Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 02 - No Rest for the Wicked (11 page)

“
I really hope your sister and brother-in-law work things out,
”
she said.

“
Thank you. I’m sure they will.
”
Since they were both imaginary people, I knew I’d be able to manage them much better than I could manage Minnie.

As we wound our way out of the lush grounds of Meadowbrook, Minnie’s phone suddenly gave out with a spirited version of
“
Onward, Christian Soldiers.
”

“
Sorry.
”
Minnie located the phone after the second ring.
In hysterical tones
,
audible
to me, a woman’s voice reminded Minnie that ten apron-clad parishioners and one hundred pounds of donated hamburger awaited her at the New
Community
Church for instructions on the assembly of meatloaf suppers for the needy.
“
Just a minute.
”
Minnie covered the receiver and turned to me.
“
Serve, Save, and Sanctify Committee. I forgot all about it. What should I do?
”

“
You’re the chairman, right?
”
I was guessing about that, but the stricken look on Minnie’s face told me I’d scored a bull’s-eye.
“
Then you’d better go. They need you.
”

Still, she wavered for a couple of minutes—detective work beat hamburger and foil pans any day—but finally duty won out.

“
Drop me off at church. I’ll get a ride back to Alix’s later and catch up with you. Where’s some paper?
”
She scribbled her cell phone number on the back of a grocery list from her bag.
“
Call me right away if you uncover anything suspicious. Don’t do anything dangerous.
”

From the wistful expression on her face, I knew she really meant that I shouldn’t do anything dangerous without calling her first so that she could be in on it.
“
I won’t.
”

As it turned out, I might as well have spent the afternoon making meatloaf. Instead, I’d driven to Keith and Rita’s house without a real plan. No cars in their driveway, but I spotted a neighbor planting purple petunias across the street, so I pretended to be an old school friend looking for Keith and Rita. The nice lady said what a shame it was that they weren’t home, but they were visiting Keith’s family in Missouri. Keith, Rita
,
and the kids had left Juniper the day before the murder.

Even as I fumed about the time and trouble it would have saved if Tina had simply mentioned their trip, I knew that judgment wasn’t fair. She hadn’t known what we were after. Besides, whenever Minnie was involved, conversations rarely proceeded in a straight line.

My subsequent inquiries about the alibis of other real estate agents proved equally fruitless. As I turned at last toward the Wedding Belle to report in, I consoled myself by acknowledging we’d known that this
“
r
omantic
r
ealtor
”
notion was a long shot. Maybe the murderer was Colonel Mustard in the ballroom with the candlestick. Alix and Bianca’s hopeful looks turned to disappointment the minute they saw my face.

“
You said yourself it was a long shot,
”
I said.

“
Yeah, I know.
”

“
I should have gone with you,
”
Bianca grumbled.

“
So you could have done what?
”

“
I don’t know. Something.
”

Striving for a pleasant tone of voice, I answered her.
“
Well I did do something, Bianca. I found out that Rita and Keith Strand have been out of town this week. Stanley Wirth was involved in an all-day trial and Paul Moffitt just had knee surgery. Neither of them could have been the hypothetical jealous husband.
”

Bianca wasn’t yet willing to give up.
“
What about the agents themselves? A woman could have done this. Maybe he tried to rape one of them.
”

Alix shook her head.
“
Not his style.
”

“
Cindi Wirth was showing a ranch property clear over in Deschutes County that day and Tanya Moffitt was shepherding a bunch of agents from the Portland office around Juniper.
”

“
Maybe Tanya ditched them for a couple of hours,
”
Bianca said,
“
or Cindi got back to Juniper early. We could make Arnie fingerprint them or—
”

“
That idea’s just not going to fly,
”
I said.

“
You’re going to give up just like that? I can’t believe you’d leave Alix to—
”

“
Your mother’s right. There’s nothing to go on,
”
Alix said.

“
Well, okay.
”
Bianca flopped into a nearby armchair. Apparently, my assessment of the situation didn’t count, but if Alix said something, it must be right.

After a moment’s silence, Bianca spoke again.
“
So, Mom, what do we do next?
”

I felt sudden heat creep up my neck and across my face. Bianca had begged me to help, insulted me for not finding a murderer in two hours, and now was asking for my help again.
“
If you have a bright idea,
”
I began,
“
feel free . .
.
”

My daughter’s cavalier dismissal of my afternoon’s efforts stung. I reminded myself that she was young, and she was worried about our friend, but for once my pep talk didn’t help. Sometimes being a mother wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

Alix read my stiffness better than Bianca did.
“
You know what? Let’s take a break, give Arnie a crack at solving this thing. Stranger things have happened. L
ook, I appreciate your efforts
, Jane, but
it was a long shot, at best. Besides,
Tyler’s called a couple of times
, wondering whether you’re
coming back to the store today.
”

