* * *
Roger knew the road where Trudy’s car—if it was her car—had to be parked. It was a little used farm road that wound around the edges of the New Slope field and then dead ended in a thick brake of tupelo gum trees, cypress, and saw-tooth oaks. It was possible Tabitha had merely seen the sun strike an abandoned piece of metal, but his gut told him otherwise. He believed it was Trudy’s car, and he was worried about preventing Tabitha from seeing something that would scar her for the rest of her life. Somehow he had to protect her.
Without thinking, he reached across the black cat and put a comforting hand on her arm. “It’s going to be okay,” he said softly.
“I want to believe that.” Her voice was strained with emotion.
“What would you and Trudy be doing if you were in New Orleans?” He sought a conversation where she could find solace. “Tell me about your lives together.”
Tabitha shook her head. “I was always the rule follower, the dreamer who wrote poetry and songs. Trudy was the rule breaker. She’s been in and out of trouble all of her life, but only one patch of what I consider serious misadventure. In the last five years, she’s really grown up and become an…activist. She gets involved in things and she fights for what she believes in. School curriculum, jail reform, prison rehabilitation, animal causes. I admire that about her, because I’ve always played it safer. I’ll write letters, but Trudy will march in the streets. She’ll get in people’s faces. What’s the thing on the news all the time now, ‘speak truth to power?’ She’s courageous.”
“I saw some of that with her at the business.” He pressed harder on the gas pedal when they were on the open road. As they came to an intersection, he saw Budgie and DeWayne in the patrol car. They pulled in behind him, following. He felt some relief that they were already on the scene.
“Tell me about your writing,” he prompted Tabitha, trying to keep her mind occupied.
“I’ve always loved music. My favorite past time is writing song lyrics, but that’s a hard way to pay the bills unless you have a big star who wants your work. Anyway, it was kind of a fluke that I got a job writing a music column for one of the local entertainment magazines. And then the column got picked up by another magazine. Then the local entertainment paper asked me to interview musicians and review new bands. Then a couple of jazz magazines wanted me to work for them.” She shrugged. “I love music and musicians and writing. It’s the perfect job.”
Roger at last came to the rutted field road that disappeared over a slight rise. Beyond that would be the brake and the car. He checked to be sure the deputies were still behind him.
“And Trudy? What is her passion?” He wanted to keep her talking. That way she couldn’t think about what they might find.
“Trudy has always been good at science and math, which I’m terrible at. I can’t believe we had the same mother because we’re different as night and day.”
Except in the looks department, Roger wanted to add, but he didn’t. Both women were lovely in their differences. Tabitha was fair and red haired. Trudy was dark and mysterious. It was odd because he’d noticed Trudy’s physical attributes but never been attracted. Tabitha was a whole different story. He’d been angry at her the first time he laid eyes on her, but beneath the heat of his temper was another sizzle. He could no longer deny that.
As they turned down the rutted road, Tabitha’s voice trembled, but she kept talking, forcing herself to stay calm. The black cat crawled into her lap and rubbed his head against her chin, offering his own form of comfort.
“Trudy was always in trouble in school,” Tabitha said. The tiniest smile touched the corners of her mouth. “She hated authority. She refused to obey rules unless they made sense to her. She was a challenge. But she is the most loyal friend a person could have. And she has a passion for all living animals and the planet. That was why science interested her. Back in the day, a pet drug company was offering a twenty-five million dollar reward to anyone who could invent an oral contraceptive for cats and dogs that would work and not harm the pets. I honestly thought Trudy might be the person to figure that out.”
“I have to agree, she’s very smart and has an intuitive ability to understand science.” Roger could see the brake in the distance. The car wasn’t visible yet, and he didn’t know whether to hope it would be there or not. “I was going to promote her into the research department. Lots more money. She was…is that good.”
