Moonlight, Murder, and Small Town Secrets

by K C Hart

  “Well actually,” one side of Todd’s mouth lifted in his usual lopsided grin, “I’m here to find out what you know.”

  “Of course you are, but I figured since I was the one who almost got killed today, I could have the privilege of deciding who speaks first.” She looked from her nephew to her husband and took a stab at playing the helpless female. “After all, I need closure before I can sleep tonight.”

  “Okay, you win.” Todd pulled out his notepad. “Let me get to my notes and then we’ll have at it.”

  Katy glanced at the black and white clock on the wall, almost nine. She had slept the afternoon and most of the evening away while the police were trying to figure things out. “First of all, did you find Amanda Carson?”

  “Yes mam, we found the whole Carson clan and they’re all fine.”

  “Why doesn’t she answer her phone?” Katy asked, letting out a long sigh of relief. “I hope she’s not just avoiding my calls.”

  “I talked with Mr. Johnny and they are on the coast in Alabama. They decided to take the grandkids out of town until their daddy got out of jail and things settled down. Amanda didn’t even take her phone. Mr. Johnny said she needed to disconnect for a while.”

  “You need to try to get in touch with her and see if you can get that box of Laney’s papers that is hidden under the bed in their trailer,” Katy said.

  “You’ve lost me.” Todd’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What box of papers?”

  She decided it would be easier to explain everything she knew before asking any more questions. She filled him in on the bigamy, the blackmail, the trip to the woods and then let John tell about the hospital escapade.

  “I got a little of what happened this morning from Mr. Byrd, Tubby, and Joe, but I ain’t heard nothing about the box of papers.” Todd rubbed the few sandy brown hairs on his chin. “You don’t think the Carsons were planning on blackmailing the Browns too, do you?

  “No, not the Carsons, just Laney. Amanda told me the day of Laney’s funeral about the box, but she didn’t have a clue what was in it.” She looked guiltily at Todd and her husband. “I know I should have told somebody about this before now, but she made me promise to wait until after the funeral. She was just trying to cope with the death of her only child, and I didn’t have the heart to push the issue.”

  “That heart almost got you killed,” Todd said as he jotted down some notes on his little pad.

  “I know, I know. Evelyn Brown is as crazy as a road lizard. One minute she would be explaining how she bashed a woman’s head in with a monkey wrench and the next she would be complaining that she was going to be late for a Country Club meeting.” Katy reached behind her head and adjusted her pillows. “The problem is, I know she had help doing all of this, but she didn’t tell me who her helper was.”

  “Probably her husband Miles, don’t you think?” John asked.

  “No, that’s the one person she said didn’t do it. She said he was too lazy, and he loved Jessa. I know it wasn’t him.”

  “My money’s on Tripp,” Todd said. “He’s the only other person who had something to lose in all this mess.”

  “I agree,” Katy said. “What are you going to do now?”

  “I’m going to get back over to the station. Looks like it will be another all-nighter. I imagine Sheriff Reid will want to bring Tripp in for questioning. His momma sure ain’t saying anything. She’s acting like she’s checked into the Hilton. She’s demanded a better chair to sit on, reading material and who knows what else.” Todd patted his front pocket and pulled out Katy’s cell phone. “I almost forgot. I’m supposed to return this to you. They found it in the Mazda she drove over to the hospital.”

  Katy took the phone and watched as John followed their nephew into the hall. She wanted to call and thank Mr. Byrd again for what he did for her today, but it was already after nine. She would have to think up something extra special to repay his kindness with. A peach cobbler just wouldn’t be enough.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  John came back into the room after Todd left. He reached in the greasy Burger Barn bag and pulled out her hamburger. “No need to let it go to waste,” he said as he clicked on the TV for the evening news.

  Katy thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep since she napped all afternoon, but when the nurse came by at ten to get her vital signs, she was fighting to keep her eyes open. She was just starting to doze when her phone began to buzz on the bedside table. “Hello,” she said groggily.

  “Is this Katy Cross, the nurse?”

  “Yes, it is. Who am I speaking with?”

