Look Into My Ice (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 12)

by Hope Callaghan

  “How did you…”

  “The crutches are a dead giveaway,” she smiled. “Do you need anything from the deli?”

  “No thanks.” Gloria turned to Andrea.

  Andrea nodded. “I’ll take a small container of chicken salad and a pound of shaved ham.”

  While Kate prepared the order, Andrea and Gloria finished perusing the aisles. They reached the checkout counter at the same time Kate arrived with Andrea’s deli items.

  She placed them on the counter and Gloria stepped to the side while Andrea paid.

  “I heard you and Sally Keane had it out yesterday,” Gloria said.

  Kate gave Gloria a quick glance and then returned to the task at hand. “Sally is a trip.”

  “Yes, she can be,” Gloria agreed.

  Kate rolled her eyes. “Something about me chasing after ‘her men.’ Like I would want those old farts. A donut eating cop and some slimeball who hits on all the women.” She shivered. “The guy gave me the creeps. I have no idea what she saw in him, or what the other woman saw in him, for that matter.”

  “What other woman?” Andrea and Gloria asked in unison.

  “I don’t know her name. She was skinny with gray hair.” Kate waved her hand dismissively. “I’ve only seen her once and the only reason I remember is Sally and she were having some sort of heated argument back near produce. I overheard them mention a man’s name and only later put two and two together that he was the guy they found in the lake.” She shrugged her shoulders.

  Gloria shifted on her crutches. “Did you tell that to the police?”

  “Yep.” Kate nodded. “I guess that was one of the reasons Officer Joe Nelson took me to the station, to ask me about the other woman.”

  Andrea leaned in. “Did the officer happen to mention the name of the other woman?”

  “Yeah, but for the life of me, I can’t remember what it was.”

  “That’ll be twelve dollars and eighty nine cents,” she told Andrea, who pulled her debit card from her wallet and handed it to the attractive woman.

  The wheels in Gloria’s head were spinning. Motive – jealousy. Opportunity – what better place than right next door to the victim. “I think I know who killed Ed Mueller.”

  After Gloria paid for her purchases, the women made their way out of the store and onto the sidewalk. “I’m sure I know who killed Ed Mueller. Now all we have to do is figure out how to get a confession.”

  “If the police haven’t already done it,” Andrea pointed out.

  Back at the farm, Gloria opened the passenger door and Mally scrambled out. “Thanks for driving today,” she told Andrea as she balanced on one leg and reached for the crutches.

  “Thank you for letting me tag along,” Andrea grinned. The smile quickly faded. “You’re not going to try to confront the suspect on your own, are you?”

  Gloria shook her head. “No. I have a couple phone calls to make before I do anything.” The first call would be to Eleanor Whittaker to ask her if she’d noticed any lights on at the cottage next door to the Mueller’s cottage.

  She grabbed her groceries, hobbled to the house and up the steps, and then waved to Andrea when she reached the porch.

  Mally, who had been patrolling the property, met her at the door.

  She shut the door when they were both safely inside.

  Gloria dropped her purse on the chair and hung her keys on the hook by the door, along with her jacket. She put her groceries away and a blast of cold air from the fridge caused her to shiver.

  The inside of the drafty old farmhouse was chilly so she turned the thermostat up a couple degrees before grabbing her cell phone from her purse and making her way into the dining room.

  Before Paul had moved in, Gloria had done some rearranging and her computer desk, which had previously faced the corner, now faced the kitchen. She swung around, took one big hop and plopped down in the chair.

  “Drat! I forgot my reading glasses.” She switched the phone on and then squinted at the screen as she scrolled through the list of names. When she reached Eleanor’s name, she pressed the call button and placed the phone next to her ear.

  The phone rang and rang, and Gloria was about to give up when a breathless Eleanor answered. “Hello?”

  “Eleanor, it’s Gloria. Is everything alright?”

  “Yes, I was just putting a fresh batch of cookies on a plate for company and thought I heard the phone ring. It took me awhile to get to it.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you rush.” The thought of Eleanor hurting herself trying to reach the phone caused Gloria to feel guilty for even bothering the poor woman.

