by Diane Moody
“That’s ridiculous!” Frank Gowden shouted. “Besides, in case you forgot, he’s sitting in a jail cell up in Ashland City.”
A strange thing happened then. The room grew quiet.
“It’s almost like everyone’s connecting the dots,” Sterling whispered to Peyton. “I have to say, it sure explains all this rancor.”
“Oh, come on, people. Be reasonable!” Frank growled, even as his wife elbowed him.
And yet, everyone knew Frank was one of Decker’s fans.
A few quiet conversations rippled across the room. Then Mayor Suggs tapped on his microphone.
“Folks, I believe it’s in our best interest not to bring this matter to a decision tonight. I move that we meet on the first Tuesday of next month and address some of these issues at that time.”
“I second the motion,” a fellow committee member added.
“Motion’s passed. Thank you for coming, ladies and gentlemen.”
As the crowd began its slow and noisy exit, Peyton tried to find Aubrey but didn’t see her. Once out on the steps of City Hall, he spotted her already in the distance walking toward home with her mother.
Just as well. He didn’t have a clue how to explain himself. He would have to figure it out tomorrow.
“Goodnight, Peyton,” Sterling said, patting his back. “Don’t you worry. We’ll figure out this situation with Tristan. You go home and get some sleep.”
“Thanks, Sterling. Goodnight.”
Chapter 16
“Aubrey, good morning. I hope I’m not calling too early.”
“Not at all, Peyton. My body clock is still on Eastern time. I’m always up around five when I’m here.”
“I’d forgotten about the time difference. I was wondering if you’d give me another chance to take you to breakfast. Yesterday got completely away from me, so I wanted to try and make it up to you.”
Her long pause struck him as strange. “But if you’d rather not, that’s okay. I’ll understand.” Why did he feel like a teenager bracing himself for rejection after asking the pretty cheerleader to prom?
“No, it’s not that. But, the thing is … yesterday, before you got the call about your brother, you said you were too busy right now. Or something like that, but I got the message, and it’s fine, Peyton. I understand.”
“What? You lost me.”
“You said things were a little crazy right now—”
“Well, they are, but—”
“I’m just saying, it’s probably not a good time for me either, so—”
“It’s not?” He smacked the heel of his hand on his forehead. “Oh, wait—now I remember! I’ve been wracking my brain all morning trying to think what you said to me right before that call came through yesterday. You said that last night wasn’t that big of a deal. Meaning, when I kissed you. Right? I didn’t just imagine you saying that, did I?”
“No. Why?”
“Because it was a big deal to me. I don’t just go around kissing girls all the time.”
“I would hope not, considering what you do for a living.”
“Exactly,” he said with a chuckle. “In fact, if you must know, I can’t remember the last girl I kissed. Which is kind of embarrassing to admit, but there it is. So now that you know my secret, I hope you’ll trust me when I say it meant a lot to me. Because it did.”
“Yeah?”
“Absolutely. So now that we have that settled, would you have breakfast with me?”
“I would love to, but I can’t this morning. I have a conference call with my office scheduled in about fifteen minutes that could take a couple of hours or more.”
“That’s okay. Then how about dinner tonight? And I promise not to take you to Denton’s. Not after last night’s blowout at the town hall meeting.”
“I think that’s probably wise.”
“Then how about I pick you up at six, and we’ll drive into Nashville for dinner.”
“That’s sounds lovely, Peyton. I’ll look forward to it.”
Half an hour later while walking Macy, Peyton took a call from Sterling asking him to stop by his office. Apparently Jeff had some information to share with them. It still irked him that Jeff couldn’t—and wouldn’t—just call him directly, then reminded himself this was all temporary. As soon as they located Tristan, things would change.
Even as the thought came to him, he had a catch in his spirit. How easy it was, wanting to assume Tristan was involved. To pin this mess on him. But doing so meant his brother was a murderer. Had all these years in prison hardened him into a killer? Even with all the history between them, he couldn’t wish that on his own brother. But how else could Ida Rose’s statement be explained?
He shook off the complicated thoughts and quickly took Macy home, then made his way across the square to Sterling’s office. Jeff was already seated in one of the chairs facing the desk.
Sterling shook his hand. “Thanks for coming, Peyton.”
“No problem.”
Peyton wondered if the man didn’t own a single comb. Or a mirror, for that matter. Or maybe he just preferred that windblown look, which today looked more like a dark tumbleweed.
He offered a smile at Jeff as he extended his hand to shake. “Morning, Jeff.”
“Hello Peyton.”
“Have a seat,” Sterling insisted as he rounded his desk and sat down.
“First things first,” he began. “Peyton, in light of last night’s town hall meeting and the suggestion of Stone Decker’s involvement in this water tower controversy, I had a little chat with Jeff. That’s when he told me about the transcript of a conversation between Decker and Harley following Decker’s arrest and imprisonment. Which Jeff is now submitting for discovery purposes.”
“Decker had paid one of the guards for an unsupervised telephone call,” Jeff added.
“What’s this got to do with me?”
