Chocolate-Covered Crime (17 page)

“What’s that for? I’m just standing here!”

“Eunice, that’s assault.” Joe released Larry and grasped Eunice’s hand.

“Looked to me like he wanted to get in there and hit someone, so I stopped him.” She pulled free of Joe, planted her fists on her hips, and transferred her attention to me. “Need any help, Summer? This one’s subdued.”

“No, I got it.” I tightened my hold around Mason’s neck. He spun like a top to try and dislodge me. Uncle Roy marched across the parking lot with his trusty rifle and aimed for the sky. I’d told him a million times that only rednecks drove around with a gun rack in their truck. Would the man ever listen to me?

“You shoot that gun, Roy, and I’m arresting you.” Joe grabbed for the weapon. “Why you keep it stashed in your truck is beyond me.” Uncle Roy clutched it to his chest and darted back to his Chevy.

“Grab him, Ethan!” Larry swung wildly at Mason, barely missing my head.

“Get her off me, Banning!” Mason turned to brush me off by slamming into the nearest car. The breath left me in a
whoosh
, and pain radiated through my lower back.

Ethan wrapped his arms around my waist and yanked. “Thanks for the help, sweetheart, but I can handle this.” He set me on my feet and threw a punch that knocked Mason to the asphalt. Mason stared at us from the ground, his right eye reddening.

“Had enough?” Ethan offered a hand to help the man to his feet.

Mason nodded and grasped it. “My beef wasn’t with you. It’s with that know-it-all little twerp Bell.”

“You still can’t brawl in a public place.” Joe scowled, one hand clutching Larry, the other regaining its grip on Aunt Eunice.

“Then arrest me.” Mason rubbed his knuckles.

“Why don’t you tell me what started this.” Joe released his captives and withdrew a pad of paper and pencil from his pocket.

“This man is swine.” Larry tilted his chin toward Mason. “An adulterer.”

“I’m not married, and neither was Renee. You’re probably the one who killed her. You and your self-righteous ways.”

“Immorality runs rampant in Mountain Shadows.”

“And you’ve elected yourself as cleanup crew?”

My neck swiveled like a lawn sprinkler between the two men. This was the best birthday entertainment ever. Aunt Eunice sported a grin that rivaled the Cheshire cat. April had joined us at some point and sat perched on the hood of my car. She clutched a handful of tissues.

My elation dropped a notch when I noticed the blood dripping from Ethan’s nose. He’d tried unsuccessfully to stanch the flow with a festively decorated napkin.

“Oh.” I rushed to his side. “I’m so sorry. Let me help you. Is it broken?”

He shook his head. “Happy birthday, Summer.”

“It is. Very entertaining.”

He frowned.

“Except for your battered face.”

“Uh-huh.” Ethan raised his head toward the sky. “Go put your pretty little nose where it wants to be.”

Mason took a step toward Larry. Joe stiff-armed him to keep him away from the other man. “Look, Mason. Either you stop the aggression, or I’m hauling you to the station.”

“Haul
him
in, the little weasel.”

Larry kept an impassive expression on his bland face. “I must go about the Lord’s work, Mr. White. And fornication is an abomination.” His voice rose until he almost shouted.

Who would have thought Larry to be a self-proclaimed prophet? I exchanged glances with April. She shrugged. We needed to search deeper into Larry’s involvement with Mae Belle. If the man had been planning a wedding, where was the bride? If he’d wanted a party, where were the friends? And what was up with Mason’s defensive attitude? My head ached from all the questions. My back throbbed.

I sidled next to April. “So, who do you think we should check out? Mason and his blatant disregard for moral values, or the up-and-coming evangelist?”

“Who’s on your list?”

“Sherry, but I’ve got her covered. Anderson, the funeral director, Mason, Hubert Smith, Edna Mobley, and Larry Bell. We can rule out Renee, for obvious reasons.” I sighed. Not liking her didn’t remove my sadness at the way she’d died.

“Speaking of suspects.” I motioned to the other side of the lot. Hubert ushered Edna from the pizza parlor and gave our group a wide berth. Edna caught me looking and ducked her head.

