Fogbound: A Lin Hanna Mystery

by Sharon Canipe

  They traveled a short distance beyond the river passing through a short wooded span that opened up to a broad pasture overgrown with wildflowers and surrounded by a split rail fence that had obviously seen better days.

  A small wooden house that hadn’t seen a coat of paint in years, maybe in its lifetime, sat just beyond the pasture. Next to it was a barn, larger than the house, and in somewhat better condition. They could hear the sound of a power saw coming from the barn. A pen next to it held a large sow and several piglets. Chickens walked about the yard, pecking at bits of corn that had been scattered for them. The yard was adorned with various rusted farm implements. The front porch of the house sagged a bit, even though it was clear that someone had recently braced it with carefully placed stacks of cinder blocks. Seated in a rocking chair on this porch was Eustace Hinson.

  The old man rose when they got out of the car but didn’t seem to recognize them. One cheek bulged from what Lin assumed was a wad of chewing tobacco, and he arched a stream of dark brown spit off the side of the porch as he came down the steps toward them.

  “Who the hell are you? What the hell do you want?” he yelled, waving a fist above his head, “Get the hell off my property.” He turned to look toward the barn door, “Where’s my shotgun?” He was growing more agitated by the minute. Sue stepped forward and spoke in a calm voice.

  “Mr. Hinson, I’m Sue Gray, and this is my friend Lin Hanna. We’re just here looking for your grandson, Luke Taylor. Someone told us he lived with you. We have some business with him. Is he here?” Sue’s calm demeanor impressed Lin. It seemed to have a positive effect on the old man. He didn’t say anything, but he was quiet. Finally, he started walking toward the barn where the buzz of the saw could still be heard. Sue and Lin followed him, taking care to stay well back. When he entered the barn, they remained outside by the door.

  In a few moments they heard the saw stop; a young, bearded man covered in sawdust came to the door. “I’m Luke Taylor,” he wiped his hands on his coveralls. “Are you here about some furniture or cabinets?”

  Sue started to say something, but Lin had a flash of inspiration and touched Sue’s arm as a signal to let her speak. “Yes, yes we are,” Lin said. “Someone suggested we talk to you, see some of your work. I’m looking to have some furniture made.” Sue looked a bit puzzled, but she went along.

  “ Come on in then, this is where I have my shop,” Luke indicated that they should follow him into the barn. “It’s OK grandpa, these ladies are here on business.”

  Eustace turned silently, spit more tobacco juice on the ground, and shuffled back toward the porch without a word.

  “I hope he didn’t yell at you too much,” Luke said as they followed him inside. “His mind isn’t good any more, and he forgets that people come out here to see me. I can’t do my work and stay with him every minute. Usually, he just sits quietly on the porch, but he isn’t very welcoming to visitors, I’m afraid.”

  “That’s not a problem, Luke,” Lin continued, “we understand.”

  The barn had been converted into a woodworking shop that was in much better condition than the adjacent house. One side contained shelves and the tools of Luke’s trade. On the other side were several finished pieces and some works in progress. Sue and Lin were both impressed with what they saw. Luke Taylor was a talented craftsman. Lin ran her hand over the smooth grain of a beautiful oak desk. Only the drawers were missing.

  “You do beautiful work, Luke. This desk will serve someone for many years.”

  “Thanks,” Luke said, “I love the woods. I love the way they feel, and I love to find the beauty in the grain. Look at this,” he indicated a stack of rough planks, obviously cut from a huge log, “I just got these from the sawmill down the road apiece, it’s from a big wild cherry tree that had to be cut down. It was dying. Don’t find many large wild cherries any more. I’se glad to get this stuff. It’ll make a lot of nice furniture.”

  Lin couldn’t help but admire the rich red brown wood even in its rough-sawn state. She could easily imagine what a beautiful desk could be made from this cherry. It would perfectly complement the antique cherry cabinet that had belonged to Neal’s grandfather. Here was the perfect wedding gift.

  “How much would it cost to make a desk from this, perhaps something similar to that oak desk you’re working on over there.”

