"She told you that?"
"Yeah, she told me that Jack had threatened Buggy if he ever came around your house again."
"Yeah, Jack's gets excitable easily. I'm sure he didn't mean what he said."
"Nicole told me she was pregnant," Matilda dropped the bombshell.
"Oh...She told you that?" Carol stuttered.
"I guess Jack thought he had a reason to threaten Buggy," Matilda continued. "Buggy was a drunk and knocked up Nicole."
"Please, Miss Matilda, don't tell anyone. We’re sending Nicole to live with Jack's sister in Boston."
"Yeah, Jack told me. Did you and Jack see Buggy the night he died?"
"Uh…" Carol took a deep breath. "Yes, we ran into him in the parking lot. I told Jack not to confront him. That he should have known Buggy would attend the banquet since he was giving him a key to the city. But he barged across the parking lot and grabbed Buggy's arm and told him to leave."
"Really" Matilda said with arched eyebrows.
"No, no, Miss Matilda, don't get the notion that Jack had anything to do with Buggy's murder."
"What happened in the parking lot between the two?" Matilda demanded.
Carol's face paled slighted.
"It’s going to come out sooner or later. You might as well tell me what you saw."
"Buggy shoved Jack to the ground. I thought they were going to fight, but Sheriff Dudley pulled up, jumped out of his cruiser, and stepped between them. I heard him tell Buggy to get the hell away. That nobody wanted to see the town drunk get the key to the city. And that the mayor must be crazy to ask Jack to give an award to a drunken bum."
"Hmm, so what happened next?” Matilda asked
"Jack and I went inside while Dudley talked to Buggy. I heard him threaten to throw him in jail if he didn't leave."
"Oh, did he? So, you and Jack went directly to the dining room?"
"Yes, we took our seats and had a glass of wine. Jack calmed down after the wine."
"Did Jack leave the dining room before he announced the winner of the innkeeper race?"
Carol looked as though she wasn't going to answer.
"Carol?"
"Midway through the meal he told me he had forgotten the keys to the city that the mayor had given him. He said he left them in the car."
"How long was he gone?"
Carol shook her head. "I'm not sure. And I don't think I’m going to answer any more of your questions." She turned and headed toward the checkout counter.
"Well, did she give you the smoking gun?" Trixie asked as she approached with a shopping cart full of various kinds of liquor.
"Not a smoking gun but a loaded one," Matilda said.
"Enlighten me," Trixie said.
"Hmm, have you been watching those Star War movies again," Matilda asked. "They’re for children, you know."
Trixie looked sheepish.
"I’ll tell you later,” Matilda said. “Now is not the time to play Sherlock and Watson. Go and pay for the booze. I’ll meet you in the car."
Why didn't Sheriff Dudley mention that he broke up a fight between Jack and Buggy? Matilda thought as she walked to the car.
"I hope people don't think I bought all this liquor for myself," Trixie said after packing away the booze in the back.
"When they see the purple hair, I’m sure they think you’re just another wild ski bunny up from Boston," Matilda said.
"Okay, next time you pay for the booze. Then I guess they’ll think you are a washed-up skier still trying to hang with the hotdogs."
"Hmm, Next time I’ll send Smiley. They will think he’s a hippy and be right on the money," Matilda said as they sped out of North Conway.
"You gave Carol McGurin the third degree. What did Sherlock uncover?"
"Jack and Buggy had an altercation in the parking lot before the banquet. And guess who broke them up?"
"Bozo?"
"What a silly answer," Matilda said sounding annoyed.
"I think that was a fine answer to a rhetorical question! Now tell me or do I have to go through the names of all our employees?"
Matilda shook her head. "Sheriff Dudley!"
"Oh, that is a surprise. Don't you think it’s strange that he never mentioned it?" Trixie asked.
"Yes, it is. Actually, it’s beyond strange. The sheriff had to have a darn good reason not to mention that in the police report. Heck, he didn't even tell Trudy, and he tells her everything."
"I guess you’ll have to confront the good sheriff about the omission."
