Yarn Over Murder

by Maggie Sefton

The sun beat down on her as Kelly walked across the driveway, hastening to reach the shady café patio and escape from the heat. Maybe she’d better heed her dermatologist’s advice and slather on more sunscreen, to be safe. “Never leave the house without it,” the doctor had warned.

  As soon as she reached the shade of the trees dotting the patio, Kelly could feel the difference. She also noticed Burt sitting at an outside table, finishing his breakfast. “Hey, Burt, I was looking for you, so this is perfect timing,” she said as she approached. “May I join you?”

  Burt wiped his mouth with the white napkin. “No need to ask, Kelly. Have a seat. I was about to flag down Julie for some more iced coffee.”

  “Oh, that sounds good. The heat is still brutal.” She plopped her briefcase on a nearby chair as she sat across from Burt.

  As if she were reading their thoughts, Julie suddenly walked up. “Hey, hey, I can spot thirsty people when I see them. Burt, that enchilada probably made you want another round of iced coffee. How about you, Kelly?”

  “Absolutely. In fact, make a second one to go, would you, please? I’m going to see my Fort Connor client after I chat with Burt.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll be right back, guys.”

  “Thanks, Julie,” Burt said as she scurried away, then leaned back in his chair and smiled at Kelly. “I can tell you’ve got something on your mind. What’s up?”

  “I’m starting to worry about this transparency thing,” she laughed. “You’re reading me way too easily, Burt.”

  “Naw, we’ve learned to read each other’s signs, that’s all.”

  Kelly settled back into the metal chair. “I talked to Jayleen a little while ago, and she said that the police called Dennis and told him they had gotten access to Andrea’s bank records and found some questionable withdrawals. Their word. Of course, that got my attention. Jayleen said that Dennis admitted to her yesterday that he had withdrawn money to pay the funeral home charges and a hospital bill for the ambulance and other charges. I’m guessing Dennis simply didn’t have the money in his bank account to pay for Andrea’s expenses. I’d heard he was having financial problems.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “Arthur Housemann. He’s Dennis’s neighbor in the canyon, so they talk regularly, I guess. Anyway, Arthur mentioned that Dennis had admitted he had trouble keeping up with bills. So I imagine that’s why he took money out of her account. Of course, that doesn’t excuse it.”

  “No, it doesn’t. And I’ll be honest with you, Kelly. Dan updated me this morning and said Dennis has now moved onto the police radar screen, right behind Connie.” Burt’s bushy eyebrows argued with each other, a sure sign of displeasure.

  “Won’t the police take the circumstances into account? I mean, Dennis was in financial trouble already, so he told Jayleen he didn’t want to risk having another uncollected bill on his credit rating, which was sinking.” Kelly looked over toward the golf course, the greens empty now. The heat was intense. “I know, it sounds weird hearing me say that, accountant that I am. But this is still a recession, and people are having problems.”

  “Unfortunately, Kelly, the police cannot take someone’s word for their actions. Dennis told Dan that he had to sign at the hospital as the responsible party, or they wouldn’t release her body to the funeral home. Even though they were divorced, there was no other next of kin alive.”

  “How’d he do it? I mean, banks require a photo ID to withdraw from your account. And most ATMs have cameras.”

  “He admitted to Dan that he checked Andrea’s wallet and found her account number and pin to use at the automated bank machine at night. He probably didn’t know ATMs take your photo. Dan said Dennis acted really contrite and appeared convincing. But you know detectives. We have to keep our skeptical natures. Dennis’s actions may have been well-intentioned but they are still illegal. He did not have legal access to Andrea’s accounts, and he withdrew money. That’s a crime.”

  “Yes, it is. Damn. No way he can get away from that, can he?” Kelly shook her head sadly.

  “I’m afraid he can’t, Kelly. And let’s just hope that minor theft is all Dennis winds up being guilty of.” Burt arched a brow in her direction.

  Kelly simply shook her head sadly in reply, as Julie approached with their iced coffees.

