by Jessica Beck
“The whole afternoon? You left work early, so they weren’t out of school yet when you left the diner.”
“No, not the entire time. I wandered around on my own, spent a little time with Wayne, and then I took the kids to dad’s place after school so I could clear my head a little. It didn’t work, so I swung by and picked them up, and then we all dropped in on Mom. That’s when we decided that we should have a picnic for dinner. We’ve been here a few hours, but I don’t have an alibi for the complete day. What time was he killed?”
“We don’t know yet,” I said, “but that doesn’t mean that the police don’t have a time of death narrowed down. You might be fine.”
“We both know that I don’t have that kind of luck,” Ellen said. “If something happened to Gordon, I’m willing to bet that I won’t have an alibi for his time of death. What happened to him, anyway? Was it gruesome?”
“It was probably bad enough,” Moose said. “Someone hit him in the back of the head with a steel pipe. If it’s any consolation, I’ve got a hunch that he never even saw it coming.”
“Who would hit him from behind?” she asked. “That sounds so cowardly.”
“It might have been the only way they could catch him by surprise,” Moose said.
“I can’t believe that he’s dead,” Ellen said as she slumped a little forward.
“That means the custody battle is over,” I said gently.
“I suppose it does at that, but it also gives me a pretty good motive to want to see him dead, too, doesn’t it?”
“You’re clearly not the only one in Jasper Fork to wish the man ill,” Moose said.
“That’s true enough. Oh, no. I have to talk to Wayne.”
She started to stand, but I put a hand on her shoulder. “We’ve already spoken. He knows all about it, and he’s worried about you, Ellen.”
“He didn’t do it, did he? That poor sweet fool probably thought he was protecting me,” she said as she grabbed my hand.
I looked into her eyes as I asked, “Ellen, you don’t have any reason to believe that Wayne killed him, do you?”
“No. Of course not. That’s ridiculous.” It was pretty clear that she didn’t find it that hard to believe, no matter what she said to the contrary. “I need to see him.”
“All in good time,” Moose said. “The first thing you need to do is talk to Sheriff Croft. He’s focusing all of his resources and energy on you, since it looks as though you ran away.”
“I didn’t run anywhere,” Ellen snapped. “I took a picnic in the park with my kids and my mother. No one can claim I was trying to run away from anything.”
“Take it easy. I’m sure the sheriff will keep an open mind once you tell him what happened.”
“I don’t know if he will. The last time I saw Gordon was at the diner this morning. He was fine when he walked out that door, but how can I prove that I didn’t kill him?”
“We’ll figure this out. Don’t worry,” I said as I patted her shoulder.
“You two are going to find the killer, aren’t you?” she asked my grandfather and me.
“We’re going to do our best,” I said as I watched her kids feeding the ducks, oblivious to the fact that their father was dead. I would hate to be the one who told them that Gordon had been murdered, but I didn’t think the burden should fall on Ellen, either. “Do you want me to tell them about their dad?”
She shook her head. “No, my family and I will handle it, but not here. I don’t want them to associate the news about their father with this park. It’s their favorite place in the world, and I won’t take that from them. Do you understand, Victoria?”
“I get it,” I said. “They need to know as soon as possible, though, before they hear it from someone else.”
“At least let us get back to my mother’s place. They’ll feel safe there.”
“You can probably delay that, but you can’t put off that call to the sheriff,” I said.
“I won’t,” she answered. “Mom’s place is two blocks away. Surely it can wait until then.”
“Okay. Why don’t you all hop into the back of Moose’s truck, and we can drive over there together?”
“No offense, but I don’t feel as though it’s all that safe for them riding in back,” Ellen said.
“Then they can ride up front with me,” Moose said, “if you don’t mind sitting in back with Victoria and your mother.”
“Thanks for the offer, but we’ll walk. It’s not far, and it’s how we got here in the first place.”
I thought about what it might mean if the sheriff saw all of us heading over there together before anyone decided to call him. “That sounds like a good plan. As a matter of fact, we’ll walk with you,” I said.
“We will?” Moose asked.
“I will, at any rate. You can meet us there, if you’d like.”
“No, I can come back later for my truck,” my grandfather said.
“Then it’s settled,” I said as I put my arm around Ellen. “Let’s get your gang and head back.”
We approached Opal and the kids, and Ellen said, “There are homemade cookies Grandma made for you back at her house. Who wants a cookie?”
There were delighted yelps, and we headed down the sidewalk toward Opal’s. Ellen tugged her mother’s sleeve and pulled her back a little, so Moose and I took responsibility for the kids as we walked together. Opal stopped for a second, and then caught herself when Ellen must have told her the news.
“Are you okay?” I heard Opal ask her daughter, and Ellen nodded solemnly.
“That’s all that matters, then,” Opal said.
We were nearly to Opal’s house when I saw a squad car parked in front as we walked around the corner. I’d been afraid of that, so I already had a plan.
“Ellen, call the sheriff right now.”
“We’re almost there,” she protested as she looked at her kids. “Surely it can wait two minutes.”
“I don’t think so,” I said as I pointed to the police car.