  “Have you cracked the case?” Eleanor asked anxiously.

  “Well, that’s why I’m calling. Do you recall seeing any other lights on at the cottages down by the lake…say for example, the cottage to the left of the Mueller’s place?”

  Silence. Gloria wondered if they’d lost connection. “Hello? Eleanor, are you there?”

  “I’m here Gloria. Funny you should say that because I remember a light on in the cottage next door. It was the Clemson cottage.”

  Gloria’s hunch had been correct and she remembered running into Lynda Clemson in the Quik Stop. Lynda fought with Sally over Ed Mueller. Could it be that Lynda confronted Ed Mueller in a fit of rage, they had fought and she killed him?

  Eleanor pulled Gloria from her musings. “Oh. Lynda Clemson called a short time ago and asked if she could stop by. That’s why I was making cookies. I see her walking through my backyard now. Odd though, that she didn’t just drive over. I don’t see her car at her place, either. Maybe it broke down.”

  Gloria tightened her grip on the phone. The woman had been hiding her car in the garage and it was still there because she didn’t want anyone to see her car parked in Eleanor’s drive!

  She interrupted Eleanor. “Eleanor! Whatever you do, don’t answer the door. I have a hunch Lynda is the killer. If she thinks you’re a witness and may have seen something, your life is in danger!”

  “Oh dear!”

  Gloria jumped out of her chair and headed to the kitchen to grab the house phone. “Stay on the line, Eleanor. I’m going to use my house phone to call 911!”

  Her stomach churned as she hopped on one leg to the kitchen phone. She grabbed the phone, punched in 911 and hit call.

  “911. What is your emergency?”

  “Someone is trying to break into my friend’s house. She lives at 212 Overlook Street, Belhaven, Michigan. We need police there as soon as possible.”

  “What is your friend’s name?”

  “Eleanor Whittaker. Please hurry!” Gloria’s mouth grew dry, as if she had swallowed a box of cotton balls. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to the sweet lady!

  “I have her on the other line.”

  “Is she able to hang up and call 911 so we can stay on the line with her?” the operator asked.

  Gloria talked into her cell phone. “Eleanor. What’s happening?”

  “She’s ringing the front doorbell,” Eleanor whispered into the phone.

  “Police are on the way. Are you able to hang up and dial 911?”

  “Yes. I can do that.” The line disconnected.

  Gloria talked into the landline. “She just hung up and is going to call.”

  Gloria disconnected both lines and began praying. “Dear God, please protect Eleanor!”

  Gloria was torn. On the one hand, she wanted to hop in the car and race over to Eleanor’s. On the other, she didn’t want to get in the way. She paced the floor and watched the clock. Five minutes. Ten minutes.

  When half an hour passed, her growing concern over Eleanor’s welfare won out. She lifted her purse off the chair, slipped her barn Croc on her foot and pulled her jacket on.

  As quickly, yet as carefully as possible, she trekked across the yard and into the garage. While the garage door opened, she slid behind the wheel.

  She backed out of the driveway and pulled onto
the main road. Gloria’s cell phone beeped and she glanced at the front. It was Lucy’s cell phone.

  “Hello?”

  “Something is going on over at Eleanor’s place! Her drive and street are swarming with cop cars!”

  Gloria’s breath caught in her throat. “I-Is there an ambulance?”

  “Yep,” Lucy confirmed. “I’m parked at the end of her street.” Lucy relayed the scene. “The police are out of their cars but kind of ducking behind the doors like they do on television during a hostage situation.”

  Chapter 21

  Eleanor Whittaker kept one eye on the shadowy figure outside her front door. Her hand trembled as she dialed 911. “This is Eleanor Whittaker, 212 Overlook Street, Belhaven, Michigan. I think someone is trying to break into my house.”

  “One moment…yes. We dispatched an officer. He is only a couple minutes away. Can you escape through a back door or barricade yourself in a room until police arrive?”

  Eleanor’s eyes darted to the living room. “Not without having to walk right by the front door.” She gazed at her rear slider. The slider led out onto Eleanor’s second floor deck. There were no steps to ground level. If she took that route, she would have to jump.

