Cover Story (17 page)

Bob and Jacob came wandering back about the same time as Molly. They all looked at one another and let out one big sigh. Wendy started crying, startling them.

Stephanie walked over with her. “The money's there in the cashbox. I think it's time I took this little one home. She's getting hungry and cranky.”

“We'll give you a lift,” Jacob said and looked at Sally-Jo, who nodded and grabbed her purse.

“Gee, thanks, but I've got to talk to Lizzie first, real quick.” She looked at Lizzie.

“Sure, I'll help you get all your gear together.” Lizzie walked over to where Stephanie had propped the diaper bag.

“I'm getting real worried again about work tomorrow night,” Stephanie whispered.

“Would you rather I picked you up and gave you a ride home?”

“No,” Stephanie said louder than she'd meant to. She lowered her voice again. “No, I'd really like it if you'd park outside my place like we planned, see if you notice him and make sure that I'm not going out of my mind.”

“I'm all set. I'll be there. Don't you worry,” Lizzie assured her and gave her a hug.

Stephanie's smile looked small and sad. She called out to Jacob that she was ready and met them at the gate.

Bob pulled out a chair for Molly and she gratefully sank into it. “I don't trust Mayor Hutchins as far as I can throw him. I'd watch it, if I were Teensy. I've come to loggerheads with him a few times over the years. But he did outlast me, I'll give him that. Teensy better watch her virtue . . . but I think she's gone done lost it already.” He chuckled. He pulled out a chair for Lizzie.

She shook her head. “Thanks, but Andie and I had better get on our way. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Molly.”

“How cool was that,” Andie said as they got in the hot car. “My first book launch.” She gave Lizzie a mischievous look. “Maybe that's another day shaved off the tutoring in the fall.”

To say that man is a reasoning animal is a very different thing than to say that most of man's decisions are based on his rational process. That I don't believe at all.

REX STOUT

L
izzie made sure she was at Bob's early the next morning. She wanted to catch him before his day began, and since they hadn't set a time to meet, she figured earlier was better.

He greeted her at his front door, mug of coffee in hand. “Hey, Lizzie. I just happen to have a mug with your name on it, if you'd like.”

“Am I that easy to read?” She laughed and followed him down the short hall to the kitchen. The sun streamed through the window, giving the room a bright, cozy feel even though all the windows and doors stood wide open.

“Just trying to get some real air in here before it heats up too badly. Let's go sit outside. You might just be able to see some of the pike jumping.”

Lizzie followed him out and took the Adirondack chair farthest from the door. Bob remained standing and scoured the river for a few minutes before joining her.

“You know,” he started, then paused. “If ever I was to lose my freedom—now I'm not saying that's about to happen—but this is what I'd miss the most.”

Lizzie felt a jolt shoot through her body. She sat up straighter and tried to cover her anxiety. “Do you have any idea at all who could be behind all this?”

“I've wracked my brain, tried to remember every incident in my time as chief, trying to look for some clue as to who might have it in for me. Because that's what this amounts to. The counterfeiting ring is one thing. It's obviously been established for a while, even while I was in office. But to try to pin Wilson's murder on me and also tie me in to the phony bills, that's a separate agenda item. I might just be the most expedient way of deflecting police attention but there's got to be something personal in all this, too.”

Lizzie thought what he said made sense but it sure didn't get them anywhere.

“I talked to his fiancée. Her name's Urliss Langdorf.” She shifted a little in her chair as Bob didn't comment, just stared at her. “She thought Wilson might be going to see you to get help dealing with whatever he'd gotten into.”

“You went to see her? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Did she have any idea what this thing was that he was mixed up in?”

“No, but she thought it was something illegal. Do you think it could have been the counterfeiting?”

“It's possible. It might have seemed like the kind of get-rich-easy scheme he liked. Well, I wonder if Wilson might have wanted out and needed my help, maybe to make a deal with the law. I wonder why he decided to go straight?”

“Love. She said she wouldn't marry him until he did just that.”

“Hmm. Rivers, on the other hand, might have wanted a bigger cut. Or he, too, may have been having second thoughts. I'd like to think it's the second one. Orwell Rivers might have been a bit of a loner but he'd never struck me as deep down bad.”

“What if Rivers was the head of the scheme and somebody wanted to take over?”

Bob thought a few moments. “That's possible, I guess. But it doesn't account for what happened to Wilson.” Bob shook his head. “I can't get over the fact that this was operating right under my nose.”

“And here you thought you were perfect,” Lizzie said playfully.

Bob glanced at her and chortled. “Well said, little lady.”

