Up Shute Creek: Rose Gardner Investigation #4

by Denise Grover Swank

  “Yeah, I know,” she said when she saw the look on my face. “At first I told Jed no way, but he convinced me I was doin’ him a favor by takin’ it. He said he’ll have more peace of mind knowing I’m drivin’ a car less likely to break down in the middle of nowhere.”

  “Well, I’m glad he talked sense into you,” I said.

  She laughed, but it had a nervous edge to it.

  “What about Kate?” I asked. “James said they can’t find a hint of her anywhere. It’s like she disappeared into thin air. What’s she up to?”

  “There’s more I haven’t told you, Rose,” she admitted. Turned out two of the people Kate had killed were people from Neely Kate’s past. Branson Desoto and Stella St. Clair had come to town demanding money, and Kate had castrated the man and then killed them both.

  Staring at her in shock, I asked, “Why would Kate castrate a man?” I shook my head. “I guess she’s capable of just about anything, but I can’t make sense of it. Even for Kate.”

  I didn’t think she was going to say anything else, but then she blurted out, “He was my old boyfriend.”

  My mouth dropped open and I quickly closed it. “She did it to punish you?”

  “No, she did it to avenge me.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  Pushing out a sigh, she sat back in her seat, staring down at her lap. “Branson hurt me and somehow Kate found out, probably through the private investigators she hired to dig up my past in Ardmore. So she cut off his testicles and left them with a note addressed to me in his motel room, sayin’ he’d never hurt me again.”

  “You’re kiddin’.”

  “Nope. But then Jed disposed of them to make sure the sheriff’s department didn’t think I was involved.” She paused. “Although Joe knows… he knows a lot that the sheriff’s department doesn’t. He’s risking his job for me.”

  “He’s steppin’ up to be a good brother,” I said in a soft voice.

  “But at what cost, Rose?” she asked in a whisper. “Why would he risk his career and reputation?”

  Joe was chief deputy sheriff, so he truly had taken a risk. I couldn’t imagine he minded.

  “He did it because he loves you,” I said softly.

  “She said she killed them for me.” Her gaze lifted to mine. “Kate killed those people for me. Why?”

  I shook my head, unsure what to tell her. “Maybe in some sick, twisted way, she’s decided she needs to be a better sister.”

  “That’s what she said, but I don’t believe her. Just like I don’t believe she’s really out there right now tryin’ to find out why the Hardshaw Group wants me. There’s bound to be something in it for her. Especially since she hinted to Joe that she’d had some dealings with them while she was gone those two years.”

  Kate had dealings with the Dallas crime syndicate? I wasn’t necessarily shocked—nothing about her could shock me—but it struck me as an unlikely coincidence that she had ties to the very same crime organization that had supposedly been after the flash drive Daniel Crocker had (mistakenly) thought I had a year ago.

  “You can’t control what Kate does,” I said. “You’re not responsible for her actions, even if she claims to do them in your name.”

  “I know I should feel guilt or remorse over them dyin’, and while part of me is horrified, I can’t help feelin’ relieved that I never have to worry about them again.”

  “What did they do to you, Neely Kate?” I’d meant to lead in to it more gently, but something about her tone terrified me.

  Tears filled her eyes.

  “Never you mind about that,” I said. “We’ll deal with it later. For now, let’s talk about the dead man who was in our basement. Where is he now?”

  “Kate and her henchman must have moved the body, because when Joe came to check on it late Friday night, it was gone. But then it turned up on Saturday morning, nowhere close to here. He had evidence on him linking him to Pearce Manchester’s murder.”

  “Why would Kate put him there?” I asked. “Who was he?”

  “Jed thinks it was her messed-up way of trying to convince me she cares about me. As to who he is, his name was Neil Franken. Jed thinks he was a PI from Dallas, although he’s not sure who he was workin’ for. Maybe the Hardshaw Group. Maybe the family of the man I killed. Turns out he was in Ardmore last week, asking around about me. Somehow he knew I was here in Henryetta.”

