Murder Past Due (12 page)

“You’re a good man, Charlie Harris.” Julia surprised me with a peck on the cheek, and I could feel my face redden a bit. “I’ll get my purse and be right back.”

I waited, hoping my face had lost any vestige of red by the time she returned.

When Julia reappeared, purse clutched in her hand, I moved to open the door for her. I started to follow her down the walk, but she insisted that I not.

“It’s not that far to the car, and I’ll be fine. I’m going by the hospital to check on Ezra, and then I’ll head home and collapse.” She smiled before she turned and moved down the walk to the street.

“Good night, then,” I called after her. I waited until she pulled her car away from the curb before shutting the door.

I turned off the lights downstairs, watching for Diesel, but there was no sign of him. I found him sprawled across my bed when I got back upstairs.

After putting my book back on the nightstand, I undressed and got ready for bed myself. I was tired, but my brain was buzzing with all kinds of thoughts about the events of the day.

I read for a while, trying hard to concentrate on my book, and eventually I put it aside and turned out the light. Diesel snuggled close to my legs.

Praying that I wouldn’t have nightmares about dead bodies all night long, I did my best to fall asleep.

If I dreamed about corpses, I didn’t remember it when I woke the next morning. I came out of a sound sleep to feel a paw gently prodding my nose and then a head butting lightly against my chin.

With Diesel around I had no need of an alarm clock. He got me up most mornings by six-thirty, and today was no exception.

After I came out of the bathroom, wearing my robe over my pajamas, I went down to the kitchen, where I knew Diesel would be waiting. I filled his bowl with fresh water and replenished his food. He began eating his breakfast with enthusiasm.

I hadn’t remembered to fill the coffeepot last night and set it so that I would have coffee when I got up. And no wonder. I felt dazed as I recalled the events of the day before.

While I waited for the coffee, I went to the front door to retrieve the paper. Standing on the doorstep, breathing in the fresh, cool air, I began to feel more awake. I scanned the front page, but there was no mention of Godfrey’s death. Tomorrow’s paper would be full of it, I was sure. And there would probably be national news crews all over the place. The mysterious death of a bestselling writer would attract attention across the country.

I was working the crossword and sipping coffee when the back door opened. I looked up to greet Azalea Berry. Today, Wednesday, was one of her three weekdays at my house. She had other clients on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

At nearly six feet tall, Azalea was an imposing figure. She had a regal bearing and she rarely smiled, but she was kind, with a warmth that belied her reserve. She was only about three or four years older than I, but she possessed the poise of a grande dame in her eighties.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Good morning, Mr. Charlie,” Azalea replied. She closed the door behind her and set her purse and keys on the counter nearby. “It sure is some beautiful morning.”

“Yes, it is.” I wondered whether she had heard about Godfrey Priest’s death. Surely Kanesha had mentioned it to her mother.

“Terrible thing about that poor man.” Azalea retrieved her apron from a hook by the back door and put it on.

“It sure was. It seems like a nightmare instead of something real.”

“And you finding him that way.” Azalea shook her head. “It’s a wonder you wasn’t up all night.”

“It was pretty grisly.” I took a sip of my coffee.

“How is Justin this morning?” She shook her head. “That poor child.”

“I haven’t seen him this morning. He was completely worn out last night.”

“Then he’s going to need a good breakfast. Build up his strength. You, too.” She went to the refrigerator and began pulling out eggs, sausage, and milk. Next she retrieved the flour canister, and I knew she was going to make hotcakes.

My mouth began watering. Azalea made wonderful hotcakes.

Diesel wandered into the kitchen and sat down a few feet away from Azalea.

She regarded him with a gimlet eye, and he stared back unfazed. “I don’t need no help from you,” Azalea said.

Diesel warbled at her, and Azalea turned her back on him, busying herself with preparing breakfast.

“Diesel, let’s go see if Justin is up.” I put my coffee cup aside and stood. “Come on, boy.”

Diesel was off like a streak. I followed at a much more leisurely pace.

