Deck the Halls with Fudge

by Nancy CoCo

  “I don’t care so much that whoever did this pays,” Emma said. “I want to make sure the killer doesn’t do this ever again. I don’t want anyone else’s family to go through this. Ever.”

  “Is there anyone else who might have wanted to hurt Warren?” I asked. “Did he get any death threats?”

  “Rex Manning asked me that, too,” she said. “Warren worked in the loan department of the bank. A lot of people were unhappy with his decisions not to give out loans or to repossess things.”

  “I thought he was only repossessing things he could buy at cost to start his new craft brewery,” I said.

  “Oh no,” Emma said. “No, Warren was very focused on making sure the loan department was run right. He had a set of guidelines that he stuck to for loans and repossessions. He was a fanatic. People called him the Nazi banker. I know because they would taunt me and the girls. That’s why I’m taking the girls to Flint to grow up closer to my parents and out of this community.” Tears began to flow. “I didn’t know they would be so nice to us in our time of need. I feel as if I should be asking for forgiveness.”

  “Oh no,” I said. “You and the girls have been through enough. Who was taunting you? I can go speak to them.”

  “I’m sure they feel bad enough now that Warren is dead,” Leigh Ann said. “I had a talk with the parents of the little girls who were taunting my girls at school. That and a talk with the principal, who put a stop to the bullying.”

  “You don’t think any of those bullies would hurt Warren?” I asked.

  “No,” Emma said. “People were afraid of Warren.”

  “They were? Why? Because of the bank?”

  “Warren had a temper and everyone knew it,” Leigh Ann said as Emma cried softly into a tissue. “I tried to raise him better, but he took after his father. There was nothing I could do.”

  “Your husband had a temper?” I asked softly.

  “He raised his voice and his fists a time or two, but he’s dead and that time is behind me. I swore no one would ever bully me or my children again.” She blew out a breath. “The worst of this whole thing was when Rex Manning questioned us as if we were the suspects.” Leigh Ann reached out and rubbed her daughter-in-law’s back in support. “It was humiliating.”

  “I can’t think about it,” Emma said. “I’ll be so glad to leave this all behind me.”

  “I’m sure Rex will find and stop the monster who did this,” I said. “You have my sincerest condolences.”

  “Thank you for everything you’ve done,” Emma said.

  “You are a good friend,” Leigh Ann said. “I agree with Emma. It may be time for me to sell the family home and move to be closer to the grandkids.”

  “Let me know if you need anything,” I said.

  Chapter 11

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” the mayor said after cueing the band to take a break. “Thank you for coming out tonight and supporting a good cause.”

  “Yes, beer!” a man in the audience hollered out.

  “Yes, the island craft brewery,” the mayor said. “And donating toward the Engle girls’ scholarship fund. This event has raised three thousand dollars for the fund and to date we have raised twenty thousand dollars. What a generous island community.”

  There was a round of applause and cheers.

  “Before we get to the winners, Mrs. Engle would like to say a few words.”

  Emma went up to the podium and took the microphone from the mayor with his encouragement. She thanked everyone for their support of her, her girls, and Leigh Ann.

  I looked around the crowd to see if Henry Higginboom was in the crowd. I saw a few people roll their eyes at Emma’s thank you and it bothered me. Then I noticed Rex Manning in the corner, watching the crowd as closely as I was.

  Douglas stood by Rex. He smiled at me. I relaxed. If there was any news from Rex on the investigation, Douglas would get it.

  Emma finished her speech and went back to her seat. The mayor stirred up the crowd, getting them excited about the beers and the local breweries.

  There was a tap on my shoulder. I turned to find a young woman standing there. “Please come with me,” she said.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked and followed her out.

  We went into the coatroom, where the sound of the crowd was dimmed enough that it was easy to talk.

  “Mrs. Devaney,” she said, “I heard you were investigating Warren Engle’s murder.”

  “Taylor White, is that you?” I said. She was a young girl of about twenty wearing tight blue jeans, snow boots, and a Christmas sweater. I’d taught her mother in school. “What can I do for you?”