  • • •

  “These numbers are looking pretty good, Arthur,” Kelly said as she pushed the pages of the income statement across the mahogany table. Arthur Housemann sat across from her in his side office. It always looked like a law library to Kelly. Bookshelves lined three walls. Blessed air-conditioning sent cool air to counteract the blazing nearly one hundred degree heat outside.

  Housemann studied the income statement for a couple of minutes, then compared it to the previous month’s statement. “Actually, I’m surprised, Kelly. I thought some of my tenants close to the foothills might have left before the end of June lease date. Several of my older apartments and houses are right off Overland Trail Road. Right up next to the foothills like that, the smoke got really heavy. The fact that my renters stayed amazes me. Of course, some of them may be staying with friends in the city. So, these numbers are surprisingly good.”

  “I thought so, too, Arthur. I was pleased.” She glanced toward the window in his library and stared outside. Lots of sunshine, but thankfully, no clouds of smoke hanging in the air. And no more spirals of smoke curling up into the sky from newly ignited pine trees or houses. “Thank goodness that smoke finally died down.”

  “All thanks to the firefighters’ hard work.” Arthur leaned back in his chair, following Kelly’s example and gazing out the window toward the foothills on the other side of town.

  Kelly sipped from her coffee mug. “I tell you, I’m glad Steve and I are living in his last development up near Wellesley. That’s way to the northeast, away from the smoke.”

  Arthur smiled. “That’s right. You two are staying in one of Steve’s new houses that hasn’t sold yet. Smart move.”

  “It was an easy decision. Greg and Lisa are renting there. Megan and Marty started out renting next door to them, then after a year they decided to buy. Steve gave them a good price as a wedding present.”

  Arthur chuckled. “That was one heckuva wedding present. Steve did a good job with those houses. I’ve been inside with real estate agents, so I’ve seen all the extras he included. Megan and Marty got a great deal. Those houses are going to appreciate fast once we get out of this recession.”

  Kelly grinned. “They were really happy, I’ll say that. And we’re all happy to be in the northeastern part of town, away from the smoke. I’ve driven over to the western edge of the city several times that first week and last week, too. Keeping track of the wildfire’s progress judging from the smoke that’s spiraling up from the mountains. That first week was really scary. I pulled over to the side of Overland Trail Road each time I went, just so I could watch the wildfire. It’s mesmerizing in a way. A fearful way. Kind of like looking at a monster or something from farther away.”

  “Yes, indeed, that wildfire was a monster, all right. I remember how worried we all were in the Poudre Canyon that night, wondering if the fire would jump the ridge from Bellevue Canyon. We could smell the smoke getting worse. That’s always a bad sign. So when we got the word it had crossed into our canyon, it was like all our nightmares come to life.”

  “That must have been scary, trying to quickly gather some of your belongings and leave all of a sudden. That’s a panic mode. I’d forget something, probably.”

  “Well, my wife and I took some preliminary steps to make it easier in case we had to leave. She left the canyon in late afternoon to escape the smoke. Alice has asthma, and she was already starting to notice the particulates in the air blowing in from Bellevue Canyon. So, we loaded up the car and she drove out and returned to our house in Fort Connor. Meanwhile, I started putting stuff in the back of my
truck in case I had to leave. By eleven thirty that night, police were ordering everyone to leave, and it was chaotic getting out of the canyon.” He shook his head, obviously recalling the scene.

  “I’ll bet. One of Steve’s friends lives near Poudre Park with his family, and he said it was all he could do to remember to grab some clothes and things for the kids. He and his wife both forgot to bring clothes for themselves.”

  Arthur nodded. “Firefighters and police went to all the houses in that area and ordered people to leave. And they didn’t give them any more than a minute or two to grab stuff and leave. People were literally fleeing the canyon with only the shirts on their backs. And the smoke was thicker by then. Heavy. I was coughing, too. Of course, the drive went slower because of all the people on the road. Some people were actually hiking out of the canyon to get away. I saw a couple with their backpacks. I even gave a ride to one man who was walking alongside the road. He didn’t even have a backpack or water bottle. He was coughing a lot when I noticed him.”

  “That was so kind of you, Arthur. Helping out someone when you’re in the midst of handling a crisis yourself.” She gave him a thumbs-up.

