beyond the grave 03 - a ghostly demise (7 page)

“I guess we will deal with it then.” I shrugged and pushed off the door casing. “I’m going to see Vernon.”

“He’s gone. He’s done with the autopsy and the family has decided to use Burns Funeral. Bea Allen came over here to get him with O’Dell’s hearse.” Charlotte’s face dripped with a look of disgust.

“Well, isn’t it your job to talk with the family?” I reminded her of the role she had fought for when Granny retired.

Originally, I thought Charlotte and I would share the duties, all the duties. But Charlotte was too prissy to get her hands dirty. She rarely even went down to the morgue or up to the casket when a client was laid out in the viewing room.

“Since when did Bea Allen come back to town?” Charlotte asked as she picked at the pink polish on her fingernails.

“She’s just visiting while the election is going on. I think she’s going to do some campaigning for O’Dell. That’s why we need the sign.” I looked at my watch. Where was the day going? I still needed to get groceries for my romantic dinner with Jack Henry as well as go help Granny with the dinner crowd at Sleepy Hollow Inn. “I’ve got to go help Granny since she’s shorthanded, with Hettie Bell opening up the yoga studio.”

I left out the part about me having Jack Henry over for dinner because she wouldn’t have seen that as a priority.

“Fine,” Charlotte called after me. “But the sign goes down the minute the election polls close! You hear me, Emma Lee? One week! One week!” she screamed from the top of her pretty little head.

There wasn’t any need to respond to her rants. Charlotte Rae always thought she was right. It was Momma, Daddy, and Granny’s fault for letting her.

I let myself out the front door and decided to take my chances and walk across the square to the Inn. The carnival workers were almost done with setting up a few of the rides. The tilt-a-whirl was minus a few riding buckets, but I was sure I’d be on one tomorrow.

No matter what the age, everyone in Sleepy Hollow loved when the carnival came to town. There were a few tents set up. The one with the stage was where local bands would locate and play a set or two, plus the pergola was all dolled up with flowers for the pageant contestants to walk under. It was the time of the year when all the mommies dolled up their precious little girls in large, fluffy dresses, shiny shoes, big hair bows, high hair and spent all their money on dance lessons all for one little plastic trophy with Queen scrolled on the small silver plate.

Mary Anna had mentioned she was going to be busy doing the hair and makeup for them. She even said something about having to be fast so the little girls didn’t lash out and bite her.

I uncurled the note and tried to read it as I walked. There was a bunch of scribble that I couldn’t make out, but I clearly read something about a payday and Cephus’s collecting it. What did that mean? Payday?

“Emma Lee Raines, you sure have grown up to be a beaut.” The carnival guy stood on a ladder working on the dunking booth. “It’s me, Digger Spears.”

He jumped off and landed on his two feet. A smile crossed his face. He stood around five-foot-six (shorter than me) with a more-than-average muscular build. He wore one of those shirts with a Celtic cross on the front and jeans with man bling on it. Something you’d never see Jack Henry in and that made me glad.

“Digger Spears?” I squinted, recalling the shorter version of this Digger Spears. I put the note back in my pocket. “When did you get back in town?”

Digger and his family had left town when he was in high school. I think it was his senior year, but he was younger than me so I really never paid too much attention, though I did hear his family had moved back to Sleepy Hollow some time later without Digger.

Sleepy Hollow was so small, everyone knew everyone. Even the Digger Spearses of the community.

“I’m a world traveler now.” He rocked back and forth on his feet. Pride written on his face. He rubbed his brown, buzzed-cut hair. “I’m working with the carnival. Seen a lot of things. I love it.”

“Great for you, Digger.” I smiled, trying to hide my reaction to his lack of ambition. But who was I to judge. Maybe I would have joined the carnival if I didn’t have the luxury of running the family business. “I’ll be seeing you.”

I passed by with a wave.

“You do that, Emma Lee.” He waved. “Hey, is the Watering Hole still around?”

“It sure is,” I said over my shoulder.

“Maybe we can grab a drink while I’m in town,” he said.

“We’ll see.” I continued to walk, knowing good and well that I was going to steer clear of him.

I picked up speed and made it over to the Sleepy Hollow Inn in record time. The rocking chairs on the front porch were taken, which meant I was going to be busy and my hands were going to be really pruned for my date with Jack Henry. A lot of people meant there were a lot of dishes to clean.

