Goldy Schulz 01 Catering to Nobody (33 page)

We didn't say anything. I crossed my arms. It was time to go.

I said, "You know what Newman says to Redford in The Sting when they first meet? 'Revenge is for suckers.' " I was quiet for a minute before saying, "I have to tell Schulz you're the one. Unless you're ready to 'fess up."

Pom turned away from me completely. He put his hands on his hips and stared at the creek. He cleared his throat. I let him have his silence.

"I'm ready," he said after a moment. "The person I wanted to hurt is being punished. You don't need to turn me in. I can do that myself."

I touched his shoulder. He headed back to the cabin.

Later, although I could not say how much later, Tom Schulz was driving me out of the Aspen Meadow Wildlife Preserve in a police car. We bounced along the dirt road in silence. Despite all the excitement Arch had fallen asleep in the backseat within minutes.

The night was very still. Overhead, a sea of stars glittered. The moon was crossing to the west and the wind had died down. Or, I reflected, since it was near dawn and already All Saints' Day, the wind like everything else had given up the ghost.

"Guess you'll be getting back into the catering business," Tom finally remarked.

"Guess so," I replied, "since I don't need to worry about people coming along and dumping strange chemicals into people's drinks at my functions."

"You know," he said, "I had a feeling it was Pomeroy. Quiet people make me nervous."

"How'd you figure that out?"

"I thought I saw him. Couldn't be sure. It was right after you were talking real close to him, he bent over to put that net hat down and brought out the cleaner. Sometimes you don't arrest someone right away, especially when Murder One and a bunch of other stuff are a possibility at the same time. Anyway," he said with a self-satisfied smirk, "when you followed him I figured you knew he'd done it too, and that you could take as good care of him as I could."

"I thought you didn't want me to leave the party! Was that all an act?"

"Course it was. If Goldy's the prime suspect, Pomeroy won't try to bolt before I've got some evidence. Or a confession, thank you very much. You mind?"

"I can't believe you! Pomeroy could have killed me!"

"Oh, I think you and Arch could've defended yourselves. It took three fire trucks and six smoke pots just to get the bees and Molotov cocktail under control."

I smiled in spite of myself.

Tom Schulz turned onto the highway. Funny thing, revenge.

Revenge against Fritz Korman was what had motivated Laura because of Bebe and Patty Sue, Vonette because of Laura and Bebe, Pomeroy because of his baby, Arch because of his teacher and his grandmother. Nor was I above reproach, with my hatred of John Richard Korman, the jerk I used to be married to.

Ahead the highway stretched like a smooth gray ribbon pulling us into the day when we remember the dead. To the west the mountaintops were fiery with dawn's light. Schulz pointed to the pine trees, whose needles glowed silver.

Why do we remember the dead? I had asked my Sunday school class when we were studying All Saints' Day. So we can let them go.

Tom Schulz pulled up in front of the Aspen Meadow pastry shop. The warm scent of cinnamon rolls wafted into the morning coolness. I was happy to be there, happy to be with Tom Schulz, happy, period.

He said, "I love this place. Let's start with some rolls. Not as good as yours, of course."

"Flattery will get you absolutely - "

"Same old Goldy. Okay, this being the beginning of a new day and all that, you better let me start by just buying you a cup of coffee."

I smiled and said, "Sure. Black. You put anything in it; I'll kill you."