The Alpine Xanadu (16 page)

“A couple of accidents on Highway 2, three DUIs, one possible break-in, a prowler on First Hill.” He shrugged. “The usual.”

“Where was the alleged break-in?”

“I’m not sure. I only have the address on River Road,” he said as we entered the
Advocate
.

I figured that was RestHaven, but kept mum—for now.

Vida looked up when we came into the newsroom. “Well! Early coffee klatch for you two?”

“We met by chance,” I said with a smile. “Where’s Leo?”

“Off to check the special edition ads,” Vida replied, standing up. “He got four-color inserts from the Grocery Basket and Safeway.”

“Great,” I enthused, realizing that Vida was following me into my office. “I guess Leo was right to do the Spring Fling section last week and hold off the RestHaven edition until it officially opened. We might make some real money this week.”

“Very nice,” Vida said through lips that barely moved. She leaned on my desk. “Well?”

I know when to surrender. Not only does Vida have eyes in the back of her head, but she seems to possess X-ray vision. I hauled my handbag onto the desk and took out Rosemary’s statement. “See for yourself.”

We both sat down. She adjusted her glasses before removing the single sheet of paper from the manila envelope. Without any expression, she quickly read the three paragraphs before wordlessly handing the statement back to me.

“I’m sorry, Vida,” I said. “So is Rosemary.”

She still didn’t say anything for a long, uncomfortable moment. And when she did, I wished she hadn’t. “Rosemary, Milo, the new judge, and everybody else should be ashamed of themselves.
They are all incompetent fools. I shall never speak to any of them again.”

Stunned, I forced myself to keep from lashing out at her. “Fine.” I turned away, poised at the keyboard of my computer.

Vida hesitated briefly, stood up, and made her majestic way out of my office. I sat frozen in place, trying to calm down. Had it not been for Roger, this whole mess would never have occurred. Yes, there would have been the inevitable falling-out among thieves, but Vida wouldn’t have been there when it happened. If the stupid kid hadn’t gotten involved with Holly and knocked her up, there wouldn’t be an innocent child caught in a trap between mother and father. And Vida wouldn’t have had her heart broken. I might have wept if the whole situation hadn’t made me so angry. There would be no warmed-over lasagna for lunch at my house. In fact, if Vida kept to her word about not speaking to Milo, she might never cross the threshold of my little log cabin again.

I took a deep breath and went to work.

The frost between Vida and me didn’t melt during the rest of the morning. But I was busy. Leo sensed that something was amiss. He came into my cubbyhole shortly before eleven-thirty.

“What’s going on, babe?” he inquired, keeping his voice down.

“Want to go to lunch at the diner?” I asked.

“Sure. It’ll be a lot better than being in the morgue that used to be the newsroom. Even Mitch is noticing that Vida’s really off her feed. Kip and Amanda sense it, too. I’ve been hiding out in the back shop.”

I shook my head. “We’ll talk at lunch, okay?”

Leo nodded. “Meet you outside at a quarter to twelve.”

Ten minutes later Kip appeared in my doorway, his face flushed. “You talked to Dodge in the last hour or so?”

“No. Why?”

Kip brushed back his wavy red hair. “I had the radio on in the back shop. Fleetwood broke in with a special bulletin about a witness in the Eriks death.”

My mouth fell open. “No! Who is it?”

“Unidentified. That’s why I wondered if Dodge knows. Do they listen to KSKY at headquarters?”

“Not if they want to keep their jobs,” I snapped. “You know there’s no love lost between Dodge and Spence.”

Kip grinned. “I kind of like the way the sheriff rearranged Fleetwood’s nose.” He sobered quickly. “Where do you suppose he got wind of this witness?”

I already had my hand on the phone. “I’ll ask Milo if he knows about it. Thanks, Kip.”

He leaned further into the doorway, gesturing discreetly at Vida. “What’s going on with Mrs. R.?”

I pointed to the manila envelope. “Sneak in here after I go to lunch and see for yourself. I haven’t written it up yet, but you’ll be putting it online this afternoon. As for the paper, we’ll …” I stopped. I didn’t want to run Rosemary’s statement on the front page. Maybe I could slip it in at the bottom of page four. “I’ll keep you posted,” I said lamely.

I dialed Milo’s number as soon as Kip left. “He’s not here,” Sam Heppner said, always glad to give me negative news. Or no news at all. “I don’t suppose there’s anything I can do for you.”

