“There has been a development in the investigation.”
“Oh?” I remarked.
“It has come to light that Rob Brayton is a confidant of Alvin Peterson’s.”
Surprised by the revelation and that Alvin had omitted it when he called, I took a swig of coffee to let the importance of their relationship sink in. “And?”
“We think Rob and Alvin planned Della’s murder. It seems Della tried to get rid of Alvin so she could take over his council position. In the meantime, Alvin found out what she was about to do, and he made plans to get rid of her instead. Rob was Alvin’s backup in the whole thing.”
I opened my mouth, but Adam raised his hand to stop me from interrupting.
“Wait, I haven’t finished yet.”
I gave him a nod.
“Before hauling both of them in for questioning, we wanted your opinion.”
“Funny you should ask for that. I have information, too, and I would like your opinion, especially now that Alvin’s involved.”
With a keen look, Jack asked, “What have you got and where did you get it?”
I poured a second cup of coffee for me and refilled Jessica’s.
“I had a call from Alvin last night. He asked me to tell you something without mentioning his name due to the possibility of bad publicity for the council. He said he thought Frank Poland had killed Della.” I went on to repeat all he’d said, then sat back and waited.
Neither man spoke right away. They digested what I’d told them, instead.
“Gracious, you’d think we were the cops and they were common, untrained sleuths.”
While I agreed and wanted to laugh, I couldn’t. I leaned down sideways, scratched Bun’s ears, and gave him a wink.
With a look of bewilderment on his face, Jack asked, “You mean to tell me Alvin called to implicate Frank in Della’s murder?”
I nodded. “Quite a coincidence, wouldn’t you say? Frank’s dead and can’t defend himself. Convenient, huh? The old guy is up to something. What that is, remains a mystery. How did you come by your information?”
“You know I can’t divulge that, Juliette.”
That’s when Jessica entered the conversation. “Oh, but Jules must tell all, though. I hardly think that’s fair.”
“Be that as it may, I still can’t say. Police business and all that.”
“Don’t forget for one second, Jack, that you asked me to help out. If you don’t share all, then count me out of this, as of right now.” I pushed back my chair and looked at Jess. “It’s time to get to work. My rabbits are waiting for breakfast.”
Jack blustered, Adam hid a smirk, and Bun hopped toward the breezeway, waiting for me and Jess to catch up. The three of us left the men behind. I wasn’t as irked by Jack’s behavior as Jessica was, mainly because I knew he wouldn’t have told me anyway. I only asked in case he might.
Jess was on a roll. “He didn’t hesitate to put you in danger, though, did he? He won’t tell you where he got his info. You know, you might even walk into a bad situation without realizing it.”
She was right, of course, but I knew Jack would reach the same conclusion. That possibility would cause him to tell me. I murmured as much to Jess and watched her start to grin. “You knew he’d hold back. It’s a game he plays, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sometimes it’s a dangerous one.”
“You’re certainly right about that.”
We went through the usual morning routine of caring for the rabbits, when Jess asked, “Are you concerned for Molly’s safety?”
“More so than ever. I’ll have a word with her when she comes in today. Never let it be said I was the cause of harm, should that ever happen.”
“Uh-huh. I wasn’t thrilled by the offer to use her campus friends and associates for information.”
“Me either, but she’s got a good head on her shoulders. We need to have confidence in her abilities, to not overstep and cause suspicion. Especially since we know the sheriff is in his dog-with-a-bone mode. He’s certain that Alvin, Rob, and Frank were involved in some way with Della’s death. Who killed Frank, and why, is another mystery.”
We finished up, scrubbed our hands, and I opened the barn doors to receive a delivery. Jess had work to do and left me and the deliveryman to haul the goods inside. I signed the paperwork and noticed the sheriff and Adam had left. Contemplating what the two had said, I put the order away.
