Law and Author (14 page)

“I think you've got to out him when he's doing something illegal, like buying drugs. That should do it. That is, if Darla doesn't already know about it,” Andie offered.

“Oh, I don't think she'd be involved in any way,” Bob was quick to say.

Lizzie said, “You don't really know that, do you?”

Bob sighed. “You're right. It's what I want to believe and until I learn otherwise, that's what I'll go by. I have to, Lizzie. She's my kin.”

“I know. So tell me what our next step should be.”

“I just think I'll track down this punk who's dealing and have a little talk with him, see if he's willing to answer some questions, since they won't be official ones. Riser may remember me from his younger days. I'm hoping so, anyway.”

“Uh-oh. I know a police chief who's going to hit the ceiling when he hears about that.”

“But he won't, will he?”

“Not if you take me along with you.”

“Me, too,” Andie piped in.

“No,” Bob and Lizzie said in unison.

“I appreciate your help today, Andie, but it really could get too dangerous. And if anything ever happened to you. . . .” She let it taper off. “Besides, could you imagine what your mama would do to me?”

“That would get her attention, for sure.”

“Why don't you come and help out tomorrow at the community center, Bob? We're sorting more books and that would give you a good reason to just hang out around there and see if this guy shows up. He's obviously not worried about the trespass notice and if he's doing good business there, he may turn up again. It's a start anyway.”

“Good idea. I'll be there.”

“So will I,” Andie said.

*   *   *

L
izzie checked the clock in her car as she pulled up out front of Teensy's rental house on Lee Street. Three o'clock on the nose. Teensy would be pleased.

Her knock on the door was answered by a surprised-looking Teensy. For a second, Lizzie wondered if she'd gotten it all wrong but Teensy gave her a wink before she turned around and announced her arrival.

“What a surprise, Lizzie. I'm so glad you dropped in, though. Just passing by? Anyway, I want you to meet a student of mine.” She grabbed Lizzie's arm and ushered her into the living room to the right of the entry. “This is Fannie Hewitt and this is Lizzie Turner. She's a dear friend and also, a reading specialist with the school board. Hmm, while you're here, maybe you can have a quick read of Fannie's manuscript and give her a brief evaluation. Would you mind doing that?”

She focused on Fannie. “Wouldn't that be fun? Do you mind if she reads it, Fannie?”

Fannie obviously did mind a bit or else she was so taken aback that she didn't know what to say, Lizzie thought. She would wait her out.

“Uh, sure. I guess. I mean, it's not really ready for anyone to read it, except for Teensy. But that's because she's the teacher.”

“Yes,” Teensy jumped in, “and so is Lizzie so that's what makes her stopping by so opportune. She won't be real critical, will you, sugar?”

“I would be interested in reading it, Fannie, but only if it doesn't make you too uncomfortable.”

Fannie shrugged. “I guess not. It's always better to have extra input and I'm sure not showing it to my husband.” She laughed but Lizzie didn't hear any joy in it.

Fannie passed the sheets of paper she'd been holding over to Lizzie.

“Would you like some lemonade, Lizzie? Or maybe something stronger?”

Lizzie noted what looked to be Jack Daniel's in the glass beside one of the chairs, obviously where Teensy had been sitting. “Lemonade would be just fine, thanks.”

“Fannie's one of my top students,” Teensy said as she poured from the pitcher on the side table. “I'm sure you'll see what I mean when you read it.” The sleeve of her multicolored caftan brushed Lizzie's arm as she swept back to her chair.

Lizzie took a sip, aware that they were both watching her. She glanced up at Teensy, who got the point.

“Now, Fannie, you were telling me about your garden. Why don't you continue while Lizzie takes a few minutes to read?”

Lizzie tuned out the talk about gardening while she quickly scanned the papers, trying to appear that it was the first time she'd seen them and trying to come up with something useful to say. She hadn't been prepared for this. She thought Teensy just wanted her to meet Fannie and get a feel for her, maybe do some amateur psychology and try to decide if she was the type to actually commit murder.

She finished after what she felt was the appropriate amount of time and waited until the others turned their attention back to her.

Teensy raised her eyebrows and Fannie fidgeted with the napkin in her lap.

