Riddle (12 page)

Chapter 19

As the taillights of Kort’s truck faded in the distance Norma slammed the door shut. Angrily pacing the living room she swore under her breath. Suddenly she clenched her fists at her side, bent back her head, and screamed furiously. “Damn! Damn, damn, damn!”

She had had him there; in her home, in her bed, in her arms! She went into the bedroom and threw herself across her bed, the sheets still warm from their bodies. Burying her face in the pillow he had used she inhaled deeply, his scent and the scent of their lovemaking filling her head. Rolling onto her back she held the pillow tightly against her body remembering the touch of his mouth and his hands. Her hand trailed down across her belly before resting on the mound of her pelvis. “His response wasn’t just because of the drug. He wanted me. He wants me. He enjoyed it.” She already ached to feel him inside of her again. Slowly she calmed down.

“It was just a reaction to the pills,” she told herself. “He felt sick and didn’t want me to know. That happens. It would be different next time. I may not need the pills next time. I just needed them this time because he is so shy. He just needed a boost, just something to make him relax.” She began to wonder f she had given him too much. Perhaps the combination of the pills and the alcohol was more than he could handle. “Suppose he had an accident. Suppose there was a drug test and evidence of the medication was found in his blood.”

Norma picked up her phone from the night table. Calculating how long it might take him to get to his mother’s house, she waited for him to call. Watching the minutes change on her phone she grew more frightened. Finally she gave in and dialed his number. It took four full rings before she heard him answer, his voice thick with sleep and intoxication. But he was able to assure he was home before disconnecting. She held the phone against her naked breast and whispered, “I love you Kort.” Then she fell back on the bed and pulled the covers tightly around her body imagining he was holding her, hand squeezed tightly between her thighs, and fell asleep.

Chapter 20

It was the end of the evening and Grace and Mandy sat at an empty table rolling silverware into white napkins. There were only two tables with customers left and Ashlee was talking to a couple of young men seated at one of them. “She’s hot for Craig,” Mandy said, inclining her head toward the table. Seeing Grace’s eyebrows go up she said, “The husky blond one.”

Grace snuck a look at the table and noticed Ashlee lay her hand on the young man’s shoulder. She chuckled softly. “Discretion isn’t her strong suit, is it?”

Shaking her and giggling Mandy agreed, “Ashlee doesn’t know the meaning of the word.” She continued rolling the silverware into napkins and securing the bundles with thin green bands to hold them closed. She bit her lip before asking, “So are you with Kort Eriksen?”

Grace looked up quickly. “With?”

“Dating?” Thinking she might have gotten too personal she immediately apologized. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t be so nosy.”

“No, it’s okay. No, we’re just friends. He’s been really helpful.”

Mandy looked thoughtful. “I don’t think he did it. Some of my friends think he did. But after it came out about the high school principal and her I started to wonder if he did it; especially when Mr. Ross committed suicide and left that weird note.”

Grace leaned across the table. “What? I don’t know anything about all that. You mean the father of the guy who works the desk at the inn?”

Embarrassed she replied, “I talk too much. It’s all just rumors.”

“No please tell me. I won’t repeat it. Heck I don’t really know anyone well enough to repeat it to.”

Mandy didn’t need much encouragement. “Tony and I went to high school together. His father was the principal. One night after the school was locked down for the night he went into the gym and hung himself. He had a note pinned to his suit jacket that just said, ‘For Desiree’. Who wears a suit to commit suicide?” She shook her head.

“Was that all the note said? I mean he didn’t explain why he did it?”

Shrugging her shoulders Mandy said, “That’s it. Some people think he might have killed her and framed Kort. Some people think they were messing around and he couldn’t live with losing her. Butch was furious. I mean she was his girlfriend and it was bad enough she was pregnant. I wondered if it was really Butch’s baby or maybe it was Mr. Ross’s. They only proved it wasn’t Kort’s. So who knows, right?”

Leaning back again Grace grew quiet. “What about Tony’s mother?”

Mandy’s voice grew very low then. “She’s an alcoholic. She started drinking heavily when Desiree died. Do you think she did it?”

“Oh no! I don’t think a woman did it. It would take a man to strangle a woman like that. I just wondered how she reacted.”