  Luke thought for a few moments. He gave her a ballpark estimate, based on the cost of the wood and the time it would take. “I ‘d give you a firmer price if I knew the exact measurements you wanted,” he said.

  Fortunately, Lin remembered the size of the space Neal had determined would be an ideal spot for a desk. “ It needs to fit into a space about seven feet wide and the depth shouldn’t be greater than three feet.”

  This time Luke went over to a workbench where he picked up a pencil and paper and began to do some calculations. In a moment he returned with a price that Lin found more than reasonable, especially considering it would be a handcrafted piece. She smiled at the young man. “When could you do this? I need it for a gift and I’d want it by the end of the summer. There’s another matter. I’d need to get it down to Charlotte, actually to my home in Davidson.”

  “I can get it done by then, and I have a friend who’ll help me with the delivery. That’s an extra charge, of course, but I do a good bit of work for folks who come up here in the summer months. I’ve been to Charlotte to deliver things before.”

  “Then we have a deal,” Lin said. Sue had been quiet during all of this transaction. She’d been content to let Lin do her business, knowing that this would give them a legitimate reason to stay in close touch with Luke Taylor. It would be better to save the discussion of his girlfriend’s murder until he’d gotten to know them better.

  “There’s just one thing,” Luke said. “The space you described calls for a more rectangular desk with less depth than this oak one over here. It’s squarer and has really deep drawers. I have some ideas though about something that would work in your space. Could I maybe make a couple of drawings and do some specs for you to look at? Maybe we could meet again in a couple of days and you could decide. Then I’ll get started right away.”

  “That would be great,” Lin said eyeing Sue. “We work as volunteers on the parkway but we’re staying in Boone. Could you maybe come by our house one evening?”

  Luke agreed readily and Sue wrote directions to their house on some paper for him. It was decided that he would come by Wednesday evening about five.

  Having concluded their business, Lin and Sue returned to their car and began the drive back across the river toward the highway.

  “I didn’t intend to dominate this visit,” Lin apologized. “I hadn’t mentioned it to you, but I’ve decided to get Neal a new desk for a wedding present. He’s not moving his old one, says it ready to discard. I fell in love with that cherry wood Luke had.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” Sue said. “Actually, this is perfect. I wasn’t sure how I was going to bring up the subject of Sara’s death anyway and now it will be easier to do. I think Luke will be more willing to talk as he gets to know us better, plus it’ll be good to talk to him away from his grandfather. Besides, he’s obviously a skilled woodworker. The new desk should be beautiful. Neal will love it.”

  “I hope so,” Lin said. She told Sue about the antique cabinet belonging to Neal’s grandfather that was also made of cherry.

  “Another good thing,” Sue added. “I’m sure Eustace didn’t recognize us so I don’t think he’ll say anything to Luke about encountering us earlier. The two of them seem to live there alone. I guess Luke is the primary caretaker of his grandfather at this point. It’s still early and this is a fine day. Are you up for some further investigation?”

  “Sure,” Lin said, “actually, we didn’t really do any investigating back there—just set things up for the future.”

  “Well, I wasn’t sure we’d have time for this, but I also managed to find an address for the widow of the young
park ranger who was shot at Jeffress Park in March of 2010, just a few month’s after Sara Fletcher died.

  “How did you accomplish that?” Lin asked.

  “Well, the ranger’s name was Bryan Lee, that was in the news accounts. They also mentioned that he had a wife, Olivia, and a two-year old son. I checked the phone directory first, but no luck—lots of Lees but no Olivia—not even anyone with O as an initial. I decided to ask the reference librarian who was on duty at the time and she remembered the case. She thought the ranger’s wife worked part-time at Appalachian Ski Mountain, at least she did then. I called there and they told me that she still worked there seasonally, or at least she did last season. They were able to give me an address for her and a cell phone number. I tried to call her last night but had to leave a message, and she hasn’t returned the call; maybe she doesn’t want to talk to me. The address might not be current, but we can give it a try.”

