A Fatal Slip

by Melissa Glazer

  “You’re going to be sore tomorrow, kiddo,” I said.

  “I can do better than that. I’m sore right now.”

  Hannah brushed some of the hair out of his eyes. “You need to put your ponytail back.”

  “I would, but I’m not sure I can lift my arms that high.”

  “Should I get a doctor?” There was absolute panic in Hannah’s eyes.

  “I’m going to be fine, but my mobility’s a little limited at the moment.”

  She nodded. “Then I’ll do it for you.” As Hannah pulled David’s hair back into a ponytail, I asked, “Where’s Annie?”

  “She’s at Stanford for a few days getting acclimated. She can’t wait to move there.” The disappointment in his voice was apparent.

  “Chin up, David. She’s not gone for good.”

  “Not yet anyway,” he said glumly.

  Hannah said, “I think we have enough of a get-well committee as it is, don’t you? Have they said if they’re going to keep you overnight yet?”

  “The doctor should be along soon with the verdict,” he said as he looked around the room. “What should we do while we’re waiting? These magazines are all a hundred years old.”

  “I can run to the gift shop to see if they have anything more recent,” I offered.

  “That would be great,” David said.

  Hannah reached for her purse. “Here, let me give you some money.”

  “Thanks, but I can manage.”

  “I insist,” she said as she thrust a twenty at me.

  I saw David was smiling. He said, “You might as well take it. She won’t let up until you do.”

  “Fine,” I said as I grabbed the bill. I had no intention of spending it, but if it made her happy, I’d take it, then slip it back to David in one of his magazines. At the giftshop I made a few purchases, then walked back to where I’d left them. A young doctor was talking with them earnestly, and I heard David say loudly, “But I’m fine.”

  I stayed out of earshot until the physician left, then rejoined them. “Here are your magazines.”

  “Thanks,” he said sullenly.

  “What happened?”

  Hannah said, “They’re keeping him here overnight, strictly as a precaution.”

  “I hate hospitals,” David said.

  “It’s only one night,” Hannah said.

  I added, “Besides, they’ve got candy stripers around here. I saw one in the gift shop.”

  “They’re all high school girls,” David said.

  “I’m not suggesting you start dating one of them, but it has to be better than looking at the two of us.”

  “No offense, but you’ve got a point.”

  I asked Hannah, “Would you like me to go to Admissions with you?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. Thanks for coming, Carolyn. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

  She hugged me, and after we broke apart, I said, “You can always call me. You know that.”

  “If your ringer’s on,” she said.

  “I’ll switch it on the second I get home,” I promised. “In fact, I’ll stop by the pottery shop on my way home and get the cell phone, and I’ll keep it by the bed, just in case you need me.”

  I turned to David. “Get some rest, and I’ll come by to see you tomorrow.”

  “I’ll be ready to work a shift in the morning. I’m teaching my first pottery class tomorrow, remember?”

  “I’ve got a feeling you’re going to be a little stiff. Why don’t we play it by ear? I’ll let your students know what happened.”

  David nodded. “Okay, that’s probably for the best. Thanks for coming, boss.”

  “What can I say? There’s no way I could let my employee of the month go to the hospital without visiting.”

  “It’s not that tough a competition, is it, since I’m the only member of your staff,” David said with a slight smile.

  “So why don’t you win more often?” I replied, returning the grin.

  I thought about skipping the late-night visit to Fire at Will, but I’d promised Hannah I’d have my cell phone available, and I meant to keep that pledge. At least I could park in front of the shop with impunity, since I didn’t have to worry about usurping a parking place from a paying customer. As I got out of my car, I could hear the brook running its course. It was somehow a more peaceful sound at night, and I was sorry I couldn’t stop and listen to it more often. At the moment, it earned every nuance of its name, Whispering Brook.

  I unlocked the shop, flipped on a few lights, grabbed my phone, then glanced at the store’s answering machine. A blinking “1” caught my attention, and I was about to hit the play button when a sharp rap on the front door startled me so much I nearly screamed.

  Chapter 6

  Butch Hardcastle was standing outside peering in through the window.

  As I unlocked the door, I said, “I hope you realize that you nearly gave me a heart attack just then.”

  “Sorry. I saw the lights and wanted to be sure no one was robbing you. What are you doing here so late?”

  “David had a car accident,” I said. “Don’t worry, he’s going to be fine. He hit a deer on the way home from school tonight, and Hannah called me from the hospital. They’re keeping him overnight for observation, but besides a few cuts and bruises, he’s okay.”

  “That’s good news,” Butch said. “I’ve already found out something interesting about Charlie Cobb. Would you like to hear it now, or would you rather wait until morning?”

  I was tired after a very long and stressful day, but Butch was doing this digging for me, and I couldn’t bring myself to put him off until morning. “Now’s fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. I can make a pot of coffee for us, if you’d like.”

  He shook his head. “No thanks. I can’t stay that long. I was heading for a meeting when I saw your light.”

  I glanced at the clock. “Who exactly are you meeting at eleven o’clock at night? Strike that, I don’t really want to know.”

  Butch smiled. “Easy, Carolyn, it’s nothing like that.”

