Murder Is No Accident

by A. H. Gabhart

  “I see. But remember, if you need help, just ask.” Miss Keane smiled. “You have a good mind, and if you trust your ability a bit more, I believe you can be very good at math. You might even find it fun. Mrs. Frost says you excel in your Language Arts class. So if you pull up math to comparable levels, you’ll do very well on the ACT test and be a prime candidate for some excellent scholarships.”

  “I hope so. I’m going to need a scholarship.” Maggie kept her eyes on her algebra book as she stuffed it into her book bag. She hefted the bag up to her shoulder. “I got to run or I’ll miss my bus.”

  “Of course.” Miss Keane touched Maggie’s arm. “But if something is bothering you, please discuss it with someone here. Sometimes when things are happening at home, it makes it hard for students to concentrate on their work.”

  “We’re okay.” That hadn’t come from Anthony. Michael must have talked to Miss Keane about her too. He was her nephew. That might make Miss Keane know about police things. Maybe Maggie should forget about missing the bus and talk to her. Tell her about the phone call.

  The words were right there on her tongue, but she swallowed them down. Miss Keane would tell Michael and then the man might find out. She couldn’t take that chance.

  “That’s good.” The teacher tightened her fingers on Maggie’s arm for a few seconds. Her smile disappeared. “The assignment is page forty-seven. Your father was very good at math when he was in school. He can help you.”

  “Dad?” Maggie was surprised. She couldn’t imagine her father being a good student. “My dad?”

  “Yes, indeed. Now run along.” Miss Keane looked up at the clock over the door. “If you hurry, you should still make your bus.”

  She did. Barely. Mrs. Bottoms, the bus driver, was closing the door when Maggie ran out. She opened it back up with a smile. “Cutting it close, aren’t you, Mag?”

  Mrs. Bottoms had been driving Maggie’s bus since Maggie was in first grade. She seemed almost like a relative. Maybe Maggie could talk to her. But that was crazy. A person could barely hear herself think on the bus.

  “Sorry. Miss Keane wanted to talk to me after class.” Maggie slipped into the front seat.

  “Oh, wow! Hope you weren’t in trouble,” Mrs. Bottoms said.

  “She just wanted to make sure I got the assignment.”

  “She can make a kid shake in her boots. That’s for sure. I did plenty of trembling myself when I was in her class.”

  “You had her when you were in school?” Maggie gave Mrs. Bottoms another look. Maybe she wasn’t all that old after all.

  “You bet. Miss Keane is an institution. I think she’s been teaching since they built the school. Maybe since Noah built the ark.” Mrs. Bottoms let out a loud laugh.

  Maggie forced a little laugh too. She was glad when some kid in the back did something to make Mrs. Bottoms peer up at the mirror to call him down. She must have taken lessons from Miss Keane about how to make kids shake in their boots.

  Once Maggie was sure it wasn’t Jesse in trouble, she leaned back and stared out the window at the houses sliding by while the bus noise floated past her ears. When she heard Jesse laugh, Maggie peeked over her shoulder at him a couple of seats back.

  He might be a pest at times, but he was still her little brother. She’d been helping her mother watch him ever since he was born. She was the one who taught him to crawl backward down the porch steps so he didn’t fall. She made him peanut butter sandwiches when he was hungry. She played hide-and-seek with him back when he thought he could hide just by sticking his head under a cover. He was older now, but she hadn’t stopped being his big sister. She hadn’t stopped taking care of him.

  Maybe the man wouldn’t call again. Maybe it would be okay if she didn’t talk to the police. Or anyone. She could be like Jesse when he was little and just stick her head under a cover until it all went away.

  Except that she couldn’t. She would have to go to Miss Fonda’s house when she got home. Nothing short of the truth could get her out of doing what her mother said. That might not be all bad. If she got to Miss Fonda’s house before her mother, she could climb up to the tower room and get her notebook.

  She’d have to go up those stairs, but she could close her eyes and run past the place where Mrs. Harper died. Maggie shivered. She had to quit thinking about Mrs. Harper.