  By this time they were back in Boone. Sue drove through downtown and turned right on Water Street, heading up a steep road toward a set of condos that graced a high ridge. There was a view that took in most of the university campus from a parking lot that was only about half filled with cars. They located the number and pulled up in front of a three level condo—two stories rising above a single car garage. Several “For Rent” signs graced the front doors of nearby units.

  “I’ll bet this place is packed with students during the school year,” Sue commented. “ I wonder why a mother with a young child would choose to live here.”

  “Maybe the rent is reasonable,” Lin replied. “I’m sure it couldn’t be the peace and quiet. I’ll bet this place is pretty lively, especially on weekends after the students have all moved in.”

  Sue nodded her agreement as they parked their car and approached the front door. Sure enough, there was a nameplate above the peephole that said Lee. Sue rang the doorbell but there was no answer. After a couple of tries, they decided that Olivia Lee must not be at home. “Maybe she has another job during the summer months,” Lin suggested. “With a young child to support…”

  She was cut short by the sound of the front door of the adjacent condo opening. A young man with a scruffy beard and dark curly hair leaned out. He looked sleepy. “If you’re looking for Livvy, she’s at work,” he offered. “She just left about an hour ago and she won’t be home til’ late.”

  “Do you happen to know where she works?” Sue asked.

  “Waits tables at Galileo’s on West King St.,” the young man offered. “Just summers though. She works ski patrol in the wintertime.”

  “Thanks,” Sue said, pulling a business card from her wallet. “Could you see that she gets this, in case we don’t see her? My cell phone number is on it, and I’d like to talk to her.”

  “Sure, I can do that,” the young man took the card and disappeared once more behind his closed door.

  “I guess we’re going to Galileo’s for dinner tonight,” Sue said as they started their car and headed back toward town. “It’s almost five now so maybe we should go home and relax a bit first.”

  “Yeah, good idea,” Lin replied. “Actually, I’d like to do a few yoga sets and then shower and change before we go out again.”

  They made their way through the bumper-to-bumper downtown traffic. Lin commented, “It never ceases to amaze me how much traffic there is in this place. It’s more like a major city than a small town.”

  “ It’s a college town; these days the majority of students have cars it seems. Besides, it’s also a mountain town and there aren’t many through streets,” Sue said.

  “That’s true,” Lin added, “most of these neighborhood streets dead end somewhere up a mountainside.” About that time Sue had to brake for a student who’d discovered a parking place he could U-turn into. “Nothing’s changed since we first arrived,” she joked, remembering a similar incident on their first trip to downtown.

  Arriving at the house, they both decided to exercise. Lin stuck to her yoga while Sue elected to walk, taking advantage of the still beautiful late afternoon. By seven o’clock they were heading back through somewhat lighter town traffic on their way to the popular eatery on the western edge of downtown.

  Galileo’s was a small place with a typical college pub atmosphere. The lights were dim and the décor focused on items carrying the colors and logo of the local university. A billiards table and dartboard could be seen in a side room beyond the bar. The clientele seemed to be about equally distributed between students and other folks, however. As this was a Monday evening, the crowd was small. A sign indicated that they could seat themselves, so Sue led the way to a booth in a quiet corner where they could observe the activity throughout the room. There appeared to be only two persons waiting on tables, with a third employee staffing the bar near the back of the room. They were all young women.

  They’d just gotten seated when a tall, slender blond came by to take their drink orders. Sue opted for a glass of red wine and Lin selected the house white. Their waitress wore a nametag that indicated her name was Cheryl.

  When she returned with their wine, Sue asked, “Is Olivia Lee working here tonight?”

  “Yep, that’s her tending bar. Our regular bartender called in sick and Livvy’s filling in. Tina came in to wait tables—she can’t handle the bar so Livvy has to switch when Mike’s out. Are you ready to order?”

  Sue opted for the Fish and Chips and Lin selected a salad with strawberries, pecans, and goat cheese topped with grilled chicken. “I’ll put these orders in right away. Were you wanting to talk to Livvy?” Cheryl asked.

