Murder And Salutations Part 19

Sara Lynn reached into her purse-tucked safely behind the counter-and tossed me her keys.

"Don't you want to know what I'm doing?" I asked.

"Tell me when you bring my car back."

I had to look twice to be sure it was my sister and not some imposter. It was a sure sign that she'd been shaken up by last night's events, since there was no doubt in my mind that Bradford had already brought her up to speed on what had been happening.

I raced toward the gas station, and sure enough, the motor home was still at the pump.

As I pulled in behind it, I changed my mind at the last second, and swerved so I could keep it from leaving before I was ready. I got out and saw Luke coming out of the cas.h.i.+er's office.

"Jennifer, you really should slow down."

"I will as soon as I have the time. I was hoping I'd catch you. I heard you were leaving town."

He nodded. "There are just too many bad memories around here for me. Now that Eliza's gone, there's no reason for me to stay."

There was a group of men standing by the entrance and I felt like Luke had said it for their benefit, not mine. If he wanted to put on a play in public, I was game.

"Funny, I never thought of you as a coward."

He gave me a hard look; the men standing around had dropped all pretense that they weren't listening to every word.

"You'd better be careful there, Jennifer."

"What are you going to do, attack me? Like someone attacked your ex-wife?"

His face reddened at my goading, and I saw one of the men flinch. "That's enough," he said when he could control his voice.

"I don't think so. If you loved Eliza as much as you claim, you surely wouldn't run away with your tail between your legs if there was a chance her killer might be caught. Don't you want to be there when, Bradford brings him in?" might be caught. Don't you want to be there when, Bradford brings him in?"

I saw a few nods out of the corner of my eye, and I could see that I was scoring some points. Luke must have noticed it, too.

"Do you really think your brother's capable of catching anything more than a cold?"

"Look at his track record," I said. "He's good at what he does." I was on solid ground there. Bradford was the best sheriff Rebel Forge had ever had, and more folks said it than me. "I can't believe you're just giving up. I thought you were a real man."

He actually took a step toward me as I said that, and I could see the pure hatred in his eyes. Only the sight of the men standing by watching kept him from approaching me more. I thought he was going to come after me anyway when one of the men, an older fellow named Moss Marlette, said, "She's got a point, Luke. What's your hurry?"

That emboldened one of the other men to say, "I knew your daddy, and he never gave up a day in his life."

Luke wanted to scream, I could see it in his eyes, but instead, he plastered a fake smile on his face and said, "You know what, Jennifer? You're right. I'm turning this rig around and parking it back at Campers' Cove, and I'm not leaving until the worm that killed my Eliza pays for it."

Several of the men nodded their approval, but out of their hearing, Luke added, "This isn't over."

I nodded. "Anytime."

I drove off after making sure that Luke was heading back into town. I'd found the right b.u.t.ton to push, but it hadn't been that hard. I loved Southern men dearly, but they were so proud, a lot of the time it made them predictable. I wasn't all that thrilled with my own behavior, but I couldn't rule Luke out as a suspect if he wasn't around. I was making quite a name for myself as a hag around town, but it didn't matter if it helped find Eliza's killer. Things were getting hot in Rebel Forge, and if it took some stirring to make things boil over, then I was going to do it.

"That was fast," Sara Lynn said as I returned her car keys to her.

"And yet I managed to annoy several people in that short a time," I said. short a time," I said.

"Jennifer, are you being bad?"

I looked around. The only customers in her store were cl.u.s.tered back by the sc.r.a.pbooking how-to books. "I'm trying to find out what really happened to Eliza. I have to believe that whoever killed her is the same person who took those shots at Bailey and me, and then burned down my old apartment."

"But why would they be so zealous?" she asked, "It doesn't make sense."

I didn't want to get into it right there with my sister. "Who knows why lunatics act the way they do?"

She studied me a few seconds, then said, "Jennifer, you've got a theory. What is it?"

"Me? I don't know what you're talking about."

