Here Today, Gone Tamale (22 page)

He waved off my concern. “They're plugged in and refreezing as we speak. No harm, no foul.”

“I could use one right about now.”

Chuckling, he gave me a thump on the head. “Got to keep your head clear tonight.”

If he only knew how clear my thinking needed to be over the next few hours.

With a cursory glance at our setup, he left me to supervise the staff until Aunt Linda arrived. My aunt always made sure everything was ready for our events except for herself. After we'd loaded up the trucks, she'd raced home to shower and throw on her only evening dress.

Uncle Eddie and Bubba struck up a conversation outside
at the BBQ smoker, where the BBQ king was finishing off his briskets. Soon he would take them out to let the meat rest. Minutes before dinner service, he and his staff would slice the beef and serve it with plates of German potato salad, black-eyed peas, pickles and onions, and gigantic dinner rolls.

As Lily added her trays to those on our serving table, I made a welcome announcement to our staff. “We have forty-five minutes until the evening begins and twenty until they open the doors to the early arrivals. Senora Mari sent some tamales, rice, and beans for your dinner and some flan if I'm not mistaken.”

A whoop exploded in the air from Lily's direction. I smiled. “Enjoy, but be finished in fifteen minutes.” Our youngest server easily maneuvered to the front of the line.

Now was a perfect window of opportunity to do reconnaissance over at Elaine's setup area. She and Suellen had arrived with their servers fifteen minutes earlier. Though Elaine was dressed to the nines, she was directing her staff as they plated the pies. She'd brought traditional Texas favorites that were guaranteed to please locals and visitors. There was peach and blackberry cobbler, and there were pies. She'd brought so many I couldn't imagine how she'd managed it without pulling her hair out: pecan, Dutch apple, chocolate pecan, chocolate, and coconut cream.

I wandered over to wish them well.

“Josie, how's that waiter of yours doing?” Elaine said as I opened my mouth to say hi.

“Uh, do you mean Anthony?”

She reached over and moved a dessert plate filled with pecan pie back away from the edge of the table before she spoke. “Yes, I believe that's his name, the one that killed Dixie.”

“He didn't kill her.”

Looking at me with sympathy, she nodded her head.

“What they have is merely circumstantial. They can't convict him without hard evidence,” I said.

“You and your family must feel like you've been put through the wringer.”

I studied her kind face. What could I ask her that wouldn't make it appear as if I were out to accuse Melanie or P.J.? “Thanks for hiring Anthony's sister. His family is in dire straits.”

Her attention snapped to where one of her servers was slicing pie. “Make them bigger, Michele,” she ordered. “We'll never live it down if folks think we're being chintzy with dessert.

“What were you saying? Oh, yes, the girl. Suellen didn't know she was that thug's sister or she wouldn't have hired her. She's . . .”

“He's not a thug,” I said and bit my tongue hard to keep from sassing my elders. “Has she given you any trouble?”

Elaine's mouth pulled down. “Something happened between her and Suellen, but I never got in the middle of it.”

“I'm sorry to hear it.” I glanced to where the girl stood, spooning tamale sauce into her mouth. Suellen was the one I really needed to talk to. If I finessed the conversation with her, we could start talking about Lily and end up discussing Melanie and P.J.'s whereabouts on the night of the murder following the
tamalada
.

Vibrating with nervous intensity, Elaine cast a vigilant eye over the dining room filled with her handiwork: western-themed decorations, fragrant down-home catering, honky-tonk musicians, auction items, and enough volunteers to shake a stick at.

“Congratulations,” I said with genuine appreciation. “You've done a wonderful job pulling everything together.”

She gave me a cursory nod. “Thank you, but it's not over until we auction off the last item.”

I glanced around again and saw no sign of Suellen, but I noticed our staff cleaning up after their meal. “I'm sorry Dixie never gave you the auction necklace as planned. It would have been the highlight of the evening.”

Smiling like the cat that swallowed the canary, Elaine placed her hand on my arm. “May I show you the best surprise ever?”

