02 Outwitted

by Beth Solheim

  A tingle crept up Sadie's neck as reckoning washed over Jed's face. It exhilarated Sadie when clarity dawned for a crosser. Jed had cleared the first hurdle.

  "Maybe you're her future. Maybe you can figure out what happened. You've got thirty days Jed. Use it wisely."

  "I don't believe this. What makes you think I can solve her disappearance in thirty days when they couldn't solve the case in fifteen years?"

  3

  "What are you looking at?" Jane poured a glass of lemonade for her sister.

  "A whale with toothpick legs. He just got out of his car."

  "You mean Kimmer? What's he doing here?" Jane joined Sadie at the window. "Look at him. He's talking to our guests like he owns the place."

  Judge Franzen Kimmer placed a heavy foot on the porch step.

  "Pretend we're not here." Sadie held a finger to her lips.

  Jane retreated to her bedroom and eased the latch quietly into place.

  Kimmer rapped on the door. He leaned his bulk against the railing, ran his finger between his neck and shirt collar, and crossed the wood planking to knock for the second time. "Answer the door, you old biddy." He fanned his face with his straw hat before setting it on the railing.

  Jane poked her lips through her slivered bedroom door opening. "Is he gone yet?"

  Kimmer fidgeted with his suspenders lifting them off his shoulders. The unseasonably-warm mid-June weather delighted the tourists, but proved to be hellish for the judge who was nothing short of rotund.

  Fed up with Kimmer's frequent harassment, Sadie had no intention of answering the door. Let him suffer. The past two times he'd stopped by to pressure her into selling Cabin 12, she'd hidden in one of the other cabins until he left. No such luck this time.

  Kimmer pressed his nose against the screen. He cupped a hand over his eye to shield the glare. "If you think I can't see your scrawny body, you're mistaken."

  "Go away. You're wasting your time."

  "Now, Sadie, is that any way to talk?"

  "Go away, Kimmer." Sadie opened the door and headed for the porch swing. "You're not welcome here."

  "I'm a judge. That means I'm welcome wherever I go." Kimmer dabbed at his face with an engraved handkerchief. "That lemonade looks mighty good."

  "It is." Sadie took a long sip. "Nice and cool."

  "I want my parent's cabin back!" Kimmer's lips trembled as he leaned closer to the swing.

  "How many times do I have to tell you it won't happen?" Sadie tapped her foot on the porch floor to keep the swing in motion. She took another sip and gazed out over the lake.

  The thought of Judge Kimmer and Oinketta, his greedy sister, regaining ownership to Cabin 12 made Sadie's scalp slither with imaginary vermin.

  "That cabin rightfully belongs to us and you know it," Kimmer shouted.

  "Your parents sold the cabin to us fifteen years ago. We've got the deed to prove it."

  "I know, but they should have consulted with us first." Kimmer dabbed his handkerchief around the back of his neck.

  Belly pushed through the screen door and ambled over to Kimmer. He sniffed the judge's shoes and an angry rumble burbled in his throat.

  "Get your mongrel away from me. He's slobbering all over my leg."

  "He's not my dog."

  "Then who does he belong to?" Kimmer pushed Belly away with the tip of his shoe.

  "The neighbor." Sadie watched as Belly circled Kimmer's leg and left a string of drool on the judge's shoe.

  Sadie reached toward the porch floor and snapped her fingers. Belly sidled over and plopped down under the swing. He rolled over, let out a disgruntled sigh, and chewed on the corner of the leopard-patterned neckerchief stuck to his lip.

  "Good-bye, Kimmer." Sadie twiddled her fingers at him. "You're wasting your time. We're not selling Cabin 12. The cabin sat empty for years after your folks moved away. Why didn't you or Oinketta do something about it then?"

  "I never realized it meant so much." Kimmer shook out his hankie, looking for a dry spot. "Don't call her Oinketta. My sister's name is Etta."

  "Your mother offered the cabin to us because it sat next door to the resort. It was her idea to turn it into a rental cabin."

  "It rightfully belongs to me!"

  The rage in Kimmer's voice cut through the humidity. Sadie winced. "If we hadn't bought it, it would be in shambles."

