Prime Catch (9 page)

“No. You can ask anyone. May I go to work now?”

Amos nodded.

As Bobby left, the sheriff glanced at Sarah. “Care for an early lunch? I want to check a few things with Millie.”

Sarah smiled. “You want to check about Ray Robertson.”

He glowed. “You know me too well.”

Millie’s was warm and welcoming in its little niche by the street. A few men were lingering over coffee at the counter, but the tables were deserted after the breakfast crowd had departed. The cooks in the back were busily getting ready for lunch in about an hour. Amos and Sarah took one of the tables on the far side.

Millie hurried over. “You two are here before everything is finished.”

Amos shook his head. “All I want is a ham on rye.”

Millie glanced at Sarah. “And you?”

“Do you have the chicken noodle soup?”

“Yes. Coming right up.”

When the items were delivered to the table with a cup of Millie’s finest coffee for each, Amos put a hand on Millie’s arm. “I need to ask you a few questions.”

“Shoot.”

“A couple of weeks ago, Bobby Cusnoo said he was here with a man named Ray Robertson. Now you know most of the people who come in here regularly. Do you know a Mr. Robertson?”

Millie pressed her lips together and tapped her pencil on her pad. “No. But I did see Bobby with a man I didn’t know. He looked familiar to me, though. I don’t think his name was Ray.”

“If you remember his name, let me know.”

“Sure thing, Sheriff.” She gave them their bills and went back to the counter.

Sarah stirred her soup. “Do you think Bobby is the one who killed Thornton?”

“If he didn’t, I’d lay a million smackers that he knows who did. Possibly the one he was in here with the day before.”

After lunch, they headed back to the office, where they found Sam with an amused look on his face. “Sarah, you received a delivery while you two were out.” He pointed to a long cardboard box on her desk.

She had a puzzled look, while Amos’ suspicions peaked. Sarah opened the box and gasped. “A dozen red roses?” She glanced at the card and colored as she quickly put it back and closed the box.

Amos pointed at it. “Who in Sam Hill is that from?”

Sarah shook her head. “I’d rather not say. Please, don’t ask.”

“But, why―?”

“I don’t know why it came here. It’s personal.”

Anger threatened to spout, but Amos bit his tongue. “I’ll be in my office.” He banged the door a little harder than he intended to.
When did she start seeing someone?
He hit the desk with his fist, then pulled back.
What right do I have, butting into her private life? I feel like a green-eyed jackass.
His fingers drummed on the ink blotter.
Amos, you’d better keep your feelings to yourself.

****

Sarah trimmed the stems of the roses as she carefully put them in the vase on the table in the parlor.
Do I really want to see George again? He was the one who broke my heart.
She hadn’t let any man in her life since then, although feelings for Amos came unbidden often.
I know my mother despairs that her daughter is a hopeless spinster.

The late evening sun made patterns on the floor of the room. Split by the lace curtains flowing back and forth with the sea breeze, the rays had a life of their own. A turn of the doorbell stopped her train of thought.

As she opened the door, George stood in front of her, hat in hand. “Good evening, Sarah. May I come in?”

She took a step back and relieved him of his hat and coat. “Come. Thank you for the roses. That was very thoughtful.” As he entered the house, she waved her hand toward the parlor. “Have a seat. I’ll get some tea.”

He grasped her hand and pulled her to him. “You mean a lot to me. I want to show you how much.”

A small streak of anger colored her mood. “You could have done that six years ago.”

“How many times do I have to apologize?”

“Until you understand what you did to me.” She disengaged her hand and went into the kitchen.
Why do I keep seeing him? Maybe I need the attention of a man.
Putting a serving tray together, she went back into the parlor.

George stood in front of her family picture, taken nine years ago at a clan gathering. He turned as she entered the room. “That was the year I first saw you. Do you remember?”

She set the tray on the table and poured the tea. “Yes, I do.” She sat on the couch.

He strolled over and sat beside her. “My mother told me to pay attention to you. That you had a strong jaw.” He glanced at her face. “Where did you get that bruise?”

Sarah put her hand to her face. “I almost forgot about it. The investigation got a little rough. It’s complicated to explain.”

“I think this line of work you’re in is too dangerous. A woman should not work in law enforcement.”

