Thirty-Six and a Half Motives: Rose Gardner Mystery #9 (Rose Gardner Mystery Series) (11 page)

S
keeter wanted
to go to his safe house, but after I told him about the duffel bag, we drove past the alley, slowing down to take in the fire fighters and police swarming the alley.

“There’s no way we can get in there and get the bag,” I said. “Unless you have someone on your payroll who works for the fire department.”

“I do, but not someone close enough to trust with this.”

I spun around to look at him. “I was kidding.”

He remained silent.

“So what do we do?”

“The bag might be a lost cause, but maybe that’s not such a big deal. You already saw everything that’s in it, right?”

“Yeah, but not in great detail. But there was one file I hadn’t seen before.” I glanced at him again. “A file on Joe’s old housekeeper.”

“
Roberta?
”

My eyebrows rose in surprise. “You know her?”

“Yeah. Everyone loved Roberta. She was like the grandmother everyone wanted.”

“I know Joe loved her,” I said. “He told me she taught him how to cook.”

“It was probably lonely to grow up a Simmons. From what I saw, she and Joe were close.”

“Do you know why she left?”

He was quiet for a moment. “I was back in Fenton County by then, but once I heard, I checked into it. Apparently, it was very abrupt. I heard she’d left a note saying it was time for her to move on, but she’d given no notice whatsoever. She’d never even hinted that she was leaving. I heard the whole household was in an uproar after she left.”

“Oh, my word. Did J.R. kill her?”

“No. Once I heard about her departure, I tracked her down in Memphis. She was scared to death to see me. She told me she’d been keeping her mouth shut, just like J.R. had told her to.”

“Keeping her mouth shut about what?”

“She wouldn’t say, but when I assured her that I would help her, she pretended like she’d never been scared at all and made me stay for dinner.”

“She knew who you were and what you did,” I murmured. “If she thought you were there to hurt her, then why would she invite you to dinner?”

“I assured her that no one would ever hurt her if I could help it.” His voice hardened. “And I meant every word.”

“You were willing to disobey J.R.?”

“J.R. was like the father I’d always wanted. He knew how to play that to his advantage. But I was startin’ to see him for who he was.”

“Is Roberta still alive?”

“No,” he said softly. “She died from congestive heart failure about two years ago. She died in her sleep.”

“And you’re sure it wasn’t foul play?” I asked. “Why else would Kate have a file on her housekeeper who died two years ago? When did it happen?”

“September, I think.”

“September two years ago?” I said, turning in my seat to face him. “Joe said Kate disappeared in the early fall that year. She was living in Little Rock, and then she just up and vanished to California . . .” My eyes widened. “Without a word to anyone.”

Skeeter cast me a sideways glance. “Are you suggesting Kate Simmons killed her old housekeeper eleven years after she left?”

“I’m not suggesting anything. But I am saying the timing is very coincidental.”

He was quiet for a moment. “We could ask her granddaughter if she thinks something happened, but she never hinted that she suspected foul play when I saw her at the funeral.”

“You went to Roberta’s funeral?”

He squirmed in his seat. “I visited her at least once a month.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

There was so much I didn’t know about this man. So much he kept hidden. “I think that’s sweet.”

“
Sweet?
” he asked in dismay. “There’s not one
sweet
thing about me, not even a sweet tooth. It was for purely selfish reasons. She fed me a home-cooked dinner every first Tuesday of the month.”

Yeah, right. “You know her granddaughter’s name? You know how to contact her?”

“Her name is Anna Miller, but I lost contact with her about six months ago. I have no idea where she is.”

“I do,” I said, gasping in shock. “I know exactly where to find her.”

“Where?” he asked in disbelief.

“Right under our noses.” When he gave me a questioning glance, I added, “She works at my nursery.”

He pulled to a stop at a street corner and turned to face me. “You’re shittin’ me.”

“No. Violet hired her right after we reopened the nursery. She’d just moved to Henryetta, but she didn’t say why. She said she was from Mississippi.” I gasped. “I was covering for Violet in the shop a couple of weeks ago, and Hilary walked in. Anna kept her distance and acted nervous. Then Hilary saw her and got a funny look. She left in a bit of a hurry. Would Hilary know her?”

