A Field of Poppies (14 page)

“
We didn’t kill no one,” J.T. cried. “That crazy man was shouting at us, telling us the devil was on the bridge or something like that. He was yelling ‘run, run, run,” and so we did. We came up on that car and just like I told you before, it was abandoned. The door was open with the keys in the ignition and the engine running. We just got in and drove away.”

Mike kept a hard edge in his voice as he fired back at the kid. “You’ve told us two different stories now. The first one didn’t have a homeless man in it. Now this one does. What’s the truth?”

J.T. hit the table with his fist. “I didn’t lie. I just forgot about him the first time. It’s all still the same story. We didn’t kill anyone and we didn’t really steal a car. It was abandoned and we needed to get out of that storm.”

Kenny glanced at Mike and then nodded.

Mike stood.

“
So do you believe me? Are you gonna let us go?” J.T. asked.

“
Oh hell no,” Kenny said. “Your fingerprints were inside a dead man’s car. You’re going to jail, and unless someone tells us otherwise, you and your buddy are going to be charged with theft and murder. Sit tight. There’s an officer coming to take you to booking, after which he will show you to the jail cell of his choice. You have a nice day.”

J.T. Walker was too shocked to move. He was still staring at the mirror when Mike and Kenny passed by outside the interrogation room.

“
What do you think now?” Kenny asked.

“
I think we need to find Prophet Jones,” Mike said.

Kenny frowned. “You can’t take anything he says as fact. He’s crazy, man.”

“
Still, if he saw something no one else saw, it might point us in another direction,” Mike said.

“
You don’t think those boys are guilty, do you?” Kenny asked.

Mike shrugged.

Kenny sighed. “I thought I taught you better than that.”

“
My instincts tell me to keep looking, that’s all, and I don’t ignore my instincts.”

“
So where are we gonna find a crazy homeless man?” Kenny muttered.

“
On the streets,” Mike said. “We’ll put out a BOLO. Maybe we’ll get lucky and someone will spot him and bring him in, which means he won’t be transported in our car. He smells to high heaven, not to mention the fleas and lice.”

Kenny shuddered. “Shit. I wasn’t thinking of that.”

“
I always think of that,” Mike said. “It’s a holdover from when I was a little kid in grade school. I got lice in my hair in second grade because the kid who hung his coat next to mine had them. My Mom shaved my head and the crap she put on me to kill all the nits and eggs was something I’ll never forget.”

Kenny laughed. “Gives new meaning to the word, egghead, doesn’t it?”

Mike jabbed Kenny’s arm. “Very funny. So let’s go find us a prophet. I have a sudden need to hear God’s truth.”

****

Caulfield Industries was unusually calm. One of Justin’s afternoon appointments had cancelled and he found himself with a couple of hours to spare. His first thought was to go see Callie, but when he called the room to check in with his mother, he found out Callie was in x-ray, which meant even if he went, he’d spend more time waiting in her room for her to come back, than actually getting to see her, so he decided to wait until later. Still, the idea of getting out of the office was too enticing to dismiss. On impulse, he buzzed his secretary.

“
Yes, Mr. Caulfield?”

“
Frances, I’m going to be gone for a while. What do I have on the calendar for later this afternoon?”

“
A conference call was tentatively scheduled for 4:15 but we never got confirmation.”

Justin glanced down at the list on his desk, and noted he had one last issue pending.

“
Did you get through to the company lawyer about confirming Jessup Sadler’s retirement?”

“
Yes sir. He said he’d contact the family on your behalf, let them know that the pension will begin immediately, that any extra medical expenses for Mrs. Sadler not covered by the insurance will be picked up by the company, and that the company will be paying for Mr. Sadler’s funeral services, as well.”

Justin glanced up and then out the window toward the river, then looked away.

“
That’s perfect. Thank you, Frances. If there’s nothing else pressing, I’m taking the rest of the afternoon off. It will give me some extra time with Callie.”

