by Teresa Quill
“They have people searching her garage, and I’m sure the house as well, but I don‘t see a boat or a truck.” John spoke over his shoulder.
“I tell you, she’s the most mild-mannered person you can meet. Not a killer. You know her too. Patty’s our dental hygienist. ”
“That Patty? Doesn’t she sit near the front in church?” Wow, he remembered her even though it had been ages since he’d been to church.
“Yes, that tiny woman probably couldn’t see over the steering wheel of a truck, much less carry a body. Heck, she fixes the communion bread.” Gracie’d known the family since Patty was a child.
“You’re right. It can’t be her but she might know something.” He got back in the car and they headed home. “We’ll have to consider other possibilities.”
At least he wasn’t quitting and pouting on the couch, but what did he mean this time?
They finally got back to the apartments at nine, and Irene and Wally followed them inside. They all sat in the living room. Gracie made and served tea to everyone while John paced. She offered oatmeal, but there were no takers, except herself. She sat in her recliner eating. Irene and Wally sat on the edge of the couch, watching John wear a hole in the rug.
“A penny for your thoughts, John.” Irene pushed him to speak.
“Do you remember Jigsaw Pouzel?” John asked.
“That son of a dog who beat poor Patty senseless? He’s the killer?” Irene put a hand to her cheek.
“No, he’s dead.” John stopped pacing.
“Yes, and I’m not sorry he’s gone.” Gracie was spitting mad that the police were questioning Patty like a suspect, even though she knew they had to follow procedure.
She rocked harder in her chair and managed to unravel most of the scarf she’d tried to make since this whole murder thing started. Knitting might keep her hands busy, but she wasn’t getting very far.
“How many times have the police been over there since she kicked him out?” Irene asked.
“I don’t know, at least three times the first year, and a couple times since. Poor girl. I see her every week in church, and I’ve known her family since she was a little girl.” She rolled the yarn back onto the ball. “Good people. How she got mixed up with him. . . makes no sense.”
Why did so many good women have such bad taste in men?
“Didn’t you go over there last year?” Wally reached under the chair into Tictac’s cave and received a swat.
“For a couple of days. I stayed with her when he pushed her off the porch, and she broke her foot. That man is, uh, was mean as a snake.” Gracie blew air through her lips. “Can’t blame that poor child for being scared, she was always timid, and Russell Pouzel was hateful.”
“Why wasn’t he arrested?” John asked. He sat fiddling with his doodads on the table.
“Patty said she tripped when he came at her, that it was an accident. I still don’t believe that.” Gracie shook her head. “Typical abused spouse response.” Poor girl. She was so scared. Russell’s death will be a relief for her.
“So, now what are we going to do?” Irene looked expectantly at John who leaned back on the couch and frowned. The long silence filled with blank looks from everyone. Wally looked at Irene, Irene looked at Gracie, Gracie looked at John, and John glazed longingly at the liquor cabinet even though it was empty.
After another few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Gracie piped up. “A coffee cake,” she said.
The three turned blank stares to her.
“I’ll make a coffee cake and take it to Patty this afternoon. I talked to her about a new recipe in church last week.”
They nodded. A perfect idea. While she chatted with Patty, John could wait. After all, he had to drive her there, and that would keep him away from his Irish coffee. But she knew he could find whiskey if he wanted to.
John went to the grocery store for coffee cake supplies and returned with more than she needed for coffee cake plus a container of butter pecan ice cream.
Pulling a bowl out of the cabinet, Gracie sighed. Lord only knew what she’d do, but she would get the job done. Up to her elbows in coffee cake flour, Gracie scolded herself. What did I get myself into? Irene should talk to her, she’s more clever. What to say? Gracie chewed her lip and mixed in the cinnamon. Two hours later, she sat bolt straight in John’s car, still not sure how to broach the subject of murder. How about, “Hi Patty, if you didn’t murder Jigsaw, I’m sure someone you know did.” True, but even in her head that was wrong. They pulled into her driveway before she could think of a good alternative. Perhaps it wasn’t what you said, but how you said it that mattered. Lord, she hoped so.
