I Scream, You Scream (A Willow Crier Cozy Mystery Book 2) (Willow Crier Cozy Mysteries)

by Lilly York

  “Mom, what happened? What’s wrong?” She looked at the message scrawled on her mom’s windshield. “Who did this?”

  “I don’t know.” She started crying all over again.

  Willow started for the back door. “Come on. I’ll put the coffee on.” When she reached the door, she noticed it was already ajar. She stood completely still. “Steve. Steve.” Her whisper was nearly silent. She had worked herself up into a fearful frenzy. Not the normal Willow she was used to being. Someone killed Huxley Rune and now they were after her.

  Steve and Embry caught up to her. “What…” He stopped when he saw the door and motioned both women back to her truck then pulled his gun and slowly opened the door and disappeared inside. After a few minutes he stuck his head out the door. “Whoever it was is long gone. Come on inside. Tell me what is missing. But, don’t touch anything.”

  Willow was appalled at the mess in her office. “I sure am working up a good mad.” She looked around her office. Paperwork was strewn about. While her office had been trashed, she didn’t notice anything missing. Until she looked in the corner under the high back chair. “My safe is gone.”

  “Are you sure?” Steve watched her face.

  “Yep. I’m sure. I keep it under that chair and it’s gone.”

  He bent down and sure enough, the safe was gone. “Okay, well, I’ll need a list of what was in it.”

  She nodded and began to mentally recall what was stored for safe keeping. “The manuscript, of course. Embry’s birthday list.”

  “Mom! Why would that be in your safe?”

  “Because you are nosy and it’s the only place I can keep a secret from you.” She continued. “$500 in change for the shop, and a pearl necklace my mother left me. That’s about it.”

  Steve finished his note. “Okay, if you think of something else, let me know.” A couple of officers arrived on the scene and dusted for fingerprints and looked for anything that might lead them to the person who was wreaking havoc on their town.

  Willow poured the three of them a cup of coffee then sat down at a small wrought iron table. “Oh my gosh. My safe wasn’t stolen. I completely forgot I took it home.” She bumped the table as she stood up and sent coffee sloshing all over the floor. “It’s at home. I have to get home.”

  Steve caught up to her as she ran for her truck. “You can’t take yours. They’re still processing it. Come on, hop in mine.” He used his siren to make record time to her house. As they pulled in with the sirens blaring, they saw a figure dressed in dark colors run for cover in the woods surrounding Willow’s back yard.

  Willow bolted toward the front door. She heard Clover barking frantically from the other side. Steve had his gun at the ready just in case there was someone else in the house.

  Thankfully, that was not the case.

  “It’s all clear. Is the safe still here?”

  Willow’s bedroom was a disaster. “I didn’t leave it like this, I promise.” Drawers were open and all her underclothing was upset. The thought of someone rummaging through her personal things gave her the heebie jeebies. She shuddered.

  She had placed the small locked safe at the back of her walk in closet. She prayed it was still there. She sighed a breath of relief when she reached the back of her closet and found it in one of the mostly unused suitcases stacked together. “It’s still here.” She called out to Steve.

  She set the safe on her bed then opened it. “Here you go. It’s all yours.” She handed him the note that accompanied the manuscript.

  “He barely knew you, right? Why would he send this to you? It makes no sense.”

  “Perhaps he figured no one would suspect me having the manuscript. And just maybe his agent would get it before anyone did figure it out.”

  “If, and that is a big if, that was the thought behind it, well, it didn’t quite work out the way he intended, did it? Now you have a murderer attached to you for something that doesn’t really concern you. He put you in harm’s way without giving a thought to your wellbeing nor considering your wishes. In some ways, I wish the guy would have found the darn safe and taken the manuscript. At least then he would have what he wants and most likely you would be out of danger.”

  Willow smiled. He does care. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. I have Clover and my handy Taser. I’m also going shopping for my hand gun. Want to go with?”

  Steve’s eyes brightened. “Yeah. I can help you pick something out. If you want me to, that is.”

