by Kym Roberts
“What interview?” Sugar asked.
“Liza interviewed Nathan Daniels about his book. It was really creepy.”
“Creepy is the guy trying to come see me at the jail.”
Scarlet sucked in a breath, but I was more vocal. “Get out! Nathan Daniels came to see you at the county jail?”
Sugar put Princess down. “Yeah, Mateo wasn’t very happy when he heard about it this morning.”
“He didn’t know?”
“No. The desk clerk passed the information over to the deputy in the jail but didn’t tell Detective Youngblood. Nathan left without anyone talking to him. But another witness came in overnight and gave information that cleared Dean and me. Although I don’t think that was his intention.”
We moved up to the loft and continued to set up the stations for our class. “What kind of evidence?”
“It was a voicemail that Maddie left for her brother the night she died. She told Tiny she’d gotten in a fight with me.” Sugar’s lips pursed. “I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead…but that woman did everything in her power to make life miserable for us when all we ever tried to do was make sure she had a relationship with her son. I tried to embrace her as part of the family, but not once did she give Scotty the time of day. Her son doesn’t even know that she was his mother. Yet just as she did in life, in death Maddie turned our lives into a nightmare.” Sugar looked off into space as if she was reliving every horrible moment she’d shared with Maddie. Scarlet squeezed her hand, and Sugar gave us a sad smile. “If she’d known her voicemail would clear us of charges, she’d be furious, but instead, she clarified the time of events and cleared me of charges by leaving that lying voicemail.”
I remembered Tiny coming into the Barn the night before and telling me that Maddie had left him a voicemail about getting in a fight with Sugar. At the time, I’d felt horrible and worried about the evidence stacking up against my friend. But between the autopsy report showing Maddie had been beaten, the recovered slug that wasn’t the same size as Sugar’s gun, and the timing of Maddie’s voicemail to Tiny, no one could deny Sugar’s innocence. I should have realized when Tiny told me about it that her message would clear Sugar. I should have been able to see that, but I’d been so focused on Tiny’s anger that his words had seeped through the cracks as unimportant.
If Maddie had called to tell Tiny about the fight, Sugar couldn’t have killed her. After their fight, Sugar had gone back to the Tool Shed Tavern and had never returned to the hotel.
“What did she lie about?” asked Scarlet.
“I didn’t fight her. I went to her room because I thought—” Her voice cracked. “I thought Dean was with her. She and I argued, and as I was leaving, she grabbed me by the hair. I had to peel her hands out of my hair, and that’s how I broke off my nail. I didn’t punch her, and I certainly didn’t break her cheekbone.”
“You heard about that?” I asked.
“Yeah. There wasn’t anything wrong with Maddie’s face when I left the hotel. I would have noticed if she’d had that kind of injury.”
“Do they know how she got on the roof?”
“Detective Youngblood asked me in my interview if I’d seen Maddie’s room key, but that’s all I know.”
The bell at the door announced the arrival of another member of our class and soon the loft was full of people who were offering Sugar their support. It was heartwarming to see the women of town treat her so nicely, especially when it was obvious that they’d had an unwavering belief in Sugar’s and Dean’s innocence.
We were midway through our project when Daddy walked in with Dean and Scotty. The little boy was the spitting image of his daddy, wearing a plaid button-down shirt tucked into Wrangler jeans and cowboy boots. Their hair was wet and tousled, and they both wore their carefree attitude that had the ladies eating out of the palm of their hands.
Scotty ran up to Sugar with a bouquet of flowers hidden behind his back. The way he stopped in front of her with the biggest grin this side of the Red River brought tears to the eyes of all of us. Even Princess could be heard sniffing under the table.
“I missed you, Sugar,” Scotty said as he eyed the comic books and boots sitting on the table in front of her.
“Don’t you peek at your present, little man.”
“I wouldn’t do that.” The little boy crossed his heart and peeked around Sugar.
Dean cleared his throat as he came to stand next to his son.
“We have something we’d like to ask you,” Dean said.
The table grew silent. That wasn’t the type of thing a man said while standing in front of his girlfriend with every other woman in town looking on. The sense that something very important was about to occur passed through every one of us.
Sugar seemed to have trouble finding her voice. “What is it?” she whispered.
Dean and Scotty knelt on one knee, and a gasp went up one side and down the other of the table. The weepy eyes filled, spilled, and refilled.
“I know there are quite a few years between us, and I bring with me an entire herd of kids.”
Scotty giggled at his dad’s comment.
“But I’ve loved you since the first day I saw you sipping sweet tea in the tearoom downstairs.”
I looked at Daddy, and he read my thoughts. They’d met in the tearoom? Daddy shrugged as if he’d no idea they’d fallen in love right under his nose in our store.
“I’ve made my mistakes, and I’ve never been good at being married. After Maddie and I blew what we had, I didn’t want to try a fourth time. I was content to live life without any permanent ties. But in this past week, I’ve come to realize I can’t live like this. I’m a passionate man. I’ve lived hard. I’ve work harder, and I promise to love you with all of my heart for the rest of my days.”
