by Mary Daheim
“If Hector was over ninety when he died, Lee and Marla must have been close to middle age back then,” Renie pointed out. “Something’s off, as Bill would say. Can you ask Woody about that?”
“I hate to bother him,” Judith said. “Of course it is his case . . .”
“Then do it,” Renie said. “Let me see that later picture again.”
Judith handed her cousin the one taken in the old racetrack clubhouse. “Well?” she said after Renie had looked through the magnifying glass again. “Do you see anything unusual?”
“Not really. Wait. She is wearing a ring in this one, but her hand’s raised, so I can only see her palm. Did Duke give her an engagement ring after she accepted his proposal?”
Leaning forward to look through the magnifier, Judith nodded. “I wonder what happened to it after she was killed.”
“Robbery as motive?” Renie suggested.
Judith considered. “Ruby never mentioned what happened to the ring. I’ve no idea if it was expensive. Duke was working construction back then. I suppose he could’ve afforded something rather nice. Maybe Ruby kept it or Ozzie gave it to Freddy Mae. If it had gone missing, I assume it’d be in Woody’s case notes or Ruby would’ve mentioned it.”
“Maybe Duke took it back,” Renie said, before taking a last sip of Drambuie. “I should head home before Bill realizes I’m gone.”
Judith checked the time. “It’s after eight. He didn’t know you left?”
Renie was putting on her jacket. “No. He and Oscar were watching Lonesome Dove. Bill was trying to explain why Blue Duck wasn’t a likable character. Or a restaurant entrée. Oscar thought it was a cute name. Maybe by now they’ve—”
“Stop. Please.” Judith had also gotten out of her chair. “I mean, go. If you want to, that is.”
“I do. See you later.” Renie exited via the back door just as the phone rang.
“Wow!” Tyler Dooley said into Judith’s ear. “I had to get Mom to pretend she was a doctor to get anything out of those hospital people. It’s a good thing she’s a sport.”
“She is that,” Judith agreed, thinking that after raising so many children, grandchildren, and other Dooley offspring, Corinne probably could give a veteran pediatrician a run for his or her money. “What did Dr. Dooley find out?”
“Bernard Frosch has been upgraded from grave to serious condition,” Tyler said in a formal voice that suggested he was reading his mother’s notes. “If he passes through the night without further complications, he may be moved out of the ICU tomorrow.” He paused. “That sounds like he’ll live, right?”
“I hope so,” Judith responded. “Your mom didn’t get to inquire about actual injuries?”
“No. Sophie Marie fell out of her crib again and had to be rescued. She just turned two last week, so she shouldn’t still be in a crib, but they ran out of beds. It’s a good thing there’s a thick rug on the floor.”
“That’s a shame,” Judith said. “You and your mother did a fine job. Any new sightings?”
“No. It’s raining so hard I can’t see much with the telescope except for the taillights of a car—whoa! Whoever just left the cul-de-sac almost hit a big SUV out on the street.”
“That’s a . . . close call,” Judith said, fairly certain it had been her cousin driving Cammy. “Thanks, Tyler. Don’t stay up too late. Especially if you can’t see much outside.”
As Judith hung up, Joe strolled into the kitchen. “I’ve been upstairs catching some scores on ESPN. Aren’t you going to join me so we can watch a movie or whatever else might be on TV that isn’t junk?”
“Renie was here,” Judith explained. “She left five minutes ago.”
Joe glanced at the photos of Opal on the counter. “Don’t tell me you two were sleuthing.”
“Sort of.” Judith gave Joe her most winsome look. “Would you mind calling Woody and asking him why the Watkins kids weren’t on the list of people who were questioned about Opal’s murder?”
Joe frowned. “What Watkins kids?”
“Maybe you didn’t hear Ruby mention that they were as upset about Hector’s estate as Lee and Marla were. It struck me as odd that they weren’t interviewed during the investigation. Please?”
“That depends. If they were minors, maybe not, especially if they could account for their time.” Joe shrugged. “What the hell. I’ll call Woody from upstairs. You coming along?”
Judith smiled. “Give me two minutes. I want to finish tidying up.”
