Heather Horrocks - Who-Dun-Him Inn 02 - Inn the Doghouse (12 page)

Liz shrugged and repeated what she told me.

DeWayne swung left onto the old highway connecting Park City and Silver City. “After you left, he let it slip out that he thought Gene was smart, but not very honest, although he didn’t elaborate. I wonder what all that was about?”

Liz pondered his comment. “I really don’t have a clue. As far as I know, the only thing Gene lied about was his other women. Other than that, he was pretty honest.”

I caught the quick glance DeWayne flicked over at Liz, before his eyes returned to the road. He was smart enough not to touch that one with the proverbial ten-foot pole.

~ ~ ~

That evening, I sat with David on the Inn’s front porch swing. We swung gently, mostly sheltered from the crisp November breeze by the big house, and snug in our coats, hats, and gloves, visibly exhaling each breath. The modern light flickering from the old-time lantern fixture illuminated our faces.

David motioned to the house behind us, where lights blazed forth from many windows. “What’s going on inside tonight?”

“Eight rooms rented.”

“That’s great.” He smiled. “But not what I meant.”

“I know.” I shrugged. “Brief family update? My brother, Eric, and his wife, Tina, checked out this morning. I feel lucky to have finally gotten a chance to visit with them because I was beginning to think they were avoiding me in their quest for a romantic getaway. Grandma’s still trying to talk Liz into drinking some of her monster toddy. Liz finally agreed to let me call the cruise line and leave a message for our parents telling them about Gene’s death. And my mother is talking to her on the phone right now, telling Liz to call her counselors to handle the funeral luncheon.”

“Tough part of being a mother, I guess,” he said.

“Plus, she’s the president of our local women’s church group, and has been for several years; part of her church job is to handle funeral luncheons.”

“Tough church job, too.”

I nodded. “Zach wanted to pass out cookies for me in the parlor so I let him.”

“And eating one for every two he hands out, no doubt.”

I smiled. “I’m sure you’re right.”

We swung gently for a few more minutes in companionable silence. Finally, David asked, “How is your sister doing?”

“As well as can be expected.”

“I don’t expect she’s doing well at all.”

A truck came into view on the road. As it passed into the light at the far end of my driveway, I recognized it. “DeWayne’s here.”

“That reminds me. I heard something interesting today.”

“About DeWayne?”

He nodded. “Apparently, the infamous divorcee, Crystal Maynard, has invited said officer for Saturday dinner at her place.”

Amazed, I asked, “Who told you that?”

“Said officer.” He motioned toward the approaching truck.

As DeWayne parked his truck and turned it off, I lowered my voice. “Is he going?”

“He was undecided when I spoke with him earlier. I think he’s still carrying a torch for your sister, but a man can only survive on unrequited love for so long.” He shrugged. “However, your sister has just become available again. I suspect his level of hope is rising.”

We grew quiet as DeWayne climbed down from his truck and headed toward us, his first words being, “How’s she holding up?”

“Come on in and see for yourself,” I said. David and I stood at the same time.

We followed DeWayne inside and I locked the door before leading the way downstairs.

As we came around the corner into the great room, Liz said, “I love you, Mom. Thanks.” She tucked her cell phone into her pocket, and when she saw DeWayne, she said, “Buddy,” using his nickname from high school.

He smiled. “Thought I’d stop by to see how you’re doing.”

“Never better,” she said, but her voice sounded shaky.

Grandma said, “A hot toddy could do wonders.”

DeWayne hugged Grandma. “Are you still peddling those monster toddies? How do you ever manage to pass your church interviews, anyway?”

Grandma smirked. “My toddies are for medicinal purposes, only.”

DeWayne sat by Liz, taking her hand as he spoke quietly, “If you need anything, just let me know. I’ll do whatever I can.”

“I do know and appreciate that. Thanks.”

Liz leaned against DeWayne and he put his arm around her. It was like they used to be in high school.

This, however, was
nothing
like it was in high school.

~ ~ ~

Zach sat on a stool at the round, malt shop-style table in the corner, a bag of cookies at his side as he worked a puzzle.

The Inn phone rang through to my cell, and I answered it with my standard, “Laugh yourself to death at the Who-Dun-Him Inn.”

“Is Mrs. Naomi Ross there?” an older man asked.

Surprised, I said, “Just a moment,” crossing the room to hand my cell phone to her.

Grandma glanced at her watch and said, “That must be my date.”

Liz laughed. “What happened to Dr. Ray?”

“Shush, dear,” said Grandma. “He’s gone for another month or so and we never promised to be exclusive.”

Wow. Grandma had another beau? When she decided to start dating, she didn’t waste any time! Here I was, struggling to get on with my life, and even my grandmother had a more active love life than I could imagine. It was kind of depressing, and yet kind of inspiring, all at the same time.

Liz swiped a tissue over her eyes. She’d been crying again, a state that was becoming her norm after twenty-seven years of rarely shedding a tear—a trait that helped make her such a good lawyer. It was definitely a good thing for her to take a leave of absence. When she called, they arranged to cover for her, giving her at least two weeks, and possibly more, depending on how long it took before they could conduct the funeral.

I crossed over to Zach, ruffled his hair, and dropped in a couple of puzzle pieces. David joined us and asked Zach, “Want any help?”

Zach pointed to a small pile of orange pieces. “I can’t do the cat.”

David studied the picture on the box seriously. “Cats are hard to do.”

“So, DeWayne,” Grandma said, “I hear that Bernie Maynard’s daughter has decided you’d make a pretty good second husband.”

