Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 02 - No Rest for the Wicked (10 page)

“
You’re right, Bianca.
”
Alix intertwined her long fingers in front of her on the table like a penitent schoolgirl, her embarrassment emblazoned across her cheeks.
“
I knew it all along. I should’ve told someone, but I just … just couldn’t face having that man investigated here, where I live. I hoped to learn where he was headed and contact the police in the next town he targeted, but, obviously, I never got the chance.
”

“
So starting the SOS group was your way of warning the people around Juniper without exposing yourself,
”
I interjected.
“
Pretty smart.
”

“
With Bianca and Minnie’s activist track record, I knew that once they got fired up about elder abuse, it’d generate a ton of local attention, which it has. I had him outfoxed temporarily. Thought the publicity would move him out of here fast.
”

Bianca was softening fast, her naturally tender heart overtaking her initial shock.
“
Well, I guess that makes sense. Too bad somebody killed him before he left though.
”

“
Sure is,
”
Alix said.
“
Could have saved everyone a lot of trouble. I don’t know who killed him, but late last night I had one idea. You won’t believe it when I describe a game he used to play, but it’s the best lead I can come up with.
”

Chapter 9

The more Alix told us about her ex-husband, the less I wondered at her sour attitude toward men. Bianca and I listened, incredulous, as Alix described Hunter’s game. He’d make an appointment with a female real estate agent to look at an expensive house and then seduce her during the tour. To make the contest interesting, he
looked for
agent
s
who were
attractive, married, and under the age of forty.

“
How did you find out about this … this game?
”
Bianca wanted to know.

“
He couldn’t wait to tell me about it when he saw I was really going to leave him. Wanted me to know what a big hit he was with other women. Told you he was a creep.
”

“
You think he might have tried that here?
”
I might be a generation older than Bianca, but I was just as na
i
ve about the existence of such a cruel personality.
“
I can’t believe anyone went for something so ridiculous.
”

“
Oh, believe it. He kept score. He was handsome as they come, and smooth. Took me a while to get past all that.
”
At my obvious skepticism, Alix gave a short laugh.
“
You’ve led a sheltered life. Anyway, I told you this was a long shot.
”

“
Mom, we have to do something, even if it sounds stupid. Besides, Minnie’s already on her way over here to help.
”
Bianca was back on board, her excitement building.
“
It’ll be like old times. The Murder of the Month Book Club rides again.
”

No point in dashing cold water on Bianca’s enthusiasm, but I’d do everything in my power to keep the whole gang from saddling up again. They had a tendency to ride off in all directions when they did. Still, Bianca’s words reminded me that Alix was in no immediate danger at the moment. Perhaps she would appreciate a show of support from her friends right now, even if that was all it amounted to.

Besides, people didn’t get murdered every day in our little town, so how long could it possibly take before the sheriff, even one as inept as Arnie Kraft, stumbled over a better suspect than Alix?
Far better to keep Minnie occupied chasing a long shot with me than causing even more trouble by striking out on her own.

* *
* *
*

The list of real estate agents who fit Hunter’s bizarre criteria was mercifully short. I thanked my lucky stars that Bianca was needed here to help Alix with
the details
of
an
imminent
wedding.
T
he
frantic
woman
I passed
on my way out
of
the
Wedding Belle
nearly ran me down. I’m not sure
she
even saw me.

“
T
he
color
of
the
programs
doesn’t match the bridesmaids’ hair ribbons,
”
she
wailed
.

Armed with the list and promising a report as soon as I knew anything, I left
Alix and Bianca
to their
task
.
Better them than me.
It shouldn’t take me long to check out the whereabouts of the several possible real estate agents on the day of the murder
,
and then I could honestly report that I’d done what I’d promised.

Minnie didn’t even bother coming inside when she arrived. She just stood on the front steps and announced,
“
Sorry that Velda couldn’t come, too. She needed to get home to her aunt.
”
She
turned and made straight for the passenger seat of my car without even waiting to be sure that I was ready to leave.

S
he
leaned forward like a racer in the starting blocks.
“
Keith Strand first, of course. I’ve never liked the way his hair waves so perfectly in front. He must do it with a hair dryer, and you know what they say about men who blow
-dry
their hair.
”

“
How did you know
I was on my way to see Keith
?
”
I didn’t ask what they said about men who blow
-dry
their hair
. Making sense of
Minnie’s conversation
was hard enough without adding extra topics.

“
Bianca called. Caught me just as I pulled up.
”
Minnie brandished her tiny new cell phone like a flag.
“
Handy. I should’ve had one years ago. Still haven’t figured out how to get rid of that new-fangled message feature. What are you waiting for? Let’s go.
”

“
I wanted to talk about keeping a low profile.
”

“
That’s why I didn’t bring Tyler. Velda was disappointed that she couldn’t come
,
either. I thought of bringing Wendell along,
too,
but I didn’t see how he’d help our cover story.
”

Neither did I, but, again, I chose not to muddy the waters by asking why she’d entertain the notion that a dog
’s presence
would add anything to the expedition. I’d stick to the point, assuming that Minnie had one.
“
You already have
a cover story
?
”

“
Why, bless your heart
. I’m good at this detective stuff. I’ll fill you in as we drive. Meadowbrook Realty.
”

I turned the key in the ignition, thinking just two words: damage control.

