Murder Fir Christmas

by Joyce Lavene

  It was a long hike. They got around the side of the lake and began the steeper ascent into the rugged terrain. There was the occasional path that they could discern, but mostly it was just them out there in the middle of miles of trees. Bonnie glanced at her watch. She wasn’t going to make it home for lunch. She tried to call her mother but couldn’t get enough signal on her cell phone.

  Instead she called the police department on her radio and got rerouted to Officer Trump’s police car. She told him her dilemma, and he promised to stop in to check on her mother. Bonnie thanked him and kept moving along with the bear.

  A little after two p.m., they reached a creek that was full of water from the melting snow and ice. Bonnie paused for a moment and splashed some of the cold, clear water in her face.

  The bear lifted her head after taking a deep drink and sniffed the air. She bellowed and began to take off in another direction further into the forest and away from Sweet Pepper. There seemed to be no stopping her as she recognized a previous dwelling and headed for it.

  “You forgot your chicken,” Matthew called out after her. “Oh well. I’m starving. I think it’s time for lunch.” He dropped to a large rock at the side of the creek. “Chicken?”

  They stayed there eating and talking for about thirty minutes. Matthew looked around at their location and thought there was a faster way back to civilization from where they were. “It looks like we’re a lot further from Sweet Pepper than we are. We could’ve been up here an hour ago.”

  “The bear didn’t exactly bring a map with her.” Bonnie washed the chicken from her hands in the creek water. “But we got her up here, and she didn’t try to eat either of us.”

  “No wonder. She knew you were on her side.”

  “Please. She knew I fed her so she was willing to put up with me.”

  “Has no one else ever noticed this about you? You worked with animals for the last ten years and no one thought your methods were insane?” He stared into her eyes until she looked away.

  “I spent a lot of time by myself. But I’ve never had anyone make such a fuss over what I do.”

  “Are the people in Alabama crazy and blind? Or do they all talk to animals?”

  Bonnie got up from the sunny rock where she’d been sitting. “The people in Alabama were friendly and wonderful. I hated to leave them.”

  “Oh yeah?” He glanced up at her. “Anyone in particular? Maybe they were afraid of you. Otherwise I think you would’ve brought someone back with you. No love interest?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but there was someone. It just didn’t work out.”

  Matthew stood up close beside her. “We’re working together. That makes it my business. And you can ask me anything about my personal life. You already know about my ex and my son. I was seeing a waitress over at Scooters Barbecue for a while, but that didn’t work out either. Anything else you’d like to know?”

  “Not really.” But she smiled as she said it. “We should get going. It’s a long walk back, even with your shortcut.”

  “How can you say that? I haven’t showed it to you yet.” He pointed in the direction they needed to go and then turned his warm eyes back to her. “How about dinner Friday night—no kids and no relatives?”

  “You don’t waste any time, do you?”

  “I can’t afford to. I saw the way that wolf pup looked at you. I’m sure humans are probably affected by your charisma too. Ricky was flirting with you. Maybe John Trump too. It’s good for people to know up front that you’re with me.”

  She laughed as she followed him down the trail he claimed to be able to see. “That’s the worst reason ever to go out on a date with someone.”

  “Oh sorry. Did you think I meant it was a date? No. This is just a friendship new working partner thing.” He kept talking even though the terrain grew tougher with trees growing closer together.

  “Really?” Had she misjudged his flirtations?

  Matthew stopped and grinned when she walked right into him.

  “No. Absolutely not. I just want to make sure no one else tried to date you.” He put his big arms around her.

  Her face was pushed into his chest—he was several inches taller than her. “You’re very subtle.”

  “Subtle? Subtlety never got any man a girlfriend.”

  Bonnie put her arms between them. “Are we hiking out of here or what? I’d like to be back before dark.”

  “Sure. What did you have planned?”

  “Okay, I’m taking point now.” She disengaged herself from him and started walking again. Was he serious? It was hard to tell. Not that she wanted him to think of her romantically. They barely knew each other.

