Bring Home the Murder (5 page)

 

Chapter 7

I
n the middle of the week, Meggie drove into town determined to search out information. Too many unexplainable events had happened since she arrived at the farm. Too many events to ignore.

Pine Lake Library was housed in one of the earlier brick buildings in Pine Lake. It sat across the street and two blocks down from the Legion Club. Meggie pulled the door open and quietly closed it behind her.

Maud Nelson, the librarian, sat behind a desk near the checkout counter and tucked a gray hair into the bun at the back of her head. She stood up, smoothed her dress down and carried a short stack of books through a door directly behind the counter.

Meggie waited at the checkout area and glanced around the library. The building appeared deserted except for a young woman who slumped in a chair near the back of the room and paged through a magazine.

When Maud returned from the storeroom she moved aside a stack of DVDs on the counter in front of her and clasped her hands together. “Hello, Meggie. How are you?”

“I'm fine. Who wouldn't be on a nice day like today?” Meggie shifted her weight from one foot to the other and settled her purse over her shoulder.

“How can I help you?” Maud's right eye twitched. “I wouldn't think you had much time to read these days.” She leaned over the counter. “Francis Johnson stopped in the other day and told me you were housesitting a hobby farm near Bluff.”

“News travels fast, doesn't it?” Meggie knew Maud Nelson liked to keep the small town grapevine swinging. “Actually, I'm looking for information on a person who disappeared several years ago from the Bluff area. It might be a long shot, but I know in the past this library stored old newspapers in the back room. The library in Bluff is closed for renovation so I couldn't check there.”

“Do you have a date in mind?”

Meggie shook her head. “I really don't know the exact date but I believe he went missing about eight or nine years ago.”

Maud glanced around the room, leaned over the counter for a second time and whispered, “You don't mean Fred Jackson? He went missing about the same time as Amelia Schmidt.”

“Yes. Fred Jackson.” Meggie blinked. “Who's Amelia Schmidt?”

Maud smirked and kept her voice low. “Some believe Mr. Jackson and Mrs. Schmidt ran off together.” She straightened up and waved her hand in dismissal. “But you know how some people around here like to talk.”

Meggie rubbed the back of her neck. “I most certainly do.”

Anyway,” Maud's heavy-lidded eye squinted, and she pursed her lips. “I believe Fred and Amelia went missing about the same time as the Foxville bank robbery.” She tapped her forefinger on the counter. “Wait right here.”

She turned around and walked back into the storeroom. A few minutes later she returned and set several newspapers in front of Meggie. “You should be able to find something in one of these. I always make it a point to save newsprint that reports important events in the area.”

Meggie carried the newspapers to a corner table, pulled out a chair and sat down. She looked at her watch. There was little time before she needed to head back to the farm. She slid her chair up to the table and unfolded the first newspaper. The front page headline shouted, “Bank Robbery in Foxville.”

The headline jogged her memory. She recalled hearing about the robbery at one time but the details of the crime escaped her. Before reading the article about the bank robbery, she scanned the newspaper for a missing persons report on Fred Jackson, but found none. She looked the paper over a second time but still had no luck in finding any mention of Fred Jackson.

The second newspaper, dated a few days later, reported no missing persons but new information turned up on the Foxville bank robbery. A witness had stated she had seen a silver motorcycle leave the scene of the crime, but no arrests had been made.

Meggie frowned, set the newspaper aside and picked up the last newspaper. Her eyes moved up one column and down another on the first page in search of any news about Fred, but she came up short.

On the second page she hit pay dirt. A short paragraph at the bottom of the first column reported Fred Jackson missing. The authorities asked anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to please come forward. She found no mention of Amelia Schmidt.

Meggie leaned back in her chair and drummed her fingers on the table top. Why would Fred Jackson just up and leave his house? Who was Amelia Schmidt and why did people think they ran off together? While someone had reported him missing, why had no one reported her missing?

If she guessed right, there must have been gossip about Fred and Amelia before they disappeared. Small-town busybodies had a way of distorting and twisting facts. The rumors about the two of them undoubtedly fueled the gossipmongers. Before anyone could stifle the falsehoods, they were accused of having an affair.

Meggie was all too aware how small town gossips worked. They had no boundaries and delighted in spreading lies to neighboring towns via friends, relatives, and even strangers.

When Fred and Amelia disappeared around the same time, it cemented the belief in those narrow minds that the two were having an affair and had run off together. On the other hand, the rumors could be true. They may have proved the gossipmongers right and done just that.