  “I think I know who killed Mr. Engle.”

  “Did you talk to Officer Manning?”

  “No,” she said. “I can’t go to the cops.”

  “Why not?” I asked and drew my eyebrows together.

  “No cops,” she said and put up her hands.

  “Okay, all right, fine. Are you in danger?”

  “I’m okay now. I would be in danger if I went to the cops.”

  “Why? What’s is going on?”

  “My boyfriend, Justin, told me he knows who did it.”

  “Why? How? Was he involved?”

  “Look, I don’t know the whys or hows,” she said and shoved her hands in her back pockets. “I know what he said makes sense and someone should be told.”

  “Who is Justin? Can I talk to him?”

  “No, no way. He’ll know I told.”

  I blew out a long breath. “Why don’t you tell me what you think you know?”

  “He told me the sleigh that was used to dump the body belonged to the Andersens.”

  “I didn’t know the Andersens had a sleigh or even any horses still on the island.”

  “You see, no one really knows. Old Man Andersen hasn’t used the sleigh in years. He keeps it in a small carriage house behind his cottage. It’s usually buried under a ton of stuff. But the day after Warren Engle was killed, my boyfriend—”

  “Justin.”

  “Yeah, my boyfriend Justin snuck into the Andersens’ carriage house to have a smoke.”

  “Why did he do that?”

  She looked down. “’Cause he might have been smoking weed.” She looked up at me. “I don’t know for sure. I wasn’t there, so you can’t say anything about what he was or wasn’t smoking because it’s hearsay. Right?”

  “Why the Andersens’ carriage house?”

  “’Cause it’s behind his folks’ house and no one goes in there but kids. You know, using the space a bit for stuff and things.”

  “I see. Why did he think the Andersens’ sleigh was used?”

  “Because all the stuff was moved off it and there was, like, snow on the runners and dirt and stuff.”

  “But there aren’t any horses to draw the sleigh, right?”

  “Yeah,” she said and shrugged. “That’s all I know. But it’s something, right? You can use the info? Will it help those girls, like, find peace?”

  “It may help,” I said with a nod. “Thanks.”

  “Yeah, okay, sure,” she said. “Now go, before someone sees us together.” She motioned for me to leave.

  I stepped back out into the crowded main room just as the mayor announced the winner of the taste test. “Black Crow Brewery won both the judges’ taste test and the popular vote. Congratulations, gentlemen!” The mayor had the owners come up and gave them a certificate. Liz took pictures for the paper.

  “We will have plaques made up for you to display in your facility,” Jenn said into the microphone after the brewers gave their thank you speeches. “I just wanted to give a big hand and thank you to the mayor and our judges.” She started clapping and the rest of the crowd joined in.

  I made my way toward Douglas and Rex. Halfway there, someone else tapped me on the shoulder. It was Henry Higginboom and he didn’t look very happy.

  “Hello, Henry,” I said.

  “Teacher,” he said. “People are t
elling me you want to talk to me.”

  The crowd started hooting and hollering again at something Jenn was saying. “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble hearing.” I waved toward the coatroom. “Is it okay if we talk in there?”

  “Sure.”

  He followed me inside, where the noise level dropped, and stuck his hands in his pockets. Henry was five foot nine inches tall and had wide shoulders and strong forearms. The rest of him was rather lean, but he had a barrel chest. Today he wore a heavy pullover, jeans, and snow boots.

  “I said, I heard you were looking for me,” he said, his tone softer. “What for?”

  “I’ve been looking in to Warren Engle’s actions. I understand he tried to repossess your brewing equipment. Some say it was so he could buy it from the bank at pennies on the dollar and start his own brewery.”

  “Yeah, he threatened me, but he didn’t go through with it.”

  “Why didn’t he go through with his threat?”

  “I gave him all my savings toward my loan and didn’t give him any legitimate excuse to repossess my stuff. He pushed anyway, but I know how to push back. I don’t stand for bullies.”

