by Lilly York
“Yeah, let’s hope so. This guy is slippery.”
She frowned. “I’m going to go by the hospital to check on Martha. Do you want to come?”
He nodded. “What, with you driving? I’d be putting my life in my own hands. How about I drive. At least I know I’ll make it there and back in one piece.” He added, “Besides, you won’t get much information since you aren’t family. But, I’m guessing you already knew that, didn’t you?”
She started toward the front door. “I’ll never tell.” She smiled as she skipped down the stairs, Steve close on her heels. She held up her keys. “Come on, live a little.”
“Fine. You drive. I’ll pray.”
She laughed.
By the time they reached the hospital the hallways were dimmed and most of the patients were already given their medications. Steve had been correct, Willow had to wait in the waiting room while he discussed Martha’s condition. Thankfully her attending physician spoke a little louder than necessary and she got most of what he was saying. She wasn’t certain if that was for her benefit or if he was just a natural loud mouth. Whichever was the case, she was thankful.
On their way out, she discussed the results with Steve. “So, she had been drugged. Steve, this is much bigger than a manuscript. Although I’m sure people have been killed for less. I have a feeling this has a lot to do with a whole lot of money. Plain old fashioned greed.”
It was midnight before Willow unlocked her front door. The mess that greeted her shouldn’t have been a surprise, then again, whoever was looking for that manuscript didn’t know that Steve took it to the police station. She called him.
“Our visitor has been here again.”
“Where is that guard dog of yours?”
She opened the utility room door and there was clover, licking a large red dog toy that had been stuffed with peanut butter. “You’ll have to see it to believe it.”
“I’m on my way.”
Fifteen minutes later, Steve was standing next to Willow, also watching the dog lick peanut butter. “Looks like we have someone who has intimate knowledge of dogs on our hands.” He looked around the room. “It’s not too bad. The last time we processed the scene we didn’t find one questionable finger print. Looks like things are out of place, but nothing looks broken or damaged on purpose.”
She had to agree. Her intruder was being very careful with her things. She was thankful for that. “Just go home and get some rest. I’ll clean up here in the morning. It’s all good. Besides, I have a good idea who is looking for that manuscript.”
“Are you going to share?”
“If I’m right, and I believe I am, then I’m not in any danger. I’ll let you know afterward and you can decide if you need to intervene.”
He had learned to trust her judgement, even if her methods were a little questionable. “Okay, but only if you’re sure.”
She stood staring at him, the moonlight softening the landscape behind him in the doorway. “I’m sure.” She sighed.
He reached up and brushed her bangs off her forehead. “I’ll be talking to you tomorrow then.”
“Till tomorrow.”
Chapter 14
The next morning Clyde was sitting outside the coffee shop, waiting for his morning cup of hot cocoa. “Hello, Ms. Willow.”
“Hello, Clyde. How are you today?” He always waited on her to come. She wasn’t sure why. Janie was already on the premises and serving up the early birds.
“I’m good. Mama told me to hurry up today. We have to go shopping for her new…” He leaned in and whispered. “…underwear.” Just saying the word made him laugh. He opened the door and waited for her before he followed behind. When he calmed down he said, “She said we might as well get me some new pants. My stomach is getting too big for my other pants. I have to wear exercise pants even though I don’t exercise much.”
“Do you think you need to give up your morning hot cocoa?”
“Why would I need to do that?”
“Oh, never mind, Clyde. I’ll make your hot cocoa in just a minute, okay?”
“Okay. Did you catch the lady who killed Mr. Rune? Mama said she didn’t kill Mr. Rune. Somebody stole her underwear. They pretended to be mama so the police wouldn’t know who really did it. That’s what mama said.”
Willow tilted her head in thought then shook it off. Clyde wasn’t a credible witness. He had no idea what he had seen or what he didn’t see. Getting information from him was like putting a puzzle together. In his mind, it all worked. To anyone on the outside looking in, the pieces were jumbled together haphazardly and they made no sense whatsoever.