Meggie leaned her head against the palm of her hand and closed her eyes. There were too many unanswered questions. She knew her insatiable curiosity had landed her in trouble more than once. But if her questions were to be answered, she needed to find out more about Amelia. She folded the newspaper, set it on top of the others and slid her chair back.

At the check-out counter she handed the newspapers to Maud. She thanked her and turned to go but halted when the librarian asked in a low voice, “Did you find what you were looking for?”

Meggie lifted her shoulders. “The newspapers were helpful but I still have unanswered questions.”

Maud crooked her finger and motioned Meggie closer. “It's possible one of Fred's hired hands bumped Fred off.”

“Are you thinking of anyone in particular?”

Maud nodded. “I don't know the man's name, but he walked with a limp. He came into the library with Fred one day. I didn't trust him from the get-go. He gave me the heebie-jeebies.”

Meggie didn't know what to make of Maud's information. “Did you tell anyone about your suspicions?”

“I mentioned it to one of the deputies at the Law Enforcement Center. He told me a man couldn't be arrested for giving someone the heebie-jeebies.”

Meggie concealed a giggle and glanced at her watch. “I better hurry. The animals are waiting for me.”

 

Chapter 8

T
he next day a hummingbird beat its wings and hovered over the front porch feeder. It sucked at the red nectar then flitted away. Meggie closed her eyes against the sun. Her breathing slowed and a calmness descended over her.

Her mind wandered to the Caribbean Sea, a cruise ship, and the vacation she always dreamed of but had never taken. She could feel the ship's deck beneath her feet, the wind in her hair and the sun on her face.

The phone rang and her daydream crashed. She pushed herself out of the rocking chair and rushed into the house to answer it. “I would never get Walter aboard a cruise ship anyway,” she mumbled to herself.

Meggie snatched the handset from the cradle and found herself pleasantly surprised to hear Shirley on the other end of the line. Her friend had not been home the day she called to invite her to lunch. She never returned her call and didn't answer the several voice messages left for her.

More than once the thought crossed Meggie's mind that perhaps Shirley planned to keep a low profile while she housesat at the farm. She understood her friend's feelings and why she wanted nothing to do with housesitting. Shirley had become involved in more than one of Meggie's unpleasant housesitting adventures.

Meggie carried the phone into the living room and sat down in the armchair. She listened as Shirley apologized for not returning her calls. Her friend faulted Bill, her husband, for not telling her about the calls. She went on to say that Bill erased the messages before she could listen to them.

The conversation turned to the hobby farm. Meggie thought about confiding in her friend about the bizarre incidents that had taken place since she arrived, but thought better of it.

After several minutes of catch up, Shirley invited Meggie to ladies night at Billy's on the Bay. She offered to pick her up at the farm and act as designated driver. “I'll spend the night at the farm if you'll invite me, but you need to promise you won't involve me in anything life-threatening.”

Meggie laughed and promised she wouldn't intentionally put her friend in harm's way. “You'll be safer spending the night here than driving back to Pine Lake so late. It sounds like fun.” She leaned her head back on the chair and rubbed her eyes. “I think I'm ready for a break.”

Plans were made for girls' night out, and later that afternoon Shirley's bright red Taurus careened down the driveway. It made a U-turn in front of the house and abruptly came to a standstill, dust clouded around the car. Shirley honked the horn a couple times and shouted from inside the car. “Get a move on or we'll miss two for one.”

Meggie pulled the front door closed, hurried across the porch and down the steps. She slid into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. “Give me a break. I accomplished quite a lot since you called. The eggs are collected, washed and in the refrigerator. The chickens are ready to roost, and the pigs are securely latched in their sleeping quarters.”

Shirley narrowed her eyes. “Their sleeping quarters?”

“Molly grew tired of chasing pigs so she devised a pig-proof pen. She bought a large folding dog kennel at a garage sale and set it around the outside of their hut. At night a padlock is slipped on the kennel door.”

A puzzled look crossed Shirley's face. “Why the padlock?”

“The pigs learned how to lift the latch on the kennel gate with their snout. You wouldn't believe how smart those porkers are. Molly told me they chewed through the fence one time. They even tried to dig and root their way to freedom.”

Meggie recounted the night of the storm and how she forgot to slip the padlock on the kennel gate. The pigs took advantage of her forgetfulness and broke free. As Meggie's story unfolded and she came to the part about falling in the rain-soaked muck, Shirley started to giggle.

“What's so funny?”

“Remember when I said Walter should put you on a short leash? Maybe a harness would be better.”

