Chapter Twenty
The rest of our meal subdued, we finished our dessert and retreated to our room.
“Trixie, you heard what that handsome sheriff said. Are you going to mind him?” Only Nana had the nerve to ask, but I saw the same question mirrored on Dee Dee’s face.
“Nana, I really am working on an article. Remember, that’s why I came to Dahlonega in the first place. I’m just taking the opportunity to ask questions that might help Dee Dee while I’m at it. What if I trust the sheriff, who wants to run for mayor, and he slams the case closed? And Dee Dee behind bars!”
“Put that way, it’s as clear as the nose on my face. That’s why you need my help.” She had a glint in her eye that scared me. I half-expected her to grab her jacket and pocketbook again and head out the door. “Together, I bet we can not only clear Dee Dee, but solve who did this terrible thing.”
“Uh, that’s great Nana. I’m sure you’ll be an asset.” It was late; I didn’t have the energy to argue. I still had research to do before I could go to sleep. I looked to the closed door and sighed. “Dee Dee’s sure been in the bathroom a long time.”
“That girl needs to see a doctor. It’s like watching a commercial with the leaky pipe people!”
Right then, the door flew open, and in Dee Dee bounced, dressed in her bright green kitty pajamas.
“Well, who let the cats out?” Nana asked. I doubled over in a fit of laughter.
“Very funny,” she said as she grinned. “Y’all are jealous because you don’t have any p.j.s like this.” She modeled for us, to our hoots of laughter.
“You’re right.” We both laughed and applauded.
Dee Dee gingerly made her way to the roll away bed and straightened out the blankets. She sat down and sighed.
“How are you really doing, Dee Dee?” I clasped her hand and pressed my lips together in a smile. I wanted to help her so badly. I couldn’t imagine being in her shoes.
“I feel a little better since Sheriff Wheeler told us he has another person of interest. Isn’t that good news?” She shook off her matching kitty slippers and put her feet on the bed.
“Yes, it is. I won’t be satisfied, though, until they’ve made an arrest. Then I’ll breathe easy.” I spoke slowly, watching Nana grab her toothbrush and jammies and head to the bathroom. I made sure the door closed tight before I lowered the boom.
“I plan on driving out to the Hawkins’ in the morning. From everything we’ve been told, Tommy could be a prime suspect. I’m not sure what reason I’m going to use for an interview. I don’t suppose I could tell him I’m doing a story about stills, and someone told me he might have one in working condition?” I emitted a nervous laugh.
Dee Dee smiled, but shook her head. “Very funny, but I don’t think so. Approaching the Hawkins clan sounds dangerous to me.” She pulled the covers up to her nose.
“I’ll come up with some idea tomorrow. I have to.”
“Well, if you insist on going, I’m going with you. After all, you’re doing this for me. The least I can do is help.” Dee Dee wore the look she would don when she was dead set on doing something. I didn’t even try to talk her out of it. My problem was to figure out how to keep Nana from joining us.
Dee Dee smoothed the bed covers. “I called Sarah to see how things were at the shop. She told me not to worry, business couldn’t be better. And she was fine working alone. I hope when I reach her age I can be as active as she is.”
We sat and discussed what we had learned from talking with Miranda and Sueleigh. Both of us were in a lighter mood with the news that Sheriff Wheeler had another person of interest. In a few minutes, Nana emerged from the bathroom wearing a nightie that had surely been ordered from Victoria’s Secret.
Something was definitely going on with Nana. What would cause this gray-haired little lady to become so flirtatious lately? I had many memories of my spunky great-aunt, but flirting shamelessly was not one of them. Now the sexy nightie? I would have to keep a watch on her.
Even though it wasn’t quite dark, Nana and Dee Dee had settled down to sleep. I turned off the big light and used my book light to read from one of the Dahlonega research books I’d brought from home.
Harv had asked me to look for a murder that took place during the original gold rush days and, after looking at several books, I found an unsolved murder I thought would make a good article.
