Death by Intermission

by Alexis Morgan

  Better to strike hard and fast and get this over with. Her mom shot Abby a questioning look. When she nodded, Phoebe dove right back in. “Jada, honey, I know this situation is difficult. But hiding important information will only make things worse for both you and Owen. I know you don’t want that.”

  Jada slowly shook her head, but she still didn’t exactly looked convinced, either. She also didn’t immediately confess, but Phoebe was nothing if not determined. She primed the pump with the facts as she knew them.

  “Owen met you at the restaurant that night to get the food truck ready. Once it was all stocked up, you drove the truck to the park while he followed in his car. That’s because he and I had plans for after the movie.”

  By that point, Jada had gone completely still, as if aware she was being stalked and really hoped that if she didn’t move the predator would pass on by. Fat chance of that happening, not when Abby’s mom had Jada in her sights. “Once you two had everything set up, he helped serve the people who wanted to get their food before the movie. When the rush was over, he left you at the truck and tracked me down. I’d ridden to the park with Abby.”

  She paused and waited for Jada to nod and acknowledge that much of the story was correct. That had been the easy part. Now, they were circling closer to the crux of the matter. “When the movie was about to start, Owen and I found a place to sit on the hillside near Abby and her friend Tripp. Neither of us had ever seen the film before, and we were surprised by how entertaining it was.”

  Another pause had Jada stepping in to fill the silence. “I’ve seen it before. It’s really funny.”

  Abby felt compelled to add, “It’s one of my personal favorites.”

  Her mother brought the conversation back on target. “During the film, Owen left to check on you and the truck, because it was the first time you were on your own. I’d guess he was gone about twenty-five, maybe thirty minutes.”

  She momentarily looked in Abby’s direction. “Does that sound about right?”

  Abby hadn’t actually timed Owen’s absence, but she was surprised he’d been gone that long. Regardless, she was willing to go along with her mother’s assessment of the situation. “Yes, it does. I do know he was with you for the majority of the movie.”

  They both turned their attention back to Jada as Abby took charge of the interrogation. “Allowing for the time it took him to walk down to where the food truck was parked and back again, that leaves about twenty minutes unaccounted for. Can you help us with that?”

  Jada shrank in on herself as her face turned pale. Abby was pretty sure the girl’s hands were shaking, and her eyes darted from side to side as if searching for the nearest escape route.

  Abby tried again. “Of course, I suppose he might’ve stopped off at the restroom or to talk with someone along the way. Can you give us an idea of how long he was actually at the truck?”

  Jada bit her lower lip as she pondered her answer. Finally, she said, “I don’t know if he spoke to anyone or if he stopped anywhere along the way.”

  Then she abruptly stood up. “Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve got groceries to put away, and I also have to finish the reading for my next class. Please tell Mr. Quinn to let me know if there’s anything I need to do at the restaurant. Otherwise, I’ll wait to hear from him about when I can return to work. Thank you for coming.”

  They really had no choice but to leave. Her mother looked really frustrated, but the last thing they should have done was make Jada feel threatened by their continued presence. One call to Gage at the police station, and both of them would be in big trouble. Visions of matching mother-and-daughter orange jumpsuits flashed through her head as she stood up and motioned for her mother to do the same.

  When they reached the door, she smiled at Jada. “Thanks for talking to us. If there’s anything we can do to help, let us know. Or if there’s anything you’d like us to tell Owen.”

  Then she waited to see if Jada would point out that she had no way of contacting them since she didn’t have their phone numbers. When she didn’t, Abby acted as if the realization had just hit her. “Oh, I’m an idiot. Calling me would be easier if you actually had my phone numbers. Do you want me to write them down or do you want to add them to your contacts?”

  Either would work, but she wanted Jada to be able to reach out to her if she felt the need. Maybe Jada had friends to support her, but for some reason Abby doubted that. There was an air about her that spoke of profound loneliness, maybe because of the recent loss of her father. Regardless, if Jada did call Abby, she’d come running.

  Meanwhile, Jada quickly keyed in the numbers for Abby’s cell and landline. As she finished up, Abby had her own phone at the ready to add Jada’s information to hers in return. With that done, it was time to hit the road.

  As soon as the door closed behind them, her mother started to go into a full meltdown. “Why didn’t you—”

  Abby cut her off mid-tirade. Pitching her voice in a soft whisper, she said, “Wait until we’re in the car. I suspect she’s watching us from the front window. If not, and she really did head out to the garage to bring in groceries, she’ll hear every word we say.”

  At least her mother waited until Abby started the car and was headed down the street before she tried again. “I know she was hiding something, and so do you. Why didn’t you press her on the matter?”

  “Because she asked us to leave, Mom, and because we can’t actually force her into talking to us. We pushed as hard as we could, maybe too hard. I’m guessing something we said panicked her. If that’s true, we’ll be lucky if she doesn’t call Gage and report us. Believe me, you don’t want that to happen.”

  She waited for the intersection to clear before pulling out into traffic. It was time to head back to the house. It was probably bad on her part, but she really wished her mom would decide to return to her own home for a few days. Abby could only speak for herself, but she could really use a break from her mom’s company. With Owen in jail, it didn’t take a genius to guess that wasn’t going to happen.