Several rabbits played in the exercise pen while a few others were outside in the fenced area. Walkabout Willy remained indoors. He ran back and forth through the clear Plexiglas tunnel, seeming to enjoy himself. Bun waited for his turn and finally insisted Willy should take a break. I complied with his request, knowing full well that he wouldn’t stop yammering if I didn’t. I guess animals do train us. We don’t necessarily train them.
Allowing the rabbits more playtime, I wandered through the gift shop and checked for an inventory list. I found it written in Molly’s neat cursive. I tucked it in my back pocket and continued into the clinic.
Two dogs and a cat waited with their owners. The dogs found the cat interesting, though the cat showed disdain for them, as only cats can. I greeted everyone, petted the animals, and waited for Jess to appear. Her mother stood behind the counter, going over appointments and such. She looked up at me and said, “It’s quite a busy morning.”
“That’s terrific.”
She smiled and continued working. I wondered if her words were a subtle hint for me to leave, but disregarded the thought. When she glanced up as Jessica walked toward the desk, I stepped back and waved before I left. What I had on my mind could wait.
A second or two later, I heard Jess murmur my name as she scooted into the shop. “You wanted something?”
“I’ll make lunch if you have time to eat, and show you what I’ve come up with for our lecture. I’ll give Denton a call, too.”
“Okay, great. See you later.”
Not only had I not heard from Denton, I wondered if he’d changed his mind. The opportunity to speak to the students was too good to pass up. We’d be on campus, which offered a chance to ask questions of those familiar with Frank and Rob.
Denton’s business card held two numbers. One was the college number, the other his cell phone. I dialed his cell. He answered on the first ring.
“How are you, Juliette? You were on my list of calls to make today.”
“I’m fine. I hope I haven’t interrupted you?”
“Not at all. You must be looking for the particulars of the class, am I right?”
“You are. When would you like Jess and me to speak to your students? I also need the time that the class will start. Oh, and an estimate of how many people to expect.”
“I’ve outlined the information for you and gave it to Molly. She dropped by earlier and mentioned she’d see you this afternoon. Nice young woman, very bright. You’re most fortunate to have her work for you.”
“We are thrilled. Molly’s very smart and fun to be around. The students at my shop adore her.”
“I heard you found Frank Poland. That must have been a shock for you. I’m sorry you had that experience.”
“It was. Frank’s death is mind-boggling. Did you know him well?”
“He was one of my best students—a sharp mind and terrific personality that would have taken him far. His death was not only surprising, but a real shame. His parents fly in tomorrow. The dean will handle that. I’m glad I don’t have to.”
“Frank seemed well-liked when he worked at the event. I can’t imagine why anyone would kill him. He was dressed in a rabbit costume, you know.”
Other than Denton’s breathing, the line was silent.
“Are you still there?”
“Yes . . . uh, sorry. I have to get going, I look forward to you and Jessica being here.”
The call ended before I could utter a sound. I quickly rang Molly. Her voice mail picked up, so I left a message for her to return my call.
“How
did Denton take the costume news? It’s possible he was aware of Frank’s attire and didn’t want to let on.”
“It had occurred to me. Are you all set for a while? I have to get lunch ready. I think Jessica’s mother will be joining us.”
“I’m going into the barn and I promise not to get into trouble.”
“I’ll hold you to that promise. No surprises, okay? Don’t instigate Willy to act out, either.” Usually, I trusted Bun on his own, though when something mischievous that he shouldn’t do occurred to him, Bun acted on it without consideration of the consequences.
His whisker jittered and one side of his lip drew back. I’d never seen other rabbits do this, so I always took it to mean he found it funny. “I won’t. You have my word on that.”
Lunch consisted of soup, salad, and sandwiches. I pulled out two cans of Progresso minestrone from the cupboard, emptied them into a bowl and set it in the microwave. The salad quickly took shape. I set the table for three and got to work on sandwich fixings. Before long, lunch was ready. I heard the two women coming through the breezeway. They entered as I took glasses from the cupboard.
“There’s iced tea or hot coffee, your choice. Help yourselves to lunch.” I brought the heated soup to the table and added a ladle to the bowl. We ate, talked, and laughed.
