“You can’t do that.” I was becoming increasingly angry. “I understand what it looks like, but you have to trust me.”
“Listen, I’m going to bring in Zula for questioning, just to have it on the record.” He bent down and, in his low Southern drawl, said, “You get these two to give you some real clues into their murders. Don’t go investigate, just get the clues, give them to me. That is how you are going to help Zula Fae.” He stood back up. “In the meantime, I’ll send someone over to talk to the Spearses to get them to take another look at an autopsy. Understand?”
“Can’t you just have Vernon Baxter take a look at him since we know he didn’t kill Cephus?” I asked, testing his limits.
“Understand, Emma Lee?” He wasn’t budging.
My lips pursed to keep me from arguing. I nodded, giving him the answer he wanted but not what my actions were going to be.
He shut the door and walked back up the steps of the Inn. I quickly called Hettie Bell and asked her to please take over the Inn while Granny was at the police station getting questioned. She didn’t hesitate.
“Now where are we going?” Digger and Cephus asked in unison.
“Eternal Slumber.” I sighed. “I have to tell Charlotte Rae about your funeral plans.”
“What about my funeral plans?” Cephus asked.
“Your family doesn’t know you are dead. They think you’re still alive, gone on your own. That’s why we have to find something of your body besides the ring.” Those words were going to sting him. “Do you think Leotta could’ve . . . killed you?”
“Are you crazy?” Cephus spat and disappeared.
“What’s his problem?” Digger asked.
“He’s a touchy ghost. He likes to disappear at the wrong time.” I stared out the windshield and pulled into the funeral-home lot.
With Digger next to me, I knew he wasn’t going anywhere. He was going to stick to me like glue.
“Hey there.” I pushed open Charlotte Rae’s office door. “Burns gave the Spears a free funeral too.”
“You didn’t work hard enough.” Charlotte’s beautiful white teeth gnashed.
“I did. I even threw in a free burial.” I knew that would get her attention.
“Holy hell, they’re really holding Granny against us.” She pounded the desk.
“You better stop before you break a nail,” I joked, hoping to get on with my investigation.
“We have to separate Granny’s image from the funeral home.” Charlotte pushed her chair back and walked her lanky body over to the window. “How? You come up with cleaver ideas. How are we going to do that?” She turned and looked at me.
“Hire some sort of firm that cleans up these sort of messes.” I didn’t have time but I wasn’t about to tell her that.
“Great idea.” She rushed back to her seat. “Shut the door. I need to make a few calls.”
That was all I needed to hear to get the hell out of there and find Leotta. It was a stop I didn’t want to make, but I needed some real answers about her relationship with Cephus. Seeing her was the only way.
“Hi, Emma Lee.” The voice startled me. Vernon Baxter was standing by the elevator.
“Vernon. Oh God, Vernon, I’m so sorry about the whole Cephus ring and all,” I apologized. “It’s just that when I was checking out your garden, I saw his ring and knew I had recognized it. Mary Anna told me her dad never took it off. And his disappearance and all . . .”
“No big deal, Emma Lee. I get it.” He was gaunt; his face tired. He slouched a little. “I’m just glad I was cleared.”
“Great.” Hmm . . . I wondered how Jack Henry cleared him. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m checking the machine. I heard there was a young boy from here that traveled with the circus that was stabbed to death.” As a good Southern gentleman, Vernon left off the main detail of the weapon’s being Granny’s sign.
“Is that all you heard?” I asked in a joking tone.
“Emma Lee, you know I don’t pack tales.” He smiled back. “Besides, you know and I know that Zula Fae might talk a big talk, but when it comes down to it, she’d never hurt a fly, let alone a human.”
“Do you have a minute to talk?” It was time I came clean with Vernon.
“Sure.” He got in the elevator and I followed.
“I really didn’t come to your house so I could make sure you had some ZULA FAE FOR MAYOR stuff.”
“I figured that.”
“Oh, I guess I’m not good at lying.” A half smile formed on my lips.