“Kids, hang on one second. Mom, take their hands.”
“What’s going on?” Ellen’s oldest asked.
“I have to make a quick telephone call,” Ellen explained.
“Sheriff, I understand you’re looking for me,” she said once she got him on the phone.
“Where are you?” I could hear the sheriff’s harsh question through the telephone.
“I’m at my mother’s place, or at least I will be in two minutes.”
“Where have you been all afternoon?” he asked as we all watched him get out of his squad car.
“We had a picnic,” she said as she hung up the phone.
The sheriff gave me an icy look the second he saw me, and then it softened into a smile when he looked at Ellen’s kids. “Why don’t you all go inside? I need to talk to your mother.”
“What happened?” one of Ellen’s kids asked the sheriff.
“Come inside,” Opal said. “There are cookies waiting for you, remember?”
“Cookies,” they both shouted, and soon enough, the sheriff was forgotten.
“We need to talk,” the sheriff told Ellen.
“Not without Rebecca,” I said.
“You already have a lawyer?” Sheriff Croft asked her critically.
“She didn’t before, but she does now,” I said.
“I don’t mind talking to him alone, Victoria,” Ellen said.
“See? She’s trying to cooperate,” Sheriff Croft said. “Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”
“No offense, Sheriff, but it will be as hard as it needs to be.”
I called Rebecca, who agreed to come right over.
After I hung up, I said, “She’ll be here in five minutes.”
“Then, you can tell her to meet us in my office,” Sheriff Croft said.
“Are you arresting me?” Ellen asked incredulously.
“Not just yet. We’re going to my office to make things a little easier to control
,” the sheriff said.
“Should I go with him?” Ellen asked me.
“You don’t have any choice,” the sheriff said bluntly. “That wasn’t a request, Ellen; it was an order.”
“We’ll send Rebecca to you,” I said. “Don’t worry, and don’t say a thing until she gets there.”
Ellen nodded, but it was clear that she was scared. I didn’t blame her. I’d been the central suspect in a murder investigation before, and I hadn’t liked it one bit either. “Rebecca will be there soon.”
“Tell Mom to watch the kids,” Ellen said as the sheriff put her in his squad car. At least she got to ride up front with him, and not in the back.
“Change of plans,” I told Rebecca. “The chief’s taking Ellen to his office.”
My best friend chuckled a little. “So, that’s the way he wants to play it. You know, I’ve been itching for a good fight, and it sounds as though this one’s all mine.”
“She didn’t do it,” I told Rebecca.
“Don’t worry. I’m on board.”
After I hung up, I looked at Moose. “Did I do wrong advising her to shut up?”
“It was good advice, no matter how the sheriff reacted to it. Do you want to talk to Opal, or should I?” It was pretty clear that my grandfather had no desire to have that particular conversation, so I decided to let him off the hook.
“Tell you what. Why don’t you go get the truck, and by the time you get back, I’ll be finished talking to her.”
He didn’t even hesitate when he heard my suggestion. “Done.” He nearly sprinted back down the sidewalk toward the park. I turned, took a deep breath, and headed inside to talk to Opal.
At least the kids were occupied. Opal had parked them in front of the television, and there was a plate of cookies between them.
“Where’s Ellen?” Opal asked me softly.
“The sheriff decided that it might be better if they talked downtown,” I answered.
“I won’t have it, do you hear me?” Opal asked. “Get him back here this instant. I want to confess.”
Chapter 7
“You killed Gordon Murphy,” I said flatly.
“I did. I lured him into the alley and I got rid of him.”
“How did you do it, Opal?”
She frowned, as though she was in a haze. “I don’t remember. Why does it matter? I did it.”
Evidently Ellen hadn’t told her mother just how Gordon had been killed. “I’m sure that Ellen would appreciate you trying to take responsibility for what happened, but you aren’t doing her any favors. You know that, don’t you?”
“She can’t go to jail,” Opal said, clearly fighting off tears. “Think about her children.”
“Opal, do you think Ellen killed her ex-husband?”
“No, of course not,” she said. “Keep your voice down, would you?”
“They’ll find out that you confessed to killing their father sooner or later,” I replied, though I complied by lowering my voice as I said it. “How is Ellen going to feel when she finds out that you tried to confess to save her? She’s going to know that you think she did it.”
“I never said that,” Opal said loudly, violating her own request. The kids looked up from the screen for a moment before going back to their show.
“Then let’s just forget that you just confessed,” I said. “Rebecca’s looking out for Ellen. You don’t have to worry about her.”
“I know that she can’t afford her services,” Opal said. “I’ve got a little put away. I might be able to pay her.”
“Right now she’s doing it as a favor to me,” I said. “We’ll worry about who pays her later, okay? For now, you need to have a talk with the children about their father. Can you do that?”
She looked at them worriedly before she turned back to me. “I don’t want Ellen to have to do it, so I suppose I have to.”
The front door opened, and Robert Hightower walked in. “Where have you been, Opal? Was Ellen with you the entire time?”
The kids told their grandfather hello, but their gazes never left the television.
“She’s at the police station, Bobby,” Opal said.