  "No it wouldn't," Kimmer shouted. "It will be if you don't sell it. It's been empty since Mr. Bakke died. If you're the business woman you claim to be, you'd sell it and be done with it."

  Kimmer clearly suffered from the heat. He had fallen into a pattern of shifting from foot to foot, fanning his face with his hat, readjusting his suspenders. The angrier he became, the faster the dance of discomfort. If he dressed like a tourist instead of trying to impress everyone with his expensive wardrobe, he'd feel a whole lot better.

  A grin graced Sadie's face. She hid it by holding the glass against her bottom lip. The image of Kimmer in plaid shorts with toothpick legs protruding below the fabric moved through her mind in freeze-frame sequence. She had seen him in shorts only once. Kimmer's girth was the subject of jokes. It had been for decades. Apparently he didn't care.

  "Is he gone yet?" Jane parted the curtains and whispered through the kitchen window.

  "No I'm not gone yet. I'm not leaving, either. I'm here to talk some sense into the two of you."

  "It's too hot to listen." Sadie walked over to the railing as she again twiddled good-bye at the obnoxious intruder.

  Kimmer cocked his head and looked Sadie up and down. "How can you suffer from the heat? You're almost naked."

  "You like it?" Sadie turned in a complete circle.

  "I didn't say I liked it. What kind of animal gave its life to make those shorts? It looks like a diseased alley cat."

  Sadie looked down and ran her hand over her hip. "It does not. It's leopard and it cost way too much. It's not real, though."

  As Kimmer dabbed his brow, he glanced at Sadie from under a hankie flap. "Is skin hanging around your knees, or did your bloomers let go?"

  "You're a fine one to criticize." Sadie nodded toward the shore. "Be glad the lake's not an ocean or you'd run the risk of being harpooned."

  Kimmer opened his mouth to counter, but Jane butted in. "Would you like some lemonade?"

  "No, he wouldn't." Sadie shot an irritated glare at her sister.

  "I'd prefer an ice-cold gin and tonic." Kimmer smirked at Sadie. "At least Jane's got manners. She knows a drink is the only remedy for this miserable weather."

  Belly ambled to the porch step and let out a bark. Kimmer turned in the direction of Belly's interest. "Oh good grief," he uttered, watching Nan and Deputy Lon Friborg cross the lawn between the mortuary and the resort.

  "Kimmer." Deputy Friborg nodded sharply at the judge.

  "The judge is leaving," Sadie said.

  "No I'm not." Judge Kimmer tipped his hat toward Nan. "It's been a long time, Nan. I saw your name in the paper. I see you purchased the land the mortuary sits on."

  Nan smiled. "That's right. It took a while to clear the title, but my attorney found a way to do it. The transaction got bogged down because someone apparently didn't want it to happen."

  "Where'd you get the money?"

  "That's none of your damn business." Lon put his arm around Nan's shoulder and pulled her close.

  "Why? Because you had something to do with it? I noticed you've been sniffing around Nan more than usual."

  Nan crossed her arms over her chest and stared out over the lake.

  "Like I said, it's none of your business." Lon watched the women retreat into the cabin.

  "Everything in this town is my business. If you want a promotion to detective, you'd better convince the Witt sisters to sell Cabin 12."

  "Like I already told you, Cabin 12 isn't for sale. It won't happen." Sadie pushed the screen door open with her elbow and handed Lon a glass of lemonade.

  "You'll regret it, Sadie. I'm going to make yo
ur life worse than hell. I'm calling in reinforcements. If you think I'm relentless now, just wait."

  "I'm not worried. We survived your harassment before and we'll survive it again."

  The Witt sisters watched as Kimmer crossed the driveway and kicked at Belly. "That man gives me the creeps. Look at this. I've got goose bumps and it's ninety degrees."

  The tail lights from Kimmer's Cadillac Escalade blinked while he exited between the massive stone pillars gracing the resort entrance. Sadie resented Kimmer plucking at her strings of restraint. Even Belly sensed her distress. He had lowered his head and growled in warning as he watched every move Kimmer made.

  Sadie shouted directions through the screen door to two resort guests who sought her assistance. She pointed twice in the direction she wanted them to go before she joined Nan and Lon at the kitchen table.

