by Jessica Beck
When she was finally available, I slid my bank bag across the cage to her.
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” I said as she pulled out the contents and began to count.
“Pardon me?” she asked. Kelly was a pretty blonde, but in kind of a trashy way. Her outfit was just on the edge of office acceptability, with a skirt that was too tight, a hem that was too high, and a blouse that barely managed to contain her pretty ample cleavage. I felt sorry for the two top buttons in particular, and was going to be careful if they popped. It would be a bad way to lose an eye.
“I’m the one who found Cam’s body,” I said. “I’m kind of surprised you came into work today after what happened yesterday.”
She frowned at me for a moment before she spoke. “I have to work. I’m out of vacation and sick time, so if I don’t show up, I get fired.”
Funny, but her eyes weren’t even red. If she’d been crying, you couldn’t prove it by me. “Still, you must be shattered by your loss.”
“It’s a nightmare,” she agreed.
I saw her stiffen suddenly as she glanced over my shoulder, and when I turned, I saw Officer Grant come in.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
Kelly ignored me, and then made it a point not to look like she noticed the police officer, who walked to Jackson’s window, made a quick withdrawal, and then walked back out.
“No, everything is fine.” She had lost count, so she had to start over on my bills.
I couldn’t leave it alone, no matter how much she clearly hoped that I would. “Since you two broke up, you’ll never be able to make things right again. That must be awful.”
“We had a spat. We never broke up,” she said, an edge in her voice now. It appeared that I was finally getting to her. “Cam and I had them all of the time.”
This conflicted with what I’d heard about them before. “Are you saying that you were still together when he died?”
She nodded. “Of course we were.” Kelly seemed to realize how that must have sounded, because she quickly added, “Well, not at that moment, but as a couple, yes. We were just on a break, but we both knew that we’d end up together.”
“Where were you when he died?” I asked. It was the entire point of interviewing her, and I hoped to get an answer.
“Tell me exactly when he was murdered, and maybe I’ll let you know,” Kelly said, all pretense of courtesy now gone from her voice.
I was ready with my answer, since I already knew the approximate time that Cam had been murdered. “Tuesday from ten thirty to eleven thirty in the morning.”
Kelly looked surprised to hear the news. “On second thought, there’s really no reason I should tell you anything.” She’d stopped counting altogether now, and her voice was loud enough to attract attention from some of the other folks at the bank.
The manager, a man who came in for donuts now and then but made no effort to get to know me, came over and asked, “Is there a problem here?”
“No, sir,” Kelly said quickly.
He looked at me, and I shook my head. “We’re all good.”
He clearly didn’t believe it, but he went back to his office, though I noticed that he kept an eye on us.
Kelly was all business now. She balanced the deposit against my cash and receipts, then handed me the slip along with my bag. “Have a nice day.”
She’d put just a little too much emphasis on the “nice,” but I had no choice but to leave. As I stepped away, I saw the manager approach her, and then I heard him tell her to take her lunch break. That was perfect.
If she hadn’t brought her lunch, which I somehow doubted she’d ever done in her life, then I could ambush her in the parking lot before she could get away.
CHAPTER 7
We got to my Jeep, I reached in back, and then handed Grace the donuts. “Would you take these in to Jackson for me and tell him that I’m sorry for the way I behaved?”
She took the donuts from me and asked, “I’m happy to do it, but why don’t you?”
I smiled firmly. “I’m going to brace Kelly when she comes out.”
“That sounds like more fun to me,” Grace said as she tried to shove the box of donuts back in my hands. “Why don’t you make your peace offering and I’ll deal with Kelly.”
I shook my head, hoping that Kelly would delay a little before she came out. “If she thinks we’re ganging up on her, she might not talk. Please?”
It was clear that Grace wasn’t all that thrilled to miss the confrontation, but she nodded anyway. “Fine, but I’ll be right back.”
Kelly brushed past Grace as she hurried out of the bank, but I wasn’t going to let her get away. “I’m not finished talking to you yet,” I said as I approached her.
She had the keys to a black Trans Am out and was unlocking her door even as I approached. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“It won’t take a second.” I was beside her now, and much harder to ignore.
I was shocked when Kelly spun around and grabbed my arm. I tried to pull it away, but the girl was strong. Her voice was nearly a hiss as she said, “You almost got me fired in there. Leave me alone, or you’ll regret it.”
There was no doubt in my mind that it was a direct threat, and the strength she used to hold my arm made me realize she was fully capable of killing a man. I couldn’t let that stop me, though.
Trying to keep the panic out of my voice, I said, “What I heard is true, wasn’t it? You’ve got quite a temper.”
She acted as though she hadn’t realized that she was still gripping my arm. She released it, and I saw her handprint still there on my flesh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m just at a loss right now, and I’m not myself.”
It was a nice apology, but I wasn’t sure I should believe a single word of it. “Then you’ll answer my questions?”
“I’m not that sorry,” she said as she got into her car.
As Kelly drove away, Grace came rushing out. She joined me as I watched the car speed away.
“What did I miss?” she asked breathlessly.