“Strangled? No, Desiree was beaten, strangled, and then stabbed. I think I heard he tried to drown her too but I don’t remember.” Mandy shivered and her voice dropped to a whisper. “Her hair was cut off too. Who would do something like that? I mean it’s like desecration. Nothing like that ever happened here before that or since then. I didn’t know Desiree but it’s still creepy. Anyway I don’t think Kort did it. So I wouldn’t be afraid of him if I were you.”

Grinning Grace reassured her. “I’m not afraid. I don’t think he did it either.” Then softly she added, “I feel sorry for poor Tony.”

Just then the last couple left the restaurant and Grace realized Ashlee’s friends had left also. Ashlee locked the front door and turned the sign to close, flicking the switch that turned off the outside lights. “Yay! All done.”

Mandy got up and went to count the register receipts and close out the cash while Ashlee sat down to help Grace finish rolling silverware. “Hey Grace I can give you a lift across the street tonight if you wait for me and Ashlee. I’m taking her home too. Unless of course Kort is picking you up,” she teased.

“No he had a dinner date tonight. I’d appreciate a lift. I’ll just be glad when my car is ready.”

“Well, it’s no problem. Let’s get this done quickly so we can all go home.”

Even as the chatter returned to Ashlee’s campaign to hook Craig, Grace’s mind was running over all that she had just learned. Something about the crime sounded strange, something out of place. Finally she just filed it all away in a corner of her brain to think about later.

After closing out the cash drawer Mandy filled three bags with several muffins and divided it between the three of them. “Midnight snack or breakfast, it’s better than tossing them in the trash.”

A few minutes later Mandy was locking the door and they were headed home.

Chapter 21

Tony was at the desk when Grace entered the inn and she walked over to talk to him. “Hi there. Listen, I’m checking out tomorrow and moving into the Timbers. I just wanted to thank you for all of your help.”

If Tony had been upset with her, he was obviously past it. “I’m glad I could help.” He smiled broadly. “In fact if you need any help tomorrow I’m available.”

“No, I’ve got it covered. But thank you.” Tony’s face fell and she immediately felt guilty. She looked down at the bag in her hand. “Say, I have some muffins. How do you feel about a snack?”

Brightening he told her he’d just made a pot of coffee a short time before. “I drink it like water so I can stay awake at night. I’ll grab a couple of cups and we can sit in the lobby.”

While that wasn’t exactly what Grace meant, she was stuck. As he went to the office to get the coffee she sat down in the lobby sitting area and unpacked the muffins and napkins. Tony came out carrying a small tray with two steaming cups of coffee, a bowl with several creamers, and another dish with packets of sugar. For a brief moment Grace was reminded of Norman Bates in the movie “Psycho” but pushed the thought away. Tony sat down across from her, setting the tray on the table.

Smiling at her he said, “I wasn’t sure what you like in your coffee. I usually like mine black. It’s stronger that way, you know, to keep me awake.”

“Oh I am definitely a cream girl,” she smiled choosing two creamers. “Have a muffin,” she indicated the muffins she had set out on the napkins.

Returning her smile Tony chose one, setting the napkin beside his coffee mug. “This is so pleasant. It’s usually lonely this time of night unless we are booked for a football game. Then things get very rowdy and I like that less than the loneliness.”

Grace nodded wondering how long she would have to stay in the lobby before she could leave without hurting Tony’s feelings.  “How long have you worked here Tony?”

Dabbing his mouth before he responded he answered. “Since the summer after I graduated from high school, four years, four months, and two weeks.” He smiled. “I planned to go to college but things just didn’t work out.” The smile left his face. “Still, they say life experience is worth more than a piece of paper these days.” The smile returned.

Grace found herself nodding again. “I think both are important. Did you apply to any colleges?”

Tony swallowed nervously. “Well yes I did. I was accepted at several. I even had a baseball scholarship to State.”

“That’s pretty impressive. Why on earth didn’t you go?” Grace unwrapped her muffin and when Tony didn’t answer she looked up to find him staring at her.

“Why on earth didn’t I go?” he echoed her woodenly. Grace suddenly felt as though icy fingers were tickling her spine. He shook his head slightly. “My father died. My mother fell apart. I couldn’t leave her.”

“I’m so sorry Tony. That must have been terrible.”