  Arthur smiled. “Well, I wouldn’t have done it if he’d looked scruffy, I admit. But this guy looked okay. He was really grateful when I pulled over. Said he and friends from Denver were camping in the Diamond Rock campground since Friday night, not far from Poudre Park. They were keeping track of the fire on their police radio. Once they saw the first flames cresting the canyon’s ridge, they decided to get out of there. They loaded up and headed farther up the canyon toward Walden, away from the fire. They figured the firefighters and police would close the lower canyon road, and they didn’t want to risk getting stuck in all that traffic. He said he lived in Fort Connor, so he told them he’d hike out of the canyon.”

  “Wow, that’s a good hike from Diamond Rock campground out of the canyon. Did he have a car parked in Landport?”

  “Nope. He said his friends picked him up Friday afternoon. So, he sure did need a little help. And, like I said, he looked like a nice guy. Told me he worked for one of the big insurance companies.” Arthur chuckled. “I had to laugh when he said that. Told him I bet he didn’t wear that KISS concert tee shirt to meet clients. Most insurance agents I know are kind of straightlaced sorts. We joked about that.”

  Arthur’s comment caught Kelly’s attention right away. A KISS concert tee shirt? Jim Carson was wearing a tee shirt like that Saturday in the canyon, when they rescued Jayleen’s alpacas. Kelly’s little buzzer went off.

  “Yeah, I see what you mean. Tell me, Arthur, what did he look like? Greg said he had a friend camping in the canyon that weekend, and he hasn’t heard word yet about how he got out.”

  Arthur mused for a moment. “Well, he was tall, not overweight, had dark hair. It was late night, so there was no light of day to see all sorts of details. But I did get a close-up look at him while he was in my car.”

  “Okay, I’ll pass that along to Greg. How old, mid-thirties, mid-twenties, older?

  “Early forties, I’d say. He was in decent shape, too, so maybe he worked out.”

  Kelly catalogued the description Arthur gave, and her little buzzer grew louder inside. Jim Carson looked to be that age, and from what Kelly could tell, Jim looked to be in decent shape. She thought she remembered Connie telling her that she and her husband belonged to a health club on the east side of town.

  “Anything else you can recall? Something distinctive that Greg would recognize as his friend or not. Did he wear glasses or have a scar or an earring?”

  Arthur chuckled. “Didn’t see any scars or earrings. But I did notice that he had a tattoo on his left forearm. Looked like a dragon. I couldn’t help but notice when he got into my car, and the light was on.”

  This time Kelly’s buzzer became strident. She’d noticed a dragon tattoo on Jim’s forearm when he was helping load Jayleen’s alpacas into horse trailers the day of the wildfire.

  But how could it be Jim? He told Burt he left the canyon while it was still light and arrived in Landport right before dark. Arthur left the canyon after eleven thirty, late that night. Why would Jim lie?

  “Thanks, Arthur. That’s an identifying trait for sure. Greg will know right away if that guy is his friend. Did you drop him off in Fort Conner?”

  “No, he got out in Landport. Said he had friends there.”

  “By the way, do you know anyone who might have property near Andrea’s? Her place is down from yours on the river side, yellow house and corrals with alpacas.”

  “Yes, I’ve seen it for years. Didn’t know her personally, though. I’ve got some old friends who live near there. Great people. Raised their kids there. Of course, they have grandchildren now. Kids come and visit regularly.” He peered at Kelly. “Why do you ask, Kelly? I sense there’s another reason for your question.”

  Kelly grinned at him. “Now I know I’ve got to work on that transparency thing. I simply wanted to know if anyone had been hiking or camping or walking around the vicinity of Andrea’s property. Apparently there was a loud and heated argument that occurred there that evening. And considering that the police are now looking harder at anyone who was at her place that Saturday, I was curious if anyone overheard or saw something.

  “I thought so. You’re sleuthing again, aren’t you?” He grinned at her. “I knew you were up to something with those questions.”

  “I can’t help myself, Arthur,” she teased. “It’s the curious and skeptical accountant instinct.”

