Family Jewels: Rose Gardner Investigations #1

by Denise Grover Swank

  “Where’s your car?” I asked. He’d reached the county road, and we hadn’t come across it yet.

  “Down the road,” he grunted as he looked behind him to see if Homer was following us before he turned east.

  “What the hell were you doin’ there?” Neely Kate shouted as she turned around to face the front.

  “Protectin’ you!” he yelled loud enough to make me flinch.

  “How the hell did you even know we were there?” she demanded.

  “Rose texted me. She told me to come check on y’all if she didn’t get back to me in twenty minutes.”

  Neely Kate turned her wrath on me. “You did what?”

  I shrugged. “When you said we’d be fine so long as Homer didn’t show up, I got worried.”

  “Right before we went in?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That was fifteen minutes ago,” Neely Kate said, her ire returning. “What hell were you doin’ there five minutes early, Jed?”

  “I already told you!” he shouted, the veins on his neck now throbbing. “I was there to protect you!”

  “We don’t need your protection! I’m pretty dang sure I just proved that!” Neely Kate shouted as Jed pulled over on the side of the road. His car was parked ahead of us, pulled into a short drive that led to a field.

  He threw the gearshift into park and turned to look at her, his face red. “He had a knife, Neely Kate. You could be lying on the ground back there bleeding to death, and your damn twenty minutes still wouldn’t be up yet!”

  “In case you didn’t notice, I have a gun, Jed Carlisle!”

  “Then where the hell was it when I walked up, Neely Kate? He had his hands on you. He could have pulled his knife out and stabbed you at any moment!”

  “I was about to pull it out when you showed up and played the hero!”

  Jed wasn’t backing down. “If you pulled out that gun while he was holding you, he would have wrestled it out of your hand and likely shot you in the process!”

  I sat between the two of them, my back pressed against the seat in an impossible attempt to get out of the way.

  “And then,” he continued, still shouting, “I had the damn situation under control, and you pulled out your gun and shot at him. What the hell was that?”

  “I don’t answer to you, Jed Carlisle!”

  Jed took a breath and ran his hand over his head. “What in God’s name were you two doing talking to Homer Dyer?”

  “We weren’t there to talk to him,” Neely Kate said. “We wanted to see Mable. I thought Homer would be working his shift at the aluminum factory.”

  “Dyer lost his job two months ago after he took a swing at his boss.” He seemed to have calmed down a bit now that the danger was behind us. “He was an angry guy before, but now he’s a ticking time bomb. There’s a very real chance he would have hurt you, Neely Kate.”

  “How the hell was I supposed to know?” she demanded.

  Jed took several seconds before he said, “You still didn’t tell me what you were doing there.”

  “I had no idea we were supposed to run everything we do past you,” she said in a snotty tone.

  What in the world was going on? Neely Kate was usually happy to have Jed as backup. He’d saved my life on more than one occasion, and I was sure he’d saved hers too.

  I let out a long sigh and leaned between them. “Okay, enough of this nonsense. I’m not sure why you two are at each other’s throats, but it’s not helping anything.” I glanced at Neely Kate. “I asked Jed to come, and I’m glad he did. Jed’s right. That man was dangerous.”

  “I could have handled it, Rose,” Neely Kate protested. “We’ll never be taken seriously if we keep calling Jed for backup.”

  Jed released a loud groan. “I still don’t know what you were doing there.”

  “We were asking Mable questions,” I said, turning to face Jed. “Raddy Dyer asked us to find a necklace he’d given to his wife—I mean his fake wife. She says she turned all the family jewelry he gave her over to his mother, but according to him, one of the necklaces was missing. Raddy claims it’s made with white sapphires, but Rayna thinks all the jewelry’s fake, and his momma just told me the same thing.”

  “So he’s been hoodwinked?” Jed asked.

  “I don’t think so,” I said. “She had an owl brooch with red stones for the eyes. Rayna took it to the pawn shop. The clerk told her it was fake, but—”

  His eyes widened. “Which pawn shop?”