“I’m listening.” He stepped off the elevator and held the door with one hand so it wouldn’t shut on me.
“Anyway, I’ve been thinking about Teddy and Mary Anna’s daddy since Teddy was in town and it just seemed weird for Cephus to disappear like that.” I pretended to straighten up the inventory stocked down there so I didn’t have to look at him.
“And I guess you heard from all the gossip queens around here about my run-in with Cephus the day he disappeared?”
“Yeah, something like that.” I wasn’t about to tell him that Cephus told me. For obvious reasons.
“Leotta deserves better than him. She put up with him stumbling in late at night. Spending every dime they had on gambling.” Vernon’s voice was strong and steady. “He needed to do right by his kids and I told him that.”
“Tell me about the gambling.”
“All Leotta told me was how Cephus would work odd jobs here and there, plus work a little for Terk Rhinehammer on the side, making decent money as a stonemason down at the water plant.”
“I had no idea Cephus was a bricklayer.” I wondered why Cephus didn’t hold down a steady job.
“He sure was. Best one in town. But people didn’t want to hire him because after they’d pay him, he wouldn’t show up to finish the job or he would show up too drunk to finish the job.” He didn’t hide his disapproval of Cephus. “Leotta or Teddy would finish the job. It would make me so mad. Leotta never once wanted to leave him. As much as I begged her to bring the kids to live with me, she wouldn’t listen. Though they were hardly kids at the time. Mary Anna was on her own and Teddy was a senior.”
“I’m not sure what your relationship with Leotta is now, but do you think she might have killed Cephus?” I asked.
“Hell no.” He scratched his head. “I never thought about it though. I guess we just always believed he got drunk and left. Do you think he’s dead?”
“Nah.” I waved off his question, realizing I had already said too much. “I just think someone knows I’m asking questions and that someone wants me dead or hurt and they know Granny is the way to my heart.”
“I heard about the old mill.” He looked down at the ringing phone’s caller ID. “Sleepy Hollow police,” he said before he picked up the phone to say hello.
I digested what he had told me about Cephus. I had no clue, nor was Cephus going to confess to the gambling and all the drinking.
“That was Jack Henry.” He had a surprised look on his face. “He just asked me to do an autopsy on Digger Spears per the law. Seems there’s more to his death than a stake through his heart.”
“Is that right?” I asked with a straight face, but my soul was smiling. I was glad to think Jack Henry informed Digger’s parents of the law, though I was sure it was hard for him. I made a mental note to give Jack Henry the best kiss of his life when I saw him.
I took out my phone and quickly texted him. Dinner tonight. My place. Make up for last time. No protective covering. And I don’t just mean the ice layering. I added a winky face emoticon.
Quickly he answered. Sounds like a date! I’m willing to skip dinner . . . Be there by 7.
Seven? I glanced down at the time on the phone. I only had a few hours and a lot of questions to be answered by a lot of people.
“Let me know what you find out.” I said good-bye and shot back up in the elevator.
I could hear Charlotte Rae telling somebody about the big mess Granny had
gotten us into. With the autopsy, I knew Granny was going to be exonerated of involvement in Digger’s murder. But I left Charlotte Rae alone. It would keep her out of my hair.
Since we didn’t have any clients or anyone banging on the door for pre-need arrangements, I was going to spend my time wisely.
“Who first?” I looked out over the square, weighing my options.
I had a list of bookies, Leotta, another visit with Mary Anna—who I thought would be the best option to ask about the old mill, and I was going to try Terk Rhinehammer again to see if he had any leads.
The carnival was still going strong. They put a black sheet around the dunk both with R.I.P spray-painted in big red letters.
“Anyone want to arm wrestle?” The loud voice echoed through the carnival and over to the steps of Eternal Slumber.
“Yes, Gus. I think I do.” I confirmed before I trotted down the steps and made my way over to the carnival.
Chapter 21
Step right up, little lady.” Gus flexed. Veins and muscles popped out of places on his arm where they shouldn’t.
