Reading Between the Crimes

by Kate Young

  We’d never had a budding author discuss a work in progress with us before. And I had to agree it would be exciting. I didn’t share that something about the man gave me the willies or that he’d been outside Mel’s cookie shop just hours before the ordeal. I didn’t want to add fuel to any rumor fires until I knew what he was up to for sure.

  The chatter in the car continued. It consisted of concern, speculations, and gasps as Amelia and Mel shared theories. I avoided describing the scene and explained tactfully, the best I could, that we needed more information before leaping to judgments. Amelia reached out and squeezed my arm as the GPS instructed me to take a left turn in four hundred feet. “How haunting. I probably would’ve fainted on the spot.”

  “A little, yeah.” I nodded. “I operated on pure adrenaline, thinking Leonard possibly could be alive and might need aid. When I realized he was no longer with us, I went down like a ton of bricks.” I turned on my left turn signal as I took a deep breath, remembering. “I didn’t lose consciousness, but I sure felt woozy. The scene was like something out of one of our true crime case logs.” I shifted in my seat. “I won’t be able to enjoy the new addition without thinking of it. Even after a thorough cleaning.”

  “No, I wouldn’t imagine you could.” Amelia looked sympathetic. “I bet your parents won’t be able to either.”

  “Your poor parents.” Melanie shook her head. “Your mom spent a fortune on the tranquil space.” Melanie had a soft spot for my family.

  “Yes. And knowing Mother, she’ll probably spend another fortune to renovate the renovations to erase the horrific memory. If they stay in the house.” No one had mentioned a move to me; they’d lived in the same house since I was born, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the idea of moving came up in the foreseeable future.

  “Well, the good news is, in the state of Georgia they wouldn’t be required to disclose the death to potential buyers, like they have to in other states.” Amelia shifted to face me. I caught the move in my peripheral vision as she continued, “I will be glad to help if they do.”

  “Interesting,” Mel said from the back seat.

  “I’ll be sure to mention you if they decide to go that route.” I shrugged. “You never know. This is uncharted territory in the Moody family. My mother didn’t even like me watching horror movies growing up.”

  Mel snickered. “It’s true, Amelia. Lyla and I hauled her TV into the closet to watch the old Halloween movies one year. Her gran nearly scared us to death when she swung open the door.”

  “I bet Daisy didn’t rat you guys out.” Amelia smiled back at Mel.

  “Nope. She joined us and brought popcorn.”

  I smiled at the memory. Gran was something else.

  Rosa’s ID came up on my navigation screen. I hit the “Answer” button on my steering column, still smiling. “Hey, Rosa.”

  “Hey. You busy?” Her voice sounded strained. “I hear car noise.”

  “I’m driving, but I can talk.” I cast a glance to Amelia, who lifted her brows. “We’re all here,” I informed Rosa. “Mel and Amelia are in the car with me. We’re on our way to see Harper.”

  “Oh. Hey, y’all.” Rosa cleared her throat. “Harper is the reason I’m calling.”

  All of us shared a wide-eyed glance while we waited for the traffic light to change.

  “Okay,” I said slowly.

  “I only have a few minutes. I’m sitting in my car on my break. Something’s up with her husband’s case. Something, um, big.”

  “Define ‘big.’ Has there been a break in the case?” I swallowed and instantly thought about the missing candlestick. Amelia had said when she’d spoken to Rosa last night, she’d been shocked at the calm way Rosa discussed the murder. When questioned, Rosa explained her time in the army had desensitized her to a lot of things. I’d admired Rosa for her strength and fortitude. That was the reason her nervous tone alarmed me so much.

  “Or does this have to do with the cause of death?” Melanie leaned forward. “Harper mentioned something about it over the phone to me.”

  Amelia asked, “Do you all have a suspect in custody?”

  “Cause of death hasn’t been determined. There is no suspect in custody. But yes, to answer Lyla’s question, there has been a break in the case. I can’t go into much detail, but I wanted to give y’all a heads up. It’s been a madhouse around here. An all-hands-on-deck situation. Chief Daniels is walking around like he was castrated by the detective taking over the office. And he’s the one who put him in charge of the case. I have no idea why he’s behaving that way. Unless it’s the detective’s methods he doesn’t care for.”

