Law and Author (13 page)

“No, it's just that I thought you might have some new answers. Like, why was he in Ashton Corners? Surely, that's why he was killed.”

“Do you not think I'm good at my job?”

Lizzie hesitated. Where was he going with this? “Of course, I do. You're an excellent police chief.”

“Then why don't you trust me to do it? When I have a murder suspect in custody, I will let you know.”

“Because Bob is still worried about Darla. That's why, although I really do trust you. Is she still a suspect?”

“She hasn't been eliminated but I don't think she did it, as I already told you.”

“So, you think she's involved in some way?”

“Perhaps. And that's the best I can do for you at the moment.”

“So his boss didn't send him?”

“He had many bosses.”

“What about the casino.”

“That boss says no.”

“And have you heard from Amber Craig? Does her family have any news of him?”

“Nothing we don't already know. It seems he didn't keep in touch with his relatives a lot lately.”

“Why lately?”

“That's just a figure of speech. I didn't mean that specifically.” Mark leaned back in his chair with his hands folded behind his head. He looked to be enjoying this.

“What about his belongings? Any clues in them?”

“Nothing suspicious.”

“Where was he staying?”

Mark thought for a moment. “I guess it won't hurt to tell you. The Mountain View Motel.”

“That's the same place that Darla and her boyfriend are staying,” Lizzie pointed out.

“Could be because it's the cheapest one in town.”

“True.”

“Shannon checked in one day after Darla appeared and by then she had checked out of the motel and moved in with Molly. And Wade Morris didn't show up until another two days later.”

Lizzie studied the calendar on his desk. She sighed. “So, no overlap at the motel.”

“No. Good try, though. By the way, have you heard from Sally-Jo?”

“We connected on chat message last night saying she was already driven to distraction. Hopefully, she'll get back to me again tonight.”

“Good. Now, why don't you put all this thinking of yours to finding a way to help her with her problem,” he said, standing and walking over to Lizzie, turning her toward the door and giving her a slight nudge in that direction. “I have to get back to work. Not that this hasn't been fun.” He gave her a light kiss on the lips and opened the door for her.

“Likewise, I'm sure.”

Tomorrow morning, she'd find out. Whatever was true was good.

THE WRONG GIRL—
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN

L
izzie drove home trying to think up plots in order to get more information on Rafe Shannon's stay in Ashton Corners. The best she could come up with was going to the motel and trying to get some details from the clerk there. But she knew she shouldn't go alone. Maybe it would be a good idea to get some more input first. As soon as she arrived home she called Molly first to make sure it was okay, then called the other book club members, hoping to have them all stop by Molly's that evening. For drinks. But really, to talk murder.

Jacob was the only one who couldn't make it because of a meeting with a client that evening. The others arrived at Molly's at the usual time.

“What did you have in mind?” Molly asked, as she passed around a plate of cheese straws. Bob helped himself to three and turned to Lizzie.

“Does this have anything to do with the murder?”

“Yes, it does. As far as I know, it's not solved and Darla is still a suspect. Is that right?”

Bob nodded. “I've been trying my darnedest to get in on the investigation but I'm being stonewalled. I know in my heart and my brain that Darla is not a murderer. I say that not only because she's my grandchild but I've gotten to be a pretty good judge of character over the years. So, what did you have in mind, Lizzie, because I'm all for it.”

Lizzie took a sip of her tea and then explained her plan. “So, I think I should find out who was on at the front desk around the time that Rafe Shannon may have checked in, then ask that person if he said anything or asked any questions, anything that might give us a lead. Because I'm pretty sure the reason he came to town is the reason he was murdered.”

“That makes sense to me, but you're not the best person to get that information. I think I should go,” Bob said.

“But what if Darla or Wade spots you? They're staying in the same motel that Shannon did, after all.”

“They are? How do you know that?”

“Mark admitted Shannon had a room at the Mountain View Motel. So, I should go.”

“And me,” Andie said quickly.

“Oh, no,” Bob said adamantly, shaking his head. “Way too dangerous for you, young lady.”

“Why, because of my age? That's just it. They won't suspect anything, whoever they are, if they see me with Lizzie. We're just two chicks asking about a guy.”

“Well. When you put it that way, I definitely say ‘no.'”

“All right, maybe that wasn't the best way but still, it should seem less threatening, don't you think?”

