Lullabies & Lies

by Ruby Blaylock

  I think somebody wanted to make it look that way, Emmett confided. But I don’t know any robber who would leave behind the jewelry that the dead woman was wearing. I’m running her license plate information as we speak, got Delbert doing that back at the station, he added, so hopefully I’ll know who the victim is soon. It would have been a lot easier if we’d have found her driver’s license, he grumbled.

  We did see something else suspicious, Annie added suddenly. I don’t know how much it relates to this, she said, gesturing towards the Cadillac. We were nearly hit by a motorcycle as we were leaving town. It was headed this way, she added. Just after the Cadillac passed us.

  Emmett mulled this over. Don’t guess you got their license plate? he asked hopefully.

  Sorry. I was too busy trying not to curse them out from my window. Do you think they might have seen what happened here?

  Emmett shrugged. Maybe. Give me a description of the bike, if you can, and I’ll have Delbert put our people on the lookout for it.

  Annie described the bike and its driver as best she could with Rory adding in details as he remembered them. Do you think the motorcycle driver was involved somehow?

  Not likely, but it can’t hurt to have another witness, Emmett told her.

  Are we okay to head on back home now? Rory asked. We’ve got groceries in the truck, he explained.

  Oh, yeah, go on home, Emmett replied shooing them away gently. I’m just glad you two happened to be coming along here when you did. Somebody else might not have stopped.

  Annie shuddered to think of that poor baby being left all alone in the car. What if she and Rory had gone for lunch? What if no one else bothered to stop and check the Cadillac?

  Although it wasn’t terribly hot outside this afternoon, the interior of the car could have heated up to a dangerous temperature. And even if that hadn’t happened, any number of wild animals could have climbed inside the car to search for food.What if they’d found the baby instead of Annie and Rory? Thank goodness they’d been able to help avoid an even larger tragedy.

  Em, please call or drop by later and update us, Annie pleaded. I won’t sleep a wink tonight thinking about this baby, she confessed. And her mother, she added.

  Emmett nodded. Of course. I’ll drop by as soon as I can. He turned back to deal with questions from the First Responders, leaving Annie and Rory free to head back to her truck.

  They climbed in with heavy hearts and Annie couldn’t resist looking back at the scene as they pulled away. She watched the ambulance pull off in the opposite direction, towards the County hospital, carrying one dead woman and one live baby girl. Something in her broke just a little, and her eyes filled with tears.

  Wordlessly, Rory wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into an awkward hug. They rode the rest of the way home in silence, both knowing they’d have plenty to say when they spoke with Annie’s mother, Bessie, once they arrived.

  3

  Preparing for Something

  Bessie was waiting for them on the front porch when they arrived. Annie reasoned that Emmett must have called her and spoken with her, though she couldn’t begin to imagine why he would prioritize a call to her mother over anything he had to do at the scene of the accident. Or scene of the crime , she amended in her head. The more Annie thought about what she’d seen, the more certain she became that the young woman Rory found in the woods had been murdered.

  Annie and Rory took turns answering Bessie’s many questions and filling in the details that they knew. Devon and his friends were camped out in his attic bedroom, but Annie still felt weird talking about the dead woman with a bunch of teenagers in the house. Devon appeared in the kitchen once while they were discussing the matter of the woman and her baby, but Annie sent him away with enough snacks to feed a small army and a twelve pack of sodas.

  How many of you are there again? she teased her son playfully. She knew he had three friends over, but she’d only met each of them briefly and probably wouldn’t see them again before they left. With plenty of food, extra batteries for wireless game controllers, and a stack of the latest video games, Annie knew that Devon’s plans didn’t involve socializing with his mother. Still, it unnerved her just a little to know so little about her son’s friends, especially ones he seemed to be spending so much time with lately.

  Can I borrow the truck tomorrow? I said I’d drive Chris and Curtis home. Blake drove them here but he’s got to leave stupid early for church in the morning, so I said we could get the other guys home.

