The sheriff shrugged and shook his head. “I’m not blaming you for anything. I just think it’s strange that you’ve only been in town for a week and you’ve already been shot. You’re not running from anybody from the big city, are you?”
Abby blinked and almost laughed out loud in the man’s face. “Are you kidding? Is this some eighties movie!? No! No one’s chasing me from the big city!” Abby finished and glared angrily at the unruffled sheriff.
“Just doing my job, ma’am. I’ve got to follow any leads no matter how strange.”
Abby was startled when Gabe came to her defense. “Come on now, Bob. She’s been shot, for crying out loud. Why are you grilling her like she’s the shooter?”
The sheriff gave Gabe a hard look before sighing, folding up his notepad, and then fixing one of his squinty eyes back on Gabe. “Sorry Gabe, usually I wouldn’t be harassing the victim like this, but,” the sheriff said, giving Abby a pointed look, “this little lady is new best friends with one of my prime suspects for the Malcolm case. Becky Northridge.”
Abby began to sputter at being called little lady, but Gabe frowned and gave her a sideways glance. “Do you mean that whole mess with Craig Malcolm?”
The sheriff nodded slowly and then leaned forward. “Yep. I wouldn’t usually say this, but I figure she already knows since she’s up here and it would be good for you to keep an eye out, as well. Poison from a mushroom killed Craig.” He stopped and looked Abby directly in the eye. “That is why you are up here, isn’t it?”
Abby didn’t answer right away, but with both men’s eyes on her, she finally nodded. “Yes, kind of. I mean, I want to find out what it is my friend has been accused of or how easy it would be for a mistake to happen.”
“You mean, like a police officer?” The sheriff said steadily. “Maybe someone who’s been trained to do this for years? Listen, Mrs. Morgan, we understand it might very well have been an accident, but even you know by now, Craig wasn’t a very popular man. Becky had not only the motive but the means. But even if she didn’t do it on purpose, we still have to investigate and take it seriously. You just drop this and let us take care of the investigation from now on. Do you understand?”
Abby listened and nodded, but didn’t answer the man. She didn’t enjoy being lectured like a twelve-year-old.
The sheriff nodded back at her and stood. “As to who shot at you, it might’ve just been one of those idiots that grow marijuana out in the woods. Sometimes they can get a bit territorial, but that’s probably all it was. We are taking the investigation seriously! I don’t much like when anyone gets shot at, even if it’s a scratch. Do you need a lift to the hospital?”
“No, I can probably drive. My arm just stings a little but shouldn’t interfere with my driving,” Abby answered sullenly. She was still angry with the sheriff and didn’t want to be in his company. She was sure her arm didn’t hurt enough to interfere, and besides, she could probably drive one-handed if she needed to.
The sheriff gave her one more look before turning and heading outside to see how the rest of the investigation was going. Abby looked over at Gabe and wondered what the man was thinking. Without realizing it, it suddenly mattered to her what he was thinking. “Is there that big of a problem with people that grow marijuana up here?”
Gabe looked back at her with an unreadable expression which stretched on for several seconds, making Abby angry that he might be judging her. Right before she was about to explode, he took a deep breath and shook his head. “No. Not hardly, and certainly not around a very well-traveled trail. Someone would have to be a complete idiot. Besides, they need an open field to grow that stuff, and there aren’t any close where we were on the trail. Something else is going on.”
Abby felt a momentary happiness that Gabe seemed to be taking her seriously, but then it turned into an ice-cold chill that raced down her spine. For a moment when the sheriff was talking, she felt like it might just be an unlucky happening. But now, she wasn’t so sure. Not with the level of concern in Gabe’s voice. She finally began to seriously consider what would happen if someone were trying to kill her.
“I’m sorry all this happened. I should probably be getting back and get out of your hair,” Abby said sadly. All the energy had just drained out of her at the realization that someone might have tried to kill her. She suddenly felt very lost and uncertain.