In the early 1930s, a farmer named Donnie Haygood lived and worked the land that had been handed down through generations of his family. His great-grandfather, Micah Haygood, had won the acreage in the Cherokee Land Lottery. Micah hoped to find gold, but was unsuccessful. The spread became a working farm, and the Haygoods spent their spare time looking for gold.
Tired of working his farm, Donnie decided to sell and move into town, hoping to offer his children a better life. He promised the property to a buyer, but before the transaction took place, Donnie discovered gold and backed out of the deal.
A few days later he was found dead behind the assayer’s office.
I screwed my lips and tried to remember if I’d seen or heard anything about this at the gold museum. I yawned and set the light and the book down, unable to keep my eyes open any longer.
It seemed I’d just laid down when my eyes opened to light peeping through the curtains. Propped up on one elbow, I craned my neck to see the alarm clock. The lighted face of the clock showed it was nearly seven. I seriously considered turning over and going back to sleep. In my dazed, half-awake, half-asleep state, my dream of a handsome cowboy tempted me to resume snoozing.
But sleeping in was not a luxury I could afford. Important interviews waited. I wanted to interview Tommy Hawkins as soon as possible. I willed myself to jump up and rush around with enthusiasm, but I couldn’t. Cowgirl up! It took several minutes before I could force my tired body from the bed.
It wasn’t easy maneuvering around Dee Dee’s cot. I stumbled, bumped into her bed, and fell over on a wadded up body.
“What the ….” Dee Dee shot up like a jack-in-the-box.
I held my sore knee. “I’m sorry, Dee Dee.”
“Are you okay?” She asked with concern in her voice, and rubbed sleep from her eyes.
“Yeah, I’m all right.” I held my painful knee. “I hit my knee. I tried to be quiet.”
“Need me to do anything?” She spoke in a sleep-slurred voice.
“No. Go back to sleep. I’m going to get a shower. We’ve got a lot to accomplish today.”
She rolled over, covered up, and started snoring.
Another head popped up on the other bed, reminding me of a bobble-head doll. “What’s going on over there?”
Nana! “Nothing, Nana, everything’s fine. You can go back to sleep.”
She did, and right quick, two of my favorite people in the world snored in unison.
When I flipped on the bathroom light, a big black spider fled the scene. I looked around for any other creepy, crawly creatures sharing quarters with the spider. Coast clear! I turned on the water as warm as I could stand it.
Several minutes of warm water relaxed my tight muscles. I toweled off and dressed as quietly as possible. I applied a double dose of make-up to cover the dark bags that had sprung up, literally overnight.
I would need all the help I could get this day if I were to charm a story out of the likes of the Hawkins clan!
Chapter Twenty-One
When I exited the bathroom, I noticed Dee Dee rummaging in her suitcase for something to wear.
“Oh, you’re up.”
“Of course I’m up. Who could sleep when someone careens into her bed with the force of a tidal wave?”
She must have seen the look of surprise on my face, grinned, and said, “Just kidding! I thought I’d lighten the mood a little.”
“I wouldn’t try to lighten the mood too often. I’m on my last nerve, and it’s frayed.” With my nervous energy, I was pretty sure I could hand-power a light bulb.
I changed the subje
ct to safer ground. “What do you think about a light breakfast so we can get an early start?”
“That sounds good.” Dee Dee leaned over and whispered “What about Nana? Is she going with us?”
“No way! I’ve been bouncing around ideas. I’m sending her on an important mission. It should keep her busy until we get back.”
“What are you girls talking about?” Nana piped up.
“I told Dee Dee I need your help this morning. I have an important errand for you to run while Dee Dee and I go interview someone for my article.”
She sat up. “Sure, doll. I’ll do anything I can to help. Remember, that’s why I’m here.” She grinned from ear to ear. “What do you need me to do?”
Dee Dee made her way to the bathroom while Nana and I continued our conversation. “I took some pictures to go along with my article, and they need to be printed right away. Harv wants to see them as soon as possible. Do you think you can find a store that will print them in an hour or two? Just check out the merchants on the square; I don’t want you going any further.”