Ellen’s father scowled. “We’ll see about that.”
I put a hand on his shoulder. “Mr. Hightower, she’s in good hands right now. Rebecca Davis is with her, so nothing’s going to happen to her. Your wife needs you here right now.”
“What’s wrong, Opal?” he asked her softly. The two obviously cared deeply about each other, even though they hadn’t been able to live in the same house together. Robert hadn’t gone far, though, buying the house across the street.
“They have to be told about their father,” Opal said, her voice choking a little.
“I’ll handle it,” Robert said.
“We’ll do it together. I’ll be right beside you,” Opal answered.
“I’ll be in touch,” I said, not wanting to intrude on this painful family moment.
“Do I need to take you home?” Robert asked as he flexed his right hand a little. It appeared to be giving him a little trouble, and I noticed some fresh bruises on his knuckles.
“What happened to your hand?”
“This? It’s nothing,” he said.
“It looks like something to me,” I said, not willing to let up until I heard the truth.
“I punched a wall, okay? It was stupid, but I was frustrated, and I took it out on the concrete. Not very bright of me, but I don’t think anything’s broken.”
“You might want to have somebody look at that.”
“I’m not worried about it. Now, how about that ride?”
“Thanks, but Moose will be out front in a second. We’ll talk later.”
“That’s fine, then,” Robert said, and then he reached down and took his wife’s hand in his. “It’s time, Opal.”
I didn’t envy them the conversation they were about to have.
I got into Moose’s truck as he stopped in front of the house. “How did it go?”
“Opal and Robert were just about to tell the kids about their father when I walked out the door. It’s going to be a bad night for everyone concerned in that family.”
“Yes, but it has to be done,” Moose said. “Where should we go now?”
I was suddenly exhausted from the day I’d just had. “Would you mind taking me home? I need to see Greg and give him a great big hug.”
“I was just thinking the same thing about Martha,” he admitted. “Life is short, isn’t it?”
“And we’re not promised a single extra day of it,” I said.
“Is Ellen going to be okay?” Moose asked me as he drove me home.
“Rebecca’s looking out for her. I’m hoping that Ellen calls me when they’re finished.”
“Call me after you hear from her. I don’t care what time it is, okay?”
“I promise,” I said he pulled into my driveway and I got out of the truck. “Bye.”
“Good bye, Victoria,” he said.
Greg met me on the porch, and I squeezed him so hard I could feel the breath escaping from his lungs. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I am now,” I said, my voice muffled in his chest.
“I made homemade pasta,” he said. “Are you hungry?”
“Give me one more minute,” I said as I hugged him even harder.
My husband stroked the back of my head gently. “Take all the time you need,” Greg said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m holding you to that,” I said, and then I finally pulled away.
“Rough day?” he asked me as we walked inside the house.
“I’ve had better,” I said. “Now, what’s this about homemade pasta?”
“I was worried about you, and you know how I am when I’m jumpy. I cook. You don’t mind, do you?”
“I’ll take your pasta any day,” I said. “Do you have salad, too?”
“You bet. The water’s been boiling for a while. In three minutes, we’ll be eating.”
“Did you wait for me?” I asked.
“I wasn’t about to eat without you.”
I took a deep breath, and smiled. “You made garlic bread too, didn’t you?”
“I figured you wouldn’t mind.”
“You figured right.”
The food was delicious, and we were cleaning up when my phone rang. “It’s Rebecca,” I said.
“Go on. I’ll take care of this.”
I hesitated long enough to kiss him quickly, and then I answered my phone. “Hey, what’s up?”
“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” she asked.
“Nothing that won’t wait. How’s Ellen?”
“She’s free,” Rebecca said, “at least for the moment. She gave me permission to catch you up. There’s really not much to say. She doesn’t have the slightest hint of an alibi for the time of the murder, and Sheriff Croft’s not all that pleased with any of us.”
“It looks bad, doesn’t it?”
“Victoria, I’ve faced worse prospects in my career, but it’s not going to be easy. After all, she had every reason in the world to wish the man harm.”
“Do you mind taking the case? I’ll pay you whatever it takes.”
Rebecca laughed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. If, and it’s a big if, she’s arrested for Gordon’s murder, then we’ll talk about my fee.”
“Rebecca, I don’t expect you to do this for free,” I said. “Ellen is one of ours at the diner, and we take care of our own.”
“I figured as much, but honestly, I haven’t done much yet but hold her hand.”
“That’s worth more than gold to me,” I said. “Have I told you how happy I am to have you as a best friend?”
“I don’t mind hearing it again,” she said. “I’ll keep you updated, but for now, the sheriff’s done with Ellen. You’re digging into this, aren’t you?”
Rebecca didn’t necessarily approve of the investigations Moose and I had conducted in the past, but I wasn’t about to lie to her. “As a matter of fact, we’ve already started digging,” I said.
“Good. Find out who did this, the quicker the better,” Rebecca said.
“Why so enthusiastic?” I asked.
“This is going to haunt Ellen and her kids until Gordon’s killer is found,” she said. “If it takes too long, she’ll be branded as a murderer no matter what the outcome.”
