A Peach of a Murder

by Livia J. Washburn

  The problem was going to be convincing someone in authority of that and keeping his mother from getting herself even more involved in the case.

  Because if Carolyn was innocent, that meant there was an unknown killer still on the loose somewhere.

  And probably willing to kill again to remain unknown.

  Chapter 25

  Mike had reacted pretty much as Phyllis expected him to. He had taken what she had to say seriously, all right, but he hadn’t been encouraging about the chances of her information helping Carolyn. And then to top it off, he had told her politely to butt out. Expected or not, she was hurt by that.

  He was just worried about her, though, she told herself as she prepared supper that night. She couldn’t blame him for being concerned about her. She was his mother, after all. And maybe he was right. Whether it was enough to do any good or not, maybe she had done all she could.

  But it didn’t seem like it. She had already seen plenty of evidence that Donnie Boatwright hadn’t always been the fine, upstanding member of the community that he seemed to be at first glance. He had been a lecherous, conniving, unscrupulous bully who evidently stopped at nothing to get what he wanted. If he had treated Sandra Webster the way he had, not to mention his own brother and sister, what else had he done that might have been bad enough to get him murdered?

  Phyllis couldn’t answer that question, but she had the nagging feeling that she had overlooked something important, that she had seen or heard something that might have given her the answer. No matter how hard she thought about it, though, she couldn’t come up with that elusive bit of knowledge…

  And at supper she had yet another wont’, as Mattie only picked at her food and didn’t seem to feel well. After they had eaten, Phyllis caught a moment alone with Eve in the kitchen and asked her about the older woman. With everything that had been going on lately, Phyllis hadn’t spent as much time with Mattie as she used to, and Eve had been around her more than any of the others.

  “I’m getting worried about her, the poor dear,” Eve admitted. “Of course, her mind has been going for quite a while, and there’s nothing we can do about that. But it seems to be getting worse. A lot of the time she’s so lost in the past that she doesn’t really know where she is. But then at other times her mind is as clear as a bell and she’s totally focused on what she’s doing. Like when she’s tutoring at the high school. Being around the kids seems to really sharpen her thinking.”

  “What about physically?” Phyllis asked. “She didn’t look good tonight.”

  “No, she didn’t,” Eve agreed. “And she is getting weaker. Like it or not, Phyllis, the time is coming when she won’t be able to live here anymore, even with us to look after her. She’ll need more care than that.”

  Phyllis nodded sadly. Fighting the battle against time was an effort that everyone was doomed to lose in the end, and yet it still came as a blow when you realized that the years .were winning. In this case, it was a dear friend who was being overwhelmed by age, not Phyllis herself, but it was still sad to see someone losing that struggle. She hated to think about Mattie having to move into a nursing home, but it was probably inevitable. At least by having her live here, that had been postponed for a good long while.

  “To tell you the truth,” Eve went on, “I think being part of summer school this year is what’s kept Mattie going as long as she has. Helping children with their educations has been her whole life.”

  Remembering Mattie’s volunteer work at the library, the hospital, and other places, Phyllis said, “I’d say helping children in general has been the biggest thing in her life. She never had any of her own.”

  “No, and I often wondered why she never married. I suppose she thought that marriage and a family of her own wouldn’t be as rewarding as what she was already doing.”

  “You’re probably right.” Phyllis sighed. “I suppose there’s nothing we can do for her except make life as pleasant and comfortable for her as we can. I might talk to Dr. Lee about the situation, too, and see if he has any suggestions.”

  “Don’t forget about taking Mattie to school tomorrow,” Eve said on her way out of the kitchen.

  “I won’t,” Phyllis promised. If the one thing that meant anything to Mattie these days was her tutoring, there was no way Phyllis would cause her to miss a session.

  Anyway, Phyllis mused, it appeared that her brief stint as a detective was over, so she might as well accomplish what she could in other areas, like helping Mattie.

  The next morning, the murder of Donnie Boatwright and the mysterious death of Newt Bishop were still on her mind, of course. She couldn’t seem to stop thinking about them, especially Newt. Donnie’s murder was so high-profile that everyone seemed to have forgotten what had happened to Newt. The fact that it had never been determined for sure whether his death was deliberate or an accident probably had something to do with the lack of attention to it these days, as well. Mike had talked to Alfred Landers, who had been embroiled in that bitter lawsuit with Newt, and seemed to think that the realtor was a legitimate suspect, but there was no evidence to place him at the scene other than the fact that his car was similar to the one Phyllis had seen at the barn. Just as in the case of Donnie’s death, everything went back to motive. Darryl Bishop had had good reason to hate his father, and Landers had cause to want Newt dead, too. As far as Donnie’s death was concerned, Carolyn could have wanted to kill him, and Phyllis had to admit as much even though she was convinced that her friend hadn’t actually committed the crime. But Donnie’s brother and sister had motives that were just as strong.