  “Of course. That is why I asked. You’d know better than me what to get.”

  The police officers who had finished examining the ice cream shop were now parked outside her home.

  She looked up at him. “Did you ever get into his laptop? Find out if the manuscript is on there?”

  He nodded his head. “Yeah, he had his passwords written down on a small slip of paper underneath his desk calendar. And no, no sign of the manuscript. I spoke with his agent and she was surprised he had anything for her. Apparently, the last couple of his books were written by ghost writers. He was having something of a writer’s block.”

  Willow was surprised. “He was frantically working on something on that laptop of his. I wonder what it was.”

  “Our tech guy didn’t find anything. Nothing at all.”

  Willow thought back to the last time she had seen him writing. “Did they check the flash drive? He always used one to store his work.”

  Steve shook his head. “I don’t know. I wasn’t aware there was a flash drive. I’ll have to see if one was catalogued with the evidence. Although I’m sure if there was, I would have known about it.”

  “Huh. I’m sure he had it with him the night before the festival.” She paused. “Steve, I think the murderer took the flash drive when they ambushed Rune. And I’m pretty certain that is what this is all about. Huxley Rune stole someone’s manuscript. He was going to pass it off as his own and that person doesn’t relish the idea of handing their work over to him. The question is, who is it?”

  She added, “I think this rules out Gloria, don’t you? I mean, she had the bits and pieces of burnt manuscript tacked to her wall of shame. She wouldn’t have done that if she had written the book. She may be a stalker, but I don’t think she’s a murderer.”

  “I think you’re right. Maybe my guys will turn up a fingerprint or some DNA. If we get some firm evidence, we can wrap this thing up and perhaps keep you out of trouble.” He narrowed his eyes. “Which you seem to be very good at getting into.”

  “My mom used to call me ‘Willow Nothing But Trouble Crier.’ So, I guess she was right.” She smiled. “I managed to get into a lot of trouble back then too. Although I’m not sure stealing cookies from the cookie jar and pies from the window sill prepared me for my life of crime solving. Then again, who knows? We were old school. Mom would make me cut my own switch to whip my butt with. I think that is what turned me from the dark side. A good whipping.”

  As Willow walked back to the truck with Steve, he went down. “Darn it. What the heck?” His foot was shin high in a hole.

  “Oh gosh. Another thing I forgot about. Clover seems to be bent on digging as many holes as she possibly can. What can I do to stop her? Just this week, I’ve fallen in two myself.” She offered to take the safe with the manuscript still in it from him and he waved her off.

  Steve mumbled under his breath as he hobbled to the truck then replied, “Let me ask my sister. She’s bound to know with all the dogs they have.” He deposited the safe safely in the back seat then drove to town.

  Chapter 10

  Willow entered the shop to find Embry pacing.

  “You could have taken me with you. Mom, I was scared to death something was going to happen to you.” She threw herself into her mother’s arms and cried on her shoulder. “You’re all I’ve got. You can’t get hurt.”

  “Oh, Embry. I’m so sorry. I was so concerned about the manuscript and hopefully catching someone in the act, I didn’t think. Again. Apparently that has beco
me habit with me.”

  “Well? Did you catch em?”

  “No, by the time we saw him he was on the outskirts of the woods. There was no hope in catching him at that point.”

  She poured herself a cup of coffee. “My head is killing me. Lack of caffeine, I’m sure.” She cooled it down with a little cream then took a big sip and sighed. “Looks like the groupies have thinned out a bit.” A smaller crowd was congregated at the front entrance, waiting for the coffee shop to open. Willow turned to her daughter. “You ready? Janie won’t be here until after lunch. She broke a tooth. It’s just me and you until then.”

  Embry tied her ice cream apron around her neck. “We can do this.” She glanced at her watch. “We got a break. Nearly two hours off the time clock with the police doing their thing. I’ll tell you one thing, these groupies sure are committed. It is hot out there!”

