by Peggy Dulle
Just then my phone rang. It was Tom. Butterflies formed in my stomach and a wave of excitement ran over my body, just like it had the first time we’d met. What a wonderful way to end an evening - speaking to him.
I lay down on the bed and pushed the button on my phone. “Hello, Tom.”
“What the hell were you thinking, Liza!” He bellowed.
Chapter 9
I sat up in bed and pushed the “end call” button on my phone. Nobody yells at me. How dare he? The butterflies in my stomach turned to rocks and I paced around the room. Four more times he called and I picked up the phone and ended the call. Then the phone in the room rang. I picked it up, heard Tom’s voice, and put the receiver back down, and went to take a long hot bath. I soaked for a long time soothing my ruffled nerves and seething emotions. I knew that he cared about me and I’m sure that he’d heard about my accident, but yelling never worked with me. My parents learned early that the more they yelled, the less I listened.
Finally the water turned cold and I had to get out. I wrapped myself in one of the hotel’s white terry cloth towels and sat down on the bed. I’d answer the next call, and as politely as I could explain about the yelling thing. Communication was key in any relationship, so he might as well learn early what pushes my buttons. There was a knock at the door. Tom couldn’t have made it up here that fast, could he?
I cracked the door open and saw Joe, grinning.
“What?”
He picked up a piece of paper and read it to me. “Could you please answer your phone? Tom promises not to yell anymore.” Joe laughed and looked up at me. “It’s getting late and he said he’d keep calling me if you don’t answer your phone.”
“I’ll answer it next time he calls.”
“Thanks, Liza.”
I closed the door and went back to the bed. My phone rang immediately.
“Hello.”
“Okay, I’m sorry I yelled.” His voice was calm and his tone light.
“I hope so. I don’t respond well to that.”
“I figured that out after the sixth hang-up.”
“It took six?”
He laughed lightly, “I’m a slow learner.”
“What’s the problem, Tom?”
“Why didn’t you call me when you got into a major accident and totaled your car?” His tone elevated.
My eyes went wide. “Are you yelling again?”
“No,” he said calmly. “I was just worried about you.”
“I’m fine. How did you know that I was in an accident?”
Silence.
“Tom?” The silence told me he was trying to think up a lie that I might buy. “The truth, Tom, how did you know?”
“Okay, I put a flag on your car with the DMV. The local cops reported the accident and the DMV called me.”
“Is that one of those extra bonuses of being a cop?”
“It does come with some benefits.”
“Does that mean if I got a speeding ticket, they would have informed you?”
“Sure.”
I suddenly felt angry. “How dare you keep tabs on me like that?”
“Easy, Liza. Don’t get upset again. I could get the ticket fixed for you. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“Maybe.”
“Let’s start this conversation again. Hi, Liza. I heard you were in a major auto accident. How are you feeling?”
“Well, thanks for asking. I’m fine. I’ve got a few bruises and my body aches but I’m okay. And by the way, Shelby’s okay, too.”
“I didn’t even think about Shelby. I was just worried about you. Is she okay?”
“Yes. She’s a little sore, too. But I went to see a local doctor and got some medicine for the both of us.”
“I guess it’s a good thing you keep her in that harness.”
“Yes, she probably would have been seriously injured without it.” I cleared my throat. “All dogs should wear a harness in the car.”
“Not police dogs. They have to be able to jump out and catch the bad guys.”
“It seems the police are all about safety, but they let their dogs roam around in the backseat of the patrol cars, totally unprotected.”
“Let’s change the subject. How about I come up and massage your aching muscles for you?”
“Actually, that’s a tempting offer, but no thank you.”
“Why not?”
“Because then I’ll be concentrating on you and not on why I came up here. I’ve only been here a day and I said I’d probably be gone a couple of weeks. Maybe when it’s time for me to come home, I’ll let you give me a ride home.”
“I can do that. How’s the investigation going?”
“Bits and pieces, here and there. Justin found out that Danielle’s aunt had a second autopsy done when the body was taken back to Minnesota.”
“Really, why?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Danielle’s aunt wanted her own doctor to verify the cause of death.”
“Did he find anything out of the ordinary?”
“Justin said the report indicated she had Sodium Pentothal in her system.”
“Truth serum?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Didn’t the mortician in Centerville embalm the body before her memorial service? Maybe it was something in the embalming fluid.”
“That’s possible. I don’t know much about the embalming process.”
“Me neither, but I wouldn’t think an autopsy done after the embalming process would be very accurate as to the cause of death.”
“I don’t know. They dig up bodies all the time on “CSI” and “Law and Order.” And they always seem to find the cause of death.”
“That’s TV, honey.”
“That doesn’t mean that it isn’t based on facts.”
“How about I call my coroner and find out for you?”
“That would be nice.”
“Just trying to help.”
“Just trying to get me home sooner.”
“Absolutely!” His voice elevated and I was sure he was smiling. “Whatever works. By the way, how are you getting around town?”