“
Yes sir. I’ll call the necessary parties and make sure they know you’re unavailable in case they were still trying to pull it off.”

“
Thank you, Frances. Have a nice evening.”

“
You too, Mr. Caulfield, and give Callie my best.”

“
I’ll do that,” Justin said.

He hung up the phone, grabbed the morning paper he had yet to read, and headed down to the parking lot with a bounce in his step. It felt a little like skipping school, but Justin was in the mood for rebellion. He’d missed lunch thinking he would be in that meeting and was in the mood for something good. He thought of The Depot’s famous chicken and dumplings and made a quick turn at the corner and headed downtown.

****

Vic Payton was having a rough day. His fiancé called constantly demanding his undivided attention, while his boss/future father-in-law was riding him about rising costs and leaner profit. Vic was up to his eyeballs in paperwork trying to trace the cause. He couldn’t remember any of their suppliers upping costs on anything specific, so it had to be on the customer side. The lady who did their books was off this afternoon and Vic wasn’t the best when it came to numbers, but he was quickly learning that headaches like this were just part of the new job description.

When his phone rang again, he almost let it go to voice mail then saw it was from Michelle again, cursed aloud, then took a deep breath and answered.

“
Hi honey, what’s up?”

“
Tony and Myra want us to go with them tonight to that new place out on highway 10.”

Vic frowned. “Are you talking about The Blue Duck?”

She giggled. “Yes, that’s the one. Isn’t that the funniest name? But I hear the food is amazing and I want to go.”

The whine in her voice cut straight to his bones. If she’d been standing in front of him, it would have taken everything he had not to slap her silly.

“
I can’t baby, I have to work until close tonight.”

“
No Vic. I’ll talk to Daddy. He won’t-“

“
You do not talk to Daddy,” Vic said shortly. “This is my job. I don’t own this place. Your father does. If I don’t do my job well, he won’t be happy with me. Do you want him to be pissed at me, or what?”

“
But Vic, I want to go so bad and Tony and Myra are so much fun. Why can’t you be more like Tony?”

It was the worst thing she could have said and he reacted without thought – spitting out words in short angry bursts.

“
Because I was born in Coal Town and Tony was born on the other side of the bridge, that’s why. His daddy owns two blocks worth of businesses in downtown Caulfield. My daddy died in a mine when I was eleven. If you don’t like who you got engaged to, all you have to do is say so. I got pride, Michelle. I worked hard to get where I am and I’m not gonna piss it away.”

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Vic couldn’t believe he’d just said what he’d said, then realized he wouldn’t take one bit of it back. And since she decided not to comment, he finished up with condescending permission she wouldn’t like.

“
If you want to go with Tony and Myra, you have my blessing. Tell them I said hello. I have a problem here that your father wants resolved and I need to get back to work. Talk to you later... or not. It’s your call.”

The moment he hung up, he groaned. God. What the fuck was he thinking? If Michelle gave back his ring, would her old man fire him? Fucking hell, why couldn’t Poppy Sadler have given him the time of day? She was the woman he’d wanted, but when she hadn’t been interested, he’d dropped his pursuit. She seemed satisfied with her lot in life and he wanted to be a mover and a shaker like Michelle’s old man. So he’d sold his soul to the devil’s daughter and now he was paying out the ass for someone he no longer wanted.

He frowned at the stack of invoices and in a fit of disgust pushed away from the desk. He wasn’t a damn bookkeeper. He belonged out front, mingling with the customers, and that’s where he was going.

Moments later he was back on the floor, weaving his way through the tables, eyeing what needed busing and how the plates looked as they came out of the kitchen. That’s what he knew. It’s what he did best. When he saw Justin Caulfield coming in, he moved past the hostess, grabbed a menu and greeted him personally.

“
Good afternoon, Mr. Caulfield. Are you meeting anyone, or dining alone?”

“
Alone,” Justin said. “And somewhere near the windows, please.”