Scotty pulled a ring out of his shirt pocket and handed it to his daddy. “Sugar McWilliams,” Dean and Scotty said as one, “will you marry us?”
Chapter 14
Sugar’s “Yes,” was celebrated with a loud whoop and plenty of hugs and kisses. The book art projects were put on hold for our next class, and the mood in town seemed to be celebratory. But Maddie’s death hung over us. There was a killer somewhere in our midst, and despite all the happiness, the sense of loss dampened what should have been the best days of Sugar and Dean’s lives.
I didn’t see or hear from Mateo all afternoon which was disappointing but understandable. He had a murder case to solve and no suspects in custody. It wouldn’t be long before people were complaining about a murderer walking the streets.
I was sorting through some used books that had come in that afternoon when Cade came into the store. He looked as tired as I felt. The only difference, Cade wore an air of defeat that wasn’t in his nature.
“What’s going on, Mayor?”
Cade smirked. “I didn’t realize we’d moved to formal titles, Ms. Warren.”
“I figured I’d better call you mayor since you won’t be holding the title for long.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because it’s only a matter of time before we address you as Senator Calloway. Isn’t that the first step to the White House?”
Cade laughed, and I had to admit it was good to see it on him.
“Only you would put me in the White House, Princess.”
I disagreed. “I think there might be a few more people who would.”
“Actually, I came to clear my stuff out of the tearoom. I’ve arranged with Dallas to take it to the plant.”
Cade walked toward the tearoom, and I blocked his path by standing in front of the stall door with my arms spread wide. “You are not throwing in the towel. This is not you, Cade.”
“Princess—”
“You listen to me. I’ve known you a long time, and I know this isn’t what you want to do.”
Cade
finally capitulated. “You’re right. I want to run for Senate.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, ‘why’? I think that’s pretty obvious.”
I didn’t let him off the hook. I asked him again. “Why do you want to be a senator?”
“I want to represent Texans and give us a voice in Washington.”
“And is there anyone else running that can do it better than you can?” I knew what Cade thought of the incumbent. He didn’t like him and didn’t believe he voted in a manner that was the best for the future of Texas, or our country. Cade sincerely believed the current senator voted in the direction that special interests groups wanted him to. He also didn’t think anyone else could unseat him.
When he didn’t answer, I asked the next question, “Who is going to unseat him if you’re not running? Are you going to give up the fight because you’re down in the fourth quarter by fourteen?”
“I hate when you use football analogies.”
I grinned. Football got him every time. “That’s because you know I use them well.”
“I’m supposed to meet Liza for an interview in five minutes to tell her I’m not running.”
“I suggest you change that to an entirely different type of announcement.”
“But I originally scheduled that for tomorrow.”
“Let’s make it today.”
“I agree with Princess.”
We turned to see Liza walking toward us. We’d been so deep into our conversation we’d missed her coming into the Barn.
“Because you want to break the news?” Cade asked.
“I think the two of you owe me a story,” Liza said as she swiped a curl out of her face. She had on a lilac dress with matching sling-back heels. Unlike us, she looked rested and refreshed. “Besides, the voters need to know how you’re going to address the theft of the aluminum at the Bin Dover Recycling. The metal you promised that would pay for the recycling program, and reduce our carbon imprint, has been stolen, and now the city budget is going to have to pay for a program you started.”
This was the first I’d heard of metal being stolen at the recycling center, but from the look on Cade’s face, he was well aware of the problems the plant suffered. I looked back at Liza. Only then did I see the cameraman hiding near the store entrance. Liza had brought the big guns in with her. This wasn’t about an interview. This was about payback for last night, and I wasn’t about to let her throw Cade’s career away.
“Mayor Calloway has brought a wonderful recycling program to Hazel Rock. The program was designed to pay for itself while having a positive effect on our environment. We’ve had a run of events, tragic events that have set us back as a community. But with leadership like Cade Calloway’s, Hazel Rock will come back stronger than ever. When time runs out in the fourth quarter, Mayor Calloway and Hazel Rock will be on top.”
Liza looked like she wanted to knock my block off. “What are you going to do, Mayor? Help track down the metal?”
Cade, the politician, was back. “I have all the faith in the world in our county law enforcement to track down whoever is responsible for the crime. But I would ask our citizens to report any unusual activity they’ve seen at Bin Dover Recycling to the sheriff’s office. As a community, we are at our best when we work as a team.” He beamed at Liza. “Thank you for your time, Ms. Twaine.” Then Cade went in the tearoom and closed the door in her face.
I had no doubt he could hear her repeated questions about if he was running for senate through the door and over the top of it as well, but he didn’t answer her. Liza had lost her opportunity to interview the man I knew would be the next senator.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Twaine. The Book Barn Princess is closing for the day.”
“Are you hiding more books in the tearoom that you’re planning to burn, Ms. Warren?”
Liza’s attack caught me off guard. I didn’t know what to say. “Excuse me?”
With the discovery of Maddie’s body, everyone seemed to have forgotten about my arrest. Not Liza. She was making sure Cade wasn’t the only one who experienced her payback.
