“No, I meant the conference room door,” I said.
“Are we going to sneak into Misha’s room?”
“You read my mind.”
I stared at the clock as the minute hand ticked the time away. I called Andrew and told him we were at the hospital in a lockdown situation. I didn’t tell him why because I’d rather tell him in person. And since I wasn’t able to leave the hospital yet, I’d hold off.
Eleanor and I slipped into the hallway and hurried to the stairwell as there wasn’t an elevator in the inner offices of the hospital.
I climbed the steps in pain, my hip protesting all the way, but I took a break on every flight. We eventually proceeded to the fourth floor and strutted along the hall as if we belonged there and knew where we were going.
We found Misha’s room easily enough and slipped inside since thankfully the nurse had finished admitting him to the floor. Eleanor quietly closed the door behind us.
Misha was lying on his back, a bandage on his head. His eyes were closed, but his fingers twitched on the television’s remote he was holding. He had Dr. Phil on, and I had to suppress a groan.
Eleanor leaned over the bed and stared at the dark-haired man.
“What are you doing?” I asked her in a whisper.
“To see if he’s really sleeping.”
“Well, stop it. You’ll scare the man if he opens his eyes.”
Misha opened one eye and peered up at me.
I smiled. “So you are awake,” I said.
“What are you doing in my room?” Misha asked when his other eye opened.
“We wanted to talk to you,” I said. “I’m Agnes Barton, and this is Eleanor Mason. We’re investigators.”
“We found you in Constance’s pole barn,” Eleanor added. “We thought you were dead too.”
Misha’s eyes widened. “Too?”
“Yes, didn’t the sheriff tell you?”
“I haven’t seen the sheriff.”
“Oops.” I covered my mouth with my hand.
“I’m sorry to say Constance has been murdered,” Eleanor said.
“She can’t be dead,” he said, his dark eyes watering.
I waited for a moment until Misha regained his composure. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
“I heard a loud noise, and when I checked it out, someone hit me from behind.”
“Do you remember seeing Constance in the pole barn?”
“No, I didn’t have time to see anyone. Something hit me when I walked into the barn.”
“So you didn’t see Constance get shot?”
“She was shot?”
“Yes, we believe it might have happened in the pole barn because there was a slight blood trail that went out the back door.”
“We found her body in the field,” Eleanor said.
Misha closed his eyes. “I knew something must have been wrong when I saw the pole barn door open. Constance would never risk her rabbits getting out.”
“But aren’t they kept in cages?”
“Constance puts them outside during the day.”
“We thought someone stole them at first.”
“Until we spotted one outside digging under the woodpile,” Eleanor said.
“That’s not good.”
“Do you own a shotgun?” I asked.
Misha’s eyes widened. “You think I shot Constance?”
“I don’t recall mentioning what type of gunshot wound Constance had.”
“The noise I heard sounded like a shotgun blast.” Misha sighed.
“You didn’t tell us before you heard a gunshot,” Eleanor said. “I believe you only mentioned hearing a noise.”
“I’m sorry, my memory is a little fuzzy right now.”
“So you didn’t have a reason to shoot Constance?”
“I’m not a violent man, and I’d never hurt Constance. She’s been good to me.”
“Did you work for her?” I asked.
“No, we were friends. She let me stay with her when I needed a place.”
“Were you involved with her?” I asked.
He sighed. “Not like you think. I mean something happened once, but it was a huge mistake for both of us and it didn’t happen again.”
“So you could remain friends after that?”
“I know it sounds strange, but it wasn’t hard to stay friends with Constance. She’s a good person.”
“So you don’t know anyone who would want to hurt her?” I asked.
“No, she didn’t have problems with anyone.”
“That’s not exactly true,” Eleanor said. “She lost her cool at rabbit competitions with the 4-H kids.”
“I couldn’t tell you anything about that because I’ve never been with her when she’s taken her rabbits for a competition. She went all over the country to championships. I was her house sitter when she was gone.”
“How convenient.”
“I told you we were friends.”
“Did Constance know you brought other women to her house while she was gone?” I asked.
“What are you talking about? I never did that.”
“Oh, so you took your lady friends to a motel instead? We’re aware you have flings with married women.”
“You’re wrong about that.”
“How long have you been divorced?” I asked.
“How do you know I was married?”
“It wasn’t hard when you have the same last name of someone else we met in town recently. You were married to Bonnie Sue Curry.”
“She told us all about how you cheated on her when you were married,” Eleanor said.
“You’re giving me a headache.”
“We’re only interested in the truth. We met a married woman you are having an affair with. Does Erin Nagy sound familiar?”
“Please tell me you haven’t spoken to her husband?”
“No, and we won’t unless you keep lying to us.”
“Okay, I’ll admit I cheated on Bonnie Sue while we were married, but I’m not proud of it.”
“You’re a wimp when it comes to your wife. I can’t believe you left Jillian at Robinson’s Manor to suffer your wife’s wrath.”
“Your wife slapped Jillian across the face,” Eleanor said.
“I know, but I wasn’t about to make a scene.”
