We each grabbed a stack. Soon, the only sound in the place was the clink of silverware against porcelain and the rustle of papers.
“I knew it!” Grandma held up a picture of a famous actress. “I knew she’d had a boob job and collagen in her butt. No one’s behind is that big without a little help.”
I scowled. “You’re looking for news on people we actually know. Someone that could have killed Teresa.”
“Rather a long shot,” Mom said.
“Yes, it is, but the feeling that we’ll find something here hasn’t diminished all day.”
“I need wine.” Grandma jumped up and searched my cupboards. “Ah ha! You have a bottle.”
“I keep one here just for you.”
She kissed the top of my head. “That’s my girl. Anyone else?”
We all shook our heads. I, for one, wanted a clear head in case I actually found something.
“I feel as if I’m getting dumber with each turn of the page.” Heath tossed one back in the box and grabbed another.
“It doesn’t hurt to stay up with social and cultural events,” Grandma said, pouring her wine glass full. “It gives you something to talk about over dinner.”
“I’d rather talk about the weather than this garbage.”
“Hold up.” Mom turned her magazine around. “Isn’t this Alan Barker?”
We gathered around her. Sure enough, a small article on a YouTube tycoon suspected of stealing other people’s material and posting as his own. The article was two years old.
I took the magazine from her. “If Teresa confronted him with this, he might have killed her.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Heath said. “But, it does look suspicious.”
The lights went out, plunging us into darkness.
“I’ll check the fuse box,” Heath said. “Nobody move.”
We sat in the dark, not speaking. Finally, Heath appeared. At least, I’d thought it was him until the magazine was ripped out of my hand and the shadowy figure yanked open the front door and dashed out.
“After him! He has the evidence.” I ran out.
“I’ll get my gun!” Grandma followed, her pink pistol clutched in her hand.
“Stop!” Heath, holding a hand to his head, blocked our path. “He hit me over the head. You can’t go chasing after him. Especially if Ida is armed. I’ll go.”
“Did you get a good look at him?” I asked.
“No. He was hiding in your closet, which is where the fuse box is. He had to have been listening to our conversation. Get back in the cottage and lock the door. Call Ted.” He whirled and raced after the fleeing man.
Chasing the man was futile. He had too much of a head start.
I headed back inside, where Mom cowered under a floral blanket. I cast her a glance, then headed to my bedroom. Yep, the window was wide open. I hadn’t left it that way when I’d gone that morning.
A closer look showed the window had been jimmied open. I used a couple of books to keep the window from opening all the way and sat down to wait for Ted.
21
Heath and Ted arrived back at my place together.
“You found what in a gossip rag?” Ted said, his brow furrowed.
“Do listen up, dear. It takes too long to repeat ourselves.” Grandma patted his arm before retrieving her wine and putting her gun back in her purse.
“Who gave Ida a gun?” His voice rose.
“No one, sweetie. I purchased it myself. I could have got that scoundrel if Heath hadn’t gotten in the way.” She pouted, then turned her attention to the glass in her hand.
“He broke my window getting in,” I said.
“I’ll fix it.” Heath headed immediately for my room.
Having a handy man for a boyfriend came in handy. “Now, what?” I glanced up at Ted.
“This is one slippery devil.” Ted sat on the arm of Grandma’s chair. “The only thing we know for sure is it’s a male and he probably lives at Shady Acres.”
“We know that it’s Alan Barker.” Grandma raised her glass.
“We can’t prove it. All we have is circumstantial evidence.”
I was going to catch the culprit on Saturday. I knew it. I only prayed I’d live through the capture.
“I heard you rented Teresa’s cottage,” I said to Ted. “Retiring soon?”
“Maybe.” He smiled down at Grandma. “I’m thinking it’s time to take things a little slower. Chasing bad guys should be left to the younger men.”
“What will you do with your time?” Grandma drained her glass. “I know. You can help keep Shelby out of trouble.”
He laughed and shook his head. “An impossible task for one man. She needs a SWAT team.”
“Very funny.”
“Window is fixed. I put a new lock on it. No one is getting in without you letting them in.”
“Thank you. Now, if you all don’t mind, I’m going to bed.” I kissed Heath good night, told them to lock the door behind themselves, and then slid under my covers.
I’d had solid evidence in my hand and, literally, let it get snatched away. I knew Alan was the killer, well, him or Damon, Ted knew it, but we needed a taped confession practically. “Ted!”
Mom came to my room. “You cannot yell for a man to come to your bedroom.”
“Fine. Tell him I want one of those little recording devices.”
“I heard her!”
“He heard you.”
“I’ll leave it on the kitchen table!”
“He’ll leave it on—”
“The cottage isn’t that big, Mom.”
Her cheeks darkened. “Right. Well, good night, then. Love you.”
Soon, my cottage was quiet. Still sleep eluded me. Every time I closed my eyes I saw myself being chased by Lauren, who had blood pouring from her nose and a knife in her hand, and a man in a black hoodie.
I must have slept at some point, because I missed seeing the clock turn from one a.m. to six. With a groan, I got out of bed and headed for the shower.