  Motives, motives, motives … they all went round and round in Phyllis’s head, even while she was fixing breakfast and getting ready to take Mattie to the high school. She kept seeing Newt’s face in her mind and then Donnie’s, as if there were some sort of link between the men. She wasn’t sure why that thought stayed so stubbornly in her head, but it did.

  Finally she was able to quiet the clamor in her mind by concentrating on the task at hand, which was getting Mattie to school. During breakfast, Mattie seemed to feel a little better than she had the night before, as if a good night’s sleep had revitalized her to a certain extent. Of course, at her age there was only so much that rest could do for her. It couldn’t turn back the hands of time.

  After everyone had eaten, Sam came up to Phyllis in the kitchen and asked quietly, “What do you have planned for today?”

  “Well, I’m going to drop Mattie off at the high school and then probably do some shopping before I go back and pick her up later.”

  “No detecting?” Sam’s face was serious, and there was no hint of mockery in his words. Phyllis was glad he hadn’t brought up Nancy Drew again.

  “You heard Mike,” she said. “I’m supposed to leave the investigation to them.”

  “You didn’t seem too hopeful that the cops would go after Charles Boatwright or his sister instead of Carolyn.” “I’m not,” Phyllis admitted, “but I don’t know what else I can do. I gave them a perfectly good suspect … two of them, in fact … all tied up with a bow. If they don’t act on that information, it’s not my fault.”

  Sam’s forehead creased a little. “No offense, Phyllis, but you don’t strike me as the sort of lady who lets go of something once she’s got her teeth in it.”

  “Are you saying I remind you of a bulldog?” she asked with a little laugh that didn’t contain much genuine humor. “Nope, just determined. If you can think of anything else you want to check out, I’ll be glad to give you a hand.”

  “I appreciate that, Sam. I really do. But today I have to help Mattie.”

  He nodded. “Sure. Just let me know if you change your mind, or if something else comes up that I can help you with.”

  He was a good man, she thought as she went to get her car keys. Friendly, helpful, and not pushy and full of himself. She liked him and was glad that he had moved in here. But more than that … well, more than that just wasn’t going to happen. For on
e thing, she didn’t want Eve to get jealous and unsheathe her claws. Phyllis had seen instances in the past when such things had happened, and they weren’t pretty.

  She found Mattie in the living room, digging through her purse. “What are you looking for?” Phyllis asked.

  The older woman glanced up in irritation. “My car keys,” she said impatiently. “I can’t find them, and I’ve got to get to school. My class is depending on me to be there.”

  Phyllis felt a pang of regret, perhaps even sorrow. As gently as possible, she said, “Mattie, you don’t drive anymore, remember? But I’m going to take you to school, so don’t worry. You’re going to tutor the summer school students at the high school.”

  Mattie frowned at her for a moment, blinking rapidly, and then suddenly her expression cleared. “You’re taking me to the high school, aren’t you, Phyllis? We’d better get going. Don’t want to be late.”

  She was back to herself again, Phyllis thought with relief. There was no telling how long that state would last, but for now, Mattie was all right.

  As they drove toward the high school, which was on the Interstate in the southwest part of town, it occurred to Phyllis that she might take advantage of Mattie’s current lucidity. Mattie had been around Weatherford and Parker County longer than anyone else she knew.

  “Mattie, I was wondering,” she began. “You knew both Newt Bishop and Donnie Boatwright.”

  “Sure I did. I dated Donnie once, you know, not long after the war. He was a fine figure of a man, and he took me to Casino Beach.”

  “Yes, I remember,” Phyllis said quickly, not wanting the reminiscing to drag Mattie too far into the past. “Do you recall whether or not Newt and Donnie ever knew each other?”

  “Why, I’m sure they did. Donnie knew just about everybody in the county. There weren’t so many people in these parts back in those days. It was easier to get acquainted with folks.”

  “Do you know if they ever had any business dealings with each other, or anything like that?”

  Mattie frowned. “Newt and Donnie? Not that I know of. I suppose Newt could’ve been a silent partner in one of Donnie’s businesses, or something like that. But I doubt it. Newt never seemed all that interested in anything except that orchard of his.” Her voice hardened a little. “Loved those peach trees more’n he did his own family, I reckon. I probably shouldn’t speak ill of the dead that way, but it’s true.”

  “If they weren’t business partners, is it possible they were friends?”

  “I don’t think so. I don’t recall Donnie ever sayin’ anything about Newt. Maybe, come to think of it, they didn’t know each other. I sure never saw them together.”

  Phyllis felt her frustration rising. That gnawing sensation in the back of her mind made her want to draw some sort of link between the two dead men, but it looked like that idea wasn’t going anywhere.

