Jeanne Glidewell - Lexie Starr 04 - With This Ring

by Jeanne Glidewell

  “It’s probably not a great time, but our wedding is just four days away now. I’m wondering why she is slinking back into the church. If she sees me, I can just tell her I’m on my way to use the restroom.”

  “Yeah, that worked out so splendidly the last time you tried that trick,” Stone said. “If you have to do it now, I’m going with you to keep you out of trouble, if nothing else.”

  We were toward the back of the crowd, so were pretty much unnoticed as we returned to the church and followed Betty through the back door. Once inside we found we were the only ones in the back meeting room. I motioned for Stone to follow me down a hallway. Just as we rounded the corner we saw Betty looking to her right, away from us, and walking stealthily into a room with the placard “Church Treasurer” on the door. Why was she sneaking into her own office in the middle of Steiner’s funeral service?

  Betty wasn’t an elder or anything of that caliber at the church, so it wasn’t surprising she hadn’t been questioned or scrutinized by the authorities yet. Maybe I could make the suggestion to Wyatt that she be questioned. An interview with the treasurer might wind up being fruitless, but, considering the financial health of the church, I felt it was justified and necessary.

  We heard a drawer being opened and something being placed on a desk, and then heard Betty walking toward the entrance of her office. We ducked behind the open door of the sanctuary and waited silently for her to pass. She didn’t carry anything in her arms. She opened the women’s restroom door and went in. I could have followed her in, but thought better of it. I felt those precious minutes could be better spent prying in her office.

  “We’ve got two minutes tops to see what she placed on the desk,” I whispered to Stone. “I have a feeling it’s something crucial to this investigation. We need to go in there just long enough to see what it is.”

  “I’m probably going to regret saying this, but you go and I’ll detain her if she comes back out while you’re in her office,” Stone whispered back. “Go ahead now, and hurry!”

  I couldn’t believe Stone was going along with my idea. I must have caught him at a weak moment. I’d expected him to take hold of my arm and drag me back outside. Apparently, Betty’s furtive actions had piqued his curiosity too. I nearly sprinted to her door and rushed in. The only thing on her desk, other than a statue of Jesus and a paperweight that had a depiction of Moses holding a long staff etched on it, were two ledgers.

  I quickly flipped them both open to the last page with notations on them. I assumed these would be the most recent figures entered. Under the headings “Tithes” and “Weekly Offerings” in each book was a list of numbers. The dates on each line matched, but the numbers in the two books didn’t; the figures on one were quite a bit more substantial than on the other. Was Betty keeping two sets of books? Was one ledger for the church and one for her own self-interest? It looked that way. Had Pastor Steiner been aware of this transgression? He surely had to be curious as to why the church was suffering financial woes.

  “Isn’t this a beautiful day for the service to be held outdoors?” I heard Stone ask, in a louder voice than the soft-spoken man usually used. He was giving me a warning. I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and quickly took pictures of the same corresponding page in each book. I hoped the pictures would be clear enough to make out the figures, so the authorities could tell they didn’t match. I took two photos of each page, one close up, and one farther back.

  I then closed the books, stacked them one atop the other, as I’d found them, and hurried back out the door. Fortunately, Stone and Betty were around the corner and she wouldn’t be able to tell which door I’d come out of. It would appear to her as if I’d been walking through the sanctuary, most likely a late arrival.

  “Well, have a nice day, Betty,” Stone said as I joined them. “What took you so long, Lexie? I thought you were directly behind me.”

  “I’m hurrying, Stone,” I said. “It just took me a minute to put my lipstick on.”

  “That’s fine. I didn’t mind waiting for you.”

  “Good morning, Betty,” I said. I greeted her before she could comment on the fact I wore no lipstick. Damn! Why hadn’t I said “foundation,” as it tends to blend in with your natural complexion? But then she’d have wondered why she hadn’t seen me in the ladies’ room applying the makeup, which is hard to do without looking into a mirror. I needn’t have worried, however. She appeared too flustered to notice I’d even donned clothing before leaving home. “Has the service already begun, Ms. Largo?”