I went to breakfast feeling as if I’d been beaten up. My eyes were full of sand. Maybe I should go back to bed and take a sick day.
“You look awful,” Alice said the moment I entered the room.
“Gee, thanks. I think I’m sick.”
“Don’t even think about taking the day off. I need you here. Besides, if you were that sick, you would’ve stayed in bed in the first place.”
“Would it have worked?”
“Yes.” Alice handed me a stack of folders. “Distribute these to all the cottages. They’re the new rules.”
“Why do we need new rules?” This would take me all day!
“Because we have unsavory characters living here.”
Did she really say unsavory characters? Who talked like that? “I don’t think those type of people care much for rules.”
“Just pass them out, please. I worked hard on them.”
Fine. I now had the perfect excuse to do more snooping. Add in the credit card sized recorder in my pocket and I was good to go. I needed coffee.
I set the folders on a nearby table and poured myself a half coffee, half hot chocolate, added whipped cream from a can and attempted to carry the whole kit and caboodle outside. Since none of my family had arrived, I thought it nice to enjoy my breakfast by the pool.
It was a good idea in theory. As I pushed open the door with my arms full of blue colored folders, the pile began to slip, the coffee spilled, and now I and the things I was supposed to distribute sported faded brown splotches. Alice was going to kill me.
“For crying out loud.” Alice seemed to appear out of nowhere, took the soiled packets, and handed me a stack of new ones. “For some reason, I knew something would happen to the first stack. Where are you going?”
“To the pool,” I mumbled.
“I’ll bring you another cup of coffee.”
I shouted out how I enjoyed my chocolate coffee and took the packets to one of the poolside tables. I mi
ght as well read the rules myself before weeks passed and someone called me on it.
It was a good thing there was nothing in my mouth, because I would have spewed it out at rule number one. “No killing of other residents. This is mandatory.”
I snickered and continued reading. Rule number two, “No stealing of other people’s things.” She might as well have listed the ten commandments, but her way was more entertaining.
“Are you laughing at the rules?” She plopped my coffee on the table, spilling some, and propped her hands on her hips.
“I’m trying not to. Seriously, Alice…no charging for sexual favors?”
She sat across from me. “I’m trying to clean the place up. I’ve never worked at a more stressful place. None of my past jobs were a danger to my life.” She glared at me as if I were the cause.
“You do know Maybelle would have died if you hadn’t hired me, right?” I sipped my coffee. “It’s good. What did you add?”
“Cinnamon.” She sighed. “Yes, I know her death was a coincidence with your arrival and that you aren’t responsible for how Teresa chose to live her life. She seemed like such a nice girl.”
“She was a nice girl. Just misguided.” I took another sip of the coffee and wished I’d thought of cinnamon.
“My life is nothing like I thought it would be by the age of thirty. Today is my birthday. I’m unmarried, childless, no boyfriend, and a job that consumes my every waking minute.”
“Happy Birthday. Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“I don’t like a fuss. It’s just another day. I promised Uncle Ted to secrecy.” She glanced around the pool area, empty except for the two of us. “This is nice. I should come out here more often when the weather is right. Very relaxing.”
“You can always work out at the gym when it’s complete.”
“That won’t be for a few more weeks. But, that is a good idea.” She stood and strolled away, reminding me again not to fail in delivering the folders and not to ruin these because she didn’t have anymore.
Gee, just when we’d had a moment together she reverts back to her bossy self.
I finished my coffee, returned the cup to the dining hall, then started delivering the folders. At most people’s cottages, I left the folders on the mat in front of their door. At Damon’s I knocked.
“Well, if it isn’t the lovely…what’s on your shirt?”
“Coffee.”
“Why didn’t you change before someone saw you?” He leaned against the doorjamb. “I mean, wearing rain boots and faded denim is one thing when you’re working, but when you’re socializing, a woman should look her best.”
For crying out loud. “It happened on my way over here. I’m sorry if I offend you.” I thrust out the rules. “Here.”
He took the folder and shook his head. The man actually looked sad. “I’d had high hopes for us, Shelby. But a woman who can’t keep up her appearance has no place in my life.”
“Is that what happened to Teresa? You had no more use for her so you killed her?” I backed up two steps.
“That nosiness of yours is going to get you into trouble.” He lunged forward, grabbed my arm, and shook me like a rag in a dog’s mouth. “Let it go!”
I yanked free. “She deserves justice and I aim to see she gets it.” Darn. I’d forgotten to turn on the tape recorder. I stuck my hand in my pocket and pressed the button.
“I’m going to find her killer, Damon.”
“Then you’ll end up the same way.” He stepped back and slammed the door.
I knocked again.
“What?” He yanked it open.
“I know about your scam and won’t let my mother, or grandmother, have any part of it.” I switched off the recorder and sauntered away. Not exactly a confession, but it might give Ted something to work with.
I did the same thing at Alan’s. Knocked, stepped back, but this time I turned on the recorder the moment he opened the door. “What?”
He definitely didn’t have the charm his friend did. “New resident rules.”
He took the folder and tossed it behind him into the house.
I had a better look at the scratches on his neck. They were healing, but looked suspiciously like fingernail scratches to me. “What happened?” I pointed.
