by Crissy Sharp
Ty beamed as he walked to the corner of the yard. Lotty filled the third hole just as Aiden discovered the first two and how much fun it was to draw in cement. She had to swallow back the scream threatening to break through her lips as she pulled him away and wiped his hands in the grass. A smile spread across his face. Snot mixed with sand ran down his lip and onto his chin. She looked around for something she could use to wipe his face as the time she had left to pour her cement ticked away. She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and wiped his face. There, he looked so fresh and clean. That is if you ignored the sand all over him. And the mud in his hair. Had every ounce of personal hygiene disappeared along with her sanity when she’d become a mother?
She let out a sigh as she hauled the fourth post to its hole. Somehow the fun of this hobby was vanishing quickly. Her body was tense and a headache teased at the back of her skull.
“Uh, Mom?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry, but my pants got in the way. They got a little bit of pee on them. And I’m really hungry too. Maybe we could go in now?”
Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. It shouldn’t be this hard, should it? Her friends had hobbies. How did they do it? Maybe if she were more organized or better with time management. She put her hand on her face to wipe away tears before realizing there was cement on her fingers. “Ahhh.” She let out a muffled scream into her hands.
“Oh, and Mom?”
“Yeah?”
“I got these for you.” Ty handed her a crumpled fistful of buttercups. “They look like your shirt today.” He rubbed her yellow shirt with his free hand.
She stared at the beautiful mess of flowers. “They do look like my shirt. Thanks, bud.” She pulled the wilting flowers from his hand and he threw his arms around her.
“Thanks for letting me pee in the yard, Mom. You’re the best.”
She wrapped her arms around him. Her cement was drying out and the fourth hole wasn’t filled yet, but it was going to have to wait. Hugs and compliments from Ty were sparse so she was savoring the moment, even if it was a result of letting him pee in the grass.
“Mrs. Brooks?” A man’s voice carried through the yard.
Officer Carlson stood at the fence. “Hi, come on back,” Lotty said, wiping any leftover tears off her face. She tried to hide the sand-mixed-with-snot spots on her shirt with her hands. It made for an awkward stance, but at least she didn’t look quite as disgusting.
“Thanks,” he said, opening the gate. “I tried the doorbell, but then I heard voices back here.”
Lotty smiled. That probably meant he’d heard Ty’s song. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, we’ve finally figured out a few details I thought you’d be interested in.” He watched the boys throw sand at each other. “I tried to call you and your husband, but couldn’t get either of you. I was by the south side of the lake anyway, so I figured I’d stop by and make sure everything was okay.”
“That’s nice of you.” She nodded toward the yard. “I’ve been out here all morning and Jason’s probably busy with a case. Sorry about that.” She waited for him to respond, but he was staring at the posts in the yard. She thought about explaining the three posts set in cement, along with a wheelbarrow and a bunch of random tools, but was more excited to hear what the police had figured out. “What did you guys find?” She prompted.
“What are you working on over here?” He unwrapped a piece of gum and placed it in his mouth.
“Oh, well it will be a chicken coop. Those are the corner posts.”
“Very nice. You probably want to set that fourth post before your cement dries.”
“Uh, yeah.” She tipped up the wheelbarrow, but the cement didn’t pour out.” She smiled and waved at it. “I’ll figure it out later. What did you guys figure out about the bodies?”
“Right, the bodies.” He locked eyes with Lotty. “Well, it seems there weren’t any murders here after all. It was nothing but a case of grave robberies.”
“Grave robberies?” That didn’t make any sense.
Officer Carlson’s intent stare caused her to look away uncomfortably. “You don’t seem relieved,” he said.
“I am. I think I am anyway. I’m just confused. Why would someone dig up bodies and then leave them in this neighborhood? And how is it connected to the fires and the robberies? Or is it?”
He shook his head. “Unfortunately, we don’t know.”
“Are you sure they’re grave robberies?”
