by Carly Winter
I sat on one sofa, and she lowered herself on the other. As she glanced around the room and arranged the throw pillows behind her back, I took a couple of deep breaths and braced myself for the chat.
Finally, she met my gaze and tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. “Two women were in my diner yesterday. I overheard them discussing Jack's involvement in that man's murder.”
As I sipped my coffee, I hoped my features remained neutral. Unfortunately, my feelings for any situation were usually written all over my face, whether I wanted them there or not. “And?”
“You were the source for the information, Bernie.”
“They told you that?”
“I overheard it.”
Ruby appeared behind Darla and smiled. “Look who it is. The most boring girl in Sedona. What's she doing here?”
Pursing my lips together, I tried not to smile. Ruby had never liked Darla and never failed to make her feelings clear. It used to bother me, but now I just found her a little amusing.
“Bernie?” Darla asked. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Well, first, I have no idea who you're talking about.” Liar, probably your guests. “Second, there is a constitutional amendment allowing me to say just about anything I want. And third, perhaps you should quit eavesdropping on your customers’ conversations and mind your own business.”
I smiled sweetly while Ruby clapped. “That's my girl!” she yelled. “Don't let this yahoo push you around!”
Darla's face turned apple-red. “Why are you doing this to me?”
I stared at my former friend, confused beyond belief. “What do you mean? What am I doing to you?”
She shook her head. “You want to poison my relationship with Jack.”
I set down my coffee cup on a side table and tried to keep my cool. “Darla, I'm not poisoning anything. What you do in your life is your business. I couldn’t care less about your relationship with Jack. In fact, I wish you both nothing but happiness. I'm not trying to come between you two. I'm not trying to cause a breakup.”
“You told the police that I was involved in the last murder this town had. Remember? The guy who died in your upstairs bedroom? And then you tried to date Jack behind my back.”
“I've never tried to date Jack,” I said through gritted teeth, now highly annoyed and unable to hide it. How I wished I didn't allow her to rile me. “And as far as Mr. Gonzalez's death, you were a key part of that investigation because you were involved. You were a witness to what happened leading up to the crime. What was I supposed to do?”
“Keep me out of it!” she yelled. “And keep Jack out of it as well! Maybe you're the one the police should be investigating since you seem to turn up at every murder!”
Her chest heaved as her eyes widened, her fists clenched in her lap. I barely recognized her. Darla and I had been close. We'd enjoyed the same things. Now, I couldn't understand where the paranoia stemmed from and why.
“This one is nuttier than a squirrel turd,” Ruby said, shaking her head. “Get her out of here, Bernie. Who knows what she's capable of? Right now, she looks like she may blow her top.”
“Listen to me, Darla,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “Jack was at the murder site. Do I think he had anything to do with it? Certainly not. However, the police are going to investigate him simply because he was there. It's a fact.”
“That doesn't mean you have to tell your guests about it!”
There was no way to tell her that I wasn't speaking to my customers, but to my ghost. “They overheard me on the phone,” I replied. “I'd never spread rumors on purpose.”
“Oh, please,” Darla spat. “Give me a break, Bernie. Of course you would. You have in the past, so why should the present be any different?”
“How... when have I spread rumors in the past?” I asked, now more perplexed than ever.
Darla rolled her eyes as if I were the dumbest person on the planet. “When you told the cops about my involvement with Mr. Gonzalez's murder! What is wrong with you?!”
Hadn't I just explained exactly why I needed to give her name to the police? I rubbed my face and sighed. Any logic that had been in this room had flown right out the window. Ruby was right. Darla needed to leave.
“Listen, Darla. Here's the actual truth. First, I'm not trying to involve you or Jack in anything. I'm sorry those two women overheard me talking. I'm sorry you eavesdropped on their conversation and your mind has spun this... this conspiracy theory, for lack of a better term.”
Her eye began twitching and her face reddened further. I actually worried for her health. “Are you okay?”
“Shut up, Bernie,” she hissed. “I see you for what you are. You're like a pretty snake lying in the grass waiting to strike. You open your mouth and spit venom, poisoning everything in sight. You smile and flip your ponytail all innocent like, but then your ugly side comes out.”
She stood and marched to the front door, leaving me speechless. When the panel slammed, the foundation of the house seemed to vibrate, along with my self-esteem. A small part of me wondered if she wasn't the only one who saw me in such a light. Did I deserve this? I didn't think so, but dang it, did her tirade hurt.
“My goodness,” Ruby muttered. “What's gotten into her?”
“I honestly don't know,” I replied, shaken to my core. “She's not herself.”
“She wins in the paranoia department. And what was that snake nonsense? That barely made any sense.”
As I stared at the closed door, I couldn't help but feel that Darla had some serious issues. Her illogical suspicions of me hurt, but it seemed to come from a dark place where everyone was out to get her. Or, at least, in her mind, I was. What was going on in her life? Did she need medical attention? Darla had upset me greatly, but deep down when I pushed past the achy loss of our friendship, I still cared for her.
Perhaps I was overstepping my boundaries, but the idea that Darla needed help sat firmly in my mind.
