Halloween Hijinks (A Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 1) (10 page)

“Are the fish biting?” I politely ask
ed Tanner after kissing Pappy on the cheek. I don’t really care if the fish are biting; in fact, I find the whole concept revolting. Still, my dad raised me to be polite, and part of being polite is the making of gracious conversation. Besides, talking about fish would, at least temporarily, help me to keep my promise to our good sheriff.

“Can’t complain
,” Tanner said.

“It looks like Buddy is doing better this week.
” Buddy is Tanner’s sixteen-year-old golden retriever, who has a tendency toward arthritis.

“Yeah, vet gave him some new meds
. He seems to be takin’ to ʼem. He even came out on the boat with me this morning.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

I turned toward Pappy and smiled. A few minutes of chitchat are about my limit with Tanner. Not that he isn’t a perfectly nice guy, but his inventory of conversational subjects seems limited to fishing, his dog, and something I try at all cost to avoid discussing: deer hunting.

“I found out an intere
sting piece of information yesterday,” I began. “It seems that my mother is in town, and apparently everyone who isn’t me has known of her presence for quite some time.” There was nothing better to distract me from a murder than discussion of my mother.

Pappy’s eyes crinkled in the corners as he shot me an amused look
. “Everyone who isn’t you?”

“Well
, maybe not everyone,” I admitted. “But Zak mentioned it, and I know Dad knows. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me.”

“Maybe he didn’t want to upset you.”

“Why would he think I’d be upset?”

“Are you upset?”

“Of course I’m upset,” I screeched a bit too loudly for polite company.

I blushed
, and Pappy squeezed my hand in a gesture of support. Perhaps book club wasn’t the best venue for this particular conversation.

“Your dad loves you more than anything,” Pappy reminded me
. “If he didn’t tell you, he probably has a really good reason. He’ll tell you when he’s ready.”

“Yeah,” I conceded
. “I know you’re right.”

I’d thought several times today about paying my old man a visit and confronting him about his dinner with my mother
, but some nagging instinct buried deep down inside had convinced me otherwise. I don’t know why my dad hasn’t chosen to fill me in on his visit with my mother, but I do know that Pappy was dead on when he stated that my dad loves me. He would never do anything to hurt me, and I know he’ll tell me when he’s ready.

I turned to watch the dogs play while Phyllis King, a retired English teacher, fussed with tea and cookies
. No one really wants the tea and cookies, but Phyllis insists they’re a must at any civilized soirée, so every week she brings them and every week we politely consume them.

“Okay, let’s go ahead and get started,” Hazel Hampton, town librarian and book club leader, announced.

“If I may,” Ernie Valdez interrupted the group
, “I’d like to make an announcement now that we’re all gathered. I guess you all heard about Warren Trent’s accident.”

Based on the affirmative murmurs in the room
, it seemed apparent that everyone had.

“Warren
is a good friend of my grandson Michael. I spoke to Warren’s father today, and apparently there have been a few complications. The doctor has recommended surgery to head off problems down the road. The procedure is going to require an extended hospital stay, and the Trent family’s insurance won’t cover the entire cost of the operation. I’d like to propose that our group organize a fund-raiser to help the family with expenses.”

“Oh, dear,” Phyllis tsk-tsked. “We most certainly should help. Does anyone have any suggestions as to the type of fund-raiser we should sponsor?”

“How about a bake sale
?” Hazel suggested.

“Do you have any idea how many cupcakes you’d have to sell to pay for even a small portion of an average hospital bill?
” I asked.

“Do you have a better idea?” Hazel countered.

I didn’t.

“Maybe we could pass
around a donation jar at the community picnic,” Nick suggested. “I bet there are a lot of folks who would pitch in to help a neighbor in need.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” I
said, trying for a softer approach than the one I’d taken with Hazel. “But what we really need to do is figure out a way to get a larger amount of money from fewer people.”

“How about a raffle
?” Pappy suggested.

