Moonshine and Malice

by J Lee Mitchell

  “Honestly, Q’Bita, we were all surprised you didn’t cancel class under the circumstances. After all, there’s a murderer on the loose, and he or she is probably connected to the cooking contest in some way. It’s not too much of a stretch to think that they could be staying right here at the Red Herring Inn. Sounds like a public safety issue if you ask me, unless the police have given you information that isn’t public knowledge yet.”

  Nancy’s voice rose just slightly as she spoke, and it was clear that she was fishing for information. Q’Bita wasn’t about to take the bait.

  “We considered cancelling; however, the police haven’t uncovered anything so far that supports what you’re implying so we felt it best for all of us to just keep to our normal routine.”

  “I heard the state police are now looking at the other contestants, since the murder weapon was stolen during the competition. That would make me nervous even if our former sheriff is lying low here.”

  Q’Bita bit down hard on the corner of her lower lip to keep from snapping back at Nancy. There was an awkward silence as the ladies exchanged nervous glances around their huddle. Beverly Scott was the first to break the silence.

  “I probably shouldn’t share this, but Lorna Dunn tells me that Chance Holleran gave her boy, Earl, and Beanie Fox until 9 a.m. tomorrow to come into the station for questioning.”

  “Did she say why?” Q’Bita asked.

  “She said Chance wants to hear their side of what happened…”

  Her voice trailed off and Q’Bita sensed that Beverly was reluctant to continue.

  “Did Lorna say anything else?” Q’Bita pushed.

  Beverly looked down at the floor and muttered, “Um, not really. Nothing important.”

  Q’Bita was about to press Beverly for more information when Liddy Lou turned on her mic and announced that they should all take their seats so class could get started.

  Q’Bita joined Liddy Lou, Evie, and Rene at the front of the room and tried not to fidget as her nana went through the announcements and the evening’s recipes. As soon as Liddy Lou was finished, Q’Bita told the others she was going to go check on Hilde. As a rule, she didn’t like lying, but she also knew that her nana would have a fit if she knew what Q’Bita was up to.

  Once she was out of sight, she pulled her phone from her pocket and stepped outside to call Jamie.

  “What’s shaking, Q’B-Doll?”

  “I know I’m a hypocrite for even asking but I need a favor. Can you work some of your magic and do a little digging into the other contestants?”

  “Challenge accepted. What should I be looking for?”

  “Anything that might give one of them a reason to kill Jock.”

  “I’m on it. I’ll call you later and let you know what I find.”

  “Thanks. I knew I could count on you. Just promise me you’ll be careful. You were lucky Andy looked the other way last time, but now that he’s suspended, he can’t help you if you get caught.”

  “Girl, relax. I’m a professional and this isn’t my first rodeo. I won’t get caught.”

  Q’Bita heard the screen door squeak behind her.

  “Someone’s coming. I gotta go. Talk to you later.”

  Q’Bita hung up, slipped the phone into her back pocket, and turned to find Andy standing behind her.

  “Cutting class?”

  Q’Bita felt her face flush. She tried to laugh off Andy’s comment, but she ended up sounding more like a hyena with hiccups.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re nervous about something, Q’Bita. What are you up to?”

  “Me? I’m not up to anything, Officer. I’m innocent, I swear.”

  She had meant her reply to be playful and distracting, but it came out more annoying than cute.

  “Has anyone ever told you that lying isn’t one of your strengths? There’s only one reason I can think of that would cause you to act like this, and that’s if you’re messing in this investigation. You aren’t, are you?”

  Q’Bita didn’t want to lie to Andy but she also didn’t want to get a lecture or for him to know that she’d just involved Jamie. She scrambled to come up with something, but nothing was coming to her.

  “Q’Bita, I love that you want to help but you have to trust me on this. You need to stay out of this. In case you’ve forgotten, you almost got yourself killed last time you played Nancy Drew.”

  “Nancy Drew? Now hold on a minute. I’m way more Hanna Swensen than Nancy Drew.”

