Did you end up saving him from some bullies or something?” Abby asked. “Like in some college movie? Big, strong jock and quirky nerd become fast friends?”
Gabe gave her a look that said something else entirely. “I wish that’s what had happened,” Gabe said softly, a pained look creeping across his face. “The fact of the matter is, I was the bully. Picked on him almost every day for freshmen year. All I saw was the little nerd guy and a way to impress my friends.” Gabe trailed off, shaking his head. It was clear Gabe regretted what had happened, but Abby just couldn’t see him being a total jerk.
“You’re not like that now, though,” Abby said just as softly, looking at his profile as he drove back to the boat ramp. “What happened? You seem like good friends now.”
“We are,” Gabe said firmly. “Believe it or not, my mouth was bigger than my brain back then, and I picked a fight with the wrong people one night. I was cornered out in the parking lot of a bar in Corvallis with a bunch of bikers. Bad news. They had just started playing with me when the cops showed up and saved my bacon. I saw him over with one of the police officers and overheard him thanking them for coming so quickly.”
“Did you talk to him that night?” Abby asked, wide eyed.
Gabe snorted and shook his head. “Do I look that smart to you? No. I waited a week before finally getting up the courage and asking him if he’d called the cops. He had, and I shook his hand that night. We’ve been friends ever since.”
“That was surprising,” Abby said as the truck turned back down toward the boat ramp. “I can’t picture you being mean or cruel to anyone.”
Gabe gave her a brief glance before nodding. “Good. Honestly, it was a hard lesson for me, but I’m glad I learned it.” He stopped and chuckled as they pulled up near the concrete dock. Becky and Charlie were still standing there with Charlie holding a fat rainbow trout, still on the hook.
“Wow, he did have his man card revoked didn’t he?” Abby asked, chuckling along with Gabe.
“Yep,” Gabe said, and then both of them got out of the truck.
Chapter 13
Gabe cleaned the trout, the whole time shaking his head. “I can’t believe you held that fish for fifteen minutes, Charlie. Don’t you operate on people? You’re a doctor after all.”
“Yes, but I’m not a vet for a reason,” Charlie said, grinning. “I get paid to deal with the messy side of people every day. If I’m going to do something to relax I don’t want it to involve blood and guts.”
Gabe just snorted and finished, throwing the guts into the river and putting the fish into a plastic bag before sliding it into the cooler. “Whatever you say, Charlie. At least let me cook it. I’ve got a great recipe for trout. It won’t feed us all, but we’ll all get a taste.”
“Are we heading back to town then?” Becky asked, looking wistfully out at the dock. “I kind of had fun today. I had no idea fishing could be like this.”
Gabe stood and nodded. “Yeah, I think it’s for the best. Whoever that was might circle back around. I don’t know if I want to take the chance of them taking a shot at us or more likely at Abby. She seems to be making a habit of attracting bullets.”
Abby pursed her mouth and shook her head. “Hey now, I wasn’t the only one that was shot at. I seem to remember you there, as well.”
Gabe picked up the chairs and cooler, calling back over his shoulder as he headed for his truck. “That is true; I might have to tackle you again. Maybe we should stay.”
They all laughed as Abby rolled her eyes. She picked up the poles, leaving the rest of the chairs for Charlie and Becky while she followed Gabe to the truck. “I’m beginning to detect a pattern. After the hospital, would we end up at Callahan’s again? I did enjoy their steak.”
“Normally that’s where we would end up, but since we have a trout to fry, I might have to change my plan. All of my hired guns should be out of the ranger station by now. Maybe we can go up there and use the kitchen?” Gabe said with a fake, calculating look while he rubbed his hands together.
Abby shook her head and laughed. “It wouldn’t work. It’s well-known hired guns can only work for you if you have a mustache you can twirl between your fingers, and you don’t.”
Gabe laughed long with her and nodded. “No wonder they keep running off. Its difficult to find good help these days.” He sighed as he got into the cab of the truck. “If only Cheerio were here, I’m sure he would believe me.”