“You have a court date in a matter of weeks in regard to burning books here at the Book Barn Princess. How do you plan to plead considering we caught you in the act and have your crime on film?”
Cade was out of the tearoom in a flash. “Don’t answer that ridiculous question.”
Liza’s smile was as sly as they come. A used car salesman couldn’t have used a better con to sell a bill of goods. She knew Cade would stop me from answering.
“Are you representing her, Mayor Calloway? Doesn’t that go against everything a green candidate stands for?”
“We have no comment for you, Liza.” Even though Cade’s anger was suppressed, I could still see it seething under the surface. I hoped the camera didn’t pick up on it as well.
The front bell to the store sounded, and I wanted to throw up my hands and yell, What now? Instead I repeated what I’d told Liza. “The Book Barn is closed.”
No sooner had the words left my lips than Tiny stomped into the store. “You may have gotten them released out of jail, but I’m not through making sure my sister gets justice.” Tiny’s fists were clenched and down at his sides. The cameraman immediately backed out of his way; his tall lean build was no match for Tiny’s nose tackle frame.
Cade, however, had gone up against guys like Tiny for years. “The sheriff will get justice for Maddie. Leave it to him.”
I didn’t understand Tiny’s obsession with coming into the Barn. The man had never stepped inside the Barn before Maddie died. Granted, he may have more time on his hands after being laid off from the recycling plant.
Tiny had been laid off from the plant. If anyone knew how to steal the aluminum from the plant, it would be Tiny. Standing in front of us could be the man responsible for all of Cade’s headaches. “Did you steal the aluminum from the plant?” I asked.
Cade eyed me sideways, but he wasn’t going to take all his attention off the man whose anger was like an active volcano ready to erupt. Tiny, however, gave me his undivided attention.
“What aluminum? I didn’t steal any aluminum.”
Liza pointed at her cameraman to continue to roll. The video wasn’t my first choice for a witness, but I’d take it if it meant helping Cade’s program rebound.
“You know the operation,” I said. “I’d say you know it as well as the back of your…” I looked at his beefy fists. “As well as the back of your scratched-up hand.” I thought of Maddie’s injuries and wondered if Dallas was closer to the truth about what happened to Maddie than all of us. Maybe Tiny’s anger over her death was all an act to throw the attention of the investigation in another direction, and now the man found himself without money. Cashing in on the losses of the recycling plant might seem like poetic justice after Dallas fired him.
Cade didn’t know anything about Tiny’s abuse, but he immediately caught on to my accusation.
“Lady, you’re crazy. I didn’t steal anything from the plant. Trying to steal the aluminum would be like going to the dump and wading through mountains of trash for something of value. Nobody’s been sorting the recycling since I got laid off.”
“What’s happening to the recycling?” Liza asked.
I closed my eyes. My plan to help Cade had backfired. Things had just taken a decided turn for the worst.
Tiny ignored Liza’s question, and asked Cade, “Mayor, I want to know something.”
Cade didn’t hesitate. He nodded to indicate that Tiny needed to go ahead and ask his question, but I could tell he was going to proceed with caution.
“Are you going to make sure Maddie gets justice?”
Cade’s expression softened but showed a confidence that only came from telling what he believed to be the truth. “I can tell you this: We have the best sheriff’s department in the sta
te looking into your sister’s case. Dedicated professionals who have sworn to investigate the case thoroughly and will do everything in their power to see that your sister’s killer is brought to justice. That I can assure you.”
Tiny nodded. He accepted Cade’s word with a solemn trust I hadn’t expected. I couldn’t tell if it was an act, or if this was the side of Tiny that Maddie may have known—an earnest brother who just couldn’t accept anything but the best for his sister.
Liza seemed as disappointed in Tiny’s acceptance as Cade was pleased.
“How do you feel about Sugar and Dean being released this morning?” she asked.
Tiny leaned toward her and looked at her through squinted eyes. “I suggest you don’t ask me another question, lady.” He left as abruptly as he’d appeared, and I released the breath I’d been holding.
Relief flooding through my system. Then I turned toward Liza, who seemed to be a little bit shaken up by her nose-to-nose conversation with Tiny. I took advantage of the wobble in her knees. “Is there a purchase I could help you with? A book you would like to buy?”
“I don’t have time for books right now!” Liza yelled in my face and did an about-face toward the door.
“Of course, you don’t. Have a nice evening, Ms. Twaine.” The door to the Barn swished closed as Liza and her cameraman exited the store, and I quickly locked it behind them.
“I guess I better prepare my denouncement speech of my candidacy tomorrow.”
“Cade—”
Cade shook his head. “This is it, Princess. The end of the line.”
Chapter 15
The crowd was gathered in front of the Barn, and my stomach was turning knots faster than a roadrunner escaping the hungry teeth of a coyote. I’d let everyone in town know they needed to be at the Barn at one o’clock, and they’d shown up in droves. The small announcement Cade had planned to make for the media about not running for senate had turned into all the people of Hazel Rock and countless others from Oak Grove and the outlying county showing up to hear the news. The crowd was packed tighter than the church on Christmas.