by Tonya Kappes
He stood there. His mouth opened and shut and opened again. He clamped it closed, at a loss for words. “What is it with you people?” His chest heaved up and down as a big belly laugh started to come out of him. “Jay didn’t rob a bank. I didn’t rob a bank.” He leaned over me and yelled, “Brownie, she thinks we all robbed the bank.”
The group of men at the table started to laugh and smack each other on the arm like it was such a big joke.
“You think I’m kidding?” I could feel my face flushing. “I’m not.”
“You’re the second person to ask me and my friends about that darn bank robbery over the past week. It’s a joke. We might’ve gotten into a lot of trouble as kids, but we didn’t rob a bank. Especially Jay. He was the most honest out of all of us.” He took a step forward, and I moved out of his way.
“Stop.” I grabbed a fistful of the back of his shirt.
He slowly turned around. I watched as his expression changed from an intense stare to a hard glare.
“Let go of my shirt,” he warned and pulled his shoulders back. He reached around and tried to run a flat hand over the back of the shirt where I’d gripped. “Don’t put your hands on me.”
“You put your hands on me,” I recalled and pointed to my elbow. “That’s not why I stopped you. You said someone else asked about the robbery. Who?”
“Some kid. A camper. He comes in here and drinks.” He looked around the bar. “He’s here somewhere.”
“Where?” I asked and let out a long sigh when I noticed Lee was fed up with me. “Listen, I’m just trying to find out what happened to Jay.”
“Leave it up to your boyfriend.” He was playing hardball.
“If one of your friends was down at the station right now for killing Jay, and you knew she didn’t do it, you’d be all over trying to figure out who did it.” I wasn’t telling the complete truth, but I had to make him feel human or some sort of heartfelt connection to me. “Dottie Swaggert is down at the station. You know Dottie. She didn’t hurt anyone.”
“Dottie, huh?” His eyes darted back and forth like he was trying to find an answer up in his head somewhere. “The kid is next to the jukebox. He’s been asking a lot of questions about the money. We keep telling him tall tales. Messing with him. Maybe it wasn’t smart to do.”
“Did you mention Jay?” I wondered if this was the hiker who Jay had kept running off.
“Jay was here and really laid on this big story about how he had a map in his stable. Like an X marks the spot pirates map.” His brows drew downward in a frown. “Come to think about it, that was the night before Jay was killed. You don’t think?”
“Good possibility.” I groaned.
“I’ll get my hands on that little—”
I grabbed another fistful of Lee’s shirt when he took a bold step in the direction of the jukebox.
“Don’t go over there and start anything,” I warned. “You go back with your friends and keep an eye on me. I’m going to go over and ask him a few questions.”
“If I see him do any funny business, I’m going to clobber him,” Lee said. He pressed his lips together in anger. “After your done with him, it’s my turn.”
I put my hands out in front of me to make sure he calmed down. I was surprised he actually went back to the table like I’d suggested. The other poker players at his table leaned in to listen to what he was telling them. They all turned and looked at me. I smiled and headed over to the jukebox where the guy was leaning up against it.
The hiker had a backpack, but I couldn’t tell if it was the same backpack. But the eye. I noticed a little scab on the corner of his eye that appeared to be pretty fresh looking.
“Bad cut,” I said to him and then turned back to the jukebox to pretend to look at the selection of songs.
“It’s fine.” He didn’t look back at me.
The door opened. Dottie, Queenie, and Paulette walked in. They all three looked at me. I tried to avoid eye contact.
“Did you get it from a hanging branch when you were hiking?” I asked.
“Nope.” He pressed a longneck bottle of beer to his lips. “Listen, lady, I’m just here to enjoy a beer. I’m not looking for company.”
“I’m not looking for company either. I was just making idle conversation, that’s all,” I said.
“Mae West,” Dottie said my name with a cigarette stuck in the corner of her mouth. The hiker pulled a lighter out of his pocket, flicking it to life. “Thanks, hun,” she told him.