I smiled in return at her obvious delight. “Sure.”

She led me to a display of gift certificates, spa getaways, concert tickets, televisions and stereos, candles and candlesticks, home decorating items, and other auction items until we reached the end of the last table.

“Fred Mueller donated these pieces.” She pointed to a set of pearl earrings and a matching necklace.

“They're lovely.”

“Oh, yes, as far as fakes go.” We had reached the last display. “Here is the pièce de résistance.”

My eyes widened. Before me was Dixie Honeycutt's squash blossom necklace, a twin to the one I'd seen in Patti's journal. Where the stones in that piece were greenish blue, these were blue as a tropical sea. Nestled in a velvet-lined display case, it was joined by a matching bracelet and dangle earrings.

“Where did you get this?”

“From Dixie, of course.”

“I don't understand. This isn't the original. Patti heard Melanie say that one was stolen.”

The committee chairwoman's mouth fell open and then snapped shut. “My daughter should learn to keep her lip buttoned.” I couldn't make out if Elaine was angry or embarrassed, but she managed to lift the corners of her mouth while clenching her jaw—which looked painful.

“I won't tell anyone,” I whispered. “Believe me, the children's home comes first, but where did you find this one?”

For a few moments, she merely stared. “Mayor Cogburn called me up this morning out of the blue and said he wanted to give until it hurt.” She laughed a light tinkling sound. “And he did.”

“And the necklace and earrings?”

“My Melanie found those in her gallery. I didn't think Dixie would mind.”

“What if she wanted Ty to have them?”

A young voice spoke from behind me, “Miss Linda needs you.” I recognized the curt delivery and turned to find Lily standing behind me, glaring at Elaine.

“Lily,” I said. “Let's go see what my aunt wants.”

Reluctantly, she broke eye contact with Elaine and focused on my face.

“Good luck tonight,” I said to the committee chairwoman as Lily and I hurried to our setup area.

I threw a final glance over my shoulder and found Elaine staring intently at Anthony's sister. When I raised my hand in farewell, the older woman turned away.

An hour later, I found myself soaking in our success. My gaze lingered on the boisterous crowd. Some folks visited around the tables while others danced outside to “Boot Scootin' Boogie.” Broken Boot's citizens and tourists had left Monday's deadly drama behind them and ponied up their hard-earned cash to enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner, lively music and dancing, and an auction to benefit a praiseworthy cause.

The Wild Wild West Festival committee had hit one out of the ballpark.

Soon all the hard work and frustration would be behind us and only the silent auction would remain. Once again, I walked along the tables lined with enticements. Fifty items was a hefty amount for the size of our crowd, but there were at least five signatures under each item. Under Dixie's jewelry there was a long list of interested buyers, which bode well for the finale, a live auction between the area's big guns.

I grabbed a cup of coffee and crossed to the window. Outside, folks danced in formal and casual evening attire. When a woman in a sequined formal dress and tiara waltzed by, I
had to smile. I noticed several individuals that I'd never seen before. Perhaps the mayor and his wife had used some of their influence to invite the mayors and councilmen of other towns and counties nearby.

Elaine waltzed by with her head held high like a queen. She lifted her gloved hand from the shoulder of Fred Mueller's tuxedoed shoulder and gave me a royal wave. The smile on her face told me she was basking in her success.

I turned and found her daughter Suellen straightening the clipboards under the auction items.

“You look so beautiful,” I said, and she did. She wore an emerald dress with a halter neck and glittering stones around the choker neckline.

“Thanks, you clean up pretty good yourself.”

“Whatever,” I said and laughed. I was wearing a glittery pantsuit I'd found in a resale shop in Austin. My back was bare and my halter bra was working overtime. “My feet are killing me.”

Speaking of feet, Suellen was a tall woman, very tall. “What shoes are you wearing tonight?” I asked.

“High-heeled boots, but they're hidden under my dress.”

“Can I see?” I stepped behind the table.

I followed her behind the table. She sat down in a chair and held up the dress to her knees. The boots were black and expensive with a dressy three-inch heel.

