by Joyce Lavene
Chief Rogers was talking to Sandie, who had changed clothes during the night and didn’t look at all as though she’d spent the night in the office. They both wished her good morning and told her to take as much coffee and donuts as she wanted.
“Thanks. I wanted you to have this. It’s possible it could be from the same gun that killed Harvey,” she told him as she explained the circumstances she’d come by it. “I didn’t realize the wolf had been shot.”
“Just as well,” Sandie remarked. “They probably would have killed him and removed the bullet. How’s he doing? I’d love to see him.”
“We wouldn’t have killed him,” the chief defended. “But we’ll see if this bullet matches Harvey’s wound. I thought it was a rifle that killed him?”
Bonnie shrugged. “Ray Hoy had a rifle. I was going by that. I guess this means for certain that someone else was out there too.”
“Maybe.” He shook the bullet in the bottle. “I might have to get a corroborating statement from Brown Elk about removing it from the wolf.”
“I don’t think he’s going anywhere. At least not right now.” She grabbed a donut. “Thanks. How’s the weather report?”
“It looks like blue skies later this afternoon,” Sandie said. “But between now and then isn’t going to be a picnic.”
As she said it, the lights in the building went off.
“I hate when I’m right.” She sighed.
Chapter Five
Matthew was cleaning the snow from his truck as she went out. There was a thick crust of ice on all the vehicles that had sat out during the night. As soon as he’d finished cleaning his truck, Bonnie borrowed his scraper and cleaned her own. That was another thing to add to the list, since she hadn’t used one since she’d left home.
She didn’t see any point in starting her vehicle since it had almost bald tires and wasn’t going anywhere until the streets were clear. Freezing, she got back in Matthew’s truck. He had a CB radio and was talking to someone about plowing the streets.
When he was finished, he explained that Sweet Pepper wouldn’t get a county snow plow until at least tomorrow. “We usually get some local folks in to take care of it. The small plows are at least as good as one big one.”
“I can move the wolf to my truck now,” she said with a smile. “Thanks for your help.”
“You know, I was thinking we could really use that Hummer about now. We should put the wolf inside and let Sandie keep an eye on him. We could take my truck over to the ice house and get the keys for it from Harvey’s body.”
“Can we do that before the autopsy?” She felt faintly wrong about that. It seemed like something they shouldn’t do, although she agreed about the Hummer. It could go through the snow and ice like nothing.
“I don’t see why not, but if it would make you feel better, we can ask Chief Rogers what he thinks.”
“You might have to give him a statement about the bullet. I already gave it to him.”
“That’s okay. I was expecting it. Let’s take the wolf inside.”
A generator had already kicked on to supply lights and heat for town hall. John Trump was on the phone with other officers and people who could use their snowplows to dig the town out that day. Sandie was fielding calls from residents about loss of power and people who needed to get out of their homes for one reason or another.
Matthew shook hands with Chief Rogers and told him his plan. The chief thought about it, not responding right away.
“That’s fine. You have a federal agent with you. She can keep track of everything. Make sure you have a complete record, Agent Tuttle. I have some evidence bags and a pad of paper. Just don’t move him.”
Bonnie took it all and put it in the old satchel she’d brought from her truck. She’d collected evidence before but not from a dead man. She guessed it was basically the same procedure.
“I’ll want that statement, Brown Elk, as soon as you get back,” Chief Rogers said. “The coroner is already gonna want a piece of me for all the discrepancies in the way these deaths have been handled.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand that no one expected any of this to happen,” Matthew said.
The chief grunted. “You don’t know Judd Streeter. But we’ll deal with that later. If you know anyone with a plow, I’d appreciate if you gave them a call.”
“Already on it.” Matthew saluted him.
“Why don’t you work for me? I could use a man like you.”
“That’s probably why,” he retorted. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”
Sandie was already cooing over the wolf that was sleeping in a dog bed and kennel that she’d found somewhere in the building. “He’s so precious. Are you going to keep him, Bonnie?”
“No. The idea is to get him well enough and then release him back into the wild,” she answered with the stock reply she’d been taught. “He’s a wild animal. We don’t want to take that away from him.”
“I’d take him in a heartbeat if it was me,” Sandie said.
“Yeah,” Matthew added. “Just keep your fingers away from his face. He should sleep until we get back.”
They went back out to his truck. The heat had already dispersed, although the windows were clear enough to drive. He added some gasoline from a metal can in the far back and climbed inside to restart the engine.
Bonnie was glad that the heat came back on. “How far is the ice house? Can your truck get through it?”
“With some help.” He nodded to one of the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade engines that had been outfitted with a plow on the front.
“So where are you off to?” a young man asked from the window of the vehicle without leaving it.
Matthew yelled back over the noise of both engines. “We need to get to the old ice house by the pepper factory. Think you can make it?”
“Are you kidding me? This lady will get you all the way to Sevierville if you want to go that far.” The young man nodded at Bonnie. “Who’s your friend?”
“Ricky Hutchins,” Matthew introduced them. “This is Federal Wildlife Agent, Bonnie Tuttle. She’s way too mature for you, and she carries a gun.”
