The shuttle bus came to a stop and I got off. I had to cross the busy parking lot of the BX and the Home and Garden Center from here to get to the Commissary, which looked as busy as it always did. In other words, crazy busy. I was just glad it wasn’t payday weekend. That was a whole other level of crazy, let me tell you. I stepped over the grass verge into the AAFES parking lot and trudged forward. It was the only way to get today over with, one step at a time.
Chapter 28
Jeannie
Last night’s TV had been a revelation. I didn’t need to have the advanced art skills of a special agent to track down a criminal. I just needed to revisit the scene of the crime, ask questions, and hunt for clues. Eventually, someone would either confess or make a mistake and I’d have the goods on them, as Ragamuffin would say.
I waited until Stephen left for the base so he wouldn’t have the chance to tell me no. I waited ten minutes, then loaded the dishes in his dishwasher and turned them on, then went back into his room where I saw he kept change on his dresser. I told myself I wasn’t stealing because I wasn’t. I was just borrowing it to catch a bus to the diner. I’d make sure Darren paid him back. I put the change in the purse Darren had bought me that evening while we were at Target.
I felt a bit sad as I slipped the strap over one arm. We’d been so happy, completely unaware of the sinister turn of events that would befall us.
Nevermind, that changes now. I’m going to get that Number 17 bus and ride it The Starlight Diner. I’ll talk to everyone and find out which of them hit China with their car. Maybe he’d tried to steal their pie, too, and it was an accident. Whatever the reason, once the real killer is known, they will have to leave Darren alone.
I got into the elevator, not forgetting that Stephen had warned me about cameras usually being hidden in them, so not to shift there as they weren’t as private as they seemed. A quick glance around the lobby, which also had cameras, showed me that the coast was clear. Stephen had definitely gone. I walked out the front door and walked down the street until I found a bus stop. I frowned. It said the Number 42 stopped here. I looked around. Was there another stop nearby? One for the 17? I was still looking around when an elderly woman joined me at the bus stop.
“Are you lost?’ she asked me.
“I need a Number 17 bus,” I told her.
“Oh, this is the 42 but if you ride it until we get to the Plaza Shopping Center, you can get off and change buses. The 17 also stops there.” She smiled at me. “Where are you going? Somewhere nice? I’m going to the Plaza to get my hair done,” she confided.
“I’m going to The Starlight Diner,” I said. I knew from watching The Ragamuffin and Mrs. Queen to not reveal my motives for going places or asking questions. If you did, the bad guy would find out and either he or one of his friends would hit you over the head and try to toss you in the bay.
“Oh!” Her eyes lit up at the mention of the diner. “My granddaughter waitresses there on the weekends. She’s sixteen, and it’s her pocket money job. “You don’t have to take the 17 if you don’t mind a little walk. It’d be much quicker, too.”
Faster would be better.
“I don’t mind walking a short distance,” I assured her.
“Oh, good, because if you catch the 42 coming the other way by crossing the street and standing by the sign for the Lift Off Arms Apartments, you can get off around the corner from the Piggly Wiggly that’s on the same street as the diner. The Pig is on the corner, see, so you can’t miss it.”
I remembered the sign for the place she talked about. It wouldn’t be a very long walk at all!
“Thank you!” I told her effusively, then looked both ways to scan for an opening in traffic. I spotted one, just before the bus I needed became visible.
“Where to?” the driver asked me and I told him. I had six cents left over after I bought a return ticket.
“So, I keep this ticket and just show it when I get on the bus to come home?” I asked, making sure I understood him correctly. Sometimes the humans said one thing but it meant another.
“Yeah, don’t lose it,” he warned me. “You can’t ride if you don’t have it.”
That would be bad. I unzipped my purse and placed it inside carefully, then zipped it back closed.
“You need to sit down so I can go,” he said.
“Sorry,” I replied, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. I found an empty space to sit next to an old man reading a book. It was called Ancient Astronauts. That surprised me. I had no idea that any of the human’s had come across artifacts from any of the older galactic civilizations. You’d think their level of tech would be more advanced if they had, but then again, I suppose if what they found was too old, they might not have had any viable circuity left for them to study.
A long time later, I got off the bus at the stop by the Piggly Wiggly. All I had done on the bus was sit while it lurched about, stopping and starting, meandering about, but I was tired. I was also thirsty, as the air conditioner in the bus didn’t cope all that well with the heat outside and the heat from all the people riding inside the wheeled metal box with all the windows tightly closed. I wrinkled my nose. Some of those people needed to wear less of whatever scent they chose. It made them pungent, not attractive.
I walked around the corner, waiting for what seemed an age while cars turned in and out of the busy supermarket parking lot. I could see the sign for the diner ahead but the distance looked further than I had imagined. No matter, I’d just have to walk a bit longer. The sun kept beating down, the air above the pavement now shimmering from the heat radiating from it. It was with great relief that I staggered into the diner.
“My dear, you look dreadful!” Martin said,rushing forward to greet me.
“I took the bus and had to get off by Piggly Wiggly,” I told him.
“Flo, get her a glass of sweet tea. Don’t put too much ice in as it’ll shock her.”
