Murder Wears a Veil

by Maddie Cochere

  “Did you wanna killem?” I tried the words again. “Want to kill him?”

  “I was angry, but it didn’t take long to realize he left for his gig, and I was stuck. I spent the time going through boxes and looking at family pictures.”

  “You were awake all night?”

  “He was only gone for three hours. He said he went to tell Arnie I was sick and couldn’t make the dinner meeting. Arnie wasn’t happy. He had no way to notify Mr. Woo that I wouldn’t be coming.”

  “Yeah. That would have blown your cover if he walked in and told him. I bet that Woo guy was mad.”

  “We never found out. After Graves delivered his news, he got in the car with Arnie to talk about the Bengals season, and before they could discuss a possible Super Bowl run, the restaurant blew up.”

  My eyes flew open wide. “Blew up? Like a bomb?”

  “Like a bomb. The windows in the front of the building blew out, and the fire destroyed the place. A few people lived, but most died, including Mr. Woo.”

  “Wow. Your husband was clarinoyvant. He saved your life.” I was pretty sure I said the word wrong, but my brain wouldn’t allow me to enunciate clearly. It was definitely numb. Or maybe my lips were numb.

  She smiled the too-happy smile again. “That he did.”

  “Was that the end of the money laundering?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “The FBI was involved after that. Arnie and I turned all of our surveillance notes and tapes over to them. That was the last case I worked on with Arnie. Graves put his foot down and insisted I quit. I loved Gravy enough to give up working with my brother and my dream of being a police officer. I settled for working behind the bar at his favorite rocker joint.”

  She just called a man Gravy. I’ll bet she never called him that in public. I couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped. I frowned and tried to focus on the conversation.

  “Arnie said you were only married a year.”

  Addie poured another shot before answering. “He acquired a following and couldn’t resist a young groupie. There was no competing with a younger woman.”

  I allowed her to pour another shot for me and downed it. My vision was blurry, and I knew I was definitely slurring my words, but that didn’t stop me from saying, “My first husband left me for a young’r woman. Dirtbag. Him, not her. Well, her, too. Best part is, he wasn’t happy after they married.”

  “Did he leave her, too?”

  “No. She was murdered.”

  Through the slits in my eyes, I saw her eyes widen. “Let’s drink to that. If only they could all be murdered.”

  Her words were callous, and I knew I shouldn’t laugh, but the sentiment sounded funny coming out of her mouth. Maybe I wasn’t really laughing. I think I was giggling again. Nancy would be proud.

  When my giggles subsided, I said, “I’m gonna hit the hay. I’ll pass out if we keep this up.”

  “Don’t you want to know how I knew what was in the Chummy bag today?”

  I opened my eyes enough to see her clearly. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  She smiled. Her smile looked creepy now.

  “Chauncey wanted to hire some workers who weren’t in or right out of high school. He thought more mature employees would make fewer mistakes. We were friends, so I offered to be one of his mature test employees.”

  “Fast food worker. Part-time investigator. Barmaid. You’ve got quite a resume.”

  Did I really say that out loud? If I did, it was kind of mean, especially since my resume wasn’t much better. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her lips. The creepy smile was still there.

  “I’ve had a dozen more jobs than those, but let’s stick with Chummy Burgers for now.”

  I willed my mouth shut.

  “Chummy’s is always busy, but it was banging that July when I started working for Chauncey.”

  “Bangin’.” I have no idea why I repeated the word. It felt wrong coming out of her mouth. An old woman shouldn’t use the word banging.

  “I was assigned to the drive-thru window, and I couldn’t keep up, so I started putting anything I wanted in the bags – just to keep the line moving. Some people complained, but most didn’t. The drive-thru speaker barely worked on the customer side, so Chauncey put a sign on it telling everyone to come inside if they wanted what they ordered. Within a month, the drive thru business tripled.”

  She paused for a few moments with the scary clown smile on her face. Her red lipstick appeared to be glowing. I blinked a few times. The illusion went away. I was going to have nightmares tonight.