“Yes, there is. Who’s Fleetwood’s eyewitness to Wayne’s demise?”

Silence. “I have to check with the boss before I can release that information,” Sam finally said in his most formal tones.

“Thanks, Sam. You’re a sweetie.” I banged down the phone. The doofus was clueless. Milo probably was, too. I fought off the temptation to call Spence and harangue him. But that would only make him happy.
I
wasn’t happy, especially after looking into the
newsroom, where Vida sat staring at a news release. I hadn’t seen anything that sour since I left a quart of milk in the back of my fridge for six weeks the previous summer.

Vida had already left by the time Leo and I rendezvoused to head over to the Heartbreak Hotel off of Alpine Way. Two of Rosemary’s brothers had founded the fifties-style diner some seven years ago. It seemed like an appropriate place to deliver their sister’s bad news.

We took Leo’s aging Toyota to the restaurant. During the short drive, I filled him in with the brief version of Holly’s release. He took the news with a sad shake of his head. “Damn that useless Roger.”

Arriving just a few minutes before noon, we beat the rush. Terri Bourgette, another of Rosemary’s siblings, greeted us with her usual cheerful countenance. I told her we wanted to talk business, so we’d appreciate being seated away from anyone who might want to eavesdrop.

“I’ll put you across from an older couple who are driving through to Seattle from Ohio,” she said. “Ever hear of Fostoria?”

“Only in dinnerware,” I replied.

Terri laughed obligingly. “I saw you in church yesterday,” she said as we settled into a booth that featured glossy photos of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and Jerry Lee Lewis. “I heard Sheriff Dodge asked Dad to work on your log cabin. He’s never done one of those before.”

That was news to me. “I’m sure he’ll do a good job,” I said.

“I’d better scoot,” Terri said. “They’re lining up. Joshua will be your server. He’s new.” She dashed away.

“Nice girl,” Leo said. “I’m glad she didn’t ask why I wasn’t at Mass.”

“Well? Why weren’t you? It’s Lent.”

“I’ve backslid since my burst of piety at Christmas in Santa Maria,” Leo said sheepishly. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back for Easter.”

I let the subject drop. We studied the menus, making up our minds just before Joshua arrived to take our orders. I chose the Love Me Tender Steak Sandwich; Leo went for the Blue Monday Special, which was chicken-fried steak. The freckle-faced Joshua poured coffee for each of us and went off to put in our requests.

“So what’s the cause of the Duchess’s high dudgeon?”

“Milo and Rosemary are now personae non gratae to her,” I said, still smarting from her tirade. “Oh, and Judge Proxmire.”

“Damn,” Leo said under his breath. “Deep down, she must know she’s got this whole thing backwards. I wonder how Buck will react.”

I hadn’t considered how he’d deal with her hostile attitude. “Buck does exert some influence over her. But she revolted against his suggestion that Roger join the military to get his head straight. She also didn’t do anything about his backup plan for the kid to go back to college.”

Leo shook his head. “From what I can tell, Roger can’t handle that. He’s not very smart and lazy as hell. I don’t see how long he can last volunteering at RestHaven. That’s just an excuse not to get a real job.”

“And to hang out with the amply endowed Ainsley,” I added.

Leo’s brown eyes twinkled. “Hey, maybe he’ll knock her up. The Duchess would probably be proud of him.”

“That’s another thing—she seems to have forgotten what a jerk he really is. What more of a wake-up call does she need?”

Leo’s leathery face turned somber. “Let’s hope we never find out.”

The conversation turned to ad revenue. We were up 8 percent over the past year. I grudgingly credited the co-op ventures with Spence for much of the gain, though the arrival of RestHaven had helped, too. Just as Joshua brought our bill, the Ohio couple left. A few
minutes later, when Leo and I were about to exit our booth, Cookie and April Eriks were shown to the empty table. They didn’t notice us until we stood up.

Leo greeted them first, though he knew the women only slightly. He offered condolences to Cookie, who looked appropriately saddened.

“It’ll be an adjustment,” she said, after saying hello to me, “but April and Mel are such a huge help. I don’t know what I’d do without them.” She reached over to pat her sister-in-law’s hand.

“Family,” I said, hoping to sound sincere, “is always the best comfort. Is it true that you plan to hold the funeral on Wednesday?”

“Just a graveside service,” Cookie replied. “Wayne wasn’t religious and Tiffany hates funerals. I had to practically drag her to Mrs. Rafferty’s service last week. We’re going to see Al Driggers after lunch to make the arrangements. I wonder if we should put the notice in the paper.” She glanced at April as if she expected an answer.

