Rubbed Out (A Memphis BBQ Mystery) (19 page)

Finn shrugged. “It’s been okay. Sometimes we fight with each other, but it’s not a lot. The last time was a big argument we had a couple of weeks ago. For the first time, when I came home, there was a guy in the driveway. She even introduced him to me—a guy named John. I figured it was somebody she was trying to date…and I guess I wasn’t ready. As soon as he drove off, she and I really had it out.”

Lulu was very still. There were a lot of Johns in the world. But in this case, everybody seemed like they were connected. She said, “That’s only natural, Finn. That’s a huge adjustment for you. Besides, you were probably trying to take care of your mama and protect her. I was wondering if John was someone that I knew—what did he look like, if you can remember?”

And Finn described the same John. Right down to the stripe of white hair on his head. The same John that Dawn had just finished telling her that she didn’t know.

“You didn’t see him again after that, though?” asked Lulu.

Finn’s shoulders relaxed. “No, I sure didn’t. Mom probably had second thoughts or something, after we
had that argument. I’m really not trying to control her life or anything—I was taken by surprise by the whole thing, I guess. I sort of feel guilty about it now.”

Lulu reached over to hug the boy. “Honey, you shouldn’t worry about it. Your mama loves and cares about you. Did you know that she was here a little while ago? She wanted to check and see that your trumpet lessons were safe. She sure does care a lot about you.”

She had the satisfaction of seeing Finn’s face brighten. Then Derrick arrived on the porch with the pie and Morty arrived with his trumpet and Lulu retreated to the office to get some work done.

Lulu ended up visiting with regulars in the dining room, even helping to wait on tables when they got busy over supper. Then she helped sweep up when it was time to clean. They’d put the closed sign outside when Pink showed up.

The policeman said, “Lulu, is it okay if we talk now? I know you’ve got to be tired out from working all day.”

Ben and Sara were on their way to leave when they hesitated. “Do you need us to stay, Lulu?” asked Sara.

“Heavens, no!” said Lulu. “Pink and I are going to catch up a little bit about these murders. Y’all go on home—you’ve got to be tired. And I know the twins and Derrick are long asleep.”

“Okay,” said Ben. “Tim is here still, by the way. You know he came back to the restaurant to help clean up? Although he worked a full shift today.”

“He didn’t finish his shift yesterday, so he wanted to put in some extra time tonight, that’s all,” said Lulu.

Ben and Sara left, locking the door behind them, and Pink and Lulu settled across from each other in a booth. “I guess we both have the kind of jobs where we’re on our feet all day,” said Pink ruefully. “I never turn down the opportunity to sit for a spell.”

Lulu made her usual offers of food and drinks and Pink turned her down this time. “I appreciate it, Lulu, but I’m good. I’m here to check in with you on what you’ve found out with these murders I’m investigating.”

Lulu smiled at him. “So you’re not here to tell me that you’ve arrested Cherry, then. She seemed happily convinced that everyone thought she might be a villain.”

“I don’t think the focus of our investigation is Cherry. We’d all be completely shocked if she was behind these murders,” said Pink.

“She’ll be crushed to hear that,” said Lulu with a chuckle. “So you’re checking in to see what she and I have found out?”

“That’s right. Not that I approve of y’all getting involved in this in any way—let me go on the record saying that. It’s far too dangerous. As long as y’all are getting information in a natural way—through normal interactions with people you’re associated with—then I don’t mind finding out what I can from you,” said Pink.

Lulu nodded. “Honestly, Pink, I don’t know what information I have to give you. It all seems like a mess.
Besides, you probably know all the information that I’ve got.”

“Well, tell me what you’ve learned, and if it duplicates what we know, then that’s okay. I’d rather hear it all anyway,” said Pink. “By the way, it seems like you’ve been spending a lot of time lately with two of my suspects—Brody and Sharon.”

“Sharon has gotten to be friendly with Cherry and me, and Brody has, too. Why? Is there something we should know?” asked Lulu, frowning. “Sharon is an emotional wreck most of the time and seems completely stressed out. Brody is pretty easy-going and seems to balance Sharon out. They both seem nice.”

