Murder to the Max

by Tegan Maher

  I warded the house and barn area on our way out so that the heathen couldn't escape and nobody could get in to steal him.

  "On a scale of candle light dinner to going postal how mad do you think Hunter's going to be at you?"

  I blew out a breath. "I don't know. He can't be too mad at me. He's already convinced he has the killer, and to be honest, I can't blame him. I mean, the guy had motive, he had the money, he was seen leaving the scene, and he has no alibi."

  "But," she said, “that could describe a lot of people. Well, the truck's indisputable, but besides that. Why won't he tell you where he got the money?"

  "That's what's stumping me." I'd tossed that around in my head all night and still couldn't come up with anything that would be worse than going to prison for murder. "I'm going to drive out to Walmart this evening and see what I can find out. You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat their employees. Plus, if he sucked, I'll get a lot more than just a feeling about his personality. Nobody likes to gossip like employees who work for a jerk."

  "True that."

  We rode in silence for a while. I don't know what she was thinking about, but I was reliving a few horrible boss nightmares from college. I did okay working for people here because it wasn't really like I was working for people. When people copped attitudes at either Bobbie Sue's or Brew4U, I could tell them where to get off. I couldn't do that at more formal or corporate places.

  The bottom line, I was starting to believe, was that I wasn't particularly suited to being an employee. The whole idea of repurposing old items popped back into my head and I asked her what she thought of it.

  "I think it would be loads of fun going out and finding the stuff, but too much work to do the rest."

  I'd wondered about that, too, but I liked working with my hands and doing crafty projects.

  "I'm seriously considering it as my new career path."

  She turned sideways on the bench seat and looked at me. "Are you kidding me? You'd rather do that instead of running a bakery or something?"

  I shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. With a bakery, I'd be chained to it. I'd have to get up early every morning and deal with all the red tape of health inspections, and then there's the whole people end of it. You're good at it, but I don't think it's for me."

  "Where would you run it?"

  I'd thought about that quite a bit and had actually been keeping my eye out for properties.

  "That building beside the Clip N Curl is still empty. I think there's even an apartment above it so I'd have extra storage space if I needed it or I could rent it out. I'd do most of the restoration work at the farm, then be open set days at the shop."

  There were some logistics there that I hadn't quite worked out yet, but I was thinking more and more about it.

  "Maybe you should just start doing a few things at the farm first, then if you find out you like it, you can get the retail space. I think you should do it."

  I was feeling good about it as we took the final turn to get to the fishing camp. Somebody'd been through there recently because there were fresh ruts in the mud.

  I kicked on the four-wheel drive and smiled as I did. Bessie was a four-wheel-drive, but to engage it, I had to get out and lock in the hubs on the tires. Pushing that button on the new truck was one of those simple joys for me.

  Rae rolled her eyes. "Oh, for the love of Pete. You're just never gonna get tired of doing that are you?"

  "Nope."

  She shook her head, but was grinning. "So what do you think we should do? Should we both just go up and knock on the door? Are we going to watch it from a distance for a while?"

  These roads into the camps were often a mile or longer, so that would have been something to consider. Except as soon as I made the next turn, we were right in the little yard of the camp.

  I glanced at Rae. "Front door it is, I guess."

  I sucked in a deep breath when I recognized one of the other two trucks parked out front.

  "Guess you know now why he wasn't answering the phone," Rae said, cringing.

  I only had about two seconds to think about it because the screen door of the cabin flew open and Hunter made it to my truck in about four strides.

  "May I ask what you think you're doing out here?" he barked.

  His tone was like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. "I think I'm doing whatever I want. Is there a problem?"

  "There is, actually," he said. "You didn't trust me to do my job. You thought that just because I arrested somebody, I was closing the book on it. That's the problem. Oh, and the fact that you two came out here to face lord-only-knows-what by yourself without even thinking to ask me."

  "Hey!" I snapped. "That's not fair. I did call you. Twice, actually. And it's not like we're defenseless."