Tony studied her face closely. He knew at once that she already knew what had happened. He decided to play along with her pretense of ignorance. “Yes it was terrible. He committed suicide at the school.” Setting his coffee cup on the table he leaned closer to Grace. “There are things no one else knew about; things about my father.” Grace’s eyes were glued to his as she waited for him to continue. “My father had an infatuation with one of his students a few years before he took his life. Perhaps obsession would be a better word. Desiree Steele was a little flirt. She flirted with everyone; students, teachers, even the principal, my father. When she was murdered he went to pieces. I think my mother wondered if he had anything to do with her death. She started drinking about the same time. He didn’t have anything to do with it of course.” He stopped as if pondering the truth of the statement. Then he continued, “When he decided he couldn’t live anymore for whatever reason, he hung himself in the gym at the high school. That was bad enough. He also took the opportunity to alert anyone in town who didn’t already know about his affection for the late Ms. Steele that he couldn’t live without her. He pinned a note to his suit jacket that said, ‘For Desiree’. You’ve been in Riddle long enough to know that news like that travels fast.” He said all the last in a monotone, as though he was reading a boring script.

Grace searched her mind for something to say. All that came out was a whispered, “I’m sorry.”

A stiff smile touched his lips. “So am I. Anyway, as you can see it would have been cruel to leave my mother at that time. She had already been abandoned by my father.”

Grace picked up her coffee cup and found it was empty. Clearing her throat she asked, “How is your mother now? Did she have to go away for treatment?”

Tony took the cup from her hand. “She’s still drinking. I would never send my mother away. What happened wasn’t her fault. Why should she be punished for my father’s weakness? She was devastated, maybe a little crazed. But something like that would make anyone a little crazy. I mean, we all have something that drives us a little crazy. Don’t you have something like that? Something that makes you just lose your mind a little?” That strange smile crossed his lips again. “Would you like more coffee or have I depressed you enough already?”

She had been prepared to excuse herself but the comment made her feel guilty all over again.  “Yes, but just one more. I don’t want to stay awake too late.” Tony returned quickly with the coffee.

Sitting down he asked, “So how well do you know Kort?”

Grace felt her face grow warm. There was something almost accusatory in his tone. “We’re friends. Like you, he has been very kind and helpful.”

Tony nodded. Suddenly he changed the subject. “Have you ever been to a state fair?”

“I went years ago when I was a kid. We used to go with our school one day during the week it was in town. I think we got in free. Some of us belonged to 4-H and we exhibited things like crafts and collections.”

“You don’t strike me as a 4-H kind of girl.” His bad mood seemed to have passed and he grinned.

Still feeling uneasy Grace forced herself to return his smile. “I was a Catholic school girl until high school. I was even on the swim team in high school.”

“Now that is also surprising. I guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover. I’m not a very good swimmer. I’m not much of an outdoors person. I do like hiking a little. It’s good exercise and a good way to clear your mind” With that he got up and began clearing the table. Placing the two leftover muffins into the bag he handed it to her, still smiling. “You could have these for breakfast.”

As she reached to take the bag from his hands he held it a moment. “The fair is in town and a group of us are going. I wondered if you would like to come with us.”

Confused, Grace simply stared at him. Then she stammered, “I-I have to work and I’m moving…”

“We’re going Friday. If you aren’t busy and you want to come give me a call. It’s not a date. There will be a group of us. You should get out and have a little fun.”

“Well, I’ll have to check my schedule and see how far I’ve gotten with settling in.” She stood up and he released the bag.

“I hope you’ll come. If I don’t see you tomorrow I hope the move goes well.”

Completely confused by the twists and turns the conversation had taken she murmured “Thank you” and headed for the elevator hoping she wouldn’t have to wait for it. Resisting the impulse to look back over her shoulder she pressed the elevator button and the door swished open. After she stepped inside and pushed the button for her floor she glanced up. Tony stood at the front of the desk watching her. The door slid closed and at the last moment he raised his hand in a half-wave. Once in her room she locked the door and sat heavily on the bed, inhaling deeply. She realized she had been barely breathing since leaving the lobby.

Shivering slightly she began to undress. Tony had turned out to be a very strange young man.
“I suppose if I had been through all he has I’d be a little strange myself,”
she thought. Feeling too tired to finish packing she decided to put it off until the morning. She set the clock on her phone for seven then checked to see if she had gotten any calls. She felt a twinge of disappointment when she realized Kort had not tried to call. Sighing, she turned off the light and found herself tossing and turning for a long time before she finally fell into a restless sleep.