“Don’t apologize,” Gabe said. His concerned gaze met hers. “Listen, I’m supposed to be the all-powerful park ranger here. I should’ve been able to hear someone approaching from a mile off like some elf, right?”
“Don’t you need a bow for that?” Abby said, grateful for the distraction. “Seriously, you don’t even have blonde hair. I’m pretty sure you have to have blonde hair to be an elf.”
Gabe shrugged. “Still, it’s my forest and my fault you were shot so let me make it up to you. Let me drive you to the hospital and make sure that wound isn’t any more serious than it looks.” He stood and held his hand out for Abby to take.
She stared at that steady, well-worn hand for a long moment before sighing softly to herself and taking it. It felt warm and good as he pulled her to her feet. “What about my car?”
“It’ll be safe here. Tomorrow I’ll have one of the other guys take my truck back, and I’ll bring it back myself. Unless your husband wants to come get it?”
Abby stared at him for a moment, but for some reason, she suddenly didn’t feel like giving the convenient lie again. Instead, she told him the truth. “He’s dead. He died a year and a half ago while he was out on patrol overseas.”
Gabe returned her uncertain look with one of his own, but in the end, he simply gave a slight frown and nodded. “Well then, I’ll be returning your car tomorrow afternoon.”
Chapter 16
The clinic in town was a small, cozy building with a spacious waiting area and a hallway that led back to several examination rooms and offices. Abby was a bit dubious about how it might handle a real emergency, but for the scratch on her arm, it and the young doctor in attendance were more than adequate.
“You’ll likely have a scar,” The doctor indicated as he finished wrapping the bandage around the wound. “It was not severe enough to require stitches, but the wound was wide if not deep.” He pushed his chair over to the small desk and began writing something down. “Every day, treat it with this ointment I’m going to prescribe you and then re-bandage it. Not too tight. You shouldn’t need to come back in, but if it starts to turn red or feel overly warm, come in right away.”
“I will, Doctor,” Abby answered. She had several mixed emotions running through her head, not the least of which was fear. Having to be in a physician’s office for a bullet wound had not been on her bucket list. “Believe me; this is the first bullet wound I’ve ever gotten, so I’m not going to take any chances.”
“Unfortunately, It’s not the first bullet wound I’ve treated,” The doctor said gravely. “Though this one was one of the cleanest ones I’ve ever seen. You got lucky.”
“Do you treat lots of bullet wounds?” Abby asked warily. She couldn’t imagine it being a common occurrence even in a large hospital, but honestly, she wasn’t sure.
The doctor laughed and shook his head. “No, but folks in these parts tend to like going hunting and every once in a while some idiot thinks one of his buddies is a buck and takes a shot. You’d think with all that orange they wear it wouldn’t be an issue, but sometimes somebody brushes a branch and the guy on the other mountain over thinks they are antlers. Was that what happened with you?” the man asked, somewhat skeptically as he looked at her far too urban clothes.
“No, or at least I doubt it was,” Abby answered. “I was out at the ranger station learning about mushrooms. We hadn’t even gotten very far away from the lodge.”
The doctor grunted as he continued to put his tools away before turning back to her. “Well, that makes some sense. I hear some of those mushroom people get pretty crazy about their secret spots. You
were up by the ranger station? It sounds like someone was just an idiot to me. Either way, I have to report any gunshot wound I treat to the sheriff.” He paused and raised an eyebrow before asking carefully. “That won’t be a problem, will it?”
“No. The sheriff already knows, and one of the park rangers brought me in. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Very well,” he said, then shook her hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Abby, though I can say I wish it were under other circumstances.”
She thanked the doctor and headed back out to the front waiting room where Gabe was sitting patiently. Holding her bandaged arm up, she waved it at him proudly. “See? All patched up and they didn’t even take any fingers off.”
Gabe grinned back at her, and once again she cursed her stupidity. Damn those dimples! Still, in light of being shot at and then dealing with the sheriff, something had shifted and made it easier for Abby to talk to the handsome ranger. “So, ready to take me home?”
Gabe laughed. “How about I just bring you to dinner first?”
