Bring Home the Murder

by Jarvela, Theresa M. ;

  The second newspaper, dated a few days later, reported no missing persons but new information turned up on the Foxville bank robbery. A witness had stated she had seen a silver motorcycle leave the scene of the crime, but no arrests had been made.

  Meggie frowned, set the newspaper aside and picked up the last newspaper. Her eyes moved up one column and down another on the first page in search of any news about Fred, but she came up short.

  On the second page she hit pay dirt. A short paragraph at the bottom of the first column reported Fred Jackson missing. The authorities asked anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to please come forward. She found no mention of Amelia Schmidt.

  Meggie leaned back in her chair and drummed her fingers on the table top. Why would Fred Jackson just up and leave his house? Who was Amelia Schmidt and why did people think they ran off together? While someone had reported him missing, why had no one reported her missing?

  If she guessed right, there must have been gossip about Fred and Amelia before they disappeared. Small-town busybodies had a way of distorting and twisting facts. The rumors about the two of them undoubtedly fueled the gossipmongers. Before anyone could stifle the falsehoods, they were accused of having an affair.

  Meggie was all too aware how small town gossips worked. They had no boundaries and delighted in spreading lies to neighboring towns via friends, relatives, and even strangers.

  When Fred and Amelia disappeared around the same time, it cemented the belief in those narrow minds that the two were having an affair and had run off together. On the other hand, the rumors could be true. They may have proved the gossipmongers right and done just that.

  Meggie leaned her head against the palm of her hand and closed her eyes. There were too many unanswered questions. She knew her insatiable curiosity had landed her in trouble more than once. But if her questions were to be answered, she needed to find out more about Amelia. She folded the newspaper, set it on top of the others and slid her chair back.

  At the check-out counter she handed the newspapers to Maud. She thanked her and turned to go but halted when the librarian asked in a low voice, “Did you find what you were looking for?”

  Meggie lifted her shoulders. “The newspapers were helpful but I still have unanswered questions.”

  Maud crooked her finger and motioned Meggie closer. “It’s possible one of Fred’s hired hands bumped Fred off.”

  “Are you thinking of anyone in particular?”

  Maud nodded. “I don’t know the man’s name, but he walked with a limp. He came into the library with Fred one day. I didn’t trust him from the get-go. He gave me the heebie-jeebies.”

  Meggie didn’t know what to make of Maud’s information. “Did you tell anyone about your suspicions?”

  “I mentioned it to one of the deputies at the Law Enforcement Center. He told me a man couldn’t be arrested for giving someone the heebie-jeebies.”

  Meggie concealed a giggle and glanced at her watch. “I better hurry. The animals are waiting for me.”

  Chapter 8

  The next day a hummingbird beat its wings and hovered over the front porch feeder. It sucked at the red nectar then flitted away. Meggie closed her eyes against the sun. Her breathing slowed and a calmness descended over her.

  Her mind wandered to the Caribbean Sea, a cruise ship, and the vacation she always dreamed of but had never taken. She could feel the ship’s deck beneath her feet, the wind in her hair and the sun on her face.

  The phone rang and her daydream crashed. She pushed herself out of the rocking chair and rushed into the house to answer it. “I would never get Walter aboard a cruise ship anyway,” she mumbled to herself.

  Meggie snatched the handset from the cradle and found herself pleasantly surprised to hear Shirley on the other end of the line. Her friend had not been home the day she called to invite her to lunch. She never returned her call and didn’t answer the several voice messages left for her.

  More than once the thought crossed Meggie’s mind that perhaps Shirley planned to keep a low profile while she housesat at the farm. She understood her friend’s feelings and why she wanted nothing to do with housesitting. Shirley had become involved in more than one of Meggie’s unpleasant housesitting adventures.

  Meggie carried the phone into the living room and sat down in the armchair. She listened as Shirley apologized for not returning her calls. Her friend faulted Bill, her husband, for not telling her about the calls. She went on to say that Bill erased the messages before she could listen to them.

  The conversation turned to the hobby farm. Meggie thought about confiding in her friend about the bizarre incidents that had taken place since she arrived, but thought better of it.

  After several minutes of catch up, Shirley invited Meggie to ladies night at Billy’s on the Bay. She offered to pick her up at the farm and act as designated driver. “I’ll spend the night at the farm if you’ll invite me, but you need to promise you won’t involve me in anything life-threatening.”

  Meggie laughed and promised she wouldn’t intentionally put her friend in harm’s way. “You’ll be safer spending the night here than driving back to Pine Lake so late. It sounds like fun.” She leaned her head back on the chair and rubbed her eyes. “I think I’m ready for a break.”

  Plans were made for girls’ night out, and later that afternoon Shirley’s bright red Taurus careened down the driveway. It made a U-turn in front of the house and abruptly came to a standstill, dust clouded around the car. Shirley honked the horn a couple times and shouted from inside the car. “Get a move on or we’ll miss two for one.”

  Meggie pulled the front door closed, hurried across the porch and down the steps. She slid into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. “Give me a break. I accomplished quite a lot since you called. The eggs are collected, washed and in the refrigerator. The chickens are ready to roost, and the pigs are securely latched in their sleeping quarters.”

