Early Check Out

by Diane Capri

  He frowned. “A buddy of mine works up in Alaska on an oil rig. He always tells me they are looking for guys to hire.”

  “Sounds like a good opportunity.”

  He nodded and then sighed again. “Maybe. I’d have to convince Colleen.”

  “Working on the rigs is shift work, isn’t it? Ten days on, five days off, something like that?”

  “Yeah, something like that.”

  “She wouldn’t have to move with you. I’ve known couples who’ve done this. It’s a great way to make money for the household,” I said, not adding that it would be a great way for him to get away from Colleen. Proximity to her was at least some of his problem.

  He rubbed at his face. He seemed to be considering it.

  “Besides, she’s stuck here for a bit, I think. With the legal trouble she’s gotten herself into. You’ll need the money to help her, too,” I said.

  He nodded. He no longer held the chair in a death grip. I hoped he was thoroughly defused. When he spoke, his tone was almost normal again. “I should’ve known that girl would get Colleen into trouble. I told her we should’ve gone to the sheriff right away.”

  “What girl?” His shift of topic confused me.

  “Hannah.”

  “The clerk from the D&W?”

  He nodded. “Colleen knows her older sister. They went to high school together.”

  “What does Hannah have to do with all of this?”

  “That’s where Colleen got the idea to take stuff from Aunt Ida and sell it.”

  “What? Hannah suggested you steal from your great-aunt? Why?”

  “I guess she used to come with her boyfriend on his delivery rounds. She knew Aunt Ida owned stuff that might bring in a few bucks.” He shook his head. “That girl is more trouble than she’s worth. Her sister is the same. I could never understand why Colleen hung around her. She was always up to no good.”

  I stared at him. I wondered if Hannah had been here with Todd to deliver groceries on the day Mrs. Walker died. That was something the sheriff should investigate.

  Peter rubbed his face again. “Thank you for…being kind.” Tears welled in his eyes.

  “Hey, it’s okay.” Panic swelled in my chest. I didn’t know what to do with a two-hundred-pound crying giant of a man.

  He reached for me, and before I could dance out of the way, he pulled me to him and buried his face into the curve of my neck and sobbed. Off guard, unsure of what to do, I just patted his back and made soothing noises.

  “It’s okay. You’ll be okay.”

  Then the front door opened, and Sheriff Jackson came in, his hand itching at his gun belt. Daisy must’ve called him since I’d been gone for more than the promised fifteen minutes.

  I looked at him around Peter’s tall body and shrugged as the big man continued to cry on my shoulder.

  The sheriff shook his head but lowered his hand. Obviously, this wasn’t a “draw the gun” type of situation any longer. I almost asked him to hand me the tissue box that was on the table near the front door—my shirt was getting a bit wet. But I held back on that request.

  When Peter was done purging his bottled-up emotions, he dropped his arms and stepped away from me. He wiped at his eyes, then turned and noticed the sheriff standing awkwardly nearby. His cheeks flared with embarrassment.

  “Everything’s fine here, Sheriff Jackson. Right, Peter?”

  Peter nodded.

  The sheriff looked around at the damage. “Things don’t look fine.”

  “Peter was just about to clean this all up when I interrupted him.”

  Peter gave me a look and then turned back to the sheriff. “That’s right.”

  “So, you’re saying it was like this when you got here, Peter?”

  Peter visibly sagged and shook his head. “No. I did the damage. But I’ll pay for it. All of it.”

  The sheriff’s eyes narrowed as he assessed Peter. Then he nodded. “I won’t charge you with destruction of property, but I’m going to hold you to your promise of paying for all the damages.”

  “Thank you, Sheriff.”

  “Andi, can I have a word?” He stepped out onto the front porch.

  I joined him outside, even though I knew he was going to berate me for…well, it could be anything, really.

  “Let me guess.” I decided to preempt him. “You’re going to ask, ‘What the heck are you doing?’ Then you’re going to question my logic and point out my inability to stay out of things.”