  “Good morning, Ms. Starr,” she replied. “Yes, it’s only just begun. You haven’t missed much. I just stepped in momentarily to use the ladies’ room.”

  We nodded and retreated out the back door. I whispered to Stone, quickly informing him about what I’d discovered. As we reached the outside, Stone stopped me. He untied his tie and began to slowly retie it, while we stood just off to the side of the back patio. He put his finger up to his lips in a “keep quiet” gesture.

  While Stone was fumbling clumsily with his tie, Betty Largo walked out a minute later, carrying the two ledgers. I understood Stone’s reasoning now. He wanted to look like he had a reason to dawdle so he could see if she was intent on getting those record books out of her office, as apparently she was, as she had both tucked discretely beneath her arm. She had a knit shawl draped over her shoulders, which nearly masked the two ledgers she carried. She nodded to us again, and walked up to stand behind the Websters, who were still in the back of the crowd. We returned to stand with Wyatt and Wendy, who both gave us a questioning glance. “We’ll tell you later,” Stone whispered.

  A couple of minutes later I looked back to where Betty Largo had chosen to stand and she was gone, as were the Websters. I didn’t see Betty anywhere in the crowd. She’d made an appearance, probably spoken to a number of church members and other mourners so they’d remember seeing her at the service, and then had slipped in to retrieve the ledgers and head home with them before anyone noticed her carrying them. I couldn’t wait to tell Wyatt what we’d witnessed.

  I pulled out my cell phone to check out the photos I’d taken and forward them to Detective Johnston. The close-up pictures looked pretty blurry, but the other ones looked relatively clear. I think they would suffice in pointing out the differences in balances to the investigators. With the amazing equipment crime labs had these days, they could enlarge the photos and make the writing more legible, if need be.

  We turned our attention back to Reverend Bob, who instructed everyone to bow their heads in prayer. After the prayer, Frieda Smith took the microphone. They’d been unable to move the organ outside for Perry Coleman to play, so Frieda sang her songs a cappella, and did a remarkable job of it. She had a strong, clear voice that carried well.

  After another eulogy, and two more prayers, the group marched as one to the gravesite. As the vault was lowered into the ground, the sobbing intensified. Even Teddy and Paula were blowing their noses and dabbing at their eyes with tissues now. I saw tears well up in Stone’s eyes, and I passed him a Kleenex. He was a tough guy with a soft heart, just one of the things I loved so much about him. It was one of the reasons I wanted to become his wife in four days time.

  Chapter 10

  By the conclusion of the funeral, my feet were aching from wearing a brand new pair of shoes. We had an hour to spare before the luncheon at Paula Bankston’s house across town, so we returned to the inn to change into something more comfortable. I put on a pair of black jeans and a short-sleeved sweater, along with my whitest pair of tennis shoes. At this point I was more interested in comfort than style. My wrist was beginning to throb, and I didn’t want to dull my senses by taking a pain pill.

  Stone removed his sports jacket and changed into a polo shirt. It would just be the two of us going over to the luncheon. Wyatt had to report for duty at the station, and Andy was picking up Wendy to go see some new improvements at the farmhouse on his new ranch property.

  I’m t
he type who usually opts to be fashionably late to any social event, but today I wanted to be assured of not missing out on anything that might prove to be advantageous in the murder investigation. We were among the first to arrive at Paula’s. Paula greeted us out on the large patio where the luncheon was to be held. Several tables were lined up to hold the food, and others were arranged for guests to relax and eat on. I volunteered to assist Paula in any way I could. I’d have to get past my embarrassment over the church incident if I wanted to garner any information out of anybody at the luncheon.

  “There are a few dishes in the kitchen that need to be brought out and placed on the long table next to the swing,” Paula told me. “Do you mind bringing those out to me while I place them on the table?”

  “No, not at all. I’d be happy to lend a hand.”

  “Oh, yeah. I forgot you only had one hand to lend,” Paula said, with a rather demeaning chuckle. “Are you sure you can pick anything up with that cast on your wrist?”