  Shirley narrowed her eyes. “Their sleeping quarters?”

  “Molly grew tired of chasing pigs so she devised a pig-proof pen. She bought a large folding dog kennel at a garage sale and set it around the outside of their hut. At night a padlock is slipped on the kennel door.”

  A puzzled look crossed Shirley’s face. “Why the padlock?”

  “The pigs learned how to lift the latch on the kennel gate with their snout. You wouldn’t believe how smart those porkers are. Molly told me they chewed through the fence one time. They even tried to dig and root their way to freedom.”

  Meggie recounted the night of the storm and how she forgot to slip the padlock on the kennel gate. The pigs took advantage of her forgetfulness and broke free. As Meggie’s story unfolded and she came to the part about falling in the rain-soaked muck, Shirley started to giggle.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Remember when I said Walter should put you on a short leash? Maybe a harness would be better.”

  Meggie laughed in spite of herself and visualized the scene, down on all fours in the muck and slime with a harness strapped on. “You’re too funny. By the way, I left the horses in the pasture. You promised we’d be home early.”

  “Don’t worry. I see no reason why we won’t be home in time to bring the horses in for the night. We’ll have time to do whatever it is you do before putting them to bed.” Shirley’s eyes gleamed. “Tonight will be my first lesson in horse care. I have a lot to learn about them and farm life in general.”

  After driving a short distance, Shirley glanced at Meggie. “By the way, Walter dropped off the hornet spray at my house on his way to work. You have hornets on the farm?”

  “It’s for self-defense.” Before Shirley could make a snide remark Meggie continued, “They say it works better than pepper spray.”

  Shirley rolled her eyes. “I might believe some of the daft ideas
you come up with if I knew who ‘they’ were.”

  When Meggie and Shirley arrived at Billy’s on the Bay, the parking lot overflowed. Shirley circled the area a couple of times then spotted a car backing out of a parking space close to the front of the restaurant.

  Another driver faced Shirley and waited for the same space. As soon as the car backed out and drove off, Shirley pulled in ahead of him.

  “Shirley,” Meggie scolded. “You just stole this space from that driver.”

  “First come, first served.” Shirley turned the car off and glanced sideways at Meggie. “Don’t worry, he’ll find another place to park.” She tilted the rearview mirror, applied a bright shade of pink lipstick and smacked her lips. “By the looks of this parking lot you would think no other establishment offered two for one. Either that or there’s some thirsty ladies around.” She grabbed her purse and turned toward her friend. “Let’s hit it.”

  Once inside the restaurant it became apparent that Billy’s on the Bay had become quite popular. Meggie looked around the eating establishment and suggested they sit in the bar area. “I had no idea it would be this busy. With all these guests we’ll be lucky to make it home before dark.”

  “Let’s hope the service in the bar area will be faster than in the dining room.” Shirley started for a table and quipped over her shoulder, “We’ll be closer to the bar. I hope their Shirley Temples are good.”

  Later when they left the restaurant, the sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon. “I’m really sorry, Meggie. Who would have guessed it would take us this long for a couple drinks and dinner?”

  “Don’t worry about it. Molly told me she’s been working with the horses to come when called. If we’re lucky, they’ll be close to the barn by the time we reach the farm. It won’t take long to tuck them in.”

  “Afterward you’ll fix me a cold gin and tonic and we’ll spend a quiet evening on the farm, right?”

  Chapter 9

  When they arrived at their destination and turned into the driveway, the car’s headlights split the black wall in front of them. No welcome lights shone from inside or outside the house.

  The women navigated in the dark and slowly made their way to the front door. Meggie slipped the house key into the lock, reached in and flipped the light on in the entryway.

  “Where am I going to sleep?” Shirley asked and followed her friend inside.

  “You can have the small bedroom,” Meggie moved up the staircase ahead of Shirley. “There’s no bathroom upstairs so you’ll have to use the one off the master bedroom on the first floor. I know it’s not very convenient.” Meggie stopped and turned around. “If you want to be closer to the bathroom, I could bunk on the couch in the family room and you could sleep in the master bedroom.”

  “Don’t worry about me. The upstairs bedroom will suit me just fine. You know, I’ve never stayed on a farm before.” She paused. “Actually, I’ve never had the desire to, and I certainly don’t have it on my bucket list like some people I know. But I am looking forward to it.”

  Shirley puffed her way to the landing, threw a hand to her chest and paused to catch her breath. “I think I ate too many of Billy’s French Fries.” She continued into the bedroom and set her bag down by the bed. She strode toward the window. “It looks like we might have a little natural light after all. I see the moon peeking out from behind some clouds.”

  “Moonlight would be nice. We better hurry. I’ll feel better once the horses are rounded up.” Meggie glanced down at the sandals on Shirley’s feet. “You better change into your walking shoes. You did remember to bring them, didn’t you?”

  Shirley screwed up her face. “Of course I did. Give me a little credit, will you?”

  A short while later the women walked along the fence line near the house, armed with flashlights. Few trees stood in this pasture which made it easy to spot the horses during the daytime. Not so at night.