  When she pulled up to a stop sign, she gave her mom a quick look to gauge her mood.

  If she had to guess, it wasn’t good. She was no doubt frustrated and angry that they hadn’t gotten more out of Jada. Couple that with her worry over Owen, and it was a pretty volatile mix. Maybe a change of pace would help.

  “Is there anywhere you’d like to stop? Maybe at Something’s Brewing for a latte and a piece of gooey butter cake.”

  Her mother continued to stare out the passenger window and sighed. “Maybe another time. Right now I just want to go home.”

  She turned to look at Abby. “Your home, I should’ve said. I can’t go back to my place until I know Owen is going to be all right.”

  Knowing it would do no good, Abby pointed out the obvious. “Mom, you’ve already done everything you can for him. If he wasn’t involved, Gage will have to let him go eventually. I think the limit is something like forty-eight hours.”

  Abby regretted her words the second they slipped from her mouth. It had been like throwing gas on the fire. “What do you mean if, Abby? You can’t possibly think Owen killed that man.”

  “No, I don’t. I worded that poorly, but it doesn’t change the fact that there’s nothing more we can do. Any interference on our part might only make it harder on him.”

  Her mother’s grim expression made it clear Abby’s words had fallen on deaf ears. As they drove along Main Street, her mother kept her gaze focused on something in the distance. Finally, she sighed. “It’s just now sinking in that Snowberry Creek really has become your new home.”

  Abby tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “And that’s a problem why?”

  Her mother briefly glanced at Abby. “After your divorce, I figured you’d find a place to live in the same general area as the condo you and Chad shared and then start looking for a new job, something you’d find challenging. That got derailed when Aunt Sybil passed away and left you t
o deal with her entire estate. After that, I told myself you were only moving into Sybil’s place because that was the easiest way to get it ready to put on the market.”

  Gesturing toward the buildings that made up the main business district in Snowberry Creek, she continued, “Instead, you’ve obviously made a lot of friends here and gotten really involved in the community.”

  “Again, Mom, what’s wrong with that? It’s not like I moved halfway across the country or anything. Even in heavy traffic, I’m less than a two-hour drive from your house. And while Snowberry Creek is a small town, especially in comparison to Seattle, I like living here. The people are great and have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. I also love being so close to the Cascades and being able to see Mount Rainier in the distance. It’s a great place to live.”

  “That’s true, but this is all far off the trajectory I thought your life was on. You always focused on whatever goals you’d set for yourself, but I don’t see that you have any plan of action now. It’s as if you’re hiding down here.”

  When Abby started to protest that assessment of the situation, her mother held up her hand to stop her. “I’m serious, Abby. I know what happened with Chad hurt you badly. Believe me, I’m aware how difficult it is to pick up the pieces and start over, but you’re strong enough to do it.”

  And here Abby thought she’d been doing exactly that, which was why her mother’s assessment of her current situation hurt so much. It was tempting to lash out, to point out the fact that her mother hadn’t let any man get close for years after her own divorce.

  Worse yet, her mother wasn’t finished. “And then there’s the fact you’ve gotten caught up in all of these murder cases. Forgive me for reacting like a concerned parent, but it scares me. You can make new friends back in Seattle, and the job market is bound to be better there. Seriously, don’t you think it’s time you moved on?”

  Once again her mom lapsed into a dark silence. Right now it was a toss-up if her bad mood was because of Owen or because Abby hadn’t reacted well to the criticism of her recent life choices. Either way, it was just more proof that the two of them needed some time apart. There was only one problem with that. Short of throwing herself on Tripp’s mercy and begging him to let her hide out in his house, she really had no place to go. It was also clear that her mom had no intention of leaving until Owen was a free man again. Heck, she might not leave even then.

  Abby shuddered at the thought.

  Evidently the silence had only been the calm before the storm, because her mom picked up right where she’d left off. “Look, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Abby. But as your mother, it’s my duty to let you know when I think you need to rethink some of your decisions.”

  It was tempting to slam on the brakes and order the infuriating woman out of the car, but Abby didn’t have it in her to do that. She settled for a little plain speaking of her own. “Your opinion is duly noted, Mother. It will also be ignored. I’m a grown woman, capable of making my own decisions. While I will admit at times I’m still feeling my way in this new life I’m building for myself, on the whole I am happy. That should be enough for you.”

  More silence.

  When her mother drew in a breath as if to start in again, Abby braced herself. “I’m not sure if that’s really true. I can’t believe hanging out with a group of women in their eighties and doing a bunch of busywork for different groups here in town is enough of a challenge for a woman with your education and abilities.”

  Abby immediately pulled over to the curb and shut off the engine. When she opened the car door, her mom caught her arm. “Wait, where are you going?”

  “I’m getting out of here.”

  “But why?”

  Abby tossed the car keys in her mom’s lap. “Let’s see—first you told me you don’t approve of my life choices, and then you basically call me a liar for saying I’m happy. Sorry to be such a disappointment, Mom. Rather than stay here and see what other constructive criticism you might have to offer, I’m going to walk home.”