He continued. “It includes a serious threat against Harley’s life. Decker was furious with Harley for unraveling his plan to steal the election from Mayor Suggs. That was the night Cameron and Gevin caught Harley sleepwalking in the alley—or so they thought. He was, in fact, doing quite a performance acting as the graffiti artist who’d been painting the town. As it turned out, he was a decoy for Decker’s shenanigans, trying to make the mayor look incompetent in the face of so much crime. In exchange, Decker had loaned Harley $30,000 to pay off his gambling debts. Somehow, the Braxton Sword came into play after Harley took it from Braxton House. We think he was hoping to sell it to a fence and pay off the rest of the debts he owed.”
“Who knew our town florist had gone rogue?” Peyton said. “Though I still have trouble imagining him involved in all that.”
“It’s the ones you least expect,” Jeff added.
Peyton chose not to take the comment personally.
Sterling handed him a copy of the transcript. “Regardless, Decker blamed Harley for landing him in jail and vowed to get even. Take a minute and read it for yourself.”
Peyton took the transcript and silently read it.
CREECH: “Who is this?”
DECKER: “No names. You know as well as I do they record these conversations.”
CREECH: “You have some nerve calling me, DECKER. You still behind bars?”
DECKER: “Yes, but not for long. I cut a deal with the girl. She’s going to recant her confession and claim it was under duress. It cost me a fortune, but worth every penny.”
CREECH: “Well, isn’t that nice. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”
DECKER: “Shut up. Where are you?”
CREECH: “What, you mean your minions aren’t trailing me?”
DECKER: “Answer the question.”
CREECH: “The minute I heard they arrested you, I left my previous hideout and went deeper off the grid. You’ll never find me.”
DECKER: “Is that so? Never underestimate me. You still owe me thirty grand, and I will track you down as soon as I’m out of here.”
CREECH: “Hear that? That’s the sound of me shaking in my boots.”
DECKER: “Shut up. This is all your fault. If you’d just done what I asked, I wouldn’t have had to hire someone else to do my dirty work. The night they caught you in the alley just about blew—”
CREECH: “Yeah, but thanks to my immense talent as an actor, Jeff and Gevin thought I was sleepwalking. I have to say, I surprised even myself with that spectacular performance. Oscar-worthy, in my humble opinion.”
DECKER: “Nobody CARES, you imbecile! I wasn’t about to take another risk with you again. So thanks to you, I had to hire someone else, who went and got herself caught, then ratted me out. Which is why I’m HERE! This is ALL YOUR FAULT!”
CREECH: “Careful with the accusations, jailbird. Besides, I don’t have a dime to my name, and now that my collateral got pinched, I’ve got nothing to give you.”
DECKER: “That’s not my fault. You’ve got a lot to learn about hiding the goods. I’m sure all of Braxton is sleeping better now that their precious artifact is back on display. You’re such a loser. A pathetic, stupid loser.”
CREECH: “Says the man in the orange jumpsuit.”
DECKER: “Go ahead and make all the jokes you like. As soon as I’m out of here, I’ll find you. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you’ll have to keep looking over your shoulder, because I’m coming for you. And if you don’t have my money—”
CREECH: “Oh, enough with the threats, Decker. You’re boring me. I’ll be long gone by the time you roll out of there. I’m headed where the stakes are higher and the payoffs fatter. You’re nothing but small potatoes in my rearview mirror, Decker. I’ve got no time for you so why don’t you—”
DECKER: “Listen to me, Harley! When I get my hands on you, there’ll be nothing left but that miserable toupee.”
CREECH: “Blah, blah, blah. Bo-ring! Well, it’s been lovely chatting with you, but I’ve got places to go and people to see. Oh, and by the way, I sent you a flower arrangement this morning as a parting gift. It should arrive any time now. As I always tell my customers, every flower has meaning; every flower symbolizes something. Which is why I chose a nice little bouquet of pansies and baby’s breath. I’m sure your cellmates will get a real kick out of that.”
DECKER: [no response]
CREECH: “Cat got your tongue? No matter. Buh-bye, Decker. See you in the funny papers.”
Peyton looked up from the page, looking first at Sterling then Jeff. “This is practically a confession,” he said, flicking the page with his fingers. A wave of relief washed over him. “It had to be Decker! And where better to make sure Harley’s toupee was noticeable than in a baptistry filled with water?”
“Except that Decker’s still sitting in jail,” Jeff stated.
“Yes, but even Harley mentioned Decker’s ‘minions’ … obviously he has people working for him on the outside.”
Sterling stretched his hand toward Peyton to retrieve the copy of the transcript. “Before we jump to any conclusions, for now let’s just keep this on file.”
“That’s it? You’ve got to be kidding me. Surely you’ll have Reggie—”
“Peyton!” Sterling snapped. “We’re done here. You and I will talk later. Jeff, thank you for bringing this to our attention. I’ll be in touch.”
Jeff stood, taking his cue. “Good.”
Peyton stood, both of them ill at ease. Finally, Jeff put his Braxton ball cap on and left without a word.
Sterling closed the door after him. “Peyton, I’ll remind you to let me handle these meetings in the future. Too much is at stake. Jeff’s just trying to do his job, as I’m trying to do mine, but we must be very careful with every comment, every insinuation—all of it.”