The idea had merit
. A raffle would require only a minimal amount of extra work, and we could sell the tickets at all the upcoming community events.

“The Kiwanis made over twenty grand last year when they raffled off that car,” Nick pointed out.

“Where are we going to get a car?” Phyllis asked.

“Maybe we could get someone to donate one,” Tanner s
aid.

“If someone is willing to donate a twenty
-thousand-dollar car, wouldn’t it be easier to just ask them to donate the twenty grand?” Phyllis pointed out.

“I think this subject is going to require considerable thought,” Hazel observed
. “Perhaps we can set up a special committee to come up with a plan.”

Based on the echo
es of “yeah,” and “good idea,” in the room, it seemed as though the group agreed.

“Okay, it seems like we have a plan,” Hazel s
aid. “If there is nothing else…”

“Someone killed Coach
Griswold and dumped his body in the basement of the old Henderson place,” I blurted out.

I took a deep sigh as the pressure that
had been building up as I tried to keep the secret was finally released.

“What?” was the consensus in the room.

“Charlie and I went out to the house to respond to a call about a howling dog and we found Griswold deader than a doornail on the floor in the basement.”

“Oh
, my.” Hazel put her hand to her chest as if she might be having a heart attack. “Who could have done such a thing?”

I had my suspicions
, but for once I kept my mouth shut.

“You don’t think this has anything to do with the football nonsense that’s been going on?
” Phyllis asked after several minutes of stunned silence.

“Oh
, I’m sure it can’t be.” Nick seemed shocked by the suggestion. “Although, coupled with the upcoming holiday, the pranks do seem to have escalated this year. Still I can’t believe anyone would kill someone over a football rivalry.”

“St
ranger things have happened once you get folks all riled up,” Tanner warned. “I read a study once on how perfectly nice folks can become violent when acting as part of a group.”

“Yes
, but we’re talking about a football game and not a political demonstration,” Nick argued. “Do we know how Coach Griswold died?”

Everyone looked at me
. “Sheriff Salinger is still looking into it,” I replied.

“Yes
, but what did you see, dear?” Hazel wondered.

What I saw will assuredly give me nightmares for years
. The man was dressed in blood-soaked clothes and his limbs were arranged in such a way as to indicate that several bones at least were broken, which could be explained by the fact that it appeared as though he had been murdered upstairs and then dragged down to the basement. Someone had tossed an old rag over his head, so at least I didn’t have to look at his face. I didn’t even know it was Griswold’s body I’d found until Sheriff Salinger showed up.

“I didn’
t see much really.” I strained to pull off just the right amount of nonchalance. Salinger had warned me that revealing the details of the murder could compromise his investigation. I didn’t want to interfere with the law, but I was itching to tell everyone what I knew. “Charlie and I got out of the room pretty quick once we realized what we’d found.”

“It’s hard to believe something like this could happen in our
little town,” Phyllis commented.

“Why
did
it happen in our town?” Pappy said. “Coach Griswold lives in Bryton Lake now. What was he even doing here?”

“Maybe he was killed in Bryton Lake
and then transported to the Henderson place by whoever killed him,” Nick speculated.

“But why?
” Pappy asked. “Why bring his body to Ashton Falls?”

“The house is pretty isolated,” Nick pointed out
. “And it’s been deserted for quite some time.”

“He did used to live here,” Pappy speculated. “I’m sure he still has friends he comes around to visit. Maybe he was in town when he got himself wacked.”

“My money is on Frances Wadsworth,” Phyllis speculated. “She dated Griswold, you know. Bastard broke her heart.”

“That was five years ago,” Pappy reasoned
. “Besides, why would Frances lure him to the Henderson place? The whole thing seems sloppy. If Frances had killed him, she would have done it so much more eloquently.”

“True,” Phyllis acknowledged
. Frances was a proper Southern belle who had moved to Ashton Falls after her husband died.