  “Actually, I was going to let you know that I haven’t been able to find Todd and that I’ve issued a warrant for his arrest. I want you to be cautious until we find him. And call me immediately if he should approach you.” He rubbed his chin. “But, yeah, I like where you were going with that other stuff.”

  “Have you talked to Todd’s girlfriend, Hannah? She’s a checker at the D&W.”

  “We tried,” he said. “She’s not at work—day off—and she’s not at home.”

  “I think she’s involved in all of this.”

  He frowned. “Why do you say that?”

  “Peter said that Colleen got the idea to steal Mrs. Walker’s stuff from Hannah. I guess Colleen is friends with Hannah’s older sister or something. Also, Hannah often accompanied Todd on his delivery rounds. If Hanna suggested Colleen steal from Mrs. Walker, she probably helped Todd do the same thing. Maybe that’s where she got the idea to encourage Colleen to steal from Mrs. Walker in the first place.”

  His eyebrows went up. “That’s an interesting theory.”

  “Maybe she was here that morning with Todd.”

  He nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose as if to ward off a headache. “Wish we had any kind of evidence to support that. Like a witness, for example.”

  I agreed, and then my gaze flitted to the yard across the street. Blue and Sunglasses were still outside, sitting in lawn chairs, both their gazes firmly directed toward this house—and Sheriff Jackson and me. I could see Blue’s wide, cheeky grin even from here.

  “We might have a couple of witnesses, actually.”

  He gave me a look, and I gestured toward the ladies. “Frontenac Island’s most efficient neighborhood watch.”

  Chapter 30

  Blue and Sunglasses both perked up when they watched us cross the street and approach their front yard.

  “I’ll ask the questions,” the sheriff said to me under his breath right before we stopped at the fence and, conveniently, right before I could respond.

  “Good afternoon, Sheriff,” Blue said flirtatiously from behind her pink fan.

  “Afternoon.” He tipped his hat, and they both nearly swooned. Then Sunglasses slid down her shades and gave me a knowing look, like, See how handsome and gallant he is?

  “What brings you over to visit?” Blue asked.

  “Andi tells me that you were out in your yard the morning of Mrs. Walker’s unfortunate death.”

  Blue nodded. “I was pruning the roses.”

  “And you saw Colleen Walker?”

  “Yup, saw her go in and come out pretty quickly.”

  I glanced at the sheriff—that matched up with what Peter had said.

  “It was around eleven,” Blue said.

  Sunglasses nodded in agreement. “Yup, eleven. Ellen was on.”

  “Did you see anyone else enter Mrs. Walker’s house that morning?”

  They both made scrunched-up thinking faces, then Blue said, “Well, the delivery boy, of course. Todd. But he comes around almost every day. He delivers to a lot of the neighborhood.”

  “Was he here before or after Colleen Walker?”

  “Before. Ten thirty maybe,” Blue said.

  “Was he alone?” I asked before the sheriff could. He gave me a hard look but didn’t contradict me.

  Sunglasses frowned. “Well, he had his helper with him, as usual.”

  “Yeah, pretty girl.”

  “Long blond hair?” I asked. They both nodded.

  “Hannah. She’s really sweet,” Bl
ue said. “Helps with the groceries. She helps me tidy the bedrooms sometimes.”

  Sheriff Jackson looked at me, and I suspected he had the same thoughts I had about Todd and Hannah. Could be Frontenac Island’s very own Bonnie and Clyde.

  “One last question, ladies,” the sheriff said. “Have you noticed anything missing from your homes in the past few months? Jewelry, electronics, stuff like that?”

  The two women glanced at one another, and then Sunglasses said, “Well, now that you mention it, I lost a pair of diamond earrings last month. It was one of the last gifts from my late husband. Fortieth wedding anniversary present. I was positive they were in my jewelry case. I hadn’t worn them in years. When I looked, they weren’t there. No idea where I might have put them.”

  “And I lost the two hundred bucks I had stashed under the mattress. I probably spent it and forgot, though. I do that sometimes,” Blue added.

  Sunglasses gaped. “Do you think those two kids are responsible?”