“I’m not a kid anymore, Brown Elk. No one is too mature for me. And I like women who carry guns.” Ricky waved and smiled at Bonnie. “Nice to meet you. Ignore anything this man tells you.”
She laughed and waved back. “Nice to meet you.”
They followed in the cleared wake of the large fire truck. There were no other vehicles on the road, but people were out trying to dig their way through the icy snow. The white coating was beautiful on the mountains and trees, making a picturesque image that was right off of a Christmas card.
The toll on the people was always the hardest. Like the tree branches that came down from the weight of the snow, many people would have heart attacks shoveling. There would be wrecks once everyone was out and moving around again. Any severe weather was stressful for humans.
“Will you live with your mother or at the cabin Harvey used that was provided by the state?”
“I’ll live with my mother,” she said. It hadn’t been a hard decision, knowing that her mother needed her. But giving up her independence had been an uncomfortable moment. “After all, it’s why I’m back.”
He glanced at her. “Not even a twinge of homesickness for the old place?”
“I’ve missed the mountains and the fir trees.” Bonnie smiled. “I’ve even missed the snow.”
“But not the people. I get that. They can be a bunch of nosey, small-town jerks if you let them.”
The fire truck slowed to a stop. They hadn’t reached the ice house yet. Matthew got out of his truck to see what was wrong when Ricky left the engine. Bonnie followed, curious, and willing to help if they needed it.
One man had ventured out. His car had slid sideways in the road and blocked the way in or out of Sweet Pepper. Old Doc Schultz was still in his flannel pajamas with a hooded parka thrown over them, his feet stuffed into knee-high boots
.
“What brings you out so early?” Matthew asked the older man.
“Stupidity. That’s what brings me out. That and the town needing a new doctor to tend to the people of Sweet Pepper. We need a clinic or some damned thing so people don’t have to drive all the way into Sevierville every time they need stitches. I’m supposed to be retired.”
“We appreciate you, Doc,” Ricky said. “What’s up? Maybe we can get you where you’re going.”
“Some fool up at the pepper plant cut his hand on one of the machines and is no doubt trying hard to bleed to death before I can get there. You knuckleheads could’ve had the streets paved by now.” Doc stamped his feet in the cold, his breath tuning frosty in the air.
“Climb in my truck,” Matthew told him. “We’ll let Ricky drive this tank up the hill first. I’ll call someone to move your car.”
“Sounds like a plan, if that offer comes with a ride home too.” Doc shook his head. “I’ve had that offer way too many times and got stranded places not to throw in that caveat.”
“You got it.” Matthew nodded. “This is our new Federal Wildlife Agent, Bonnie Tuttle.”
Doc’s wizened brows knit together. “Tuttle? You must be Rose’s girl. I think I delivered you. I hope I remember every baby that ever slid into my hands, but the mind plays tricks on you. Welcome back to Sweet Pepper. Let’s quit standing here in the cold and get going.”
Matthew called the police about the car after he’d helped Doc get into the warm truck. They were fortunate to be right at the turn to go up the mountain to the pepper processing plant. Ricky skirted between the edge of the road and the car, maneuvering carefully until he made the turn.
“I can’t believe that fool didn’t fall off the side of the road,” Doc Schultz remarked. “He’s reckless with that vehicle. I don’t know why Chief Griffin lets him drive it.”
“He hasn’t wrecked it yet,” Matthew replied. “I’ve heard he’s handy with the engines too.”
Bonnie listened to their conversation as they went up the slippery road that led to the pepper factory. The business, owned by the Carson family, had been there for a hundred years. She remembered taking tours of it when she was in school. Most of the people in the area, including Christmas Tree Valley, worked there. Growing the trees required maintenance but wasn’t a full time effort.
Doc Schultz thanked Matthew after he’d helped him out of the truck. “Don’t forget my ride home.”
“I won’t. I’ll be back for you as soon as we get this lady the keys for her Hummer.”
“I always wanted one of those. Couldn’t afford one on what a country doctor makes. Don’t take too long.”
The large parking lot had been cleared of snow and ice. Salt had been applied to make sure it didn’t refreeze. Matthew made a wide circle in the lot and started back down the steep hill. He’d only gone about a hundred feet before he made a sharp turn onto a gravel road. The ice house was at the end of that road.
Bonnie considered that Doc Schultz only thought Rick Hutchins was a bad driver because he hadn’t been in the truck that long with her companion. She kept one hand on the armrest and one on the cup holder between them.
“Nervous?” he asked. “Don’t worry. You’ll get your snow legs under you after a while. You must’ve driven here in the snow before. You never forget how to do it.”
“It wasn’t something I was happy about then, and I’m not looking forward to it now,” she replied. “But you’re right—I’ll get used to it.”
He pulled the truck to a stop in front of the old ice house. “They say they used this to store ice before it was available everywhere, including your freezer. Now they only use it for hunting sometimes when someone needs to store a kill. Do you want me to come in with you?”
“No. I’m fine. I’m glad you could bring me up here. I hope they can come get these bodies later today.” She took the key from him and opened the door, conscious of him watching her. It was only the aftermath of a horrific day yesterday and sleeping in the truck last night. Everything felt so new and strange. The rest of it could’ve waited a day or two until she got a chance to acclimate.