“Have I mentioned how much I hate this?” Peyton asked with a weary sigh.
“Duly noted. And I completely understand. You started to suggest having Reggie look further into this. He’s already on it. I’ve got a call into Decker’s attorney in Nashville. You leave all that to me.”
When the phone on Sterling’s desk buzzed, he pressed a button. “Yes?”
“Miss Ida Rose is here to see you.”
“Thank you. Tell her I’ll be right with her.”
“I’m outta here,” Peyton said, starting for the door.
“How about you take my private exit?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter 17
At half past one that afternoon, Peyton drove over to Braxton House to meet with Kathleen to make arrangements for Harley’s funeral. She’d asked to meet there in her office as she had several matters requiring her attention. It was a curious position for Peyton to be in, considering he’d been labeled a person of interest for the death of her brother. She was still unaware of that development, thankfully. He wasn’t the killer, of course, but if she knew his identical brother had done the deed, Peyton doubted he would be included in the plans for the funeral.
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave,” he mumbled as he parked in the circular drive out front. As he stepped out of his car, Gevin Parker pulled up next to him.
“If I’d known you were coming, I would have offered you a ride.”
“Kathleen just called me about fifteen minutes ago and asked if I could join you all. She wants me to do some work for her, but I have no idea what’s going on. Do you?”
“No, but I guess we’re about to find out.”
As they entered the grand house, Peyton clapped Gevin on the back. “How’s married life going for Braxton’s newest newlyweds?”
“Great. If I’d known it was this much fun, I’d have married her years ago.”
“Which would have required some time travel since you haven’t known Emily that long, but I’m glad to hear you all are so happy.”
“And we have you to thank, of course.”
“Hey, I was just the guy in the suit up front.”
Gevin chuckled. “No one else would have done it as well. So, how are you? Gotta be weird having someone die in your baptistry. How are you handling all this commotion with Harley’s death?”
Peyton shook his head. “Let’s just say I’ll be glad when it’s over.”
“I’ve heard a lot of rumors, but nothing solid. Any idea who killed him?”
He paused a moment, then said, “From what I’m told, the investigation is just getting started.”
“I hate to think it might be someone from around here, but you never know.”
“Thankfully, we’ve got good people looking into it.”
“Yeah, I’m glad Matt and the guys at TBI are involved. Of course, he’s tight-lipped about his work, which I have to respect. Especially considering who he’s married to.”
“Be nice. Your sister is a wonderful girl.”
“With a curiosity that could kill legions of cats.”
They laughed as they entered the Braxton House office suite.
“Hi Dee,” Peyton said, greeting Kathleen’s administrative assistant. “How are you?”
“I’m good, Pastor,” she said with the slightest nod toward Kathleen’s office. “All things considered.”
He acknowledged the gesture. “I’m sure it’s been difficult for everyone.”
“Yes, it has. Hello Gevin.”
“Nice to see you, Dee.”
“Kathleen’s expecting you both, so go on in. I’ll be in shortly.”
As they entered the well-appointed office, Kathleen rose to meet them. She looked more like her usual self, dressed in a smart gray dress with a black and silver scarf fashioned around her neck, her premature white hair perfectly styled as usual.
They said their hellos, then Gevin and Peyton took their seats in two of the armchairs fronting her desk.
“How are you, Kathleen?” Peyton asked. “I’ve been praying for you.”
“Thank you, Peyton. I suppose I’m managing. It helps being here and getting some work done.”
“Good. Tell us how we can help.”
Dee s
tepped into the office with a notepad and took the third chair beside Gevin and Peyton.
“I’ve asked Dee to join us to take notes so I’ll remember everything. I find my mind is preoccupied with a thousand details right now.”
Kathleen took off her glasses and leaned back in her leather chair. “I guess we never stop and think about burying loved ones until they’re gone. I certainly never thought I’d be the one to bury my brother. Since I’m so much older, I assumed he’d have the privilege of overseeing my funeral. God knows, if there’s one thing Harley loved, it was a big funeral.”
Peyton smiled. “Yes, he did.”
“And yet here we are.” She smiled, though her eyes reflected a deep sadness. “I think we must plan my brother’s service as befitting all that he loved about funerals, don’t you?”
“Sounds perfect,” Peyton said. “When would you like to have it?”
“I was thinking of Sunday afternoon. Today is Wednesday, so that gives us plenty of time to get the word out.”
“Good thinking,” Peyton agreed. “Have you decided where you want to have the service? Under the circumstances, I know you wouldn’t want—”
“—to have it at the church? No. In fact, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to walk inside your church again. Not that I ever attended often.”
“I totally understand.”
“I was thinking I’d like to have it here at Braxton House.”
“Good,” Peyton said.
“But I’m not sure we have a room large enough. I’m expecting quite a crowd.”
“Do you all have a lot of family that will be coming?”
“Heavens, no. Harley and I are the only ones left. But he’s been on the board of the Tennessee Florist Association for years. And believe me, those people come out of the woodwork when one of their own dies.”