She made him his cocoa and sent him on his way.
Janie handed her a cookie. “Here, have one. It’s your peanut butter cookies.”
“Our customers will be happy today. These things melt on the tongue.” Willow poured herself a cup of coffee, added her cream, and then took a bite of the delicious baked good.
“Well, have you figured out who killed Mr. Rune?”
“I’m getting there. An idea is starting to form, it just needs to clear up. Still fuzzy around the edges. Martha would never have given herself too much potassium. Only the killer would have done that. Which of course clears Martha. Apparently if I had waited to go talk to her she would have been dead by the time we found her. Talk about perfect timing.”
“I would say so. I think it might be the only time I would consider myself lucky to be considered a murder suspect.”
“Tell me about it. She has a lot of UTI’s and drinks a lot of cranberry juice. Someone spiked it with a huge dose of potassium. Whoever tried to kill her knows her well enough to know her health conditions.”
“That narrows it down.”
“Not enough though. It could still be anyone. Even her neighbors or friends.” She took another sip of the hot liquid. “No, this is someone altogether different. Someone who has something to gain by her death.”
Willow waited for Steve to either come in or call her after his morning phone appointment but she didn’t hear from him. Finally, after lunch he stopped in.
“Hey, there you are. What happened, did you talk with the lawyer?”
He smirked. “No, he postponed. Apparently he got called into court and there was nothing he could do. He is supposed to call me tomorrow morning. I stressed to his secretary how important it is we speak. She assured me he understands.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Not much I can do. At least not yet. If this goes on too much longer I’ll fly out there and show up with the local police. That should get his attention.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that. How inconvenient can it be to pick up a phone and make a five minute phone call? Certainly he has a spare five minutes, doesn’t he?”
“I would think so.” He held up his thermal coffee cup. “Can I get that cup of coffee now?”
She leaned on the counter. “I don’t seem to recall, did you ever make it into that dunk tank?”
He took out his wallet and put a buck on the counter. “I’m paying, sheesh.”
She giggled and pushed his dollar back to him. “I have a thing for police officers, remember?”
Chapter 15
By the time Willow locked up the shop it was after 9 pm. She wondered how her daughter’s date was going then made a mental note to call her the next day. Unfortunately, her daughter was busy so she was going to have to carry out her plan on her own. As much as she would have liked to have a partner in crime, one wasn’t to be found. Janie was exhausted when she left that afternoon so she didn’t bother asking her to be an accomplice. She squared her shoulders. “I can do this on my own.”
It was already getting dark. Willow was grateful. Darkness would help her accomplish her task without being seen. She drove about 20 miles and parked on a side street, a block away from the house she wished to visit. Spy on was probably the correct term. She pretended to be on a leisurely stroll, simply someone out enjoying the cooler evening weather.
F
inally she reached her destination. She looked up and down the street, making sure no one was looking, and then she ducked into the side yard. She had her mini flash light on her key chain to help light her path.
A light was shining from an open window facing the back yard. A neighbor’s dog barked and made her jump. Thank goodness the dog was fenced in. She crouched down and slowly rose up to look in the window. Vick was busy applying, what looked like varnish, to a set of bookshelves. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t just knock on the door and ask him why he lied to her, but she thought perhaps he had something else to hide. Like a typewriter and a thesaurus. Maybe he had asked Rune to look over his manuscript he had been toiling over for years and Rune stole it. She scooted down onto the ground and leaned her back against the brick. What was she missing?
She crossed the back yard to the west side of the house and looked in the other window. “I knew it. I just knew it.” There, sitting on a desk was an old fashioned typewriter. Just like the one used to type the paper manuscript Chief Grice now had in his possession at the police station. She had just came out from around the back of the house when a policeman yelled at her to stop where she was at.
She stopped and raised her hands. Her eyes were wide with surprise.