  Annie nodded. I don’t think that would be a problem. She relaxed just a little. Boys who left early for church couldn’t be too much of a bad influence surely?

  Devon had barely left the room when Rory leaned over to Annie and voiced her concerns. They’re good kids, Annie. I’ve known that Blake kid’s parents since I was Devon’s age and the other two are too nerdy to be troublemakers. But I don’t blame you for worrying. You’re a mom, that’s your job.

  Annie sighed. I know. It’s just…he’s growing up too fast. I mean, he’s already been talking about applying to colleges and it’s literally freaking me out, she confided.

  Well, how do you think I felt when you went away to college and then came home engaged to some big city fella? Bessie chided her. If I survived, you will. Besides, Rory’s right. Those kids seem nice enough to me. And I don’t think you have to worry about Devon going away to college, not when Laura Parsons is going to be attending the community college over in Greenville.

  Laura was a pretty young girl who worked at the library part time. Devon met her through his own part time job there and had been working up the nerve to ask her out on a date for months. They’d only been on a couple of dates, but Annie could tell that her son was completely smitten with the girl.

  Annie rubbed her face with the palms of her hands, as though she might be able to wipe away the stress of the day. Rory squeezed one shoulder. I feel you. It’s been a weird day, huh?

  Weird doesn’t begin to describe it, she admitted. But sometimes I feel like it’s par for the course around here. She glanced at her mother, who was busying herself with sweeping the kitchen floor, not for the first time that day. What’s with all the nervous energy, Mama?

  Bessie stopped mid-sweep. Nothing, she replied quickly. I just, well, I want the place to look nice in case Devon’s friends come downstairs for anything.

  It looks fine, Annie assured her. And I don’t think you need to worry about them coming downstairs. Devon just took enough food to keep them happy for a week. She narrowed her eyes. Are we expecting guests?

  Bessie cleared her throat. Emmett might be dropping by later, she said coyly. And I want to make sure the place looks nice in case he stays for dinner, she added, turning away to attack an invisible dust bunny in the corner.

  Annie gave Rory a questioning look, but he held up his hands in a ‘don’t-ask-me’ sort of gesture. Is there anything you’d like us to do? Annie asked, hoping Bessie would explain her sudden fixation with having a spotless floor. Emmett had been to Rosewood Place more times than Annie could remember and he’d seen it in varying levels of disarray, though it never looked unkempt. After all, she was running a business and cleanliness was right

  up there on her priorities list when it came to running the place.

  Bessie paused in her sweeping and put a finger to her chin. Yes, actually, but it can’t be done until later. Would you two be willing to run to the store for me later and pick up some things? You’ll probably need to go to the big twenty-four-hour Walmart to get everything.

  Annie frowned. We just went to the store. We bought at least a week’s worth of groceries—what else could you possibly need? The thought of going to Walmart at any time was a major annoyance for Annie, but going there on a Saturday evening? She thought she’d rather gnaw her own arm off than face Saturday Walmart crowds, but agreed to go for her mother, despite not knowing why or what she would be sent to buy.

  And, Rory, I might need you to hel
p me move some furniture up in my room, Bessie continued. Not much, I just need to clear a space out next to my bed about so big, she explained, holding her hands several feet apart to demonstrate.

  Mother, what is going on? Annie found herself frowning for the umpteenth time that day. She quickly forced herself to relax her face. The last thing she wanted on top of a weekend filled with drama was a face full of new wrinkles to show for it. "Why are you being all mysterious and, well, weird?"

  Bessie smiled at her daughter. I can’t tell you about it just yet, but when Emmett gets here I can explain everything. She leaned the broom against the wall and took Annie and Rory each by an arm. Now, let me fix y’all some lunch before Emmett arrives. I have a feeling I’m going to be too busy to cook later, she teased.

  Annie and Rory ate a hurried lunch of roast beef sandwiches and potato chips washed down with Diet Coke for Annie and sweet tea for Rory. Annie had sworn that she’d give up the diet soft drinks after the hot South Carolina summer had passed, but here it was creeping into autumn and she still couldn’t break her addiction to the sweet, fizzy drink. She supposed that she could have worse vices—she certainly didn’t smoke or indulge in too many glasses of wine at dinner—but her mother seemed concerned by the fact that Annie willingly drank something that had supposedly caused cancer in lab rats.