A redheaded middle-aged waitress slid a glass of light amber liquid in a tall glass onto the counter as Matin guided me to a stool.
“I only have six cents left,” I protested.
“Nonsense, it’s on the house. I can’t charge family. We’re cousins, really.”
I didn’t protest. We were the only two of our species on this planet as far as I knew, so I guess this was as close to a genetic relative as we’d get. I greedily slurped the cool liquid.
“Slow down or you’ll be sick,” he warned me.
“This is good,” I told him.
“Of course, as Burt Ivory would tell you, Luzianne is one hundred percent good and it’s all we serve here.”
“I’ll have to make sure the guys get some. They might already have some, though Stephen might not. His Maxwell House Coffee was indeed good to the last drop as promised, but he didn’t have Mazola oil.”
“Ah. We use Puritan and Crisco.”
“He had a bottle with no name on it.”
“Oh.” Martin looked taken about. “Generic.”
“Yes.”
“Some of those are just fine. They just don’t advertise their quality so they can save money. The ads are expensive to make and air.”
I thought about that. “So, I could just buy and it’d be as good?”
“Not all of the things. Just some. I wouldn’t risk it unless you get a personal recommendation and have a chance to sample the results first,” he advised. “Now, you look like you’re feeling better.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Then follow me on back. We have a private eating area for employees and no one who shouldn’t will be able to overhear anything we say.”
I stood up and followed him around the counter. “Flo,” he called out, ”bring her a refill and one for me to the back, will you please?”
“Yeah, yeah, go cool your heels,” she told him with a knowing grin.
“Flo can be a bit of a smarty-pants but she’s good people,” he told me as we passed through the kitchen and out another swinging door to a sm
aller room. It was similar to the main dining room, but with only four booths. “Have you eaten yet?”
The smell of food cooking had made me feel a bit hungry. I told him so as we sat down at a booth in the back corner. He nodded.
“I’m not surprised, it’s nearly lunchtime. I’m going to eat, so you should too. Don’t make me have to force you,” he said, with a wink.
“Okay. Just whatever you’re having.”
“Great.”
Flo entered with our iced teas. She sat them on the table and looked at Martin expectantly. “Your usual?”
“Yes, please,” Martin replied. “And same again for my cousin here.”
Flo’s eyes widened. “You’re from his hometown?”
“Umm, yes,” I replied.
“Just don’t go making yourself look like stool like this one did once,” she told me, sliding a bemused glance over at her boss.
“That was only once and I meant to surprise Bixby!” Martin protested. He looked at me, “Honestly, I was pulling a prank on Bixby, I never intended to touch any part of Flo’s bottom! For six whole months afterward, if I said anything to her at all, all she would do is reply, ‘Kiss my grits,’. And trust me, she was talking about the food we’re about to eat.”
“Mmmhmm,” Flo said, turning and sashaying away.”Bixby!” I heard her shout as she opened the door. “Two of the boss’ regulars, please!”
Martin leaned over the table, his twinkling blue eyes suddenly serious. “So, tell me, what was so important that you braved the bus and a long walk with barely any money?”
“Well, “ I said, ”it’s about Darren.”
“I thought it might be. Tell me what I can do, and if I can, I’ll do it.”
A feeling of relief swamped me. Fate had brought me to the right place. Yes, she most definitely had.
Thank you, universe.
Chapter 29
Jeannie
After pouring my heart out to him, Martin looked thoughtful. He held a finger up to ask me to wait a moment as Flo appeared without plates. She sat them down in front of us and I stared down at it. I recognized the eggs and bacon, but not the round bread things or the white stuff made with some kind of grains.
Flo took in my expression and gave a small laugh. “She really ain’t from around here. Honey, that there is a good old fashioned Southern breakfast.” She pointed at the items on my plate, naming them off. “Eggs, bacon, buttermilk biscuits, and grits. The cooked kind, not instant.”
“Oh. Thank you,” I told her.
“I’ll be back in a bit with the coffee and pie,” she said before leaving.
“We’ll have time to talk and eat this first,” Martin told me. “Now, as I was about to say, your idea is a sound one. There are just a few snags, though. All of the same customers won’t be in and I have different members of staff working, as well.”
My shoulders slumped. I’d come all this way for nothing.
“Now, now, don’t get like that. I was here that night. I know what I saw. And Flo wasn’t here, but Alison was one of the two waitresses on that night. Though I have to tell you I think you are wrong about one thing. Everything else you said matches my recollection perfectly, though.” He picked up his fork and used it to scoop his fried egg onto the top of his grits.
“And what’s that?” I asked.
He cut the egg white into tiny pieces, then pierced his yolk and began mixing the egg into the gits. I moved to copy him.
“I don’t think his wife dropped him off. When he said she left him, he means she moved out of their house. Called the relationship quits.”
“But why would that be Darren’s fault?”
Martin crumbled one of his pieces of bacon into the grits as well. “Well, he obviously was a drunkard and he didn’t seem to be too keen on hygiene in general. She must have seen Darren and gotten a crush on him and decided to pursue the better man.”
