A Corpse for Yew (28 page)

“Did you get anything?” Al asked her.

“You definitely narrowed my search for yew branches to somewhere around the lake where there are dead tree stumps a pocketbook could be stuffed in.”

Jonas smiled. “Sounds like my job. I’m always looking for the needle in the haystack.”

“It
does
make me feel someone else was there with Lois,” Peggy told them. “Someone had to hide that pocketbook.”

“I think you’re taking what Snook said at face value,” Jonas said. “He’d say anything at this point to keep us from thinking he killed Mrs. Mullis.”

“I don’t think he did.” Peggy looked for her purse, then remembered she’d left it in the truck. Her ID card around her neck had been enough to get her in the building.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Al chuckled. “You always root for the underdog. But sometimes the underdog is guilty.”

Jonas took her elbow to walk with her to the front door of the police station, leaving Al behind at his desk. “Something’s bothering me about this case,” he confessed. “Have you heard or seen anything that could link Chief Mullis to it?”

Peggy considered her words carefully before answering. “He dropped her out at the lake hours before the rest of the historical society would be there. He admitted to me that it was a mistake on his part. I’m assuming it wasn’t a malicious mistake.”

“Before Snook was brought in, there was some talk about the chief being involved. Possibly not homicide, but manslaughter. It’s common knowledge that he inherits the estate from his aunt plus a sizable chunk of change.”

“Do you think he could hurt his aunt?”

“I’ve known the man for a long time. I wouldn’t like to think that. But there were also rumors of fights between the chief and his aunt. I don’t know what to think at this point. Everyone else likes Snook for what happened to her. And it may be as simple as her eating the berries and someone pushing her into the mud and hiding her purse. Or someone could’ve tricked her into eating the berries.”

Peggy frowned. “I’m not sure how you’d trick someone into eating poison berries.”

“Hell, Peggy, I wouldn’t know a poison berry from a regular berry. Who’s to say Mrs. Mullis was any different? If someone offered me a handful of fresh berries, I’d probably eat them. What if that was what happened to her?”

“But by no stretch of the imagination could that have been Snook Holt.”

“No.”

They’d reached the front door, and Peggy didn’t know what to say. Jonas was thinking along the same lines she was, but there was no real suspect; except perhaps Chief Mullis. He’d seen Lois last. He had motive and opportunity. But this wasn’t a suspect who could be brought in without exacting proof. “I see your point. I’ll keep my ears open. If anything else develops, I’ll let you know.”

“Great. I hope I’m wrong.” He smiled at her. “Good to see you. You take care out there.”

Peggy went out to her truck, thinking about what Jonas had said. Hundreds of possibilities whirled through her mind. She was inside the truck with the engine started before she realized she’d totally forgotten to call Steve.

Before she left the parking lot, she decided to call Steve again. Instead, she found a message from him. He was going to be home by nine. There was plenty of time. She’d go home, change clothes, then go to his house. There was still time to get past this problem before the end of the day. But just barely.

 

 

FRESHLY SHOWERED, WEARING A SLINKY black dress she’d bought six months before but hadn’t had the nerve to wear, Peggy walked to Steve’s house at eight-thirty. She carried a heavy Harris Teeter tote bag in each hand. She’d let Shakespeare out, checked on her plants, and pushed her self-confidence into high gear before she left the house. It didn’t matter anymore if anyone knew she’d spent the night at his house, and that was what she planned to do . . . unless he threw her out.

The short walk in the brisk autumn air gave her time to think about what she wanted to say and how she wanted to say it. She loved him and hoped he loved her.

All the energy and enthusiasm she’d built up during her walk past the old houses
whoosh
ed out of her when she saw Steve’s Saturn was gone. Deflated like a tired, old balloon, she stood in his driveway for a few minutes, staring at a thriving patch of Spanish bayonet, trying to figure out what to do next.

She didn’t want to waste all the buildup to confronting him and apologizing. The key to his front door was on her key ring. Peggy decided to let herself in and wait for him.

The old house seemed deserted when he wasn’t there. She looked around the dark kitchen and great room, but not too closely. If she wanted to learn something about Steve, she was going to ask him from now on. No more snooping. If their relationship was going to work, she would have to trust him and believe in him.

She turned on the light in the kitchen and unloaded her bags. Inside them was everything she needed to create a romantic dinner for two. It took a lot to pull it all together, including candles, incense, and a couple of bottles of red wine. She put her best lace tablecloth across his plain wood table and started on the food. If there was one thing she was sure about with Steve, it was food. Whatever happened after the dinner would be up to them, but she knew this would be a good way to break the ice that might have formed between them.

Not long after she mixed the cream into her special Alfredo sauce, she heard the key in the front door, and he walked into the house. It registered in her brain that it was odd for him not to use the kitchen door, but her heart was beating so fast, she was afraid she might have a heart attack when she finally saw him. She turned out the kitchen lights and let the beautiful meal and cozy candle glow speak for themselves.

He walked into the kitchen and stood in the doorway, looking puzzled. Peggy froze, the welcoming smile on her face fading like yesterday’s flower. “Who are you?” she asked the strange man who was staring at her. “And where is Steve?”

THE MAN, WHO LOOKED TO be older than Peggy, stared at her for a long moment, then smiled. His hair was white, and he had a dark tan that emphasized his features. “Steve didn’t say anything about entertainment.”