Tyler. That poor kid. I’d completely forgotten about his distress over his grandfather. Had that been only this morning? Things were moving way too fast.
“
Well, if you’re sure.
”
Alix didn’t
need
my help right now,
but
I had another friend who did.
“
You know where to find me.
”

Chapter 10

I flipped open my cell phone before reaching the car. No message from Nick, but I hadn’t expected one.
He was either busy with his client or, more likely, waiting to hear my response to his weekend plan.
Momentarily forgetting my
annoyance
with Bianca,
I
savored the wording
of
my answer
.
However,
after making my way through four messages from Tyler, my guilty conscience shoved Nick into second place.
How could I put aside
Tyler’s
evident distress from this morning any longer?
I’d be at
the bookstore
in five minutes. After I helped Tyler with
his grandfather
, I’d have plenty of time to think about Nick.

Expecting a distraught and downcast Tyler to rush me at the door of Thornton’s, I was pleasantly surprised to find him in animated conversation with three girls outfitted all in black when I walked in. I’d forgotten that students from the Juniper High School drama class would be here this week filming a re-enactment upstairs of my heroic exploits from last year. They seemed to be doing wonders for Tyler’s mood. No
anxiety or
ruffled feathers in evidence now. If anything, he was preening those same feathers at the feminine attention he was getting. He attempted a nonchalant,
“
Hi, Jane,
”
but his blush gave him away.

“
Done with the filming?
”
I asked.

When I received three identical nods from
girls with
heavily
made-up eyes, I disappeared tactfully into the office in an attempt to give Tyler the maximum scope to operate.
A
pparently
,
my presence had broken the spell though because I soon heard the front door open and close. In a couple of minutes, Tyler appeared at the office door.

I looked up from today’s invoices.
“
Sorry if I cramped your style. No wonder you liked the idea of the class coming to film at the store. They were cute.
”

“
Oh, get off it. It’s good publicity.
”
Tyler looked at the floor and cracked his knuckles, instantly reverting from teen heartthrob to nervous boy.

Sometimes I forgot he was only sixteen and subject to the insecurities that went with the age. Looking at the top of his blond head, I felt a sudden pang, Over the past year, he’d become like a member of my family. Would one of those cute girls break his heart? I decided against embarrassing him further.

“
So, how’d things go this afternoon? Sorry to leave you in the lurch, but I didn’t get your messages until just now.
”
I gave him the opportunity to bring up this morning’s scene
downtown in his own good time.

“
Fine. Minnie and Velda helped me clean up, we got four boxes of books … you know, the usual. I think maybe the screams from the filming upstairs kept some customers from browsing, even when I told
’
em about the filming, but it was a little noisy. Bianca called a couple of times later to update me about everything. She sounded steamed that you’re dropping the investigation.
”

“
Did she mention that Alix asked me to do just that?
”

“
She thought you could’ve put up more of a fight.
”

I pushed some bills around on the desk without seeing them.
“
Alix couldn’t think of a plan, but I was supposed to?
”

He put up his hands in a defensive gesture.
“
I’m just telling you—
”

“
I know.
Not your problem.
”
If that wasn’t a clear invitation to tell me what his problem actually was, I’d never given one. Nothing but silence. Fine. I
could
wait.
“
I’d better get caught up.
”
I
made my way
to the front of the store.

Tyler
trailed me
and handed
over
the bank deposit bag.
“
It’s just that Bianca and Minnie … well, all of us really … depend on you. And Alix, of course. We’re not trying to dump problems on you, but it’s like … we always know you can help.
”

No wonder I liked this kid.
“
That’s a comforting way of looking at it. Maybe you can help Bianca not to get ‘steamed’ when I don’t instantly fix everything.
”

“
Well, you know Bianca. She’s your daughter. It’s her job to give you a hard time, keep your brain from getting rusty.
”

“
Great. She’s got a talent for it. I’ll give her that.
”
I smiled at him.
“
Speaking of talent, did you ever consider a career in diplomacy?
”

“
I might, if my deal with the Red Sox doesn’t work out.
”
He shuffled his feet and looked inquiringly at me.
“
So Alix was really married to that guy?
”

“
Hard to believe, I know, but it was a long time ago.
”

“
But she’s in the clear, with the sheriff and everything.
”

“
Yes. And that’s just about all we know.
”

“
But we could investigate . .
.
”

“
T
hat’s what Minnie wants, and probably Bianca. If the book club gets into it, it’d be great publicity for Thornton’s, but,
”
I paused, unsure just how to say the next part,
“
well, Alix is pretty embarrassed about ever having been associated with him and she’s hoping
. .
.
”

“
.
. . that everybody in town doesn’t have to know about it, too.
”
Tyler finished my sentence and gave me a wry look. He knew all about trying to keep embarrassing family history private, given his mother’s continuing trouble with drugs and alcohol.
“
I’m cool with that.
”

“
Good. So let’s hope that, for once, Arnie can actually do his job.
”

“
What are the odds?
”

“
I know, but for now
, Alix wants us
to
let it rest.
Okay?
”
I motioned for him to join me in the cushioned chairs in the bay window.
“
It’s been a long day.
”

“
It sure has,
”
he agree
d.
“
Y
ou up for
one more
problem?
”

“
As long as you don’t pull a Bianca and snap if I can’t solve it instantly.
”
I was relieved to see that my mild joke provoked at least the ghost of a smile.