“I agree with Teensy; you do have writing talent. It seems like it will be a fascinating story. The intrigue is certainly
there and your main character is someone I'd like to get to know better.”
So true.

She paused for effect, trying to look deep in thought. “You know, it feels somehow very real. You manage to get into the protagonist's head very well.”

She glanced at Teensy, who gave her a small nod.

Fannie broke out into a huge smile. “Why thank you, Lizzie. That's so wonderful to hear. I'm trying real hard for authenticity.”

What to ask next?
Is that because it's really you? To what lengths will you go to make it real?

“Is that hard to do? I mean, put yourself in your character's head?”

Fannie looked like she was giving the question a lot of thought. “No, not really. It's like I go into this zone, you know? When I'm having a good writing patch, it sometimes takes me a few minutes to get out of her head. You know what I mean?”

“Not really, I'm not a writer. But I have heard others say that very thing. I guess that makes all the difference.”

“Do you really think so?” Fannie seemed to relax. “I can't tell you how much it means to hear you say all these nice things. And to think I was hesitant about letting you read it.” She giggled. “How silly of me.”

Lizzie couldn't think of anything else to say that might elicit information. “Well, I really have to be going. It was nice meeting you, Fannie.”

“And you.”

Teensy stood, ready to walk Lizzie to the door.

“What did you come to see Teensy about?” Fannie asked. “I took up all your time. I'm sorry.”

Uh-oh.

“Lizzie was probably wondering if I'd like to go shopping with her, weren't you, sugar? We often do that, you know.”

Lizzie nodded.

“Well, don't let me stop you. I should be getting home anyway.” Fannie gathered up her things and stood.

Teensy looked surprised. “Well, all right then. I think we were finished anyway. And I'm sure Lizzie would be more than happy to give you some pointers anytime, too. Wouldn't you Lizzie?”

“Uh, sure.”
Stop talking, Teensy.

“Thanks, Lizzie. I do appreciate it. Bye now.”

They watched Fannie get in her car and drive off. Then Lizzie spoke. “Thanks a lot, Teensy.”

“Oh, don't you worry, sugar. She won't take you up on that, I'm sure. Not when I'm giving her all this extra time and attention. Now, maybe you should sit back down and have another glass of lemonade and just give her time to get out of the neighborhood before you leave. Alone.”

And there the case seemed to come to a halt.

AND THEN YOU DYE—
MONICA FERRIS

L
izzie showed Bob around, introducing him to the others sorting books the next morning, and then left him to his own devices while she checked over the boxes that still needed to be dealt with. She'd already sent Wade, Darla and Andie out on another pickup route. This would probably be the last time. Donations by phone had dwindled away and she was pretty certain they'd reached saturation. Whatever else might be donated could probably be picked up by car. Besides, they were running out of space to store everything until the event, still two weeks off.

She was thrilled with the response. But she hadn't realized the amount of work involved. It was pure luck that the sale had been scheduled so soon after Easter break. If she hadn't had the time off, who knows how the work would have gotten done. Volunteers. She knew she'd have to round
up more for the day of the sale, but with the help of Olivia at the Readers Are Us book club that should be easy. Anyway, it was all working out and she felt pretty certain the payoff would be a nice sum for the literacy program and well worth all the effort.

Bob wandered back into the sorting room and spoke in a low voice. “It's all quiet out back. What time are Wade and Darla due back? It might be a better time to be staking out the back at that point.”

Lizzie looked at the clock mounted on the wall above the door. “Oh, anytime now, I'd think. What are you going to do if you catch Wade talking to Eddie Riser? Won't that sort of give away the fact that you suspect Wade of something?”

“I'll just keep watch and if Riser does show up, I'll follow him when he leaves. Don't look like that. I'm darned good at tailing bad guys. I've done a lot of that over the years.”

“I bet you have,” Lizzie was quick to answer. “Do you have your cell phone? Shouldn't we be in contact in case you need some backup or something?”

Bob pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I'm way ahead of you, girl. I've got you programmed in. Better check to see if you have my number.”

Lizzie did that and added his number to her contacts. “If you'd like something to do while you're waiting, I could use a hand shifting those boxes over there,” she said with a grin.