After putting Opal’s photos back in the manila envelope, loading the aperitif glasses into the dishwasher, and checking the computer for new reservations, Judith started for the back stairs. The doorbell rang before she could get any farther than the pantry.
“Drat,” she murmured under her breath, wondering if a guest had forgotten the key. Looking through the peephole, she saw a youngish couple she didn’t recognize. “Good evening,” Judith said, opening the door. “Have you been sent here by the state B&B association?”
The man pushed back the hood on his green jacket. “No,” he said. “I’m Ozzie Tooms, Ruby’s brother. This is my wife, Freddy Mae. Mind if we come in?”
Stepping aside, Judith realized there was a resemblance between brother and sister, though it wasn’t marked. Ozzie was darker than Ruby, his eyes were hazel, and his face was more angular. Freddy Mae was a petite curly-haired brunette with wide-set blue eyes who seemed to bounce when she walked.
“Nice place,” she remarked, her head bobbing as if it were on a spring. “I love these old houses in this part of town.”
Judith laughed. “It’s very common architecture in the older part of the city. There never were any in this style out in the Thurlow District or the surrounding neighborhoods that grew up later. Why don’t we sit in the living room?”
The couple followed Judith from the entry hall, but Ozzie insisted they couldn’t stay long. “We have a late flight to San Diego,” he said, sitting down with Freddy Mae on one of the matching sofas. “We’ve been staying at one of those residence inns at the bottom of the hill, so we thought maybe we should stop by to apologize for Ruby.”
Judith wasn’t sure what Ozzie meant. “You mean for leaving with such short notice?”
Ozzie chuckled. “No. For bothering you about Mom. It’s a mania with her. After all these years, what’s the point?”
“Closure?” Judith suggested. “Justice? Peace of mind?”
Freddy Mae waved her hands and bounced on the sofa. “It’s been like sixteen years. Whoever killed Mrs. Tooms is probably dead, too. Some drifter or crook who came to a bad end, I’ll bet.” She turned to her husband. “Isn’t that right, Ozzie?”
He shrugged. “It sure wasn’t anybody we know. Or knew, I mean. Ruby told us you lived out in that area for a while, Mrs. Flynn. You know it was kind of a rough neighborhood back then. Your husband owned The Meat & Mingle, right?”
Judith nodded. “After he died, I moved back here before your mother was killed. Is Ruby back in Little Bavaria?”
“She was headed for the bus depot this morning,” Ozzie replied. “I hope she didn’t get you too worked up over this whole deal. I think Freddy Mae and I straightened her out about letting go. I mean, what could anybody find out after all this time?”
If Judith hadn’t been on guard at first, she was now. “Nothing definitive,” she replied casually.
Freddy Mae looked earnest. “No evidence, no clues, no suspects?”
Judith smiled wryly. “Ruby’s reason for rethinking the case was based on the lack of DNA evidence available back then. Many cold cases have been solved recently. You can’t blame her for giving it a shot.”
Ozzie shrugged. “But nothing came of it. The trail was cold.” He got up and pulled his wife to her feet. “You must be relieved, Mrs. Flynn. I hope you didn’t put much time into this wild-goose chase.”
Judith rose from the other sofa. “I like puzzles,” she said, gesturing at the jigsaw on a card table by the piano. “Sometimes yo
u stare at the pieces forever and then suddenly realize you’ve missed the tiniest bit of sky or a subtle change of color. Then it all comes together.”
“I don’t do puzzles,” Freddy Mae said as they walked to the entry hall. She giggled, a faintly jarring sound. “I can’t sit still that long.”
Ozzie grinned. “That’s my girl—always on the go. Guess we’ll both be going.”
“One thing,” Judith said. “I’m curious. What happened to your mother’s engagement ring?”
Ozzie picked up Freddy Mae’s left hand. “There it is. Why not?” He opened the door and his expression sobered. “I’d stop trying to put missing pieces together if I were you. Good night.”
Judith stood in the doorway watching the couple walk to their rental car. And wondered why Ozzie’s last words sounded not like advice, but more like a threat.