Larry stepped in their direction and pointed. “More infidels!”

Joe snapped his notebook=" Roman">La closed. “That’s enough, Larry. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’d been drinking.” He leaned closer and sniffed. “You don’t smell like you have. Go home, and leave others alone.”

“Remember the plank in your own eye before you go pointing out the splinters in other people’s.” Aunt Eunice nodded to emphasize her point. A plank in Larry’s eye? Did she know something about the man?

I’d neglected my suffering fiancé long enough. I made a mental note to get with my aunt later tonight. I joined Ethan as he leaned against his truck. “Are you ready to go? We should probably put some ice on your nose.”

“I thought maybe you forgot about me.” He smiled and winked. “Ow.”

“Let me get Uncle Roy to carry my gifts, and I’ll meet you back here.”

The bleeding had stopped by the time we reached my house, but I led Ethan inside, situated him on a kitchen chair, then made a pack for his nose out of a washcloth and plastic bag full of ice. Uncle Roy deposited my gifts on the kitchen table, and Aunt Eunice prepared a pot of coffee.

“Whooee! What a party.” She leaned against the counter.

Joe strolled in behind April and plopped into a chair next to Ethan. “A parking lot brawl is not a celebration.”

“What’s the plank in Larry’s eye?” I stared at my aunt and rubbed Ethan’s temples.

“No gossip.” Joe reached for a mug and held it out for Aunt Eunice to fill.

“It’s common knowledge that Larry found himself an Internet girlfriend. He spouted the news all over town. Then Mae Belle, bless her heart, decided to try it for herself. Must have been before she got involved with that funeral director. Or maybe he’s what she found on the cyber highway of love.” Aunt Eunice poured a drink for Uncle Roy. “Anyway, turned out it was all a scam. Larry’s been bitter ever since. Said Mae Belle ran his love away. Took it upon himself to be the conscience of Mountain Shadows. He’s been upsetting a lot of people. Mason ain’t the only one who’s mad at the guy.”

“It’s sad that Larry got scammed, but it doesn’t give him the right to go poking his nose into everyone’s business.” Which reminded me to check on Ethan. The bleeding hadn’t resumed.

“Look who’s talking.” Joe clunked his mug on the table. “The Queen of Nosiness.”

“I’m trying to solve a crime.”

“For the hundredth time, it’s not your job.”

I took the stained washcloth from Ethan’s swollen nose and rinsed it in the sink. Seemed like I had two mysteries to solve: Mae Belle’s murder and the computer scam involving Larry. Maybe his mystery “love” had something to do with m=" nd y cousin’s death. If Mae Belle put a stop to a scam earning a lot of money, that would be reason enough to shut her up, wouldn’t it?

Aunt Eunice set the coffeepot back on the stove. “And if that ain’t bad enough, the man still harbors sore feelings over the fact that my friends Ruby and Mabel both turned him down when he asked them out. I think that was before he turned to the Internet. The poor fool hounded them for weeks.”

I leaned against the counter. “Who do you think killed Mae Belle and Renee, Joe?”

Joe choked on his coffee. “Why do you ask me questions you know I can’t answer?”

“Not even off the record?” Fine. I’d tell him my own opinion. “Here’s what I’m thinking.”

Ethan crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, April rolled her eyes, and Joe’s shoulders slumped.

“Lots of people had a reason to do away with Mae Belle. She may be my cousin, but let’s face it, the woman had an abrasive attitude. I still don’t know why she went into a business working with people.” I paced. “Hubert Smith and Edna Mobley are upset because she ruined the plans for their wedding. Mason, who I don’t really think is the murderer, tried using her to plan a party. He ended up planning one himself. But”—I paused and held up a hand—“what if Mae Belle found out about him and Renee?”

Joe opened his mouth to say something. I held up a hand to stop him.

“Then there’s Lewis Anderson, who I’ve discovered was having an affair with Mae Belle. He could have killed her in order to hide his dirty secret from his wife. Then there’s Larry Bell.”

“Okay, Sherlock, who do you think did it?” Joe tilted his chin. “Who’s at the top of your list?”