“I don’t see how. I don’t think Roberta ever even
mentioned
her family in that house, which is understandable. She was a smart woman. I’m fairly certain she only stayed with the family as long as she did because of the Simmons kids. She loved those kids, but she wasn’t about to risk the safety of her own children and grandchild.”

“So why is Anna here in Henryetta? It’s not exactly the kind of place people move to on a lark. She’s got a purpose, and it has to do with the Simmons family.”

“Agreed.”

“One more thing, Skeeter,” I said, and he cast a glance in my direction. “Anna hates me. She’s sweet to everyone else, but she doesn’t bother to hide the fact that she doesn’t like me.”

“Why would you keep her as your employee if she’s disrespectful?”

“I rarely work at the nursery, and Violet really likes her.” I shrugged. “As long as she’s doin’ a good job, there’s no reason to let her go. I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

“No. Let me do it.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You? Do you think scaring her is the best way to go about it?”

“Who says I’m gonna scare her?”

“Have you seen yourself?” I asked, rolling my eyes. “You’re intimidating.”

He grunted. “She knows me. And I know what to ask. I’m the one who should talk to her.”

“Fine, but we need to come up with some kind of plan.” I looked around at the landscape. “Where are we going?”

“I told you. The safe house.”

“This isn’t the way. It’s south of town.”

“Another one.”

“How many safe houses do you have anyway?”

“As many as I need.”

The safe house turned out to be a farmhouse set a good ways back from the road. As soon as Skeeter pulled into the driveway, the front door flew open and Neely Kate ran out, meeting me halfway to the door. Muffy came flying out behind her.

Neely Kate hugged me so tight I could barely breathe, and Muffy jumped around my legs.

“Oh, my stars and garters, Rose.” My best friend squeezed me again. “You scared the snot out of me.”

“I’m fine.”

She released her hold and looked me up and down. “Jed said Merv was shot.”

I nodded as I bent down and picked up my dog, rubbing her head. “More than once. I don’t know how bad he got hit the second time. Skeeter wouldn’t elaborate.”

She looped her arm through mine and pulled me into the house. “From what little Jed said, I think he’s gonna be okay.”

Skeeter followed, but he stayed several steps behind, giving us space.

Jed stood in the doorway, looking very much like a guard with his holster slung over his shoulder. His expression was grim, but he gave me a nod when I walked past him.

This place was nicer than the ramshackle cabin we’d stayed in last week. The other safe house had looked like it either needed to be disinfected or torched. The farmhouse had a shabby-chic décor that was actually homey.

“Thank God you weren’t hurt,” Neely Kate said. “Joe was worried.”

That reminded me of Joe’s phone call. “Merv wasn’t the only person who got shot tonight, Neely Kate.”

She turned to face me, her eyes wide. “Who else?”

I took a breath, my nerves starting to catch up with me. “Deputy Miller.”

She gasped. “What? How?”

“J.R. escaped and Deputy Miller was on duty. Joe said that he and another deputy and an EMT were shot by J.R.’s men. Deputy Miller’s in surgery, and they’re not sure he’s gonna make it.”

“Oh, no.” Tears filled her eyes.

Suddenly, it was all too much. Mason. Running for my life. Deputy Miller. I couldn’t take one more minute of this day. “I’m exhausted.” I looked back at Skeeter. “Where are we sleepin’?”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted it, expecting Skeeter to make a crude comment. But Jed spoke up before his boss could. “You and Neely Kate are sleeping in the bedroom on the right.”

“I brought some of your things, Rose,” Neely Kate said. “Do you want to take a shower?”

“No. I just want to go to bed.”

“You don’t have to worry,” Skeeter said, catching my gaze. “No one knows about this place, and Jed and I will be taking turns standin’ watch.”

I followed Neely Kate down a short hall and into a small bedroom filled with a white wrought-iron bed, a dresser, and a nightstand with a lamp. The pale blue comforter looked as fluffy as a cloud, and I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and wake up after everything was said and done.

I shut the door behind me and set Muffy down on the bed.

Neely Kate grabbed a bag off the dresser and handed it to me. “I put your comfy jammies in there. I’m going to go to the bathroom.”

“Thanks.” I found them at the top and changed while she was gone. By the time Neely Kate came back, I was already in bed.