“I believe a scene had already been made,” I said. “Poor Jillian had to call her grandmother to pick her up that day.”
“I’m sorry about that, but I’m not about to be in the same room with Bonnie Sue’s crazy sister.”
“Bobbie Sue?”
“Yes, I’ve already had an encounter with Bobbie Sue that nearly was the end for me.”
“What do you mean?”
“She pushed me in front of a semi on US 23!”
“How did you survive?” Eleanor asked.
“I dropped and rolled. I barely escaped being crushed under the wheels.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have cheated on your wife so much.”
“He didn’t deserve to be killed just because he was unfaithful,” I said. “Did your sister-in-law always get involved in your marriage?”
“She did. She even convinced Bonnie Sue to divorce me.”
“Wasn’t it long in the coming since you continually cheated on your wife?”
“Yes, but I know how much the divorce hurt Bonnie Sue. It tore her apart.”
“She didn’t deserve to be treated that way,” Eleanor said.
“Did she ever cheat on you to get you back?” I asked.
“Bonnie would never do that. She’s a good woman.”
“So why did you tell Erin your wife cheated on you first when you were married?”
Misha reached for his water cup and took a healthy drink. “I don’t remember telling her that.”
“Well, you must have told her about Bobbie Sue pushing you in front of a semi because she told us that too.”
“I only told her that just in case Bobbie Sue found out I was inv
olved with Erin. I wanted to warn her how dangerous my ex-sister-in-law is.”
“But why would Bobbie Sue care if you were seeing a married woman since you divorced her sister?”
“You’ll have to ask her that. She threw a brick through the motel room I was staying at once. Nobody in town would rent me a room after that. If it hadn’t been for Constance, I’d have been homeless.”
“And how recent was that?”
“About a year ago.”
“But she never came over to Constance’s house?”
“No, I don’t think she knew where I was staying after that. I was careful to make sure I wasn’t followed.”
“Has Bonnie Sue been in to see you?”
“Not that I’m aware.”
“We better clue in the sheriff,” I said. “Because we believe Bonnie Sue and her sister might have come up here to see you.”
Misha pushed the call light. “I think you should leave now.”
“We will after we ask a few more questions,” I said. “Was Constance seeing anyone that you know of?”
“Not that she mentioned.”
“I’d call the sheriff and tell him you’re up to talking, but he’s busy at the moment.”
“Lockdown has ended,” came an announcement from outside the room. “Visitors are free to leave now.”
“Someone tried to shoot us,” Eleanor said. “Did Constance have any interactions with her ex-husband Gary?”
“I wasn’t even aware she had an ex-husband.”
“Good to know. Thank you for speaking to us today. We’ve been looking for
Bobbie Sue and Bonnie Sue. Your ex-wife is too easily influenced by her sister.”
He frowned as they left.
Eleanor and I took the elevator, and we met Sheriff Peterson outside. I motioned him over.
“You might want to put a cop at Misha’s door,” I said. “I have a feeling Bobbie Sue might have come to the hospital to hurt him.”
“I left a deputy at the door.”
“There isn’t a cop guarding his door,” I said. “We just came from speaking to him.”
Eleanor and I rushed back inside the hospital, and Sheriff Peterson and Trooper Sales gave chase. Eleanor and I took the elevator up, but Peterson and Bill took the stairs, beating us by a few minutes.
Eleanor and I didn’t arrive too late on the scene since Bill had pulled Bobbie Sue from the room and wrestled her to the floor and cuffed her.
“What happened?” I shrieked, moving inside the room.
Misha was sitting on the side of his bed, a hand to his neck.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
His nodded, his eyes bulging.
I twisted to see Bonnie Sue being placed in cuffs.
“What did you do, Bonnie Sue?” I asked.
“It wasn’t me,” she cried.
“Get out of here,” Peterson said between clenched teeth as he walked Bonnie Sue out of the room.
“We will once a doctor or nurse comes in,” I said.
I offered Misha a drink, and he sipped it, his face whitening in obvious pain.
“I’m so glad I spoke to the sheriff when we went outside,” I said.
“Me too,” Misha choked out.
“He told us a cop was supposed to be guarding you.”
Dr. Thomas came into the room. “The sheriff told me to get you two out of the room.”
“We were planning to when you arrived.”
Dr. Thomas inspected Misha’s bruised neck as we left.
“I don’t understand why Bobbie Sue would try to choke Misha out,” Eleanor said.
“It had something to do with her sister, I bet.”
“I don’t understand why Bonnie Sue’s sister would get so upset that she wanted to see Misha. It’s only natural she would be concerned about him; they were married.”
“I wonder what set Bobbie Sue off?” I asked.
“Because she’s worried Bonnie Sue and Misha would reunite.”
“I don’t see that happening. Misha didn’t sound like he was still interested in his ex.”
“Maybe and maybe not. It’s hard to know what’s in a man’s mind,” Eleanor said.
“We already know the only thing in Misha’s mind is chasing after women.”
“This can’t be related to Constance’s murder,” Eleanor said.