  So what do you think all that’s about? Rory asked around bites of his sandwich. Moving furniture, cleaning sprees…if I didn’t know better, I’d say she was nesting.

  Annie nearly choked on her Diet Coke. Uh, no! My mother is too old for that sort of thing. Her baby-making days are long behind her, thank you very much.

  Yeah, but her marrying days aren’t. Maybe she’s planning on moving Emmett into Rosewood Place once he retires. She knows you can’t exactly spare any of the rooms you rent out, so it would make sense for them to share a room.

  Annie’s face went white, then red. Rory Jenkins, you take that back! My mother is not the kind of woman to move a man into her bedroom like that. For goodness sake, she’s in her seventies.

  And people have romantic relationships when they’re a hundred years old, he countered. Besides, didn’t it ever occur to you that your mother might remarry? She and Emmett have been dating for a while now and neither of them are getting any younger. Why shouldn’t they get married and enjoy the last few decades of their lives together?

  Annie didn’t answer his question immediately. She thought about her mother’s relationship with Emmett. It was a good one, based, as far as she could see, on mutual respect and a wonderful friendship. So she didn’t have a problem with her mother and Emmett being together. So why did she feel uncomfortable thinking about her mother remarrying?

  In her heart, she knew that her dear, departed father would want her mother to be happy. And Annie wanted her to be happy, too. The real reason why Annie felt uncertain about her mother and Emmett moving in together hit her like a brick.

  Annie didn’t want to share her mother. After being away from home for two decades, Annie had finally found the close knit relationship with her mother that had eluded her when she lived across the country. They were best friends, thick as thieves, and occasionally the thorn in each other’s sides, but by golly, Bessie was her mother. And as much as Annie liked Emmett, she wasn’t sure she was ready to completely share her mother with him.

  I don’t know whether my mother has marriage on her mind or not, Annie finally replied. But I think it’s a pretty big leap when you assume she’s planning on moving someone into her bedroom just because she’s asked you to move some furniture. She finished her can of diet soda and pushed herself back from the kitchen table. I just think we should wait and hear my mother’s explanation from her own mouth, she added, picking up both

  hers and Rory’s empty plates to put them in the dishwasher. Okay?

  Rory stifled a grin. Yes, ma’am, he replied in a mock serious tone.

  Annie shook her head at him and took care of their lunch dishes. She was surprised when she heard the sound of tires on gravel outside the kitchen window. A quick glance told her it was Emmett arriving in his own, non-police car. Speak of the devil, she thought with a grumble, then silently chastised herself for being annoyed with Emmett for something he hadn’t even done.

  Bessie flittered to the front door like an expectant child on Christmas morning. Annie hadn’t even had a chance to tell her mother that Emmett was outside. It was almost as though Bessie knew that Emmett would be arriving just then, Annie thought.

  Emmett’s here, she mumbled to Rory, watching as the Chief’s car came to a complete stop yards from the house.

  Hope he’s not expecting supper, Rory said as he rose to join Annie by the window. They watched as Bessie practically ran out to greet him.

  What’s he doing? Annie asked when the pair went to the far side of the car and opened the rear passenger door. I hope he hasn’t brought her more chickens. Bessie had her own small brood of laying hens that she kept in a coop behind the inn. She’d reluctantly agreed to keeping no more than half a dozen of the birds, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try to sneak a new one in when Annie wasn’t looking. Bessie was old, she reminded Annie, but she wasn’t stupid.

  They watched as Bessie leaned into the car, then stood again with a hand to her mouth in either surprise or horror, Annie couldn’t say for sure which. Let’s go out there and see what’s going on, she said finally, turning towards the door that led from the kitchen out to the side yard where Emmett’s car was parked.