  “Oh, I think so. I was carrying around dishes and bowls as I helped clean up after supper last night and it didn’t result in any disasters.” I felt smug when I said it, but the smugness quickly turned to embarrassment when I realized I was bragging about the ability to move a half-full bowl of peas from the table to the sink without causing a messy catastrophe. Not exactly like boasting about winning the Nobel Peace Prize, or graduating from law school. But Paula blew it off as she did everything else I’d ever said to her.

  “Okay. Just don’t pick up anything you might have trouble carrying. I don’t want you to drop anything on the floor. I spent a lot of time making all these side dishes to go along with the catered barbecued meat,” Paula told me. I could have guessed it wasn’t my well-being she was worried about when she expressed concern.

  I nodded and headed inside to the kitchen. Paula came in through the sliding glass door right behind me. To the right of the refrigerator was a built-in desk. On top of the desk were a laptop computer, a couple of loose pieces of paper, and several opened envelopes. I assumed they were unpaid bills and the desk was used for that purpose.

  I was bending over to pick up a large bowl of macaroni salad when Paula brushed past me, straight to the desk. She snatched up the loose papers, folded them quickly and stuck them inside one of the envelopes. She then opened the top right drawer of the desk and shoved the envelopes into the back of the drawer. I got the impression she wanted to make sure nobody saw what was on those papers, especially me.

  Was she afraid I would look at them when I made one of my trips into the kitchen to retrieve bowls of food? I was a little bit offended by the notion. Yes, I probably would have looked at the papers, but that didn’t give her the right to assume I’d do such a thing. Some people could be so rude. My opinion of Paula went down a notch or two, and it hadn’t been that good to begin with.

  And now I really wanted to see what was on those papers. I’d have to contrive a way to come inside without Paula seeing me. Right now, however, numerous people were filing in and out of the house, and I had to get all of the food out to the table on the patio. I found I could grasp one side of the bowls with my right hand and balance the other on the cast on my left. I started making one trip after another, carrying cole slaw, pitchers of tea, baked beans, an assortment of condiments, a variety of desserts, and a pump thermos full of coffee. Once the task was completed, I pumped myself a Styrofoam cup full of coffee, and a cup of tea for Stone.

  With everything that used to be on the kitchen table and counters now outside on the large table, I glanced around for Stone. I spotted him talking to Perry Coleman and another one of the church elders, as they stood beside a flower planter full of petunias. I joined them and handed the cup of tea to Stone while greeting the other two gentlemen. They inquired on the condition of my wrist before resuming their conversation with one another.

  “I still can’t believe he’s gone,” Perry said to Stone. “This all seems so surreal.”

  “It sure does,” Stone replied. I listened quietly while I sipped at my coffee.

  Looking around, I could tell it was going to be a huge gathering. People were still swarming in, and more were driving up the street looking for parking spots. Apparently, everyone Paula had spoken with at the visitation and funeral had been invited.

  It was a sunny and mild day, with temperatures hovering in the mid to upper sixties. I was thankful I’d chosen to wear a sweater because I had a tendency to be cold-blooded, sometimes in more ways than one. Perry, however, was dabbing at sweat above his brow with a cloth handkerchief. I suggested he take off his suit jacket. I assured him I’d be happy to run it inside and hang it up on the coat rack I’d noticed just inside the double sliding glass door into the dining room.

  Perry agreed and removed his jacket, thanking me and handing over the black striped coat. As I walked toward the house I saw Paula chatting with the caterers who’d just arrived with several large tin containers full of barbecued beef, pork and chicken. This might be the only chance I’d have to get a look at the papers Paula had stashed away in her desk drawer.

  Damn, I thought to myself. Teddy was standing at the kitchen sink, running tap water into a glass as I opened the glass door, and walked inside. He looked up at me with an astonished expression. “I saw you at the funeral,” he said. “I was surprised the county sent their grief counselor to the funeral, and I’m even more surprised to see you here at the luncheon. You are really devoted to your job, aren’t you?”