Trouble sat up and put his paws on the truck dash. He was eagerly watching the road as they pulled into the shade of the first trees. It took Roger a moment for his eyes to adjust, but then he saw the car pulled down a small incline toward where a creek flowed. It was Trudy’s little Honda.
“Oh, no!” Tabitha barely breathed the words. She opened the door but Roger caught her wrist. The cat was out the door and on the ground running toward the car.
“No.” He shook his head. “Let me look first. Please.”
She swallowed a sob and nodded.
Roger heard the doors on the cruiser slam and DeWayne and Budgie joined him as he walked toward the car.
“There aren’t any flies,” Budgie said. “That’s a good sign.”
“You’re a comforting devil, aren’t you?” DeWayne asked. “The sheriff would be proud of you.”
The black cat jumped to the hood of the little car that had obviously been hidden where no one would likely find it. It was a miracle Tabitha had seen the sun striking the metal.
“Me-ow!” The cat clawed at the front glass as if he wanted to get inside the car. Roger noted that the windows were all rolled up, no cracked glass, and there didn’t appear to be any damage to the body of the car.
“Please stay back,” DeWayne said as he and Budgie took the lead. But Roger didn’t need to get any closer. The car was empty. Trudy’s body wasn’t there. He turned back to face Tabitha with a wide grin and signaled her to join them.
Chapter Fourteen
Tabitha stumbled as she started to run down the incline to the car, shedding the awful dread that had held her in a vice grip. Her gait, like her heart, became smoother and freer. Roger opened his arms and she ran into them without a thought. He crushed her against him and she felt the rumble of laughter in his chest. Trudy wasn’t dead in the car. There was no body. She could still be alive. That was more than Tabitha had hoped for. So much more. And now the two deputies and the strange black cat were examining the car for evidence. With the worst-case scenario behind her, Tabitha was able to focus on the possibility of the car containing a clue that would lead them to her missing sister.
“Thank you, Roger.” She gathered herself and stepped back from the comfort of his arms. He was almost a stranger, but she’d sought his arms when she needed comfort. It was an odd realization. She wasn’t the kind of woman to lean on anyone. She’d always been the anchor, the weight that held Trudy to the daily grind of life. It was so odd to find herself needing that same thing from another. But Roger hadn’t hesitated. She looked up into his eyes and he brushed a wayward strand of hair from her cheek.
“DeWayne and Budgie are very good at their jobs. We’re going to find something that will take us to Trudy. Count on it.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Budgie walked over. “Ms. Kingsley, how tall was your sister?”
Tabitha frowned, but she answered. “Five three. I got all the inches and she got all the science brain—that was our joke.”
“Someone else drove this car here. The seat is pushed back to allow a tall person to drive.”
Tabitha would never have thought of that. “Anything else?”
“I’d like to have the car towed back to Zinnia. We don’t have a fancy crime lab or anything like that, but I have a garage at my house where I can put the car in a clean space so we can really break it down and examine it.”
“Please, do whatever you need to do,” Tabitha said. She held out her hand for a shake. “Thank you, Deputy. Both of you. Everyone has been so…kind.”
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“We’re just doing our jobs,” Budgie said.
“No, it’s more than that. You really care. That means a lot. I know you’ll do everything you can to find my sister.”
“Any new developments in the Lisa East murder?” Roger asked. “We believe the two incidents are linked.”
“So do we,” Budgie said. “We got a call from the Sheriff last night and we filled him in on everything. Coleman and Sarah Booth will be home soon. If we haven’t solved it by then, Coleman and his girlfriend will figure it out.”
Tabitha realized he’d dodged the questions about developments, so she rephrased. “Are there any clues as to who shot Lisa or why?”
Budgie glanced over at DeWayne, who nodded. “Keep this to yourselves, but we got a lead on some problems with a batch of experimental cotton seed, something Lisa was selling for DayzSeed. Apparently Trudy was poking around in some of the results of that seed. We did get some DNA from under Lisa’s nails, but we haven’t hit a match in the system. Indicates that our killer doesn’t have a record is all. That makes it harder, until we get a suspect. But once we have some people in our sights, the DNA will make for a positive identification.”
