by Angela Henry
By ten o’clock, Cassidy had been picked up for day camp, Chris and Colleen were intently watching The Lion King on DVD, Cory was happily playing with a set of blocks in his playpen, and baby Callie, who was two months old, was asleep. I, on the other hand, besides wishing I’d taken my ass to work, was exhausted. I sat down on the couch next to Audrey.
“Thanks for helping me. You saved the day.” She put her feet up on the coffee table.
“I don’t know how you do it. I’m worn out and it’s only ten o’clock.”
She laughed. “Believe it or not, it’s not always this bad. I usually have a better handle on things. It’s been a bad morning. Glen, my husband, and I had a huge argument this morning and it was downhill from there.”
I’d never met Audrey’s husband. I looked over at the family picture on the side table by the couch and saw that Audrey’s husband was a serious-looking, short, stocky man with thick brown hair and glasses. He was the only one in the picture not smiling. I knew he was an electrical engineer. He wasn’t the pretty-boy type Audrey had favored in high school, though if Joy was right, then apparently her taste had changed dramatically, which brought me back to why I had come over in the first place.
“Have you had time to follow the news?”
“You mean about Ms. Flack?” She got up from the couch. She opened the fridge and pulled out two cans of diet pop and handed me one. I hate diet pop but popped the tab and took a drink anyway.
“I still can’t believe it. You know, I don’t mean to be insensitive, but this is the second time the head of the reunion committee has died in a freak accident. I was supposed to be the head of the committee this time around but I’d just had Callie when they were talking about starting up the committee again. I’m so glad I said no.”
“If people knew what I knew about Ms. Flack, they might think she got what she deserved,” I said bluntly. No need to beat around the bush. Her eyes got big for a few seconds then she looked away.
“Why?” she asked lightly, glancing over at her children to make sure they weren’t listening. They weren’t.
I toyed with the idea of just telling her I’d figured out Ms. Flack was blackmailing her but decided she probably wouldn’t confide in me unless she thought I’d been a victim, too.
“Someone contacted me about a week ago. This person told me they knew about something I did years ago, something I don’t want anyone to know about. They wanted five thousand dollars to keep quiet about it.” I looked over at Audrey. She looked like she’d stopped breathing and all the color had gone out of her face.
“What did you do?” she finally asked in a whisper.
“Well, since I didn’t have five thousand dollars, I decided to do a little detective work to see if I could find out who this person was. It was Ms. Flack.”
“What!” she said so loudly the kids turned to stare at her. “Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent,” I replied.
Audrey angrily jumped up from the couch and started frantically pacing back and forth and talking to herself, “That bitch! I can’t believe it!”
“Audrey, calm down; you’re scaring the kids.” Colleen and Christopher were staring at their mother with wide eyes. Baby Callie stirred in her sleep but didn’t wake up. Cory was picking his nose and eating the boogers.
I got up and headed into the kitchen and gestured for her to follow me. She practically stepped on the backs of my shoes in her haste to get out of hearing range of her kids.
“So, I guess I wasn’t the only one she was blackmailing?” I watched her closely. Audrey hesitated. I could see the uncertainty in her eyes and decided to put her out of her misery.
“Look. I don’t want to know what she had on you. I don’t care. I just want to know if there were other people besides me she was blackmailing.”
She nodded solemnly.
“Did you pay her?” Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded again.
“How much did she get you for?”
“Forty-five hundred dollars. I had to take it out of the kids’ college fund.” She looked like she might die of shame.
“And you had no idea it was her?”
“The person who called me was disguising their voice. But I could still tell it was a woman. I just thought it was an old girl—” she stopped abruptly and looked flustered when she realized what she’d almost said. She was going to say an old girlfriend. Joy had told the truth for once in her life. I gave her a blank look and pretended not to notice.
“I thought it was a friend playing a joke on me,” she concluded.
“Would you be willing to tell the police?”
“Are you insane? If my husband finds out about any of this, he’ll kill me. I’m already trying to figure out how I’m going to replace that money before he notices the account is short. Promise me you won’t tell anyone, please.” She’d grabbed my arm and was squeezing so hard I knew I’d be bruised.
“Okay,” I said, shaking off her hand. “Okay. I won’t say anything. But if the police find out Ms. Flack was blackmailing people, then who do you think they’re going to be looking to arrest for her murder? You didn’t pay her with a check, did you?”
“Murder? They said it was an accident on the news.”
“I’m the one who found her body. Believe me. It was no accident and I wouldn’t want the police looking at you if it gets out she was a blackmailer. You didn’t pay her with a check, did you? ”
“No, I gave her cash.”
“Good. There’s nothing to link back to you unless—” I said, eyeing her suspiciously.
“Unless, what?” she asked looking frantic. I leaned in close. I was aware that I was getting carried away with this little game I was playing but I couldn’t stop now.
“Unless you killed her. Audrey, you didn’t kill Ms. Flack, did you?”