  “Well, Teddy, it just so happens I also went to your dad’s church, so I knew him personally. I’m kind of wearing two hats at once to this function.”

  “Oh, I see.” I could tell he was just being polite. He probably still felt a certain degree of gratitude toward me for convincing the goons to give him a reprieve, albeit a short one. I stood up for Teddy when most county grief counselors might not have.

  “How are you doing?” I asked.

  “Okay, I guess.”

  “Are you going to be able to pay off Harley by Friday like you promised him? In both my professional and personal capacities, I’m worried about your welfare.”

  “Thanks,” he said. Teddy seemed completely sober to me, but very jittery and uptight. “I don’t know yet if the money is going to come through by then or not. I sure hope so.”

  “For your sake, I do too. Those thugs aren’t the sort of people you want to piss off, you know.”

  “Yes, I know. Been there, done that! And I’m lucky to still be here to talk about it. I guess I’m just a slow learner.”

  My chance to check out the hidden papers was thwarted, so I walked over to the coat rack and hung Perry’s jacket over one of the hooks. As I turned to leave I saw Teddy put a pill in his mouth and swallow it with the glass of water he held in his hand. He was either taking something to calm his nerves or quell a headache, or he was taking some kind of narcotic, and his sobriety would be short-lived. I hoped, for his sake, he had a blinding headache.

  Once outside, I stopped at the beverage cart and poured myself another cup of coffee. At this rate I would need to use the restroom soon, which would present another opportunity to enter the house. Of course, I could use this excuse whether or not I actually had to pee. Unless Paula had x-ray vision, she had no way of knowing how full my bladder was. And, truth be told, I had a bladder akin to that of a camel. For a reasonably petite person, I was fortunate enough to be able to hold cup after cup of coffee on a long road trip without visiting every rest area on the way.

  I rejoined Stone and Perry. They were discussing the benefits of starting a Bible study class for the younger generation at the church. Perry was indeed passionate about his cause. He didn’t feel today’s youth knew enough about the Bible, and he thought the class was a way of keeping them off the streets and out of trouble. He stated that when he was much younger the church has saved him from a life of petty crime, and he saw this project as a way of giving back. When he brought up the questionable finances at the church, nei
ther Stone nor I remarked on what we’d discovered about Betty Largo and the two sets of ledgers. We both felt we should keep this observance close to the vest until the authorities had investigated the situation further.

  Stone listened to Mr. Coleman politely, nodding his head on occasion. I could tell he was tiring of the conversation as he glanced around for someone else to chat with. At his first opportunity, when Perry took a break to draw a breath, Stone excused himself to go speak to Harold and Bonnie Bloomingfield. I excused myself to run inside and use the restroom.

  On the way into the house I asked Paula if I could use her restroom and she told me where to find it. She was in the middle of an argument with the caterers about the amount of pulled pork she’d ordered, so I figured I had a few minutes to spend in the kitchen without her presence.

  Double damn, I thought. Now Quentin Steiner was in the kitchen. He was sitting at the dining room table, just ending a conversation on his cell phone. We greeted each other, and then I asked him if he’d gotten an opportunity to speak with his old coach, Buck Webster, at the funeral. He shook his head and replied. “No, and I was hoping to catch up with him. I see him at the high school football games sometimes but rarely get the chance to talk to him. And, unfortunately, he told Paula they’d be unable to attend the luncheon.”

  “That’s too bad. I’m sorry you didn’t get an opportunity to visit with him. Where do you live, Quentin?”

  “I live with my girlfriend in Lawrence. She’s taking some post-graduate courses at Kansas University. She’s trying to earn her doctorate. I work at the Indian college there, Haskell University, as a biology professor,” he said.

  “Yes, I know exactly where it’s located. Lawrence is not all that far from Shawnee, where I used to live. I’ve passed by Haskell on my way to Clinton Lake before. My fiancé, Stone, likes to fish for walleye and crappie at that lake.”

  “Oh, sure. I’ve had good luck fishing there too. We also take our jet skis to the lake a lot during the summer.”