  Oh crap. I didn’t want James to know I’d been anywhere near Kip Wagner. “Rainy Day Pawn.”

  Some of the tension left his shoulders.

  “But we also—” Neely Kate started to protest, and I elbowed her in the ribs.

  “We found the pin, and it has real rubies for the eyes.”

  Jed looked skeptical. “Who told you that? The same clerk who told her they were fake?”

  “No,” Neely Kate said in a huff. “I know a thing or two about gemstones.”

  “So you think that means the necklace is real too.”

  “I don’t know what to think,” I said. “Mable says the jewelry’s worthless. According to her, she didn’t even notice the necklace was missing before she gave the whole stash to her daughter.”

  “She lied,” Neely Kate said. “I saw several pieces Raddy told us about in Mable’s bedroom.”

  “What?” I asked, twisting at the waist to face her.

  “I don’t think they were all there,” Neely Kate said. “But a good portion of them were in a box in the top drawer of Mable’s dresser.” She pulled out her phone and showed me a photo after she tapped on the screen. “Look.”

  I took the phone and scrolled through the half-dozen photos of jewelry in an underwear drawer.

  “Did she sell the missing necklace?” I asked. “We didn’t see it at the pawn shop.”

  “I don’t know,” Neely Kate said. “None of their stories are matching up.”

  Jed put his hand on the steering wheel. “Why would you agree to look for a necklace for Raddy Dyer?” Then he sighed and shook his head. “He’s paying you. You’re playing private eye.”

  Our silence gave him all the answer he needed.

  “Raddy’s up to something,” Jed continued. “And it’s bound to bite you both in the ass in the end.”

  I suspected he was right. Especially if he was mixed up with some of Crocker’s guys.

  I sat back in the seat and rubbed my forehead. “We need to rethink everything, but first I need to go home and make Tuscan Chicken.”

  “Rose,” Neely Kate protested.

  “No,” I said. “We weren’t gonna do anymore tonight anyway, so let’s let it sit until tomorrow and make a decision then.”

  Neely Kate grumbled but didn’t offer any further protest.

  Jed’s voice lowered. “You two need to stay away from Homer Dyer.”

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Neely Kate exploded. “We have no reason to talk to Homer Dyer again. We’re not goin’ anywhere near there.”

  Jed opened the door and climbed out without a word. It occurred to me that I’d never seen him talk so much in one sitting. What in Sam Hill was going on?

  I slid out after him and shut the door behind me. “Jed.”

  He was already almost to his car door, but he turned around to face me.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” he asked. His face had returned to its usual unreadable mask.

  “You and Neely Kate . . .”

  He sucked in a breath and looked away, then glanced at the front end of the truck before finally returning his gaze to me. “She was in more danger than she’s willing to admit, and I’d hold myself responsible if something happened to her—to either of you—when I could have prevented it. Next time you go someplace like that, would you please give me more notice?”

  “We can’t expect you to keep playin’ babysitter for us, Jed.”

  His face softened and he took a step clos
er. “You know I’ll always be here for you, Rose.”

  When James had assigned Jed the task of watching over me last winter, he’d taken the job both more seriously and more personally than I’d expected. “I know, but just because I know you’ll be there when I need you doesn’t mean I want to abuse the privilege.”

  A soft grin spread across his face. “And that’s why I’m more than willing to help you—because you don’t expect or demand it.” He looked down into my face. “If you’re going to continue to look into this, I want to be more directly involved.”

  “I think we’re gonna let this one go,” I said. “But thanks for the offer.”

  “In any case, keep an eye out for Homer Dyer. He’s usually a lot of talk, but it’s not a bad idea to watch your back.”

  “Thanks.”

  He nodded and then got into his car and drove off, leaving me to wonder why he was really so upset with Neely Kate.

  I didn’t believe his story for a second.

