“Have you dealt with a lot of dead bodies?” I teased.
“You’d be surprised,” Thistle replied, not missing a beat. “I’ve dealt with my fair share of a lot of things. Moving a body like that would be almost impossible for Phyllis to do alone.”
“So you think she had help,” I murmured, running the idea through my head. “Do you think her husband helped her?”
“I’m not saying it was her,” Thistle cautioned. “She has her hands full with kids and a husband with a wandering eye. I think the odds of it being someone outside of that little group are slim, though.”
“So you don’t believe in Bigfoot, huh?”
Thistle shifted on her chair, the question clearly making her uncomfortable. “I’m not sure,” she hedged. “I believe there are things in this world that we can’t explain. I believe there are creatures we’ve never seen. I won’t rule out Bigfoot being real.”
“I can’t say with any certainty what I saw last night, but it was big,” I offered. “It felt … different … from a human being. I don’t know how else to describe it.”
“Just because there might be a creature out there doesn’t mean the creature did the deed,” Thistle reminded me. “If Bigfoot lived off human beings, I think we would’ve had more bodies drop over the years.”
“Unless you never discovered the bodies,” I pressed. “Maybe Bigfoot ate everything and there was nothing to discover. I’m sure you’ve had people go missing in this area.”
“Fair point,” Thistle conceded. “I still think we’re dealing with a human who wanted the police to believe it was an animal attack.”
“I don’t know what to believe,” I admitted. “On one hand, it would be great if we could track down a creature to blame. People aren’t comfortable when human beings are revealed to be monsters. That’s why they’re happy to pin the crime on an animal.
“If it is an animal, it will most certainly be put to death for killing a human being,” I continued. “I don’t want some rare creature destroyed because it was merely following its instincts.”
“Do you have anything concrete to go on?” Thistle asked. “Do you have anything other than those prints you found the first day?”
“Just the supposition from the medical examiner that the DNA found on the body didn’t appear to be entirely human and could be a mishmash of other animal DNA.”
“But didn’t the medical examiner also say the sample was so small it could’ve been contaminated?” Thistle pressed. “That might’ve been on purpose.”
“And it might be a creature,” I argued. “We’re still in the debate portion of the investigation. Until we can all agree on what killed Penny Schilling, we’ll never be able to find the guilty party.”
“I guess that’s true.” Thistle rubbed the back of her neck. “What will you do now?”
“I’ll find Millie and head back to the inn so we can check in with Chris. I don’t know what else to do until then.”
“Well … good luck.”
“Yes. I think I’m going to need it.”
26
Twenty-Six
I spent another twenty minutes with Thistle before leaving her to work. She confirmed that she saw Millie walking toward the library a few hours earlier so I headed in that direction. I was lost in thought, trapped in my own head, so I didn’t notice the figure pacing me on the opposite sidewalk until I walked a full block.
Slowly I let my attention drift in that direction, frowning when I realized that it was Jim Green. He wore worn jeans and a T-shirt instead of the suave suit he wore at the resort. His attention was in front of him and he didn’t so much as look in my direction. I couldn’t be sure he saw me … yet it felt as if he did.
Green looped left at the intersection, heading toward the bakery. I made my decision quickly, scurrying across the street and following him rather than continuing to the library. My understanding was that none of the resort workers lived in Hemlock Cove. So why did they keep showing up here? I couldn’t come up with a feasible answer.
Green ordered a coffee at the counter before sitting alone at a corner table. He didn’t look at me, but I was certain he was aware of my presence. I could’ve pretended to accidentally bump into him, even order a fresh coffee, but I was already caffeinated from the tea and my patience couldn’t hold out much longer.
I squared my shoulders as I headed straight for Green, grabbing the chair across from him and sitting without invitation. If Green was surprised he didn’t show it. Instead he merely arched an eyebrow and locked gazes.
“Good morning.”