“If I killed someone I’d tie a cement block to them and dump them in the lake,” Tanner offered
. “Fish would take care of the evidence.”

“
Not me. I’d use poison,” Hazel said. “No fuss, no muss.”

“Gunshot through the hea
rt would be more humane,” Ernie countered.

“I’d go with a shot of a quick
-acting sedative to stop the heart,” Nick chimed in.

I could see the discussion was quickly disintegrating and I was tired
. It was unlikely that the conversation would get back around to the book we were supposed to be discussing, so I made my excuses and left. I’d already said more than I should have. Salinger was going to kill me. If I was going to spend the next day in jail for obstruction of justice, I’d better get a good night’s sleep tonight.

The phone rang, wakening me from a deep sleep and the most delicious dream I’d had in quite some time.

It was Zak
.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” I groaned
. Charlie yawned and readjusted his position on the bed while Spade and Marlow opted for an irritated leap to the floor and an angry scurry out the bedroom door. 

“One
thirty-eight,” he replied.

“Why are you calling me at one
thirty-eight?”

“Levi is in jail
. They arrested him for the murder of Coach Griswold.”

“What?
” I bolted upright. I turned on the bedside light and looked around the room. I figured I had to be dreaming. That made about as much sense as anything. Why in the world would anyone think Levi killed Coach Griswold?

I must have voiced my thought out loud because Zak
responded. “Levi was seen arguing with Griswold Wednesday afternoon. It’s been determined that the time of death was some time Wednesday night.”

“Seems like a pretty weak reason to arrest a guy,” I pointed out.

“In and of itself, yes
, but Levi also happens to be in possession of the letterhead someone used to blackmail Griswold.”

I paused to rub my eyes
. “Someone was blackmailing Griswold?” I asked.

I heard Zak take a deep breath
. “Sorry, I guess I’m getting a little ahead of myself. Perhaps I should start at the beginning.”

“Have you called Ellie?
” I asked.

“No
, I figured I’d call you first.”

“Okay
.” My brain was finally beginning to work. “I’ll call Ellie and fill her in. Then I’ll put on some coffee. Why don’t you come over and bring us both up to date?”

“I’m sitting in my car in
front of the sheriff’s office,” Zak informed me. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Ten minutes wasn’t a lot of time
, but I somehow managed to start the coffee, get dressed, brush my teeth, and call Ellie. By the time Zak arrived I felt and looked almost human. And by the time Ellie arrived we had heated the pastries Zak thought to pick up at the all-night market. Once we’d poured our coffee and selected our pastries, we sat down at the kitchen table and waited for Zak to fill us in on the nightmare we’d stumbled into.

“
After Griswold’s body was found, Salinger asked Levi to come in and answer some questions,” Zak began. “Levi cooperated. Salinger conducted the interview and then announced that they planned to keep him in custody for the time being. I guess he tried to call you,” he looked at me, “but you didn’t answer, and then he called Ellie, only to find out she was out on a date. In the end he got hold of me, and I went down to the station.”

“I can’t believe Levi didn’t tell me what was going on when he called,” Ellie complained
. “I was out with Rick, but he has to know that I would have dumped Rick and come running had I known what was going on.”

“I don’t think he wanted you to have to cancel your date,” Zak responded.

“Not cancel my date?” Ellie shrieked. “Is he insane? He’s been arrested for
murder
,” she emphasized. “Of course I would have canceled my date.”

“Don’t feel bad,” I tried to console her
. “I didn’t even answer the phone when he called.”

Ellie gave me the oddest look
.

“Book club,” I explained.

“I feel just awful.” Tears began streaming down Ellie’s cheeks. “I should have realized something was wrong, but he sounded so normal on the phone. He asked if I was busy, and I told him I was out with Rick. He said it was no big deal, that we’d catch up tomorrow, and then he hung up.”

“Look, we both feel bad that we weren’t there for Levi when he needed us
, but we can be there for him now,” I pointed out. “How could Salinger think Levi would do something like this?”