  I waited for him to explain further, but when he didn’t, I asked, “So, what did you find out?”

  “Charlie Cobb wasn’t all that averse to taking a little money under the table to make his inspections go smoother.”

  “That’s a pretty strong accusation,” I said. “What kind of proof do you have?”

  He laughed. “Are you expecting me to produce witnesses? The people I talk to aren’t exactly looking to turn state’s evidence, if you know what I mean. Just know that he wasn’t leading all that clean a life. There’s a rumor that he took one builder’s money, then still failed him on the inspection. The guy was mad enough to kill him on the spot, from what I heard.”

  That was certainly a motive. “Did you happen to hear who it was?”

  Butch got out a small notebook and thumbed through its pages. “Hang on a second. I wrote it down. Jackson Mallory’s the guy. Have you ever heard of him?”

  My expression gave me away. “So you do know him,” Butch said.

  “We went to high school together,” I replied. “In fact, I was dating him when I met Bill. I can’t believe Jackson would bribe Charlie to pass an inspection.”

  “It’s a tough world out there,” Butch said. “Sometimes you can’t help but cut a few corners. Don’t judge the guy too harshly.”

  “If what you heard was right, he might be a murderer, too.”

  “There’s that,” Butch said. “Do me a favor, Carolyn. Don’t brace the guy without me, okay?”

  I couldn’t believe he was suggesting Jackson might do anything to hurt me. “We were high school sweethearts, Butch. I’m safe enough with the man.”

  “Maybe you were safe with the guy you knew in high school, but people change. He didn’t stay in the construction business as long as he has without developing a whole different set of muscles, if you know what I mean. Promise me, Carolyn.”


  “I won’t go looking for him without you,” I said, “but I think you’re being silly.”

  “Think what you like, but I’d just feel better if I was around when you corner this guy.” He looked around the shop and asked, “Are you about finished up here?”

  “I just came by to grab my phone,” I said. “Why?”

  “I’d feel a lot better if you were on your way home.”

  I patted him on the cheek. “You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t have that many friends. I can’t afford to lose one. Come on.”

  I turned off the lights and locked up behind us. Butch stood on the sidewalk until I pulled away from the curb, and I offered him a quick wave. Knowing he was looking out for me made me feel good, even though I thought he was off base about Jackson. I hadn’t seen Jackson in quite a while, but surely he couldn’t have changed that much. At least I hoped not. I had too many fond memories of the man to envision him as a murderer, but based on what Butch had told me, I had to admit it was a possibility.

  To my surprise, Bill was waiting up for me when I got home. “How is he?” he asked before I could get my coat off.

  “A little shaken up, but he’s going to be fine. You didn’t have to stay up.”

  Bill shrugged as he took a sip from the mug in his hand. “I couldn’t sleep. Want some cocoa?”

  “What I really want is some sleep. Do you mind?”

  “Are you kidding? I’m worn out myself.”

  He followed me into our bedroom, and as I changed into my nightgown, I asked, “Do you remember Jackson Mallory?”

  My husband scowled. “He’s kind of hard to forget. I never did like that little weasel.”

  “Why, because he took me to the prom? Surely you still can’t be jealous after all these years.”

  Bill said glumly, “I’m not jealous. I just never cared for the guy. He always had an angle, even back in school. Why do you ask? Did you run into him at the hospital?”

  “No, Butch Hardcastle brought up his name. He said Jackson paid Charlie Cobb under the table to okay one of his projects, and after Charlie took the money, he still shut down the job site. Butch said he heard Jackson was mad enough to kill him.”

  “It doesn’t surprise me,” Bill said.

  “Which part?”

  “Any of it. Like I said, I never did trust him.”

  I kissed my husband. “Thanks.”

  “For what?”

  “For still carrying a grudge against an old rival,” I replied. “Sometimes I forget just how sweet you are.”

  He shrugged. “I just don’t like the man.”

  I went to sleep smiling. It was nice to know that my husband could still feel a twinge of jealousy even after all the years we’d been together.

  The next morning, I packed a lunch before I left for Fire at Will. With David out, I doubted I’d get the chance to eat it, but if I didn’t bring my own food, lunch wouldn’t even be an option: there was no way I’d be able to get away long enough to buy something. Bill was still sleeping when I walked out the door, one of the advantages of his job over mine. He could set his own hours as long as he got his work done, but I had to be at the shop to wait on customers; otherwise I wouldn’t be able to make my payments on the building. There wasn’t much of a cost difference between my former rent and my mortgage payment, but there was definitely a psychological difference between the two. Hannah had begged off on our morning coffee to stay by David’s side, so I was a little out of sorts as I drove straight to Fire at Will without a caffeine jolt to start my day.

  To my surprise, Jenna was waiting for me when I got to the shop. “Did you tell me you were coming by first thing?” I asked her as I unlocked the front door.

  “No, but I wasn’t sure this could wait. I found out something this morning at the courthouse coffee roundup that you need to hear.”

  “Come on in, then.” I flipped on the lights and started gearing up for the day. It was going to be a monster if the shop was busy, and for once I was hoping for blue skies instead of the rainy weather I usually loved so much.