  “What was that about?” Neely Kate asked when I got back into the truck.

  “I was thanking Jed for helping us.”

  “I can’t believe you called him,” she said, messing with the glove compartment latch to avoid looking at me. “I could have handled it.”

  I just shook my head as I pulled back onto the road. She was sulking. “I don’t want to talk about it right now, especially since Joe’s coming over in an hour. He’d flip his lid if he knew about any of this.”

  “I know that, Rose,” she grumbled. “I’m not gonna say anything.”

  We were silent for a few moments before I said, “What was going on between you and Jed back there?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “That argument. The way you both jumped all over each other. Has he done something I don’t know about?” Although I couldn’t see how. I’d been with her every time she’d seen him, and they’d always been good-humored with each other.

  But she just crossed her arms and looked out the window, making it clear she wasn’t ready to volunteer more information.

  Chapter 9

  A couple hours later, Joe, Neely Kate, and I sat at the dining room table in my farmhouse while Muffy lay at Joe’s feet.

  He pushed his empty plate toward the center of the table. “Between you and Maeve, I’m going to have to increase my workouts.”

  “It wasn’t that good,” I said with a laugh. I wasn’t being modest. I’d been distracted from the recipe by thoughts of Homer Dyer, how Neely Kate would react once she found out Ronnie might still be alive, and that danged necklace. Plus, Jonah had called while I was mixing the bread crumb topping for the chicken to tell me that Mr. Henderson had chewed out both him and the two guys planting the bushes for making a muddy mess. By the time I hung up, I couldn’t remember if I’d added both teaspoons of basil. It tasted like I’d missed a few other spices too.

  Joe shot me a grin. “It was better than what I’d make myself.”

  I gave him a pointed look. That was an outright lie. Joe was a better cook than me, and all three of us knew it. I’d seen plenty of firsthand evidence of that back when we were dating.

  Neely Kate was being quieter than usual, and judging from the worried glances he kept shooting me, Joe had picked up on it. I was desperate to pull him aside so we could talk about Ronnie, but I wasn’t sure how to do it without setting her off.

  “I made dessert,” I said. “Strawberry cake. Would you like some?”

  Joe laughed. “When did you ever know me to turn down dessert?”

  I stood. “I’ll clean off some of these dirty dishes and bring it out with me.”

  Joe rose, his chair scooting across the wood floor. “I’ll help. Moving around might help me make room for two pieces.”

  When Neely Kate started to get up, I said, “Neely Kate, do you think you could let Muffy out? But stay out with her if you don’t mind. She tried to chase a raccoon into the fields last night.” When she hesitated, I said with a grin, “Or you can clean off the table, and I’ll take her out.”

  She snorted. “Like that’s a choice. Come on, Muff. Let’s go outside.”

  Muffy was already giving us her full attention, watching us pick up plates from the table in the hopes we’d drop something, but she jumped to her feet at the sound of her name and ran toward the door when she heard the word “outside.”

  Joe and I headed through the swinging door to the kitchen, balancing our load of plates, silverware, and serving bowls. When the door closed, I lowered my voice. “When are you going to New Orleans?”

  “First thing in the morning, but I still think it’s best not to say anything to Neely Kate until I get back.”

  I turned on the faucet in hopes of drowning out our voices. I wouldn’t put it past Neely Kate to try spying on us. “I think you should tell her.”

  A stubborn look filled his eyes. “No. I don’t want to tell her until I know it’s true.”

  I leaned closer. “Joe, you don’t understand. She’s trying to get Carter Hale to declare Ronnie dead so she can collect his insurance money. The policy’s about to run out, but Ronnie’s old boss has agreed to pay the premium another month.”

  His eyes widened. “How much is the policy for?”

  “I honestly have no idea, but she wants to use the money to buy herself a decent car as well as put a headstone somewhere. So she can pay her respects.”

  “Dammit.” He glanced down as he rinsed a plate in the sink and set it on the counter.

  “You have to tell her.”