  Time to bring up a subject I was pretty sure she didn’t want to discuss. “Why did you kill Pearce Manchester?” I asked quietly. “What happened?”

  “I strangled him,” she said matter-of-factly, but there was a vacant look in her eyes.

  I couldn’t imagine the woman in front of me strangling anyone, let alone having the strength to overpower a man with her bare hands. “Did he have something to do with the people Kate killed? Branson and Stella?”

  She nodded.

  “And you didn’t go to the police?”

  She looked like she was about to barf. “No. Branson’s brother and I buried him, then I hightailed it back to Henryetta and Granny’s.”

  None of this made any sense. “Was the man you killed your boyfriend?”

  “No.” She refused to make eye contact.

  Whoever he was, she was deeply ashamed of her connection with him. Why? “How did you meet him?”

  She pushed out a breath. “Through Branson.”

  Now we were getting somewhere. “Was Branson your boyfriend at the time you murdered Pearce Manchester?”

  She began to shake, staring at the table. “I was living with him, but I wouldn’t have called him my boyfriend at that point, no.” She paused. “When I was in Ardmore in July, Jed helped me dig up Pearce’s body. He hoped the murder couldn’t be linked to me if there was no body.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me any of this, Neely Kate?” I asked, trying—and failing—to keep the pain out of my voice.

  Her chin lifted, and her tear-filled eyes pleaded with me. “I knew you wouldn’t judge me for murdering him. I knew you’d understand.”

  “Then why?”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks. “There’s so much more, Rose. I know in my heart you won’t judge me for any of it, but once you know, you’ll never look at me the same. Please don’t make me tell you.”

  I swallowed past the burning lump in my throat. “You don’t trust me?”

  “What?” she asked in dismay. “I trust you more than anyone else in my life. It has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with how you see me. Please, Rose. Don’t make me tell you.”

  “Do Jed and Joe know?”

  She hesitated, then said, “Yes.”

  That hurt even more. Jed had helped her move a dead body, so I wasn’t surprised he knew the entire truth. But Joe? Why would she tell him and not me? Then a new pain stabbed me. “And Kate.”

  She didn’t answer, but the truth was obvious.

  I was about to question her further when a knock on the door interrupted me. “Who on earth would be knockin’ on our door at eight thirty in the morning?”

  Neely Kate got to her feet and walked over to her purse, pulling out the big revolver—a six-shooter that had belonged to her grandfather. “I don’t know, but we’re not takin’ any chances.”

  I started to protest, but Kate was still on the loose and a Dallas crime syndicate was after Neely Kate. On reflection, the gun seemed like a pretty good idea, and it reminded me that I needed to get mine before we left.

  We walked into the living room together, and while I headed for the window overlooking the front yard, she made her way to the door. One look through the sheer curtains, and I shot Neely Kate a dark scowl.

  But Neely Kate was already opening the door. I didn’t have a chance to warn her, not that she looked surprised to see the man greeting her. “What are you doin’ here, Mason?”

  “I wasn’t sure you were here. I didn’t recognize the car on the side of the house.” She gave him a stern look that reminded him he hadn’t answe
red the question, and he cleared his throat. “I came out here to clarify something in the sheriff’s report… and to make sure you’re okay.” Then he added, “The gun isn’t necessary.”

  “You had your say on Saturday night, Mason Deveraux,” she said, blocking the doorway. “And I’ll decide if the gun’s necessary or not. Kate Simmons left multiple dead bodies on this property, so you can’t blame me one bit for answerin’ the door with a gun.”

  She’d left four if you counted the man in the basement, but Mason didn’t know that.

  “Fair enough,” he said, “but Kate’s not here. Just me.” He paused for a beat. “Is Rose back? I see her truck out front.”

  “You’re worse than Miss Mildred,” she said in disgust. “Snooping around, checkin’ out the cars parked out front.”

  “It’s not like that, Neely Kate.” His voice hitched a little at the end, and I knew from experience that this meant he was getting irritated, even if his tone sounded polite. “I couldn’t help noticing the cars parked out front. You can’t fault me for that.”