  Eleanor shifted her gaze back toward the living room and the front of the house. On the other side of the living room was a hall leading to the bedrooms. If she could make it past the living room, she could lock herself in her bedroom. “I might have a shot at making it to my bedroom.”

  Lynda Clemson began pounding on the front door. “Eleanor! Open the door!”

  Eleanor dropped onto her hands and knees, the house phone gripped in one hand as she crawled across the floor as quickly as possible in a desperate attempt to reach the hallway.

  The front doorknob rattled. Eleanor could tell from the tone of the woman’s voice that Lynda Clemson was growing desperate. “I’m going to break in!” she yelled.

  Eleanor picked up the pace and scooted across the floor, the skin on her knees rubbing roughly on the orange shag carpet.

  Whack! The whole door shook.

  Eleanor lifted the phone. “She’s kicking the front door open!”

  Whack! After the whack came a cracking noise.

  Boom! The door flew open and a wild-eyed, crazy-haired Lynda Clemson rushed in.

  Lynda’s gaze focused on Eleanor…and the phone she had pressed to her ear.

  “Give me the phone!” Lynda lunged for the phone, easily ripping it from Eleanor’s grip.

  She pressed the off button and then hurled the phone across the room before stomping over to the front door and slamming it shut. The busted door swung back open.

  Lynda Clemson dragged a nearby chair to the door and shoved it against it to keep it closed before turning to face Eleanor.

  “You! It’s your fault the police are onto me,” she snarled as she waved a gun Eleanor hadn’t noticed…probably because the crazed woman was ripping through her house like a banshee.

  Lynda reached down, grabbed Eleanor’s upper arm and yanked her to her feet, knocking the wind out of poor Eleanor.

  “You should have minded your own business you old ninny. Now I’m going to have to kill you, too.”

  Eleanor’s heart skipped a beat as she stared into the eyes of a crazy woman.

  Just then, the sound of a police siren filled the air.

  Lynda jerked sideways and peered out the window.

  Officer Joe Nelson exited his patrol car and raced to the front door, one hand on his gun holster and the other on his baton.

  “Tell him you’re fine and to leave.” Lynda shoved Eleanor toward the front door, the gun pointed at the back of her neck.

  The doorbell rang.

  Eleanor hovered near the side, the cool tip of the gun firmly pressed against her skin. “Yes?”

  “It’s Officer Joe Nelson, Eleanor. Is everything okay?”

  Eleanor had a split second to decide. No matter what she said, Lynda planned to kill her. At least if the officer attempted to come in, she would have a fighting chance.

  “I’m being held hostage!” she yelled through the door.

  A piercing pain shot through Eleanor’s skull as Lynda Clemson grabbed a fist full of Eleanor’s hair and threw her to the floor.

  Lynda leveled her gun and fired a shot through the front door, narrowly missing Officer Joe Nelson.

  The cop hit the pavement and quickly crawled to the side of the house. He snatched his radio from the hip clip. “This is Officer Joe Nelson. I have a 417 with a possible hostage situation. Requesting immediate backup. The suspect is armed and dangerous.”

  Eleanor remained motionless on the floor and stared at Lynda Clemson as she backed away from the door.

  The woman was out of her mind!

  “C’mon granny. We’re going out the back way.”

  Lynda reached down to pull Eleanor to her feet. Eleanor shifted to the side and rolled over onto her knees. “I can get up.”

  The women marched over to the rear slider and when Lynda realized there was no way out the back, Eleanor was certain the woman would promptly shoot her dead.

  Sirens filled the air.

  “Sit,” Lynda commanded, as she kept one eye on Eleanor and the other out the front window. The street quickly filled with cops and cop cars, their doors flung open and their guns drawn.

  Lynda began to pace the floor, mumbling under her breath.

  Eleanor could only hear a word or two – “murder,” “hostage” and “shoot my way out.”

  Eleanor’s eyes darted around the room. She had two choices. Wait to die, or find some way to catch Lynda off guard.

  She stiffened her back. Only God was going to take Eleanor Whittaker out! Not some two-bit floozy who had killed her lover!