“I
t turns out that Griswold was accused of breaking a kid’s arm when he coached kiddie league here in Ashton Falls,” Zak began. “Apparently the kid, whose name is Ryan Tillman, used to play for Levi but has since graduated. Somehow during a conversation, Ryan mentioned it to Levi. To make matters worse, he told Levi he wasn’t the only one Griswold used to kick around. Levi was furious, so he went to Bryton Lake and confronted Griswold. The argument ended in a fist fight. The police at Bryton Lake were called by a neighbor, but neither man wanted to press charges, so they let Levi leave. I guess this happened just hours before Griswold was murdered.”

I thought about the mascot at Bryton Lake Academy
. He’d seemed terrified about what Griswold would do if he didn’t retrieve the beaver costume.

“How did he die?
” Ellie asked.

“Someone hit him over the head with something cylindrical, probably a bat
,” Levi supplied. “Salinger figures that Levi left when ordered to by the police but then either he returned or Griswold followed him to Ashton Falls. Either way, Griswold is dead and Levi is their prime suspect.”

Ellie looked like she was going to pass out.

“You mentioned a blackmail letter?” I urged.

“
Salinger found a file in Griswold’s office at Bryton Lake Academy. It contained copies of a letter addressed to Griswold. The letter simply said, ‘I saw what you did,’ followed by instructions outlining how much money was required and where to deliver it. The letter is on Ashton Falls Events Committee letterhead.”

Ellie interjected
, “There are nine people on the committee including Zoe and me.”

“L
evi is the only one with a motive,” Zak reminded her.

“That we know of,” I pointed out
. “Besides, it sounds like Levi heard about the abuse and immediately went to Bryton Lake to confront Griswold. When did he have time to write and deliver a blackmail note?”

“Good point
.” Zak smiled. “I’ll mention that to the attorney I hired. Salinger is refusing to release Levi, so there’s not much we can do until court opens in the morning, but the guy I hired to defend Levi is the best there is. I’m certain he can get him released based on the fact that all Salinger has at this point is a theory. That doesn’t mean Salinger won’t keep looking for something more concrete, though. He seemed pretty convinced Levi is guilty.”

“So what now?”
Ellie wondered. “How do we help Levi?”

“We have to find out what really happened,” I
said. “If we can find the real killer, we can clear Levi’s name.”

“You know Salinger is going to have a fit if you sta
rt nosing around in this,” Ellie warned her. “The last time you got in the middle of a police investigation, Salinger threatened to have you fired from your job.”

“That was different,” I argued
. “The last time I was just trying to do my job. Can I help it if Salinger’s drug dealer was also abusing his dog? Besides, this is Levi. We
have
to help.”

“Maybe we should all get some sleep and revisit this in the morning
. What does everyone’s schedule look like?”

“I’m supposed to work
, but Jeremy can cover for me.”

“I can get away
, too,” Ellie said. “Someone can cover for me at the diner.”

“Okay, then
, let’s meet in the morning and figure out a plan,” Zak suggested. “We can meet here. I’ll bring breakfast. Say nine o’clock? That will give me a chance to make sure Levi is released.”

“I’ll be here,” I confirmed.

“Me, too,” Ellie added.

I was never so glad to see anyone as I was to see Levi walk through my front door with Zak later that morning. He looked exhausted, although I doubted he was any more tired than I was, considering I’d never gotten back to sleep after Zak and Ellie left. The up side to insomnia was that my boathouse was cleaner than it had been for a very long time. After everyone hugged everyone else, we settled in to eat the breakfast sandwiches Zak had brought with him.

“So they let you go on your own recognizance?” I confirmed with Levi.

“The attorney Zak hired for me convinced the judge that the only evidence they have against me is circumstantial at best. I’ve been warned not to leave the area, but basically I’m free to go about my business as usual.”

“The game,” I realized.

