Murder

by Maddie Cochere

  “You told me where she was,” Mama said to me, pushing the bowl of chili toward me.

  “I did not,” I said, sounding like Pepper had a moment ago.

  “You can’t pull anything over on me, Josephine Louise Frasier. When you said you talked to Buck, and he didn’t leave for home right away, I knew Pepper was safe somewhere, and you knew where she was. Besides, your face goes stone cold with no emotion when you’re telling a lie. When I asked you if you knew where Pepper was, I knew you were lying. I used my spare keys to check her house and yours, and when she wasn’t at either place, I figured she headed up here to the cabin.”

  Once again, I thanked my lucky stars. This time for locking the door to my murder room. Mama would have been on the beauty shop gossip line, giving out all the details on the wall if she had seen them.

  “Why?” I asked. “What made you think about this place at all? You knew Grandpa sold the cabin and the property, so why would you think Pepper would be here?”

  “Don’t be silly. I helped him with all the paperwork. He saved a lot of money by not using a realtor and paying their fees.”

  My head was beginning to hurt. “He only sold it for five hundred dollars. How much money could he have saved in commissions?”

  She waved her hand in the air as if to dismiss the conversation.

  “Wait a minute,” Pepper said. “Grandpa took five hundred dollars from me, but that wasn’t all, was it? You put money in, too, didn’t you? Do I own this place or don’t I?”

  “Oh, it’s all yours,” Mama said. “You still have the deed, don’t you?”

  She nodded. “It’s in the safe deposit box at the bank.”

  “Stop!” I yelled. “The important thing now is that everyone in this room has to keep the fact that Pepper’s here a secret. If it gets out, she and I are both going to prison for a long time.”

  Lucille saluted on her way back to the sofa. “Aye, aye, Josephine.

  I turned on Mama. “Why are you two calling me that? Is my name Jo or Josephine? And you don’t have a spare key to my house. Am I in the Twilight Zone?”

  Pepper giggled.

  I shot eye daggers at her. “Pepper, I swear, if you laugh one more time, I’m going to Sergeant Rorski myself and turn you in. I’ll tell him I finally found you.”

  She looked hurt. “I can’t help it. I’m scared. It’s nervous laughter.”

  Mama attempted to take charge. “Everyone settle down. Jo, eat your chili. Floyd, do you have anything we can give Jo for her nerves? She seems a little high-strung right now.”

  “I’ll run over to my place and get something,” he said and headed for the door. “Be right back”

  I closed my eyes and let out a big sigh. Pepper was right. We were both scared and trying not to show it. I needed to stop snapping at her.

  Mama’s chili was always good, and I still wasn’t eating regular meals. I wasn’t certain, but I may have even lost another pound or two. I shut up and began eating.

  Mama sat down across from me. “No, your name isn’t Josephine. It’s just Jo. You don’t have a middle name. I was thinking about you when you were locked up in jail, and I felt bad you had a boy’s name all your life. Maybe you wouldn’t have turned to a life of crime and ended up in the big house if you’d had a girl’s name, so I wanted to give you one now.”

  Lucille howled with laughter from the sofa. Another loud burst of gas accompanied her laughter. Pepper reached down beside the sofa, grabbed a can of air freshener, and sprayed it over Lucille’s head.

  “And Clay gave me a spare key to your place,” Mama said. “In case of emergencies.”

  I lost my appetite and shoved the bowl of chili into the middle of the table.

  A knock at the door caused everyone to freeze in place. Everyone but Mama. She stood and said, “That’s Floyd with your pills. He has old-school manners and wouldn’t just walk in, even though we’re expecting him.”

  She walked over, yanked the door open, and in walked Jackie. Floyd was right behind her.

  “Look who I found lurking in the bushes outside,” Floyd said.

  “Now it’s a party,” Lucille shouted.

  “No!” I yelled. “Don’t say a word in front of Jackie. She’ll print anything you say in the paper, and we’ll all end up in jail.”

  Jackie looked genuinely hurt. Pepper stared at me as if I’d gone over the edge. “Jo, it’s Jackie,” she said. “She’s our friend.”