Abby could feel the blush rise all the way up her face as she stuttered nervously, suddenly uncertain what to say for entirely different reasons. Before she became too flustered, Gabe’s eyes went wide in shock, and he held his hands up.
“Sorry, God, that came out wrong. No, I meant before I take you back to your house would you like to go to dinner first. I’d love to hear a little more about what’s going on, and it’s still pretty early. Besides, you’ve got to be as hungry as I am.”
Abby almost said no, but just at that moment, her stomach growled rather loudly. She looked sheepishly at Gabe and nodded. “Fine, but I have no idea what else is open around here. I think I’ve only ever eaten at home or Becky’s café.”
“There’s Callahan’s,” Gabe answered. “They are a little pricey, but not bad and have good steak. Personally, after all, that’s happened, I could use a good steak.”
“Steak?” Abby asked, and she felt her stomach respond with a low growl. That was all the answer that Gabe needed.
Chapter 17
Abby felt a deep sense of surprise at the interior of Callahan's. She had been expecting something decorated barely above that of Becky’s café, but instead, she found herself surrounded by warmly polished woods, intimate candle-lit tables, and cozy nooks that provided privacy for the diners. It was easily as nice as some of the best restaurants she had ever been to.
She would never have expected a town like Red Pine Falls could support such an elegant establishment, but here it was and doing a lively business with most of the tables full of happy diners.
Gabe must’ve seen her face because he chuckled lightly at Abby’s apparently bemused expression. “Calahans has been around for a good twenty years and is pretty well known. It gets a lot of traffic from Salem and Corvallis. Sometimes you even get people from Portland or Eugene who are willing to take the trip. Grace’s father started up the restaurant and made a solid name for himself. She inherited it after he semi-retired, though once a week he slips in and does some of the cooking. No one ever knows when that’s going to happen, but people love it when he does.”
“I would never have expected such a beautiful gem,” Abby said appreciatively, already feeling her mood relax in the dark, welcoming environment.
“It’s one of our most carefully guarded secrets,” Gabe said softly before nodding and holding up his hand with two fingers raised to the hostess who had come to seat them. “Though not too carefully guarded. I’d hate for the place to go out of business. It’s kind of nice to have a restaurant we can come to without having to travel. That gets old fast.”
Abby nodded, and they both followed the hostess to their seats. They ended up at a table with a fantastic view of the river, and just upstream from the island that her Grandmother lived. Pausing, she mentally corrected herself. That she now lived. She couldn’t see the house from here through the trees, but it still impressed her.
“Do you come here often? This is a beautiful location.”
Gabe shook his head and grinned. “No. I only make a habit of it if one of my class gets shot at.”
“I hope that doesn’t happen too often,” Abby said, eying the grinning ranger. “If I find that you set up some shooter just so you could get me up here, I am going to be upset.”
Abby shivered as Gabe gave one of his quiet chuckles. The sound settled over her like a warm blanket. She was getting used to the effect it had on her, but despite all of her effort, a feeling of betrayal still managed to rear its ugly head, making her wince.
“Okay, what was that?” Gabe asked, suddenly serious.
Abby blinked and tilted her head. “What was what?”
Gabe leaned back in his chair and considered her for a moment before answering. “That look you just had on your face. It was almost like I said something that upset you, but I didn’t say anything. I won’t pry if you don’t want me to, but I feel like I’m bothering you, somehow.”
Abby looked down at her place setting and frowned. She knew if she looked up into his eyes at that moment, she wouldn’t answer, so she forced herself not to look. She knew it was weak, but right now, that’s how she felt. “It’s not you. Well, it is you, but it’s not your fault. It’s me.”
“Okay,” Gabe said, carefully. “So you’re saying it’s not me that’s making you uncomfortable, it’s you. But really, it’s because of me.” Gabe grinned sardonically at Abby across the table. “You realize this sounds like every bad breakup movie, ever, right?”