“An irate girlfriend.”
“I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”
“Contrary to what you seem to think, my personal life is none of your business. Move along, little girl.”
“Excuse me? There’s no need to be rude.” I straightened as tall as my five foot two inch frame would allow. “Why did you pretend not to know Teresa when in all actuality, you knew her very well?”
“Again, none of your business.” He tried to close the door.
I stuck my foot in the way. “Did she make you mad? Did she find the article against you in one of her magazines?”
While his face paled, high spots of color rose on his cheeks. “Back off.”
“Or what? Will you kill me the same way you killed her? I doubt you’ll leave me flowers, though. A pity, really. Every girl likes flowers from her man.” I grinned. “Not that you’re my man. You aren’t my type. Have a good day, Mr. Barker.”
I paused and turned for dramatic effect. “I know about the scam. Stay away from my family.”
I strolled away, my heart in my throat. I’d seen the missing magazine on his coffee table and knew I’d awoken a sleeping beast.
Making short order of dropping off the rest of the files, I headed to the maze. I wanted to make a banner for the entrance and string twinkling lights to add a festive air. Inside the maze, there would be fog, scary noises, etc. Anything I could think of to make the adventure more thrilling.
“Boo.” Heath wrapped his arounds around my waist from the back and lifted me off my feet. “What have you been up to?”
I told him and then let him listen to the recordings.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I wish you wouldn’t have gone alone, much less provoked them.”
“I was doing my job.” Except, I’d done a bit more and increased the target on my back.
“I wish you didn’t have this desire for justice.”
“You don’t?” Surprise laced my words.
“That didn’t come out right. Of course, I believe everyone deserves justice. I wish you weren’t the one trying to get it. Let the authorities handle things.”
He sounded like a broken record.
“You were singing a different tune when you were a suspect.”
“Yes, and I appreciate your help clearing my name.” He gazed at me, his face creased with worry. “That was before I fell in love with you, Shelby. I can’t protect my girl if she does dangerous things without me.”
“You love me?”
“Yes, God help me, I do.” He pulled me close and gave me a warm kiss. “But, it’s a part of you, and I’ll do my best to adjust.”
I cupped his face. “Thank you.” I wanted to tell him I loved him, too, but fear held me back. I knew he wasn’t like Donald. Not at all. But, still…someday, maybe, I could freely give my heart again.
22
Alan and Damon glared at me the moment I walked into the dining room the next morning. I smiled and waved, certain I had struck a nerve that would push the killer to show himself.
The mood around my table was subdued. From the glowering glances Ted sent my way, Heath must have told him about the recordings.
“Here.” Rather than wait for him to order me to hand them over, I did so on my own accord.
“No wonder your mother is as skittish as a rabbit.” He stuck the recording in his pocket. “You’re a parent’s nightmare.”
“I’m skittish?” The bacon headed to Mom’s mouth paused as she frowned.
He nodded. “Skittish. But, you’re also the most level headed woman in your family.”
That seemed to appease her, and she continued eating. “You’re right,” she said. “No telling where these two would
be if I didn’t keep an eye on them.”
Grandma and I shared an amused glance.
“If not for me,” Grandma said, “Sue Ellen would be even more of a fuddy duddy than she already is. Lord knows I’ve tried to show her how to have fun.”
“Putting your life in danger is not my idea of fun.” Mom scowled. “Besides, I do have fun. I enjoy my life. Leave me alone.”
“I’m going to wear a wire on Saturday,” I informed Ted. “I’m certain the killer will take that opportunity to show himself to me.”
“I’ll be stalking her every move,” Heath said, setting his glass of orange juice down with a definitive thump. “I’ll stay out of your sight, but you will be in mine every second.”
“And mine.” Ted crossed his arms. “I think this maze in the dark while there is a killer loose is stupid and irresponsible, but you’re right. He’ll most likely make his move, and I don’t like it one bit. You shouldn’t be the bait.”
“Feel free to take my place.” Somehow I didn’t think it would have the same effect. “I’ll have my Tazor, a commercial size flashlight, and you two dogging my every move. Unless the killer has a sniper rifle, which doesn’t seem to be their method of choice, I’ll be fine. I have to be in the maze. My purpose is to show those who are lost the way.”
“Will you be as fine as when Lauren attacked you in the restroom?” Heath raised his eyebrows.
“I was fighting her off.” I was losing the battle, but I was still fighting.
“Yeah, it looked like it.” He transferred his attention to the plate in front of him.
Unusually surly, led me to believe his feelings were hurt because I hadn’t returned his declaration of love the night before. When things settled down, I’d do my best to explain. Until then, I’d continue on as we were. If he truly loved me, he wouldn’t walk away just yet.
After breakfast, I went to remove the magazines from my cottage. On the way to the recycling bin, I heard men’s voices coming from the area behind the pool where the pump was located.
I ducked and listened, pretty sure it was Alan and Damon. I pressed record on the device in my pocket.
“We need to shut her up,” Alan said. “I need the money from these old ladies. With Teresa gone…well, my new woman is costing me an arm and a leg.”
Path to Nowhere (A Shady Acres Mystery Book 2) Page 13