“Lamé got a sub for my classes, but he’s agreed to let me attend the pep rally and game as planned.” Levi looked at his watch. “I really should get home to shower and change. The pep rally is at eleven. You’ll be there?” He looked at Ellie and me.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” I assured him.

“Me neither.” Ellie smiled. “I really should stop off at Rosie’s first, though, to make sure everything is covered. I can give you a ride home,” she offered Levi.

“I’d appreciate that.
” Levi stood up and hugged Zak and me. He thanked us both again and left with Ellie, who had arranged to meet me at the high school gymnasium at ten forty-five.

“Do you think he’s in the clear?
” I asked Zak when we were alone.

“Not really,”
he replied. “The sheriff doesn’t have enough evidence to hold him at this point, but that doesn’t mean he won’t keep looking. Salinger has as much as said that he still considers Levi to be his prime suspect.”

“Did you bring up the fact that Levi didn’t even find out about the abuse until after the blackmail letter was sent?
” I asked as I began to load the dishwasher. Charlie and Lambda were lying in the sun on the deck just outside the kitchen window. Normally the view beyond my boathouse soothes my soul on even the stormiest of days, but today I found little solace in the serenity of my lakeside home.

“Yeah
, but Salinger pointed out that we can’t prove
when
Levi became aware of the situation. He could have found out, sent the letter, and then waited to confront Griswold when he wouldn’t pay up.” Zak took a dishrag from the drawer and began wiping down the kitchen table.

“That’s nuts
. All they have to do is talk to Ryan.”

“I agree
, but Levi is an easy target and Salinger is looking for easy.”

“Do we know if
Griswold ever paid the blackmailer any money?”

“I assume the sheriff is looking into it
, but at this point he refuses to talk about it. I could probably hack into his bank records, but I’m not sure that’s the wisest thing to do at this point.”

“Yeah, I’m sure
Salinger will be keeping an eye on all of us with Levi being his prime suspect.” I poured myself a cup of coffee and topped off the one Zak had been drinking. “Still, I suppose trying to track down the person behind the blackmail is a good idea. You mentioned that the letter Griswold received was on Ashton Falls Event Committee letterhead. As Ellie said, there are nine people on the committee, but I can’t imagine any of them being responsible for Griswold’s death.”

“Do any of them have kids who might have played football for
Griswold at some point?” Zak asked. “Maybe if we can narrow down who might have a motive, it will point us in the right direction.”

I thought about it
. “Ellie, Levi, and I are all on the committee. None of us have kids, but I guess if we’re looking at things in a totally unbiased way, we’d have to have Levi on the list; it’s well known that he cares deeply for the kids he coaches and would feel protective toward them.”

“Do you have a pad of paper?
” Zak asked.

“Top drawer next to the phone.”

Zak retrieved the pad and wrote down my name, as well as Ellie’s and Levi’s. He put a star next to Levi’s name. “I think we should look at not only committee members but those with proximity to committee members who might have access to the letterhead.”

“Like family members or employees?”

“Exactly.”

I systematically worked through the committee members in my mind
. “Willa Walton has a son, Jeremiah, who used to play football, but he graduated two years ago so I doubt she’d try to get revenge at this point. Frank Valdez has a son currently on Levi’s team. He’s a senior now, but Warren mentioned to me that Michael played kiddie league with Griswold before he left the area to serve as coach for Bryton Lake. Still, I can’t see Frank killing anyone.”

Zak added Frank and
Willa to the list.

I thought about the other members of the committee
. Although Hazel Hampton didn’t have children of her own, as the town librarian she was known and loved by many of the kids, Like Frank and Levi, I couldn’t imagine she could hurt a fly, but I suggested to Zak that we add her.

My dad
, Hank Donovan, was on the committee and had only one child, me, who didn’t play football, though Gary Quinby, who had worked at Donovan’s all through high school, had played for Griswold. Gary was in New York attending college, so it seemed unlikely he was behind the blackmail, and there was no way my dad would hurt anyone, although he did tend to be overprotective of those he loved.