Meggie laughed in spite of herself and visualized the scene, down on all fours in the muck and slime with a harness strapped on. “You're too funny. By the way, I left the horses in the pasture. You promised we'd be home early.”

“Don't worry. I see no reason why we won't be home in time to bring the horses in for the night. We'll have time to do whatever it is you do before putting them to bed.” Shirley's eyes gleamed. “Tonight will be my first lesson in horse care. I have a lot to learn about them and farm life in general.”

After driving a short distance, Shirley glanced at Meggie. “By the way, Walter dropped off the hornet spray at my house on his way to work. You have hornets on the farm?”

“It's for self-defense.” Before Shirley could make a snide remark Meggie continued, “They say it works better than pepper spray.”

Shirley rolled her eyes. “I might believe some of the daft ideas you come up with if I knew who ‘they' were.”

When Meggie and Shirley arrived at Billy's on the Bay, the parking lot overflowed. Shirley circled the area a couple of times then spotted a car backing out of a parking space close to the front of the restaurant.

Another driver faced Shirley and waited for the same space. As soon as the car backed out and drove off, Shirley pulled in ahead of him.

“Shirley,” Meggie scolded. “You just stole this space from that driver.”

“First come, first served.” Shirley turned the car off and glanced sideways at Meggie. “Don't worry, he'll find another place to park.” She tilted the rearview mirror, applied a bright shade of pink lipstick and smacked her lips. “By the looks of this parking lot you would think no other establishment offered two for one. Either that or there's some thirsty ladies around.” She grabbed her purse and turned toward her friend. “Let's hit it.”

Once inside the restaurant it became apparent that Billy's on the Bay had become quite popular. Meggie looked around the eating establishment and suggested they sit in the bar area. “I had no idea it would be this busy. With all these guests we'll be lucky to make it home before dark.”

“Let's hope the service in the bar area will be faster than in the dining room.” Shirley started for a table and quipped over her shoulder, “We'll be closer to the bar. I hope their Shirley Temples are good.”

 

 

Later when they left the restaurant, the sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon. “I'm really sorry, Meggie. Who would have guessed it would take us this long for a couple drinks and dinner?”

“Don't worry about it. Molly told me she's been working with the horses to come when called. If we're lucky, they'll be close to the barn by the time we reach the farm. It won't take long to tuck them in.”

“Afterward you'll fix me a cold gin and tonic and we'll spend a quiet evening on the farm, right?”

 

Chapter 9

W
hen they arrived at their destination and turned into the driveway, the car's headlights split the black wall in front of them. No welcome lights shone from inside or outside the house.

The women navigated in the dark and slowly made their way to the front door. Meggie slipped the house key into the lock, reached in and flipped the light on in the entryway.

“Where am I going to sleep?” Shirley asked and followed her friend inside.

“You can have the small bedroom,” Meggie moved up the staircase ahead of Shirley. “There's no bathroom upstairs so you'll have to use the one off the master bedroom on the first floor. I know it's not very convenient.” Meggie stopped and turned around. “If you want to be closer to the bathroom, I could bunk on the couch in the family room and you could sleep in the master bedroom.”

“Don't worry about me. The upstairs bedroom will suit me just fine. You know, I've never stayed on a farm before.” She paused. “Actually, I've never had the desire to, and I certainly don't have it on my bucket list like some people I know. But I am looking forward to it.”

Shirley puffed her way to the landing, threw a hand to her chest and paused to catch her breath. “I think I ate too many of Billy's French Fries.” She continued into the bedroom and set her bag down by the bed. She strode toward the window. “It looks like we might have a little natural light after all. I see the moon peeking out from behind some clouds.”

“Moonlight would be nice. We better hurry. I'll feel better once the horses are rounded up.” Meggie glanced down at the sandals on Shirley's feet. “You better change into your walking shoes. You did remember to bring them, didn't you?”

Shirley screwed up her face. “Of course I did. Give me a little credit, will you?”

A short while later the women walked along the fence line near the house, armed with flashlights. Few trees stood in this pasture which made it easy to spot the horses during the daytime. Not so at night.

Meggie halted, swept the flashlight from side to side and called the horses by name. She waited a short time and called again. When the horses didn't respond both women headed toward the back pasture near the barn.

When they reached the back fence, Meggie's hopes were dashed. Black and Beauty were nowhere to be seen. She cupped her mouth and called the horses by name, but after several attempts it became obvious they weren't in any hurry to come in.

“You better give them another holler.” Shirley slapped a mosquito on her face and another on her arm. “These blasted mosquitos are on the attack.”