  “What do you mean?” I turned up the volume.

  “Detective Battle is hell-bent on closing this case, and fast. From what I gathered, he has a close relationship with the DA, and their success rate is off the charts. And—oh. Hold on a sec. Hey.” We heard Rosa’s window roll down and a few muffled sounds. She hadn’t put us on “Mute,” and we all sat deadly silent at the intersection, trying to discern the tiniest clue from the sounds. “Okay, I’m back. Sorry about that. I have to be careful. Leonard Richardson’s sister-in-law, brother, and I think the brother’s son came in this morning. And whatever they handed over to be submitted into evidence created a flurry of activity unlike I’ve ever seen in this department.”

  “What?” My mouth gaped.

  “Oh my God!” Melanie let out a huge gasp. “What kind of evidence?”

  “I don’t know. But I heard the words ‘search warrant’ being uttered in the same sentence as Harper’s name.” I let out a little breath. Not the candlestick. Why would they search Harper’s house if they found Mother’s property, potentially covered in the victim’s blood?

  I blinked and noticed Amelia staring at me oddly.

  I gripped the wheel. “I’m sorry, what was that, Rosa? I missed that last part.”

  “I said Detective Battle is all geeked up about the evidence.” She got silent for a breath before she said, “Guys, are we sure Harper had nothing to do with Leonard’s murder?”

  Rosa’s question left the car speakers and encompassed us. Street noise and the sound of the tires on the pavement seemed to get louder. Amelia fiddled with her nails, making a little ticking sound. I kept my eyes on the road and slowly hit my brakes at the next traffic light.

  It was Mel who broke the silence, which felt like it had lasted a century but was probably more like less than a minute. “Yes!” Melanie threw her hands in the air, and one of them hit the back of my seat. “We’ve all spent time with the woman. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. Not a single one. I can’t believe you’d even ask such a thing, Rosa!”

  “Calm down, Mel.” I cast a quick glance in the rearview mirror. “Rosa is giving us information, and we are so grateful for the heads-up.”

  Amelia shifted in her seat. “I do find it difficult to believe Harper would be capable of such involvement. She’s the one who found homes for all those stray kittens someone dropped on my door last spring. She’s adamant about volunteering her time at the animal shelter with me. And we’ve all seen her shy away from confrontation at the library.”

  While I waited at the stop sign for my turn to go, I listened to Rosa and Mel go back and forth, Rosa hemming and hawing, and I began to wonder what else she might be privy to. She wouldn’t divulge anything that would compromise her job, and I respected the limits of friendship in relation to her position on the police force.

  “Okay, take a chill pill, Mel. I was simply asking a question. People aren’t always as they seem, so I’d be careful being cavalier in your assumptions.” Rosa’s tone came out as authoritative.

  Amelia shook her head slowly as if she couldn’t wrap her head around such a notion. And I could understand the struggle. Mel crossed her arms across her chest. Her face said she wasn’t too happy with being spoken to that way. Emotions were running high.

  I cast another quick glance in my rearview mirror to see Mel’s brow wrinkle and t
hen smooth. “I didn’t mean to lash out like that, Rosa. I’m sorry. It’s just, y’all didn’t hear Harper on the phone. She sounded devastated.” I didn’t remind Mel that I’d seen Harper when it occurred. And I had to agree in that respect. The poor woman had seemed devastated.

  “This is it; I believe.” Amelia pointed to the next street on the right just as the robotic voice of the GPS said, “Turn right and you have reached your destination.”

  With a sigh, Rosa said, “All right. I gotta go anyway. Just please be careful. Something is mighty strange about that family.”

  “We will. Thanks, Rosa.” I disconnected the call.

  “I love Rosa to bits, but I wonder if her perspective is a little skewed because of the detective’s influence.” Mel tightened her high ponytail.

  “What’s he like, anyway?” Amelia asked.

  “He’s a man you wouldn’t want to come after you. I got the impression he trusts his instincts for good reason. And I think Rosa’s just looking out for us. We’d be remiss not to consider her perspective.”