Mrs. Plain enjoyed herself, which was good to see. She’d been a bit short with me in the clinic, leaving me to wonder if all was well.
“You know, dear, Jessica brags about your food all the time. It’s very good of you to keep her well-fed.”
“We developed the habit of eating together when we first started working together. Jess didn’t always have time to run home for a meal before her classes began, and frankly, I find it boring to eat alone.”
“I could see where that might happen. Do you have a beau?”
Slightly surprised by the term beau and by the question, I shook my head. “Not for me, I’m afraid. The farm is all-consuming.”
Jessica nodded. “Same here. The clinic takes most of my time. By the end of the day, I’m too tired or busy to date.”
“In my mother’s day, it was expected of women to marry and have children. Things sure have changed since then. I didn’t marry until I graduated secretarial school and found employment.” Mrs. Plain shook her head. “I would like to have had the same freedoms you girls have.”
“You don’t regret getting married, do you, Mom?”
“Not a bit. I just would have liked to live a little before settling down.”
My cell phone rang and Molly was on the line. I took the call on the porch.
Her voice excited, Molly said, “I’ve got what we discussed, I’ll see you later. Oh—and Denton left some papers for you. I’ll bring those by, too.”
“Great, what time will you arrive?”
“My last class for the day is at one, so I’ll come to the farm right afterward.”
“Okay.” I tucked the phone in my pocket and returned to the kitchen. Jessica and her mother looked up at the same time. “Everything okay?” Jess asked.
“Uh-huh. Now, who would like dessert?”
“What’s on the menu?” Mrs. Plain asked.
Bun had just come in from the barn and paused to listen to our exchange.
“Chocolate ice cream and brownies. I bought the brownies at the market bakery,” I admitted with a grin.
Jessica remarked, “I wondered when you had time to bake; you’ve been so busy lately. I’ll have a brownie. Mom, what would you like?”
“Both.”
I asked Jess to give Bun a snack while I served dessert. She went into the fridge, plucked a Bun snack off the shelf, and herded him into his room.
“That must be your housemate Jessica tells me about. She says you talk to him. Does he answer?” Her words and smile held no sign of sarcasm, just curiosity.
“When I first decided to be a rabbit farmer, I did a lot of research and found these animals are social. While they can’t talk, they enjoy being spoken to.” I leaned forward when passing her the plate and whispered, “Jessica gets a kick out of it, but I catch her doing it, too.”
After lunch, Jess and her mom went back to work, as did I. There hadn’t been a chance to discuss our speaking plans, so I got started on my outline.
An hour or more went by before I realized it. Molly walked into the house and took a seat opposite me. First, she handed me the papers from Denton. While I looked them over, she helped herself to a cup of tea. I scanned the basics of the information, then set them aside and looked up.
Her features were animated and her eyes sparkled. It was a wonder she didn’t burst before giving me the name and whatever else she’d come across.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Spit it out. Come on.”
“There were more than three. Frank Poland, Rob Brayton, Felicia Brandt, and Erin Britman. Does Erin seem like a rule breaker?”
I shook my head. “What was the charge?”
“They were caught partying.”
“So?”
“With drugs. Not serious drugs, though.”
“Get out—no way.”
“Cross my heart,” Molly remarked as she did so.
“Who was in charge? Somebody brought the drugs, right?”
“You’re never going to guess.”
“Then tell me.”
“Frank was held accountable for being the druggist.”
“Huh.” I stared at the sweet girl in front of me and said, “I’d never have taken him for a drug dealer.”
“Oh, I don’t think he was a dealer, he was a buyer. You see, according to Cora’s report, the students admitted pooling their money to buy the drugs. It was marijuana and some other stuff, not cocaine or fentanyl. At least those weren’t listed.” Molly shuddered. “I can’t imagine ruining my life with drugs.”
“Glad to hear it. No wonder Dean Jasper had a fit. Did the report say who Frank’s dealer was?”