He began to approach and she started to move and he pulled his Taser out. “Ma’am, I’ll say it again. Stand where you are with your arms up over your head. Do not make any sudden moves.” Once again he began to walk toward her. This time she stayed completely still.
“Ma’am, we had a neighbor call reporting a peeping Tom. Well, I guess in your case it would be a peeping Ann.” He laughed at his own joke.
Willow didn’t respond. “I’m not a peeping Tom, or Ann for that matter. I’m on a case.”
He took a step back. “Are you an officer? You should have identified yourself.”
“Well, not really.”
“You either are or aren’t.”
“Okay, I’m not. But, I’m still on a case. Maybe you heard of me. I’m Willow Crier. I’m the one who figured out who murdered that food critic a few weeks ago.”
“Oh, yeah, I remember that case…”
He was interrupted by Vick who was now trying to figure out what was happening outside his house.
“Willow, is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me.” She followed Vick as he limped across the lawn.
“Looks like you have a sprained ankle there, Vick.”
He quickly looked up. “Officer, it’s okay. Willow wasn’t trespassing. She is here to look at some bookshelves for her shop.”
Willow was about to counter him but he put his hand up to stop her so she clamped her lips shut.
“She is here on my invitation. I’m sure she was just trying to get my attention. I was working in the back of the house.”
The police officer turned to Willow. “Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”
He walked back to his squad car and yelled over his shoulder. “Next time don’t be slinking around in the dark.”
Willow turned to Vick. “So, you fell in one of my dog’s holes when you were fleeing my house?”
He ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, that was me. I’m sorry, okay? I was looking for my manuscript. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Why didn’t you just ask me for it?”
“Because, I didn’t want anyone to think I murdered him. I didn’t. I just wanted my book back.”
“Why did you lie to me when I asked you if you knew Rune? I know you made his bookshelves. That was clearly your work.”
His shoulders slumped. “First, I have a non-disclosure agreement with Rune. Most of the woodworking I do is for pretty famous people. They do not want their stories or pictures of their homes sold to the tabloids. It’s happened more than once to a lot of them so they’re pretty careful now. So legally I couldn’t admit how I knew him. And second, when I learned he had been murdered I was trying to distance myself from him. I didn’t think anyone would figure out I knew him.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“He commissioned me to make some book shelves. When I learned who he was, well, I asked him to look over a manuscript I had written. It took me years to write the thing and I almost threw it away. But, I thought, what if it’s halfway decent? So, he finally agreed. I thought he would be a gentleman about the whole thing and give it back to me when he finished. Instead, he kept making excuses about why he hadn’t read it yet. He was working so hard on his own manuscript, and on and on the excuses went. Finally, I asked him to just give it back to me. He refused. That is when I knew he never planned on giving it back. You can ask my lawyer. I’ve been in contact with him over the whole issue. If I was going to kill him, why would I have bothered with my lawyer?”
“Is the only reason you participated in the craft show to let Rune know you hadn’t given up? I can’t imagine you really wanting to sit out in the heat all day just to hand out business cards to us normal folks.”
“Yeah, that about sums it up. I left him a message I’d be there and I wanted my manuscript back. He probably erased it as he didn’t want anyone knowing the manuscript was mine.
“You know I’m going to have to report this, right?” She folded her arms. “And you are going to have to come over and help put my house together again. And I’m going to need a supply of peanut butter. My dog is addicted.”
“I understand.”
“And you’re going to have to give me a pretty big discount when I order that set of bookshelves for the shop and you’re going to have to have my truck cleaned. I’m assuming it was you who painted on my windshield and left ice cream to melt on my desk?”
“Done, done, and yes. Again, I’m sorry.”
“All right. I forgive you. I do understand, you know. I can’t imagine having my shop stolen out from under me. I just wish you would have come to me and been honest.” She added for good measure. “If it’s the same manuscript that Rune was supposed to be working on when he died, I have seen little bits and pieces. It’s a good story. I hope you get somewhere with it.”