Abby felt sad as she remembered the look on Cheerio’s face as she walked out the door this morning. The poor dog could almost sense she was going off to have fun. She could picture him running back and forth around the boat ramp chasing sticks or hunting squirrels. Something he wouldn’t be able to do for several weeks now because of her driving.
“What’s wrong?” Gabe asked sensing her distress.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Abby answered. “Just missing him is all.”
Gabe nodded in understanding. “Yeah, I miss him, too, but he’ll be okay. He’s probably home right now being spoiled by Hazel. As long as he has someone there, he’s good.” Gabe started the truck as Becky and Charlie got in the back, waiting for them to buckle. “How’s the PT Cruiser?”
“In the shop,” Abby answered. “The insurance guy came out and wanted it towed to the garage. He said it might make it okay, but he didn’t want to take the chance it could cause more damage if we drove.” Abby frowned and shook her head. “He didn’t even think I knew what an axle was. It makes me angry when people act like that about women and cars.”
Gabe raised his eyebrow up and looked at her as they began driving away from the boat ramp. “Do you know about cars? Honestly, I’m not big on them myself. I’m much better with things that have bark or fur.”
Abby nodded. “I wouldn’t call myself a mechanic, but I know how to change the oil and even helped replace a starter motor before.”
“No way!” Becky said from the back seat. “I borrowed a friend’s car once and ended up with a flat tire. I had to call a tow truck to come out and fix it. I was so embarrassed. The guy showed up, gave me a look, and then it took only fifteen minutes to fix it. I should be able to do something like that, right?”
Abby and Gabe both nodded. “I could show you how,” Abby said, turning to look at her friend. “It’s annoying, but not hard as long as you have all the tools you need to do it. Or if it’s raining.”
“Yeah, raining,” Charlie said. “That never happens up here.”
“Do you know how to change a tire Mister smarty-pants?” Becky asked playfully.
Charlie shrugged and looked away. “Yes, in theory.”
“In theory?” Becky repeated.
Charlie shrugged. “My father showed me a few times when I was younger. However, to answer your question, no, I’ve never had the opportunity to do it.”
“Well, then you can help me try just as long as you take me to Callahan’s afterward,” Becky said and leaned against Charlie’s shoulder, snuggling into him happily. For his part, Charlie rested the side of his head against the top of hers and smiled.
Abby quietly rolled her eyes and turned away from the happy couple while Gabe chuckled softly next to her. “Terrible, isn’t it?” He said, amusement lacing his voice.
Abby didn’t answer, but she couldn’t keep her thoughts from drifting toward her real reaction. Truthfully, it looked kind of nice. The feeling of Gabe’s warm hand on her shoulder came back to her, and she wondered what it would have felt like if she just scooted closer and leaned against his chest. She decided she needed to change the subject before she became too morose.
“Becky?” Abby asked. “When are you going to deal with your café? Have you had a chance to clean out the dining room? I don’t think we can salvage everything, but the plates and silverware should be good, right?”
There was a pregnant silence from the back before Becky answered. When she did so, she sounded slightly guilty like a teenager having put off their homework. “I haven’t yet,
” she said slowly. “Honestly, I’ve been avoiding the whole thing.”
“Well, it’s Saturday tomorrow, and we really should take care of it. Particularly with these two hulking men who can do all the heavy lifting.”
“You’re right, Abby,” Becky said. “Okay, well if all of you are willing to help me, let’s get it done tomorrow. Will nine in the morning be good for everyone?”
Everyone agreed.
Chapter 14
Cleaning the café started on time but went slowly despite opening all of the doors and setting up fans to move air through the building. They had to take frequent breaks, but by noon they had managed to pull all of the dishes, silverware, and table cloths out of the building. It didn’t help the uneaten food had begun to spoil, and even outside it was giving off a noticeable stench.
Becky and Charlie had just returned with sandwiches and drinks purchased from the local Food Emporium. It wasn’t the best food, but working all morning had given them all an appetite and no one complained. They moved to an old wooden picnic bench as far from the building as possible to eat.