  “Why are you on our front porch?” she asked in a skeptical tone. “Why not have me come to your office?”

  “Because, despite what you think, I’m still your friend,” he said in a patient tone. “There’s no reason to drag you to the courthouse. I thought it might be more comfortable for you here.”

  “So you could spy on us?”

  “No, but I do want to look at the barn again.”

  If I hadn’t known my friend, I never would have noticed her slight flinch.

  “Did my and Joe’s statements not tell you what you need to know?” she asked, still blocking the door.

  “This might be easier if I come in,” he said.

  “We can do it out here,” she insisted, taking a step onto the porch. She shut the door behind her.

  I frowned. I suspected hearing what was in her statement was the only way I’d get the full story, plus I was curious about what Mason would find in the barn. He took his job very seriously, and he’d always liked to investigate crime scenes himself rather than rely on police reports. He was extra careful with murder cases, especially since he’d almost wrongfully convicted my business partner, Bruce Wayne Decker, of murder. Asking to see the crime scene wasn’t all that unusual for Fenton County ADA, Mason Deveraux, only Mason was no longer the ADA. He was here as a special investigator with the Arkansas Attorney General’s office.

  I needed to sit in on this discussion. Since the last few times I’d seen Mason hadn’t gone well, I decided to take a friendlier approach. I hurried to the kitchen and poured a fresh cup of coffee, fixing it the way I knew he liked it, then set it on a small tray, quickly adding Neely Kate’s cup as well as my own.

  Not wanting to miss a single word, I headed for the door and pushed it open, finding them sitting in the wicker chairs on the porch. Mason was digging into his bag and pulling out a legal pad.

  They both glanced up as I came out, Mason with a surprised look. “Good morning, Rose. I hope you had a nice weekend.”

  Neely Kate had texted me on Sunday morning, warning me that Mason had already figured out that my cover story—that I’d gone to Shreveport with my Aunt Bessie—was bogus.

  “I had a lovely weekend. Thank you for asking, Mason. Would you like some coffee?” I asked in a tone as sweet as tea.

  Both he and Neely Kate stared at me in disbelief. I’m sure Mason expected me to blast him for mentioning my weekend, and Neely Kate likely expected me to kick him off my land. Instead, I held out the tray. “I figured a conversation like this would go down easier with coffee this early on a Monday morning. Would you like a cup? It’s freshly brewed.”

  Mason seemed at a loss for words, but he quickly recovered and took his cup. “Thank you.”

  Neely Kate gave me a look that suggested I was a traitor, but she seemed to put it together the next instant. Understanding flashed through her eyes as she took her own coffee. I picked up my mug, set the tray on the table between them, and rested my butt against the porch railing. “Sounds like I missed a bit of excitement this weekend. I still can’t believe Neely Kate didn’t call me back.” I gave her a sweet smile. “But then, she knew how excited I was about my weekend and she hated to ruin it.”

  “I thought you were going with your aunt,” Mason said, shifting in his seat.

  “That’s the story we planned to tell Violet, should she ask, but we never expected anything like this to happen.” I took a sip of my coffee. “But Neely Kate still felt compelled to keep my secret. That is a true friend… especially when her devotion puts her in an uncomfortable situation.”

  Pure terror filled her eyes, but thankfully Mason didn’t turn to face her, instead narrowing his eyes at me. “So where did you go this weekend?”

  “Oh, I was in Shreveport,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Obviously my Aunt Bessie wasn’t with me, but thanks for callin’ and gettin’ her all worried. It took me a few minutes to calm her down.”

  His lips pressed into a thin line.

  I stood upright. “Look, Mason. I’m a grown woman, which means I don’t need an adult to come with me if I want to leave town for the weekend.” A million questions flashed in Mason’s eyes, so I added, “I know you’re dyin’ to know what I was doin’ in Shreveport, but frankly, Mason”—the last two words had a little bite to them—“while I appreciate your concern, it’s none of your business. Still, in the spirit of cooperation, I was there for a job interview.”