  “I need to tell you something and don’t go thinking I’m looney. I don’t know what Evelyn has up her sleeve, but I’m not senile. Not yet.”

  “No Mrs. Tellman, I know you’re thinking straight.” Katy recognized the old woman’s voice. “What’s going on?’ She put the phone on speaker so John could hear.

  “It’s Tripp. He came in about thirty minutes ago, looking for Evelyn. I told him I haven’t seen her, and he went off the deep end.”

  “Who’s there with you Mrs. Tellman?”

  “I think it’s just me and Tripp. Nelda leaves every evening at six. I got in the bed at eight like I always do, but I don’t think Miles or Evelyn are here. I called upstairs for them and didn’t get an answer. I even tried their phones. I don’t know where they’ve got off to.”

  “Where’s Tripp now?” Katy looked over at John, eyes wide. “What’s he doing?”

  “He’s always acting a fool, that’s nothing new, but tonight he’s got a double dose. He came bursting into my room yelling for his momma. When he couldn’t find her, he stormed off ranting and raving about jail and a bunch of other nonsense.” Mrs. Tellman paused. “Then he came back in here a few minutes later with a gun.”

  Katy felt her heart pounding through the thin hospital gown. “Where’s Tripp now Mrs. Tellman? What’s he doing?” she asked for the second time.

  “He just left out of here. I heard him going upstairs. He asked me what I’d told you about the family and if you had asked me any questions about Jessa or the cleaning girl that got killed.”

  “What did you say,” Katy asked, swallowing hard, feeling the soreness in her throat from Evelyn’s attack.

  “I told him to mind his own business. That I’m sick and tired of everybody minding mine.”

  “My word, Mrs. Tellman, you said he has a gun,” Katy whispered, her voice giving out on her. “What did he do?”

  “We had a Mexican standoff for about one long minute,” the old woman chuckled. “He had the gun pointed at me and I had my cane pointed at him. I won.”

  John stood up and took out his phone to call Todd. “Can you lock him out of your rooms?” Katy asked, taking her phone off speaker, and raising it to her ear.

  “I can lock the doors, but he knows where they keep the key. I ain’t worried about me anyway. That’s not why I called.” She stopped for just a second and her voice changed from its usual bossy tone to an actual grandmotherly warmth. It sounded strained coming from this woman. “I’m worried about him, and well, you too.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you.” Grandmother disappeared again and boss lady returned. “He said you were going to find stuff out and ruin everything. I don’t know what stuff he’s talking about, but like I said, he’s gone over the edge tonight.”

  “I’m safe Mrs. Tellman,” Katy said, glancing at John as he stood in the corner of the room talking on his cell, “but I’m worried about you.”

  “No need girl. I called his bluff and he folded. I just don’t know what he has planned. I don’t think he’ll hurt anybody, but he might do something stupid and get himself arrested. Evelyn usually handles his stupidity, but I can’t find her.” The last few words were mumbled to herself, not Katy.

  “Look, just lock your door anyway. Okay?” Poor woman. She had no clue that the house of cards had tumbled a long time ago. “I’m calling my nephew. He works for the sheriff’
s office and will be right over. He’ll know what to do.”

  “I guess that’ll have to do,” Mrs. Tellman sighed. “Who knows, maybe jail is what he needs to scare some sense into him. I just hate to see the family name drug through the mud.”

  “I called Todd,” John said as Katy hung up her phone. “Him and the sheriff are out at the Carson’s place looking around. It’ll be about thirty minutes before they can get there.”

  “Did you tell him about the gun?” Katy felt tears welling up, ready to spill.

  “Yeah, and that Tripp’s alone in the house with his grandmother.” He squeezed Katy’s hand. “Don’t worry. Todd knows what he’s doing, and besides, the Kevlar vest the church ladies bought for him came in.”

  “I’m getting more respect for grey-haired women every day.” Katy smiled through her tears. I’m still gonna pray…pray hard.”