Peggy wished she could crawl into the oven and disappear. Or, more to the point, that she had exercised some degree of sanity before coming here. She was incredibly good at getting into tight places. Much better than she needed to be.

But there was no way out. She held her head high and stared the man down. “Don’t be rude. Where’s Steve?” Years of teaching at Queens University added strength and command to her voice. She may have
felt
ridiculous, but she didn’t have to appear that way.

“He had to make a stop, but he’ll be here soon. I’m Skipper Hall, from the Lazy Z horse farm in Harrisburg. I’m sorry I intruded.”

“I suppose it couldn’t be helped.” She turned on the kitchen light and blew out the candles. “I guess we’ll just wait for him.”

He smiled. “You must be Peggy. Steve talks about you all the time. I’m sure he’ll be here as soon as he can.”

She shrugged, glancing awkwardly around the kitchen. “Good. I’ve already uncorked the wine.”

Skipper moved to pull out a chair for her. “I hope you’re not planning to leave.”

Peggy was thinking exactly that, but smiled and took a seat. If he could be gentleman enough to respond so kindly to what could’ve been an embarrassing situation, she could at least stay until Steve got there. It seemed destined to be that kind of day.

Skipper was good company as they waited. He told her about his dream to own a horse farm when he was a child. “I didn’t think I’d have to come all this way to make it happen. Steve called me after he’d moved here and told me about a great deal on some land. I flew down and closed on it, and haven’t looked back.”

“That’s wonderful,” she exclaimed. “Have you known Steve a long time?”

“We were in the Air Force together. We never lost track of each other after that. Mostly it was meeting for drinks at airports when one of us was going through town. It’s great living so close we can see each other more often. He’s a good vet, too. The horses love him.”

Peggy had a thousand questions she wanted to ask him. She didn’t want to sound overly nosy or like she didn’t know anything about the man she’d been seeing for a year. She casually took a sip of wine after pouring a glass for each of them. “Were you in school together?”

“High school.” Skipper nodded. “My family moved, and we were separated. But it’s like we’re destined to keep finding each other again.”

“His childhood sounds as though it was painful.”

“Not that you’d ever get him to admit it, but it was a hard time for him. He and his mother were very close. I think that’s the only thing that got him through.”

“I haven’t pushed him for information about that time in his life. I can see it still hurts him to talk about it.”

“It was a long time ago. I’m sure he’s worked through it. Steve’s like that. You could ask him whatever you want.”

They heard Steve’s Saturn pull into the drive. The headlights shone briefly in the kitchen window. Peggy took a large sip of wine. “Thanks for your help, Skipper.”

“No problem, ma’am.”

“I wish you’d stay and eat with us.”

“I have a feeling Steve might not like that. But it was nice meeting you.”

The kitchen door opened, and Steve looked at the two of them with a rapidly developing frown. “Did I miss the memo about dinner?” His eyes took in the uncorked wine bottle and Peggy’s slinky dress. “Or would one of you like to tell me what’s going on?”

Skipper put one arm around Peggy’s shoulders. “I thought I’d get better acquainted with the little woman. We arranged to meet here while you were out getting horse liniment. She’s a gem, my friend.”

Steve’s frown deepened. “If I wasn’t so sure that I was the one who suggested you wait here for me, we’d be stepping outside. Peggy doesn’t cook real food often enough for me to share it with anyone.”

“I made it for you, of course.” She stepped to the side so that Skipper’s arm dropped away from her. Losing the contact made her feel vulnerable, and she wrapped her arms around her midsection. “I asked Skipper to join us, but he didn’t think you’d want him to stay.”

“And he’s right.” Steve handed his friend a receipt and held the door for him. “Your liniment is in the back of the Saturn. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Skipper smiled at Peggy before he took his cue and started out of the kitchen. “I know you’re happy that I kept your lady friend company until you got here.”

“Whatever. Get out while you still can. Don’t ever try to eat my Alfredo again.” Steve barely waited until Skipper was out of the door before he closed it and locked it.

“Dinner smells great! I really don’t mind if the wine has been breathing too long, either.”

“I can heat it up,” she volunteered. “The cream separates a little sometimes, but—”

“There’s something I need a lot more than pasta or wine,” he said, advancing toward her. “I tried calling you back ten times today. Once I think I almost talked to you, but you hung up.”

“I’m sorry. I tried to call you, but I kept getting your voice mail, and then I had to go into a meeting. I
wanted
to talk to you.”

“I wanted to talk to you, too.” He put his arms around her. “Are we okay? Is this preengagement jitters, or are you really that angry at me for asking?”

“I was angrier at myself than at you. It just took me a while to realize it.” She looked up into his face. “I’m so sorry I didn’t ask you the questions that would’ve given you the opportunity to tell me about yourself.”

“I’m not sure exactly what that means.” He shrugged. “Basically, I didn’t mean to keep anything from you. I tried to find some way to bring it into a conversation, but there never seemed to be a right time to say it. Maybe it was just lack of trying because everything was so right between us. I’m sorry I didn’t just blurt it out earlier.”

“So we’re both sorry.” She wiped tears from her eyes. “But I still love you very much, and if that engagement offer still stands, I’d like to give it a try.”

He kissed her, his brown eyes intent on her face. “You know being engaged means getting married someday.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“You’ll have to tell your family.”

“They already know. And not just about us getting engaged. Apparently I wasn’t fooling anyone by sneaking around. I’m surprised it wasn’t on the news one night.”