“I do understand.” He slumped at my obvious rejection. “I get it but you can’t blame me for trying. I’m crazy about you, Mel.”
His reaction was pitiful. I shook my head. “You don’t get it at all. I like you Bill, I really do. But there are things you don’t know about me.” I reached back over the table and re-took his hand in mine. “I just broke up with Jim. I was in love with him. I wanted to give him kids!” I squeezed his hand and tried my most serious look. “He dumped me, Bill, and I fell hard. I’m sensitive about relationships right now. I came to Glacier to get my head straight about all that and then this business with Uncle Barney happened and I met you and I liked you but …”
“It’s okay.” He squeezed my hand back. “I won’t push anymore.”
“Stop that!” I held his hand tight. “I want to get to know you better too. Because I really like you too. You get me all flustered.” He frowned. “No, that’s a good thing but it’s not the right time. I’m not looking for a rebound and all I can think about right now is getting Barney free. He didn’t kill Utta Podeski. I know that in my heart.”
He nodded. “Nancy told me what you did with Allan.”
I was shocked. “She shouldn’t have. Did she put you up to this dinner?”
“You can’t do this, Mel. It’s wrong,” he answered softly.
I pulled away. “You too?”
“Getting him to lie and putting yourself in jeopardy is wrong, Mel.”
“Barney didn’t kill Mrs. Podeski!” I practically shouted. I quickly scanned the room to see is the others had heard. “If Allan speaks up it will reopen the investigation,” I whispered.
“But it’s a lie.”
“Stop it! Just stop.” I was loud again. I grabbed my purse from the floor beside the table and stood up. “Barney is innocent and Allan telling one more lie is no big deal.” I leaned in towards his ear and suddenly thought of Agatha Christie. “The truth must be quite plain, if one could just clear away the litter.”
I took a deep breath and said more calmly, “There are too many loose ends in all of this. Things we don’t know. I’m not sure how they all fit but, if I don’t take some action, we never will. I need more time to find out how things fit and that’s exactly what Allan is going to give me.”
“It’s against the law. It’s witness tampering for heaven’s sake!”
I stared into his pained face and wanted so desperately to reach for him and to ask for his help with this dangerous plan of mine. “You have to keep my secret,” is all I could think to say. I left the Lee, praying Bill didn’t come after me. His concern, coupled with Nancy’s, felt heavy on my shoulders. They could be right. I want to free Barney—but at what price to myself? What if I get in too deep and end up in jail myself?
I was alone at The Grind after our ‘almost’ dinner. Bill didn’t follow me home and I was grateful for it, but I was still in turmoil over what he and Nancy had said. Of course, they were both right. I was breaking the law by interfering with Allan’s testimony. I knew that. But I needed to do something to give me more time and so the chief would refresh the investigation. Without some new facts, without Allan’s lie, my uncle Barney was probably going to be convicted on circumstantial evidence and I couldn’t have that happen. I hardly slept that night, torn between what I knew was right and what I also knew I had to do for Barney.
The next morning both Bill and Nancy appeared on time to open The Grind and Bookmarks but neither spoke to me at all. I felt terrible, but I couldn’t, absolutely couldn’t confess anything to the police about Allan. I knew it was Barney’s only chance and I had to take that risk for him.
The two of them watched me move into The Grind like deer facing a mountain lion. What’s going on?
It was only seconds before I had my answer.
Chief McCaffrey’s large frame filled the front door as he entered The Grind, the brim of his Stetson curled in his hands. I looked at Bill and Nancy in anger and then moved towards the door with a smile pasted on my face.
The chief’s returned gaze was a cold mask. I suddenly felt like a hammer was dropping on me. What did they say to him? I extended a hand to a table and invited him to sit.
“Nancy called and said you wanted to see me,” he said. He eased into his chair like he expected it to collapse under his weight.
I turned towards Nancy and glared. “Well that was nice of you, Nance. Why don’t you get us some coffee?” My smile was a forced grimace.