DeWayne flushed red. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Grandma laughed. “That’s because you’re all man, honey. But I watched her at the anniversary party, and you can believe that rumor.”

“Grandma,” I said, hoping to keep DeWayne from becoming fixated on Crystal. “I don’t think this is the time.”

I joined the adults on the couch.

“Of course it’s the time. The boy needs warning off. You don’t want to get involved with Bernie’s daughter, DeWayne. Remember, since you are always invited to our family events, Bernie might have to be invited to them, too, and who wants that?”

I caught Liz’s eye. We were quiet for a long moment before we both burst out laughing. We laughed uncontrollably for a few refreshing moments, and some of the tension eased from my body.

Grandma looked from one to the other of us. “DeWayne, I do believe they’ve both flipped their lids.”

He shook his head. “No. They’re crazy all the time. Besides, sometimes you have to laugh just to keep from crying.”

After we calmed down, Liz looked over at Zach and lowered her voice, asking DeWayne, “When will Gene’s body be released? I was told within a day or two.”

He paused and answered quietly, “It will be a
little
longer than originally estimated.”

Liz and I studied him. Liz narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

He hesitated for another beat. “The sheriff’s department demanded an autopsy.”

Liz’s voice sharpened into her lawyer tones. “Why do an autopsy for a suicide?”

“Shhh,” I said, shooting a glance over at Zach. He was still intently working on the puzzle.

“Because,” DeWayne said, looking pained as the bearer of whatever his news was, “it does not look like a suicide, after all.”

“But there was a note,” Liz tipped her head, looking as confused as I felt.

“Yes,” he said, “but someone else typed it up. We’re getting fingerprints from the letter now.”

“Someone
murdered
Gene?” I asked, my mouth going slack in amazement. “Are you sure?”

“Shhh,” Liz said in a whisper. “Do they possibly know who?”

Zach looked up, concerned, but David immediately distracted him with a question about the puzzle, for which I was grateful. Their heads remained bent over the box as David continued to ask questions and Zach patiently explained.

DeWayne said, “Not yet, but we’re tracking down leads.”

Liz looked stunned. “It’s like I never really knew Gene at all. I lived with him for years, and yet he was a stranger, someone who infuriated people to the point where they could murder him?”

DeWayne looked at me and I lifted an eyebrow. He sighed and refrained from commenting on what Liz just said. We
all
refrained.

A moment later, Liz turned to me, more businesslike than she’d been since Gene’s death. “Will you please go with me to Gene’s house tomorrow morning? I need to pick up some more of my things and choose a suit for Gene to be buried in.”

“Sure. I’ll ask Kent to handle the Inn.”

Grandma shook her head. “I’ll come up and do it for you.”

Liz and I both said, “Thanks.”

David told Zach, “The cat’s done. And now I’ve got to go.”

He stood and looked at me. I also stood. “I’ll see you out.”

Walking after him on the stairs, I couldn’t help noticing how long his legs were and how good he looked from behind.

He pulled on his coat and gloves again, and I did the same, before we stepped onto the porch.

I wanted to ask him the thing that was really bothering me about Gene’s murder. “This makes Liz the number one suspect, doesn’t it? They always suspect the spouses first.”

“Perhaps. But we know she’s innocent.” He shrugged. “I also got a little more information out of DeWayne this morning.”

“What?”

“The murder weapon is a gun registered to a Mr. Herbert Norris, an older gentleman of seventy-five years who retired from the post office ten years ago and kept himself busy by participating in civic matters and helping people around him.”

“So does this paragon of virtue have an alibi?”

“I don’t know.”

“I am shocked.
You
don’t know something? Your sources should be shot!”

He grinned at me and continued. “The man went to the ER the day Gene died and reported Gene for assault.”

“No way.”

“Way. The old man’s ribs were bruised. He admitted that he shoved Gene in anger, and claimed Gene shoved him back.”

“But why?”

“That I’m not too clear on. His granddaughter took him to the hospital. The police have spoken with him, and they’re trying to locate her to ask her some questions.”

“You’re making this up.”

“I’m not.”

“Why would DeWayne tell you all of this?”

He grinned. “The man was willing to tell me anything to get me off the subject of Crystal.”

Just as the man standing before me was willing to tell me anything to get me off the subject of Liz as the number one suspect.

I shivered and it sure wasn’t from the cold.

Chapter Eight

Saturday, November 5

THE NEXT MORNING, I AWOKE to a weird sound, a shuffling kind of noise. I listened intently in the dark—it wasn’t even dawn yet—while my heart started jack-hammering.

I heard another shuffle and raised myself up onto my elbows to see.

Someone was crawling across my floor. I rose up with a screech, trying to turn on the flashlight app on my phone with shaking hands, only to find my son Army-crawling his way toward my bed.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“Grandma said that the early bird gets the worm,” he answered simply as he stood and flopped onto the bed beside me, batting his eyes theatrically. “I want to get a dog. So let’s go early.”

“Oh, honey, not today. There’s too much to do today. I have to go with Aunt Liz to Park City, and you have to go to school. But first, I may have to go directly to the emergency room for the heart attack you just gave me.”

“Aw, Mom, you promised we could get a dog.” He looked so much like a miniature Robert, it tugged at my heart.

“I know. And we will. Just not today.”

I could hear him grumbling as he went back into his bedroom.

I glanced at the clock. My alarm normally went off at five-thirty so I could prepare breakfast for my guests, and it was ten minutes earlier than that. We only had two couples staying here until later tonight. Three new couples would soon arrive from Boston to ski, and a family of five was expected to fly in from Phoenix.