If all went as planned, getting the pictures printed should keep Nana busy and out of trouble until we returned.
“Well, yes. I can do that. But why can’t I go with you and Dee Dee?” she pouted. “I can take care of the pictures when we get back.”
Shoot, this wasn’t going as easy as I’d hoped. Think quick Trixie.
“It might be noon by the time we get back. There’s a corner drugstore that opens at ten. Ask the clerk if she can put them on a computer disc as well as print them, and then I can send them to Harv as soon as I get back. I really need your help with this.” I said a quick prayer for her compliancy. Harv didn’t need the pictures right away, but I needed to keep Nana busy and safe.
“I guess you’re right dear. That Harv sure can be a nasty person, though. You’d think a burr was stuck up under his saddle the way he grumbles all the time.”
I couldn’t help laughing. Anyone who didn’t know Harv personally could easily come to that conclusion.
Minutes later we walked out the door. Dee Dee and I had dressed in jeans and long sleeve shirts and Nana had on another of her jogging ensembles. You could call us the three Musketeers.
Someone had laid out a continental breakfast of pastries and coffee in the lobby for those who didn’t want to eat in the dining room. We chatted with Joyce while we ate sticky buns and drank steaming hot coffee. I filled her in on our plan to visit the Hawkins’ place.
“You’d better watch your backs if you are determined to go out there,” she warned. “By the way, did you get a chance to talk with Miranda yesterday?
“Uh, yes. I talked with her.” I wondered why Joyce wanted to know, if she was just nosey, or if she had another reason for asking.
“Do you think she had anything to do with Tatum’s murder?” She took another sip of coffee. “I wouldn’t be surprised, the way she ranted and raved about his infidelity.”
“Well…” I took a breath, weighing whether or not to divulge Miranda and my conversation.
“If you ask me, he got what he deserved.” Joyce’s nostrils flared with distaste in a way that seemed out of character for the nice innkeeper.
“Why would you say that?” I leaned forward.
“J-just imagine how furious he made somebody, in order to be murdered in such a violent way. With a pickaxe!”
“Yes. Imagine.” I blinked down at the remainder of my now unappetizing bear claw. Whether or not it was true, I still thought it an odd thing for her to say.
Dee Dee and I finished our coffee, and left Nana talking to Joyce and Leroy, “that nice young nephew of hers” who creeped the heck out of me.
We stepped outside, a little nip in the air greeting us. A slight breeze blew as gentle as an angel’s breath. It was the beginning of another beautiful day. Only a few vendors had ventured out this early in the morning. Others walked up the steps of the local parish, the steeple bell ringing out a Sunday morning welcome.
“I feel guilty we’re not going to church.” Dee Dee sniffed. “Especially with everything that’s going on.”
“Let’s pray, quick.” I took her hands in mine, knowing we needed our Father’s direction.
Dee Dee prayed. “Heavenly Father, please keep us safe and help us to find John Tatum’s real killer… In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
I contributed a hearty, “Amen!” and felt stronger for it.
I followed the haphazard directions Sueleigh gave us. From the rear-view mirror, I saw the town fade away. The golden leaves of the surrounding forest glowed in the morning sunlight. The twists and turns of the mountainous road dictated the speed I drove. Leaves still clung to many of the trees, but along the side of the road, boulders were dusted in already fallen foliage. I was lost in my thoughts when Dee Dee spoke.
“This view takes my breath away,” she said with a contented sigh.
“Mine, too. Doesn’t it look like God created a kaleidoscope?”
“It sure does.” After a minute of contemplation she spoke again. “Trix, I’m still concerned we’re traveling so far out. What if something happens? You heard how mean Joyce said Tommy Hawkins is.”
“I bet he’s not that mean. She’s probably exaggerating.”
Like you believe that, Trixie. I shifted in my seat and peered at the twisting road all the more intently.
“Have you thought of any reasons I can give Tommy to interview him?” I thought about the moonshine still Hawkins hid in the woods. A story about the back woods would definitely earn brownie points from Harv.
