The Feed Store Floozy (The Penelope Pembroke Cozy Mystery Series) (10 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY

“What are you doing here, Mother?”

“I asked her in,” Brice said.

“I was on my way to the library.”

“Uh-huh, well, why don’t you go on over there.”

She nodded. “Sure. L
isten, Brice, what I told you…”

“I heard you.”

“Well, then, goodbye and good luck.”

She didn’t look back as she left the shop, at least not until she reached the library. Then she turned to see if Bradley was bringing Brice out in handcuffs, but the sidewalk remained empty, so she went inside.

“How’s Shana?”

Shana glanced up from the books she was putting on the re
-shelving cart. “I’ve been better.”

“What’s the news from Peter?”

“He has a court hearing next week. His lawyer can’t find anything bad about Tabby’s grandparents so he can fight fire with fire.”

“Sam looked them up, but he wouldn’t tell me anything. He said Peter knew what he needed to know.”

“He did? Peter didn’t mention that.”

“Sam said they
—the Bainbridges—have money, too.”

“I know that, but Peter’s not hurting for money. He has a nice house, and Tabby has everything she needs and more.”

“Is the hearing before the same judge who told the grandparents to buzz off before?”

“No, I wish it was. Peter says this judge is big on grandparents’ rights, so it’s going to be an uphill battle.” Shana sighed and shook her head. “We’ll just have to tough it out. I saw you go in the antique shop a while ago. What’s up?”

“Brice has a guilty conscience and needed to spill his guts.”

“Did he?”

“Not all of them. Then Bradley came in.”

“Uh-oh. What does that mean?”

“No clue. Listen, Shana, this Jill Jerome—what did you think of her when she came in wanting to photograph those boxes?”

“The boxes that left here in a van yesterday, by the way.”

“Thank goodness. I’m glad to see the last of them.”

“Me, too.”

“So what did you think of her? Woman to woman.”

“She was nice enough, I guess. Didn’t argue with me when I told her she couldn’t take pictures.”

“That’s all?”

“What are you after?”

“I’m not sure, but I don’t trust her. I can’t figure out why she’s still hanging around. She’s going to get herself in trouble accusing people of things and then…”

“What did she accuse someone of?”

“Never mind. I shouldn’t be talking about it.”

“Inside information, huh?”

“Sort of. Listen, don’t sit around moping. Come over any time. Daddy likes to see you.”

“I’d hate to crash a meal with Brad and Rosabel.”

“I thought you and Rosabel had gotten pretty well acquainted.”

“We have. I like her, and she and Brad are perfect for each other. I just don’t want to horn in.”

“You’re like family, too, Shana. I’ve got a vested interest in you.”

“You’re weird, Penelope.”

“I’ve been called worse. Come over tonight.”

“I might. I’ll call you.”

“I’m going to walk back to my car at the Garden Spot and see if Brad’s still in the store with Brice. See you later.”

****

From the opposite side of the street, Penelope couldn’t see into Brice’s shop, but as she reached the corner, she thought she glimpsed someone hurrying from the back of the building. The man wore overalls and lumbered toward a battered pickup, got in, and drove away.

Harvey
Hadden, sneaking around the old feed store? What’s he looking for? What was Madeline Hadden to him? Did she leave something up there…
Penelope’s heart seemed to stop.
He’s looking for something, I just know it. Maybe that’s why Jill is still here. Maybe she’s looking, too. But what? And how did either one of them get the idea there was something up there?

She backed out and headed west toward Possum Hollow without knowing why. Harvey’s truck belched a fog of black exhaust as he rattled along the county road in front of her.

When he turned off onto a dirt trail by a grey metal mailbox with Hadden scrawled on the side, she stopped.
Why am I following him? I knew where he was going, which was home, and I sure don’t want to go down to his house. Nancy Drew might sleuth around in unknown places, but not Penelope Pembroke.

She made a U-turn and headed back to town.
She could see the sign reading Amaryllis AR, Pop. 5,492, when a shadow crept through the windows. She turned the wheel sharply toward the right, heard the squeal of tires, and felt the SUV go airborne.

****

Still not sure what had just happened, she sat in the patrol car watching Fred Mason’s wrecker pull her vehicle from the Lester Bailey’s cornfield. “What were you doing out here, Mrs. Pembroke?” Parnell Garrett put his face in the window and waited.

“You wouldn’t like my answer, so I’m not going to say anything.”

He looked at her much as a parent trying to decide just how naughty his child had been. “Brad’s going to ask, and he’s going to want an answer.”

“He won’t get one either.”

Parnell sighed and straightened up as Fred came across the road. “No damage as far as I can tell. You want me to tow it in and look it over?”

“Yes,” Penelope said before Parnell could reply.

“That is, if Officer Garrett doesn’t mind taking me home.”

Parnell waved Fred on his way and came around to the driver’s side. “Mrs. Pembroke, maybe you ought to let Doc Teller check you out. You look kinda pale to me.”

“I’m all right.”

“Do you at least want to tell me how you ended up in that cornfield facing the wrong way?”

“No. I mean, I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

“Somebody run you off the road?”

“I…”

Parnell started the car. “I’m taking you to the clinic.”

“No, just take me home, please, Parnell. I…” A wave of nausea swept over her. She put her head between her knees and took a deep breath.

“The clinic,” he repeated.

She was signing the insurance release when Brad came in. “Mother, what in the world happened?”

“I don’t know. I wouldn’t tell you if I did.”