  “Hanna who?” Andy asked, confused.

  “Hanna Swensen, from the Joanne Fluke books and movies. You really need to read more.”

  “My point exactly, Q’Bita. The characters in your parents’ books, or those Hallmark movies you love, don’t die because there’s an author controlling the outcome, but this is real life and there is nobody to write you out of trouble.”

  Q’Bita didn’t appreciate Andy’s condescending tone, and it was hard not to snap back at him. She bit down on the corner of her lip and started counting backwards from ten while Andy waited for her to answer.

  “Look, Q’Bita, I’m sorry if I upset you. I’m not trying to be an ass, but you need to understand, sometimes you get a little reckless and impulsive, and that scares the hell out of me. I've just lost one of the two most important people in my world. I couldn’t take it if I lost the other one, too.”

  As Andy’s words sank in, she was hit with a wave of emotions she’d been suppressing, and once the flood gates opened, she couldn’t hold back the tears. Andy stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. She could feel his ragged breathing as he broke down, too.

  Their mutual consolation was cut short by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

  “Hey, guys, I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  Q’Bita stepped back and wiped at her tears while Andy tried to pull himself together.

  “Hey, Beecher.”

  “Hey, sis.”

  “Andy, Chance Holleran is here looking for you. I’d gladly tell him to piss off if you don’t want to deal with him right now.”

  Andy rubbed at his eyes then ran his hands through the front of his hair.

  “No, I’m good, Beecher. If I brush him off, he’ll just be an even bigger pain in my ass later. Where’s he at?”

  “He’s at the front desk, but I gotta warn you, he let Spenser Penn tag along.”

  “Great, just freaking great. I guess I'd better go get this over with and try not to end up tonight’s top story on the 11:00 news.”

  As Andy started to walk away Q’Bita grabbed his hand, pulled it to her lips, and gave it a tender kiss.

  “Hey, you don’t have to do this alone if you don’t want to.”

  Andy smiled at her then brushed a stray curl away from her face.

  “I love you, babe, but I got this. I want to keep you off Chance’s radar as much as possible.”

  Q’Bita turned to Beecher as Andy walked away.

  “Did Chance say why he was here?”

  “No, but he was grinning like the Cheshire Cat when he asked me to find Andy, so it probably isn’t anything good.”

  “Ugh, I don’t like the sound of that. I should probably get in there and make sure Andy doesn’t explode.”

  “Normally I’d say that Andy is a big boy and can handle himself, but losing Jock seems to have him off his game, so it might not be a bad idea if we both go.”

  They had just reached the steps when the front door flew open. Q’Bita gasped as she watched Chance push Andy through the open doorway, and saw Andy in handcuffs.

  She took the steps two at a time and skid to a stop a few inches from Chance’s face.

  “What the hell is going on here? You have no reason to arrest him.”

  Spenser Penn motioned for his camera man to turn the camera on her, and then shoved his microphone in her direction. She swatted the microphone out of his hand and glared at him.

  “Q’Bita, it’s okay. We’re just going downtown for a chat. I’ll be
back in a few hours.”

  Chance laughed. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Andy. Those boys got them a good lawyer, and he’s out for blood. I’d be surprised if Judge Tanner even sets bail considering that lawyer is his brother-in-law."

  “Chance, shut your trap and let’s get this over with.”

  Q’Bita turned to Beecher, who already had his cell phone out.

  “Don’t panic, Q'Bita, I’m calling Kent Haskell right now. Andy, we’re right behind you. I’ll have Kent meet us at the station.”

  “Thanks, Beecher, and Q’Bita, don’t freak out. It’s all going to be okay, I promise. I’ll be back in plenty of time for pie.”

  Beecher wrapped an arm around her as he talked to Kent, and she watched Chance load Andy into the back of the Castle Creek Sheriff Department SUV that just two days ago belonged to Andy. Her heart wanted to believe Andy, that everything would be okay, but her gut told her this was just the beginning of the storm to come.

