“Budget,” the sheriff said, making a face.
As the door shut behind him, Carrie smiled to herself. A least neither the sheriff nor Henry had suggested she was being too nosy. Her mother probably would have.
Chapter Thirty-Two
WHO WANTS CARRIE DEAD?
Carrie was eager to hear about all that had happened besides her kidnapping, so as soon as she and Henry finished clearing away the lunch leavings, she said, “Let’s take a few minutes to just be together and talk.”
They dropped into their favorite chairs in the living room, and she sighed with pleasure. “It’s good to be home again.”
Henry nodded. “And to have the two of us alone, however brief the interlude might be. The last few days have been horrible for you, Cara, and neither of us has had any privacy to talk about it. I’ve wanted to say how sorry I am to have let this happen to you.”
“Enough! You certainly didn’t let it happen, and I know it’s been rough on you, too. That’s past now. We both came through it without any scars.”
“Well, yes, but . . .”
She interrupted him. “You’ve heard my story, and I’ve heard some of what else has been going on, but I want to know what happened at the mill after you discovered I was gone, and what went on here after that? The stuff you couldn’t talk about in company.”
He told her, beginning with when he discovered the man on the bank of the War Eagle River had no interest in fishing, and then turned to see the van driving away. “I still think allowing you to be abducted was mostly my fault. I should have been more alert.
“Quit that,” she said. “You couldn’t have foreseen what occurred. But, I wonder, do you think the two men were prepared for what happened there? Had they planned it? They couldn’t know you and I would separate, or even that we were going to the mill, though, as I said in our discussion, they had parked up the road that morning and planned to follow us when we left. But, how did they know we’d be leaving?”
Henry swallowed an oath. “Milton and Edie talked on the phone that morning. Those guys must have been able to listen in on their conversation. Edie used our phone, and I assume Milton was on his cell phone. They probably got in through that, or it’s possible they’d tapped into our land line by then.”
“Oh. Oh, yes. But if they’ve heard our phone conversations, wouldn’t they now know I’m alive and free?”
"If they intended to kidnap you, they'd have to have known our plans. But, since you showed up at Roger and Shirley's we’ve all been pretty careful about what we said on the phone, and you haven’t been on the phone at all. The sheriff warned us about the possibility of listeners.” Henry was silent for a few moments before he continued. “I’m trying to remember all I said when talking to Shirley and Roger. I don’t think I gave anything away, and I was always careful not to mention your name.”
Carrie sighed. “Bother. There’s a lot to be concerned about, isn’t there.”
“If they did get the information about our plans to eat breakfast at the mill from Edie and Milton’s conversation, then that explains how they were ready with that fake fishing gear and a plan.”
“So it’s possible the original plan was to kidnap me?”
“Logically, yes. I hate to say it, but you’d be easier than I would, and they couldn’t be sure Edie would have a key to our house. They could just ask you where those animals were hidden once they had you here. Less problem than tearing the whole place apart, assuming they could make you tell where what they thought was valuable merchandise had been hidden.”
“They did tear the guest room apart looking for those papers.”
“Yes, but it seems to me from what you said that getting ahold of the wooden animals was their first priority, and they expected you to tell them where those were hidden as soon as you got here.”
“True, and as it turned out, I wish I’d told them all that I knew about those stupid animals right away and not played dumb. Just look at what happened to your little police car.” She sighed.
“I’m sure Milton will make us another one if he doesn’t have one in his stock.”
After a short silence, she said. “Here’s my second question. Why did they think it would be safe to bring me here? Wouldn’t it be possible you’d come home, probably with Edie, maybe with others, including deputies?”
“I’m sure they guessed—correctly it turns out—that we’d be involved at War Eagle Mill for some time, and a search would center there. I admit when Edie first suggested we come home, I resisted. Coming home didn’t seem logical.”