“No, I guess that’s when the dean became angry and threatened to expel them all. They still wouldn’t give the dealer up. Word got around campus that these students were in trouble and Denton visited the dean. He must have made a heartfelt plea on their behalf because they didn’t even have to explain their actions to their parents. Imagine that?”
“Like you said before, the dean would go to great lengths to avoid bad publicity. No college wants that. You were careful?”
“I was. The office wasn’t busy, and I had the place to myself for the most part. Don’t worry, nobody will be the wiser. I think you like this sleuthing business because of the rush you get. I know I did.” Her chuckle was wasted on Bun.
“Oh, yeah, it’s all fun and games until you walk into danger.”
I repeated what he’d said and watched Molly’s reaction.
“I did well, though, didn’t I?”
“You sure did. Thanks for this. I’ll let the sheriff in on it, but will refuse to share my source.”
“Okay, great. I don’t want him to nag me or tell my parents. He and my father are Freemasons.”
“Really? I didn’t know that. Huh, curious.”
“Why do you say that?”
“My father is, too. Dad attended the Masonic Hall on Jersey Street when he and my mother lived in Windermere. Maybe he and the sheriff met each other there.”
“Could be. I’ll be in the shop to prepare for class tonight. Meredith Carver has real talent for spinning. She’ll use her spun yarn to make animal beanies and coats. Don’t be surprised if you receive one for Bun.” With that, she rushed off into the breezeway.
“I refuse to wear a beanie, but a hat would be nice. It gets fairly cold when we go out in the winter, especially at the lake.”
I stared at Bun and said, “You should have mentioned that before. I’d have made you one.”
“You don’t knit.”
“I can knit. I simply don’t have much leisure time, is all.” Self-righteous in my excuse, I added, “But, if you’d rather have Meredith or s
omeone else make you one, then fine.” Childish, I know, but there you have it. If I didn’t spend hours poking my nose in other people’s business to hunt down killers, I might find time to knit. I thought about it for a second and then shook my head.
“I didn’t mean to insult you. It’s just that we spend our days sleuthing and bringing justice to those who deserve it.”
“No worries, Bun, no offense taken.”
Chapter 12
During Molly’s early spinning class, I noticed a car drive in and stared out the kitchen window. Sheriff Carver stopped and went into the studio, came back out and left. I’d called him in between late afternoon chores and said I had some information he should hear. He’d said he couldn’t drop by until tonight, that he’d become inundated with work. I wondered why he went into the shop and didn’t stop to see me.
With time on my hands, Bun and I headed for the lake. The air was warm, though the wind had a chill to it. I made sure we sat on the sunny part of the beach.
“I heard you speaking with the sheriff earlier. Will he grace us with his presence later?”
There was no love lost between Bun and Jack. Bun had no patience for anyone who didn’t listen to our findings, let alone one who wouldn’t take them seriously. Jack, on the other hand, believed that Bun shouldn’t roam freely nor accompany me in my sleuthing. Little did Jack know that Bun had saved my skin more than once. I ignored him when he started to get crabby about my rabbit and me.
“He’s getting better about respecting our tenacity and realizes we’re apt to take chances, even if he doesn’t like it. Now that I’m aware Jack’s a Freemason and that he surely knows my father, he’ll want to make certain that he won’t have to explain to my dad if I get killed or seriously injured.”
“I wouldn’t want to be the bearer of that news either. I’ll cut Jack some slack, but if I hear one more insult, he’ll be persona non grata in my book.”
Bun was probably hoping Jack would step out of line just so he could continue to dislike the man. I smoothed Bun’s fur, checked my watch, and said we should go home. Bun didn’t hesitate to snuggle into the sling. He wasn’t fond of the cold or being out for long periods in a chilly wind. It made me wonder if he was kept in the cold by his former keeper. I had mentioned it once, but Bun refused to discuss the matter. I didn’t press him on the subject, but respected his privacy. Why make him live through unpleasantness when it wasn’t necessary? I didn’t like to discuss my own concerning the car accident that had nearly killed me a couple years back.
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