“He is my friend. We’re besties.” The word I’d heard so many of the birthday guests use tickled me to no end. It must have been the right one, for Emily smiled.
“I’ll wait until you come to the tent where there will be a basket of eggs ready and waiting for you.”
By now, the police officers and rescue crew had arrived. They shooed us away from Gerald and Emily. Knowing they were in good hands, Edmund and the three of us women climbed the embankment to the trail and began our trek to the tent.
With his hand on my shoulder, Edmund remarked, “That was very generous of you. Where will you get the eggs? We hid all that we had.”
Bun added, “I think it was, too. I was generous enough to allow Emily to touch my face. Bullies are so mean. Margery was a bully, but you took care of her. I doubt she’ll ever try to harm me again.”
“Bullies shouldn’t be allowed to get away with those actions. I’ll do my best to find out who they were. Gerald could have died from that fall. As for the eggs, the eggcellent station has extras to donate. I’m sure they won’t mind giving some to Emily.”
I left the others behind when we arrived at the tent and went to the eggcellent station. Large trays still held beautifully painted eggs that were a feast for my eyes. Stan Fin, the man in charge of the station, was the only soul left. He stared at me as I gasped in awe over the sight of the eggs.
“Are you looking for something special, Juliette?”
I quickly explained what happened to Emily and asked if I could replace the ones stolen from her.
“Poor kid. Go ahead, take what you think she’ll like. Did you report this to the event chairman?”
“I plan to. I wanted to take care of this first.” I reached for two more eggs and set them in the basket he had handed me.
“Make sure you tell him. He’ll want to know so this doesn’t happen again if we hold another hop next year.”
I thanked Stan and returned to my station. Molly had found a bag of assembled bows with streaming ribbons attached under Della’s stand. She rushed forward, brandishing a colorful bunch. In a flash, she’d fastened the glorious array to the basket’s handle. We stepped back to admire our work.
“Looks perfect to me.”
Molly grinned and agreed.
An hour later, Molly left with Jessica in tow, while I remained behind with Bun. All the volunteers were involved in other activities that were coming to an end. Sheriff Carver stepped into the shady tent, wiped perspiration from his brow, and set his hat on a table before he took a seat.
“You did well today. My people were impressed.”
“Really? I nearly bit Adam’s head off. I’m sure he mentioned that.”
He snickered and nodded. “He did. It was my fault; he was only following orders.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t like being ordered around. You should know that by now, Jack.”
He tipped his chin toward the rescuers as they exited the trail and remarked, “It’s about time.”
The team rolled Gerald, strapped onto the gurney, into the ambulance as we watched.
Adam escorted Emily to the tent. I handed her the basket that brought a squeal of delight from her.
“I can have this all to myself?”
“You sure can. You’re very brave, Emily.”
“I have to go now. Thank you and your rabbit, too.” She stepped close and touched Bun’s ears and nose, then hurried to the ambulance. Adam lifted her in and closed the double doors.
I heard a tiny sigh.
“She likes me a lot.”
“Seems your rabbit has a fan club.”
“You know, Jack, he is a wonderful rabbit. It’s too bad you refuse to see that. I have to get home. I’ve missed out on the other functions today, but this job was important.”
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“No need. I’ll stop to see Bailey, if she’s still here.”
Jack remarked, “Try to stay out of trouble, won’t you?”
I rolled my eyes and walked away.
Crowds had thinned and the parking lots were almost empty. With a brief detour to speak with Alvin, I related Gerald’s incident and assured him that the injuries weren’t life-threatening. I omitted the fact that I had seen a human costumed as a rabbit like the one at Della’s crime scene. If Sheriff Carver wanted to share that information with Alvin, then he could.
By the time I reached Bailey’s section of the grounds, she’d taken down the stage and started the process of packing up the puppets.
I let Bun out of the sling and waggled my index finger at him. He knew this meant he had to stay close. After all, I’d had enough excitement for the day and I didn’t need him to wander off to create more. When his left ear tipped forward, I took it as a sign that he understood.
“Need a hand?”
“Yeah, can you open the back doors of the van for me and help me load up?”
“Sure thing.”
I left Bun behind, trotted to the van, and opened the doors wide. It didn’t take long before we’d fit everything into the vehicle. “Thanks, Jules. I appreciate the help.”
“How did the show go?”
“The kids were wild and crazy until I started, then they became calm and engrossed in what was happening. It always amazes me that kids nowadays, most with access to the internet and mind-boggling video games and such, can still be entertained by puppets. It says something about live entertainment, doesn’t it?”
“That’s how I feel when they respond to the rabbits at parties and public functions. Not everything in life should be internet related. It’s good for kids to have the option of real live animals, such as mine, and to be part of your interactive puppet shows. I like them, too.”
“You do?”
“Do you?”
“Of course. It’s great to see what scripts you come up with. You charm the kids, bring laughter and joy into their lives that doesn’t include violence of any sort. It’s rather refreshing.”
I waited until she closed the van doors before I shared my day. As I got into the story, her look of astonishment became quite obvious. By the time I’d finished, she’d leaned against the vehicle, her arms crossed, and a look of disgust on her face.