  Chapter Seven

  Barnard Drive was a long, winding dead-end street with only three or four houses on large wooded lots. The lawns were sparse in the grass department, with large exposed areas of Georgia red clay caused by tree limbs’ overgrowth blocking the morning sun.

  “That must be it there. It says three-two-zero-eight on the brick mailbox.” Amelia leaned over and pointed to the last house on the left. We pulled into the driveway of an old, three-story, clapboard, Queen Anne–style home that had a brass sign on the facade reading “Circa 1900.”

  “I’m going to look up the comps on this street,” Amelia said. “These properties could bring in a pretty penny. No wonder Harper was curious about listing the property.”

  “Wow.” Melanie leaned up between the seats. “I had no idea she lived in a house this large. Harper’s always talking about conserving everything. I pictured a more minimalistic type of place. And it looks like she has company too. Huh.”

  “Yeah. Probably people are dropping off food and offering condolences, like us. Maybe her coworkers at the library.” I parked behind a green Jeep Cherokee. There were three other vehicles in front of it, and a large white work van nestled beside the garage.

  I wrinkled my nose when I shut off the ignition and got a whiff of something rotten. “Do y’all smell something?” I glanced around the car. Something in here smelled beyond foul. The air freshener I’d bought had done its job while the car had been running. I’d fork out the extra cash for another when the time came.

  “Yeah, I do smell something. Did Mrs. Kreger not pick up after her dog again?” Mel started checking her shoes.

  That’d explain it. That woman was the worst about not taking bags out with her when she walked her little Yorkie. “We’re going to have complain, Mel. It’s getting crazy. Now I’m going to have to have my car detailed again.”

  As we took in the large home and exited the vehicle, Mel commented, “It must’ve cost a fortune to renovate. The Richardsons must be loaded.”

  Rosa had sparked new concerns, and if the family was indeed well-to-do, that did not bode well for public opinion regarding Harper, the young widow. Especially since she was the second wife of Leonard Richardson and barely married for two years. Add that to the deceased man’s elderly sister-in-law and brother casting suspicion her way and yikes! Then an odd thought occurred to me. How eerily similar to our club read.

  “Well then, they should’ve done a better job with their front lawn,” Amelia said absentmindedly, bringing me back to the present. None of us wanted to think about the ramifications of what might happen if the detective obtained a search warrant. In Harper’s already fragile state, it would crush her.

  “Curb appeal is essential,” Amelia continued as if we were simply here for a visit. “It can bring in an additional ten K with some properties. And Harper will want to get top dollar. She’ll probably be eager to sell now …” Amelia’s voice trailed off, and worried glances were exchanged. Now, with her husband gone, she should have no trouble putting the property on the market. We all hated to think that way.

  As we unloaded the trunk, each of us grabbing a bag, the pungent order I’d caught a moment ago assaulted us. I checked my shoes, and they were clean. Amelia handed me the little bag she’d been carrying so she could inspect hers, and I nearly gagged. “My God! This is the smell.” I held the bag at arm’s length.

  Melanie leaned over, sniffed, her face nearly turning green. “Yep. That’s it. What the hell is that?”

  I tossed the bag back to Amelia, and she rolled her eyes. “It’s Valerian root tea. It’s a natural way to help Harper get some sleep. It’s called nature’s valium. It has a real earthy fragrance.”

  “Earthy? Mel thought we’d stepped in dog mess. There is no way I’d drink that. Um, wow.” I took a step back just as a black Lexus, blasting some sort of rock music, pulled up beside us. A man about our age, wearing sunglasses, got out. He flashed a movie star smile. “Can I help you ladies with something?”

  “We’re here to see Harper.” I smiled back.

  “About what?”

  “Um, we’re her friends. We’re here to support her.” Melanie’s eyes narrowed, and she sounded annoyed by the question.

  The man, whoever he was, seemed to be rather protective of our friend. I stepped up and shuffled some bags around before extending my hand, my smile still in place. “Hi, I’m Lyla Moody, and these are my friends Melanie and Amelia. We know Harper from the library.”