In retrospect, looking down at my torn shirt on the drive home, I was lucky she hadn’t blacked my eye. The moment after the words had come out of my mouth she’d grabbed me by the front of my shirt, dragged me wordlessly to the front door, opened it, pushed me out, and slammed the door behind me. I was standing on the porch in shock when the door opened again and she threw my purse at me. I hurried to my car with my ripped shirt hanging open and exposing my bra, oblivious to the stares of a couple of the neighbors who were working in their yards. She was damned lucky it had been an old shirt.
After I went home and changed, and not wanting anyone from work to see me out when I was supposed to be home sick, I had an early lunch at Wendy’s. I sat in my car and ate trying to figure out my next move because I was fairly certain Audrey hadn’t killed Ms. Flack, not that she wasn’t capable of it. Anybody who’d almost had a nervous breakdown over a diaper that had been flushed down the toilet might be upset enough to kill over being blackmailed. But she’d seemed genuinely shocked when I told her Ms. Flack was the blackmailer. I was rummaging around in my purse for an extra napkin to wipe up some spilled Frosty when I came across the pink message slip from Clair Easton that I’d swiped from Gerald Tate’s wastebasket. I’d forgotten all about it. The message was in regards to her account. On a whim I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the number on the slip. A woman’s voice answered on the third ring.
“Hello.” The voice sounded efficient and no nonsense, like a woman who didn’t take any mess.
“Ms. Easton?” I said, trying to match her tone.
“Speaking.”
“Ms. Easton this is…” I struggled to quickly come up with a name. My eyes latched on to my empty fast food bag. “This is Wendy Burger. I’m with the stock regulatory commission of Ohio and I’d like to ask you a few questions about Gerald Tate if—”
“That bastard! I’ll tell you everything I know. When can you come over?” I certainly wasn’t expecting an invitation. And because I usually I had to pry info out of people, I was at a loss for words.
“Hello? Ms. Burger, are you still there?”
“Yes. Sorry, Ms. Easton, I was consu
lting my calendar. I’m free this afternoon at 2. Are you available then?”
Clair Easton agreed to meet me later that afternoon and gave me her address. I recognized the street as one of the more expensive neighborhoods in the affluent Pine Knoll area of Willow. I’d have to change into something more professional looking than the shorts and tank top I was wearing before the meeting, which was still almost three hours away. I couldn’t wait to hear what she had to tell me about Gerald. Until then, I wondered what other trouble I could get into. It didn’t take me long to think of something.
Chapter Fifteen
THE KINGFORD COLLEGE STUDENT union was where I found Dennis Kirby, who had just settled down to a lunch of a chili cheese dog and greasy fries. I’d gone to the bookstore to see him but was told by one of his coworkers that he was at lunch. His coworker also warned me that he didn’t get the trainer job he’d applied for and was in a foul mood. Dennis was oblivious to anything other than the plate in front of him and didn’t notice me until I sat down at his table. He didn’t look especially thrilled to have company and reminded me of a dog who thought his food was about to be taken away.
“Aw, my feelings are hurt, Dennis. You don’t look very happy to see me.” Dennis grunted and wiped chili sauce from his chin.
“That’s because I’m trying to figure out what you want,” he replied grumpily.
“I talked to Audrey this morning and—”
“You accused her of murdering Ms. Flack. Yeah, I know. She called Gerald and me after she threw you out of her house. That’s pretty wack. Audrey’s really upset.”
I had to press my lips together to keep my mouth from falling open. Audrey had called Dennis and Gerald and told them about my visit? An unnerving sense of déjà vu caused my spine to stiffen with apprehension.
“Wow. I didn’t realize you and Audrey were still so close. You two have been giving each other dirty looks at every reunion committee meeting.”
“Audrey can be annoying as hell, but we’re still friends. She told us all about your little visit, about how you helped her out with the kids and then turned around and accused her of murdering Ms. Flack.”
“I didn’t—” I started to protest but he wouldn’t let me finish.
“Don’t try and pull a fast one on me and don’t even think about trying to talk to Audrey again. Stay the hell away from her,” he growled, not bothering to look up from his plate.
“Can I assume that you and Gerald were being blackmailed, too?” I asked on the off chance he might want to spill. He didn’t.
“Know what I think?” he asked, wiping his fingers and not waiting for my reply. “I think you made up this whole thing about Ms. Flack being a blackmailer. The woman was never anything but nice to us and here you are trashing her, and she’s not even here to defend herself. I think you’re the one who’s been blackmailing us. ‘Cause by the looks of you, I can tell you can’t be making much money as a teacher. And we all know from your little outburst at the last committee meeting that you’re still bitter about being a fucking loser in high school. This is probably all about revenge, isn’t it? Now you’re just pretending to be a victim too so you can cover your tracks. And I’m telling you now, it ain’t gonna work. You’re not getting another dime from us. It’s over!”
“Are you serious?” I asked, laughing.
He didn’t answer, just glared at me and took another big bite of his chili dog.
“You think I just made all this shit up so I could get even with your little clique?”
“Hey, you said it, not me.”