Bob looked at Lizzie, who smiled back. “I guess. But I'm going to be sitting out in my car parked on the street in front
of the motel and the first sign of trouble, you two get out and get back to my car. Deal?”

“Deal,” Lizzie and Andie said at the same time.

“In fact, if the clerk even becomes a bit suspicious about why you're asking questions, you hightail it. Right?”

They both nodded.

“Okay, then.” He finished off his cheese straw and reached for another.

“Has Darla mentioned anything to you, Stephanie?” Lizzie asked, holding the plate of cheese straws so that Stephanie could choose one without having to lay Wendy down. It had taken just over twenty minutes of walking around Molly's library to get Wendy to sleep.

“Thanks. We haven't really had a chance to talk much since Wade came into town. At first, I thought Darla and I might be able to spend some time together after work. But we only did that once.”

“What did you do?”

“Umm, we met for a mocha latte at the Cup'n Choc. We'd planned to then go to see a movie but I was so tired having been up with Wendy most of the night that I begged off. It's too bad. I would have liked to get to know her better.”

“You still might have that opportunity,” Bob offered.

“I hope so. But I tried calling her and Wade answered. He told me she was busy and she never called back, even though I asked him to give her a message. I think he didn't do that.”

“That's too bad,” Lizzie said.
In more ways than one
. So much for getting Stephanie to ask some probing questions of Darla.

Molly served a fresh round of tea. “I worry about her with that Wade.”

Bob nodded. “So do I, but I'm at a loss here. I just don't know what to do. How much to interfere with her life.”

Molly touched Bob's hand. “I guess we just wait and hope for the best.”

*   *   *

B
ob picked up Lizzie at nine
A
.
M
.
on the nose the next morning, but they had to wait a couple of minutes at Andie's house. She ran down the front steps and hopped into the backseat, all apologetic.

Lizzie turned around to take a closer look at the outfit she wore. An orange and black T-shirt with denim shorts, complete with ragged hemline.
Not very nondescript.
She didn't say anything, though.

Bob dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out a photo. “Now, here you go. You'll probably have trouble establishing a date he stayed, but just flash this picture around and it might jog some memories.”

“Where did you get this?” Lizzie asked. “Or shouldn't I ask?”

“Let's just say, a few favors are owed. Now then, if you gals are ready, let's get going.”

Lizzie drummed her fingers on the armrest. She was itching to get going and finally find out some answers. She looked over at Bob. “Do you happen to know what Wade drives?”

“Why? What are you planning on doing, sticking a tracking device under it?” Bob asked with a chortle.

“Hadn't thought of that. No, I just wondered so that I'll know it when I see it.”

“Well, it's pretty nondescript from head-on. A red Ford pickup from the late nineties, I'd say. The paint's dulled by the sun. But on the driver's side there's a stick-on of a lizard. Looks much the same as that one crawling down his arm.” Bob grinned.

Lizzie shuddered. “Yuck.”

“Exactly.” He turned right at the next corner onto Highway 2 and took the short drive to the Mountain View Motel. He pulled up to the curb on the street across from the motel and slipped a ten-dollar bill into Lizzie's handbag as she exited the car. “I've found this is a good memory refresher, too.”

Lizzie nodded and together with Andie, crossed the street and entered the small office at the front of the motel. She glanced around the small, somewhat dingy room. The walls were an off-white, probably more from the dirt than any decorating plan. A couple of old vinyl kitchen chairs flanked an end table with some yellowing magazines on it. The calendar hanging on the wall across from it was from 2009.

The front counter had some menus from a pizza delivery down the street and a bell but no clerk. She hit the bell and they waited while hearing noises from a back room, sounding like someone struggling to get through a mess of stuff. Finally the door opened and a glowering middle-aged man appeared, with a few strands of dark hair held down to his scalp with some kind of product, the only hair on his head. His face actually lit up when he saw who awaited him. Lizzie wished he would close his mouth so she wouldn't see his yellowed teeth. The top four buttons of his blue short-sleeved shirt were open to reveal a mass of gold chains in varying widths around his neck.

“What can I do for yourselves?”