  The only thing within reach was a toaster. She could bonk the woman over the head, but chances were she wouldn’t get her good enough to knock her out and grab the gun.

  The only other thing on the table and within reach was a plate of cookies. Next to the table was her walker.

  “Lynda Clemson, surrender before anyone else gets hurt.” Officer Joe Nelson’s voice echoed through a bullhorn. “We have the place surrounded. There’s no way out.”

  Lynda paused her pacing as she counted. “Six…make that seven cop cars!”

  Eleanor shifted to her feet and reached for her walker.

  Lynda gave her a brief sideways glance. Deeming Eleanor a non-threat, she turned her attention to the front of the house again.

  Eleanor seized her chance while Lynda’s attention focused on the police. She tightened her grip on the walker, lifted it up in front of her, tilted it sideways and charged at Lynda Clemson like a bull.

  One of the front walker wheels made contact with the back of Lynda’s head. The other wheel jabbed her in the middle of the back.

  “Ugh!” Lynda stumbled forward and Eleanor continued her assault. The woman, caught off guard, dropped to her knees and fell forward. During the fall, Lynda lost her grip on the gun, which landed a few feet away.

  Eleanor, seizing her opportunity, trampled over the top of Lynda and darted to the front door. She shoved the chair aside, jerked the door open and darted out onto her porch.

  The first thing Eleanor saw were guns, pointed right at her. She lifted her hands. “Don’t shoot!”

  She eased down the steps and over to Officer Joe Nelson, who placed a protective arm around her shoulders and swiftly pulled her to safety behind his open patrol car door.

  The next several moments were a blur of activity as an officer tossed a container of tear gas through the open front door.

  Moments later, Lynda Clemson crawled out the front door. Police quickly pinned her to the ground and cuffed her.

  The realization of all that had occurred hit Eleanor Whittaker like a ton of bricks. Her front yard began to spin and her ears began to ring. The last thing she saw before she fainted was Gloria Rutherford-Kennedy’s concerned face.

  ***

  The gi
rls settled into the center table at Dot’s Restaurant and waited for Eleanor to tell her tale.

  “So before I could stop to think about it, I lifted my walker and charged Lynda Clemson, knocking her over and then running out the front door of my house.” Eleanor lifted the teacup to her lips and sipped.

  “What an incredible story,” Lucy said as she reached for a pecan swirl and nibbled the edge.

  Ruth, who knew all the goings-on in the town of Belhaven, chimed in. “The story goes that Ed Mueller was planning to rendezvous at Lynda Clemson’s cottage the night of his death. Before he went there, he stopped by the Quik Stop to buy a bottle of wine and some deli items, along with cleaning supplies.”

  “Wining and dining his girlfriend,” Margaret said.

  Ruth nodded. “Yeah. Well, apparently he began to hit on Sally Keane and when she gave him the cold shoulder, he finally got the hint and left.”

  “Lynda Clemson stopped by the store a short time after Ed had left and Sally told Lynda how Ed had just been there and hit on her.”

  “Enraged, Lynda left the store after getting into it with Sally. She showed up on Ed’s cottage doorstep and they argued inside after she confronted him about flirting with Sally. They got into a physical altercation and Ed slapped her face. Lynda stormed out.”

  Ruth continued. “Ed followed her to her cottage and the argument escalated. Lynda grabbed an ice pick and stabbed him, later claiming she didn’t want to kill him. Realizing he was dead, she panicked and placed his body on a sled in her shed, dragged his body to the shanty he’d put on the lake and dumped him inside.”

  Gloria cut in. “I don’t understand why he would put his shanty out on the ice if he didn’t plan to stay.”

  “Sheryl told police that was one of the reasons he was there. He put it out on the lake because he planned to sell it.”

  Gloria remembered the “For Sale” sign under the bag that contained a new lockset. That made sense.

  Andrea chimed in. “Sally Keane told Officer Joe Nelson that Ed had hit on her and he confronted him out in front of the Quik Stop before Lynda caught up with him. The next day, after his body was discovered the cop / boyfriend, thinking perhaps Sally had killed him, tried to look for evidence. That was why he was hanging around the Mueller cottage.”