  “See?” he asked from behind her. “Isn’t this much better now that we both know how we feel?”

  “I don’t think either one of us feels any particular way about the other. Just keep walking.”

  “You walk. I’ll follow. Try not to fall into the lake when we come to that sharp drop-off just beyond those trees. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy a little mouth to mouth with you, Bonnie, but not after you were drowning.”

  She laughed at him again and kept walking. The trees were so tightly bunched together that it slowed their progress. Then suddenly the trees were gone, and her next step would have taken her over the edge of a sharp, twenty-foot drop into the cold lake.

  Matthew immediately wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her back from the edge. “You thought I was joking, didn’t you?”

  Bonnie wasn’t close enough to the edge that she was worried about falling. She hadn’t lived here in a long time, but she knew there were some scary and dangerous spots around the lake. She’d hiked these mountains since she was a teenager.

  “I wasn’t that close to the edge,” she told him. “And we should maintain a professional relationship if we’re going to work together. But thanks for your help.”

  He was right about the way back. It took a lot less time to reach the truck than it had taken to get above the lake. Of course they weren’t shepherding a mother bear on the way down either.

  They got in the truck and drove back to Sweet Pepper. Bonnie was hoping the impound lot was still open since it was after three p.m. She had no idea how long it stayed open.

  There were carolers dressed in costumes from the 1800s walking along the sidewalks, singing Christmas songs at the top of their lungs. A church bell rang in the distance, and a sleigh with one horse was parked in front of town hall. The sleigh and the horse were decorated with flowers. The horse even wore a Santa hat.

  “Christmas in Sweet Pepper,” Matthew sighed as they passed the town lit by twinkle lights. “Almost as good as Christmas Eve in the valley.”

  “Are they doing something for Christmas in the valley now?” she asked. “They never did anything besides selling trees when I lived here.”

  “It’s different now. Christmas Eve is the official end of the tree-selling season. There’s a parade and Santa. People throw candy in the streets, and music plays until midnight to celebrate Christmas Day. Everyone has pancakes and sausages at the general store. And then we go home.”

  “Sounds exciting,” she remarked as they stopped at the gate to the impound lot. “I’m here to get the Hummer,” she told the man at the tiny guard house.

  “Could I see some ID on that?” he asked, holding a clipboard. Dozens of sets of keys were lined up on the wall in the shack.

  “Really, Sparky?” Matthew glanced around Bonnie’s head. “Are you really asking me for ID?”

  “Well, no. Not if it’s you. I didn’t see you in there. It’s getting dark.”

  Bonnie held out her ID. “You’re releasing the vehicle to me anyway.”

  “Oh, sure, Agent Tuttle.” Sparky grinned and handed her the keys. “Chief said to give you a message too. He’s got something going on at the police station. He’d like it if you’d go there when you’re done here.”

  “Thanks. I will.”

  It wasn’t hard to
find the Hummer in the dimly lit parking lot. It was the biggest thing there. Bonnie left her keys in the truck and got out.

  “Don’t you want me to drive the Hummer?” Matthew asked as he got out too.

  “I told you—we can’t do that. Regulations.”

  “Don’t you ever break any regulations?”

  “Not so you can drive the Hummer,” she retorted. “Be careful with my brother’s truck. Thanks for your help.”

  “Okay. But I feel so used, you know? You just push me aside, even though I saved your life today.”

  “Dream on.” She waved as she got into the Hummer. Despite the fact that Matthew Brown Elk was a little crazy, they’d worked well together that day. She had to remember to put in a pay voucher for him and have him put on her regular contractor’s list.

  The Hummer drove like a tank. She wasn’t surprised but was glad she’d driven every kind of truck and farm equipment in the past ten years. The vehicle seemed so out of place in quaint little Sweet Pepper. It took up two parking places in front of town hall.