"I will," Matilda said, "But first I have to have a chat with Jack."
"This information pushes Jack toward to the top of our list of suspects," Trixie said.
"Yeah, some list. We have just two people."
"Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick," Trixie said.
Matilda looked across the seat at Trixie. "You didn't drink one of the little bottles of vodka on your way to the truck, did you?"
"What? You can use trite sayings, and I'm not allowed?"
"I never say anything trite," Matilda complained.
"Sure, you don't," Trixie said nodding. "Tell me what is Tara going to do when she sees John Paul?"
"I think we should stop someplace and buy earplugs. We’re going to need them tomorrow!"
"You think you made the right decision in adopting John Paul. He’s beautiful but seems a little volatile. I googled galahs. That's another name for a Rose-Breasted Cockatoo. The article said they could be extremely loud and destructive."
"Google makes everyone an expert doesn't it?" Matilda said. "Nobody has to think for themselves anymore. Just ask Google and it will tell you where to live, what to wear, what you should say…"
"Okay, point taken," Trixie said shaking her head.
Matilda smiled. "Yes, Tara will throw a hissy fit, but then she'll calm down and enjoy having a playmate."
"You hope."
"Okay, it might not happen overnight," Matilda said.
"So, we’re going to have a war between birds. Hmm, I wonder if the inn will survive. Maybe we should just close down until the two kiss and make up," Trixie said.
"Oh, I don't think the friction between the two will be anything we can't handle."
"I feel sorry for Smiley. He’s going to be right in the mix."
"Oh, it’ll probably just put a few gray hairs on his head," Matilda said.
"He's got plenty of gray hair. He hides it. I saw him coming out of Kim's. I asked her what he had done. She admitted she gives him a perm and dyes his hair once a month."
"I'm shocked. I thought his hair was naturally curly. Hmm how deceitful men are."
"Oh, and auburn is the natural color of your hair, is it?"
"That's different. Women are expected to hide their gray…but not men."
"If you say so, Miss Matilda. If you say so."
Chapter Eleven
The lodge at the base of Cannon Mountain was Spartan, as one would expect from a state-owned base ski lodge. It was just a long dressing room with tables and benches surrounded by school-type lockers. But the setting was in keeping with the rough and tumble reputation of the mountain. Expert skiers came for the challenge. Beginners came so that could boast that they had skied New England's most challenging mountain. And the truth was that the bunny slopes at Cannon compared to the intermediate trails on lesser ski venues.
An attack of nostalgia struck Matilda as she entered the lodge and stepped among the horde of colorfully dressed skiers getting ready for their first run down the slopes. Memories of dressing in her ski suit and strapping on her 205 c.c. Elan skis and feeling the rush of Adrenaline before a race flooded her mind.
She took a deep breath and forced the emotions that the memories brought to the surface back down as she scanned the room. She spotted Jack McGurin at a table surrounded by a group of ski instructors in their red ski school jackets.
She admired Jacks technical mastery of skiing and his ability to convey his knowledge to students
. Her attempts to teach skiing had met with mixed results. She had quickly learned that knowing how to ski and passing that knowledge on to a student was at best problematic.
Jack finished the pep talk to his staff of instructors and seeing Matilda, waved her over to the table.
"Ready to rock and roll down the slopes like in the old days, Miss Matilda?"
"No, Jack, I am afraid these days it is only a slow two-step dance down the bunny slopes for me."
"Yeah, well, whenever I see you I get an image of you edging your skis around slalom gates like you were on ice skates."
"That was then; this is now," Matilda said.
"Yep, glory doesn't last forever and neither do our bodies. My knees and hips are feeling the wear and tear."
"I met Carol at the liquor store in North Conway, and she said you wanted to speak to me about giving your instructors discounts on breakfast at the inn?"
"Yeah, well you know how little they get paid. Every penny counts for them."
"Okay, I have a proposition for you. You give my guests discounts on ski lessons, and I give your instructors discounts on breakfast. I’ll give twenty-five percent off if you’ll do the same," Matilda offered.