When I reached Justin’s room, I found the door open and Justin sitting at his computer with Diesel climbing into his lap. I tapped lightly on the door, and Justin looked up at me.

The worn, frightened look had left his face, and this morning he appeared more his usual self, I was glad to see.

“Good morning.” I smiled. “Azalea’s downstairs making hotcakes for breakfast.”

Justin’s face lit up. “I sure am hungry.” His head ducked down for a moment. “Uh, about yesterday . . .”

“Yes,” I said when he paused.

“Thank you,” Justin said, raising his head to look at me. “I’m glad you were there, sir.”

“You’re welcome.” He seemed younger than eighteen right then. He’d had more than one deep shock yesterday, and the Lord only knew how it would all affect him in the long run. “Come on downstairs when you’re ready. Breakfast will be on the table soon.”

“Yes, sir. I will.” Justin rubbed Diesel’s head, and the cat chirped happily.

I reached the kitchen in time to answer the phone. The appetizing smells emanating from the stove made my stomach rumble. Justin wasn’t the only hungry one.

“Hello.”

“Good morning, Mr. Harris. This is Ray Appleby from the
Athena Daily Register
. I’d like to talk to you about the murder of Godfrey Priest.”

I glanced at the clock. It was only seven-fifteen.

“You’re calling pretty early, Mr. Appleby. I haven’t had my breakfast yet.” My tone was sharp, but I didn’t care.

“I apologize if I woke you,” Appleby said. He didn’t sound apologetic. “But I really need to talk to you as soon as possible. According to my sources you found the body.”

“If you want to call back at a more civilized hour, I
might
be willing to talk to you. Until then, I have nothing more to say.” I hung up the phone.

I turned to find Azalea regarding me, her expression inquisitive.

“Somebody from the paper, wanting to talk to me about yesterday.” I sat down at the table.

“That’s mighty rude, calling somebody this early.” She turned back to the stove. “People just ain’t raised right these days.”

“It’s only going to get worse,” I said. I picked up my coffee cup and, seeing that it was empty, got up to refill it.

“I guess he was pretty big news.” Azalea expertly flipped a couple of hotcakes as I poured the coffee.

“He was, and there’ll probably be news crews from all over the country here.” I stirred some sugar substitute into the coffee. “And it looks like your daughter may be center stage, since she’s in charge of the investigation.”

Azalea made a noise that sounded like
hmmph
.

“It’s a big chance for her.” I sat down at the table again and drank some coffee.

“That girl wanna be on TV, she should’ve been an actress.” Azalea set a plate with three hotcakes and three sausages on the table in front of me.

“Thank you,” I said, reaching for the syrup she had placed on the table, along with a napkin and cutlery.

Justin appeared a few minutes later when Diesel was begging for another bite of hotcake. Justin saw it and grinned.

“Good morning, child.” Azalea treated the young man to one of her rare smiles. “You set on down here and eat you some breakfast. You need your strength.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Justin said, eyeing the plate of hotcakes and sausage avidly. “Thank you, Miss Azalea. I’m starving.”

Azalea stood, arms folded, watching Justin eat for a moment. Then she inspected my plate. “How about some more?”

I groaned and pushed my plate away. “No, thank you. That was delicious, but if I eat any more I’ll have to go run around the track for two hours.”

The housekeeper cocked an eyebrow at that. She knew I was not a runner. “Just go up and down them stairs a few times. That’ll do it.”

The doorbell rang, and I started to get up from the table.

“You set still.” Azalea motioned me back into my chair. “I’ll take care of whatever heathen that is, ringing the bell this time of the morning.”

“Thank you,” I said. I knew better than to argue with her.

As I watched Justin shovel the food into his mouth with Diesel sitting hopefully by his chair, I heard raised voices come from the hallway. I recognized one of them and sighed.

The voices neared.

“I done told you, girl, you ain’t going in that kitchen. You go and set yourself down in the living room. Mr. Charlie’ll come in there when he’s done finished with his breakfast.”

“Mama, this is ridiculous.” Kanesha Berry sounded angry.

“Git on in there like I told you. Ain’t gonna hurt you to wait five minutes.”