Minnie flipped open a red notebook, but she didn’t glance at her notes.
“
You’ve probably seen Rita Strand’s picture in the Meadowbrook ads. They always use her for publicity. Keith’s attractive too, if you like the type, but he doesn’t sell as much as she does. I hear she’s in a whole different category.
”

“
Where do you hear that?
”
I wasn’t looking for clues with the question. I was just curious. No one ever gossiped to me about real estate agents.

“
Here and there. Mostly church, I guess.
”

“
Any hint of trouble?
”

“
People say she’s better at her job, and you know how touchy men can be about that sort of thing.
”

“
What I meant was, have you ever heard anything about Rita running around?
”

“
She wouldn’t be that stupid. It’d hurt her sales.
”
Minnie spoke emphatically.
“
She and Keith have three of the cutest little boys you’ve ever seen. Keith dotes on them.
”

“
What about Rita?
”

“
Rita’s busy selling houses.
”

“
Now I see why you wanted to start with them.
”
I wasn’t about to bet money on the Keith and Rita Strand saga leading to anything other than a possibly frayed marriage, but if checking this out helped to calm Alix’s nerves, it was as good a way as any to kill time until the sheriff turned up the real killer. Since Arnie Kraft was barely capable of writing speeding tickets, let alone running a murder investigation, it wasn’t a particularly reassuring line of thought.

Also, having Minnie come along had complicated things. Given Minnie’s flair for the dramatic, I was afraid to ask myself just how much harm she could do. Best to roll with whatever cover story Minnie had concocted and hope for the best. It would all be over soon.

Meadowbrook Realty claimed the high ground in the middle of the Meadowbrook Golf Club and Country Estates complex.
Handy if you wanted to knock off a game of golf, stop by the clubhouse for a drink, and buy a mansion on the way home.

I’ll give her credit. Minnie did her best to be unobtrusive, but with her trademark floppy black hat and colorful scarves, she was difficult to ignore. I could only hope that the chic receptionist would take her for an eccentric movie star in need of an extra villa.

“
Mrs. Salter!
”
The receptionist sprinted around an acre of desk to hug Minnie.
“
I haven’t seen you since, well, it’s been years.
”

“
Tina. How wonderful to see you. Jane, this is Tina Wendover. She was one of my star Sunday school students.
”

Tina laughed, delighted to be recognized.
“
You’re being tactful. I haven’t seen you in years, but I know you’re remembering the day at chur
ch when I forgot my Bible verse
and cried.
”
She hugged Minnie again.
“
I was mortified, but you were so nice. You know what? I can still recite that verse: Psalms 30:5
.
‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.’ Too bad I couldn’t come up with it that day.
”

“
I’m sure nobody noticed,
”
Minnie said kindly.

“
Are you kidding? Bobby Varnette came next, and no one could hear a word he said over my sobbing. Boy, was he mad!
”
Tina turned to me and continued as though we were old friends.
“
I hid behind the stage until Mrs. Salter found me. She gave me a special sugar cookie that had my name frosted on it and said my posture had been the best of anyone in the program.
”

“
Impressive. Minnie doesn’t frost sugar cookies for just anyone.
”

“
Well, you do have wonderful posture,
”
Minnie said.

Belatedly, Tina recollected her professional obligations.
“
I haven’t even asked why you’re here.
”

I hoped Tina couldn’t hear the rusty sleuthing gears in Minnie’s head grinding into action.
“
Oh, that’s right. Jane’s sister is in the market for a new home, but she’s very particular. She needs a real estate agent who really knows what he or she is doing, maybe even a team of them so she could get both the male and female perspective. You don’t happen to have any married couples on staff, do you?
”
She peered over Tina’s shoulder as though expecting the required experts to pop out of the filing cabinet behind the desk.

“
As it happens, we do.
”
Tina didn’t seem at all put off by the ridiculous request, but since Tina had known Minnie from church, she probably wouldn’t expect her to be devious.
“
Keith and Rita Strand. Either or both of them would do a fine job.
”

“
But do they work well together?
”
Minnie asked.
“
Are they happily married?
”

Tina looked puzzled.
“
Happily married?
”

As a soother of bruised feelings, Minnie was a pro, but she was still feeling her way as a private eye.
“
Well, you see … Jane’s sister and her husband are having a bit of trouble, and—
”

“
Well, remember: ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.’
”
Tina’s eyes widened as she realized her little joke might offend me during this time of supposed family trauma.
“
Oh, I’m sorry.
”

I didn’t have any frosted sugar cookies on me, but I did what I could to let Tina off the hook.
“
Don’t worry. They’re not having that much trouble.
”

“
Thank goodness. I just meant … I’m sure everything will work out.
”

“
Of course it will,
”
Minnie said,
“
but they need to be surrounded by calmness. Yes, that’s right. Calmness is the key.
”

“
We’ll have my sister get back to them,
”
I said, taking the business cards Tina offered.
“
Wouldn’t that be a good idea, Minnie?
”

“
What? Oh, yes, yes. By all means.
”
Minnie’s gaze was focused on the cards. I knew that she was already plotting our next move, which—unless I could prevent it—would probably involve staking out the Strands’ house, crawling through their shrubbery, and hoping to catch at least one of them in the garage wiping off a bloody hatchet. I took Minnie by the arm and said a pleasant good-bye to the helpful Tina.