  “That was eons ago, but Chauncey has trained every employee since then on the fine art of screwing with orders.”

  I wasn’t amused. “Ha. Ha. So, it’s your fault I get healthy food when I’m trying to get a footlong coney and curly fries.”

  She laughed loudly. “Yes, it is.”

  “That still doesn’t explain the sammich. How did you know what was in the bag?”

  Sammich. My brain was on tilt. I hated when Mama asked Roger if he wanted a sammich. Who invented that ridiculous word anyway?

  “When I quit helping him to take a job at the hospital, I made it clear that when I left work at the end of the day and came through the drive thru, I expected to get what I wanted – crab salad on a dinner roll. Chauncey put a sign up for anyone working the drive thru that if an order for liverwurst on marble rye came in, it was code for crab salad on a dinner roll. Anyone not filling the order properly would be fired on the spot.”

  “Can you work out a code with Chummy for a footlong coney and curly fries? Do you think we could go to Chummy’s now and use a code? I’m starving. Do I look like I’m starving?”

  Addie grabbed the bottle and the shot glasses. “Go to bed. I think we’ve made a lot of progress tonight. Tomorrow will be a better day.”

  I started the long trek up the stairs and wondered what in the world she was talking about. What progress? Who did she think she was? My therapist? I didn’t need no stinkin’ therapist.

  I didn’t undress or climb under the covers. I flopped onto the bed and immediately passed out.

  A few minutes later, she was poking me on the shoulder again and whispering, “Jo, get up.”

  “What?” I moaned. “Why?”

  She poked me again, shushed me, and pointed at Glenn. He was sound asleep beside me. I was still dressed and on top of the covers. I managed to get out of bed and follow her into the hall. I was still drunk and felt like crap.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Nothing’s wrong. There’s something we have to do. I need you to take a hot shower and meet me in the kitchen in half an hour.” She looked at her watch. “We have to leave in forty-five minutes, so don’t pull that stunt in the bathroom like you did yesterday.”

  “I need to sleep,” I whined. “I’m going back to bed.”

  “Catch up on your beauty sleep tonight. This is important.” Her tone was adamant. She turned and headed for the stairs.

  I didn’t know why I couldn’t stand up to her. Why couldn’t I put my foot down and say no?

  On my way to take a shower, I struggled to walk past the bed and not climb back in. The numbers on the clock on the nightstand glowed five thirty-eight. I’d had a little over five hours of sleep, but it felt like five minutes.

  Addie had blueberry pancakes on the table when I arrived in the kitchen. As much as I loved blueberry pancakes, I knew I’d throw up if I ate them.

  Before I could protest, she handed a glass to me. It was filled with a black liquid. “Hold your nose and drink this. Don’t stop. Chug it down. It’ll fix that hangover of yours.”

  “I don’t have a hangover. I’m still drunk. The hangover will show up in about two or three hours.”

  “Not if you drink this.” She looked at her watch again. “Hurry up. We don’t want to be late.”

  I didn't let Mama boss me around like this. Why was I taking it from Addie?

  I didn’t bother holdin
g my nose, but I did hold my breath as I downed the thick liquid. The aftertaste was disgusting. It was a cross between licorice and skunk. I didn’t even try to hold back the loud burp that followed.

  “Pancakes,” Addie said. “Eat at least one. The blueberries are good for you, and it’ll take the bad taste out of your mouth.”

  The pancakes went down surprisingly well, and I almost felt normal when we left the house. Almost.

  Addie held her hand out for the truck keys. “I’ll drive. I know where I’m going, and we’ll get there on time.”

  “No one drives my truck but Glenn or me. Do you even have a license?”

  “Of course I have a license. I get a new car lease every year. If we’re pulled over, you’ll blow over the limit. I won’t.”

  “You drank as much as I did.”

  “I know, but my body metabolizes alcohol faster than most people. I’m good to go. Give me the keys.”