“People never cease to amaze, do they?”
“That’s for sure. I wish I had been able to get my hands on those bullies. I’d have turned them over to Jack Carver and let him scare the bejeepers out of them. My other thought was how their parents could allow the little beasties to do such a thing.”
“If you can, share your thoughts with Alvin when the council meets to discuss the event. The first time is always the most difficult, since no one knows what might happen.”
“I already did. I’d better get back to the farm.”
“Oh, wait. I’ve had a couple of requests for us to entertain at upcoming birthday parties. I’ll email you the info so you can check your calendar. Mora Lindsey stopped by between shows to ask if we were available in June to entertain at the summer camp for the elderly folks. I said you’d be in touch with her. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. I’ll reach out and see what date and theme Mora has in mind. I’ll be in touch.” I scooped Bun into my arms and walked toward my car.
“At least one of you had a terrific day. All we got were difficulties.”
“I think we managed to figure out who’s nice and who isn’t, who might have had a grudge against Della, and who might not. It’s a place for us to start, anyway.”
“Of course, you’re right. I think I’m just overwhelmed by all that took place today.” Bun pawed the sling I had tossed onto the seat and crumpled the material for comfort.
I drove through town, picked up fast food at a drive-through burger joint, and sped back to the farm. Bun wasn’t the only one overwhelmed, so was I, even though there was rabbit work to do. I sighed and parked the car in front of the barn next to Sheriff Carver’s. He leaned against the fender of his vehicle, looking around as if he had
nothing better to do.
Chapter 8
Without a word of greeting between us, he dipped his hat covered head toward me and accompanied me into the house. Bun hopped onto the rug in front of the sink to listen. To hear what? It might have been to get the latest and greatest news. I wanted to know if he’d found any leads on Della’s death, but then, I was anxious to dive into the burger and fries in the bag I’d dropped on the table. I still had to care for the rabbits.
Jack opened his mouth as the phone rang. Jessica’s name and number scrolled across the screen. I answered the call and listened as she said that she and Molly had prepared supper for the rabbits. All I had to do was dole it out. About to hang up, I paused when she asked, “Did you hear that Sheriff Carver has a suspect in custody for Della’s murder?”
“Is that so? I didn’t know that.”
“He’s there, isn’t he?”
“Yes, thanks for taking care of the rabbits. I’ll be in touch.”
A snort came across the line before our call ended.
“Would you like coffee or iced tea? How about a sandwich?” I asked as Jack took a seat at the kitchen table.
“Coffee would be great. It’s been a long day.”
I agreed and set the coffeepot to brew for two. “It sure has and it isn’t over yet. What’s on your mind, Jack?” I pulled the meal from the bag and started to eat.
“I have a suspect at the station that I’ll be questioning shortly. He might not be Della’s killer, especially since the lab report isn’t in yet, so we aren’t certain how she died. I think he might know what took place that day, or at least knows why she was killed.”
In between bites, I placed a milk pitcher and a sugar bowl on the table, along with a few napkins. Jack watched every move I made while he snatched a couple of fries. It was as though he was trying to read my body language. Cops learn that skill early in their training, and besides Adam, the sheriff was the only other officer I’d ever seen who could pick thoughts off a person. I knew this because both men had done as much to me, which I found disconcerting.
The coffee ready, I filled two mugs and brought them to the table, before settling in for what could prove to be an enlightening conversation, or time wasted while being questioned about Della’s murder, again. I sipped my coffee. Jack blew on his and then took a swig that scalded his tongue. I held back a smirk.
“What does your suspect have to do with me?”
“Nothing, yet. I wondered if you’d come to the station to look the guy over and give me your opinion of him.”
“Tonight?”
“Yeah, sorry, I know you’ve had an incredibly busy day and still have work to do, but it would help if you could do this for me. I don’t have anything solid to charge him with and can’t lock him up. He’s waiting in the interrogation room.”
The interrogation room was more like a box because it was square and encased in bulletproof glass panels on three sides. The fourth side was a solid wall that sported a two-way mirror where victims or witnesses could see the person being held. If identified as the guilty party, charges were filed and the culprit locked up. Otherwise, they’d be set free. I ruffled my curly hair with my fingers and considered a refusal. What if the guy was the killer, or knew who was? What then?
“You might as well give in and say you’ll do it. Our help is needed. You realize that, don’t you?”
“I suppose I can run down to the station after I feed the rabbits. You can give me a hand to make the work time shorter. That way, we can get to headquarters quicker so you can do your job.” I never expected Jack to agree to my suggestion, but he did.
“I don’t have to handle the rabbits, do I?”
His tone filled with disgust, Bun said, “Oh, for goodness’ sake, doesn’t the man know anything about feeding animals?”
“Uh, no. Didn’t you have a pet to care for when you were a kid?”
“Nope. My mother was allergic to animals—at least that’s the story I got whenever I asked for a pet.”
Instead of feeling sorry for his lack of a pet, I stood up and beckoned him into the barn. The fridge was stacked with neatly secured bundles of food. I set them on two trays and handed one of them to Jack, who looked bewildered.
“I’ll show you how to hang one in a cage and you can handle it from there, okay?”