“Possibly they are. Very possibly. But then, there’s always the possibility that they’re homicidal maniacs, too. I will tell you one thing, Lulu—those two are in a financial mess. They’ve lived beyond their means for way too long. I’m not even sure how they duped a bank into giving them a mortgage. They’ve got debt up to their eyeballs. That money they got from Reuben’s will is a real godsend for them,” said Pink pointedly.

“I’ll be sure to keep an eye on my pocketbook when I’m around them,” said Lulu with a sassy wink. She didn’t mention that she wasn’t at all surprised to hear that Sharon and Brody were having financial trouble. Sharon’s older designer clothes and purse, and the unfinished appearance of the house, definitely indicated they were trying not to spend a lot of money.

Pink sighed. “All right. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. Now that I’ve shared some information, can you return the favor?”

“I really do think you already heard it all, Pink. Like the fact that Reuben Shaw’s ex-wife has financial problems and health issues and was mad at Reuben because he didn’t help out. And the fact that Reuben died a rich man, because his uncle died not long before Reuben was murdered. And…” She hesitated. Because Pink probably didn’t know about Tim. And Lulu wasn’t sure she was the one who should be telling that story.

Someone cleared his throat behind them. They turned around to see Tim. Pink frowned at the waiter in confusion, which didn’t make Tim any more relaxed.

“Pink, you know Tim, don’t you?” asked Lulu.

Pink’s eyebrows were drawn together still. “Well, sure. Tim brings me barbeque plates almost every day.”

Tim’s hands shook. “I’m here because I want to make a confession.”

Now Lulu was staring at Tim, too. Was he going to own up to his connection with Reuben and the hit-and-run involvement from his past? Or was he going to confess to two murders?

Tim cleared his throat. “You don’t know this, Pink, but I’m connected to Reuben Shaw. He and I used to be friends a couple of years back. But then he got to drinking and we were out one night two years ago. He was driving a car that was involved in a fatal hit-and-run. I was the passenger who didn’t make him stop.”

Tim looked like he might fall over, so Lulu motioned him to sit beside her at the booth. He quickly did.

Pink was thinking back. “I believe I do recollect an unresolved hit-and-run from a few years ago. Family man, wasn’t it?”

Tim turned green. The subject was still very raw for him.

“But you weren’t driving, you say? And the person
who
was
driving is dead. And we don’t even know where the car is that he was driving?” asked Pink.

Tim said, “He might still have it in his garage or something. I know I never saw him drive it after that, but he and I stopped talking after that night.”

Pink was still mulling this all over. “You didn’t report an accident.”

“In fact, I encouraged the driver to leave the scene,” said Tim in as brave a tone as he could muster.

“Right.” Pink sighed. “I’m going to need to report this and probably have the officers who were assigned to that case come talk with you, if they’re still on the force. But honestly? I don’t think you’re going to be held accountable for this. You weren’t driving the car. We don’t have any evidence that you’re lying about that. So ultimately, the choice to stop was taken out of your hands.”

“I’ll tell the police everything I remember about that night,” said Tim. “And it’s still pretty clear in my head.”

“I know you said that you and Reuben weren’t speaking to each other,” said Pink. “But had you been in touch with him recently? And did you have anything to do with his death?”

Tim stared down at the table. “I did get back in touch with him. I told him that I’d hit rock bottom and wanted to confess to my part in that accident. Reuben didn’t want anything to do with a confession. Once he realized that I was going to the police even if he didn’t turn himself in, he kept trying to contact me. He even found out I
was working here and called for me at work. We ran into each other at the festival and he started yelling at me, trying to convince me to keep my mouth shut.”

Pink raised his eyebrows. “So you saw Reuben at the festival? When was it that you saw him?”