  He couldn’t have looked more shocked than if I’d told him I was becoming a nun. “A job interview?”

  Neely Kate looked equally caught by surprise, though—thank heavens—his eyes were fixed on me.

  I grimaced. “I know. I never planned to leave Henryetta, but Violet’s the only family I have left and once she’s gone…” I took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t know. I figured maybe it would be time to try something new, create a life not tied to my mother and all the awful things in the past. So I found out the botanical garden at the Norton Art Gallery was hiring in their horticultural department and went for an interview.”

  They were hiring, so it would check out if he decided to dig deeper. Hopefully he wouldn’t go so far as to call and confirm I’d applied.

  “But what about your businesses?” Mason asked, still in shock. “I thought you loved the landscaping business.”

  “I do, but we both know the people around here are awfully judgmental, and sometimes I feel like I’m living under a microscope. I confess, sometimes I think it might be nice to have a fresh start.” There was enough truth to the lie to give it some heft. I smiled at Neely Kate, ignoring the guilt burning in my belly. “Thanks for keepin’ my secret. Even though your promise not to tell put you in an awkward position.”

  Mason gathered his wits. “You weren’t in Shreveport with Skeeter Malcolm?”

  I laughed. “What in the world made you think that?”

  His eyes darkened. “Are you seeing Skeeter Malcolm, Rose?”

  I leveled my gaze at him, not flinching away, but kept my tone light. “First of all, who I’m seein’ or not seein’ is none of your business, Mason Deveraux.”

  “It is if you’re sleeping with the crime lord of the county.”

  “Mason,” I said with a long sigh. “You’re back in town with a vendetta. You already warned me to get my house in order. Did you ever consider that maybe I’m thinkin’ about moving out of town because of you?” It was a low blow, and totally unlike me, but I had to get him to back off. There was too much at stake.

  The shock in his eyes was proof my statement had done its job.

  “I’m actually glad you’re here,” I said. “Neely Kate told me the bare minimum of what happened early Saturday morning, and if she walks you through it, I’ll get the full story.”

  The dark look she gave me let me know she did not approve of this plan, but I knew Mason Deveraux. Once he was set on doing something, he was like a dog with a bone. He wasn’t let
ting this go, so we might as well make the best of it. At least I’d get my answers.

  Again, he looked stunned. Finally, he said, “Well… okay. Why don’t I ask my questions while we’re checking things out in the barn?”

  “Great idea,” I said. “If you want to bring your coffee, I’ll hold it while you write your notes.”

  That may have been one step too far—for both of them.

  “I thought the barn was still a crime scene,” Neely Kate said. “Joe put a padlock on it and everything, and he told us to stay out in no uncertain terms.”

  Mason gave her a smile, looking angelic as he said, “Good thing I have the authority to go inside… and the code for the lockbox.”

  Realizing there was no getting out of it, she got to her feet and said with a scowl, “I’m gonna put some clothes on first.”

  Mason’s gaze followed her to the front door before shifting back to me. “Is business bad?” he asked with a worried look.

  “What?” I realized he was asking because I’d told him about my supposed job interview. “No,” I said, moving over to take Neely Kate’s seat. “It’s not that…”

  “Do you feel unsafe? I know you’ve had some run-ins with some criminal elements the past few months. Are any of them threatening you now?”

  How honest should I be? Mason was no fool, and he wasn’t my enemy either. Not really. I couldn’t help thinking he really did have my well-being in mind—even if I didn’t agree with him about what that meant. But if I confessed too much, I could implicate myself and the very people I wanted to protect.

  “I know you don’t understand what I’m doin’ as the Lady in Black,” I said, “and I get it. I’m sure it looks crazy. But I’ve staved off a battle between two major players in this county by getting them to negotiate. And I stopped another by determining the whereabouts of a missing man. I’m makin’ a difference in this county, whether you like it or not. Somehow I’ve earned those men’s respect, and if I can use it to keep peace, what kind of person would I be to refuse?”