“Ryan? Is that you?” Paulette stood behind Dottie and questioned the kid.
“Crap!” He shoved Dottie into me and Paulette. He dropped his bottle on the floor before he bolted out the door.
Scuffles and yells came from the back of the bar.
“Are you okay?” I asked Dottie, trying to help her to her feet. Both of us tumbled back to the ground when Lee and his goons ran past us, knocking everyone out of the way.
“What in tarnation is happening around here?” Dottie looked at me. The cigarette dangling from her mouth was broken. She took it out of her mouth, looked at it, and tossed it to the ground.
“I’m not sure. But I have an idea.” I stood up and helped her and Paulette up. “Paulette, how did you know that guy?”
“That’s Ryan Dunn. He is like me. Trying to figure out life.” She made no sense.
“How do you know him?” I asked her again. “That’s the guy I saw Jay running off, and I think he’s the guy Hank ran off at the campground.”
“Oh no. He was around when I was talking to my group of friends about the bank robbery.” Paulette had just tied Ryan to Jay’s murder. “He must’ve wanted to come and find it for himself.”
“Did you tell him about the gun?” I asked.
“I might’ve added to the story how me and Dottie stole it.” She curled in her lip and bit down on it.
“Lee told me he’d been asking around about the bank robbery and how Jay had told Ryan a big tale about how he had a treasure map in the stables and was going to dig it up one day.” All of the clues were coming together like a big puzzle.
“Do you think he’s the one who stole my gun?” Dottie asked a great question.
“Dottie!” I grabbed her and kissed her on the cheek. “You are so smart!”
“What is happening here?” Betts walked in. “I drive up and men are chasing someone. You and Dottie are kissing and Abby is all chummy with Ty and Glenda.”
“I think Dottie just helped me figure out who killed Jay Russel.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Hank. “Hank, you better get over to the Saddle Club. I think Jay’s killer was here.”
Hank and his men were there in no time. I told Hank my theory about how Ryan had come to Normal because Paulette told her hippie friends about how she believed Jay was the robber. When Ryan came to town, they’d told him this big story about how Jay was the robber. That was when he had gone to the stables, and Jay had found him there. Then he must’ve followed Paulette to the campground to find the gun. While Dottie was at the hoedown, he had broken in. He must’ve been who I’d seen in her camper.
Satisfied with my theory, he put out an APB and shut down the roads, giving a character sketch and details of Ryan Dunn.
“Glenda used to babysit Ty when he was little. Can you believe she’s that old?” Abby was happy Ty was dating Glenda.
“I knew she was older since her parents are Dottie’s age, but I didn’t try and figure it up.” I drove us back to the campground even though Abby was fine to drive. She’d had one drink and though she wasn’t impaired, I felt it was best.
“Then you solved the big murder.” Abby’s brows rose.
“Mmmhhh.” I didn’t want to lecture her on how awful her behavior had been, and it was getting late.
“And you didn’t want to go to the bar because you said nothing good could come from it.” She laughed and put the back of her head on the head rest.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep before I pulled int
o Happy Trails.
NINETEEN
“You deserve a day off.” Dottie was sitting behind her desk in the office the next morning around seven a.m. “I’ll be fine. Paulette and Glenda are going to have lunch at the Caboose Diner before she goes back to her hippie friends.”
“They are eating together?” I asked.
“Yep. Seems like they came together last night after you solved the murder. According to the police Facebook page, they still ain’t caught Ryan.” Dottie was tugging each pink sponge curler out of her hair. “They will.”
“I hope so.” I looked out the window of the office at the gorgeous day shaping up outside. “I’ve got to make it into town to get some of the items for the campground party. Do you need anything?”
“Nah. Which reminds me”—she shook out the curls with her fingers—“Did they ever catch the robber of Deter’s Feed-N-Seed and Cookie Crumble?”