A single bulb hung down from a wire in the ceiling. The switch to turn it on was beside the door. She was glad there was a light even though it wasn’t very strong and moved as she walked by it.
There were two long, wood tables that each looked a hundred years old. The rickety legs barely supported the six-foot flat surfaces. Only one table had something on it. She guessed it was both bodies stacked together. The medical examiner really was going to have a field day with this.
But when she pulled back the tarp, there was only one body—Ray Hoy. She put the tarp back on him and took a step back to examine the rest of the room. Her mind was telling her that Harvey had to be in here, but she couldn’t see him. It didn’t make any sense for anyone to put him on the floor or under the other table. She took out her cell phone and switched it to flashlight mode to add some strength to the dim overhead light.
The room was only about eight by ten. There were only the two tables. The walls were bare except for some string and wires. There was no sign of Harvey.
The door opened, and she put her head up, startled, knocking the top of it on the bottom of the table.
“Something wrong in here?” Matthew asked. “I was getting worried. Having trouble getting the keys from Harvey?”
“No. He’s not here. Someone must have moved him.”
Chapter Six
He followed the same routine she did searching the small building. He crawled across the dirty floor, which she hadn’t been willing to do, but the result was the same.
“Where did he go?” he asked.
“I have no idea.” Bonnie shivered. The ice house was colder than it was outside. “Let’s get back in the truck and call Chief Rogers. Maybe someone came for the body.”
But Chief Rogers knew nothing about it. “Was the lock still on the door?”
“I opened it with the key you gave us,” she told him. “It hadn’t been cut or forced.”
“Ray Hoy is still in there,” Matthew said as they used the phone in speaker mode. “But no sign of Harvey—not even the blanket I put around him.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Chief Rogers said. “I just spoke to Judd Streeter. He says the roads are too bad to come until tomorrow. I know he didn’t come for him.”
“Who else has access to the key?” Bonnie asked.
“Just me, usually,” the chief responded. “No one else uses it anymore. I gave you the only copy of it, as far as I know.”
Matthew shrugged but remained silent as he stared at the ice house through his window.
“I’ll send John out there,” Chief Rogers said. “Don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
“Do you want us to wait until he gets here?” Bonnie wasn’t sure what was going on but didn’t want anything happening to Ray’s body too.
“I’d appreciate that. I don’t want to have to look for two corpses. Thanks.”
She put her phone in her pocket when the chief finished. “I guess we’ll wait. Sorry to get you into this. I’m sure you have better things to do.”
“Not really. Not until some of this snow has melted. We’re in the middle of the tree season right now. But I don’t expect many people to be out today looking for a Christmas tree.”
He went on to talk about how the business had changed since he was a kid. Matthew ran his tree farm with his brother, Tom. “My mom has retired from it. She watches my son for me while I’m working.”
“Oh. You have a son? How old is he?”
“He just turned five this year. His name is Peter.”
“Does your wife work in town?”
“I don’t know.” He glanced away as he answered. “We haven’t seen her since Peter was born.”
“I’m sorry. It’s good you could be there for him.” She wished she wouldn’t have asked.
“Where else would I b
e? Mara didn’t want Peter, but I persuaded her not to get rid of him. As soon as he was born, she was gone. We weren’t married. It was an accident. Not a pleasant one for her.”
That hit a little close to Bonnie’s heart, and she stopped asking questions. It was hard to sit around with someone and not talk about their lives.
As if he could sense the truth about why she’d left Christmas Tree Valley, he asked, “What about you? Any kids? Married? Why did you leave the valley?”
She wished she could get out of the truck and walk away, but the situation didn’t allow for that. “No kids. No husband. I was young and looking for something else, I guess.”
“Something you found in Alabama that you couldn’t find here,” he guessed. “Until now. And still, only the most dire circumstances bring you back.”
“I visit every year. It’s not like I haven’t seen my family in ten years.
“Yeah. I get that.”
The sun played through the tree tops above them as the sky slowly turned blue. The ice on the trees looked like a diamond glaze that sparkled and shone with prisms of light. It wasn’t long before the heavy snow on the branches above them started falling on top of the truck.
“It never takes long,” Matthew finally said. They’d been quiet for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. “Most of this will be gone by tonight.”
She laughed. “Just in time for everything to freeze again when the sun goes down. I haven’t been gone that long.”
John Trump pulled up in a jeep. Just as Matthew got out to talk to him, Bonnie got a call from her brother.
“I’m going to miss my plane if you don’t get here soon,” Eric said in an irritated tone.
“You told me it was okay to leave Mom alone for a while each day while I’m working,” she answered. “Get on your plane. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Some things came up when I got to Sweet Pepper, worse things than the snow and ice.”
“Look, this is a great opportunity for me. You’ve already wasted your life. I shouldn’t have to waste mine too.”
This was the way their conversations always sounded. Eric resented her for leaving the valley but had still chosen to stay, even before their mother got sick. Bonnie felt guilty that he’d always been there for her mother and put up with his annoying tone.