  It was the lemming thing again. I was following her into the unknown and doing her bidding. I told myself to refuse any Kool-Aid she handed to me during the day. Oh, wait. She already gave me a glass of black liquid. I’d probably be dead within hours. She’d dump my body in a swamp and take off in my truck never to be seen or heard from again.

  “Jo? Are you listening to me? Give me the keys.”

  I handed her the keys, climbed into the passenger seat, and strapped in.

  “If you have a driver’s license and a car, why did Hank have to come pick you up in Cincinnati?”

  “He didn’t. Your mother assumed I couldn’t drive and made the offer of Hank’s taxi service, so I took her up on it. That meant less miles on my car lease.”

  I couldn’t argue with her there.

  “Why are you being so secretive?” I asked. “Where are we going?”

  She didn’t answer my question. “It’ll take us a while to get there, so go ahead and put your head back and get some more sleep.”

  I didn’t want to sleep. I wanted to keep an eye on her driving.

  I was more than a little shocked when she poked me on the shoulder, and I saw we had arrived at our destination. We were at the Pittsburgh airport. We had been on the road for at least an hour and a half.

  “What in the world are we doing in Pittsburgh? Are you meeting someone?”

  “In a manner of speaking. Get your driver’s license out. We have to hurry.”

  I could barely keep up. There was no way I would be as agile as she was when I was eighty.

  I was even more shocked when she produced two boarding passes that moved us quickly through the check-in process. The security agent barely looked at my identification.

  Were we actually flying somewhere? We didn’t have any luggage, so we couldn’t be going far. The attendants hurried us along, telling us we were the last to board. I caught a glimpse of the destination just before entering the boarding walkway.

  Chicago.

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. “Why in the world are we going to Chicago?”

  She looked back at me with a devilish grin that rivaled the creepy smile of last night. Her words nearly knocked me over.

  “You know why. We’re going to solve Natalie Ping’s murder.”

  Chapter Eleven

  I had officially lost my mind. I knew this, because if I were in my right mind, I would have never boarded an airplane with a crazy woman.

  Once we had cups of coffee in hand, Addie appeared ready to have a conversation. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the conversation I was expecting.

  “I’m not really seventy-nine years old,” she said.

  My eyes glazed over for a few moments. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m not interested in your age. I want to know who told you about Natalie Ping.”

  She ignored my comment. “I have a high I.Q. We’re talking Mensa level. When I was five, Mother told people I was eight. I was taller and more mature than most eight year olds, so it was an easy lie to tell. When I was seven, people thought I was ten or even twelve. By the time I was sixteen, I was bold and would say I was twenty-four – sometimes twenty-seven.”

  “What about school? You weren’t twenty-seven in high school.”

  She made a loud pshaw sound. “Arnie and Dick went to school, but Mother said she needed me to help at home. I think she knew I’d be bored in school. She bought an encyclopedia set from a door-to-door salesman. I read every volume.”

  “Didn’t a truant officer come for you?”

  “Never.”

  “So, you’re only seventy years old?”

  “Not until August.”

  “That’s why you’re not hunched over, pining for gelatin cups, and still able to run through airports.”

  I regretted the words the minute they left my mouth. It was as though my brain had no filter around her.

  She laughed at my words. “I hope I never crave a gelatin cup, and I’m sure I’ll still be able to run through an airport when I’m eighty.”

  A flight attendant offered us more coffee. I refused, but Addie had her cup refilled. The woman probably still had a strong bladder.

  “Why are we talking about your age? I want to know why you thought going to Chicago was a good idea. Glenn won’t be happy when he finds out I’m gone. We’re still in our honeymoon phase.”

  “Don’t get your knickers in a twist. I’m just trying to make polite conversation. You’ll be home tonight. Besides, he knows where we are. I told him where we were going when he came in from work this morning.”

  She talked with Glenn? She couldn’t have had much sleep, yet she still looked as if she just stepped out of Milly’s salon. Every now and then, a flicker of admiration for her surfaced.

  “Ok, it’s a day trip,” I said. “Tell me what you know about Natalie.”