  “I see,” I said. “When was the last time you saw Warren?”

  “What are you implying?” He took his hands out of his pockets and clenched them into fists.

  “I’m not implying anything,” I said and put my hand up in a stop gesture. “I’m simply trying to put a time line to Warren’s misdeeds.”

  “Frances, are you okay?” Douglas stuck his head in the coatroom.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” I said, looking around Henry. “Right, Henry?”

  “Yeah,” he said and shoved his hands back in his pocket. “I’m done talking.”

  “Thank you for your help,” I said, still trying to salvage any kind of rapport.

  “Yeah, leave me alone,” he grumbled and walked by Douglas. “I hear you two got married.”

  “We did,” Douglas said.

  “You need to keep her on a short leash, old man, for her own safety.”

  “Excuse me?” I was offended by the brash young man. He walked off and Douglas came toward me.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine,” I said and put my hand to my head. “I’m a little offended, but otherwise unharmed.”

  “I asked you not to go off alone like that,” he said and pulled me close.

  “I couldn’t hear him and I thought I’d be fine in the coatroom.”

  “Is everything okay in here?” Rex Manning asked.

  “Yes, it’s fine,” I said. “I do have new information for you.”

  He scowled. “Is it from Henry Higginboom?”

  “No,” I said. “A young woman—I know her mother. She didn’t want to come to you directly because she didn’t want her friends to get in trouble.”

  “In trouble for what?”

  “It seems they use the Andersens’ old carriage house as a place to hang out and smoke.”

  “Okay.” Rex waited for me to go on.

  “She said the day after we found Warren’s body, her friend noticed that the stuff on top of the old sleigh had been moved. Also the blades of the sleigh were wet and muddy.”

  “She thinks someone used the Andersens’ old sleigh?” Rex asked.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Who is this girl? I want to talk to her.”

  “I don’t remember her name,” I said with a frown. “I guess the encounter with Henry Higginboom rattled me more than I thought.”

  “It’s okay, dear.” Douglas ran his hands up and down my arms for comfort.

  “Do you think you could point her out for me?” Rex asked.

  “Okay,” I said and walked out of the coatroom. The band was playing again and people were laughing and enjoying the night. The twinkle lights lit the crowd pretty well, but I didn’t see the young girl. “She’s not here,” I said. Then I looked at Rex. “Are you going to check out the Andersens’ carriage house?”

  “I’ll send a deputy over there. If it looks as if it’s been disturbed, I’ll get a warrant to search it for any sign that it was used in the disposal of Warren’s body.”

  “Okay, thank you,” I said. I glanced at Douglas. “I’m going to check with the girls. If they don’t need me, I think I’d like to go home.”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Douglas said and kissed my cheek. “I think you’ve had enough rough encounters for one day.”

  I smiled at him. “All I’ve done is ask a few questions, but I’ve sure stirred up some animosity.”

  “That’s why you should leave the investigating to me,” Rex said.

  I sighed. He was right.

  Chapter 12

  I sat straight up with a gasp. It was the middle of the night. Douglas reacted by sitting up with me and turning on the light.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked and looked around the room, bleary-eyed.

  “I think I know who did it,” I said.

  “Who did what?” He seemed confused.

  “Who killed Warren,” I said and got out of bed.

  “Frances, it’s three a.m.”

  “Yes, well, crime solving never sleeps.”

  “This can’t wait until morning?” He yawned.

  “No,” I said. “I need to write this down as soon as possible before I forget my logic. It might not make sense in the morning.”

  “Fine,” he said, got up, and put on his bathrobe. “I’ll go make some coffee.”

  “Thank you,” I said and put on my own bathrobe before going to the second bedroom and digging through the boxes.

  “What are you looking for?” Douglas asked after a while. I glanced up to see him leaning against the doorjamb, all rugged and handsome.

  “I’m looking for that neighborhood map of the island,” I said and dug under some books. “Here it is!” Triumphant, I waved it in the air. “This will help prove my theory.”

