Down Home and Deadly (26 page)

“Ha!” Had she ever seen me with John?

She pushed her blond hair out of her face and looked at me. Tears still flowed freely down her cheeks. “I mean it. You have to at least try. I’ll stay here and change clothes
.
 
.
 
.
” She ducked her head again. “And get ready to be arrested.”

“Why would they arrest you?”

“Withholding evidence? Or maybe he’ll think I killed J.D. so that Lisa can’t have him.” She picked up a needlepoint pillow and buried her face in it.

Why had I thought I could let other people handle their own problems? I sighed. “I’ll take the phone to John and talk to him.”

She pulled the pillow down from her face and hugged me. “I have a confession.”

“What?” I braced myself, not sure I could keep any more of her secrets.

She grabbed a tissue from the coffee table and wiped her nose. “I used to think you weren’t good enough for Alex.”

I blew out the breath I’d been holding. “I’m sure you were right.” Debbie had never made it a secret that she would like to go out with Alex.

She sighed. “Nah, I was wrong. And if you can keep John from making a mess of this, I’ll sing at your wedding.”

I laughed softly. “Thanks.”

*****

“I’m Jenna Stafford. I need to see Chief Conner, please,” I informed the uniformed officer at the front desk. He chewed his gum furiously for a minute while studying my face as if memorizing it for future reference. Probably thought he’d be seeing it on a
w
anted poster.
“Please? It’s important.”

“Hold your horses,” he said and picked up a phone. He punched a button and spoke in a low tone, “Jenna Stafford to see you, Chief.” He looked disappointed at the response but waved me toward the inner sanctum. “Go on in.”

John, writing at his desk, looked up when I walked into his office. “Hey, Jenna. What can I do for you?”

I cleared my throat. I needed to get a grip o
n
this situation quickly if I wanted it to go as I planned. I slipped into the seat across from him. “I want to make a deal with you,” I began.

He held up his hand in the tradition of traffic cops everywhere and half
smiled. “If you’re going to tell me who you think the murderer is, I’d rather you didn’t.”

“No. I don’t know who did it,” I said quickly. “But I do have a problem connected with the murder. In a way. Only it’s not
,
really. But you think it is.”

“Instead of telling me what I think, why don’t you tell me what you’re talking about.” John leaned back in his high
-
backed leather chair and crossed his arms across his chest.

I took a deep breath. “Here’s the thing. The cell phone you’re looking for is in my purse.”

*****

*****

If you can’t hunt with the big dogs, stay on the porch
.

John slapped his forehead
,
and red crept up his neck. “Why am I not surprised?” He held out his hand. “Where did you get it?”

I nudged my purse under my chair with one foot. “That’s actually a funny story.”

He wasn’t laughing. “Save the story and
just
tell me where you got it.”

“It was in the garbage, of all places.”

“You know what, Jenna? Let me have the phone
;
then you can tell me, in little bits and pieces or however you want to, all about finding it.” He snapped his fingers lightly.

“Wait. I need you to promise me something first.”

This time he was the one who drew a deep breath. In fact, I thought I heard him counting under his breath. Patience is a virtue. Maybe he was developing his. “I don’t make promises, and I don’t make deals. This is not television. Hand. Over. The. Phone. Now.”

“Well, I did make a promise. I promised the person who had this phone that I’d talk to you about it before you made any rash decisions.”

He pushed himself out of his chair and put his palms on the desk. “What I do with information received and pertinent to an ongoing investigation is not your affair. Give me the phone.”

I leaned back instinctively. “The person who had this has a really good alibi for the time of the murder. I don’t think she could possibly have killed J.D.
,
but there is some information on the phone
that
could do her harm.”

He took pity on me. Or else he was just sick of having me in his office.

“Jenna, give me a little credit. If this isn’t helpful, we won’t use it. And I have yet to make information public in a current investigation.” His hand was still stretched toward me. “Who had the phone? Whose garbage was it in? And how did you end up with it?”

“I was gathering garbage at the diner when I spotted something. I fished around and found the phone. At first, I thought it was mine. It’s exactly like mine, so that was a natural assumption.” I looked at him to try and gauge his reaction.

Stone
-
faced.

“Anyway, when I went to check a message from Alex, there were several messages I didn’t recognize. Then I found my phone in my purse.”

“So who does the phone belong to?” He held out his hand. “Never mind. Just let me have the phone
,
and I’ll find out.”

“I’d like to.” I glanced at his unyielding face. “The thing is, the person who had this phone doesn’t want Lisa to know that she had it.”

“This phone is evidence in a murder investigation. So far I’ve purposely avoided asking you how long ago you found it. But you don’t even want to know what it would be like if you’re charged with withholding evidence or being an accessory to murder.” John glared at me. “Tell me what you know and quit playing games.”

“Ok
ay
.” I caved. “J.D. and Debbie were just starting to see each other behind Lisa’s back. Debbie doesn’t want Lisa to find out.” I reached down and picked up my purse. “They were planning to tell Lisa
,
but then he got killed.”

“Or J.D. went ahead and told Lisa
,
and she got mad and shot him
,
” John murmured. He looked quickly at me. “Ignore that. I was just thinking aloud.”

I didn’t like the direction his thoughts were going. “I thought Lisa had an alibi
.
” I pulled the phone out of my purse and laid it on the desk.