I eased into a seat opposite the chief. “I’ve been worried, Chief. I think you know how worried I’ve been. Nancy stuck her nose in, I guess.” I shot another blistering glare her way. “I’m wondering how your case is going. If you’ve found anything new.”
The chief spun his hat on the table, staring down. “I had to come over anyway,” he said.
“What’s wrong, Chief? You look like something’s wrong. Is Barney okay?”
The chief nodded. “I was coming over to offer an apology, Ms. Willoughby. It appears you were right all along and I was wrong about Barney.” He said it softly as he stared down at his Stetson. “I feel bad about all this, Ms. Willoughby, but the facts all said Barney—”
“What’s happened?”
He looked up into my eyes. “Allan came in and changed his testimony. He said he was feeling guilty about lying with a man’s life at stake. He says he told me what he did it to get even with Barney for being a home wrecker.” The chief slid his Stetson aside. “Do you think I could get some java?”
Nancy immediately began pouring a ‘coffee of the day’. The chief said no more until his cup arrived. He slowly added cream and sugar and stirred in silence. “Now Allan says his mother was alive when Barney left their house.”
Nancy joined us at the table and reached out to hold my hand but Bill kept a safe distance. I couldn’t help myself. I gasped. “Then it proves—?”
The chief nodded.
“We’ll check out what Allan has said with his friends and, if he’s telling the truth this time, we’ll be dropping all charges against your uncle. He could be home by the day after tomorrow.”
“That’s wonderful news,” I said. I looked into the chief’s face. “But you don’t look happy, Chief. What’s the matter?”
Chief McCaffrey turned his cup in circles on the table, staring at the coffee stain the dragged cup was making. Then he looked right at me. “It’s convenient, don’t you think? Allan suddenly has a change of heart and decides to tell the truth?”
“You said he felt guilty about…”
The chief finally smiled. “That kid never felt guilty about anything in his life.” He sipped his coffee, constantly staring at me. “I don’t believe a word he says but I don’t figure I’ll be able to prove anything.”
I tried to look shocked. “But what he says means my uncle Barney couldn’t have …”
“I know.” The chief stood up. “It’s almost as if he suddenly got this idea from somewhere and for some reason. Like maybe someone talked to him.”
Nancy stood up as well. “Whatever his reason, it proves Barney is innocent and that’s what matters,” she said with an air of defiance. I admit it made me feel a little better about what she’d done by calling the chief in the first place.
The chief took a final sip of coffee and gently set his cup on the table. “Did you meet with him, Ms. Willoughby?”
I looked at Nancy and then at Bill. It was probably glaringly obvious from my hesitation that there was something I should have said but had to keep silent. “Of course not, but there is something I have to tell you,” I said.
The chief sat back down and dug his notebook from a jacket pocket. Nancy slumped into a chair too, crossing her arms protectively and evidently expecting me to confess. “When I left Dr. Santos’s office, I did see someone. I didn’t think anything of it at first, but then Nancy said maybe it was important.”
“What? What did you see?”
I rubbed the table with two flattened palms. “I saw a white
Jeep in his parking lot as I was leaving.”
Chief McCaffrey only stared at me. His reaction was completely unexpected. “The CSI boys took tire impressions in Utta’s driveway. One set was Barney’s car. We’re still tracking down the other two sets, but we now know one was a compact and the other was an SUV or a Jeep.”
I looked at Nancy, my mouth gaping.
“Seems surprises are the order of the day,” the chief muttered. He stood again. “I need you to come in a make a formal statement about what you saw when you left the dentist, Ms. Willoughby. Later today. This afternoon would be best.” With that said, he stuffed his notebook back into his jacket pocket, dusted his Stetson, and left.
There were long moments of silence until Nancy decided to speak. “You should have told him, Mel!”
“What were you thinking when you called him?” I shouted.
“It’s witness tampering,” Bill said.
“You were in on this too?”
“You’re treading in some deep water, Mel.”
“Oh sure! I tell him I blackmailed Allan into lying? Where does that put me? In jail with Barney, that’s where. How does that help?”