  The bus lurched to a stop in front of Maggie’s trailer. The front door was open, so that meant her father was home. That was good. Jesse wouldn’t have to go to Miss Fonda’s house with her. She could get her notebook, dust, and keep quiet.

  Jesse ran ahead of her into the house, slamming the door behind him. Maggie flinched. She’d told him a million times not to slam the door when they got home in case Dad was taking a nap. Dad didn’t usually wake up happy, and Maggie couldn’t deal with him yelling at them today. She just couldn’t.

  She wished her mother was home. She remembered way back to before Jesse was born when she was just a kid his age coming in from school. Her mother would watch for her from the doorway. They’d go inside and eat popcorn or something while she told her mother about whatever happened that day. Maggie could tell her anything.

  Her mother said she still could. Maybe that’s what Maggie needed to do. Tell her mother. If she got in trouble, she just got in trouble. Her mother might not be happy with her, but she’d know what Maggie should do. She’d help her. Maggie wouldn’t have to handle it alone.

  That was what Pastor Karen said it was like with Jesus. That he was always right there beside you, ready to help if a person asked him to. Maggie let a little prayer slide up into the air as she headed into the house. Don’t let Dad be mad. Please don’t let Jesse get hurt. Help me tell Mama about the man calling. Make me not afraid to go inside Miss Fonda’s house.

  The first prayer was answered right away. Her father was wide awake and smiling as Jesse told him about running faster than all the other boys at recess. It was nice having Dad smiling. Even better, she didn’t see a beer can anywhere.

  “You want me to fix you something to eat before I go to Miss Fonda’s? It’ll be late before we get through.”

  A frown slid across her father’s face. “I forgot about you cleaning that house today.”

  “I’m supposed to meet Mom there. Can Jesse stay here with you?”

  “Nope. Sorry.” He did look sort of sorry. “I’ve got somewhere I have to go.”

  “Can’t you take him with you?” Maggie knew it was useless to argue, but if she was going to get her notebook, she needed those few minutes alone at Miss Fonda’s house. Jesse would tell on her in a minute if he found out she’d been going up to the tower room.

  A stony look settled on her father’s face and Maggie rushed on. “I mean, Mom’s afraid he’ll break something with all those old antiques and everything.” She wasn’t making that up. Her mother was nervous about Jesse breaking something when he went with them. But he went plenty of times.

  “I know.” Her father rubbed his hand across his face and lost his mad look. Proof for sure he hadn’t been drinking. He got mad lots easier when he was drinking. He breathed out a long sigh. “But he can’t go with me today.”

  Maggie bit her lip. She didn’t aim to cry. But all of the sudden it was just too much. Tears slid out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She stared at the floor so her father wouldn’t see them, but she wasn’t quick enough. She was glad Jesse had run to the bathroom.

  “Look, Maggie.” Her dad put his hand on her head gently the way he used to when she was a little girl. That made Maggie cry harder. His voice sounded a little shaky too. “I’m sorry, but this is important to me.”

  She wanted to tell him that what she wanted to do was important too, but the tears were choking her up. She wouldn’t have said it anyway.

  He put his fingers under her chin and tipped up her face until she had to look at him. “I know things have been rough for you the last few months. I’m trying to make them better. Where I’m going is an AA meeting. You know
what that is, don’t you?”

  Maggie nodded.

  “I want to quit drinking and I think these meetings will help me do what I can’t do by myself. But I’m not ready to tell your mother yet. It would just disappoint her if I fall off the wagon, and right now, I can’t be sure I won’t.” He reached in his pocket for his handkerchief and handed it to her. “So if you can, I’d like you to keep our secret for another week or two. Please.”

  Maggie didn’t know the last time her dad had said please about something he wanted her to do. She mopped off her face and nodded. She could get her notebook another time. And wasn’t she already keeping secrets even bigger than what her father was asking? If her dad quit drinking, that would make everything better.