I nodded as I crumbled my own bacon. “That makes sense. Darren is very handsome and he gets picked for all the best missions. It’s how we met.”
“Oh, I really must hear that story. Promise you’ll come back once this is all over and done with and tell it to me. We can have brunch again, just like this.”
“I promise,” I said, taking a bite of the grits. I blinked. The taste was not what I was expecting. I chewed and swallowed, then gingerly took another bite, deciding they were good.
When Flo came for our plates, Martin asked her to send Alison in. Alison came in a few moments later with our coffees and a slice of Boston Cream pie each. She placed them before us, saying, “Flo said you wanted me?”
“Yes, You know the other night, the one where the man was found dead over by the Good Will donation box?” Martin asked her.
“Yes, I do. I had gotten off shift and was waiting for the cab I called to take me home because my car’s in the shop. Bad alternator,” she explained. “It never came and when I called the cab company, they were rude so I said to forget it and sat back here doing some of my crossword puzzles until Bixby got off and gave me a lift home. Sorry,” she said turning to me. I didn’t see. The fight if that is what you’re asking. “I’d clocked out and had run to the bathroom. When I came out, y’all were just driving away and that guy was standing there just shouting what an asshole the other guy was.”
“That’s okay,” I told her. She’d given me a clue I could give the OSI agent. A taxi was supposed to have come and didn’t. Maybe it meant something. Martin and I talked about the different kinds of pie they served while we ate our dessert. It was with regret that I stood up and told him I had to go.
“They don’t know you’ve gone, huh?”
“No, they told me I need to learn more before going out on my own. It’s the same thing my father said, and I’m doing all right.”
He patted stood up. “I’ve got a few errands to run. I’ll drive you. It’ll be quicker and you can keep me company.”
“You’ve got a license?”
“Yes. I had to get a social security number and all that to get it because they also serve as identification.”
“Darren said I needed something like that but he didn’t want to go break rocks.”
“Oh, no need to break rocks. I know a guy, he works for witness protection so he’s got access to make real documents. Oh, and he’s Denevian.”
“Seriously?”
“Oh, my yes. His family group crashed in Nevada in the forties. They got away but the government got fragments of their ship. But, humans didn’t keep such tight records as they do now. So, they just registered for a census and opened bank accounts and all that. Then social security came along and as presumed citizens, they were given numbers.”
“Deep cover,” I breathed.
“Very,” he agreed. “It’s a good thing they look similar enough to humans that they haven’t stood out. They can’t go to a hospital, of course, but still.”
I danced a little jig to the door. “I can get the things to say I’m me!” I sang.
“Shh, not so loud,” Martin said.”We’re by the kitchen now which is open to the dining room.”
I clamped my lips shut. It was a good thing, too, because the next words out of Martin’s mouth were, “That’s the District Attorney right there, look. He must have stopped here for lunch.”
I looked where he was pointing. My enemy was right there within reach. ‘I’ll be right back,” I said, pressing my lips together tightly in anger.
“Jeannie, no!” he hissed. It was too late. I was already stamping my way to where that jerk was sat.
“You’re a big meanie, you know that?” I demanded.
The DA looked at me in surprise. “I beg your pardon?”
“Well, you should,” I hissed. “You know full well Darren didn’t hit that man. The special agent even has the pictures!”
The DA’s eyes widened. “Pictures? Of the car, you mean?”
“Of the whole thing!”
“He turned to look at the woman sat with hi
m. She shook her head. “I didn’t know, either, sir. I’m sure they’ll be produced during discovery.”
For some reason, that didn’t seem to sit well with him, either. Had he really not looked at any of the evidence? I was beginning to think he might be as stupid as the case he had against Darren.
“Look, miss, I don’t know who you are, but I can’t discuss an open case. I can promise you, however, that I will look into the matter of the pictures.”
Martin grabbed my arm and began pulling me away. "She was just on her way home," he said to the DA.
I let him take me out to his car. I’d done what I came to do. I’d found a clue and as a bonus, ended up making the DA go look at the evidence which it looked like he hadn’t bothered to before.
Chapter 30
Darren
“Boy, she’s going to be surprised,” Stephen said as we exited the elevator. “She thinks I’m coming home and taking her to buy a new bed for my spare room. What should I do with all this Duncan Hines mix, though?”
“It keeps a long while, so why don’t you put a few boxes in your cabinet and I’ll take the rest home for Jeannie to make,” I suggested.
“Yesh, that’s a good idea. Be handy to have a few on hand. Never know when one of my airline babes will give me a call. They love it when I make them breakfast in bed, afterward.”
“I bet they do,” I told him.
We reached the door. When it swung open, I didn’t see Jeannie. We could hear the television on in Stephen’s room. “She’s probably watching some more detective shows. She got this idea that she could help you get off,”Stephen said.
“Probably a good thing the charges have been dropped then, can you imagine?” I chuckled. Jeannie was great, but the thought of her going out on her own on a strange planet she barely understood, asking questions about a killer, well, that sounded like a recipe for disaster.
A Saucerful of Death (Starlight Cozy Mystery Book 1) Page 11