  Meggie halted, swept the flashlight from side to side and called the horses by name. She waited a short time and called again. When the horses didn’t respond both women headed toward the back pasture near the barn.

  When they reached the back fence, Meggie’s hopes were dashed. Black and Beauty were nowhere to be seen. She cupped her mouth and called the horses by name, but after several attempts it became obvious they weren’t in any hurry to come in.

  “You better give them another holler.” Shirley slapped a mosquito on her face and another on her arm. “These blasted mosquitos are on the attack.”

  “Let’s go look for the horses. I don’t think I should leave them out there.” Meggie turned her flashlight on Shirley.

  “Look for them?” Shirley threw her arm out and pointed. “Out there? In the dark?”

  “You can wait for me in the house if you’d rather. I don’t mind going alone.” Meggie strode to the gate and opened it. “Coming or not?”

  Shirley glanced back toward the house then aimed her flashlight in front of her and marched through the gate.

  “Watch out for the meadow muffins,” Meggie warned.

  “Meadow muffins?” Shirley faltered. “Are they any relationship to cow pies?”

  “Yup, they sure are. Cousins, I think.”

  The moon hung from a black-blue sky and spilled light across the pasture. Frogs croaked from the nearby swamp and in the distance a coyote howled. They hadn’t gone far when Meggie nudged Shirley with her elbow and pointed. “There’s a brook up ahead. Over there through the trees. We’ll check it out when we go riding.”

  Meggie marveled at nature’s night sounds. Did senses heighten when the sun went down? She started to voice her thoughts when she sensed a presence nearby.

  She halted and swept the flashlight all around. Several yards to her right stood an impressive white horse. The animal turned its head toward her, tossed it in the air and galloped off.

  “How did that horse get in this pasture? There must be a gate I don’t know about or a broken fence.”

  “What horse? What are you talking about?”

  “You’re telling me you didn’t see that white horse over there?” Meggie beamed the flashlight on the spot where the horse had been.

  “No, I didn’t see any horse. I didn’t hear one, either.” Shirley paused. “You must have imagined it. Let’s get going.”

  “I didn’t imagine anything. It stood right over there, looked at me and then galloped toward that hill up ahead.” Meggie thought about Fred’s white stallion and her stomach tingled. She desperately needed Shirley’s reassurance, but her friend was adamant. She had not seen a white horse.

  Meggie dropped the subject. She raised her hands to shout for Black and Beauty then lowered them. “Did you see that?”

  “See what?” Shirley whined and stepped closer to Meggie.

  Meggie pointed straight ahead. “A light flashed over there on the other side of that hill.”

  “No, I didn’t see any light but I’m beginning to get the creeps.” Shirley lowered her voice and whispered. “Let’s go back home. The horses must want to spend the night in the pasture or they would’ve come back to the barn. It won’t hurt them to sleep outside, will it? I mean horses should be okay doing that.”

  “I’m going to check out that light.” Meggie quickened her step. “We’re not far from the base of the hill.”

  “Listen, friend,” Shirley hurried to catch up with her. “You promised a pleasant evening after two for one, but here we are trekking across a field in the dark.”

  Meggie shushed Shirley and lowered her voice. “It’s not dark, we have our flashlights, and there’s a moon. Don’t you think it’s odd someone would be out in the middle of a pasture at night flashing a light around?”

  Shirley panted. “I think it’s odd you and I are out in the middle of a pasture at night flashing our lights around. But
then I remind myself who I’m with and it all seems perfectly normal.”

  Meggie ignored Shirley’s jibe and continued on her way until she reached the base of the hill. She extended an arm in front of her friend and whispered. “Listen. Do you hear that grating sound?”

  “Yes, I hear it,” Shirley’s voice shook. “It sounds like someone’s digging.”

  “I’m going to find out what’s going on. Why don’t you wait here for me?” She turned her flashlight off and handed it to Shirley. “Turn your flashlight off and don’t make a sound. I don’t want whoever it is to know we’re here.”

  Shirley began to object but Meggie held her finger to her lips and shook her head. “I won’t be long,” she whispered.

  After a short distance, the ground gradually inclined. Meggie leaned forward, put one foot in front of the other and trekked upward. Part way up the knoll she heard footsteps and a clinking noise behind her. She looked back at a dark shape clamoring up the hill after her. She might have been scared, but Shirley’s voice quelled that.

  “You’re not leaving me.” Shirley took a deep breath. “If you think I’m hanging out down there by myself . . .”

  “Come with me but we have to be quiet.” Meggie reached for her flashlight. “Let’s go.” She crouched low, slunk up the hill for a few feet then dropped to all fours and crawled.

  Near the hilltop she flattened herself on the ground. She pushed her feet against the rocky soil and inched her way up until the top of her head was level with the hilltop. Shirley slithered in beside her.

  “Hey, Sarge.” Shirley rested her head against the rocky soil and gulped air. “I did good, right?”

  Meggie smiled and patted Shirley on the back. She slowly raised her head until she could see over the hill. Her eyes surveyed the surrounding area and settled on an imposing black figure several yards away near a copse of trees. A light shone on the ground beside him.