  Arthur sobered quickly. “I certainly hope my neighbor Dennis hasn’t come under police suspicion. He’s rough and tough, but a sweet-natured guy at heart. Andrea was his ex-wife, and he wanted to get back together with her. I remember him saying that. Poor guy.”

  Kelly weighed her words carefully. “Well, I can’t speak to what police are thinking, but they’ve questioned one of the clerks at Lambspun twice and are calling her in again. And, I heard that Dennis’s financial troubles caught the detective’s attention as well. Apparently he used some of Andrea’s money to pay the funeral home and hospital bills. And I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to keep that information private.”

  Arthur stared back at her. “Of course, Kelly. And I’m really disturbed by that news. Dennis had financial troubles and hinted that he was having trouble paying his mortgage and some other bills. But I can certainly understand the reason he used his ex-wife’s money. Unfortunately, we cannot excuse it.” His brow furrowed, clearly concerned for his neighbor.

  “I feel exactly the same way, Arthur. But the police have a much harder attitude when they look at someone. Because of that, Dennis has moved onto the police radar screen.”

  “Good Lord! Are police investigating her death as a murder? I cannot believe that!”

  “All I know is that police are looking into everything and everyone that had a close relationship with Andrea. So, those of us at Lampspun are worried about our friend Connie, who angrily confronted Andrea earlier that Saturday. Connie’s husband had left her for Andrea.” Kelly gave him a condensed version of events.

  Afterwards, Arthur sank back into his chair and stared wide-eyed at Kelly. “Good Lord in Heaven! I cannot believe my ears! This sounds like some . . . some soap opera on television. Unbelievable.”

  Kelly gave him a rueful smile. “I know what you mean, Arthur. It’s a soap opera all right. Alas, the characters aren’t actors, but real people we know and consider friends.”

  Arthur had no reply. He simply stared out the window of his office toward the foothills, smoking no longer.

  Eighteen

  Thursday, June 28

  Kelly pushed open the heavy front door of Lambspun and stepped inside. The cool air-conditioning felt good. It was going to be close to one hundred degrees again. Yet another brutally hot day in northern Colorado. Thank goodness the nasty wind that whipped up t
he wildfire and spread it to several canyon locations had finally left this week. The firefighters that were working on the High Park fire had finally gotten it 75 percent contained, according to news reports this morning. The capricious wind had shifted to Colorado Springs to bedevil the firefighters’ efforts on the Waldo Canyon fire there. Over six hundred of the eighteen hundred firefighters had gone to fight that horrible fire.

  Rosa walked into the foyer, holding two new knitted garments to hang in the entryway, tempting knitters to try them. “Hey, Kelly, you just missed Mimi. Detective Dan called Connie again and said they wanted her to come to the police department to answer more questions. So Mimi called Burt, and he said to take Connie to see a lawyer he knows who does pro bono work.” Rosa’s dark eyes showed her concern.

  “Wow! So early in the morning?” Kelly said, glancing at her watch. “It’s only ten after nine. She headed toward the main room and dropped her briefcase on the library table.

  “I’d say it’s about time Connie got legal help. We’re all worried about her. Police keep asking her questions, so it’s clear they’re suspicious of her. Burt figured Connie had better have an attorney with her when she talks to the police again. And I’m relieved Burt suggested a good lawyer. Connie’s definitely a suspect.”

  “It sure looks that way,” Kelly said sadly. “Damn! If only she hadn’t gone back into the canyon a third time. She was following us out of the canyon then turned off. Why would she confront Andrea again? I cannot figure some people out.”

  Rosa leaned against the table and folded her arms. Her dark hair was wrapped into an upswept style and held together with an old-fashioned hair comb. “Connie is compulsive, at least with anything to do with her husband. They’ve gone through breakups before, but Connie begs and pleads with him to come back home.” She shook her head. “It always sounded to me like Jim really wanted to leave her, but she’d make such a scene he’d give in. Of course, Connie would always be convinced that everything was just fine again, when it really wasn’t. It was clear that Jim wanted to leave her. But Connie refused to see it. Meanwhile, she kept papering over their problems instead of solving them. Marriage counseling never seemed to work for long.”