Her spine straightened. “I knew the risks going in. This is who I am. It’s not your decision to make.”

He cupped her chin. “It will be if we get married.”

“Hold it! You’re making some fast moves. Who said anything about marriage?” She pulled back from him. Resentment grew, and her stomach tightened up.

He softened. “We don’t have to talk about that now.”

Sarah rose. “No, we don’t. Or ever, as far as I’m concerned.” She retrieved his hat and coat. “I think the evening is over. Goodnight, George.”

“If you would let us work this out...”

“Goodbye, George. May you have luck with your business.”

He put on his hat. “Sarah?” She glared at him. “Never mind. Good evening.”

She closed the door firmly behind him and slumped against it.
How dare he, trying to tell me what to do!

Chapter 11

Amos was especially grumpy that morning. Seeing those flowers Sarah received the day before had stuck in his craw all night, and it was getting harder to reason away his feelings. Now, he was ready to draw and quarter any man who got close to her. A knock on his office door brought him back to reality.

“Amos?”

“Come in, Lakat.”

She poured some coffee and sat before him with inquisitive eyes. “Well, are you going to arrest Bobby?”

He slammed his hand on the desk. “You know as well as I do we don’t have enough on him to justify bringing him in.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Could you speak to Sally Cusnoo again to see if she knows where he was the day of the murder?”

“All right. She’s off from work today, so we’ll have time to talk.” She put the coffee down. “Amos, is something else bothering you? Or is not being able to find enough on Bobby rubbing you the wrong way?”

Amos glared at her. “Flowers.”

“What?”

“Flowers. There will be no more delivery of flowers to this office. We’re not a goddamn lonely hearts club. Keep your private life at home. You got that?”

“Loud and clear, Sheriff.” She rose. “I’m off to speak to Sally.”

Amos ruffled the papers on his desk and turned his back on her until he heard the door close.
Maybe I should have gone with her. No, Sally is her friend and wouldn’t feel comfortable if I was around. Sarah can handle it.

With a knock at the door, Sam called out, “You have a telegram from Sheriff Mahoney in Cordova.”

“Bring it in.”

Sam handed him the yellow envelope, and Amos tore it open. “Sam, there was another warning for a cannery near him. He says he’ll take care of it and let me know what happens.”

Sam shook his head. “It seems like this group has quite a network of people involved.”

Amos nodded. “I, for one, will never suspect the natives to be merely dumb savages. Not after this.”

As Sam went back to work, Amos started planning his next move. He had to keep his mind on something other than Sarah’s love life.

****

Sarah was glad Bobby’s truck wasn’t at the house as she went up the porch steps. Sally greeted her at the door. “Sarah, what brings you here?”

“I need to ask you a few questions.”

“On the investigation?”

“Yes. Can you remember what Bobby did the day of the murder?”

“Well, he left for work at the usual time―”

“Wait a minute. You say he went to work that day?”

Sally’s eyes darkened. “He did. Is something wrong?”

“We checked the personnel list, and his name wasn’t on it.”

Sally put a hand to her mouth. “Oh, no. You don’t think he―”

“We don’t know, yet. That’s why we keep checking things. What did he do later that day?”

“Well, when I got home from my shift, all he was doing was burning spring brush.”

“Burning spring brush,” Sarah repeated. Then an alarm sounded in her head. “Where is your burn pile? And do you have a shovel?”

Sally hurried to a small shed and came back with a garden shovel. “Our burn pile is this way.”

In the rear of the property, a circle of stones marked the fireplace, and an ash hill rose like a small volcano in the middle. Sarah carefully scooped a layer at a time and sifted through it.

Sally raised her eyebrows. “What are you looking for?”

“Anything suspicious,” Sarah shot back.

Most of the layers on top held charred bits of twigs. Sarah continued working her way down to the base of the soot, when she spotted a burnt disk and picked it up. Wiping it off on her sleeve, she noticed it had four small holes in the center. “This is a button! Maybe a coat button.” Digging further, she found some fragments of material and the broken blade of a saw. She collected as much of the material as she could find and deposited it in her jacket pocket. “Thank you, Sally. You’ve been a great help.”

Sally’s eyes overflowed. “I don’t want to believe my brother is mixed up in this.”