“I think I would have reacted the same way.” She hesitated for a moment as a flashback to her time with Arnie and Second Man popped up in her memory. She quickly shoved that aside with a prayer of gratitude, and said, “Well, now that we’ve covered that, tell me more about events here.”
He did. She felt both touched and sorry over how much he had suffered from guilt and fear until he knew she was alive and safe, and how difficult keeping up the charade after that was.
“In fact, I was so bad at acting that Edie figured it out from the beginning.” He told her what Edie had said.
“Henry, that’s lovely. I’m glad to have her in our lives. Are you?”
“Yes, especially if you are. But I don’t think I’d enjoy having her live next door. She comes on a bit strong. Washington, DC is a safe distance, and we can visit back and forth. There’s a lot to see and do in the capitol.”
“Yes, indeed.”
After a pause she said. “Do you think Olinda figured it out too?”
“Maybe. Suspected, at least. She did give me a lot of funny, searching looks after I got the phone call from Shirley.”
“Oh, well. So, what do we do next?”
“Depends on what Edie and Milton see from Jo Marshall’s front porch. What happens there this afternoon may motivate future action.” He stood. “For now, we just wait for their report and, while I’m waiting, I think I’ll e-mail Chef John Bohnert to tell him how successful his recipes have been for us, and how much we’re enjoying his cookbook.”
“Thank him for me, too. And, while you write him, I’m going to start a load of laundry. How good it is to be thinking about laundry.” She laughed. “I can’t believe I said that!”
The phone rang at 3:45, just as Carrie was beginning to wonder when Edie, or Edie and Milton, would return, and how many people she and Henry needed to prepare supper for.
Edie sounded breathless. “Carrie, the most amazing thing. Guess who the woman at that place is.”
“I don’t need to guess, you’re going to tell me.”
“Liz Harley. Milton says there’s no doubt.”
“Liz Harley! But that means . . . ”
“Exactly. I bet she murdered her own husband. We’re going to call the sheriff as soon as I hang up.”
“Edie, no! Henry and I think the drug dealers have access to conversations on Milton’s cell phone, and probably yours, too. You’d better wait. I assume you’re coming back here soon? We can discuss this then.”
“Um, okay, but let me talk with Milton. We’re still at the Marshall’s and I’m on their phone. I think it’s probably safe. Just a minute.”
When Edie came back she said, “Milton is going to drop me there, then go on to the sheriff’s office and report in person.
“Oh, wait. He’s saying something else.”
Carrie heard, “Yes, Milton. Okay, good idea,” then Edie said into the phone, “He says, since he’ll be in town, he can bring Chinese for all four of us. Is that okay?”
“That would be great, thank him.”
“We both think Shirley’s idea of a party at the Marshall’s is a good plan. We need to get ready for that. Do Shirley and Roger like Chinese food? And, who has the milking duty down there this evening?”
“Haven’t a clue. I’ll find out, and we can tell Milton whether it’s to be four or six when he drops you off.”
As she hung up and went to look for Henr
y, Carrie’s thoughts were whirling. Since Liz Harley is at the place on Marshall Road, that means I was right about the location.
Could she really be responsible for the death of her own husband?
Carrie shuddered.
Liz Harley. Then she’s the one who ordered me killed.
Chapter Thirty-Three
PARTY PREP
Shirley and Roger, so far as they knew, had never eaten Chinese food.
“Well,” Carrie told Shirley, “some of it’s kind of like beef stew or chicken and vegetables in a seasoned sauce, served with rice or noodles instead of potatoes. How does that sound?
“Oh, I don’t mind trying it out, and Roger will go along. We’ll call it an adventure. As for the milking, Junior and Oscar, the new helper he hired, are on tonight. I’ll be glad to talk more about a party, and I’m sure Jo and Ben will be pleased they’re part of all this excitement.”
“Okay. And I have left-over Macaroni Beef Casserole that Henry and the girls made. We can warm that up in case Chinese isn’t to your taste.”