"That's a healthy discount!"
"Well, do you want to do business?" Matilda asked.
"Yes,"
"Okay, I'll have vouchers printed up to give my guests. All your instructors have to do is wear their ski school jacket. How does that sound?
"Sounds excellent."
"Good. I think this deal will help both of us," Matilda said as she turned to leave. She paused and turned back. "Oh, I almost forgot. Carol said something about you and Buggy having a run in the night of the banquet? What happened?"
"Yeah, she told me that you asked her lots of questions in North Conway."
"Yeah, I’m curious about that night. You know Buggy and I were close," Matilda said.
"Who doesn't know that?"
"So how about telling me what happened between you and Buggy?"
"Nothing, I just saw red when I spotted him in the parking lot. The next thing I knew Sheriff Dudley were separating us. I had a mental blackout. I don't know who started it or what happened. I have a terrible temper, which I can usually keep under control. But the sight of him sent me into one of my rare rages."
"Do you take meds?"
Jack took a deep breath. "Yeah, I have to take something to calm my nerves."
"Where you on your meds the night Buggy was murdered?"
"No, I’d been out of them for a couple of days. I should have had enough to last me the month. I suspect Nicole has been sneaking pills and giving them to Buggy," Jack said.
"So, what happened between you and Buggy in the solarium?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Carol said you left during dinner to get the keys to the city you left in your SUV?"
"That right, I did," Jack admitted.
"But you visited the solarium before you returned to your table."
"No..."
"Jack, you gave Carol an orchid from the solarium. One of my Dancing Dervish Orchids. You even mentioned it when you introduced Carol as the one booing you."
"Okay. So, I stole one of your orchids."
"And ran into Buggy again in the solarium," Matilda said.
"No, no." Jack took a deep breath. "Okay I spotted him in the hall. He was coming from the back of the inn. I guess he entered through the back door," Jack admitted.
"And you flew into another rage?"
"No. not this time. I just told him to F off! I didn't lay a hand on him. He continued into the solarium, and I went to the dining room. End of story!"
"So, you didn't follow him back to the solarium and grab a flower pot and hit him over the head with it?" Matilda asked.
"No, Miss Matilda, I swear I didn't. Sure, I wanted to lash out and hurt him for wrecking Nicole's life, but I didn't."
"You know I’m going to have to tell Sheriff Dudley what you just told me," Matilda said.
"Yeah, I should have told him that night. But I was afraid that everyone would think I killed Buggy. An accusation like that would get me suspended as head of the ski school," Jack said.
"I'll tell you what, Jack. I’ll let you go and confess to the sheriff what you just told me. It will look better for you that way. And if Sheriff Dudley believes you, he’ll keep it under his Smokey the bear hat."
"Yeah, I guess there's a first time for everything," Jack said shaking his head. "Miss Matilda I’m sure you realize that if I’m arrested or put on a list of suspects in Buggy's murder, the state will pull the concession for the ski school from me?"
"I'll keep that in mind, Jack," Matilda said standing and pushing her chair up to the table. "I've got to run. I'm expecting the delivery of a new parrot this morning and need to play damage control with Tara."
"Good luck with that. Tara is a headstrong bird."
"That she is, that she is," Matilda said as she walked away. If she didn't have a limp and didn’t have to use a walking stick, she would have run from the lodge as memories of her glorious skiing days threatened to overwhelm her.
As she pulled into the inn, she was glad not to see the van from the rescue center. She was still emotionally distressed from visiting the ski lodge and thinking about the damage it would cause to tell Sheriff Dudley about Jack's second encounter with Buggy.
"Get in your cage, get in your cage!" Tara shouted from inside her cage the moment Matilda opened the door.
"What's your problem? What's your problem?" John Paul shouted from the cage next to Tara!" Shut up! Shut up!" he added.
"Welcome to the dueling parrots," Smiley said.
"That bad?”
"Worse, I've had to take a handful of aspirins," Smiley said shaking his head. "Several guests have stopped at the desk to ask if they should dial 911. And I have seriously thought about doing the same thing."