“So, what's the next move?”

Bob stared out at the river again. “Like I've said before, this is a dangerous game and you're definitely not one of the players. You need to stay out of it. Don't go chasing suspects or asking any more questions. I appreciate the opportunity to sit and talk this through but that's the extent of your involvement. Go it?”

Lizzie knew better than to argue. “I hear you.”

Bob harrumphed. “Yeah, but will you listen?”

• • •

L
izzie pulled into Urliss Langdorf's driveway, got out of the car and scanned the street looking for any sign of a big black sedan. Not this time. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to the front door.

Urliss answered on the first buzz of the doorbell. She stood dressed in a shapeless long beige T-shirt that stopped midthigh. Brown shorts peeked out at the bottom of it. Her blonde hair was even more in need of a dye job and looked like it hadn't been washed in days. Her eyes looked dully at Lizzie. It took her a few seconds to realize who was at her door.

“Oh, it's you. Do you know who killed Cabe?”

“Uh, no, I'm sorry, I don't. Not yet. Do you mind if I ask you a few more questions, though?”

“We've talked before. I don't know anything else,” she said in a monotone.

“I'll only take a few minutes. It might just jog your memory, remind you of something you didn't realize you know.”

Urliss shifted from one foot to the other. “All right, I guess so.” She stood aside and opened the screen door.

Lizzie followed her into the living room, which was already hot and stuffy. Urliss dropped into an old armchair; Lizzie perched on the edge of its twin, right across from her.

“First of all, how are you holding up?”

Urliss shrugged. “Some days are better than others, ya know?” She turned her head to the left, away from Lizzie. “It's just, I miss him a lot,” she said, almost a whisper.

“I can't begin to imagine what it's like. I'll try not to upset you with the questions.” Lizzie waited until Urliss was once again looking at her. “I'm wondering if you saw any of Cabe's acquaintances, someone who wasn't a close friend but came over to talk to him?”

Urliss gave it some thought before shaking her head. “No one came over when I was here. I'd only moved in about five months ago, though. I wonder what will happen to the house now?” She glanced around the room in disinterest.

“You said he got a phone call the night before he, uh, died. Had there been others? Maybe one that upset him?”

“No. He didn't have many visitors or phone calls. I guess you could say he didn't have many friends at all. Just other guys like him who tried to avoid getting caught. In fact, that's one thing he did say to me. He said he had to be careful to stay on the right side of the law.” She started crying. “That was just a line to keep me happy. He was mixed up in some illegal things, wasn't he? We were never going to be married at that rate.” She stood abruptly and clenched her fists. “Damn you, Cabe. Why couldn't you go straight?”

Lizzie wondered if maybe Urliss had killed Cabe in a fit of rage. He kept lying to her and that wedding moved further and further away. She could be a suspect. She knew where he was going; she could have followed him or even gone another route, then killed him at Bob's. Except, Lizzie reminded herself, there was no indication Cabe had been killed at Bob's. And what about the money? Urliss may have been in on the scheme but that would mean she was an excellent liar.
Or maybe I'm entirely too gullible
. She focused herself to get back to her original line of thought.

“Did Cabe have a lot of extra money all of a sudden?” Lizzie asked.

Urliss sat back down. “He had enough. We never wanted for anything. But the police did tell me they found a speedboat registered in his name.” She sniffed. “I would have loved to have a boat of any kind. And he never told me. What was that all about?”

Lizzie knew a rhetorical question when she heard one. She also knew this was a dead end. Urliss didn't know anything, and if she did, the FBI would already know about it. She wondered if they'd shared with Mark any details of their interview with Urliss.

• • •

D
usk was sliding into darker shades of night as Lizzie pulled alongside the curb on Fader Street, half a block away from Stephanie's apartment building. She'd just hunker down and watch for an hour or so, and if no car showed up, she'd leave. She'd already been in place when Stephanie had arrived home from work. No car on her tail, at least.

Lizzie's mind played with what she'd learned about Cabe Wilson while she waited. He sounded like a likely candidate for the counterfeiting ring. Maybe he got worried when Rivers died and wanted out. Maybe the bad guys couldn't chance he'd talk. But would they resort to murder? If they'd already killed Rivers, then one more victim wouldn't bother them. But what if something else Rivers had done had resulted in his death? There were far too many what-ifs with no answers. How did the police ever solve anything?

She'd been so engrossed in her mental games that she jumped at the knock on her driver's window. Lizzie took a few seconds to absorb what or rather who she saw, then rolled down the window.

“Officer Craig, you almost gave me heart failure.”