“I would’ve thought the stink would’ve died down a little,” Charlie said as he took a big bite of a sandwich. He’d gotten turkey on rye, taking off all of the vegetables before eating.
“It might’ve died down a little if the doors had been left open, but that would have caused its own problems,” Gabe offered while taking a drink of bottled water. “I’m sure your neighbors appreciated you didn’t do that. That thing must’ve been fighting mad to have sprayed that much.”
Becky sighed. “Yes, it didn’t help that someone stepped on it. I think it might’ve been Jay Buckley. I remember looking right at him as he wobbled and I heard a loud squeak. That’s when the smell hit. I think Jay was lucky it didn’t have time to aim but just let loose all over the floor.”
“It got his leg a little,” Charlie said, making a face and shuddering. “He’d come into the clinic just after it happened. He was complaining about how it itched. I ran him out as quickly as I could with advice to go pour hydrogen peroxide on it in the bathtub.”
“I can’t wait to finish with this mess,” Becky said, looking despondently at her café and the fans that were desperately trying to push fresh air into the building.
“Speaking of, did you ever hear back from the bank?” Abby asked. That will help to know how much money you’ll have to redecorate. Hopefully, they play ball. If they fight it, you should sue them into next week, but that means it might wallow in courts for a while.”
Becky held up her phone and grinned. “Actually, that is some good news. I just got an email this morning from the bank’s director or whatever they call themselves. He seemed to be quite happy wanted to settle and offered a lot of money. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to redecorate and even add a second story if I wanted.”
“How much did they offer?” Abby asked. “Not that I’m trying to pry, but really, I am trying to pry.”
Becky pushed a few times on her phone screen and then showed Abby what she’d pulled up. Abby’s eyes got really big, and she whistled. “Oh boy, I bet you said jackrabbits when you saw it.”
“You bet I did!” Becky said, grinning from ear to ear. “And strangely enough, I don’t feel at all guilty about how much it is.”
Gabe and Charlie both looked at the screen as well, and while Gabe seemed impressed, Charlie just nodded. “If anything, it’s a little small. They can’t play with people’s money like that. Honestly, they could suffer government sanctions if you took them to court. I bet they are more than happy to pay this settlement and be done with it. You could probably get twice as much if you pushed.”
Becky took her phone back and turned it off. “Why do you say that?” She said, looking at her boyfriend.
“Because being a doctor, you have to know all about how costly mistakes can be. We had several classes for it when I was going through medical school, and I have to think financial institutions can be hit at least as hard,” Charlie said. “People take their health and their money very seriously. Still, you don’t want to fight too hard. They can drag things out a lot. If he’s willing to pay you quickly, it might be worth the lesser amount.”
Becky looked wide-eyed at her phone. “I can’t imagine this being a lesser amount.”
“See, this is why I like trees and bears,” Gabe said. “Uncomplicated nature. If I see a bear, it either runs away or tries to eat me. Simple.”
Abby, Becky, and Charlie all gave him an odd look before shaking their heads. “Well, you can’t sue a bear and get tons of money to redesign your café, so there is some upside to this,” Charlie said sardonically. “I know a good contractor if you want to talk to someone about what’s possible and how much it will cost. His name’s Eric Capshaw, and he’s pretty reliable.”
“Speaking of fixing things up,” Becky said as she turned to Abby. “Who are we going to talk to now about the mysterious boatman? I suppose we could go talk to the postmaster or Ben Martinez.”
Abby shook her head. “No, I think I know who I need to talk to.”
“Hazel?” Gabe asked.
“No. I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Abby answered. “She wants to keep something secret, and I don’t want to make her angry. I still feel like a visitor in her house. But I never promised not to speak to Mr. Wilberson.”
“Oh jackrabbits,” Becky said. “Do you want us to be there with you?”