  He shook my hand lightly before removing his sunglasses and running a hand through his wheat-blond hair. “Oh, hey. I think I recall Harper mentioning you guys.” He nodded at our little group. “I didn’t mean to be rude. Harper’s had such a rough time with my Dad’s death. And a couple of reporters have been by.”

  His dad?

  “We understand,” Amelia said, but looked a little taken aback by the “dad” comment too.

  “Oh. I’m LJ … er, Leonard Richardson Junior,” he said, shrugging, “but everyone just calls me LJ.”

  “Nice to meet you.” I gave him a sympathetic smile. “We are so sorry for your loss.”

  “Yeah, thanks.” He frowned appropriately, but the sadness didn’t quite reach his eyes. Odd.

  “We won’t stay long. It appears you already have company.” I nodded toward the cars.

  “Nah, those belong to the family. Welcome to our home.” He put his glasses on top of his head. “You all can follow me.” He turned and started for the large white front porch, whistling.

  “Our home?” Amelia raised her brows.

  I shrugged.

  “He doesn’t seem all that torn up about his dad, does he?” Melanie said under her breath.

  He certainly didn’t.

  LJ took the steps two at a time and shoved his key into the front door, which had a stained-glass oval window in the middle. Maybe the news hadn’t sunk in yet. Some people needed more time than others to process trauma.

  The three of us slowly walked inside after him. A green marble fireplace with an old-fashioned painting of an unsmiling Harper and Leonard hanging above it greeted us as we entered. Leonard must’ve been close to sixty or so when they’d had this painted, making him thirty years her senior or more. I tried not to pass judgment.

  To the right of the fireplace was a small window and a set of stairs where LJ went. He put his hand on the white railing and yelled loudly, “Harper, you have company!”

  We all jumped and glanced around with full hands, shifting uncomfortably. The floors looked to be all original, as did the fireplace. A snorting sound came from our left, and I glanced through the open French doors into what appeared to be a formal living or sitting room. A peek inside revealed an expensive rug, antique lighting, and velour furnishings in earth tones. Edna was asleep in a settee with rounded arms.

  While LJ still called up the stairs to Harper, I mouthed to the others that Leonard’s sister-in-law was asleep in
the next room.

  After another yell, he turned to us. “No need to wait here. Make yourselves at home. Go on through there.” He pointed to the little hallway in between the entryway where we were and the sitting room. “Put the food in the kitchen. I’ll go up and get her. She’s probably in the shower or something.”

  We all exchanged another glance after he disappeared up the stairs. We moved down the long, narrow hallway, passing the formal dining room off the room Leonard’s sister-in-law, Edna, snoozed in. It had high ceilings like the rest of the house and was painted emerald green with white trim. It, too, had a fireplace.

  “I wonder why Harper didn’t mention that his son lived with them.” Melanie looked concerned.

  I shrugged. “She told us about Edith, and we had a lot of questions as to why. Maybe she thought it would lead to more questions, or perhaps it’s a recent development.”

  Mel’s eyes went wide, and I knew what she was thinking when I goofed. The name of the sister-in-law of Crooked House was Edith, and there were so many similarities here.

  I didn’t want to get caught up in the similarities of the novel and rushed to correct myself. “No, not Edith, Edna.”

  Mel nodded and softly mimicked the Twilight Zone theme song.

  Amelia sidled up behind us and we nearly gagged. That tea was an affront. “Since Rosa said his brother and sister-in-law turned in evidence, I wonder if the brother lives here too.”

  Mel slowly raised her shoulders.

  “I have no idea.” I turned my head, not able to take that odor one more second. “Move that bag, Amelia.”

  “Gosh, you’re like a child. It’s not that bad.”

  My eyes were watering. It was indeed that bad. The sound of water running caught my attention, and we slowed. We kept glancing around when we heard the creaking of a door opening. But there wasn’t a door on the right-hand side of the hallway.

  I saw the young woman I’d seen with Edna the last night come out a paneled wall door to our right. The room would be impossible to notice when the door was closed. I wondered if a lot of old homes had hidden places like that.