Roast Turkey and a Murder

by Kathleen Suzette

  “Rainey, that’s my point. You never know what you’re dealing with. He was crazy enough to kill someone in cold blood, and who knows what was going through his mind. Most killers are scared they’ll be caught and fear makes people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do.”

  I looked down at my hands folded together my lap as Mel finished up with my ear. “You’re right. I know. It was crazy and I shouldn’t have done it. I’m sorry.”

  “I want you to take this seriously. I can’t believe how close you came to dying. And I have to take your statement.”

  I turned to him and with a straight face said, “I was shot at.”

  He shook his head. “It isn’t funny.”

  The diner door opened and Sam walked out, heading over to us. “Rainey, I thought you were dead for sure. I just barely caught sight of him through the pass-through pulling the gun and shooting at you and you hitting the floor.” There were tears in Sam’s eyes and I felt guilty that I had scared him that way.

  “I’m okay Sam,” I said, feeling tears spring to my own eyes. “It’s just a little flesh wound. It barely nicked my ear.”

  He shook his head and pulled me to him, giving me a tight squeeze and kissed the top of my head. “You’re crazy. You need to leave the murderers and investigations to Cade. At least he has a gun and can shoot back.”

  “I’ve tried to explain that to her,” Cade said. “But you know how she is. She doesn’t listen to anyone.”

  “Okay, I think we're done here,” Mel said. “Rainey, I’m glad to see that it was nothing more than a flesh wound. Now, I’ve got to get back to work.”

  “Thanks, Mel,” I said and got up from the edge of the ambulance. We all stepped away from it so he and his partner could drive the ambulance away.

  “Did John say anything about why he killed Tori?” I asked Cade. “I mean, besides the fact that he hated her?”

  Cade sighed loudly. “Do you ever stop?”

  I shook my head, and that made my ear throb. I winced and then tried to cover it up because Cade would start in on me about that again. “No, I never stop. Tell me what he told you.”

  “You may as well tell her, you know how she is,” Sam teased.

  “He said he hated Tori. He swears up and down that he did not plan it, he just happened to be driving down the alley at 10:00 p.m. the night before. He saw Tori out behind the community center. He said he felt like it was a sign of some sort that he needed to free Sparrow of everything that dragged it down.”

  “He said that?” I asked incredulously.

  He nodded. “He said that.”

  “Tori must have stayed late that night to make sure everything was set for the next day. She was dedicated to the community, if nothing else,” I said sadly.

  “That she was,” Sam said.

  “But what was John doing in the alley at 10:00 p.m.? Why would he have even been there?” I asked. “Seems suspicious.”

  Cade nodded. “I agree with that. I’m not saying I believe his story, and I’m sure a little pressure will help him tell the truth, but for now, that’s what he’s saying. He did say he had been at the bar earlier but that he wasn’t drunk.”

  “Might have been better for him if he claimed he was drunk, wouldn’t it? At least then he could claim he didn’t mean to do it and maybe get off on manslaughter,” Sam said.

  “You would think he would’ve thought that through wouldn’t you?” Cade said. “Sam, you’re going to have some repairs there in the diner. The bullet went into a wall after it splintered the edge of the pass-through window.”

  Sam nodded. “That I will. Oh, and Rainey? I don’t think you’re getting any tips today. Folks seem to have left in a hurry today.” He grinned at me, his fear that I had been seriously hurt apparently gone.

  I snorted. “Isn’t that just like some people? They expect to be waited on hand and foot and then they don’t leave the help a tip.”

  “You two are so funny,” Cade said, lifting an eyebrow. “Not.”

  “You just have no sense of humor,” I said.

  Cade pulled me close and hugged me and kissed me. “I’ve got to get down to the station. John Greenlee and I are going to have a talk. A very long and serious talk. I’m going to make sure that we can charge him with murder and not manslaughter, along with attempted murder on you.”

  “Good. He needs to go away for a very long time,” I said. “And to think, I ate his donuts and cookies.”

  He sighed and looked me in the eye. “No more. You are not going to get into any more trouble, do you understand?”

  Cade wasn’t angry with me, but I understood his frustration. If I’d had any inclination John was going to do what he did, I would have shut my mouth. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.