  Then she got out, slammed the door closed, and stalked off down the street.

  CHAPTER 11

  A few seconds later, the car started. Abby didn’t even bother to glance in her mother’s direction as she drove by. Maybe she’d just thrown the adult version of a temper tantrum, but too bad. She really needed to walk off her anger—and hurt—before facing off with her mother again. It was less than a mile to her house, but she could always do a couple of extra laps around the block if she was still fuming by the time she reached her own street.

  She’d only gone a few blocks when two familiar figures came into sight, headed straight for her. Maybe it was a coincidence that Tripp had chosen that moment and that particular route to take Zeke on an outing, but she doubted it. She kept walking at the same deliberate pace until they met somewhere in the middle. To avoid making immediate eye contact with Tripp, she bent down to pat Zeke on the head. Finally, when she thought she could speak without crying, she asked, “What did she say to send you out on a search and rescue mission?”

  “That you weren’t very happy with her right now and had stormed off in a huff.”

  She straightened up, still keeping her hand on Zeke. Right now she needed that connection with his unconditional love to keep herself grounded. “That’s putting it mildly. As it turns out, she doesn’t like me living in Snowberry Creek. Seems it’s not ambitious enough to satisfy her high expectations for her daughter. When I pointed out I was actually happy living here, she essentially said I was lying. Not sure if she meant I was lying to myself or her.”

  Too restless to stand still, and not sure she wanted to hear Tripp’s response, she started walking, letting him and Zeke follow as they would. They fell into step beside her, but Tripp didn’t say a word when she bypassed the most direct route back to where they lived.

  After another two blocks he finally spoke. “I’m sorry she feels that way, Abby. I swear your mom and mine must be reading from the same playbook.”

  “Seriously? Your mom doesn’t want you to stay in Snowberry Creek?”

  “Yeah, recently she’s been waging a campaign to get me to move back East. I’ve told her the highway runs in both directions. If she wants us to live closer together, she’s free to pack up and come out here.”

  “Think she will?”

  “No, she wants to be close to my sister and her kids, which is why she wants me to move home. In short, it would be easier to uproot my life since there’s only me.”

  At the next cross street, Abby turned left, taking them farther from their neighborhood. She had to ask, even if she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. “Are you thinking about it?”

  It was a huge relief when he answered, “No, I’m not. I like this area, which is why I moved here in the first place. I also can’t switch schools without losing credits, and I really want to finish my degree as soon as possible.”

  He paused a second and then added, “Mostly, though, it’s the people here I would miss. She’s been threatening to come out for an extended visit to see what’s so wonderful about this area that it keeps me from moving back.”

  The snarled knot of tension Abby had been trying to untangle eased up. Hopefully she was one of the people keeping him anchored right where he was. “You do know that if your mom ever wants to come visit, she’d be welcome to stay at my house. I’ve got plenty of room.”

  After all, his house had only the one bedroom. Why had her offer made him break out in laughter? “What so funny?”

  “Heck, you can’t get your own mom to leave. What if mine moved in, too? Just think what our lives would be like if they double-teamed us. Snowberry Creek would never be the same.”

  She shivered. “I hadn’t thought about it in that way. The offer still stands, but only if you help me get rid of my mom first. We’ll need a plan, though.”

  They both pondered the situation for the next block. Then she thought about Jada and wondered what secr
et she was hiding. It had to be substantial if owning up to what had happened that night had her running scared and left Owen sitting in that cell.

  Tripp stopped when Zeke paused to inspect some azaleas to see if some other dog had stopped by there recently. After circling the shrubs a second time, Zeke left his own mark on them. Mission accomplished, he snorted and gave himself a good shake. Then, with a wag of his tail, he proudly started on down the sidewalk, dragging his two humans in his wake.

  Once they were in motion, Tripp shook his head. “I might be stating the obvious here, but I figure the only way to get your mom to leave is to clear Owen’s name. Did Gage give you any idea about how his investigation is going?”

  “No. You know how he is about that kind of stuff.”

  Gage wasn’t the only one who didn’t like Abby poking her nose in matters best left to the police. Tripp also didn’t like surprises, especially when it came to her safety, so she owned up to where she and her mom had gone after leaving the jail. “There is one thing, though. Owen has an employee, a college student named Jada Davidson. She’s the one who worked in the food truck the night of the movie. Owen asked us stop by and let her know she’d get paid even though the restaurant is closed right now.”

  “That’s decent of him, but I’m guessing there’s more to it than that.”

  “Yeah, supposedly she’s the reason he disappeared for nearly half an hour at the movie. He told Mom that Jada had never worked the truck by herself, and he needed to make sure she hadn’t run into any problems.”

  “Seems reasonable.”

  “Yeah, but when we asked Jada about it, she acted pretty evasive. Mom explained we were trying to figure out the timeline for that night. Then she laid it all out for Jada, at least as far as what we already knew. We figured it was a five-minute walk to where the truck was parked and the same amount of time to get back. If he was gone thirty minutes, that left twenty minutes unaccounted for. That’s as much as we know at this point.”