“That's similar to what you're doing to the people who live over there.” She signaled with her head toward the house to the right side of Lizzie's car. “They've seen a vehicle several times over the past couple of weeks parked outside here with the driver never getting out, then just driving away. What are you up to anyway?”

“I'm sorry if I scared them. I was just trying to keep an eye out for the pickup they must be referring to. It's my first night parked here. Honest.” Lizzie took a deep breath to calm her heart rate.

Craig straightened her back and rolled her head from side to side, stretching. “So who or what are you looking for?”

Lizzie sighed. “I don't know. It's just that Stephanie Lowe thinks she has seen the same truck following her home from the diner for the past few Mondays and then it stays parked here awhile. She's scared it's someone keeping an eye on her. I just wanted to check it out for her.”

Craig stiffened. “Why would someone keep tabs on her?”

“She's been afraid her ex-boyfriend, the father of her baby, might try something.”

“Does he have any custody rights? Are there lawyers involved?”

“Not on her side and she hasn't heard from him since last fall. But she was very scared of him back then.”

Craig looked around. “Well, if he were coming tonight you can bet seeing my cruiser here kept him driving on. What's your plan?”

“I just thought I'd park here for about an hour and see if he showed up. I hadn't really thought beyond that.” She realized the sun had finished setting. House lights shone in the windows along one side of the street while lights in the apartment building across the street twinkled back.

“Why don't I take a turn next Monday night?”

“As a police officer?”

“No, in my spare time. If there's no complaint, I can't do it on the tab.”

Lizzie smiled. “Thanks. I know Stephanie will appreciate it.”

Craig waved the thanks away. “I'll just go have a talk with our antsy homeowners, set their minds at ease. You do have to promise me you won't do anything crazy like try to approach him if he shows up when you're here. Just call the station or me. Okay?”

I almost wondered what else could go wrong today, but I stopped myself just in time. I was afraid I'd get an answer.

CAKE ON A HOT TIN ROOF
—JACKLYN BRADY

S
ally-Jo caught Lizzie Thursday morning right out of the shower after her run. Lizzie opened the door, totally surprised to see her there that early, and invited her in for a coffee.

The day had started out sweltering, but this was the coolest part of it, so they took their mugs out to the patio and sat on the two chaise lounges. Lizzie blew on her coffee and waited for Sally-Jo to share her reason for the surprise visit, which she seemed in no rush to do.

“How are this week's renos coming along?” Lizzie asked at last.

Sally-Jo shrugged. “Pretty much on schedule.”

“Remember to let me know if you need some more laborers. Mark's more than happy to help out again, if he can manage the time.”

“Not too likely with these murders, is it?”

Lizzie's turn to shrug. “Probably not but I'm still here.”

Sally-Jo smiled. “Thanks. Jacob's been doing the bulk of the extra work lately.” She chewed her bottom lip a few seconds then said, “Last night Jacob asked me to marry him.”

Lizzie's initial reaction was to whoop it up but she took her cue from Sally-Jo's low-key behavior. “And you said?”

“I told him I'd think about it. It just took me totally by surprise. I couldn't think straight. I told him as much.” Sally-Jo pushed her short, wispy red bangs to the side.

“How did he take that?”

“He wasn't too happy. I guess he thought it was a sure thing. We've been getting closer for some time now but it's still awfully early in a relationship to get engaged, don't you think?”

Lizzie thought she'd be better off not giving advice. “What about his marriage?”

“He's filed for a divorce. We'd wait, of course, but then he'd like to get married.” She let out a whimper.

Lizzie glanced at her sharply. “What's wrong?”

Sally-Jo gave a deep sigh. “I know I love him but I guess I'm not totally sure it's the right thing to do. Yet. What if I say yes, we get married and then decide it was a totally stupid thing to do? What then?”

You get divorced.
Not the right answer, she knew. “I'm not the one to give advice. I've never even been engaged. But I'd like to think your heart will know when it's the right person and you won't be looking for reasons not to get married. Like being worried about a divorce. Might this not have more to do with what happened last time you were engaged?”

Sally-Jo turned to face Lizzie, her eyes wide. “Do you think so? I hadn't thought of that. In fact, I've spent the last couple of years trying
not
to think about it. But if I still have issues about it, I'll just have to figure it out and deal with them. I won't let that jerk who two-timed me ruin my whole life.” She pushed herself off the lounge.

“You're right, Lizzie. Thanks so much for the advice.” Sally-Jo smiled. “I feel so much better now that I have a plan of action. I've got to dash. The building inspector is due any minute to check the fixtures in the powder room.” She gave Lizzie a hug and left her there musing about advice not given.