  Annie, wait! Rory called out to her, but Annie was in no mood to wait. Curiosity had her by the hand and she was following it quickly. She reached Emmett’s car just in time to see her mother lift a small bundle to her chest.

  Mama? What on earth are you two up to out here? Annie asked, stopping short when she realized what Bessie was holding.

  This is what I’m going to need your help with, Bessie said, gesturing to the baby she held in her arms. So don’t just stand there, Annie, come here and help me get her things from the car.

  4

  Bessie and the Baby

  Annie hadn’t been an only child by choice. She knew that her mother and father had tried very hard for other children, but for one reason or another, fate saw fit to send them only Annie. So it really shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise to Annie when Bessie explained that she and Annie’s father had applied to become foster parents once Annie had grown and left home.

  Bessie admitted that she hadn’t told Annie about the fostering simply because it had never been an issue. Although she and Robert, Annie’s father, had applied and been accepted to foster, they never actually got around to taking on any foster children. This was due, in part, to Robert’s sudden passing from a heart attack and in part to the fact that Bessie didn’t feel capable of taking care of a child as a single parent, at least not one in her late sixties.

  We were going to tell you, Bessie explained calmly, but what good would it have done? It’s not like I was in any situation to take care of a foster child after your father passed away.

  Annie shook her head incredulously, watching her mother fuss over the baby girl in her arms. Well, mother, you are certainly full of surprises. She turned to Emmett and narrowed her eyes. And what made you think my mother was able to foster this little girl right now? It’s not like we’re not pretty busy these days, she added sullenly.

  Bessie put one hand up. Stop that, Annie. Don’t you go getting ugly with Emmett because I offered to help out with this baby. I’m the one that suggested we could take care of her until they locate her next of kin, not Emmett. And I only suggested it because now I have plenty of help. She looked from Annie to Rory, then back again. Besides, I missed a lot of Devon’s childhood and I don’t guess I’m going to get much of a chance to be around babies any time soon, she added, frowning at her daughter. So I decided that I’ll just take this opportunity to do what I can to help this sweet little thing until we can figure out who she belongs to.

/>   Annie threw her hands in the air. Great. Not only are we taking on a stranger’s baby for the foreseeable future, but you’re trying to make me feel guilty for moving to New York when I got married. It’s not like I didn’t try to come home for visits as often as I could, she reminded Bessie.

  I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, Bessie replied snappily. If you feel guilty about not visiting often enough, take it up with your conscience. Bessie sniffed lightly. Now, Emmett, what exactly do you know about this little one’s mother?

  Annie tried not to let her mother’s words sting, but they did, at least a little. And she knew that her mother was only trying to do the right thing by the baby. Maybe she was also trying to prove to Emmett that she was still young enough to be marriage material, Annie mused. Whatever her reason, the fact remained that the sweet little baby was the victim in all of this. Annie told herself that she could at least put the baby ahead of her own hurt feelings, at least for the time being.

  The name that came back attached to the license plate on the Cadillac was Kimberly Ashcroft. I’ve been running that name through all our usual databases all afternoon, but whoever Kimberly was, she didn’t seem to be in any trouble with the law. I should get some forensic and DNA test results back soon to confirm it, but I believe the young woman we found was Kimberly. We didn’t find her driver’s license, but the DMV photo on file looks like her.

  Annie nodded her head slowly. Well, okay, then. So do you know how she died?

  Not for sure, at least not until the coroner’s report comes back. But I’d say she either fell and hit her head or she was pushed onto those rocks and hit her head. Maybe she drowned after, but we’ll see. He twisted the end of his mustache, something he often did when he was thinking about a case. I’ll make sure we find out what really happened, he assured her. Nobody deserves something like that.

  And no baby deserves to lose their mother like that, Bessie added. Now, you just focus on finding out what you can about this baby’s family and don’t worry about this sweet little girl. We’ll take good care of her, won’t we, Annie? Bessie smiled at her daughter as she spoke. Then she leaned forward and planted a kiss on Emmett’s cheek. We’ve got it from here, she told him, shifting the baby in her arms.