Sarah put her hand on Sally’s shoulder. “We can’t jump to conclusions, but we have to check everything.”

As Sarah strode into town, she knocked as much of the soot off her clothes as she could.
I must seem like a cloud going down Front Street.
She chuckled to herself. Sam glanced up as she banged through the door.

He laughed. “Look who the cat dragged in!”

“At least someone’s working around here,” she retorted.

She laid the side of her fist to the sheriff’s door. “I’ve got something!”

“Come in.”

Sarah went like a shot to the desk and emptied her pocket onto Amos’ desk, ashes and all. “This is what I discovered in the Cusnoos’ fire pit.”

Amos picked up the button and bits of burnt material. “What―?”

“Sally said he went to work that day and that he was burning spring brush when she got off her shift later.”

“Hmm.” Amos opened one of the desk drawers, pulled out a magnifying glass, and studied some of the cloth under his desk lamp. “Ha! Take a look at this.” He gave her one of the scraps with the glass. He set aside the saw blade. “This could be what he used to saw through the rail board.”

Sarah peered at the cloth scrap, then saw it. “There’s a stain that looks like blood.”

Amos nodded. “I’ll send this over to Elmer, so he can test it. If it is, we have Bobby. Good work, Lakat!” He paused a moment. “Did you say he went to work that day?”

“That’s what Sally believed. She became concerned when I told her about the personnel list.”

Amos handed her the telegram. “This came in while you were out.”

Sarah shook her head. “Oh, no. Not another one. I hope Sheriff Mahoney can keep anything from happening.”

As he put the scrap of material and note to the coroner into a sealed envelope, Amos called to Sam.

“Yes, Sheriff?”

“Get this next door to Elmer, and tell him to give me a written report on it.”

Sam took the envelope. “Right away.” He hurried out.

Amos scraped together the bits and pieces Sarah had deposited on his desk and put them in a separate envelope. “This is the most important evidence we’ve had so far.” He put it in a bag next to the broken bat.

Sarah sighed. “It’s too bad we can’t get fingerprints off wood.”

“Yes, but this should work.”

“You seem in a better mood than you were earlier.”

Amos gave her a contrite expression. “Sorry for barking at you. That wasn’t your fault. Just let your suitor know to send flowers to your home.”

“I don’t have a suitor. It’s someone who’s trying to make up for a wrong he did me. I’m not interested.”

A look of relief came over Amos’ face. “Well, I’m glad. You don’t have time for such foolishness.”

A glow went through her.
He seems like he’s jealous. Does he care that much about me?
“You know, there may be a time when one of us will want to settle down.”

“We’ll deal with that then. Right now, we’ll go get a warrant for Bobby’s arrest as soon as we get the report from Elmer.”

Sarah was a little perturbed at the reaction to the feeler she put out, but she also knew how stubborn Amos was. He didn’t have to be so short with her, though.

Chapter 12

Amos responded to a knock on the office door. “Sheriff?” came Elmer’s voice, “I’ve got that report you wanted.”

“Come in. And have Lakat come in, too.”

He heard Elmer call to Sarah, and she followed him into Amos’ office. Elmer laid a sheet of paper on the desk. “Here’s the report you wanted. I tell you, that was a tough assignment. The stain had gone through a fire, but I managed to get enough to make a positive ID on the blood.”

Sarah distractingly leaned over Amos’ chair to read the report over his shoulder. “Good work, Elmer.” He turned to Sarah. “Shall we go get an arrest warrant for Bobby?”

“Ready when you are.” She strode out the door.

After a trip to the courthouse, they headed to the Cusnoo home. “Bobby should be off his shift by now,” Amos observed. “Look, there’s his truck in front.” He parked on the road. “Have your gun handy, just in case, and stay behind me.”

Sarah took a shallow breath as she patted her thirty-eight in the shoulder holster. “Let’s get this over with.”

Every nerve in Amos’ body was alert with a flood of adrenaline. He hated putting Sarah in danger, but she was a deputy and a good shot, so he couldn’t tell her not to do her job. Halfway to the porch steps, the door banged open and Bobby stepped out with a double-barreled shotgun that he leveled at Amos. “And what would you like, Sheriff? I don’t remember inviting you over.”