Chapter 10
Gracie was sure the poor woman would fall over if wind blew when she opened the door. She always looked frail but now she had pallor to her. John stayed in the car, finally admitting she’d get better woman talk without him, which was probably true. Gracie would ask if he could come in after a while.
The two women made their way to the kitchen and Patty offered her coffee. She served the brew in her mother’s blue pattern china cups as she did every time they sat together. The poor dear clearly forgot she preferred tea.
“Patty, I heard about Russell. I’m sorry. I know you weren’t a couple anymore, but you had feelings for him at some time in the past.” Gracie handed the coffee cake to her.
After thanking her for the cake, Patty mumbled, “Not very good ones.”
Gracie patted her hand. “I don’t imagine so. He had a mean streak a mile long.”
Patty served coffee cake on matching plates. So lovely.
“How’s your family? Your brother? And I haven’t seen your mother in ages.” When she saw John sneaking by, she took the seat that positioned her facing the window. Patty sat across from her, back to the kitchen window.
“She moved into Frederick to be closer to her doctors, and Buck.” Her brother was still single. Gracie imagined Patty’s mom was living with Buck, not just close to him. Their mother shouldn’t be living alone, and she always did hover over that boy.
John went by the window again, peeked in, and then headed past a woodpile down a dirt alley at the back of the yard and into the woods. What in the devil was he doing? He was supposed to wait in the car, doing his crossword until Gracie asked Patty if they could look around her place. Was there no keeping that man out of trouble?
Patty must have noticed her looking out of the window. “Buck was supposed to come by and get that pile of wood this week. The neighbor cut down a maple in the side yard that was hit by lightning. I guess Buck couldn’t borrow his friend’s truck yet. ”
Patty looked disappointed. “I’m going to plant tulip bulbs after he moves that pile.” She glanced out the back window again. Thankfully, John was out of sight.
Gracie realized she’d been holding her breath and tried to breathe normally. “Tulips will be lovely.” She patted Patty’s hand. “Your brother has always been helpful.”
Gracie glimpsed John in the distance. “Do you think this cake is a bit dry?” She drew Patty’s attention back to the table. Oh Lord, this was hard on the nerves. “I wonder if I should have used a little Crisco instead of all applesauce.”
Patty assured her it was perfect. Then she leaned forward as if she wanted to say something but didn’t. Waiting for her to break the silence, Gracie sipped her coffee, but her hands shook so badly, she had to return her cup into its saucer to avoid spilling.
“More coffee?” Patty poured before the cup touched the saucer.
Coffee soaked Gracie’s sleeve and spilled on the table.
“I’m so sorry.” Patty ran to get towels. Tears welled and spilled onto her cheeks.
“It’s okay.” Gracie took the towel and wiped at her sleeve. “You’ve had a tough week.”
“I suppose. It’s not like I’ve been in contact with him. Why would I? After. . .you know.” She wiped the table but when she did her blouse gapped open showing a nasty bruise on her neck and chest
.
“Oh Patty! He was here, wasn’t he? I see that bruise.” She also saw John, shoulders up, scrawny legs carrying him as fast as he could limp, coming out of the woods waving the camera. She tried to ignore him.
Patty froze, then grabbed her blouse shut. “No, I. . .uh, fell.”
Gracie gave the poor woman a hard look. “It looks more like thumbprints to me.”
When Patty went through this the first time, the church ladies studied about victims of domestic violence. This was a typical excuse. And the ladies had been there to make sure that son of a mongrel was run out of town. It was the right thing to do, since they couldn’t kill him themselves. God forgive her for the thought. So, she waited without saying a word. Patty started to squirm, then she plopped in a chair with her head in the towel.
“Oh Gracie, you don’t know the half. The police were here. They think I killed him.” Patty looked up, tears streaming, gulping and blubbering the words.