“Well, it’s not a very big town. But the tow truck guy loaned me his daughter’s car for a couple of weeks. She’s grounded and can’t use it.”
“That’s nice of him.”
“Bill’s a great guy. He got me out of the ditch, towed my car to town, and even took me to dinner, provided breakfast, and then we had lunch together.”
“I don’t think I like Bill.”
“Jealous?”
“Not of him, but the fact that he’s with you and I’m not, yes.”
“Well, don’t be. We’ll be together soon enough and for the rest of the summer.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Me either.”
“Hurry up and solve your case, will you?”
“I’m trying.”
“Remember, if you need any help or especially, if you get into trouble, please call me.” His tone was low and warm.
“But if I’m in trouble,” I teased, ignoring the concern in his voice, “I might not be able to call.”
“Then send up a smoke signal. I’ll find you.”
“You better.” I laid my head back on to the pillow and wrapped my arms tightly around my body, pretending that Tom held me. Silence. Even though our conversation had started out badly, I really didn’t want to end it.
I heard Tom sigh. “I miss you, Liza.”
“I miss you, too.”
“Sleep tight, honey.”
“You, too, love.” I turned off the light, changed into my pajamas, and was asleep in minutes.
In the morning I was a little less sore, which was nice. Shelby seemed to move around easier, too. I hooked her up to her leash for an early walk down Main Street. As soon as I stepped out of the door, I went back in and grabbed my sweatshirt. The sun was shining but it was very cool. It was only seven o’clock but there seemed to be a lot of people milling around
.
I spotted Bill and went over to him. “What’s everyone doing up so early?”
“The parade is at nine.”
“What parade?
He pointed to the banner that hung from one side of the street to the other, announcing the festival. “The one to kick off the festival.”
“Nobody told me there would be a parade, too.”
“Oh yeah. All of the local businesses walk in the parade. We’ve got horses and dogs marching, the kids from the dance studio strut their stuff, and then, of course, there are the clowns.”
A shiver ran up my spine. “I’m not a fan of clowns.”
“I hear that from a lot of people.”
“How long will the street be blocked?”
“About two hours.”
“Are all the businesses closed down during the parade?”
“Yes, all except the library. Edith always comes in early and stays late. She isn’t much for parades either. You could always wander in there when the clowns go by.”
“Great idea.” I needed to talk to Edith about Danielle. I waved goodbye to Bill and went back to my room, showered, and dressed in black jeans, a red sleeveless top, and got my black sweater, just in case the weather didn’t warm up today. I didn’t think Shelby would be welcome at the library and I knew she wouldn’t like the parade, so I left her asleep on my bed.
I went back to where Bill had been earlier and he was still there. He motioned to a pair of chairs he’d brought. “Have a seat, Liza.”
“Thanks, Bill.” I sat down and then he handed me a Starbuck’s coffee. I opened the lid and inhaled the magnificent aroma. “Oh, you’re a lifesaver.” I took a sip. It tasted as wonderful as it smelled. I nodded at Bill. “Really…thanks!”
“I knew you were a coffee drinker by the way you drank the bad coffee I brought with your breakfast the other day.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“Yes, it was. The coffee shop makes great donuts but lousy coffee.”
We sat in silence for a while and I did something I always enjoy – people watching. Many families had set up chairs on the parade route. A few had brought dogs, obviously more behaved than my own. I recognized some of the people I’d seen in and around town in the last few days, but there were also many strangers. Interestingly enough, they didn’t look like families on vacations.
I tapped Bill on the arm. “Who are those men?”
“Probably eating contestants. They started to arrive late last night.”
“Oh.” I looked at them again. They didn’t look like eating contestants to me, more like thugs. They were tall, heavyset men with no necks. I’d never been to an eating contest before, so maybe Bill was right. Besides my experience with thugs was limited to clowns.
More people arrived and soon both sides of Main Street filled up. The parade started exactly at nine. Lieutenant Damson drove the first car, waved and smiled at the crowd. Then came the fire and police departments, sirens blaring, horns blaring, and lots more waving hands from the participants and the crowds.
In the next vehicle was Mayor Galan, riding in the back of a truck decorated with colorful apple pots. As he held each one up, the crowd cheered. He gave them a thumbs-up and then showed them another one. The local high school marching band and several dance and gymnastic troops were next. The Girl and Boy Scouts walked, each being pulled by a dog wearing a small banner that said, “Adopt a pet today!”
Each business in the town had a float plastered with advertising of their particular product or service and apple pots. I hadn’t been to a parade for a long time, but this was nice. Then I saw Pete’s Kitchen Shop float, a flatbed truck with benches on both sides. At least thirty apple pots were displayed on each side. Everyone was cheering and pointing at the pots.
I tapped Bill on the shoulder. “I haven’t seen that business around here. Where is it located?”
“Oh, they don’t have a shop. It’s just a wholesaler of the apple pots. People order them from all over the country and he ships them out.”