“I…yes?” Abby said sheepishly, feeling like a total idiot. Except she wasn’t an idiot. She was just trying to explain why she was acting like one. She took another breath and tried again. “I haven’t…been out with a man or anyone for that matter since my husband passed away. It's bringing up some strange feelings, I guess.” Abby finished lamely and finally met Gabe’s eyes, willing him to understand. She desperately wanted him not to run screaming from the restaurant like he probably should be.
Instead, Gabe grunted as he sat back in his chair and seemed to be digesting the information. It was a skill to understand men’s grunts, and she had become fairly good at it while hanging around with Daniel and some of his army buddies, but even so, she was having a hard time reading Gabe’s version.
Finally, he broke the silence. “I can’t say I truly understand, because I’ve never been in your position, but I promise I’ll try not to take it personally. Would it help if I pick my nose or something?”
Abby blinked, startled at the statement and couldn’t help but laugh. The pure absurdity of his statement lessened her nervousness, making her smile. “Okay, you don’t have to pick your nose. At least not now. I will let you know if that ever becomes something that needs to happen. Now, let’s just see about ordering that steak.”
They both ordered, and with Abby’s strange mood broken, talked over a glass of wine while they waited for the food to come. Gabe was unassuming and charismatic, telling funny stories about the townspeople that slowly but surely set her mind at ease. He even managed to draw a few stories of her childhood out of her and proved an adept listener.
As their food arrived, Abby was relaxed enough to smile warmly out the window at the slowly darkening evening. The steaks were just the icing on the cake and cooked to perfection. Cheerio was going to get an excellent doggie bag tonight.
“The mayor did what?” Abby asked in response to one of Gabe’s tales. “He did that?”
Gabe chuckled as he took a drink and nodded. “He did. He’s a nice old guy, but he can’t hold his liquor at all. I don’t think he even realized who he was pinching, but when Mabel Clawson turned around, I swear her eyebrows were up into her hairline, and there was not a line on her face because she was gritting her teeth so hard. I’m pretty sure the mayor sobered up right there because he stopped slurring every other word. I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard in a long time.”
Abby took another bite of her steak, but the mention of Mabel brought
her mind back to what it happened earlier in the day. “Speaking of Mabel Clawson, she didn’t like Craig Malcolm. The day I met Becky, she came into the Café waving a knife. You think she or her family know anything about poisoning somebody with mushrooms?”
Gabe had stopped chuckling and listened as Abby spoke. When she finished, he looked thoughtful but finally shrugged. “The problem isn’t knowing how to poison somebody with mushrooms; it’s trying to figure out how to not poison someone with mushrooms. That’s why we give that class at the ranger station. The question I would have is how she managed to get him to eat or drink anything with the poison in it. I don’t think she could’ve done it unless she invited him over to her house for dinner, which, I can assure you, would not have happened. They’ve been fighting Craig to keep him from developing that park for almost a year.”
Abby chewed thoughtfully, contemplating what Gabe had said. “Could someone else in their family have done it?”
“They are a big family and all over the place, like a warren of rabbits. I doubt anyone knows all of them. It’s possible one of them snuck something to Craig, but it would take several days for the poison to take effect.”
“How can anybody accuse Becky, then?”
“It’s pretty thin, but here’s the problem. Craig ate at her café almost every morning and usually had one of Becky’s omelets with the chanterelles in it. I can’t blame the sheriff for checking it out. I would, too.”
Abby wrinkled her nose in irritation and looked back out over the moonlight glinting off the small river just below them. She wanted to argue, but the reality was that Becky was the obvious suspect.
“Listen, don’t be down. Honestly, it would be fantastically stupid to poison a man with mushrooms when you know he ate your mushrooms every single day. I happen to know that Becky is not a stupid woman. It has to be someone else.”
Abby sighed but didn’t feel overly optimistic. She hoped what Gabe was saying was true, but she didn’t want to wait for the investigation to take its course. Her friend was hurting, and she wanted to help now. “Is there anything I can do?”
Hot Tea and Cold Murder: A Red Pine Falls Cozy Mystery (Red Pine Falls Cozy Mysteries Book 1) Page 8
