he really needed to do was give them all his information on his alibi for the suspected time of death for each of the victims, and he should be cleared of any suspicion, right?
Finally, I came to the exit that would take me from the interstate to the fishing camp. I was driving along the shell road approaching Fry’s cabin, when I realized I should have been thinking about how I would bring up the whole ‘narrow minded investigation seems to be looking in the wrong direction, because they have more questions for you and don’t want to give you time to grieve’ situation to Luke. I couldn’t just blurt it out. Well, actually I could and that’s why I was concerned. I would prefer to say it in a way that wouldn’t add to his stress level at the moment, but I hadn’t put any thought into broaching the subject delicately.
Fry’s fishing shack/cabin/cottage was actually a pretty nice little place that sat on pilings (to avoid rising river problems) and allowed for parking underneath. Since that was the only shade close to the little brown cabin, I pulled my Honda up next to Luke’s Kia Sportage.
When I opened my car door to get out, I heard laughing. Luke stepped off the stairway that led down from the porch above, and he apparently found me or my car amusing, since we were the only ones there.
“I’m learning that if I want to see you, all I have to do is pick up my car keys,” Luke laughed as walked toward me. “I had a dog like that once. Of course, you’re much better looking than she was, and that’s saying a lot, because she was gorgeous.”
The look on Luke’s face indicated he regretted the dog analogy, but I was kind of enjoying his attempt to dig himself out of the hole he’d fallen into.
“That’s not as insulting as it might sound,” he continued, “since I was crazy about that dog. I think I’ll shut up now and let you tell me why you came, because I’m pretty sure it wasn’t to hear about my former pets. But that’s just a guess.”
Oh, he’s good. Even when he regretted what he said, he was still all charming. Why can’t I do that? I should have way more practice, since I’m confident I embarrass myself and regret stuff I say a lot more often than he does. I’m not bragging. I’m just saying.
I smiled back at him and tried to focus on the keys in his hand. I thought that might make it easier to ignore the feeling that I should throw my arms around him and tell him everything was going to be alright.
“I gather I caught you on your way out, again?” I asked, gesturing toward his car keys.
“I was heading into the last town I passed to get some supplies,” he responded.
Now that we’d covered what he was doing, Luke stood there (I assumed) waiting for me to explain what I was doing.
“I would have just called, but there’s no cell phone reception in this area. I need to speak with you about something, but I’m kind of starving. Do you want to go get something to eat before you get your supplies?” I asked, hoping to soften the blow of telling him he’s a little more popular with our sheriff’s department than most people consider a good idea.
“Sure, that sounds good,” Luke agreed. “Where’s the best seafood around here?”
I silently applauded Luke’s ability to go with the flow and not look at me like a stalker. This had to make no sense to him, since he didn’t know what I was doing popping up out of nowhere, but once we were comfortably having lunch I would explain.
“CeCe and I always go to Pup Heaven when we’re out here,” I volunteered in answer to his question. When I saw the startled look on Luke’s face, I realized the name Pup Heaven might be a little off putting. “They’re known for their hush puppies,” I clarified. “Best in the state. The seafood there is delicious, too.”
Luke smiled and shook his head as he apologized, “Sorry if I seemed a little thrown. You have to understand that while I was in the Peace Corps I spent time in places where that name would be indicative of an entirely different type of cuisine.”
I wrinkled my nose and curled my lip before I realized how unat
tractive that probably made me look, but Luke was still smiling at me anyway.
“I agree,” he said. “Just so you know, when I said earlier I was crazy about my dog, I didn’t mean as an entree.”
As we drove toward town, we made small talk, and I told Luke about some of the more interesting customers we had encountered in the Big & Blessed shop. Luke was laughing as we entered Pup Heaven and sat down in a booth in the back.
“You’re kidding, right?” he wanted to know, with a look of disbelief on his face. “She liked your taste in maternity clothes, so she actually wanted you to name her baby? That’s messed up.”
The waitress brought us menus and announced she would return in a minute to take our order.
“You have to understand,” I explained. “She’d just found out that she was having a girl. She was very excited and very emotional. She said she wanted her little girl to have the most beautiful name in the world. She’d been looking at boy’s and girl’s names but hadn’t found anything she liked for a girl. She didn’t want to stress about it anymore and swore that whatever name CeCe and I agreed on would be the name she’d give her daughter. Since the customer is always right, we came up with the best name we could in that kind of pressure situation.”
“What name did you two decide on?” Luke wanted to know, fighting back his chuckles and trying to look serious out of reverence for the gravity of the situation.
“Hyacinth,” I answered softly, since I didn’t feel that decision had been one of my or CeCe’s most spectacular accomplishments. “You weren’t there. You didn’t feel the pressure of knowing it had to be unique.”
Luke gave up the fight of trying not to laugh and admitted, “Oh, I think you were successful if you were going for unique.”
“I’ll tell you what’s really messed up. That same lady came into the shop about two years later pregnant with her second child. So obviously she still thought a lot of our shop. Of course, she had her 20-month-old daughter Sally with her.”
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