"If you're trying to save me from some hurt feelings, I'm a little beyond that. I doubt you can tell me anything worse than I've already heard. Talk to me."

I took a deep breath, then said, "Okay, here's what I think happened. I think Bailey saw Eliza murdered or at least witnessed something incriminating that the killer wanted silenced. The killer followed Bailey to Hurley's the night I was there with Greg, and he spotted your husband and me on the loading dock. I'm willing to bet he wasn't sure how long we were up there together, so he was afraid that Bailey told me whatever it was he was hiding."

"He didn't, did he? Don't worry, I won't tell Bradford if you're holding something back from him."

"I swear, he didn't tell me a thing," I said. "That's not completely true. He thought Eliza was seeing someone else, but that wasn't his secret. So anyway, the killer thinks I know, too, so I'm a target. That's why he burned Whispering Oak to the ground, to protect his secret."

"Then you think Bailey's dead, too," she said in a muted voice.

"I think no such thing," I said forcefully. "Bailey was fine the last time I saw him, and I don't have any reason to believe that anything has changed, and neither do you."

Sara Lynn stared off into s.p.a.ce, then said, "I always thought it was sheer delusion when people said they knew when their loved ones died, but I don't anymore."

Chris answered the phone nearby, and said, "Jennifer, it's for you."

Sara Lynn fought to find a smile. "Now you're getting calls at my shop?"

"They probably want to ask me if I'm ever going back to mine," I said as I took the telephone.

"Jennifer Shane," I said.

"Jen, this is Savannah. You asked me about Eliza earlier, and I kind of cut you off. Since then I've been doing a little digging of my own."

"Savannah, how on earth did you know where to find me?"

"It was Lillian's idea to try there," she said, laughing. "Turns out that aunt of yours knows you pretty well."

I saw my brother's police cruiser pull up outside. The second I saw his face, I knew something bad had happened. "Savannah, can I call you back later? Something just came up."

"That would be fine," she said as she hung up. "But don't forget. I think this might be important."

As I placed the telephone back in its base, Bradford walked in and headed straight for Sara Lynn. He whispered something to her, and I saw her collapse. It was a good thing Bradford was ready for her fall. He caught her in his arms, and started back for the break room without missing a step.

"Bradford, what happened?"

"We identified the body at Whispering Oak," he said "It was Bailey, wasn't it?" Why had I blurted it out? Sara Lynn's prediction had spooked me, but that didn't mean I had to say it.

He frowned at me. "Now how in the world did you know that, Jennifer?"

"I didn't," I said as I pointed to our sister. "But she did. Sara Lynn just told me she knew that he died last night."

As Bradford laid her gently on the couch in back, he said, "You know I don't give any credence to that kind of thing."

"But she was right, wasn't she?"

He looked down at her. "It wasn't that hard a conclusion to jump to, given what's been going on around here lately." Bradford knelt down beside Sara Lynn and said, "Sis, can you hear me?"

Her eyelids fluttered, and she came fully awake. "What happened?"

"You fainted," I said over Bradford's shoulder. "But you're going to be fine."

"Then it's true? He really is dead?"

"I'm afraid he is," Bradford said. "We'd haw known sooner, but there was a holdup with the dental records."

Sara Lynn started to get up, but Bradford put a hand on her shoulder. "Just keep still and collect yours breath before you try to stand."

"Nonsense," she said. "I don't mind if you help me, but I won't let you hold me down. Do you understand me?"

He shrugged. "Whatever you say. Jennifer's going to take you home now. Where are your car keys?"

"I will not be handled," she lashed out at him, "no matter how good your intentions are. I'm not going anywhere. This is where I belong."

"You've lost it, woman. It's okay to show your emotions. Your husband just died."

"Don't you think I know that? I may never go back to that house. Every way I turn I'll see a memory of our lives together. What on earth makes you think I want that? I'm staying right here, Bradford, and you're going to have to arrest me to get me to leave."

I touched my brother's shoulder lightly. "I can stay here with her."