“Let's go look for the horses. I don't think I should leave them out there.” Meggie turned her flashlight on Shirley.

“Look for them?” Shirley threw her arm out and pointed. “Out there? In the dark?”

“You can wait for me in the house if you'd rather. I don't mind going alone.” Meggie strode to the gate and opened it. “Coming or not?”

Shirley glanced back toward the house then aimed her flashlight in front of her and marched through the gate.

“Watch out for the meadow muffins,” Meggie warned.

“Meadow muffins?” Shirley faltered. “Are they any relationship to cow pies?”

“Yup, they sure are. Cousins, I think.”

The moon hung from a black-blue sky and spilled light across the pasture. Frogs croaked from the nearby swamp and in the distance a coyote howled. They hadn't gone far when Meggie nudged Shirley with her elbow and pointed. “There's a brook up ahead. Over there through the trees. We'll check it out when we go riding.”

Meggie marveled at nature's night sounds. Did senses heighten when the sun went down? She started to voice her thoughts when she sensed a presence nearby.

She halted and swept the flashlight all around. Several yards to her right stood an impressive white horse. The animal turned its head toward her, tossed it in the air and galloped off.

“How did that horse get in this pasture? There must be a gate I don't know about or a broken fence.”

“What horse? What are you talking about?”

“You're telling me you didn't see that white horse over there?” Meggie beamed the flashlight on the spot where the horse had been.

“No, I didn't see any horse. I didn't hear one, either.” Shirley paused. “You must have imagined it. Let's get going.”

“I didn't imagine anything. It stood right over there, looked at me and then galloped toward that hill up ahead.” Meggie thought about Fred's white stallion and her stomach tingled. She desperately needed Shirley's reassurance, but her friend was adamant. She had not seen a white horse.

Meggie dropped the subject. She raised her hands to shout for Black and Beauty then lowered them. “Did you see that?”

“See what?” Shirley whined and stepped closer to Meggie.

Meggie pointed straight ahead. “A light flashed over there on the other side of that hill.”

“No, I didn't see any light but I'm beginning to get the creeps.” Shirley lowered her voice and whispered. “Let's go back home. The horses must want to spend the night in the pasture or they would've come back to the barn. It won't hurt them to sleep outside, will it? I mean horses should be okay doing that.”

“I'm going to check out that light.” Meggie quickened her step. “We're not far from the base of the hill.”

“Listen, friend,” Shirley hurried to catch up with her. “You promised a pleasant evening after two for one, but here we are trekking across a field in the dark.”

Meggie shushed Shirley and lowered her voice. “It's not dark, we have our flashlights, and there's a moon. Don't you think it's odd someone would be out in the middle of a pasture at night flashing a light around?”

Shirley panted. “I think it's odd you and I are out in the middle of a pasture at night flashing our lights around. But then I remind myself who I'm with and it all seems perfectly normal.”

Meggie ignored Shirley's jibe and continued on her way until she reached the base of the hill. She extended an arm in front of her friend and whispered. “Listen. Do you hear that grating sound?”

“Yes, I hear it,” Shirley's voice shook. “It sounds like someone's digging.”

“I'm going to find out what's going on. Why don't you wait here for me?” She turned her flashlight off and handed it to Shirley. “Turn your flashlight off and don't make a sound. I don't want whoever it is to know we're here.”

Shirley began to object but Meggie held her finger to her lips and shook her head. “I won't be long,” she whispered.

After a short distance, the ground gradually inclined. Meggie leaned forward, put one foot in front of the other and trekked upward. Part way up the knoll she heard footsteps and a clinking noise behind her. She looked back at a dark shape clamoring up the hill after her. She might have been scared, but Shirley's voice quelled that.

“You're not leaving me.” Shirley took a deep breath. “If you think I'm hanging out down there by myself . . .”

“Come with me but we have to be quiet.” Meggie reached for her flashlight. “Let's go.” She crouched low, slunk up the hill for a few feet then dropped to all fours and crawled.

Near the hilltop she flattened herself on the ground. She pushed her feet against the rocky soil and inched her way up until the top of her head was level with the hilltop. Shirley slithered in beside her.

“Hey, Sarge.” Shirley rested her head against the rocky soil and gulped air. “I did good, right?”

Meggie smiled and patted Shirley on the back. She slowly raised her head until she could see over the hill. Her eyes surveyed the surrounding area and settled on an imposing black figure several yards away near a copse of trees. A light shone on the ground beside him.