Bill was about to speak but The Grind’s door opened again.
This time Jean led the way in. Pavel stood in the doorway checking to see if the chief’s squad car was turning around.
“Now what?” Nancy flopped back into her chair and held her head in her hands.
“Why was he here?” Jean’s inquiry was pointed and harsh, more a command than a question.
“What do you want, Jean?” I asked, sitting down again myself.
Pavel moved to Jean’s side and cradled her in one arm.
“Did you tell him about Pavel being at Dr. Santos’s office?” Jean’s hands were tightly clenched. “Did you?”
Nancy, stunned, was suddenly aware something new was happening. She looked at Bill and then at me with an expression of total confusion.
“I had to tell him I saw a Jeep. That’s all.” I rubbed my forehead. “What do you want, Jean?”
She squatted beside me. “You have to keep our secret. Please.” Her face was drawn and tired-looking.
I turned to Pavel. “Why were you there?”
He was about to answer when The Grind’s door opened a third time. “Jean?” The deputy stood in the doorway with one hand holding open the door. “The chief sent me to pick you up, Jean. He’s got some questions.”
“How did you know…?”
“Drivin’ over to your place and I saw your Jeep.” He smiled in a self-satisfied way.
Jean looked at Pavel and then down at me. With a heavy sigh she moved through the open doorway towards his squad car.
“Blessed Mary, what have I done?” Pavel collapsed into another chair at the table and stared into space in a corner.
“I didn’t say I saw anyone, Pavel. He wants to ask her a few questions about her Jeep.” I rested a hand on Pavel’s shoulder. “It’ll be okay. But you have to speak up and tell him the truth.”
Pavel nodded. He was near to tears.
“Why were you there?” I asked.
“Pavel took him the poisoned cake?” Nancy raised a hand to her mouth.
I held a hand up to silence her.
Pavel lowered his head. “It’s my fault. All my fault.”
“What is, Pavel?” I rubbed his shoulder.
“Jeanie was with the dentist at Utta’s. I only went there to tell him to keep his mouth shut about her. That’s all.”
“Jean was at Mrs. Podeski’s house the night she died?”
Pavel nodded his head.
“Why?”
Pavel sat back and rubbed his face, pulling away his confusion. “She wouldn’t give me a divorce. Jean went there to beg her. All we wanted was to be together. That’s all. And then the dentist came.”
I looked at Nancy and Bill and beckoned them to come closer so they were sure to hear what was being said.
“What happened, Pavel?”
“The dentist was angry. Jeanie says he was yelling and screaming at Utta. He wanted the pages!”
“What pages?”
Pavel shook his head. “I don’t know. Pages. Jeanie said pages. Jeanie tried to get him to stop but he pushed her away and he hit Utta. With something. I don’t know what. Something she had on her counter. Something. And Utta fell.”
“He killed her?”
Pavel shook his head. “No! She was knocked out. Jeanie checked and Utta was still breathing. Then the dentist left. He left Jeanie there with Utta.”
“Why didn’t she call the police?”
Pavel’s tears began to flow. “She was afraid. Afraid they’d blame her because she was there. So, she left too. She came home and told me to go back to Eugene. I needed an alibi, she said. Get a motel and stay there. I didn’t know what to do. Jeanie is smart. I did what she told me.”
I rubbed his back. “You did the right thing,” I said. I felt so sorry for this gentle, simple man. “What happened when you saw the dentist, Pavel?”
“Nothing!” He broke into tears again. “I didn’t tell Jeanie I was going to him. I went when she was at the doctor. I thought if I could keep him quiet it would be alright because the police had Barney.”
“You didn’t see him?”
He shook his head. “I saw you going in when I pulled up and waited for you to leave. I waited a long time but I had to pick up Jeanie and I was worried. I knew Jeanie would be mad at me for interfering…”
“So you didn’t go in?”
“I went,” he said softly. “But when I got to the door I heard he wasn’t alone. He was talking to someone. I thought maybe you’d come back and I didn’t see you go in. I got nervous you’d see me.”