  She drove under an overpass, and the high school loomed on the left. For years the school had been located on South Main, much closer to downtown, but the student population had outgrown that campus, and this new school had been opened several years earlier. It was a huge, sprawling, red brick complex. While it was under construction it had looked more like a shopping mall being built than a school. As far as Phyllis was concerned, most newer schools lacked the character and personality of the older ones. They had too much steel and glass, sterile edifices that lacked the soul, the special something in the air, that only generations of students could instill in a school.

  But that was just her being old-fashioned again, she told herself as she turned the Lincoln into the parking lot, which was about a third full. Years down the road, the kids who had attended this school would probably feel the same way about whatever school replaced it.

  She parked close so that Mattie wouldn’t have to walk too far. “Would you like me to come in with you?” she asked as she brought the car to a stop.

  “No need” Mattie said. “I can make it just fine.” She opened the door and got out, seemingly a lot more spry this morning than she had been the night before. “You’ll pick me up at lunchtime, about eleven forty-five?”

  “I’ll be here,” Phyllis promised.

  Mattie nodded, shut the door, and turned to walk toward the entrance.

  Phyllis got on the freeway and drove a couple of miles to what had become Weatherford’s main shopping district, with large chain stores on both sides of the highway. She spent a couple of hours there, keeping an eye on the time so she wouldn’t take a chance on being late to pick up Mattie. At eleven thirty she headed back toward the high school.

  As she pulled up to the stop sign on the frontage road, ready to turn left under the highway toward the school, she heard a siren, and looked to her right to see an ambulance speeding toward the Interstate from the direction of the hospital. Phyllis waited at the stop sign, since the emergency vehicle had the right of way, and then pulled out behind the ambulance after it had gone by.

  To her surprise, the ambulance turned into the parking lot of the high school. The thought flashed through Phyllis’s mind that something had happened to Mattie. She had no reason to think that, other than Mattie’s advanced age and declining health, but worry still gnawed at Phyllis as she pulled quickly into the lot. Mattie could have collapsed or had a heart attack, or something like that. That certainly would have warranted calling an ambulance.

  However, the ambulance with its flashing lights didn’t go all the way up to the sidewalk in front of the main entrance. Instead, it screeched to a stop part of the way through the lot. Phyllis saw several teachers and students gathered around the spot. She wondered if someone had been struck by a car.

  When she had parked the Lincoln and gotten out to hurry toward the ambulance, she saw that her conjecture had been correct. The EMTs-Calvin and Ted, she realized as she came closer-were bending over a figure lying on the concrete pavement. Phyllis felt a shock go through her as she caught a glimpse of blood. The injured person was a woman, young enough so that Phyllis couldn’t tell immediately if she was a teacher or a student. Although she couldn’t see very well with the EMTs and the rest of the crowd around the woman, Phyllis thought the injury looked like a serious one.

  She noticed a midsized car stopped in the middle of the lane, its engine off. There was a dent on the hood, and a spider-webbed place on the windshield where something had struck the safety glass hard. Phyllis felt a little sick as she realized that she was looking at the car that had run into that poor woman. She had probably gone up on the hood, and that impact against the glass had been from her head….

  Someone put a hand on Phyllis’s arm, and she looked around to see Mattie standing there. “Thank the Lord you’re here, Phyllis” Mattie said. “This is awful, just awful. I’m afraid that woman’s dead.”

  Chapter 26

  As it turned out, the woman was still alive, which Phyllis realized as she and Mattie watched the EMTs work over her for the next few minutes. Mattie was quite upset anyway. Phyllis asked, “Do you know her?” She didn’t have to explain that she meant the woman who had been struck.

  “I’ve seen her around the school,” Mattie said. “She’s one of the teachers. I think her name’s Janie, or something like that.”

  Calvin and Ted got the woman onto a stretcher and lifted ‘ her into the back of the ambulance. Bandages swathed her head, but they didn’t completely cover up the bright blond hair now stained with crimson. They had immobilized her head with a brace, too, as if she had a neck injury of some sort.

  A couple of police cars, their lights flashing, sped into the parking lot and came to a stop with a squeal of tires. Phyllis didn’t know the officers who climbed hurriedly out of the vehicles. They came over to the ambulance, talked briefly to Calvin and Ted, and then one of the officers turned to the people gathered in the parking lot and said in a loud voice, “If y’all would just stay right here for a few minutes until we’ve had a chance to talk to you, we’d appreciate it.”

  No one seemed
to be in a hurry to leave. The crowd waited patiently, as Ted climbed into the ambulance with the injured woman and Calvin closed the rear doors and got behind the wheel. The siren’s wail rose again as the ambulance pulled away and started off toward the hospital.

  One of the policemen studied the car with the dented hood and the damaged windshield as the other three spread out and began questioning the crowd. Phyllis overheard enough while she and Mattie were waiting their turn to know that the police were trying to determine if anyone had actually witnessed the accident. From the responses she heard, it appeared that no one had.

  She leaned close to Mattie and asked in a low voice, “Did you see what happened?”