  “Good girl. I don’t know what your mother and I would do without you.” He pulled her close for a quick hug. “Remember, mum’s the word.”

  He stood up and picked up his cap. He was almost to the door when he turned to look at her. “If that woman preacher has been teaching you to pray, you might say a prayer or two for me.”

  “Okay.” Maybe that’s who she should talk to. Pastor Karen. Didn’t preachers have to keep what you told them secret? Or was that doctors? She didn’t know. She didn’t know anything.

  21

  Maggie sank down on the couch and blew her nose. Bertie jumped up beside her and licked her face. The dog wasn’t supposed to be on the couch, but Maggie didn’t push him off. Jesse crept back down the hall to the edge of the living room to stare at her.

  She wanted to tell him she was all right, but even though she wasn’t crying now, she still didn’t trust her voice. Or trust that she might not start sobbing again. This just wasn’t like her. She hadn’t cried in front of anybody for years. Sometimes in bed at night she might shed a few tears when her parents were fighting, but she didn’t ever break down like this. She didn’t. She swallowed hard and pushed a shaky smile out on her face.

  Jesse slid his feet across the carpet as though afraid to pick them up as he came closer. He hesitated a few feet from the couch. She reached toward him and he touched her hand. The static electricity popped between them and made them both jump.

  “I didn’t do that on purpose.” He looked worried she was going to be mad. “Honest.”

  Maggie swallowed again and found her voice. “I know. Come here.”

  He cuddled beside her then, and she began to feel better with Jesse on one side and Bertie on the other.

  Jesse spoke in a small voice. “I’ll be real careful not to break anything at Miss Fonda’s house. I can help you dust the cabinets and other stuff that won’t break. Mama said I was big enough now to do that.”

  “She did.” Maggie wasn’t sure that her mother intended Jesse to help them at Miss Fonda’s house today, but it couldn’t be helped. “Did you hear Dad?”

  Jesse nodded his head against her. “What’s AA?”

  “Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s for people who can’t quit drinking on their own. They help one another not drink.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Does it work?” Jesse twisted around to look at Maggie’s face.

  “I don’t know that either.”

  “I hope it does.” Jesse looked back down at his knees.

  “Yeah, me too.” Maggie pushed Bertie off the couch and blew her nose again.

  “Was that why you were crying, because you were afraid it wouldn’t work?”

  Maggie ruffled Jesse’s hair. He needed a haircut. She could put her hair up in a ponytail and not worry about haircuts, but it was different for boys. The hair lapped down over his ears. “No. I was just worried about going to Miss Fonda’s house. Something bad happened there last week.”

  “That lady with the house on her car died there, didn’t she?”

  “She did. But she’s not there now. She’s gone on up to heaven.” Maggie gave Jesse a quick hug and stood up. “Come on. We need to head over there.” She had to go. Her mother expected her to. It was just a house. No ghosts. Nobody hiding, watching her.

  “Does everybody go to heaven?” Jesse asked. “When they die?”

  “I don’t know. I hope so.”

  “Even people who do bad things?” He sounded worried.

  “Why are you asking that? Have you done something at school to get into trouble?” Maggie frowned at Jesse.

  “Not yet, but I might.”

  “Well, don’t. That will take care of that.” Maggie fixed a stern look on him. “Now, stop with the questions. We’ve got to go to Miss Fonda’s or we’ll be in trouble with Mama.”

  Maggie scribbled a note and stuck it on the refrigerator so her mother would know Jesse was with her. She didn’t say anything about where her father was and she made sure Jesse knew to keep his mouth shut too. It would be a surprise for their mother. A good surprise. At least, that was what they could hope.

  They took the shortcut across the neighbors’ yards. When they got to the highway, Maggie made Jesse wait until nothing was in sight. She wasn’t going to take the chance that somebody might try to run them down. She’d never thought about that ever when crossing the road, but things like that happened on television shows. It was no fun thinking about somebody trying to hurt you. She wanted to go back to last week before Mrs. Harper died, when going to Miss Fonda’s house had been like running out to recess in first grade.