  Still, it would be helpful during the winter when the roads could be impassable. There was probably nothing—including a tree down in front of her—that it wouldn’t go through or over.

  Chief Rogers was waiting inside for her. She grabbed a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin before she sat down with him. She was exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. This would tide her over until she could get home for supper.

  “Where have you been all day?” He sat opposite her at his big desk. “You didn’t answer your cell phone, but you managed to get a message out to Trump about your mother.”

  She described her day for him from the time they’d parted company at the island. “The important thing was we managed to get the bear away from the houses. I think she’ll sleep peacefully now.”

  “Good work. I’d rather you took care of those calls than us.” He smiled. “I have good news on another front. Judd identified a fingerprint on the red jeweler’s bag you found out there. We didn’t have to look far. It belongs to Vince Stookey. He’s still not talking. The one thing he says is that he didn’t kill Ray Hoy or Harvey. But I think we’ve got him.”

  “Did he say what happened to the ruby?”

  “No. He says he didn’t know anything about it. But I think we have enough to file with the DA. We’ll see. But I’ve charged him with both murders, one count of B and E, and whatever the charge is for stealing Harvey’s body.”

  “That’s good news,” she said, though it seemed to her that the evidence was flimsy. “Thanks, Chief. I’ll sleep better tonight knowing that.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  But Bonnie didn’t have the restful night she’d envisioned.

  Everything was fine at the house. Her mother had made lunch for John Trump when he checked on her. She’d also had dinner waiting in the oven for Bonnie when she got back. Rose had gone to church, where they were working on wreaths for the Christmas Eve celebration. She’d left a note with the food and said she’d be back around ten.

  The little wolf wasn’t in his kennel, but she’d come to expect that. He was sleeping peacefully on her bed. Bonnie would believe that her mother was letting him out because she felt sorry for him, except that she had the key to the lock on her keyring. She lured him back to his kennel with some chicken. He was looking healthy and strong but might have a few scars on his back from the fire. His fur was already growing over the spot where the bullet had hit him.

  “Listen, you,” she said. “Matthew says animals understand me. If you do—stay off my bed. It’s starting to smell wolfy in there. I couldn’t find your mother, but we have a good idea where she is. It won’t be long, and I’ll take you up there to be with her.”

  He whined and lay down in the kennel without eating the chicken. His eyes stayed fixed on her.

  “I told you that you can’t stay. Trust me, you won’t want to when you get bigger. There’s a whole world out there for you. Goodnight. See you tomorrow. But not on my bed.”

  Bonnie latched the kennel but didn’t bother to lock it. She went out and moved her brother’s truck to the side of the house. She might use it for shopping if her truck was too expensive to repair. The Hummer was her work vehicle now. She missed her little Jeep that she’d used in Alabama.

  After that, she finished going through all the papers and files she and Matthew had taken from Harvey’s old office that morning. She smiled, thinking about him as she read the papers. It was hard to say if he always acted that way with a new woman or if he was seriously flirting with her. Maybe it was being out of the town that had done it. Only time and getting to know him better would say.

  In the meantime, it had kind of cheered her up and helped her forget about Saul. She’d thought he might call when he found out she was gone. He still had her number. He was probably off somewhere helping his niece, Zoe, with her food truck business. It hadn’t been his niece that caused Bonnie to believe she and Saul had no future. It was Saul himself and his reluctance to make anything permanent. He had a better relationship with his albino alligator than he had with most humans.

  It was better not to think about it that way, she chided herself as she got up to add wood to the fire and get a fresh cup of hot cocoa. She was mixing the drink when someone knocked at her door. The little wolf howled as she went to answer it. Yes, he was definitely going to have to live in the wild again.

  “Hi, Agent Tuttle.” It was Jean Shelton.

  “Mrs. Shelton, please come in. What can I do for you?”

  “I hope I’m not disturbing you.” Harvey’s wife came in the foyer and looked around. “I was just thinking about a few things and wondering if you might be able to answer some questions for me.”