“Where have you been?” Granny rushed around the kitchen, juggling different plates as she dipped out food on each one. “I’ve been running around like a madwoman.”

Granny handed over the full plates to one of her servers before she rolled up her sleeves and went knuckle deep into the homemade piecrusts she was making for the desserts.

“First I saved Terk Rhinehammer’s life.” I threw that in nonchalantly because I knew Doc Clyde would tell her about Terk’s choking episode and my involvement. Without her even telling me, I plunged my hands into the soapy, steaming-hot water and began to scrub the glasses that were submerged. “I’m not sure but I think little Digger Spears just hit on me.”

“Back up.” Granny stopped. She put her hand on the counter and leaned in. Flour flew up in puffs of smoke. “Terk Rhinehammer?”

“Yeah. Remember I went over to his neighborhood to do some campaigning for you.” I knew she wasn’t going to buy it though it was worth the shot. “And he happened to be choking. He asked me to take him to Doc Clyde. I think he has that smoker’s cough. I told him too.”

I went through the full routine of dishwashing. Submerge, scrub, submerge again, and run under the water faucet before putting it in the drying rack.

“Well, who is he voting for?” Granny asked.

“I wish I had a clear answer, but he wasn’t sure.” I wasn’t going to tell Granny Terk had mentioned that he was probably going to vote for O’Dell, in fear she would march over to Doc Clyde’s and finish off what Cephus had started.

I ran a soapy glass under the water faucet and put it in the drying rack.

“But since I saved his life and drove him to Doc Clyde, I think that means he owes us.” I grinned. “One vote for Zula Fae Raines Payne coming up.”

“Good girl.” Granny kneaded the dough, using her knuckles before flipping it and kneading the other side.

One of Granny’s young busboys from the community came in and told her a customer was asking for her.

“I can’t go out there. I’ve got to get these pies done.” She glanced at me. “Emma Lee, dear, go see who’s out there.”

“Fine.” I sighed and dried my hands and followed the kid out to the dining room.

Every table in the place was filled. The entire back wall of the room was ceiling-to-floor glass windows and had an amazing view of the mountainous backdrop and the caves. It was truly spectacular.

“Over there,” the boy said.

I followed down his arm and across his pointed finger to a table in the far corner. Leotta Hardy and a man. Someone I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t Terk Rhinehammer. I thanked the boy and made my way over to Leotta’s table.

“Hi, Leotta.” I put my hand on the back of her chair and faced the bald man. “Twice in one day. It’s so good you are getting out and about.”

“I had to pull her teeth to get her here.” The voice was familiar but the face wasn’t.

“I’m Emma Lee Raines.” I put my hand out. “My Granny owns the Inn.”

He jumped up and grabbed me, twirling me around like we were long-lost buddies.

“Hell, Emma Lee. I know it’s been awhile, but damn. It’s me, Teddy.” He sat me down and backed up to look at me.

Teddy had turned out to be a big boy. He stood about six-foot-four and weighed a good 250. His neck was as big around as an eighteen-wheeler tire.

“It’s my boy!” Cephus appeared in the seat next to Leotta. His arm curled around the back of her chair like they were on a date.

“Gosh, Teddy.” My eyes grew. “I didn’t recognize you. You have . . .”

“Gotten big!” Cephus’s voice escalated. “I never thought that boy was ever gonna grow.”

Teddy did a muscle pose with his arms before he did the whole bouncing pectoral move with his boobs. “I’m a wrestling champ. International.”

It was hard for me not to stare at each boob taking its turn bouncing up and down.

“Oh.” My brows lifted along with my mouth. “Impressive. I’m just the undertaker now. How long are you in town for?”

“I’m here for the carnival.” He put his hand on Leotta. “Plus I haven’t been able to get home to visit with Momma. And I guess I need to see that sister of mine.” He ran his hand over his bald head. “Not for a haircut either.”

Leotta’s thin lips got thinner as they stretched upward.

“I bet you wished your daddy was here to see you.” The words jumped out of my mouth before I could take them back. Teddy’s brows pushed together, creasing the skin between them. “I’m so sorry.” I put my hands in front of me. “I’ll go get Granny. It sure was nice seeing you Teddy. Bye, Leotta.”

“Why you rushing off?” Cephus kept pace with me as I made my way back to the kitchen. “Tell them I’m dead. Tell them I didn’t up and leave them. Tell them that Vernon Baxter murdered me.”