Tim sighed, studying the table’s wood surface as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. “From what I understand, I saw him not long before he was murdered.” Now he stared Pink in the eye. “But I didn’t have anything to do with his death. All I wanted to do was to come clean. The last thing I wanted was another death on my hands.”

Pink nodded, like he was satisfied. “Okay. I’ll pull up the hit-and-run incident when I get back to the station. I’m sure some guys from the department will be getting in touch with you.” He wearily rubbed his eyes. “I’m done for the day,” he said, standing up to take his leave.

Tim’s face was relieved. “I’d better go, too. You coming, Mrs. Taylor?”

“I’ve got to finish up in the office and lock up. Y’all go ahead. I’ll be a few minutes behind you,” said Lulu.

Lulu walked toward the parking deck where she’d left her car. This was Beale Street, and even though it was late, the nightlife was only starting up. Music spilled out from the restaurants and bars and people were walking up the street holding drinks and laughing with each other. Like the Rock and Ribs festival, Beale Street gave off a real party atmosphere.

There were gobs of people outside. As usual, Lulu felt
perfectly safe—or as safe as it was possible to feel. Was there ever a time in modern life when you were walking by yourself that you didn’t think about your personal safety just a smidge?

Lulu paid attention to her surroundings, she later remembered, as she walked, although she was thinking about the murders. She’d turned off the street and had barely set foot in the parking deck when she felt something smashing into the back of her head. And aside from that, a strange musical sound that accompanied the strike.

The next thing she saw, and she was thankful to be alive to see it, was Tim’s face, peering at her with great concern.

“Mrs. Taylor! Are you okay?” His anxious face swam woozily before her and she tried to focus on one of the Tims she saw.

She didn’t like anybody to worry about her and she tried reassuring him, but all that came out was a grunt.

Tim swung around to peer behind him and Lulu heard the sound of a car. “Hold on. I think that’s Pink leaving.” He left her side.

This time it was Pink’s face she saw, and it was grim. “Lulu, I’m going to call you an ambulance.”

Now this was something she tried harder to react to. “No,” she managed to groan. “No hospital.”

Tim and Pink exchanged glances. Pink said, “Lulu, you had a pretty big smack to the back of your head. You might even have a concussion.”

Lulu quickly gave them the current year and current president.

Tim gave a relieved laugh and Pink said, “All right, well, I guess you passed that test. Maybe you don’t have a concussion.”

Lulu was starting to feel less dizzy, which meant that her head was starting to hurt. “I just want to go home. Can y’all help get me home?”

Tim said to Pink, “I could drive Mrs. Taylor’s car if you drive me back here to get mine afterwards.”

Lulu said, “That’s too much trouble, y’all. Tim, you’ve had a long day on your feet at the restaurant. If Pink will drop me off at the house, then I can get a ride to Aunt Pat’s tomorrow morning from Cherry or somebody. No worries.”

So that’s what they did. Once she stood up, she was a lot more unsteady than she thought. Good thing she wasn’t driving. Pink offered his arm to her and guided her to the police car.

As they were driving to Lulu’s house, Pink said, “I guess you didn’t see or hear anything that would give us any clues?”

Lulu tried to remember. Now she really couldn’t recollect anything in those few minutes even before she was hit in the head. Not that she was going to share that with Pink or else she might end up spending the night at the hospital, which was not what she wanted. “No, I don’t think I did,” she said ruefully. “I was being careful,
though—I’m always careful when I leave the restaurant at night. But I’ve been making that trek for many years now and never had a problem.”

“They didn’t take your purse,” Pink pointed out. “And you don’t have any contents of your purse missing, do you?”

He turned on the car’s interior lights for her and Lulu made a perfunctory search of her pocketbook. She knew that she hadn’t been mugged, though. She had the strong feeling that she’d been warned. Still, she rummaged through her bag. She had the cheerful makeup bag with the powder and the pink lipstick. She had her fat wallet that was fair to bursting with quarters. She had her cell phone. A baggie of dog treats for the restaurant’s Labs. A pack of tissues, a pair of plastic sunglasses, her keys. “Everything is here,” she reported.