Without her having any family in town, I struggled with who I should approach. Who cared for her? Who would she listen to?
Only one person came to mind.
Chapter Eight
“I simply can't believe you want to go see Mr. Dimples without me,” Ruby pouted. “It's a tragedy right up there with plane crashes and Janis Joplin dying.”
“Ruby, I'm sorry,” I said with a sigh as I pulled on my red Back to the Future T-shirt and a black sweater. “I need to have a serious conversation with Jack, and frankly, it's hard to do when you're around. I can't concentrate with you admiring the way his jeans fit.”
“What if I promise to keep quiet?”
I glanced over my shoulder at her lying on the bed. As she met my stare, we both burst out laughing.
“Okay, okay,” she said. “I get it. I'll stay here with Elvira.”
“Thank you. I would love for you to tag along, but I need to be able to focus. Darla's health is a delicate subject.” And so was murder. The fact Jack had lawyered up still bothered me and I wanted to ask him about it. A series of very important conversations, indeed.
I checked my reflection one last time before I left. Although I wasn't interested in Jack, I did want to look presentable. After I ran a comb through my long black hair, I added a little balm to my dry lips.
“Give your cheeks a little pinch as well,” Ruby called from the bedroom. “You need some sun.”
“I'm not going out in the sun,” I muttered, then applied a quick swipe of blush.
“Tell Mr. Dimples I said hello, and snap a picture of that cute butt of his,” Ruby added as I strode out.
Instead of walking, I drove, although I could've used the exercise. I still hadn't decided if Ruby was a good or bad influence on me. One day I appreciated her love of life and living in the moment, the next I wondered if my own existence was slowly spinning out of control. I'd put on a few pounds and didn't exercise nearly as much as I used to. Instead, I drank chocolate and peanut butter smoothies an
d watched reruns of Tom Selleck as Magnum PI with my dead grandmother. I even found myself gushing about him right along with her.
When I pulled into Jack's parking lot, I glanced over at the diner. If Darla was there and happened to peek out the window, she'd be furious I had stepped foot at Jumping Jack's Jeep Tours. For a second, I debated whether to leave. Perhaps I was sticking my nose where it didn't belong. Was Darla's health and the fact Jack had hired a lawyer really any of my business?
“Probably not,” I muttered, throwing the SUV into reverse. Just as I was about to back out, Jack emerged from his office and waved at me. Did I go and come up with an excuse later, or did I try to help Darla and find out what Jack was thinking?
With a curse, I turned off the engine and emerged from the car.
“Hey!” he greeted me, smiling.
“Hi, Jack.” I approached him. Despite his grin, I noted the usual shimmer in his green gaze had fizzled. In fact, deep purple circles hung under his eyes and his coloring resembled a ghost’s. Was it illness, stress over Darla, or guilt from killing a man? “I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk.”
“Sure. I'm pretty slow today. Come on in.”
I followed him into the small, no-frills office. He sat behind the desk, then I took my place on the other side and inhaled deeply. Serious conversations caused my nerves to rattle and I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans.
“What's up?” he asked, folding his hands across his stomach.
Gosh. Where did I begin? The murder or the meltdown?
“Adam told me you hired a lawyer,” I blurted. Apparently for me, discussing death was easier than talking about someone's mental health. “I was wondering why.”
His easy smile faded and he pursed his lips. Finally, he said, “I just felt I'd be better off with a lawyer. I was there and didn't want to be accused of the killing. A lawyer gives me a layer of protection.”
“But you didn't have anything to do with Harold's death, right?”
Jack shook his head. “I didn't, but between you and me, I thought about it. The man was rude. Told me I'd never amount to anything driving Jeeps in the desert, that I was a loser.”
I gasped, surprised by the level of jerkiness some people stooped to. “Seriously?”
“Oh, yeah. He was a moron to everyone, except his wife, Belinda. Well, even then, he was just less of a jerk.”
“In other words, a real prize of a human being.”
“Exactly.” Jack's gaze flitted all around the office as if trying to find an answer to an unasked question, or even weighing how much to tell me. “You know, I've had some bad experiences in my past. I've done things I'm not proud of, things I want to stay hidden.”
I remained still, trying to decipher what he meant. Was he about to confess he had actually pushed Harold? Was that what shamed him? I held my breath.
“When I came to Sedona, I wanted a fresh start,” he continued. “I didn't want my past to haunt me so I've been very careful about who to trust and what to say. That's why I got the lawyer.”
“What happened, Jack?”
He shook his head. “I made mistakes, Bernie. Bad decisions. Right now, I'm a respectable citizen of Sedona and I don't want that to change. I don't need the police digging into my past, looking for reasons to pin the murder on me.”
My goodness. What in the world could he have done to make the police think that? “A lawyer isn't going to stop them from looking at you,” I said. “To me, the fact you hired one makes you look guilty.”
Jack chuckled and shook his head. “You're probably right, but what can I say? I panicked. I was up on the cliff looking at the beautiful moon, literally wishing Harold would fall to his death. I fantasized about pushing him. Then, I did a headcount and realized he was missing. After searching everywhere, we couldn't find him, so I called it in. The next thing I knew, Adam was announcing I was in the middle of a murder investigation.”