The brawny figure bent over and thrust a shovel into the ground. He straightened up, flung the shovel's contents on the ground beside him then plunged it further into the earth.

Meggie had seen enough. She tapped Shirley on the shoulder and pointed toward the farmhouse. In a whisper she directed her to start down the hill, but cautioned her to go slow. If they could reach the bottom of the hill without arousing suspicion they had it made.

Meggie drew in her stomach, pushed against the ground with her hands and squirmed backwards. After several feet she pushed herself to all fours and crawled backwards.

But when Shirley attempted to push herself up on all fours, her right foot slipped and dislodged several rocks. They clattered down the hill.

Meggie experienced a quick intake of breath. She grabbed her friend's arm and lay still. The digging stopped. A hush fell over the hillside. Seconds later light flashed above them, moved from one side of the hill to the other.

“You should have brought your hornet spray!” Shirley hissed.

As if manna from heaven, the digging resumed. Meggie let out a long breath and raised her eyes heavenward. She rolled over onto a grassier area, crawled backward until she could stand without being seen and hurried down the slope.

When Shirley reached the base of the hill she bent over, hands on her knees. “I need to catch my breath,” she panted.

Meggie gave her friend time to recuperate then grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along. “Let's get out of here. We'll have to forget about the horses. They're on their own tonight.”

When they finally stumbled up to the pasture gate near the barn, they were shocked to see Black and Beauty waiting for them.

Shirley groaned and threw up her hands. “You've got to be kidding me. All that and the horses were here all the time? My first lesson in horses and what did I learn? How to survive a brush with Indiana Jones.”

But Meggie couldn't have been happier to see Black and Beauty. At least she wouldn't spend the night worrying about them. On the other hand, she anticipated little sleep after this late night escapade.

 

 

The next day after Shirley had gone home, Meggie glanced through the kitchen window. If she hurried she might be able to catch the sunset. She wiped the counter, tidied up the kitchen and put on her summer loungewear.

From the refrigerator she pulled out the pitcher of iced tea she made earlier and poured a tall glass. She carried it to the front porch and set it down on the little table next to the rocking chair.

But before she sat down, she scooped up a cupful of sunflower seeds from a metal container and poured them into the bird feeder. That done she collapsed in the rocking chair, threw her feet on the footstool, and sat back to enjoy the sun's spectacle.

Nature didn't disappoint. The sun glowed on its descent below the horizon and left in its wake a palette of vibrant colors splashed across the sky, hues in reddish-orange and shades of violet. But the awesomeness of nature could not dispel the unease that spread over Meggie's being.

She never believed in ghosts. They were made up, Halloween characters. Even now after all the unusual goings-on she couldn't bring herself to admit they existed. She didn't want to believe this farm was haunted, but how could she explain away the cigar and cologne smells? How could she explain the chill in the air near the old well when the thermometer hovered around eighty degrees? The white horse and all the other incidents?

Why did she hesitate to tell anyone about the strange occurrences that had taken place? Was she afraid people would think she believed in the supernatural? Her mind whirled with unanswered questions. Uncertainties she didn't want to think about.

The evening wore on. Her mind calmed, and she reposed deep in thought. The glass of iced tea sat untouched and grew warm on the table next to her. She closed her eyes and dozed.

When she awoke the night had grown close with no breeze to relieve the stuffiness. The vibrant colors displayed across the sky had faded. The moon hung high in the sky and shadows appeared before her. Far off a dog barked.

Meggie stopped rocking and pushed herself up from the chair. As she turned toward the front door something flashed in the corner of her eye. A movement among the weeping willow branches. Her senses alert, she studied the towering tree but nothing stirred. Only still boughs draped amid the shadows.

A shaky laugh escaped her and she chided herself for being spooked. She turned away from the graceful tree but a force tugged at her and she turned back. The willow branches parted and a white horse appeared in a haze. The magnificent animal raised its front legs in the air, stood on its hind legs then dropped down and raced past the porch towards the backyard.

Meggie stood transfixed for several seconds unable to believe what had just happened. Adrenaline shot through her. She ran across the porch and down the steps. When she reached the backyard her eyes searched for the white horse but it had vanished.

She backed up, whirled around and ran into the house. A slight shiver trickled down her spine when she recalled Vera's words—“I believe he called him Cloud, a big white stallion.”

A short time later no lights burned in the little farmhouse. Meggie lay in bed, her head spinning. She pulled the sheet up to her chin and concentrated on happy thoughts. But soon a dark thought wormed its way in, crawled through her mind and whispered in her ear, “The horse made no sound.”