“It’s actually the afternoon,” I corrected, drumming my fingers on the table as I looked him up and down. “I almost didn’t recognize you without the suit and slicked-back hair. I saw you at the resort a few hours ago, so you must’ve gone home and changed, huh?”
Green pursed his lips. “I can run back home and take care of both issues if that makes you feel more comfortable.”
“That’s okay. I’m good.” I hoped I came off as more of a badass than I felt. “Are you following me?”
Green’s eyebrows hopped. “Excuse me?”
“Are you following me?” I repeated, refusing to back down. “I saw you on the street and you seemed to be matching my pace. That means you were following me.”
“Why would I follow you?”
“That wasn’t an answer,” I pointed out. “A reporter I know says that answering a question with a question is a surefire way to prove guilt.” Technically Bay didn’t say that. Landon said something like it while talking about her, but I couldn’t remember the exact nature of the conversation.
“Did Bay Winchester tell you that?” Green sneered. “I wouldn’t put too much stock into her or that family. They’re crazy.”
“You’re not the first person to tell me that,” I supplied. “Phyllis Grimes was here about an hour ago and said the same thing.”
Green’s eyes flashed. “Phyllis was here? What did she want?”
“Why do you care?” I challenged, confused. “She’s married to another man. Granted, that man was reportedly sleeping with the same woman you were involved with, but Phyllis should mean nothing to you.”
“Phyllis and I graduated from high school together,” Green noted, his tone even but icy. “We’ve known each other a long time. We’re friends.”
“That means you know Bob, too,” I pointed out. “Are you friends with Bob?”
“Bob is … a diligent worker.”
I didn’t bother to hide my smirk. “And a good provider, according to his wife,” I said. “Do you want to know what I find interesting about this little … ménage a whatever?”
Green remained silent, his hands wrapped around his mug.
“Phyllis waited for me on the street to make sure I knew her husband wasn’t a philanderer,” I started. “That only made me think he was even more of a turd. Shane Norman followed me around town yesterday. He acted as if he wanted to say something, but he practically ran into the unicorn store when he saw Bay. I have a hard time believing he had a burning need for a unicorn statue. How about you?”
Green’s lips twitched. “I think Shane likes all sorts of fruity things.”
“Are you saying that because you were sleeping with the same woman?”
“I’m saying that because he’s an idiot,” Green replied.
“You went to high school with him, right?”
Green shrugged. “It’s a small area. If I remember correctly, he was there.”
“Uh-huh.” I looked around the bakery before leaning in closer. “Shane left before he said anything, but he acted as if he was afraid of Bay Winchester. Phyllis practically attacked me on the street and only backed off when Thistle Winchester showed up. You’re here, but I didn’t see you until I left the Winchester magic shop, which probably means you were watching me.”
“I just came to town for coffee,” Green countered. “I didn’t see you in any magic shop. I try to avoid places like th
at. They’re … unsavory.”
“Yes, I’m often plagued by how unsavory candles and herbs are,” I drawled, narrowing my eyes. “If you’re not following me, why are you here?”
“This is a bakery. I’m here for the baked goods and coffee.”
“Uh-huh. They don’t have coffee in Bellaire?”
“I’m sure they do, but I grew up in Walkerville.” Green maintained a calm demeanor, but I could tell he was fighting the urge to snap at me. Apparently he didn’t think I’d call him on his actions. He wasn’t good under pressure. “I like the coffee here.”
“Yeah? I do, too. I just had tea with Thistle Winchester, so I’m going to take a break from caffeine.” I pushed back my chair and got to my feet, never breaking eye contact with Green. “I’m going to pick up my co-worker at the library. Then we’ll return to The Overlook. If you plan to follow me there, I’d be careful. Tillie Winchester is on a rampage, and she’s looking for people to add to her list.”
The threat had the desired effect as Green made a face and shifted in his chair.