  Mrs. Tellman slipped her feet over the edge of the bed and pushed her toes around in the carpet until she found her slippers. She had to lock that door, but she had to go to the bathroom. First things first. If she wet the carpet Evelyn would have her in a nursing home by breakfast. She grabbed her cane and went into the bathroom. She had a pack of adult diapers in her dresser, but she wasn’t ready to slide that far down the helpless ladder yet.

  When she finished, she looked into the mirror at the old lady while she washed her hands. Something was up. It had been up for a while, but she had taken the easy road and ignored it. Now, just like a boil that had festered, grown, and become a bigger and bigger pain in her rear end, it was going to burst open and be a stinking mess. “You’re slipping ole gal,” she said to her reflection. “You should have dealt with that girl when she first moved here and none of this would be happening now.” She dried her hands on the blue towel hanging by the sink then opened the bedroom door and peaked out.

  “Sit down Nana, and don’t give me no lip. I’m in a hurry.” Tripp sat in the chair by her recliner, the pistol on the table at his side, and her purse in his lap.

  Mrs. Tellman walked to the recliner, never taking her eyes off her grandson. “Where’s Evelyn? What’s going on that I don’t know about?”

  Tripp raked a sweaty hand through his hair and glared at the old woman. She was as hard-headed as a bulldog. He could waste time arguing with her for an hour or tell her what she wanted to know. She would find it all out in the morning anyway. “I just got off the phone with Dad. Momma’s in jail.” He waited for her to cry, argue, call him a liar, something…but she didn’t. She just stared. “Look, Nana, Momma got rid of Jessa then made me clean up her mess.” He wiped his sweaty palms across the legs of his jeans as he talked. “If she tells them everything, they’re going to come after me.” He raised his voice to a shout. “I ain’t got time to be sitting here. I gotta get out of town.”

  He put his hands back on his thighs to stop the bouncing that his legs were doing of their own accord. He needed another Xanax. He needed three more Xanax and something to chase them down with. Later. First, he needed money. He forced himself to make eye contact with his grandmother. “I need your cash.”

  Mrs. Tellman watched as her grandson babbled. She had suspected that he had killed Jessa, and maybe Laney too. He wasn’t that bright and killing was how dumb people took care of their enemies. But was he telling the truth about Evelyn? “Why am I just now finding out about this?”

  “Why? Why? Nana, are you nuts? You don’t talk about who you choked to death over the family dinner.” His voice was loud, uncontrolled.

  Hers was level, demanding. “No, you wait until you’re buried in a self-made grave then you give me a garden spade to dig you out with.” She sighed and pushed up from the chair. He was an idiot, just like his father, but he was her only grandson. “Come on. A deputy is on his way out here. You don’t have much time.”

  Tripp bounced up from the chair and ran his fingers through his hair again. He was doing this about every thirty seconds now as his nerves unraveled more and more. “What do you mean a deputy is on his way? What’ve you done? What do you know?”

  She didn’t answer but walked over to her bed and pointed to the massive family portrait hanging above the headboard. “Shut up and take that picture down.”

  Tripp looked at the old woman and looked at the picture. He was used to being bailed out of his problems. His momma had been doing it since he was six and got caught stealing money from the cash register at the dealership. She’d probably started earlier than that. He didn’t know. He was not used to thinking for himself. He didn’t question his grandmother. If she was willing to step into the role of over-protective enabler, he knew how to play the part of the helpless victim. He’d been playing it his entire life.

  He moved the picture to the bed and was only mildly surprised to see the wall safe hidden behind it. He pushed the bed out just enough for the petite woman to squeeze behind the furniture and waited silently while she entered the combination and opened the door.

  He would be caught. Mrs. Tellman knew this beyond a shadow of a doubt. Probably before he got out of the state. Probably before he got out of the county. All of this was a given. Still, he was blood. She had no choice. She took ten thousand out and closed the safe door. There was more in there, a lot more, but she would need that for the lawyers. One or two for Evelyn and one for him too, if he didn’t get himself killed. “Now go. Don’t speed or do anything stupid to get pulled over. And whatever you do, don’t start calling people and getting on that dog-gone internet.”

  He took the money and mumbled a thanks under his breath. The days of kissing and hugging had ended between them over a decade before.