“Oh good Lord. If this don’t beat all.”

Justin stared at me, round-eyed, and I tried hard not to laugh. The stern, commanding deputy of the night before was starting to sound like a petulant teenager.

Azalea entered the kitchen alone, and I hastily drank some coffee to hide my smile. Justin dipped his head down and stuck another forkful of hotcake and sausage in his mouth.

“Miss High and Mighty Deputy is waiting to talk to you, Mr. Charlie, when you be done with your breakfast.” Azalea proceeded to the stove as if Justin and I had heard nothing of the argument between her and Kanesha.

“Thank you, Azalea,” I said. “I’m not exactly dressed for an interview, but I don’t think she’ll want to wait while I shower and dress.”

Something like
hmmph
sounded from the direction of the stove, and I shrugged at Justin.

“Are you going to your classes this morning?”

Justin regarded his plate for a moment. “I guess so. Do you think I should? Or maybe I should go over to the hospital?”

“Why don’t you call your mother and talk to her about it? My guess is she’ll say you should go to your classes and keep busy.”

“Yes, sir.” Justin appeared relieved.

The last thing he needed was to be hanging around the house all day. I was hoping the media didn’t know who he was yet, so they’d leave him alone.

“But if people start pestering you with questions,” I said as I thought about it, “you come on back here and don’t worry about your classes, okay?”

“You mean like newspeople?”

I nodded.

Justin made a face. “I’m not talking to them. I don’t want to be in the news.”

“Then you don’t have to talk to them. Remember that.”

“Okay.”

I stood. “Now I’d better go talk to Deputy Berry.”

As I was leaving the room, I glanced back to see Azalea serving Justin more hotcakes and sausage. Diesel remained with him, ever hopeful.

If only I had a metabolism like that, I thought wistfully.

I tightened the belt of my robe before I entered the living room. I should have washed my hands, I realized too late. Oh well.

“Good morning, Deputy. You wanted to see me?”

Kanesha turned from studying one of the bookcases against the far wall. Lines of tiredness had etched her face overnight. I wondered whether she’d had any sleep at all.

“Good morning, Mr. Harris.” Kanesha frowned. Whether she was still riled up from the argument with her mother, I couldn’t tell. “Yes, I do.”

“Why don’t we sit down?” I gestured toward the sofa and chairs.

Kanesha chose one of the chairs, and I sat in the other, bracing myself for an onslaught of questions.

“I came by to tell you not to speak to any newspeople.” Kanesha glared at me. “I don’t want this investigation compromised by someone letting details get loose.”

“I’m in no particular hurry to talk to any reporters,” I said, somewhat stung by the sharpness of her tone. “One of them called me already this morning, but I hung up on him.”

“And who was that?”

“Ray Appleby, from the local paper.”

Kanesha’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve already given him a statement. If he bothers you, let me know. Same thing goes for any other reporters.”

“Thank you, I will. I have no desire to see myself or anyone in this house on national television.” I crossed my arms and gazed blandly back at her.

“So far none of them know that Justin Wardlaw was with you last night.” Kanesha shifted position in the chair. “I’d like to keep it that way as long as possible. They’ll find out eventually, though.”

“They won’t find out from me,” I said. “He wants to go to his classes today. Do you think that’s a good idea?”

Kanesha considered that for a moment. “I don’t see why not. I need to question him again, but I have other things to do this morning.” She stood.

“That’s all?” I shrugged. “I thought for sure you had more questions for me.”

“I do, but they can wait. You’ll hear from me.”

I stood, ready to show her to the front door.

“I’ll see myself out.”

I nodded as she walked past me toward the hallway. Moments later I heard the door open and close behind her.

I headed back to the kitchen. Justin was gone, along with Diesel. Azalea was clearing the table, putting things in the dishwasher.

She probably wouldn’t ask me what Kanesha had said to me, so I told her.

“Any of them come sniffing around the house, I’ll just turn on the water hose.”

I laughed. I could see her doing it. “Go right ahead.”

As I picked up my coffee cup to get a refill, I saw Azalea regarding me with a frown.