“I have no idea. After Jay’s murder, it seemed like it was on the back burner.” It was a great day to go hiking before everyone was up and at ‘em, making the trails busy. “If you’re sure you’re going to be alright here by yourself, I think I’ll get in a hike and then go get the items for the party.”
There were things I needed to pick up. The donated food items along with finalizing the menu with Ty on what he was bringing to cater. But I needed to de-stress, and since moving to Normal and living in the campground, I found walking one of the easy trails was so good for my soul.
“Go on. Get out of here.” She lifted her chin in the direction of the door.
She didn’t have to tell me twice to leave the office and get on my hiking boots and Fifi.
There were several trails around the campground that ranged in level of difficulty. Since I had Fifi and Chester with me, it was best to go on an easy trail. I knew Hank was going to be busy all day. Chester didn’t need to be cooped up.
The path was worn down and the rain from the other night had dried off. Fifi loved getting all her white fur dirty and cleaning her wasn’t relaxing to me. Chester, he was just easy. He trotted along side of me while Fifi darted ahead, sniffing everything she passed. Chester was only ever interested in food.
Sunrise was peeking over the Daniel Boone National Park in hues of orange and pink, making the blue sky pop. There was a light breeze in the shadows of the trees with a nice chill that filled my lungs with fresh air at each breath. I stopped, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. There was nothing as refreshing as good country air.
I opened my eyes and looked down to see what Chester was doing. “Chester?” I twisted around and looked for him. “Fifi! Chester!”
When I heard the rattle of Fifi’s collar, I turned my head in that direction. “Are you off the trail?” I stomped over to the tree line and could hear Fifi’s collar. I pushed the dangling tree limbs and brush out of my way with each step I took toward them. I kept my eyes down and made sure I took careful steps. Off the trail was rocky and not as smooth. I didn’t want to twist an ankle out here by myself. “You two are in trouble.”
I looked up, and in the trees was a hammock, along with a campground site.
“Fifi, Chester,” I scolded them with a whisper in fear we were going to wake up the campers. “Get over here.”
Fifi was not moving. She stood near the smoldering fire.
“What are you doing?” I tiptoed over and noticed napkins that had the Cookie Crumble logo on them wadded up in the fire. Chester came back to my side.
My gut twisted. Panic started to riot within me as I looked around and noticed all the things that’d been stolen from Deter’s was right here in front of me. Then my mind shifted to Ryan Dunn. Was this his hideout? Was he the one who’d broken into the shops so he could live out here while he hunted for the money?
“Fifi,” I called after her when she still didn’t come. It was apparent that I was going to have to sneak over there and pick her up. “Stay,” I whispered to Chester. He sat down like a good boy.
Fifi was determined to keep her stance, and I was curious to see what had her attention.
“Ryan?” I gasped. The twist in my gut moved to a cold knot in my stomach.
Ryan Dunn was lying on his side on the ground.
“Ryan?” I tapped his shoe with my shoe. I touched him just enough for him to roll over to his back, a gun in his hand and a gunshot to his chest. There was a journal in his hand.
I bent down and noticed the journal was embossed with Jay Russel’s name, just like the journals I’d found in the tack cabinet. A shuffle of noise came from the behind me. Chester started barking, and I jumped around, fumbling for my phone in my back pocket. Two big eyes stared at me from behind the tree.
“Rosa?” I gasped when I saw Jay’s horse tied up to the tree. “Hank,” I gasped into the phone. “Ryan Dunn is dead. I think he used Jay’s gun, and he had Rosa.”
TWENTY
The news of what happened in Normal had spread, and the national news media had picked it up. I always thought bad publicity was bad, but Abby Fawn always claimed it was good. She was right. The campground didn’t have a vacancy and The Milkery Bed and Breakfast was also booked, which made me sad because I’d not see Mary Elizabeth and Dawn Gentry since all this mess with Jay Russel.
Even Glenda and Paulette had stayed around a few more days getting reacquainted. Hank had put the case of Jay Russel in the books even though he still couldn’t explain how Jay had gotten in between the two electric fence wires instead of falling on top of them. The coroner’s report came back that he’d been shot and then fell into the electric fence, which ultimately killed him.