“Do you have any suspects?” Roger asked. “You don’t have to give us names, just do you have anyone you’re looking at strongly.”
Budgie nodded. “But we can’t scare them. If they do have Trudy then they might harm her if we spook them.”
It was a good point and one she was glad the deputy was considering. But if she had a hint, she could pursue it from her angle. The deputy was not about to include her in his investigation, though.
“Thank you for all you’re doing. Contact us with any questions or with updates, please.” She didn’t intend to cry, but she couldn’t help that tears welled in her eyes.
“This car will give us more leads,” Budgie said. “We’ll keep you apprised.”
The deputy returned to the car and when a wrecker arrived, he helped hook up the little Honda. Tabitha blinked away tears as she watched her sister’s car disappear down the farm road behind the big wrecker and followed by the patrol car.
Roger slipped his arms around her and held her. “Trudy isn’t dead. I believe that.”
Tabitha nodded. “I do too. I have to.” She looked around. “Where is Trouble?”
Roger released her. “He was on the car.”
They looked at each other. “That darn cat.” They spoke in unison, and Tabitha gave her first real smile in a long time. “He’s in the car,” she said. “He was dying to get in there and look around, and now he has.”
“The deputies are mighty tolerant of Sarah Booth Delaney’s animals, but Trouble appears to be a stray.”
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure his owner is staying at the Prince Albert. There are a couple of conferences in town, and one of them involves books, booksellers, and librarians. I’ll bet anything Trouble’s owner is in that group. While she’s at the conference, he’s into everything.”
“That’s a pretty good deduction,” Roger said. He drew her to him again, holding her lightly, without any pressure, but the look he gave her was searing.
Tabitha felt her pulse begin to speed up. She wanted Roger to kiss her. It was insane that her sister was missing and she was thinking about how much she needed this man’s kiss. When his head dipped toward hers, she met his kiss and allowed herself to think of nothing but this one moment. The timing wasn’t great, but her life had never been a smooth ride. With that last thought, she simply yielded to the kiss.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the first glimmer of a star in the deep lavender sky. Roger saw it too.
“I won’t ask you what you’re wishing for, but I think I’m wishing the same.”
“Yeah.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “My emotions are a mess.”
Roger kissed her forehead. “I know. I felt I might be taking advantage of your vulnerability. We can explore this path when Trudy is safe.”
She’d never met a man who could so easily put his own desires and needs behind hers. It was both remarkable and exciting. “Thank you.”
“Now let’s get after that cat. If Budgie finds him in that car, he may barbecue him.” He grinned to show he was kidding.
“And that would not be good for Budgie or the cat.” She smiled. “And we have to get back to Long Hall for the séance.”
“Thank you for doing this. Mother is being awful, and more than that, dangerous to the farm. I do hate to manipulate her, but she’s so damn destructive that I refuse to feel truly guilty. She needs a very romantic message from Micah Malone. Something about the summer they spent together at Big Sur. Micah was a professional surfer, but he was a lot more than that. I think maybe he was the only really good man my mother has ever fallen for. He was killed in a surfing accident.”
“Your aunt told me a little about him. That kind of terrible accident would traumatize anyone.”
“It hurt Mother, and she changed after that. She was always selfish, but she got worse. And this Antoine, I’m not certain what his game is, but he has no business trying to be an active partner in Long Agricultural.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Tabitha felt a few qualms, because she hated to deceive people. But sometimes, a gentle nudge was a lot better than a whack upside the head. Roger was about ready to start whacking—she could feel his frustration like an energy around him.
They got in the truck and Roger drove toward Budgie’s house where the car would be stored in his garage while the deputies went over it with a fine-tooth comb.