  “I’ll try. Have a seat.”

  “I know you mentioned something about a ruby that Harvey found that he may have been killed for.” Mrs. Shelton twisted her hands in her lap.

  “That’s right. Would you like something to drink? I have coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.”

  “No. Thanks anyway.” Mrs. Shelton stared at Bonnie, her eyes still red from crying. “We have a financial crisis, Agent Tuttle. It seems my husband cashed in his retirement to put money down on the beach house. I’m assuming, though he never said a word to me about it, that he planned to sell this ruby to pay for it and replenish his account. So now I have no money, and Chief Rogers has told me he can’t find the ruby.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Bonnie said. “Maybe the finance company will let you get his retirement savings back if you release the beach house.”

  “They don’t sound very flexible about it. In fact, they are threatening to sue me for the rest of what is owed on the beach house. I’m not sure what to do about it. You know what the job pays. We don’t have that kind of money.”

  Bonnie studied her, wondering why she’d come to her with the problem. She had to know that the Tuttles didn’t have anything to lend her to help with the problem. “What can I do to help?”

  “I need that ruby. My husband didn’t steal it as far as anyone knows. That means it belongs to me now. I need to sell it and make everything right.”

  “Of course. I understand.” Bonnie frowned. “But I really have no idea where it is. We’ve checked all over. It may be with whoever killed your husband.”

  “I’ve been afraid of that, and I’ve been thinking. Would it help if I offered a finder’s fee? Chief Rogers said the ruby might be worth millions. If it would incentivize someone to come forward, it would be worth it.”

  “Maybe that would help,” Bonnie replied, not really sure about that. If someone had the ruby, why not just sell it and take it all?

  “Would it help you?” Mrs. Shelton’s look was coy.

  “No, ma’am. I’m looking as hard as I can for Harvey’s killer but not for the ruby. You’re welcome to try what you can to locate it. Please be sure to notify the police department if someone comes forward.”

  “I will.” Mrs. Shelton got to her feet. “I hope y
ou’ll do the same and keep me in your thoughts as you search. Of course I want the killer as badly as you, but we could lose everything if the ruby isn’t found.”

  Bonnie stood, inches over Mrs. Shelton even with her shoes off. “I’ll do the best I can for you. Good luck, ma’am.”

  When the other woman was gone, Bonnie thought about the predicament Harvey’s good fortune had put them in. There was really nothing she could do to help, but she felt bad for them. It hurt her professional pride that Mrs. Shelton thought she would do a better job if she offered her a financial reward, but it didn’t really surprise her.

  Rose got home a little after ten, filled with stories about working on the wreaths. Bonnie told her a condensed version of her day, and the two went to bed. The little wolf didn’t howl when her mother came in the house, as he had when Mrs. Shelton had shown up. It was easy to compare him to a dog, but she knew that was a mistake. Wild animals were always wild.

  They went to bed soon after, but Bonnie couldn’t sleep. She’d already talked to her mother about using the office her father and brother had used in the house, and now she found herself in that room straightening up and boxing her brother’s personal belongings so she’d have room for her own.

  She remembered being in here plenty of times as a child when her father worked on what he planned to do to make the Christmas tree farm more productive. He and Eric had huge files in great detail on planting, fertilizing, and cutting. Neither one of them had been full-time tree farmers, even though it seemed like it from the amount of work they’d put into it. Bonnie hoped she was up to the task of working on the trees and keeping up with her work as a Wildlife Agent. She wasn’t happy with the idea of giving up either effort, but she couldn’t envision not doing her job with animals and humans that required so much of her.

  By midnight, she felt settled into the office. She put up a few of Harvey’s maps of the area they served. It was a huge territory, encompassing most of Tennessee and even part of North Carolina, which included the Cherokee Reservation. She’d have to plan some time to meet with the Cherokee tribal council soon. It was just another addition to a long list of settling into her job.