He grinned. “That means a lot. Thank you.”
Chapter 16
Willow glanced at the clock in her truck. It was after 11. She was thankful she wasn’t sitting in a jail cell. It’s the only thing that really caused her to show some leniency toward Vick.
She didn’t care what time it was. She pulled in front of Jasper’s house. Every light in the house is on. What is he doing? He’s probably just a night owl. She rapped on his door, lightly at first then a bit harder.
He opened the door with a pencil behind his ear and a notebook in hand. “Hey, Willow. What are you doing out this time of night?” He walked back through the house so she closed the door and followed him. She really didn’t think he murdered Rune but she had to check him off her list before she could move forward.
He led her to a room in the interior of the house with no windows. Everywhere she looked were pieces of body part furniture, like the leg lamp stand from The Christmas Story. Creepy!
“Um, Jasper, what is all this for?”
“Oh, this? I’m working on a book. I like to have as many tangible hands on props as I can get when I write. It makes it so much more real to me.” He wiggled his eye brows. “Better for the story too. Makes it more real.”
She was afraid to ask how body part furniture fit in with western stories, so she didn’t. Instead she asked, “I saw you drive past my house the other day. I waved but when you saw it was me you sped up and didn’t acknowledge me. Was there a reason?”
“Oh, pulling an Elaine from Seinfeld, huh? I like it. Let me write this one down. I love when I get ideas from unexpected places.”
“Jasper, I’m being serious. I want to know.”
He came closer. “Do you remember this one?” He stepped even closer and started throwing out lines from the show. “Do you remember it? The Close Talker? Elaine’s boyfriend?”
Willow took a step bac
k and tripped over the leg of the chair which caused Jasper to bust out laughing.
“That’s exactly what Kramer did. I had no idea you loved that show as much as I do.”
Willow stood up and brushed the seat of her pants off. “Jasper, what did you do on Thursday morning?”
“Oh, Thursday? I went to an estate sale out in the country.” He held up his leg lamp. “It’s where I got this beauty. Do you like it?”
She fired another question. “What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?”
“Pistachio. Are we playing 50 questions? Is it my turn? Are you a writer too? You must be because you totally get my sense of humor.”
“Thanks, Jasper. I’ve gotta get home.”
“Come around any time and we can practice more lines from Seinfeld. Man, I love that show. You know what, I think I need a break. I’m gonna watch a few episodes. I have the complete collection. Anytime you want to borrow it, just let me know.” He turned and entered another room, closing the door behind him.
Willow turned in a circle taking in everything in the room. A remote control hand? A stool with buttocks carved into the seat? A mannequin lamp with a shade as its head? Weird. It was the only word she had. Okay, creepy still worked as well. That one was standing firm. She found the front door and let herself out.
Perhaps tomorrow Steve will get some answers.
Chapter 17
Willow was glad to be back to a normal schedule. She finally felt caught up on rest. She didn’t have to report to the shop until after lunch so that gave her all morning to make phone calls, go to her hair dresser, and buy a new toy for Clover. If she had time, she would swing into the grocery store and pick up a few things. She was getting low on all the basics.
After calling to make an appointment and finding out her hairdresser was out of town, Willow searched the internet for another salon. Hmmm, the Red Robin. I remember that name I just don’t know where from. She made an appointment.
Willow’s hair was separated into small sections with half her scalp covered in a dark auburn solution when her phone rang. Too bad her regular stylist was out of town. She could have rescheduled and lived with a skunk stripe but she didn’t have the patience for that. She was trying to nonchalantly look at the caller ID without appearing to be rude. She disliked rude people. She hated rude behavior. At that moment she was close to hating herself. Nothing bugged her more than someone in line at the checkout lane while jabbering on the phone. That was rude. If she could just turn her phone over and see who it was.