Carrie had stared at Edie when Milton dropped her off. Ignoring Edie’s face, which probably wouldn’t be seen in detail over the distance between the Marshall porch and the metal buildings, she could have been looking at a teen-aged boy. No make-up, jeans, a baggy sweatshirt, stocking cap pulled down over the ears, huge shoes with some kind of sports logo. Even the ubiquitous smart phone in one hand.
Later, when Milton came in with sacks of food, she gawked again, because she was looking at the boy’s laborer father, hair greying at the temples, partly covered by an oil-stained John Deere gimmee cap. This stranger had a scraggly black and grey mustache and wore a sweat shirt with sleeves cut off at the biceps, displaying arms almost solidly blue-black with tattoos. Milton had work boots on his feet with thick soles and what looked like two inch heels. He seemed at least two inches taller.
And, now that they were all seated around the dining table, Shirley and Roger were the ones gawking. They both stared at Milton and Edie, who had begun, very successfully, to eat their meals with chopsticks. Milton brought chopsticks for each of them, but, after looking at Carrie and Henry, who were using forks, Roger and Shirley left the bamboo sticks in their white paper covers and picked up forks too.
As the meal ended, Carrie decided it had been a success. Containers brought by Milton were largely empty, and no one had touched the Macaroni and Beef Casserole.
“Now,” she said, when the empty containers were rinsed and put in a trash bag, “We won’t wait any longer. Time to tell us more about what happened at the Marshall’s.”
As soon as everyone was seated on sofa and chairs, Milton said, “As Edie told Carrie, the woman we saw at the business on Marshall Road is Liz Harley. Not only that, I recognized two of the men who came in and out of the large building. I don’t know the names of either of them, but, during the last two or three years, I’ve seen both talking with John at his fair booth. I assumed they were friends who lived in this area.”
“No sign of Arnie Frost?” Carrie asked Edie.
“No, I didn’t see him.”
Henry asked, “What did the sheriff say?”
“Wanted to think, do a bit of planning and surveying of deputies in the Drug Task Force,” Milton said, “but, Shirley, he’s ready to go with your idea of a party. He’ll phone you in the morning, and either invite you to a party, which means it’s definitely on, or, if there have been complications, say the party is cancelled. After that, most all phone communication will be between the sheriff’s office and the Marshalls, since we assume their phone line is clear.
“As you noticed, he’s still concerned about everyone’s safety. He sent the two new deputies who’re on guard outside, and asked that I spend the night here if there is some way to accommodate me. He also wanted me to tell Roger and Shirley to stay in their house and lock up after dark.”
“Whoee,” Shirley said, “with those rules, how is anyone supposed to milk cows in the morning?”
“Get Junior to come in and work with you, if he isn’t already scheduled,” Henry said. “Leave your farm lights on all night. Junior’s truck lights will add to those, and he can survey the place when he drives in.”
“We’ll do it,” Roger said. Don’t want anything to mess up this deal.”
Shirley said, “Speaking of that, since Roger and I are regulars at the Marshalls I don’t reckon we need disguises, but looking around at you all, I feel almost nekkid without one.”
“You are indeed a master of disguise art,” Carrie said.
Ignoring the compliment, Shirley asked Henry, “What do you think of Carrie’s red hair?”
“It’s okay, now that I’m used to it, but I’ll be glad to see the grey curls again when all this is over.”
Edie said, “We talked to Jo and Ben Marshall at length before we left their house. Maybe unfortunately, both of them think of this as an adventure, not a potentially dangerous law-enforcement operation. The sheriff reminded us that we don’t know yet how many of our phones the drug dealers have access to, so no one here is to call them. He’ll talk to them this evening about possible liability issues, but I’d bet they will still welcome the entire—to them exciting—operation.”
Neither Carrie nor Henry dared look at either of the Booths.
“We’ll be ready, whatever is decided,” Milton said. “The sheriff suggested that Henry, Carrie, Edie, and the Booths stay locked in at home during the party, but I told him I already knew that wouldn’t fly.”