Chapter 16
How long does it take for you to finish up in the kitchen?” Joe inquired as Judith entered the spare room that also served as their family TV center. “You missed the start of Star Wars: Episode Three.” He frowned and hit mute on the remote as Judith came closer. “What’s wrong? You look gloomy.”
“Not exactly that,” Judith said, sitting next to Joe on Grandma and Grandpa Grover’s recycled settee. “Ozzie and Freddy Mae Tooms paid me a visit. They don’t think much of Ruby’s project to find Opal’s killer.”
“I thought Ruby gave up on it anyway,” Joe responded. “Why bother repeating what you already know?”
“I’m wondering now if that was her idea. Ozzie and Freddy Mae don’t think Ruby should have taken an interest in the first place.”
Joe looked puzzled. “How so?”
Judith recounted the conversation. “Frankly, Ozzie’s parting shot upset me. I really got the feeling they didn’t want the truth to come out.”
Joe turned off the TV. “Refresh my memory. Where was Ozzie when the murder occurred?”
“In the navy. I forget where he was stationed, but it wasn’t around here. He had to take an emergency leave to come back to the area.”
“That’s a solid alibi,” Joe conceded. “What about Freddy Mae?”
“Ruby was staying with her and her family because it was senior week,” Judith reminded Joe. “Thus, she’s in the clear, too. Before you ask me about Freddy Mae’s parents, I know almost nothing about them except that they were on the list of people who were interviewed. I assume they’re still retired in Arizona.”
“Did they work?”
Judith darted Joe a wry expression. “I assume so. They had to retire from something.”
“Did Freddy Mae have siblings?”
“I don’t know that either,” Judith said, beginning to feel frustrated. “Ruby never mentioned any. But she probably keeps in touch with them and they knew she was here.”
“How?”
“How what?”
Joe looked impatient. “Ruby lost her cell phone. Did she make calls to Ozzie on our phone? You could have the records checked, including the separate guest line on the second floor. Granted, she might have talked to him before she lost the cell, but when did she decide to stay on here over the weekend? Wasn’t that after her cell disappeared?”
Judith glowered at Joe. “I’m beginning to feel like a suspect.”
Joe chuckled. “Sorry. Old habits die hard. For all we know, she told Ozzie she was coming to town before she ever left Little Bavaria.”
“That,” Judith said after a pause, “is probably what happened. I wonder if Ozzie asked for a leave to stop Ruby from digging into the case. Did you call Woody about the Watkins kids?”
Joe nodded. “Two girls, Wendy and Dawn, sixteen and nineteen, respectively. They attended the same high school Ruby did, but Dawn had already graduated and Wendy was two years behind Ruby. They weren’t interviewed because they had solid alibis. Dawn had moved out after graduation and taken an apartment near downtown with a girlfriend. She had a job in the stock room of Donner & Blitzen Department Store. Wendy was working after school as a courtesy clerk at that grocery store not far from your old house. You know—the one called Sollie & His Sons. She didn’t get off until nine that night.”
Judith smiled at the memory. “They had really good meat. They’re still around, though I heard they’d moved their location.”
Joe nodded. “So the Watkins daughters were old enough to worry about not getting their share of the loot.”
“Teenagers can count.” Judith leaned against Joe. “Do you think I’m silly to think Ozzie and Freddy Mae were warning me to back off?”
“Well . . . you’re perceptive when it comes to people. But that doesn’t mean they have anything to hide. Face it, having their mother—and mother-in-law—murdered isn’t one of life’s cherished memories.”
“I can’t stop now,” Judith confessed.
“Yes, you can,” Joe said. “At least until we finish watching Star Wars.” He put his arm around her and turned up the TV volume.
By Tuesday morning, the rain had stopped. Judith went through her daily routine like a robot. Every time the phone rang, she hoped it was Ruby. But it wasn’t. By afternoon, she was at loose ends. She finally called Renie.
“Do you have a lull?” she asked of her cousin.
“Do I?” Renie replied. “Let me look. Maybe I can find it somewhere.”
“I’m serious. We need to hit the road.”
“Again?” Renie’s voice held a touch of anguish.
“What are you doing now that you finished your current project?”