* * *
I’m trusting the bipeds to realize I’ve hopped a ride in Trudy’s car. They’ll have to fetch me. I’m normally not one to tamper with evidence at a crime scene, but I know there’s something here that will give us a clue to Trudy’s whereabouts. I just need time to search, and I’m doing that as the car is being towed. My plan is to wait until they park it and then figure a way out of the vehicle. Without getting caught by the boys in brown. Pluto assures me that Deputies DeWayne and Budgie are good guys, and I believe him, but my Sherlockian training insists that I do this on my own. I trust my abilities more than those of others.
Now to start digging. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting this missing sister, Trudy, but I do believe Tabitha is going to need to print out some instructions on car care for her sibling. If the wrappers on the floorboards are any indication of Trudy’s diet, she is well on her way to heart disease. Greasy burgers, fried chicken, something called a breakfast burrito—my eyes are watering from the remaining fumes. Humans will put anything in their mouths and swallow it. This girl needs a food intervention!
Now for the more interesting finds among the rubbish. There’s a Google map that indicates a juke joint-slash-eatery here in the Delta. It could be significant. And here’s a dried up flower—a zinnia. Perhaps a gift from a lover. It’s going to seed, though, so it could be important. Someone has carved a symbol under the dash. It’s like the symbol that was on Trudy’s calendar. Roger and Tabitha need to see this. And there is something stuck between the driver’s seat and the console. A business card. It’s wedged in so tightly, the deputy failed to see it. I’m sure with a strong light, Budgie will find it, but not if I have my way. Let me claw it out of there.
Success! I hate to be a clever clog and interfere in the deputies’ work, but this card is a clue I can’t pass up. Now that I’ve amassed a pile of relevant materials, I have to figure out how to get this stuff out of the car and into the hands of Tabitha and Roger without getting caught. I’m up to the challenge, because I am Trouble, black cat detective!
Chapter Fifteen
Roger pulled his truck into the little neighborhood where Budgie lived. Sure enough, the wrecker had left Trudy’s car parked at the opening to a garage. Budgie could be seen inside, clearing space for the vehicle. Roger slowed and pulled to the side of the road, making certain that a dense hedge blocked Budgie’s view of his pickup.
“H
ow do you want to handle this?” Tabitha asked.
“I’m thinking you should go talk to Budgie while I open the car and let the cat out. We’ll wait here in the truck for you.”
“Talk to him about what?” Tabitha asked.
“Tell him about your date tomorrow. Maybe he could happen into the place while you’re dining. I’d feel a lot better if someone was there, watching out for you. And you have to promise you won’t leave with anyone—for any reason. I’d be there myself, if it wouldn’t blow your cover.” More than anything he felt the need to protect Tabitha. But he couldn’t lurk around like a jealous suitor, even if that was what he was fast becoming.
Tabitha opened the truck door. “I can handle this. Just be sure you get Trouble out of the car. That cat. He really is trouble.”
“I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he didn’t find a few clues. He’s trouble, but he’s extraordinary. I’ve always appreciated the independence of cats and their ability to survive in tough circumstances. Trouble is so much more than just a cat.”
“If he doesn’t have an owner, I think he’d make a swell New Orleans kitty.”
“Or a Delta cat,” Roger said, and for a moment he allowed himself the fantasy of Tabitha and the cat, with him, in their own place. He loved Long Hall, but if he should ever marry, he would want a place to build a life, his life. Long Hall was where Charline and Samuel lived.
“We’re not going to have a custody battle for Trouble, are we?” Tabitha teased.
“Nope. We’ll have a negotiated settlement.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “Budgie is a good guy, but he’s a stickler for the rules. He won’t be happy if he knows the cat is in the car. He’ll be worried about contaminating the evidence.”
“Got it. I’ll get Budgie to go inside long enough for you to free the kitty.” She slipped out and walked over to where Budgie was stacking boxes.
Bone-a-fied Trouble Page 13