  Chapter 16

  Q’Bita paced back and forth trying to walk off the tension churning away inside her. The last time she’d spent hours in the lobby of a police station waiting to hear the fate of the man she loved, the news had been devastating. At least this time she had the comfort of knowing that even if Judge Tanner didn’t set bail tonight, Andy would still come home soon. This had not been the case with Alain, and the pain of not being able to say goodbye still shattered her when she allowed herself to think about it.

  In the months following Alain’s death, Q’Bita used to force away the memories of their life together. The pain was just too much to sit with. She shared this with her nana once, and in true Liddy Lou fashion, she gave Q’Bita one of her famous Learning Lectures.

  Learning Lectures were her nana’s way of explaining the hard lessons in life that one needs to know but resists learning. According to her nana, when we lose someone we love, the only thing of value we have left are our memories, and memories are slippery as greased frogs. They’re always hopping around, making all that noise, and you try to ignore them, but eventually there comes a day when you go to reach for one and it hops up and slips right out of your grasp. Memories are quick and can be gone before you know it, so no matter the pain, let them come before they slip away and you've got nothing left but an empty pond.

  While it may not have been the most eloquently worded Learning Lecture Q’Bita knew, Liddy Lou had learned this lesson through the pain of losing her own husband, so she took it to heart and stopped pushing away the memories of her life with Alain.

  When Kent finally joined them in the lobby, he looked tired.

  “Is everything okay? Is Andy going to be released?”

  Kent sighed then looked at her over the top of his glasses.

  “Slow down, Q’Bita, and let me answer one question at a time. Yes, Andy is going to be released. Mike Collins is processing him right now.”

  Q’Bita felt some of the tension drain out of her but it came right back as Kent began speaking again.

  “Unfortunately, Andy’s release doesn’t mean everything’s okay. We have some serious issues to deal with. Bob Kelley is representing Earl and Beanie, and Bob’s as tough as they come. He’s already barking up a storm about placing Andy on house arrest so he doesn’t interfere with the investigation.”

  “Wait, if Earl and Beanie have already been cleared, then why does their attorney care if Andy investigates Jock’s murder?”

  “I’m talking about the investigation into the charges against Andy.”

  “Charges against Andy? What charges?” Beecher asked.

  “Attempted murder, assault and battery, police brutality, excessive force… Those are just the major highlights. There’s a bunch more where those came from. I told you Bob Kelley isn’t playing around, and he’s got Red Dixon and Chance on his side, so Andy needs to take this very seriously. The best thing Andy could do right now is to lay low and stay out of sight while I try to mitigate the damage.”

  Q’Bita jumped as Andy’s voice boomed from the far end of the hallway.

  “I may have lost my temper but I sure as hell didn’t try to kill those two clowns. I also don’t run from a fight, so I’m not going anywhere.”

  Q’Bita turned and watched Andy make his way toward them. He was clenching his teeth so hard his jaw muscles bulged like ping-pong balls inside his cheeks. His gaze was fixed on Kent Haskell as if challenging Kent to say something else.

  As Andy reached them, Kent took a step forward and placed a hand on Andy’s shoulder. Q’Bita held her breath waiting to see Andy’s reaction, and was relieved when Andy didn’t take a swing at Kent.

  “Look, Andy, I’m not saying you should roll over and play dead. I’m just saying that you should consider steering clear of everyone involved for a few days. I need some time to figure out our strategy, and honestly, you look like you could use some rest.”

  Kent stepped back, and she watched the fire drain out of Andy’s posture and his expression soften. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. She hugged him as tight as her little frame could manage, and felt him chuckle as he kissed the top of her head.

  “You’re right, Kent. I am tired, and probably a touch ornery. Once we get this funeral out of the way tomorrow, I’ll try to stay out of trouble.”

  A wave of panic washed over Q’Bita as she realized she’d forgotten all about Jock’s funeral. Half of Castle Creek would be coming to the Red Herring Inn tomorrow after the services, and she hadn’t even started making the food. It had already been a long day and she was exhausted. It was going to be an even longer night.