“I wish I was wearing what you're wearing.” I showed her my own toe crunchers. “I have trouble finding my size.”

“Why's that?” she asked, lowering her skirt. “What are you wearing, an eight and a half?”

“An eight.”

“You should try looking for a ten and a half.”

The smile on my face froze into place. I swallowed. “Uh, wow that must be terrible. How do you get by out here in the sticks? Mail order?”

“No. I usually wear men's boots. Easier to find.”

I held my breath.

“Are you okay?” Suellen asked.

My heart started thumping. “Oh, I was just recalling all the times I've seen men's boots on sale. You'd think they'd show us some love once in a while.”

Could I continue to talk about boots without giving away my motive? She'd obviously seen my reaction.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked, pulling up a chair. “I'm beat.”

She quickly looked and found her mother on the dance floor. “I could use the help.”

“Did Elaine's do a booming business this week?”

Stretching her neck first to one side and then to the other, she sighed. “Much better than we hoped. This week should carry us at least until the end of the year.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed our newest employee taking a load of warming pans and burners out to the truck. “I hired Lily to help out tonight.”

Suellen followed my line of sight and frowned. “No kidding.”

“She started today.” I was thinking so fast my ears were burning. “One of the reasons I hired her was because she told us she was working for you.”

A distinguished-looking old man stopped in front of us to write down a bid on a ski trip to Breckenridge. “Good luck,” Suellen said.

“Thanks for supporting a worthy cause,” I added.

She smiled in amusement. “You're a natural.”

“Has Lily worked out for you so far?”

With a grimace, Suellen said, “We didn't realize her real age when we hired her. In fact, she outright lied about it.”

“She is her family's sole source of provision until Anthony's released.”

“That's not all she lied about.”

“Oh?”

A young woman waddled up to the table, so pregnant I thought I'd have to interrupt the band to ask if there was a
doctor in the house. “What's the item number for the day spa in Phoenix? I can't find my program.”

Both Suellen and I grabbed a program and started skimming the item numbers. “Thirty-nine,” Suellen blurted. I guess she wanted there to be no doubt about who was in charge while her mother made time to dance with the dignitaries in attendance.

“What else did Lily lie about?” I asked, watching the pregnant woman searching the numbers until she found the getaway of her dreams.

“I keep a pair of P.J.'s old boots at the restaurant just for mucking about outside. Last time I looked for them they were gone.”

My mouth was dry. “What made you think she stole them? She's practically half your size.”

“Because the next day they were back right where I left them, only shot to hell.”

“Which was where?”

“In the janitorial closet.”

“What day was that?”

She rolled her eyes. “So much has happened since then.” She straightened. “I do remember because it was the day after Dixie was murdered.”

“Are you sure?” My knees started to tremble. I was about to find out who murdered Dixie if I could hear over the sudden roaring in my ears.

She glared at me. “Of course, I'm sure. I was so scared that the next morning I made sure everything was still in place. I opened the closet door in my office and noticed they were gone.”

“Surely someone else who works there could have taken them.”

She shook her head. “We've never had anything stolen.”

“Why would she take them? She's much shorter than you.” I shrugged. “And her feet are probably tiny.”

“I didn't consider that.” A frown settled between Suellen's brows. “Everyone in my family has big feet.”

A thrill hummed through my veins at her admission. “If you think Lily's guilty, why didn't you fire her?”

A dazzling couple made their way down the table toward us. The blonde wore a gold strapless confection, and her date sported a suit that showcased his physique.

Darn it.

“Hey, look at you,” Ryan said, giving me a grin.

“Go away.” I had no time for pleasantries from the she devil and her minion.

Suellen stepped on my toe.

“Ouch,” I muttered.

She shot a glance of warning my way.

“Sorry. We're about to collect the bids so we don't have long to talk.”

“Aren't you two a sight to behold?” Suellen chimed in. “Hillary, where did you find that dress?”

The beauty queen with attitude took her time responding. She finished reading the item description before her as if mesmerized, but she wasn't fooling me. She'd punch herself in the face before she'd ever set foot in Marcy's Cut and Curl.

