Hijack in Abstract (A Cherry Tucker Mystery) (7 page)

Seven

“W
hat’s going on with Tyrone Coderre?” I asked Uncle Will. “Do you need another composite drawing?”

I had given up my nap to return to the Sheriff’s Office, hoping an additional paycheck would accompany news about Tyrone. Tamara, the receptionist, would not give me any hints. She enjoyed watching me sweat. Tamara had a strange sense of humor.

This time I had been escorted to Uncle Will’s office. He sat behind his desk, reclining in his creaky chair, his fingers steepled on his belly. The wood paneled walls held various photos and awards. Piled file folders sat in tidy stacks on his desk. A clock ticked above his head, cracking the silence with each pop of the minute hand. His dinner waited in a brown bag, rolled tightly and smelling of barbecue.

I sat on the opposite side of his desk, my sketching bag at the ready.

“Baby doll, I have some bad news.” Will leaned forward. The chair sighed at the three hundred pounds of pressure on its joints. “Tyrone’s been murdered.”

I tried to swallow and realized my mouth was hanging open. “How can that be? I just saw him this morning.”

“I know, hon’,” Will blew out a long sigh. “If I thought he was in danger, I wouldn’t have let him out.”

“He seemed happy when I saw him at the SipNZip. What happened to him?”

“Like a fool, he went back to the rest stop to get some wire he had stashed before Deputy Harper picked him up. The hijacker either followed him or had been waiting. If it was the hijacker. Shot him and took off. Looks like semi-automatic handgun wounds, but I’m waiting for a report. Pretty ballsy on both their parts considering it was late this morning. Of course, we’re close enough to Atlanta. That rest stop doesn’t get much traffic midweek mornings.”

“Who found him?”

“Gal who comes to clean the bathrooms. She took the trash to the dumpster in back. She said she didn’t know what made her walk farther into the copse of trees behind the rest stop. Found him there.”

“I talked to Tyrone at the SipNZip. He told me he was going back to the rest stop.” I put a hand to my face. “Oh Lord, what have I done?”

The chair creaked as Will suddenly straightened. “Talk.”

“I am so sorry, Uncle Will. I knew Tyrone was planning on recovering that wire. I got distracted and didn’t tell Luke.” Not only did I withhold information from the police, by withholding it I had gotten Tyrone killed.

Will rubbed the bridge of his nose and didn’t respond.

Nauseous and dizzy, I leaned over to rest my head between my knees. “Are you going to arrest me?”

“You were at the SipNZip when Tyrone told you he was going back to the rest stop?” He pulled a legal pad out of a drawer and began writing.

“Yes, sir.”

“Anyone else at the SipNZip who might have heard you?”

I left my head resting on my knees and my hands dropped to the floor. “There were a ton of people in there. Lots of commuters. And Luke, of course. He can give you better descriptions.”

“Did you tell anyone about your conversation with Tyrone? Obviously, not Deputy Harper.”

“Oh crap,” I moaned. “I talked to lots of people today.”

“I’m listening.”

“I can’t remember exactly what I said,” I sat up and my words ran together as I forgot to breathe. “There was everybody at the Tru-Buy and then Whitney Elbert at the bank. I chatted with a waitress at the Waffle House. Of course, Casey, Cody, and Todd.” I chewed a nail and thought.

“Oh wait, I saw Shawna Branson. But I doubt I mentioned the hijack to her. I was too ticked at her for spreading unpleasant rumors about me again.” I fell back in my chair and let my boots dangle. “I don’t think I told Mr. Max when I dropped by for a visit.”

Will double blinked. “Did you sleep yet, hon’?”

“About ten minutes before Todd woke me up to tell me you called. And I came straight here.”

Will glanced at his watch. “All that today?”

“I didn’t have much going on work wise.”

“What exactly did you chat about?”

“A lot of them kept their comments directed toward a certain set of paintings I did.” I probably turned three shades of brilliant pink. “If I talked about something else, I asked them if they had heard about the hijacking. You know, to see if they had any information that would help your investigation.”

“I see. Did you mention Tyrone witnessing the hijack? Or you sketching the composite?”

“I know I did to my family. To everyone else? I don’t rightly remember.” I stared at the ceiling and blinked my eyes, causing a pattern of dots to brighten and scatter in my vision. “I don’t think I did. I felt safe talking about the hijacking. Most folks would know about it quick enough.”

I lowered my head and let my vision clear to study Will’s face. “Uncle Will, I’m sorry.”

“Sugar, I know you can’t keep your mouth shut. It’s the risk I took when I brought you in to do the composite. You’re just like everyone else in the county, always running their mouths. While you were still at the Waffle House, I fielded calls from the local papers. Didn’t tell them about Coderre, of course.”

I nodded and chewed a hangnail.

“If word leaked about Tyrone’s composite and somehow got back to the hijackers, it would mean the hijackers had a connection to somebody in this county. It’s not impossible, but doesn’t make a lot of sense. We would see more hijackings than just this odd duck.”

Will stood and strode around the desk to pat me on the head. “Don’t you worry, honey. You go on home. Leave me to my dinner and a mess of paperwork that needs doing.”

“Either way, I need to pay my respects to Tyrone’s family. I owe them that.” I waited while Will opened his door and ushered me into the hall.

“I’ll find out if there’s a funeral and call you with the details.”

The door to the Junior Officer’s room swung open. Luke strode out and seeing us, stopped. “Good evening, Sheriff. What’s Cherry doing here?”