  “No.” He turned his face close to mine and lowered his voice. “This will only take a day or two, tops. I have to be back by Friday afternoon for my evening shift, and that will be enough time to know if my source was accurate or not. If he’s alive, I’ll have the divorce papers signed; if not, she’ll be none the wiser.”

  I pursed my lips together as I weighed my options. Did I tell her anyway? “Where’d you get a copy of her divorce papers?”

  He gave me a look that told me I’d asked the most ridiculous question in the world.

  “How’s she been acting with you?” he asked. “Because with me, she hasn’t been herself for the last week or so.”

  “I know,” I said grudgingly. “She’s been that way with me too.” I wasn’t about to tell him that she’d laid into Jed right after she’d whipped out her gun and shot the ground between Homer Dyer’s feet. Besides, that wasn’t the only thing that had felt off. She usually talked a mile a minute, but she’d been quieter lately. More withdrawn.

  “She’s already upset about going through the motions to declare her husband dead. I refuse to tell her he might still be alive until I have hard proof.” He paused. “I won’t hurt her for no reason.”

  “She’s going to be angry with you,” I said. “When she finds out that you kept this from her, she’s going to be furious.”

  “Maybe when she first finds out, but not when she takes a good look at the situation. She’ll understand I’m only trying to protect her.”

  “I think you’re delusional,” I said, shaking my head. “But I’ll keep it to myself for now.”

  Relief filled his eyes. Maybe because we’d been on the precipice of an argument and we hadn’t tumbled over. “What did Skeeter Malcolm say when you talked to him?” he asked, focusing on rinsing off another plate.

  “Who said I talked to James?” I asked as I pulled three dessert plates from the cabinet.

  He gave me a dubious look.

  “Who I talk to is no longer your concern, Joe Simmons.”

  He pulled back his shoulders, seeming to grow a few inches taller before my eyes. “I never said it was. I just wanted to know—” His words cut off when his cell phone started to ring. He groaned and pulled it out of his jeans pocket.

  Whatever he saw on the screen made him frown. “Simmons,” he barked into the receiver.

  I set the plates on the counter and studied him. From his expression, it was obvious whatever the person on
the other end was telling him was serious.

  Joe rubbed his forehead and said, “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

  “What happened?” I asked as he stuffed his phone back into his pocket.

  “Rayna Dyer is dead.”

  I gasped and took a step back, my butt hitting the counter. “What?”

  “You knew her?” he asked. Then his eyes narrowed. “You were asking about her husband this morning. Did you go see her?”

  I saw no reason to lie. Not if it could help Joe figure out what had happened to her. “Yeah,” I said, feeling a little lightheaded. “We talked to Rayna just this morning.”

  “What’d you talk to her about?”

  “Raddy had some jewelry that belonged to his grandmother. Rayna hung onto it after she kicked him out, but then she gave most of it back to Raddy’s mother. There was a necklace missing, and Raddy wanted it back. He asked Neely Kate and me to help him.”

  Neely Kate moved through the kitchen doorway. “Raddy thought I could talk to Rayna and get it back for him.”

  Joe’s expression darkened as he turned his attention to his sister. “After I told you to stay away from Radcliffe Dyer?”

  Neely Kate put a hand on her hip. “Talking to Rayna Dyer isn’t the same as talking to Raddy.”

  “Well, you’re done talking to anyone that has anything to do with either Dyer right now, because Rayna Dyer was just found dead in her hot tub.”

  “What?” Neely Kate asked breathlessly. “Somebody killed her?”

  Joe shot her a grim look. “We don’t know what happened yet, other than that Rayna’s friend showed up at her house and found her dead in her hot tub. I’m heading over there now to meet the county coroner.”

  Rayna had been in her hot tub in my vision. I put my hand on my chest in an effort to calm my racing heart.

  He pointed his finger toward Neely Kate and then swung it toward me. “But you two need to stay as far from this as possible. Got it?”