  Willow unlocked the door. A couple of reporters as well as the groupies pushed their way in. It was going to be a long day, again. Perhaps she would have the money to have that book shelf made after all.

  Janie and one of her part timers came in after lunch, which gave Willow and Embry a chance to sit and rest. Not to mention eat something. They took up residence in the office since there wasn’t a table or chair to be had in the dining area. Steve popped his head in.

  “You have room for one more?”

  Willow patted a small wooden chest. “Will this do?” She started to rise and get him a snack and he stopped her.

  “You look exhausted. I know how to pour coffee and cut banana bread. I’ll be right back.”

  She wanted to tell him to eat one of the new fiber muffins but she didn’t bother. Let him have the banana bread. Who was she kidding? She looked down at her cinnamon roll oozing with butter and smiled. Perhaps they would both get back to eating healthy tomorrow. Today, she was enjoying what was in front of her.

  He returned with his banana bread sandwich.

  “I see you found the peanut butter.” She looked a little closer. “And the bananas.” She nodded. “Clever. Maybe that should go on the menu.”

  He took a bite and closed his eyes, his pleasure obvious as he chewed then swallowed. “I imagine heaven will be like peanut butter banana bread sandwiches.” He took a drink of his coffee then took another bite and groaned.

  He finished the last crumb on his plate before he got around to what he wanted to tell her. Embry had already returned to the counter to help out so Willow was his one and only captivated audience member.

  “Okay, we finished running Rune’s financials. At first I figured his meager living conditions for either simplicity or humility. Turns out, the guy was nearly broke. And get this, he’d been paying out regular payments every month of ten thousand to some rehabilitation ranch out here in Oklahoma. That started 8 years ago and has been going on ever since. Another irregularity was sporadic payments ranging from 25 thousand to 100 thousand dollars being withdrawn in cash. To the tune of 350 thousand dollars being doled out. That is a lot of cash. It started shortly after the payments to the rehabilitation ranch started. The two have to be connected.” He finished the last bit of his coffee. “Do you want to go with?”

  “Are you kidding? Of course.” She bit her bottom lip. “I’m supposed to have dinner with Embry tonight. How far away is this ranch?”

  “Just a couple of hours. I’ll have you back in time for an 8’o’clock supper. Promise.”

  “All right, let me go tell her what is going on. She is working till 8 anyway, so I’m sure she’ll be fine with it.”

  Steve filled a couple of to-go cups with coffee while Willow chatted with Embry. They both could use the extra caffeine.

  Willow took a sip of her coffee. “Perfect.”

  “It’s hard to mess up coffee with a little cream.”

  “The polite thing to do is say thank you when someone pays you a compliment.”

  “Okay, thank you.”

  “He was being blackmailed. But why?”

  “You don’t beat around any bushes, do you? And yeah, that is what I was kinda figuring too. At any rate, we’re about to find out. I could speculate, but that wouldn’t do us a bit of good.”

  “True.” She decided they both needed a break from shop talk. “How is your ankle?”

  “Much better. I’ll give my sister a call tonight and see what she suggests. There has to be something we can do. Someone is bound to get hurt.”

  She shook her head. “I love having her. I think we both need to go get some training.”

  “Good idea. The right training will make a world of difference.”

  Most of the trip was spent in a comfortable silence. Willow even caught herself falling asleep. His choice of soft instrumental music surprised her. She expected some twangy country and western, or perhaps gospel. But instrumental? Never. The music along with the warm sun relaxed her and she found her eyelids growing heavy. She startled awake and glanced over and noticed Steve had a grin on his face.

  “What did I do?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Obviously I did something. What was it?”

  “Okay. I’ll tell you. But don’t get embarrassed.”

  She inwardly groaned. “Okay, I won’t.”

  “When you’re falling asleep you blow air through your lips, and it sort of sounds like a horse.”

  “You mean I snore?”

  “Nope, it really sounds like a horse fluttering his lips. I don’t know how else to explain it. But you do it perfectly. That is what woke you up.”

