Kent Conwell - Tony Boudreaux 06 - Extracurricular Murder (22 page)

Marvin glanced at Tim, then nodded eagerly. “Yes sir.”

I slid a picture across the desk, the one in which Weems was
offering Briggs a bag containing a white substance.

Marvin caught his breath and looked up at Tim in alarm.

The crewcut young man frowned. In a measured tone, he
said, “You were at Lupe’s last night?”

“Yeah.” I glanced at Marvin, puzzled at the sudden agitation
on his face. I shrugged it off.

Tim laughed. “Boy, Marvin. I didn’t know you were so ugly.”
Marvin laughed with him. Tim nodded. “Yeah, that’s us, Mr.
Boudreaux. Us with our friends and Mr. Weems. So, what do
you want to know?”

I pointed to the white bag in Weems’ hand. “Is that drugs?”

Neither boy answered.

“After you boys left last night, I saw one or two other drug
deals go down,” I added, holding up the envelope containing
the remainder of the exposures.

Marvin glanced nervously at Tim.

After a few moments of tense silence, I explained, “Look,
what I want is for you boys to provide confirmation that Harper
Weems was trying to sell you that bag of drugs.”

Shifting his large frame in the chair, Tim looked me squarely in the eyes. “Why were you out at Lupe’s last night, Mr.
Boudreaux?”

I cleared my throat. “Sometimes, Tim, when we look into
one matter, like the Holderman murder, we stumble across
other problems. That’s what happened here. I can’t tell you
who tumbled us to Weems, just like I won’t tell anyone about
you boys talking to me ” I paused. “All I’m asking, guys, is that
you confirm or deny that picture you’re holding. Was Weems
trying to make a sale?”

Marvin glanced briefly at Tim who studied the photo intently a few seconds longer. Finally, Tim spoke. “I don’t know what
to do, Mr. Boudreaux. I sure don’t want to cause trouble for me
or Marvin. You know what I mean? We got nothing to hide, but this …” He nodded to the picture. “And what you’re asking is
big time, at least for kids like us. You know?”

I knew I was asking a lot. I entreated them. “But, if we don’t
put him away, he’ll continue selling the stuff. And not every
young man or woman has the strength like you boys to say no”

The two young men exchanged looks. My request had disturbed Marvin, but Tim remained unruffled, though reluctant.
He dropped his gaze to the floor, unable to meet my eyes. “I
know what you mean, but, well .. “His voice trailed away. He
turned to Marvin. “What do you think?”

Marvin shrugged, keeping his own gaze riveted to the floor.
“I dunno”

Tim looked back at me. I could see the indecision on his face.
I knew, though, if Tim agreed, then Marvin would follow him.
I hastened to add, “Look, boys. You don’t have to decide now.
Think about it. Talk to your folks. I’ll guarantee you that
Weems won’t know a thing until it’s too late. We don’t need his
kind around here.”

Slowly, the crewcut young man nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, we
need to talk to our folks, Mr. Boudreaux. Don’t we, Marvin?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. We can … ah, can do that tonight.”

“Great” I rose and offered my hand. “Thanks, boys. I’ll get
in touch with you in the morning, okay?”

“Yeah” Tim eyed me squarely. A faint grin curled his lips.
“Yeah. In the morning.” He glanced at his watch. “We get to
school about seven or so. We can meet you out front. Sevenfifteen”

As I left the principal’s office, a voice stopped me. “Mr.
Boudreaux. Just a minute.”

I looked over my shoulder as a familiar face approached
from the open doorway of a nearby office. He stuck out his
hand. “Jim Hawkins. You remember. You talked to me about
George Holderman.”

“Yeah. Yeah, now I remember.” I shook his hand.

He glanced around at the students passing in the hallway. “Look, I need to talk to you.” He nodded to the door at the end
of the hall. “Do you mind?”

“Lead the way.”

Moments later, we stepped inside an empty classroom, closing the door and leaving the hurricane-level clamor in the hallway behind us.