Vic smiled. “Certainly sir! Right this way!” and seated Justin at a table for two with a window view.

“
Perfect,” Justin said. He laid his unread newspaper on the table, took the menu Vic offered, then looked up, scanning the room.

Vic caught the move. “Are you looking for someone in particular, sir?”

“
Yes. I like that young waitress who works your day shift. You know... the tall slender one with dark hair, but I don’t see her.”

Vic fidgeted nervously. He hated to disappoint a man of Caulfield’s stature.

“
I’m sorry, sir, but she’s off for a few days. She had a death in her family. Two actually. It’s quite the tragedy.”

Justin frowned. “That’s too bad, but now that I think of it, I don’t think I ever knew her name.”

“
Her name is Poppy Sadler. Her father was the man who was murdered just yesterday. The one they found in the river.”

Justin frowned. “How unfortunate. Yes, that is a tragedy.”

“
But not the entire story,” Vic said. “Her mother died of cancer the same morning her father’s body was found. But I’m sure that’s more dismal news than you care to hear. I’ll send Jewel right over. She’ll take good care of you and enjoy your meal.”

“
Fine. Thank you,” Justin said, and then reached for the paper. Curious, he opened it to the obituaries and then began to scan the page, looking for a Sadler obit then found it.

Helen “Sunny” Roberts Sadler – born July 4
^th
, 1962 – deceased September 12
^th
, 2011.

Justin read the name, and then read it again. Sunny Roberts. He read the entire obituary three times, folded up the newspaper and set it aside.

The waitress appeared with water, coffee and a menu. He ordered the chicken and dumplings he’d come for and then reached for the sugar as she walked away, only to realize his hands were shaking.

****

It was nearly 4:15 when Poppy got home. She was exhausted both physically and mentally, and walking into a warm house filled with enticing smells and a half-dozen pots of colorful chrysanthemums was a welcome she hadn’t expected.

Gladys came out of the kitchen wearing one of her mama’s aprons and for a moment Poppy couldn’t think what to say beyond ‘take that off’. Thankfully she refrained and handed Gladys the keys to her car.

“
It’s back in one piece, safe and sound and full of gas. I can’t thank you enough for the loan, not to mention staying here for all this.”

“
Oh sugar, I was happy to help,” Gladys said. “You have quite a list on the kitchen table and I made a second list of all the people who’ve called. They don’t expect you to call back. I just thought you’d want to know.”

“
I do. I really appreciate it.”

Gladys untied the apron then laid it in Poppy’s hands. “I’ll be getting on home now. Give you some time to yourself and maybe get you some of that good food in the kitchen. Didn’t you say John was coming?”

“
Yes, ma’am. He’ll be here some time tonight.”

“
Good. I don’t like to think of you here all by yourself. Now if either of you need anything at all you just give us a call.”

“
I will.”

Gladys patted Poppy’s cheek, grabbed her jacket and purse and was out the door. Poppy locked it behind her, then, for a moment, stood in the silence and closed her eyes.

She could hear a faint sound of running water and realized the plunger on the toilet was probably stuck again. Sometimes you had to jiggle it to make it shut off. She recognized the scent of freshly brewed coffee, but there were other more enticing scents of something hot and sweet. She could almost hear her mama’s voice, calling out.

Baby? Is that you? We’re in the kitchen. Come on in.

Poppy pinched the bridge of her nose to stop a fresh set of tears, headed for the bathroom to check the toilet then went into her room to change.

A few minutes later she entered the kitchen wearing a pair of faded jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Her house shoes were old fleece-lined moccasins. After being on her feet all day, she craved comfort and familiarity, and maybe a piece of pie to hold her over until supper.

It was a little like potluck dinner at church as she sorted through the foil covered bowls to see what was here, but she didn’t stop until she found the desserts. After poking her finger in a couple to test for taste, she settled on a piece of coconut cream pie, poured a glass of milk, and headed for the living room to eat.