  "Yeah, I know. How did that whole protection-by-magic work for you two the last time?"

  Rae sucked in a breath. She still blamed herself for when we almost got killed over the whole Hank fiasco and I was just starting to talk some sense into her about it.

  He was aiming for me, but got a direct hit on her instead. I'd like to say he just kept running his mouth, but he's not that big of a jerk. He realized his mistake as soon as it was out of his mouth. "Rae, that wasn't meant to—"

  "No, you're right," she said. "We ran in half-cocked again, and—"

  "The hell he's right." I glared at Hunter. "We're leaving."

  I threw the truck in reverse and skidded to a halt, then slammed it in drive and pushed the gas pedal to the floor. For just an instant, I felt bad because I'd just spun up somebody's yard, then remembered he was a murderer at worst and a mean-ass drunk at best. Screw him.

  I was half a mile away before I calmed down enough to realize that the trip had been a complete waste of time; I still didn't know what Basil Bennett had been doing at Max's shop that morning. I growled.

  "You just realized it too, huh?"

  "Yep, sure did. Crap on a cracker."

  Chapter Thirty Four

  By the time we made it back to town, I'd cooled down enough that I could see Hunter's point. Raeann, ever the peacemaker, played devil's advocate to a tee and I was actually starting to realize he may have been sort of right. I didn't trust that he would follow up and I should have.

  Still, that didn't give him the right to talk to me like that, and I wasn't ready to let that go just yet. I was aggravated that we hadn't gotten what we drove all the way out there for, though. Now I'd have to work a little handicapped because that was scorched earth at that point.

  I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. "So, you still up for Walmart?"

  "I am. I need a few things anyway." She paused for a second, then continued. "You know I love you, right?"

  "Of course I do, sweetie." I held my breath, waiting for the inevitable but that always accompanied that phrase.

  "That repurposing gig would be good for you. Working with your hands soothes you, and that may be almost as good an outlet as baking."

  That was something to think about. I'd never thought about it like that, but I could easily see myself getting lost in sanding and repainting. That didn't mean I'd stop baking, though. That would always be my first love.

  I grinned and reached across the cab to shove her shoulder. "Wait, are you trying to tell me I need anger management?"

  She laughed. "Absolutely not, sugar. As a matter of fact, you're one of the most reasonable people I know. You've got spunk. To be truthful, I wish I were more like you."

  I beamed. That was probably the nicest thing she'd ever said to me.

  "But it wouldn't hurt you to have an outlet for those rare occasions when you do pop your cork."

  She was probably right.

  When we pulled into the yard at the farm, my internal alarm went off. Somebody'd been there, but I couldn't figure out who or how. I'd warded the place to keep anybody from crossing to the house or barn. Justin was there; I sensed him right away.

  "Does something feel wrong to you?"
That ward should have set off an alarm that I'd have felt regardless of where I was at.

  She stilled and I could almost see her reaching out, testing the energy on the air. "Not wrong, so much. But different, yes."

  "Different how?"

  "I can't really say. It's more a ... wisp of something." She shook her head. "I can't put my finger on it."

  "Me neither, and with things happening the way they have been lately, I don't like wisps. Nobody should have been able to pass through those wards.”

  Max and Justin were sitting on the porch playing chess on an over-sized board that I'd had made just for him. Addy was hovering behind Justin, helping him out.

  "Hey guys. Was anybody here?"

  Justin looked up and I was surprised by what a difference a good night's sleep, a couple of real meals, and some new clothes had made.

  "Nope. Addy took me down and taught me about different ways to tell what mood a horse is in, then she showed me the different kinds of feed and stuff. Then Max offered to teach me chess."

  Max was studying the board, his ears forward and his lips pulled to the side, thinking. It was funny to see human expressions transposed onto a donkey's face. "I didn't realize he'd be an astute learner," he said as he pushed a pawn forward.