“One hundred percent. We were finally able to I.D. all three bodies as people who died in Polson and Missoula in the last couple of weeks. They were all buried in a cemetery just outside of Kalispell. We sent people to check out their gravesites and sure enough, the bodies were missing.”
“Why didn’t someone like the caretaker at the cemetery notice before now?”
“It’s a small cemetery. The caretaker is also the pastor and he just walks around the place every week or so to make sure everything is okay.”
Lotty shook her head as she tried to make sense of the turn of events.
“We were hoping this might spark some memory or give you an idea about what was happening.”
Lotty stared at him. “Me?”
“Well, seeing as how you were the target of the robberies and all.” He stopped and wiped sweat off his brow and looked away. “We thought you might have remembered a reason as to why people would be after you.”
She shook her head, but tried to keep the anger out of her voice. “I think you’ve been around Netley a bit too much lately, Officer Carlson.” Even the people she thought were on her side seemed to think she was involved.
“No, no, no, Ma’am. I don’t think you’re hiding anything. I just thought this might have reminded you of something you’d maybe missed before.”
“It doesn’t.”
“Okay.” He backed away as if Lotty might attack him at any moment. “How would you feel about coming down to the station a little later?”
Lotty stared at Officer Carlson, hoping she could see more in his facial expressions than she was getting from his words. He looked at the ground. “Why?” she asked.
“Just to help us, Mrs. Brooks. We identified that truck from the video and we brought in the guy who owns it. We thought you might be able to verify that he’s our man.” Carlson chewed his gum quicker and quicker as he spoke.
That didn’t sound too bad. Maybe they really did see her as an ally. “Oh. I can try. I didn’t get a very clear look. I mean, what I saw is already on the video, but I can come down if you guys want me to.”
“That’d be great. How about in an hour? That’ll give you a chance to a...” he stopped as he looked her up and down. “You know, finish what you’re doing.”
“Thanks. An hour will work.”
He turned and walked away. When she heard his car door slam, she pulled the fourth post back up and tried to scoop the last of the cement around it. A few gooey chunks came out of the wheelbarrow. She positioned them around the post and poured in the leftover sand. The post leaned several inches to one side. Three straight posts and one kind of straight post would have to be good enough. The chickens wouldn’t mind.
She picked up her phone and texted Nikki and Jocelyn. I have to run down to the police station this morning. Won’t be able to make our workout. She hoped her frowny face emoji really portrayed sadness at missing the weights class Jocelyn had signed them up for and not the jubilant relief she actually felt. Besides, all the cement mixing and post hauling had her famished so she grabbed one of the scones Jason had brought home last night, along with a generous dab of butter, and filled the bathtub for the boys.
Chapter 12
Lotty’s eyes wouldn’t open. Little hands patted her face with increasing fervor. “Mom, guess what? I heard Aiden crying so I took him some applesauce. He’s happy now so you can sleep.” Lotty pried one eye open as Ty climbed onto the bed. “Boom,” he yelled as he fell face forward onto the pillows. H
e giggled, stood back up, and repeated the process. She glanced at the clock. 6:32a.m.
“You took him applesauce?”
“Yeah. And a spoon. I even got it open by myself.” He beamed before letting out another “boom.”
Lotty wiped her eyes with her hands. “Thanks, bud. Maybe next time you could give him a toy instead of food though, kay? He’s pretty good at making messes out of food.”
He stood back up on the bed. “Yeah, he’s kinda covered in it.”
Lotty dragged herself to Aiden’s room and was pleasantly surprised. The applesauce mess was contained to crib bedding and Aiden’s clothes. She changed both before laying on Aiden’s floor in exhaustion. Her mind had been busy all night and kept her awake for several hours. She’d gone to the police station yesterday, but accomplished nothing. She couldn’t identify the man from the Tuckers’ yard. Instead she’d been questioned by several officers and belittled by Officer Netley.
In the night, she’d tried to think through every detail, no matter how tiny, she knew about the case, starting with the robberies. There had to be a connection between the three events. What could robberies, arson, and grave robberies have in common?