“Unless Bonnie Sue was upset about Misha living at Constance’s house. Maybe she thought if Constance was out of the way, she’d have a chance at getting back with Misha.”
“But if Bobbie Sue was there, she’d want to kill Misha, not Constance.”
“I suppose we’ll find out soon enough if the sheriff lets us anywhere near the sheriffs department.”
I called Andrew, and he met us downstairs in the circle driveway.
“Please tell me that’s not your car hooked up to that wrecker,” Andrew said when I climbed into the car next to him.
“I don’t think we should discuss it until we get home.”
“Where is my Mr. Wilson?” Eleanor asked from the back seat.
“He’s back at our house stuffing plastic eggs.”
“Should I be worried?” I asked.
“It’s not brain surgery,” Andrew said.
“You’re right. I don’t know why I’m such a worrywart.”
“We have to learn to trust each other more,” he said.
“I agree, and I hope you’ll give me a chance to explain what happened today without interrupting me.”
“Does it have anything to do with the lockdown they spoke about on the news?”
“It’s the reason for the lockdown,” Eleanor said from the back seat.
11
Andrew listened with his brow furrowed, but he didn’t say a word and let me finish.
He cleared his throat. “You were nearly killed today?”
“Sheriff Peterson believes if the shooter had wanted to kill us, he would have.”
“If the shooter was a marksman, I suppose. I think you were just lucky.”
“If you had zigged instead of zagged, you wouldn’t be here to talk to us now,” Wilson said.
“I suppose you’re right, honey,” Eleanor said to Wilson as she sat next to him.
“I’m glad Constance’s murder was solved so quickly,” Andrew said.
I snapped open a pop. “I don’t think Bobbie Sue killed Constance or injured Misha.”
“Or Bonnie Sue,” Eleanor added.
“Both of them had a motive,” Andrew said.
“I know, but Martha confirmed their alibi.”
“Verify it before you jump to the conclusion that the sisters are innocent.”
“They don’t sound innocent if one of them tried to strangle a man,” Wilson said. “He was a sitting duck.”
“I wonder what happened to the cop that was supposed to be guarding his room?” I said.
“If you remember, there wasn’t a guard at his door when he was being admitted to his room on that floor,” Eleanor reminded me.
“Except Sheriff Peterson. He was there to get permission to speak to Misha since he regained consciousness.”
“Apparently it slipped Peterson’s mind,” Wilson offered.
“It doesn’t sound like something Peterson would forget about, especially when we told him the sisters might be coming to see Misha.”
“Unless something happened to the cop guarding the door,” Eleanor said.
“Now that I think about it, neither sister had a weapon with them,” I said. “So they couldn’t have been the ones who shot at us, otherwise Bobbie Sue would have used the shotgun on Misha.”
“It would be hard to get a shotgun into the hospital,” Andrew agreed.
“See, I told you the sisters didn’t kill Constance.”
“Unless they have an accomplice.”
“The only person we know who spent time with them is Martha.”
“Andrew is right. We need to check up on the alibi again. It was odd that the sisters mysterio
usly disappeared the day after we had spoken to them,” Eleanor said.
“Let the sheriff handle the investigation,” Andrew said.
“He won’t investigate further if he believes Bobbie Sue is the killer.”
“We need to see if there are any skid marks on the pavement in front of the hospital,” I said. “We didn’t have time to verify it before the situation at the hospital spiraled out of control.”
“I suppose you want me to take you over there,” Andrew said.
“Unless you let me borrow your vehicle.”
“That would be a double negative no.” Wilson snickered.
“I could pick up Eleanor’s Cadillac.”
“I’m not sure it will even start,” Eleanor said. “It hasn’t been started in a few months.”
“Right. I could rent a car,” I said.
“Where are we going to find a car rental in Tawas?” Eleanor asked.
“We have a Ford dealer in town; they have rentals.”
“Yes, if you’re getting your car repaired.”
“Well, I have to get my car repaired.”
“Not at a Ford dealer,” Andrew said with a grin. “There’s a Chevrolet dealer in town, remember?”
“I’ll have to call Peterson and ask if that’s where my car was towed to.”
“You should meet Jimmy at the hospital so you can see if there are any skid marks,” Mr. Wilson offered. “And he could give you a lift to the dealership if Andrew doesn’t want to.”
I stared at Wilson as if seeing him for the first time. He’d never offered any advice when it came to solving mysteries in town before.
“Great idea. Thanks, Wilson.”
I glanced toward Hemlock Road when Jimmy pulled up. He hopped out of his vehicle and joined us.
“You know I don’t see any skid marks that look fresh,” I said.
Jimmy frowned. “And you’re sure you heard tires screeching?”
“Yes.”
“The shooter could have positioned himself across the road in that open area,” Jimmy pointed out. “The woods would have offered him plenty of cover.”
“We should check for tire marks in the dirt,” I said as I crossed the road. There was barely a shoulder to the road because there was a ditch and no driveway connecting the road to the lot of land.
“If the person didn’t come on foot, it’s possible they parked in the credit union parking lot and hiked to the lot from there,” Eleanor said.
Easter Eggs and Shotgun Shells Page 9