“Dennis, I hate to break it to you, buddy, but high school was eleven years ago and you idiots are the last people I’ve been thinking about. You really need to move on, starting with that ridiculous mullet.” I got up and started to walk away.
Dennis called out after me. “Stay away from us, Kendra. Remember what happened the last time!”
I hurried back to my car. I was furious, and a little scared. They’d closed ranks on me and I was either too stupid, or too naive, to see it coming. Of course they were going to stick together. It was in their best interest to do so. The old round table crew was back in action. I wasn’t going to be getting any more info out of Gerald or Dennis, but I still had my meeting with Clair Easton to look forward to. I tried not to think about the hell they had put me through back in high school. But I couldn’t help wonder what they’d do to me when they found out I was still looking into Ms. Flack’s death.
I also wondered why Dennis hadn’t gotten the job with Kingford’s baseball team. He was certainly qualified. I knew someone who could find out for me. I got on my cell phone and called the records office, asking Myra Gaines if she knew anyone in the human resources department who might know why Dennis Kirby was passed over for the trainer position.
“You’re gonna owe me big time, girlfriend,” she replied.
“That depends on if you can get me the info.”
“Are you kidding? Ain’t much that goes on around this college that I either don’t already know about or can’t find out,” she bragged.
“And?” I asked, calling her bluff.
“And, I heard that Kirby dude got passed over because he lied on his application about his last job. He didn’t resign from that job. He was fired. Guess his dumb ass didn’t think anyone would check his references, ‘cause his daddy’s a former trustee.”
“Really?”
“Yep. And before you ask me why they let him go, I don’t know. My source didn’t know that much.”
I thanked Myra and promised her a free lunch at Estelle’s. I wanted to keep my source happy.
I called information and got the number for Bellbrook College in San Diego, the place Dennis Kirby had worked as an athletic trainer before moving home. I dialed the number and asked the receptionist to connect me to the college’s director of athletics. The phone was answered quickly on the first ring.
“This is Mark Weber. How may I help you?” asked the man so fast I almost didn’t catch what he was saying.
“Mr. Weber, I’m calling from Ohio College. One of your previous employees, Dennis Kirby, is applying for an athletic trainer position and listed you as a reference.” I heard Mark Weber swear softly under his breath.
“What was that, Mr. Weber? I didn’t quite catch what you said.”
“Who did you say this was?” He sounded highly annoyed.
“Oh, I’m sorry. This is Audrey Grant calling from Ohio College in Cleveland about your former employee, Dennis Kirby. Can you tell me what kind of an employee he was?”
Mark Weber sighed again before replying. “Frankly, I can’t imagine why the in world Dennis Kirby keeps using me as a reference when I was the one who fired him.”
“Really? Can you tell me why you let him go?” There was a long pause. At first I thought he’d hung up until he finally spoke again.
“You didn’t hear this from me, you got it?”
“Of course. We never had this conversation,” I assured him.
“There were allegations made by some players that Mr. Kirby was supplying members of the baseball team certain performance enhancing drugs,” he said in a flat voice.
“Steroids?”
“Among others,” he replied stiffly.
“Was there an investigation?”
“The college handled the matter internally. We fired Mr. Kirby and expelled the players involved. Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but I have to get to a meeting. Do yourself a favor and don’t hire Dennis Kirby.” He hung up on me.
Dennis was fired for supplying college athletes with drugs, and Audrey was a closet lesbian. That just left Gerald and Cherisse. I had a pretty good idea what Gerald was hiding. I just needed confirmation from Clair Easton. But I still had an hour to kill before my appointment with her. It was time I talked to Cherisse.
Cherisse Craig still lived in the same house on Bird Lane that she’d grown up in with her parents and twin sister, Serena. It was a small house on a slab with a flat r
oof that made it look like a shed, with a carport instead of a garage. All the houses on her street were similar in design, the only differences being the color of each home. Many were white but with different trim on the windows and doors. But some of the homeowners had gone to extremes in trying to achieve some semblance of individuality. One person had opted for Pepto Bismo pink, another neon yellow, and yet another a deep dark blue that looked almost purple. Cherisse’s house was brown with black shutters. I was happy to see her car parked in the driveway.
I was hoping that she wasn’t still mad at me about the conversation she overheard between Dennis and me the other night and would buy my excuse that I was there to apologize. Actually, I really did need to explain that I hadn’t been laughing at what Dennis had said about her being a dandelion compared to her hothouse flower of a sister. Having a gorgeous sister, myself, I knew all too well how hurtful it was to be compared unfavorably to her.
I walked up to Cherisse’s house. I didn’t need to knock because as soon as I walked past the wind chime hanging from a hook on her porch, the tinkling sound immediately brought her to the door. She was dressed in a red and gold silk Kimono style robe. Her dreads were held back from her face with a scarf. She opened her screen door and looked past me, up and down the street before even addressing me. I quickly turned to see what she was looking at and saw nothing, except some kids playing in the yard across the street. When she finally looked at me, I could see her eyes looked a little swollen and puffy. Could she still be upset by what Dennis had said?