  The sheriff chewed on his lip for a second, then said, “I’d have someone else deliver your groceries and help with the cleaning from now on.”

  Blue fist-pumped the air. “I knew I wasn’t losing my marbles.” She pointed at Sunglasses. “I told you, Nora. I told you I didn’t spend it.”

  Sunglasses waved her hand dismissively. “Kris, I didn’t say you spent it.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  The sheriff cleared his throat, interrupting the argument that was about to erupt into years of bickering. “Thank you, Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Houston, for answering all our questions. You’ve been very helpful.”

  “Anytime, Sheriff.” Blue flashed him a cheeky grin.

  When he turned around to head back to his vehicle, Blue gestured to him, then to me, and then did something crude with her hands. Sunglasses burst out laughing.

  I just shook my head at them and caught up with the sheriff across the street.

  “So, you know those two, huh?”

  “I’m the sheriff, and this is a very small island, Andi. I know everybody who lives here,” he replied.

  “And you’re thinking Todd and Hannah are working a theft ring here in the neighborhood?”

  He nodded. “It’s a small, friendly neighborhood. Pretty much everyone’s elderly. Prime targets for a couple of small-time thieving asshats.”

  I snort-laughed.

  He looked at me oddly.

  “Sorry. I’ve just never heard you talk like that.”

  “I’d call them worse, but not in refined company.”

  I scrunched up my face, wondering if he’d just complimented me. I could never be sure with him.

  Daisy and Duchess met us at the sheriff’s jeep. Would it be horrible to admit I’d totally forgotten about them and that they were waiting for me? Probably. So, I wouldn’t admit it.

  “Is everything okay?” Daisy asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah, nothing to worry about.”

  She handed me Duchess’s leash. “We should probably get back to the kennels.”

  “I’ll drive you.” Sheriff Jackson opened the door for us and then looked at me. “Then I’ll take you back to the hotel.”

  When we arrived at Daisy’s place, my cell phone rang. I dug it out of my purse and answered. “This is Andi.” I waved to Daisy as she jumped out of the jeep.

  “This is Willetta Garfinkel.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Garfinkel? What can I do for you?”

  Duchess perked up in my lap. She must’ve heard her mistress’s voice on the phone.

  “Before you return, I’m wondering if you could do me another favor.”

  I held my finger up to Sheriff Jackson so he wouldn’t pull away from the curb just yet. I had a feeling I was going to be making another stop before the hotel.

  “Yes, of course.”

  “I’m afraid Petra is sicker than I originally thought, and I need you to pick up a prescription the doctor called in to the pharmacy on Main Street.”

  “Of course I will. Is there anything else you or Petra need?”

  “Some Alka-Seltzer would be welcome.”

  “No problem. I’ll be back in half an hour at most,” I said.

  “Thank you, Andi. You’re a life saver.”

  We disconnected, and I put my phone back into my purse. I looked at the sheriff. “Mind if we make a quick stop to the pharmacy before heading to the hotel?”

  “Sure. No problem.”

  He pulled away from the curb in front of the kennel then did a U-turn so we could head up Main Street. His radio crackled to life.

  “Sheriff.” It was Deputy Shawn.

  He picked up the radio and pressed a button. “Go ahead.”

  “Got a report that Roger Clemons was streaking through the rec center again.”

  The sheriff shook his head and sighed. “Send Marshall.”

  “The rec center asked for you, Sheriff. You’re the only one Roger will listen to.”

  Another deep sigh, then he looked at me.

  “Go,” I said. “I’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll be there in five minutes.” The sheriff hooked the radio and then parked his jeep in front of the pharmacy to let me out.

  “Have fun with your streaker.” I opened the door.

  “Hey, Andi, I appreciate how you handled Peter Walker today. It’s not how I would’ve done it, but you got him handled, and I didn’t have to arrest him. Which is always a win-win.”

  I smiled, my chest swelling with pride. “I’m going to take that as high praise, Sheriff.” I jumped out of the jeep, shut the door, and placed Duchess onto the sidewalk. The sheriff drove away.

