Barbara Levenson - Mary Magruder Katz 03 - Outrageous October

by Barbara Levenson

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-TWO

  Dash followed my SUV in a Subaru sports wagon. We entered the house together with Sam leading the way.

  “The night I got here there was a fire in the fireplace and a glass of wine poured and waiting on the kitchen table. I figured that Lucy’s caretaker had gotten everything ready for me. Now that I know I wasn’t expected at this house, I have to believe that someone has been using this house.” I started packing my few groceries in a bag in the kitchen.

  “It does seem strange. I’ll check out the rest of the house while you pack up.” Dash went up the back stairs while I hurried into the bedroom and began throwing clothes into my suitcase.

  I carried the groceries and Sam’s food bag and dish out to my car. That was when I glanced at Dash’s Subaru. It was black just like the one I found in the barn. I finished loading my car and went back inside. Dash was standing in the living room examining the contents of the bookshelves.

  “Dash, I just remembered something else. There’s a car parked in the barn. It’s a black Subaru just like yours. Did Carolyn have a Subaru?”

  Dash paused for a minute and looked away. “No, not Carolyn. Lots of us drive them up here. They’re good in the snow with four wheel drive, but Carolyn had a white Lincoln Town Car. It was missing after the murder, but it was found a few weeks later abandoned on a dirt road over in New Hampshire.”

  “Want to check out the barn?”

  “I guess so. I couldn’t find anything upstairs that looked like signs of a resident. Everything is neat and clean, just like you said.”

  We tramped out to the barn and I slid back the big door. In front of us was nothing but empty space undisturbed except for a bird circling in the rafters.

  “Where is it?” Dash asked. “Where’s the car?”

  “It was here this morning,” I said as I walked the length of the place. “I know I saw it.”

  Dash gave me a funny look. Maybe he thought I was some kind of crazy lady who had escaped from a mental institution. “Well there’s no car in here now.”

  “I can see that, but I know what I saw.” I marched out of the barn and headed to my SUV. “You don’t have to go with me to Lucy’s. Just point me in the right direction.”

  “I’m happy to go over there with you,” Dash said. Her house is just on the other side of these woods, but to drive there you have to go back to River Road, turn right and then turn right again into the next gravel drive. Please just follow me and I’ll help you get your things inside. It’s getting cold and it looks like rain.”

  “Thanks. I don’t want to get into the wrong house again.”

  Sam jumped in the car as soon as I opened the door. I followed close behind Dash as we rounded a big turn and then turned immediately into the gravel road. It wound up a hill just like the drive into Carolyn’s house. The wooded area was on my right. Then we passed a sprawling meadow and finally pulled up into a circular drive in front of a magnificent two story white house with green shutters. A large flagstone terrace sat in front of the house.

  Dash got out and tried the front door which he held open as Sam and I got out of my car. We entered a foyer with a black and white tile floor and a circular stairway. Light streamed in from the stained glass window at the top of the stairs.

  “This looks nothing like the Brousseaus’. What a gorgeous house,” I said. I put a firm hand on Sam’s collar before he could go exploring on his own.

  “This is one of the nicest houses in High Pines. I remember Lucy coming here in the summer to visit her grandparents. She’s a few years younger than I am but all the high school kids hung out together. She was very pretty.”

  “She still is, even after three kids.” I glanced to my right and saw a Great Room with a stone fireplace and a huge flat screen TV.

  “Let me help you bring your things in,” Dash said. He went back out to my car without waiting for an answer. In a couple of minutes he was back, carrying the suitcase, grocery bag and Sam’s supplies. He carried all of it as easily as if he was bringing in the morning newspapers.

  “I think I’ve got it all,” he said.

  “I grabbed the groceries out of his hand and looked for the kitchen.

  “It’s down at the end of the hall,” he said. “Wow, Lucy must have had all this remodeled.”

  I was looking at granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and walls of oak cabinets. “This is about the size of my whole house in Miami,” I said. I opened the fridge and saw that it was stocked with beer, white wine, and bottles of every sort of condiment. I grabbed two beers and handed one to Dash.