“Not an airtight one.” He looked me in the eye. “But you’re sure Debbie does?”
He picked up the phone and flipped it open as if the murderer
’
s name was written in the keys.

“Well, she was washing dishes in the kitchen at the
d
iner.” But did she have an airtight alibi? I couldn’t say positively that she hadn’t left the diner for a few minutes. How long would it take to run out back, shoot an unsuspecting victim
,
and dash back inside? And even follow me out and knock me in the head? Anyone at the diner
easily
could have done it. But there was the fact that she was possibly the only one who knew he was supposed to be out there. Unless he had a whole bevy of secret girlfriends.

“So you can say for sure that she never went outside?” John searched my face as if he could see the questions running through my mind.

I reluctantly shook my head. “Not positively.”

“Well, then, don’t expect me to make you any promises. I will do what is necessary to bring a killer to justice. But I will not harm any innocent bystanders if I can help it.”

It wasn’t the promise I wanted, but I had to be content with that.

*****

“Reporting for duty,” I said as I breezed into the kitchen. Getting rid of Debbie’s phone yesterday had done a lot to lighten my burden of responsibility. If I could keep Lisa out of jail and figure out how to solve Carly’s problems, I’d be batting a thousand.

Carly smiled at me. “Just in time.” She wiped her hands on her apron as she went to the large refrigerator for more ingredients. Whatever she was cooking, the aroma was delicious.
Alice
nodded to me from the stove. Funny how well they were working together now when Alice and Harvey had
only
about a week left on their agreement to help out.

“You should bottle that smell,” I told them as I got my own apron and checked the pocket. Yes, my order pad and pencil were there. I was ready for business.

Carly grinned. “If only we could figure out how.”

I was glad to see her smiling. She’d told me last night on the phone that the funeral had been therapeutic for her in a way. And that with God’s help she was closer to figuring things out. I’d been praying ever since that God would work it out. He was so much better at handling things than I was.

“Anything I need to know before I go out there?” I asked.

She shrugged. “
Harvey
’s seating folks, and Susan and
Marco
have their hands full. Debbie called and said she’s under the weather.” She sent me a questioning look, and I shrugged. I’d told Carly the whole thing on the phone last night. And I didn’t know anything new.

I pushed the swinging door and was immersed in the hubbub made by happy diners. I waved to
Harvey
to let him know my section of tables could be put into use and headed to the menu stand. The next couple of hours passed in a blur. I had the fleeting reflection that this job wasn’t so bad. Hard, but interesting. Mostly hard, though. My thoughts were scattered when a familiar voice trumpeted my name.

I looked up.

“Hey, Miss Lady, how much longer are you chained to that apron?” Jolene wended her way through a maze of tables to me, conversing the entire way. Presumably with me, but loudly enough for it to be a community conversation. “I came to tell you bye-bye.”

“Have a seat, Jolene,” I murmured, in the hopes she would follow my example and talk more quietly. “Let me bring you a glass of tea.”

I left a menu on the table and went to the counter. I returned with her tea. “Can I get you anything to eat?”

“Nah,
s
weetie. Thanks, but I ate a late breakfast at the hotel. I just thought you and me might have a little heart
-
to
-
heart before I head out.”

“I can’t leave, but I can take a break for a few minutes. Let me clear it with
Harvey
.” I went to his station and explained that I would be on break for the next ten minutes, grabbed myself a glass of tea, and went back to sit with Jolene.

“So, you’re heading out, huh? Where to?”

“You know, girl, I been thinking about that a lot. I ain’t had what you might call roots since I was a little kid in pigtails. Now I got this money, compliments of Jimmy-boy, God rest his soul, and I think I might just make a down
payment on a little house somewheres. My granny’s place in
Texas
comes to mind. I
’
magine her old house is tore down, but I b’lieve I could find me something reasonable around there. I might just go back to waitressing my own self. I’d make enough to pay the bills, and I’d have a life like most folks have.” She beamed at me like a first
grader showing her mother a good report card.

“Jolene, I think that’s a great idea.”

“Seems kinda funny, don’t it? Jimmy and me never did have what most folks would think of as a good marriage. He never was one to make a honest living. More times than not, I was the one who took care of him.” She shook her head in wonder. “But here I am, fixin’ to buy a house
,
and it’s thanks to him. The Lord surely does work in mysterious ways, don’t He?”

“He sure does,” I agreed. I took a sip of tea. “Jolene, I hope things work out well for you.”

“Why, I’m sure they will, chickie. You can’t keep a good woman down. Speaking of women, you never did introduce me to Jimmy’s latest flame.”

I sent a brief prayer of thanksgiving that neither Debbie nor Lisa was at the
d
iner.

“No, I didn’t. And she’s not here right now.”

“Ah, well, I guess I’ll live without meeting her. I’m ready to blow this b
u
rg and hit that little watering hole in the next county. Then I’m off to
Texas
.” She stood and leaned down to envelope me in a scented, smothering hug. “Don’t take life too serious, girlfriend. It’ll be over before you know it.” She gave me a cheery grin and headed to the door. She detoured through
Marco
’s section and pinched his cheek before he could dodge. “Been a pleasure seeing you,
s
weet
c
akes. Every single time.” And Jolene Highwater was gone. The effect was of a gentle breeze after a howling windstorm.