He turned to me and said. “I know you’ve been talking to a
lot of people, but there’s one thing I didn’t tell you about Perry
Jacobs.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Yes. I didn’t think about it. I guess because I was just trying
to answer all your questions, and it never occurred to me that it
might be important. At least it didn’t until Perry told me that you
still suspected him even after I told you he was in the boys’ restroom with me “

“Yeah. That’s right.” I explained my perception. “The problem is that although you were in the restroom with him, he
could have accompanied Holderman to the room, killed him,
and then returned to the bathroom. Just to establish an alibi.
You see what I mean?”

Hawkins nodded, his earnest face filled with concern.
“That’s just it. He couldn’t have done that because I was walking behind the two down the first floor hall. I had just signed in
with the boy in the hall when I saw Perry and George turn down
the old wing. I was right behind Perry when he left Holderman
and went into the boys’ restroom.”

For a moment, I stared in disbelief. Jacobs might still have
the motive, but his opportunity had been blown sky high.

Hawkins frowned. “Am I right? Doesn’t that mean he
couldn’t have done it, at least, the way you said?”

Slowly, I nodded, studying him closely. There were no telltale signs of lying, no shifting eyes, no dry lips, no nervousness, just a determined, yet concerned light in his eyes. “Why
didn’t you tell me that when we first talked?”

“You just asked me if I saw Holderman go up the stairs. I didn’t. As far as I know, he could have gone into Harp’s
room. “

I studied the resolve in his eyes. I believed him.

And now I was left with one suspect, however inconclusive
my theory.

Apparently, no one had discovered my pickup at the convenience store, so, smug with the knowledge that I had outsmarted the little vandals who had slashed my tires, I drove back to
Austin with a conceited grin on my face, despite Hawkins’ revelation about Jacobs.

I had a good feeling about the boys. They knew what had to
be done, and I was confident they would do as I asked.

For the time being, I was at a standstill. I couldn’t think of
anything else I needed to do before getting the boys’ decision.
So I decided to see my on-again, now off-again Significant
Other, Janice, and feel her out about her new beau.

He was trouble in Pierre Cardin shoes, and even though she
had dumped me, I didn’t want to see her taken for a chunk of
money.

Janice Coffman-Morrison lived in one of those glass and
chrome high-rise condos overlooking Town Lake on the
Colorado River. While she never told me in the years we were
together, I guessed her lease ran about five thousand-not a
year, but a month.

As the only heir to the Morrison fortune created by the
Chalk Hills Distillery, she could well afford the rent. I parked
behind her Miata and knocked on the door.

She blinked once when she opened the door and saw me. For
a moment, a fleeting moment, she was speechless. Then she
regained her composure. “Why, Tony. What are you doing
here?”

I laughed. “Just happened to be in the neighborhood.
Thought I’d see how you were. After all, we just broke up. We
didn’t become enemies, did we?”

She laughed, like the tinkling of a silver bell. “Heavens, no,
Tony.” She opened the door wider. “Come on in”

Following her into the familiar living room, I felt like a
stranger. She gestured to a couch and curled herself into an
upholstered wingback. “Care for some coffee or tea?”

“Whatever’s convenient.” I gave her my most charming
smile.

She rang a bell. “How have you been?”

“Fine. Working. Staying out of trouble.”

For the next few minutes until the maid brought the coffee,
we made idle chitchat, boring chitchat.

After sipping the steaming coffee, which as usual was too
weak, I broached the subject, Nelson Vanderweg. “I hope
things are going okay with you and Nelson.”

She arched an eyebrow warily.

With a touch of innocence, I said, “I don’t mean anything by
that, Janice. I just want everything to be good for you. After all,
you and me, we’re still friends.”

“Oh.” She relaxed. Her brown eyes lit up and her face
became animated. I’d forgotten just how attractive she was.
“Oh, Nelson is the most wonderful man.” She hesitated and
shot me a quick look. Her cheeks colored. “What I meant
was…

I waved her embarrassment away. “Forget it “

The animation returned to her face. “Why, Nelson has been
everywhere and done everything. His family in Montreal is
very wealthy. Timber, he said.”