  “I know what you know. I read your board in the basement. There was enough information to warrant a trip to Chicago. Wasn’t that your conclusion?”

  “Yes, but I hadn’t planned to follow up on it. It’s not my case to solve.”

  “Of course it is. You’re the only eyewitness to the murder, and unless you want another trip to Hawaii that won’t be a vacation, you better solve this case soon.”

  I knew she was right. I had poked the bear by calling Detective Hale and asking about the tuxedo. It was only a matter of time before a subpoena hit my doorstep.

  “There are answers in Chicago,” I said. “I suppose we should start with Pete Sinclair at his dental office. I don’t think he’ll refuse to talk with us. He knew Glenn and I were willing to help him in Hawaii. Then we can go to Lela’s Bridal Boutique. I think the tuxedo was rented there. We’ll find out who rented it and let the owner know it’s not coming back.”

  “Do you have the addresses?”

  “They’re on the board at home. If you would have told me what we were doing before rushing me out of the house, I could have written them down for us.”

  She pshawed again. “What’s your theory? Do you think Pete killed his wife?”

  “He’s the obvious suspect, but something doesn’t feel right. Her parents could be involved, but they’re in Hawaii, so we won’t be able to talk with them. They were the ones who hired the men to take Natalie out of Pete’s timeshare, but I’m thinking those men aren’t likely to be involved in her death.”

  “That’s a lot of buts.”

  I put my head back and closed my eyes. “We’ll ask Pete what happened when we get there.”

  She seemed to accept my cue that I no longer wanted to talk. What I wanted to do was relax and clear my mind before we landed.

  A few moments later, she said, “Don’t go to sleep. That’s a wicked snore you’ve got there.”

  I let out a small harrumph. She should talk.

  And yet a few short minutes later, she again poked my shoulder. “Unstrap. We’re on the ground.”

  I grabbed my shoulder and whined, “How do you keep poking the exact same spot? It’s getting sore.”

  “You’re a big baby. Quit going to sleep, an
d I won’t have to poke you.”

  I was irritated with myself that I had fallen asleep again. I swear, I was going to follow up on the thought that I might have narcolepsy. Here I was, instead of clearing my mind, I had cobwebs in my brain again.

  Once again, I followed Addie like a lemming through the airport to a taxi. She gave the driver an address I recognized as Pete’s office.

  I had a bad habit of leaving home without my watch. I was glad I had spotted it on the dresser this morning and slipped it on before leaving the bedroom. A quick glance at it now showed it was shortly after nine o’clock Chicago time. Addie couldn’t have timed our arrival more perfectly. Pete’s dental practice had most likely opened only ten minutes ago.

  “He won’t be there.” The words came out of my mouth before realizing my brain had even formed the thought.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “It’s only been a week since his wife was murdered. I’m sure he’s still in Hawaii for the funeral, and that means his office is closed. You jumped the gun by bringing us here.”

  My cobwebs melted away, and I now felt angry that I not only didn’t get enough sleep, but I had allowed Addie to drag me to Chicago. Granted, I didn’t put up a fight, but I still felt the smoldering embers of a temper tantrum well up.

  She seemed smug. “We’ll know soon enough.”

  I shouldn’t have been surprised when the office was open and Addie greeted the receptionist. “Addison Chambers. I have a ten o’clock appointment.”

  The woman frowned. “I’m sorry. Didn’t someone call you this morning to cancel? Doctor Sinclair is downtown at Northwestern Memorial handling a dental emergency for a crash victim. I thought we called everyone.” She swiveled in her chair. “Susie, did you call Addison Chambers and cancel this morning?”

  Addie rapped on the counter. “I’m right here, you nitwit. I ought to know if someone called me or not. I didn’t get the message.”

  I piped up behind her. “We were on the airplane. Your phone was turned off.”

  She turned and glared at me. I didn’t care. She intervened when I was going to tell Ethel Bunwich the truth about Pickles. I didn’t know what game she was playing here, but we didn’t need her fake appointment to talk with Pete.