“Enjoy your afternoon off,” I added, moving toward the door. “Make sure to watch behind you. There’s a rumor that Bigfoot is on the loose around these parts. Of course, you’re more frightened of the Winchesters than Bigfoot, aren’t you?”
“Anyone with a brain is frightened of the Winchesters,” Green shot back. “They’ve earned their reputations. You have a nice day now.”
“You, too.”
I GLANCED over my shoulder multiple times upon leaving the bakery, but either Green was biding his time or wasn’t interested in following me after all. I was determined to make it to the library without distraction this time, but that didn’t happen. A blonde head in the cemetery caught my attention, and before I realized what I was doing I found myself watching Bay Winchester from several feet away as she did a bit of spring cleaning on a grave.
“That’s better, huh?” Bay smiled at the headstone as she shoved a bit of garbage in a small plastic bag. She was talking to herself. Or, rather, she was talking to whoever rested beneath the stone. I recognized her efforts for what they were. I talked to my parents whenever I stopped by the cemetery, too.
“We’ll plant flowers in a few weeks,” Bay volunteered. “Aunt Tillie wants something bright this year. She said the flowers Marnie picked out last year were boring and that you don’t like purple. She wants something blue.”
Bay tilted her head to the side and laughed, almost as if she really was talking to someone. The way she focused on the headstone caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise. I couldn’t stop myself from glancing around. Bay was clearly alone, yet I swear she was not only talking to someone but also hearing answers to her questions.
“She’s feisty and good, as usual. I’m surprised she hasn’t been out here yet. She’s been busy torturing the guests and Thistle. You know how she is.”
Bay paused and waited, her chin bobbing.
“Yes, well, her health is good,” Bay offered. “I know you miss her, but we’re not ready to let her go yet. No, I wasn’t saying that you were trying to get her to go. I remember what you told me when … well … when we met in the fall.”
I realized I was gaping – and out in the open – so I snapped my mouth shut and shuffled toward a tree to hide the fact that I was eavesdropping. The movement was enough to garner Bay’s attention.
“There’s no reason to hide,” Bay said dryly, her eyes momentarily flicking to the stone before focusing on me. “I know you’re there, Charlie.”
I felt unbelievably embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping on a private moment. It was none of my business that Bay enjoyed conversations with dead relatives. I did the same with my parents. I didn’t believe they talked back to me, but that hardly made Bay crazy. Although … everyone who worked at the resort said the whole Winchester clan was crazy. It was certainly possible that she was battier than a vampire stuck in a belfry, but she didn’t appear that way to me.
“I’m sorry,” I offered lamely, poking my head out from behind the tree. “I was walking by and saw you. I thought I’d see what you were doing. Then I realized you were talking to … someone you lost … and I thought I should give you some privacy.”
“This is my Great-Uncle Calvin,” Bay said, gesturing toward the stone. “That’s my grandmother over there. Her name was Ginger.”
“Oh, well, it’s a beautiful cemetery.”
“It is,” Bay agreed, dusting off the knees of her jeans as she stood. “We generally do a spring cleanup as a family but I was passing by and thought I’d pick up the bigger pieces and get them out of the way. The wind blows through here in the winter and a lot of candy wrappers and empty bottles find their way through the fence.”
“That’s nice.” I studied the headstones. “Did you know your grandmother?”
Bay shook her head. “She died before I was born. Aunt Tillie is our grandmother. Always has been.”
“I guess that makes sense. Is Ginger her sister?”
“Yes. They were very close.”
“Just the two of them?”
Bay chuckled, clearly amused by my discomfort. “They had a half-sister – Willa. They were raised to believe they were full sisters, but it turns out they weren’t. They were never close with Willa. I guess it wasn’t hard to sever the ties once the truth came out.”
“It must’ve been hard on Willa.”
“You would think so, but … no.” Bay tied the end of the bag so none of the garbage could escape. “What are you doing out here? I thought you were going to find Millie.”
“I was looking for her when I ran into Phyllis Grimes.”