“How did you end up in Bailey’s cornfield?”

“I got hungry.”

“Ha ha.” He glanced through the half-open door at Dr. Teller. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, Brad. Shaken up a bit, that’s all. She’ll be sore tomorrow in places she doesn’t even know she has today.”

Penelope’s eyes raked the doctor with disgust.

“Go home and get some rest, Mrs. Pembroke. Take some
aspirin if you have it.”

“All right, Mother,” Brad said as he took her arm, “while I drive you home, you can tell me exactly what happened.”

On the short drive, she told him about Harvey Hadden.

“He probably saw you and followed you back to town.”

“I don’t know, Bradley. I don’t even know why I went out there.”

“I don’t either. You’re smarter than that.”

“He’s looking for something up there.”

“In the old feed store? He’s a hundred years late, isn’t he?”

“I don’t know, but mark my words, he’ll be back.”

“We’ll keep an eye out. Meanwhile, you go in the house and stay there, and I’ll see you get your car back tomorrow.” He coasted to a stop at the curb and leaned across her to open the door. “If I didn’t have to get back to the station, I’d come in.”

“It’s probably better you don’t.”

“I’ll let Pawpaw chew on you.”

“He will, too. Thanks for the ride, Bradley.”

****

Sam grinned at her from his perch on the bar stool by the cabinet. “Hello, Nell.” Then he took a closer look. “What happened to you?”

“Nothing. Where’s Daddy?”

“Gone to his room to get something to put in this cola.” He held up his glass.

“I’m going upstairs to take a bath.”

“In the middle of the afternoon?” He slid off the bar stool and blocked her way. “Spit it out.”

“Here we go, Sam.” Jake, holding up a bottle of fine, pale Scotch, stopped and took in the stand-off. “Nellie?”

“I’m fine, Daddy.”

Sam took her arm and edged her toward a chair. “Sit.”

“Nellie, you look terrible.”

“Thanks a lot, Daddy.”

He set the whiskey on the table and bent over her. “What’s wrong, honeychild?”

“Nothing, Daddy. I just had a little accident, that’s all.”

“Accident?” Sam’s eyebrows went up.

“Fred has my car down at his shop, just to check it out. He says it looks okay.”

Sam uncapped the Scotch and added some to his glass and Jake’s, then held it out to Penelope. She shook her head. “Just a cola. When did you start keeping liquor, Daddy?”

“That’s between me and Cole at the package store. We’re talking about you right now.”

Sam brought her a soda from the refrigerator. “So tell us about the
little
accident, Nell.”

She shook her head. “You’ll just get
mad. Bradley sure is.”

“He knows about it?” Jake asked.

“He brought me home from the clinic.”

“The
clinic!” Jakes forehead furrowed. “You’re hurt?”
              “Just shaken up a little. I ended up in Bailey’s cornfield. I guess I’ll have to offer to pay him for a couple of rows.”

“Bailey’s place—the one out toward the Hollow?”

Penelope sipped her drink and nodded.

“Nellie, what were you doing out there?”

Sam leaned across the table. “What in
hell
were you doing out that way after I told you to stay away?”

Jake sucked in his breath.

“Don’t yell at me,” Penelope flared. “This is
my
kitchen after all.”

“I ought to take you across my knee and…”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Jake put a hand on
each of their arms. “Just simmer down, both of you. Nellie, I’d like to know what’s going on, but if you don’t want to tell me, that’s your business.”

Penelope cast a triumphant glance in Sam’s direction. He glared back.

“Thank you, Daddy. Shana might be coming for supper tonight. I’d rather not mention this to her.”

Jake patted her. “No, no, we won’t.”

“I think I’ll go upstairs and soak awhile.” She got to her feet, swayed, and plopped down in the chair again.

Jake frowned. “Maybe you ought to just go lie down. I’ll walk upstairs with you.”

“I’ll go with her, Mr. Kelley.” Sam came around the table and helped Penelope to her feet. “I think we need to have a talk.”

“Mind your manners, Sam,” Jake said, his mouth twitching. “And be a gentleman. I’ve still got my shotgun.”

****

Sam parked
himself on the bench from Penelope’s dressing table outside the bathroom door. “You all right in there?”

“Yes.”

“You didn’t lock the door, did you?”

“Of course, I…no, I didn’t lock the door, but don’t you dare come in here.”

He laughed. “You’re safe—if you tell me the truth.”

“I don’t owe you anything.”

“Then I’ll come in and dunk you until you come clean—and I don’t mean your tempting little body.”

“I’ll…”

“You’ll what? Come on, Nell, tell all.”

After a few minutes, as the hot water eased her tension, she did, starting with the conversation at the antique store. “And before you ask, I don’t know what made me follow Harvey
Hadden, and no, I won’t do it again.”

“I have to say you got what you deserved.”

“You really care, don’t you?” Her voice dripped sarcasm.

“I care, Nell, more than you’ll ever know. So you think
Harvey’s after something, do you?”

“It was just an idea.”

“You could be right.”

“I could?”

“Let me think about it.”

“While you’re thinking, here’s something else to mull over.” She told him about Peter’s in-laws. “And the judge is a big advocate of grandparents’ rights.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll award them custody of Tabby.”

“You said Peter knows what he needs to know.”

“He does, and I’m sure he’s got plenty of character witnesses.”

“I expect he does.”

“He should fight fire with fire?”

“I would if it were me.”

“Shana’s even thinking about quitting her job and going back to Ohio.”