"You'll do no such thing," Sara Lynn said. "You have a store of your own to take care of. I'm warning you two right now, I won't be coddled. I've got Chris and Nancy. I'll be fine."

"Suit yourself," Bradford said. "I just thought you should know as soon as possible."

Sara Lynn sat up, and beckoned for him to join her. As he did, she kissed him on the cheek. "I know all you do for me is out of love, but just being there for me is what I need right now. I'll call if I need you, okay?"

He looked at her steadily, then said, "Okay. Sara Lynn, I'm truly sorry for your loss."

"He wasn't the best husband in the world-not nearly as good a one as I'd thought, evidently-but I loved him more than I could imagine." She caught my glance, and though I didn't mean to voice my disapproval for the callous way she was handling her husband's death, something must have shown on my face.

"You don't approve of my behavior, do you, Jennifer?"

I jerked my gaze to the floor. "It's not up to me to approve or disapprove," I said.

"You're right, it's not," she said with the same bite she'd used on our brother earlier. "If I let myself accept what happened, I'm afraid of what I might do. I have to deal with this, in my own time and my own way. All I ask is that you support me through it."

"I would never dream of doing anything else," I said.

"That's fine, then. You both have jobs to do, so I suggest you get back to them."

Bradford and I started to walk out when Sara Lynn called, "Bradford, I have one question for you now."

"Anything," he said.

"Was it painful for him?"

I looked at my sister and saw a crack in her tough facade. I personally didn't know how she was managing as well as she was.

"No. One blow to the back of the head, with a shovel most likely. The coroner said it killed him instantly."

"Then there's that to take comfort in," Sara Lynn said.

"There is that," Bradford agreed, and the two of us I walked out of the break room.

"I'm staying," I said once we were out of sight. "I don't care what she says."

"Jennifer, the worst thing in the world you can do right now is go against her wishes. You heard her. She'll call if she needs either one of us."

"We can't just leave her here," I said, tears coming to my eyes unbidden.

"We have to," he said as he walked me outside. "You don't remember Fluff, do you?"

"No, but I've heard you two talk about her enough so I feel like I knew her, too. She was your cat, wasn't she?"

He shook his head. "He was Sara Lynn's. He just tolerated the rest of us. Just before you were born, Fluff ran in front of a car. Poor thing didn't stand a chance. It nearly killed me, but Sara Lynn barely shed a tear. I thought she had a soul made of ice, until I Found her outside two weeks later weeping silently over Fluffs grave. It took her a long time to come to grips with losing him, and until she did, she didn't shed a tear that I could see. Imagine how much worse this is going to be. The fact that Bailey was cheating in her in the end doesn't make it easier. It just makes it worse."

"How's that?" I asked.

"She wants to be mad at him, and who in the world could blame her, but she can't, because he's gone now and she'll never get the chance to make up with him. That's a lot to ask anybody to bear, wouldn't you say?"

"I guess you're right," I said. "I still wish there was something I could do."

"Until she asks for our help, you'll just do more harm than good if you try to interfere. Are you going back to the card shop? I'd be happy to give you a ride."

"No, thanks. I think I'll walk. I've got a lot on my mind."

"Okay, but if you need me, I'm just a phone call away."

After he was gone, I walked back to the card shop. Poor Bailey. I hoped the coroner was right. He'd been a fool to jeopardize his marriage with Sara Lynn for a fling with Eliza, but that didn't make him evil. He'd stuck by my sister in sickness and in health, and as far as I knew, he'd only strayed once. It didn't justify what he'd done, but he hadn't deserved to die for the mistake. I found myself wondering if Bradford suspected Sara Lynn at all in her husband's death. After all, he and his lover had both been murdered. What, other conclusion could Bradford reach? Sara Lynn was one of the few people who knew Whispering Oak was going to be empty last night as well. I didn't care what Bradford thought, though. I couldn't imagine any circ.u.mstances that would turn my sister into a murderer.

So if my theory was right, which was a stretch-even I was willing to admit that-that meant the killer only had one loose end to tie up.

Me.