  He grabbed the gun on the way out and shoved it in his front pocket. Yeah, she thought, his days are numbered.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  The sheriff pulled into the entrance of the Browns’ long driveway and waited while Todd put on the vest and put a clip in his gun. Todd was nervous. Not Barney Fife nervous, but nervous. If Katy and the sheriff were right, this guy had helped cover up one murder and assisted in another. Granny might think he was harmless, but Todd knew better.

  The sheriff pulled slowly to the front of the house, lights off, and killed the engine. “Look, we’re going in there blind, not knowing where he’s at. He’s armed and there’s a potential hostage. Our primary goal is to get the old lady out to safety.”

  “Yes sir.” Todd held the pistol at his side as they walked silently passed the cement bulldogs and onto the dark front porch. He was ready.

  No one came to the front door. They walked around the side of the house to the garage which was closed. The outdoor motion sensor lights allowed them to see the back yard and the swimming pool. A sliding glass door on the back of the bottom floor was covered by thick curtains, but the light was still able to peek out under the small gap at the floor. The back door, a few feet over which led to the kitchen, was locked up tight.

  They stepped up to the sliding glass door. The sheriff pulled on the door latch. It was locked too. He knocked softly. “Mrs. Tellman, its Sheriff Reid. Your friend Katy Cross called us.” They waited.

  At first, they heard nothing, but then a faint bumping gait could be heard coming across the room. Mrs. Tellman pulled the curtain back and peered at the law officers through the glass. “Just a minute. I have to turn off the alarm.” She disappeared then returned shortly and let them into her living area.

  Todd looked around the room noticing the picture laying on the bed with the wall safe exposed for public viewing. “Is your grandson still here mam? We need to talk to him.”

  “I missed the news,” Mrs. Tellman said, ignoring the question as she walked back to her recliner to sit down. “Tripp said you have my daughter in jail.”

  The sheriff motioned for Todd to stay with the woman as he left the room to look for the suspect. Todd came around in front of the recliner and positioned himself where he could see the hall entrance into the room and the sliding door exiting to the back yard. “Mrs. Tellman, why don�
��t you let me walk you out to the car. You can sit there while we make sure your house is safe.”

  Mrs. Tellman looked up at the young man. Her eyes were sad as she stared at the officer. He was probably a little younger than Tripp, but already he was amounting to something. Tripp never would. She prayed the boy had already left, but she had not heard a car engine start or even that ridiculous motorcycle since he’d left her. “I’m in no danger. If he’d wanted to hurt me, he would have done it already.” She reached down to the lever on the side of the recliner and began raising her feet. “I think I’ll just sit here and catch my breath for a while.”

  Todd watched as the woman raised her feet in front of her and gazed at him with a look of defiance. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t very well manhandle a ninety-year-old woman.

  “Kind of got you between a rock and a hard place don’t I boy,” Mrs. Tellman grinned, winking as she spoke.

  Todd grinned back. He couldn’t help it. A loud crash coming from somewhere in the house caused both of them to look toward the doorway. A gunshot rang out and Todd headed into the darkness. “Stay here,” he called over his shoulder as he disappeared from sight.

  Mrs. Tellman let her feet down hurriedly and grabbed her cane. She put up a good front, but she had no desire to get caught in crossfire tonight. She stood up and began making her way toward the bathroom to hide.

  Before she had walked two feet Tripp came running in the doorway, gun in one hand and a gym bag in the other. His eyes were bulged out in panic. He stopped for just a second noticing his grandmother in his path, then continued forward, no intention of slowing down or dodging her.

  Mrs. Tellman made a decision in that second. A useless grandson in prison was better than a dead grandson planted in the cemetery. She stepped to the side, out of Tripp’s path, and stuck her cane forward in front of his feet. Tripp did just what she expected. His feet tangled in the cane. His arms reached out, grabbing for anything solid to stop his fall, his gun flying through the air and landing next to the sliding glass door. He face-planted flat in the thick carpet just as Todd stepped through the doorway aiming his gun directly at Tripp’s back.