“You’re darn tootin,’” Shirley said.
Milton nodded and went on. “So, we’ll all be at the party, though you guys are to stay on the porch and keep out of harm’s way. Henry will either be out of sight or, using some degree of disguise, mingle on the porch with the deputies.
“If the people we’re concerned with come outside during daylight, proving they’re at the location, and then go back inside, the sheriff might make a move then. If not, as the day darkens, deputies will spread out around the metal buildings, keeping at a distance, since there is undoubtedly some kind of detection system guarding against intruders.”
“Is there parking for us behind the Marshall’s house?” Henry asked.
“Yes, between the picnic table area and the workshop and kitchen garden,” Milton said, “but we think crowding the road with party guest’s cars is a good idea. That will make it harder for anyone across the road to jump in a car and drive away quickly.
“We’re all hoping this operation can be completed without firing weapons, but there is the possibility we’ll need to.
“Oh, Shirley, the sheriff asked if you could send a few of your gift-wrapped boxes back to the office with the deputies who’re keeping watch outside tonight. Then, tomorrow afternoon, those parking on Marshall Road can walk toward the house carrying packages. He’s also going to have food prepared for some of them to carry. Potato salad, beans, that sort of stuff, and maybe some kind of dessert.”
“Whoee,” Shirley said, so we really are going to have us a party.”
“You bet,” Milton told her, “and there’ll be a tub of pop. No beer. The tub, along with ice and cartons of pop will be delivered there tomorrow morning.”
Shirley said, “Roger and I will blow up the balloons left over from the birthday party we had for Carolyn’s youngest a while back. I’ve already got some boxes wrapped. Carrie, you got any empty boxes and gift paper here?
“Yes. Edie and I’ll wrap several this evening and be sure the deputies have them to take back to the department in the morning.”
“All right,” Shirley said. “Looks like we’re ready. Roger and I will say goodnight now ‘cause we’re up early. Thanks for the good food, Milton. I think Roger and I might get Chinese ourselves some time, as long as we can eat with forks and not sticks.”
Everyone laughed, and watched from the door as a deputy walked Shirley and Roger to their truck.
“I’ll sleep on the couch,” Milton said. “I’m
afraid to take a shower though, for fear my tattoos will wash off. Have you got an old sheet I can throw over your upholstery in case anything rubs off?”
“We do, and I can loan you a razor.” Henry said.
“Not necessary. I always carry shaving gear and a few other necessities in my truck in case of the unexpected.”
“Then let me show you around the house now. You can share the guest bath with Edie.”
“I guess he could sleep in the bed Olinda was using,” Edie said. “I wouldn’t mind.”
“Couch will be fine,” Milton said. “Don’t know you well enough yet to spend the night in your bedroom, woman.”
“We’ll bring out blankets and a pillow for you,” Henry said. “I slept on the couch not long after Carrie and I met. I felt she needed a guard when a murderer was stalking her. I found it quite comfortable.”
“Any bad guys show up then?” Milton asked.
“No, it stayed quiet.”
“Let’s hope tonight is quiet, too,” Edie said. “Tomorrow is going to be quite a memorable day for all of us.” She looked at her cousin. “I suppose you’re already praying about success and safety, or something like that.”
“Yes,” Carrie said, “and so much more.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
MISSING PAPERS?
“This feels like a real party,” Edie said as she and Carrie looked in vain for a place to put their loaded plates down. “Everyone is either having a good time or they’re all good actors.”
“Taking advantage of the moment, I guess.”
“I’m glad they can. I’ve been afraid from the first that this isn’t going to be as easy as it sounds. I just hope no one gets hurt.”
“Amen,” Carrie said as a tall man carrying a plate of food and a Pepsi careened into her after an even taller man bumped into him. Both men apologized, and went to join friends perched on the porch railing.
A Fair to Die For Page 24