  “Here’s your reward for hauling my junk in here.”

  Dash popped the top and sat down at the long table in the center of the room.

  “So what are you really doing up here?” Dash asked

  “I told you, taking a little vacation.”

  “A vacation might mean a cruise with a boyfriend or a spa in Mexico with a girlfriend; not a quiet village in a lonely house where you don’t know anyone. I guess you’re running away from someone or something.”

  I stared at Dash. Either he was very perceptive, or he had spoken to Lucy. An uncomfortable silence filled the space in the immaculate kitchen.

  “You don’t have to tell me anything,” Dash broke the silence. “After practicing law for a lot of years, I’m a pretty good judge of people.”

  “I thought I was too, but even lawyers make judgments that don’t reflect their brains. I came up here to try to erase a bad relationship, so I guess running away is the right label to pin on this trip.”

  “I’d be glad to be part of your R. and R. How about I take you out to dinner tomorrow evening? We have some great restaurants in the Upper Valley, and you haven’t had much chance to see the other villages in the area. We can compare notes about law practice in different environments.”

  I looked at Dash. He was nice looking and I would enjoy hearing about a country law practice. Well, what the hell, I thought.

  “That’s really nice of you, Dash. It sounds like fun. Everyone is so friendly here. I met Riley Simmons at the mini-mart and she offered to take me sightseeing too.”

  “You can go with her on Sunday. Tomorrow night is Saturday night. She’s probably busy then anyway. She has a boyfriend.”

  “Okay. Shall I meet you somewhere?”

  “I’ll pick you up around seven. This is right on the way over to Woodstock. Will Sam be okay by himself? He seems glued to your side.”

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-THREE

  I spent Saturday visiting the VINS center, the Vermont Institute of Nature. It was on a glorious site with trees surrounding it. The center cares for injured birds and tries to restore them to health. Those that can’t be returned to the wild are placed in holding areas made to resemble their usual habitat.

  Sam stayed in the car while I got a look at a snowy owl, several hawks, and a bald eagle. There was even an educational show where the predator birds were brought out for picture taking and close up views. I was as much in awe as the group of school kids seated around me.

  I retrieved Sam from his perch on the driver’s seat of my SUV. This is where he waits for my return. Several hiking trails led from the center and we spent some time looking at wild flowers, shimmering leaves, and hilly terrain. Finally we arrived at the gorge and climbed down behind a family with several kids in tow. It was worth the climb down and back up to see what the locals call their “little Grand Canyon.”

  I knew my legs would ache tomorrow. They aren’t geared to climbing considering that they live at sea level.

  We stopped back on the main road for hotdogs, one for Sam and two for me. I spotted the gift shop that Riley mentioned and decided to pick up some things to take back for Catherine and her kids. To my surprise, Riley was behind the counter.

  “Aren’t you in the wrong place?” I asked.

  “I got pressed into service over here. Dad’s short of help and I know the inventory.
My cousin is manning the mini-mart. How are you doing?”

  “Aside from the fact that I found out I was staying in the wrong house, just fine, thanks.”

  Riley looked at me like I had two heads.

  “It’s a long story. I’ll fill you in when we get together. Are you free on Sunday?” I asked.

  “Sure, Sunday is fine, but what about this evening? My boyfriend and I are going to the Salt Hill Pub to listen to some jazz. You are welcome to join us,” Riley said.

  “Thanks, that’s so nice of you, but I have a dinner plan for tonight. Does your boyfriend live in the village?”

  “No, he lives up in Hanover. He’s the high school hockey coach. Who are you having dinner with? I didn’t know you had friends around here.”

  “I don’t except for two kids at Dartmouth who belong to one of my clients. I met a local lawyer yesterday and he asked me to dinner. I love hockey. When does the high school play?”

  “Don’t change the subject. Which local attorney?”

  “Dash Mellman. Do you know him?”