Then Bill pointed down the street. “Here come your friends.”
At least a hundred clowns tumbled and danced down the street. If that weren’t bad enough, the clowns were followed by two dozen or so mimes. If clowns are scary, mimes are worse. My body shuddered and I stood up. “That’s my cue. I’m going to the library.”
“Chicken.” Bill grinned.
“Thanks for the chair and the coffee, Bill.”
“Any time. See you later, Liza.”
I waved, walked away from the clowns and into the center of the town to the library. It was an exquisite, older building, maybe even over a hundred years old. In the front were huge wooden double doors with wrought iron handles. Each side of the building had several carved pillars. The sign on the door said Closed for the Parade but the door was unlocked, so I walked in. The place was eerily quiet, like most libraries. It was enormous on the inside, with rows and rows of books on all sides. The center had ten or twelve round tables with four chairs each.
It would take me quite a while to wander around and actually locate Edith. It was quicker to just yell. “Hello!”
A woman dressed in blue jeans and a white collared shirt came around the corner of a bookshelf. She was close to my height and age with short brown hair. “Hello?”
I waved at her. “Are you Edith?” She walked over and I extended my hand. “My name is Liza Wilcox and I’m a friend of Danielle Slammers.”
Edith took my hand and shook it. “Danielle’s dead.”
“That’s why I’m here. I want to find out what happened to her.”
“Good luck. Crime doesn’t happen very often in Clainsworth, but when it does, it never gets solved!” she snapped, then turned and walked away.
Chapter 10
“Wait!” I followed after Edith. “I still have some questions.”
“Fine,” she shrugged. “Come on up to my office.”
I trailed behind her as she negotiated around several bookshelves into a small office in the back of the library. The floor was covered with stacks of children’s books. She glanced down. “I’m re-organizing the children’s books by reading levels. It’s an idea I got from a library in New York. It will help the parents know which books to steer their children to read.”
“Sounds like a good idea. I’m a teacher and I might just do the same thing at my school library. When my students go to the library they always choose books with cool pictures, but most can’t even begin to read them. If I had books by levels, then they could check out the ones they could actually read.”
She pointed to a wooden chair in front of her desk. “Have a seat.”
“Thanks.” I sat down and she sat at her desk, which was piled with more books.
Edith separated the piles, so we could see each other. She shrugged. “Sorry, I didn’t expect anyone to be in today. I thought everyone would be at the parade.”
“I was there for awhile. Bill told me that you’d be in today. He said you didn’t like the parade.”
“It’s all a scam to sell apple pots. That’s what this whole town is about.” She shook her head and frowned. “It’s all very sad.”
“Why?”
“This town used to be about the people who lived here. It was a community that worked together to keep the town thriving. Now it’s apple pots, apple pots, and more apple pots. My parents thought they were stupid, too. And frankly, I’m sick of them.”
“Why do you stay?”
“I was born here, raised here and will probably die here.” She glanced out her office door. “This library is my family’s legacy. Who’s going to keep it going if I leave?”
“Your mother was a librarian.”
“For forty-two years. We worked together for seventeen years. Then she was killed. Now she’s with Dad and I’m keeping her library open.”
“I thought she died in a fire?”
“Yeah, that’s the town’s story.”
“But not yours?�
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She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
“What do you think happened?”
“Someone hit her on the back of the head, lit our family home on fire, and then watched it burn to the ground.”
“Why do you think so?”
“My dad built that house. He knew the sawdust he used for insulation would be highly flammable. He made sure all of the timbers were reinforced. That’s why the house burned so long. The structure refused to give way. They eventually had to bring in a bulldozer to tear it down.”
“Why would someone want to kill your mother?”
“I don’t know.” She shook her head. Her tone was low but intent.
“I heard that Danielle asked a lot of questions about your mom.”
“Yes, she said she didn’t believe the story about her being killed in the fire, either.”
“Why?”
“She never said. Just that she was interested in finding out what really happened to my mom and why.”
Maybe if I followed the same path as Danielle, I’d figure out what really happened to her. And the trail started with Edith’s mother. “Edith, will you tell me about your mom?”
“Sure,” she smiled and leaned back in her chair. “Both she and my dad were born here, went to school here, were married here, and had one daughter – me.”
“Was she always a librarian?”
“Yeah, my great grandmother opened the library in 1901. My mother started working when she was eighteen, around 1953. And I started working here twenty years ago when I was eighteen.”
“And your dad?”
“He hated the library. In fact he didn’t like any building. He said they always looked the same and never changed.” She smiled. “What my dad really loved was exploring. He was always dragging me to a river or lake just to see how it had changed from our last visit. But his favorite places to explore were caves.”
“Bill told me he was a spelunker.”
“One of the best. Unfortunately, we don’t have too many around here, so he explored the old mine shafts.”
“Bill also told me that’s how he died.”
“That’s just another crime in Clainsworth that never was solved.”