“Just come to chat with me a minute,” said Will. “I thought you were off duty.”

“Officially,” Luke cracked a thin smile. “Just checking on a thing or two.”

“See that this one gets home safely.” Will gave me a small shove that sent me stumbling in Luke’s direction. “Casey and Cody can keep an eye on you, Cherry. Why don’t y’all stay home tonight. You need to catch up on sleep.”

“What’s going on, sir?” Luke hooked his hands on his belt.

“I told Cherry about Coderre. She’s a might upset,” said Will. “She wants to visit his family. I told her I’d call her when I knew the funeral arrangements.”

Luke moved his gaze off Will to settle on me. “Visit the Coderres?”

“Not tonight,” I said. “And I don’t need an escort home either. My truck is full of gas and working fine, all things considered. I’ve got a big appointment up in Atlanta tomorrow, so I’ll just scoot.”

“What appointment?” said Luke.

“Some hotshot lawyer bought my recent classical-styled paintings and wants me to come up to Buckhead to meet him for a possible portrait commission.”

“Good for you, honey,” said Will.

“Guess this is the start of something big for you,” said Luke.

“Maybe. I’ll let y’all know how it works out.” I felt too distraught over Tyrone to accomplish any horn tooting. I trudged to the end of the hall and waited for Luke to unlock the door.

In the parking lot, I climbed into my Datsun and cut on the motor. I heard the growl of another truck, a black Ford Raptor, one I had once snuggled in with the gray eyed deputy driving, and felt the stinging barbs of heartache. Although Luke refused to be the subject of my paintings, I know he’d be proud of me. In the past, I had imagined celebrating a big commission with him. However, it didn’t do me any good to wish things had turned out differently. We both carried baggage that didn’t fit through one another’s doors.

My record with men was about as good as my mouth’s ability to stay out of trouble. Poor Tyrone. Lost his life through the one time I held my tongue.

I backed out of my parking space and left the Forks County Law Enforcement Center, tailed by the black pickup. Twenty-five minutes later, I had reached my home and parked on the street. The Raptor pulled even to my door. I stepped out of the truck, and Luke rolled down his window.

“Go get some sleep,” he said. “Be careful driving to Atlanta tomorrow.”

“I will.” I tried on a smile. “You worry too much.”

“Well, you don’t worry enough.” He glanced at the house. “You got a party going on up there? Every light is blazing.”

“My home has become something akin to a frat house. There’s a couch and a big TV in my living room.”

“Shocking,” Luke smirked. “A couch and TV in your living room. How many people are living there now?”

“I’m not sure if Cody is permanent or just for the time being, so four,” I stopped, realizing where this conversation headed. “Guess I’ll go in. You didn’t need to follow me home, but thanks.”

“Four in two bedrooms,” said Luke. “How cozy.”

Too cozy. “Night,” I waved and inched past his door.

“Listen. Don’t go to the Coderres’ alone. The Sheriff said he’d contact you with the funeral info, but I know you.”

“I knew Tyrone was going back to get his wire, Luke.” Guilt caused my eyes to smart, and I rubbed them before they did something stupid like water. “I don’t know why I didn’t tell you. I could have prevented his death.”

Luke cut off his engine and slid out of the truck. As he circled around his bed, I took a few steps back toward the safety of my vehicle. Not that I was afraid he’d be angry. In my anguish, I feared my body would involuntarily bend toward his arms.

Luke noticed my retreat and stopped a few paces away.

“I wish you had told me,” he held out a hand, caught himself, and laid his palm on my truck. “The fact is we screwed up, too. Actually, I screwed up.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was too focused on questioning witnesses and talking to the State Patrol, when I should have kept a tail on Coderre. It doesn’t take a mind reader to know he’d go back to find his wire.”

I nodded and focused on the large hand resting on my truck.

“If Coderre wasn’t stealing copper in the first place, he wouldn’t have returned to the scene of the crime.” Luke pulled his hand off the truck, shook off the flaking paint, and reached to pat my shoulder. “You take everything too personally.”

“A man died. That’s pretty personal.”

Luke stared at the ground, kicked a rock, and looked up. “If you want to visit the Coderres, I will take you. No strings.”

“Really?” My hands inadvertently reached for Luke’s and squeezed. When it came to police business, Luke normally groused about my involvement. Or threatened to serve me with obstruction. This offer touched me. And was actually very helpful. To be honest, I didn’t particularly look forward to visiting the family of a copper thief who had been murdered due to my delinquent admission of his whereabouts.

“You’re going to Atlanta tomorrow morning.” He pulled his hands from my squeeze. “What about tomorrow evening? I can pick you up when I get off work.”

“I should be home from Atlanta by then,” I shoved my hands in my pockets. “Why the sudden interest in helping me?”

“Kill two birds, that sort of thing.” He shrugged and slapped my truck, causing more paint to peel. “Speaking of that, are you still fixing to go to the Gearjammer?”

I had forgotten the Gearjammer in the flurry over Shawna, my new patron, and Tyrone’s dead body. “I suppose so. I told Dona I would.”

“I’ll pick you up at eight. Thursday, right? I want to talk to some of the truckers and they’ll be more inclined to chat there.” He dodged my disagreement by striding around his truck. Without a goodbye, he revved his engine, shifted into drive, and took off.

I stood in the road with my hands on my hips, watching his taillights fishtail down Loblolly Avenue.

The man was an enigma wrapped in hotness. Unfortunately, the hotness was no longer mine.