“
Check. No snapping.
”
He leaned forward and hesitated. At length his mouth settled into a grim line and he began.
“
There’s one thing. You have to promise you won’t tell my parents.
”

Uh-
oh. Not a good start. I answered carefully.
“
I’d like to say okay, but it depends. Are you in trouble? If it’s something they need to be aware of . .
.
”

“
I knew you’d say that.
”

“
Well, then . .
.
”
The silence stretched for several minutes while he made his decision.

When Tyler finally spoke,
his words caught me flat-footed.
“
I don’t want to go back.
”

“
To Nevada? I thought it’d been settled you’d stay here through high school.
”

“
It’s Mom. Now she’s been clean a couple of months, she wants me back.
”

“
I see.
”
My heart ached for this nice kid. How he’d turned out so well after spending the first fifteen years of his life with his screwy parents was beyond me. I was just grateful that he’d found a good home here in Juniper.

“
No, you don’t. You’re a parent. You probably think my parents should decide, but Dad’s halfway around the world and Mom’s … well, she’s still Mom. I’m not going back.
”

“
I can’t believe … why, your grandfather loves having you here.
”
My words came faster as I thought through the situation.
“
Is that what’s worrying you? Laurence won’t let you go, not if you don’t want to. Besides, you’re old enough to have a voice in this.
”

“
You still don’t understand. I think there’s something wrong with Grandpa. He’s getting senile, or he’s got Alzheimer’s or something.
”

“
Laurence?
”
I felt like laughing at the very idea, but there was no mistaking the genuine fear etched on Tyler’s face.
“
He’s one of the sharpest eighty-year-old men you’ll ever find.
”

“
That’s what I thought, but you don’t know what he’s been doing lately. If Mom gets even a hint that he’s losing it . .
.
”

“
You’re getting way ahead of yourself. Let’s back up and go through this one step at a time.
”
I stood up, relieved that the problem appeared
to be a
simple matter of reassurance.
“
Know what? There’s some Coke in the office fridge and I could use some tea while you tell me why you think your grandfather is ‘losing it’.
”
As I casually made my way back to the office, Tyler dogged my steps, his words coming fast now that he had decided to talk.

“
Grandpa’s started acting weird over the last few weeks. Maybe he had a little stroke or something, I don’t know
.
A
ll of a sudden, he’s different. He grabs the phone before I can get to it, acts all sneaky and stuff, like today. And he’s starting to fill a drawer with those dumb sweepstakes entries. He never did that before, and he’s trying to keep me from seeing them.
”

“
Lots of people like entering those sweepstakes. It can be harmless.
”
Even as I said it, I remembered Dr. McCutcheon’s warning that a senior’s sudden preoccupation with sweepstakes entries sometimes masked a larger problem.
“
S
ure you’re not letting your imagination run away with you after hearing that talk? You know, blowing things out of proportion.
”

“
I didn’t imagine a phone call he got at home this morning. He closed the door and talked real low, but I could hear part of it, something about a meeting at ten. I didn’t want him to think I’d noticed anything, so I left real early to open the store. Soon’s I got here, I called him about Mrs. Phillips’s special order.
The Illustrated History of Wood Ducks
is out-of-print, but we can get it from the publisher for forty-nine-ninety-five. He told me to order it and not to bother him at home with any more fool questions.
”

“
W
hat’s the problem?
”

“
Don’t you see? By calling from the store, I let him know the coast was clear for his secret meeting. While we were talking, I set out the chairs for the SOS group. Then I locked up again, sneaked home, and followed him downtown. That’s when you saw me.
”

“
Ah, yes, for your mirror trick. Forget the career as a diplomat and go straight to the CIA. So he met someone downtown. I still don’t see—
”

“
After you left, that man seemed to be threatening Grandpa, poking him in the chest even.
That’s when I got scared and came out of the alley.
”
Tyler clenched his fists as he recounted his movements, but then his shoulders slumped.
“
The guy saw me coming and all of a sudden he made tracks down the sidewalk the other way. Grandpa turned toward me before I could jump back into the alley.
H
e wanted to know what I was doing downtown when I was supposed to be opening the bookstore. Told me he wasn’t paying me to be irresponsible, stuff like that.
”
Tyler chucked the empty Coke can with unnecessary force into the recycle box.
“
I couldn’t tell him what I was really doing, so I just let him think I was goofing off.
”