  “Not if she’s out there lurking in the bushes. She’s after a story, and Matt told me the Buxley Beacon comes before friendships with her.”

  Jackie shook her head, her long red ponytail shaking with her. “No. I’m not here as a reporter.”

  I didn’t believe her. “How did you find us?”

  She looked sheepish. “I followed you.”

  I was mad at myself. After leaving the television news crews at my house, I had a false sense of security and didn’t pay as much attention as I should have when I ran errands and made my way here. My only consolation was that Jackie was masterful at following someone, so it would have been hard to spot her anyway.

  “If you’re not after a story, then why did you follow me?”

  “Ok, maybe I am after a story, but I’d never print anything without clearing it with you first. I’m here as a friend, and I want to help.”

  Mama rubbed her hands together with glee. “Now we’re talking.” She began dragging the kitchen chairs into the living room area, so we could all sit together. “Six heads are better than Jo’s one. Let’s hash this out and see what we can come up with.”

  Jackie pulled a pen and notepad from her purse, set it on her lap, and asked me, “Where should we start? Should we go all the way back to falling out of Barbie’s tree, or should we start with the murder at Chummy’s?”

  “Who fell out of Barbie’s tree?” Lucille asked. She looked at me with her eyes wide and her jaw dropped for a second. “Did you fall out of her tree after you shot her? Is that what happened to your arm?”

  “What’s wrong with your arm?” Jackie asked.

  “That’s what I want to know,” Mama said.

  “I have the murder weapon,” Pepper blurted out.

  The look on Jackie’s face let me know this was information she shouldn’t be allowed to have. I wanted to put a gag in Pepper’s mouth. I clenched my fists in front of me and said through gritted teeth, “Pepper! We don’t have to tell them every detail. This many people shouldn’t know about the gun.”

  “Well, we know now,” Mama said. She flapped a hand at Pepper. “Go get it. Let’s have a look.”

  Pepper walked to the refrigerator, opened the freezer and pulled out a small plastic bag. It didn’t poof when she opened it. She set the gun on the coffee table.

  Lucille lifted her glasses up and peered down her nose at the gun. “It’s just a little thing. It looks like a toy. Are you sure it killed someone?”

  “I’m sure,” Pepper said. “I saw the hand that fired it and killed Tony Lucas.”

  “What did the hand look like?” Mama asked. “Were there any marks or tattoos?”

  Pepper frowned and thought for a few moments. “The arm was wearing a black jacket, and the hand was wearing a black glove. It seemed small and skinny, so it could have belonged to a man or a woman.”

  No one touched the gun. We all sat and stared at it.

  “That’s a girl’s gun,” Floyd said.

  Mama nodded her head in agreement.

  “Why do you say that?” Pepper asked.

  “No self-respecting man would carry a gun that color with that sissy grip.”

  Lucille picked it up and looked into the double barrel. “I think it’s pretty.”

  “She makes my point,” Floyd said.

  Jackie grabbed the gun from Lucille and put it back on the table. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves. We need to start at the beginning.”

  I wasn’t happy when she started with the night we snuck onto Barbie’s property, but s
he told the story quickly and didn’t let Lucille or Mama interrupt. She finished by saying, “That’s why Jo is in so much trouble. There’s still the question of who shot Barbie.”

  “Kelly thinks she shot herself,” Pepper said. “She wants to frame Jo, and Jo had already been in her tree once, so it was easy to do.”

  “What if this is Barbie’s gun?” Lucille mused, picking it up again and looking down the barrels. “Why does it shoot two bullets at the same time?”

  Jackie grabbed it from her again and put it on the table. “It’s not Barbie’s gun. This is the gun that was used to kill Tony Lucas.”

  “I don’t like Barbie,” Lucille said. “I’ve been following her.”

  I looked at Mama. A feeling close to fear came over me. “What is she talking about?”

  “We told you in our meeting. The Blue Hat Society has taken on your case. You said you didn’t shoot Barbie, so we’re investigating.”

  “Only Barbie wasn’t killed,” Lucille said. “You missed the first time.”