Gracie scooted her chair beside the sobbing woman. John passed by the window twice, peeking in as he slowly strolled by. She motioned him away.
“That’s crazy talk. Why would they think that?” She slipped an arm around Patty but kept an eagle eye out for her own crazy man.
“I lied to the police.” The younger woman turned to bury her face in her shoulder. “I told them he wasn’t, but. . .he was here. I’m not a killer. I swear.”
“Oh honey. I believe you, but why did you lie?” Gracie rubbed across her boney back.
“That bald detective scared the life out of me. He looks meaner than Jigsaw.” She blew her nose in the towel.
Gracie had to agree with her about that brusque detective. After Patty’s experience with men, it wasn’t surprising she’d be afraid.
Patty stuck her face back in the towel. Her gulping softened to a hiccup, but she kept talking. “Honestly, I don’t know what happened and that’s what I told them, but that’s all I told them. I didn’t tell them he was here. I’m so ashamed that I let him in the house. This is such a mess. What should I do?”
Gracie looked up to see John at the window making faces and pointing at the camera he held overhead. She waved him away again. Can’t that man take a hint? Gracie pulled Patty to her feet and led her to the living room.
“Well, let’s sit on the couch, and you can tell me the whole story.” And maybe Patty wouldn’t see John acting the fool out of the window. He could wait. She positioned Patty so she couldn’t see the window and sat beside her, angling so she could see John’s car. “Now then, what happened?”
“I opened the door and there he was. He wanted money, and I told him I wasn’t giving him anything.” Patty shook her head as if it would shake away the memory.
“Good for you.” She saw John pacing by the car. Good grief.
“No, it wasn’t. I shouldn’t open the door for him. I know that. He pushed his way in and grabbed my neck.” She put a protective hand to her throat. “He. . .he hit me across the back with a chair when I ran. I locked myself in the bathroom upstairs and hid under the laundry in the closet.” The sobs became a blubber.
“Oh honey!” Gracie rubbed her shoulder to comfort her.
“I heard him down here slamming drawers. Probably looking for money, or my checkbook and credit card.” Patty stared blankly as she recalled the event. “Gracie, I was so scared I had another panic attack. You remember how I was last year. I thought I was so much better. But I started hyperventilating, so I breathed into a stinky sweatshirt. It was awful but I didn’t have a paper ba-ag.” She sobbed, breaking down and gulping out words.
Gracie held her close as she would a child but didn’t interrupt.
“I, I passed out. When I came to, it was so quiet. But I stayed there a long time because sometimes he pretends to leave. Then I came downstairs, and the door was open and he was gone.” Her shoulders heaved as she sobbed.
“That’s awful. But you really need to tell the police.” She spoke as gently as she could, hoping to convince her.
“I can’t. Not now. Not after I lied. I’m so ashamed. I haven’t left the house since it happened.” Patty trembled and her face dripped with tears. Gracie didn’t want to leave her this way, but John had come to the front window now and was nodding and smiling and motioning for her to come. Either he found something or he had finally flipped.
“Hmmm. I have to go right now, but I’ll be back in a little bit.” John was still there. “My ride is here.”
“Buck will be calling soon. He calls me every day about this time to check on me. He’s a worrier, you know.” She sniffed and dabbed her nose. “I told Buck Jigsaw was here. He says he’s sure that SOB won’t bother me again. Boy, was he ever right. But now, the police, and Jigsaw, a murder. . .” She was back to blowing her nose in the towel. “And that detective. He sca-ared me.”
“Okay, let me talk to my friend. I can stay with you if you want, okay?” John didn’t have his face planted on the window now, but it was close and he was turning red. If she didn’t get out there, the man might have a heart attack.
“I think it’s best if I lie down. It’s almost five. Can you come back in the morning? I’m going to take one of those nerve pills, and you know how they put me to sleep.”
“All right, sweetie. I’ll come tomorrow morning around nine, unless you want me to come back and spend the night.” The pills knocked the little woman out for a full night when she took them in the past, so Gracie had no doubt Patty would be out until morning.