  As I put on my apron, I said, “I can listen and work at the same time, if you don’t mind.”

  “I can help you,” Jenna said.

  “I’ll be fine. Have you heard what happened to David?” She nodded as she took a seat at one of the tables. “Kyle Yates was at the hospital this morning, and he ran into Hannah. David’s getting discharged by eleven, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he shows up here before noon.”

  “I don’t think Hannah would allow that,” I said. “I’m sure I can manage without him for at least one day.”

  “Of course you will. Now for my news. I’m not sure if you realize it, but there’s a group of civil service workers who meet for coffee just about every morning in the basement of the courthouse. I have a standing invitation, but I rarely attend. This morning I thought I’d go by and see if anyone knew anything about Charlie Cobb, since he worked with them.”

  “What did you find out?”

  “Something pretty interesting. Charlie’s dad, Jerry, died forty-six days ago. Did you know that?”

  “I might have read about it in the paper. He wasn’t murdered, too, was he?”

  Jenna shook her head. “No, he had a heart attack. The reason his death is important is what the will said. Thelma at the clerk’s office told me about its contents, and I thought you should hear the exact way it was worded.”

  “She didn’t reveal something she shouldn’t have, did she? I’d hate to think someone was compromising their ethics to help us.”

  “No, it’s public record, if anyone cares enough to dig it out of the files.”

  “What did it say?” I put down the bisque piece I was holding and gave Jenna my full attention.

  “The will stipulated that each of the two heirs had to live forty-five days after the deceased to receive their inheritance, or their share would revert to the other beneficiary. It’s quite a coincidence that Charlie lived exactly forty-four days, don’t you think?”

  “So what happens to his share? I’m assuming Jerry left behind a hefty estate.” Jerry Cobb had owned a plant on the outskirts of town, and he must have done well for himself, since he’d lived alone in a five-thousand-square-foot mansion.

  “It was in excess of four million dollars,” Jenna said. “The interesting thing is that Charlie’s brother, Rick, gets it all now.”

  “What would have happened to the money if Charlie had lived one more day?”

  Jenna said, “It would have been a part of Charlie’s estate, so his daughter would have gotten it all. As things stand, she’ll barely have enough to finish college. At least that’s what Thelma said.”

  “So Rick gets four million instead of the two he had coming to him. Would he kill his brother when he was already getting two million bucks?” The number was unreal to me, a phantom set of digits beyond my scope of comprehension.

  “Don’t kid yourself. I’ve known people to kill for ten thousand dollars. Two million puts it entirely into the realm of possibility. We need to look into Rick Cobb’s alibi.”

  “Shouldn’t the sheriff do that? I know how you feel about meddling, and I don’t want you to go against your beliefs.”

  “I went to him with the information first,” Jenna admitted. “Do you want to know what he told me? The man had the nerve to remind me that I wasn’t on the bench anymore and that I should mind my own business and leave the investigation up to him. I’ve been defending him for years, and he has the unmitigated gall to say that to me. Perhaps you’ve been right. Sheriff Hodges has outstayed his welcome in office.”

  “And yet our townsfolk keep reelecting him, don’t they?”

  “They vote for him out of habit more than anything else. I’m sure of it. If he had one decent deputy, we could run him against the sheriff, but I’m afraid they’re all cut from the same cloth.”

  “The election’s five months away, and if you want to find someone to run
against him, you’ve got my support. In the meantime, though, we have to deal with Charlie Cobb’s murder. What should we do with the information about his brother?”

  “I’m going to look into Rick Cobb’s whereabouts on the evening of the murder. That’s the first step. I’ll keep you informed.” She glanced at her watch. “I hate to run out on you, but I have a dentist appointment in three minutes, and if I’m not there on time, they’ll chide me as if I were a schoolchild.”

  “Go. And, Jenna? Thanks for the information. Don’t take any chances digging into this, okay?”

  “I won’t if you promise not to, either,” she said with a smile.

  After Jenna was gone, I finished preparing for the day, wondering how David was doing. He would certainly be sore from the impact of the collision, but he was young, so I knew he’d bounce back quickly. The older I got, the longer it took me to recover from the aches and pains in my life.

  The phone rang two minutes before I was due to open, but since there wasn’t a crowd outside my door clamoring to get in, I decided to take the time to answer it.

  It was Sandy, the world’s greatest reference librarian. “I just have a second,” she said after identifying herself. “There’s something I’m tracking down, but I’m not sure what I’ve got yet.”

  “You don’t have to touch base until you uncover something,” I said. “I know you have a full-time job, too.”

  “This might be a factor. I was looking into the open court records on the Internet, and I found something interesting.”

  “So you know about the will, too,” I said, trying not to sound too smug.

  “What will? Carolyn, what are you talking about?”

  I was confused, but I explained. “Charlie Cobb’s dad died a month and a half ago. Charlie was one of two beneficiaries, at least he would have been if he’d made it forty-five days after his dad passed away. Unfortunately, Charlie only made it forty-four.”

  “I didn’t find any of that,” Sandy admitted. “That sounds like motive enough for murder. Do you want me to drop what I found and follow up on that?”