I nodded as she continued gushing his praises, rattling off his
accomplishments like a child playing Chopsticks.

When she paused for a breath, I asked, “So his family is in
timber. Is that what he does?” I sipped my coffee, trying to
appear guileless while directing the conversation.

“Oh, no. Nelson is in investments. Why, just before he came
here from Miami, he brokered several seashore deals with
some of the world’s largest hotel chains.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I promised Nelson I wouldn’t repeat it, but you’re
different. I know you can keep a secret.”

“Of course.” I lied and leaned forward, at the same time
wondering just how in the dickens Miami, Florida got all the
way up to Amarillo, Texas.

“Nelson made over three million on his last deal.”

I whistled. “He must have the touch. I wish I had some
money to invest. Maybe I wouldn’t have to keep working.”

She set her cup on the end table and leaned forward. “Well,
I did loan him some money. Nelson says he’s closing the deal
next week, and my money should show a good profit. If it does,
I plan on investing more with him. You can too.”

Sitting there watching her, she reminded me of a foolish little girl giggling over her first boyfriend. I wondered if she had
ever giggled over me like that. I made a pretense of looking at
my coffee. “Oh? How much would I have to put up?”

Her voice took on the confident tone of a knowledgeable
businesswoman. “I gave Nelson twenty-five thousand. He’d
probably take as little as ten thousand because you’re my
friend. I can ask him.”

That’s mighty white of him, I told myself, resisting the urge
to turn her over my knee and spank her silly little derriere.
“He’s closing the deal sometime next week, huh?”

She nodded emphatically. “Yes. Nelson said he could probably double my money.”

I feigned surprise. “In just a week?”

“Oh, no. I gave him the money two weeks ago.”

“I see.” I nodded knowingly, trying to keep the sarcasm from
my voice. “Three weeks. That’s still pretty good.”

She gushed. “Oh, Nelson knows exactly what’s he’s doing.”

I could believe that. I don’t know what that Lothario said or
did, but he really swept her off her feet. “Sure looks like it “

“If you want, I can ask Nelson about investing some of your
money.”

The last thing I wanted was for Nelson to become suspicious. I shrugged it off. “Oh, don’t bother. I don’t have anywhere near
that kind of money anyway. Besides, you said he didn’t want
you to say anything about it. I sure don’t want to cause any
problems between you two. Just forget it, okay?”

A tear glittered in her eyes. “That’s sweet of you, Tony.”

“Yeah. I’m a sweet guy. Well, I’ve got to be going now.” I
placed my empty cup on the coffee table and rose. “I’ve
enjoyed our little visit.”

“Me too, Tony.” She jumped to her feet and took my arm.
“You must come back again. I’m glad you came.” She hesitated, then looked up at me. “And Tony?”

“Yeah” My eyes met hers.

“I want us to always be friends, forever and ever.”

Janice always had a knack for the melodramatic.

In my best Mike Hammer imitation, I touched the tip of my
finger to her chin. “You bet, kid. You bet.”

I slammed the pickup door and stared at the condo. If I
planned on saving her some money, I’d better get off my tail.

Outside, the wind had switched to the north, pushing in a
heavy cover of leaden clouds, marking the leading edge of
another cold front.

I turned onto Lamar and headed for the office.

The Christmas spirit filled the streets with brilliantly
trimmed trees, dazzling arrays of flashing lights, and occasional displays of reindeer.

Not quite two weeks to Christmas. I could already smell the
rich aroma of baked ham, the pungent bouquet of rice dressing,
and the sweet fragrance of pecan pie all mixed with the hickory piquancy of woodsmoke.

Years back, I had been an avid hunter and fisherman. In
Louisiana, you ask a Cajun the four seasons, he’ll tell you winter, spring, summer, and hunting.

Texans were the same. The rugged hill country northwest of
Austin was rich with game, and the rivers and lakes abounded
with fish. But, as I grew older, life somehow got in the way, and
time grew between my periodic hunts until now my only hunting was with my cousin, Leroi, during Christmas in Church
Point.