“I’m out in the yard, doing cleanup while it’s not raining. I need fresh air.” She paused. “What did you have in mind this time?”
“I thought we might go out to Sollie & His Sons. They moved, you know. I’d like to get one of their prime ribs.”
Renie’s sigh was audible. “Their hamburger always was the best. They didn’t eliminate most of the fat and thus all of the flavor. You drive. Bill’s taking the car so he can walk the beach at Shimsham Bay.”
“I’ll see you in ten minutes.”
“Make that fifteen. I look even worse than I usually do and have to change clothes.” Renie rang off.
By five after two, Judith pulled up in front of Bill and Renie’s house behind a big green city garbage truck that was collecting recycling bins. Renie appeared almost immediately, but motioned to her cousin that she had to put the empty bin back in its place. Just as the truck rumbled across the intersection at the corner, Renie flopped down inside Judith’s Subaru.
“Good timing,” she murmured, fastening her seat belt. “If the wind picks up, the empty bins end up halfway down this steep hill. Bill wants some of Sollie’s sausage. He remembered how much he liked it. Now tell me why we’re really going there.”
“Sollie’s was always an excellent gathering place for neighborhood gossip,” Judith explained, turning around to head back up the hill. “Yes, they’ve moved, but only a few blocks east. Before we get there, let me tell you about my visitors from last night.”
By the time she concluded her encounter with Ozzie and Freddy Mae, the cousins were coming out of the tunnel onto the viaduct. Toward the west, she glimpsed the sun trying to peek above the mountains. Farther north, ominous dark clouds were slowly moving in over the bay. It was the second week of November. When it came to weather, almost anything could happen in Judith’s part of the world, even a minor heat wave. She recalled that when she was in second grade the temperature had hit the midseventies in November.
Renie seemed to be watching a white-and-green state ferry easing into the downtown terminal’s dock. But when she spoke, it was on a different subject. “Ever think we should take up another hobby besides chasing killers?”
“I tried to retire,” Judith replied with a frown. “Then Ruby showed up. At least it’s an old case. Nobody I know has been murdered lately.”
“Don’t brag,” Renie said. “I don’t like Ozzie’s attitude. Or his wife’s. I don’t even think I’d like them if I met them
.”
“You won’t,” Judith declared. “They flew to San Diego last night.”
“You should check on Freddy Mae’s parents. If she and Ozzie are protecting anybody, they’re the obvious suspects. Arizona, did you say?”
“Yes,” Judith said, managing to make all the traffic lights on the straight stretch of street that went past the Boring Aerospace Company’s headquarters. “I wonder how long the Frosches have been in this area. The rental agreement shows that their previous address was right around here, not far from Boring Field.”
“I don’t see why that matters, but if it does, I’ve got some contacts there from doing design projects for them over the years. Their top PR guy, Caspar Milksop, probably retired ten, fifteen years ago, but I also dealt with some of his underlings.”
Judith shot her cousin a quick look. “Was that his real name?”
“It wasn’t. But it was his real personality. I never could figure out how that guy got into PR in the first place.”
Instead of using the turnoff that went directly to the Thurlow District, Judith kept to the route that would take them a few miles north of the airport. “I called to get their new address. It’s the same old sign and the same old phone number, but it’s on the right-hand side and should only be another three or four miles from here.”
“Got it,” Renie said. After a brief silence, she spoke again. “Lainie? Who is she, really?”
“Brick’s girlfriend? That’s all I know about her. She’s not friendly. I would like to check birth records to see if Jess Sparks is Hector’s son.”
Renie hauled out her cell. “I wonder if I could do that on my new whiz-bang-everything-but-washes-windows phone.”
“Don’t bother,” Judith said. “Joe can find that out. They may charge a fee to look up records these days.”
Renie, however, was making an attempt to find the county’s vital statistics site. “Damn! Why am I coming up with a fish market?”
“Skip it. Keep your eyes to your right so we don’t go by Sollie’s.”
Only a minute passed before Renie spotted the familiar sign. Judith pulled into the parking lot, which was almost full. Unlike the lot at the previous site, this one wasn’t gravel, but freshly paved.