"Tara is a pretty bird. Want out. Want out," Tara said in a more subdued tone.
"Go and roll one, Smiley. I’ll see if I can quieten them down," Matilda told him.
"I think this situation calls for two joints...I mean cigarettes," Smiley said as he hurried from behind the check-in desk.
"Will you be a good bird if I let you out?" Matilda asked as she unlatched the door of the Scarlet Macaw's cage.
"Tara good bird. Good bird."
"Okay, but you have to stay away from John Paul's cage," Matilda added as she opened the door.
"Creep! Creep!" John Paul screamed as he paced back and forth at the bottom of his cage. "Screaming, creepy parrot!"
"No, John Paul. You are a good bird," Matilda said as she moved to stand in front of his cage as Tara climbed onto her perch. She opened John Paul's cage. "Tickle, Tickle," she asked.
The galah lifted his wing as he climbed up to the perch near the door. Matilda reached in to stroke him under his lifted wing.
"Ha. Ha," John Paul imitated human laughter.
"So, you’re finally home!" Trixie said from the stairs. "John Paul is louder than a freight train's whistle. I've had to take two paracetamols for my headache."
"Tickle, tickle," Tara called out lifting her wing.
"Trixie, could you come and tickle Tara? She jealous."
"Sure, if it will end the back and forth screaming," Trixie said.
John Paul pushed past Matilda's hand.
"Will you stay on your perch and be a good bird?" Matilda asked.
"John Paul bad bird. John Paul screams too much," the cockatoo said in a woman's voice. "John Paul bad bird."
"No, John Paul is a good bird," Matilda said as she watched the cockatoo climb on top of his cage and then up to his perch.
The two parrots looked across at one another but remained silent.
"The beast master at work," Trixie said. "I tried everything to get them to stop screaming at one another. Even sugar cookies! Nothing worked, and here you come home, and they immediately respond."
Matilda smiled.
"So how did it go with Jack? Did the two of you reach an agreement on discount ski lessons for our guests?"
"Yes, we get a twenty-five percent discount on ski lessons for our guests, but we have to give the ski instructors twenty-five percent off their breakfasts."
"Hmm, that sounds fair," Trixie said. "And how did it go questioning Jack about his encounter with Buggy?"
"Jack said he ran into him in the hall returning from picking an orchid for Carol in the solarium."
"He was in the solarium!" Trixie said.
"Yep, and he admits seeing Buggy heading to the solarium! Apparently, Buggy came through the back door."
"I think that moves him ahead of Sheriff Dudley as our number one suspect."
"Jack denies he followed Buggy back into the solarium," Matilda said.
"If he were the killer, he certainly would deny it. Heck, yeah, he would deny returning to the solarium," Trixie said. "So, what are you going to do with the information? Are you going to tell Sheriff Dudley?"
"No, he's not trading information with me. I'm going to keep it under my hat for the moment. Jack isn’t going anywhere. Let him go and confess to the sheriff as I suggested."
"You’re probably right, Miss Matilda. However, if he is the killer you’re taking a chance that he won’t panic and run."
"I'll take that chance. Jack McGurin loves Cannon Mountain and running the ski school too much to pull up stakes and leave."
"I hope you’re right," Trixie said.
"Sugar cookie. Sugar cookie," Tara squawked.
"Sugar cookie. Sugar cookie,” John Paul screamed so loudly that Matilda quickly covered her ears with her hands."
"I’ll run and get a couple of cookies," Trixie said.
"Tara, John Paul, no screaming. Be good birds," Matilda said as she uncovered her ears.
"Miss Matilda, I could hear them screaming from out back," Smiley said shaking his head. "I sure hope they don't scream like that at night."
"We'll cover their cages at night," Matilda said.
"Tara isn't going to like that."
"She'll have to adjust. We can't have them screaming at each other in the middle of the night."
"John Paul is a noisy bird," John Paul said in a woman's voice.
"I think his previous owners found him too noisy," Smiley said.
Murder on Sugar Hill Page 7