  “Well, you are the foxy girl, finding one of our eligible bachelors before the week is out. Everyone knows everyone here. Dash is kind of quiet, but he’s okay and not too bad to look at. Meet me in front of the mini-mart tomorrow around noon, and I want to hear all about your date.”

  “It’s not really a date, Riley; just two lawyers comparing notes. See you tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-FOUR

  I returned to Lucy’s comfortable house and settled in front of a cozy fire that I started all by myself. I settled on the sofa and started one of the books I bought. When I looked up it was five o’clock. I haven’t felt this relaxed since I once played hooky and stayed home in bed with a little cold. Then I remembered a few months ago when Carlos and I had spent the weekend at his parents beach condo on Marco Island. We had laid on the warm sand and let all our office stress float away on the waves from the Gulf. I wished I could get rid of all those memories.

  Keeping busy was what I needed right now. I fed Sam and ran him around the back yard. Then I showered and dressed in slacks, my one cashmere sweater and full makeup including eye shadow and mascara. The new leather jacket looked fashionable and felt warm. I whistled for Sam to put him in his crate. I didn’t want him running loose in Lucy’s perfect house. He is prone to eating any available cushion containing foam.

  That was when I realized that the crate was nowhere in the house or car. I remembered that in my haste to be out of the Brousseau murder house, I left the crate sitting in the bedroom.

  I glanced at the clock. I had thirty minutes before Dash was picking me up. I put Sam on his leash and tried to decide whether to walk through the woods between the two houses or drive. I opted for the walk. It seemed quicker.

  As soon as we came through the stand of oak trees, I could actually see the Brousseau house. I sprinted down the semi-cleared area and approached the side of the house. The barn door was partially open and the Black Subaru was visible. It was back.

  “Someone must be staying in this house,” I said to Sam.

  We marched up the porch to the front door. I decided to knock. No one answered and Sam was pulling hard on his leash. I opened the unlocked door and yelled “hello” several times. My voice echoed up the stairs. Then Sam began to bark.

  I pulled him with me down the hall to the guest room and there was the crate, just where I left it. I pulled the crate by its handle along behind me. Sam struggled and tried to go up the stairs.

  I shoved open the front door and managed to get the crate, Sam and me to the driveway. Dog crates aren’t really crates. They are holding cages. Dogs feel safe in them, sort of like a traveling bed and breakfast. They aren’t heavy, just very bulky.

  We started back toward the woods. Darkness was fast approaching. The trees rattled in the wind. Their branches looked like tentacles on a giant animal. Some birds flew toward us shrieking a warning that announced our presence. As we started down the path, a branch touched my face and I let out a screech too.

  That was when I saw something or someone running behind a stand of white birch trees, their white bark illuminating a figure. The sun was almost completely down I stopped to stare at the disappearing figure. Sam barked loudly. His bark echoed and more birds answered in alarm.

  Sam barked again and again. He gave one gigantic pull on his leash which broke away leaving me holding a piece of leather. I fell back against the crate. “Sam, get back here,” I screamed. All I heard was rustling in the underbrush and running footsteps.

  I picked myself up and began running down the makeshift path, pulling the crate behind me and screaming for Sam. My quickly hatched plan was to get back to the house, get the car and start searching for my dog, and hope that whoever was running in the woods was scared away.

  When I reached the cluster of oak trees, Sam came limping out of the brush, tongue hanging out and looking exhausted. He fell in step with me and the crate.

  We reached the house and sat down in the front hall. “You bad boy,” I said to Sam as I checked his paws. His back left paw had a cut. In a kitchen cupboard I found a first aid kit. I cleaned the cut with alcohol and Neosporin. Sam was too exhausted to protest.

  I put him in the crate with a full bucket of water. Then I went to the nearest mirror and saw a sweaty woman with leaves and twigs in her hair. Of course, that’s when the doorbell rang.

  Dash stood on the doorstep with a package under his arm.

  “Come in please, Dash. I’m sorry I’m not quite ready to leave. I’ve just had a fright night experience,” I said as I tried to pick the twigs out of my hair.