“I prefer Nancy Drew. I’ve told you that. Sherlock is a man. They’re all pretty even on my suspect list. Renee was on there, but, well. . .” I plopped into a chair. “Maybe I do cause death and destruction everywhere I go. When the diamonds showed up under my rosebush, Terri Lee died. Then I found that girl at the carnival, now Mae Belle and Renee.” A sob rose in my throat. “I just want to help people.” My shoulders slumped, and I bowed my head to stare at the floor. A spider scuttled across my line of vision. If I hadn’t been so dejected, I would’ve jumped up and screamed.

Ethan rose and pulled me into his arms. “We know that, honey. None of this is your fault.”

I stiffened and buried my face in his shirt. “Joe’s always yelling at me; now April did.”

“I said I was sorry,” April said.

“I haven’t yelled at you lately,” Joe added, leaning back in his chair. “And I won’t unless you break the law. You’ve got a good list of suspects compiled. I’ve been checking them, and they a=" hey’rll have valid reasons for disliking Mae Belle. But none of them seem like the killing sort. Just because you don’t like someone doesn’t mean you want them dead.” He let the chair legs slam back to the floor.

“Forget it. I’m just feeling sorry for myself. I honestly thought I’d have this solved by now.” I plopped into the nearest chair.

“We’re focusing on the computer scam,” Joe said. “There’s your tidbit of free knowledge.”

“The love interest’s name is Lola.” I turned, and the words burst from my mouth before I could hold them back.

Joe speared me with his gaze. “How do you know that?”

“Uh.” I glanced at April. I might as well tell the truth. Joe would be less mad. “We went to visit Larry and got on his computer.” If Joe’s crimson face was any indication, he’d be shouting at me very soon.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Sunday after church, I stood in front of A Dream Wedding and stared through the plateglass window as Sherry swept a broom briskly across the floor. A smile split her face. Her back seemed straighter. And although I couldn’t hear from outside, I’d guess she hummed as she worked.

Heavy clouds swirled overhead. I shook my head. This was the type of stormy weather we’d get in the spring, not in September. Not the norm, but not unheard of either. A fat raindrop plopped on my head, and I turned, hitched my tote bag securely on my shoulder, and strolled toward Grandma’s Story Corner. A vente-sized frozen coffee would brighten my day.

The cold drink numbed my hand. I meandered for the inspirational fiction aisle of the store. I’d long since given up on buying and reading detective how-to books. No matter how much information I gleaned from between the pages, I still did things my way. Which most of the time seemed haphazard. At least to anyone looking on. I hoped there was some semblance of order to my madness. Despite all my mishaps, the bad guy did get it in the end.

I grabbed a book that showed promise, handed over the required cash, then took a seat at a round table in the coffee bar area. I tried to relax and submerge myself into the delightful love story printed for me to enjoy. No use. My thoughts spun like the rising wind outside. I closed the book and grabbed my case notes from the tote bag I’d set on the floor.

Sunday afternoons were normally spent with Ethan, my aunt and uncle, or lazing around the house. With =" h" wthe speed my mind raced, I’d thought getting away would benefit me more. The details of the mystery haunted me, dogged my steps, and fogged my mind.

Thunder rumbled outside, and I glanced out the window. Rain fell in a steady curtain. I still smarted from the verbal deluge from Joe last night. It wasn’t like April and I broke into Larry Bell’s house or anything. The door had been unlocked.

Concentration still eluded me with each stroke of lightning across the slate gray sky. All my suspects had reason to dislike Mae Belle, but to murder her? I shook my head. Something teased at the corner of my mind. A clue I couldn’t quite grasp. What was it? I squeezed my plastic cup too hard. Coffee and whipped cream squirted from the hole in the top of the lid. Wonderful. I grabbed a napkin and wiped at my notes. The pencil marks smeared in gray and brown smudges.

Sitting here accomplished nothing. I gathered my soggy papers, tossed my half-empty cup in the garbage, then left the store. The rain had stopped, leaving the air heavy and still. I set off at a brisk pace toward A Dream Wedding where I’d left my car. From the eerie green tinge to the sky, I didn’t want to be out in the open much longer.