Misalignment and Murder

by Cathy Tully

  Susannah forced her face to remain placid when she heard Angie’s mispronunciation of Cheese.

  “Oh, you like my costume?” Maggie twirled for Angie, then looked at the table. “All this looks delicious. Sorry I can’t stay long, I have a post-Halloween cocktail party with some hairdresser friends this afternoon.”

  Bitsy moved her chair over. “Come sit by me.” She patted the empty seat next to her. All eyes turned to that side of the table as Maggie settled herself, picking up a glass of water and sipping. “Don’t keep us waiting, Miss Maggie. Spill.”

  Maggie put the glass down and surveyed the table. “Right before I was about to leave, I got a knock on my door. Detective Withers, asking more questions about Travis. Only this time she was really harping on whether I ever saw him with drugs.” She reached in front of Larraine and plucked a black olive from a glass dish and popped it into her mouth. “Mmmm. Anyway, I told her again, in no uncertain terms, that I would not date someone who took drugs. I have my boys to worry about and…” She emphasized the word and while reaching for another olive.

  Larraine passed her the dish of olives. “And?”

  “And I have a business to run, too.” She waved at Larraine, as if dismissing the detective. “I’ve told her that over and over. She just stands there and looks at me with a deadpan face and that frizzy hair.” Maggie looked down. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be ugly.”

  Bitsy patted her hand. “I’ll let you know when you’re being ugly.”

  Maggie smiled. “Long story short, Travis wasn’t just selling stolen guns out of the store, he was dealing drugs.” Larraine gasped, and Bitsy made tsk, tsk noises with her tongue. Maggie shook her head and sat back.

  “Eat something.” Angie served Maggie a slice of lasagna. “You’ll feel better.”

  “The worst part is, Gus Arnold was buying from him.” Maggie picked up her fork. “You could have knocked me over with a feather.”

  “Gus was using drugs?” A melancholy expression crossed Angie’s face.

  “Uh-huh,” Maggie answered, cutting into the lasagna with her fork. “When they interviewed his wife, they found out that his drug use was the reason they separated.”

  “Gus was married?” Angie’s voice pitched higher than usual. “I, I—”

  “Divorced,” Maggie said, patting Angie’s arm. “Sorry, darlin’. Divorced. But she had been in touch with him before he died. He told her he had cleaned up his life.”

  “I suspected something like this,” Susannah said.

  “You did?” Keith asked. “What made you think drugs were involved?”

  “Well,” Susannah said uncomfortably, “I don’t usually divulge what’s in a patient’s health history, but since he’s gone now…”

  “Spit it out, Suzie,” snapped Angie. She heard her strident tone and cringed, then mouthed sorry.

  “A lot of people knew Gus had a knee injury, but what they didn’t know was that he was prescribed opioids by the VA doctor. He had been in pain for years, and it doesn’t take long to get addicted.”

  “Sounds right,” Maggie said. “Travis saw a doctor at the VA Medical Center in Atlanta for his injuries, also. He told me they’ve changed how they work with veterans who have ongoing pain problems. He was pretty angry about it, too. They used to prescribe lots of opioid medication, but now they prescribe other medications and send the veteran to group counseling to deal with the chronic pain.”

  “But,” Tina said, “Gus told me the adjustments helped him get off the pain medications.”

  “He told me that too,” Larraine agreed.

  “Well,” Maggie said, “I guess by then he was already mixed up with Travis and Owen.”

  Larraine sat up and looked around. “That’s just a shame.”

  “C’mon. Eat while it’s hot,” Angie said.

  The silence was broken only by murmurs of delight and the occasional clink of flatware. Angie raised her glass for a toast, but before she could speak, there was a knock on the door.

  Bitsy rose quickly. “Imma tell whoever it is to go away.”

  “I got it, you eat.” Susannah wiped her hands on her napkin and went to the door. Looking through the peephole, she inhaled sharply. “Madonna!”

  Outside stood Detective Withers.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Misalignment and Murder

  “Dr. Shine, I’m glad I caught you at home.”

  Over her shoulder, Susannah saw the detective’s car parked between Bitsy’s SUV and Larraine’s Mercury Grand Marquis. Great detective work, Susannah thought. “I’ve got a house full at the moment.”

  “That’s what I thought. I’ve got something for Officer Cawthorn. Is he here?”

  All eyes were on them as they entered the kitchen.

  “Officer Cawthorn.” The detective took some papers out of a portfolio and handed them to Keith. “Chief Laughton has authorized me to present you with your official reinstatement. He thought you would be anxious to have it.”

  Tina clapped and hugged Keith. There were well-wishes from around the table. He smiled. “This is quicker than I hoped.”