Bay eyes widened. “Here? In town? What did she want?”
I related my conversation with the woman, including Thistle’s appearance. There was no sense holding anything back because Thistle would tell Bay everything. Even though I remained suspicious of the Winchesters, I didn’t believe they had anything to do with Penny’s death.
“Thistle is right about the ties between that group,” Bay noted. “I’ve been conducting a little research myself. I pulled an old high school yearbook and put it in my car. I plan to show the photos to Landon later.”
“Where is Landon?”
“Investigating with Chief Terry. He really didn’t say where they were going.”
“I’m surprised he let you out of his sight,” I admitted. “He seems keen on keeping you close. It’s kind of … sweet.”
“I thought you were going to say that it was kind of overbearing.” Bay’s grin was soft but earnest. “I told him I had work to do at the office. That wasn’t a lie, but he does like to hover occasionally. He thinks I find trouble.”
“Do you?”
Bay nodded. “I find it, it finds me. Sometimes I’m at fault. Sometimes I’m not. Sometimes Thistle is at fault. A good fifty percent of the time Aunt Tillie is at fault. Still, trouble seems to find us no matter who is at fault.”
“It seems to be finding me, too, right now,” I admitted, chewing my bottom lip. “Jim Green is in town, too. He followed me when I left the magic shop and then went into the bakery to cover his tracks.”
“Did he say anything?”
“I followed him into the bakery and confronted him, so he didn’t really have a choice,” I replied. “He claims he only came to town for coffee, but I don’t believe him.”
“What do you believe?”
“I think there’s something weird about that whole group,” I confided. “They all went to high school together. Three men from that class were sleeping with the same woman. A fourth member from that class was married to one of the men, and she keeps insisting he is no cheater even though everyone knows he is. It’s all too … weird.”
“Weird is an apt word.” Bay chuckled as she shook her head. “I thought you were leaning toward the probability of Bigfoot killing Penny.”
“I know you guys think it’s a joke, but I saw something the other night and I swear it was too tal
l to be a man,” I said. “I don’t know if it was Bigfoot, but it seemed too slim to be a bear. It reminded me of Chewbacca from Star Wars.”
“I thought you couldn’t see hair,” Bay prodded.
“I couldn’t, but … I saw something.”
“I believe you.” Bay’s response was simple and succinct. “There are many things in this world that we can’t explain. Whether Bigfoot is real or merely a figment of the public’s imagination doesn’t mean there’s nothing out there.”
“Do you believe in the paranormal?”
Bay nodded. “Don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t have joined the Legacy Foundation if I didn’t.” I rolled my neck, enjoying the way my joints popped. I had a chance to push Bay. Did I dare? Oh, what do I have to lose? “What are you?”
The question was barely a whisper. Bay raised her eyes to mine when she heard it. “What are you?”
“I’m just a person,” I replied. “I graduated from college and joined the Legacy Foundation soon after. That’s my complete and total life story.”
“No, it’s not.” Bay crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at me. “I understand the urge to protect yourself. People attack what they don’t understand. You don’t have to be afraid to tell me what you are.”
“I’m not afraid … .”
Bay cut me off with a shake of her head. “I see it. You need something to bolster your courage.”
“What are you afraid of?”
“Losing the people I love.”
“I don’t have anyone to love,” I pointed out. “I’m alone.”
“You’re not, but you can’t see the truth of that yet because you’ve been alone for a long time,” Bay countered, heaving a sigh. “Do you really want to know what I am?”
I nodded, my heart rate increasing. “Yes.” Was she really about to tell me?
“Okay then, I will confide in you even though it’s a leap of faith,” Bay offered, wetting her lips. “I’m not a normal human being. You’re right about that.”
“What are you?” My mouth was suddenly dry. I barely managed to croak out the words.
The Bigfoot Blunder (A Charlie Rhodes Cozy Mystery Book 1) Page 24