Lizzie pasted a pleasant smile on her face to cover her unease. “We're sorry to bother you but we have a couple of questions we hope you don't mind answering.” She smiled brightly and gave Andie a gentle nudge with her foot to do the same. “We have this person's name, Rafe Shannon, and we know he stayed here a few days last week.” She pulled out the photo and showed it to him. “We're just wondering
if he gave you any hint as to what he was doing here. Maybe he asked about someone or something?” She smiled again.

“Are you cops?” His scowl was back.

“No. No, we're definitely not cops. In fact, I'm sure they'd be upset if they knew we were here asking these questions.” She hoped full disclosure might help.

“So, why are you asking them, then?”

“We're just trying to help out a very dear old friend, old being the operative word here,” Lizzie answered with as much sincerity, and a touch of begging, as she could muster.

The clerk sighed, looked at the picture again and put it back down. “What's in it for me?”

Andie said, “Look, mister. Wouldn't it just feel good to do something that would be a big help to someone in trouble?”

“I only have your word for that, kid. And besides that, I'm in trouble all the time, too. The money kind, as in, I don't have any.”

Lizzie pulled out the ten that Bob had given her and tucked it under the photo.

The clerk folded his arms and stared at her.

She knew when she was beaten. She dug into her wallet and pulled out another ten. “That's all I have. I'm in need of money, too.”

He grabbed it out of her hand and scooped up the bill from the counter. “He checked in last Sunday. Said he'd be here for two, maybe three nights depending on how long it took him to do his business.”

“Had Wade Morris checked in by that time?”

“Nope. Only person from Atlanta was that young chick he shacked up with later. “

“Darla Lyman?”

“That's the one.”

“When did she arrive?”

“Saturday.”

“And she moved out on Sunday so she just missed Rafe Shannon.”

“If you say so. 'Cause she never totally checked out.”

“She'd kept the room even after she moved to Molly's?”

“How do I know where she went?”

“But she held on to her room all week.”

“That's what I just said. In fact, she still has it. Same one she's sharing with Wade Morris.”

Andie leaned her arm on the counter and narrowed her eyes. “How do you remember so much? All their names and dates and all that?”

“'Cause the cops asked me the same thing.” His grin looked more like a leer.

Of course they did.
“Did Rafe Shannon say anything about what brought him here?” Lizzie brought the topic back to her original plan.

“The next morning, he asked if the food at the Red Spot a few blocks over was any good. That's it.”

“That's close to the community center. Did he ask any questions about the center?”

“Nope. That's the only thing he asked. The missus was here with me and that night he stopped in and asked for a city map. She asks him how he liked the food at the Red Spot. He says that it was okay. In fact, everything was falling into place and would be okay. That's what he said. That's it. The next day the cops come by and tell me he's dead.”

“What happened to his stuff?”

“It's locked in a storage room here until someone comes to claim it. Some relative or something. I'm to keep it for a month, that's the law, then I can do whatever I like with it.”

“I don't suppose you'd let us have a quick look through it?”

“I don't suppose you've got another twenty in that purse of yours?”

Lizzie shook her head. He shook his in return.

“Thanks, anyway,” she said as she grabbed Andie's arm and pulled her out of the office.

“Twenty bucks,” Andie snorted in disgust. “What a racket.”

“I didn't like the idea of spending any more money on this. The police have gone through his things so I'm sure they know if anything suspicious was in there. I wonder who'll claim it.”
Amber Craig?

They waited until three cars had driven past and then made a beeline for Bob's truck. Lizzie told him everything that had happened, except for the bit about Darla never really checking out, and waited for a response.

“That doesn't give us much that's new,” he finally said.

“Well, it does put him in the vicinity of the community center, and if that guy who's dealing drugs was hanging around then, that could be a clue.”

“What guy?”

Uh-oh.
Lizzie remembered too late that she hadn't filled Bob in on having seen Wade talking to Eddie Riser, the suspected dealer. She'd wanted to keep that from him but now she had to tell all. When she'd finished, Bob grabbed onto the steering wheel. “I knew there was something fishy about that Wade Morris guy. I can always trust my instincts and this time they're telling me he's no good for Darla. But how to make her see that?”

“You can't just tell her that,” Andie ventured. “You know she'll get all defensive and maybe not even talk to you anymore. Isn't that why she moved away from her mama?”

A look of pain crossed Bob's face. “You're right, of course.
But I have to do something to protect her. Any suggestions?” He looked at Lizzie and then at Andie, who sat in the back.