But her sister-in-law looked at me. “Is it necessary?”

“It’s expected,” I said. “Everyone knew Wayne, if only because of his job. Besides, he’s a longtime resident.”

Cookie turned thoughtful. “I’ll think about it. Nice to see you.”

Leo and I knew we’d been dismissed. “Jesus,” Leo said when we were walking to his car, “Cookie’s not exactly the grieving widow, is she?”

“That was my impression when I saw her. She acted very different when Tim died. She seems relieved. Maybe Wayne abused her.”

Leo waited until we got in the car before responding. “I gather he played around—or tried to. That doesn’t mean he beat up on Cookie.”

“It doesn’t mean he didn’t. I wish I knew why Tiff moved out.”

“Blackwell wouldn’t have to try hard to seduce her.” He paused, having trouble setting his windshield wipers on high. The rain had
turned into a downpour. “He’s rich. Did anybody try to kill him today?”

“Nothing in the log,” I said. “Milo won’t make the complaints official until he has proof that Blackwell isn’t inventing the so-called threats.”

Leo concentrated on getting onto Alpine Way in the poor visibility. “You sure Dodge isn’t taking Jack seriously because he hates his guts?”

“Yes,” I said. “Milo is fair, even when he deals with jackasses.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Leo said, pulling out of the parking lot.

“You don’t sound convinced.”

Leo slowed to make a left onto Front Street, giving way to a Blue Sky Dairy truck. “You know my opinion of the sheriff has always been blighted by my infatuation with you,” he said. “Okay, so it was more like lust. I still think you’re a doll, but my renewed relationship with my ex, Liza, and your obvious passion for Dodge has changed my attitude. I’ve grudgingly come to respect him. He’s smarter than I thought. Hell, if he could win you, he must be a damned genius. But he’s a stubborn S.O.B. I don’t think he forgives and forgets. Wasn’t one of his deputies dumped by a wife who ran off with Blackwell?”

“Yes, Dwight Gould,” I said as we drove past the sheriff’s headquarters. “Kay married Jack, but it didn’t last long. She left town.”

Leo was temporarily distracted trying to cross traffic to park in front of the
Advocate
. “This morning I went to see the woman who handles P.R. and marketing for RestHaven to finalize their special-section ads. She lived here years ago and was married to a couple of jerks.” Leo pulled into his parking space without getting us killed. He switched off the ignition and looked at me. “Her name is Kay Burns. Ring any bells?”

I
WAS STUNNED
. K
AY
B
ARTON
G
OULD
B
LACKWELL
A
RTHUR
B
URNS
had left Alpine before I arrived. I had known she was the cause of Dwight Gould’s antipathy toward women, but I wouldn’t have recognized her if she fell through the roof and landed on my desk. Mitch, who had probably been in contact with her, might be unaware that she was a former Alpine resident. Even if she’d mentioned it to him, he wouldn’t be able to place her.

“That is too weird,” I said after a long pause. “She must be in her late fifties. Did she say where she’d worked before?”

“Yes,” Leo replied with a wry expression. “She and the late Mr. Burns had their own P.R. agency in Tacoma for fifteen years. He keeled over of a heart attack last summer. Kay didn’t want to run the business alone, and her only kid and his family live over the pass in Leavenworth. She jumped at the chance to take a job in Alpine. Nice-looking woman. I would’ve guessed her closer to fifty than sixty.”

“Wait until Vida hears this,” I said, starting to get out of the car.

“Vida’s not speaking to you. Or is she?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to find out.” I exited the Toyota.

Vida wasn’t back from lunch. I could temporarily avoid an awkward scene if she still was, as she’d put it, “on the peck.” I grabbed Rosemary’s statement and found Kip in the back shop.

“I gather you saw this already,” I said. “You might as well put it online now, before Spence broadcasts it on the two o’clock hour turn.”

“This sucks,” Kip declared, holding the paper as if it might be toxic. “I don’t blame Vida for being upset, but what’s with the deep freeze?”

“She’s hating the world,” I replied. “Mainly me, because I’m engaged to Milo and I’m friends with Rosemary and her family.”

Kip shook his head. “That’s not fair to any of you guys.”

“I know, but Vida isn’t willing to blame Roger—or herself. I understand, though it still upsets me. She’s usually so clearheaded.”