We lay side by side for several long seconds before Neely Kate asked, “Are you really okay?”

Tears stung my eyes, a lump filled my throat, and I choked out the words. “No. I broke up with Mason.”

She gasped and rolled onto her side to face me. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” I said, trying to hold back my tears. “J.R. called to threaten me this afternoon. Then I called Mason to warn him, and he got peeved that we couldn’t tell Joe.”

“Why couldn’t you?”

“Because then Joe would have insisted on watching me, and Mason had to admit that Jed would do a better job. But he was upset he’d have to compromise his principles . . . for me. I realized that as long as I’m in this mess, and as long as I’m working with Skeeter to fix it, I’m gonna have to keep dragging Mason into situations he can’t handle. So I made it easy for him. I broke up with him.” I rolled over onto my side to face her, tears streaming down my face. “I did it over the phone, Neely Kate. Who does that?”

“Oh, honey,” she said, rubbing my arm. “Obviously this whole situation is far from ideal.”

“I broke his heart, Neely Kate. He thought I was sweet Rose Gardner, but I turned out to be the Lady in Black. How come he hadn’t already broken up with
me
?”

“Because he loves you?” she asked in a soft, teasing tone.

“He didn’t want to break up, but I told him he’d already made his decision by leaving me and not coming back.” I took a breath and hiccupped a sob. “He was the whole reason I agreed to continue this crazy scheme, but now I’ve lost him.” I struggled to catch my breath. “I love him. I love him so much, but it’s not enough. I’m not enough.”

“You hush now,” she said quietly. “You’re plenty enough. But we both know Mason has his principles, and there’s no disputin’ you’ve crossed a heap of lines. He’s just struggling to catch up is all.”

“So you think I did the wrong thing?”

“That’s not my decision to make. It’s yours. But if you’re asking what I would have done in your situation, then I’ll tell you that I would have done the same.”

I started crying harder. “I never should have gone to Skeeter for help last November. I should have just let my business fail.”

She lifted my chin and looked into my eyes, her face covered with shadows in the darkened room. “Do you really believe that? Really? Are you’re telling me that if you had to do it all over again, you would have let your business fail and let Mason get killed? Because going to Skeeter last November stopped both of those things from happening.”

“No.” I shook my head in confusion. “I don’t know. I know what I’ve done is wrong and that I should feel guiltier than I do, but mostly I’m just so sad that I’ve lost him.” My sobs were coming harder, as the true gravity of my loss hit me.

She pulled me close, stroking the back of my head. “Oh, honey. Sometimes you make some crazy leaps—and I’ll admit, I thought you’d plum lost your mind when you went to Skeeter for help—but you followed your instincts, and look how it turned out.”

“I lost Mason.”

“You would have lost him anyway. Only, this way, he’s alive.”

I knew she was right, but it still felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and thrown across the room.

“Rose, you and me are so much alike. People beatin’ us down when we were kids, telling us we were worthless and good for nothin’. We think we’re supposed do what we’re told, even when it doesn’t feel right. We’re supposed to be who they want us to be.” She paused, searching my face. “Well, we can’t go fittin’ other people’s molds. We can’t allow ourselves to be untrue to the people we’re supposed to be.”

“But I want Mason. I lost him because I’m thoughtless and careless. I don’t deserve him.” I covered my face with my hands, still sobbing.

“You stop that talk right now,” she admonished gently, pulling my hands from my face, and then brushing the hair from my eyes. “This has nothing to do with either of those things. Tell me about the Rose Gardner from a year ago today. Did she have many friends?”

“No.”

“What were her dreams?”

I released a tiny laugh. “I wanted to go to Little Rock for a visit. I wanted to go back to school to become a teacher. I figured that would be the only way I could have kids in my life. Well, other than Ashley and Mikey.”

“Why?” she asked in a teasing tone. “Because no man would want Crazy Rose Gardner?”

She was right, and we both knew it. No need to confirm it.

“Do you still want to become a teacher?”

“No. I love the landscaping company. I love owning my own business, even though I spend half my time worrying that it’s gonna fail.”

“What about going to Little Rock?”

I smiled through my tears. “You know I’ve already been. Multiple times.”