  ***

  The ride home had been uncomfortably quiet but Q’Bita had learned early on in their relationship that it was sometimes best to just let Andy stew and he’d talk when he was ready.

  When they reached the Red Herring Inn, Q’Bita was surprised to see all the lights were still on in the cooking school. She opened the car door and the smell of baked ham filled the air. Andy’s stomach growled so loud they could all hear it.

  “Man, I hope there’s some of that ham left. I never got a chance to eat dinner.”

  “Me neither, and that smells like Heaven.”

  “Okay, you two, let’s stop sniffing and get inside, and I’ll get you some dinner.”

  “Just dinner? I was kind of hoping there’d be dinner and pie.”

  “I’m glad to see that jail hasn’t effected your appetite,” Q’Bita teased.

  As they got closer to the door, she could hear the clatter of dishes and the sounds of people moving about the kitchen.

  “Sounds like Nana has commandeered your kitchen, Q’Bita.”

  Liddy Lou stopped in mid-stir as they entered the kitchen.

  “Hello, babies. Don’t mind us. We’re just getting things ready for tomorrow. I figured you might be hungry when you got back, so there’s ham and biscuits waiting for you in the warmer, and there’s coleslaw in the walk-in.”

  Tears welled in Q’Bita’s eyes as she watched her nana, Evie, and Rene move about the kitchen preparing the food she herself should have been here taking care of.

  “Now don’t go getting all emotional, child. We’re just doing what family is supposed to do. For now, I think comforting that man and keeping him out of trouble is the best use of your time. We can handle getting things ready for tomorrow.”

  “Thank you, Nana. You have no idea how much I appreciate you guys.”

  “You'd better appreciate us, because this is cutting into my beauty sleep and I’m going to end up with bags under my eyes for days because Evie used all the cucumbers for the crudité platters.”

  “You could slap a garden full of sliced veggies on your puss and you’d still be ugly,” Evie teased.

  “Says the goat with permanent resting bitch face.”

  As usual, Evie hissed at Rene, and he pretended to be insulted.

  “Okay, you two, that’s enough. Get back to work or I’ll come over there and you’ll both be sorry.�
�

  Rene rolled his eyes and sauntered off towards the walk-in as he called over his shoulder in a British accent, “Come, Evie, we’ve upset the master and we must away before she canes us.”

  “Honest to Ambrose, I have no idea what the blazes he’s carrying on about sometimes,” Evie said as she followed Rene out of the kitchen.

  “You should try being married to him.”

  “Now there’s a scarier thought than jail.”

  “Couldn’t agree with you more, Andy,” Beecher said.

  Q’Bita listened to them all jibber-jabbing as she grabbed some plates and pulled their dinner from the warmer. Their constant back and forth at each other would bother some people but she loved it. She cherished the years she and Alain had spent working and traveling in Europe, but nothing felt as good to her as being here at the Red Herring Inn surrounded by her friends and family when things got rough.

  She was lost in thought as she entered the walk-in to grab the coleslaw. As she reached for the bowl, her sleeve caught on a box and it fell to the floor. She stooped to pick it up and noticed it was labeled Property of Lyle Chalford, Do Not Use. She opened the box and found two truffles inside.

  “That’s weird,” she muttered to herself.

  She stood, grabbed the coleslaw and the box, and took both back to the kitchen with her.

  She put the coleslaw on the counter between her bother and Andy, who had already put a serious dent in the biscuits and ham.

  Andy looked up and stopped chewing long enough to ask, “What’s in the box, babe? Is it pie?”

  “No, it’s not pie, but it is interesting.”

  Q’Bita walked over to where Liddy Lou stood peeling potatoes and sat the box down on the counter. She pulled out the truffles then put them close to her nose and sniffed.

  “Nana, can I borrow your knife?”

  Q’Bita took a few slices from one of the truffles and inspected the veining. She picked up a slice, holding it between the thumb and index fingers of her left hand, and then grabbed the top of the slice with the same fingers on her right hand and bent the slice back and forth with little effort.