  “Maybe later, when she’s not so busy,” Sue said. The bar area was packed at the moment. They observed that Cheryl stopped to speak to Olivia as she headed for the kitchen with their orders. The girl at the bar looked their way but then went back to take another order. Their meals arrived shortly.

  The food was really delicious. “This is a neat place,” Lin observed. “I’ll bet it’s packed on weekends, especially during the school year.”

  “I’m sure,” Sue said. “It’s actually pretty busy tonight—especially since it’s Monday. I keep looking to see if the bar business might be slowing down, but it’s been pretty steady. I’m not sure we can manage to talk to Olivia Lee.”

  “I’ll bet we can,” Lin smiled. “Let’s wait and see if things lighten up by the time we finish eating.” They continued observing the crowd at the bar while they ate. Soon Cheryl came by to ask if they had room for dessert but they had to decline. She left to get their check.

  “ A couple of seats just opened at one end of the bar, I see,” Lin commented. “I think maybe we might need an after dinner drink. Why don’t you go grab those seats and I’ll pay our dinner tab. Order me an Irish coffee.” She grabbed their ticket and headed for the register while Sue secured the empty seats at the bar.

  Olivia Lee appeared to be about thirty. She was of average height but had the stocky compact build of an athlete, testimony to her work on ski patrol, no doubt. Her dark hair was cropped in a boyish cut and she had piercing brown eyes. She brought their coffees and placed them on the bar. “Will this be all or would you like something more?” she asked. When they said they were fine, she moved on down the bar, checking with the remaining customers. Seeing that everyone was covered for the moment, she headed back to where Lin and Sue were seated. “Cheryl said you two were asking about me?”

  “Yes, we were,” Sue said. She introduced herself and Lin explaining that she was a writer, and she was looking into unsolved crimes of recent years on and near the Blue Ridge Parkway. A dark shadow seemed to move across Olivia Lee’s face and her smile disappeared, but she didn’t walk away.

  “I know it must be hard for you, but would you consider talking to us about your husband’s death? I understand the case has never been solved,” Sue spoke quietly so as not to be easily heard by other patrons.

  At first Olivia said nothing. She simply stood there, wiping the moisture from the bar and glancing at the
customers as if hoping someone would signal her for a drink refill. No one did, however. Finally, she took a deep breath and turned back to Sue. “You’re right, it’s still hard to talk about Bryan’s death even after two years. They’ve never arrested anyone, and I sometimes think the whole thing has been forgotten—at least by the sheriff’s department. Not by me though—I still miss him every day.” Her eyes were bright, as if she were about to cry. She blinked twice and swallowed hard, seeking to control the tears. “I keep hoping someone will ask more questions, look into what happened. I think everyone is tired of me asking questions—they just ignore me—so I’ve quit trying.”

  Sue spoke up. “I know you’re busy now, but would you be willing to talk to us at a more convenient time? I’m serious about looking into Bryan’s case and some other unsolved cases. I think some of them might be related—to each other and to a case that happened just recently. I’m a professional writer. I used to be a news reporter, now I’m thinking of writing a book. Maybe, if I can learn more about these cases and make some of the facts and questions about them known, the authorities will take another look. At any rate, I don’t think my looking into these cases can hurt anything.”

  Olivia had listened carefully to what Sue was saying, but she still said nothing. Just then a patron at the other end of the bar ordered another beer, and she moved away to refill his mug. Sue and Lin exchanged glances. Was Olivia going to talk to them or did she just want to be left alone? They were about to pay for their coffees and leave when the young woman approached them once more.

  “I’d like to talk to you. I’ve been hoping Bryan’s case would get another look for the past two years and, tough as it is, I don’t want to pass up a chance to draw attention to the case again. I can’t talk right now though. I get off in another two hours and Timmy, that’s my son, is spending the night with his grandmother—Bryan’s Mom. She keeps him at her house when I have to work late hours. I hate to ask because it’s so late, but could you come back here about ten? I could talk then.”