  She stared at Nan and let out a resigned sigh. "It's not fair. All you have to do is shower and run a comb through your hair and you look beautiful. No matter how hard I try, I'll never look as good as you."

  Nan grinned back at Sadie. "No matter how hard I try, I'll never look like you, either."

  "Thank goodness," Jane mumbled, placing six ice cubes in Belly's water dish. She ran her hand across the dog's back. "If you need more, let me know."

  "I don't understand why Kimmer's so insistent on Cabin 12. He'd have no privacy whatsoever." Nan shook her head in confusion. "There are plenty of other cabins for sale."

  "We offered him Cabin 1 on the opposite end of the resort a few years ago, but he turned us down," Jane said. "That cabin had its own dock and lots of privacy. Kimmer refused to look at it. I get the feeling trouble's brewing."

  4

  "That's not good." Sadie stared out at the marina.

  "What?" Jane drew a card from the top of the deck.

  Sadie strained to see through the mesh screen. "I thought I saw a child on the dock, but I don't see her now."

  Jane followed Sadie's gaze. "I don't see anyone."

  "It must have been my imagination. The dock boys are there and they don't seem alarmed." Creases of apprehension formed around Sadie's eyes as she glanced back toward the dock.

  Jane elbowed her sister. "Look. Lon's going into the mortuary again. It's Monday. He's got another yellow rose."

  "That's eight Mondays in a row. He's getting serious." Sadie stared across the lawn toward the mortuary.

  "I sure hope so. Nan needs someone to take care of her."

  "Take care of her? Nan can take care of herself. She has no intention of getting into another relationship. She's still reeling from her marriage to Aanders' father." Sadie fanned her cards out in front of her. "Gin."

  Jane fisted her cards and slammed them down on the table. "You're cheating again. You can't win six games in a row."

  "I won because I'm a superior player."

  "Bull," Jane said. "You're cheating." Jane lifted the lid on Mr. Bakke's urn, leaned toward it, and whispered, "Sadie's a dirty cheater."

  Sadie separated a clump of hair with her fingers, coaxing the tapered gelled tufts to stand erect. Jutting her chin forward, she checked both sides of her reflection in the mirror above the bookcase. She liked the color much better this time. It took some convincing to get Big Leon to change the previous dye job, but he finally gave in. She patted her black, verging on blue, spikes.

  Sadie still felt disappointed over the previous evening at the Fertile Turtle. It hadn't proved as advantageous as she had hoped. She spent money on a new outfit, but no one paid attention. She hadn't felt that sexy in a long time. Instead of admiring her outfit, everyone obsessed with her flamingo-tinted hair. It didn't help, either, that Jed had joined them and she spent the entire evening answering his questions. No one wanted to dance with a senior who talked to a vacant chair. A few Fertile Turtle patrons offered to pitch in for a train ticket to Locoville. She wasn't deaf. She'd heard them whisper they'd drive her to the station. No charge.

  "Maybe Nan's luck with men is finally changing," Jane said.

  "I think I'll check one of those internet dating sites." Sadie pointed at her computer. "If it doesn't work with Lon, I might be able to find her a man."

  Jane's lips contorted into a scowl of disbelief. "You're the last person I'd depend on to pick a man. Your taste in men is atrocious."

  "Says who?"

  "Says me," Jane challenged. "How could you go out with stinky Roger Townsend? Especially after he dated no-charge Marge."

  "For the same reason she did," Sadie said. "Because he owned the meat market. I'm not stupid, you know. Where do you think all the free meat in our freezer came from?"

  "That's disgusting." Jane stared scornfully at her sister before reshuffling and dealing the cards face down on the table. "At least Nan has someone courting her now. Lon's loved her since they went to high school. Aanders seems to like him, too." Jane drew a card from the deck. "Do you remember the day Nan announced she'd married Clay? I've never seen Lon so devastated."

  "I was, too. I can't imagine what possessed her to marry Lon's no-good cousin."

  "I'm glad Nan's free. It gives her a chance to rebuild her life."

  "Where is Clay now?" Jed closed the door to the inner room and joined the sisters at the kitchen table.

  "Aanders told me Clay's living near Minneapolis."

  "Why would I care where Clay lives?" Jane smirked at her sister. "I could care less."