“Kelly just grabbed my arm and threatened me. Tell Annie she’s right: that girl has a real temper.”
“Enough to kill Cam?” Grace asked.
“With plenty left over,” I said.
Grace looked pleased. “So that’s a good thing, right? Kelly stays on our list.”
“As far as I’m concerned, she can move right up to the top,” I said, rubbing my arm, trying to get some of the pain out of it.
“Who do we tackle next?” Grace asked as we got into my Jeep.
I started my car and said, “It’s either Hannah or Evelyn, and to be honest with you, I’m not up to interrogating the police chief’s ex-wife just yet. Arguing with Kelly was a bit much to take. Why don’t we start with Hannah?”
“That sounds good to me,” she said.
As I drove to Hannah’s house, I asked, “What did Jackson say about the donuts?”
Grace smiled. “He told me he was taught early and often that when someone offers you a gift, you say thank you and take it. Honestly, I think he loved them.”
“Good. It might pay off having a friend working so close to Kelly.”
Grace looked at me with a frown. “Is that why I gave him those donuts? Were they really just a bribe?”
“Of course not,” I said. “But I need some inside information, so why shouldn’t I ask Jackson about her? There’s nothing nefarious about that.”
“As long as it wasn’t part of your plan all along,” Grace said.
I had to laugh. “Trust me, I’m nowhere near that devious. You should know that about me better than most.”
“I do,” she acknowledged. “How are we going to tackle Hannah?”
“I think the truth might be our best chance,” I admitted. “Unless you have a better idea yourself.”
“No, I think the truth will work just fine.”
We drove to Hannah’s place, a retreat that s
he’d built just outside town. The lawn in front of the place was a lush and lovely meadow during the summer, but even in February it was delightful. The small pond was still free of ice, though the water had to be frigid, and the bird-feeding station she’d set up on its bank was unbelievable. As I looked up at the house, I could see that Hannah James’s place was a log cabin, but there was nothing small about it. Timbers rose to two stories, and the logs were stained dark brown. The green metal roof caught a hint of sunlight, and the broad porch looked really inviting.
That’s where we found Hannah, painting at an easel. She had a fireplace on the porch, and a few logs were cheerfully burning.
“Good afternoon,” I said as Grace and I walked up onto the porch. “Mind if we take a peek at your work?”
“It’s still rough,” she said, biting her lip. “I’d really rather you didn’t.”
“I understand completely,” Grace said. “You’re entitled to be private about your works of art in progress.”
I took in the scene and added, “You’ve certainly got lots to paint here.”
Hannah, a thin woman in her sixties who was built like a willow, nodded. “I wanted to see a picture every time I woke up. I’ve made all four seasons a delight.”
“It’s great that you’ve got all of this,” I said.
As Hannah cleaned her brushes, she said, “When my father died, he left a hole in my heart and more money than I knew what to do with. I closed my business, moved out here to his place, and fell in love with it all over again. It’s amazing the way he designed the layout to offer lovely views wherever I look.”
“You must miss him terribly,” I said.
“I do,” she said. “What brings you ladies out here on such a beautiful day? I know it’s not to admire my vistas. Most folks think it’s too chilly to spend much time outdoors in February.”
“Actually, we’re looking into Cam Hamilton’s murder,” I said simply.
Hannah shook her head, looked as though she wanted to cry, and then said, “I’m sorry. I can’t help you. I didn’t have anything to do with that.”
“It happened in your shop,” Grace said gently.
“My former shop,” she corrected her, and then turned to me. “If I’m not mistaken, your mother owns it these days.”
“Yes,” I admitted. “She had a reason to dislike Cam, but I’ve heard that you did yourself.”
Hannah shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
There was nothing I could do but tell her what I’d seen. “I saw you two in front of Donut Hearts not a week ago,” I admitted. “You looked as though you were ready to kill him.” It was a poor choice of words, something I instantly regretted. “Maybe that’s a little strong, but you were both extremely upset.”
Hannah frowned, and then put the brush she’d been holding down. “I suppose it will come out sooner or later.” She pointed to the adjacent land. “Cam bought that property a month ago, and he planned to bulldoze every tree on the lot.”
I looked at the majestic trees there: oaks, maple, hickory, and pine. “Why on earth would he do that?”
“He wanted to put a condominium complex there,” she said, spitting the words out as though they burned her as she spoke them.
“No wonder you were angry with him,” Grace said.
“I was upset, but not enough to kill him,” she said.
“What’s going to happen now?” I questioned her, honestly curious about what the mayor’s death would mean to the project.
“Next door?” she asked, as though she hadn’t given it a bit of thought. “I suppose someone will inherit the land, but if there are no heirs, it might go to public auction by the bank.”
“Would you buy it?” I asked, wondering if the land acquisition might have been her motive all along.
She nodded. “Why not? I offered Cam good money for it, and I’ll do the same with the bank if they take it over.”
“But either way, there won’t be any condos going in,” I said.
Hannah pointed a finger at me as though it were a laser. “I already told you, Suzanne: I didn’t kill him.”