“Sure thing.” He followed her over to a row of boxes piled two high and moved a couple of them over to the sorting table. “You sure that's it?”

Lizzie nodded.

“Okay, I think I'll hang around out back again.”

Lizzie watched him leave. It wasn't the first time she'd noticed how little patience he had. He just didn't seem to be
able to sit around and waste time, unless there was a fishing pole involved, she amended.

Lizzie got busy sorting the new box of books and had been at it for about fifteen minutes when a young woman rushed into the room. Lizzie recognized her as one of the center staff members.

“I'm sorry to burst in on y'all but we're in need of some help. A little girl attending one of our programs has gone missing. She's only six years old and we're just not sure what's happened.” She sounded like she would start crying any minute.

“Of course, we'll help,” Lizzie said, trying not to panic and looking at the three other people in the room. They all nodded and left their tasks, following the staff member out into the main entrance where another staff person, this one wearing a shirt that read “Leader” on the pocket, waited to speak to everyone. They'd managed to gather up around ten people from around the center.

“Thank you all for helping. We want to do a thorough search of the building and grounds before we call in the police. You three,” she said, pointing to Lizzie and two young staffers standing beside her, “would you mind going out to the front yard and work your way around? I think if you divide up, and work toward each other, that would help.”

“I'll go with them,” Bob said, upon entering the room.

“Great. Now if the rest of you could divide up by twos and search the rooms, that should cover the center. We'll start at the west side.”

Lizzie didn't hear the rest of the instructions. Her team members were already on their way outside. Bob grabbed her arm. “We'll work around that way,” he said to the other two women. They nodded and went their way.

“Be sure to check behind shrubs,” Bob said. “Sometimes it becomes a game of hide-and-seek with youngsters. They don't realize what the grown-ups are going through.”

“Oh boy, I hope that's all this is,” Lizzie said, her heart thumping. The center was such a busy place these days, almost anything or anyone could make something happen. She gave her head a shake, trying to toss away those thoughts. This was Ashton Corners. She would be found safe and unharmed.

They did a thorough search and made it around back, when Bob signaled Lizzie to hide behind him. He glanced back around the building toward the parking lot.

“What is it? What do you see?”

Bob waved her to be quiet. She tapped her toe, trying to be patient but dying to see what was going on. Finally, Bob started walking forward and she followed.

“What was that all about?”

“Wade showed up and he was talking to a guy who looked pretty much like your description of Riser.” Bob scanned the rows of cars and over to the opposite corner of the building.

He shook his head. “Guess I'll have to track him down another time. There are never enough searchers when there's a young child involved. I will have a talk with Wade after, though.”

Bob took another quick scan around to make sure both men had left. Then they split up and did a thorough search between the rows of cars, finally meeting up with the other team.

“Nothing,” said one of the women.

Lizzie was starting to get a bit discouraged. How could a young child just disappear? Of course, the place was filled with people these days, either part of the day camp or helping sort books.
Try not to go there.

“We'd better head back and check in,” Bob suggested. They went inside and joined the search coordinator in the hall, reporting their findings, or rather, lack of.

“Okay. Thank you. How about taking the gym?” She pointed to the closed doors across from the main doors.

Bob nodded and the three others followed him in.

Lizzie and Bob did a thorough search of the equipment room while the others checked behind the stack of mats and chairs at one end of the gym. They'd just rejoined the leader in the hall when a cry went up from the office. They all ran over to it and crowded around as one of the office staff came walking through the door, carrying the little girl.

“I found her hiding under my desk. She thought this was fun.” The relief was evident in her voice. “I was certain I looked there,” the staffer said, shaking her head. The little girl flashed a wide grin all around.

“Thank heavens,” Lizzie said softly, taking a minute to shake off the tension that had been building in her body, then headed back to the book room, Bob following.

*   *   *

L
izzie left the community center, wondering if she should have suggested to Bob that they both go searching for Eddie Riser. He was probably right, though. He was the ex-cop and knew how to handle such situations. Her tagging along might give Riser the edge, thinking it wasn't such a serious thing to be questioned by someone who was now mainly a book club member. That they'd had interactions while Bob was still police chief made it that much better.