  “Officer Chaffin made a full confession about his theft of weapons from the evidence room and his side business with Travis Keene. He provided the weapons, and they split the profits. He even admitted that he stole your gun.” She nodded at Keith. “As insurance. In case he needed to implicate someone else on the force. Though he claims Travis’s death was an accident.”

  “What about Gus?” Angie asked. “Did he confess to that?”

  “No. Owen claims Travis killed Gus.”

  Maggie gasped. “I knew he was a lowdown dog, but I never thought he was a killer.”

  After swigging her last sip, Bitsy plunked her glass down. “None of us can figure how Gus knew Travis.”

  “According to Owen, Gus met Travis in Tussahaw Junction. At the time, Gus was looking for OxyContin, and Travis helped him find it.”

  “I knew Doyle Etheridge was on to something,” said Susannah.

  The detective turned toward Susannah. “Who?”

  “A patient who grew up in the Junction. He thought there were criminals using the woods down that way to hide out.”

  “Gang crime is an ongoing problem in that area.” Detective Withers paused. “But since Travis Keene had never been arrested, we can’t connect him with any of that activity. Owen admitted that he knew Travis was selling drugs and Gus had been one of his customers but was no longer using. Owen helped Travis cook up the scheme to keep Gus from talking.”

  “What scheme?” Angie paled, her Marvelous Magenta standing out as her face turned ashen.

  “Owen provided Travis with the guns he sold you and Dr. Shine. Owen cussed up and down about how greedy Travis was to do that. I guess he didn’t think the whole situation through. When Owen got wind of the internal investigation, he wanted them back. He demanded that Travis find a way to trade them out with legit guns. Travis asked Gus to help get yours back.” The detective pointed at Angie.

  Angie deflated. “Sometimes he seemed more interested in the gun than me.”

  “Don’t feel bad, sweetie.” Bitsy patted her hand. “I heard Gus’s ex-wife told the police that he had cleaned up his act and was bragging about a new girlfriend.” She looked at the detective. “Allegedly.”

  At this news, Angie perked up.

  Detective Withers continued, “Travis thought if he got Gus involved with the stolen guns, there was a better chance Gus wouldn’t squeal about Travis’s drug business.”

  “Oh what a tangled web we weave,” Larraine said.

  “But why did Travis kill Gus?” Susannah asked.

  “Owen says they got into an argument when Gus was trading out Angie’s gun. That’s why Angie’s gun was found at the scene. Owen knew the gun was still in Gus’s car, and he was trying to sneak it out when one of the other officers found him. He pretended he had just found it on the ground.”

  “I wish I could jerk a knot in his tail,” Keit
h said, “but it’s too late.”

  Susannah picked at her lasagna. “How does Crystal fit into all this?”

  “She has a long history of drug abuse. That’s the real reason Travis left her. And according to Owen, she’s unstable. He claims she stalked Travis. She knew he was going to be at the scout camp and followed him there. Travis told Owen she was in a bad way, and he took her home. We don’t know anything else.”

  “What was she doing at Maggie’s?”

  The detective shook her head. “We have her in custody, but we can’t interview her. She’s not making much sense. She blames Maggie for breaking up her marriage. And she thinks it’s your fault, Dr. Shine, that Gus turned on them. Apparently, he was able to wean himself off the drugs because your manipulation of his knee cured his pain.”

  “And he got murdered for it.” Larraine shook her head sadly. “This is just a lot to digest.”

  “All to make a few bucks.” Susannah sat down and put her fists under her chin. “But why was Crystal at Owen’s house yesterday?”

  “Owen claimed that Crystal was now stalking him and asking him for money to buy drugs. Travis’s funeral set her back a pretty penny. When she saw you there, she lost it.”

  There was silence around the table. The detective took her leave, and as Susannah returned from seeing her to the door, Angie was serving Bitsy another piece of lasagna.

  Holding her fork poised for attack, Bitsy said, “I told you Crystal was a few M&M’s short of a pack.”

  Laughter erupted from around the table, and Bitsy held up her fork and smiled.

  Susannah looked around the table, happy that her family was together again.

  <<<<>>>>

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  Angie’s Italian Frittata

  Ingredients

  2 tablespoons olive oil divided

  ½ pound Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

  1 small onion, chopped

  1 red or green bell pepper, chopped

  3-4 small red potatoes, thinly sliced

  1 teaspoon sea salt

  ½ teaspoon pepper

  8 large eggs

  1-2 cloves garlic, sliced thin or pressed

  2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves

  Instructions

  Pre-Heat Oven to 350 Degrees

  In a large (15-inch) oven-proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook the sausage and potato over medium heat, stirring frequently to keep potato from sticking. Break sausage into 1-inch pieces (or smaller)with your spatula, until browned, about 5 minutes.

  Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Saute the onion and peppers over medium heat, (scraping up any bits of potato or sausage from the bottom of the pan) until very soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes.

  Add garlic and stir.

  Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon salt until the yolk and whites are very well combined.

  Season the mixture with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and arrange the veggies in an even layer. Reduce the heat to low and pour the eggs over the sausage and vegetables, making sure the pan is evenly coated with eggs. Cook until the sides are set and there’s just a shallow layer of uncooked eggs on the top, about 5 minutes.

  Sprinkle the oregano over the top, if using, and transfer the pan to the broiler. Cook for 2 minutes, until the top is cooked and beginning to lightly brown. Remove from the oven and allow the frittata to sit in the pan for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

  Cut into wedges and serve alone or on Italian bread.

  Larraine’s Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese.

  INGREDIENTS

  1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, plus more for baking dish

  1 lb. gluten-free pasta (Use any short type, elbow, penne, bowties, shells)

  1/2 c. gluten-free flour

  5 c. whole milk

  1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

  Freshly ground black pepper

  3 c. shredded cheddar

  2 c. shredded Gruyère

  1 1/2 c. grated Parmesan, divided

  1 c. gluten-free bread crumbs

  3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

  Freshly chopped parsley, to garnish

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the boiling water.

  Meanwhile, pour milk into a small/medium saucepan and heat over low heat.

  In another large pot melt 6 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for about 2-3 minutes until smooth.

  Whisk in hot milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly until sauce slightly thickens. Turn off heat and stir in all the shredded cheese. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

  Cook pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the directed time on package, because the noodles will continue to cook in the oven.

  Drain pasta and combine with the cheese sauce and pour into a baking dish.

  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and combine it with the panko. Sprinkle over the macaroni and cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and the crumbs are lightly golden.

  Angie’s Pepperoni Lasagna with Marinara sauce

  Ingredients

  1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles

  4 cups ricotta cheese

  ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

  4 eggs

  salt and pepper to taste

  1 teaspoon olive oil

  3 cloves garlic, minced

  1 (32 ounce) jar pasta sauce

  1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

  1 (16 ounce) block of whole milk mozzarella cheese halved. Dice one half, shred the other.

  ¼ stick pepperoni cubed

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and lay lasagna flat on foil to cool.

  In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, diced mozzarella, pepperoni, Parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper; mix well.

  In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and saute garlic for 2 minutes; stir in spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. Heat sauce until warmed through, stirring occasionally, 2 to 5 minutes.

  Spread 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x13 baking dish. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spread half the ricotta mixture over noodles; top with another noodle layer. Pour 1 1/2 cups of sauce over noodles, and spread the remaining ricotta over the sauce. Top with remaining noodles and sauce and sprinkle mozzarella over all. Cover with greased foil.

  Bake 45 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and top is golden.

  Glossary

  Fall Festival – A fair or festivities centered on harvest/autumn themes. May feature hayrides, pumpkin decorating, scarecrows, and such. Popular at elementary schools in Georgia as fundraisers.

  Gavone – Literally gluttonous eater. Used to mean someone who is low class, inappropriately dressed, or rude.

  Ghostface – Ghost mask worn in the movie Scream, with an ultra-long open mouth.

  Madonna – Used to express shock. Invokes the Virgin Mary, so it better be shocking.

  Madonna mia – As above.

  Mamalukes – Dumb, idiot.

  Mangia – Eat.

  Mannaggia – Damn / Cursing.

  Puttanna – Loose woman.

  Trunk-or-Treat – A variation on Trick-or-Treat where a large parking lot is filled with cars that are decorated for Halloween. Children dressed in costumes go from car to car asking for candy using the phrase ‘Trick-or-Treat’. This is in lieu of having children go door to door.

  About the Author

  Cathy Tully is the pen name of E.C. Tully, a
chiropractor and writer. She writes the Dr. Susannah Shine ChiroCozy Mystery Series. She lives in Georgia with her husband and rescue cats.

  You can connect with me on:

  https://ectully.com

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  Also by Cathy Tully

  Cathy Tully’s Dr. Shine Cracks the Case is Book #1 in the Dr. Susannah Shine ChiroCozy Mystery Series. A light-hearted cozy mystery featuring quirky small-town characters, southern charm, and recipes.

  Dr. Shine Cracks the Case

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KPHRYV7

  A corpse, a chiropractor, and a cop.

  Life in small-town Georgia is the pits. When Dr. Susannah Shine finds the body of a local restaurateur on her doorstep, her cozy life in Peach Grove is flipped upside down. Going full gumshoe, the ex-NYC cop must unearth long-hidden secrets to track down the killer. Along with her peachy BFF, Bitsy, Susannah must hunt down a list of suspects while staying one-step ahead of the detective who’s accusing her of a murder she didn’t commit.