Aiden plopped down on Lotty’s back and Ty lay next to her. “Can you play with me, Mom?” Ty asked as he pressed his forehead next to hers. His wide eyes pushed her “not right now” back into her throat. She racked her brain for an idea that would keep him happy and let her remain lying on the floor.
“Okay. How about doctor? I’m the sick patient and you and Aiden have to figure out what’s wrong with me.”
“Yeah,” he shouted, jumping off the floor.
“Oh, and you want to do it very quietly so you don’t disturb your sick patient. Patients need lots of sleep.”
Ty nodded as he began poking Lotty. Aiden followed his brother’s lead and prodded her arm with his chubby fingers. She shut her eyes and imagined the constant poking was a massage.
“Mom. Mom. You’re all better now.” Lotty’s eyes snapped open. She grinned. The boys had let her fall asleep while they played. That had never happened. “And I brought you some food. Doctors like you to eat.” He set a chocolate Costco muffin on a plate next to her.
The ringing of the doorbell forced her to her feet. “Thanks for making me better.” She squeezed Ty’s hand. How long had she been sleeping? She groaned as she walked toward the door, preparing to face Nikki and Jocelyn, who would be trying to force her to the gym on time.
A glance at the hallway mirror revealed a frightening reflection. Apparently, part of the job of a doctor was to style his patient’s hair. Lotty’s head was covered in knots and tangles, some of which were adorned with a colorful array of chip clips. She pulled out the ones she could, but a few just wouldn’t come free. They were wrapped in her hair. Maybe Nikki and Jocelyn would accept her appearance as excuse enough to not go to the gym again.
After another ring, she swung the door open. Her stomach dropped at the same time as her jaw. There stood her perfectly manicured, expertly coifed, mother wearing four-inch pumps and a white pants suit.
“Oh, Charlotte,” her mom gushed as she grabbed Lotty and squeezed all the air out of her. Lotty hadn’t seen her mom in over a year and hadn’t spoken to her in a couple of weeks. They got along much better if their interactions were limited.
Once she’d loosened her hold and Lotty felt the sweet sensation of oxygen returning to her brain, she responded, “Hey, Mom. Wow, I had no idea...” She trailed off as she thought about how this was the worst possible time for her mom to show up. She always talked about how Lotty needed to get out of Montana. Hearing about the crime in the neighborhood would only add fuel to the fire.
“I know. I know. Isn’t this fun? It’s a little early birthday present for you.” Her mom smiled and gave Lotty’s shoulders another squeeze. She stepped inside and touched the top of Lotty’s head. “Oh honey.”
Lotty grinned. “Yeah, the boys fixed my hair while I slept.”
“You need to tell them your hair is too precious a commodity to act as a plaything.”
Lotty nodded. Her mom looked her up and down and gently winced. Lotty pretended not to notice, but was hurt all the same. Her cheeks burned and she imagined her mom adding “splotchy red cheeks” to her ever-growing mental list of Lotty’s flaws. She knew she didn’t look like she used to, but hoped her own mother would understand. She wanted her to look past the bags under her eyes, and instead see a young mom who spent countless hours up with little boys who couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t she ignore the saddlebags and love handles and just see her daughter, who was trying to figure out all this motherhood and marriage stuff and maybe not doing it very well, but trying nonetheless? Lotty blinked back tears and turned away.
“Oh, don’t cry.” Her mom placed her hands around Lotty’s face and looked directly at her. “It will make your eyes puffy. We’re going to figure this out together.”
Lotty furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Figure this out? Had she heard about the problems in Strawberry Lake Estates?
“I’m not sure exactly how in Montana, but there must be a hairstylist somewhere around here who isn’t completely tainted by the back country. Even if we have to drive for several hours. Maybe Spokane? We’ll find someone who can properly wax those eyebrows and I’m going to introduce you to PiYo. It’s a blend of yoga and Pilates and it will change your life.” Lotty walked toward the kitchen as her mom talked, but her mom matched her step for step. “To start off, I’m taking you shopping.” She clapped her hands in excitement, but her face suddenly fell. “You can buy clothes here other than those awful touristy vests and cowboy boots, right?”