“Are you sure you trust him? He doesn’t look eager to take on the job.”
I glanced down, put a bundle in a bowl on the floor mat for Bun, and left him to it. Jack stood at the first cage staring at PR, short for Peter Rabbit, who waited for supper. His lovely brown fur coat was soft and shiny, his nose wiggled, and his whiskers jittered in anticipation.
I opened the small trap door next to the spot where I always hung bundles to show Jack how it worked. I hurriedly snapped the trap door closed. “Be sure the trap doors make that snapping sound, so you’ll know it’s secure.”
Jack nodded and stepped to the next cage. He handled it so well, I left him and moved on. “I’ll be in the next aisle.”
Expecting him to fumble the job, I was pleasantly surprised when he said he’d run out of bundles. I took Petra’s food to her cage and gave Jack the last few bunches left on my tray. Petra was fed a special diet during her pregnancy. I reached in, smoothed her long fur coat, spoke softly to her, and hung her meal lower than usual.
“Why is her food different than the others’?”
“She’s pregnant. Jess thought it wise to set up a special diet for her. She should bring her kits into the world fairly soon.”
Jack moved away from the cage, washed his hands in the sink, as did I, and asked, “Can we go now?”
“What is with him, anyway? It’s not as if we’re filthy, bug-infested critters.”
I waited for Jack to leave. As he drove off, I said, “I have no idea why he reacts to you and the others that way. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with dogs. Are you ready to go? I need your expertise.”
“Of course, wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
It didn’t take long to get to the station, nor did we have to wait on the bench in the foyer. Jack escorted us into the room that overlooked all that happened during interrogation.
I caught my breath when I saw who faced the mirror. Rob Brayton relaxed in the chair, his hands resting lightly on the table. While his face was expressionless, his green eyes appeared intense. If the way Rob acted during our earlier conversation was any indication of how he fielded questions, Sheriff Carver’s patience would be sorely pressed.
Carver shuffled papers from within a folder in front of him. “I understand you knew Della Meeny. How friendly were you?”
“Not friends, at all. I knew her by sight and from our interview for the volunteer position.”
“So you knew her enough to speak to, then?”
Rob shrugged. “I guess.”
His answer likely annoyed Jack, but he kept his cool.
Watching seemed a waste of my time, though while I observed Rob, the memory of Della’s dead body returned. Mentally, I reviewed all I’d heard, seen, and smelled. The wind that rustled leftover fall leaves on the ground, crisp and shriveled from the weather. The potent, yet sweet, smell from lily of the valley flowers atop Della’s chest. All was as clear to me as if I now stood at her side. I remembered how the tall figure in a rabbit costume, hurrying up an embankment across the small valley, had caught my attention.
I shook my head, cleared my mind, and searched my memory for any tiny bits that I might have disregarded at the time. Our eyes tend to play tricks on us when we least expect them to. The human rabbit had startled me, and I’d been taken aback by the sight of him. The tall rabbit, covered from head to toe, left no inkling of who might be wearing the disguise.
To accuse Rob of anything would be unfair, and I refused to do so. If, in the future, evidence came to light that implicated him, then so be it. I wouldn’t take on the responsibility of claiming he was the person who had killed Della.
I too
k a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, and murmured, “Is there anything you remember about Della’s scene that would make you believe Rob is her killer?”
“Not a thing, how about you?”
“Nothing. If Rob knows something about Della’s death, he certainly won’t share it with Jack, or anyone else.”
A knock on the door of the interrogation room was interesting. A well-dressed man, who looked like he might be a high-priced and very sharp attorney, waited for Jack to open the door. Adam stood beside the man, his focus on him and no one else.
Jack let them in and I heard the man introduce himself as Rob’s attorney. Ralph London knew his way around the law. His professionalism, attire, and sharp-eyed attitude said so. He shook hands with Jack and asked if Rob had been Mirandized.
Carver glanced at Rob. Still idle at the table, Rob shook his head.
Jack turned to back Ralph. “This young man is here for a friendly conversation, nothing more. I’m investigating the death of Della Meeny and plan to question everyone I can find who might have known her. Your client was a volunteer at the event held on the Perkins Park grounds. He knew Della. I’m trying to get a well-rounded picture of her, her life, and her associates.”
“He hasn’t been read his rights or charged, then?”
“No, he hasn’t.”
Ralph looked at Rob and asked, “Is there anything you want to say?”
Rob straightened in his chair, stared at the sheriff, and said, “It’s time to leave.”
The two men walked from the room without another word. Sheriff Carver watched them go and then looked at the mirror. I was at the door when I heard Jack say, “Don’t leave yet; they are still here.”
I stopped to wait until he said I could make my exit.
“Criminy, that sure was interesting. Why would Rob need a lawyer? Do you think he’s been in trouble with the law in the past? He’s arrogant, too.”
“I think his arrogance is an act, but I don’t know him very well and can’t be sure. You’re right, it was interesting. Unfortunately, Jack didn’t get very far before the attorney arrived. Hmm.”
The door opened and Jack stepped inside the room. “Well?”
Hop 'Til You Drop Page 7