  “You do look slightly undone,” he said. “What’s wrong?”

  “I had to go back to the Brousseau house because I forgot Sam’s crate. I decided to walk over, and when I started back, someone must have seen us and started running away, and Sam broke his leash and chased the guy, and I couldn’t find Sam and I was dragging that crate along.” I stopped to take a breath.

  “Slow down. Did you find Sam?”

  “He actually found me. He’s in his crate in the kitchen. And I have half the woods in my hair. I’m sure someone is living in that house and saw us and ran away. By the way, the Subaru was back in the barn.”

  “There are deer and coyotes in these wooded areas all the time. Once in a while someone spots a bear. Kids play in the woods, too. It could have been some kids or an animal. About the car, maybe Tom is renting the garage space to someone. Lots of summer folks rent space for their cars and golf carts over the winter.” Dash looked at me like I was an out of control client.

  “I’m pretty sure it was a man, not an animal. Too bad Sam can’t tell us who he chased. Give me two minutes to get cleaned up.”

  “Sure. No problem. I’m a little winded myself. I got a call from a distressed client this afternoon and had to ride out to her farm. I’ll tell you about it at dinner. Oh, here,” Dash held out the package he was carrying. “One of my clients makes maple syrup and this is from his spring batch. He paid my fee with a case of this syrup.”

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-FIVE

  I brushed my hair and washed my face and was ready to climb into Dash’s Subaru. I couldn’t help noticing that it had a lot of leaves and dirt on the floor.

  Dash saw me looking at the mess. “Sorry about my car. I have so many clients who are farm people and sometimes I have to go out to see them. This is nothing compared to what this looks like after hunting season.”

  “You hunt? You mean you shoot animals?”

  “That’s what hunting is about,” Dash laughed. Everyone hunts here. If we didn’t, the deer population and the Canadian Geese would take over. I guess hunting isn’t much of a hobby in Miami.”

  “True. People just shoot each other there.”

  Dash looked over at me with a frown and then he got my joke and laughed.

  We were headed west on the River Road. In a few minutes we entered the village of W
oodstock. It looked like a picture of a New England village painted by Norman Rockwell. White clapboard houses, churches, and small shops dotted the streets. We pulled into a parking place in front of a general store that advertised fresh produce, garden supplies, hardware, and fishing licenses. I tried to detour into the store, but it was closed.

  Dash took my elbow and led me down a tiny alleyway and into a doorway whose sign read “The Prince and the Pauper”. The cozy restaurant was warm and smelled delicious. I realized that I was starved after my fresh air hikes and my disturbing experience in the woods.

  “Good evening, Dash,” the man inside the front door greeted us. “Your table is ready. Just follow me. How is your mother? Still working in your office?”

  We were seated in a booth at the back of the restaurant. “That’s the owner,” Dash explained. “And he’s highly curious about who my very attractive dinner companion is.”

  “Thanks for the compliment. Why not just tell him that I’m the nutty attorney from Miami who came into your office after staying in the wrong house?”

  “I’m sure you’ve noticed that everyone knows everyone and everything about them here. So it’s fun to have a mystery date. I’ll bet he’ll be on the phone to my mother by tomorrow morning, if not sooner,” Dash said.

  We opened our menus filled with wonderful choices. In a few minutes, a young man appeared with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I have a standing order for this special bottle of wine. It’s a great drink in cold weather, but if you don’t like it, please order one that you enjoy. This is a red from Argentina.”

  I looked at the label and thought of Carlos at once.

  “Is something wrong?” Dash asked

  “I guess I don’t have a poker face. Not a good trait for a trial lawyer,” I said. “It’s just that the guy I just broke up with was half Argentine, and this is the same wine his father always ordered at dinner. But it’s a very good wine. I’d enjoy a glass.”

  “Like the song says, ‘breaking up is hard to do.’ I understand. I was divorced a few years ago, and sometimes some small thing brings back hurtful memories.”