  Addy started to float down to whisper something in his ear, but he held up his finger. "Let me try this time." He assumed the classic fingers-on-chin thinking pose and it was all I could do not to laugh. Between him and Max, they were adorable.

  Once he'd made his move, I stepped forward to see how much longer the game would last. I'd played chess with Uncle Cal, who was one of the most strategic thinkers I've ever met. If it were me, I'd have it done in three moves, and I waited to see which direction Justin took. I was a little surprised when he did exactly what I would have.

  I nudged him on the shoulder. "Once you make the last two moves, come inside and get cleaned up so we can go to Walmart." He grinned and gave me the thumbs-up sign as he stood back so Max could make his move.

  Addy followed us inside and waited patiently, then not-so-patiently, as I pulled two mason jars from the cabinet and filled them with tea. "Well, what did he say?"

  "We didn't exactly get to—"

  "He said the only thing he could remember about being there was drivin' away mad. He heard what happened and he's been at the cabin dryin' out ever since, so you didn't miss anything," Max said as he popped in. I never got used to the whole disjointed voices thing.

  Addy gave me her what-the-heck look.

  "When we got there, Hunter was already there," I said. "He wasn't exactly pleased to see us."

  "That's puttin' it mildly," Max said. "Numbnuts was fit to be tied when he saw you pull up." He turned to Addy, then motioned to me and grinned. "But your girl there gave as good as she got, and then some. Reminded me some of my Em. I learned quick to remember she was no shrinking violet. Anyway, he fumed all the way back to town."

  I nodded once. Good. Let him stew. I mean, I understood why he was upset, but that didn't give him the right to come at me like that. He was a good guy, but that was a line that needed to be drawn from the get-go. I didn't do the "Me Tarzan, You Jane" thing.

  "Yeah, yeah, domestic discord aside," Rae said, rolling her fingers in the air, "what did you think of your boy's alibi? Do you think he did it?"

  Max scratched his nose. "I reckon he could have, and I think he is afraid he did. Course, that Huffman boy ran from the law and had ten grand on him, and was seen leavin' my place, so I don't know what to think. I know he's sittin' in that cell swearin' up one side and down the other he didn't do it."

  I glanced out the kitchen window to see Max tromping away from the set glowering, head down and ears laid back. Looked like the game was over. "We're going over to the Walmart right now to pick up some school supplies for Justin. We're gonna casually ask around a little bit and see if anything rolls loose."

  AN HOUR LATER, WE HAD a cart full of crap, only about a third of which we actually needed, but no new information. While we were in the shoe department looking at their rolled-back flip-flops, a tired-looking woman in a Walmart smock sank onto one of the shoe benches, a Coke in one hand and an open to-go container of chicken fingers in the other.

  I smiled at her as I stood on one foot trying to work the stupid plastic hanger around the toe strap enough to try on a sandal. "So have there been so many cutbacks they're making you guys eat in the shoe department now?"

  Her face turned red and she moved quickly to shut the box and stand up. "I'm so sorry—"

  "No, no. Relax," I said, motioning back to the bench. Her nametag said Beth. "I was just kidding. Seriously. I'm a waitress; I get it."

  She plopped back down, sighing with relief. "It's just that there's been some drama including one of our managers, and it's all anybody can talk about in any of the break areas. I just wanted to shut my brain down for a little bit and eat in peace."

  "I don't blame you a bit. You're talking about the Wheeler thing; I heard the guy they arrested was a manager here."

  "Yeah, that's the one." she said, dunking her chicken in a container of sauce. "Larry's good people. I've worked with him for almost ten years and he's never done me wrong. And honestly, if he was going to kill anybody, it'd probably be that nag of a wife he's got. Look up white trash in the dictionary and you'll see her picture." She shuddered and popped open her Coke.

  "I've heard his mother-in-law is a real peach too," I said.

  Beth rolled her eyes. "Oh my gawd, I bet she is, if Candy's anything to go by. I can't even imagine what that kind of evil could morph into if it has a few decades to ferment. She came to eat lunch with him almost every time he worked but everybody knows she just did it to make sure he didn't talk to nobody else."