  I collected Petra’s prescription and the Alka-Seltzer, as well as some minty gum that might work because it always settled my stomach. Duchess and I set out to make the walk back up the hill to the Park. The little dog was getting tired. She wasn’t quite as bouncy as before.

  As we passed several shops and a busy restaurant, Duchess sniffed every entryway and just about every person in range. My cell phone rang. I stopped to get it out of my purse, saw that it was Daniel, and dropped the pharmacy bag. When I went to pick it up, I accidentally let go of Duchess’s leash. After juggling everything again, while trying to answer the phone, I went to grab her leash, but she took off down the nearby alley.

  Can nothing be simple?

  “Hello? Andi?”

  “Need to call you back. I’m having an emergency.” I disconnected while he was still talking and took off after the dog.

  “Duchess!” She was quick, a tan bullet whizzing down the lane. As I ran along the alleyway, my sandals slapping hard on the pavement—they were not made for sprinting—I spotted what she was chasing. A tabby cat.

  She ran for another block and then stopped near an old wooden shack that was kind of tucked away in a corner. Once I caught up to her and grabbed her leash, I was breathing harder than I should have been. I was out of shape since I moved to the island, and it was getting to be a problem.

  The dog was busy sniffing some weeds near the side of the ramshackle shelter. That must’ve been where the cat had vanished. The little house appeared abandoned. From the old sign still swinging over the door, it looked like it was once a fish-and-chips joint.

  I reached Duchess in the weeds and gently pulled on her leash. “C’mon, it’s time to go home and see your mommy.” She looked up at me, panting.

  As we turned to leave, I caught a whiff of something foul and fatty. It was an old smell. Of grease and things deep fried in dirty oil. The odor was strong and just about made me gag. Then it triggered something in my mind, and I paused and turned back to look at the shack.

  Todd had that same rancid smell on him when he’d confronted me on the ferry. His father had told the sheriff that he hadn’t been home in days. Was this where he was hiding out?

  I surveyed the place, looking for a door. I found it on the other side. It was broken and nearly falling off the hinges. Through the crack, I could peer inside. The shack was empty save for
much of the junk left behind by previous owners. I did spy a set of stairs on the outside that led up to an attic-type apartment above.

  I scooped Duchess into my arms and then slowly crept up the stairs. Some of the weathered wood creaked and groaned under my weight, but I didn’t think it would collapse. When I reached the top, I was able to peer into a grimy window beside a door. At first, I didn’t see anything, but after a few moments, I saw movement. Someone was definitely inside.

  My phone buzzed from my purse again. Juggling Duchess, I pulled it out. It was a text from Daniel.

  Are you okay?

  I’m fine.

  You’re doing something dangerous again, aren’t you?

  Got to go.

  After turning my phone to silent mode and slipping it back into my purse, I pressed my ear to the flimsy, flaking wood door. Two distinct voices were arguing. I recognized them both. Todd and Hannah.

  “Maybe we should turn ourselves in,” Todd said.

  “Are you stupid?” This from Hannah. “We’ll both go to prison for the rest of our lives.”

  “It was an accident, though.”

  “No one’s going to believe that. They’ll think I pushed her on purpose.”

  I saw Todd grab Hannah’s hand. “I’ll tell them what happened. They’ll see the bruises…”

  “It won’t matter. We have enough money now. We can get out of—”

  Duchess barked. I guess she was getting bored of me standing there holding her.

  Hannah looked toward the window. “Someone’s outside.”

  Crap. That was my cue to get the heck out of there.

  Clutching the dog, I rushed down the stairs, careful I didn’t fall or put my foot through one of the rotting wood treads. The door opened up top, and Todd and Hannah came running after me. When I reached the bottom, Duchess jumped out of my arms. Before I could scoop her back up, Hannah grabbed her.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” I reached for the dog. “Give my dog back, please.”

  Hannah pulled the dog out of reach, holding her tighter to her chest, which Duchess didn’t like. She made a whining sound. “Not until you tell us what you’re doing here.”

  “I know you from the ferry.” Todd frowned and wiped at his nose. “You were following me.”