They seemed to be the perfect couple but who really knew. Lizzie hoped they could work it out because she'd really like to see her friend happy and settled. Both of her friends. Jacob had turned out to be that, too. She started humming as she went back inside with the empty mugs.

• • •

A
ndie slogged her way into the kitchen as Lizzie was finishing her breakfast of granola.

“Did I hear Sally-Jo a little while ago?” Andie asked, helping herself to a glass of orange juice from the fridge.

Lizzie nodded, her mouth full. When she'd swallowed she said, “She stopped by briefly. Had to run back for another stage in her renovation. How did you sleep?”

“Okay.” Andie stared at Lizzie's empty plate.

“There are plenty of eggs in the fridge, if you'd like,” Lizzie said. She'd already told Andie to feel at home enough to make her own meals, especially if Lizzie wasn't there. Dinners were a different matter. Hopefully, they could enjoy those together. Lizzie had never had a sister and seldom did anyone stay overnight. Few sleepovers at her house when she was a kid. Evelyn Turner just couldn't handle it. She'd never felt she'd missed out on much before, but having Andie at her place, even for just the past few days, made Lizzie realize how much she enjoyed the company.

Andie took a side plate out of the cupboard and placed a banana and apple on it before joining Lizzie at the table. It looked like there was something else on her mind today. Lizzie waited until the banana had been devoured.

“What are your plans for the day?” she asked.

Andie shrugged. “I might go shopping with some friends. There's a big sale on over at Walgreens in the mall. Might as well get school supplies while they're on sale. Mama left me a credit card for such things. Or else we'll just hang out.” She glanced at Lizzie from under lowered eyelashes.

“I've been wondering.” She hesitated long enough to make Lizzie a bit anxious. “Do you think I could keep on living here with you when school starts?”

Lizzie almost choked on the sip of juice she'd taken. “Where did that come from?”

“Well, you know, I kinda like being here, with you. Nobody would miss me at home. I'd keep all the house rules and help you around here and things like that. I wouldn't be any trouble, I promise. I could even get a part-time job and pay you some rent, although it wouldn't be a lot,” she tapered off. “Things have been okay so far, haven't they?”

Lizzie nodded and then took a minute to compose herself. She didn't want to put Andie off, but if this was a plea for help, she needed to know that, too. Her immediate reaction was to say, “No way.” But that would be too harsh.

“What do you think your parents would say about that?”

Andie shrugged. “Like I said, they wouldn't even know I was gone. They're never around. They don't care what I do. I just get in the way when they have parties and things. Besides, you could really keep track of my reading,” she threw in with a hopeful grin.

Lizzie couldn't help smiling back. “It's not a decision I can make right now, Andie. I'd have to think about it and we'd have to talk it over with your folks.” She held up her hand as Andie opened her mouth. “I will give it serious thought. I promise.”

Andie shut her mouth and nodded.

Lizzie kept coming back to the question all morning, long after Andie had gone out with her friends. What would she do with a teenager living with her? It was fine short-term. But to have that much responsibility every day? No way. Besides, she was certain the Masons would object. You didn't let your sixteen-year-old just move in with a virtual stranger. She wondered what Molly would say when she told her.

The phone rang and Lizzie glanced at the call display . . . speaking of Molly.

“Hey, Molly,” she said, shifting out of her reverie.

“Lizzie, the most awful thing has happened.” Molly sounded totally beside herself.

“What happened? Are you all right?” Lizzie's heart was pounding in her chest.

“Yes, honey, I'm fine. But Teensy's had a break-in at her house.”

“Is she all right?”

“Oh yes. It happened while she was out to dinner last night again with Mayor Hutchins and when he brought her home, they found her house had been ransacked. She was in some state. The mayor brought her over here after the police had finished up and she stayed the night. Can you come over?”

“Of course. I'll be right over.” She hung up, her mind already thinking about what she needed. Shoes and handbag. That was it.

She checked on the cats and found them each curled up, heads touching, on her bed. She quietly exited and grabbed her car keys from the hall table on her way past. The heat assailed her as she opened the front door. She gratefully switched on the car's air-conditioning as she backed out of the driveway, leaving the windows open for about half a block. She loved her add-on to the eighty-year-old house and yard that her landlord, Nathaniel Creely, so painstakingly kept in appealing shape but she sure missed not having a garage on days like this. It was like getting into a sauna when she first sat in the car.