  “Huh.” She wiped the drool from the side of her face. She hoped he didn’t see that. A drooling horse. How attractive. “Sorry I fell asleep. I guess I’m just worn out. Someone kept me up too late last night.”

  “Hey, I had you home by 9:30. That’s not late. Not by anyone’s standards. Especially yours.”

  “I know. It’s just been a long few days.” She looked at the passing landscape. For a long time she missed the northern terrain and the seasons. She had come to appreciate the stark and sometimes bare Oklahoma land. It had a different kind of beauty. A raw beauty.

  Steve slowed down and turned into a gated drive. The property was so large, Willow couldn’t see the house from the road. After driving for nearly a mile, they pulled up in front of a large ranch. There wasn’t a sign advertising what the place was. Nor was there any of the obvious telltale signs screaming, I’m a rehabilitation center. In fact, Steve wasn’t entirely sure he had the right place.

  Together they approached the front door, hoping they would find the answers they needed.

  Steve used the big brass knocker to announce their visit then waited. Willow raised her eyebrows but said nothing. He was about to knock again when the door slowly opened.

  A tall stately woman with quick eyes and graceful movements opened the door. “Hello. How can I help you?” She was distinctly missing a southern accent.

  “Hello, Ma’am. I’m looking for the Reed Rehabilitation Center.” He flashed her his badge. “I would appreciate any help you can give.”

  She opened the door. “Come in. May I ask the reason behind your visit?”

  “I’m not at liberty to say. I can tell you it is police business.”

  She directed them to sit in a small parlor near the entrance. “I will be right back. Please excuse me.”

  She disappeared down the hallway. A few minutes later voices could be heard approaching. One being the woman the other a male voice.

  Both Steve and Willow stood as the couple neared them.

  The gentleman motioned for them to sit back down then offered his hand. “I’m Mark Reed and this is my wife, Elizabeth. And you have found the Reed Rehabilitation Center. What can we help you with?”

  Elizabeth was seated next to her husband and offered both Steve and Willow a welcoming smile.

  Steve explained the situation, leaving out the possible blackmail payments, then waited for a response.

  Elizabeth placed her hand on her husband’s knee and
nodded.

  Mark responded. “We are very private. Not many people in the area know what we do. We have 12 guests in our home. All of them have been in some sort of debilitating accident. One fell in a mountain climbing accident. Another in a diving accident. The young lady you want information about was involved in an automobile accident. She is paralyzed from the neck down. She was struck by a drunk driver while riding her bicycle. The driver was Huxley Rune.” He looked to his wife. “That was nearly eight years ago now, wasn’t it?”

  Elizabeth nodded then picked up where her husband left off. “Mr. Rune has been paying for Clarissa’s care ever since. He even moved here a few years ago to be close to her. He visits every week and provides her with the best of everything to make her as comfortable as possible. When she was released from the hospital, her family wanted her here to be close to them. She was a student out east when this happened. Unfortunately, because of the extent of her injuries, she wasn’t able to live at home. She needs round the clock care. That’s where we come in.”

  “Because of what we do, our services do not come cheap. We have a full time medical staff as well as household staff that have to be paid. Nor can we accept everyone. We simply do not have the room.”

  A woman bearing a tray appeared and Elizabeth stood to help. “It’s a long drive from the city. Please, help yourselves. You must be in need of refreshments.”

  There was a carafe of aromatic coffee, hot water with various tea bags, both savory and sweet Kolaches, and a lovely pitcher of water with sliced fruit mixed in.

  Mark smiled. “I’m not shy.” He placed a few pieces of the succulent pastry on his plate then poured himself a cup of coffee.

  Steve followed suit. He could eat anywhere, anytime. Willow was sure of it.

  Elizabeth handed her a small delicate plate with pink roses painted along the edge. “Please, have some.”

  Steve asked the question that was plaguing both him and Willow. “What will happen to Clarissa now that Mr. Rune has passed away?”