Though Becky said it, Abby could tell her friend didn’t really mean it. Also, she didn’t want to make the old man feel like he was being ganged up on so she had decided she would have to talk to him herself. Alone. Hopefully, he wasn’t some crazed killer that had been hiding in her grandmother’s garage for twenty years.
Chapter 15
It took a few glasses of warm milk and reading late into the night before Abby could even think of falling asleep. She was still up, tossing and turning over everything that had happened. Abby knew in her mind how she might confront Mr. Wilberson tomorrow, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy. While he was always polite and respectful, he wasn’t exactly what she’d call friendly. That and it was clear there was something between the man and Hazel. She had seen them look at each other far too often, or sit quietly in each other’s presence not to realize they cared for one another.
Still, she had to get to the bottom of this mystery. Someone had killed Hazel’s brother, and for over twenty years, Hazel had told people he had moved away. There was also this mysterious fight Mr. Wilberson and Rob Morgan had right before his disappearance.
His death, she corrected.
And where did Lara Clark fit into all of this? If Rob Morgan had died that night, but she had disappeared, was she dead as well or did she have something to do with the murder?
Right now, she had far too little to go on. The person in the boat had only been within sight for a few moments. Between that, and how they had been hunched over, it was impossible to tell if it was a man or woman. The other day at the boat ramp was no better. The sun had been shining on the front windshield the car and hidden the driver from view.
Despite how intimidating the thought of speaking to the old caretaker was, she hoped he might shed some light on the situation.
She heard Cheerio shift in his bed on the floor and then go still. A moment later, a low growl came from his chest. Abby had not heard Cheerio growl often, but it was a terrifying sound, especially in the middle of the night. She froze herself and listened to the night around her. It was faint, but she heard something pushed over downstairs.
Abby quickly sat up on her bed and reached for a robe. Putting it on, she tied the sash and stood as she picked up her phone. Cheerio began to whimper softly behind her, realizing Abby was going to venture into danger without him, and she heard him trying to stand. Quickly, she went to Cheerio’s side and petted him, shushing him quietly. “Cheerio, you can’t come with me,” she said, trying to comfort the agitated dog while stroking his flank. “Stay here, boy.”
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Cheerio didn’t like it one bit, but as she pressed him back to his bed, he settled for letting her know how he felt by whimpering and giving her his best puppy-dog eyes. She could swear he was also frowning at her and Abby didn’t blame him.
Abby had meant to open the door just to confirm what she’d heard before calling the police, but she heard something heavy hitting the floor downstairs. Suddenly, the image of her grandmother being assaulted by some dark figure flashed through her mind, and she knew she couldn’t just wait and hope nothing was happening. Abby crept to the stairwell, putting her feet as lightly as she could on the landing before beginning her descent.
About two-thirds of the way down, she crouched and peeked through the banister to try to see if she could figure out what was going on, but it was too dark. She thought she could make out something moving around in the living room, but it was no use. She was going to have to get closer.
Finishing her dissent, she slid her feet along the smooth wood floors and hoped to God none of the boards creaked and gave her away. She couldn’t remember hearing any of them do it before, but she knew this would be the perfect time for to happen. She could picture in her mind’s eye stepping down, and an unholy shriek of wood would sound out, alerting the invading army of thugs in the living room to her presence.
But that didn’t happen.
Instead, she made it to the corner where the hallway emptied into the living room and saw what looked like two figures struggling in the darkness. She decided to take a chance, flicking her phone light on and shining it shakily into the room to see better what was going on.
She only caught a glimpse of two figures with white hair struggling with a shotgun between them. Each of their hands was trying to wrest the weapon away from the other, and by the pale, ghostly blue light of her phone, the shadows danced around them in a confusing chaos.
The light must’ve startled one of them because the shotgun went off with a frightening, far-too-loud explosion. The barrels, both of them yawning pits, seemed to be pointed directly at Abby, and then everything dissolved into a huge cloud of blackness.
Cold Murder and Dark Secrets, A Red Pine Falls Cozy Mystery (Red Pine Falls Cozy Mysteries Book 2) Page 6