By the end of the block the air-conditioning was doing its magic. She waved to the Finsteads, an elderly couple at the corner house, sitting out on their covered wraparound porch, drinking glasses in hand. Traffic moved at a crawl for another couple of blocks until she'd passed the large moving van parked in her lane. She wondered who'd finally bought the 1970's bungalow that had sat empty since last Christmas. She'd have to take a run past one morning and scope it out a bit better. As she turned onto Molly's street, her mind played over different scenarios for what had happened at Teensy's place. It obviously had something to do with what had been happening but they'd all believed her manuscript wasn't part of it. So, had they been wrong? Or what else had been sought?

Molly was waiting at the door when Lizzie arrived. “I've got some nice freshly made iced tea out back. The sun's not come around there yet so it's not too bad.”

Lizzie followed Molly through the house, noting that a small purple piece of luggage sat at the bottom of the stairs. Teensy must be getting ready to go home.

Teensy opened her arms to Lizzie for a hug, without getting up from her spot on a chaise lounge. Lizzie obliged her then slowly untangled herself.

“How scary for you, Teensy. You're sure you're all right?” Lizzie asked.

“Oh my, yes, sugar. We could see right away that the front door stood open a bit so Harold just told me to stand back and he'd investigate. He's such a brave soul.” Teensy sighed. “He called 911 while he went through the house. It's such a mess, I couldn't tell if anything had been taken. The police want me to make a note today if I realize something's missing.”

“Oh my God. That's terrible. Did you have many valuables there?”

“Not really. I brought lots and lots of colorful, cheap jewelry but only a very small selection of the good pieces, thank goodness. The jewelry was strewn across my bed. Even my underwear had been tossed around the bedroom.” She shuddered. “I can't bear to think that some man was pawing through my lingerie.”

Molly leaned across the arms of both their lounges. “It's a good thing you weren't at home or you could have been hurt.”

Teensy gave a small smile. “I've thought about that.”

“I wonder if it was random. Maybe someone saw you go out for the evening or could have been ringing doorbells looking for empty houses,” Lizzie suggested.

“Or?” Molly asked.

“Or, did it have something to do with all that's been going on around here?”

“Oh, surely, sugar, you don't think that? What's the connection? We've gotten the books sorted out and the FBI is handling the counterfeiting thing. Just because the money was mixed up with my book boxes doesn't mean there's any left there. Does it?” She looked from one to the other. “Maybe we should look through those boxes again.”

Lizzie nodded. “And maybe we should move them out of Molly's garage. I don't like the idea that either of you could be in danger.”

“But where would we put them? They're so handy in the garage,” Molly protested.

“We'll rent storage someplace,” Teensy answered. “Y'all must have one of those big storage rental places in town.”

They could hear the front doorbell ringing. Lizzie jumped up. “I'll get it.”

She hurried through the cool house and took a moment to peek through the peephole.
Oh, not them again.

She pulled the door open. “Special Agents Jackson and Ormes. What can I do for you?”

Jackson's initial look of surprise turned into a broad smile. “I didn't expect to see you here, Ms. Turner.”

Lizzie looked from him to Ormes, who stood, arms crossed in front of his chest, frowning. “I'm often here visiting my friend, Special Agent Jackson. Did you want to see Molly?”

Ormes cleared his throat. “No, ma'am. We're here to talk to Miz Coldicutt. I understand she's here, too.” He started walking forward.

Lizzie hesitated a moment then opened the door wide for them. “I'll take you to them.”

Molly and Teensy looked up in surprise as the agents followed Lizzie out to the patio. “You have visitors, Teensy,” she said.

“Yes, ma'am,” Jackson said and pulled a patio chair over next to Teensy. “May I?” he asked Molly and sat when she nodded. Ormes stood standing, watching.

“We'd like to ask you a few questions about what happened at your place last night, ma'am.” Jackson pulled out a small black notebook.

Teensy sighed. “As I told the police, I'd been out to dinner with the mayor and when we arrived home, the place had been tossed. What's it to the FBI anyway?”

Lizzie bit back a smile as she sat back in her chair.
Go get 'em, Teensy
.

“And you haven't had a chance yet to see if anything was missing?”

“Not yet. That's what I plan to do as soon as we've had lunch, gentlemen. Do you think it has anything to do with the counterfeit money? Obviously you do or you wouldn't be here.”

Ormes cleared his throat. “It is mighty strange all that's happened since your book was published.” He looked at Molly. “We'd like to take a look at all those boxes of books in your garage, ma'am. Something may have been overlooked the first time around.”

“And you think they thought the books must be at my place?” Teensy asked.

Ormes nodded.

Molly stood. “Of course. I'll show you where they're kept.”