Inwardly, I groaned. He wasn’t the type of man I liked, but many women swooned, especially the few that had gathered around his booth.
“Tell Gus who you want me to arm wrestle.” He made sure he was loud and clear over the speaker.
“Me,” I whispered.
He moved the microphone away from his mouth. “I think I heard you say me.”
“Yes. Me,” I confirmed.
“Well, little lady.” His voice was booming over the speakers. “I’m a gentleman. Plus these country boys around here wouldn’t like me taking advantage of a nice sweet young lady such as yourself.”
“Tell me about Digger Spears and I’ll leave you alone.”
I looked at his watch.
“Ladies and gentlemen, even the strongman has to take a break every once in a while.” He stuck a Velcro sign on the pole of his booth that read BE BACK SOON.
“Listen here, I don’t know what kind of stunt you want to pull but you need to be on your way.” Gus’s nice demeanor had quickly vanished. “We are doing our best to carry on with business as usual.”
“All I wanted to know was if Digger had any issues with anyone in the group? You know, someone who might have wanted to kill him?” It seemed like a reasonable question.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Digger’s murder wasn’t related to Cephus.
“No one. Everyone loved the kid.” Gus’s gentler side was coming back. “We did a lot of friendly banter back and forth about wrestling and all.”
“I was a little surprised to see him be a clown.” I glanced over at Digger, who was standing next to his booth. I wished he had come over to help with the line of questioning, but he didn’t see Gus or any other carnie as a threat.
“Yeah, he said something about—” Gus stopped when someone interrupted.
“I’m not paying you to find a piece of ass.” The man growled. He was obviously the guy in charge. “Now get back to work. And you.” He pointed to me. “I saw you shaking your thing around my dunk tank last night. Get on out of here!”
“I’m—”
“I’m nothing. Get out of here before I call the police and have you arrested for loitering.” He stomped back to the little trailer, which I assumed held the carnival office space.
Gus didn’t look twice. He put the headset back on and took down the sign and was already arm wrestling his next victim.
“You should never mess with Big Mike. He takes the carnival business pretty serious.” Digger decided to join me across the street as I walked down to Artie’s Meat and Deli to grab some food to make for my romantic dinner with Jack Henry.
I cleared my throat to let Digger know that I heard him but couldn’t respond. The Auxiliary women were standing in front of Artie’s with VOTE FOR ZULA signs.
“Thank you so much for doing this for Granny.” I had to put differences aside with Beulah Paige for the sake of Granny. These women were her friends and she needed them right now.
“Honey.” Mable Claire rattled up to me. She stuck her hand in her pocket and took out the most awful sight of coins I ever did see. “I know it’s not much, but use this on Zula’s bond money.”
“Bond money?” I laughed and pushed her hand away. “Granny doesn’t need bond money.”
“She don’t?” Sarcasm dripped out of Beulah Paige’s perfectly lined lips.
I looked over the square to see what everyone was looking at.
Granny was on her moped, whizzing through the carnival crowd with her white flag flying high behind her. She was going full throttle. The little red hair sticking out of her aviator helmet blew in the wind and the goggles magnified her eyes.
Wheeee, wheeeee, the scooter whined.
“Zula Fae, you get back here right now!” Jack Henry was doing his best to keep up with her. He shook his fist in the air. “I’m going to arrest you for not cooperating with the law!” he screamed even louder.
“Good gravy.” I hid my eyes when I saw Granny’s moped fly by Eternal Slumber and Charlotte Rae standing on the front porch.
Charlotte Rae burst out into tears and ran back in the funeral home. I turned to face the Auxiliary women. They had leaned their signs up against the outside of Artie’s.
“We just can’t condone this sort of behavior.” That was Beulah Paige’s nice way of saying they didn’t associate with crazy. “So we are just gonna go on in Higher Grounds for a glass of refreshing iced tea.”
They passed by me one by one, without eye contact.