  “No! If she realizes you’re following her, you’ll ruin everything,” I said. “You have to stop.”

  Mama looked at Floyd. He was comfortable in the upholstered chair and seemed to be enjoying the drama. “Did you bring the pills?” she asked. “Give some to Jo. She’s overwrought.”

  Lucille yawned, leaned against Pepper, and closed her eyes. She let out a soft poot and said, “Jo’s not overwrought anymore. She’s lost weight.”

  Everything about this impromptu meeting was maddening. I tried to control my temper as I said to Mama, “I don’t want any pills. Has the Blue Hat Society discovered anything yet?”

  “Only that Barbie’s behind the money we pay to Mr. Malloy every month,” Mama said. “We thought he was a representative of the police department, but Lucille’s seen him with Barbie a few times. She thinks they’re in cahoots.”

  My mouth fell open yet again. “What money? Why would you give the police department money every month?”

  “For extra protection. We pay the money, and the flea market is on the list of businesses that gets extra patrols. It’s like paying for a night watchman only it’s the police. That’s how you got caught defiling the bathroom in there last night.”

  It was as though just saying the word bathroom caused Lucille to pass gas. Floyd handed the can of air freshener to Pepper. She sprayed Lucille’s entire body with it.

  “You knew I was going to be there watching Kay’s space. Why didn’t you let Clay and Frankie know, so they wouldn’t have barged in like that?”

  Pepper giggled. When she saw me glare at her, she clapped a hand over her mouth.

  Lucille sat up and said, “Cahoots. Mr. Malloy sells weed from his apartment, and he recruits kids to sell it for him at the college. I told him I’d sell some at Shady Rest to the old people for their aches and pains. He gave me a sample.” She grabbed her purse and pulled out a small baggie containing a few buds and two rolled joints. “Anybody want to have a smoke with me before bed?”

  “That’s it. I’ve had enough,” I said, standing from my chair. “I’m going home.” I looked at Jackie and said, “If you print anything that lands Pepper or me in jail, I will never forgive you. If you’re really part of Two Sisters and a Journalist, you’ll protect us.”

  Floyd stood from his chair. “I need to be getting home, too. I’ll leave you ladies to work this out. I don’t know the people involved, so I can’t offer much help.”

  Mama told him to wait, so she could send some chili home with him. She took the gun to the kitchen with her.

  Jackie stood and faced me. “I know you’re upset, but please trust me. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt either of you, but the longer Pepper’s absence is thought of as an abduction, the more likely the story will be on the national news. That will bring a lot of attention to Buxley and both of you.”

  “I thought about that, but what other choice did I have? If I hadn’t put the idea out there that she was kidnapped, every police officer in the state would be looking to arrest her for manslaughter. And they’d say she’s armed and dangerous.”

  As if on cue, Mama fired the gun from the kitchen, the loud noise causing everyone to jump.

  “Mama!” Pepper shouted. “What are you doing?”

  “Was that thing loaded?” Lucille asked. The color drained from her face. She dropped her doobie and passed out.

  Floyd extinguished the illegal cigarette and dug through his bag. “I thought I had some smelling salts in here. I’ll be right back.”

  He left the cabin, taking his bag with him. I suspected he wouldn’t be back anytime soon.

  “That’s a nice little gun,” Mama said. “I’ll have to get me one like it.”

  I marched over to her, grabbed my jacket and the box of bullets she had found in my pocket, and headed for the door.

  “Wait!” Pepper said. “I’ll walk out with you.”

  When we were standing beside my truck, I opened the back door and pointed to the clothes and groceries. “I thought maybe you’d want to make some potato soup,” I said coolly.

  “Jo, I’m really, really sorry. I had no idea Mama would show up here.”

  “It’s ok,” I said feeling defeated. “As long as you being here doesn’t hit the beauty shop gossip line, it won’t be a problem. Jackie could be another matter, but I’m going to trust her for now. Go ahead and tell her everything you told me about the night Tony was murdered. I talked to Sarah tonight, and I think she was in love with him and resented him for wanting his wife back and for giving you so much attention at the same time.”