“I didn’t, Pavel,” I said. “Was it someone else, you think? Someone else came in at another door?”
Pavel shrugged. “So I left. I didn’t tell Jeanie I went there. Then you came over and I heard you say you saw a Jeep in the parking lot. I couldn’t let her get in trouble, could I?”
“You did nothing wrong, Pavel,” I said, patting his back. “Nothing wrong.” I felt helpless and turned to Nancy but she only shook her head. “You should go home now. Wait for Jean. I’m sure it will all be okay. Just go home and wait for her.”
Pavel stood. “You’ll keep my secret?”
“Yes,” I said with a weak smile. “As long as I can, I’ll keep your secret.”
With Pavel gone, the three of us sat at the table in silence, our earlier argument forgotten for the moment. We all thought we were getting close to solving at least a part of this mess but there were still huge questions to answer. Who was the doc talking to? And what about the freezer? That was still a mystery. Jean was tiny. Older. And Dr. Santos was a slight man. Working by themselves, neither could have been strong enough to lift an unconscious Utta Podeski into the freezer. Working together? Maybe. But how did she end up clutching a button?
19
“When were you at Utta’s?”
I had my feet perched on my desk, crossed at the ankles like I was completely relaxed. Course, I wasn’t. Far from it. Everything about the Podeski case was falling apart. I wasn’t going to screw up with a lead on the Santos murder too! To look even more at ease, I started twirling a pencil as I stared across the desk at Jean.
I could tell she’d hardened herself emotionally and put up a wall of resistance, ready for any of my questions. I recognized that as a sign of guilt, but I had no idea what the guilt was about. She was staring blankly into the distance as she carefully answered me. “A week ago, I think. A week ago. I went to buy some bread.”
“You were there more recently than that weren’t you, Jean.” I made it a statement and not a question. I pulled my legs off the desk and leaned towards her. My chair creaked in emphasis. “The CSI boys took tire impressions in her yard. We identified Barney’s truck, and that an SUV and a compact were all in that driveway too. A Jeep. And a Toyota.”
She stared at me
without showing a reaction.
“Treads are like fingerprints, Jean. We know the tires and what vehicle they were on. I’m pretty sure we’ll find it was your tire tread in the dirt we found at Utta’s. Like your fingerprints. I’m getting a search warrant. On its way.” I pointed to the computer on the corner of my desk. “When I get it, we’ll check your treads against the castings we made at Utta’s. We’ll verify you were there soon enough.” I pointed my pencil. “I know you were there, Jean.”
“I told you. I was there about a week ago.”
I had to shake my head. “We’ve identified Barney’s tracks. We know when he was there down to the minute because a witness saw him leave. But the strange thing is your tracks cross over his tracks. How do you think that’s possible if you were there a week ago?”
“The tracks you found are old, obviously.”
I nodded my head in agreement again. “I thought of that too, but then there’s something even stranger. We found tracks made by that Toyota and those tracks cross over your tracks just like yours cross over Barney’s. How does that work?”
Jean didn’t really squirm at that, but it was pretty obvious to me she was getting uncomfortable. I could see her wheels turning hard and fast. “I told you,” she finally said. “I was there a week ago. Barney must have paid Utta a visit before that. And then, after I went for bread, there was someone else in another car who went there. Probably to buy bread too. Maybe to kill her.”
“You’ve got all the answers, don’t you?” I gave a cold grin. “Your Jeep was seen at the dentist’s office the day he died. How do you explain that? Were you there to get your teeth cleaned? Or maybe deliver a cake?”
Jean glanced at her wristwatch with impatience. “I wasn’t there.” Her glare at me had practically physical force. “I bought bread at Utta’s like I always do at least once a week. The day the dentist died, the only place I went was Dr. Phillips’s. My appointment was for eleven-thirty but he was late as usual. I didn’t get in to see him until at least twelve-thirty. It was a short appointment. I was home by one o’clock as I recall.”
Cool Demise Page 17