Glenda had decided to leave Rosa with Coke, but she still remained her not-so-silent partner. As a going away gift, Glenda had invited me and the Laundry Club gals to the Caboose Diner for a little get-together before she left town. Unfortunately, Paulette had left town and couldn’t stay for the lunch.
The Old Train Station’s diner was packed, and it looked like Coke had really gotten a good business going. She looked happy and relaxed. Especially now that Jay’s murder had been put behind us.
“You thought me and Ty?” Glenda got a kick out of Abby’s story. “He’s a sweet boy, but he’s definitely not the marrying type.” She told Abby some details about Ty that put Abby to rest about dating Ty.
Dottie, Betts, and Queenie were having pie and some coffee while talking to Coke about the renovations she was going to do with the stables. She was excited to have her first wedding event booked.
I sat by the window and looked out, wondering if Rosa was down at the stables.
“Where are you going?” Dottie asked when I got up.
“I’m going to walk down to the stables and see Rosa.” I pushed my chair in.
“I thought you were scared of horses.” Dottie was so good at reminding me of the things I told her.
“Me and Rosa have a bond.” I winked, knowing good and well that I wasn’t going to get too close to her.
The freshly cut grass smell surrounded me as I walked past the barn where the hoedown had been hosted. I couldn’t stop myself from glancing past it and looking toward the fence where I’d found Jay. I wondered what he’d have thought about his daughter and ex-wife making amends and that it was his death that’d brought them together.
I gripped the sliding barn door and gave it a good tug, just opening up the one side.
All the other horses were gone. When I passed by the empty stalls, I could see they’d been cleaned. There was a barrel and rake outside of each stall.
Rosa stuck her head out from the bars of her stall at the end of the stable. I stared at her big brown eyes the entire walk down the middle aisle.
“Hey, girl.” I extended my hand for her to sniff.
“Mae, you scared me.” Paulette was standing in Rosa’s stall in the corner. “I was just saying goodbye to the old girl.”
“Paulette, I thought you’d left.” My eyes gazed past her shoulder to the tack cabinet. It’d been flipped on its side. “
You should come join us.”
A chill black silence surrounded us. I knew something was going on, and I had to get out of there. Suddenly, my chest felt heavy like my breath had been cut off when I watched Paulette bring her arm up in front of her with a gun pointing directly at me.
“You just couldn’t stop yourself. You had to keep on and on until it came to this.” Paulette slid the stall door open with her foot, keeping the gun on me at all times. “Untie Rosa so I can slide the door open more and let you join me.”
Even though I wanted to tell her what I thought about her, the gun was what was driving me to do what she said. My hands shook as I untied the knocked leather reins from the bar of the stall door. Rosa took a step back.
“Whoa, girl.” Paulette was able to keep the gun steady with one hand while soothing Rosa with the other. “Our little friend really needs a lesson. And I’m not talking a riding lesson.”
She waved the gun in front of me to move me to the back of the stall. I stepped over the piece of board she’d pried off the bottom of the tack cabinet. I rubbed my finger and remembered getting pricked by something when I’d moved it myself the other day. There was a duffle bag on the floor of the stable with cash in it.
“You had it almost right.” She kicked the bag with the toe of her hippie sandal. “Jay didn’t rob the bank. I did. He forced me to marry him, or he was going to turn me in. He didn’t care about the money. He only wanted a child so he could teach them to ride and carry on his legacy of greatness, he’d say.” She rolled her eyes.
“No wonder you didn’t answer the questions at the Laundry Club when I asked you if you robbed the bank. Dottie told me no way and to move on.” It was the little details that’d gotten me off my trail, and here I was about to pay big time for that.
“It was so easy for me to leave town. But before I left, I hid the money underneath the tack cabinet and nailed a board over it. I knew he’d never move this old thing.” She shrugged with a slight grin. “I was right.”