“Thank you.” Hillary beamed at Suellen and ignored me completely. “I found it on the clearance rack at Neiman Marcus. Can you believe it?”

Ryan was staring at me as if I'd grown a second head. I shook my head at him, trying to get him to go away.

From the bandstand, strains of “Stand by Your Man” drifted into the room.

“Oh, Ryan, that's my song.” Hillary hurried to the open doorway, waving for her man to follow.

“What's wrong with you?” Ryan whispered.

“Nothing,” I said for Suellen's benefit, praying my old friend would ask me again when we were alone. I needed serious backup.

Leaning forward, he whispered in my ear. “Liar.” He gave me a knowing glance, and then followed Hillary outside.

“Uh, would you watch the table for a minute?” Suellen asked.

“If you'll tell me why you kept Lily on if you think she stole your boots.”

“I hardly ever wear them anymore. They're too tight now that I have a bunion on my right foot.” She made a face and hurried toward the ladies' room.

With five minutes until the bids were collected, I had to hurry. I had to find Sheriff Wallace, get him away from everyone else, and tell him what I'd learned.

Suddenly my phone vibrated, scaring the bejesus out of me. But it was only Aunt Linda sending me a text message. She and Uncle Eddie were leaving early with the staff, as she had the neck ache. He would supervise unloading the equipment and then drive her home. Would I please drive her truck back to the house after I picked up Lenny from Milagro?

I answered in the affirmative and quickly scanned the room for Wallace. He wasn't inside. Praying Suellen would hurry it up, I crossed to the window and peered out into the dark.

“Who are you looking for?”

I squealed and heads turned at a table nearby. “Stop doing that,” I said to Lightfoot.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing's wrong,” I said in a low voice. “I need to speak to Sheriff Wallace. Have you seen him?”

Searching my face, Lightfoot nodded. He pointed to the dancers through the windowpane.

“He's not—” Sheriff Wallace was two-stepping around the dance floor with his wife, having a grand ole time if the grin on his face was anything to go by.

Lightfoot gave me a hard look. “Why don't you let him have this one night off?” Was I that easy to read?

“There's something—”

Shaking his head, Lightfoot raised his hand for me to halt. “I'm off duty. Call me tomorrow.”

“But—”

“No. I was going to ask you to dance, but you look like you have a lot to say and I'm not in the mood to hear it.” Turning on his boot heel, he wandered outside.

I glanced around in time to see Suellen return.

Facts like dominoes were lining up one behind the other in my brain. Soon they would fall, one by one, into a marvelous pattern of truth.

Suellen's arm went up, beckoning me over to help her circle the winners.

I ignored her and hurried outside, determined to find the sheriff. I wanted to get these fears out of my head and into the hands of someone who could tell me whether or not I was sane.

Elaine stepped up and placed a hand on my arm. “What's wrong, dear?”

I edged away. “Nothing, but I need to talk to Sheriff Wallace right now.” He and his wife had disappeared in the throng of dancers.

As I struggled to find them, the auctioneer took the stage. “Howdy, folks. The time for this year's auction has come.” The crowd cheered and the drummer hit the snare. “As you know, the winners of the silent auction will be announced following this here live auction of a necklace, bracelet, and earrings designed by the late Dixie Honeycutt.” The crowd applauded. “Let's get this—wait a minute.” A volunteer crossed the stage and handed the auctioneer a note. He cleared his throat. “Would Miss Josie Callahan please meet your party in the parking lot?” Glancing left and right, he searched for me. “Josie Callahan?”

I lifted my hand.

“Well, no wonder your party wants to meet you outside.” The crowd laughed.

Confused and not amused, I hurried outside. The
streetlight revealed nothing but cars, trucks, and a stray tiger cat. I wandered over to Aunt Linda's truck, thinking that perhaps someone had dinged the bumper, but there was no sign of an accident. Suddenly I noticed a note under the windshield wiper.

I read it once, and then I read it again:

the dog dies tonight