“Yeah, it's a little jarring when you find yourself in that situation.”
“You know exactly what I'm talking about,” he said, sighing. “I've been in trouble before, Bernie. I don't want any trouble again, so I did the only thing I could think of.”
“I don't blame you. I understand. It's a sickening feeling.” I recalled when I'd been thrust into Mr. Gonzalez's murder investigation, and it still cramped my stomach and caused my breath to hitch.
“A lawyer isn't going to do me much good, and I realize that,” Jack said. “At the time, it seemed like the smart thing to do. At least he'll stop me from saying anything stupid to the police that would cause me to implicate myself.”
We sat in silence for a moment while I wondered what was hidden in Jack's proverbial closet.
Jack broke the ice. “I'm glad you showed up. I've actually got a bone to pick with you.”
“What's that?” As I asked the question, I figured I could guess what he wanted to talk about.
“Darla told me you were gossiping about me.” The smile indicated he wasn't upset. Perhaps curious?
I shook my head. “I wasn't. I was on the phone with... with a family member and I was telling them about that night. I may or may not have mentioned you were there and you'd be considered a suspect and that you'd hired a lawyer. I wasn't telling anyone you killed Harold.” Well, perhaps I had. Maybe he lost his cool with all the fighting and pushed Harold. I squirmed in my seat, recalling the words.
“Ah. She made it sound like you were running all over town talking about me to anyone who would listen.”
“No, Jack. I wasn't. I promise you that.”
He nodded and glanced over my shoulder when a car pulled into the parking lot. “I'll be right back,” he said. “Can you wait for a minute?”
“Sure.”
After grabbing a clipboard, he headed outside, giving me time to collect myself. I'd established I didn't harbor any ill will toward him, but I did worry about his girlfriend. She seemed mentally unstable and paranoid, and the conversation with Jack only reinforced the feeling for me.
Ten minutes later, he returned. “Well, they haven't heard I'm the town’s big, bad killer. They just booked a Jeep tour for tomorrow.”
“That's great,” I said, truly happy for him. “Can we talk about Darla a little bit more?”
He sat down behind the desk. “Sure. What's up?”
“I think there's something wrong with her,” I ventured. “She's acting... strange.”
“Like how?”
“She's overly paranoid and thinks I'm out to get her.”
Furrowing his brow, he shook his head. “Really? I haven't heard that, but I don't see much of her.”
Wait. What? “You don't see much of her?”
“No. We grab a bite to eat every now and then, but that's about it.”
Gosh. Perhaps I was the one losing touch with reality? But no, I recalled Darla had said she and Jack were dating. “She... um... she told me you two were an item.”
Jack shot to his feet and planted his palms on the desktop. “What?!”
“Yes. She told me you were dating.”
His mouth fell open and he stared at me as if waiting for the punchline. When none came, he asked, “What planet is that woman living on?”
“I don't know,” I replied, now more worried about Darla than ever. She appeared to exist in an ulterior universe.
Jack ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “We aren't dating, Bernie. I've taken her out to lunch a few times, and we had dinner at the diner once… maybe twice. I thought we were friends.”
“She obviously thinks you're more.”
“I don't want a girlfriend.”
“Jack, it's fine. There's something wrong with her and unfortunately, I think you're going to have to be the one to discuss it with her.”
“Why me?”
“Because she trusts you. She cares for you, but she thinks I'm out to ruin her.”
“What about her family?” He sat down again.
“They don't live here.
They're in Idaho.”
After muttering a few curses, he asked, “Who else can talk to her?”
“I don't know.” I shrugged. “I barely see her and when I do, she’s staring daggers at me.”
Jack put his elbows on the table and placed his head in his hands. “It makes sense now, Bernie. All these little things she did... I understand it now.”
“Like what?”
“Stupid stuff,” he mumbled. “I’m so dumb.”
“If she thinks I'm out to get her and that she's dating you, she has some problems, Jack. Right now, you are the one she's closest to, at least in her mind. You have to talk to her.”
He nodded and leaned back in his chair. “You're right. I will.”
“Thanks,” I said, standing. “She doesn't want me around, but if there's anything I can do, let me know.”
As I hurried to my car, I was left with more questions than when I'd arrived. What was going on with Darla? How would she react to Jack calling her out on her strange behavior?
What actions was he guilty of in his past? Was it something as diabolical as getting away with murder and figuring he could do it again in the case of Harold's death? Could Harold somehow be tied to Jack's questionable past? If Jack wanted to start over in Sedona, that meant cutting ties with those he left behind. He hadn't given any indication he’d known Harold, but what if he had? And did anything that had happened to him somehow drive him to murder?
This was a possibility and one that couldn't be overlooked. Jack had admitted he'd wanted to push Harold. Then, he'd hired a lawyer. Was Mr. Dimples a cold-blooded killer?
Chapter Nine
The next morning, Amy and Cathy checked out.
“I've decided to go with a venue in Phoenix,” Amy said, sighing. “I talked to my mom and she doesn't think it's fair to make people drive up here.”