“No, come tomorrow. I’ll fix coffee for us. I know you can help me figure this out. I, I didn’t want to talk to my mom about it. She gets so upset.” Patty’s mother was frail enough after that last heart attack without another shock. “I think that detective is coming back tomorrow afternoon. He said he had more questions, but I can’t remember. I’m so scared of him.”
“Now Patty, I’m sure he doesn’t think you killed him once he saw you. You couldn’t pick up that man and carry him anywhere. Are you sure I can’t stay?” Gracie didn’t want to leave her alone, but she had to get to John.
“No, I’m exhausted. I know I’ll sleep.”
Gracie thanked her for the coffee. In spite of the fact that she much preferred tea, she would have drunk a pot of coffee to get the whole story. She rose to leave and John hurried to the car. She leaned over and hugged Patty, reassuring her she’d be back first thing in the morning. Gracie shut the door quietly as she let herself out.
“What in blazes is wrong with you, John? I have information, no thanks to you.” Gracie was buckled but he hadn’t moved the car.
“I found the boat. The boat! We have to call Tom.” He had the most adorable childlike look on his face, but she wanted to smack him. All those antics almost gave her apoplexy.
“Not yet. Let’s go home. I think Patty may know more than she thinks, and I think I can find out more if you can just wait ’til tomorrow. I need to think about what to ask. I need to be gentle and diplomatic.” Men seemed to think they could snap their fingers, and everything happened instantly.
“But Gracie. . .” His pleading eyes almost convinced her, but she stood firm.
“Trust me, John. Something is going on. I’m sure she’ll tell me in the morning.”
“I trust you, I do, but this is evidence. I’m not leaving that boat.”
“Fine, come back and sleep in it. Just don’t let her see you sneaking around. She’s already scared to death. Think of this like a stakeout. If you trust me, you’ll wait.” Gracie shook her head. “I am asking you to trust me until tomorrow afternoon.”
John looked torn for a minute then conceded. “So, I’ll wait until tomorrow at noon. Then I am calling. After I drop you off, I’m coming in the back way to watch that boat. Just so you know, I wouldn’t sleep in it, because that might destroy evidence.
“Fine.” She really didn’t think that boat was going anywhere overnight, but let him go catch a cold sitting out in the night air if he was foolish enough to do it.
“Okay, fine.” He fixed his eyes on the road.
Chapter 11
When they got back to the apartments, it was almost dark. Gracie hurried upstairs to Irene’s while John took a shower. She agreed to keep John from sneaking around the house while Gracie talked to Patty in the morning.
“What if John fusses about you going?”
“Gracie, if you have a problem with him, you let me know.”
She had no doubt that Irene would be with them in the morning. “Okay. I will let him know. Come down at nine.”
Irene shooed her out.
When she got back to the apartment, John sat on the couch trying to coax Tictac out of her cave. His salt and pepper hair stuck straight up. That funny old guy may be a challenge, but he made her smile.
“Irene and Wally are coming with you to keep you company in the morning.” She looked down while she shuffled her hand through a kitchen drawer pretending to look for something.
“I’ll go inside with you. Irene and Wally don’t have to come, too.” His hair fell in wet clumps across his brow.
“No, John. You would scare the pa-jeepers out of her.”
“I know how to question a suspect.” He stuck his chin out. He rubbed his hair with a towel, tousling it into a peak.
“No, John. She is not a suspect, she’s my friend. And you can’t be sneaking around while I am inside, either. I’m putting my foot down on this.”
In a mutual stare down, it took a full minute until she saw his shoulders relax.
Irene would have the task of keeping John in line. Since she said Wally was going, Irene would have his help, too.
Gracie bit her lip. She had planned to tell John everything right away, but she held back. There was more to the story, and she didn’t want Patty to suffer more than she already had. She felt protective of that poor child who never deserved the abuse she got. She never understood how a good church going girl like Patty Schaefer ended up with a jerk like Russell “Jigsaw” Pouzel.