“Since you’re writing on the gold rush, why don’t you use that as an opener? Most folks with roots from around here have someone in their families that mined gold.”
“That could work. Thanks.” As we drove, we talked about the kids, the cats, and anything else that kept us from dwelling on the inevitable meeting.
As we rounded a tight curve, I spied something furry skittering across the road at the double yellow line.
Dee Dee screamed, pointing ahead, “Watch out!”
Chapter Twenty-Two
I slammed on my brakes, the tires squealing. Both of us shot forward in our seat belts, the car now at a dead stop in the middle of the road. A quick check to the rear view showed no one was behind us. Thank goodness!
“Holy cow, what are you trying to do? Get us killed?” I clutched my heart. I pulled over to the side of the road to catch my breath. My knee screamed in agony.
“I’m sorry, Trix. I was afraid you didn’t see the cat in the road.”
“Well, I did see it, and I didn’t plan on running it down. Anyway, what’s a kitty doing in the road out in the middle of nowhere?”
Her eyebrows cocked and she shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose he was trying to get to the other side?”
The tension broke and, despite my throbbing knee, I joined Dee Dee in laughter stemming from hysteria. If this kept up, the stress from the past couple of days was bound to award us a very long vacation in the home for the bewildered.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I pulled back onto the highway and continued towards our destination. A couple of miles down the road we passed the sign for Amicolola Falls.
I asked Dee Dee to read me the directions to the Hawkins. Ten minutes later, we pulled onto a long dirt road, leading us to Tommy’s house. As we made the turn, a bevy of butterflies played havoc in my stomach. What had I been thinking?
The scene before me could only be described as Dukes of Hazzard meets Deliverance. A faded reddish-orange Dodge Charger, with the number one on its side, and a rebel flag painted on top, was parked in the dirt yard. It was an exact replica of “General Lee.” I looked around to see if Bo, Luke, and cousin Daisy stood nearby.
A wooden framed house, in need of a paint job, sat in a dirt yard that obviously required no maintenance. Someone had thought to spruce it up with a few leggy gold and yellow chrysanthemums stuck in an old washtub.
Several old hound dogs lay in the
yard, under the porch, and on the porch. One yawned and scratched behind its ear. I counted five, no, six of them as we neared. None of them proved to be guard dogs, as they let us approach without barking. That was left up to the furious barks of the two Dobermans, chained mid yard, that produced enough noise to wake the dead.
My legs began to itch. I reminded myself to check for fleas later. Some of the other dogs barely lifted their heads, making a half-hearted effort to see the trespassers. None of them seemed too interested in us.
We exited the car, staying well out of the snarling dogs’ reach, and precariously made our way toward the porch where a bear of a man now stood by the front door.
“I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Dee Dee whispered, her expression calm, but her voice at near-panic. “I think we should get back in the car and be on our way.”
I agreed, but I wasn’t giving up that quick.
“Don’t worry, I can handle it.” Famous last words.
“What are y’all doing on my property?” Backwoods Bob bellowed.
Obviously, Dee Dee didn’t believe me when I told her I had it under control. “Uh, we made a wrong turn, and we’re lost. Sorry we bothered you; we’ll be on our way.” She turned around and headed to the car.
I grabbed her by the shirt and jerked her back. It was her hide I was trying to save, and I wasn’t going to do it alone. “Let me do the talking.”
“Well, you go right ahead,” She hissed. “But if he kills both of us don’t complain to me.”
“Are you Tommy Hawkins?” I asked with more bravado than I possessed.
“Yeah. What’s it to ya?”
My mind went completely blank. “Dee, what was that reason we were going to give him for showing up unannounced?” I hissed out of the side of my lop-sided grin.
“Did you kill John Tatum?” Dee Dee hollered before I could get any words out.
So much for being subtle.
“Oops,” Dee Dee clapped a shaking hand over her mouth.
“What’d you say?” Tommy shot in a nasally mountain drawl.
“Uh,” I stammered. “Do you know who killed John Tatum?” I tried for a quick recovery.
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