  “Let’s take it in the kitchen where there’s coffee and a bright light,” Douglas said.

  “Do you think the girls will want to be here?” I asked.

  “It’s three ten a.m.,” Douglas reminded me.

  “Oh good,” I said and got out my cell phone. “That means Allie is getting up to make fudge. I’ll text her to see if she and Jenn want to come over.”

  “Weren’t they out late last night cleaning up after the fund-raiser?”

  “They’re young.” I dismissed his worry. “They’ll answer if they’re up. If not, we’ll do this without them.”

  “Do what exactly?” he asked as I unfolded the map and spread it out on the table.

  “Prove who killed Warren Engle, of course.”

  He studied me for a full minute. “Do I need to get Rex out of bed?”

  “Oh, I’m sure whoever is on duty can handle this,” I said.

  “Okay . . .”

  “Look,” I said and pointed to the Andersens’ house on the map. “Here’s where the Andersens live when they aren’t snowbirding. Here’s their carriage house. What do you see here?”

  “That’s the Pilsons’ personal stables.”

  “Within walking distance, right?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “Two houses down. So?”

  “Everyone knows the Pilsons keep horses year-round.”

  “Just two or three,” Douglas said. “But they don’t have a sleigh.”

  “All the killer needed was access to a sleigh.”

  “Wouldn’t the Pilsons know if someone used their horses?”

  “The Pilsons’ daughter just had a baby. They’re gone for the entire month. So they hired a local pet sitter to watch the horses.”

  “And the pet sitter is?”

  I looked at Douglas. “The woman who lived right behind them.”

  “That means she lives . . .” Douglas looked at the map. “Oh.”

  “I know,” I said.

  “Leigh Ann Engle lives right behind them.” Douglas frowned. “But you set out to help her—�
�

  “Yes,” I said without regret. “She wants everyone to see her as the woman who lost her stepson.”

  “I don’t understand,” Douglas said. “Why?”

  “We know she was disgusted by Warren’s activities at the bank.”

  “Surely not enough to kill her son.”

  “No, but tonight Emma told me that Warren didn’t treat her right. I happen to know Leigh Ann was abused by Warren’s father before he died. She has said that she would never stand by to see a woman and her children suffer. Not ever again.”

  “I’m not sure this is enough evidence for Rex,” Douglas said.

  “I think I can get Leigh Ann to confess.”

  “How?”

  “She was so smug tonight. Talking about moving to be close to her grandkids. I bet some luminol will show there’s blood where she killed Warren. I’ll call Shane and get him to come out this morning and we can—”

  “Um, I think you have done enough. Let’s call Rex.”

  “The funeral is today,” I said. “We can confront her right after the funeral.”

  “I think we can tell Rex what we think and see what he says.”

  “What if he doesn’t follow my lead?” I asked, worrying my bottom lip. “What if, as you said, there isn’t enough evidence and Leigh Ann moves away? I’m afraid for Emma and the grandkids.”

  “Sit,” Douglas said.

  I sat in the kitchen chair.

  “Let’s have some coffee,” he said. “Remember how I said we would work these things out together?”

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Here is a question you have to think about. How did Leigh Ann get Warren’s dead body up on a sleigh? She isn’t strong enough to lift two hundred pounds of dead weight up into a sleigh.”

  “She had to have an accomplice,” I said and frowned. “Who? Barry maybe?”

  “Barry wasn’t on the island.”

  “Hmph,” I said, feeling as if the air had gone out of my plan.

  “Also, how did she get the horses and sleigh back without driving them?”

  “I’ve been thinking about that,” I said. “Whoever put the body in the sleigh must have kept watch from a distance. The roads were clear enough they could have ridden a bicycle a block over, following parallel to the sleigh. See?” I ran my finger down the street one block over. “Then, once they saw the body was gone, they could have gotten the horses to come to them, thrown the bike in the sleigh, and taken the back road back to the Andersens’ and then taken the horses back to the Pilsons’.”