Lotty nodded. She didn’t trust herself to speak right now. If she opened her mouth, she was afraid horribly mean words would find their way out.
“Oh honey, I’m just so excited to see you,” she said, grabbing Lotty’s hand. “Now where are those grandbabies of mine? Let’s get them ready for a day of shopping.”
LOTTY DROVE PAST BERRY Beach. People, especially tourists, seemed to love everything in Walden carrying the strawberry theme, so the public beach next to town square was aptly named Berry Beach. Even with the spring chill in the air, several people laid out in swimsuits next to the lake and the spray park was full of screaming kids.
“Can we stop and see Dad?” Ty asked as Lotty pulled the van into a parking spot two blocks away from the square. Her mom had decided they’d start their excursion by checking out two of the boutiques on the square. If those were a disappointment, they’d have to check at the mall, even though to her mother’s horror there wasn’t a Nordstrom or a Bloomingdale’s.
Her mom checked her lipstick in the mirror and answered, “No, no, sweetie. We’re going to be too busy. We’re going to find you, your brother, and your mommy some fancy, new clothes.”
Ty stared at his grandma, but didn’t respond. Lotty unbuckled Aiden, set him in the stroller, and followed her mom and Ty toward LuBella’s.
As the door opened and the bell dinged, someone tugged on Lotty’s arm from behind. She turned around, expecting Ty to ask for food or tell her he had to go to the bathroom, but instead she saw a young man with a familiar face. The look of desperation in his eyes stopped Lotty in her tracks. “I need to talk to you.”
As he stared at her, recognition dawned. She’d seen him at the police station. He was one of the men they were questioning yesterday. She took a step back, but he moved closer.
“Please. I don’t want anyone seeing us,” he whispered. He motioned around the corner.
“Uh.” She hesitated. Following a man who was linked to crime in the neighborhood around a corner so they wouldn’t be seen should make her run in the opposite direction, but her curiosity was overpowering. “One second,” she said, holding up her finger and walking inside. “Hey, Mom, I left my purse in the car. I’ll be right back.”
“Charlotte, I told you, this is my treat. You don’t need your purse,” she said, running her fingers alo
ng a powder blue, cashmere scarf.
“Thanks, but I need my purse. It has toys and snacks to keep Aiden happy.” Lotty hoped her mom wouldn’t notice her bag sitting in the bottom of the stroller. “I’ll be back in a sec.” She ran out the door before her mom could argue, and headed around the corner where he’d disappeared. She should be hesitant, probably even scared, but she wasn’t. She covered her nose with her sleeve to block the horrible smell oozing from the dumpsters and waited next to the wall. The buildings blocked out the sun and cast an eerie shadow on the alley. When a figure in a dark hoodie stepped out, it felt like the opening scene of a murder mystery, and those never ended well for the victims. Now fear crept along her spine. She inched her way closer to the sunlight and tried to even out her breathing.
“Look, I know a few things I didn’t tell the cops,” the guy said. Lotty willed herself to look directly at his face. His wide eyes and shaky frame gave away how terrified he was. His fear eased hers. She was struck by how young he was. He couldn’t have been out of high school yet. How had he gotten himself tangled up in this mess? “You’re going to get yourself killed if you don’t stop,” he said as he looked side to side and pulled his hood further over his face.
“Stop what?” Lotty asked. Who did he think he was talking to? She wasn’t sure if she should play along to find out what he knew or be straight with him. The dark shadows prompted her to choose the latter. “I think you may have the wrong person.”
“No, I don’t,” he growled as anger flashed in his eyes. In an instant, it was gone and he looked scared again. “I was going to go to your house to talk to you, but if I show up in that neighborhood again, they’ll probably kill me. So, I waited outside the gate this morning and followed you here.”