“But surely you still have a key to your old shop,” I said. “You could have gotten in there without a problem.”
Hannah looked clearly surprised by my statement. “Are you saying that your mother never changed the locks? Are you serious?”
“She hadn’t gotten around to it, since the building wasn’t being occupied,” I said, feeling the need to defend my mother’s failure to do such a simple task.
“Well, if you ask me, that was just plain careless of her,” Hannah said.
“Who else might have a key?” Grace asked clearly, trying to cool the tone of the conversation.
“Anyone who ever worked for me probably had a key,” Hannah admitted. “I’ve never been fond of mornings, so I allowed anyone who could stand it to come in early, and that required them to have a key.”
“Does that include Evelyn Martin?” I asked.
Hannah’s eyes narrowed. “Do you think she might have murdered Cam?” She paused to think about that, and then nodded. “Yes, I can see that.”
“Anyone else?” I asked, wondering what names might pop up that we hadn’t uncovered yet in our investigation.
Hannah shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about it, making a list in my mind. A rather handsome young state police investigator came by earlier, and I’m compiling it for him.”
So, Jake hadn’t wasted any time following up his leads. “Could we get a copy of it as well?” I asked.
“I don’t see why you’d need it,” Hannah said. “Honestly, I can’t believe your mother approves of you trying to solve crime while we have perfectly capable police officers handling things.”
“She asked me to do this,” I said, probably saying more than I should have.
“She must be really desperate, then,” Hannah said. “Not that I blame her.”
I was losing my patience. “Where were you on Tuesday morning between ten thirty and eleven thirty?” I asked.
Hannah laughed at the question. “I had to tell the police, but I won’t indulge you. You should be careful, Suzanne. I’d hate to see you get hurt.”
“Is that a threat?” I asked. “I seem to be getting a lot of them lately.”
“No, of course not,” Hannah said, clearly uncomfortable with the implication. “I just think the game you are playing is dangerous.”
“Trust me, it’s not a game,” I said.
Grace touched my arm, and when I looked at her, she shook her head slightly. It was time to go before I damaged my relationship with Hannah beyond the point where I could ask her any more questions later. “Listen, I’m sorry if I was rude a little earlier. I love my mother more than anything else in this world, and I hate the idea of her living under everyone’s suspicion that she might be a cold-blooded killer. Do you forgive me?”
They were powerful words, and I meant them. I’d been harsher with Hannah than she’d deserved, and I wanted to make amends for it. The fact that she’d bit right back didn’t have anything to do with me. My only hope of getting anyone to cooperate with me was to try to keep from alienating them, something I hadn’t managed too well so far. It had to be because Momma was in trouble. There was no objectivity in me at the moment, and if I wanted to keep detecting, I was going to have to learn to take a softer approach with the folks I questioned.
“Of course I do,” Hannah said softly. “It’s perfectly understandable, and while we’re asking for apologies, I’d like to ask you for one as well. I’m a little sensitive when it comes to Cam Hamilton’s murder. He was killed in my old shop, we have land that abuts that he was going to defile, and enough folks in April Springs know about it all to put me under the gun as well. To tell you the truth, I want you to find the killer myself.”
“Then would you give us your alibi?” Grace asked. “It might really help.” I was startled by the question, but knew that there couldn’t have been
a better time to ask than right then, as long as she was the one posing the question.
“I was being stubborn not telling you before. I’m afraid it isn’t anything that can be verified. I was here, walking my land. I was alone, I’m sorry to say, another habit of mine, and then I started on this painting.”
“You didn’t see or talk to anyone the entire time?” I asked, knowing that it would be impossible to prove one way or the other without a collaborating witness.
“No one,” she said. “I’m sorrier than you could imagine. Good luck, ladies, and I mean it.”
After we drove off, Grace said, “I was worried we were going to blow it, but that apology came at just the right time.”
“It was sincere,” I said. “I was too tough on her.” I looked over at her for a second and added, “As a matter of fact, I was kind of wondering why you didn’t stop me.”
She smiled at me. “I thought we were trying out a new investigative technique, bad cop/bad cop.”
“You could always be the good cop for a change,” I suggested.
Grace laughed long and loud at the suggestion. “Have you met me, Suzanne? Is there any way you can see me as the good cop?”
“You’ve got a point,” I said.
Grace sighed heavily and remarked, “I’m afraid we’re no better off than we were before, though, are we?”
“I don’t see it that way,” I said. “We have a motive for Hannah we didn’t have before, and we already knew that she had the means and the opportunity.”
Grace took a moment to process that and then said, “I don’t know, I can’t see her as a killer.”
I shook my head. “If we’ve learned anything over the years, it should be that killers come in all shapes and sizes.”
“I know,” she said. “I guess that just leaves one more name on our list we need to speak with today.”
With a growing sense of dread, I nodded. “It’s time we talk to Evelyn Martin.”
“I suppose we could always talk to her later,” Grace suggested.
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. We want to resolve this as quickly as we can.”
Grace took a deep breath and said, “Suzanne, remember a long time ago when you asked me to tell you if you were being too pushy with people?”