  Rae'd just come around the corner with Justin right behind her pushing the cart.

  "I'm using the bathroom," he announced before heading that direction.

  I watched to make sure he made it, then introduced Rae and Beth.

  "Pleased to meet you, Beth. Not that it's any of my business, but why take your lunch in the shoe department?" Rae reached up and pulled a pair of pink sandals with wedge heels off the hook and dropped them to the floor.

  "I was just telling your friend—I'm sick of the gossip in the break areas about all the murder garbage going on about one of our managers."

  As much as I wanted to dig for more info, she'd come there specifically to get away from it. We shot the breeze about shoe styles and TV series while we waited for Justin, then left her to the peace and quiet she'd been searching for.

  We made our way toward the register, picking up a few more things we didn't need. As the checker, a Goth chick in her early twenties who's name tag identified her as an assistant manager, was running our items across the scanner, one of her colleagues, another assistant manager, ran up to her looking panicked.

  She pulled her a little bit away from the register and whispered—or so she thought—that she'd just discovered "like, oh my god, thousands of dollars" missing from the safe and had no idea what to do.

  Rae looked at me. "You gotta be kidding me," she said, looking at all the crap in the buggy.

  Justin had overheard the girl too. "Welp," he said, tearing open a bag of hotdog-flavored chips, "looks like all we needed to do was check out. We didn't need to stick around and buy all this extra crap after all. I'm glad we did, though." He popped a chip in his mouth and smiled.

  Chapter Thirty Five

  On the way home, I debated what to do next. As I pulled up to the house, the decision was made for me. My phone rang; the caller ID said Janie Huffman. I swiped to answer and barely squeezed in a hello before she started firing questions at me a mile a minute.

  "Have you learned anything? Are there any new suspects? I heard there were other cars went through there. Is that true? He says you haven't gone to talk to him yet. Why not?"

  "Whoa! Slow down a sec. No, there aren't any new suspects, at least none that weren't alrea
dy in the running. Yes, there were other cars, and all but one of them has been identified. One of them is actually one of the other suspects. And no, I haven't been to see him yet. I was just thinking about doing that this evening."

  I tucked the phone between my ear and shoulder and pulled some of the Walmart bags from the back of the truck. As soon as Max saw it, he charged toward me, pushing his nose into the bags looking for biscotti. I scowled at him and tried to lift the bags out of his reach, nearly dropping my phone in the process.

  Raeann saw the attempted mauling just as his bony hoof came down on my foot in his eagerness to reach the bags. I bit back a yowl and yanked my shoe out from under his foot. She jumped between the two of us before I dropped everything. Sometimes it took everything I had not to just pop him one right in the chops. I recovered just as Janie took a deep breath and began again, less frantic this time.

  "I'm sorry, Ms. Flynn. I know you have other things to do, and I know you've been helpin' the widow out. I'm sure this ain't easy for her. I was just gettin' ready to go visit him, myself. If you'd like, I'll go with you. If nothin' else, that boy can't slip so much as a fib about what he had for breakfast past me. He ain't much of a liar to begin with."

  There were upsides and downsides to having a person's mama there when you were talking to them about possible transgressions. It doesn't matter how old you are, there are two things that never change for a good majority of people: your ability to lie convincingly in front of your mama, and your willingness to admit to anything bad in front of her.

  The first would be an asset. The second, a liability. It only took me a split second to decide that I'd rather have honest answers to specific questions than a full confession of his every sin. I could get around to that later, if need be.

  I'd managed to make it into the house relatively unscathed except for bruised toes, thanks to Raeann, and plunked my bags down on the kitchen table.

  "Please, call my Noelle." I pulled my phone away from my ear and glanced at the time: three thirty. The jail was open until five, but I wanted to have plenty of time to talk to him. "I'll meet you there in a half-hour if that works for you."