I ducked into the bathroom; Cephus followed.

“Whhhhhaat?” My heart fell to my feet.

“You heard me. Vernon Baxter killed me.” Cephus stood ramrod straight and was serious as a bear on a hunt for food.

“How do you know Vernon Baxter killed you?” I asked in a hushed whisper. Vernon Baxter of all men would be the last suspect on my list. “I’ve known Vernon for a while now. He wouldn’t hurt a flea.”

“He did.” Cephus’s jaw jutted out. Face was serious, hair still kinky curly. He tugged on his polyester taupe pants that ended at the laces perfectly tied on his white, patent-leather shoes. “He was trying to hit on my Leotta. The last thing I remember, I went over to his house. He was out in the garden when I confronted him. He denied it, but I knew he was lying. Leotta had confessed. Straight up told me to my face that she and Vernon had almost knocked boots.”

“Knocked boots?” I asked.

“You know.” Cephus put his hands out in front of him and gyrated his hips back and forth. “Ump momma, ump momma.”

My nose curled and I got all sorts of eww and images I didn’t want to have.

“His telephone rang and he went inside the house to get it. Next thing I know . . .” He snapped his fingers and did a little tap dance, ending with his hands and arms in a ta-da. “Here I am. Dead.”

“Not only Terk Rhinehammer was after Leotta, but Vernon Baxter too?” I asked, making sure I had it straight in my head.

“Yeppers.” He shook his head back and forth, not a curl or hair moved.

“I’ll put him on the list.” I took my phone out of my pocket and made a note along with the others. The list was getting long and Cephus was on my nerves. I had to get him to the other side before he really did drive me crazy, over the edge, to my breaking point.

“What about that cold Stroh’s?” he asked.

“We’ll see.” I opened the bathroom door just as Granny jumped out of the way.

“Who were you talking to?” There was a pensive shimmer of shadow in Granny’s eyes.

“Jack Henry.” I put my phone back in my pocket. “We have dinner plans after I’m done here.”

“Hmm.” Granny was smarter than your average bear. It was almost impossible to get anything by her. “Well, tomorrow night before the carnival, there is going to be a meet-the-candidate cookout for me. The girls”—by girls she meant Auxiliary—“are giving it. I expect you and Charlotte Rae to be there.”

“I will be, but I can’t promise Charlotte will stick around after work,” I warned.

“She better and you tell her I said so,” Granny warned before she went out to greet Leotta and Teddy. She turned back around. “Who is that with Leotta?”

“He’s my boy and he’s a wrastler.” Cephus put his hand out to “tap out.” I rolled my eyes.

“That’s little Teddy.” I tilted my head around the corner of the door to get another look. “Can you believe he’s not so little anymore? He is some sort of big-time wrastler.”

“Wrastler? What’s that?” Granny asked.

“Wrestler. Big-time wrestler.” I gave her a gentle nudge. “You go find out while I finish up the dishes. You are good at getting the gossip. Plus, Bea Allen isn’t around to try to talk Leotta into voting for O’Dell. Don’t forget to ask about Terk. Or Cephus. Go.”

The little encouragement about the election was all Granny needed to find out everything I needed to know about Teddy. I wanted to know what they really thought about Cephus’s being gone for five years.

It was another half hour before Granny made it back to the kitchen and I finished up the dishes. The Inn’s guests were finished dining and ready for their pie, scoop of ice cream, and a refill on their sweet tea or a hot cup of coffee.

“You wouldn’t believe the name Teddy has made for himself.” Granny took the sharp knife to cut nice and cute every single pie piece perfectly even. “He’s a star. Biggest star out of Sleepy Hollow. He’s tough as nails and just as sharp.”

Granny jumped around, doing some sort of karate move.

“Is that right?” Sarcasm dripped out my mouth. “That was karate. Not wrestling,” I pointed out about her move.

Somehow, I doubted Teddy was a star or even smart. At least I hadn’t seen him in any of the gossip magazines in the magazine aisle at Artie’s nor heard anything about him from Mary Anna until earlier today. Though I dare not tell Granny that. I was in no mood to hear an argument. I had to get to the grocery and get some dinner for me and Jack Henry. Time was ticking.

“Don’t believe me?” Granny pointed the knife at me. “I bet you get on that fancy phone of yours and check it out.”

“What did he say?” I thought I would appease her for a minute before I got to the good stuff about Terk and Cephus.