She pulled up in front of A Novel Plot, planning to pick up a box of donated books to take in the next day. She found Stephanie, phone to her ear, behind the front desk. Lizzie gave her a wave and went directly to the back room, found
the box and brought it out front. Stephanie was still on the phone, talking in hushed tones, so Lizzie wandered over to the shelves where the newly released titles were filed. She found the latest from Eva Gates in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, something she'd been waiting for but had lost track of when it was supposed to arrive.

She heard Stephanie hang up the phone and sigh deeply.

“What's the problem? Or is it none of my business?”

Stephanie leaned against the back of her chair and looked to be in thought. “I don't really know if I should be telling you, Lizzie, but I'm just so concerned about her that I think I probably should.”

“Who are we talking, or not talking, about?”

“Darla.”

“Uh-huh. That was her on the phone?”

Stephanie nodded. “She just called me out of the blue. I don't think there's anyone else around here she feels she can talk to. And you know, she's lonely.”

“She's got Molly and Bob.”

“That's just it. She doesn't feel she can really talk to either of them.”

“Well what about Wade? He seems to be around her all the time. Don't they talk?” Lizzie knew she was sounding a tad impatient and should dial it back. She had never considered that Darla might be lonely. So, it was a good thing she'd bonded with Stephanie, who was close in age.

“He's the problem. He doesn't really talk, he tells. And I know what that's like. That's why she felt she could tell me, I guess.”

“Does he push her around?”

“She says not but I don't really believe her. It's all that code you talk in when someone's got power over you.”

“Like what?”

“Oh, things like making excuses for his behavior. I've heard him belittle her and tell her how dumb she is, and when I mentioned it, she said he's not usually like that. It's only because he's lost his job and is in need of money.”

“Did she say what he did for a living?”

“No and I didn't think to ask.”

“What else?”

“Well, I thought he'd slapped her. She had a big red mark on her cheek. She admitted he had but said it was her fault because she'd gotten hysterical at the thought that they might be kicked out of the motel.”

“Did you believe her?”

“Nope. I don't think Darla's the type to get hysterical.”

Lizzie's thoughts exactly. She wondered how Stephanie knew so much about abuse. It wasn't something she'd mentioned when talking about her past. But maybe that's because she wasn't ready to talk about it. Lizzie wasn't about to push her on it now.

“Do you think one of us should step in?” Lizzie asked. “Maybe confront her or him?'

“I don't think so. She'd clam up for good then. If it's happening, she has to be the one to ask for help. Although, I think that sometimes you have to do an intervention or something. I guess I just wanted you to know about it at this point.”

“Well, if it escalates in any way, you be sure to call me right away. Okay?”

Stephanie smiled. “Thanks, Lizzie. I knew I could count on you. Now, did you find the books all right?”

Lizzie pointed to the box at her feet. “All set. Do you have plans for your afternoon off on Friday?”

Stephanie's smile grew even wider. “Yes I do. Roger is
taking the time off, too, and we're planning on taking Wendy to the petting zoo in Stoney Mills and then having a picnic along the way. Roger suggested it.”

Lizzie felt a slight chill as the memory of her car being forced off the road on the way home from Stoney Mills, a year and a half ago. She and Sally-Jo had been looking for leads into the murder that took place in front of Molly's house the first night the book club had met. Neither of them were hurt but Lizzie now had a new car because of it. Not the outcome she'd wanted.

“He sounds real thoughtful,” she said, rousing herself from the past.

“Oh, he is. Believe me.” The phone rang before Stephanie could continue. Lizzie gave her a small wave, retrieved the box and left. She was happy that Stephanie had found someone who made her feel special. She'd been through a lot over the past few years and there hadn't been many positive things involved. The book club had been delighted to take her under their wing but she also needed to build a life for herself and her baby, and now it seemed like that's just what she was doing. She smiled to herself as she got into her car.

Lizzie stopped for a red light and noticed Darla walking along the opposite sidewalk, away from her. And alone. Lizzie glanced around for any sign of Wade but couldn't see him. This was as good a time as any for a little chat. She had some new questions to ask, these ones about why Darla had held on to the room. If that wasn't devious, she didn't know what was.