  Now she had a knot in her throat as she tried to watch everything at once while they walked along the road. When they got to the hedge behind Miss Fonda’s house, Maggie ducked through first to hold the branches back for Jesse. Miss Marble raced out to greet them as if she’d been watching for them. Maggie felt a stab of guilt. She hadn’t come to feed her all weekend.

  “Poor kitty.” She stroked her head to tail. “I bet you’re hungry.”

  “Can I feed her?” Jesse reached down to rub the cat too.

  “I forgot to bring anything.” Another stab of guilt. “But if we can find a can of food in the cabinets, you can feed her in the kitchen.”

  Jesse picked up the cat.

  “She must like you. She’d be scratching me if I picked her up like that.” Maggie laughed and fished the key to the back door out of her pocket. It was good to think about the cat instead of what she’d seen last time she was here.

  But the uneasy feeling came back as soon as she stepped into the kitchen. It was too quiet, and one of the chairs was pulled out from the table as though somebody had just been sitting there and got up in a hurry to leave.

  Even Jesse felt it. “I’m glad we don’t live here.”

  “Why?” Maggie tried to hide being scared, but her voice was a little shaky.

  “It’s spooky.”

  Miss Marble must have agreed, because she suddenly yowled and squirmed free from Jesse to race out the door.

  “Guess she doesn’t want to eat in here,” Maggie said.

  “Can’t I feed her on the back porch?”

  Maggie hesitated, but Miss Marble was standing right outside the door, looking calm as anything now. Nobody was out there. It would be okay. Maggie found a can of cat food in the cabinet and peeled off the top. She dipped the food out into a plastic bowl and handed it to Jesse.

  “You have to come back inside after she eats. I’ll leave you a rag to dust the chairs and table in here. Remember you have to do the legs and not just the tops.” That should keep him busy until their mother got there.

  She wanted to tell him to leave the back door open, but her mother wouldn’t be happy if they let in flies. But after he closed the door behind him, the house seemed even quieter. Almost like it was holding its breath.

  Don’t be stupid, she told herself sternly. Houses don’t breathe or not breathe. A house is a house. Bricks and wood. She wasn’t afraid of houses. She and Jesse were alone here. No one else was there.

  How do you know? The question slid through her mind. She wanted to go out on the back porch with Jesse and Miss Marble, but instead she opened the broom c
loset to get the dust spray and rags. She left one of the rags on the chair for Jesse. He’d probably watch the cat eat every drop of food. But she needed to get started.

  She took a quick look at the clock on the wall. 9:20. The battery must have run out. But it had to be close to four thirty. Her mother would be there in about an hour. She had to quit being scared and get to work. She’d start with the figurines on the shelf in the front room. She could leave the upstairs rooms and having to go up those steps where Mrs. Harper fell until after her mother got there, unless she wanted to sneak up to the tower room and get her notebook while Jesse was outside.

  No, that would be too far from Jesse. She wouldn’t be able to hear him if he yelled. She’d just have to come back a different time. It might not be as scary the next time.

  She peeked out the back window. Jesse was on his belly, watching Miss Marble eat. That cat was a dainty eater for a mouser.

  Maggie pulled in a big breath for courage and walked through the house to the front entrance. The door was locked. She turned the knob to be sure. She stood still and listened. Nothing. Not so much as a ticking clock. They’d all run down. Everything in the house had run down.

  Maggie dusted the hall tree next to the stairway. She left the stair railings in case Jesse got through with the chairs in the kitchen and needed more to do. She stepped into the front room, what Miss Fonda always called the parlor. Maybe Maggie should wind the clock on the mantel. The ticking might keep the silence from beating against her ears.

  Something wasn’t right about the room. Maggie stopped and looked around. The rose-colored wingback chair was shoved against the wall and the silk-fringed pillow that had a place of honor on the couch was across the room next to the fireplace. Two pictures hung askew and the third, a portrait of Miss Fonda’s grandmother, was on the floor.