  Pepper became animated. “I knew it! Well, I wasn’t sure, but she acted different when he was around, and she was always asking him if he wanted to go for coffee or have dinner. He wasn’t very nice to her. I didn’t know about his ex-wife, but that would make sense. Sarah kills him for not wanting her and sets me up to take the fall. Classic.”

  She gave me a hug, grabbed the bags, and went back into the cabin. I felt in my pocket for my stun gun. It was still there. Mama hadn’t swiped it.

  I had a hard time staying awake on the way back to Buxley, but I continually watched in my rearview mirror for anyone who might be following.

  When I was finally home, I left the truck in the driveway and went in through the front door. I didn’t bother to turn on lights. I trudged up the stairs and couldn’t wait to get into bed. Every muscle and bone in my body ached with fatigue.

  I hit the landing and turned toward my bedroom but quickly stopped. I had been careful to close the door to my murder room and lock it when I left this evening. I turned around and saw the door was now open.

  I pulled my stun gun out of my pocket and gripped it tight. I tiptoed down the hallway and peeked into the room. The blinds were closed, making it too difficult to see if anyone was hiding in the darkness.

  I stood still, holding my breath for what seemed an eternity and heard a noise. Someone was in the recliner in the middle of the room. All I could think was that it was the man who shot me last night.

  With my arm extended and my thumb on the button, I lunged for the chair and hit the man in the chest with the gun. He let out a sound of agony before falling silent. I turned on the floor lamp in the corner of the room. The man was slumped over with drool running from the side of his mouth.

  I had just tasered Officer Glenn Wheeler.

  Chapter Eleven

  Swearing a blue streak wasn’t the smartest response to tasering Glenn, but I was so stunned he was the recipient of the gun, I couldn’t hold the foul words back.

  I dashed down the hall to the bathroom and ran cold water on a washcloth. Still repeating my favorite swear word over and over, I dashed back to the murder room and used the cloth on his face and neck before pressing it to his forehead.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “Are you ok?”

  He managed to sit up, grasp the cloth, and wipe the back of his neck. “Thanks for the electrifying greeting.”

  It ha
d been days since we’d been close, and I ached for him. Having him here in my murder room, where he absolutely, positively should not be, and having just sent over a million volts of electricity through his body was more than I could handle. I dropped to my knees, put my head in his lap and burst into tears.

  We had been dating for almost two years, and he had only seen me cry a few times. Now, it seemed crying was all I could do when I was with him.

  His hand was gentle as he stroked my hair and attempted to calm me. “Don’t cry, Jo. Everything will be ok. You’ll see.”

  I lifted my head and peered into his face. “No it won’t. You obviously studied the wall. I don’t have any answers, and Pepper and I are going to prison.”

  He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. We were quiet for several minutes before he slipped a finger under my chin and lifted my head to look into my eyes.

  “We have to talk. Do you want to get some sleep first, or do you want to discuss this now?”

  I was exhausted. “Sleep, please. That way if you haul me off to jail tomorrow, I’ll be rested and have a better mug shot than the last one.”

  He chuckled softly and didn’t argue. When we slipped into bed, I couldn’t help wondering if it would be the last time I would share a bed with him.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Since you won’t come down, I brought breakfast up,” Glenn said and set a plate of scrambled eggs and toast on a small table in the corner of the room. He held a cup of coffee out to me.

  “Wait a minute,” I said. “I’m almost done.”

  I had just finished drawing the man I had seen with Barbie at the apartment complex. I believed him to be Lucille’s Mr. Malloy. I was now drawing marijuana leaves, indicating the man sold weed from the location – or at least had someone selling weed there. That would explain the high traffic in and out of the building. I also put dollar signs next to him and noted Mama was paying him protection money.

  Glenn continued to wait patiently while I drew the ladder leaning against Chummy’s followed by Sarah Powers standing next to a dead Tony Lucas. I drew tears on her cheeks and hearts around her head. Glenn was going to take her in for a more thorough questioning than she had been given on Friday night.