  "I wasn't talking to you. I answered Jed's question. He just joined us and asked about Clay."

  "Jed better not have his bare butt in my chair."

  "He's not in your chair. He's sitting in the chair under the clock."

  "Judge Kimmer's a real piece of garbage, isn't he?" Jed stared at Sadie. "I overheard him pressuring you this morning. How long has that been going on?"

  "He's been after us for years. He's obsessed with Cabin 12." Sadie picked an envelope off the table and fanned her face. "The heat is getting worse. I wonder if the humidity will brew up a storm."

  "I hope you don't give in. Kimmer made my mother jump through hoops when she tried to have my sister declared dead."

  "I believe it. It took months to subdivide our property so we could clear the title for Nan. I'll bet Kimmer caused the delay. He must have gotten wind Nan wanted to buy it."

  "Sadie. Come here quick." The three turned toward the screen door as Aanders frantically motioned for Sadie to join him on the porch step.

  Sadie, Jed, and Jane hurried to the door.

  Aanders pointed at a small red-haired girl. "She keeps following me. Make her stop."

  Sadie gasped. "Oh, dear. It's Sally Tyler."

  "Where?" Jane strained to find the object of their concern.

  "Right there." Sadie pointed toward the edge of the walkway.

  "I can't see her."

  "Right there. Follow my finger. She's petting Belly."

  "Oh, no," Jane said. "I don't see her. Please don't tell me Sally's a crosser."

  Sadie hurried over to Sally and crouched down next to her.

  "I'm looking for my mom. She told me to wait in the car but it took too long." Sally put both arms around Belly's neck as he licked her face.

  Sadie looked up at Jane.

  Jane shook her head. "I can't see her. Is she there with you?"

  "She's right next to me."

  "Oh, no. I can't believe it. What happened?"

  Jed knelt next to Sadie. "Sally? Where did your mother park her car?"

  "At the Turtle. She went in to get some beer. She said she'd be right back but she never came out. A squirrel jumped on the car. Mom doesn't like her new car to get dirty so I chased it in the woods."

  Jed scooped Sally off the ground and walked back to the cabin.

  Belly grunted as he climbed the steps and followed Jed. The four black hairs on his tail flagged back and forth in excitement.

  "Look at those bruises." Jed placed Sally on the sofa. He ran his hand over her translucent skin. "I'm Jed, and this is Sadie."

 
"I know. She's the crazy lady. Mom told me about her."

  "She did, did she?" Sadie braced her hands on her hips.

  Sally touched Jed's hospital gown. "Why are you in your jammies?"

  "Do you have gauze so I can clean her scrapes?" Jed turned Sally's hand over to examine it for more cuts.

  "I'll get it." Aanders opened a kitchen drawer. He flipped the lid on the first-aid kit and handed it to Jed.

  Because each new crosser brought a unique circumstance, Sadie realized Aanders had so much more to learn. His eagerness pleased her, but their lessons would go on for years.

  "Sally's not in pain. When crossers arrive at Cabin 14, their life pain has ended." Sadie gestured toward Jed. "When Jed came to me after surgery, he wasn't in pain."

  Jed touched his face. He ran his fingers back and forth over the bridge of his nose. "You're right. I never thought about it, but I don't feel anything."

  Jed gently ran his hand down Sally's arm. "She's only a child. We've got to do something. What about a glass of water?"

  "She doesn't need water, either. Crossers don't need nourishment. The only thing they need is rest."

  A week without crossers prior to Jed joining her had left Sadie bewildered. Had the powers-that-be demoted her? Was it because Aanders was now ready to take on his own crossers? In her forty-plus years as a death coach, she couldn't remember a single week without a crosser. She hoped this wasn't the respite before the flood gates broke loose.

  "It can't hurt to show we care, can it?" Jed dabbed at Sally's scrapes with a tissue before applying a small bandage to her knee. He snapped the first-aid kit shut. "There you go, Miss Sally. That should take care of it. How old are you?"

  "Five. Don't you have any puppy bandages?"

  "I didn't see any, but I think the brown one will work."

  Sally jumped down off the sofa. "I need to find Mom. She's going to be mad if I don't find her."