The cashier at Artie’s had her face planted up against the store window, taking in all to see. She wasn’t above gossip when store customers came in and this little episode would definitely qualify as the headline gossip for the day . . . maybe even the week . . . hell, the month.
My phone chimed in a text. It was Charlotte saying she has gone home to go to bed. Granny had done her in. And that Leotta Hardy had stopped by to see me. I texted her back with a smiley face. She sent back fuck off and take care of YOUR granny.
Granny deserved to stay a night in jail—that was if Jack Henry caught up with her. She was a sneaky, little, old broad and could fit in the smallest of places.
Besides, Jack Henry would tell me all about it at dinner, which was just a short time away.
I grabbed up some steaks, potatoes, butter beans, corn-bread mix, and a bag of salad for tonight’s dinner. The cashier didn’t say two words to me. If she would’ve, Jack Henry might have gotten a call about me; and then I’d be sharing a cell with Granny.
Besides, my mind was elsewhere. I wondered what Leotta wanted. Was she on my trail? Did Vernon tell her that I asked if she was guilty of murder?
Chapter 22
Leotta Hardy lived past the old mill in the country. The last thing I wanted to do was drive all the way out there after I had almost been killed.
I recognized the Buick. It was the same one that had been in front of Higher Grounds, Terk’s Buick. The redbrick ranch house had cracks running down the bricks. The black shutters were in need of a new paint job. They had faded to a dull gray and a couple of them were hanging by one nail. A couple of the window screens had slashes down them and a couple more lay in the yard. Maybe that was what Leotta was going for.
She could’ve gotten out and weeded the front bushes or even trimmed them up. They toppled into each other and above the windowsill. Long weeds grew up and around each bush.
Maybe right now wasn’t a great time to see what she wanted, but it was now or never. There was no way I was going to drive back out here. She wanted to talk to me, now was the time.
I knocked on the door for a few minutes before I noticed the dingy curtain in the window on the front door part. I heard the sound of a bolt sliding open along with another click.
I guess when you lived this far out, it was better to be safe than sorry. By the looks of things, she never left the house or even walked out the door.
“Hi-do, Emm
a Lee.” Leotta’s lips set in a tight line. “You can come on in. I was expecting you.”
She opened the door wide. I stepped in. Terk Rhinehammer was seated at the table that was right inside the door.
I was happy to see that the inside of the house was much nicer than the outside. Maybe nicer was pushing it. Let’s say that I didn’t see anything broken though she could’ve dusted or swept the floor.
A couple of cats darted about, knocking the lid to a twenty-ounce Coke bottle between them. They darted under the table and knocked off a picture frame.
I bent down to pick it up and put it back. I was expecting to see a picture of one of her children or even Cephus. Wrong. It was Marilynn Monroe’s infamous picture of the dress flying up as she stood on top of the grate.
“Damn,” Cephus ran his fingers through those thick curls of his. “She’s let them nasty cats in. I never would’ve let that happen.”
“Hello.” I smiled and sat in the seat next to Terk.
Leotta cha-chaed over to the refrigerator. She pulled the door open, bent over and looked in.
She wasn’t dressed as conservatively as she was at Higher Grounds. Today she was dressed more like Mary Anna. Tight short cutoffs and a V-neck wife beater. Her breasts tumbled over the top. No wonder where Mary Anna got her fashion sense.
Over her shoulder, she called, “Anyone want a beer?”
“Yep.” Terk threw his finger in the air, then drew it down to me. “You?”
“No thank you.” I shook my head.
There was no way I was going to drink anything that might impair my ability though one drink wouldn’t. I had to be on alert at all times.
“Oh no,” Cephus cried out when he saw Leotta take out a can of PBR. “She’s lost her mind since I’ve died.”
Ahem. I cleared my throat, giving him the signal to hush.
Cephus paced back and forth, his white, patent-leather shoes clicking with each step.
“Them sum-bitches,” Leotta spat, and sat in the open seat across from me. “Vernon Baxter did not kill Cephus.”
beyond the grave 03 - a ghostly demise Page 13